4^4 The Fruit Garden. [0(^. 



ihoots hang dangling from the wall, but the frofl has alfo 

 more power to affed the tender fhoots, and the long vi- 

 gorous flioots are liable to be broken by the winds; 

 and, lailly, by leaving the trees nn-nailed till March, 

 the blofTom-buds will be then fo much fwelled, that 

 many of them would be unavoidably difplaced by nail- 

 ing up the fhoots. 



Therefore, to repeat the caution, let every tree, ac- 

 cording as it is pruned, be nailed. 



In nailing them great exadnefs fhould" be obferved; 

 the branches mull be no where laid in acrofs one an- 

 other, but let^every branch be laid in clear of another^ 

 and at about four, five, or fix inches diftance, according 

 to the condition of the tree, and let every Ihoot or branch 

 be laid perfeftly ftrait and clofe to the wall, in theneat- 

 ti manner. 



For the purpofe of pruning and nailing wall- trees in 

 an expeditious and neat manner, you ihould be provided 

 with a perfeft (harp knife, rather lefs than the middle 

 iize : and fuch as is narrow, and but very moderately 

 hooked cr connng at the point ; alfo a larger knife, and 

 X. fmail hand-favv, for the more readily cutting off old 

 or large dead branches, and alfo a chiflel, 



Thefe are the proper too.ls to be ufed in pruning ; 

 that for the purpofe of nailing, (hould be a very handy 

 light hammer, with a perfect flat face, fcarcely an inch 

 broad; and there muft be procured a quantity of the- 

 proper garden wall-nails, which is a fort made particu- 

 larly fci that purpofe, and may be bought at molt iron- 

 mongers Ihops. 



The next requilite i3 a quantity of cloth lifting or 

 fhred?, and thefe Ihould be neatly cut into proper 

 lengths and regular breadths; about half or. three quar- 

 ters of an inch is the proper breadth, but let none ex- 

 ceed an inch, for too broad ihreds has a cl unify look, 

 particularly on the fmaller branches. 



Where neat nailing is obferved, every flired Ihould be 

 cut with even or fquare ends, and not too long, for it 

 looks flovenly to fee long dangling ends hang down. 



Pruning Plums , Cherries, Pears, and Apples, 



" Plums, cherries, pears, and apple-trees, upon walls and 

 efpaliers, may .alfo be pruned in the latter end of this 

 month. 



The 



