October  12,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
growth,  which  is  not  conducive  to  fruitfulness,  but  the  reverse.  An 
ordinary  fertile  loamy  soil  is  quite  rich  enough  for  the  early  growth  of 
most  fruit  trees,  and  when  the  trees  need  additional  support  surface 
dress:ngs  of  manure  will  supply  it.  Wood  ashes  or  burnt  refuse  are  a 
good  addition  to  the  soil.  They  improve  heavy  ground  by  lightening  it 
and  making  it  more  easily  workable,  and  light  soil  by  adding  to  it 
mineral  matter  in  which  it  may  be  deficient.  Stone  fruits  require 
calcareous  matter,  and  when  the  6oil  is  lacking  in  this  a  dressing  of 
crushed  mortar  rubbish  or  lime  scraps  is  of  great  benefit. 
Grubbing  up  Old  Trees.— Old  trees  of  good  varieties  are  valuable,  and 
if  they  are  healthy  and  do  not  bear  fruit  they  may  probably  be  induced 
to  do  so  by  thinning  out  the  branches,  cleansing  the  stems,  and  supporting 
the  roots.  Some  trees,  however,  are  past  renovation,  and  are  not  worth 
the  time  and  trouble  it  would  be  necessary  to  spend  upon  them.  These 
should  be  cut  down,  the  roots  grubbed  up,  and  the  whole  burnt.  All 
trees  enfeebled  through  canker  or  American  blight  are  better  discarded,  and 
where  they  are  rendered  useless  by  growing  in  too  close  proximity  to  large 
deciduous  trees  it  is  evident  that  they  cumber  the  ground.  The  ordinary 
methods  of  renovation  cannot  be  applied  to  these  satisfactorily,  because 
the  most  essential  things  of  all  are  taken  away — food  and  moisture  from 
the  roots,  and  light  from  the  branches.  Worn-out  bushes  of  Gooseberries 
and  Currants  ought  to  be  grubbed  up  and  burnt.  Yeung  trees  will  pay 
better,  but  if  planted  on  the  same  site  deep  and  thorough  cultivation  must 
ensue  before  planting.  Moderate  manuring  may  be  practised  in  preparing 
such  soil,  especially  as  these  fruits  may  be  planted  in  richer  soil  than  the 
majority  of  fruit  trees. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Cucumbers. — Place  out  the  latest  plants  which  are  to  afford  a  supply 
of  fruit  about  the  new  year  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  stoves,  fruiting  Pine  houses,  or  other  heated  structures.  Plants 
in  bearing  should  not  be  overcropped,  or  the  fruit  allowed  to  remain 
longer  than  it  is  fit  to  cut,  removing  all  deformed  fruit  in  a  young  state. 
Maintain  a  night  temperati  re  of  70°,  5°  less  in  the  morning,  75°  by  day’ 
up  to  85°  with  sun  heat,  admitting  a  little  air  at  the  top  of  the  house  at 
every  favourable  opportunity.  The  evaporation  troughs  may  be  charged 
with  liquid  manure,  and  the  floor  damped  with  water  about  8  A.M.  and 
4  p.m  ,  dispensing  with  the  syringe.  Reduce  the  supply  of  water  at 
the  roots,  but  not  so  much  as  to  cause  flagging.  A  few  sweetened  horse- 
droppings  scattered  on  the  bed  from  lime  to  time  will  benefit  the  plants 
through  the  waterings  and  the  ammonia  given  off.  Keep  the  foliage  thinly 
disposed  and  free  from  insect  pests,  also  the  glass  clean  to  secur. 
thoroughly  solidified  growths. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines.—  Earliest  House. — The  trees  are  now  leafless, 
and  should  be  overhauled  for  pruning,  dressing,  and  re  adjusting  of  the 
growths.  Where  due  regard  has  been  paid  to  the  disbudding,  preventing 
overcrowding,  and  removing  the  useless  growths  after  the  fruits  were 
gathered,  very  little  pruning  will  be  required  now.  Weakly  and  unpro¬ 
mising  branches,  however,  may  often  be  ad'  antageously  cut  out  in  favour  of 
sturdy,  sfort-jointed  growths,  and  unduly  long  shoots  be  shortened  so  as 
to  originate  vigorous  ones  from  them  at  the  proper  place  for  covering  the 
trellis  evenly  with  bearing  wood.  The  house  should  be  thoroughly- 
cleansed,  woodwork  with  carbolic  or  other  disinfecting  soap,  water,  and 
brush,  glass  with  clear  water,  and  the  walls  limewashed,  adding  a  handful 
of  flowers  of  sulphur  to  a  pailful,  the  sulphur  beinz  first  formed  into  a 
paste  with  a  little  skim  milk.  The  trees  also  should  be  washed  with  an 
insecticide,  those  advertised  being  excellent  for  the  purpose,  only  carefully 
follow  the  instructions,  applying  with  a  brush  and  taking  care  not  to 
dislocate  the  buds. 
Likewise  the  border  needs  attention,  removing  the  mulching  or  loose 
surface  soil,  pointing  over  very  lightly,  and  supplying  fresh  loam,  but 
not  covering  the  roots  moie  than  2  or  3  inches.  About  a  quart  of 
some  advertised  fertiliser  may  be  mixed  advantageously  with  every 
barrowload  of  the  loam,  and  its  manurial  elements  will  get  diffused 
through  the  soil  by  rains  or  watering,  and  he  available  as  food  when 
the  trees  start  into  growth.  The  rot  f-lights  may  remain  off  until  late 
November  or  the  approach  of  severe  weather,  frost  and  snow  sometimes 
interfering  with  their  replacement.  Both  inside  and  outside  borders  are 
better  for  whatever  rains  may  fall  up  to  starting,  provided  the  drainage 
be  thoroughly  effective;  and  no  covering  on  the  outside  border  is  necessary 
beyond  a  light  one  to  prevent  the  soil  becoming  frozen,  for  no  roots  can 
absorb  moisture  or  nutriment  from  it  in  that  state. 
Trees  started  at  the  New  Year. — The  foliage  is  mainly  off,  but  some 
leaves  cling  to  the  latest  growths  with  remarkable  tenacity’,  an  indication 
that  the  wood  is  not  there  so  well  matured  as  occurs  with  forced  trees 
generally,  yet  the  buds  are  sufficiently  plumped,  and  th°re  is  nothing  to 
fear  from  immaturity,  indeed  there  is  more  danger  from  over  or  premature 
ripening  in  the  buds  falling  than  from  somewhat  late  retention  of  the 
foliage.  Clear  away  the  leaves  as  they  fall,  and  when  all  are  down,  lose 
no  time  in  having  the  house  thoroughly  cleaned,  the  trees  pruned  and 
dressed  and  tied  to  the  trellis,  top-dressing  the  border  as  before  advised, 
unless  the  trees  have  to  be  lifted  or  root-pruned,  when  it  will  not,  of 
course,  be  necessary.  If  the  lights  are  movable  they  may  be  removed, 
or,  if  already  off,  they  need  not  be  replaced  till  December,  otherwise 
afford  all  the  air  possible,  and  keep  the  inside  border  in  a  properly  moist 
condition. 
Succession  Houses. — Though  there  is  seme  green  foliage,  the  growths 
in  these  are  quite  firm,  and  the  buds  quite  prominent  enough  in  the  axils 
of  the  leaves.  Too  much  air  cannot  be  admitted,  but  it  is  necessary  to 
reduce  the  ventilation  on  cold  nights,  or  close  the  house  in  case  of  severe 
frost,  which  may  cause  the  sudden  collapse  of  the  foliage,  and  prejudicially 
affect  the  buds.  Any  trees  that  are  unsatisfactory  should  be  root-pruned 
or  lilted  as  soon  as  the  foliage  is  sufficiently  matured — that  is,  gives 
indications  of  falling.  In  the  case  of  young  trees  making  a  late  growth 
it  will  be  advisable  to  take  out  a  trench  at  a  distance  from  the  stem  equal 
to  about  one- third  the  spread  of  the  branches,  detaching  all  the  roots, 
leaving  the  trench  open  for  ten  days  or  a  fortnight,  when  it  may  be  filled 
firmly.  This  checks  growth,  and  contributes  to  the  maturity  of  the 
wood  and  buds.  It  also  encourages  the  formation  ot  fresh  rootlets, 
insuring  a  fibrous  formation,  which  will  decidedly  benefit  the  setting 
and  stoning  of  the  fruit,  as  the  tree  is  better  nourished  provided 
the  nutriment  is  present  in  the  soil.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  allow 
the  soil  to  become  dry  in  the  part  undisturbed. 
Late  Houses. — The  wood  which  has  borne  fruit  should  be  cut  out  and 
thinned  where  too  crowded.  The  structure  may  be  kept  rather  close  by 
day  when  there  is  sun,  throwing  the  house  open  at  night,  which  will  assist 
the  wood  to  ripen  and  concentrate  the  tree’s  energies  on  the  buds.  In 
cold  localities  a  gentle  warmth  in  the  hot-water  pipes  in  dull  weather 
will  facilitate  the  ripening  process,  but  it  must  be  accompanied  by  a  free 
circulation  of  air. 
I 
Y5I 
HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
.  r  -  t  ■  i  .  t~-ts 
j 
Review  of  the  Past  Season. 
At  this  season,  when  all  is  quiet  in  the  apiary  and  bees  have 
settled  in  their  winter  quarters,  it  is  interesting  to  look  backwards 
and  see  how  far  the  past  summer  has  come  up  to  our  early  expecta¬ 
tions.  Being  in  touch  with  bee-keepers  in  various  parts  ot  the 
country  we'  are  enabled  to  form  a  fairly  true  estimate  of  what  the 
honey  harvest  has  been.  It  is  gratifying  to  report  a  great  improve¬ 
ment  on  the  past  three  years.  In  some  respects  it  has  been  dis¬ 
appointing,  the  causes  for  which  we  will  endeavour  to  explain.  But 
first  we  would  note  how  evenly  distributed  the  honey  crop  has  been 
throughout  the  country,  as  in  no  single  instance  has  a  failure  been 
reported.  In  a  general  way  it  cannot  be  classed  as  a  first-class  honey 
year,  but  nine  out  of  every  ten  bee-keepers  will  say  they  have  had  a 
fair  season.  When  this  is  the  case  there  is  not  much  to  complain  of. 
There  is  a  great  amount  of  honey  on  sale  in  most  of  the  provincial 
towns.  It  is  on  the  whole  of  good  quality,  in  marked  contrast  to  that 
obtained  in  1898. 
Bees  wintered  fairly  well,  though  there  were  many  losses  from 
shortness  of  stores  and  aged  q  ueens  dying  in  early  spring.  Stocks 
that  were  headed  by  young  queens,  and  were  strong  in  bees,  which 
were  well  supplied  with  stores  the  previous  autumn,  were  remarkably 
strong  in  April.  The  weather  being  so  mild  breeding  commenced 
earlier  than  usual.  Throughout  May  cold  east  winds  prevailed,  during 
which  time  weak  stocks  made  Lttle  headway  and  strong  colonies  did 
not  increase  in  weight.  At  last  a  welcome  change  in  the  weather  caused 
activity  throughout  the  apiary.  The  first  fortnight  of  June  was 
warm  and  bright,  and  bee-keepers  in  favoured  localities  reaped  a  rich 
harvest  from  the  field  Beans  that  were  fast  passing  out  of  bloom, 
and  the  White  Clover  which  was  earlier  than  usual. 
The  soil  about  our  apiary  is  cold  and  heavy,  consequently  vegeta¬ 
tion  is  late,  and  the  White  Clover  was  not  fully  in  bloom  till  the 
third  week  in  June.  But  on  sandy  land  not  six  miles  distant  AVhite 
Clover  was  a  mass  of  flower  at  least  ten  days  earlier,  and  as  the 
drought  had  not  then  affected  the  pastures  to  any  seiious  extent  in 
the  Midland  counties,  bets  in  those  districts  filled  the  supers  at  a 
rapid  rate. 
Honey  from  the  Heather. 
It  is  many  years  since  such  a  good  harvest  of  honey  from  the 
Heather  was  rt  corded  as  during  the  present  season.  From  the  York¬ 
shire  wolds,  the  Derbyshire  moors,  and  the  extensive  moors  in 
Scotland,  which  are  noted  for  the  high-class  Heather  honey,  reports  are 
to  hand  of  a  satisfactory  yield.  The  Heather  bloomed  profusely 
throughout  the  various  districts,  and  during  the  whole  time  it  was  in 
flower  scarcely  a  shower  of  rain  fell.  Bright  sunshine  and  a  high 
temperature  enabled  the  lees  to  store  a  surplus  at  a  rapid  rate.  In 
many  instancts  a  second  crate  of  lections,  or  shallow  frames,  had  to  be 
placed  on  the  hives  before  they  had  been  on  the  moors  many  days. 
Jn  addition  to  the  supers  being  filled,  the  frames  in  the  body  of  the 
majority  of  the  hives  were  filled  with  slabs  of  sealed  stores,  thus 
providing  ample  food  for  the  bees  till  outdoor  supplies  are  plentiful 
next  spring. 
Bee-keepers  who  are  able  to  Fend  their  bees  to  the  Heather  after 
the  usual  harvest  of  honey  is  over  from  other  sources  have  a  great 
advantage  over  those  not  so  favourably  situated.  In  an  ordinary 
season  they  will  obtain  sufficient  stores  for  wintering  on,  and  there  is- 
always  a  chance  should  the  weather  be  favourable,  as  in  the  past 
season,  to  derive  a  rich  harvest  from  that  source. 
What  are  the  lessons  to  be  learnt  from  the  jast  season  ?  Which 
