PLUMS, AND A FEW GOOD KINDS. 127 



winter pruning to remove all superfluous shoots that may 

 have been overlooked, and that may interfere with other 

 branches, if left to grow. 



Plum trees for training, either for the wall or for 

 espaliers, should be chosen with a central upright stem, 

 with shoots from each side, the same as other wall trees. 

 The horizontal shoots should be trained nine inches 

 apart, except in sorts that are of very slim growth, which 

 may be a little closer. As in standards, the branches 

 must be left at full length, unshortened. 



For summer pruning, disbudding must be carried on 

 (as prevention is better than cure) at intervals. First 

 remove all the shoots which tend exactly to the front 

 or to the back. Afterwards all gross shoots or robbers 

 must be nipped back, preparatory to taking them out 

 entirely, if advisable, later. A few weeks later, and 

 finally, all shoots that are not necessary may be pruned. 



For the winter pruning remove superfluous branches, 

 and the remains of the superfluous shoots pinched back 

 during the summer. Afterwards train the tree to the 

 wall, as in other wall fruit trees. 



Neglected plum trees, showing only a number of long 

 naked, unproductive spurs, may be quite cut back: when 

 the young shoots grow long enough to nail in, choose 

 two of the best and strongest from each shortened limb, 

 and train them in, and at the next winter's pruning cut 

 away one of the two, and leave the other at its full 

 length. 



With plums, as with pears, there are so many of first- 

 rate excellence that it is difficult to select a limited 

 number ; but the garden may be so planted as to keep 

 up a succession of choice kinds from late in July to the 

 end of October. The late kinds, such as Imperatrice, 

 Saint Catherine, Golden Drop, and all late-ripening 

 plums, require a warm situation, and an east or 

 south-east wall, to bring them to perfection. 



Precoce de Tours is a deep purple, medium-sized plum, 

 sweet and nice in flavour, and ripening late in July or 

 early in August. It is covered with a bloom, the stalk 

 is of medium length, and the flesh is > brownish-yellow, 



