514 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 1?, 1885. 
commence flowering at Christmas and continue through January will be the 
most serviceable where a good and continuous supply of flowers is re¬ 
quired. To attain this end the pseudo-bulbs must be started at once, by 
placing them upon damp moss in boxes in any structure where the tem¬ 
perature ranges from 60° to 65° at night until they have started into 
growth, when they may be potted and grown with the earlier batches 
in brisk moist heat shaded from the sun. Some of the most forward 
plants if started in small pots will have made a fair per-centage of roots, 
and may be transferred into the size in which they are intended to flower. 
This operation must be done carefully and without the slightest injury to 
the roots. The pots should be liberally drained and plenty of room left at 
the top for water. The soil must be pressed firmly into the pots, and 
should consist of fibry loam and peat in equal proportions, one-seventh ( f 
cow manure passed through a fine sieve, and a liberal dash of coarse sand. 
Supply water carefully until the roots are active in the new compost, 
when abundance must be given them. 
Cyclamens .—Young plants that were wintered in small pots and 
transferred during the early months of the year into 3 and 4-inch sizes 
may now be placed into 5 and 6-inch pots. If a suitable low house 
cannot be given them they may be placed in col 1 frames well elevated to 
the glass to insure a sturdy growth of the foliage. Keep the frame close 
until the plants are rooting into the new compost, when abundance of air 
must be admitted. Later batches placed into 2-inch pots during February 
will now be well-rooted, sturdy little plants, and ready for larger pots. 
These should be given as small a shift as possible, so that they can after¬ 
wards be transferred into 5-inch pots, in which they will make fine plants 
before winter. Keep these in a warm temperature until they aie well 
established, when they may be placed in a cold frame. Plants raised 
from seed sown early in the year and afterwards placed in pans, should 
now be placed in small pots without delay. These must be grown on for 
a time in a temperature ranging from 60° to 70°, and the stronger will 
make admirable plants before the end of the season, while the weaker 
may be kept in small pots during the winter and repotted early for 
another year. The sun must be shaded from these plants, at the same 
time every ray of light possible must be admitted, or the foliage will soon 
be drawn up weakly. Ventilate on all favourable occasions, and freely 
syringe the plants twice daily. These plants do well in fibry loam three 
parts, the other part being composed of leaf soil, cow manure, and sand. 
During the early stages of the plants a greater per-centage of leaf soil may 
be employed. 
Tuberovs Begonias .—The earliest plants raised from seed and pricked 
into pans will now be sturdy examples with six or seven leaves each, and 
should be placed singly in 4-inch pots if required to flower for decorative 
purposes. These plants if grown in heat should be gradually hardened 
previous to potting, and then grown in cold frames. Growth is not rapid 
under cool treatment, but the plants are dwarf, and the flowers produced 
much finer than when forced in heat. When the plants have been grown 
in heat it is a good plan to make up a slight hotbed in a cold frame, and 
stand them upon it as they are potted. Under these conditions the plants 
soon root into the new soil, and are gradually hardened without the risk 
of being checked. These plants must be shaded from bright sunshine. 
Celosias .—These are amongst the best autumn and winter flowering 
plants that can be grown, for they last in good condition from three to 
four months if kept in any structure free from damp. Seed should be 
sown in pans at once in an intermediate temperature, and as soon as the 
seedlings are large enough they should be pricked off singly into thumb 
pots and grown in cold frames. When in small pots to commence with 
one shift only is required afterwards, 5-inch pots being very suitable to 
flower them in. 
Calceolarias .—Where these are required for decoration as early in 
the season as possible sow seed at once. A shallow pan may be filled 
with light sandy soil made fine and even on the surface, upon which the 
seed can be sown, and then carefully water it with a fine-rose can. D) 
not cover the seed with soil. After watering place a square of glass over 
the pan and cover with moss until the seed germinates. Place the pan in 
a cold shady frame, remove the moss as soon as the seedlings appear, and 
gradually admit more light and air. 
Fuchsias. — The earliest plants started and pinched are now in full 
flower. They should be gradually hardened to cool treatment ready for the 
conservatory or any other structure kept gay with flowering plants. The 
plants should enjoy abundance o flight, but be shaded from bright sunshine. 
Abundance of water will now be rrquired at their roots, and occasionally 
stimulants in a weak state, soot wat.er being very good for these plants. 
Young plants in 6-inch pots may be pushed forward and allowed to come 
into flower if wanted ; if not, pinch them again and give them a dressing of 
artificial manure on the surface of the soil. Spring-struck plants may be 
placed into 5 and 6-inch pots, a very suitable size for decorative purposes. 
Another batch of cuttings may be rooted, and if grown well will be found 
very useful in a small state. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Flower Beds .—The rains, which appear to have been general, fell most 
opportunely for the bedding plants already put out, and improved the 
working of the ground in other cases. No lime should be lost in com¬ 
pleting the work of planting, all spare plants being put into the mixed 
borders directly the principal beds and borders are finished. If these 
surplus plants are left standing about till the middle of July in pots, pans, 
and boxes they present a poor appearance, and seldom make much progress 
when planted so late. Pelargoniums of sorts when once they are esta¬ 
blished in fairly good soil rarely require any farther watering*, and a 
mulching of leaf soil, fine peat, cocoa-nut fibre refuse, and even fine grass 
from the mowing machine, will do much more good to Verbenas, Violas, 
Calceolarias, Lobelias, Fuchsias, Dahlia®, and other moisture-loving 
plants than repeated wateriDgs. The latter serve to impoverish the soil, 
and unless frequently repeated it should not be commenced, or rather 
continued, after the plants are fairly established. Before the mulching is 
applied the surface of the ground should be carefully stirred with a Dutch 
hoe and levelled if need be with a rake, and if it is done soon after a soak¬ 
ing rain so much the better. Any plants put out late and moved with 
but little soil about the roots may well be shaded from bright sunshine 
till they have recovered somewhat, and for this purpose strong branches 
of trees and evergreens are available. Dahlias, Asters, Stocks, Zinnias, 
and Marigolds required extra fine for exhibition or other purposes ought to 
have well-enriched soil to root in, be mulched with short manure, and 
given occasional supplies of liquid manure, especially during showery 
weather. Unless they make a strong and early start the blooms rarely 
attain a large size. 
Carpet Beds .—These are generally the last to be completed, the 
principal portion of the highly coloured fine-foliaged plants being the 
most delicate. In many places the hardiest portion of the plants 
employed are put out early, as it is found that the Sedums and other 
groundwork kinds soon spread in dull showery weather. It is a mistake 
to plant large patches of Sedums, Herniaiia, Veronica, Mentha, and 
Antennaria, as when separated into small pieces and dibbled in neatly and 
firmly they soon spread and present a better appearance than if disposed in 
heaps. All are well adapted fir filling in the groundwork of the designs, 
the figures being filled with Alternantheras, Ires-ine Lindeni, Golden 
Pyrethrum, Kleinias, Echeverias metallica and metallica glauca, Semper- 
vivums, Golden Variegated Arabis, Ajugareptans rubra, dwarf Lobelias, 
and dwarf Ageratums. To be effective the beds ought to be closely and 
neatly planted, as but few of the delicate sorts make much growth. 
Subtropical riants. —These may also be safely put out in all localities. 
"Masses of such kinds as Cannas, Ricinuses, Solanums, and Wigandias, 
with bright and suitable edgings are very effective, and a judicious mix¬ 
ture of fine-foliaged and flowering plants also finds many admirers. 
Strong old p'ants of Cordvlines, Palms in variety, Dracaenas, Yuccas, 
Musas, Pandanuses, Abutilons, among fine-foliaged kinds, and such 
flowering plants as Plumbago capensis, Erythrinas, tuberous-rooted 
Begonias, Fuchsias, Marguerites, Salvias, herbaceous Lobelias, Gaillar- 
dias, &c. can frequently be well spared from the bouses, and it is not yet 
too late to plant them effectively in mixture, either in a large bed or 
border. Plenty of leaf soil or common peat should be mixed with the 
soil, epecially if it is at all close and poor. 
Boses —These are breaking strongly, the growth being unusually clean 
and floriferous, and we may safely anticipate a good if rather late dis¬ 
play. Where the pruning was properly done, as advised, there will be 
more growths than should be allowed to remain, and this both in the case 
of dwarfs as well as standards. All the sturdiest and be*t placed shoots 
ought to be reserved, only the very gross and the weakest, where at all 
crowded, being cleanly removed. This will have the tfleet of strengthen¬ 
ing the preserved shoots, improving the display this season, as well as 
injuring a more thorough ripening of the wood. If extra fine blooms are 
wished for only the strong central buds should be allowed to develope 
all the side buds being at once removed. A sharp look-out must be kep 
for maggots, as these soon ruir a number of buds. Hand-picking is the 
best remedy for these, and diluted tobacco water, or a decoction o 
quassia and softsoap, will keep down green fly. Roses ought to be 
liberally mulched with rough manure, that obtained from the pigyai d 
being the best for the purpose. Where this mulching would be considerea 
unsightly, it may well be surfaced over with soil, care being taken to 
prevent chickens and birds from scratching it about. Briars for budding 
are also breaking very strongly, and these now require some attention. 
About three shoots should be left, so as to eventually form a neat well- 
balanced head. A mulching will also greatly benefit these, and add con¬ 
siderably to the successful operation of budding. All strong young shoots 
from buds inserted last season require to be supported with light stakes 
fastened to the stem of the stock, and this will prevent their being blown 
out by heavy gales of wind. 
'S ''<? 
III 
•IE BEE-KEEPER. 
h 
SWARMING AND ITS PREVENTION. 
Can swarming be prevented without any great difficulty 
in ordinary seasons, and in hives not easily admitting of the 
excision of queen cells ? I am inclined—and Mr. Payne was 
evidently of my opinion, as may be gathered from his 
excellent advice often given in the early numbers of this 
Journal—that with ordinary care and by the judicious 
employment of supers and the retention of young healthy 
queens in autumn, the swarming mania may in all caseB, 
except in accidental death of the queen, be avoided to a 
certainty. Many bee-keepers are most anxious to bring about 
such a desirable result, and it is my wish to give the details 
of management necessary for that purpose. 
Iq passing one point may be noticed, and that is that in 
