268 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
“ The second season :—In February, or early in March, the leading shoot 
made the preceding year, and which ought to be from 2 to 3 feet long, must be 
shortened to 10 inches, and the young shoots, as they push forth in summer, 
be pinched off as in the first season. The third season:—As the tree will 
have increased in size, its leading shoots may be shortened to 6 inches ; and as 
it becomes aged and fruitful, annually to 4 inches, and at last pinched off in 
summer to 2 inches, so as to make a compact round bush. In the course of 
time some of the shoots in the centre of the tree will require thinning out with 
the knife, if at all crowded. 
“ A more simple mode of pruning even than that above given, is to purchase 
a bush Apricot of two or three years’ growth, and during the spring and 
summer to pinch every shoot to five full-sized leaves as soon as it has made six 
or seven, exactly as recommended for pyramids. Trees thus treated increase 
slowly in size, but they form compact and most fruitful bushes. I fully believe 
that this simple mode of pruning, which even a lady may find pleasure in 
carrying out, will do away with one great difficulty in orchard-house culture— 
that of a spring pruning, always so difficult to teach. I recommend the shoots 
being pinched back to five or seven leaves (not counting the two or three small 
leaves at the base of the shoot) instead of three, as in bush Peaches, because 
the buds of Apricots are so close together. 
“ The general management of the trees the second year should be as 
follows :— 
“ February is with us, and, if the season be mild, buds are beginning to 
swell, and flowers to bloom; the trees in your orchard-house are, however, dry 
and stagnant. Place them in their stations, 3 feet stem from stem; give each 
of them a small quantity, say a quart, of water—not, however, if the frost be 
severe ; let them rest three days, then give them two quarts each; in short, 
gradually saturate the earth in the pots, and when the trees are in full bloom, 
make holes in the centre of the earth in the pots with a pointed iron rod, and 
give each tree two gallons; afterwards water them regularly according to the 
state of the weather. The buds, if the weather be mild, will soon begin to 
swell, and in March, or early in April if the season be late, they will put forth 
their full bloom; and beautiful things they are, for no frosts, no storms, will 
destroy the blossoms. If the weather be sunny, with sharp frost at night, as 
is often the case in early spring, the shutters, both back and front, may be 
opened all day and closed at night: if a wind-frost and cloudy weather, they 
may be closed day and night; the ventilation through the joints of the boards 
will then be amply sufficient. With this treatment nearly every blossom 
will set. 
“ From recent experience, I find that Apricot trees are not liable to the red 
spider, and the fruit seems to like a dry warm climate ; they therefore require 
syringing but once a-week, as too much syringing brings on black spots on the 
surface of the fruit, and decay. Weak liquid manure may be given once 
a-week during the summer. This is, however, almost a matter of choice. My 
trees grow and bear well without it. Guano-water, 1 lb. to twelve gallons, is 
perhaps as good as any ; and a good soaking of this once a-week is better than 
using it more frequently. While in their young state, the fruit must be 
thinned, leaving, at first, upon a bush that has been two years in a pot, about 
three dozen, which, when they attain the size of a small nutmeg, must be 
reduced to twelve or eighteen.* The third year, a tree, if it has prospered, 
will be able to bring two dozen to maturity; it is, however, better to have a 
few finely grown fruit, than many that are small.” 
* Instead of pulling off the fruit, which often lacerates the hark, they should be cut off with the 
point of a sharp penknife. 
