December  SO,  1897. 
JOnnWAL  OP  PORTIGtlLTURP  Al^D  COTTAGE  GAREENEE. 
6S7 
Winter  Culture  among  Fruit  Trees  and  Bushes. — After  pruning  and 
cleansing  trees  fork  over  soil  so  as  to  bury  weeds  and  give  a  finished 
appearance.  In  doing  this  roots  near  the  surface  must  not  be  injured. 
When  the  latter  are  very  numerous  in  the  surface  soil  it  is  best  to 
dispense  with  the  forking,  but  remove  any  large  weeds,  and  apply  a 
mulch  of  decayed  manure  or  decomposed  compost. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Vines. — Earliest  Forced. — The  Vines  started  early  in  November  will 
now  have  the  root  action  excited  by  the  development  of  the  foliage,  and 
great  care  is  necessary  to  prevent  a  chill.  The  temperature  about  the 
pots  of  the  earliest  forced  Vines  should  be  kept  steady  at  70°  to  75°, 
pressing  down  the  fermenting  materials,  and  adding  fresh  as  required. 
Disbud  and  tie  down  before  the  shoots  touch  the  glass,  not  being  in  too 
great  a  hurry  in  stopping.  When  two  leaves  are  made  beyond  the  bunch 
the  laterals  of  Vines  in  pots  should  have  their  points  pinched  ofiP  when 
the  leaf  at  the  joint  is  the  size  of  a  halfpenny.  Those  planted  in  borders 
may  be  stopped  three  or  four  joints  beyond  the  fruit,  and  then  extend 
the  growths  so  as  to  secure  well-developed  foliage  all  over  the  trellis. 
Remove  superfluous  bunches  as  soon  as  choice  can  be  made  of  the  best, 
under,  rather  than  over,  cropping  the  Vines.  Maintain  the  night 
temperature  at  60°  to  65°,  and  70°  to  75°  by  day,  with  an  advance  to 
80°,  85°,  or  90°  from  sun  heat.  When  the  flowers  open  keep  the  heat 
regularly  at  70°  to  7.5°,  and  maintain  a  rather  dry  atmosphere  ;  and  when 
the  fruit  is  well  set  return  to  the  temperatures  previously  named. 
Artificial  fertilisation  should  not  be  neglected,  operating  about  midday. 
Afford  liquid  manure  when  the  soil  is  moderately  dry  to  Vines  in  pots, 
even  when  in  flower,  or  always  after  they  have  developed  the  first  leaves. 
Maintain  a  moist  genial  atmosphere  by  damping  the  paths  two  or  three 
times  a  day,  and  occasionally  with  weak  liquid  manure.  Houses  having 
fermenting  beds  will  not  require  any  aerial  ammonia. 
Houses  to  Afford  Ripe  Grapes  in  June. — These  are  the  first  in  a 
majority  of  establishments.  Of  black  varieties  Black  Hamburgh,  Mill 
Hill  Hamburgh,  Madresfield  Court  ;  and  of  white  Buckland  Sweet¬ 
water  hold  front  rank  ;  Foster’s  Seedling  is  also  excellent,  and  keeps 
some  time.  The  Frontignans  have  gone  back  in  estimation  from  the 
smallness  of  berry,  otherwise  the  value  of  White  Frontignan  for  early 
forcing  is  unrivalled  for  cropping  and  quality.  The  Vines  should  be 
planted  inside  the  house,  and  be  confined  to  the  inside  border  until  tbis 
is  occupied  with  roots,  when  they  may  be  allowed  to  pass  into  the  outside 
border.  This  must  be  covered  with  about  3  inches  thickness  of  dry 
leaves,  with  a  little  long  stable  litter  to  prevent  their  blowing  about,  as 
under  no  circumstances  should  the  soil  be  allowed  to  become  frozen.  If 
the  roots  are  entirely  in  an  outside  border,  it  ought  to  have  about  6  inches 
depth  of  leaves  and  enough  stable  litter  to  prevent  their  displacement  by 
wind,  and  reduce  this  covering  late  in  April  or  early  in  May  to  an 
ordinary  mulch.  Where  fermenting  materials  are  at  command  and  the 
supply  adequate  they  may  be  used  in  the  proportion  of  two  parts  leaves 
to  one  part  stable  litter,  turning  and  adding  to  as  the  heat  declines.  The 
house  should  be  started  at  the  new  year,  watering  the  inside  border 
thoroughly  with  tepid  water,  or,  better,  liquid  manure.  Damp  the  house 
and  Vines  two  or  three  times  a  day  in  bright  weather,  but  when  dull 
once,  or  at  most  twice,  will  be  sufficient.  Maintain  a  temperature  of  50° 
to  55°  at  night  and  on  dull  days,  advancing  to  65°  from  sun  heat  and  a 
free  circulation  of  air.  closing  at  this  degree. 
Earhj  Houses  of  Muscats. — To  have  the  Grapes  ripe  in  .Tune  the  Vines 
must  be  started  without  delay.  Vines  that  have  been  forced  before  will 
respond  at  once,  but  those  utilised  for  the  first  time  will  require  starting 
a  fortnight  or  three  weeks  earlier,  or  bringing  forward  by  an  increased 
temperature  of  at  least  5°.  There  are  not  any  equal  to  Muscat  of 
Alexandria,  and  for  early  forcing  the  roots  should  be  entirely  in  an  inside 
border.  The  border  will  need  to  be  made  evenly  moist,  but  not  wet. 
Start  with  a  minimum  temperature  of  55°,  and  65°  to  75®  by  day  from  sun 
heat. 
Houses  from  which  the  Grapes  hate  been  Cut. — Prune  the  Vines,  cutting 
to  a  round  bud  as  near  the  main  stem  as  possible  ;  shorten  or  cut  away 
elongated  spurs  where  there  are  others  nearer  the  stem  to  supply  fruit, 
or  train  up  young  canes  to  displace  any  worn-out  rods  after  these  have 
produced  fruit.  Remove  the  loose  bark  carefully,  and  thoroughly  cleanse 
the  house,  washing  the  Vines  with  some  approved  solution.  Remove  the 
loose  surface  soil,  especially  near  the  collar  of  the  stems,  and  supply 
fresh  loam  with  about  one-third  of  earth-closet  manure  mixed  with  it, 
decayed  stable,  preferably  farmyard,  manure,  or  artificial  manure.  The 
house  should  be  kept  cool,  but  frost  is  best  excluded.  If  used  for  plants 
the  temperature  ought  not  to  exceed  40°  to  45°  by  artificial  means,  and 
those  plants  only  that  require  safety  from  frost  should  be  placed  in 
vineries  when  the  Vines  are  at  rest.  If  the  house  has  a  minimum 
temperature  of  50°  for  any  length  of  time  the  buds  will  be  excited,  and 
that  prejudices  the  after  growth. 
Late  Houses. — The  tender-skinned  Grapes,  such  as  Muscat  of  Alexandria 
and  Canon  Hall  Muscat,  do  not  keep  well  on  the  Vines  after  this  period 
owing  to  the  fluctuation  of  temperature.  If  kept  on  the  Vines  they  weigh 
heavier,  hence  some  growers  cover  the  roof-lights  with  straw  or  similar 
material,  keeping  the  house  freely  ventilated  in  mild  weather,  close  in 
cold,  with  little  more  heat  than  is  necessary  to  exclude  frost.  For  general 
purposes  Grapes  are  best  cut  and  kept  in  a  cool  dry  room  in  an  equable 
temperature  after  the  new  year.  The  more  wood  the  Grapes  are  cut  with 
the  better.  Use  rain  water  in  the  bottles,  and  incline  in  such  position 
that  the  Grapes  hang  clear.  Any  dry  room  is  suitable  for  keeping  bottled 
Grapes,  provided  the  temperature  is  kept  as  near  as  may  be  at  40°  to  45°. 
The  Vines  being  cleared  of  the  Grapes  are  set  free  for  pruning  and  the 
house  for  cleansing.  The  most  popular  late  Grape,  Gros  Colman,  with 
Alicante  and  Lady  Downe’s,  succeeds  under  the  close-pruning  system, 
spurring  the  laterals  to  one  or  two  buds,  as  the  bearing  shoots  are  usually 
stout  and  short-jointed,  Gros  Guillaume  does  best  on  the  long-pruning 
plan,  the  shoots  being  shortened  to  plump  buds  on  well-ripened  wood,  as 
the  basal  buds  are  often  too  small  for  pushing  reliable  fruitful  shoots. 
Mrs.  Pince,  with  Muscat  of  Alexandria  and  Canon  Hall,  also  succeed 
best  on  the  semi-long  rod  system,  but  sturdy,  short-jointed,  well-ripened, 
and  not  overcropped  shoots  of  these  varieties  generally  show  enough 
fruit  when  pruned  to  two  buds.  When  these  are  small  and  the  growth 
weak,  it  is  wise  to  shorten  the  current  year’s  wood  to  the  first  plump  bud 
from  its  base,  never  relying  on  any  but  those  on  well-ripened  wood. 
Keep  the  houses  as  cool  as  possible  after  pruning  and  cleaning,  so  as  to 
give  as  complete  rest  as  possible. 
w 
BDE-KEEPER% 
Removing  Stocks. 
The  shortest  day  is  now  past ;  the  sun,  too,  is  also  at  its  lowest 
ebb.  It  is,  therefore,  worthy  of  consideration  at  this  dull  season 
whether  advantage  should  not  be  taken  under  these  favourable 
circumstances  of  removing  any  stocks  of  bees  that  may  be  improved 
thereby  to  a  more  favourable  situation. 
The  majority  of  bee-keepers,  I  am  glad  to  say,  study  their  bees’  require¬ 
ments,  and  when  this  is  the  case  their  first  consideration  is  to  find  a 
suitable  position  in  which  to  place  the  hive.  There  are,  however, 
many  different  ideas  as  to  which  is  the  most  favoured  spot.  A  south 
aspect  is  preferred  by  many  bee-keepers,  and  if  a  sheltered  position  is 
chosen  it  would  probably  be  difficult  to  make  an  improvement ;  but 
under  those  circumstances  it  will  be  necessary  to  pay  close  attention 
to  shading  and  ventilation,  otherwise  the  bees  will  incline 
more  to  swarming  than  to  storing  a  surplus,  and  when  bees  are 
thus  left  to  take  their  chance  they  invariably  do  quite  as  well  in  a  less 
favoured  spot. 
Owing  to  a  variety  of  causes  many  bee-keepers  are  unable  to 
obtain  as  favourable  a  situation  as  they  would  wish,  but  if  they  will 
provide  shelter  and  protection  from  the  heavy  rains,  and  the  necessary 
attention  when  required,  it  is  of  little  consequence  whether  the 
hives  face  north,  east,  west,  or  south. 
As  a  proof  of  this  statement,  I  may  be  allowed  to  state  the  fact  that, 
out  of  upwards  of  forty  hives  in  my  apiary,  only  four  of  them  have  a 
south  aspect.  If  the  difference  were  so  marked  that  the  bees  in  the 
hives  facing  in  one  particular  direction  always  did  the  best,  I  should 
have  no  hesitation  in  recommending  that  aspect  in  preference  to  all 
others.  In  theory  this  may  be  so,  but  in  practice  it  is  quite  the 
opposite.  Looking  back  over  a  series  of  years,  I  cannot  call  to  mind 
two  successive  years  in  which  the  bees  stored  a  larger  surplus  from  one 
aspect  than  from  another. 
During  the  busy  season,  owing  to  stress  of  other  work,  a  newly 
hived  swarm  may  be  placed  for  manipulating  and  other  purposes  in  a 
very  inconvenient  spot.  When  it  has  remained  there  for  twenty- 
four  hours,  it  would  be  unwise  to  remove  it  any  distance,  as  many 
bees  would  fly  to  the  old  spot  and  would  die. 
When  to  Remove  Stocks. 
When  re-arranging  the  apiary,  and  the  stocks  have  only  to  be 
removed  a  few  yards,  any  time  during  the  day  is  suitable  for  the 
operation ;  and  if  dull  so  much  the  better,  as  the  hives  should  not  be 
interfered  with  at  this  season,  when  the  bees  are  on  the  wing. 
If  they  are  to  be  removed  a  mile  or  more,  a  day  when  a  low 
temperature  prevails  should  be  chosen  for  the  purpose.  The  entrance 
must  be  temporarily  closed  with  perforated  zinc,  so  that  the  bees 
cannot  escape  if  they  are  disturbed.  In  removing  stocirs,  more  parti¬ 
cularly  at  this  season,  it  is  highly  necessary  that  they  are  not  roughly 
handled,  or  much  mischief  may  be  done.  If  carefully  done  the  bees 
will  not  be  disturbed  in  the  least.  They  should  always  be  carried  by 
liand;  a  handbarrow  answers  admirably  for  the  purpose,  or  two  stakes 
with  a  couple  of  cross-pieces  to  keep  them  the  proper  distance  apart 
will  make  a  good  substitute. 
If  bees  are  to  be  removed  several  miles  by  road  or  rail,  spring  is 
preferred  to  midwinter,  as  at  that  season  the  bees  are  active  and  will 
soon  get  over  the  excitement  of  the  jolting  they  will  get  on  the  way, 
whereas  during  the  dark  days  of  winter  many  bees  may  succumb  from 
cold,  as  they  may  be  shaken  from  the  cluster,  and,  being  in  a  state  of 
stupor,  be  unable  to  return. 
Bees  in  straw  skeps  may  be  removed  with  impunity  at  almost  any 
season  if  cross-sticks  are  used,  as  the  combs  being  fastened  to  the  sides 
of  sleep  will  prevent  any  breakdown. 
Beginners  should  always  remember  that  it  is  unwise  to  remove 
stocks  from  their  original  position  after  the  bees  are  flying  freely  in 
the  spring,  hence  the  necessity  of  making  any  alterations  required  at 
this  season. 
