5 8 THE GARDENS OF EPICURUS 



an orange. The best peaches are raised by buds of 

 the best fruits upon stocks, growing from stones of the 

 best peaches ; and so the best apples and pears, from 

 the best kinds grafted upon stocks, from kernels also 

 of the best sorts, with respect to the season, as well as 

 beauty and taste. And I believe so many excellent 

 winter pears, as have come into France since forty 

 years, may have been found out by grafting summer 

 pears of the finest taste and most water, upon winter 

 stocks. 



The third advice is, to take the greatest care and 

 pains in preserving your trees from the worst disease, 

 to which those of the best fruits are subject in the best 

 soils, and upon the best walls. 'Tis what has not 

 been (that I know of) taken notice of with us, till I 

 was forced to observe it by the experience of my 

 gardens, though I have since met with it in books 

 both ancient and modern. I found my vines, peaches, 

 apricots and plums upon my best south walls, and 

 sometimes upon my west, apt for several years to a 

 soot, or smuttiness upon their leaves first, and then 

 upon their fruits, which were good for nothing the 

 years they were so affected. My orange-trees were 

 likewise subject to it, and never prospered while they 

 were so ; and I have known some collections quite 



