104 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 
and the rubbish removed. The trees were now al- 
lowed to make whatever growth the season might 
afford. The trees laid down were in all varieties 
found, on uncovering, to be in advance of their un- 
protected neighbors, and in several cases the flower- 
buds were expanded under the cover, the buds on 
standing trees being yet unblown. When all were 
in the best condition for an estimate of the pro- 
portion of bloom, a comparison of the trees that 
had been laid down with others of the same varie- 
ties exposed to the winter, showed for the former 
proportions of full bloom varying from one-third in 
Ringgold to two-thirds in most varieties, exposed 
trees of the same showing only here and_ there 
scattering blooms. Hale’s Early gave on exposed 
trees a third, and on protected trees three-fourths 
of a full bloom. Most of the trees set a large 
number of fruits, and prospects were good for a 
crop; but at the time of ripening a peculiar rot 
attacked all sorts alike, and of the whole not over 
a bushel of sound fruit was gathered. 
“The third trial, 1889, was conducted in all re- 
spects like the second. The trees had by the end 
of the summer recovered from the rather severe 
pruning necessary to bring them to place the pre- 
vious fall, and were accordingly in good condition 
for the last attempt. Moreover, the growth of the 
unpruned side-roots had been such as to put the 
trees fairly into shape to do well without the roots 
at front and back, and when these were again un- 
covered they were found to be short but fibrous, 
