392 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 3, 1887. 
operations it hastens growth considerably ; therefore place fermenting 
materials in the pit in which these in pots are stood on pedestals of 
loose bricks, being careful not to allow the heat about the pots to ex¬ 
ceed 70° to 75°. Suspend the canes in a horizontal position over the 
fermenting material to insure a regular break. Syringe three times a 
day, keeping every part of the house moist by sprinklings in bright 
weather. Vines started at this season require a higher temperature to 
excite the buds than those started later. A temperature of 50° to 55° at 
night and 60° to 65° by day will not be too much to start with. Those 
planted out should have the border inside thoroughly soaked with water 
or liquid manure at 90°. The border or floor of the house should, if 
convenient, be covered 2 feet deep with leaves and stable litter in a state 
of fermentation, occasionally turning the material, as the ammonia 
given out is very beneficial to the Vines. The outside borders must be 
attended to ; if fermenting materials are not obtainable cover with a 
good thickness of leaves, with tarpaulin, shutters, or lights to throw off 
rain or snow. 
Bowes for Starting in, Decemb r .—Complete the pruning as it pro¬ 
motes rest. In pruning two eyes are ample for affording useful bunches, 
but Vines that do not afford bunches as large or so freely as desired 
should be allowed more buds, four to six, according to their vigour ; yet 
with the wood stout and short-jointed the close pruning will mostly 
afford the most satisfactory results, as what is gained in size of bunch 
is lost in size of berry, compactness of bunch, and good finish. A good 
useful bunch of well-coloured, thoroughly ripened Grapes is always 
appreciated, therefore aim at that, as size, whether of bunch or crop, is 
quite secondary. Dress the Vines, cleanse the house, having all in 
good order ready for a start at the proper time. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Hardy Azaleas .—The Ghent and Azalea mollis varieties intended 
for early forcin' may be lifted at once, and placed in suitable pots 
according to their size. If plenty of pots are available, the whole stock 
of plants intended for winter and spring forcing may be safely potted 
now. When the whole of the plants are lifted those not required for 
some time may be plunged outside in a convenient position ready for 
introducing to the various fruit houses as they are cleared for starting, 
or into other structures in which they are eventually to be brought 
forward. Our practice has invariably been, after potting the earliest, 
to lift the remainder ready, and lay them in for potting in succession 
as the pots utilised for Chrysanthemums become vacant. No advantage 
is gained by crowding houses with those required for spring flowering, 
for they are just as well outside, provided the pots are protected from 
frost by ashes or leaves. Rhododendrons may also be lifted and treated 
in the same way, as well as other hardy evergreen flowering shrubs. 
Li acs .—Those that have been plunged in pots may now be lifted 
from the soil, and all the roots that have extended over the edge and 
out of the base of the pots may be cut away. Those needed for early 
work should be left outside until they have been subjected to a good 
frost, which sends the plants quickly and completely to rest. By sub¬ 
jecting these hardy plants to early frosts they start afterwards quickly 
and freely into growth without reverting to undue measures. Young 
stock should be potted at once for next year’s supply of plants, or those 
that were forced late in the season may be pruned back closely, potted 
if they need it, or top-dressed with rich material, and plunged in an 
open sunny position. If these operations are performed early, the plants 
will make a capital growth next season and give little or no trouble in 
watering. Those that are lifted, if the foliage is still fresh upon them, 
should not be pruned before the leaves fall. This will give them a 
chance of making a few fresh roots before the approach of winter. To 
lx; certain of having good flowering arowths another year it is necessary 
to restrict the plants at their roots, for they are liable, especially 
Charles X., to make growths too strong to ripen sufficiently to set flower 
buds. 
Guelder Roses .—The best plants from the stock potted last year 
should be selected for forcing, and the remainder cut close back. It is 
much better to rely upon plants prepared in 5 to 7-inch pots than to lift 
large bushes for forcing. This can be accomplished by striking cuttings 
every year either from young wood early in spring nr from ripened 
wood at this season of the year. If strong one or two-year-old plants 
aie lifted and potted at once in the sizes named, and then plunged, a 
good number of plants of a suitable size for decoration will be the result 
another autumn. Primroses may also be lifted and potted. It is a mis¬ 
take to lift these plants and force them a month or two after they are 
potted. This system is certain to ruin the constitution of plants, or in¬ 
jure them to such an extent that they are useless again until the second 
or third year afterwards. 
Beiitzias .—With the exception of a few young plants lifted every 
autumn the whole of these plants are kept in pots. Young plants may 
be lifted and placed in 5 and 6-inch pots according to their size, and 
then plunged in ashes outside. They should be liberally syringed to 
preserve the foliage as long as possible, and then they will be partially 
established before wint r. As soon as the foliage has fallen they should 
be pruned close back and plunged in cold frames, and if brought for¬ 
ward gently in spring they will make early growth ready for forcing 
.moderately early in the season. If the plants from the general stock 
that have become weakened by forcing have the old soil shaken from 
their roots and repotted in fresh, and then treated the same as advised 
for young plants above, they will thoroughly recruit themselves in a 
season and make excellent plants. If this system is followed periodi¬ 
cally the whole stock can be kept in admirable condition. 
Lily of the Valley. —These, Spiraea japonica, and other similar 
plants used for forcing should be potted without delay, and those 
with small crowns planted for the next season’s supply of plants. 
After potting, the whole of these plants are better outside than in 
until they have been exposed to a good frost. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Evergreens and Conifers for Flower Beds. — Flower beds, espe¬ 
cially when situated near a dwelling house, unless filled with plants of 
some kind, present a very dreary appearance, and even when nothing 
but spring-flowering plants are used they are far from being attractive 
during the winter. Moreover, in many instances the Wallflowers, 
Forget-me-nots, Silenes, Saponarias, Limnanthes, and other biennials 
and perennials are at their best when many families are migrated to 
town. The style of planting that usually gives the greatest satisfaction 
includes ornamental evergreens, bulbous rooted and spring flowering 
plants, and if well carried out the effect is good from the commencement. 
It is somewhat expensive, especially at the outset, all but the biennials 
and such perennials as Alyssums, Arabisis, Aubrietias, Violas, Iberises. 
Primulas, and Polyanthuses having to be purchased. Some of the 
principal nurserymen prepare a variety of Conifers and evergreens 
specially for the decoration of the flower beds during the winter, and 
early in November is a good time for transplanting all and any of 
them. 
Selections of Suitable Plants .—Any of the variegated Aucubas are 
effective, especially in lar^e beds, and we have also largely used varie¬ 
gated Hollies of sorts, those about 2 feet high being very effective, no 
great difficulty being experienced in transplanting them either now or in 
May. The gold and silver variegated Box are of very accommodating 
habit and look well, while the gold and silver variegated Euonymus 
are still more effective. Euonymus radicans variegata is a showy 
edging plant, serviceable alike during winter and summer. The tree 
Ivies (Hedera arborea), both golden and silver, and Vinca elegant- 
issima are very showy, while plants of Yucca recurva are most orna¬ 
mental, and well adapted for the centres of small beds filled with 
dwarf plants. Mahonia aquifolia, Myrtle-leaved Portugal Laurel, 
and even neat plants of common Laurel, may be employed freely 
when large beds have to be filled. Of flowering shrubs the most 
servic able are the dwarf or herbaceous Ericas, Andromeda flori- 
bunda, Kalmia latifolia, Laurustinus, Ligustrum japonicum, and Rho¬ 
dodendrons daphnoides, myrtifolium, ovatum, and Wilsoni. Berried 
plants of Skiminia japonica, Cotoneaster microphylla, and Pernettyas in 
variety are also very ornamental. The best effect, however, is often 
produced by a liberal employment of dwarf Conifers, notably Cupressus 
Lawsoniana erecta viridis, lutea, nana glauca, Cupressus nutkaiinsis, 
Cryptomeria elegans, Juniperus tamariscifolia, Retinosporas ericoides, 
obtusa aurea, nana, plumosa, plumosa argentea, squarrosa, and plumosa 
aurea, Taxus baccata elegantissima, and Thujopsis dolabrata. These 
Conifers can be had in a very dwarf state and most suitable for planting 
in panels or neat designs, and a few about 2 feet high or less are attrac¬ 
tive when dotted among flowering plants. A well planted bed would 
look well throughout the summer, all being amenable to pruning, and 
may, therefore, be kept in good form for several years. If preferred 
they may be removed in April or May, and if properly attended to will 
be available for the beds again when required. The coarser evergreens 
may be planted in mixture or in rings or panels as preferred, and if 
not planted thickly the effect will be further enhanced next spring if 
Narcissi and Hyacinths are interspersed among them. The front or 
margins of these beds ought to be covered with dwarf ornamental 
foliaged or flowering plants, among which dwarf Tulips, Crocuses, Snow¬ 
drops, and Scillas may be distributed. 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
HINTS FOR BEGINNERS. 
FIXING COMB FOUNDATION IN SECTIONS. 
In a recent number of this Journal I described the 
simple plan of suspending sections to the top bar whereby 
any number can be wrought on a hive in one compart¬ 
ment, thus putting the bees on the best footing to make 
the greatest weight in the least time, and providing the 
bee-keeper with the cheapest system of management. I 
now supplement the above by adding that comb founda¬ 
tion can be fixed in sections without more labour than 
dropping the guide into saw cuts in the centre of the 
upright portions of the sections. This plan is very 
handy when bees are situated at a distance from houses 
or workshops, such as when they are at the moors, for 
neither instrument nor melted wax are necessary. 
Should the bee-keeper find that the honey gathered by 
