16 FRUIT-GARDENING. 



PRUNING FRUIT-TREES. 



By attending to the proper training of fruit-trees, every 

 advantage is promoted ; and by a judicious management in 

 other respects, wood may not only be obtained, but preserved 

 in every part of the tree, so that it will bear fruit to the very 

 bole, which will evidently be greatly to the credit of the gar 

 dener, the benefit of the proprietor, and equally conducive to 

 the beauty and welfare of the tree. While trees are young, it 

 is necessary to lay a good foundation for a supply of bearing- 

 wood in future years ; for when this is neglected, and they 

 become naked, it is some time before a supply can be recover 

 ed. In shortening a branch, always take care to cut in a 

 direction a little sloping ; and the middle of all standard trees 

 should be kept as open as possible. It is requisite to have a 

 very sharp knife, that the cut may not be ragged, but clean ; 

 and in the operation be careful that the knife does not slip, 

 so that another branch be cut or damaged. 



The general pruning of fruit-trees is indifferently performed 

 by many persons, at any time from autumn to spring ; and it 

 may be so done without any great injury to them, provided 

 mild weather be chosen for the purpose, and the wood be well 

 ripened. Although it may be advantageous to prune trees 

 early in the winter, when the wood is well ripened, yet, when 

 the wood is green and the buds have not arrived at a mature 

 state, it is requisite in such cases to defer pruning until spring ; 

 taking care, however, that it is performed before the moving 

 of the sap. The necessity of this arises from the circum 

 stance that as the wood is not ripened in autumn, the sap is 

 then in an active state, and will continue so until the frost 

 causes it to become stagnant ; and if the shoots were shorten 

 ed while the sap was in motion, the buds would be consider 

 ably injured, and the tree weakened. Such unripe shoots are 

 also more liable to suffer by the severity of winter ; and when 

 the pruning is deferred until spring, all such parts as may 



