502 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ December 8, 1887. 
to start u. ore plants at this season than are absolutely necessary, as the 
fruit will come up moie readily a month hence and be much stronger. 
Continue former instructions as to temperature, Ac., but in very severe 
weather a fall of a few degrees in the temperature is preferable to extra 
sharp firing, and wherever practicable a covering placed on the glass at 
such times will be desirable, being a saving of fuel and better for the 
health of the plants. 
Peaches and Nectarines. — Earliest Forced House. —With the 
buds swelling and advancing for flowering the atmosphere must not be 
kept nearly so close, as it is important that the blossom come on steadily 
and have time to develope a strong flower, perfect in all its parts. A little 
ventilation should be given constantly, and above 50° it should .be in¬ 
creased correspondingly with the temperature, but not allowing a de¬ 
cline below 50° in the daytime, sufficient artificial heat being employed 
for that purpose, and with sun heat an advance may be allowed to 05°,* 
closing for the day before the temperature has receded to 55°. A 
temperature of 40° to 45° is ample at night, or in mild weather 50°. When 
the blossoms are advanced so that the anthers are showing in the petals 
cease syringing the trees, but afford a moderate amount of moisture by 
damping available surfaces, as borders, paths, &c.,in the morning and 
early afternoon. Avoid a moist, close, stagnant atmosphere with a high 
temperature at night. Make sure that there is no deficiency of moisture 
in the inside borders. If necessary supply tepid water or liquid 
manure. Moistening the surface is only waste of time ; afford 
enough to moisten the soil through to the drainage. Weakly blossoms 
and failures in setting are often a consequence of moisture being given 
the tops of the trees instead of their roots. If there be a superabun¬ 
dance of blossom remove that on the under or back of the trellis by 
drawing the hand contrary to the growth. It will materially assist the 
swelling and strengthen the remaining flowers. 
Second Forced House. —This may be the first in some establishments. 
It is that from which fruit is to be gathered in May and early June, and 
to which fire heat will be applied about the new year. It must be 
closed at once, fire heat only being used to exclude frost, the trees being 
sprinkled in the morning and early afternoon, allowing time for them 
to become fairly dry before night. Nothing is so enfeebling as keeping 
the trees constantly dripping with moisture, especially at night. Do / 
not allow the temperature to exceed 50° without full ventilation. Soak 
inside borders with tepid water or liquid manure, and protect those 
outside with dry leaves or bracken and a little long litter, allowing a 
slope to the front, so as to throw off cold rains and snow. Some tar¬ 
paulin or spare lights would be an advantage. 
Succession Houses. —Proceed with the pruning, bringing matters in 
respect of cleansing the house and trees to as speedy a conclusion as 
practicable. If the houses have fixed roof-lights ventilate to the fullest 
•extent in all but very severe weather. It is much the best plan to re¬ 
move the roof-lights and expose the trees to the elements for the winter. 
Even the latest and unheated houses should be treated that way. We 
find the best results attend that method of procedure. Trees even that 
are liable to cast their buds, such as Noblesse, retain them, and attain 
to a much finer development of flowers than attends trees that are kept 
■constantly evaporating from the young wood through the time they are 
at rest by fixed roofs. The fogs, drizzling rains, and damp of November 
and December, with the drenching rains and snow, seem to suit Peaches, 
the tre s being invigorated and the soil enriched. 
PLANT HOUSE3. 
Tree Carnations. —The earliest of these plants that have flower buds 
In a prominent condition should have a light position where the tempe¬ 
rature at night will not fall below 50°. Under this treatment they will 
continue to develope their flowers. A circulation of air should be main¬ 
tained daily when the weather is favourable to prevent the plants being 
drawn up weakly. Later plants, or those for spring flowering, must 
also occupy a light airy position with a temperature's 0 to 10° lower. 
Allow the plants to stand upon some moist base, and water them care¬ 
fully. A little artificial manure may be applied to the surface of the 
soil of all that have the pots full of roots. Watch for aphides, which 
are very liable to make their appearance at this season of the year, and 
are readily destroyed by fumigating them with tobacco. Such varieties 
as Souvenir de la Malmaison, Gloire de Nancy, and others of a similar 
nature required for later flowering should be kept cool. 
Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora .—-Plants that are established in 
pots may be pruned close back, leaving only one joint of the current 
season’s wood. The surface 6oil may be removed and the plants top- 
dressed with loam and one-third of decayed manure. If any of the pots 
are small in comparison to the size of the plants, transfer them into 
pots a size larger. For this purpose use good loam, a little sand, and 
one-seventh of manure. The soil should be pressed firmly into the pots, 
which should then be plunged in cold frames until it is necessary to 
start them into growth. 
Hydrangea hortensis. —Where this and its varieties are grown in 
quantity for conservatory and other forms of decoration, they should 
now be dwarf, sturdy, and well ripened in 21-inch pots. Those required 
for early flowering—in fact the whole stock, may be transferred to 4 and 
5-inch pots in which they are intended to flower. This operation is 
frequently deferred until they start into growth or show their flowers. 
At that season of the year many things require immediate attention, and 
work that can be done now should not be delayed. We have always 
found them flower and do equally as well when potted during autumn 
or winter as they have when the work has been done some months later. 
If the plants have been properly treated none of them should exceed 
3 inches in height. The stem in potting can be considerably reduced by 
placing them as low in the pots as possible. One good crock at the base 
will be ample. The soil should be the same as advised for H. paniculata, 
and pressed firmly into the pots. This is important, and will prevent 
their running up more than 9 inches or 1 foot in height when the heads 
are fully expanded, provided they are treated right in other respects. 
After potting, plunge the pots amongst ashes in cold frames until they 
have enjoyed a good rest, when those for early flowering may be started 
close to the glass in a vinery or Peach house. 
Hoses. —Hybrid Perpetuals required for early flowering may now be 
pruned back closely, and placed in vineries, Peach houses, or any cool 
structures for a few weeks until growth commences, when they may be 
assisted by gentle heat. Avoid the use of too much fire heat, or they 
will lengthen out weakly, and their flowers will be small and poor. The 
temperature should not exceed 55° at night, and this only on mild occa¬ 
sions. The remainder of the stock may be lifted from the plunging 
material outside and placed in cold frames. Tea varieties in pots that 
have been standing in cool houses for the last month will be showing 
signs of growing. Introduce these into a temperature of 50°, and they 
will commence flowering freely by Christmas. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Lily of the Valley. —No border flowers better repay for good cul¬ 
tivation than these. Left crowded for many years in narrow borders 
they naturally flower very indifferently, both as regards the quality and 
quantity of the spikes. Some people imagine they have an inferior 
variety, but if they went the right way to work they would soon find 
theirs would equal the best imported clumps or crowns. They are of 
very accommodating habit, and will bear replanting at almost any time. 
We prefer to do it at this rather slack time of year. A good length 
of bed is forked over and the crowns divided, the plumpest and best 
being principally laid on one side for forcing and flowering in pots, 
pans, or boxes. Those replanted are spread out thinly on well prepared 
ground, usually in a cool part of the kitchen garden, and covered with 
about 2 inches of good soil. This lifting and replanting does not 
interfere with the flowering, and the new beds are fit for lifting again 
in about three seasons. Both new and old beds may with advantage 
receive a mulching of old Mushroom bed refuse or leaf soil at the 
present time. 
Herbaceous Borders .—These being duly cleaned, but not dug— 
this being better or more safely done after the bulbs are more through 
the ground—the next thing to be done is affording some kind of 
protection to the more delicate species. Delphiniums, Phloxes, Poten- 
tillas, Spiraeas, Japanese Anemones, Pyrethrums, Tradescantias, Achilleas, 
and Asters are with us quite hardy, but even these are benefited by a 
mulching of leaf soil, ashes, spent tan, cocoa-nut fibre, or strawy 
manure, and many other species absolutely require it. It should be 
mounded up well round the plants, but not so as to smother any leafy 
growth there may be. Choice Hollyhocks, border Chrysanthemums, and 
Pyrethrums are liable to be cleared off by slugs, and it is the wisest 
plan to pot a portion or all of these plants, wintering them in cold 
frames. 
PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPING.—No. 24. 
Past care ensures future success. If a large surplus 
of either honey in the comb or extracted is desired too 
much attention can hardly be given to the winter prepara¬ 
tion of those stocks which are expected to yield the harvest. 
With more care and attention bestowed on stocks in early 
autumn less would be heard of bad years, and in very 
many instances a large increase in the average weight of 
honey taken would be gained. It is not necessary to 
“ coddle ” bees in the cold months of the year, but it is 
most essential to keep them as dry as possible, to give 
them sufficient ventilation without draught, to leave them 
a good supply of food, and to see that every stock has 
sufficient bees to insure not only that it will live through 
the winter, but that in spring it will be strong, ready for 
the harvest, enough to work in supers or give a large 
swarm early in May without extraordinary care and 
preparation being bestowed upon it. Strong stocks kept 
dry will winter under otherwise most unfavourable con¬ 
ditions, but even the strongest stock will often entirely 
succumb, or at least receive grievous damage, if there is a 
hole in the roof through which the damp can percolate. 
The one great essential to success in wintering is a cover¬ 
ing which, while admitting a free circulation of air above 
