162 OF PRUNING. SECT. XII. 



cut out what is decayed, and fome of the older wood, 

 where a fucceflional fupply of young may be obtained 

 to fucceed, is the way to keep them in vigour, and 

 have the beft of fruit ; for that which grows on old 

 wood, gets fmall and auftere. To take off large 

 branches a thin broad chtffel is proper ; but if a Jaw is 

 ufed, fmooth the part with a knife. 



Clear trees from mofs, by fcraping them with a long 

 narrow bladed blunt knife, on a bit of hard wood, 

 and cut, or rub off bits of decayed bark, in which in- 

 fers are apt to breed, and wipe the part clean. Some 

 ufe a fcouring brum in this bufinefs, the long end hairs 

 of which are well adapted to clean the forky parts. A 

 bit of haircloth is alfo ufed for the purpofe; and a finifh 

 is properly made to do the bufinefs well, with a brufh 

 and foap and water. 



In the firjl year of new planted ftandards, they are 

 to be cleared in the fpring, of all weak and impro- 

 per moots, referving only a few of the ftrongeft. If 

 there are four regularly placed fhoots oppofue to each 

 other, it is fufficient to form a good head, fhorten- 

 i/ig them down to a few eyes each, or, (in general) 

 cutting off about one-third may be a rule. What 

 the head will be, may be pretty well forefeen, by con- 

 ceiving two or three fhoots to come from each ot the 

 buds below the cut. 



If the fhoots of the tree are weak, or the root 

 but a poor one, cut the referved fhoots down to two 

 eyes each. If the head A not regularly furnifhed 

 with fhoots, a judicious pruner wall yet be able to 

 manoeuvre it into form in a year or two, and this muft 

 be effefted by clofe pruning the firfl year. 



The Jecond year (rather in fpring) attend to the 

 head, and cut out, or fhorten, To as to provide for 

 the future form and flrength of the tree ; referving 

 only fuch (hoots as recommend themfelvcs for their 

 pofition and vigour, as widely placed as may be 

 iiom each other, and but few in number. "After 



this. 



