FACT NUMBER THREE. 43 



some other kinds of fruit trees, in one body or stern, to the 

 height of several feet. The growth of this stem is general- 

 ly very rapid, consequent^', the texture of the timber is 

 coarse and poor, or what is called brash ; hence easily bro- 

 ken by a little access of fruit, or a fall of damp snow, el- 

 even a brisk wind. 



The quick growth of this tree, resulting from the concen- 

 tration of a large supply of sap from the roots, especially 

 where the soil is rich and genial, generally causes the smooth 

 and delicate exterior covering of the bark to burst and form 

 cavities and ridges in the rind, leaving the inner bark, or 

 wood coating, to perish in the atmosphere, at once opening 

 the way for the fatal anger worm, whose tooth carries him 

 to the very heart of the tree. 



The inequalities in the bark, especially where they have 

 an inclining, or horizontal position, catch and retain the wet 

 and sleet of the winter storms, which, being immediately 

 followed by severe frost, are soon frozen up and thereby de- 

 stroy the bark, leaving the tree exposed, not only to the loss 

 of its gum, which is its very life, but to the free action of 

 the wire and the post worm ; either of which inflicts a death- 

 blow to the tree, even while the roots are yet green and 

 healthy — and able to send forth fresh and fair shoots and 

 new hopes. 



: From this one-stem mode of cultivation, there is also a 

 special evil resulting also to the fruit of this tree. It 

 is this : — the superabundant mass of sap, passing up the 

 single stem, proceeds, when the other parts of the tree cease 

 to take it up, directly to the Blow Bud, as it is called, and, 



