Book I. PRUNING ORCHARD-TREES. 



497 



2616. Manuring. The natural defects of the soil, the hahits of fruit-trees, and the 

 preference of a species for a particular soil or manure, are to be considered. The hotter 

 dungs are not liked by fruit-trees ; and those of the horse and the sheep, if not wanted 

 where they would be beneficial alone, should be mixed with twice as much of the cooler 

 dungs, and three times as much fresh earth or road-drift ; or with twice the bulk of 

 earthy matter, if the cooler dungs are not to be obtained. The residuum of neats' dung, 

 properly reduced by keeping, is a good simple manure for most fruit-trees, and excellent 

 in a compost ; but where the soil is naturally cold, a little ashes of coals, wood, straw, or 

 burnt turf, or a minute proportion of soot, ought to be incorporated with it. Hog-dung 

 is accounted to have a peculiar virtue in invigorating weak trees. Rotted turf, or any 

 vegetable refuse, is a general manure, excellent for all soils not already too rich. One 

 of the best correctives of too rich a soil is drift sand. For an exhausted soil, where a 

 fruit-tree that has been an old profitable occupant is wished to be continued, a dressing 

 of animal matter is a powerful restorative ; such as hog's or bullock's blood, offal from 

 the slaughter-house, refuse of skins and leather, decomposed carrion : also urine diluted 

 with water. The drainings of dung laid on as mulch are highly serviceable. In a soil 

 which does not effervesce with acids, a little lime, dug in a spit deep, is beneficial to 

 fruit-trees. (Abercrombie.) 



Forsyth says, " Orchards ought to be dunged once in two or three years." Marshall allows of some rotten 

 dung being dug in, or of sprinkling the whole over with soot and pigeon' s dung j he adds, " It is not ad- 

 visable to give trees much dung j a little lime, only surface-dug, is good." 



2617. Cropping. Marshall, Abercrombie, and Forsyth allow of moderate cropping 

 among standard fruit-trees ; but the following observations of Nicol are the most definite 

 on the subject : 



It is proper to crop the ground among new-planted orchard-trees for a few years, in order to defray the 

 expense of hoeing and cultivating it ; which should be done until the temporary plants are removed, and 

 the whole be sown down in grass. But it is by no means advisable to carry the system of cropping with 

 vegetables to such an excess as is frequently done. If the bare expense of cultivating the ground, and 

 the rent, be paid by such cropping, it should be considered enough. As the trees begin to produce fruit, 

 begin also to relinquish cropping. When by their productions they defray all expenses, crop no longer. 

 I consider these as being wholesome rules, both for the trees and their owners. 



Rule. " Crop to within two feet of the trees the first year ; a yard the second ; four feet the third ; and 

 so on until finally relinquished ; which of course would be against the eighth year, provided the trees 

 were planted at thirty or forty feet apart with early bearing sorts between. By this time, if the kinds 

 have been well chosen, the temporary trees will be in full bearing, and will forthwith defray every neces- 

 sary expense while they remain, or until the principal trees come into a bearing state, and it become 

 necessary to remove them ; after which, the ground should be sown down in grass. But until then, the 

 ground should be properly cultivated, though not cropped close to the trees ; and a moderate quantity of 

 manure should be digged in every second or third season." (Kal. 262.) 



Sect. II. Pruning Orchard-trees. 



2618. In pruning a newly planted orchard or standard tree, the first object is the form- 

 ation of a head. According to Abercrombie, this ought in most kinds to be " circular, 

 compact, and proportioned to the strength of the stem, with the branches well distributed, 

 and sufficiently open in the centre to admit the free circulation of air." 



In the first spring " after a young standard has been planted, examine the primary branches, to see 

 whether they will be sufficient, with the secondary laterals to be forced out by shortening, to form a good 

 head. The primary branches should be so placed as to balance each other, and be equally distributed 

 round the tree. Thus, three in a triangle ; four at right angles ; five, six, and even seven, shooting at 

 pretty equal distances, might be retained : but it is seldom that more than four well placed offer, which 

 is a good number. These first branches, if there be no secondary laterals, or none well placed, should be 

 shortened down to two or four eyes each ; or reduce a strong shoot to one third of its length, and a 

 weak- shoot to two thirds. The second spring, again revise the branches and secondary shoots, and re- 

 serve only so many as are vigorous and well distributed. Afterwards leave the head to form of itself, 

 cutting out superfluous and ill placed shoots, and shortening for the production of new laterals only to fill 

 a vacancy. Luxuriant limbs, which are likely to be disproportionally large, should be rejected as weakly 

 shoots. In the third or fourth year after planting a maiden tree, the foundation of a good head having 

 been obtained by judicious shortening, and the plant sufficiently strengthened, it will become proper to 

 let the tree proceed to bearing with no greater check from the knife than is unavoidable. To this end, 

 the lower branches should not be shortened at all, and the upright leaders very little. But where two 

 shoots cross, let the worst be cut out. Moderate-sized and slender shoots are more fruitful than strong 

 luxuriant wood." 



2619. The object of pruning young standard-trees, Nicol observes, " is to form a proper 

 head. Generally speaking, the shoots may be pruned in proportion to their lengths, 

 cutting clean away such as cross one another, and fanning the tree out towards the ex- 

 tremities on all sides ; thereby keeping it equally poised, and fit to resist the effects of 

 high winds. When it is wished to throw a young tree into a bearing state, which 

 should not be thought of, however, sooner than the third or fourth year after planting, 

 the leading branches should be very little shortened, and the lower or side branches not 

 at all ; nor should the knife be used, unless to cut out such shoots as cross one another, 

 as above hinted." 



2620. Pruning bearing trees. " After an orchard-tree is come into bearing," 

 Abercrombie observes, " continue at the time of winter pruning, either every year, or 

 every two, three, or four years, as an occasion is perceived, to cut out unproductive 



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