May  11,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
395 
Late  Houses. — The  fruits  have  set  well,  and  should  be  thinned  as  soon 
as  the  best  can  be  decided  upon  by  their  taking  the  lead  in  swelling. 
Remove  the  smallest  and  worst-placed  first,  leaving  a  few  more  only  than 
will  bo  required  for  the  crops,  but  regard  must  be  had  to  the  vigour  of  the 
trees,  and  their  liability  to  cast  some  of  the  fruit  or  otherwise  in  stoning. 
Disbudding  and  laying-in  the  shoots  should  be  carefully  attended  to, 
doing  the  first  gradually,  and  the  latter  with  due  regard  to  the  swelling 
of  the  shoots.  A  temperature  of  50°  at  night  and  55°  by  day  artificially 
will  be  sufficient  to  keep  the  trees  in  steady  progress  ;  ventilate  freely 
above  that,  unless  it  is  desirable  to  hasten  the  crop,  when  a  temperature 
of  55°  at  night  and  60°  to  66°  by  day  may  be  secured,  with  70°  to  75°  from 
sun  heat,  ventilating  from  65°.  Syringe  the  trees  in  the  morning  and  on 
fine  afternoons. 
Unheated  Houses. — Despite  the  frosts  the  trees  have  set  quite  four  times 
more  fruit  than  they  can  possibly  bring  to  maturity.  Commence  thinning 
them  a  hen  the  s’ze  of  Horse  Beans.  Over-burdening  the  trees  in  the 
early  stages  of  the  fruit  swelling  prevents  their  making  wood  for  another 
season’s  crop,  while  excessive  disbudding  may  cause  the  fruit  to  fall  or  a 
strong  growth  to  be  made.  A  moderate  syringing  on  fine  mornings  will 
be  a  great  assistance  in  ridding  the  trees  of  the  remains  of  the  blossoms, 
but  afternoon  syringings  are  not  advisable.  Ventilate  at  50°,  not  allowing 
an  advance  above  65°  without  full  ventilation,  and  close  at  50°,  or  before  if 
there  is  a  prospect  of  frost  at  night. 
Pines.— Plants  with  fruit  in  an  advanced  condition  require  a  mode¬ 
rately  high  and  moist  atmosphere,  but  ventilation  must  be  carefully 
attended  to.  Admit  air  at  the  top  of  the  house  at  80°,  and  maintain  the 
temperature  during  the  day  at  80°  to  90°,  closing  at  85°,  but  unless 
desired  to  enlarge  the  crowns  do  not  quite  close  the  house.  Maintain  70° 
at  night  and  75°  by  day,  and  a  steady  bottom  heat  of  80°  to  85°.  Supply 
water  as  often  as  required,  on  every  occasion  employing  some  stimulant 
of  an  all-round|nature,  such  as  guano,  1  lb.  to  20  gallons  of  water.  Syringe 
the  house  and  plants  two  or  three  times  a  week,  according  to  the  weather, 
and  otherwise  maintain  a  genial  condition  of  the  atmosphere  for  the 
proper  development  of  the  fruit. 
HARDY  PRUIT  GARDEN. 
Apricots,  Peaches,  and  Nectarines. — The  reduction  of  wood  growths 
must  continue  until  all  unsuitable  shoots  are  dispensed  with.  Foreright 
growths  cannot  readily  be  fastened  in,  so  should  either  be  cut  out  entirely 
or  shortened  to  form  spurs.  Artificial  spurs  may  be  freely  encouraged  in 
the  case  of  Apricots,  but  less  so,  if  at  all,  with  Peaches  and  Nectarines. 
Suitable  young  wood  may  usually  be  found  to  furnish  the  requisite 
amount  of  bearing  shoots  for  the  succeeding  season,  and  the  chief  matter 
rests  in  the  proper  selection  of  the  best  placed,  retaining  only  an  adequate 
number  for  furnishing  the  space  after  the  present  season’s  bearing  shoots 
are  cut  out  in  antumn. 
Watering  Fruit  Trees — In  light,  dry  porous  soils,  trees,  especially 
those  growing  on  walls,  will  require  water  at  the  roots  to  sustain  growth, 
support  fruit,  and  prevent  attacks  of  insects.  Old  fruit  trees  are  benefited 
by  copious  supplies  of  liquid  manure,  which  will  add  nutriment  to  the  soil 
upon  which  the  roots  can  draw  to  assist  in  the  development  of  the  crop. 
Weakly  growth  in  various  trees  is  often  the  result  of  poverty  of  food  and 
moisture.  Much  good  follows  from  an  application  of  water,  but  better 
results  are  attained  when  stimulants  are  applied  of  a  sustaining  and 
nutritive  character.  Newly  planted  trees  and  bushes  must  have  the 
soil  maintained  moist  about  the  roots,  so  that  the  fibres  may  extend 
unchecked  in  a  healthy  medium. 
Syringing  Fruit  Trees. — The  syringe  or  garden  engine  is  a  valuable 
instrument  in  the  work  of  maintaining  trees  healthy  and  clean.  On  walls 
the  attacks  of  insect  pests  may  be  largely  neutralised  by  vigorous  cleanings 
of  water  well  directed  against  the  branches  and  foliage.  The  force  of  the 
application  dislodges  the  pests,  which  are  prevented  gaining  a  foothold  by 
repeating  the  operation.  Trees  and  bushes  newly  planted  often  break 
more  evenly  into  growth  when  the  buds  are  moistened,  especially  if  the 
weather  should  be  dry  and  warm. 
Mulching  Fruit  Trees. — The  best  season  for  affording  a  liberal  mulch 
to  the  majority  of  fruit  trees  and  bushes  is  during  the  present  month. 
After  a  copious  watering,  it  is  not  desirable  that  the  moisture  should 
evaporate  quickly.  This  may  be  prevented  if  a  mulching  of  manure  is 
applied.  For  young  newly  planted  trees  or  bushes  against  walls,  or  in  the 
open,  the  material  ought  to  bo  of  a  light,  littery  character,  and  not 
thoroughly  decomposed.  In  the  case  of  well-established  trees,  short 
manure  is  better,  as  it  lies  closer,  thus  retaining  moisture  more  readily. 
Raspberries,  Currants,  and  Gooseberries  soon  appropriate  the  virtues 
•of  a  generous  mulch,  and  are  largely  kept  in  vigour  and  frnitfuluess  by 
frequent  renewals.  To  be  effective,  mulching  must  cover  the  whole  area 
of  ground  occupied  by  the  roots;  this  in  the  case  of  bush  and  standard 
trees  extending  as  far  as  the  branches.  ^ 
Strawberries. — A  liberal  layer  of  equal  parts  of  long  and  short 
manure  ought  to  be  placed  between  the  rows  ot  established  fruit-bearing 
plants  without  further  delay.  The  short  manure  is  useful  for  feeding  the 
roots  and  conserving  moisture  in  the  soil,  while  the  longer  material 
washed  by  the  rain  and  bleached  by  the  sun  forms  an  admirable  resting 
base  for  the  ripe  fruit  when  that  is  plentiful. 
Moisture  must  not  be  withheld  from  Strawberries  where  th^  land  is 
of  a  porous  character.  The  value  of  a  good  mulch  is  very  apparent  in 
such  soils.  The  manure  assists  in  retaining  the  moisture,  and  acts  as  a 
medium  for  distributing  the  water  applied  evenly  and  regularly.  There 
is  no  better  way  of  applying  water  than  over  the  mulching,  and  a  copious 
supply  of  liquid  manure  may  also  with  advantge  be  given  to  plants  when 
the  fruit  is  set. 
Training  Young  Fruit  Trees. — The  habit  of  the  future  tree  depends 
largely  on  the  attention  given  to  training  when  young.  The  shape  of  the 
tree  having  been  decided  upon,  it  is  important  that  the  growths  be 
regulated  and  trained  in  the  desired  direction.  Superfluous  shoots  must 
be  entirely  removed.  Disbudding  may  be  practised  when  the  growths 
are  not  too  long,  but  if  extended  too  far,  the  best  plan  is  to  remove 
them  with  a  sharp  knife.  Young  trees  of  Apricots,  Peaches,  and 
Nectarines  may  be  allowed  to  grow  freely,  merely  thinning-out  and 
regulating  growths,  so  as  to  produce  as  far  as  possible  an  even  develop¬ 
ment,  Where  there  is  any  difficulty  in  effecting  this,  the  strong  shoots 
growing  very  vigorously,  they  ought  to  be  depressed,  and  those  weaker 
raised  to  a  more  upright  position.  Weak  growths  may  be  thinned  from 
the  base  of  Raspberry  stools,  suckers  removed  from  Currants,  and  gross- 
growing  wood  taken  from  any  fruit  tree  producing  such. 
Destroying  Insects. — Aphides  are  likely  to  attack  wall  trees,  especi¬ 
ally  Cherries  and  Plums.  The  points  of  shoots  are  a  favourite  place  of 
infestation.  The  best  way  of  cleansing  them  is  to  dip  in  some  insecticide, 
and  afterwards  vigorously  syringe  the  affected  parts.  Where  the  insects 
are  less  numerous  dustings  of  tobacco  powder  will  destroy  them,  and 
much  benefit  will  be  derived  by  the  trees  if  syringed  with  quassia  extract, 
and  frequently  with  clear  water.  These  applications  also  help  to  keep 
down  red  spider. 
w. 
HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
Spkeading  Brood. 
Nothing  must  be  left  to  chance  if  bee-keepers  are  to  derive  full 
benefit  from  their  bees  when  the  honey  flow  comes.  All  will  depend 
on  the  treatment  they  receive  during  the  next  two  months  whether 
the  various  colonies  in  the  apiary  will  be  in  a  satisfactory  condition 
when  that  time  arrives.  There  are  many  devices  practised  by  bee¬ 
keepers  to  assist  the  bees  to  increase  at  a  rapid  rate.  Amongst  them 
is  spreading  the  brood.  This  operation  requires  some  skill  in 
manipulating  the  combs  and  brood,  otherwise  it  will  have  the 
contrary  effect.  The  plan  usually  adopted  is  to  place  an  empty 
comb,  or  a  full  sheet  of  foundation,  in  the  centre  of  the  brood  nest 
as  soon  as  the  comb  is  filled  with  brood.  Another  empty  comb  is 
placed  in  the  same  position.  This  being  repeated  as  often  as 
necessary. 
If  the  weather  is  warm  a  strong  colony  wull  increase  at  a  rapid, 
rate  if  the  spreading  of  the  brood  is  not  overdone ;  but  should  a  sudden 
change  in  the  temperature  take  place,  the  bees  will  be  unable  to  cover 
all  the  frames  in  sufficient  numbers  to  keep  the  brood  warm — that  in 
the  outer  combs  will  thus  become  chilled,  and  the  stock  will  then  be 
in  a  more  backward  condition  than  if  the  bees  had  been  left  alone. 
For  this  reason  we  do  not  recommend  the  spreading  of  brood,  as 
usually  understood,  but  prefer  the  safer  plan  of  providing  fully  drawn 
out  clean  combs  as  often  as  necessary.  Instead  of  placing  them  in  the 
centre  of  the  brood  nest  they  are  put  on  the  outside,  next  to  the 
comb  that  is  filled  with  eggs  and  brood.  The  stock  is  examined  about 
every  fourth  day,  and  if  the  comb  next  to  the  outer  one  is  filled  with 
sealed  stores  it  should  be  uncapped.  The  bees  will  thus  have  plenty 
of  natural  stores  close  to  the  brood,  and  will  increase  at  a  rapid  rate  if 
properly  covered.  In  a  few  days  the  opposite  side  of  the  brood  nest 
may  be  operated  on  in  like  manner,  and  the  result  will  be  a  strong 
colony  of  bees  when  the  honey  flow  comes. 
By  working  on  the  above  lines  there  will  bo  no  danger  of  chilled 
brood,  as  the  queen  will  not  lay  more  eggs  than  the  bees  can  properly 
attend  to.  If  the  stock  is  short  of  sealed  stores  close  the  division 
board  and  feed  with  warm  syrup,  as  advised  in  previous  notes. 
Renewing  Combs. 
It  is  necessary  to  constantly  bear  in  mind  the  advantage  of  having 
a  supply  of  clean  combs  on  hand  ;  and  as  spring  and  early  summer  is 
the  season  when  the  bees  will  draw  out  worker  cells,  preparations 
should  be  made  so  that  a  stock  of  comb  foundation  is  on  hand  when 
required.  Combs  will  not  last  for  an  indefinite  period,  as  they 
become  clogged  with  pollen  and  other  refuse,  and  when  in  that  con¬ 
dition  should  be  removed  and  melted  down  or  destroyed.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  examine  the  stock  of  comb,  whether  in  the  hive  or  stored  away, 
at  least  once  a  year,  the  spring  for  preference.  The  comb  remaining 
will  then  be  always  in  good  condition. 
If  an  undesirable  comb  is  filled  with  brood  it  should  be  marked 
and  removed  at  the  end  of  the  season.  We  once  saw  some  combs  that 
were  filled  with  healthy  brood  removed  from  a  frame  hive  in  May  and 
placed  in  the  open  air  for  the  bees  that  were  on  the  wing  to  clean  out 
the  stores.  On  examination  the  brood  was  found  to  be  all  dead,  as 
they  bad  been  exposed  a  day  or  two,  and  thus  a  few  thousands  of 
valuable  bees  were  destroyed.  We  need  hardly  say  this  was  a  case  of 
mismanagement.  Bees  are  too  valuable  to  be  destroyed  in  this 
manner  during  the  spring. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
