SECT. Xll. OF PRUNING. 14b 



two, of a very luxuriant tree, may be trained per- 

 pendicular {or a time, to keep the horizontals the more 

 moderate. 



As the pruner is to begin below, and towards the 

 Jiem, fo the object, in thinning muft be, to prefer and to 

 leave thofe (hoots that are placed lo-wejl on the branches, 

 that fo the tree may be furnifhed towards the center. 

 See that thofe left are found, and not too weak, or over 

 ftrong, for the moderate (hoots generally bear beft. 

 Weak (hoots are always more fruitful than ftrong ones; 

 and if they are furnifhed with fair bloffoms, mould be 

 kept where a tree is full of wood, and even preferred to 

 moderate ones, on a very (lourifhing tree. 



In this thinning bufinefs, the young pruner muft be 

 content to go on deliberately, that he may confider well ' 

 before the knife is applied. To make a proper choice 

 is the great point. After hefitating, to be fometimes at 

 a lofs, muft not difcourage a learner, for good pruners 

 often are, and no two adepts would chufe juft the 

 fame (hoots for referve. 



The next object is to furnijh a tree. In order to 

 this, the thinning of old wood, young being ready (or 

 eahly to be procured) to follow, has already 'been 

 mentioned; but the principal ftep is the fnortening of the 

 (hoots, which occasions them to throw out below the 

 cut, for future life. If they were not to be fhortencd, 

 the tree would prefently extend a great way, bearing 

 chiefly at the extremities, and all over the' middle it 

 would be very thin of fruit, and thus a great part ot the 

 wall loft; which not to fuffer, is the art of a pruner that 

 fhews he has indeed (kill. 



The viode of bearing in peaches, nectarines, and 

 apricots, is on the laft year's wood, which makes it 

 neceffary to jhortcn, in order to a certain fupply of 

 moots for bearing the next year; and thus to have 

 fucceffion wood in every part of the tree. 



The rule for jbortemrig is this ; Confider the ftrength 

 of the tree, and the more vigorous the lhoots arc, cut 



off 



