238 THE FRUIT GARDEN. [MAY* 



form a knot of two or three leaves, and show no 

 leading shoot, or symptom of pushing farther. 



Nectarines and peaches seldom produce spurs, and 

 maybedisbuddedsoonerthan any of the above named 

 kinds ; that is, as soon as the buds have fairly broke 

 and show leaf. But the buds of any of the kinds 

 are easily displaced by the finger or thumb previous 

 to their having sprung three inches. In thus dis- 

 placing older buds, however, the bark of the year 

 old shoot is apt to be ruffled or torn, which is veiy 

 prejudicial to all kinds of stone-fruits, as frequently 

 inducing canker. 



In disbudding of nectarines and peaches, every 

 part of the tree is to be gone over ; rubbing off the 

 fore-right buds chiefly, on each shoot ; retaining the 

 uppermost > undermost, and one or two on each side, 

 according to the length of the shoot ; leaving the 

 side ones in an alternate manner, that they may 

 have room to be laid in, after having sprung a few 

 more inches, without being crowded. The best 

 time for disbudding these kinds is, after the fruit is 

 fairly set. It often happens, that a bud will be 

 placed between twin fruit, and sometimes by the 

 side of single fruit. In displacing the bud, be care- 

 ful not also to displace the fruit in either case. 



The year old, or leading shoots of apricots, cher- 

 ries and plums, yet in training, are the parts of the 

 tree chiefly to be disbudded ; which may be done 

 much as above directed for the shoots of peaches : 

 seldom, however, leaving more than the uppermost, 

 the undermost, and one on each side of the shoot ; 

 and that only in order to retain enough, in case of 



