U88 THE VINEYARD. [May. 



the timely displacing of irregular and unnecessary shoots, and by 

 the shortening of luxuriant ones. 



The new planted trees will require to be frequently watered, 

 giving it occasionally to the branches as well as the roots, and 

 always about the hour of sun setting, or a short time before or after. 



Such of your peaches, nectarines and apricots, but more espe- 

 cially the young trees that are over-burdened with fruit, must be 

 deprived of any superabundance by a judicious thinning, and only 

 as many left on as they have sufficient strength to support without 

 injury to themselves. 



Take particular care to destroy caterpillars, &c. while yet in 

 small clusters, before they overrun the trees, and where worms or 

 canker appear in either stems or branches, let such parts be treated 

 as directed in page 141. 



THE VINEYARD. 



The vines will now begin to shoot vigorously, and produce be- 

 sides bearing and other useful shoots, numbers that are totally 

 unnecessary, which ought to be carefully cleared away, for if left 

 on, they would rob the fruit, and also crowd and impoverish those 

 shoots intended for next year's bearing. But in doing this, you 

 must be very particular not to break off, in going between the vines, 

 such fruiting or other shoots as are necessary, for at this time they 

 are very easily injured; nor to annoy in the least the blossom buds, 

 which will early in the month be very prominent. Where suckers 

 from the roots, or shoots from the under parts of the stems appear, 

 let them be immediately stripped off. The principal part of this 

 work, if attended to in due time, may be done with the finger and 

 thumb, but where that will not answer, you may now use the knife 

 with great safety, for although these plants bleed copiously in spring 

 when destitute of leaves, yet afterwards the exhalation by the fo- 

 liage becomes so great, that the absorbent roots do not supply a Huid 

 so fast as it could be expended in the growth of the plant or dissi- 

 pated into the air; hence the cause of the drooping of various kinds 

 of plants in hot weather. 



All the shoots that have fruit on, and others that are strong, well 

 placed, and suitable for next year's bearing, should, when grown to 

 a sufficient length, be carefully ami neatly tied up to the stakes, 

 previously observing, as before directed, to clear away all unneces- 

 sary young growths arising in places not wanted, and to leave a 

 sufficiency of the best for a proper choice in the general winter 

 pruning. 



It will not be proper at this time to cultivate the ground between 

 the vines, as many accidents might happen thereby to the blossoms 

 and young shoots; but towards the end of the month, or when all 



