THE GARDENER’S VEGETABLE SYSTEM 
< 5 ? 
methods explained in the foregoing general directions, 
both in the winter and fummer-prunings; continuing the 
general branches extended in a full expanfion, as far 
as their allotted bounds admit, and they will remain 
abundantly fruitful, in a fuperior degree of perfection, 
to a conliderable old age. 
Young Apricot wall-trees, that are Hill in training, 
requiring additional fupplies of principal brandies to 
form the requifite expanfion, (hould, now, in the win¬ 
ter-pruning, be carefully managed, to retain the well- 
placed (hocts where required, aild to prune out the 
improper, giving good attention to prefcrve a proper 
fupply of the belt fide and terminal (hoots, both in the 
lower and advanced parts, where an encreafe of branch¬ 
es is wanted, both to multiply the expanfion, and to 
extend the others in length, as well as for bearing wood; 
keeping the middle well fupplied, and both Tides as 
equal as poflible, both in the number, ftrength, and 
length of the branches and (hoots; and from which 
cut out the irregular and fuperfluous, if any, with ill- 
growing fore-right and other ill-placed (hoots; and if 
any Angularly ftrong luxuriants occur, which appa¬ 
rently, by their vigorous growth, would draw the 
nourifhment from the reft, they (hould be cut out clofe, 
efpecially where on one ftde of the tree and not on the 
other, that both fides and all parts may advance equally 
in ftrength; or if any are in a vacant bottom or mid¬ 
dle parts, it may be occasionally retained and pruned 
down, to furnilh two, three, or more laterals to fupply 
the vacancies. 
Thus far concludes the principal obfervations and 
direftions relative to the winter-pruning of the wall 
Apricots, next follows fome intimations for nailing the 
trees to the wall. 
According as you advance in the general winter- 
pruning, or as foon as each tree is pruned, it is gene¬ 
rally advifeable to have it nailed direCtly as you pro¬ 
ceed, obferving in this buftnefs, that the (hoots and 
branches (hould be arranged, more or lefs, horizon¬ 
tally to the wall, in proportion to their general expan- 
fton and extent, and as the refpeCtive fpace of walling, 
&c. admits, as obferved for the Peaches and Nefta- 
rines; and, being furnifhed with proper wall nails and 
cloth (hreds, cut about half an inch broad, and two to 
three inches long, arrange the branches ftraight and 
regular, at equal diftances, four or five inches afunder, 
proceeding with the lower branches firft, then with 
the others regularly upward, extending them equally 
on both fides to the right and left, and nailed ftraight 
and. elefe to the wall; obferving if any (hoots, &c. 
were left too clofe in pruning, they, in the nailing, 
(hould be cut out, the moft irregular and inferior, that 
the others may be trained with proper regularity. 
Where any Apricots are in efpaliers, they (hould 
have the fame care in regard to pruning, &c. as ad- 
vifed for thofe in wall-trees, both in the fummer and 
winter-pruning; and the branches alfo ranged and 
trained to the efpalier in the fame order, either by 
nailing fome of them to the principal rails, or others 
tied thereto, or to the fmaller crofs bars, with oficr 
twigs, or occafionally with old (hip rope yarn. 
That as the Apricot Trees, as obferved of the 
Peaches and NeCtarines, generally begin to bloffom 
early in the fpring, when (harp frofts and cold cutting 
blafts fometimes prevail, and that the bloftom and the 
fruit in embrio, and during its young ftate, is tender 
and liable to be deftroyed by froft, it would be of 
much advantage to afford them fome occafional pro¬ 
tection, efpecially in trees of the moft efteemed prin¬ 
cipal forts, by covering them with large garden mats, 
when inclement weather, as above, and which care is 
neceflary principally in March and April, when the 
blofioms expand, and the fruit fetting, as well as dur¬ 
ing its infant growth, until the middle or end of April, 
if cutting weather happens at that feafori, but parti¬ 
cularly when frofts prevail; in which, nail up large 
mats againft the trees in the evening, to continue till 
after fun-rifing, or till nine or ten o’clock in the morn¬ 
ing, or all day, if cutting froft and no fun; but when 
warm, funny, or in ail mild, open weather, take off 
the covering; or fome trees might be defended with 
cuttings of the fmall branches of ever-greens, as lau¬ 
rel, yew, fir, &c. being furnifhed with the leaves, 
and flicking them between the branches in a fpreading 
manner, to cover the bloftom and young fruit as well 
as poflible ; and to remain conftantly night and day, 
they will break off part of the cutting effects of the 
froft; or, in the fame manner, may occafionally ufe 
cuttings of the branches of dried fern; likewife, old 
filhing nets are alfo fometimes fufpended before the 
trees, to remain conftantly, as intimated of the ever¬ 
greens and fern. 
And thus thefe different protections (hould be con¬ 
tinued until the fruit is well fet, and encreafed a little 
in fize to that of large peas, or middling, green goofe- 
berries; afterwards, about the middle or end of April, 
or according as the feafon proves more or lefs fa¬ 
vourable, all the covering lhould be entirely removed 
away, to admit the free air, fun, &c. fully to the 
fruit. 
Then, about the end of April, or in May, and be¬ 
ginning of June, if the fruit is fet confiderably thick, 
or in clufters, it (hould be gradually thinned, as ad- 
vifed in the fummer management of the trees, leaving 
a fufficient abundance of the fineft fruit to attain ma¬ 
turity. 
The 
