46H GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



over the fruit, while the heat of the svm is so necessary to its ripening. The 

 garden-engine should be played freely over wall- trees about two or three times 

 a week, as this would wash off dust and insects, and maintain that cleanliness 

 so conducive to health. 



1423. Espaliers and dwarf fruit-trees should receive the same amount of 

 attention. I consider the summer training and pruning of the greatest 

 importance, since, when a bud or small shoot is taken off now, the wound is 

 soon cicatrized, and no harm need be apprehended, while this is not always 

 the case as regards the cuts produced in winter pruning. 



1424. Standard trees are usually left to take care of themselves and their 

 fruit during the summer time ; but good gardeners attend well to them, as to 

 wall-trees ; nor is there any reason why this should not be done. I believe 

 judicious pruning or stopping, and removing superfluous wood at this time, 

 would prevent, in a great measure, gumming, canker, and immature decay in 

 standard trees. Towards the middle of this month, apples are said to be 

 christened by the showers which usually take place now ; still it is worth while 

 to christen them artificially with the barrow-engine, and endeavour to keep 

 the foliage and bark clean, and wash away insects, which are sure to swarm 

 about them, although invisible. Time will also be well spent in thinning out 

 the fruit if too thickly set. It is a grievous sight to a good fruit-grower to see 

 the limbs of a tree borne down with the weight, and forebodes several unpro- 

 ductive seasons to come. 



1425. Viiies out of doors should be closely stopped and trained in. All the 

 heat of the sun is necessary to the well-doing of this fruit, which cannot be 

 expected to ripen in our short seasons, unless every care is taken to secure 

 them all the light and warmth of the sun. 



1426. Gooseberries, Currants, Raspherries, and other Bush-frait. — 

 Where they are left to ripen, it is often necessary to give these some pro- 

 tection from birds. I have found nothing better for the purpose than tanned 

 netting or old herring-net, spread over and round the tree, completely 

 covering it in : if an opening is left, the birds will get in. Blackbirds are 

 very bold, and eager after these fruits, and are sometimes entrapped by this 

 means. Caterpillars are often abundant on gooseberry and currant bushes ; 

 and various ways are propounded for destroying them ; as spreading old tan 

 under the bushes, and, at a certain time, burning it to destroy the larvae. I 

 have used no method but picking them off, or shaking them on to a cloth or 

 sheet. By this means we have been freed from them, while others have been 

 eaten up by them. A little practice in gathering them will enable the 

 operator to destroy thousands in a very short time. 



1427. Straicberries. — This is by far the best month of the year for making 

 new plantations. There are various methods of doing it : that to which I 

 give the preference is as follows ; — The earliest runners are laid in 3-inch 

 pots ; they are fixed in their place by means of small pegs ; in three weeks 

 they have rooted into the soil with which the pots are filled. During that time 

 they require an occasional watering, but may be planted out permanently as soon 



