48 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
invite them to study the causes which contribute to produce them, and the 
means whereby we may he enabled to counteract the evil results which 
inevitably follow when the trees are allowed to follow out those tendencies 
unchecked. 
Now with regard to the causes, there is no doubt on my mind hut that 
they arise from the fact that there are certain seasons which are more 
favourable than others for the production of fruit-bearing wood, which in 
an ordinary way is the result of a very hot and dry summer and autumn 
followed by a favourable spring, in which the fruit sets most abundantly, 
and the tree, in proportion to its strength, will bring a great quantity to an 
inferior degree of perfection. 
Now it is in seasons like this that the skilfulness and foresight of the 
manager are most required; for instead of taking a large crop he will 
wisely reduce it to rather less than what would be called a fair crop for one 
season, in order that he may have a reasonable chance of an average crop 
the next year. Otherwise the overborne exhausted trees will he undergoing 
the process of renovation, and of course it will be called a bad fruit year. 
When trees are under control, and the principles which regulate their 
growth properly studied and acted upon, we ought to hear less about the 
periodical returns of good fruit years. There is no doubt hut that climatic 
or atmospherical conditions do very much influence this state of things, and 
will sometimes baffle the very best of management, but it is seldom that 
such extremes occur as cannot be counteracted by some means or another, 
either by supplying those elements which are deficient, or taking means 
to ward off the effects of such as are in superabundance. For example : if it 
should he a long-continued heat and drought, we have the power of sup¬ 
plying such an amount of moisture to the roots, and syringing to the 
foliage, as will ensure to the tree that amount of aliment necessary to 
enable it to keep up a free development of growth in spite of adverse 
natural conditions; the tendency, therefore, to the formation of an undue 
amount of fruitful wood will he checked, and the functions of the tree he 
carried on as though there were no disturbing influences at work. 
The influences exercised by extremely wet seasons are more difficult to 
counteract, because they are generally' accompanied by a low temperature, 
which prevents the proper ripening of the wood, and interferes with the 
formation of healthy fruit-buds. Fortunately such extremely wet seasons 
are rare, and when they do occur their evil effects may be partially prevented 
either by a waterproof covering to the roots, or by throwing up the earth of 
the border into a steep slope, so that the water may run off freely. But 
I would here observe, that if the border is thoroughly drained and the soil 
not too retentive of moisture, a vast amount of water may percolate through 
it without leading to any serious effects. On the contrary, if badly drained 
or not drained at all, the best manager in the world would be baffled, unless 
the rain water could be carried away without entering the border, and also 
for the simple reason that, if it cannot be carried away, the roots would 
become clogged and unable to perform their proper functions, whereby the 
well-doing of the branches would be affected. 
The prevalence of a very low temperature in the spring months, hut 
particularly when attended with early morning frosts, is a great drawback 
to success, and can only be combated by an efficient and moveable protec¬ 
tion. This is more especially necessary for the fruit under consideration, and 
also for Peaches, because both Apricots and Peaches expand their bloom 
very early, and great watchfulness is required in order to apply protection 
