November  22,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
477 
Frnit  Forcing. 
KeloiLS. — The  Melon  season  is  over  in  most  places,  but  well  ripened 
fruits  are  good  in  quality  even  in  December.  The  latest  plants  have 
the  fruits  well  netted,  and  will  only  need  snfiicient  water  or  liquid 
manure  to  maintain  a  healthy  condition  of  the  foliage.  The  latter 
must  be  discontinued  directly  the  fruit  gives  indications  of  ripening, 
also  the  watering  and  atmospheric  moisture  be  lessened.  Where  the 
plants  are  not  so  advanced  damping  will  be  needed  in  the  morning  and 
afternoon,  putting  on  a  small  amount  of  air  in  the  early  part  of  the  day 
to  insure  the  dissipation  of  moisture  that  may  have  accumulated  or  been 
condensed,  and  induce  evaporation  from  the  foliage.  Maintain  the  night 
temperature  at  60°  to  65°,  and  70°  to  75°  by  day  artificially,  advancing 
as  much  as  can  be  had  frrm  sun  heat  after  the  middle  of  the  day. 
Plants  ripening  their  fruit  should  have  ventilation  constantly,  a 
temperature  of  70°  to  75°,  with  as  much  sun  heat  as  can  be  had  by 
husbanding  it,  but  not  closing  the  house,  withholding  water,  as  before 
stated,  from  the  roots  and  atmosphere. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Earliest  House. — To  have  ripe  fruit  in 
April  or  early  in  May  a  start  should  be  made  at  the  beginning  of  next 
month,  the  very  early  varieties,  Alexander  and  Waterloo,  giving  ripe 
frnit  about  three  weeks  earlier  than  Early  Louise,  and  a  month  or  more 
before  Stirling  Castle  and  Eoyal  George  Peaches.  In  Nectarines 
Cardinal  is  a  considerable  time  in  advance  of  Early  Rivers  and  Loid 
Napier  in  ripening  its  fruit,  and  for  early  supplies  is  desirable  for 
association  with  Alexander  and  Waterloo  Peaches.  The  trees  having 
been  at  rest  some  time,  and  previously  forced,  will  start  promptly,  but 
those  not  before  started  early  will  not  respond  so  quickly,  therefore  the 
house  should  be  kept  close,  bnt  admitting  air  freely  above  50°,  employing 
fire  heat  only  to  prevent  the  temperature  falling  below  35°.  The  more 
slowly  the  trees  are  excited  the  stronger  will  be  the  blossoms.  The 
outside  border  must  be  protected  so  as  to  exclude  frost,  for  the  roots 
cannot  absorb  nourisbment  from  the  soil  when  it  is  frozen.  A  thorough 
soaking  of  water  should  be  given  to  the  inside  border,  and  if  the  trees 
are  weak  a  soaking  of  liquid  manure,  not  too  strong,  will  tend  to 
a  more  vigorous  break  and  development  of  the  blossom.  Sprinkle  the 
trees  in  the  morning  and  afternoon  of  bright  days,  but  do  not  keep  the 
trees  dripping  with  moisture,  especially  at  night  and  in  dull  weather, 
for  this  has  a  weakening  tendency  on  the  floral  parts,  tending  to 
encourage  wood  ralher  than  blossom  development. 
Succession  Bouses. — All  the  leaves  are  off  except  in  the  latest 
house,  where  in  the  case  of  young  trees  they  still  hang  somewhat  unduly, 
probably  from  the  vigour  and  comparatively  dull  and  wet  weather, 
also  absence  of  frost,  but  they  should  not  be  forcibly  removed.  When, 
however,  they  come  easily  off  by  brushing  with  the  hand  or  alight  broom 
the  process  may  be  assisted,  and  when  they  are  all  off  unfasten  the 
trees  from  the  trellis  and  prune  them.  Syringe  the  house  and  trees 
with  water  at  a  temperature  of  140°,  then  cleanse  the  house  thoroughly, 
and  if  needed  paint  the  woodwork,  ironwork,  and  the  trellis.  Wash  the 
trees  with  petroleum  and  softsoap,  2  ozs.  to  a  gallon  of  water,  and  after¬ 
wards  dress  them  with  an  approved  insecticide,  but  do  not  dislocate  the 
buds.  Tie  the  trees  to  the  trellis,  leaving  room  for  the  branches  to 
swell.  Remove  the  loose  surface  soil  and  supply  fresh,  giving  a  top¬ 
dressing  of  some  approved  fertiliser.  Supply  water  to  the  inside 
borders  so  as  to  keep  them  thoroughly  moistened  down  to  the  drainage. 
Keep  the  atmosphere  of  the  houses  as  cool  as  possible. 
Lifting  and  Root-pruning  Trees. —  Any  lifting,  root-pruning,  or 
other  root  requirements  of  the  trees  should  be  attended  to  without 
delay  ;  but  it  is  not  safe  to  interfere  with  too  vigorous  trees  until  the 
leaves  are  all  down,  or  nearly  so,  a  few  soft  lateral  growths  being  of 
no  consequence,  as  they  will  have  to  be  removed.  The  introduction  of 
fresh  trees  should  be  performed  at  once,  the  planting  being  proceeded 
with  as  soon  as  the  leaves  are  all  off,  or  nearly  so.  Trees  for  houses 
are  best  if  trained  for  two  or  three  years  to  walls  or  under  glass,  those 
of  five  or  more  years  moving  safely  if  prepared  for  lifting  by  digging 
round  them,  so  as  to  cause  the  production  of  fibres,"  a  year  previously. 
Such  trees  can  be  lifted  with  abundance  of  roots,  and  being  carefully 
planted,  they  force  readily  the  first  season,  and  the  results  are  satis¬ 
factory  provided  they  are  not  brought  on  too  rapidly,  and  a  moderate 
crop  is  taken.  It  is  always  preferable  to  select  these  trees,  as  young 
ones  do  not  fruit  much  the  first  two  or  three  years. 
In  late  houses  the  lifting  and  root-pruning  of  the  trees  should  be 
taken  in  hand  when  the  leaves  are  falling,  having  no  regard  to  sappy 
lateral  growths,  as  these  will  hold  their  leaves  a  considerable  time 
longer  than  the  matured  wood,  and  though  they  may  suffer  from  the 
check  consequent  on  lifting,  it  is  immaterial,  as  they  will  be  cut  away 
at  the  winter  pruning,  even  accelerating  root  activity  by  the  greenness 
of  their  parts  while  they  remain.  During  the  operation  the  house  must 
be  kept  rather  close,  the  trees  lightly  syringed  if  the  weather  be  bright,  1 
and  the  roots  as  little  exposed  as  possible.  When  the  operation  ia 
completed  and  the  trees  quite  leafless,  except  the  laterals,  ventilate- 
freely  in  all  weathers.  If  the  trees  do  not  require  lifting,  and  the  wood 
is  not  quite  ripe,  it  will  be  advisable  to  keep  the  house  rather  close  by 
day  when  there  is  snn  heat,  and  to  throw  it  open  at  night,  which  will 
soon  harden  the  wood,  especially  if  the  growth  be  thin,  so  as  to  allow 
of  light  and  air  having  free  access.  If  the  wood  be  at  all  crowded  it 
should  be  thinned.  There  must  not  be  any  deficiency  of  moisture  at 
the  roots,  as  they  will  not  develop  the  buds  properly,  falling  when  they 
should  be  expanding  in  the  spring. 
Cucnmbers. — Plants  that  have  been  in  bearing  some  time  can  be 
invigorated  by  a  top-dressing  of  turfy  loam,  to  which  has  been  added 
about  a  fifth  of  thoroughly  decayed  manure  or  sweetened  horse 
droppings,  and  about  a  tenth  of  “  nuts  ”  charcoal.  A  sprinkling  of 
superphosphate  on  the  surface  will  promote  root  formation  and  sturdy 
growth,  supplementing  with  an  occasional  sprinkling  of  soot.  Afford 
copious  supplies  of  water,  but  let  the  soil  be  getting  dry  before  any 
is  given,  then  supply  enough  to  moisten  the  bed  through,  using  it  at 
the  same  temperature  as  the  house.  Thin  the  old  growths  and  lay  in 
young,  by  which  means  the  plants  will  continue  bearing  for  some  time 
longer.  The  autumn  fruiters  are  now  in  full  crop  ;  these  must  not  be 
overburdened,  flierefore  remove  fruit  as  soon  as  it  attains  a  fair  size, 
and  all  deformed  fruit  when  observed.  Examine  the  plants  at  least 
once  a  week  for  the  removal  of  bad  leaves,  stopping  or  catting  away 
surplus  growths,  keeping  the  foliage  fairly  thin,  yet  an  even  spread  on 
the  trellis. 
Winter  fruiters  should  be  allowed  to  become  well  extended  over 
the  trellis  before  pinching  them  for  the  production  of  fruit,  training 
the  growths  evenly,  and  not  more  closely  than  to  allow  of  the  foliage 
being  exposed  to  light.  Stop  after  that  at  a  few  joints  of  growth  or 
one  or  two  joints  beyond  the  show  of  fruit,  but  if  the  plants  are  weak 
allow  more  extension,  and  crop  lightly  at  first.  Remove  most  male 
flowers,  and  do  not  allow  tendrils,  bnt  remove  them  as  fast  as  they 
appear.  Keep  the  beds  replenished  with  soil,  adding  fresh  and  warmed 
as  often  as  the  roots  appear  at  the  sides  of  the  ridges  or  hillocks. 
Maintain  a  night  temperature  of  70°,  5“  or  10°  less  in  severe  weather, 
70°  to  75°  by  day  artificially,  advancing  to  80°  and  90°  or  more  with  snn 
beat.  Admit  a  little  air  at  the  top  of  the  house  whenever  the  weather 
is  favourable,  affording  it,  however,  without  lowering  the  temperature. 
Judicious  ventilation,  nevertheless,  is  highly  beneficial  in  carrying  off 
accumulated  moisture  and  giving  solidity  to  the  growths,  enabling  the 
plants  to  tide  over  the  trying  ordeal  of  prolonged  severe  weather, 
when  plants  with  their  textured  leaves  often  succumb.  The  syringe 
will  only  be  necessary  for  damping  paths  and  walls  in  the  morning 
and  afternoon  in  bright  weather,  which  will  give  rise  to  the  needful 
moisture,  especially  when  the  troughs  for  evaporation  are  charged  with 
liquid  manure  or  water.  On  bright  afternoons  a  light  bedewing  of 
the  plants  overhead  will  be  beneficial,  but  care  must  be  taken  to 
practise  it  early  and  not  make  the  foliage  tender  by  its  too  frequent 
recurrence.  All  water  used  must  be  of  the  same  temperature  as  the 
house  or  bed,  whether  employed  for  damping,  watering,  or  liquid 
manure  applied  to  the  roots. 
- - - 
1 
HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
Bee-keeping  for  Beginners. 
Autumn  and  spring  are  the  best  seasons  for  commencing  bee¬ 
keeping,  and  those  who  have  not  already  made  a  start  might  now 
with  advantage  waif  until  spring.  Severe  weather  may  be  expected 
at  any  time,  and  if  the  bees  are  not  well  provided  with  sealed  stores, 
they  may,  in  the  hands  of  a  beginner,  succumb  before  spring.  There 
are  doubtless  many  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  who  have 
one  or  more  stocks  of  bees  which  may,  or  m  y  net,  be  in  the  modern 
frame  hive.  If  in  a  straw  skep  preparations  can  be  made  at  this 
season  bv  making  a  frame  hive  lor  the  reception  of  the  swarm  which 
msy  be  expee'ed  next  spring.  If  the  bees  are  already  in  a  movable 
Irame  hive  then  others  may  be  prepared  during  the  long  winter 
evenings. 
In  the  first  place  it  is  advisable  to  select  the  most  suitable  hive  for 
the  particular  district  in  which  the  bee-keeper  may  be  placed,  and 
whether  run  honey  or  sections  of  honey  in  the  comb  is  desired,  or 
both.  We  prefer  a  hive  holaii  g  not  less  than  ten,  or  more  than 
twelve,  standard  frames.  Hives  of  this  description  are  easily  handled, 
and  are  excellent  for  either  comb  or  run  honey.  Strong  colonies  in 
hives  of  this  description  invariably  give  the  best  lesults. 
Whatever  hive  is  selected,  it  is  advisable  to  have  all  of  the  same 
dimensions,  and  the  frames  being  also  of  one  size  they  will  be  inter¬ 
changeable  from  one  hive  to  the  others.  If  run  honey  is  preferred 
crates  of  shallow  frames  may  be  used,  or  full-sized  frames  can  be 
utilised  from  other  colonies  to  strengthen  those  that  are  weak.  This 
is  called  the  doubling  system,  and  by  working  on  these  lines  a  surplus 
