April 12, IMS ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
309 
ol<) an 1 ba’’ , avoiclmg overjro vdinj:. as it is a comnnn error in Fig 
culture, particularly lu late ho iscs in whicli the trees cannot have too 
much light. Allow the shoots for bearing to grow somewhat loosely 
with their points to the light. Stopjiing must play an important part 
in cool houses. Pinch at the third or fourth 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 shoots in bearing. 
Ventilate freely at and above .50°, advancing to C5° 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 with short 
manure. 
Peaches and Mectarines.— Forced Ilouxe. —Continue 
syringing until the fruit commences to soften, as it will do during the 
late stages of ripening, and if syringing is persisted in it will cause the 
fruit to crack in the skin, and if only slightly it will give the fruit a 
very unpleasant mouldy flavour. It is very important therefore to have 
the trees quite clean by the time the syringing ceases, as it must when 
the fruit commences ripening. If there be the least ti-ace of red spider 
apply an insecticide, repeating it so as to thoroughly free the trees of 
the pest. It is only the very early varieties that will be ripening, the 
others must be well syringed .and have abundant supplies of water with 
good surface mulchings. Raise the fruits with the apex to the light, 
shortening or drawing the leaves aside so as to let the fruit have the full 
benefit of the light for colouring. 
Second Early Forced House. —Trees started at the new year are not 
so advanced as usual, being much retarded by the prolonged cold. They 
are now stoning, and will need care in preventing checks from sudden 
fluctuation or depression of temperature, the night temperature being 
kept steady at 60° at night with 5“ more on mild nights, whilst on cold 
nights it may fall to 5.)° in the morning, (;5° by day artificially in dull 
weather, 70° to 7.5° on cloudy days, but witli clear intervals, ventilating 
from 70° and freely above 75°. Attend to tying in the growths as they 
advance, and encourage no more than will be required for future bear¬ 
ing, the extension of the trees, and for the swelling of the current crop. 
See that there is no lack of moisture in the borders, affordiui liquid 
manure if the trees are heavily cropped and not making satisfactory 
growth, but avoid undue excitement to trees in full vigour, as any 
impulse given to growth during the stijning is apt to affect the process 
disastrously. Syringe twice a day, so as to keep the foliage clean. 
Trees Started in February. —These have set too much fruit. When 
the fruits are the size of horse beans thin them well, removing the smallest 
and those on the under side of the shoots, leaving sufficient for the crop, 
those that are best situated for receiving air and light. Disbudding roust 
not be neglected, and heeling-in the shoots required for next year’s 
bearing can be carefully attended. Syringe twice a day, the second 
syringing at closing time or early in the afternoon, so as to have the 
foliage fairly dry before night, increasing the temperature to 65° or G0° 
at night, 60° to 65° by day, ventilating from the latter, and increasing it 
with the sun Ijeat to 70° or 75°. 
Trees Started in March. —Too many fruits are set in most cases, and 
where they have not it may be traced to over-luxuriance or to immaturity 
of wood and imperfect development of buds. An over-set is a source of 
great weakness, and not infrequently causes the incipient fruit to be 
cast in showers, leaving but a scant crop. There is no remedy but to 
well thin the flowers before they expand, not to disbud in quantity but 
gradually, and to thin the fruit so soon as it can be seen which is taking 
the lead. Syringe so as to assist the fruit in throwing off the remains of 
the blossom, and ventilate freely so as to insure stout thoroughly solidi¬ 
fied growth. A temperature of .50° to 55° will be sufficient, not allowing 
an advance above 65° without free ventilation. 
Late Houses .—Attend to fertilising the flowers. There ought not to 
be anything neglected that is likely to insure the perfect fertilisation of 
the blossom, as without it the fruit cannot attain perfection. Split 
stones and disaster in stoning are in a measure due to neglect of atten¬ 
tion at flowering^ Secure a temperature of 50° by day anrl ventilate 
freely, allowing an advance to 65° from sun heat. Leave a little air on 
constantly. As there is a superabundance o?5jlossom thin it well—we 
have removed fully half this year in all the houses—all those on the 
underside of the trellis, and as there are some with half a dozen blossoms 
at a joint, and very many triple buds, all bloom, the necessity for thin¬ 
ning the blossom is great. 
In unheateti houses observe 50° as the point for admitting air, and 
65° as a maximum from sun heat without full ventilation, but there 
must be no advance above it without a thorough circulation of air. There 
must be no deficiency of moisture at the roots. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Cytisus ,—Plants that have flowered should be cut Iiack clo.sely and 
returned to the greenhouse. It is a mistake to place them in heat for 
the purpose of inducing fresh growth. If they have been in a moderately 
warm structure while in flower, they should be jilaced for ten days or 
a fortnight after being jiruned in the warmest portion of the greenhouse 
until they ean be gradually hardened to cool treatment. They start 
into strong growth under these condition.s, and are ready when genial 
weather arrives for placing in their summer quarters (jutside. The 
lilants should stand upon some moisture-holding material, and be syringed 
once or twice daily according to the weather. When they have broken 
into growth they can be repotted if they need more root room. A suit¬ 
able compost for them is good fibry loam, one-seventh of decayed 
manure, and a liberal addition of silver sand. Small shifts only are 
desirable, and the soil should be pressed firmly into the pots. Apply 
water carefully until the roots are in full .activity, when liberal supplies, 
m.ay be given. 
Staph ylea colehiea. — Prune jilants closely that have ce.ased 
flowering, or they will become Rare at the base and lose their effective¬ 
ness for (iecorative purposes. When cut back and started, either in the 
greenhouse or cold frames, they make strong growths about 9 inches or 
1 foot in length. The.se if well ripened by placing the plants in a 
sunny position outside .after the weather is favourable will flower as 
well as imported plants. If the plants require more root room they m.ay 
be potted directly they have broken into growth in the same compost as 
advised above. To increase the stock young plants can be raised by 
striking the growing shoots th.at are removed in pruning. These strike 
freely in the propagating frame in heat. 
Liliums. —Plants of L. longiflorum and its variety Harris! that have 
been flowered early for some years will now be developing their blooms. 
Be careful not to hurry them in this stage, or the flowers when they 
expand will be small and devoid of substance. Those that are only just 
forming their flowers must be carefully treated in this respect, or they 
will turn yellow and fall prematurely. Be careful never to allow them 
to become dry at the roots, at the same time t he soil should not be 
saturated, for one evil is as bad as the other. The earliest of the old 
favourite L. eandidum are developing their flower buds rapidly. Watch 
for aphides, which attack them at this stage of growth and soon mine 
the plants if not destroyed. The varieties of lancifolium that are 
required to flower as late as possible should be plunged in cold frames 
and abundance of air given whenever the weather will allow of this 
being done. 
Roses .—Hybrid Perpetuals that have flowered should be placed in a 
cool structure until they are thoroughly hardened and the weather is 
sufficiently genial for placing them outside. Tea varieties if placed in 
a similar structure will practically re.st for a time and then break again- 
strongly info growth and produce better flowers than have been cut 
from them. It is surprising with what strength they start after they 
have enjoyed a slight rest in a cool structure. 
NOTES ON BEES. 
THE CONSUMPTION OF STORES. 
Not only has this been excessive with my own strong stocks, 
but it appears to be general throughout the country. Both from 
correspondents at a distance, and verbal information from neigh¬ 
bours, the result is the same. Stocks have come back in weight as- 
much as 30 lbs., and are on the point of starvation ; nay, many 
record that they have discovered some dying, and but for aid in 
feeding would have been dead. In my own case, the only one that 
I have assisted is the nucleus of bees wintered on one comb, to 
which I have given a small super of sealed honey, heated well 
through before placing it over the cluster of bees. All the others 
being extra well supplied in autumn with honey, I feel quite at 
ease regarding their safety, as the 50 lbs., at least, of honey left 
with them in autumn cannot be consumed as yet. Nevertheless, as 
soon as the air becomes milder I shall feed all those having less than 
12 lbs. of honey, and advise all bee-keepers to examine them on the 
first favourable opportunity, feeding all those having less than 
12 lbs. of honey in store. It is better to ascertain their wants by 
weighing than opening the hives, preventing thereby the conse¬ 
quent cooling and attempt to rob by other bees. The only hives I 
have opened, or intend to until summer, are several very far 
advanced Syrians, and this examination took place early in Februarj^ 
Cold as the present spring has been, it is no exception to the 
rule that January is a safer month to manipulate, and to feed if 
required, than later on. 
I should very much like to hear from those youthful bee-keepera 
who manage their hives on the brood-spreading and stimulating 
principle according to the printed directions in their guide. In a 
season like the present the slightest molestation of bees is very 
detrimental with hives in a normal state ; when otherwise inspection 
should never be delayed. 
The state of my apiary at the present is as follows : All are 
ill full sized hives which admit of the internal economy of the 
hive being carried on without interruption, although there are 
GO lbs. of honey. One half of my stocks are not only in full 
