32 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



thofe trees, in general, are fo weak that they have not ftrength 

 to bear good fruit. The third year, if care be taken°to 

 manage the trees properly in fu miner,, you may bring them 

 into a bearing ftate. If the ground be ftrong, they will grow- 

 very vigoroufly ; in that cafe, you muft pinch all the ftrong 

 fhoots about the month of June, which will make them throw 

 out fide- fhoots ; thefe, if not laid-in too thick, will make fine 

 bearing wood for the fucceeding year. If you fuller the 

 ftrong fhoots to grow to their full length, they will be large 

 and fpongy, and will neither produce fruit nor good wood 

 for the following year. Weak fhoots fhould never be nailed,, 

 although they may be full of bloflbm, as they never bear good 

 fruit. Sometimes weakly trees are covered over with bio (Torn ; 

 but if too much fruit be fuffered to remain on them, they will 

 be weakened fo much that they will never recover. In that 

 cafe, I would recommend picking off the greater part of the 

 fruit, to let the tree recover its ftrength. When you prune 

 trees in the above ftate, obferve never to prune at a fingle 

 flower-bud ; if you do, you will be fure to kill the ilioot ; or, 

 at leaft, it will die as far as the next wood-bud. [See Plate ILL 

 f% 2.] 



On obferving, you will find fome fhoots, and fometimes 

 whole trees, with nothing but ftngle flower-buds. Thefe forts 

 of fhoots fhould be laid-in at full length. Always obferve the 

 next branch that has got fome wood-buds, and cut them 

 clofe, that they may produce fine wood to fupply the place of 

 thofe that have only flower-buds, which may be cut out next 

 year. 



When Peaches come into a bearing ftate, you will, in 

 general, fee two flower-buds clofe together ; if you look be- 

 tween thefe flower-buds, you will fee what is called a wood- 

 bud % 



