FOESYTH ON FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 195 



ly, he crops it at the joints where the smaller 

 branches separate, whence numerous fine strong 

 shoots spring forth, whose new vigour of vegetation, 

 and absence of drain by seeding for several years, 

 generally renovate the whole plant, and occasion the 

 filling up of the wounds (should the trunk be under 

 cure) to proceed rapidly. 



Need we mention, that it is only in the cases 

 where the partial death or decay has resulted from 

 casualty, or something not connected with the gene- 

 ral system of the plant, or with the soil, or other 

 external circumstances (unless these can be changed), 

 that renovation by clearing away the decayed or 

 sickly parts is attainable? Where the plant is sink- 

 ing from mere old age, a source of decay of which in 

 some kinds at least we have doubts, or from the soil 

 being improper or exhausted for the particular kind 

 of plant by long occupancy, or from any circumstance 

 not admitting of remedy, the attempt to heal up the 

 wounds caused by cutting out the diseased parts, or 

 I to induce new vigour by cropping the top, must be 

 abortive, or only attended with partial or tempo- 

 rary success. 



Our author, who is a practical man, apparently 

 very little disposed to throw away time upon in- 

 quiring into causes, does not attempt even to guess at 



N21 



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