CLOSE PRUNING FOR THE OPEN AIR. 11] 



shoot takes its place. All these operations presup- 

 pose, of course, that the buds at the base of the 

 original shoot were sufficiently developed by the 

 effect of the first operations described ; but should 

 they appear neither well formed nor prominent, 

 the shoot should be cut back below the point where 

 it was first pinched several successive times during 

 July, so as to concentrate the sap upon the lowest 

 buds and form them. This is the part of the method 

 which requires the greatest amount of experience 

 and attention. Possibly one single cutting back 

 may suffice, but with trees of strong growth, or 

 badly balanced, some portions might need frequent 

 operations. In short, the object being to form and 

 strengthen the eyes at the base of the shoot, all 

 the attention of the pruner should be directed to 

 attain this end. 



All these operations were carefully tried this 

 season on my own Peach trees in the open air, and 

 no mention having been made of the necessity of 

 tying-in the shoots (which in England, at least,- 

 would seem to be necessary), it was found that the 

 two or three extreme buds of the shoots generally 

 sent forth short laterals (owing, in a great measure, 

 to their vertical position, they being untied), but 

 that the eyes of the lower portions of the shoot 

 were well formed. Cutting back beyond the first 

 stopping (which stopping was done at 6 inches as 



