JAN.] THE FRUIT GARDEN. 23 



that number, that I may be the better able, in this small compass, 

 to explain and convey some idea of the method practised in pruning 

 these sorts of trees. 



At the same time, observe, in the above general priming, to re- 

 tain the most promising well-placed shoots, of the best middling, 

 or moderately strong growth, and which appear the most fruitful, 

 or likely to furnish a proper supply of blossom -buds ; rejecting 

 very weakly slender shoots, and such as are very long-jointed, like- 

 wise uncommonly thick spongy growths, as also remarkably rank 

 luxuriants, cutting them all clean out ; likewise the foreright and 

 others ill-placed, that could not be trained with proper regularity.... 

 And, as you proceed, cut out some considerable part of the past 

 bearers of the last, or two or three preceding years, to make room 

 for the above young supply ; pruning them down to some eligible 

 lateral shoots, or some occasionally to their origin, as it may seem 

 expedient : also take out casual old naked branches, advanced of 

 some considerable length, without being now furnished with lateral 

 young bearers, or fruitful shoots, eligibly placed for training where 

 wanted ; pruning them either entirely out to make room for the 

 more fruitful wood, or pruned down, more or less, to any more 

 prolific well-placed young branch proceeding therefrom, and that is 

 furnished with young shoots for bearing. 



Next let it be remembered, that as you proceed in pruning these 

 trees, most of those young shoots that are left to bear, must be 

 shortened, especially the smaller and middling, and those of mode- 

 rate growth, both to strengthen them in their future production, 

 and to promote their producing more certainly a supply of succes~ 

 sional lateral shoots next summer, properly situated, so as to conti- 

 nue every part of the tree always well furnished with bearers ; for 

 without this precaution of shortening the shoots, many of them are 

 apt to run up, producing laterals only, mostly towards the upper 

 part, leaving the bottom naked ; whereby the tree in time becomes 

 devoid of bearing shoots below ; so that the shortening should be 

 performed, more or less, according to their strength, and that of 

 the tree in general. Though with standard trees of these kinds, 

 shortening the shoots is not necessary, yet when trained to walls 

 or espaliers, it certainly is ; for the reasons above assigned. 



For instance, if a tree is weak, or but a moderate shooter, gene- 

 rally leaving the shoots about five or six inches apart, for training 

 in nearly at that distance, let them be shortened according to their 

 strength ; some of the weaker shoots to five, six, or eight inches, 

 others of stronger growth, to about ten or twelve, to fifteen or eigh- 

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

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

 according 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 vi- 

 gorous 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 agree- 



