JAN.] THE FRUIT GARDEN. 25 



small spurs rising naturally all along the sides ; and in each winter- 

 pruning it will be required to cut out any casual worn out, decayed, 

 and very irregular branches, and a proportionate supply of last sum* 

 mer's young shoots retained, and the rest pruned out. 



In priming gooseberries, let them be always kept thin of branches, 

 and these not permitted to grow ramblingly across one another, 

 but all pruned to some regular order, so as the main bearers, or ge- 

 neral branches and shoots, stand six or eight inches distance at the 

 extremities ; and generally, either keep the middle somewhat hol- 

 low, or, if permitted to run up full in the heart, keep it thin of 

 branches, as above advised ; so that you will now prune out any 

 irregularities, Sec. such as casual crowding cross-placed wood, and 

 any worn out or naked old branches, retaining young shoots, where 

 necessary, to supply their place ; and cut out all the superabundant 

 lateral shoots of last summer, close to the old wood, only retaining 

 here and there a good one in vacancies, or occasionally towards the 

 lower parts, to be advancing to a bearing state, to supply the place 

 of casual worn out bearers ; and generally leave, where practicable, 

 a terminating or leading shoot to each main branch, either such as 

 is placed naturally at or near the end of the branch ; or, occasion- 

 ally, where any branch is too long or rambling, prune it down to 

 some convenient lateral shoot, &c. to remain for a terminal leader ; 

 and, in both cases, generally leave but one terminal to each branch ; 

 and all those shoots now retained, both lateral and terminal, should 

 either be mostly left entire, and only shorten long stragglers, and 

 very bending and reclining growths, occasionally ; or, at least by no 

 means shorten the shoots of these trees too much ; for by cutting 

 them very short, they are made to produce a deal of wood and but 

 small fruit ; and being so full of wood, as to exclude the sun and 

 free air in summer, the fruit cannot ripen well ; and it likewise 

 renders it troublesome to get at the fruit when fit to gather. Never 

 clip the trees with garden shears, as is the practice of some ignorant 

 persons. 



Currant bushes should likewise be kept thin and regular, not 

 suffering the branches to run promiscuously across each other ; for 

 when suffered to grow so irregular and crowding, they produce but 

 small fruit ; and the great thicket of branches excluding the essen- 

 tial benefit of the sun, the berries will not ripen freely and regu- 

 lar, with a good flavour ; observing therefore to keep the general 

 branches thin, about six or eight inches asunder ; in which, if any 

 are too crowded or over-abundant, prune out the most irregular ; 

 also any cross-placed branches, and casual worn out old bearers, to- 

 gether with all the irregular-placed and superabundant young shoots 

 of last summer, preserving only occasional supplies of the most 

 regular ones in vacancies, and a leading one at the termination of 

 each branch, agreeable to the rules exhibited above in pruning the 

 gooseberry bushes ; arid the general upper shoots may be mostly 

 shortened more or less, where required to keep the head to a mo- 

 derate extent, and a compact handsome growth. 



Observe in priming young gooseberry and currant bushes, let 

 those designed for standards be pruned to a clean single stem, eight? 



