THIS moist ether, with good sunshine, b brought a touch of April to bum summer. It has certainly mean good growth of green crops aripod plants; but it has brought thesk of potato blight closer (about tich I wrote last week), and thru.up a lot of extra growth on the in.
In some cat this is welcome; many of us arglad to see the excellent provisi of runners on strawberries as' two excessively dry summers, d we can take the opportunity ofitting out old wood on blackcurrar to make room for this year's spldid shoots. But on thepur-bearers (apples, pears, red aunts, and plums) the new growth iennething of an em
barrassment. we cut it all out, we miss the cnce of rejuvenation; if we cut bacall laterals severely and tip the klers. we may force still more ne growth which will not ripen hoe the end of the season.
in the stial circumstances I would reconend leaving all leaders to clop (especially the leaders of reasonably young branches) whlthe laterals are halfshortened (into about five or six leaves insteaof to two or three). It will meaoruning back harder in the winte but we shall have good fat lat at the base, with luck.
Very old sspent branches may be removedither now or later. Plums and or stone fruits should not, of court be severely cut now. Large cut slices should always be painted will good outdoor lead paint or tar.
Lusty ea; springing up on brambles a other soft berries should be misted to about four, and the oiduff should be cut out as soon as crop is gathered.