112 THE GARDENER. [March 



When there are arrears in pruning, planting, or any other operation, 

 it would be well to make every effort to overtake what has been lost ; 

 better do the work "late than never." Get all pruning finished. 

 Peaches and Nectarines which are left to the last should be finished as 

 early as circumstances will allow ; as they bear on the wood formed 

 last year, a number of the best placed shoots should be left. Regu- 

 larity and neatness are objects of greater moment towards fine crops 

 than some seem to recognise. It is seldom one sees Peaches trained 

 in a systematic manner, so that from 10 inches from the ground 

 to the top of the wall regular supplies of fine fruit may be had. 

 Wherever there are gross shoots they may be cut out, as such wood 

 never becomes fruitful. Protection for these and other trees by nets, 

 tiffany, and other makeshifts should be put on. The most important 

 part of this protection is to keep the trees back as much as possible, 

 so that the flower-buds open late, and in a measure escape frosts. 

 Placing the protection at night and pulling it up during the day often 

 does more harm than good : strong sunshine is so likely to excite the 

 buds they are better partially shaded during the day. We have seen 

 so little advantage — even to those who advocate flimsy protection — 

 that we doubt if it pays for half the labour. When trees are all 

 fastened to the walls, and before the flowers open, it may be well to 

 give a syringing of Ghishurst Compound all over the trees at intervals 

 of several days — tobacco powder, sulphur, and soap-suds does very 

 well ; this often acts as a prevention to insects taking up their quarters 

 on the trees, and coming out in strong force during summer. Figs 

 may be uncovered by degrees, but some branches of Spruce or Laurel 

 may be left on for some time to come. " Sudden excitement " means 

 " sudden destruction." It may be necessary to look over some of the 

 early Plums and Apricots with a view to disbudding them. All the 

 shoots coming right out from the trees may be rubbed off as a begin- 

 ning. Clearing off young growths (as the foliage begins to expand) in a 

 wholesale manner does not only check the functions of the tree, 

 but causes fruit to drop, and exposes it to frost and destructive 

 winds. With young trees, and where no fruit-buds are on the shoots, 

 we prefer going over the trees, picking out the wood-buds as soon as 

 they begin to move into growth, leaving those placed on the leading 

 shoots which are likely to fit closely to the walls ; any leading shoots 

 tending to become gross are stopped at every few joints to give the wood 

 lower on the tree an opportunity of improving. Where wires are used 

 in preference to tying the branches to nails, or the older system 

 of using shreds of cloth, it is well, while the necessary attentions are 

 paid to the developing of the growths, that the branches are not allowed 

 to rest on the wires tightly, or be tied too close to them. Those un- 

 acquainted with the method of dealing successfully with wires often 

 allow mischief to be done to the wood and bark, and then wiring is 

 denounced. Double the girth of the wood should be used in each tie to 



