NECTARINE AND ALMOND. li! 
fluences, especially at the period of blossoming. As already 
noticed, branches of spruce or silver fir, or other spray, are 
sometimes woven into frames, which are fixed in front of 
the trees, and removed during the day in fine weather (Cad. 
Hort. Mem., i., 276). Canvas or bunting screens are 
equally effectual, and perhaps more easily movable. Straw- 
ropes, straw-nets, and a variety of other expedients, have 
been proposed, and may be used according to circumstances, 
If the screens be applied early in the season, great benefit 
may be derived from retarding the blossom till the frosty 
nights of spring be past. If the night frost have been 
severe, a copious sprinkling of water over the whole tree, 
before the influence of the morning sun be felt, has been 
found to be very useful in gradually raising the tempera- 
ture of the foliage and blossoms, and thus preventing injury 
from the sudden transition. To trees trained against hot- 
walls, if fire be used in spring, screens are indispensable; 
but perhaps hot-walls are most beneficially employed in 
ripening off the fruit of the late sorts of peaches in autumn ; 
and, what is equally important, ripening the young wood 
of such sorts. 
’ When peach and nectarine trees are liable to mildew and 
to aphides, it is found very useful to coat, with a painter’s 
coarse brush, all the branches and twigs: with a composi- 
tion of black soap and flowers of sulphur, mixed with 
water, and boiled to the consistence of paint. This should 
be done during winter, and before the trees are nailed “to 
the wall. 
The late pruning of the peach and nectarine should take 
place early in the winter, and not be delayed till the spring, 
as is sometimes the case. 
The Atmonp TreEE (Amygdalus communis), a native of 
