Gardening for Amateurs 



659 



most important to afford the plants full light 

 and all possible ventilation after housing 

 them, while very little heat is needed in the 

 pipes for a time. 



Planting Peaches. The work of planting 

 Peaches or Nectarines under glass may 

 be undertaken sooner than in the open, as 

 the trees start into activity earlier in the 

 year, and it is essential that they be well 

 rooted by that time. In preparing the sites 

 do not add animal manure to the soil ; the 

 best rooting medium is loam (turfy soil), and 

 the only addition necessary is some old lime 

 rubbish. Plant firmly with the upper roots 

 spread out evenly about 2 inches below the 

 surface, and give a good watering after- 

 wards. Good varieties are Hale's Early, 

 Alexander, and Royal George Peaches ; and 

 Early Rivers, Humboldt, and Spenser Nec- 

 tarines. 



Ripe Grapes. All Grapes are ripe or 

 ripening fast now, and where they are re- 

 quired to hang for some time the atmosphere 

 must be kept dry and airy. Vineries from 

 which the bunches have been cut should 

 be ventilated freely, to assist in the ripening 

 of the growths. 



THE FRUIT GARDEN 

 Preparations for Planting. The season 

 at which the planting of most fruits may 

 be undertaken with the greatest likeli- 

 hood of success is close at hand ; it is a 

 commendable plan to get the ground pre- 

 pared now as far as is practicable, thus allow- 

 ing it time to settle before planting is pro- 

 ceeded with. Deep cultivation by breaking 

 up the subsoil thoroughly is recommended, 

 especially on heavy and wet soils, where it 

 will act as drainage by allowing water to 

 pass away freely. Manuring needs some 

 consideration, for whereas the majority of 

 small fruits, such as Gooseberries, Currants, 

 and Raspberries do better with the addition 

 of old farmyard manure to the lower 12 

 inches, the sites for Apples, Pears, Peaches, 

 etc., should not be manured unless the soil 

 happens to be very poor, and even then 

 chopped turf is really preferable. 



Ordering Trees. The advantages of 

 placing orders for fruit trees and bushes 

 early are evident. Not only is the rush and 

 unavoidable delay of late autumn avoided, 



but better trees are invariably secured. Do 

 not be gulled by offers of trees at, as a 

 moment's thought must show them to be, 

 impossible prices. Firms who make a 

 speciality of fruits of all descriptions are 

 certainly in a position to sell trees at the 

 lowest reasonable price, and by entrusting 

 orders to these disappointment will be 

 avoided. 



Blackberries. Many people plant Black- 

 berries in their gardens and expect fruit 

 far surpassing that found in the hedges, 

 without any further attention. Imagine 

 what Raspberries and Loganberries would 

 be like if neglected in this way ; deterioration 

 would soon be evident. And it is the same 

 with the fruit under notice. As a matter of 

 fact the Blackberry needs just about the 

 same treatment as the other kinds mentioned. 

 An annual mulching, and the removal of old 

 canes after the crop is over, with thinning 

 of the young growths where necessary, results 

 in a marked difference in the size and quality 

 of the fruit. 



Storing Fruit. Fruit should be stored 

 in a cool room which is frost-proof ; under- 

 ground cellars are often suitable. Single 

 layers of fruit are best where there is room, 

 but double layers are permissible. Do not 

 place paper, straw, or any other material on 

 the shelves where fruit is to be stored ; so 

 long as the wood is quite clean and dry any 

 covering is quite unnecessary and useless. 



THE KITCHEN GARDEN 

 Planting Cabbages. Cabbages for use 

 during spring must now be planted. It is 

 not advisable to dig and manure plots now 

 for this crop or growth will be too rank. The 

 common method of planting Cabbages in 

 the bed previously occupied by Onions 

 cannot be greatly improved upon, but of 

 course it rests upon the supposition that the 

 ground was thoroughly prepared for the 

 Onion crop. If the seedlings were pricked 

 out as advised previously they may be planted 

 with the trowel with very little disturbance 

 to the roots. Plant firmly. 



Lifting Maincrop Potatoes. The main 

 crop of Potatoes should be lifted before the 

 autumn rains set in, as nothing is gained by 

 leaving the tubers in the ground after this 

 month. After drying them, store in frost- 



