238 THE ORCHARD. [MARCH 



tion than any other kinds ; never head them lower down than you 

 find young shoots or healthy branches, otherwise you will endanger 

 their lives ; and always cut close to the most vigorous of these, in 

 order that the sap may be drawn that way, by which the wounds will 

 heal and cover over. Indeed this caution will be generally useful, 

 but more particularly with these. 



When any of the trunks of your trees become hollow, cut out all 

 the loose rotten wood, and also examine the roots, cutting off the 

 injured, rotten, or decayed parts. 



As you proceed in pruning, apply to the wounds either of the pre- 

 ceding compositions which you prefer, in the manner directed ; but 

 if your trees are annoyed with worms, the medicated tar is decidedly 

 preferable. 



Examine now your fruit-trees, particularly the peaches ; and if 

 annoyed by worms, either in their trunks, branches, about the surface 

 of th% ground, and a little under, pick out as many as you can with a 

 sharp pointed knife, and with as little injury to the bark as possible; 

 scrape off clean all the gum that appears on the stem or branches, 

 and wash all these parts, and any other that you suspect to be in- 

 fected with these insects or their embryos, with the corrosive solu- 

 tion described on page 149, which you may make twice or three times 

 as strong as there directed, without the least fear of its injuring the 

 tree ; then dress the wounded parts with the medicated tar, as there 

 directed.* 



I have at the present time (January, 1805), and have had for 

 several weeks, the roots of polyanthus-narcissuses, hyacinths, and 

 other bulbs, growing in bulb-glasses, filled with a much stronger solu- 

 tion of the corrosive sublimate than that prescribed in page 149, and 

 apparently in more health and vigor than those which are growing in 

 pure water; I have also washed the leaves, stems, branches, and vari- 

 ous kinds of tender plants with it, and poured it on the earth about 

 their roots in large quantities, without any other effect than the de- 

 struction of the earth worms, and those which annoyed the plants. 



Be very cautious not to leave any of the corrosive sublimate, or 

 solution, in a careless manner in or about the house, for, with respect 

 to animal life, it is a very active poison; so powerful that when ad- 

 ministered medicinally, the quarter of a grain, being the two hun- 

 dred and fortieth part of a drachm, is considered a sufficient dose for 

 an adult person. 



EXTENT, ASPECT, SITUATION, AND SOIL. 



The extent of an orchard should be in proportion to the quantity 

 of fruit required either for family use, distillation, cider, &c., or for 

 public supply; and may be from half an acre to a hundred acres, or 

 more. 



As to aspect, that is not of as much importance as some people 



* If a small mound be formed around the base of peach-trees when first 

 planted, composed of slaked lime and wood ashes, it will prevent these 

 "borers" entering. 



