January 9 . ^han J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER^,. 
85 
George in Peaches an l Klruge in Nectarines, Nectarine pollen being 
equally effective, if not more so, for the artificial impregation of Peach 
blooms and vice versa. The outside border must be protected with 
litter or some other protective material, the inside border not being 
neglected for water. 
Second Eirly Forced House. —The house containing trees to afford 
ripe fruit early in June should now be closed, damping the trees and 
house two or three times a day, turning the heat on by day for an hour 
or two in the morning, but not so as to exceed 50° by artificial means, 
allowing it to rise to 65° with sun heat and free ventilation. It will 
suffice if frost be excluded at night. The borders must be brouoht into 
a thoroughly moist state by repeated waterings and the outside border 
protected with litter, but not of a depth to heat violently. A gentle 
warmth of not more than 60° to 65° will do no harm, but more heat is 
hurtful. All that is wanted is a covering to prevent chid from frost and 
snow. 
Late Houses. —These should be put into order forthwith, and if any 
trees are swelling the buds more rapidly (which is not the case where 
the roof lights have been removed) than is desired, a covering of mats 
over the lights will prevent the temperature being raised by sun heat to 
a prejudicial degree, retarding the flowering considerably. From our 
latest house the roof lights were not removed until late in December (as 
the buds were less developed than usual, and with a dry air the wood 
ripens up even after the leaves have fallen through the evaporation), 
and they will not be replaced until the necessity of the buds showing 
colour indicated need of protection. 
Melons. —Sow seed of approved varieties at once for the first crop. 
They may either be sown singly in 3-inch pots, or a dozen or more may 
be placed round the edge of a 6-inch pot, to be afterwards potted off 
singly into 3-inch pots. In either case the pots should be about two- 
thirds filled with soil, covering the seed about half an inch deep, plung¬ 
ing the pots in a bottom heat of 80°. Good fibrous loam and leaf soil in 
equal proportions gently pressed down will form a porous compost for 
the young rootlets, it being important for this early sowing that the 
pots be efficiently drained. It is of the greatest importance that 
the seedlings be kept near to the glass. Blenheim Orange and Read’s 
Scarlet-flesh may be mentioned as good in the scarlet-fleshed section, 
and Hero of Lockinge and Longleat Perfection are first-rate as a green 
and white flesh respectively. Ripe fruit from a sowing made now may 
be expected at the close of April or early May. A temperature of 65° 
to 70° night, and 70° to 75° day is suitable. 
CuctJMBEES. —Sow now for planting next month in pits or frames 
heated by ferrrenting materials, which should be in process of sweeten¬ 
ing for making up the beds. If no convenience exists for raising the 
plants a bed of fermenting materials should be made up forthwith, the 
seed to be sown as soon as the bed affords a suitable temperature—70° 
to 75°. Plants from this sowing will be available for house planting to 
afford a late spring and early summer supply of fruit. We only grow 
two named varieties—viz.. Telegraph and Cardiff Castle, but there are 
many other good varieties. 
Plants in Houses. —Young plants just coming into bearing should 
not be overcropped, and assist them by removing staminate blossoms as 
they appear. Plants in bearing will require to be cut over about once 
a week, preferably tivice, removing all weakly and exhausted growths, 
reserving as much of the young growths as can have space for expansion 
of its foliage, overcrowding tending more than anything to disaster, 
inasmuch as it must end in denuding the plants of a large extent of 
foliage. Stop the shoots at one or two joints beyond the fruit, but 
young plants should be allowed more freedom, avoiding overcrowding. 
The temperature by night should be 65° to 70°, 70° to 75° by day, with 
a rise of 10° or more from sun heat, admitting a little air at 80“ if the 
external air be moderately warm and soft, but if cold and sharp it is 
better to allow the temperature to advance a little higher than admit 
too much cold air even when the sun is powerful. A little flowers of 
sulphur dusted on the walls and pipes, also foliage, is a good preventive 
of mildew and red spider, and quicklime rubbed well into any part of 
the stems affected with canker will subdue it. The floor and other 
available surfaces should be damped in the morning and early afternoon. 
Cheeky House. —The house being closed last month as advised fire 
heat may now be applied so as to maintain a temperature by artificial 
means of not more than 40° at night, and 45° in the day, advancing 10° 
by sun heat, ventilating at 50°, and closing at that point. Ventilate 
very freely in mild weather, and avoid hasty treatment in the early 
stages of growth. See that trees in pots or tubs are not neglected for 
water, and sprinkle the trees and house occasionally in the morning and 
afternoon in bright weather. 
Strawberries in Pots. —Do not push the plants too rapidly in severe 
weather, 50° to 55° will be sufficient at night for those that were started 
last month, and 60° to 65° by day, but it is always well to err on the 
safe side, therefore 5° less in the absence of sun, the weather being cold, 
is advisable. More plants should be introduced to shelves in Peach 
houses or vineries started about this time. The pots should have the 
drainage rectified if necessary, the surface of the soil freed of moss or 
other materia', and the pots washed. A surface dressing may be given 
of rich material, as a pinch between the finger and thumb of Amies’, 
Clay’s, Jensen’s, Beeson’s, Thomson’s, &c., manure, stirring the surface 
lightly. If space some fine manure mixed with steamed bonemeal and 
soot, a quart each to a bushel of the manure, and well incorporated, 
will prove advantageous and a great encourager of surface roots. 
Suitable varieties for introducing now are Noble, La Grosse Sucrde, 
Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, Sir Joseph Paxton, and President. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Tender Beddinq Plants. —December and January are rather trying' 
months, not a few summer bedding plants being lost about this time. 
November appeared to be very favourable to the well-being of autumn- 
struck Zonal Pelargoniums, these, thanks to clear weather and abundance 
of genial air, becoming strong, well rooted, and floriferous. Pans and 
pots of Henry Jacoby are quite gay with bloom, and others are also' 
nearly as free flowering. Ail ought still to be kept on the dry side, this 
being especially necessary where the plants are stored in frames, pits, 
and but slightly heated houses, and dead and dying leaves closely 
removed, the aim being to keep them in a hardy semi-dormant state till 
the days become longer and warmer. Heliotropes that have flowered in 
pots ought now be kept somewhat dry at the roots, in order to well 
ripen the wood prior to cutting back slightly and starting in heat eaily 
in February. Such plants should give abundance of cuttings. Late- 
struck cuttings of these, as well as Ageratums, ought to be kept steadily 
growing ; nor should Lobelias and Verbenas be dried off at the roots,, 
but if placed on shelves in a cool house and given plenty of air in mild 
weather they will continue to grow slowly and strongly, abundance of 
good cuttings being obtainable when the propagating time arrives. 
Kept near the hot-water pipes the growth soon becomes wiry, dirty, and 
valueless. Calceolarias, Violas, Gazanias, and Echeveria secunda glauca, 
all of which are usually wintered in frames, ought to be well protected 
from severe frosts, the sides as well as the glass of the frames being 
enclosed by a bank of dry litter, or by mats and litter, yet they should 
receive abundance of light and air whenever this can safely be given.' 
Unduly coddled they become yellow and weakly, and never grow into- 
such fine plants as result from more intelligent treatment. The com¬ 
paratively hardy Hollyhocks, Carnations, Pinks, Phloxes, Pentstemons, 
and Antirrhinums stored in cold frames and pits may well be protected 
from severe frosts. Not much water is needed, though they ought not 
to become very dry at the roots, and certainly must have plenty of air 
whenever the state of the outer atmosphere permits. The very tender 
Iresines, Coleuses, and Alternantheras are easily kept on shelves in a 
stove temperature, but if the attempt is made to winter them in a warm 
greenhouse, then must very little water be given them. Tuberoua 
Begonias are easily injured by frosts, and any lifted stored in shallow 
boxes and placed in a cool shed must, whenever a severe frost is antici¬ 
pated, be covered with mats or old sacks. Nor must the roots or tubers 
of Dahlias or Salvia patens be much exposed. A covering of dry soil 
prevents shrivelling, and mats, or even a good covering of paper, will 
ward off frosts. When these. Begonias, and Dallas are stored under 
greenhouse stages drip is the greatest enemy. Unless something is done 
to ward off this a considerable portion of the stock may either start 
prematurely into growth or decay quickly. 
HINTS TO BEGINNERS. 
Duking the past season I have had many inquiries from' 
beginners, and have visited most of their apiaries. The queries 
were varied, but in nine cases out of ten the owners were dis¬ 
appointed, the bees had died, and no honey was obtained. The 
year 1889 was an unpropitious one in which to begin bee-keeping- 
The cold spring following so untoward an autumn as that of 1888 
many hives were rendered useless or almost so, and the short but 
early summer prevented any but extra strong hives gathering 
surplus, unless it was in some favoured and sheltered spot. The- 
summer of 1888 was unfavourable for queens mating, and many of 
the hives purchsed by beginners had aged or unfertilised queens, 
neither of which will give satisfaction or profit. The most im¬ 
portant thing in a hive is a healthy, youthful, fertilised queen, and 
it is a most important thing for a beginner to make sure he is 
procuring young queens. 
To insure this he ought to deal with trustworthy men only. If 
a swarm of the current year let it he an after one rather than a prime 
one, and let the bargain be that the queen is fertilised before the price 
IS paid, or if more than one, that all be. This will, as a rule, be 
satisfactory the following year. If these swarms are early ones 
they may gather a surplus the same season, especially in districts, 
were Heather abounds if it grows upon the right soil or rocks. If 
the beginner start with prime swarms, and the season is a fine one 
he may secure a considerable quantity of honey, but on no account 
should these aged queens be kept to form stocks for the following 
season. Steps should be taken to secure young queens for the 
number of stocks expected to be kept, but on no account should. 
