228 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ October, 
space open, whicli would allow of a tliorough circulation of air from end to end. 
In lean-to or sloping erections it is a good plan to connect every two lights 
together with strong, shifting hinges, so that each alternate light may be turned 
back upon its neighbour, which should be done at all times in mild weather, but 
most particularly in very bright sunlight, because then the bees are generally at 
work, and should have free access to the bloom for fertilising purposes. 
It is not absolutely necessary, as some might suppose, that the lights should 
reach to the ground. On the contrary, I consider it desirable that they should 
not do so by about a foot or even more, at which height they may rest upon a 
rail fastened to stumps or posts, driven in at a distance of three feet from the 
wall. If, however, the system of upright sliding lights should be considered 
desirable, they would require to have solid ground under the base on which they 
slide, and therefore a space of a foot should be left open at the bottom of each 
light, which can easily be done by a cross-bar. In addition to this permanent 
opening at the bottom, it is advisable, except under circumstances of severe frost 
or cutting winds, to leave air on all night. I have no faith in any kind of pro¬ 
tection which excludes air; and if air in motion can be secured, so much the 
better. The object is not to coddle-up the trees, and render them tender, or to 
force them forward by a close and stagnant atmosphere, but to assist the setting 
process by the maintenance of a dry atmosphere, and afterwards to preserve the 
embryo fruit from injurious extremes of temperature, as long as such protection 
is necessary, but not a day longer—unless, indeed, it is considered desirable to 
forward a portion of the crop, so as to lengthen the season, in which case the 
requisite number of lights must be left on, and less air be given. 
Another and less expensive method of using glass as a protector is by 
means of copings. Even in so very exceptional a season as that of 1877, we 
have secured nearly half a crop on a few peach trees, which have a covering of 
glass 2 ft. wide fixed on brackets under the coping of the wall, and projecting 
about 20 inches. Along the front of this was suspended thick woollen netting, 
reaching to within 2 ft. of the ground. It will thus be seen that abundance of 
air could reach them night and da}^ while the netting intercepted driving rains, 
so that the trees were kept dry. I was pleased, moreover, to find that there was 
scarcely a curled or blistered leaf on them, whereas many others not so protected 
were in some cases nearly killed, and in most instances so covered with thick- 
fleshed abortions of leaves that scarcely a perfect leaf could be found. 
Now a perfectly healthy development of foliage is an absolute necessity for 
the production of fine fruit, and it appears to me that in our uncertain climate 
this can only in most seasons be ensured by the application of glass in some 
shape or other. For those who cannot enter upon the more expensive methods 
of application, these glass copings are to be recommended, and being permanently 
fixed they are no trouble. It will also be found that the fruit on the top of 
the trees under the glass will be the finest and the earliest to ripen. But the 
Peach has many more enemies than inclement weather.— John Cox, Eedleaf. 
