396 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



severe check. Where fruit is of any value on rank trees, and not 

 ripe, root-pruning may be left undone till the crops are gathered. 

 Next month is generally considered the proper time for planting 

 young trees, and if time can be spared to get ground ready, and soil 

 suitable, it will be of great advantage. If trees are to be selected in 

 the nursery, the sooner the choice is made the better. 



Wasps are unusually plentiful this year : every means will be re- 

 quired to save the fruit. Bottles with a little beer and sugar attract 

 them. Tiffany or hexagon netting may be used. In absence of pro- 

 tection, the fruit may be gathered when it begins to ripen — it is sel- 

 dom attacked before that time. If placed in a dry airy position it will 

 ripen in fair condition. This is applicable chiefly to stone fruit, such 

 as Plums, Peaches, Apricots, &c. Blackbirds and thrushes soon de- 

 vour Pears, such as Jargonelle, Crawford, Bon Chretien, and other 

 early sorts. 



Fruits too thickly left on the trees to ripen may be helped by 

 beginning early to thin them for culinary purposes. Heavy crops of 

 badly-matured fruit are by no means creditable to any one, besides 

 being false economy. Apples and Pears are generally fit to gather 

 when the seeds turn dark. They should be placed in cool quarters for 

 a time, with plenty of air passing among them : then they may be kept 

 close and dark. Fruit-rooms and other places for storing fruit should 

 be made thoroughly clean, and all parts where mice or other vermin 

 can get in should be stopped up. Fumigating thoroughly with sul- 

 phur is a good practice to keep insects, &c, from taking up their 

 quarters in fruit-rooms during winter. 



Auriculas in pots may now be placed in their winter -quarters. 

 They will not require to be often watered, and the lights of structures 

 kept off except in times of wet, and abundance of fresh air, free from 

 damp, is life to them. Any valuable plants in borders will now 

 require protection if they will not stand frost. Cuttings of all bedding 

 plants should have attention now. If a good stock is not already in, 

 they should be taken off at once. Calceolarias, however, need not be 

 put in yet — when they are early, they do not stand drought so well 

 the following season. It is well to have them young and growing in 

 spring, instead of coming into flower ; as when they bloom early, they 

 are seldom of much service in autumn. This is also applicable to 

 Pansies — some we had very late are now blooming in fine condition, 

 and no water can be afforded for them. Dahlias may have soil drawn 

 over their roots if there is any danger of severe frost : this is often 

 necessary where soil is heavy and wet. Keep all dead flowers off the 

 plants, which will add much to their beauty. Chrysanthemums may 

 now be potted where they have been growing in the open ground : 



