ORIGIN OF THE APPLE TREE. 2B 



end of March ; which simple precaution it is said, fully an- 

 swers the desired effect. The quantity of the composition 

 may be made up to correspond with the quantity required for 

 the trees to be anointed and made to the consistence of thick 

 paint, and it should be laid on with a painter's brush to the 

 thickness of one-eighth of an inch and the edges finished off 

 as thin as possible. Next, five parts of dry pulverized wood- 

 ashes should be mixed with one part of bone dust or ashes, 

 and then put into a tin box, the top of which is perforated 

 with holes ; the powder must be sprinkled over the surface of 

 the composition, being suffered to remain half an hour for 

 absorbing the moisture, when an additional portion of the 

 powder should be gently applied with the hand, till the whole 

 plaster acquire a smooth surface. As the edges of such ex- 

 cisions grow up, care should be taken, that the new wood 

 should not come in contact with the decayed', for which pur- 

 pose, it will be advisable to cut out the latter, in proportion as 

 the former advances ; a hollow space being left between both, 

 in order that the newly grown wood may have sufficient room 

 to extend, and fill up the vacancy, so that it in a manner forms 

 a new tree. By this process old and decayed trees have in 

 the second Summer after its application, produced fruit of the 

 best quality and finest flavor ; nay, in the course of four or 

 five years, they yielded such abundant crops, as young trees 

 could not have borne in 15 or 20 years. By such treatment, 

 likewise, large aged elm-trees, all the parts of which were 

 broken, having only a small portion of the bark left on the 

 trunk, shot forth stems from their tops, to the height of 

 above thirty feet, within six or seven years after the compo- 

 sition had been applied. 



Thus it appears, that both forest and fruit trees may be 

 renovated and preserved in a flourishing state ; while the lat- 

 ter may be rendered more fruitful than at any former period. 

 We regret that our limits confine us to the present short ac- 

 count, and refer the reader to Mr. Forsyth's treatise above 

 cited; which is illustrated with thirteen beautiful engravings. 



Under the articles fruit, fruit trees, orchards, &c., some ob- 

 servations on these subjects will be given in the course of this 



