XIV CALENDAR OP OPERATIONS 347 



pushing buds and 'shoots of pruned H.P.s may now 

 be well thinned ; the sooner it is done the better, as 

 rubbing, or even cutting, out a great fat shoot leaves 

 an ugly wound which bleeds a good deal for a time. 

 See that the shoots left are free from pests. Pinch, 

 " stave," or cut carefully back, to form finer plants, 

 the first pushing buds which were inserted last year 

 in the stocks, as recommended on p. 149. Indoors, 

 cut back Marechal Niel, climbing Niphetos, and the 

 like, gradually as the blooms are gathered. The 

 first bloom of the forced Eoses will now be over, 

 and liquid manure — not too strong or too cold — 

 may be administered to those intended to flower a 

 second time by immersing the pots. 



May. — This is the month for insect pests of all 

 sorts. The only plan is to go over the whole collec- 

 tion as often as possible : I have several times found 

 a large caterpillar or two in the afternoon on a small 

 plant which I had carefully examined in the morning. 

 If a rolled leaf be simply pinched you will probably 

 carefully squeeze the same leaf again half a dozen 

 times ; it must therefore either be picked off or un- 

 rolled, and the latter plan is best. If several leaf 

 sprays are curled on one shoot the enemy will be 

 found in the topmost one, which probably shows the 

 disfigurement least : he is working upwards towards 

 the bud, and with inherited cunning leaves his 

 past abodes most manifest, and artfully conceals his 

 present one. Be not satisfied with a pinch unless 

 you feel him "go squash." Never go up and 

 down without a supply of raffia about you ; some- 

 thing is sure to want tying: the maiden plants 

 should be looked over for this purpose very fre- 

 quently. Do not be satisfied with any shoot till 



