March 10, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
189 
early, stake before they fall abDut, never let them becime very dry 
at the roots, feed them well, syringe freely in hot weather, gather 
the beans directly they are large enough, and if not unduly crowded 
the crops ought to be heavy and continuous. Where long, narrow, 
and deep boxes can be had these are better than pots for Beans 
during the rest of the forcing season. If these are about a yard 
long, 9 inches across, and 9 inches deep, six of them will be enough in 
most cases for one batch. Beans growing in boxes are not so liable to 
be injuriously affected by excessive heat, or to be so much infested by 
red spider as are those in pots. 
Tomatoes. —On no aceount ought young plants to be long kept in 
small pots. Directly they become badly root-bound their sturdy 
healthy appearance is soon changed to a spindly sickly yellow condition, 
from which they are not quickly recovered. Those early placed in 
5- inch or rather larger pots, and kept near the glass in heat, ought now 
to be fine strong plants, and quite ready for their fruiting quarters, 
while any that are in small pots should either be given a liberal shi't 
or planted out in boxes, ridges, or beds of soil where they are to fruit. 
Single plants produce gocd crops in 12-inch pots, or better than can 
often be had from two plants in 15-inch sizes ; drain these lightly, use 
a rough loamy compos', consisting say of two parts fibrous loam to one 
of horse droppings or old Mushroom bed refuse, and pot deeply so as to 
leave good room for top-dressings, and firmly. Set the pots either 
along the front of the house or on a high back shelf near to the glass in 
a three-quarter span-roofed house, and train up the roof. They will 
also succeed admirably arranged on prominent walls of inside pits or 
the stages in forcing houses, in this instance being supported by strong 
stakes. A narrow ridge of soil along ihe front or the sides of a forcing 
house will support a row of plants put out 1 foot apart and trained 
straight up the roof. Pack the soil firmly about the roots, and water 
somewhat sparingly at first. All plants in pots and those put out thickly 
should be kept confined to a single stem, side shoots being pinched 
out as fast as they form ; but if preferred one or two plants may be 
made to cover a roof, shoots being laid in wherever there is good room 
for them. Thus treated they frequently crop very heavily. More 
plants being wanted for later houses and pits sow seed at once thinly in 
6- inch pots, and place in brisk heat to germinate. 
Potatoes. —IE these are forced steps must be ta’ en to keep up a 
steady yet unbroken supply, and, in any case, something should be 
done to forward a few for use in advance of any that can be obtained in 
the open. Much may be done with the aid of rough unglazed frames on 
very slight hotbeds, and still more with others having glazed lights. 
The former, however, may be of considerable dimensions, and, having 
plenty of rafters, old carpets, mats, or canvas covers may be rolled on 
every night and off in the morning. Place a little short manure over 
the heating material, and on this not less than 9 inches of fine light soil. 
Open drills 15 inches apart, and plant well sprouted sets, such as were 
figured on page 173 last week, 8 inches apart. A pinch of Radish seed 
may be sown with Potatoes, thin sowing being the surest way of having 
both good. Potatoes may also be forwarded considerably at the foot 
of south walls and on warm borders. They require a well-worked 
and rather light soil, and pay well for being protected with benders and 
mats from spring frosts. Short-topped early varieties, and no others, 
should be planted 8 inches apart, in drills 20 inches apart. The bulk of 
early Potatoes ought not to be planted before April, but if the weather 
and state of the ground admit of the work being done properly, there is 
nothing to prevent and much to be said in favour of pushing on the 
work of planting the late varieties. 
Carrots —Successional crops, or what in some cases may be the 
earliest supply of tender young Carrots, may be had without the aid of 
glass and far in advance of any sown on warm borders, by preparing a 
fairly large and deep hotbed in a sheltered spot, on this enclosing 
6 inches or rather more of fine light soil by means of boards on edge and 
strong stakes. Either sow the seed thinly broadcast and cover with 
sifted soil, or else in shallow drills drawn 8 inches apart. With the 
former, and midway beween the latter, sow Radish seed, also thinly, and 
these will be ready for use long before the Carrots require all the space. 
The little French Forcing Horn Carrot is the first fit for use, and is of 
excellent quality, but the Nantes Horn may be drawn and used when 
quite small, and if a few are left thinly all over the bed, and not 
neglected in dry weather, they will attain a comparatively large size, 
and be of good form and colour, or just what are wanted for the July 
and early August shows. 
Mixed or Spring Beds. —Where house room and frames are scarce 
the good old plan of raising a variety of plants for the kitchen garden, 
as well as Carrots, Radishes, Mustard and Cress, has much to commend 
it. Form a level heap, say 12 feet by 6 feet, and 3 feet or rather more 
in depth of good heating material, and otherwise prepare much as 
advised for Carrots in the preceding paragraph. If tall stout stakes are 
used for keeping the boards together, these may be further strengthened 
with cross poles, and will then support treble fish nets well clear of the 
beds. Mats may also be used for covering during frosty nights, though, 
as a rule, the fish nets are sufiBcient protection,these also being necessary 
for keeping away the birds. Sow about one half of the bed with 
Carrots and Radishes, and patches each of Red and White Celery, 
Lettuces, Cauliflowers, Brussels Sprouts, and Cabbage, the latter only if 
badly wanted. Mustard should be sown thickly, and very lightly covered, 
and Cress also thickly, pressing this into the soil only. In all other cases 
thin sowing is imperative, otherwise few or no serviceable plants or 
roots will be had. Early in May sow two patches of Vegetable Marrow 
seed not far from the centre of the bed, the plants being eventually 
reduced to about four in number and allowed to ramble and fruit in all 
directions, these alone paying for the heating material or manure. 
Shallots, Garlic, and Underground Onions. —There should be 
no further delay in planting these. Select a well prepared border, those 
about thinly planted pyramid Apple and Pear trees answering well, fine 
this down, and stir in a good dressing of soot. Small divisions, or 
“ cloves,” develop into large “ bulbs,” while if the latter are planted 
they split up during the season. Some of each should, therefore, be put 
out each season. The rows in every case should be 12 inches apart, the 
Garlic being planted firmly to their full depth 6 inches apart. Shallots 
9 inches, and the Onions 12 inches apart in the rows, the two latter 
being only half buried. Parsley should be sown, or, better still, planted 
later on midway between the roots, the latter being cleared off long 
before the Parsley will require all the space. 
ii- 
S 
HE BEE-KEEPER^ 
ACCURACY ON BEE MATTERS—PUNICS. 
In the Journal of Horticulture for February 18th “ A. L. B. K." 
refers to a statement of the Editors of the “ B. B. J.” on Decem¬ 
ber 17th, credited to Frank Benton, in which he says of Tunisian 
bees—“ But unlike Cyprians and Syrians, they are liable at times 
to fly at one and sting him when he approaches the apiary and yet 
does not molest the hives.” Our Lanarkshire friend thinks this 
statement should not pass unchallenged ; but if he expects me to 
correct all the statements that he or I may deem inaccurate as 
published by Messrs. Cowan and Carr, I should really have little 
time for anything else. As, however, the article of December 17th, 
1891, on Tunisian bees is being copied into all the American bee 
papers, and as silence on my part might probably lead the Editors 
of these journals to consider the statements correct, I think, under 
the circumstances, T had better notice the matter ; but should they 
after this quote anything written by the Editors of the “ B. B. J.” 
as being correct, they must accept the consequences of quoting 
people who omit to take steps to verify what they say. 
In the first place, the article refers to what Mr. W. F. Kirby, 
Curator in the British Museum, said before the Entomological 
Society. The article implies that the writer was present at the 
meeting. As a matter of fact neither of the Editors was present, 
and the only accurate statement it contains is embodied in the 
first sentence—viz., that Mr. Kirby exhibited at a meeting of the 
Entomological Society a series of dark coloured Apis reared by me 
from bees imported from Tunis. What Mr. Kirby actually did 
say is published in print in the Transactions of the Entomological 
Society, from which they could have quoted him had they wished. 
Mr. Kirby recommended that the name “ Punic bees ” should 
be retained, as being a very appropriate one. They are labelled 
“ Punic bees ” in the British Museum, and as all authorities of any 
note—including such a high one as Mr. Kirby—favour the name 
“Punic,” and they have been exclusively known by this name 
for five years, I am afraid Mr. Cowan will have a difficulty to 
alter it. 
Respecting the paragraph quoted by “A L. B. K.,” this 
appeared originally in Benton’s “ Bees,” and was reprinted in 
“B. B. J.” for, I think, April 15th, 1885 ; also “A. B. J.” for 
April 29th, 1885. When Benton saw them for, I think, three weeks 
in their own country they were swarming, and I have never said 
they would not sting when the swarming season was on. Moreover, 
it is not correct to say that Cyprians and Syrians will not fly at 
one and sting him when he approaches the apiary, for when work¬ 
ing on Limes both of these races, and particularly if crossed with 
Italian blood, are liable to literally swarm on a person who goes 
near their hives (each one trying to sting), which Punic bees will 
not attempt to do. 
Benton has always insisted that Cyprian bees were the best in 
the world, and that Syrians were but little behind them, and as 
most people now know that they are not, I think most will 
dismiss him as an authority on which is the best race of bees. He 
seemed, from some reason, to have taken a deep prejudice to the 
bees of Tunis ; but he says in the article alluded to, “ A medium 
colony transferred on the last day of February produced over 
40 lbs. of extracted honey, besides building out several frames of 
foundation in twenty days.” And further on he says, “On the 
whole, Tunisian bees are not to be despised, even if they are true 
Africans in colour.” I have private letters of his written from 
Tunis early in February, the year following, in which he speaks of 
stocks in forty frames—about standard Woodbury size—with 
twenty containing brood, fourteen frames being solid brood. 
Benton quotes the Rosemary as being the principal source for 
honey, which blooms during January, February, and March ; yet 
