May M, 18f8.] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
435 
Young stock will be making rapid progress, and should be regularly 
attended to in every particular, allowing such plants sufficient space for 
development, as nothing is so inimical to sturdy plants as crowding them 
together in their early stages. Ventilate early in the day at 75° to 80° 
to render the foliage dry before it is affected by the sun. Discontinue 
shading successional plants, but for fruiting plants with the cro-\vns in 
close proximity to the glass a slight shade from powerful sun will be 
beneficial. 
Melons. — Earliest Plantsin Pitsand Frames. —When fruits are ripen¬ 
ing they should be fully exposed to the sun by raising them on inverted 
flower pots. Place a piece of slate for the fruit to rest on, or the moisture 
arising beneath will cause it to decay. Admit air freely, and water 
•only to prevent the foliage flagging. If a second crop is desired en¬ 
courage about four shoots from each plant from the base of the stems 
now bearing, so that when the fruit is cut the old growths may be 
removed and young shoots substituted. These will show fruit freely on 
the fii’st laterals, every alternate lateral being rubbed off to prevent 
overcrowding. If a top-dressing of fresh compost be given, supplemented 
with a good supply of moderately weak liquid manure at 90°, the plants 
will be assisted to make a vigorous second growth. A useful crop of 
Melons may be obtained by making up beds now of any spent material, 
which from mixing and turning will generate a gentle warmth, placing 
over it frames that may have been used for Potatoes, bedding plants, 
&c., placing in each light about two or three barrowfuls of rather strong 
loam mixed with some old mortar rubbish or road scrapings if deficient 
of grit, and pressing it down firmly. Into this when warmed turn out a 
strong healthy plant, pressing the soil firmly about the roots, and giving a 
good watering. If pits are employed the surface of the soil must be about 
a foot from the glass, and if the weather be bright shade for a few days 
after planting. Seed m.ay yet be sown to raise plants for frames at 
present occupied by tender bedding plants. 
In Houses. —When the fruit is cut from the earliest plants the old 
stem should be cut back to a strong shoot near its base, removing as 
much of the surface soil as can be picked out from among the roots, re¬ 
placing with rather strong lumpy loam pressed well down, and giving 
a good watering. A moist atmosphere being maintained and the plants 
syringed in the morning and about 4 P.M. they will soon start freely, 
showing fruit in much less time than by planting afresh. If, however, 
the plants are affected with canker, or from carrying too heavy a first 
crop, a deficiency of water or attacks of insects are much enfeebled, 
it is better to remove them, thoroughly cleansing the house, placing 
strong plants in ridges or hillocks as advised in former calendars. 
The weather of late has been all that could be desired to produce 
Melons of a rich flavour. The days have been bright though the air has 
been cold, necessitating the employment of fires, especially at night, as 
it is a great mistake to allow too great a difference between the night 
and day temperatures. Maintain 70° as the minimum at night, though 
65° or even 60° will do no harm when the nights are unusually cold and 
the days bright, 70° to 75° by day being secured artificially, admitting a 
little air at and above the latter, allowng an advance to 85° or 90°, closing 
at 80° to 85°, but not so early as to raise' the temperature to 90° or 95°. 
Keep plenty of moisture in houses containing young growing plants or 
those swelling the fruit, gently damping the foliage, walls, floors, and 
closing at about 3.30 P.M., or as early as safe. Feed plants liberally 
that have their fruit swelling, not allowihg them to suffer through de¬ 
ficient supplies of water, and afford weak liquid manure. Fertilise 
all pistillate blossoms daily to set the flowers or fruit, ensuring a some¬ 
what dry condition of the atmosphere, not using the knife during that 
period, but pinch out the points of the shoots one or two joints beyond 
the fruit. Earth up the plants so soon as the fruit is set and swelling, 
and examine the plants frequently for the removal of superfluous 
growths, not allowing them to interfere with the principal foliage. 
Shade as little as possible, and only to prevent flagging. 
Peaches and Nectaeines. — Early Houses. —Hale’s Early, closely 
followed by Early Alfred and Early York, make a capital succession to 
Alexander, Early Beatrice, and other of the very early Peaches, they 
being very much superior in quality, and those are followed by Royal 
George (still the most certain kind for forcing) which is preceded by 
Dr. Hogg by about ten days, it being a good setter, with large beautiful 
fruit of good quality and somewhat firm flesh, which renders it a good 
traveller. Lord Napier is the best as regards size of the early Nectarines. 
Admit plenty of air to the ripening fruit in the daytime, and at night 
also if a prolonged succession of fruit is required. When the fruit is all 
removed resume syringing to free the foliage of dust and red spider. 
The borders must be maintained in a thoroughly moist state, as it is 
important that the foliage be kept healthy as long as possible. The 
trees after fruiting should have the wood which carried the fruit cut 
away to the shoot at the base for next year’s fruiting, excepting those 
needful for the extension of the trees, and if the trees are too full of 
wood thin well, so as to admit light and air to the shoots, and thereby 
insure their thorough ripening. 
Succession Houses. —No great amount of artificial heat will now be 
necessary except in cold and dull weather, when it will be necessary, 
especially when the fruit is taking the last swelling or commencing 
ripening, to admit of a free circulation of air. Remove any leaves that 
shade the fruit too much, so that it may colour perfectly at the ripening 
period. The tying-in of the shoots must be regularly attended to, 
stopping the laterals at the first joint, and any shoots that cannot be 
allowed to extend without crowding or encroaching on others stop at 
about 14 inches, exception being made of extensions. Shoots retained 
level with or past the fruit to attract the sap to it should be 
stopped to one or two joints at each break. Syringing must be 
vigorously followed up morning and afternoon to keep red spider under, 
and the inside border attended to frequently with water. Admit air 
early in the day, as with large panes of glass the sun often acts so 
powerfully on the foliage as to scorch it unless air has been previously 
admitted. 
Late Houses. —Do not delay thinning the fruit. 'Yery few more, 
should be left after the fruits attain to the size of a walnut than will be 
required for the crop, up to which stage the thinning should be gradual, 
and avoid overburdening the trees, it being better to retain too few 
rather than too many fruits, as fine examples arealways appreciated, whilst 
the indifferently swelled and quality-lacking are a source of complaint. 
It is a mistake to retain more shoots than there is room for ; if the wood 
is not properly solidified as made, imperfectly formed buds result. 
Fumigate moderately on two or three conseeutive evenings, having tha 
foliage dry, for aphides, and for mildew dust with flowers of sulphur or 
use sulphide of potassium. 
Steawbeeeies in Pots. —The early Strawberries have not been 
good. The lateness of procuring runners last season in consequence of 
the drought and its continuance, acted unfavourably on the plants after 
potting, so that they did not make and perfect as good a growth as was 
essential to the successful fruiting of the early forced batches. The 
succession Strawberries have been very much better, and are now afford¬ 
ing good fruit. Copious supplies of water are necessary, especially in 
the early stages of swelling, for should the plants once lack that essen¬ 
tial, the fruit may be so dried as not to swell kindly afterwards, and a 
somewhat moist condition of the atmosphere is necessary to obtain well- 
swelled berries, therefore avoid drying currents, especially of cold air. 
The plants should be watered two or three times a day according to the 
weather, and have liquid manure two or three times a week until the 
fruit commences colouring, after which give water only sufficient to 
prevent the foliage flagging. This, with plenty of air, is conducive of 
flavour. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Calanthes —The earliest plants if in small pots will be ready for 
shifting, as they are now growing and rooting freely. This should not 
be delayed until the small pots are crowded with roots. When once 
they are allowed to get into this condition it is better to feed them than 
place them in larger pots. With timely potting the roots take freely ta 
the fresh soil, and increased vigour is soon perceptible. Do not over- 
pot these plants, for nothing is gained by so doing, but the reverse. 
The pots should be liberally drained, and the compost used of a light 
open nature. A suitable mLxture is good fibry loam and peat in equal 
proportions, with the greater portion of the small particles removed, one- 
seventh of decayed manure passed through a fine sieve with charcoal 
and sand added liberally. After potting arrange the plants moderately 
close to the glass, and apply water carefully until they are rooting 
well in the new soil. Sturdy growth should be encouraged by admitting 
air judiciously, shading from the strong sun only. Later plants may 
be grown in the same structure, but be careful not to over-water those 
that have not yet made a fair quantity of roots. 
Phajus grandifolius. —If these plants have been well cared for they 
will have passed the most critical stage of growth, and the roots should, 
be extending freely in the pots. The young growths should be strong, 
and the expanding foliage tree from spots. Too much water at the 
roots, and an injudicious use of the syringe in the early stages, are 
certain to spot the foliage and disfigure the plants for the season. Water 
may now be applied with greater freedom lx)th to the roots and to the. 
foliage, but be careful not to over-syringe them during spells of sunless" 
weather. If possible grow them under the conditions advised for 
Calanthes. They can be grown well in a vinery, but are worthy oi 
a better position if one can be found for them. 
s 
1 
ii 
he bee-keeper. 
THE MANAGEMENT OF SWARMS. 
SWAEMS may now be expected to issue. Where additional 
room is afforded swarming will be postponed, and, if room is con¬ 
tinually given in advance of the requirements of the bees, obviated, 
unless the queen gives out in her egg-laying and so compels the 
bees, moved by the strong instinct of self-preservation, to raise a 
successor while there is yet time. 
Every swarm should be fed for at least three days. This is a 
golden rule, and should never be broken unless combs of honey 
and empty combs are supplied in place of frames of foundation. 
In the former case the swarm at once becomes a stock and has a 
food supply ; in the latter, the bees depend entirely upon their own 
exertions, and this, too, at a time when much honey is consumed in 
building comb or drawing out foundation. It may be urged that in 
