348 THE FEUIT GARDEN. [APRIL 



a watering engine, as above suggested, you might play the water 

 strongly upon the trees, so as in the whole to diminish the increase 

 and spreading depredations of the vermin as much as possible. 



PRUNING. 



Pruning of all kinds of fruit-trees should be finished in the first 

 week of this month, if neglected so long, especially the forward blos- 

 soming kinds. (See page 223.) 



PROTECTING THE BLOSSOMS, ETC., OP WALL TREES FROM FROST. 



Your early kinds of fruit-trees, particularly those planted against 

 walls, may in forward seasons require protection for their blossoms 

 and young setting fruit from night frosts ; the doing of which will 

 be found of importance. (For the method, see page 219.) 



Where the sheltering of these trees is practised, it should be con- 

 tinued occasionally all this month ; for although there are generally 

 some fine warm days and nights, yet the weather is so very uncer- 

 tain at this season that we often have such severe hard frosts as to 

 prove the destruction of the blossoms and young fruit on such of the 

 above trees as are very forward and fully exposed. 



They may be protected with mats every cold night, and taken 

 down in the morning j if cuttings of evergreens are used as devised 

 last month, let them remain constantly till the fruit is past danger. 



GENERAL SPRING TREATMENT OF FRUIT-TREES. 



For the general spring management of fruit-trees, see the Fruit 

 Garden and Orchard, last month. 



GRAFTING. 



For the various methods of grafting, &c., see the Nursery for last 

 month, and also for this. 



RASPBERRIES. 



New plantations of raspberries may be made in the first week of 

 this month, but it would have been much better if that business had 

 been performed in the last, except in the eastern States, where it 

 may now be done with good success, as directed on page 231, which 

 see. 



STRAWBERRY BEDS. 



Strawberry beds should now be kept perfectly free from weeds. 

 The runners produced from the plants should be constantly cleared 

 away as they advance. But where new plantations are wanted, let 

 some of the strongest remain till June, to form young plants, then 

 to be transplanted, as directed in that month. 



Water the beds of fruiting plants frequently in dry weather, when 



