Horticultural Operations for August. 383 



humid atmosphere. Hardy grapes will require looking after: keep the 

 shoots for next year tied in, and cut away all useless and small wood. 



Peaches in pots, which have had their fruit all gathered, should be mod- 

 erately Avatered, using occasionally liquid manure or guano. Nip off the 

 ends of over-vigorous shoots. 



Strawberry Keds may be made the last of the month if the weather 

 is not too dry. Now is the time to trench and prepare the beds, that they 

 may be in readiness for the plants. Old beds should be kept clear of 

 weeds. 



Plum, Pear and Cherry Trees should be budded this month. 



Quince Trees might be layered this month. 



Summer Pruning Trees should still be continued, where fine shaped 

 specimens are wanted. Thinning the fruit from bearing trees should also 

 be attended to, if fine specimens are desired. Some varieties require this 

 more than others, and if not thinned are so small as to be scarcely worth 

 gathering. 



Insects will yet be troublesome; the fall caterpillar is particularly inju- 

 rious to apple and pear trees, and they should be destroyed as soon as they 

 make their appearance. In a few days they overrun a whole tree. 



FLOWER DEPARTMENT. ^ 



Formerly, it was the custom to clear the greenhouses of their winter oc- 

 cupants, and leave them vacant till autumn ; but with the introduction of 

 the achimenes, the new gloxinias, and Japan lilies, a change has taken 

 place. These plants which like a warm humid atmosphere are just suited 

 to the situation, and with a good assortment it may be made almost as orna- 

 mental as in winter. But some forethought and management is necessary 

 to keep up a continued display. If in spring provision is made for a stock, 

 the greenhouse may now be gay with Achiinenes, Gloxinias, Gesneras, 

 Fuchsias, Chinese Hibiscuses, Scarlet Pelargoniums, Japan Lilies, Stephan- 

 otus, Begonias, Lantanas, Neriums, &c. 



Keep up a humid atmosphere by syringing freely every day, and watering 

 the floors morning, noon and night. If there is any one thing in which 

 cultivators err, it is in not giving sufficient water. In our dry and scorching 

 climate it is absolutely necessary that water should be freely given at all 

 times. More than half of our collections of greenhouse plants are ruined 

 for want of water. Especially with plants in the open air is it important to 

 water and syringe freely. If any one needs to be assured of this, let 

 him look at a collection of plants after a succession of cloudy rainy weather ; 

 and again after three days of such weather as we have had the whole of 

 July. If a careful observer, he will never let his plants suflfer again if he 

 cares anything about them. 



Pelargoniums, headed down as directed last month, should be kept in 

 a half shady place for two or three weeks, and be sparingly watered ; they 

 should then be taken out of the pots, their balls reduced, and repotted in 

 the same or smaller sized ones, according to the state of the roots ; after- 

 wards place in a frame and keep rather close for a week or two. 



