JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
90 
[ July 27, 1882. 
If late Grapes are at all backward a little assistance may be given 
by fire beat, and will be of greater benefit than at a later period, 
as for the well-keeping of Grapes it is indispensable that they be 
early and thoroughly ripened. Any not yet commencing colouring 
should have a night temperature of 70°, and 75° to 80° in the day¬ 
time artificially, advancing with ventilation from 75° to 85° or 90°, 
or even 95° from sun heat. Ventilate houses freely which contain 
Vines of Lady Downe’s with a night temperature of 70° to prevent 
scalding, from which the berries are not safe till colouring is com¬ 
menced. Inside borders must not lack moisture, giving when needed 
a thorough soaking of tepid weak liquid manure in the early part 
of the day, so that superfluous air moisture will pass off before 
closing time. Do not allow the laterals to become crowded. 
Melons .—The latest batch of plants must be placed in the Melon 
house. Plant on hillocks or ridges about 1 foot deep, making 
the soil firm, maintaining the bottom heat at from 80° to 85°, top 
heat 70° to 75° artificially, and 80° to 90° from sun heat. Secure to 
the plants a genial condition of the atmosphere by damping available 
surfaces two or three times a day, and close at about 3.30 P.M.; 
syringing the plants moderately at the same time. Attend to former 
instructions as regards plants swelling their crops, also in maintain¬ 
ing a dry condition of the atmosphere and at the roots to plants 
setting or ripening their fruits. In pits and frames the last batch 
will soon be setting their fruits, at which time be very sparing in the 
use of water at the roots and on the foliage, and keep the foliage 
fairly thin by the removal of superfluous growths. Fertilise the 
flowers daily when three or four female flowers are expanded on a 
plant, at the same time stopping the shoots one joint beyond the 
fruit. Syringe freely, and afford a plentiful supply of water to the 
roots of those with fruits swelling, earthing up those plants that have 
just set their fruits. Keep a sharp look-out for cracked fruits, and 
if any appear cut the stems about half way through about 0 inches 
below the fruit as a preventive in the others, keeping the soil 
and atmosphere dry. Upon the first appearance of canker rub 
quicklime into the affected parts. 
Cucumbers .—To insure a free and fruitful growth pay close atten¬ 
tion to stopping and well thinning the growths, giving regular 
attention to watering, shading, and ventilating. Water copiously 
and syringe freely between 3 and 4 P.M. Complete the preparations 
for the autumn fruiters, as advised in our last calendar. Plants 
growing in pits or frames must be regularly watered and syringed 
and the lights closed about 4 P.M. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Stove .—Gardenias that flowered late may be cut back if too large ; 
they should be thoroughly cleansed of scale and mealy bug, the 
plants bearing when cut back a much stronger application of an 
insecticide than when in tender growth. We use nicotine soap at 
the rate of G ozs. to the gallon of water at 120°, dipping such as are 
not too large, and syringing others, repeating it in half an hour, as 
to be effectual the work must be thoroughly done. When the solu¬ 
tion becomes dry syringe the plants thoroughly with clear water at 
140°. Stephanotis, Ixoras, Dipladenias, and similar plants liable to 
be attacked with scale and mealy bug, should be treated similarly 
after they have flowered. Young stocks of any of the above that 
it is desirable to increase in size should be moved into larger pots 
placed at the warmest end of the stove, where they can be syringed 
every afternoon, and encouraged to make growth. 
Euphorbia jacquinimflora being of straggling growth should have 
the shoots stopped, but not later than the beginning of August, after 
which to encourage them to make all the strong growth possible 
keep them near the glass, syringing every evening. All winter¬ 
flowering plants, such as Aphelandras, Poinsettias, Plumbagos, 
Centropogons, Eranthemums, Sericographis, and Luculias, should be 
exposed to all the sun and light they will bear without scorching, 
and be otherwise encouraged to make firm sturdy growth. 
During the next two months is a good time to repot Anthuriums 
that have flowered early in the season. Use light open material, the 
best fibrous peat in lumps the size of an egg, removing the finer 
particles by sifting, adding an equal proportion of sphagnum and 
charcoal or crocks broken small, with about a sixth of sand. Remove 
all the old potting material, work the soil well amongst the roots, 
and surface with live sphagnum. As the plants require abundant 
supplies of water when growing the drainage must be efficient. 
Stove climbers planted out should have abundant supplies of liquid 
manure, and the free-growing Passifloias must have their growths 
frequently regulated and thinned. 
A first batch of Roman Hyacinths, Double Roman and Paper 
White Narcissus should be potted without delay for early flowering. 
Employ rich light soil, and plunge the pots or pans G inches 
deep— i.e., over the pots in ashes in a cold frame, in which they 
should remain until the pots are filled with roots and growth is being 
made, when they may be removed to a house with a temperature 
of 50°, placing them in a light position to keep them sturdy. 
The plants when withdrawn from the ashes should be gradually 
inured to light. When the spikes are showing they may be for¬ 
warded in a higher temperature. 
1 
pR 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 1 
1 "" - 
HEATHER ON WET LAND. 
A correspondent asks for the statement of experience on the 
question of Heather growing on wet land being less productive 
of honey than Heather growing on dry land. The question is 
important for beginners, for though practical and experienced 
bee-keepers have no doubt on the matter, young apiarians should 
know what others have proved satisfactorily. In my native 
parish bees are extensively kept by working men for profit. 
Heather is abundant on high-lying parts of the parish, and 
in adjoining parishes to the north. The ground on which the 
Heather grows is wet, but not marshy. Almost all the bees of 
the parish were removed to these home moors in my younger 
days. Even then bees did fairly well, and it was well known 
that bees placed among Heather hills did better. About thirty 
years ago the late Mr. Robert Read of Carluke took some of his 
hives to Abington, twenty-four miles distant by the Caledonian 
railway, and there on the Heather his bees gathered far more 
honey than those of equal strength did on the Carluke moors. 
For many years afterwards many hives were annually sent to 
Abington, to the moors near Tinto (the highest hill in the Low¬ 
lands of Scotland), and to the moors of Carwath, and in all these 
places the bees do better than on the moors in and near Carluke 
parish. Here the practical bee-keepers found it to their advan¬ 
tage to remove the bees to distances ranging between twelve and 
twenty-four miles, though they have Heather within the easy 
distance of three miles, at most four miles, in their own parish. 
Carrington Moss in this county, three miles from Sale, is a great 
swamp or wet bog with Heather on it, which yields but little 
honey to bees. Though so near my apiary at Sale, Carrington 
Moss was disregarded, my bees being annually sent to the hills 
of Derbyshire above twenty miles distant. For bees we like the 
pasture of rich warm land well exposed to sunlight. Clover as 
well as Heather yields large crops of honey from such land.— 
A. Pettigrew. 
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The ninth great annual Exhibition of bees and their produce with 
hives and other bee-keeping appliances will be held at the Royal 
Horticultural Gardens, South Kensington, on August 3rd, 4th, 5th, 
7th, and 8th. The Exhibition this year promises to be of a highly 
interesting character. The entries for appliances are more numerous 
than in any previous year, including a grand display of observatory 
hives stocked with bees of various races. 
Various meetings will be held during the Show week. On Thursday, 
August 3rd, representatives from county associations will consult 
with the Central Committee upon topics relating to the development 
of county associations. A general meeting of the members will be 
held on Friday the 4th, under the presidency of the Baroness Burdett 
Coutts. 
On Monday, August 7th, an examination of candidates desirous of 
obtaining certificates of proficiency in bee management, qualifying 
them to act as experts for county associations, will be held under 
competent examiners appointed by the Association. The rapid 
growth of county bee-keepers’ associations throughout England has 
created a large demand for the services of competent experts to 
attend horticultural and other local shows for the purpose of giving 
practical demonstration of the more advanced methods of bee culture. 
Their services are also in much request in the visiting of apiaries and 
