September  6,  1900 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
23:5 
available  for  the  purpose,  laying  them  out  upon  the  fresh  compost,  and 
cover  3  or  4  inches  deep.  This  is  best  done  before  the  fall  of  the  leaf. 
It  is  a  mistake  to  allow  Vines  when  at  rest  to  become  dust  dry  at  the 
roots.  The  outside  border  should  have  a  covering  of  some  kind 
to  protect  the  roots  from  the  heavy  autumn  rains.  Glass  lights 
are  preferable,  as  they  throw  off  heavy  rains,  whilst  allowing  the  sun 
to  penetrate  the  soil.  Where  such  aid  cannot  be  had  a  covering  of 
leaves  and  litter  after  cold  weather  sets  in,  to  prevent  the  soil  freezing, 
is  an  absolute  necessity  in  early  forcing. 
Succession  Houses. — Midseason  Vines  have  the  fruit  ripe  or  ripening, 
and  will  need  a  free  circulation  of  air,  especially  in  the  early  part  of 
line  days,  as  the  night  dews  are  heavy,  and  the  condensation  of  moisture 
on  the  berries  takes  place  rapidly  indoors  if  the  atmosphere  rises 
considerably  before  air  is  admitted.  The  laterals  should  be  kept  from 
interfering  with  the  access  of  light  and  air  to  the  principal  leaves, 
otherwise  a  good  spread  of  healthy  foliage  over  black  Grapes  is  one  of 
the  best  safeguards  against  their  losing  colour.  White  Grapes  also  do 
not  become  brown  so  soon  when  not  exposed  to  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun  as  they  do  when  the  foliage  is  thin.  Where  the  Grapes  have  been 
cut  the  laterals  may  be  reduced,  also  the  long  bearing  shoots  cut  back 
to  two  or  three  leaves  above  the  pruning  buds.  This  will  fadilitate 
cleansing  the  foliage  of  red  spider  and  other  pests,  and  assist  in 
plumping  the  basal  buds  as  well  as  the  ripening  of  the  wood  by  the 
increased  amount  of  light. 
Late  Grapes. — Where  the  Vines  were  started  in  good  time  the 
Grapes  are  well  advanced  in  ripening.  Keep  the  laterals  thinned 
to  admit  air  to  insure  the  finishing  of  the  crop.  Maintain  a 
temperature  of  70°  to  75°  by  day,  60°  to  65°  at  night,  increasing  to 
80  or  85°  with  sun  in  the  daytime,  accompanied  with  a  circulation  of 
air  constantly  and  free  under  favourable  atmospheric  conditions. 
Where  the  Grapes  are  only  beginning  to  colour  somewhat  sharp 
firing  will  be  required  to  finish  them  properly  before  the  days  are  too 
short  and  cold  to  admit  of  free  ventilation,  it  being  possible  to  do  more 
in  the  next  month  or  six  weeks’  time  than  in  twice  the  time  later  on. 
With  the  Grapes  well  advanced  in  colouring  and  ripening  the 
atmospheric  moisture  should  be  reduced;  those  only  colouring  should 
have  a  moderate  amount  of  atmospheric  moisture  to  assist  their  swelling, 
not  neglecting  to  supply  water  to  the  roots  as  required. 
ioung  Vines. — Where  these  have  made  a  strong  growth  and  are  late 
in  ripening  they  should  be  assisted  with  fire  heat,  continuing  it  until 
the  wood  is  ripe,  accompanied  with  free  top  and  bottom  ventilation. 
Discourage  any  further  growth  by  the  removal  of  the  laterals  as  they 
appear,  and  withhold  water  from  the  roots,  only  the  soil  must  not  be 
allowed  to  become  too  dry,  and  if  the  roots  have  the  run  of  outside 
borders  some  spare  lights  placed  over  the  border  So  as  to  throw  off  the 
wet  will  be  very  beneficial.  If  the  autumn  be  dry  the  border  is  better 
exposed,  but  heavy  rains  must  be  thrown  off. 
He  Kitclien  Garden. 
Brussels  Sprouts  and  Cauliflowers. — Those  with  abundance  of  house 
and  frame  room  can  easily  raise  all  the  Brussels  Sprouts  plants  they 
require  early  in  the  year,  and  since  the  introduction  of  extra  early 
Cauliflowers  the  need  for  raising  plants  of  these  in  the  autumn  has  almost 
disappeared.  With  market  gardeners  and  amateurs  the  case  is  different. 
The  former  will  do  well  to  sow  seeds  at  once  of  Brussels  Sprouts  either 
broadcast  or  in  shallow  drills  5  inches  apart,  thinly  in  both  oases,  the 
plants  remaining  where  they  come  up,  with  little  or  no  protection 
throughout  the  winter.  In  this  way  either  large  or  small  quantities 
may  be  had  early  next  planting  season  with  a  minimum  amount  of 
trouble.  Any  raised  in  August  are  apt  to  become  too  large  unless 
checked  by  pricking  out  the  more  forward  into  nursery  beds.  Cauli¬ 
flower  plants  may  be  raised  and  wintered  in  the  same  way,  only  these 
will  require  more  protection. 
Cabbage. — A  showery  time  has  been  favourable  to  seed  germination 
and  plant  growth,  and  there  should  be  no  undue  delay  in  moving  the 
earliest.  Pricking  them  out  in  nursery  beds,  and  from  these  trans¬ 
planting  to  their  winter  quarters,  is  a  plan  favoured  by  some  growers, 
and  it  has  the  merit  of  checking  rank  growth.  The  later  plants  may  be 
moved,  if  strong  enough,  direct  to  their  final  quarters  not  later  than 
the  first  fortnight  in  October.  In  order  to  have  good  early  crops  the 
plants  must  be  put  out  on  rich  ground.  They  may  be  planted  in  close 
succession  to  Onions,  a  crop  that  is  usually  highly  favoured  as  regards 
manure,  merely  clearing  the  ground  of  weeds  and  planting  in  drills,  or 
the  ground  selected  may  be  heavily  manured,  dug,  and  planted.  The 
smaller  varieties  of  Cabbage,  notably  Wheeler’s  Imperial  and  Ellam’s 
Dwarf  Spring,  do  not  require  much  space — they  may  be  put  out  15  inches 
apart  each  way — but  the  larger  sorts  require  to  be  planted  18  inches 
apart  in  rows  2  feet  asunder.  If  more  seed  is  sown  now  the  plants 
resulting  may  become  just  strong  enough  to  stand  in  the  seed  beds  till 
next  spring,  when  they  will  be  useful  for  sucoessional  planting. 
Lettuce. — For  standing  out  unprotected  through  the  winter  the  best 
sorts  are  the  Brown  Cos,  Hicks’  Hardy  White  Cos,  Hammersmith,  and 
AlUthe-Year  Round,  the  two  latter  being  Cabbage  Lettuces.  The  seed 
should  be  sown  now,  thinly,  broadcast,  on  somewhat  poor  ground, 
covering  it  with  a  little  sifted  soil.  The  beds  ought  to  be  kept  free  of 
weeds,  and  if  slugs  are  troublesome  the  plants  must  be  dusted  over 
occasionally  with  soot  and  lime.  Earlier  plants  will  require  trans¬ 
planting,  or  they  will  become  too  forward  to  withstand  frost. 
Spinach. — Where  proper  pains  were  taken  with  the  preparation  of 
the  ground  and  good  sound  seed  was  sown  the  plants  have  come  up 
strongly,  and  should  attain  to  a  serviceable  size  before  the  winter  sets 
in.  Weeds  also  come  up  quickly  each  time  after  the  ground  is  cultivated, 
and  these  must  be  kept  under.  Hand-weed  between  the  plants,  at  the 
same  time  lightly  thinning  these  out,  deferring  the  final  thinning  till 
the  plants  drawn  out  are  large  enough  for  use,  and  frequently  stir 
between  the  rows  with  a  Dutch  hoe.  A  light  surfacing  of  soot,  applied 
prior  to  hoeing,  acts  most  beneficially,  and  if  the  soil  between  the  plants 
in  the  rows  becomes  cased  over  loosen  it  with  a  pointed  stake.  Winter 
Spinach  is  an  important  crop,  paying  well  for  all  the  trouble  taken  with 
it.  Later  sowings  may  be  made  now,  the  plants  resulting  remaining  in 
a  small  state  through  the  winter,  and  giving  abundance  of  leaves  well 
in  advance  of  any  obtained  by  sowing  in  February. 
Tomatoes. — The  open  air  crops  have  not  been  a  great  success  this 
season.  The  fruit  was  late  in  setting,  and  is  late  in  ripening.  Largo 
quantities  will  most  probably  either  crack  and  decay  prematurely,  or 
be  spoilt  by  the  Potato  disease  that  has  already  made  its  appearance 
in  some  districts.  Of  late  years  we  have  been  favoured  with  exceptionally 
hot  and  dry  Septembers,  but  it  is  unwise  to  reckon  on  a  repetition  of 
these,  and  the  safer  plan  is  to  gather  all  the  more  forward  Tomatoes 
and  place  them  in  a  dry  warm  room  to  ripen.  The  fruit  left  on  the 
plants  will,  if  it  escape  disease,  continue  to  swell,  and  all  that  are 
sound  should  be  gathered  and  stored  before  frosts  destroy  the  plants. 
w. 
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HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
.  I .  I  .  I  .  t  - 1  ■  I  -  I  . 
The  Use  of  Driven  Bees. 
There  are  many  ways  in  which  driven  bees  may  be  used  at  this 
season.  In  some  districts  they  are  plentiful,  in  others  they  are  difficult 
to  obtain.  This  may  arise  from  two  causes — the  scarcity  of  stocks 
in  skeps,  and  an  objection  on  the  part  of  the  bee-keeper  to  have  his 
bees  driven.  We  have  overcome  the  scruples  of  several  bee-keepers 
by  driving  their  bees  and  removing  the  honey  from  the  skep  at  the 
same  time.  This  has  usually  had  the  desired  effect.  When  several 
skeps  of  bees  are  to  be  driven,  which  should  always  be  done  in  the 
evening  at  this  season,  arrangements  may  be  made  beforehand  as 
to  their  disposal.  If  they  are  intended  for  new  colonies  the  hive 
should  be  prepared  by  placing  some  frames  of  fully  drawn-out 
worker  combs  in  position  ;  quilts  and  coverings  should  be  in  readiness 
so  that  there  may  be  no  delay  in  introducing  the  bees  to  their  new 
home.  In  a  hive  of  this  description  two  or  more  stocks  of  driven 
bees  may  be  placed  together.  Tnis  can  be  done  either  at  the  time 
they  are  driven  liy  shaking  them  all  into  one  skep,  or  bringing  them 
home  in  separate  skeps  an  1  mixing  them  together  before  shaking 
them  into  the  frame  hive.  If  this  is  dme  the  same  evening  they  are 
driven  it  wdl  not  be  necessary  to  sprinkle  them  with  either  flour  or 
syrup,  as  they  will  unite  alter  the  excitement  of  driving  them 
without  any  further  trouble.  B  fore  shaking  them  into  the  frame 
hive  a  couple  of  the  frames  may  be  removed,  or  the  frames  drawn  to 
either  side  of  the  hive ;  this  will  allow  an  open  space  in  the  middle 
of  the  hive  in  which  to  shake  the  bees.  The  quilt  should  at  once  be 
placed  over  them,  and  allow  them  to  remain  with  additional  covering 
till  the  following  morning,  when  the  frames  may  be  placed  the  proper 
distance  apart.  They  should  be  covered  up  warm  and  supplied  with 
ample  stores  to  tide  over  the  winter. 
Driven  bees  may  also  be  given  to  weak  colonies  in  frame  hives. 
The  bees  to  be  operated  on  should  be  sprinkled  with  flour  from  a 
dredger — first  on  one  side  of  the  comb  and  then  on  the  other,  placing 
the  Irames  wide  apart.  When  this  is  done  the  driven  bees  should  also 
be  well  dusted  with  flour,  and  at  once  shaken  into  the  flame  hive 
previously  operated  on.  Drive  the  bees  down  with  a  little  smoke  and 
draw  the  frames  together,  cove--  them  up  warm,  place  a  rapid  feeder 
ou  the  top,  and  do  not  disturb  them  for  forty-eight  hours.  Another 
plan  which  we  often  practise  is  to  brush  the  bees  off  their  combs  on  to 
the  floorboard.  They  are  then  dusted  with  Hour,  as  advised  above. 
The  driven  bees  are  mixed  up  with  them.  The  frames  are  placed  in 
their  proper  position.  The  bees  immed  ately  cover  them,  and  thus 
they  unite  without  the  loss  of  a  bee  Stocks  that  are  well  supplied 
with  bees  in  the  autumn,  if  headed  by  a  young  fertile  queen,  invariably 
winter  well,  and  are  strong  and  healthy  the  following  spring.  ,If  an 
increase  in  the  number  of  stocks  is  not  required,  the  bees  may  be 
utilised  as  above. 
When  uniting  bees  it  is  not  necessary  to  remove  either  of  the 
queens,  as  the  bees  will  soon  settle  thit  matter  jor  themselves.  But 
if  one  is  an  old  queen  and  the  other  a  young  one,  preference  should 
always  be  given  to  the  latter,  and  the  old  queen  removed  previous  to 
uniting  the  bees. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
