352 EXCESSIVE THINNING OF THE FRUIT. 



is evident that the seeds of an inferior specimen 

 exhaust the energies of the tree as much as those 

 of a superior quality. It is therefore important 

 that the plant should be rid of all poor specimens, 

 and that the good fruit should be so reduced in 

 number that the tree can easily produce its burden 

 without losing its vigor. Although the number of 

 the fruits will be thus diminished, their measure or 

 weight will be increased, their beauty improved, 

 and their flavor made more delicious. 



The extent to which this thinning of the fruit 

 should be carried has, however, a limit. A single 

 fruit could not receive all the size and flavor which 

 would have been expended in the production of 

 those w^hich were plucked, for it would not furnish 

 a sufficient field to satisfy the tree's habit of fruit- 

 fulness, and gourmands or supply-shoots would soon 

 make their appearance. The proper extent to which 

 this operation should be carried will be readily de- 

 termined by the good judgment of each cultivator, 

 according to the power of his soil, and the thorough- 

 ness of his cultivation. 



It is important that the orchardist should know 

 which fruit to remove. Some varieties bear in clus- 

 ters, and the rule should generally be to take off" all 

 but one in each of these ; but with regard to this a 

 suggestion is necessary. If the pruning has been 

 conducted as it should have been, the spurs, and con- 

 sequently the fruit, will be distributed over the whole 



