P L A 



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such as are become dry and mouldy ; suffering vere retrenching and a general shortening, of 

 all the main roots to remain, mostly at full fruit- trees in particular, in most sorts the very 

 length, except just to tip off their end's a little parts where fruit would have been soon first pro- 

 em the under side, sloping outward ; and reduce duced are cut off, and it will probably cost the 

 any very long stragglers, and shorten long per- tree two or three years growth to furnish new 

 pendicu'lar tap-roots, more particularly of fruit- branches equal to those cutaway, as well as re- 

 trees, to prevent their running down into a bad tard its bearing in proportion. And it often 

 soil, and to promote their throwing out others happens by such a general amputation of the 

 horizontally. branches of all new planted trees at the time of 

 And with regard to the preparation of the planting, that they, for want of branches to 

 heads of the trees, the principal care is to trim off collect vegetative nourishment, either make very 



the straggling shoots and branches from the 

 stems, leaving the heads for the generality entire, 

 only just retrenching very irregular branches, and 

 shortening any very long stragglers ; always suf- 

 fering the main or leading top shoot to remain 

 at length, particularly in forest-trees, and all 

 others that are to grow to a lofty stature. 



Fruit-trees, however, sometimes require a 



little progress in shooting for two or three years 

 after, or sometimes, when they do shoot, throw 

 out a profusion of unnecessary wood from the 

 remaining eyes or buds. 



Therefore if young fruit-trees at planting, whe- 

 ther dwarfs or standards, are furnished with five 

 or six or more good regular principal branches, 

 of one, two, or more years growth, it is im- 



vnorc accurate regulation of the head preparatory proper to retrench any part of them, and dis 

 to planting, particularly dwarfs for espaliers and figure the tree, particularly apples, pears, plums, 



walls. If the fruit-tree is taken from the nur- 

 sery at one year old from the budding and graft- 

 ins:, and with its first shoot from budding and 

 grafting entire, this first shoot must necessarily 

 be shortened or headed down to force out lateral 

 wood below, to furnish the bottom properly ; 

 but this heading down is not necessary at the 

 time of planting, but should remain till spring, 



and cherries, which should at all times be but 

 sparingly shortened ; and since several good 

 branches being already obtained in the proper 

 parts to give the head its first regular form, they 

 in their turn readily furnish more ; and if there 

 is a vacancy in any part, it will be better to en- 

 deavour to fill it by stopping some of the young 

 shoots produced the summer after planting, by 



until the tree has taken fresh root and begins to either pinching or pruning them in May or June 



shoot; for the head remaining greatly promotes the same year to three or four eyes, or cutting 



the rooting; when in March or the beginning of them down to that length in the winter or spring 



April, head it down within half afoot, or five following. — Some fruit-trees, however, such as 



or six eyes of the insertion of the bud or graft, peaches, nectarines, &c, against walls, require 



and the shoot so headed will throw out, from most of their young shoots to be shortened an- 



its remaining lower eyes, several lateral branches nually. 



the ensuing summer. Forest-trees, Sec, in their preparation pre- 



If it is two, three, or more years old from the vious to planting, after being drawn out of the 



budding and grafting, and the first shoots were nursery, should only have the blemished roots 



headed down in the nursery at the proper time, trimmed, and all branches from the lower part 



it is proper to pTunt it with its whole head en- of the stem pruned off, cutting the lower ones 



tire, only retrenching any irregular branch, or close, the others to two, three, or four inches, 



any very luxuriant shoot ; or thin out the worst particularly the deciduous kinds, leaving the 



of such as are evidently too close or crowded, head always tolerably branchy, and mostly en- 



leaving however all the regular branches at full tire ; not to trim away all the branches to one 



leading shoot only, as is often practised, but 

 leave a proportionable share of the upper more 

 erect branches, to form some tolerable head, and 

 only just retrenching the lower stragglers, very 

 long rambling luxuriants, and very irregular 

 growths, to preserve a little regularity ; being 



length, except just to reduce any very long 

 rambler. 



For new planting trees it is very improper to 

 retrench the branches too severely, and cut all 

 that remains short, as is very often practised, on 

 a supposition of strengthening their roots, which 



however has often the contrary effect; for the particularly careful to leave always the top or 

 branches and leaves imbibe the refreshing influ- leading shoot perfectly entire, unless it is de- 

 ence of the air, &c., which, being conveyed caved, or is very crooked, bending much down - 

 to the roots, proves nutrimental, and contri- wards, &c, in which cases, if any straight 

 butes exceedingly towards vegetation, and con- shoot is conveniently situated, the crooked part 

 sequoDtly promotes the rooting afresh more ex- may be retrenched down to the straight shoot, 

 peditiously and effectually. Besides, by a se- which leave entire to run up in height, as with- 



