APPLE TREE. 



125 



branches are required at such a part, but no 

 shoots were produced there, a vacancy occurs, 

 which was caused by improper pruning. 



If the leading shoot be cut back agreeably 

 to instructions given, such vacancy will never 

 be occasioned, and the tree will fill up its 

 space as early as required. For it will reach 

 to the top of a wall twelve feet high in seven 

 years; which is as soon as it will be able to 

 do, so as to support every part sufficiently. 



The tree must be loosened from the wall, 

 and the wall be swept and washed ; also the 

 tree anointed with composition, if required. 

 The old mulch must be taken away, and 

 some new be substituted in its place. These 

 directions must in every future stage of the 

 tree, be carefully attended to every year at 

 the winter pruning: also as to watering the 

 tree both at the roots and top, agreeably to 

 the instructions laid down in the treating of 

 each Chapter respectively. 



Summer Pruning. — When the buds upon 

 that part of the main stem which was pro- 

 duced, last, have pushed; let them all be 

 rubbed off to the three uppermost. The top- 

 most shoot must be trained straight up the 

 wall for a lead to the main stem; and the 

 other two be trained one on each side. 



The instructions already given for stopping 

 the main lead in summer, also in shortening 

 it back, at winter pruning, and rubbing off 

 shoots, must be attended to, until the tree 



