lC()V’embBr  26,  1896. 
■jOUni^AL  .  0#  HOkTIGULTURE  A2fD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
r>25 
Strawberries  in  Pots. — A  start  must  be  made  at  the  beginning 
of  next  month  to  have  fruit  ripe  early  in  March.  La  Grosse  Suor4e  has 
been  our  standard  early  forcing  variety  for  many  years,  and  we  see  no 
reason  to  change,  as  it  usually  sets  well  and  swells  the  fruit  to  a  good 
size,  besides  being  of  a  bright  glossy  colour  and  excellent  in  quality. 
Princess  Frederick  William  runs  it  hard  as  an  early  forcer,  being  a  good 
cropper,  bright  in  colour,  with  a  pleasing  aroma.  It,  however,  has 
almost  disappeared  from  cultivation,  being  a  poor  doer  outside,  as  also 
is  La  Grosse  Suci^e.  Vicomtesse  Hericart  de  Thury  usually  shows  and 
sets  abundance  of  fruits,  and  these,  if  well  thinned,  attain  to  a  good 
size  whilst  the  quality  is  excellent.  Royal  Sovereign,  however  is  a  strong 
claimant  for  first  honours  as  an  early  forcing  variety,  and  probably  will 
shortly  be  so  placed.  There  is  no  question  about  the  fruiting,  size, 
colour,  and  quality.  Noble  and  Auguste  Nicaise  yield  to  no  other  for 
noble  looking  fruits,  and  if  brought  on  slowly  may  be  started  with  the 
preceding  varieties,  assigning  them  positions  on  shelves  in  Peach  houses. 
The  others,  to  fruit  at  the  time  named,  will  need  forwarding  in  a  Straw¬ 
berry  house.  The  plants  to  be  introduced  to  the  Strawberry  house, 
vinery,  or  Peach  house  should  have  the  drainage  seen  to,  rectifying  it  if 
defective,  making  sore  that  it  is  free,  removing  the  loose  surface  soil, 
and  supplying  a  top-dressing  of  horse  droppings  rubbed  through  a  half¬ 
inch  sieve,  adding  a  good  handful  of  bone  superphosphafe  to  every  peck, 
then  watering  with  a  rose  watering  pot  so  as  to  bring  into  a  moist  state 
and  consolidate  the  material,  otherwise  it  washes  off  in  watering  the 
plants.  After  removing  the  old  leaves — decayed  ones  only — the  pots 
may  be  placed  in  position,  taking  care  to  keep  the  soil  moist,  for  dry  soil 
causes  the  loss  of  roots  ;  therefore  rap  the  pots,  and  if  any  ring  dry — a 
practised  hand  readily  detecting  by  the  sound  which  plants  are  needing 
water — afford  a  thorough  supply.  On  the  other  hand,  avoid  giving  water 
where  not  required,  as  a  sodden  soil  causes  the  destruction  of  the  roots, 
the  plants  seldom  being  of  any  use  afterwards. 
HE 
SEASONABLE  NOTES. 
Flowers  for  Bees. 
The  heavy  rains  of  the  past  two  months  proved  most  disastrous 
to  our  autumn  flowers,  and  instead  of  the  borders  being  bright 
until  the  frosts  came,  which  usually  takes  place  the  third  week  in 
October,  were  this  season,  owing  to  the  incessant  rain,  spoiled  early 
in  September.  Some  plants,  however,  made  rapid  growth  after 
the  drought,  but  failed  to  bloom  satisfactorily.  This  has  been 
followed  by  severe  sharp  frosts,  which  have  cut  off  all  tender 
vegetation. 
Instead,  therefore,  of  the  bees  having  a  merry  time  among  the 
autumn  flowers  they  were  confined  to  their  hives  for  at  least  six 
weeks,  and  did,  comparatively  speaking,  nothing  the  whole  of  the 
time.  Often  at  that  season  bees  are  on  the  wing  daily,  and  collect 
sufficient  stores  for  their  requirements.  Mignonette  I  have  found 
to  be  one  of  the  best  annuals  for  a  late  supply  of  honey  in  the 
autumn,  not  that  a  surplus  is  to  be  expected  from  it ;  but  for 
keeping  bees  at  work  near  at  home  there  is  nothing  to  equal  it,  and 
as  it  will  grow  in  almost  any  soil  or  position,  it  should  be  extensively 
grown  by  all  bee-keepers.  It  is  advisable  to  make  several  sowings 
during  the  spring  and  summer,  so  as  to  have  the  advantage  of  a  late 
crop  of  bloom. 
Preparation  should  now  be  made,  and  planting  be  done  of  plants 
and  bulbs  that  are  useful  to  bees  for  either  pollen  or  honey. 
Pollen  in  some  form  or  the  other  is  necessary  directly  breeding 
commences,  otherwise  the  young  bees  cannot  be  fed,  and  the  stock 
that  fails  to  obtain  a  supply  must  end  in  disaster. 
Bee-keepers  have  the  matter  very  much  in  their  own  hands  by 
planting  within  a  short  distance  of  their  hives  a  selection  of  spring 
flowering  plants  and  bulbs  that  will  bloom  at  various  times  during 
the  late  winter  and  early  spring  months.  As  many  of  these  are 
inexpensive  they  are  within  the  reach  of  all  who  are  interested  in 
bee-keeping. 
What  to  Plant. 
If  previous  instructions  have  been  carried  out  many  readers 
will  already  have  a  good  supply  of  bulbs  planted  out  in  their 
gardens,  as  it  is  not  necessary  to  lift  them  annually.  If  some  are 
planted  in  warm  sheltered  spots  they  will  bloom  several  days  earlier 
than  those  in  a  more  exposed  position. 
Winter  Aconites  are  the  earliest  of  the  spring  flowers,  often 
appearing  in  .January,  and  are  usually  a  mass  of  bloom  early  in 
February.  During  bright  days  the  bees  will  be  found  to  be  busy 
collecting  pollen  from  the  fast  opening  flowers.  They  are  admir¬ 
ably  suited  for  planting  under  trees  and  in  shady  places.  Snow¬ 
drops  are  too  well  known  to  need  description.  Both  the  single 
and  double  should  be  planted  in  quantity,  and  will  commence  to 
bloom  in  February  ;  bees  work  on  them  chiefly  for  pollen. 
Crocuses  are  amongst  the  most  showy  of  our  early  spring 
flowering  bulbs.  If  the  different  colours  are  kept  separate  and 
planted  in  masses  on  the  grass  they  have  a  very  pretty  effect. 
These  also  do  well  under  trees,  but  mice  are  partial  to  the  bulbs, 
and  if  troublesome  should  be  trapped.  Tulips  may  also  be  planted 
in  the  same  manner.  They,  however,  bloom  somewhat  late  in  the 
spring  when  flowers  are  more  plentiful. 
Arabis  alpina  is  a  splendid  bee  flower,  and  should  be  grown 
by  all  bee-keepers.  It  does  remarkably  well  on  a  rockery,  and  if 
planted  in  a  warm  spot  will  commence  to  bloom  early  in  March, 
and  will  continue  in  flower  for  a  long  time.  If  the  plants  remain 
in  one  position  for  several  years,  they  will  form  large  masses,  which 
will  be  literally  covered  with  bees  throughout  the  day.  It  is 
increased  by  divisions  after  its  flowering  season  is  over  in  the  spring. 
— An  English  Bee- keeper. 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
W.  Atlee,  Burpee  &  Co.,  Philadelphi*. — Sweet  Peas. 
Kent  &  Brydon,  Darlington. —  Tree^. 
R.  Owen,  Maidenhead. —  Chrysantlv^mvms, 
W.  Welch,  Romford. — Chrysanthemums , 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be 
directed  to  “  The  Editor.'’  Letters  addressed  personally  to 
Dr.  Hogg  or  members  of  the  staff  often  remain  unopened 
unavoidably.  We  request  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to 
unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense,  and  departmental  writers 
are  not  expected  to  answer  any  lettA^  they  may  receive  on 
Gardening  and  Bee  subjects,  through  the  post. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions 
relating  to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  should 
never  send  more  than  two  or  three  questions  at  once.  All 
articles  intended  for  insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of 
the  paper  only.  We  cannot,  as  a  rule,  reply  to  questions 
through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  rejected 
communications. 
Chrysantbemum  Sport  {G.  M.'). — We  have  received  the 
8pecimeD6.  Curioualy  you  omit  the  name  of  the  parent  of  the 
undeveloped  yellow  bloom.  The  sport  is  obviously  dissimilar,  pleasing 
in  colour,  but  small.  It  is  impossible  to  say  to  what  extent  the  variety 
ii  capable  of  development.  Try  and  grow  it  as  well  as  possible  another 
year,  but  in  its  present  condition  it  is  attractive  for  decorative 
purposes. 
Nitrate  of  Potash  (F.).— The  saltpetre  you  did  not  use  last  year 
for  fruit  trees,  on  account  of  the  dry  weather,  should  be  held  over  until 
the  spring  ;  then,  having  it  crashed  fiue,  it  may  be  applied  with  great 
advantage  about  the  time  the  trees  commence  swelling  their  buds,  or 
from  that  to  developing  leaves.  The  trees  will  be  in  a  more  or  less  active 
state  at  the  roots  at  that  period,  and  be  able  to  take  up  the  nitrate  of 
potash  dissolved  in  the  soil  waters,  so  that  little  or  no  loss  would  take 
place,  and  the  nitrogen  and  potash  be  utilised  by  the  growing  cells  for 
the  development  of  the  growths  and  fruits  in  the  early  stages.  This  is  of 
great  importance,  as  it  is  necessary  to  get  the  nutrient  elements  into  the 
plant  where  it  will  be  assimilated,  and,  if  not  immediately  used,  be  stored 
for  future  transference  as  the  necessity  arises.  If  applied  now,  the  nitrate 
would  be  more  or  less  washed  away  by  the  winter  rains  and  lost  to  the 
trees. 
AKusbrooms  not  Developing  (iT.  G,"). — We  have  frequently  had 
Mushrooms  come  in  the  manner  you  describe,  and  always  go  off  in  the 
pin-head  or  very  small  button  state.  This  we  have  generally  found  to 
arise  from  the  manure  or  bed  materials  being  too  far  spent.  In  such 
cases  the  surface  of  the  beds  is  generally  moist,  which  does  not  help 
matters,  especially  when  the  temperature,  and  especially  that  of  the 
beds,  is  too  low,  for  when  the  materials  are  not  too  much  reduced,  but 
are  und  rgoing  some  decomposition,  there  is  some  heat,  and  the  whole 
affair  is  much  more  satisfactory — indeed,  sufficient  warmth  is  generated 
to  keep  the  Mushrooms  progressing  over  a  long  period.  In  your  case  a 
temperature  of  66°  would  probably  promote  a  better  development  of  the 
Mushrooms,  but  we  fear  the  bed  materials  are  too  much  reduced  for 
good  produce  to  come  from  them.  Sometimes  the  buttons  do  not  come  to 
anything,  being  destroyed  by  a  minute  fungus,  which  turns  them  brown 
and  mouldy.  In  such  cases  watering  with  salt  solution  is  usually  effective. 
The  surface  of  the  bed  appears  too  wet.  Employ  litter  of  a  more  opeq 
nature,  and  afford  the  temperature  named  if  you  can. 
