128 FRUIT VULTURE. 



fruit, it is important that it should be thinned, or the 

 fruit will not only be small and poor, but the tree will 

 be seriously impaired for the following season's crop. The 

 first thinning should take place when the fruit is about 

 the size of an oak apple, or even less, and before stoning 

 has commenced. It is a good plan to go over the trees 

 again in the course of another week or two, to remove any 

 further fruit where it may have been left too thickly the 

 first time, and also any deformed fruits. The number of 

 fruits to leave, and the safe distance between them will 

 depend somewhat upon the variety, some being so much 

 larger than others ; but to get a good fruit, a fair distance 

 between each will be for peaches, from nine to twelve 

 inches from fruit to fruit, and for nectarines and apricots 

 from six to nine inches. The health and vigour of the 

 tree should also be borne in mind in thinning, but care 

 must always be taken not to over-tax the strength of the 

 tree, or the result in the end will be unsatisfactory. 



Syringing and Watering. The tree should be kept as 

 dry as possible during the time of blossoming, but immedi- 

 ately the fruit sets and begins to swell, and especially if 

 the weather be dry, it is necessary to commence to syringe. 

 Water that has been exposed to the air is the best for this 

 purpose, but if this cannot be obtained, be careful not to 

 use cold spring water, or the chill will be too great; 

 therefore, make it tepid. Frequent syringing not only 

 helps to swell the fruit and increase the growth of the 

 tree, but it is absolutely essential to keep the red spider 

 in check, as this pest is very troublesome on walls. 

 The best time to syringe is two or three hours before 

 sunset, when the moisture is retained much longer than if 

 applied earlier in the day. The syringing should cease as 

 the fruit commences to ripen, but a liberal supply of 



