380 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &C. 



flection and study during a long course of years, 

 and of a great variety of experiments, made, at a 

 very considerable expence, to ascertain the effica- 

 cious power of the application. Nor shall 1 

 hesitate a moment to declare my firm belief, that 

 wherever it shall be properly applied by the pro- 

 prietors of gardens, orchards, and woods, it will 

 be productive of all the advantage that can be 

 derived from restoring as well as preserving vigour 

 and fertility in all kinds of fruit-trees ; as also from 

 preventing decay, and promoting health and sound 

 timber, in every species of forest-trees : and how 

 great that advantage may be, it is in the capacity 

 of every one to determine. 



On the Management of Forest- Trees. 



The received opinion and common practice of 

 most professional men has been, to prune or lop 

 their trees, from the month of October, when the 

 juices have been exhausted by the Summer foliage, 

 autumnal fruit, and general nourishment of the 

 body of the trees, until the month of March, when 

 the sap or juices, reinvigorated by nature during 

 the Winter's repose, begin to re-ascend and per- 

 form the annual function of cloathing it with fresh- 

 foliage, blossoms, and fruit. The reason of this 

 practice is, that, the sap being fallen at that 

 season of the year, it has been considered as the 

 most proper period to lop off all superfluous 



