224 THE ORCHARD. [Maech. 
canker. The exposure of the wounds, the almost dormant state of 
the sap, together with the additional check to its slow, but certain 
ascent to the extremities occasioned by the amputation of limbs, 
&c., predispose to mortification j whereas in early spring, when the 
sap may be expected soon to follow the knife, the lips will quickly 
grow and heal over. 
It is universally admitted, that the sap continues to flow, though 
slowly, in the milder parts of the winter days, and that it must 
rise continually during the winter months in ever-green trees, 
otherwise their foliage would witherj and also in deciduous trees 
(that is, such as shed their leaves in winter); because the branch of 
an ever-green tree will grow on a deciduous tree, and not loose its 
leaves in winter, as the Prunus Lauro-Cerasus, or European laurel, 
on a cherry; and the ever-green oak, on a common oak. 
When pruning is judiciously done, and at a proper time, if 
the branches are small, a fresh bark and fresh wood will, in one 
season, completely cover the wounds; but if large, a time propor- 
tionate to the size will be necessary for their covering and healing; 
this process, however, is much accelerated by the application of a 
proper composition, which excludes the air and wet, protects the 
wounds from the effects of the various changes of the weather, the 
surrounding bark from any injury by insects or worms, and yields 
to its growth: all these ends will be effectually answered by an 
application of the medicated tar prescribed in page 47; and applied 
as there directed. 
The following compositions have been much spoken of: I shall 
therefore publish them without any comments on their virtues, 
leaving the result to the experience of those who have, or shall have 
tried them; however, I must observe, that the methods of pruning 
old or decayed trees, recommended by Mr. Forsyth, and accom- 
panying his instructions for making the composition, are very judi- 
cious, and should be duly attended to, whatever composition ma^ 
be determined on for use afterwards. 
Royal Gardens, Kensington, May 11, 1791. 
Directions for making a composition for curing diseases, defects, 
and injuries in all kinds of fruit and forest trees, and the method 
of preparing the trees and laying on the composition, by Wil- 
liam Forsyth. 
"Take one bushel of fresh cow dung, half a bushel of lime 
rubbish of old buildings, (that from the ceilings of rooms is prefer- 
able,) half a bushel of wood ashes, and a sixteenth part of a bushef 
of pit or river sand: the three last articles are to be sifted fine 
before they are mixed; then work them well together with a spade, 
and afterwards with a wooden beater, until the stuff:' is very smooth, 
like fine plaster used for the ceilings of rooms. 
"The composition being thus made, care must be taken to pre- 
pare the tree properly for its application, by cutting away all the 
dead, decayed, and injured part till you come to the fresh sound 
wood, leaving the surface of the wood very smooth, and rounding 
