April 15. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER, 
this objection, in which I confess I participate, although I 
am also desirous that it should not he considered as apply¬ 
ing to Mr. Baily individually.” 
The same good authority gives us the following 
result of liis experience in preserving eggs — 
“ Fill a large earthen jar, such as Portugal grapes come 
over in, two-thirds full of spring water. Slack some lime, 
and stir in sufficient to make the water as white as milk, 
and a little thicker; let the mixture stand and settle until 
the lime has fallen to the bottom. Take off the scum, and 
the water will be perfectly clear, but let the lime remain. 
Place the jar, uncovered, in a cool place, such as a pantry, 
and drop in the eggs carefully day by day, as they are laid. 
They will keep for many months. We are now (April) 
using eggs put down in this way in July last, which are per¬ 
fectly sweet and good.” 
We can strongly recommend the Labels for Shrubs, 
Roses, &c.. mentioned in the following note. 
“ Several suggestions for this purpose having appeared in 
the pages of The Cottage Gardener, I am induced to 
forward to you one of a kind invented by a relative of my 
own, who takes great delight in his arboretum, and has 
every specimen there very fully named and catalogued. 
| The label I send you is composed of the same material as 
i a common tobacco-pipe ; it is nearly the size and shape of a 
j penny, with two holes intended to receive the ends of a 
piece of zinc wire, the ends of which are then to be passed* 
round the stem of the tree, and twisted together. The 
writing is to be with a common black lead pencil, which a 
drop of water fixes, I believe, for ever. This method has 
been in use for two or three years, and no evidence has yet 
; occurred to cast a doubt of its utility. The labels are 
J likewise made of an oval shape, considerably larger than 
the enclosed. Should the stem increase in size it easily 
untwists a little of the soft wire. These labels are manu¬ 
factured to order by Mr. 'Williams, Iviugsholm, Gloucester, 
at the price of six shillings the gross, that is to say, one 
j halfpenny a piece .”—A Parson’s Wife. 
Fortunately the pencil writiug is not indelible on 
these labels, though very permanent, so that the writing 
can be scrubbed off, and the label used for another 
plant. 
PROTECTION OF BLOSSOMS. 
On all sides we, hear wailings of a most ungenial 
spring; what the metropolitan gardeners used to term 
“ the black thorn winter ” has, indeed, reigned supreme 
for the last three weeks at least. Verily, the prospective 
gifts of Pomona are fostered by a churlish nurse, and 
woe to him who is fond of leaving every thing to what 
shortsightedness calls chance. These north-easters, 
accompanied almost nightly by some half-a-dozen 
degrees of frost, are not particularly qualified to make 
converts in the non-protection way. Ample copings, 
and front-coverings will surely be more in fashion 
than hitherto. The day is at hand, when as much 
night covering as will ward off frost and frosty winds 
will be better appreciated; when the difference between 
a judicious amount of protection and mere coddling, 
through mistaken views, or mere apathy, will be nicely 
separated, and the use and abuse of the principle be 
carefully distinguished. 
We have beforo stated our impressions, that the 
whole subject of covering to the tender buds of fruit- 
trees in course of development, should be reviewed 
under two divisions, viz., retardation and protection. 
These two processes, which undistinguishing minds 
have ever been too apt to confound, are nevertheless 
essentially distinct; the distinctness not dependent on 
the material used, but on the operator. In order to 
understand this matter aright, a somewhat close con¬ 
sideration of the conllicting elements the gardener has 
31 
to deal with must be grappled with. It is not singly a 
question of frost, of sunshine, or of winds, but all com¬ 
bined; what doctors would term a complication. Re¬ 
tardation, according to our acceptance, is capable, in 
the majority of cases, of carrying out two most im¬ 
portant matters; one, the insuring a root action in 
unison with the branch development; the other, increas¬ 
ing the chances of floral impregnation through the in¬ 
creased temperature of the period, together with the 
absence of at least one portion of the frosts incidental to 
early spring. 
We have covered a vast extent of trees and bushes 
this spring, most of which was accomplished in the 
beginning of February. The one portion, superior 
wall trees, have canvass, and the rest aro done with 
spruce boughs. The canvassed trees have been managed 
strictly on the retarding principle up to the time of 
blooming, and since that, on the protective principle. 
The canvass, by the retarding system, was uncovered, 
on an average, about three days a-week; sometimes two 
or three days successively. On all very cold, dull, and 
windy days, the trees were sure to be exposed, and as 
surely covered during sunshine. By these means, they 
have heen retarded at least a fortnight, which we hold 
to be a thing of importance; and, moreover, by free 
exposure to every cold wind, the buds are in a most 
hardy state. At night, however, the trees are always 
covered. As soon as the first blossom opens the prac¬ 
tice is fairly reversed; during every chance of sunshine 
the trees are uncovered, and as carefully covered during 
very inclement weather. Our peach wall is now, April 
1st, nearly in full bloom, and is certainly the finest 
sight of the kind we ever witnessed. Apricots just be¬ 
ginning to cast their corolla. Pears will be unfolding 
their blossoms in about a fortnight, and other things 
in a similar ratio. 
Now, there cannot be a moment’s doubt that this 
retarding is of eminent service to the blossom in other 
ways than by mere surface operations. Every one 
must have observed in his day the impatience with 
which the long - imprisoned bud bursts its bonds in 
the event of a protracted and ungenial spring; if we 
mistake not, evidence of this kind will be common this 
spring, and not only the buds of trees, but vegetables, as 
brocolis, &c., exhibit a similar impatience. A moment’s 
consideration will show that this is the mere conse¬ 
quence of accumulated bottom warmth, bringing the 
root into action before any expenditure takes place in 
the branches. It is well known that the earth begins 
to borrow of tbe atmosphere from the moment the 
latter’s averages are in advance of the former, which 
operation will probably commence about the beginning 
of March; therefore, it is evident that if the cultivator 
can by any means arrest the development of the buds 
for a while, the root will be all this time increasing in 
action, and, consequently, the better ready to supply the 
needs of the plant or tree. Surely nobody will affirm 
that a torpid root is to be preferred to an active one; 
and, indeed, the covering of vine borders, the wrapping 
haybands round the stems of tender trees, and sundry 
other appliances, to say nothing of careful drainage, all 
attest an anxiety on the part of those who thus practice, 
to establish a due relation between root and branch. 
And now, to those who have a short memory we say, 
do not forget the advent of the insect tribes, which are 
sure to make their appearance as soon as the elaborative 
powers of the fruit-trees commence. For our part, we j 
have not left a stone unturned which might in any way 
act as a preventive. Sulphur, soft-soap, Ac., have been 
called fully into requisition, together with liberal scrub¬ 
bings of such things as brine; and, although such appli¬ 
cations in the early spring months appear troublesoino 
processes, and hinder or protract other matters at times, 
yet we arc sure of being gainers in the end, even in the 
