346 FORCING DEPARTMENT. 



resemble a fine dew for the first few days, until the 

 fruit is all finally beginning to swell, when it may 

 be given with considerable force, in order to clear 

 the trees of the decayed blossoms, and, likewise, the 

 suppression of the red spider, which will now be 

 making its appearance ; and if not checked, while in 

 an early stage, they will materially injure the tender 

 foliage. These depredators, therefore, should be 

 kept in subjection as long as possible, by the 

 frequent application of the syringe or engine. It 

 must, likewise, be observed, that the water applied at 

 this season ought to have the chill taken off, and not 

 be given in large quantities at a time, to sour and 

 saturate the borders, which would prove injurious to 

 the trees, and cause much of the tender fruit to 

 drop. The trees should be syringed every evening, 

 but taking care that the water be applied in various 

 directions, so as to displace any of the insects that 

 may be in embryo at the back of the leaf. If 

 syringing, once a day, appears insufficient for sub- 

 duing the red spider, a gentle sprinkling of sulphur 

 over the hot pipes will have this desired effect. 



When the young fruit has attained the size of full 

 grown peas, they should have a slight thinning ; but 

 this must be cautiously performed at the present 

 stage of growth, only displacing the weakest, and 

 singling out such as have set two or three together, 

 rather leaving a superabundance, the first going over, 

 than thinning too freely, as many of the small fruit 

 will be liable to fall off; consequently, this operation 

 should rather be frequently performed, according to 

 the swelling of the fruit, and, finally, when begin- 



