THE PEACH. 257 



the wood buds at their base to push, and make shoots to 

 bear next year. 



The formation of the head goes on as described, for two 

 or three years more, when it is complete ; for peach trees, 

 properly pruned, do not assume such wide-spreading forms 

 as they do naturally. 



The main branches and secondary branches should be 

 at equal distances throughout, and far enough apart to 

 give the bearing wood on their sides the full benefit of the 

 sun and air. 



An equality of vigor should also be preserved amongst 

 them by summer pinching. It is not uncommon to see a 

 very vigorous shoot start up in a peach-tree, and appro- 

 priate so much of the sap as to injure a whole branch ; 

 these should be checked the moment their character is ob- 

 served, unless they may be wanted to fill a vacancy. Every 

 part of the branch should be furnished with bearing 

 shoots, and these should, every spring, be shortened in 

 one half or more, to produce others at their base, whilst 

 those that have borne are cut out. 



Some people imagine that when they have taken a pair 

 of hedge shears, or some such instrument, and shorn off 

 the ends of the shoots on the outside of the tree indis- 

 criminately, they are " shortening in," and so they are, as 

 they would a hedge ! Some of the shoots are cut away 

 entirely, fruit-buds and all, whilst others remain untouched, 

 and the tree becomes like a brush on the outside and 

 naked within. This is almost as bad as the let-alone sys- 

 tem. Every shoot should be cut separately. The most 

 expeditious instrument for doing this is a pair of light 

 hand pruning shears, such as the French secateur (see in- 

 struments). A person accustomed to its use can prune 

 every shoot on a full-grown tree in an almost incredibly 

 short space of time, as compared with that required with 

 the knife. Extensive orchardists, looking to the cost, may 

 be deterred from, such a labor; preferring to let their 



