APRICOT TREE. 



219 



The instructions given for hand dressing, 

 &c. in summer, also for shortening the bear- 

 ing shoots, and cutting others entirely away 

 at winter pruning, must be strictly attended 

 to in every future period, and stage of the 

 tree. Always encourage and retain those 

 fruitful shoots that are nearest to the origin 

 of the lateral shoot which proceeds from the 

 main branch, as h. And when the lead of a 

 lateral shoot has extended twenty inches or 

 two feet at most, from the main branch, let 

 all that part of such lateral shoot above the 

 lowest one upon it, as h, be cut entirely away. 

 But if there be a want of fruitful wood, a 

 less portion of such lateral shoots must be 

 pruned away, so as to leave two or three 

 shoots remaining, as at i. 



When it is required to prune away a part 

 of a main branch, it must be performed very 

 cautiously, by not cutting farther back from 

 the end than three feet, and also by pruning 

 close to a shoot for a succeeding lead. 



Apricots are very susceptible of injury 

 from pruning away any strong branches. 

 It is therefore advisable always to prune 

 back any desired part when the wood is not 

 more than four years old. A little foresight 

 into what would be required to be performed 

 in a few years, will point out the time when 

 to prune back a part of a branch. Thinning 

 the fruit, or thinning the leaves away at 

 autumn when required, must be attended to 



