MARCH. 
79 
parasitical pest, which can be done by dressing the branches with 
strong lime-water or a mixture of soft-soap, salt, and urine. How¬ 
ever, it is well to bear in mind the old adage, that “ A preventive is 
better than a curetherefore guard against the evil, if possible, by 
proper drainage, as before stated, and otherwise keeping the trees in a 
healthy condition by top-dressing with manure, either liquid or solid ? 
should they manifest any sign of feebleness. 
The Plum, like the Apricot, produces its fruit on spurs and wood of 
two years’ growth, and occasionally on the extremities of the young 
shoots ; therefore similar treatment, with regard to pruning, may be 
applied, and the fan arrangement is also the best mode of training for 
high walls, and the horizontal system for low walls and espaliers. 
When trained, it requires a summer and winter pruning; the former 
consists of removing all over-luxuriant shoots that can be conveniently 
spared—which, if allowed to remain, would only tend to rob the fruitful 
branches ; and if such shoots are selected to form subordinate members, 
they would soon outgrow the leaders and disarrange the balance and 
formation of the tree. All other shoots, with the exception of the 
leaders and those to fill vacant space, should be stopped when they 
have made a growth of a few inches. This will, in a great measure, 
prevent the shoots being infested with the green and white fly, often so 
destructive to the Plum in its early growth. 
Before the fruit ripens, the trees will again require to be gone over 
and the shoots stopped as before—thinning the shoots, if necessary, to 
admit air and light to the fruit when ripening, and the leaders and 
other shoots should be fastened to the wall or trainers. About this 
time a thorough washing with the garden-engine is very serviceable in 
cleansing the fruit and trees from the excretion of insects, decayed 
blossoms, &c. 
We are all apt to be over covetous in our fruit-crop, and often leave 
more than the trees are capable of bringing to maturity; however, 
much depends on the vigour and health of the trees—sometimes a 
heavy crop is more beneficial than otherwise, in curbing their strength ; 
but, as a general rule, if fine table-fruit be desired, no two Plums should 
be allowed to touch each other, and the greatest number should be left on 
the vigorous parts of the tree. Thinning the fruit may commence soon 
after it is set, and ought to be finished by the time the fruit is stoned. 
A pair of pointed scissors is the best instrument for this operation. 
What has previously been stated (at page 10) on the winter manage¬ 
ment of the Apricot, may be applied to the Plum, with the exception 
of the varieties called Imperatrice, which vary in habit from other kinds, 
and are rather impatient of close pruning, consequently they require dif¬ 
ferent treatment. 
The finest fruit is borne on small, short, twiggy shoots, growing from 
the spurs as well as from wood of two years’ growth ; these should be 
left entire for fruiting, and the old spurs thinned and shortened, when 
getting too long, to furnish small shoots for fruiting the following 
season. 
Standard trees require but little pruning, after the head is once 
formed, farther than occasional thinning; and dwarf bush-trees should 
