CALENDAR FOR AUGUST. 
191 
the earlier kinds arrive at maturity, means must be taken to 
guard them from birds and insects—a piece of gauze strained 
over the whole tree is perhaps the best. Snails and ants are also 
troublesome at times; they may be kept down by drawing aline 
with tar along the bottom of the wall, and round the base of the 
trees it may be spread on the ground. Gather the early apples 
and pears a little before they are ripe, and, by proper care in the 
fruit room, they may be preserved considerably beyond the time 
they would hang on the trees. Mat up late currants and goose¬ 
berries, to preserve the fruit till a late period. Strawberry runners 
should have good attention this month ; a full supply for forcing 
should be first secured and potted, choosing entirely from the 
very strongest, and subsequently encourage them to root well, 
that they may be well established before they are put away for 
the winter. This month is undoubtedly the best time to make 
new plantations. The ground for the purpose should be well 
dunged and trenched, and the strongest remaining runners may 
then be planted in rows eighteen inches distant from each other, 
and the plants nine inches apart in the rows. This is double 
the number that will ultimately be required; but, after the first 
fruit is gathered, the superfluous stools may be taken out. 
Continue to look over the vines, and stop the lateral growths, 
which otherwise at this season will soon smother the fruit. Keep 
the leading shoots neatly fastened in their places, and see that 
the previous shreds have not become tight by the swelling of the 
branches : such as appear to pinch should be taken away or 
loosened. 
Stop the foreright shoots of figs, or prune them completely 
away, and lay in the leaders. As the fruit swells, the foliage 
may be gradually thinned, to admit the influence of the sun to 
ripen and flavour it. Recently planted trees must still have 
attention; they are not likely to suffer from drought now, but 
it will assist them much if the ground is kept stirred over their 
roots. 
Forcing Garden . The houses containing ripe or ripening 
grapes should be well ventilated : the preservation and flavour 
of the fruit depend greatly on this. Wasps and flies should be 
excluded by gauze curtains, drawn along the sashes. 
