November  17,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
387 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
The  Kalosanthes. 
The  Kalosanthes  is  a  plant  which  is  not  grown  nearly  so  much  as  its 
merits  deserve.  Its  cultivation  does  not  require  great  skill — indeed,  it 
can  be  grown  by  almost  anyone.  It  is  most  useful  for  conservatory 
work,  and  in  a  group  of  flowering  plants  for  exhibition  it  is  a  valuable 
addition.  Coming  in  at  a  time  when  the  majority  of  flowering  plants  are 
past  their  best,  its  sweet-scented  showy  blooms  are  highly  appreciated. 
To  propagate  by  cuttings  these  should  be  inserted  in  small  60's  about  the 
middle  of  January.  The  best  place  to  root  them  is  on  a  shelf  near  the 
glass  in  a  warm  house.  In  choosing  the  cuttings  the  tops  make  the  best 
plants,  although  the  stems  root  freely,  and  may  be  inserted  if  enough  tops 
cannot  be  obtained.  The  cuttings  should  be  about  4  inches  long  when 
inserted. 
Before  the  plants  have  filled  their  pots  with  roots  they  must  be  shifted 
into  5-inch  pots,  removing  the  tops,  to  cause  them  to  break  as  soon  as 
they  are  established.  It  is  much  more  convenient  if  a  warm  pit  is  avail¬ 
able.  Keep  it  exclusively  for  the  Kalosanthes,  and  let  them  occupy  the 
same  quarters  all  the  time  ;  but  if  not,  and  they  are  rooted  and  grown 
in  an  intermediate  house,  as  soon  as  all  danger  of  frost  is  passed  they 
should  be  removed  to  a  cold  frame.  Let  them  stand  on  a  good  bottom  of 
ashes,  to  prevent  worms  getting  into  the  pots,  as  there  is  nothing  they 
dislike  so  much.  When  the  roots  have  taken  hold  of  their  new  soil  they 
should  be  potted  into  7-inch  pots,  and  when  established  hardened,  and 
placed  outside  in  such  a  position  that  they  are  sheltered  as  much  as 
possible  from  heavy  rains.  Those  required  for  large  plants  will  be  best 
stopped  a  second  time. 
To  insure  a  good  and  regular  head  of  bloom  the  plants  must  have  a 
clear  season’s  growth,  and  then  all  the  shoots  will  flower.  Plenty  of 
air  and  sun  are  essential  for  their  successful  culture,  and  the  plants  must 
be  kept  carefully  staked  at  all  times,  as  they  are  very  liable  to  break. 
They  should  bo  removed  to  their  winter  quarters  before  any  f-ost  comes, 
an  airy  house,  with  just  enough  heat  to  keep  the  frost  out,  being  a  good 
place.  Water  must  be  given  sparingly,  only  just  enough  to  keep  tho 
growths  from  shrivelling.  The  soil  best  suited  for  Kalosanthes  is  one 
composed  of  rich  fibrous  loam  and  well-decomposed  cow  manure,  with  a 
good  sprinkling  of  sand  and  enough  charcoal  to  keep  the  whole  sweet. 
Special  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  crocking,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
drainage  becoming  stopped  and  the  soil  sour  ;  and  also  the  over  use  of 
the  water  pot. —  S.  S. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Earliest  Forced  House. — The  trees  must  now 
be  started  to  ripen  the  fruit  early  in  May,  when  the  varieties  consist  of 
Hale’s  Early,  Stirling  Castle  or  Royal  George,  Crimson  Galande,  and 
Dyrnond  or  Grosse  Mignonne  Peaches,  with  Lord  Napier,  Stanwick 
Elruge,  Humboldt,  and  Dryden  Nectarines.  The  very  early  varieties, 
Alexander,  or  Waterloo,  and  Early  Louise  Peaches,  with  Cardinal, 
Advance,  and  Early  Rivers  Nectarines,  need  not  be  started  until  the 
new  year  to  give  ripe  fruit  at  the  time  mentioned.  The  trees  should  be 
thoroughly  examined  for  brown  aphis,  and  if  there  be  the  least  trace  of 
the  pest  the  affected  parts  should  be  brushed  over  the  same  way  as  the 
growths  with  tobacco  water,  and  the  house  thoroughly  fumigated  with 
tobacco  paper,  or  vaporised  with  nicotine  essence  on  two  consecutive 
evenings.  If  the  lights  have  been  off  the  border  will  have  been  thoroughly 
moistened  down  to  the  drainage,  but  there  must  not  be  any  mistake  about 
this,  for  it  is  important  that  the  trees  have  sufficient  water  at  the  roots  ; 
therefore  if  any  doubt  exists  as  to  the  moisture  of  the  soil,  give  a 
thorough  supply  of  water  or  liquid  manure  to  benefit  weakly  trees. 
Fire  heat  need  only  be  employed  at  night  to  exclude  frost,  and  by  day 
to  insure  a  temperature  of  50°.  Commence  at  50°,  and  close  the  house  at 
that  temperature,  ventilating  fully  without  lowering  the  heat  below  50°  in 
the  daytime.  Syringe  the  trees  in  the  morning  and  afternoon  of  fine 
days  until  the  buds  begin  to  show  colour,  but  then,  and  on  dull  days 
prior  thereto,  discontinue  the  syringing  of  the  trees,  yet  maintain  a  suit¬ 
able  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  by  damping  the  paths  and  borders  on 
bright  mornings  and  fine  afternoons,  admitting  a  little  air  constantly  at 
the  top  of  the  house.  Aim  at  bringing  the  trees  on  gradually,  to  secure 
well-developed  blossoms. 
Houses  Stai  ted  at  the  New  Year. — T  .ees  started  early  in  the  year  for 
affording  ripe  fruit  at  the  end  of  April  or  early  in  May  if  of  very  early 
varieties,  or  at  the  end  of  May  or  early  in  June  when  of  second  early  or 
midseason  sorts,  must  now  be  kept  as  cool  as  possible.  This  is  best 
effected  by  keeping  the  roof-lights  off  the  house  until  the  time  of  starting. 
The  severest  weather  does  not  injure  wood  or  buds,  and  the  trees  are 
insured  complete  rest,  so  far  as  it  is  practicable  in  our  climate.  The 
lights,  however,  should  be  replaced  about  a  fortnight  in  advance  of 
starting  the  house,  and  they  must  be  cleansed,  repaired,  and,  if  necessary, 
painted.  Wash  the  woodwork  with  a  oisinfecting  soapy  solution,  and 
limewash  the  walls.  Pruning  must  be  attended  to,  removing  wood  not 
required,  and  shortening  long  growths  to  insure  needful  furnishing  of  the 
3pace  with  bearing  wood.  Brown  scale  is  often  troublesome.  It  yields 
to  hot  water  at  140°  to  160°,  but  it  must  not  be  used  excessively.  We  use 
a  solution  of  2  ozs.  each  caustic  soda  (98  per  cent,  purity)  and  commercial 
potash  (pearlash)  to  2  gallons  of  water,  and  apply  with  a  brush  at  a 
temperature  of  140°.  It  kills  scale — even  the  eggs,  only  get  it  under  the 
dead  scales — and  hybernating  red  spider  or  its  eggs.  Frost  also  has  a 
destructive  effect  on  Peach  scale,  trees  exposed  in  the  rest  season  being 
seldom  infested  with  it ;  but  the  pest  is  often  introduced  from  plant 
houses  by  persons  in  charge  of  ventilation. 
Secure  the  trees  to  the  trellis,  allowing  plenty  of  room  in  the  ties  for  the 
swelling  of  the  branches.  Remove  any  loose  inert  surface  soil,  supplying 
fresh  turfy  loam  not  more  than  2  inches  thick,  and  top-dressing  with  a 
mixture  of  equal  parts  bone  superphosphate  and  double  sulphate  of 
potash  and  magnesia,  using  4  ozs.  per  square  yard,  scratching  in  with  a 
fork.  This  may  be  supplemented  by  a  similar  dressing  as  soon  as  the 
fruit  has  set  and  commenced  swelling.  Defer  mulching  with  short 
manure  until  the  trees  are  somewhat  in  growth.  Keep  houses  with  fixed 
roof-lights  as  cool  as  possible,  ventilating  to  the  fullest  extent  in  all  but 
very  severe  weather. 
Houses  Started  in  February. — The  trees  forced  from  the  beginning  of 
that  month  ripen  their  fruit  at  the  end  of  June  or  early  in  .July,  and  will 
now  require  similar  treatment  to  that  advised  for  those  in  the  house  to  be 
started  at  the  new  year.  The  roof-lights  are  much  better  off,  but  it  is  a 
common  practice  to  use  houses  of  this  kind  for  plants  requiring  protection 
from  frost,  especially  Chrysanthemums.  It  is  not  a  good  practice,  for  the 
Peach  trees  are  deprived  of  that  rest  essential  to  success,  and  it  often 
excites  the  trees  prematurely,  then,  followed  by  a  check  through  throwing 
the  house  open  when  the  Chrysanthemums  are  over,  the  buds  frequently 
fall.  It  is  also  a  bad  system  to  leave  houses  and  trees  unattended  after 
the  leaves  fall  until  the  absolute  necessity  arises  for  starting  the  trees, 
for  they  are  never  bandied  so  safely  as  when  the  wood  contains  least  sap, 
which  is  as  soon  as  the  leaves  have  fallen,  and  the  delay  is  taken  advantage 
of  by  red  spider,  thrips,  and  other  pests  to  find  safe  retreats.  The  house, 
therefore,  should  be  thoroughly  cleansed,  the  trees  pruned,  readjusted  to 
the  trellis,  and  every  needful  operation  performed,  so  that  a  start  can  be 
confidently  made  when  the  time  arrives. 
Houses  Started  in  March. — Tho  trees  in  these  structures,  and  closed 
early  in  March,  will  ripen  their  fruit  about  the  middle  of  July  if  brought 
forward  by  artificial  heat ;  but  where  warmth  is  only  given  when  the  trees 
are  in  blossom,  and  to  secure  the  safety  of  the  young  fruit  from  frost, 
the  fruit  will  not  ripen  until  August  if  kept  cool.  The  trees  are  now 
leafless,  and  should  undergo  the  operations  advised  for  those  in  the  early 
house.  Remove  the  roof-lights,  empty  the  hot-water  pipes,  and  leave  the 
lights  off- until  the  end  of  February.  The  trees  will  gain  by  the  process, 
and  the  soil  be  well  watered.  If  the  lights  are  fixed  the  ventilators 
should  be  thrown  open  to  the  fullest  extent. 
I  am  about  to  commence  bee-keepiug,  and  I  shall  be  glad  if  you 
can  let  me  know  where  I  could  get  the  best  information  on  the  subject. 
— Bob. 
Your  correspondent  cannot  do  better  than  study  the  various  articles 
on  bee-keeping  as  they  appear  weekly  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,. 
and  if  in  any  difficulty  apply  for  information,  which  will  be  freely 
given  through  the  same  source.  It  may  be  encouraging  to  “  Bob  ”  to 
know  that  the  advice  here  given  is  the  result  of  nearly  twenty  years’ 
practical  management  of  a  large  apiary  from  which  tons  of  honey 
have  been  distributed  throughout  the  country,  and  wheie  previously 
none  was  collected  owing  to  the  absence  of  bees. 
The  first  thing  to  decide  in  starting  bee-keeping  is  the  class  of 
hive  most  suited  to  the  district,  and  whether  run  honey  or  sections  of 
honey  in  the  comb  is  desired,  or  both.  Though  straw  skeps  are  some¬ 
what  out  of  date  as  regards  obtaining  a  surplus,  they  are  useful  to 
a  beginner  who  is  anxious  to  obtain  early  swarms.  For  this  reason, 
we  would  recommend  a  start  to  be  made  with  a  few  colonies  in  straw 
skeps.  They  may  be  obtained  any  time  during  the  winter  ;  or,  if  the 
selection  is  left  until  the  spring,  stocks  that  are  then  in  good  condi¬ 
tion  will  probably  throw  off  swarms  at  an  early  date,  which  may  be 
placed  on  full  sheets  of  foundation  in  a  frame  hive.  There  would  thus 
be  less  risk  than  if  a  commencement  were  made  before  the  winter  was 
over. 
If  there  are  several  stocks  of  bees  to  select  from,  choose  those  that 
are  strong  in  bees  and  sealed  stores ;  a  good  stock  in  a  straw  skep 
should  at  this  season  weigh  at  least  20  lbs.  In  making  a  selection  it 
is  advisable  to  remove  the  hive  from  its  stand  ;  a  puff  of  smoke  blown 
in  at  the  entrance  will  prevent  the  bees  being  disturbed.  Turn  up 
the  hive  and  select  those  that  have  good  straight  combs,  as  they  will 
be  much  better  for  transferring  into  a  frame  hive  if  required  lor  that 
purpose  after  the  swarming  season  is  over. 
It  is  impoitant  that  the  colony  should  be  headed  by  a  young 
fertile  queen,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to  know  whether  it  is  a  cast,. 
