150. First Pruning

Second year of planting. Fig. 1 represents the results of the first summer's growth. We begin by cutting off the piece c, closely to the angle formed by the two branches. This portion of stem has been retained till now, in order that its three young shoots, which have been pinched when necessary, might assist the two buds a and b (fig. 6) in drawing the sap. The latter have made the shoots a, a, (fig. 7,) of sufficient growth to allow of our pruning the two main branches to the proper length. This length is about fifteen or sixteen inches, measuring from the insertion of the branch. We must now examine the state of the two main branches, and endeavor to find two properly placed eyes at the above height One of them, a, (fig. 7,) situated on the upper side, is intended to serve for the prolongation of the main branch; and the other, 6, (in the same figure,) and situated on the lower side, to Form the first lower secondary branch. The other main branch, a, is examined for two similar eyes at the same height, or nearly so.

When that is done, each of the two main branches is pruned on the eye a, which becomes the terminal pushing one; and the eye b gives rise to the first lower secondary branch.

151. As the effect of the pruning on the eye a is to induce great activity of vegetation (65), the resulting shoot must be watched, and nailed at the proper time. The eye b must be equally watched, and nailed when necessary, training it by a rod in the right direction, endeavoring at the same time to keep its strength in proportion to that of the leading shoot of the main branch a. If necessary, superfluous shoots are removed at the disbudding, especially those at the front and back. The excessive growth of those that are overbearing is kept down by pinching; and lastly, we must endeavor to maintain a constant balance as regards length and thickness of shoots betwen the two wings. It is of importance not to concentrate the sap too much in young trees, but to leave it the necessary outlets. All regulating operations, such as pinching, should be conducted according to the state of growth of the tree, and should be performed to a greater extent when it is very vigorous.

152. If the balance is disturbed, it can be restored in several ways. The tree may be unnailed and re-nailed, so that the weakly wing may be more or less vertical, while the stronger one is lowered. This means, seconded by disbudding and pinching, is generally sufficient. But if it do not produce the desired effect, the weakly wing may be brought out from the wall, in order to give it still greater liberty (100). Nevertheless, that its branches may not take an improper direction, one or more props are placed behind them at six or eight inches from the wall. The wing is supported on these props so as to give it more air, which will greatly tend to strengthen it It might be left perfectly free, if it were not for fear of the blasts of wind, which might break some of the branches, or bruise the bark and the green parts by shaking; it is therefore prudent to fix it as above. When the equilibrium is restored, the tree is re-nailed with regularity. The wing should not be brought forward from the wall except in fine weather, because, from its distance from the wall, it is deprived of the protection of the copings and screens, and would be more exposed to frosts.

In pointing out this mode of restoring the balance between the two wings, a mode which can be tree from the very commencement is insisted on; because it appears that when once the sap begins to distribute itself equally through the different parts of the tree, it continues to flow with greater regularity, and presents fewer difficulties to a fine formation.

153. There is another very simple mode, which, though not so efficacious, suffices in the majority of cases. It consists in placing a shading of straw mats, or boards, at eight to ten inches above the stronger wing. This privation of a certain amount of light and air is often sufficient to enable the weakly wing, which is left uncovered, to attain the same growth as the other. The influence that shading has on vegetation may be employed for full-grown trees, to restrain the growth of the upper secondary branches by retaining over their extremities the straw mats which are joined to the copings till after the fruit has been formed.

154. If these means fail, we must, at the following winter-pruning, leave the shoots « on the weak parts as long as possible, and even, in some cases, not prune them at all, leaving both the terminal eye and all the young shoots, so that by their growth they may draw the sap towards the part At the same time, the shoots on the strong part should be pruned short; all superfluous shoots should be removed at the first disbudding; and the progress of those remaining must be carefully watched, in order to allow them only a limited growth. This mode, which is very efficacious, is founded on the principal of physiology that leaves are the respiratory organs of plants, toward which the ascending sap is continually drawn, to be in them elaborated, after which it descends towards the roots. The ascent of the sap-fluid through the alburnum, and its descent by the vessels of the bark, maintain a more active degree of life in these parts, and thus their vigor is increased in proportion to the amount of the circulation of that fluid. This means may be employed on trees of any age; and it always succeeds well, provided the parts operated on be healthy, though of unequal strength; but it must not be used on badly-organized branches, or on those suffering from languor resulting from disease.

In the latter case, we must begin by curing the disease.

155. There is another mode, which can only be employed on bearing-trees. It consists in leaving a great many Peaches on the strong parts, because the nourishment of the fruit being very exhausting, the vigor of the branches is diminished in proportion to the quantity of fruit they bear. On the other hand, the vigor of a feeble branch may be restored by limiting the number of its fruit The latter proceeding is rarely used by the cultivators, because they must have Peaches, whatever be the consequence.