318 OF THE CANKER, AND GUM. 



very fond of gardening and agriculture. Mr. 

 Hudson said, it would be to no purpose to make 

 any attempt to cure the Apple-trees, as the ground 

 was of such a nature as to bring on the canker. 

 The trees were, indeed, in a sad condition, being 

 covered all over with lichens and moss, and very 

 much infected with the canker. I requested Mr. 

 Hudson to fix on some of the worst ; we then 

 desired the gardener to open the ground round 

 their roots, which we found perfectly sound, the 

 bark of them smooth, and not the least appearance 

 of the canker to be seen. 



The canker, as before observed, proceeds from 

 bruises in the bark, from limbs cut off, &c. When 

 these limbs begin to rot and grow hollow, they 

 convey the canker to the root ; for it always 

 proceeds from the branches and stem to the roots, 

 and never from the roots to the tree. 



It is granted, however, that all fruit-trees love 

 a fine rich mellow loam, and thrive much better 

 in it than in a shingly or gravelly soil. 



When by accident, or improper treatment, 

 trees receive large wounds, and the cure is left to 

 nature, they are frequently over-run with gum and 

 canker, which, if not checked, will in a short time 

 totally ruin them. 



In this case you must carefully pare off, with a 

 draw-knife, or any other convenient instrument, 

 all the diseased part of the bark. The inner white 

 bark is frequently infected ; this must also be cut 

 away till no appearance of infection remains. 



