July 16, 1885. ) 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
55 
known merit, and we do not wish to deter anyone from planting new 
varieties, as many of them have excellent points ; earliness or lateness, size 
and colour may be mentioned as improvements shown in them, but rather 
to guard planters against giving the best positions to trees until their 
merits are thoroughly established. Although it is still too early to think 
of planting fruit trees, their removal to Peach houses is best performed 
before the fall of the leaf, hence the selection should be made during the 
next month, so as to secure the best trees, preference being given those that 
nave been trained two or three years to walls and have the growths evenly 
balanced, clean, and moderately vigorous in growth. 
Cheery House. —The effect of forcing year after year is often a 
6econd crop of flowers, which necessitates precautionary measures. It is 
necessary, therefore, to note the development of the buds, and so soon as 
the wood has become sufficiently ripe the trees ought to be fully exposed, 
and where this cannot be done the structure ought to be completely thrown 
c P®. n 7"*' e o the ventilators. This, however, is not the sort of structure in 
which to grow Cherries, as it must be evident that the growths made this 
year will mature earlier than the preceding growth or that of last year, 
nence the necessity of exposure to the dews and ripening influences of the 
atmosphere. The subsequent attention will consist in keeping the foliage 
clean, and syringing them if the weather be dry; above all be careful to 
pay strict attention to the state of the roots as to moisture, as it is of the 
greatest importance, indeed essential, to keep them equally moist. If the 
rainfall be good they will not need water, but if the rainfall is insufficient 
recourse must be had and without procras'ination to watering. When 
the trees show signs of debility let the condition of the roots be ascertained, 
and if these are healthy give the border a light sprinkling of Beeson’s, 
Clay’s, or some other manure, and wash in or apply manure in liquid 
form. This will encourage root-action, md the growth will show im¬ 
provement in the coming season. In appl ying stimulants it should never 
be forgotten than weak supplies repeated are far more efficacious and 
safer than strong applications given occasionally, at the same time the 
watering when given must be thorough, as driblets’are practically useless. 
Cucumbers. —Attend regularly to the stopping, thinning, tying, and 
arranging of the growths, and any plants showing signs of exhaustion 
should have the bed surface-dressed with an admixture of well- 
decomposed dung and lumpy loam, and the whole well watered, and then 
mulch with 3 inches thickness of sweetened horse droppings and main¬ 
tain a suitable atmosphere. It is astonishing what effect an ammonia- 
charged atmosphere has on languishing vegetation, especially Cucumbers. 
Syringe the plants twice a day, being careful to use it soft and of the 
same temperature as that in which the plants are growing. Cold water 
gives a check, and is followed by mildew. Pits and frames cleared of 
Melons may be utilised for a late crop of Cucumbers, making a good suc¬ 
cession to those in bearing, and by attending to them with linings a 
supply may be kept up until Christmas. 
Melons. —Canker is a great plague in some places, and though we 
have tried many things as a preventive it still appears ; and though we 
consider it a consequence of too much moisture settling on or about the 
stems of the plants, we have had it most virulently when the soil about the 
plants has been kept dry. Hence we keep a sharp look-out for it, and on 
the least sign rub the affected part with quicklime. This, if taken soon 
enough, is a sure remedy, but it is no use trying to arrest it after it has 
obtained such hold as arrest the flow of the sap and cause the flagging of 
the foliage. Plants swelling off their crops will need liberal supplies of 
moisture both at the roots and in the atmosphere, but avoid a close 
vitiated atmosphere, for though the fruit will swell off to an enormous size 
it will be poor in flavour as compared with those grown in an atmosphere 
securing a thorough solidification of the erowths by early ventilation and 
thorough exposure to solar influences. When the fruit is ripening a cir¬ 
culation of warm rather dry air will tend much to improve the flavour, 
but do not keep the soil very dry, sufficient moisture being given to pre¬ 
vent the foliage flagging. 
Melons sometimes set very badly in frames at this time of the year, 
which mostly arises from the atmosphere being kept too close and moist. 
Admit a little air constantly, and avoid watering during the time the 
setting is wanted— i.e., ihe flowering, keeping the growths fairly thin, 
impregnating the blossoms daily after the frame has been ventilated some 
little time ; and when four fruit or so have been secured on a plant re¬ 
move all the other flowers and keep the laterals well stopped, and if 
likely to be crowded thin them a little at a time. Clcse early and damp 
overhead at the same time, keeping a space of a foot clear from the 
collar of the plants. Water will not be much wanted at the roots of 
plants growing on dung bed 3 . 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Crotons .—Highly coloured plants in 5 and 6-inch pots are indispensable 
during the winter months for various decorative purposes in dwelling 
rooms and other positions. In order to have a good stock suitable to 
maintain an unbroken supply during the sunless months of the year, a 
good hatch of cuttings should he rooted without delay. These plants root 
with great freedom at this season of the year in a close moist frame in a 
heated structure if kept well shaded from the sun. For this purpose 
strong cuttings or the heads of plants should be selected that possess well- 
developed finely coloured foliage. The cuttings can be rooted without 
losing a single leaf. The lower foliage should be well coloured before 
insertion, for it is impossible to colour the old fully developed foliage after 
the plants are rooted. If rooted in small pots they should be hardened to 
full sunshine by the time they are ready for the pots named, then he grown 
close to the glass, and fully exposed afterwards. The plants must not 
be crowded thickly together, or their symmetry will be destroyed. Large 
heads can be inserted into 5-inch pots, and then no farther potting will be 
needed. Plants in smaller pots, and for grouping with other plants, may 
be rooted from time to time as cuttings can be obtained. The side shoots 
will do admirably for this purpose after the heads have been removed. 
We have always found a large batch of small plants in 2-inch pots very 
serviceable for associating with small Ferns. These are the last to be 
rooted, and for this object sturdy well-coloured side shoots are selected. 
Growth after they are rooted is prevented, for very rarely growth made 
in late autumn can be properly coloured, and without Crotons are in this 
condition they are not the most effective of decorative plants. Growth 
is prevented by keeping the plants in a sufficiently low temperature to 
have them in good condition without exciting growth. 
Dracanas .—These will now need attention if they are to be in a 
highly coloured condition for decoration during the winter months. 
Young plants raised from the root portion of the stem of such varieties as 
D. Cooperii, D. terminalis and its white form alba, D. Scottiae, D. Renardise, 
and D. superba, which are amongst the most suitable for this purpose, 
should now be placed into 5-inch pots without delay. These will make 
capital plants before autumn if grown on briskly in moist heat and 
shaded from direct sunshine. For growing in 7 and 8-inch pots for larger 
vases, D. Baptisti, D. ferrea, and Ernesti are very suitable, but these 
should be raised by rooting the heads of plants, so that they will possess 
large foliage at the base. All plants that have become tall and bare at 
the base should be ringed and mossed round the stem, and in a short time 
they will throw out sufficient roots to stand when taken off without 
losing any of their foliage. These make decidedly the best plants, and 
every attention should be paid to them. D. gracilis is decidedly the best 
of the green forms, and will stand for three months in a room without 
injury. Any plants that are growing too tall should be topped and rooted. 
It is not necessary to moss this variety, for if taken off where the wood 
is not very firm they will not fail to root. The tops of this variety should 
not be plunged in a close frame, or the foliage is very liable to damp. 
They strike best plunged in a shady corner of a warm moist house. 
D. rutilans is also valuable for room decoration, and the tops of any plants 
that are growing too tall should be taken off and rooted. This variety 
does well in the greenhouse or a cold frame after they are rooted, and 
will make sturdier plants than if grown in heat. Young plants still in 
pans may be potted singly and grown in an intermediate temperature 
until they are well established in small pots, when they may be gradually 
hardened and grown cool. 
Gloxinias .—These plants are often grown in too much heat, and their 
flowers are drawn up weakly, with insufficient strength to support them¬ 
selves. This should not be the case, and will not be if they are grown in 
an intermediate temperature from the time the flowers are visible amongst 
the foliage. From a structure of this description they can be removed to 
the conservatory directly they commence flowering, and will do better and 
last longer than when grown in heat. Without doubt these are amongst 
the very best plants that can be grown for the conservatory during the 
summer if prepared and hardened for the purpose. Late-sown plants now 
in pans and boxes should be placed at once into 3-inch pots, and if liber¬ 
ally treated will make good flowering plants in those, or even a larger 
size if desired. Plants that have done flowering should be regularly 
supplied with water, and occasionally weak liquid manure until the 
foliage has died. The last remarks also apply to Achimenes, and another 
batch of cuttings should be inserted in 5 and 6-inch pots to succeed those 
rooted some time ago. 
rr—n—n—71— 1 —i—TV - !—i—i—i—;—i— 1 - \ -,-i—I- 
TT 
-IE BEE-KEEPER. 
SEEPS versus FRAME HIYES. 
Theorists have put a far greater estimate upon frame 
hives and some modern appliances than experience can re¬ 
cognise. Interest on the one hand, and enthusiasm on the 
other, have led to highly coloured statements, causing an 
eagerness in many to provide themselves with such— 
which, after much expense, led to disappointment and loss, 
damping their ardour, and spreading distrust to others; 
whereas, had the bee-keepers’ zeal been less, and their dis¬ 
cretion greater, they would have reached the goal sooner, 
with more satisfaction to themselves and their neighbours. 
I do not place the straw hive on a par with frame or Stewarton 
hives ; but straw hives have properties that frame hives do 
not possess. In previous articles I have shown straw hives 
to be valuable, and unsurpassable for preserving and winter¬ 
ing bees, their crooked combs forming the best nursery for a 
rapid increase of bees, excelling all others on this point. 
Where straw hives have been of proper dimensions, rightly 
managed, and thoroughly protected from the weather, with 
sufficient entrance, I never knew of stocks being killed through 
an accumulation of dead bees on the floor. There was then 
no need for a hooked wire to clear away the dead—that in- 
