THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 277 



Select healthy pyramidal or bush trees, and stop them twice 

 during the growing season ; each time at the fourth or fifth leaf 

 frfcm the base of the shoot stopped. When stopped more than 

 twice, the last growth is soft and watery, and has to be cut entirely 

 away. The second growth can be cut back at the winter pruning, 

 and all weak shoots not required thinned out. 



The trees must not be hurried into flower in the spring, but only 

 have sufficient fire-heat to keep them warm and comfortable, and to 

 dry up any dampness that may arise when they are in flower. 

 Ventilate abundantly at all times when the weather will permit; 

 and as apricots, cherries, and plums require more air at all times 

 than the peaches and nectarines, the house ought to have a division 

 in the centre to enable each fruit to receive the treatment most 

 congenial to it. After they are in full leaf, syringe twice a day in 

 bright sunny weather, and once when it is damp and cloudy, except 

 when the fruit is ripening. It is also important to avoid the 

 common practice of neglecting the trees after the crop is gathered, 

 for when the foliage is allowed to get smothered with red spider, 

 and in consequence fall off prematurelv, the buds are frequently 

 not properly formed, and the result is a failure the following 

 season. 



A WORD TO THOSE ABOUT TO PLANT. 



HE proper time for planting evergreen shrubs appears 

 not to be well understood, for we see such work in pro- 

 gress in the depth of winter, which is the worst time ; 

 and few people think of planting in the moist warm 

 days of autumn, which is the best time in all the year. 

 Losses invariably occur amongst evergreens planted in winter, and 

 frequently the dead trees are allowed to remain a whole season — 

 ghastly objects in the midst of otherwise pleasing plantations, in 

 the hope, we suppose, that they will come to life again. To be sure, 

 they do not always die outright, and there is therefore the chance of 

 a few shoots from the base if they are left alone ; but it requires 

 the growth of many years to make trees of them again, and they do 

 not rank equal in height and bulk with th«_ir companions till about 

 half a man's lifetime has gone by. When evergreen shrubs are 

 moved in September, the losses are reduced to a minimum, pro- 

 vided the work is well done, and the trees push the next spring 

 with the same vigour and freedom as those that have not been 

 moved for years. For the planting of American shrubs, September 

 and October are the best months in the whole year, yet this work 

 is too often deferred till spring, and the trees are hurried into 

 growth by the increasing temperature of the season ere their roots 

 have made the least progress in the new soil they are planted in. 

 In cases where extensive operations are in progress, the month of 

 July is scarcely too soon for the planting of evergreen shrubs ; 

 August is a perfectly safe time ; September and October are as safe, 

 and more convenient ; and every month in the whole year is more or 

 less objectionable. The question as to the best time to move hollies 



