438 



SCIENCE OF GARDENING. 



Pakt ir. 



2287. The operathnsjur ike cure of accidents 3Lre chiefly cutting cfF injured parts, sup- 

 porting, and coating over. Amputation must be performed with suitable instruments^ 

 and so as to leave a smooth section calculated to throw off the water. In cutting out 

 large wounds which are deep, the chisel will require to be used ; and in cutting off dis- 

 eased or injured parts from small and delicate plants, a very sharp knife. Supporting 

 the stem or trunk of bruised and wind-shaken trees, or such as are otherwise injured or 

 rendered less secure in their general structure, is an obvious operation, and i-equires to he 

 done promptly and effectually. It is also requisite in the case of cutting out such deep 

 wounds as m.ay endanger the stems or branches of trees or plants exposed to the free air^ 

 Coating over wounds to exclude air is a useful practice ; and though it may be dispensed 

 with in the case of small wounds on healthy plants, ought never to be neglected in tlic 

 case of large wounds on any description of plants, or small ones made on such as are 

 sickly. The usual application is now clay and loam made so thin as to be laid on with 

 a brush, and two or three coats may be given. On large wounds paint, or putty and 

 paint may be used; and in the case of deep hollow wounds, the part may be filled up 

 with putty, or putty and small stones, for the sake of saving the former, and tiien made 

 smooth and well painted. 



2288. The operations for curi)ig diseases are few, besides those for the cure of accidents. 

 Washes are applied by the sponge, brush, syringe, or watering pot, for filth, mildew, and 

 blight; and for the two latter diseases sulphur, or powdered lime is sometimes added l>y 

 di-edges or the hand while the plant is wet. Slitting the bark is the operation for hide- 

 bound trees; and jjeeling off the outer, rough, and already separating bark by scraping- 

 irons and bark-scalers, is resorted to in the case of old trees, as cutting out is in the case 

 of canker. In scaling off care must be t-aken not to injure the inner bark ; and in cutting 

 out for canker shaqj instruments must be used, and a coating applied. (See 873. to 9J1.) 



Sect. IX. Operations of Gathering, Preserving, and Keeping. 



2289. Gathering, undeserving, and keeping vegetable productions, form an important part 

 of the horticultural division of gardening. Some productions, after being reared and 

 perfected, are to be gathered for immediate consumption ; but a part require to be pre- 

 served in a state fit for culinary purposes; or for sowing or dispersing; or sending to a 

 distant market, family or friend. 



2290. Gathering vegetables or their different parts is, in part, pei formed with a knife, as 

 in cutting off some fruits, as the cucumber, or heads of leaves, as the cabbage ; and in 

 part by fracture or torsion with the hand, as in pinching off strawberries between the 

 finger and thumb, gathering peas, with one hand applied to retain the stem finn, and the 

 other to tear asunder the peduncle, &c. In all cases of using the knife, the general 

 principle of cutting is to be attended to, leaving always a sound section on the. living 

 plant. Gathering with the hand ought to be done as little as possible, as there are now 

 garden-pincers for all such purposes, which do the work quicker, with far less injury to 

 the plant, and more regard to cleanliness. Sometimes the entire plant is gathered, as in 

 celery and onions ; and at other times only the root or tuber, as in potatoes and carrots. 

 In taking up these, care must be taken not to injure' their epidermis, as on the preserv- 

 ation of this depends their retention of juices, beauty, and keeping. 



2291. The gathering of hardy fruits should take place "in the middle part of a dry 

 day ; not in the morning before the dew is evaporated, nor in the evening when it begins 

 to be deposited. Plums readily part from the twigs when ripe : they should not be much 

 handled, as the bloom is apt to be rubbed off. Apricots may be accounted ready when 

 the side next the sun feels a little soft upon gentle pressure with the finger. They ad- 

 here firmly to the tree, and would over-ripen on it and become mealy. Peaches 

 and nectarines, if moved upwards, and allowed to descend with a single jei-k, will separate, 

 if ready ; and they may be received into the peach-gatherer { fig. 148.) or any tin funnel 

 lined with velvet, so as to avoid touching with the fingers or bruising. The old rule for 

 judging of the ripeness of figs, was to observe if a dro]D of water v,'as hanging at the end 

 of the fruit ; a more certain one is, to notice when the small end becomes of the same 

 colour as the large end. The most transparent grapes are the most ripe. All the 

 berries on a bunch never ripen equally ; and it is therefore proper to cut away unripe 

 or decayed berries before presenting the bunches at table. Autumn and winter pears 

 are gathered, when dry, as they successively ripen. The early varieties of apples 

 begin to be useful for the kitchen in the end of June; particularly the codlins and 

 the jenneting ; and in July they are fit for the dessert. From this time till October or 

 November, many kinds ripen in succession. The safest rule is to observe when the 

 fruit begins to fall naturally. Another easy mode of ascertaining, is to raise the fruit 

 level with the footstalk;- if ripe, it will part readily from the tree : this mode of trial is 

 also applicable to pears. A third criterion is to cut up an apple of the average ripeness 

 of the crop, and examine if its seeds have become brown or blackish ; if they remain 

 uncolored, the fruit is not ready for pulling. Immature fruit never keeps so well 



