LONG PRUNING 



79 



the centre. If to this be added the injudicious 

 forms of trees, and undrained borders, every failure 

 seems easy of explanation. 



It remains to suggest some remedy. All late 

 experience tends in one direction — closer pruning. 

 The results which have been obtained in the 

 orchard-house, under very close pruning, serve to 

 show that this system, when modified so as to suit 

 the exigencies of the open air, contains within it 

 the germ of a new style. Could this be made to 

 suit, both for trees under glass and for those on 

 the open wall, no doubt a great step would thereby 

 be made towards uniformity and simplicity. Ten 

 years of experiments made on trees in the open 

 air have shown that this is possible. 



"The Modern Peach Pruner" does not favour 

 long pruning, but as, when properly practised, it 

 may be rendered sufficiently successful, the ensuing 

 chapter will contain what is considered the best 

 method of so doing. The remaining chapters will 

 be devoted to close pruning, and especially to de- 

 scribing an entirely new system of managing Peach 

 trees on the open wall. 



No. 12. — Long Pruning. 



There are various methods of pruning the Peach 

 which can be classed under the head of "long;" 



