February 2, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
101 
of soot to every bushel, and a similar quantity of some approved fer¬ 
tiliser. Turf that has been laid up must be had under cover to become 
dried. Drain the pots efficiently, but not excessively, dusting wood 
ashes or soot over the crocks so as to exclude worms. Keep the plants 
well down in the pots, ram the soil firmly about the balls, and leave 
sufficient space for copious supplies of water being given when necessary. 
For Queens 10-inch and 11 or 12-inch pots are suitable for those of 
stronger or more robust growth. A temperature of 60° to 65° will be 
sufficient for these plants, also for those potted last autumn, and 80° to 
85° at the roots. 
If sufficient plants are started for fruiting late, successional plants 
that have not been subjected to a high temperature may be advanced 
slowly, they, with autumn-potted suckers requiring careful watering, 
especially where the heat at the roots is supplied by fermenting 
materials. Plants about to be started into fruit must not have the heat 
of the fermenting beds at the base of the pots over 90° or 95° or the 
roots will be injured. 
rigrs. — Earliest-forced Trees in Pdts.—T\\Q trees being nowin full 
growth, the points of the shoots must bo pinched out when they have 
made about five leaves. A temperature of 55° to 60° at night, 65° by 
day, advancing to 75° with sun, closing early and allowing an advance 
to 80° or 85°, is suitable for the present. When the weather is dull give 
a little extra heat in the early part of the day so as to admit of a little 
ventilation if only for an hour or two to give a change of atmosphere 
and induce sturdy growths. The bottom heat should be kept steady at 
75°, introducing fresh sweetened leaves and litter as necessary. Syringe 
frequently to keep the trees free from red spider, and always sufficiently 
early in the afternoon to allow of the foliage becoming dry before 
night. 
Early Forced Trees in Borders. —The trees started at the new year 
have commenced growth ; the temperature should be slightly raised both 
at night and by day, 55° being suitable at night and 60° to 65° by day, 
with a rise of 5° to 10° from sun heat and a free circulation of air, 
as a drawn and weakly growth cannot afterwards be rectified, and it 
should be avoided by ventilation on all favourable occasions, seeking 
a sturdy short-jointed growth from the commencement. Syringe the 
trees twice a day on fine days, but when dull morning syringing is 
sufficient. The border will need copious supplies of liquid manure in a 
tepid state, or waterings through a mulch of partly decayed manure and 
in a lumpy state, so as to allow the roots to have the benefit of the 
air. Avoid, however, making the trees exuberant, as that is fatal to 
fruitfulness. 
Second Early-forced Border Trees. —Where there are several Fig 
houses a second may now be started, to afford fruit at the end of June 
and early in July. If the trees have not had the old bare growths cut out 
so as to leave the successional wood with its terminals for furnishing the 
first crop, and been dressed with an insecticide, these matters must have 
immediate attention. The border should be brought into a thoroughly 
moist state by repeated watering if necessary with tepid water, or 
where the borders are small and the trees large tepid liquid manure 
may be supplied. Syringe the trees twice a day in bright weather, 
occasionally only when dull, but damp available surfaces so as to secure 
a genial atmosphere, A temperature of 50° at night and 55° by day 
artificially is sufficient to commence with, advancing to 65° from sun 
heat, with a free circulation of air. 
Peaches and Tfectarines.— Earliest Ilouse. —Syringe the trees 
in the morning and afternoon to keep red spider in check, but an 
occasional syringing suffices in dull weather, damping the paths and 
borders instead of the trees, so as to maintain a genial atmosphere. 
Applications of liquid manure will assist the fruit in swelling, especially 
that on trees long subjected to forcing. Vigorous trees will not require 
any stimulants, excessive vigour being unfavourable to the fruit safely 
passing the stoning process. Proceed with the thinning of the fruit, 
removing a few fruits only at a time, those badly placed first. Follow 
up disbudding, leaving a growth at the base of each bearing shoot and 
another at its extremity, or at a level with the fruit. The shoots 
retained for supporting the fruit should be stopped at the second or 
third leaf unless they are extensions, but the basal growths must be 
trained to take the place of those now bearing fruit. Shoots upon 
extensions may be left at 12 to 15 inches apart to form the bearing 
shoots of the future. The night temperature may range from 55° to 60°, 
and 60° to 65° artificially, with an advance to 70° or 75° from sun heat. 
It is better, however, to seek advancement from sun heat and in favour¬ 
able weather than to push the trees in sunless. Ventilate on all 
favourable occasions, and avoid a close, stagnant atmosphere at all 
times ; but cold draughts are very pernicious, and aridity favours insect 
pests. 
Houses Started at the New Year, —Continue to impregnate the 
blossoms, and when the fruit is all set a gentle syringing in the morning 
and at closing time will assist in removing the remnants of the blossoms. 
Ventilate freely under favourable external conditions. Maintain a 
night temperature of 45° to 50°, or 5° more in mild weather, and 50° to 
55° by day, with an advance to 65° or more from sun heat. See that the 
border is properly supplied with water. Where the fruit is too thickly' 
set remove that on the under side of the branches. 
Houses Started at the Beginning of the Month. —Syringe the trees 
occasionally until the blossoms show colour, when it must cease ; but a 
genial condition of the atmosphere should be maintained by damping 
available surfaces in the morning and afternoon, avoiding a close stag¬ 
nant atmosphere. If the blossoms are too thickly placed thin them by 
running the hand downward on the under side of the shoots, which 
strengthens the remainder, enabling them to set the fruit better. 
Ventilate at 60° and fully at 65°, closing at 50°, and only use fire heat 
to maintain a temperature of 50° by day and 40° at night. Trees 
started at this time will ripen their fruit early in July. 
Later Houses. —Admit air freely so as to retard the blossoming, 
especially in the case of unheated houses, which are liable to suffer from 
spring frosts. See that the borders have water if needed. If the roof 
lights have been removed they need not be replaced until the buds are 
advanced in swelling, they are quite safe for another month or more. 
Melons— To secure a quick and sturdy growth there must be plenty 
of top and bottom heat, ventilating early on all favourable occasions, 
closing early with a genial atmospheric moisture on bright days. This 
will induce a consolidated growth, and that is essential to well developed 
blossoms, a good set, free swelling, and heavy fruit. Exercise great 
care in ventilating, a current of cold air crippling the growths, a piece of 
hexagon netting placed over the ventilators when the days are cold is 
useful. The temperature should be maintained at 60° to 65° at night 
or 70° when mild, 70° to 75° by day, and 80° to 90° with sun heat, 
closing early in the afternoon with plenty of atmospheric moisture on 
bright days, and if the temperature rise to 95° or 100° it will be more 
advantageous than otherwise. Sow as occasion requires for successional 
crops, always taking care to have more plants than are likely to be 
required. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The bee-keeper should not lose an opportunity in making sure 
that all appliances are in readiness for every emergency throughout 
the season. A little forethought will pave the way so as to steer 
clear of disorder and difficulties during the busy part of the year. 
By the time this appears in print the bees will have begun working 
on flowers or on the artificial product, peasemeal. In every case where 
a shortness of stores is suspected feed liberally. During the latter 
half of January there were some mild days and nights, which were 
favourable for feeding bees. Where solid floors are in use change 
them frequently, so that damp during easterly March winds may 
not cause the bees to contract the cluster, and allow much brood 
to perish or eggs to be eaten out. 
For upwards of thirty years the Journal of Horticulture has 
taught the method, and the advantage of having early and strong 
stocks. This is accomplished by preventing what your readers 
know as “ bees going back,” either by keeping the stocks well 
provisioned without feeding till June, or by careful and timely 
feeding those short of stores. It is therefore gratifying to see 
by the “ Bee-keeper’s Record ” that the readers of that paper are 
profiting by our advice, inasmuch as the instructions given so often 
in these pages have been the means of producing a large yield of 
honey. 
I may just remind your bee-keeping readers that hives with 
extra stores will, after breeding has commenced, not relax it so 
long as there are from 8 to 15 lbs. of honey in the hive up till 
June. But even with that amount of honey at that date, if the 
weather is inauspicious the bees will eat and draw out much brood 
and eggs. A hive with little or no stores may be kept breeding, 
but it is only by fits and starts, and but a small per-centage of the 
eggs deposited are brought forth. If neglected to be fed for a 
short time thousands of eggs are destroyed. Stimulative feeding 
with short stores is time and money thrown away. 
Coloured Wax, 
I observe what “ A Hallamshire Bee keeper ” says anent coloured 
combs on page 40. I have frequently mentioned the colouring of 
combs from flowers profuse in pollen, but never saw a case where 
the seals could be said to be coloured because of honey being 
gathered from certain flowers. The scales of wax when secreted 
by the bees are of one uniform whiteness, but not of texture or 
density. Bees have a tendency to imitate the colour of their combs 
to their surroundings within the hive, and that is one of the reasons 
why super combs are coloured when the centre of the crown of the 
hive is open, and the opposite when it is closed, especially when the 
combs are a year or more old. 
As propolis is insoluble in water, I cannot think wax is 
coloured by it, but by pollen, which, if exposed to the sun, becomes 
white. I was once an eye-witness to a remarkable change in 
yellow wax becoming pure white by melting it a second time in a 
different water, probably caught from a new roof of corrugated 
iron. 
I observe also “ W, U.” remarks on page G2, regarding Fennel 
being a good yielder of pollen, the latter being mostly used for the 
larvae and for the seals of the brood cells, not for making them.— 
A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
