OF APRICOTS. 9 



a pen, of which not one must be suffered to 

 remain. 



All the branches so cut and pared should be 

 immediately covered with the Composition in a 

 liquid state ; the preparation and application of 

 which will be particularly described in another 

 place. 



As we sometimes see walls with all the trees 

 infected, it will in that case be most prudent to 

 cut every other tree, leaving the rest for a supply 

 of fruit till those which are cut begin to bear ; this 

 will be in the second or third year. 



When trees are in a very bad condition, they 

 should be cut in a partial manner, taking off the 

 worst branches first, particularly those in the 

 middle of the tree, always cutting as near to the 

 graft as possible ; or every other branch may at 

 first be taken out, leaving the rest to bear ; by 

 which means there will be a supply of fruit while 

 the other parts of the tree are renovating. It 

 should be remembered, however, that all the 

 cankered bark must be cut off without loss of time; 

 otherwise the new wood will be infected. 



Old trees thus headed down will sometimes 

 throw out very strong and vigorous shoots, which 

 it may be necessary to top, as it will cause them 

 to throw out side-shoots, and soon fill up the wall 

 with fine bearing w^ood ; but they should never be 

 suffered to have any fore-right spurs, except little 

 dugs. The topping should be done in the begin- 

 ning of June, which will cause the tree to produce 



