294 OBSERVATIONS ON THE .DISEASE'S, kc. 



to their own immediate wealth, as well as to the fortunes of 

 thofe who come after them : and, while I exprefs my wifh.es 

 that fach general good defigns may be put in univerfal prac- 

 tice, I may exprefs my belief, that the difcovery which I have 

 made, and which is now divulged to the public % will facilitate 

 the means of profecuting them, to the effential advantage of 

 the Britifh Empire. 



General Obfervations on the Difeafes, Defects, and Injuries, of 

 .all Kinds of Fruit and Forefl Trees. 



In the courfe of more than thirty years practice in culti- 

 vating, pruning, and keeping of garden fruit-trees, I have 

 obferved, that, from natural caufes, accidents, and unfkilful 

 management, they were fubject to injuries of different kinds, 

 which always diminished their fertility, and frequently ren- 

 dered them wholly unproductive. 



All trees that bear Hone-fruit are liable to emit a gum, 

 which, by producing a canker, proves fatal to the health and 

 vegetation of the tree. Moft foreft-trees are alio liable to 

 what is called a bleeding, which proceeds from any injuries 

 that obftruct the circulation of the juices. Of thofe which 

 fuffer from bad management or accidents, fome are injured by 

 unfkilful pruning, and lopping at improper feafons of the 

 year; and others by the violence of high winds* having 

 boughs or limbs torn from their bodies ; which being left in 

 that ftate, expofed to all the inclemency of hard frofts, are 

 often cracked or rent in the wood ; or from heavy and 

 foaking rains, the wounds imbibe fo large a quantity of wet 

 and moifture, as, by caufmg a fermentation with the natural 



* See Nos. VI. and VII. of the Appendix, 



juices. 



