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2. By skilful Pruning of a Tree, 

 it is rendered much more pleafing 



' to the Eye; but I would not be 

 under flood to be an Advocate for 

 a Sort ot Pruning, which 1 have 

 ieen too much praflis'd of late, 

 'viz. the drawing of a regular Line 

 againft the Wall, according to the 

 Shape or Figure they would re- 

 duce the Tree to, and cut all the 

 Branches, whether fbrong or weak, 

 exadily to the chalk'd Line ; the 

 Abfurdity of which Pradtice, will 

 ibon appear to every one who will 

 be at the Pains of obferving the 

 DiflPerence of thofe Branches /hoot- 

 ing the fucceeding Spring. All 

 therefore that I mean by rendring 

 a Tree beautiful is, that the Bran- 

 ches are all frua'd according to 

 their feveral Strengths, and are 

 nail'd at equal Diftances, in pro- 

 portion to the different Sizes of 

 their Leaves and Fruit ; and that 

 no Part of the Wall (^o far as the 

 Trees are advanc'd) be left unfur- 

 nifhed with bearing: Wood. A 

 Tree well manag'd, though it does 

 not reprefent any regular Figure, 

 yet will appear very beautiful to 

 the Sight, when it is thus drefs'd 

 and nail'd to the Wall. 



3. It is of great Advantage to 

 the Fruit ; for the cutting away 

 all ufclefs Branches and fliortening 

 all the bearing Shoots, according 

 to the Strength of the Tree, does 

 render the Tree more capable to 

 nourifh thofe which are left re- 

 maining, fo that the Fruit will be 

 much larger, and better tafted. 

 And this is the Advantage which 

 thofe Trees againft Walls or Efpa- 

 liers have, to fuch as are Stan- 

 dards, and are permitted to grow 

 as they are naturally inclined j for 

 it is not their being trained either 

 to a Wall or Efpalier, which ren- 

 ders their Fruit io much better 



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than Standards, but becaufe they 

 have a lefs Quantity of Branches 

 and Fruit for their Roots to nou- 

 rifh, and {o confcquently their Fruit 

 will be larger and better tafted. 



The Rcafons tor Pruning being 

 thus exhibited, the next Thing is 

 the Method of performing it; but 

 this being fully handled under the 

 feveral Articles ot the different 

 Kinds ot Fruit, I (hall not repeat 

 it again in this Place, and therefore 

 fhall only add fome few general In- 

 ftrudlions, which are necellary to 

 be underftood, in order to the right 

 Management of Fruit-Trees. 



There are many Peribns who 

 iuppole, that if their Fruit-Trees 

 are but kept up to the Wall or Ef- 

 palier, during the Summer-fealbn, 

 fo as not to hang in very great 

 Diforder, and in Winter to get a 

 Gardener to prune them, it is fuffi- 

 cient : But this is a very great Mi- 

 ftake; for the greateft Care ought 

 to be employed about them in the 

 Spring, when the Trees are in vi- 

 gorous Growth J which is the only 

 proper Seafon, to procure a Quan- 

 tity of good Wood in the different 

 Parts of the Tree, and to difplace 

 all ufelefs Branches, fo foon as they 

 are produced, whereby the Vigour 

 of the Tree will be intirely diftri- 

 buted to fuch Branches only, as are 

 defign'd to remain, which will ren- 

 der them ftrong, and more capable 

 to produce good Fruit; whereas, if 

 all the Branches are permitted to 

 remain, which are produced, fome 

 of the more vigorous will attrad: 

 the greateft Share of the Sap from 

 the Tree, whereby they will be 

 too luxuriant for producing Fruit, 

 and the greateft Part of the other 

 Shoots will be ftarved, and render- 

 ed fo weak, as not to be able to 

 produce any thing clfe but Bloffoms 

 and Leaves (as hath been before-^ 



mentioned) 



