ROSE TIME 



is favourable to fruitfulness. Some growers like to June 

 operate twice : the first time about the middle of June, i"~30 

 when the shoots have extended a few inches, and when 

 the tip is nipped off ; the second about the end of 

 July, when the secondary shoots which have broken as 

 a result of the first pinching are stopped. Others prefer 

 to make one operation of it, and prune only at the end 

 of July or in the early part of August, shortening the 

 shoots then to six leaves. Experiments are interesting, 

 and fruit growers may try both plans, and compare 

 results. 



Watering Wall Fruit Trees. — Fruit trees on walls 

 are apt to suffer from drought in hot weather, and 

 when they fall into ill-health the grower strains his 

 inventive faculties to find a reason for it. The handle 

 of his pump will often solve the problem. Weakly, 

 canker-stricken, and heavily cropped trees are all greatly 

 improved by waterings that are followed by soakings of 

 liquid manure. 



Red Spider on Vines. — Red spider sometimes attacks 

 Vines which are swelling up a crop of fruit, and unless 

 it is checked does much damage. A simple remedy is 

 to paint the hot-water pipes with sulphur wash, and 

 then turn the heat on. At the same time, remember 

 that red spider is greatly fostered by a dry atmosphere, 

 and damp down more freely. 



Melons. — The growths of bearing plants should be 

 kept thin, and the fruiting shoots stopped a leaf beyond 

 the fruit. 



Vegetables 



Asparagus. — ^The last cutting of the season should be 

 made not later than the middle of June. Henceforth 

 the plants should be allowed to grow unchecked, an4 

 267 



