414 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[June. 



of the same sorts are over in the garden, with the exception of 

 those which are matted on north walls. 



Strawberries should now be protected from birds by means 

 of nets. If planted in the common way, in open quarters of 

 the garden, they may be preserved from them by spreading 

 nets over the beds, and supporting them from the gi'ound by 

 small sticks, about a foot or eighteen inches high ; these to 

 be taken off and replaced after each gathering. This is at- 

 tended with some trouble, but it often happens that small birds 

 and wood-pigeons will destroy the crop, unless some such 

 means be taken for their preservation. 



In damp weather, look over the strawberry-beds, and pick 

 up the slugs, which will be otherwise very destructive to them. 

 Net up such raspben'ies, currants, and gooseberries, as are 

 planted on south walls for early crops, for they are more likely 

 to be destroyed by birds than they otherwise would be, if 

 plenty of ripe fruit were in other parts of the garden ; without 

 this precaution, a great disappointment may arise, in having 

 those fruits fit for the table at an earlier season, than that at 

 which the principal crops come in. 



SUMiMER PRUNING SMALL FRUITS. 



The summer pruning of gooseberries, currants, and rasp- 

 berries, has been hitherto little attended to, although it has 

 been found highly useful. At this season, all young wood, 

 that would otherwise be left on the bushes until winter, and 

 then pruned off, should be displaced ; if done in May, or the 

 beginning of this month, it will benefit the plants, as well as 

 the fruit ; the nourishment, which it would require to support 

 them, will then be thrown into the useful shoots and fruit. A 

 free admission will also be obtained for the sun and air to im- 

 prove the fruit, and when ripe will be gathered with greater 

 comfort, particularly the gooseberries. The trees on walls, or 

 trained on espaliers, should also be examined, and thinned cf 

 all useless wood ; and such as is really useful trained into the 

 wall, or rail. The bushes, on the appearance of the P/ia- 

 Iconce gross ularia, the Ap/iis ribes, and the caterpillars of the 

 Papilio genus, should be well scourged with the garden- 



