THE GARDEN PRIMER 



Of flowering shrubs the hydrangea and the lilac 

 afford much the same contrast as the apple and peach 

 among fruit trees. Hydrangeas bloom on wood of the 

 season's growth, lilacs on wood of the previous season. 

 The former may be pruned very early in the spring 

 therefore without danger of destroying the blossoms, but 

 the latter should be gone over with the knife only im- 

 mediately after flowering. This gives them the chance 

 to grow branches for the next season and to stow 

 them with flower buds before frost interferes. 



It is, of course, hardly possible hi this limited 

 space to name a very complete list of trees and shrubs, 

 with their peculiarities in regard to bloom, but some 

 of the most commonly planted are included below. 



TREE FRUITS 



Apple. Fruit borne on old spurs prune in spring, 

 or after the fruit is gathered. 



Pear. Fruit borne on old spurs prune sparingly 

 in spring, or after the fruit is gathered. 



Plum. Fruit mostly on spurs, but in some varieties 

 on both spurs and annual growth prune in spring. 



Cherry. Similar to plum prune in spring or 

 after harvest. 



Peach Fruit borne near base of previous year's 

 shoots prune after harvest. 



SMALL FRUITS 



Blackberry. Fruit borne on canes of previous 

 season's growth cut old canes out after fruiting, 

 cut young canes back as soon as two feet high cut 

 laterals on these sparingly at tip in spring, or not at alL 



40 



