October 6, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
317 
off the wood. Check growth, therefore, by gradually removing the 
laterals, so as not to start the main buds, and facilitate the ripening of 
the wood by a high temperature and dry atmosphere by day, say 70° to 
75°, with 10° to 15° rise from sun heat, with moderate ventilation, 
shutting off the heat and keeping the ventilators open at night, except 
when frost prevails. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Chrysanthemums. —These should be housed without delay, or 
injury from frost may result. After the plants are placed under glass 
syringe them freely, or their foliage will be liable to suffer by the 
dry atmosphere of the structure. Slugs are frequently carried into the 
Louses with these plants. It is a good plan to look over the pots care¬ 
fully with a light several nights in succession to remove any that show 
themselves. Slugs may destroy some of the best blooms, while they 
prey injuriously upon the cuttings at a later date. If aphides are pre¬ 
valent fumigate the house with tobacco smoke. They are much easier 
destroyed at the present time than when the plants are in full bloom. 
Once the blooms are infested with these pests they are soon spoiled, and 
Tendered useless for any purpose. Late kinds that are grown for cutting 
purposes only may be kept outside ; but they should be placed where 
slight protection can be given them in case of frost. If these plants are 
to keep their foliage healthy the roots must be kept at work near the 
surface, and then those grown for large blooms will develop flowers of 
the best quality. This can be accomplished by applying stimulants in 
a weak state, and artificial manure in small qu .ntities to the surface 
soil occasionally. Flat blooms that are both void of colour and substance 
are frequently the result of overfeeding, which destroys the roots ; 
unless the latter are thoroughly active until the last well-finished 
blooms cannot be expected. Earwigs are numerous this year, and they 
must be carefully watched for, as they soon devour the petals and 
destroy the blooms. Give abundance of air to plants placed under glass, 
so that the flower buds are not unduly hurried forward. It is also the 
best means of preventing damping in those expanding. 
Calceolarias. —The earliest of these may be placed into 3 or 4 inch 
pots, according to their size. Grow these plants in a cold frame, but 
watch for slugs, which are particularly fond of them. Later plants may 
be pricked into pans and boxes according to the quantity grown. 
These may now have a light airy frame, and will do better than if kept 
in one with a northern aspect. 
Cinerarias. —The earliest batch of these will be coming into flower 
and will be useful in the conservatory. Later batches that need more 
Toot room should be repotted at once. It is useless to repot those that 
are already showing their flower stems. Those for flowering in spring 
should be well cared for, because they are invaluable when the majority 
of bulbous plants are over. These plants will do for some time in 
cold frames. Give them abundance of air daily, and leave a little on 
the frames all night when mild. The watering of these plants should 
mow be done in the morning. To those in their flowering pots that 
are well filled with roots weak stimulants may be given. Soot water 
in a clear state is very beneficial to them. Watch for aphides and 
destroy them directly they make their appearance. 
Iillium Harrlsl. —This is a useful decorative plant when in bloom, 
and should be grown in auantity. Medium sized bulbs should be placed 
in 6-inch pots that are well drained. The compost should consist of fibry 
loam three parts, the remaining part being composed of leaf mould and 
sand ; to this may be added one-seventh of decayed manure. In 
potting the bulbs must be just covered. If the soil is moderately moist 
mo water should be given. Stand the pots in a cold frame and fill the 
spaces between them with cocoa-nut fibre refuse, covering the surface 
with about 2 inches of the same material. Failing this fine ashes will 
answer the same purpose. When subjected to this treatment evapora¬ 
tion is prevented and the bulbs soon commence to root and grow. As 
soon as they show through the plunging material remove the plants to 
the greenhouse and apply water. If grown in quantity a low cool airy 
house will suit them well, or they may be placed on shelves moderately 
close to the glass. From one batch of plants a long succession of bloom 
may be obtained if proper treatment is given. 
Callas. —If these are still in the open they should be lifted without 
delay, well watered, and stood behind a north wall until root action has 
commenced, when place in their winter quarters. Solanums, Bouvardias, 
Salvias, and other plants that are outside should be lifted and treated in 
the same way until they are established. If there is any appearance of 
frost while the plants are outside protect them by covering with mat?. 
Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums.— Plants that have been well lipened 
will, if placed under glass where a night temperature of 55 to 60 can 
he maintained, soon come into flower. If the plants have been 
standing outside they should have cool airy treatment for a week or two, 
and then gradually kept close. Those well ripened under glass and 
recently potted will in gentle warmth soon come into flower. Those for 
spring flowering in 5-inch pots may be pinched and placed on a shelf 
where the temperature will notfallbelow 45 °duringthenextthree months. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —All plants grown for autumn and winter 
flowering should be under cover. Heavy rains and dull sunless weather is 
very liable to start them into a soft growth, and if this takes place the 
plants will not flower satisfactorily. Those placed in a suitable bouse 
if gradually kept close and finally subjected to a temperature of 55 to 
60° will be in full bloom during the early part of November, a time 
when they are specially useful. Those not needed so early may have 
the protection of cold frames for a time. Give them abundance of air 
when favourable, throw off the lights during fine days, but protect them 
from frost and heavy rains. 
French and Fancy Pelargoniums. —For early flowering these 
plants are best in 5-inch pots. For this purpose cuttings are rooted 
early, placed into 3-inch pots, and the point pinched out, or, better sti , 
taken out when the cuttings are inserted. If this is done the plants 
start into growth with three or four shoots, and are established in 3-inch 
pots. From this size they should be placed into 5-inch pots, using a 
compost of loam and sand, with one-seventh of decayed manure. The 
soil must be pressed firm into the pots to induce a slow sturdy growth. 
The plants should not be pinched again, but when potted stood on a 
shelf where the temperature during the winter will average about 40 . 
If the batch prepared for this purpose is too large pinch the remainder, 
give them the same treatment, and finally place them into 7-inch pots. 
Young stock are preferable to old plants. The earliest of these should 
be given similar treatment to that advised for the young stock; the 
second batch ought to be shook out and repotted in smaller pots. Keep 
these close for a few days until they have commenced to root, when 
place on a shelf in any cool house. Cuttings that have been dibbled in 
outside and are rooted may be potted and placed on a shelf in a cool 
house. A late batch of these plants are often as important as an early 
Heliotropes. —Plants that have been grown outside as standards 
and bushes may now be placed into gentle warmth, when they will start 
into growth and soon be in full bloom. Those for spring flowering may 
be pinched and placed into 3-inch pots, and stood on a shelf where tne 
temperature will range from 45° to 50°. 
Fuchsias.— Cuttings that are just rooted may be potted singly into 
3-inch pots. Stand these on a shelf close to the glass, where the tempera¬ 
ture does not fall below 50°, until they are established, finally placing 
them where they can be kept at 45°. In this temperature they will 
grow slowly during the winter, and make excellent decorative plants 
early in the season. 
HE BEE-KEEPER- 
:i - j -j '• 
r -1 . i - r -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 - iII 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Bees Expelling Drones. 
“ J. H. M.” would like our opinion about bees killing their 
drones'tardily. It is not easy to diagnose the actual state of any 
hive by the killing of its drones without seeing it at work, and 
the manner the bees kill them. It is generally supposed when 
bees kill their drones that the queen is all right, and laying 
fertilised eggs, but this cannot be depended upon. The youthful 
tees in a normal hive as a rule begin to expel the drones shortly 
after they creep out the cell, and after they are strong enough for 
that work. This refers to the first-hatched bees of a young queen. 
Bees have also the habit of treating drones roughly unto death 
when they appear anxious to have their virgin queen mated, and 
this sometimes continues throughout the season until all the drones 
are killed, while the queen still remains in her virgin state. We 
had numerous instances this year. Our correspondent should 
examine the combs, and make sure the queen is a fertilised one ; a 
little feeding will cause her to lay. Drone brood is known by the 
ruggedness of the cells, and the prominent convex coverings of 
them • while the worker brood is flat and even, or only a very little 
raised. Possibly the existing queen, may be a drone breeder. 
Punic Bees. 
Continuing my notes from page 294, I come to Punics. They 
do not get into a frenzied state, like most other varieties do when 
in transit, so are valuable where they have to be taken long 
distances to the Heather. If spared till another year I will do my 
utmost to have one or more pure stocks tested for honey gathering. 
Crosses are superior, and judging from the way pure ones have 
worked in 1891 and 1892 at the Heather I am favourably impressed 
with them, and, as one of my pure queens is still living, hope they 
will survive the coming winter. One second cross by Carmolan 
drones are beauties ; they cannot be detected from pure Carniolans 
in colour, but for smartness I have witnessed none to equal them, 
the untoward season also frustrating all attempts at proving the 
progeny of this year’s mated queens. 
The Temper of Punics. 
The temper of Punic bees is not so mild as Carniolans, but is 
milder than all the other varieties I have had to do with. They 
are not nearly so fierce as the original British bee. The last-named 
variety attacks people at a great distance from their hives, which 
the Punics do not. I have never been attacked by a Punic bee 
further than 10 yards or so, and they do not follow the victim like 
Italian nor native black bees. But the temper of all bees (Carmo- 
lan* excepted) depend very much upon the way they are manipu¬ 
lated or handled, and to the odour from the persons handling them. 
Veils should on all occasions be worn by beginners until they know 
by experience when they can be dispensed with. I manipulated 
