CLOSE PRUNING FOR THE OPEN AIR. 117 



"These severe operations have for object to 

 suspend, for a time at least, the vegetation of the 

 latent eyes, and to hinder their becoming wood- 

 shoots. Thus, during a certain time, the whole 

 action of the sap is directed to the nourishment of 

 the eyes at the base of the spur, so as to strengthen 

 them, and to produce cluster spurs in the following 

 season." It is also clear that this very close second 

 pinching leaves little scope for the production of 

 a third growth, also described by the writers in 

 question as requiring a fresh pinching-back to 

 one # leaf more. 



Be this as it may, my present object is rather 

 to show how essentially different this, the original 

 theory, was, and has ever continued to be, from 

 the old-established forms of long pruning. It is a 

 little revolution of itself, has attracted much atten- 

 tion, and is gaining ground daily. Not only in the 

 case of Peach trees, but to other fruits and vege- 

 tables is it applicable. For orchard-houses there 

 can be no system equal to it. Carried out with a 

 due regard to locality and other circumstances, it 

 must prevail eventually and supersede all others. 



* Since the above was written, M. Grin, in the Revue Horticole 

 of February, 1866, says, "By the pinching of the two small 

 leaves of the nascent shoot (see figure 15), I obtain two leaf- 

 buds at the base, and besides this, fruit-buds at the second pair 

 of leaves. This is the basis of all good culture." 



