January 11,1894, 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
39 
Late Grapes. —These are best removed to a dry room, where they 
will keep quite as well or better as if left on the Vines. The bunches 
should be cut with as much wood as can be spared, and placed in bottles 
filled with rain water, with a few pieces of charcoal in each, which will 
render any organic matter innocuous. The bottles should be fixed in 
an inclined position, so as to admit of the bunches hanging clear of the 
sides, and they may be as far apart as not to allow the bunches to touch 
each other. Keep the temperature of the room at about 45°, examining 
the bunches occasionally for decayed berries, which should be carefully 
removed. The Vines should then be pruned after keeping cool for a 
day or two, dressing the cuts with French polish, patent knotting, or 
other approved preparation as a safeguard against bleeding; also 
thoroughly cleanse the house. Admit air freely in favourable weather, 
striving to give the Vines as long and complete rest as possible. If the 
borders are unsatisfactory lift the roots of the Vines, clear out the bad 
soil, rectify the drainage, and relay the roots in fresh sweet compost 
within 1 foot of the surface, and the fibry ones not deeper than 3 inches. 
Where the Vines are planted inside, and have inside and outside borders, 
the renovation may be accomplished without loss of crop by renewing 
the former one year and the latter the year following. 
Flgrs.— Early Forced, Trees in Pots. —The temperature should now, 
for trees started in November, be increased to 60° at night, and 65° by 
day by artificial means, 70° to 55° with sun heat, commencing to venti¬ 
late at 70°, closing at 75°, and if the temperature rise 5° to 10° it will 
be an advantage, provided it is due to sun heat. Avoid, however, a 
high temperature by artificial means, for it tends to attenuate and 
weaken the growths, and this is unfavourable to the first and second 
crops of fruit. The sturdier and shorter jointed the young shoots can 
be kept the greater will be the chances of a satisfactory early crop. 
Syringe the house and trees twice a day—in the morning, and again at 
closing time in bright weather ; but when dull, sprinkle the floor, pit 
sides, and walls, as a saturated atmosphere at such times is unfavour¬ 
able to a sturdy fruitful habit. As the fermenting material settles 
firmly about the pots add more fresh leaves, bringing them nearer to 
the rims, taking care that the heat about the pots does not exceed 70° 
to 75°. Water the trees as required with liquid manure, always before 
the soil becomes dry. Neglect of water for once only will cause the 
entire collapse of the first crop. Place some turves about 2 inches thick, 
grass side downwards, as already advised for “ Vines in pots,” filling the 
circular dish with rich compost. Sprinkle a little superphosphate on 
the turves, and surface dressing occasionally, and water the turves with 
liquid manure, so as to keep them moist. Stop the growth at the fifth 
leaf, especially if it is necessary for inducing a bushy habit, but avoid 
crowding the trees with growths and foliage that cannot receive plenty 
of light. 
Planted-o^it Ely Trees to Ripen Fruit in May, —The house contain¬ 
ing the planted-out trees for this purpose would be started at the new 
year, or if not, there should be no delay in setting the house to work. 
The border will need thoroughly moistening through, after which the 
surface may be covered about 2 inches thick with short manure. The 
roots will extend from the collar into this, especially if the mulch be 
rather thicker there; and if the border be narrow and shallow some 
turfy loam and old mortar rubbish may be mixed with the manure. 
This will favour surface rooting, and it will be still further accelerated 
and growth sustained, both in the wood and fruit, by sprinkling a good 
handful of the following mixture on each square yard every fortnight 
or three weeks :—Bone superphosphate four parts, powdered saltpetre 
two parts, ground gypsum one part, mix, and keep dry. The surfaces 
of the house and trees will require an occasional syringing, but avoid 
damping the trees in very dull weather, yet maintain a genial atmosphere 
by sprinkling available surfaces when they become dry. Maintain a 
night temperature of 50°, 55° from fire heat by day, and from 60° to 65° 
with sun heat, ventilating freely from that temperature and losing no 
opportunity of effecting a change of air daily. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Comb Foundation. 
It is now thirty-two years since comb foundation was intro¬ 
duced from Germany to this country, and from that time, being the 
first to manufacture it, I have employed it in my hives extensively. 
There is no wonder then that I should be constantly appealed to 
regarding its use by so many bee-keepers. At one time I 
recommended full sheets of foundation in super and in the hive ; 
but I have modified my views and practice. Then sugar in some 
places was as high as 8d. per lb., and inferior at 6d., now the very 
finest of sugar can be had from 2d. to 2jd. per lb. Although I 
recorded in these pages that it was most profitable to use full sheets 
in supers, I soon experienced that if delicate samples of honey¬ 
comb were to be produced, and our reputation for superior produce 
was to be maintained, full sheets would have to be abandoned, and 
for thirty years I have used narrow starters not more than half an 
inch broad, and will not use broader ones, even at the risk of 
getting much less honey. I have also modified my views a little in 
some instances connected with the hive proper, and it is here 
most queries are concerned. 
For the benefit of novices, I advise them to use comb founda¬ 
tion economically and profitablj’^ ; certain conditions of bees, 
weather, and season, have to be taken into account. It is 
impossible to lay down one mode of management in its use 
without alternatives. For example, with the honey flow on, and 
having a large swarm of bees, I approve of having the frames of 
the hive filled with foundation. On the other hand, if the honey 
flow was not on, or the weather being inauspicious, or it being a 
swarm of driven bees at the end of the season, I approve of starters 
only, because in such cases sugar produces combs cheaper than comb 
foundation, with the advantage that eggs will not be destroyed 
but hatched into healthy bees, while drone comb, especially in the 
latter case, will not be built. In the case of nuclei and after 
swarms, a portion of what the bees can cover need only have 
full sheets for a time, until the cluster of bees outgrow the 
combs. If in the height of the honey season, try to prevent 
drone comb being built ; circumstances encourage the bees to 
build drone comb, and not the inclination of the queen or the 
variety of bees. After the honey season is past, no normal hive 
of bees will build drone combs ; therefore they may be encouraged 
to fill their hive by feeding, or by transferring filled frames from 
hives not intended for stocks to those that are. 
A little study of the above matters will enable novices in a very 
short time to know when it is best to supply foundation or when 
to withhold it, the great object being to assist Nature, and to check 
superabundance of drone combs with the least possible outlay. 
Fruitless discussions have been engaged in regarding the advantages 
of giving comb foundation when the bees had wax secreted in their 
abdomens. Bees cannot secrete at one time as much wax as is 
necessary to fill the hive with combs. When they are prepared to 
build combs by having much wax secreted in the segments of their 
abdomen, it is all the more profitable to increase foundation ; but, 
again, during the working and breeding season bees are always 
more or less secreting wax, as it is required not only for the 
building and sealing of honeycombs, as well as for brood combs. 
Some bees also employ much of it instead of propolis.—A Lanark¬ 
shire Bee-keeper. 
■'>,j-AlI correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
Editor ’’ or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to 
Dr. Hogg or members of the staff often remain unopened 
unavoidably. We request that no one will write privately 
to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to 
unjustifiable trouble and expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 
relating to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should 
never send more than two or three questions at once. All 
articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of 
the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, 
and we do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Odontoglossum Insleayl leopardlnum (^Tom Jones'), — This 
Orchid requires similar treatment to that usually accorded the other 
species named in your letter. It is not advisable to keep it in too high 
a temperature, and water must be judiciously applied during the winter. 
The XVXummy Pea (AT. J. P.). —We are astonished that such 
absurd notions as you cite, about seeds never dying but flourishing 
irrespective of age, are not extinct. The Mummy Pea story is a myth. 
The wily Arabs impose on travelleis by selling seeds falsely stated to 
have been obtained from ancient tombs, and find wonder-seeking 
customers for their wares. 
Analysis of Vine (^E. IF.). — Ash in 100 parts, 2 62 ; potash, 
27'88 ; soda, 8’96 ; magnesia, 6‘61 ; lime, 36*26 ; phosphoric acid, 13'18 ; 
sulphuric acid, 2 70; silica, 088; iron, 212;- chloride of soda, 1'39. 
This is of continental vineyards. Grapes : Potash, 63*14 ; soda, 0*40 ; 
magnesia, 3 97 ; lime, 9 05 ; iron, 0 06 ; phosphoric acid, 10'42 ; sulphuric 
acid, 5*61 ; silicic acid, 4 11 ; albuminoides, 0 7 ; mineral matter, 0'4. 
Pickled Timber for Footpaths In Hothouses (IF. L. B,),— 
The timber having been pickled in petroleum or tar refuse (bye-products) 
will continue to emit fumes injurious to vegetation for a considerable 
time, especially when the sun heat is powerful, and the damage done to 
the plants will be most pronounced when the houses are kept warm and 
close. If you take the racks outside, and wash them well with hot 
water and soap, the smell will in a great measure be subdued. Use 
4 ozs. of softsoap to a gallon of water, scrub well, and rinse with boiling 
water. The black varnish would subdue the smell, but only temporarily. 
