386 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
tubes for holding water to support the flowers. Half-inch deal is stout enough 
for small boxes to hold a dozen flowers, but if the boxes are larger the wood is 
better a little stouter. They should be painted green. The boxes, unless other¬ 
wise stipulated by the authorities of the show, may be 5 inches high at the back, 
3 inches in front, and 18 inches wide, with holes for the tubes not less than 
2i inches apart. 
Extirpating Ants (C. M. K). —They are most difficult to destroy or drive 
from their haunts. They do not like guano sprinkled in their runs, nor paraffin. 
If half-picked bones are laid in the runs they will speedily be covered with the 
insects, and by plunging them in boiling water they are mercifully killed. A 
sponge partially saturated with treacle has the same effect in attracting them. 
Camphor dissolved in water and poured in their haunts makes them uncomfort¬ 
able, and carbolic acid diluted with twelve times its weight of water and 
sprinkled in their haunts is said to drive them away. Cotton wool wrapped 
round the stems of Peach trees and kejjt moist with tar prevents the ants 
ascending. They sometimes eat off the stamens of the flowers, and also attack 
the ripe fruit, but otherwise do not do injury unless they make their nests 
in flower pots. They mostly abound where insects are present, and you will 
find it very advantageous to permit no aphides or other insects to congregate on 
the plants or trees in your houses. You may sow the Mangold Wurtzel seed in 
drills 2 feet apart, and cover the seed an inch deep. A mixture of 5 cwt. of 
guano and 2 cwt. of common salt per acre is a good manure for this crop on 
moist soils. 
Cyclamens not Thriving (A Brtiton Amateur).—The root-action is 
defective, caused probably either by watering excessively or insufficiently ; or 
the plants may have been placed in a too cold, dry, and draughty house during 
the winter. As they have made no leaves you will have a difficulty in restoring 
the health of the plants. As soon as weather permits turn them out of the pots, 
removing a good portion of the old soil, and plant them out in your garden, 
watering them as needful diming dry weather, and if leaves are formed take up 
and pot the plants in early autumn. To insure a stock of healthy Cyclamens 
it is desirable to sow some seed yearly, as the plants as they get old are prone to 
disease and deterioration. 
Sowing Stocks and Asters (Alaric). —It is not too late for sowing seeds 
of these. If you can spread 3 inches of very much decayed manure in a frame, 
or even a sheltered border, covering it with an inch or two of soil, and sow the 
seeds thinly in drills, you will be surprised how rapidly the plants will grow if 
they are watered as needed, with tepid water if possible. In all probability the 
plants thus raised will be finer before the summer is over than those that were 
raised in heat in March, and which, as you say, are now “ tall, thin, and 
weakly.” 
Cucumbers not Growing (Paddle). —Your plants have received a 
check of some kind, it may have been by a too low temperature or insufficient 
atmospheric moisture, or it may have been the other extreme—too much bottom 
heat, which has injured the roots. You afford no details whatever either as to 
the temperatuie or treatment to which the plants have been subjected. Ayith 
bottom heat of about 80° »nd a minimum night temperature in the house of 65°, 
increasing by day to 70° without sun and 85° with sun, with atmospheric 
moisture in proportion with the heat, the plants ought to grow freely if the 
soli is suitable and the foliage kept free from insects. Rough turfy loam with 
a third of leaf soil and wood ashes added will be suitable for planting in. You 
had better syringe the plants with a weak solution of soft soap and tobacco 
water, or after syringing with pure water dust the foliage with tobacco powder. 
If, however, the plants are much infested with insects you will not find it easy 
to cleanse them. 
Amaryllises not Flowering (Id-m). —They arc stove plants, and very 
few of those succeed in an ordinary greenhouse temperature. Your plants have 
also in all probability been much overpotted. Unless the pots are crowded with 
roots you cannot expect the plants to flower well ; they, however, really require 
more heat than the greenhouse affords. Shelves in the Cucumber house would 
be a more suitable position for them. Your proposed treatment of the Straw¬ 
berries is correct. 
Garden Plans (B. P. Skiplon). —You afford us no guide whatever to enable 
us to decide on the number you require. Without having particulars as to the 
size of your lawn and an outline of your requirements, we might cause you dis¬ 
appointment instead of render you assistance. If you will write to us more 
fully and send stamps for as many numbers as you would like to have, we will 
endeavour to aid you. All the back numbers are not in print; those that are 
can be had for 3 id. each. 
Cordon Pears (F. J .). —Begin pinching as soon as the shoots are from 
3 to 6 inches long, leaving from two to five leaves according to the condition 
of the shoots. We cannot be more explicit as to the number of leaves, because 
there is a considerable difference in the habit of growth of Pear3. some being 
coarse and long-jointed while others are compact and short-jointed. Do not 
attempt to confine the pinching to any particular part of the stem, for the 
lateral growth does not grow equally fast. Some shoots are always first ; pinch 
these, and do others as they become long and stout enough, and so let the process 
be so gradual as not to check the entire growth at the same time. This pinching 
may be continued till the end of July in the south, but it must be discontinued 
proportionately sooner northwards. As a general rule pinch the midsummer 
growth once, and then let all subsequent growth alone till the leaves fall. Late 
pinching only induces an abortive weakly growth from buds that should rest 
dormant for a strong spring growth. Nip off the end of the leading shoot when 
it is a foot or 18 inches long, and you will thus secure a second growth of equal 
length annually till the top of the wall is reached. 
Raising Pansies (E. James). —As all your Pansies are good you may, by 
saving seed from them, expect to obtain some good varieties, although a great 
number will be inferior to the parents. Where artificial fertilisation is resorted 
to it is advisable to exclude bees and other insects; but if you have not had 
experience in this delicate operation you had better allow the plants to seed 
naturally, not allowing an inferior variety to flower in your bed. It will not be 
well to allow many pods to ripen on each plant; one or two will be better than 
more, as then the seed will not only be finer but the plants will not be exhausted, 
as they must be by maturing a heavy crop. Rather strong soil with gritty 
matter incorporated and enriched with decayed manure, preferably cowduug, 
will be suitable, planting rather deeply. Show Auriculas need the protection of 
glass; many of the Alpines succeed in the open ground, the site being well 
drained. 
New Cucumber (IF. Wells). —If you desire to submit fruits of your 
Cucumber to the Fruit and Vegetable Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society you must send them direct to South Kensington in time for one of the 
meetings. We do not convey specimens of any kind that are sent to this office 
to any exhibitions. You can obtain all necessary particulars for exhibiting 
fruits by writing to Mr. Barron, Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden, Chiswick, 
London. The fruits you have sent are very good, and the variety is doubtless 
a very useful one ; but whether it is distinct from all others we leave the Com¬ 
mittee referred to, to determine when specimens are placed before them. 
Summer-pruning Pear Treea (D. E. F„ Bradford ).—We cannot better 
reply to your questions than by publishing the following remarks by an excellent 
gardener and successful cultivator of hardy fruits :—“ Summer pruning is the 
most important operation of fruit-tree culture; for it is evident that if the 
laterals are not shortened the crop must be small from the vigour of the tree 
being expended on a quantity of spray, and the fruit must be badly coloured 
and ripened from its being shaded by the needless crowding of the foliage. It is 
not the present production only, but the crops of succeeding years that are 
injured by neglecting to summer-prune; for the crowding of the shoots and 
foliage prevents the spurs receiving sufficient light and air for their full matura¬ 
tion and perfection. Summer pruning has for its object the maintaining of the 
tree in order and fertility ; it tends to check overluxur.ance, prevents the over¬ 
crowding of the shoots, secures the formation and perfection of the spurs and 
fruit-buds, and favours a more full perfection of the fruit. There is not only 
some difference of opinion as to the time, but also as to the amount of summer 
pruning. The time is solely dependant on the season and the vigour of the 
trees. The amount of pruning depends on the growth of the trees operated on, 
for that of some trees is so weak that it may be necessary to encourage it; others 
are not weak in growth, but are vigorous enough to produce fine fruit; whilst 
some are so vigorous that the spurs are not nearly so plentiful as the shoots, 
and the fruit fewer in number than the spurs. Now, to fix any time as the most 
suitable for summer pruning, and to limit the extent of the pruning to any one 
rule is impracticable, as it is evident that different trees require different treat¬ 
ment. All shoots and laterals not required for the extension of the tree, or to 
fill up vacant space, must be summer-pruned or pinched, whether they spring 
from the young or old wood ; but the leading shoots, or those shoots required 
for the extension of the tree, should not be pruned, except in the case of pyramidal 
or bush trees, in which, when the leading shoots make a greater growth than 
18 inches, these may have their points pinched at that length. If the trees have 
covered as much space as is allotted to them, then the leading shoot, and, in fact, 
all the shoots, should be stopped or pruned in the same manner as the laterals. 
Trees that are moderately vigorous, or those with shoots not exceeding from 9 to 
12 inches in length, should not be pruned until the fourth week in June or first 
week in July, according to the season, when they should have the points of all 
the laterals taken out at the sixth leaf, and when they push again, as in all pro¬ 
bability they will, take out their points at the third joint above the last stopping, 
or from the base of the last growth. Trees that are vigorous, and make shoots 
when unrestrained of 15 or 18 inches in length, should have the points of the 
sh®ots taken off above the fifth leaf, and all growths after the first stopping 
should be pinched off at the third leaf until the beginning of September, when 
pinching should cease. Trees of very strong and rampant growth should be 
stopped as soon as they have made four leaves, and repeatedly throughout the 
summer up to September at the third leaf, after the first stopping. Trees upon 
the Quince stock may be stopped in all cases one or two joints closer than those 
on the Pear. The most vigorous shoots will be those at the top of the trees, or 
where the greatest amount of winter pruning is practised ; but, wherever they 
are, the strongest shoots wiil of course attain a length fit for pinching sooner, 
and they ought to be the first stopped or pinched, and in the course of a few 
days the remaining shoots should be stopped. In all cases, in calculating the 
number of leaves for stopping, do not count the latent or undeveloped buds at 
the base of the shoots, of which there are always two or more ; only the leaves 
should be counted, and not the joints or buds. Any trees with the branches 
weaker in one part than in another may have the laterals upon the strong 
branches closely pinched, whilst those upon the weak branches are allowed to 
grow without stopping until September, when a few inches n ay be cut from 
the extremities of each, and these in winter should be cut back to within an 
inch of their base. In spring a number of shoots will spring from the short 
stub left. All of them except one should be pinched, that one being left to grow 
unrestrained until September, when a few inches of its point may be removed, 
and cut close away at the winter pruning. The shoots pinched throughout 
the summer should be cut in winter to within 1 inch of their base. We have 
now a stub two years old, on which fruit-buds are usually produced. It is 
hardly necessary to add that the short stubby shoots (spurs), with a bunch of 
leaves, are not to be stopped, for on them fruit-buds form.” 
Extension-trained Fruit Trees (Practice).— We have received your 
communication, but it is necessary that we be informed of the name and 
address of the writer before the propriety of publishing the letter is considered. 
Names of Plants (A. T.). —The specimen with small leaves is Diosma 
ericoides, the other was insufficient. (IF. D. H .).—Mercurialis perennis. 
(IF. II. IF.).—1, Lapageiia rosea; 2, Fittonia Verschaffeltii; 3, Fuchsia spleu- 
dens ; 4 and 5, insufficient; G, Cissus discolor. (G.O.S.). —Narcissus Jonquilla. 
(T. S.). —1, Omphalodes verna; 2, Dielytra eximea; 3, Ranunculus amplexi- 
caulis ; 4, Very much crushed, but resembled Atropa Belladonna. (J. P. T.). — 
Pyrus amygdaliformis. (L. L. I) ). —1, Caltha palustris; 2, Aubrietia Carapbelli; 
3, Alyssum saxatile ; 4, Trollius asiaticus. 
Bees — Various (Buzz). —1. Bed-ticking is too expensive to use under the 
quilt. Common calico lasts a season, and renewed in the spring keeps fairly 
clean till the autumn. Haircloth is practicably indestructible, but expensive, 
while it is too stiff to settle down well over the hive, and will not fit itself 
over flour-cake as calico does. 2. Plum bloom yields honey, but bees seem to 
prefer Cherry to it. If the latter abounds the former is less visited. 3. Bees 
generally gather honey and pollen at the same time. With some plants, how¬ 
ever, this is impossible, Catmint by example ; but these matters can only be 
fully explained at considerable length. AVe are contemplating an article in 
relation to it. Young bees take an airing a time or two before gathering any¬ 
thing. Where brood is being fed much water is carried (especially with an east 
wind) if the air be only warm enough. 4. We never hesitate to open a hive if 
any object is to be served. We have had every comb out of a hive for thorough 
examination five or six times daily for three weeks in succession, and even this 
did not, as we think, hinder the bees to any serious extent, while injury there 
was none. They get quite to understand the handling as regular, and offer no 
expostulation. 5. Yes, 50° Fahr. in the shade is warm enough if the air be fairly 
still. 6. It is not well to interfere too much with the brood of any hive, but 
often a queen may not have sufficient bees to cover all the eggs she could lay, 
in which case she could spare a comb of eggs without loss, as an empty comb in 
its stead would quickly be refilled. The eggs given to bees raising a queen 
would do them good every way. It is in this manner we keep our nuclei, 
engaged in raising queens, strong. They are practically queenless constantly, 
but eggs given them in exchange for empty combs bring them into condition to 
form colonies as soon as their work of queen-raising is at an end. 
