August 21, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
179 
largest pots. Plants that have been subjected to this treatment, and 
have grown as previously directed, will be sufficiently stout to support 
themselves, or at the most need only a small stake up to the place where 
they commence branching. It is a mistake to stake them straight up to 
the point, for the growths arch naturally, and in this condition they are 
the most beautiful. Another batch of these may still be rooted, but 
this time three or four should be placed together and grown without 
stopping or potting. These plants do not require much root room, and 
will do well in the same soil as the Poinsettias—namely, good loam, a 
seventh of manure, and a little sand. Be careful not to overwater these 
plants while they are in cold frames. 
Centroppgon Lvcyamis .—This is not cultivated half so extensively as 
it deserves to be, for without doubt it is one of the most beautiful flower- 
ing plants. All plants that are well advanced in growth will be much 
better from this date in cold frames than if kept in heated structures. 
As the plants are turned out the necessary staking must be done, so that 
they will have plenty of time to turn their foliage and the top portion of 
the shoots assume a natural appearance. They arch outwards, and plants 
in 6-inch pots with, say, six strong shoots, all arching naturally, have 
when in bloom a very effective appearance in the stove, conservatory, or 
intermediate house. When in flower this plant associates admirably with 
the varieties of Calanthe vestita, the effect produced being charming. 
Tydcea Madame Heine .—One of the best varieties that can be grown 
for the stove from the month of January onwards. Young plants rooted 
and established some time ago should now be placed into 5-inch pots, the 
size in which they are intended to flower. These must be grown in a 
warm position, the foliage not syringed, and the plants shaded from bright 
sunshine. Although these plants dislike being syringed, they enjoy a 
moist atmosphere, and should always stand upon some moisture-holding 
material. This is an evergreen variety, and must always be propagated 
from cuttings, as it forms no underground stems. 
Gesneras ,—The earliest of these that are growing strongly may now 
be transferred from the small pots in which they were started to those in 
which they are intended to flower in. The removal of Poinsettias and 
other plants to cold frames will allow of these having more room and 
better positions. Tubers that have been kept dry and at rest until now 
should be started at once in moist brisk heat. It is a good plan when 
starting a late batch of tubers to pot them in small pots, so that they will 
not need disturbing afterwards until they are placed in a larger size. 
When started in pans they are thrown back more or less when they are 
ready for small pots. These plants, as well as Tydaeas, do well in good 
loam and peat in equal proportions, with a liberal addition of coarse sand. 
SHA.LL WE BREED HYBRIDS? 
I HAVE no barren statements to offer. I ccnceive that the 
mind of the bee-keeper of to-day would relish something in 
accord with his present knowledge of bee-culture. An assertion 
of what I am doing, and have done, still falls upon the ear of 
the most credulous as merely an assertion. I wish, if possible, 
to convince the reason of every reader. My preference for 
hybrids, or crosses between the best strains of German and 
Italian bees, is based upon certain facts, many of which are well 
known to the reader of less experience. 
Did you never think it strange that the product of two I’aces 
of bees .'■hovild, as a rule, possess certain traits in a more radical 
degree than either parent race ? Apropos to the above, do you 
not distinctly remember that the decisions of bee-keepers have 
been largely in the majority—that hybrids, crosses between 
Italian and German bees, were excellent honey-gatherers, 
equalled by few and excelled by none; but oh! so universally 
cross ? 
Just why it should be a rule that this product possessed more 
belligerency than either parent, attracted my attention some 
years ago. I first built up a theory to account for the enigma, 
to which by fitting everyday facts, I proved to my satisfaction 
to be correct. 
My first proposition is that we have but two distinct races of 
bees—the dark and the yellow; and, seeond, that the yellow race 
of bees possess much the most belligerent disposition. 
A thousand voices will now ask, “ Why has the black bee 
been called the crossest ? ” I will try to evp:ilain. If you receive 
three or four stings during the manipulation of ten colonies of 
dark or German bees, and only one sting in handling the same 
number of yellow colonies, would you not arrive at the conclu¬ 
sions so unanimously declared by bee-keepers of the past ? 
Still, a mistake has been made. In opening a hive you are very 
rarely stung by bees that do not take wing. A well-known and 
marked characteiistic of that branch of the yellow race known 
as the Italians is, that compared with the dark or German bees 
they are very tenacious of their foot-hold on the combs and in 
the hive. I think I am sa‘’e in saying that during the manipula¬ 
tion of a colony, from eight to ten times as many bees take 
wing when handling the German bees as would when handling 
Italians. 
Now, as the proportionate number of stings received is not 
one-half as much against the German bees as their greater pro¬ 
portion are in condition to sting, here is an argument of two to 
one in favour of the good nature of the Germans ; but here are 
more arguments based on what your experience has already 
taught you. There are ways to test the disposition of bees when 
on the wing—ways which we all use of necessity. Apply smoke 
equally to the races under equally unfavourable conditions, and 
while the Germans mind its admonitions and give up at once, the 
Italians seem to “ lay back their ears ” preparing for battle as 
soon as the fog clears away. 
Another way : When it is too cool for bees to lly, if you ap¬ 
proach a hive carefully (I mean in the winter), and cautiously 
pull back the cloth cover, black bees, as a rule, will show no re¬ 
sentment, while Italians will tip up their posteriors and thrust 
out their stings. By the worst of treatment arouse a colony of 
Italians till they take wing quite freely, and you have nothing 
worse to fear from blacks. 
It seems that the offspring of these two races, as a ru^*^ 
inherited about equally from the dispositions of the parents 
while those crosses coming from the little blacker German straiJi 
and the bright yellow Italians were most sure to partake of the 
light-footed, take-wing tendency. Does this not account for the 
fact that the hybi'ids were, as a rule, worse to handle than eithev 
parent race in its purity ? Does it not also account for the 
ferociousness of the Cyprians ? They possess to the full exten 
the innate meanness of the yellow race and light-footedness of the 
blacks. 
Now, if you will rid your apiary of all German bees except 
the larger brown variety, and of all the yellow bees except the 
leather-coloured Italians, you will find cross-hybrids largely in 
the minority. You will find that most of your hybrid colonies 
are as good-natured as any bees you ever saw, and standing well 
up to or above the reputation given them by the bee-keepers of 
the past—as being par excellence as surplus honey-producers. 
You must not forget that this most valuable strain is not a 
fixed race; that it is liable to sport from one “ side of the house ” 
to the other —he., strongly show the tendencies, sometimes of one 
parent and sometimes of the other. They will rarely fall below 
the aggregate worth of either parent. This sporting tendency 
gives a most excellent opportunity to breed for qualities. Were 
I keeping either race in its purity, I should always breed for 
qualities, rearing my queens from my best colonies, which produce 
the largest quantity of surplus honey, and good behaviour as one 
of the main points of valuation. No matter whether you have 
purchased a queen, and are breeding for Germans or Italians in 
their purity, or their crosses in their excellency, if you do not 
direct their breeding, rearing your queens from your best colonies, 
you will fall behind those who do, and you will always need to 
purchase queens from them. 
For the benefit of many who are now breeding from hybrids, 
let me say that it is my advice to breed from the greatest honey- 
gatherers, and always such bees as stick to the combs in the 
good old-fashioned Italian style. I want no Cyprians or Syrians 
to knock at my apiarian gate, unless they are possessed of the 
fast-footed tendency. I cannot admit such a queen, even though 
she came mantled in a ten-dollar greenback. 
My opinion is, that very many who suppose that they have 
“good-natured Cyprians, ’ have only Italian bees. If we find 
such radical differences in disposition of different colonies of the 
new races as is reported from those who think that they have 
the pure Cyprians and Syrians, then surely there is little fixed¬ 
ness to be found in these new I’aces. Next to the crossed strain 
of bees above described, I prefer the leather-coloured Italians in 
their Simon-purity. Early and late brood-rearing are now being 
proven to be injurious qualities. My students will tell you that 
our forty-five colonies that could not breed at all till they 
gathered the pollen of 1884, notwithstanding they ceased breed¬ 
ing early last autumn, are now the strongest colonies we have in 
our yard; and everyone has been the pink of health for a year 
past. 
Would that I were as sure of an 1884 fall honey-crop as that 
the introduction of the Cyprians and Syrians into this country 
has been a serious drawback to our business. I have tried to 
appeal to known facts and reasons, asking you to take therefrom 
nothing for granted. How well I have succeeded I leave the 
reader to judge.— James Heddon (in American Bee Journal). 
