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‘ 
Some Observations on Fruit Trees. By Edward Garri- 
gues. Of Kingsess. 
Read March 13th, 1810. 
On the 6th day of the 5th month, 1803, the frost was 
so severe as to destroy the tender shoots of the apple 
trees, which at that time had extended about four inches, 
and the fruit as large as a small hickory nut; this frost 
being succeeded on the following night by a heavy fall 
of snow, so as to break the branches of many tender or 
soft kinds of wood,—left but a slender hope of fruit for 
the succeeding autumn; but, contrary to my expec- 
tation, one of my orchards produced at the time of ga- 
thering, 60 barrels of good pippins, and about 1000 
gallons of best cider, while the other orchard which is 
nearly adjoining at the corners, did not produce one 
peck of apples either of summer or winter fruit, al- 
though of the same kinds of fruit as the first mentioned 
orchard. This excited some attention to the circum- 
stance attending the cold, which came from the north- 
east, and their bemg some shelter from that wind af- 
forded the orchard which produced fruit ; induced. the 
belief, that when the east wind prevails, and the or- 
ehards are exposed to its biting effects while in bloom, 
or the fruit but small, more danger attends the expected 
crop, than from colder weather from other quarters. I 
would therefore prefer planting some kind of shelter, 
to orchards, which may be exposed to the east winds, 
as an expedient to counteract, its baneful influence, 
Would it not be found expedient to take off a large 
part of the superfluous wood, that often overloads our 
