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THEORY AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING. 
THEOET AND PEACTICE OF PEUNING. 
By Me. II. BAILEY, Gardener to G. V. Harcourt, Esq., M.P., Nuneham Park, Oxford. 
THE PEACH. 
jJN forming a handsome and prolific Peach tree, although much is to he accomplished hy stopping 
and dishudding — i.e. preventive pruning — still the use of the knife in moderation is necessary. 
- A The modes of training to which this tree has been subjected are very various, and many 
of them very fanciful. We, however, have not now to enter into a description of the 
vagaries of " Hitt " and " Hayward," or to expatiate upon the far-famed system of the 
Montreuil gardeners, whose success, although great and indisputable, is n 
probably owing more to their sunshine than their superior skill — for no 
amount of skill on the part of the pruner can compensate for immature 
wood, and the injurious effects of late spring frosts. We shall thei'efore 
confine our observations to the mode of training principally adopted in this 
country, viz., what is termed fan training. 
As the fruit of the Peach is produced upon the last year's wood, (fig. 1 , 
in which c c are blossom buds, with a leaf bud between them,) it is im- 
portant to adopt such a mode of training as shall ensure a constant succes- 
sion of young wood. This is, perhaps, not accomplished in a more simple 
and regular manner by any other mode with which we are acquainted ; and 
as our object is the elucidation of principles involving practical results, 
rather than to investigate hypothetical fancies, we would refer such of our 
readers as desire to drink deep of this kind of knowledge to the more copious 
treatises on the subject by various authors, more particularly to the Ency- 
clopedia of Gardening, by the indefatigable Loudon, where training suitable 
" to all sorts and conditions " of gardeners may be found. 
Let us now proceed to the commencement of the fan-shaped tree, which 
we will suppose to be what in nursery parlance is called a " maiden " tree ; 
that is, it has made one year's growth from a bud inserted in the stock in 
the previous year. Fig. 2 represents such a tree, which for the first season 
is to be headed down to four eyes, so as to produce in the season following 
four shoots, two on each side. The plant (fig. 3) has now assumed its 
rudimentary shape, having four branches diverging from the common 
centre like the radii of a wheel. In the following season 
the upper branches must he shortened, so as to pro- 
duce each three shoots, one in the centre, one on the 
upper and one on the lower side ; and the two lower 
branches must be shortened, so as to produce two 
shoots each. This will give ten principal shoots, which, 
when regularly trained, will form the skeleton of the 
future tree. These must again be shortened, so as to 
produce subsidiary shoots, upon which the future fruit 
is to be borne; always taking care to preserve that 
which springs from the lowest bud, and not in any 
subsequent pruning to cut such shoots clean out. Per- 
sons who are not conversant with gardening matters 
generally spoil then- future trees, for want of attention 
to this point. They do not keep them what we call 
" at home," and in consequence they become naked and 
unsightly. 
In all Peach pruning it is important to know the 
distinction between leaf and blossom buds, and to make 
every cut to a leaf bud. The blossom buds are round 
and prominent, frequently in pairs ; and the leaf buds 
are pointed and narrow. (See fig. 1, in which a a are 
blossom buds, and b b leaf buds : a leaf bud is very 
often placed between two blossom buds, c c c.) Wc 
