SECT. XII. 



GF PRUNING. 



151 



be left on, and when it gets long, then fhortened down 

 to an eye or two. 



In order to fruitfulnefs, vines will need drejftng with 

 fome fort of manure, for though they grow in vineyard 

 countries on rocky hills, and in very mallow foils, and 

 have done fo on fome chalky, hot, gravelly hills in 

 England^ yet fome warm manure they muft generally 

 have applied, or they will produce little good fruit. 



Some people are very fond of expoftng the fruit of 

 the vine to the full fun, by (tripping off leaves; but this 

 fhould not be practiced till the bunches have attained 

 their proper fize, needing only to be ripened, and even 

 then but little fhould be done in this way : The lofs of 

 leaves is an injury to every plant, ■ 



* * # # # * 



Fig trees are beft pruned early in Ocloher, (cutting 

 the leaves off) but the more ufual time is early in Jpring 9 

 as after an autumn cutting (if late) they are apt to die 

 down ; but if not completely pruned at this time, let, 

 at leaft, {hagglers be taken out, and the reft laid in clofe 

 without {training: Thus they will be more conveniently 

 covered. 



The mode of bearing in the fig is, that fruit chiefly 

 comes the prefent year on the little (hoots from wood 

 of the preceding, and that towards the ends of the 

 branches ; which circumftances diftate the ruleSy for 

 pruning : Two years old wood will bear fome, but 

 older wood never. 



The fhoots, during fummer, are to be laid in at full 

 length, plentifully, as room will permit. The weak, 

 ill-placed, or fuperabundant ones, cut clean out; yet 

 rather break, or rub them off, in an early {fate of 

 growth, for cutting branches or fhoots in fummer is apt 

 to make them bleed, as it is called ; i. e. the fap run; 

 when cut in autumn, the fig. will foraetiiues bleed for a 

 H 4< day 



