CH. 3.] CHERTUES. 59 



done fome little time previous to the fruit's 

 being ripe ; as otherwife, it would be ren- 

 dered infipid. 



Wafhing with the hand-engine, fhould 

 commence with the day the fire is lighted ; 

 and, except from the time the bloom be- 

 gins to appear, till the fruit is fairly fet, 

 ihould be repeated thrice a- week in the 

 evening, and that with a considerable de- 

 gree of force, till the fruit begins to ripen. 

 The ufe of the engine here, and indeed 

 in all forcing houfes, is much preferable to 

 the pampered trafti of {learning apparatus. 

 It is not merely to refrefh the foliage that 

 the engine is employed, but alfo to clear it 

 of duft, infects, &c., a matter of evident 

 neceflity ; for, the leaves being, as it were, 

 the lungs of the plant, how can we fup- 

 pofe it in health while thefe remain clog- 

 ged ? Hence it becomes a duty, in the ufe 

 of this inftrument, to apply it with force : 

 more fo in the hot-houfe than out of doors, 

 for the plain reafon, that here the wind 

 is not equally helping to this effect. 



In the interval of warning, (viz. while in 

 bloom, and till the fruit is fet), let a little 



water 



