SEASONABLE REMINDERS. 341 



Spraying. A necessary part of orchard work here as elsewhere. 

 Fungus growths and insects multiply immensely unless checked. With 

 the use of sprays good service is done at the right time. 



Cultivation. Keep the s'urface soil loose. That is the key to success 

 during the summer season. It may be done by coating the surface soil 

 with a few inches of bush scrapings, leaves, &c., where such effective helps 

 to orcharding can be obtained. 



Citrus Fruits. Lemon or orange trees suffer badly when dead or 

 decaying wood is allowed to increase on the branches. The presence of 

 even a few dried-tip shoots is indication that there is more on the tree than 

 it can support. Use the pruners freely, and clear out all such drawbacks 

 to orangft and lemon culture. Mulching and the use of bush scrapings, as 

 recommended in the preceding paragraph, is more suitable than surface 

 cultivation for this family. 



Stocks for Citrus Fruits. As the season of growth proceeds, observat- 

 ion is helpful in guidance as to whether seedling oranges, or lemon or orange 

 stocks, are best for budding or grafting. The belief that the lemon is the 

 stock for lemons and the orange for orange is coming more generally into 

 favour. 



Olives. The time is suitable for planting cuttings or truncheons of 

 suitable sorts to make trees. From the older plants, and, indeed, from all 

 orchard trees, all suckers, and bad and rampant-growing shoots, should 

 be removed as soon as they appear. 



Trees Fruiting. Figs, guavas, loquats, mulberries, cherries, plums, 

 peaches, and others now developing fruit, are aided during dry spells 

 by even moderate soakings of water. See chapter on "Irrigation" 

 for methods of application. 



Budding. As the buds for next season's growth mature, after the fruit 

 is off, budding commences. (See page 265). 



Strawberries. Where strong plants were set out on richly-manured 

 land, and the enemy of the strawberry (the leaf fungus) has been kept in 

 check, this fruit should be showing up well. Strawberries are helped in 

 fruiting by mulching and watering. 



Tomatoes. Give liquid manure, and keep the vines well off the ground 

 on trellis or other supports, in order to get heavy, clean crops. 



Grape Vines. They should be in full growth now. Use sulphur freely ; 

 thin out badly-placed shoots, and tie up the stragglers. 



FLOWERS AND SHRUBS. 



Roses The "queen of flowers" has the lead at this time, and when 

 carefully attended to the response is very handsome. Seldom have there 

 been finer flowers than during October, but as soon as they have passed 

 their prime, pinch them off, in order to give the swelling buds the sap 

 they require. All approach towards seed-forming is fatal to flowering. 

 The very early roses may be budded. 



Propagating. Roses that were shy of making roots from cuttings 

 earlier in the season may be induced to root now. Shade and shelter 

 from winds help rooting. Petunias respond to the same treatment. 

 Herbaceous plants generally may also be induced to root from cuttings at 

 this time 



