162 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
|[ Febniary 20, 189(V' 
only at a time, first removing those that are badly placed. Disbudding 
must he followed up, taking care to leave a growth at the base of each 
bearing shoot, and another at its extremity, or, at least, level with the 
fruit. The shoots retained for attractiug the sap to and supporting the 
fruit should be stopped at the seconder third leaf, but the basal shoots 
.must be trained to take the place of those now bearing fruit. Shoots 
upon extensions must be left at 12 to 15 inches distance apart to form the 
bearing shoots of the future. It is a great mistake to crowd the trees 
with growths that cannot be fully exposed to light and air, but maintain 
.an equal balance of growth throughout the trees. 
&cond Early Ilmse .—Continue fertilising the flowers gently, dis¬ 
tributing the pollen by shaking the trellis or drawing over each flower 
a, camel’s-hair brush, or other means of distributing the pollen. Lose 
no opportunity of admitting air, avoiding, however, cold currents, and 
leave a little ventilation constantly at the top of the house. The night 
temperature may be maintained at 50°, 5° less on cold nights, 55° by 
day artificially and 60° to 65° from sun heat, not allowing a rise above 
65° without a free circulation of air. 
Houses Started Early in February .—Trees started early in the 
month are swelling their flower-buds rapidly. Syringing must cease 
when they show colour. Maintain, however, a good moisture by damp¬ 
ing paths and borders two or three times a day as the weather may 
•dictate, avoiding a close stagnant atmosphere. If the flowers are 
numerous thin them by rubbing the hand downwards on the under side 
•of the shoots, which will strengthen the remainder, enabling them to 
set better. Examine the trees closely, and if there be any aphides 
fumigate with tobacco, so as to destroy them before the flowers expand. 
Continue the temperature at 40° to 45° at night and 50° by day, and 
60° to 65° from sun heat with free ventilation. Allow a little ventila¬ 
tion constantly at the top of the house. 
Strawberries in Pots. —The first plants have set their fruit. 
Remove all badly set or deformed fruits, leaving from four to half a 
dozen of the most promising fruits to each plant, and aid their swelling 
by liquid manure. The temperature should be 60° to 65°, advancing to 
75° by day with moderate ventilation. Avoid drying currents of air, 
as they injuriously affect the swelling of the fruit. Examine the plants 
twice each day, giving water to such as need it, and in sufficient quan¬ 
tity to show at the drainage. See that succession plants are kept free 
from aphides, fumigating and repeating if necessary before the flowers 
open, so as to have them perfectly clean. Introduce more plants, so as 
to maintain the succession. Sir Joseph Paxton, Sir Charles Napier, 
President, Auguste Nicaise are admirable sorts. British Queen and 
other late sorts may now be started, bringing them on, however, very 
gently. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Hotbeds, Propagating .—A sweet and fairly brisk bottom heat, 
generated by-a bed of leaves and stable manure, is of the greatest assist¬ 
ance to the propagator, this being far preferable to the dry heat from 
hot-water pipes, whether for seed-raising or striking cuttings. This 
season the leaves especially are much saturated, the rainfall being heavy 
and continuous, and it will be found they are slow in starting, and wiil 
■retain heat for a short period only. They are also certain to be badly 
infested by small white and black slugs, for which a close watch will 
■have to be kept, or much injury may be done in one night. If the 
manure is mixed with the leaves and all thrown up into a conical heap, 
being also enclosed in dry strawy litter, all will soon become equally 
hot, much rankness and moisture being got rid of in the course of about 
ten days, one, or at the most two, turnings inside out being given. It 
is a good plan to cover the hotbeds when made with about 6 inches of 
.cocoa-nut fibre, this being very clean for plunging in, and the slugs do 
not like it. When the bottom heat is obtained solely with the aid of 
hot-water pipes there ought to be a good depth of clean plunging 
material provided, nothing being better than a depth of 12 inches or 
rather more of cocoa-nut fibre, the next best thing being sawdust. If 
either material becomes very dry, and this is liable to happen quickly, 
it ceases to conduct heat properly, therefore keep it frequently and 
■uniformly moistened. 
Sowing Begonia Seed .—All minute seeds germinate more surely 
when sown before the sun gains much power, a dry heat or much sun¬ 
shine usually proving fatal to the delicate growths. The earlier, therefore. 
Tuberous Begonia seed is sown the better. Fill either heavily drained 
6-inch pots or pans with light soil, nothing being better than a mixture 
of two parts of either good fine leaf soil, or failing this, peat and one 
part of fine light loam, with a sprinkling of moderately coarse sand. 
The surface should be made very smooth and even, and well moistened 
a few hours prior to sowing the seed. Silver sand on the surface not 
unfrequently does more harm than good, the seeds germinating more 
aurely when sown on the surface and not covered in any way. Plunge 
the pots in a brisk bottom heat, some provision, if need be, being made 
to exclude worms ; cover closely with squares of glass, and shade heavily 
■till the tiny plants are seen, then gradually expose to light, taking care, 
however, to ward off bright sunshine. Not unfrequently the soil keeps 
sufficiently moist without the application of water till the seedlings 
appear, and in this case a great per-centage of them are reared. If 
from any cause the soil becomes at all dry, the safest way of moistening 
ds by partially dipping the pans or pots in warm water, damping from 
the surface, no matter how carefully it is done, being apt to dislodge 
and spoil the seed. Plants raised early from seed may be grown to a 
serviceable size before bedding-out time arrives. 
Bedding Lobelias.—Th& bulk of these are nowadays raised from 
seed, the leading seedsmen being in a position to supply superior and 
reliable strains. The seed ought to be sown at once, and being very 
small must be treated much as advised in the case of Tuberous Begonias. 
In this instance the seed is much cheaper, comparatively large packets 
being distributed, and as a consequence it is often sown far too thickly, 
the result being wholesale damping off. Large square pans are very 
serviceable for raising seedlings generally, as these can be set closely 
together, and also more readily covered with squares of glass. If there 
is a good stock of old plants of any good variety these must be kept out of 
a dry heat, or they will run to flower quickly, a moderately warm green¬ 
house best suiting them. What are wanted are abundance of either 
sappy shoots, which strike quickly in gentle heat, the tops soon being 
available for making into cuttings, or the plants may shortly be 
pulled to pieces, every division being already furnished with roots, 
always supposing too much fire heat has not been given, these divisions 
furnishing cuttings, and in time develope into extra fine plants. 
Verbenas .—Seedlings of these are of somewhat irregular growth, 
and are principally used in mixed beds. The seed sometimes ger¬ 
minates slowly, and for this and other reasons may well be sown now. 
It ought to be very lightly covered with fine soil, and being duly 
plunged in a brisk hotbed covered with glass, well darkened, and the 
soil kept uniformly moist, every sound seed ought to germinate in less 
than a month. The seedlings being grown on quickly in pans or boxes 
of good soil, all may be propagated from prior to placing in cooler 
quarters. Insect-infested much-starved Verbena cuttings never 
develope into good plants. Those taken from clean healthy plants 
growing in a moderately warm house or pit, on the contrary, strike 
quickly and grow strongly. 
Antirrhinums and Pentstemons.—'EiS.TlY raised seedlings kept growing 
without any serious check will flower strongly in the open borders the same 
season, young plants usually producing extra fine spikes. Beds of either 
in separate colours, or in mixture, are very effective, and are a good 
change. Both should be sown in pans and not very thickly. The seed of 
the first named is somewhat small, and must either be sown on the 
surface or only very slightly covered. The Pentstemon seed being 
rather larger should be pressed into the surface of the soil, and scarcely 
covered with fine soil. Antirrhinums are most liable to damp off badly 
in the seed pans, and it is therefore advisable to avoid overhead water¬ 
ing, and also to place the pans on a shelf in a somewhat lower tempe¬ 
rature a few days before they are pricked off. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Ixoras .—Young plants that were rooted towards the end of August 
and have been kept slowly growing in a temperature of 60° to 65° may 
now be placed into 5-ineh pots, in a compost of equal quantities of loam, 
peat, and sand. If practicable plunge the pots in a bottom heat of 75° to 
80°, and do not allow the temperature of the house to range lower than 65° 
at night. Plants to be grown into specimens and in 6-inch pots may 
have the points taken out of their shoots, and placed into pots 2 inches 
larger. Give the same treatment as the younger plants, but two-thirds 
of peat to one of loam may be used. Larger plants must be thoroughly 
cleaned if they need it, slightly pruned back, and when they start into 
growth repotted. 
Finca.?.—Small plants are useful where stoves have to be kept gay 
throughout the year. A few plants may be started into growth to yield 
cuttings. For early flowering plants that were rooted last year are 
useful. These may be pruned well back, the roots partially reduced, 
the plants started into growth, and allowed to come into flower without 
pinching. 
Clerodendron fallax .—Plants that were grown strong last year and 
well ripened may be pruned and starred into growth in brisk heat. 
They break freely if they have been cared for during the period of rest, 
and not kept in a lower temperature than 65°. When they have started 
into growth the plants may be turned out of their pots and the roots 
carefully reduced one-third, repotting in loam, leaf mould, one-seventh 
of manure and sand. They will need careful watering, and if allowed 
to flower without pinching will produce large heads early in the season. 
Place young plants of C. fragrans into 5-inch pots, and insert cuttings 
singly in small pots. 
Clerodendron Balfourianum .—When the earliest started plant has 
made growing shoots 2^ to 3 inches long slip off the required number 
with a sharp knife, and insert them in sandy soil and cover them with a 
bellglass. If given a good watering and plunged in bottom heat they 
will soon form roots. Pot them singly ; replunge them for a start. 
These will make splendid plants in 6 and 7-inch pots for training round 
stake for either stove or conservatory decoration. Another old plant 
may be introduced into beat as well as a few young ones trained round 
stakes for the decoration of the side stages of the stove. 
NOTES ON BEES. 
Straining Honey. 
As the honey passes from the presser to a pitcher beneath no 
time is lost until it is poured into the uppermost sieve of a series of 
two to four (as may be required), and at last into a net or a muslin 
