CHAPTER X. 



GENERAL CULTIVATION, WEEDING, PRUNING, MANURING, 

 IRRIGATION, PICKING, PULPING ETC. 



ORDINARY cultivation consists in careful weeding, never 

 allowing a weed to be three inches high, in removal of 

 the suckers, and gourmand shoots, and in taking off 

 all secondary shoots on the primaries within three 

 inches of the stem, and then allowing them at only 

 regular distances of two to three inches apart, with a 

 regular succession of young wood coming on ; the fruit 

 is produced on one-year old wood, although in some 

 favoured districts, branches two or three years old are 

 seen covered with berries. It will generally be found 

 that rather dry climates favour this mode of bearing, 

 indeed, the excessive moisture prevalent in many of 

 the most esteemed districts, is very adverse to the 

 production of heavy crops. It is, therefore, difficult to 

 lay down any positive rules for side pruning, as it is 

 evident that this must be influenced by the nature of 

 the climate. In a dry temperature, with little fog or 

 supercumbent moisture, the trees may be allowed to 

 produce much more wood than can be permitted in 

 very damp situations, where every glimpse of sunshine 

 is required, and where too great luxuriance, in this 

 respect, will be followed by the appearance of what is 

 called rot. This is simply the leaves and fruit turning 



