JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
306 
[ April 12, 18S3. 
the number each tree should be allowed to carry. As a rule, the 
fruit should be evenly disposed over the trees at the rate of one to 
every square foot of trellis covered by the branches. 
Nectarines should not have much less space, but from their 
smaller size are too frequently left much closer, which accounts 
for the smallness of these as compared with Peaches. Very 
vigorous trees may be allowed to carry more fruit, and weakly 
trees less—each individual must have its capabilities considered. 
Tying down the shoots must be carefully attended to, the aim 
being an equal distribution of the sap over every part of the tree, 
judiciously stopping gross shoots and terminals when they have 
made a fair amount of growth. Those shoots retained to attract 
the sap to the fruit must not be stopped too closely. Fruits which 
by their weight have taken a pendent position should be turned 
and supported with laths across the wires of the trellis in a way 
that will insure the exposure of the apex of the fruit to the full sun. 
Inside borders must be liberally supplied with tepid liquid manure, 
and mulched with short manure to prevent the escape of moisture 
and encourage surface-rooting. Ventilate carefully during the 
prevalence of cold winds, proceeding with disbudding and 
thinning in succession houses, plying the syringe freely twice on 
fine days, employing clear rain water not less in temperature 
than that of the house. Trees in late unheated houses are now 
in full blossom, and apparently are setting well, having passed 
through the trying ordeal uninjured. 
Melons .—Frost and snow have rendered constant fire absolutely 
necessary. As a preventive of red spider paint the pipes thinly 
with sulphur, encouraging plants swelling their fruits with a moist 
atmosphere and plentiful supplies of water or liquid manure at 
the roots, closing early, or about three o’clock on bright days, at 85° 
to 90°, allowing an advance to 95°. Afford supports to the fruits. 
Reduce the atmospheric moisture in houses in which the plants 
are in blossom and until the fruits have set. Add some more soil 
to advancing crops, and give air freely on favourable occasions to 
plants in flower. Attend to the stopping, tying, and thinning of 
the shoots as they require it. The lining of dung frames will 
require attention in removing the cold and replacing with fresh 
material. 
Cucumbers .—Those now in full bearing should be cropped 
lightly where fine fruit is aimed at, placing the fruit in glasses 
to grow them clean and straight, afEording copious supplies of 
liquid manure in a tepid state to the roots as they require it, and 
close early, using the syringe freely during favourable weather. 
Stopping, tying, and thinning will entail considerable attention, 
and must be promptly given. Where the demand is not great 
two or three-light frames will afford a good supply by planting 
them in succession and being careful not to overcrop, thinning 
out the old growths so as to induce the plants to make new. Have 
some light shading in readiness for bright and powerful sunshine. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Palms. —These, whether they are grown in stove, intermediate, or 
cool houses, now demand attention, and should be repotted where 
they require it. Be careful not to overpot these plants, as they 
do not require so much root-room as many others. When turned 
out of the pots in which they have been growing remove the soil 
from amongst their roots if inclined to be sour, and add fresh 
compost. They will bear this treatment if done carefully, and the 
plants judiciously watered afterwards. If the soil and roots are 
in a healthy condition merely remove the drainage and loose 
surface soil, and then repot them in well-drained pots. In repot¬ 
ting press the soil firmly into the pots, and use a compost of rich 
fibry loam and coarse sand, to which is added one 6-inch potful 
of bone dust and the same quantity of soot to each barrowful of 
loam ; the last-mentioned imparts a fine dark hue to the foliage of 
these plants. For the finer-rooting varieties, such as Cocos 
Weddelliana, use a little broken charcoal and about one-third of 
peat to the above mixture. This also applies to any of these 
plants in a young state. Where potting is unnecessary remove 
the surface soil and top-dress with fresh, and either feed with 
stimulants during the growing season, or give two or three appli¬ 
cations from time to time of Standen’s manure. Water carefully 
after repotting until the roots are growing, and then give liberal 
applications. 
Climbers .—Whether grown in the conservatory or greenhouse 
these should, if not already done, have as much of the old surface 
soil removed as possible and fresh supplied. When planted out 
and confined at the roots, as is too frequently the case in such 
structures, it is only by liberal feeding and rich top-dressing that 
such gross-feeding plants as Cobseas, Passifloras, Tacsonias, 
Clematis, Abutilons, and others can be maintained in vigorous 
health. Plants of this description are capable of displaying much 
beauty when liberally grown, but when their growths are puny and 
stunted the opposite is the result. The compost for top-dressing 
these varieties should consist of good loam and at least one-third 
of good manure, while peat should predominate for Rhyncho- 
spermum jasminoides, Chorozemas, Lapagerias, and other similar 
plants. The latter, which flourishes much better when planted 
out than when grown in pots, should have soil of a light fibry 
nature. Passifloras, Tacsonias, and other similar plants can now 
be pruned well back, and the main shoots tied in closer than has 
been the case up to the present time, or that they will require 
while growing and flowering. Clematis indivisa lobata if out of 
flower can also be well cut back. The majority of climbers of 
this description present a much more beautiful appearance when 
their growths are allowed to hang suspended from the main stems 
in a semi-natural manner than what they do when tied in stiffly. 
Roses and deciduous Clematis that are employed as climbers, and 
have started into growth and showing their flower buds freely, 
should be liberally supplied with stimulants every time watering 
is needed. 
Hardwooded Heaths .—Those that require repotting should now 
be done without delay, so that the roots will have time to com¬ 
mence working again in the new compost before the sun has too 
much power. Those in good health should have other pots 
2 inches larger than those in which they are growing. It is 
important that the soil be in a proper state of moisture before 
repotting, so that the plants will stand as long as possible without 
being watered after the operation is completed. The drainage 
must be carefully removed from amongst their roots, but the 
remainder of the ball must not be disturbed or the roots injured. 
Drain the pots liberally, and be careful to make the new soil firm, 
so that water will not pass readily through it and leave the old 
ball dry, or unsatisfactory results will follow. Do not pot the 
plants too high, and thus leave too little room to hold sufficient 
water to moisten the whole of the soil when watering is needed. 
After potting shade the plants from bright sunshine for at least a 
fortnight or three weeks, and keep the house or pit in which they 
are growing rather closer during that time. Exclude drying 
winds, which often prevail at this season of the year. Syringe the 
sides of the pots, and moisten the stage upon which the plants are 
standing several times daily, which prevents the plants drying so 
quickly, and watering after potting is avoided for a greater length 
of time, which is very beneficial in the cultivation of these plants. 
Keep a sharp look-out for mildew, and if it appears dust with 
flowers of sulphur al once. After potting, staking and tying may 
be proceeded with at once, but do not use more stakes than really 
necessary. 
FEEDING. 
Some weeks ago we sounded a note of warning as to the too 
early attempts to stimulate bees in spring. We said that it was 
much safer to continue stimulative feeding later on into the 
autumn, and to insure a plentiful supply of young bees to stand 
over the winter and to carry on the work of the colony into 
spring, than to commence forcing on the queens to lay too early 
in the year. No doubt we shall hear on every side of starved 
hives and chilled brood. Many commenced to excite their queens 
by constant gentle feeding towards the end of February and 
beginning of this present month. We saw letters in which the 
writers were rejoicing to see “ lots of brood ” in February. We 
were sorry to see it. The quieter the bees were kept the better it 
was for them. After such a mild winter it was to be expected 
that a frost would follow. It came—a chilling frost, causing the 
bees to huddle nearer and closer together. Where much brood 
had to be covered, the bees either perished from the effects of cold 
in trying to cover the brood, or, by deserting it, left it to be chilled 
to death. This must have taken place in very many hives all over 
the country. If this chilled brood be not cut out (a difficult 
matter in straw skeps), the presence of it in the hives as warm 
weather comes on must be disastrous. It may cause that terrible 
scourge to the bee-keeper, foul brood, to appear and decimate his 
stocks. The time has, however, now arrived when we may expect 
the advent of fine weather, and all hives should be carefully over¬ 
hauled directly an opportunity offers. Where brood has been 
chilled, the part of the comb containing it should be cut out with 
a sharp penknife, and it would render matters still more secure if 
all the combs could be sprayed with thin warm syrup in which 
salicylic acid has been well mixed. Dysentery may have been 
engendered by the long forced confinement to the hives, and the 
