LONG PRUNING. 



87 



summer, so as to keep down insects and favour 

 growth. Practical Peach-pruners, such as Mr. 

 Radclyffe, continually tell us this. 



At the fourth summer, infiff. 13 we see that the 

 original shoots a and b are still the basis of the 

 work in hand, a from its two wood-buds puts 

 forth two summer shoots c and b, which are like- 

 wise stopped at 12 inches, and make a second 

 growth, b now bears a fruit at f, and the wood- 

 bud accompanying the fruit extends a little, and is 

 pinched in at three or four leaves. The terminal 

 group sends forth another shoot from its central 

 bud, and this is also pinched to three leaves. These 

 two small shoots are amply sufficient to attract 

 sap to the fruit below them, and this is their use. 

 It will be observed that the fruit grows in this case 

 on the lowest triple group, which is always the best 

 to select. Should the shoot b have been laid in at 

 much greater length than here shown, and dis- 

 budding the intervening buds be practised (as so 

 many do, some leaving only the bud accompanying 

 the fruit, and another at the base to suceeed), then 

 it can only be considered an unnatural and useless 

 custom. Moreover, some of the very best prac- 

 tical pruners agree, that it is not proper to depend 

 on the same shoot to bear fruit, and to produce a 

 replacing-shoot for the next season. It cannot be 

 depended on, and requires far more attention in 



