BUDS, BLOOM, AND EARLY BIRD 



more welcome to the inexperienced amateur than the Feb. 

 old stager. Early bloom is likely to be destroyed by late ^~^4 

 frost unless protected. It is not a bad plan to retard the 

 opening by shading the trees in sunny weather during 

 February. 



Peaches in Bloom under Glass. — Peach trees that are 

 grown in a warm house with a view to the production of 

 early fruit may be in bloom" in early February. It is a 

 help to cross fertilisation if a camel's-hair brush is drawn 

 across the flowers when they are fully open, as that 

 distributes the pollen. When the flowers begin to fall, a 

 good syringing is beneficial. I spoke of disbudding in 

 the January chapter, and I would here add that it should 

 be started early, so that the superfluous growths may be 

 got rid of before they have time to extend far. 



Birds and Fruit Buds. — Chaffinches, bullfinches, and 

 house sparrows are apt to destroy fruit buds ; and as a 

 preventive, as also a check on insects and a destroyer of 

 moss, the lime-and-salt wash recommended in the early 

 part of the present chapter may be sprayed on now. 



The waterglass, which is one of its components, is 

 used in the preservation of eggs, and can be bought at a 

 chemist's. 



Vegetables 



It is still too early to sow out of doors, except in 

 such specially favourable circumstances as were referred 

 to in Chapter I., — that is, a dry, crumbly state of the soil 

 following on winter sunshine. Given these. Peas, Broad 

 Beans, Turnips, and Spinach may be sown in the garden. 

 Asparagus, Rhubarb, and Seakale may be forced (for 

 methods, see previous chapter). Onions, Tomatoes, 

 Cucumbers, and Celery may be sown in heated houses 

 for early use. 



89 



