1 6 NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 



they will throw out laterals that will ripen in the Autumn, 

 Continue watering newly-planted trees if the weather be dry 

 a thorough good soaking once a week will suffice ; attend 

 to trees against walls or fences, remove superfluous wood, 

 and nail or tie in that which is to remain ; protect ripening 

 fruit from birds by netting ; thin peaches, nectarines, and 

 apricots ; bud fruit trees, and water them freely in dry 

 weather ; remove suckers and weak wood from gooseberries 

 and currants ; thin out weak shoots from raspberries, leaving 

 only those wanted for next year's crop ; attend to the straw- 

 berry beds, by preventing the too rapid growth of runners ; 

 strawberry runners layered last month may now be re- 

 potted if well rooted ; break over foreright shoots of pears, 

 plums, apples, and all spur-trained fruit trees. 



Flower Garden. The flower garden, if well managed, 

 should now be a blaze of colour ; constant attention must, 

 however, be paid to rolling, mowing, and staking. Care 

 is now necessary in tying up carnations and picotees, 

 thinning the flower buds, and layering. When layering, stir 

 the soil round the plant, and put in a few inches of clean, 

 well-rotted, sandy turf-loam, in which bend down and hook 

 the layer, after having slit it upwards from a convenient 

 joint, about half-way to the one above it. Let the earth be 

 formed into a basin around each plant, which will prevent 

 the water running off, thereby lightening labour, as the 

 layers may require attention in watering until they are well- 

 rooted, when they should be taken off and potted. Mule 

 pinks and double sweet-williams may also be layered, and 

 treated in the same way as carnations. Remove decayed 

 blooms of roses, or those that are spoiled by continued wet. 

 Give every attention to staking plants that require it, lest 

 high winds or heavy rains injure them ; do not trust to one 

 tie, but make as many as will secure the plant from being 

 injured, always observing not to bind too tight. This is 

 particularly to be attended to in tying dahlias ; for if suffi- 

 cient room be not left for the swelling of the stem, the 

 ligature will cut it ; and if, by any chance, the upper ties 

 give way, the head will snap off. Most of the hybrid China 

 roses will now be fit to take buds from. Select shoots on 

 which the buds are most plump. Other kinds of roses may 



