The Gardener's New Director. 35 



and Neftannes upon tlie former year, or at moft two 

 years wood; and Plums, Pears, Cherries, Apples, and 

 Apricots, on curfons or fpurs, of three, four, or five 

 years growth ; and for thefe 1 fl^all lay down fome 

 general rules neceflary to be attended to. 



Some general Rules neccjfary to be ohferved and recotivnend- 

 ed in regard to Pruning Fines, Peaches, Ne^arines, 

 Cherries, Pears, Plums, &c. 



VINES fliould have all dangling flioots foon taken 

 off, and (hould never be fuffered to have more than 

 one fhoot produced from one eye, and their fruit-bearing 

 branches topt in J'^ly^ at the third or fourth branch above, 

 the fruit ; as fhould alfo the long branches whicii are leit 

 on the trees, to make them ripen well for bearing, or 

 for pufhing good eyes for fucceeding years, in order to 

 obtain ftrong bearers ; and this operation fhould be per- 

 formed, whether tlie Vines have or have not Uuit upon 

 them. They fliould be pruned at Michaelmas. 



Peaches and Neftarines mufl: annually have a new (uc- 

 cefiion or provifion of branches made, as they bear only 

 upon one or two years old wood, and no other. In May 

 that provifion is to be made, and no later, by pinching 

 their flrong branches to produce new ones, and di(- 

 placing all fore-right and ufelefs branches or buds at 

 that feafon, obferving to cut immediately before a wood- 

 bud, as directed in page 24; and in Ocicber all uiclefs 

 and fterile branches muft be cut out. 



Cherries are not to have any knife-management, excepJ: 

 to furnifh the vacancies in walls, at Michaelmas or May ; 

 i)ut the lefs the better ; rub off all fore-right or ufelefs 

 tlioots in May, and no later. 



Pears do not agree with pruning at the extremities 

 of their branches, which is never done but in cafe ot 

 necefllty ; they require the difplacing of fore-right flioots 

 in A^ay ; but they, us well as Cherries and Plums, all of 

 uliich bear on curfons or fpurs, abhor all amputations, 

 D 1 c.\cept 



