322 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 22, 1865. 
good root-feeding with tepid liquid manure, or clear water through a 
heavy mulching, plenty of heat, air, and a good syringing twice a day. 
The best time to perform the first syringing is when the temperature is 
beginning to rise, and the second in the afternoon after closing with a 
temperature of 80°, and sufficient sun heat that will raise it to 85° 
or 90°. 
Trees in Pots for Next Year's Forcing. —Have these well advanced in 
order that they may have time to make a good thoroughly solidified 
growth, and a long and complete rest before they are wanted forced. By 
constant stopping and feeding young plants may be kept growing for a 
considerable time, and they soon make large trees ; but size of tree is had 
at the expense of fruitfulness, hence a small tree with stout, short- 
jointed wood thoroughly ripened and rested, is more prolific and 
profitable. 
Pines. —Up to almost the present time the deficiency of solar assist- 
cane in forcing operations this season stands almost unparalleled, hence 
recourse to hard firing has been continuous in order to keep up the heat 
in the various compartments. After such a period it will be necessary to 
be attentive to details of management, especially to the ventilation and 
the means which are employed for resisting the powerful effects of sun¬ 
shine. Admit air slightly at the apex of the house early in the morning 
whenever there is an indication of a sunny day, and give a little protec¬ 
tion from sunshine early to those plants which are placed at no great 
distance from the glass. Recently potted plants—suckers and others in 
small pots—must have immediate attention when they have filled the 
pots moderately full of roots ; for this purpose the pots, soil, &c., which will 
be required for shifting the plants, should be ready to hand, and in a 
warm moderately dry condition when used for potting. Let the soil be 
lumpy, and the plants firmly embedded in it. Good yellow loam full of 
fibre and not too porous cannot be excelled for Pine cultivation, and in 
the case of the loam being very tenacious an addition of road scrapings 
will be highly beneficial. When the plants have been shifted into larger 
pots the bottom heat should be well sustained at 90° to 95°, 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Tydceas. —As evergreen varieties, such as Madame Heine and others 
that form no underground stems, cease flowering, all healthy cuttings 
should be taken from them and inserted in sandy soil in pots and pans. 
Generally sufficient cuttings can be obtained for next year’s stock, and 
when this can be done the old plants can be thrown away. Every cutting 
will be certain to root if placed under a handlight and shaded from the 
sun in some structure. After the cuttings are rooted they should be 
grown under moderately warm conditions, and by the time it is necessary to 
strike them for spring flowering some strong cuttings will be produced. 
If sufficient stock for next season cannot now be obtained, a few of the 
old plants may be cut down to within 6 inches of the base, and if kept in 
heat cuttings will soon be produced. 
Justicia calytricha. —This is one of the most beautiful plants that 
can be grown for the decoration of the con ; ervatory or intermediate 
structures from December until the end of March. The beautiful light 
feathery plumes of this plant last a long time, and after the first flowers 
fade a second crop is produced. This plant must be grown on from 
cuttings annually, for old plants seldom grow with such vigour or pro¬ 
duce such large plumes of flowers as youDg plants. Old plants from their 
slow stunted growth often become a prey to scale, which is not the case 
where plants are raised from cuttings every year, provided they are not 
grown too warm. Old plants that have flowered should be pushed into 
growth in a warm house, for the sooner cuttings can be obtained the 
better. When strong cutting have been produced they should be inserted 
singly in Bmall pots, and if kept close in the propagating frame every one 
will root. They should be grown warm until they are established in 
8-inch pots, and from this stage an intermediate temperature should be 
given them. After the middle of July they should be grown in cold 
frames. 
Begonias. —B. manicata and B. hydrocotylifolia, that were brought 
into flower by the aid of stove heat, and have since been in the conserva¬ 
tory, are now past their best. The last named is decidedly the best for 
conservatory decoration, the flowers not only last longer but are larger 
and more showy than those of the former. These plants must be raised 
from cuttings annually. The cuttings should be 3 inches in length, and 
remove the large leaves before they are inserted in 3-inch pots. Insert 
them at the side of the pots, or when full grown they generally creep over 
the edge of the pot. If placed at the side and the same treatment is 
given when placed in their largest pots, the head of the plant will be near 
the centre by the time they are fully grown. These root freely in any 
structure where they can be shaded from the sun and a temperature of 60° 
maintained. Insert the cuttings in a compost of loam, one-fourth leaf 
mould, and about one-seventh of manure and a little sand. A good pinch 
of sand should be placed in the centre for the base of the cutting to rest 
upon. 
Linum trigynuni. —If cuttings of these have been rooted place them 
into 2^-inch pots and grow them warm until they are established. When 
in this stage gradually prepare them for an intermediate temperature, in 
which they will make a sturdy growth and resist the attacks of red spider 
if carefully watered and liberally syringed. This insect is a great enemy 
to this plant, and is certain to prey upon it if the plants are grown under 
stove treatment. Cuttmgs may still be rooted if sufficient stock has not 
been obtained. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Shrubby Calceolarias. —These having been duly stopped, will now be 
breaking strongly, and unless well hardened otf and transplanted to 
fresh and more roomy quarters will quickly spoil. If the flower beds are 
empty there is no reason why they should not at once be finally planted 
out. They delight in a fairly rich soil, and should be lightly protected 
when necessary with branches of evergreens. In most cases it will be 
advisable to bed them out in frames or rough pits preparatory to finally 
transplanting, this being altogether preferable to potting or boxing them 
off. We put out several hundred in a rough pit, protecting with mats 
only. The bottom is hard and faced over with ashes, on this being placed 
a well-trodden layer of leaf soil, short manure, and common soil, to a 
depth of 4 inches, finishing off with about 2 inches of fine light soil. 
The plants are firmly planted in this at about 6 inches apart each way, 
watered, shaded for a few days, and subsequently kept supplied with 
water as required. At bedding-out time each plant can be moved with a 
good square of soil and roots, this coming clean away from the ashes, the 
removal being unattended by a severe check, and very few are lost. 
Failing a frame or pit, a wide trench might be formed in the garden and 
prepared as just recommended, and in these the plants may easily be 
protected by laying branches of evergreens, mats, or other protecting 
material across. 
Violas. —Young plants of these that were wintered in frames now 
require attention. They cannot well be established too early in the beds 
where they are to bloom, and should have very liberal treatment. A good 
dressing of any kind of short manure or leaf soil ought to be well forked 
in, not so much to stimulate strong growth as to preserve plenty of 
moisture about the roots. A summer mulching should also be given, and 
then the Viola beds will be among the gayest, no matter how hot the- 
summer may be. The blue varieties are most effective in mixture with 
either silver, golden, and bronze Zonal Pelargoniums, spaces being left for 
the latter when the Violas are put out, a broad band of Iresine Herbsti 
or I. Liudeni with a margin of silver or golden variegated edging plant 
completing an attractive bed. If the beds are occupied with spring- 
flowering plants the Violas must be bedded-out temporarily, or somewhat 
similarly to the Calceolarias, and all flowers should be kept picked off all 
of them. Now is the time to divide the old plants, as if this is delayed to 
June they seldom make satisfactory progress. The frames now cleared 
of Calceolarias and Violas should next be filled with seedling Pentstemons, 
Antirrhinums, Lobelias, Ageratums, or other kinds for which more room 
is required, thi3 liberating boxes and pans for other purposes. 
Seeds to be Sown. —If not already done no time should be lost in sow¬ 
ing in a mild heat such useful annuals as Stocks, including Ten Week, 
East Lothian, and Earliest-flowering Autumn ; Asters in variety, Mari¬ 
golds of sorts, including, if a substitute for Calceolarias is required, either 
the Miniature Yellow or Tagetes signata pumila, Everlastings, Perilla 
nankinensis, Zinnias, including the dwarf and very free-blooming 
Haageana imbricata flore-pleno, Zea japonica, and Ricinuses. The latter 
are best sown singly in 5-inch pots and given a light position directly they 
are up, while the Maize we sow singly in 2^-inch pots, and plant out 
before they are root-bound. All the foregoing germinate quickly, and 
when sown rather late may be kept growing without a check. In the 
open border we are now sowing seeds of Mignonette in quantity, planting 
other annuals among the plants later on ; Sweet Peas, Calliopsis in 
variety, Candytuft, annual Chrysanthemums, Clarkias, Clintonia pulchella. 
Convolvulus, Centaurea cyanus (Cornflower), Collinsias, Eschscholtzias, 
Godetias, Helichrysums, Hibisus africanus, Larkspurs, Lupines, Malope, 
Love-lies-bleeding, Nasturtiums, Poppies, Salpiglossis, Tropseolums, Sun¬ 
flowers, Virginia Stocks, Senecio elegans, and Portulacca. The ordinary 
garden soil being in the best condition imaginable, this is quite good 
enough for covering seeds, and they should germinate quickly this season. 
The seed should not be sown like Mustard and Cress, but much more 
thinly, as only a few plants in each patch invariably give a better and 
more lasting display. Sown thickly the seedlings spoil each other. 
Ornamental Grasses. —These are very pretty in the borders, and when 
cut and dried before they are fully ripe they are of great service to the de¬ 
corator. They are usually sold in collections as imported, each containing 
from six to twenty-four sorts. These may be sown at once, either in lines 
on a spare border, or better still in patches in a mixed border and accord¬ 
ing to their respective heights. As the packets do not bear any instruc¬ 
tions as to the heights the various sorts attain, our own measurements may 
be of service to intending growers. Agrostis elegans, A. namaquensis, A. 
papposa, each 1 foot ; Briza geniculata, B. maxima, each 1 foot ; B. 
gracilis, three-quarters of a foot ; Anthoxanthum gracile, three-quarters of 
a foot ; Coix lachryma, 2 feet ; Gymnothrix latifolia, 2J feet ; G-ynerium 
argenteum, 9 feet ; Hordeum jubatum, 2£ feet ; Lagurus ovatus, 1 foot ; 
Lasiagrostis, 1 foot; Pennisetum longistylum, 2 feet; Stipa elegantissima,,* 
2 feet ; S. splendens, 3£ feet ; and S. pennata, 1| foot. 
TO 
Srj 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT. 
The past winter has been in many cases more than usually 
disastrous to bees. Many stocks have died, some of starva¬ 
tion, others from the effect of damp, all from mismanagement. 
A little individual enterprise would have saved not a few fino 
colonies from an untimely end to yield profit in the coming 
season. Snow after snow, keen frost and chill cutting east 
