SECT. xii. 6r PRUNING* 



spurs from year to year, but as in course 6f time 

 the branches may become diseased and barren, and 

 not produce so fine fruif as younger wood, it is al- 

 ways proper to procure a succession of young bear- 

 ers, as the opportunity of good shoots offer, cutting 

 clean out some old wood. 



As to projecting wood, most gardeners allow of it 

 in wall pear trees, though some not The wood 

 should not, however, be suffered to project above a 

 few inches ; and though there are blossoms at the 

 ends of projecting year old wood, yet they should be 

 either cut clean out, or down to an eye or two, for 

 forming fruit spurs, as they will often do ; though 

 they are more apt to produce only wood shoots. 

 These shoots being cut down again, tufts of wood 

 are thus produced, that make a tree appear ragged ; 

 so that whether it is best to cut all spare shoots clean 

 out, or to cut (some of them at least) down to little 

 Stubs, or false spurSj is hardly yet determined : The 

 advocates for both practices, however, speak very 

 positively for their way.. The cutting clean out is 

 much Ahe neater, and i v troublesome way, and is 

 therefore best if * ^L vVfhut is to be obtained by 

 it : It has been said more pay be, but I have not 

 seen it proved. 



The occasional pruning of pear trees during sum- 

 mer is necessary, lest the strength of the tree be 

 spent in vain, the fruit robbed and shaded, and the 

 extremities impoverished. Whether all the shoots 

 that are clearly known to be wood shoots (from their 

 length) should be cut out during summer, is a ques- 

 tion, but proceed as follows : 



Where fruit spurs are wanted, the moderate wood 

 shoots may be left to grow to some length, till the 

 wood is hardened, and 'then broke off to about six 

 inches, which, being left to the winter pruning, may 

 be cut down to one eye, with the hope of getting a 



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