441 
THE ORCHARD. 
Little remains to be done during this month in the orchard, but 
to feast on its delicious productions: however, it will be verj proper 
to pick and carry away all decayed and fallen fruit, for the reasons 
assigned in the fruit garden for this month. Should any of the trees 
show canker or much gum, you may now cut out the decayed part 
clean to the fresh wood, and give it a dressing of the medicated tar 
prescribed in page 47, giving this medication a due consistence as 
there directed, to prevent its melting away by the heat of the 
weatherj or you may apply Mr. Forsyth's composition, for w^hich 
see page 224. 
Where it can be done without injury, it would be of use to turn 
pigs into the orchard at this season to eat up the fallen, decayed 
fruit, and, consequently, to destroy the numerous brood of insects 
contained therein. 
THE VINEYARD. 
In the middle states the grapes are generally set or formed about 
the first week of this month; when all the loose hanging shoots are 
to be neatly tied up to the stakes, and the useless weak growths, 
as well as the suckers arising from the roots and lower parts of the 
stems, cleared or cut away; but by no means divest any of the 
branches of their leaves, as some unskilful persons too often prac- 
tise; for these are absolutely necessary to the growth and protec- 
tion of the fruit: the small side shoots growing on the main branches 
from the axillas of the leaves, should, if time permits, be nipped off 
as they are produced, which will tend considerably to strengthen 
the principal shoots. 
When the vines are suffered for some time to hang loose, and 
trail about upon the ground, all their leaves grow upward; which, 
on the shoots being afterwards bound in an upright position to the 
stakes, are turned upside down; and until these leaves resume their 
natural position, which they are commonly eight or ten days in 
effecting, the fruit is at a stand, and consequently loses the advan- 
tage of that length of time in the principal season of its growth. 
The ground should be kept constantly free from weeds, either 
by means of the plough and harrow or by hoe; for where there are 
other plants suffered to grow, they not only rob the roots of the 
vines of their nourishment, but also by perspiring, cause a damp in 
the air, and prevent the sun and wind from exhaling and carrying 
away the vapours arising from the earth, whereby the fruit would 
3H 
