76 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



to prevent the side growths acquiring an undue ascendency over the main branches. It is 

 important to have these widely disposed, filling the space between them regularly, but 

 thinly, with bearing shoots. 



Seymour's mode of training peach trees has become almost obsolete, but its principle 

 is still the leading feature of modern practice, namely, the bearing shoots are wholly 

 reproduced yearly. Mr. London declared this to be the most perfect in theory, and it 

 certainly is the most excellent in practice, for the production of the finest fruit. The 

 tree figured has a central stem, from which the main branches are taken obliquely 

 upwards, and the bearing shoots are all on the upper side of them, but a central stem 

 is not necessary, and the tree ( W, page 73) can be managed on this system when the 

 requisite number of branches are provided. 

 ' Fig. 20 represents a six-years tree unpruned on the left-hand side, pruned on the 



Pig. 20. SEYMOUR'S MODB OP TRAINING THB PEACH AND NECTARINE. 



opposite. Before pruning there are pairs of shoots on the upper sides of the main 

 branches. The lower shoot is that which has borne fruit, and is cut out immediately 

 after this is gathered ; and the other is brought into its place after shortening it to 

 12 inches, a little more or less, at the winter pruning, and always at a wood bud. Thus 

 the tree bears only on the thoroughly ripened wood of the preceding year, and the 

 fruit attains to the highest perfection, because the growths are fully exposed to light, 

 derive full benefit from the warmth of the wall, and are in the direct channel of the 

 sap. It is a pity that a system so good and easy to carry out is not more generally 

 adopted. 



Mode of Bearing. The fruit of the peach and nectarine is principally produced from 

 the one-year-old wood ; but also on spurs. Both proceed from a single bud, but the 

 growth differs. That in the continuation of a branch is termed an extension; that 

 issuing from the side of a branch is called a bearing shoot; and that proceeding from 



