CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS 65 



advantage. See that all leading shoots are secured where 

 needed for extension. In this month notes should be made 

 of new varieties to be ordered for filling blanks, or to 

 lengthen the fruit supply by obtaining earlier or later ripen- 

 ing varieties. All useless trees should be marked for de- 

 struction. Open ground for fruit-trees should be dug up 

 roughly at the end of October to expose the soil to the 

 influences of frost and air. 



NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 



These are the chief planting months. If fruit-trees 

 arrive at a time when they cannot be planted, open the 

 bundles at once and lay the trees in the soil, covering the 

 roots ; they may then be planted when it is convenient. If 

 on unpacking the trees the wood is shrivelled and the roots 

 are dry, immerse them in water for twenty- four hours. It is 

 rare for frost to injure trees in transit, but this may occur 

 when the weather is favourable at the place of despatch but 

 suddenly changes before the trees reach the purchaser. On 

 receipt they should be laid in a frost-proof shed and be kept 

 dry, and no harm will ensue. The author once had ten 

 thousand young trees in a shed when the temperature fell 

 to zero ; they were kept dry, and not one failed. If cater- 

 pillars have been troublesome on the foliage during the past 

 season, some grease bands should be put round the stems 

 of the trees before November 5th ; if this treatment is 

 followed in January by a dressing of lime and salt applied 

 in January, well washing it into the bark, many insects will 

 be killed. 



E 



