March 17, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
219 
case. While in some districts a populous colony will collect 10 lbs. 
of honey in one day when pasture is plentiful, the outside maximum 
at Liineburg is 48 per day. Nor does the Heath yield honey un¬ 
interruptedly all the time it is flowering. We are satisfied with an 
average of twelve fine days for utilising the Heath ; if there should 
be any lightning while the Heath is flowering it frequently puts an 
end to the visits of bees. In many a year the honey harvest from 
the Heath is next to nothing. The Heath bee-masters know how to 
alter their method according to circumstances, and this is the prin¬ 
cipal cause of their harvesting such large quantities of honey. This 
affords me an opportunity of giving a few hints as to the manage¬ 
ment of Heath bees in case of their introduction into other districts. 
They are particularly suitable where the native bees do not swarm 
sufficiently. By simply intermixing the two races their hybrid 
offspring show somewhat more inclination to breed and to give 
off swarms. The bee-keepers’ first and foremost endeavour should 
be to obtain swarms as early and as large in population as possible, 
and this he will be able to accomplish if those hives from which he 
intends the swarms to issue are fed simultaneously with a quarter to 
half pound of honey two to four times a week, commencing four to 
five weeks before the time of swarming, continuing the feeding until 
the first swarm has been given off. Should unfavourable weather 
set in about the time of swarming and continue, the first swarm 
might be driven off. 
The first swarm will have sufficient population to form a separate 
colony, but the swarms that follow—and the size of which becomes 
smaller the greater the number that leave the parent hive—should be 
united so as to form colonies weighing at least 3 tbs. each. This is 
the more necessary in districts where there is no autumn pasture, 
but unfortunately this advice is very often not attended to. Every 
swarm, however small it may be, is frequently placed as a separate 
colony, and if it proves a failure people get dissatisfied and blame 
the Heath bees. When second swarms are put into wooden hives 
and can be assisted with a broodcomb or two from other hives they 
need not of course be made quite so large. When bees are found 
to make preparations for swarming, the drone comb both with and 
without brood and royal cells should be removed until the bees no 
longer show any inclination to swarm. If Heath bees are treated in 
this manner it will be found not only that they increase largely in 
population, but also that they are able to collect large quantities of 
honey. 
I will now proceed to make a few remarks on the Caucasian bees. 
I must frankly confess that I had lately become somewhat prejudiced 
against the introduction of new races of bees. I always found them 
highly recommended, but on close examination they generally did 
not come up to my expectation. For the same reason I was preju¬ 
diced against the Caucasian bees, and was doubtful whether I had 
better procure some. While in this state of uncertainty I had a visit 
from Dr. Butlerow, Councillor of State of St. Petersburg, on his 
return from France, who requested me to give the Caucasian bee a 
trial, promising to send me two queens for this purpose from the 
Caucasus in the following spring. The two queens, each accom¬ 
panied by a small colony and a supply of honeycomb, arrived here 
in excellent condition last spring, and were placed at the head of 
two populous stocks of German bees, the Caucasian bees being 
allowed to unite with the German. My first experience of the Cauca¬ 
sian bees was that they unite with the German bees without exhibiting 
the least signs of hostility towards each other. The attempt made 
a few years ago to unite Cyprian and German bees in the same way 
resulted in the attack by the Cyprian on the German bees, which in 
spite of all means of protecting the latter continued for several 
weeks until all the German population had been killed. My second 
experience was that they are very prolific and quite as fertile as the 
best colonies of Heath bees and the Italian bees. 
The other qualities of the Caucasian bees could not be determined 
with accuracy ivntil all the German bees had died off, leaving only 
Caucasians in the hive. With regard to their docility, which has 
been praised so much, I am able to state that they are very docile 
bees indeed. They do not sting when handled as bees generally are. 
I asked my son to irritate them, which he did, and I saw them buzz¬ 
ing about his face with the well-known angry sound indicating that 
they were ready to sting, but they did not sting him. After several 
repetitions one bee was at last induced to sting. We may therefore 
say, as a rule, the Caucasian bees do not sting, but if they are 
irritated they are capable of doing so. Because the Caucasian bees 
do not sting they have been supposed to be very phlegmatic bees, 
which would neither defend themselves against robbers nor collect 
much honey. But they are not phlegmatic; on the contrary, they 
are very quick and industrious. As soon as they make their appear¬ 
ance at the entrance of the hive they at once fly off to the fields, and 
on their return are in as great a hurry to enter the hive. On the 
outside the entrance is guarded by but few bees, but these are quite 
able to keep robbers away. Nor are the Caucasians, like other bees, 
to be seen in large numbers about the entrance of the hive in very 
hot weather ; as they are very industrious it is only natural that 
they should collect a large quantity of honey. As far as my own 
experience goes I consider the Caucasian a very good race of bees 
which deserved to be introduced into Germany ; but whether they 
will stand our winter well and prove satisfactory in every respect the 
future alone can show. 
I will make one more remark. As everybody knows it is no easy 
matter for the offspring of a new race of bees to be kept pure. In 
colonies of other bees, such as Italian hybrid bee8 are readily recog¬ 
nised by their colour, but this is not so easy in a stock of Caucasian 
bees. It is therefore to be feared that many stocks may be sold as 
Caucasian bees which are either hybrids or even entirely degenerated 
bees ; purchasers ought therefore to be on their guard in this respect. 
—G. Dathe, Eystrup. 
TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 
James Carter & Co., High Holbom, London.— Catalogue of Farm 
Seeds. 
| CTO CORRESPONDENTS.) 
Campanula persicifolia alba (IF. >?.).—This plant is quite hardy and 
thrives admirably in moderately rich garden soil, yielding a profusion of flowers 
that are extremely useful for cutting. 
The Black Corinth Grape (II. J/.).—This is the variety that produces 
the Currants of the grocers. It produces insignificant bunches and seedless 
berries. It requires the heat of a vinery. We do not know where you can pro¬ 
cure this Vine, but if any of our readers can supply the information we will 
readily publish it. 
Gooseberry Bushes Broken with Snow (J. S., Caimie ).—You can¬ 
not do better than place stakes to the injured bushes, and secure the branches 
to them with either strong tarred twine, nearly as thick as the stem of a pipe or 
the young shoots of willows. Some of the partly broken branches will unite if 
if they are bound up with twine, but others that are much injured will not do 
so. If they are split near the ground the broken parts after being secured 
should be covered with soil. 
Double Cinerarias (J. Butler ).—You cannot expect many superior varieties 
from a packet of seed. The majority of your seedlings will probably be semi¬ 
double, while some will probably be single and worthless. Every plant should 
be grown, as if you pot only the best, throwing away the smaller, you will in all 
probability destroy just what you hope to obtain. You will find notes on double 
Cinerarias on page 211. 
Dahlias in Pots (8. M .).—The dwarf-growing Pompon and Bouquet 
Dahlias are well adapted for pot culture for conservatory decoration late in the 
autumn. Bather late-struck cuttings are suitable, and the plants must have 
generous culture ; they need, in fact, similar treatment to that usually accorded 
to Chrysanthemums, but even richer soil and more copious supplies of water. 
The pots must be plunged during the summer. We have seen healthy, hand¬ 
some, and floriferous specimens in 10-inch pots, still larger examples in 12-inch 
pots, and small attractive plants, struck late, in pots 7 and 8 inches in diameter. 
Peat for Potting (II. L. 0.).—“ The surface portion from an Irish bog’’ 
would not be the “correct thing.” Fibrous peat as understood and used by 
gardeners is a sharp sandy soil mixed with the dead fibrous roots of heath ; it 
is usually of a dark grey colour, and is very firm or compressed. Peat of the 
best description is thus constituted of 400 parts:—Fine silicious sand, 156; 
unaltered vegetable fibre, 2 ; decomposing vegetable matter, 110 ; silica (flint), 102 ; 
alumina (clay), 16 ; oxide of iron, 4 ; soluble vegetable and saline matter, 4 ; 
muriate of lime, 4 ; loss 2. 
The Seven Sisters Rose (A. II.). —The Grevillea or Seven Sisters Iiose 
is a variety of Bosa multiflora, a Japanese species introduced in 1804. The 
Seven Sisters produces its flowers in large clusters, opening purplish crimson 
gradually fading to pale rose. It is of vigorous growth, forming a handsome 
wall or pillar Rose, but is, Air. Wm. Paul informs us, unfortunately tender. 
Select Pelargoniums (J. IF.).—If you require to stage six plants each 
of show and fancy varieties you must grow at least nine plants of each section, 
as you cannot rely on having every plant in exhibition form on a given day. 
The following are suitable for your purpose. Shout Varieties. —Cicely, Artist, 
Purple Gem, Ruth, Prince Leopold, Virgin Queen, Charles Turner, Corsair, and 
Despot. Fancy Varieties .—Ann Page, Ellen Beck, East Lynn, Acme, Lady 
Mayoress, Alirella, Aliss Godai-d, Mrs. Pope, and Phyllis. 
Good Phloxes (P. Henshaw ).—Twelve good early flowering varieties are 
Pearl, Airs. Hunter, Cicerone, Mrs. Shanks, Vulcan, Marquis, Mrs. Morrison, 
Oberon, Airs. McLellan, Mrs. Garrett, Mrs. Taylor, AV. W. Platt. Good late- 
flowering varieties are Brilliant, Aliss Wallace, Gladstone, David Thomson, 
Coccinea, Aladame Bonneau, Aladame Verrier, Princess of Wales, Splendour, 
Virgo Alaria, Walter Ware, York-and-Lancaster. The time of the expansion of 
the varieties is influenced much by soils and seasons. As a rule if you state 
the number of plants you require and the purpose for which you need them to 
a florist you may depend on being well served, as it is evidently to the vendor's 
interest to give satisfaction to those who trust to his judgment. Plants, too, 
are usually obtained cheaper than when a purchaser makes his own selection. 
Wormcasts on Lawns (II. A).—Place a peck of quicklime in thirty 
millons of water, stir well up, and allow it to stand for a few days until it is 
quite clear; then water the lawn thoroughly with the clear lime water. The 
worms will come to the surface, when they may be swept up and cleared away. 
This is an old and useful mode of eradication; but Alessrs. Dick Radclyffe & Co. 
have stated in our columns that if 1 oz. of corrosive sublimate is dissolved 
in a little hot water and then mixed well in forty gallons of pump water, and 
applied to the lawn with an ordinary watering can in the evening after a shower, 
the worms will disappear, and the grass will not suffer any injury. 
Soil for Begonias (C. D.). —The soil we recommended was the best suited 
for these plants ; whether your “ rich black ground ” would answer instead of 
the loam it is impossible for us to say. We can only say that the plants are 
not very fastidious, and if you are not disposed to purchase a little loam all 
you can do is to try them in the compost at your command. Possibly they 
may succeed fairly well with judicious attention as regards watering. 
Heating Power of Saddle Boiler (Bus).— You do not give the width 
