May  18,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
417 
free  circulation  of  air,  is  desirable  ;  it  is  also  inadvisable  to  stop  or  remove 
laterals  while  the  Vines  are  in  bloom,  but  when  the  berries  are  fairly 
set  remove  superfluous  laterals  and  pinch  as  required,  both  to  prevent 
overcrowding  and  concentrate  the  supplies  of  nourishment  on  the  Grapes. 
Planting  Growing  Vines. — From  now  to  the  early  part  of  June  is  a  good 
time  to  plant  out  those  raised  from  eyes  in  February  or  March  and  grown 
in  pots  or  turves.  The  roots  need  not  be  disentangled,  yet  turf-raised 
Tines  are  better  than  potted  ones,  as  they  form  a  straight  yet  fibrous 
root,  and  are  not  prone  to  descend  deeply  as  those  turned  out  of  the  pots 
with  the  ball  entire.  Make  the  soil  firm  about  the  balls  or  turves,  give 
a  good  soaking  with  water  at  90°,  and  mulch  with  about  an  inch  thickness 
of  short  and  rather  lumpy  manure.  Maintain  a  rather  humid  atmosphere, 
and  shade  from  bright  sun  until  the  Vines  become  established. 
Strawberries  in  Pots. — The  latest  plants  will  now  be  commencing  to 
swell  the  fruit,  and  as  the  stems  are  usually  long  the  berries  should  be 
supported  clear  of  the  pots  with  forked  sticks,  pointed  at  the  stem  end 
and  pushed  into  the  soil,  the  stem  of  the  truss  resting  in  the  fork  or  a 
little  below  the  fruit.  Thin  the  flowers  and  the  fruit.  The  centre  fruit 
is  always  the  largest,  and  to  encourage  these  and  others  of  the  most 
promising  early  thinning  must  be  practised.  Grand  fruits  are  obtained 
in  this  way  of  such  varieties  as  Royal  Sovereign,  President,  Sir  Joseph 
Paxton,  Auguste  Nicaise,  and  British  Queen  or  Dr.  Hogg.  The  plants 
should  have  frequent  supplies  cf  liquid  manure  for  swelling  their  fruit, 
giving  it  from  the  time  the  fruit  commences  to  swell  freely  until  it 
changes  colour  for  ripening,  when  clear  water,  and  not  too  much  of  it, 
only  the  plants  must  not  flag,  will  be  more  suitable.  When  ripening  the 
atmosphere  must  be  kept  rather  drier  and  cooler  than  when  the  fruit  is 
swelling,  and  it  will  then  be  less  liable  to  spotting,  the  flavour  will  be 
higher,  and  the  aroma  more  pronounced. 
THE  KITCHEN  GARDEN. 
Runner  Beans. — In  many  gardens  not  much  is  gained  by  sowing 
Runner  Beans  before  the  second  week  in  May.  Especially  is  this  so  in 
the  case  of  heavy  soils.  Fortunately  these  Beans  transplant  readily  out 
of  pots  or  boxes,  and  those  who  find  their  earliest  sown  seed  is  germi¬ 
nating  badly  ought  to  sow  more  at  once  in  gentle  heat,  and  the  plants, 
duly  hardened  and  put  out  where  there  are  gaps,  will  not  be  far  behind 
the  rest.  The  main  crop  may  be  sown  now,  and  where  the  earliest  raised 
rows  are  apt  to  fail  in  August  or  early  in  September,  more  seed  should  be 
sown  during  the  second  week  in  June.  It  is  a  mistake  to  crowd  either 
the  rows  or  plants  in  the  rows,  of  this  important  crop.  If  it  is  intended 
to  grow  the  plants  without  stakes,  sow  the  seed  thinly  in  rows  3  feet  apart 
and  crop  between  with  either  Lettuce  or  a  row  of  short-topped  early 
Potatoes.  This  method  of  culture  is  best  adapted  to  the  field  crops. 
Runner  Beans  succeed  well  trained  over  archways  and  are  remarkably 
productive  when  grown  in  isolated  groups  of  three  or  more  plants,  with  a 
tall  stake  to  each. 
Ridge  Cucumbers. — The  first  week  in  June  is  early  enough  to  put  out 
plants  of  the  ordinary  ridge  Cucumbers,  unless  hand-lights  or  cloches  can 
foe  afforded  for  protection.  Seeds,  however,  may  be  sown  now  on  specially 
orepared  ridges  where  the  plants  are  to  remain.  Open  a  trench,  running 
from  east  to  west,  3  feet  wide  and  from  1  foot  to  2  feet  in  depth,  and  fill 
this  with  moderately  hot  prepared  stable  manure,  covering  with  the  soil 
that  was  thrown  out,  sloping  it  to  the  south,  sow  the  seed  five  or  six  to 
oach  patch  3  feet  apart,  and  cover  with  fine  soil.  Three  plants  at  each 
station  are  ample,  therefore  thin  out  early  where  necessary.  Shelter  from 
€old  winds  is  most  desirable,  and  this  can  be  afforded  by  row8.of  Runner 
Beans  or  tall-growing  Peas.  The  plan  of  growing  Cucumbers,  with  their 
stems  in  little  shallow  basins,  facilitates  watering  operations,  but  is  almost 
certain  to  end  in  the  loss  of  many  plants  from  canker  of  the  stem.  They 
ought  to  be  raised  rather  above  than  below  the  level — a  hint  of  which  some 
market  growers  ought  to  take  particular  note. 
Vegetable  Marrows.— Much  that  has  been  advanced  concerning  ridge 
Cucumbers  applies  to  Vegetable  Marrows.  They  may  be  either  sown 
where  the  plants  are  to  remain,  or  be  raised  singly  in  4-inch  pots  and  put 
out  now  if  they  can  be  protected,  or  early  in  June  if  they  are  to  take 
their  chance.  Plants  raised  early,  and  kept  in  small  pots  till  they  are 
drawn  and  have  wiry  stems,  are  not  the  best  for  planting  purposes,  and 
would  be  surpassed  by  others  obtained  by  sowing  seed  singly  in  4-inch 
pots  and  placing  these  in  gentle  heat  now.  Great  heaps  of  manure  are 
frequently  wasted  on  Vegetable  Marrows,  On  these|the  plants  grow  too 
rankly  to  be  very  productive,  and  are  the  first  to  fail  from  drought. 
Ridges,  prepared  as  recommended  for  Cucumbers  suit  them  well,  and  in 
the  warmer  parts  of  the  country,  or  as  far  north  as  the  midland  counties, 
excellent  crops  are  frequently  obtained  from  plants  grown  on  well- 
manured  ground,  and  dug  as  for  Cauliflowers  or  Cabbage.  Seeds  sown, 
or  plants  put  out  thinly  among  early  Potatoesj  will  eventually  cover  most 
of  the  ground,  and  prove  more  productive  than  those  pampered  and 
grown  on  much  manure. 
Gourds  and  Pumpkins. — These  are  as  easy  to  grow  as  Vegetable 
Marrows,  and  in  far  less  demand.  The  fruit  of  the  first  named  are,  in 
many  cases,  quite  ornamental,  and  prove  attractive  when  trained  over 
garden  seats,  walks,  and  up  sunny  walls.  For  each  plant  open  a  hole 
about  2  feet  across,  partially  fill  with  decaying  manure,  and  return  the 
soil  to  the  top  of  this.  Raise  the  plants  singly  in  small  pots,  and  plant 
early  in  June. 
Potatoes. — Early  Potatoes  planted  in  the  Kentish  fashion,  having  the 
soil  drawn  over  the  sets  in  ridges  when  the  planting  was  done,  were 
slightly  damaged  by  frost,  but  the  stalks  escaped  injury  and  fresh  leafy 
growth  soon  began  afresh.  Many  not  moulded  up  in  any  way  were 
blackened  down  to  the  tubers,  and  in  some  instances  recovery  is  so 
doubtful  that  it  is  advisable  to  break  up  the  ground  and  plant  afresh. 
Advancing  crops  should  have  a  dressing  of  soot  or  other  quick  acting 
manures,  sowing  these  over  the  whole  of  the  ground  between  the  rows, 
prior  to  finally  moulding  up  the  rows.  Highly  cultivated,  loose  rather 
than  firm  ground,  invariably  produces  the  best  crops  of  Potatoes. 
Hoeing  Among  Other  Crops. — Much  heavy  rain,  followed  first  by  dry 
easterly  winris  and  strong  sun,  with  a  heavy  hailstorm  when  the  change 
came,  has  left  the  surface  of  the  ground  in  a  close  hard  state,  and  unless 
something  is  done  to  prevent  it,  cracking  will  foe  the  next  occurrence. 
So  hard  is  the  ground  where  made  fine  for  seed  sowing  that  it  is  scarcely 
possible  to  loosen  the  surface  by  means  of  the  flat  or  Dutch  hoe  only. 
But  this  must  be  done,  or  the  progress  of  the  crops  will  bo  unsatisfactory, 
and  in  a  dry  season  the  moisture  will  be  all  out  of  the  ground  in  a 
surprisingly  short  period.  First  lightly  break  the  surface  with  a  fork, 
afterwards  hoeing  among  the  crops  as  often  as  necessary  to  keep  down 
weeds  and  prev.  nt  binding  afresh,  A  mulch  of  strawy  manure  will  not 
be  wasted  on  the  taller-growing  crops,  notably  Peas,  Beans,  and  newly 
planted  Asparagus. 
HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
'  1  •  I  - 1  ■ '  - '  ■ 
.  I  -  [  .  J  -  T 
V  ,//:sy 
Effect  op  the  Weather  on  Bee-keeping. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  remind  bee-keepers  what  an  important 
factor  the  weather  is  in  bee  management.  We  would,  however, 
note  the  difference  in  the  weather  experienced  during  the  past  six 
weeks  and  what  it  was  a  year  ago.  Then  the  majority  of  the 
stocks  were  very  forward,  and  the  bees  wmre  increasing  at  a  rapid 
rate.  There  has  been  little  difference  in  the  rainfall  ;  but  it  has 
been  dull  and  cold,  and  unfavourable  for  the  bees  to  make  much 
headway.  During  the  first  few  days  of  this  month  the  sun  shone 
brightly  from  an  almost  cloudless  sky,  which  revived  the  hopes  of 
bee-keepers.  The  wind,  however,  remained  in  the  east  the  whole  of 
the  time,  so  that  the  bees  were  unable  to  fly  far  from  their  hives. 
Throughout  the  country  there  is  a  splendid  show  of  bloom  on  the 
early  fruit  trees.  Cherries,  both  cultivated  and  wild,  have  been  a 
mass  of  white,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  Plums  and  Pears.  These, 
we  fear,  have  suffered  considerably  from  the  late  spring  frosts.  Goose¬ 
berries  and  Currants  are  now  in  full  blossom,  but  as  they  are  protected 
somewhat  by  their  foliage,  they  will  probably  not  suffer  so  much  from 
the  frosts  as  the  former.  The  Sycamores  have  an  abundance  of  bloom, 
and  although  there  is  such  a  wealth  of  blossom  in  all  directions  on 
which  the  bees  work  freely  and  obtain  both  honey  and  pollen,  they 
have  derived  little  benefit  from  them  up  to  the  present  time.  In  the 
fields,  too,  there  is  a  great  variety  of  wild  flowers  containing  pollen, 
which  is  so  necessary  at  this  season. 
Should  a  favourable  change  in  the  weather  soon  set  in  the  bees 
will  doubtless  increase  at  a  rapid  rate.  They  will,  however,  be  very 
backward,  and  it  will  be  only  those  stocks  that  have  received  careful 
attention,  as  advised  in  previous  notes,  that  will  be  in  condition  to 
derive  full  benefit  from  the  early-flowering,  honey-producing  flowers, 
when  the  honey  flow  comes. 
Prevention  of  Swarming. 
Bee-keepers  who  do  not  wish  to  increase  the  number  of  stocks  in 
their  apiary  have  often  a  difficulty  in  preventing  swarming.  We  do 
not  know  of  anything  more  annoying  to  a  bee-keeper  when  honey  is 
coming  in  freely,  to  find  that  some  of  his  best  colonies  have  swarmed. 
This,  however,  may  be  almost  entirely  prevented  if  strict  attention  is 
given  to  them  when  they  require  it.  Bees  do  not  swarm  on  the 
impulse  of  the  moment,  they  make  arrangements  for  doing  so  about  a 
week  or  ten  days  beforehand.  They  will  not  swarm  until  the  hive  is 
full  of  bees.  It  is  important  that  bee-keepers  should  bear  this  fact  in 
mind,  and  provide  extra  space  as  often  as  it  is  required.  This  is  done 
by  enlarging  the  brood  nest,  and  if  the  body  of  the  hive  is  full  of 
frames,  which  are  full  of  brood  and  crowded  with  bees,  remove  three  or 
four  in  which  the  brood  is  most  advanced,  and  place  them  directly  over 
the  brood  nest  with  a  piece  of  excluder  zinc  between.  This  will  keep 
the  queen  in  the  body  of  the  hive.  The  spaces  from  which  the  full 
combs  were  taken  must  be  filled  with  combs  or  foundation. 
Another  plan  is  to  place  a  crate  of  sections  or  shallow  frames  on 
the  top ;  this  will  keep  the  bees  emploj’-ed,  although  honey  may  not  be 
coming  in  freely.  This  should  always  be  done  in  advance  of  their 
requirements.  If,  in  addition,  the  hives  are  freely  ventilated  by 
wedging  up  the  fronts,  and  shading  them  during  bright  weather, 
swarming  may  be  almost  entirely  prevented.  Bear  in  mind  it  is 
difficult  to  prevent  bees  swarming  after  queen  cells  are  once  started — 
An  English  Bee-keeper. 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
F.  A.  Haage,  jun.,  Erfurt. — Cacti. 
B.  Wells,  Crawley. — Fruit  Trees. 
