4-32 Remarks on Mr. Neivington's Observations 



it possible to avoid it, I would not have a fibre damaged, 

 more than their being necessarily out of their element for 

 a few hours would damage them. This would check the tree 

 sufficiently for one year; and, in future, it would remain 

 moderate, in consequence of the arrangements in the border, 

 and the pruning to be treated of. I should not reckon upon 

 a full crop of fruit the first year ; because, if the young 

 branches were generally luxuriant, it is probable they would 

 not set much fruit ; and, on any part that might be weak, I 

 should not allow any fruit to remain. In pruning, I should 

 leave the branches thin, and shorten those which were vigor- 

 ous to about two thirds of their natural length, and those that 

 were weak to one third. In summer pruning, I should leave 

 no more shoots than I should calculate upon wanting in the 

 ensuing spring, except where the branches were luxuriant ; 

 there I should leave rather more, according to vigour. Where 

 a young shoot was luxuriant, I should treat it as Mr. New- 

 ington does, in stopping it, but would take off the super- 

 abundant shoots before autumn. My reason for this is, 

 those shoots which were wanted would be more exposed to 

 the influence of the sun and air, and ripen better. As soon 

 as the leaves began to drop in the autumn, I would thin off 

 the ripest of them, by sweeping lightly over the leaves with a 

 few sprigs of birch tied on a stick : this gives the wood a bet- 

 ter opportunity of ripening. Allowing the future fruit-bearing 

 branches of peach trees sufficient room and exposure to the 

 action of the air, is generally too little attended to. This is, 

 probably, in a great measure, the fault of the confused man- 

 ner of training : but more of this hereafter. 



When the trees are in an unfavourable soil and situation, 

 and have got too old to be transplantable, and make wood too 

 grassy to be fruitful, I would in that case, as in the other, lay 

 in the young branches very thin. I am aware that this position 

 will appear rather paradoxical at the first glance ; but, when 

 it is considered that strong branches not bearing fruit so well 

 as weak ones is not so much by reason of their vigour as 

 of their immaturity, the discrepancy will vanish : for, by their 

 being thin, and properly exposed to the action of the weather, 

 they will ripen much better ; and thereby, although strong, a 

 crop of fruit may be obtained by leaving them a good length 

 at the next spring pruning, except where a supply of wood is 

 wanted. By their being thin, a greater quantity of young 

 shoots, for fruit-bearers in the following year, may be left at the 

 disbudding season, which will be pretty moderate. When the 

 tree has carried one or two crops of fruit the point is gained, 

 for we rarely see a fruit-bearing tree luxuriant. 



