THE GARDENER’S VEGETABLE SYSTEM 
166 
But obferve likewife in this pruning, that where 
ca fual, long-extended, old naked branches occur, not 
furniffed with proper young wood, adapted either for 
immediate bearers, or for furr.idiing fuch hereafter; 
or that any old, naked branches are fuper-abundant, 
or very irregular, o- of a bad habit of growth, this 
is now the proper time to make the neceffary regula¬ 
tion, by cutting out fuch unferviceable old wood, ei¬ 
ther fome to their origin, if it feems expedient, and 
there is contiguous young weed to fupply their places, 
where required; or otherwife, pruned down, more or 
lefs, either to fome good, drong lateral (hoots, that 
are eligibly fituated thereon, or to any convenient, 
younger mother branch, or former bearer, proceeding 
from the lower parts of the old, and is furnifhed with 
one, or more, proper Ihoots, forbearing; and hereby 
have young wood in conftant fupplies, in all parts of 
the trees, advancing, in regular order, quite from the 
bottom and middle, to the extremities at top and^fides. 
It is material, in performing this pruning, generally 
to leave, or contrive, in cutting, to have a good young 
fhoot to terminate the extreme part of the general 
branches, one to each, either fuch as is naturally fitu¬ 
ated at or near the extremity, or when none of eli¬ 
gible growth is thus naturally placed, and that, when 
©ccafion to cut away fome unferviceable or extended 
parts of the branches, they Ihould be pruned down to 
a proper fhoot, to become a terminal or leader to the 
branch, not, where it can be avoided, to diorten any 
branch fo as to terminate in a naked flump in the old 
wood, but generally to have a terminal fhoot, as 
above, leaving principally but one, as a leader to each 
branch; for a leading or terminal fhoot is efTentially 
neceffary, both in being conformable to the ways of 
nature, and to the good appearance and regular 
growth of the trees, as well as being of much advan¬ 
tage in drawing proper nourifhment to the fruit in 
its advancing growth. 
Obferve further, in this general pruning, that, in 
cutting out the fuper-abundant and imp-oper flioots, 
and retaining the proper fupply, and that when necef¬ 
fary to leave two or more Ihoots on particular parent 
branches, or former bearers, it is advifeable, where 
convenient, to have them on oppofite fides, in alter¬ 
nate order, at fome eligible dillance, one above the 
other; though, as this may not always be practicable, 
and that fometimes the (hoots proper to retain, will 
happen both, or all on one fide, in which h is not very 
material, only by being on different fidesof the branch, 
as above, they generally admit of being trained with 
greater regularity to the wall, conformable to the re- 
quifite, regular difplay of the general expanfion. 
As you proceed in the general regulation, agreeable 
to the foiegoing obfervations, in cutting out the unne- 
ceffary and improper wood, and retaining the necef- 
fary fupplies of the bed young (hoots of lad dimmer, 
it is proper now, in the winter-pruning, as before ob- 
ferved, to fhorten mod of the (aid (hoots moderate! ■/, 
that by cutting off the weak, infirm, top part, they may 
more effectually furnifh fupplies of young wood the 
enfuing year, properly fituated for fuccelfion bearers 
the year after, as formerly explained, generally per¬ 
forming the fhortening as you advance in the general 
pruning, cutting the middling (hoots about one third, 
the dronger ones nearly the fame, in proportion to 
their length; and the moderate or fmall (hoots may 
occafionally be cut a little more than thofe of dronger 
growth; and generally obferve, that in drong-fhoot- 
ing trees it is proper to leave the (hoots longer than 
thofe of a more moderate or weakly date, or generally 
cut below the weak, fappy, upper part, or autumnal 
production. 
But in the general (hortening it mud be remarked, 
that where you prune principally for fruit, be careful, 
in (hortening, not to cut below all the bloffom-buds, 
where they appear, or areexpeCledto advance, difeoven¬ 
dible, by their round, turgid, or fwelling appearance; 
the wood-buds being oblong and thin; and (hould ge¬ 
nerally perform the (hortening with a floping-cut up¬ 
ward, juft behind, and a little above a (hoot-bud, to 
furnifh a terminal (hoot, for a leader, next fummer, 
to draw the nouridunent to the fruit more effectually in 
its advancing growth. 
Or, in (hortening in particular trees, where neceffary 
to prune fome (hoots principally to furnifh wood to 
fupply vacant parts, they may be cut (horter than ad- 
vifed above in the general (hoots, which are defigned 
for bearers; and, on which occafion, fome may be 
cut to one half, or from five or fix, to eight, ten, or 
twelve inches, according to their ftrength, cutting 
the fmaller or moderate (hoots (horter, in proportion, 
than the dronger ones, in the particular parts of the 
tree, where it may feem neceffary, whereby to have 
them more effectually produce the defired fupply of 
lateral (hoots the enfuing fummer, to furnifh the va¬ 
cancies ; or fometimes fmall (hoots on the lower parts 
of the old branches, where additional fupplies of new 
wood may appear requifite, may be cut to two, three, 
or four eyes, that they may furnifh two or more (hoots 
of dronger growth, to train in between the mother 
branches, either to ferve prefent occafions, or as a 
referve to be ready to fupply the places of cafual, de¬ 
cayed, or any worn-out, or old, unferviceable wood 
hereafter; and tiius may always have young branches 
advancing between the old ready, quite from the 
bottom, middle, &c. both for prefent bearers, and to 
furnidi others in proper fuccefiion in ail parts of the 
trees, advancing in regular gradation. 
It mud likewife be obferved in the winter-pruning, 
that where any trees are of coniiderable, luxuriant 
growth, having generally drong, vigorous (hoots, 
running 
