THE PEACH. S65 



wood buds, and pinch close all the shoots on the fruit 

 branch, leaving only rosettes of leaves necessary to the 

 perfection of the fruit ; pinching must be repeated all the 

 time that the shoots on the fruit branch continue to grow. 



Fourth Year (fig. 126). — After having examined if the 

 tree is equally vigorous in all its parts, and having de- 

 cided upon the means of restoring the balance if it has 

 been lost, the tree is detached from the wall or trellis, and 

 pruned, commencing with the fruit branches that have 

 borne. These, it must be remembered, are to be cut back 

 each year to the new branch of replacement produced at 

 its base. The young shoot then becomes the fruit branch, 

 and is pruned within four to fourteen inches, according to 

 its vigor and the situation of the fruit buds. 



The two main branches are cut back to within about 

 twenty inches of 

 the previous prun- 

 ing ; the first shoot 

 on the inside is 

 chosen to continue 

 the branch, and the Fig. 126. 



next one below it, fourth year. 

 on the lower and outer side, to produce the third ex- 

 terior secondary branch. The two secondary branches 

 alrea<ly formed are cut back to about twelve to fifteen 

 inches of tlie previous pruning, in order to make all the 

 lateral buds on them push. The terminal bud pioduces a 

 leader to continue them; all the others are fruit branches. 



In attaching the tree again to the wall, the angle that 

 exists between the two main branches is gradually 

 widened, tlie branches a little more spread at every pruning. 



Fifth Year (fig. 127). — The tree is now composed of 

 two main branches, both of which have three secondary 

 branches on their exterior lower sides, and fruit branches 

 on all their length on the interior and upper side ; and all 

 that is wanted to complete it is to transform three of the 

 13 



