Figs On Outdoor Walls

The young wood which has formed on Fig trees during the past summer should not be allowed to sway loose and wild in the wind, but should be nailed into the wall with shreds. If some old wood has to be cut out to make room for it, so much the better. There need be no hesitation about thinning Fig wood; it is rarely practised sufficiently. If a second crop of fruit has formed, and now hangs on the trees without any appearance of swelling, it may be removed, for if left it will only fall in the spring.

Grapes

The Grapes will long have been cleared from early Vines, and the latter will be ripening their wood and maturing their buds. But in later houses the fruit may be hanging ripe. The fruit keeps well on the Vines if the house is cool and the foliage thin. If fruit is not yet ripe, it will be well to put a little heat into the hot-water pipes in dull weather. The borders should be watered if they get dry.

Gathering Fruit

Amateurs are often in a difficulty because they do not know what to do with fruit which shows no signs of ripening. Some Apples and Pears are still quite hard and green, while others mellowed long ago. The explanation is that the former are naturally late varieties. They may never ripen on the trees at all, and have to be gathered unripe, but that need not be done for a month or six weeks. It is sufficient for the present to gather fruit that parts from the tree without hard pressure. It often happens that even in the case of one particular variety some of the fruits are soft before others, so that there need be no general gathering. It is a pleasure to prolong this interesting and pleasant task. Apples like Lord Suffield, Lord Grosvenor, New Hawthornden, Bismarck, Keswick Codlin, Duchess of Oldenburg, Duchess of Gloucester, and Worcester Pearmain may be expected to be ready for gathering soon. Such Pears as Jargonelle, Williams' Bon Chretien, Caillot Rosat, Dr. Jules Guyot, and Souvenir du Congres may be ready also. A test, other than that of the fruit parting from the tree under gentle pressure, is to cut open a fruit and see if the pips have turned dark, but it will only be a guide to fruits in the same stage of development as the one operated upon.

Peaches And Nectarines

In houses where Peaches are now ripening the ventilation should be free, as abundance of air will be a great help. The tying or nailing in of the young wood of trees which have been cleared of their fruit should be completed as soon as possible.

Pruning Fruit Trees

The annual pruning of fruit trees is generally done in winter, and the ■whole subject is dealt with fully in Chapter I (Jan. The Opening Year)., but a ripening process of great importance is now going on; the shoots and buds are maturing, and much unseen and often unsuspected work is proceeding that has a considerable bearing on the future crop. For this reason it is often wise to thin crowded trees in September. Large branches can be removed safely, as growth for the year is practically over. The thinning enables sun heat to operate more effectually on the wood left. Apples, Pears, Plums, and Cherries may all be operated upon.

Fig. 72. - Pruning out Large Branches of Crowded Fruit Trees.

a. Cross branches which must be cut out.

b. Larger branches which should be cut from the centre of the tree.