December 8, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
515 
once such plants will start early, and invariably make vigorous growth 
next year. Keep plants subjected to this treatment in the greenhouse, 
and maintain a cool airy temperature. 
Erica hyemalls. —Home-grown plants that are not going to flower 
profusely may have all the strong shoots cut nearly close back. Any 
young growths that are not more than 1 or 2 inches in length may be 
left as they are and allowed to extend. Plants treated in this way last 
year have flowering shoots upon them nearly 18 inches in length. 
Purchased plants generally do better the second year than the first after 
flowering. To flower the plants even satisfactorily the first year they 
must be potted as soon as they have started into growth. 
Erica autumnalls (gracilis). —This is hardly worth retaining 
after it has flowered once. When grown with hyemalis we have never 
been very successful with it owing to it being so badly attacked by 
mildew. It can be grown fairly well, however, if given a place where 
the atmosphere is dry and abundance of air can be continuously main¬ 
tained. A close atmosphere even for a few days means partial ruin to 
the plants. Be careful that none of these plants are allowed to become 
dry at their roots or they will be ruined. 
Azalea lndlca. —One of the greatest evils these plants have to 
contend against is keeping them too dry at their roots during the winter 
months. At no season of their growth should they be allowed to become 
dry ; once this occurs their silk-like roots quickly perish. Plants that 
are confined for years in their pots usually lose a very large percentage 
of their foliage owing to inactivity at their roots. Those that are re¬ 
potted from time to time as they need more root room have darker and 
bolder foliage, which they retain well throughout the winter. Plants 
also that are potted in loam, leaf mould and sand, have better foliage, 
and make more vigorous growth than those potted in peat and sand. 
Destroy thrips directly these pests are observed. Syringe the plants well 
at least once a day when the weather is favourable. Complete the 
tying of these plants as early as possible. 
Camellias,— Continue to give those that are swelling their flower 
buds, and are confined in pots, weak stimulants every time they need 
water. Syringe freely all plants that are being gently forced into flower, 
and maintain a moderately moist atmosphere about them. 
Double Primulas. —Place these close to the glass, where they can 
enjoy rather a dry atmosphere and a little warmth. Air must be admitted 
daily to prevent their damping, which they quickly do when closely 
confined. Very small plants should be kept on a shelf, and any flowers 
they produce ought to be removed as they appear. 
Mignonette. —Plants in 5-inch pots must not be allowed to become 
crowded; thin them out to five or six in each pot. Keep the plants 
perfectly cool, and as close to the glass as possible. Do not allow 
them to suffer by an insufficient supply of water, or their foliage will 
soon turn brown. Trained plants that have their pots full of roots may 
have a little artificial manure applied to the surface of the soil at 
intervals of a fortnight. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Plants that have been kept as cool as 
possible may be placed in a temperature of 60°, when they will quickly 
come into flower. Be careful not to overwater these plants, or they will 
start into soft growth instead of flowering freely. Damp must be 
expelled from the house by the admission of air whenever the weather 
is favourable. At this period of the year the plants do well standing on 
a moderately dry base with the atmosphere as dry as possible. Not only 
are the flowers liable to damp, but the foliage as well, if too much 
moisture is kept about the plants. 
Bouvardias_ Those that have been retarded by keeping them in 
the greenhouse may now be introduced into gentle warmth. The plants 
must be kept growing if they are to continue flowering. Water care¬ 
fully, but give applications of artificial manure to the surface of the soil 
occasionally. 
Justlcla flavicoma. —This plant should now have a temperature 
of 50° to 55 Q , in which it will open its beautiful plumes of bright yellow 
flowers. After the plants have flowered once do not throw them away, 
as they will come into flower a second and even a third time. This 
is a capital plant for a conservatory where a little warmth is main¬ 
tained. 
Acalyphas. —The leaves are falling from these where they have 
been kept in the conservatory, and only ordinary temperatures main¬ 
tained. The plants may be cut back to within 2 inches of the soil, and 
if placed in a' temperature of 60° and kept on the dry side they will 
soon break into growth. When about 1 inch of growth has been made 
the plants may be reduced and potted in the same size pots, or if they 
are only in small pots the drainage can be removed and the plants given 
a small shift. Cut-back plants with three or four shoots make excellent 
bushes, 
Crotons. —Plants that become damaged by use in rooms and are 
needed for stock may be cut close back, and if the soil is kept rather dry 
the plants will soon break into growth and yield good cuttings. If a 
large stock of any particular kind is needed do not cut them down too 
closely. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
H. & F. Sharpe, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire .—Seed Potatoes. 
Putz & Roes, Erfurt, Prussia .—Flower and Vegetable Seeds. 
Herb k Wulle, Naples, Italy .—Flower and Vegetable Seeds. 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
•-LI-1 --I ' 
■ i.i-i-r-i.i-T-i.i-i-i-i-r-i. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Gardeners and Bees. 
I have the honour of being on intimate terms with many 
ladies and gentlemen who keep bees and value their produce as 
much as they do the finest Peaches or Grapes. In some cases the 
bees are cared for entirely by their owners ; but in others they are 
entrusted to their gardeners. Now, many gardeners regard the bees 
with indifference, being of secondary importance, which is a mistake. 
The majority of the class referred to are not only pleased with 
honeycomb, but proud because it is from their own bees and the 
gardener’s management. Some gardeners are alive to that, and do 
all in their power to make the most of them for their employers’ 
good. 
Feeding Bees in Winter. 
I have received several letters referring to bees being still unfed. 
Deep snow and keen frost prevail now, keeping bees within doors. 
I have fed bees throughout a severe winter with syrup only ; but 
the feeders were put on or under the bees during mild weather, 
and they were accustomed to it, feeding a little only when required, 
The bees never attempted to fly much, and so the experiments were 
satisfactory. “ G. P.,” a reader of this Journal, has applied for 
advice, whether it is too late to feed bees. It is certainly too late to 
postpone feeding till this late season ; but, as above hinted, if the 
bees are in want it is never too late to feed them. 
Methods of Feeding. 
The best way to feed now is to give a piece of honeycomb right 
over the cluster. A very small piece will do. Feeding with syrup, 
as a rule, may be safely practised from the middle of January 
and onwards. If the bees are in frame hives carry them into a 
dark room, and remove several empty combs by using carbolised 
paper. Do all this in the dark, or with a lantern that can be 
instantly darkened, so that the bees do not fly nor leave the hive. 
Fill the combs with syrup (Howard’s plan) by dipping them slowly 
into it and then replace. Do not confine the bees, but let them 
remain in that position till the weather is calm and mild, at a tem¬ 
perature of 50°, or near that. The next best plan is to feed with 
candy right over the cluster. If the bees are in straw hives feed 
with candy only. 
A Cheap Feeder. 
Your correspondent asks for a feeder. Messrs. G. Neighbour 
and Sons, 127, High Holborn, will supply what is wanted. Their 
feeders have a perforated tin covering. I prefer a wooden or 
cork float or spars, also in two pieces. The following is the way 
to make a useful and cheap feeder :—Take a tin scoop about 
10 inches long by three-eighths deep with turned-over edges, and any 
width to suit the fancy ; 2 inches on legs is sufficient. The outer 
end should be made so that it closes the upper part of the 
entrance. 
Fountains. 
This may be a jar, glass bottle, or a tin. When the latter is 
employed an old powder-flask with a thimble requires no prepara¬ 
tion other than to fit a piece of cork into the neck. Burn a hole 
with a wire through the centre large enough to let the syrup flow, 
but not so large as to let bees inside. Of course allowance must be 
made for the valve, which is simply a saw-handle screw, or common 
one let into a piece of lead. I use both sorts, and oil-can screws, 
instead of cork. The cork is, perhaps, the better of the two, as it is 
easily inserted or drawn out. An inch is a good width for the neck 
or thimble. The latter is passed through a hole in a wooden cover 
at the end of the trough outside the hive till its orifice is a little 
under top edge of trough, which should be either let into the block 
or filleted round to prevent stronger bees getting at the syrup. 
The size of the wooden cover depends upon the fountain, 6 inches 
square would do for a feeder holding from 6 to 10 lbs. of sugar. 
Punic Bees. 
As I am anxious to gather all the reliable information about 
these bees that I possibly can, will “C., Northumberland," kindly 
say whether the yellow colouring of the combs sealed by the Punic 
bees resulted from propolis or pollen ? Of all the combs of Punic 
bees I have ever witnessed one case only came under my observa¬ 
tion slightly propolised ; other supers from them were paragons of 
beauty. 
“ C., Northumberland ,” states one good point of the Pumcs 
that many inexperienced persons deniod, viz., the bees have gathered 
