59 
time of ripening — being in perfection, as 
well as the size, depend much upon the 
season, &c., yet what I have stated will 
suffice to give the idea of the difference be- 
tween each sort. It would be well to cau- 
tion farmers and owners of orchards, to be 
careful whom they employ in lopping their 
fruit trees, as I am aware that several in- 
dividuals in the country, go about prepos- 
sessing farmers and others, what wonders 
they can effect by pruning and grafting ; 
such bunglers are too frequently employed 
haggling and spoiling young trees, ready 
for bearing; changing the sorts, as they 
term It. Their favorite grafts, or kinds, 
are generally of the large soft codling spe- 
cies, which will not keep, consequently 
are poured into the markets in September 
and October, in such quantities, that, in 
the present season, (1818), when the crops 
are abundant. Apples were in the said 
months cheap as potatoes; but towards, 
and after Christmas, keeping fruit sold 
well. 
When by winds, or accident, large 
branches are damaged, so that they must 
be cut from the tree, saw the limb (not too 
close), say half an inch, from the armpit; 
smooth with a draw knife the roughness 
left by the saw, then apply to the wound 
