64 FRUIT-GARDENING. 



PRUNING APRICOT-TREES. 



Apricot-trees may be planted at any time after the head is 

 formed ; some head them down in the nursery bed, and re- 

 move 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. 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 train- 

 ing. The fan method is generally adopted, but some prefer 

 training horizontally. With young trees some contrive 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 everywhere retained for successional 

 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 promising 

 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 the 

 production of a good supply of lateral shoots the ensuing sum- 

 mer from the lower and middle placed eyes; whereas without 

 it, the new shoots would proceed mostly from the top and 

 leave the under part of the principal branches naked, and the 

 lower and middle parts of the tree unfurnished with proper 

 supplies of bearing-wood. Never prune below all the blossom- 



