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thefe Curfons or Spurs, would pro- 

 duce Wood Branches, whereby the 

 Trees would be fiil'd with Wood, 

 but never produce much Fruit 5 

 and as it often happens that the 

 BlofTom-Buds are firft produced at 

 the Extreniity of the laft Year's 

 Shoot, fo by fhortening the Bran- 

 ches, the Bloffoms are cut away, 

 which fhould always be carefully 

 avoided. 



There are feveral Authors who 

 have written on the Subject of 

 Trunin^ in fuch a prolix Manner, 

 that it is impoifible for a Learner 

 to underfland their Meaning j thefe 

 hare defcribed the feveral Sorts of 

 Branches, which are produced on 

 Fruit-Trees, ^^sWood-Branchesy Truit- 

 Branchesy Jrre^ular-Branchety Falje- 

 Branches, and Luxuriant-Branches, 

 all which they ailert, every Perfbn 

 who pretends to Vruning, fhould 

 diftinguiih well : Whereas there is 

 nothing more in all this but a par- 

 cel of Words to amufe the Rea- 

 der, without any real Meaning j 

 tor all thefe are comprehended un- 

 der the Defcription already given 

 of luxuriant or ufelefs Branches, 

 and fuch as are term'd ufeful or 

 Fruit-bearing Branches, and whqre 

 due Care is taken in the Spring of 

 the Year, to difplace thefe ufelefs 

 Branches (as was before dire(Sled) 

 there will be no fuch thing as irre- 

 gular, falfe, or luxuriant Branches, 

 at the A* ''mter-Vruning \ therefore it 

 Is to no purpofe to amufe People 

 with a Cant of Words, which when 

 fully underflood, fignity juft no- 

 thing at all. 



But fince I have explain'd the 

 different Methods of Pruning the 

 feveral Sorts of Fruits, under their 

 refpedive Articles, I (hall forbear 

 repeating it again in this Place j but 

 fhall only give fome general Uxnis, 



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for the "Pruning of Standard Fruit* 

 Trees, and fo conclude. 



Firfl, you fhould never Ihorten 

 the Branches ot thefe Trees, unlefs 

 it be where they are very luxuriant, 

 and grow irregular on one Side of 

 the Tree, attracting the greateft 

 Part of the Sap of the Tree, where- 

 the other Parts are unfurnifhed with 

 Branches, or are rendred very weak 5 

 in which Cafe the Branch fhould 

 be fhortened down fb low, as is 

 neceffary, in order to obtain more 

 Branches, to fill up the Hollow of 

 the Tree J but this is only to be 

 underflood of Tears and uipples^ 

 which will produce Shoots frora. 

 Wood of three or four Years old ; 

 whereas mofl Sorts of Stone-Fruit 

 will gum and decay, after iuch 

 Amputations. 



But from hence I would not 

 have it underflood, that I would 

 direft the reducing of thefe Trees 

 into an exadt fpherical Figure, fince 

 there is nothing more deteflable, 

 than to fee a Tree (which if per- 

 mitted to grow as it is naturally 

 difpos'd, with its Branches produ*- 

 ced at proportionable Diflances, ac- 

 cording to the Size of the Fruit) 

 by endeavouring to make it exact- 

 ly regular in its Head, fb crowded 

 with fmall weak Branches, as to 

 prevent the Air from pafling be- 

 tween them; which will render ic 

 incapable to produce Fruit ; all that 

 I intend^ by this flopping of luxu-- 

 riant Branches, is only when one 

 or two fuch happen on a young 

 Tree, where they intirely draw all 

 the Sap from the weaker Branches 

 and flarve thenii and then it is 

 proper to ufe this Method, which 

 fhould be done in time, before they 

 have exhaufted the Roots too 

 much. 



Whea^^ 



