34 



THE MODERN PEACH PRUNER. 



fruit has fairly set, and they should be left off 

 gradually. Their object being to protect the 

 young leaves, and especially to favour the setting 

 of the fruit, they should be drawn up during the 

 day, and let down only at night, or during storms 

 of wind and rain, or fogs. Great care is needed 

 not to stifle the growth of the tree. On the utility 

 and daily management of tiffany protectors, I 

 quote from a letter from the Rev. W. F. Radclyffe. 

 To show how situation affects temperature, he 

 says, " Being in a valley close to the water, the 

 frosts are severe. After black frosts cease, for 

 eight or ten weeks hoar frosts succeed. It would 

 be hopeless to grow Peaches without efficient pro- 

 tection. Fir boughs and netting would here be 

 moonshine. I find the leaves even more tender 

 than the blossoms. In severe winters like this I 

 keep on the protectors, unless the weather is mild, 

 by night and sometimes by clay. Snow or sleet 

 should never get into the trees. The protectors 

 are put on as soon as the fruit-buds swell. They 

 are let down at 4 p.m. and raised in fine weather 

 at 10 a.m. If the weather is bad they remain on 

 even for several days. They must be left off gra- 

 dually, as cold draughts are injurious." 



It remains only to mention that I have seen in- 

 stances where much injury was done to the trees 

 by these protectors being placed too near to them, 



