THE GARDENER’S VEGETABLE SYSTEM 
18 
which occafions are trained the tree kinds in full and 
half ftandards, to branch out in full heads in their na¬ 
tural order; and the dwarf forts, naturally of low, 
fhrubby growth, (hould be trained accordingly, and 
the whole difpofed confpicuoufly in the principal (hrub- 
bery compartments in affemblage, with other orna¬ 
mental trees and (hrubs, in a diverfified manner. 
Having thus far, in the foregoing general obferva- 
tions, given intimations of the nature and general and 
particular utility of the fpecies and varieties of the Al¬ 
mond, Peach and Nectarine, we now proceed to ex¬ 
plain the general culture of each under feparate heads. 
i. The Culture of the Almonds. 
The Almond trees, as before remarked, are culti¬ 
vated both occafionally for fruit-bearing, in the prin 
cipal varieties of Amygdalus cummunis or Common 
Almond; and thefe, and the other varieties thereof, alfo 
principally for ornamental planting; and for which latter 
purpofe the two varieties of the Amygdalus nana, have 
alfo particular merit as very pretty flowering-lhrubs, 
to affemble in the front part of principal fhrubberry 
compartments; likewife the Common Almond is gene¬ 
rally in greater eftimation to cultivate for the beauty of 
its flowers than the value of its fruit; as are alfo the 
white-flowered, Jordan and fllvery-leaved; though the 
three latter are feldom very fruitful in the Britilh gar¬ 
dens. 
All the varieties of the Common Almond are propa¬ 
gated or raifed by budding them either on Plum flocks, 
obtained from fuckers, feed, or layers, or on feedling 
flocks of Almond or Peaches; or the common varieties 
of Bitter and Sweet Almond may be raifed from the ftones 
ofthe fruit; but whendefirous to continue the improved 
or particular forts permanent in their refpeftive kinds 
or for fruit-trees, it is effe&ed moft eligibly by budding 
them as above, as the feedling-raifed trees vary to dif¬ 
ferent or inferior forts, and are longer before they bear 
than thofe propagated by budding or inoculation ; and 
therefore, to continue any principal forts for their fruit, 
always propagate them by inoculating buds thereof 
into Plum, Almond, or Peach flocks, as above men¬ 
tioned, and the refpeftive kinds will be continued, and 
fooner become bearers than thofe raifed from feed. 
However, to raife them from the ftones, they may 
be fowed either in Oflober or November, or preferved 
in fand till February or March, for fowing in that 
feafon; and in either of which they may be fowed in 
drills, or bedded in two inches deep; and when the feed- 
ling plants are of one or two years old, Ihould be tranf- 
planted, in autumn or fpring, into nurfery rows, two 
or three feet diftance, and trained each with a Angle 
ftem, three or four feet for half, and flve to fix or 
feven feet for full ftandards, clearing their ftems from 
lateral (hoots; and then may either inoculate them at 
the above-mentioned heights, with buds of the deflra- 
ble varieties; or others, that may be intended to con¬ 
tinue in their own natural heads, (hould be topped in 
the fpring with the pruning knife, at the heights it is 
required they (hall branch out; thereby promote a more 
regular fpread'of branches to form a full head; the 
fame (hould alfo be obferved in the budded trees, bv 
pruning down the firfl (hoots to a few eyes, to obtain 
lateral branches, to form a regular head as aforefaid ; 
and when they have effected this, with heads of one, 
two, three, or feveral years old, they are proper to 
tranfplant where they are deligr.ed to remain for the 
purpofes for which they may be intended; continuing 
to keep them to clean Angle ftems, and permit the 
heads to branch out freely in a full expanfion, keeping 
them to flomewhat regular order; especially in their 
advancing young growth, by giving occaAonal pruning 
to retrench or reduce any Angularly rampant and ram¬ 
bling diflorderly (hoots, or to thin others, where con- 
Aderably crowded; but, except in thefe occafions, per¬ 
mit the whole to advance in their natural manner. 
But in the propagation of the Almond trees, bud¬ 
ding is the moft advifeable, general method, both 
whereby to continue the deftrable or improved varie¬ 
ties with certainty, and to have them fooner acquire a 
plentiful flowering and bearing ftate; and which is per¬ 
formed by inoculating buds bf the deAred or intended 
forts, into Plum, Almond, or Peach flocks raifed from 
the ftones of the fruit, as direfted, for raiAng the feed- v 
ling Almond trees; and the young flocks being tranf- 
planted in nurfery rows, train them to clean Items the 
proper height for half and full ftandards; and then per¬ 
form the budding in July or beginning of Auguft, inferr¬ 
ing a bud into the fide of each flock,-,at three, four, to 
five or Ax feet high, for half and full ftandards: or may 
occafionally be budded low, within a foot or Ax inches 
of the bottom, to form dwarf trees, or alfo, occafionally 
for ftandards, and the firfl bud-(hootrun up to form a 
ftem the height above-mentioned;, and, in either 
method, the head of the flock to remain intire till 
March following, and the inferted bud remaining 
dormant till that time, when (hould top, head, or cut 
down the flock, a little above the infertionof the bud; 
which after this, will pu(h forth with vigour, produc¬ 
ing each one ftrong (hoot, two or three feet long, or 
more, the fame year; and this (hould generally, either 
the fame fummer, in June, or in the following fpring, 
in March, be pruned down to four or five eyes, to ob¬ 
tain a fupply of lateral (hoots below, near the ftem, to 
form the firfl proper fet of branches for the regular 
formation of the head; or in low budded trees, which 
are defigned for ftandards, the main (hoot mud 
run a proper height for a ftem, then (hould be headed 
in the part where it is intended to have the firfl fet of 
branches commence ; and thus, in each method, having 
obtained three, four, or five, lateral (hoots below, for 
the beginning branches, thefe form a proper bafis, as 
