THE GARDEN WEEK BY WEEK 



Aug", bear on the base, and if the stem breaks away the fruit 

 l6"3l is ready, but there ought not to be any necessity for 



twisting. The fruit should be 

 spread on plain, clean boards in 

 a cool, airy, sweet place. The 

 Pears may require a little time 

 to become quite mellow, but care 

 must be taken that the Williams' 

 does not go too far. It is soon 

 past its best. 



Plums. — Early Plums, such as 

 Rivers' Prolific and The Czar, are 

 now ready, and later varieties are 

 approaching ripening. If trees 

 of Victoria are heavily laden, 

 support the branches with poles, 

 as this variety is liable to break 

 down wdth the weight of its 

 crop. 



Raspberries. — The old canes 



will have been cleared of their 



fruit by now, and it will facilitate 



the ripening of the young ones if 



the fruiters are cut right out immediately. Should the 



stools be very strong ones, and have thrown up in 



consequence a large number of young canes, some of 



these had better be cut out also. Half-a-dozen strong 



canes per stool will be ample. It will help them if a 



good soaking of liquid manure and a mulch of stable 



manure are given. 



Strawberries. — Where the advice given to strike early 



rurmers in pots has been followed there will now be a 



sufficient stock of young plants, and any later runners 



which form in the bed may be cut away. If left they 



318 



Fig. 67.— Gathering Fruit. 



a. An Apple gathered in the wrong 

 way, as the buds are pulled 

 away, b, and the leaves also, c. 



d. The Apple properly raised and 

 gathered. 



c. The stem parting from the 

 branch. 



f. Leaves and basal buds left intact, 



