162 OF PRUNING. SECT. XIX, 



cut out what is decayed, and fome of the older wood, 

 where a Fucceflional fupply of young may be obtained 

 to fucceed, is the way to keep them in vigour, and 

 have the beft of fruit ; for that which grows on old 

 wood, gets fmall and auftere. To take off large 

 branches a thin broad chljjel is proper ; but if a faiv is 

 ufed, fmooth the part with a knife. 



Clear trees from mofs, by fcraping them with a long 

 narrow bladed blunt knife, on a bit of hard wood^ 

 and cut, or rub off bits of decayed bark, in which in- 

 fefts are apt to breed, and wipe the part clean. Some 

 ufe a fcouring brufh in this bufinefs, the long end hairss 

 of which are well adapted to clean the forky parts. A 

 bit of haircloth is alfo ufed for the purpofe; and a finifti 

 is properly made to do the bufinefs well, with a brufh 

 and foap and water. 



In the jirjl year of new planted itandards, they are 

 to be cleared in the Springs of all weak and impro- 

 per fhoots, reserving only a few of the ftrongeft. If 

 there are four regularly placed flioots oppofite to each 

 other, it is fuflicient to form a good head, fhorten- 

 ing them down to a few eyes each, or, (in general) 

 cutting off about one-third may be a rule. What 

 the head will be, may be pretty well forefeen, by con- 

 ceiving two or three fhoots to come from each of the 

 buds below the cut. 



If the fhoots of the tree are weak, or the root 

 but a poor one, cut the referved fhoots down to two 

 eyes each. If the head is not regularly furnifhed 

 w r ith fhoots, a judicious pruner will yet be able to 

 manoeuvre it into form in a year or two, and this mull 

 be effe&ed by clofe pruning the firft year. 



The fecsnd year (rather in fpring) attend to the 

 head, and cut out, or fhorten, fo as to provide for 

 the future form and ftrength of the tree ; referving 

 only fuch fhoots as recommend themfelves for their 

 pofition and vigour, as widely placed as may be 

 from each other, and but few in number. After 



this, 



