October 9, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
339 
of late, to have at command a good supply of top and bottom heat. To 
attain colour and flavour the temperature during the ripening period of 
the frui's should be somewhat light, the air dry and airy, and these cannot 
be attained without recourse to fire heat. The temperature should be 
maintained at 70° to 75° by artificial means through the day, and it may 
fall 5° during the night. There w 11 be enough moisture in the house 
without much, if indeed any need of damping, but it is essential to a full- 
flavoured Melon that the roots have sufficient moisture to maintain the 
foliage in good condition until the fruit is ripe, and it must be kept 
healthy by a proper degree of moisture in the atmosphere, available sur¬ 
faces being occasionally damped in bright weather. A little ventilation 
should be given constandy so as to avoid a stagnant atmosphere, and the 
most should be made of sun heat by allowing an advance of temperature 
from it to 85° to 90°. Keep all laterals closely pinched, and remove them 
where they crowd or interfere with the free access of light and air to the 
principal foliage and fruit. 
Cucumbers. —As we may expect any time to have a change in the 
weather the plants must be treated in accordance therewith. Then atmo¬ 
spheric moisture must be reduced to a minimum and air admitted very 
cautiously, otherwise mildew would be likely to attack the plants, in 
which case the affected parts should be at once dusted with flowers of 
sulphur while damp, after which the house must be keptt rather dry and 
airy until the disease has been eradicated. During the next three or four 
months a somewhat drj' atmo.'phere should be maintained. Damping 
available surfaces in the morning and afternoon must have attention in 
bright weather, and on bright sunny days the plants may be lightly 
syringe 1 about one o’clock, closing at the same time. Keep the growths 
stopped at a joint beyond the show of fruit, and then cut where the 
growths are likely to become too crowded, and seek a continuance of bear¬ 
ing wood by cutting out exhausted growths and training others in their 
place. Maintain a night temperature of 65° to 70°, the higher on mild 
and low'er on cold nights, in each case falling 5° through the night, 70° 
to 75° by day from fire heat, and 10° to 15° advance from sun heat. See 
that the roots have sufficient moisture, not, however, giving any water 
until it is required, then give a thorough soaking with tepid liquid manure, 
clear and weak. Cut the fruits as soon as they have attained a suitable 
size for table, and set them on the stem or neck ends in saucers in which 
there is a little over half an inch of water in a fruit-room or other suitable 
place where they will keep in good condition several days. The plants 
relieved in that way of the demand for nutriment in that direction will 
direct, or rather the flow of sap will be drawn into other channels, assisting 
in the swelling and finishing of the younger and smaller fruits, continuing 
this during the whole fruiting period of the jrlants. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Ferns. —Adianturas, Davallias, and other Ferns grown on speciall" 
for supplying fronds for cutting, should be exposed to every ray of ligh' 
that they will bear. They should be elevated as close to the glass as pos 
sible and given a good circulation of air. The fronds of Ferns grown in 
a close, moist, shaded atmosphere are useless for purposes of cutting, for 
they commence shrivelling almost as soon as they are severed from the 
plants ; but when grown in a moderately cool temperature under the in¬ 
fluence of light and air they last much longer. Plants that have been 
grown for this purpose in cool structures will now need a little fire heat at 
night, so that the temperature will not fall below 50°. Unless this can be 
maintained the plants will go back rapidly instead of remaining in a fresh 
healthy condition. Less shade generally will be required by these 
plants than previously, also less syringing and moisture in the house 
after this date, so that the plants wilt have every opportunity of ripening 
before the winter. Plants that have had nearly the whole of the fronds 
removed and have been rested will soon start again if introduced into heat 
until they are in active growth, when a little cooler and more airy struc¬ 
ture should be given to ripen and harden the fronds ready for the time 
when they are required for cutting. 
Solaginella Kraxissiana {clenticulata ).—This is very useful for pur¬ 
poses of decoration, especially for furnishing the surface of pots, and for 
many other positions in dwelling rooms as well as out. Where quantities 
are used in such positions during the winter a good stock should be pre¬ 
pared without delay. Shallow pans, boxes, and even small pots, should be 
planted with it, so that it will have ample time to become thoroughly 
established. It will grow freely in any light sandy soil ; and if the pots, 
boxes, or pans are placed in the stove, or any moist heated structure after 
they have been thinly planted, it will commence active growth at once. 
If started now the surface of the boxes or pans will very soon be covered, 
but if the pans are not made up until later in the season growth will be 
very slow. The more shallow the boxes and pans planted with this moss 
the better, for it will last much longer in rooms, when it can be lifted out 
of them and used with the soil attached to its roots, than it will when 
planted in a greater depth of soil, which must be shaken from it before it 
is suitable for using in many positions. When well established the pans 
and boxes should be removed to a cool structure, which materially adds to 
its lasting properties for room-decoration. 
Panictim variegatxnn .—This is a useful plant for associating 
Selaginella for room-decoration. A good number of cuttings, accord¬ 
ing to the demand, should be inserted thickly together in pans and boxes 
in any light sandy soil. A good watering should be given after insertion, 
and the cuttings pieced in a frame in a heated structure kept close and 
shaded until they are rooted. Little plants in small balls of moss and soil 
are very useful for decoration, and last twice the time that they would do 
if lifted out of pans and boxes and placed directly in dwelling rooms. 
They are very useful in small po“s, but in many positions they cannot bo 
used in the pots in which they are grown. 
Tradcseantias .—The variegated forms of these plants are also invalu¬ 
able for the above purpose, and last very much longer in rooms than 
Panicum. They root quickly and readily on a shelf in a warm structure, 
and grow rapidly at all seasons of the year. These should be rooted from 
time to time in quantity as they are required, and may be used straight 
from pans and boxes in which they are rooted, for they do not appear; 
suffer in the least by being disturbed at their roots. Small bunches tied 
in moss and intermixed with small Fern«, where the surface is covered 
with Selaginella, have a charming appearance both by day and gaslight. 
In such positions they last longer than the majority of plants provided 
they are well supplied with water. 
Petunias .—A batch of strong healthy cuttings of dwarf double varieties 
should now be selected and rooted, if useful decorative plants are required, 
in 5 and 6-inch pots early in the season. As soon as they are rooted they 
should be established in 2i-ineh pots, in which they will pass the winter 
safer than if larger were employed. After they are rooted and potted they 
should be kept close until they are rooting freely, when they must be 
gradually hardened, and grown close to the glass in a temperature that 
will not fall below 45°. The only attention needed afterwards is to water 
them carefully and pinch the points out of the shoots to induce a dwarf 
compact growth. To keep these young plants in good condition for 
starting away vigorously early in the year they should be kept growing 
slowly. Use for a compost good loam, one-third leaf mould and sand ; 
the soil should be pressed moderately firm into the small pots. 
Ucliotrogxes .—A batch of the cuttings of these plants should also be 
rooted for early spring flowering. They may be potted in the same 
size pots and grown under exactly the same conditions during the 
winter. Plants that have been standing outside and intended for autumn 
and winter flowering must now be housed without delay. The pots in 
which the plants are growing should be full of roots, and before taking 
them indoors they should be top-dressed with a little rich soil. This will 
induce root-action and keep the plants growing and, in consequence, 
flowering for a long time. They should be divided into at least two 
batches, the one placed where the temperature at night will not fall below 
60°, and if freely ventilated during the day will, by the end of the month, 
flower abundantly. The other batch, for at least a month, should be given 
as much air as possible when favourable during the day, and at night 
when mild ; they need only be protected from frost. These plants 
should be liberally supitlied with stimulants at their roots, or artificial 
manure occasionally supplied to the surface. 
Mignonette .—Tree varieties trained upon trellises must have all the 
flowers removed for some time yet directly they make their appearance. 
The shoots, as they extend, should be distributed as evenly as possible, so 
that when allowed to come into flower the plants will have an even neat 
appearance. Abundance of light and air must be given daily to en¬ 
courage a strong sturdy growth, which, in return, is sure to produce large 
spikes of bloom. Keep the roots active by careful watering and light 
applications of artificial manure to the surface of the soil. Clear soot 
water given occasionally is very beneficial. Plants in 5 and G-inch pots 
that have been standing outside up to the present time, and are intended 
for flowering in about two months, should now have the protection of a 
cold frame. The plants must be kept as near the glass as possible, and 
when favourable the lights can be removed during the day, and a little 
ventilation afforded at night. Succession batches should also be under 
cover. A frame should be placed over the bed of plants growing outside, 
and sown for the purpose of supplying spikes for cutting until late in the 
autumn. The lights need be placed over this batch only when there is 
fear of frost or heavy rains. In another batch of 5-inch pots seed may 
now be sown to afford plants for late spring flowering. 
MANIPULATION OF QUEENLESS HIVES. 
The “Laird o’ Luggiehead,” after descanting _ on the 
enthusiasm and silliness of lovers, pointing out the evils to be 
avoided, follows with the advice, “ Wait till yer banes are 
hardened, till yer baird taks a grup of the razar, and yer purse 
can stan its lane before you attempt to catch a quean.” The 
advice is good, and is analogous to many bee-keepers, who start 
apiculture with a very indili'erent knowle Ige of the bee, derived 
from often as indifferent teaching. They act as if manipulation 
w'as the key to succe s, yet worry the bees to death, courting 
disease and disappointment by spreading the brood, and attempt¬ 
ing to catch queens. Such a proceeding should not be attempted 
unless when she is to be deposed, neither should queens be 
marked or mutilated. Bees are very particular. Any so marked 
are sooner or later doomed to destruction, and it may be at a 
time when the loss is irreparable. 1 have been induced to make 
these remarks on reading “ Y. B. A. Z.’s ” letter (see pages 
251 and 252). 
Speaking of finding queens being as difficult as looking “fora 
needle in a bundle of hay,” “ Y, B. A. Z.” will find in previous 
issues what I recommend when the bee-keeper cannot distinguish 
her by the motion of the bees, which to a practised eye is plain. 
I advise, like the “Laird of Lugguiehead,” wait until you have 
