492 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



warm and favourable situation I would advise 

 him to train the larger part of his young wood 

 according to the ordinary method; and in cold 

 and late situations only, to adopt to a great ex- 

 tent the mode of management above suggested. 

 A mixture of both modes in every situation will 

 be generally found to multiply the chances of 

 success, and therefore neither ought to be ex- 

 clusively adopted or wholly rejected in any 

 situation. The spurs must not be shortened 

 in the winter or spring, till it can be ascertained 

 what parts of them are provided with leaf-buds." 

 This very sensible paper of Mr Knight's is well 

 worth the attention of peach-growers in all 

 situations, even in those whose climate is suffi- 

 cient to mature the young wood to perfection, 

 and especially so in all late and cold localities. 



Mr Seymours mode of management is charac- 

 terised for neatness, regularity, and almost 

 mathematical precision in the disposal of his 

 wood. It is, however, we apprehend, in the 

 most favourable situations for peach-culture 

 that this excellent plan can be fully carried 

 out. The annexed cut, fig. 216, will explain 

 the principle upon which Seymour works, better 



may 

 two 



be 



pairs 



SKYMOUll S MODE OF PEACH-TRAINING. 



than a lengthened description without it, and 

 will show how capable the plan is of being carried 

 out, as it were, mechanically. It will also be 

 seen that every side shoot and every lateral 

 proceeding from it is placed exactly where it 

 should be; and to understand the principle more 

 clearly, it will be necessary to refer to the com- 

 mencement of the process immediately after the 

 tree is planted. We may, however, first remark, 

 that from the base of every lateral in spring a 

 second one is produced to take the place of the 

 other at the winter-pruning. And further, no 

 laterals are allowed to be more than one year 

 old, and are cut off close to the leading shoot 

 on which they are produced, with the view to 

 prevent the formation of spurs. In course of 

 time the leading shoots become worn out, and 

 are then removed, their place being supplied 

 from the best-placed laterals near to the main 

 stem. The first step in starting a newly-planted 

 maiden tree, upon Seymour's principle, is to 

 head the plant down to three eyes, each of 

 which eyes will produce a shoot during summer. 

 In autumn or in spring, whichever is adopted 

 for winter-pruning, head down the centre shoot 



of these to three eyes, to produce in the follow- 

 ing summer three more shoots as before, leaving 

 the side shoots always at full length. In spring, 

 all the buds on the lower sides of these side 

 branches are rubbed off, leaving those only 

 which proceed frdm the upper side of the 

 branch, and these from 9 to 12 inches asunder. 

 When the young wood has extended to the 

 length of 5 or 6 inches they are stopped ; but 

 the leading branches, as we have stated, are 

 never interfered with. Every year will produce 

 a side shoot on each side of the tree, and the 

 laterals which proceed from them, at the dis- 

 tance we have stated, are at first laid in between 

 them ; but the following spring these are re- 

 moved from the wall, and trained up in the 

 main side-branches. In shortening what may 

 here be called the upright leading-shoot, it is 

 necessary to observe that, although we have 

 stated three buds as being sufficient to be left, 

 this depends greatly on the health of the tree. 

 If weak, or of moderate growth, three buds will 

 be sufficient ; but if strong and vigorous, then five 

 left, which will thus give 

 of side shoots instead of one, 

 and thereby fill the wall sooner. 

 By the autumn of the third 

 year, the number of laterals will 

 be doubled on the two side- 

 branches first laid in, as a new 

 lateral is sure to spring from the 

 base of the one laid in the pre- 

 vious season, as well as one from 

 its point. As to winter-pruning 

 in the fourth year, all the later- 

 als of two years' growth, and 

 which have already produced a 

 crop of fruit, are to be removed 

 entirely ; and those of the pre- 

 vious summer's formation are to 

 be unfastened from the wall, and 

 laid upon the main leading side- 

 branches in their place. Here it is 

 that the beauty and symmetry of 

 Seymour's mode of training become apparent. 



So methodically has the author of this mode 

 of training laid down his principle, that, taking 

 a radius of 10 feet, making the middle of the 

 trunk near the ground the centre, he divides the 

 curved line described into 10-inch parts, which 

 are the points to which the leading side-branches 

 are all directed. Should it at any time appear 

 to the cultivator that these side leading-branches 

 are too far apart, or if it is thought that more 

 laterals can be advantageously laid in between 

 them than those already produced, then some 

 of these may be shortened, and so increase the 

 number. This will seldom be necessary with 

 strong-growing trees, although it may be so in 

 the case of weak-growing ones. 



Hay ward's mode. — This author writes on the 

 subject of fruit trees both practically and phy- 

 siologically. How far he is correct in all the 

 deductions he has drawn may admit of some 

 doubt ; he has, however, treated his subject so 

 differently from most other writers, that we 

 deem his theory deserving a place amongst 

 those of others who have made the training of 

 the peach their peculiar study. On our present 



