laterals to extend beyond two or three inches, removing altogether, from time to time, all such spurs as become old or deformed.

436. General culture of the gooseberry.—The following are some of Harrison's directions. "Gooseberry-trees like a good deep strong loamy soil, and almost any airy situation is suitable for them; but the crop is most abundant when the situation is favourable to their protection in spring from the cold east winds, which are frequently destructive to the blossom of those trees. In planting the trees, always spread the roots regularly round the hole, and at four inches from the surface; let the tree be mulched immediately after being planted.

"The trees afterwards require a summer and winter regulation. In furnishing the tree with wood, let the bearing shoots be six inches apart. The summer regulation must be performed about the end of June, or early in July, in doing which, let any luxuriant shoots be taken away, also all suckers which may be arising. It is a practice with some persons, at this season of the year, to pinch off the ends of all shoots upon the tree; but I disapprove of it as a general practice, because I have had ample proof that it causes the tree to send forth a great number of useless shoots, and thus its strength is thrown away.

"There is also another injury done to the tree at the early part of the season by the gathering of the fruit when it is green, and before it has attained half the size it would have done. In doing this, some persons clear whole trees of the berries which were upon them; the effect of which is, that the trees being so suddenly deprived of their produce, receive a very severe check, and the superabundance of sap is expended in a great production of suckers and luxuriant shoots: thus their strength is thrown away and the trees greatly injured. Instead of this, I always thin off the berries. from every tree, and thus the fruit which remains is improved in size, and the object of a supply of green gooseberries is obtained, whilst a proper reserve is left for ripening. If it be desired to have very large fruit, it may be obtained by a judicious thinning, shading of the fruit from hot sun, and, when the fruit approaches maturity, from rain; also, by watering the roots with manure-water. The water which I use is three quarts of drainings from a dunghill to one quart drained from fowls' or pigeons' dung, soaked for the purpose, which must be applied so as to keep the soil in a moist condition. Let manure-water be used twice, and pure water once, in regular succession.".

T

437. The Winter pruning is usually performed before Christmas, or directly after the first frost, but the practice is founded in error.

Pruning of every tree or shrub, should, if time allow, be deferred till the buds break, for then the best shoots will be seen, and the wounds will heal. For the gooseberry and currant, this late pruning is peculiarly required, inasmuch as the tom-tits and other birds devour the buds during winter; and, therefore, the more the branches, the greater will be the chance of fruit.

Observe. That the gooseberry does not bear spurring' equally well with the currant; therefore, when the tree is strong, and the branches numerous, it will always be wise to cut back every old shoot close to a new one, which is so situated as to leave the head of the tree regular. But if the displacement of any large branch would disfigure the head, it will be proper to retain it; and, therefore, during the preceding summer regulation, all the young shoots on it should be cut back to the eye which is above the single fruit that usually is found near its origin. If no fruit be there, the useless twigs ought to be entirely removed at the point where they emerge. The excision of crowding shoots admits air, and assists the fruit. Old wood bears weaker fruit than good new shoots, and natural spurs on these are better than artificial spurs forced by cutting weak, twiggy shoots, borne upon old branches. In this more scientific and profitable method of pruning, the fruit-branches ought not to be generally shortened, because the gooseberry is, by its nature, sufficiently inclined to produce abundance of young wood.

438. Insects." The Caledonian Horticultural Society," says Loudon," having requested information respecting the best method of preventing or destroying the caterpillar on gooseberries, received various communications on the subject." Some of these communications are partially given; but he declares his own opinion to be "that no reliance is to be placed on hot lime alone-that hot water, lime-water, and digging deeply down may be useful;" but the only effectual plan seems to be that of previously hand picking. At No. 246, I have stated the result of an actual experiment: to that paragraph I therefore refer the reader: adding, that I think it might be advisable to combine several plans of prevention recommended by different writers: thus, Harrison's plan of manuring in winter might be improved by sprinkling a handful of salt with the manure; the stems of the trees, after pruning, being washed with lime-water or strong soap-suds. Lime, I think, will not destroy the larvae of the tenthredo, and such is the opinion of farmers and others who have tried it. Aloes, in solution, might be as effectual as the colocynth, but I have had no occasion to bring it to the proof.

I

PART II.

OPERATIONS IN THE FRUIT DEPARTMENT.

439. Look over the vines, and stop or pinch off the shoots about two buds above the fruit: regulate the summer shoots of the peach and nectarine trees; and destroy wasps, by suspending phials half filled with treacle and water, among the branches.

The trees also may be protected by nets. If the weather be very dry and parching, an occasional watering to the extent of three or four gallons, over the soil around the stems and over the roots of these trees, would be of great service: soft pond water, with a table-spoonful of common salt, or of salt-petre, in solution with every two gallons, could serve in the place of manure water.

Hoe, rake the surface, and remove litter of every kind from the fruit-borders; and keep every part of the fruit-garden, or compart ments, neat, and free from weeds.

MISCELLANEOUS.

440. Sow-the seeds of bulbous plants,-tulips, hyacinths, irises, crown imperials:-sow also, anemone, ranunculus, mignonette, and auricula seeds, in pots and boxes.

Plant-Autumnal flowering bulbs, and herbaceous plants,-the sweetwilliam, dianthuses, wall-flower, scabious, stock, and many other sorts of perennials.

Clip box edgings, and hedges of all kinds, as thorn, holly, hornbeam, privet, elm, beech, and yew.

Attend to the flower-borders; keep them clean by weeding, lightly stirring the soil, and removing decaying flower-stems.

Gather and preserve seeds, and carefully mark each several sort. 441. Selection of Shrubs and Plants which flower in August.Deciduous Shrubs.-Roses-the Chinese and several others, Rosa sinensis, &c.; althæa frutex, Hibiscus syriacus; shrubby cinquefoil, Potentilla floribunda; Passion-flower, Passiflora cærulea, Salvias, Calceolarias.

Evergreen Shrubs.-Ever-blowing rose, Rosa semperflorens; Magnolia, several species; Gerania and Pelargonia, many varieties—and most of them admirable subjects for the parterre.

Herbaceous Plants.-American Groundsel, Senecio elegans; Marvel of Peru, Mirabilis; Cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis; Pinks and Carnations, numerous varieties, Dianthus; sweet and yellow

Sultan, Centaurea moschata et suaveolens; Ladies' traces, Neottia spiralis; Calliopsis, various, C. tinctoria, minima, atrosanguinea, &c.; Campanula.

Bulbous Rooted.-Meadow Saffron, Colchicum autumnale; Belladonna lily, Lilium belladonna; Guernsey lily, Lilium sarniense.

THE NATURALISTS' CALENDAR.

AUGUST.

THE heat is but little reduced: in general, though not without exception, the highest temperature is found to exist when easterly winds prevail. The mean quantity of rain is calculated at more than one inch less than that which falls during the preceding month; hence August is a drier month than July; and this circumstance, connected with the usual serenity of the weather, renders it one of the sweetest months of the whole year.

The average height of the Barometer is about 29 Inches, 90 cts. Ditto of the Thermometer, about 63 Deg.

In the first week.-The swallow-tailed butterfly (Papiliomachaon) is seen; the horse fly (Oestrus bovis) deposits its eggs on horses, &c. Second week.-Young broods of goldfinches (Fringilla carduelis) appear; the swift (Hirundo apus) departs..

Third week.-Some birds resume their spring notes; lapwings (Tringa canellus) congregate.

Fourth week-Small golden black-spotted butterfly (Papilio plaas), and great fritillary butterfly (Papilio paphia), appear; goat-sucker, or fern-owl (Caprimulgus europœus), utters its jarring note, and flies about oak-trees in pursuit of moths after sun-set.

SEPTEMBER.

SECTION I.

SCIENCE OF GARDENING.

CONSTRUCTION OF A GARDEN.

PART I.

OBJECT AND IMPORTANCE OF GARDENING.

WHILE I agree with the author of the Encyclopædia of Gardening, that the object of horticulture "is to cultivate products used in domestic economy," and that "it includes culinary and fruit-gardening, or orcharding; and forcing, or exotic gardening, as far as respects useful products,"-I cannot but consider that it is, in fact, much more noble, for it includes pursuits which can scarcely fail to enlarge the understanding and improve the heart, while they tend to fortify the constitution, and establish the health.

Domestic gardening is frequently believed to be a source of expense rather than a means of economy, and where many hired hands are employed, it cannot be otherwise. Gardening is, indeed, very costly to the noble and affluent; to those who require and possess all the luxuries of the art; and who shall find fault with the expenditure of wealth, however great in its extent, when its result is the remuneration of meritorious men, for the skill and labour they exert in the cultivation of the delicious fruits of the hot-house, and the choicest specimens of the Flora of other climates?

But domestic gardening need not be a source of loss, or of unrequited expenditure; it may be rendered one of profit, provided its operations be conducted with prudence, and upon sound philosophical principles; and if I succeed in proving, by documents worthy of attention, that the garden may be made to produce a supply for the cow, the piggery, and the poultry-yard, after furnishing an abundance of every description of vegetables for the use of the family, as well as more or less surplus stock of fruits, &c., which