MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 49 



fresh smooth surface, and thus prevent the canker from gain- 

 ing ground on the tree. I have seen some old wounds of con- 

 siderable size healed over in one year. 



The trees which I pruned and dressed, as above directed, 

 in the course of the summer 1795, are all perfectly cured, the 

 wounds being filled up with sound wood, and covered over 

 with new bark : They all continue in a healthy state, and bear 

 fine handsome fruit. 



1 have advised several Nurserymen about London, parti- 

 cularly Messrs. Gray and Wear at Brompton Park Nursery, 

 Kensington Gore, and the late Mr. Malcolm of Stockwell, to 

 head down their apple-trees after the season of drawing for 

 sale is over. 



Messrs. Gray aad Wear have headed a great many of 

 such trees as were formerlv thrown to the faggot-pile, and have 

 been amply recompensed for their trouble. Trees thus headed 

 down, provided the stems be strong, will, in the first and second 

 year, produce as much fruit as will refund the purchase-money; 

 besides, a great deal of time will be saved, which would be 

 lost by planting younger trees. 



If you can procure trees of the above description that 

 have been headed dowm three or more years, they will be all 

 covered with fruit-buds, and, if carefully taken up and planted 

 in the autumn, if the season proves favourable, you will have 

 a tolerable crop of fruit the first year. Such trees must not be 

 headed-down like maiden-trees, but only thinned oif where the 

 branches run across and rub against one another, which should 

 never be suffered. 



From what has been said, I hope that gentlemen and 

 others will not be blind to their own interest ; but that they will 

 give the practice a fair trial, which, if properly executed, will 

 not fail to turn out to their satisfaction. Independent of the 

 great advantage to be derived from the increase of crops, in- 

 stead of deca}-ed, moss-grown trees, bearing only a few small 

 hard and kernelly fruit, they will have the pleasure of seeing 

 fine healthy clean trees loaded with large beautiful and well- 

 fiavoured fruit ; which, to those who have a taste for garden- 

 ing and rural affairs, will be no small consideration. 



The borders where you make your crossings in gardens 

 should be six or eight feet broad at least, to let the trees 

 spread on each side, at the distance of twelve feet from tree 

 to tree, and thev should be well trenched, two feet and a half 

 deep at least. If there should be gravel, or sour clay, it must 

 be taken out, and good mould put in its place ; leaving the 

 ground as rough as possible, for the frost and rain to mellow 



