VI] MARCH 87 



the house. In small houses, hot-water pipes are 

 not an absolute necessity, as there are various other 

 means of supplying the required heat. Paraffin 

 lamps, or stoves, may be used with advantage, but, 

 Avhere used, every care should be taken to ensure 

 the wicks not being so liigh as to emit noxious 

 fumes, which would be injurious, if not fatal, to 

 the flowers of the fruit trees. 



Fire, or artificial heat, in the ordinary course, 

 will only be needed at niglit. Unless there is severe 

 frost during the day, do not use any artificial heat, 

 as the suji will supply all that is required. 



xVs the trees come into flower it will be neces- 

 sary to watch the fertilization of the flowers. Bees 

 are undoubtedly the best fertilizers, and if a good 

 number visit the flowers daily, there will be no need 

 to resort to artificial means. Should the weather 

 be unfavourable for bees to leave their hives, then 

 artificial means should be adopted. The flowers 

 should be brushed daily, as lightly as possible, 

 with either a hare or rabbit's tail, or, which may 

 answer better, a small camel's-hair brush. The 

 operation is a simple one. Just gather the pollen 

 from the small-flowered peaches or nectarines and 

 convey it to the large-flowered '^'arieties. When 

 the brush is full of pollen, take all the trees in 

 rotation. 



^'^entilate the house early in the morning, and 



