102 THE MODERN PEACH PRUNER. 



fruitful, they should be stopped at four leaves as 

 soon as they have made six full-sized ones. The 

 second growths may be stopped at two leaves more, 

 and the third growth may be stopped at one leaf, 

 or allowed to extend during the autumn, according 

 to the state of the buds at the base. If all go well, 

 by August we may confidently expect to find the 

 lowest two buds full and well established. Possibly 

 another pair besides these may be developed nearer 

 to the base of the lateral. The two upper buds 

 will have extended, on these the second and third 

 growths will have been already stopped respec- 

 tively at two leaves, and one leaf as before said. 



It is my practice in this case to allow the tree 

 to make some more growth, unless the autumn be 

 w r et and sunless ; if, however, the two lowest buds 

 of the lateral are not satisfactory, then but very 

 little second growth is permitted, and frequently it 

 is good practice to cut back below the first stopping, 

 and by a new check and concentration of the sap 

 and diminution of the shade produced by the 

 leaves, to endeavour to ripen these lowest buds. 



Some of the finest fruit is produced in the en- 

 suing season on the extensions. When, however, 

 the tree bears freely, the laterals should be rather 

 devoted to form new spurs for future use, and, if 

 possible, they should be transformed into a group 

 of two or three shoots. 



