154- OF PRUNING. SECT. XII. 



fruit; remembering it is efTential, that the branches be 

 clear of one another, for the fun and air to have free 

 accefs: Pruners fhould confidcr this circumftance, in 

 all trees, more than they generally do. The reafori 

 for not Shortening the branches is, that wood is always 

 thrown out from two or three eves below a cut, and 

 fo the tree would become a thicket of ufelefs wood, if 

 fuch cutting took place. 



The mode of hearing in pear trees is on fhort fpurs, 

 which appear firft towards the ends, and then form 

 themfelves all along the branches, which do not pro- 

 duce bloffoms for three or four years from planting, and 

 fometimes (according to the fort, or perhaps foil) lor 

 feveral years more. When they are come to fruiting, 

 fome pears bear pretty much on year old wood, fome 

 on two, others on three. The fame branches continue 

 to bear on fpurs from year to year, and moll when five 

 or fix years old; but as in courfe of time the brandies 

 may become difeafed and barren, and not produce fo 

 line fruit as younger wood, it is always proper to pro- 

 cure ■AJucceffion of young bearers, as the opportunity of 

 good (hoots offer, cutting out old wood. 



As to projecting wood, moif. gardeners allow of it in 

 wall pear trees, though fome not. The wood fhould 

 not, however, be fuffered to project above t'.ree or four 

 inches ; and though there are bloflbms at the ends of 

 year old wood, yet. they fhould be either cut clean out, 

 or down to an eye or two, for forming fruit fpurs, as 

 they will often do ; though they are more apt to produce 

 only woodfhoots. Thefe fhoots being cut down again, 

 turfs of wood are thus produced, which makes a tree 

 appear ragged; fo that whether it is beft to cut all 

 fparelhoots clean out, or to cut (fome of them at leafl ) 

 down to \\tt\e Jlubs, or falfe fpurs, is hardly yet deter- 

 mined: The advocates for both practices, however, 

 fpeak very pofitively for their way. The cutting 

 clean out is much the neater, and lefs troublefome 

 way, and is therefore belt, ?/as much fruit is to be ob- 

 tained 



