486 WANT OF BLOOM. 



very, juicy and excellent. The Glout Morceau is 

 subject to induration in the youth of trees, but in 

 their maturity and age is free from it. 



3. Sterility. Page 444. 



4. Immaturity of the Fruit — Carpomosia : He. 

 Page 450. 



5. Deficiency in the cutaneous secretion — Ephi- 

 drosis. Fruits, when grown most perfectly, are cov- 

 ered with a sort of waxen secretion. This prevents 

 the escape of their juices by decomposition or evap- 

 oration. It forms a coating, and renders the fruit 

 almost air-tight. When this is absent, they cannot 

 be preserved for so long a time, and very soon 

 wither. The entire or partial absence of this may 

 arise from some derangement of the secretion, oc- 

 casioned by atmospheric causes, or by an uncongenial 

 soil. It has often been remarked that this bloom 

 is more abundant where the land has been drained. 



Some times its absence is accidental, resulting 

 from handling the fruit. Therefore it should never 

 be touched more than is necessary while in growth ; 

 and in gathering and preserving, great care should 

 be practised that it be retained. The secret of 

 the superior preservation of fruits, when barrelled 

 immediately after being plucked, is that they are 

 not handled, and consequently this coating is un- 

 disturbed. 



