VILLA GARDENING 547 



varieties this ari-angement is a good one ; but where there is a 

 large extent of north wall to plant, and if any doubt exists as 

 to the best fruits to set, I should recommend Plums of such 

 varieties as Victoria, Goliath, and Magnum Bonum, for they often 

 bear well on a north aspect when the trees on other aspects fail. 

 The cause of this is easily explained. In cold springs the sun, 

 when it rises early in the morning and strikes the trees on the 

 east wall with the frost still upon the flowers, completes the 

 destruction the frost had begim. The trees on the north wall, 

 thawing gradually, suffer less, and many of the blossoms escape 

 destruction. The Fan system of training is the one usually adopted 

 for the Plum and the Apricot, as it offers facilities for training up 

 a new branch if required to fill vacancies. Cut the trees back the 

 first year after planting, to obtain a good base to the tree. After- 

 wards only those shoots which are advancing too rapidly for the 

 balance of the tree to be maintained need be shortened. Lay in 

 as much young wood as there is room for, without crowding ; and 

 if healthy trees have been planted, and the site properly prepared, 

 the wall will soon be furnished. On a wall 12 feet high plant 

 the trees 15 feet apart. If the wall be higher or lower than 12 

 feet vary the distance accordingly. 



The summer pruning will begin when the young shoots are an 

 inch or so long by thinning the clusters, removing the weakly 

 shoots, which cannot be of any use to the progress of the tree. In 

 June pincli back the breast wood to four leaves, and put a tie or 

 a nail and shred to those shoots it is intended to lay in for future 

 bearing. This work will be repeated when necessary, and will 

 in fact form the summer's attention to be given to the trees. If 

 insects appear, wash with usual remedies, which have been referred 

 to elsewhere. Thin the young fruits if too thickly placed, by 

 removing the small ones. The chief part of the priming will be 

 done in summer in the way indicated above, but in winter the 

 knife must be employed to give neatness and finish to the sum- 

 mer's work, by shortening back a long spur or cutting away dead 

 wood, or thinning any part of the tree where the spurs are too 

 thickly placed. The brandies will, in some instances, require re- 

 training to give them the right inclination ; and in all cases the 

 trees, when the leaves are down in winter, must be gone over 

 carefully, and all ligatures removed which are too light, and 

 not likely to aff"ord sufficient support for the whole of the coming 

 year. 



Propagation. — Plums are usually budded on seedling stocks 

 of their own species. When the bark works freely in summer — 

 generally early in August — select suitable buds from healthy fer- 



