SEASONABLE REMINDERS. 349 



treading. Asparagus should be in growing condition, and therefore 

 must be left alone until the stalks become yellow. Where our practice 

 has been followed respecting planting tomatoes, well trellised and 

 facing the sun, a supply of this wholesome fruit should be abundant. 

 To save seed of tomatoes, select the best shaped fruit, and if any 

 peculiar feature is seen in samples save them for seed. Peas may still 

 be planted, and the ground well forked up amongst crops that are 

 growing. Sow broad beans as required in moderately rich land. Beds 

 of spinach of both the round and prickly-leaved can be got in every 

 month to keep up a regular supply. Globe artichokes may be harvested, 

 divided, and transplanted. Continue to earth up celery ; with growing 

 crops, liquid manure will be of great service. To raise herbs from seed, 

 sow now; the seed germinates quickly, and gives good plants for 

 putting out during the winter months. Take up old stocks of herbs, 

 divide, and after well heading back, replant. Rhubarb can be trans- 

 planted ; good, well-trenched land, low-lying if possible, is suitable. 

 The ordinary tuber artichoke should be ready for digging ; a good plan 

 is to take up each day what is sufficient. Sow for radishes ; the olive- 

 shaped are perhaps the prettiest for the table, and equal to the best in 

 flavour and crispneas. Mustard and cress can be easily made a feature 

 in the garden for salading purposes, and plots should be allowed for 

 the very excellent land cress, perennial cress, and the New Zealand 

 spinach, all of which are health-giving for salads, &c. Clear away dead 

 leaves of all kinds of vegetables from growing crops, and manure as 

 freely as circumstances allow. 



WINTER IN THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



Planting. Where fruit culture is attempted on shallow, thin, or 

 wet, badly-drained soil, the risks of disappointment are largely 

 increased. But where the land is right, planting out of oranges and 

 lemons may be carried on now, so as to get some root growth before 

 really cold weather sets in. In arranging for apple trees for planting, 

 see that they have been worked on blight proof stocks. As a guide for 

 planting deciduous trees, the leaf-shedding may be considered a fair 

 criterion that the tree is at rest, and therefore ready for the change. 

 Plant cherimoyers, guavas, leeches, Chinese raisins, and one or more of 

 Japanese pluuis in fair, rich land, in order to test them. 



Pruning. (See Chap xxi.) Where pears and apples are shy 

 bearers, it is a good plan, at the pruning season, to shorten the root 

 growth, and cut or pinch back the young, rampant shoots, to develop 

 fruit liii'l.-. The apricot, at times, also seems a shy bearer, and root 

 pruning and spring pinching are generally effective in bringing the 

 tree into bearing form. Grape vine pruning is on ; in all cases where 

 fungus is observable on the vines, it is the safe plan to burn the 

 prunings and leaves, which may be raked up for the purpose. As rasp- 

 berries have now made their shoots for next season's fruiting, they may 

 he pruned without delay, leaving to each stool a few stout canes, and 

 then remove all others. 



General Work. Continue to transplant strawberries ; keep runners 

 away from those planted ; well loosen up the ground. The eradication 

 of weeds has to be attended to, as when allowed to grow they form 

 belter places for snails, slugs, and other pests. 



