76 QUIKCE CULTURE. 



if there happens to be a long wet spell just at the time 

 of blossoming, I have observed that the beating rain pre- 

 vents the blossoms from performing their natural office 

 of fructifying, and failure follows. For the pollen of 

 the stamens to become perfectly matured, it is necessary 

 that the blossoms have a few days of favorable weather 

 after they are expanded, to enable them to fulfill their 

 office. A tree may appear to have but a few blossoms, 

 but with favorable weather for all to become perfected, 

 so that each produces fruit, there may be an excellent 

 crop. As a rule we want our trees to carry too much. 



Again, blossoms will be found to fail because of the 

 severity of the preceding winter. It may destroy the 

 germs of the fruit without killing the other parts of the 

 blossom. In such cases, all will appear to go right for a 

 time; but, as with other things in nature, the antecedent 

 cause will ultimately produce its legitimate effect, and 

 the beautiful blooming proves to be only the forerunner 

 of disappointed hopes. 



Still again, a tree may blossom abundantly, and the 

 fruit set and grow for a while, but all at once the whole 

 falls off. This may arise from the tree being too feeble 

 to sustain the crop set. Like a man with too heavy a 

 load for his strength, he carries it all a little way, and 

 then drops it exhausted. 



Once more, it will be noticed that some varieties are 

 more likely to fail after a full blossoming than others 

 growing near them. This is chiefly owing to the differ- 

 ence of vigor and fruitfulness in different varieties. 



A study of the peculiarities of the different varieties is 

 of great importance to the cultivator. It is a matter of 

 interest to observe that the great number of blossoms 

 provided for in the economy of nature is to secure the 

 certainty of fertility. Many will dry up and disappear 

 as soon as they have done their fructifying work, while 

 those attached to the stems bearing the fertilized fruit 



