60 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 19, 1883. 
day, and maintain at 80° to 85° through the day, closing at 80° with 
plenty of moisture. When Muscats are ripening they should have fire 
heat to maintain a temperature of 85° to 90° by day, and 70° at night, 
with a free circulation of air, affording sufficient moisture to prevent any 
undue maturation of the foliage. Occasionally the berries of Muscats are 
scalded from exposure to the direct rays of the sun, especially where the 
panes of glass are large ; and in this case the laterals should be given more 
play than usual, and if shading be deemed expedient it should be very 
light, herring netting being sufficient. Consequent on the cold weather 
in spring and early summer and the great amount of firing necessary, 
red spider has been very troublesome, and as the health of the foliage is 
essential to full crops another season the usual' remedies against its 
spread must be applied, which is also quite essential to the perfect finish 
of the present crop, which cannot be expected to finish well, especially 
in colour, if this pest be allowed to exist. The border must have due 
attention in mulching, and be given copious supplies of water both 
inside and outside. Vines from which the fruit has been cleared 
should be well washed with the syringe or engine on fine evenings, and 
have free ventilation day and night. To encourage the Vines to make 
surface roots and to plump the eyes weak liquid manure should be given 
occasionally, especially to inside borders. Vines in pots now ripening 
their wood and intended for early forcing will require less moisture and 
more air; but these must not be too dry at the roots, or it will cause the 
premature ripening of the foliage, and an occasional syringing will be 
necessary to keep the foliage healthy until the buds are developed. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —Early-forced trees from which the fruit has 
been removed must have attention in watering the internal borders, and 
syringing the trees to keep them free of insect pests until the flower buds 
are properly formed and ripened. In succession houses trees that have 
a large surface of leaves exposed to the direct rays of the sun will require 
large supplies of water both inside and outside the house, which should 
be given at somewhat higher temperature than that of the house. Syringe 
well twice a day until the fruit commences ripening, when it must be 
discontinued over the trees, but moderate moisture maintained by damp¬ 
ing the borders occasionally. Let the fruit have full exposure to the 
sun, seeking to insure flavour by admitting air to the fullest extent on 
hot dry days. Mulch inside and outside borders, and give abundance of 
water to trees in late houses, which are now stoning. In order to effect 
the thorough ripening of the wood keep it well thinned and tied in, not 
allowing it to become crowded, and remove gross growths, which are not 
likely to ripen well, and are otherwise destructive of an equal diffusion 
of the sap. Mark trees which from their vigorous growth are likely to 
require lifting and curtailing at the roots, also those which, from enfeeble- 
ment, require the borders renovating, and provide the requisite supply 
of strong loam, which should be of a calcareous character, or made so by 
the addition of tenth of lime rubbish or chalk broken up small. 
Strawberries in Pots .—Where early runners have been layered in 
small pots they will now have rooted, and should, before they become 
root-bound, be transferred to the fruiting pots. For very early work 
5-inch are suitable, and 6 -inch is quite large enough for any but the 
very strongest growers that are not to be forced until late in the season. 
The pots should be well drained, and the compost good turfy loam 
with a fifth of well-decayed manure in a moderately moist condition, 
only so as to admit of its being rammed firmly into the pots. Sufficient 
space should be left for watering, and a mulching of short horse dung 
given so as to encourage surface roots. Stand the pots on ashes in the 
full sun, but if possible sheltered from winds, allowing sufficient space 
between each for the full development of the foliage. Where layering 
has not been proceeded with it will be advisable to layer into the fruiting 
pots at once, as it is hardly possible to detach plants in small pots 
without some check, and this, when the season is advanced, is of con¬ 
siderable importance. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Clerodendron fallax .—Young plants that have been raised from seed 
should be placed in 6 -inch pots, and if likely to come into bloom before 
they are wanted pinch out the points and allow them to branch. From 
seed sown now some useful plants in small pots will be produced; in 
fact, to maintain a succession of this useful plant a little seed should be 
sown at intervals of a few weeks. Those plants that a^e just going out 
of bloom will, if the old flowering spikes are cut away and the plants 
placed in pots a size larger in brisk heat, soon break again into growth, 
and in due time flower freely. Plants from which seed is required should 
stand while in bloom in a drier atmosphere than in the stove, 
Abutilons .—Where these plants are appreciated this is a good time 
to strike the tops and stroDg side shoots for the batch to flower first. It 
is preferable to insert the cuttings singly in small pots, as nearly every 
one will root if placed in heat and kept in a close frame. As soon as the 
small pots are full of roots transfer the plants into pots in which they 
are intended to flower, and gradually harden them. By the insertion of 
good cuttings, and treated as advised, some well-furnished plants will be 
produced by autumn, which will flower freely when about 9 inches high. 
For purposes of decoration constant propagation must be resorted to, for 
when the plants become tall half their beauty is gone. 
Begonias .—Where these plants have been kept in heated structures 
up to the present time, and are intended for autumn and winter-flowering, 
they should be gradually hardened and placed in cold frames without 
delay. This applies to such kinds as Ingramii, Weltoniensis, nitida, 
manicata, and others which do much better under cool treatment during 
the summer months than in heated structures. Any plants in a back¬ 
ward state should be encouraged until they are established in their 
flowering pots, and should then be treated as above. B. semperflorens 
grandiflora raised from seed is most useful, but should not be pushed on 
too rapidly after they are- once established in small pots, for this useful 
Begonia is a strong and rapid grower. While in cold frames these plants 
must have shade from strong sun, be aired judiciously, and closed early 
in the afternoon while the sun is upon the frames. 
Chrysanthemums .—Stopping must be discontinued after this date, and 
the plants intended for decoration and to produce flowers for cutting 
should be allowed to grow naturally. Staking must be pushed on as 
rapidly as possible now the whole of the stock are in their flowering 
pots. Plants intended for exhibition will be showing what is called the 
July bud, which must be removed, and the shoots not required that form 
near its base. All lateral growths must be removed from these plants as 
soon as they appear. Cuttings can now be rooted of Pompon as well 
as large-flowering kinds from plants that were planted out for. the 
purpose. The large-flowering kinds should be inserted singly in 3-inch 
pots. A number of the others should be placed together in 5-inch pots 
and allowed to grow together afterwards. The dwarf plants for deco¬ 
rative purposes will be found most useful, and will root readily in a cold 
frame kept close, moist, and shaded. 
Azaleas .—Plants that were assisted early by heat to make their 
growth in Peach houses and vineries will by this time have formed 
their buds and be ready for placing outside or in a cool structure. The 
plants are better for being outside, except where the locality is very wet, 
as they ripen up their growths and are brought afterwards into flower 
easier than when kept the whole season under glass. At first they should 
have a position slightly shaded from direct sunshine, but at the same 
time the plants must have abundance of light, and should by no means 
be placed where the drip from trees and buildings will fall upon them. 
In a short time the plants may with safety be fully exposed to the sun. 
but their pots must be protected, or much injury will result if the sun 
strikes directly upon them. It is wise to plunge the pots, but when in 
this condition the watering of the plants must not be left in the hand's 
of the careless, or else the plants will soon suffer and much injury result. 
Syringing should be well done during bright weather twice daily. 
Beutzias that have been grown indoors to make their growth ready for 
early forcing should now be turned out and plunged in a sunny position 
in a warm border. If the pots are full of roots feed liberally for some, 
time until the wood is thoroughly ripe and the flower buds plump. 
Scented Pelargoniums are amongst the most useful plants that can be 
grown for the supply of greenery for associating with cut flowers. A' 
good stock should now be rooted and grown on until they are placed in 
6 -inch pots. They root quickly on a shelf in a little heat, and if the 
cuttings are strong and good to start with, a quantity of useful material 
for cutting is soon produced. 
THE EXHIBITION AT KNIGHTSBRIDGE. 
We will now proceed with our remarks on the British Bee-Keeper.?’ 
Association’s Show. In our last letter we concluded our report of the 
honey exhibits so far as super honey was concerned, and we mentioned 
that the run and extracted honey exhibited was of a superior kind. 
This leads us to say a few words about the extractors which were 
entered in Class 39 ; 260 to 263 were machines which have long been 
before the public. They were not for competition, but placed by their 
inventor, T. Cowan, Esq., who has repeatedly carried off the first prizes 
at various shows. Mr. Blow took the first prize with a handy instrument, 
.No. 259. The same exhibitor obtained third prize with a machine which 
was priced at 85 . more than the former. The good points in the one 
to which the preference was given were—1st, The bar and all mechanism 
was easily lifted out by* the removal of two screws, thus giving facility 
for thorough cleansing; 2naly, A cover was also provided, which is 
requisite with all extractors, since it is not always convenient to draw off 
honey into another vessel for ripening; 3rdly, This useful article was put 
at a low price—two guineas, and we doubt not will meet with a large 
demand. No. 266, to which the second award was made, had its own 
peculiar advantages. It was conical at bottom, and thus allowed all honey 
to drain out, and it was constructed so as to hold a great quantity of 
honey before it became necessary to draw off, the cages being placed well 
above the bottom of the cylinder. 
Messrs. Abbott Bros, exhibited a very neat handy article, No. 257, and 
to all appearance, but for one fault, might be called a “ Perfect Extractor.” 
It was offered at the low price of 30s. There was no multiplying 
apparatus, but the action of the hard wooden spindle working in a box¬ 
wood socket was most easy and pleasant to manage. The one fault was- 
the metal employed for the cylinder; zinc would undoubtedly be highW 
prejudicial as a receptacle for honey. Doubtless we shall see this useful 
article brought forward again with another kind of cylinder. We must 
not omit to notice that Mr. Blow had admirably arranged the structure of 
No. 258, but £2 10s. is a long price to pay for an extractor, and only the 
well-to-do amaLm can buy at such prices. 
Class 40 contained some exhibits of wax of the purest quality. It is a 
pity that such pure wax is not always obtained in the manufacture of 
foundation. Classes 41 and 42 were for glass jars, in which liquid honey 
