PRUNING OF APRICOTS. 69 



left to bear if on the middle of the spur, but the 

 one or two near the base will be full of leaf- 

 buds, and must be shortened to two buds to form 

 a succession of shoots. About one-third of the 

 whole shoot is removed at this winter pruning ; 

 and the whole length is easily kept within the 

 six inches allowed, because these short laterals 

 will form much of the bearing wood. Remember, 

 however, to shorten some of these, in order to 

 have fruit as near the base as possible. 



In Fig. 4, the next winter pruning would 

 be just over the two lowest laterals at A, as the 

 upper shoot would then have become much elon- 

 gated, and be fruitful* This has in its turn to 

 be shortened, while the lower would have pushed 

 out in one or two places, and so on. One long 

 shoot and one short one, as in the peach, is also 

 an excellent plan, but is not shown here to avoid 

 confusion. Do not prune the apricot all at once, 

 as it is a tree liable to gum, and take care the 

 ties are not growing into the bark for the same 

 reason, nor induce plethoric growth by over-feed- 

 ing the tree. 



Horizontal trees are easily grown in this way. 

 Develop two very long branches, stretching at an 

 angle of forty-five degrees on either side. When 

 fully grown, lower them to the horizontal posi- 

 tion, and the shoots already allowed to extend 

 from the upper sides only, being now vertical, 

 will, in one season more, ascend to a great height ; 



F 3 



