76 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 27, mi. 
part. Raspberries may be pruned, thinning out the canes to from 
four to six to each stool, securing them to stakes or a trellis, and 
shortening them to or 5 feet. The old canes as well as those of 
last year’s growth not required should be cut off close to the ground. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Peaches and Nectarines .—In the house started in November the 
trees will now be flowering, and will need daily attention in fertilising 
the blossoms. As soon as the fruit is set syringing both morning 
and early afternoon will be required on all favourable days, the water 
employed being of the same temperature as the house. The tem¬ 
perature may be maintained at 55° at night and GO 0 in the day, with 
a rise of 10° to 158 from sun heat. Disbudding must be attended to 
carefully at this early season, so as not to give a check to the roots. 
If aphides appear fumigate moderately when the foliage is dry. In 
the house started this month the buds are swelling fast. Keep the 
night temperature at 50°, falling to 45° by morning in severe weather, 
allowing an advance to 60° or G5° from sun heat. Syringe the trees 
morning and early afternoon, so as to allow them to become dry 
before night. As the blossoms expand discontinue the syringing of 
the trees, but keep the pathways, borders, and other available surfaces 
damp, taking advantage of bright sunny days to ventilate freely, 
leaving the ventilators slightly open all night as well as by day in 
dull weather. Where there are several houses, and a continuous 
supply of fruit is required, preparation should be made for starting 
another house early next month, carefully dressing the trees, securing 
them to the trellis, and before starting give a thorough soaking of 
water at the roots at 75 Q to 80°. The house may now be closed, but 
no fire heat applied except to exclude frost. Outside borders should 
be protected with leaves and litter. 
Cherry House .—More danger of failure arises from the impatience 
of heat during the early stages of growth of the Cherry than most 
other stone fruits grown under glass ; this in combination with imper¬ 
fect ventilation is a frequent cause of disaster. Maintain 50° as the 
point at which to open and close the house, and above that degree 
maintain a current of fresh air through the house. By day, from fire 
heat, 55° is sufficient, and 408 at night, falling a little during the 
night, but not lower than 36°. Syringe the trees on fine mornings ; 
and now the buds are bursting it will be necessary to keep a sharp 
look-out for aphides, fumigating when necessary. Moisten the sur¬ 
face of the borders whenever they become dry, and cover the surface 
with about 3 inches thickness of partially decomposed manure as a 
means of encouraging surface root-action. Trees in pots will need 
to be examined occasionally, and liberally watered when necessary. 
Melons .—Little requires to be done in this department at present. 
The earliest plants are growing well, and if the seed was sown singly 
and low down in the pots a little warmed soil mast be added as the 
plants advance ; or if sown several round the sides, the young plants 
must be carefully potted-off singly in previously warmed compost, 
watering sparingly for the present, and keeping them near the glass 
in a temperature of 70° to 75°, falling to 65° on cold nights ; bottom 
heat 80°. Plants intended to be grown on a trellis need not be 
stopped, but should have the laterals pinched out until the plant 
reaches the trellis, securing the stem to a stick. Plants intended for 
p>its or frames should be stopped above the second rough leaf. Let 
the necessary soil—mellow turfy heavy loam, with which is incor¬ 
porated about a fifth part of old thoroughly decomposed cow manure 
—be placed in a dry shed at once, chopping it in pieces the size of a 
hen’s egg. Fermenting materials must also receive a due preparation 
in mixing, turning, &c., if possible protecting them from heavy rains. 
Figs .—Trees started early in December are in active growth. 
Maintain the night temperature at 55° to 60°, and G0° to 65° in the 
daytime, commencing to ventilate at that temperature, allowing an 
advance from sun heat to 75°, ventilating between 70° and 75° freely. 
In dull weather raise the temperature in the house occasionally to 
afford ventilation, if only for an hour or two, which will prove bene¬ 
ficial. Keep the bottom heat steady at 75°. When the shoots have 
made a growth of 4 or 5 inches stop them, pinching out the points of 
each, and remove all superfluous ones, retaining no more than have 
full exposure to light and air. Copious supplies of weak liquid manure 
will now be necessary, seeing, however, that the drainage is in good 
order. Mulch the surface of the pots, if not already done, with about 
2 inches of decomposed manure in a lumpy state. 
Cucumbers .—As days lengthen heat and moisture may be slightly 
increased, but it is well to be careful in this respect, as there may yet 
be much cold weather. Do not syringe the foliage except on bright 
warm afternoons, when it may be done lightly and early. Damp 
paths, walls, etc., in the morning and early in the afternoon. Examine 
the plants not less frequently than once, better twice a week, re¬ 
moving unnecessary shoots. Young plants must be kept near the 
glass to secure sturdy growth, and nip the point out of such as are 
required for pits or frames immediately above the second rough leaf. 
Prepare fermenting materials, so that there maybe no avoidable delay 
when the time for planting arrives. Mellow turfy loam, ridged up 
about twelve months before using, suits Cucumbers. Have it under 
cover at once, chopping up as advised for Melons, and adding about 
a sixth of thoroughly decomposed cow dung. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Greenhouse .—Camellias should be examined at least once a year, 
and be thoroughly cleaned, which applies equally to those planted 
out as to those in pots. Where plants in borders have become 
thick or thin and straggling cut a portion of them in, and after 
making a season’s growth they may be taken up and potted or placed 
in boxes, their removal allowing more room for the development of 
those retained, and the plants removed will make good specimens. 
If there is any appearance of the bed becoming exhausted remove a 
little of the soil from the surface without injuring the roots, and 
supply fresh soil. If any plants in pots are suffering from want of 
root space they should be repotted before the shoots begin to grow, 
for if deferred until the growth is advanced the season’s growth will 
be injured. In potting make the new soil as firm as the old ball. 
Light turfy loam is a suitable compost. 
Azaleas have now almost shed all the leaves they usually throw 
off during winter, and their appearance will be much improved by 
hand-picking, removing all that are yellow. Thoroughly ripened 
healthy plants are producing young growths from the base of the 
flower buds, which will not in any way interfere with the flowering, 
as is generally supposed, for that depends on the well ripening of the 
buds in autumn. The young growths will cause greater activity at 
the roots, the plants necessarily needing a little more water. Plants 
required for late bloom should be in a house with a north aspect. 
Young plants desired to be grown-on quickly may be placed in heat, 
to give them as long a season’s growth as possible. They will then 
make considerably more progress than allowing them to start later on. 
A few Fuchsias should now be started for early flowering. Cut 
back plants of a year or two’s growth, and repot them in good loam 
with about a fifth of thoroughly decayed manure. They should have 
the balls reduced at least one-half. Place in the temperature advised 
above for Daphne indica, and sprinkle overhead occasionally. If a 
few plants of Lilium longiflorum and L. auratum are encouraged with 
a little extra warmth they will flower early and be very useful for 
decoration. Lilies that have been placed in dark situations must not 
remain until they have new growth, or they will in a very short time 
be seriously injured. Remove them at once to a light position, 
keeping them moist. Supply Cinerarias, Primulas, and Cyclamens 
advancing for bloom with weak liquid manure, and keep the plants 
near the glass. Watch for aphides, and fumigate on their first 
appearance. 
80 
rm 
HE BEE-KEEPER, i 
—H V// • 
SUCCESSFUL BEE-KEEPING. 
THE CHALLENGE-PAST AND PRESENT. 
Though I do not quite understand what Mr. Mann means in 
his challenge published on page 520, December 2nd, 1880, I am 
glad he has made one for a contest of some kind, inasmuch as it 
shows that he has the courage to defend his opinions. If he will 
kindly explain his proposal and leave it open for consideration 
and acceptance I shall be obliged. It will be remembered by 
