54 



SEASON FOR PRUNING. 



part of the tree, and so that it will bear fruit 

 down to the very bole, which will evidently 

 be greatly to the credit of the gardener, the 

 benefit of the proprietor, and will be equally 

 conducive to the beauty and welfare of the 

 tree. 



In training and pruning young trees, par- 

 ticular attention is required to lay a good 

 foundation for a supply in future years, for 

 when this is neglected, and they are become 

 naked as before described, it is with great 

 difficulty that a supply can be recovered in 

 Peach or Nectarine trees ; in any of the other 

 kinds it is more readily done. In shortening 

 a branch, always take care to cut in a direc- 

 tion a little sloping, and so that the slope 

 may be parallel in a contrary way to the 

 nearest bud left. It is requisite to have a 

 very sharp knife, that the cut may not be 

 ragged, but clean, and in the operation, must 

 be careful that the knife does not slip, so that 

 any other branch may be cut or damaged. 

 The proper distance of arranging the branches 

 from each other, is laid down in the particular 

 treatment of each sort. 



The observations now offered, principally 

 apply to the winter pruning; but a regula- 

 tion of the trees in summer is also necessary, 

 so that no greater quantity of new shoots are 

 retained, than is required; (see the particular 

 directions for the performing of this in the treat- 

 ment of each respective sort) although the di- 



