48 THE CULTIVATION OF THE 



ground to make it head properly. This is the preferable 

 point, altho' others head them to two feet, or even less. 

 It makes no difference, except as to convenience of 

 working the orchard, and picking the fruit in after years. 

 The branches below the head should be kept off the first 

 year or two, all suckers removed, and any straggling 

 outside branches kept cut off, but, until the tree has 

 borne a crop of fruit, I doubt the propriety of cutting 

 out the middles, as in here the first fruit crop most 

 usually grows, and by severe pruning at this time the 

 tree is not benefited, and much loss in fruit may occur. 

 It is well to let the sun into peach trees ; therefore cut 

 out all crossing and interfering branches, all dead wood, 

 and all limbs that have been cracked or broken. When 

 this has been done, as a rule, the tree has sufficient 

 pruning. Ths saw and the pruning knife are used, and 

 as a rule the wounds heal without aid or interference. 

 Some trim very "hard" for fruit, but I doubt the 

 propriety of this. Cutting back the new wood is not 

 much practised on the peninsula. It would do good, 

 doubtlessly, if the tree was languishing, and sickly, and 

 will be referred to again. So intelligent an observer as 

 William M. Knight, Esq., of Cecil county, Md., told me 

 that he once saw a thrifty middle-aged orchard treated 

 by cutting back all the new wood one-half and given 

 good culture, etc. ; in a year when all the neighboring 

 orchards had good crops, the crop on that orchard was 



