296 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



that can be derived from reftoring as well as preferving vigour 

 and fertility in all kinds of fruit-trees ; as alfo from pre- 

 venting decay, and promoting health and found timber, in 

 every fpecies of foreft-trees : and how great that advantage 

 may be, it is in the capacity of every one to determine. 



On the Management of Forest-Trees. 



The received opinion and common practice of mod pro- 

 feflional men has been, to prune or top their trees, from the 

 month of October, when the juices have been exhaufted by the 

 Summer foliage, autumnal fruit, and general nourishment of 

 the body of the tree, until the month of March, when the fap 

 or juices, re-invigorated by nature during the Winter's re- 

 pole, begin to re-afcend and perform the annual function of 

 cloathing it with frefh foliage, bloflbms, and fruit. The rea- 

 fon of this practice is, that, the fap being fallen at that feafon 

 of the year, it has been confidered as the moft proper period 

 to lop off all fuperfluous growths ; and the efforts of nature 

 to heal the wounds thus neceflarily given, (before the rifing 

 of the fap in the following Spring) have been judged beft for 

 the fafety and health of the tree. The danger of performing 

 this fervice when the juices are in a more vigorous flow, as in 

 the months of May, June, and July, has been dreaded, from a 

 fear of its occafioning a wafte of the nutritive juices, dis- 

 charging themfelves through the wound, to the impoveriih- 

 ment and injury, if not the ruin, of the tree. 



The pruning of fruit-trees and the lopping off large bran- 

 ches from foreft-trees during the Winter feafon, has alfo been 

 frequently attended with great hurt and impediment to their 



health 



