THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



385 



of fruit is entirely destroyed ; the sap once set in motion, the 

 young tender shoots push forth, and are destroyed by the 

 frost, ^^'hich nightly follows. By retarding the motion of 

 the sap ; by excluding the trees from the effects of sunshine at 

 this early period, and detaining them, as it were, by appa- 

 rently continuing the winter ; they are thus retarded, until the 

 danger of frosts be past, and then allowed to break into bud 

 and blossom, at a season more congenial to their natures. 

 This principle has been acted upon in Scotland, and in some 

 parts of England, to a considerable extent. Of all sorts of 

 branches used for this purpose, we would recommend those of 

 the common fern, Pteris aquluia, as being lighter, and there- 

 fore not so liable to injure the buds by being blown against 

 them with high winds. Bat we consider this plan objection- 

 able, as it shades the bloom too much, and too constantly from 

 the light, by which the buds are rendered weak, and the fruit 

 produced often drops off in a premature state ; and it is pro- 

 bable, that the crop would have been as good, had the trees 

 been left to take their chance. 



Protecting with straw-ropes has been recommended in the 

 Transactions of the Horticultural Society, and is performed 

 by placing poles in front of the trees against the walls, at four 

 or six feet apart, one end being fixed in the ground about a 

 foot from the wall, and the other to the top of the wall with a 

 nail. A quantity of straw or hay-ropes are then prepared, 

 and passed from pole to pole, taking a turn round each all the 

 length of the wall ; about eighteen inches above that, is placed 

 another row of rope in a similar manner, and so on until all 

 the length of the pole or height of the wall is completed. 



Protecting with nets is often practised, and was recom- 

 mended by the late Mr. Nicol. The old nets used for protect- 

 ing fruits from the attacks of birds, are hung over the trees 

 sometimes doubled or trebled, according to the quantity to be 

 had. In screening with nets of any kind, they are to remain 

 on day and night, until all danger of frost be over. Nets are 

 very good screens if properly put on ; they are generally put 

 on in a very careless manner, without any seeming considera- 

 tion of the actual cause. They are generally hung over close 

 to the branches, the flowering-buds often sticking out beyond 



