164 
PARTIAL BLIGHTS. 
sickly. Moreover, it is found by some farmers, that 
in certain years, some trees in particular are sub¬ 
jected to blighting influences, and they complain 
that one tree especially exhibits this effect oftener 
than all others,—it is, here vulgarly named “Johnny 
Gaud” I must remark in conclusion, that some 
springs and summers are observeable for presenting 
a somewhat sickly condition of fruit trees and other 
kinds, but this not sufficiently evident to common 
eyes to demand notice, yet again, there are some 
seasons in which we hear differences of opinion 
among farmers as to whether a blight has actually 
occurred or not. In this case of course the blight 
would either be of that withering character induced 
as I have said by electric fluid, or on the other 
hand, by some subtle and minute insect escaping 
their obtuse observations. Upon the whole, it may 
not be so very improbable, that the generality of 
blights are capable of acting in a limited manner, 
and effecting as it were a partial death in those 
trees and vegetables which are their victims, and 
thus, as countrymen affirm, a blight may be brought 
about by two causes, of which the first had insuffi¬ 
cient energy to produce immediate death, but being 
succeeded shortly by some other noxious influence, 
this result became at once apparent. 
The mildness usually distributed through our 
winters, followed as it is in frequent instances by 
frosts in springs, give us no such great advantages 
as are ordinarily and invidiously attributed to us, 
since, with the exception of choice spots situated 
in security from frost, fruit and vegetation generally 
when arrived at a state of considerable forwardness 
is forthwith sacrificed.* Late frosts are in South 
For the same reason of continued return of wet and cold in 
our springs, out-door viAes rarely produce much or good fruit. 
The generality afford very small and insipid grapes. 
