PREFACE. vii 



riiat there has been a week's difference in 

 the ripening of fruit. 



As the fruits ripen in one climate ear- 

 lier than another, the feafons for pruning 

 ^luft vary accordingly -, fo the times I have 

 mentioned for v/orks to be done are very 

 proper for the latitude of 54 deg. north ; 

 becaufe my praftice has chiefly been within 

 twenty miles of Newark upon Trent, and 

 I have wrote according to obfervations 

 made in that climate. For after 1 left the 

 right honourable lord Robert Sutton, of 

 Kelham (where I had been fixteen years) 

 I refided moft commonly in Lincolnfhire, 

 or Nottinghamfhire ; and before I ferved 

 my lord at Bloxholme, I was employed by 

 feveral noblemen and gentlemen in New 

 wor^ks, and fometimes in dreffing or giving 

 direftions to their gardeners, for the order- 

 ing of old Fruit-trees. But I found the lat- 

 ter praftice difagreeable to thefe gardeners ; 

 which caufed me to refufe meddling with 

 any others but thofe of my own planting. 

 : After having made that refolution, I 

 was defired, by my friends, to write upon 

 the whole management of Fruit-trees, both 

 old and young 3 with the nature of plant- 

 ing and ordering them. To encourage 



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