ones. Nip off improper shoots; and when two rise from the same
eye, take off the weakest of them. Weed strawberry beds, cut off the
strings, stir the earth between them, and water them once in two or
three days. Dig up the borders near the fruit trees, and never plant any
large kind of flowers or vegetables upon them. Any thing planted or sown
near the trees, has a tendency to impoverish the fruit.--MAY. If any
fresh shoots have sprouted upon the fruit trees, in espaliers, or
against walls, take them off. Train the proper ones to the walls or
poles, at due distances, and in a regular manner. Look over vines, and
stop every shoot that has fruit upon it, to three eyes beyond the fruit.
Then train the branches regularly to the wall, and let such as are
designed for the next year's fruiting grow some time longer, as their
leaves will afford a suitable shade to the fruit. Water the trees newly
planted, keep the borders about the old ones clear, and pick off the
snails and other vermin.--JUNE. Renew the operation of removing from
wall trees and espaliers, all the shoots that project in front. Train
proper branches to their situations, where they are wanted. Once more
thin the wall fruit: leave the nectarines four inches apart, and the
peaches five, but none nearer: the fruit will be finer, and the next
year the tree will be stronger, if this precaution be adopted. Inoculate
the apricots, and choose for this purpose a cloudy evening. Water trees
lately planted, and pick up snails and vermin.--JULY. Inoculate peaches
and nectarines, and take off all projecting shoots in espaliers and wall
fruit-trees. Hang phials of honey and water upon fruit-trees, to protect
them from the depredations of insects, and look carefully for snails,
which also will destroy the fruit. Keep the borders clear from weeds,
and stir the earth about the roots of the trees; this will hasten the
ripening of the fruit. Examine the fruit trees that were grafted and
budded the last season, to see that there are no shoots from the stocks.
Whenever they rise, take them off, or they will deprive the intended
growth of its nourishment. Attend to the trees lately planted, and water
them often; and whatever good shoots they make, fasten them to the wall
or espalier. Repeat the care of the vines, take off improper or
irregular shoots, and nail up the loose branches. Let no weeds rise in
the ground about them, for they will exhaust the nourishment, and
impoverish the f