3/6 THE FRUIT-GARDEN. [ M At] 



whence they were produced, being particular to leave a plentiful 

 supply, of such as are good and well placed ; and when of due 

 growth, train them in, at full length, close, and regular. The long 

 fore right shoots, that is, such as project directly towards the front, 

 ought generally to be displaced, except where some are wanted for 

 laying in, to fill up vacant places ; and likewise, any extraordinary 

 vigorous growths, arising in the middle of the tree, unless where 

 necessary to be preserved, for similar purposes. 



Where any considerable opening appears, and that but one or 

 two shoots offer in such place, you should, after these have grown 

 about a foot long, shorten them to three or four eyes, and they will 

 soon after shoot out again, probably, one from each bud, to furnish 

 the vacancy. 



Be very particular, as to apples, pears, plums, and cherries, not 

 to shorten or rub off, such advancing buds, as nature has intended 

 for fruiting-spurs, which, are very distinguishable by their short 

 thick growth. 



JEsfialicrs. 



All unnecessary, ill placed, and fore-right shoots, on espalier 

 trees of every kind, should now be rubbed off or cut away ; they 

 ore only robbers, and should consequently be discarded ; but* in 

 doing this, discretion ought to be observed, and an abundant sup- 

 ply left, to furnish the trees, and to discharge such parts of the as- 

 cending juices, as are not convertible into wood or fruit. 



Apples, pears, plums and cherries, continue bearing many years, 

 on the same spurs or branches, and do not require such a general 

 annual supply of young wood, as peaches and nectarines, Sec. which 

 always, with very fe\v exceptions, produce their fruit from the pre- 

 ceding year's shoots ; yet a sufficiency should be left, to train in 

 between the main branches, and a leading or terminal one to each 

 branch, unless the tree has already extended as far as you desire ; 

 for it is essentially requisite, to leave a sufficient number of the 

 best placed shoots, to choose from in the general winter pruning. 

 The shoots now preserved, should be trained in regularly to the 

 espalier, at full length ; for the reasons assigned in the winter prun- 

 ing, see the Fruit-Garden in January. 



Where there is any great vacancy, it is proper, towards the latter 

 end of this month, to shorten some of the adjoining young shoots 

 of the year, to three or four buds, to cause them to produce a supply 

 of lateral branches to fill the vacant places, 



Young wall and espalier-trees, that are advancing in a training 

 state, should also be attended to now, in their early shooting, to dis- 

 place the improper and ill-placed growths, and retain all the well 

 placed shoots, both for an additional supply of branches in the gene- 

 ral formation of the trees, and to form future bearers for production 

 of fruit. 



Thinning' of Fruit. 



Apricot, peach, and nectarine trees, in favourable seasons, some- 

 times set superabundant crops of fruit, often in thick clusters, and 



