iqo^.] 



Prevention of Damage by Frost. 



27 



The Victoria blossoms were just at the most susceptible stage 

 for damage by frost, the petals having just dropped, there 

 being yet no foliage, and the embryo plum being fully exposed. 



The result was very gratifying. Near the pots in some cases 

 there were as much as 50 or 60 lb, of plums On each tree, and a 

 full crop of gooseberries. In my eagerness to save my fruit, I 

 spread my 150 available pots over rather too large an area, and 

 used only some twenty-five instead of forty pots to the acre. 

 Had the latter number been used, I have no doubt I should 

 have saved an even larger quantity of fruit. 



Financially the effort was satisfactory. As far as can be 

 judged, taking forty pots as necessary to each acre, with a 

 gallon of material to each pot, the cost should not exceed 20s. 

 per acre per night, allowing 5s. per acre for labour. This 

 would not include the value of the pot, which, however, with 

 care should last for years. 



It is, of course, extremely difficult to gauge the exact amount 

 of fruit which can be directly attributed to the fire, but in the 

 case of the operations at Toddington, Mr. Martin values the 

 cherries, plums, gooseberries, currants, &c, saved at at least 

 £150, while on my own farm, where the acreage treated was 

 Ear smaller, I estimate the plums, apples, gooseberries and 

 currants saved at £75. The expense on the latter, even in- 

 cluding the pots (which are available for use again), material, 

 labour, &c, did not amount in all to over £12, and I had the 

 fires going on several frosty nights. On exactly similarly 

 situated plantations, and where no fires were placed, there 

 was practically a complete absence of tree or bush fruit. The 

 process appears impracticable for strawberries or crops actually 

 on the ground, as the smoke cannot be kept sufficiently near 

 the ground to do any good. 



The greatest objection to the preparation burned was the 

 intensely black and oily smoke which permeated everywhere : 

 it may, however, reasonablv be supposed to have the ad- 

 vantage of killing .1 certain number ot aphides and other truit 

 pests which hatch out about the period the tires are used. 



No damage from the heavy smuts or smoke was noticeable to 

 any vegetation, and probably the carbon on tin" ground would 

 be useful. 



All data, results, <xc, of tin experiments are now in the hands 



