January 15, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
55 
manure, and when roots are emitted freely from the collar some turves 
may be placed around the rims of the pots, extending about a couple of 
inches inside and over them, so as to lie on the fermenting material. 
The roots will take to the turves, and through them to the bed of leaves. 
Let the temperature range from 05° to 70° at night, 70° to 75° by day, 
and 80° to 85° by sun heat, admitting air from 75°, and closing early so 
^ as to raise (and maintain) the temperature at 85° or 90° with sun heat, 
damping available surfaces at closing time or early in the afternoon. 
Avoid syringing the foliage, as there is always danger of the water 
leaving a deposit on the berries, which spoils the appearance of other¬ 
wise well grown and finished fruit. There must not, however, be any 
deficiency of atmospheric moisture, for in a dry atmosphere the fruit 
does not swell freely, and there is a deficiency of juice as well as size 
of berry. 
Early Houses .—The greatest care must now be exercised in venti¬ 
lating, not admitting cold air, draughts being prolific of rust, crippling 
the foliage, which, unable on that account to perform its functions, 
does not allow food assimilation and its concentration in the fruit. 
Disbud and tie the shoots down before they touch the glass. In stop¬ 
ping allow two or more joints of growth beyond the show of fruit, or, 
where there is room, do not confine the stopping to any given number of 
joints beyond the bunch, but extend the growth so that an even and 
ample supply of foliage will be insured. Crowding, however, is a great 
evil, therefore allow no more foliage than can be fully exposed to light 
and air, Kemove all superfluous bunches early, overcropping even of 
incipient bunches being inimical to a good set and prompt swelling of 
the berries. When the flowers are open maintain a temperature, night 
and day, of 70° to 75°, and a rather drier atmosphere, not going to the 
extreme of depriving the air of the needful moisture essential to the 
health of the foliage. 
Houses Started at the Hew Year .—The inside border must be 
thoroughly moistened by repeated waterings or liquid manure at a 
temperature of 90°. This will induce a speedy and good break, accele¬ 
rated by a fermenting bed of leaves and litter sweetened before being 
introduced into the house, the regularity of the moisture, the warmth 
and ammonia vapour being highly favouring vegetation. Outside 
borders must be well protected. If no fermenting materials are avail¬ 
able afford a good supply of dry litter or fern so as to modify in some 
measure the chilling tendency of cold rains or snow. Sprinkle the Vines 
two or three times a day, maintaining a temperature of 50° to 55° at 
night, fi0° to 65° by day, ventilating freely above 65°. The rods and 
canes of young Vines should be slung in a horizontal position to secure 
a regular break ; those that have not previously been subjected to early 
forcing will start less freely than those long subjected thereto, therefore 
a litt’e extra warmth will be necessary to induce activity. 
Houses of Thick-skinned Grapes .—It is absolutely essential that 
Grapes hanging late be kept cool and uniform in temperature. This 
they can hardly have assured to them on the Vines after the sun gains 
power, besides their hanging is not good for the Vines, which to do well 
require starting in good time to insure a satisfactory finish of their 
crops. The Grapes may now be removed to a dry room, where they 
will keep quite as well as on the Vines. Cut the bunches with as much 
wood attached as can be spared, and place the stems in bottles filled 
with soft water, each containing a few pieces of charcoal. The bottles 
should be fixed in an inclined position so as to admit of the bunches 
hanging clear of the sides, and they may be as far apart as not to allow 
the bunches to touch each other. Keep the temperature of the room at 
about 45°, examining the bunches occasionally for decayed berries, which 
should be carefully removed. The Vines should then be pruned, 
dressing the cuts with styptic or patent knotting, thoroughly cleaning 
the house. Dress the Vines, avoiding the usual peeling, scraping, and 
scrubbing of the rods, merely removing the loose bark, being as careful 
of cutting the stems into the quick as of running the knife into the 
hands, and wash every part thoroughly with softsoapy water, 4 ozs. 
softsoap to a gallon of water, using it warm, then if necessary apply an 
insecticide, than which as an anti-insect and fungoid there is no better 
than bisulphide of calcium, which is made by boiling 1 lb. quicklime 
with an equal quantity of sulphur in a gallon of water for a quarter of 
an hour. Let it cool, then pour off the liquor, bottle it, and keep it well 
corked. When used mix half a pint with 3 gallons of water for syring¬ 
ing purposes ; as a winter dressing for applying with a brush, dilute 
with six times the quantity of water. Air should be admitted freely in 
favourable weather, seeking to give the Vines as long and complete a 
rest as possible. Where the borders are not satisfactory lift the roots 
and relay them in fresh compost, and where the Vines have inside and 
outside borders the renovation may be accomplished without loss of crop 
by renewing the former one year, and the latter the next. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Weather. 
Although the frost has not teen severe we have Lad a long 
continuance of it, and through the absence of snow the verdure 
of the fields in December is now changed, assuming a normal 
winter’s grey appearance, the lowest temperature for the year 
being 17° Fahr., 2° less the lowest in December. Bees are quiet,, 
neither dead nor living are to be seen, nor is there damp on 
the alighting board or about any of the hives, every one of then\ 
as yet showing a “ clean bill.” 
Dysentery. 
The old bees still alive, and all are free from dysentery. This 
is the result of proper management, as so often detailed in these 
pages, and having none now in double cased hives we do not expect 
to experience it. It appears that all apiaries have not the same 
immunity from this disease, if it may be so termed. Numerous- 
letters from correspondents have been received within the past few 
days on the subject, and asking advice. If the causes of abdominal 
extension had been removed in the fall, and the hives otherwise 
provided for, and arranged as they ought, dysentery would not have' 
developed itself so much as to cause anxiety. 
It is a well-known fact, which cannot be disguised, that many 
of the good principles in bee-keeping have been ignored by modern 
teachers, and it does not surprise us when a more severe winter 
comes than we have been accustomed to of late to hear of bees- 
suffering from such a malady as bad as or worse than the brim¬ 
stone pit. 
In numbers of the cases the bees are located in double casec? 
hives without the proper means of ventilation, and having been 
fed the hives are thoroughly saturated with damp, and it is inv 
possible for me with such weather to mention a cure, as any 
attempt during this frosty weather might do more harm than 
good. 
I have frequently in past years saved bees by taking the hives^ 
indoors to an apartment with but one window, highly heated, and 
entirely free from dust and damp on the glass. Shortly after the 
hive was set in the apartment, the bees becoming comfortable and; 
strengthened by the heat, flew, returning in a short time to their 
hive. While this was going on I was preparing a clean hive 
furnished with combs, some of which I had always on hand, all the 
preparation being to have them well heated, which I did over a 
stove—in fact I stored them there—then transferred the bees intoj 
it, taking care there was plenty of meat, then at dusk placed it om 
its original stand. It will be observed that only a few hives can ba 
successfully dealt with by this method. Where there are a largo 
number affected they would be difficult to deal with until genial 
weather sets in, when bees and combs ought to be transferred into- 
a warm dry hive, after rejecting all the damp and foul combs. A 
very little warm syrup will give the bees spirit, and enable 
them to air themselves and be in condition for carrying on the 
internal economy of the hive. In most cases dysentery is the result 
of bad management somewhere, and as in many other things 
prevention is better than cure. There is a wide contrast of tho 
weather for two months past to what it was a year ago, and 
if we get seasonable weather after this dysentery and other ills 
will disappear from the apiary, when bees and bee-masters wilt 
rejoice alike. 
Moving Hives. 
Our answer to “ S. E.” about a hive that is to be sent on a 
journey in summer is that it must be thoroughly ventilated. A 
common straw hive only requires a cheese cloth placed under the 
corners, tied at the top, and a cord wound round the body ; 
the hive to be then inverted and carried by hand ; or if sent 
it may be placed in a box having a piece of perforated zinc 
on the lid. If an ordinary frame hive is obtained a ventilating' 
floor should be substituted for the common one and made secure. 
AVhenever a hive reaches its destination give the bees their 
liberty ; never close them in unless thoroughly ventilated, nor 
at any time unless for some particular purpose, which should be. 
well understood.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
