130 THE MODERN PEACH PRUNER. 



stopped at three leaves — i.e., one leaf shorter than 

 on more developed forms on walls, as soon as five 

 full-sized leaves have been formed. The object is 

 to allow the sap to habituate itself to this, its na- 

 tural channel, and thus permit the shoot to become 

 somewhat hard before it be shortened. The upper 

 buds will soon burst forth into a second growth. 

 Generally, only the upper two buds will thus burst, 

 but, in the case of strong vertical shoots, all three 

 may do so. This is no great matter for trees 

 under glass, where they are sheltered from atmo- 

 spheric changes, and especially saved from any rank 

 growth caused by a sunless and rainy summer. In 

 the open air it would not be desirable to cause all 

 the buds thus to burst, as was the case in the 

 original system, because, in cold and humid cli- 

 mates, we could not depend on a crop formed 

 entirely on the junction buds ; and we thus require, 

 in addition, to have a good triple group lower 

 down the shoot, which is obtained by pruning to 

 four leaves, as before said. In the case, however, 

 of bushes, restrained in their growth in pots, and 

 under complete control in their root-development, 

 pruning to three leaves will be found the best. 



Soon afterwards the second growth will push 

 forth, and it will be necessary to arrest it somewhat 

 abruptly, so as to concentrate the invaluable spring- 

 sap upon the lowest buds for a week or two. This 



