DISEASES INJURIOUS INSECTS, ETC. 9 



sured that they would have more and better fruit 

 were they to retain one half the number of branches 

 which in general at present exist in most orchards. 

 In speaking as we have of the difficulty there is in 

 giving explicit directions upon pruning, the following 

 remarks of " Salisbury " are very judicious. 



" Pruning trees is a work respecting which every 

 gardener pretends to have a competent knowledge, 

 and those who have written on the subject have en- 

 deavored to lay down rules for the operation ; but I 

 confess, that although I have had considerable expe- 

 rience, for many years, and know the theory on 

 which rules for it may be formed, yet I am incapa- 

 ble of communicating my ideas on the subject, as it 

 wholly depends on the state of the trees ; and it 

 would be as absurd for me to tell any one what 

 branches he should cut out, and what leave, by de- 

 scription, as it would be for a physician to prescribe 

 for a patient who labors under a severe and acute 

 disease, on the mere report of the nurse, without a 

 personal inspection of his patient. I must be par- 

 doned, therefore, if I say, that nothing but experi- 

 ence, founded on long observation as to the growth 

 of trees, will ever enable a person to discover the 

 proper art of pruning." 



DISEASES INJURIOUS INSECTS, &c. 



The injuries and diseases to which fruit trees are 

 subject, are often difficult to be accounted for, and 

 various are the methods devised for their correction. 



