366 



THE PAKKS AND GARDENS OF PAIUS. [Chap. XXL 



devote to Peach-growmg. Peach-trees planted in tliis way afford 

 the means of growing a number of varieties in a small compass, 

 and of speedily obtaining a well-trained tree in full bearing. 

 After having chosen healthy trees, eighteen months old, full of 

 buds at the base, they are cut down to within eight inches of the 

 graft at the time of planting. When the first leaves begin to 

 appear, two well-placed shoots, situated about six inches above the 

 graft, are chosen, one on each side of the stem. These are intended 

 to form the two main branches that are afterwards to be trained 



in the U shape. The ends of 

 these two branches are then 

 turned directly upwards, care 

 being taken that the extremities 

 are perfectly free, so that their 

 development may not be inter- 

 fered with. 



" The space to be given in 

 planting, when the soil is of the 

 best kind, is about a yard to each 

 tree, which will leave an interval 

 of eighteen inches between each 

 principal vertical branch, thus 

 allowing sufficient room for nail- 

 ing in the summer shoots. When 

 the soil is not so favourable for 

 Peach-growing, the trees can be 

 planted two yards from each other 

 and trained in the form of the 

 double U. In this case, as in the 

 other, the principal branches will 

 be eighteen inches apart. Three years ago I planted on a southern 

 aspect some Peach-trees in the form of the single U. They 

 yield on an average one hundred Peaches each every year. The 

 wall against which they are trained is ten feet high, and they 

 were in full bearing the third year. 



" I give the preference to this form over the oblique cordon, 

 because, the principal branches being trained in a perfectly 

 upright position, the sap is more equally divided amongst the 

 smaller shoots, and if a tree or two happen to die in a fully 



Details of the preceding Figures : C 



bare portion of stem ; £>, preparation of shoot 

 intended to furnish it. 



