ABOUT FBUITS, FLOWEKS AND FAEMING. 267 



in diameter through the stem, it may be kept entirely free 

 of side-shoots. But young trees are much assisted in every 

 respect, except appearance, by letting brush grow the whole 

 length of their stem, only pinching oif the ends of the whips, 

 if they grow too rampantly. In this way the leaves afford 

 great strength to the trunk, and prevent its being spindling 

 or weak-fibred. 



Scour off the dead barJc^ which, besides being unsight 

 ly, is a harbor for a great variety of insects, and affords 

 numerous crevices for water to stand in. We have pre 

 viously recommended soft soap, thinned with urine to the 

 consistence of paint, as a wash for trees ; we have seen 

 nothing better. 



Examine grafts if any have been put in. See if the 

 wax excludes the air entirely; rub out all shoots which 

 threaten to overgrow and exhaust the graft ; if it is grow 

 ing too strongly, it must be supported, or it will blow out 

 in some high wind. 



LOOK OUT FOR BLIGHT. All trees that have shown no 

 indications of blight, will be safe for the season. But those 

 which have shown the affection may be expected to con 

 tinue to break out through the season. It is all important 

 to use the knife freely ; for although there is no contagion 

 from tree to tree, yet the diseased sap will, in the same tree, 

 be conveyed from part to part over the whole fabric. But 

 prompt pruning will remove the seat and source of the evil. 

 Where a branch is affected, cut chips out of the bark along 

 down for yards ; indeed, examine the limb entirely home 

 to the trunk, and you may easily detect any spots which are 

 depositories of this diseased sap, which, by its color, and 

 whole appearance, will be identified by the most unprac 

 tised eye. Cut everything, below and aloft, that has this 

 feculent sap in it, even if you take off the whole head by 

 the trunk, and leave only a stump ; for, the stump may send 

 new shoots ; but if the tree is spared from false tenderness 

 you will lose it, bough, trunk, and root. 



