284 Fruit Tree Protection, Cordons, etc. 



superintendent of the Chiswick Garden, Mr. A. F. Barren, pub- 

 lished in the Gardener s Chronicle of April 18, will explain how 

 matters stand in the Chiswick Garden : " I have made a pretty 

 general examination to-day (April 14) of our fruit prospects, and 

 have to report as follows : 



"Pears. Bloom very abundant on all varieties. Flowers large 

 and healthy, but fully two-thirds destroyed by frost on the night of 

 March 24, when the thermometer fell to 19 degrees. Some of the 

 earlier varieties on dwarf pyramids and espaliers were then in full 

 flower, such as Louise Bonne, Doyenne d'Ete, &c. Of these scarcely 

 a blossom escaped ; others which were then only in bud did not 

 suffer so severely. This present week is again exceedingly trying 

 for the blossoms, the latter being much excited by intensely warm 

 sunshine during the day, with the nightly occurrence of from seven 

 to eight degrees of frost, and biting easterly winds. Under these 

 circumstances I find a little more injury done every night. The 

 relative effects of frost on different varieties, under exactly the 

 same conditions, are worth notice. 



"Apples. Bloom abundant ; considerably injured when in bud 

 from the same cause as that which affected pears, especially in the 

 case of dwarf pyramidal trees. It may be worthy of remark that 

 apple blossom is much more tender than that of the pear. Apples 

 in the bud state are just as easily destroyed as full-blown pear 

 blossom, and both are more tender than peach blossom. 



" Plums. Blossoms abundant j nearly all destroyed on dwarf 

 trees, and slightly injured on tall standards. 



" Cherries. Bloom abundant 5 greatly injured, especially on 

 dwarf trees. 



(< Peaches promise well : in short they are not at all injured even 

 where they have been unprotected. 



" Apricots very scarce destroyed by frost. 



" It is sad, however, to find our expectations of a bountiful yield 

 of fruit thus destroyed, while one short month ago they were so 

 bright." 



It will thus be seen that no garden can be in a worse plight for 



