1908.] 



Pruning of the Peach. 



663 



point to the Morello cherry, which, with a similar fruiting 

 system to that of the peach, bears prodigiously when un- 

 pruned. But a tree untouched by the knife would become 

 crowded with shoots, which, as they grew older, would become 

 barren. The real fruiting wood would become weaker and 

 weaker with each successive year, and eventually the fruit 

 would be valueless. So far from the peach requiring no 

 pruning, it needs a regular routine of cutting if it is to bear 

 heavy crops of fine fruit every year. 



The first object of the grower should be to form a framework 

 of healthy, clean, main branches, on which to produce his 

 annual crop of fruiting " breast-wood." The ribs of an 

 expanded fan form a simple parallel for the form of this skeleton 

 tree. Springing from a common centre, or " leader," and 

 secured to their support in regular ranks about a foot apart, 

 these " ribs " provide the foundation of the fruiting system. 

 The formation of the tree is so closely bound up with the 

 question of pruning that it will be wise to begin at the beginning, 

 and consider how a peach tree is formed. It is raised, in the 

 first place, from a bud inserted in the main stem of the " stock " 

 in the summer (the Almond, Mussel, St. Julien and Myrobalan 

 are the most popular " stocks "). Growing from the bud 

 to the length of several feet the following season, it reaches 

 what is known as the " maiden " stage. 



Early Pruning. — The maiden peach must be cut back 

 severely before it starts growing the next season, otherwise 

 it will be impossible to get a tree with a good foundation. 

 Impatient growers, anxious to see a large space covered in 

 the shortest possible time, sometimes omit the shortening, 

 but the result is never satisfactory. The upper buds break 

 into growth strongly, but the lower ones either do not break 

 at all or do so very weakly. In a year or two the tree is 

 completely bare of fruiting wood at the base, and a considerable 

 area of wall or trellis space is wasted. 



It has been said that the shortening must be severe. This 

 is a general term, and it may be well to be more exact. The 

 maiden tree may be cut to five buds, and the branches 

 resulting from the heading may all be cut back to about 

 one-half of their length the following season. If the soil is 

 good, and the trees are healthy, the buds on the stumps^left 



