July 24, 1890. J 
JO URN'A I OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
61 
moderately tight just below the divisions artificially or otherwise 
made in the calyx. Heavy rains ought to be warded off choice blooms 
with the aid of temporary canvas screens or other contrivances. 
Seedling Carnations and Picotees .—These are by far the most 
floriferous, a good per-centage also being double flowering, while even 
the singles are very attractive, and much appreciated for filling vases. 
So very free flowering are they that it often happens no side growths 
are formed, and as a consequence the plants are of no service for the 
next season. A fresh batch of plants should therefore be raised every 
season, and those for flowering next summer ought now to be large 
enough for transferring to their final quarters. They will succeed well 
in mixed borders, but are most effective in beds, a sheltered and fairly 
warm border suiting them well. They move best out of small pots, but 
may be carefully transplanted from boxes and pans. It is advisable to 
form slightly raised beds about G feet wide for them, freely mixing a 
little fresh loam and some old Mushroom bed manure with the ordinary 
garden soil. Arrange the plants about 12 inches apart each way, fixing 
them firmly in the soil, and water occasionally in dry weather. 
Propagating Carnations and Pinhs .—It is yet too early to layer 
Carnations and Picotees, but both these and Pinks generally can be 
propagated by cuttings. No time should be lost in getting these in. In 
many instances these cuttings or slips would strike readily in handlights 
placed in a cool position, such as the foot of a north wall. All the 
preparation needed in this case is about 4 inches of fine loamy soil, 
sharp sand being freely mixed with it, and also distributed over the 
surface. A surer and quicker method of rooting these cuttings is to 
form a slight hotbed in a cool position, on this placing a shallow frame 
or several handlights, with a bed of sandy loamy soil for the cuttings to 
be inserted into. Short well-matured shoots should be selected, these 
being pulled off from the old plants, and after the dead or lower leaves 
have been removed be at once rather thickly and firmly dibbled into the 
soil prepared for them, and watered-in. The lights should be kept on 
closely, and shade afforded whenever sunshine reaches the lights, gentle 
waterings being given whenever the soil approaches dryness. In 
this manner a capital lot of serviceable plants will be ready for putting 
out in the autumn, these eventually producing much finer blooms than 
are obtained from old plantations. 
Dahlias .—These are growing very strongly, plenty of moisture at 
the roots suiting them well. Being of a very britt'e nature they must 
be early supported by stakes. As a rule one strong branching stem 
produces more and finer blooms than several weakly ones. If extra fine 
or show flowers are desired the side shoots must be early and freely 
thinned out, a few of the strongest of those reserved being each given a 
separate stake. In addition to frequently removing superfluous side 
shoots it is also advisable to well thin out the buds, the plant’s energies 
being principally concentrated on a few well-formed central buds. In 
order to fully and evenly develope the latter keep the roots well 
supplied with soft water in dry weather, liquid manure being given 
occasionally. 
Poses from Cuttings .—Dwarf Roses are the best in every way. 
They are the least liable to be killed by frosts, are the least unsightly at 
any time, flower earlier, and frequently the most continually. Those on 
their own roots are the most valuable. They cannot often be bought, 
but they can be raised from cuttings without much difficulty. The 
start might well be made now with short lengths of firm young wood, 
and continued, later on, with longer pieces of well-ripened shoots. The 
frames or handlights may be prepared exactly as recommended in the 
case of Carnations and Pinks, with or without bottom heat, and arranged 
in a cool site. Select shoots that have produced a flower, these being 
taken off with a thin slice or heel of old wood attached and shortened to 
the third or fourth joint, the lower or small leaves only be trimmed off. 
Do not let them flag badly or become dry before firmly fixing them in 
the soil, and in all other respects treat as advised for Carnations. These 
remarks apply to both Hybrid Perpetuals and the Teas and Noisettes, 
the two latter being especially to be desired on their own roots, whether 
for pot or open air culture, the strong suckers or shoots thrown up from 
their base keeping the plants in a vigorous and floriferous state. 
Rhododendrons.—It is seldom these flower so freely as they have done 
this year. What was once a mass of flower is now, however, replaced by 
seed pods, and these ought at once to be gathered, or otherwise they 
will greatly weaken the shrubs. Even if they did not do this they will 
soon present a most unsightly appearance. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
The Weather and the Crops. —Whatever turn the weather may 
take for the better now the season must be regarded as exceptionally 
unfavourable for vegetables. Leaf development is about up to the 
average, but not so luxuriant as might be expected from the amount of 
moisture, and the root or fruit, as the case may be, is deficient in 
quantity, and still more so in quality. We have had spring Onions 
sown in March 14 inches in circumference by the last week in July, and 
now under the same treatment they are not more than 3 inches round. 
Peas which ought only to have been 3 feet high are 5 feet, and those 
supposed to attain the latter height have run up to 7 feet or 8 feet, 
while the produce has not extended in proportion. 
The Potato Disease. —As might have been expected many 
varieties of Potatoes are becoming diseased rapidly. We have never 
seen early varieties so badly affected, and although the later ones are 
not yet “ gone ” to any extent, it will be surprising if all are not badly 
affected. Those who bought their tubers at 20s. and 30s. per ton last 
winter need not expect to have them again at that rate next winter. 
A dry atmosphere and a dry soil are the only antidotes for the Potato 
disease. At the same time crops that are matured should be lifted and 
stored when it is dry, and the utmost care should be taken that the 
whole of the diseased tubers are separated from the sound ones. 
Thinning Vegetables. — In dry seasons vegetables are better 
when not too much thinned, as a close foliage shelters the roots and 
retains the moisture ; but at present thickly growing crops are the 
worst, as they are only a mass of leaves, and the smaller plants removed' 
that all the air and light possible may be admitted to the best of the 
produce. This applies to all crops, and particularly to spring-sown 
Onions, Turnips, Carrots, and Parsnips. Where economy is rigidly 
considered some of these advanced thinnings may be used in the 
kitchen, but apart from this it would be better to pull them up and 
throw them away than allow them to remain to ruin the whole crop. 
Tomatoes in the Open Air. —These will require extra care to 
produce any quantity of ripe fruit. Our plants are bearing many green 
ones in a backward state, which will probably ripen in September. At 
present do not give any stimulant. Confine the plants strictly to one or 
two main stems, remove any large leaves that are screening the fruit, 
and if there are any spare frame lights place these end uppermost 
against the wall to slope outwards and form a temporary protection for 
the plants. 
Parsley. —There is much truth in the proverb, “ misfortunes never 
come singly.” Our Parsley is attacked by the grub. It became yellow 
and drooped in a few days. We mixed one wineglassful of petroleum to 
a gallon of water and soaked it with this. It has undoubtedly de¬ 
stroyed the grub and the Parsley is improving, but it will be a long time 
before it attains vigour. Fortunately we had drawn a number of plants 
from these rows four or five weeks ago and planted them in another 
part of the garden, and these are quite free from maggot and healthy. 
There are some crops we do not approve of confining to one sowing or 
one plantation, and Parsley is one of them. It is a calamity to be 
without Parsley at any time, more especially in the winter and spring 
months. There is no substitute, and the utmost endeavour must be 
made to secure a supply. This we have invariably done by sowing a 
quantity of seed at the end of July or early in August in rich soil free 
from worm 3 . The plants from this sowing will be dwarf and compact at 
the beginning of winter, and they are all the better of this, as they 
withstand severe weather better than huge leaves. 
Cabbage for next Year.— One of our best crops this season was. 
spring Cabbages. We had abundance from the 1st of April onwarda.. 
The seed that produced the first plants was sown during the first week 
in August, 1889. The last week in July and early in August are also 
times when sowing may be done in all localities, but the surest way of 
securing a good class of plants and meeting the variations of the season 
is to sow twice at the times named. The seed may be sown broadcast ia- 
beds 4 feet wide and in good soil, and sufficient should be sown to ensure- 
surplus plants. Some do not sow seed but buy their plants, but this is 
not so convenient as raising the plants in each garden. The dwarP 
compact growing sorts are the only ones that should be grown, and only 
the best strain obtainable should be introduced. 
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HE BEE-KEEPER. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Weather. 
The bee3’ movements on the 11th inst. did not disappoint us,, 
although thirty six hours passed before an improvement took 
place. The mean temperature of the day rose about 10° above 
what it had been previously, accompanied with a terrific hurricane 
of wind, which lasted fully two days, and doing much mischief in 
laying crops and unstaked, flowers, and breaking the branches of 
trees. The 15th was breezy with some sunshine, but the tempera¬ 
ture never rose above G0°. On the 16th, however, it rose for a 
short time to 75°, and was steady for a long time at 65°. The 
18th was again dull with the thermometer at 60°; with a falling 
barometer, and idle bees, looks like much rain, which has never 
been absent a single day since May 4th. Only three and a half 
days have the bees had as honey days, two and a half in May and 
on the 16th July. Not one in June. 
Weighing Hives. 
This I never attempted until the morning of the 16th, but not 
observing whether the chain rested upon the hive or the ground, 
prevented deciding whether 3 lbs. or 8 lbs. had been made by an 
average hive which weighs about 20 lbs. only. My best pure Car- 
niolian weighed at the same time 56 lbs. These weights are for 
the contents of the hive only, as gross weights are misleading.. 
All hives should have the tare marked upon them. 
