April 23, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
838 
that degree in the early part of the day without full ventilation. From 
the commencement of colouring until the trees are cleared of their fruits 
syringing must cease, or the fruit will crack ; btit a good moisture should 
be maintained in the house by keeping the surface of the border moist, 
or if the trees are in pots damping the floor two or three times a day, 
avoiding, however, a stagnant atmosphere. Aphides must be kept under 
by an insecticide, but fumigation only can be had recourse to after the 
fruit commences ripening. The border must not lack moisture, and 
liquid manure should be liberally accorded trees in pots. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Chrysanthenmms .—Potting plants intended for the production of 
large blooms should be proceeded with as rapidly as possible. If they 
have been grown in cool quarters they will be sturdy by this time. Pots 
5 and 6 inches in diameter will be large enough for them, and the 
plants as they are potted may be arranged in cold frames. Any plants 
that have grown weakly may when once established in these pots be well 
pinched. Keep the frames close for a few days and then ventilate 
freely, as quick soft growth is not desired. Those intended for bushes, 
and stopped as soon as they were rooted, may be transferred into larger 
pots ; pinch the shoots from time to time as they need it. Be careful not 
to “ overpot ” weak growing varieties and early flowering. Cuttings may 
still be rooted and grown without pinching for the production of fair 
sized blooms, or they may be pinched according to circumstances. 
Insert cuttings of late flowering varieties in triplets, and grow them on 
together afterwards, as these will be found useful. 
Clivias .—As these cease flowering large plants may be divided. 
These plants are most useful for decoration in 6 and 7-inch pots. To 
place strong pieces into these sizes the old roots may be cut away, and 
remove them after potting into a vinery or Peach house ; they will soon 
become established. Good varieties flowering now may produce seeds, 
but do not sow the seeds directly they are gathered or they will decay ; 
they must be thoroughly dried and then will soon germinate. Proj^aga- 
tion by offsets is a very slow process, and seedlings take three years 
before they become strong flowering plants. Some superior varieties 
may often be obtained by raising seedlings—even better than the 
parents from which they have been saved. Where light coloured flowers 
have size and the smaller ones brightness, it is advisable to cross them. 
This we have adopted with marked success. 
lleliutrope. —Where standards are desired insert cuttings at once, or 
.select from those already rooted. Grow the plants in heat, and repot on 
as they need more root room. When a few inches high place to each 
plant an upright stake, and remove all laterals from the axils of the 
leaves until the desired height of stem has been obtained. Allow the 
plants to extend 4 or 5 inches above the height required before they are 
pinched. If trained upon standard trellises the lateral growths must be 
allowed to extend until they reach the outside of the trellis before they 
are pinched ; if not they can be supplied with a stiff stake and stopped 
frequently to induce a bushy head. For this purpose White Lady is one 
of the best. Insert cuttings for flowering during the autumn and 
winter in 5 and G-inch pots, 
Francoa ramosa .—The best way of obtaining a stock of this useful 
plant for furnishing purposes is by seed, which can readily be saved 
from old plants. In heat it germinates freely, and if grown on into 
5-inch pots the plants will be found very useful. Their light arching 
spikes of bloom are very effective, standing above other plants, and are 
also useful in a cut state where light effective arrangements are desired. 
Libonias .—Cuttings rooted some time ago and placed in small pots 
will be ready for 4-inch pots. Place them in a compost of loam, one- 
seventh of manure, a little leaf mould and sand. Remove the point of 
the plant to induce free branching. Place them after potting on a shelf 
close to the glass where the night temperature does not fall below 50°. 
Cuttings may still be rooted. 
Primulas. —Double Primulas that flowered early and were sur¬ 
rounded with light soil have rooted freely from the collar. These may 
now be divided and placed into small pots. Place these on a shelf in a 
warm moderately moist atmosphere, and shade from the sun until they 
are established. Surround others with light soil, and induce them to 
root in the same way in a moderately moist atmosphere. Do not supply 
water too freely at first or the plants may suffer from damp. It is a 
good plan to keep them somewhat dry and cool before earthing them. 
With increased heat and moisture they soon emit roots. Single varieties 
that are large enough should be placed into small pots and more seed 
sown in about a month. Establish the young plants in heat, and then 
gradually harden them to cooler quarters until they can finally be grown 
in cold frames. 
Solanums ,—Seedlings and those raised from cuttings may be potted 
as they need it. Those that have been cut back and have commenced 
growth should, have their roots partially reduced and be repotted in the 
same size. For the present these plants will be at home in a vinery or 
Peach house where the temperature is not too high. Pinch the former 
and any shoots on the latter that are taking the lead. Syringe freely 
and watch for aphides. 
Rhodanthes. —The earliest of these will be better in cold frames than 
in a close atmosphere. Place round the sides of the pots four or five 
small stakes and a thin shred of matting, which will be ample to support 
them at first; as they grow taller more matting may be placed round 
the stakes. Sow more seed in pots and place them in heat until the 
seed has germinated, then remove them to cold frames. 
Statice Stmorowi .—Seedlings that are large enough maj’ be trans¬ 
ferred to small pots and grown in a temperature of 50° where air is 
admitted daily, for nothing is gained by trying to hurry them. The 
remainder of the plants not required for pots may be placed m pans or 
boxes for planting outside. In pots this plant is useful for grouping ia 
the conservatory. 
Primula obconica .—Place a few plants that are flowering in a cool 
airy frame for seed-bearing. When given abundance of air they set 
seed freely. Prick off seedlings into pans until they are large enough 
for potting. Seed may also be sown, but do not cover it; sow on the 
surface and water with a fine-rose can. 
- * i 
m BEE-KEEPERJ 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Weather Notes. 
With the exception of the morning of the 16th, when the- 
thermometer registered 38°, all the other morning temperatures- 
were 25°, except the 15th at 30°, the highest day’s reading being 
53°, On the 17th by 11 a.M. the temperature had risen from 25“ 
to 53°, so expect it to be the warmest day of the month. I have 
known fine summers follow a dry April, or what has been termed, 
and the opposite if wet, so that the future weather may depend' 
more upon that than either the severity or mildness of the winter. 
In most cases a warm summer followed a mild winter, succeeded by 
a dry April. 
State of Hives. 
The calm air and sudden rise of temperature on the morning of 
the 17th enabled me to look around the hives all busy at work 
carrying large pellets of pollen, the Punics far outstripping all 
others. The most striking feature, however, observed is the 
advanced state of unfed and well covered hives over those in 
double cased ones, and a few that had been fed. But the contrast 
is greater with a few hives not far from my own, well covered, but 
which had a less supply of food at the end of the season are nearly 
worthless. 
Bee Prospects. 
Should fine weather continue for two weeks the bees will have- 
ample honey and pollen to enable them to stand a campaign of 
cold in May, and be ready for swarming in that month. In all 
fruit growing districts where the frost has not injured the buds,. 
Plums and Gooseberries are about bursting into bloom. Should 
our wishes be granted all artificial feeding will be dispensed with,, 
but if not syrup will be supplied liberally, even to stocks with- 
abundance. We must neither allow eggs nor grub to be destroyed 
now if profit is to be expected in the autumn. 
Loss OF Bees. 
There is perhaps no time during the whole year so destructive 
to bees as during a cold spell in the month of May, and I know 
nothing that will prevent it, except it be in having the hives in 
good condition, to lessen the desire of the bees to go abroad in 
search of the needful. 
Weak Hives. 
Sometimes these become so much affected by the cold that 
they are an easy prey to robbers, choosing to remain in a dull state 
upon the combs rather than to defend their stores. Feeding weak 
hives renders the bees less inclined to defend, and even strong 
hives become affected in this way, a good objection to feeding. 
When a hive is discovered to be in this comatose state transfer 
the combs into a heated hive, but if they be damp or mouldy do- 
not restore them to the bees untd they have been thoroughly dried 
and heated. Those with the bees adhering may be transferred 
into the warmed hive, and kept within doors in a moderate warm 
place, and well ventilated until the combs are all restored, and set 
outside if warm, but if not keep them inside until the weather is 
favourable. The bees will make no effort to escape so long as the 
weather is unfavourable. After the above has been accomplished 
take the first opportunity when young bees are airing themselves 
to pick up a few and drop them into a wide-mouthed small bottle, 
which is closed by the thumb. When the bottle is well filled 
