62 



SPURRING. 



order to destroy their larvae, and so prevent 

 their ravages in summer, cannot well be 

 applied. The composition here alluded to, 

 materially contributes to the health and 

 fruitfulness of the trees, but its effects must 

 not be expected to be so great in those with 

 long spurs, as upon those properly pruned; 

 because it has to contend with the disadvan- 

 tages just now hinted at. 



By reducing the spurs in the gradual man- 

 ner as directed in this work, there will always 

 be reserved a proper supply in every part of 

 the tree, and these in a productive state; 

 but were too great a portion of them remo- 

 ved at once, it would oppose the fruitfulness 

 of the tree, because there would be an over- 

 flow of sap, which would be expended in 

 the producing and supporting barren wood, 

 instead of supporting and encouraging fruit- 

 ful spurs, and thus one part of the tree would 

 oppose the other, which ought always to be 

 avoided. But by removing them in the 

 order described it is kept in a regular state, 

 by supporting a proportionate quantity of 

 fruit and fruitful spurs. If a less quantity 

 was taken away at once than what is laid 

 down, for a healthy fruitful tree, those re- 

 maining would in many instances be too 

 close together, and would thereby be liable 

 to the defects and injurious consequences 

 which originate and are caused by it. But 



