October 23, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
883 
provided the lights are thrown oflE during fine days, and the watering is 
done during the early part of the day. These plants would quickly 
come into flower if required and placed where a little heat can be 
given at night, with plenty of air during the day. Double varieties 
intended for cutting only should be housed by themselves, when a tem¬ 
perature of 65° to 60’ at night can be maintained to keep them growing 
and flowering. All prominent flowers may be removed if not required, 
and the plants kept cool for some weeks longer. It is unwise to unduly 
start these plants directly they are housed, for if brought forward 
gradually at first they will flower more profusely afterwards. Supply 
water carefully, and feed liberally all plants that have their pots full of 
roots. Young stock in 3-inch pots intended for flowering early in spring 
should be placed on shelves close to the glass, where a steady sturdy 
growth can be ensured. If the points of the young plants have not been 
removed this should be done to induce them to branch. If room is 
plentiful and the small pots are full of roots they may be placed at once 
into others 2 inches larger, and thus become established before winter. 
If potting is done at this season of the year the soil should be pressed 
into the pots as firmly as possible, and water applied carefully afterwards. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUNDS. 
JReplanling tlie Florcer Seds .—In many low-lying positions early 
frosts have completely destroyed the summer occupants of the beds, and 
whether the beds are to be replanted with spring-flowering plants or not 
they should he at once cleared of the now unsightly tender plants. Where 
a certa'n number of hardy edging or carpeting plants have been employed, 
this will much simplify the refilling of the beds, as they will be also avail¬ 
able for winter and spring decoration. This is especially the case with 
carpet beds, as, supposing the groundwork of the design is formed with 
such hardy green-foliagtd plants as Herniaria glabra, Veronica repens, 
Sedum Lydium, and the grey Sedum glaucum, the panels can be quickly 
and eflfectively refilled with Golden Pyrethrum, Ajuga reptans rubra, 
dwarf Silenes, Daisies, including the lovely golden variegated sort, Aubrie- 
tias, Arabia, and other dwarf flowering and fine-foliaged plants. We, 
however, prefer to rely exclusively on fine-foliaged plants for the carpet 
beds, and employ the Ajuga, Golden Daisies, Golden Pyrethrum (sown in 
July for this purpose) Sempervivum californicum, Cerastiums, late-raised 
Cineraria maritima, and small highly coloured Beetroot, the latter with¬ 
standing a fairly severe frost, and forming fresh growth eatly in the spring. 
For “ dotting,” or single prominent plants to relieve the excessive neatness 
in the carpet designs, we use neat little specimens of such highly orna¬ 
mental Conifers as Cupressus Lawsoniana albo-variegata, erec'a viridis 
and lutea, Retinosporas ericoides, obtusa aurea nana, plumosa argentea, 
plumosa aurea, and squarrosa, Taxus baccata aurea and elegantissima, 
and Thuia aurea. Yucca recurva is also available for a similar purpose, 
and much may be done with strong clumps of Iris fcetidissima variegata. 
The latter divides readily, and can be effectively employed in any ar¬ 
rangement of hardy plants. In these carpet designs the panels should be 
closely filled, as hut few of the plants employed will grow at all freely. 
Plain Winter Bedding .—As many of the plants employed for this 
purpose are of a “ hungry ” disposition, they naturally greatly exhaust 
the soil ; much more so, in fact, than do the summer occupants of the beds. 
Where it is possible, then, it is advisable to liberally dress the beds, prior 
to digging, with leaf soil or half-decayed manure— this in preference to 
manuring the beds for the summer plants. The work of preparing the 
beds and replanting should be pushed on rapidly during the prevalence of 
dry weather, as this admits of work being done cleanly and thoroughly, 
particular regard being paid to the necessity for firmly fixing all the plants 
employed. Should the present exceptionally dry weather continue it will 
be necessary to well water all the different plants to be moved a day pre¬ 
vious to removal, as it is of great importance that all should be trans¬ 
planted with a good ball of soil about the roots. We would also advise 
that a watering be given after planting in all cases where the soil of the 
beds is at all approaching dryness. Plant rather thickly and firmly, the 
latter both to insure sturdy and hardy growth, and also to prevent up¬ 
heaval by frosts. Small beds may be most effectively filled with about 
two kinds of plants, say with an edging of Daisies, common Primroses, 
Arabia, Aubrietias, dwarf Silenes, Pansies. &c., and the centre entirely 
filled with either Myosotis, Saponarias, Wallflowers, Collinsia bicolor, 
Alyssum saxatile, and other taller-growing plants that may be used. The 
larger beds may have a broad outer band of any of the smaller kinds, and 
the inner line of some kind of plant of medium height, the centres being 
filled with a mass of the tallest growing kinds, with perhaps a central 
plant of about 2 feet high, ei her of Yucca recurva, golden or silver varie¬ 
gated Holly, Iris fcetidissima variegata, or some kind of Conifer. It is 
hardly possible to have the beds too gay in the spring, and for this reason 
mixing and the formation of several lines or circ’es should be avoided. 
Masses of colour are what are wanted, and with plenty of plants there 
ought to be no difficulty in arranging a display superior in many people’s 
estimation to anything that can he done with the summer bedding 
plants. 
Hardy Evergreens and Conifers for the Florcer Beds .—A considerable 
number of these are in many places effectively grouped in the larger 
flower beds. In addition to the above-named Conifers, the following 
plants are available and suited to this purpose. Flowering plants— 
Andromeda floribunda. Rhododendrons such as daphnoides, myrtifolium, 
ovatum, and Wilsonii; Mahonia aquifoHa, Kalmia latifolia. Ericas her- 
bacea carnea, mediterranea alba and rubra, and vulgaris aurea. Berried 
plants—Skimmia japonica, and Pernettyas ; and fine-foliaged plants— 
Buxus (Box) japonica aurea foemina and longifolia, Cryptomeria elegans, 
Hedera (Ivy) arborea Emgneriana, aurea, elegantissima, and fructo-lutea, 
Juniperus Sabina variegata and tamariscifolia, Osmanthus aquifolius, 
aureus, and myrtifolius. Myrtle-leaved Portugal Laurel, Veronica de- 
cussata and Traversii, and Vinca elegantissima. These, again, are most 
effective when each sort is massed in panels, the dividing lines being 
composed of one distinct sort. 
Bulbs .—These now generally play an important part in the spring 
garden display. As a rule, fresh bulbs have to be purchased every season, 
as little or no dspendance can be placed on the old ones. Fortunately, there 
is always an almost unlimited supply of cheap and good bulbs, many of 
which produce surprisingly good flowers. Whether they should be planted 
in masses or mixed among the flowering and fine-foliaged plants should 
depend upon circumstances. In any case they are most effective when 
the colours are unmixed—that is to say, when the lines or groups are all 
one sort or colour. They will also well repay for liberal treatment in the 
shape of good leaf soil or decayed manure well mixed with the soil prior to 
planting, and where sand is plentiful a little of this may well be disposed 
about each bulb. Scillas, Crocuses, and Snowdrops are best for edging the 
beds of Tulips. Hyacinths and Narcissus and a double band will always 
be much more effective than a single line or circle, the bulbs being dibbled 
in about i inches below the level, and 2 or 3 inches asunder. If the 
Tulips are dotted among other plants they may be placed about 6 inches 
apart each way, and 4 inches apart if they are the sole occupants of the 
bed. Narcissus may be given about the same distances, and Hyacinths, 
under similar circumstances either 12 inches or 9 inches apart, all being 
covered by about 4 inches of soil. Winter Aconite, Chionodoxa Luciliae, 
various Anemones, Feather, Grape, and Musk Hyacinths, Fritillarias, 
Hyacinthus candicans, Leiicojum aestivum, Ornithogalum arabicum, 
Triteleia uniflora, Zephyranthes ccndida, and Alstraemerias may all be 
planted at the present time. The mixed borders are the best places 
for most or all of these, as here they will continue to spread 
and bloom annually, provided, however, they are not disturbed. 
The ground should be deeply dug for them, and they will also 
be greatly benefited by a liberal addition of manure to the soil, and 
with a little sand about the bulbs or roots. Plant not less than 
4 inches deep and in patches Ranunculuses, Tropoeolums, Tigridias, 
Oxalis, Ixias, Sparaxis, Babianas, Tritonias, Lachenalias, and Achimenes 
are not unfrequently included in miscellaneous collections of bulbs, but 
all, with the exception of Ranunculuses, which may be planted in February, 
are only fit for pot culture. 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
A EETKOSPECT. 
It is now some two years ago that, taking up an old number of 
the Journal of Horticulture, an article on bee-keeping arrested my 
attention. The next few days found me seeking for more articles 
from the same source, and by the middle of the following month 
I was inquiring all through the neighbourhood for “ bees on sale.” 
Now, in taking up this ait my intention was not only to gain as much 
pleasure as possible from watching the busy movements of the insects 
and the internal economy of the hive, but also to keep a strict account, 
and if possible at the end of the year to be able to show a balance on 
the right side sufficient to induce others and poorer to try to eke out 
their narrow means of livelihood by adding a few hives and bees to 
their strip of garden ground, and managing them when they had 
procured them upon modern and humane principles—not robbing 
the bees of both their honey and their very lives, but taking the 
honey only and preserving the lives of the busy insects till the sun¬ 
shine of another spring should cause them once more to wake up to 
gather the food and pollen wherewith to nourish the young, upon 
which the hopes of the bee-master so entirely depend. 
After some time spent in inquiry a catalogue of a sale at a 
Cheshire farmhouse informed all embryo bee-keepers that several fine 
stocks of bees were to be sold. The day came, and with a friend I 
went to buy, hoping to get a bargain. How wet it was that morning, 
and how the wind did blow ! but at last, after a tedious walk and a 
miserable railway journey of twenty miles, the farm came in sight. 
In short, two hives became mine at 12s. Gd. and 10s. respectively ; 
then for four miles with a hive on either side I trudged to the dreary 
station. One hive, it must be said, had a glass super on it, and in it 
was a little comb. The continuous movement soon caused an uproar 
in the hive ; all the bees began to rise into the glass, where they 
seemed more comfortable, until a passer by touched the hive, thereby 
moving the glass sufficiently to allow many of the insects to emerge, 
and this when the train was almost due. A little smoke from a pipe 
got most of them in again, and soon we were off ; then another w'alk 
of a mile and a half, and home was reached, after a bitter cold 
miserable November day. I was a bee-keeper. Next day the question 
arose where to put them, but this was easily solved—one hive, alas! 
proved to have no inmates save two mice, who evidently appreciated 
their honeyed quarters, and were loth to leave them. A few days 
later a small farmer having a hive to sell I bought it at £l,but 
amid the protestations of his wife, who declared they would “ never 
do me any good," that the hive she I’etained would die in the winter 
