MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. IS 



a foot long, and nail them in till the second year, taking care to 

 rub off the superfluous and strong fore-right shoots ; by that 

 time they will begin to bear ; then cut out the others that have 

 done bearing : By this method you will keep the trees in a 

 flourishing state. When the branches are thus managed, they 

 will frequently throw out small dugs, or fore-right shoots, 

 about an inch or two long, which will flower next year. They 

 should never be shortened till after the fruit is set and become 

 about the size of a large pea ; by that time the leaves will have 

 covered the fruit, and be able to protect it from the inclemency 

 of the weather. You may now shorten these shoots close to 

 the fruit, which -will leave them from one to two inches long. 

 This method I have practised with great success for several 

 years. By leaving these short fore-right shoots, the fruit is 

 protected till it is out of danger of being killed by the frost, 

 or stunted by the cold North and North-west winds that hap- 

 pen about the latter end of March and beginning of April. The 

 cold chilling rain and snow, which are also very injurious to 

 the fruit, will be thrown out by the branches standing out from 

 the trees. I by no means like to see spurs standing out from 

 the wall; for they are always sure to be injured by the frost 

 and cold winds. [See Plate 2. Fig, 2.] When the shoots are 

 left naked, I have often seen the plums turn yellow, and drop 

 after they have grown to a considerable size, from their being 

 exposed to the cold frosty winds and rain. Plums are more 

 tender than any other sort of stone fruit, owing to the flower- 

 cup dropping sooner than that of the Peaches, and Nectarines, 

 &c.^ They are very liable to decay, after cutting off large 

 limbs or branches, which always brings on the gum and canker, 

 if it be left to Nature to perform the cure. I would, therefore, 

 recommend the application of the composition (in the same 

 manner as directed for other sorts of fruit-trees) to every shoot 

 where the knife touches, as soon as the trees are cut. 



If you wish your fruit to be large and fine, you must take 

 care to thin it where it is too thick ; but that must not be done 

 too soon, lest it should be pinched by the cold. The fruit 

 ought to be of the size of a small marble, and well sheltered 

 by the leaves, before you attempt to do this. Never pull off 

 the leaves that shelter the fruit, till it is full-grown and be- 



* Some of the directions here given apply exclusively to wall-trees ; but 

 -if the manner of pruning here recommended were observed in America, the 

 fruit of the Plum would be much larger, finer flavoured, and in greater abun- 

 dance than it now is. Mr. Forsyth prunes his standards by the help of a dou- 

 ble ladder, which might be also done in America. 



D 



