76 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



leader being shortened more or less according to its 

 state of ripeness. If clean, straight, and well grown, 

 Fig. 5 wiU he a fair representation of a maiden Peach 

 after it has been pruned and ready for starting into 

 growth. By the end of May the hnds on the side 

 shoots, and others on the maia stem, will have 

 formed numerous young growths, which must he 

 pinched when they have made four or five leaves, 

 not taking into account 

 the one or two small 

 ones near the base ; 

 closer where there is 

 likely to be a scarcity 

 of wood. In a short 

 time these pinched 

 shoots wiU throw out a 

 fresh break of laterals 

 which m^ust be pinched 

 at the third leaf, and 

 so on until the end of 

 July, by which time a 

 close pyramid plenti- 

 fully furnished with 

 blossom-buds will have 

 been formed. If the 

 height of the house 

 admits the leader to 

 extend a foot, then take 

 out the point to induce 

 side breaks. Repeat 

 this process as often as 

 may be necessary, and 

 keep all sub - laterals 

 pinched when they 

 Tiave made three leaves. 



Bush Trees. — The 

 bush tree (Fig. 7), a 

 iorm most generally 

 met with, can he made 

 by shortening back the 

 stem of a maiden to 

 within twelve inches of 



the union of the bud with the stock ; all side shoots, 

 if any have been formed so near the base, being cut 

 back to a single bud. When both pyramid and bush 

 forms are wanted, the tallest and best-furnished 

 maidens should be selected for the first, as the side 

 shoots which have been made in the preceding season 

 at once form the framework of the future tree; 

 while maidens having a number of dormant buds 

 near the base make the best bushes, as they break 

 evenly into as many well-balanced shoots in the 

 following season. If any of these side shoots show a 

 tendency to take the lead, pinch out the points when 

 they have grown a foot, and continue this process if 

 necessary, until last of all the weakest will become 



Fig. 5.— Maiden Peach 

 pi-uned to form a 

 Pyramid. 



Fig. 



strong enough for stopping. If, as is rarely the 

 case, all the shoots start away equally strong, this 

 consecutive stopping of the bush trees will not be 

 necessary, but all of them should be pinched about 

 the end of July, to throw up the flower-buds which 

 have formed near the base of each shoot. 



Cordons. — A^Tien it is desirable to form cordons, the 

 tallest and cleanest-stemmed maidens should be 

 selected. If ripened up 

 to the terminal bud 

 they may be left the 

 full length, otherwise 

 they may be shortened 

 back one-third of their 

 length. As these trees 

 are generally placed 

 eighteen to twenty- 

 four inches apart, and 

 traiacd obliquely, ver- 

 tically, or horizontally 

 against back walls or 

 trellises, all the side 

 shoots should be cut in 

 close home where a bud 

 has been formed at the 

 base, but as many of 

 them form the first bud 

 two or three inches 

 away from the main 

 stem, the cut must not 

 be made below that 

 bud, otherwise that 

 particular break will 

 be lost. All the buds 

 will then break away 

 evenly together, but all 

 will not be of equal 

 strength, therefore 

 pinching must receive 

 timely attention, as it 

 is by judicious pinching 

 more than by pruning 

 that handsome trees of this and the preceding forms 

 can be obtained. Some pinch their cordons as soon 

 as they have made three leaves with buds at the base 

 of each leaf, others allow them to make five or six 

 leaves ; but if well furnished with buds, close stop- 

 ping answers best. The experienced can tell at once 

 when and where to pinch ; but, like the thinning of 

 grapes, it is an art which can only be attained by 

 observation and experience. 



Arrangement of the Trees. — ^^Tien all the 

 trees have been pruned, wash them with warm soap- 

 water, also wash the pots, and see that the apertures 

 have not been tampered with by worms, then proceed 



6.— The Pyramid formed and 

 in bearinir. 



