DECEMBER 131 



ordered, but inferior. Time thus lost cannot be re- 

 gained. Order early in October, and the sooner the 

 trees arrive and are planted after the leaves fall the 

 better they will grow.' He goes on to say, what is 

 equally true, that the best trees are spoilt by bad planting, 

 and it is deplorable to see how roughly the work is 

 often done through lack of knowledge. Every kind of 

 instruction is clearly given by Mr. Wright in this excellent, 

 inexpensive little book, and if read carefully and followed 

 things must go right. I have fallen this year into the 

 so common fault of ordering the little I meant to have 

 too late ; but as they are only a few hardy Damson-trees 

 I hope they will forgive me and do well all the same. 

 Damsons are certainly not cultivated enough, and yet, 

 after Morella Cherries, they make the best of jams, and 

 no fruit-tree gives such big crops for so little outlay. 

 The trees enjoy full exposure, and need hardly any atten- 

 tion, but it is well to remember to stake them securely to 

 prevent strong winds blowing them about and straining 

 the roots. Our only trouble is the birds, who eat out the 

 buds before they even blossom. Some buds we could spare, 

 but that is not Mr. Bully's way ; if he begins on a tree 

 he completely clears it, as the missel-thrushes do the 

 Bowan berries of summer. Last year they fixed on a 

 Pear-tree that was covered rather early with buds, and 

 in one week every trace and promise of blossom was 

 gone. 



December I4:th. I have a large field in which we have 

 generally grown the coarser kind of vegetables Potatoes, 

 Cabbages, Jerusalem Artichokes, etc., and such things 

 that do best in a very sunny open place. Finding that 

 now, as I do not go to London, I do not require such a 

 large supply of vegetables, I am going to sow and 

 grass over half the field. It is between this and the 

 vegetable part that I have been planting the row of 



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