460 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
July 11, 1908. 
The Fruit Garden. 
Fig- Trees. 
As little young wood as possible should be 
cut from Fig trees; but it is necessary to 
remove some shoots and to tie in others where 
the branches are trained on walls. 
Shoots growing as shown at A, A, on main 
branches in Fig. 2 should be retained and 
nailed to the wall or tied to the trellis, but 
young shoots growing straight out from the 
main branches, as shown at B, B, must be 
cut off. These are useless for fruit-bearing 
purposes, and if left on cause undue crowd¬ 
ing, and so prevent the other shoots matur¬ 
ing properly. 
Protecting Ripening Figs. 
Birds, especially starlings, are very fond 
of Figs, and they will swoop down upon th|; 
trees in flocks, clearing the fruits off in a 
very short time. Do not wait until the fruit 
is ripe before you put on nets, but do so 
several weeks before the fruits commence to 
ripen. 
Apricots. 
Very frequently large branches die off and 
cause much disappointment to the owner. 
Strong, gross shoots suffer most in this way. 
It is a good plan to carefully examine all 
trees and to remove entirely any very gross 
young shoots now growing. Retain those of 
medium strength, they are the best; and 
when a tree is composed of such branches 
it generally remains a perfect specimen. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Planting Out Winter Greens. 
There will now be many fine beds of young 
plants in fit condition for planting in their 
permanent quarters, and no time should be. 
lost in getting them established there. All 
vacant ground should be utilised for these 
crops where trenching is not to be done dur¬ 
ing the winter time. It should be remem¬ 
bered that very gross plants do not withstand 
frosts well, and that there is a greater loss 
amongst such than those grown more 
hardily. The ground should be firm and not 
too rich in organic manures, then a sturdy 
growth will result. There is not any need 
for deeply digging the soil; simply scatter 
one peck of soot on the surface of each square 
rod of ground and lightly fork it in. 
Allow ample space between the rows of 
Broccoli and Brussel Sprouts, as shown in 
Fig. 3. The rows should be at least 2 feet 
apart and 18 inches between the plants in 
the rows. 
Cucumbers. 
Plants growing in frames should be top- 
dressed with rich fibrous loam, rotted 
manure and leaf-soil. Remove very old 
leaves, pinch the ends off the lateral shoots, 
and so induce the formation of young fruits. 
Ridge Cucumbers grown in the open borders 
should be well watered and pieces of glass 
placed under the fruits. 
Vegetable Marrows. 
Marrows should be cut from the plants 
directly they are fit to use, for if left on to 
thoroughly ripen they do so at the expense 
of young fruits. Keep the plants well 
watered. 
Tomatos. 
Young shoots are now growing freely from 
the axils of the main leaves, and must be 
removed forthwith. All mam leaves should 
be retained, and when three trusses of fruits 
are set, give weak stimulants where the 
plants are growing in poor soil, but not any 
if the soil be rich and the plants showing 
luxuriant growth. 
Seed Beds. 
Prepare the beds for Cabbage, Parsley, 
Onion and Spinach seeds. Sow seeds of 
Radishes, Lettuces and Endive. 
Foxglove, 
Fig. /.—Insert cuttings or -pi-pings of 
Pinks now. 
The Amateur’s Greenhouse. 
Propagation and Ventilation. 
Many greenhouse favourites which the 
amateur finds somewhat difficult to increase 
later in the season, especially where little 
heat is available, will now strike readily if 
Fig. 2.—Summer pruning of Fig trees. Cut 
off shoots projecting from the wall as at 
B, B; nail those at A, A to the wall. 
cuttings are taken; and the propagation of 
such subjects will provide congenial occupa¬ 
tion for the enthusiast’s spare moments. 
Choice Pelargoniums in their several varie¬ 
ties should receive attention in this respect, 
Fig- 3■—Plant out Broccoli and Brussels 
Sprouts 2 ft: asunder and 18 in. from plant 
to plant. 
for somehow, apart from the question of 
pense, the plants one raises, either fra 
seeds or cuttings, are always more prki 
than those purchased. 
An early morning airing is necessary a 
order to evaporate any moisture on the pla $ 
resulting from overnight syringing, oth- 
wise the sun’s rays upon the wet leaves wl 
sadly disfigure them. As a matter of fa 
at the present time of the year, one or m<; 
of the ventilators should remain open I 
night. 
Mignonette for Winter. 
Pots of fragrant flowering Mignone • 
form a welcome addition to the Christa, 
decorations, being especially useful on (• 
table. Seed may be sown now in five or ; 
inch pots, well crocked and filled with 
compost of two parts good loam to one p; 
leaf-mould, with sufficient silver sand 
keep it open. Scatter the seed very thin! 
and if a piece of shaded glass be plac 
over the pot it will assist germination. Wh 
the seedlings are large enough to hand! 
they should be thinned out to about fo" 
plants to a pot, and if each plant is traine 
to a small stick equality of growth will 
assured. Sturdy, bushy specimens should 
the grower’s object, and to attain this er 
the longer shoots should be periodicai 
pinched back, the pot being placed as ne. 
the glass as possible in order to obtain t 
full benefits of light and ventilation. 
Another method, and one mostly adopfi 
by professionals, is to sow the seed abo 
this time in specially prepared beds in tl 
open, potting up the resultant plants in Se 
tember, when they may be removed to tl 
greenhouse and all flower buds nipped c 
until a short time before they are require 
in bloom. 
Chrysanthemums. 
By the time these notes are in print v. 
shall be busy with the final potting of the; 
favourite flowers. The sooner this importar 
operation is completed the better, as it i 
necessary that the pots should be well filie 
with roots before the plants commence bloon 
ing. Nine or ten inch pots are spaciou 
enough, even for the larger-growing varif 
ties, and to obtain the best results the soi 
requires to be very good and rich. Twc 
thirds of good fibrous loam and the remainin 
one-third of well-decayed manure (horse an 
cow dung mixed) is considered by man 
successful growers to be the most suitabl 
compost, and to this may be added wit 
advantage a sprinkling of soot, which act 
beneficially in other ways besides renderin 
the foliage healthy and of good colour. Th 
pots should still remain out of doors, an 
some slight shade may prove to be necessar 
during the hottest part of the day. Goo 1 
drainage is essential to their welfare, an 
the ingress of worms must be guardei 
against. Constant attention must be paid fi 
watering, and a mulching will tend to retai 
moisture and prevent the plants from flat 
ging- 
Cacti not Flowering. 
Some of these curious and beautifu 
favourites are naturally more floriferou 
than others. None, however, a~re more sui' 
able for the inexperienced amateur than th 
several varieties of Phyllocactus and th 
lately-introduced “ German Empress, 
though not extremely large-flowered, prc 
duces its rose-pink blossoms very freely, an< 
should be procured at once by all who d 
not possess it. Plants of these and othe 
succulents that have failed to flower shouh 
be placed in a sunny spot out of doors to ripe' 
the growth, as this, more often than not, 1 
the sole cause of the disappointment, pro 
vided, of course, that a suitable compost ha 
been used for potting. Should the plant 
change colour during their outdoor treat 
ment, do not be alarmed, as this augurs wel 
for a good show of blossoms another season 
