52 



FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



are taken from perfectly ripe fruit, and buried between 

 layers of sand outdoors. They are left thus till the fol- 

 lowing spring, then sown 3in. deep and 6in. apart in rows 

 2ft. asunder early in March in the open garden. In the 

 autumn of the second year lift and replant the seedlings 

 2ft. apart in rows 3ft. asunder, and let them remain for 

 two years, then plant out permanently. Suckers are shoots 



Fig. IS. DAMSON SHOOTS. 



Rig-ht-hand shoot, one year's growth and carrying- wood buds only. 

 Left-hand shoot, two years old and furnished with fruit buds. 



that spring from the roots. These, lifted in the autumn 

 and planted in nursery beds, will in time make nice trees, 

 but the great drawback to Damsons reared thus is their 

 natural tendency to produce farther suckers from their 

 roots, and thus prove a nuisance. - The amateur, how- 

 ever, is strongly advised to purchase ready-trained trees 

 from a nursery rather than attempt to rear them at home. 



