TRAlNIxVG AND PRUNING. 



139 



such a great variety of objects and of operations, that to give 

 minute instructions upon the subject absolutely demand a great 

 space ; and, after all, it is fortunate, when mechanical operations 

 are to be described by words ; it is extremely fortunate, if the 

 writer make himself clearly understood ; and, indeed, it is impos- 

 sible for him to do it unless he have the best attention of the 

 reader : it is not a clear statement of a fact ; it is not a mere 

 affirmation or negation, that is required here ; nor is it in the con- 

 struction of an argument and the drawing of a conclusion : here 

 v/e have to describe innumerable minute acts to be performed with 

 the hands and the fingers ; and, I have always found that to be 

 intelligible, in such a case, is the most difficult thing that one 

 experiences in the use of words. Hence it is that this is 

 hardly ever attempted without the assistance of drawings, or of 

 something that teaches through the channel of the eye. I 

 shall do my best to make myself clearly understood ; and, if 1 

 have the strict attention of the reader, I have little doubt of suc- 

 cess. I shall first offer some preliminary observations, and to 

 these I request the reader's extraordinary attention. 



226. The time, or rather times, of pruning, are common to all 

 fruit trees. The winter pruning is performed in February, March, 

 and April, beginning with the earliest sorts of trees (with reference 

 to their blooming) and ending with the latest, forming this series : 

 apricot, peach, plum, pear, cherry, apple. Quinces and medlars 

 will be spoken of sufficiently under the names of those trees, as will 

 gooseberries, currants, and raspberries. It may be matter of in- 

 difference, perhaps, whether the winter pruning of the above-men- 

 tioned trees take place in one of the afore-mentioned months or 

 the other ; but three things are to be observed in the case of all 

 trees ; that pruning ought not to be done during the time of 

 flowering ; and that the summer pruning ought not to be done 

 till after the fruit has attaiiied a considerable size ; that it is 

 essential^ always to prune with a very sharp knife ; that the cut 

 ought to be from below, upwards, beginning behind a bud, and 

 finishing near its opening, taking good care not to hurt it. A 

 rubbishing pruning-knife, a thing made of bad stuff, or in bad 

 shape, will spoil any set of trees in the world. The best pruning 

 knives that I have ever seen are made by Mr. Richardson of 

 Kensington, and Mr. Holmes of Derby. 



227. Preliminary ohservations. First : The sap of trees always 



