FEB.] THE ORCHARD. 133 



forcing, the heat is generally continued stronger, as they bear it 

 in a higher degree, whereby to forward the fruit to the earliest 

 perfection. 



According as the fruit advances to full growth, continue assisting 

 them by waterings ; and give them free air every warm sunny day ; 

 and when advancing towards ripening, encourage a strong heat in the 

 middle of the day, by admitting less or more air, in proportion to 

 the power of the sun 5 to forward their maturity, and promote a rich 

 flavour. 



Thus the fruits will ripen earlier by two months, or more, in 

 some, than their natural time of perfection in the open ground and 

 full air. 



In the above forcing departments you may also place pots of 

 currants, gooseberries, raspberries, and strawberries, &c. 



THE ORCHARD. 



THE feelings of a lover of improvement can scarcely be expressed, 

 on observing the almost universal inattention paid to the greater num- 

 ber of our Orchards, and that people who go to a considerable ex- 

 pence in planting and establishing them, afterwards leave them to 

 the rude hand of nature ; as if the art and ingenuity of man availed 

 nothing, or that they merited no further care : however, it is to be 

 hoped, that the good example, and the consequent success, of the 

 careful and industrious, will stimulate others to pay the necessary 

 attention to these departments, and thereby to serve themselves as 

 well as the community at large. 



At this season, you can conveniently perform the very necessary 

 and important works of pruning, of scraping and rubbing off moss 

 and other parasitic plants, and of manuring the ground where want- 

 ed ; and as much depends on these dressings, they should by no 

 means be neglected, more especially, as this ;s a very eligible time 

 for performing them, and one, with which other business does not fre- 

 quently interfere. 



For the method of pruning these trees, and other necessary ob- 

 servations, I refer you to the article Orchard last month, page 38, &c. 



Where trees are much overrun with moss, it may be remov- 

 ed as directed in page 39 ; or a strong man, with a good birch broom 

 in a wet day, would do great execution. The best method of des- 

 troying mots on young trees, is to rub all the branches affected, in 

 spring or autumn, or in both if necessary, with a hard scrubbing- 

 brush and soap-suds. This will not only remove the moss, but tend 

 considerably to prevent its sudden return. 



