May,\ 



THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



405 



leading shoots carefully disbudded, as, at this period of their 

 growth, a judicious arrangement of their shoots will tend to 

 the formation of both elegant and healthy trees, this being the 

 time when they can be modelled to whatever mode of training 

 the cultivator may choose to adopt. 



Upon this subject, Nicol justly observes, apples and pears, 

 trained in the fan manner, may be treated very much as above ; 

 always observing to leave more shoots than may ultimately be 

 necessary to lay in, for fear of accidents ; that is, of trees in 

 training. Trees that have filled the spaces, and are in full 

 bearing state, may be disbudded of most wood-buds that 

 appear, except in places too thin, or the leading shoots of in- 

 ferior branches. Wood-buds on the old spurs are always to 

 be displaced, as only tending to enlarge them unnecessarily. 



Apple and pear-trees trained horizontally, must be treated 

 in a different manner from the above. The leading stem of 

 trees yet in training, is the object of most particular care. The 

 buds on the last year's shoot, shortened as directed in Ja- 

 nuary, must all be retained for fear of accidents, except those 

 placed fore-right, till they have sprung a few inches, and it be 

 seen whether enough will spring, for laying in right and left, 

 of which to form the tree. Generally speaking, on the last 

 year's shoot of the leading stem, the uppermost bud, the upper- 

 most pair, the undermost pair, and two intervening pairs oi 

 buds, should be retained, if the stem push so many ; otherwise, 

 one intervening pair. All wood-buds on the horizontal branches 

 of trees thus trained, except the leading one, should be dis- 

 placed. 



GENERAL CARE OF WALL-TREES. 



Wall-trcos will now require great attention, both as regards 

 protecting them from cold cutting winds, and removing the 

 protections of every sort, as soon as the state of the weather 

 will admit of it. It is at this time, that they are injured by 

 being protected at all, by allowing the branches, or other cover- 

 ing, to remain longer on them than is really necessary, which 

 draws up the young shoots in a weak and tender state, and 

 unfits them to stand the full exposure to the atmospheric air, 



