37G 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Moy 26. 1670. 



Fecond week in Deoember, giving very gentle heat for two or 

 rhree weeks. On the 20th of April I gathered fine high-coloured 

 fruit of the former fully ripe, and on the 26th of the same 

 month equally fine fruit of the Early Rivers Peach. The Early 

 York and Early Grosse Mignonne, in the same house, the bent 

 of our old early sorts, are not yet tipe, and will not be for a 

 week or more. 



The saving of fuel that may be effected by growing these very 

 early Peaches i3 a matter of importance to the forcing gardener, 

 and muBt be my apology for recording the above. Ab far as I 

 can judge, the Early Louise will ripen from five to six weeks 

 before the Royal George Peach, which has been hitherto a 

 favourite forcing variety.— Sexes. 



THE EFFECTS OF FHOST ON OUR FRUITS 

 AND THEIR BLOSSOMS. 



It may be as yet premature to speculate on the full effeots 

 of the damage done amongst our fruits by the severe frostB of 

 tho early part of the month. Up to the 1st of May all was safe 

 aud well, and we would have staked long odds on the chances 

 of an abundant fruit Beason. After a long continuance of cold 

 ungenial weather, our fruit trees— Pears, Plums, aDd Cherries, 

 Ijurst forth into their foil beauty of bloom towards the end of 

 April— several weeks later than usual. Blossom was every- 

 where abundant, large, and fine, and our prospects high. The 

 lateness of the blooming gave us security and hope, and the 

 leaves were rapidly expanding, affording shelter and protection 

 to the young fruits; and everywhere it Beemed to say, Ob, 

 what a glorious season of fruit ! On the 2nd of May, however, 

 a change occurred, our Pears, riume, and Cherries were mostly 

 set, and looking well, and our Apples just expanding their first 

 blossoms, and in their most lovely stage. Currants were in full 

 flower, and Gooseberries be large as Peas. The first blooms of 

 Strawberries were just opening, and Peaches, Nectarines, and 

 Apricots on our walla as large as Beans. On the 3rd the ther- 

 mometer fell to 24". Our fruits, however, being dry, were not 

 injured. On the morning of the 4th it had fallen still lower, 

 and stood at "0°, being 12° of frost, which proved fatal to a 

 great portion of the young fruits on our dwarf-trained trees. 

 For several mornings in succession there were frcm C° to 8°, 

 and again 'on the 8th, 12° as a climax, now followed by genial, 

 mild May showers, making all vegetation glad, and showing in 

 come instances very markedly the losses we have sustained. 

 On the tall standard trees and on walls the crop is safe and 

 extremely abundant, but on nearly all our dwarf trees — cordon, 

 v rsh, and pyramid Apples, Pears, Plums, Cherries, Goose- 

 berries, and Currants, the lo6S of fruit is great and greatly to 

 be regretted. After all our care in pinching and training 

 these trees and making them such truly ornamental objeots in 

 vho garden, it is Bad to find they are the greatest sufferers 

 from these late sptiog fro6ts. Now our trees will grow, and 

 they may grow. We have lost half the interest, because that for 

 which we grew them is not there — the fruit is killed, and for 

 almost another year we must wait ere we experience the same 

 pleasant hope or the same sad disappointment. 



The effects of frost are in many instances very plainly pre- 

 sented to us, when, as with the rotatoeB and the young shoots 

 of the Walnut, the leaves, fee., are blackened and destroyed, 

 or, as with the Gooseberries, when the berries are seen to be 

 blistered and discoloured, and within a day or so fall from 

 the tree. And, again, its effects upon stone fruit — Apricots, 

 Peaches, CherrieB, and Plums, ere also plainly shown and 

 pretty generally understood. The injury may be committed 

 first on the style or pistil, yet it soon descends to the ovary, 

 and the whole fruit is rapidly blaokened, and Been to be dead. 

 One second's observation will show this — just merely opening 

 the scales of the calyx, splitting the flower, or what covers 

 tha young fruit, when it is at once seen. 



In the case of the Apple and Pear the injury which is f fieoted 

 through frost is not so very apparent, and very confused ideas 

 seem to be held by many regarding it. I have found, indeed, 

 that many gardeners, otherwise well informed, have no ides 

 whatever as to its immediate effect, or whether their blossoms 

 cr young fruits are injured or not until they can be pulled off 

 easily, or they fall from the tree. As this does not happen 

 frequently until some weeks after the injury, all traces of the 

 true cause, and there are several otherB which would cause 

 them to fall, are therefore lost sight of. 



The flowers of the Apple and Pear whilst they are in their 

 full beauty, as shown by fig. 1 (Apple blossom), inaeed, some- 



times whilst yet unexpanded 



rtitward signs to the general 



Tho accompanying /<<?. 1 



, may be 

 observer. 



Kg. 1. 



example of the blossom of the Apple, showing it in its perfect 

 and uninjured state. The style, as will be observed, is in this 

 example in its natural healthy pale green colour. 

 Fig, 2 represents Apple blossom at the same stage, and in the 



same condition in every part but one. The style, it is to be 

 observed, is in this instance black, and the tbin blaok threads 

 extend from its point right to the ovary or embryo fruit at the 



bottom. That flower is killed by frost, and yet tha flower 



