9 8 THE BOOK OF THE PEACH. 



short lengths of stout string provided for the pur- 

 pose. These poles are let into the ground a few 

 inches, about five feet apart and eighteen inches 

 out from the wall, the tops (round side) being 

 secured in Y-shaped holdfasts driven into the wall 

 immediately below the coping, and against the face 

 of which the several poles rest, and screwed thereon 

 are shouldered straps of iron one inch wide, and 

 a quarter of an inch thick, rounded on one side, 

 with a bolt and nut on top, and on these boards, 

 about fourteen inches wide, and provided with half- 

 inch circular holes, are fastened by means of oblong 

 washers and nuts, the former being placed between 

 the latter and the wood. Hooks are driven into 

 each pole nine feet from the top, to secure the blinds 

 when let down every evening if frost is appre- 

 hended. This is very necessary, as wind rising at 

 night would otherwise do much damage to trees and 

 blinds. The poles, boards, and cloths referred to 

 above will last for several years if stored in a dry 

 place when not in use. They are easily put up and 

 easily taken down. Wide coping boards alone, used 

 in the manner indicated, make a fairly good protec- 

 tion to expanded fruit blossoms, as it is the downward 

 direction of frost that does the mischief. Fish-nets, 

 doubled or trebled in thickness, if hung up in front 

 of the trees, may be used with effect where nothing 

 better is available. 



