138 



sary, especially during the night, to enable the flower 

 bud to burst its bonds, yet, as Mr. Paxton long since 

 urged, dryness is indispensable to the dispersion of 

 the pollen. After a lively day of this kind, our prac- 

 tice is to give a slight syringing about four or five 

 o'clock in the afternoon, and to take away all air 

 immediately, resuming the practice in the next day 

 before detailed. As soon as they are out of blossom 

 we syringe them as freely as before, and, indeed, en- 

 deavour to produce abundance of atmospheric mois- 

 ture. We thus proceed to the period of disbudding, 

 which will extend over some three weeks, steadily in- 

 creasing the day temperature, but using great mode- 

 ration in the night. Indeed, the day temperature 

 must not be hedged in with any dry rules, but, in the 

 main, regulated by the amount of light. As soon as 

 the first swelling is completed and the stoning com- 

 mences, we suffer the extreme points to extend some- 

 what freely without any stopping, unless in case of 

 great luxuriance, still keeping up a sweet and some- 

 what moist air by frequent syringings, sprinkling 

 floors, &c. 



Watering the Borders, — This is a very important 

 matter. If the borders had a proper watering at the 

 period of closing the house, little more will be needed 

 until the fruit is in rapid progress during the first 

 swelling ; in fact, when the fruit are as large as nuts. 

 Liquid manure will then be of service, providing the 



