THE FRUIT GARDEN 



403 



M A Y. 



THINNING WALL-FRUITS. 



The thinning of fruits, when they set too thickly on the 

 trees, is a very important branch of fruit-tree culture, and it 

 cannot be denied, that it is by many too little attended to. 

 That all sorts of fruits would be benefited by being properly 

 thinned is evident; even the most common gooseberry and 

 sti-awberry would be increased, both in size and flavor, how 

 much more so, then, peaches, nectarines, grapes, and apricots; 

 and, although seldom practised, plums, cherries, and apples, 

 would be improved by the process. In favorable seasons, 

 peaches, nectarines, and apricots, set in clusters upon the trees, 

 and, if not removed, would push one another ofF; but this 

 natural effort would much exhaust the trees ; it is better, there- 

 fore, to commence the operation of thinning soon after these 

 fruits are set, and it should be performed with a pair of sharp- 

 pointed scissars, thinning out those that are most crowded, 

 and reducing each cluster of fruit, or where they are set so 

 thick as to touch one another, to a reasonable extent. This ope- 

 ration, however, must not be completed at this early period, 

 as circumstances may occur, of which we have no fore-know- 

 ledge, that may cause a great portion of the crop to drop off ; 

 reserving for future thinnings in June, and, in some cases, a 

 final thinning in the beginning of July. As a general prin- 

 ciple to be kept in view at each thinning, the largest and best- 

 formed fruit, and such as are most favorably placed, should 

 be retained ; all others should be taken off', unless upon such 

 shoots, or parts of the tree, where the crop may be less abund- 

 ant. In such cases, a few of the less handsome fruit may be 

 left, "which will improve, as they advance towards perfection. 

 On healthy and fully established trees, the crop should be left 

 in a greater quantity ; but upon sickly and newly-planted ones, 

 and upon sickly or weak shoots, even of healthy trees, ihcy 

 should be thinned to a greater extent. No general rule can 



