THE GARDENER’S VEGETABLE SYSTEM 
,92 
cut off all but one, either that naturally placed at the 
termination of the branches, where room to extend 
them therewith ; or in branches very confiderably ex¬ 
tended, may occafionally prune them down to fome 
eligible lateral fhoot, to remain for a terminal to the 
branches; all the retained fhoots to be left at their 
whole length, none Shortened where room for their 
full exteniion; and let all the others, not wanted, 
fore-right, or other ill-placed Ihoots, be cut off clofe 
to the old wood, not leaving any flump or fnag to 
ftioot again; but be careful to preferve all the natural 
fruit-fpurs appearing along the fides and at the extreme 
parts of the feveral years old branches. 
Further obferve, in winter-pruning thefe trees, or 
efpecia'dy thofe of fome conliderable age, that, in the 
older branches, if any caiually become of an unfruit¬ 
ful or worn-out, declining or decayed flate, cut them 
away; retaining young to fupply the place, if necef- 
fary, cutting the improper old wood either clean out 
to the bottom, or pruned down to any good lateral 
branch properly fituated on the lower part, or may 
previoufly fore-cart to have young wood advancing be¬ 
low, between, or contiguous to any apparently, de¬ 
clining, old branches, one, two, or three years, for¬ 
warding to fruitfulnefs, ready to fupply occafional de- 
.ficiences; or alfo where any old branches are very 
croudedly too abundant or irregular, cut them out, 
or pruned agreeable to the foregoing intimations; but, 
except in the above inftances, retain always the fame 
principal branches or bearers, as long as they continue 
in a fruitful flate, furnifhed with plenty of good bear¬ 
ing fruit-fpurs, and permitted to extend at their full 
growth without Ihortening, as far astheir allottedbounds 
admit, that they may not fhoot vigoroufly in ufelefs 
xvood, but furnifh bearing-fpurs the whole length, being 
careful to preferve the faid fpurs, and only cut off fuch 
as cafually decay, or become barren or unfruitful, or 
that project too confiderably in length in a fore-right 
growth, and cut away any large, barren and old ragged 
flumps and fnags, clofe to the branches, leaving only 
the good natural fpurs; and by cutting off clofe the 
worn-out fpurs and ufelefs wood flumps, new bearing 
fpurs are often obtained in or near the fame places in 
a year or two after; and thus, agreeable to the above 
methods, thefe wall and efpalier-trees are continued 
always regular and abundantly fruitful to the longeft 
duration. 
Generally obferve, in old trees, or where it may 
feem neceffary, it is advifeable to have, in any moil 
vacant parts below, fome well-placed young wood 
trained in occafionally, to be advancing between the 
main branches, ready either for prefent fupply or for 
any future deficiency. 
Likewife obferve in this pruning, that, in cutting 
cut the unneceffary and improper Ihoots, See, and re¬ 
taining the ufeful, always cut clofe the former, not 
leaving any bottom flump or fnag, which would fhoot 
from every remaining eye the enfuing fummer, in a 
profufion of ufelefs wood; and in the requifite fupply 
of proper fhoots now retained, cut off any lateral 
twigs thereon, clofe to the main fhoots, preferving 
the whole of the latter at their full length, not fhort- 
ened, which, as in the flumps, would alfo occafion a 
production of much unneceffary wood, and retard their 
forming fruit-fpurs, for bearing; but, being conti¬ 
nued intire, will gradually emit natural fpurs at almoit 
every eye, their whole length. 
Sometimes very old Pears and Apple Trees, in 
walls, efpaliers, &c. have become almofl wholly un¬ 
fruitful by falfe pruning, all the branches covered 
with numerous large, projecting, ragged fpurs, of 
barren growth, formed by the remaining bottom parts 
of fhortened fhoots, year after year, multiplied and 
encreafed by every pruning, both rendering the trees 
very unlightly, and unprolific or bad bearers; and in 
which cafe, the only remedy is, at this pruning, to 
cut off all the largeft and molt irregular flumps clofe 
to the mother branches, and fometimes natural fpurs 
will be obtained in or near the places, gr fome of the 
molt unpromifing large, old barren branches may be 
cut away, leaving young ones to fupply their place; 
and have alfo young fhoots in training from below, 
between the old branches, which, according as the 
young advance to bearing, may be cut away by degrees; 
and the trees will thereby be gradually recovered, and 
furnilhed with a] general expanfion of proper branches 
for good bearing, being managed agreeable to the 
foregoing directions in the fummer and winter-pruning 
and training. 
Or where any old wall and efpalier-trees, &c. either 
through bad pruning or other caufe, have advanced in 
large, barren wood, or branches of a decaying or 
worn-out flate, the whole may be cut down low, to 
fhoot out in the fpring and fummer, in young wood, 
and of which to retain a general fupply of the belt re¬ 
gular fhoots, cutting away the unneceffary and impro¬ 
per, and train the others to the wall and efpalier, at 
their whole length, in the ufual manner already ex¬ 
plained ; and will thus form a fet of new branches, 
furnifhed with fpurs, for more plentiful bearing, in 
two or three years, and encreafe in abundant fruitful¬ 
nefs by degrees. 
In any old trees or others, of the wall and efpalier 
Pears and Apples, where vacancies or want of wood 
occur in any particular parts, and that no young fhoots 
arife naturally in or near the vacancy, it may fome¬ 
times be obtained by cutting a notch on the lower parts 
of any contiguous large branches, which having a 
fomewhat fimilar effeCt as ihortening, promotes the 
emiffionof fhoots in or near the cut or notched part. 
Some- 
