JAN.] SMALL FRUITS. 603 



Of clearing Orchard Trees of Moss. 

 Orchard trees often, particularly in humid situa- 

 tions, become stinted, and get covered with lichens 

 or mosses. This stintedness sometimes proceeds 

 from a bad soil, and it is also frequently occasioned 

 by stagnation of air among the branches and fo- 

 liage ; but from whatever cause it may proceed, it 

 is of very pernicious consequences, both to the 

 tree and its fruit. Thinning oat the head, as above 

 directed, will, in a great measure, prove a remedy ; 

 which may be considerably aided by scraping and 

 cleaning off the moss, and washing or anointing 

 the branches with the liquor, as directed above for 

 wall and espalier trees. This would be attended 

 by another beneficial effect ; that of destroying the 

 eggs or larvas of insects, which in most summers are 

 no small annoyance to these trees. This clearing of 

 the trees from moss, need not Be repeated every 

 year ; once in two, three, or four years may be 

 enough, according to circumstances ; but it should 

 never be suffered to overgrow too far, as in that 

 case it would both be tedious and expensive to 

 overcome. 



Of planting Currants^ GooseheiYies, and Raspberries. 

 If plantations of these be required, this is a pro- 

 per season for planting, provided the ground be 

 pretty dry, and the weather be not frosty. In the 

 section on the kinds of fruits, I have specified the 

 distances at which these should be planted, accord- 

 ing to the quality of the soil 5 directions which need 



