28 THE FRUIT GARDEN. [Jan. 
young wood appears necessary, select and retain some best-placed 
proper shoots of last summer accordingly, either to furnish any 
present vacancy, or to train in between the main branches where it 
may seem expedient, in order to be advancing to a bearing state, 
ready to supply any apparent future occasion; but in the rnorella 
particularly, above mentioned, retain always a general supply for 
principal bearers: (see November:) and prune out all irregular and 
superabundant shoots close to the mother branches; and if casual 
worn-out or decayed old unfruitful branches occur let them now be 
cut out, retaining young wood of proper growth, &c. to supply their 
place; preserving also, in all vacant spaces, a supply of the best 
young shoots at their natural length, as above advised, and a lead- 
ing one to each branch; being careful to preserve all the short na- 
tural fruit spurs, and cut away close any remaining naked stumps 
of former shortened shoots: then, as soon as a tree is thus pruned, 
proceed to train in all the proper shoots and branches to the wall, 
or espalier, at their full length, as aforesaid, at the above men- 
tioned distances: and all those thus treated will, in two or three 
years time, send out many short shoots, or fruit-spurs, about half an 
inch or an inch in length; and from these spurs the fruit is always 
produced. 
These spurs generally appear first toward the upper part, or 
that which was once the superior part of the one, two and three 
years old branches; and if shortening was to be practised, those 
parts would consequently be cut away where the blossom-buds 
would have otherwise first made their appearance. Therefore, in 
the course of pruning apple, pear, plum, and cherry trees, never 
shorten or top the young shoots that are left for a supply of bear- 
ing wood, nor any of the bearing branches, if there is room to extend 
them; and they will thus all gradually form themselves into a plen- 
tiful bearing state. 
But if shortening was generally practised to these kinds of fruit- 
trees, as is the case with many pruners, it would prove their mani- 
fest destruction in regard to preventing their fruitfulness: for, in 
the places where fruit-buds would otherwise naturally appear, there 
would advance nothing but strong wood shoots; so that the trees 
would be continually crowded with useless and unfruitful wood. 
When, however, there is at any time a supply of wood wanted, 
then shortening particular shoots may be proper, as observed above 
for the apples and pears. 
General Observations in Pruning all the above Trees. 
I observed above, that shortening the branches of apple, pear, 
plum, and cherry trees, was not proper in the general course of 
pruning; it, however, in some particular cases, is most necessary; 
for which take the following hints: 
For example, when the trees, for walls and espaliers particularly, 
are about one year old from the budding or grafting, either in the 
nursery, or newly planted against walls or espaliers, with their first 
shoot immediately from the budding or grafting, at full length, it 
