MONTHLY CALENDAR. 325- 



lutumn and winter months have been wet and cloudy, the frait-bearing 

 tranches will be weak and wateiy. Every protection from spring frost should 

 be given to the tree under these circumstances. In such seasons, especially 

 in the months of August and September, the young shoots being unripened 

 in the previous autumn, the trees are subject to the ravages of the green-fly. 

 If not observed at once, they commit very serious damage. Tobacco -water, 

 in the proportion of 2 oz. of tobacco infused in a quart of boiling water, 

 is a remedy as well as a protection, when applied cool to the tree with a brush. 

 A weaker decoction may be applied with the syringe with advantage. 



916. The question of protection is one on which the authorities are by no 

 means agreed ; but Mr. Mcintosh and some of the best gardeners recommend 

 temporary projecting copings to the walls, and canvas or caHco curtains 

 depending from them. Others find a worsted netting of small mesh and 

 thickish thread a sufficient protection, while it leaves a freer play to the natural 

 atmosphere round the trees ; and many good authorities favour this view. 

 Another object of protection in the early spring is to retard the blossoms by 

 shading from the sun. For this purpose canvas, suspended before them 

 during the heat of the day, is the most efficient. 



917. The perfect-bearing shoots of the peach and nectarine are known by 

 their buds towards the base of the shoots. Some of these are pointed, smgle 

 buds, with a brownish envelope : these are leaf-buds. Next to these, and 

 higher up the shoot, are triple buds, — a plump, silver-coated one on each side, 

 and a thin one in the centre. This central one is a leaf-bud, the outer two are 

 blossom-buds ; and it should be the aim of the pruner to cultivate as many o5 

 these as possible. 



918. Ajjples and Pears, which bear their fruit on spurs, when cultivated 

 in gardens, are usually trained as espaliers, as pyramids, or dwarf bushes. 

 We have already described the training and pruning these trees undergo. In 

 the mature state they require care in selecting the shoots to be retained, pre- 

 ferring ripe, short-jointed, brownish shoots, shortening back these to a bud 

 which will extend the growth of the tree, studying, — first, the production of 

 spurs ; second, to keep the heart of the tree open ; third, as the finest fruit is 

 borne on the extremities of the branches, to keep these within as compact a 

 range as possible. 



919. Fmes are now pushing forth their young shoots in great numbers. At 

 this season only those which are obviously useless, and especially those issuing 

 from old wood, unless wanted for future years' rods, should be rubbed off with 

 the finger and thumb close to the stem. The useless ones being disposed of, 

 those left should be trained close to the wall, at regular distances apart, so that 

 all may enjoy the light, heat, and air. 



920. Strauherries, which have been under mulch all the winter, should now 

 be uncovered ; the old foliage would be cut down in March, as directed ; 

 and after clearing away all weeds and useless runners, a spring dressing of 

 half-decayed material from the cucumber-frame, mixed with soot and decayed 

 leaves, will be useful, watering frequently towai-da the end of the month. 



