FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 81 



cannot say that the flavor was so rich as might be 

 expected, which I think is partly owing to the trees 

 being heavily loaded every other year. 



To give any precise rule for the thinning of fruit 

 would far exceed my prescribed limits, and indeed 

 it would be rather a difficult task ; therefore I shall 

 endeavor to hit upon some medium which shall be 

 satisfactory and clear. 



Vegetables and trees, like animals, have their 

 different stages of life, as youth, maturity, old age, 

 and decay ; this must be considered in thinning of 

 fruit. Young trees will be found most capable of 

 maturing a heavy crop of fruit ; and generally it 

 is seen that they have the most moderate produce. 

 Old trees, on the contrary, are the least capable of 

 maturing a heavy crop, which they mostly bear : 

 hence it would appear that young trees do not re- 

 quire so much thinning as those in years : but in 

 most cases they should be attended to. It may 

 here be observed that where young trees are in a 

 luxuriant state, all the fruit should be allowed to 

 remain on the tree in order to reduce it to a proper 

 state ; and that very old trees should be thinned of 

 their fruit in proportion to the strength of the tree, 

 which is generally feeble. 



Young trees often bear fruit the first year of plant- 

 ing, in consequence of their being checked in growth 

 by removal ; but in this case the fruit should always 

 be taken off, or the tree will be much exhausted and 

 retarded in its growth at a time when it should have 

 every effort afforded to nourish and cause it to 

 strike root and establish itself in a healthy manner. 



