i 



64 



down, and it amounts to no more than the direction 

 to keep a considerable vacancy between every branch, 

 and the branch above or beneath it ; and especially to 

 provide, that not even two twigs shall chafe against 

 each other. The greater the intensity of light, and 

 the freer the circulation of air amongst the foliage of 

 the tree, the better the chance for its healthy vegeta- 

 tion and ripening. 



If the disease, being in a fruit tree, be a conse- 

 quence of old age, it is probably a premature senility, 

 induced by injudicious management, for very few of 

 our varieties are of an age that insure to them decre- 

 pitude. We have never yet known a tree, unless it 

 was in the last stage of decay, that could not be re- 

 covered by giving it more air and light, by careful 

 heading in, pruning, improvement of the soil, and 

 cleansing the bark. 



If the soil, by its ungenial character, induces the 

 disease, the obvious and only remedy is its ame- 

 lioration ; and if the subsoil is the cause of the mis- 

 chief, the roots must be prevented striking into it. 

 In all cases, it is the best practice to remove the tap- 

 root. Many orchardists pave beneath each tree with 

 tiles and broken bricks. If the trees are planted 

 shallow, as they ought to be, and the surface kept 

 duly fertile, there is not much danger of the roots 

 striking into the worse pasturage of the subsoil. On 

 this point, the experience of Mr. W. Nichol, the gar- 



