1874.] 
HARDY FRUIT CROPS IN NORTH NOTTS. 
131 
much of our labour might he lightened by preparing plants in the open ground, 
running the spade round them in September, lifting them, and placing nice soil 
compactly round their roots in the pits or frames; while in February, manure- 
water applied after the fruit is formed, does much to secure large fruit. Though 
there may be nothing new in this, the practice is sound.—M. Temple, Blenheim, 
HAEDY FEUIT CKOPS IN NOETH NOTTS. 
S ELDOM have the uncertainty and irregularity of our climate been more 
remarkably experienced than within the last three weeks. In the last week 
in April, the weather was as warm as in June or July, but a change of 
^ , wind to the north-east on the 29th, brought down the temperature so that 
we had slight frosts in the mornings. On the 2nd of May the thermometer here 
in the morning was as low as 27°, or 5° of frost, and at Ollerton and Budby, near 
this, 10° and 12° of frost are reported to have occurred on the same morning. The 
thermometers of the observers in these localities may, however, want correcting 
at Kew or Greenwich before this low temperature can be taken as strictly accurate. 
Up till this date in May (the 11th) the wind still keeps easterly, with slight frosts 
in the mornings, and with some hail-showers on the 8th and 10th. 
I have never before seen the trees of Plums, Cherries, and Pears in gardens and 
orchards so abundantly clothed with bloom as they were this year ; and the fine, 
warm, forcing weather in April was favourable for the setting of the fruit. 
Legions of aphides and grubs are, however, now busy preying on the foliage and 
young fruit set, and in such weather these pests seem more ravenous, and multiply 
faster than when it is warmer. The Apple-trees are now in full flower, and the 
cold, frosty mornings must have injured the bloom to a certain extent ;.but there 
is abundance of it, and a good crop of this invaluable fruit may yet be grown. 
The small, hardy bush-fruit, such as Gooseberries and Currants, have only been 
injured on the tops of the bushes, for the fruits set below were well protected by 
the foliage. The keen frosts in the beginning of May turned all the flowers 
opened on the early Strawberries quite black in the centre, and of course made 
the fruit abortive, but the later-flowering varieties are not quite out in bloom 
yet, and will stand a better chance, should a change of weather come soon. 
The severe frost on the morning of March 11 did not injure the blossoms of 
Apricots, Peaches, and Nectarines so much as was expected, even on walls not 
protected. This must have been owing to the dry weather which prevailed in 
the first portion of the month, making the walls, trees, and ground below them 
so dry and warm that the 15° of frost had less power to injure any of the 
blooms close to the wall. I have been thinning lately the fruit off the trees 
of Apricots and Peaches on a wall not at all protected, and have left a full crop 
on. The Kaisha Apricot, especially on this wall, has set its fruit more plentifully 
than any of the other varieties, and I have observed this before in other years 
with frosty springs, so that I reckon this variety one of the hardiest of Apricots. 
On the Plum-walls, Elvers’ Early Favourite, Dovebank, Mimms, and Kirke’s have 
