In cutting back the central shoot, two buds, well situated for pro ducing side branches, and a third for an upright, must be left. The first productioq of side branches, which are intended to produce the lower radii of the fan, must be trained at some elevation in the first instance, and afterwards brought to a horizontal position; and they should not be subdivided. Those, however, obtained in the following season may be allowed to form two each, if sufficiently vigorous, at some distance from their base, and as their divergence affords room. The branches produced after those last mentioned, and indeed all the upper ones, may be subdivided into two, or even three. By this `method of training the lower branches become strong, and acquire a well-established communication with the roots before the upper are in existence, eo that there is little danger of their dying off, as usually happens when horizontal and vertical branches are started at the same time.
By repeating the process hero detailed, all the principal branches are ultimately produced, to the number of between thirty and forty, and disposed in a fan-like form, diverging, not exactly from a common centre, but from a short axis. These branches support the shoots ou which, during the second season of their existence, the fruit is borne. Buds for the origin of these shoots should be selected at the distance of every twelve or fourteen inches along the upper side of the branches, that being the side from which they aro obtained with the greatest facility, owing to the upward tendency of the alp. As these shoots are being prolonged during the summer, they should bo trained so that their foliage may have the fullest exposure to light ; but although the foliage of one shoot ought not to overshade that of others, yet the naked branches are benefited by the shade of leaves, for old bark exposed to the direct rays of the sun is spt to be scorched.
The shoots produced and trained during the summer for succes sional bearing ones must be shortened considerably at the ensuing winter's pruning, and care must be taken not to cut above a node where there is only a blossom-bud or buds, but to one that is seen to have a wood-bud—that is, such as a shoot will proceed from. In the following spring, the blossom-buds are unfolded, and soon after the wood-buds begin to push the rudiments of shoots, one of which, next the base of each fruit-bearing shoot, must be preserved and encouraged with special care, in order to supply the place of those that are bearing fruit. The fruit-bearing shoots being useless for such purpose a second time, must therefore be cut away at the following winter pruning, when the young shoot, retained during the summer, is shortened like its predecessor, and trained for the purpose of bearing fruit and pro ducing a successor, which likewise becomes subject to the same routine treatment.
The preceding directions are to be followed in order to the essential pruning, the development and maintenance of the form of the tree ; but as a great number of superfluous shoots will be produced, the mode of their removal requires to be noticed. The operation is termed disbudding, and it commences as soon as the young shoots can be laid hold of, but should be completed in a gradual manner. A portion of such front-shoots as have no fruit at their bases are first- removed, then part of those elsewhere situated, making exceptions of the lowest on each bearing shoot, for succession, and of the terminal one. By degrees all are removed excepting the two last mentioned and those from nodes where fruit is set and promises to attain perfection. Finally, the terminal ones and those left on account of having fruit at their bases are shortened, or stopped, to about three inches in length, or so as to have several leaves for the purpose of maintaining the flow of sap and elaborating it for the nourishment of the fruit. Should these or the terminal shoots again push, such secondary shoots must be pinched off above the second leaf from the origin.
Thinning the fruit is generally done much too sparingly. The vigour of the tree should of course be taken into consideration. As a general rule, one fruit on each bearing shoot, or two at most, are all that ought to be left. By leaving too many, the size of the fruit is diminished, so that the aggregate weight of flesh is probably but little if at all increased, whilst that of stones, to the great weakening of the tree, becomes materially so. Some remove the flower-buds to a con siderable extent, a practice which is very proper. It is advisable however to preserve several on each shoot, in order that a choice may be made of one or two of those likely to take the lead.
The surface of the border should be frequently stirred; and when the weather is dry, watering will be necessary both for the border and foliage; but the use of cold spring water must be avoided. The ravages of the green fly (Aphis Persica) must he carefully guarded against. The best known remedy is to dust the tree, after syringiag, with snuff, or powdered tobacco leaves. Coping-boards, made to project about a foot, are of great utility in protecting the blossoms ; but after the danger of frost is over, the coping ought to be removed.
The best varieties of peaches in cultivation at the present day in this country appear to have been obtained from France. Although designated by various English names, most of the sorts have been traced to be synonymous with the French peaches. They are nume rous and often changing.
(Hort. Trans. ; Guide to the Orchard and Kitchen Garden ; Loudon, Eneycloptedia of Gardening ; Macintosh, Book of the Garden.)