Sir TlGlilltam temple 127 



especially about the joints ; in winter they are 

 dry and thin-shelled, but in spring they begin 

 to grow soft and to' fill with moisture, and to 

 throw a spawn, like a black dust, upon the 

 stocks, as well as the leaves and fruits. 



I met afterwards with the mention of this 

 disease, as known among orange-trees, in a 

 book written upon that subject in Holland, and 

 since in Pausanias, as a thing so much taken 

 notice of in Greece, that the author describes a 

 certain sort of earth which cures pediculos vitis y 

 or the lice of the vine. This is of all others the 

 most pestilent disease of the best fruit-trees, and 

 upon the very best soils of gravel and sand 

 (especially where they are too hungry), and is 

 so contagious, that it is propagated to new 

 plants raised from old trees that are infected, 

 and spreads to new ones that are planted near 

 them, which makes me imagine that it lies 

 in the root, and that the best cure were by 

 application there. But I have tried all sorts of 

 soil without effect, and can prescribe no other 

 remedy than to prune your trees as close as you 

 can, especially the tainted wood, then to wash 

 them very clean with a wet brush, so as not to 

 leave one shell upon them that you can discern ; 

 and upon your oranges to pick off every one 

 that you can find by turning every leaf, as well 

 as brushing clean the stocks and branches. 



