THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 
174 
and a coating of mulch ov top-dressing should he 
immediately applied, if not already done. 
Strawberries. —We advise all those who like full 
crops of fine fruit to look out betimes, for runners, 
for, unless they are obtained early, full justice cannot 
be done to runner cultivation. We make a point ot 
spreading some half-rotten leaf-soil beneath those 
plants from which we desire to propagate : the early 
runners lay hold of this betimes. It is a very good 
plan to take a basket of stones early in July, and 
lay one on each of the forward runners not yet 
rooted; they will thus speedily attach themselves. 
Frequent waterings are necessary in order to obtain 
good early runners, and ground should be looked 
out and prepared to receive them. We seize on 
any open spot, totally unshaded, and fork in some 
very rotten manure about six inches deep. In such 
a situation we plant them out at about nine inches 
square apart, for we remove ours with a trowel or 
small spade, in the end of October, to their final 
destination in rows. Let it, however, be understood 
that this is in consequence of a severe course of 
cropping, for the plot intended for their reception, 
finally, is seldom at liberty early enough. We grow 
some in beds, and these of course we prepare for 
then' final reception at this period, planting four 
rows in a four - feet bed, the two outer rows being six 
inches from each outside, and the rows of course one 
foot apart—the plants being ten inches apart in the 
rows. This is, perhaps, as good a plan for the 
possessors of very small gardens as any other. We 
cannot say that we fancy any veiy great economy of 
space by making strawberry edgings; they cannot 
well receive a systematic course of culture in this 
position, and they are always making inroads on 
any other plant or crop which may be contiguous 
to them. We will return to strawberry culture 
shortly; we have not space at present, and very 1 
much remains to he said. 
Alpine Strawberries. —Let all runners he cut 
clean away, and the plants receive liberal waterings, 
using liquid manure occasionally. It will be well to 
lay slates or tiles beneath them shortly; and, before 
doing this, it is a good plan to raise a slight mound 
of soil around each plant, sloping away from the 
plant outwards. This forms a slight incline, which 
keeps the fruit dry during bad weather in the 
autumn. A sharp look out must be kept with these, 
and all other strawberries, in order to keep down 
mice, which are apt to make sad havoc. 
Gooseberries. —The aphides are a great pest to 
the young shoots of the gooseberry; and at this 
season, if they are much infested, it is good policy 
to cut off all the infested points, and to burn them. 
This should be done very early in July, in order that 
the second growth, which they are almost sure to 
make, may become matured. Those who can find 
time will do well to give them a watering of liquid 
manure immediately afterwards. 
Red and White Currants. —We hope that our 
advice has been taken in dubbing away a portion of 
all the watery growths; if not, let it be done di¬ 
rectly. As before observed, do not strip it away in 
order to let the sun shine on the fruit—this is an 
erroneous notion. By dubbing off about one-third 
of the points, however, a glimmering of the solar 
rays will reach the fruit, which will be highly bene¬ 
ficial. If the aphides infest any young bushes, oft' 
with the points, as with the gooseberries, and burn 
them. 
Black Currants. —Let us beg for one more tho¬ 
rough watering, the moment they change for ripen¬ 
ing : this will impart much size to the fruit. If any 
old. littery mulch lays about, for which no particular 
purpose exists, lay it over their roots. 
Plums. —These are probably infested with aphides. 
When they are very much injured in this way the 
tops should be cut away, as in the case of the goose¬ 
berries and the currants. Let the breast shoots be 
regulated, trained, thinned, topped, &c., according 
to the general principles of disbudding before laid 
down. 
Pears. —Persist in “ stopping,” or, in some cases, 
cutting away all superfluous shoots. In doing so at 
this period, form a determination to open out every 
portion of the tree to a glimmering of sunlight. 
On south walls a little more shading must be per¬ 
mitted : such is beneficial. It must be borne in 
mind, nevertheless, that this thinning or stopping is 
not in order to throw sunshine on the fruit, but on 
the embryo fruit spurs, in order that they may be 
well perfected for another year, and that a fruitful 
habit in general may be induced. 
Apricots.—A good soaking of liquid manure is of 
much benefit, just before the last swelling, to all 
trees carrying good crops. It will be found to 
impart much size to the fruit, and renewed vigour 
to the spurs of the future crop. R. Errington. 
THE ELOWER-GARDEN. 
The Rockery. —This term includes the Alpinery, 
a place for Alpine plants, and the Fernery, a place 
for such ferns as grow on mountains, rocks, and the 
clefts of old walls. In some of the earlier numbers 
of The Cottage Gardener, we described pretty 
fully the situation and the mode of forming a pile 
of stones, &c., so as to be a suitable habitation for 
these low-growing, truly elegant plants. We hope a 
goodly number of our readers have profited by our 
hints, and secured to themselves, in their gardens, 
however small, this source of innocent pleasure. To 
those who have done so, we now say, take care of 
your plants so placed. A considerable number of 
them flower early in the season, and, consequently, 
will now be out of bloom. Cut oft 1 the old flower- 
stalks, and trim the shoots so as to make nice tufts. 
Propagation by Division. —Should you wish to in¬ 
crease any of them, take them up carefully with a 
garden-trowel, and divide each tuft into such parts 
as will form plants; pot them into suitable sized 
pots, in a compost of sandy peat and loam, well 
drained; place them on the north side of a low wall, 
or hedge, upon a layer of coal-ashes; give a gentle 
watering, and repeat it when necessary. They will 
require no further care, excepting weeding, and 
keeping a strict look out for slugs, and destroying 
them when found. 
By Guttings. —Some rock plants have long tap¬ 
roots, and will not divide. To increase such, you 
must resort to cuttings. Take them off with four 
or five leaves to each cutting. Choose a similar 
spot to that where you place the divided plants. 
Procure some sand, and after digging and raking 
tlie border place upon it an inch in depth of this 
sand ; insert into it the cuttings, and place a hand¬ 
glass over them; let it remain over them till they 
begin to grow, then tilt it up on one side every day 
for a month, and, if the cuttings still appeal - to grow, 
remove the hand-glass away. A fortnight afterwards 
you may take up the cuttings, and treat them the 
same as the plants increased by division. 
The plants that remain on the rockwork will 
