i8 7 o.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 265 



and let the heaviest watering be giving near the sides of frames, 

 where the principal roots will be in abundance. Cucumbers in bearing 

 may require a surfacing of good loam and rotten manure, and plenty of 

 clear manure-water. Heavy cropping soon exhausts the plants ; three 

 fruits are enough to one Melon plant if two have been planted in one light. 

 Dryness is necessary at ripening of Melons, when well-flavoured fruit 

 is wanted. Tomatoes may be planted out on ridges sloping to the 

 south : open spaces on walls suit well. Slates placed over the surface of 

 steep borders help to bring Tomatoes on quickly. In southern mar- 

 ket-gardens large quantities are grown with little more attention given 

 than to Potatoes — laterals are taken off, fruit is thinned, and the 

 plants are supported with stakes. Latest supplies may be grown in 

 pots ; and they can be taken under protection in autumn to stand 

 where frost cannot reach them. Ours, which fruited in autumn last 

 season, were in pots, and they kept up a supply till late in February ; 

 and some of the same plants kept in warmth are giving supplies now, 

 beginning their second crop about the second week of May. Basil, 

 Sweet Marjoram, and Ice plant, may with safety be planted on a 

 south border. Chilies well established in pots may be turned out in 

 a warm position. Let Celery be thoroughly watered, and after the 

 plants are established in the ridges, a little soil spread over the roots 

 as a surfacing will help to keep in moisture. Let later plantations be 

 turned out in the ridges 1 foot apart, as soon as the plants will lift out 

 of the nursery-beds with good balls. Shading will be beneficial in 

 very hot dry weather. Manure-water can hardly be given too liberally, 

 but not too strong : that from cow-houses is excellent for Celery. 



Fruit-trees will now require looking over frequently. It is a bad 

 practice to let the wood grow to great length and get matted, and then 

 to take off large breadths of foliage at once. We prefer beginning at the 

 top of trees, then in a week or two the middle is gone over. The base 

 is gone over in due time. Where little growth is made, as in the case 

 of well-established trees and those which have been carefully root- 

 pruned, there is no necessity for much attention in summer. There is 

 a great variety of opinion on summer-pruning or disbudding, but we 

 prefer (after trying every system we have seen in print) doing as much 

 in summer as we can, and avoiding winter-pruning as much as possible. 

 This applies chiefly to Pears, Apples, Plums, Cherries, and Apricots. 

 Trees growing too strong, and no fruit on them of any value, may have 

 a little done to their roots now, cutting below the trunk, leaving the 

 roots outwards untouched — overdoing is injurious. Wherever we have 

 practised summer root-pruning, the best results have attended the oper- 

 ation, especially with stone fruits. Where walls are low, leading 

 branches of trees may be taken over where suitable, and may be 



