APRIL.] SCREENING BLOSSOMS. 221 



use the leaves of strong fern. These last are cer- 

 tainly fitter for the purpose than the former men- 

 tioned, as being lighter, and less liable to hurt the 

 blossoms, when dashed by the wind against them. 

 But all these are objectionable, on account of their 

 shading the bloom too much, and too constantly, 

 from the sun and light, by which they are rendered 

 weak, and the fruit they produce often drop away, 

 before arriving to any considerable size ; so that all 

 this trouble taken goes for nothing, as there would 

 probably have been as good a crop, had the trees 

 been left to take their chance. 



But a better method is, to defend these blossoms 

 from the bad effects of the wind, by nets, fixed so 

 as to break its violence, ere it reach the tree. The 

 bad effects of frosts in still weather, which may be 

 said to fall perpendicularly, may be guarded against 

 by fixing a temporary coping of boards to the top 

 of the wall, so as to project a foot or eighteen inches 

 over the trees ; but these perpendicular frosts are 

 much less hurtful than scourging, keen, frosty winds, 

 that blast every species of vegetation, to a certain 

 degree, while they prevail. 



The most effectual guard against these are canvas 

 screens,? athin fabric, which are capable of breaking 

 the force of the winds, and of admitting a consider- 

 able degree of light, and of sunshine ; for it is often 

 necessary to keep them over the trees for many 

 days together, in a continued storm. The cloth for 

 this purpose should be wove very thin, something 

 resembling gauze, or buntine ; and in order to make 

 it lasting, and that it may the better admit light, 



