282 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 24, 1885* 
trench at the extremity of the border and work inwards until all the 
principal roots can he raised and relaid near the surface in the new com¬ 
post. Sound healthy old trees that have become weak from age and 
heavy cropping may be renovated by having all the hard surface soil re¬ 
moved and new compost substituted, to which about 20 per cent, of bone 
dust has been added. The compost should be rough, dry, and free from 
manure, employing the latter as a mulching only, which will keep the 
surface moist, draw the active roots upwards, and feed them when the 
trees are carrying heavy crops of fruit. The autumn, just before the 
leaves fall, is the best time for lifting, as the trees usually form or push 
fresh rootlets, and are more or less active during the resting period, and 
ready to cater for the swelling buds and blossom when those are excited 
into activity by warmth. 
Selecting Trees. —An early selection of young trees that have not made 
strong growth is a safe course to follow, and what is equally important is 
to have them lifted carefully with all their fibres, and kept moist until they 
can be planted in the borders that have been prepared for them. Of early 
varieties the following are useful—Alexander, Hale’s Early, Early Grosse 
Mignonne, and A Bee are fine ; Belle Bauce and Violette Ha'ive succeed, 
and are followed by Royal George, Stirling Castle, Bellegarde, and Bar¬ 
rington, all of which are worth a place in every garden. Of Nectarines, 
have Hunt’s Tawny and Lord Napier for early ; Elruge, Violette Hative, 
Pitmaston Orange, and Pine Apple follow, and then there is the fine late 
varieties, Albert Victor and Victoria, to finish with. Of course there are 
many others worth growing, some finer in appearance, but the quality of 
those named is unimpeachable. 
Cheery House. —The roof lightshaving been removed as recommended, 
with a view to check the tendency that prevails in early-forced trees to 
start into growth prematurely, the fine rains we have had recently will 
saturate the borders sufficiently to meet the requirements of the trees; hut 
if the roof lights have not been removed the borders will be -ome dry 
unless they are watered regularly and liberally, and as it is very im¬ 
portant that the roots have moisture, an examination should be made so 
that their requirements may be promptly attended to. Every care should 
be taken of the foliage to keep it clean and healthy to the last. 
Lifting and Replanting. —If any of the trees have assumed a sickly 
appearance, seek for the cause at the root. If the soil be found in an 
unsatisfactory state about the roots, by all means remove it, and at the 
same time see that the drainage is in perfect order. After this is complete 
lift the roots to within a few feet of the base of the trees, and rep’ant 
them at once in fresh compost, turfy loam from, if possible, a limestone 
formation, adding a sixth of road scrapings. The operation should be 
performed just before the leaves fall. 
Malting New Borders. —The base being levelled to its proper fall, drains 
should be la d 6 feet apart, 3-inch being sufficient for the purpose, and 
these must fall and open into a main or transverse one which will take 
the water away. Between and over the pipes in the house, to which the 
border should be confined, 12 to 15 inches depth of drainage should be 
provided, broken stones or broken bricks being most suitable, and they 
must be clean, and covered with a layer of turves grassy side down¬ 
wards. The border may be 27 to 30 inches deep, and the compost put 
together firmly if dry. If wet it must not be trodden, and must be 
allowed to settle before planting. In planting, which should be done 
early in autumn, or if that be impracticable it is well to defer it until 
early spring, as the winter is the worst time to move trees. In planting 
keep the roots not deeper than 9 to 12 inches. As regards variety there is 
none equal to the Black Tartarian or Circassian and Elton, and they ought, 
if others are to be associated with them, be given the warmest position in 
the house. May Duke, Empress Eugdnie being an excellent early form of 
it, and Governor Wood, also are fine Cherries, good forcers. Frogmore 
Early (Bigarreau) is also worth a place, and Bigarreau Napoleon, grand, 
but these must be given the coolest positions. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Hyacinths.— Where these are required at Christmas a number of 
bulbs should be potted without delay. The two earliest of all Hyacinths 
are Homerus single red, and La tour d’Auyergne double white. The 
first is worth growing for its earlines3, and on this account only, for 
although bright in colour when it first opens it soon fades. The double 
white variety has large bulbs of the purest white, and should be grown by 
all who desire flowers for wiring, for buttonholes and bouquets. This 
variety also makes a very fine spike. The earliest light blue is Chailes 
Dickens. Five-inch pots are large enough for single bulbs, while two 
can be well grown in pots 1 inch larger. Four ant five bulbs are very 
effective, for decoration when in flower, but these should be placed in 
7 and 8-inch pots. One crock only need be placed at the base of the 
smallest size, and over this a little decayed manure. These bulbs do well 
in a compost of fibry loam, one-third leaf mould, one-seventh of decayed 
manure, and a liberal dash of coarse sand. In potting it is wise to place 
a little sand at the base of each bulb, and leave after '’potting the upper¬ 
most portion of the bulb just exposed. The pots containing the bulbs 
should he plunged outside, covering them with about 6 inches of ashes for 
five or six weeks UDtd the pots are filled with roots, when removal indoors 
is necessary. In order to maintain a long supply of bloom some bulbs 
should be potted about every three weeks until the middle of November. 
For purposes of decoration the following are good, cheap, and useful :_ 
Single blue: Charles Dickens, Grand Lilas, Baron Van Tuyll, Argus, 
Mimosa, Marie, General Havelock, and Grand Vedette. Single Reds : 
Amy, Fabiola, Gertrude, Macaulay, Madame Hudson, Robert Steiger, and 
Von Schiller. Blush : Norma, Gigantea, Lord Wellington, and Grandeur 
4 Merveille. Single Whites : Alba maxima, Alba superbissima, Baronesr 
Van Tuyll, Grand Vedette, Madame Vander Hoop, and Mont Blancs 
Single Yellows : Due de Malakoff and Anna Carolina. Doubles: Duke 
of Wellington, Blocksberg, and the white kind named above. 
Tulips .—For early flowering the varieties of Due Van Thol may be 
potted at once, placing five bulbs in a 4-inch pot. These dwarf early 
kinds are more effective in the size pots named than in those of a larger 
size. The scarlet variety is the only one we consider worth growing, and 
prefer to wait a few days longer for Canary Bird, yellow, and White 
Pottebakker than put up the white and yellow varieties of Due Van 
Thol. When potted and forced early Tulips generally come into flower 
very irregularly. The best plan is to place the bulbs about 2 inches 
apart in pans or boxes an I force them into flower in them, lifting out 
those that produce their flowers to make up good even pots of bloom. 
This is the only means by which a number of good pots suitable for 
decoration can be had early in the season. If the bulbs are kept moist 
after they have been lifted out of the boxes the flowers will last just as 
long as if established in pots with the whole of their roots attached. For 
later flowering place the bulbs into 5 and 6-inch pots in the same compost 
recommended for Hyacinths. Pot the bulbs for succession, reserving the 
double varieties for late flowering. The following are amongst the cheapest 
and hest for all ordinary purposes, the white variety previously named 
being one of the very finest for flowering at any season. Single varieties : 
Chrysolora, Cottage Maid, Joost van Vonde : , Keizerskroon, Le Matelas, 
Vermilion Brilliant, Wouverman, Vander Neer, Rouge Luisante, and 
Proserpine. Double kinds : La Candeur, Tournesol, yellow, as well as its 
red and yellow variety; Rex Rubrorum, Duke of York, and Murillo-. 
Parrot Tulips are very useful, showy, and effective for conservatory deco¬ 
ration : Monstre Rouge, Mark Graff, and Perfects are three good distinct 
and useful kinds. The Parrot varieties require the same treatment as the 
others, but should not be forced into bloom, but brought forward steadily 
under cool airy conditions, or they draw up tall and weakly, and then 
half their beauty is destroyed. 
Polyanthus Narcissus. —The earliest batches of these will be ready for 
removal from the ashes. Every care must be taken to admit light to- 
them carefully until their foliage has turned green. Pot them at 
intervals of about one month until the end of December. Four to six 
bulbs, according to their size, should be placed in each 6 and 7-inch pot. 
Single bulbs in 3-inch pots are very useful for decoration where effective 
arrangements are required. The following are amongst toe best cheap 
varieties :—States General, Soliel d’Or, Grand Monarque, Gloriosa, and 
White Pearl. For the late supply Grand Monarque should be reserved in 
a position where roots will not start from the base of the bulbs. These, 
if potted after Christmas and plunged outside in a northern position and 
grown outside, will yield their useful flowers for cutting and decoration 
until the end of May. The bulbs can be kept out of the soil much longer 
than those of Tulips and Hyacinths without injury, and this is an advan¬ 
tage, for they will flower long after the others. 
Border Narcissus .—These are really charming when in flower, and 
should be grown more largely for conservatory decoration than they are. 
The varieties of Bicolor, such as Empress and Horsfleldii, and Moschatus 
(albicans) are most serviceable in 5 and 6-inch pots. If only one variety is 
grown the second named should be selected, for it is undoubtedly the 
king of Daffodils ; it is dwarf, early, and compact, and as beautiful as any 
variety. These varieties require the same treatment as the Polyanthus 
varieties, but should be brought into bloom under cool conditions. 
THE STEWARTON HIVE. 
There is, perhaps, no hive, not even excepting the straw, 
hive, that has been so abused as the Stewarton; yet for alt 
that it holds its own in every respect, most prominent for 
beauty in its produce, whilg, uader all circumstances, it 
cannot be excelled when in the hands of an expert in 
apiculture. 
Instead of the Stewarton being a big indivisible super as 
is often represented, it is in reality a sectional super, every 
comb being divisible or of different weights—exactly what is 
wanted, and suitable for the purses and tastes of the public. 
Not only was the Stewarton the first divisible hive, but it 
was the first to carry a section. I observe still hanging in 
my workshop some a’l in one piece (except the bars) sec¬ 
tional supers, that I made more than thirty years since for 
Stewarton hives. Another very important point which must 
be kept in view is, the fact that to keep the queen out of the 
supers has perplexed our modern bee-keepers to the utmost, 
causing them much annoyance and disappointment, to 
overcome which expense has been incurred in contrivances 
and inventions, while the Stewarton hive has all these- 
