86 THE FLORIST AND 



roof. External coverings should be more generally employed ; as a matter 

 of economy they "would effect considerable saving in fuel, and if .a stratum of 

 air was retained between the roof and the covering, the former would re- 

 tain a more equal temperature, and the disadvantages of high artificial heat 

 considerably lessened. 



Gooseberries and Currants — the pruning of these should not be delayed ; 

 the bushes should be thinned out in the centre ; they are generally too thick, 

 which injures the quality and size of the fruit. In pruning the former, leave 

 young wood for bearing, and do not top the point of every shoot unless your 

 object be to produce plenty of wood. Give a heavy dressing of manure, and 

 fork it about the roots ; currants will repay all extra attention, and in some 

 situations gooseberries also succeed well, if properly attended to. 



Raspberries should be staked out and thinned out, securing thern properly 

 to the stakes, so that the fruit will not be destroyed by the plants breaking- 

 down in a gale. They require rich soil, and deep, gravelly subsoil suits them 

 well, provided the surface is well enriched, and the plants allowed sufficient 

 space for their proper development. 



Planting. — The season for spring planting is now at hand. Be careful, 

 in moving trees, to preserve the roots from getting dry, and when setting 

 them, cut all bruised and ragged roots smoothly off; do not plant deep, with 

 the idea of saving trouble in staking ; rather form a small mound of soil about 

 the roots and stem, which will serve a double purpose — steadying the plant 

 and throwing off heavy rains ; the soil can be levelled down when all danger 

 from either of the above causes is past. 



Strawberries, in strong soils, are frequently thrown out of the ground with 

 frosts ; a top dressing of good compost will be of much service when this has 

 occurred. When the soil is dry and friable it should be slightly forked up, 

 taking care that roots are not injured ; and planting new beds may also be 

 proceeded with, and due attention should be given to the mixing a few sta- 

 minates with the more productive pistillate varieties ; by this means the 

 heaviest crops are secured. Amateurs, who prefer quality to quantity, will 

 plant more of the finest staminate kinds, of which there are now many very 

 superior sorts in cultivation. 



As soon as the surface will admit, the soil should be stirred so as to admit 

 heat to the roots, and break up the soddened surface after the storms and 

 snows of winter; the late snows will render this operation a very necessary 

 one. Spring warmth will rapidly come on us, the air warm and the roots 

 cold and wet — conditions which hurt the fruit prospects much more than is 

 generally supposed, more especially when accompanied with slight frosts to- 

 wards the end of the month. S. B, 



