266 THE FRUIT GARDENER, [fi, 2, 



ed down, and treated the two firft years, 

 in all refpects as directed above for apples } 

 laying the fhoots in at the di (lance of nine 

 inches on a medium. But this is to be un- 

 derftood of the principal branches : for 

 when thefe trees^arrive at a bearing ftate, 

 they frequently make fruit-fpurs, or fhoots 

 of a few inches in length 3 which may al- 

 fo be fufFered to lie at the diflance of a few 

 inches from each other. They alfo fre- 

 quently make their fruit-fpurs in clufters r 

 in which cafe, they are to be neatly thinned 

 out; generally referving thofe which lie 

 nearefl to the wall, that the fruit produced 

 on them may be benefited by its influence. 

 Indeed, although fpurs which (land at a di- 

 ftance from the wall frequently produce 

 bloom in abundance, it is feldom the fruit 

 fets or comes to maturity on them : and 

 therefore they may be confidered as fuper- 

 fl-.ious fhoots, and thinned away with them 

 in the Winter primings ; unleis they are 

 fufficiently long to admit of being laid in, 

 and the fcarcity of bloflbm on the trees 

 renders this advifable. 



The breuft wood produced in Summer is 

 to be fhortened back to two or three joints, 



