Round the Year in the Garden 



deterred from making an attempt to renovate their fruit 

 trees. 



As hardy fruit trees against walls out of doors com- 

 mence to blossom it is wise to take measures to protect 

 them from frost. This is most conveniently done by means 

 of canvas or tiffany blinds attached to the top of the wall 

 and capable of being rolled down as occasion requires. In 

 the absence of these, ordinary fish netting, double thick- 

 ness, may be used. 



There is much work to be done among fruit trees 

 under glass, for at this season they make rapid growth. 

 If, as advised, the side shoots of the Vine were pruned 

 to within two buds of the base, probably both buds have 

 started into growth. One of them must be rubbed off. 

 When the shoots are about 1 inch or so long, it is possible 

 to see which contains an embryo bunch of grapes, and 

 this, of course, should be allowed to remain. If both 

 contain a tiny bunch, the weaker of the two is rubbed 

 off. Considerable care is required in ventilating the 

 vinery at this season, because bright sunshine and cold 

 winds often occur at the same time. A little air should 

 be admitted earty in the day to prevent the temperature 

 rising too high, and the ventilators may be opened wider 

 as the day progresses, providing the sunshine continues. 

 If the vinery is allowed to get very warm, and air is 

 admitted freely with the object of lowering the tem- 

 perature, harm is bound to follow. It does not matter 

 very much whether the night temperature is 40 or 50 ; 

 what is of chief concern is to keep as regular a tempera- 

 ture as possible. If the vinery is heated, a night 

 temperature of about 50 can be maintained with very 

 little artificial heat at this period, while if the greenhouse 

 is unheated it may fall to 45 or even 40. The Vine 

 is hardy, and cold will not damage it, though wide fluctu- 

 ations of temperature are undoubtedly harmful. It is a 

 good plan to admit a little air when the thermometer 

 registers 10 higher than the night temperature, and if 



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