JAN.] PRUNING WALL-TREES. 195 



They may sometimes be pretty close, and sometimes 

 more distant, according to the number and position 

 of young shoots upon them. These, in a tolerably 

 healthy, and well-regulated tree, should lie at the 

 distance of five or six inches from each other. It is 

 the regular arrangement of the young shoots, more 

 than of the older shoots and branches, that produces 

 health and beauty in a peach or nectarine tree ; and 

 which, in summer, exhibits a regularity of foliage, 

 and in autumn, a display of handsome fruit, in every 

 part of the tree, highly pleasing. 



As said above, the young shoots of these trees of- 

 ten require to be shortened. This is to be under- 

 stood of such as are hurt by frost, (not being fully 

 ripened to their extremities), bruised by accident, 

 cankered, or mildewed ; and more particularly of 

 those from which it is wished to produce a supply 

 of other shoots, either to fill a vacancy, or for ex- 

 tension of the tree. Such as are strong and vigor- 

 ous may generally be headed back one-third of 

 their lengths ; those less strong, one-half; and those 

 very weak, back to two or three buds ; observing 

 always to cut at a wood-bud, which may be distin- 

 guished from a fruit-bud, by its being long and flat- 

 ish, the latter being short and turgid. On strong 

 shoots, a wood-bud is frequently placed between 

 two fruit-buds, and it is very proper to cut at such ; 

 generally cutting at half an inch above it. 



In a tree extended to its full size, shortening of 

 the young shoots is less necessary at or near to its 

 extremities, unless hurt by frost, mildew, or canker, 

 tli an in the lower parts ; because, the more we cut, 



