IRISH GARDENING. 



1^9 



in SIX weeks, then the lettuces follow, and, after their 

 removal, youngf early French cauliflowers are planted. 

 All the while the carrots or turnips are progressing 

 favourably, and will eventually yield a profitable harvest. 

 Full information can be obtained of the system by con- 

 sulting either of the two little books that have suggested 

 this notice.* Only a day or two ago a young lady, 

 resident in Dublin, who had been on a holiday visit to 

 Paris, called to tell us about the interesting "gardens" 

 she had visited during her sta}' in the French capital. 

 The methods and the results had impressed her very 

 much. The system has been on trial at Evesham for 

 over two years, and quite recently experiments have 

 been started on the same lines in the County of Essex. 



Pansies and \'iolets. — Another handbook in the 

 "Practical Gardening" series has iust been issued. f 

 It deals with the ever popular and fascinating 

 flowers — pansies and violets. The work deals very 

 fully with the subject. The various types of flower are 

 described, and in most cases beautifully illustrated. 

 Propagation, raising of new varieties, and general cul- 

 tivation are clearly dealt with. Exhibitors will find 

 many valuable hints both with regard to cultural treat- 

 ment and to methods of exhibiting, while a most 

 interesting chapter is devoted to the use of pansies for 

 house decoration. One of the author's suggestions in 

 this connection is to get a shallow earthenware pan, 

 paint it on the outside with a dainty colour, fill it with 

 sand, and then saturate the sand with water. Leafy, 

 flowering sprays of pansies are to be cut and inserted 

 in the sand, taking care to arrange the blooms as 

 naturally and artistically as possible. The pans can be 

 placed anywhere, and the flowers will keep fresh for a 

 long time. With regard to exhibiting, it is quite re- 

 freshing to discover an author who sets his face against 

 the silly "pansy trays" so much in vogue among 

 exhibitors. Surely it is about time that our horticultural 

 societies discountenance such childish exhibitions as 

 rows of pansy flowers stuck into holes in rectangular 

 tins, the poor blooms smoothed out flat, completely 

 spoiling their natural beaut)' ; and as if Ihis was not 

 barbaric enough, some will even provide each bloom 

 with an absurd little paper collar, as if this is the kind 

 of "art" that will improve Nature! 



T/ie Country Home (July) contains a beautifully illus- 

 trated article on "Water in Landscape and Garden," 

 including views from the grounds at Fota, Co. Cork ; 

 Powerscourt, and Mount Usher. 



Catalogues. 



Tulips, Narcissus, and Daffodils : Being the new 

 season's catalogue of Wm. Baylor Hartland, Ard-Cairn, 

 Cork. — The receipt of one of iVlr. Hartland's catalogues 

 always revives pleasant memories. For the last twenty- 

 five years or more a daffodil catalogue has been issued 

 from this old Cork firm of bulb growers, and the wood- 

 cut illustration on the cover of the present issue reminds 

 us of the catalogues we used to write for — many, many 

 years ago — for the sake of the handsome wood engrav- 

 ings, made from the original drawings of Miss Hartland, 

 that appeared in their pages. Ireland should be proud 

 of its pioneer in the cult of our Lady Narcissus, and we 

 wish continued prosperity to our veteran bulb grower ! 



List of Border Carnations and Picotees, also 

 American and English and Malmaison Carnations grown 

 by Hayward Mathias, F. R. H.S., Medstead, Hants. 

 The list (illustrated) includes novelties for 1908, new 

 and recent introductions, and a general collection. At 

 the National Carnation and Picotee Society Show, held 

 in London last month, Mr. IVIathias's exhibits were 

 awarded two first, three second and five third prizes. 



* " The French Garden : A Diary and Manual of Intensive Culti- 

 vation," by G. C. D. M'Kay, Daily Mail Office ; 6d. "Gold-pro- 

 ducing Soils," by T. Newsome, Steele & Co. ; is. 



t "The Book of the Pansy, Viola and Violet," by Howard H. Crane. 

 X'Ondon : John Lane. 2s. 6d. 



Bee-keeping. 



By T. MAGUIRE, The Orchard, Enniskillen. 



THE tremendous glut of honey and the great heat 

 in the latter part of June and beginning of July 

 caused a good deal of trouble with swarming 

 where stocks were insufficiently supered or where the 

 hives were badly ventilated or not shaded from the 

 direct rays of the sun. Swarming is undesirable for 

 various reasons. There is the risk of losing the swarm, 

 there is the bother and fuss of hiving the bees, especially 

 when, as often happens, two or more swarms ^o out at 

 the same time ; there is the time lost by the owner, who 

 generally has plenty of other work to attend to at such 

 a time, and by the bees, who are losing golden moments 

 indeed, considering that their whole harvest often only 

 extends over a fortnight. Probably more swarming is 

 due to excessive heat than any other cause. Bee- 

 keepers who have had so much trouble that they are 

 inclined to give up in disgust should try the effect of 

 altering the position of the hives to a more shaded spot 

 and providing large ventilators in the floor — 10 inches 

 by 5 is a good size — and they probably will have less 

 trouble next season. As soon as the excessive heat is 

 over, however, the ventilators should be closed again 

 to avoid the possibility of chill. Some people make a 

 point of placing their hives in the hottest corner of the 

 garden, in full blaze of the mid-day sun. This is a great 

 mistake. A plan I have found very effective in tiding 

 extra strong stocks over the swarming time is to take 

 out two frames (in case the hive does not allow of further 

 extension) and put in two frames fitted ivith strips of 

 foundation only in front. They should be placed next 

 the entrance. They will probably be built with drone 

 comb, and be only serviceable for melting up into wax, 

 but they can be replaced by proper combs when the 

 swarming period is past. 



In many localities the honey flow is now over, and 

 crates of sections should be taken off as soon as finished. 

 Anyone who has used a Porter or Federation escape will 

 not have any other method of clearing bees from supers. 

 Sections nearly finished— the back and front sections 

 are often unsealed when the rest are quite finished — can 

 be re-arranged in a crate and returned to a strong stock 

 to be filled and sealed. In arranging them, try and 

 have those best filled at the ends and the lighter ones 

 in the centre. With favourable weather such sections 

 will be made saleable. Those which contain only a 

 small amount of honey can either be returned to the 

 bees in a crate on top and left there all winter, or they 

 may be placed behind the dummy, which should be 

 raised just enough to allow the bees access to them, and 

 the honey will be carried into them. The Federation 

 super clearer is fitted with a small slot which serves the 

 same purpose, the crate being placed on top. These 

 sections, when dry, should be wrapped up and packed 

 carefully in a dry, warm place, safe from mice and 

 moths, and they will be most valuable stock next season. 

 Robbing must now be guarded against. Prevention 

 is better than cure, so it would be well to put slips of 

 perforated zinc along the doorways, allowing only a 

 small space - an inch or so— for the bees to come and 

 go. Robbers rarely venture into a hive so guarded. 



The output of Irish honey this year ought to be 

 considerable, and the quality will be very high. Bee- 

 keepers should not rush blindly and sell to the nearest 

 shopkeeper for whatever price they can get. A good 

 article will always command a price if properly handled 

 and marketed. Sections should be spotlessly clean, 

 wrapped in waxed paper, and stored in a warm, dry 

 place until sold. 



In districts where there is an autumn flow, the bees 

 should be fed gently during broken weather, so as to 

 have them well stocked with brood and bees when the 

 hoped-for warm spell occurs in September. 



