PRUNING AND TRAINING. 41 



absorbed by the suppressed branches is lost. Besides, 

 in pruning so late, there is great danger of breaking 

 off a number of the buds. Finally, the sap, in rushing 

 back from the summit to the base, will burst the sap 

 vessels, and cause canker or gum. 



The winter pruning, in February, is always im- 

 portant for peaches ; the buds on the lower parts of 

 the fruit-branches frequently remaining dormant for 

 want of a sufficiently powerful action of the sap. 



By early pruning, the sap is made to act upon the 

 buds unfavourably situated upon the tree, brings them 

 out, and also develops latent buds upon the old wood. 



We are thus, by early pruning, enabled to prevent 

 the middle part of the tree from becoming bare and 

 unproductive. 



By late, pruning, waiting even to the period when 

 the shoots begin to lengthen, we may operate with 

 advantage upon trees that possess too much vigour, 

 and which would not otherwise be easily put into a 

 fruit-bearing condition. One part of the action of the 

 sap is thus dispensed to the parts cut away, and acts 

 with less force towards the reserved buds, which thus 

 more readily assume the character of fruit-bearing ones. 



In southern parts of the country [France], however, 

 where vegetation is early, the pruning must necessarily 

 be performed before winter. 



If, also, we have such a number of trees that we 

 shall not be able to complete the pruning of the whole 

 in February, rather than go beyond that time it will 

 be better to anticipate it, by pruning the fruit-branches 

 before winter, and leaving the rest until February. 



