[May. The Gardeners Kaleiidar. 149 

 never to leave two or more fruit together (as is 

 too often pradifed by covetous perfons) tho* 

 there be but a fmall crop on the trees, for the 

 leaving of the fruit fingle will make thofe 

 which are left on much larger, and better fla- 

 vouredj and render the trees ftronger for fuc- 

 ceeding years : whereas, when they are over- 

 charged with fruit, they are often fo much 

 weakened, as not to be recoverable in lefs than 

 three or four years, notwithftanding they may 

 be under the moft ikilful management j be- 

 fides, one dozen of fair well-flavoured fruit is 

 preferable to five or fix dozen of thofe which 

 are fmall and ill-nouriflied, and will fell for 

 more money in the markets. The diftance 

 which (hould be allowed to all forts of fruits 

 m-uft be proportionable to their ufual fizes \ for 

 inftance, the middling or fmall Peaches and 

 Nectarines, five or fix inches afunder is fufli- 

 cient ; but for the large forts, eight inches is 

 full near enough. This mufi: alfo be propor- 

 tioned to the fi:rength of the trees, and alfo of 

 the branches on which they grow : for weak 

 trees fliould have a lefs number of fruit left on 

 them than thofe which are firong, becaufe they 

 are lefs capable of nourilning them 3 and fuch 

 branches as are weak, mull not have much 

 frqit left on them for the fame reafoo, becaufc 



L 3 when 



