26 FRUIT-GARDENING. 



all the dead, decayed, and injured part, till you come at the 

 fresh sound wood, leaving the surface of the wood very smooth, 

 and rounding off the edges of the bark with a draw-knife or 

 other instrument. Then lay on the plaster about an eighth of 

 an inch thick, all over the part where the wood or bark has 

 been so cut away, finishing off the edges as thin as possible. 

 Then take a quantity of dry powder of wood-ashes mixed with 

 a sixth part of the same quantity of the ashes of burnt bones ; 

 put it into a tin box with holes in the top, and shake the 

 powder on the surface of the plaster till the whole is covered 

 with it, letting it remain for half an hour to absorb the mois- 

 ture ; then apply more powder, rubbing it on gently with the 

 hand, and repeating the application of the powder till the 

 whole plaster becomes a dry, smooth surface. 



If any of the composition be left for a future occasion, it 

 should be kept in a tub or other vessel, and urine poured on it 

 so as to cover the surface ; otherwise the atmosphere will greatly 

 injure the efficacy of the application. When lime-rubbish of 

 old buildings cannot be easily got, take pounded chalk or com- 

 mon lime, after having been slaked a month at least. As the 

 growth of the trees will gradually affect the plaster, by raising 

 up its edges next the bark, care should be taken, when that 

 happens, to rub it over with the finger when occasion may 

 require (which is best done when moistened by rain), that the 

 plaster may be kept whole, to prevent the air and wet pene- 

 trating into the wound. 



As the best way of using the composition is found, by ex- 

 perience, to be in a liquid state, it must therefore be reduced 

 to the consistence of a pretty thick paint, by mixing it up with 

 a sufficient quantity of urine and soapsuds, and laid on with a 

 painter's brush. The powder of wood-ashes and burned 

 bones is to be applied as before directed, patting it down with 

 the hand. 



