33 



I have practised this for five successive 

 years, and have always increased it, sweep- 

 ing and beating ruder and ruder every year; 

 and so far from being deterred on account 

 of knocking off the blossom and young fruit, 

 I have <m that very account been encour- 

 aged to it, both from the produpe, and 

 observing that the trees in general have too 

 much blossom. It is not, however, to be 

 done to every tree at random, for some 

 trees in some seasons do not require it ; this 

 seems to depend on the species of the tree, 

 and the time of blossom. If the time of 

 blossom is before or after the season of the 

 vermin, for they too have their season, the 

 fruit may escape ; hence it happens, that 

 sometimes the early, sometimes the late, 

 and sometimes the intermediate, is the best 

 crop. The same thing may happen from 

 the weather, but this we cannot remedy, 

 E 



