OF FRUIT TREES. 27 



are easily distinguished from each other b}' many par- 

 ticulars , not on!y their general fertility, and the 

 form, a fee, shape and flavour of the fruit, but also the 

 manner of the growth of the tree, the thickness and 

 proportion of the twigs, their shooting from the pa- 

 rent stem, the form, colour, and consistence of the 

 leaf, and many other circumstances by which the va- 

 riety can be identified ; and were it possible to en- 

 graft each variety on the same stock, they would still 

 retain their discriminating qualities with the most 

 undeviating certainty. Further, if twenty different 

 varieties were placed together, so that each could re- 

 ceive its nurture from the same stem, they would 

 gradually die off in actual succession, according to the 

 age or state of health of the respective variety at the 

 time the scions were placed in the stock ; and a dis- 

 criminating eye, used to the business, would nearly be 

 able to foretell the order in which each scion would 

 actual decline. Should it also happen that two or 

 three suckers, from the wilding stock, had been per- 

 mitted to grow among the twenty gra/ta, such suckers, 

 or wilding shoots, would continue, and make a tree 

 after all the rest are gone. A further consequence 

 would result from the experiment. Among such a 

 number of varieties, each of the free growers would 

 starve the delicate, and drive them out of existence 

 only so much the sooner. It must be observed, that 

 this supposed stem is the foster parent to the twenty 

 scions, and real parent to the suckers; and those least 

 conversant with engrafted fruits know the advantage 

 acquired by this circumstance. By an experiment, 

 says Mr. B. we have had in hand for five years, it 

 will appear, that the roots and stem of a large tree, 

 after the first set of scions are exhausted or worn out, 

 may carry another set for many years ; and we sus- 

 pect a third set, provided engrafting is properly done, 

 and the engraftex chooses a new variety. To express 



