256 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t September u, isss, 
After the crop has been gathered from the late succession houses, 
the shoots that have borne fruit this season, and not being exten¬ 
sions, should be cut out, as well as any weakly growths calculated 
to crowd the trees too much, also other growths where too crowded 
should be well thinned out, so as to admit light and air freely to those 
retained and secure their thorough ripening. If the trees be vigorous 
and the autumn prove cold and wet, a little fire heat with a free cir¬ 
culation of air will materially aid in ripening the wood, but there 
must not be any attempt at ripening the growth by keeping the roots 
parchingly dry, although a drier condition of the border is permissible. 
Sufficient moisture must be afforded for keeping the foliage healthy 
until the wood is thoroughly ripe and the buds plumped. Red spider 
must be kept under by occasionally washing the trees from the 
syringe or engine. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Cuttings of bedding Pelargoniums must not longer be delayed 
insertion, and as the season is so advanced it will be best to insert 
them in cutting boxes or pans under the shelter of lights, giving all 
the air possible till cold wet weather sets in. Verbenas, Heliotropes, 
and similar plants will require the aid of a little bottom heat, keeping 
them close, moist, and shaded until rooted, then ventilate freely to 
harden them before winter. A sufficient stock of Alternantheras, 
Coleuses, Iresines, Mesembryanthemums, and similar plants should 
be secured to afford the requisite cuttings in spring, these plants 
being best from spring-struck cuttings. The routine work will now 
be great, as, in addition to picking off bad flowers and foliage, the 
beds will require constant clearing of tree leaves. Run the machine 
over the grass frequently, and keep the walks as clean and firm as 
possible. 
Herbaceous plants should be examined to remove all dead stems or 
stalks, tying up those that require it. Annuals may yet be sown of 
such kinds as Alyssum (Sweet), Candytuft, Collinsias, Eschscholtzias, 
Gilias, Nemophilas, Saponarias, Silenes, Virginian Stocks, &c., which 
come into flower in April or May of next year, and make a pleasing 
display. 
Yew, Privet, and other hedges may yet be trimmed. Irish Yews, 
Cupressuses, Junipers, Retinosporas, etc., should be tied-in to prevent 
breakages and preserve the symmetry of the plants. During any 
showery weather after this time transplanting evergreen trees and 
shrubs that have completed their growth may be proceeded with, 
the late summer and early autumn months being favourable for the 
performance of such operations. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Orchids .—The temperature may still range from 75° to 80° by day 
in the East India house and 65° at night, which should be continued 
until the end of the month. Maintain a genial atmosphere, and give 
every encouragement to Aerides, Phalsenopsis, Saccolabiums, and 
Vandas, damping the blocks, baskets, and pots in the morning, and in 
the afternoon of fine days a syringing will be of great benefit, care 
being taken not to have the sphagnum or peat in a soddened state. 
Shade as little as possible, only employing it to prevent the sun 
scorching the foliage. Dispense with shading on the Cattleya house ; 
clean the glass so as to admit all the light possible, affording all 
pseudo-bulbous plants that have completed their growth an increased 
amount of air. Laslia purpnrata and Cattleya Mossise may now be 
repotted and placed in the warmest part of the house to enable them 
to complete their growth as soon as possible. Encourage Calanthe 
vestita var., C. Veitchi, and C. Turneri by the application of weak 
liquid manure to make large pseudo-bulbs, as the stronger those are 
the finer will be the flower spikes. Any Odontoglossums that started 
late into growth and require larger pots may be given them safely, 
but the roots must be disturbed as little as possible. Endeavour by 
exposing the plants to as much sun as they will bear to have the 
pseudo-bulbs and leaves well matured before the dull days set in. 
Stove .—Ixoras that have been employed through the summer for 
conservatory decoration must now be placed in the warmest part 
of the stove, as they have had sufficient rest in the cooler quarters. 
Cut away all the old flowers, and if infested with scale or mealy bug 
wash with an insecticide, as the plants, from the firm state of the 
wood and leaves, will bear it stronger than at any other season. 
Bougainvilleas and Clerodendrons and other plants that have for 
a time been in cooler houses should also be removed to a warmer 
position, but should not have so much as to start them into growth, 
not withholding water to the extent of causing the premature shed¬ 
ding of the foliage, but by a drier atmosphere and lessened supplies 
of water gradually hardening the growth. 
' • • ; • i • ' • 1 • T^~r=~ T » f ■ r- r. ■ ■ - . • , - > • , - i. . i ■ r^rn-. I 
ifife ] 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 1 
is 
THE LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BEE-KEEPERS’ 
EXHIBITION. 
The members of this Association have cause to congratulate them¬ 
selves on the success of their first Exhibition, which took place on 
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday last, at Moor Park, Preston, in 
connection with the Show of the Preston Floral and Horticultural 
Society. No doubt much of the success as regards the numbers 
attending was due to the fact of it being the week of the “ Preston 
Guild Merchant,” a time-honoured institution many centuries old, and 
which is celebrated only once in twenty years. 
It is well the festival recurs so seldom, as it would be impossible 
for the inhabitants of any town in England to endure the strain of 
excitement consequent on the holding of a week's high carnival such 
as this, when all business is entirely suspended, and everyone is on 
pleasure bent. As a result of the above large numbers attended the 
bee Show. The manipulating tent was well patronised, and the 
whole affair was deservedly successful. It will surprise us if the 
Lancashire and Cheshire Association does not receive a large accession 
of members, which already number over one hundred, though it has 
only been in existence some three months. 
It was thought that Lancashire and Cheshire were counties in 
which success in bee culture could not be hoped for ; but the result 
proved the contrary, for the classes for members only, though small, 
contained exhibits which bore favourable comparison with those open 
to the United Kingdom. The unfavourable season militated greatly 
against the chance of a large entry, and at one time it seemed as if 
the Exhibition would turn out a comparative failure ; but a circular 
was sent out urgently asking the bee-keepers of the various county 
associations to come to the rescue, and an excellent display, almost 
the finest yet held this year, was the result. 
The Committee cannot but thank those who spared neither time, 
trouble, nor expense in aiding them to give an impetus to bee-keep¬ 
ing in this part of the country. The block in the traffic arrange¬ 
ments on the various railways, consequent on the enormous number 
of people who flocked to Preston from all parts, affected the exhibits 
in a most unfortunate way, many of the supers having their combs 
fractured, and the jars broken and emptied of their contents. An 
examination of the injured packages showed plainly that the art of 
packing honey is still unknown to many ; and if committees would 
obtain a supply of the best material known for breaking the effect of 
a sudden jar— i.e., paper shavings, and supply exhibitors with them 
at cost price, with a printed slip containing a few instructions, we 
believe that fewer complaints of breakages will be heard. 
Much has been said as to sending out sections in crates glazed at 
the sides showing the fragile nature of its contents, so as to cause 
railway people to use care in handling. Several crates were so sent, 
and if the owners could have seen them and compared them with 
exactly similar ones which had been properly packed in boxes, and 
which were turned out clean, bright, and uninjured, while the first- 
named were soiled, the glass broken, combs down, the crates covered 
with various labels and directions, and altogether presenting a most 
uninviting appearance, no further argument would be needed to con¬ 
vince exhibitors of the folly of putting their trust in railway porters. 
Much credit is due to those who had the management of the staging 
department in promptly tying-up and protecting leaking exhibits, 
though we fear the weight will have considerably decreased when re¬ 
turned to the owner from the number of bees which, attracted by the 
odour of the honey, visited the tent and helped themselves to an un¬ 
expected feast. No one was stung, the bees being too intent on their 
own business to mind anything else, while the presence of the busy 
little creatures amused the visitors and alarmed no one. A very novel 
feature was introduced on the second day of the Show—an employb 
of Messrs. Neighbour and another of Mr. Blow’s each performed the 
Wildman feat of going about the grounds with a swarm of bees on 
his hat, to the astonishment of all who saw it. On Friday the pre¬ 
sentation of prizes by the Countess of Lathom took place, when a 
large and distinguished company were present, including the Guild 
Mayor (E. Birley, Esq.), the Earl and Countess of Lathom, the Earl 
and Countess of Sefton, Colonel and Lady Augusta Stanley, the Lady 
Mayoress (Mrs. Birley), the Right Hon. C. Raikes, M.P., &c. After 
the presentation of prizes the whole party proceeded to the tent of the 
Association, where they witnessed with great interest various mani¬ 
pulations with bees, and afterwards went through the large marquee 
where the exhibits were displayed, expressing the pleasure they felt 
at seeing so fine a collection. Mr. Jackson, the Hon. Sec., conducted 
