568 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



absorbing organs, attracts to them a quantity of the sap, and greatly increases 

 the size of the fruit. 



1 78 1. As the fruit begins to ripen, the attacks of -^vasps and snails become 

 Tery annoying. For the benefit of the former, hang up some phials filled 

 ■with sugared water or beer. This will attract the wanderers from their quarry. 

 Snails must be looked for diligently after a shower of rain, and a train of 

 powdered 'lime round the stem will keep them off in dry weather. They are 

 also subject to attacks of the red spider during dry weather. As preventive 

 us well as cure, wash the trees with water in which flom- of sulphur is held in 

 suspension. At the same time give them a good soaking with water at the 

 roots ; thick mulching will also strengthen the trees to resist this insidious foe. 



17S2. Apples, Fears, Cherries, awcZ P^mww.— Apples require very little atten- 

 tion now ; a slight thinning-out of cross-shoots, bearing in mind that with the 

 apple, as with all other fruit, the best grown is at the extremities of the 

 branches ; therefore encourage short-iointed wood ; and in shortening any of 

 them prune back to a bud which, from its healthy appearance, indicated by 

 its brownish green, promises to extend the tree. The Fear requires more 

 energetic treatment. The young spray, which requires thinning out towards 

 the end of June, and the removal of all watery-looking shoots, reserving all of 

 the opposite character for selection in winter. At this time, also, stop all 

 young shoots, except those at the extremities of the branches, by pinching 

 out the terminal bud, and tying down to the rails all such as do not interfere 

 with the fruit-spurs. Cutting back such as do interfere to two or three eyes, 

 leave as many leaves as possible round the terminal bud. 



1783. The Fhim, in moderately rich soil, has a tendency to produce gross 

 shoots between the stem and the extremity of the branches. These, if they 

 have not been removed, now require the foremost care ; where they are not 

 required, let them be cut away, reserving all short-jointed wood and leading 

 shoots necessary to balance the ti'ee. 



1784. With the C/ter/-^ little or no shortening -back is necessary, pruning 

 being confined to thinning away cross and interior shoots on standard trees, 

 and spurring back those shoots which are too close together. 



1785. All kinds of fruit-trees may now be budded; branches added where 

 required, by approach-grafting or inarching ; and trees of healthy growth, 

 but bearing indififerent fruit, may now become the stocks for a fruit of superior 

 quality by the processes already described. 



1786. Gooseherries.— Thin out all overloaded bushes, stop and thin out all 

 shoots, and mat over where necessary, to retard ripening. Look over the bushes 

 for caterpillars, and destroy by every possible means. Many expedients are 

 recommended for the destruction of these pests. Hellebore powder, digitalis, 

 and unslaked lime, have been tried ; and a layer of tanner's bark laid on the 

 ground in the autumn is said to have had the effect of keeping away insects. 

 Prune away all side-spray in currants, and stop raspberries when sufficiently 

 high. 



1787. There is a mode of training fruit-trees which originated in France, 



