Angus t 7, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
181 
done by those capable of watering properly and judiciously, or injurious 
results may follow. Later batches that are just completing their growth 
should have more light and air, less syringing for about a fortnight, and 
flower buds will form freely. Those that flowered late have not yet com¬ 
pleted their growth; these should be pushed on as rapidly as possible, so 
that their flower buds will be well formed before the dark sunless days of 
autumn. Give all plants that are root-bound another application of arti¬ 
ficial manure on the surface. The plants outside should be syringed twice 
daily when the weather is favourable. Watch for thrips, and if they appear 
eradicate them by syringing with tobacco water, or they will spread 
rapidly and injure the foliage. 
Gretillea robusta .—These plants when once established in small pots 
form rapidly and soon become too large for some forms of decoration, 
especially if they have been transferred into 5-inch pots. They wiU grow 
less rapidly if placed outside in a position sheltered from the strong rays of 
the sun. At this season of the year they do as well outside as in, providing 
they are liberally supplied with water. Another batch of seed may be 
sown, and the plants will be found most useful at a time when the majority 
of those raised earlier have been destroyed through employment in rooms. 
If the plants raised now are small at the approach of winter they can soon 
be forwarded in gentle heat; in a close warm temperature they grow 
rapidly. The light Fern-like leaves of these plants are most useful in a cut 
state, for they last much longer than Fern fronds. 
Mignonette .—The plants grown for standards should now be placed in 
their largest pots, and have the trellises placed to them upon which they 
are to be trained. Pots 10 inches in diameter are very suitable for these 
plants, and in potting the utmost care must be taken not to injure the roots, 
or tho growths will become woody and afterwards seldom do much good. 
The soil should consist of fibry loam, one-seventh of decayed manure, and 
about the same quantity of leaf soil. To each barrowful of soil should be 
added a 5-inch potful of soot and the same quantity of bone meal, and 
Bufiieient sand to render the whole porous. After potting keep the plants 
close tor ten days, shade from s’rong sun, and stand them upon some 
moisture-holding material. A number of 5-inch pots should now be filled 
with the compost advised above, and seed of the common garden variety or 
Miles’ Hybrid Spiral sown in them. The soil in the pots should be pressed 
firm, and the seed sown on the surface ; then, being covered with a little fine 
soil, a good watering should be given, and the plants stood in a frame where 
they can be shaded from the sun until the seed germinates, when abundance 
of air may be given and less shading employed. 
Celonias .—These are amongst the most useful plants that can be 
grown for winter decoration. Their rich crimson and golden plumes last 
well in a cut state, and are invaluable for arranging with other plants in 
rooms and halls where effective groups are required. They last in beauty 
a long time in such positions, and for the conservatory are unsurpassed. 
They are easy to cultivate, but not grown half so much as they deserve 
to be. Plants from seed sown as directed and placed in small pots 
when ready should without delay be transferred into 4 or 6-inch pots, 
the smallest plants being placed in the first size and the strongest into 
the larger. These plants do not require large pots, as they will bear 
liberal feeding after their pots are full of roots. When placed in large 
pots for winter decoration they are liable to damp off during dull sunless 
weather. Any rich soil will suit these plants, and it should he pressed 
firmly into their pots to ensure a sturdy compact growth. As soon as 
they commence rooting freely in the new soil give air abundantly, and 
grow without shading from the sun. 
Salvias. —These, whether planted out or growing in pots, should have 
the points of their shoots taken out for the last time, or they will grow 
taU mstead of remaining dwarf and bushy. When grown in pots liberal 
feeding is required as soon as the pots become full of roots. The plants 
should be arranged in any sunny posit'on. 
Roman Hyacinths .—The bulbs of these can now be obtained, and 
where their flowers are required from the end of October no time should 
be lost in potting them. Four or five bulbs should be placed in 4-inch 
pots, using for a compost three parts fibry loam, one of leaf mould, a 
seventh of decayed manure, and coarse sand. When grown only for pur¬ 
poses of cutting the bulbs may be placed thickly together in pans or 
boxes. After potting they should be placed outside and covered with 
about 4 inches depth of coal ashes, where they can remain for about six 
weeks to fill their pots with roots, which is essential before forcing them 
into flower. 
BEES. 
THE COMPOUND FRAME HIYE. 
In my last article on the above hive I omitted to mention 
that where the staple might be objected to the objection is over¬ 
come by splitting the lateral slide, nailing the one half w'hich 
makes the frame rigid, while the loose half is sufficient for its 
purpose. To prevent the deep frame from coming into contact 
with the back and front of the hive when manipulating, a bell-wire 
staple or round-headed screw is driven into the ends of the frame, 
projecting a quarter of an inch or rather more, so that it is 
impossible to crush a single bee. 
If any person is desirous of carrying out the oblong style of 
hive during summer, it is an easy matter to transfer each comb 
to such shallo .v hives. A woi’d of caution may not be out of 
place here in reference to these hives. The old readers of this 
Journal will remember the discussion on the subject under the 
leadership of the late Mr. T. W. Woodbury, who, amongst others, 
pointed out the danger of having combs transverse to the 
entrance, which any intelligent bee-keeper knows, but novices are 
apt to be misled by the glowing descriptions given of such hives. 
I have often pointed out the error of having hives of an oblong 
shape, and shown how bees ascend to supers before they will 
extend their combs laterally. We have had only one week of 
fine honey weather this season in which the bees stored in excess 
of their wants, unless on chance days, since July 1 st. A large 
swarm I put into an observatory hive on June 2Gth with frames 
tvanverse to entrance is a great contrast to the Stewart jn hives. 
The latter has carried on comb-building during much of the 
time the bees in the observatory hive have ceased to work and 
retreated from the combs further from the entrance. Contrary 
to the teaching that bees always store their honey at the back, 
this hive has all its hon'^y stored right above the deepest part of 
the cluster of bees. 
SEVERAL QUEENS IN ONE SWARM. 
This year it is the exception and not the rule that the old 
queen leaves with the first swarm owing to so many old queens 
being deposed through long breeding, so that instead of one 
queen accompanying the first swarm there are often many. 
There are many singular phenomena in connection with this, but 
two or three 1 will notice. When many queens accompany a 
swarm th -y are restless, not hiving readily, and often fly a long 
way before clustering, and sometimes in many clusters. Then 
there is often a great difficulty in getting them hived, and they 
are very liable to fly off afterwards. Sometimes after such bees 
are considered safely hived a swarm will divide itself and lly out. 
I have had many such cases. On the iGth I had a swarm con¬ 
taining several queens. After it had been hived twenty-four 
hours it divided, and a swarm came off. Such swarms cause 
trouble and annoyance, and are perplexing to the uninitiated, 
to avoid which a constant watch should be kept on old stock, 
and the supernumerary queen cells pressed between the finger 
and thumb. 
There is still a greater annoyance, not only with such abnor¬ 
mal swarms, if they can be so called, because I believe on the 
average two-thirds of all swarms do not possess the old queen. 
When shaken either in front or at one side of the combs, perhaps 
one-half will fiy away unobseiwed, if not the whole of them, 
either to be lost or to cause the trouble of hiving again; some¬ 
times under unfavourable circumstances, if a thunderstorm 
comes on. Although an expert succeeds often when shaking a 
swarm, either in front to enter at the mouth, or on the top or side of 
frames, the latter causes much trouble and risk to guide the bees 
to where wanted, and is often a cause of beginners becoming 
disgusted with frame hives. I never approve of shaking bees 
unless wh:“n it cannot be avoided. In the straw hive, the 
Stewarton and frame hives without feet, the bees can be hived 
at the first, but not so with what are termed complete hives 
carrying their own stand, unless with those on the old plan of 
having the feet attached to the floor. 
Many frame hives are ill adapted for stocVing bees, but all 
should have facilities for that purpose. My hives are made with 
an easy slid’ng floor. A hiving box takes its place, which may 
be described as an oblong box of proper size to slide underneath 
the hive, fitted with a very light floor easily fastened or detached 
from hive. The crown of this box is of three or more pieces 
pivoted at the ends. A strong wire passes underneath these and 
keeps them close and firm. The bees are hived into this, slid 
beneath the hive, the wire is withdrawn, the flaps fall down, 
and the bees ascend without causing either fuss or loss. This 
hiving box is admirably adapted for taking or sending swarms 
to a distance when the crown is covered with perforated zinc, 
and ventilation also from beneath; the flaps give foothold to 
the bees, so that it is impossible for them to smother if any¬ 
thing like care is taken with them. The box being very light, a 
child could carry a swarm with ease and safety a long distance. 
During this month all the belongings to hives should undergo 
a thorough ovei’haul to destroy the eggs of moths. Boil what 
can be boiled, and dress with carbolic acid where that cannot be 
done. Earwigs and spiders destroy all moths. I preserve all 
these useful and affectionate creatures. 
THE SEASON.—JOINING SWARMS. 
As the season is now upon us to make the most of our bees» 
but in which the largest harvest of honey is to be obtained, pro¬ 
viding the bees have access to the Heather, and fine weather 
favoui'S the blooming period, the stocks strong and supers wel 
