144 THINNING FRUIT* 



injury follows ; or 5f the frost be thawed off by water, 

 before the sun shines upon the frosted plant, no 

 damage ensues. This appears to be a dangerous 

 experiment, especially on trees which are covered 

 with blossom ; but as it is recommended by Miller, 

 and constantly practised by very many eminent 

 horticulturists, there appears to be no doubt of its 

 efficacy. 



Defending fruit trees from frost, has formerly been 

 only allowed to the peach, nectarine, and apricot; 

 but it is equally necessary to all other early flower- 

 ing trees ; as the May duke cherry, preccce de 

 Tours and other plums ; and all the best pears cul- 

 tivated on walls. The^e also require shading from 

 a hot sun in the middle of the day ; as it may be 

 safely averred, that in early sun-shiny seasons, as 

 much fruit is withered and lost by the action of the 

 sun in the day, as is killed by frost in the night. 



In the culture of the apricot, and almost all other 

 kinds of fruit, thinning an over-abundant crop is 

 absolutely necessary. Tlie proper time for this de- 

 fructiScation is just before the stone gets so hard 

 as to render the fruit useless for pies and puddings. 

 In the business of thinning, the largest and best 

 placed fruit are left, and all the underlings and the 

 ^vorse placed ones are taken away. The age, or 

 rather the vigour of the tree, directs the thinner as 

 to the number to be left ; two on every square foot 

 of the space occupied by the tree, will be a very fair 

 crop. A young, or a weakly growing tree, should 

 not be allowed to ripen half that quantity ; but on 



