September 29, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
293 
In Pits and Frames .—In those heated by fermenting material no 
water will be required after this time unless the soil is dry and the 
foliage becomes limp, which it must not be allowed to do. Any water 
given must be so supplied as not to wet the foliage and surface of the 
bed more than can be helped. Keep the frames well lined, admitting a 
little air constantly, which, with the fruit raised well above the surface 
of the bed will do much to accelerate the ripening, prevent decay, and 
impart flavour. Any fruit it is wished to keep for a time should be cut 
when changing with a good portion of stem, and be kept in a dry airy 
room, or if wanted ripe at once it may be placed in a warm airy house 
on a shelf in the full sun. Melons ripen better there than in frames or 
pits devoid of artificial heat. 
Cucumbers.— Winter Fruiters .—These should be planted as soon 
as they are ready. A good bottom heat is essential to success, whether 
it be obtained by the aid of fermenting materials or hot-water pipes ; 
but a somewhat higher temperature is needed to commence with if 
fermenting materials are used, as the heat will decline, and there should 
be hot-water pipes beneath to keep up the bottom heat when that of the 
fermenting material declines. The soil may consist of light turfy loam 
with a third of fibrous peat, a sixth of old mortar rubbish, and a tenth 
of charcoal, the whole well incorporated. It is better to rely on liquid 
manure and surface dressings than to employ manure in the compost for 
imparting vigour. 
Autumn Fruiters. — Strive to maintain a healthy and vigorous 
growth, and be careful not to overcrop the plants. Secure a temperature 
of 75°, say 65° at night, 70° to 75° by day artificially, and 80° to 90° 
from sun heat. Although a moist and genial atmosphere is essential a 
stagnant one should be avoided by careful ventilation, being particular 
not to admit cold and drying currents. Be sparing in the use of water, 
especially over the foliage, a genial atmosphere being secured by damp¬ 
ing available surfaces in the morning and afternoon, but gradually 
reduce the moisture as the days shorten and the sun heat declines. Add 
a little fresh soil as the roots protrude at the sides of the hillocks or 
ridges, previously warmed, about every ten days or a fortnight ; supply 
liquid manure once or twice a week, as may be necessary, and fumigate 
moderately on two or three consecutive evenings in case of an attack of 
aphides. 
Plants in manure-heated frames or pits must have the linings 
renewed as required, the foliage being kept rather thin, the shoots well 
stopped to a joint beyond the show of fruit, and no more water given 
than to secure healthy moisture for the roots, placing mats over the 
lights on cold nights. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Cauliflowers. —Since the introduction of the early dwarf varieties 
there has been less need to sow seed in the autumn and to winter the 
bulk of the plants thus raised under glass. It is not advisable, however, 
to wholly discard the old practice, and if a batch of plants have been 
raised in the open they should be taken good care of. Before they are 
very large the bulk of them should either be dibbled out in handlights 
on good ground, where some of them are to heart or be pricked out 
in frames set on a shallow bed of old heating material. The soil—any 
loamy mixture will do—should be raised well up to the glass, and after 
being made rather firm the young Cauliflowers may be dibbled out 
4 inches apart each way. They will not move particularly well out of a 
bed of soil, and for this reason the plan of placing the plants either 
singly in 3-inch pots or in pairs in 4-inch pots finds favour with many, 
as the plants move out of these readily enough in the spring. In either 
case there must be no coddling, fire heat in particular being objection¬ 
able.. All that is necessary is to protect from severe frosts and to 
ventilate very freely at all other times. It is now somewhat late to sow 
seeds, but if a frame and light or two newly cleared of Cucumber or 
Melon plants can be spared, level the bed, water if dry, and sow the 
seed thinly broadcast. Plants may be available next spring. Autumn- 
raised plants of Veitch’s Autumn Giant will heart very early in the 
following August, this fact being turned to good account by the most 
successful exhibitors, and plants should also be raised in the autumn by 
those who are desirous of maintaining an unbroken supply of Cauli¬ 
flowers. 
Cabbage. —Those who sowed seed of Ellam’s Dwarf Spring by the 
middle of July and other favourite varieties then or a fortnight later, 
should have, ere this, got out a good breadth of plants. According as 
the more weakly plants, and those raised later, become strong enough to 
move, find room for them, and failing a good supply of home-raised 
plants buy as many as are wanted from a reliable source, as it is scarcely 
possible to over-estimate the value of a good supply of spring Cabbages. 
They form a succession to either Onions or Peas, the ground not being 
dug in either instance. Strong growth is not desirable before the spring, 
and if the ground is somewhat poor now it can easily be enriched in 
March by means of liquid manure or surfacings of soot. Extra large 
Cabbages are the least economical. Instead, therefore, of placing the 
plants in rows 2 feet apart bring the stronger growers 6 inches nearer 
together, and those of the type of Ellam’s Dwarf and Wheeler’s Imperial 
may well be disposed 15 inches apart each way. If the first batch were 
put out 2 feet apart dibble plants of smaller growers midway between 
them and draw and use these first, the rest being left, if need be, all 
the rest of the year. 
Beans.— In many low lying localities both Runner and Kidney 
Beans were destroyed by frosts on or about September 13th, this, in the 
case of the former, being before they had time to pay for the trouble 
taken with them. A few overhanging branches of fruit trees not 
unfrequently afford sufficient protection from frosts, and in all cases 
where the Beans are injured it is advisable to have some kind of pro¬ 
tective material, notably branches of Beech trees, in readiness for fixing 
over the rows. Cotton or canvas blinds, mats, and such like might be 
utilised for a similar purpose, and the Beans be kept in a productive 
state for another month. If dwarf Beans have been sown on a warm 
border with a view to protecting them they ought now to be well 
advanced in growth, and should be covered with frames or have benders 
and mats placed over them whenever the nights are cold. Those in 
pitsiand frames should be kept steadily growing, the aim being to 
have them in a productive state during November. Any sown at this 
comparatively late period had better be kept in pots and grown on 
shelves or light stages in forcing houses, much as they are forced in 
the spring. 
Bate Peas.— Late Peas also suffered badly from the frost alluded 
to, this being especially the case with those situated in the lower part 
of a garden. Those on the ridges between Celery trenches and on high 
ground generally were uninjured, and are producing serviceable dishes. 
If they could be protected much as advised in the case of Beans, gather¬ 
ings might very probably be had up to the middle of November. Small 
birds are very troublesome among late Peas, completely marring many 
a good crop. They cannot be scared away, and nothing short of either 
trapping them extensively in the small bird gins supplied by most 
ironmongers, and baited with young Peas, or else of closely netting 
over the rows, will save the crops. Three-quarter-inch mesh netting 
is needed; failing it, use a double thickness of the netting that is 
available. 
Endive. —Good well blanched Lettuce will soon be scarce, and 
Endive will be in demand accordingly. Supposing the more forward 
plants of the latter are nearly fully grown some of them should be 
blanched where they are growing. If the outer leaves are brought up 
well together and kept so by means of raffia ties, the hearts will soon 
blanch, though the process may be further expedited by means of 6-inch 
or larger pots inverted over them and the holes stopped. Endive 
planted out now will scarcely attain to a serviceable size before severe 
frosts set in, but small plants are usually the hardiest and may stand 
through the winter and give fairly good hearts next spring. 
Spinach. —Where the ground was well prepared Spinach sown in 
August came up better than usual. It is the usual practice to thin out 
the plants as the thinnings become large enough to use, but this season 
it may have proved a somewhat risky plan. Nothing but free and early 
thinning out the ordinary round and prickly seeded varieties prevented 
them from running prematurely to seed, but the Victoria being naturally 
later and less given to bolting, fully maintained its credit. Should the 
weather keep mild even the later sowings must be early thinned out, the 
plants at first being left 3 inches apart, finally thinning them to about 
6 inches. If grubs attack the plants they ought to be hunted for and 
destroyed, a pointed stick being the handiest thing for loosening the 
ground and bringing the gruls to light. 
--^ 
& 
JpfcfyiU- 
IE BEE-KEEPER. 
$ 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Home from the Heather. 
I have returned home after nearly six weeks’ stay at the 
Heather, the weather being almost sunless the whole time, accom¬ 
panied with wind and a low temperature never before experienced 
by the oldest natives living. We had more sunshine on the 21st, 
the day I brought my bees home, than all the time I was there put 
together, and, singular to say, the only serene day since December, 
1891. It is little wonder, then, that we envied the fine weather 
said to be prevailing in other parts of the kingdom, where large 
yields of honey have been obtained. We have unfavourable seasons 
frequently, but the present one at the Heather is the worst I have 
had for thirty years. The honey season on the whole is, however, 
better than it was in 1891 or in 1862 either. Taking memory and 
history into account, I find that we have had a succession of un¬ 
favourable summers periodically every thirty years : 1890,1891, 
1892 ; 1860, 1861, 1862 ; 1834, 1835, 1836. 
Monopoly. 
The greatest profit from honey goes into the dealer’s pocket, 
much on the same principle as that from beef and mutton does. 
My pen did some service towards checking in the bud a system of 
honey dealing which, had it succeeded, would have bought all 
the honey in the country at 3d. per lb., and bee-keepers were to be 
thankful for that, as they had no right to expect remuneration for 
