i88i.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 213 



black fly. Grubs may put in an appearance on Apricots, which are 

 detected by curling of the leaf. Hand-picking is the only effectual 

 remedy we know of for stamping them out. Gooseberries may be 

 early attacked with grubs, as they were last year, and also with aphis. 

 A syringing with the mixture referred to might ward them off ; but 

 too often remedies found in print against such vermin prove use- 

 less when applied in their best form. Strawberries should be mulched 

 with litter, if not already done. A good soaking of manure-water, 

 succeeded by the same of rain-water after they are set, may give fine 

 crops of fruit. Frequent watering affects the flavour : give plenty of 

 an evening, and let it alone for a week. 



Young trees may be making rapid growth, and should be examined 

 often. Any going off into strong watery growth should be stopped, 

 but if such can be spared so much the better : firm even growth is 

 desirable. Maiden trees lately planted, to be trained on walls or 

 fences, will now be starting. And to make fine trees, well balanced 

 on the wall, careful hands should be used to get them well started 

 into form. As all forms of training come to the same thing as re- 

 gards quality and quantity, it should be done to taste, but sys- 

 tematically, and give plenty of space between the ties and the 

 wood. Grafts must be examined to see that no suckers are robbing 

 them of their supply from the stock : mulch and water stocks if neces- 

 sary. Orchard-house trees will be in advance of those outside. Attend 

 to stopping, thinning of shoots and fruit, syringing, careful watering 

 at the roots — using weak doses of guano where crops are good and 

 roots in abundance to turn the liquid manure to good account. If 

 insects attack the trees, fumigating (except where any fruits are ripen- 

 ing) three successive times is an effectual remedy. 



SHRUBS, 



It may be observed that many shrubs which appeared little the 

 worse of the severe winter, are now showing signs of distress. 

 Laurustinus, common and Portugal Laurels, are the worst we have seen. 

 Where they are much injured, they had better be cut well back ; and if 

 a mulching, and above that a coating, of rich loam and rotten manure 

 well mixed, be given, they may be much assisted to make a free and 

 healthy growth from the bottom. Where plants are quite dead, the 

 sooner the ground is cleared of them the better. Early flowering 

 shrubs and berry-bearing kinds, such as Cotoneaster Simondsii, may 

 be cut well back ; they will break out and make fine fruiting shoots : 

 but if size is no object they are as well let alone. We adopt a system 

 of cutting back Lilacs, Thorns, Ribes's Laburnums, mock O -anges, 

 and numerous others when done flowering, which keeps a good variety 

 on the space allotted to them, and no crowding takes place. Some 

 prefer this season for transplanting evergreen shrubs. When done 

 quickly and carefully they get well established during the summer. 



