BEACH AND NECTARINE TREES. 235 



are given in the Chapter upon each. (See 

 Index.) 



It sometimes occurs that the blossoms of 

 the White Nectarine are defective from the 

 stamina being destitute of farina, when this 

 is the case, I always procure some fertile blos- 

 soms from some other tree of the same species, 

 and impregnate them by applying the farina 

 to the pistillum of each defective blossom. 

 (See the Chapter on Tear trees.) 



ff inter Pruning. — This must be performed 

 as early in the season as the state of the 

 wood will permit. ( See the Chapter on the best 

 season for pruning fruit trees.) A judicious 

 management of this part of the business is 

 indispensibly necessary, so that not only a 

 proper supply of fruitful wood be retained 

 for bearing the following year, but also a 

 foundation laid for that which will be re- 

 quired in succeeding years. For if this 

 be not strictly attended to by procuring and 

 retaining wood as near to the origin of each 

 branch as possible, a great portion of the 

 tree would soon become naked and destitute 

 of bearing wood; particularly so towards the 

 centre of it. Such bad effects are very fre- 

 quently to be seen in trees that have been 

 planted for twelve or fourteen years, at which 

 period they ought to have been in the great- 

 est perfection. I have very often noticed 

 trees that have been planted such a length 

 of time, and some even less than that, which 



