APRICOT. 47 



close spurs formed on the two year old wood. The bearing 

 shoots emit the blossom buds immediately from the eyes 

 along the sides, and the buds have a round and swelling ap- 

 pearance. 



Apricot trees may be planted at any time after the head 

 is formed : some head them down in the nursery bed, and 

 remove them to their destined places when five or six years 

 old. 



Standards will require only occasional pruning, to regulate 

 such branches as may be too numerous, too extended, or 

 cross formed, and to remove any casually unfruitful parts 

 and dead wood ; but the regular branches, forming the head 

 of the tree, should not be shortened unless necessary. 



The general culture of the wall Apricots comprehends a 

 summer and winter course of regulation, by pruning and 

 training. The fan method is generally adopted, but some 

 prefer training horizontally. With young trees some con- 

 trive to fill the wall by heading down twice a year. 



The winter, or early spring management, comprehends a 

 general regulation both of the last year's shoots and the 

 older branches. A general supply of the most regularly 

 situated young shoots must be every where retained, for suc- 

 cessional bearers the ensuing year. Cut out such branches 

 as are not furnished with competent supplies of young wood, 

 or with fruit spurs, to make room for training the most pro- 

 mising branches retained. Generally, observe in this pruning, 

 to retain one leading shoot at the end of each branch ; either 

 a naturally placed terminal, or one formed by cutting (where 

 a vacancy is to be furnished) into a proper leader. Let the 

 shoots retained for bearers be moderately shortened ; reduce 

 strong shoots in the least proportion cutting off one fourth 

 or less of their length ; from weak shoots take away a third, 

 and sometimes a half. This shortening will conduce to tho 

 production of a good supply of lateral shoots the ensuing 

 summer, from the lower and middle placed eyes ; whereas 

 without it, the new shoots would proceed mostly from the 



