1869.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. IH 



birds and slugs, should be looked after in due time. Red-lead, sown 

 with the seed, is often used with success against mice and birds ; wood- 

 ashes and coal-ashes, free from dust and the rough parts, are useful 

 against slugs. Nets to keep off birds are almost indispensable. If any 

 crops do not make their appearance above ground in due time, fresh 

 sowing should be made without delay : this applies to Onions, Carrots, 

 and Parsnips especially. If the ground is parched before sowing small 

 seeds, let the drills be watered and the seed sown, covering up at once. 

 Cucumbers for ridges, Vegetable Marrows, and Tomatoes, may be sown, 

 if not already done : let them be shifted to larger-sized pots before they 

 become pot-bound: keep them growing steadily, giving air in fine 

 weather, gradually hardening them till they can be planted out in their 

 permanent quarters. If Cucumber and Melon beds are falling m 

 temperature, give fresh linings with warm stable-dung : train the shoots 

 across the beds, but not crowding them. Pinch the tops out of 

 Cucumbers as soon as the fruit shows itself : do not let too many swell 

 at once j be guided by the strength of the plants. The shorter-grow- 

 ing kinds are most useful when their appearance is not a consideration. 

 When either Melons or Cucumbers are opening their flowers (female), 

 water should be withheld till the Melons are as large as hens' eggs, and 

 the Cucumbers 2 inches long. Though this applies most to Melons, 

 yet it is all the better for Cucumbers in dung-beds ; there will then be 

 fewer fruits decaying at their points. 



There will not be much to do to fruit-trees this month, except the 

 thinning out of wood and flower-buds. We again offer the caution 

 not to allow overcrowding of the wood— 3 or 4 inches between each 

 shoot would not be too much; and when the bearing-shoots for next 

 year's supply of fruit are the length desired, let the tops be nipped 

 out. Any that are growing too gross and watery require to be fre- 

 quently topped as they grow, otherwise they would monopolise the 

 whole vigour of the trees, and bear no fruit. Keep all close to the 

 walls, and save all natural spurs, which are always certain to be 

 fruitful. Where time can be spared to separate clusters of flower- 

 buds it would be well-spent work, as thickets of flowers often prevent 

 each other from setting. The petals should have at least room to 

 expand ; and the flowers best exposed to light and air, as well as being 

 close to the walls, are the ones which should be left. This applies 

 particularly to Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots, though Apples, 

 Pears, and Plums can be improved where time can be spared. Figs 

 w^hich have been protected with strawbands, &c., may be taken down, 

 the dead wood cut out (if any), and the shoots nailed and tied up in 

 their places ; but it may be necessary to have a covering to throw 

 over the trees at night, as frost would ruin the young fruit. After the 



