NECTARINE AND ALMOND. Ill 



fluences, especially at the period of blossoming. As already 

 noticed, branches of spruce or silver fir, or other spray, are 

 sometimes woven into frames, which are fixed in front of 

 the trees, and removed during the day in fine weather (Cal. 

 Hort. Mem., i., 276). Canvas or bunting screens are 

 equally effectual, and perhaps more easily movable. Straw- 

 ropes, straw-nets, and a variety of other expedients, have 

 been proposed, and may be used according to circumstances. 

 If the screens be applied early in the season, great benefit 

 may be derived from retarding the blossom till the frosty 

 nights of spring be past. If the night frost have been 

 severe, a copious sprinkling of water over the whole tree, 

 before the influence of the morning sun be felt, has been 

 found to be very useful in gradually raising the tempera 

 ture of the foliage and blossoms, and thus preventing injury 

 from the sudden transition. To trees trained against hot- 

 walls, if fire be used in spring, screens are indispensable; 

 but perhaps hot-walls are most beneficially employed in 

 ripening off the fruit of the late sorts of peaches in autumn ; 

 and, what is equally important, ripening the young wood 

 of such sorts. 



When peach and nectarine trees are liable to mildew and 

 to aphides, it is found very useful to coat, with a painter s 

 coarse brush, all the branches and twigs with a composi 

 tion of black soap and flowers of sulphur, mixed with 

 water, and boiled to the consistence of paint. This should 

 be done during winter, and before the trees are nailed to 

 the wall. 



The late pruning of the peach and nectarine should take 

 place early in the winter, and not be delayed till the spring, 

 as is sometimes the case. 



The ALMOND TREE (Amygdalus communis), a native of 



