the surface. This will rcinvigoratc the grass, and enable it to subdue and expel 

 the intnidor. 



In pniniiia:, always make the cut towards yourself. Enter the knife on the side 

 ojiposite the bud, a little above its base, and cut throuf^h, .';lo])ing to just above 

 the top of the bud. The vitality of the terminal wood will thus be preserved, and 

 the wound si)eedily heal over. 



Leaves grown in the shade, or in the dark, do not attain the depth of color, nor 

 the harshness of taste which mark such as are fully exposed to light and air. (Jar- 

 deners take advantage of this when tying up lettuce or endive, and earthing up 

 celery, to blanch them. 



Light is essential to enable flowers to develop their colors fully. Hence the 

 proper place for flowering plants, in chamber culture, is as near the window as 

 possible. 



All plants have naturally a resting season. Seek to ascertain the period pecu- 

 liar to each particular species you cultivate, and transplant them only at that time. 



Plants are in their most vigorous state of growth at the time of flowering, and 

 should not then be transplanted, as they would very likely suffer much from the 

 operation. 



But the period of flowering is much the most suitable for making cuttings, 

 because the tendency to root formation is then most active. 



Plants in flower have all their juices in the most perfect state ; and this period 

 should be chosen to gather such as are noted for aromatic or medicinal qualities. 



Excessive blooming greatly exhausts the plant. Ilence, all flower-buds should 

 be gently pinched off ere they open, from newly rooted cuttings as well as from 

 weak or sickly plants, to preserve the strength of the stalk. 



Few plants can well endure sudden great changes of temperature ; and none 

 should therefore be transferred directly from the hotbed, or hothouse, to the open 

 air. Warm weather should be chosen for the removal of plants, even from an 

 orangery or cold frame, to the garden. 



All withered and faded flowers should at once be removed from perennial plants, 

 nnless it is desired to raise seed. This will tend greatly to prevent the premature 

 exhaustion of the plant. 



To secure a succession of bloom in a rose-bush, prune back some of the 

 shoots to their eyes as soon as you see that they begin to swell ; and defer the 

 pruning of others till the leaves have become expanded. In the first case, the 

 eyes will break into bloom early, whilst the latter will not begin to swell till 

 the others are in full leaf, and consequently bloom later. 



By properly checking the growth of a plant, you can increase the vigor of the 

 leaves and the size of the fruit. With this view, gardeners pinch off certain sprouts 

 in beans, melons, cucumber vines, and similar vegetables. The entire art of pruning, 

 so far as it has any real value or importance, is based on this principle. 



As a general rule, the smaller the number of fruits on a healthy, vigorous plant 

 or tree, the larger the size, and the more perfect the taste. It is hence proper, 

 in all cases, to thin out moderately. But a single gooseberry left on a bush, or a 

 single cluster on a large grape-vine, however monstrous be its development, is only 

 evidence of a sound principle misapplied or carried to extremes. 



Fruit should always be gathered in dry, calm, weather. It should be removed 

 by hand, and carefully i)laced in a basket, so as not to bruise it. Roughly handling 

 it may, and probably will, cause it to rot. 



If, when any of my fruit-trees are in blossom, I suspect that the soil does not 

 contain the requisite amount of moisture needed by the roots, I dig a trench 

 around the tree about eighteen inches from the stem, and pour into it four large 



