240 PEUNING. 



two modes of forcing it : one is to make, after the fruit is 

 set, an incision through the bark two inches above one of 

 the 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 

 thetime that the shoots on the fruit branch continue to 

 grow. 



Fourth Year (fig. 117). — 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 

 their vigor and the situation of the fruit buds. 



The two main branches are cut back to within about 

 twenty inches of the previous pruning ; the first shoot on 



the inside is 

 chosen to conti- 

 nue the branchy 

 and the next 

 one below it^ 

 Fis- 117 Fig. 118. on the lower 



^""^'"^ ^'^'- ^''"^ ^''^'- and outer side, 



to produce the third exterior secondary branch. The two 

 secondary branches already formed are cut back to about 

 twelve to fifteen inches of the previous pruning, in order 

 to make all the lateral buds on them push. The terminal 

 bud produces 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, the branches a litt ■ e more spread at every pruning. 



