130 THE FRUIT-GARDEN. [FEB. 



the regularity of the trees, taking care to cut them off close, by 

 which new ones will be encouraged in places contiguous. 



Having, in the course of pruning these trees, left most of the 

 general shoots and branches at their natural length, as befere ad- 

 vised, in all places where there is full scope to extend them ; let 

 them be all trained in regularly in that order, and nailed straight and 

 close to the wall, or nailed or tied to the espalier, about four, five, or 



six inches distant For the management of young trees of these 



sorts, see the work of the Fruit Garden in March, and for the me- 

 thods of pruning and treating your standard fruit-trees in this de- 

 partment, see the article Orchard in January, pages 38, 39 and 40, 

 and also the same head, both in this month and March. 



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 be- 

 ginning of April ; to which I shall refer you for particular re- 

 marks and directions. 



Prune and plant Gooseberry and Currant Trees. 



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

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

 fences, &c. 



In pruning the common standards, observe to cut away all 

 cross-growing branches, and regulate such as advance in a strag- 

 gling manner 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 unne- 

 cessary shoots of last bummer.. ..See the Fruit garden of last 

 month page 24, 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, 8cc. against walls, give a necessary pruning 

 and regulation, as directed in January, cc. 



Gooseberry and currant trees may be planted towards the end of 

 this month, if the weather permits, both in standards for the gene- 

 ral 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 gooseber- 

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

 in our climates, 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 Jvursery in March y and October. 



