MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, Sec. 



243 



on the canker. The trees were, indeed, in a fad condition, 

 being covered all over with lichens and mofs, and very much 

 infected with the canker. I requefted Mr. Hudfon to fix on 

 fome of the worft ; we then defired the gardener to open the 

 ground round their roots, which we found perfectly found, 

 the bark of them fmooth, and not the leaft appearance of the 

 canker to be feen. 



The canker, as before obferved, proceeds from bruifes in 

 the bark, from limbs cut off, &c. When thefe limbs begin 

 to rot and grow hollow, they convey the canker to the root ; 

 for it always proceeds from the branches and ftem to the 

 roots, and never from the roots to the tree. 



It is granted, however, that all fruit-trees love a fine rich 

 mellow loam, and thrive much better in it than in a fhingly 

 or gravelly foil. 



When by accident, or improper treatment, trees receive 

 large wounds, and the cure is left to nature, they are fre- 

 quently overrun with gum and canker, which, if not 

 checked, will in a fhort time totally ruin them. 



In this cafe you muft carefully pare off, with a draw-knife, 

 or any other convenient inftrument, all the difeafed part of 

 the bark. The inner white bark is frequently infected ; this 

 muft alfo be cut away till no appearance of infection remains. 

 The infection in the inner bark appears like dots made with a 

 pen, all of which muft be cut clean out ; for, if any part of the 

 canker be left, it will infect the new wood and bark. Where- 

 ever you fee gum oozing out, you may reft affured that the 

 canker is not quite eradicated ; which, if fuffered to remain, 

 will fpread till the whole tree becomes a mafs of gum and 

 canker, and will be killed in a very lhort time. 



I i 2 When 



