ROSE TIME 



Thinning Peaches and Nectarines. — These fruits will 

 now be swelling fast. There is always a temptation to 

 keep every fruit which sets, but 

 it should be overcome if the 

 crop is heavy. Two fruits may 

 be permitted on strong shoots, 

 but only one on weak ones. 

 Should the amateur feel in 

 doubt, let him content himself 

 with two fruits to every square 

 foot of space which the tree 

 covers. 



American Blight. — Should any 

 white fluffy tufts begin to gather 

 on fruit trees, attack them at 

 once with a few drops of methy- 

 lated spirit. A brown aphis 

 lurks beneath the fluff, the 

 common name of which is 

 American Blight. It is one of 

 the worst of all fruit enemies, and must not be allowed 

 to spread. 



Strawberries. — Fruit will be showing in the rows, and 

 clean straw should be laid between the plants in order to 

 keep the berries from contact with the soil. Lawn mow- 

 ings do not make a good substitute, as the Grass adheres 

 to the berries when wet. Remember that keen bird eyes 

 are watching the Strawberries, and that hungry black- 

 birds and other feathered enemies will swoop down as 

 soon as colouring begins. Fish netting must be called 

 into use as a protection. If there is plenty of it, it may 

 be fixed on a framework a few feet above the plants, then 

 the grower can gain access to all the fruit by lifting the 

 netting at one corner. If laid just above the rows, it has 

 257 R 



June 

 1-15 



Fig. 40.— Thinning Peaches, 



a. The right fruits to retain. 



b. The ones to be removed. 



