Of TREES, SHRUBS, PLANTS 
regularity, in order to have plenty to chufe from in 
the principal winter pruning, both for increafe of 
wood, where wanted, and very abundantly for next 
year’s bearers, in all parts of the trees; cutting out 
clofe all the ill-placed productions; and let the fupply 
of retained lhoots be nailed in clofe and regular to the 
wall, all at their full length, never lhortened, neither 
in fummer or winter-pruning, in thefe trees, for the 
reafons before given; or in cal'ual vacant fpaces, where 
additional fupplies of wood is necelfary, may pinch or 
prune the tops of contiguous lhoots of the year, early 
in June, to a few eyes or buds, to obtain laterals the 
fame feafon to furnilh the vacancy; but, except in 
this particular, continue the general lhoots indi e, and 
according as they extend in their fummer’s growth, 
nail them along regular, and keep the whole trained 
clofe, to admit the beneficial influence of the fun, air. 
See. to promote the growth of the prefent fruit, to 
ripen in proper feafon with a rich flavour. 
The maturity of the fruit is principally in Auguff 
and September, when having acquired full fize, they 
change from green to their refpedlive colours of 
white, blue, purple, black, &c. become foft, the Ikin, 
or outer cover, thin, and loofe at the end next the 
italk; and at which tokens cf mature ripenefs they 
Ihould be gathered while in good perfection. 
In autumn, when the fruit is all gathered, and the 
leaves of the trees are fallen, in Odlober or November, 
it will generally be obferved, that many green fruit, 
quarter or half grown, remain on the branches, which 
being the after production in the lhoots o e the year, 
and which never attain perfection in this country, 
Ihou'd be pulled off, and then all the projecting lhoots 
ihould be nailed up clofe to the wall, that they may 
remain more fecure from being injured by feve.re 
frolt, to have a proper abundance, in found condition, 
to chufe from in winter-pruning, to train in for next 
year’s bearers; or in rigorous frofts, if fome principal 
trees are either defended with large thick mats, or the 
branches un-nailed from the wall, fattened down low 
to flakes, and covered thick with ftraw litter, it will 
more effectually protect the lhoots; but in mild wea¬ 
ther remove all the covering. 
The winter-pruning of Figs comprifes a general 
regulation, both in the young wood and older branch¬ 
es; and which operation may be proceeded in either 
in autumn, after the decay of the leaves, or deferred 
till fpring, the latter of which is rather molt advife- 
able, on account, that as the lhoots, in their peculiar 
fucculent nature, are liable, in fevere winters, to be 
many of them killed, or greatly damaged, by the froft ; 
and tha't if the trees are pruned in autumn, or begin¬ 
ning of winter, cutting out the fuperabundant, and 
leaving only what are necelfary to furnilh the tree in 
regular order for bearers, and rigorous frofts fuccecd 
the operation, and kill or injure moll of the retained 
FLOWERS, and FRUITS. Sj 
lhoots, there is no refource for more that year, to make 
good the deficiency ; but by leaving the whole till the 
end of winter, or early part of fpring, February, or 
beginning of March, there is greater chance, out of 
the whole, to find enough that have efcaped the de¬ 
predations of the froft, for training to the wall in dif¬ 
fident fupply for bearing the fruit the enfuing year 
in full crops. 
Thus, agreeable to thefe intimations, proceeding to 
the operation of winter-pruning, and in which obferve, 
that having advifed in fummer to lay in abundant fup¬ 
plies of young wood to have plenty to chufe from in 
this pruning, thefe will now probably require thinning 
more or lefs, cutting out the worft or moft unpromifmg, 
leaving a fufficier.cy of the bell in all parts ; and at 
the fame time to prune out part of the old bearers and 
naked branches to make room for the fucceflive bear¬ 
ing wood, as explained below in the general parti¬ 
culars. 
Obferve, previous to this pruning, it is proper to’ 
un-nail all the young lhoots, and moil of the fmaller 
brandies ; then, proceeding to the bulinefs, be careful 
to feleCl, for bearing, and occafional fupplies of wood, 
the moll robuft, Ihort-jointed, firm lhoots, of mode¬ 
rate length, and that are bell placed on the ficies and 
at the termination of the mother branches,, to be left 
in all parts from trie bottom to the top, and utmoll 
extent of the tree, for training in, fix or eight inches 
afunder ; and from which prune away the fuperfluous, 
with all weak and improper lhoots, fore-right and 
others ill-placed, cutting them clofe to whence they 
proceed or originate, together with part of the former 
bearers, to admit of proper room for the fucceflion 
fupply, as above obferved ; either fome cut clean out 
to their origin, or others pruned down to fome eligible 
young fhoot lituated thereon, as it may frem proper, 
according to circumftances in different parts of the 
tree; likewife cafual, long, naked, old branches, ex¬ 
tended a confiderable length, and not furnilhed with 
lateral young wood, or that the faid wood is lituated 
principally only at the extremity, ihould be retrenched, 
or cut down either to the bottom, or to fome conveni¬ 
ent lower Ihoot or young branch it may fupport, this 
then terminating the reduced old branch ; and in the 
general pruning, always contrive every mother branch 
to terminate in a young Ihoot; either naturally fituated 
at the end, or where any particular branch is extended 
confiderably, it may be pruned down to an eligible Ihoot 
to remain for a leader, continuing all the retained lhoots 
inrire, and to be trained at their whole length to the. 
wall. 
As foon as one tree is pruned, nail the whole regu¬ 
larly to the wall, arranging the lhoots and branches ho¬ 
rizontally, fix or eight inches djftance, extended ftraight, 
and equally on both fides of the tree. 
Where 
