244 



THE GARDENER. 



[May 187. 



in time, and as soon as the first crop 

 IS all gathered give them liberal water- 

 ings at the root, and sj-ringe the trees 

 freely every fine day. Established 

 trees with their roots in either pots or 

 circumscribed borders require a quan- 

 tity of water, and to be well fed with 

 manure. Young trees that are not yet 

 beai-ing freely should be less liberally 

 treated, or they will grow too grossly. 



Melons. — Where the fruit are ad- 

 vanced towards full size give less water 

 or they will be apt to burst. As soon 

 as they show signs of ripening, just 

 give sufficient water to enable the 

 plants to mature the fruit, but no more, 

 and expose the fruit to full sun, and 

 give air more freely on fine days. Im- 

 pregnate succession crops on fine days 

 whenever the blooms are ready ; stop 

 the laterals one joint beyond the fruit. 

 As soon as a full crop is set give the 

 soil a good watering ; and if the plants 

 are trained on trellises, mulch the sur- 

 face of the soil with rotten manure to 

 keep it moist with less frequent water- 

 ings. Sow and plant out for succession 

 crops. 



Cucumbers. — This is a good time to 



plant for summer and" autumn sup- 

 ply. Those which have been bearing 

 heavily for a considerable time back, 

 will now be benefited by a top-dress- 

 ing of equal parts loam and horse- 

 droppings. Where spring-planted crops 

 are now equal to the demand, the 

 former may be pulled out and their 

 place occupied with Melons, where such 

 is necessary. See that those now bear- 

 ing heavily are well supplied with 

 water. Syringe them at shutting-up 

 time, and if thrip appears fumigate on 

 two successive nights with tobacco. 



Strawberries in Pots. — When it is 

 necessary to retard ripening crops, 

 place them in cold pits, and give 

 plenty of air night and day. Eed- 

 spider is frequently very troublesome 

 after the beginning of this month, and 

 the plants should be syringed to pre- 

 vent it until the fruit begin to colour. 

 The remainder of the stock can now be 

 brought forward in cold pits and 

 frames to keep up the supply till the 

 outdoor crops ripen. All plants from 

 which the fruit is gathered harden off 

 previous to being planted out. 



Sottas ia €oxxt%i^on^miB. 



Manor. ^Cocoa-nut-fibre is not injurious, but the reverse. The rougher 

 portions of it would be a substitute for drainage, but not a lasting one. It is 

 advisable to subject soils in which are the larvas or eggs of insects, such as wire- 

 worm, to a high temperature before using them ; and in the case of retentive 

 clays, a portion may be burned or charred with advantage. Equal proportions 

 of tui'fy loam and leaf-mould, with a little sand, will grow the Mimosa. 



T. P. — Mr Allsebrook's address is ; South^dew Gardens, Sparrow Lane, 

 Sheffield. 



A Constant Reader. — Your Geraniums are in precisely that condition in 

 which we have seen them when in badly drained pots, and when over-watered 

 in compact or soddened soil. See to the drainage, and if the soil is soured, let 

 them become diy, shake all the soil from them, and repot them in fibrous loam, 

 with a third part of leaf-mould or well-rotted manure, and you will find the 

 spot leave them, all other things being equal. 



A. M. — Your letter is too personal, to say the least of it; therefore we must 

 reject it. 



P. M'D. — We will have a paper or two on Azaleas soon that will help to 

 meet your wants. jSIeantime you cannot do better than you propose. 



T. F. — Any respectable firm will supply you. We never recommend 

 nurserymen. 



J. F. — The large purple bloom is very deficient in fulness of petal and sym- 

 metry. The crimson is very large, also colotir effective, but wanting in sym- 

 metry. The same applies to the bicoloui' one. There are much finer blooms in 

 cultivation. 



