538 
HORTICULTURAL CALENDAR. 
lowed by an inflamed swelling, by the poisonous fluid sbe instils into 
the wound, for the purpose of rendering the blood thinner and more 
easily to be sucked. The species is so annoying, both to men and 
cattle, that some districts, where they are unusually abundant, have 
been quite abandoned by the colonists. This will not appear won¬ 
derful, when we find that Stedman and his soldiers were forced to 
sleep with their heads thrust into holes made in the earth with their 
bayonets, in order to escape from, their tormenting bites. Baron 
Humboldt tells us the inhabitants are accustomed to stretch them¬ 
selves on the ground, and pass the night buried in the sand three or 
four inches deep. —Field Nat. Mag. 
Amount of Sunshine during the months of September and October. 
Morning. Evening. Total. Average Daily. 
September 34 hours. 49 hours. 83 hours. 2 hours, 46 minutes. 
October 35 ditto. 30^ do. 65i do. 2 h. 6 min. 46 sec. 
HORTICULTURAL CALENDAR. 
FOR DECEMBER. 
FRUIT DEPARTMENT. 
Apples.-- Seeds of apples may be sown as the fruit ripens, p. 193. 
The trees newly planted should be mulched, if not done last month. 
Trees planted against walls, or as espaliers should be pruned. Cut 
off that part of the spur which bore fruit last summer, down to the 
fruit buds formed on the lower part of the stem of the spur, taking 
out all bruised and cankery branches, and leave a regular supply of 
wood throughout the whole. Those in orchards will merely require 
the branches so thin that they cannot injure each other by rubbing 
one upon the other. 
Cherry Trees. —If they were much infested with the black aphis, 
during summer, may now have their winter dressing ; see p. 246, or 
calendar for last month, p. 479. Cherry trees in tubs now brought 
into the forcing house will ripen their fruit in April. Those trees 
planted in the earth should be exposed to the weather, until the end 
of the month, or beginning of January, see p. 261. Prune all the 
sorts on the open, wall, except the Morelia, which will be better de¬ 
ferred until nearer spring. 
