266 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ Decembbb, 
THE SPEING TEEATMENT OF WALL FEUIT-TEEES. 
N the following observations I have endeavoured to set forth, by a practical 
illustration, the ideas that are sometinaes entertained regarding the “ assist¬ 
ing ” of nature, more especially in reference to the protection and judicious 
management of Wall Fruit-trees. The winter of 1873-4 may be said to 
have been mild and open, but as the days lengthened we were visited by the 
usual cold, cutting east and north-east winds, and towards the end of April, ex¬ 
tending thence into May, the weather was very cold and bleak, but usually 
dry. Cold storms of hail and sleet, followed by frosty mornings, were, however, 
flying about in some localities; and when vegetation came to be caught by such 
a storm late in the afternoon or evening, and left for the night wet and unpro¬ 
tected, it was, as usual, very much in danger of being destroyed or greatly 
checked or injured by the morning’s frost. I have myself had many a long night’s 
work over this, looking up old stores placed in readiness for such an emergency, and 
never fearing very much about the cold or its injurious effects on vegetation so 
long as the atmosphere continued dry. When these storms occurred in the day¬ 
time, so that the sun and wind sprang up in the afternoon, and left vegetation dry 
by sunset, there was but little fear of any extensive damage being done to fruit 
or tender vegetation. Nevertheless, the facts do not seem to be considered such 
by some gardeners, or if so, they do not follow the idea out in practice. Every¬ 
body remembers that last spring we had a long continuance of cold, ungenial, 
cutting winds, and many severe frosty mornings occurred even so late as May. I 
was confined indoors with a very severe illness from January till May; still, by 
reading the horticultural publications, I could not help being posted up in the 
facts, and as usual, not only interested in the matter, but fearful as to the results. 
In May last, an old friend, and a gardener, too, of some note, from the 
vicinity of London, who had also been ill for some months, came down to stay in 
Exmouth, as recommended, for the benefit of his health. On Mav 5 he came to 
US with his wife, in a close comfortable fly, to take us for a drive through the 
well-protected Devonshire lanes, where the banks were covered with violets, 
primroses, jacinths, orchids, and numerous other lovely wild flowers—where the 
cuckoo, song-thrush, blackbird, sky-lark, wood-lark, and various finches and other 
warblers were wonderfully joyous and merry; while the rooks were cawing and 
feeding their squealing young, the carrion crow was croaking near the wood, and 
the magpie, jay, and jackdaw were chattering according to their wont. We much 
enjoyed ourselves, the sun shone gloriously, all nature seemed jubilant, but when 
we came to high ground, the wind was biting, and let us know from what 
direction it blew. 
About half-past 3 p.m. we came to a somewhat noted garden. The gardener we 
all knew, and we went in to see him. “ Ah 1” he says, “ glad to see you out again ; 
a terribly cold, cutting, blighting wind, though, not much fit for you two invalids 
to be out in, I should think.” We remarked that we were well protected, and 
