composition, I believe it to be a very excellent one to be applied to trees where their limbs have been amputated, or their bark injured by wounds. I have therefore inserted its preparation here, verbatim, from Mr. Forsyth's Treatise, and recommend its application in the manner he has directed, particularly in a liquid

state.

A Wash for the Stems of Fruit Trees.

Take a peck of fresh cow-dung, half a peck of quicklime, half a pound of flour of sulphur, and a quarter of a pound of lamp-black. Mix the whole together with as much urine and soap-suds in a boiling state as will form the ingredients into a thick paint.

This composition may be applied to the stems of young standard trees when planted out into the orchard, to prevent their being injured by the depredations of hares and rabbits.

A Wash for the Stems and Branches of Fruit Trees.

Take half a peck of quick lime, half a pound of flour of sulphur, and a quarter of a pound of lamp-black. Mix the whole together with as much boiling water as will form the ingredients into a thick paint. This composition is recommended to be applied to the stems and limbs of apple trees which are infested with the White Mealy Insect, having previously removed the moss and loose bark by scraping them off with a strong knife, or some other instrument adapted to the purpose.

In using the composition, it will be most efficacious if applied in a warm state, or something more than blood heat.

On young trees, No. 24. Vinegar will effectually destroy this insect, and I have for many years, in my own nursery, used it for this purpose; but this would be too expensive to be applied when the trees are large.

A KALENDAR OF WORK IN THE FRUIT GARDEN.

January.

Trench and manure ground for early planting.

Prune, nail, and train wall and espalier trees, Gooseberries, Currants, Raspberry, and Nuts. Figs must not be pruned till April. The manner in which the different operations are to be performed will be found under the different heads of Pruning and Training, which

see.

Plant out fruit trees, Gooseberries, Currants, Raspberries, and Nuts, if not already done.

Look over fruit in the fruit room; keep out frost, and pick out all decayed fruit.

Force Strawberries; the Roseberry is now the best. See Forcing of Strawberries.

Should the weather prove mild, those pots of Strawberries which are in frames for the purpose of furnishing a succession, must have plenty of air during the day; but the glasses must be shut down in the night, in order to secure them against frost.

February.

Trench, manure, and prepare ground for planting. Prune and train wall trees and espaliers.

Finish pruning also of all orchard and dwarf fruit trees, Gooseberries, Currants, Raspberries, and Nuts.

Plant out fruit trees and bushes which have been omitted in the former months.

Protect the blossoms of Apricots, particularly those

of the Masculine, by fixing up nets at six or nine inches from the wall, either single or double, according to the size of the meshes.

Instead of net, fern may be used, by pushing the ends of the fronds, or leaf-stalks, under the branches, allowing the leaves to form a thin covering all over the tree. This covering must be allowed to remain till the fruit has attained the size of a small hazel-nut, when, during a mild showery day, the whole may be removed.

Where Apple trees are infested with the White Mealy Insect (aphis lanigera) commonly called the American blight, the limbs and trunk should be completely divested of their loose bark; and all places where the insects have formed excrescences round the knots, or otherwise secreted themselves, should be pared off smooth with a sharp knife, and the other scraped off clean to the live bark. The Wash for the Stems and Branches of Fruit Trees (p. 509.) must be now applied with a strong painter's brush, till the bark is completely covered with it. As this insect penetrates the ground, fixing itself upon the bottom of the stem and large roots immediately connected with it, the mould must be removed round the bottom of the tree to the principal roots, and the composition applied as far as any trace of it is to be found. It will be necessary also, as far as it is practicable, to apply it to every part of the branches where it has made its appearance. The aphis lanigera becomes winged in the month of August, and spreads itself from one tree to another; if, therefore, any of it at that time is found to have escaped the first dressing, the composition should be repeated again as before, taking the early part of the month for this purpose. By pursuing this plan, this deadly enemy to our Apple trees may be destroyed, or its depredations so much checked, as to cause but a very trifling injury to

the trees. The application of oily or resinous substances to the stems or branches of fruit trees ought to be at all times carefully avoided.

Keep up a succession of Roseberry Strawberries in the forcing-house; and, towards the end of the month, Keens' Seedling will be a proper sort to be made use of for a succession from this time till the end of the forcing season.

Look over the fruit room, and pick out all decayed fruit.

March.

Finish planting of all sorts of fruit trees and bushes, and mulch newly planted trees with rotten or halfrotten dung.

Plant out Strawberries, as directed under that head. The pruning of fruit trees must be completed as early in this month as possible, if it has not been done already, except the Fig, which must be deferred till the next month.

Grafting of all sorts of Apples, Pears, Plums, and Cherries, must be performed this month.

Thin out early Grapes in the stove and forcing-house; and continue to force Keen's Seedling Strawberries for succession crops to those of the last month.

Look over the fruit in the fruit room, picking out all which are unsound; and should the house be damp, give air in a dry day for a few hours, but shut up again close towards night. If straw has been used for a covering to the fruit, and has become damp, or contracted any unpleasant smell, it must be removed, and sweet dry straw supplied in its room.

April.

Prune and train Figs, as directed under that head. In very bleak situations, the blossoms of Peaches and

Nectarines should be protected, in the manner directed for the Apricot in February; in sheltered situations, where the trees have ripened perfectly their last year's wood, they do not require protection, unless the weather should prove very severe. Should insects appear on the young leaves, let them be dusted over with flour of sulphur; but do not attempt to wash them with the engine till the blossoming season is over and the fruit

set.

Plant out Strawberries, if the plantations have not been completed previously. If Alpine Strawberries have been raised from seed in the hot-bed, the young plants may be pricked out on a warm border, under hand-glasses, or in pans or boxes under a frame, till they are fit to plant out finally where they are to remain.

Thin out Grapes in the stove or forcing-house, and suspend by strings the shoulders of those bunches which require it.

May.

Thin out the young fruit of Apricots, leaving double the quantity intended for the crop.

Disbud all sorts of fruit trees against walls, except Figs, from fore-right and side shoots which are not required, and, where long enough, train the rest to the wall.

Espalier trees must be looked over in the same

manner.

All curled and blistered leaves of Peaches and Nectarines should be picked off and burnt, without suffering them to fall on the ground, and the trees washed over with the engine after the middle of the day, but not so late as to prevent the trees getting dry before sun-set. If the trees are much infested with insects, and mildew

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