January  20,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
09 
is  an  excess  of  blossom  buds  draw  the  hand  the  contrary  way  of  the  growth 
along  the  under  side  of  the  trellis  or  its  back  so  as  to  remove  those  there 
situated,  thinning  elsewhere  with  the  fingers,  leaving  the  best  situated. 
Syringing  must  cease  when  the  buds  show  colour  ;  but  damp  the  house  in 
the  morning  and  early  afternoon,  always  avoiding  a  stagnant  atmosphere. 
See  that  inside  borders  are  thoroughly  moistened  through  to  the  drainage, 
but  avoid  needless  waterings. 
Succeession  and  Late  /houses.— Finish  pruning  the  trees  at  once,  dressing 
them  with  an  approved  insecticide,  many  excellent  kinds  being  advertised  ; 
and  secure  the  trees  to  the  trellis,  always  allowing  ample  space  for  the 
swelling  of  the  branches,  and  leave  room  between  them  for  laying-in 
young  wood  for  future  bearing.  Fork  the  border  lightly,  not  disturbing 
the  roots  ;  and  after  removing  the  loose  soil,  supplying  fresh  in  its  place, 
dress  with  a  sustaining  fertiliser,  such  as  the  following  mixture : — 
Dissolved  bones,  dry  and  crumbly,  three  parts  ;  double  sulphate  of 
potash  and  magnesia,  two  parts  ;  and  air-slaked  best  chalk  lime,  one 
part,  mixed,  using  4  ozs.  per  square  yard,  and  scratch  in  lightly  with  a 
fork.  If  the  borders  are  at  all  dry  they  should  be  given  a  thorough 
supply  of  water.  Ventilate  to  the  fullest  extent,  except  when  frost 
prevails  ;  even  then  frost  will  not  do  any  harm  until  the  buds  show 
colour.  Houses  with  the  roof-lights  off  need  not  have  them  replaced 
until  starting  time,  or  to  insure  safety  for  the  blossoms. 
THE  KITCHEN  GAKDEN. 
Forcing  Carrots  and  Eadishes. — Carrots  are  easily  forced,  and  the 
roots  in  a  young  state  form  an  excellent  dish.  A  mild  hotbed 
surmounted  by  a  shallow  frame  or  placed  in  a  shallow  pit  is  an  essential. 
Cover  this  with  about  6  inches  of  fine  sandy  soil  in  which  to  sow  the 
seeds.  The  early  stump-rooted  or  Forcing  Horn  Carrots  are  the  best  for 
the  purpose,  and  the  seed  may  be  sown  either  broadcast  or  in  drills.  If 
broadcast,  moisten  the  soil,  if  at  all  dry,  and  then  sow  on  the  surface 
thinly  to  obviate  any  necessity  for  thinning  out.  Do  not  attempt  to  rake 
in  the  seed,  but  cover  with  a  little  fine  soil.  Should  sowing  in  lines  be 
preferred,  open  shallow  drills  from  6  inches  to  8  inches  apart,  the  latter 
distance  for  Eadishes  between,  water  the  drills  and  then  sow  the  seed  thinly 
along  them,  lightly  covering  with  fine  soil.  Close  the  frame  and  cover 
heavily  with  mats  till  the  seed  germinates,  after  which  admit  all  the  light 
possible,  and  give  a  little  air  at  the  back  of  the  frame  during  the  warmest 
part  of  the  day,  ventilating  more  freely  as  the  weather  gets  warmer  and 
the  plants  increase  in  size.  A  similar  system  may  be  advantageously 
adopted  with  Eadishes. 
Carrots  and  Eadishes  in  Eough  Frames. — Profitable  early  crops  of 
Carrots  and  Eadishes  can  be  grown  without  the  aid  of  glazed  lights. 
Eough  frames  can  be  easily  constructed,  and  these  can  be  made  either  deep 
enough  to  hold  a  depth  of  about  2  feet  of  manure,  or  manure  and  leaves, 
or  they  may  be  shallow  and  rest  on  the  top  of  a  hotbed.  Canvas-covered 
frames,  straw  mats,  or  ordinary  Eussian  mats  are  all  suitable  for  covering 
and  protecting.  Prepare  the  seed  bed  and  sow  the  seeds  as  is  advised 
in  the  preceding  paragraphs. 
Radishes  in  the  Open. — Should  the  weather  keep  mild  the  market 
growers’  plan  of  sowing  early  Eadishes  in  the  open  is  worthy  of  imitation. 
Prepare  a  sunny  slope  by  manuring  heavily,  and  on  this  sow  the  seed 
somewhat  freely  in  beds.  Cover  with  strawy  litter  from  which  the 
manure  has  been  separated,  lightening  this  up  occasionally  with  a  fork. 
When  the  plants  are  up  carefully  remove  the  litter  on  mild  days, 
returning  it  by  way  of  protection  in  the  evening.  This  small  amount  of 
labour  is  frequently  rewarded  by  heavy  and  very  remunerative  crops  of 
Eadishes. 
Forcing  Potatoes.— Pot  culture  is  seldom  satisfactory,  the  crops 
resulting  being  light.  Those  who  care  to  try  this  method  of  securing 
early  dishes  should  half  fill  9-inch  pots  with  light  moderately  rich  soil, 
and  place  one  good-sized  previously  sprouted  tuber  of  a  short-topped 
early  variety  in  each,  or  if  10-inch  or  larger  pots  are  used  two  tubers  may 
be  set  in  each.  Cover  with  soil,  and  arrange  the  pots  in  a  moderately 
warm  position,  but  hard  forcing  must  not  be  attempted.  When  the  single 
primary  sprout  left  to  each  tuber  is  well  through  the  surface  nearly  fill 
the  pots  with  more  of  the  light  rich  soil,  and  keep  the  pots  where  sunshine 
and  air  can  reach  them.  Avoid  saturating  the  soil  at  the  outset,  and  also 
after  top-dressing,  but  when  the  Potatoes  are  well  in  leaf  they  should 
have  abundance  of  water,  also  soot  water,  or  other  liquid  manure. 
Potatoes  in  Frames. — Pits  and  frames  are  most  often  devoted  to  the 
production  of  early  Potatoes.  The  former  should  be  moderately  deep,  as 
the  haulm  requires  a  fair  amount  of  head  room.  Bottom  heat  is  needed, 
but  this  ought  not  to  be  of  a  dry  or  rank  nature.  If  stable  manure  be 
used,  it  should  be  sweetened  and  moderated  by  previous  fermentation  and 
turnings  of  the  heap,  and  is  improved  by  the  free  addition  of  Oak  or  other 
leaves.  A  hotbed  for  Potatoes  may  be  3  feet  deep  at  the  back  and 
30  inches  in  front,  putting  it  together  firmly.  If  there  is  no  likelihood  of 
its  becoming  very  hot,  cover  with  about  9  inches  of  light  moderately  rich 
soil  at  once,  and  when  this  is  well  warmed  through  plant  the  Potatoes. 
Tubers  having  strong  sprouts'  will  be  found  excellent  for  this  purpose. 
Drills  for  them  may  be  6  inches  deep  and  about  15  inches  apart,  planting 
the  tubers  from  C  inches  to  8  inches  asunder,  covering,  and  carefully 
levelling  over  the  soil.  Cover  the  frames  or  pits  with  mats  every  night, 
and  heavily  when  the  weather  is  frosty. 
Early  Peas  and  Beans. — ^Plants  raised  under  glass  and  duly  turned  out 
in  the  open  produce  extra  early,  if  not  particularly  heavy  crops,  tif  the  seed 
is  sown  now  it  will  germinate  without  the  aid  of  much  heat,  and  sturdier 
plants  result  than  would  be  the  case  if  they  were  raised  in  a  strong^  heat. 
Eaise  abundance  of  plant*,  as  they  should  be  planted  thickly  in  the  rows. 
A  quart  of  seed  will  give  enough  plants  to  form  a  row  equal  to  a 
length  of  90  feet.  Sow  the  seed  either  somewhat  thickly  in  4-inch  pots,  ; 
from  which  the  plants  may  be  moved  with  their  roots  undisturbed  direct 
into  the  ground,  or  in  boxes  of  light  soil,  eventually  moving  the  plants  in 
this  instance  without  any  soil,  but  saving  the  roots  intact.  If  extra  early 
dishes  of  Broad  Beans  are  required  sow  seeds  of  Early  Longpod,  and 
treat  as  advised  in  the  case  of  Peas. 
The  Weather. 
Bee-keepers  as  a  body  doubtless  make  observations  of  the 
weather  more  than  the  ordinary  individual,  and  since  my  last  notes 
appeared  on  this  subject  there  have  not  been  many  changes  to 
chronicle.  We  have  bad  fogs,  and  a  few  slight  frosts,  the  most  severe 
being  on  the  23rd,  24tli,  and  25th  of  December,  when  9°,  10°,  and  11° 
respectively  were  registered.  But  generally  speaking  the  weather 
has  been  mild  and  open.  On  several  occasions  the  sun  has  shone 
brightly  during  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  bees  were  flying  merrily 
from  all  the  hives.  This  will  be  of  benefit  to  them,  as  it  keeps  them 
in  a  healthy  condition. 
It  is  after  cold  rain,  or  a  fall  of  snow,  when  the  ground  is  exceed¬ 
ingly  cold  that  bees  die  in  great  numbers  becoming  numbed  directly 
they  alight  on  the  cold  soil,  where  they  become  a  ready  prey  for  the 
birds,  which  are  ever  on  the  alert.  Bees,  il  found  in  great  numbers  in 
this  condition,  may  be  brought  to  active  lile  again  if  they  are 
collected  and  placed  in  a  box  near  the  fire  for  a  lew  minutes,  and 
then  liberated,  when  the  majority  of  them  will  fly  home  to  their 
various  colonies.  It  is,  however,  not  possible  to  do  this  on  a  large 
scale,  but  if  attempted,  should  always  be  done  as  early  as  possible. 
The  open  weather  is  having  an  effect  on  the  early  spring  flowers. 
Already  the  Snowdrops,  Aconites,  Arabis,  Primroses,  and  others  are 
fast  coming  into  bloom.  So,  whatever  the  weather  may  prove  to  be 
during  the  next  few  months,  there  has  been  nothing  to  complain  of  in 
this  respect  up  to  the  present  time. 
Bees  Breeding  in  Winter. 
Although  brood  -  in  the  hives  is  not  to  be  encouraged  in  mid¬ 
winter,  if  healthy  strong  colonies  were  examined  at  the  present  time 
there  would  doubtless  be  found  a  patch  of  brood  in  two  or  three  of 
the  frames  in  the  middle  of  the  hive.  It  is  not  advisable  to  make  an 
examination  at  this  date,  as  much  harm  may  be  done.  If  the  weather 
continue  favourable  the  brood  will  prove  of  great  advantage,  as  it  will 
help  to  make  the  stocks  strong. 
When  bees  are  provided  with  sufficient  stores  early  in  the  autumn, 
so  that  no  extra  food  is  required  during  tlie  winter  or  early  spring, 
they  rarely  make  the  mistake  of  raising  too  much  brood  at  midwinter. 
It  is  when  bees  are  led  artificially,  either  with  candy  or  in  uncapping 
of  sealed  stores,  that  they  become  .unnaturally  excited ;  the  weather 
may  be  fine  and  open,  food  is  being  suppl  ed  freely,  but  not  wisely; 
the  queen  becomes  excited  and  commences  to  lay,  and  all  goes  well 
for  a  few  days.  A  change  comes  in  the  weather — a  low  temperature 
prevails,  lasting  a  few  days,  or  it  may  be  weeks;  the  bees  cling  more 
closely  to  the  cluster,  and  they  are  not  numerous  enough  to  cover  the 
brood.  What  is  the  result  ?  The  brood  becomes  chilled,  and  so  will 
many  of  the  bees  in  their  anxiety  not  to.  desert  the  brood ;  they 
succumb,  being  unable  to  return  to  the  cluster,  and  so  the  last  state 
of  that  colony  is  worse  than  the  fii  st. 
This  is  no  imagination.  Similar  cases  to  the  above  are  being 
constantly  brought  to  my  notice,  and  should  act  as  a  deterrent  to 
those  who  are  inclined  to  neglect  the  autumn  feeding  (when  neces¬ 
sary)  of  their  bees,  and  relying  on  candy  or  something  similar  in 
wiri'er  instead.  If  the  latter  is  given  to  the  bees  in  reason  at  this 
season  all  will  be  well,  but  care  must  always  be  taken  not  to  unduly 
excite  the  bees  during  the  dark  dull  days  of  winter,  or  mischief  will 
be  done. 
If  the  weather  does  not  come  unduly  severe  those  stocks  in  warm 
hives  with  ample  natural  stores  will  continue  breeding  from  this  time 
onwards,  and  those  are  the  colonies  that  will  undoubtedly  give  the 
best  account  of  themselves  during  the  next  honey  harvest. 
Enemies  of  Bees. 
Bees  being  constantly  on  the  wing  during  fine  weather,  it  is 
advisable  to  be  on  the  look  out  for  their  enemies,  and  the  worst 
culprit  that  I  have  to  contei.d  with  in  this  respect  is  the  different 
species  of  tits,  the  chief  among  them  being  the  great  tit  (Parus 
major).  If  these  pests  were  satisfied  with  being  scavengers  in  picking 
up  only  the  dead  bees  they  would  be  welcomed  as  friends,  but  when  they 
take  them  whilst  on  the  wing,  and  when  the  temperature  is  too  low 
for  them  to  leave  their  hives,  they  pounce  down  on  to  the  alighting 
board  and  tap .  at  the  entrance  with  their  beaks  so  as  to  tempt  some 
of  the  most  venturesome  of  the  bees  to  leave  their  hives,  which  they 
