August 
THE COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 
251 
ther mechanical power, the lever. The earth on the 
blade is the weight to be raised; the edge of the 
trench against the back of the blade is the fulcrum; 
and the hand upon the handle is the power. Now, 
the greater the distance between the power and the 
fulcrum the greater the ease with which the weight 
is raised. Hence the long-handled Irish spade 
loosens each spadeful of earth from the bed more 
readily than does the English spade, but it does not 
penetrate the soil so easily, because the weight of the 
body cannot be thrown upon the wedge so effectually. 
Lyndon’s spade, by having its handle curved rather 
forward, renders less stooping necessary in the exer¬ 
cise of the leverage, and this is a considerable aid 
to the enduring power of the workman. 
We recommend attention to these various points 
both to the manufacturer and the purchaser of the 
spade. 
THE EBUIT-GAKDEK 
The Apricot —This luscious and extremely useful 
fruit will require rather similar attention at this 
period to the other trained trees, but as some trifling 
differences exist as to this mode of growth we had 
better handle the matter in detail. 
In the first place, then, it is our opinion, formed 
after many years’ close observation, that no tropical 
fruit cultivated in Britain, whether indoors or out, 
requires more sunlight than the apricot. The blos¬ 
soms in spring are, perhaps, more apt to prove abor 
tive through mafformation than those of any of our 
cultivated fruits. Now, tins is occasioned by influ¬ 
ences over which we possess the most powerful 
means of control during the period of growth. We 
have before adverted to the tendency of the apricot 
to produce coarse foreright shoots, and pointed to the 
propriety of stopping them in due time; also of early 
training, whereby the shade of rambling leading 
shoots (which generally possess very large leaves) is 
avoided. We may now observe that a great amount 
of useless spray will continue to be produced subse¬ 
quently, and that such must be kept under by finger- 
and-tlnimb-work. At this period, especially, all super¬ 
fluous shoots, of whatever character, should be re¬ 
moved, or so far shortened back as that the embryo 
blossom spurs may receive the full benefit of sun¬ 
light, for every day is precious at this season. 
Emit which is ripening should be carefully watched, 
as the earwigs commit sad havoc amongst them, as 
also does the wood-louse. Pieces of soft calico may 
be stuck here and there in various parts of the trees; 
these will decoy the insects, and they should be ex¬ 
amined daily. It is a very good plan to batter tlio 
wall well with water by the aid of the garden engine 
occasionally, and to watch for the insects beneath the 
trees, where they may be readily destroyed. An¬ 
other plan has been suggested, that of drawing a baud 
along the bottom of the wall of train-oil or tar; cer¬ 
tainly, whilst such remained fresh, the wood-lice could 
not pass the barrier. If the weather has been dry, 
and the trees are heavily cropped, a watering of liquid- 
manure would be of considerable benefit; the fruit 
will be found much increased in size thereby. 
Plums. —All trained plums should be well ex¬ 
amined forthwith, in order to remove succulent or 
waste spray which may exist to the detriment of the 
true blossom-buds. It may have been remarked by 
many of our readers that luxuriant plums, even if 
they blossom freely, do not “ set” then blossom so 
well as weaker trees: indeed, the same may be said 
of many other fruits. Now this points at once to the 
fact that embryo blossom buds produced beneath the 
shade of gross shoots are not so perfect as those or¬ 
ganized beneath the free influence of light. WeU 
may people complain of the blossoms all dropping 
off, when, perhaps, their trees remain undressed 
through June and July. We say June and July, for 
if trained or other trees are well attended during 
those two months, there need be little anxiety about 
them for the rest of the summer. It is ridiculous to 
imagine that a winter pruning can effect everything 
requisite. Certainly, winter pruning is better than 
no pruning at all, and, indeed, some amount is 
requisite ; but how soon do the efforts thus made to 
admit light to the superior branches become in part 
disannulled ; and long before midsummer the hand 
of the pruner or dresser becomes requisite, and now 
the more to be despised, because, perhaps, the finger 
and thumb can accomplish all that is wanted. 
Prevention is to be preferred to cure, and, if we 
may be permitted an old joke on tins head, we would 
remind our readers of the countryman, who, after 
breaking all his gear in attempting to load an enor¬ 
mous oak-tree, flung his hat on the ground in a pet, 
exclaiming, “ Dang the hogs that did not eat thee 
when thee was an acorn !” Let, therefore, the plums 
be looked over for the last time, removing gross 
robbers or pinching back spray produced since the 
former stoppings, training also all main shoots care¬ 
fully down in their places. The Golden Drop plum 
will now be ripe or ripening, and we would remind 
those who possess a crop, that if gathered before it 
is dead ripe with great care, and placed in soft paper 
in a verg dry room, they will keep for two or three 
weeks. 
Easpberries. —As soon as the crop is gathered, we 
advise that the old shoots which have borne the crop 
be cut away: this strengthens the suckers much. 
The latter may be looked over, and those which are 
too weak or too strong cut clear away. It may seem 
strange to some persons to talk of canes being too 
strong; such, however, may be the case, provided 
they branch sideways into axillary shoots: these 
should always be rejected if others can supply their 
place, as all the branchy part will prove barren in the 
ensuing year. In thinning them out care must be 
taken to reserve as many extra shoots or suckers as 
will be requisite for new plantations if necessary, or 
for repairing gaps in the old stock. This done, they 
may be tied to their stakes, but not too close; by 
leaving them somewhat loose, the sunlight will ren¬ 
der then’ buds more mature. Any canes that have 
reached the height of six feet by the end of August 
may at that period have their growing points cut or 
pinched off: this will cause the buds below the ope¬ 
ration to open very strong in the ensuing spring. 
Where raspberries are in parallel lines, a good 
chance occurs of introducing a winter crop of some 
kind of greens between the rows; and for this pur¬ 
pose we would recommend the coleworts, if at hand: 
for particulars concerning which see the allotment 
paper for August. 
Double-hearing or Autumnal Raspberry .—This use¬ 
ful adjunct of the autumn dessert requires some 
attention at this period. By the time our paper 
reaches the readers of The Cottage Gardener, every 
shoot worth preserving, or, in other wdrds, showing 
blossom-buds, or in bloom, will bo manifest. Let, 
