SECTv XII. 



OF PRUNING. 



14S 



The time for the principal, or winter pruning, is by 

 fome gardeners held indifferent, if the weather is mild 

 at the time; but a moderate winter's dry is often quick- 

 ly followed by a fevere froft, which may hurt the eye 

 and bloffom next the cut. The belt time is at the fall 

 of the leaf, and mould take place as foon as the leaves 

 begin to fall. November is, generally fpeaking, a good 

 time, and if this month is pall, then February, if it is 

 mild, or as foon after as poffible, for when the bloffom. 

 buds get fwelled, they are apt to be knocked off by a 

 little touch, or jar of the hammer. 



An autumn pruning will make the tree ftronger, and 

 the bloffoms come bolder and forwarder; and if trees 

 are then cut, as it leffens the work of fpring much, 

 this alone is a good argument for it. This practice 

 gives alio a better opportunity to crop the borders 

 (moderately) with cauliflowers, lettuces, radifhes, &c. 

 to ftand the winter. Primers in general, however, like 

 a fpring cutting, becaufe they then fee the bloffoms 

 plainly, and thus more readily make their election of 

 Ihoots. Yet if the lirft fine weather and leifure were 

 embraced in autumn, it were certainly better ; and 

 furely it mull give fatisfacftion to lee the trees in order 

 all the winter. 



But though an autumn pruning is to be earneftly 

 recommended, it were beft to leave young trees, for a 

 year or two, after heading down till fpring ; and luxu- 

 riant trees ought certainly to be fo left, not only to 

 check the ftrength of the coming fhoots, but to fee 

 better where their bloffoms are, that no fruit be loft, as 

 when in this ftate they bear but idly. 



In an autumn pruning, apricots mould be cut laft; 

 but it fpring be the time, the rule is to begin with 

 apricots, then peaches, and then neclarines* Apricots 

 mould not be fo much fhortened as peaches, nor do 

 they fo well endure the knife. Shoots of the apricot, if 

 under a foot, may be left uncut, if there is room. The 

 fpurs of apricots fhould be fpared, if not too long, or 



nume- 



