September  5,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
237 
plants  in  the  beds  and  borders,  and  this  is  not  of  the  best  description  for 
propagating  purposes.  Where  possible  select  the  firmer,  short-iointed 
shoots,  taking  these  off  without  disfiguring  the  beds  more  than  can  be 
helped.  The  more  vigorous  Zonals  may  be  kept  somewhat  thickly  in 
boxes,  but  the  more  delicate  and  silver  variegated  bronze  and  golden 
tricolors  must  be  placed  in  small  pots  and  stored  on  dry  shelves.  Five 
or  six  cuttings  may  be  placed  in  each  5-inch  pot,  and  in  this  way  large 
numbers  may  be  wintered  in  comparatively  close  quarters.  It  is  some¬ 
what  late  to  place  these  cuttings  in  the  open  air,  the  better  plan  being 
to  cover  with  glazed  lights  so  as  to  ward  off  heavy  rains.  Ivy-leaf 
Pelargoniums  are  now  largely  used  in  beds  and  borders.  The  cuttings 
of  these  root  the  best  when  given  the  benefit  of  gentle  heat. 
Propagratlng:  Other  Plants. — A  mild  hotbed  is  required  for  the 
propagation  of  Alternantheras,  Iresines,  Coleuses,  and  Heliotropes. 
Cuttings  of  these  are  plentiful  enough,  and  abundance  should  be  rooted 
and  kept  through  the  winter,  and  there  will  then  be  less  difficulty  in 
working  up  a  big  stock  of  plants  for  the  beds  than  is  usually  the  case. 
Selected  Pentstemons  and  Antirrhinums  are  admirably  adapted  for 
bedding  out  purposes,  and  a  stock  of  plants  can  be  as  readily  rooted  and 
wintered  in  the  same  manner  as  Calceolarias.  Sow  seeds  of  bedding 
Lobelias  on  the  moistened  surface  of  pans  filled  with  fine  loam,  leaf 
soil,  and  sand,  place  in  cold  frame,  cover  with  squares  of  glass,  and 
shade  heavily,  the  tiny  seedlings  to  be  left  undisturbed  till  the  spring, 
when  they  will  be  found  much  sturdier  than  any  raised  in  January  or 
February. 
THE  KITCHEN  GARDEN. 
Cabbage. — It  is  not  yet  too  late  to  sow  Cabbage  seeds  with  a  view 
to  having  abundance  of  plants  for  placing  out  next  spring.  Always 
avoid  sowing  thickly,  and  in  this  instance  sow  broadcast,  covering  the 
seeds  with  fine  soil.  If  those  resulting  from  the  July  sowing  are  too 
crowded  prick  out  some  of  them  in  nursery  beds  for  a  time,  trans¬ 
planting  these  before  they  become  very  large.  Where  slugs  are 
troublesome  dust  over  the  young  plants  occasionally  with  toot  and  lime, 
•doing  this  while  yet  damp  from  dew.  Cabbage  forms  an  admirable 
succession  to  Onions  or  Coleworts,  June-raised  plants  following 
Tripolis,  and  those  raised  later,  succeeding  spring-sown  varieties.  There 
should  be  no  manuring  or  digging,  as  the  ground  is  already  rich  enough  ; 
while  a  firm  root  run  favours  the  growth  of  neat  hearts  rather  than 
outside  leaves.  Ellam’s  Dwarf  Spring,  Wheeler’s  Imperial,  and  such 
like  varieties  of  a  neat  habit  of  growth,  may  be  dibbled  out  15  inches 
apart  each  way.  Continue  to  put  out  June-raised  plants  thickly 
wherever  room  can  be  found  for  them,  as  these  will  do  good  service 
before  midwinter. 
Cauliflowers. — Since  the  introduction  of  the  small  quick-hearting 
forms,  of  which  Dean’s  Snowball  is  the  type,  there  has  been  less  need  to 
keep  so  many  autumn-raised  plants  of  different  varieties  through  the 
winter,  as  it  is  possible  to  have  the  former  good  in  May  without  sowing 
the  seeds  before  February.  If  the  old-fashioned  plan  of  keeping  small 
plants  through  the  winter  is  adopted  the  time  has  arrived  for  sowing 
the  seeds.  With  either  Early  London,  Dwarf  Erfurt,  Mammoth,  or 
Walcheren  should  be  sown  Magnum  Bonum  and  Veitch’s  Autumn 
Giant,  these  two  latter  giving  an  admirable  succession.  Select  a  sunny 
and  not  too  sheltered  spot,  and  the  bulk  of  the  plants  raised  should  be 
duly  pricked  out  in  frames,  boxes,  and  pots,  as  they  will  need  rough 
protection.  Late-planted  Autumn  Giant  should  have  the  benefit  of 
occasional  good  soakings  of  liquid  manure,  and  they  will  then  become 
strong  enough  to  produce  very  acceptable  hearts  late  in  the  season. 
Celery. — Celery  planted  at  this  late  date  cannot  be  depended  on 
to  attain  to  a  serviceable  size.  Much  that  is  already  established  in 
trenches  will  also  need  to  be  kept  supplied  with  liquid  manure  during 
the  next  few  weeks,  or  otherwise  the  size  and  quality  of  “  sticks  ”  will 
be  second-rate.  The  more  forward  rows  rapidly  absorb  the  moisture  in 
the  trenches,  and  should  be  kept  well  supplied  with  it  in  the  shape  of 
either  pond  water  or  liquid  manure.  They  must  not  be  allowed  to  open 
out  badly  before  earthing  up  commences,  or  otherwise  splitting  of  stalks 
will  result  when  they  are  gathered  up  together.  First  remove  short 
leaves,  sucker  growths,  and  weeds,  then  give  a  liberal  dressing  of  soot, 
and  water  freely  ;  enough  soil  being  chopped  down  and  distributed 
about  the  stalks  to  keep  them  well  together.  Before  placing  more 
soil  round  the  plants  see  that  the  hearts  are  well  above  that  first  disposed 
about  them,  and  also  that  the  soil  and  manurij  principally  occupied  by 
the  roots  are  not  dry.  If  slugs  are  troublesome  distribute  soot  freely 
about  the  rows,  and  then  bank  another  4  inches  or  so  of  fine  soil  about 
the  stalks,  first  fastening  the  latter  with  raffia  ties,  or  by  holding  with 
the  hand  so  as  to  effectually  exclude  the  soil  from  the  hearts.  A  final 
€arthing  up  should  take  place  three  weeks  before  the  Celery  is  required 
for  use.  Never  leave  the  stalks  tied  up  tightly  after  soil  has  been 
banked  around,  and  avoid  pressing  a  heavy  weight  of  soil  against  them 
at  the  earlier  earthing  up,  as  this  causes  the  base  of  the  stalks  to  bulge 
and  split.  Enclosing  the  stalks  in  two  or  more  folds  of  brown  paper, 
adding  more  according  as  the  stalks  lengthen,  excludes  the  light,  and 
the  blanching  is  more  cleanly  effected  than  is  the  case  when  soil  is 
used. 
Xettuce. — Care  should  be  taken  of  any  plants  only  about  4  inches 
in  height,  as  these  may  heart  before  severe  frosts  are  experienced  and 
prove  very  acceptable  for  mixing  with  Endive.  Transplant  where  they 
are  too  thick,  a  warm  border  answering  well  for  these  late  breadths. 
Much  that  has  been  stated  concerning  keeping  a  number  of  small 
■Cauliflower  plants  through  the  winter  also  applies  to  Lettuces,  as  in  the 
latter  instance  early  raised  plants  of  Early  Paris  Market  and  Golden 
Queen  Cabbage  varieties  will  heait  more  quickly  than  stored  plants  of 
Black-seeded  Bath  Cos,  Hicks’  Hardy  Green  Cos,  and  Hammersmith. 
From  the  middle  to  the  end  of  this  month  are  the  best  times  for  sowing 
the  hardy  varieties  named,  and  if  the  seed-bed  is  formed  quite  in  the 
open,  and  thin  broadcast  sowing  be  resorted  to,  the  plants  will  stand 
more  frost  than  they  would  do  if  raised  on  a  warm  border. 
Onions. — In  many  instances  the  spring-sown  breadths  are  still 
growing  very  strongly,  and  are  not  “  bulbing  ”  satisfactorily.  Giving  the 
necks  a  twist  down,  so  as  to  bring  the  tops  down  to  the  ground  favours 
early  maturation,  as  well  as  increasing  the  size  of  the  roots.  Mildew 
has  also  greatly  injured  many  breadths  of  Onions.  This  militates 
against  the  growth  of  the  bulbs,  and  injuriously  affects  their  keeping 
properties.  Not  till  the  roots  separate  freely  from  the  ground  should 
they  be  drawn,  and  they  will  not  keep  well  if  left  long  enough  on  the 
moist  soil  to  cause  them  to  commence  rooting  afresh.  All,  prior  to 
storing,  should  be  thoroughly  harvested.  Either  place  them  on  dry 
shutters,  wattled  hurdles,  or  mats  in  the  full  sunshine,  or  on  a 
dry  bottom  under  glass,  an  empty  cool  pit  or  a  vinery  cleared  of 
Grapes  answering  well  for  this  purpose.  The  Tripoli  section  should 
be  used  first,  as  these  keep  badly.  If  seed  of  either  Tripoli  or  White 
Spanish  varieties  is  sown  now  on  a  well-prepared  firm  border,  in  drills 
6  inches  apart,  abundance  of  plants,  strong  enough  to  stand  through 
the  winter,  and  which  may  even  do  better  service  than  those  raised 
earlier,  may  be  obtained. 
Spinach. — Rows  of  Spinach  that  are  to  give  good  gatherings  when¬ 
ever  the  weather  is  mild  during  the  winter  should  now  be  forward 
enough  for  thinning  out.  Do  this  lightly  at  first,  but  when  the  plants 
touch  each  other  thin  to  6  inches  apart.  Small  Spinach  will  transplant 
fairly  well,  especially  if  the  work  can  be  done  with  a  trowel,  and  the 
attempt  should  be  made  rather  than  have  great  gaps  in  the  rows.  More 
seeds  may  yet  be  sown,  the  plants  obtained  attaining  a  serviceable  size 
early  next  spring. 
APIARIAN  NOTES. 
Upper  Clydesdale  Bee-keepers’  Association. 
The  first  annual  exhibition  of  the  above  Society  was  held  on 
the  30bh  August  in  the  pleasure  grounds  of  Abington  House,  the 
property  of  Sir  Edward  Colebrooke,  Bart.  As  the  show  is  open  to 
bee-keepers  over  a  radius  of  at  least  twenty  miles,  and  in  one  of 
the  best  districts  for  Clover  and  Heather  in  Scotland,  it  is  likely  to 
increase  in  popularity.  Lady  Colebrooke,  with  J.  Kerr,  seedsman, 
Dumfries,  acted  as  Judges.  The  principal  prizewinners  were 
Mr.  Wm.McMutrie,  gardener  to  Sir  Edward  Cole’orooke  ;  Mr.  Robert 
Colthart,  Mr.Walter  Rae  Biggar,  and  Mr.  James  Pettigrew.  A  design 
by  Mr.  Rae  was  much  admired,  and  the  honey  was  superior  in  quality. 
Mrs.  Colthart  has  established  her  name  as  champion  baker  of  honey 
cakes,  for  several  years  taking  the  first  prize  at  the  principal  shows. 
It  was  gratifying  to  see  gardeners  taking  the  interest  they  did  in 
bee  husbandry,  and  more  so  to  see  the  produce  of  cottagers  pur¬ 
chased  by  the  visitors. — A  Lanarkshire  Bee-keeper. 
FEEDING  BEES. 
All  stocks  should  now  be  supplied  with  the  necessary  stores  to 
carry  them  through  the  winter.  I  am  an  advocate  of  early  feeding, 
as  with  the  present  spell  of  fine  weather  bees  will  store  syrup 
readily  which  will  at  once  be  sealed  over  in  the  same  form  their 
natural  stores  were,  and  of  which  they  were  deprived  during  the 
honey  flow.  Many  bee-keepers  through  various  causes  do  not  feed 
their  bees  till  late  in  the  autumn.  This,  I  am  convinced,  is  a 
mistake,  as  with  the  advent  of  cold  frosty  nights  they  will  not  take 
the  syrup  as  readily  as  when  the  weather  is  warm,  consequently 
they  are  unable  to  properly  seal  it  over  ;  there  will  then  be  a 
great  amount  of  dampness  in  the  hives,  and  owing  to  the  cold 
weather  the  bees  will  be  confined  to  their  hives  probably  for  several 
weeks  without  the  chance  of  a  cleansing  flight,  causing  dysentery. 
Its  presence  is  known  by  the  bees  voiding  the  excrement  on  the 
combs,  and  the  first  fine  day  after  the  bees  have  been  confined  to 
their  hive  for  several  days  they  will  leave  their  excrement  on  every¬ 
thing  in  the  neighbourhood  of  their  hive.  The  chief  cause  of  this 
disease  is  dampness  in  their  hive  through  late  feeding,  the  heat  in 
the  hive  not  being  sufficient  to  evaporate  the  moisture,  causing  the 
syrup  to  ferment.  Bees  affected  by  this  disease  die  off  rapidly 
during  the  winter,  and  stocks  badly  attacked  are  often  quite  worth¬ 
less  in  the  spring  ;  the  bees  being  few  in  number  will  fall  a  prey  to 
the  robbers  from  strong  colonies,  who  will  clear  out  all  the  remain¬ 
ing  stores  in  a  short  space  of  time,  whereas  had  the  stock  been 
supplied  with  stores  a  month  earlier  they  would  have  come  out 
strong  and  healthy  in  the  spring. 
All  stocks  should  have  from  20  to  30  lbs.  of  sealed-up  stores, 
according  to  the  strength  of  the  colony,  and  under  ordinary 
circumstances  this  amount  will  carry  them  safely  through  the 
