August i, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Ill 
elaborating and storing matter, therefore any undue excitement must 
be guarded against by exposing the trees to the full influence of the 
atmosphere so far as the house will admit. The border must be properly 
supplied with water, and if the trees are weakly afford liquid manure. 
Keep red spider in check by an occasional washing with the syringe or 
garden engine. Black aphides should be subdued by the prompt use of 
tobacco water, or some other approved insecticide. Trees in pots may 
lie placed outdoors, and must be regularly watered and syriaged to 
maintain the foliage in a healthy condition as long as possible. The pots 
should be stood on a hard bottom impervious to worms, and ashes placed 
around the pots. 
Vines. — Grapes Ripening .—A little air constantly and a gentle 
warmtn in the pipes, so as to insure a circulation, with increased ventila¬ 
tion in the daytime, assists the Grapes in colouring. As these swell 
considerably during ripening there must not be any deficiency of 
moisture in the border. Give, if necessary, a good supply, and early in 
the day, so that superfluous moisture may be dissipated before night. 
Heavily cropped Vines may have liquid manure, but dressings of super¬ 
phosphate are preferable, as it excites root action, and should be well 
washed in. Allow the Vines plenty of time ; if there be any hastening 
of the ripening process and a deficiency of nourishment it is likely the 
fruit will be deficient in colour. A good rest at night in a temperature 
of 60° to 65° with air is a great aid to Vines taxed to the utmost by 
weight of Grapes, but the Vines must have help by day, securing to 
them a temperature of 70° to 75°, with a moderate amount of air 
moisture, sprinkling available surfaces occasionally, and if possible 
allow the laterals to extend, but overtaxed Vines can rarely cater for 
more than the principal leaves and Grapes. Overcropping is one of the 
greatest evils in Grape culture, and to prevent disaster in the year 
following the Vines should have liberal treatment at the roots, so as to 
secure the proper formation of the next year’s crop in embryo. 
Late Grapes .—The bunches must have a final examination, removing 
all the seedless berries, and thinning where likely to be too crowded. 
Uneven berries and lack of symmetry are great defects, often spoiling 
the appearance of an otherwise fine bunch. Allow a liberal extension 
of the laterals, but keep these so disposed that light and air will have 
access to the foliage equally. Avoid a large reduction of foliage at a 
time ; it only tends to check root action, and has a bad effect on the 
fruit, very often resulting in shanking and other ills. The inside border 
will need water frequently, not at longer intervals than once a fortnight 
or three weeks, but due regard must be had to the necessity for it before 
applying it. It is scarcely possible to overwater Vines in full growth, 
provided they are in well-drained borders of porous material and are 
not too luxuriant in growth. Besides water it will be necessary to give 
a stimulant of some kind, especially where the crops are heavy. The 
liquid from manure tanks is suitable, diluting it with tepid water when 
too strong. Sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of potash in equal parts 
may be used at the rate of 1 lb. to 30 gallons of water, and about 
4 gallons given, after the border has been well moistened with water, 
per square yard. Guano is a good all-round manure, 1 lb. to 
20 gallons of water makes a useful stimulant for Vines. A good 
handful of the advertised fertilisers per square yard washed in after 
each watering assists Vines to swell their crops wonderfully. A light 
mulch of sweetened horse droppings, added from time to time until 
the Grapes change colour, encourages surface roots, and greatly aids the 
Vines in swelling their crops. 
Cucumbers.— Pot the seedlings fcr autumn fruiting as they become 
fit, pinching out the growing point above the second rough leaf of such 
as are required for growing in pits or frames, but for trelliswork place 
a small stick to each plant as they advance. Prepare fermenting 
materials to afford bottom heat to plants in pits and frames. Thoroughly 
cleanse the structure, cleansing the woodwork with hot water, soap, and 
a brush, the glass with clear water, and limewash the walls. Remove 
all old soil, and make all as clean and sweet as possible. A suitable 
compost for the plants consists of light turfy loam stacked until the 
grass is dead, a sixth part of old mortar rubbish and a tenth of charcoal 
thoroughly incorporated. Fire heat is not necessary in bright weather, 
yet on prolonged dull periods of cold damp weather a low temperature 
induces stunted yellow fruits, canker at the collar, and mildew on the 
foliage. In such weather employ a gentle fire heat at night, and by 
day if dull and cold. Sulphur dusted freely on the foliage is the safest 
preventive and destroyer of mildew. Canker may be subdued by a 
drier atmosphere, and rubbing quicklime into the affected parts until 
dry. Upon a return to bright weather after a dull period shade from 
bright sun, so as to prevent flagging, which if allowed wastes the energies 
of the plants, resulting in ill-shaped stunted fruits, and offers a strong 
inducement to red spider. Attend regularly twice a week to stopping 
and regulating the growths, and keep up a succession of bearing wood 
by removing exhausted and replacing with young fruitful growths. 
Ventilate at 75°, keep through the day at 80° to 90°, and close so as to 
keep the latter heat with an advance of 5° to 10° well into the afternoon 
and evening. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Carnations and Plcotees. —Seedlings are undoubtedly the most 
easily grown and are wonderfully floriferous, but there is certain to be a 
per-centage of about 25 per cent, single flowering, or otherwise but little 
valued forms among them. Only the best of them ought to be marked 
and propagated by means of either cuttings in July and early in August 
and by layering during the latter month, all choice named varieties to 
be similarly propagated; and it must be borne in mind that young 
plants are both more hardy and give better results than old plants. 
Layered plants are usually strong and well rooted, and if carefully 
detached from the old plants in October, and a portion at least placed 
singly in 4-inc’n pots and wintered in a cold frame or pit, these, if duly 
planted out, flower grandly the following summer. Especially ought 
the somewhat delicate Germania, Pride of Penshurst, and Mrs. Reynolds 
Hole to be treated in this manner, fewer failures resulting accordingly. 
Any border varieties that have been flowered in pots can be most readily 
layered by planting out in a rough frame filled with light sandy soil, or 
they may be top-dressed and layered into that. 
Violas and Pansies. —The former, if properly grown, are wonder¬ 
fully effective in the flower garden for many months together. They 
are at their best from April till August, but in some positions and under 
certain conditions will keep gay still longer. When they fail it is largely 
due to being planted too late. Instead of being kept till May or June 
in store boxes or beds they ought to be put out early in April, and there 
will then be little or no mildew to spoil the plants. Named varieties or 
any unnamed seedlings can only be kept true by means of cutting-raised 
plants, and the cuttings need not be put in till October. In order to 
have strong seedlings of either Violas or Pansies fit for planting out 
next April the seed ought to be sown now. It may be sown in either 
boxes or pans filled with fine soil, and these should be placed either in a 
frame or under handlig'nts at the foot of a north wall. Failing these con¬ 
veniences place the boxes in a cool position and cover with squares of 
glass. Keep the soil uniformly moist at all times and shade heavily till 
the seedlings appear, after which shade from bright sunshine only. 
Before they crowd each other prick out the seedlings in other boxes or a 
frame, using light loamy soil, and during the winter protect from severe 
frosts only. 
Antirrhinums and Pentstemons.— If seed of either of these 
showy border perennials is sown now as advised in the case of Violas, 
and the seedlings similarly treated, a grand lot of plants will be 
available for the beds and borders next April. Spring-raised plants are 
both late and somewhat shy in flowering, whereas those raised in the 
autumn flower strongly both early and late. They would really survive 
most winters in the open, but can be more surely wintered in cold frames 
and without much trouble. The very best varieties of the former, 
including the pure white form, are best perpetuated from cuttings. 
Choice or named Pentstemons are also best propagated from cuttings. 
Short flowerless shoots of either Antirrhinums or Pentstemons taken off 
now and inserted in sandy soil under handlights or shallow frames^, - and 
kept close and shaded from sunshine, will root freely and make good 
plants for the borders early next spring. 
Dlanthuses and Sweet Williams —The former are largely 
raised from seed sown in heat early in the spring, but stronger and 
better plants altogether can be had by sowing now, preferably in boxes, 
but if unavoidably so on a border of fine soil. The partial shade and 
moist position found behind a north wall is also the best place for 
raising these, and the seedlings may either be pricked out on a warm 
border or wintered under glass. Sweet Williams to give a good display 
ought now to be large enough to prick out 9 inches apart each way on a 
warm or sheltered border, where they are to flower, or they may be put 
out twice that thickness and two-thirds of the plants moved elsewhere 
next autumn or spring. If seed is sown now it should be where the 
plants are to flower, and thinly in drills 6 inches apart. 
Other Seeds to be Sown. —If either Brompton Stocks or Wall¬ 
flowers are sown at this late date it should be on extra well-prepared 
ground where the plants are to flower. Sow Silenes at once, or the 
plants will be too small to be serviceable. Forget-me-nots would also 
have been better raised earlier, but neat little plants may be had by 
sowing now, especially if this is done in boxe3 and these given the benefit 
of frame shade and shelter till the seedlings are growing strongly. In 
most midland and northern districts the middle of August is a good time 
to sow a variety of hardy annuals and biennials, but the end of the 
month answers well in warmer districts. Some of the most serviceable 
for the spring decoration of beds and borders are Sweet Alyssum, 
Candytufts, Clarkias, Chrysanthemum segetum, Coreopsis tinctoria, 
Cornflowers, Eschsclioltzias, Godetias, Larkspurs, Limnanthes Douglassi, 
Nemophila insignis, Saponaria calabrica. Scabious, Venus’ Looking 
Glass, Virginian Stocks, and Viscaria cardinalis. Either sow thinly in 
shallow drills where the plants are to flower, and they do not move well 
out of light soils, or else in a sheltered position, transplanting either in 
the autumn or early next spring. 
n 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Fertile Workers. 
Amongst the last articles the late “Renfrewshire Bee-keeper” 
wrote to this Journal was on unfertilised queens producing 
drones and their supposed uses. The late Mr. T. W. Woodbury 
proved that drones of unfertilised queens or of fertile workers 
were capable of fertilising. He had one or more queens fertilised 
by such a drone or drones. But the Punics have enabled me 
