February 28, 1884. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
177 
its combs as the leaves of a book, until the development of the pre¬ 
sent bar-frame hives open to inspection from end to end, and at any 
moment the temptation to invade the privacy of the insect home has 
grown in the same ratio as the abilities to do so. 
An expert of a County Bee-keepers' Association told us the other 
day that he believed the bar-frame hive in the hands of many 
cottagers had proved a failure, owing to the injudicious manner in 
which the bees and brood were so constantly exposed to the chances 
of a chill. He went a step further, and said he believed he had 
traced the spread of foul brood in his neighbourhood from hives which 
had been thus carelessly used. Whether chilled brood will eventually 
bring about the fell disease, “ foul brood ” depends on various circum¬ 
stances ; but whether or not this be the case ultimately, a whole neigh¬ 
bourhood is endangered by a reckless owner of hives. We would, 
therefore, attempt to impress on all young bee-keepers the great care 
they should make it incumbent on themselves to take as to the manner 
and time of overhauling their hives, and this advice especially applies 
to this season of the year. We know that there are some who advise 
stimulative feeding to be begun about the middle of February. Our 
own experience has shown that it is better to commence this artificial 
excitement a little too late than too early. We have in most seasons 
being guided by the flowers as to the time to commence feeding bees 
for the purpose of stimulating the queen to lay eggs and the workers 
to raise brood. When the Crocus flowers have been well in bloom 
we have considered it time to commence gentle feeding. But what 
an extraordinary season this is! If we had looked to the Crocuses 
for the word of command this year w T e might have commenced 
feeding any time between New Year’s day and the present date. 
Crocuses, Primroses, and Violets, besides many other spring flowers, 
have been plentiful in all the southern counties during the whole of 
the winter (?) months. Then what is to guide us in such a season 
as this ? Certainly not the flowers. We would look to the condition 
of our hives, see that they are not in any want of food, and then 
wait patiently until March begins. 
We find that breeding has more or less been going on for some 
time in our hives, probably the greater part of the winter. Compared 
with other years the consumption of food has been great. Since 
October 9th up to date of writing our registered stock has decreased 
in weight by 15 lbs. This would mean the consumption of a greater 
weight of food than the 15 lbs., for there is a quantity of brood in 
the hive, and brood weighs very heavy, whereas when weighed 
in October there was no brood. This points to the necessity of 
careful observation to see that hives do not run short of food. 
Where it is needed of course a supply must be given, but we would 
give it all at once. Where combs of honey have been carefully 
kept during the winter they will be the best of all food, at the same 
time seeing that there is a good supply of water near the apiary and 
easily to be got at. When breeding is going on there is a heavy 
draw on the water supply. For this reason, when once stimulative 
feeding is commenced, the best food for the purpose is thin syrup. 
By giving the supply of water thus much labour, and consequently 
loss of life, is saved. 
But to return to our former advice. We would avoid for the 
present all stimulative feeding. Breeding is already going on too 
rapidly for the good of the stocks ; a sudden spell of very cold 
weather will endanger the brood if it is too rapidly spread over the 
hive. The bees must contract the surface now covered by them in 
the event of severe frost, and the cluster may not be sufficiently large 
to cover the brood. The result will then be chilled brood, which 
will not only greatly retard the building-up of the stock, but may 
endanger its very existence. Again, stimulative feeding, having been 
once commenced, must not on any account for a single day be dis¬ 
continued ; it is, therefore, obviously wise that it should not be 
commenced until such time as natural conditions will permit of its 
steady continuance. So to all bee-keepers we would say, Keep the 
bees as quiet as possible for at least another fortnight. We will 
then, for tfie benefit of those who, perhaps for the first time, use a 
bar-frame hive, or may be for the first time handle bees, endeavour 
to explain what we are doing with our own bees in order to work 
them up to proper strength for giving either swarms or supers in due 
season.—P. H. P. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
J. Backhouse & Son, York .—List of Alpine and Herbaceous Plants. 
Jules de Cock, Faubourg Sfc. Lievin, Ghent .—Catalogue of Plants. 
Biddles & Co., Loughborough .—Illustrated Catalogue of Seeds for 1884. 
W. A. & E. Gill, Yictoria Nursery, Lynton, North Devon .—List of Ferns 
and Bedding Plants. 
W. & J. Birkenhead, Fern Nursery, Sale, Manchester .—Catalogues of 
Ferns and Selaginellas. 
William Paul & Son, Crossflat Nurseries, Paisley.—Lfif# Florist Flowers. 
%* All correspondence should be directed either to “The Editor” 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. Hogg or 
members of the staff often remain unopened unavoidably. We 
request that no one will write privately to any of our correspon¬ 
dents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper 
only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, and we 
do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Books (S. B.). —It is quite impossible that any man can “ acquire know¬ 
ledge like ‘ Single-handed ’ ” by the study of any one book, and as a rule 
it is better to procure a number of comparatively inexpensive works on 
different subjects than one very large volume that is necessarily costly. 
Thompson’s “ Gardeners’ Assistant ” is a comprehensive and good practical 
work. You will find a list of useful books in another column, recommended 
by a gardener who has proved their value, and who has turned their teaching 
to excellent account. When plants and flowers are sent in the same parcel 
mistakes sometimes occur, as the specimens have to be examined by different 
authorities. Inquiry shall be made on the subject. 
Poinsettias (J. S .).—The suggested notes are sure to be of service to 
many readers, and we will readily publish what you may obligingly send. 
Cyclamens (C. P., Bracknell). —You have an extremely good strain of 
Cyclamens, equal to many of the best exhibition varieties, and both foliage 
and flowers indicate excellent culture. The dark red variety is much like 
one certificated last year as Mr. H. Little. 
Seedling Croton (G. R.). —The leaves are very richly coloured, and 
somewhat resemble Comte de Germany and C. Williamsi, but your best 
course would be to exhibit a plant at one of the Royal Horticultural Society’3 
meetings, and obtain an expression of opinion from the Floral Committee. 
Dendrobium nobile (B.). —Thanks for the beautiful examples of this 
Orchid, which will be more fully referred to next week. 
South American Plants (Eighteen-years Subscriber). —We cannot deter¬ 
mine the true names of the plants from the titles sent, but if you send us 
some of the seeds we will endeavour to procure the names for you. Pro¬ 
bably 1 is a species of Aristolochia, and 2 a Canna. 
Seedling Rhododendron (C. II., Bucks ).— The trusses of bloom sent 
resemble R. altaclerense, a hybrid obtained from crossing R. arboreum with 
R. catawbiense. It is one of the earliest to flower, but is often injured by 
frosts and keen winds in the spring. 
Limes not Succeeding (C. R. R.). —Limes usually flower freely in the 
south of England, and it is probable that your district is too cold for them. 
The flowers contain all the essential organs, but rarely produce seed in this 
country, though it ripens readily on the continent. We cannot recommend 
a dealer, and the other information you require could be obtained from the 
advertisement columns of a trade paper. 
Grasses for a Wet Cold Lawn (A Young Gardener).—The ground 
having been efficiently drained, it will be suitable for a greater variety of 
Grasses than it is now. In its present state it will only be advisable to employ 
Poa trivialis 12 lbs., Poa pratensis 12 lbs., and Agrostis stolonifera 4 lbs., with 
about 6 lbs. of Trifolium repens, along with 24 lbs. of Lolium perenne tenue. 
With the ground well drained, and a good dressing of lime—about six tons 
per acre—applied and worked in before sowing, we.see no reason why you 
should not employ a mixture of the finest Grasses—viz., Cynosurus cristatus 
8 lbs., Festuca duriuscula 6 lbs., Festuca tenuifolia 2 lbs., Poa trivialis 4 lbs., 
Poa pratensis 4 lbs., Poa nemoralis sempervirens 4 lbs., and Trifolium repens 
8 lbs., adding Lolium perenne tenue 24 lbs., so as to bring up the. mixture to 
GO lbs., a proper quantity for an acre. Spare no pains in forming a good 
tilth, which is essential to a speedy and good germination of the seeds. 
Pruning Fruit Trees (A. M. B .).—Cordon fruit trees planted in the 
autumn should be pruned at once by simply shortening the side or lateral 
growths to within half an inch of the stem from which they issue, and the 
leader to the extent of about two-t’nirds of its original length. If trees have 
been taken up carefully, and have abundance of roots, severe pruning is less 
needed; still, all trees that ha v e been removed suffer root-mutilation more 
or less, and the shortening of the growths becomes necessary to effect as 
near as possible the desired balance of strength between root and bramch. 
Standard trees should have any small twiggy branches removed ; the others, 
from four to six, shortened about half their length. A stronger growth and 
foundation for a good head will thus be insured. Bush trees requite piuning 
on the same principle as cordons, a selection of shoots being made, and 
regularly disposed for forming the main branches, the side growths cut m as 
directed, and the extremities shortened for forming a well-shaped and 
symmetrical tree. The main branches of a bush fruit tree should be about 
a foot apart. 
Water Melons (G. W. T.).— You will be able to grow Water Melons in 
your district in the same way as ordinary Melons, either in frames or houses. 
In some parts of the United States, where the summer temperature 
