42 THE FRUIT GARDEN. [JAN. 



inches long ; for the shortening should always be performed, more 

 or less, according to the different shoots, and, in some degree, ac- 

 cording as the blossom-buds appear situated higher or lower on the 

 respective shoots ; never shorten below all the said buds, in those 

 shoots designed principally for bearing. 



When a tree is in a moderate good condition, neither very vigorous 

 nor weakly, but a middling strong shooter, the shoots may be left 

 nearly about three to four or five inches asunder, and should be 

 shortened rather less in proportion than the foregoing, but agreeable 

 to the same rules in shoots of different growths ; pruning some to 

 about eight, ten, or twelve inches, others to fifteen or eighteen inches 

 long, or more, according to their strength and situation in different 

 parts of the tree, as well as in some cases the apparent situation of 

 the blossom-buds, in being placed higher or lower on the respective 

 shoots selected for bearers, as before observed. 



But when any trees are of very vigorous growth in their general 

 shoots, they must be shortened but moderately ; or some shoots very 

 little, in which some of the less vigorous may be cut to about twelve 

 or fifteen inches ; but in stronger shoots prune off only about one- 

 third or fourth of their length, or some of the most luxuriant left 

 mostly at their full length ; for if the strong shoots of a generally 

 vigorous tree were to be much shortened, it would occasion their 

 shooting still more luxuriantly to rampant unfruitful wood ; there- 

 fore the vjgorous shoots should be very moderately shortened; and 

 where they are general in a tree, it is advisable both to leave them 

 closer and of much greater length than the shoots in moderate grow- 

 ing trees, that the exuberance of sap may be expended in the larger 

 extent and expansion of wood, and the tree thereby in time become 

 a more moderate shooter and a good bearer.* 



Observe, however, in shortening the shoots in general, both in 

 trees of moderate, middling, and strong growth, that in those shoots 

 adapted for principal bearers the ensuing season, you should be careful 

 not to cut away too low, or below all or most of the blossom-buds, or 

 parts where they are expected to advance, being generally distin- 

 guishable from the leaf or shoot-buds by their round, plump, swelling 

 appearance, the others being oblong, narrow, and fiattish ; and there- 

 fore should give proper attention to shorten accordingly in the shoots 

 were the fruit-buds are apparent. 



Likewise observe, that in shortening the bearing shoots or others 

 of those trees, they should generally, where practicable, be cut to an 

 eye or wood-but that is likely to produce a shoot for a leader the 

 ensuing season ; the shoot-bud eyes being distinguishable from the 

 fruit or blossom-buds by their longer, flattish form ; the others being 

 roundish, swelling, and turgid, or may also, occasionally, prune to 

 an eye having one or two blossom-buds, as frequently, from the same 

 eye, shoot-buds are also formed on one side of the single or between 

 the two twin blossom-buds aforesaid, and from which a good leading 



* If all superfluous shoots "be rnbbed out during the summer, this exu- 

 berance of sap will be prevented, and the flow equalized over the whole 

 tree. 



