50 



THE MODERN PEACH PRUNER. 



much of their excellent teaching practically useless. 

 Possibly this was owing, in a great measure, to the 

 paucity of illustrations common in those days, for 

 without such invaluable aids it seems- simply im- 

 possible even now to attempt any profitable in- 

 struction. 



Modern practice, indeed, by a species of reaction, 

 has rather erred on the side of copious illustration 

 joined to minute detail ; but the result has been 

 good : the amateur has largely profited thereby, 

 and this alone would have amply justified the new 

 method. 



There is, then, no classification of Peach shoots 

 of any value till we take up Professor Dubreuil's 

 late work on the general subject of fruit culture. 

 Taking, then, this high authority for our basis, we 

 can the more readily approach this interesting 

 portion of our subject. 



Under M. Dubreuil's system all shoots are 

 divided into six distinct classes. After careful 

 consideration, this number has been extended to 

 eight, and the whole has been re-arranged in two 

 divisions. The first four classes are mainly found 

 in long pruning, while the remaining four, though 

 occurring also in that system, are principally to be 

 found in close pruning, and especially in all 

 orchard-house work. This division is also con- 

 venient for reference. Every type of shoot which 



