73 



7s. to 8s., afterwards about 5s.; if all 

 ground hand hoed among young straw- 

 berries, 14s. per acre pre-war). Edge 

 hoe raspberries, cost 6s. per acre pre-war. 

 Flat hoe whole of bush plantations (goose- 

 berry, black and red currant), cost 10s. 

 per acre pre-war. Fork out anj'^ dande- 

 lions or docks among strawberries. Run 

 single zig-zag harrow between raspberry 

 rows to make the soil fine. Horse hoe 

 young strawberries with great care. If 

 dung litter is used (straw is cleaner) to 

 litter strawberries, commence carting, it 

 requires 12 or 13 loads per acre. Apple 

 trees subject to " scab " should be 

 sprayed with Bordeaux mixture, or lime- 

 sulphur wash, just before blossoms open, 

 and just after petals have fallen with 

 addition of lead arsenate in either case 

 to poison caterpillars. Pear, quince, 

 plum and cherry trees should be treated 

 similarly if they are respectively liable 

 to " scab," " brown-rot," or other fung- 

 ous diseases or caterpillars. Sow wall- 

 flower seed. 



M.AY. — Horse-hoe newly-planted rasp- 

 berries and old plantations. Fork out any 

 couch-grass among raspberries. Horsed 

 hoe strawberries. Edge-hoe strawberries 

 and raspberries. Hoe bush plantations, 

 if wide enough by horse, in two direc- 

 tions, if not wide enough hoe by hand. 

 Cart straw (preferably barley straw) for 

 littering strawberries. Hoe strawberries 

 extra carefully last time before littering 

 (cost 7s. per acre pre-war); cut runners. 

 Litter strawberries when they commence 

 to flower. Littering with barley straw 

 takes about 11 loads per acre. May 18th 

 — Commenced picking largest green goose- 

 berries at 6d. per peck pre-war. Feed 

 fruit trees after fruit has set, mulching 

 with dung litter. Pick off " big bud " 

 on black currants (2d. per quart up- 

 wards). In case of aphis on plum or 

 black aphis on cherry, spray with soft 

 soap and quassia, or a reliable proprie- 

 tary wash. Where liable to " scab " on 

 pear or apple, or "brown-rot" on 

 cherries or plums, spray again a third 

 time with lime-sulphur, with lead arse- 

 nate. Sulphur strawberry plants if liable 

 to mildew, using a knapsack powder 

 pump. 



June. — Hoe strawberries ; cut runners ; 

 litter: straw littering cost about 7s. 6d. 



per acre pre-war. Pick green goose- 

 berres, thinning the fruit on the bushes, 

 cost 2Ad. per peck pre-war. June 5th— 

 Commenced picking strawberries (4d. per 

 peck, for bulk, id. per lb. if plugged for 

 jam, pre-war prices). Scai'e birds off 

 strawbeiries with dust shot. June 11th. — 

 Finished picking green gooseberries. 

 Hoe raspberries by horse and hand. 

 Cut runners on young strawberries. Hoe 

 nursery cuttings, etc. Brush hedges. 

 Thin apples. Plum trees against walls 

 will probably benefit by the application 

 of dilute liquid manure, which helps to 

 prevent the falling of young fruit. June 

 27. — Commenced to pick Morello cherries 

 (stems cut with scissors at 3d. per peck 

 pre-war). June 30th. — First raspberries 

 ripe. Summer prune red currants and 

 apple bushes. 



July. — Pick strawberries and cherries. 

 Hoe plantations. July 3vd, commenced to 

 pick raspberries (Id. and |d. per lb. for 

 first and last raspberries, id. per lb. for 

 bulk, pre-war). Thin apples and pears 

 where crowded, pick off any apples show- 

 ing holes caused by Codlin Moth cater- 

 pillar or Sawfly maggot and destroy to 

 kill larvae : also pick off pears containing 

 midge, and destroy them to prevent attack 

 next year. July 9th, commenced brushing 

 strawberries with swop hook at 4s. 6d. to 

 5s. per acre, and i-aking off straw litter at 

 4s. per acre, pre-war. July Hth, red cur- 

 rants picked at 4d. per peck; black 

 currants, 5d. or 6d. per peck, pre-war. 

 Commenced to gather Julian apples. Tin 

 up straw litter and cart from strawberry 

 fields, also cart hedge brushings (useful 

 for stack bottoms). Thin plums, remove 

 superfluous growth. Hoe plantations, cut- 

 tings, etc. ; also commence picking Per- 

 shore and other plums green for cooking 

 and jam making. Mulch with dung litter 

 apple and pear trees bearing good crops. 

 Take out dead wood fi'om cherry trees and 

 summer prune after crop is off. Pick wal- 

 nuts green for pickling which used to sell 

 at about 5s. per bushel, pre-war. Pick 

 loganberries and ripe gooseberries. 



August. — The plum month. Pick rasp- 

 berries, red and black currants and early 

 apples. August 2nd, commenced picking 

 ripe Rivers' Early Prolific plums (followed 

 by Black Diamond, Orleans, Prince of 

 Wales and Victoria). Brush hedges. Cart 



