Round the Year in the Garden 



retarded crowns ; they start into growth in a few days 

 when placed in warmth and flowers and leaves come 

 together. They will be in bloom in from four to six 

 weeks, according to the temperature of the greenhouse. 

 Retarded crowns can be grown with great success in 

 bowls of fibre in the home. 



In the Fruit Garden 



Gathering and Storing Fruit. It is not necessary 

 to insist upon the importance of gathering hardy fruits 

 at the correct time, and of storing them properly ; this 

 is obvious when one considers that the year's labour 

 in other directions may be nullified by lack of attention 

 when the fruits are ripening. There are two simple 

 general tests by which one may know whether or not 

 an Apple or a Pear is ready to gather. One way of 

 ascertaining this is by lifting the fruit gently ; if it then 

 becomes detached from its shoot, it may be considered 

 to be in a fit state to gather. If, however, it does not 

 part readily from the branch it should not be removed. 

 Another method is to cut open one or two fruits and 

 examine the pips ; if these are black one may be satisfied 

 that the fruits are sufficiently ripe ; if the pips are still 

 white, the fruits ought to remain longer on the tree. It 

 is necessary to watch the early varieties carefully ; they 

 mature quickly and, if left on the tree too long, become 

 over-ripe and are spoilt. Among early Pears are Citron 

 de Carmes, Doyenne d']te, Jargonelle and Williams' 

 Bon Chretien. Of early dessert Apples there are Mr. 

 Gladstone, Irish Peach, Devonshire Quarrenden, Beauty 

 of Bath, and James Grieve ; among cooking sorts, 

 Lord Grosvenor, Lord Suffield, Duchess of Oldenburg, 

 Potts's Seedling and Early White Transparent. All these 

 are ready for gathering in August or September and 

 in those months they ought occasionally to be examined. 

 Early Pears will be ready for use a few days after 



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