190 
■V 
THE FLORIST. 
foliage to shade the larger branches from the scorching sun, for at times 
much injury is done to the trees in this wa 3 ^ Destroy black-fly on 
Cherries by dipping the shoots in tobacco-water and soit soap, or by 
syringing the trees with the same. Well wash the trees after the fly is 
destroyed. Water and mulch newly-planted trees, if the weather is 
hot and dry. Finish mulching Strawberries with litter or short Grass, 
at once, if not already done. Water in dry weather. Tie up the large 
kinds to small sticks, such as the British Queen, or other heavy fruit 
that do not colour well at the point. Look over Gooseberry and Cur¬ 
rant bushes, and see that caterpillars do not injure the trees ; hand¬ 
picking is the best means of destroying them. Pinch out the points of 
Currant shoots, to check green-fly, and water with liquid manure if the 
trees are weakly. Forcing Ground .—As soon as any pits or frames 
are clear of Potatoes or other forced crops, the beds should be prepared 
without delay, and successional crops of Cucumbers and Melons planted 
in them. Give good soakings of water occasionally to Melons when the 
fruit is swelling; keep the shoots thin, to preserve health and vigour in 
the foliage; stop and earth up advancing crops, give abundance of air 
through the day in good weather, and avoid shading if possible ; syringe 
the plants on the afternoons of clear day^s, and close the frames early; 
be sparing of water when the fruit approaches maturity. Be careful, 
and guard against sudden changes in the weather by having linings of 
Cucumber and Melon beds always in good condition, for if they get 
chilled it will probably bring on mildew and canker. Sow Cucumbers 
as they may be required, and Melons for the latest crop. Give plenty 
of air and water to French Beans, as well as the last crop of Straw¬ 
berries in pits. Plant^ out Cucumbers in ridges under hand-glasses, 
and Tomatoes against a wall in a southern aspect. Egg-plants should 
be planted on a warm border. Cherries .—As soon as the crop is 
gathered, remove the trees to a shady situation and keep them syringed 
and watered ; the pots should be plunged, or the plants taken out and 
planted in a northern aspect. Those plants in pots intended for forcing 
next season should not suffer from drought or from the effect of the 
Cherry-fly. Peaches and Nectarmes .—Expose the ripening crop as 
much as possible to the sun and admit plenty of air, to give colour and 
flavour to the fruit. Late houses, where the fruit is swelling, should 
have an increased clay temperature, with plenty of moisture. Thin and 
tie in the shoots in the last house, and treat them as previously 
advised. Vinery .—In the early vineries, where the fruit is perfectly 
ripe, the houses should be kept as cool as possible by giving plenty of 
air, to prevent them from shrivelling. Muscats should be assisted 
with a little fire heat, except in hot weather, so that the night tempe¬ 
rature do not fall below 70°, and, with air and moisture, it may rise to 
90° in the daytime. Late vineries should also have a little fire heat in 
chilly weather, more especially when they are in flower. Use dry 
sulphur if mildew makes its appearance, and keep the house a little 
warmer for a few days. Vines in pots should have every assistance by 
mulching and manure water. Plunge the pots, or otherwise shade 
them from the sun. Pines .—Tie up the fruit to keep them upright, 
when they are swelling off, and maintain a humid atmosphere with a 
