IX PESTS 189 



some frost without injury, and shoots where the bud 

 is not yet formed, even though apparently crippled at 

 the time, will often eventually grow through it and 

 completely recover. 



Protecting material must evidently be very light, 

 as there will be little time to spare for driving stakes 

 into the ground to support it above the highest 

 shoots. Anything in the shape of light muslin or 

 similar material should be hunted out and spread as 

 gently as possible over the plants ; bent shoots can 

 easily be straightened again, but of course care must 

 be taken that they are not cracked or broken. The 

 frost is not likely to be dangerous at that time of 

 the year if there is wind, as that will probably bring 

 cloud, the best and safest of all coverings ; so even old 

 newspapers or any large sheets of thin paper may be 

 made useful in such cases. 



For remedial measures, when serious May frost has 

 come and caught us unprotected, I would recommend, 

 first and foremost, patience. Touch nothing at first : 

 no one can tell for some little time, till the sun has 

 shone warmly on the plants, how much or how little 

 damage has been done. Then it may be plain perhaps 

 that some shoots, utterly blackened and shrivelled at 

 the tips, are done for ; but still I would advise the 

 removal of nothing till such time as fresh growth has 

 commenced. 



The soil should be well stirred, and a little nitrate 

 or some other stimulant applied ; this will hasten 

 the renewal of growth, and we shall then see which 

 of the shoots that had not formed buds have been 

 actually " stopped." Those that grow straight away 

 again as before from the tip of the shoot are all right. 

 Never mind some leaves having been destroyed ; the 



