OF APRICOTS. 11 



the Composition, which excludes the air and wet 

 from the air and sap vessels of the tree. 



It may now be proper to give a few directions 

 for covering Apricots, to prevent the blossom 

 from being destroyed by frosts, cutting winds, 

 &c. 



In severe weather, they ought to be covered 

 before the flowers begin to expand ; for I have 

 often seen the blossoms drop off before they 

 opened. 



The best covering is old fish-nets, which should 

 be put on three-fold ; and if a few branches of 

 dry fern are stuck in among the branches before 

 the nets are put on, they will assist greatly in 

 breaking the force of the high winds. It is a 

 common practice, to cover with mats in the 

 night, and to take them off in the day ; but this, 

 by frequent exposing the trees to the cutting 

 winds, does more harm than good. Another 

 practice is, to cover with branches of spruce-fir 

 and yew ; but these, being too close, encourage a 

 blight, and cause the leaves of the trees to curl, 

 and the shoots to break very weak ; whereas the 

 nets admit a free circulation of the air, and at the 

 same time break the force of the wind. When it 

 happens to rain or snow in the forepart of the 

 night, and freeze towards the morning, we find 

 the drops hanging in icicles on the meshes, while 

 the tree is almost dry. 



