120 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



ing the neighbouring bloom from the east and 

 north-east blasts, from which it generally suffers 

 more than from any other cause, and the walnut 

 itself from being so late in the season before it 

 is in bloom, it is less likely to suffer than most 

 other fruits. 



Indeed, if we could protect the peaches and 

 nectarines while in bloom, we should have them 

 as fine and plentiful in the open ground in this 

 country as they are in America ; but the peach 

 and nectarine producing its bloom before they 

 put forth their leaves, the cold east wind, which 

 we are almost invariably subject to in England, 

 in the early part of the spring, is too sharp for 

 the tender bloom, and consequently they seldom 

 produce a crop, except in sheltered situations. 

 On the contrary, in North America, although 

 they are subject to very severe weather through- 

 out the winter, when the frost breaks up and the 

 spring commences, they generally have a con- 

 tinuance of fine mild weather, therefore the 

 growth of this fruit has a preference ; indeed, 

 they are in the habit of planting orchards of 

 peaches and nectarines as common as we do 

 apples. 



