THE CANADIAN IIOimCL'LTUlUST. 



HORTICULTURAL GOSSIP. XIL 



BY L. WOOLVEUTON, GRIMSBY. 



Shortening in Peach Trees. — "What are you doing to your 

 peach trees?" said Ignorans, ^vatclling me with my pruning shears 

 lopping off' the ends of the branches. I am shortening them in. I 

 find it a very useful mode of pruning peach trees. " I can't see much 

 use in it." Well, I will tell you what use I find in it. (1) It increases 

 the vigor of the tree, and makes it less liable to the yellows. (2) It 

 thins the fruit of the coming season, and thus insures a yearly crop, 

 providing the winters are favorable. (3) It prevents the breaking 

 down of the trees either M'ith fruit or with ice. You S'ee yonder block 

 of trees carefully shortened in last March. Kow the result has been 

 very marked, for while many orchards about here this year have been 

 dreadfully mutilated with the tremendous weight of fruit, and will 

 need a year or two to regain their vigor, that orchard is uninjured. It 

 has borne large, handsome fruit, and is fit for similar service next 

 season. 



Ignavus said, " Well, it may be very useful, but, pshaw ! it is too 

 much trouble It will take half one man's time to cut them that way. 

 I had rather let them grow as they choose." 



"When is the best time to prune peach trees?" said Prudens, "I 

 want to try the system. ' I think in September, immediately after 

 the fruit is picked. The wounds will heal nicely before winter, and 

 the remaining buds will mature better for the thinning. Failing in 

 September, I would do it in early spring, just before the new growth 

 begins. 



"Would you shorten in the old wood?" No, not as a rule. I 

 would only cut off from one half to two thirds of the last growth in 

 cases of vigorous trees. But I would cut back the old wood in cases 

 of old trees where the limbs are straggling or stunted. 



Picking and Packing Peaches. — As Ignavus and Ignorans walked 

 away quite satisfied with their old way of letting things take care of 

 themselves, Prudens furthet" enquired, " How do you gather your fruit 

 in such a large orchard?" My plan is to supply the pickers with 

 plenty of handle baskets. These they fill jfnd set down by the carriage 

 roads which intersect the orchard at convenient distances. A boy 



