.^>«/«^'. iv*;/^ v^vc;.., . • ti ^M"^' ^-^ ^o-V- :;P «1* ■ .<* 0. .^ ■ . ;.^.-.;.^: ■^ JCibrar^, N THE CUSTODY OF TME BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY. SHELF N? Jadams ^fy^^ )^^>^^^ ^^a^^^-z^;;? TREATISE OF F R U I T-T R E E a By THOMAS HITT, Gardener to the Right Honourable Lord ROBERT MANNERS, at Bloxholme, in Lincolnfhire. The SECOND EDITION. LONDON: Printed for the AUTHO R; And Sold by T. Osborne and J. Shift on, in Gray's-Inn; and J. Richardson, in Pater-Noiter-Row. MDCCLVII. s *.lMM8 2.^0,9" PREFACE. I AM apprehenfive this treatlfe will meet with the fate of many others; that is, of being defpifed by fome readers : for which reafon, I think it ne- ceflary to make an apology, which, I hope, will obtain for It a more favourable reception than it might otherwife meet with. And let me excufe myfelf to my Bro^ ther-Gardeneis, thofe who are well ac- quainted with the nature of Fruit-trees, left they fhould think me like that cele- brated prize-fighter who was always ready to take up a weapon againft any perfon that durft encounter with him 3 but I do not prefume to a6l in this manner, nor did I write with thefe vain expeclations of being inftru6live to all Gardeners ; and yet, I am hopeful, it will be of fervice to fuch young ones as are defirous to improve themfelves. This publication was occa- fioned and promoted by feveral gentlemen who like to fpend fome time in their gar- dens, and would gladly be enabled to judge if their Fruit-trees are properly pruned, or not ', many of them declared to me that A 2 they iv P R E F A C E. they thought the employment extremely pleafant in temperate weather, and fhould like to do many things themfelves, could they be certain their labour would be pro- perly applied. I, indeed, thought my fchool- education too najTow for fuch an under- taking, but my friends perfuaded me, that polite expreilions were not expefted in fuch a performance ^ and therefore, I flatter myfelf its rude flile will be excufed by the learned reader. I HAVE Ihewn by copper-plates the fliapes that I train the feveral forts of Fruit-trees to ; and have likewife given rules for the doing of it. Some of my words were changed by the Correftor of the Prefs, for others he thought more clear and pro- per.: but 1 have carefully examined every iliect, in time of printing, and declare, that my methods of ordering Fruit-trees are juilly publifhed, without either refei-ve or addition, which v/as the thing defired by my friends, v/ho niuft know what fuccefs hath attended my practice. I HAVE net given any account what cli- mate the feveral kinds of fruits were ori- ginally brought from ; for that is known to the learned, and is not wanted by others. In PREFACE. V In the defcription of fruits, I have omit- ed moft of their foreign names, and only mentioned thofe they are moft commonly called, and are heft known by in England ; and, as to their time of ripening, that is adapted to the prefent ftile, as is likewife all other parts of the work relating to time. The catalogue of fruits is not indeed fo large as fome others ; but it contains a fufficient number of good forts for any fmall garden. The defcriptions of their fhapes, colours, 6cc. I have not copied from other authors, but drawn them faith- fully from the feveral fruits in perfection. Almost all the forts are nov/ under my care, atBloxholmeinLincolnfhire, the feat of the right honourable lord Robert Man- ners : and at Beivoir-Caftie, there was in the time of my apprenticefhip at that place, a greater number of good forts than thofe I have mentioned ; the greateft part of them having been fent from abroad by the right honourable the earl of Stair to iiis late grace the duke of Rutland, and im- . proved by his prefent grace, by adding other new and good forts, when they were to be met v.'ith. The greateil part of my time I have had the honour to be a fer- vant vi PREFACE. vant to fome of that noble family, who arc all fo willing to encourage a perfon who defires to improve his knowledge, that they never defire he fhould be fo confined to la- bour, as to prevent his making proper ob- fervations on the works of nature. I now enjoy the like happinefs under his grace's brothers, by having the gardens of the right honourable lord Robert and Charles Man- ners committed to my care, under the di- reftien of the right honourable lord James Manners, who has mofl: leifure-time to fpend that way, and is v^ry curious in his obfervations. They are all exceeding good matters 5 for, I receive all the encourage- ment that one in my flation can reafon- ably expeft, and as much as I deferve. It may be proper to obferve to my rea- ders, that fruits do not ripen every year in the fame months -, for fometimes they are fourteen days earlier, fometimes as much later than the times I have mentioned ; as appears by my memorandums for the years paft. Nor muft they be expe6led to ripen in all parts of England alike, for foils and climates make a confiderable dif- ference ; for example, I have known, in about two degrees difference of latitude, that PREFACE. vii riiat there has been a week's difference in the ripening of fruit. As the fruits ripen in one climate ear- lier than another, the feafons for pruning ^luft vary accordingly -, fo the times I have mentioned for v/orks to be done are very proper for the latitude of 54 deg. north ; becaufe my praftice has chiefly been within twenty miles of Newark upon Trent, and I have wrote according to obfervations made in that climate. For after 1 left the right honourable lord Robert Sutton, of Kelham (where I had been fixteen years) I refided moft commonly in Lincolnfhire, or Nottinghamfhire ; and before I ferved my lord at Bloxholme, I was employed by feveral noblemen and gentlemen in New wor^ks, and fometimes in dreffing or giving direftions to their gardeners, for the order- ing of old Fruit-trees. But I found the lat- ter praftice difagreeable to thefe gardeners ; which caufed me to refufe meddling with any others but thofe of my own planting. : After having made that refolution, I was defired, by my friends, to write upon the whole management of Fruit-trees, both old and young 3 with the nature of plant- ing and ordering them. To encourage 6 nie viii PREFACE. me to this undertaking, I had fubfcriptions from many noblemen, gentlemen and ladies : and now I return every one my moft hum- ble thanks for the honour they did me. I am convinced my labour will be of fervice to thofe who follow all the rules ; but it muft not be expefted that old trees will bear more fruit the firll year after pruning than they did before ; an improvement, how- ever, may be vifible to any curious and impartial obfervcr. Though the young wood procured by proper pruning will bear the firft year in many kinds of trees ; yet in others it will not till it be two or three yeax^s old, as I have mentioned in the rules for pruning. Neither can a tree be much helped by mere cutting, unlefs the roots and borders in which they grow be ufed as directed ; which work I ar.i afraid will be neglefted by feveral practitioners, who defpife books, and take a pleafure in rendering them ufe* lefs to others J but there are many young men who love to read for the fake of im- provement, and to fvich, I hope this vv^ork will be ferviceable, A TREATISE OF FRUIT-TREES. CHAP. I* Observations on Soils proper fo4 Fruit-Trees* WHAT I fhall advance conax?A.!g foils proper for fruit-trees is not a bare hypothecs, but founded on various experiments I have made, both upon old and new planted trees, with good fuccefs. The foils in which I have found moft kinds of fruit-trees to thrive and bear beft, are either of a red, black, brown^ or grey colour, of a ftrong nature, more inclining to clay than fand, to the depth of two feeti if more, not the worfej not B having 2 A TREATISE OF having either a fharp fand or fprings be- neath, but either a rock, marlc, or a ftrong clay, if it be tolerable dry. The ibhd particles of clay are the fmall- eft of any fort of foil : fo that in clay there is much matter and but little fpace. It re- tains moifture longer than fand, whofe folid parts are much larger, as well as the ipaces betwixt them : through which too great a quantity of the faline juices quickly defcend, and the lighteft parts of them are eafily attraded by the fun's rays, by which in the fummer the furface becomes too foon dry. Clay, though it retains moifture longer, yet when 'tis very dry i§JVnc%j)paft a body, that neither rain nor watering can eafily penetrate it, but remain upon or near the furface in fum- mer till attrafted by the fun, or carried off by the winds, and but little defcends to the roots of vegetables : nor can the roots extend themfelves fo eafily in clay, as in foils more open and porous. There- fore, as fand gives room for the roots to extend themfelves, and clay retains proper Juices for them to abforb, a mixture is bet- ter than either of them alone. Any FRUIT-TREES. g Any foil too wet is improper for fruit- trees, whether they are planted again fl: walls, or are efpaliers, dwarfs, or ftand- ards. Cherry-trees are often killed by it, and apples, pears, &c. are covered with mofs, the extreme parts of their branches are cankered and die, and the fruit, if they bear any, is fmall and ill tafted. Peaches, neftarlnes, and apricots, are very much hurt by it, and the trees if they live produce a fpungy wood fubjecft to blights, and unhealthy, and the fruit, if any, are infipid. Vines and figs require a drier foil than any of thefe before mentioned ; and I fhall in another place fhew how to pre- pare it. CHAP. II. Draining of Soils. CLAY, or any wet foil, may be Improv- ed by draining; in order to which, for wall-trees, trenches maybe made, about half a yard wide at the bottom, and one foot deeper than the borders are made, clofe by the edge of the walks adjoining ; thefe B 2 trenches 4 A TREATISE OF trenches being filled up within about half a yard of the top of the border, with . either fmall ftones, pieces of bricks, faggots of black thorns, broom, or Hng, &c. and covered with earth even v/ith the other part of the border, will be a means to keep it dry. I have kQTi trenches made clofe by the w^alls, in order to drain land, but they an- fwered not the end ^ for they were not of a fufficient depth, neither could they be made deeper, without weakening the foun- dation : and as thefe trenches were fo fhal- low, the roots of the trees are apt to ftrike . into them, which, being in winter generally filled with a Iharp running, and at other times in fome parts with a cold ftagnant water (their bottoms not being made with a due defcent) greatly injured the trees, and fometimes killed them. For, having an opportunity of feeing a tree that was dead, where thefe trenches were made, 1 examined the roots, and found the extreme parts of them covered with iharp fand ; from whence I conclud- ed, that the aforefaid waters occafioned its death. To FRUIT-TREES. ^ To prevent water from ftanding In the trenches or drains, they ought to be made with as much defcent as poffible towards that part of the ground which is loweft : and if a garden be walled in and levelled, before this is thought on, the lands on the out-fide muft be examined, to find which is loweft, and if there be any commion water-courfe, the drains muft point to- wards it, and if the ganrden be not levelled, it muft be fo laid out as to be above it, other wife the drains will be of no fer- yice. In gardens, upon land of this fort, it will be proper to have feveral of the firft mentioned drains, whether they are plea- fure grounds, kitchen gardens, or orchards j for all lands that are very wet in the win- ter, are not fit to walk upon, neither for plea- fure nor bufinefs 3 befides they lofe much of •their faline juices 3 and if they be clay, are fubjeft (if the feafon is dry in the fpring) to fet very hard, v/hereby the ground be- comes unfit for the reception of feeds and plants. After land Is drained in the manner be- fore direSledj at the time of making the B 3 borders. 5 A TREATISE OF borders, either for wall-trees, dwarfs, or cfpaliers, a mixture of earth ought to be made for them, no lefs than two feet deep. CHAP. III. Making of Borders for Peaches, Nectarines, Pears, Plums, Cherries, &c. IF the land be a ftrong clay, take fea fand, if it may be eafily had, if not, any other fand that is neareft, and about one iixth of the quantity of coal afhes, that have been kept very dry ; riddle them, but not too fine : for if fome of the larger parts be left, they will difunite the tough body of clay, and make it more open and tender, and the finer parts that are more burnt will add more falts to it. But if allies cannot be had, take about a twelfth part as much lime as fand. About a third part of the depth of the bor- ders ought to be of thefe ingredients ; and in trenching the borders, there mull be a layer of thefe, and a layer of the natural foil, from the bottom to their furfacq, in the ^bove proportion i but they ought to be FRUIT-TREES/ 7 be turned over twice at leaft before plant- ing, in order to mix them the better. If the foil of borders is mixt with large pebbles, they muft be picked out, and may be of ufe (though othcrwife hurtful) to lay in the drains* And as this kind of land is generally of a loofe fandy nature, it muft be mixt with fomething more ftrong and binding, which is clay, the tougheft that can be got, and neareft. If it be taken from the fides of ditches, whofe foil is naturally a clay, or from ditches in which there is fometimes a current of water falling from tillage fields of that kind of foil, and there leaves its fediment, it will be as good as any. At the bottom of the borders lay this clay fix inches thick throughout, it will prevent the moifture from running off too faft in the fummer, as it is apt to do from open fandy ground, efpecially where there are drains made as before direfted; then to each cart-load of clay add three pecks of pigeon dung, or Hme, or five of foot, and mix them with a quantity of the natu- ral foil equal to half of them : if coal or wood aflies are made ufe of inftead of B 4 footj 8 A TREATISE OF foot, they muft be made very fine, other-.^ wife they will open this fort of land too much ', befides, the finer they are made, the more falts they add to it. But where fandy lands are dry, the draining part muft be omitted 3 and the other ingredients only are to be made ufe of. It may be faid, that trees will grow well upon fandy land, without any improve- ment : I grant they will : but they are not fo long lived, being more fubjeft to blights, and the fruit is both fmaller, and of a worfe tafte, than thofe upon ftronger ground inclining to clay. If land defigned for a garden is either hard rock or creach, and lies within the depth ^vhich the borders ought to be, let it be picked up and fkreened to take out the ftones 3 which will be of fervice when laid under grafs or gravel walks 5 as they will be drier and lefs fubjeft to worm fprouts. Then as you find the land, after fkreening, either light or ftrong, add to it one of the ]piixtures v\'hich you fee it wants, according (o the former directions, to bring it to a proper depth, and a foil more inclining to FRUIT. TREES. 9 to clay than fand, with a covering of fti ong clay at the bottom fix inches thick. If the land be frefh and proper for fjTuit-trees, yet it ought to be trenched as deep as others -, and if towards the top there be ufed a fmall quantity of the in- gredients mentioned before for the enrich- ing of foils, it will be of good fervice ; for it mufl be noted, that in making the tren- ches, the worft part of the foil will be up- permoft. If borders are to be planted with trees where others have grown before, the depth and quality of the foil mufl be examined, and if it be deep enough, and of a proper mixture of fand and clay, then it only re- quires trenching with the former addition of lime or foot, &c, which will be a better border than if the cold earth had been taken out, and frefh laid in without lime, &c. and alfo much cheaper. In borders thus prepared to fix feet wide or more (though 'tis proper to make the borders as wide as the walls are high) I have known all kinds of fruit-trees pro- fper well and bear excellent fruit, except vines and figs. CHAP. 10 A TREATISE OP CHAR IV, On making of Borders for Vines and Figs. '"jn HOUGH vines and figs will grow X well on thofe borders before men- tioned, yet their fruit is not fo good as on thofe growing in a drier foil. For at Belvoir caftle, a feat belonging to his Grace the Duke of Rutland, there was a vine which bore a white mafcadine grape, growing out of the ftony foundation of a wall, without any other roots than what were fixt therein (for the border was taken away from the fame wall in a Hoping manner many years before I faw it) and this vine produced better fruit, and earlier ripe, than any other of the fame kind in thefe gardens, except thofe planted againfl the flove walls. Fig-trees (as I have ex- perienced) profper and bear bed when planted in a dry foil, with a rock near the furface. Therefore in trenching tlie borders for vines or fig-trees, the natural foil may be mixt v/ith riibbifli, as lime fcraps, fmall pieces FRUIT-TREES. if pieces of bricks, &c. for a foot deep in the bottom, or more ; but if the land be of a creachy fort, the lime fcraps, pieces of bricks, &c. need not be ufed, but may be trenched with only the fame quantity of foot, &c. added as in others. In trenching of all borders, the roots of corn-bind, common thiftle, and all other weeds whofe roots ftrike deep into the earth, mufl be carefully pickt out ; but the roots of couch-grafs, &c. which float near the furface, may be buried in the bottom of the trenches, which will deflroy them with- out any further trouble* When thefe or any borders arefiiil made, they fliould be raifed three or four inches higher than the height they are defigned to be afterwards ^ for, in a year s time, they will fettle fo many inches or more 5 and thofe that are ten feet broad, let them lie defcending from the wall fix inches, and others in proportion to their breadth. Note, where borders are made for vines only, four feet will be broad enough. In feme fituations there is a white earth called marie, which has the fame effect as foot, but muft be ufed in larger quantities; this 12 A TREATISE OF this earth is very fine and foft, and if mixt with water has a fait tafte. If the former ingredients cannot be ea- fily procured, then burnt clay may be ufed in a double quantity to that required of afhes J and mixt with the earth, for bor^ ders, as other manures. C H A P. V. Of Burning of Clay for the Improvemetit of Land. TH E turf muft be taken oft from a piece of clay-ground, about two in- ches thick, with a breaft-plough, and be reared up or turned till dry, then laid in heaps with faggots of furz or ling under them, in order to burn them j when they are red through with fire, throw upon each heap a barrow full of earth taken from ant-hills, pond-bank^, or any other place wdiere it may be beft fpared. Sometimes it happens that the clay laid on the fires is burnt into lumps, in fuch cafe it muft be beaten veiy fmall with flails before it is ufed in borders. Per- FRUIT-TREES. 13 Perhaps it may be thought by fome, that taking off the turf and burning it will fpoil much land ; but the quantity pared will on- ly be about twice as much as the borders contain -, and for the reparation of the land thus pared, there may be taken from the places where the fires were made the depth of two inches of earth, which, with a fmall part of the afhes fpread over the other parts of the ground, will m.ake amends for the lofs of turf; and if it is ploughed and fown with corn or turnips, and, after the crops are taken off, it be laid down with proper grafs feeds, it will not be worfe for meadow, or pafturing, than it was before paring. 'Tis manifeft that fire has a wonderful effect upon land; for when it is burnt, by way of improvement, either to fow with corn, rape-feed, or turnips, if all the afhes be clean taken away,and part of the earth, from the places where the fires were made, yet thefe places may be eafily diftinguilhed, by the crops growing much ftronger upon them, and are of a darker green than the other parts, v^here the afiies were fpread ; which ihews that thefe places are more fer- tile than the reft of the ground ; and there- fore H A TREATISE OF fore 'tis plain, that land Is improved by fire only, without the afties made of the turf. CHAP. Vh Shewing the different effefts of Dung, frefh Earth, and Saks, ufed in Borders for Fruit-Trees, and other Places* I Doubt not but that it will be faid by many, that frefh earth, and rotten ma- nure, are both cheaper and better for fruit- trees than what I recommend j but every reafonable perfon will acknowledge, that the carriage of eaith for the whole border will exceed the expence of the mixtures I have advifed: and whoever obferves the efFecl of both, will find the frefh earth and rotten dung not fo good for fruit-trees as the other; efpecially for peaches and ne£larines > tho' they will make fhoots as large or larger, yet not fuch healthy ones, nor fuch as wiU bear fo early ; for, being fed from foils too wateiy (as this generally is) their upper parts are very porous, which the honey-dew adheres clofely to, and either kills or damages thofe parts that would other- FRUIT-TREES. 15 otherwife have bloffomed the next fpring j and the lower parts of the branches have very long jomts, and but few buds j and thofe there are of a fhape too flat for bloflbming. But when trees grow in a dry foil (mixt as before direfted) their young branches will be found healthy at their upper ends, with fuch buds as are of a fort fit for bloflbming 5 and the lower parts will be able to convey fap from the roots to fup- port them. The quantity of lime, afhes, foot, &c. muft not be greater than what I have men- tioned ; for as they are ferviceable to ve- getables when uled in a proper quantity, fo are they likewife deftruclive when ufed in too large a quantity, or when they are not well mixt with moift earth to dilute their falts, and bring them to a fit texture for the roots of trees to receive, without cutting or renting their pores, which they will do if applied too grofsly, either to the roots, leaves, or branches; for the falts in thofe ingredients have angular particles, (even like very fevere froft) which renders the veflels of plants incapable of retaining juice 76 A TREATISE OF juices proper for their nourilhment ; for want of which many plants die, and then *tis thought that fuch fait manures are too hot : but it may with as good reafon be imagined that froft is too hot, for both are deftruftive in the fame manner, i. e. by cutting and lacerating the veflels* To fhew an acquaintance of mine the effefts and advantages of fait properly ap^ plied to vegetables, I made the following experiment, in an extreme dry fummer, upon a bare piece of pafture land, out of which the cattle were all taken for want of grafs. I markt four places with ftakes, each of which I watered nine nights fuc- ceffively in the following manner: the firfl: with fpring water alone, to the quan*- tity of a gallon; the fecond with the fame quantity of water, adding an ounce of common fait ; the third and fourth with the fame quantity, mixing the water in the thii'd place with two ounces of fait 5 and that in the fourth with three ounces, which produced the following different effefts. The grafs in the fecond place grew more, and of a darker green, than that in I the FRUIT-TREES. 17 the firft , in the third it only grew by fpots, for part of it was killed where the great- eft quantity of water fell 5 and the fourth was quite brown for a greater compafs than the third : by which it appeared, that an ounce of fait in a gallon of water had a better effeft than the water had alone ; and that three ounces of fait mixt with a gallon of water was more than the grafs could immediately receive -, but the fourth place in the enfaing fpring was the mofl fertile of them all, which, v/as ov/ing to the winter 'sL moifture diluting the falts. I {hewed him alfo in the fame dry feafon, a heap of afiies where weeds had fome fmall time before been burnt, which v/as much moifter in a morning by the dews than the foil near it, and continued fo longer in the day : upon v/hich he thought and declared, that auies were neither hot nor dry, but of qualities quite contrary 5 and that fait was of great fervice to land, how dry foever, as appeared by the com- mon fait and wat.^' ufed as belcre men- tioned. If what I have advanced with rcirard to falts, &c. appears not reafoiiable to fome C penons. i8 A TREATISE OF perfons, I fhall not contend with them, but leave them to their own opinions ; only defire, that they will inform me of what fervice the frefh earth is to trees, any far- ther than by the falts therein contained, which it has at various times received from the excrements of cattle long pafturing upon its furface, the fahne particles of which, defcending to the roots of the grafs, render the earth more fertile, and for that reafon is frequently made choice of for fruit-trees. It has been evidently proved by Dr. Keil, that the growth of a tree very little leffens the weight of the earth in which it grew; v/hich difference of weight is purely owing to the greater quantity of falts contained in the earth when the tree was planted, than at the time of taking it up. For admit the tree be taken up and burnt to charcoal (in doing which a great part of its watery particles evaporate, and fome of the nneft faline parts) and the cliarcoal buriu to afhes, in the afhes there Will be contained a large quantity of falts, which may be made apparent by pourin-g water upon ihcrn, araining it fr4)m them^. and FRUIT-TREES. 19 and then boiling it to leflen the quantity ^ after which the fait may be eafily difcover- ed by its tafte, and if it be feparated from the water and reduced to powder, its weight will not be much lefs than the difference between the weight of the earth when the tree was planted, and the weight thereof when it was taken up. But fome difference muft be reasonably expe6led ; for there is a fait found in foot, and confequently part of its weight Is car- ried off by fmoke, whofe heavieft parts form that body, and the lighteft are mere watery ; fo that, after the plant is burnt and confumed in manner aforefaid, there are no marks of earth remainiiig:. C 2 . C II A I ^o A TREATISE OF CHAP. VIL Of the feveral forts of Fruit-Trees de- figned for each Wall, in the i ft Plate. IF the walls are twelve feet high, there, are fpaces allowed for the feveral kinds of trees, proportionable to their natural growth. That is, for a pear-tree grafted upon a free ftock (or pear ftock) to have 200 faperficial feet of walling. A pear on a quince ftock, an apple on a paradife ftock, an apricot, an almond, a plum, or cherry of the ftrongeft kinds, a mulberry, and a fig, to have each of them 150 fuperficial feet of walling. A peach, a neftarine, a morello cherry, the barran dam, and fmall May cherry, to have each of them 120 feet of fuperficial walling. The wall A A, a fouth-eaft afpecH:. From E to F. 1. Mafcaline apricot. 2. White fweet water grape. 3. Bruxels apricot. 4. White fwect water grape. 5. Orar.gc, -4^'^ C 3 From Plate I kf H /Ov;,v.:. --.--'a -1^-^::.;^;-. |.".M. ^ •'■'• '.• ". ' .'. -^1 t 1 1 1 ! ; ijj M 9 ii Zt -'-%: i 2^ ^iz^^^SlS :xx: ^^Stil, , \^ ^^ :^ jy <- <»' -^js' »»--t.H-C'v.'^t'b''^ ■^M^^^^SM^ n^rv> bt^r fd,.v Ills ^i V £2:^i^f^x^x^iyi^s^ I Mill .^ re lo 5o 4-0 -ic TTy^^ffmyi .ft -^^^ ^^.j^s. 74. Marquis I 75. Virgole j C 4 Fi'om 24 A TREATISE OF From I to K. 7^* ?Colmar's 78. Winter roufelet pears 79. Bergamot btige >on free 80. E after bergamot ftocks. 81 ) o '}• Winter Bonchretien 82.) 83. Chamontel on a quince ftock The wall C C, a north-weft afpe^l:. From K to K. 84.] OA I ft ' VMorello cherries. 88.1 89.J ^ '> Late duke cherries. 92. A black mulberry. 93. Le Befi d'Hery? baking pears on 94. Cadillac ^ free ftocks. ^6 r^^g^^'-^'^* bonum phims. From FRUI T-TREES. From L to M. 25 Green damafcene I "^■(imperial 97 98 v^PIums. '(Orleans 102.5 104.5 ^ J^ 105. The large white *] with a fhort ftalk | 106. Marfeilles >Figs- 107. Genoa I 108. Vernifingue j The wall D D, a north-eaft afpeft. From M to N. 109. Hanover 1 10. Cyprian 111. Precoce de Tours 112. Drap dor 113. Italian damaflc 114. La royal 115. Green gauge 116. Blue perdrigon 1 1 7. Verdoc 118. Maitre Glaude From Figs, >PIums/ 26 ATREATISEOF From O to E. 119. Rein Claude 1 120. Red Spanifh damafk | 121. St. Julian >Plums. 122. St. Catherine j 123. Imperatrice J 1 24. Petit mufcat pear on a quince ftock 125. Small May \ 126. May duke 1^, . 127. Harrifon's duke/ 128. Carnation j The number of trees againft each wall. lApri. THeWallAAJ 6 Cher, ries. Figs. Mul- ber. Neft. arines 8 Pea- ches. 16 Pears plyms Vines 29 BB 6 13 5 CC 8 4 I 2 10 DD 4 2 I 13 6 !X2 6 I T 22 16 23 34 CHAP. FRUIT-TREES. 27 CHAP. VIII. Of the Fruit-trees defigned for Efpaliers round the quarters. ON the borders P and Q^I do not pro- pofe any efpaliers -, for the quarter W is intended for a melon ground ; and ought to be well fheltered, either by a wall, or reed hedge. The borders marked R to be planted with apple-trees upon paradife flocks, at 14 feet apart, of the following kinds : I The Margaret apple. I The fummer fcarlet pearmain. 6 Golden pippins. I The drap d or. 1 Kirton or crackt pippin. 2 Aromatick ruffets. 1 Wheeler's ruffet. 2 Royal ruffets. I French or grey rennet. 6 Nonpareils. I Red calvil. J UApi. 24 The 28 A TREATISE OF The borders marked S to be planted with pear-trees upon quince flocks at 14 feet apart. I Petit mufcat, I Mufcat Robert. I Citron de Camiis. I Early roufelet. I Jargonelle. - I Rofe pear. I Rofe water. 1 Summer bergamy. 2 Royal Orange bergamies. I De Robin. I Mufked Bon Chretien. I La Caffolette. I Summer Bon Chretien. I La Brute Bonne. I La Poir de mon Dieu. I Diene, or the dean's pear. I RedBuree. 3 Autumn bergamies. 3 Grey burees. I UEpine d'Hyver. 1 Ambret. 2 Creffan's. 2 Marquis. 2 Winter Burees. JT The F R U I T-T R E E S. 29 The borders marked T to be planted with cherries, at 14 feet apart. 4 May dukes. 4 Kentifhes. 2 Luke wards, 2 Black caroons. i White heart, 1 Black heart. 2 Barran dams. 2 Late dukes. 78" The Borders UU to be planted with vines, at 8 feet apart. 4 White fweet waters. 4 White mufcadines. 4 Currant clufters. i~ As the quarters VV V aredefigned for afparagus, and artichokes, there are no borders propofed round them, by reafon fruit-trees would be too much fhaded. The border marked X to be planted with plum-trees, at 14 feet apart. 6 Green gauges. 2 Qi^i sen mothers. 2 Orleans. 10 30 A T RE AT IS E OF The border Y to be planted with 5 cor- nehan cherry-trees, at 10 feet apart. The border Y Y to be planted with fig-trees, at 14 feet apart. 2 Dwarfs. 1 Minion. I Marfeilles. 4 The border Z to be planted with 5 black mulberries, at 14 feet apart. The border marked &. to be planted with fi.lberds and large nuts, at 14 feet apart, 21 in number. The other borders that are not marked, to be planted with currants, and goofe- berries, at 10 feet apart: they will contain about 140 in number. 12 Trees at the centers of the quarters are defigned : 4 Almonds. 4 Medlars. 4 Quinces. The whole number of trees round the quarters are as below : 24 Apples. 23 Cherries. 4 i^igs- 5* Mai- FRUIT-TREES. 31 5 Mulberries. 3 2 Pears. 10 Plums. 12 Vines. 140 Currants and Goofeberries, In the quarters. ^ ' 4 Almonds. 4 Medlars. 4 Quinces. CHAP. IX. Of, Fruit-Trees proper for Walls that have different Afpe6ls from thofe in the Plan. AN infinite number of afpecls may be imagined : but I don't think it material to make any alteration in the kinds of fruit-trees, for thofe afpeds that are in the fame quarter. For any afpeft from eaft to fouth, the fame kinds of trees are proper as a.e adapt- ed for the wall AA, which has a fourh- eaft afpeft. From fouth to well, the fame as for the wall BB, v/hich has a fouth-wcft aiped. Fiom 32 A TREATISE OF, From weft to north, the fame as for the wall CC, which has a north- weft afpeft ; and for any one betwixt north and eaft, the fame as for the wall DD, whofe afpeft is north-eaft. CHAP. X. Of Afpecls, and Situations, proper for Fruit-Trees, and a Kitchen-Garden. WHERE ground defigned for a gar- den is not already limited, there may be an opportunity of chufing afpefts. As to the figure of a garden, I think none is more proper than a geometrical fquare, or an oblong, fet out in fuch a manner^ that each wall may have as much benefit of the fun as poffible. I have, in plate the firft, given a plan of a ftnall kitchen-garden, containing only two acres, with a chart affixed, by which the afpe6l of each wall is demonftrated -, and if fuch a fituation may be had, it would be proper to lay out the ground defcending from the fouth-weft fide, i. e. from A to C in the plan, by which means feveral ve- getables F R U i T-T R E E S* 33 getables will come to maturity fooner than thofe that are fet or fowed in ground quite flat, or defcending any other way. It appears by the meridian line, that the fun's rays continue no longer upon the wall A than three in the afternoon, which I think is the moft proper a(pe6r for grapes, peaches, ne6tarines> and all other kinds of fruit that require the moft regular heat to bring them to perfe£lion, and fooa- eft to maturity -, for though the fun leaves this wall, i. e. A, fo foon in the afternoon, yet in the morning this afpe6l will be of advantage to the trees and fruit ^ for (as apricots, peaches, neftarmes, bloffom early in the fpring, at which time our climate is frequently attended with frofty nights, deftruflive of both blolfoms and fruit) the fun's rays darting in lines at right angles upon the wall at nine o'clock, di& folve the congealed moifture much fooner, than if they darted upon it at right angles at noon, which they muft confequently do, if the wall ftands due fouth. 'Tis true a fouth wall will receive more fun by three hours, that is, from about three in the afternoon till near fix, (in the D vernal 34 A TREATISE OF vernal equinox) but that Is no great advan- tage, for before that time of the day the air will be fufficiently warmed. Befides, if the wall is built full fouth, it will not be fo proper for fruit-trees as a fouth-eaft afpe6t ; for in the middle of the day, the fun will caufe the trees to exhale their juices faller than their roots can ab- forb them, which wdll render the fruit fmaller, and the pulp harder, and worfe flavoured, than thofe which receive the heat more regular. The w^all B receives the fun about nine o'clock, which is a proper fituation for fome ofthebeft kinds of winter pears, and which they well deferve ; for they afford fine juices and rich flavours, when other fruits of the fame quality are wanting. Some kinds of grapes, peaches, and nec- tarines will ripen well againft it ; and this has one equal advantage with the other wall A, viz. of the fun s rays fl:riking ob- liquely upon it at noon. The wall C receives but little fun, for it fhines not upon it till three in the after- noon 5 but it may ferve for fruits which ripea fruit-trees, 5^ ripen in fummer, as cherries, plums, and fome kinds of pears. The wall D has the benefit of the fun no longer than nine o'clock ; but may be fuitable for fuch kinds of fruits as are adapted for it. CHAP. XL Building of Walls after the cheapeft and beft manner, with the Diftance each Tree fhould have, THOUGH our Englifli climate is not fo warm as fome others, yet, with fome expence and induftry, the nobi- lity and gentry may have their tables fur- nifhed with good fruits, every month in the year i and with many kinds that are brought from more fouthern chmates, as grapes, figs, peaches, neftarines, apricots, and the beft kinds of pears, and plums, by prepar- ing foils proper for them, and applying their tender branches to walls, as well for their fupport againft winds, (which are apt to break them) as the advantages they D 2 receive 36 A TREATISE OF receive from the refle6led heat, which will bring fuch fruits to perfeftion. It may perhaps be alledged, that the building of walls is very expenfive. I grant it is the greateft expence that attends the making a fmall garden -, yet as no other fence is fo good either againft man, or beaft, and no other method fo proper for the produftion of good fruits, the lovers of fuch will readily difpenfe with the charge. But if a new plantation of fruit-trees, or kitchen-garden, is intended to be in- clofed with walls, the bricklayer ought by all means to be fubjeft to the direction of him who is to make and plant the fame, for feveral reafons and advantages un- known to the builder, by which the ex- pence will not be fo great to the owner, as when walls are built before a ftrift fur- vey is made of the ground, the levels taken, and the nature of the foil carefully examin- ed : for I have known' land inclofed with walls for a garden before the ground- maker had been confulted, in which much labour and materials were unneceffarily fpent FRUIT-TREES. 37 fpent in their foundations, with little ad- vantage to the trees ; and much more earth than was needful being removed, greatly increafcd the expence of the work. Where the limits of a piece of land are already fixt, and there is no opportunity of placing the wails to better advantage, (as to aipe6l) than what the boundaries have, in fuch fituations the rifmgs and fallings of the ground are to be obferved, and the levels for the walls fet out in fuch a manner as may occafion the leaft earth to be removed. The courfes of the bricks ought to be parallel to the furface of the borders, and walks; though 'tis beft to make the bor- ders about twelve inches higher than the other ground or quarters at firft, and fix inches above the walks, an'd bottom of the door- ways, for in a kitchen-garden the quarters will from time to time be raifed with manure ; and was not this precaution taken, the walks would become the loweft part of the ground, which would render them too foft for the weight of a wheel- barrow in winter, and the borders toe moift for the trees to live or thrive w^ell in. D 3 If 38 A TREATISE OF If the ground naturally lies defcending, it the borders next the walls likewife lie defcending; and if Ibme parts are rnuch fteeper than others, a flope in the border and wall may be made to anfwer them , by this means there will be lefs earth to be re^ moved, than if the walls were made either horizontal or defcending. If the ground inclofed is intended only for pleafure, the Hopes, if planted with proper flirubs, will appear more beautiful ; and in a kitchen-garden, if they defcend towards the eafl; or fouth^ will be fit places to fet feveral kinds of vegetables in, as JDeans, peafe, $cc. which wijl be earlier ripe by far than thofe which are fet in a flat quarter : and I have known ftandard vines planted on fuch decHvities, whofe fruit has ripened well. After the levels of the borders are fixt, preparation muft be made for building the walls in the befl: and ftrongeil manner, to prevent their leaning or falling, which are generally the efFe£ls of a too fliallow foun- dation. In building walls for fruit-trees, it fhould bv confidered v/hat fpace of wall each tree will FRUIT-TREES. 39 will fill when come to its full growth : 200 fquare feet of wall fhould be allowed to a pear-tree of the moft vigorous growth, upon a free flock, and 1 50 to thofe upon quince flocks ; and the fame for apricots, or almonds, and feme of the largeft cherry and plum-trees 3 other kinds of cherries, and plums lefs vigorous, fliould have 120 feetfquare allowed them, and the like fpace for peaches and neftarines. When the fpaces of wall defigned for each tree are known, at the extremities of fuch fpaces pillars fliould be eredled, from which arches may be fprung, whofe crown or top ought to be level with the furface of the border, and the trench in which they fland three feet lower 5 their length and breadth in proportion to the flrength of the foil : if the foil be a ftrong clay, or rock, a fquare of two feet for the bafe of each pillar will be fuflicient, but if it be a loofe earth or fand four feet fquare at the bafe will be required, and fhould have a floor of oak or elm planks made faft to joifls of the fame timber, (yew, could it bt had, would be better) to fix the mafonry upon. D 4 There 40 A TREATISE OF There needs no centre made with boards for turning thefe arches, for the earth may be troflden or rammed dovvm hard between pillar and pillar, and then pared away elliptically. In plate the fecond, there are given both plan and upright of a wall of this kind, which makes the method more in- telligible 5 and plainly fhews, that not one half of the materials is funk in fuch a foundation, as in one built wholly with brick or ftone. I have lately feen fome walls built for inclofing a kitchen-garden, where fome part of the ground whereon the walls were built, Vv^as nine or ten feet lower than the furface of the defigned borders ; thefe walls were carried up from the bottom of thofe low places with brick- work without arches: but had the method which I have propofed been made ufe of, much labour and ex» pence would have been faved. But if afhes, elms, or other forefl-trees, grov/ near the outfide, it may be objefted, that their roots will grow thro' thefe arches, and greatly impoverifh the border -, but to prevent their roots from paffing through a FRUIT-TREES. 41 a wall of a brick in breadth may be made from the bottom to the top of fuch ar- ches. Tho' where the lands adjoining are not planted with trees, thefe arches will be of great advantage to the trees in tht -arden, for they will extend their roots through them, and have double the quantity of foil to colleft proper juices from. I have feen fome walls ftuck with tiles projefting, called horizontal fhelters ; fome built with large pillars, and others with curves : all thefe are attended with evils of one kind or other; for the horizontal flickers are great receptacles of noxious infefts, particularly of the fmall green and variegated caterpillars, &c. which leave their eggs there to be hatched by the heat of the fun the enfuing fpring, and then become very deftru6live to fruit, by eating both the leaves and bloffoms of the apple, pear, &c. and even the buds before they are unfolded. Thefe infefts alfo devour the leaves of the apricot, cherry, and plum, and eat deeply into their fruits when grown to a good fize -, fo that they perifh and drop off the trees. Thefe fhelters are like- wife 42 A TREATISE OF wife very prejudicial to both fruit and branches, by depriving them of the de- fending dews, from which they imbibe great nourifhment. The large pillars laft mentioned have al- moft the fame ill effefts; befides, they fhade the rays of the fun from the trees part of the day, more or lefs in proportion to their fize. Tho* walls built with curves have in calm feafons the benefit of more heat than others ; yet in windy weather, the winds from fome point or other rebounding from fide to fide, break and deftroy the tender branches and bloflbms of trees, whereby they are much more injured than the heat reflected from one wall to the other can be of advantage to them. I have found by experience, that walls built ftraight and upon arches, as mention- ed before, are preferable to all others, hav- ing a coping which projefts about two inches to flioot off the rain, in order to preferve the wall. In fome places, where proper Hones were not to be had, I have known plaifter ufed for this purpofe, being caft in moulds about three feet in length, fix inches FRUIT-TREES. 43 inches deep in the middle, and three inches deep on each edge, which when it was fet and come to a proper degree of hardnefs, was laid upon the wall, and anfwered the end very well. There is likewife made by Mr. Henry Graves, jun. of Newark upon Trent, in Nottinghamfliire, artificial ftones for this and other ufes ; the ingredients are chiefly lime, plaifter, and fand, and are much cheaper than ftones brought from far diftant places. But it muft be obferved that the plaifter-copings will fwell when new ; {o that there ought to be a fpace of about an inch left between each length, otherwife they will not lie clofe to the walls. All kinds of copings ought to have a hollow made from one end to the other, with a gowge, or any inftrument of that fort, on the under-fide, about half an inch deep, and as much from the edge thereof; for without this hollow, when they proje6t only two inches, the water will fometimes follow the underfide of the coping, and difcharge itfelf down the walls, by which they are decayed when froft: immediately ienfues. As 44 A TREATISE OF As to the iieight of walls, it may be made at the pleafure of the owner ; but I think ' betwixt nine and twelve feet above ground is fufhcient for any kmd of fruit-trees ; for the diftance allowed from tree to tree is before fixt, in proportion to the height of the wall. The thicknefs of walls ought to be in proportion to their height, and one of tv/elve feet high ought to have two bricks in length to the height of eight feet, and from eight to twelve feet high, a brick and half in thicknefs, to prevent the wall from being too heavy at the top. CHAP. XIL . Obfervations on Stocks in general. WHAT ftock is moft proper for each kind of fruit, ought as well to be confidercd and known, as what foil is moft fuitable to trees ; for on thefe two things the future vigour of trees, and the goodnefs of fruit, equally depend. The beft way for thofe who intend to plant, is to raife their own flocks, by which they will be 3 better FRUIT-TREES. 45 better aflured of what they do 5 but if they buy their trees of nurferymen, they fhould diligently inquire upon what flocks they were propagated. For flocks are in fome meafure a fort of foil to the kinds of trees raifed on themi as every part of a tree, let it be ever fo minute, forms its root upon the parts below. Thus the tafles of fruit may be improved by proper flocks (and which are proper I fliall fhew hereafter) as well as by proper foils. Perhaps it may be the opinion of fome that all juices are changed by the pores of veffels through which they pafs, and that all trees propagated upon any flocks what- foever will equally produce good fruit, ad- mit their growth is healthful and flrong j but if they will give themfelves the trouble to examine this point carefully, and with- out prejudice, they will find as confiderable a difference (with refpeft to fruit) between flocks as between foils. Their opinion indeed has fome fhew of reafon in it ; for as the apricot, almond, peach, and neclarine, are generally budded upon plum-flocks, yet bear fruit of their own kind, which fhews that juices are changed 46 A TREATISE OF changed by paffing through a fmall budi and the little quantity of rind joined to It (the compafs of both which is feldom above an inch in length, and the breadth about a fourth part thereof) yet if diffe- rent juices be applied, the tafte of the fruit will be different : I fhall give an in- flance of this in the nonpareil, viz. If one tree of this kind be planted in a wet clay foil, and another in a loam properly dry, and both propagated upon the fame kind of flock, and from one and the fame branch, they will yield fruits very different from each other, both in fize and good- nefs. On the other hand, if two nonpareil branches are grafted, the one upon a para- dife ftock, the other upon a crab, and both planted in the fame foil and fituation, that upon the crab flock will produce fruit fo four and ill tafled, in comparifon to the fruit of the other, that if a perfon fhould tafle them both in the dark, he could not imagine them to be the fame fruit, I have ken very great difference between the fruit of thefe trees, when one was grafted upon a paradife, and the other uponi fruit-trees, 47 upon a codling ftock; for tho' the juices were fo far changed by palling through the buds and pores of nonpareil branches, as to produce fruit alike in fhape, yet their taftes were different, and fomewhat refembled the tafte of that fruit which the flocks would have naturally produced. The juices of the crab and codling are known to be very acid, but the juice of the natural fruit of the paradife is fweet. This inflance (though I could give many more both in vegetable and animal life) I hope will fufKciently fhew how necefTary it is to have regard to the choice of flocks ; of whofe proper forts, for different kinds of fruit, I fhall treat in their order. I have omitted the method of grafting and budding, becaufe it has been already treat- ed of by many, and is well known and per- formed by mofl gentlemen who delight in gardening, as well as by the nurferymen. CHAP. 4^ A TREATISE OF CHAP. XIIL ^ Of Stocks proper for Apricots^ AS moft kinds of apricots, when fully ripe, have no very agreeable tafte to a nice palate, for they are neither truly melting nor breaking, but rather too fweet and mealy j fo when they are budded up- on any kind of plum flocks which have that fort of juice, their fruit becomes more mealy and fweet than that of thofe which were budded upon flocks whofe juices were more acid. The flocks upon which I have found the apricot to profper befl, and yield the m.oft palatable fruit, are the common red wheat plums ; they have a tart tafle, and are flocks tolerably free from gum and fuckers, and may be raifed from flones or layers. I have fometimes thought (though I never tried it) that the Orleans flocks would make an improvement in the apri* cot, if they were budded clofe to the ground ; otherwife they will be fubje6l to gum, as old branches in that kind of tree are; FRU IT-TREES. 49 are : I can't recommend any other fort of ftock, be the trees defigned for walls, efpa- liers or dwarf ftandards. CHAP. XIV. Of Stocks proper for Almonds, with the earlieft way of bringing the trees to bear. Single bloffomed almonds, with fweet kernels, will produce fruit, either if they are planted againft walls, or are ftand- ards, and are proper plants for the mix- tures generally made in the quarters of a large wildernefs, or in bofquets of fhrubs on extenfive lawns ; they make a beautiful appearance early in the fpring, by the abundance of their pale red coloured flow- ers, and bear fruit very plentifully without much trouble. They may be propagated by budding on the mufcle or common red wheat plum, or raifed from ftones ; tho' they bear not fo early this laft way : but if a branch from one of the young plants raifed from ftones, be budded on the fame ftock, it will fooner E pro- 50 A TREATISE OP produce fruit, both in thefe and any other trees 5 becauie at the place of inoculation, it gives a curved (hape to the capillary vefiels, by which the fpeedy motion of the fap is retarded : for when the vefTels are more ftraight, the fap, by its afcending motion, is hurried faft to the extreme parts of the principal branches, and there fpends itfelf in flioots and leaves ; but when its motion is flower, as it is when the veflels are more circular, by grafting or inocula- tion) then the collateral buds receive a greater quantity of fap, and are prepared for blolloms, or with fuch fhoots as natu- rally produce them, being lefs vigorous than the principal or upright fhoots are. They that have leifure to make experiments, in order to raife new kinds of fruits, may, by taking a bud from a branch of any of their feedlings, and inoculating it upon its own flem, (or any other) as foonas 'tis ca- pable of receiving one; and, with due man- agement, they will fee the fruit of their la- bour much fooner than any other way, CHAP. FRUIT-TREES, 51 CHAP. XV. Of Stocks proper for Apples, THERE are feveral forts made ufe of ; as thofe raifed from crabs and apple kernels, from layers of the codling, paradife, and creeper apple-tree : I don't well know what fort of fruit the laft bears ; but trees which I have known propagated upon them are of an extreme flow growth, and may therefore very juftly be called dwarfs. It would be tedious here to point out what ftock is proper for each tree that may be planted in a garden ; for which reafon I fhall only lay down a few rules with re- lation thereto, which if obferved will be a guide upon moil occafions, viz. Thofe trees that are defigned for efpaliers or dwarfs of any fhape whether horizontal, concave, convex, or conical, Ihould be pro- pagated from paradife or codling ftocks, as the nature of the frait requires -, fuch as produce fruit of the fv/eeteft flav^our, and are fooneft apt to turn mealy and in- E z fipid, 52 A TREATISE OF fipid, fhould, in order to improve their juices, be grafted upon codling flocks ^ and thofe whofe fruit yields juices of a more acid and rough tafte, may be improved (efpecially in a wet fummer) by grafting them on paradife ftocks, which naturally produce fweet apples. Such as are defigned for ftandards may be grafted upon crab ftocks .; or thofe raifed from the kernels of apples, only grafting (as before directed for dwarfs) the fweet and mealy forts upon the crab, and the others upon apples. But as the fruit of ftandards is for the moft part made ufe of in the kitchen, for baking, &cc, I recommend the crab flock for moft of them; becaufe kitchen-fruit is not valuable without a tart tafte, either in tarts or pies ; and, if made into cyder, it is moft agreeable to the palates of the beft judges of that liquor. N. B. Graft upon paradife and codling ftocks as near the ground as poffible.. CHAP. FRUIT-TR EES. 53 CHAP. XVL Of Stocks proper for Cherries. THERE are only two forts that I know made ufe of to propagate others upon, that is, the fmaJl black cherry generally ufed in brandy, and a red one which grows v/ild in woods : both are very free from gum, whereas moft other kinds are fubject to it. The fruit of the red is fomewhat more acid than that of the black, and different kinds may be pro- pagated upon them at pleafure : but ob- ferve this, let the pla(!e of grafting or bud- ding, in all fuch as are defigned for ftan- dards, be at the height where the heads are intended to begin. If the ftems be of other kinds than thofe above mentioned, they will be fubjecl to gum, and not be fo long lived. E 3 C H A. P. 54 A TREATISE OF CHAP. XVII. Of Stocks proper for Neflarines and Peaches. THESE kinds of trees are originally natives of a warmer climate than ours ; where the juices contained in the earth are by the fun s rays rendered more deli^ cate : they are very delicate both in their flocks and foils, efpecially the beft forts, tnoft of which are firft raifed abroad. The ^ocks generally ufed to propagate them upon, are plums, viz. the mufcle and wheat plums, on which fome kinds thrive well, and others will not, particularly the choiceft .forts : the beft method is to rebud them upon the moll vigorous and healthy kinds, which are generally fuch as have been raifed from ftones in England; but few of thofe are to- be compared in goodnefs with thofe raifed in France, &c. though if thefe foreign kinds be firft budded upon the plums before mentioned, they will not bear fo well, and are more fubjeft to blights than thofe that are rebudded upon healthy F R U I T-T R E E S. sS healthy kinds of peaches or apricots; by which they are rendered ftronger, and their fruit abundantly better. The beft plum ftocks for peaches and neftarines (that I am acquainted with) are the green gauge, either raifed by Hones or layers, on which moft kinds thrive well, and produce healthy long lived trees, with well flavoured fruit. CHAP. XVIII. Stocks proper for Plums. TH E common forts of thefe trees are generally raifed from fuckers, on which others of the beft kinds are either grafted or budded -, and feveral in common orchards are planted for ftandards upon their own roots, without ar.y alteration >, but the beft forts do mighty well when propagated upon the green gauge, raifed as directed for peach ftocks, &c. tliey are very proper ftocks, for if the kind propa- gated happens to die, they will make trees upon their own roots, either dwarfs or ftandards, and bear good fruit. E 4 CHAP. 56 A T R E A T I S E O F CHAP. XIX. Of Stocks proper for Pears and Medlars, THERE arc generally two forts of flocks made ule of for thefe trees, that is, the pear and quince flocks, and fometimes white thorns ; tho' trees upon the laft mentioned flocks bear, yet their fruit is always gritty at the core, therefore they ought not to be made ufe of : quince flocks in fome kinds of pears produce the fame ill effe£l, but are the moft proper for dwarfs and efpaliers^ but the budding or grafting muft be performed clofe to the ground. Suitable kinds may be propagated upon them, by examining the catalogue of pears and their qualities, and chufmg fuch as are of tlie melting fort 5 for thofe of the breaking fort are apt to become ftony, efpecially in a dry fummer 3 therefore thefe laft forts ought to be upon free flocks, fuch as are raifed from the kernels of good melting pears, gathered from trees that are healthy, whofe branches are always free from canker : on thefe flocks trees defigned F R U I T-T R E E S. ^j defigned for ftandards fhould be grafted, and fo fliould likewife medlars. C H A P. XX. General Obfa-vations to be made in the choice of Fruit-Trees. THEY that intend to buy their trees, fhould chufe fuch (after the flocks and kinds are known) as fland not too clofe in the nurfery 3 for if they do, their fhoots will be long-jointed, tender and Ipungy 5 befides, their buds will be very weak, efpecially the loweft, and will be long kept back from a bearing flate, by having been deprived by each other of the fun's rays, of which no trees can have too ihtach in a nurfery 5 for they attraft and carry off a great quantity of watery par- ticles from them \ and the earth about them when planted at proper diftances, which, when they are not, are very prejudicial to them, and if weeds have been fuffered to grow amongft dvv^arfs, their branches will appear like the branches of thofe wjiich grew too near each pther, or rather worfe^ 58 A TREATISE OF worfe ; in fhort, the roots of all trees are much hurt by weeds, for they exclude the fun's rays, which would otherwife warm the foil, and much encourage the growth of the fibres, and confequently that of the trees. It is not much to be regarded from what kind of foil you take your trees, provided they have the following marks of health, viz. If their (hoots at the ex- tremities be very full of buds, and are plump, without any appearance of miWew or blight, and all their other parts free from canker, gum and mofs j for all thefe are fymptoms of a defeft in the roots ; and tho' planting them in proper foils will re- move it in time, yet it will not be prudent to chufe fuch trees, for there muft (as I have faid before) be time and proper ma- nagement applied in order to recover them from their ill ftate. Befides, there is a year or more loft with regard to their bearing, than if they are at firft free from fuch de- fect and imperfe6tion. CHAP. FRUIT-TREES. 59 CHAP. XXI. Shapes mofl proper for Apricots, Peaches, Almonds, Neftarines, the Morels and fmall May Cherries, when taken from the Nurfery, either for walls or efpaliers. IN my opinion it is beft for an apricot- tree to have, when planted, two ftrong branches befide collateral ones, as the figure of a tree taken from the nurfery in plate IV. figure I. if the branches have been once cut down in the nurfery, and thofe parts well heal'd, they are not the worfe,and the more the principal branches are ex- panded from each other, the better ^ for ^yhen they have fuch a fliape, there is more probability of their having put forth col^ lateral Ihoots early in the laft fummer, and at more regular diftances, than if the principal branches are more ereft. The peach, nedlarine, and almond, all which bloflbm in the laft fummer 's fhoots, require the fame (hape with the apricot, and ought to be cut down in the nurfery after the fame manner. The finall May 7 cherry- 6o ATREATISEOF cherry-tree, and the morella, fjiould be treated the fame way. If almonds, apricots, and peaches, &c. be cut down in the nurfery they' may be helped with refpeft to their fhape in April, by leaving fuch buds as point moft to the Ihapes above diredled, and by confining the fhoots that come from them with flakes and bandages as they grow ; but I don't mean that the branches of thefe lafl: mentioned trees fhould be brought to a level pofition, for if they were, they would be apt to throw out ftrong collateral flioots too near thofe which I call the mean ftems, which would greatly retard their progrefs 5 for the two principal fhould be of as great a length as poffible in a proper pofition, i. e. they fhould incline about thirty degrees. CHAP. F R U I T-T R E E S. 6i CHAP. XXII. Of Shapes proper for Pears, Apples, Plums, and the ftrongeft growing Cherries, whe- ther defigned for Walls or Efpaliers, and how they lliould be ordered in the Nurfery. ^'"T^ I S requifite that all thefe kinds JL fhould have three principal branches or more, anfwering the figure in plate III. figure I. and if they be more than a year old from the time of grafting, it is a gene- ral cuftom with nurferymen to cut the branches every year, leaving only two or three buds of each young fhoot^ but I would have tv/o fide branches left to their full length, both in the apple, cherry, plum, and pear-tree, and only have the central or upright flioots cut to a foot in length, if there be three of them (as generally there are upon a grafted tree-,) but if there be only tvv^o, then one of them ought to be cut to about the length of fix inches, and the other left to its full length, which will produce from mofc of the buds ftuds 8 for 62 A TREATISE OF for bloflbms, and that which was cut down will produce a fucceffion of branches. Whofoever has the management of thefc trees in the nurfery, ought to leave thofe two fhoots uncut which grow the moft horizontal : cutting fuch branches as are moft upright will caufe frefh ones to iflue ; for if there be only left on each upright branch about three plump buds, thofe buds which are neareft the bottom of the fhoots are very flat for the moft part, and of no value, and ftiould be rubbed off to encourage the reft. The laft mentioned kinds of fruit-trees (in thenurfery) may with very little trouble be brought to the defired fhape, i. e. the fide branches when a year old may be cauf- ed to grow horizontally, by confining them in the fummer with hooked flakes ; but in confining them thus, great care muft be taken, left the branches, which are then very tender, be broken, and the trees there- by rendered rather worfe than better. C H A P. F R U I T-T R E E S. 6^ CHAP. XXIII. Shapes proper for Mulberries, Vines, and Figs in the Nurfery, either for Walls or Efpaliers. Mulberries and figs are ralfed from layers or cuttings, and ought to be chofen with three branches or more, Avith large lively buds at their upper ends. Vines likewife are raifed from layers, and the number of branches fhould be two or three. I am furprifed that any one fliould prefer cuttings to layers, when the latter have roots, the former none, and muft at leaft be a year more backward. Note, I advife by all means to chufe fuch plants as ftand thin in the nurfery ; for thofe that are near together are the moil tender. C H A p. 64 A TRE ATIS E OF CHAP. XXIV. Shapes proper for Dv/arf Frult-Trees of ail kinds. THE kinds of fruit-trees generally kept dwarfs, are the apple, pear, plum, and cherry, and fometimes the apricot : but this laft ought to be kept very low, otherwife it will fufFer much, both in bloiibms and fruit, from violent winds. This and all the reft fliould be chofen with four branches or more upon each tree, and though they are commonly propagated upon flocks very near the ground, yet their ftems ought to be a foot high ; for if they are not, the branches will be fo near the borders, that in fmart fhowera the rain will rebound from them to the fruit, and cover fuch as are loweft with foil, by which they will become lefs beau- tiful to the eye, and much worfe in tafte than others, by receiving too much water. Befides, if their ftems be not of the height abovefaid, it will be very diflicult to keep the borders clean from weeds. All FRUIT-TREES. 65 AH the (hoots that form the heads of dwarfs Ihould, as near as po/Tible, be of an equal height, which may be effected by flopping the principal branch when a year old, at the height defired -, at the fame time all the lower buds fhould be rubbed off, and only five or fix left, which are neareft the top. If thefe heads be two years old before the trees are removed, they are not the worfe, if the branches have been kept in a horizontal pofition, except one fuffered to grow upright. Some ftandard vines bear grapes wdiich ripen well in England : they ought to have ftiff ftems prepared, which may be done by tying them up to flakes about a foot high, before they make a head. Figs may be trained up and brought to bear in the fame manner ; but thefe two lafl require a different preparation of foil^ as before has been fhewn. Goofeberries, and currants, bear beft upon fingle flems, about the height of thofe of the other dwarfs, being free from fuckers at their roots, and having their F heads 66 A TREATISE OF heads about two years old, with branches regularly fpread round, but not too near each other. CHAP. XXV. Shapes proper for Standard Frult-Trees. THE fruit-trees commonly planted in orchards, are the apple, pear, plum, cherry, medlar, walnut, mulberry, and quince-trees ; the lafl: of which is upon its own root; from which a ftraight ftem ought to be trained to the height of fix feet at leaft ; if lower, their heads will be injured by cattle, when they are put in to pafture amongft them, as they often are when the trees have been planted a few years : all the above mentioned trees jfhould have ftraight ftems, of the fame height with that of the quince, and ought each of them to have five branches or more at the head, putting out at equal diftances from the ground, and from each other as near as pofiible ; none but one of the branches fliould ftand ere£l, and if the heads F R U I T-T R E E S. 67 heads be above a year old, they are not the worfe. Note, the almond, fweet chefnut, and filberd, muft have fhapes hke the former. CHAP. XXVI. The Method of taking up Trees and re- planting them in the fame Garden. TREES fhould be taken up very carefully, left they be injured, for on this their future fuccefs depends ; tho* I have feen it performed very carelefly by nurferymen s labourers, v^ho only ftrike down a fpade v^ith their feet round them, and then with both hands pull them up, not having any regard to the uncut roots, which are very often broken off, or fplit near the ftem ; befides, thofe that are cut thro* prove very often too fhort. Tho' authors have dire£led that the roots fnould be reduced to a certain length, yet I am wxll affured, that the longer the horizontal roots are left, the better they are; for they chiefly abforb fuch juices from the earth as promote vegetation ; F 2 and 68 A TREATISE OF and therefore no length can be well affign- ed, as to the roots, but it ought to be, carriage confidered, as great as poffible, if they are brought from a diftant nurfery, or tranfplanted into fome other part of the fame gai'den -, in the lad cafe there is a probabihty of the roots taking with them a large quantity of the adhering earth, if the trees be taken up artfully. And a fruit- tree, if it be required, of more than twenty years of age, may be tranfplanted very fafe- ly, without the lofs of life, or any of its ufeful branches. The right method of taking up trees, is to take off the furface of the earth round them, fo deep as to bare the uppermofl roots to a fpace proportional to the fize of the trees, in order to lefien the weight -, otherwife they will not be fo fit for car- riage, aiid they will be in danger of being broken by the weight of earth which is upon them. When either large or fmall trees have had their roots bared in the manner juft before mentioned, then a trench mull be dug quite round them, fo wide and deep that the earth may be eafily taken from FRUIT-TREES. 69 from under the trees, leaving only that which inclofes the greateft part of the roots ; care muft alfo be taken to cut the longeft roots that are in the way, with a knife, not with a dull fpade, for that will rather break than cut them, and will fhake off too much earth, efpecially from the largeft kinds of trees, becaufe their roots are ftrong, and require a greater ftroke with the fpade to break or cut them; and the larger trees are, the more earth ought to be left about their roots, in order to re- tain proper juices for the fuppoit of the other parts : after they are thus opened and cut round, a halid-barrow may be thruft under them, on which they may be carried to the place where they are to be planted ; but before they are planted, let all the large roots that are in fight be carefully examined, and if any of them are broken, let them be cut off with a fliarp knife, in fuch a manner, that the part Hoped may ftand downward like a horfe's hoof; for if the flope be on the upper fides of the roots, their woody parts v/iU be apt to receive too much moifture, and thereby become rotten, and greatly F 3 re- 70 A TREATISE OF retard the growth of the trees for many years. I fhall defer the method of planting, till I have fpoken of the management of trees, that are to be fetched from diftant nurferies, which cannot have much earth brought with them 3 but the length of the roots ought to be as great as poffible, as has been befoie direfted: the roots of thofe muft be bared and opened, in the fame manner as the roots of trees which are to be tranfplanted in the fame garden ^ they muft not be too violently pulled by their ftems, but let all their roots be cut thro' with a knife, or fharp fpade, and packed up, as I fhall direft in the ntxt chapter. CHAP. FRUIT-TREES. 71 CHAP. XXVII. How to pack up Trees fo, as that they may be carried fafe to places remote from whence they are raifed. IMuft own that I have received peach- trees and neftarines from Mr. Henry Woodman of Strand on the Green, in the county of Middlefex, which I planted for the Reverend Mr. Ewer, of Bottisford near Belvoir caftle^ all of them lived and fome bore fruit the firft year after planting, tho' they were brought above a hundred miles, and only packed up with ftraw and matts ; they have been planted nine years, and are now ftrong healthy trees. But there is a better method of packing trees, efpecially apples, pears, plums, cher- ries, &c. that are defigned for walls and efpaliers, by reafon of their fliapes de- fcribed fome pages before, which is this. Let there be provided large hampers, made of the fame materials as thofe commonly ufed for packing bottles in, v/hen they are to be conveyed to diftant places, and let F 4 their 72 A TREATISE OF their length be about four feet, their breadth at each end about two feet and a half, but in the middle they need not be^ above one foot and a half broad, and let their depth be in proportion to the number of trees intended to be packed therein; then let mofs be gathered, which grows plentifully in the fhade under hedges, or in woods, and cover the bottom of the hampers therewith; and after, let there be between each layer of trees, a layer of mofs 3 if fome of the trees be laid with their roots to one end of the hamper, and fome to the other, more may be packed therein. And if the mofs, which is much fofter than ftraw, be moderately moittened at firft, it will retain its moiilure a great many days. CHAP. XXVIII. The Benefit of cutting Roots and Branches at the time of removal. AT the time of planting fruit-trees, fome cutting is required both in their roots and branches; but before any direftions can be laid down for pruning, it FRUIT-TREES. ji it ought to be well ccnfidered in what cafes it is ferviceable. The roots will certainly be leilened by being removed ; if they be taken up ever fo carefully, fome of the fmall ones wqll be broken off, and others in carriage become fo dry, that their minute veffels can no longer be ferviceable to the plants they belonged to ; then con- fequently, the quantity of juices which the roots that are left can abforb, muft be lefs than the quantity abforbed by all the roots before they were taken up; for which reafon it will be very neceffary to leffen the branches in proportion, as near as can be reafonably conjeftured, to the- veffels tliat are loft at the roots : if this be done, the trees thus removed will continue their growth, except fhaken by the wind, or fome other outward obftruction : but if all their branches remain upon them, if they live, they will make but very flow progrefs in Ihooting the next year, tho* planted in the moft proper foils 3 an ill ftate of health will enfue, hardly ever to be altered or cured by even the moft pro- per treatment, for the fun will caufe them to exhale their juices as faft thro' the pores of 74 A TREATISE OF of the rind and leaves, as it did before they were removed, and the number of veffels in the roots being lefiened, are not fufRcient to keep the capillary tubes pro- perly full, whereby a part or all of them become ufelefs. If the whole number of veffels be deftiroyed, death muft enfae, and if only a part of them, ficknefs : which I have very often feen ; for the rind on the funny fide has been quite dead before June next after planting. CHAP. XXIX. Cutting the Roots of Trees, &c. Obferva- tions on the common method. WEAKNESS is occaficned by dif- ferent errors in cutting. The firfl and greateft of which is, the cutting of the horizontal roots fhort, at the time of planting, tho' it is done according to mofl authors direflion ; but I fuppofe, when they mention the cutting of roots of fruit- trees, to nine or ten inches long, they only mean the tap or downright roots ; for fhortening the horizontal roots too much will FRUIT-TREES. y^ will certainly leffen the quantity of juices, which trees naturally require, becaufe there will not then be left a' fufficient num- ber of pores to receive them. If any of the ftrong roots be broken in the carriage, and the fmall fibres dried and ufelefs, in fuch cafe the latter ought to be cut off clofe to the ftronger to which they are joined, otherwife they will corrode, and mix their corrupt matter with the na- tural juices contained in the pores of the earth, whereby they will be rendered un- wholefome before they enter the pores of the living roots adapted to receive them : and if thofe roots that are ftronger be broken or bruifed, they muft be taken off with a fliarp knife, Hoping on the under- fide ; if not, they will produce the fame ill effe6l. Let all thofe that be whole, and are in a horizontal pofition, or near it, be cut to a great or unlimited length ; yet the top or downright ones, fhould be cut to about the length of a foot, by which the number of roots will be increaf- cd, and fometimes the new ones will ex- tend themfelves more horizontally, and be of greater fervice to the trees, than thofe 76 A TREATISE OF thofe which ftrike downward j for the latter commonly caufe trees to Ihoot forth branches too luxuriant and full of fap, which will not produce bloffoms. I grant, that all trees imbibe more or lefs part of the juices that fupport them, from the dews in the night, thro' the pores of the rind and leaves -, but the fun at- tra6ls more in the day than they imbibe in the night, otherwife they would grow without any affiftance at all from the roots. By what has been faid, I think it ap- pears neceffary, to have the horizontal roots left as long as poffible, that the branches may not want a fufficient quan- tity of moifture for their nourifliment. I cannot in this place help taking no- tice of a method recommended and prae- tifed by too many, that is, when the roots are become dry, to place them upright in water, for the fpace of twelve hours before planting ; but this method is very injurious to them: for at the feafon of the year in which trees are removed, the weather is cold, and the roots having too great a quantity of water in them, and wanting FRUIT-TREES. ^j wanting heat enough from the fun, to caufean hiimediate evaporation, are there- by ftarv'd. I have always found it more proper to plant immediately after the roots were drefled, in the manner before-mentioned; and it is but reafonable to imagine, that they will meet with moifture enough in the earth, and fuch forts as are more proper for them, than the waters taken from ei- ther fprings, rivers, or ponds; for the for- mer, by pafling through the pores of the earth, are mixt with the fah particles there- of, which caufe a fermentation in the vef- fels or capillary tubes, as foon as they enter them. C H A P. XXX. Of pruning Branches at the Time of Planting. A Method which I have obferved to be generally praftifed, though of very ill confequence, is cutting the branches too fliort, and leaving too many in num- ber 78 A TREATISE OF ber upon each tree : by which means the trees are mjured many ways ^ for though they fometimes grow vigoroufly, yet th^ branches are unduly placed, in any kind of fruit-trees, either for walls, efpaliers, dwarfs, or ftandards : if the branches are too near each other, fome of them will be deprived of the benefit of the fun's rays ; and when the branches of wall-trees, or efpaliers, ftandnear each other, upon their ftems, and are cut too fhort, it will be im- poflible to lay them in a horizontal pofi- tion, without being much clofer than they ought to be, in order to make them bear j and if many of the new branches are cut out the next year, thofe that remain will be more luxuriant, and not bloflbm very early. Befides, cutting branches too fhort, viz. to the length of fix or eight inches each, at the time of planting, fometimes occafions death, or ficknefs, efpecially if the branches be very ftrong, or more than one year old ; for then the buds left on, having been fo much (haded, are very flat, and their fold- ings much more difficult to be forced open by the fap in its afcending motion, than 1 thofe FRUIT-TREES. 79 thofe at the extremities of the fhoots, which always appear more plump. This is the fate, in a great meafure, of thofe that were cut down in the nurfery the year before, which with proper cutting and management might have been made good trees. This method of (liort cutting, which, as I have obferved, is generally praftifed upon ftandard-trees of all kinds, has different effefls, according to the various ftates the heads of trees are in at that time, for fome have their branches of one year old only, others of two, and others of three years old, &c. Now if the head of a tree be only one year old, fhort- ning the branches caufes the fucceeding ones to fpringouttoo near each other; by which they will, in a very few years, either crofs and gall each other, or the head will be compofed of too great a number of branches 5 fo that all of them will not be of a proper ftrength, as fhall be demon- ftrated hereafter, by cuts adapted to the feveral kinds of fruit-trees. This fhort cutting or flumping is the moft injurious to trees whofe heads are furnifhed with branches of two or three years 8o ATREATISEOP years old, &c. whether apples, pears, pkim.% or cherries, for their buds are either pre- pared for blofToming the next fprin^^, or elfe with ipurs, which would blollbm the fecond or third year after planting ; but fuch^buds feldom produce fhoots. To prevent the feveral difadvantages mentioned, by improperly cutting the heads of trees at the time of planting, it is necef- fary to confider, firft, what proportion the roots loft by removal bears to thofe left on, and in fuch let the number of branches be leflened, with a proportional allowance for the drying of roots in the carriage, and the difadvantage which in tranfplanting muft attend them, the earth being not fo naturally placed to them as before. All kinds of low trees may as well be cut after planting as before, but tall ftandards ihould be cut before, by reafon of their height. After I have done with planting, I fhall give full dire6lions for pruning fruit-trees of all ages 3 and I hope what I have faid here will prevail upon every ob- ferving reader, not to cut rafhly at the time of planthig. CHAP. FRUIT-tREESV 8|^ G H A P. XXXI. Planting of Wall-Trees, Dwarfs, and Efpaliers* THE method of preparing different foils for borders has been treated of before, in which directions were given to turn them over twice before planting. I fhall here only add, that the oftener they are fo turned, the better the ingredients will be mixed with the natural foil, and that it will be of fervice to have the holes wherein the trees are to be planted, dug about a week or fortnight before ; for if there be any tough or hard particles in the foil, they v/ill be attenuated by being expofed to the air, and changes of wea- ther. Fruit-trees may be planted from the latter end of O6lober to the end of Feb- ruary, at any time when there is no froft ; but October and November are the moft proper months for planting, becaufe the weather is generally more mild and open in thefe, than in the other three ; and the G ^arliei: ^2 A TREATISE OP earlier trees are planted, the more time will there be for the earth to fettle well to their roots before the fpring ; but when the borders cannot be prepared fo early, 'tis better to plant later, even to the middle of March, than to Icfe a year ; for un- doubtedly ail thofe that are at the charge of building walls, would willingly have: fruit as foon as poffibly they could ^ and the lofs of trees, if there be any, by planting fo late, may be fupplied the Oc- tober following, In feme fprings trees are mere back- w^ard in putting cut by near a month, than they are in others, which ought to be v/ell obferved v/ith regard to planting ; if the buds begin to open, 'tis too late to plant, if the trees are to be removed to any confiderable diftances, for then the velTels of the roots are more open than be- fore, and fooner become ufelefs by draught in carriage. Trees may likewife be injur- ed by being removed too early in October. As foon as they have ihed J:heir leaves, 'tis time to remove them. Sometimes apricots, peaches, and nectarines, will re- tain their leaves till December; if they do. F R U I T-T R E E S. 83 do, they may be fafely removed in No- vember, if the weather is open, for the parts which retain the leaves fo long are commonly fuch as are to be taken off, being very apt to be killed by the winter's froft. The diftance which trees (hould be planted from the wall cannot well be affign- ed ; it muft be in proportion to the length of the roots, which ought not to be fliort- ened in order to bring the ftem nearer the wall ; but if it may be dene without cut- ting the roots, I would have the ftems placed about ten or twelve inches from the wall 'y for when they are fixed at a much greater diftance, they will be more apt to throw out fuckers fiom their roots. Care muft be takenj in planting, to fix thofe parts that are cut at the place of budding or grafting next to the wall, for they will thereby be fooner heal'd, and dif- charge the wet much better than if they were placed on the outfide. The holes having been dug, trial muft bs made to fee whether they be wide enough to receive the roots without preffing upon the fides, and of fiach a depth that the G 2 upper- 84 A TREATISE OF uppcrmoft roots may, when fixt therein, ftand full as high, or rather higher than the furface of the border wherein they are planted -, for as the borders will fettle and be raifed again in a few years, were not this precaution taken, the items of the trees v/ould be buried. 'Tis beft planting when the foil is mode- rately dry, for then it will intermix itfelf better with the roots than when it is wet, neither will it be fo apt to fet hard when trodden clofe ; but if the foil be too moift, it will be proper to mix with it, before it is applied to the roots, either dry foot or coai-afiies fifted very fine, which always have been kept dry -, for the earth, and in- gredients applied to the roots, ought always to be as fine as pofhble. When the roots are all covered, let the trees that have ftiff roots be fliaken up and down with the hands, that the earth may pafs more readily betv/een the roots, and fill all the cavities : after the roots are covered to the depth of three inches, let them be gently trodden round, v/ithout breaking or bruifmg them; then let a hillock be raifed round each tree, fix inches higher than the other parts of the FRUIT-TREES. 85 the border, and about a yard in diameter -, afterwards let each hillock be covered with foot or coal afhes, mixt with an equal quan- tity of earth, to the thicknefs of half an inch, and all over the border about one fourth of that thicknefs, which will de- fend the roots from dry or frofty v/eather* And if the earth be very dry at the tii.'iC of planting, let the trees be moderately watered round their roots. The method of fhaking and treading is not to be ufed, when trees are removed from one place to another, in the fame gar- den, with earth about them ; for fliaking will only draw the fmall roots into heaps, and treading will break off the earth. If trees be planted in November, or earlier, let all fuch branches be taken out as are not confiftent with the trees intended fhape ; but they muft not be nailed up till February or March ; before that time the roots will fettle with the borders, if the trees be let loofe ; but if they be confined to the walls, the earth then fettles from their roots, and leaves a cavity under them. G 3 CHAP. S6 A TREATISE OF CHAP. XXXIL Obfervations on Pruning the Heads of Trees or Branches in general. THE beft kinds of fruit-trees that grow in England arc generally plant- ed in gardens fenced with walls, to which their branches are confined, that they may have greater advantages than common frorr^ the fun's reflefted heat, and that they and their fruit may be defended from the vio- lence of winds, which otherwife raight be very deftruftive to both. There are generally in the fame garden other fruit-trees, planted either to make efpaliers or dwarfs ; all which require great care to keep them in due order, that the fruit which they produce, and the pleafure they afford to an admirer, may in fome meafure make amends to the proprietor for the charges of building, planting, &c:. The ereftmg of walls being very ex- penfive, no part of them ought to be left vacant, wherlb any thing tending to plea- fure or advantage may be placed* I have FRUIT-TREES. 87 I have before fiiewn what I thouglit ne- ceflary to be done before, and at the time of planting ; and fliail now give fome di- re61"ions for keeping trees in the moft healthful ftate, productive of good fruit in the greateft quantity, and as early after planting as poffible, without injuring them for the future ; to etFe6l which many en- deavour by various ways, and efpecially immoderate pruning, tho* without effeft ; for v/hen the knife is moft made ufe of, there is commonly the leaft fuccefs. Tho' there is an abfclute necelPity of lefTening the number of branches at the time of tranfplanting, or foon after, yet they ought to be leiiened in fuch a manner that thofe left on, and fuch as proceed from them, may extend themfelves in the leaft time, fo as to fill the fpace of wall affigned them ; and that all the trees planted may, one with another, cover the whole wall, with- out having their branches too near each other, but that each may receive equal ad- vantages from the fun, air, and dews, the ftronger being confined in fuch a pofition, that young ones may iffue, and be obtain- ed from them when wanted, G 4 But 88 A TREATISE OF But before I fhew the method of prun-* Ing tree§ defigntd for wails or efpahers, I fhall make fome obfervations on thofe kinds of ftandard fruit-trees that are na-* tural to our climate j for, I think, in thefe nature beft fhews us the time and manner of pruning. If there are two apple, pear, plum or cherry-trees, equal in health and ftrength, at one year old after grafting, let them re^ main fome years after in the fame ftations, having fufficient fpace to extend their branches in, and one of them be pruned, and the other not, but fuffered to grow in a fhape quite rude and natural, the latter will produce fruit much earlier than the other, though, perhaps, its branches will not be in fo regular a pofition as thofe of the former -, hence it may be reafonably in- ferred, that premature pruning retards bearing, and that pruning a healthy, ftrong ftandard in* what manner foever, before blofToming, will keep it longer back from a bearing ftate tlian it would be, were it left unpruned to the direction of nature alone ^ for fhortening the branches takes ^way the buds from the exti'emities, which always FRUIT-TREES. 89 always bloflbm firft:, and if fome of them be quite cut off, the vigour of thofe re- maining will be increafed, and the more vigorous the branches are, the longer it wiU be before they bloifom j for it is obfervable, that thofe kinds of ftandards be'ore men- tioned, produce moft fruit i:ear, but below fuch parts of their branches as were cnte the end of a year's flioot, and on fuch branches as are horizontal or declining 5 for which reafon I think it beft to leave vigorous (landardsunpruned, till they have bloffomed, or only to take out fome of the upright branches that would gall others. Perhaps it may be faid, that of two of thefe trees, the one cut and the other un- cut, the former will produce better fruit when it bears than the latter. I grant it will, were the latter never cut at all 5 and that pruning after bloffoming, as I hinted before, is very ferviceable to ftandards in the following cafes, which are manifeft figns of their want of it. Firft, when they bloffom much, but bear no fruit, which fhews that they are too weak, and that part of their branches ought to be cut gff, by which thofe that are left will receive a greater 90 A TREATISE OF greater quantity of fap, and produce as good fruit as others of thq fame kind that have been often pruned, adly, When the fruit which they bear is fmall, and feme of the branches that formerly bore are co-* vered with mofs, or are dead, then in or- der to enlarge the fruit, thofe mofiy and dead branches fliould be taken out. 3dlys When trees put forth young branches out of fome of the old ones which have born, it fhews they want to be relieved by taking out the old ones, and enabling them to produce their fruit upon others that are young. From what has been faid, I think, it ap- pears very plain, that cutting of ftandard trees before they bear, is injurious, though afterwards ferviceable ; i. e. of the cherry^ plum, pear and apple. I never faw apricots, peaches, or ne6ta- rines, bear without cutting ; but the almond ^ which neareft refembles them, bears plen- tifully, and produces part of its fruit upon branches made the year before, and part upon ftuds proceeding from branches' of two years old ; both of them are furniflied with buds at their ends, which produce 2 leaves^ FRUIT-TREES. 91 leaves, and are a good fhelter to the blof-. foms and fruit. It is obfervable, that this tree bears moft fruit at the end of its branches ; and for this reafon, the ends of branches ought not to be taken oft, neither from this tiee, nor any other nearly hke it, as thofe are which I juft before men- tioned. But the apiicut fometimes pro- duces fiioots in autumn, from the ends c^ thofe fhoots made in the fummer^ thele latter made fhoots generally die in winter, therefore fhould be taken off at the next time of pruning. Though 1 iiavefhewn the illconfequences pf pruning iiandards before bloflbming, except at the time of planting; yet trees planted againft walls fhould be pruned in a proper manner, in order to reduce their branches to a juft number : for were all to be left on, there would be too many to place againft the wall, without being too near each other, or at leaft than thofe would be upon the fame tree, if it was a ftandard 3 for there is a great difference be- tween one and the other j moft ftandard trees grow naturally in fhape like a cone pr hemifphere, fo that if one tree be a ftand- 92 A TREATISE OF ard, and another planted againft a wall, and their branches extend in height and breadth, alike from their flems, yet that which is a ftandard fills a fpace more than double to that of a tree planted againft a wall: confequently, more than half the branches or buds which put forth from the latter ought to be taken off. This is the beft reafon I can give for pruning of wall-trees, before they have born 5 but af- terward it is requifite to takethofe branches out, and leave young ones to fuccced them. But there is no need of fliortening branches in any kind of old fruit-trees, to increafe their number, for young ones will naturally proceed from thofe that are nailed hori- zontally. There are many that prune all kinds of wall-trees immoderately, twice in the fpace of a year: Firft, in the winter they fliorten all the branches, under the pretence of getting new wood to cover the walls 5 Se- condly, in fummer they cut a large quan- tity out of the trees ; becaufe, as they fay, the wood is too ftrong, or that there is too much. But to cut in the winter to gain >YOod3 and to cut wood out in the fummer j, fae^ FRUIT-TREES. 93 becaufe, forfooth, it is too ftrong, is, I think, afling counter to nature, and fpend- ing fap unneceffarily J for, as the ftrength of the wood, and the growing of the branches too near each other, are entirely owing to the winter cutting, if the branches were then placed horizontally on the wall, there would be no occafion to cut out {o much in the fummer s and the fap which the roots colIe6led from the earth, would form new branches more fit for the pro- duction of fruit, and in fuch places where they might continue -, fo by this method the trees will bear, and the walls will be co- vered fooner than by any other. It may be objefted, that leaving the branches to fo great a length, as not being cut at all, will weaken trees, or in other terms exhauft the fap from the roots ; but the contrary may be eafily proved. Admit both lides of a tree have at firil an equal number of branches, and let either of the fides be cut at pleafure, and obferve, by the buds what number of ihoots may be produced from the remaining branches on that fide which is cut fliort, then let whole branches be left on the other fide, in proper places, and the 64 A TREATISE OF the ufelefs buds taken off, till their nurri-^ ber on each fide be equal ; by this manage- ment it may be reafonably expected, that there will be an equal number of new branches on each fide ; now, if no more flioots be produced, by leaving the branches long, on one fide than there are on the other which was cut fhort, how can one method weaken a tree more than the other ? The confequence, indeed, of leaving the branches long will be this, they will have produced fhoots at more proper diftances^ and cover the wail fooner with fuch as will earlier bear, than thofe on the other fide which were cut fliort ; befides, there will be no occafion to thin them fo much in fummer on that fide where the branches were left the full length in winter, and the ufelefs buds difplaced. I have feen nedlarines and peaches, that have been planted againft walls ten or twelve years, which have been annually cut in the winter, in order to make therrf ftrong, and thinned in fummer, according to the ufual cuftom, that the fruit may be larger, and not too much fhaded. Excel- lent reafons and managements ! whereby two FRUIT-TREES. 9^ tv/o thirds of the branches are either cut or fhortened, and, at the fame time, a third part of the wall is uncovered* Had the branches fhortened in the winter been left their full length, fo as to cover the wall, and in April all their buds rubbed off, except fome to produce flioots in pro- per places, then there muft certainly have been more fruit, and fewer branches to be taken out in/ummer; for the quantity of fap, which fupported them, might have fupported as much fruit as would have been equal to them in weight : befides^ I have known by experience, that trees, by this (hort cutting, are not fo apt to bear.* At the requeft of a certain gentleman, I fhortened the branches of a peach-tree on one fide, according to the rules laid down by the beft authors -, but the other fide I nailed to the wall, without fhortening one branch, (which is the method I have prac- tifed many years j) the crop of fruit, as well as the number of young branches on that fide of the tree where the fhoots were not ftiortned, was fo greatly preferable to thofe on the other, that the gentleman was thoroughly convinced by this, and other 2 in- 0 A TREATISE OF inftanccs given him, that fhortening of branches was an ill pra6lice, both in the peach-tree and many others. The fig-tree, of fome kinds, bears plen^ tifully upon ftandards, if their branches be never fhortened ; and I have feen fruit ri- pen well upon them in England, where' the foil was dry and mixt with ftones, in fuch places where they were Iheltered from the winds ; but in others, where they are expofed, the fruit is commonly beaten off by the winds before it arrives to maturity, as it always grows very near the ends of the branches, and on no other parts, ex- cept the prefent years fhoots, or the upper ends of thofe of the laft year ; therefore their fhoots ought not to be ended in tile winter ; and there is no neceffity of fhort- ning to procure young branches, for there is always a fufficient flock of them rifing yearly from the roots,which, when the trees are planted againfl walls, may be trained up to fucceed others 5 and if they grow to the top of the wall, may be taken out clofe to the ground. I fliall fay no more con- cerning the ufefulnefs of pruning, but fliew how it ought to be performed upon the different kinds of trees. CHAP, F R U I T-T R E E S. 97 CHAP. XXXIII. Cuts of Trees explained, as in the third Plate. I Am fenfible that cuts made ufe of in feveral trafts of gardening, in order to fhew the figures of fruit-trees, are very- much ridiculed, becaufe of the uncertainty of the number of branches which a tree may put forth, and of the difference which may be eafily difcerned between one tree and another, that are both planted at the fame time, in Hke foil and fituation. Yet I have chofen to make ufe of fketches to explain my method of cutting, &c. better than I was capable of doing by words only. Plate III. Figure i. is the fnape of a tree that is properly flrong. What I call properly flrong, is, one that has two or three branches of a yard in length or m.ore ; one that has its branches lefs than two feet in length, I call weak, which has been grafted a year, and taken up in order to tranfplant it, whether it be an apple, pear, or plum, or cherry-tree, for they all have nearly this fhape at the age aforefaid. Fig-. H 2. 98 A TREATISE OF 2. IS the fame planted againft a wall, and cut in the maiinec directed by all authors that I have read on this fubject. Fig. 3. reprefents the fame tree with the fhoots it would probably make, if it were properly taken up, and planted in a fuitable foil. Fig. 4. is the fame tree tranfplanted as Fig. I. being cut and nailed after the me- thod which I have praclifed many years. Fig. 5. is the fame with the increafe of branches made the firft year after planting, and nailed as intended for the winter order. Fig. 6. is a tree when grown to the height of the wail, and the breadth allowed to each tree, fuppofe it be a pear upon a free ftock, as may be proved by the fcale, if by it the fpace of Vv^all it covers is meafured, for it is the fame as is before allowed for pear-trees upon fuch flocks. CHAP FRU IT-TREES. 99 CHAP. XXXIV. The Inflruments and Materials proper for a Dreffer of Fruit-trees. I. A Well-tempered knife, with a nar- jL\. row blade at the point, not much crooked. 2. A whetftone for fharpening it. 3. A mallet and chifTel, well tempered, about two inches broad, and not too thick. 4. A pair of fiieai: or fciflars to clip fhreads with. 5. Strong nails a little more than an inch long, with thick flianks and heads : thofe made of E??glifi iron are beft. 6. A hammer, with a fliaft longer than the fpaces bet'ween the rounds of the lad- der. 7. A bafKCt about 12 inches long, fix broad, and fix deep, with loops to put a belt through on one fide, that it may hang before the pruner, having the fide on which the loops are made bending, to reft the better againft his body, and a divlfion in the middle for two different forts of fhreads, H 2 the 100 A TREATISE OF the longeft an inch broad or more, the Ihorteft about a third part of an inch broad 3 the latter are beft for the bearers in peaches and ne6larines. 8. A ladder in length fuitable to the walls. 9. A deal plank to tread upon, with a llrap at one end to draw it by, if there be nothing upon the borders. 10. A fmall pair of pincers, with which nails may be drawn out better than with the claws of a hammer. 1 1» A whitewaflier's brufli will be ufeful ; for when trees are grown nearly large enough to cover the wall, they fhould be unnailed about three weeks before they are cut in winter 3 it will be of fervice to them, for the winters rains and fnows will better wafh off and deftroy part of the caterpil- lars eggs, which are lodged upon various parts of the trees and walls, and likewife other infects that harbour there in winter, in the foldings of the old flireads, but by taking thefe ihreads off, and turning them when ufed again, they lofe their fhelter. Before the trees are nailed up again, let brine be made ftiong enough to bear an egg, and with it and the brufh let the walls be FRUIT-TREES. loi be waflied all over, or as much as can be without breaking the buds or branches ; this will be a great deftruftion to the in- fers at that feafon of the year. But before cutting and nailing, let the following rules be obferved ^ let all cuts be made on the fides next the walls, and never let two branches be laid acrofs each other, except upon an extraordinary occafion for one year, not longer -, neither let a branch be pinched with the flireads. Let the ftrong branches have ftrong flireads. Never let a branch touch a nail, fo as to prefs againft it. And before old fhreads are ufed, let them be foaked a night in the aforefaid brine. CHAP. XXXV. The firft Time of pruning and nailing a Pear-Tree upon a free Stock, which had three ftrong Shoots or more at the time of planting, PEAR-trees bear their fruit upon ftuds or fpurs of various ages y and there are fome few which I have k^n that bear upon the extremities of the laft year's, ftioots^ H 3 others 102 ATREATISEOF others upon ftuds or fpurs ^ that proceed from branches of two, three, four, or five years old -, and fome kinds bear beft upon collateral branches of near a foot in length of that age, left to tlie direcHon of na- ture, v/ithout being fliortned, as ftand- ards when their branches are horizontal or depending. I would have no other branches left unnailed, but fuch as grow out of the fides of others, and that don't much exceed half a foot in length. Fig. 4r of the laft plate, reprefents a tree properly flrong, and is the fame with %. I. only tranfplanted, cut and nailed. As I make ufe but of three names for all the feveral branches of a tree, I fhall here explain them, that the reader may better iinderftand my meaning. The centre- branch B is called the ftem, through which the fap is conveyed from the roots, to ferve all other parts of the tree -, the other two A and C are horizontals, and thofe pro- ceeding from the fides of them, as in fig, 5, and 6. are bearers. * W^hat I mean by ftuds or fpurs, are collateral blanches not exceeding i^n^ inches, having buds at their extremities. In FRUIT-TR EE S. 103 In the beginning of March, aftfer plant- ing, let the two lower branches, A and C, be nailed quite flat to the ftem, to about three inches of the other ends , then turn them, by nailing more upright, which will occalion the fap to pafs more freely through the extreme buds, and lengthen the horizontals : but care mjaft be taken, leil they flip from the ftem ; to prevent which, let each of them be nailed near it with ftrong (breads, and the nails pla-ced on the upper fides, that the branches may prefs upon the flireads ; for, if they prefs upon the nails, they will be injured by them.: this is a necefikry caution, many branches having been fo deeply gall'd by nails, that a canker has enfa'd, which often proved mortal. As this method of nailing thefe two branches at full length is very un- common, perhaps my reafon for fo doing may be demanded, w^hich is this 5 the ftiort- ning of branches, if they be healthy, which they generally are upon free ftocks, takes off fuch buds as would earlieft bear, and it occafions two or three of thofe that are left on, and neareft the cut, to put forth flioots, which are at a j^ear old as far from H 4 bear* lo4 A T R E A T I S E O F bearing, as that which produced them was before it was cut, fo that by cutting there is a year loft before they bear ; and every time this is performed on the ends of branches, it retards their bearing : I own it increafes the number of branches, but many of them will be in fuch places where they cannot continue the next year, without be- ing too near each other in fome parts : I nail them horizontally, with an intent of procuring bearers at all parts of the horizontals 3 for the buds neareft the ftem are always more compaft, and of a flatter fhape, than thofe which are neareft the extremities of the branches, and are very feldom opened, if nailed upright 5 then the lower parts of the branches will be left na- ked, and the upper will put forth fhoots of too great a length to be left unnailed ; and if the next year they be cut out, or fliortned,it increafes the vigour of the other parts fo much, that many ftuds put forth Ihoots, which would have }>roduced blof- foms in a year or two more ; and if nailed up, will be nearer each other, or in a more ere6l pofition than what the beft authors direft, and the beft pruners pra6tife. I come FRUIT-TREES. 105 I come now to the center branch or ftemj this ought to be left 12 or 14 inches long, or longer, with three or four buds * or eyes ' at the upper end that appear plump, and are in a fair way of putting forth fhoots : let all the others that are below be rubbed off y for thofe that are neareft the bottom are moft flat, and when fhoots are produc- ed from them they are weak, and the more fo towards the lower end of the branches ; befides they are in fuch places where fhoots are not wanted for my purpofe, therefore they fhould be taken off j for the quanti- ty of fap, fpent in forming ufelefs branches, will be ufeful if driven to the upper buds, which are defigned to produce fhoots in proper places. Let the Hem be cut an inch at leaft above the uppermoft bud 5 for when amputation is made too near it, it fome- times prevents its fhooting, and if it flioots at all, it is but in a very weak manner : the reafon, I imagine, is, that too great a quantity of watery particles, entering into the fap veffels at the part cut, chill and retard the fap*s motion, or by letting out of *Buds or eyes are thofe parts which appear higherthan the bark upon a branch that was made the laft year. thefe ic6 A TREATISE OF thefe vefiels too great a quantity of air, whereby the force of vegetation is weak- ened. As all the feveral kinds of bon chretiens feldom grow prolperoufly, if they be cut too fhort at the time of planting, by rea- fon of the long fpaces between their buds, whofe lowermoft are very flat, and fcarce difcernible, fo they, and all fuch trees as produce flioots like them, fliould be cut at a greater length than fourteen inches, in order to preferve fome plump and full buds upon that part of the llioot left on, \vhich will certainly break forth into flioots. Tlie branch B is left fourteen inches in length, Vvdth an intent to gain proper branches to form horizontals at a fait- able diiiance from the others, for they ought not to be nearer than twelve inches, let them be of what kind foever. Perhaps it may be demanded why I cut this branch at all 3 to u^hich I anfw^er, that as the tree is fuppofed to have been brought from fome dillant place, part of the roots which it had before it was taken up muft undoubtedly have been loft, and force FRUIT-TREES. 107 fome of the fmallefl fibres become dry and ufelefs, by being expofed to the air in their removal ; therefore this branch is ihortened, and the lower buds deftroyed, with a defign of lefiening the number of thofe parts that receive the fap from the roots in proportion as near as may be judged to the parts of the roots loft by re- moval ; for as all the roots colle6l from the earth a quantity of juices only fufScient for the due nourifliment of the whole tree, fo a part of them can colie6l only a quan- tity fufficient for a part of it ; now if the whole branch be left on with all its buds, the remaining roots cannot fupply its veiTels, and keep them properly full to its extre» mity, from whence the death of part of the branch enfues. As foon as a part ^ of it becomes dry and dead, the mortification defcends very faft to the deftruftion of the branch it begins in, and fometimes of thq whole tree. CHAP. io8 A TREATISE OF CHAP. XXXVI. Pruning and Nailing of a Pear-Tree the firft Summer after planting. THE Fig. 4. reprefents a tree cut and nailed with three or four buds at the upper end of the ftem, and two hori- zontals left at full length, to which due regard muft be had the firft fummer, and let all the other buds which may probably break forth from the ftem be rubbed off; the horizontals muft be alfo well obferved, for fometimes it happens that a ftrong fhoot, or more, will put out from thofe buds near the ftem, which will rob all the ethers fo much, that when a tree is weak, the upper parts of the horizontals are thereby killed or much weakened ; but in May it may be eafily difcovered what pro- gress each bud is likely to make, and if many of thofe which were defignedly left on be weak, having put forth but a few fmall leaves, or none at all, then if there be a few ftrong ones proceeding from the horizontals^ the ends of thofe new-made branches FRUIT-TREES. 109 branches fhould be taken off, to about three or four inches in length ; this will occafion two or three to put out which will be lefs vigorous, and may in time become bearers ; but if all or moft of the buds upon the horizontals have put out, then let the flrong branches continue till Midfummer, when a better judgment may- be formed, whether they ought to remain, be taken out, or fliortened ; for if, at that time, moft of the other buds upon the horizontals have made (hoots to the length of fix inches or more, and thofe at the top of the ftem have ihot forth a foot or half a yard, then the long branches upon the horizontals may be left growing ; for taking them oft' will caufe the others that are defigned for bearers to flioot too vi- goroufly ; but that the tree may have a better appearance, they may be either cut to eight or ten inches in length, or nailed to the wall in fuch places v/here they will not deprive the others of the fun or air ; but they muft be taken out in the winter; except they be wanted to make good fome deficiency near the places whence they pro- ceed from; thofe a:fo that ftioot from th e iia A TP.E ATISE OF the extremities of the horizontals fhouldbc nailed upright, to prevent their being in- jured by the winds. I have not direcred what fnould be done hi May, to the buds left in the fpring on the upper end of the item at the point B ; i£ they put out vigorouily, let them all re- main, but if they be weak, take all off but the ftrongeft : fometimes it happens that they all put out ftrongly wdth colla- terals of various lengths j in fuch cafe they fhould not be cut out in the fummer, but nailed up to the wall to fecure them from the winds, and fo remain till No- vember, or either of the two months fol- lowing, all which are proper feafons for pruning, which I v/iil now treat of in the next chapter, and fliall refer to Fig. 5. which is the fame v/ith Fig. 4^ when cut and nailed a year after tranfplanting. CHAP. FRUIT-TREES. m C H A P. XXXVII. Pruning and Nailing a Pear- Tree upon a free Stock the fecond Year. TH E ftem In Fig. 5. marked D at the upper part, is left uncut, but nailed vAth turnings as it appears 5 my reafons for fo doing is to procure collaterals from it of a proper length for horizontals, and in proper places, i. e. at juft diftances from each oth^r. I have faid before, that they fhould be no lefs than 12 inches apart. Thofe parts of the ftem which lie flat are moft likely to produce fhoots from their buds; and when they put forth rub off all others, but thofe that are about twelve inches above each other on both fides, and the fame diftance from B : now had this ilem been nailed upright at the lame, or any other length, it would not have put Ibrtli ihoots fit for horizontals at any other place but the extremity. Another ad-:j vantage attends this method , for v/iien the tree is full grown, and has born, and thofe branches are part of them cut off, 8 then 112 A TREATISE OF then the fiat parts of the ftem will produce young branches, which if laid horizontally will produce bearers. When a fhoot produced at B is not much more than two foot long, it may then be deemed not ftrong enough to produce more than two or three branches fit for horizontals, and ought to be cut about two or three inches higher than the places where the horizontals are required ^ but when a flioot is three or four foot long, then it may be fuppofed ftrong enough to produce more fhoots, and by the turn- ings, as from B to D, they will be at the places defired. Tho' I have only fliewn one flrong branch in this place which is nailed up for a ftem, without leaving any of the laft year's fhoots, but only two that are too fliort for horizontals, yet when there are fhoots of about a yard long or more, in thofe places where horizontals are re- quired, they ought to be nailed as A and C are in Fig. 4. though at proper dif- tances from them, fuppofe they either proceed from the buds left at B, or if they be collaterals from one of thofe fhoots. I But FRUIT-TREES. 113 But when there is not one fhoot proceeded two foot long or more from any of the buds left upon the ftem B, and if there be SAiy of that length proceeding from the horizontals near the ftem, then let one of them be nailed up as that is from B to D in Fig. 5* and if the horizontals have produced none fit for the purpofe, the beft ufe muft be made of thcfe weak branches which have proceeded from the buds left at B; i. e. let all' the branches except one be cut off, and that which is left muft not exceed the length of fix inches when cut ; then let all the buds but the three uppermoft be difplaced, and ordered in fummer as directed for thofe at B in Fig. 4. by which it will be encou- raged to make the ftronger fhoots. If there be only one ftioot, and that not fix inches long, let it remain, only rub off all the buds, except the upper one. If the ftem B was dead down to the place where the horizontals put out, let one of thofe fhoots proceeding from either of the ho- rizontals be nailed in an upright pofition, and let it be ordered as is direfted for others which are made ufe of for ftems, I accord- 114 A TREATISE OF according to its length. As thofe tw^ branches made from B want length fo^' horizontals, they ought to be cut off abou^ fix inches from the ftem, and their buds all taken ofr but the uppermoft, by which they will make longer flioots the next year. I come now to the horizontals A and C, which muft be examined to find whether they be both alive ; and if there be one dead, another muft be procured fome way or other, either from the ftem or from the other fide. If the ftem be well furniflied at top with flioots of a proper length for this purpofe, they ought to be longer than thofe that grow ftraight from the ftem without turning ; let one be turned down to the place where it is wanted, but let that part of it which is brought downward be kept as near the ftem as may be, till it is brought to the place for which it is defigned -, but if this can't be done, a (hoot muft be taken from the other horizontal : if there be any of a fufficient length, and if a horizontal can't be gained by either of thefe ways, the firft opportunity that offers in the fummer following, muft be made FRU IT^TREES. 115 niade ufe of In order to gain one, or elfe bring the flem to a horizontal po- fition, and recover a new flem from the firft fhoot that offers. If both the horizontals ar^ dead, others mufl be brought to their places from the parts above by the fides of the flem, as before directed when one was wanting, or elfe bring down the flem for one, and make one of the young branches the flem. But let both be fuppofed to be alive, and to have made flioots nearly like thofe in Fig. 5. the firfl thing necefl'ary to be ob- lerved is their extremities, which I before direded to be nailed more upright than the other parts, in order to promote their fhooting out to a greater length ; but if any of the collaterals near them is fhot out to a greater length than they, fo as to ex- tend itfelf farther on the wall than thofe in a horizontal pofition, let their places be changed 3 that is> let the long fhoot be laid horizontally, and that which was the horizontal before remain for a bearer. What the horizontals have increafed in length this year, mufl be nailed in the fame I z pofition \ ii6 A TREATISE OF pofition as thofe of the laft year, along the fame courfe of bricks, &c. What thefe horizontals are fuppofed to have encreafed in length in one year, is between A and E on the one fide, and between C and F on the other. When trees have fhot out ftrongly, as this is fuppofed to have done, the lefs they are cat before they bear the better, for by cutting fliort nothing more is gained than a greater number of flroots too near each other, and too vigorous for bearing ; and fometimes it caufes the col- laterals that proceed from the horizontals to make fhoots, wdiich collaterals would otherwife have produced bloffoms in a year or two. I have directed before to nail or cut fuch collaterals as might happen to be of too great a length ^ but now, at this time of winter-pruning, it ought to be confidered what length they fliould be left at, moft proper for bearers s for feveral kinds of pears produce their fruit upon ftuds, or branches, of different ages and uncertain lengths : fo that if the collaterals proceed- ing from the horizontals be almoft equal in ier^gth, let them all remain, and let the hori. FRUIT-TREES. 117 horizontals be placed about two inches far- ther from each otlier than the length of thefe collaterals which proceed from them: but when the latter are very unequal in length to each other, it is difficult to dif- pofe of them, for if the longefl be taken out, it may perhaps caufe the others to put forth flioots ; and if they are naturally placed almoft all together, when they are taken away, that part of the horizontal will be left naked. The method by which I order them is nearly like that which I ufe for the ftems ; I turn as many of them as room will per- mit, either above or below the horizontals to w^hich they belong, as one may be feen at G, Fig. 5. which might have had more turns, if the length had required them. If there be not room enough fufficient to turn them all after the fame manner, let thofc that remain be taken out, and let not any part be cut off from thefe horizontals and branches which proceed from them in the fummer following : thofe that are intended to lengthen the horizontals muft be feveral times nailed up to the wall, in -manner direfted for others the foi'egoing fummer. I 3 I no\r ii8 A TREATISE OF^ I now return to the ftem that was nailed up with all its buds on, the laft winter, from B to D. When the buds are about an inch long, 'tis time to rub off all thofe that are not defigned for horizontals ; and the fame work muft be repeated fo often in the fummer as there is occafion. There muft be a fpace of twelve inches be* tween the buds that are left, on one fide of the ftem, and they fliould be left on both fides at that diftance ; and as they flioot forth, nail up the branches as before, to prevent their being broken by winds, but let nothing be cut off till the next winter, at which time the pruner muft- fo difpofe of the flioots that have been made the fore- going fummer, as to form a tree in fliape like the lower parts of Fig. 6. and if the young tree is healthy, it may pofllbly cover the wall in fix years, and the owner have tafted the fruit produced from fome of the lowermoft branches in a fiiorter time. I hope the foregoing reafons and direc- tions which I have given concerning prun- ing, will be fatisfaftory to every intelli- gent reader, and will enable him to bring a FRUIT-TREES. 119 a ftrong young tree to the fliape of Fig. 6. in the time propofed before. Note, Thofe trees which have been trained up in the nurfery, by the former dire6lions, to a fliape nearly like Fig. 5. in this plate, are at the time of re-plant- ing, and afterward, to be treated in the fame manner, with this precaution only, that is, to cut off more branches at their removal, by reafon of their lofs of roots. CHAP. XXXVIII. Pruning and Nailing Trees planted with one or two healthy branches. AS what I have faid in the preceding chapters concerning pruning, was only with regard to a tree taken from the nurfery, with three branches or more, I fliall now fpeak of the pruning and order- ing of thofe which are brought from the nurfery with only one or two branches. Let us fuppofe then that a tree has two healthy branches, each of them a yard in length, or more, if the ftronger of them be laid horizontally, as A or C, in Fig. 4. I 4 it f20 A T R E A T I S E O F it will bear fooner than if they had both been cut ; and the earlier it bears, the fooner a gentleman knov/s how he has been ufed by the nurferyman y for if the tree be of a bad kind, the fooner it is changed the bet- ter, either by planting a better in its place, or by grafting upon it the kind required : but as I have direfted one of the branches to be left whole, the other mull be cut to fuch a length, that there may be four or five plump buds left at its top ; all the lower buds muft be rubbed off, and after- wards let it be ordered according to its ftrength as Fig. 4. in the two laft chap- ters. If a tree has only one ftrong branch, and no more of any fort, then it muft be cut and ordered in every refpeft like that left for a ftem in the laft ; let the fhoots b« nailed to the wail in the fammer ; and if there be three or m.ore of them, when they are about a yard long, place two of them as is before direfted, but that which is in- tended for the fteiii let it be kept nailed upright, till the feafon for winter-pruning, and then let it be ordered by the rules given for others of the fame fliape and flrength. CHAP. FRUIT-TREES. 121 CHAP. XXXIX. Pruning and Nailing of young Pear-Trees that are weak upon Free-Stocks. IF trees be weak when taken from the nurfery, or are become fo after tranf- planting, the method which is both taught and praflifed for their recovery, is to cut their branches fhort and in proportion to their ftrength. But I think the fhorten- ing of branches only is no great help to them, as it may occafion a greater number than there was before to flioot forth 3 for it may reafonably be expefted, that there will two, and fometimes more, proceed from each that was cut ; but if one fhoot only proceed from each branch, they muft confequently be the ftronger, for the fame quantity of fap is collefted by the roots, and conveyed through the vefTels, to thofe buds that are adapted to make flicots, and the fewer the buds are that receive it, a greater quantity muft certainly enter into them, and by it larger fhoots are form- ed i for if the fame quantity of fap, that 3 enters izz A T R E A T I S E O F enters only one bud for the produc- tion of a Ihoot, IS received by four buds, the four fhoots that proceed from them will be of a lefs fize in proportion to their number. A weak tree is to be Improved by nail- ing y for according as It is performed, it contributes either to the ftrengthening of a tree that Is weak, or to Its continuance In the fame condition , for the more ereft the branches are placed, the more eafily does the fap pafs to their extremities, and there forms much flronger fhoots than when they are placed horizontally, for then the fap puflies almoft equally at every bud on the upper fide of the branch, which renders the Ihoots proceeding from them weaker In the fame proportion as their number is to one. But to nail upright and difplace ufelefs buds, are the beft me- thods that I am acquainted with in prun- ing, to procure ftrong flioots from weak trees, v^hlch are the chief things to be ob- tained in order to form fuch as the Fig, 4, 5, and 6. for they all reprefent a ftrong tree of different ag^s j and if all the former rules be obferved in preparing foils, taking FRUIT-TREES. 123 taking them up, &c. ftrong and healthy ones may be obtained, CHAR XL. Shewing the different advantages arifing from the feveral ways of Pruning young Pear-Trees upon Free-Stocks. I Have in the laft chapter fhewn my method of pruning and naiUng young pear-trees upon free-ftocks, which as it is very different from what is generally prac- tifed, I fhall here give my reafons for it, and fhew the many advantages arifing therefrom, more than by the cuflomary methods of cutting (hort ; and begin with the two trees newly tranfplanted, repre- fented by Fig. 2. and 4. the former or- dered after the cuflomary method, the latter, i. e. Fig. 4. after mine. I believe it will appear ftrange that in Fig. 4. I left two branches uncut, but nailed horizon- tally. But if it be demanded why they are not cut and nailed like the fecond figure, I anfwer, that by nailing the two branches A and C, as in Fig. 4. I propofe to 124 A TREATISE OF to have bloflbms and fruit earlier by a year than if they had been cut as in Fig. 2. f©r pear-trees always blofTom at the end of a fhoot, or upon ftuds that put forth collaterally near thofe parts which were once the ending of a year's fhoot 5 but as the Fig. 2. is cut, the extreme parts of the branches are taken away, and the buds that are left on at A, and C, after it has been planted a year, produce fuch fhoots as are fliewn in Fig. 3. Fig. 4. after it has been planted one year becomes a tree like Fig. 5. and fome kinds of pears will bloffom at that age. But Fig. 3. reprefenting-a tree cut after the cuftomary manner, and if planted at the fame time with Fig. 5. will have made but few other fort of fhoots than thofe left "upon Fig. 4. at tlie time of plant- ing, and no nearer bloffoming ; by which it plainly appears, that different ways of cutting trees make at leail: a year s diffe- rence in their bearing, and that fuch as are prepared in the nurfery have a year's advantage of others. If any perfon is not fatisfied with what I have faid, I defire him only to make trial FRUIT-TREES. 125 trial upanpart of a tree, by whlcli he may difcover whether what I have aflerted be true or falfe. Trees that are ordered as is fliewn in Fig. 4. till they become like Fig. 5. and 6. are earliefl: brought to bear, and their fap is fpent in ufefully fupporting their fruit, &c. but in Fig. 2. and 3. it forms many (hoots in the fummer which are cut out in winter -, let any man therefore judge which method is beft to be praftifed, whether to procure fruit upon a young tree, or luxuriant branches to employ the knife upon. I aver that a tree nailed by my method, fhall conftantly produce a third part more of good fruit, than one that is cut fhort and nailed Uke Fig. 2. and 3. for the latter are generally nailed to the wall in fhape of a fan, by which fome of the branches are placed almofl perpendicularly ; fo that all the middle of a tree has no other but ftrong barren branches in it, and its bloflbms are only at the extremities of the lower ones, and the middle parts put out in fummer flrong fiioots to be cut out in winter, according to the annual cuftomary me- thod 126 A TREATISE OF thod of difpofing of fap; but on a tree like Fig. 6, there will be both bloffoms and fruit near the ftem, as well as upon the extreme parts* It may be faid, when a tree bloffoms and bears fo early, it thereby becomes weaker ^ but if it is ftrong enough to produce fhoots of the length I have mentioned, before they fliould be laid horizontally, the tree Is then fufficiently ftrong, and when it does not produce fuch fhoots, I do not fuffer it to bear at all -, but when a tree would be too vigorous without bearing, it is then of fervice* I have feen trees bear foon after plant- ing, without putting forth any fhoots, v/hich was only owing to fhort cutting -, for inftance, when a tree is taken from the nurfery with branches of more than a year old, then the lower parts of its arms or branches have few or no buds upon them for the produ6lion of fhoots, but ftuds prepared for bloffoming the next year, or in a few years after : now if this tree has its branches cut to the length of ten or twelve inches, according to cuftom, thofe parts of the branches which remain are FRUIT-TREES. xij are more than a year old, having no buds naturally prepared for the production of Ihoots, but buds only which bloflbm and bear one or other of them, for two or three years, without making any cOnfide- rable flioots, which is often the cafe in ftandards; then a tree is faidto be weak. Sometimes a tree planted with fhoots on it of one year old, which have buds that feem likely to produce fhoots, may never- thelefs produce but weakly ones the firfl: year; and if too many of them be left on, and cut fhort without difbudding, the tree will remain in a weak ftate, tho' in a few years it will yield fruit, but not fo good as others whofe fhoots are of the length I have directed, before they fhould be nailed horizontally in order to put forth bearers. If an early bearing tree be cut as I have direfted, it may produce both fruit and proper branches, admit part of the laft year's fhoots be left at full length, and part of the buds on the others difplaced ; for then the remaining buds will form fhoots, and if part of the fluds or bearers be taken off. the fhoots will be the flronger. CHAP. 128 A TREATISE OF CHAP. XLL To prune a full grown Tree, fo as to make it bear good Fruit in the largefl quantity. IT fhould firft be confidered what ftate of health the tree is in, whether it be too weak, too ftrong, or in a proper ftate* The fymptoms of weaknefs are, bearing or bloffoming much, and fliooting but little. Thofe of ftrength and a proper ftate may be known by the following direflions, viz, if a tree fhoots much, and bloflbms but little, it is too luxuriant or too ftrong, ad- mit the flioots it makes be healthy and free from canker at their extremities and all other parts. When a tree fhoots ftrongly, and bears a plentiful crop of large fruit, it may be judged to be in a proper ftate of health. Let us fuppofe, that one of thefe healthy trees be in fhape like fig. 6, and begin with the management of it in May, after it has been winter-pruned, and made new flioots, then it may be difcovered what quantity of fruit it will bear. If there be an FRUIT-TREES. 129 an appearance but cf a fmail crop, then fewer of the new made fhoots muft be taken off, than when the crop Is large -, for when a tree is in health, and has but httle fruit upon it, as it fometimes happens, after violent froils in the Ipring, then it is often too vigorous ; if there be too many of the ufelefs branches taken off, feveral of the ftuds will make fliocts, which other- wife would have produced bloifoms the next year, for in healthy trees the fap will .difcharge itfelf into flioots through one part or other. What I mean by ufelefs branches are fuch as put out from the ftem in fuch places where horizontals are not wanted, and fuch as proceed from horizontals, which by their ftrength feem as if they would fhoot to too great a length for bearers. All branches that proceed from the ftem iliould remain, for they cannot over-jQia- dow any of the bearers ; if they be kept tied or nailed upright, thefe I call wafte- pipes, all the other ufelefs branches that . proceed from the horizontals, when they are grown fo long as to fliade the bearers, muft be cut to the length of about nine K inches, 130 A TREATISE OF inches, for If they are cut at that length, they will make autumnal flioots, by which the fap will be difcharged without forcing the extreme parts of the bearers into fhoots. But when a tree bears plentifully, and flioots ftrongly, it requires a quite different management in the fummer, for then all the ufelefs branches, which proceed from the horizontals, mufl be cut clofe off from them ; by this method the fize and good- nefs of the fruit will be improved. It is cuftomary with fome to cut thefe branches to about three or four inches in length, but this kind of cutting occafions a greater number of branches, which are fo near each other, that much the greater part of them never blofibm, for want of fun and air, but they put forth fhoots which are cut twice or thrice a year in the famic man- ner, fo that they refemble beefoms rather than the bearing parts of fruit-trees, and what little fruit they produce is not good, being generally fmall and cracked. As fome parts of the ftem are in an hori- zontal pofition, being turned in that man- ner, in order to procure new horizontals from them, to furnifli the tree with young bear-* FRUIT-TREES. ip bearers, they will be apt to put forth flioots every year 3 therefore when a tree has a good crop of fruit upon it, and ihoots pro- per for new horizontals, then part of the old ftuds that are near the ftem, and barren, ought to be cut out, after they have once born, in order to make the fruit larg r, i^or old ftuds that have born feveral times never yield fo good fruit as thofe that are young | fo in this cafe, it is proper to take out the old ones that the fruit may be the better fed. Let all branches which proceed from that fide of the ftem next the wall be taken off, for they are too v^atery, and were they to be laid horizontally, their collaterals would be very far for bloffoming. Let no other young ftioots be left upon It than fuch as are defigned for horizontals when wanted, which ought to be kept nail- ed upright to the wall, at feveral times ia the fummer, left they be broken by winds i let all others be rubb'd off as they put forth, efpecially thofe that break out on the fore- part of the ftem, and if fuckers put out at the roots, let them be dug up. K a it 132 ATREATISEOF If a tree has not made many fhoots be- fore the begmning of June, it is then too weak ; and if it be very full of fruit take part of them off, for a fmall number of large fruit is equal in weight to a greater number o( fuch as are fmall, and the fla- vour of the former greatly excells that of the latter. C HAP. XLII. Winter pruning and nailing of a Pear- tree, upon a free ftock, when it is full grov/n, as in fig. 6. THIS work may be done from the beginning of November to the end of March. A weak tree ought to be done firft^ and much thinned in the winter, by taking but part of the bearers ; for in a weak tree there are no more young flioots left in the fummer, than what are defign- ed for new horizontals, which being laid in their proper places, as D, in fig. 6. then the greatefl part of thofe old ftuds upon tht horizontals neareft them mufl be cut off. FRUIT-T R EE S. 133 off, otherwife they would too much fhade the new ones. It may be eafily perceived what buds will produce bloiToms ; they are more glo- bular than others, and in this cafe, they only {liould be left on thofe parts of the old horizontals which are neareft the ftem, where the young horizontals are interlaid -, but near the extremities of the tree let all collaterals remain that are not too long for bearers, fuppofe the buds are too young for bloffoming, as may be perceived by the fhape and fize of them. If there have been young horizontals laid in two or three years before, which are ex- tended nearly to the greateft length allow- ed them, then the old ones neareft them may be taken quite away j except they are Jikely to bear, and the young ones are not. Every branch, 66C. taken from a tree, muft be cut off clofe to the part from whence it proceeded -, for when (lumps are left, they are apt to produce a number of ufelefs branches. 'Tis very improper, when trees appear too vigorous, to leave their branches of any kind too near each other, for if they are, K 3 ^ they 134 A TREATISE OF they will fhoot more in length than other* wife> and be more backward in bloffpin^ ing, to which they ought to be bi ought as foon as poffjble, for nothing checks the vi-. gour of trees more than bearing. Thofe parts that are defigned for bear- er? xhould be nailed depending about fix in:hes apart. If there be too many, let thi worit be cut out ; and if any of them b: longer than the fpace between the hori- zontals, let them be turned like the new ft cms in this plate. If there be room upon the walls, let the horizontal branches be continued, till they nearly touch the other trees, then let them be turned downward, as E in fig. 6. to the middle of the fpaces between them, and let them be then nailed horizontally to- wards the ftems. I have obtained good fruit by this method. If there be any branches which were cut the laft fummer to about nine or ten inches Jong, let them be taken quite out, other- wife they will produce new ones, and fhade thofe that are preparing bloffoms ; but let as many as pofTibleof thefe branches which proceed from the ftem, and were nailed up FRUIT-TREES. 135 in fuiDmer, continue, and let fome of them, 1. e. the ftrongeft, grow above the wall, but they mufi: be nailed near the top with ib'ong flireads, left the winds tear down the whole tree. The cutting of fuch trees fiiould be deferred to the latter end of March. By thefe means a vigorous tree will bear, and then thofe branches that were left for wafte pipes upon the ftem, or other parts, may be taken out, for the fap that fup- ported them will be v/anted in the fruit. When a tree is come to a ft^te of bear- ing, it is not proper to let too much wood remain in the winter : all thofe parts of the bearers that produced fruit the laft year ftiould be taken out, and none left but fuch as v/ill immediately bloffom, or fuch ftuds as are too young ; and if there be room, let new horizontals be laid, for thofe that are young will afford mqch the largeft and beft flavoured fruit. It is not the great age of a tree which renders the fruit bad, but the age of thofe parts of it on which the fruit grows , nei- ther when fruit is not good, is it always owing to the feafon, cljmate or foil, or its pvvn natural bad qualities, for I have km K 4 2;id 136 A T R E A T I S E O F and tafted both good and bad pears which grew upon one and the fame tree, though in diiFerent parts of it, fo that no kmd of pears ought to be condemned, till the tree be obferved, and the foil and afpecl in which it grows. CHAP, XLIII. Pruning of a Pear-Tree on a Quince Stock. TH E management of a pear-tree upon a quince flock, differs but little from that of others j the length of the horizon- tals and their diftance from each other fliould be about a third part lefs than thofe upon free flocks, whether they be againfl: walls or efpaliers. They are more proper for efpaliers than thofe upon free ftocki^^, becaufe they don't grow to fo great a height, by which they are lefs fubjecl to be broke by the viplence pf the winds. When thefe trees are dreffed in the wln^ ter, if the extremities of the flioots be caur kered, let as many of them be taken out ^s can be fpared, and the others cut fome- what below the cankered parts. When FRUIT-TREES. 137 When any of the horizontals are can*. kered, take off the rind as far as the quick, and let all the mofs be clean fcraped off, both from them and the ftem ; which may beft be done in vv^et weather ; but if the weather is dry at the time of dreffing, then moiften the trees well with netting or brine, and when the mofs is all taken off, wafu them again with the fame fort of liquor, which will prevent rnofs from growing up- on them for the future 5 by this means the eggs of caterpillars concealed in the cavi- ties of the old bark, are in a great mea- fure deftroyed. When a tree is too weak, fometimes it may be ftrengthened by raifing earth about the ftem. above the place where it was propagated upon the ftock ; for the upper part will make roots into it, which may either be deftroyed after, or continued, according as the ftrength of the tree re- quires : I have found this method very fer- viceable in preventing flioots from canker- ing at their ends, and the fruit from being ftony ; which often happens upon quince There 138 A TPvE A TIS E OF There are fome kinds of pears that are much ihorter fhooters than ethers -, when theie are propagated on quince flocks, and planted with only one ftem againft 4 wall of the lower fort, before they can cover the fpace defigned for them, the ftuds and bearers neareft the ftem will be of too great an age to produce good fruit ; when this happens, the tree fhould have two ftems like a peach, and thereby the bearers may be kept properly young. If one fide of the tree be weaker than the other, they fhould be cut as two feparate trees according to their ftrength ; this will occafion one fide of the tree to be lower than the other, but it is better to have branches pf equal and proper ftrength, though the fides of a tree be unequal in height, than to have the fruit on one fide much inferior to that on the other in goodnefs. CHAP, FRUIT-TREES. 139 CHAP. XLIV. Obfervations on old Pear-Trees, and o- thers that are not in good order, and how they are fometimes extravagantly thrown away. WH A T I have faid before upon pruning and nailing of pear-trees, only relates to fuch as have been planted no more than five or fix years ; but older trees are many times capable of being improved, tho' I have known fome gentle- men been perfuaded to throw them out, and plant young ones in their ftead. Nay, I have lately {qqxi young trees planted be- tween old ones that aftually flood too near each other in an efpalier: this I count a worfe pra6lice than the former -, for the young ones were hindered from thriving by the roots of the others, and likewife by the branches hanging over them. The reafons given for deftroying old trees are generally thefe two, viz. the one for not bearing good fruit, and the other ^or bearing to% little or none. But before I pro^ V 140 A TREATISE OF I proceed any farther v/ith the ordering of old trees, I rnufi: beg leave to Ihew fome reafons why the natural qualities of fruit are often miftaken, and called bad, tho' of the beft kinds. I have known the virgou^ lew^fe, colmar, and winter bon ehretien, called and efteemed only fit for baking; this was owing to their not being palat-. able in the fummer or autumn months 5 and fometimes good forts are deemed other- wife, when a tree is too full of old ftuds. When good kinds of fruit are thus falfely condemned, I look upon it to be owing to fome part of the great number employed in pruning ^ many of vvhich have only ferved an apprenticelhip to a market gar- dener, w^hofe employment was only in raif- ing common kitchen fluff; for there are feveral youths, during the whole time of their feven years fervitude, never have an opportunity of knowing any thing of choice fruits, but are kept to hard labour m the kitchen garden only, and may un- doubtedly know that branch of bufinefs extremely well; but, after their appren- ticefhip is ended, are defirous of going in- to a gentleman's fervice, an* knowing that they FRUIT-TREES. 141 they fliall be well maintained, are content to ferve for fmall wages ; (which makes others lefs efteemed, whofe ikill and under- jUanding is much fuperior, becaufe they expeft better pay, and perhaps are lefs la- borious in digging, &c.) Such young men are very proper fervants for thofe gentlemen who are fkilled in gardening, and chufe to give direftions, but not forfuch as do not underftand it, or will not be at the trouble of direfting ; tho' many are defirous to hire their fervants as cheap as poiTibly they can. I am much againfl: deftroying of old trees if they be tolerably healthy, becaufe the planting of young ones in a proper man- ner is expenfive, as old borders for that purpofe ought to be trenched all over ; and after that is done, admit the trees thrive well, they can't be brought to bear a large quantity of fruit fo early as the others. If an old tree be of a good kind, it may be brought to bear good fruit by the rules I fhall hereafter lay down for prun- ing ; admit the foil it grows in is fuitable ; and if not, k may be improved by the me- i42 A TREATISE OF methods prefcribed for making and ordef-^ ing of borders. If an old tree Is of a bad fort, I would have it grafted in feveral parts with any fort defired, whereby it will cover the wall again fooner than one new planted ; and the owner will be certain of the right kind. This may be pra6lifed either upon wall- ti'ees, dwarfs, or efpaliers, admit they are either upon pear or quince-flocks; and apples may be ordered the fame way either upon the crab or any other fort of ftock. If the plum, or cherry, are good forts, and bear but little fruit, they may be helpt in the fame manner as pears ; but if they are of a bad fort, I w^ould not have them grafted, except they are found at the heart, as but few old trees of thefe kinds are ; and when this is the cafe, 'tis much better to take them away, and plant others in their ftead. Though 'tis obfervsd by many, that young trees will not p^ofper iii the borders where others of the fame fpe- cies have lately grown, yet I have found it otherwife ; and thofe who have a mind to try, I would advife them to mix the foil F R U I T-T R E E S. 143 of the borders in the fummer, with thofe ingredients I have prefcribed for improv- ing borders, that the falts contained in them may be fufhciently diluted before the trees are planted* CHAP, XLV. Pruning of old Pear-Trees in the fummer, that have not been regularly trained* I Have feen fome few old pear-trees, with their branches laid level, though their horizontals and bearers have feldom been renewed : but their collaterals have been ftopt till they have formed a large and ufelefs bufli, as I have mentioned in other places. The form of fome other old trees is meerly accidental, but generally furnifh- ed with buflies like the former. I have had the management of both, and in two years time have brought fome of them to bear good fruit ; and in three or four, plentifully, with their branches in a tolerable fliape. Having faid thus much concerning the ill fliapes of old trees, I (hall now fhew how to J44 A TREATISE OF to prune and nail them. Suppofe this work of pruning is begun in May, and there is a large crop of fruit, then take off part of it, and all young fhoots, except thofe putting out of the extremities of the old horizontals and irregular ribs, or fuch as grow from the ftem, or other parts where they may be difpofed of for hori- zontals, which fhould be nailed up till winter ^ and take off fuch parts of the bufhes as would fhade them j and if many others be taken off, the fruit will be much larger and better for it. If a tree has but little fruit upon it, fhoots muft be preferved near the ftem for horizontals, as before directed, and alfo thofe proceeding from the extremities > and if there are any vigorous fhoots, they mufl be fhortened to about fix inches long, and left till winter. C H A P . FRUIT-TREES. 145 CHAP. XLVI. Pruning of old Pear-Trees in the Winter, that have not been trained up regularly. WHEN old trees are vigorous, and the fpace of wall afligned for each is not fufficient to contain their branches, when properly extended, take away every fecond or third tree according as room is wanted, before their winter order is given them ', and then it may be the better known how to manage thofe remaining. And firft, where the old branches are placed horizontally, lay the new ones left in the middle of the tree in that pofition between them, as before directed 3 but if the old horizontals are too near one another, and the tree not vigorous, part of them may be cut away to make room for the new ones ; as alfo fuch buflies as would fhade the young horizontals. There (hould be nothing left in thefe places but what will bloflbm that year, neither too many buds for that purpofe. L Thofe 146 A TREATISE OF Thofe young branches left at the ends of the horizontals fhould be extended for-* ward, if there is room 5 if not, they may be turned and difpofed of as directed at E. in Fig. 6. and the bufhes growing near them fliould be thinned, to prevent them from ihading the branches from the fun's rays. If there is not a fufficient number of new horizontals, take pieces out of the fides of the ftem where they are w^anted 5 for by cutting the tree in this manner, young fhoots wall grow near the parts cut, both above and below. Such trees as have neither ftems nor ho- rizontals regular, muft be managed fo as to have both produced from new fhoots 5 the ftrongeft fhoot in the middle of the tree, and neareft the bottom, fhould be left for a ftem, and turned as in Fig. 5. the old branches will doubtlefs be in its way, and to nail them acrofs one another is very im- proper in regular trees, but as it can't be well avoided in this cafe, let it therefore be nailed and placed over or under the old branches as is moft convenient, and the beft of the old branches laid horizontally a foot afunder at leaft, and all the worft I fliould FRU IT-TREES. 147 fliould be cut out, and fuch as grow the moft contrary to the ihape defired, and likewife old ftuds that would fliade the new horizontals. This work fliould be repeated annually as the new ftem, and the hori- zontals proceeding from it, increafe in length, till they form a tree as regular as the fixth figure, which may be performed in a few years, provided they are ordered like thofe of a young tree. When a large branch is taken off, it mufl be done clofe to the part it grows from, and made fmooth with a fharp chiffel, then covered over with pitch and rofin of each an equal quantity melted together, and left as much reclining as pofTible to prevent its taking wet. What I have faid upon wall-trees of this fort, I hope will inform any one how to improve dwarfs, &c. either of apples, plums, or cherries. L 2 CHAP. 148 A TREATISE OF CHAP. XLVII. Pruning of Mulberry-trees againft Walls. AS mulberry-trees are fometimes planted againft walls, and by that means made to produce excellent fruit, I think their nature of bearing ought to be obferved, and the manner of pruning and nailing. They produce their fruit at the lower end of a new-made branch, that is, the fiTiit and branch that bears it are both of the fame year's produ6tion ; but thefe branches don't grow that year from the rind of either ftem or horizontal, but from buds near the extremities of branches made before' By thefe remarks, it is plain they will not bear till the ftuds be more than a year old, without having their ends cut oft'; for fhortening the ftuds often caufes them to put out too many fhoots, and too ft:rong for bearing, and fo near one ano- ther that they can't receive proper fupport from the fun and air. The figures in the third plate will ferve very well for fpeci- mens to dire6l the fliape of a mulberry- tree 1 FRUIT-TREES. 149 tree by, and the manner of pruning is the fame as for pears upon quince-ttocks, and planted the fame diftance from one ano- ther ; tho' in time they will become large trees, and then more room muft be given them. CHAP. XLVIIL Pruning of Currant-trees. THE method of pruning a currant- tree planted againft a wall, is much the fame as for the laft, only that currants don't require above one fourth of the wall allowed for mulberries : they produce their fruit upon ftuds of four or five years old, but that upon collaterals made the year be- fore is the largefl and beft. By taking off the old ftuds, young ones are recovered in the fame places, provided the old ones are not cut off too clofe to the horizontals 3 and if the horizontals be renewed when three or four years old, the fruit will be much larger than thofe upon the old parts of a tree. L 7 CHAR I50 ATREATISEOF CHAP. XLIX, Pruning of Apples upon Paradife-ftocks. AS apple-trees are fometimes planted againft walls, and will bring their fruit to perfe6ticn upon any afpe6l, I will here give directions for pruning them. Some kinds of apples, efpecially the non- pareil, will fometimes bear a fmall num- ber of fruit upon young wood, or fhoots of the laft yearns produciion ^ but they gene- rally bear moft upon ftuds proceeding from branches of two, three, or four jears old, in the very fame manner as pears, whofe management has been largely treated of before. What has been faid concerning pears upon quince-ftocks, as to their diftance from one another, and the manner of prun- ing and nailing them, and dreffing the cankered parts, are the beft methods I can give for apples, and therefore need not be again repeated. CHAP, FRUIT-TREES. 151: CHAP. L; Pruning and Nailing of Cherries againfl Walls. THE feafons for pruning and nail- ing of ftone-fruit, are December and January, or the beginning of February. Cherries of different kinds require different ways of pruning and nailing, by reafon they bear their fruit upon wood of diffe- rent ages; the morella and baremdam bear mofl of their befl fruit upon the ex- tremities of the lafl year's flioots, and fhould therefore be cut and nailed every year fo as to procure a fucceffion of them: the rules for that purpofe are given In pru- ning of peaches ; but the bearers of thefe need not be nailed to the walls as thofe of peaches are, tho* the ftems and horizontals mufV, to prevent the winds from breaking them. The little May cherry is not much un- like the former as to its nature of bearing ; but the fmall bearers of this fhould be L 4 nailed 252 A TREATISE OF nailed to the wall, to forward the ripening of the fruit. When thefe three forts of cherries are planted againft low walls, fo as that their diftance from one another is more than ten feet, each tree fliould then have two flcms. All other kinds of cherries that I am ac- quainted with bear differently, for they produce the moft fruit upon ftuds proceed- ing from wood that is two or three years old, or at the lower ends of the laft year's fhoots ; though they are often fuffered to have ftuds much older, which will bloffom and bear, yet the fruit is never fo large as the other. The rules laid down for pruning and naiUng pears upon quince flocks, will ferve alfo for thefe forts of cherries ; with this difference only, that the horizontals of thefe muft be laid at diftances from one another, according to the fize of their leaves, which will be ken before new horizontals are fit to nail ; the diftance from one another may be allow- ed from eight to twelve inches. In nailing thefe or any other kinds of ftone fruit, take care that tlie rind be neither galled nor bruifed FRUIT-TREES. 153 bruifed by either hammer or nail, for this will caufe gum to ifTue out from the wound- ed part, which either kills or weakens the branch it proceeds from. I have, in the former part of this volume, affigned the fpace of wall proper for cherries, but the diftances from each other are various, ac- cording to the heights of v^^alls ) and when they are planted twelve feet or more afun- der, they Ihould have two ftems, for rea- fons before given concerning pears upon quince flocks. The cornelian cheriy is generally planted a ftandard, and when it is not too much crouded, will bear fruit, but not fo good as when cut and nailed by the rules given for the morella. CHAP. LL Pruning of Plums againft Walls. THE beft kinds of plums are, in their feafon, as noble fruit as any our climate produces, and they well deferve a good wall 5 but without proper manage- ment by pruning and nailing, they are of- ten very bad, having but little pulp, and that 154 A TREATISE OF that not much better tafted than the gum ifiiiing out of a wounded branch. Weak- nefs is generally the caufe of this imper- fection in the fruit, either in the whole tree or elfe in part thereof, occafioned ei- ther by its being wounded, or the bearers being too old, and fometimes by bearing too great a quantity of fruit, either on the whole tree, or fome particular parts. I have often obferved, that plum-trees produce the beft fruit upon the youhgeft bearers; except too great a quantity is fuf- fered to remain, without being properly thinned ; which fhould be done about the latter end of May, by taking off the fmall- eft with the point of a fharp knife. By thefe obfervations, I find it beft for the procuring of good fruit, to keep the hori- zontals and bearers young, and likewife thin the fruit when there is occafion : but when there is a weaknefs proceeding from the root, it (liould be relieved by the me^ thods prefcribed for managing borders. As to what is required more in the prun- ing of plum-trees, may be learned from the rules laid down for pears upon quince (locks, cr for cherries in the laft chapter. CHAP. FRUIT-TREES. 155 CHAP. LII. Explanation of the fourth plate. THIS plate reprefents either a peach, neflarine, or apricot-tree, at diffe- rent ages. Fig. I. is one taken from the nuifery. Fig. 2. is the fame cut, according to cuftom. Fig. 3. is the fame as Fig. 2. with the branches it may be fuppofed to have made in one year. Fig. 4. is the fame as Fig. i. when cut and nailed after my method. Fig. 5. is the fame as Fig. 4. after it has been planted one year. On one fide of this tree there are all the branches it was fuf- fered to make ; on the other fide it is cut and nailed for the winter order. Fig. 6. is a tree full grown. I have before explained what parts of a tree are called bearers, horizontals, and ftems, and need not repeat it : but in thefe there are two parts that produce horizon- tals J thefe I call ftems, though there was only 156 A TREATISE OF only one In fome of the laft, which was advantageous in pears, plums, &c. as I have already demonftrated under the head of pruning pears. CHAP. LIII. On Pruning and Nailing a Peach-tree at the time of Planting. AS peaches are naturally Inclined to produce theii* fhoots In an ereft po- fition, and after their branches are laid horizontally they grow very little more In length; fo If there had been but one ftem, the length required for each horizontal, would have been greater than any fhoot of one year's prod ucli on would reach (ex- cept the dlflances betwixt the trees be much lefs than twelve feet) : and as thefe fhoots increafe but little In length after they are fo laid, then confequently part of the wall muft be naked, if there was only one ftem) but by having two, the lengths of the horizontals required are but half as much as they would have been, had there been only one, where the fpaces are the fame FRUIT-TREES. 157 fame betwixt each tree; but where the walls are of much greater heights than twelve feet, then the diftance betwixt each tree muft be lefs, and one ftem will be more proper than two ; for the fpaces be- ing fo little, the horizontals would be fhort, and confequently caufe their collaterals to be too vigorous, by being few in number Aipon each. The propereft time for winter-pruning of peaches, &c. that have been planted the fame winter, is in February ; for then a better judgment may be formed of what parts are dead, &c. as I have before ob- ferved, juft after the rules for planting. The feafon for the winter-pruning of fuch as have been planted one year, or more, is December and January, (if they be either weak or ftrong) for before the beginning of December they have but fel- dom filed their leaves ; and before they do that, it fhews that the fap in them conti- nues liquid, and their pores are more open than they are immediately after the leaves drop off. As there is always a neceflity of taking out fome wood in the winter, it is moft proper to do it at fuch time as its parts 158 A TREATISE OF parts are moil compact, left too great a quantity of aqueous particles enter into thofe parts of the trees where the amputa- tions are made. In February there are yifible proofs of the fap becoming more li- quid than it was in January, by the buds being increafed in bulk. This ihews that the vefiels are more extended than when the buds were lefs, as at the time their leaves were newly flied. It is obferved by many praflitioners, to cut the ftrongeft trees lateft in the fpring, in order to abate tiieir vigour; but it is an unprofitable cuf- 1pm, efpecially when the trees are young and the walls covered but in part, for thea trees of thofe kinds cannot be too ftrong, if rightly ordered by dilbudding in fpring, and properly difplaying their branches at all times of nailingj then the new-made branches will bloffom the next year, from trees that are the moft vigorous. A great difacJ vantage attends the cutting of trees too late in the fpring, or when their bloffom- buds are either open or near it ; for then they are in danger of being difplaced more than when they are lefs. Upon a ftrong tree there cannot be too many buds -, for, by F R U I T-T R E E S. 159 by blofibming and bearing, their vigour will {oonQV be abated, than by taking out or fhortening ftrong branches. Before the trees are nailed againft walls that are not more than twelve feet in height, the fpace adapted for each tree muft be di- vided into four equal parts s that is to fay, two on one fide of the tree, and two on the other. At thofe two divifions next each tree, make marks upon the wall, from the bottom to the top, over which the ftems muft be carried; as from B to D, and from C to E, in Fig. 6. But the lower parts ©f the ftems, as A B, and A C, muft be placed inclining about thirty degrees, if the trees be ftrong ; but if they be weak, nail them more erecl, till they produce ftioots of a competent ftrength, then they muft be brought lower, to the pofition be- fore mentioned. If thofe parts of the ftems A B, and A C, were laid horizontally, they would be apt to put out ftrong branches from their lower parts, which w^ould prevent the fap from moving with fufficient force to their extremities, fo as greatly to increafe their lengths; and fometimes they are killed by . ' it : i6o A TREATISE OF it ^ for, as I have before obferved, their natural Ihape is much reverfe to a hori- zontal pofition : and when branches are fo laid, they are as much difpofed to put forth ftrong collaterals from their lower buds, as they are long (hoots from their extremities j and when the (hoots are many in number, thofe at the extreme parts muft certainly be (liorter than if there had been no other but them upon the ftem. It appears by Fig. 4. that I leave the items, the firft fpring after planting, of an uncommon length. There are many ad- vantages obtained by this method, more than when they are cut (hort ; for thofc branches proceeding from the former will be at a much greater, and a more proper diftance from each other y and a wall may be covered much fooner thereby. The hfe of a tree alfo is much fafer, by the ftems being of fuch a length, than if they were fliorter ; for thofe buds at the upper end of a branch are always larger, and by the fap's motion ea(ier opened, than the buds at the lower end, which appear lefs, and are more compaft. By FRUIT-TREES. i6i By (hort cutting firfl after planting, I have feen trees killed 5 and others which have made but very weak flioots, when there were none but fmall buds left on; for branches are often in fuch proportion to each other, as the buds are which pro- duce them ; but when fupplied with a grea- ter quantity of fap, their bulk and length are increafed the more. And when, by fliort cutting, there happens to be any of the larger fort of buds remaining ^ then a tree fhoots very luxuriantly, as it appears by the Fig. 3. whofe branches are much too near each other. When new planted trees are cut the firfl: time, it is proper to examine the up- per ends of the ftems -, and if they be ei- ther dead, or appear unhealthy, then cut fuch tops off fomewhat below the diftem- pered parts : if there are no fuch occafions, there is no need of fnortening them 3 for, on all peach-trees, there are a great num- ber of collaterals, from which a reduction of branches may be made, equivalent to their lofs of roots by removal, admit they were taken up, and planted as before di- re6led. M Thofe i62 A TREATISE OF Thofe fmall collaterals marked E F, G H, that are upon A B, and x^ C, in Fig. 4. having all healthy buds at their upper ends, are certain to put forth leaves fooner than any other paits of the fame tree ; and leaves are of great ufe in vegetation, for they both exhale and imbibe, to the great advantage of thofe plants to v^diich they belong. When trees were planted early in the winter, I have fometimes gathered fruit from fuch branches the firft year, either more or lefs, according to the ilrength of the plants but it would be improper to fufFer fo many to remain upon a tree, as v/ould hinder it from making flioots fit for horizontals. Thofe collaterals which are taken off, mull be cut about an inch from the ftem or part they grow upon ; then others will put out from buds at the fides of the lit- tle flumps that are left, from which there will be an opportunity of choofing bran- ches to remain at the places where defired ; but all others ought to be taken off at their firft appearance, for at this time of prun- ing all thofe buds which put out pn the under fides of the ftems fiiould be rubbed off. FRUIT-TREES. 163 off, except one at the extremity of each, to make horizontals 3 and on the upper fides, let four only remain upon each, that is to fay, thofe near B, N, O, I, upon one fide, and K, L, M, C, on the other, with one at the end of each to lengthen the ftems. CHAP. LIV. The Pruning a Peach-tree, the firft Sum- mer after planting. IN the months of April and May, it may be difcovered what quantity of fruit the tree is able to fupport, and what number of branches of proper lengths for the ufes intended; if they be weak, dif- place part of the fruit firft. As to thofe branches that may proceed from the two loweft buds at I, K, I only defign them for bearers the next year, which are not required to be more than a foot in length ; but if they Ihoot ftrongly, as though they would exceed it, then flop them at the length of two or three inches ; but if none of thole above are likely to be M 2 two i64 A TREATISE OF two foot long*", then they muft remain uncut. At all other places where buds were left above I K, flioots will be required to make horizontals, and fometimes they will put out collaterals the firft fummer ; but if they are not ail able to do it, take part of them quite out. The principal parts, AB, and AC, muft be feparately examined, for the thinning of one will not much relieve the other. If there is a neceffity of difplacing any flioots, it ought to be thofe on the under- fides near B and C. And it will eafily be perceived in a few weeks, whether the re- ducing of two branches only will give ftrength to thofe remaining fufhcient for the ufes they are defigned^ if not, then take away either one or both of thofe branches at L and O, according as there is a neceffity. All fore-right branches muft be taken away, or any others that appear ufelefs. All others muft be nailed upright, to prevent the winds from breaking them, * Two foot, or near it, is the length required for ho- rizontals. 3 till FPvUIT-TREES. 165 till thofe defigned for horizontals are grown almoft to the length required. The two ftrongeft branches proceeding from B and C, muft be preferved for ftems, and fliould be kept clear from all fore-right branches 3 and when the other ftrong ones are full eighteen inches long, let them be nailed horizontally, leaving only their up- per ends ereft, which will encourage them to fhoot more in length. All buds and branches mufl be taken away from their under and fore-fides, which appear the firft fummer after plant- ing ; and no collaterals fliould be left nearer each other than the fpace of three inches. CHAP. LV. The Winter-pruning of a Peach-Tree, that is more than one Year old, accord- ing to Fig. 5. THIS figure reprefents a tree with one fide cut and nailed in a manner proper for its winter order ; but the other is not, as appears by the fide A B having fewer branches upon it than there are up- M 3 on i66 A TREATISE OF on the part AC; for the former has more than on-e half of its collaterals taken off, about an inch from the horizontals. My reafon for not cutting thefe collate- rals clofe to the part they proceed from, is to procure a greater number of bearers the next year, there generally being on the lower end one bud, and fometimes more, which produce ihoots after cutting. At this time of drefiing, I think it is better to leave the bearers about fix inches afunder, nailed in an upright pofition, with long and narrow flireads, for broad ones are apt to fpoil the beauty of the fruit, and fnort ones to pinch the branches. The upper ends of branches are the moft certain to produce fruit, and fhould therefore never be taken off if aHve ; for, the upper bud of every healthy branch al- ways puts out leaves, which flielters thofe bloffoms neareft them. When fome of the bearers are dead at the ends, occafioned by blights, there may be a neceffity of fliortning them, and in fuch a manner, that there fliall be at their upper ends fuch buds as will make wood; but after the trees have been ordered two 5 ^^ FRUIT-TREES. 167 or three years, according to the rules here given, they will generally be found healthy. The fide A, C, in the figure laft men- tioned, appears ftronger than the fide A, B, by Its having produced more ftrong horizontals ; one of v/hich is placed from K to I, ancl fills the firfl fpace betwixt the flems; and when one fide of a tree is much ftronger than the other, its ftern ihould be laid lov/er, and that fide which is weakeft muft be raifed more upright. x^t this time of drefilng a tree, it is pro- per to examine the lower parts firft, for they are moft fubjecl to want young wood ; but if there is a fufficient number of bear- ing branches, then thofe which bore the laft year muft be taken out. Branches betv/ixt fix and tvv^elve inches long are beft for bearers, for they are generally furniftied with ftrong bloflbm- buds, and when they have been kept in fummer the diftance of three inches from one another, they will then have fubftance fuitable to their length ; and the ftronger they are, the larger their tubes will be, and confequently the fap vnW circulate more M 4 freely, i68 A TREATISE OF freely, whereby the bloffoms and fruit will be the better fupplied with juices. Bearers of the fame lengths before- men- tioned, furnifhed with triple buds, having a bloffom' bud on each fide, will, in the middle, produce leaves to fhelter the blof- foms adjoining. The old Newington, and fome others, may have bearers left eighteen inches long, and the horizontals muft be laid at diftances accordingly 3 but where the horizontals are not far enough apart, the bearers may be laid fo much leaning as the fpaces require, or if there are too few in number, nail fome long ones up curving Hke the ftems. The firft branches that I choofe to take off from the fide A C, are H and Y, which were left for bearers when the tree v/as planted, and in Fig. 4. are marked G and H. The next that are to be examined are thofe at L and M, or any others that may chance to be ne?a' thefe places; for there ought not to be any branches left in them, but what are of a proper fize for bearers ; ftrong flioots on the bottom parts of young trees fo early after planting being very im- proper 5 for they are apt to rob thofe above ' ' too FRUIT-TREES. 169 too much, except they are laid horizon- tally, in order to produce bearers where wanted -, but that branch from I to K is as near the bottom as bearers ought to be, and all branches that grow lower fhould be taken off: peaches are never good if they grow too near the earth. (I Ihall Ihew in another place, my method for covering the lower parts of a wall with vines.) Thofe branches at I K are collaterals made the laft year, proper for bearers; but as they are more than ought to be nailed up in that fpace, therefore a pro- per number of them muft be felefled for the purpofe, and placed againft the wall, about fix inches afunder, in an upright pofition ; the reft fhould be fhortened to about an inch from the horizontal, for reafons before given. All other parts on the fame fide of the tree, muft be cut after the fame manner as directed for I K. But it may happen fometimes that the fhoots made at the upper end of the ftem are not fo long as ^re required for horizontals -, then they muft be cut about four inches long, which will caufe them to flioot ftrongly the next fummer. 170 A TREATISE OF . fummer, and fometimes there are only tvv o fhoots inftead of three long enough, then the fhort one may be cut as others at U W and U X. CHAP. LVI. Of the orderhig of Peach-Trees in Sum- mer, when they have been more than two Years planted. WHEN fhoots are laid horizontally in winter, and have no collaterals upon them, as thofe marked at U W and U X in Fig. 6. there muft be left upon them in fummer a number of branches in proportion to their ftrength ; that is, if you find they are likely to be long enough for bearers, let all that appear on the upper fides remain, if not too many in number ^ and if either all or any of them are lon- ger than is defired, in the beginning of May let them be cut to the length of two or three inches, as dire6led before; and if there are too few, they muft be ftopt to increafe their number, if they are ftrong enough, as in all probability they will be 3 but FRUIT-TREES. lyi but when there are many and fhort, then they muft be thinned according as there is a necefiity. All other works of difbudding, &c. muft be performed according to the direftions given for the laft fummer, and the thin- ing of fruit muft be performed by the rules laid down for the purpofe. What has been already faid relates only to fuch trees as have two ftems at the time of planting ; and when there is but one ftem, it muft be placed againft the wall, in the fame manner as one of the others, and a new one muft be raifed as foon as poffible from one of the loweft buds, which are very apt to flioot ftrongly, when their ftem is planted fo much lean- ing as A B or A C ; and in all other re- fpefts it muft be managed as in Fig. 4, and 5. of this plate. CHAP. 1/2 A TREATISE OF CHAP. LVII. The ordering of a Peach-Tree from the Size of Fig. 5. till it comes to the Shape of the 6th. AL L the former methods of pruning muft be obferved, as alfo turning the ftems, and laying the horizontals at the lengths and diftances before men- tioned, difbudding as their ftrength re- quires, and the fruit muft be thinned ' where there is too great a quantity. Some few inftruclions more will enable an obferving reader to cover a wall, in the manner reprefented by plate IV. When the horizontals don't afford fo many bearers as are defired, then cut them in May to the length of three or four in- ches, it will caufe them to produce two apiece. But if a ftrong fhoot appears from that end of the horizontal next the ftem, let it remain whole, whether it is on the upper, nether, or forefide ; and this may be laid for a horizontal the next winter ; and if it is FRUIT-TREES. 173 is fiirnifhed with collaterals fit for bearers, the old one may be taken out -, but if it is not, lay it parallel with the other till the winter following, at which time it will without doubt be provided with bearers ; then the old horizontal muft be taken away, for two ought not to remain fo near each other any longer than one fummer. When there is not the number of young bearers you defire at the time of winter pruning, and the old bearers have healthy fluds, it will be proper to let fuch remain as can be placed upon the wall at fix inches apart, without croffing the horizontals above them; and if thefe fluds don't exceed two inches in length, they may be left un- nailed. If in April, or later, any of the ho- rizontals appear weak, then new ones mufl be provided by the methods before direfted ; but never choofe a branch for that purpofe, proceeding from the fide of another next the wall 5 for they are always^ fpungy, by reafon the veffels which fupport them are deprived of the benefit of the fun. Trees fhould be kept clear from mofs, and where a part happens to be wounded, the gum ifTuing out fhould be fcraped off, to- gether 174 A TREATISE OF gether v/ith all dead bark, and dry foot applied till the running of the gum is Hopped. No fuckers fhould be fufiered to remain growing from either the roots, or the flock. When a tree is weak, or not too luxuriant, yet has fome ftrong flioots putting out in fummer from the ftem, at places where there are no horizontals re- quired, they muft be taken off as foon as perceived. But when a tree is too luxuriant, and produces bearers of greater lengths than defired, fuch ftrong fhoots may be left on all fummer 3 but they muft be fo placed to the wall, as not to fhade other young fhoots defigned for ufe, if it is poffible to be done : but if not, cut them about nine or ten inches long. In both fummer and winter nailingjlet the ftireads be of fufficient length, for all fmall branches ought to have as much room to fpare at the time of nailing as will contain a perfon's little finger. In the fum- mer I choofe to make ufe of fmooth ftraight rods, to confine the young ftioots to the wall, rather than any other method, by reafon they get more air, provided the rods are fo nailed with long flireads as to be far enough FRUIT-TREES. 175 enough from the wall, that the young branches be not bruifed betwixt them. CHAP. LVIIL Upon Pruning and Nailing fuch Peach- Trees as have been irregularly cut before. WH A T has been faid on this fubjeft only relates to fuch trees as have been trained up from the time of planting, according to the methods before diredled; but as this treatife may probably come into the hands of thofe who have old trees un- der their care, it will be proper to give fome directions for the management of them alfo : for I have ken many trees in a very weak and miferable condition, -fome of which have been planted twenty years, and of all ages under. I will begin firft with the pruning of a weak tree in the winter-feafon. The man- ner of ordering their roots, and preventing of blights, are mentioned in the directions given for managing borders. When weak trees are furniflied with fmall fliort bran- ches. 176 A TREATISE OF ches, having many of their ends dead, and thofe which are alive full of weak buds, neither fit to produce good fruit nor flioots, it is too often the cuftom to cut the branches fhort, and leave many upon the tree j but it is many years before a tree is recovered by this pradlice, and perhaps never; for fhortening the branches in- creafes their number, and by being too near one another they become weak, becaufe the fun and air have not free accefs to all parts* If there are any branches tolerably ftrong, made the laft year, near the bottom of the tree, they muft be difhudded and nailed like the ftems of thofe trees new planted, and all others muft be cut off that would hinder them from being laid in a fuitable pofition, without croffing one another : if fuch fhoots cannot be attain- ed, then choofe on each fide one, of the ftrongeft and healthieft old branches, and cut oft either all or moft of the fmall ones from them, and nail them up in the man- ner of ftems, in order to raife a tree like thofe in the fourth plate, and every year, as the new made branches increafe, take away the old ones to make room : other branches l^RUIT-T REE S. 177 branches near the tops of weak trees muft be ordered in a diiferent manner 3 fuch as have dead tops fhoiikl be taken ofF, and thofe left for bearing muft be nailed up- right to the wall, the diflance of fix inches from one another. If Old trees are full of ftrong wood, and but little or none prepared for bloffom- ing, it fliews that they are either planted too deep, or have been improperly cut* If their large flioots proc^d from too deep planting, the direflions given for ordering of borders will relieve them ; and if tliey are fhaded by others, 'tis eafy to knov/ what muft be done. But if their luxuriancy is caufed by fliort cutting and improper nailing of ftrong branches^ then other methods muft be ufed for their relief: firft examine the bottom, and nail up two ftrong branches for ftems, and cut all others out of their way > then the ftrong branches above muft be laid horizontally, at fach diftances as that the bearers proceeding from them may be nailed upright without croiUng the horizontals above them -, and if there is not room upon the wall to place the branches at proper diftances from one N ano« 178 A TREATISE OF another, then let the ftrong ones at top grow above the wall ; but they muft be nailed with ftrong fhreds, left they fliould be torn from the wall by the winds ; and if any of thofe branches projedl over the lower parts of the tree, cut them off clofe to the part they proceed from. Let thofe above the wall remain, till the others below have weakened themfelves with bearing. But as the new-formed ftems increafe in length, and put forth horizontals, others that are in their way muft be taken off. It is alfo proper to leave ftuds unnailed, of two or three inches long, upon fuch parts as were nailed up for bearers the year before ; they will greatly check the vigour of a ftrong tree, whereby it will fooner produce fruit. If there is not a fufficient quantity of wall fcr each tree, that is, one hundred and tvventy fuperficial feet, then it is ne- ceflary to take fome of them away, to make room for the others. It is better to have a deal of fruit upon a few kinds, than trees of many kinds and but little fruit. If FRUIT-TREES. 179 If fuch trees as are plaijted again ft ar- ches are too vigorous, cut off the roots on the north fide of the wall 3 which may- be repeated annually, till their luxuriancy is abated . Though peaches and neftarines are the moft difficult of any wall-trees to keep in order, yet I have found great advantage by ufing the methods here prefcribed : and doubt not but others will have the like fuccefs, if they ftriftly obferve what is faid concerning pruning, difbudding, preparing of foils, manuring, watering, &c. CHAP. LIX. Upon Pruning and Nailing an Apricot, and Almond-Tree. THE figures in Plate IV. will ferve alfo very well to reprefent an apricot and almond of different ages, as well as a peach, or ne6tarine, and the manner of pruning is pretty much the fame for alL The greateft difference that I obferve be- tv/een them, is in the autumn fhoots, and collaterals proceeding from the fides of N 2 ihoots i8o A TREATISE OF fboots of the fame fummer's growth ; for thofe of the apricot have, generally fewer bloffom-buds, and are more liable- to be killed in the winter, than thofe of the peach and neftarine. If apricots are not prun'd till the latter end of January, it may then be perceived in the moft part of them whether they will live or diej for though fome living fhoots appear as bright as the others, yet if v/eak they will retain . a much greater mixture of green, and not fo brown as healthy ones ; and fuch as are dead will be black, either all over, or by fpots. When thefe autumn llioots proceed from the ends of others, they fhould ahvays be cut off a little below the joint, which is eafily difcovered by the difference of colour : the parts below are pretty certain to bear, and thofe above generally die, efpecially if they are fliort- ened. But fach autumn flioots as are healthy, and grow from new horizon- tals, if in places where bearers are want- ed, they muff be nailed up to the wall in the fame manner as peaches, without iliortening, for that is apt to kill the fmall^ branches of tb.e apricot. All fuch col- laterals FRUIT-TREES. i8i laterals as look tainted, muft be cut off clofe to the horizontals j and if the ends of the branches defigned for flems or hori- zontals appear black, they muft be alfo taken oft' two or three buds below the tainted place, othervvdfe the mortification will defcend downward, and deftroy the greateft part of the branch. In the next place it muft be obferved, that apricots fhould alv/ays have the healthy bearers left on two years together; for they are oftentimes furnifhed with fliort ftuds the fecond year, which are more certain to produce fruit, than thofe that are lon- ger, and if not more than three inches long they need not be nailed to the wall. As to ftems and horizontals, they muft in all other cafes be managed in the fame manner as direded for peaches ) and the horizontals of different kinds muft be laid at diftances from one another, fuit- able to the natural growth of every fort. The ftrong branches of an apricot tree are fubjeft to ifTue out gum, Vvdiereby they are often very much weakened. Thefe eruptions generally happen at places where the rind is wounded, and there is for the N 3 moft iBz A TREATISE OF moft part a piece of hard dead bark furrounding the wound firft made, which prevents it from healing, and will in time kill the branch if fuffered to continue up- on it 3 therefore this grievance fliould be removed as foon as difcovered, by cutting away all the dead wood and rind to the quick; after which^ the wound muft be covered either with pitch and rofm melted together, of each an equal quantity, or elfe with dry foot. It will not prove mor- tal in cafe you are obliged to cut the branch three parts through, in order to take out the dead, but will foon heal up ; where- as if it is fuffered to remain, that part of the branch above will foon die. Apricots muft in all other refpc6ls be pruned and difbudded like peaches ^ and alfo their fruit thinned after the fame manner, in proportion to their natural fize. But obferve that apricots require more water than peaches and neclarines, and where there is a full crop of fruit, if the ieafon is dry, they muft be watered plenti- fully for the fpace of a month before they are ripe^ otherwifc they will be both fmall and ill tafted. An FRUIT-TREES. 183 An old apricot-tree that is in an ill fliape may much fooner be brought to a defired one than a peach, for it puts out ftronger branches, with which may be formed new ftems and horizontals. Though almonds will bear very well on ftandards, and during the time of flowering make a beautiful appearance in wildernefs quarters, &c. yet they are fometimes plant- ed alfo againft walls, and may be pruned in the fame manner as directed for apri- cots, but may have their ftuds or bearers of fix inches long left unnailed. CHAP. LX. Of the Thinning of Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, and Almonds. WHEN there is too great a quantity of fruit fuffered to remain upon any part of a tree, it is not fo good as if there were only a proper quantity left on, and fometimes a tree becomes weak by bearing too plentifully. iVU fruits ouglit to be thinned according to their natural fize 5 for there ought to N4 be i84 A TREATISE OF be fev/er left upon a bearer of larger forts, than on thofe of a nutmeg-peach or other fmall kinds 5 the length of the bearers ihould likewife be confidered, as alfo of the horizontals on which they grow, and the quantity of fruit upon all the bearers proceeding from one and the fame hori- zontal. Suppofe a horizontal is three feet long, with fix branches upon it, (which there ought to be if the tree is healthy and ftrong) then of the fmaller forts of peaches there fliould not be more than twenty or twenty-five left upon all the bearers j but if there is fruit only upon fome of them, then there muft not be fo many left on j for four or five are fuliicient for one beajer, and as many as will be well flavoured. The largeft fort of peaches and nefla- lines fliould not have above a dozen left upon the ian^ie cjuantity of tree before men- tioned, and thefe not thicker than tw^o on a bearer ^ but weak trees or branches muft have fewer left on, in proportion to their ftrength. The thinning of fruit ought not to be dene all at one time, for fometimes many will FRUIT-TREES. 185- will die after they are a quarter grown, which looked thriving before. When there is a large quantity of fruit fet, there is generally a great part of them. in cluftersi it is therefore necefTary to take fome off when they are as large as horfe-beans, but always leave fuch as are covered with leaves, or rather thofe grow- ing at the fame joint, where there is either a fhoot, or fome leaves, for they make better- fruit than others. Fruits are thin'd the befl either with a very narrow-pointed penknife or fciflars, for by nipping them off with the thumb and fore-finger, thofe defigned to be left on are often difplaced, as alfo the young branches and leaves. Tho' I advife \o thin fruit at different times, yet it fhould not be done later than the month of May ; for if they are fuffered to grow pretty large they rob one another, and none fhould be left on fo near together as to touch before they be full grown, for they are apt to throw each other off, or at Icaft'to fpoil their fliapes. Befides, they never come to the fize they Vv^ould other- wife do, and large*^ fruit when ripe is al- ways *i86 A TREATISE OF ways the befl: flavoured, and in wet fea- fons thofe that are fingle don't rot fo foon as when two or more grow near together, either peaches, ne(^arines, or apricots: and though the flefh of ahuonds is not valuable to eat, yet when the fruit is large the kernels are better ; for which reafon, I think it is proper to thin them, and they will likewife be lefs fubjeft to drop from the tree before they come to t^ieir proper fizc. CHAP. LXI. Planting of Vines, and how they are raifed. IN treating upon the planting of fruit- trees, in a former chapter, I have not given proper direftions concerning vines, or fuch things as have only flaccid roots at the time of replanting : I v/ill therefore, before I fpeak of pruning, lay down proper methods for planting. And here obfervc, that what hath been already faid concerning the packing of other kinds of trees, is proper alfo for vines, fo is likewife the time of doing it the fame. FRUIT-TREES. 187 fame, and covering them with wet mofs, which ought to be done immediately after they are taken up, whether from the mo- ther-plant or from beds. When they are brought to the place where they are to be planted, the ftrong part of the root from which the fibres pro- ceed, muft be cut at the end, like the ftrong roots of other trees, but the other parts may remain as you find them, it be- ing difficult to know v/hich are dead ; and the method of planting them prevents the living roots from being injured by the dead ones putrefying in the ground. There is no cccafion to make a large hole for the reception of the root, but only mark upon the border how far the woody part extends itfelf when placed parallel to the wall, at the diftance of about fix inches; and for the fpace thus marked, take out a fpit of earth nine inches deep on each fide, fianting in fuch a manner as to leave a ridge in the middle of the trench, the top of which ridge fhould be about three inches below the furface of the border; then lay the woody part of the root upon this ridge, wdth the fibres divided on each fide, ac- cording i88 A TREATISE OF cording as their natural manner of grow- ing will allow, and extended dov/nward into the drills -, this done, fill up the trenches with earth, treading it down gently until the ftrong part of the root is covered about three inches thick 5 after that lay a cover- ing of foot or afhes upon the hill, as di- refted for other trees, this being all that is neceffary at the time of planting, unlefs the earth is very dry, and then moderate watering will be proper. Vines may be produced from cuttings of the laft year's Ihoots, between twelve and eighteen inches long with half an inch of old wood at the lower end : they muft be fet flanting in the ground, and only one bud or two left out; but there are ftronger plants raifed in one year from layers ; but every perfon that plants vines has not an opportunity of doing it upon kinds wifned for, fo muft be content with cuttings. Moft forts will grow vigoroufly with us in England, but as they all come originally £i:om a much hotter climate, the fruit of fome kinds feldom ripens here without the affiftance of artificial heat y though fome other L-:_j CI H itHhMri "JJ W ii_^' FRUIT-TREES. 189 other forts will brinff their fruit to per- fe.ftion upon ftandards, with proper cut- ting only, others with cutting and nailing their branchy to walls upon iouth or fouth- eaft afpecls. CHAP. LXIL An Explanation of Plate V.- THE figures in this plate exhibit vines of different ages. Fig. I . reprefents a layer when firfl: ta- ken from the mother plant. Fig. 2. the fame when cut the cuftomary way. Fig. 3. when planted and cut according to tlie method I praftife, having one branch taken off and the other fliortened. Fig. 4. is the fame with two fhoots raif- ed from the two buds left on, when under the reprefentation of Fig. 3. Fig. 5. reprefents the fame vine cut and nailed in the winter. Fig. 6. is a vine cut and nailed in the winter, by the common method. Fig. 7. is one full-grown, with one of its fides cut and nailed in the winter, and the 190 A TREATISE OF the other remaining as it was nailed in the fummer. Fig. 8. is a long branch fappofed to be made laft year, and. turned in winter to cover a bare part of the wall. Fig. 9. is called the fowgelder's horn, and is a method made ufe of by fome of the beft pruners to difpofe of long branches. G H A P. LXIIL Of pruning a Vine the firft Year after Planting. I Have always obferved that the beft fea- fon for pruning vines in winter, is, about the latter end of January, or begin- ning of February, when the weather is dry ; though it is cuftomary to cut them immediately after their leaves are fallen off. But vines cut in Odober or November always make weaker fhoots, thanthofe cut in January 5 for in the beginning of the winter, the wood, being foft and fpungy, imbibes qold and watery particles at thofe places where it is cut, and renders the next year's fhoots weak. . Fig. 3. FRUIT-TREES. 191 Fig. 3. reprefents a vine with only two buds, as at A and B5 though there were others lower, yet as two or three of the loweft buds are generally fmall and very near together, they produce only fmall fhoots, for which reafon I think it is better to take them all off, and leave on- ly two higher upon the branch, for they always put out longer fhoots than thofe below. I always take one branch off the layer before it is planted -, for if there are but two ftrong fhoots from a vine the firft year after planting, it is fufhcient; and this may reafonably be expefted from the two buds left on at A and B. Fig. 2. hath part of both branches left on, and all the buds they produced; but I think thofe that are produced after this manner of fhort cutting are generally weak, and too near one another. CHAP- 192 A TREATISE OF CHAP. LXIV. Of Pruning a Vine the fecond Year after planting. FIGURE the 4th reprefents a tree with two branches fuppofed to have been produced from the two buds at A and B in Fig. 3. but they ought to be nailed more upright in fummer than they appear in the plate. Fig. 5. is a reprefentation of the fourth cut and nailed in winter after the method I praftife, with no other buds left on but thofe at A, B, C, D, E, tho* there were feveral others at the lower end of the item which are taken off, and feme likewife from the under fide of the branch A and B. Obferve, thefe two buds at A and B are in fuch places, as that the flioots proceed- ing from them may be nailed upright with- out being too near each other, and that at A may probably produce fruit, but thofe buds proceeding from the lower end of a branch feldom produce prolific flioots ; for which reafon, I take them all off, except I one f^RtJIT-TREES. 193 one on the upper fide, as that at B, from which a branch may be expeded that will be fit for a horizontal the next year. But the others would not only deprive thofe at A and B of part of the juices collefted by ths roots, but alfo fhade them from the bene- fit of the fun 5 and if the buds had been left on the under fide, there would not have been room to have nailed up the branches w^ithout fliading thofe above. Thofe buds at C and D are defi2;ned to produce fhoots that w^ill bear fruity and the next winter, if long enough, they muft be laid horizontally. That at E is intended to lengthen the ftem, and in winter muft be turned in the manner reprefented by Fig. 7. but before branches are turned for ftems cr laid hori- zontally, it is proper to take notice of their" length, and if they are lefs than four k^t long in any fort of vines, they are too weak, and if there are no ftronger bran- ches to fupply their places, they muft be cut down to the firft large bud at the lower endi and if all other buds are ta- ken off, that left on will make fuch a Ihoot as is ivanted before the next winter, Q Bv- 194 A TREATISE OF By giving tiae fcem fuch curves, it will occafion branches to break out of the old wood, from thofe parts of the flem that are laid the moft horizontally 3 and though they feldom produce fruit the firft year, yet fome of them fhould be nailed up in the fammer, if there be fpace for them up- on the wail, and may be laid horizontally in the winter, where vacancies require them. But I don't choofe to lay any young ho- rizontals nearer each other than eighteen inches, and if thofe branches defigned for ftems or horizontals have not been flopt in the fummer, tlien one third part of their length muft be taken off in the winter. Thefe direftions I think are fufficient for the management of young vines 5 and what is to be done when they bear, I will treat of by and by. C H A Pe FRUIT-TREES. 195 CHAP. LXV. Of Pruning a Fruit-bearing Vine the common Way. F^ IG. 6, reprefents a vine cut and naird in the winter after the method gene- rally pra6lifed, with all the nether and other ufelefs buds left on -, and though ths buds at the upper end will produce fruit- bearing branches, yet they will be fo near one another, that except part are taken off, both the fruit and young v/ood will be too much fhaded : by this method of cut- ing and nailing, there will be a neceffity ta take out more branches than there are to be nailed up at the firfl time of dreffing in the fummer ; and if they are not taken out^ the prefent ^ fruit will be worfe, and the next year's branches will produce but little fruit. ' ' O a CHAP; i96 A TREATISE OF CHAP. LXVL The Pruning of a Vine that is brought to bearing, and is in a regular Shape. THE ordering of young vines having been fufficiently treated of, I v^ill now give direftions for managing them when they are brought to bear. The fide A in Fig. 7. reprefents the branches nailed up in the fummer, as when the fruit is upon them 5 the other fide fliews how the vine muft be cut and nailed in the winter, with no buds upon the branches, but in places where flioots are required -, and when the branches have been kept in proper order the fummer before, then either all, or moft of the buds left on, will pro- duce bearing branches ; for all thofe near- eft the ftem, and on the under fides of the branches are taken off with the point of a ftarp knife, when the branches were naird up in the winter, for then it is known Vv^hat diftance the next year's fhobts ought to be from one another ; and I leave buds in no other places but Vvhere (hoots are defired, but FRUIT-TREES. 1,97 but there fhould never be too many left on. I have no other reafon for taking the buds from the under fide, but to lefTen the number of enfuing branches, for they would all produce bearers, except two or three neareft the ftem B. In the month of May, nail the branches to the wall as upright as poffible, for they will be lefs fubje6t to put out collaterals, which rob the fruit, than when they are nailed either horizontally or rechning. It is a common praftice to nip off the tops of branches at the firft time of fum- mer nailing 3 but this I think wrong, for it has the very fame bad effeft as improper nailing : but at the fame time, all fhoots breaking out of the old wood muft be ta- ken off, except thofe growing at fuch pla- ces where they are wanted for new hori- zontals the next year. The young branches muft be often nail'd up in the fjmmer, to prevent the wind from breaking them ; and when they are grov/n fo high as to fliade the fruit on the branches next above, or when they are in biofibm, then nip off their tops at the fe- 0 I cond 198' A TREATISE OF cpnct JQini above the fruit ; but fucli as are defigned for new horizontals fhould be nailed at the greateft height they will al- iow, without (hading either one another, cr any branches that have fruit upon them. Thofe branches that are ftopt in their growth by fliortning, will put out colla- terals at almoft every bud ; fuch fhoots mud be nipt off, one joint above the place they proceed from, before they fhade the fruit too much ; this work fliould be often re- peated in the fummer, but never break off a leaf from any growing branch. Always obferve to provide branches for new horizontals where wanted, for the old ones fhould not remain longer than two years -, but it would be better to have frelh horizontals every year, for the lefs length of old vefiels the fap paffes through, the larger the bunches of fruit will be. The loweft branch on the fide D, was a Ihoot made the laft year, having all the buds taken ofi- from .the under fide, but has all left on the upper one, all of w^hich I expeft will produce bearing branches, ex- cept that neareft the ftem, which if it flioots ftrcngly, mull be preferved of a length FRUIT-TPvEES. 199 length fufficient to make a horizontal the next winter. The fhort branch above D, was obtained from the ftem the laft fumm.er, as alfo that at C, on the other fide^ and as there was not an opportunity to lay in a new horizontal of a fufncient^length at E, I therefore left this fhoot above D, to produce bearers, in order to cover the naked part at E, F, where the branches that bore the laft year are ta- ken off from the horizontals; but the other end has buds upon it, and was one of the bearing flioots the laft fummer -, all the parts above are cut and nailed by the fame rules, as ought alfo the fide A to be. But if it happens, that there is not a fhoot of a proper length near the ftem, to be laid for a new horizontal, as that is above D; then, inftead of taking the branches quite away that bore the laft year upon E and F, they ought only to be lliorten'd, about two inches above the firft large bud at their low- er end ; after that, nail them leaning as much as they will bear without breaking ; and all the fmall buds below muft be taken off with a knife point, leaving upon each fhoot one bud only, as at G, H, I ; when this is done there is no need of one at K. O 4 Some- ^pq A TREATISE OF Sometimes it happens that many of the fiioots which bore in the fummer are weak, at the time of winter-pruning, and perhaps but one ftrong one at the end of a horizon-^ tal 3 when that is the cafe, I turn it quite back to the ftem, or as near as it will reach, as that near B is fiippofed to be turned be- low the horizontal to A; and then the two middle branches fliould be cut off clofe, but that next the ftcm fnould be cut like that at G, witl] one bud on, to make a flioot for a new horizontal the next year. Though the branch from B to A is laid below tlie old horizontal, yet it is not al- ways required to be fo, for it would grow as well had it been above, but I always contrive to lay the new horizontals at about half a yard from each other, and if they be clofe to an old one, it is not the w:orfe, When there is not a branch of any fort near the ftem, then as near to it as poflible j I have t>vifted the old horizontal quite roundj before the branch was turn'd frorn B to Aj and this method generally had thq defiled efitft, I am apprehenfive many pra6litioners will be much agalnft laying in a branch four feet long of pne year's growth j imagining ' ' that FRUIT-TREES. 201 that will too much weaken the root, which is thecommon objeftion againflthepraftice* But I hope reafon and experience will convince them of the contrary ; the leaft obfervation will fhew, that there are fewer buds upon thofe long branches againft one yard of wall, than in the fame Ipace where vines are ordered according to Fig. 6, nor can fo many branches proceed from them; for which reafon thofe fhoots which ^re produced muil be ftronger than if the num- ber was greater, and without receiving any more juices from the root than thofe that are cut fhort ; by which it is plain, that long branches are no caufe of weaknefs to the roots, CHAP. LXVII. Gf Walls and the Space proper for Vines. T Hough tlie full-grown vine covers fuch a large fpace^ yet I think it is more than a vine ought to have, in order to produce good fruit; for vines are much ftronger when they are not fuffered to grow ^bove four feet high, and planted from one another 202 A TREATISE OF another at the diftance of eight feet ^ for then nev; horizontals may be laid almoft every year, which will produce better fruit than thofe that are older. Likewife the heat reflefted from the earth makes a great addition to the fruit ; for thefe reafoiis I chafe to place vines in the middle of the fpaces between peaches and nectarines, in order to fill up the va- cancies, othei^vife part of the wall would be naked at the bottom, as appears in Plate IV. Fig. 6. CHAP. LXVIII. Of the Pruning and Nailing a Vine-branch that is eight or ten feet long. FIG. 8. is a long fhoot turned to fill a narrov/ piece of walling -, it has many buds taken off, and only fuch remaining vipon it as are likely to produce bearing branches, at diftances from one another proper for them to be nailed > by this means I have caufed one branch to produce as many bearers as have the next fummer born above twenty bunches of grapes, as large FRUIT-TREES. 203 large as any others, either on the fame vine, or any of the fame kind. Fig. 9. is a fhape which fome people turn long branches into without dilbudding, and I have feen them bear much fruit, but the fhoots are at very improper difcances from one another, till part are taken off; and if the buds producing them had been difplaced at the winter pruning, it would have prevented the juices from being wall- fully fpent in forming fuperfluous llioots, whereby the others would confequently have been ftronger. C H A P. LXIX. General Rules for Pruning a Vine. Will here add two or three general rules to be obferved in pruning and nailing. When the end of a branch is cut in win- ter, it fnould not be done too near the bud next belov/, but about two inches above. Whenever a branch is taken oii", it fnould be cut clofe to the part it proceeds from, and not left with a fhort ftump, for thefe only put out young ufclefs branches, which 3 i*ob 204 A TREATISE OP rob others 5 yet, notwithftanding, this me- thod is much pradtifed. Lay none of the young branches hori- zontally in fummer, nor upright in winter. Sometimes a vine in April, or the be- ginning of May, will difcharge, at places where they have been cut, a large quan- tity of juice, which is called bleeding, and very much weakens the bearing branches that grow above thofe wounded parts, ex- cept the running be foon ftopt; which may be done by wiping the part very dry with a cloth, and immediately after lay on fome dry foot, wood aflies, or unflaked lime ; and if the bleeding continues, then the foot or other ingredients muft be ap- plied every day* CHAP. LXX. Of the Pruning of an old Vine that hath been ill cut before. MANY old vines are in various un- meaning fhapes, with large bunches of fmall fhoots like befoms ; but they are more capable of being altered in a few years fruit-trees. 205 years than any other tree, becaufe they make fuch extenfive fhoots in one fummer, as will foon form a new and regular tree, if rightly managed j but before this work is begun, it is proper to confider what compafs of wall each plant has to cover ', and if it is not greater than what is reprefented by Fig, 7. the tree may be brought to the fhape defired. If the firfl attempt is made in fummer, nail up all young branches to their full length, that are in proper places, either to make a new ftem, or horizontals of the next year; and all others that are without fruit, or fuch as fhade the former, muft be cut off: but if in winter, the tree muft be cut in fuch a manner, as that by taking off old branches, many young fhoots may be produced in the middle part from bot- tom to top, which muft in the fummer af- ter be nailed up, as diredled for tjiofe on young trees. The winter following, take the ftrong- eft of thofe fhoots at the bottom of the tree, and dift)ud and nail it for a ftem, and if it does crofs fome old branches for one year, there will be no harm; all other 1 young ^o6 A TREATISE OF young branches muft be treated In the fame manner as direfted in Fig. 7. and all flumps muft be taken away from the old branches, that would put out leaves too near the young ones. But whilft thefe new branches are pre- paring in the middle of the tree, care Ihould be taken to produce fruit upon the extre- mities of the old ones, but they muft be cut quite away as the new branches be- come capable of covering the wall. When vines cover a greater fpace than reprefented by Fig. 7. they require different management, according to their height and diftance from one another. Such as are low may have branches laid to make roots about eight feet afander, in order to carry up fteras from thence to the top 5 but fome vines are caufed to cover a great quantity of wall, and have no young branches with- in eight or ten feet of the ground -, in fuch cafes, there is no opportunity to make new roots ; then new ftems muft be carried up from the loweft horizontals at the diftance of fix feet from each other, and ordered like thofe raifed from the ground. CHAP. FRUIT-TREES. ao; C H A P. LXXI. Of Thinning of Grapes. IT is as proper to thin grapes when there is too great a quantity as any other fruit ; which may be done either by taking off the bunches only, or the bran- ches with the fruit upon them : as foon as the bloflbms are fhed, it may eafily be dif- covered which are likely to make the hand- fomefi: and largeft bunches ^ and when there are two bunches upon one fhoot, the worft Ihould be always taken off, provid- ed the grapes are of a large fort, fuch as the St. Peters, Lombardy, Tokay grape, &c. and when this way of thinning is not fufficient, then fome of the branches mull be cut away according as there is a ne- ceffity. But the fmaller, or midling iized bun- ches of grapes muft always be thinned, by taking off branches where they are too near one another ^ for two bunches upon one ftrong branch will be as well tailed as if there was but one. There 2o8 A TREATISE OF There are many kinds of grapes men- tioned in the catalogue, which require more than natural heat to ripen them ; but they are pruned like others. I fliall treat of thofe that will bear upon fiandards in another place. CHAP. LXXII. How to preferve the Bloflbm of Grapes, from being injured by Froft and tod much Wet. FROSTS in Mayor Junefpoil many bunches of grapes, and is the chief reafon why- fome berries are fo much fmaller than others on the fame bunch, as may generally be ken in the fweet water kinds, for they bloflbm the earlieft, and confequently fuffer moft from the frofts. As the weather is generally dry in fum^ mer, when the nights are frofty, I have found moderate watering very ferviceablcj and that there have been better bunches upon thofe vines which were watered than upon others that were not, tho* of the fame kinds and againft the fame walk Take FRUIT-TREES. 209 Take urine or brine that is equally im- pregnated with falts, and mix therewith the fame quantity of water, and pour upon the roots of a large vine two quarts every other night, and fo in proportion for thofe.that are younger, and of a lefs fize ; this muft be done on the top of the bor- der as near the ftem as poflible, without touching it 5 and wall be of great fervice any time in fummer, when the earth is dry, but in wet feafons lay upon the bor- ders once in a month, either lime, aflies, or foot, as direded in the Ipring after cut- ting. I have alfo known cold rains to be pre- judicial to the bloiToms of grapes, and to guard againft it and alfo frolls, I have put the bunches of bloflbms at their firft ap- pearance into bags of crape, which I have found of great fervice, for I have had much better bunches in them than the others upon the fame vine : befides they were earlier ripe, and not damaged by flies. CHAP 210 A TREATISE OF CHAP. LXXIII. Of forcing Grapes by Artificial heat. IN all parts of England, grapes may be improved by ftove walls, either with or without covering of glafs, and in the north parts of the kingdom there ought to be fuch conveniencies in all large gar- dens, for in wet feafons very few grapes will ripen without them, neither will fome of the moft valuable kinds which I have mentioned in the catalogue, ever ripen in the moft favourable feafon by the natural heat of the fun alone. Walls for that purpofe are built after different methods, and fometimes vines are planted by the fide of a ftove or green-houfe, built for the prefervation of exoticks, and the branches drav/n into It through fmall holes left for that purpofe ; and tied or nailed to bars of Vv^ood near the glaffes. Thofe fliocts bear well the firft year they are taken in, tho' but very little after- wards j therefore new ones of a fufficient length FRU IT-TREES. an length ftiould be annually provided on the outfide, and the old branches cut off. Tho' grapes ripen earher, by this method than any other I know of, yet the finiit is never fo well flavoured as thofe wdiich have the benefit of the dews. Some walls are built about ten or twelve feet high, with funnels thro' which the heat is conveyed to all parts, from fires made on the north fide j and have on the fouth fide glafiTes, which reach from the top to the out-fide of a border eight or ten feet broad. Thefe borders are very ferviceable to raife early crops of kitchen vegetables up- on, but vines or other fruit-trees, gene- rally become weak, if they are forc'd two years together. There have been feveral other forts of walls made ufe of for this purpofe -, fome with their fronts like one fide of a houfe^ roof, upon which the rays of the fun dart lefs oblique, than upon walls that ftand perpendicular to the horizon ; but thefe bevel fronts are attended with a great dif- advantage, for the wet lodges upon and decays the fruif. P 2 The 212 A TREATISE OF The beft flavoured grapes, and the largeft, that ever I tafled, w^ere produced from vines planted againfl a w^all about four feet and a half high, without any co- vering in front j tho' not fo early ripe as thofe within ftoves ; and this is the only fort of wall 1 fhould choofe, provided glafles could be placed againfl it at plea- fure ; which fhould be done when the nights are frofty, and either taken off or opened more or lefs every day when the w^eather is fine. There ought to be a few bars of wood nailed upon the wall, about an inch thick, to prevent either the fruit or the branches from being injured by too much heat. The borders fhould be of the fame foil as thofe for other fruit-trees, and not fuch as is prefcribed for vines againft other walls 5 but thefe fhould be watered with the ■fame mixtures, and as often as the others, and mufl in fummer be watered every night over and above with water alone, except when the furface of the border is made wet with rain. I need not give any direftlons for build- ing walls for the purpofes before mentioned, there FRUIT-TREES. 213 there 'being many plans of that fort al- ready extant. CHAP. LXXIV. . The explanation of Plate VL and pruning of a Fig-tree againft a wall. '"ff^HIS plate fliews the fhapes of a fig- X tree of different ages : Fig. i . is ei- ther a tree jufl planted, with three branches left on, or one that has been planted a year, with three buds, or more upon it, which has produced jQioots. Fig. 2. is a tree a year older than the firfl:, brought to the fhape it appears in, by dif- placing all other buds but thofe which pro- duced the fhoots. Fig. 3, is a tree almoft full grown, tho' it had the fame fhapes as the other two figs when it was young, and the horizon- tal parts A B and A C, were like A and B in Fig. I. but had they been laid horizon- tally when fo fliort, they would not have reached near enough the out Tides of the fpace defigned for the whole tree ; and as they would increafe but flowly in length P 3 after 2T4 ATREATISEOF after, part of the v/all would have con^ tinued a long time bare. As the roots of a fig-tree are hke thofe of vines, fo muft they be planted the fame y/ay, tho' pruned diitcrently. If the young ihoots of a fig-tree are not too near each other they v^'iii produce almoft as much fruit as leaves, both from the fame places, but not all of them at the fame time ^ for the leaves drop oil' the trees when the fruit near the upper ends of the branches are only like fuiall buds ; and there are many other appear the next fpring from leaves where leaves were fned from in the autumn, that is, at the extremity of thofc fhoots that were not killed by the winter's frofts. Thefe fmall ones and thofe that only ap- pear in the fpring, are the moft certain to ripen, for thofe which are pretty large in the autumn are liable to be killed in the winter , but if any of them live they ri- pen the earlieft the following fummer, and are the beft fruit. Thofe which appear the largefl: at the tirne of the trees fhedding their leaves, ^A^ere fiich as put out earlieft upon the new made FRUIT-T R EES. 215 made flioots , but few of which ripen in this nation the firft year,- except fome par- ticular kinds, as the catalogue mentions, tho' I don't doubt but there are many which do in more fouthern cUmates, as in Barbary, Spain, and Italy, vvheie I am in- formed they are in great perfection. I can't think it proper to take off the live end of a branch in the fpring -, for that part is moft certain to produce ripe fruit y neither do I approve the ending of young flioots in June, tho' it is praclifed by fome people, to procure a great num- ber of branches, but they may be obtained by laying ftrong ones horizontally, and if they are old make nicks on their upper fides, which will caufe young ones to come through the rind. The fpring, or what may be called winter-pruning, I think the propereft time for taking out large branches, which I generally do about the middle of March, when the weather is dry. Then fhould all dead fruit be pulled off, and the young ilioots that are left fhould be chofen with live ends, if pof- fible 5 if not, the dead ends muft be taken P 4 off 2i6 A TREATISE OF off, and the branches nailed up at leaft the breadth of a full-grown leaf from each other. As In the fummer-time there will be inore branches put out than can be placed at the dillance from each other required, let them be taken off at their firft appear- ance, and the others kept ciofe to the wall in the iummer, by nailing them as they ad- vance in length. This method will pre- vent their being Injured by the winds, as they are f abject to be, by reafon of their large leaves. if at aiiy time there be more branches put out from the horizontals than can be nailed upriglit, at proper diftances from each other, let them be taken off at their firft appearance. As the upright branches advance in height, take all from the middle branches that would intercept them before they reach the top of the wall, and fuffer no collate- rals to remain upon them (at wanter-prun- ing) above two inches long. The wood of one year old, in the up- rights, produce no leaves which gives room for FRUIT-TREES. 217 for an annual facceffion of branches, ad- mit there be no long collaterals left on. I know there are many praftitioners that only nail the ftrongeft parts of a tree, and leave the collateral branches lofe, tho' of a great length, and have many times plenty of fruit upon them. But they never ripen fo early as thole that are near the wall ; and if they do at all, it is only fuch as would ripen on dwarfs or efpaliers ; and I think it wrong to beftow a waii upon fuch trees as would produce as much good fruit without it. The catalogue fhews the moll tender forts, and thofe ought to be guarded with matts, fo foon as the hard froils begin, and continue covered till March. CHAP. LXXV. Concerning Efpaliers of Fruit-trees, and the Manner of making them. THere are many kinds of fruit-trees whofe branches are naturally inchn- ed to, harrg downward, and by crofling ^nd galling one another, often become very 2i8 A TREATISE OF very cankered ; likewife when they grow too near together, many of the branches being deprived of the benefit of the fun, do not produce much fruit, and that very fmall and ill tafted, and alfo fubject to be beaten down by the winds. But when the branches of good kinds are artfully fupported, they will produce fruit both large and of a pleafant tafl:e, without the help of a wall, provided no extraordinary heat is required. The me- thod generally ufed for this purpofe, is to bring them to the form of a hedge, where- by they are not only ferviceable in defend- ing the quarters of a kitchen-garden from fevere winds, but alfo prevents them from being feen by perfons in the walks, which are extremely pleafant, when the fruit- trees are in bloffom. They may be fup- ported in different manners, as every one thinks proper ; fome ufe only common hedge-ftakes, as being the leaft expenfive ; but thefe are of fuch fliort duration, and want fo often renewing, that they become more chargeable in the end than the fol- lowing method^ which is niuch better for the trees. In ! FRUIT-TREES. 219 In the firfl: place, pofts of oak or elm, about fix inches fquare, and thirty long, covered with pitch, muft be fet in the ground about twenty inches deep 5 and to the top of every one of thefe pofts there muft be a ftandard of oak or fir fixed ; if of oak, about three inches fquare will be ftrong enough, and the fame height you intend your efpaliers to be, which fhould not be more than kvQn feet; for when they are higher they are frequently da- maged by the winds ; but if they be of fir, they ought to be four inches fquare at leafl : then betwixt every one of thefe flandards there muft be two rails of about three inches fquare, mortifed to the fland- ards, one about two feet above ground, and the other about a foot below the tops of the ftandards ; after this, ftraight rods of hafle, or young afh-trees, or any other fort of light wood, muft be fixed to the rails, about nine inches afunder (on the fame fides as the trees are to be planted) in an upright pofition from the ground, and as high as the tops of the pofts and the v/hole frame is painted ; it will lafl much longer, and be lefs fubjeft to caterpillars. 'Tis 220 A TREATISE OF 'Tis cuftomary to tie or nail the trees to ftakes, for two or three years after plant- ing, before a frame is fet down, but it is much better to fet dov/n the frames fooner, for when trees are arrived lo this age, holes for thepofts can't be made without deftroy- ing fome of their roots. There muft be twice as many pofts as trees, and placed at equal diftances from each other, in fuch a manner, as that a tree may ft and in the middle of every other fpace. I have already given direc- tions how to make borders for efpaliers ; and the methods for cutting their roots and planting them are the fame as for wall- trees J but efpaliers don't require more than three fourths of the fpace allowed for others, becaufe they have the advantage of putting out bearers on both fides, which wall-trees have not. C H A P, FRUIT-TREE S. 221 CHAP. LXXVI. How Pears planted in Efpaliers are to be pruned. I Have before given directions for im- proving of old pear-trees, &c. againft a wall, which I hope will inform any one how old efpaliers and dwarfs are to be or- dered, fo fhall only fpeak of young ones. Pears upon quince-flocks are the beft for efpaliers, but they fliould be pruned in a manner fomewhat different from wall- trees, becaufe they are planted at different diflances, for they mufl be trained up with two ftems like a peach ; but the horizon- tals fhould not be diftant from each other above three fourths of the fpace allowed for wall-trees ; all other ways of manage- ment are the fame for both. But one thing more is requifite to be obferved in regard to the horizontals of fuch trees as grow vigoroufly -, and that is, if they fboot to a greater length before they bear than half the diflances between their flems, then they mufl be reduced to 3 ' one 222 A TREATISE OF one ftem, like thofe planted againft walls. Inftead of nailing them in fummer to the frame, whilft the branches are tender, they may be tied with ftrings of garden-mats ; but in winter, the Dutch ofier is better for this purpofe. The trees ought to be let loofe from the frame early in the winter, that they may have the benefits of the rains and fnows before pruning. CHAP. LXXVII. How Apples in Efpaliers are to be pruned, APPLES defign'd for efpaliers Ihould not be propagated on crab-flocks ; but either upon paradife, creepers, or cod- lin-ilocks. A regular cutting of apple-trees makes great improvement in the fruit, both as to fize and tafle -, efpecially, the choiceii forts of table-fruit, which, I think, ought to be planted in gardens only, and not in open orchards -, and, it is for that reafon I have included fo many of them in my plan of a kitchen-garden. The FRUIT-TREES. 223 The way of planting apples in efpaliei s, and the manner of ordering them are the fame as for pears upon quince-flocks. CHAP. LXXVIII. Of Mulberries and Filberts, and how to prune them in Efpaliers. THE mulberry produces much better fruit when planted in efpaliers, than from tall ftandard-trees, and not liable to be fhaken off by the winds. They fliould be planted at the fame dif- tance from one another as prefcribed for pears upon quince-flocks, but pruned in a different manner. For, in the firfl place, they fhould be trained up with one ilem, leaving hori- zontals upon it half a yard afunder ; be- caufe the branches proceeding from a flrong fhoot or horizontal, will not bear the firfl year > for the fruit is mofl commonly pro- duced from fhoots proceeding from buds near the ends of thofe branches, which grow from horizontals the year before ; and, as neither the buds of flrong branches, nor 224 A TREATISE OF nor the buds at the lower end of a branch produce fhoots that will bear, it is, there- fore, intirely wrong to fhorten the colla- teral branches j and fhould the horizon- tals be nearer together than the fpace be- fore direfted, the bearing branches would too much jQiade one another. When the bearers are come to the length of half a yard, they muft be fliortened -, and, as many fmall branches will put out from them, fome of thofe neareft the ho- rizontals may be left on; and, likewife, young fhoots growing from the ftem fliould be encouraged and trained up for new ho- rizontals, in the fame manner as dire6led for pears. Filberds and large nuts muft be ordered the fame way as mvilberries, with this dif- ference only, that they don't require above half the room. CHAP. FRUIT-TREES. 225 CHAP. LXXIX. Of the ordering of Quinces and Figs in Efpaliers. THE quince is alfo fometimes planted in efpaliers, and requires the fame management in regard to cutting as the mulberry, but there is no occafion for its horizontals to be more than a foot afun- der, and it Ihould have two ftems, becaufe it produces but (hort horizontals. Some forts of figs will do very well in efpaliers, where the foil is dry. Their branches fhould be confined to the frame, at the fame diftance from each other, as directed for thofe planted againft walls, and ftiould likewife be placed in the fame pofition. CHAP. 226 A TREATISE OF C H A P. LXXX. Of Pruning of Cherry-trees and Plum- trees inEfpaliers. CHerries and plums mufl: be ordered in the fame manner as pears upon quince- flocks, only obferving to renew the horizon- tals before they are too old ; for thefe kinds of trees bear the beft fruit, and the greateft •quantity upon youngftuds; I don't mean to have the old branches taken out, fo as to leave part of the fupport bare, but to preferve young (lioots from the ftem, or near it, and lay them betvveen the old ho- rizontals, whofe iluds muft be taken off when too crbuded to give air to the new ones. The branches of ftone fruit-trees are fubjefl to gum, if they are ftrained or bruif- ed ; fo that all poflible care fliould be taken in tying, left they fhould be galled by the ftringSo O CHAP. FRU IT-TREES, 227 CHAP. LXXXL Of the Ordering of Apricots and Almonds in Efpaliers. T PI ERE are feveral forts of apricots that will bear well in efpaliers, with- out the trouble of tying their bearers ; but they mull be trained up with two ftemj, and their horizontals laid about a foot afunder,: and tied to the frame. The bearers muft be left at the fame dl- ftance prefcribed for thofe againft w^alls, and the horizontals renewed in the fame rnanner. The fweet almond will likewife bear very well in efpaliers, managed only in the fame manner as the apricot, and both lliould be trained up in the ftiapes repre^ fented in Plate IV. i;>»M ^Lii t'"' ^i \. rriod adi i b •■ ;:■■ ■ h CL2 CHAP, 228 A TREATISE OF Jot bt;,.. CHAP. LXXXII. Of the Orderiaig of Grapes in Efpaliers. THERE are feveral forts of grapes that will do very well in efpaliers ; but they muft have a frame lower than v/hat is mentioned for other fruit-trees ; for, the nearer the ground the earlier they will be ripe. The pofts of the frame need not be more than two inches fquare, made of oak, about a yard long, with a fharp point driven a foot into the ground, at the diflance of two yards from each other in a flrait line j and then along the tops of thefe pofts, there muft be a little pole or pantile.lath nailed ; another nine inches below, and likewife one about three inches from the ground. As thefe efpaliers are very low, they had much better be within a quarter of the kitchen-garden, than upon the boundary. The vines fliould be planted about eight feet afunder, after the ground is prepared as dire6led for thofe againft walls^ and where [lUUilir ches of both to be of equal length* FRUIT-TREES. 229 where it is ir.tended to have more than one row of thefe efpaliers, they mull be fet from one another the diftance of three feet. They Ihould be cut exaftly in the fame manner a^. vines planted againft walls, v/ith two courfes of horizontals, one tied to the Jower b^r, and the other to the middle one : the bearers of the lower horizontals may be tied to the horizontal above, and the bearers of this to the upper bar, and or- dered in fummer as thofe againft walls. The ground fhould be kept clear of weeds, and a little lime ot coal-afhes dug in every year after the trees are cut. CHAP. LXXXIIL Of Pruning, &c. concave Dwarf-trees. THE 5th, 6th, and 7th figures In the Vllth Plate, reprefent a dwarf-tree of different ages, either concave or hori- zontal. Concaves are much the propereft for borders, becaufe they don't cover fo much ground as horizontals, fuppofe the bran- ches of both to be of equal length. 0^3 A 236 A T R E A T I S E O F A tree defigned foradwarf fhould, when taken from the nurfery, have four branches or more, no lefs than two feet long, growl- ing from the ftem, betwixt twelve and eighteen inches from the ground, as thofe in Fig. 5. but it is better to have fix or eight branches, that fome majr be taken off in proportion to the lofs of roots : but if there are not four, then the flrongeft muft be cut to about four inches long, either at the time of planting or foon after, to in- creafe their number, with oiily as many buds left on it at the upper end as there are fhoots required. Their roots muft be cut like thofe of wall-trees, and planted at fixteen or eighteen feet apart, and the ftem muft be placed erecl. But bbferve, that all branches that are more than two feet long at the time of planting, muft be cut to make their number increafe, for at that diftance from the ftem more branches are required. When any of the ftioots are two feet long, they mnft be inclined about forty- five degrees, either by nailing or tying to ftakes fixt in the border. The FRUIT-TR EES. 231 The branches muft be kept at equal di- ftances from one another, at tlie upper ends I and, if any of them do not put out two or three others at the diftance of two feet from the ftem, then then* extremities mull be taken oft to that length, and all the lower buds, leaving only fuch a num- ber remaining as there are branches defir- ed 3 but if there be proper fhoots, then let all the nether buds or branches remain till the next winter, and if the new fnoots A A, &c. in Fig. 6. are two feet long or thereabouts, all others that don't exceed a foot in length may be left for bearers, and thofe that are more muft be cut out. If any of the new-made branches that are at the extremities of others, are not much more than a foot long at the time of win- ter-pruning, inftead of leaving three, as in Fig. 6, leave only two of the longeft flicots, and fuch as exceed two feet muft be cut to that length -, or, if there are three others nearly of that length, let that; which is too long be cut out. Thefe new branches muft all be confin d at equal diftances from each other ; and the belt way of doing it, is to make a fort 0^4 of 23^^ ATREATISEOF of hoop or circle of fmall afh or haflc, fomewhat fmaller than hop-poles, which muft be fupported by three or four ftakes, at fuch a height, that the branches may be tied to the hoop within fix inches of the upper end, in the fame rifmg pofition they were firft confined. After this is done, the tree will nearly reprefent Fig. 6. and muft by the fame me- thod be brought to the fhapc of Fig. 7. till the firft made branches arc about eight feet long, and fuch as extend further muft be taken quite out clofe to the part they proceed from and not fhortened. I have feen thefe fort of dwarfs greatly abufed, by too much ftiortening or ftump- ing ; efpecially at firft, before they begin to fhoot ftrongly, and then they cut them again becaufe they are too vigorous ; by which means, a tree is much longer before it bears, than it would otherwife be. : Branches of dwarf-trees fhould never be fhortened, but where flioots are wanting, or to take out a canker'd part ; and fuch as are grown fo long as to crofs, or touch others, muft be taken out in the winter, and the neareft flioot that is fuitable con- fined to its place. Branches FRUIT-TREES. 233 Branches often put out in the fummer from the lower parts of the tree, which iliould be obierved, and either taken away or left on, as occafion requires. When trees produce vigorous flioots at their extremities, then the branches be- low may be left on till winter, and then take them off, provided the tree is fur- ni(hed with bloffom buds ; but if it is not, let that fhoot which grows the moll up- right and neareft the ftem, remain to re- ceive part of the fap, and that will check the vigour of the others. When a tree fhoots but little at the ex- tremities, and is full of fruit, then all the lower branches that can conveniently be fpared muft be taken off early in the fum- mer : if it has but little fruit, it is a fign that the tree wants relieving with new branches. When this is the cafe, there muft be as many fhoots left in fummer, as can be conveniently laid to the frame of wood in the winter, without deftroying the old branches which have buds for bloffoms, till the new branches can be brought to bear; and the old ftuds or bearers muft be taken 5 away, 2^4 A T R E A T I S E O P away, as new ones are produced to fuppiy* their places : and thefe new branches fhould be treated in all refpefts like a young tree, and not fuftered to touch one another. When a tree is become fo weak that it makes few or no fliocts, after it is arrived at its full fize, then it wants new branches, and the way to recover them is to cut off a great many of the ftuds in the winter dole to the bottom, and efpecially thofe near- eft the ftem ; which generally caufes Ilioots to put out at the places from whence the others were cut : but if this is not fuffi- cient, take a chiiel the next winter, and cut into feveral of the ftrongeft parts about one third of their thicknefs^ but thefe cuts muft be made on the upper fide of the branch, and a piece taken quite out, equal in length and depth ; this is a fare way to produce young (hoots, provided the root be healthy. When a dwarf is cut in the winter, all the mofs and old bark fnould be clean rubbed ofF^ and the cankered parts cut away to the quick : this fort of manage- ment is very proper for either the pear upon the quince, the apple upon the para- 8 dife. FRUIT-TREES. 235 dife, or the plum and cheriy upon their owrii , CHAP. LXXXIV. Of Pruning Horizontal Dwarf-Trees. THE number of branches proper for horizontals muft be the fame as the laft, and all the ftems of the fame length ; but as their branches are laid horizontally, they extend much farther than a border of common breadth can contain, and are therefore better upon quarters, which muft be prepared for them as direfted for bor- ders. Their roots are cut in the fame manner as other dwarfs -, fo is the manner of plant- ing, though at a greater diftance, for thofe that are the leaft vigorous fhould not be lefs than twenty feet afunder. The only difference in their manage- ment is in the pofition of their branches, the one being faltened to ilakes and hoops in an afcending manner ; and t]ie other- laid quite flat (but I advife they fhould be foux* ^ V 236 A ?f J:E A T ts iE O F four leet long^ before they are brought quite fo low) about half a yard from the ground. Thefe have two advantages of the other, firft, by being fo much lower, they are lefs expofed to the winds; and if the ground under them be kept clear from weeds, it reflefts a greater heat to the fruit. I have feen great crops of pears, apples, plums, and cherries, upon horizontal dwarfs, which I think is the moft proper fhape for trees of this fort. Tho* I have direfted thefe dwarf-trees to be planted twenty feet afunder, or more, yet I don't mean to have them extended until they reach one another 3 for there Ihould be left a fpace four feet wide round every tree, to take a barrow on, either to carry weeds away or bring manure. They "ought to have their winter-pruning as V foon as they have fhed their leaves, and >the. ground under them cleared of weeds land all manner of filth, and then covered over with coal-aflies one fourth of an inch thick : this will add falts to the foil, and dry the furface, both which are of great advantage to the fruit. The FRUIT-TREES, 237 The ground on which thefe trees are planted ought to be very clear from peren- nial weeds, and efpecially the corn-bind or wild convolvolus, which are very in- jurious to trees, and very difBcult to de- ftroy. CHAP. LXXXV. Of Conical, or Convex Dwarfs, AS grafs-plats in gardens of pleafure are often adorned with flowering flirubs, I think if fome parts were to be planted with the following fruit-trees, it would anfwer the fame end, and be of equal beauty, and make a variety amongft the others. (Viz.) The nonpareil, and d'Api apples upon paradife flocks, the Jargonel, and Robin pears upon quince-ilocks, Corne* lian cherry on its own root, the Duke cherries upon the paramdam flocks, and fc«ne of the beft plums, all of which are beautiful both ia flower and fruit; and alfo the minioii fig, tho* it does not bear flowers, yet there is a variety in its leaves : I (hould ^38 A TREATISE OF I fhould'Chufe their ftems to be no more than a foot long, but they ought to be taken frGm the nurfery with five branches or' more, the fame as for a ftandard fruit- tree, and their heads fhould be cut the fame way, as orchards every year. That is, in fuch a manner as tho' Fig. 6. were placed above the 7th, and the 5th above the 6th, fo as to appear like BC and D, in Fig. 4. but not more than a foot and a half from each other in height. CHAP. LXXXVL Of Standard Vines. I Have already faid fomething concerning the management of vines planted in the manner of efpaliers j but in places guarded from the winds, they may be brought to bear and ripen, without being fupported by a frame oif wood, if the foil be proper for them. The ground on which they are to be planted muft be prepared, and ordered i'nf the fame manner as for thofe againft walls,- and their roots and branches cut and dif- budded FRUIT-TREES. 239 budded in the fame manner, and planted four feet afander every way. The ground fhould be ^kept clear from weeds, and no more than one branch fuf- fered to grow upon each plant the firft fummer. In the winter or February after, they muft be cut according to their ftrength 5 and fuch as have a fnoot betwixt two and three feet long may be cut about a foot from the ground, and all the buds taken off except the two higheft 3 for the three loweft feldom produce any fruit, and the flioots that they would make would only weaken the reft. -^ If a plant has made a weak (hoot, there fhould be only the fourth bud from tte lower end left upon it. '> I But as a vine increafes in flrength, fo fhould it alfo in its number of branches, till they come to eight, all proceeding from the top of a ftem or head that is ^not more than a foot high. - "\/r: . ^ f-jit VjAnd at the time of winter-pruning there muft never be more than the third, fourth and fifth buds left upon a young branch ; the 240 A TREATISE OF the part above muft be cut off, and the lower buds alfo. In fummer all fuckers proceeding from the root fhould be taken away at their firft appearance, but thofe branches putting out of the ftem, about a foot from the ground, muft be preferved for bearers ; as alfo fuch fhoots as put out of old wood at the top of the ftem ; and as many of thefe flioots as are preferved, fo many of thofe branches proceeding from the third buds left on at firft (that is, the loweft buds left on the fhoots in winter) muft be taken off in the fummer, for they can feldom be expeftcd to bear, and all they were in- tended to do, was to produce fuch ftioots as would bear fruit the next year, I choofe to leave thefe flioots upon the ftem, or near it, to keep the head of the tree in a little compafs, which could not well be done by thofe flioots which pro- ceed from the third, fourth, and fifth buds that were preferved in the winter. As foon as the vines have ftied their leaves, tak« away the earth from the ftem of every one of them a foot round, till the FRUIT-TREE S. 24I the roots are almofl: bare 3 and let them lie open in this manner about twenty days : (if the weather is frofty it will not be the worfe) then lay a fpadeful of coal afhes or lime to the root of every tree, and cover them again with earth. They muft be many times pruned in the fummer, for it will make the fruit ripen better -, and as foon as three joints appear above the fruit, one of them fhould be nipt off, and all branches putting out of the bearers taken away at their firft ap- pearance, or cropt to one joint in length after: and fuch' fhoots as are defigned to produce bearers the next year, muft be kept as fhort as thofe bearing fruit, or elfe the winds will be apt to break them. CHAP. LXXXVII. Of Raifing, Planting, and Pruning of Goofeberries and ,Currants. THE goofeberry is a dwarf fruit tx*ee, "but of the meaner fort 5 yet the fi:uit is much improved by proper ciattjng, and a good foil, R It 242 A TREATISE OF It is eafily raifed from layers, fuckers, cuttings, or from feeds, and fliould be trained up in the nurfery with a ftraight flem : each tree fhould have fix, eight, or more branches proceeding from it, for bear- ers, about a foot from the ground -, and that which is the mofl: upright muft be tied to a ftraight flake, faftened in the earth near the root -, and if the branch that is tied up be more than a foot long, the top muft be taken off, and the lower buds likewife, leaving only fix or eight at the upper end, in order to make (hoots, which muft be ufed as the former bearers ^ and as the ftem advances in height, preferve the fame number of young fhoots at every foot in height i but no upright fhoots muft be fuffered to grow (except the ftem) nor any branches to crofs one another. Such young fhoots as are defigned for bearers, if their ends be dead, fhould be fhortened a little in the fpring, which will make the fruit much larger ; and it is alfo neceffary, at the fame time, to take away all fuckers from the root. The foil which a goofeberry bears the beft fruit upon, and makes the moft lafting tree, Fruit-trees. 243 tree, is fuch as I have before mentioned for the generality of fruit-trees, but the depth required is not more than ten inches; but if they or ftrawberries be planted in a foil ftronger, they will do better than in a loofe fand or gravel. I fuppofe there are many people Vv'ho will think it not worth their expence to make any alteration in the foil for fo common a fort of fruit 3 but I think thofe gentlemen who love to fee things in perfection will dif- penfe with it -, for as there generally are ftrawberries planted upon the borders with them, a little improvement, if Vv^anted, will be of fervice to both, and the expence will not be more than one fourth of what is required for fruit-trees againft walls, be- caufe the borders need not be more than one half of the breadth or depth. I think ten or twelve feet is the neareft that the trees fhould be planted to each other, for thofe at five or fix (which is the common way) do in a few years fo much fhade the ftravv berry plants, that they are thereby rendered fruitiefs } and the pleafure expefted in the walk adjoining is loft in the feafon for ripe ftrawberries, R 2 I have 244 A TREATISE OF I have jiift before given directions for the raifing of trees in the nurfery, but there is fomething to be obferved in chufing them to plant in places where they are de- figned to remain. It is good to take fuch as are free from mofs, whofe rind is of a bright colour, and fuch as have made ftrong fhoots the year before, at leaft eight of them, at a foot from the ground, with one young branch going forward to lengthen the ftem ; this fize is large enough to carry to places at a gre^t diftance. But if a tree be taken from the nurfery with ten branches, it is the better; for the greater number of branches there are taken off at the time of replant- ing, with the greater vigour will the tree grow after. Note, If trees are not to be met with in a nurfery of the Ihape defired, choofe fuch as may be moft eafily brought to them. In taking up thefe trees, there ought to be care taken to preferve as great a length of roots as poffible; and likevvife packed in fuch a manner, as to prevent their be- coming dry in the carriage -, but if a tree is only to be removed in the fame ground, I FRUIT-TREES. 245 I fiiould clioofe a larger tree, for then one of any fize will grow. Their roots mufl: be cut by the rules be- fore laid down for other dwarf-trees 5 aaid likewife planted at the fame feafon, in an upright pofition, but not deep ; the heads may be cut either before or after planting, and in fuch a manner as directed for their order in the nurfery, but with a lefs num- ber of branches left on, as forae of the roots will be deftroyed by removing. I think fix branches enough, befides the ftem, at the time of planting, and if they are more than half a yard long, they may be cut to that length, and as they grow after planting, they are to be dreffed as be-» fore direfted for thofe in the nurfery. But inftead of eight or ten branches being left to each tree, whofe ftem is a foot in height, I would advife but fix or feven; and if any of them be of a much greater length than the others, fhorten them in the win- ter, by which the head v/ill be more re- gular^ and when any of them dies, or bears fmaller fruit than ufual, let a young ftrong branch be preferved for its place, and the old one taken out in the winter; but if R 3 thq 246 A TREATISE OF the young one naturally Hands in a poll- tion more upright than the old ones, it mufl: be confined lower, by a fmall flick put over itj and under thofe two old ones neareft. Likewife obferve, when you drefs the trees in fpring, to clear all mofs from them ; and by thefe rules a tree will be kept in health for many years. The currants are to be ordered in all refpeils like the goofcberry, but they will not profper fo well in a very ftrong clay ; there are various kinds, but the forts moil valuable for common ufes are the white and red Dutch : there is good wine made of the black ones, befides both fruit and leaves are of ufe in medicine. The ftrawberries upon the borders muft be thinly planted, if good fruit of all kinds be expected : they muft be at leaft a yard from tiie trees, and if hautboys two feet from each other, and of all other kinds half a yard; the runners muft be pulled off at their firft appearance, and no more roots fuffered to grow than what are planted. CHAP, FRUIT-TREES. 247 CHAP. LXXXVIII. Of Barberries, and their Culture. TH E P. E are only two forts of bar- berries, the one with feeds, and the other without ; the former grows wild in hedges and woods, but the latter, which is moft valuable, I have not feen any where but in gardens, generally growing wild in wildernefs quarters, amongft flowering fhrubs, where they are very ornamental, not only in the time of their flowering, but likewife, in autumn, their fcarlet-fruit makes a beautiful appearance for a long time. They are increafed by fuckers or layers, and though they are by nature of a larger growth than goofeberries, yet if they are cut the fame way, it will make both the berries and the bunches larger, and reduce the tree to a handfome fliape, v/ithout too much formality in it. I don't think a tree of this fort would be difagreeable upon a grafs-plot, amongfl: the fruit before-mentioned for that pur- R 4 pofej 248 A TREATISE OF pofe ', but If they are only defigned for the benefit of the fruit, they may be plante4 upon borders as goofeberries are. CHAP. LXXXIX. Of the Ordering of Rafberries. THE rafberry plant cannot properly be called a fruit-tree, yet as the fruit is valuable, I fliall give my method of planting, dreffing, &c. I am only acquainted with four kinds, except the flowering fort, viz. the common fmall red, and white 3 the other two forts are much larger, of the fame colour, and are called rombullions ; the former has the richeft flavour, but in dry feafons they are apt to wither if they are planted upon fand or gravelly land, but will bear v^ell on loam or clay, that is not too wet. The latter forts bear well upon any foil that is moderately dry, if there be four inches depth for their roots to grow in, be- fore they are interrupted by a rock or the e. As there is no pofliblllty of ftrawberries profpering under them, I therefore choofe to FRUIT-TREES. 249 to have the rafbenies in a quarter or plat of ground alone, and not upon borders as goofberries and currants. The proper time for planting rafberries, is, from the end of Oclober to the begin- ning of March, in moifi: wea' her^ and the ground fhould be cleared of quitch grafs roots, and all other weeds. The plants made ufe of for this purpofe are no other than fuckers, which rife an- nually from the horizontal roots that come from old flocks, and the ftrongeft ought to be chofen, with as great a quantity of roots as can conveniently be taken with them. If they are become dry in their re-^ moval, there can t reafonably be any fruit expe6led from them the firft year; for which reafon, I advife to have them cut to about half a yard long, for if they were left of a much greater length, the fuckers that rife from their roots would be too weak for bearing the enfuing year. The plants, which are only removed from one part of a garden to another, may very eafily have their roots kept moift, and like- wife fome earth adhering to them; there is no doubt but fuch plants will bear the firft 250 A TREATISE OF firft year, and likewife produce ftrong branches from their roots, fit for bearing the fecond year. The roots of all muft be examined be- fore planting, and thofe fibres which are become dry and dead muft be cut ofF^ but the ftrong roots, if alive, fliould only have fuch ends taken off fmooth v^ith a knife, as were cut by the fpade in taking them up. I have obferv'd rafberries planted about half a yard from each other, and fome- times nearer, upon bed^ of four feet broad, though with a fpace of two feet between each bed 3 and in a very few years, the rif- ing branches, and thofe bearing fruit, de- prive each other of the greateft part of the benefit which the fun offers to both^ for which reafon, I choofe to plant them at three feet apart in the quincunxes order. The manner of placing them in the ground, is the fame as diredled for dwarf- trees of the fmaller forts 5 and if the firft fpring and fummer, after they are planted, fliould prove dry, they v/ill require to be watered three times a week, and the num- ber of the young branches rifing from the roots fliould be examined in fummer; and 8 if FRUIT-TREES. 251 if more than four appear from one plant, the weakeft muft be pulled off to make the other ftrongerj and the ground mu Pc be kept clear of weeds in the fummer, tho* there may be a broad bean fet the firft year between every two plants. The ftem which was planted will be dead the next winter, for the parts above-ground do not live tv/o years, for which reafon they fhould be cut from amongft the others. The fruit is always produced upon col- laterals, which come from thofe branches that grew from the root the fummer be- fore ; and if there be two, three or four at a root, cut a little off their tops, then plat them together, in fuch a manner as to make them ftand upright, and dig the ground over, and they will require no other order in the winter. The fecond fummer after planting, there may fix branches be fuffered to grow from each root, and the winter enfuing they muft be ufed like thofe the year be- fore ; and when the roots are come to their full ftrength, fufFer eight or ten branches to grow from each of them, and in the winter give them the ufual order. CHAP. 25a A TREATISE OF CHAP. XC. The Ordering of Borders, that have been properly made. AFTER wall-trees have had their v/inter-praningj the borders fliould be thoroughly cleaned from all leaves and weeds, and fiich forts of manure applied as the nature of the foil requires. For land which is naturally inclhied to clay, coal aflies or lime are moll proper ; but for fand, gravel or creach, then foot, pigeon-dung, netting, or brine of equal ftrength. After the nature of the foil is confidered, and if the borders were made as before di- refted, each fort of manure prefcribed for the different kinds of foils muft be propor- tioned in the following manner, viz^ for every perch of clay-ground, three pecks of lime, or four of afhes; and for fand, gravel, or creach, four pecks of foot, or two of pigeon-dung, or elfe three gallons of netting or brine. As FRUIT.TPvEES. 253 As foon as the furface of a border is co- vered with any pf them, let it be dug over Vvdth a three-grained fork, thefe inftru- ments being lels prejudicial to the roots of trees than fpades. But when the borders are thus prepared and ordered, I do not mean to have them planted with colliflowers tliat are to remain for a crop, or with early beans or peafe, for thefe things are very prejudicial to fruit- trees. If there never was any thing fuffered to grow upon borders, it would be much bet- ter for all kinds of fruit-trees, efpecially peaches and nectarines ; but as many peo- ple may, perhaps, think it a pity to lofe the benefit of fouth borders for early crops, I therefore advife, that only fuch things be raifed on them as may be taken off in the month of April at farthefl:, as young fal- lading^ or the like; or, if lettices are plant- ed in the beginning of November, or a lit- tle earlier, they will not do much hurt, provided they are pulled up by the roots in the fpring, and not fuffered to feed. The borders fliould be always kept clear pf weeds; and, about the latter end of July, or 254 ATREATISEOF or beginning of Auguft, dig them over again with a fork, and then cover them with ilich fort of manure as direfted in tlie fpring, about half the quantity ; and after that> if the feafon is dry, water them plentifully hi the evening, it Vvall caufe the falts that were dug in winter to mix with the earth, and thofe remaining upon the furface to continue moift: but never dig in weeds, or liable manure, and let the borders be always kept clean by fprittling and raking^ As to thofe borders on which efpaliers or dwarfs grow, if they are planted with flrav/berries, fufFer none to grow within a yard of the trees ; and if they be kept at half a yard from each other, the fruit will be better for it, though it is bell for the trees if there be none 5 they mull like- wife be dug and manured in the winter, the fame as direfted for others, which mull be again repeated as foon as the llraw- berries are gathered. As vv'hat has been already faid of bor- ders, relates only to thofe made according to the former direftions, I will therefore, in the next place, fay fomething concerning old ones. CH A P. FRUIT-TREES. 255 CHAP. XCI. ^ Of the Ordering of old Borders. MOST old borders that I have k^n do not exceed four feet in breadth, many having an edging of box next the walks, and commonly filled either with large growing flowers, or elfe with peafe, colliflowers, or fome other kitchen veget- ables; but thefe things, as I faid before, are very prejudicial to wall- trees, efpecially peaches and ne6larines, which I have ob- ferved in trees from one year old to twen- ty- In the firft place, the borders mufl be cleared of all thofe incumbrances, and not crowded with any thing more than what I have direfted to be planted upon thofe new made ; after that let them be trenched in the following manner, and falts added, according as the texture of the foil re- quires. Firft, open the bordjer at one end, the whole breadth, and about a yard in length, taking away the earth, till the uppermoft roots 256 A TREATISE OF roots are not covered above an inch deep | this done, if the foil be a clay, cover the part thus opened with coal afhes, fifted fine, about one fourth of an inch thick, or with lime fomewhat more fparingly; then from the fame compafs of the furface of the border, as direfted for the firft opening, take as much earth as will cover the part thus manured about three inches thick, and what earth remains on that laft opened, more than an inch deep above the roots, muft be taken away; otherwife it will be of as ill confequence as planting too deep, by depriving the roots of a fuffi- cient heat from the fun. Trench the borders in this manner all over ; and if they are too narrow, add to their breadth where it can be done. For foils of a fandy loofe nature, foot is the moft proper, and muft be ufed in the fame manner as before dire6led for aflies on clay ground 5 or for want of foot, pigeon dung, about half the quantity : and if thefe things are done in the fummer, or when the earth is dry, water plentifully in the evening all that has been trenched that day. After FRUIT-TREES. zsf After the borders have been thus trench- ed and manured, they mull: in all feafons be ordered according to the directions given for managing thofe new made. My reafon for leaving a thin covering of earth upon the roots, is, in order to prevent the falts, contained in the manure, from entering them whilft they are too grofs and acrid, for then they are apt to rent the pores, but after paffing through the earth, they become more refined and fitter to be received by the roots 5 and that earth laid above the manure keeps it moift, whereby it will be more ferviceable than if it had been laid upon the furface. Old borders are often annoyed by roots pro- ceeding from efpaliers, or flandard trees which rob thofe planted on them j when this is the cafe, fuch roots muft be cut thro*, at the greateft diftance they wall admit from the walls, v/ithout injuring the trees belonging to them; and then the roots thus cut muft be pulled out, otherwife they will putrefy, and be very deftruftive to the tender roots of thofe trees growing up-^ on the borders. S There J258 A TREATISE OF There is another thing, which tho' fel- dom taken notice of, yet is of bad con- fequence to wall trees, and that is, their being (haded by ftandards or efpaliers, whereby the fun is prevented from darting its rays freely upon them, and all fuch ob- ftacles ought to be removed out of the way as foon as poflible, although they don't drop upon the borders, but only fliade the trees growing thereon by their height. Having before only mentioned fuch things as may be fuifered to grow upon borders having fouth, fouth-wefi:, eaft or fouth-eaft afpeds^ yet as the other afpeds are of as much fervice in the fummer as thofe are in the fpring, I will therefore give fome few direftions concerning them : and in the firfi: place, before any thing can be either fowed or planted on them, they muft be relieved with manure, and ordered ac- cording as the feafons and nature of the foil requires -, after that is done, the fame forts of things may be propagated on thefe in the fummer as direfted for the others in the fpring y but let none be allowed to grow high, or it^A ^ and if it is a garden of pica- FRUIT-TREES. 259 pleafure only, then a few annuals of a fmall or middle fize may be planted on them* There are two things more neceflary to be obferveds that is, the nature of the fummer, and the quantity of fruit upon the trees. If it be a wet fcafon and a large crop o£ fruit, give the borders once a month a thin covering, that is to fay, half as much at a time of the fame forts of manure as di- refted for them in the fpring j but if the fummer is dry, and the trees be either weak, full of fruit, or young ones of the laft year's planting, then it is necefTary to water the borders three times a week 5 but this muft be done in the evening, otherwife the fun will attract too much of the moiiiure be- fore it can defcend to the roots of the trees. Where there is a great quantity of wal- nuts gathered, I would advife to have the hufks, fo foon as taken off, fpread about an inch thick on the borders where pea- ches and neftarines grow -, and after the trees have been pruned in the winter, let them be dug into the earth with a fork. There is a fait in them which is deftructive to infects, and ftrengthening to trees. S 2 Whei€ 26o A T R E A T I S E O F Vv^'here tlie fea-coaft is near, the expence of other manures may be faved ; for the water and the clay is the beft that is for fandy foils, and fo is the fea-fand for clay foils 3 but the water alone is not to be ap- plied to the leaves or branches of any plant, though, when it is mixt with a treble quantity of frelli water, it is as proper to wafli blighted trees with, as the mixture be- fore direfted for tliat ufe ; but there Ihould not be more than one half fo'much of it ufed as is before directed for ewring. The blood of any kind of animal is of fervice to fruit-trees , and when a horfe is let blood in a ftable, as it is eafy to preferve it, I think it is a pity it fliould be loft, for it is of as much fervice as an equal quantity of fea-v/ater, and may be ufed in like pro- portion. I am apprehenfive that what I have faid npon ordering of borders will be made a joke of by many, who will fay, I attempt to give more than neceffary trouble to thofe who have fruit-trees under their care 5 and they v/ill prefently tell where there are wall- trees thrive, and bear plentifully with- out any fort of border 5 or, upon fuch 2 where] FRUIT-T R EE S. 261 where there are many flowers and an edg- ing of box. I own that a pear, apple, plum, apri- cot, fig, vine, and fome kinds of cherries, will, where the foil is of a proper fort with- in, though it be covered with grafs, gravel, or paved) and if the vines be low ones, the grapes ripen earlier, with gravel, or pave- ment near them, than if there was none. But I never lav/ the beil fort of peaches and neftarines, nor even fome kinds of. cherries, profper well in any fach fituations 9 but were geneially annoyed with the honey- dews, and frnother-flies, even to the de- fl:ru6lion of the greateft part of every one of their young branches; which tends to the lofs of fruit, or at leaft of good fruit : for where the upper ends of branches are killed, the others don't bear fo good fruit as thofe that are whole; as I v.ill anfwer for it they will, if the borders are made and ordered as I have direftwd, admit the trees have other things, necellary done to them when required. I could exprefs where this practice has been fuccefsful in many places ; but per- haps the owners would not like to have . S 3 their 262 A TREATISE OF their names mentioned, for which reafon I will not enter upon many particulars; but this I will fay, that in November 1750, I prepared a border for a gentleman, and planted it with fruit-trees of feveral forts. Sixteen of them are peaches and neclarines, which have all bore fruit, many of them the fecond year, and never had the end of a branch killed 5 moft of them are very extenfive trees, and have been planted but four years, and under my care, CHAP. XCII. How to preferve Bloflbms, and young Fruit from Frofts. THE firft thing deftruftlve to fruits is violent frofts in the fpring, which kill the bloflbms and young fruit, efpecially of the apricot, for it bloflbms earlier than any other fort. Trees grow- ing againft walls may, in fome meafure, be preferved from this mifchief^, by fhad- ing them with branches of laurel, yew, or beech, and in calm weather there is Hiuch fruit faved by this means 3 but if the feafou FRUIT-TREES. 265 feafon IS tempeftuous and windy, then part of the bloffoms and young fruit are fre- quently beat down by the fhades -, yet, not- withftanding the difadvantage, I have ob- ferved more fruit generally upon trees that have been fhaded, than thofe expofedto the weather, though againft the fame wall: I always found the branches before men- tioned preferable to matts for fhading fruit-trees, and that they w^ere applied with the rnoft fuccefs, provided they could be fo fixed as not to be difplaced by the winds. After the trees have once been accuftom- ed*to thefe fhades, it is not prudent to take them away too foon; for it makes the bloflbms and young fruit fomewhat ten- derer than when they have been conftantly expofed to the weather ; and as the fpring is a very inconftant feafon, we fhould not be tempted by two or three fine nights, to leave the fruit unguarded, before they have ftrength enough to refift any incle- mency of weather, or any natural leaves to fcreen them from the cold. Stone fruit ought to be guarded in this manner till they have quite (lied their S 4 blol^ ^64 A TREATISE OF bloflbms, and pears till their firft leaves are almoft full grown. When the weather is inclining to v/hat we cotr.monly call black frolls, as it often is in the fpring, I have made ufe of another method to preferve fruit v/ith great fuccefs, v/hich is only watering the borders every afternoon when the trees are in blofibm, and this has produced the defired etreftj for in this fort of weather there being no dews in the nights for the trees to im- bibe, their juices become thick and gluti- nous, and confequently flower in motion, v/hereby they lefs refill the penetrating force of the froft. Perhaps fome may objeft againft water- ing, and fay, that it is too cold and periih- ing in fuch fort of weather : but whoever fliall be pleafed to make trial, will find the contrary, for it encreafes heat in the trees, by accelerating the motion of their juices, efpecially where the borders on which they ftand have been prepared and ordered, as before dire6led. Where borders are old, and become poor by having had many crops growing upon them, or if they have been manured with dung that was F R U I T-T R E E S. 265 was not cjuite rotten, then add to every gallon of water one ounce or more of com- mon fait; and if thofe trees that are Ihaded be watered once a w eek, it will do then^ fervice. CHAP. XCIIL How to prevent Caterpillars deftroying . Fruit upon Wall, or Dwarf- Trees. I Shall not attempt to defcribe the va- rious kinds of infefts; but I have ob- ferved two forts of caterpillars, or at leaft thofe of two colours, feed upon fruit-trees, the one black, and the other green : the blatk generally make their appearance in March, if the feafon be dry, upon the pear- tree, apple, and feveral others. Sometimes there are great numbers of them, in a fort of kel or web ; and if they are to be come at, I chufe to take them off, or otherwife they will difperfe themfelves to all parts of the tree, and there feed up- on the bloiTom leaves, or their buds, before they are unfolded. After they have lived in this a6tive ftate, fometimes they conceal them- 266 A TREATISE OF themfelves, either in a bunch of leaves, or in a cavity of the rind of a tree, where i^hany of their eggs are hatched the fame fummer, and become very deftruftive. I think fome eggs are preferved the fame vv^ay all winter ; for when I have been drefTing fruit-trees in February, I have found many of then* eggs, and fome kindled, though of a white colour, as I fuppofe they all are, before the air changes them, in old nail holes and under pieces of dead bark. Which caufes me to wafh the walls, in order to deftroy them ; and I think the method of dreffing dwarfs and ftand- ard-trees muft have partly the fame ef- feft. The green caterpillar that feeds upon fruit-trees, for ought I know, may be the fame as thofe that were black at their firfl appearance, but by green food their co- lour may be changed, for the latter I have never feen fo early in the fpring as the for- mer ; but I have found them very preju- dicial to both the young branches and fruit of the apricot, cherry, plum, apple, pear, currant, goofeberry, &c. FRUIT-TREES. 267 I never obferved thefe in great numbers together in any fort of web or kel ; but I have generally found them fingle, fome- times wrapt up in the extremity of a new made branch of the fore-mentioned trees, or otherwife in a bunch of bloffoms of an apple, pear, plum, or cherry-tree, and fometimes on an apricot, with a leaf to cover them. In wall trees or dwarfs, w^hofe branches are within reach, part of their ill efFefts may be prevented. If they be at the extremity of a branch, it will ap- pear in a round knob, and they generally eat off the part they had wrapt together; which fpoils the branch the next year. When they have inclofed themfelves in a bunch of bloffoms or young fruit, then they prove very deftruftive, by generally eating into all they had joined together, which caufes much fruit to drop off foon after, and others when they are more grown. Some of thofe that are but flightly eat, will continue upon the tree till the time of gathering, but they never make good fruit, being generally ill tailed, and many times have a white grub within them. When ^68 A TREATISE OP When the caterpillars are firft perceived upon wall or dv/arf-trees, if it be before or after they are wrapt up, I have prepared ^ brine the fame as for wafliing of walls at the time of pruning, and therein dipt a brufh or befom, and fv/ept the trees all over) this has deftroyed many, by beating fome off and killing others. This work fliould be often repeated, if there be a ne- ceffity for it, as there generally is in dry feafons. Note, I think a fmall engine would be the propereft inftrument for this work. I fometimes make ufe of a more efleclual remedy upon wall or dwarf-tree?, though it is very tedious to perform, but yet, I think, it may be praftifed by fome gentle-^ men who have leifure to do it; for if they be curious in fruit, they will take pleafure in procuring them. Viz. If the aforementioned fruit-trees be carefully obferved every day in the fpring, it will eafily be feen when a bunch of bloffom leaves or young fruit are joined together by a caterpillar : upon the firft difcovery of them, feparate them with your hand, and kill the caterpillars; there may FRUIT-TREES. 269 may be a young branch or a bunch of fruit faved by it, which otherwife would certainly have been deftroyed. Whoever does this work as often as it is required, will never have much of their fruit deftroy- ed by fuch infe6ls ; which, by long expe- rience, I know to be more defi:ru6live to the fore-mentioned fruits, than any other caufe that happens in the fpring ; though many will attribute the fcarcity of fruit to blaft, or lightening, or the branches being fun-burnt, which are the common conftruftions put upon the effefts of thofe infefts. CHAP. XCIV. How to preferve Fruit upon Standard Trees from being deftroyed by Caterpil- lars. WHEN ftandard-trees are properly ordered with cutting and drefiing, they will not be much fubjeft to be infecled with caterpillars j for thofe trees that are not dreft at all, taking off the old rind, and cleanfing the cankered parts, deftroy many of 270 A TREATISE OF of thefe infefts, as alfo their eggs conceal-* ed in thefe places; and by keeping the branches thin and open, they are more eafily fhaken off by the winds* Mr. Bradley compares thefe infects to filk-worms, which drop from mulberry trees in Italy by thunder > but I don't ima- gine that the caufe of their falling is owing to the thunder only, for I fuppofe there generally are fliowers of rain defcending at the fame time, which beats part of them down. He further fays, that difcharging of great guns near fruit-trees, will have the fame efFeft as thunder, in caufmg the caterpillars to drop from them : but this fcheme, I prefume, will not often be put in execution, as few have it in their power, not being provided with guns ; neither is there ne- cefRty for being at this trouble, fuppofe it would produce the defigned effecT:; for watering is lefs expenfive, and I think is as good a remedy againft this evil. As moft noblemen have at their feats engines for cxtinguiflnng fire, which are very proper inftruments for watering orchards, or fuch trees as cannpt be reached vvdth a brulh or fmail FRUIT-TREES. 271 fmall hand-engine, if orchard-trees are watered all over v/ith thefe engines two or three times a week, it will deftroy many of the caterpillars ; and the water falling on the ground will add new vigour to the trees, and increafe the motion of their fap, which will caufe greater plenty of fruit. This fliould be done in the heat of the day, for then the caterpillars hang the loofeft upon the trees, and are therefore more eafily beat down, and the water fliould be mixt with fait. This work is not only neceflary when the trees are in bloflbm, but alfo before and after; for, in the beginning of March, I have feen the caterpillars eat the blofTom buds before they have been un- folded, and likewife the fruit, as before ob- ferved : but where engines are not to be had, I have known great fervice done by fmoaks from damaged hay fet on fire in the evening. CHAP, 272 A TREATISE OF CHAP. XCV. Concerning the Honey-Dews, and Smother- flies upon Fruit-Trees s and how to pre- vent their ill Eifefts upon fuch Trees as are planted in new Borders; THE honey-dew is a glutinous fub- llance, very prejudicial to many kinds of fruit-trees ; for it contrafts the minute veffels of their moil tender parts, and prevents their imbibing and perfpir- ing fuch fluids as are required in vegeta- ble Hfe, whereby fome of the leaves and flioots never come to their proper fhapes. This noxious matter may eafily be per- ceived either by its fweet tafl:e, from whence it takes its name, or by adhering to the fingers when touched, as alfo by its glittering appearance on the youngeft parts of flioots, and on the leaves before they are quite unfolded j which is the rea- fon why their under fides are moft ble- miflied, becaufe the fide of the leaf firft appearing, becomes the loweft v/hen fuU grown. A few JF R U I T^T R E E S. 273 A few days after the honey-dev/ appears you may difcover fmall infects on the un-^ der fide of the leaves that are fhrivel'd al- moft without motion ; yet the heat of one fine day will make them vifibly increafe both in bulk and ftrength, and likewife more in number. Though at firft they have no appearance of wings, yet if the weather continues dry and warm for ten or twelve days, they will be furnifhed with wings, whereby they foon after take their flight ', but there are many fuccefTions of thefe infecls, and honey-dews in funimer, which prevents the thriving of many branches and leaves of fruit-trees. It is imagined by fome, that this clam- my matter is perfpired by the trees, and that the infe£ls come thither only to feed upon it ; but by the former obfervations it plainly appears to the contrary ; for they are aimoft void of motion when firft per- ceived on the trees, and therefore cannot be fuppofed to come thither for that purpofe, but feem rather as though thty bred where there are firft difcovered, becaufe of their growing much during their continuance there, and being incapable, at tlieir firfl T appear* 274 ATREATISEOF appearance, of moving to diftant places for want of wings. Others fay, that thefe infects are either hatched or brought up by eafterly winds : and this opinion feems the moil probable, for they generally increafe moft when the wind continues in that quarter ; but I think the weather being generally dry then, is the greateft caufe of their appearance. I have feen them upon trees in due wxft afpecls, and all others, in dry weather, but I never faw them upon all trees alike, even thofe that were planted againft the fame wall, neither upon all the young branches of one and the fame tree, but I have generally obferved the honey-dews to adhere the ciofeft to the weakeil: trees, or to thofe fnoots which are the weakeft or moft fpungy -, and wherever the honey- dew caufed the leaves to curl, foon after there were fmother-fiies on their under parts. Undoubtedly all trees upon the fame afpeft, and all the branches of one tree, muft receive the fame outward caufe, to be blighted, and one as much as an- other ', by which it is plain, that the fepa- rate parts of a tree, or feparate trees, are in FRUIT-TREES. 275 111 different ftates of health, becaufe all do not receive the infeftion alike. 1 muft own I don't know how the fmother-flies are bred s perhaps they may be in the fap of the trees they are upon, but I rather ima- gine from eggs or fpawn, firfl laid by in- fers of the fame fpecies upon the furface of ftagnant waters, v/hich bdng from thence attrafted by the fun into the atmo- fphere, and carried by the winds to differ rent places, in the fliape and fubftance of the honey-dews, and lighting upon fuch branches or trees as are fuitable for its re- ception, continues there till the infe6ls are hatched and brought to maturity^ but a great part of this matter falls upon bran- ches or leaves of trees, where it feldom hatches, as may be feen by its glittering appearance on the leaves of the apricot, and feveral other trees that are healthful, which are more fmooth and compaft, when young, than thofe of an unhealthful peach and cherry, into which it penetrates -, as alfo the plum, currant, goofeberry, and many others. This pernicious matter is more injurious to the fore-mentioned trees (if weak or T 2 their 276 A TREATISE OF their branches fpungy) than any thing elfc that naturally happens to them 3 for it re- tards the motion of the fap, at the extre- mity of the branches, which prevents the fruit below from coming to any tolerable perfeftion, and damages the young branches to fuch a degree, that they are neve, ::fter capable of bearing good fruit. Befides, many trees are intirely killed thereby, if proper methods are not ufed to prevent it. Tho' different kinds of fmother-flies, or thofe of different colours, are found upon different forts of trees, yet as they all either breed from, or feed upon the honey-dew, it therefore appears that all trees require the fame care and management, topreferve them from thefe evils, for no tree prolpers well when either the honey-dew or fmother- flies are on the extremities of its brandies. But both are to be k^n upon fome trees in dry wxather, and when there are not much dews in the night for the trees to im- bibe, whereby they become lefs vigorous in their growth, and the tops of the branches become dry ; whereby this glutinous matter adheres more clofeiy, and the motion of the I FRUIT-TREES. 277 of the fap being flow, is lefs able to refift its penetration. If trees are planted a proper depth, in borders made according to the former di- rections, and pruned according to the rules I have given, then there is nothing more required in this cafe, than to water the borders, in the afternoon, three times a week, in a plentiful manner : if the wea- ther be dry, and the honey-dew appears upon the trees, this management will make the trees flioot, by rendering the falts near the roots more liquid, and add new vigour to the motion of the juices ; and the va- pours arifing from the furface of the bor- ders will caufe dews upon the leaves, where- by the clammy matter will be prevented from adhering to them. And if the feafon be wet, fpread com- mon fait all over the border, about eight ounces to each tree ; for the more falts the. juices contain which form the young bran^ ches, the more compaft and fmooth their leaves will be, and thereby lefs fubjeft to the penetration of the honey-dews, than when they are compofed of juices more T 3 watery. 278 A TREATISE OF watery, whereby the leaves become very porous. If trees are thus ordered at all times^ when the honey-dew appears on them, neither it nor the flies can ever do them much injury. CHAP. XCVL Of the Kohey-dews and Smother-flies on Fruit-trees growing in old Borders. TPvces grov/ing upon old borders that have not been improved according to my direciions given for that purpofe, and have been improperly pruned^ muft be ordered in a different manner to the former, for fometimes thofe trees are too deep in the ground, or the borders may have too much undigefted matter in them, and not depth enough of proper foil ; and if the roots be entered into foil that is too wet, be it either fand or clay, then trees will produce fpungy ihoots, which are li§bk to fuiFer by the honey- dev/s. Or, FRUIT-TREES. 279 Or if, at the time of winter-pruning, there be too great a quantity of wood left in the trees, or wounded parts, by bruife or cut, then weak flioots are produced, which often become bhghted in the fum- nier, though pruning will remedy thefe diforders. If the borders be impoveriflied by having either too much kitchen-ftuff or flovv^ers growing upon them, the trees will be too weak ; and if the weather be dry, they muft be watered plentifully three times a week, with one ounce of fait added to each gal- lon of water, or with the fame mixture prefcribed for vines, according to the di- reftions given for managing old borders, and trencht as foon as pofiible. If the file be flrong, double the quan- tity of fait before direfted, and water the bottom of every tree before the foot or lime is laid on at the time of trenching. But if there is not an opportunity of trenching, neverthelefs water thus mixed muft ahvays be ufed for the above purpofe, and the borders dup over with a three- tined fork, that the moiiture may the ear- lier reach the roots of the trees. T 4 I have 28o ATREATISEOF I have found thefe methods fuccefsful^. even v^hen the flies have been very ftrong upon the trees, and have, in a few days, deflroyed niany of them, and caufed the trees to fhoot vigoroufly. There is another method that more ex- peditioufly kills the flies, but it is fubjeft to kill too many of the leaves, if made too flrong, and is alfo detrimental to the fruit. However, the manner that I have per- formed it with the greateft fuccefs, is this : mix v^^ater with fait, two ounces to the gallon ', then take fuch a bruih as is men- tioned amongft the inftruments ufed in gardening, dipt in the water, after the fait is quite diflblv'd, and wafh the trees with it in the evening, obferving to begin at the bottom of the tree, and make all the fl:rokes upw^ards : by that means the water will fall chiefly on the under fide of the leaves, where it is mofl: wanted. This will occafion the infefted leaves to drop off the trees, but will not injure the healthful ones ; and if it be not too late in the fum- mer, the trees will make good fhoots after, even fuch as will produce fruit the next year on peaches or neftarines. CHAP, FRUIT-TREES. 281 CHAP. XCVII. How to preferve Fruits from Ants, Birds, Wafps, Flies, Snails, &c. '"r^HE ants are much complained of for J[ deftroying fruit and leaves -, but when borders are rightly prepared and or- dered, they cannot live ; nor in old bor- ders, after they have been trenched and watered with the compofition mentioned for that purpofe -, but it ought to be ob- ferved that the ants in a border are general- ly near the wall ; for which purpofe there ought to be a little drill made with a hoe dole to it, and that part watered the moft plentifully. Againft old walls either of brick or ftone, they are the moft troublefome, for as they lodge in the nail holes, the watering of the borders only has no effefl upon them : but the walls fhould be watered all over with two ounces of fait to a gallon of water. It is beft to do it with a fmall engine, the force of which v/ill drive them out of their 282 A TREATISE OF their holes : but I fliould chufe to have the walls pointed with lime mortar as foon as the trees have fhed their leaves. I have deftroyed many by fuffering them to eat into a nectarine pretty deeply, then dipping it into a pan of fair water by which they leave the fruit, and if it be af- ter laid upon, or near the tree, there will others refoit to it, and may be killed the fame way. The horn or fhell fnails are llkewife noxious to fruit-trees -, and fhould there- fore be carefully fought for in the fpririg and fummer every morning, for then they appear moft, and are fooneft deftroyed ; and at the time of winter-pruning, it is good to kill all that can be found in their holes. Cherries and other fruits againft walls may be preferved from birds by nets -, but this method is not fuflicient for guarding peaches, nectarines, plums, pears, grapes, figs, Sec. from flies and wafps, which will be fure to have a tafte of the beft fruit, notwithftanding all our care. As to deftroying of wafps, I can give no other diredions than what is generally prac. FRUIT-TREES. 283 praclifed, by demolifliing all the nefts that can be found in or near a fruit garden; and as thefe are infe6ls of great increafe, the earlier this is exercifed in the fpring the better; for if we confider that every neft is the produdion of one wafp that has lived all the winter, 'tis eafy to ima- gine that the killing of one in the fpring, at their firft appearance, is of as much fervice as deftroying a whole neft later. Many wafps and flies are alfo deftroyed by placing near the fruit-trees phials half fall of water, and making the mouths of the veflels fweet every day with honey, coarfe fugar, or the like. Yet, as I faid before, the earlier in the fpring thefe devices are ufed, the more good they will do. But the moft cfFeftual guard that I know for grapes, is cafes made of crape, gaufe, or the like fort of fluff, large e- nough to contain a bunch, and tied round the ftalk juft above the berries, which may be done without bruifmg them ; this gives a deal of trouble ; but the beft bunches deferve to have it beftowed on them, pro- vided they can thereby be preferved. 3 I have 2S4 A TREATISE OF I have likewife preferred neftarines by- nailing clofe to the wall a large piece of crape fo as to cov^* a dozen or more that grew near together. CHAP. XCVIII. How to gather Summer-Fruits. AL L kinds of fummer fruits mufl: be gathered in the morning, or elfe they will eat flat. Cherries fhould be full ripe before they are gathered, which may be known by their colour, for the reddeft forts will be changed on the fides next the fun to a very deep colour almoft blacky and thofe of the paler kinds will be quite red on the fun fide. In getting them from the trees, their ftalks fhould be nipt off from the branches by the thumb and fore finger 5 for pulling breaks off the buds that might produce branches or bloflbms the next year. When plums are ripe they will quit their flalks eafilys if you give them the leaft twift with the fingers 5 but they ought not to FRUIT-TREES. 285 to be much handled, for it takes off the blue which is their beauty. Peaches and nedarines are much the beft when they are ripe enough to fall from the healthy branches of their own accord, and never ought to be gathered too early. If apricots in growing don't touch each other, they feldom drop off the tree before they are too ripe for moil palates, nay fome times their upper end will become rotten before they naturally quit the ftalk; they are generally deemed in the greateft perfeftion when the part next the fun be- comes a little foft, or the end begins to open. It is an old and very good cuftom to gather a fig when there is a drop of water hangs at its end, for that is a certain fign of its being ripe -, but there are fome forts that are fubje6l to burft, and never has a drop but when the fmall end quite to the ftalk is become nearly of the fame colour as the large end, then it is certainly ripe. Grapes feldom rot upon the vines by being too ripe, and thofe appearing the moft tranfparent are always the ripeft ; but all berries on the fame bunch are feldom ripe ^86 A TREATISE OF ripe alike, efpecially of fome forts ^ and therefore, before they are brought to the table, the fmall unripe and rotten berries muft be pickt off. Some of thefe bunches may, by the me- thods before direfted, be kept eatable till Chriftmas, but thefe fhould be gathered from the vines before they are touched by the frofts ; and after they are picked as be- fore direfted; pack them up in fmall jars, between layers of wood afhes fifted fine, inftead of mofs. All fuch pears as would come to matu- rity on the trees, are better gathered three or four days before they are ripe, other- wife they will eat mealy, and feveral kinds will rot at the cores before they will fall fpontaneoufly from the ti'ees. CHAP. FRUIT-TREES. 287 C FI A P. XCIX. Gathering and Prefervmg Autumn and Winter Fruits, SOme kinds, when they are full grown, will fail from the trees before they are ripe : thefe may properly be called winter and autumn pears : and when the healthy ones of thefe kinds begin to fall, it is a cer- tain fign they want gathering, which ought to be done when the fruit is quite dry ; but they are feldom all ready for gathering at the fame time, and this may be eafily known by moving the fruit gently upward; and thofe that don't quit their ftuds ought to be left upon the trees fometime longer, for what are gathered by greater force are fubjecl to fhrivel, and not well flavoured. As pears are the beft fruit the winter months afford, they are worthy of the greatelt care in preferving ; and, if rightly ordered, may be kept fit for ufe till the next feafon will furnifh us with a new fupply ; which may be eafily done, if the following directions are carefully obferved. After 288 A TREATISE OF After the pears are gathered, lay them on heaps in the fruitery, and cover them with woollen cloths -, this will caufe them to perfpire, which will be received by the cloths. No time can be limited for their continuance in the couch, for fome kinds require more than others -, but when the greatefl fv^eat is over, it is then proper to take them out, and rub them one by one with dry linen cloths , after this the au- tumn kinds muft be divided, every fort into two parcels, the largeft from the fmalleft, for it is a pity that one of the latter fhould damage the former by rotting a- mongft them ; and then lay them in fmgle layers, and not one upon another, whereby the ripeft may be more eafily diftinguifhed and taken for ufe firft, without handling the others ; and when any are rotten, they muft be picked out as foon as difcovered, otherwife they will decay thofe that touch them. After winter pears have been couched, dried, and divided as the former, the beft of them muft be divided a fecond time, that one half of the largeft may be kept longer than the others, which is to be done by the 5 fol- FRUIT-TREES. 289 following method, viz. get a large quan- tity of mofs well dried ; and a number of earthen jars fufficient to hold the fruit, then place a layer of mofs and another of pears till the jars are full, and flop them up with plugs as clofe as you poflibly can, which done, cover them with fand a foot thick or more on every fide, and let them be opened one by one as they are wanted for ufe : if a few do happen to rot, the mofs will receive their moifture, and prevent them from injuring the others. Such as are defigned to be ufed firfl after they have been couched, may be laid upon a boarded floor or flielves in the fruitery, where they ought to be kept dry by open- ing the windows in fine days, but in rain or froily weather, the windows mull be kept clofe ftopt, to prevent the air from having any efrecl upon the fruit -, and if the wea- ther continues fevere, they muft be covered with ftraw and cloths. The properefl rooms for fruit are thofe with the windows on the fouth fide, and that can either have a fire in them, or are next to fome ftove, or other room where one is commonly kept, which ought to be U both 290 A TREATISE OF both in frofty and rainy weather ; for if pears are not kept dry, they are apt to rot, and will likewife tafte mufty. Such forts of apples as are defigned for the table, muft be ordered in every refpeft as pears -, but thofe for baking, &e. may be laid in large heaps, only obferving to move them fometimes, and pick out thofe that are rotten. Walnuts may be preferved by the fame means that grapes are, after they are cleanfed from their hufks and rubbed quite dry, as alfo fmall nuts and fil- berts, faving that thefe two forts laft men- tioned need nothing to pack them in but their own hulks. Quinces may remain upon the trees till the end of 06tober, and are generally ufed foon after gathering j but they may be preferved from rotting till February, if it be defired, by the method as pears and apples are kept. Note, If the plugs before mentioned have rofm melted over them, it v/ill caufe the fruit to keep better ; and where there is conveniency of doing it, I would advife ^0 have the jars placed in a deep cellar. Med- FRUIT-T REES. 291 Medlars ought not to be gathered till the end of Odober; and then they have a very auftere tafte ; yet v^dien they are be- come rotten, are valued by many ; and to caufe their decay, or to bring them to ufe early, they may be laid in wheat bran, made moiil with fair Vv^ater, to caufe a fer- mentation. They ought to be laid in a box or tub, with a covering of moift bran in the bot- tom, after that a fmgle layer of fruit, but not to touch each other, and upon them lay a covering of bran an inch thick. After that, five or fix layers of each may be laid alternately, but there muft bQ a covering of bran at the top, and as it be- comes drier, there muft be more water poured upon them 3 by this means they will be in perfedlion in fourteen days time; but if they be lay'd thin upon dry ftraw, they will remain found for two months. For to keep them the longer in eating, I would advife to have three fourths remain dry till others begin to be fit for ufe, .then lay a part to ferment as before 3 and before this laft parcel is confumed, thofe laid dry will begin to decay naturally. U 2 Tho' 292 A TREATISE OF, &c. Tho* currants are a common fruit, yet they are liked at table, in fome families, and may be preferved good upon the trees till November or December, admit they are planted againft a wall : by only ^nailing two tbickneffes of garden mats over them in a dry day, when they are ripe, it pre- vents their withering by the fun's heat, and if the autumn be dry, a little water given to the roots will be of fervice. A CAT A- CATALOGUE O F FRUITS. APPLES. THERE are great variety of apples in England ; but I think a few of the beft kinds, that follow each other in ripening, will be fufficient to ferve the whole year, both for deferts and for the kitchen ; and as this fort of fruit is well known, the different fize, (hape, &c. needs no defcribing. The Margaret apple is firft ripe for de- ferts ; it will bear upon a ftandard grafted upon a crab-ftock, or upon a paradife- ftock, from which it is earlieft ripe, and the fruit the largeft, either againfi: a wall, or in any fort of dwarf ^ and I think all apples for deferts are the beft from dwarf- trees. U 3 Cod- 294 A TREATISE OF Codlins, common, and Kentifli, are the firfl: for the kitchen, and will bear upon their own roots in efpaliers, or will make ftandards if grafted upon crab-ftocks. The fumm.er Scarlet pearmain is a good fmit for either table or kitchen ufe, and will bear on ftandards. The golden pippin is good for many ufes, and I think the fruit is much larger and bettei* from a dwarf-tree than a ftand- ard. I have heard gentlemen much re- commend the fmalleft, and thought them to be of a particular kind ; but I really think there is but one kind, and the dif- ference that appears in them is only owing to the vigour of the trees or different foils they grow in 3 for I always obferved that if a tree grew in dry foil, and made but little flioots, yet bore plentifully, then the fruit was fmaller, and earlier ripe than thofe that are larger; but if the large ones come from trees that grow upon land not too wet, then they are as well tafted when npie as the fmall ones. ' Kirton or crackt pippin, arom.atic ruf- fet, Drap d*cr, Wheeler's rufTet, Royal rulfet, French or grey rennet, nonpareil, 2 red FRUIT-TREES; 295 red calvil, and TApi, are all the beft forts of apples for the table, and the latter kind will keep while the others ripen on the tree. The fummer pear main, Holland pip- pin, golden rennet, the hanging apple or fhort ftalkt ruffet, BafFen pippin, royal pearmain, lemon pippin, orange pippin, Bridgewater pippin, Dr. Barnard's apple, partridge apple^ ftone pippin, and winter pearmain, are all good apples for the kit- chen ufe, and with codlins will ferve every- day in the year, and make healthy ftan- dard trees when grafted upon crab-flocks; The ftire, redftreak and woodcock ap- ple, are all good fgr cyder, and are proper to plant in fields, by reafon they are not pleafant to eat raw. APRICOTS* The mafculine is a fmall round fruit; and is ripe in the beginning or middle oif July, but not the bell: bearer, for it blof- ibms early, and they are fubject to be killed by froft, except its branches are very U 4 well 296 A TREATISE OF well covered at the firft appearance of tlie bloffoms. The tranfparent is larger than the former, and of a pale yellow, or whitifh colour, and is ripe in the beginning of Auguft. The tree is not vigorous, which renders it the fitted for an efpalier or dwarf; but if it is not planted in a proper foil, the ex- tremities of the young branches are apt td die in winter. The Bruffels is a middte-fized fruit, pretty full of bright red fpots on the fide next the fun, and ripens in the beginning of Auguft; the branches of a year old are of a bright brown colour. The orange apricot is the moft commFOily and the beft bearer ; it is a large fruit of a roundifli make, the fide next the fiin is markt with red, and it ripens moft com- monly in Auguft. The Turkey is the largeft, tho' fome- what flat in its make, without being much inarkt with red, and ripens fomewhat later than the laft, and not fo good a bearer. There is a finall apricot which ripens with the Turkey 5 it is of a round ifti ihapt, and FRUIT-TREES. 297 and a deep yellow colour both without and within, the flefh adheres to the ftone, and the kernel taftes like a fweet almond ; the ti'ee does not make much wood, jieither does it bear very well. CHERRIES. The fmall May cherry, May duke, Kentifh, Flemifli, morellas, black and white hearts, are all very common. But there is a late duke much refembles the May duke in fize, and colour, but is at leafl twenty days later before it ripens ; it is alfo fomething longer in fhape, as alfo the leaves, than thofe of the former. The wild black and red cherries are well known in moft parts of this kingdom. The black corrot)n, and lukeward, are not inuch unlike the black and white hearts in Colours, but ate rounder and not quite fo large, tho* as well tailed, better bearers, and make healthier trees, for which I think they ought to have the preference. The amber cherry is of a middle fize, makes a healthy tree, and bears well; its name tells its colour ; the fruit has a plea- fant 298 A TREATISE OF fant tafle, and ripens in the middle fea^ fon. The earnation alfo takes its hame from its colour, being red and white 5 it is a large round fruit, but not of fo fweet a tafte as the duke cherry ; the tree makes large fhoots, and leaves that are broad, and much nickt at their edges -, it ripens at the latter end of July, but does not bear plen- tifully, therefore I would not promote the planting of many of them. The double blofibmed cherry is more to be admired for the variety of its flowers, than the fake of its fruit; for it is no bet- ter tafted than the Kentifh cherry, and not fb large, befides a bad bearer. The Gafcoin, or bleeding heart, is a very large cherry, of a long fhape, and dark red colour; it ripens in July, and has a pleafant tafte; the tree makes ftrong flioots, and its leaves are very large, and long, and is not one of the worft bearers. There is a cherry called Harrifon's duke ; I have feen the tree, but never the fruit ; they make ftrong ftioots, with large long leaves, much like that I knew at Belvoir caftle called the bleeding heart, which is the FRUIT-TREES. 299 the fame that bears the name of the Gaf- coin heart at Ragnal in Nottinghamfhire* The owners of each place, at the time they were planted, were both curious in fruit: the one his late Grace the Duke of Rutland, and the other Refm Mellifh, Efq; And by what defcription I have had from fsveral gentlemen of the fruit, it is the fame cherry as the former^ but a fruit of a valuable kind has often many names given it, for undoubtedly it has many ad- mirers, who are apt to call it by the name of the place where they firil faw it, or from the nobleman's or gentleman's name v/ho owned it. As for inftance, I have in lefs than four years paft, near Sleaford in Lincolnfliire, met with a different kind of cherry to any of the former ; it is called the Baramdam, which is the name of the place where it grows, in a perfecSl v/ild manner, fo that not any one can give account of their being planted. Mr. Pattifon the proprie- tor of the land, and prefent inhabitant, is now about fixty years of age, who told me their number w^as greatly increafed in his time j and he further added, that the fame i^6 A TREATISE OF fame latid had been the property of his father, and grand-father, both of whom he knew very well, but neither of thefti was ever able to give him any account of its being planted. And I am by juft reafons {)rompt to fay, there is no marks of art in toy part of the Holt, but they increafe by fuckers like black thorns, and bear tipon as fmall bufhes. I have more than oiice CUrioufly examined them } for, foon after the time that I firft faw them, I entered liifo a contra6t with the right honourable Lord Robert Manners, which engaged me 16 fefide the greateft part of my time ^ Bloxholme, which is no more than five miles ftom Baramdam. I have got fome plants of the kind under my care, which thrive well, and bear plentifully; tlio* before I faW the original Holt, I had been told they would hot thrive in any other place ; but I find them quite to tlie contrary, for they will grow arid bear upon ilioift fpungy land, where other che'rries will not live long. Thi? I have feeh heaf Ancafter, w^here I bought fome young plants, and there was a larger tree in that ground thto ^hy one at Baram- dam) it was quite healthy and free from mofs, FRUIT-TREES. 291 mofs, notwithftanding its roots were in water the greateft part of 'die year. They will root well the firft year of laying, and I think that the beft way to propagate them; for the common kinds made ufe for flocks are not fo good, being fubjecl to make ftrong downright roQt3> whereas thefe are very fibrous, and grow very near the furface. I have propagated the duke cherry upon them, and it is not fo fubjecl to blights as it is upon the wild black or red, tho* it does not make fo ftrong fhoots; but I think 'tis the better for that, for dwarfs or elpa- liers. The trees upon their own roots never grow to be large ones, and the leaves are fmall and fmooth, and are of a bright co- lour ^ the young fhoots are fmall, much like thofe of the morella, and bear their fruit like them, the greateft part of which ripens in Auguft. and but few in July. It is a middle fized round cherry, of a red colour, and iis tafte is not quite fo fweet as fome others ; tho* it is not a four cherry, yet it has fome little flavour of bitter in it, like the wild black. Moft 292 A TREATISE OF Mofl: other kinds of cherries are the longefl: lived upon dry foils, admit it is not a loofe gravel or fand^ they profper well upon a flrong loam, and the deeper it is before it comes to the cold clay, the better; 'tis bad to have v^ater, fand or gravel too near the furface, but they will thrive very well if there is a loofe creachy ftone or rock within a foot of the top. FILBERDS and NUTS. There are two kinds of filberds, both thin fhelled ; the fkin upon the kernels of one is red, and the other white, that is the only difference in them, for their taftes are both alike. As to hafle-nuts there are great variety of them, but the forts moft commonly planted in gardens are the large ones, called the Spanifh and Lombardy nuts, both have thin fhells : the cob-nut is very large, but the (hell is thicker than the fprmer, FIGS. Tho' this is a very rich fruit, yet there are not fo many admirers of it as of others, for FRUIT-TREES. 293 for which reafon I Ihall only mention a few forts that are the beft beai'ers. Firft, there are two white forts, the one large and rather long in its make, but the ftalk is fhort ^ the other is lefs, and of the fliape of a button; the pulp ^n' both is white, and fo is the fkin, but they are well tailed ; and many of their fruit will refift the winter's frofts; and that which puts out in the fpring ripens well, v/hich makes them good bearers, but both require walls. There is a middle fized blue fig, of a fhort make ; it bears well upon the upper ends of the laft year's fhoots, and many that appear in autumn will live all win- ter ', it is very thin ikinned, and the feeds are not very large, with a rich pulp of a red colour, which renders it a good fruit; put it requires a wall. I have feen a large fig of a dark purple colour, has a long make, and large leaves more divided than rnoft others ; it Is not a good. bearer, without much care; for if it is too full of wood, the young branches are killed in the winter, and that fruit which iQomes upon the branches of the fame year feldoTO 294 ATREATISEOF feldom ripens, but that which does is ex- tremely good; it is called the Genoa fig. The Vernifingue fig is pretty large, of a brown colour, and round make, pointed a little at the ftalk ; the pulp is very rich, and the fkin is fo thin that it generally cracks when ripe -, this tree, and the two laft, require to be matted in the winter, if the autumn fruit is expefted to live. There is a fmall fig, that has a green fkm when ripe, tho* the pulp is red; I have feen it bear very well on a low fland- ard, or fort of efpalier, and is not at all inclinable to grow high, or make long fhoots. The minion fig is very fmall, of a brown colour ; the tree is always low, and will bear without the afliftance of a wall. There is a blue fig of a middle fize, very red within, but the pulp is not fo melting as fome others ; yet, as it requires but little trouble, I would advife the planting of it, for it will bear, and the fruit will ripen very well without a wall ; it is called the dwarf-fig. I hav^ FRU IT-TREES. 305 I have lately had two kinds recommend- ed to me for extraordinary good ones, but I have not feen their fruit j the one is call- ed the Hanover, and the other the Cy- prian fig, but w^hat perfeftions they have I don t know. GRAPES. There is no certain time to be fixed for the ripening of grapes, but the earlieii: are called the July grapes : there are the white and black, both fmall, with large feeds in them, and are liable to be eat with flies, if they are not guarded from them with bags of crape or the hke. The black and white fweet waters : the berries of both are round, but not of equal lize; for there are fome as large as the May cherry, and others, upon the fame bunch, no bigger than a fmall corn of fhot^ but thofe that are large are very good, having a thin Ikin, and full of a pleafant juice, when ripe : they make very thick fiioots, but not long ones ; and as their leaves are large, their branches fliould be laid at a great diftance from one another in the fummer. Note, X 3o6 A TREATISE OF Note, That vvhlcli is called the white is of an amber colour: the other is black, and its leaves turn red in the autumn. There is another, called the French fweet water, or the Arbois grape : it ripens very v/eir^ the berries are round, but not fo laj-ge as the form_er, and of a greener colour ; the branches are alfo longer and fmaller, and the leaves are meally on their under fides. The currant clufter or black Zauth grape. It has a blue powder on the berries, when ripe ', they are of a middle fize, and a little longifii in their fliape, being clofely placed together on the bunches, w^hich are not large. The vine is a good bearer, and the young leaves, before they are full grown, look meally, but after are of a dark green, with an uneven furface. It ripens almoft as foon as the July grape, and is far better. The meally, or millers grape, has round berries of a middle fize, and clofely placed to each other on the bunches ; they have a thin covering of blue upon them, when full ripe, and the leaves and young fnoots are of a white or meally colour; they ge- nerally ripen very well, and are a tolerable good grape. The FRUIT-TREES. 307 The white mufcadine is one of the moil common grapes, and it bears and ripens as well as moft. The bunches are of a middle fize, fo are the berries, which are of an amber colour when ripe, full of a pleafant juice, have a thin ll<:in, and the kernals are not too large. The vine makes long healthy flioots, of a pale brown co- lour, but not thick -, the leaves are of a pale or yellowifh green, and fome of them are variegated with white in the autumn. There is one called the royal mufcadine, which differs from the white mufcadine only in this, that the berries and leaves are of a darker green. The black Frontiniac. The bunches are long, and the berries thinly hung upon them 'y and at the time that fome are ripe and of a dark brown colour, others will be green : the fhape of both is longifh. They are a good grape, but have not m.uch of the Frontiniac taftej the leaves are large, and turn brown in the autumn, fo do the fhoots, which are ftrong and of the fame colour. N. B.Thefe kinds of grapes already men- tioned will ripen in a good feafon and dry foil, either in efpaliers or ftandards. X 2 The 3o8 A T R E A T I S E O F The following forts all require walls. The brick^grape is as plentiful a bearer as any I know, and will ripen againft a wall any year, with proper order : the ber- ries are of a fiefh colour ; their fkin thin, but full of very fweet juice 5 they are of a longifli fliape, but clofely placed to each other on the bunches, which are but fmall, and often grow three of them upon one branch : the flioots are long and fmall, of a pale colour ; the leaves, when young, are meally, but in the autumn change to a dark red, variegated with a pale yellow -, they are not large, nor much indented on the edges, but have always an uneven furface. The claret grape is v/ell known by its juice, wdiich is four, and red as claret 5 the leaves are large and of the fame colour. The black Spanifh or Alicant grape, has very large bunches, and alfo large berries, of a round fliape, but a little flat at the end : when ripe they are of a dark brown colour, thinly hung upon the bunches, with fome quite green amongfl: them, but the ripe ones have a pleafant tafte ; the leaves and flioots are both large, and of a red colour iu the autumn. It is a very e:ood bearer The FRUIT-TR EE S, 309 The red Hamburgh Is an excellent grape? and is fure to ripen in a good fummer : the berries are very large, and finely co- loured 'y if they hang their full time, fome of the bunches will turn black. The black Hamburgh ripens a little after the red, and has all the good qualities of the other: the leaves are large as v^ell as the flioots, and fliould be nailed no lefs than a foot apart, in the fummer. The grape called by fome the raifin grape, and by the French Le Sanmoireau : the berries are of a long fhape, very large, and of a pale brown colour -, they have a very long ftalk, and hang thin upon the bunches, which are pretty large ; the fruit eats flefhy, but has a very pleafant juice; the leaves are very large, and fo are the branches, which bear well, if they are laid thin againft the wall. The white Frontiniac is a grape of a very fweet and perfumed tafte : the berries are round, and the greateft part of them are pretty large, and when full ripe have a fine white dull on them, and the fide next the fun is fometimes a little fpotted with brown: this.vine bears very well, and the fruit will ripen in fome feafons without any X 3 artifijcial 3IO A TREATISE OF artificial heat, but earlier with it -, the leaves are of a middle fize, fo are the branches, which are of a pale colour. Tlie blue Frontiniac is much like the for- mer, in ripening and tafte, and fo are feme of the berries ; but there are many fmall ones upon a bunch, except they are guard- ed from frofts in the time of bloflbming. The grizeled Frontiniac is in fize like the former, but the colour is yellow, mixed with a dark red or brown. It is higher perfumed than either of the form.er, but does not ripen fo well without the afllft- ance of fire, which would improve any of the eight laft mentioned forts. The foUovving kinds fcarcely ever ripen in our climate, without artificial heat, viz. The Tokay is an admirable grape, when in perfection : its bunches are very large, fo are the berries, and of a flame colour ; their juice has a rich flavour, fomewhat like the Tokay wine. 1 he Lombardy is a very large and beau-, tiful grape, finely coloured with pale red on the fun fide, and of that circumference that the berries next the wall partake very little of the colour^ for want of fun, and do not ripen fo well : it is one of the fhoul- dered FRUIT-TREES. 311 dered grapes, or fuch as appear to have three bunches upon one ftalk, and the fide bunches are pretty near as large as the bunches of feveral kinds : I have known a bunch of this kind weigh feven pounds. The St. Peter's grape. The berries and bunches are of the fame fliape and fize as the laft mentioned, but of a green co- lour, and, when made ripe by fire, are co- vered with a white powder. MEDLARS. I am not acquainted v/ith many kinds of this fruit, tho' I have obferved a variety both in the trees and fruit -, for fome have pricks like thorns upon their branches, and others have none; and fome flioot more vigoroufly than others, with broader leaves , and the fruit of one is much lar- ger than that of another. But I think the' tree without pricks upon it, which bears a fmall fort, is much better fruit than the other ; for it lias a much fmaller core, and the pulp is of a pleafanter tafte. MULBER.RIES. I know but two forts of mulberries, the common black and the white, whole fruit X 4 is 312 A TREATISE OF is not of fo much value, as the leaves are for feeding filk-v^orms. The black is moft commonly planted in gardens, and bears a very pleafant fruit for deferts : befides, it is ufeful in medicine. NECTARINES. Fairchild's Neflarine is the fmalleft I know 5 'tis of a round fliape, the fide next the fun is of a bright red, and the other of a yellow colour ^ the pulp and juice of it are not in fuch great plenty as in fome others, yet the tafte is pleafant w^hen ga- thered from a healthy branch ^ and it ri- pens about the middle, or in the latter end of Auguft. The Violet neclarine is of a middle fize, and a purple colour next the fun, but the other iide is more pale -, the pulp is very red next the ftone, and has a vinous flavour ; it ripens in the latter end of Auguft and beginning of September, The Elruge nectarine is not fo large as fome others, but it is an admirable good one, and the tree is a good bearer : the fruit is of a purple colour on one fide, and FRUIT-TREES. 313 and yellow on the other, but when full ripe it is much fhrivel'd j the pulp is melt- ing, with plenty of rich juice ; and it ri- pens at the latter end of Auguft and begin- ning of September. The Nev/ington neftarine is both large and beautiful 3 its colour is almoft all fear- let without, as alfo within near the ftone, to which the pulp adheres clofely, and is very melting and full of a pleafant juice 5 it ripens in September. The Roman nectarine is an excellent fruit of a large fize, and a round make, with a dark colour on the lide next the fun, but the other is yellow, and when full ripe it fhrivels ; the pulp is then full of a rich juice, and very red at the ftone, to which it clofely adheres 5 it ripens in Sep- tember. Temple's neftarine is of a middle fize, and a longifh fliape -, and not of fo dark a red as fome others neither without nor within; but the pulp is not inferior to any in tafte : it ripens in the beginning or mid- dle of September. The Vermafh, or Peterborough nec- tarine, is of a middle fize, round fiiape, and 314 A TREATISE OF and always of a green colour -, and tho' 'tis fo late as October before it ripens, yet if the tree is properly ordered, the pulp is tender and full of a pleafant juice. PEACHES proper for a fmall garden. There is not a neceffity of planting fo many peaches as pears, for the former are not in eating much more than three months, and the latter may be fo ordered as to be in ufe the whole year. I don't think it in the leaft neceffary to defcribe all the kinds of peaches I am ac- quainted with, for there are many not worth any one's obfervation; therefore I fhall only mention a few that are known to be good, and fuch kinds as are in eating the whole feafon : and thofe gentlemen that are defirous of greater variety may be fur- nifhed with names in other catalogues; but if they confult more than one, 'tis pof- fible they may find more names than differ in forts of fruit ; for I have obferved le- veral changes in the names of this kind of fruit, within thefe thirty years laft pafl : fometimes 'tis done by a perfon's liking the fruitj FRUIT-TREES. 315 fruit, and not knowing its name, calls it according to his own fancy, and after that recommends the kind, and from thence others are propagated and called by this new name : again, there are fome that are actually known by two or three names> occafioned by thofe who have wrote ca- talogues of this kind of fruit, one author thinking it not material to mention all the. names belonging to one fort, calls it only by one, and then another defcribes the fame fruit by a different name; which caufes fome readers to imagine, that there are more feperate kinds than there really are. There are many kinds of early peaches, which are called by the name of Nutmes, Troy, Capuchine, &c. but I think they are only proper for thofe gentlemen that have a great number of walls ; for at the time they are ripe, there are other kinds of fruit in perfeclicn^ which much exceed them in goodnefs. The white Magdalene is the firft early peach that I recommend. It is a mid- dle fized fruit, of a round make, with a deep furrow on one fide , is of a very white 3i6 A TREATISE OF white colour, except when fully expofed to the fun, and then that fide is fometimes faintly markt with red. The pulp is very melting, and parts from the ftone, next w hich it is fometimes a little red, and al- w^ays full of a rich juice. It generally be- gins to ripen about the middle or latter end of Auguft. The Montaban is a middle fized peach almofl: round, with a cleft on one fide, and not pointed : 'tis of a bright red colour, except a little next the wall which is green ; the flefli is melting and well tafted, and is fometimes red at the ftone, from which it parts freely ; it begins to ripen at the latter end of Auguft, and will hold in eating near a month : the tree is a good bearer, and makes plenty of healthy branches. The minion is a tender kind of tree, being very fubjeft to the fmother-flie, un- lefs great care is taken ; but when the tree is in good order, the fruit is large, and of a bright colour fo far as it is expofed to the fun 'y the pulp is full of a rich juice, and is very red round the ftone, which is not large for the fize of the fruit : it ripens in the latter FRUIT-TREES. 317 latter end of Auguft, and the greateft part of September. The Royal George is not one of the largeft peaches, but the tree is generally a good bearer ^ the fruit is of a round make, and no fort of nipple at the upper end ; it has a cleft on one fide, and flat at the ftalk fo far as it is expofed to the fun ; the fkin is of a deep red with a down upon it, and the other part is white and full of fmall red fpecks; the flefh is melting, and very red near the ftone. It ripens in the beginning of September. Smith's early Newington is a middle fized peach, of a roundifli make, and a fine red next the fun, with a foft down upon it, but the other fide is of a pale green ; the flefli eats firm, and its juice is very pleafant, and the ftone is red. It ripens at the lat- ter end of Auguft, and beginning of Sep- tember. The Noblefs is a large peach almoft round, and marbled on the fide next the fun with a dark red or purple colour, but the other fide is of a pale green ; the pulp is very melting, of a greenifli colour, is full of a pleafant juice, and comes clean I from 3i8 A TRE AT ISE OF from the ftone. It ripens in the beginnhi^ of September. The Violet peach is a large fruit, and not inferior to any in goodnefs, for the pulp is quite melting and full of an extraor- dinary pleafant juice > 'tis of an oval fhape, and the fide next the fun of a purple co- lour, with a little down upon it. It ripens at the latter end of September. The Admirable, fo called from its fize and beauty, for it is very large and of a round fhape, finely coloured with red on the fide towards the fun ; the flefli parts from the ftone, and is of a purple colour ; and though 'tis not fo foft as fome others, yet it has great plenty of juice that is well tafted. It ripens in the latter end of Sep- tember. The Portugal peach is of a large fize and a round Ihape; the fide next the fun is finely coloured with red, and has a foft down upon it; the fhape is even and al- moft round ; its pulp is not fo much melt- ing as fome others, but the juice is plea- fant J and the flefli is red at the ftone, to which it clofely adheres. It is a healthy tree, and the fruit ripens late in September, The FRUIT-TREES. 319 The royal peach, or pavie royal, Is one of the larger fort, and of a handfome round make 3 the colour is almolt all red, but paler next the wall than it is next the fun ', the flefn parts from the ftone and is of a red colour round it, and full of a rich juice; it ripens at the latter end of Sep- tember; and the tree mufl be carefully obferved and watered with a proper mix- ture, or elfe it will be blighted, if the foil is not very fuitable. The Italian peach is a middle fized fruit, of a longifh make, and dark red colour on the fide next the fun ; the flefh is melt- ing and full of a pleafant juice, it is red next the ftone, and ripens at the latter end of September ; and the tree is a good bearer. The Chancellor's peach is a middle-fized fruit, of a bright red colour covered with down ; the pulp is yellow, except near the ftone, where it is red, and full of a plea- fant juice. It ripens at the latter end of September, and the tree bears very plen- tifully. The Purpree, pr purple peach, is a large fruit of a dark red or fort of purple co- 8 lour; 320 A TREATISE OF lour y the flefh is yellow and melting, with plenty of pleafant juice ; it parts from the flone where it is red ; and ripens at the latter end of September. Teton de Venus, or the breaft of Ve- nus, fo called from its being fhaped like a woman's breaft, being deeply cleftdd on one fide, without a fharp point at the end, but is plump and round on each fide the cleft J the fruit is fomewhatlongifli, and has a little red on the fide next the fun -, but the flefh is white, and full of a plea- fant juice ; and it ripens at the latter end of September. The old Newlngton is known and ad- mired by many ; 'tis one of the largeft fort, and has a handfome round fliape ; the fide next the fun is of a beautiful red, and fo is the flefli next the ftone y and when the fruit is perfectly ripe, none has a pleafanter juice, nor in greater quantity; and the pulp is of a fine yellow colour next the fl^in, it is melting and not too foft; and ripens in the beginning of 06lober. This tree ought to be left very thin of wood, at the time of winter-pruning. The FRUIT-TREES, 321 The RombuUion is a pretty large peach, of a fine red colour next the fun, with a deep furrow on one fide, and rather lon- gifh in fhape; it is very red at the ftone, from which it parts ; it is melting, and the juice is well tafted for a late peach, for it does not ripen till Oftober : the tree bears well, but the branches fhould be kept thin. The Cambray is a middle-fized peach, fomewhat longifh in its make, but not much red, tho' the pulp is melting, and has plenty of juice for a late peach. It ripens in Oftober ; and the tree is healthy, and a good bearer. The Perfique, or the late Admirable, is a very large peach, of a roundifh make, with a little nipple at top j it is red next the fun, but the other fide is of a pale green ; the flefh parts from the ftone, next which it is of a pale red ; it ripens in October, and if the feafon is dry and warm, the fruit is very good 3 but the young branches fhould be at a great diftance from one another, or elfe the fruit is apt to rot : the tree is healthy, and bears plentifully. y Th« 32,2 A TREATISE OiF The Catherine peach is a fine large fruit;, of a rovind make, and of a beautiful red colour on the fide next the fuii, but the other is white; the juice haa a pleafant tafte, and the pulp is improved by lying three or four days befoi^e it is eat ; it does not part from the ftone^ but is very red ^ it ripens in Oftober ; and fome of them wiH continue a confiderable time without rott- ing, if the feafon is fine^ and if neither the branches nor fruit be left in too great a quantity, for, thf tree is a plentiftd bearer. *i*:^l- There has been a peach lately recom- mended to me by the name of th^ Ham- fkirt, but I am not acquainted with the fruit, nor do I know the tigie of^-its ri- pening. ■ '^ :^ • '^iTl-f - QUINCES. There are many kinds ; bitt^lheonly^foit that I would chufe to plant is one of the jnake of the Buree pear, and -'afeout as large; the tree is healthy and of a larger fize than others, and bears plentifuHy moft years. It is called the Portugal quince. PEARS. F R U I T-T R E E S. 323 PEAR S. » T}\Q CwirHeft pear that I know cf any value is the petit miifcat; it ripens moil commonly in July, tho' I have known it fome years ripe at Midfunimer againft a fouth wall ', it is but a fmall pear, fomewhat long in its make, of a yellow colour, ex- cept on the fide next the fun, which is of a dark red; it has an agreeable tafte, fomewhat perfumed, and if the tree is kept in good order, the fruit eats moift, but if the tree is too full of old wood, then the fruit is not good. I never have feen it grow upon ftan- dard-trees, but have known it to do extremely well and bear plentifully upon wall-trees, efpaliers and dwarfs. As this pear ripens fo early, it will do extremely well againft a north-eaft or north-weil af- pe6t, for in June both thefe walls jecdye feveral hours fun. - - • - • ^ - ' - ■ • ■- The mufcat Robert is fornetimes calleS the Qijeen*s pear, or the amber pear, from its yellow colour. It begins to ripen not more than a week later than the former ; Y2 it 324 A TREATISE OF It is fomewhat larger and rather rounder in its make, has a longer llalk, and bears in clufters : it has a very pleafant flavour, without being either harfh or meally. The young f hoots are of a yellov^ colour, and as they are long and weak, require to be fupported either by nailing to a wall or in an efpalier, or confined to ftakes either concave or horizontally : it does not require any better afpeft than the former i but in a garden where there is room, I would chufe to have one againft a wall, and another in fome kind of dwarf, that they may be the longer eatable. The Citron de Camus, is a middle-fized pear, more long than round, but not fharp pointed ; it is of a pale green or yellow colour, and fometimes faintly ftained with red on the fide towards the fun -, it has a longifh ftalk, and bears plentifully in large clufters ', it has a very agreeable juice, and its flefh is tender; it ripens at the end of July, and beginning of Auguft : and as this tree makes ftifF healthy (hoots, it will do extremely well in a ftandard, with pro- per cutting, admit it is propagated on a free ftock ; but the fruit does not ripen fo early FRUIT-TREES. 325 early as thofe againft walls, or upon dwarfs, and if it be in both fliapes in one ground, the fruit will be the longer in eating. The Magdalen, or St. James's, takes its name from the time of its being ripe. It is a green pear, but turns rather yellow in ripening : 'tis of the fmaller fort, but very good, being full of a rich juice; and will bear either in a ftandard or any other fhape, and makes a very healthy tree. The green Chifel is a middle-fized pear, ibmcwhat longifh, and rather fharp point- ed towards the ftalk^ it always remains green, and is very full of juice, but I don't think it has fo brilk a tafte as fome others : I never faw it bear on a ftandard, but it makes a healthy tree, and bears well againft a wall, or in any kind of dwarf; and ripens in the beginning of Auguft. La Brute-bonne, or the brute pear, takes its name from the flefti near the core, be- ing coarfe and gritty ; yet it has many per- feftions belonging to it, and may juftly be ranked amongft the beft forts of fummer pears, for the greateft part of its flefii is melting, and full of a vinous juice, which is perfumed, but not too highly. Y 3 'Tis 326 A TREATISE OF 'Tls of a pale green colour, and the lide next the fun is faintly markt with red ; it is much about the fize of an autumn Ber- gamot, but not of fo flat a make, and tho' it is a round ifh pear, yet it is a little point- ed at both ends, and has but a very fhort ftalk. Part of them will be ripe about the middle of Auguft, but 'tis beft to gather them fome time before, otherwife the greateft part of them will be deftroyed by fmall birds, wafps, and flies. It will bear in any fliape, and makes a flirong healthy tree, if trained up for a fliandard^ its leaves are longifli, and of a dark green on the upper fide, but their under fides are meally. The Jargonelle, is a middle-fized pear, of a long fliape, with a large eye or dew-bit ; it is very fmall towards the ftalk, which is long j its fide next the fun is generally of a dark red or brown colour, but the other fide, when ripe, is of a bright yellow. They begin to ripen about the middle or end of Auguft, and are extremely good, being full of a very pleafant juice 5 but are liable to be deftroyed by v/afps, and flies, if they are FRUIT-TREES. 327 ai^ iTOt gattered at their firft begirinlhg to turn yellow. The tree makes long crooked fhoots, that ai^ fubjeft to canker; for which re^fon I think \is the fitteft for walls or dwarfs, and kept with proper cutting. There 'are two Blanquet, or blanket pears, tlie great, and the fmall, but the lat- ter I efteem the beft; it is fometimes called the pearl pear; it ripens about the end of Auguft, and is admirably good, being quite melting, and full of a rich juice. It is but a fmall pear, of a longifli fhape, and quite yellow; it bears its fruit in cluFcers, and in gi*eat plenty, but its fhoots are very weak, and not proper for a flandard- tree. The furiimer Bergamy differs but little from that valuable and Well known pear the Autumn Bergamy ; the former has riioft of the perfections of the latter, but is of a green colour, and its time of ripening is earlier, being about the end of Auguft ; it ife a healthy ilrong tree, and will bear up- on a ftandard. Of the rofe pears there are two forts both extremely good ; the one is called the curled Y 4 rofe 328 A TREATISE OF Tofe pear, or the rofe water pear, for its juice (of which it is very full) taftes like it, and if the tree be in good health, the flefh of the fruit is quite melting ; it has a very fhort ftalk, and bears in clutters, either on ftandards or otherwife -, the leaves are large, round, and of a yellowifh co- lour j the fruit has fome fmall appearance of a purple colour on the fide next the fun, but the other parts, when ripe, are of a pale yellow, and full of ruffet fpots : it is a middle fized pear, more long than round, and thick at the end next the flalk, but not pointed; it is in eating at the end of Auguft, and beginning of Sep- tember. The other rofe pear has a long ftalk, very fmall, and is of a flatter fhape than the autumn Bergamot, and fomewhat lar- ger *, *tis of a dark brown colour on the fide next the fun, but turns yellow on the other fide when it becomes ripe : its flefh is not fo tender as the other, but the juice is as rich, of which it is very full, and be- gins to ripen early in September, The birds, wafps, and flics, are very fond of this, as well as fcveral others before men- tioned 5 FRUIT-TREES. 329 tioned ; for which reafon, it ought to be gathered and kept out of their way. It is a weak fliooting tree, and not proper for a flandard. There are two forts of the orange Ber- gamies, both very much alike in (hape and fizes but the one is green, and the other is yellow, with a faint red on the fide next the fun ; it is fometimes called the royal orange Bergamy. I think it the beft ; tho' it has not fo high a perfume as the other, yet 'tis as full of juice, and of a much brifker tafte. The flefh of both are breaking, and their fhapes are fomewhat round, but hollow round the eye, and a little pointed at the ftalk, which is fhort. They ripen in the beginning of September, and bear plentifully in any fort of dwarf, but don't make healthy ftandards, for their branches are fubjeft to canker ; they are about as big as the autumn Bergamy, and have an uneven fur face. The pear called the Robin, has many other names, viz. the Auguft, Mufcat, Averat, Hanvelle, Royal, or the French King's favourite pear. It ripens about the middle of September, and is of a roundifh make, 330 A TREATISE OF make, but narrow towards the ftalk, and full at the eye ; 'tis lefs than the orange Bergamy, but its flefli is breaking, like them, and its juice is very highly perfum- ed 5 it bears in large clufters, and in great plenty, either againft a wall or on dwarfs, but I never faw it a ftandard, tho' 1 think it would bear with proper cutting, &c. for it makes ftrong healthy llicots. The Salveati is a middle-fized pear, almoft round, being much fwelled in the middle, and but little pointed towards the ftalk; is is of a beautiful yellow colour on the under fide, but that next the fan is fomewhat red: its juice is extremely fweet, and the flefh tender. The wafps and flies are very fond of it. About the middle of September it generally ripens, but if it is gathered a little before, it will not eatworfe for it. It bears well againft a wall, or on any fort of dwarf, and alfo on a ftandard properly ordered. The CaiTolet, or green Mufcat, fo called from its colour and tafte. It is but a fmall pear, of a long fliape, but thickifti at the end next the ftalk 5 and tho* 'tis green, yet there are fome ipecks in the fkin like thofe of FRUIT-TREES. 331 of golden pippens : it has a hard breaking flefh, but full of juice, which is very rich and perfumed. It ripens at the latter end of September, and makes a very healthy tree -, it bears well on dwarfs, but I never faw it grow a ftandard. The muficed Bon cliretien is a middk fized pear, of a yellow colour, v/ith a large eye, fomewhat round in its make, but narrow towards the ftalk, which is long and fmall ; it has a hard flelli, but the juice is very pleafant, and is in eating from the middle of September to the end : its leaves are very much like thofe of the winter Bon chretien, fo are its fhoots, but they are very fubje6l to canker, and for that reafon it is not proper for a ftandard : it is beft againft a v;all, but does not re- quire a fouth afpecl, for either north-eaft or north-weft will afford it fun enough. The fummer Bon chretien, or good chriftian^ is a large pear of a fine yellow colour, and faintly covered with a dark red or brown on the fide next the fun j it is of a very long make, and fmall next the ftalk, which is of a great length, like the other Bon chretiens, as is alfo the core, S for 332 A TREATISE OF for *tis the laft part that decays, and for this quality of being found at the heart 'tis called the good chriftian. The fiefh is ten- der and full of a rich juice : it holds in eat- ing from the middle of September to the end. It bears well againft a wall, admit the horizontals are placed a foot or more afunder : and their collateral flioots fhould be kept the whole length, for it bears fome- times upon thofe of the laft year's produc- tion, efpecially when 'tis propagated on a quince flock 3 but care muft be taken to keep the branches from cankering, by tak- ing away the dead parts of the rind as foon as perceived, La Poire de mon Dieu (as called by Monfieur Merlet) is a very large fruit (if the tree is in good order) of a yellow col- lour, and on the fide next the fun of a beautiful red ; the fhape is fomewhat long, and thick at the ftalk, which is long, but not fmall; the flefh is tender and very full of a rich juice, which has fomething of a perfumed tafte. They ripen upon the tree in September and October, and I have known them hold in eating for more than twenty days from one tree. The young branches FRUIT-TREES. 333 branches are generally ftifF, and of a dark red, or brown colour ; they bear well either againft a wall, or in dwarfs, but I have not feen them ftandards. The Doyenne, or the deans pear, has many other names, (viz.) The v^hite or fhort ftalkt buree, the fnow pear, the Michael- mas Pear, &c. it is of the largeft fort, fome- what longifh, but not pointed -, the flefh is melting, and full of a pleafant juice; it ripens in Oftober, and is as good a pear as any of that feafon. The autumn Bergamot is a pear well known, fo that it needs not to be defcribed ; and as it will bear either againft a wall or on a ftandard, I fhould therefore chufe to have a tree or two of them planted both ways ; by which means they will be in eat- ing from the end of September to the mid- dle of November ; and it is fo good a fruit, I think it can't be too long in feafon. The red Buree has many other names, as the Amboife, and the Ifambert, &c, it is a melting pear, and full of a very rich juice ; and if the tree is in good order, the fruit is large, and long : they are ripe in October, and don't keep much longer; and 3 if 334 A TREATISE OF if the tree grows in foil too moifl-, the UioGts are apt to canker. The horizontals flioiild be at leaft a foot from each other; for the collaterals that bear are generally pretty long. This tree is much more proper for a wall than a ftandard. The grey or brown Buree, or butter pear, is of different fizes, colours, and taftes, according to the different foils or afpefts it grows in, which fometimes occafions it to have different names : but it is a con~ trary pear to either of the Burees mention- ed before. If the grey Buree be upon a free flock, in a moift foil, a noithem afpeft, and a wet fummer, then the fruit will be of a pale gi^en colour, without any red upon it, and but little brawn ^ and tho' it may grow to-a lar-ge fize, yet the tafte will be infipid: fior which r^afon I think 'tis befi: to give this tr^e as much fun as poffible, and then the fruit will be of a red colour next the fun, and the other parts will be brown but in ripening turns more yellow, and its melting pulp will be full of a very vinous juice j and when in perfeftion it is alarge fruit, of a Ihape more long than round. FRUIT-TPvEES. 33^ r6?]ft(i, but not mudfi pointed: *ti^in e,at^ ing part of three moiiths (vizj Odobeir, November, and December; the wood of this tree, is of a red colour, and if not kept in good order, is liable to cankejc. It wilj do. either v^ efpaliersor other dwarfs; but I dpn't think it proper for a ftandard. There are two forts of the Mgnfieur Jbhh, both alike in fhape, bnt the one i$ brown, and the other more yellow, whicbt is much the beft, and is called the gilded or golden Monfieur John ; it ripens in No^ vember, but the other not till January: they are both of a middle fize, and round mak^, tho' pointed a little towards the itatk,; their flelli is hard, and they have a hard core, but their juice is extremely fweet: the trees bear well, are healthy, and have round leaves. The Crifan is a large pear, in.fhape fome- what li1^e the autumn BergaQ:)ot^ but much larger, with a very long flalk, and of a pate green or yellow colour, fpptted wdth brown. Its flefh is quite melting, and full of vinous juice, much like that of the au- tumn Bergamot. It is in eating from the end of Oftober to the middle of December, The 336 A TREATISE OF The tree makes healthy fhoots of a pale co- lour ; it bears plentifully againft a wall or dwarf, but I can't recommend it for a ftandard. L'Epine d*Hiver, or winter thorn, is a middle-fized pear, of a long make, but not pointed, being thickifh at the ftalk which is long and fmall j it is of a green colour upon the tree, but turns yellow in ripening, in the months of November and Decem- ber; its flefh is melting, and very full of juice which is highly perfumed ; the tree tears well againft a wall, but I have not feen it a ftandard. The Swan's egg is but a middle-fized pear, in (hape like an egg, and has but a fliort ftalk ; it is of a green colour, thinly covered with brown ; its flefli is melting and full of a pleafant juice; and is ripe in November and December. The tree is healthy, and bears well either on a ftand- ard or any other way. Le Bezy de QuefToy, or little winter Bu- ree, is fmall ruflet pear, a little pointed towards the ftalk; its flefli is melting, and full of as rich a juice as any pear in the feafon ; it is in eating from the beginning of FRUIT-TREES. 337 of December to the middle of January j the tree bears well on a ftandard, the fruit grows in clufters,- and the young branches are fometimes a little thorny. The St. Germain is a large long pear, pointed at the ftalk, which is of a middle fize : the colour of this fruit, when gather- ed, is green, with a little brown fometim^ on the fide next the fun, but turns yellow in ripening ; its flefli is the greateft part of it melting, and full of a pleafant juice that is a little perfumed -, it generally has a large core ; and when the tree is not in good order, or too full of fruit, it will be fmall, and the flefli gritty, and of an infipid tafte : they are in eating from the latter end of November till the middle of January. With proper order the tree makes plenty of flioots, and bears well againft a wall, or on a dwarf, but I don t think the fruit fo good on a ftandard. I obferve that when this tree is upon a free ftock, it then requires a great fpace of walls and if upon a quince, it ought to have its wood often renewed, for the fruit produced from old ftuds is apt to be fm.all, and the flefli flony. Z La 338 A TREATISE OP La Echaflerie is a middle-fized pear, of an oval fliape, with a long ftalk, and beared in clufters 3 it is green upon the tree, and the fide next the fun is a little brown, but it turns yellower in ripening, which is in December: the flefh is melting, and the juice well tafted, but it does not hold fo long in eating as foma others. This tree is not fit for a ftandard, neither is the fruit good againfl: a north wall, but it generally bears plentifully, with proper order, either againfl: a wefl:, eafl:, or fouth wall, and likewife oil a dwarf or efpalier. The Ambrette is a fmall pear, of a round fhape, and a dark brown colour on the fide next the fun ^ but the other is more green, and changes yellow in ripening, which is in December and January: the flefli is quite melting, and full of fweet perfumed juice 5 the fruit grows in cluf- ters and in great plenty, if the tree be in good order, either againfl: a wall, or in any kind of dwarf, but it is not fit for a ftand- ard, becaufe it makes but weak fhoots t the leaves are long and narrow, and the wood is thorny. The FRUIT-TREES. 339 The Marquis is a large pear, of a long make 3 fome of them are pointed at the ftalk, and fome are not ; it is of a green colour, with a little brown upon it; it ripens in December and January ; its flefli is quite melting, and full of an extraordi- nary rich juice ; I think it may be deemed the beft pear of the feafon ; it bears well any way, except on a ftandard, makes long fhoots, and the young buds are large and of a black colour. The Virgoleufe, or Virgolee, is a large pear, being both long and thick, without a narrow point at the ftalk, which is thick likewife, but not very long : this pear, when growing, is of a dark green colour, and fometimes the fide next the fun will be a little changed to a dark red, or brown co- lour, but in ripening turns yellow, and generally fhrivels very much; the fle/h is melting, but rather firmer than fome others; its juice is in great plenty, and of the richeft fort, admit the place on which the fruit has been laid has not fpoiled it, for this fruit is apt to have a tafte of what it is laid upon to ripen : it is fit for eating in part of De- cember and January, and the beginning of Z 2 February; 340 ATREATISEOF February; the tree grows vigoroufly, with leaves of a dark green, but is not fit for a ftandard, tho* it well deferves a wall that has a good afpecl : it mufl be kept with good pruning ; for if the bearing wood be too old, the fruit will crack and fall off. The Colmar is a large green pear, thick at both ends -, its flefli is tender, but not the moft melting, though full of extremely rich juice : it is the beft pear in the feafon for its long continuance in eating, which is all January, February, and part of March. I chufe to have it upon a free ftock, on which the flefli will be tenderer than on a quince, but I don't like it for a ftandard : let it have a great fpace of wall, and then it will produce a large quantity of good fruit -, and I think in every garden there ought to be more trees of this than any other fort, becaufe there are none fo good as it, in the fame feafon. The great Winter-rouflelet is a middle- fized pear, of a longifli make, of a red co- lour next the fun, but green towards the wall, and turns yellow in ripening, which is in February and ' March 3 its juice is agreeable, but is not in fuch plenty as in 6 many FRU IT-TREES. 341 many others : the tree is healthy, the fhoots are red, and the leaves are of a bright co- lour. The-Martin feck is not one of the beft pears; but as it is in eating when good ones are fcarce, it is the more accept- able : it is a long fruit, of a middle fize ; the colour, when ripe, is yellow and a dark red ; the fiefh is of a firm nature, but its juice has an agreeable fweetnefs in it; it may be eaten in the months of February, March, and part of April, but it is much better when ftewed or baked : the tree is healthy, and bears plentifully, tho' not fit for a ftandard. The Eafter Bergamot is a round pear, of a middle fize and a green colour ; the flefh is of the melting fort, and if it is fo planted as to have much fun, then its juice is of the beft fort; but when planted agalnft a north wall, then its qualities are quite contrary: it is in eating in March and April, but I don't recommend this tree for a ftandard. The Winter Bon Chretien Is by fome people divided into tv/o or three forts, viz. one called green, one yellow, and another Z 3 di^ 342 A T R E A T 1 S E O F diftinguifhed from them by its being of a different lliape. I have had the opportu- nity of obferving this fruit for more than thirty years, and really think there is but one kind ^ for I have obferved the fruit of one tree to anfwer to the feveral defcrip- tions given of all the pretended forts ; by which I think the difference of colours pro- ceeds from fome of the fruit being expofed to the fun, and others quite fhaded from it; and the difference of fize and fhapes, from the different ftates of health the trees or branches are in which produce the fruit; or from the like caufes it comes to pafs, that the flefh and juices of the fruit are al- tered. I chufe to have them planted either upon a fouth, fouth-eaft, or fouth-weft af- pe£l, and the border of a proper foil ; then, if the tree is in good order, the fruit will moft of them be lar^e, and of a bottle fhape, and the fide next the fun a dark red; the flefh tender, tho' not melting, and there will be a tolerable quantity of deli- cious juice in March, April, and a great part of May, which is the time of its per- feftion, when it will be changed to a yel- low colour, and have an uneven furface. This F R U 1 T-T R E E S. 343 This tree fhould have a large fpace of wall allowed it, and its horizontals laid at leaft a foot afunder. When this fruit grows upon a north afpeft, and the tree too full of old moffy wood, and the ftuds and bear- ers at a great diftance from the wall, then great part of the fruit wdll be fmall and green, and the flefh ftony, with a fmall quantity of infipid juice. The Chaumontel is of a large fize, long, and fmall towards the ftalk ; the fide next the fun is red, but when ripe, yellow^ the flefli is of a melting fort, and the juice pleafant : it keeps rather longer than the Bon Chretien, makes a healthy tree with red fhoots, is a good bearer, but neither proper for a ftandard nor north wall. Good Baking-pear^ proper for ftandards or north-walls. The Bell d' Hery has a round fhape and middle fize, with a tafte of fennel, when baked. Parkinfon's Warding is a long pear, of dark green, brown, and red colours, with Z 4 long 344 ATREATISEOF long narrow leaves of a deep but fhining green colour. The Black pear of Worcefter is a large pear, pointed at the ftalk, is of a dirty brown colour, and does beft againft a wall. The Cadiiliac is a very large pear, of a round make, with a green (kin, except on the fide next the fun, which is a little red. The Bell, or Prince's pear, is very large, of a deep red colour, and fhaped like a bell: it does beft when fupported by a wall. The foil that I fhould recommend for thefe baking pears, is a deep black fand, or dry loam. PLUMS. The earlieft plum that I know does not require much trouble in its cultivation, for it will bear plentifully on a ftandard, and is generally planted among flowering-trees, for the fake of its beautiful blofToms, which appear early in the fpring : it is called the cherry plum, and indeed it fomewhat re- fcmbles a cherry in its fiiape and fize, as alfo FRUIT-TREES. 345 alfo in colour, being red ; its pulp parts from the ftone, and the tafte is not difa- greeable ; but I imagine would be improv- ed by planting againft a wall. The Jean Hative plum, is a middle-fiz- ed fruit, of a yellow colour, covered with a white powder •, it has the fhape of an egg, and not flat; the flefh eats firm, and parts from the ftone, which is long ; its tafte is tolerably good, if the tree be in health, and not fuftered to bear too great a quan- tity. This plum ripens in the beginning or middle of July, and tho' it is not one of the beft, yet I recommend it for its early ripening, and would advife to have it planted upon a north-eaft afpecl. The Precoce de Tours, is a large round plum of a violet colour, finely powdered ; its pulp is yellow, and parts from the ftone, and is full of a delicious juice ; and it ri- pens at the end of July, This treef makes vigorous fhoots, of a reddiih colour, with a white down upon them 3 the leaves are round and of a dark green. It bears plentifully againft a wall, or in an efpalier; but I don't know how it would do in a ftandard. The 346 A TREATISE OF The Italian damafk is a middie-fized plum, of a roundifh fhape, and black co- lour, but finely covered with a blue pow- der ; its pulp, which is yellow, is full of a rich juice, and parts from the flone; it ripens in the beginning of Auguft ; but I have not feen it bear on a ftandard. Drap d'or, is alfo called the cloth of gold plum: it is of a yellow colour, and the fide next the fun is fpotted with dark red ; it is a fmall plum, fomewhat long in fhape, but neither flat, nor pointed ; it has a re- markable dimple on each end, and the flalk is fliort ; the pulp is of a yellow co- lour, and does not eafily part from the ftone, but is extremely full of a vinous juice 5 it ripens about the middle of Auguft, and bears plentifully againft a wall, or on an efpalier -, but I am not acquainted wdth it in ftandards. La Royale, or the royal plum, is a large round fruit, having but very little furrow or cleft on the fide 5 it is of a dark red co- lour on the fide next the fun, but pale on the other, and much powdered ; it is full of an extraordinary pleafant juice; the flefh is firm, and of a pale yellow colour, and comes FRUIT-TREES. 347 comes clean from the ftone, which is long- ifli and fmall for fo large a plum. I deem it the beft I know, for there are none of its fize equal to it in goodnefs, and but few that are fmaller excel it: when properly- ripe, it will then Ihrivel on the fide next the fun, and if it is preferved from wafps and flies, will dry upon the tree to be ex- ceeding good at the end of Augufl, or the beginning of September, if it is againft a fouth wall, but on others it is later. I have feen young flandard-trees of it, but I can't recommend the praftice, for they are uncertain of bearing 5 and when they do, the fruit is neither large nor good, befides very liable to be beat down by the winds: but I have gathered good fruit from efpaliers. The leaves of this tree are large, but not much pointed : it does not grow vigoroufly, and tho' it will make fome long fhoots, yet they are generally weak, and of but fhort duration -, for which reafon the horizontals ought to be often renewed : and as it bloflbms early, I advife to have it covered with green branches as foon as the bloffom begins to open. I have by that means procured a large crop of fruit, v/hen others 348 ATREATISEOF others of the fame kind had but little, tho* both againft the fame afpeft. N. B. I knew a gentleman, who had a plum tree fent him by the name of the Matchlefs, which, proved no other than the La Royale -, and for ought I know they are both the fame. The Fotheringhay plum is a very large fruit of a red colour, and flightly powder- ed ; it is fhaped like an egg, with a deep clift on the fide ^ the flefh, which is white, parts freely from the ftone, which is long ; the juice has a fweet tafte, but not agree- able to many palates, neverthelefs 'tis a good plum to dry. It ripens at the end of Auguft, and beginning of September ; the tree is healthy, and bears plentifully , but I have obferved the fruit bad, and drop from ftandards before it was full grown; for which reafon I would advife thofe who like this fruit, to plant it either againft a wall or in an efpalier ; but I don't think it deferves one of the betl afpecls. The Orleans is a very common plum, yet I have known others taken for it, for which reafon I think it can't be amifs to defcribe it. It is a middle fized round fruit, fome- FRUIT-TREES. 349 fomewhat hollowed about the ftalk, which is fhort ; tis of a pale red colour, and pow- dered with blue, the pulp is of a pale yel- low, or whitifh colour 5 it eats firm, and leaves the ftone dry ; the juice has fome- thing of an acid tafte j and it is deemed a good plum to dry. It ripens at the fame time as the La Royalc ; the tree makes vigorous fhoots of a greenifh colour, and the leaves are large : I have feen plenty of good fruit up- on a ftandard that w^as kept with proper cutting; but when there is too large a quantity fet, they fhould be thinned ac- cording to the rules laid down for wall- trees, or elfe the greateft part of them will be bad. The blue Perdrigon is of a purple co- lour when full ripe, and ftrongly covered with a pale blue powder. It is but a fmall fruit, and a little pointed towards the ftalk, which is fhort ; it ripens in the beginning of September, and is an excellent fruit for its fize. The pulp is of a pale yellow co- lour, parts freely from the ftone, eats firm, and is full of a delicious juice, and when it dries upon the tree, has much the tafte of 350 A TREATISE OF of a good raifin. It makes a healthy treCy but not a good bearer without more than common care , for it bloffoms early, and requires to be fheltered, if the weather is frofty; admit it be either againft a wall or in an efpalier, then it will do tolerably well, if the horizontals are often renewed y but I never faw it bear on a ftandard. The white Perdrigon is in fhape much like the former, but fom'ewhat larger, and ripens alfo about the fame time. It is of a pale yellow colour, but covered with a white powder ; the pulp is of a pale green, full of a fweet juice, and leaves the ftone dry, which is very fmall. Tho' this plum is not fo good as the blue, yet it is a better bearer, and drys well, and is worthy of a wall, but I never faw it a ftandard. Of the Queen mother plums, I know two forts, the white, and the red 3 they are both alike in fhape and lize, that is, round, and fmall, with fhprt ftalks^ and ripen at the beginning of September 3 the pulp of both is of a fine yellow colour, full of a pleafant juice, and adheres to the ftone. The young branches are of a brown colour, and very fmooth -, the collaterals 5 ^^^ FRUIT-TREES. 351 are very fmall, fo are the leaves ; but with proper order they v^ill bear on ftandards. The firft of thefe plums is of a pale red co- lour, and the other of a bright yellow, with a blufh of red, and both thinly powdered. The green Gauge is a plum much ad- mired, and there is great reaibn for it, for many excellencies belong to it, and that particularly of its being a plentiful bearer. Moil people imagine they know it; but as I have feen many deceived, I think it will be proper to defcribe it, as alfo thofe which caufe the miftake. It is a middle-fized fruit of a round fliape, with a very fmall furrow on the fide ; the ftalk is ihort and thick : 'Tis of an olive colour, and, when properly ripe, the fide fully expofed to the fun is a fine purple covered thinly with a blewifh pow- der ; the pulp is of a beautiful yellow co^ lour, and full of an extraordinary plea- fant juice, but does not come freely from the ftone ; it ripens in the end of Au- guft and beginning of September. The tree makes ftrong healthy flioots of a dark brown colour, without any pow^- der 352 A TREATISE OF der upon them. The leaves are large, and of a bright green colour. I have feen it bear good fruit on a ftandard with proper cutting, and likewife in all other fliapes. N. B. A tree of this kind was fent from France, by the right honourable the Earl of Stair, to his Grace the fecond Duke of Rutland, by the name of the green Spanifh plum. There is a green plum taken for the green Gauge, which is not like it, if duly obferv- ed, except in part of its colour. I have heard it called the green oftridge; it is about the fize of the green Gauge, but longer, and when full ripe more yellow, without any purple upon it, and its juice has quite an infipid tafte; the pulp is yellow, and flicks clofe to the ftone, and it ripens ra- ther earlier than the green Gauge, but without any of its perfections^ the fize and fhape of their leaves are nearly alike, fo is their colour, but the young fhoots are fomewhat greener than thofe of the former. The Maitre Claude is a middle fized plum, of a round fliape, but rather narrow at the upper end, with a furrow on the fide. FRUIT-TREES. 355 fide, and a lliort ftalk. Before it is fully ripe I have known it taken for the green Gauge J tho';, if carefully obferved, there is much difference in the leaves and fhoots. This tree makes fhoots long and fmall^ of a bluifli colour, and covered with a white down ', the leaves are of a dark green, and not fo fhining as the other. It is ripe in the beginning of September, and of a bright yellow colour 5 the fide next the fun has fome fmall marks of a bright red upon it, and is thinly covered all over with a white pov/der. The pulp is of a paie yellow, leaves the ftone freely, and eats firm 3 the juice is pleafant, but not fo plentiful as in fome others. The tree bears plentifully againft a wall, or in efpaliers, but I have not feen it in any other (hape. The Verdock is ibmetimes taken for the green Gauge, tho' it is fomewhat larger and longer, with a fmall furrow on the fide 5 and about the middle of September, when it is generally full ripe, it is of an olive colour, with a little white powder upon it. The pulp is yellow, eats firm, fticks to the ftone, and is full of a pleafant juice 5 its (hoots are much the colour of thofe A a of 354 A TREATISE OF of the green Gauge, but not fo ftrong, being longer jointed, neither does it make fo healthy a tree, yet it bears well againft a wall, &c. but I don t think it proper for a ftandard. The Roche-Corbon is a middle fized plum, round in its make, and but little furrowed j is of a dark red next the fun, but the other fide is pale, covered with a bluifli powder: the ftalk is long and fmall; the pulp is of a fine yellov/, with plenty of pleafant juice, melts in the mouth, and parts from the flone which is long. It ripens gradually from the middle of September to the end, and bears plentifully againft a wall, or in an efpalier ; but the fruit ge- nerally wants thinning, for if too many be fuffered to grow upon a branch, they fpoil one another. The plum called the red Spanxfh damafk, and fometimes the French damafk, is a middle fized plum, of a round make, has a red colour well powdered, the ftalk is fhort, the flefh is yellow and firm, and if not too full of fruit, has a very rich juice, and parts freely from the ftone. It ripens againft a wall in the latter end of Sep- 3 tember5 FRUIT-TREES. 355 tember; but I have not k^n it a ftan- dard. The little green damafk plum is almoft round, but little powdered, has a green flefh when ripe, but does not freely quit the ftone, and the juice is of a pleafant flavour. It is, for its colour, curious in fweet-meats ; and bears well upon a ftan- dard, or otherwife, with proper cutting, &c. It ripens in the latter end of September. The Mangeron is a middle-fized plum, of a round make, with a blackifn colour ftrongly covered with a blue powder 5 the pulp is firm, and parts from the ftone 3 and tho' it is not fo full of juice as fome others, yet it has a very pleafant flavour. It ripens towards the latter end of September, when planted againfl: a wall -, but I have not k^n it any other way. The red Imperial is a large plum, long and flat, with a furrow on the fide -, is of a pale red colour, covered with a white powder 5 the pulp is white, parts from the ftone, and is better to dry than eat raw. It makes a very large healthy tree, and wiil bear plentifully againft a north wall : I have not obferved it planted any other way than A a 2 againft 356 A TREATISE OF againft a wall of fome kind or other. It ripens at the latter end of September. The Reine Claude is fomewhat long, of a iT.iddle-fize, a yellow colour thinly cover- ed with a white powder, and the fide next the fun is fpotted with red; the pulp is firm, of a yellow colour, comes clean from the fcone, and is full of a fweet juice of an agreeable tafte. They ripen fome in Sep- tember, and fome in Oftober. I have not k^n this kind any other way but againft a wall, and there it bears plentifully. The red and wdiite magnum bonum plulns are both very large in fize, and i]]iaped like an egg, a little furrowed on the fide. They are neither of them very good to eat raw, but are both greatly efteemcd for preferving; and I have known the white fort when full grown, but not ripe, made ufe of for mangoes. They generally ripen at the latter end of September -, their leaves and fhoots are very large; they bear well either againft a vv^all or in an efpalier; but their horizontals require to be at a greater diftance from one another than thofe forts that are fmaller. The FRU IT-TPvEES. 357 The St. Catherine is a micldle-fized plum, fomewhat long in its fliape, and imall to- wards the fcalk, is of a yellow colour with a thin covering of white pov/der, and the fide next the fun is faintly marked with red; the pulp is yellow, and full of a pieafant juice, but adheres to the ftone. It ripens at the latter end of September and beginning of Oftober. It bears well againft a wail, and in a fine feafon I have known them •dry upon the tree^ but I caa't venture to fay that it v/ill bear good fruit on a ftandard.' The St. Julian is a middle-fized plum, fomewhat pointed at the ftalk, is of a dark purple, or brown colour, and much pow- dered; the pulp does not open from the ftone, tho' it is extremely well tailed, and dries well either by art or nature, if the fea- fon is good, in October, which is the time of its ripening. I have known it againll a wall, but no other way; yet I think it would do in an eipalier. The Imperatrlce, which in Englifh is called the Emprefs plum, is of a roundidi fliape, and a middle fize ; and of a dark blue colour on the fide next the fun, much covered with powder ; the flefli is yellow, A a 3 and 358 A TREATISE OF and full of a pleafant tafted juice^ it Is ripe in 06tober, and bears well againft a wall, or in any kind of dwarf. There are many other kinds of plums, that are very ufeful for preferving or bak- ing ; fuch as the red wheat-plum, and fe- veral forts of damafcenes^ all of them bear very well on ftandards ; and I have given dire6tions for their management in treat- ing of orchards- If a hole of only four feet wide be prepared for them at the time of planting, they will thrive very well aftervv^ards upon any foil that is dry ; admit it is fix or eight inches deep before it comes to any kind of rock, ftubborn clay, or loofe gravel. Of FRUIT-TREES. 359 Of ORCHARDS. SECT. I. Of the Situation, and Soils proper for Orchards. THE befl: fituations for orchards are thofe upon an eafy dechvity towards the fouth, or fouth-eaft 5 or upon a level, well guarded from the fouth-wefl: to the north-eaft points, with woods, hills, or buildings if poffible, but for want of which elm hedges will be of fervice, or elfe Scotch firs at fix feet apart. : The fhape or figure I would choofe to have inclofed for an orchard is the fame as that for a kitchen garden, and its boun- daries to have the fame afpe6ls. The fame fort of foil mentioned for wall-trees, is al- fo beft for orchards ^ but fince it is not to be met with in all places, therefore, where the foil is defe6tive, it flaould be helpt with all neceflary improvements that can he made at a moderate expence. There are few gentlcmens feats, or even villages, where A a 4 the 360 A T R E A T I S E O F the foil is fo bad, but that it may be reii' dered fit for the purpofej by proper ma- nagement. However, the moft improper ground for orchards, and the leail capable of fufncient improvement, is fuch as hes fo low that it can't be drained in the wintei*, but tnat the water will generally ftand within a foot or lefs of the furface. When a piece of land is fixt upcn, for planting with fruit-trees, in the firfc place, if there is occafion, it mufl be drained by the methods laid down for draining gai% dens 3 and then manured, m places where the trees are to be plar^'^d, the fame as di^ refted for borders, according as the nature of the foil rcq^jires 3 tho' not exceeding the depth of a foot, for either apples, quinces, plums, mulberries, almonds, or filberds. SECT. II. Of the Diftances that Fruit-trees ought to be planted from each other. THE ancient manner of planting 01% chard trees hath been generally at the diftance of eighteen or twenty feet; but FRUIT-TREES. 361 but this is too near, for they require more room ; for when trees are planted in this manner, the lower branches are fmothered for want of fun and air, and their ftems become naked much too high, nor will they ever produce good fruit upon their under branches -, for being deprived of the benefit of the fan, by (landing too near each other, the fruit is never well flavoured, and always will be fmaller, and much worfe, than when the trees ftand thm^ for in clofe places the fun's rays and tlie air has not free paflage to take off the dew, which, by its hanging too long upon the fruit, be- comes very prejudicial to it. The loweft clafs of trees fhould be plant- ed on the fouth and eaft fides, or on th^ fouth-eaft and fouth-weft, if thefe be the fides of an orchard; for if the tallefi: ki::ds are planted in thefe places, they will Ux'ure the other trees, by depriving them of the benefit of the fun. I fhould choofe to plant the north-w- and north-eaft ildes, or north and v.. fides, if the orchard fo lies, with chefn- .u at twenty feet apart; for thf^ nearer 1 :• are together, the fooner they make a Inci- te 362 A TRE A TISE OF ter for others, and at that diftance they will make good timber, for which they are 1110ft valuable. The next rows to the fouth-eaft, or fouth- weft, I fliould advife to be wahiuts, at thirty feet apart; but I think this is too little for their growing to be large trees ; but I do it to Ihelter the apples or pears, which I propofe next at forty feet apart, and a mulberry the fame ; then cherries at twenty-four feet apart, and on the fide or fides that is moft to the fouth, either plums, quinces, medlars, almonds, or filberds, at eighteen feet apart. SECT. III. How to prepare Soils for Orchards. /\ F TER the places are appointed for l7\. trees, if the ground be grafs, tho* intended to be plowed or dug after planting, it muft be pard and burnt; and obferve, there ought to be a fire upon every fpot where the trees are to be planted. This work muft be done in the fumnier or fpring, when tlie weather is dry ; and, after FRUIT-TREES. 363 after that, the ground may be plowed, and fowed with turnips early in the fummer, and eaten off with flieep in the autumn ; which will make a greater improvement in the foil, than any other method will do, at the fame expence. Bat if the ground is intended for mea- dow, or to be paftured with cattle, then there is no occafion to pare more than a circle of about ten feet diameter, for each tree ; and burn the turf upon the fpot, as before direfted. If the foil is ftrong clay, then before the trees are planted, it muft be often turned over, and well mixed with lime, coal-a/hes, fea-fand, or its own foil burnt, in fuch proportion as dire6led for wall-trees, but not more than a foot deep ; for, if the ground is prepared any deeper, the trees will fettle with the light earth, till tiieir roots be too much below the furface, and be thereby confined to the fpace of ten feet, which was prepared for them while young, but they are defigned to extend their roots further when full grown. If the foil is of a tender open nature, and free from gravel and Hones for the depth 364 A TREATISE OF depth of a foot below the furface, there requires nothing more after burning, but to dig it over about the compafs of ten feet diameter for every tree 5 mixing with it a little foot, and picking out all roots of twitch-grafs and other perennial weeds. Where the foil is chiefly gravel, fend full of pebbles, or a rock too near the furface, take av;ay the ftony barren part thejcof about the depth of a foot, and to what remains add good foil in quantity propor- tionable to that taken away, and of fuch a fort as direfted for wall-trees. Though I have directed to dig and ma- nure the ground only a foot deep, yet its natural quality (hould be examin'd deeper, and where you meet with wa- ter or fharp fand, within a foot and a half of the furface, it is not proper for the cherry, walnut, chefnut, medlar, and pears and the fewer of thefe kinds of trees are planted in this fort of foih the better ; but either rock or clay v/ill fuit them very welL If the ground defigned for planting Vv ith fruit-trees has been dug or ploughed, fo as to render it poor^ then either foot, lime, &c. FRUIT-TREES. 365 &c. muft be mixed with the foil, as its texture requires, and in quantity propor- tionable for the fpace, as before prefcribed, in this feftion, for each tree. SECT. IV. Of Planting Standard-trees, and Pruning them at the fame Time 5 with their pro- per Order the firft Summer. THE feafon for planting ftandards, and the method of cutting their roots, are the fame as for wall-trees -, but their heads are cut differently, both as to the time and manner of doing it, and may for conveniency's fake be cut before they are planted. The fliapes proper for their heads are reprefented by Plate VII. and the different figures fhevv^ the intended fhapes of a tree at various ages. Before removal, trees are generally fur- nillied w*ith more branches than are re- quired after 5 and as their number of flioots are \mcertain, I have not attempt^ ed to Ihew any thing of that fort in the 2 Plate, 366 A TREATISE OF Plate; but when a tree happens to have too few, then fome muft be fhortened, in order to mcreafe their number; if there are many bloffom-buds upon the horizon- tals, take part of them away, and like- wife all that proceeds from the item. Fig. I. repi^efents a tree, whofe head is fuppofed to be only one year old, with all the branches fhortned, but none taken out, which is the cuftomary way of pruning at the time of planting, and which caufes trees, when they are old, to have too many ftrong parts, and to be full of old wood. Fig. 11. reprefents a tree with branches tv/o or three years old, and cut according to the common method, with all the branches fhortened more than the length of the laft year's fhoots, and no other buds left on them but fuch as are either pre- pared, or preparing to bloflbm. But this method caufes many new plant- ed trees to be three or four years before they make any fhoots. Fig. III. reprefents a tree with five branches, either one, two, or three years old, and cut after the me- thod I practife, upon the head of a tree, whofe F R U I T-T R E E S. 367 whofe flioots are not more than two feet long. The branches left on are all at then* full length ; that at A is intended for an addi- tion to the ftem, and fliould be one of the ftrongeft of thofe ftanding upright; but the other four muft be chofen as much in a horizontal pofition as their natural manner of growing will allow. When a tree has but three horizontal branches, one of them muft be cut near the bottom , yet fo as to leave two plump buds ; and if there are but two branches befides the ftem, they muft both be cut in the fame manner. The trees are to be planted, and their roots covered, as direfted for wall-trees ; but with a hill of earth quite round their ftems, made flat at top, and of a greater compafs than the extent of the roots ; then let them be ftaid, fo as to prevent the winds from loofening their roots, which may be done by fixing in the ground two ftakes or piles, of about three inches fquare, and feven feet long, one on the north, and the other on the fouth-fide of each tree, at the diftance of a foot from the tree ; 368 A TREATISE OF tree > then to the tops of thefe piles, nail two ftrong ledges, on each fide the tree one 5 but before this is done, the tree fliould be wrapt about with bandages, at the places where the ledges would otherwife touch it, made of hay or ftraw, to prevent the ledges from galUng it, and to confine and keep it fteady: there fhould alfo be four other ledges nailed, two on each fide, one about a foot from the ground, and the other half way between that and the top, and then draw in betwixt them either thorns or gofs, fo as to prevent hares, or iheepj or any thing elfe from injuring them, by pealing off the rind > but if horfes, beafts, or any large cattle, are fuffered to pafture in the ground where young trees are planted, then they muft be guarded in the following manner, over and above what has been already direfed^ till they are grown fo ftrong as not to be bent or fhaken ' by the force of cattle rubbing againft them. Set down about every tree, three pofts^ with three lengths of rails in a triangular form, at fuch a difl:ance as will prevent any cattle from reaching it. Oafc FRUIT-TREES. 369 Oak wood is the beft for this purpofe, it being of the longeft duration* The earth about the roots of young tres fliould be kept conftantly moiil the firft year after planting, from the begin- ning of March to the end of September; but the water fhould never be poured in great quantities near the ftem, for that is fubject to wafh away the earth. The beft method is to m„ake a little trench round the tree, at the diftance of a foot, and pour the water into it; by this means the water will fooner reach the more remote parts of the root, where it is moft wanted -, and the ground round the tree for the fpace of ten feet, fhould alfo be kept clear of weeds, or any kind of ve- getables. All branches that put out from the ftem muil be rubbed off at their firft ap- pearance; and if fuckers put up from the roots, they muft be difplaced likewife ; or, if any ftrong and upright branch ap- pears from any of the horizontals, it muft be cut away, except the greateft part of the horizontal be dead which they proceed from, or either of the horizontals next to B b it, 370 A TREATISE OF it, then a ftrong branch muft be preferved to make good the deficiency. SECT. V. Of Pruning a young Standard Apple-Tree, &c. till it comes to the Height intended. I Have obferved, that generally after orchards are planted, the benefit that might reafonably be expefted from them is in fome meafure prevented, by negle<5l of cutting and dreffing; which (hould be done at leaft every winter, as foon as the trees have fhed their leaves j and therefore will here give proper direftions for ma- naging all kinds of orchard-trees ; and firft of apples, this fort of fruit being the moft common in orchards, and of the greateft ufe for baking, ftewing, &c. as alfo for making cyder. In order to make a tree healthy and bear good fruit, it muft be kept thin of wood, and equally fo in all parts of the head, as near as poflible ; for, by this means, it v/ill receive the moft benefit from the fun. Fig. F R U I T-T R E E S. 371 Pig. 4. reprefents a tree when full- grown 'y and the way to bring a tree to fuch a fhape, is to make a ftrait ftem, and pre- ferve upon it four branches at every place, where a new fet of horizontals is required, as at ABC D, which fhould not be nearer each other than two feet -, and if the tree is of fuch a nature as to produce a ftrait upright branch for a ftem, then all others but thofe defigned for horizontals, muft be rubbed oft at their firft appearance ; for all branches of a ftandard fruit-tree ftiould grow in fuch pofitions as thofe of a filver- fir. But if it is of a free growth, and the branches are more fubjefl to grow declin- ing than horizontal, the young ftioots ftiould be all left upon the new part of the ftem the firft fummer; for, if part are taken off, the others will grow ftill more crooked. The way to obtain a ftrait ftem in the latter fort of trees, is to fix a ftrong pole in the ground, and tie it in feveral places with lifts of cloth to the upright part of the tree, and by the fide of the pole con- fine the center branch, till it reaches the B b 2 height 372 A TREATISE OF height intended, which fliould not be more than fixteen feet from the ground 3 for, all kinds of apple-trees planted at the dif- tance of forty feet from each other, have fuScient room to extend themfelves hori- zontally. There is one thing more requifite to be "obferved in raifing the ftem. y and that is, if it flioots more in one year than the fpace required betwixt each fet of hori- zontals, it m.uft be cut in the winter at a proper length, and the lewder buds rubb'd off, leaving only five at the top, fuch as are likely to make fhoots. But when it is grown to the height intend- ed, there mull be only four buds left on, and the flicots proceeding from them kept in a horizontal portion, which may be done by confining them to tv/o fmall poles fixed tranfverfely to tlie upright one; and when thofe branches defigned for horizon- tals grow toe much upwards, they may be confined to a right pofition by the fame method, provided that often bending them downward in the fumnier will not be fuf- licienf. In FRUIT-TREES. 373 In fuch manner a tree fhould be con- fined, till the branches are ftrong enough to fupport themfelves in a proper pofition ; and when the four firfl horizontals, I niean thofe neareft the ground, are be- come each a yard long, they fliould every one have two branches preferved, and trained in the fame manner as thofe of the dwarf-tree, reprefehted by Fig. 6. marked A A, and when thefe laft come to the length of a yard, others mud be fuffered to grow from them • in like manner as from the firft -, and as all the horizontals increafe in length, fo they fliould alfo in number, by the rules given for the lowefb, as reprefented by Fig. 7. and never fuf- fered to crcls each other. ' If the horizontals do not increafe fafl enough in" length, then- all the upright fhoots proceeding from them muft be ta- ken off at their firfr apDearance, and the longeft of thofe flioots near the ends, ex- cept that branch defigned for the lengthen- ing of the horizontal, for it mull: remain in its natural way of growing till it is two feet long -, and if a tree either bears or blof- foms plentifully, without fnooting much, B b :: then 374 A TREATISE OF then great part of the ftuds ought to be cut oif in the winter. When a tree does not want vigour, let all the branches continue till winter, then cut off all thofe above fix inches long, growing upright from the upper-fides of the horizontals ; and this fhould be ob- ferved in trees of all ages, for no upright branches from thofe parts fliould be fuffer- ed to grow longer. The branches of fome kinds of apple- trees are fabjeft to grow too much declin- ing i but when this is the cafe, they muft be fuftained in a right pofition by proper fupporters, as was direfted for thofe branches that were too much upright ^ and a!] branches defigned for horizontals, be they either feconds, thirds or fourths, as A BCD, in Fig. 7. they muffc all be fo confined after they are two feet long, and whenever the extreme part of a horizon- tal becomes weak, the ftrongeft fhoot near it mufi: be preferved for its place. If in any kind of ti'ce, after the bran- ches are laid horizontally, they don't grow much in length, hut put out ftrongly near the ftem in an upright pofition, then fuch FRUIT-TREES. 375 fuch trees fhould not have their branches confined quite flat, but fomewhat afcend- ing, and at a greater diftance from each other than thofe that are in a horizontal fhape. In drelling of a young tree, great care fliould be taken not to fhake or difturb the roots, nor break or ftrain any branches, nor rub off any more buds than defigned ; for thefe mifchiefs often happen, by fet- ting a ladder againft the tree, before the ftem is able to bear a perfon's weight up- on it without bending. Therefore a folding ladder with four limbs to fupport it, is moft proper for this purpofe ; and a fine chifTel, with a fliaft of a length convenient for taking off the branches without climbing. Where there is mofs upon the trees, it fhould be fcraped off very clean, and fuch a hoe as is commonly ufed for onions is fuitable for the purpofe, with a long ihaft for the highefl: branches. B b 4 SECT, Z7b A TREATISE OF SECT, yi, General Rules for Pruning and Dreffing- Apple-Trees, of all Ages, that have beer^ regularly trained. AL L dead branches or ftud3 muft be cut off clofe to the part they pro- ceed from, and the parts cut fliould be made very fmooth, that the wound may focner heal, and where large branches are taken off with a faw, the parts thus cut fliould be pared with a fiiarp chiffel in fuch a manner as that the wet may defcend from them; for when they are left either hori- zontally, or with an uneven furface, the wet will continue upon them, till it pene- trfiifes into the w^ood and decays the v^^hole tree. The branches fhould not be fuffered to crofs one another, nor touch at their ex- tremities. The mofs ihpuid be clean fcraped off in the winter, and w^here there is any can- leered rind, it muft be cut away to the quick, and all old bark fhould be clean pared FRUIT-TREES. 377 pared off, for it harbours infefts, as alfo do the dead leaves that hang upon the trees, wherein the eggs of caterpillars are often concealed, jand fliould therefore be taken off and burnt. Where new horizontals are wanted, young fhoots fuitable for that purpofe fhould be left, and confined with bandage to their proper places ^ but if there are no young fhoots, then cut out a piece of wood with a chiffcl, where one is required to grow. Fruk is generally fmall upon old fluds that have born a long time, which fhould therefore be taken off, as alfo fome of the fhortefl horizontals, and young ones pre- ferved to be in their ftead; by which means, large fruit may be produced upon old trees. The common way of applying manure to the roots of trees, is to do it clofe to the flem; which is but of little fervice; for the mofl ufeful roots of large trees are at a confiderable diflance ; and the befl method of manuring orchards, is to flrew all over upon the furface of the ground the quantity of a bufhel of foot for every large tree, and fo 378 A TREATISE OF fo in proportion for thofe of a fmaller kind, as foon as they have had their win- ter order of cutting and dreffing. It is alfo neceffary to keep orchards clear from the roots of nettles, burdocks, mal- lows, or any ftrong growing weeds; for they deprive the trees of a great deal of moiftiire. SECT. VII. Of Pruning of Orchard Pear-Trees. SUCH pear-trees as are proper for ftandards are mentioned in the cata- logue given of this kind of fruit, and what hath been faid in regard to the manage- ment of apples, muft be obferved alfo for pears; for their nature of growing and bearing is nearly the fame, whereby there is no occafion of different methods of prun- ing ; but the forts that are naturally of a vigorous growth may be fuffered to grow twenty feet high. SECT, FRUIT-TREES. 379 SECT. VIII. Of the Ordering of ChejQiuts in Orchards. THE chefnut being commonly plant- ed more for fhade and the fake of its timber, than for the value of the fruit, (for they don't always ripen in this climate) fhould for that reafon have a ftrait ftem, of as great a length as can pofiibly be pro- cured, and branches left on it at the fame diftance as directed for the horizontals of apple-trees ; but there is no occafion to confine them to any particular order, for they may be fuffered to grow according as they are naturally inclined, without any reftraint ; and where the timbei* is more valued than the fhade, the ftems may be dreffed to a greater height before any ftrong branches are fuffered to grow upon them. SECT. IX. Of the Ordering of the Walnut-Tree. HE walnut is a tree valuable both for its fruit and timber, and the more knotty it is, the more beautiful^ to that 380 A TREATISE OF that the ftem is not required to be either very long or very ftrait ; but the fide or horizontal branches proceeding from it, fhould be at regular diftances and heights from one another, which is greatly to the advantage of its bearing. The extremities of the young fhoots are fubjeft to be killed in the winter -, when this happens they fhould be taken off to the quick, and the branches kept from croffing one another, which is the chief order required, till they are large enough to bear; and fhortening the branches is of great fervice in making them bear more plentifully ; and fince beating them with poles is an expeditious method for tall trees, I therefore recommend this pra6lice for fuch trees, whether there be fruit or not. SECT. X. Of the Pruning of Standard Mulberries. WHERE orchards are paftured with large cattle, there is a neceffity of having the branches of fruit-trees high^ to prevent therr^ from being damaged; other- wife FRUIT-TREES. 381 v/ife the mulberry is much better to have its branches near the ground, for then the fruit is gathered with more eafe,^ and lefs liable to be blown down by the winds. The mulberry fliould have horizontals drawn from the ftem, in the fame manner as the apple, and all dead wood and old branches muft be taken out, and new ones raifed where there is occafion ; but fuch branches as are defigned to produce bearers muft never be (hortened, for they bear their fruit upon branches of the fame year's growth, proceeding from three or four buds near the extremities of the laft year's fhoots; and jChould the ends of thefe fhoots, together with the buds be taken off, they would not produce any fruit, though they would flioot very ftrongly from other buds. SECT. XL Of the Pruning of Standard-Cherries, Plums, Almonds, Quinces, Medlars, and Filberds. STandard-cherries fliould be treated in a manner fomewhat different from ap- ples, for they bear their fruit upon younger 2 wood, 382 A TREATISE Of wood, and therefore ought to have their bearers often renewed, and the old ftuds and fliorteft horizontals taken away, and new ones protured in their room ; w^hich may eafily be done, where trees have been train- ed up wTth ftrait ftems and regular hori- :^ontals, when young. Cherry-trees don t require to have their horizontals above half a yard diftant one fet from another. The duke-cherry is naturally one of the beft bearers, but Ihort-lived, unlefs the branches are often renewed, and kept in a horizontal pofition 3 alfo the mofs fhould be clean rubbed off every winter, but at the fame time, great care muft be taken not to bruife the trees, for that caufes them to gum, which is of bad confequence. The plum and almond muft be manag- ed the fame in every refpect as the cherry. The quince and medlar muft be order- ed like the apple, with this difference on- ly, that their horizontals need not be more than fifteen or fifteen inches afunder. Filberds require nothing more than the former, and to have their branches kept out .6 FRUIT-TREES. 383 out of the reach of cattle, and all the dead ones taken out in the winter. SECT. XIL Of young bearing Standard-Apples, that were planted too near each other. TH E R E are fome young ftandard ap- ple-trees that were planted no more than eighteen feet apart, and at the fame time had all their branches fhorten'd, and none taken out, yet bear very well. But this method of cutting and planting is of ill confequence to the trees when they grow large, for then they deprive each other of the benefit of the fun and air s and the branches likewife of one tree in- jure the branches of another tree the fame way. But if the trees are moveable ones and of good kinds, thefe grievances are eafily to be helped, by tranfplanting fuch of them to diftant places as incommode or croud the orchard, and thofe that are but ordi- nary forts may be burnt ; and both thofe that are defigned to remain, and thofe that are to 384 A TREATISE OF to be tranfplanted ftiouldhave their bran- ches thinned in the winter, but not fhorten^ ed; and fuch healthy ones muft be chofen to remain, as will the earliefl: reprefent the feveral figures in Plate VII. that are de-^ ligned for the fnapes of a ftandard-tree at different ages. There fliould be one of the ftrongeft, and mofl upiight branches chofen to form the upper part of the ftem, if there be a fufficient number of horizontal branches growing from it, at or near fuch places as they are required, that is, each fet to be about two feet above each other, and at each place four ; but, if they are not in a horizontal pofition, they may be helped by a proper bandage. But if the ftrongefl and mofl: upright branch be not fo well furnilhed for that purpofe, as another which is lefs upright, then the former muft be taken out, and the latter confined by bandage to a fliape as much upright as may be, by the rules given for thofe newly planted. Immediately after their leaves are fhed, is the properell time for thinning of bran- ches, and every part of a tree mufl: be exa- mined ^ FRUIT-TREES. 385 mined s and, by cutting out Tome, and ty- ing others to poles, the tree muft be brought as hear as poffible to the intended fhape, and if in fome places there is too great a va- cancy betwixt the horizontals, and in other places too little fpace between each other, they muft be brought to more equal dif- tances ; if they be too ftrong to bend in their whole fubftance, they may be cut half through, and then tied to poles that are properly fixed, to fupport them in fuch po- fitions as they are defired to grow in. Obferve, that the parts cut muft be left with a very fmooth furface, to prevent the wet entering in, which would caufe the tree to decay : a hand-faw is a ready inftru- ment to cut off large branches, but it leaves a roughnefs, which fhould be taken off with a fharp chilTeL ^^ Before the faw is ufed, there fhould be a large cut made on the under fide of the limb intended to be taken off, to prevent the bark being tore from the ftem, when the weight of a branch caufes it to break off before the faw is quite through. The branches that are taken off muft be cut clofe to the ftem or horizontal which C c they 586 A TREATISE OF they grow upon; for if there be a flump left, the wound does not fo foon heal over as it would if it made a ftraight line with the bark on each fide of it. SECT. XIII. Of Replanting fuch Standard Apple-Trees as are come to bearing. A Tree of fix inches diameter may be replanted with great fafety, admit it be a healthy one ; but I choofe to omit doing it the fame year its branches were thinned, but prepare the roots and heads for the purpofe, and let it remain there till the next winter. For a tree of fuch a fize, there ought to be roots left of a yard long on every fide, and to fecure fuch there oug-ht to be a trench made at that diftance all round it, and fo deep and wide as a perfon may work conveniently in it, to cut through every root with a hatchet, fo that the tree might be taken quite out, if defired. But when it is thus prepared, I would only have it thrown upon its -fide, and all the roots cut fmooth either with a chifiel or knife, according as their ftrength requires; and FRUIT-TREES. 387 aiid in fuch a form that the cuts fliall be flat upon the ground, when the tree is planted upright. Apple-trees are not fo fubjeft to have a tap-root as pears are 3 but whenever one of them is met with, I would not advife to have them left m.uch more than a foot long ', and after the tree is raifed right up, as it flood before in the hole, let there be good earth put quite round it, fo as to fill up the trench level with that upon the roots i then let the tree remain there a year^ but if the fummer proves dry, give water to the roots, and likev/ife rub off all young branches that may poflibly put out near thofe places where others were cut off, or from any other parts of the tree where they are deemed ufelefs. In the fummer after the trees have been cut, it will be very proper to prepare the places where they are to be planted, in fuch a manner as was directed for young orchard-trees -, but thefe having large roots, the holes muft be made deeper than thofe for fmaller trees, and the lon- ger they are made before the timxc of plant- ing, the better order will the earth be in. The feafons for removing trees have been C c 2 ap- 388 A TREATISE OF appointed before, and it is proper for thofe of any fize, but large ones require the more perfons to aflift, becaufe of their weighty but the roots being all cut through before, makes the digging part eafy the fecond time. When the weathei* is not frofty, the trench muft be opened as before, but great care muft be taken to preferve the young roots that are made from the ends of thofe that were cut the laft yearj and if the weight of the tree with the earth upon the roots be more than can be carried up- on leavers, by as many men as can con- veniently walk one before another; then the tree muft be taken up with a fern, and placed right upon its roots, either oft a Hedge, or a carriage with wheels about a foot high, and drawn by horfes to the place prepared for its reception. Care muft be taken, in the time of remo- val, to keep the roots from being dried, or damaged by froft ; and before the root is put into the hole, let the depth of both be mea- fured, left the tree fhould be taken up again for want of being placed at a proper depth. I would have about fix inches deep of frefti earth under ihe xqq% which will fettle in FRUIT-TREES. 389 in a few years ; and for that reafon the up- permoft roots fhould be placed at the time of plantingv even with the furface of the ground, and then the trench muft be filled up with earth round them, and gently trod till all the roots are covered pver about fix inches. The bafon of earth round them fhould be about eight feet wide, and near a foot lower at the center than on the fides, and covered with fuch manure after as is ordered for wall-trees; and let them have water, when the weather is dry, and likewife tied fo to flakes as to prevent their roots being moved by the winds; then there will be no fear of good fuccefs. After their removal, their branches mufl be ordered as thofe that are grown to the fame height, tho' planted young, according to the rules laid down for that purpofe. SECT. XIV, Of Standard Apple-Trees that don't bear much good Fruit. BArrennefs in apple-trees, or the want of good fruit, proceeds from different caufes ; many of which may be removed, C c 3 if 390 A TREATISE OF if the trees are of good forts, and the land in which they grow be either proper, or capable of being made fo. That is the firfl: thing neceffary to be obferved^ and if manures are wanting, fuch forts muft be applied as the nature of the foil requires, that is, for fandy-land ap- ply foot, or pigeon-dung, and for ftrong clay, lime or coal-afhes : cover the ground over for the fpace of ten feet round the ftem of each tree that is defigned to re- main; lay it about a quarter of an inch thick, and when the trees are properly cut^ let the ground be dug over in fuch a thin manner as not to cut the roots. If a tree is covered with mofs, or makes large fhoots in the fummer, which canker and die at their upper ends in the winter, it is a fign it is planted too deep, or elfe the foil too wet in which it grows. The mofs m.uft be fcraped off; and if it is too deep planted, and a moveable tree, the brandies and roots fhculd be cut as before directed^ then take it up with a fern, if large, and lay earth under the roots, till the upper ones be even witli the fur- face of the ground; then make a hill round the fi:em, in proportion to the length of the 8 roots. FRUIT-TREES. 391 roots, that is, about a foot broader than what they extend, and confine the tops to fuch flakes as its fize requires. If the foil be too wet, and there is a de- fcent to any fide, let there be drains made to it (betwixt each row of trees) about half a yard deep, and lay faggots in the bottom, about a foot thick; then place the fods over them, with the grafs upper- moft, and the remainder of the earth may be fpread over the other grafs ground. If a tree be covered v/ith mofs, and bloIToms plentifully, without making much length of fhoots, but does not bear much, or the fruit but fmall, without being fliaded by others, then there is a neceffity of thinning the branches, and fcraping off the mofs, the fame as though the tree was to be re- moved. Sometimes a tree that is planted too deep, in good foil, will flioot ftrongly, but not bloffom much; if it be not large, raife it higher; or take off the foil, till the upper roots are covered no more than an inch thick with earth. If a tree flioots vigoroufiy^ and is plant- ed of a proper depth, and at more than thirty feet diftance from any other, the C c 4 reafon 392 A TREATISE, &c. reafon of its not blofToming muft then proceed from its own branches being too c'ofe to one another, and fometimes more than one of them grows in an upright po- rtion ; if this be the hinderance to its blofibming, the branches muft be properly tliinned, and all thofe that are left, except the ftem, muft be confined to a level po- fition. After this is done, if the tree does not bloffom, but continues too vigorous, I would then chufe to have all the roots cut quite through, about a yard from the ftem^ but let the cuts be on the under- fide, and be made fmooth with a knife or chiffel. If a tree makes fhoots, and bloflbms well, but does not bear, or that the fruit drops off before they are half grown ; then either bad lituations, frofts or caterpillars are the caufe, and for the remedy there are directions given in another place. N. B. "What has been faid in this place upon ftandard apple-trees, are proper rules to be obferved for all kinds of orchard- trees. FINIS. I N D E X. ALM O N D S, how raifecj Page 49 their fhapes 59 how to prune and nail them i y^ in efpaliers 227 Ants, how to deftroy them 281 Apples, flocks proper for them 51 their fhapes in the nurfery 6t pruning them againfl a wall 150 in efpaliers 222 in dwarfs 225 their kinds 293 Apricots, flocks proper for them 48 their fhapes in the nurfery 59 pruning them 179 in efpaliers 227 their kinds 295 Barberries 247 BlofToms prefer ved from frofls 262 Borders, how to make them 6 how to keep them 252 how to improve old ones 255 Burning of clay 12 Bad Gardener, a lofs to gentlemen 139 PlofToms of grapes to preferve 208 of Apricots, &c, 262 Cata- INDEX. Catalogue of fruits 29^ Caterpillars 265 Cherries, flocks for them r^ Cherries, their fhapes in the nurfery ^5 pruning them againft a wall j^r in efpaliers 226 their kinds 297 Clay improved by fire 6 Currants againft a wall 149 ftandards 241 Cutting of roots, &c. 72 Dung, bad for fruit- trees 14 Dwarf-trees, their fhapes in the nurfery 64 concaves 229 horizontals 235 convex 2^y chefnutSj ^lerrics 3 8 1 Efpaliers 217 Figs, the catalogue 302 foils proper for them 10 their fhapes in the nurfery 63 pruning againft a wall 213 pruning in efpaliers 225 Filberds in efpaliers 225 their kinds 302 Fruit-trees adapted for the walls in the firft plate 20 for the efpaliers - 27 for various afpedls 3 r Fruits I N D E X3 Fruits thinning 183 gathering 284 how to preferve them for winter 292 Frofts, detrimental to fruits 262^ Goofberries 241 Grapes, their kinds 305 Head of trees cutting at the time of planting 77 Honey-dews upon trees, and its ill effedls pre- 272 vented Inflruments proper to drefs trees with g^ Medlars in the nurfery ^6 their kinds 311 Mulberries, their fhapes in the nurfery 6^ pruning them againft a wall 14S pruning in efpaliers 223 their kinds 311 flandards 380 Nailing a new planted tree with three branches,' either a pear, plum or cherry 10 r the firll fummer 108 the fecond winter 1 1 1 a new planted tree with one or two branches i^9 on peaches, nedbarines, &c. the firft year of planting 85 a full grown tree 128 Neflarines, their kinds 312 Obfervations on the different ways of pruning pears, plums, &c. S6 Orchards INDEX, Orchards improved 385 Packing up trees for long carriage 7 1 Planting wall or dwarf trees 8 1 Pears, plunns, cherries, &c. with their plate III. explained; and pruning a pear, plum, cherry, or apple from its firft planting till full-grown, either againft a wall or an ef- palier ^ 97 Plate IV. explained Pruning a peach of diflferent ages 155 ^heir kinds 314 Pruning ftandard pears 380 Quinces in efpallers 225 Roots cutting at the time of removal 72 Rafberries 248 Salts ferviceable to trees 14 Situations proper for fruit-trees 32 Soils proper for fruit- trees I Soils wet, how to improve them g Stocks proper for fruit-trees 44 Standard- trees, their fhapes in the nurfery 66 pruning them 372 old, pruning them 376 Taking up trees 66 Thinning of fruits 1 B^ Vines, the foil proper for thcrii their order in the nurfery 3^ 63 Vines INDEX. Vines planting iS& pruning of all ages 189 inefpaliers 22 S ftandards 238 305 their kinds Wet foils improved g Walls building ^5 Wall-trees, their (hapes required in the nurfery 57 Wafps and flies how to deftroy them 281 Winter-fruits, how to preferve them 287 Walnuts pruning 381 Directions for the fixing of the PLATES. Plate I. to be palled to the margin of Page 20 II. to 34 III. to 96 IV. to ' 154 V. to 188 VI. to ' 212 VII. to 228 ■^ ^^..^ii^sssstif^mes^-