CH. 2.] ORCHARDS. 295 



particular. In all the Clydefdale orchards, 

 there is not one tree in fifty in proper order 

 in this refpect. 



From the day the tree is planted, to the 

 day in which it is no longer fuffered to 

 " encumber the earth," it fhould under- 

 go an annual vifitation of the " pruning 

 hook," which fhould be in the hand of 

 one " who knoweth the fruitful and pro- 

 fitable branch, from the unfruitful, and 

 that which is na x ught, and ^erifheth." 



This operation, however, is to be per- 

 formed with caution and moderation, efpe- 

 cially on young trees ; as too free an ufe 

 of the knife is attended with the confe- 

 quence of too great a profufion of young 

 fhoots the following feafon. The tree 

 fhbuld be kept moderately thin, and fre'e 

 of branches croffing one another, endea- 

 vouring to have every part of it regular, 

 and fanned out towards the extremities } 

 alfo, thinning out the cluttered fpurs (as 

 in many kinds they form too thick) regu- 

 larly, and cutting out fuch as are rotten, 

 bruifed, &c. 



Let the temporary trees be thinned 



away, as the principals advance towards 



T 4 each 



