March.] THE ORCHARD. 227 
together, and set the matter on fire; when it has flamed a moment, 
cover it up close and it will go out, then melt it well and fire it again 
in the same way; this must be repeated three times (in the open 
air(; after it has burned the last time melt it again, and put in 
three ounces of yellow wax, shred very thin; and six drachms of 
mastic in powder; let it all melt together till perfectly well mixed, 
then strain it through a coarse cloth, and set it by to cool. 
"When you use this composition, melt a small piece of it, and 
let it cool till it is just sufficiently soft to spread on the part where 
wanted, but it must not be laid on very hot." 
Whenany of your old fruit trees, which you particularly esteem, 
appear on the decline, and are grown thin of young wood, you may 
probably restore them by heading down such limbs as are in a 
bad state, to those parts where young shoots appear, and close to 
the most vigorous', but be careful not to do this generally the same 
season, for that would give too sudden a check to the sap, and 
in all probability destroy the tree totally. But if every other 
branch all over the tree were headed at proper lengths, each close 
to some young shoot, new healthy wood would be produced, which 
would soon come into bearing. The next spring after the first 
branches were headed, the remaining old branches may be cut out, 
as directed above; after which the head of the tree will be soon 
filled with bearing wood, which may afterwards be pruned as 
directed for other trees. This may be practised on either standard, 
wall, or espalier trees. 
Peaches and nectarines will require to be treated with more cau- 
tion than any other kinds; never head them lower down than you 
find young shoots or healthy branches, otherwise you will endanger 
their lives; and always cut close to the most vigorous of these, in 
order that the sap may be drawn that way, by which the wounds 
will heal and cover over. Indeed this caution will be generally 
useful, but more particularly with these. 
When any of the trunks of your trees become hollow, cut out all 
the loose rotten wood, and also examine the roots, cutting off' the 
injured, rotten, or decayed parts. 
As you proceed in pruning, apply to the wounds either of the 
preceding compositions which you prefer, in the manner directed; 
but if your trees are annoyed with worms, the medicated tar is 
decidedly preferable. 
Examine now your fruit trees, particularly the peaches; and if 
annoyed by worms, either in their trunks, branches, about the sur- 
face of the ground, and a little under, pick out as many as you can 
with a sharp pointed knife, and with as little injury to the bark as 
possible; scrape off clean all the gum that appears on the stem or 
branches, and wash all these parts, and any other that you suspect 
to be infested with these insects or their embryos, with the corro- 
sive solution described in page 141, which you may make twice or 
three times as strong as there directed, without the least fear of its 
injuring the tree; then dress the wounded parts with the medicated 
tar, as there directed. 
1 have at the present time (January, 1805,) and have had for 
