256 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



greenfly there [may be upon the buds or stems, for greenfly 

 in the Peach -bloom is ruination. So important is this point 

 that we generally smoke two nights in succession. 



At this time also we turn on a little heat at night, enough — 

 but, if possible, only just enough — to keep the frost out, and this 

 we continue until the fruit is set, and even longer if sharp frost 

 prevails. In the daytime during blooming time, if the weather 

 is very damp and the air surcharged with moisture, we keep a 

 little — very little — warmth in the pipes to dry the air and assist 

 the general diffusion of the pollen. 



As a rule the trees are covered with blossom, our trouble 

 being too much rather than too little, and no doubt it would be 

 a great advantage to thin the blossoms before they begin to 

 expand ; but, unfortunately, I have not enough, or sufficiently 

 skilled, hands to venture as yet upon this operation. If, 

 however, any particular tree, such as Alexandra Noblesse some- 

 times, for instance, or Lord Napier, has not more bloom than 

 it can carry fruit, we set each blossom carefully with a camel's- 

 hair brush, using the pollen from one of the small-petalled 

 varieties. It may be only fancy, but I always think the pollen 

 of the small-petalled varieties is more potent than that of the 

 more beautiful large-petalled flowers. The great majority of 

 trees which have an abundance of blossom we go round morning 

 and afternoon, and give the stem of each a sharp, firm hit with 

 the side of the hand, and this we find sets the pollen flying all 

 over the house and secures an abundant set of fruit. The Plums 

 as they come to bloom we find equally easy to set, but not so the 

 Pears, whose pollen seems heavier and stickier. These we go 

 over diligently with the camel's-hair brush, and by placing a 

 plant or two of Cytisus among the trees endeavour to attract 

 every passing bee to visit them. Notwithstanding this we always 

 regard Pears as an uncertain crop, whereas with Peaches, Nec- 

 tarines, and Plums we never waste a moment's anxiety upon 

 them ; we know that in due season we shall reap. 



Ail this time (and always) ventilation has been given — very 

 freely when the outside air is even moderately dry, rather more 

 sparingly when it is surcharged with moisture. 



After the Peaches and Nectarines are well set we always 

 manage to get another night's smoking before the Plums and 

 Pears (brought in a month later) are in bloom, and if one or two 



