370 Protecting Fruit Trees against Walls. 



which young low trees were planted : a net covering only the lower half of 

 the wall completely protected all these, except one ; this had reached the 

 top, consequently there was a deltoid-like piece above the net totally unco- 

 vered, which, nevertheless, produced more fruit than all the wall besides, the 

 covered part being as bad as the protected trees generally. 



Thns 1 was compelled to own to my observant antagonist that defeat was 

 complete ; but I concluded (as half your practical readers must have done) 

 that the disaster was entirely owing to the misapplication of a principle which 

 I now, for the first time, doubted. I freely granted this error in judgement; 

 and, now that attention was directed to the subject, I resolved upon in- 

 creased vigilance during another season, when the netting, instead of being 

 fastened to the horizontal wires, was furnished with rings to slide upon them, 

 and was, I need not add, carefully removed every day that was the least 

 favourable. The promise was again great, and success seemed certain; but, 

 alas ! the result was anything but satisfactory ; that is, trees totallj^ exposed 

 bore better. I now began to think the benefit conferred by covering of at 

 least a very negative description ; and, in the spring of 1842, the netting was 

 put in its place, and applied in cases of severity onl}^ and again without any 

 perceptible advantage ; so that I resolved, be the spring of 1843 what it 

 might, I would leave all to chance. This was strictly adhered to, and the 

 crops are more than doubled. It may be urged, that the present is a season 

 that seems to produce an excess of most kinds of fruit : granted; but, upon 

 the other hand, it has also been a season above all others rendering protec- 

 tion, according to established notions, indispensable. March here was fine 

 beyond all precedent ; the continued warmth exciting too rapid vegetation, 

 and rendering the check caused by excessive cold during April so keenly felt. 

 So great indeed the change, that a thermometer suspended from a branch of a 

 peach tree while in bloom fell to 28° ; potatoes in the border were completely 

 killed ; strong ice being formed several nights successively. Here, protection 

 would seem most desirable; yet I have ascertained where it was applied - 

 without conferring any benefit. 



I mentioned in the beginning of this paper that several persons procured 

 and applied the same sort of protection at the same time; and, being anxious 

 to know how they had succeeded, previously to sending you this, I visited the 

 place where it had been most extensively employed, and found, by a singular 

 coincidence, that this spring there also it had been discontinued ; with the 

 exception of a large apricot, which was sheltered when the change in the 

 weather became apparent, and there is not the tenth part of a crop upon it. 

 I do not say protection destroyed that crop ; but it proved wholly powerless 

 to save it. Here, then, is the corroboration of a truly practical man, placed 

 where fruit is a first consideration, practically convinced that protection, as 

 usually applied, is totally useless. 



I now very much regret that I did not this season, as a conclusive test, 

 cover part of several trees, the only correct method of determining its value ; 

 as trees covered, and trees uncovered, however near or similarly situated, are 

 liable to be affected by unseen agents, and their success or failure thus ren- 

 dered of little weight. 



Without entering at all into the theory of the subject, I have contented 

 myself with a statement of facts with the hope of causing an investigation; 

 and have said enough, I think, to effect this. It would be needless to appeal 

 to your readers generally, as what is every body's business is seldom per- 

 formed by any body : but, could you particularise a few individuals that would 

 be guided by what occurred rather than by preconceived notions, the benefit 

 conferred by their investigations would be useful to vast numbers that are, at 

 vast trouble and expense, destroying half the produce of their trees, in case 

 they are found unnecessary; and lead to something more determinate as to 

 the mode of application, and the material to be employed, if they are really 

 useful. 



