17*0 AGRICULTURAL MUSEtJM 



a bill to lake off (' c branch, without leaving a stump, or 

 improper wound ; for it is essentially necessary, that 

 every branch should be cut perfectly smooth and close ; 

 for which reason we took the saws, and afte wards 

 smoothed the place with a knife. My servant's business 

 was with a painter's brush, to smear over the wounds 

 with a medicated tar hereafter descrihcd. 



It is impossible the bark can grow over a stum]), ])e. 

 cause there is no power to draw the sap that way ; for 

 which reason always cut a litllc wiiliin th(; wood. 1 was 

 constantly di . cting to cut quick, close, and smooth. We 

 kept together, first walked round the tree ; then T point- 

 ed out every branch that came near to the ground, or had 

 received any material injury, or where the leaves were 

 much curled; for, where the leaves curl, the fruit is al- 

 ways specky; and every branch which had the least 

 tendency to cross the tree, or run inwards, was taken off. 

 Then we gave a little attention to the beauty oft e head, 

 leaving all the branches as nearly equidistant as possi 

 ble: next, we examined if there were any remaining 

 blotches, opening or scoring them with a knife, and 

 where the bark was ragged from any laceration, pairing 

 it gently down till we came to the live wood. Each of 

 these was touched over with the medicated tar. 



Having gone thus far, we should have rubbed off the 

 moss and scored the tiees, but I had not time for thai; 

 part of the business ; I only wish I had secured a person 

 oa purpose. In the cutting we followed the surgeon^s 

 rule, go to the quick, but do not wantonly make any- 

 wound larger than necessary. 



We sometimes had our doubts whether a particular 

 branch should be taken off. The idea 1 brought it un- 

 der was this ; consider whether it will be in the way 

 tlviee years hence ; if it will, the sooner it is off the bet- 

 ter. 



When trees are much thinned, they are subject to 

 throw out a great quantity of young shootg in the spring, 



