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[Page 2]
that many of these inherited all the diseases of the Parent One. The wood appearing perfect & healthy on my last grafted trees I flattered myself that I had succeeded, but my former Enemies the Canker & Moss in three years convinced me of my mistake. Some of them, however, trained to a south-wall, seemed to escape all their diseases, & to enjoy (like Invalids) the Benefits of a [indecipherable] Climate: I had before frequently observed that all old Fruits suffered least in warm Situations, where the soil was not unfavourable. I tried the Effects of laying one kind, but the Canker destroyed it at the Ground, indeed I had no Hopes of success from this Method, for I had often observed that those kinds which had always been propagated from Cutt[ings] were as much diseased as any other.
Being now convinced that all Efforts to make grafts from old & worn out Trees grow would be fruitless. I thought it probable that Grafts taken from very young Trees could not be made to bear Fruit & the Event answered my Expectations. Cutt[ings] from seedling apple Trees of two years old were inserted on those of twenty, & in a bearing state. These have now been grafted nine years, & tho' they have been frequently transplanted to [indecipherable] their growth, they have not produced a single Blossom, yet I am almost certain, from the form of their Buds that they will be extremely prolific. A seedling apple Tree generally produces fruit in twelve or thirteen years & I therefore conclude, I have three or four years yet to wait for a Blossom. I have since grafted some very old apple Trees with Cuttings from small seedlings of five years old. Their Growth is extremely rapid & there does not appear any probability that their time of producing Fruit will be accelerated, or that their Health will be injured by the age of the stocks. The apple therefore (& probably every other Tree) has its three stages of growth maturity & old age, & every Cutting taken from it will in some degree be affected by the state of the original Tree. The Root & the Bark of the stock adjoining it, are however greatly more durable than the bearing Branches, & I have no doubt that Scions obtained from either would grow with vigor, when [indecipherable] from the [indecipherable] branches would not. The following