ISO 



" OF PRUNING, 



SECT. XII. 



be able to get an operator to attend them ; let him re- 

 folve to learn the art himfelf, and the ability will be 

 very gratifying to him. 



Proud of his well.fpread walls, he views his trees 

 That meet (no barren interval between,) 

 With pleafure more than ev'n their fruits afford, 

 Which, fave himfelf who trains them, none can feel. 



CoWPER, 



As many words muft be ufed on this article pruning, 

 for the fake of a little order, and the appearing lefs 

 tedious, the bufinefs of managing wall-trees may be 

 thus divided: — i. Concerning the form. 2. The 

 health. 3. The fruitfulness of them. A 

 tree may be kept in good form, but be neither healthy 

 nm fruitful \ and may be both in good form and health, 

 yet not fruitful; but if it is fruitful, it muft poffefs 

 both the former qualifications. 



1 . As to the FORM, or general appearances of the 

 wall-trees. If a tree is young and newly planted, the 

 firft thing is to head it down, by cutting off (if it is a 

 nectarine, peach, cr apricot J all the fhoots, and the item 

 jtfelf, down to a few eyes, that the lower part of the 

 wall may be furnifhed with new and ftrong wood. 

 Make the cut Doping; and behind the tree, taking care 

 (by placing the foot on the root, and the left hand on 

 the ftem) not to difturb the tree by the pull of the knife. 

 Plaifter the part with a bit of cow- dung, clay, or ftiff 

 earth. 



The heading down is to be made fo as to leave two 

 gt three eyes, or four, if a high wall, on each Jide of the 

 ftem, from which fhoots will come properly placed for 

 training. The number of eyes may be alfo according 

 to the ftrength of the tree, and its roots. If there are 

 not two well placed eyes on each fide of the ftem, two 

 fhoots, thus fituated, may be left cutting them fhort to 

 3 two 



