lo Sept., 19 io.] Orchard and Garden Notes. 605; 



falls between the dotted lines, there is danger of frost ; if it falls above the 

 upper one there is no danger ; whilst, if it falls below the lower one, there- 

 is certainty of a frost (unless clouds or winds occur). 

 Three cases, as examples, will make this clear — 



1 Dry bulb, 52 (leg. ; Wet bulb, 49 deg. — Safety. 



2 Dry bulb, 50 deg. ; Wet bulb, 45 deg. — D inger. 



3 Dry bulb, 50 deg. ; Wet bulb, 42 deg. — Certain frost. 



The thermometer should be fixed to a stake at a height of 4 or 5 feet 

 from the ground and placed in the shade. 



Readings taken when a strong wind is blowing are misleading. The 

 evaporation, being unduly active, the reading of the wet bulb is too low 

 and the danger of frost appears greater than it really is. 



Automatic alarm thermometers, which ring an electric bell as soon as- 

 the temperature falls to within a couple of degrees of freezing point, are 

 also very useful. 



Advantages of Co-operation. 



It is hardly necessary to comment on the achantages of co-operation 

 in connexion with the fighting of frosts, as described above, more especially 

 when smudge fires are employed, in \alleys where numerous small vine- 

 yards are situated in clo.se proximity to one another, as so often occurs, 

 concerted action is particularly effective. The smoke raised by each grower 

 adds its quota to the general total, which thus reaches a considerable 

 volume of much greater density, and therefore, aftording more complete 

 protection than can be easily achieved by an isolated vine-grower. Under 

 these conditions, prediction also becomes of special value. If all concerned 

 can be given warning the evening before the frost is expected, steps can^ 

 be taken such as will render success a practical certainty in the case of 

 anv but an uniisuallv severe black fro:-.t. 



ORCHARD AND GARDEN NOTES. 



E. E. Pescott, Principal, School of Horticulture , Burnley. 



The Orchard- 

 September is always a busy month in the orchard. Such important 

 works as ploughing; spraying for black spot, leaf curl, peach aphis and 

 other troubles ; manuring ; and grafting ; all reijuire attention, in addition 

 to a number of minor operations. 



Cultivation. 



It is most important that ploughing should be completed as early as 

 possible. In the past, it has very frec]uently happened that owing to 

 delaying the ploughing, the orchard and the fruit crop have both suffered 

 very considerably. It is absolutely necessarv to cultivate the surface early, 

 to take advantage of the moist surface and consequent easy ploughing ; 

 and also to conserve as large an amount of moisture in the soil as possible. 

 The longer the ploughing is delayed, the less moisture is retained in the 

 soil for summer use. Deferred ploughing certainly means dry soil, 

 enfeebled trees, and diminished results. Early ploughing gives exactly 

 opposite results ; the earlier the ploughing, the more .soil water is con- 

 served. 



When the ploughing is completed, the clods should be crushed, and the 

 land harrowed, so that a fine earth mulch mav be obtained. The orchard 



