38 THE FORCING GARDENER. [fr, 5, 



plants, till they begin to fliew fruit ; I 

 fay no more on that head, but fhall return 

 to it after having confidered the article 

 pruning or flopping. That it is indifpen- 

 iably neceflary, as fome pretend, to pick 

 out the heart-bud when the plant hatlv 

 formed its rough leaves, I can by no means 

 fubfcribe to ; for, from the mofl minute 

 obfervation, and the fairefl trials, which I 

 have repeatedly made, I am convinced it 

 is of no confequence whether the bud is 

 picked out or not : 1 feldom think of pick- 

 ing or pinching, till the plant begins to put 

 forth runners or vines, nor even (unlefs it 

 happens to put forth too few to furnifh its 

 fide of the frame) till I perceive the rudi- 

 ment of the fruit. It is then time to flop 

 thofe vines which have fruit fhewn : but 

 the others may be fuffered to 'run to the 

 length of fix or eight joints ; and mould 

 then be flopped, to make them put forth 

 fertile ones, which they will feldom fail of 

 doing, if the plants are healthy. 



If an extraordinary quantity of male 

 bloflbm mould appear, let a part of it be 

 gently rubbed off with the finger and 



thumb} 



