SECT. xrr. &* PRUNING* 147 



on a summer's evening is conducive to their health, 

 and frees them from insects. 



The subject of blights is too difficult to be entered 

 upon here, though it may seem a proper place for it; 

 much has been said to little purpose. 



3. The FRUITFULNESS of wall trees, (the ul- 

 timate object of planting and training them) comes 

 now to be spoken of. Their proper form and health 

 being good, the foundation is laid, but several things 

 are yet to be done to obtain the end proposed, and 

 this chiefly regards the principal cutting, or what is 

 called the winter pruning, though perhaps done in 

 spring. 



If trees have been planted far enough asunder, it 

 is a happy circumstance, as the proper horizontal 

 form, and the open middle, may be preserved. The 

 longer the horizontals are, the more necessary it is 

 to be careful to suffer none but weak branches in 

 the center uprightly. If trees are confined as to 

 length of wall, they of course take a more erect 

 form, but still strong wood should not mount up just 

 in the middle. 



If the trees have been properly attended to during 

 summer, there will be now (at their principal pruning) 

 the less to do; and the leading objects are, to thin 

 and to furnish them, or, in other words, to take out 

 what is to spare, and to cut what is left, so as to fill 

 the tree properly again by succeeding shoots. 



A tree is to be thinned of damaged, unpromising, 

 and ill-placed shoots, and of woody branches thuf 

 are decaying, or reach far without fruitful shoots oa 

 them, and always some of the old wood should be 

 cut out, where there is young to follow, or supply 

 its place. Of the fair and well placed shoots alfo, 

 the superabundance is to be taken away, so as ge- 

 nerally to leave the good ones at four, five, or six 



