Arril 18, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
347 
The trees are a sight with flower buds expanding and 
opened blossoms. Ventilation must be freely given consistent with 
safety from frost, it being a good practice to turn the heat on in the 
morning so as to raise the temperature to 50°, and keep it at that with a 
gentle circulation of air, turning off the heat early in the afternoon so as 
to allow of the pipes cooling before night, and the temperature falling to 
ff quite safe, and these conditions ought to be secured 
a er the blossoms expand, with a little air to prevent the deposition of 
moisture through the night on the flowers. If bees do not visit the 
flowers recourse should be had to artificial fertil'sation, either by 
shaking the trees or dusting the flowers when the pollen is ripe with a 
bunch of feathers. Pampas Grass plume, rabbit’s tail mounted on a small 
stick, or camel 8 hair brush, but the best aids to setting are perfectly 
developed blossoms and a genial, well-aerated atmosphere. 
Earliest Forced, Trees in Pots —Early Violet and St. John’s 
are now being succeeded by White Marseilles and Brown Turkey. To 
secure perfect ripening and high quality, watering must be gradually 
reduced and syringing over the trees ceaie, but trees swelling their fruit 
should be assisted with weak liquid manure twice a week and the foliage 
ept clean by syringing at clcsing time, this being discontinued directly 
the fruit gives indications of ripening. A temperature of 60° to 65° at 
night, 70 to 7o by day, advancing to 80° or 85° from sun heat, is 
suitable, closing so as to inert ase to 90°, but air must be afterwards 
admitted so as to allow the pent-up moisture to escape and prevent the 
eposition of moisture on the fruit, which settling on the apex is apt to 
cause its decay. This should be avoided by a circulation of rather warm 
and moderately dry air. 
Early Forced Planted-out Trees. —A mulching of sweet, decayed 
manure about an inch thick is of essential service in encouraging surface 
roots and supplying nourishment not likely to induce grossness. Such 
A moist state and added to frem time to time as 
reduced, will be full of active feeders by the time the trees need most 
assistance in order to perfeet their crops, and substantial food, such as 
superphosphate 5 parts, nitrate of potash 2 parts, and gypsum 1 part, 
mixed, using I oz?. per square yard every three or four weeks or more 
distantly according to requirements, will secure sturdy growth (other 
conditions being favourable), and good results in the first and second 
limited extent and those of short-jointed 
truitful habit will require copious supplies of water or liquid manure, 
■oyringe twice a day in bright weather, occasionally in dull, and maintain 
a genial atmosphere by damping. Ventilate freely in favourable 
weather, with the object of securing stout growth and leathery, healthy 
foliage, kind of shading is injurious and must be guarded against by 
thorough cleanliness, pinching out the young growths and thinning out 
^ • V.. Maintain the temperature at 60° to 65° at 
night, 70 to 75° by day, advancing to 80° or 85° from sun heat, closing 
«o as to run up to 90° on fine afternoons. 
Succe.ssion IIouscs. —Disbudding or thinning the growths, regulating 
the terminal and successional shoots, and stopping the spurs at the fifeh 
1^1 must have timely attention. Afford a light mulching and feed as 
advised m the preceding piaragraph. Maintain the night temperature at 
^ ^®y ^artificially, 70° to 75° from sun heat, which ought 
not ro be exceeded without full ventilation, us it is very important the 
growth be stout and the foliage have good clean substance. When the 
rees are in full leaf the night temperature should be maintained at 60° 
to 65 , 70 by day, allowing to rise to 80° or 85° from sun heat, closing 
early with abundance of moisture. 
• Unlieated Houses. —The trees must have attention in prun- 
least fruitful growths and the old and bare so as to 
altord space for the successional, avoiding overcrowding, as it is neces¬ 
sary the growths have abundance of light and air. Allow the shoots for 
tearing to grow somewhat loosely with their points to the light, 
btopping must-play an important part in cool houses. Pinch at the 
fourth or fifth joint on the young wood, which will assist the swelling 
of the fruit and induce the trees to break and produce short-jointed 
wood from the base^of those in bearing. Ventilate freely at and above 
50 , advancing to 65° from sun heat. The border should have a thorough 
watering if dry, repeating as necessary to bring it into a thoroughly 
moist state, afterwards mulch lightly with short manure. Figs in 
unheated houses do not require nearly so much moisture as those in 
heated structures, but an occasional damping will be necessary to main- 
arn a genial condition of the atmosphere, ventilating freely on all 
favourable occasions, especially in the early part of fine days so as to 
secure sturdy, short-jointed wood and well developed leathery foliage. i 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
•^**®*'“antheras.—Where large numbers of these are used, now is 
e time to insert cuttings. Pits or frames just cleared of Violets are 
j ^Turn out some of the soil, form a shallow mild 
hotbed, and cover with 4 inches of fine light soil, facing this with sharp 
frames close till the soil is well warmed, then if there 
18 no likelihood of overheating, put in the cuttings. Every little piece 
will grow, and they may be dibbled in 3 inches apart each way. Kept 
close, shaded-from bright sunshine, uniformly moist and matted over 
during cold nights, all will root in a week and develop into good plants. 
1 hey ought to be duly hardened and moved direct to the beds. Smaller 
numbers may be rooted in shallow boxes, placing these in a warm house 
or frame. 
• u^*^**^**** Coleuses.—There is yet time for raising these 
richly coloured summer bedding plants. The tops may be rooted in pits 
and frames much as advised in the case of Alternantheras, or they may 
be rooted in pots or pans in propagating frames, transferring them to 
small pots or boxes after they are rooted. Not till the middle of May 
should there be any hardening, the second week in June being early 
enough for planting. 
Perllla nanklnensls. —This annual still finds favour with many 
as a bedding plant, and succeeds well in the back rows of ribbon 
borders, affording a good foil to variegated Pelargoniums and shrubby 
Calceolarias. It grows rapidly, a,nd if seeds are thinly sown at once in 
pans or boxes, and placed in a warm frame or other heated structure and 
shaded from bright sunshine, germination will soon take place. They 
may be planted direct from the seed pans or boxes. 
Bedding- Beet.— When not grown too strongly the bronze purple 
leaves of Beet prove very effective either in masses, patches, or lines. 
Dell’s Crimson is a suitable variety, and in poor soil may be sown in 
front of lines or as an edging to Calceolarias and tall-growing Zonal 
Pelargoniums. Late in April or early in May is a good time to sow the 
seeds where the plants are to grow, or the seeds may be sown in boxes 
under glass, and transplanting be resorted to. The stronger growing 
Chilian or Brazilian Beet is more fit for new shrubberies or for grouping 
in large beds. It is the richly coloured midribs and stalks that make 
these ornamental, and the colours are most pronounced when the plants 
are grown in rather poor soil. 
Rlclnuses.— Seeds of these germinate in less than a week, and 
when raised very early the plants are almost certain to become leggy 
and starved. R. cambodgensis and R. Gibsoni are of a sturdy habit of 
growth, seldom exceeding a height of 4 feet, in colour are of a deep 
purple, and are the best for the centre of a large bed or for growing 
singly among flowering plants. Sow the seeds singly in 4-inch pots, 
and place in brisk heat. Directly the plants are up set them on a shelf 
near to the roof glass. By the middle of May they will be ready for 
cooler quarters, and hardening will be complete by the second week in 
June. 
B.maranthuses. —A. melancholicus ruber is sometimes used as a 
substitute for Iresine Herbsti, while the more elegant, taller-growing 
A. nobilis pyramidalis, A. salicifolius, and A. tricolor are very effective as 
“ dot ” plants in mixed beds. Unfortunately all are very tender. Seeds 
may be sown now, and will germinate quickly in a brisk heat. They 
may, where at all crowded, be pricked out in other boxes of light soil, or 
in the case of the taller growers be placed singly in 3-inch or rather 
larger pots, keeping them in a light warm position till wed established 
:n their fresh quarters. 
Marlg^olds.— African and French Marigolds are very effective in 
mixed borders, and the Tagetes, or miniature forms of the latter, are 
very good substitutes for shrubby Calceolarias. Sow the seeds now 
thinly in boxes, and place in gentle heat to germinate. Transfer to 
cooler quarters before the plants become leggy, and if the latter are not 
crowded there will be no necessity to prick them out in other boxes or 
frames, as they transplant readily without much soil being preserved 
about the roots. 
Zinnia Haageana Imbrlcata flore-pleno. —This is a capital 
substitute for yellow Calceolarias, and is particularly effective in ribbon 
borders. Late in April is quite soon enough to sow seeds. Pans or 
boxes of good light soil should be used and the seeds be sown thinly, 
giving the benefit of a little heat. Sometimes they are planted out 
direct from the pans or boxes, but if at all crowded should be first 
pricked out in other boxes or beds of soil. 
Miniature Sunflo-wers.— What is known as the New Miniature 
ought to be grown everywhere, and in particular where cut flowers are 
in demand. The plant is of a very branching habit of growth, attaining 
to a height of 3 feet or thereabouts. The flowers are small, single, 
yellow in colour with a dark centre, and borne on long slender foot¬ 
stalks. Sow the seeds thinly in pans or boxes in gentle heat, harden in 
good time, and plant where they are to flower. Any of the taller 
growing varieties may be similarly treated. 
m BEE-KBEPER. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Season in Prospective. 
Are we to have a good honey season ? is a question more 
easily asked than answered. Generally speaking, flowers and bees 
come simultaneously. In one sense the present year may not be 
an exceptional one, but the fact cannot be disguised that hives, as 
a rule, are not more than one-third the strength they were two 
months ago. Since Christmas north-westerly and north-easterly 
winds have prevailed, consequently we have not as yet had a single 
genial spring day. The bees have not obtained more than a few 
minutes at a time to fly, and many which went out never returned, 
the ground everywhere within range of the flight being thickly 
strewn with chilled bees. This is the story of every bee-keeper I 
hear from. 
There is this hope ; all hives well provisioned are furnished 
with much brood and many joung bees, and the loss of adult bees 
