146 THE FRUIT GARDEN. [FEB. 



allotted them on a border or bed, a greater number may be planted, 

 and a greater quantity of fruit produced in a given space, than can 

 be, the case when they are trained in any other manner. Pear and 

 apple-trees thus treated should always be on dwarf-growing stocks. 



FIG-TREES. 



Except in the southern States, it will not be advisable to attempt 

 pruning your fig-trees till towards the end of next month, or begin- 

 ning of April, to which I shall refer you for particular remarks and 

 directions. 



PRUNE AND PLANT GOOSEBERRY AND CURRANT-TREES. 



Gooseberries and currants should be pruned now, if omitted in the 

 former months, both in the standard bushes and those against walls, 

 fences, &c. 



In pruning the common standards, observe to cut away all cross- 

 growing branches, and regulate such as advance in a straggling man- 

 ner from the rest ; or where the branches in general stand so close 

 as to interfere let them be thinned properly, so that every branch 

 may stand clear of the other, at a regular moderate distance, and 

 prune out the superabundant lateral and other unnecessary shoots of 

 last summer. (See the Fruit Garden of last month, page 43, and 

 also October.) 



Let these shrubs be always trained with a single stem, clear of 

 branches, six or eight inches to a foot from the ground, as directed in 

 the former month. 



Likewise to currants, &c., against walls, give a necessary pruning 

 and regulation, as directed in January, &c. 



Gooseberry and currant-trees may be planted towards the end of 

 this month, if the weather permits, both in standards for the general 

 plantation, at six to seven or eight feet distance, and some against 

 walls, board-fences, &c., for earlier fruit, but principally currants, and 

 let these for the most part be of the best red and white sorts. 



You may occasionally plant a few of the best kinds of gooseberries 

 to north walls, which is the most suitable situation for them in our 

 climates j next to that east or west walls ; but plant only very few 

 to those fronting the south, as in such a situation the sun would in 

 summer be much too powerful for these shrubs. 



For the method of propagating and raising them, see the work of 

 the Nursery in March and October. 



RASPBERRIES. 



Raspberries may be pruned towards the latter end of this month, 

 especially if the weather be tolerably mild, in doing of which ob- 

 serve to clear away all the old decayed stems which bore fruit last 

 season, and to leave four or five of the strongest of last year's shoots 

 standing on each root to bear next summer. All above that number 

 on every root must be cut off close to the surface of the ground, and 



