Horticultural Operations for October. 479 



all small green twiggy shoots and laterals, which will not mature before 

 cold weather : this will admit the sun and air freely, and benefit the bearing 

 wood. 



Pear Trees will now begin to drop their leaves, and all fruit should be 

 gathered as soon as this occurs : pick in dry weather, and put them in clean 

 dry barrels, boxes, or baskets. 



Peach Trees in pots should now be sparingly watered in order to ripen 

 oflf the wood. 



Strawberry beds will need attention; look them over for the last time, 

 and pull out all weeds and clip the runners. 



Gooseberry and Currant bushes may be planted this month. 



Raspberry and Blackberry may be set out immediately. 



Budded Trees should be looked after: the late rains have invigorated 

 them so much that the ties will be likely to girdle the stems ; cut the ties 

 and put on new ones, if tlie buds are not well inserted. 



Trench and prepare ground now for transplanting next month : it will 

 then have time to settle, and make better work. 



FLOWER DEPARTMENT. 



The weather of October soon becomes too chilly for tender plants, and 

 therefore everything not perfectly secure with six or eight degrees of frost, 

 should be got into their winter quarters. This kind of work should be be- 

 gun early, that it may not be hurried up too much : every pot should 

 be washed, top-dressed, and put in fine order: it is much better to do this 

 before they go into the house than afterwards, as it saves time, expense, 

 and, more than all, having a desirable arrangement for three or four weeks. 

 Frames should be put in requisition ; for many half hardy things do much 

 better to be kept out, than to be crowded into a warm house. See that the 

 stages, shelves, floors, dec, are thoroughly washed and cleansed. 



Camellias should be nicely arranged ; if the collection is small and a 

 mixed one, give them a good position among the other kinds of plants ; if 

 large, arrange them by themselves, selecting the shadiest part of the house 

 — if a span-roof — facing the north. They will do better than in the full sun. 

 Thoroughly wash and syringe the foliage, and top-dress the soil. 



Chrysanthemums should now be looked after: remove them to the 

 greenhouse or parlor before the nights become too cold, as a hard frost often 

 pinches and injures the buds : water often with guano. 



Pelargoniums will now need considerable care: remove them to a shelf 

 as near the glass as possible, and water very sparingly till they get well 

 established in their pots. If the greenhouse does not appear a good place, 

 they may be kept in a frame, protecting with double matting in frosty 

 nights. 



Scarlet Geraniums, Salvias, Starkias, &.c., planted out in the open 

 ground, should be taken up and potted without delay ; place in a frame till 

 well rooted. 



Azaleas should be removed to the greenhouse or a frame: water spar- 

 ingly now. 



