MONTHLY CALENDAR. 227 



spiu's, so that all the shoots except the leaders should be cut in three-fourths, 

 the leading shoots about one-hah, or rather more. 



602. BLach Citrranis should scarcely be cut at all ; they do not bear so well 

 ii much jDruned , so that a little thinning or reducing into shape is all that 

 ought to be done. 



603. Apples and Pears. — Finish pruning all fruit-trees this month, whether 

 standards, espaliers, dwarf-bushes, pyramids, pillars, or trained on walls. In 

 priming these, the main object is to produce short fruiting-spurs, so that all 

 vigorous shoots should be shortened in ; but the stronger the shoots the less 

 they should be cut ; for too close cutting throws them into the production of 

 wood and leai, and not fruit. Figs on walls should scarcely be cut at all, and 

 no trees in frosty weather. 



604. Peaches, Apricots, and Nectarines, on walls, ought to to be unnailed 

 and pruned this month. Thin out the shoots till they lie about six inches from 

 -each other, and shorten or not according to the strength of the tree or shoot : 

 ii very strong, shorten little or none ; but if the end of a weak shoot terminates 

 still more weaklj'', cut back to a double-bud — that is, one leaf-bud between two 

 •flower-buds : prune neatly in this way, and tack them up again with fresh 

 nails and shreds. The trees should be done over in this way every winter, but 

 it is important that the shoots be thinned out and disbudded in summer 

 time. — F. C. 



§ 5.— The Culture of Flowers under Glass. 



605 Glass and fire, capital, enterprise, and cultural skill, enable us to pro- 

 duce the luscious fruits of all lands in any given place, and to converge the 

 ■scattered rays of floral beauty diffused throughout the world into one dazzling 

 focus of surpassing loveliness. Glass, at one time a luxviry in our dwellings, 

 has become a primary necessity in our gardens, and nothing has given a 

 greater stimulus to horticulture than the abolition of the excise-duty ujoon 

 glass. The improvement in the quality and reduction of price consequent 

 upon this measure, have brought glass houses of some descrii^tion within reach 

 even of the toiling millions ; and the time is probably at hand when every 

 sober, industrious man may grow his ou'ii cucumbers and melons, and enjoy 

 the beauty of i-are exotic plants in his Oioii conservatory. More money is 

 annually wasted on beer, wine, and spirits, than would build and furnish such 

 a structure for every head of a family in the kingdom. In future numbers, 

 details of construction, and qualities and prices of glass, will be given; and while 

 the requirements of the lai'gest places will be provided for, the wants of the 

 working-man will not be overlooked. And so in the Calendars of instructions, 

 while My Lady's bouquet and My Lord's table will be taken care of, Mrs. 

 Smith's posy of flowers and John's humble dessert will also be kejit in mind. 



6c6. Plant-houses obviously divide themselves into houses for slioio and 

 houses for cjroidh. The foi'mer should be devoted to plants in flower, or com- 

 paratively perfect plants, with handsome foliage ; the latter to plants in their 



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