THE PEACH GARDENS OF MONTREUIL. 455 



of the specimen, but slow-growing and not very vigorous 

 kinds are grafted a little above the middle of the tree_, 

 so as to prevent in the completest manner the tendency 

 which the sap has to rush towards the higher points. To 

 show the difference between cultivators, it is sufficient to 

 mention that M. Lepere considers this precaution indis- 

 pensable ; while another distinguished cultivator in the 

 same neighbourhood does not practise it at all, but pinches 

 the upper shoots and deprives them of leaves when too 

 vigorous, and thus preserves the most perfect health in his 



Fig. 270. Fi©. 271. 



Disbudding of the Peach, second year. Disbudding of the Peach, second year. 



C and A are removed; B, B, fur- If no fruit be borne on E, it is cut at 



nish the wood for the following F, leaving G to furnish the fruiting 



year. wood for the following year. 



trees. This repulsion of the sap to the lower parts of the 

 trees is also slightly effected by the use of the wide 

 temporary coping, which guards against frost and keeps the 

 growth down by partly excluding light from the upper 

 part of the wall. When it is removed, and when all 

 danger of frost is past, the sap has flowed so freely 

 into the lower branches that but little trouble is required 

 to keep the tree in a perfectly equable state, all parts of 

 the wall doing a full amount of work. I noticed some 

 walls alongside a road at Montreuil made of blocks of 

 plaster two feet long, one foot high, and five inches 



