APR 
as the most fitting’ for final planting, j 
but when it is desired to have fruit 
at the earliest period after planting, we 
think this an error, as at least one 
season is lost which, had trained trees 
been employed, might have yielded cer¬ 
tainly a few; it is, however, necessary 
to observe, when selecting trees from 
the nursery rows, that they are not old 
subjects which have been cut down 
again and again till they have a stem as 
thick as a man’s arm, but are young, 
healthy, free-growing specimens. The 
preparation of a border for wall-trees is 
a subject on which also a great diversity 
of opinion has been expressed, but 
which may be simplified by considering, 
previous to its formation, what it is the 
trees will require to ensure their vigour 
and an abundance of fine full-flavoured 
fruit; the first essential is drainage, for 
without it the trees soon become ple¬ 
thoric, evincing a disposition to make 
late, or rank shoots, which are usuallv 
the forerunners of gum, canker, and 
unfruitful ness. It is equally necessary 
that the border be in a position to 
receive the full influence of the sun, or 
the flavour of the fruit will be sacrificed 
and unripe, immature shoots will fill 
the tree, and the result prove unsatis¬ 
factory. In addition, the border must 
contain sufficient nutriment for the roots 
that the growths may be vigorous, but 
excess in this respect must be carefully 
avoided, an over-luxuriance be induced, 
rendering the trees unfruitful and trou¬ 
blesome to manage. In order to meet 
all these conditions, we would advise the 
border to have a southern exposure, 
and to be composed of turfy loam of a 
friable texture, enriched with about a 
third of its bulk of rotten manure and 
road-scrapings; and, that its drainage 
may be complete, instead of sinking the 
border two feet or even more, as is 
sometimes done, we would advise that 
no more than just the surface be re¬ 
moved, filling its place with rubble 
stones, sloping towards a deeper 
drain along the front; these should be¬ 
at least a foot thick, to be thoroughly 
effective, and upon them may be laid 
the material of the border to a depth 
of about two feet near the wall, sloping 
somewhat towards the outside. Light 
crops of vegetables may be taken off 
such a border without injury to the 
trees, or rather a benefit may be reck¬ 
oned on as resulting from the practice, 
in the shape of slight shade in hot wea¬ 
ther, and the advantage of frequent 
stirring of the soil which their culture 
will occasion. 
The planting of these trees should be 
done in October or November, as their 
early habit of blooming does not allow 
of its being well done in spring. The 
roots should be spread out equally near 
the surface, shaking the soil closely 
round them, and pressing it moderately 
tight: the ends of the shoots must be 
shortened according to their strength, 
or as the future shape of the tree may 
require it, and be fastened to the wall 
with shreds of cloth in the usual man¬ 
ner. In the subsequent pruning of 
these trees, all foreright or superfluous 
shoots should be cut back to within two 
joints of their origin, leaving what is 
called a spur, which, in the succeeding 
year, produces one or two short branches 
or fruit-spurs; the ends of all the other 
branches must also be shortened in 
order to increase the quantity of wood, 
and in doing this the cut should always 
be made just before a “ wood bud,” 
which a little practice will soon make 
apparent from the “ bloom-buds,” dis¬ 
tinguishable by being thicker and 
larger. 
Early in March, or when the buds 
begin to push, the trees will require to 
be carefully guarded from frosts, by 
means of thin canvass or netting spread 
over them. The best way to do this is 
to have a projecting board on the top of 
the wall, to which one end of the cover¬ 
ing is fixed, the other being fastened to 
a roller made to work upon slight rods, 
and kept in its plaee wlien down, over 
the trees, by pegs driven into the ground. 
This, can be rolled up by day and let 
down again when required at night, 
without injury to the trees, and will 
ensure a crop of fruit from the blasting 
influence of the late frosts. 
Apricots grown as standards require 
