JUNE] THE ORCHARD. 43 1 



the most appropriate shoot it produces at or near -its base, or by a 

 shoot from an adjoining branch. 



These facts are the foundation of all the long intricate plans 

 for pruning and training this tree. The following are, I think, 

 the best concise directions which have yet been given on this sub- 

 ject: 



" Commencing with the winter pruning, the first rule to be laid 

 down as a basis for all the rest, is to shorten every shoot in propor- 

 tion to its strength, and to prune where the wood is firm and well 

 ripened : this will cause all the pithy and unripened wood to be re- 

 moved, thence insuring a supply of that which is better ripened for 

 the ensuing year. But in order to give every facility to the ripening 

 of this wood, it must be trained thin, not in profusion according to 

 the general custom, but such shoots only as may be required for the 

 following year. 



ft Trees which have arrived at a bearing state should have their 

 strongest bearing shoots shortened to twelve or fourteen inches, those 

 next in strength to eight or ten, and the weaker ones to four or six 

 inches, pruning each to what is termed a treble eye, or that where 

 there is a blossom-bud on each side of a wood-bud; where branches 

 are not in a bearing state, these treble eyes will not be found; they 

 must, therefore, be pruned to a wood-bud alone, which is always 

 known by its sharp point. 



" In May, the season for disbudding the tree, all fore-right shoots, 

 as well as those from the back, must be carefully removed with a 

 sharp small-bladed knife, taking care to cut close to the biaach, but 

 not into the bark ; a few, however, of these fore-right shoots had bet- 

 ter be cut within a quarter of an inch only, which will leave two or 

 three leaves to each, to shade the young fruit, and such slight 

 wounds in the branch as have been occasioned by cutting the shoots 

 off close. 



" As soon as the young shoots have grown long enough, the lead- 

 ing one from each branch should be nailed neatly to the wall, select- 

 ing one or two of the side shoots produced lower down the branch, 

 and training them parallel also. This applies to those of the stronger 

 branches, at and near the extremity of the tree. Those in the middle 

 and near the bottom will allow of but one shoot probably in addition 

 to the leaders; this will depend upon the space left in the winter 

 pruning; if sufficient, it is always better to have a young shoot on 

 each side as well as the leader, than to have only one, for it is by this 

 arrangement that a succession of young wood can be kept up through- 

 out every part of the tree. 



" Should young shoots, indicating extraordinary vigor, anywhere 

 make their appearance, they should immediately be cut out, unless 

 where a vacant part of the wall can be filled up, because an excessive 

 vigor in one part of the tree cannot be supported without detriment 

 to the other. Peach-trees, when in a state of health and vigor, 

 generally throw out laterals from their stronger shoots; when this is 

 the case, they should not be cut off close, but shortened to the last 

 eye nearest the branch; and if there is room, one or two of those 



