Pruning and Training the Peach and Nectarine. 143 



their infant state. It will then assume a very good figure 

 ( i y%.42.)at the end of the 42 



third year. From this 

 time it may be allowed to 

 bear what crop of fruit 

 the gardener thinks it 

 able to carry; in doing 

 which he ought never to 

 over-rate the vigour of 

 the tree. All of these 

 shoots, except the leading ones, must at the proper season be 

 shortened; but to what length must be left entirely to the 

 judgment of the gardener, it of course depending upon the 

 vigour of the tree. In shortening the shoot, care should be 

 taken to cut back to a bud that will produce a shoot for the 

 following year. Cut close to the bud, so that the wound may 

 heal the following season. The following season each shoot 

 at the extremity of the leading branches should produce, be- 

 sides the leading shoot, one on the upper and two on the un- 

 der part, more or less, according to the vigour of the tree ; 

 whilst each of the secondary branches should produce, besides 

 the leading shoot, one other, placed near to the bottom : for 

 the grand art of pruning, in all systems to which this class of 

 trees are subjected, consists in preserving a sufficient quantity 

 of young wood at the bottom of the tree ; and on no account 

 must the gardener cut clean away any shoots so placed, with- 

 out well considering if it will be wanted, not only for the pre- 

 sent, but for the future good appearance of the tree. The 

 quantity of young wood annually laid in must depend upon 

 the vigour of the tree. It would be ridiculous to lay the same 

 quantity of wood into a weakly tree as into a tree in full 

 vigour : the gardener here must use his own judgment. But, 

 if any of the leading shoots manifest a disposition to outstrip 

 the others, a larger portion of young wood must be laid in, 

 and a greater quantity of fruit than usual suffered to ripen on 

 such branch. At the same time, a smaller quantity of fruit 

 than usual must be left to ripen on the weaker branch. This 

 will tend to restore the equilibrium better than any other me- 

 thod that I am acquainted with. The annexed sketch (Jig. 43.) 

 presents us with the figure of the tree in a more advanced 

 state, well balanced, and well calculated for an equal distribu- 

 tion of sap all over its surface. Whenever any of the lower 

 shoots have advanced so far as to incommode the others, they 

 should be cut back to a yearling shoot : this will give them 

 room, and keep the lower part of the tree in order. In nail- 



