666 



Pruning of the Peach. 



[FEB., 



Making allowances for the differences between varieties, it 

 may be said that shoots fifteen to eighteen inches long, about 

 as thick as an ordinary penholder, firm and partly browned 

 over by August, are the best. Such wood generally forms 

 plenty of buds, and bears fruit of high quality. . The grower 

 will get it if he prepares suitable compost, plants good trees, 

 and takes care that his general culture is right. It is particularly 

 important to keep down black aphis. If this is allowed to 

 establish itself in the tips of the shoots in spring the crop of 

 fruiting wood for the following year will be a bad one. Quassia 



FIG. 4. — (E), third year tree, fig. 2, C: (/), extension growths (laterals, if any, 

 being pinched at the first joint, and at the winter pruning cut clean off to the shoot) ; 

 (m), points of shortening the extensions ; \n\ bearing shoots, not closer than I ft. on 

 the extensions, stopped at 12 to 14 in. length, and cut back to firm, ripe wood and to 

 a wood bud at the winter pruning. 



water, tobacco water or paraffin oil emulsion will destroy it. 

 Blister must also be avoided, and it rarely gives trouble if the 

 plants are protected from cold draughts. 



The tying in of the summer wood cannot take place until 

 the current year's crop has been gathered, but it may be done 

 at the first favourable opportunity after the picking of the 

 fruit is complete. There will probably be a great many more 

 shoots than are required to fill the places of those cut out, and 

 in going over the trees in order to make a selection first dispense 

 with those which stand out from the front of the branches at 

 right angles to the wall. These are called " foreright " shoots, 



