142 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



upon each otker ; as the fig upon the mulberry, the plum upon 

 the chesnut, with many others of the like kind ; most of which 

 have been tried by Mr. Miller, and found not to succeed ; there- 

 fore what has been advanced on this head by the antients is not 

 founded on experience ; or, at least, they did not mean the 

 same plants which at present are called by those names ; though 

 I cannot help thinking that we are apt to pay too much defer- 

 ence to the writings of the antients, in supposing them seldom 

 to be mistaken, or to assert a falsehood ; whereas, if their works 

 are carefully examined, it will be found, that they have often 

 copied from each other's writings without making experiments 

 to prove the truth of their assertions ; and it is well known, 

 that the ranging of plants before Csesalpinus's time (which is 

 about two hundred years since) was, by their outward appear- 

 ance, or from the supposed virtues of them, a method that is 

 now justly exploded ; and it has been observed, from many re- 

 peated trials, that however plants may resemble each other in 

 the shape and make of their leaves, manner of shooting, &c. 

 unless they agree in their fruit, and their other distinctive char- 

 acters, they will not grow upon each other, though performed 

 with ever so much art. 



Observations on Budding Pear-Trees, 



When the pear-trees which are grafted in the spring have 

 not taken, I would advise to cut them off, a little below the 

 graft, at a joint or bud. The tree will then throw out a great 

 number of healthy shoots : Rub these all off, except so many 

 as will be suflicient to fill the wall j nailing those up, to prevent 

 the wind from breaking them. 



About the latter end of July the shoots will be fit to bud, 

 which should be done about that time, I would recommend 

 leaving a little of the wood on the inside of the bud when in- 

 serted into the stocky rubbing in the composition, and tying on 

 the bass as before. 



Last spring I grafted some Summer Bonchretiens with the 

 Bergamot de Pasque (or Easter Bergamot), and Peard'Auch, 

 most of which failed. I then cut them off below the grafts, and 

 in July following they had produced shoots from five to six 

 feet long, which I budded in the latter end of that month with 

 the beforementioned sorts, which all took. About the begin- 

 ning of September I ordered a man to slacken the basses ; 

 which having left too loose, the barks began to separate. I 

 then made him tighten them, letting them remain till the fol- 

 Ipwing spring. About the beginnbig of April, when I saw the 

 buds begin to shoot, I cut the shoots near to the buds, but 



