SECT. XII. OF PRUNING. 165 



where the tree is thin of them. And when wood is 

 desired in any particular part, where-r-there is no 

 shoot to cut down for the purpose, a notch cross- 

 wise, (somewhat long), will generally produce it, 

 and the more certainly, if made just above a joint, 

 or knot. Such notching of pear trees does no harm, 

 but rather good ; as many choose freely to do it in 

 order to check a too great aptness to luxuriancy. , 



The thinning of the fruit on pear trees is fre- 

 quently necessary. They put forth numerous blos- 

 soms, and many of them fall, and even the fruit will 

 do so when it is set ; but as soon as it is promising 

 (by the healthy shining appearance of the skin) that 

 the fruit will hang, thinning to one pear on a spur, 

 will greatly improve the fruit left, and help the tree : 

 this work should be clone with a small sharp pointed 

 knife. 



To check the luxuriant growth of pear trees, 

 many schemes have been tried ; as here and there - 

 to strip pieces of bark off, behind the stem, or on 

 some of the principal branches, half round, or mak- 

 ing so many wide notches^ not going to the pith. 



APPLES are Sometimes planted against walls, &c. 



What has been said of pruning and managing 

 pears is applicable to them ; the branches, however, 

 may be laid in somewhat closer ; as they will not' 

 require so much room ; yet they ought to have from 

 twenty- five teet in length of a low wall, or on a 

 high one, five or six feet less. 



Mulberries are still more rarely cultivated as 

 wall -fruit, or but little, now a-days at all. 



These trees require good room, as their mode of 

 bearing is mostly at the end of the trained shoots, 



