PRU 



P R U 



the main branches, to be advancing for bearers, rics, as too much use of the knife, in the larger 



ready to supply any deficiency ; and generally a wood particularly, causes them to gum and 



terminal shoot to the general branches in all canker ; all that is necessary is, occasionally to 



parts where the allotted space admits of extend- retrench any verv irregular growing branch, and 



ins; them in proper regularity : accordingly as all decayed wood. 



each tree is thus pruned and regulated, the ge- In respect to old trees Mr. Forsyth says, " he 



neral branches and shoots should be trained in has headed down a great many Cherry-trees 



regularly, and nailed to the wall, &c. about which were almost past bearing, and so eaten 



three to four or five inches asunder, all at their up with the gum and canker, that what few 



full length, to the extent of their limited space. Cherries they bore upon old cankered spurs were 



.Mr. Forsyth advises, in pruning these trees, not fit to be sent to the table;" and that " in 



never to shorten their shoots, as most of them the years 17y0 and 1791 he cut, or headed down, 



produce the fruit at their extremities, the fifty trees. The operation was performed in the 



shortening, or cutting off of which very fre- months of April and May in each year. These 



quently occasions the death of the shoot, at least trees made shoots from three to fixe feet the 



of a great part of it. The branches, therefore, same summer, bore fine cherries the next year, 



should be trained at full length, lie has often 



seen the whole tree k : lled by injudicious pruning. 

 Wherever the knife is applied, it is sure to bring 

 "on the gum, and afterwards the canker ; which 

 will inevitably kill the tree, he says, if no re- 

 medy be applied to the wounds 



and have continued to bear good crops ever 

 since: to the above trees he applied the Compo- 

 sition. At the same time he cut down twelve 

 trees in the same row, but did not apply the Com- 

 position ; these twelve trees all died in the second 

 and third years after. They now, he says, gather 



The Morello in particular, and the Small Early more cherries from one tree where the Composi 

 May Cherry, bear both on the young wood of don was applied, than they did from the whole 



number formerly; being also much finer and 

 larger fruit. When Cherry-trees are verv old, and 

 much injured by large limbs having been cut oft" 

 (which will, he says, infallibly bring on the canker 

 and gum, and, if no remedy be applied, in a short 

 time kill the trees) ; or if there are great spurs left 



last summer, the fruit blossom buds issuing im 

 mediately from the eyes of the shoots very 

 abundantly, and upon small natural fruit-spurs 

 arising on the two and three years' wood and 

 continuing on the older branches ; but generally 

 bear the most plenteously on the young wood ; 



the ends of some of the shoots. Sometimes 

 you will have a great difficulty to find any buds. 

 If that be the case, in the spring, before you 

 mean to head the trees, make some incisions in 

 the branches. This should be done on different 



r 



and therefore it is necessary, both in the summer standing a foot perhaps from the wall ; the best 

 and winter pruning, to attend to this and retain way to bring them to have fine heads, and to 

 a general supply of the young shoots of each cover the wall, is to head them down as low as 

 year trained in plentifully' in all parts of the tree possible, taking care to leave some small shoots, 

 in summer, of the most regular placed, as many f there are any ; if not, leave a bud or two at 

 as can be conveniently admitted with proper re- 

 gularity : and in the winter-pruning, making a 

 general selection of the best well placed shoots 

 of last summer, to train in for succcssional 

 hearers the ensuing season, cutting out the su- 

 perabundant, with part of the naked former branches, at the most convenient places for iill- 

 bearers occasionally to make room for the young ing the wall with good wood. The size of the 

 supply, leaving a terminal one to each mother incisions should be from one to two inches, ac- 

 brauch, and thus train in tin- general branches cording to the largeness of the branches; ob- 

 and shoot; horizontally, about three or four serving to make- them just above the joint where 

 inches asunder, all at their natural length. the buds should come out. If yon cut just be- 



Thc Standard Cherry-trees should be planted low a joint, the shoot will die as far as the next 



twenty-one feet distance at least; but if for a bud or joint ; and of course injure the tree, if 



whole orchard, twenty-four feet, or eight yards no remedy be applied." lie adds that ''the 



distant every way, will be requisite. The first time for performing this operation is in March, 



shoots having been previously shortened in the April, or May. But this " method of making 



nursery, if thought necessary to promote lower incisions is only recommended where there are 



branches to form the head, plant them now with no young shoots or buds, and when the tree is 



their heads entire, except just reducing any ir- in the last stage of the canker. Where you 



regular growth, and suffer them to branch every have a few young shoots, or buds, he advises 



way, and shoot in length as fast as they arc able, to cut down the head as near to them as vou 



not shortening any, and all the branches will can, and to take great care to cut out the canker 



soon form numerous fruit-spurs. till you come to the sound bark. The canker 



Little pruning is retiuired for Standard Cher- makes its appearance in these trees in the same 



