128 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
heat and air enough to dry off again all damp ; when the nights are mild and 
fine a portion of air may remain on. As the blossom-buds swell, persevere in 
thinning them to a single bud, and, of course, let that be the strongest. This 
hud-thinning must not be done all at once, but moderately and daily, by 
degrees, as the buds progress. As soon as the blossom commences expanding, 
syringing, and all damp, must be withheld, and a dry atmosphere maintained. 
No mistake must be made in the stage I am now about to speak of—re¬ 
specting Peaches in bloom from December to February. It is natural for the 
blossom of Peaches and Nectarines to expand previous to the wood-bud com¬ 
mencing its growth. If too much heat and moisture are applied, and the 
wood-bud commences its growth much before the fruit is well set, though the 
blossom may appear very gay and strong, it is almost sure all to fall off without 
the fruit setting; or, when to all appearance it is set, if the wood-bud should 
take the lead: thus the necessity of maintaining a cool dry atmosphere, taking 
advantage of sunny days to apply extra heat, with abundance of air, during as 
many hours as it is safe to do so; and this must be regulated by the sunlight 
and external atmosphere. As the trees are commencing to expand their 
blossoms a small bunch of nice soft feathers should be tied on the end of a 
little stick, long enough to reach any and every blossom expanded in any part 
of the house. This is to impregnate them; and it should be done with care, 
taking the advantage, as much as possible, of sunny days, or when the house 
has had its extra daily heat and air applied ; and when the atmosphere is dry, 
and almost daily, in suitable weather, the feathers should be quickly passed 
over the whole of the expanded blossoms. Then I take the butt end of the 
little stick and tap the trellises, and the large branches and stems of the trees, 
in order to cause a jar to disturb the farina, which, when nice and dry, and 
there is light from the sun, may be seen like dust in the atmosphere, setting 
on and over everything. By attending strictly to this, every blossom in the 
structure may be set. 
As soon as the fruit is set, the syringe, with a fine rose to it, should be set 
to work with tepid water. This soon clears the trees of all loose bloom, the 
fruit shows itself, the wood-bud begins to grow, and not unlikely but the green 
fly may make its appearance. Whether it does so or not it is no harm to give 
the structure a fumigating with tobacco as a preventive. This, of course, 
should also be done with great care at this season of short dark days, when the 
foliage and young shoots are thin and soft. To prevent any chance of mis¬ 
chief, the atmosphere should be quite dry, and the tobacco smoke not too 
much heated. In order to prevent this, if there is any fear of it being so, it 
may be subdued by throwing over the fumigating-pot a little straight heath, 
birch, or straw, for the smoke to pass through ; this regulates and spreads the 
smoke, without any fear of injury to young tender foliage or fruit. We rarely 
ever have to smoke or fumigate a Peach-house but once ; the reason why will 
presently be explained. The wood-buds being now progressing, commence 
early disbudding, taking off first, by degrees, a part of the under and upper, 
or straight erect buds. Continue this almost daily till finished; then com¬ 
mence thinning the shoots, which will now have become an inch or two long 
on the sides, by rubbing off some, and pinching others, leaving a few leaves at 
the base, taking care always to leave at the base, or on other parts where 
required, a young shoot for next year's supply, and, of course, always a leader 
on the upper end of all fruit-bearing wood. At the same time, in performing 
this at first, all double-formed fruit should be picked off: for if left it is very 
general that at stoning time the one side fails, and the other takes the lead, 
but it is not then much better than a deformity. I have sometimes, with a 
sharp knife, taken off one side where I considered a fruit was required; but it 
