061.] The Fruit Garden, 461 



covered ; as the damps and air, when fully admitted, 

 hafteii the decay of the fruit. 



Pruning and Nailing. 



About the end of this month you may begin to prune 

 peaches and nedarines, if their leaves are dropped; and 

 you may alfo prune and nail apricots. 



Before you begin to prune, it will be proper to un-nail 

 the greateit part of the fmaller branches ; then you can 

 more readily ufe your knife, and aifo can conveniently 

 examine thefhoots, to fee which are fit for yourpurpofe, 

 and which are not. 



In pruning thefe trees, obferve to leave, in every part, 

 a due fupply of the laft fummer fhoots at moderate dif- 

 tances; that is, about fix inches afunder, and in fuch 

 regular order as- they may feem to rife one after another, 

 quite from the bottom, as v.'e have obferved in former 

 occafions, in order that every part of the wall from the 

 bottom to the extremity every way of the tree may be 

 regularly furnilhed with them ; for thefe bear the fruit 

 next year, and at the fame time a propcrtionable lliare 

 of the two former years' bearers and naked old wood 

 muil be retrenched, to make room to train the young 

 fupply; for as thefe trees always produce their fruit 

 upon the fhoots of the lail fummer's growth; that is, 

 upon one year's old fhoots, and on no other ; the pruner 

 vvill by this know what he is to cut out, and what to 

 leave, both in the young and old wood. See the rules 

 fully explained in January. 



But, in the courfe of pruning thefe trees, obferve to cut 

 out all old wood, accordingas it becomes ufelefs ; that is, 

 fuch branches as advance a great way, and are not pro- 

 perly furnifhed with young wood. See January. 



In the next place, obferve, the young flioots mull not 

 be crowded, or left too clofe together ; therefore exa- 

 mine with good attention, and when the fhoots fland too 

 thick, let fome be accordingly cut out. Cut them clofe ; 

 but, in doing this, be careful to leave the moflpromifing 

 and beft placed fhoots, for the purpofe of bearing, at due 

 and regular dillances from one another, generally about 

 five or fix inches afunder. 



The next thing to be obferved is, that all thefe re- 

 tained fhoots muft now, for the general part, be more 

 or lefs fhortened ; and this is done principally to encou- 

 X 3 - rage 



