Jan.] THE FRUTT GARDEN ^ S4o 



lay tliotn in straight, allowing them greater space as they ex- 

 tend to the extremity of the trees, laying in the principal 

 branches first, and the smaller ones regularly between them, 

 avoiding crossing any of them, and observing to make the 

 opposite branches on each side range equally in the same man- 

 ner and position. 



rUUNING PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 



If the weather be mild, and the wood of these trees has 

 })een well ripened during the previous autumn, they xnay now 

 be pruned ; but in most cases, we would recommend February 

 and early in ^Tarch, when all danger of frost is past. This 

 is of the greatest consequence in cold wet soils, and conse- 

 quently in late situations. At all events, whether the pruning 

 be now carried into eflect at this time, or not, if the trees have 

 not been disengaged from the walls in December, they should 

 now be done, that is, by unnailing them, and securing the 

 larger branches only to the wall, to prevent accidents from snow 

 or strong winds ; or a few stout poles may be placed between 

 the trees and the walls, to which some laths or cords may be 

 attached, for the purpose of having some of the leading shoots 

 of the trees affixed to them. This will prevent their being- 

 broken by accidents, and admit of more readily getting at the 

 branches, when the pruning goes on ; besides, if kept in this 

 position till the end of February, or later, it will greatly retard 

 the buds from swelling, and consequently give them a chance 

 of escaping the severe frosts in spring during the time they are 

 in blossom. 



As to the mode of training, wc perfectly agree with Nicol, 

 that they should be trained in the fan manner, and no other. 

 It is not practicable to train them to any considerable extent 

 liorizontally, as they produce their fruit on the Avood of last 

 year; and because these often require to be shortened, and 

 the older branches cut entirely away, in order to obtain a sup- 

 ply of young bearing wood. These trees may be said to be 

 always in training, as there must be a constant cutting out of 

 the old and encouraging of the young wood in every part of 

 the tree, even after it has filled the full place allotted to it. 

 The distance tluit the old or leading branches may be placed 



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