in] PRUXIXG 43 



borders can be damped down in the evening. The 

 thinning of the fruits, pinching of the trees, and 

 watering, will be effected in the same manner as in 

 a cold house, only it will be necessary to sometimes 

 water the trees twice or thrice daily. 



After the fruits ha^e finished " stoning," an 

 increase of temperature may take place, but 75° 

 to 85° Fahr. is far better than 90° to 100°. An 

 excessive temperature only tends to premature 

 ripening If a little night air can be given when 

 the weather is warm, its effects will be beneficial. 



After the fruits have been gathered, the best 

 plan is to place the trees in a cool house for a time. 

 At the end of May, or the first week in June, they 

 may be plunged out-of-doors in the same manner 

 as those from a cool house. Their latter treatment 

 should also be the same. 



The PRUNING OF TREES. — Pruning is an opera- 

 tion which should always be performed judiciously. 

 The "rule-of- thumb" system is frequently adopted, 

 but does not always bring about good results. A 

 careful study of the instructions and diagrams of 

 trees here given will undoubtedly pro^e advan- 

 tageous, and especially so to the amateur and in- 

 experienced fruit-growers. In the first place, 

 peaches and nectarines vary considerably both in 

 habit and growth. While some varieties form triple 

 buds, i.e. three buds in one cluster, other varieties 



