TOTH June, 191--] Orchard and Garden Notes. 389 



It possesses objectionable features in its corroiive effects upon any iron 

 or steel on pumps and harness ; and in its caustic effects on exposed parts 

 of the bodv. These may be somewhat obviated by greasing the metal, and 

 1)\- rubbing tlie hands and face with olive oil or vaseline prior to spraying. 

 The hindquarters of the horse, too, should be covered with a sack. 



I'^xperiments carried out in Pennsylvania in 1909 proved conclusively 

 that in addition to being an excellent insecti^^^ide, it was considerably help- 

 ful in reducing the effects of fungus diseases on apples, pears, cherries, 

 peaches, and plums. 



General Work. 



All ploughing should now be completed ; if not, it should be finished 

 before spraying and pruning operations are proceeded with. 



Any autumn manuring or liming should also be now carried out. This, 

 too, should be finished before spraying and pruning. Before spraying with 

 oils or with lime-sulphur w'ash, all rough bark on apple and pear trees 

 should be scraped off"; this will mean the certain destruction of any codlin 

 moth larvse hiding underneath. 



Flower Garden. 



General cleaning up and digging will be the work for this month in 

 the flower section and shrubbery. Where the soil is heavy or sour, or 

 where sorrel is plentiful, the garden should be given a heavy dressing of 

 fresh lime, giving a fair dusting all over the surface. Lime should not be 

 used in conjunction with leaves, garden debris, leaf mould, stable manure, 

 or any other organic matter used for humus. These should be first dis- 

 posed of by digging well into the soil ; then shortly afterwards a top- 

 dressing of lime may be given. Should no humic material Ije used, the 

 lime may be dug in with the autumn digging. 



In cleaning up the gardens, all light litter and dead foliage should 

 either be dug in, or, better still, it should be placed in an out of the way 

 corner to form a compost heap. Leaf mould is especially useful in any 

 .garden, and where such plants as Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Liliums, &c., 

 are grown, or for pot plant work, it is exceedingly valuable. In forming 

 the compost heap, no medium whatever should be added to help the rotting 

 down of the lea\es, unless it be a little sand. Any chemical added will 

 render the mould unsuitable for its special objects. 



Any hardv annuals may be planted out, such as stocks, pansies, wall- 

 flowers, &'c., and cuttings of roses and hard-wooded shrubs may also be 

 ■planted. In planting out cuttings, it is very important that all the eyes 

 should be remo\'ed from the part of the cutting which is. to be below the 

 ground. If this be not done, there will always be the subsequent danger 

 of the plant suckering. 



Roses and any summer and autumn flowering shrubs that have finished 

 flowering may be pruned. If the spring flowering shrubs have not pre- 

 viously been pruned, they should be allowed to remain until after the next 

 flowering season. This especiallv applies to such plants as Spireas, Phila- 

 delphus (Mock Orange), Deutzia, Prumus Mume, and other early flower- 

 ing shrubs. To prune these now would mean the certain loss of a great 

 proportion of their flowers. 



In pruning, the shrubs may be well thinned out, especially removing 

 any weak upright, or old flowering growths; keep the shrub always at an 

 •outward growth, inclining to a broad bushy type, instead of to an upright 

 •habit. By this means, the lower regions will always be furnished with 

 good growth. Shrubs and trees of all descriptions should never be allowed 

 'to become too crowded ; they require to be opened, so as to allow sunlight 



