104 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 



and the rubbish removed. The trees were now al- 

 lowed to make whatever growth the season might 

 afford. The trees laid down were in all varieties 

 found, on uncovering, to be in advance of their un- 

 protected neighbors, and in several cases the flower- 

 buds were expanded under the cover, the buds on 

 standing trees being yet unblown. AVhen all were 

 in the best condition for an estimate of the pro- 

 portion of bloom, a comparison of the trees that 

 had been laid down with others of the same varie- 

 ties exposed to the winter, showed for the former 

 proportions of full bloom varying from one -third in 

 Ringgold to two -thirds in most varieties, exposed 

 trees of the same showing only here and there 

 scattering blooms. Hale's Early gave on exposed 

 trees a third, and on protected trees three-fourths 

 of a full bloom. Most of the trees set a large 

 number of fruits, and prospects were good for a 

 crop ; but at the time of ripening a peculiar rot 

 attacked all sorts alike, and of the whole not over 

 a bushel of sound fruit was gathered. 



"The third trial, 1889, was conducted in all re- 

 spects like the second. The trees had by the end 

 of the summer recovered from the rather severe 

 pruning necessary to bring them to place the pre- 

 vious fall, and were accordingly in good condition 

 for the last attempt. Moreover, the growth of the 

 unpruned side -roots had been such as to put the 

 trees fairly into shape to do well without the roots 

 at front and back, and when these were again un- 

 covered they were found to be short but fibrous, 



