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pearance of being under twenty year of age. Having 

 finished winter pruning, the next thing to be done is 

 the shortening of the last year's wood. This is an 

 operation of great importance, so much depending 

 upon the nature of the season, as to whether the eyes 

 will form wood or fruit spurs ; and even the most ex- 

 perienced will sometimes err. To give weakly grow- 

 ing tree, shorten to eight or nine inches, that is, leav- 

 ing a little more than one half, or just as the eyes may 

 be of strength. The middle growth, shorten to 12 

 or 14 inches, that is, leaving about two-thirds, or as 

 the wood may have a healthy, strong, and well filled 

 eye. The luxuriant is a kind of tree very difficult 

 to manage in warm droppy seasons, but at all risks 

 shorten to about 16 or 17 inches, that is, leaving 

 about three-fourths. 



The season to shorten last year's wood is in April, 

 and sometimes as late as May. Never shorten until 

 the tree begins to grow, that is when the sap has 

 begun to fill up the buds at the top of the tree ; this 

 is known by the buds becoming crimson, or of a rose 

 colour, and a little swelled, always choosing to cut 

 above a bud on the outside, placing the back of the 

 knife towards the centre of the tree, and cutting up- 

 wards in a slanting direction about half an inch 

 above the eye. The difference of trees with respect 

 to time of breaking their buds is a full fortnight, 

 which gives plenty of time for one person to go through 



