THE PEACH. 



163 



as to habituate the fruit gradually to the full influence 

 of the sun. The leaves must not be carelessly torn 

 off, but cut away so as to leave a small portion of each 

 stem and leaf. If this is not attended to, the eye at 

 the base of the leaf-stem will be lost, to the injury of 

 next year's crop. 



Third Tear. At the third year the winter pruning 

 is practised as follows : 



Fig. 144. Fruit-Branch, Second Pruning. 



The fruit-branches proper (fig. 130), which have 

 borne during the preceding summer, have now grown 

 to the form of figure 144. The fruit-branch is cut 



