NECTARINES. 303 



the leading one from each branch should be nailed 

 neatly to the wall, selecting one or two of the side 

 shoots produced lower down the branch, and training 

 them parallel also. This applies to those of the stronger 

 branches, at and near the extremity of the tree. Those 

 in the middle and near the bottom, will allow of but 

 one shoot probably in addition to the leaders ; this will 

 depend upon the space left in the winter pruning ; if 

 sufficient, it is always better to have a young shoot on 

 each side as well as the leader, than to have only one, 

 for it is by this arrangement that a succession of young 

 wood can be kept up throughout every part of the 

 tree. 



Should young shoots, indicating extraordinary vigour, 

 any where make their appearance, they should imme- 

 diately be cut out, unless where a vacant part of the 

 wall can be filled up, because an excess of vigour in 

 one part of the tree cannot be supported without de- 

 triment to the other. Peach trees, when in a state of 

 health and vigour, generally throw out laterals from 

 their stronger shoots ; when this is the case, they should 

 not be cut off close, but shortened to the last eye nearest 

 the branch ; and if there is room, one or two of those 

 first produced may be nailed to the wall ; or the 

 middle shoot may be cut out, leaving the two lowest 

 laterals, and allowing them to take its place ; thus fre- 

 quently obtaining two fruit-bearing branches, when the 

 former one would in all probability have been wholly 

 unproductive of fruit the following year. 



In the training of Peaches and Nectarines, I wish it 

 to be particularly understood, that I am a decided 

 enemy to that negligent custom of leaving more shoots 

 in the summer than is well known can be wanted for 

 another year, and the still more slovenly custom of 

 " running them in," as it is called, by small pieces of 

 .stick extending across the branches, " to prevent their 



