34 Th£ Fruit Garden. [Jan. 



cut away clofe to the branch : fo, on the contrary, if the 

 lower one is to be left, cut off* the branch with the middle 

 and upper one upon it clofe to the lower one : and if thought 

 cioft proper to leave in any place, two out of the three 

 fhoots on a branch, then the upper and lower are apparent- 

 ly moft proper, provided they be the befl flioots ; and fo 

 cut out the middle one : or if two lower fhoots appear befl 

 for your purpofe, cut off the upper part of the branch with 

 the top flioot on It clofe to the next or middle one; fo that 

 there remains that and the lower one. There may not al- 

 ways happen to be juil three young flioots on every year's 

 branches ; but 1 chofe to mention that number, that I may 

 be the better able, in this fmall compafs to explain and con- 

 vey to the learner an idea of the method pxadifed in prun- 

 ing thefe forts of trees. 



Obferve likewife, in the courfe of pruning old trees of 

 the liinie kinds, to cut out all old ufclefs wood. 



What is to be underflood by old ufelefs wood, is fuch old 

 branches as advance a great length without being furniflicd 

 with fuch young llioots as above mentioned ; fuch branches 

 fliould be either entirely cut out, or fliortened to any young 

 branch proceeding from it, that is furnifhed with young 

 ilioots for bearing. 



Next let it be remembered, that as you proceed, let 

 all or moft of thofe young flioots that are left to bear, be 

 fliortened, to promote their producing more certainly a fap- 

 p!y of fucceffioniil lateral flioots next fummer, properly ii- 

 tuated, fo as to continue every part of the tree always well 

 furniilied with bearers ; for without this precaution of 

 fliortening the flioots, they are apt to run up, producing 

 laterals only, moftly towards the upper parr, leaving the 

 bottom naked : whereby the tree in time becomes devoid of 

 bearing {hoots below ; fo that the fbortening fhould be per- 

 formed more or lefs according to their llrength, and alfo 

 according to that of the tree. 



For inilance, if a tree is weak, the fliocts fliould be left 

 about lix or feven inches diftance from each other, and they 

 fhould be fnortened in proportion to their llrength ; fome, 

 j>crhaps, may be left about fix inches long, others eight, 

 ten, or twelve inches ; for the fliortening Ihould always be 

 performed more or lefs in proportion to. the llrength of the 

 t^iifferent fhoots. 



When a tree is in pretty good condition, neither very vi- 

 gorous nor weak, the fhoots fliould be laid ia about iive of 



fx 



