CLOSE PRUNING FOR THE OPEN AIR. 109 



there is but one system of close pruning. That 

 originated by M. Grin is by far the most severe 

 in its rules. It is, perhaps, on account of this, that 

 it has not been generally adopted, and possibly some 

 change is necessary to meet the exigencies of our 

 different climate. This change is all I have ven- 

 tured to suggest, for our climate is not understood 

 abroad. 



Partly, also, and for similar reasons, no doubt, 

 Professor Gressent in his very recent work, after 

 passing the highest encomium upon M. Grin's 

 theory, which he acknowledges as the foundation 

 of a totally new school of pruning, recommends a 

 modification of this system, which is very interest- 

 ing. I, therefore, determined to make a trial of 

 its merits during the present season, on trees in 

 the open air. 



The plan adopted may be stated thus : — The 

 eyes (ripe buds) of a bearing branch are disbudded as 

 soon as they are about to develope. In each group 

 one (the strongest) is left on the lower side of the 

 branch, and another (the weakest of each group) 

 on the upper side of the branch. All these are 

 allowed to grow freely, and when they have reached 

 to 6 or 8 inches in length, they are stopped at 

 5 or 6 inches, according to the sorts operated on. 

 It is necessary to allow every shoot to make the 

 growth indicated — that is, at least 6 or 8 inches, 



