i86 



'[he System of M. Grin. 



one ; but in this instance such is not the case. Of course I speak of 

 this mode of pinching as a system. 



It has one merit, however, and may be used incidentally with 

 any system of summer-pruning. It should be remarked that M. 

 Grin commenced by simply adopting a method of very short 

 pinching-in of the shoot. He now depends chiefly on pinching the 

 stipulary leaves, as shown at Fig. j;, A. This is the best feature of 

 the system, and chiefly as respects the little laterals that push forth on 

 the current year's wood. By pinching the leaves of these little 

 buds just when they push, as shown in the figure, the development 



Fig. 57- 



of the shoot is not interfered with ; but a sufficient check is given 

 to cause the buds near the base to fill and furnish the shoot as 

 shown at Fig. 58, A. This not done, the young shoot pushes away, 

 and is often quite naked of buds at its base. To think of adopting 

 the system of Grin in its purity would be folly. As to training 

 peach cordons on this principle, it is simply nonsense ; as well might 

 we think of repressing the flow of the tide as hope to succeed with 

 trees confined to a single stem, and phiched in quite close. It is 

 by no means a success even where large forms are adopted ; but 

 with the cordon there is no outlet. The cordons trained after tliis 



