MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 71 



bottom, the fruit will be liable to be blown down, and the 

 tops broken by high winds. 



In heading old decayed Apple-trees, for the fake of fym- 

 metry, it will be neceflary t<y cut at the forked branches as 

 near as can be to the upper fide of the fork, cutting them in 

 a Hoping manner to carry off the wet, at the fame time 

 rounding the edges.. You may begin at the lower branches, 

 cutting juft above the lower fork ; and, proceeding upwards, 

 cut the reft of the branches from one to fix joints, or forks, 

 according to their ftrength, till you have fmifhed cutting-in 

 the whole head. If any of thefe branches, fhould have the 

 canker, all the infe&ed part muft be cut out. When the 

 tree is all prepared, apply the Compofition immediately, be^ 

 ginning at the top of the tree, and finishing with the powder 

 of wood-afhes and burnt bones, as you defcend ; which will 

 fave it from being rubbed off during the operation ; and the 

 Compofition. will prevent the fun and air from injuring the- 

 naked inner bark. A tree thus prepared will, in. the courfe of 

 three or four years, produce more and finer fruit than a 

 maiden tree that has been planted upwards of twenty years. 



It is hoped that the above directions, if properly attended 

 to, will be fufficient to enable any one to bring old decayed 

 trees into a, healthy bearing ftate.. . 



ln< large Orchards and Gardens, it . may be. neceffary, at 

 firft, to head down only every other tree ; cutting fome of the 

 branches of the reft, . which are. in a decayed and cankery 

 ftate and will bear no fruit. This will be preparing them to 

 throw out new wood, and furniih. the tree much fooner with 

 bearing branches. In fuch a feafon as the. prefent (i8co), 

 when there is a-blight and general failure of crop throughout : 

 the kingdom, the operation may be performed in Summer, in 



the 



