216 THE ORCHARD. [MARCH. 



room for their runners to spread and take root, this kind of straw- 

 berry, being different in its manner of bearing, from the others ; 

 for the runners often yield the largest and fairest fruit ; this kind 

 continues bearing ripe fruit, from the latter end of May, to October. 

 A farther supply of bearing strawberry plants, in pots, may still be 

 placed in hot-beds, and hot-houses, &c. to produce a succession of 

 early fruit, and to afford a sufficient supply till those in the open 

 ground ripen. 



Forcing Fruit-Trees. 



Continue the care of fruit trees now forwarding in hot-walls, and 

 forcing-houses ; such as peaches, nectarines, cherries, vines, &c. 

 let the fires be made every cold afternoon, and morning, but regu- 

 larly at night ; and as the season advances in heat, and the sun's 

 power increases, diminish the fires, and admit more air : occasion- 

 al waterings will be very necessary to encourage the fruit to swell 

 and grow freely ; but be very particular towards the latter end of 

 the month, when the sun gets powerful, to admit air in proportion, 

 and to manage the plants in every respect as directed in February, 

 page 132. 



THE ORCHARD. 



Pruning. 



FINISH pruning, of all kinds of fruit-trees, as early in this 

 month as possible, according to the rules laid down under the head 

 Orchard, in January and February ; to which I refer you for that, 

 as well as other useful information. 



In those parts of the Union, where the winter is very severe, 

 and the weather changeable, autumnal pruning of fruit-trees is not 

 adviseable, particularly of stone fruit ; for by pruning at that sea- 

 son, especially, if many limbs are cut off, you are apt to bring on 

 the canker. The exposure of the wounds, the almost dormant state 

 of the sap, together with the additional check to its slow, but cer- 

 tain ascent to the extremities, occasioned by the amputation of 

 limbs, Sec. predispose to mortification ; whereas in early spring, 

 when the sap may be expected soon to follow the knife, the lips will 

 quickly grow and heal over. 



It is universally admitted, that the sap continues to flow, though 

 slowly, in the milder parts of the winter days, and that it must 

 rise continually during the winter months in ever-green trees, 



