THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN. November 6, 1860, 
The branch is thus formed at tho time of the winter pruning 
as displayed in figs. 5 and 6. 
Pig. 5.—Fresh spur, resulting from a fresh shoot pinched at 
the proper time. 
Fig. 6.—Small fresh spur, resulting from the incision and pinching 
of a fresh shoot. 
Nevertheless, if, often happens that these fresh shoots develope 
themselves so vigorously, that, in spite of the pinching, 
their axils continue to elongate, and they draw with them 
the two leaves of the base. To prevent this inconvenience 
M. Grin advises an operation, of the efficacy of which we have 
made proof. As soon as one of these vigorous shoots appears, 
an incision of about half an inch is made with the grafting-knife 
on one of the sides of its point of junction with the principal 
shoot. This incision stops the elongation of this shoot, it hardens, 
and the eyes placed at the axils of the leaves are formed. After 
six or seven days the pinching is practised as we have before 
explained. This operation gives the result shown in fig. 6. 
“ All the fresh shoots having been pinched once, some of 
them give rise to one or two generations of shoots. These are 
pinched above the leaf nearest the base, as we have explained 
with respect to the first fresh shoots of the shoots properly 
called. These operations give rise to spurs constituted as in 
figs. 3 and 5, which are then cut at B. 
“Occasionally after reiterated pinching of the fresh shoots 
we obtain a little spur covered solely with flower-buds {fig. 7). 
Fig. 7.—Fresh spur, producing only flower-buds. 
If we let it fruit it dries up after the gathering, and leaves 
a void in its place. To prevent this accident it will be as 
well, according to M. Grin, to remove at the winter pruning 
all the flower-buds {fig. 8), and then to make at A a deep in¬ 
cision, penetrating below the insertion of this spur. We shall 
then see the appearance in the following spring of new shoots 
near the base of this spur, which are destined to form it in a more 
convenient manner, and which should be submitted to close 
pinching. 
Fig. 8.—The above fresh spur deprived of its flower-buds. 
“ This same incision practised at the same time at the base of 
the long-jointed fresh spurs {fig. 3) will also result in the 
appearance of shoots, but only at the spring of the following 
year. It will be proper, in order to facilitate this result, to prune 
the ends of these spurs very short, and they are formed in a 
more convenient shape by means of those shoots. 
“ The advantages resulting from this new mode of treatment 
are as follow :— 
“ 1st. We can dispense with the operations of summer training 
of the shoots, and winter training of the fruit-bearing branches. 
“ 2nd. The winter and summer pruning are much simplified, 
and much more readily practised by all gardeners. 
“ 3rd. As the fruiting spurs are kept in front of the main 
branches, the latter are protected by the leaves from the burning 
sun in the height of summer, which could not be effected under 
the old plan of pruning, by which only the spurs on each side of 
the branches could be retained. 
“ 4th. The shoots and fruit-spurs being kept much shorter, it 
is no longer necessary to leave so wide a space between the main 
branches : by which means, being able to increase the number of 
branches on a given surface of wall, the number of fruits can be 
proportionately increased. 
“We will conclude with the two following observations which 
are of great importance to the success of this mode of pruning:— 
“ First, it will be as well only to apply the close pinching to 
Peaches after the first year of planting. During the first season 
we should be satisfied with submitting the shoots to the old 
mode of pinching. At the winter pruning all the spurs should 
be cut at the lowest bud, and the shoot whioh springs from it 
should be submitted to close pinching. By acting thus we 
facilitate the renewal of the trees, by leaving them provided 
during the first summer with a greater number of shoots. 
“ In the second place, the close pinching of the shoots, pro¬ 
perly called, should be commenced as early as possible— i.e., as 
soon as the shoots have attained the proper length. It is neces¬ 
sary afterwards to continue the pinching without interruption, 
according to the growth of the shoots. If we begin late, or this 
operation is repeated too seldom, we must pinch at one time too 
great a number of shoots; the result of which may be the com¬ 
plete suspension of vegetation in all parts of the tree, and con¬ 
sequently the disease of gum, the fall of the fruits, or even, as I 
have sometimes witnessed, the sudden death of the trees. All 
these accidents, which have led some persons to condemn close 
pruning, may be avoided if the first operation be made sufficiently 
early, to be repeated in succession at intervals of from fifteen to 
twenty days, so that the vegetation shall have resumed its course 
in the first shoots when we operate on the last.” 
FRUITING SOLANUM CAPSICASTRUM. 
In No. 629, page 37, of The Cottage Gardener, I see an 
answer to “ H. K.” on Solanum capsicastrum, saying you do 
not expect it to fruit while young. I have grown plants thi3 
year both from seed and cuttings, which at the present time are 
looking very pretty, with from seventy to one hundred and 
