74 



WATERING TOPS. 



the trees, and I continue to give it at this 

 time of the day until the trees cease growing 

 for that year, when it is desisted from. 



In watering those trees that are in a bear- 

 ing condition, I pursue the following method. 

 If the weather be not wet, just before the 

 bloom buds open, the tree must have a good 

 washing with soap suds, (it is very service- 

 able to have a cistern to receive them at the 

 wash-house, that they may be preserved for 

 use,) this washing of the trees must be per- 

 formed in the early part of a day that is not 

 frosty ; this softens the coats of the buds, and 

 is also destructive to those insects which 

 are then beginning to move about the tree*. 

 The trees must not be watered again until 

 the petals have fallen, as already described 

 in this Chapter; for when they are washed 

 during the time that the bloom is expanding 

 and previous to the fruit being set, it washes 

 away the farina from the stamina, and thus 

 fecundation is prevented, and the florets will 

 be barren, consequently there will be a less 

 crop of fruit. This is very frequently the case 

 when there happens heavy showers of rain at 

 the blooming season, particularly in standard 

 and espalier trees: I have seen trees that 

 have been well supplied with strong healthy 

 blossom, rendered nearly barren that season 



* Apply water three times, and soap suds once. 



