FEBRUARY. 



594 



FEBRUARY. 



fruit trees this month, whether standards, 

 espaliers, dwarf bushes, pyramids, pillars, 

 or trained on walls. In pruning these, the 

 main object is to produce short fruiting 

 spurs, so that all vigorous shoots should be 

 shortened in ; but the stronger the shoots 

 the less they should be cut ; for too close 

 cutting throws them into the production of 

 wood and leaf, and not fruit. 



Apricots, Nectarines^ and Peaches on 

 walls ought to be unnailed and pruned this 

 month. Thin out the shoots till they lie 

 about 6 inches from each other, and shorten 

 or not according to the strength of the tree 

 or shoot ; if very strong, shorten little or 

 none ; but if the end of a weak shoot 

 terminates still more weakly, cut back to a 

 double bud that is, one leaf bud between 

 two flower buds ; prune neatly in this way, 

 and take them up again with fresh nails and 

 shreds. The trees should be done over in 

 this way every winter, but it is important 

 that the shoots be thinned out and dis- 

 budded in summer time. 



Borders, Manuring, &c. Borders con- 

 taining fruit trees may now be covered 

 with a mulching of good farmyard manure, 

 or a coating of fresh loam may be used as 

 a top dressing for the borders and stimu- 

 lants given in the form of liquid manure. It 

 is beneficial at this time of year to all 

 kinds of trees, bush fruit, and ground fruit, 

 because it affords plant food that will be 

 taken in and assimilated by the roots, and 

 will impart vigour to the plants and increase 

 the quantity and quality of the fruit. The 

 urine of any animal, when diluted with water 

 to the extent of three parts of the latter to 

 one of the former, forms an excellent liquid 

 manure for trees, gooseberries, currants, 

 raspberries, and strawberries. The slops 

 of the house are also useful, and require 

 little, if any, dilution. Sewage water and 

 liquid manure from the farmyard may also 

 be used to advantage at this time of year. 

 Cherries and Plums. These should be 



treated in a manner similar to that which 

 has been prescribed for other kinds of fruit 

 trees. 



Currants and Gooseberries. The bushes 

 of both kinds should be pruned where 

 formerly omitted. In pruning gooseberries, 

 the object is merely to thin out and regulate 

 the shoots, which need not be shortened 

 except to keep them off the ground. In 

 pruning currants, the object is to produce 

 short fruit-bearing spurs, so that all the 

 shoots, except the leaders, should be cut in 

 three-fourths, the leading shoots about one- 

 half, or rather more. 



Currants, Black. Pruning must not be 

 carried to so great an extent for black 

 currants ; indeed, these should scarcely be 

 cut at all, for they do not bear so well 

 if much pruned ; so that a little thinning or 

 reducing into shape is all that ought to be 

 done. 



Figs. Figs on walls should scarcely be 

 cut at all : in fact, no trees should be cut 

 in frosty weather. 



Grafting, Materials for. Everything 

 necessary for grafting in March should now 

 be got ready, such as tow, grafting wax, 

 &c., so that opportunity may be taken 

 when a favourable time comes to enter on 

 the work without delay. Clay for grafting 

 should have been prepared by successive 

 beatings and kneading together, and the 

 removal of all small stones and hard 

 particles that may be in it. It is prepared 

 finally for use by thoroughly incorporating 

 it with fresh horse-dung or cow-dung in the 

 proportion of one part of dung to three 

 parts of clay. 



Grafting, Scions for. ; Those already 

 taken off should still be left where they 

 were placed when cutoff that is to say, in 

 he eaith, under a north wall. Any not 

 fet taken from the parent tree should be 

 removed at once and treated in a similar 

 mannrr. 



Grafting, Stocks for. These, if not done 



