OF FRUIT TREES. 63 



.the sap is retained in the roots, and the bark ad- 

 heres closely to the wood; consequently, the 

 wounds occasioned by the amputation of branches 

 being exposed to the cold, penetrating winds and 

 frosts, before the circulation of the sap, become 

 dry, rotten, and cankered, and often crack open 

 nearly to the main trunk. In old orchards, par- 

 ticularly, if limbs of any considerable size are lop 

 ped off, several inches from the trunk, before the 

 sap is in active motion, the fresh bark round t he- 

 wood becomes dry, large cavities are formed, 

 which rapidly extend towards the trunk and heart, 

 and the tree is soon deprived of its health and 

 vigour. This unskilful procedure has so long been 

 in practice, that it need excite no surprise, that a 

 large proportion of our old orchards exhibit a mor- 

 tifying, disgusting spectacle of dead branches, rotten 

 stumps and hollow trunks, verging to total ruin. 

 The greatest cause for surprise is that our intelli- 

 gent farmers should suffer tlieir valuable land, year 

 after year, to be encumbered with such worthless 

 lumber, fit only for the resort of vermin and in- 

 sects ; for it may be observed, that the more deli- 

 cate feathered tribe disdain to occupy such detes- 

 table ruins for the purpose of rearing their brood. 

 The long life of different orchards, soil and situa- 

 tion being equal, will depend, it is said, more on 

 judicious pruning than on any other circumstance. 

 Young trees differ much in their natural form and 

 tendency, and the mode of pruning should vary 

 accordingly. The peculiarity of growth, which 

 characterizes each kind, is easily discovered when 

 from four to five or six years old ; arid this is the 

 most favourable period to complete what was begun 

 in the nursery, for the purpose of correcting any 

 natural defects in their form, and giving the proper 

 direction in their future growth. The most pro- 

 per season for pruning fruit trees, unquestionably is 

 when the sap-juice is in active motion toward the 



