234* ON FRUIT TREES. 



Fa£hrerpeaing my power againfl permanency, yet I have taken fome pains 



engrafted truits, . ■" ' ,**, , ^ -^ i ^ , „. . , 



their degree of "> allure the planters, that lorecaft, leleaion, pruning, clean- 

 ptrmdnence.&c.Jinefs, and care, will make the orchards turn to more profit, 

 lor the riiing generations, than what they have done for the 

 laft hundred years. 



To place the nature of varieties in its true light, for the 

 information of the public, I muft maintain, that the different 

 varieties of the apple will, after a certain time, decline, and 

 a(f^ually die away, and each variety, or all of the fame ftein 

 or family, will lofe their exiftence in vegetation; and yet it 

 is a known fact, and mentioned in the 17 th volume of the 

 Tranfa<flions, that after the debility of age has adually taken 

 poffeflion of dny variety, it will yet thrive by being placed 

 againil a fouthem wall, and treated as wall-fruit. Who, 

 however, can afford to rai(e cider at that cxpenfe, except as 

 matter of curiofity, to prove, that when the vital principle in 

 vegetation is nearly exhaufted, a fuperior care and warmth 

 will fiill keep the variety in exigence fome time longer ? 



It fljould be underllood, that the external air of Britain is 



rather too cold for the delicate fruits, which is the reafon 



why, in the Orchardift, I lay fuch a flrefs on procuring 



s warmth for the trees, by draining, Jhelter, and ?nanure. It 



would be now loft time to attempt to recover the old varieties 



• as an article of profit. 



If 1 -have not expreffed myfelf, in this E0ay on the Nature 

 of Varieties, with io much clearnefs and conviction as might 

 have been expected, it fliould be confidered that it is an 

 abftrufe fubjedi, very little underltood, and requiring at firlt 

 fome degree of faith, obfervution., and perfeierance. I'he 

 prejudices of mankind revolt againft it. They are not dif- 

 pofed to allow the diliinftion of nature; and they imagine, 

 that in the aft of engrafting or multiplying they give new life, 

 , whereas it is only continuing the exiftence of the fame tree, 



flick, or bud. Obferve what I faid before : — the feed of the 

 apple, when placed in the earth, germinates, and unfolds 

 itfelf into a new plant, which fuccellively paffes through the 

 /lages of infancy, maturity, and decay, like its predeceffors. 

 I might fay, all created nature is fimilar in this refpe£t ; 

 though, from the circumflance that varieties are much longer- 

 lived than man, the plants have appeared to be poffeffed of 



(eternal 



