154* OF PRUNING. SECT. XI1Y 



fruit; remembering it is efTential, that the branches be 

 clear of one another, for the fun and air to have free 

 accefs: Pruners fhould confider this circumftance, in 

 all trees, more than they generally do. The reafon 

 for not fhortening the branches is, that wood is always 

 thrown out from two or three eyes below a cut, and 

 fo the tree would become a thicket of ufelefs wood, if 

 fuch cutting took place. 



The mode of bearing in pear trees is on fhort fpurs, 

 which appear firft towards the ends, and then form 

 themfelves all along the branches, which do not pro- 

 duce blofToms for three or four years from planting, and 

 fometimes (according to the fort, or perhaps foil] for 

 feveral years more. When they are come to fruiting, 

 fome pears bear pretty much on year old wood, fome 

 on two, others on three. The fame branches continue 

 to bear on fpurs from year to year, and moll when five 

 ■or fix years old ; but as in courfe of time the branches 

 Biay become difeafed and barren, and not produce fo 

 fmt fruit as younger wood, it is always proper to pro- 

 cure a fucceffwn of young bearers, as the opportunity of 

 good fhoots offer, cutting out old wood. 



As to projecting wood, mo it gardeners allow of it in 

 wall pear trees, though fome not. The wood fhould 

 riot, however, be fuffered toprojeft above three or four 

 inches ; and though there are bloffoms at the ends of 

 year old wood, yet they fhould be either cut clean out, 

 or down to an eye or two, for forming fruit fpurs, as 

 they will often do ; though they are more apt to produce 

 only wood fhoots. Thefe fhoots being cut down again, 

 turfs of wood are thus produced, which makes a tree 

 appear ragged; fo that whether it is belt to cut all 

 Spare fhoots clean out, or to cut (fome of them at leaft) 

 ciown to little jtubs, or falfe fpurs, is hardly yet deter- 

 mined: The advocate? for both praclices, however, 

 fpeak very pofitively for their way. The cutting 

 clean out is much the neater, and lefs troubleforne 

 way, and is therefore be#, if as much fruit is to be ob- 

 tained 



