THE HEART OF THE YEAR 



Fruit 



Propagating Strawberries. — The propagation of Straw- 

 berries by means of runners should be continued in 

 accordance with pre- 

 vious advice. The 

 runners maybe rooted 

 in small pots plunged 

 in the soil round the 

 plants, or in small 

 squares of turf. Water 

 should be given in 

 dry weather. 



Summer Pruning. — 

 Where the breastwood 

 of trained trees, 

 whether of Apples, 

 Pears, Plums, or 

 Cherries, was pinched 

 early in June, it will 

 probably have pushed 

 subsidiary shoots by 

 the end of July, and 

 these may be stopped at the first leaf. Those who 

 prefer to perform their summer pruning in one opera- 

 tion will probably not take action until the end of July 

 or the early part of August, when they will stop the side 

 shoots at the sixth leaf from the base. 



Summer- Pruning Gooseberries and Red Currants. — 

 What applies to the larger fruits applies also to Goose- 

 berries and Red and White (not Black) Currants. When 

 the breastwood gets thick it is an advantage to open up 

 the bushes by pinching off the ends of the side shoots at 

 293 



July 

 16-31 



Fig. 54.— Propagating Strawberries. 



a. Old plant. 



b. The runner, to be layered and pegged down 

 in the small pot, c. 



d. The stem, to be severed beyond the first 

 plant on the runner. 



