lo Dec. iqi:;.] Orchard and Ciardcn \offs. 773 



Thus, if i)articular care is given to the eai-ly sprayings, keeping the 

 fruit covered with spray for a month or six weeks after setting, this 

 result is easily accomplished. l^ome growers prefer to gather all 

 fruit infected by the first brood, spraying only for the second and 

 later l^roods. Even if all the fruits attacked are gathered, which 

 very rarely happens, the grower suffers from the loss of fruit, which 

 he can ill afford, unless his crop be a heavy one. 



Another feature for consideration is the fact that the presence of 

 any arsenical spray on the foliage is responsible for the destruction 

 of the pear and cherry slug, root-borer beetle. ;-uid all forms of leaf- 

 eating insects. 



Spraying the cherry trees for the slug will now be necessary. 

 Arsenate of lead may be used, provided the fruit is not far advanced. 

 Hellebore, and also tobacco water, are effective against this pest. 



Cultivation. — All orchard soils should be kept well worked during 

 the summer months. It is very essential that the trees should have 

 an abundant supply of moisture during the whole of the growing 

 season. The transpiration from fruit and foliage is considerable at 

 any time ; but during hot and windy weather the amount of moisture 

 which is required by a tree, and which is ultimately transpired from 

 the tree, is very exceptional. 



Excessive transpiration is often the cause of loss of young trees 

 and of new grafts. They are found to part with a large amount of 

 moisture, and are not able to retain or obtain sufficient for their 

 nourishment; they then very soon wither and die. The soil around 

 these should always be kept well stirred ; they may be also given a 

 good straw or grass mulching, and an occasional overhead sprinkling 

 will greatly benefit them. 



The planting out of citrus trees may be continued, slieltering the 

 tender plants from winds with hessian or breaks of scrub. 



The general aims in summer cultivation should be to keep up a 

 good loose earth mulch during the whole season, and to keep down 

 all weeds and useless orchard growths. 



Pruning. — Summer pruning may now be commenced, particularly 

 on apple, pear, and plum trees. The removal or reduction of surplus 

 leader growths, the shortening of unduly long laterals, and the 

 thinning out of crowded shoots, will all tend to strengthen other 

 I)arts of the tree, and to increase the development of new fruit buds. 



Vegetable Garden. 



Tomatoes will require a good amount of attention at this time of 

 the year. If the plants have been well looked after, they should be 

 making vigorous growth. It will be to advantage to tie the plants 

 to stakes, training them to two or three main growths, and pinching 

 out all the laterals as they come. 



The plants should be well watered, and occasionally a handful 

 of bonedust and blood manure mixed should be forked in around the 

 roots. Where stable manure is used, it should be used as a mulch, 

 forking it in every three or four weeks, and making a fresh mulch. 



