40 HINTS ON PROFITABLE FRUIT GROWING. 



must be made the most of. Old pine and leaf mould, 

 where near woods ; and when near the sea (old fishing 

 nets for protecting the blossom), and seaweed for manure 

 in some places, as well as fish offal at curing stations, 

 can be got almost for the carting. Old spent tan, or 

 refuse hops, or malt grains, where these can be found 

 handy, are also useful manures. "Where timber hoarding 

 is available at a small cost and without carriage, protect- 

 ing pits, or training walls can be made very useful at 

 cheap rates. 



The frames for forcing pits can be either glazed or 

 covered with oiled canvas, or even with a cheaper jute 

 web, called onion bagging, which may be got at about 

 a penny per square yard, in wholesale quantity. If 

 removed during the day, this will be found very useful 

 for protecting wall fruit. Two lengths are usually 

 fixed upon poles that have been fastened securel} r to the 

 top of the wall at one end, and the other end of the pole 

 is fixed into the ground about four feet from the bottom 

 of the wall. It answers better still if there is a 

 " coping " of glass or boarding of six to twelve inches, 

 securely fixed, and projecting from the top of the wall, 

 to which the web can be affixed and made tight, and 

 then be secured at the bottom to prevent flapping by 

 the winds, as this is the great drawback to nearly all 

 such protecting material. 



It has been well said by an old practical writer of the 

 last century, " that no more fruit trees should be allowed 

 to grow upon any farm than can be allowed the proper 

 management necessary to promote the ends for which 

 they are intended." 



Another old author has advised the farmers to " be 

 always sticking in a tree." But this is very doubtful 



