PEACHES AND NECTARINES 113 



It is easy to tell the one from the other: the wood bud is more pointed and 

 conical, while the fruit bud is almost round and also larger. As the fruit buds 

 will always predominate, especially when the wood has been properly ripened, 

 we can tell, in the case of the Peach tree at the end of the growing season, what 

 the prospects will be for the following season. If the buds stand out prominently 

 we may rest assured that any failure will be our own fault. Judgment should 

 be used in any pruning that is done, as so much depends on the thrift and vigor 

 of the tree. 



The object of pruning is to furnish space for tying in the young wood, as 

 we are chiefly depending on this for the next season's work, unless the trees are 

 supplied with some spur wood, of which there should be the proper amount, 

 if Summer pinching has been done. 



Winter pruning may be commenced any time after the leaves are off, for 

 then the buds are fully developed. Or it may be done any time between the 

 falling of the foliage and the rising of the sap. Before beginning to prune, all 

 the young wood should be cut loose from the trellis, leaving only the main 

 branches tied to keep the shape of the tree, as a gauge for pruning. Always 

 try to have a well-balanced tree. If a tree is inclined to be a little more vigor- 

 ous on one side than on the other, prune the heavy side a little more severely. 

 Here we see the advantage of having a house running north and south, for in 

 such a location there is little or no difficulty in preserving an evenly-balanced 

 tree. The sun will shine on both sides some part of the day and this is a great 

 help toward regulating the sap. 



A tree will sometimes make quite a growth during the Summer, and the 

 shoots may be benefited by some shortening back. In this case be careful to 

 prune to a wood bud, for if you prune to a fruit bud, the wood will eventuallj' 

 die back, and as there will be no foliage, there will be no sap beyond the wood 

 bud. This shows how absolutely necessary it is to be familiar with the two 

 kinds of buds. Some varieties of Peaches are more shy than others in producing 

 wood buds, especially toward the terminal ends, but when a shoot is to be short- 

 ened back, it must be cut at the wood bud. 



Peach trees, like most other kinds of fruit trees, may be trained into almost 

 any desired shape. The fan shape is the best and simplest. When planting 

 a young tree, do not allow the growths to progress unchecked, or the tree will 

 soon reach the top of the trellis at the expense of the lower branches. Prune 

 back any strong growing shoots, so that the bottom of the trellis will be furnished 

 before the top. If these strong growths are not checked they will make an 

 ungainly tree within a few years; and it will then be too late to restrain it. The 

 easiest and the only proper time to balance the tree is when it is young. Do 

 not plant trees in a position where it would be impossible to carry the same 

 amount of foliage on one side as on the other. This may seem exact to the 

 extreme, yet it is a highly important point, and there is no argument which can 

 be advanced against it. Plant a tree where Nature will care for it. That tree 

 will have about equal foliage on both sides if it has proper space for development. 

 Bear in mind this lesson from Nature when planting Peaches under glass. 

 Though Peaches have been planted in years gone by in positions where there 



