Jan.] the FRUIT GARDEN. 29 
is proper to shorten or head down these shoots near the insertion 
of the bud or graft, to force out lateral branches, which is called 
heading down the trees; but this should not be done till February 
or March, catting them down to four or five eyes; which will pro- 
cure a production of lateral shoots near the head of the stock from 
these remaining lower eyes or buds, the following summer, in or- 
der for training in accordingly, that the wall or espalier may be 
regularly furnished with branches from the bottom. After this, the 
branches are to be trained along at their full length, except it ap- 
pears necessary to shorten some or all of these lateral shoots, in 
order that each may throw out also two or three lateral branches to 
furnish that part of the tree more effectually; training the said la- 
teral shoots also at their full length; but if there appear to be still 
more branches wanting, some of the most convenient of these last 
shoots may also be shortened, to promote their producing a farther 
supply of lateral branches, sufficient to give the tree its proper 
form; for the great article in this training-pruning is to encourage 
and assist young wall and espalier fruit-trees in their first two or 
three years' growth, to produce shoots in proper places, so as to 
cover the wall or espalier regularly with branches, from the bottom 
to the top. 
But when the trees have acquired branches enough to effect the 
first proper formation of the head, they will afterwards naturally fur- 
nish further supplies to cover the wall or espalier regularly every 
way, to the allotted extent, without any farther shortening, except 
on particular occasions, when a vacancy happens in any part, ac- 
cording to the rule mentioned, in the article of apples and pears. 
There is one thing farther to be observed in pruning apple, pear, 
plum, and cherry trees; and that is, when the trees have acquired 
branches enough to cover the wall or espalier, at the distance above 
mentioned, then all those young shoots of the last summer's growth, 
that are not wanted in vacancies to form new bearers, must be cut 
off quite close to the place from whence they arise, leaving no spurs 
but the fruit-spurs that are naturally produced, which every branch 
will be plentifully furnished with, if the above rules are observed. 
Peaches, JVectarines, and Jipricots. 
In the training and pruning of peaches, nectarines, and apricots, 
little or no difference is to be observed; they all produce their fruit 
principally upon the young shoots of the former summer, the fruit- 
blossoms rising directly from the eyes of the shoots; a plentiful 
supply of which, must be reserved annually in every part, to train 
in for bearing: they also sometimes bear on the small natural spurs 
arising on the two or three years' wood, which generally occur 
more frequently in the apricots; and all such spurs should be care- 
fully preserved, for they generally bear good fruit; keeping in 
mind, however, that the young yearling shoots are to be considered 
as the general bearers: observing, that as the general branches and 
bearing shoots are to be trained to the wall or espalier horizontally, 
about three to four or five inches distance, we must prune out an- 
