1871. ] 
GARDEN NOTES EOR OCTOBER. 
233 
they require it; the succession plants will not need much watering at this season. 
Keep a dry atmosphere in the late Vineries by lighting fires during the day, and 
giving air at the same time, if the weather permits. Remove all berries the 
moment they show signs of mouldiness or decay. Vines intended to be started 
next month should be pruned at once, if not already done. Continue to shorten 
back the shoots as the fruit is cut, and prune as soon as the leaves commence 
falling. The Peach trees in the early house should now be pruned, but when 
proper attention has been paid to the thinning and disbudding of the shoots 
during summer, little in the way of pruning will now be necessary. Remove all 
the old ligatures, give the trees a good cleaning, and then give them a dressing 
of the following mixture:—A little soft-soap, sulphur, clay, and tobacco-water, 
reduced to about the consistency of paint; this should be applied carefully with 
a brush. When dry the shoots should be neatly tied to the trellis. If any worn- 
out trees require .to be replaced with young ones, this is a good season to do it, 
and the best trees for the purpose are those that have been trained for five or six 
years ; these come into bearing at once, and the kind is known, which cannot 
always be the case with younger plants. Give late houses abundance of air, and 
in wet weather light gentle fires to assist to ripen the wood. Short-jointed, well- 
ripened wood of moderate vigour of growth is the certain accompaniment of 
fruitfulness in the Fig , and the means of obtaining this is to confine the roots, to 
pinch out the tips of the shoots, to give no more water than is absolutely necessary, 
and to admit all the light and air possible. With plants in pots and tubs, it is 
easy to secure short-jointed, well-ripened wood, and with plants in borders the 
means just mentioned will accomplish that end. Strawberry plants will not 
require much water now ; the principal point to be aimed at is to get the crowns 
as well developed and matured as possible before the short dull days; pinch off 
all runners as they appear. Attend to the directions given last month for 
Cucumbers and Melons. 
Continue the gathering and storing of fruit as it becomes fit. Choice fruits 
intended for keeping cannot be too carefully gathered from the tree. It is best 
to gather them singly, handling them as lightly as eggs; when gathered they 
should be laid carefully on the fruit-room shelves, one, two, or three deep, accord¬ 
ing to the accommodation, but the fewer in depth the better. The planting of 
Fruit Trees may now be proceeded with, if the necessary preparation has been 
made for them; if not, it is better to defer it until the ground has been properly 
prepared, as on the proper preparation of the soil, more particularly as regards 
draining, the well-doing of the trees chiefly depends. Never forget that thorough 
drainage is the basis of good cultivation ; it is labour thrown away to plant in 
heavy soils that are not properly drained. Avoid deep planting, spread the roots 
out, carefully covering them with fine soil, tread it gently if it be of a light 
nature, but if it be of a clayey, heavy nature, it is best not to tread it, but to leave 
the rains of autumn to settle it about the roots. The great advantage of early 
