November 11, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
439 
If the canes have not been shortened to the proper length and dressed 
with styptic it is best to leave the Vines their full length and disbud 
after they break. For all purposes none is better than Black Hamburgh. 
Royal Ascot is good, but none is more appreciated than Madresfield Court. 
It requires liberal feeding up to the Grapes changing colour, and then 
lessened supplies, with a dry atmosphere. Where the Muscat flavour is 
wanted White Frontignan should be grown. 
Early Planted out Vines .—To ensure ripe Grapes in May the house 
must be closed by the middle of the month. This more particularly 
applies to young and vigorous Vines that do not, as a rule, “ break ” so 
quickly as Vines that have been forced for a number of years. As a fuel 
economiser, and to produce a soft humid atmosphere, a good ridge of 
fermenting material may be placed upon the border and turned ever at 
short intervals, additions being made as the heat declines. Old Vines 
will not need depressing, they may be tied up to the wires, but young 
Vines will need to be brought into a horizontal position over the hot- 
water pipes or fermenting material where they can be well syringed with 
tepid water about 10° warmer than the house. The temperature of the 
house may range 50° at night, 55° by day, and 65° on bright days. 
Houses of Ripe Hamburgh *.—The atmosphere cannot be kept too dry. 
A steady tempera ure of 50°, a gentle warmth in the pipes, and free venti¬ 
lation on dry days will best suit them until the leaves fall. This effected, 
the Grapes had best be cut, bottled, and placed in late houses, Muscats or 
Lady Downe’s, or in a euitable house for keeping them. The leaves 
should be cleared away as they fall, and water excluded from the 
house. 
Late Grapes not Finishing Well .—There are three primary causes of 
this— ie., too late starting, overcropping, or a bad condition of the 
roots. Nothing will he gained by pushing the fires now or after the wood 
is ripe, but that must be effected under any circumstances. A high 
temperature will not prevent the Grapes shrivelling when the leaves 
fall. The defect in finish being due to overcropping, relief should be 
given the Vines by cutting a portion of the crop at the earliest convenience, 
but where it can be traced to imperfect drainage or bad borders no time 
should be lost in getting out the old soil, rectifying the drainage, and 
relaying the roots in fresh compost. 
Pines. —As growth advances in these plants they should be placed so 
as to obtain all the light possible, and be enabled to make the most of 
every ray of sunlight whenever it prevails. With a view to this keep the 
glass clean, and let the plants be placed near to it. The beds of ferment¬ 
ing materials subside considerably through decomposition, and fresh made 
up ones, unless well trodden down, are apt to settle rapidly. In either 
case attention should be promptly given to raising the plants so that they 
have the full benefit of the light, and in so doing not chilling the plants 
or allowing them to become over-heated at the roots. 
Assorting the Plants .—It should be a practice at this time of year, if 
not done earlier, to assort the plants according to their respective require¬ 
ments before winter. The fruiting plants should be given the best places 
for swelling off the fruits properly at a time when natural means will not 
afford much assistance. The fruiting plants must under any conditions 
have a night temperature of 65°, and 70° to 75° by artificial means during 
the daytime. The successional plants will only require a night tempera¬ 
ture of 60°, and 65° by day, with an advance from sun heat, but not with¬ 
out air, to 70° or 75°. Other young stock, which it is not advisable to 
bring forward too quickly, as they are not prepared to make much growth, 
wil progress satisfactorily in a night temperature of 55° to 60°, and 60° 
to 65° in the daytime, above which ventilating freely, but avoiding chills 
or anything likely to cause a stunted growth. Fruiting plants will require 
atmospheric moisture at all times. Sprinkling available suifaces must he 
regularly attended to, and the plants will need syringing in a light house 
during bright weather twice or thrice a week. Successional plants and 
others will only require syringing occasionally, as they will derive con¬ 
siderable moisture from the fermenting beds. Keep the glass clean, as 
every ray of light is of great value. 
Fermenting Beds .—For these Oak and Beech leaves are much the 
best. They are more durable than others, and the heat is consequently 
milder and lasts longer. New beds should be made where necessary. 
The best plan, where the extent of glass admits of it, is to free all the 
pits of the plants, and not return thtm uuiil the beds are in proper con¬ 
dition. More injury arises from ihe plants being shifted about, taken 
from warm beds and chilled, ana from cold quarters to warm bedB, than 
many give credit for. The greater care the plants are taken of in these 
respects the better they will respond to the call of the cultivator. 
Strawberries in Pots. —All plants for early forcing must be in 
frames, with a view to protect them from heavy rains, snow, and severe 
cold ; those for late work are just as well, if not better, plunged in ashes 
in a sheltered situation, having a light covering of bracken or straw in 
severe weather. The practice) of wintering Strawberries for forcing in 
Peach and other houses with open ventilators, where from the piercing 
currents of air evaporation is constant and excessive, only wastes the 
energies of the plants, and not infrequently destroys the roots at the sides 
of the pots. Drought is the great bane of the Strawberry ; therefore, 
those in frames or pits must not be neglected for water, the soil always 
being kept moist. About the middle of this month a batch of La Grosse 
Sucree, Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, should be prepared for placing in 
the early Peach house, to which fire heat will be given early in December. 
The plants must have the drainage seen to, and if defective rectified, the 
surface of the soil raked, the pots washed, and a surface dressing given of 
fresh horse manure rubbed through a sieve. Those having the convenience 
of a house for forcing Strawberries may make a start, the plants being 
placed well up to the light, and the temperature 50° by day and 40° to 
45° at night, admitting air freely above 50°. 
Cucumbers. —Plants that have been in bearing some time will [be 
invigorated by receiving a top-dressing of turfy loam, to which has been 
added a sixth of charcoal, surfacing with an inch of sweetened horse 
droppings. If put in fresh they will part with too much ammonia, and 
probably injure the foliage. See that the soil is not too dry, but let it be 
getting into that condition before any is given, then afford a thorough 
soaking with water at the same temperature as the house. Ventilate 
moderately whenever the weather is favourable, but avoid lowering the 
temperature or admitting air in such quantity as to cause excessive 
evaporation, as a check or chill from any cause is alike injurious to 
plants and fruit. The temperature should be maintained at 65° at night, 
and in severe weather 60°, and 70° to 75° by day from fire heat, advancing 
10° to 15° with sun heat. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Imantophyllums .—These plants will have completed their growth, and 
those not wanted to flower for some months should have a cool airy 
structure. They should also be watered with great care, giving consider¬ 
ably less than has been the case up to the present time. If overwatered 
during the resting period the tips of their dark green foliage are certain 
to turn yellow and the beautiful appearance of the plants is destroyed. If 
kept on the dry side they will remain in perfectly good condition. Some 
of the earliest plants are showing their flowers, and will be much brighter 
in colour if they are developed in a little warmth. At this season of the 
year the flowers, if allowed to expand in a cool house, are practically 
colourless. Seedlings raised from good varieties will be better in a cool 
than a heated house during the season of rest. This treatment results in 
increased strength and vigour another year. 
Amaryllises .—The whole of these plants will have made and completed 
their growth ; they should now be given a cool but light position to 
further ripen and harden the bulbs. The secret of flowering these plants 
profusely is well-ripened bulbs, which is brought about after a good 
season’s growth by withholding water gradually at this season of the 
year until both bulbs and roots are thoroughly matured. If water is dis¬ 
continued suddenly the roots are certain to die back, but if the supply is 
decreased judiciously they will remain perfectly fresh and plump. After 
the plants are once put to rest they will do very well in any position, 
even under the stage, but this position is not advisable if a large amount 
of drip will fall upon them. 
Chrysanthemums .—Some care is needed just now with plants that are 
unfolding large flowers. Very large flowers, such as are grown for exhi¬ 
bition, are much more difficult to preserve from damp than those of a 
smaller size. A close confined atmosphere is certain to result in the 
petals damping, and so [quickly do they fail after they once commence 
that the flower becomes rotten and useless in a few days. Where heat is 
used to expand the blooms the difficulty of keeping them right is greatly 
increased. A good circulation of air must be maintained if they are to 
develope their beautiful large flowers without risk of the petals damping. 
The first petal that displays signs of damping must be removed at once, for 
others quickly rot around them. Princess of Teck and other late kinds 
for flowering after Christmas may still remain outside, but they should 
be near some shed or house where they can be carried in at once if stormy 
bad weather sets in. It is a good plan to secure the pots so that the wind 
cannot blow them about and break them, and then cover them with canvas 
in case of frost, fully exposing them during the day when favourable. 
By slight protection of this description we hope to keep our late plants 
outside for another month, unless the weather proves very ungenial. 
Chrysanthemums are later than usual this year, and this is an advantage 
where the plants are required for decoration, as such large numbers will 
not come in at one time, and the latest will be certain to yield a good 
supply of flowers at a time when they are most needed. 
Tree Carnations .—These should be in their winter quarters, and it is 
an admirable plan where a good stock of plants is grown to sort them 
into two or three batches. Those for spring flowering—that is, the latest, 
should have a cool, light, airy position as close to the glass as possible, so 
that they will not draw up weakly. They should also be stood upon 
some moisture—holding material, such as gravel or ashes afford. The 
earliest should have a position where the temperature can be kept from 
falling below 45° or 50? at night. These will unfold their blooms and 
yield flowers for cutting until Christmas if carefully watered and freely 
ventilated on all favourable occasions. Air is not of vast importance if 
the atmosphere of the house is kept moderately dry to prevent the blooms 
damping, and the temperature not too high. Young stock that has been 
raised by layering should be lifted and potted singly in 3-inch pots, and 
then stood in a cold frame. Spring-struck plants are undoubtedly the 
best, and start into growth more freely, but if these are well cared for they 
will make extra size plants for early autumn flowering. Gloire de Nancy 
and the whole of the Souvenir de la Malmaison type should be lifted and 
potted at once. 
sim- 
a 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
NOTES OF THE SEASON—SYRIAN QUEENS, BEES, 
AND DRONES. 
October with us has been the finest month of the year, 
exceptionally so for that month, and an eventful one with the 
