JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
4G9 
May  31,  1900, 
shading,  as  that  of  herring  netting,  over  the  roof-lights  in  very  bright 
periods.  While  it  is  essential  that  these  Grapes  be  otherwise  well 
exposed  to  light,  with  Hamburgh  and  black  Grapes  generally  it  is 
different.  They  colour  best  beneath  a  good  spread  of  foliage,  and  such 
shade  is  one  of  the  best  means  of  preventing  scalding,  provided  the 
supply  of  air  be  bountiful  by  day,  and  a  little  ventilation  left  on 
constantly  at  the  upper  part  of  the  house  with  a  genial  warmth  in 
the  hot-water  pipes.  A  temperature  of  G5°  to  70°  by  artificial  means 
suffices,  or  a  little  less  for  Hamburghs. 
Late  Grapes. — Where  the  Vines  are  in  flower  a  constant  supply  of 
dry  warm  air  will  promote  good  setting  of  fruit,  the  temperature  being 
kept  at  70°  to  75°  by  artificial  heat,  and  rising  to  80°  or  90°  with  sun. 
Thin  the  berries  freely  immediately  they  are  set.  This  in  the  case  of  the 
shy  setters  must  be  confined  to  the  removal  of  the  smallest  and  imper¬ 
fect  berries  in  the  first  instance,  deferring  the  general  thinning  until 
the  properly  fertilised  ones  can  be  determined  by  their  free  swelling. 
There  must  not  be  any  deficiency  of  moisture  at  tho  roots,  therefore 
afford  liquid  manure  copiously  after  the  Grapes  are  thinned  and 
swelling,  or  a  top-dressing  of  some  approved  fertiliser,  distributing  it 
evenly  over  the  surface  and  then  working  in  moderately.  If  the  weather 
be  diy  and  the  soil  light,  outside  borders  will  need  watering.  Top-dress 
with  fertilisers  or  liquid  manure  if  the  Vines  are  not  very  strong  or  are 
carrying  a  full  crop. 
Young  Vines. — Those  in  pots  for  next  year’s  fruiting  should  have  the 
leading  shoot  or  cane  stopped  at  8  to  9  feet,  and  the  laterals  or  sub- 
laterals  pinched  at  one  leaf  as  produced.  Supernumeraries  in  recently 
planted  houses  should  also  have  the  canes  stopped  at  the  length  named, 
the  laterals  and  sub-laterals  being  closely  pinched.  This  will  concentrate 
the  energies  of  the  Vines  in  the  principal  leaves  and  buds,  and  is 
necessary  for  those  intended  to  fruit  fully  next  season.  The  permanent 
Vines,  how'ever,  may  be  allowed  to  make  all  the  growth  there  is  room 
for,  but  it  is  a  mistake  to  encourage  growth  by  over-stimulation  and  an 
excessively  humid  atmosphere.  Growth  should  be  accelerated  by 
closing  the  house  early  on  fine  afternoons,  admitting  a  little  air  before 
night,  and  increasing  it  early  in  the  morning  of  fine  days.  When  young 
Vines  become  established  they  will  require  abundance  of  water  ac 
the  roots.  Avoid,  however,  making  the  soil  sodden  by  needless 
applications,  and  sprinkle  sui  faces  two  or  three  times  a  day  so  as  to 
maintain  a  genial  condition  of  the  atmosphere. 
He  Kitclien  Garden. 
Tomatoes. — Sunny  walls  and  fences  are  good  positions  for  growing 
Tomatoes,  and  the  sooner  the  plants  are  pat  out  the  heavier  will  be  the 
crops  and  the  greater  the  certainty  of  ripening.  No  very  special 
preparation  of  site  is  needed.  Tomatoes  succeeding  admirably  in  soil 
that  will  grow  good  crops  of  Potatoes.  Strong  young  plants  are  best 
for  planting.  These  may  be  disposed  15  inches  apart,  wherever  spaces 
can  be  found  between  fruit  trees,  or  against  walls  and  fences  whoby 
devoted  to  them.  The  soil  about  them  should  be  packed  somewhat 
firmly,  and  the  balls  of  old  soil  and  roots  be  kept  constantly  moist  till 
such  times  as  the  roots  have  spread  out  into  the  new  soil.  Where  it  is 
not  possible  or  convenient  to  plant  out,  large  pots,  or,  better  still, 
boxes,  may  perhaps  be  arranged,  filling  these  with  good  soil  and 
planting. 
Tomatoes  may  also  be  successfully  grown  during  most  summers 
quite  in  the  open,  or  without  the  shelter  and  warmth  afforded  by  walls 
and  fences.  Sunny,  sheltered  borders,  would  naturally  answer  best, 
but  they  are  found  highly  remunerative  when  grown  by  the  acre  and 
quite  in  the  open  fields.  For  these  positions,  extra  early  varieties  such 
as  Early  Euby,  Earliest  of  All,  Laxton’s  Open  Air,  are  the  most  desirable. 
They  may  be  put  out  15  inches  apart  in  rows  3  feet  asunder,  placing  a 
4-foot  bamboo  to  each  and  attaching  these  to  a  wiie  strained  3  feet 
above  the  ground,  or  they  may  be  planted  at  less  regular  intervals, 
always  providing  good  room  is  afforded,  and  have  a  stout  stake  placed 
to  each.  If  well  hardened  prior  to  planting  there  will  be  little  or  no 
need  to  protect  from  late  frost. 
Vegetable  Marrows. — The  time  has  also  arrived  for  planting  these 
on  a  large  or  small  scale.  Those  put  out  earlier  in  May  will  have 
required  much  attention  in  the  shape  of  protection  from  cold  winds  and 
frosts.  Great  heaps  of  manure  are  wasted  on  Vegetable  Marrows, 
which  not  infrequently  succeed  better  on  ridges  under  which  theie  is 
not  more  than  12  inches  of  manure,  or  even  less.  Holes  3  feet  or  so 
in  diameter,  or  long  beds  4  feet  wide,  may  be  prepared  by  having  the 
top  spit  of  soil  thrown  out,  returning  it  over  18  inches  or  less  of  manure 
with  heat  and  moisture  left  in  it.  When  the  ridges  or  mounds  are 
warmed  through  plant  either  single  plants  or  groups  of  three,  those  on 
the  ridges  being  3  feet  apart.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  alternate  the 
ordinary  trailing  varieties  with  the  bush  varieties,  the  former  eventually 
covering  the  whole  of  the  ground,  as  the  bush  varieties  are  early  but 
not  continuous  bearers. 
Ridge  Cucumbers. — Sites  for  these  may  be  prepared  exactly  as 
advised  in  the  case  of  Vegetable  Marrows,  the  other  cultural  details 
being  much  the  same.  It  is  well  to  raise  the  plants  somewhat  high  in 
the  centre,  as  the  stems  are  then  less  liable  to  suffer  from  excess  of 
moisture,  which  evidently  leads  to  canker  or  decay. 
W  (3 
HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
Q-l  /fi-' 
Obtaining  a  Surplus  of  Comb  Honey. 
At  this  season  bee-keepers  are  making  arrangements  for  obtaining 
a  surplus  from  tbeir  bees,  and  no  time  must  be  lost  in  deciding  on 
tbs  method  to  be  adopted.  In  the  early  stage.s  the  treatment  of  the 
various  stock's  should  be  the  same,  namely,  to  have  them  all  as 
strong  as  possible  by  the  time  the  honey  flow  c  me-'.  Afterwards 
their  treatment  will  differ.  If  comb  honey  is  desired  in  the  ordinary 
1  lb.  sections,  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  place  a  crate  f)f  twenty-one 
sections  on  a  strong  colony  well  crowded  with  bees.  This,  however, 
should  never  be  attempted  unless  the  weather  is  warm,  and  honey 
is  coming  in  freely. 
For  snpering  purposes  we  prefer  a  hive  wi'h  at  least  ten  standard 
frames  in  the  brood  chamber.  In  ordinary  seasons,  if  the  bees  have 
received  timely  attention,  they  will  be  w<ll  fillid  with  brood  in 
various  stages  of  development.  OUly  a  few  rows  of  cells  along  the 
top  of  the  frames  will  be  filled  with  h' ney.  This  is  always  kept  in 
reserve  by  the  bees  for  feeding  their  young,  the  pollen  being  yda^ed 
in  convenient  cells  in  various  parts  of  the  combs.  Directly  the  bees 
begin  to  lengthen  their  cells  near  the  top  of  the  combs,  which  may  be 
detected  at  once  owing  to  the  white  appearance  of  the  new  comb, 
it  shows  that  honey  is  coming  in  freely.  If,  however,  from  any 
cause  the  stock  is  not  so  strong  as  desired,  and  honey  is  coming  in 
rapidly,  the  bees  may  be  made  to  carry  their  hi  ney  into  supers  by 
restricting  the  brood  nest.  This  is  done  by  removing  the  outside 
frau  es  and  closing  up  the  division  hoard,  so  that  the  bees  are  compelled 
to  remain  on  a  lew  corahs.  The  brood  chamber  thus  becomes  crowded, 
and  the  bees  are  (orced  into  the  super.  If  this  is  done  it  is  not 
advisable  to  place  a  full  crate  of  twenty-one  sections  on  the  hive  at 
once,  but  to  inciease  the  number  as  required. 
An  early  harvest  of  comb  honey  may  often  be  obtained  in  this 
manner  without  any  detriment  to  the  bees.  Should  the  weather 
continue  fine  and  honey  is  coming  in  freely,  frames  of  tully  drawn  out 
combs  or  foundation  maybe  again  us'd  to  enlarge  the  brood  nest, 
otherwise  the  bees  would  probably  swarm. 
Spreading  Brood. 
Is  it  an  advantage  to  interfere  with  the  brood  nest  by  spreading 
the  brood  at  this  season?  Some  bee-keepers  are  very  successful  in 
carrying  (  ut  this  operation.  Others,  agsin,  fail.  It  should  only  be 
attem{)ted  by  those  who  thoroughly  understand  the  bees’  requirements. 
We  do  not  recommend  the  system,  as  only  on  s|iecial  occasions  do  we 
practise  it.  Briefly,  it  is  done  in  this  mant  er.  About  every  fourth 
diy  the  sb'ck  is  examined,  and  the  comb  m-xt  to  the  brood  nest,  in 
which  there  is  probably  a  quantity  of  sealed  stores,  which  should  be 
uncapped.  It  is  then  placed  in  its  former  position.  The  honey  will 
be  at  once  removed  and  stored  in  variou  parts  of  the  hive.  This  will 
caust-  the  queen  to  commence  laying  fret  ly  in  the  cells  nearest  to  the 
brood  nest.  The  next  time  the  c  'mbs  are  examined  the  other  side  of 
the  comb  is  rncapi  ed.  The  frame  is  rever>ed,  the  side  containing  the 
newly  laid  eggs  being  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  frame  from  the 
brood  nest.  This  is  repeated  as  often  as  necessary,  and  if  carefully 
done  the  stock  will  increase  at  a  rapid  rate. 
We  prefer  this  p’an  to  the  one  usually  adopted  of  placing  an 
empty  comb  in  the  middle  of  the  brood  nest,  as  the  brood  is  much 
more  liable  to  become  chilled.  This  is  the  great  danger,  as  should 
cold  weath'  r  set  in  and  the  spreading  of  the  brood  lias  been  over-  . 
done,  it  w  ll  be  impossible  for  the  bees  to  cover  it  all.  It  is  thus 
destroyed,  and  in  (iue  cour.-e  is  tuined  out  of  the  hive.  This  fact  alone 
show.s  how  careful  bee-keepers  should  be  in  S[ireaQing  brood. 
An  English  Bee-keepek. 
- - — 
Gardeners’  Charitable  and  Provident  Institutions 
The  Gaedeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution.  —  Secretary, 
Mr.  G.  J.  Ingram,  175,  Victoria  Street,  S.W. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. — Secretary, 
Mr.  W.  Collins,  9,  Martindale  Road,  Balham,  London,  S.W. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. — Secretary,  Mr.  Brian  Wynne,. 
8,  Danes  Inn,  Strand,  London,  W.C. 
