472 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 9. 1887. 
Second Early House. —Hale’s Early makes a capital succession to the 
early varieties, and is a much better quality fruit, being followed by 
Early York, which precedes Royal George by a fortnight. The last is 
still one of the best forcing Peaches, especially in that form known as 
Stirling Castle. Grosse Mignonne is unsurpassed as one of the old 
Peaches, hut Dr. Hogg precedes it, the blossom setting well, and the 
fruit is large and beautiful. Crimson Galande is also first-rate. Of 
Nectarines, Hunt’s Tawny when well grown is superb in colour and 
quality; Lord Napier is more tempting in size, and leads up to those 
excellent old sorts, Elruge and Violette Hative. Admit plenty of air to 
the ripening fruit in the daytime, and at night also if a prolonged 
succession of fruit is required. When the fruit is all removed resume 
syringing to free the foliage of dust and red spider. The borders must 
be maintained in a thoroughly moist state, as it is important the foliage 
be kept healthy as long as possible. After fruiting cut away the wood 
which carried the fruit to the shoot at the base for next year’s fruiting, 
excepting those needful for the extension of the trees ; and if the trees 
are too full of wood thin well so as to admit light and air to the shoots, 
and thereby ensure the thorough ripening of the wood. No artificial 
heat will now be necessary except in very dull weather, when it will be 
necessary, especially where the fruit is ripening, to permit a free 
circulation of air. Remove any leaves that shade the fruit too much, 
so that it may colour perfectly at the ripening period. 
Late Hovs/s .—Thinning the fruit will now be completed, also dis¬ 
budding, tying in young shoots having been attended to. Early and free 
ventilation on all favourable occasions will be the order of the day, along 
with early closing and syringing morning and afternoon. If there be 
any aphides destroy them by repeated moderate fumigation, having 
the foliage dry, and for red spider syringing ought to subdue it, or apply 
an insecticide. Mildew sometimes makes its appearance, and should be 
overcome by the prompt use of sulphur, rubbing it on the white specks 
if any appear in the fruit. Sulphide of potassium is, however, much 
more potent than sulphur, and more certain of application, 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Begonias .—Such varieties as semperflorens, rosea, and alba should 
now be rooted in quantity for yielding flowers for cutting and decoration 
next winter. They strike freely in a warm moist shaded atmosphere so 
long as they are not subjected to the confinement of the propagating 
frame. Cuttings of Begonia nitida and its rase-coloured form should 
also be inserted in quantity, and the same may be said of Ingrami. It 
is a great mistake to root any of these varieties too early for winter 
flowering, for they become large and tall, instead of being in autumn 
dwarf and compact. Until they are well established in small pots they 
may be grown on in heat, but from the time they are placed in their 
largest pots they need only cool frame treatment. B. Knowsleyana must 
be well pinched in its early stages to induce it to branch freely. If this 
is not attended to this variety soon becomes tall. Useful plants from 
cuttings rooted now can be had by autumn, but we prefer to root 
cuttings of this earlier than most others, and bring them forward gently 
from the first. B. Carrierei is one of the most useful that can be grown, 
for in heat it will flower the whole winter, and after pinching or cutting 
back, can be had in flowering condition more quickly than other varieties. 
A large stock of plants may be raised from cuttings now, but care must 
be taken to insure each cutting having a growth bud at the base, or they 
will not branch. If the flower stems only are inserted they will continue 
to extend in length, but no pinching will induce them to break from the 
base. 
French and Fancy Pelargoniums .—The main secret in the cultivation 
of these useful decorative plants is to start with healthy, vigorous 
cuttings—that is, growing, not flowering shoots. It is a great mistake 
to delay the propagation of next year’s stock of plants until those from 
which the stock has to be obtained have become exhausted by flowering. 
In this stage nothing remains for cuttings but flower stems, which have 
become firm and take a long time to root ; in fact, plants raised by such 
methods are always weak. For flowering early next spring cuttings of 
growing shoots should be inserted singly in small pots without delay. 
They will root freely and quickly on a shelf in a temperature of 60°. 
Directly they are rooted remove the point of the plant and gradually 
harden them to cool airy treatment. From the first the aim must be a 
firm, stout, compact growth, and then, if wintered well, large wonderful 
heads of bloom will be the result. Successional cuttings must be inserted 
from time to time as good ones can be obtained. Feed liberally those 
that have first commenced to show signs of coming into flower. If kept 
in a cool light airy structure they will attain immense strength, and 
will be found invaluable after all the earlier batches are over. 
Zonal Varieties .—The whole stock intended for winter flowering 
should be placed at once into their largest pots, 5 or 6-inch being 
suitable. Frame room will now be plentiful, and as they are potted 
these positions may be given them. Press the soil firmly into the pots, 
so that a short-jointed growth only can be made. Keep the frames close 
for ten days or a fortnight, and then gradually harden the plants until 
they can be stood on beds of ashes in a sunny position outside. If it is 
found that sufficient stock has not been raised root a number of cuttings 
at once singly in 3-inch pots ; these will make useful plants, but must be 
confined to small pots. Feed liberally all that are in flower or 
approaching that stage if their pots arc well filled with roots. 
Isolepis gracilis .—Few plants are more elegant or useful for furnish¬ 
ing purposes, and to have a good stock in capital condition to last through 
the autumn and winter it should be divided at once. Nothing is gained 
by placing them in heated structures afterwards. If given a moist 
shaded atmosphere they soon become established and grow rapidly. The 
pots need not be filled with soil but ample room left for liberal supplies- 
of water and top-dressing in autumn. One-third of the compost should 
consist of leaf mould. 
Calceo' arms .—A little seed should be sown on the surface of fine 
soil in a pan. Do not cover the seed, but water with a fine-rose can, 
and stand the pan in a cold frame. The pan may be covered with a 
square of glass and damp moss laid on the surface until germination, 
takes place. .If well watered at first, and the moss and pan syringed 
once or twice daily, and the frame shaded, the soil will r.ot need water¬ 
ing before the young plants appear. 
I® 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPING. 
No. 12. 
In bee-keeping there are two principal systems of 
management, these are:—1, The non-swarming; 2, The 
swarming; and there is also—3, A modification of both 
these systems. 
It is difficult to say that it is most profitable to follow 
any one of these three methods, but it is comparatively 
easy to lay before those who wish to come to a decision 
the points in favour of each method, and so enable them to 
determine for themselves how it will be most profitable- 
for them, taking into consideration their individual cir¬ 
cumstances, to manage their apiaries. 
First, When bees are placed within an easy distance 
of orchards, of Sycamores, of Clover, and of Limes, the non¬ 
swarming system is the one calculated to give the greatest 
results with the least expenditure of money and labour. 
Second, If in addition to the above sources of honey 
Heather is also in close proximity, or the bee-keeper is 
able to convey his stocks to the moors, then the latter 
system will be the most profitable. 
Third, If there is little fruit and Sycamore honey to 
be gathered, and Clover is alone relied on for the crop of 
the year, the third system should be followed. Now in 
considering the first of these positions it may be pointed 
out that when there is a supply of fruit and Sycamore 
honey extending from the last week in April until the 
first week in June when Clover may be expected to bloom, 
the bees can by judicious management be employed in 
filling the sections with comb, or if liquid honey is desired 
in drawing out the combs in the super bodies until the- 
time arrives when the Clover honey can be gathered in 
quantity. Then every cell will soon be filled and sealed, and. 
a greater quantity of the finest honey will be secured than 
could have been obtained if the bees had been allowed to. 
swarm, and there were consequently no combs drawn out 
ready to receive the honey, which will continue for 
perhaps ten days to be brought to the hive. True, there 
will be both a swarm and the old stock busily employed 
in working supers, but unless the season is an unusually 
good one I hardly think that the united efforts of the two 
will equal the results obtained from one stock retaining 
all its surplus population at home. If swarming is to be 
allowed at all it is a sine qua non that the swarm must 
issue or be taken from the stock at least twenty-one days 
before the expected honey flow, otherwise those stocks 
which have not been allowed to throw off their surplus, 
workers will give much better results than those stocks 
which have been so weakened. 
With regard to the second point the absence or 
presence of Heather makes the essential difference. This 
must evidently be so, because Heather honey is more 
valuable than even the finest Clover honey, so that part. 
