MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, Sec. 



When Cherry-trees are very old, and much injured by 

 large limbs having been cut or blown off (which will infallibly 

 bring on the canker and gum, and, if no remedy be applied, irx 

 a short time kill the trees) ; or if there are great spurs left 

 standing a foot perhaps from the branch [See Plate 4. Fig. 2.]; 

 the best way to bring them to have fine heads, and to fill the 

 vacant space, is to head them down as low as possible, taking 

 care to leave some small shoots, if there are any ; if not, leave 

 a bud or two at the ends of some of the shoots. Sometimes 

 you will have a great difficulty to find any buds. If that be the 

 case, in the spring, before you mean to head the trees, make 

 some incisions in the branches. [.S*^^ Plate 9.] This should be 

 done on different branches, at the most convenient places for 

 filling the tree with good wood. The size of the incisions* 

 should be from one to two inches, according to the largeness- 

 of the branches; observing to make them just above the joint 

 where the buds should come out. If you cut just below a 

 joint, the shoot will die as far as the next bud or joint ; and, of 

 course, injure the tree, if no remedy be applied. 



The time for performing this operation is in March, Aprily 

 or May. (In America, April will be the best month). The 

 above method of making incisions is only recommended where 

 there are no young shoots or buds, and when the tree is in the 

 last stage of the canker. 



Where you have a few young shoots, or buds, cut dowri 

 the head as near to them as you can, and take great care tc> 

 cut out the canker till you come to the sound bark. The can- 

 ker makes its appearance in cherry-trees in the same manner 

 as it does in peach and nectarine trees, and may be easily dis- 

 covered by an attentive observer. If any gum remains, it must 

 be cut or scraped off i The best time for doing this is when it is 

 moistened with rain ; you can then scrape it off easily without 

 bruising the bark. This operation is very necessary ; and if it 

 be neglected, the disease will increase rapidly. 



Wherever the bark or branches have been cut off, the 

 edges should be rounded, and the composition applied. 



The general way of pruning cherry-trees has been to leave 

 great spurs, which continue to increase till they become as thick 

 as a man's arm : But be it observed, that cutting off, from 

 year to year, the shoots that are produced from the spurs, in- 

 creases the canker, till large protuberances, like wens, are 

 formed on the branches, becoming very unsightly; and these 

 occasion them to produce only small and ill-flavoured fruit, at 

 a great distance from each other [See Plate 4. Fig. 2 J. When 

 this is the case, the method I pursue is, to head the trees down 

 as before directed. 



