JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 81, 1884. 
91 
pushed into damp sand or leaf soil; in this way they may be preserved 
for a month at least. 
Frame Potatoes. — In notes respecting these (page 52) Sharpe’s 
“ Victoria ” should read “ Victor.” 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Peaches and Nectarines. — Earliest House. —Attention must still be 
given daily to the late-bloomiDg varieties, passing the camel’s-hair brush 
lightly over the flowers on fine days. This operation takes up some little 
time, but it is one for which we are amply repaid in the feeling that no 
detail has been neglected which was likely to lead to success. When all 
the fruit is well set, syringe the trees daily in fine weather with tepid 
soft water, which will soon remove the remains of the blossoms and be a 
means of keeping insects in check. If, however, the young growths 
should be infested with aphides, fumigate upon a calm evening mode¬ 
rately, as the tender foliage is very susceptible of injury by tobacco 
smoke, especially if it be in the least wet, therefore have the foliage dry 
and fumigate moderately ou two or three consecutive evenings. Dis¬ 
budding must be proceeded with cautiously, so as to avoid giving a 
check to the roots. Commence at the extreme tier of the trees and 
work towards the base, removing the foreright shoots only in the first 
instance. Where there is a thick set of fruits, a few of those on the 
under side or at the back of the trellis may be removed, as the crop 
must be selected from those fruits which occupy the upper sides of the 
shoots ; and in thinning the smallest and least promising only must be 
removed, as the thinning of the fruit needs to he done very gradually, 
especially at this early season. The night temperature should be kept 
at 55°, and on mild nights 3° to 5° warmer, with an advance by day 
of 10° to 15° from sun heat. Be careful in admitting air, guarding 
against exposing the young growths to cutting draughts in clear frosty 
weather. A few degrees’ excess of sun heat will not do aDy harm, and 
is better than admitting cold air to keep the temperature down. Examine 
inside borders, and give the roots a good watering with weak liquid 
manure, which must be given in a tepid state. Avoid manure in a 
gross condition for mulching, it only encourages gross growth, and is 
positively injurious. 
Second House. —The trees started at the commencement of the year 
are in full bloom and promise well. Where the trees can be depended 
on as good setters and the bloom is abundant draw the finger down the 
under sides of the shoots, thereby removing all the pendent blooms, which 
ought to be done before the flowers expand. Artificial impregnation 
must be resorted to, or a hive of bees will do it much better. If any 
of the large-flowering varieties, as Grosse Mignonne and Noblesse, are 
deficient of pollen, collect that of the smaller-flowered sorts, as Royal 
George, and apply it to the stigmas of those deficient of pollen. Syring¬ 
ing will have ceased, as it ought during the flowering season, but maintain 
a genial condition of the atmosphere by sprinkling the paths in the 
morning and afternoon of fine days. If there be any deficiency of 
moisture in the borders give a thorough soaking with tepid water. 
Maintain the night temperature at 50°, falling a few degrees on cold 
nights, 55° by day by artificial means, and 60° to 65° from sun heat, 
ventilating on all favourable occasions. 
Houses to Ripen Fruit in July. —Where there are several houses and 
it is desirable to have a succession of fruit, a third house may now be 
started ; indeed they have started, the buds being on the move and 
swelling fast, unquestionably due to the unusual mildness of the season. 
The ordinary midseason varieties now started will ripen in July. The 
house, no doubt, has been cleansed, the trees pruned, dressed, and secured 
to the trellis. Give the inside border a thorough watering, employing 
weak liquid manure in a tepid state if the trees are aged, but young 
trees will hardly need any stimulant. If there be any dryness at the 
roots it will be necessary to bring the soil into a thoroughly moist 
condition by repeated waterings. Syringe the trees twice a day, 
morning and afternoon, the latter sufficiently early to allow the trees 
to become dry before night. Turn on the heat in the morning to raise 
and maintain a temperature of 50° through the day, ventilating freely 
above that degree, and maintain a night temperature of 40° to 45°. 
Cherry House. —Cherry houses are not so frequently seen as they 
should be. The house must be light, well ventilated, and have moveable 
roof lights. A lean-to answers well, having a trellis about 15 inches from 
the glass, and the trees planted in front, or a half-mot n trellis in front 
will admit of trees being trained on the back wall. The borders should 
be entirely inside, and should be about 6 feet wide. Wide borders are 
quite unnecessary, in fact they are injurious. The borders must be well 
drained, a 3-inch drain pipe being taken up each border, and over this 
a foot to 15 inches of rubble for drainage, and to keep this porous a layer 
of turf grass side downwards, and then 30 inches depth of soil—good 
fibrous loam, with a tenth of old mortar rubbish incorporated. Grit is 
also essential; if deficient of this, add road scrapings equal to a sixth 
of the whole, thoroughly mixing and putting together firmly. The best 
sorts for forcing are Circassian and May Duke of the dark-coloured, and 
of lights Elton and Governor Wood. It trees can be procured that have 
been trained to walls for four or five years, they should be selected as 
they come into bearing at once. Now is a good time to plant the trees, 
indeed February is the best month for introducing fresh trees into houses 
at work as well as for planting new ones. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Nepenthes. —These are amongst the most ornamental and interesting 
plants that can be grown in the stove. They will do well grown either 
.n pots on the stages or in baskets suspended from the roof ; the latter is 
preferable, because the side stages can be occupied with other plants, 
and when hanging from the roof they show themselves to the greatest 
advantage and possess a very pleasiog appearance. Tlants requiring 
baskets of a larger size should have them without delay ; place at the 
base of the baskets a layer of large crocks, which should be covered with 
sphagnum moss, and then the remaining portions between the ball and 
the sides of the baskets filled with peat fibre and sphagnum moss in equal 
proportions, to which may be added a few small crocks or charcoal. 
Remove as much of the decomposed material as possible, but care must 
be exercised not to injure the roots, for they are easily broken. If the 
plants have been cut down and the lower portion of the stem is bare, peg 
it upon the surface of the soil and cover it with moss, and in a short time 
it will emit roots freely, especially if half cut through where the growths 
start away ; by this means the plant will in a few months be independent 
of its former roots. These plants should not be allowed to grow tall, 
and thus become shy of producing pitchers ; on the contrary, as soon as 
they fail to form them freely cut them down close to the base, leaving 
two or three eyes, which are ample. If cut down at once the plants 
will soon commence growth, and before autumn will have made good 
plants, producing pitchers freely. 
Propagation. —After cutting a plant down the stock is readily increased 
by cuttings made from the stem. The stem should be cut into lengths 
possessing two joints each. In making the cuttings the cut near the lower 
joint should be clean, but neither of the leaves should be removed. Those 
Ehould be inserted in 3-inch pots filled with sphagnum moss and a little 
coarse sand, the top eye only being left out of the moss, while the leaves 
should be supported with small stakes. After this a good watering of 
tepid water must be given, and the pots plunged in brisk bottom heat 
under handlights, bellglasses, or a close frame, where they should remain 
without being disturbed until they are rooted. If shaded from strong sun 
and the foliage dewed with the syringe occasionally, nearly every one will 
be found to root and produce a young shoot from the top eye. After they 
are rooted some care and attention must be devoted to hardening them, 
for they are a long time before they are sufficiently hardened for placing 
in baskets and suspending. After the young plants are sufficiently 
hardened to be placed in baskets the old foliage may be removed and the 
plants mossed up to the place where the young shoot starts away. By 
autumn fine plants will be produced, which will commence to form 
pitchers freely. 
Alocasias. —The foliage of these plants is very ornamental in the stove, 
and wherever such are appreciated they should he grown. They may 
without further delay receive their annual potting. Turn out the plants 
and remove from them the whole of the old decomposed compost, as they 
dislike soil in a sour or saturated condition about their roots. If the stems 
of these plants have become long remove the lower portion, which will 
allow them to be dropped lower in their pots, and impart fresh vigour to 
the plants afterwards. The pots for these plants should be half filled with 
drainage, and the plants when potting is finished well elevated above the 
rim of their pots, similar to Orchids. The compost should consist of equal 
parts fibry peat and sphagnum moss, with lumps of charcoal freely inter¬ 
mixed. The top may be surfaced with a layer of sphagnum moss, but 
ample room should be left for a good top-dressing during the summer 
when the plants are in active growth. A little cow manure in a dried 
state applied to the surface I have found very beneficial to them. If prac¬ 
ticable after potting, give the plants bottom heat until their roots com¬ 
mence working, when they can again be removed to their position in the 
stove. The portions of stem may be cut into lengths if it is desirable to 
increase the stock. If about 1 inch long and placed in light sandy soil in 
pans, every portion will produce a plant which can be grown on together 
or singly, as thought most desirable. 
Anthuriums. —All fine-foliage varieties of these that occupy the stove 
may also be subject to the operation of potting. The whole of the old 
compost should be removed with as little injury to the roots as possible. 
Give a good quantity of drainage, for these plants delight in rooting near 
the surface, and when in active growth require abundance of water. The 
lower portion of the stem generally rises in the space of twelve months 
well above the surface of the compost, and roots are freely produced. In 
potting place them as low as practicable, and as they grow a surface 
dressing may be given them with advantage Elevate above the rim of 
the pots the same as the Alocasias, and use the same compost. 
The useful and beautiful A. Schertzerianum that has been up to the 
present time in a temperature of 55° may now be brought into the stove, 
and in a very short time they will produce their bright scarlet spathes. 
These may also be potted as soon as they show signs of root-action, which 
will not be long after they are removed into the heat and moisture of the 
stove. The old compost should also be removed from these ; in fact, 
when potting is needed carry out the directions given for the fine-foliage 
varieties, and use the same compost. 
NOTES ON BEES—PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT. 
Preventing Swarming—Utilising Swarms, &c .— It is very im¬ 
portant to the bee-keeper to know what he can do to prevent 
1 his bees from swarming at a time when he does not wish 
