228 The Fruit Garden. [May. 



ed only in particular cafes, as exhibited in the winter 

 pruning. 



Where, however, there is any great vacancy, it may be 

 proper to fliorten fome of the adjoining young Ihoots of the 

 year to three or four eyes, the latter end of this month, or 

 in June, and this will caufe them to put out feme fide or 

 lateral ihoots the fame feafon to fupply the vacant parts. 



Thin JpricoiSy tffc. 



Thin apricots, peaches, and nedlarines, where they arc 

 fet too thick upon the trees. 



Thefe trees, in favourable feafon s, will fometimes fet 

 three times more fruit than their roots are capable of fup- 

 plying with proper nourifliment ; and if the whole or too 

 many of them were to be left, they would flarve one 

 another, and the fruit in general, be fmall and ill- 

 flavoured. 



Eefides, where there is too gi-cat a quantity of thefe 

 forts of fruit to remain upon the trees, the ill confequence 

 does not terminate altogether in the badnef^ of the fruit 

 that year, but it extends to two or three years to come ; for 

 the too great quantity of fruit would draw the whole 

 !K)urifhment to themfelves, infomuch that the trees would 

 not be able to produce fhcots capable of bearing fruit next 

 year ; and it would alfo exhauft the trees fo much, that 

 they could not regain flrength to produce any good wood 

 before the fecond year after ; and it would probably be the 

 third before a tolerable crop could be expected. 



Therefore, where thefe fruit are produced too thick 

 upon the trees, let them now be reduced to a moderate 

 quantity on each tree; and the fooner this is done, the 

 better it will be for the trees, and alfo for the fruit that is 

 to remain upon them. 



This thinning fhould be performed in a very careful 

 manner, looking over the branches regularly, one by one ; 

 2^td before you take any off, iingle out, on each branch, the 

 fruit that is proper to leave. The moftpromifmg and bell 

 Shaped fruit muit be left, having fome regard alfo to thofe 

 that are bed fituated on the branches. Each kind, accord- 

 ing to its lize, mull be left at fuch diftances, that every one 

 may have fufficient room to fwell, and grow freely to its 

 hill bignefs every way, without touching another. For in- 

 ftance, fupf cfe a tree to be ia pretty good condition for 



Ilrength, 



