October  10,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
355 
Pines. — Plants  Showing  Fruit. — These  will  supply  fruit  when  it  is 
scarce  and  dear,  therefore  such  plants  should  be  afforded  the  best 
positions  in  the  fruiting  department.  Maintain  a  temperature  of  70°  at 
night,  75°  artificially  by  day,  up  to  85°  or  90°  with  sun,  closing  at  85°, 
sprinkling  the  paths  when  their  surfaces  become  dry,  and  occasionally 
bedewing  the  plants  on  fine  afternoons.  Keep  the  bottom  heat  steady 
at  85°  to  90°.  Examine  the  plants  once  a  week  for  water,  and  if  any 
require  it  afford  a  copious  supply  of  clear  liquid  manure  at  about  the 
same  temperature  as  the  beds.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  overwater 
the  fruiters,  as  that  has  a  tendency  to  cause  the  fruits  when  cut  to  be 
black  at  the  centres. 
Plants  to  Fruit  Early. — Queens  are  the  best  for  this  purpose,  but 
there  is  not  always  a  certainty  of  their  doing  so  unless  they  are  given 
a  period  of  comparative  rest  after  making  good  growth.  Plants  intended 
to  show  fruit  early  in  the  year  should  be  kept  in  a  temperature  of  about 
65°  in  the  daytime  by  artificial  means,  60°  at  night,  ventilating  at  70°, 
allowing  the  bottom  heat  to  fall  to  70°.  Water  the  plants  only  when 
necessary,  but  do  not  allow  them  to  become  so  dry  as  to  cause  the 
foliage  to  become  limp. 
Young  Plants. — All  young  plants  should  now  be  arranged  so  as  to 
obtain  the  fullest  benefit  from  light  and  air.  As  the  sun  diminishes  in 
power  a  corresponding  diminution  of  temperature  must  take  place  at 
night  until  it  reaches  the  winter  standard  of  55°  to  60°  at  night  and  65° 
in  the  daytime.  Ventilate  freely  whenever  conditions  are  favourable, 
paying  particular  attention  to  watering.  Examine  the  plants  once  a 
week,  and  whenever  one  needs  water  supply  copiously  at  about  the  same 
temperature  as  the  bed. 
Cucumbers. — The  young  plants  that  are  to  afford  a  supply  of  fruit 
about  the  new  year — they  now  being  strong,  healthy,  and  well  rooted 
in  pots — should  be  placed  out  on  ridges  or  hillocks,  training  with  a  single 
stem  to  the  trellis,  up  which  they  may  be  allowed  to  advance  about  two- 
thirds,  when  the  lead  may  be  pinched.  Those  not  having  the  convenience 
of  a  Cucumber  house  may  secure  fair  supplies  of  winter  fruit  by  growing 
the  plants  in  pots  or  boxes,  training  the  growths  near  the  glass  over  the 
paths  in  stoves,  fruiting  Pine  houses,  or  other  well-heated  structures.  , 
'Plants  in  full  bearing,  as  the  autumn  fruited  now  are,  should  not 
be  overcropped,  or  the  fruit  allowed  to  remain  on  the  plants  after  it 
is  fit  to  cut,  removing  all  deformed  fruit  in  a  young  state.  Sudden 
checks  should  be  avoided,  such  as  those  occasioned  by  currents  of  cold 
air,  and  the  alternate  drying  and  steaming  of  the  atmosphere  by  irregular 
procedure,  as  these  are  responsible  for  stunted  irregular  swelling  fruit, 
whilst  a  too  moist  and  close  atmosphere  causes  the  fruit  to  damp  at  the 
blossom  ends.  Maintain  a  night  temperature  of  65°  to  70°,  5°  less  in  the 
morning,  75°  by  day,  up  to  85°  or  90°  with  sun,  admitting  a  little  air  at 
the  top  of  the  house  at  every  favourable  opportunity.  The  evaporation 
troughs  should  still  be  charged  with  water  or  clear  liquid  manure,  and 
the  floor  damped  with  water  about  8  a.m.  and  4  p.m.,  dispensing  with 
the  syringe  over  the  plants.  Reduce  the  supply  of  water  at  the  roots, 
but  not  so  much  as  to  cause  flagging. 
A  little  manure,  such  as  sweetened  horse  droppings  or  well  decayed 
lumpy  farmyard  material,  will  benefit  the  plants  through  the  waterings 
washing  the  elements  into  the  soil  and  the  moderate  amount  of  ammonia 
given  off,  but  this  must  not  be  excessive  or  the  foliage  will  be  injured. 
Keep  the  foliage  thin  and  the  glass  clear,  so  as  to  secure  thoroughly 
solidified  growth.  Subdue  canker  by  rubbing  quicklime  into  the  affected 
parts,  and  keep  mildew  under  subjection  by  dustings  of  sulphur  or  the 
blight  powders  advertised.  Fumigate  with  tobacco  or  vaporise  with 
nicotine  for  the  destruction  of  aphides,  which  are  unusually  prevalent 
this  season,  also  against  thrips,  and  if  there  be  any  mealy  bug  it 
succumbs  to  nicotine  vapour, 
THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 
Breaklngr  up  tbe  Beds. — It  is  not  often  the  flower  beds  and 
borders  remain  in  such  a  gay  state  as  they  were  up  to  the  end  of 
September.  Some  kinds  of  plants,  notably  Tuberous  Begonias,  actually 
wanted  rain,  and  since  it  has  fallen  they  have  rallied  considerably. 
These,  Dahlias,  Zonal  Pelargoniums,  Calceolarias,  and  such  like  may 
well  be  left  where  they  are,  unless  presenting  an  unsightly  appearance, 
as  a  moderate  amount  of  frost  will  do  them  no  harm.  Anything  of  a 
tender  nature  that  it  is  desirous  should  be  kept  through  the  winter 
ought  to  be  lifted  and  placed  in  pots  or  boxes  before  they  are  crippled 
by  frosts.  The  more  delicate  of  the  Palms  and  Dracaenas,  with  the 
Musas  and  other  sub-tropical  plants  used  about  the  lawns  and  shrub¬ 
beries,  should  also  be  housed  without  any  further  delay.  If  the  beds 
are  not  to  be  replanted  they  ought  to  be  cleared  of  the  coarsest  rubbish, 
and  then  laid  up  roughly,  yet  neatly,  for  the  winter.  Unless  it  be 
intended  to  manure  the  ground  for  Wallflowers,  Silenes,  and  other 
hungry-rooted  spring-flowering  plants  the  beds  need  not  be  redug  prior 
to  refilling. 
Begonias,  Bahllas,  Cannas,  and  Gladioli. — When  the  tops  of 
Begonias  either  die  down  naturally  or  are  cut  down  by  frosts  there  should 
be  no  further  delay  in  lifting,  drying,  and  storing  of  the  roots.  Leave 
a  small  quantity  of  soil  about  the  Begonia  tubers  and  place  thinly  in 
a  dry  open  shed  or  empty  vinery.  When  the  tops  fall  away  the  time 
has  arrived  for  storing  the  tubers.  Where  seed  Potatoes  are  kept  in  a 
good  place  for  storing  them,  packing  closely  together  in  a  single  layer 
on  either  boards  or  in  shallow  trays.  Dahlias  should  have  their  stems 
shortened  to  a  length  of  9  inches,  much  of  the  soil  removed  from  the 
tubers,  and  be  then  placed  stalk  downwards.  Later  on  they  ought  to 
be  stored  in  a  shed  or  cool  dry  cellar,  covering  the  roots  with  fine  soil 
or  sand  and  protecting  from  severe  frosts  as  need  be,  Cannas  must  be 
lifted  with  a  little  soil  about  the  roots,  also  shortening  the  tops  to  a 
length  of  6  inches,  and  when  dried  somewhat  store  just  as  they  are — 
that  is  to  say,  without  any  covering  of  soil  in  a  dry  place  where  the 
temperature  does  not  often  reach  freezing  point.  If  stored  under  a 
greenhouse  staging  drip  must  be  warded  off  or  many  roots  will  perish. 
Lift  the  choicer  Gladioli  corms,  taking  care  of  the  tiny  offsets,  storing 
these  in  sand,  shorten  their  tops  to  a  length  of  6  inches,  dry  or  harvest 
thoroughly,  and  then  store  in  boxes  and  sand.  If  placed  in  the  potting 
or  other  sheds  protect  from  severe  frosts. 
Xate  Propagating.— It  is  not  yet  too  late  to  put  in  cuttings  of 
Violas,  Calceolarias,  Pentstemons,  and  Antirrhinums.  Select  the  short 
flowerless  shoots,  duly  shorten  to  a  joint,  and  trim,  and  before  they  flag 
badly  dibble  them  in  rather  thickly  in  a  shallow  bed,  in  a  frame  or  pit, 
surfacing  over  with  4  inches  of  fine  sandy  soil.  Water  in  and  keep 
somewhat  close,  shading  from  very  bright  sunshine.  They  may  not 
root  till  next  spring,  but  not  many  of  them  will  fail  altogether. 
Propagating  Zonal  Pelargoniums  is  frequently  unduly  delayed.  Any 
put  in  late  succeed  best  when  placed  thickly  in  5-inch  pots  and  stood 
on  shelves  near  to  the  glass.  Only  enough  water  should  be  given 
to  prevent  them  from  shrivelling  badly,  as  if  kept  on  the  moist  side 
during  the  next  month  or  two  the  greater  part  will  decay. 
APIARIAN  NOTES. 
SEASONABLE  NOTES. 
It  is  advisable  about  the  end  of  this  month  to  give  each  hive 
several  pounds  of  sugar,  whether  they  be  in  need  of  it  or  not. 
Good  sugar  is  the  best  of  winter  food,  while  the  late  feeding  causes 
the  bees  to  fly  when  they  have  an  airing  and  clean  themselves.  It 
also  acts  beneficially  on  the  interior  of  the  hive,  and  the  bees  after 
it  are  in  a  better  position  and  condition  than  they  were  previously. 
In  little  over  two  months  they  will  begin  breeding,  which  keeps 
them  in  better  health  during  severe  weather  than  those  which  do 
not  begin  till  much  later. 
After  hives  are  covered  and  arranged  for  the  winter  make  no 
alteration  whatever  in  their  appearance  or  wrappings.  All  my 
stocks  have  their  entrances  reduced  to  about  an  inch,  and  beyond 
allowing  ventilation  above,  I  keep  the  permeable  covering  above 
the  frames  close  to  them,  and  on  no  pretext  whatever  have  a 
hollow  between  the  frames  and  covering. 
Chloric  Dropsical  Fever. 
All  my  hives  at  the  present  time  appear  to  be  rid  of  this 
troublesome  disease.  One  succumbed  to  it  at  the  moors,  but  all 
the  others  appear  healthy.  There  were  signs  of  it  in  several  hives 
after  I  brought  them  from  the  Heather,  but  since  I  saturated  part 
of  the  hives  with  a  preparation  of  sulphur  it  has  entirely 
disappeared.  One,  a  remarkable  case,  was  of  a  stock  hive,  whose 
queen  appeared  to  be  unfertilised  until  the  late  fine  weather.  The 
disease  attacked  this  hive  about  the  middle  of  September,  and  left 
it  about  the  end.  The  diseased  bees  were  the  offspring  of  the 
queen  of  the  prime  swarm,  which  were  not  attacked,  and  are 
healthy,  in  my  opinion  giving  us  no  alternative  to  think  otherwise 
than  the  disease  must  spring  from  one  or  other  of  the  following 
causes  : — Either  the  ova  becomes  affected  at  certain  periods,  or 
there  is  something  in  the  honey,  pollen,  or  water  accessible  to  by 
the  bees. 
Site. 
Fine  ashes  spread  in  front  of  the  hives,  or  the  ground  frequently 
raked,  and  sloping  so  as  to  carry  off  the  water,  is  desirable.  By 
paying  proper  attention  to  that  and  other  little  matters  of  a  like 
nature  about  the  time  bees  are  expected  to  take  their  first  flight, 
many  will  be  saved  from  premature  death  and  hives  will  not 
dwindle,  as  those  uncared  for  would  probably  do. 
I  still  continue  to  grow  Arabis  in  front  of  my  hives  ;  it  affords 
safe  resting  places  for  bees,  while  it  affords  both  pollen  and  honey 
in  the  early  spring.  Bees  somehow,  from  the  woolly  nature  of  the 
foliage  of  the  Arabis,  can  withstand  a  good  deal  of  cold  when  they 
creep  on  the  under  side  of  the  leaf.  I  have  witnessed  them 
repeatedly,  when  the  sun  shone  out,  rise  from  it  and  fly  to  their 
hive,  after  being  exposed  to  several  degrees  of  frost  during  the 
night. 
The  Honey  Yield  and  Distribution. 
The  yield  of  Heather  honey  in  many  parts  of  the  country  has 
been  an  entire  failure,  but  apparently  not  in  all,  as  I  have  one  letter 
from  the  Midlands  which  speaks  of  much  Heather  honey.  I  have 
often  advocated  some  system  of  co-operation  amongst  bee-keepers 
for  their  mutual  advantage,  but  they  seem  slow  to  adopt  any 
measure  which  would  ultimately  do  them  good.  A  widow,  who 
