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1

CHAP. IV.

2
3

OF INOCULATING.

4
5    Sect. 1. About a fortnight before
6or after Midsummer (which is the
7best time, though it may be done from
8the beginning of May till August ) when
9you have pitch'd upon such stocks as are
10fit to be inoculated , choose out a strong
11and well liking branch , or shoot of that
12years growth upon a Tree that bears such
13kind of fruit as you would by this operation
14produce, and about the middle,
15or lower end of it, (for the top will be
16too tender) fix upon a leaf , that hath a
17fresh and fair bud growing out betwixt
18it and the bark, and about half an inch
19below, and above the bud , cut off the
20branch , and so you will have a piece of
21it about an inch long remaining, with
22a bud and a leaf on; this you must cleave
23just through the midst, so as the bud may
24be directly in the middle of the one half;
25and then snip off a part of the leaf ,
26or the whole leaving the stalk: and
27holding it by the remainder, clap it to a
28smooth place on the stock; and with a

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29Pen-knife score out, on each side of it,
30so much of the stock as it covers, or rather
31a little broader (because when the
32bark on which the bud is, is taken off
33from its own wood and applyed to the
34stock, it will cover a wider space of the
35stock than it did before;) after you have
36thus marked your stock, with-draw the
37Scion again, & cut the bark through where
38you had marked it, then cut the bark cross
39and straight , from the uppermost end of
40one score to the upper end of the other ,
41and cut the bark again cross and straight ,
42from one score to the other , but not so
43low as the lower ends of the scores by a
44quarter of an inch, then take the oblong
45square piece of bark , that is cut on
46every side quite off the Stock, and raise
47up that part of the bark that remains betwixt
48the side scores , at the bottom of
49the work, from the wood , till you come
50to the lower ends of the side scores .
51    Take then a Goose-quill, cut in the
52fashion of an Apple Scoop , or Scraper , and
53having with your Nail a little loosened
54the upper part of the bark that is on
55the Scion, thrust the quill betwixt the
56bark and the wood , holding it close to
57the wood , that it may separate them, and
58take off with the bark a little wood or

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59root of the bud over against it: If you
60see a hole on the inside over against the
61bud , when you have taken the bark off,
62(which is seldom) cast it away, that little
63labour is lost, and try another till
64you find it otherwise.
65    Then put in the lower end of that
66Bark or Scion betwixt the bark that was
67raised on the Stock and the Wood, and
68so bind it on the Stock gently with Woollen-yarn ,
69or narrow shreds of Linen-cloth ,
70or gentle Stuff , or with Basses , or Bast ,
71of which the Russia Mats are made, but
72so that the Scion may lie close to the wood
73of the stock that was made bare, and
74have a special care that you hurt not
75the bud .
76    Sect. 2. There are some other ways
77of inoculating used, differing only in the
78manner of the cut both in the bark of
79the Stock, and of the Scion .
80    And first, some proceeding in all other
81things as is before directed, cut the
82Bark out of the whole length of the side
83scores , and apply the Scion to the disbarked
84place.
85    Secondly, Others cut one slit only,
86down the bark of the Stock , and another
87cross the top of it, like a great T:
88when this is done, they prepare the

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89Scion or bark as before directed, (only
90cutting it sharp pointed at the lower end
91before they take the bud off its wood )
92then raise the bark of the Stock up on
93each side the slit , and put in the Scion,
94beginning at the top and sliding it downward
95gently, and so bind the bark gently
96upon it. This is the common way used
97among Gardiners.
98    Thirdly , You may make the cross cut
99in the middle of the downright score on
100the Stock, and lifting up the four corners
101of the bark , and making the Scion
102sharp at both ends, put it under the bark
103of the Stock at both ends, and then bind
104it. But in doing this there is danger of
105hurting the Scion.
106    Fourthly , Mr. Rea commends the making
107the cross cut at the lower end of the
108down right cut , and having opened the
109sides, put in the Scion upward, being
110made sharp at the upper end only.
111    Thus much to satisfie the curiosity of
112such as have a mind to make tryal of
113every way; but the first that I have described
114at large, I take to be the best.

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115

CHAP. V.

116
117

OBSERVATIONS TOUCHING INOCULATING.

118
119    Sect. 1. Lest one bud fail, or any
120mischance break it, put two in every
121Stock , but not directly under one another,
122on the same side of the stock :
123The branch or shoot , you cut one Scion
124off, may yield you several.
125    About a month after the inoculating , or
126sooner, if you perceive the bark swell
127where the binding is, cut off the binding.
128    If it grow it will fix to the Stock , keep
129its colour, and that part of the leaf and
130stalk that was left will drop off, and the
131bud appear fair; then sometime before
132the next spring cut off the top of the stock
133a hands breadth above the place it was
134inoculated at, and all the side-branches ,
135that grow any where upon the Stock ;
136and at Spring the bud will put forth, and
137if any other sprouts of buds appear on
138the stock , cut them off.
139    If the first inoculation fail, or the buds
140die, the stocks may be inoculated again
141next Summer; and of such as are inoculated

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142timely in the year, it may be sometimes
143seen whether they grow or not,
144time enough to inoculate them again the
145same year.
146    Apricocks will have buds sooner ready
147than other fruit; so that you may begin
148with them, and follow with other
149kinds.
150    Sect. 2. Stocks raised of Peach-stones are
151commonly big enough to be inoculated
152the second Summer, sometimes the first
153after they are set; when they, or any
154other Stocks are an inch and half in compass,
155or thereabouts, they are big enough
156to be inoculated .
157    Those you intend for Wall , or Dwarf-trees ,
158are to be inoculated within a handful
159of the ground, and not Pruned at all
160till you remove them, and then you will
161better see what's necessary to be cut off:
162And these you may remove after one
163years growth, or two with more safety.
164    If you inoculate any Plums , Cherries ,
165Pears or other Fruit , that you intend
166for an Orchard, or other place, for tall
167standards, you may do it higher on the
168stocks , and Prune these up in the Nursery ,
169and let them grow there three or four
170years (according as they grow in height)
171before they be removed.

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172    After Stocks that are inoculated have
173made one or two years growth, you must
174cut off the head of the stock , that remain'd
175above the bud at your first cutting
176it: Cut it close to the new branch,
177that it may grow over the cut; let it be
178cut a little slope, and clay'd over, if you
179desire the branch should quickly cover it,
180and the sooner it doth the better.
181    Sect. 3. Care must be had in choosing
182branches , or shoots , from which you are
183to have your buds , that are of strong
184growth, the Bark firm, and not spungy;
185suffer them to fade as little as may be,
186before you use them; and if the fruit you
187design to raise, be at such a distance
188that you cannot have buds to inoculate
189the same day they are cut, put them in
190wet Moss , or Grass in a Box, and so they
191will keep a day and a night very well.
192    Nectarines, Peaches , and Apricocks , are
193seldom raised otherwise than by inoculation ;
194I knew an Apricock graffed in the
195cleft , as likely as might be to grow, but
196failed; I have heard of one graffed in the
197bark that grew.
198    Cherries and Pears take very sure, being
199on young fresh stocks whose bark
200is not thick.

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201    The bark of Scions taken from
202some Plums , is so tender and spungy,
203they will often miscarry when inoculated ;
204from such one would choose rather to
205raise by Graffing; but most Plums will
206hit very well being inoculated.
207    Scions of Apples fails for the most part,
208their Bark being tender, and buds weak ;
209but to preserve kind of a dying Apple-tree ,
210that I could not well cut a Scion to
211Graff off, I have taken a hungry bud of
212the year foregoing, and it hath taken,
213and grown very well.
214    Pears and Apples succeed very well
215(and the latter best) by taking a bud
216from a shoot of the year foregoing to
217inoculate with. The skill in finding buds
218that are fit for it, which must be short
219and not likely to make buds for blossoms
220is the only difficulty. There is a considerable
221advantage in it, viz. Being
222done in May or the beginning of June ,
223and part of the head of the stock cut off,
224the Bud of the shoots the same year, and
225becomes so strong, that it makes a far
226better growth the succeeding year, than
227otherwise it would have done; neither
228is such shoot liable to so many hurtful
229casualties, as a bud is before the ensuing
230spring. And lastly, if it should miscarry

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231(as it seldom doth) it will be perceived
232by Midsummer , and the stock may
233be enoculated again the same year.
234    Sect. 4. Where inoculating succeeds
235well, it is to be prefer'd before Graffing.
236    1. Because the stock will be big enough
237to inoculate sooner by two or
238three years , than to graff, and your
239Plant groweth much faster, after the Nature
240is so altered, than it did before, and
241will be sooner ready to Transplant , and
242if it be suffered to grow two or three
243years longer, as it must be before it will
244be fit to be graffed .
245    2. It makes a sounder Tree than one that
246is graffed , especially in the cleft; because
247it covereth the Stock speedily and well.
248    3. It hurts not the Stock so much as
249graffing ; and if it chance to fail, it may
250be inoculated next year again, and sometimes
251the same year .
252    4. It's more speedy , easie , and delightful
253than Graffing , and may be practis'd
254by Gentlemen , who in June may lie on
255the ground and do it; whereas they cannot
256bear the cold without danger of taing
257hurt, in February , or March , which
258is the chief Graffing season.

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259    Sect. 5. It is debated among Planters
260what time of the day is best for Inoculating :
261I have heard an Ingenious person
262argue for the morning; because there
263passeth up much more sap , or juice ,
264in the day time, than in the night ; as
265was observed by him in piercing the
266Birch tree , and other Trees , to get the
267liquor , that distills out of them, for Physical
268uses; and consequently the bud inoculated
269in the morning, must be more
270likely to grow, having the whole days
271plenty of sap to invite it to unite with
272the Stock , than if it be inoculated late in
273the day, and so must be discouraged in
274its new habitation, by the niggardly
275provision of the nights Sap. If you follow
276this advice, you had best wrap some
277broad leaves , or Fearn , about the stock ,
278so as to shade the Scion from the scorching
279heat of the day following, to prevent
280its drying before the Stock hath undertaken
281the charge of preserving it.
282    But this work may be done in the
283middle of the day, if the heat be not
284violent , and then you must (as at all
285times you ought) be very quick in the
286doing of it.

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287    And for all that hath been said before,
288the afternoon may be as good a time as
289any; because if the bud have less liquor
290afforded it in the night, then the coolness
291of that time makes it less thirsty; and
292as its thirst encreaseth by the heath of the
293next day, a more plentiful stream will
294be very seasonable to satisfie it.
295
296

CHAP. VI.

297
298

OF THE SEVERAL WAYS OF GRAFFING.

299
300    Sect. 1. As there are several ways
301(as you have seen) of inoculating ,
302so are there of Graffing, as now I come
303to let you see; and the first I shall speak
304of is that which is called Slicing , or Packing ,
305which I shall describe here at large,
306and so it will serve in part, as a general
307direction for all.
308    Cut off the top of your Stock in some
309smooth straight place; if you do it with
310a Hand-saw , cut it smooth afterward
311with your Knife , leaving the top flat
312and even.

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313    Then prepare your Scion or Graff , by
314cutting it on one side, from the joint , or
315seam , (that is, at every years growth)
316down slope-wise in the old wood , till it's
317cut quite off, that the slope may be about
318an inch long, or something more, observing
319its bent, that when the Scion is
320fixed to the Stock it may stand almost
321upright; give a cut then cross through
322the bark at the top of the slope, and then
323cut a thin chip of the slope upward to
324the cross-cut , that there may be a shoulder
325to rest on the top of the Stock , but
326cut not this shoulder too deep, little more
327than through the bark will be enough,
328and this will cause a little rising in the
329sloped part, which you must cut down,
330that the whole slope may be plain and
331smooth, without dints or risings, and
332lie even to the side of the Stock .
333    Cut then the top of the Scion off, close
334about a bud , about four inches above the
335shoulder if it be for a standard Tree, two
336buds above the clay being full enough;
337but for Dwarf , or Wall-trees , you may
338let the Scion be six inches long with several
339buds that they may shoot forth many
340branches, and spread from the very
341Stock.

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342    The Scion or Graff thus prepared; lay
343the cut part of the Scion on the West , or
344South-west side of the Stock, and so measure
345and mark the breadth and length
346of it, then cut away so much of the bark
347of the stock, as the cut part of the Scion
348may fit, drawing your Knife upward;
349but as the stock , is bigger, and the bark
350thicker than that on the Scion, so the
351chip must be longer, and broader, or
352else the passage for the sap in the stock
353and Scion, (which is chiefly betwixt the
354bark and the wood ) will not meet together
355(as in the work you will easily see)
356which should be aimed at.
357    Then lay the cut part of the Scion on
358the cut part of the Stock, and bind it
359on with course Woollen-yarn , Basses , or
360the inward peeling of the Witch-tree ;
361if you bind with such a material as will
362not be loose, or rotten by Midsummer,
363about that time give it a cut cross-wise
364with a Knife to set the Prisoners at liberty.
365    Have in readiness good Clay , free from
366Stones, mixt with long Hay, and daub it
367about the Stock and Scion, a full inch above
368and below the head of the Stock,
369work it up round the Scion till it be sharp
370at the top, that the rain water may run

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371down it; and with a Knife or little
372trowel dipt in water smooth over the
373clay; in doing this be sure not to displace
374the Scion.
375    Thus you may Graff Pears , Plums ,
376Cherries , and Apples , if it be before the
377bark of the Stock will part from the wood
378of them, for when it will, the next way
379following is better.

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380

CHAP. XII.

381
382

OF THE ANNOYANCES ABOUT FRUIT-TREES, AND OF
383SOME MISTAKES IN PLANTING AND ORDERING
384THEM.

385
386    Sect 1. The nature of the soil is
387the chief cause of Moss and Canker ,
388and therefore without altering the one
389you can scarce prevent the other; However
390you may scrape or with a hair-cloth
391rub the moss off, after rain, or (as some
392say) burn it with a bottle of straw under
393the Tree.
394    All Canker , filth , and worms must be
395picked clean off, and bind some clay well
396mixt with hay about the canker'd place:
397If the Tree grow but poorly, which is
398for the most part caused by the ill temper
399of the soil , open the ground about,
400the roots , and put in some manure proper
401to cure it.
402    Slitting the bark is an excellent additional
403help to most of the foresaid evils,
404and also for bark-binding , some advice that
405the bark be cut according to the grain of
406it, as in Apple-trees , Pear-trees , &c. straight
407down; in Cherries , &c. round about the
408Trees.

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409    But I have found in the same land,
410some kinds of Fruit-trees very subject to
411some of these evils ; and others prosper
412very well; when once you discover this,
413(because it's utterly in vain to make
414ground and trees, of different genius agree
415together) you must make it your
416business by degrees, to change your Trees,
417till you have left none against which
418your soil beareth such an implacable hatred,
419and furnish it with such as will
420flourish, and be fruitful.
421    If any of your Trees are galled , by being
422bound to stakes , or by thorns , or otherwise,
423lay some clay upon the gall'd place
424and wrap hay-bands about them.
425    Big Plants also, that upon their removal
426have had their tops cut off, are apt to
427die from the place they were cut off at,
428to the next sprig , or branch upon them;
429these dead parts ought to be cut off close
430to the next good twig or shoot , and covered
431with clay , as in graffing , that the head
432may be well grown over, by such twig
433or shoot , and the wet prevented of getting
434into the pith , to damage the Tree.
435    Sect. 2. Hares and Rabbets are very
436mischievous to Nurseries , and young
437Orchards , by peeling off the bark of the
438Plants : If your fence be a wall, or close

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439pale, or water, there's little danger of
440them; but because such fences about
441Orchards are rare, and no other can keep
442them out, some expedient must be made
443use of.
444    Some have used Hay-ropes , bound about
445the Tree, from the ground to a
446sufficient height; but this were endless
447in a Nursery , it may be done in an Orchard ;
448but there are other ways to be
449preferred before it.
450    Others therefore dawb the bodies of
451the trees over with Tar , which being
452used alone, endangers the life of very
453young Plants , and extreamly hardens
454the bark , and otherwise hurts them,
455which evil is prevented by mixing the
456Tar with any kind of Grease, and boiling
457them on a fire, so as both may incorporate,
458then with a brush, or little
459broom, daub over the body of the Tree,
460as high as Hare or Rabbet can reach; and
461if this be done in November , it will preserve
462the Trees for that whole year,
463with that once doing, it being the winter
464time only that they will feed upon the
465bark .
466    Some use Grease alone, and then it
467may require to be laid on twice in a
468Winter.

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469    Some thin stuff out of a House of Office ,
470or the thick tempered with Water, and
471brush'd on once in a Winter hath been
472often used with good success. Or the
473White-wash which Plasterers white Houses
474with, done once a Year over the Trees
475with a Brush, preserves them from Hares ,
476Rabbits , or Deer .
477    Sect. 3. If you find Pismires or Ants
478breed about, or near the roots of any of
479your Trees, cast away the Earth they
480lodge in, and supply its place with some
481stiff clay ; if they breed distant in several
482places, some direct to daub the Tree about
483with Tar , that their Feet may be
484taken in it; but you heard already that's
485prejudicial to young Trees; but if they
486pester you extreamly, and your Tree be
487young, you may bind a single list , or
488shread of Cloth about it, and once a week
489(when Buds and Blossoms are putting
490forth, for that is the chief time they
491prejudice them) daub the Cloth over with
492Tar .
493    Sect. 4. Moles are to be kill'd, especially
494in Seed-plots and Nurseries; Spring-traps;
495or Box-traps are best to destroy
496them, not easily describ'd, but are now
497known almost generally.

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498    I have heard that Water Rats will spoil
499a whole Nursery , getting through Moleholes ;
500and barking or eating the young
501Roots : I found several Roots so served;
502and it being near a Fish-pond , I suspected
503it was done by them; but finding also
504a Snake in a hole among the Roots, I
505knew not whether that might not be the
506Enemy.
507    Ests , or (as some call them) Askers ,
508are also said to be pernicious to Trees;
509but these three last accidents are so rare
510and inconsiderable, that it's needless to labour
511much about Remedies against them,
512only as men find them to destroy them.
513    Sect. 5. The greatest prejudice to fruit ,
514is by blastings , frosts immediately succeeding
515rain, Caterpillars , or black Flies ,
516that eat up buds , leaves , and blossoms :
517There's one way used to help in all these
518cases, for Orchard-fruit ; but I know not
519how it should be useful for any but the
520last two, for which I dare commend it.
521And that is, that when in the Spring
522you perceive these Caterpillars , or Flies
523appear, make fires of something that
524will smoak, so near the Orchard , and in
525such places that the wind may carry the
526smoak as much through the Trees as may
527be. A thing frequently used is Hempsheaves ,

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528(as it's called) being the stalk
529of the Hemp , when the tow is separated
530from it, and its certainly very good;
531but bad Chaff ; wet straw , or moldy Hay , or
532any thing of that nature may serve turn.
533    Snails are pernicious to Wall-fruit ,
534therefore destroy as many of them as
535you can, when they are best to be
536discovered, which is early in the morning.
537    And to preserve your Wall-fruit from
538blasting winds and Frosts ; it will be necessary
539to cover them in the nights, and
540cold days by hanging before them Matts
541or Blankets : some stick branches of broom
542before the blossoms and young tender
543fruit .
544    To preserve ripe fruit from birds , spread
545an old Net , before the Wall-fruit , or upon
546the Dwarf-trees .
547    Sect. 6. I have endeavour'd to direct
548the Reader by true Rules, which if observed,
549he would not fall into those
550vulgar Errors which are frequent in practice;
551but because for want of warning,
552some people may continue in them,
553thinking they have a further knowledge
554or better Judgment, I shall endeavour to
555refute those I have most taken notice
556off in use.

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557    1. Some set Trees too deep, and plead
558for it, that otherwise the Tree may be
559in danger of dying, if the next Summer
560prove very hot: But to prevent
561that hazard it's better to raise Earth about
562it, and cover it with Dung, Fearn,
563or Straw, and in the Summer with the
564Grass mowed from Grass-plots, and
565set it not too deep whereby the Tree
566may put forth its Roots in the upper
567Turf, which is generally the best
568Land in all Ground. For in some Land
569a deep hole will draw in Water in the
570Winter, which standing under and about
571the Roots, may chill and starve
572them; other Lands in the bottom are
573Rocky , have a Fox-bent , Cat-brain , or
574stiff Clay , and binding Gravel , unfit for
575Trees to root in, and yet may have
576that depth of Earth above it, that some
577Fruit-trees being set light, may prosper
578reasonably well.
579    2. Others for curiosity use graffing several
580kinds of Fruit on one Stock, which
581hath often this Evil, that the one kind
582(being of swifter growth than the other)
583overtops and keeps under its fellow.
584But if a Man have a few Trees
585in a secure place, he may graff two or
586three sorts on one Head of choice Summer

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587Fruit, whereof he is content with a
588little Fruit of each kind of eating only;
589and by pruning he may make them grow
590somewhat equal.
591    3. Some out of curiosity (instead of
592Clay ) when they graff Trees , cover the
593Heads of the Stocks with Lime mix'd
594with Hair; others with Bees-wax or
595some such things compounded; the first
596of which groweth so hard that the Stock
597cannot grow to cover, nor the Scion enlarge
598it self as it would, and the Lime
599kills often Stock and all, as will salt Clay,
600such as is used on Drinking-Vessels; the
601latter is either melted by the heat of the
602Sun in Summer, and runs off the Stock,
603and being thin, the heat of the Sun
604hardens the Sap which the Stock puts
605up to a Crust, that it groweth not to
606bark or wood, as it should do; and
607if it be compounded of so hard a substance
608that it melteth not, it hath the
609like effect as the Lime: So that upon
610tryal, there is nothing better than good
611Clay mix'd with long Hay; and laid on
612somewhat thick, for that keeps it from
613the heat of the Sun, as well as too much
614wet, and with Hay it will keep on much
615longer than otherwise.

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616    4. Many neglect keeping the Heads
617of Stocks clay'd after the first time when
618they are graffed, but it's very necessary
619to do it till the Stock be near covered,
620for it hastens it in covering, whereby
621the Scions grow faster, and wet is prevented
622from the perishing the Stock.
623    5. Another Evil is, when Men set
624well grown Trees, that they must cut
625off the Head where it may be an inch
626over; they consider not to cut it at a
627Branch, and so the top often dieth a
628little at the Head; whereas if they did
629cut it off a little sloap at a Branch or small
630Sprig, and put Clay thereon, as in graffing,
631that Branch would cover the top,
632and keep the Heart sound. If you do
633it not at the setting of the Tree, then
634the Year after, when it hath put forth
635Branches, cut off the top sloap-wise,
636where it is alive, at the uppermost Branch
637you would preserve, and then clay it:
638You will find advantage in the growth
639of the top and soundness of the body of
640the Tree.
641    6. In pruning big Branches of any
642Tree, do it in March , and cut it not
643so close to the Body as to hurt it, nor
644yet so long that it be a Stump, but leave
645it highest in the middle, for then it will

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646not have so deep a hole in its growing
647to cover, which otherwise it's apt
648to have, and to hold the wet. This pruning
649can be no ways so well done as
650with such a broad Chissel as I have described.
651    7. The first Summer after you have
652set a Tree, some let Shoots grow out
653near the Butt, and in several places on
654the Body, though so low that they never
655intend they shall continue. These
656had best be cut off at the first springing
657out, that they rob not the top of
658Sap.
659    If you have any high Standards,
660such as are proper to be planted in
661Fields, or Forest Trees in Avenues, it
662will be necessary to have such another
663Chissel; but instead of an Iron handle let
664it be made with a Socket, which fix
665on a Staff about two or three yards long,
666and let it have Edges likewise on the
667lower part on each side the Socket;
668with this you may, as you walk about
669your Trees, cut off such young Shoots
670as grow out of the hands reach, and yet
671such as you would not have continue,
672first cutting them upwards, and then
673with the other Edge cutting downwards
674the little Tippet left on the upper

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675side, that it be smooth, and even to
676the Body.
677    8. I have known some Country Gardiners
678in pruning Wall-Fruit-trees yearly
679cut off the young Shoots or Branches
680that grew side-ward, as well as outward,
681from the Elder-wood, and leave the
682Wall almost bare; whereas it's those
683young Shoots chiefly that bear Fruit
684the Year following: And therefore the
685better to inform the Reader in Pruning,
686it will be necessary to shew what Years
687Branches bear Fruit in each kind, or in
688the most common sort of Fruit-trees.
689    1. Vines and Shrubs , as Gooseberries ,
690Currans , &c. bear Fruit for the most
691part on the Branches they put forth
692the same Year, so that in pruning these
693you may cut off much of the Shoots of
694the foregoing Year, and old Wood , as
695you see occasion, and there will be the
696more Sap to put forth fresh ones the Year
697after, provided you leave plenty of
698Buds for them to put forth at, and
699with this Caution, that such as grow very
700luxurious in Wood are not apt to bear,
701and there the more you cut off, the
702more they will run into the same Evil.

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703    2. Stone Fruit-trees , generally bear
704on the Branches of the foregoing Year,
705therefore leave a sufficient number of
706them.
707    3. Apple and Pear-trees bear Fruit on
708the Branches that are of two years growth
709before the bearing year.
710    And thus you shall find it for the most
711part; and although Fruit may often in
712all these sorts seem to be on older Wood
713than I mention, yet if you search into
714it you will find (where it seems so)
715that it grows on some sort short Stalk put
716forth as near (as can be judged) as I
717have set it down.
718    You will therefore find it often necessary
719to practice the direction formerly
720given in this Book of taking off some of
721the old Wood of Trees, Chap. 8. Sect. 7.
722And when your Trees are young let
723them not fill the Wall so thick as many
724Trees are apt to do, otherwise you
725will find many will not bear well young,
726and when they grow bigger you must
727cut them thinner, which will be worse
728for the Tree.
729    Another Evil is common in suffering
730too much Fruit to grow upon Trees
731(especially Wall-Trees) wherefore if it
732be so, pluck off some where they stand

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733in Clusters, Green Apricocks will serve
734for Tarts.
735    These foregoing Observations may
736seem trivial and of small concern; but
737you will find a due observation of them
738will conduce much to the health and
739welfare of your Trees and Fruit.
740
741

CHAP. XIII.

742
743

SOME PARTICULAR RULES ABOUT SOME
744KINDS OF FRUIT-TREES BESIDES THE
745GENERAL RULES ALREADY MENTIONED.

746
747    Sect. 1. Grapes seldom or never ripen
748well in this Isle. without help
749of Art and Industry, to which purpose
750take these directions.
751    1. To plant such as ripen soonest in
752the Year, that they may have as much of
753the summer heat at ripening time as may
754be.
755    2. Let the Wall you plant them against
756be a full South , or but a little inclining
757to the East ; or if you have a half-round ,
758or corner in a Wall, or the back of

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759a brick Chimney, make use of such places
760for them.
761    Vines will prosper well against a high
762Wall, yet that is not altogether so necessary
763but that low Walls may serve turn,
764and the higher may be reserved for such
765Fruit-trees as will not do well without
766them: That of a Tarras-walk may do
767well for Vines , and the Gravel-walk under
768the Wall will mightily encrease the
769heat about them.
770    If you plant any Trees against your
771Dwelling-house wall , there may be some
772narrow places between two Windows,
773or the like, where other Fruit-trees have
774not room to spread: A Vine may grow
775up there, and above those narrow places
776enlarge it self where ever it meets with
777room.
778    You may also plant a Vine betwixt every
779fruit-tree that groweth against your
780hottest walls , and let it spread a little in
781the Summer time into the Fruit-trees on
782either side especially if the fruit of such
783Trees use to be early ripe, or that they
784bear little Fruit, or have not been so
785long set as to have covered the Wall.
786And though such Vines cannot extend
787themselves to that bigness, as those
788planted where they have more room;

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789yet by this means you will make advantage
790of such portions of your Wall,
791as otherwise you could have had little benefit
792from.
793    Sect. 2. The best ground for them is
794that which is rich and dry , inclinable to
795stony or gravel , so it bind not; the best
796Dung to fatten the Earth they grow in is
797Horse or Sheeps-dung: Make bare the
798Roots in the beginning of Winter, and
799throw in plenty of the same Dung most
800Winters.
801    The best way of propagating of them
802is, in November to lay a Branch of that
803Years growth into the Earth, under the
804old Tree, without cutting it off, lay as
805many joynts or buds in the Farth as you
806can, leaving but one or two out; for it
807puts forth its roots chiefly at the joynts
808at a Years end, or in the February come
809twelve month , cut it off from the old
810one, and plant it where you design it
811should grow; lay it in the Earth in the
812same posture it lay in before, and also
813lay some of the Buds of the new wood ,
814that grew out since it was first laid down,
815that it may gain the more Roots , leaving
816out of the ground again not above one
817or two buds .

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818    You may chance to have Suckers
819of an old Vine which will be sure to
820grow.
821    Or you may take Cuttings of Vine-branches
822of that Years growth, and set
823them in good warm loose Land, and many
824will grow; if it be in the place you intend
825they shall always stand in, next
826year lay down a part of that which hath
827grown out, to root also, or else upon
828removal lay in the new growth all but
829a bud or two, with that part which is already
830rooted: If it have made but small
831growth the first year , lay part of the
832second years growth in the ground, it
833will more advantage them by helping
834them to good roots , than the loss of a
835year or two's growth in the top will amount
836to.
837    If you have an old Vine , that beareth
838not well, lay down in February , or
839March some of the strongest branches of
840the foregoing year , (that grow low) in
841the mold under the old Tree, without
842cutting them off, leaving out of the
843ground a bud or two to grow, and your
844wall will quickly be furnished with new,
845and fresh branches ; so that by degrees
846you may cut off many of the old branches
847of the Vine; for though one Vine may

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848cover abundance of walling, yet three or
849four roots in that compass will strengthen
850it the more to bear.