THE GARDEN WEEK BY WEEK 



May at the first leaf, unless there is plenty of room for 

 l~^5 them, in which case they may be allowed to extend 

 a little. The vinery should be closed about 3 p.m. and 

 well syringed. This will provide a moist, warm atmos- 

 phere. The ventilators should be opened early in the 

 morning. Later Vines should be tied and stopped, and 

 have the bunches thinned, in accordance with previous 

 directions. Tap the rods or use the camel-hair brush 

 in order to spread the pollen of Grapes which are in 

 bloom. Alnwick Seedling is a shy setter, and the brush 

 may be used on it. 



Melons. — Early plants will be swelling their fruits. 

 Four are enough for each, and six should never be 

 exceeded. Liquid manure will help the plants. It may 

 be made by soaking sheep droppings or other manure in 

 water, by mixing an ounce of superphosphate in a gallon 

 of water, or by purchasing the advertised proprietary 

 fertilisers. Later plants will be in flower, and the 

 camel-hair brush may be passed across the blossoms 

 about the middle of a sunny day in order to assist 

 fertilisation. Young plants may be top-dressed when 

 the roots show at the top of the mounds. 



Peaches will now have set their fruit and stoned. 

 While the fruit is stoning swelling ceases temporarily. 

 Overcropping should be guarded against. Not more 

 than two fruits should be allowed on each shoot, one 

 only being permitted if the trees are weak. Young 

 shoots are now growing. Only enough should be kept 

 to provide sufficient fruiting wood for the following 

 year ; and any shoots which it is plain would cause 

 overcrowding if allowed to develop should be removed. 



Strawberries. — Plants which were forced earlier in 

 the year may now have been cleared of fruit, and may 

 be turned out of their pots and planted in the garden, 

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