JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 17, 1882. ] 
application of an insecticide then would have an injurious effect upon 
the fruit it is often delayed until the fruit is gathered. Of approved 
insecticides the cheapest is petroleum, but it is necessary that the oil 
be well mixed with the water. We use a fluid ounce to a 3-gallon 
pot of water at a temperature of 120°. Many insecticides owe much 
of their potency to the temperature at which they are applied. Even 
water at 160® will destroy most insects, and is quite safe for plants 
that have the wood and foliage mature. 
The trees in the house started in February will be cleared of the 
fruit. They should be examined and all the shoots that have borne 
fruit, not being extensions, may be cut away to those that have been 
trained in at their base as bearing wood for next season, and where 
the shoots are too crowded they must be thinned. Thoroughly 
cleanse the foliage of red spider by the forcible application of water 
from the garden engine or where there is sufficient pressure with the 
hose. If there be any doubt as to the ripeness of the wood allow 
the temperature to rise to 80° or 85° by day, without, however, keep¬ 
ing the house closed, and ventilate fully at night, but do not allow 
the trees to suffer from insufficiency of water at the roots. Weakly 
trees can be assisted to plump their buds by the application of a little 
liquid manure. 
In the late succession houses with the fruits ripening syringing 
must be confined to damping the surface of the borders occasionally; 
at the same time a very moist condition of the soil is not desirable, 
as it sometimes, particularly with vigorous trees, causes the fruit to 
split at the stone. Trees with fruit swelling should be well supplied 
with water, and be syringed twice daily in sunny weather until 
ripening commences. Fruit on the under side of the trellis should be 
raised to the light so as to colour it evenly. Keep the shoots tied 
and regulated, and pinch laterals to one joint of growth as made. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Flower beds are now at their best, and every effort should be made 
to keep them as perfect as possible by removing any dead or decayed 
leaves or flowers, regulating the growth of such plants as Verbenas, 
Petunias, and Tropseolums. Seed vessels should be removed imme¬ 
diately they are formed, for if allowed to remain they greatly exhaust 
the plant and check the formation of bloom. Beds showing signs 
of exhaustion must be assisted with liquid manure. Pelargoniums, 
except such as are grown for the beauty of their foliage, should be 
rather sparingly watered. In all cases when water is given it should 
be in such quantity as to soak the whole of the soil as deep as the 
roots penetrate. No time should be lost in raising a stock of the 
different varieties of Pelargoniums, so as to allow time to get them 
thoroughly established before winter. In taking cuttings it is neces¬ 
sary to exercise some care to avoid making gaps and spoiling the 
effect of the beds and borders, judicious thinning when the growth 
is crowded being an improvement, and the flowering is thereby 
prolonged. 
Phloxes have been and are unusually fine. They should be well 
supplied with water whilst developing their heads of bloom; indeed, 
good rich moist soil is essential to the successful cultivation of these 
plants. Choice varieties may now be propagated either by cuttings 
or division. Polyanthuses, Auriculas, Primroses, Myosotises, Gentians, 
and Daisies may still be increased by division, and considering the 
great beauty of these plants in the spring and early summer months 
it is remarkable they do not receive more attention. Their cultiva¬ 
tion ought to become general in all gardens. 
Boses promise a fine display of bloom in autumn, but mildew is 
very prevalent. Sulphur and soot dusted over the foliage in the 
early morning, and syringing off at eventide so as to thoroughly 
cleanse the foliage, is an effectual remedy. Liberal supplies of liquid 
manure in dry weather will be necessary to enable them to make free 
growth. Climbing varieties, such as Marechal Kiel, Gloire de Dijon, 
and Cloth of Gold should have all the old flowering wood cut out, 
and the young shoots of the present year’s growth laid in to replace 
them for flowering next season. Climbing Roses flower much better 
when not spurred or pruned too closely. All climbers must be 
examined frequently, tied or nailed in, and the growth thinned out 
and regulated. 
161 
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AUTUMN TREATMENT OF STOCKS. 
( Continued from page 137.) 
Another point to notice is the extent of brood in hives at the 
end of the season, or say in the month of August. If six or eight 
of the central combs of a hive contain their large sheets of brood 
the hatch of young bees will make it a pretty good one for keep¬ 
ing ; but if hatches of young bees from honey hives be united to 
them the hive will be doubly strong, swarm eailier, and do far 
more work next year. We have ever found and often laid it 
down as an axiom in bee culture, that the stronger hives are 
in population in autumn the safer they are in winter, the 
more valuable they are to the bee-keeper. Mr. Baitt has said 
lately that Mr. Pettigrew’s disciples wastefully use bees in uniting 
swarms in autumn, but the practice we recommend is now exten¬ 
sively followed with ever-increasing confidence and satisfaction. 
We have no hesitation in asserting that no other practice or dis¬ 
covery in apiculture is more important and valuable than the one 
now recommended—viz., by making hives strong by uniting 
swarms in autumn. We believe with Mr. Baitt in stimulating 
feeding when necessary, but this is more costly and troublesome 
and less successful. 
On selecting hives for stocks the bees of the condemned hives 
should be shaken or driven into empty hives with a view to unite 
them to those selected for stock. When hives are light and easily 
handled the bees are more easily shaken out than by the slower 
process of drumming or driving. When visiting a bee-keeper in 
Bowdon the other day I found he had two hives he wished to 
unite, but dreaded the work. He was asked to find an empty 
hive, and when he brought one to the garden I took the old hive 
in my hands and shook all the bees into the empty hive and 
united them to the other in less than three minutes without 
losing a bee. Mr. Brierley, the owner of the hives, said he had 
read of this process in the “ Handy Book of Bees,” but could 
not believe it could be so done. Though he said it is “ most 
astonishing,” this process is simple and easily performed. In 
uniting swarms the oldest queens are destroyed, and it is wise to 
take the precaution of giving both swarms some highly scented 
syrup half an hour before the union is made. This syrup serves 
two purposes : it puts all the bees in good temper, and partly de¬ 
stroys the peculiar smell of each swarm. Such unions should be 
made late in the afternoon or evening when the other hives in 
the garden are not flying about, otherwise they might smell the 
syrup and gain access to it during the confusion of the union. 
The day after the union the bees will defend their hive against 
all comers. 
If the united swarms have not food enough in their hive they 
should be fed up to a safe-keeping weight, and such feeding if 
done in August or early part of September will probably cause 
the bees to recommence breeding, and a good hatch of bees may 
be added to the community late in the season, and thus the hive 
would be made stronger still and more valuable. But young bee¬ 
keepers should know and remember that hives so strong in bees 
require more food than hives with less numerous populations. 
Autumn feeding should be done both as soon and as rapidly as 
possible for two reasons—first, that the breeding and hatching of 
brood may be over before frosty weather come ; and secondly, in 
order that the bees may settle down into a quiet state before 
winter. In honey seasons when hives become too heavy for stocks 
what should be done ? In such seasons we drive the bees out of 
all the hives, take all the honey, unite the swarms in empty hives, 
and feed all into stocks. In this way a large harvest of honey is 
obtained, and excellent stocks for keeping. Such syrup-fed stocks 
invariably do well? nene do better. They are easily created and 
thrive uncommonly fast. 
As to the best modes of feeding stocks and swarms we have 
nothing to say, every bee-keeper has a way of his own which he 
finds to answer well enough. The best time to administer food is 
about sunset, and not to give more than the bees can take up 
before the bees of the other hives begin to stir in the morning. 
Feeding during the day attracts robbers. 
In the creation of stocks by feeding there is one point to be 
considered—viz., the use of artificial comb foundations. This year 
we have tried swarms with and without these foundations. What 
are called the thick or brood foundations cost 2,?. 6d. per lb., and 
this is what is used in creating stocks ; about five sheets of these, 
bar-frame size, weigh 1 lb. Ten sheets costing 5s. would fill an 
ordinary-sized bar-frame hive. The question I wish to see ven- 
