166 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



r.er bark. This wash will remain till the fresh bark comes on ; 

 then it will be discharged of itself during the summer, or the 

 next spring, leaving a new fresh smooth bark where the old 

 and cankerv was taken olf. Next spring, if any of the old 

 bark remains, vou may repeat the same operation, w^hich \vill 

 cause all the remaining old bark to slough oil like a scab from a 

 wound on the human body. 



By these means you will keep your trees in a fine flourish- 

 ing healthy state, and, in general, prevent them from becom- 

 ing bark-bound. If any of them-, notwithstanding, should 

 be bark-bound, you must scarify them, by taking a sharp 

 knife, and running the point of it straight dowm the middle 

 of the stem from top to bottom ; taking care to run your knife 

 through the outer bark only ; then, v/ith a brush, or your finger, 

 rub in some of the composition, to prevent the incision from 

 bringing on the canker. This operation will cause the tree to 

 expand the bark and become very flourishing. 



Remember to cutoff all the ends of the small shoots w^here 

 the canker had injured them last year. Cut off also the old 

 fruit-stalks, and all the small dead stubs, which, if left, ne- 

 ver fail to bring on the canker. 



The rough or cankery bark on that side of trees which is 

 next the wall should be scraped or pared off with a tool made 

 in the form of a sickle, which, wuth other tools, will be described 

 hereafter. 



It is much to be regretted, that fruit-trees in general 

 throughout this kingdom are in a mutilated unfruitful state. 

 After gentlemen have purchased the young trees from nurse- 

 ries, and planted them in their orchards and gardens, they think 

 every thing necessary is done ; when, in fact, the greater part 

 of the work is yet to come. In packing and carriage, the stems 

 and branches are very frequently bruised ; in that case, the 

 injured parts of the bark and wood must be carefully cut out, 

 and the composition immediately applied : This may be done 

 when you head the trees, which operation should be performed 

 in April, May, or even June, when the bud begins to shoot ; but 

 by no means cut off any of the shoots, except those that are 

 broken or bruised very much. When this is neglected, the 

 canker will follow^, to the great injury, if not the death of the 

 trees. How common is it to see, in all parts of the country, 

 great numbers of trees so affected w^ith this disease as not to 

 produce fruit enough in tw^elve or fourteen years to pay half 

 the expence attending them ! Whereas, if they were to be ma- 

 naged according to the foregoing directions, ti^ey would more 

 than pay all the expence in three years. It is common, when 



