39^ 



PRODUCTION 



Sect. XV. 2,3. 



form to the wall or efpalier, and preferve fuch as are dwarfs from 

 too much afpiring in very ftrong branches, efpecially of pears ; he re- 

 commends two or more fuch incifions to be made in the fame 

 branch. 



1 



Another method he propofes is to break the too vigorous branches 

 half through with the hand, which he has pra6lifed with fuccefs in 

 apricots and peaches, when the branches were formed diredly for- 

 ward from the wall, and thefe branches have continued feveral years 

 to bear fruit, though fome have occafionally died by effufing gum ; 

 and though thefe incifions and breaking the branches may be per- 

 formed at any time of the year, he .prefers the fpring on account of 

 the wet or frofl: of winter. Art of Gardening. 



A complete cy 1 in<ler of t h e bark about an inch in height was cut 

 off from the branch of a pear-tree againfl: a wall in Mr. Howard's 



w 



' garden at Lichfield about five years ago ; the circumcifed part is now 

 not above half the diameter of the branch above and below it, yet this 

 branch has been full of fruit every year fince, when the other branches 

 of the tree bore only fparingly. I lately obferved, that the leaves of 

 this wounded branch were fmaller and paler, and the fruit lefs in fize, 

 and ripened fooner than on the other parts of the tree ; and another 

 branch has the bark taken off not quite all, round with much the fame 

 effect. 



The theory of this curious vegetable fadt receives great light from 

 the foregoing account of the individuality of buds. A flower-bud dies 



w 



when it has perfe<9:ed its feed, hke an annual pla 



d h 



re 



qi 



place on 'the bark for new caudexes to pafs downward 



but on the contrary leaf-buds, as they advance into (hoots, form new 



buds in the 



of every leaf; which new buds require new 



dexes to pafs down the bark, and thus thicken as well as elongate 

 the branch. Now if a. cylinder of the bark be deftroyed, many of 



r 



thefe new-caudexes cannot be produced ; andtfaence more of the buds 

 will be converted into flower-buds. 



In 



