MARCH.] THE FRUIT-GARDEN. 



peach, and nectarine trees, planted against espaliers or walls, any 

 time since last October, with their first shoots, from budding at full 

 length ; which, when a year old, should always be headed-down 

 low, to force out lower branches, to furnish the wall or espalier pro- 

 perly, quite from the bottom. 



This should be done just as the trees begin to swell their buds ; 

 therefore, watch the opportunity, and let them be headed according- 

 ly at the proper time. 



The heads should be cut down to about five, six, or seven eyes or 

 buds, from the bottom ; and if there are two shoots from the same 

 stock, let them both be cut down as above. 



By this practice, the trees will produce some strong shoots near 

 the ground, whereby they will be furnished equally with branches 

 from the bottom to the top of the wall or espalier. But if the trees 

 were not to be headed-down, as above, they would run up with a 

 stem like a standard-tree, and not furnish any branches below, with- 

 in two or three feet of the bottom, whereby the use of such part of 

 the espalier or wall, would be lost. 



Such young apricot, peach, and nectarine trees, as were headed- 

 down a year ago, and having each produced three, four, or more 

 shoots the last summer, should now have these shortened to such 

 length, as may encourage each shoot to produce two or three new 

 ones the same season. 



The method is this : let each shoot be shortened generally in 

 some degree of proportion to its strength ; in some, pruning off 

 about one-half, or third of their original length ; and in others, a 

 little more or less, according to circumstances of growth and situa- 

 tion on the trees : as for instance, shoots of about two feet may be 

 cut to ten, twelve, or fifteen inches, or a little longer in strong 

 growths ; for the strongest shoots should always be left the longest ; 

 and those about twelve to fifteen or eighteen inches, pruned to six, 

 eight, ten, or twelve inches in length ; snd so in proportion to the 

 different lengths and degrees of strength, and particular situation of 

 the respective shoots. ...See January, &c. 



By this practice, each of these shoots will probably produce two, 

 three, or four new shoots the succeeding summer, so that by Octo- 

 ber, each young tree so treated, will be furnished with from twelve or 

 fifteen, to eighteen or twenty shoots, or more. 



The trees may then be pruned, according to the method directed 

 for the older trees of that sort, observing still, to shorten the young 

 shoots, but in such a manner, as they may both produce fruit and 

 a supply of young wood, as in the full bearing trees aforesaid ; that 

 is, generally to prune the weaker shoots about one half, the stronger 

 ones prune about a third or fourth of their length, according to 

 strength and where situated, and the situation of the blossom, and 

 wood-buds on the respective shoots ; then nail them straight and 

 close to the wails, or tic them to the espalier, with willow twigs, &c. 

 three or four to five or six inches asunder.. ..See Fruit Garden in 

 January t $cc. 





