Nov.] The Fruit Garden. 507 



For the llioots which are now laid in at full length, and 

 not hereafter fhortened, will, in the fecond or third year 

 after, begin to produce fome thick fliort ihoots or Ipurs, 

 about an inch in length, and fome not fo long ; and upon 

 thefe (hoots or natural fpurs, and on no other, the fruit of 

 thefe trees are always produced. 



But, on the contrary, were the Ihoots which are laid 

 in to bear, to be Ihortened or topped, as by many ignq- 

 rantly praftifed, they would, in that cafe, produce no 

 fuch flioots or fpurs as above for fruit : but, inftead of 

 that, would, in the places where the fpurs or bloffoni' 

 bud§ would otherwife appear, fend out numbers of frrong 

 and altogether ufelefs wood fnoots ; and the trees would 

 be continually crowded with ufelefs wood, and not one 

 branch would be in a condition to bear, fo long as you 

 keep Ihortening them," and the trees would not produce 

 one fruit for ten in the other method of leaving ; 

 therefore, ftill train the flioots or branches as they advance 

 in length to the wall or efpalier, without reducing them. 



This plainly determines what method is to be taken in 

 pruning thefe trees, to bring them to a condition to bear ; 

 it fliev/s plainly that neither the young nor old branches 

 are, in the general courfe of pruning, to be fhortened. 



But in the courfe of pruning the above trees, the 

 branches in general Ihould be well examined with a cu- 

 rious eye; and, if there are any old naked or worn-out 

 branches, not furnifhing good bearing fpurs, or are 

 decayed, or of any unfruitful ftate, let fuch be taken 

 out, to make room to train the more proper bearing 

 branches, and the fupply of young wood, in a regular 

 manner. 



When the old ufelefs wood is cut out, examine all the 

 remaining ufeful branches ; and, where thefe any where" 

 Hand too clofe, let fome of them be taken away ; obferv- 

 ing, to clear out the raoft irregular grown, and fuch as 

 can be beft fpared, and let no two branches grow acrofs 

 one another. 



And all the lail fummer's flioots which are not wanted 

 for a fupply of wood, muft now be cut away ; let thefe be 

 cut off quite clofe, leaving no fpurs but what are natu- 

 rally produced. 



Let the branc^^es in general be left at the diHance of 

 fix inches at leail from oae another, 



Z 2 As 



