GENERAL PRACTICE. SYRINGING. 63 



and the life of the tree or vine is being evaporated away. Moisture in the form of rain 

 naturally falls on the upper surface of the leaves, cleansing and refreshing them. A 

 moist soil for the roots and water disposed on surfaces available for evaporation is 

 clearly nearer nature than forcing water against the under side of the leaves. This, 

 however, is had recourse to under glass for the destruction or prevention of insects. 

 These usually restrict their foraging to the under side of the leaves where the breathing 

 pores or stomates for the most part exist, and to keep these free is an all-important 

 consideration. In syringing, water is mostly driven against the under side of the 

 leaves, yet it is necessary that the upper surface be kept free from dust or the foliage 

 will become unhealthy, losing in proportion to the accumulations its power of digestion, 

 respiration, and secretion, for though these functions may be mainly performed by the 

 under surface of the leaves, the prompting of their activity is determined by the 

 exposure of their upper surface to light; hence the cleaner they are the better, for 

 there is no question that a clean leafage is promotive of healthy growth. 



As a rule syringing is the most safe and effectual under a declining sun. Early 

 afternoon syringings have not the weakening effects of late syringings, whereby the 

 foliage is kept dripping with moisture through the night and into the day, when it 

 generally gets scorched. A similar unfortunate result occurs through neglecting to 

 make any difference in the moisture applied in bright and in dull weather. In the 

 former case the trees require most and in the latter least, and all syringing should be 

 practised sufficiently early in the afternoon to allow of the foliage becoming dry before 

 nightfall. It is always safe to have the foliage dry when the sun acts powerfully upon 

 the house, and syringing in the morning is not, as a rule, desirable unless for cleansing 

 purposes, and then it should be on fine mornings, for to keep the trees dripping with 

 water on a dull day is weakening. Water, as applied in syringing, acts therefore in 

 two ways; first, by inducing growth, and secondly, in refreshing or cleansing. In the 

 first case it prevents evaporation and that means growth, for when a tree is not parting 

 with its juices it is increasing in bulk, as the leaves keep on absorbing, and it is this 

 fulness that causes growth. 



Syringing fruit trees when dormant accelerates their starting into growth, and is 

 of as great or greater consequence in effecting a good break than water at the roots, 

 because the moisture causes the filling of the sap vessels beyond repletion and the buds 

 swell. Trees are then living on the stored-up food or cambium, which only need? 

 moisture with the needful heat to call it into activity. Moisture tends to expand the 



