120 APPLES. 



and the regularity of the tree will be destroyed, in one 

 single year's pruning ; which may be readily illustrated 

 thus : Fix four branches, either in a direct line, or to a 

 circular hoop, at the distance of eight inches from each 

 other : let the first branch on the left be called a, the 

 second b, the third c, the fourth d ; head down a to 

 the left hand bud ; b to the right ; c to the left ; and 

 d to the right. When these have grown a year, those 

 between b and c will be only six inches apart, while 

 those between a and b and between c and d will be 

 ten inches : thus the distances now are not as eight to 

 to eight, but as six to ten ; which would require two 

 years' pruning in a contrary direction to restore the head 

 to its former regularity : and it must not be forgotten 

 that this system of pruning will hold good in every 

 other case. 



What has just been said, has reference only to the 

 leading shoots, which are always produced from the ter- 

 minal buds when pruned, and which alone form the 

 figure and beauty of the tree. The intermediate space 

 must of course be provided for at the same time, having 

 a regard to the number of branches thus employed, 

 that they do not crowd each other. On the contrary, 

 they must be kept thin, and perfectly open, so as to ad- 

 mit plenty of sun and air, without which the fruit 

 produced will be small and good for but little : the 

 middle of the tree, indeed, must be kept quite open from 

 the first to the last, taking care that all the surrounding 

 branches lead outwards, and preserving a regular dis- 

 tance from each other. 



In pruning the supernumerary shoots, they should be 

 cut down to within an inch of the bottom, which will 

 generally cause the surrounding eyes to form natural 

 blossom spurs ; but where the tree is in a vigorous state 

 of growth, branches will probably be produced instead 



