THE CULTURE OF PLANTS 



four, and five inches long, making a gash with the 

 knife near the ends by folding, to put through the 

 nail ; then spread the tree, laying, plying and nail- 

 ing on every individual branch by it self, all at equal 

 distances from one another, not close in one place, 

 and wide in another ; and let none cross the other ; 

 the superfluous, and these that will not ply easily, 

 and the exuberant or lustie that robs the rest must 

 be cut away. 



Well plyed trees will appear like peacocks train 

 spread ; drive the nail but half way in, and on the 

 upper side of the branch, else it will lean and gall ; 

 at every nailing alter the old nails, and beware of 

 pinching the young branches by making the tags 

 or binding too tight. 



The time for pruning old planted and hardie trees, 

 is any time betwixt the fall of the leaf and the spring ; 

 but let the frosts be over before you prune those 

 that are new-planted, young and tender, and before 

 the sap rise ; otherwayes the frosts will penetrate 

 the wounds, and make a sore. But if you must cut 

 before the frosts, because their heads may be ob- 

 noxious to the winds, such as are ordinarily the new- 

 planted standards, then you may cut a little at 

 spring, and at spring cut off cleanly the pieces left, 



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