OF PEACHES. 47 



April ; but never cut oft' the old branches, unless 

 you perceive some young shoots making their ap- 

 pearance. When they are about three or lour 

 inches long, cut oft* the old branch, which will 

 cause the fresh young wood to make a rapid pro- 

 gress the first Summer, and you will have fine 

 fruit on them the following year. 



Always use the Composition where you cut oft* 

 old branches ; observing to round the edges and 

 cut out the canker which you find in the old bark 

 where the branch was amputated. 



In Peaches, the canker is of a brown colour ; 

 and, in the bark, it appears in small specks or dots, 

 as if made with a pen. Ail these should be cut 

 out clean ; for if any part of the canker remain, it 

 will aftect the new wood as it begins to grow. 

 Wherever you see the gum oozing, you may be 

 certain that the canker is not quite eradicated. — 

 See the Chapter on the Canker. 



In the latter end of April it will be necessary to 

 look over your trees, and rub off what superfluous 

 foreright shoots remained after going over them 

 the first time. Indeed, if you were to examine 

 the trees once every fortnight it would be so much 

 the better, as by so doing they can be kept in 

 perfect order. I have so accustomed myself to 

 look over my trees, that I do it as I walk about my 

 ordinary business, which saves a great deal of 

 time. Care should be taken not to let the shoots 

 get too long before they are tacked to the wall, 

 lest they should be broken by the wind. I do not 



