1 
THE GARDENER’S VEGETABLE SYSTEM 
2 + 
generally, for this bufinefs, have afmall,narrow-pointed 
pruning-knife, that it may be admitted readily between 
the finall clifts or forkings of the branches, having a 
larger knife for cutting out large, ftubborn wood. 
Then proceeding to the operation, feledUng a pro¬ 
per fupply of the laft fummer’s young (hoots, for the 
following year’s bearing wood, to retain in all parts of 
the tree, for laying in four to five or fix inches diftance ; 
chuftngthe bed, moderately-ftrong, well-placed (hoots, 
lituatcd principally on the upper and under fide of the 
mother branches; and from which cut out the fuper- 
abundancy, with any fore-right, and others not well- 
placed for training with regularity; as alfo weak twigs 
andcafual, rank luxuriants, cutting the whole clofetothe 
old wood ; at the fame time, to prune out a proportional 
part of the laft year’s and other former bearers, cut 
down either to the firft moft eligible young (hoot fitu- 
ated thereon, or fome quite out to their origin, as it 
may feem expedient, according to the fupply of proper 
young wood in particular parts, and to make room for 
the requiftte fupply in general; likewife, for the fame 
occafion, in old trees, cutout cafual, old, nakedbranch- 
es, advanced of fome confiderable length, unfurnilhed 
with any eligible fupply of young, bearing wood, or not 
fupporting branches fupplied therewith, cutting them 
down either to their origin or to fome younger and more 
fruitful branch, where any is fituated on the lower 
part thereof, and hereby making room for training 
contiguous branches fupporting young wood for bear¬ 
ing ; and, as you proceed, (horten the retained (hoots, 
more or lefs, about one third, or fmall ones, half; and 
diveft them of all lateral twigs, to have all the main 
ffroots clear andfingle; obferving if any particular, very 
luxuriant (hoots occur, cut them out, or if, in or near 
vacant fpaces, one or more of which may be retained 
and (hortened, to produce laterals of more moderate 
growth to fupply the deficiencies. 
Obferve in this pruning, that as the young wood, 
now proper to retain for bearers the enfuing feafon, is 
produced principally upon the bearers of laft year, or 
on the two years branches, having probably two, three, 
or more (hoots on each; and as it may now be neceftary 
to retain on fome branches but one, others two, or more, 
as the cafe may require, lhall here endeavour to explain 
it as well as poflible; in which examining what may 
be proper, and how many neceftary to retain, or leave 
on the particular or different branches or former 
bearers, that if the uppermoft (hoot, and only one ap¬ 
pears neceftary to remain, cut away all thofe below on 
the faid branch; or if the lowermoft or middle (hoot may 
feem moft eligible to continue, cut down the upper part 
of the branch and (hoots thereon, to the continuing 
(hoot, cutting alfo away any (hoot below this on the fame 
.branen; or it two or more (hoots, on particular branches, 
appear requiftte to be retained, either the lower and 
uppermoft, or fuch as may appear moft: favourable for 
thepurpofe, prune out any intervening (hoots, or others^ 
above or below; and if any part of the refpe&ive 
branches extends above the uppermoft (hoot proper 
to retain thereon, cut that part of the branch clofe 
to the faid (hoot, fo as every branch may terminate in 
a good (hoot for a leader; or any particular branches 
having but one (hoot, there is no choice ; this, if ne- 
ceflary, muft be retained either fituated naturally at 
the termination of the branch, or if in the lower part, 
prune down the branch to the faid (hoot, both for a 
terminal thereto and for bearing as the others; all 
which (horten more or lefs, as formerly advifed ; and 
where they have any lateral orftde-twigs, thefe (hould 
be cut clean off to their origin. 
Further obferve, that as you proceed in the above 
pruning and retaining the propdr (hoots for bearing, 
as it is moftly advifeable to (horten the faid (hoots, 
more or lefs, it (hould be performed as you go on; 
for, as before noticed, the (hortening the (hoots of 
thefe trees in winter-pruning is neceftary, whereby 
to have them produce more effectually a fupply of fu¬ 
ture bearing (hoots from their lower parts, next 
fpring and fummer, which otherwife would rife moftly 
above, and leave the bottom naked; therefore, prune 
each (hoot according to its ftrength, and that of the 
trees, leaving the ftrong (hoots longeft, the others in 
proportion, or generally pruning the ftronger (hoots 
about one third or fourth of their natural length; as 
for inftance, a ftrong (hoot of two feet may be cut to 
fifteen or eighteen inches, and in proportion to others 
of ftronger growth; the more moderate or weak 
(hoots, may be cut about one third, or near half their 
length; and generally obferving, agreeable to thofe 
intimations, that in ftrong, healthy trees, to leave^the 
(hoots longer than in thofe of a more weakly ftate; and 
in all of which, commonly perform the cut (loping be¬ 
hind, and a little above a (hoot-bud, to advance for a 
terminal leader. 
Obferving, however, in the operation of (hortening, 
that where you prune principally for fruit, not to cut 
below all the bloffom buds, eafily diftingui(hed by 
their round, turgid, or (welling appearance, and ge¬ 
nerally cut either to a (hoot-bud, difcoverable from the 
others, by being more oblong and thinner, fometimes 
placed diftindl, or fometimes at the fame eye with a 
bloftom-bud, or prune to a twin bloffom, or where 
two flower buds are at the fame eye, and which often 
furnifhes a (hoot-bud between them for a leader; for 
it is effentia! that each bearer have a leading terminal 
(hoot produced in fummer, to draw nourifhment to 
the fruit. 
But where neceftary to pruneparticular (hoots, prin¬ 
cipally to furnifh wood for fupplying vacancies, they 
may be cut (horter than intimated in the above general 
direftions, for the bearing (hoots, and without paying 
any particular regard to the bloffom buds; fo, accord¬ 
ing to their ftrength, may be cut to fix, eight, ten, or 
twelve 
