166 OF PRUNING. SECT. XII, 



the wood is too flrong or awkwardly placed for the 

 knife. When a tree gets to the extent of its bounds,, 

 it is to befhorteneddown toa well-placed young fhoot, 

 which may ferve for a leader; which leader mould be> 

 already provided by a provident felc£tion in the 

 fummer. 



Where wood is wanted to fill a vacant place, a fhoot- 

 may be accordingly fhortened; but otherwife there mud 

 be no fhortening, except down to a Tingle eye, with a 

 view .(as was faid) to forming fruit fpurs, where the 

 tree is thin of them. And when wood is defired in 

 any particular part, where there is no moot to cut 

 down for the purpose, a notch crofswife,. (fomewha- 

 long), will generally produce it, and the more cer-. 

 iainly, ii made juft above a joint, or knot. Such 

 notching of pear trees does no ; harm, but rather good ; 

 as many choofe to do it freely, in order to check their 

 too great aptne.'s.to luxuriancy. 



The thinning of the fruit on pear trees, is frequently 

 neceiTary. They put forth numerous bloflbms, and 

 many of them fall, and even the fruit will do fo when 

 at is fet ; but as foon as it is promifing (by the healthy 

 mining appearance of the fkin) that the fruit will hang, 

 thinning to one pear on a fpur, will improve the fruit 

 left, and help the tree : this work da with a.fraall fharp 

 pointed knife. 



To check the luxuriant growth of pear trees, many 

 fchemes have been tried ; but the bell is here and there 

 to ftrip pieces of bark off, behind the ft em, and forr.e 

 of the principal branches, halt round, or rather make 

 fo many wide notches, not going to the pith. 



Apples Txefometimcs planted againft walls,. &c. 



What has been laid of pruning and managing pears 



is applicable to them; the branches, however, may be 



'laid in fomewhat clofer; the they will not require fo 



much room; yet they ought to have from twenty-five 



9 feet 



