4\G THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. [XoV, 



PLANTING SMALL TIIUITS. 



All sorts of small fruits, such as gooseberries, currants, and 

 raspberries, should now be planted, if not done last month, 

 unless the weather and soil be both very wet, in that case, the 

 planting may with propriety be delayed some time longer. 



DIGGING THE GROUND AMONG SMALL FRUITS. 



As the pruning of these plants proceeds, let the ground be 

 dug up in as rough a manner as possible, so that all the weeds, 

 ike. may be buried ; and if it be found inconvenient to prune 

 them now, nevertheless let the digging go on, and take the 

 opportunity of a few frosty days to prune them, when the 

 ground will be hard enough to bear without much treading. 

 If this rouf][h dif^frin*? can be done tv. ice throuf^hout the winter 

 months, there is no doubt but the eggs or larvae of many insects 

 will be destroyed, by being turned up and thereby exposed to 

 the frost, and more particularly to birds, which will now be 

 more industrious in looking for such food, as their other 

 sources of support are now nearly exhausted. 



GATHERING LATE FRUITS. 



If the season has been late, many of the late fruits will, 

 probably, not yet be gathered in ; this shoukl now be done, 

 before the frosts set in too severely upon them, and in that 

 case, spoil them for keeping. In backward situations, the late 

 fruits should have as much of the tree as possible, even although 

 a slight frost should happen. It is of the utmost consequence 

 to them that they be fully ripened ; for if pulled before they be 

 ripe, they will not keep so well, and are apt to shrivel and lose 

 their flavor. Such, therefore, as can be for some time, pre- 

 viously to ripening, covered at niglit with mats, for fear of 

 frost, will be much benefited thereby. For directions for 

 gathering and storing, see {last month), 



DIGGING THE GROUND AMONG YOUNG ORCHARD-TREES. 



The following has been kid down by the late Nicol for the 

 management of young orchard-grounds, until the trees come to a 

 full bearing state, and the practice probably cannot be improved. 



