254 



THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



cut back to skeletons ; the chief of the 

 fruit-buds being at the junctions of the new 

 wood with that of last year; leave only 

 three or four joints beyond that point, and 

 Cut clear away at the base every branch 

 that is ill placed or that chokes up the 

 centre. Black currants do not like the 

 knife. Trim the branches to regular dis- 

 tances, and shorten the longest back to 

 good joints, but preserve plenty of young 

 wood, leaving the plumpest branches nearly 

 their full length and cutting all weak ones 

 clean away. Treat gooseberries in the 

 same way; they never bear well if severely 

 pruned. Scrub old apple trees that are 

 infested with blight with a strong brine, 

 rather warm, and stop the holes with a 

 mixture of clay, sulphur, soot, and cow- 

 dung, beaten together into a tenacious 

 paste. Put stakes to everything fresh 

 planted, or, better still, three lengths of 

 tarred rope fastened to pegs driven firmly 

 in the ground. 



Geeenhouse. — There is great danger 

 of overcrowding the plants newly housed, 

 owing to the numbers that are propagated 

 during summer. It would be better even 

 to destroy surplus stock than to spoil a 

 whole collection by cramming too many 

 plants into a limited space. Give plenty 

 of air, but guai'd against sudden night 

 frosts. Withhold water as much as pos- 

 sible to induce a state of rest in the plants, 

 but allow nothing to get dust-dry, for that 

 is an injury to the tender roots, on which 

 the plant has to depend in a great measure 

 to sustain itself. The first frost is generally 

 severe ; if, by accident, any plants get 

 caught by it, keep them shaded and occa- 

 sionally sprinkled with cold water, but 

 remove the shade as soon as they show 

 signs of recovery. Plants in bloom should 

 be kept safe from cold nights, and when- 

 ever watered it should be with tepid water. 

 Green-fly is very apt to attack soft-wood ed 

 plants at this season, and the moment the 

 pest appears tobacco smoke must be re- 

 sorted to. Keep up the heat among pines, 

 but give as much air as possible. Do not 

 push any into undue growth, or they will 

 suflPer severely on the accession of colder 

 weather. Do without fire as long as you 

 dare, but use a little in foggy weather to 

 cause a circulation of air. Be gentle with 

 plants that are to be forced; if put into 

 heat too suddenly the bloom-buds will fall 

 off or burst. 



Auriculas. — Damp is now their great 

 enemy, and yet water must be given, if 

 they want it, at the root. Keep the glass 

 over them, and give air liberally. Remove 

 dead leaves, and guard against drip. 



Azaleas. — Keep cool, or they may start 



too soon ; a few may be started very gently 

 for the first bloom. 



Camellias are now in fine bloom in 

 many places, and only need moderate pro- 

 tection to keep them gay. But, as they 

 are not yet wanted, those showing colour 

 must be retarded as much as possible to 

 keep them back till the chrysanthemums 

 are over. 



Chrysanthemums to have plenty of water 

 and no more liquid manure. By keeping 

 the backward plants out to the latest mo- 

 ment which it is safe to do so, they will 

 come in usefully as a succession to keep 

 the conservatory gay till after Christmas. 



Cinerarias have now their seasonal 

 ordeal to pass through, and must have 

 every proper attention, or mildew will eat 

 them up. Sulphur them if there is the 

 least sign of the plague, and give plenty 

 of air. Get specimen plants into shape, 

 and put the early ones into their blooming 

 pots; stop ten days after shifting. 



Dahlias. — Take up at once, or as soon 

 as the frost has spoilt their beauty. A few 

 dahlias, which we took up on clean stems 

 by disbudding rather late in the season, 

 are now nice standards in pots, and will 

 make a show under glass for some time to 

 come. This may be a useful hint to those 

 who have heavy demands upon them to 

 keep conservatories gay. 



Fuchsias done blooming to be left out 

 as long as possible to harden the wood, and 

 those for specimens next year to be started 

 gently as soon as they have shaken off 

 their leaves, preparatory to repotting in a 

 month's time. Standards must be kept 

 slightly on the move all winter to make 

 sure of them. Fuchsias stored under stages 

 had better not be pruned, except just the 

 points of the longest shoots, as it causes 

 them to break before they are wanted. 

 Late-struck plants will be in nice bloom 

 now for the conservatory, and cuttings 

 may now be put in for early plants. 



Geraniums potted from the borders to 

 be pruned in, but not severely, suflScient 

 only to remove the soft sappy growth, as 

 severe pruning would cause them to grow 

 again too quickly. Those for special pur- 

 poses and for early bloom should be cut in 

 close, and put in bottom-heat for a month. 

 If any remain out get them up before 

 they melt into a jelly, and give them a 

 warm berth for a week or two, to enable 

 them to get hold of the new stuff in which 

 they are potted. Poor sandy stuff for all 

 bedders that are merely to be kept, as the 

 less growth the better. 



Pelargoniums have been pretty free 

 from disasters hitherto; but the season of 

 mildew is upon us. Use fire-heat by day 



