23 shows a peach orchard of three years old trees pruned ready 

 for their fourth seasons' growth. Fig. 24 shows the same in full sum- 

 mer growth. Fig. 25 shows a four years old orchard with the trees 

 pruned for their fifth season's growth and Fig. 26 shows the same in 

 full foliage toward the last of the fifth season's growth. Fig. 27 

 shows a peach tree at the end of the fourth season and Fig. 28 the 

 same pruned ready for the fifth season's growth. 



Young trees like those in the figures will need but little more 

 pruning, unless the shoots become thick as shown in Figs. 9 to 14, 

 except to head back as shown ; but as they grow older some of 

 the small inside shoots must be removed or the head will become so 

 close as not to produce the large healthy foliage needed to mature 

 fruit of first quality. By this method of heading in, the tree is pre- 

 vented from becoming " toppy " as in Fig. 29, and the fruit is borne 

 where it can be easily cared for. 



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Fig. 



27. 



THINNING FRUIT. 



Next to the proper fertilization and cultivation in orchard work, 

 .thinning of the fruit is of the most importance. It matters little how 

 much we may enrich the ground, or prune our trees, there will be 

 some seasons when well formed trees will set more fruit than they 

 can properly mature to large size, good color and fine quality, and 



