204 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r August CO, 1888. 
I 
autumn rains, which we have invariably found to have an invigorating 
effect on the trees. Trees that ripened their fruit in August should, as 
6Qon as the fruit is cleared, have the wood that has carried fruit not 
being extensions removed, and any wood not required for next year's 
bearing, or for the extension of the trees or replacing weakly and 
exhausted parts, also cut away. This will admit of the freer access of 
light and air, and of the cleansing of the foliage by water, or insecticide 
if necessary, it being important that the foliage be continued in a 
healthy state to as late a period as practicable for the perfecting of 
the buds and the maturity of the wood. Air should be admitted to 
the fullest possible extent. If, however, any trees are not ripening 
well, keep the house rather close by day and throw it open at night, 
which will tend to check the tendency to late growth and induce 
maturity both of the buds and wood. There must not be any lack 
of moisture at the roots, giving a good watering if necessary, or trees 
that are weakly will be assisted in plumping the buds with liquid 
manure, not, however, in too powerful doses. Trees ripeninr their 
fruit will need to have water withheld from it, and besides affording 
a due supply at the roots moisture must not be entirely withheld from the 
atmosphere ; an occasional damping of available surfaces, especially on 
fine days, will be necessary for the maintenance of the foliage in health. 
If the weather be cold and wet a gentle warmth in the pipes, especially 
by day, so as to admit of a circulation of air, will be necessary for the 
satisfactory ripening of the fruit. A temperature of 60° to 65° at night 
will be sufficient, and 70° to 75° by day artificially in order to a steady 
progress of the fruit in ripening, air being afforded more or less con¬ 
stantly. If the fruit ripens too rapidly, as may be the case if the 
weather prove very bright, a shading over the roof lights of a single 
thickness of pilchard net, or a double one of herring net, will break the 
fierce rays of the sun, and not only retard the ripening but insure the 
fruit finishing more satisfactorily than when exposed to the direct rays 
of the sun. 
Latest Houses .—The fruit is very backward. Artificial heat will be 
necessary, affording a night temperature of 60° to 65° and 70° to 75° by 
day, and 80° to 85° or 90° from sun heat. Admit air freely, increasing 
it with the advancing temperature from 75°, keeping through the day 
from sun heat at 80° to 85°, and closing sufficiently early to continue 
the temperature at a good heat until late in the afternoon, when a little 
air should be admitted to allow the pent-up moisture to escape, and no 
more heat need be in the hot water than necessary to prevent the tem¬ 
perature falling below 60° to 65°. Watering at the roots must only be 
moderate, though sufficient to maintain the foliage in a healthy state. 
The growth is unusually vigorous, and gross wood is likely to be made 
until a late period. Syringe only to keep the foliage clean, and always 
so as to have the trees dry, or nearly so, before night. Damping at 
dosing time will in most cases be sufficient, and will permit evaporation 
to continue, insuring the elaboration and assimilation of the sap, and 
the increased solidification of the wood. Laterals must be stopped, as 
that is preferable to removing many shoots, which is prolific of gumming, 
causing other and soft growths to be made. 
Unheated Houses .—Keep the inside borders duly watered, but avoid 
anything like a superabundance of either water or liquid manure, and 
syringe no more than is necessary to keep the foliage clean. Cut 
out any gross growths so as to equalise the flow of the sap, having 
the growths sufficiently thin to admit the full action of light and 
air. Keep the fruit exposed with its apex to the light. Leave a 
little air on at night, and by moderate and judicious early opening and 
early closing of the ventilators secure to the trees as much of the solar 
heat as is safe, 80° to 85° not being too much. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Greenhouse Rhododendrons .—Considerable care is needed to pre¬ 
vent those that have completed their growth starting again. They 
are much more liable to do this than either Azaleas or Camellias. 
Harden them thoroughly by free ventilation, and then stand them 
outside on a moist base in a position where they can be lifted inside if 
damp wet weather ensues. Although they enjoy abundance of water at 
their roots they cannot endure being saturated either from the water 
pot or by heavy rains. 
Lapagerias .—Some are beginning to flower ; fumigate them with 
tobacco smoke if aphides exist upon them, or they will soon become 
established on the flowers and spoil their colour. Water freely 
and give stimulants in a weak state every other time tl ey need 
water. Still continue to shade them from the sun, for full exposure will 
seriously brown and injure their foliage. Light is necessary to harden 
and ripen their wood if they are to flower profusely, but to accomplish 
this it is not necessary to subject the plants to the burning rays of the 
sun. 
Fancy Pelargoniums .—Those cut back some time ago will now have 
broken well into growth. They should have the whole of the soil 
shaken from the roots, and repotted in fresh, using smaller pots. Keep 
them close for ten days or a fortnight in cold frames until root action 
has commenced. Those that are just breaking may be pushed forward 
by placing them in frames until they are ready for repotting. These 
plants should be potted moderately firm in a compost of good loam, 
one-seventh of decayed manure, and a liberal quantity of sand. 
Zonal Pelargoniums .—The past wet weather has caused those outside 
to grow too soft to insure their flowering well unless bright weather 
follows for the next month or six weeks. Do not administer stimulants, 
but keep them on the dry side to harden and ripen them as much as 
possible. Those intended for flowering in October would be better 
under glass where they can be protected from heavy rains and dews that 
are so prevalent in some localities. Insert good quantities of cuttings of 
both single and double varieties for flowering early in the year ; in fact, 
the latter that are required to supply good trusses for cutting during 
April, May and June should be rooted at once. Insert these singly in 
3-inch pots, and stand them outside until they are rooted if fine weather 
continues, if not protect them in frames. 
Cyclamens .—If the whole of these have not been placed in their 
largest pots it should be done without delay. Those twelve months old 
may be placed into 7-inch, while suitable sizes for the remainder will 
be 5 and 6-inch pots, according to their size. Where the plants have 
been grown without shade they will have dwarf sturdy foliage, and 
every attention must be paid to insure their retaining this character 
until they cease flowering. Plants that are drawn up weakly do not 
possess half the beauty they are capable of displaying where the foliage 
is stout and the flower stems need no support. Cyclamens cer¬ 
tainly enjoy light shade, but the difficulty is to apply the exact 
quantity they require without proving injurious to the plants by causing 
their foliage to grow weakly and too tall to display the handsome 
character of these plants. It is next to impossible to apply shade 
without having the plants in this unsatisfactory condition, therefore it 
is advisable to grow them through their various stages without it. By 
this method of culture more attention is needed, for the plants must 
stand upon some moisture-holding material, and need constant watching 
during bright weather. When grown without shade, with liberal ven¬ 
tilation and bright sun, moisture is evaporated to such an extent that 
the foliage soon falls over the rims of the pots. This must be prevented 
as far as possible by syringing the plants liberally, and damping the 
stages, &c. Avoid saturating the atmosphere during dull, sunless 
weather, or the foliage may become blotched and the lower leaves decay. 
Sow seed for next year’s plants. 
Petunias .—These may also be rooted and grown for the same 
purpose. They will thrive well with the treatment given to Heliotropes 
until the close of the growing season, when they can be kept cooler from 
the middle of November. Marguerites and Fuchsias may also be rooted 
in quantity, so that they will be ready for 5-inch pots early in the year. 
Hydrangeas .—Young plants produced from the heads of those that 
failed to flower will now have formed bold plump buds that w.ll be 
certain to flower early in the year. These may either be transferred 
now into 5-inch pots or during the winter ; if more c mvenient they 
can be left until they start into growth. With those that have com¬ 
pleted their growth thus early, potting at the present time is advisable. 
Larger heads will be produced than will be the case if potting is delayed. 
Place them deeply into the pots so that their buds are only just above 
the surface of the soil, and stand them in a sunny position outside. 
Later struck plants need not be potted until the winter. Huttings 
may still be rooted from outside plants that are growing in an open 
sunny position. 
Schizanthus .—Sow a little seed in a pan, and place it in a cold frame 
until the seed has germinated. Grow the plants cool to keep them 
dwarf, and when large enougti place them singly into 3-inch pots. 
Richardias .—Plants that rested early and were afterwards planted 
out will now be pushing with great vigour. These may be lifted, and 
placed in 6 to 10-inch pots, according to their size. The plants can 
be lifted with large balls of soil, but this is not necessary so long as all 
the fibry roots are carefully preserved. Pot them in good loam, one- 
third of manure, and then stand them in a shady place until they are 
established in their pots. They must have plenty of water and be 
liberally syringed—in fact, the foliage should not be allowed to become 
dry until they are established. By this treatment the plants can be 
housed, and will commence pushing up their spathes by the time it is 
necessary to lift the general stock. 
CONDITION OF BEES, AND AT THE 
HEATHER. 
As is my usual custom, a week or more before taking my bees 
to the Heather I dismantled all, then dressed them as they do at 
the Heather. There is a twofold advantage in this. It gives us 
the exact quantity of coverings required, and accustoms the bees 
to the ultimate appearance of their hives, so that when at the 
moors they do not lose themselves by entering the wrong hive, 
as they are sure to do when site and covering are suddenly 
changed. 
My first work after uncovering them was to examine and remove 
all supers, taking away every piece of fully extended and partly 
filled comb, which is contrary to the management of some bee¬ 
keepers, but I work entirely for quality, and the strength of my 
