278 THE FRUIT GARDENER. [B. 2. 



Chap. VIII. Sed. XL will be found of in- 

 finite advantage, and preferable to the 

 common method of fcreening with fir- 

 boughs. 



Apples, apricots, and pears, in favour- 

 able feafons, are apt to fet more fruit than 

 the tree is able to fufcain, or ihould be al- 

 lowed to produce : the fruit ftiould there- 

 fore be regularly thinned ^ the apples and 

 pears when about half grown' and the 

 apricots when the ftoning is fairly over. 

 But, as no fixed rule can be given, for this 

 operation, the difcretion of the gardener 

 muft be relied on ; and the health and vi- 

 gour of the trees muft .determine to what 

 extent it is to be performed. In the More 

 Park apricot, however, a fruit for every 

 ten or twelve inches fquare of the fuper- 

 ficial content of the tree, when in a heal- 

 thy ftate, will be a good medium. This, 

 by many, is efteemed the richeft of all 

 (lone-fruit, when Well ripened, and ate off 

 the tree. 



What I have faid in Chapter VIII. Sec- 

 tion VJIL, in refped: of gathering peaches 

 and nectarines, will equally apply here in 

 refped of apricots and plums. 



^ Jargonelle 



