64 THE FRUIT GARDEN 



careful attention. If the weather is fine and warm, watering is a matter 

 of daily importance; the trees will require water frequently twice in the day 

 when the fruits are almost fully grown. Rain water is preferable both for 

 watering and syringing. 



Liquid and Other Manures. — As soon as the fruits of nectarines, 

 peaches, and plums are the size of a walnut a stimulant may be given, but only 

 moderately (more harm is often done than can be afterwards rectified by an 

 excessive use of either an artificial or a natural manure). For the first month 

 one application in fourteen days is ample ; after that, it may be given once every 

 week. An artificial manure should be given alternately with liquid manure. 

 The former should be one of proved efficacy ; there are now so many on the 

 market— some good and reliable, while others appear, to say the least, to be 

 harmless. I prefer to use those with which the analysis is fairly given, as 

 it should be. Without one has an analysis of the manure used, it is hardly 

 possible to know which of the many will be most suitable in any given case. 

 A pinch of artificial manure is enough to give to a plant in a lo-inch pot, 

 while for a 1 2-inch pot, that taken up by the thumb and two fingers is ample 

 (a 1 2-inch pot holds about twice as much soil as a lo-inch pot). In any case 

 I prefer a finely-ground artificial manure, as it is more readily dissolved in the 

 soil. Bone meal is not, of course, an artificial manure in the correct sense of 

 the term ; this may be used rather more freely than any other artificial com- 

 pound, and frequently it will provide all that is needed. For a liquid manure 

 1 prefer that extracted from horse droppings, to which is added a small per- 

 centage of soot by placing the latter in a bag, and the bag into the manure tub, 

 there to remain. If worms are at all troublesome, lime water will frequently 

 dislodge them ; at the same time this is beneficial to the plants. 



Forcing, Temperature, Etc. — I am decidedly of opinion that the night 

 temperatures in houses containing pot trees of nectarines, peaches, and plums 

 are too high ; this is especially before the period of stoning. In many 

 cases a night temperature of 5 degs. less would give better results. If the ther- 

 mometer at the break of day registers 40 degs. when the trees are in flower, no 

 harm will be done, nor even if it is 5 degs. less in cold weather. It is well known 

 that in the native habitats of these fruit trees, a slight frost frequently occurs 

 when they are in flower, and this may also happen in this country without 

 harm being done. I am inclined to think that the dropping of the flower buds 

 is occasioned, partially, by too high a temperature at night. If a little time 

 is lost, it can afterwards be made up to some extent a few weeks before the 

 ripening of the fruits by earlier closing when the weather is favourable. 

 Damping the floor between the trees is done freely through a rose fixed upon the 

 spout of a water-can. In dull weather this is sufficient, especially when there 

 is no heat in the pipes. When artificial heat is used a slight syringing just 

 before nightfall will be a safeguard against too dry an atmosphere during the 

 long nights. When the fruits are formed and are developing, the syringe is used 

 freely except when the weather is damp, dull, and mild. Too much moisture 

 then will encourage leaf rather than fruit growth. The Cardinal Nectarine is 

 apt to crack when finally swelling if syringed too freely in dull weather ; the 



