Of TREES, SHRUBS, PLANTS, FLOWERS, and FRUITS. 
twelve inches, or fome in particular parts; fmall fhoots 
may be pruned to three or four eyes. 
Or in trees affuming a luxuriant habit, having in 
general, or moftly, very ftrong, vigorous fhoots, as 
fometimes occur in Peaches and Neclarines, running 
moftly to wood, without furnifhing much fruit, they 
Ihould be but very moderately (hortened; fome not 
more than about one fourth, others, more luxuriant, 
not fhortened at all, or, but only topped a few inches 
down; for, in fuch vigorous trees, the more they are 
fhortened, they will fhoot with greater luxuriance, and 
never form good bearers; but by leaving the fhoots 
thicker, or more abundant, and but very moderately 
fhortened, the exuberancy of fap, or redundant nou- 
rifhment, being thereby divided amongft a greater 
number and larger extent of branches, reduces them, 
by degrees, to a more moderate habit of growth, 
adapted for fruit bearing: then may be pruned agree¬ 
able to the general method. 
Generally obferve, in pruning the Peach and Nec¬ 
tarine Trees, to retain a fufiicient fupply of proper 
fhoots in all parts, bottom, middle, and upper expan- 
fion, advancing, as it were, one under or after ano¬ 
ther, in the moft regular order, and always keep the 
lower parts, and all vacant fpaces, well fupplied. 
Likewife obferve, that as thefe trees alfo fometimes 
bear upon fmall fpurs on the two or three years wood, 
of from half an inch to an inch, or longer, they may 
generally be retained, where of a fruitful Hate, in 
being furnifhed with feveral bloffom buds. 
According as each tree is pruned, agreeable to the 
foregoing obfervations, it fhould be nailed dire&ly; in 
which, arrange the general fhoots and branches more 
or lefs horizontally, in proportion to the expanfion of 
the head; and as the allotted fpace of walling, both 
fide-ways and in height, admit, extending them equally 
to the right and left, at regular diftances, one above 
another, beginning with the lower branches firft, lay¬ 
ing them in ftraight, fo proceed with the others upwards, 
equally on both fides; or where any are irregular and 
crooked, they may be extended ftraight, by means of 
the nails, &c. in nailing, by bending the branch, lefs 
or more, up or down, as required, to have it in its 
regular pofition; for the branches fhould generally 
range in a ftraight, darting dire&ion, as it were, and 
in a parallel manner, four, to five or fix inches afun- 
der, and nailed clofe to the wall; in which generally 
place the fhreds neatly between the joints or eyes of 
the fhoots, &c. with both ends meeting even, and nail 
them accordingly. 
For nailing, thefe trees, as above, fhould be furnifhed 
with proper nails and fhreds; the nails genet "dy fliort- 
ifh and thick-pointed, that will occafionally drive 
into the bricks as well as in the joints between, and 
which may be obtained at all the iron-mongery fhops. 
at per thoufand, &c. or cheaper by weight, where 
large quantities are required; or for nailing to palings, 
thinner-pointed nails may be eligible; and for fhreds, 
have either broad-cloth lifting, winch generally rend 
down the middle, half an inch broad, or but little 
more, cut into lengths of two or three inches, for 
fmall and genera] nailing; longer for larger branches; 
or, in default of lifting, any cuttings of cloth may be 
ufed, cut to the above breadth and length, the ends 
fquare or even: never have the fhreds too long, for the 
ends to hang down loofe, which has a flovenly appear¬ 
ance. 
Having now finifhed the principal obfervations re¬ 
lating to the general culture of Peaches and NeCla- 
rir.es, fliall conclude with fonn\ further remarks with 
regard to the management of the trees when flowering 
and fruiting, and fome other effendals. 
As Peach and Ne&arine trees bloffom early in the 
fpring, when cutting, cold weather, and frofts, often 
prevail, that it is advifeable to give them occafional 
prote&ion, by covering them with mats. Sec. efpecialiy 
fome principal trees of the choicer kinds; and which 
care is neceffary principally about March or April, 
when the bloffom expands, and while the young fruit 
is fetting ; when, in frofty or very cutting weather, 
either nail up fome large mats againft the trees 
every night, or continued, occafionally, of days, when 
fharp froft and no fun; but when funny, or mild 
open weather, remove the covering; and thus conti¬ 
nued, occafionally, till the fruit is let and out of dan¬ 
ger; or, inftead of mats, or not having a fufficiency 
for the covering intended, either ufe cuttings of ever¬ 
green trees and fhrubs, as being furnifhed with the 
leaves, and flick them between the branches in a 
fpreading manner, to cover the bloffom, &c. as well 
as poffible, and to remain conftantly night and day, 
till the fruit is fet, and advanced a little in fize; or 
may ufe large, old fifhing nets, nailed up before the 
trees, to continue conftantly, as obferved of the ever¬ 
green cuttings,, both of which will break off part of 
the keen cutting effeCts of the froft; or may fometimes 
flick the trees with branches of dried fern, where at¬ 
tainable, as advifed for the ever-greens aforefaid, which 
will alfo afford fome protection to the bloffom and young 
fetting fruit; and all of which protections fhould gene¬ 
rally be continued till the crop of fruit is fet, and in- 
creafed to the fize of large peas, or middling green 
goofeberries, or nuts, and then, in the end of April, 
or beginning or middle of May, according to the fea- 
fon or advanced growth of the fruit, the coverings may 
be wholly difeontinued and removed away. 
In favourable, warm feafons, fometimes thefe trees 
fet very abundant crops of fruit, and often too many, 
or clofe together on the refpcClive fhoots, as to reejuire 
thinning; for if permitted to remain too abundantly, 
they would both prove greatly detrimental to the trees, 
fo as to draw the whole nourifhment, weaken and pre- 
D vent 
