GENERAL PRACTICE. RENOVATING OLD ORCHARDS. 93 



Budding is performed on all stone-fruit trees. The way to effect this is to cut back 

 the branches in the autumn for producing new shoots the following spring, and in these 

 the buds of the desired variety are placed, in summer, in positions best situated for 

 giving symmetry to the new head. Any shoots not budded should be broken off about 

 nine inches from the old wood, and removed altogether in the autumn, the budded 

 branches being cut back at the same time to a couple of inches above the buds. When 

 the new shoots start from the buds in spring, secure their growth loosely to the part left 

 to prevent dislocation by wind, cutting the stub away smoothly the following autumn. 

 In selecting buds, make sure of wood buds. If taken from bearing trees, fruit buds may 

 be taken, when failure must ensue, but sometimes fruit and wood buds are taken 

 together : then no harm is done ; yet it is safer to take buds from young trees or wood 

 buds only. Cherries and plums may be treated in that way very satisfactorily, fine 

 fruitful heads being had in a few years. 



Young heads of improved varieties may be put on old apple and pear trees by graft- 

 ing. The branches are cut off transversely, and the scions or grafts are inserted in the 

 stocks by crown and cleft grafting. These methods are treated under their respective 

 headings. The heading down may be done in mild weather during the winter, but it is 

 preferably performed in autumn, a little higher than where the grafting is to be done. 

 It may be noted that the free-bearing varieties of apples do singularly well when worked 

 on free-growing old standard trees, the following affording fine fruit and heavy crops in 

 succession : Lady Sudeley, Carlisle Codlin, Domino, Beauty of Bath, Peter the Great, 

 Duchess of Oldenburg, Worcester Pearmain, Lord Grosvenor, Potts' Seedling, Ecklin- 

 ville, Frogmore Prolific, Golden Noble, Pope's Apple, Warner's King, Grenadier, The 

 Queen, Histon Favourite, Queen Caroline, Lord Derby, Cox's Orange Pippin, Gospatrick, 

 Murfitt's Seedling, Loddington Seedling, Seaten House, Hormead Pearmain, and Bram- 

 ley's Seedling the latter and Lord Grosvenor being two of the best for rejuvenating 

 weakly old trees and affording the longest succession of fruit from two varieties. 

 Further particulars of working old or unhealthy trees will be given under " Canker." 



Thinning spurs is often a necessity in old orchards. Many trees are crowded with 

 these essentials of fruit production ; consequently the blossom buds are weak, the fruit 

 sets indifferently, or is cast in its early stages of swelling ; whereas, if the spurs are 

 thinned early in autumn say, as soon as the fruit is gathered, the wood ripens better, the 

 blossoms are stronger and set freely, the fruit making a good start in swelling. One half 

 of the spurs may often be removed with advantage, those on the under side being cut 



