108 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ May, 
under them. Give plenty of air through the day ; syringe the plants, and close 
early in the afternoon. Plant out those sown last month, and sow again for a 
late crop. 
Figs: More air and less moisture should he given when the fruit is approaching 
maturity. Up to this stage they should be well supplied with liquid manure, 
especially old trees, and those in pots ; thin and stop the shoots, and thin the 
second crop of fruit if it is considered to be too heavy. 
Hardy Fruits: Apricots will now require thinning, but at first, double the 
quantity intended to remain on the trees should be left, deferring the final thin¬ 
ning till the fruit has stoned and the crop is safe. The green fruit make good tarts, 
and are excellent when preserved with sugar. Caterpillars are at this time often 
very destructive to the young fruit, and if any make their appearance, which the 
curling of the leaves will indicate, they should be diligently sought for. Keep Straw - 
berry-beds, free from weeds, and mulch the ground round the plants with litter or short 
grass, to keep the fruit clean and the ground moist; water in dry weather. Keep 
a close watch for green-fly on Peach and Nectarine trees ; a good wash can be 
made with soft-soap and tobacco ; 1 lb. of each, boiled in water, will make 
15 gallons ; strain the mixture through a cloth, and use it with a syringe in the 
evening. Go over the trees and remove all strong shoots that can be spared, but 
disbudding should at no time be carried on too severely. The fruit in Orchard- 
houses will now be set and swelling; thin the fruit to a moderate crop, and stop 
the strong shoots; assist the trees by liberal supplies of liquid manure and by 
top-dressing ; use the syringe freely, and give abundance of air in fine weather.— 
J. Powell, Frogmore. 
VEGETABLES. 
The cold dry winds which have been of such long duration have left their 
impress on Spring Vegetables. Tha supply of some subjects, such as Asparagus , 
that might ordinarily have been anticipated soon after Easter, has been post¬ 
poned, and as it were, by way of recompense, others, such as Broccoli , Seakale , &c., 
have been retarded beyond their customary season. Thus, though the gardener 
has not suffered in regard to furnishing constant successional supplies of various 
subjects, a slight deviation from routine spring practice may be requisite to make 
all right in the end. If I do not err in regard to the inferences the past weather 
have given rise to, I do not doubt that by and by it will be found that the suc¬ 
cessional crops of Peas , Broad Beans , Spinach , Lettuces , &c., will come in too 
closely together; for already I perceive that the earliest Peas , about to grasp the 
sticks with their first tendrils, are not so far as they should be in advance of 
successional ones, and especially does there appear to be a great uniformity of 
growth and size amongst the Broad Beans that are up. This I take to be owing 
to the fact that all seeds germinated freely, and that so soon as they were through 
the ground all were held back alike, until the several successional crops are far 
too even in growth. Hence, so soon as fine weather arrives, and that will be, we 
trust, some time ere this meets-the reader’s eye, there will doubtless be a simul¬ 
taneous rush growthwise, with a doubt as to 44 which will win.” I advise, there¬ 
fore, that additional sowings should be made of all quick-podding, or quickly- 
maturing vegetables upon which there is likely to be a demand for a successional 
supply. In the case of early Peas , Beans, &c., it may be well to soak the seeds 
for lialf-an-hour in tepid water before sowing. 
Continue the sowings of the main crops, with despatch, until all are per¬ 
manently settled and arranged, as no further delay need now be made in regard 
to sowing any kind of vegetable or herb. Aim always at high and good culture, 
