378 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &C. 



that the discovery which I have made, and which 

 is now divulged to the public *, will facilitate the 

 means of prosecuting them, to the essential ad- 

 vantage of the British Empire. 



General Observations on the Diseases, Defects, and Injuries, of 

 all Kinds of Fruit and Forest Trees. 



In the course of more than thirty years practice 

 in cultivating, pruning, and keeping of garden 

 fruit-trees, I have observed, that, from natural 

 causes, accidents, and unskilful management, they 

 were subject to injuries of different kinds, which 

 always diminished their fertility, and frequently 

 rendered them wholly unproductive. 



All trees that bear stone-fruit are liable to emit 

 a gum, which, by producing a canker, proves fatal 

 to the health and vegetation of the trees. Most 

 forest-trees are also liable to wliat is called a bleed- 

 ing, which proceeds from any injuries that obstruct 

 the circulation of the juices. Of those which 

 suffer from bad management or accidents, some are 

 injured by unskilful pruning, and lopping at 

 improper seasons of the year : and others by the 

 violence of high winds, having boughs or limbs 

 torn fj om their bodies ; which being left in that 

 state, exposed to all the inclemency of hard frosts, 

 are often cracked or rent in the wood ; or from 

 heavy and soaking rains, the wounds imbibe so 

 large a quantity of wet and moisture, as, by causing 



* See Nog. VI. and VII. of the Appendix. 



