Jan.] THE FRUIT GARDEN. j| 



that number, that I may be the better able in this small compass 

 to explain and convey some idea of the method practised in pruning 

 these sorts of trees. 



At the same time observe, in the above general pruning, to retain 

 the most promising well-placed shoots of the best middling, or 

 moderately strong growth, and which appear the most fruitful, 

 or likely to furnish a proper supply of blossom-buds, rejecting very 

 weakly slender shoots, and such as are very long-jointed, likewise 

 uncommonly thick spongy growths, as also remarkably rank luxu- 

 riants, cutting them all clean out; likewise the foreright and others 

 ill placed, that could not be trained with proper regularity. And, 

 as you proceed, cut out some considerable part of the past bearers 

 of the last, or two or three preceding years, to make room for the 

 above young supply, pruning them down to some eligible lateral 

 shoots, or some occasionally to their origin, as it may seem expe- 

 dient: also take out casual old naked branches, advanced of some 

 considerable length, without being now furnished with lateral 

 young bearers, or fruitful shoots, eligibly placed for training where 

 wanted; pruning them either entirely out to make room for the. 

 more fruitful wood, or pruned down, more or less, to any more 

 prolific well -placed young branch proceeding therefrom, and that 

 is furnished with young shoots for bearing. 



Next let it be remembered, that as you proceed in pruning these 

 trees, most of those young shoots that are left to bear, must be 

 shortened, especially the smaller and middling, and those of mode- 

 rate growth, both to strengthen them in their future production, 

 and to promote their producing more certainly a supply of succes- 

 sional lateral shoots next summer, properly situated, so as to con- 

 tinue every part of the tree always well furnished with bearers; for 

 without this precaution of shortening the shoots, many of them are 

 apt to run up, producing laterals only, mostly towards the upper 

 part, leaving the bottom naked, whereby the tree in time becomes 

 devoid of bearing shoots below, so that the shortening should be 

 performed, more or less, according to their strength, and that of 

 the tree in general. Though with standard trees of these kinds, 

 shortening the shoots is not necessary, yet when trained to walls or 

 espaliers, it certainly is, for the reasons above assigned. 



For instance, if a tree is weak, or but a moderate shooter, gene- 

 rally leaving the shoots about five or six inches apart, for training 

 in nearly at that distance, let them be shortened according to their 

 strength; some of the weaker shoots to five, six, or eight inches; 

 others of stronger growth to about ten or twelve, to fifteen or 

 eighteen inches long; for the shortening should always be per- 

 formed, more or less, according to the different shoots, and, in 

 some degree, according as the blossom-buds appear situated higher 

 or lower on the respective shoots; never shorten below all the said 

 buds, in those shoots designed principally for bearing. 



When a tree is in a moderate good condition, neither very vigo- 

 rous nor weakly, but a middling strong shooter, (lie shoots ma\ Ik 

 left nearly about three to four or five inches asunder, and should 

 be shortened rather less in proportion than the foregoing, but agree- 



