O II C II A R D. 
the northern, and the midland, counties, may be faid to 
be as much unacquainted with the bufinefs of a liquor- 
orchard as they are with that of a vineyard. Even Staf- 
fordfliire, which is divided from the cider-country by a 
narrow ridge of hill only, lias not, generally fpeaking, a 
barrel of cider made within it. 
Herefordfhire has ever borne the name of the firft cider 
coamty ; Gloucelterfhire, however, claims a preference in 
the two molt celebrated fruit-liquors thediflridl affords. 
Worcellerlhire and Monmouthfhire have their claims of 
excellency. May-hill may be confidered as the centre of 
this divifion of the cider country. Devonfhire, and its en¬ 
vironing counties, form another divifion ; which, though 
upon the whole much inferior to this, produces one fpe- 
cies of liquor, the coccagee-cider, which is in high elti- 
mation. 
Of Pruning the Trees in Orchards. 
If pruning be judicioufly done, fruit-trees will come 
into bearing fooner, and continue in vigour for nearly 
double their common age. No branch fliould ever be 
fhortened, unlefs for the figure of the tree, and then it 
fliould be taken off dole at the reparation. The more the 
range of branches flioots circularly, a little inclining up¬ 
wards, the more equally will the fap be diftribated, and 
the better will the tree bear. The ranges of branches 
fliould not be too near each other, that the fruit and 
leaves fliould all have their full lhare of fun; and, where 
it f’uits, the middle of the tree fhould be fo free from wood, 
that no branch croffes another, but all the extremities 
point outwards. 
October or November, or as foon as the fruit is off, is 
th.e proper feafon for pruning. Few men cut true enough 
with a .bill; it is therefore beft to take off fuperfluous 
branches with a law, and afterwards to fmooth the place 
with a knife ; for it is effential, that every branch which 
is to come offfhould be cut perfectly clofeand fmooth. The 
wounds mult then be fmeared over with a medicated tar. 
The bark cannot grow over a (lump, becaufe there is no 
power to draw the fap that way; for which reafon, always 
cut a little within the wood. Every branch fliould be 
taken off that comes near to the ground, that has re¬ 
ceived any material injury, where the leaves are much 
c-urled, or that has a tendency to crofs the tree or run in¬ 
wards. Then a little attention may be given to the beau¬ 
ty of the head, leaving all the branches as nearly equi- 
diflant as pcffible. If then there be any remaining 
blotches, open or fcore them with a knife; and where the 
bark is ragged from any laceration, pare it gently down 
till you come to the live wood; touching over each with 
the medicated tar. This being done, the mofs fhould be 
rubbed clean off, and the trees fcored with the point of a 
knife from the top to the bottom of the Hem. In this laft 
operation, care fhould be taken not to cut through the 
inner or white rind, which joins the bark to the w'ood. 
When trees are much thinned, they are fubjedl to throw 
out a great quantity of young flioots in the fpring; thefe 
fhould be rubbed off, and not cut, for cutting increafes 
the number. 
The medicated tar is compofed of half an ounce of 
corrofive fublimate, reduced to fine powder, by beating 
with a wooden hammer, and then put into a three-pint 
earthen pipkin, with about a glafs-full of gin or other 
fpirit, (lined well together, and the fublimate thus dif- 
foived. The pipkin mull then be filled by degrees with 
vegetable or common tar, and conflantly flirred till the 
mixture is intimately blended. This quantity will be 
fuflicient for two hundred trees. Being of a verypoil’on- 
ous nature, it fhould not be fuffered to lie about the 
lioufe.. The fublimate diffoives better, when united with 
the fame quantity of fpirit of hartfhorn, or of fal arnmo- 
niac. This mixture being apt to run, confiflency may 
be given it by mixing pounded chalk or whiting. 
Of Hoot-Pruning .—When a tree has Hood fo long that 
(m 
the leading roots have entered into the under Hrata, they 
are apt to draw a crude fluid, which the organs of more 
delicate fruit-trees cannot convert into fuch balfamic 
juices as to produce fine fruit. To prevent this evil, as 
foon as a valuable tree begins to (how a lickly pinkeynefs 
upon the leaves, or the fruit inclining to ripenefs before 
it has acquired its full growth; at the fame time, the 
bark becoming dry, hard, and difpofed to crack; let the 
ground be opened for three or four feet, and with a chif’el 
cut clofe every root the leafl tending downwards. Should 
there be any mouldy appearance or rottennefs among the 
roots, take them off, and wafh the others clean. If the 
ground be too wet, throw a few Hones or brickbats tin¬ 
der the Hem of the tree. As the roots invariably colledl 
the fap from the extreme points, this cutting compels the 
horizontal roots to work and exert themfelves; and, if 
there be any energy left, they will foon throw out frefh 
fibres, and thus colledl a more congenial fap for the fup- 
port of the tree. At the fame time cover the ground 
thinly over with manure as far as the roots may be fup- 
pofed to extend, rub the Hem and branches with foap-fuds, 
and water the ground in very dry weather. 
Additional Hints on Planting Orchard-Trees. 
If poflible, choofe the trees the year before they are to 
be planted, and fee that they are properly pruned in 
the nurfery, by taking off clofe all rambling and un- 
fightly branches, leaving only three or four good leading 
flioots. By this forecall the trees will not require pru¬ 
ning for fome time; and it will greatly accelerate their 
growth that they have no wounds to heal the year they 
are tranfplanted. Be fure the trees are young, and plant 
no galled, fretted, or cankered, plants. 
When the trees are taken up, keep the roots as long as 
is convenient, which will give them a difpofition to run 
horizontally; from which, the roots being more under the 
influence of the fun, the fap is richer, and produces the 
fweetell fairefl fruit. 
An orchard fliould be fcreened on the eafl, north, and 
wefl, fides, and open to the fouth. The natural growth 
of the different fruits fliould be attended to in the difpo¬ 
fition of the trees. One row of the tallefl flrongefl grow¬ 
ers fhould be planted on the three cold fides, and that 
row fhould be planted twice as thick as any other; then 
one row more of the next free-growers, parallel to the 
lafl rows ; and fo on, gradually declining in fize, till you 
come to the centre. The intention here is to raife (helter; 
and it would be advifable, oil the outlide of thefe outer 
rows, to run a fliaw or belt of underwood, more than a 
pole wide, of four or fix rows of the freefl-growing trees 
which the country produces ; the wood of which will 
more than pay theexpenfe. Half the trees fliould be cut 
down in about fourteen years, to become Hools, and the 
other half at a proper diltance of time; fo that the belt, 
for the whole duration of the orchard, (hall be of young 
wood, and feathering down to the bottom. Nothing can 
be better for this purpofe than the fweet chefnut, where 
the foil fuits it. The hawthorn likewife, properly trained, 
has a wonderful good effedt in blunting or abforbing the 
baneful quality attendant upon the blighting air. Be¬ 
fore the ground is laid out, be careful to fecure the little 
rifingsor infledlions, to catch the fun and exclude the cold. 
Firs may be happily introduced at a diflance for (hel¬ 
ter: all together might be fo difpofed as at the fame time 
to protedt the fruit, and embellifli the appearance of the 
country. 
The plantations, belt, and larger trees, will keep off the 
blighting winds; and the orchard being open in the mid¬ 
dle and to the fouth, the flagnant vapours which Hint the 
fruits in the fpring will be diflipated, and each tree will 
enjoy the influence of the fun and air. Befides, the 
ground being open in the middle, the herbage will be more 
valuable. 
In new plantations, avoid planting too deep or too 
4 thick. 
