226 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 16, 1893. 
fruit go over the plants daily when in flower, and smartly tap all the 
bunches with a light Hazel stick. 
Newly-raised Tomatoes. —Plants raised in January should now 
be growing strongly, and if not already done ought to be potted, 
placing the plants either singly in the centre of 5-inch pots or in pairs 
near to the sides of 6-inch pots. Use a light loamy compost well 
warmed through by means of heated bricks buried in the heap, and 
clean, lightly drained pots. Select the strongest of the plants, and 
bury these in the soil well up to the seed leaves, making the soil mode¬ 
rately Arm. Keep the plants in a brisk heat, water very sparingly at 
first, and shade from strong sunshine. Directly they commence to 
root strongly expose them to the light and sunshine, a shelf near 
the glass being a good position for them. From the middle to the 
end of March is quite soon enough to sow seed with a view to obtaining 
good plants for fruiting, either in cool houses or against open walls. 
Brussels Sprouts. —If a mild hotbed, covered with either a glazed 
or rough frame, can be spared for raising plants of these that method 
is to be preferred. Failing this, sow thinly in either pans or boxes, and 
place in gentle heat or on a greenhouse shelf to germinate. Seeing that 
the plants must have a rather long period of growth, they ought not to 
be planted in succession to early Potatoes, the better plan being to 
dispose the rows of the latter 42 inches apart, and after they are 
moulded up plant Brussels Sprouts midway between them. 
Early Broccoli. —With the last named may well be sown some 
seed of Veitch’s Autumn Protecting, and any other favourite early 
Broccoli other than Snow’s Winter White, May being quite soon enough 
for sowing the latter variety, the plants being duly pricked out on a 
sheltered border, and otherwise treated similarly to Brussels Sprouts ; 
these also can eventually be planted between widely disposed rows of 
short-topped early and second early Potatoes. 
Autumn Cauliflower.— As a rule all that is necessary is to sow 
seed of Eclipse and Early Giant with the Brussels Sprouts, and if 
similarly well treated fine hearts ought to be available towards the end 
of August. Eclipse may be briefly described as a good early form of 
Autumn Giant, and if a good breadth of both are planted the supply 
will most probably hold out till the earliest Broccoli are available. 
Those who cannot afford space under glass for raising these Cauliflowers 
should sow on a warm border, protecting the seed and the young plants 
for a time with strawy litter. The same plan may also be adopted with 
satisfactory results in the case of Brussels Sprouts and early Broccoli. 
Bettuce. —Early Paris Market and Golden Queen Cabbage Lettuces 
are the quickest to attain a serviceable size, and more seed of one or 
both of them ought to be sown either under glass or on a warm border. 
Any plants not required for frame culture to be hardened off, and then 
dibbled out on a warm border, where they should, if possible, be 
roughly protected for a time. Also sow seed of White Paris or other 
Cos variety under glass, and a pinch in the open. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Effect of the Winter on Bees. 
I AM now receiving information from different sources how bees 
have wintered. In every case where they have been kept in 
narrow hives they are all living and healthy. Not so, however, 
with those of the “ combination ” type ; at least 30 per cent, in 
them are dead. This speaks volumes for our mode of management. 
One of the persons I have been in communication with, says— 
“ I mean to try the two queens in the one hive system. I must 
have been foolish not to have observed your instructions sent with 
hives for that purpose by you twenty years ago.” 
Several Queens in a Swarm. 
Frequently during the swarming season several queens accom¬ 
pany the swarm, which prevents it settling, when the bees leave 
and are lost, especially when the apiarist is engaged with one or 
more swarms. To prevent the loss, immediately the swarm is 
settled in the new hive put a piece of queen-excluder zin« over the 
entrance or in lieu of the sliding mouthpiece, letting it remain for 
two days after hiving. 
Renewing Combs. 
It is the usual custom to take the combs of old stocks three 
weeks after the issue of the first swarm. This is not only a good 
practice to guard against foul brood, but bees are more healthy and 
breed better in new combs than old ones, while the honey is always 
uncontaminated with the bad odour consequent in old combs. 
That fact, however, is contrary to some of our modern hee-keepers. 
Still, the practice cannot be carried too far. With a young 
queen old combs are of little value, because generally the bees 
build them quicker than the requirements of the queen. It is 
different with a laying queen of a strong swarm. It is an advantage 
to have a few combs ready for her to deposit eggs when newly 
hived ; but it must be remembered that I differ entirely from what 
“ W. B. G.” in the “ Record ” said, that queens were at their best 
when three months old. Queens are at their best in a few days 
after mating. For queens to be at their best about October, is 
what no bee-keeper ever saw or desired. 
Best Honey Gatherers. 
“ Ligurian” wishes to know which are the best bees for profit. 
Those most condemned by scientists have been with us the very 
best, to wit, crossed Syrians and crossed Panics ; in fact the 
crosses of every imported breed are superior to any pure race. The 
pure Panics with us have never had a chance, the seasons for 
several years past being so unpropitious for honey gathering ; but 
as workers they excel all other varieties of a pure race. Carniolans 
seem to be equally industrious when of the pure breed, and their 
mildness of temper render veils unnecessary. 
Unfortunately these, as well as the Italian Alp bees imported 
from Italy, are often a mixture of blood with other races, conse¬ 
quently their native properties are unknown to the majority of the 
present day bee-keepers. Having kept these two breeds—the one 
for upwards of thirty years, and the other for nearly twenty—it 
will be observed I speak advisedly. At the time of their importa¬ 
tion puffing dealers were unknown in the bee world, and beautiful 
banded crosses and yellow Carniolans were unheard of until 
dealerism and journalism became combined. 
I have had several questions from correspondents asking for 
the best bees for some fanciful hive. I haye answered them by 
post to the effect that if the querists are inclined to ignore my 
advice and use hives of which I do not approve, I would rather 
they would abide by the interested dealer’s advice on management 
than adopt as mine, and take the consequences.—A Lanarkshire 
Bee keeper. 
•**A11 correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
Editor ” or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to 
Dr. Hogg or members of the staff often remain unopened 
unavoidably. We request that no one will write privately 
to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to 
unjustifiable trouble and expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 
relating to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should 
never send more than two or three questions at once. All 
articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of 
the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, 
and we do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Insects (3f. F .').—The larger insect you enclose is the too abundant 
infester of our kitchens, the common cockroach, which is known to 
take excursions sometimes, and quarter itself in hothouses. It may be 
captured by a beetle trap baited with beer or syrup, also poisoned by 
means of phosphorus paste. The smaller and numerous insects belong 
to the springtail group. It is a species of Tomenturus. They often 
resort to manure, and run or leap with great rapidity. No doubt they 
will, if they have the opportunity, eat the soft portions of roots, and 
also bulbs or tubers. No very effective mode of dealing with them is 
known. Soot and lime have been recommended as applications, and 
the insects would be killed by the application of petroleum, suitably 
diluted, when they can be reached. Possibly a compound of sulphur 
and soap in the form of a wash would be of use, where the insects 
injure the crowns or stems of plants. 
Growing* IVIuslirooms (J/. 0. B .).—Many persons beside yourself 
“ want to grow Mushrooms,” and several have grown them with a 
manure supply even less than your own. A few days after the bed is 
spawned it must be cased with soil, and the better the loam is the finer 
will be the Mushrooms, assuming the spawn runs well. Litter covering 
is only needed at this season to prevent the soil drying, and this is- 
important. The soil being moist, the litter if used dry, as it may be, 
will soon be a little damp, and it should not remain long enough 
unmoved to cling closely to the soil. For sweetening the manure spread 
it out thinly to prevent over-heating and the necessity for turning 
“ every other day or two.” A little mouldiness will do no harm. Spread 
at once in thin layers in the bed, then when rather dry pressed down, 
has in many cases answered admirably. Good crops of Mushrooms 
have been obtained when the manure has been mixed with moss 
litter used in stables, excessive wetness being avoided. This is quite 
as inimical as overdryness of the material. The right condition must 
be determined by individual judgment, and we do not know that it 
can be explained more clearly than it is in the work you have— 
“ Mushrooms for the Million.” 
