1020 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



tree. Another point is to take care that buds are left in the 

 middle of the tree to cover bare wood ; in fact, they should be 

 arranged that young wood is evenly distributed over the whole 

 of the tree without overcrowding in any part — about 6in. 

 between the young shoots will be ample space. A little 

 judgment and experience will soon enable anyone to understand 

 disbudding. For the benefit of novices, however, it may be 



stated that this operation 

 is usually performed imme- 

 diately after the fruit is 

 set, and when the young 

 shoots are from |in. to 

 ^in. in length. As the 

 young shoots elongate they 

 must be carefully fastened 

 in proper positions to pre- 

 vent breakage. 



Thinning of the fruit 

 ought to receive early 

 attention, first taking off 

 all the worst-placed fruit 

 when about the size of 

 peas, and leaving the most 

 prominent ones that are 

 in a position to swell up 

 to a large size without 

 hindrance, to get all the 

 sun and light possible. 

 No further thinning of the 

 fruit is desirable until after 

 the " stoning " period ; 

 then, if the tree is not very 

 vigorous, a few more fruits 

 may be removed. The 

 stoning season is sometimes an anxious one, for if the trees are 

 not in good health they are apt to cast a proportion of their 

 crop ; while if in vigorous condition little, if any, of the fruit 

 (Fig. 66 1 ) will fall. 



The pruning of Nectarines is, in our opinion, best done in the 

 autumn, soon after the fruit is gathered, and when all further 

 growth is stopped for the season, cutting away all very weak or 

 exhausted wood, and bearing in mind the importance of 

 retaining and encouraging young wood near the centre of the 

 tree. By cutting back a long shoot or branch to a young piece 

 springing from its base, it is a comparatively easy matter to keep 

 plenty of young wood all over the tree ; but if once the centre of 

 the tree become bare of young growth it will be a most difficult 

 task to get it filled again. Some growers cut back their trees 



Fig. 66i. — Fruit of Nectarine. 



