cn'd; and the smallest Shoots, which have Bloffom Buds upon them should also be cut to convenient Length, that the Fruit may be large, for one or two good Fruit is worth five or fix which have had ill Nourishment.

Obfervation XLIII.

After the Spring-pruning of Peaches, the Trees must not be touch'd with a Knife all the Year, unless fuch Shoots as cannot conveniently be laid to the Wall; the Spring-pruning being as much as a Peach-tree can fuffer, without declining in its Health. I cannot by any Means agree with those who cut down thefe Trees that are nurs'd against Walls once in four or five Years, to make them renew their Wood. A Tree ought to fill the Part of the Wall allotted for it, and it is the Fault of the Master if it does not, unless the Diftemper lie at the Root.

Obfervation XLIV.

If close pruning be at all allowable, it is during the first two or three Years after planting, that the Bottom of the Wall may be well furnifh'd; and though this Pruning be often practis'd, yet it is not every where that we find the Effect it ought to have; for too many lead the Shoots upright, which fhould be fpread horizontally, and, by that Means, leave the Wall naked at Bottom; and, in a few Years, tell us, the Wall is too low for the Tree: This is a very great Fault.

In this firft pruning, fome are fo favourable to fpare the Branches which have Bloffoms up

on

on them; but it is an unreasonable Practice, for we never have a good and lafting Tree that is fuffer'd to bear fo early.

Curious Obfervations relating to the Improvement of Plums.

Obfervation XLV.

The beft Stocks to be put in Nursery for graffing upon, are the Off-fets of the Black Damask, and the St. Julian, whofe Sap is sweeter than that of other Plum-trees, which is commonly too fharp for Graffs to take upon; the Graffs, I mean, are in the Cleff, and not in the Bud, as fome might conjecture.

Obferpation XLVI.

The St. Julian Plum is indeed the fureft for budding upon, and the Fruit graffed upon it is more melting than thofe graffed upon other Stocks; the black Damask has a drier Juice, and therefore the Bud is not fo proper for it.

Obfervation XLVII.

Plums require a Soil rather dry than wet, or inclining to Sand than Clay. A black Sand is the best of all for them; they bear sooner and better, and bring their Fruit extreamly well tafted.

Obfervation XLVIII.

We may cultivate Plums either in Standards, Dwarfs, or against Walls; the blue Perdrigon fhould always have à Wall to prevent the thedding of its Fruit, which it is very fubject to do in the free Air. This Plum loves the rifing Sun, rather than the Sun at full South; for the latter dries the Fruit too much, and makes it fall as foon as it is fet.

Obfervation XLIX.

In pruning of Plums, we must have great Regard to their Strength or Weakness; and as that is, to leave more or lefs Wood upon them, the large Shoots must be left of a good Length, and the middle Size Shoots must be left almost entire, that the Tree may bring Fruit foon; efpecially we should leave the Shoots of PlumTrees very long in ftiff heavy Soil, where they are apt to fhoot too much and bear little; in that Cafe pruning clofe would make them shoot in a rambling manner, or fubject them to Diftempers. Prune a Plum as little as may be in a clay, or wet Soil; wound thofe Fruits which are enclin'd to gum as little as poffible, among which is the Plum which is very fubject to canker, and thereby distemper its whole Sap.

Obfervation L.

For Standard Plums, we should let them shoot at their Pleasure, only minding to take away the falfe Wood and the Suckers from them; the false Wood may be diftinguish'd from the reft

by

by its being long, thin, and of a greenish Co-lour.

Obfervation LI.

When Plum-trees begin to decay and lose their Shoots, we muft cut them down a little above the Graff; they will re-fpring with Strength, and bring us Fruit the fecond Year.

Obfervation LII.

Where we have to deal with: Wildings in this Cafe, fuch as the Damask, St. Catherine Rochecorbon, &c. we may leave a few of the Suckers about their Roots, but not too many, left we ruin the old Root; for every one of these Suckers draw from it, and impoverish it, till at length it is quite ftarv'd.

Obfervation LIII.

When we have ftrong Ground, which fubjects fome of our Plums to run into Wood, I would advise, that fuch as will do without Walls fhould be twisted about a Set of Poles, as I have mention'd before for Pears, for the bending their Shoots will check the Sap, and bring them to Fruit-bearing without pruning, and then they will not be fubject to gum or fpoil. I am fo much enter'd into this Thought, that I have began to try Mr. Heron's Experiment of twifting of Trees thus; and, I hope, fome few Months will fatisfy me of its ufe to PlumTrees, Peach-Trees, Abricots, and those forts, which, if they are let alone, are apt to fhoot with extraordinary Vigour.

Obfervation

Obfervations and Experiments relating to

A

Cherries.

Obfervation LIV.

Cherry requires a light fandy Ground, which brings it to bearing fooner, and makes it yield better Fruit, and in greater Abundance than it would do in ftiff Land; at the fame time, we do not fay, that this Fruit will not bear at all in wet or heavy Ground, but where that happens, it is the most subject to drop its Fruit.

Obfervation LV,

If we are minded to have dwarf CherryTrees, we fhould not by any means graff them upon the wild black Cherry, but upon Cherries which are already graffed, chiefly the Morello; for the black Cherry is too ftrong a Shooter, and the Morello, which is a wild kind, though we cultivate it by graffing, brings its Shoots with lefs Vigour, and bears fooner and closer to the Ground; but for Standard Trees, the black Cherry makes the best Stocks for graffing, and brings its Fruit larger and better.

Obfervation LVI.

We may graff Cherries in the Cleff, or inoculate them, but the laft Way is much the beft, when the Trees are in their Midfummer Shoot, and then we are not in much Danger of being injur'd by the Gum; but for graffing in the Cleff,