44 On a Successful Mode of treating Fruit Trees. 



to more general regard, than it has hitherto met with. It is 

 attended with little trouble, or loss of time : a given number 

 of trees are soon run over with the engine ; and half an hour, 

 or even an hour, spent in this manner, may amply reward 

 the gardener's labour. 



Mr. Harrison has, in his garden, the benefit of a certain 

 proportion of hot walls ; and he seems to make such use of 

 them, in forwarding his fruits, as a good gardener should do. 

 They are the best means of ripening the wood, which, in 

 unfavourable seasons, is apt to remain too long green, and 

 thus becomes unfit for perfecting the fruit. Some gar- 

 deners think, and I am myself friendly to this opinion, 

 that that purpose is best attained by heating the walls in 

 autumn, so as to have the wood in a state of readiness for 

 vegetation, as soon as spring opens. Mr. Harrison, how- 

 ever, does not avail himself of this advantage, but defers 

 giving artificial warmth to the trees, till spring. Perhaps 

 this particular also might be added to his system, as an im- 

 provement. It is of importance to any vegetable production 

 to receive the influence of the season, as early as may be ; 

 and whatever can be prepared, with this view, in autumn, 

 should not be delayed till the spring following. It is for 

 these reasons, that autumn sowing and planting should, 

 under circumstances, otherwise equal, be generally preferred. 

 Upon a similar ground, I conceived, Mr. Harrison was so 

 early with his pruning : for when I saw his trees, on the 1st 

 of November, several of them had already undergone that 

 operation. 



