September 2.5, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
2M 
are still working and hives are increasing in weight, the weather 
continuing fine. The 12th inst. was the best day they had, 
although the following days were rather windy, which is against 
bees flying and the secretion of honey. On the evening of the 18th 
September the lightning gleamed across the hill tops, which often 
indicates storms, but the morning following was one of the finest 
we have had, and we expect the bees to still add to their stores, 
as there is plenty of Heather in fine bloom. Taking everything 
into consideration we have been agreeably disappointed, and feel 
sure it wiil not be only interesting but instructive to give a brief 
summary of our management. 
How we Prepared our Bees for the Moors. 
As is well known I never allow my stocks to be low in stores 
nor to indulge in fanciful and unnatural feeding in driblets. Un¬ 
like many seasons we have experienced when we had to feed the 
whole summer, the middle of July found our bees with a fair 
quantity of honey, and so crowded that had the weather settled 
many supers would have been filled. At this season, even with 
large stores, bees are liable to draw their brood, and if not 
prevented all hopes of a yield of Heather honey are gone. To 
prevent brood drawing and to encourage breeding, I fed most 
stocks with 5 lbs. of sugar, the exceptions being the Cyprian blood, 
done for the purpose of keeping up their reputation as good 
honey gatherers without feeding ; these, however, were the only 
stocks that drew brood, and which driblet or stimulative feeding 
would not have prevented. The preparation and management in 
this respect are in no way different from spring management. 
Our hives require only a few minutes to prepare for the journey 
of fifty miles and eighteen hours’ imprisonment, an ordeal no bees 
could stand in the state ours were in the ordinary hives of the day ~ 
but in our safety hives not a bee was lost, although the day on 
which we took them was the hottest of the season. The Thyme 
was profuse and fragrant, and in one hour after the bees were 
released they had taken to their supers, and as the body of the 
hives was filled with brood would have been filled and completed in 
a few days. The fine weather lasted, however, but one day longer, 
with the results already explained. For a month the rivers and 
rivulets were in flood, and although we had three or four more dry 
days during the month than in 1889, the rain and cold were ex¬ 
cessive, and entirely at variance with the meteorological reports 
some twenty miles distant. 
Drone Expulsion. 
During this period drones were expelled, which is a great advan¬ 
tage not to be going on during honey gathering. Young bees 
hatched, but none was drawn unless in the hives mentioned, and 
those belonging to other people who had neglected to feed them o 
By the time the weather improved supers were abandoned, and 
although some colonies take to them on account of so many empty 
combs in the body of the hive the greater part of the honey 
gathered has been stored there. 
temperature of 55°, where water can be gradually withheld. Do not 
ripen them prematurely, or the wood will eventually shrivel instead of 
remaining firm and plump. Two months’ rest is ample for these plants, 
and if rested now they may be pruned and started again early in 
December. 
Clerodendron fallax. —Select two or three of the earliest plants and 
allow them to flower where the atmosphere is moderately dry and a 
circulation of air can be provided daily, seed will then be produced 
freely. When well grown this Clerodendron is very ornamental in the 
stove or intermediate structures during the next two months. Insert 
plenty of cuttings of C. fragrans, they will be useful for flowering in 
small pots early in the year. The cuttings should be inserted singly in 
thumb pots, and when well rooted place them into 3-inch pots. They 
flower freely when confined at their roots. If given liberal root room 
they grow too luxuriantly and fail to flower satisfactorily. 
Ixoras. —Select a number of growing shoots that are moderately 
soft, and insert them in sandy soil in 2-inch pots. These will be useful 
for decorative purposes in spring, and carry one fine truss each. Young 
plants that are well rooted and growing freely may be placed into 
4-inch pots. Press the soil firmly, and grow the plants on a shelf close 
to the glass in a warm moist atmosphere. They will make greater 
progress if gentle bottom heat can be provided for a time. Fully ex¬ 
pose them to the sun. Large plants that have become woody through 
being confined at their roots are flowering freely the second time, and 
others will not be long before they yield a supply of trusses for cutting. 
Young plants growing into specimens should have the points of any 
shoots removed that are taking the lead. Keep the plants free from 
mealy bug by examining them frequently, and syringe at once with a 
solution of tobacco water, or fumigate the plants with tobacco smoke 
if thrips become established upon them. 
Aralias. —Plants of A. Yeitchi, A. Yeitchi gracillima, A. leptophylla 
and others that are large enough for table decoration may be placed in 
a temperature of 50° to 55°. They will remain in good condition, and 
growth will be very slow. In brisk heat they run up quickly, and soon 
become useless. Plants that have been raised from portions of stem and are 
growing freely may be placed into 4-inch pots, and grown in brisk heat. 
These do well in loam, sand, and one-seventh of manure. Where there 
is a plentiful supply of fine peat a little may be mixed with the loam. 
Crotons. —Plants that are highly coloured and large enough for table 
and other forms of decoration should be prevented making further 
growth. Fully expose them to the sun, and place them where the night 
temperature can be kept at 55°. Admit air daily, and gradually increase 
it. This prepares the plants for room decoration better than when 
removed from a warm moist atmosphere. Plants that are fully exposed 
to the sun, highly coloured, and their pots full of roots are liable to be 
attacked by red spider. Be careful the soil does not become dry at the 
roots of the plants, and syringe them liberally. The plants are greatly 
benefited by being syringed once or twice weekly with soot water 
perfectly clear. Assist plants in a backward condition by keeping the 
house warm and close, closing the ventilators early, so as to run up the 
temperature considerably in the afternoon. Insert in small pots all 
highly coloured side shoots that have been produced by plants from 
which the tops were removed some time ago. 
Pancratiums. —The earliest of these are growing freely, and as they 
cease flowering must be kept close, moist, and shaded from the sun, with 
abundance of water and occasional stimulants. Any plants that need 
larger pots may be attended to at once in a compost of loam, sand, and 
one-seventh of decayed manure, a little charcoal may be added. It is 
not advisable to break up the plants in their present stage of growth. 
The check would be too serious, and prevent the plants making good 
growth afterwards. Plants that need division should be left as they are 
until February, or just preceding growth. 
Vincas. —Pinch the shoots of plants in 5-iuch pots for the last time ; 
they will be useful in the stove during the dreary months of winter. 
The shoots are also useful for cutting ; in warm rooms they will con¬ 
tinue to develope their flowers for a long time after they have been 
severed from the plant. Cuttings may be inserted in small pots for 
early spring flowering. Large plants that have ceased flowering may be 
placed in a moderately dry atmosphere where the temperature ranges 
about 55°, and gradually withhold water. 
Braccena gracilis. —This is probably the most useful of all Dracaenas 
for room decoration. It will stand in almost any position for a long 
time. Large plants may be removed to the greenhouse. In this posi¬ 
tion avoid cold draughts striking upon the plants. Those that have 
grown too large may have their heads removed and rooted in 4-inch 
pots. Those raised from heads are very useful for single vases, while 
those from the stem are the most serviceable for table decoration. They 
are lighter through the foliage being only about half the width of those 
that have grown strongly. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Weather. 
We have now reached the time when honey gathering in normal 
3 easons ceased, but this puzzling season is an exception, and bees 
How Supers might have been Secured. 
Had the weather settled sooner, or had I had any idea that it 
would have continued as it has, I would have removed the under 
body box for several days. This would have compelled the bees to 
cluster in the supers, and comb building would have begun. By 
this plan a more saleable article would have been secured, but a less 
quantity, which from a commercial point of view in so scarce a 
year would have been the least profitable. 
Attendance to Hives. 
To secure the greatest results at the moors it is absolutely 
necessary to bs in almost close attendance with the bees, as in spite 
of all precautions (unless having young queens) and bad seasons 
bees will swarm. During cold weather entrances require to be con¬ 
tracted to prevent extra consumption of food and robbing, then as 
the honey is getting less plentiful robbing is greater, and a narrow 
doorway is the only safeguard, while it keeps ip the heat inside as 
