38 THE RUPX.AL SOCRATES. 



Thus far may be afHrmcd with certainty ; that th€ 

 roots fiipplythe tree with a vaft coIle£lion of nutritious 

 ]uices, which are communicated through proper tube$ 

 to all the branches, whether their number be great or 

 fniall. If> then, according to the method propofed, th$ 

 number of branches are conliderably diminiQied by an- 

 nual prunings, this coIle(9:lon of lap will be employed 

 almofl entirely to the benefit of the trunk itfelf ;* and 

 :i tree that is pruned with difcretion at a proper feafon, 

 will increafe in llze.— I obferve farther, that the efFe^Sl of 

 a conftant attention to clearing the foil from weeds, is, 

 the trees^ throwing up a vaffc number of fuckers ; where- 

 3.3 in the fame foil, when covered withmofs and briars^ 

 the young twigs are fo entangled that few can make 

 ' their way ; and thefe fuckers furni(h a perpetual fupply 

 cF materials proper for manure ; — fo that Kliyogg re- 

 gards his woods as refources fo much the more valua- 

 ble, as he draws annually from every a^re tv/o loads of 

 litter for his ilalls. 



The more attentively I examine the economical iyf- 

 lemof our rural philofopher, which I have endeavor- 

 ed to explain, the rnorc I am confirmed in my opinion, 

 that if we are not fupplied at home with grain for our 

 fubfiflence, it ought much lefs to be imputed to the (le- 

 rility of the foil ; than to falfe maxims introduced, co- 

 operating with the floth and inattention of our hufband- 

 n3en. — I conclude farther, tlut the heavy weight of 



debt' 



« perceptihle fpace that ilots not enclofe a portion of erabryo life ready to 

 ** appeir, whenever the fituation of the tree requires an extraordinary ex- 

 •< eftion of the fecret fprings of vegetation." F. 



* Erg 1, cut a man's arms off and you will Increafe his height amazing«> 

 ty f — -In theory, ani! according to my obfervation, all this reafoning is 

 falfe. How comes it that pollard trees (thofe whofe heads are regularly 

 cut off for faggotf) do nor near equal, even in girt, good timber one* l' 

 Even the fize they doattainis defotrocd and odious. Y. 



