134 THE ORCHARD. [FEB. 



Canker, in a great measure, arises from animalcules, or small 

 or very minute insects or worms, 8cc. of various kinds ; where this 

 is the case, cut out the whole of the cankered part, clean to the 

 sound wood, wash the part well with the following solution, and 

 also all other parts that seem to be in the least affected ; then give 

 it a light coat of the medicated tar, prescribed in page 39. 



Dissolve a drachm of corrosive sublimate in a gill of gin or other 

 spirit, and when thus dissolved, incorporate it with four quarts of 

 soft water. This solution will be found to be the most effectual 

 remedy ever applied to trees, both fo^ the destruction of worms of 

 every species, and of the eggs of insects deposited in the bark. 

 No danger to the trees, is to be apprehended from its poisonous 

 quality, w r hich, in respect to them, is perfectly innocent. 



Peach trees, which are annoyed by worms, should, towards the 

 end of this month, particularly near, and a little under the surface 

 of the ground, be carefully examined, and where any are found, they 

 must be picked out with the point of a knife, and with as little in- 

 jury to the bark as possible ; for, by lacerating the rind or bark in 

 a careless manner, which is too frequently the case on these occa- 

 sions, this vehicle, which nature has provided for carrying up the 

 nourishment extracted by the roots, being destroyed, the trees must 

 of course perish, or be weakened in proportion as it is injured. 



This being done, wash all the trunks or stems of the trees, as well 

 as any other parts in which you suspect these vermin or their em- 

 bryo eggs to be lodged, with the above solution, and also the wound- 

 ed parts ; after which, apply with a brush a slight dressing of the 

 medicated tar to each and every of the wounds inflicted by picking 

 out the worms. This will preserve your trees in health and fruit- 

 fulness much longer than if left to the mercy of these destructive 

 intruders. 



As to manure, it is well known that where hogs and poultry are 

 constantly running over the ground, the trees seldom fail of a crop, 

 which is the best proof that manure is necessary. Any manure will 

 suit an Orchard ; but the sweepings of cow-houses, hog-pens, 

 slaughter-houses, poultry and pigeon-houses, emptyings of drains, 

 &c. are more disposed to facilitate the growth and promote the 

 health of fruit-trees, than stable manure. However, any kind of 

 manure is better than none at all. 



On Root-fnnirting. 



When a tree has stood so long, that the leading roots have en- 

 tered into the under strata, they are apt to draw a crude fluid, which 

 the organs of the more delicate fruit-trees cannot convert into 

 such balsamic juices as to produce fine fruit. To prevent this evil, 

 as soon as a valuable tree begins to show a sickly pinkiness upon 

 the leaves, or the fruit inclining to ripeness, before it has acquired 

 its full growth, at the same time the bark becoming dry, hard, and 

 disposed to crack ; let the ground, as soon in the spring as the frost 

 is out of it, be opened for three or four feet round the tree, and with a 

 chissel cut closz to the horizontal roots every one that you find in 



