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becomes stagnant, a dying back process sets in, which carries off 

 the limb. Peach trees more particularly must be cut back with 

 judiciousness when it is intended to renovate them, the reason being 

 that fewer buds are found on the old bark of peaches and nectarines 

 than on the old bark of ponies, and what few buds there may be 

 left are less easily thrown into active life again than buds of apples 

 and pear trees. 



When renovating trees of the citrus tribe, it is also advisable 

 to cut large limbs above on young, fresh growth, although in their 

 case this is not so essential as in the case of deciduous trees, and 

 more especially the peach. These trees are fairly well stocked with 

 miniature, dormant buds, which are thrown into life whenever the 

 emergency arises. 



SPLIT LIMBS. 



The method of training trees explained above presents one 

 disadvantage. The suppression of the central stem and the starting 

 of several main limbs from the same level on the stem often exposes 

 those limbs loaded with a heavy crop of fruit, and swayed by high 



Method of supporting split limbs. 



winds, to split from the trunk. It is, therefore, advisable at the 

 time of shaping the young tree to see that the branches do not all 

 spring from the same level, but that an interval of a couple of 

 inches or even more be left between them to insure their better 

 attachment to the trunk. Limbs which threaten to split can also be 

 strengthened by using the pruning saw and the knife, and so 



