83 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



to a length of 15 inches, take off their ends, and keep all laterals pinched. The main 

 shoots may not grow in the right direction, but they can be brought into the required 

 position by the aid of soft matting and stakes. 



In the February following shorten the main branches to 15 inches, and cut out all 

 other growths. If a branch incline downwards, shorten it to a bud that is growing from 

 the upper side ; if too much erect, cut to a bud on the lower side, and where the branches 

 are unevenly divided, cut to buds on the side where the distance is greatest. When 

 the new shoots have grown to a length of a few inches, select two or three of the upper 

 ones on each branch. The tree will then form nine or ten main growths, which can be 

 tied at equal distances round a willow hoop 15 to 18 inches in diameter. Pinch off the 

 ends of the shoots when 2 feet long and by the close of the season the tree will be 

 strong and symmetrically formed. The main shoots must be uniformly shortened to 

 18 inches in February of the third year. Two or three vigorous growths are wanted on 

 each of the branches during the season, pinching all others, and when the shoot shave 

 made 24 to 30 inches of growth, nip off their points. 



Prune the trees in the fourth February to 2 feet from the last cutting, and the side 

 shoots, when growing too near each other, must be thinned, always cutting close to 

 a bud so that the wound may be quickly covered. Allow two extension shoots from 

 each branch and when 24 to 30 inches long pinch off their points ; stop the longest 

 side shoots, so that they do not interfere with those on the adjoining branches, and 

 remove any that will not be wanted for the year's bearing. 



Repeat the process another season and the tree will be 8 feet high. Keep the 

 growths thin and the outer branches will be borne down by the fruits, admit- 

 ting sun into the tree to colour and flavour them. Over-cropping must be strictly 

 avoided by judicious thinning when the fruit is well set and swelling, leaving the 

 most promising a good handbreadth apart for the smaller varieties, a little more 

 for the medium, and two handbreadths should be given to kinds that produce the 

 largest fruit. By removing enfeebled parts and encouraging fruitful wood a stan- 

 dard peach or nectarine tree will continue to bear large crops of excellent fruit for 

 many years. 



Short- Pruning. M. Grin brought this system to great perfection. Its chief objects 

 are 1, the transformation of laterals into close, vigorous spurs; 2, converting side shoots 

 into cluster growths ; 3, checking luxuriant extensions and providing a succession of 

 bearing shoots. It is essential to correct procedure in manipulation to understand what 



