58 THE ORCHARD. [JAN. 



Smooth the cut parts, and if the amputations are large, apply 

 thereto a light covering of the medicated tar below mentioned, which 

 is to be laid on with a painting brush ; if under an inch in diameter, 

 it is scarcely worth while to go to that trouble, for suchj when well 

 pruned, will heal and cover freely. 



Be particular to use a saw in taking off all the limbs and branches 

 that are too large for the knife, and smooth the cut parts with either 

 your pruning-knife or a neat draw-knife, which answers better for 

 large amputations. 



The medicated tar is composed of half an ounce of corrosive sub- 

 limate, reduced to a fine powder, and then put into a three pint earthen 

 pipkin, with about half a gill of gin, or other spirit, stirred well to- 

 gether, and the sublimate thus dissolved. The pipkin must then be 

 filled by degrees with common tar, and constantly stirred till the mix- 

 ture is intimately blended. This quantity will be sufficient for two 

 hundred trees. Being of a very poisonous nature, it should not be 

 suffered to lie carelessly about the house. The sublimate dissolves 

 better when united with the same quantity of the spirit of hartshorn 

 or of sal ammoniac. This mixture being apt to run, consistency may 

 be given it by mixing it with either pounded chalk or whiting. 



The above composition will be found eminently useful, as no worm 

 of any kind can live near its influence, and no evil whatever will 

 arise to the trees from its poisonous quality ; it yields to the growth 

 of the bark, and affords a complete protection to the parts against the 

 influence of the weather. 



A solution of corrosive sublimate, made as directed under the head 

 Orchard next month, will be found the most effectual wash that can 

 be applied to peach and other trees for the destruction of the worm 

 which so generally annoys them. 



Those who wish to apply Forsythe's or Barnes's compositions, will 

 find instructions, both for making and applying them, under the head 

 Orchard in March. 



When pruning is judiciously done, fruit-trees will come into 

 bearing sooner, produce more abundantly, and continue in vigor for 

 nearly double their common age. No branch of your orchard trees 

 should ever be shortened unless for the figure of the tree or the rea- 

 sons before mentioned, and then it should be taken off close, as before 

 observed, to where it was produced, or to a leading shoot. The more 

 the range of branches shoot circularly, a little inclining upwards, 

 the more equally will the sap be distributed, and the better will the 

 tree bear. The ranges of branches should not be too near each 

 other, that the fruit and leaves should all have their full share of sun, 

 and where it suits, the middle of the tree should be so free from 

 wood that no branch crosses another, but all the extremities point 

 upwards. 



If any of your particularly valuable fruit-trees are partly decayed, 

 or in a bad state of health, and you wish to attempt their restoration 

 by judicious pruning and the application of good composition, you 

 must defer it till March, or when the sap begins to ascend in spring, 

 which will be manifest by the swelling of their buds j then prune 

 them and apply the composition as directed in March. 



