240 



THE GARDENER. 



[May 



done, lay a few inches of manure on 

 the surface of the borders. In dis- 

 budding and tying in the young wood, 

 reserve very little more than is suffi- 

 cient to furnish the trees with bearing- 

 wood f«)r next year. Thin the fruit 

 by degrees, and itiaally after they have 

 stoned. If green-fly appears, fumigate 

 with tobacco before it gets a footing. 

 In 1879 we syringed two trees with 

 parafiiu-oil and water after the leaves 

 dropped, and on these two trees there 

 was no green-fly last year. Last winter 

 the whole trees were dressed with par- 

 affin, and up till the middle of April 

 we have not detected a fly on some 

 thirty trees that were attacked before 

 the fruit were set last year. Pinch all 

 shoots that are growing much more 

 strongly than others on young trees, 

 so as to equalise the growth as much 

 as possible. Trees that are inclined 

 to grow too strongly can be checked 

 by rather heavy cropping. 



Figs.— These will be swelling their 

 crop rapidly, and those started in De- 

 cember should begin to ripen before the 

 close of the month. Up till the time 

 of ripening, keep a moist atmosphere, 

 and syringe the trees freely every fine 

 day at shutting-up time. When the 

 first signs of ripening are noticed, dis- 

 continue syringing, and otherwise de- 

 crease the moisture and ventilate more 

 freely, so as to keep a circulation of 

 dry warm air about the trees, that the 

 Figs may be well-flavoured. Let the 

 night temperature be 65°. When the 

 second crop is well developed on the 

 young growths, thin them out in time. 

 A fair crop of large well-swelled fruits 

 is much to be preferred to a greater 

 number of inferior quality. Attend to 

 the tying of young growths on succes- 

 sion-trees, and do not crowd the foliage 

 by retaining more growths than are 

 needed to furnish the trees. See that 

 all trees in pots or restricted inside 

 borders are well supplied with water, 

 giving frequent applications of manure- 

 water. 



Melons. — Sow and plant out for 

 succession-crops at the beginning and 

 end of the month. Attend regularly 

 to the tying and stopping of those 

 planted out last month, and see that 

 plants in bloom are impregnated regu- 

 larly. The best time for this is at 

 mid-day, when the pollen is most 



likely to be well developed. The 

 amount and depth of soil for JNIelons 

 planted now should be more than for 

 early crops. Do not over-water crops 

 which are fully swollen, especially 

 should the weather be dull and damp, 

 or the fruits may crack. Whenever 

 they begin to change colour, expose 

 them as much as possible to the sun. 

 Give more air, and lessen the moisture 

 in the soil, but do not dry them off to 

 such an extent as will injuriously 

 effect the leaves ; for Melons can never 

 be properly finished unless the foliage 

 be retained in health. Syringe young 

 growing plants at shutting-up time, 

 and let the heat run up to about 90° 

 for a time with sun-heat. Do not let 

 the night temperature drop below 70°, 

 nor exceed 75°. 



Cucumbers.— Plants that have been 

 bearing all winter and spring will now 

 be superseded by younger ones, and 

 the former may be done away with, 

 and the pit occupied with Melons or 

 Tomatoes. Sow at the beginning of 

 the month, to produce a batch of plants 

 to be put into frames and pits after 

 the tender flower-garden plants have 

 been planted out. Give plants in 

 full bearing occasional waterings of 

 manure- water, and top-dress the bor- 

 der with fresh loam and manure, if 

 the roots have come through the last 

 dressing. Thin out old growths, and 

 let young ones take their place. 



Strawberries. — Unless carefully 

 managed, these, if grown on shelves 

 in hothouses, are apt to be very 

 troublesome with red-spider. Except 

 those in full bloom, syringe them 

 freely every day to keep them clean, 

 and see that they are never allowed 

 to get dry at the root. A good plan 

 after the first of this month is to fill 

 pots about half full of rich soil and 

 place the Strawberry -pots in them. 

 They root into the soil, and are very 

 much nourished thereby. This is 

 much better than placing the pots 

 in flats of water, which rots the roots 

 and spoils the flavour of the fruit. 

 All plants now done bearing may be 

 hardening off previous to being planted 

 out. The remainder of the stock yet 

 to fruit may be placed in pits and 

 frames near the glass, where they will 

 ripen before Strawberries are ready 

 outdoors. 



