114) PearSi Fi^s, Vines. 



this purpose. When ripe, the fruit are gathered with great 

 care (the hands being covered with soft gloves, and only the 

 stalks touched, in order to preserve the bloom), and laid one 

 by one in the vessel till it is full. The vessels are then closely 

 covered by wet bladders so as to completely exclude the air, 

 and buried in the ground, or suspended in cisterns, wells, or 

 cellars, out of the reach of frost. In February or March they 

 may be used, and, if the above precautions have been taken, 

 will be found excellent. The vessels should be small-sized ; 

 as the fruit remain good but a very short time after being 

 opened. — T, A. Meyer. Claipton Nursery, Jan. 3. 



4. To Jceep Pears. — In the north of Germany they keep 

 winter pears packed in wooden boxes or casks, interlayered 

 with clean sweet straw, closely shut down, and placed in a 

 room out of the reach of frost. The fruit require examination 

 every month, that those beginning to speck may be used or 

 taken out. — Id. 



5. Manage^nent of the Fig. — In the autumn, before the 

 leaves drop from the tree, pull off all the green fruit, because 

 few of them will survive the winter. This, however, should 

 be done before the leaves fall, otherwise the wounds do not 

 heal. It is attended with this advantage, that where one fruit 

 is pulled off, two generally burst from the place in the follow- 

 ing spring. If the trees (in pots) are placed in an airy, yet 

 sheltered situation, and carefully defended from frost during 

 winter, they, under ordinary management, yield plentiful 

 crops the ensuing summer. — Id. 



6. Protecting Vines from Spring Frost. — In the west of 

 Germany, where the vine is extensively cultivated, especially 

 near the Rhine and Moselle, the young shoots of the vine are 

 often killed by night-frost, which at once destroys the crop of 

 the present yeai', and injures the trees for several years to 

 come. To avoid this misfortune, the husbandmen, on even- 

 ings when they expect a frost, light a fire on the west side 

 of the vineyard, and keep it up all night. For this pur- 

 pose, they collect green boughs of trees, wet straw, rubbish, 

 hay, weeds, or any other litter which will burn slowly, and 

 emit much smoke. This remedy is effectual, and, if neglected, 

 the vineyard suffers ; the early check prevents the ripening of 

 the wood, and, without this takes place, no great crop can be 

 expected in the following year. — Id. 



