April  23,  1896. 
JOURNAL  ON  HORTICULTURE  AISfD  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  383 
as  a  precaution  against  injury  from  frost,  as  the  shoots  at  this  stage  are 
so  tender  that  the  slightest  twist  the  wrong  way  breaks  them.  It  is  a 
better  plan  to  defer  tying  down  the  shoots  until  they  are  less  sappy, 
which  may  be  when  the  fruit  is  forming,  but  a  better  plan  still  is  to  so 
dispose  the  rods  that  the  shoots,  instead  of  having  to  be  brought  down 
to  a  nearly  horizontal  position,  will  have  an  incline  upward,  yet 
sufficiently  to  allow  light  to  reach  the  basal  leaves; 
Vines  in  Flower. — Afford  Muscats  a  free  circulation  of  rather  dry 
air,  and  a  temperature  of  80°  to  85°  or  90°  by  day,  falling  to  70°  or  65° 
at  night,  raising  the  points  of  the  bunches  to  the  light,  and  liberating 
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  plenti¬ 
fully,  and  apply  it  to  the  shy  setting  varieties  with  a  camePs-hair 
brush. 
Thinning, — Free-setting  varieties  may  be  thinned  as  soon  as  they 
are  out  of  bloom,  such  as  Black  Hamburgh  ;  some,  like  Gros  Colman, 
Gros  Guillaume,  and  Trebbiano  may  be  thinned  whilst  they  are  in 
flower  ;  but  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  Lady  Downe’s,  and  Mrs.  Pince  must 
not  be  done  until  the  properly  fertilised  berries  can  be  determined  by 
their  taking  the  lead  in  swelling.  Follow  up  the  thinning  early  and 
late,  and  on  dull  days.  Remove  surplus  bunches,  overcropping  being 
alike  fatal  to  well-swelled  berries  as  to  colour,  and  to  next  year’s  crop. 
Feeding. — Feed  swelling  crops  liberally,  either  by  surface  dressings 
or  liquid  manure,  and  maintain  a  moist  genial  condition  of  the 
atmosphere.  It  is  well  to  use  sweetened  horse  droppings,  and  spread 
them  over  the  whole  surface  in  order  to  afford  the  Vines  the  benefit  of 
the  ammonia-charged  atmosphere,  adding  a  few  freshly  sweetened  from 
time  to  time  ;  but  care  must  be  taken  not  to  overdo  it.  Where  the 
Vines  need  extra  support  a  liberal  dressing  of  artificially  compounded 
manure  may  be  used  with  great  benefit,  carefully  following  the 
instructions  of  the  vendors. 
Late  Houses. — There  are,  as  usual,  complaints  of  bad  breaks,  which 
mainly  arise  from  imperfect  ripening  of  the  wood,  and  the  production 
of  loose  bunches  may  be  attributed  to  the  same  cause.  Various 
expedients  are  resorted  to  for  correcting  the  latter  evil,  the  best  being 
to  stop  the  shoots  three  or  four  jointB  beyond  the  fruit,  tying  the  growths 
to  the  wires.  Choose  the  latter  part  of  a  fine  day  for  this  operation, 
when  the  growths  are  limp,  after  keeping  the  house  rather  drier  and 
warmer  than  usual.  Gros  Colman  and  other  late  free-setting  varieties 
should  now  be  forming  the  fruit ;  they  will  then  have  all  the  summer 
before  them.  These  Grapes  require  a  longer  time  to  grow  and  perfect 
than  other  varieties.  Muscats  and  other  shy  setting  varieties  should  be 
carefully  fertilised,  operating  on  fine  days.  A  temperature  of  70°  at 
night  and  75°  by  day,  without  sun,  is  not  too  much  for  Muscats  when 
flowering.  It  is  usual  to  leave  surplus  bunches  until  the  flowering  is 
over,  which  is  a  mistake,  as  Vines  that  do  not  set  a  proper  number  of 
bunches  satisfactorily  are  not  likely  to  do  better  when  more  are  left. 
Late  Hamhurghs. — The  growths  will  need  attention  in  disbudding, 
tying  down,  and  regulating.  Do  not  stop  the  shoots  until  they  are  well 
developed  beyond  the  fruit  to  the  extent  of  two  joints  where  the  space 
is  limited,  and  four  where  there  is  room,  pinching  laterals  below  the 
bunch  to  one  leaf.  Above  allow  them  to  extend,  so  as  to  insure  an 
even  spread  of  foliage  over  the  space,  but  no  more  than  can  have 
exposure  to  light,  afterwards  keeping  closely  pinched.  Ventilate  early 
and  freely,  so  as  to  insure  short-jointed  sturdy  wood  and  thick  leathery 
foliage.  Avoid  overwatering  the  border,  but  keep  it  moist. 
Young  Vines. — Those  planted  last  year  are  starting  naturally,  and 
may  be  assisted  with  gentle  fire  heat  in  cold  weather.  The  canes  will 
have  been  depressed  so  as  to  cause  them  to  break  regularly  down  to  the 
basal  buds,  when  they  can  be  tied  in  position.  Disbud,  leaving  the  best 
shoots  about  18  inches  apart  on  both  sides  of  the  canes.  Crop  very 
lightly,  one  or  two  bunches  being  the  maximum.  Any  extra  Vines 
planted  to  fruit  early  and  afterwards  to  be  cut  out,  may  carry  a  bunch 
on  every  side  growth. 
Newly  Planted  Vines. — When  the  Vines  take  to  the  fresh  soil  they 
will  indicate  it  by  growing  freely.  To  secure  sturdy  growth  ventilate 
early,  letting  all  the  growth  remain  that  can  have  full  exposure  to 
light.  Supernumeraries  intended  for  next  year’s  fruiting  should  have 
the  laterals  pinched  at  the  first  leaf,  afterwards  allowing  them  to  make 
a  few  joints  of  growth,  and  pinching  the  cane  at  8  to  9  feet  length. 
Take  every  possible  care  of  the  leaves  on  the  cane,  not  allowing  them 
to  be  interfered  with  in  any  way  by  the  laterals.  Close  early,  with 
plenty  of  atmospheric  moisture. 
Cherry  House. — Directly  the  stoning  is  completed  the  fruit  com¬ 
mences  colouring  and  taking  its  last  swelling  for  ripening.  The  tem¬ 
perature  may  now  be  raised,  not  exceeding  60"  by  artificial  means  in  the 
daytime,  and  65°  to  60°  at  night,  with  a  little  ventilation,  increasing  it 
at  70°.  Subject  to  the  leaving  of  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, 
Byringing  must  cease,  but  a  genial  moisture  should  be  maintained  in  the 
house.  Aphides  must  be  kept  under  by  an  insecticide,  but  fumigation 
or  vaporisation  only  can  be  had  recourse  to  after  the  fruit  commences 
ripening.  The  border  and  soil  of  trees  in  pots  must  not  lack  moisture. 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
W.  E.  Martin,  20,  Market  Place,  Hull. — Abridged  List  of  Seeds  and 
Plants. 
Jas.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Royal  Exotic  Nursery,  Chelsea. — Catalogue  of 
Plants. 
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SEASONABLE  NOTES. 
It  is  interesting  to  bee-keepers  to  note  the  difference  that  exists 
between  the  various  stocks  in  an  apiary,  although  so  far  as  it  is 
possible  all  may  be  managed  alike. 
I  have  lately  examined  the  majority  of  my  stocks,  and  the 
difference  between  them  was  most  marked.  Although  they  were 
all  fed  in  the  autumn  with  upwards  of  20  lbs.  of  syrup  each,  the 
majority  of  them  have  now  on  an  average  three  frames  of  sealed 
stores,  while  others  have  only  sufficient  for  their  present  require¬ 
ments.  The  latter  doubtless  continued  breeding  during  the 
excessively  hot  weather  experienced  last  autumn,  resulting  in  a 
much  larger  consumption  of  stores. 
But  the  one  thing  that  stood  out  most  prominently  before  all 
others  was  the  fact  that  those  stocks  that  were  fed  with  soft  candy 
two  or  more  months  ago,  and  have  been  supplied  at  intervals  since, 
are  at  the  present  time  the  best  in  my  apiary,  although  there  are 
several  colonies  that  have  abundance  of  sealed  stores.  In  these 
breeding  is  not  nearly  as  active  as  in  those  stocks  that  have  been 
judiciously  fed  as  above  ;  which  is  a  proof,  in  my  opinion,  that 
candy  is  suitable  for  the  purpose.  It  also  shows  that  the  early 
feeding  has  excited  the  queens  and  caused  them  to  commence 
laying  much  earlier  than  would  otherwise  have  been  the  case. 
The  open  winter  has  doubtless  been  in  their  favour,  and  this  early 
breeding  is  an  advantage  in  a  forward  season  like  the  present. 
It  is  satisfactory  to  note  that  all  are  in  good  condition,  and  with 
few  exceptions  have  ample  stores  should  the  weather  prove 
unfavourable,  to  enable  them  to  fill  their  hives  with  young  bees 
that  will  reap  full  benefit  from  the  honey  flow  when  it  comes.  But 
as  it  is  quite  two  months  before  the  White  Clover  is  likely  to  be  in 
bloom  there  is  ample  time  to  work  up  all  stocks  into  first-class 
condition  by  the  method  advised  in  previous  notes. 
The  weather  is  still  changeable,  and  two  or  three  days  lately 
have  been  bitterly  cold.  This  necessitates  close  attention  to  all 
stocks  that  require  it.  Advice  in  this  respect  is  often  sought,  but 
not  always,  I  fear,  attended  to  at  the  right  time,  hence  losses  that 
need  not  have  happened  often  occur.  One  bee-keeper  complains 
of  losing  three  stocks  during  the  past  winter,  owing  to  shortness  of 
stores.  Neglect  in  feeding  at  the  right  time  was  the  cause  of  the 
disaster,  the  bees  being  left  to  take  their  chance,  and  in  the 
end  died  of  starvation.  Another  has  lost  two  stocks  from  queen- 
lessness  ;  these  were  in  straw  skeps,  and  in  each  case  it  was  the 
old  stock  that  succumbed.  They  swarmed  last  year  and  also  threw 
off  a  cast  ;  bat  the  weather  being  unfavourable  the  young  queens 
failed  to  get  fertilised.  This  was  followed  by  the  dwindling  away 
of  the  bees,  and  eventually  the  loss  of  both  stocks. 
One  would  imagine  that  the  majority  of  people,  including  all 
bee-keepers,  would  be  aware  of  the  fact  that  drones  are  the  male 
bees,  and  are  very  different  in  appearance  to  the  workers,  being 
much  larger,  and  when  flying  make  a  much  louder  hum.  I  was 
surprised  and  amused  lately  to  be  told  quite  seriously  by  a  bee¬ 
keeper  of  the  old  school,  who  has  kept  bees  in  straw  skeps  for 
many  years,  “  that  the  drone  made  the  wax  and  built  all  the  combs 
in  the  hive,”  and  I  had  a  difficulty  in  proving  the  fallacy  of  the 
remark,  but  eventually  succeeded  in  showing  that  it  was  the  busy 
little  worker  who  did  all  the  work,  even  to  collecting  food  to  feed 
the  lazy  drone. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
STANDARD  FRAME  HIYES  AND  QUEEN  EXCLUDERS. 
“  I  have  three  standard  frame  hive*,  and  at  the  present  time 
one  of  them  has  ten  frames,  and  the  others  eight  frames  each.  As 
soon  as  I  can  do  so  with  safety  I  intend  adding  two  frames  of 
foundation  to  each  of  the  latter,  afterwards  placing  a  crate  of 
sections  on  each,  but  being  a  young  beginner  at  bee-keeping  I 
would  like  to  know  if  it  is  necessary  to  place  queen  excluder  zinc 
between  the  frames  and  sections,  or  may  they  be  worked  without  ?  ” 
— Kewite. 
[A  hive  holding  ten  standard  frames  is  a  useful  size  for 
obtaining  a  surplus  in  this  country,  where  the  seasons  are  often 
very  short,  owing  to  dull  and  unsettled  weather.  Any  hives 
having  a  less  number  should  have  frames  of  full  sheets  of  founda¬ 
tion  given  them  as  soon  as  the  frames  are  well  covered  with  bees 
and  iupplie*  from  outside  sources  are  coming  in  somewhat  freely. 
Only  one  frame  of  foundation  should  be  given  them  at  once,  and 
this  must  be  placed  next  to  the  outer  frame  of  brood.  If  placed 
in  the  centre  of  brood  nest,  and  dull  weather  sets  in,  the  brood 
may  get  chilled,  and  much  damage  be  done  in  that  way.  The 
frame  of  foundation  should  be  fully  drawn  out,  and  filled  with 
brood  before  another  is  added.  But  should  the  weather  be  dull 
and  showery  a  small  quantity  of  warm  syrup  given  in  the  evening 
