MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 51 



ing a foot perhaps from the wall (See Plate I V. Fig, 2.); the 

 belt way to bring them to have fine heads, and to cover the 

 wail, is to head them down as low as poffible, taking care 

 to leave fome fmall fhoots, if there are any ; if not, leave a 

 bud or two at the ends of fome of the (hoots. Sometimes you 

 will have a great difficulty to find any buds. If that be the 

 cafe, in the Spring, before you mean to head the trees, make 

 fome incifions in the branches (See Plate XI.) This fhoili 

 be done on different branches, at the mod convenient places 

 for filling the wall with good wood. The fize of the incifions 

 lhould be from one to two inches, according to the largenefs 

 of the branches ; obferving to make them juft above the joint 

 where the buds lhould come out. If you cut juft below a 

 joint, the fhoot will die as far as the next bud or joint; and, 

 of courfe, injure the tree, if no remedy be applied. 



The time for performing this operation is in March, April, 

 or May. The above method of making incifions is only re- 

 commended where there are no young fhoots or buds, and 

 when the tree is in the laft ftage of the canker. 



Where you have a few young fhoots, or buds, cut down 

 the head as near to them as you can, and take great care to 

 cut Out the canker till you come to the found bark. The 

 canker makes its appearance in Cherry-trees in the fame 

 manner as it does in Peach and Nectarine trees, and may be 

 eafily difcovered by an attentive obferver. If any gum re- 

 mains, it muft be cut or fcraped off: the beft time for doing 

 this is when it is moiftened with rain ; you can then fcrape it 

 off eafily without bruifmg the bark. This operation is very 

 neceffary ; and if it be neglected, the difeafe will increafe 

 rapidly. 



H 2 Wherever 



