MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. m 



Efpaliers: Dwarf Standards can be kept to what fee you 

 pleafe ; they look much handfomer than Efpaliers, and pro- 

 duce a greater quantity of fruit. 



On pruning and refloring old and decayed Plum-Trees-. 



I have reftored Plum-trees, fome of which were fo far de- 

 cayed as to have only from one to two or three inches of bark 

 left ; they are now completely filled up with found wood, 

 with large heads, which at four years growth filled a wait 

 fixteen feet high, and are at this time full of fine fruit ; fome 

 of the Hems are feveral inches in circumference, bearing tre- 

 ble the crops produced by young trees that have been planted 

 three times as long as they have been headed down. 



Where the trunks are become hollow, I always cut out all 

 the loofe rotten parts, and alfo examine the roots, cutting 

 off what is rotten, injured, or decayed. This method mould 

 be purfued with all hollow and decayed trees ; and, if pro- 

 perly executed, they may be fo completely filled up, as 

 fcarcely to leave a mark behind, even where the wood is to- 

 tally decayed. 



I have had fhoots from Plum-trees which have been headed, 

 that have grown upwards of feven feet long, and as large as 

 a walking-flick, in one fummer ; this mould never be fuf- 

 fered ; but they mould be pinched off with the finger and 

 thumb, in the beginning of June, clofe to an eye or a bud ; 

 unlefs the wall be filled to the top ; in which cafe they mould 

 never be cut while they continue to bear handfome fruit. Be- 

 fore they begin to ceafe from bearing, you mufl always begin 

 with fhortening every other moot, leaving them only from 

 fix inches to a foot long, and' nail them in till the fecond 



