THE PEACH AND NECTARINE. 131 



Pruning. If disbudding is properly carried out, there 

 will be little winter pruning to be done, j The best time 

 to prune is in February, when the buds begin to show 

 signs of growing. Then each shoot that has borne fruit 

 should be cut back close to the base of the one of the 

 preceding year's growth, the one that was retained at 

 disbudding time. Some of the last year's growths may 

 have grown unduly long or be weak, or have unripened 

 tips. In their case cut the shoot back to the first wood 

 bud formed at the side, rather than the top. 



Be careful to note that the bud is a thin pointed, and 

 not a roundish, or globose one. The former is the wood 

 or future growth bud, and the latter a fruit bud. On no 

 account cut back to a fruit bud, because no growth can 

 take place, and the point of the shoot would, in conse- 

 quence, die. Failing a wood bud, look out for what is 

 called a triple bud i.e., three buds, a wood bud in the 

 centre, with a fruit bud on each side. It is quite safe to 

 cut back to a triple bud. (Fig. 48.) The only other prun- 

 ing needed will be the removal of sickly or dead wood. 

 Once the pruning is finished, the next point will be the 

 training of the growths. 



Training. This consists of readjusting the main and 

 subsidiary branches, and securing to the wall at even dis- 

 tances apart the pruned shoots. These should be distri- 

 buted sufficiently wide apart to allow for future young 

 growths to be laid in during summer without unduly 

 crowding or shading the fruit. Spread the branches fairly 

 wide over the wall surface, so that the shoots are at least 

 4in. to 6in. apart. Take care in handling the shoots not 

 to rub off or injure any of the buds. 



Thinning the Fruit. This is a most important opera- 

 tion. The thinning should be done at three different 

 periods. The first thinning should take place when the 

 fruits are half the size of a marble, then removing the 

 very smallest only; the second when they are the size of 



2 



