TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



the reft for a fupply of fruit till thofe which are cut begin to 

 bear; this will be in the fecond or third year. 



When trees are in a very bad condition, they fhould be cut 

 in a partial manner, taking off the worft branches fir ft, par- 

 ticularly thofe in the middle of the tree, always cutting as 

 near to the graft as poftible ; or every other branch may at 

 firft be taken out, leaving the reft to bear ; by which means 

 there wiil be a fupply of fruit while the other parts of the 

 tree are renovating. It fhould be remembered, however, that 

 all the cankered bark muft be cut off without lofs of time ; 

 otherwife the new wood will be infected. 



Old trees thus headed down will fometimes throw out very 

 ftrong and vigorous fhoots, which it may be neceflary to top, 

 as it will caufe them to throw out fide-fhoots, and foon fill up 

 the wall with fine bearing wood ; but they fhould never be 

 fuffered to have any foreright fpurs, except little dugs. The 

 topping fhould be done in the beginning of June, which will 

 caufe the tree to produce fine bearing wood for the next year. 

 Thofe trees muft be pruned in March following, fhortening 

 the fhoots from fifteen to fix inches, but according to their 

 ftrength„ always leaving the ftrongeft fhoots longeft. 



Wherever the knife has been ufed, the compofition muft be 

 immediately applied. 



After the fall of the leaf, it will be proper to nnnail the 

 young fhoots, leaving only a few to prevent the tree from 

 being broken by the wind. By this method they will be more 

 expofed to the fun and air, which will ripen and harden the 

 wood much more fpeedily than if they be left nailed. 



I have a great diflike to Autumnal pruning of fruit trees ; 

 c>f all kinds of ftone-fruit in particular ; for by pruning at that 



feafon 



