Account of a Crab Apple Orchard. 195 



Qiiery 11. Are they more or less productive, or 

 more or less liable to failure of crops ? 



Answer, As they only bear every other year^ I have 

 hitherto discovered no failure of crop, in the bearing 

 year, but a uniform profusion of fruit. 



Query 12. As to the mode of pruning ? 



Answer, My method of pruning has been, as early 

 as the young growth of the tree would permit, to form 

 or shape it so as to render the top spreading, and to 

 remove all superfluous branches : and afterwards, once 

 a year, in the months of February or March, to repeat 

 this process, and remove all sprouts from about the 

 roots, and particularly from the branches, so as to 

 leave them unincumbered with unnecessary growths, 

 and afford a free admission of the sun and air to the 

 fruit. , 



There exists, as you observe respecting your own 

 orchards, an undoubted failure in the apples generally, 

 which probably may arise from causes over which we 

 have no controul, such as easterly winds and storms : 

 and also insects which injure the fruit during the time of 

 blossoming. Two species of apples appear as yet to have 

 escaped this general decay, viz. the crab and the pear- 

 main ; they continue smooth and fair, while most other 

 kinds are small, knotty, and absolutely unfit for any 

 use but the distillery. What I have found most bene-^ 

 ficial, to preserve the trees and improve the fruit, is 

 manuring and cultivating the ground without cropping, 

 solely for the purpose of preserving the soil in a loose 

 and pulverised state, and to prevent the growth of 

 grass. The alternate bearing of the crab, 1 consider 

 as advantageous, because thereby, in every other year, 

 vol. III. B b 



