CHOICE OF FRUIT TREES IN THE NURSERY. 35 



very rare they will push a shoot below, unless there be a 

 lead. This attention is not so particularly required in tho 

 Pear, &c., as such will generally push forth shoots, although 

 no leading ones are left ; but in all kinds, the younger the 

 wood is, the more certain are shoots to be produced. If a 

 tree that has been under training for one or two years, 

 should only have one good strong leading shoot, and two or 

 three weaker ones which do not proceed from it, let the 

 weak shoots be pruned clean away, and shorten the strong 

 one, from which a handsome head may afterward be formed. 

 For farther directions as respects pruning or planting fruit 

 trees, &c., the reader is referred to the preceding articles on 

 these subjects ; and as respects any species of fruit in par- 

 ticular, directions will be found under its distinct head. 



In order to assist the reader in making a judicious selection 

 of fruit trees, I have furnished a short description of such 

 species and varieties as are in great repute for every good 

 quality. Previous to making this selection, I carefully 

 perused ' Prince's Pomological Manual,' * Kenrick's Ameri- 

 can Orchardist,' ' Lindley's Guide to the Orchard and Fruit 

 Garden,' and ' Manning's Descriptive Catalogue of Fruits;' 

 beside these important guides, I had the select catalogues 

 of different nurserymen before me, and have chosen such 

 only as have been most, generally recommended. In doing 

 this, I have had difficulties to contend with, of the nature of 

 which, none but those who have duly considered the subject 

 can form any idea. The facility with which seedling plants 

 are raised, and the paternal fondness with which people are 

 apt to regard their own seedlings, have occasioned hundreds 

 of names to appear in the various catalogues, which tend 

 not a little to swell the large and increasing list of fruits. 



In many instances, the English, French, Spanish, and 

 other names, provisional, local, and barbarous, are given to 

 the same variety ; consequently, some fruits appear in the 

 different catalogues under all the varied names ; and the 

 patience and labour necessarily requisite for ascertaining 



