Separate Accounts have not been published. 565 



some time paid much attention, and has in consequence be- 

 come expert in the application of the practice. He observes, 

 "The ringing system has answered extremely well with me this 

 year, in some instances, in the Apple trees; the branches that 

 were ringed last year were the only branches on the tree which 

 bore fruit, but the branches on which the rings have not closed 

 (though they shew well for fruit next year) have not made any 

 shoots above the rings, and I much doubt whether they will 

 be able to support the fruit they produce; the ringed branches 

 which did close up in the season have made very vigorous 

 shoots, and shew great prospect of abundance of blossom. 

 With respect to Pear trees I think that ringing answers parti- 

 ularly well, as it not only encreases the size of the fruit, but it 

 assists in ripening it, particularly in the Colmar, which never 

 ripened well in my garden till I had ringed the branches ; in 

 Pear trees the ring always closed in good time, and the trees 

 are as vigorous, and shoot as fine as if they had never been 

 ringed at all. I have ringed three Plum trees, the Green 

 Gage, the Blue Gage, and the Blue Pedrigon, all of which 

 did well, and gummed very little ; the fruit was much larger, 

 and ripened more than a week sooner than the fruit on the 

 other parts of the tree. I also ringed a Gooseberry tree, a 

 Currant tree, and some Cherry trees ; on the Gooseberry tree 

 it had a very good effect, the Gooseberries being, on the 

 ringed side of the tree, nearly as large again as those on the 

 other part of the tree, and they ripened at least a week 

 sooner ; but on the Currant and Cherry trees, it had no good 

 effect. I intend, however, to try it again, as I think I made 

 the rings too wide, and I am satisfied that in no instance 

 the ring should be made wider than a quarter of an inch, 



