194 



THE GARDENER. 



[April 



green-fly, and keep it down, or rather 

 never let it get a footing at all. The 

 Peach is fond of moisture ; and the trees 

 in all houses where there is fire-heat 

 applied should be syringed every fine 

 afternoon. Should mildew make its 

 appearance, put a little sulphur in the 

 water, and increas-e the heat and air. 

 In late houses, where the fruit is all set, 

 give a vigorous syringing to free the 

 fruit of old blooms. Thin partially 

 when about the size of Peas, but never 

 finally till the fruit are stoned. 



Figs. — If the early crop be from trees 

 in pots, great watchfulness is necessary 

 in the case of watering. If they are ever 

 allowed to become over-dry, the chances 

 are that the fruit will fall off. Water 

 two or three times a-week, alternately 

 with guano or dung-water, and syringe 

 freely at shutting-up time, and keep 

 the air regularly moist. Stop the young 

 growths at the fourth or fifth leaf. 

 "Where Fig-trees are planted in shallow 

 inside borders, mulch with rotten dung, 

 and keep the soil regularly in a med- 

 ium state of moisture. Do not allow 

 the trees to carry too many fruit at a 

 time. 



Strawberries. — Immediately the 

 fruit is all picked from the earliest 

 plants, remove them into cold pits to 

 be hardened properly before exposure. 

 These plants are worthy of every care, 

 as, planted out on well-prepared ground, 

 they not only yield the earliest runners 

 for forcing next year, but in some cases 

 fruit again to a limited extent in Au- 

 gust, and invariably yield tine crops the 

 following year. Continue to put last 

 month's directions in force in the case 

 of those swelling their fruit, and in 

 bloom, as well as in the case of those 

 ripening their crop. Put the remainder 

 of the stock of plants into cold frames, 



and into such structures as cold pits, 

 late Peach-houses and orchard-houses, 

 so as to keep up the supply of fruit till 

 the earliest in the open ground ripen. 



Melons. — Carefully impregnate the 

 fruit-blossoms about the middle of fine 

 days, and stop the fruit-bearing growths 

 one joint beyond the fruit. Till a full 

 crop be set keep the air drier, give 

 more air, and less water at the root. 

 After a sufficient number of fruit 

 are set and begun to swell, give a 

 heavy root-watering and increase the 

 air moisture again ; and unless where 

 there are good Melon-pits with the 

 plants trained to trellises, like Vines, do 

 not syringe overhead. "With superior 

 appliances the syringe may be used on 

 fine afternoons, but not till after the 

 fruit are as large as hens' eg:gs. Eange 

 the temperature from 70° to 75° at 

 night. Plant out succession crops, and 

 sovF approved sorts for later crops. 



Cucumbers. — Increase the tempera- 

 ture to 75° on mild nights when sun- 

 heat can be taken advantage of in the 

 afternoon. The early -planted plants 

 will now be bearing freely. Do not 

 allow them to bear too many at a time, 

 or some of the freer sorts, such as 

 Volunteer and Sion House, will exhaust 

 themselves. The disposition to ramble 

 and grow will decrease as they come in 

 a full-bearing state. Mulch them with, 

 rotten manure, and maintain a moist 

 atmosphere ; and, above all, see that they 

 do not suffer for lack of water, if in 

 shallow borders with hot-water pipes 

 under them. Plant out later -raised 

 plants as soon as they are established 

 in 5-inch pots, and train as described 

 in former "Calendars." Sow for suc- 

 cession in later crops. 



French Beans. — See directions for 

 March. 



All business communications should be addressed to the Publishers, and com- 

 munications for insertion in the ' Gardener ' to David Thomson, Drumlanrig 

 Gardens, Thornhill, Drumfriesshire. It will further oblige if all matter intended 

 for publication, and questions to be replied to, be forwarded by the middle of the 

 month, and written on one side of the paper only. It is also requested that 

 writers forward their name and address, not for publication, unless they wish it, 

 but for the sake of that mutual confidence which should exist between the Editor 

 and those who address him. We decline noticing cmy communication which is 

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