48 



CHAPTER VII. 



On the most proper season for pruning fruit trees. 



/ THE general pruning of fruit trees, is 

 ( indifferently performed by many persons at 

 any time from autumn to spring, and it may 

 be done so without any very great injury to 

 them, providing that mild weather is chosen 

 for the purpose, but when there are ad- 

 vantages to be derived by the seasonable 

 application of any means to the trees, it is 

 certainly advisable to avail ourselves of them. 

 With this view I always prune the fruit trees 

 under my care as soon as I possibly can 

 commence the business, that is to say, as 

 soon as ever the leaves begin to fall, and in 

 some cases, when the wood is well ripened, 

 before this happens; for when the wood is 

 properly ripened, the leaves will come off 

 by the least touch, and pruning may then 

 be safely performed without causing any 

 injury to the buds. But were they pruned 

 before the wood was properly matured, the 

 forcing off the leaves would then be injurious 

 to the buds, and would considerably retard 

 their advance to a due state of perfection. 

 The pruning of the trees at so early a season 

 } as recommended, affords great assistance 'to 



