540 
manner as hath been directed for Peaches, &c.) which will cause them to produce some lateral 
branches to supply those places; and during the growing season, all fore-right shoots should be dis¬ 
placed, and such as are to remain must be regularly trained in to the wall or espalier, which will 
not only render them beautiful, but also give to each part of the trees an equal advantage of sun 
and air; and hereby the fruit will be always kept in a ductile growing state, which they seldom are 
when overshaded with shoots some part of the season, and then suddenly exposed to the air, by 
taking off, or training those branches in their proper position. 
With thus carefully going over these trees in the growing season, there will be but little work to 
do to them in winter; for when the branches are shortened, the fruit is cut away, and the number 
of shoots increased; for whenever a branch is shortened, there are commonly two or more shoots 
produced from the eyes immediately below the cut; so that by thus unskilfully pruning, many per¬ 
sons crowd their trees with branches, and thereby render what little fruit the trees produce, very 
small and ill-tasted; which is very commonly found in too many gardens, where the manager, per¬ 
haps, thinks himself a complete master of his business; for nothing is more common than to see 
every branch of a fruit-tree pass the discipline of the knife, however disagreeable it be to several 
sorts of fruits. And it is common to see these trees planted at the distance of fourteen or sixteen 
feet, so that the walls are in a few years covered with branches; and then all the shoots are cut and 
mangled with the knife, so as to appear like a stumped hedge, and produce little fruit; therefore the 
only way to have Plum-trees in good order, is to give them room, and extend their branches at 
full length. 
Genus 33 . Punic a. Pomegranate Tree. 
Species 1 . Commoii Pomegranate Tree . (Punica Granatum.) 
Vide our account of this tree, last Section, p. 413. 
CULTURE. 
The flowers of this tree always proceed from the extremity of the branches which are produced 
the same year. This therefore directs, that all weak branches of the former year should be cut out, 
and that the stronger should be shortened in proportion to their strength, in order to obtain new 
shoots in every part of the tree. The branches may be laid in against the wall about four or five 
inches asunder; for, as their leaves are small, there is not a necessity of allowing them a greater 
distance. The best time for this work is about Michaelmas, or a little later, according to the mild¬ 
ness of the season, for if they are left until spring before they are pruned, they seldom put out their 
shoots so early, and the earlier they come out, the sooner the flowers will appear, which is of great 
consequence where fruit is desired. In summer they will require no other dressing, but to cut off 
all vigorous shoots which grow from the wall, and never produce flowers (for it is the middling 
shoots only which are fruitful); and when the fruit is formed, the branches on which they grow 
should be fastened to the wall to support them, otherwise the weight of the fruit, when grown large, 
will be apt to break them down. 
Though, as I said before, the fruit of this tree seldom arrives to any perfection in this country, 
so as to render it valuable; yet, for the beauty of its scarlet-coloured flowers, together with the 
variety of its fruit, there should be one tree planted in every good garden, since the culture is not 
great which they require; the chief care is to plant them upon a rich strong soil, and in a warm 
