BEE-KEEPING 429 



figure that the foreigner may wonder how it is possible to pay for labour, rent, manure, 

 etc., and still yield a profit to the American grower. Against the American figures it may 

 be stated that the British potato average works out at 6 tons to the acre, and the average 

 price at 3 per ton, making a gross revenue of 18 per acre, against the American 5.105. 

 od. Under proper and intelligent cultural conditions it is possible to obtain from 15 to 

 20 tons of potatoes to the acre. Evidently there is much to be learnt from modern 

 scientific methods by practical potato-growers on both sides of the Atlantic, but especial- 

 ly in the United States. 



Sterilisation of the Soil. Amongst large growers of plants under glass this question 

 is often discussed, and several carry out experiments in various ways to prove the 

 advantages or otherwise of " sterilising " the soil, the object chiefly in view being to 

 destroy eel worms and those bacteria that are said to be injurious to vegetation. To 

 secure immunity from these evils, the soil is roasted in iron pipes or trays over a furnace 

 fire, the heat of which is calculated to destroy the organisms referred to, as well as the 

 seeds of weeds and the grubs of more conspicuous insect pests. Some cultivators attach 

 great importance to the sterilisation of the soil for some of their crops, while others look 

 upon the process as a fad, and not worth the time and trouble and expense of doing it. 

 It is possible that when a soil is overdosed with rich organic manures, as it often is 

 under glass, eelworms and injurious bacteria develop as a result of the soil becoming 

 sour. Therefore, when heated, a good deal of the unnecessary organic material is driven 

 off by combustion, and the soil is once more reduced to a clean and healthy condition, 

 and will grow plants to perfection. 



Some interesting examples of soil sterilisation were exhibited at the International 

 Exhibition at Chelsea from the Rothamsted Experimental Farm. Eight specimens of 

 tomato plants were grown in pots, the soil in which had been " sterilised " in various 

 ways. The agents used were petrol, phenol, pyridene, formaldehyde, toluole, and cal- 

 cium sulphide, in addition to which one pot contained steam-heated soil, and one un- 

 heated soil. The plants treated with phenol and toluole were very poor indeed. There 

 was little to choose between those treated with formaldehyde, calcium sulphide, and 

 steam ; and although the weakest plant of all was in the untreated soil, the outstanding 

 fact was that there was not a good tomato plant among them all. QOHN WEATHERS.) 



BEE-KEEPING 1 



Such rapid progress has been made in bee-keeping during the last sixty years, that 

 it is not surprising to find that the advance has been maintained during 1909-12. In 

 Great Britain the most efficient means of advance, both in the art and science, have re- 

 sulted from the institution of the British Bee-keepers' Association, 38 years ago. 

 Among its objects were, the advocating of more humane and intelligent treatment of the 

 honey-bee; the improvement and advancement of bee-culture; and the increase of the 

 home supply of wholesome honey. The purposes thus set forth have been strictly kept 

 in view, and have been successfully brought out. Help and advice have been given in 

 the formation of county associations of bee-keepers, and forty-four of these are at the 

 present time in affiliation with the parent association. Encouragement has been given 

 to increasing the number of persons keeping bees, for although it is computed by the 

 best authorities that there are over 90,000 bee-keepers in the British Isles, the honey 

 imports from abroad, amounting in value to more than 30,000 per annum, show that 

 the home production is not equal to the demand. The low price of the foreign product 

 proves the superior quality obtained from British bees. The passing of the Small 

 Holdings Act has opened a new field for bee-keeping. 



The value of the industry has now been recognised by the British Government, which 

 has made a grant to the British Bee-keepers' Association for the purpose of establishing 

 an experimental apiary, where courses of lectures, illustrated by practical manipulation 

 of hives containing bees, are given out of doors during the summer months. In winter 

 the lectures are indoors, and are illustrated with suitable lantern slides. In addition 



1 See E. B. iii, 628 et seq. 



