September  27,  1300 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
301 
space,  so  that  they  may  become  well  matured  in  their  growths  ;  and 
before  heavy  rains  place  them  in  frames  plunged  in  coal  ashes  to  the 
rims  of  the  pots,  and  well  up  to  the  glass,  which  should  be  perfectly 
clean,  so  that  they  will  be  assured  . plenty  of  light;  and  air  must  be 
admitted  abundantly  by  tilting  the  lights  in  rainy  weather,  and  with¬ 
drawn  when  the  weather  is  mild  and  fair.  A  loose  surface  for  Straw¬ 
berries  in  pots  prevents  the  soil  from  leaving  the  sides,  and  admits  of 
the  water  passing  equally  through  the  ball  and  moistening  it  thoroughly. 
A  little  horse  droppings  or  cow  manure  dried,  rubbed  through  a  half¬ 
inch  sieve,  and  applied  to  the  surface  will  keep  all  right  there. 
Remove  all  runners  as  they  appear,  also  weeds,  and  do  not  allow  the 
plants  to  suffer  through  insufScient  supplies  of  water.  The  plants 
should  have  full  exposure  to  light  and  air  by  allowing  abundance  of 
space,  so  as  to  secure  sturdy  well-developed  crowns.  Late  and  weakly 
plants  may  be  assisted  with  weak  liquid  manure,  taking  care  not  to 
make  the  soil  sodden,  or  it  will  do  more  harm  than  good.  Stimulants 
ought  not  to  be  given  to  strong  leafy  plants,  or  this  may  increase  the 
grossness  or  cause  them  to  push  the  flower  buds,  which  if  only  partial 
splits  the  crowns  up  into  a  number  of  parts  derogatory  to  a  good  show 
of  trusses  when  placed  in  heat. 
Ilardy  Fruit  Garden. 
Strawberries. — Established  beds  ought  to  be  cleared  of  weeds  and 
runners  without  further  delay.  If  the  beds  have  been  fruitful  and 
consist  of  good  varieties  adapted  to  the  soil  the  best  of  the  rooted 
runners  may  be  preserved.  Detach  the  runner  wires  from  the  parent 
plant,  then  lift  the  plants  with  good  balls  of  soil  attached  to  the  roots, 
and  plant  at  once  if  more  stock  is  wanted  on  ground  liberally  treated  in 
respect  to  deep  digging  and  manuring.  The  soil,  however,  should  be 
firm.  Even  if  only  small  but  promising  young  plants  can  be  obtained, 
these,  if  lifted  and  planted  4  inches  apart  on  a  plot  of  good  ground, 
will  grow  freely  during  the  winter,  and  inay  be  planted  permanently 
in  spring. 
After  clearing  the  old  beds  mulch  between  the  rows  with  farmyard 
manure.  This  will  add  to  the  food  in  the  soil,  and  encourage  the 
production  of  fibrous  roots  near  the  surface.  It  is  better  to  discard 
beds  more  than  three  or  four  years  old,  as  they  cease  to  be  productive. 
A  new  bed  ought  to  be  made  annually.  Recently  planted  beds  now 
becoming  established  require  hoeing  to  destroy  weeds  and  encourage 
growth,  also  cut  away  runners  which  invariably  start  away  from  the 
early  established  plants. 
Raspberries. — The  canes  which  have  borne  the  summer  crop  are 
now  exhausted  and  should  be  cut  away.  Also  remove  the  current  year’s 
canes  with  the  exception  of  five  or  six  of  the  strongest  to  each  stool, 
these  to  be  retained  for  future  bearing.  Raspberries  are  gross  feeders 
and  need  liberally  mulching  with  rich  manure,  the  present  being  a 
suitable  time  to  give  an  application  after  the  ground  has  been  slightly 
loosened  and  weeds  removed.  During  the  winter  liquid  manure  may  be 
given.  If  new  plantations  are  to  be  formed  the  ground  must  be 
thoroughly  cultivated  and  liberally  manured.  Suckers  springing  up  at 
a  distance  from  the  stools  make  the  best  planting  canes. 
Root  Pruning. — Root-pruning  over-luxuriant  fruit  trees  is  an  operation 
which  may  be  carried  out  now.  Severe  root-pruning,  however,  is  not 
desirable,  hence  it  is  better  to  deal  with  half  the  roots  at  one  time  so  as 
not  to  give  too  severe  a  check.  Take  out  a  trench  about  3  feet  from  the 
bole  half  way  round  the  tree,  or  form  smaller  trenches  on  opposite  sides. 
Prune  the  roots  to  the  sides  of  the  trench.  Work  to  the  depth  of  2  feet. 
It  may  be  necessary  to  undermine  the  ball  of  roots  and  sever  those 
strong  roots  which  are  descending  vertically,  these,  in  the  majority  of 
cases,  producing  the  strong  and  unfruitful  growth.  When  the  pruning 
has  been  effected  fill  in  the  trench  again  with  the  beat  of  the  soil  taken 
out,  adding  some  good  loam,  charcoal,  burnt  refuse,  or  wood  ashes, 
mixed  with  decayed  manure.  Make  the  whole  firm.  The  following 
year,  if  necessary,  treat  the  other  side  in  the  same  manner.  Young 
trees  which  need  checking  at  the  roots  may  be  lifted  and  replanted, 
pruning  smoothly  any  demaged  roots. 
Improving  Weak  Trees. — Trees  and  bushes  healthy,  but  failing  to 
fruit  from  lack  of  support,  should  be  top-dressed  with  some  fertilising 
and  stimulating  mixture.  Remove  the  surface  soil  down  to  the  roots, 
and  spread  over  them  a  layer  of  compost,  consisting  ot  loam  and 
manure  mixed  with  wood  ashes  and  bqnemeal.  Copious  applications  of 
strong  liquid  manure  or  sewage  water  acts  beneficially  in  assisting 
impoverished  trees.  This  may  be  applied  at  intervals  throughout  the 
winter.  One  pound  to  the  square  yard  of  some  of  the  general  artificial 
fertilisers  will  act  quickly  and  prove  of  service. 
Gathering  Fruit. — This  work  should  be  continued  as  the  varieties 
become  ready.  Handle  the  fruit  carefully  to  avoid  bruising.  Apples 
which  may  be  gathered  now  include  Potts’  Seedling,  Yellow  Ingestrie, 
Worcester  Pearmain,  and  Wellington.  Of  Pears,  Louise  Bmne  de 
Jersey,  Brockworth  Park,  Autumn  Neb's,  Flemish  Beauty,  Fertility,  and 
Crassane,  with  some  others,  are  in  a  suitable  condition  for  early 
gathering. 
Preparing  Fruit  Borders. — The  width  of  borders  for  fruit  trees 
against  walls  should  be  the  same  as  the  height,  10  or  12  feet  being 
suitable.  For  bush  and  pyramid  trees  a  good  width  is  9  feet.  The 
whole  of  the  soil  should  be  trenched  or  broken  up  to  the  depth  of  2  feet. 
This  will  give  a  rooting  medium  of  uniform  depth,  provide  sufficient 
moisture,  and  give  the  trees  a  good  start.  Manure  is  not  essentia? 
except  in  very  poor  ground,  or  when  intending  to  plant  small  bush 
fruit — Raspberries  or  Strawberries,  and  Blackberries. 
Apricots,  Peaches,  and  Nectarines. — The  fruits  on  late  Peach  trees 
just  on  the  point  of  finishing  should  be  gathered  before  falling.  When 
all  the  fruit  has  been  gathered  cleanse  the  trees  from  red  spider  if  this 
pest  has  attacked  the  foliage  by  syringing  well  with  clear  water. 
Superfluous  shoots  may  be  cut  out,  these  consisting  of  the  old  bearing 
growths  as  well  as  the  weakest  of  the  current  year’s  shoots,  for  which 
no  room  can  be  found  without  crowding,  and  ‘this  is  not  desirable. 
The  growths  retained  nail-in  to  the  wall,  in  order  that  they  may  be 
thoroughly  ripened,  indicated  by  the  wood  attaining  firmness  and  the 
leaves  a  stout  leathery  condition.  Should  the  border  be  dry,  moisten 
the  soil  to  the  full  extent  to  which  the  roots  ramify,  and  unless  the  trees 
be  very  luxuriant  improve  the  rooting  medium  by  copious  applications 
of  liquid  manure  during  winter. 
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lis 
#1 
BEE-KEEPER. 
Reducing  Entrances, 
Ip  not  already  done  the  entrance  to  the  hives  should  now  be 
reduced.  In  the  majority  of  instances  the  hives  will  have  been  open 
their  full  width  since  early  in  the  spring.  Wasps  are  numerous 
this  autumn,  and  are  only  too  ready  to  help  themselves  to  the  stores 
in  the  hives  if  they  can  gain  admittance.  Our  practice  is  to  reduce 
them  to  about  half  an  inch  at  this  season,  or  earlier  if  necessary,  as 
the  bees  will  then  be  able  to  keep  out  all  intruders. 
During  the  past  two  or  three  years  we  have  experimented  with 
narrow  and  wide  entrances  throughout  the  winter  months.  The 
hives  operated  on  were  facing  south,  east,  and  west.  Those  facing 
due  south,  and  having  their  entrance  open  9  inches  throughout 
the  winter  until  breeding  commenced  the  following  spring,  were 
found  to  be  in  belter  condition  than  those  that  were  Yeduced 
to  1  inch.  Those  having  an  eastern  as  ect  and  treated  in 
precisely  the  same  manner  as  the  others  were  about  equal  as  regards 
strength  when  e.xamined  the  following  April,  but  the  stocks  having 
wide  entrances  had  consumed  mire  stores.  The  colonies  that  had 
their  opening  to  the  west  and  which  had  been  reduced  to  less  than 
an  inch,  were  found  on  examination  to  be  in  a  much  better  condition 
than  those  having  wide  entrances.  From  the  above  it  will  be  seen 
that  hives  placed  in  a  warm  southern  position  are  better  with  plenty 
of  front  ventilation  throughout  the  winter,  but  those  in  cold  or 
exposed  situations  should  have  their  entrances  reduced  throughout 
the  winter  and  early  spring.  Afterwards,  when  honey  is  coming  in 
freely,  they  should  be  opened  their  full  ^vidtb. 
storing  Combs. 
In  apiaries,  whether  large  or  small,  where  the  bulk  of  the  honey  is 
obtained  by  extracting,  there  will  be  numerous  old  combs  on  hand  at 
this  season.  If  properly  treated  they  will  be  in  better  condition  for 
placing  in  the  super  and  for  extracting  the  honey  from  than  new 
combs  next  season.  Only  c  ean  combs  should  be  kept.  Those  which 
hive  beet  me  laden  with  pollen  should  be  melted  down.  The  combs 
must  be  stored  in  a  dry  place,  where  they  can  be  ke  pt  clean  and  free 
from  the  wax  motb.  A  cupboard  or  a  large  box  in  a  dry  place 
answers  admirably.  The  plan  we  have  adopted  for  several  years  is  to 
wrap  half  a  dozen  combs  in  newspapers.  This  will  keep  them  free 
from  dust,  and  the  packages  may  be  placed  one  on  the  top  of  the  other 
in  a  box  until  it  is  quite  full,  if  a  few  balls  of  na|)hthaline  are  placed 
in  the  box  between  the  cuinbs  it  will  have  the  effect  of  keeping  them 
free  from  the  moth.  If  a  large  quantity  has  to  be  stored  the  following 
simp'e  plan  will  answer  the  purpose.  Place  some  calico  round  the 
inside  of  a  box  and  well  sprinkle  it  with  carbolic  aeid.  The  s  des  and 
bottom  should  be  treited  in  this  manner.  The  combs  are  then  packed 
as  tightly  in  the  box  as  it  is  possible  to  get  them.  When  quite  full 
the  tops  of  the  frames  are  treated  in  the  same  manner,  and  the  lid  of 
the  box  placed  in  position. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
Gardeners’  Charitable  and  Provident  Institntions. 
The  Gaedeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution.  —  Secretary, 
Mr.  G.  J.  Ingram,  175,  Victoria  Street,  S.W. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. — Secretary, 
Mr.  W.  Collins,  9,  Martindale  Road,  Balham,  London,  S.W. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. — Secretary,  Mr.  Brian  Wynne, 
8,  Danes  Inn,  Strand,  London,  W.C. 
