100 THINNING LEAVES. 



that attention which is so evidently necessary 

 to others. But to all the Pe_ach and Nec- 

 tarine trees under my care, I find it necessary 

 to thin away a portion of the leaves every 

 summer, but particularly so in wet cloudy 

 seasons. For without it the fruit buds would 

 ot have been so matured as to be productive 

 the year following; or if any, only in a very 

 partial manner, and when this happens the 

 wood is apt to get too luxuriant, by the tree 

 not having a suitable crop of fruit to support. 

 I have known instances where trees have 

 been two and three years before they were 

 brought to be properly productive again, 

 which defect originated in not attending to 

 the ripening of the wood. But when such 

 a defect occurs, a less quantity of food must 

 be given to the tree, and the branches be 

 depressed in order to check luxuriancy and 

 promote its fruitfulness. 



Great care is required in thinning the 

 leaves both as to the time and manner of 

 performing this operation, because the leaves 

 of a tree are very essential to its support, 

 as well as the sustaining and perfecting 

 of the fruit which it produces. For, take 

 away the leaves from a shoot before it has 

 arrived near to a state of maturity, and such 

 shoot receives a very great check, and the 

 buds will be unproductive and will throw out 

 only wood the next year. Also take away 

 the leaves from a shoot that has fruit upon 



