April  21,  1898. 
JOURI^AL  'OF  ttORTIGtILTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
357 
of  growths  which  crowd  the  spurs.  Young  pyramids  and  bushes  in  the 
open  will  also  be  better  for  timely  attention  in  the  work  of  disbudding, 
thus  early  dispensing  with  unsuitable  growths.  The  result  will  be  that 
those  retained  will  develop  stronger  and  grow  more  freely  than  when 
having  to  compete  with  a  host  of  others. 
Outdoor  Figs. — Figs  on  walls  should  be  trained  thinly,  the  leaves 
being  large,  and  requiring  much  room.  The  crowding  of  shoots  does  not 
benefit  the  trees,  hence  any  old  or  ill-placed  growths  may  with  advantage 
be  removed.  The  shoots  retained  ought  not  to  be  shortened,  as  the  fruit 
is  borne  towards  the  extremities  of  the  growths. 
The  present  month  is  the  best  tor  planting  Figs,  selecting  one-year- 
old  trees  for  the  purpose.  A  friable  loamy  soil  that  is  known  to  be  of  a 
calcareous  nature,  and  not  too  highly  charged  with  organic  matter  in  the 
shape  of  manure,  should  be  prepared,  and  the  whole  made  firm  before 
planting.  The  subsoil  should  be  naturally  well  drained. 
Assisting  Newly  Planted  Fruit  Trees. — Extended  periods  of  dry, 
sunny,  and  windy  weather  during  spring  are  frequently  very  trying  to 
newly  planted  fruit  trees  against  walls,  and  sometimes  in  the  open.  It 
is  not  advisable  to  saturate  the  soil  too  often  with  water,  which  cools  the 
particles  and  renders  the  formation  of  new  roots  in  it  a  slower  process. 
Of  course  water  must  be  given  to  fender  soil  moist  enough,  but  use  every 
endeavour  afterwards  to  conserve  the  moisture  present  by  affording  a 
light  mulching  of  flaky  manure  or  leaf  soil.  During  the  driest  periods 
frequently  syringe  the  trees,  which  is  better  than  drenchings  of  water  at 
the  roots,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  a  healthy  growth. 
Watering  Established  Trees. — Lack  of  moisture  in  the  soil  during  the 
present  and  succeeding  month  is  frequently  the  cause  of  early  insect 
attacks,  aphis  and  red  spider  being  especially  prevalent  on  trees  that  may 
be  dry  at  the  roots.  It  is  not  only  the  lack  of  moisture,  which  is  itself  a 
form  of  food,  but  inability  of  the  rootlets  to  gather  other  food  when  water 
is  not  present  in  the  soil  to  dissolve  and  make  available  the  necessary 
constituents.  To  such  trees,  therefore,  that  are  known  to  be  dry  at  the 
roots  apply  water  copiously,  and  follow  by  mulching  the  surface. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Cherry  House. — Directly  the  stoning  is  completed  the  fruit  commences 
colouring,  and  takes  its  swelling  for  ripening.  The  temperature  may 
then  be  raised,  but  it  must  not  exceed  65°  by  artificial  means  and  55°  to 
60°  at  night,  with  a  little  ventilation,  in^'reasing  it  at  70°.  Subject  to 
leaving  a  little  air  on  constantly  at  the  top  of  the  house,  close  at  70’,  but 
the  temperature  must  not  be  allowed  to  exceed  that  degree  in  the  early  part 
of  the  day  without  full  ventilation.  From  the  commencement  of  colouring 
until  the  trees  are  cleared  of  their  fruits  syringing  must  cease,  or  the 
fruits  will  crack,  but  good  moisture  should  be  maintained.  Aphides  must 
be  kept  down  by  an  insecticide,  but  only  fumigation  or  vaporisation  with 
tobacco  or  nicotine  can  be  had  recourse  to  after  the  fruit  commences 
ripening.  The  border  must  not  lack  moisture,  and  liquid  manure  should 
be  liberally  accorded  to  trees  in  pots. 
Figs. — Earliest  Trees  in  Pots. — The  fruits  of  the  very  early  varietit  s 
are  ripe,  while  later  varieties  are  nearly  so,  hence  the  supply  of  water  at 
the  roots  must  be  diminished,  discontinuing  syringing,  and  affording  a 
free  circulation  of  warm  air,  leaving  the  top  ventilators  open  at  night. 
Although  watering  is  advised  to  be  lessened  during  the  ripening  of  the 
fruit,  the  soil  must  be  kept  moist,  for  this,  with  moderate  moisture  in 
the  atmosphere,  is  essential  to  the  health  of  the  foliage.  As  soon  as  the 
first  crop  is  cleared  off  the  trees  syringe  them  twice  daily,  renewing  the 
top-dressing,  and  supplying  the  roots  with  weak  liquid  manure.  If  the 
second  crop  be  very  abundant  the  fruits  must  be  thinned,  leaving  those  at 
the  base  of  the  shoots,  for  it  is  important  not  to  overtax  the  trees  for 
early  forcing  next  season. 
Early-forced  Planted-out  Trees. — The  trees  must  now  have  plentiful 
nutriment.  If  the  soil  require  moisture  give  a  thorough  supply,  and 
mulch  with  partially  decayed  rather  lumpy  manure.  Do  not  cease 
syringing  until  the  fruit  commences  ripening,  avoiding  then  a  super¬ 
abundance  of  moisture  about  the  house,  and  pi'ovide  a  free  circulation  of 
air  until  the  fruit  is  all  gathered. 
Vines. — Early  Forced. — To  Vines  with  the  Grapes  colouring  afford  a 
thorough  watering,  and  mulch  afterwards  with  well-sweetened  horse 
droppings.  This  refers  to  the  inside  border.  Where  the  Grapes  are  fully 
ripe  a  reduction  of  temperature  is  advisable,  yet  not  below  60°,  and 
affording  moderate  moisture  for  the  benefit  of  the  foliage.  The  moisture 
will  not  do  the  Grapes  any  harm  provided  the  air  is  changed  by  free 
ventilation,  admitting  a  little  air  constantly. 
Succession  Houses. — Attend  to  stopping  and  tying  the  shoots.  Where 
the  space  is  restricted  stop  the  growths  two  joints  beyond  the  fruit,  and 
as  foliage  is  necessary  leave  the  laterals  on  the  stem,  both  above  an  I 
below  the  bunch.  Pinch  these  at  the  first  leaf,  especially  the  basal 
ones,  also  above  unless  there  is  space  for  development,  when  the  laterals 
may  be  allowed  to  make  two  or  three  joints,  but  no  more  growth  must  be 
encouraged  than  can  have  exposure  to  light  and  air.  After  the  space  is 
fairly  furnished  keep  the  growths  closely  pinched  to  one  joint  as  made. 
Where  there  is  more  space  stopping  will  not  fake  place  until  growth  has 
extended  four  or  more  joints  beyond  the  fruit,  pinching  the  shoot  at  the 
joint  when  the  leaf  is  about  the  size  of  a  penny’.  The  great  evil  is  over¬ 
crowding,  which  deprives  the  foliage  of  the  essential  light  and  air,  and 
restricting  the  growths  is  intended  to  prevent  that. 
Boutine. — The  tying  of  the  shoots  into  the  places  where  they  are  to 
remain  during  the  summer  is  an  operation  demanding  much  attention. 
It  is  a  common  practice  to  commence  tying  down  the  growths  as  soon  as 
they  are  long  enough  to  bend.  This  is  not  advisable  except  as  a  precau¬ 
tion  against  injury  from  frost  or  scorching,  as  the  shoots  at  this  stage  are 
80  tender  that  the  slightest  twist  the  wrong  way  breaks  them.  It  is  a 
better  plan  to  defer  tying  down  until  the  shoots  are  less  sappy,  which 
may  be  when  the  fruit  is  forming ;  but  a  better  practice  still  is  to  so 
dispose  the  rod  that  the  shoots,  instead  of  having  to  he  brought  down  to 
a  nearly  horizontal  position,  will  have  an  incline  upwards,  yet  sufficiently 
outwards  to  admit  light  to  the  basal  leaves  of  the  growths. 
Afford  Muscats  in  flower  a  free  circulation  of  rather  dry  air,  and  a 
temperature  80°  to  85°  or  90°  by  day,  falling  to  70°  or  65°  at  night, 
raising  the  points  of  the  bunches  to  the  light,  and  liberate  the  pollen  at 
midday  by  gently  rapping  the  footstalks  of  the  bunches.  If  there  is  a 
deficiency  of  pollen  take  it  from  those  that  afford  it  plentifully,  as  Black 
Hamburgh,  Foster’s  Seedling,  and  Alicante,  and  apply  it  to  the  shy 
setting  varieties  with  a  camel-hair  brush,  previously  removing  the  “  caps  ” 
by  a  gentle  brushing  over  of  the  bunches. 
Thinning  Grapes. — Where  there  is  a  quantity  to  be  thinned  commence 
as  soon  as  they  are  out  of  bloom  with  the  free-setting  varieties,  such  as 
Black  Hamburgh,  and  some,  like  Gros  Colman  and  Gros  Guillaume,  may 
be  thinned  whilst  they  are  in  flower.  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  Lady 
Downe’s,  and  Mrs.  Pince,  however,  must  not  be  thinned  until  the 
properly  fertilised  berries  can  be  determined  by  their  taking  the  lead  in 
swelling.  Follow  it  up  early  and  late,  and  on  dull  days.  Surplus  bunches 
may  be  removed  boldly,  as  overcropping  is  alike  fatal  to  well-swelled 
berries  as  to  colour  and  finish,  also  next  year’s  crop.  Feed  swelling 
crops  liberally,  either  by  surface  dressings  of  the  approved  advertised 
fertilisers  washed  in  or  liquid  manure,  and  maintain  a  moist  genial  con¬ 
dition  of  the  atmosphere. 
Young  Vines. — Those  planted  last  year  are  breaking  naturally,  and 
may  be  assisted  with  gentle  fire  heat  in  cold  weather.  The  canes  will 
have  been  depressed  so  as  to  cause  the  buds  to  break  regularly  down  to 
the  basal  ones,  when  they  can  be  tied  in  position.  Disbud,  leaving  the 
best  shoots  about  18  inches  on  both  sides  of  the  cane  or  (now)  rod.  Crop  very 
lightly,  one  or  two  bunches  being  the  maximum.  Any  extra  strong  Vines 
planted  to  fruit  early,  and  afterwards  to  be  cut  out,  may  carry  a  bunch  on 
every  side  growth,  but  six  to  eight  bunches,  according  to  their  vigour,  are 
more  satisfactory  than  a  greater  number  to  a  Vine. 
HE  BEE-KEEI 
Spuing  Management. 
Success  or  failure  in  bee-keeping  depends  greatly  on  the  spring 
management,  and  as  no  two  seasons  are  exactly’  alike  bee-keepers  must 
be  governed  by  the  strength  of  their  stocks,  the  state  of  the  weather, 
and  when  honey  is  likely  to  be  obtained  in  abundance,  before  deciding 
on  what  is  necessary  to  be  done  in  the  apiary.  It  is,  therefore,  impos¬ 
sible  to  lay  down  any  hard  and  fast  rule,  as  it  w’ould  probably  only 
end  in  failure.  If  we  make  a  comparison  between  the  present  season 
and  a  year  ago,  it  will  be  at  once  apparent  that  different  treatment  is 
necessary.  At  the  present  time  the  majority  of  our  stocks  are  in  good 
condition — indeed,  we  do  not  remember  them  beii  g  in  a  more  forward 
state  at  this  early  date;  whereas  a  year  ago  they  were  quite  the 
opposite.  They  then  required  careful  management  before  they  were  of 
the  desired  strength  to  store  a  surplus. 
Colonies  that  are  headed  by  young  fertile  queens,  and  which  went 
into  winter  quartcTS  with  a  numerous  progeny  of  young  bee.«,  were 
well  supplied  with  stores  early  in  the  autumn,  will  not  require  feeding, 
as  the  fruit  trees  will  soon  be  a  mass  of  bloom.  But  where  several 
stocks  of  bees  are  kept  we  invariably  find  some  that  require  attention. 
It  is  not  advisable  to  handle  the  bees  or  to  lift  the  frames  out  of  the 
hives  unless  there  is  a  good  reason  for  doing  so,  as  it  is  impossible  to 
do  this  without  lowering  the  temperature  of  the  hive.  This  should 
be  guarded  against,  as  it  may  result  in  chilled  brood  and  its  attendant 
evils.  Neither  is  it  advisable  to  remove  any  of  the  coverings,  as 
beginners  are  sometimes  tempted  to  do  when  a  spell  of  fine  v\  eather 
sets  in,  as  from  experiments  we  have  made  we  are  strong  in  the  belief 
that  it  would  be  a  decided  advantage  to  provide  extra  coverings 
throughout  the  early  spring.  If  anyone  has  any  doubt  on  the  matter 
let  them  closely  observe  the  difference  between  two  colonies  of  equal 
strength,  one  of  which  has  a  quilt  and,  say  a  couple  of  thicknesses  of 
carpet  or  some  warm  material,  and  the  other  half  a  dozen  warm 
coverings,  on  the  top  of  which  a  piece  of  board  is  placed.  On  exami¬ 
nation  the  latter  will  be  found  several  degrees  warmer  than  the 
former. 
Feeding. 
From  the  above  it  will  be  seen  that  warmth  is  essential.  It  is, 
however,  of  little  effect  if  there  is  a  shortness  of  stores  in  any  of 
the  hives.  Although  the  past  winter  has  been  exceptionally  mild, 
there  has  not  been  an  increased  consumption  of  stores.  This  is  the 
more  remarkable,  as  in  previous  mild  winters  a  much  greater  number 
of  stocks  required  feeding  at  this  date  than  at  the  present  time.  How 
is  this  to  be  accounted  for  ?  Chiefly,  we  believe,  to  the  fact  that  after 
they  were  fed  up  to  the  desired  weight  rather  earlier  than  usual  last 
autumn,  a  spell  of  fine  weather  set  in,  and  as  there  was  a  great  wealth 
of  flowers  in  all  directions  which  succeeded  the  rains  after  the 
