2'20 THE FRUIT GARDEN. [[APRIL. 



done as soon in tliis as may be convenient. They 

 must also be attended to, with respect to watering ; 

 which must be repeated the oftener as the season ad- 

 vances, and according to the lieat of the Meather. 

 What is called by tlie gardeners muIcJiing^ is a very 

 proper method of detaining the moisture about the 

 roots, and in a great measure saves, or abridges tlie 

 labour of watering. Let a small bason or hollow be 

 made round tlie stem of each tree, a foot or eighteen 

 inches in diameter, and two or three inches deep, 

 according to the extent of its roots. Fill this bason 

 with littery dung, to tlie thickness of five or six 

 inches, over which sprinkle a little earth, just e- 

 nough to keep it from being blown about. If the 

 dung be short, and much reduced, earth need not 

 be put over it. Tliis both nourishes the young fi- 

 bres, and keeps tlie ground about them moist in 

 hot weather, if wetted freely once a week. 



Of screening the Blossmns of Fruit-Trees. 



Many of the early kinds of wall-trees will now be 

 coming into flower ; and the choice sorts, such as 

 apricots, nectarines, peaches, and the finer kinds of 

 plums, should be defended from the bad effects of 

 frost, and of frosty winds, that prevail at this season, 

 particularly along the eastern coasts of these king- 

 doms. 



It is a common practice to screen the blossoms of 

 umU-trees, by sticking twigs of larch, or of ever- 

 greens, as firs, or laurels, between the branches and 

 the wall, in such a manner as to overhang the blos- 

 soms, where thickest ; and some, instead of these^ 



