i'?7n. ] 
VILLA GARDENING-JULY. 
107 
Bearing in mind tlie above somewhat correc¬ 
tional remarks, I will resume the general 
thread of the subject by referring to the con¬ 
siderations which should influence practice at 
the final pruning and training-out for the next 
season. 1 have recommended the painting of 
the walls, and also the wood ; and I repeat 
that these are wise precautions, and save much 
after-trouble. Previous to painting over the 
wood, I should have advised the necessary 
pruning, because the appearance of the wood 
after the fall of the leaf is a great guide to the 
practical primer. 
Those who take a general interest in the 
trees, and watch their progress with a prac¬ 
tised eye, may often perceive a few weeks pre¬ 
vious to the fall of the leaf a tendency in 
certain branches to indicate incipient debility 
by a weakly gi'owth, and a certain flagged and 
hang-down appearance in the foliage. This 
is the usual forerunner of the dying-away of 
the branches in the spring. When the sap is 
on the move, they make a feeble effort, throw 
out a few small leaves, and then collapse and 
die. The causes of this are still wrapped in 
mystery ; but I have known it to fol¬ 
low after excessive fr.uit-bearing, and also 
where the necessary manipulations through 
the growing season have not been suffi¬ 
ciently gradual, and too much has been re¬ 
moved at one operation ; the abundant flow 
of the sap has been thereby checked, and 
obstructed, causing gumming, and sowing the 
seeds of future debility. Another great out¬ 
lying cause is the deficiency of the water sup¬ 
ply during the swelling of the fruit previous to 
ripening, and again after the fruit is gathered, 
at which time the borders should be well satu¬ 
rated, which will plump up the buds, and 
cause the wood to look fresh and bright. 
In the final pruning, therefore, previous to 
painting, look well, in the first place, to see 
that the wood has this appearance of plump¬ 
ness and health, and remove at once any of a 
debilitated and doubtful appearance. Then 
look to the condition of the tree, as to its 
being evenly furnished ; and if overcrowded 
in any part, let it be judiciously thinned- 
out there. The practice above advised, to 
train-in plenty of the young shoots, will leave a 
very useful margin to enable the operator to 
bring up young healthy wood in any needful 
direction, and also to make provision for pro¬ 
spective vacancies, by leaving as much young 
wood as possible low down in the centre of the 
tree as a reserve, even at . the risk of a little 
crowding. The trees may then be carefully 
trained out equally all over the surface, using as 
feiv nails and shreds as is consistent with security, 
and allowing supreme symmetrical training to be 
subordinate to the general welfare of the tree. 
The great object is the production of fair crops 
of fruit, and not the culture of stiff straight 
branches, trained out to please the eye.— John 
Cox, JiedUaf. 
VILLA GARDENING. 
July* 
t ULY is the great month of promise^ 
when the trees that awhile ago were 
bright with lovely flowers begin to bow 
down with fruit, w^mn, “like a green sea, up¬ 
heaves the swelling corn,” and a thousand 
natural charms ravish the sight. It is the 
time of year when the gardener reaps some¬ 
thing of the harvest he has worked to possess, 
and when the full flush of summer gilds hill 
and dale, and sends abroad its glory over the 
face of Nature. 
Greenhouse. —This part of the garden should 
now be gay with flowering plants, such as 
Fuchsias, Felarfjoniums, J/fwnffiis, late Azaleas, 
Calceolarias, Gloxinias, and other things of a 
similar character. We find that Sa.vifraija 
nepalensis, llarrisoiis Mush, and Cereiis 
flag ell if or mis are useful things at this season 
of the year. These plants require a good deal 
of attention, in the way of watering, during 
drying weather; decaying leaves and dying 
flowers should also be removed. The cleanli¬ 
ness of every part of the house, as well as the 
plants, should be looked to, and they should 
be kept clear of insects. Plenty of air should 
be given, by night as well as by day ; and 
when the sun shines out hot, accompanied with 
drying breezes, water freely ; syringe and damp 
the floor of the house, to keep up the humidity 
of the atmosphere. Some shading should be 
given, during the hottest part of the day; but 
if this cannot be done, and there is diffi¬ 
culty in attending to the watering throughout 
the day, it will be as well to paint over 
the roof with summer-cloud, or a wash 
made up of lime, prussian blue, and a little 
size to make it adhere. A little liquid manure 
should be given to free-growing plants that are 
at all pot-bound ; and if liquid manure is not 
attainable, a small bag of soot should be 
immersed in a tub of water, and the plants 
watered with this. Acaleas kept in the green¬ 
house may have a little more sun to ripen the 
buds, and about the end of the month, the 
