September 5 , 1389. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
211 
also healthy root action by proper moisture in the soil. Plants in 
frames have suffered seriously, and in some instances irreparable 
injury from the prolonged cold and wet of the past few weeks. 
Melons grown under such disadvantageous circumstances are poor 
in flavour, indeed they are not of any value. Where, however, linings 
have been duly attended to, so as to promote a genial warmth in the 
frames and allow of a little air being admitted to provoke evapora¬ 
tion, the plants are healthy and promise to ripen satisfactorily. The 
plants will only require water occasionally—a damping early on 
bright afternoons, and should only have moisture in the soil to keep 
the foliage fresh. Let the fruit be elevated above it on inverted flower 
pots, applying good linings to maintain the requisite heat, a warm, dry, 
and well ventilated atmosphere being essential to the well ripening of 
the crop. 
Cucumbers. —The shorter days and longer colder nights necessitate 
the earlier closing of the house, and the employment of the syringe 
also earlier, so as to have the foliage fairly dry by dusk. Fire heat will 
also be necessary to maintain a temperature of 70° to 75° by artificial 
means, falling about 5° during the night. Afford every encourage¬ 
ment to the autumn fruits, removing the first blossoms of a pistillate 
kind, as also the male blossoms and tendrils. Shading will not be 
necessary now, and avoid syringing as far as possible, damping being 
usually sufficient on all but bright days, when light syringing early in 
the afternoon will be beneficial. 
Keep plants in frames rather thin of foliage, have linings as neces¬ 
sary to maintain a steady progressive growth, care being taken not to 
overwater. As the nights are cold afford a covering of mats over the 
lights. Ventilate early, closing early in the afternoon, so as to husband 
the sun’s heat, which will do much to maintain the requisite night 
temperature—viz., 65° to 70°. Sow from now to the middle of the 
month for a supply of fruit at Christmas and the New Year onwards. 
Telegraph is good for this, indeed for any sowing, while Cardiff Castle 
is free and excellent for everyday use. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Radishes for Winter and Spring. —Salad plants are never too 
abundant in winter, especially after severe weather, except with those 
who have proper means of keeping Lettuces and Endive. Radishes 
are often the only salad existing in the spring months. They may be 
secured without the aid of artificial means, as they are as hardy as 
Turnips, and do not deteriorate in severe weather. It is therefore 
important that all who desire to have something in the form of salad 
in winter and spring should grow Radishes, and they are especially 
valuable for amateurs. The China Rose and the Black Spanish are the 
only varieties we recommend for winter, as they are the only ones we 
have succeeded in keeping good from November until April. The seed 
of these must not be sown too soon, as if early they become too large, 
and by midwinter they will have a vacancy in the centre of the roots. 
From the beginning to the middle of September is the best time to sow, 
not in rich soil, as a firm moderate growth is the best to resist the frost. 
Do not dig land before sowing them, but after clearing away some old 
crop hoe and rake the surface, and sow in drills 10 inches or 1 foot apart. 
If they are too crowded when they are a few inches high they should be 
thinned to 2 inches apart, and keep them free from weeds. 
Planting Spring Cabbages. —Many approve of planting their 
Cabbage for the spring at two or three different times, and it is a good 
plan, as if some should chance to be too early the next may be better. 
We plant at three different times—early in September, the middle of 
that month, and at the end of it. The system of planting two or three 
times is also advantageous to the young plants, as in all seed beds some 
are forward while others are not half ready, and the later plants gain 
size and substance they would never attain if left in a crowd. 
Wherever the plants are ready let some be placed out at once. They 
must have a good position. Our favourite position for planting is after 
Onions, as these invariably have a good piece of the garden. If the 
ground is rich now give it a moderate dressing of lime, and fork this in 
a few days previous to planting. If the soil is poor give it a dressing 
of manure, which may either be dug or forked in. We do not always 
approve of the plan of merely levelling and clearing the surface 
and planting the Cabbages without stirring the soil, as in this case we 
have often noticed that the plants do not all grow alike, some taking 
the lead of others ; but when the soil is forked over they grow equally. 
Drills about 3 inches deep should be opened with a drag hoe and the 
plants dibbled into these. If a small sort keep them 15 inches apart 
each way, if large give them 18 inches. 
Late Pea Pests. —We have had to net all our rows of late Peas. 
The sparrows, of which there are a great many this season, open the 
pods and remove the Peas as soon as the latter are well formed. A 
reader explained to us the other day that he had tried everything to 
frighten them off and failed, and our reply was that he would never 
succeed until he covered the Peas with nets. This is our only remedy, 
and as some of the nets that protected the fruit are now disengaged 
they may be profitably employed covering the late Peas. 
Thinning Winter Crops. —Spinach, Turnips, and other winter 
crops are now growing freely, and much of their success in winter de¬ 
pends on their being well thinned. Some keep them very close under 
the impression that by having a large number they will gain by them ; 
but it is only by admitting plenty of light, air, and sun to late crops 
that they can be relied on in severe weather, and bulbs or plants that 
are grown well exposed in autumn invariably prove the most profitable 
and satisfactory in winter. It is a mistake to let them become very 
crowded and then give them a severe thinning on one day, as the full 
advantages of thinning can only be secured in the case of all crops, 
more particularly winter ones, by beginning to thin early and never- 
allowing the plants to be crowded at any time. 
Lettuces and Endive for Winter. —Plants secured from seal 
sown early in August are now ready for placing out. These will come 
into use about the end of October and remain good as long as they are 
kept from frost. Some of them may have to be lifted by-and-by and 
placed in frames, but in the meantime the whole of them should be 
planted in the open quarters. Our favourite place for all such at this- 
time is a south, east, or elevated sunny border, as there they grow freel'y 
and are generally protected for a considerable time after plants in more 
exposed positions are suffering. The soil should be forked over previous 
to planting and the plants may be dibbled in at a distance of 10 inches 
each way, but if some of them can be shifted into sheltered positions in 
October they may be planted as close again as this in the rows, and 
when moved lift every other plant, when those remaining will have 
plenty of space. 
Late Greens. —We never approve of vacant quarters in the kitchen 
garden. The other day a gentleman remarked, “ You do not k:ep much 
in fallow.” Our reply was, “ No, it does not pay.” There is no use in 
planting Brussels Sprouts at or after this time, as they would never gain 
size. Savoys raav form small heads, but the Kales will attain a useful 
size, and so will Leeks, and vacant spots may be filled with these two 
crops. Continue to earth up Celery and early Leeks, keep weeds down 
by frequent hoeing, remove all decayed vegetables and leaves, and if 
any crops are behind give them a stimulant by shaking a little guano 
round them if the weather is wet, or liquid manure from the same 
material if dry. 
AT THE MOORS. 
CAUSES OF SWARMING. 
With one exception every hive that swarmed was owing to 
the queen becoming exhausted, which neither supering nor nadir • 
ing would have prevented. Several were, or ought to have been, 
young queens of last year, being imported ones, and as true crosses 
as could possibly be, so much so that I could not tell to what race 
they belonged. The cause of this being inexplicable I made some 
inquiry, and was informed that an English dealer had been in¬ 
strumental in procuring colonies of bees of a different race set in 
the neighbourhood of a breeder, in order to destroy his trade and 
reputation, which if true does not redound to his credit, and I hope 
some other explanation will be forthcoming. The excepted hive 
that swarmed was owing to an after swarm issuing from another on 
a windy day, when a part of the bees and queen were blown 
towards and on to it, when a large swarm issued. I returned all 
the swarms, having lost one only, and formed a nucleus in an 
empty hive I sent for on seeing the state of matters. Should the 
weather clear up these young queens will enable me to supply 
several persons who have been asking for them, as I have all 
queens for next season at home. 
CAN BEES COUNT. 
My bees stand at the foot of one glen and on the point of inter¬ 
section to the main one that leads to many others, and behind a 
stone dyke which runs east and west, the hives facing north. The 
hive I had forwarded to me was placed at the west end of three 
detached hives, as it is bad policy to crowd the hives. The empty 
hive was placed G feet from the western one, the bees and drones- 
of which alike immediately entered, while some of the bees from 
the next hive entered the westmost one. I then moved it to 
20 feet distant, and this time with the entrance quarter round, 
and still some bees and drones flew towards it. The lesson is the 
same as that I have so often taught, Never alter the appearance 
or aspect of hives after September. 
DO BEES FLY IN A STRAIGHT LINE. 
It is generally believed that bees when returning to their hives- 
fly in a direct line, but this is not verified here. The bee stands 
were at the foot of a glen that separates two hills. In order to 
reach another glen situated at a right angle on the hill at a 
