MAncn. 83 



that was taken out. I then had the trees removed with as a good ball 

 as I could get to them ; and as each tree was removed, it was brought 

 as expeditiously as possible, and placed in the centre of the places that 

 had been prepared for its reception. The remaining soil that was thrown 

 out of the holes was carefully placed over all the roots ; but all roots 

 were first pruned with a sharp knife, and nicely laid out in their places, 

 and each tree was well secured against wind. The weather still 

 continued fine after they were removed, for about ten days ; and the 

 shoots they made that summer measured three feet long, and were growing 

 very fast at the time ; the tops of these shoots beginning to droop, 

 I thought it advisable to give them a dewing all over with the garden 

 engine, every morning, till rain set in, and after that, it was discontinued 

 altogether. By the end of November, the leaves were all off the trees ; 

 they had made long shoots, which appeared well ripened, except just 

 the tops. I therefore thought it advisable to commence the necessary 

 pruning at once ; these long shoots that were produced from the tops of 

 the trees were pruned back half of their length ; the others produced 

 from the spurs, which were not quite so long, were pruned back to within 

 three inches from where they started. At the same time, all old dead 

 spurs, or such branches as were badly cankered, were carefully removed ; 

 but every wound made, no matter how small, got a good coating of 

 white -lead and oil, mixed and well rubbed into the cuts ; this was done 

 to keep the air out. I was careful, however, not to remove more large 

 branches than absolutely necessary ; and all the old cankered branches 

 that remained, had a good lump of equal parts cowdung and clay, 

 well tempered, pressed, into and around all the cankered parts. A 

 piece of stout canvas was now placed around the clay and cowdung, and 

 a couple of ties were passed round, to guard against future accident ; 

 this clay and cowdung, I had placed around the cankered branches, to 

 keep out air from the diseased parts, and also to induce the bark to heal 

 over them, which it has done, to my entire satisfaction ; after this, 

 each tree had a good coating all over, as opportunities offered, with the 

 following mixture — all being finished before Christmas : — To three 

 parts clay, I added one of lime, and a little water, sufficient to give it 

 the consistency of a very thick paint. I then added a pint of train oil to 

 over two gallons of this mixture, and a quarter of a pint of turpentine 

 to four gallons of the above. I then well mixed up all together, and a 

 little water was then added to thicken it ; every crevice was well 

 searched out, and this mixture applied ; I found nothing better for 

 applying it with than a painter's brush. After this was completed, I 

 had about six inches of equal parts dung and leaves placed all over 

 their roots. The dung and leaves were about three parts rotten ; and 

 over this I placed a little soil to keep birds from scratching it about. 

 Notwithstanding the very severe winter that followed, I had but three 

 deaths among them — two Apples and one Pear, out of twenty-five 

 trees. The following season, 1856, as soon as the blossoms made their 

 appearance, I had them all removed, with some sharp-pointed scissors, 

 and they had no more attention beyond giving a little water to their 

 roots and branches in dry weather, applied with the garden engine. 

 They broke into leaf weakly at first, but as the season advanced, they 



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