POTATOES AND FRUIT TREES. 
51 
fancy, lie was capable of laying down rules for training fruit trees, to 
all the practical gardeners in toto. 
Previous to my advancing any further, it may be of some service 
to him to give him the following, by way of motto :— 
“ The morning finds the gard’ner at his task, 
Bred to the art, intent , what e’er it may:— 
Proud of his well spread walls, he views his tree, 
That meet (no barren intervals between.) 
With pleasure more than ev’n their fruits afford, 
Which, save himself who train them, none can feel: 
These, therefore, are his own peculiar charge; 
No other hand may discipline the shoots, 
None but his steel approach them. What is w r eak, 
Distemper’d, or has lost prolific pow’rs, 
Impair’d by age , his well taught hand 
Dooms to the knife: nor does he spare the soft 
And succulent, that feeds its giant growth , 
But barren , at the expense of neighb’ring twigs 
Less ostentations, and yet studded thick 
With hopeful gems. The rest, no portion left 
That may disgrace his art, or disappoint 
Large expectation, he disposes neat 
At measur’d distances , that air and sun 
Admitted freely, may afford their aid, 
And ventilate and warm the swelling buds. 
Hence summer has her riches, autumn hence; 
And hence ev’n winter fills his wither’d hand 
With blushing fruits, and plenty, not his own, 
Fair recompence of labour well bestow’d, 
And wise precaution, which a clime so rude 
Makes needful still, whose spring is but the child 
Of churlish winter, in her frowned moods 
Discov’ring much the temper of his sire. 
For oft, as if in her the stream of mild 
Maternal nature had revers’d its course, 
She brings her infant forth with many smiles ; 
But, once deliver’d, kills them with a frown. 
He, therefore, timely warned, himself supplies 
Her want of care, screening and keeping w arm 
The plenteous blooms, that no rough blast may sweep 
His garlands from the boughs. Again, as oft 
As the sun peeps and vernal airs breathe mild, 
The fence withdrawn, he gives them ev’ry beam, 
And spreads his hopes before the blaze of day.” 
Still not unmindful of his many cares ; 
All well repaid, his vigilance attends 
The whole, anxiously pleas’d that all around 
Crown his highest hopes with lavish’d plenty, 
And be the delight of all who view the scene. 
E 3 
