SECT. XII. 



OF PRUNING. 



155 



tained by it : It has been faid more may be, but I have 

 not feen it proved. 



The occasional pruning of pear trees during futnmer 

 is necefTary, left the ftrength of the tree be fpent in 

 vain, the fruit robbed and (haded, and the extremities 

 impoverifhed. Whether all the fhoots that are clearly 

 known to be wood fhoots (from their length) fhould be 

 cut out during fummer, is a queftion, but proceed as 

 follows : 



Where fruit fpurs are wanted, the moderate wood 

 fhoots may be left to grow to fome length, till the 

 wood is hardened, and then broke oft' to about fix 

 inches, which, being left to the winter pruning, may 

 be cut down to one eye, with the hope ot getting a 

 fpur there. But even fair fpurs fhould not be fullered 

 to grow too thick : trees heaving final! pears may have 

 theirs four inches afunder, and the large fix. 



Several fumracr fhoots will come out about the fruit 

 fpurs ; yet it is not advifeable to cut all of them off as 

 they appear, but only the ftrong and moll unfightly : 

 one moderate fhoot may be left to each, and fhortened 

 when the wood is hardened, to about fix inches, and 

 cut clean out at the general pruning. Ail fuperfluous 

 fhoots except thofe mentioned as allowed of, fhould 

 be difplaced while young; but though rubbing, or 

 breaking off, in all cafes are preferable to the knife* do 

 not ufe this method when fhoots are fo big as to tear the 

 wood with them. Shoots irom fpurs will never come 

 to any thing, and mult not be trained. 



The time tor general or vainer pruning of pear trees 

 ought to be November, as the blolToms are then very 

 difcernible, and at fpring pruning they get fo turgid 

 and tender, that almoft the leaft touch knocks them off a 

 or even the jarring of the tree. What is now to be cut 

 out will be underftood from what has been faid; only 

 when the bunches of fpurs get too thick and projecting* 

 fome muft occafonaliy be removed, and a thin Jharp 

 chiflel and mallet will do the work vvell^ where 



H6 



