oG8 THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. [Mar, 



pmniiig* after the first week in the month, which, if it be post- 

 poned, the buds are very apt to be injured, or perhaps entirely 

 rubbed oftl 



HEADING DOWN NEWLY-PLANTED FRUIT-TREES. 



At the end of this month, the trees that were planted in 

 or about the preceding October should now be headed down. 

 On this subject Nicol very justly observes : Trees that are 

 intended to be trained horizontally, and have but one shoot 

 or stem from the graft, should be headed down to four or five 

 buds, out of which, if three spring, it is sufficient ; one to be 

 ti'ained upright, and one on each side, horizontally. If a 

 plant have two shoots, cut away the weakest, and treat the 

 strongest as above. But if the plant be furnished with three 

 shoots, (and such are always to be preferred for this mode of 

 ti'aining,) head down the middle one only, as above., if mode- 

 rately strong ; but to ten or twelve inches, if very stout ; and 

 lay in the other two, right and left, perfectly level. If these 

 be quite entire, and ripened to the extremities, they must not 

 be shortened." 



On the other hand, ti'ees that are intended to be trained in 

 the fan manner, having but one shoot, should be headed down 

 to four or five buds, if they be strong, and to three or four, if 

 they be weak, in order that the wall or rail may be filled from 

 the bottom. Those trees which have two or three shoots, may 

 be headed to four or five buds ; from which, if they all flourish, 

 a proper number are to be reserved for the formation of the 

 tree. 



The newly planted trees, which are two or three years from 

 the bud or gi'aft, should now be well cut in ; that is, the shoots 

 of last year should be shortened back to a few buds on each, 

 for the purpose of enabling them to push the stronger, and 

 to poduce shoots to fill the wall or rail from the bottom. 



GOOSEBERRIES AND CURRANTS. 



Tne beginning of the month, finish pruning gooseberry and 

 currant-bushes, where they have not yet been done. Keep 



