feafon you seldom fail to bring on the canker; and no fruit trees are more liable to this disease than the Apricot. The reafon is obvious: the great acidity in these trees, the expofure of the wounds, and the dormant state of the fap, predispose to mortification; whereas, in fpring, when the fap is beginning to flow, and will follow the knife, the lips will quickly grow. If the branches are finall, a fresh bark and fresh wood will in one feafon completely cover the wound; but if large, a time proportionate to their fize will be occupied; this procefs, however, is manifeftly much accelerated by the application of the composition, which excludes the air and wet from the air and fap veffels of the tree.

It may now be proper to give a few directions for covering Apricots, to prevent the bloffom from being destroyed by frofts, cutting winds, &c.

In severe weather, they ought to be covered before the flowers begin to expand; for I have often feen the blossoms drop off before they opened.

The best covering is old fish-nets, which should be put on three-fold; and if a few branches of dry fern are stuck in among the branches before the nets are put on, they will assist greatly in breaking the force of the high winds. It is a common practice, to cover with mats in the night, and to take them off in the day; but this, by frequently expofing the trees to the cutting winds, does more harm than good. Another practice is, to cover with branches of fpruce-fir and yew; but thefe, being too clofe, encourage a blight, and cause the leaves of the trees to curl, and the fhoots to break very weak; whereas the nets admit a free circulation of the air, and at the fame time break the force of the wind. When

it happens to rain or fnow in the forepart of the night, and freeze towards the morning, we find the drops hanging in icicles on the meshes, while the tree is almost dry.

When the shoots become pretty long, and the leaves expand to cover the fruit, it will be neceffary to keep the net clear from the tree, by placing forked flicks, from fix inches to a foot long, between it and the wall; this will prevent the fhoots and leaves from growing through the net. The forked end of the fticks fhould reft against the meshes of

the net.

A few trees for an early fupply may be planted on a South afpect, according to the fize of the garden, and the demand there may be for the fupply of the family; but a Weft afpect is far preferable for the general crop. Those who wish for a late fupply may have fome trees planted on an East aspect.

The Breda is the best and the richest-flavoured for a ftandard, although the Bruffels is frequently preferred; but I would by no means recommend planting more than three trees of each fort in a garden, as standards; as it is not one year in ten that a tolerable crop is produced from them.

The Breda, the Brussels, and the Moor-Park, should always be planted on an East or West aspect.

CHAP

CHAPTER II.

OF PLUMS.

Different Sorts of Plums cultivated in England-Of Plant-heading and Training them-Of Standards in Orchards, and Dwarfs in Gardens-The Management of old decayed Trees.

THE Plum is generally supposed to be a native of Asia, and the Damascene to take its name from Damafcus, a city of Syria.

This genus of plants is arranged by Linnæus in the twelfth class of his System.

The Names and Qualities of thofe Plums which are commonly cultivated in England, with their Time of ripening.

1. The Jaunhative, or White Primordian, is a small plum, of a yellow colour, and mealy. It ripens in the latter end of July, or beginning of Auguft. One tree will be fufficient for a garden.

2. The Early Damafk, commonly called the Morocco Plum, is middle-fized, and the flesh good. It ripens about the beginning of Auguft.

3. The Little Black Damafk Plum is a rich fruit, a good bearer, and is ripe about the latter end of Auguft.

4. The Great Damask Violet of Tours. This is a fine rich plum of a bluish colour, and is ripe in August.

5. The Red Orleans Plum is large, of a rich juice, and is ripe in the latter end of August.

6. The Fotheringham is an excellent plum, of a dark red, and the juice rich; there is hardly any plum that excels it. The blue Perdrigon is of a very good tafte, and ripens in Auguft.

8. The white Perdrigon Plum is a pretty good fruit, and: has a sweetish taste mixed with tartnefs. It ripens in the beginning of September.

9. The red Imperial Plum, or red Bonum Magnum, is a great bearer, and moftly used for baking. It is ripe about the latter end of September.

10. The white Imperial Bonum Magnum, or Egg Plum, White Holland, or Mogul Plum, is a large fruit, and, like: the red, mostly used for baking. This is a great bearer, and. ripens about the beginning of October.

11. La Royal is a fine plum, equal to the Green Gage, but a shy bearer. It is of a red colour, and ripens in the latter end of September.,

12. Little Queen Claudia is a small rich fruit, ripe in September.

13. Large Queen Claudia, or Dauphiny. This is an excellent plum, of a yellowish green, and ripens about the beginning of October.

14. The

1

14. The Green Gage Plum* is of an exquifite taste, and cats like a sweetmeat. Its colour and fize fufficiently diftinguish it from any other. It ripens in Auguft and September.

15. Drap, d'Or is a good plum, and a plentiful bearer. It is ripe about the latter end of September.

16. The Chester Plum is rich, and a great bearer. It is ripe about the latter end of September.

17. The Apricot Plum is large and fweet, and is ripe int the beginning of October.

18. The Maître Claud is a large round whitish plum; the juice is very brisk, though fweet. It is accounted among the best white plums that we have, and ripens about the beginning of October.

19. The Myrobalans, or Cherry Plum, is a middle-sized fweet fruit, and ripens about the beginning of September. This plum is frequently planted for ornament, as it bloffoms early.

20. La Mirabelle, of an amber colour, and fmall, is full of juice, and excellent for fweetmeats. It bears well, and is ripe about the beginning of September.

21. The Brignole Plum. This is esteemed the best plum of any for fweetmeats; the flesh is dry, but of a rich flavour. It is ripe about the latter end of September.

22. The red Diaper Plum is large, and of a very high flavour. It ripens about the beginning of September.

23. The Saint Catharine Plum is one of the best, and is much used for confectionary; it is also very good for the table, having a rich fweet juice; and is a good bearer, hanging the longest of any upon the tree. I have had them in ga