January 22, 1885. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
77 
are grown must be examined, an I if there be any deficiency for the 
potting that will require attention this year some should be procured at 
once. It is a good plan to stack outside in autumn, before it becomes 
saturated by rain, as much as may be required for the following year. 
Peat is much more liable to become wet than loam, however carefully 
it may be stacked, but it can be preserved in the best condition by 
using shutters made of wood. If stored under cover that i 3 sufficient for 
the whole season; it is liable to become so dry that it is rendered 
totally unfit for use. A good stock should now be under cover and pre¬ 
pared the same as the loam for potting. The peat for Orchids must be 
lighter than that for hardwooded plants. That prepared for the former 
may have all the particles shaken out and stored by itself; the small should 
not be thrown away, but kept for potting small Ferns, Mosses, and 
other purposes where fine peat will do equally as well as that conta'niog 
fibre. That for hardwooded plants may, if good, be used as broken up. 
Manure. —For plants in pots manure is essential, and cow or sheep 
manure for all practicable purposes is decidedly the best. If perfectly 
fresh when obtained it should be stored for at least twelve months. Our 
supply is generally obtained from the cattle market, and is a mixture of 
both, and often in a very wet state when received. What is now being 
placed under cover was stacked last spring, and is now in good condition, 
only a little too wet. It is prepared in a proper state of moisture by 
spreading it thinly in the boiler house, and constantly turned until it can 
be rubbed through a sieve. Care must be taken that it is not dried too 
much, or it will bake hard and thus give some trouble in passing it through 
a sieve. When in the proper condition for moisture it is stored in a cool 
shed ready for immediate use. This is passed through a fine sieve when 
required for mixing with any compost for potting. It may also be men¬ 
tioned that quarter-inch bones and bonemeal, which is the best for 
potting purposes, should also be obtained in readiness, as well as the 
necessary supply of artificial manures. 
Leaf Mould. —This is very useful, and is employed largely in all com¬ 
posts for softwooded plants. When in a half-decomposed state it is in the 
best condition for plant-growing. Gather that which has not been stacked 
in heaps, but was laid upon the ground thinly where leaves may have been 
wheeled, or in the woods where they have drifted into heaps. When 
stored for use it should be divided into three sizes. The smallest size must 
be passed through a fine sieve, in which condition it is most suitable for 
seeds and cuttings. The next size may be passed through a half-inch 
sieve, and the remainder as gathered. 
Sand and Charcoal. —Plenty of sand should always be stored under 
cover in readiness for mixing with composts, and for propagating pur¬ 
poses. Charcoal is invaluable where Orchids and other plants are 
grown, and in addition to having a good supply on hand it may be 
sorted and broken into different sizes ready for use. 
Sphagnum Moss. —A good supply may now be obtained from those wh° 
gather it for sale. It should be picked in readiness, removing all grass> 
leaves, and rubbish. The worst may be reserved for placing over crocks 
when potting, the next for chopping for Orchid-potting, and the best or 
green ends should be kept by themselves for top-dressing. This, after 
being sorted, should be kept in a damp place until required for use. I do 
not like scalding it to destroy insects, but it is really necessary with that 
used for chopp'ng ; the remainder for top-dressing is before use placed for 
some time in a heated structure, and examined at night, when many slugs 
are frequently removed. 
Pots should be washed in readiness for use, and if there be any deficiency 
of sizes for various purposes they should he obtained without delay. Crocks 
for drainage may also be washed and passed afterwards through sieves of 
different sizes. When the crocks are prepared in different sizes, which 
should always be the case, the pots are not only drained better but much 
more quickly when required, and this is of importance when the work 
requiring attention is pressing in every department. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Hotbeds for Propagating Purposes. —The material for hotbeds ought 
now to be prepared ; what it shall consist of must depend upon circum¬ 
stances. We prefer a mixture of stable manure and good Oak and other 
leaves, which, if well prepared, generates a moist, sweet, and fairly brisk 
heat, and which is particularly good for striking cuttings of such plants 
as Verbenas, Heliotropes, Ageratums, and Iresines, and also for the 
germination of the fine seed of tuberous-rooted Begonias, Lobelias, 
Pentstemons, Petunias, and the slow-germinating Verbena and other 
seeds. Where no leaves are procurable stable manure has to be princi¬ 
pally relied upon ; but in this case more care must be exercised in its 
preparation, or much harm may be done by overheating. Cowyard 
manure is generally slow in heating, very hot and very moist when it is 
in working order, and we should prefer to mix it with horse manure. 
Spent tan, where it can be procured, is a good substitute for manure, but 
is only available for brick pits. If leaves and manure in equal quantities 
are employed, they may be well mixed and thrown into a large heap to 
ferment, and before the centre has heated dry the heap should be turned 
inside out, and in about another week will be fit for hotbeds. Stable 
manure alone requires to be turned twice, and if very rank three times, 
and always before it has become excessively hot, the aim being to get 
rid of all impurities without greatly impairing the heating and manurial 
qualities of the manure. When the manure has been stored in a dry 
place it is frequently necessary to freely water it as it is turned, for the 
simple reason that dry litter or manure will give off no heat during the 
process of decay. Cowyard manure requires a longer time in preparation, 
but is usually more sweet than stable manure. The tan may be used as 
received from the tan-yard, and if lumps of unslaked lime are freely 
mixed with it this will quickly start fermentation. This little known 
plan answers surprisingly well, and without it the tan heats very slowly. 
Where frames only are available for propagating purposes the hotbeds, at 
this time of year, must be formed fully 5 feet high at the back and 4 feet 
high at the front, or the heat will not long be sufficiently high. 
Poxes for Cuttings and Plants. —Boxes are very serviceable both for 
propagating purposes and also for growing Zonal Pelargoniums and 
various other bedding plants. Pans or pots are preferable for seed-sow¬ 
ing, but boxes are much the best for striking cuttings and plant-growing, 
and no time should be lost in renovating all the old ones and making as 
many new ones as may be required. Ours are made with home-grown 
Scotch Fir, and in a neighbouring garden Elm is principally used, these 
being heavier but more durable. It is a mistake to make very large 
boxes, these requiring two persons to lift them, and are the first to get 
knocked to pieces. For propagating purposes, our boxes are made 2 feet 
long, 15 inches wide, and 6 inches deep. This depth admits of a layer of 
drainage, 2 inches of soil, and a head room of 3 inches for the cuttings, 
and we are thus enabled to closely cover each box with two squares of 
glass, and which can be sealed down with strips of paper if necessary. 
In these boxes we strike Carnations, Tea Roses, and various soft-wooded 
bedding plants quickly, and with very few failures. For boxing off Zonal 
Pelargoniums, Heliotropes, Verbenas, Lobelias, Ageratums, Iresines, and 
other strong-growing bedding plants, the boxes are made of the same 
length and width as the cutting boxes, but are about 4 inches deep. 
Having all of a uniform size admits of their being packed or stood 
closely together, and square seed pans are also preferable to round ones 
for a similar reason. 
Boxing off Zonal Pelargoniums. —Where a little heat can be given 
the work of boxing and potting off bedding Pelargoniums may be com¬ 
menced, and this being done early admits of their being hardened off 
early, thereby making room for the growth of more tender plants. If 
pots are available for any of them pot off the more delicate bronze, 
golden, and silver variegated sorts, and let the commoner sorts be placed 
in boxes, and about 4 inches apart each way. Crocks being scarce, coke 
broken up rather finely may be substituted, and the fine ashes from the 
stokehole may be mixed with the soil instead of silver sand ; in fact, we 
rarely use anything but these ashes with the soil for all kinds of common 
bedding plants. Until the plants are rooting afresh no water need be 
given, and at no time do we recommend stopping. If it is desirable to 
increase the stock of any sort or sorts the old plants should be started 
into active growth in an early vinery or warm house or pit. Cuttings 
rarely strike satisfactorily when taken off dormant plants. They, how¬ 
ever, should not be taken off the autumn-struck Pelargoniums unless 
these are extra strong, as they rarely grow away freely after having the 
best part of their tops removed, and the gain is in numbers only, one 
strong autumn-struck plant being equal to two inferior ones. 
SEASONABLE HINTS ON BEE MANAGEMENT. 
The present winter so far cannot be said to have been severe 
—just enough to keep the bees indoors, but not to necessitate a 
large consumption of food, or so mild as to keep the bees in 
a constant state of activity, which leads to the same results. 
Many of our bees have already had a good airing, all seemingly 
are in good health, and judging from their appearance and past 
experience all are breeding; but they will remain unmolested, 
as I have no apprehension as to damp dirty floors or want. 
The construction of my hives obviates the two former, and as to 
the latter care was taken in the autumn that there should be 
none, so that I feel at ease in that there will be no danger on 
that score for a considerable time to come. Should any person 
suspect their stock to be in want place over the cluster either 
a piece of honeycomb or candy, but resort to syrup immediately 
after the bees have well aired themselves. Thoroughly clean all 
floors, and if there is any damp they should be well dried. 
Since the general adoption of perforated zinc floors damp never 
appears, and by simply drawing out the sliding floor the debris 
can be easily removed, and if carefully examined eggs dropped 
by the queen will be found, which can be examined. Defective 
coverings and other unnatural contrivances are alike inimical 
to the well-being of the bees, and cause many deaths. As bees 
will not be endangered by any slight disturbance now, every 
hive should be fully examined externally, and if there is any 
appearance of a block at the entrance it should be set right. 
For a month before and a month after the shortest day, if the 
weather be dull and the temperature below freezing, bees do 
not leave their hives, but it is different with a rising thermometer, 
and in bright sunshine bees come out readily, and often great 
