174 
TFIE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Juke 17. 
i 
'Durham, Sept. 8. 
Forfarshire (Eastern), July 21 (Brechin) ; Sept. 15 
(Arbroath). 
Hampshire, July 1 (Winchester), Sept. 0 (Southampton), 
Nov. 18 (Winchester). (Sec. Rev. F. Wickham, Win¬ 
chester.) 
Hampton Wick, July 1. (Sec. Mr. B. Regester.) 
Hexham, Sept. 15, 10. 
j Hull, June 24, Aug. 4, Sept. 10. 
Kirkcaldy (Fifeshire), June 24, Sept. 9. 
Lewes Grand National, July 14 and 15. 
Lincoln, July 27, Sept. 14. 
Liverpool, June 24, Sept. 2 (Botanic Garden). 
London Floricultural (Exeter Hall, Strand), June 8+, 
22, July 13+, 27, Aug. 10+, 24, Sept. 14+, 28, Oct. 12+, 
Nov. 9+, 23, Dec. 14+. 
Maidstone. Fete. June 24. In-door Show. Sept. 8. 
(Sec. Mr. J. G. Smith, Week-street.) 
Mid Caldf.r (Parish school-room), July 9, Sept. 10. 
Newbury, June 18, Sept. 3. 
North London, Sept. 14; Nov. 23, Chrysanthemum. 
Northampton, June 29, Rose and Pink; July 27, Car¬ 
nation; Sept. 27, Dahlia. 
Oxfordshire (Royal), June23; July 29; Sept.23. (Secs., 
C. Tawney, and W. Undershell, Esqrs.) 
Peebleshire, July 13th, Sept. 14th. (Sec., J. Stirling.) 
South Devon Botanical and Horticultural, July 13; 
Sept. 7. (Sec. J. Cree Hancock, Escp, Stonehouse.) 
South London (Royal), June 17+, 23, July 15+, 21, 
Aug. 19+, Sept. 2+, 8, Oct. 14+, Nov. 11+, Dec. 9+, Hi. 
Shackle well, Sept. 1. 
Surrey Amateur (George Canning, Grove Lane, Camber¬ 
well), Sept. 15, Dahlia. 
Trowbridge (Grand Exhibition), Aug. 25. 
j Turriff, Aug. 0, Sept. 17. 
Whitehaven, July 9, Pinks; Sept. 17, Dahlias. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Agricultural Society (Royal), Lewes, July 12. 
Birmingham and Midland Counties, 14th, loth, lfith, 
and 17th December. 
Bury and Radcliffe (Lancashire), Sept. 3 (Radcliffe). 
t For seedlings only. 
POINTS OF FRUIT-CULTURE TO BE WELL 
OBSERVED. 
Towards the end of this month, the breast-slioots of 
fruit-trees in general will he inclined to be rampant, 
especially if in rich soil, and disbudding has been neg¬ 
lected. Now, two or three weeks more neglect will 
cause the proprietor, in the ensuing spring, to wonder 
why he cannot have good crops, seeing the expense he 
has been at. New walls, expensive trees, with long 
names and showy labels, are all very fine things, but 
they are only the means to an end, and must not be 
mistaken for the end itself. Many persons—indeed 
the majority—give their trees a promissory note, pay¬ 
able several weeks after sight; but trees can no more 
thrive on promises than mortals. “ Really,” says Mr. 
A., “ there is such a pressure of work just now; it is 
always the case; but as soon as Midsummer has passed 
we shall have a little breathing time, and then we will 
look over these plaguey trees; surely a fortnight or three 
weeks cannot make so much odds. These writers make 
too much fuss by half about such things.” This is that 
most important point of all others to tender fruits—the 
due and timely control of superfluous spray staved aside; 
and year after year comes a repetition of complaints, 
and a repetition of queries concerning failures. 
We are here prepared to admit, that to carry out the 
! modern system of warfare against useless spray, insects, 
&c., a little extra labour is involved during May and 
-Tune; and as the gardener’s labours have progressively 
increased with the increase of horticultural luxuries, ail 
those, whose means will permit, should allow extra help 
during those all-important months. This will be a two¬ 
fold benefit; an act of justice to themselves, as well as 
the gardener, and by no means a loss to the public. It i 
will be seen, that reference is here made to those esta¬ 
blishments where a regular gardener is kept, and where 
other assistance is required. As for small villa gardens, 
with their peach-tree, their Moorpark, or their Jargo- I 
nelle, against a wall, with a few pyramid pear and apple j 
bushes, why we would strongly urge on the feminine 
portion of the establishment the immense benefits of 
a little exercise in this way.; up every morning soon 
after six, and nipping away at the pears; adieu to dys¬ 
peptic symptoms,—begging pardon of the doctors for 
thus meddling with their professions. 
First, as requiring very particular attention, and as 
richly deserving it, let us point to the Apricot. No 
fruit-tree suffers more from overcrowded spray than this. 
Blossoms may form abundantly in this smothered con¬ 
dition, and the trees may, in the ensuing spring, be like 
a garland ; but shortly comes complaints of bad setting, j 
which, of course, is attributed to the unusual amount of j 
frost the sufferer has experienced beyond his neigh¬ 
bours. On examining closely blossoms formed under j 
such unfavourable circumstances, it will be found that 1 
the greater portion possess a very debilitated condition j 
of pistil—that organ on which, of course, everything i 
depends ; indeed, in many flowers it will be found 
entirely wanting; nevertheless, the corolla may be found 
perfect as usual. Besides, the encouragement of coarse 
breast-wood begets a coarse and unoontrolable woody 
condition, much averse to the fruitful habit in future 
years. It is good practice, therefore, to pinch liberally 
betimes, especially during the first three weeks in June. 
All those breast shoots of coarse character, not required 
for covering naked spaces, may be totally disbudded 
first; and of those remaining, all that are required to 
form a nucleus for future spurs may have their points 
pinched off at once. During this time the caterpillar of 
the red-bar moth will probably begin its devastations, 
and these must be hand-picked and crushed constantly. 
The embryo spurs will now get a fair chance; the 
sun’s rays will penetrate the moderated spray, and well- 
elaborated buds will be the sure consequence. 
Peaches and Nectarines we advised about recently; 
continue, we say, to carry out the practice previously 
recommended, and there will be no complaints of bad 
setting in the ensuing spring. If the red spider should 
threaten, either ply the engine or syringe heavily twice 
a day, or dust the trees on the back of their foliage with 
sulphur. We prefer the latter; although we never in 
these days have occasion to use it, our preventive 
maxims proving good security. 
As for the Aphides, if any are such bad gardeners as 
to have them trees infested in the month of June, we 
pity them, and advise them to take care that such does 
not occur another season—it is as much a loss as a 
disgrace. Of course tobacco in some shape must be 
resorted to ; this will soon settle the rogues. 
Figs. —These require much attention during the 
month of June. If of free growth, they produce a con¬ 
siderable amount of spurious spray, much of which 
must be stripped clean away. Here the short-jointed 
shoots are of eminent importance, and such must be 
carefully preserved. Every shoot which possesses joints 
of more than an inch apart should, if possible, be done 
away with at once. This disbudding, however, like 
most other, should be progressive ; and it is well to look 
over them once a week during this month, first removing 
entirely the most succulent and gross, and proceeding 
on the same principle to the end of the mouth, when 
most of the superfluities will be done away. In the 
early part of July it will be well to commence pinching 
the points of the strongest reserved shoots, continuing 
such pinching at intervals during the month, and ex- 
