MONTHLY CALENDAR. 675 



up the borders rough for winter. Figs against walls should have any odd 

 remaining fruit taken off. Thin out superfluous shoots, and pinch out the 

 points of the wood selected for bearing, when the branches should be tied 

 together and matted, or protected by haybands, fern, &c., for the winter. 



21 19. Towards the end of the month is the best time to commence pruning 

 dw f apples and pears. Define in your mind what pai'ticular form the young 

 tree should assume when at its full size, whether pyramidal, globular, or 

 spreading. Shoots to form the skeleton of the tree should next be selected. 

 How far these require shortening will depend on their strength and the 

 object wished for. The remaining shoots must then be cut back so as to fill 

 np the figure. Orchard-trees, whei'e covered with lichens and mosses, should 

 have them scraped off, and a wash of hot lime and water applied to the 

 branches. Apples, pears, plums, and cherries, may be taken in the order 

 in which they are named. Remove all the old shreds where they ai-e used ; 

 those that will do another season should be boiled to destroy the eggs of 

 insects before using them again. The large wood looks better neatly tied 

 in with osier twigs. Before tying or nailing, examine the trees, and if infested 

 with scale or other insects, dress them with soft soap dissolved in hot water, 

 to which add sulphur, quick-lime, and tobacco-water ; mix the ingredients 

 well together, which should be of a consistency to adhere to the branches ; 

 with this dress the branches, but not during frost. 



2120. Apricots, peaches, nectarines, and vines, may be left till February or 

 March, taking apricots first, in consequence of their being the first to open 

 the flower. Young plantations of strawberries should have some short dung 

 spread between the rows, to preserve their yet shallow roots from frosts, 

 which otherwise might lift them out of the ground. Look the beds over, 

 and head the ground firmly round the plants. This is more necessary where 

 the soil is light and rich, as the frost \\ ill make such gi'ouud more porous.' 



2121. Plums and Cherries should all be gathered before the frost sets in, 

 and either wrapped in paper or hung by the stalk in the fruit-room. Pruning 

 should follow. 



2122. Currants and Gooseheri'ies. — Plant and prune both while the weather 

 is favourable. For the production of lai'ge gooseberries, short pruning is 

 necessary. Where quantity is required, and the trees ai-e young, shorten 

 the young shoots one-half or two-thirds. If the trees are of full growth, only 

 take the points off the young shoots, and when the branches are thinned out, 

 cut back to a bud on the upper side of the shoots. When the trees are 

 pruned, lime the ground, and, if necessary, add manure and dig it slightly. 



2123. Strawberries. — Continue as last month, unless inclined to adopt an 

 expedient which has sometimes produced enormous crops : it is, to take up 

 the old plants in spits and plant them again immediately in the same ground. 

 The reason for this, or for its results, does not appear, unless it is analogous 

 to the root-pruning of dwarf trees recommended by Mr, Pavers. 



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