July 28, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
79 
stakes inserted round the pot and subjected to this treatment two or 
three times at intervals of a fortnight, the bug may be completely 
eradicated and the plant kept clean afterwards if grown in a house in 
which bug does not exist. The branches should be trained under the 
roof, so as to give the wood every chance of ripening. After the oil 
has been evaporated expose the plant to the sun and a cooler, drier, 
atmosphere. 
Gardenias .—Provide for the earliest plants a slightly drier and 
cooler atmosphere, so that growth will be brought to a standstill and 
well ripened ; the formation of flower buds will then take place. 
Those intended for winter and spring flowering should not have the 
branches pinched after this date, but be encouraged to grow freely for 
some weeks. Give abundance of water both to the roots and over their 
foliage through the syringe. Supply with weak stimulants any plants in 
active growth that have then’ pots full of roots ; or, better still, apply a 
little artificial manure to the surface of the soil at intervals of a fort¬ 
night or three weeks. If bug or scale appear syringe the plants 
thoroughly where they stand in the frame or house with the solution 
advised above, lightly shade the plants for a few days from the sun. 
Ixoras .—Plants that have flowered may be partially pruned, 
thoroughly cleaned, and started again into growth. If placed in a 
close moist atmosphere they will soon start and flower profusely in 
autumn. When pruning, any shoots that failed to flower should be 
cut back, and the young growing ends inserted singly in 2-inch pots. 
These, if pinched once or twice after they are rooted, will make grand 
decorative plants for flowering early next season in 5 and 6-inch pots. 
These small plants should be grown more largely for decoration, as they 
are very beautiful in the stove in early summer, and may be used with 
advantage for the decoration of rooms. For this purpose cuttings may 
be rooted during this and the following month, but those rooted last 
must not be pinched, but allowed to grow upright until they produce a 
truss. These can be flowered in 3 and 4-inch pots, and again in the 
autumn in 6-inch pots, carrying four or six trusses each, if well pruned 
after flowering and potted after they have commenced growth. 
Winter-flowering Plants .—Such plants as Poinsettias, Euphorbias, 
Plumbagos and others that are well established and growing freely 
must now have abundance of light and air. A close, moist confined 
atmosphere will ruin these plants during the latter stages of growth. 
To give the greatest satisfaction, firm sturdy growth that is certain to 
be well ripened must be the principal aim in their culture. This can be 
accomplished by throwing the lights off during the day, and leaving a 
liberal quantity of air on all night. If gradually hardened to this 
treatment the plants will bear full exposure. They should, however, be 
gradually prepared, which will take two or three weeks. Be careful 
that they do not suffer by an insufficient supply of water at their roots, 
or their lower leaves will turn yellow and fall—in fact the whole of the 
foliage will assume a sickly appearance instead of possessing a dark 
green luxuriant hue. Plants that have filled their pots with roots may 
be given soot water in a clear state, and a little artificial manure every 
two or three weeks. 
Pinks .—These may be either raised from seed or from cuttings, as in 
the case of Carnations. They require less space than Carnations, and 
do not so soon exhaust themselves. Mrs. Sinkins and Lady Blanche' 
another beautiful white sort, we at one time increased largely by cut¬ 
tings, but since the stock has become quite large enough we merely 
plant fresh beds in the autumn, with strong pieces obtained by splitting 
up the old clumps. Carnations, notably the old Clove, may be propa¬ 
gated in the same way. Even long rootless pieces will strike if only 
they are dibbled in up to the healthy leaves. 
HE) BEE-KE)E)PER. 
6 ) 
PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPING.—No. 16. 
Now that the main features of these three systems have 
been discussed, it is necessary before proceeding for every 
bee-keeper to ascertain with what accuracy he can estimate 
the honey capabilities of his district. By inquiry a very 
good idea maybe formed of the time of the honey flow, 
even if the bee-keeper has no personal knowledge of the 
locality. To assist those who perhaps hardly know the 
great staple flowers and plants upon which we must depend 
for our honey in this country, I will briefly describe what 
may be called the main sources of supply. The flowers of 
the garden Mignonette, Borage, Lobelia, and Wallflowers 
supply some little honey, but except in very favoured 
places the quantity derived from such plants is so small 
that it is unnecessary for practical purposes to dilate at all 
upon what may be considered these ornamental honey 
plants. In the early months of the year the Snowdrop 
and Crocus open their petals of varied hue, and invite the 
eager bee to collect the pollen which they yield so freely ; 
but by far the most valuable source of supply in the early 
months of the year are the catkins of the Hazels and 
Willows, which yield an abundance of pollen, and are 
eagerly sought by the hees. This Willow bears a yellow 
flower, upon wli ch the bees are never tired of working. 
Corse, again, is a good useful plant, but until the month of 
April comes it can hardly be said that honey in any appre¬ 
ciable quantity can be collected by even the strongest 
stocks. In the month of “ sunshine and showers ” various 
plants and trees yield an ever-increasing supply of rich 
honey when the season is mild. At this period the Ribes 
sanguinea—the Red Flowering Currant—is crowded with 
eager workers, and by the great booming “ humble bees.’' 
“From early morn to dewy eve ” the happy hum is heard 
on every side. The Gooseberry, too, yields honey of a 
greenish hue, very rich in taste and luscious; the early 
Pears and Plums, and the drooping threads of Currant 
blossom and the Raspberry yield lasting supplies until the 
later Pears and Apples lend their aid. Then, again, the 
shapely Sycamore begins to expand its Grape-like bunches of 
blossom bedewed with honey of fine quality and flavour, but 
rather dark in colour. The Sycamore soon gives place to the 
rich fragrant fields of Bean, which scent the very air with 
their excess of nectar, and then are seen the first early 
blooms of Clover—the Alsike and the White—both precious 
honey plants, and lovely to the eye of all, while the 
Yellow Weeds raise their ambitious heads above the grow¬ 
ing corn. The dying Clover and the last few struggling, 
heads of Ketlock herald in the Limes, which yield a honey 
of a bright golden hue, and in their turn the Lime bells 
fade and die, and in their stead the purple Heather clothes- 
the wild barren moorland wastes with rich fragrant blooms. 
Such are the principal sources of supply in a bee-keeper’s 
paradise, but in very few districts is there such a long- 
sustained harvest. For practical purposes there may be 
said to be three several harvests :— 
1. The harvest from fruit blossom, Sycamore, Beans, 
and Ketlock. 2. The Clover harvest. 3. The Heather 
harvest. 
Many districts have two of these harvests, but few have 
three. When a bee-keeper has within an easy distance of 
his stocks fruit orchards, Sycamore, Beans, Yellow Weed,, 
and Clover, he has all that can be expected; and if there is 
Heather also in the vicinity he is “thrice blessed,” and ought 
to be able to produce honey at a very small cost and therefore 
at a large profit. Some bee-keepers may not be aware that 
Yellow Weed, Ketlock, Skellock, Ranches, and Wild 
Mustard are all one plant. It is well to always remember 
these various names, because in one county the word is- 
called Ketlock and in the next Yellow Weed, and the bee¬ 
keeper may therefore be considerably puzzled by an old 
plant dressed in a new name. Where there is no Clover 
harvest great yields can hardly be expected unless there 
is purple-clad moorland within two miles of the apiary. Of 
two districts, the one that has fields of Clover in the 
vicinity is far to be preferred—other things being equal— 
to one where there is much fruit blossom but little or 
no Clover. Alsike Clover is being more used by the 
farmer every year; it is fast superseding the Red, which 
I believe is absolutely useless to the common bees. 
Every acre sown with Alsike instead of Bed Clover means 
an extra acre of honey supply. 
In ascertaining, then, upon what plants and trees he 
has to depend, the bee-keeper need only to notice the 
number of orchard trees in his neighbourhood, to look 
round and see if the compact round heads of the Syca¬ 
more give promise of blossom in due season; to ask 
the labourer whether White Clover abounds in the fields 
