Ja}l.\ THE FRUIT GARDEN. 351 



ration can also be more conveniently and effectually executed. 

 Many preparations and compositions have been recommended 

 for this purpose. Independently of every gardener having hia 

 own approved wash or preparation, which he finds, from expe- 

 rience, answers his several purposes, either for the removal or 

 prevention of his insect enemies, many quack recipes have 

 been imposed on the public, and, we need not say, without 

 exhibiting one of the many excellent virtues which they are 

 pretended to possess. Sulphur and tobacco seem to be the 

 two substances that the majority of gardeners use and recom- 

 mend, with the addition of soap, probably more for its adhe- 

 sive property, in making the others remain longer on the trees 

 than they otherwise w^ould ; it is also of use as a cleanser and 

 soflener of the wood. 



PRUNING APRICOTS. 



Apricots bear their fruit both on the young shoots of last 

 year, and also on spurs arising on the two or three year old 

 branches. The IMoor Park apricot bears chiefly on the last 

 year's shoots, and on close spurs formed on the two-year old 

 wood. In pruning, therefore, attention must be paid to pro- 

 vide as much of such wood or spurs as is necessary. The 

 operation may be performed from the fall of the leaf till the 

 beginning of March, in mild weather. When it is deferred 

 till the buds begin to swell, the blossom-buds can be better 

 distinguished, as has been observed for peaches and nec- 

 tarines. In performing the operation of pruning, cut out some 

 of the most naked parts of the two last years' bearers, and all 

 naked old branches, not furnished with a supply of young wood, 

 or promising healthy spurs, either to their origin or to some 

 well-directed lateral, as most expedient, to make room for 

 training in a supply of young and fruitful wood. Cut clear 

 away all dead, or decaying old wood, or spurs, and observe to 

 leave a leading shoot at the end of each branch, either a natu- 

 rally placed terminal or one formed by cutting. Where a 

 vacuity is to be furnished into a proper leader, let the shoots 

 retained for bearers be moderately shortened. Reduce strong 

 shoots in the least proportion, cutting off one-fourth or less of 



