47G 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 11, 1891. 
quality, not less so being the tying-in and regulating of the shoots by 
thinning and stopping, so as to afford the fruit the benefit of all the 
light possible. The moisture in the atmosphere will need to be mode¬ 
rated, not wetting the fruit, though if red spider attack the fruit should 
be gathered elosely and a good syringing given, which will not injure 
the remaining fruit, provided it is done early on a fine day, so that the 
moisture does not remain long on the fruit. Do not allow any lack of 
water at the roots, yet give less supplies than when the fruits were 
swelling. 
Yoking Trees in, Pots for Next Year's Early Forcing. —These must 
not be neglected or disappointment is inevitable. They must have all 
the light possible, and be kept near the glass or as nigh as practicable 
without touching, so as to secure sturdy, well-ripened growth, keeping 
clean by syringing, and affording liquid manure to effect a stout growth. 
The growth being completed they may be stood outdoors to induce rest, 
but the wood must be well ripened previously, and to be of use for early 
forcing the wood must be matured early. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Where cuttings were rooted early for low 
standards to flower in winter the plants should now be ready for 7 or 
8-inch pofs, and will soon attain the height of 18 inches, when the point 
of the plant may be removed. Eemove all side shoots except a few 
near the top required for furnishing the head. All others for autumn 
and winter flowering must be placed into their largest pots and arranged 
in cold frames to harden ready for standing in a sunny position outside. 
Plants that have only just been rooted may be placed direct into 4-inch 
pots, and when well established hardened and stood outside. Ivy-leaf 
varieties flowering in autumn may have the same treatment. If those to 
flower inside throughout the summer are not overpotted, they flower 
profusely when root-bound and arranged in a sunny position, artificial 
manure being supplied occasionally. 
French and Zonal Pelargoniums. —Cuttings that are rooted may be 
placed singly into 3-inch pots and stood in cold frames until they are 
■established, when abundance of air must be admitted or the plants stood 
outside. Cuttings of moderately firm wood can be inserted, and they 
will root quickly in gentle warmth, and make excellent plants for early 
flowering next season. Discontinue pinching, and even the latest may be 
allowed to come forward into bloom. Keep them cool, ventilating liberally 
by day and a little at night to maintain a dwarf sturdy growth. When 
the flower buds are visible artificial manure applied to the surface of 
the soil once a fortnight will prove beneficial. Soot water in a clear 
state is an excellent stimulant. 
Hydrangeas. —Shoots that have failed to flower on plants that started 
into growth early are well developed. These may be removed and 
rooted singly in small pots under bellglasses in a warm house. It is 
not necessary to cut the shoots to a joint ; any portion of the stem 
roots freely if kept close, moist, and shaded. The cuttings must be 
short, with a pair of good leaves at the base, and inserted so that what 
will eventually be the flower bud is only just above the surface of the 
soil. Two or even 3-inch pots may be used and filled with good loam, 
one-seventh of manure, and a little sand in the centre. Plants from 
which cuttings are taken will, if cut back closely, and kept under glass 
fully exposed to the sun make short-jointed growths, and carry three or 
four large heads another year. 
Gladiohis The Bride. —Those in pots that have flowered under glass 
may be placed outside in a sunny position. If they are supplied with 
water as they need it until the foliage naturally dies away, they will 
flower freely again another season. Ixias and Freesias may have the 
same treatment. 
Azaleas. —Varieties of A. indica that are just ceasing to flower should 
have all seed pods removed and subjected to a close shaded atmosphere 
to push them into growth. Carefully examine these plants, and if any 
trace of thrips exists upon them wash thoroughly in a solution of 
tobacco water, in which one ounce of softsorpto each gallon has been 
dissolved, and a piece of common washing soda the size of a Cob Nut. 
Plants that have flowered early for some years, and have been assisted 
by heat and moisture to make their growth, can be gradually hardened 
to cooler and more airy conditions ready for removal outside to ripen 
their wood. These as well as others that have not been repotted may 
have occasional applications of artificial manure applied to the surface. 
Soot water in a clear state imparts to the foliage a fine dark hue. 
Syringe freely, and do not allow these plants to suffer by an insufficient 
supply of water, or their silk-like roots will perish. 
Epacrises. —The main stock of these has started into growth, repot 
all that need more root room. Small shifts are desirable. The pots 
used should be liberally and carefully drained, and the plants after they 
are potted stood on a bed of ashes in cold frames. Syringe amongst the 
pots once or twice daily according to the weather. The plants may also 
be syringed lightly. Admit air freely during the day to insure sturdy 
growth, but close the frame early in the afternoon so as to raise the 
temperature a few degrees. Those that were asnsted into growth by 
gentle heat may be gradually hardened to cool treatment. If kept too 
long in a confined atmosphere the growths will not have strength to 
support themselves. 
Erica hyemalis. —These are much better in low frames than houses 
where abundance of air can be admitted daily after they have lonce 
started into growth. All that flowered early and have been repotted 
will now be well established and growing freely. A little air may be 
left on the frames in which these are growing all night. Those that 
flowered during January are ready for potting. Use for a compost good 
peat and sand ; drain the pots well, and press the soil firmly into them. 
For a fortnight or three weeks the frames in which these are grown 
may be kept on the close side. 
Rhodanthes. —Let these have free ventilation, in fact they will 
succeed as well arranged on ashes outside as in frames. Support the 
stems with a few slender stakes and sow more seed. 
1 
HE BEE-KBEPER. 
s 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Although the weather is more favourable to field and garden, 
the bees are kept within their hives, much to their own and owner’s 
advantage, as saving bee live now means at no distant time more 
honey. Since March came in with arctic severity bees could 
venture out only on three days without many being lost: and yet 
on these three days few bees fiew. True to their instincts as 
barometers, they appeared to know the cold that was approaching* 
and which visited us the following day. 
Although we can never depend upon the weather destructive ' 
to bee life being past before the middle of June, still I never 
experienced so long a term of it. Consequently queens have laid 
an enormous number of eggs to keep up the strength of the hive, 
far beyond the requisite number had the season been more 
favourable. Pointing to the chances that queens may give way at 
any time and be deposed, young queens will be brought forward, 
and one or more of these will lead off several swarms, much to the 
annoyance of the expectant but disappointed bee-keeper, who had, 
as he thought, given timely room by supering to prevent it. That 
this is sure to take place, especially where queens are above one 
year old, there need be no doubt, and bee-keepers will be studying 
their own interests by taking time by the forelock and have a good 
supply of young queens in readiness to meet emergencies. To 
accomplish this either form an artificial swarm or depcse one or 
more queens, and after ten days or so form the stocks into nuclei, 
as described several weeks ago, gradually depose the old queens, 
when there will be less swarming and more supers filled. 
SWAKMING. 
I hear of several swarms that came off about the 20th of 
May, and, singular to say, one of these stood at an elevation of 
500 feet. I have not heard whether the old queens accompanied 
these swarms, or if they may have been premature owing to the 
queen relaxing in egg-laying. The old adage That a swarm 
of bees in May is worth a load of hay,” will not hold good this 
year, as in all likelihood in their great desire to work many will 
be lost, others will be worn out before there is sufficient food 
outside for them ; thus feeding, while doing good in one sense, 
aggravates loss in the other. Where young queens have accom¬ 
panied swarms weeks may pass before they can commence egg- 
laying. 
Swarms are never more remunerative and give more satisfac¬ 
tion than when they issue at the beginning of the honey flow, 
unless the weather previously has been favourable ; in that case 
an early swarm has the advantage. But, again, the size of the 
swarm has to be taken into account ; and it is not unusual for 
a large late swarm to far surpass an earlier but smaller one. 
To ascertain the proper condition of things in this respect full 
sized hives must be used with all the other requisites, without 
which failure from one or more of the causes is certain. My 
own stocks are so far advanced that swarms may issue at any 
time, but they will not suffer in any way from delay, as the 
hives are all large enough to keep the queens laying even although 
they deposit the maximum number of eggs daily. With under¬ 
sized hives this is prevented, because there are not empty cells 
enough to allow queens to deposit the maximum number daily, 
and consequently the bees swarm. 
Bees and the Death’s-head Moth 
It would be assuming too much to attempt to instruct “ Ento¬ 
mologist ” or to criticise his remarks in any way regarding insects j 
