April 18, 1889. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
325 
Sprouts open drills about 3 inches deep, as if intended for seed, and 
plant in them. This affords the plants useful shelter at first, and as 
the soil gradually falls the stems will support them, and make them 
appear more dwarf than frame-raised plants generally are. Lettuce 
may be planted anywhere now, but the busy season of the slugs is at 
hand, and daily attention must be given to prevent their destroying the 
young plants. A ring round each of sharp ashes or sawdust is often 
useful. Frequent dustings of lime or soot are also highly beneficial. 
Celery. —Our last year’s crop is nearly finished. We find the small 
kinds, of which Sutton’s White Gem is a good type, remain sound and 
crisp longer than the larger sorts. Our earliest plants are now 4 inches 
high and very bushy. They are in cold frames, and will be planted in 
the trenches early in May, but these are too early for the main crop, 
and the present is a good time to sow for this. If only a few dozen or 
scores of plants are required, sow a little seed in a 6-inch pot, place 
it in a gentle heat, thin out, and transplant the seedlings as soon as 
they can be handled. If, however, some thousands of plants are re¬ 
quired, make up a gentle hotbed, place a frame on it, and sow the seed 
thinly in good soil pressed down firmly. The depth of soil may be 
8 or 10 inches. The plants will soon appear, and as they gain size and 
the weather improves, the frame can be removed and the plants trans¬ 
ferred direct to the trenches in June or July. This is an easy and 
sure way of raising Celery plants, but they must on no account be 
allowed to suffer by dryness at the roots. 
Tomatoes.— Earliest of All is now bearing ripe fruit. The plants 
are in 9-inch pots on an elevated back shelf in a Pine house. Others 
planted out, but of the same age, are not so early. Should later-sown 
seed have failed, take the side shoots off the advanced plants and insert 
them as cuttings. With the assistance of a little bottom heat they 
will root in a week and be much in advance of any that can now be 
raised from seed. Plants intended for the open should now be advan¬ 
cing. Keep them in heat until they are 1 foot or so in height, then 
harden them in a cool frame. We repot the plants in 6-inch pots and 
plant them from these. It is a great advantage to begin with sturdy 
well developed plants. 
Seakale and Rhubarb fkom Seed. —There is no profit in grow¬ 
ing very old roots of either of these, and where the roots are exhausted 
seed of both should be sown in good ground to secure a fresh and 
vigorous supply. The drills may be 15 inches apart and 2 inches deep. 
The seedlings will make good progress the first year, and in the second 
some of the most forward can be removed to fresh quarters, while the 
weaker can be allowed to remain to form a permanent crop. We have 
found it an advantage to break the hard shell of the Seakale seed before 
sowing. 
Beetroot.— The present is a good time to sow the main crop. 
Dell’s Crimson is a favourite variety. We open drills 2 inches deep and 
1 foot apart, and sow thinly. Be sure that all the seed is covered, and 
tread the surface before raking smooth. 
Early Kidney Beans.— Sown too soon the seed decays in cold wet 
soil. A row of runners and several rows of dwarfs may be sown in dry 
mild weather. Osborn’s and Ne Plus Ultra are the earliest, and they will 
pod and become useful some time before the runners. Choose a site where 
they will be sheltered from the wind, but well exposed to the sun, in 
rather light but good soil. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Freesias .—These must have good attention after flowering if they are 
to prove satisfactory another year. Give them a light position in a 
frame, and keep them liberally supplied with water until their foliage 
ripens, when they should be kept dry. If the pans or pots are full of 
roots, weak stimulants occasionally will prove beneficial while they are 
growing and developing their bulbs. 
Gladiolus The Bride .—This plant evidently does better the second 
season after being well established in pots. Grow the plants in a light 
position and do not keep them close, or their foliage will draw up 
weakly. After this has developed the flower spikes will appear, then 
soot water in a clear state may with advantage be given. Place three 
or four stakes round the sides of the pots, and by the aid of a little 
matting no further supports will be needed. 
Litiums .—Grow such as L. lancifolium and others that are a few 
inches above the soil as cool as possible, and be careful that they do not 
suffer through an insufficiency of water. Such kinds as L. candidum 
and longiflorum and its variety Harrissi which have formed their flower 
buds will now be pushing forward in a temperature of 55°. Watch for 
aphides, and fumigate directly they make their appearance. Give liquid 
manure in a weak state, or artificial manure may be sprinkled on the 
surface of the soil. 
Ilahrothamnus elegans .~Plants that have flowered may be pruned 
close back. Those which have been grown perfectly cool will now be 
in full bloom, and may also be pruned as soon as they have done 
flowering. This plant grows so rapidly that severe pruning is necessary 
annually. When pruning is not done the plants have a quantity of 
fading leaves upon them throughout the summer. After pruning shoots 
will be made 8 or 9 feet in length, and if they are well ripened will 
flower over the greater portion of that length from the axils of the 
leaves. 
Heliotropes .—Cuttings should be rooted at once for plants intended 
for growing as standards. The variety known as White Lady is excellent 
for flowering during the autumn and winter months. When the cut¬ 
tings are rooted place the plants in 3-inch pots, and allow them to grow 
upright, removing all lateral growths as they appear. They must be 
shifted from time to time as more root room is needed, until they are 
placed in 9 or 10-inch pots, which are suitable sizes if large heads are 
required. 
Mignonette. —Select from amongst the plants now in flower one or 
more of those which are producing the finest and most fragrant spikes 
for seed. This is the only means by which a good strain can be relied 
upon. Feed plants coming into flower with clear soot water, and by 
light applications of artificial manure to the surface of the soil. Be 
careful that the pots stand upon a moist base ; the plants cannot endure a 
dry one, and supply them freely with water. If allowed to get dry the 
wood becomes firm, and the foliage soon turns yellow. Seed for autumn 
and winter flowering may now be sown. When intended for standards 
or pyramids the seed may be sown on the surface of 3-inch pots and just 
covered. The pots must be clean, well drained, and filled with good 
loam, one-seventh of manure, one-third leaf mould, and sand. Place- 
after sowing in a temperature of 60°. 
BEES FOR PLEASURE OR PROFIT. 
For an apiary for either purpose my ideal position would be a 
bank wooded behind and in front, and a rivulet running between, 
where among other flowering trees and shrubs the Hazel and the 
Willow would overhang, and the Wood Anemone, Marsh Marigold, 
Hyacinth, and other favourite flowers spring profusely on its mar¬ 
gins, while the Horse and the Broom, with its “ yellow tassels,’' 
would fill up spaces allotted for them, completing what might well 
be termed a fairy glen, and a resort of pleasure to all who might 
frequent it. In such a situation, with a wide expanse of pasture- 
beyond, bees would thrive exceedingly, and properly managed 
would brave the severest winter or spring, such as the present one. 
There they would work and gather both pollefi and honey without 
loss, while those situated quite within bee flight would never reach 
the spot, or if they did would never return to their hive. The 
wood, its glen, and burn would supply all their wants from January 
till June, and a wood if not too broad does not hinder their flight 
but affords at all times that desirable protection which bees stand 
in need of, while if Heather is within their reach it adds greatly to 
the value of the site. There are numerous places of the kind 
where not a bee is to be seen, yet if they were introduced and 
numerous bulbs and other flowers planted, what a pleasant place 
this glen would be for those who might be privileged to roam 
through its flowery paths. Then, when manipulating, every advan¬ 
tage would be present, and in the end piles of beautiful supers of 
honey to grace the table of peer or peasant whose lot it might be tD 
have bees in such a position. Most bee-keepers, however, have no 
choice of situation, but all may improve what they have by judi¬ 
ciously planting evergreens, or fencing with wood and canvas or 
with hurdles covered with straw. Bees require protection even 
during summer, and it will repay him who spends a little for that- 
purpose. The man who keeps bees for pleasure only need not 
expose his varnished hives to the full force of the gale or the 
fierce rays of a summer’s sun. He can equally and as easily show 
them by having neat palisades overgrown with suitable plants for 
protection. Of course flowers must be present ; bee-keepers must 
be growers, whether they be lovers of them or not, and an apiary 
without them is like a room without furniture. 
It is an important matter to have the place where the hive- 
stands cemented, asphalted, or covered with a large flag of stone or 
slate. For tenants a sheet of zinc answers the purpose well, pro¬ 
vided it is laid so that no water lies upon it, and whatever artificial 
shelter is given see that there can be no strong current playing 
round the hive. The man who works for pleasure and show will- 
have many devices that the one who works for profit does not 
think of ; but I am inclined to think that the greatest pleasure is 
in getting a large surplus of pure honeycomb without spot or 
blemish. This will be obtained by attending to my previous in¬ 
structions, and keeping the bees in suitable hives, well provided 
