NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 23 



long enough to spoil all before any are removed. A good 

 plan in cultivating orchards is to plant the tall standards at 

 the fullest range they are ever likely to occupy, and to fill 

 the intermediate spaces with dwarf spreading bush trees, as 

 orchards thus treated are sooner remunerative than when 

 they are planted with tall growing trees only. 



Transplanting and Pruning. Fruit trees should 

 be attended to as soon as the leaves begin to fall. However 

 carefully young trees may be lifted, some of the roots will be 

 broken, these should be pared clean with a knife. Blighted 

 trees should be carefully dressed with a mixture of soft soap, 

 kerosene, and hot water, applied with a hard brush. Blighted 

 trees should, however, be discarded, and those grafted on 

 blight-proof stocks substituted. Finish pruning gooseberries, 

 currants, and raspberries. In pruning raspberries, cut away 

 the wood which bore this year's fruit, thin out the suckers, 

 leaving five or six of the strongest for fruiting next season, 

 which should be tied together. Black currants will not bear 

 cutting back, they should, however, be freely thinned out 

 when necessary. Clean strawberry beds by cutting away all 

 runners and some of the outside leaves ; fork slightly between 

 the rows, removing all weeds ; finish off with a dressing of 

 well-rotted manure or short stable litter three to four inches 

 thick. 



Tomatoes. When danger from light frosts is appre- 

 hended, the season may be prolonged by protecting the 

 plants, or some of them, by thin canvass or papers. Some 

 growers pull up their vines and hang them up in sheds, etc., 

 for the same purpose. Secure the green tomatoes in sufficient 

 quantities for spiced and other pickles, before the frost 

 injures them. 



Vines. In the case of late grapes still hanging, care 

 should be taken to avoid wetting the floor or other exposed 

 surfaces. Keep such houses closed during foggy, muggy 

 weather ; but air freely on brisk, dry, bright days, when a 

 little fire heat may, at the same time, be used advantageously. 

 Keep a sharp look-out for the appearance of mouldy or 

 decayed berries, and promptly remove any showing the 

 slightest taint. Vines from which the crop has been removed 

 should be pruned, cleaned, and dressed as soon as the whole 



