A dictionary of modern gardening - University Library

APR 69 APR
years. The Moor Park mostly on spurs
upon two and three years' old branches.
Siim7ner Pruning.—Take off all foreright
shoots and others that are irregular
and misplaced ;
reserving those that are
vigorous and that will train in well for
next year's bearing. If done early in
May the finger and thumb will supersede
the knife for this pruning. Continue
to nail the shoots to the wall as
necessary during all the summer. Overvigorous
shoots may be topped in June,
and be thus induced to put forth more
fertile laterals.
Winter Pruning had best be done as
soon as the leaves have fallen, though
it may be carried on until the buds begin
to swell in March. Cut out the
most naked of the two previous years'
shoots, and old branches not well supplied
with young wood, to have their
places re-occupied by younger and better
branches. Keep a leading shoot at
the end of each branch. Vigorous
shoots of the last year shorten about
one-eighth—weaker shoots about onehalf
This promotes the production of
laterals for next year's fruiting, and
gives a fuller supply of sap to the blossom
buds ; but if the shortening is too
great, the latter will be converted to
leaf-buds. Cut off all fore-right spurs ;
but lateral spurs may be retained, as
they sometimes produce blossom buds,
as they always do in the Moor Park.
Espaliers are to be formed as those
on wails, and standards only require
dead, crowded, or chaffing branches to
be removed.
When an apricot gets old and diseased,
it is much more j)rofitable to replace
it by a younger, than to attempt
its renovation.
Gathering should take place before
the fruit is quite ripe, or it will be
mealy.
Thinning, as soon as the fruit is large
enough for tarts, in May or early in
June, should be boldly done, no fruit
being left nearer than six inches to
another.
Insects.—Wasps and flies are best
kept off by a net, not nearer than a foot
to the wall.
Mildew is often the most formidable
assailant of the apricot, as it usually
arises from excess of moisture to the
root ; draining the border, and mixing
lime with the soil, will be in such case
found efficacious as a preventive, and
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at the time a syringing with water
containing one-eighth of gas ammoniacal
liquor.
APRIL. In this fickle month the
sheltering of wall fruit requires particular
attention. F2asterly blighting winds
always prevail towards its close, and
early in May.
The work required to be attended to
in the various departments in the latitude
of Philadelphia, is as follows. It
should be performed early or later as
we reside south or north of that lati-
tude :
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KITCHEN GARDEN.
Alexanders, sow. Angelica, sow.
Artichokes, plant, b. or dress. Asparagus,
sow, plant, force, and dress beds.
—Balm, plant. Basil, sow. Beans,
sow, hoe. Beets, sow, b. Borecole,
sow, prick out, leave for seed. Bro-
coli, sow. — Borage, sow. — Burnets,
sow, and plant. Cabbages, sow, plant.
— Capsicum, sow. — Cardoons, sow.
Carraway, sow. Carrots, sow, weed.
— Cauliflou'crs, late, sow in open
ground, b. Celery, sow, leave for seed.
— Chamomile, plant. Chives, plant.
Chervil, sow, leave for seed.— Coleworts,
plant. Clary, sow. Cress, sow.
— Cucumbers, sow. Dill, sow. Earthing-up,
attend to. — Fennel, sow or
plant. Finochio, sow. Garlic, plant,
b. Horse-radish, plant, b. — Hotbeds,
make and attend. Hyssop, sow, plant.
—Jerusalem Artichokes, plant, b. Kale
dress beds.
(Sea), sow and plant, b. ;
Kidney beans (dwarfs), sow ; (runners),
sow, e. Lavender, plant. Leeks, sow,
b. e. ; leave for seed. Lettuces, sow
weekly; plant from frames. Marigolds,
sow. — Marjorams, sow and plant.
Melons, sow. Mustard, and Cress,
sow; leave for seed. Mushroom beds,
attend to. Mint, plant.— Nas-
make ;
turtiums, sow. — Onions, sow, b. e. ;
weed plant and for seed (Potatoe and
; ;
Parsley, sow ; leave
Tree), plant, b.
(Hamburgh), sow.
for seed ;
sow, b. ; hand weed.
Parsnips,
Peas, sow ; hoe;
stick. Pen7iy-royal, pla.nt.—Pompions,
sow, b. Potatoes, plant; attend forcing.
Purslane, sow. Radishes, sow ;
thin. Rape, sow. Rocambole, plant.
Rue, plant. Salsafy and Savory, sow,
e. Scorzonera and Skirrcts, sow, e.
Shallots anii Sag-c, plant, b.—Sorr