322 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



training them carefully to the trellis, finally washing the woodwork 

 and glass with warm soapy water, the walls with lime-wash, and pick- 

 ing the border over with a fork. Early in the following February 

 close the house, well water the border, and syringe the trees with 

 tepid water morning and afternoon in fine weather. Admit air liber- 

 ally but cautiously, and when the trees are in bloom maintain a 

 temperature of 50 degrees with a rise of 10 or 15 degrees from sun 

 heat, together with a rather dry atmosphere, and give the trellis a 

 sharp rap at midday to disperse the pollen, and assist in setting the 

 fruits. Syringing must be discontinued while the trees are in flower, 

 but again resorted to directly the fruit is set. The border and path- 

 ways of the house must also be sprinkled several times daily. Disbud 

 piecemeal, commencing at the top of the tree and removing a few 

 shoots daily. A shoot should be left at the base of each fruit-bearing 

 lateral, and one at the extremity, all the intermediate shoots being 

 removed. If the fruits set thickly, a few of them must be removed at 

 a time, and the rest left about six inches apart. Keep the border 

 moist, admit air freely in fine weather, and if green-fly or thrip makes 

 its appearance, fumigate the house mildly several times with tobacco 

 paper. As soon as the fruit is stoned, the final thinning must be made, 

 leaving them nine inches or ten inches apart. Close the house early 

 on sunny afternoons, to shut in all the sun heat possible, and induce 

 the fruit to swell. Water trees carrying heavy crops with weak liquid 

 manure, or sprinkle a little native guano on the surface, and water it 

 in. When the fruit commences to colour cease syringing, and mulch 

 the border with short manure or dry bracken to prevent rapid evapora- 

 tion. A somewhat dry atmosphere and a liberal supply of air night 

 and day are necessary for the production of large, richly-flavoured fruit. 

 After the fruit is gathered, all shoots which have borne fruit must be 

 cut out, in order to admit all the light and air possible to the current 

 year's wood. Very little pruning will then be necessary in winter. 

 From this time until the leaves fall off, plenty of water at the roots, 

 a continual supply of fresh air, and frequent copious syringings of the 

 foliage will be the chief requirements. 



NlltS. The amateur gardener in the country could often grow 

 Nuts in the garden or orchard and enjoy a profitable pastime, but 

 careful attention must be given to the trees in the early stages of 

 growth. Nuts, like other fruit trees, succeed well in good soil. In 

 Kent the Cob and Filbert trees are first favourites, and excellent 

 prices are obtained for the Kent Cobs ; indeed the Kentish trees, 

 owing to the attention received, frequently bear when others fail. 

 The beginner may grow quite as good Nuts as dwellers in Kent, and 

 at no great cost. It is useless to plant hedges and allow them to 

 grow in their own way. The pruned trees are not so pleasing in ap- 

 pearance in winter as a pyramid bush Apple or Pear tree, but they are 

 quite as profitable. Once the trees have assumed their correct shape 

 they do not give much trouble. 



The trees are raised mostly from layers, and this is the best system 

 to obtain a true stock, as though at times seedlings come true they are 



