THE PEACH AND NECTARINE. 153 



foundation of a fan-trained tree, different cultivators who 

 are most in favour of this system of training would 

 deal differently with the ten young growths with which 

 it is furnished. Some would cut them all back again 

 to within five or six buds of their base ; others would 

 not shorten them at all, but would let them start into 

 growth with as many young shoots as could be tied 

 to the trellis without crowding them. "What I have 

 practised and would recommend is a mean between 

 these two. The two centre shoots I would shorten back 

 to half their length, the other eight shoots to be merely 

 topped back to solid, well-ripened wood. The cutting 

 somewhat closely back of the two centre ones makes 

 it certain that two or three good strong growths will 

 start from near their base to properly fill up the centre 

 of the tree with leaders. Each of the other eight shoots 

 should have all their buds removed by degrees, except 

 one near the base, and one or two at equal distances 

 between it and the leading bud, according to the length 

 of the shoots. Two buds to be left on the under side — if 

 the shoots are long enough to have room for three on , 

 the upper side, the buds on the one side to alternate 

 in position with those on the other. These lateral 

 growths, with the leader, are enough to lay a foundation 

 to serve for the future full-grown tree. The lateral 

 growths should be allowed to grow without being 

 stopped. Should the leaders show signs of growing very 

 vigorously at the expense of the side growths, stop 

 them whenever they show such a tendency. This 

 wiU cause them to make lateral growths freely, and 

 equally balance the growth of all the young shoots. 

 This encouragement of lateral growths, especially on the 

 young wood in the centre of the tree, gives sufficient to 



