26 



acute disease, on the mere report of the 

 nurse, without a personal inspection 

 into the state of his patient. I must 

 be pardoned therefore, if I say, that 

 nothing but experience, founded on 

 long observation, as to the growth of 

 trees, will ever enable a person to dis- 

 cover the proper art of pruning. In 

 fact, it would be a detraction fi'om the 

 real merits of gardeners, many of whom 

 are persons of much skill in this subject, 

 acquired by close attention, if it were 

 considered as capable of being acquired 

 by half an hour's reading. 



One observation should be attended to, 

 which is founded on facts : that is to 

 say, although it is certain, that nature is, 

 in every case, sufficiently bountiful in all 

 her works, we do not find any exuberance ; 

 and in our assistance, which we endea- 

 vour to give her in this way, we should 

 keep in mind, that every branch in a 

 fruit tree, more than is wanted, is a great 

 waste of nature's purest material employed 

 in the formation of fruit and wood, and 

 therefore if the branch is skilfully taken 



