THE FLORAL WOELD AKD GARDEN GUIDE. 377 



that killing process, known as "laying in by the heels." Dig round old fruit 

 trees, and lay down a layer of old dung, six inches thick, in a ring, three feet 

 round the stem of each. Root-prune any trees that grow too luxuriantly to bear 

 well. Give protection to any tender fruit trees, and lay boards in a slope over 

 vine borders, to shelter them from excessive cold rains. TJnnail from the walls 

 the younger shoots of tender wall trees, to prevent premature breaking. Straw- 

 berry beds may be made this month, and is preferable to leaving it till Jfebruary. 



GBEENHOUSE AND STOVE. 



Continue to force shrubs, hyacinths, and the hardier kinds of early bloom- 

 ing greenhouse stock. During foggy weather, a little fire-heat will be useful 

 during the day, even if the temperature is not very low, for it allows a little ven- 

 tilation, and a change of air is essential to the keeping of the plants in health. 

 Plants to be forced should be put in the greenhouse before they are placed in the 

 stove, for too sudden a heat is sure to exhaust them and cause many flower-buds 

 to break into leaves. Eemember that after frost we always have damp, and this 

 will do much mischief unless a brisk fire be made up and air given to dissipate it. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Fig-Teee. — J. McD. — We should advise you to remove all the largest of the 

 fruit, and leave only on the tree those that are no larger than peas. If these get 

 through the winter they may furnish a fair quantity of ripe figs next season. 

 Should we have a severe winter, the largest fruit will be the first to suffer, and 

 the longer they remain on, the more they exhaust the tree, and interfere with the 

 production of the fir.it crop next year ; so remove them at once. Protection 

 during sharp winds without frost can be given by a breadth of Haythorn's hexagon 

 netting, and Russian mats added during frost, the whole removed during mild 

 weather. 



Roses Newly Budded: — Passiflora. — Trim in all wild growth moderately, 

 but do not cut in any closer the shoots that are budded. In March, cut back 

 every budded shoot to one wild bud above the inserted bud, and let that wild bud 

 grow till the inserted bud has started well, when it may be removed close over 

 the newly-formed shoot of the rose. The wild bud left is called the " sap-bud," 

 and its duty is to draw the sap to the inserted bud, and thus assist it to get its 

 own living. 



Peonies. — Clara. — Herbaceous Pteonies should be planted so that the plump 

 buds, which are to give leaves and bloom next season, are an inch below the 

 surface. This will give the tuhers a depth of six to nine inches. Be careful not 

 to injure these buds in taking up, for the next crop of blossoms is wrapped up 

 inside them. 



Feens at Rest. — C. C, Chelsea. — Ferns under glass should be occasionally 

 watered in winter, though at rest. Your tank being shaded is all the better for 

 fish. Perhaps a few fancy varieties of Carex would do best to grow in it. Try 

 Arundo donax variegnta in aj>ot plunged all the summer. 



Lime fbom Gas- Wouks. — Subscriber. — Refuse lime from gas-works is exceed- 

 ingly fertilizing, and may be used to any kitchen-garden crops. 



Peach and Neotamne Tubes Failing. — F. W., Carshalton. — Your trees 

 are probably suffering from stagnant moisture in the soil; make a drain at the 

 distance of six feet from the wall, two feet in depth, lay a row of drain pipes or 

 tiles at the bottom, over them nine or twelve inches of brickbats, or any coarse 

 rubble, and make sure of an outlet for any water that may accumulate in the 

 drain. Then begin at one end of the border, take up all the trees carefully with- 

 out exception, cut oil' all disease I and rotten COOts, and lay the trees in some safe 

 plaec whilo the border undergoes renovation. When the trees are all up, lay an 

 inch or two of good stiff loam all over the border, from tho wall to the drain ; 

 then begin at one end, and turn over the soil fifteen inches deep, incorporating 

 the new and old soil well together, and lay it in threo sharp ridges, so that as 



December. 



