136 



THE NURSERY. 



begin to swell (say in March here); pears and apples 

 maj be done later. The second sized stocks^ ])lante.d last 

 season^ and intended to be budded this, should, if in a 

 feebly growing or stunted condition, be cut back to within 

 two or three inches of the surface of the ground. This 

 wdll give the roots new vigor, and thrifty shoots will be 

 made by budding time that will work more easily and 

 successfully than the old stock. In a month or so after 

 being cut down, all the shoots but the strongest one should 

 be removed. The stocks budded last season are headed 

 down to within three or four inches of the bud, just as the . 

 leaves are beginning to appear, and all buds starting into 

 growth on the stock, either below or above them, rubbed 

 off. 



Treatment of tlie growing hiid consists in keeping all 

 shoots that appear on the stock rubbed off. 

 If side shoots appear early, and are likely 

 to contract the growth of the leader, they 

 sliould be pinched off. Any that assume a 

 reclining or crooked habit should be tied up 

 to the stock, or to a support, which may be 

 a wooden pole four feet long, sunk a foot in 

 the ground at the root of the stock ; both 

 the stock and growing shoot should be fast- 

 ened to it (fig. 87), but not so close as to 

 impede the growth. Tliis is only necessary 

 with certain weak, irregular growing sorts. 

 In August the portion of the stock left 

 Fig- 87. above the bud at the heading down in the 



tre't inTts1;r''st''sta'! Spring shouUl be removed with a sloping 

 snn-s growth, sup- gut, closc aud smooth, as at ^ (fig. 87), at the 

 T^T'iine^al '/in- highcst poiut of uuiou betwceu the bud and 

 dicates tbo cutting gtock. The uew layers of wood made after 

 ciole to the bu.i" this time covers the wound before growth 

 ceises in the fall. Side shoots, when they appear, mu.>t 



