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tendency, induced by pruning over-luxuriant shoots. 

 For the latter we would urge what has before been 

 pressed on the reader's attention, viz. to prevent over- 

 luxuriance, by keeping the root under control from the 

 very first. Secondly, to practise the preventive system 

 of pruning, or rather of stopping ; which consists in 

 pinching off the terminal points of gross shoots in the 

 growing season, when four or five buds in length. And 

 thirdly, to make a point of sealing up the ends of the 

 pruned shoots, when the trees are in the rest state, 

 by rubbing white-lead (which is our practice) or 

 other impervious matter on the newly-made incisure. 



The influence of wet, together with atmospheric 

 action, is well known, by the practice of generations, 

 to be very inimical to the permanency of this tree. 

 Indeed, we believe that from this, and unripeness in 

 the wood, arise the great majority of evils that beset 

 this highly-esteemed fruit. One passing remark we 

 would here make, and that is, that where the gum 

 unhappily breaks out — be it at what period it may — 

 that it is the best policy to scrape it clean away, with- 

 out abrasion of the bark, and to put a patch of the 

 white-lead on the blemish whilst in a dry state. This 

 we have practised for years, and the practice may be 

 relied on. 



Shrivelling of the Points of the Shoots, — This is 

 almost or altogether caused by unripeness in the 

 young wood, and generally brought about by too lux- 



