286 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



growths carefully to the wires. If there are temporary vines 

 planted among those that are to be permanent, the former 

 require to be differently managed, as directed. 



Peaches. — Peaches now ripening require a free circulation 

 of air, or flavour will be deficient. Put aside aU leaves that 

 shade the fruit, so that the sun can lay on that meUow rich 

 colour which is peculiar to the peach, and without which 

 they look insipid. Syringe freely on fine afternoons later 

 crops that are swelling off, and pay great attention to the 

 state of the border where it is principally inside. Give heavy 

 waterings of manure-water when required, and mulch with a 

 light coating of finely-disintegrated manure. Tie in the wood 

 in late houses. Thin the fruit by degrees. Keep green-fly 

 and red-spider from gaining a footing. Pinch any shoots 

 that make rampant growths in young trees, or they wiU rob 

 the weaker ones of sap, and destroy the balance of growth 

 which is so desirable. Trees that have been planted two or 

 three years in new borders are apt to grow undesirably strong. 

 A good way of counteracting this tendency is to crop them 

 rather heavily. 



Figs. — These wiU be swelling their crop rapidly, and re- 

 quire to be well supplied with manure-water, especially if 

 they are old plants with their roots limited either to pots or 

 borders of comparatively small dimensions. Syringe freely 

 every fine afternoon, and frequently sprinkle the paths and 

 surface of the border through the day ; but gradually with- 

 hold moisture from the air as the fruit show signs of ripening, 

 and increase the ventilation. When the second crop is form- 

 ing in early houses, thin them out in time. A fair crop of 

 large welL-swelled fruit is worth twice the quantity of smaU. 

 skinny produce. Attend to stopping and tying down shoots 

 in later houses, and avoid crowding in too much wood and 

 foliage. 



Melons. — Sow and plant out for succession crops both at 

 the beginning and end of the month. Attend carefully to 

 the tying and stopping of those planted in April, and im- 

 pregnate the blooms. The depth of soil for melons should 



