May.] the FRUIT-GARDEN* 385 
in greater quantities, than they can supply with a sufficiency of nour- 
ishment; and which, if suffered to remain, would not only be poor 
and miserable, but would so exhaust the trees, as to render it im- 
possible for them, to produce good and sufficient shoots, capable of 
bearing any tolerable quantity of fruit the ensuing season, or per- 
haps ever after. 
Therefore, let them now be thinned, leaving only a good, mode- 
rate, regular crop, on each tree, and the sooner it is done, the bet- 
ter, boih for the trees and remaining fruit; always leaving the best 
pliiced and most promising. 
The young fruit that are thinned off, are excellent for tarts, Sec. 
particularly the apricots, but ihe others are also very good for that 
purpose. 
Some people will consider this a very disagreeable task, both on 
account of casting away so many fruit, which they might think 
would do very well, and also, on account of the time spent in per- 
forming the work; but this is a mistake, as the loss in number, 
will be more than repaid by the size, flavour, and excellence of the 
remaining fruit; and besides, the trees will be preserved in health 
and vigour, for the production of future crops. 
This thinning should not be confined only, to wall and espalier 
trees, but ought to be extended generally, and for the same reasons, 
to all your standard peach, nectarine and apricots, but more parti- 
cularly to such as are young. 
When trees are suffered to bear a superabundant crop, the extra- 
ordinary efforts made to support their tco numerous offspring, of- 
ten so exhaust them, as to bring on diseases, of which several do 
n»t recover, at least for two or three years. 
Protecting Cherries from Birds. 
As soon as yeur cherries begin to ripen, hang up nets before the 
wall trees, and cast some over the espaliers, supporting them with 
sticks or branches at a sufficient distance to prevent the birds from 
reaching the fruit. Likewise, the casting of large nets, over stand- 
ard cherry trees, will prevent the depredations of birds. 
Cleaning the Fruit-Tree Borders. 
The borders where wall and espalier-trees grow, should be kept 
remarkably clear from weeds; for these not only appear disagree- 
able and exhaust the nourishment, but afford harbour for snails,- 
slugs, and other crawling insects, to the detriment of the fruit. 
Therefore, when weeds appear in these parts, and where there is 
room to admit of hoeing between any ci'ops that ai^e growing 
on the borders, let a sharp hoe be applied to them in a dry day, by 
which you may stop their progress; and as soon as hoed, rake off 
all the weeds and rubbish, leaving a clean smooth surface. 
3 C 
