CH. 8.] PEACHES AND NECTARINES. l6l 



natural : yet (learning, at this time, is of 

 in ,nite bene'i, to the trees, as it both en- 

 courages the fetting of the fruit, and pre- 

 vents the ' -reeding of the red folder ; and 

 the engine cannot be employed at this time, 

 for fear of hurting the bloom. Therefore, 

 where there is a range of Peach-houfes, it 

 may be advifable to ered: the apparatus : 

 but, for a {ingle houfe, or two, I hardly think 

 it worth the expence 3 as, in the cafe of 

 fteann'ng by the flues being impracticable, 

 water can be thrown out of a fmall fquirt 

 or fyringe, in the form of dew, againft the 

 bloom. 



The idea, however, of fteaming every 

 day without difcrimination, is, in my opi- 

 nion, ridiculous. Is the world enveloped 

 in a cloud of mi ft day by day ? Does the 

 health of either animal or plant require it ? 

 or, could they bear it ? In order to avoid 

 errors, let us follow, as far as the cafe will 

 permit, the didates of nature ; and thus 

 we may alfo fave ourielves the mortifica- 

 tion of diiappointments. 



L SEC- 



