116 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [August 



If the growth of last year is examined, it will be seen that the shoots pf) 

 of the present year's formation proceed from one or two of the fermi- cfo 

 nal buds, all other eyes below being stationary. Now if these young \ 

 shoots are checked by pinching off their tops, it will cause the lower 

 buds to break into growth and form fruit spurs. Should it happen, as 

 is sometimes the case, that these under buds do not start, but the ter- 

 minal shoot breaks again and goes on as before, it must be pinched 

 again, which will generally produce the desired effect. Attention 

 should also be given to the ultimate shape of the tree; where space re- 

 quires filling up, shoots should be encouraged by preventing growth 

 in other directions. 



Peaches. — The strong shoots of these also require cutting back, to 

 keep the heads low and well filled up. Long, bare stems are objec- 

 tionable in all fruit trees. Whenever we come across any of these, 

 the idea of a broom with the handle stuck in the ground invariably 

 suggests itself. We do not know of any advantage in long-stemmed 

 trees except the questionable one of allowing crops to be cultivated 

 under them. On the other hand, a low, well-balanced tree is more 

 ornamental — a feature that should not be lost sight of even in a fruit 

 tree. More important advantages are the facility of conducting the 

 operations of pruning and gathering the crop; and further, the stem 

 is shaded from the influence of burning sun, a fertile source of disease, 

 and insects are prevented from harboring about the stem and roots. — 

 If a tree is worth head room in the air, it is worth root room also; 

 therefore we never calculate to grow vegetables or anything else un- 

 der trees. If you want a long-lived, fruitful tree, allow a moderate 

 yearly crop, thin out the fruit if too abundant ; it takes very little 

 time, and the time spent will be amply repaid. 



Strawberries. — The best treatment we can recommend at present 

 for this delicious fruit, is to clear them of weeds, and mulch between 

 the rows with short grass, or where it can, be obtained, tan bark. A 

 sprinkling of stable manure is as good as either; cover the soil and 

 keep the moisture. Close observers maintain that shading is as bene- 

 ficial to the soil as manure. Try it. We have much to learn. Ex- 

 periment is always profitable, whether successful or not. If possessed 

 of a greenhouse, and would like to please yourself and surprise your 

 friends with a dish or two of ripe strawberries next April, lift a few 

 dozen strong plants from the present year's runners and put them in 

 pots ; use a strong, loamy soil, with about a fourth part well decayed 

 manure ; put one plant into a five inch pot, let the soil be dry, and 

 press it firmly in the pots. Give a good watering, and set them out 

 of the reach of bright sun for a week or ten days until they begin to 



vo g row J tnen l e * them be fully exposed and duly watered. 



fij Raspberries. — As soon as all the fruit is gathered, cut out the canes 



