January ?4,1893. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
83 
which is preferable to potting the plants. Cover the pots with a pane 
of glass, which hastens germination, but remove it as soon as the plants 
appear. The plants, whether Cucumbers or Melons, from a sowing 
made early in February will be ready to plant out early in March. 
Cucumbers in Houses .—Secure a night temperature of 65°, 5° more 
in mild weather, whilst it may fall to 60° on very cold nights, 70° to 75° 
by day from fire heat, and 80° to 85° or 90° with sun heat. When the 
external air is mild a little ventilation may be given at 80°, closing 
before the temperature is reduced below that degree, and so as to raise 
it to 90° to 95° or 100° in the early part of the afternoon. If, on the 
other hand, the external air is cold, although the sun shines, it is better to 
allow the temperature to advance a little beyond the limits named than 
to admit air, which cripples the foliage and causes the fruit to become 
stunted. Plants in bearing will require to be attended to about twice a 
week for the removal of all weakly and exhausted growths, reserving 
sufficient young bearing wood for filling the allotted space without 
crowding, stopping the shoots at one or two joints beyond the fruit. 
Young plants coming into bearing should not be allowed to bear too 
soon, and by no means be overcropped. They are greatly assisted by 
removing tendrils and superfluous flowers as they appear. Let the root 
moisture be governed by the condition of the soil and requirements of 
the plants. Avoid overwatering, as it is moisture in an aerified state 
that is needed for healthy growth, a sodden soil producing nothing but 
evil. When vigour is needed supply liquid manure in a tepid state, 
top-dressing with a little fresh loam and an approved fertiliser to 
accelerate surface rooting and an abundance of active feeders. Except 
•on fine days syringing should not be practised over the foliage, a light 
sprinkling on bright afternoons being beneficial. Damping the fioor 
and similar surfaces in the morning, afternoon, and evening—about 
8 A.M., 2 and 5 P.M —will give all the moisture necessary in ordinary 
iveather. Keep a sharp look out for aphides, and fumigate moderately 
and carefully on two consecutive evenings, or preferably late at night 
and in the early morning. If mildew appears apply flowers of sulphur 
promptly, brushing a little on the hot-water pipes in case of attack 
from white fly or lel spider, and rub quicklime well into any parts 
affected with canker. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Hotbeds for Propagating: Purposes. —Propagating cases over 
hot-water pipes have largely superseded the old-fashioned hotbeds for 
propagating purposes, but it is doubtful if the results are generally so 
satisfactory. The moist, genial heat of a hotbed of well prepared 
manure and leaves is yet unsurpassed for raising plants from seeds or 
cuttings in glass-covered boxes. When the bottom heat is in the form 
of a tank set on hot-water pipes a moist heat is generated, while if the 
pipes pass through a brick and cement tank still more vapour arises. 
In each and every case the glass should be wiped dry every morning, 
the drip from this, if allowed to take place, proving fatal to either 
cuttings or seedlings. 
Tuberous-rooted Begonias. —It is a mistake to start old tubers 
very early if cuttings are wanted for raising plants for bedding out. 
Keep them dry and cool. There should be no delay, however, 
in sowing seed of the best bedding strains. They can be had in 
separate colours as well as in mixtures. The seed is very minute, 
and more than ordinary pains have to be taken with it in order 
to be sure of germination. Six-inch pots or pans should be well 
drained and fllled with fine sandy loam rather than peat or leaf 
soil, in which insects abound ; make it firm, and level, giving a 
gentle watering a short time prior to sowing the seed. On no account 
surface over the soil with silver sand, as this does not afford the neces¬ 
sary roothold for the tiny seedlings. Sow the seed evenly, and do not 
cover with either soil or sand. Plunge the pots in a gentle bottom heat, 
cover with squares of glass, and darken with a covering of moss. The 
moist heat will obviate the necessity for frequent waterings ; in fact, 
there ought to be no sprinklings after sowing, as these are almost 
certain to disturb the seed. At the same time the soil must not be 
allowed to become dry, and when approaching dryness the pans or pots 
should be partially immersed in a bucket or tank of warm water, the 
moisture soaking upwards. Worms ought to be kept oat of the soil. 
When the seeds are bursting is a very critical lime, a few minutes’ 
exposure to bright sunshine or dry heat spoiling them. The removal of 
the shading ought, therefore, to be gradual, and some of it to be returned 
on bright mornings. By good culture seedlings raised now or early in 
February should be large enough for the flower beds early in June. 
Fibrous-rooted Begonias. —The white and pink flowering forms 
of B. semperflorens are suitable for bedding, but the crimson variety is 
even more so ; the bronzed foliage is also effective. These all come 
true from seed, and are more easily raised than the tuberous-rooted 
section. B. Carrier!, a neat-growing, very floriferous white variety, is 
well adapted for bedding, raising the stock from cuttings made from 
young shoots, and the same may be said of the old B. weltoniensis, both 
the foliage and flowers finding many admirers. 
Bedding Iiobellas. —The dwarf kinds, notably well-selected strains 
of L. speciosa, are still indispensable as edging plants, and should be 
raised by hundreds or thousands, according to circumstances. They 
may be depended on to come true from seed, and this should be sown 
at once, very much as advised in the case of tuberous Begonias. Avoid 
sowing very thickly, as when crowded the seedlings are liable to damp 
off. Where the seed was sown in the autumn, and many thousands of 
plants are raised thus early, the seedlings ought soon to be pricked out 
other boxes being filled with them later on. Stock plants of named 
in pans or boxes of fine soil, especially should there be any signs 
of damping. They may be pricked out rather thickly, frames or 
varieties that are to be propagated from by either cuttings or division 
ought never to be exposed to much dry heat, as this dries up the young 
roots that form above the soil, spoiling the plants for division, also 
hardening the young growths, rendering them unfit for making into 
cuttings, as it causes them to fiower early. Every little piece with a 
few roots attached will, if dibbled in boxes or pans of good soil and 
placed in a moderately brisk heat, soon become established, and by 
bedding out time have developed into good stocky plants. Quite soft 
tops will root freely in propagating or other frames over a fairly brisk 
bottom heat. Lobelias cardinalis and Victoria are perennials, and tall 
growing. These also may be raised from seed sown now, but they are 
best raised in June or July. Store plants, whether in pots or lifted from 
the beds, ought not to be subjected to much fire heat. Kept in a green¬ 
house or a pit they will duly push up numerous suckers, and it is then 
when division should take place. 
Verbenas. —Seedlings are stronger growing than cutting-raised 
plants, and as a rule are only suitable for planting in beds by them¬ 
selves, a packet of seed giving many excellent varieties. Sow at once in 
sandy loam in heat. Occasionally the seed germinates quickly, while at 
other times it is slow in moving, and the pots or pans ought not, there¬ 
fore, to be hastily emptied under the impression that the seed has failed. 
Verbenas are among the first to suffer from too much fire heat. In by¬ 
gone days they were kept in better condition, and gave great numbers 
of succulent clean cuttings when wintered in pits and frames than has 
been the case since the store plants have been kept in heated houses 
through the winter. If good stocks of the long fieshy roots of V. venosa 
have been stored these may be cut into short lengths of two joints 
and dibbled thickly in boxes of light soil. The greater portion of 
these will form serviceable plants in due time. 
Hollyhocks.—If old clumps have been kept through the winter, 
these if started in gentle heat will soon push up numbers of shoots, all 
of which could be taken off with a heel when about i inches long and 
rooted in heat. Where, however, disease ruins the old plants or any 
raised from cuttings, seedlings should be tried. If the seed is sown now 
in pans and placed in heat it will quickly germinate, and the seedlings 
being first pricked out in pans and boxes, then placed singly in 3-inch 
pots, and from these finally shifted into 6-inch, using a rich loamy com¬ 
post, fine healthy plants will be ready for the borders by the middle of 
May. All may not throw up flower spikes the same summer, but the 
greater portion will do so, and some good varieties be had among them. 
IE BEE-KEEPER!^ 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Consumption of Stores. 
Many inquiries have reached me concerning the safety of hives. 
Some point to a few dead bees on the alighting boards ; others to 
bees flying and losing themselves in the snow ; and in one instance 
the entrance is choked with dead bees. 
Since Christmas my bees have never been observed on the wing. 
Although I have been outside very little I have had reliable 
information conveyed to me as to external appearances, and can see 
from the window the fronts of a few of my hives. Most of them 
have from one to a dozen dead bees on their alighting board. I regard 
these as a sure proof that the bees within are alive and healthy, 
due to internal dryness, which gives comfort and health to the bees. 
The absence of dead bees on the floors or closing the entrances 
is entirely due to the ventilating metal floor being free from damp, 
unlike the solid floors, which are often damp and fatal to bees when 
they come into contact with them during cold weather. Hives so 
constructed have generally much moisture on the sides, and combs 
soon become mouldy. The temperature of a damp hive being 
much lower than a dry one the bees consume more food, conse¬ 
quently become restless and fly in an enfeebled condition when they 
ought to be resting in comfort within their hives. All my hives, 
except one that was diseased in the autumn, have ample stores to 
tide them over till honey can be gathered. The weak hive began 
to breed and feed a week before Christmas, and I am hoping to 
bring it through by close attention. Still, although I left my hives 
extra heavy, and some with their surplus untouched, they con¬ 
sumed more honey in the mild November and December than they 
would had the temperature in these months been lower. 
Other bee-keepers have done the same, and those hives having 
under 15 lbs. of food at the start may be on the verge of starva¬ 
tion. In all cases where a shortness of stores is suspected, feed 
liberally the first night after the bees have had a flight. If weak, 
nurse rather than feed, and keep the crown of the hive oyer the 
bees well covered with porous material, and give them no induce¬ 
ment to fly until the flowers invite them forth. 
Repairs and Improvements. 
Note every defect, and make arrangements to have them 
remedied before another winter, as well as to have any improvement 
