OH. v.] THE SAP. 163 



wHl be fniitful if forced during a second successive 

 winter, but -will require a much more increased tem- 

 perature than at fii'st to excite it even to any ad- 

 vance in vegetation. 



Mr. Barnes, one of the best practical gardeners of 

 the day, has very justly observed that there is more 

 judgment required in thoroughly ripening the wood 

 of forced fmit trees, than in ripening their finiit^. 

 It is too generally an error to think that when the 

 fruit is off no further trouble is required ; that the 

 wood has got to be hardened, — and that no other 

 care is necessaiy until the times for pruning, forcing, 

 &c., come round. This is a mistake fraught with 

 failm*e. "VMien the finiit is off, the whole vegetative 

 power of the tree is employed, until the leaves begin 

 to fall, in imbibing and elaborating the sap which is 

 to be the source from whence next year's growth 

 and produce are to arise. The hurry some gardeners 

 are in to expose the forced trees to the full influence 

 of the air, and allo^ving them to remain without the 

 shelter of glass at night, after the ariival of frosts, 

 are all errors, sources of injury and loss. A far 

 more judicious plan is to promote the lengthened 

 vigorous vegetation of the trees, by sheltering 

 them during inclement weather ; by not reducing 

 the temperature of the house suddenly ; by gi\ing 

 liquid manure occasionally, and never allowing the 



^ Grard. Mag. 604. 



m2 



