THE PEACH. 



231 



large and fine fruit are obtained, and a constant succession 

 of young shoots is kept up. 



To form the head of a standard Peach Tree. — We 

 will suppose it the intention to form a standard tree, with 

 a trunk two feet in height, and a round, open, and sym- 

 metrical head like fig. 112. We take a yearling tree and 

 cut it back to within two feet and a half of the ground in 

 the spring. Below this cut a certain number of shoots 

 will be produced, from which 

 three will be selected to form the 

 main branches or frame-work of 

 the head. All the others are rub- 

 bed off when two or three inches 

 long or sooner. At the end of the 

 season we have a tree with three 

 branches. 



The second year these three 

 branches are cut back full one 

 half their length, and from each 

 we take a shoot to continue the branch, and one to form 

 a secondary branch. The other shoots produced below 

 these are pinched or checked to prevent them from inter- 

 fering with the growth of the leading branches. In the 

 fall of the year we have a tree with six leading branches, 

 and some bearing shoots below on the older wood. 



The third year each of these six branches is short 

 ened one half, in order to obtain more secondary branches, 

 and some fruit branches on the lower parts. All young 

 shoots on the old wood, whether fruit branches or not, 

 should be cut back one half, or as far as may be necessary, 

 to cause the wood buds at their base to push, and make 

 shoots to bear next year. 



The formation of the head goes on as described for two 

 or three years more, when it is complete ; for peach trees, 



Fig n-2. 



Form of a low standard peacn 

 tree, witli a stem two feet high 

 and a round, open head. 



