428 THE FRUIT GARDEN. [JUNE 



GATHERING HERBS. 



All kinds of herbs, such as mint, balm, lavender, clary, sage, 

 rosemary, &c., that are gathered for drying, or for distillation and 

 other purposes, should be cut off when just beginning to come into 

 flower, and laid in the shade to dry gradually, which will render 

 them much better for any purpose than if they were dried in the 

 sun. 



THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



WALL AND ESPALIER FRUIT-TREES. 



Where the apricot, peach, nectarine, and other wall or espalier 

 trees were neglected last month, or not carefully attended to, you 

 may in the early part of this thin the fruit as then directed; rub off 

 all fore-right or ill-placed shoots, and train others regularly at proper 

 distances : be not too officious with the knife at this season, nor pull 

 off any of the leaves from the branches, unless they are distempered; 

 for the pulling off the leaves will expose the fruit too much to the 

 sun, and thereby greatly check their growth ; besides it would greatly 

 injure the buds which are formed at the footstalks of those leaves. 

 For further particulars respecting fruit-trees, see the Fruit Garden 

 for May, which are generally applicable in this month. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



The strawberry plants in general will, early in the month, be coming 

 into full bearing, and if watered occasionally between the rows as 

 directed on page 401, it will swell the fruit to a much larger size, and 

 greatly encourage the bloom and setting of an abundant crop. 



Should the weather prove moist or cloudy, this will be a very 

 proper season, to make new plantations of the various kinds of straw- 

 berries, observing the method directed on page 232. But it would 

 be more advisable at this time to plant some of the best runner- 

 plants of this year's production into nursery beds in shady borders, 

 six inches asunder, there to remain and get strength till September 

 or October, and then to plant them with balls of earth where they 

 are to stand for fruiting. Frequent waterings will now be very neces- 

 sary for the young plantations. 



Be particular in selecting the best kinds, and of the stoutest and 

 most vigorous growth ; dress or trim their roots, and cut off all the 

 strings or runners previous to planting. 



Though it is not common to propagate strawberries at this season, 

 yet if done, and duly watered till they are well rooted, the plants 

 will be stronger, and bear much more abundantly next season, than 

 if deferred till September or October ; but if the weather should not 



