118 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 8,18S4. 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
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APIARIAN NOTES. 
Pressing Honey. 
All my honey, whether from Clover or Heather, is pressed. 
My method is to hold the frame of honey between the light and 
the eye, and any pollen visible is excised, a knife being run round 
the inside of the frame, severing the combs from it ; then holding 
the frame by the ends a sudden jerk throws it on a large dish. The 
comb is next cut into proper pieces for the cylinder of the 
presser, and when a number of them are prepared, each piece 
is lifted with a fork, placed in the cylinder and rammed. When 
full, the slide is placed beneath the screw. As honey does not 
flow easily the screw has to be turned gently, but gradually. 
When the honey is all extracted the screw is slackened, the slide 
moved sideways, and the cake of wax is pressed out. Meanwhile, the 
honey has escaped into a tin beneath, and when this is full it is 
poured into a sieve, the uppermost of a series of different meshes, 
then into another tin. From this receptacle the honey is passed 
through a muslin or net bag and from thence into a pail having a 
sluice or valve, from which it runs into jars. To preserve the flavour 
of the honey and keep free from dust the jars are immediately 
covered with parchment. 
The whole operation may be performed by one person, and in 
such a manner that not a single drop of honey comes into contact 
with the hands or out of place, and the most fastidious persons 
may rest assured that cleanliness is always maintained. Some 
people use cheese cloths in conjunction with the presser, but I have 
never approved of the plan. The hands of the manipulator have 
to be repeatedly brought into contact with the honey ; besides, if 
pollen be not carefully excised, it is mixed and pressed out with 
the honey. Some persons, however, argue that the method is a 
good one, and that no further preparation is necessary. An old 
bee-keeper of my acquaintance has used a presser of this sort for 
fifty years, and says there is no better plan, but for the reasons 
stated above I have long since abandoned cheese-cloths. 
A near relative of mine has been experimenting with the 
“Garstang ’’ presser made on the above principle, but he is not in 
favour of it; it messes the hands too much, and is no speedier than the 
Lanarkshire presser. It appears, therefore, that the honey presser, 
to press at the speed of a ton per day, combined with cleanliness, 
is still a thing of the future. Bee-keepers, studying their own 
interest, will do well, whatever change or progress is made, to elect 
that which preserves the purity of the honey. Let all improve¬ 
ments be on strictly tidy and cleanly lines, and they will find it to 
their advantage as it has been to me. 
Bees and Fruit. 
For many years past there has been no lack of evidence proving 
bees to be necessary in many cases for the perfect fertilization of 
flowers. Some flowers have pollen so glutinous that were it not 
for bees they would soon die out. It must be kept in view that 
in the cultivation of fruit and other plants for the use of man 
there is, or should be, every effort made to get the maximum bulk 
yearly with the minimum of labour and expense. Bees some¬ 
times do this for us. The pollen is literally wrought into a paste 
by the incessant wind and rain at time of flowering, and but for 
the bees in a chance hour of sunshine fertilizing these blossoms 
many of them would not produce a single fruit. From 
similar causes I have seen whole fields of Beans nearly 
barren. Bees are not the only agents which act as fertilizers, but 
their great numbers ensure crops of fruit sometimes when the 
weather is unfavourable and other insects scarce. 
Evidence has been also given that bees have been observed 
working on fruit blossoms, yet there was no fruit; but there is a 
time that flowers do not yield up their pollen, and at these periods, 
although bees seem busy they may not be getting pollen. Then 
there must be allowance made for frosts after. Nor is the 
evidence because there was a heavy crop of fruit on trees bees 
never wrought upon reliable, because the trees in question were 
perhaps not constantly watched. 
I do not agree with Mr. Bunyard (see page 69) that bees in 
orchard houses “ were utterly useless.” My experience is when 
bees enter a glass structure in search of pollen or honey, and 
finding the object of their search, they work upon the flowers as 
if in the field until disturbed or satisfied. Then they make an 
effort to escape, and in doing so fly against the glass, and are lost. 
Some gardeners on favourable days give bees all the advantages to 
enter fruit houses, and they tell me they are rewarded by a good 
set of fruit. To ensure success, however, the bees should be 
admitted at the right time, viz., when the flowers are in a proper 
condition for the purpose.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Brewin & Sons, Bawtry, Yorkshire.— Garden Seeds. 
M. Bruant, Poitiers, France.— Plant Xovelties. 
James Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen.— Vegetaile and Flower Seeds and 
Florists' Plants. 
R. C. Notcutt, Broughton Road Nursery, Ipswich.— Chrysanthe¬ 
mums and other Plants. 
^jj'^All correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
P^DiTOR ” 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 question^ through the post, 
and we do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Address {J. 6’.).—Please send your own name and address, and 
we will try and send the required information. 
Book (^Constant Reader'). —We have made inquiries, and cannot 
find that there is a work devoted to the Auricula by the gentleman you 
name, or any other grower of these plants. 
Chrysanthemum Xlsts (IF. B ^.—You send no matter whatever 
pertaining to the lists. It is necessary that you should explain the object 
in view in their preparation. You will find several lists of Japanese 
varieties in another column. 
Bunarla biennis (F. R.). —Raising plants of this biennial, Honesty, 
is effected by sowing seeds thinly in drills in the open ground early in 
June. If the seedlings are transplanted when an inch or two high, 
not less than a foot asunder, they make strong plants by the autumn for 
flowering early the following year. A few plants of the white flowered 
variety have a pretty effect among the others. 
Polnsettla pulcherrlma (Are Old Reader). —The specimens you 
send are of the late variety that has been recommended by Mr. G. Par- 
rant. The colour is richer than in the early variety, and the midribs 
more prominent. We have had specimens of both from Mr. Parrant, 
admirably grown undoubtedly, some of the bracts of the late variety 
being nearly 2 inches in diameter, and of remarkable substance. Those 
you sent were veiy good indeed, as produced by such dwarf and pre¬ 
sumably late struck plants. We trust you will be a reader of your 
favourite paper for many years to come. 
IVIargaret Carnations (^Market Youngster). — The market 
gardener to whom you refer says these Carnations, which we prefer to 
call Pinks, did not answer well when grown in the open ground, and 
lifted and potted. They grew to such a size that it was not possible 
to lift them without giving a severe check. They are now flowering 
fairly well, but it was during November and December that they were 
most wanted. By the first week in February you ought to have the 
houses ready for planting, or better still, planted with Tomatoes, and 
if other plants hinder this important work, the best prices for the 
former—viz., those obtained during April and May, will be missed. 
That might mean a greater loss than would result if the houses had 
been kept empty and the fuel saved during the winter. Margaret 
Pinks are the most serviceable in winter when grown in 6-inch or 
slightly larger pots. The plants may be grown quite in the open 
during the summer, and will commence flowering directly they are 
housed in September or early in October. There will be a small per¬ 
centage of single flowering varieties, and which will be of no market¬ 
able value. Each well-grown plant should produce eighteen, sometimes 
a few more, fairly large well-formed blooms, but the colours being 
mixed, 9d. per dozen is about all that will be obtained for them 
wholesale. You might probably have room in one of the 14-feet wide 
houses for eight rows of plants, or say 500 in all, which may perhaps 
realise £25. March is soon enough to sow the seed in pans or boxes, 
and germination is more free in gentle heat than in a very high tempe¬ 
rature. If some road grit, horse droppings, and leaf soil is mixed with 
the garien soi', that will most probably suit the p'ants. A temperature 
