540 VILLA GARDENING PART vii 



times thought that if the houses are throwu open the abundant 

 ventilation must ripen the wood, but warmth is wanted as well. 

 Look over ripe Grapes frequently to remove bad berries. 



Peach-House. — Use the engine freely over the trees where 

 the fruit has been gathered. Never permit the red spider to get 

 a footing in the house at any time. Late Peaches must be gathered 

 two or three days before they are ripe, and placed on a sheet of 

 wadding in the fruit- room. Bruised Peaches soon decay. 



Pines. — About the middle of the month, when the weather is 

 settled, give the jjlants their autumn dressing. Some of the suc- 

 cessions will probably require shifting into larger pots. Suckers 

 may be taken off, potting them into 6-inch pots. Those plants 

 intended to show fruit during winter or early in spring may have 

 some of the old soil removed, and be top-dressed with fresh turfy 

 loam. The bottom-heat materials should be seen to, and jmt into 

 a condition to last through the winter till March, as there will be 

 no chance of renewing them before that time. 



Cucumbers and Tomatoes. — These should be kept moving 

 steadily. Only a moderate crop of fruit should be left on the 

 plants now. If they exhaust themselves now they may fail alto- 

 gether by and by, when it will be important to have Cucumbers. 

 Frequent top-dressings are beneficial. Insects, green-fly, and thrips 

 must be looked for closely, and the moment one makes its appear- 

 ance measures must be taken for its destruction. Gentle fumi- 

 gations of Tobacco are best, persevering till all are killed. 



Mushroom-House. — Make up a number of beds now "for 

 autumn and winter use. Usually the beds made now do well. 

 Mushrooms succeed very well in a close shed. Coverings of hay 

 or straw will l)e necessary to keep the beds at a comfortable 

 temperatiu-e, and to prevent the moisture evaporating. 



OCTOBER 



Flo^wer Garden and Shrubbery. — Alterations involving the 

 removal of eartli and tlie transplanting of shnibs and turf may be 

 commenced now. Plant Box and other edgings ; also bulbs, Pan- 

 sies, Daisies, Primroses, and annuals to flower in spring. Plant 

 Pinks in beds, and pot-up Carnation and Picotee layers end of 

 month. Divide and transplant herbaceous plants. 



Fruit Garden. ^ — Grub up old useless fruit trees, and prepare 

 the sites for replanting. Change the soil if possible. Lime is a 

 necessity for stone fruits, and if it is not present in the soil of the 

 district it must be added to the fruit bonlers. Good turfy loam 



