Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1866 Excerpt: ...to a considerable length, as is usually done, as I should myself do in every favourable situation, I preserve a large number of young shoots which are emitted in the early spring by the yearling wood, shortening each where necessary by pinching off the succulent points, generally to the length of two or three inches. Spurs, which lie close to the wall, are thus made, upon which numerous blossom-buds form very early in the ensuing summer; and upon which, after most unfavourable seasons, and in situations so high and cold, that the Peach tree in the most favourable seasons had usually produced only a few feeble blossoms, I observed as strong and vigorous blossoms as I usually have seen in the best situations and seasons, and I am quite confident that had the Peach trees in gardens round the metropolis been pruned in the manner above described--that is, upon spurs, in the last season--abundant and vigorous blossoms would have appeared in the spring." Mr. Knight then proceeds to recommend a mixed system of long and close pruning, which, when judiciously carried out, is very successful. It indeed requires some experience in the selection of the proper class of shoot. Mr. Knight seems to be disposed, however, not to trust the whole crop on spurs formed by close summer pruning. In "warm situations," the ordinary long pruning, he says, may answer; but " in cold and late situations then try the spur method. A mixture of both modes, in every situation, will generally be found to multiply the chances of success, and, therefore, neither ought to be exclusively adopted nor rejected in any situation." This is sound and practical counsel, and comes from an excellent authority; and Mclntosh, alluding to these remarks, says of them, that they are &q...
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