June 27.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
199 
bouses of a mixed character, especially if plant-liouses? 
which, of course, are much more moderate in point of tem¬ 
perature than our stoves. 
An opinion prevailed, some years since, that all our grapes 
required this close kind of treatment when in blossom; and 
Mr. Paxton (if we remember right) was the first.to attempt 
to show, that if the practice was right in principle it was 
carried to an undue extreme. Tn casting our eyes over the 
vegetable kingdom generally, we find plants so constituted 
that by nature the pollen or male dust of the anthers cau 
only be rendered capable of impregnation through the 
medium of heat, combined with a comparative absence of 
moisture. As with all rides, numerous exceptions may be 
expected to occur; our climate varying so exceedingly as to 
the relation which the amount of atmospheric moisture bears 
to the heat, and both of these, it may be added, to the in¬ 
tensity of light. 
On a close examination of the blossom-bud of the vine,, 
especially of the Muscat, it will be found that the organs of 
fruitfulness are encased in a sort of vegetable coat of mail. 
Now, this coating has a peculiar mechanical construction, 
and has also important functions to perform ; and some 
vigour of constitution, combined with a favourable state of 
atmosphere, is necessary to cause it to expand freely. Now, 
however correct Mr. Paxton’s idea might be as to vines in 
general, it is tolerably certain that an exception must be 
made in the case of the Muscat of Alexandria vine. We 
believe that for this a much greater amount of atmospheric 
moisture is necessary than gardeners commonly imagine. 
We are the more confirmed in this opinion from the fact, 
that early forced Muscats, or at least those in forcing houses 
possessing tan-pits, have, in general, been found to “set” 
better than those in the ordinary vinery. Now, it does not 
require much argument to prove that a very great amount of 
atmospheric moisture is present at all times under such 
circumstances, yet there is no doubt that the amount far 
exceeds what is usually believed, especially when the houses 
are closed. We know a respectable gardener, now retired 
from business (and who sits by us whilst we write), who has 
been a most successful grower of the Muscat, and whose 
practice was to encourage a vast amount of atmospheric 
moisture, so much so, that he affirms that he has had his 
houses in the month of January or February actually suf¬ 
fused with steam during bright periods. We, therefore, 
have no doubt that a deficiency of atmospheric moisture 
is one of the principal causes of the bad setting of the 
Muscat grape. At the same time it is necessary to 
observe, that a considerable amount of heat is necessary for 
this vine; and by this we do not mean any absolute amount, 
but that the Muscat requires more heat than ora ordinary 
grapes. To state any specific amount would be both 
unnecessary and impossible, as it is a relative affair; but 
we should say that 65 degrees, or nearly so, is requisite 
at an early period—say iu January; and that as much as 
80 degrees may be indulged in during the months of April 
and May. In our opinion, one most material point in 
Muscat culture, and to which we would beg to draw attention, 
is the amount of foliage necessary to the well-being of the 
Muscat. There are those who will persist in as close a 
stopping of this prince of grapes as of our ordinary and 
smaller kinds ; this we think exceedingly wrong. 
Whoever studies the general character of this vine will see • 
that nature never intended it for a dwarf. There is some¬ 
thing gigantic and princely in its very growth—something 
which seems to indicate a desire to receive little assistance 
from the hand of man. Indeed, when we take into con¬ 
sideration the immense size and the splendid flavour of this 
noble berry, it becomes obvious that nothing but the most 
perfect elaboration (accomplished by an ample amount of 
surface in the perspiratory' organs) can render the Muscat 
what it is capable of being made—the finest grape in the 
world. There can be no doubt, therefore, that what is termed 
« c iose stopping ” is unfriendly to this vine ; and it is totally 
1 inexpedient to resort to extreme measures as to stopping; in 
fact, we say encourage all the foliage you possibly can find 
j room for. 
How often have we heard gardeners of small experience 
remark, that their Muscats would not bear equally well every 
I year. And why ? Three parts of then- vine borders are made 
on false principles; and where there is not a powerful and 
safe root action it is vain to expect crops of this grape. 
To those Who are thus situated we would say, be sure and 
exercise great moderation as to the amount of the crop. 
If you will have a heavy crop under suoh circumstances, be 
assured that it will be at the expense of the next year’s 
success. In such an event, the best way is to allow the 
tree to make a vast quantity of extra wood during the resting 
year, if such must be. By these means a considerable 
amount of fresh fibres will be created in the borders, and 
these will tend to a renovation of the constitution of the 
tree. We feel that we have by no means exhausted the 
subject, and must recur to it again at some future oppor¬ 
tunity.-R. EmUNGTON. 
HISTORY OF AN APIARY. 
(Continued from page 165.) 
You will have a very bad opinion of me, if you suppose 
that the ill success of my first bee experiments in the least 
degree damped my ardour as an apiarian. On the contrary, 
I was prepared to renew those very experiments another 
year, though doubtless in a different manner; and I have 
since repeated them with much success. At all events, the 
year 1840 saw me no longer a novice in bee matters. I had 
served an active apprenticeship, and had gained no incon¬ 
siderable amount of experience, especially as to the rationale. 
and best manner of performing the very useful operation of 
driving, without understanding which a bee-master cannot 
be said to have command of his apiary. Moreover, I had a 
tolerably accurate and particular acquaintance with every 
part of the economy of bees, derived from a diligent perusal, 
or rather study, of a great variety of bee-books. Still I had much 
to learn, and many disappointments to undergo; for the 
climate of this country is, I should say, about the most un¬ 
favourable of all climates for bee cultivation, and to this must 
be attributed the comparatively little progress which it is no¬ 
torious has been made in this branch of rural economy. It is 
no easy matter to become a successful bee-keeper in England. 
Mr. Taylor, i n his preface to his very useful book, has well styled 
the tyro aparian’s path “usually a rough and uncertain one, 
so rough, indeed, and uncertain, that three out of every five 
persons who take this study up, even warmly, will be found 
generally to relinquish it with disgust at the end of a few 
years. The causes of failure are usually an insufficient 
beginning (I mean, starting with only one. stock), want of 
enthusiasm or perseverance, negligence or ignorance of the 
fundamental rules of the science. While in America or 
Australia* it is almost incredible of how large an apiary 
one hive may become the original in a very few years; in 
England a similar hive may stand year after year without 
change, apparently strong, and yet unprolific in both swarms 
and honey. A stock at the time of purchase may have a 
three or four-year-old queen, who dies some time in our long 
winter, before there is brood wherewith to replace her ; the 
winter may be mild, and the spring cold and late, and no 
honey gathered till the end of May—such was the case this 
year, for instance, in our neighbourhood at least (Hereford- 
fordshire), and many stocks have perished in consequence, 
or are spoilt for the current season—a rainy summer may 
follow, or a very dry one, neither of which afford much 
honey ; in short, there are a thousand casualties to be feared 
with which the more fortunate bee-keeper of other countries 
is unacquainted, but which tend to dishearten the English 
cottager. To be a successful apiarian it is necessaiy to have 
sufficient knowledge of bee matters to be able to meet all 
those difficulties ; it is requisite to be initiated thoroughly 
into the mysteries of judicious feeding, and to understand 
somewhat of that improved system of bee-keeping by which 
the great honey harvests are secured at those favoured but 
rare seasons when they occur, and the most is made of in¬ 
different years; while, at the same time, the acquisitive pro¬ 
pensity is held in check, so that if much is taken as legitimate 
spoil, there is yet enough left to support the prosperity of the 
hive. Difficult, however, as unquestionably is the science of 
bee-keeping, it is not beyond th e reach of persevering attention, 
and flip very difficulties only serve to enhance the pleasure 
and gratincation of the bee-master. I think it is Mr. Payne 
* In a late work on New South Wales, whose title I have forgotten, I 
read the following astonishing account of the increase of a stock of bees : 
“ In the district Illawana, near Sydney, one hive has been known to have 
multiplied to 300 ! 1 in the course of three years! ’ 
