P R U 



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frost, or stunted by the cold north and north- 

 west winds that happen about the latter end of 

 March and beginning or' April. The cold chill- 

 ing rain and snow, which are also very injurious 

 to the fruit, will be thrown off by the branches 

 standing out from ihe trees. He by no means 

 likes to" see great spurs standing out from the 

 wall ; for they are always sure to be injured by 

 the frost and cold winds. When the shoots are 

 left naked, he has often seen the plums turn 

 ellow, and drop alter they have grown to a 

 considerable size, from their being exposed to the 

 cold frosty winds and rain. They should there- 

 fore, he thinks, in cold and frosty weather, be 

 covered in the same manner as Apricots. Plums 

 are, he remarks, more tender than any other 

 sort of stone-fruit, owing to the flower-cup 

 dropping sooner than that of peaches, necta- 

 rines, &c. And they are very liable to decay, 

 after cutting off large limbs or branches, which 

 always brings on the gum and canker, if it be 

 left to Nature to perform the cure. He would, 

 therefore, recommend the application of the 

 Composition (in the same manner as directed lor 

 other sorts of fruit-trees) to every shoot where 

 the knife touches, as soon as the trees are cut 

 and nailed." And with the intention of having 

 the fruit large and fine, care must be taken to 

 thin it where it is too thick ; but that must not 

 be done too soon, lest it should be pinched by 

 the cold. The fruit ought to be of the size of 



standards is performed low in the stock, and 

 the tlrst shoot trained up for a stem. 



The operation of budding should be performed 

 in August, being careful to procure shoots from 

 which to take the buds from trees of the best 

 sorts, performing the operation in the usual 

 way- See Inoculation. 



The buds shoot in the following spring ; at 

 which time, before they begin to push, the 

 stock should be headed down a little above the 

 insertion of the bud ;- soon after which the 

 buds will shoot and advance rapidly, and by 

 autumn form a large shoot, and the trees are 

 then proper for planting out for good, especially 

 the dwarfs intended for wall-trees; or some may 

 remain a year or two longer in the nursery, and 

 be trained in a proper manner for planting 

 against walls ; and others for standards. But 

 whether they remain in the nursery, or are 

 planted out into the borders, the first shoot from 

 the bud should in the March following be 

 headed down to four or five eyes, to procure 

 lower horizontal branches, as in the Plum. 



When those intended for wall-trees are of 

 one year's growth, with their first shoots or 

 head entire, they are of a proper size for plant- 

 ing out finally where they are to remain. They 

 may be planted out any time in open weather, 

 from October until the beginning of March, 

 choosing a south wall for the early and some 

 other kinds, to come in forward; but as those 



a small marble, and well sheltered by the leaves, exposed to the full south sun are apt to become 



before any attempt is made to do this." He 

 advises never to pull off the leaves that shelter 

 the fruit, till it is full-grown and begins to turn. 

 See Amygdalus. 



In conclusion it is also observed, that " he 

 has taken up several old trees from the walls, 

 when they have grown too near each other, and 

 planted them out as standards, at the same time 

 shortening their branches to form handsome 

 heads, which are now full of fine fruit." These 



soon mealy, it is proper to plant a principal 

 supply against east and west walls. 



Mr. Forsyth however thinks, " the best time 

 for planting Apricots is in autumn, as soon as 

 the leaf begins to fall. The person who goes 

 to the nursery for the plants should, he says, 

 make choice of those which have the strongest 

 and cleanest stems ; and if he can procure such 

 as have been headed down, (to use the phrase 

 of the nurserymen) of two or three years' 



hints and directions are highly deserving of growth, they will bear and fill the walls much 



attention, as being the result of much practical 

 experience. 



Culture in the Apricot kind. — These trees are 

 increased by budding them upon any kind of 

 Plum-stocks, for which purpose they are raised 

 from the stones of the fruit, sown in autumn in 

 beds of light earth two inches deep; when they 

 will come up the following spring, and in au- 

 tumn or spring after be fit to plant out in nur- 

 sery-rows ; when in a year or two they will be 

 fit to bud for dwarfs for walls, &c. but for half 



sooner than those which have not been so 

 treated. He should make choice of trees with 

 one stem ; or, if they have two, one of them 

 should be cut off; for by planting those with 

 two stems the middle of the tree is left naked, 

 and, of course, one third of the wall remains 

 uncovered." And though it is a practice with 

 many to make choice of those with the smallest 

 stems, he thinks they always make weaker 

 shoots than the others. 



These trees succeed in any common soil ; they 



standards and full standards they must have are usually planted in a range close along the 



three, four, or five years' growth, and be wall, at eighteen feet distance, with their heads 



trained up with stems from three or four to six entire, which should be fastened either to the 



feet high ; though sometimes the budding for wall or to stout stakes, one to each tree, to pre- 



