1877 . ] 
THE CULTURE OF WALL FRUITS.-CHAPTER X. 
177 
THE HARDY FRUIT CROPS IN 1877. 
jN this district of North Nottinghamshire the failure in the crops of Pears, 
Cherries, Plums, and Apples is greater than I ever experienced before, and 
this ^eems to be the case in all the Midland Counties. The trees were 
abundantly covered with blossoms, and promised, had the fruit set well, to 
produce heavy crops. The Apples were later than usual in flowering, and the 
frosts in the first week in May could not have injured them much, but the 
blossoms opened paler in colour, and smaller in size than is usual in the different 
varieties, and the fruit set badly, and most of it dropped when young. I see in 
many orchards that the Apple-trees are much blighted at the present time, by 
the foliage being curled up and falling off. 
There is little doubt but that the past abnormal winter has been one of the 
causes of the hardy fruit failing so much, for we had a spring temperature in 
January, February, and March, combined with excessive moisture. The circula¬ 
tion of the sap in many kinds of fruit-trees was then active, but afterwards cold 
east winds, with frosty nights and mornings, prevailed in April and at the begin¬ 
ning of May, causing a stagnation in their growth. 
In general, the hardy bush fruit, such as Grooseberries, Currants, and Raspberries, 
are bearing abundant crops here, the frosts in May only injuring them a little on 
the top of the bushes. Strawberries are likewise bearing well this year, that 
prolific and excellent variety, Viscointesse Hericart de Thiirij^ especially being 
more prolific than usual.— William Tillery, Welbeck. 
THE CULTURE OF WALL FRUITS. 
Chapter X.— The Peach and Nectarine {continued). 
i^ROM the very time that the young trees commence making their growth 
W after planting, they become the subjects of much anxiety to the careful 
cultivator. So many enemies to a healthy development seem to crop up 
at various times to neutralise our best efforts, that there needs a consider¬ 
able amount of foresight to guard against them, and a constant look-out to detect 
the first indications of their appearance becomes almost imperative. Besides, a 
little time spent in the beginning, to counteract evil influences, will often save 
much after-labour. 
To begin at the beginning, the Peach is one of those trees which always start 
early into vital action, and if in the early spring, when the saj) is on the move, 
they should become exposed to severe frosts, the most disastrous consequences 
will follow; the vessels of the young wood will frequently burst, through 
expansion, and from these spots, in process of time, large exuda¬ 
tions of gum will take place, which is not only unsightly, but in¬ 
jurious. It is, however, on the embryo foliage that the greatest amount 
of mischief results. The young leaves become so deranged in their natural 
functions, that when the sap arises freely on the advent of a higher temperature, 
