65 



of the barrenness and canker of these trees, 

 is it not probable that it is also the cause of 

 their fruit not coming to maturity in this 

 climate ? the cold contracting the sap 

 vessels and rendering the bark more rigid. 

 And thtfugh we cannot suppose any means 

 can supply the place of climate > yet they 

 may assist, to some degree ; hence it is not 

 irrational to conclude, that taking off the 

 outer bark may be a means of maturing 

 these fruits better. I have not had suffi- 

 cient experience to speak fully on this 

 point; but I certainly had finer fruit of 

 these kinds, than I had been accustomed to 

 see, or that these trees ever produced be- 

 fore they were peeled, and a much greater 

 quantity, though every means hitherto used 

 had been tried; and accordingly we find 

 these trees bear better, and are less given 



