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LXIII. Upon Pruning and Training the Plum Tree. Br/ 

 Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq, F, R, S. $c. President. 



Read April 17th, 1821. 



Iff pruning and training the Peach and Nectarine tree, 

 the advantages, and indeed the necessity, of bringing the 

 blossom buds into close contact with the wall, are well known 

 to every gardener. The hardier blossom, and somewhat 

 different habits of the Plum and Cherry tree, have led to a 

 different mode of treatment, numerous short branches being 

 allowed to extend a few inches from the wall. In favourable 

 situations, and in all such as are not much subject to injury 

 from the frost in the spring, the latter mode of pruning and 

 training is found to succeed sufficiently well ; but in less 

 favoured situations (among which I have unfortunately to 

 reckon my own garden) the short projecting branches are 

 generally found to afford an exuberance of blossom, with 

 a very irregular, and often scanty production of fruit. 



Having some years ago lost my crop of Plums almost 

 wholly, during three successive seasons, I resolved to destroy 

 altogether the projecting spurs, and to adopt the mode of 

 pruning and training which I proceed to describe and to 

 recommend. 



Upon the first destruction of the projecting spurs, which 

 was, however, done somewhat gradually, the quantity of 

 blossom was a good deal diminished ; but by shortening 



