JUNE. 



654 



JUNE. 



wanted for wood. The fruit of goose- 

 berries will be considerably improved by 

 summer stopping the young wood. The 

 earth immediately under the trees should 

 be watered and beaten firm, which will 

 prevent more of the larvae from rising to 

 attack the shoots. Where the earth is 

 very light, a coating of clay or loam, the 

 consistence of mortar, should be spread 

 under the trees, and made firm to prevent 

 their escape from the earth. If these pre- 

 cautions are taken on the insects' first 

 appearance, they are more easily kept from 

 doing mischief. 



Figs. Stop all except the leading shoots 

 when they have made three or four joints, 

 and lay on leaders and shoots required for 

 filling up. Watering the roots with soap- 

 suds is found greatly to benefit the fruit. 



Insect Pests. The beginning of the 

 month is a busy period in this department, 

 and much vigilance and perseverance will 

 be requisite to keep pace with the advanc- 

 ing growth, in preventing and keeping 

 down the different pests. Tobacco water 

 must be instantly applied directly the 

 black or green fly makes its appearance, 

 endeavouring to make it act on the under- 

 side of the leaves. When the foliage 

 becomes curled, insect larvae are present ; 

 a good sulphurator, charged with snuff and 

 a small portion of sulphur, will be found 

 the most effectual implement. Before using 

 this, damp the trees with the syringe, and 

 apply the snuff before the tree becomes dry, 

 that it may more effectually adhere to the 

 leaves. Dislodge the maggot, which coils 

 itself up in the foliage, and not unfrequently 

 spoils some of the finest fruit. 



Nectarines and Peaches. Where the 

 leading shoots of peaches or nectarines are 

 growing too vigorously, stop them, in order 

 to encourage lateral shoots, by pinching off 

 the leading bud. Unless this operation is 

 performed early in the season, the shoots 

 do not get properly ripened. If the fruit 



seems setting too thickly, let it be partially 

 thinned, reserving the main thinning, how- 

 ever, till after it has stoned. The trees will 

 have been mulched last month to prevent 

 evaporation, and should now be watered, 

 and that so copiously that it does not 

 require frequent repetition, pouring the 

 water into the roots. 



Pears and Plums. Disbttdding, 6<r. 

 In disbudding pears, plums, and cherries, 

 the fore-right shoots, and those not wanted 

 for laying on, should remain for the present, 

 as stopping them at this time would only 

 cause a fresh breaking into wood, either of 

 the eyes at the base of the stopped shoot, 

 or some portion of the spurs. As they, 

 however, look unsightly on well-regulated 

 trees, it will be better to tie them slightly 

 to the main branches for the present ; this 

 will give a better appearance to the trees, 

 and bending the shoots will in some 

 measure stop the over-free flow of the sap, 

 and so help the object in view. The 

 precise time at which shoots should be 

 shortened must be regulated according to 

 the vigour of the tree, and should be de- 

 ferred till all danger of the remaining eyes 

 again breaking into wood is over. 



Pruning and Training of Trees. The 

 occupants of the fruit garden will be either 

 dwarf standards, apples, pears, cherries, or 

 plums, espaliers or pyramids, all of which 

 have undergone a special course of training 

 and pruning suitable to their habits; or 

 peaches, nectarines, and apricots, on the 

 walls, with the usual arrangements for bush 

 fruit ; and the skill of the gardener is now 

 best displayed in selecting the shoots to be 

 retained or encouraged for extending the 

 trees. They should be short-jointed and 

 brown-coloured, and should now be stopped 

 and laid in. 



Strawberries. Begin to layer straw- 

 berries in 6o-pots directly runners can be 

 obtained for next season's forcing. Let the 

 soil used be rich and rather light, to en- 



