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four well formed shoots, being quite as many as can be well 
matured. 
In the following February, each of these four shoots must be 
pruned back, to about a foot in length ; and with another sum- 
mer’s kindly attention, a complete fan will be formed. If any 
more leading shoots are required, they may be obtained in the 
course of the ensuing summer, from the middle, or centre of the 
tree; which, as observed, regarding the Peach, should be filled 
up last, and for the most part with subordinate shoots. 
During the second summer’s training, some foreright shoots 
will be produced, together with spray of varied character ; this 
should be pinched back when from two to three inches long, 
which will cause embryo fruit spurs to protrude at its base, and 
if the tree be not too gross, such will become permanent fruit- 
bearing spurs for years to come, — clothing the tree from the 
collar to the extremities. 
After this period, no winter shortening of the main shoots 
will be necessary, unless, as sometimes happens, the extremities 
are of a very late and unripe growth ; in this case they may be 
merely cut back to the part which appears firm and of a dark 
colour. 
The pruning, in subsequent years, will be chiefly confined to 
the summer stopping of all foreright shoots, as soon as they are 
two to three inches long. It cannot be doubted but that many 
of the failures experienced in the culture of this very delightful 
fruit, occur through neglect of this summer stopping. The 
superfluous leafy shoots not only shade the fertile spurs, for 
which, even when fully exposed, all the direct rays of the sun, 
in our climate, are insufficient, but they prevent the forma- 
tion of young embryo fruit spurs, which may be seen in great 
numbers, even on very old trees, if well managed, protruding 
through the bark, no larger than the head of a small pin, and 
of a pinkish hue. Coarse foreright shoots, suffered to remain, 
produce also another serious evil ; they bring on a correspond- 
ing amount of root action, (through reciprocity) of a totally 
unnecessary character, which tends to force embryo buds de- 
signed by nature for fruit spurs, into barren shoots. Thus, evil 
begets evil. 
A little winter pruning will, however, be at all times requisite, 
for, be the management ever so complete, some superff uous wood 
