8 OF APRICOTS. 



It is a frequent practice with some gardeners, 

 to head down the trees at the time of planting ; 

 which very often proves fatal to them. 



Of old and decayed Trees, 



It has been the general practice to train wall- 

 trees in the form of a fan, which occasions the 

 sap to rise too freely to the top, leaving the 

 lower part almost naked ; so that scarcely one 

 quarter of the wall is covered with bearing wood. 



In that case, it will be necessary to cut down 

 the whole of the tree, as near to the place where 

 it was budded as possible ; remembering always to 

 cut it at an eye or a joint. If there should be any 

 young shoots on the lower part of the tree, it will 

 be proper to leave them, training them horizon- 

 tally, which will check the flow of the sap, and 

 thereby render them much more fruitful. 



Very frequently, when large branches have been 

 cut off in a careless manner, and the wounds left 

 to nature, the whole tree is infected with the gum 

 and canker ; which, if not checked, will in a short 

 time totally ruin it. 



The best remedy in this case is, carefully to 

 pare off the cankered part of the bark with a 

 draw knife, or other convenient instrument. You 

 will frequently find the white inner bark infected, 

 which must also be cut away, till no appearance of 

 infection remains ; this may be easily known by 

 the brown or black spots, like dots made with 



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