PRU 



P R U 



mer training in a necessary supply of the regu- 

 lar shoots to fill the wall, &c. at the same time 

 retrenching superfluities, and irregular and very 

 rank luxuriant growths, training the supply of 

 regular wood still at full length at the ahove di- 

 stances ; l>y which the trees will soon cover a 

 large space, and the same unshortencd branches 

 continue bearing many years. See Pruning. 



The necessity of this sort of training is ob- 

 vious from all the sorts bearing principally upon 

 spurs, half an inch or an inch long, arising from 

 the sides of the branches, of from one or two 

 to many years old, which if shortened would 

 throw out a multiplicity of useless wood, and 

 hardly any fruit-spurs. 



AH the sorts of wall and espalier trees of this 

 sort should be pruned twice every year, as in 

 summer and winter, in order to retrench the 

 superfluities of each year, and all foreright and 

 other irregular shoots, and bad wood, and to 

 train in a necessary portion of young wood 

 where -wanted to fill vacancies, or to supply the 

 place of decayed, worn-out, and other bad 

 branches. See Pruning. 



The standard-trees should be trained as full 

 standards and half-standards, budding or graft- 

 ing the former six feet high, and the latter only 

 three or four; both kinds being worked low in 

 the stock, training the first shoots to those 

 heights for stems, then suffering them to branch 

 andf'orm heads: these may be planted out at 

 from twenty to thirty feet distance, letting their 

 heads form naturally. 



Mr. Forsyth advises, that in choosing the trees 

 the same directions should be observed as given 

 below for apricots. " Clean straight plants, 

 with single stems, should be employed, as those 

 with two never make handsome trees on walls or 

 standards, and the oorder should be managed as 

 directed for apricots; digging the holes the same 

 width and depth, and loosening the bottom : then 

 fill up the holes with fine fresh loam, or the mould 

 that was used the preceding year for melon and 

 cucumber beds ; being careful to keep the mould 

 a proper height above the bolder, and the roots 

 of the trees as near the surface as possible, 

 spreading them horizontally. When there are 

 any tap-roots, they should always," he says, 

 " be cut off, as should also the fine hairy roots, 

 as they are liable to get mouldy and rot, and 

 thereby bring on a putrefaction of the mould 

 about the root of the tree. When the roots 

 are not spread near the surface of the ground, 

 it will," he says, " prevent the sun and air from 

 penetrating to them ; and the fruit, of course, 

 will not have so fine a flavour." He further ad- 

 vises "that the stems of young plum-trees 

 should never be cut when first planted, but be left 



till the buds begin to break, when they may be 

 headed down to five or more eyes, always ob- 

 serving to leave an odd one for the leading shoot; 

 always cutting sloping towards the wall, and as 

 near to an eye as possible. Thus managed, the 

 shoots will," he says, "soon fill the wall with 

 fine wood. When it is found that some of the 

 shoots are too luxuriant, they may have the tops 

 pinched offwith the fing<*r and thumb, as above, 

 about the beginning of June in the first year 

 after planting; by doing which plenty of wood 

 may be obtained to fill the bottom of the wall." 

 He adds, that " a great deal depends on the 

 first and second year's management of the 

 trees." 



With respect to the distance from each other 

 at which Plum-trees should be planted against a 

 wall, " it depends," he says, " on the height of 

 the wall. If the wall be ten feet high, which is 

 the common height, they may be planted at 

 eight yards distance from tree to tree ; but if the 

 wall be twelve feet high, or more, seven yards 

 will be sufficient." For his part, he prefers a 

 wall of ten or twelve feet, which will, he thinks, 

 be found high enough, if the branches are train- 

 ed horizontally ; by which means the trees will, 

 he thinks, be much more fruitful, and not grow 

 so luxuriantly. He further adds, that "by training 

 an upright shoot on the Plums, as directed for 

 Pears, fine kind shoots may be gotten from the 

 sides. The leading shoot should be shortened, 

 leaving it from one to two feet long, according 

 to its strength. If the leading shoot be very strong, 

 it may," he thinks, "be topped twice in the 

 summer, as for Pears, and at the same time re- 

 peating the same every year till the wall is filled 

 to the top." He would always recommend, 

 where it is convenient, to allot one wall for 

 Plums and another for Cherries, as they always 

 thrive best by themselves, or when distinct. 



As there will be Plum-trees to spare, that were 

 planted between Pear-trees, when they begin to 

 meet, these should, he says, be planted aaainst 

 another wall, or as dwarf standards. Those in- 

 tended for standards should, he says, be prepared 

 in the following manner : The year before they are 

 to be planted they should be cut in the side-shoots 

 at different lengths, from one foot to three, ac- 

 cording to the size of the trees ; suffering them 

 to grow rude all the summer, neither nailing in 

 nor cutting the side and foreright shoots. And 

 some time during the winter the ground round 

 their roots should be opened, cutting in the strong 

 ones (which will cause them to put forth fine 

 young fibres) ; then filling in the earth. In the 

 following autumn, or during the winter (the 

 sooner the better), they should be transplanted 

 out as Standards. And in transplanting of the 



