THE GARDEN WEEK BY WEEK 



July the sixth leaf. The summer pruning helps the basal 

 ^31 buds to become plump and mature, consequently in 

 good condition for yielding fruit the following year. 



Birds and Ripening Fruit. — The bird plague will now 

 be at its worst, and must be checked by protecting the 

 crops with fish netting. In the case of wall trees the 

 nets should be held a foot away from the wall with 

 sticks, or blackbirds will throw themselves against it, 

 press it to the wall, and eat the fruit through the 

 mesh. 



Grapes. — If the thinning practised some weeks 

 earlier proves to be insufficient, berries that are over- 

 crowding each other may be thinned out now. 

 The bunches should be firm, but not packed 

 tightly. 



Melons in Frames. — Place a flower pot under each 

 ripening fruit, in order to keep it off the surface of the 

 bed. 



Vegetables 



Late Celery and Leeks, — These may be planted in 

 trenches. If the weather is dry, water and shade until 

 the plants start growing afresh. 



Disease in Potatoes. — If wet, muggy weather should 

 prevail in July, brown patches are likely to show on the 

 leaves of the Potatoes, principally on the under side. 

 If they spread, an offensive smell will be given off. 

 Inasmuch as spraying with Bordeaux mixture (see 

 Chapter I.) actually encourages the growth of Potatoes, 

 apart from its action in destroying the spores of fungi, 

 growers should never hesitate to practise it. The 

 mixture should be put on with a spraying nozzle, either 

 fitted to a syringe for hand use or to a knapsack pump, 

 as then it falls like dew and adheres. When applied 

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