JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEN^:R. 
[ Fc'jr arj- 2, 188?. 
D1 
Oardenim .—Young stock rooted in August or September should be 
placed into 5-inch pots without delay. Use a compost of rough peat 
and loam in equal proportions with a liberal addition of sand. Where 
it is difficult to obtain good peat leaf mould may be used instead. They 
will do well in rich loam and sand, but in a young state they make 
greater progress in a lighter mixture. Place the plants after potting in 
a close moist atmosphere where the temperature can be kept about (15°. 
In this heat established plants will swell their flower buds rapidly. Avoid 
feeding them with strong stimulants, which has a tendency to cause the 
flower buds to become deformed. Strong insecticides and over-watering 
will bring about the same results. 
Cahulium Avyyritcs .—Well grown plants arc not only handsome for 
decoration in 4 and 5-inch pots, but the foliage is charming in a cut 
state for associating with flowers for the embellishment of vases. If the 
tubers have been preserved in the soil in which they were grown last 
year they may be shaken out and started in boxes of light sandy soil. 
Directly the tubers commence growth pot them singly according 
to their size. To do them well they must not be over-potted. It is 
better to repot them on after they have fllled the first size with roots. 
Begonia nltida .—^Plants of this and its variety rosea that are in 
3-inch pots may be placed at once into 5-inch. Pot firmly to prevent 
them running up tall in a mixture of good loam, one-seventh of manure, 
and sand. If kept for a time in a temperature of C0° they will soon 
commence to flower. 
Begonia Ingranii .—Those that have been wintered in 2-inch pots 
may be placed at once into 4-inch size. Where there is a good stock of 
these plants pinch the shoots of half of them, selecting the smallest 
plants for the purpose, while the remainder may be allowed to extend, 
and in a short time they will be ready for the stove. Cut back plants 
that have been doing duty more or less all winter, and insert a good 
batch of cuttings. These will root freely enough if inserted in sandy 
soil in pans and placed on a shelf where the atmosphere is moderately 
dry. The old plants of B. Knowsleyana may also be cut back and the 
necessary cuttings inserted. 
Begonia u-eltoniensia .—This variety, with others of a similar nature, 
may have their old branches well shortened back. The soil may be 
shaken from their roots and the plants repotted in fresh, and then 
started into growth in a temperature of 50°. If water is applied care¬ 
fully there is no need to delay potting until after they have broken into 
growth. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLE.4SURE GROUND. 
Verlenax .—Seedling Verbenas are not suitable for forming neat 
edgings or for a baud or mass of one colour, being of too vigorous 
habit and much mixed. At the same time they are very effective for 
mixed beds, and also for borders. Many v ry pretty varieties are 
included in a single packet of seed. If the seed is new it germinates 
quickly, but if old it may be several weeks before it starts. Sow in 
pans of light sandy soil, cover lightly, and moisten carefullJ^ Then 
plunge the pans in a rather brisk bottom heat, cover with a square of 
glass, and shade heavily till the seedlings appear. Keep the latter 
growing in gentle heat, and when of eood size prick out into ])ans or 
boxes of light and fairly rich soil. VThen tall and strong enough, the 
tops of these seedlings may be taken off and struck, plants thus obtained 
not growing so rankly when planted out. Verbena venosa, an old- 
fashioned and useful border or bedding plant, may also be raised from 
seed, but root cuttings afford the best plants. Stock plants of named 
A'erbenas should still be kept in a cool house, pit, or frame. AVhen 
placed early in heat they are apt to get infested with insects, and the 
cuttings are also hard and wiry. Strong sappy cuttings are the most 
easily rooted, and these only develope into healthy plants. They may 
be struck in quantity as late as May. 
4^1 
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Hr/ iiil/-E/“i\il/il/rJh/K. 
PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPING.—No. 29. 
QUEEN INTRODUCTION. 
Continuing my remarks on this subject from page 74, last week, 
it was not my intention to allude to any other method of intro, 
duction, but when reading Mr. Simmins’ “B” method, it struck 
me that it might, in certain cases, and under some circumstances, 
be very useful. It must be understood, however, that I have no 
experience of the plan in practice, and must therefore rest content 
in giving Mr. Simmins’s own words w'ithout comment. “ When a 
queen is received, at once make up a nucleus to receive her ; form 
a strong colony, take one frame of hatching brood with adhering 
bees, and place in a nucleus hive, say 144 inches by 4J inches, by 
9 inches deep inside, then shake off most of the bees from another 
comb into such small hive, and on either side of the one containing 
brood place one comb of honey. Close the entrance with perforated 
zinc, and place on top a sheet of straining cloth tacked to a simple 
frame. Thus securely confined, and having ample ventilation, they 
are to bo taken into a warm dark room. In a few minutes, finding 
themselves confined and queenless, a great uproar will be heard. 
Xow slide frame of strainer cloth just off one corner and let queen 
run in, keeping bees back with little smoke if necessary. Close 
again, and let them remain indoors until the third day, when stand 
out where desired. After a day or two give another frame of 
hatching brood, which repeat at intervals of seven days, or as 
often as they appear able to cover more combs until well estab¬ 
lished. In this case the bees are reduced to exactly the same 
conditions as the recently confined queen.” 
The advantage of being able, by some one of the methods 
described in this and the preceding paper, to supersede and intro¬ 
duce new queens is very great. In some apiaries this power is 
abused. Bee-keepers of a certain stamp are-never content to leave 
well alone. No doubt it is most proper to attempt to improve, but 
it is wise to leave •“ well ” alone until there is a fair prospect of 
making it “ better.” Stocks are disturbed too often ; queens are 
superseded at all seasons, sometimes necessarily, but more often 
without good cause. A bee-keeper is often—especially in his early 
years, when he is buying experience at the usual dear price— 
fidgetty, and wants to be “ doing something.” He cannot under¬ 
stand that his interference may not only not benefit a stock, but 
may actually retard it, and in some cases ruin it. Let such bee¬ 
keepers thinl: twice before destroying a queen in order to supersede 
her ! If they are sure that the manipulation is a wise one, taking 
everything into consideration, it must be done without delay, what¬ 
ever the time of the year may be, “ unless it is in the coldest 
months ; ” but where possible all re-queening should be done either 
in early spring or in late autumn. Nothing is then lost, but much 
is gained. The danger of purchasing queens wfithout proper pre¬ 
cautions has already been alluded' to, and no further comment is 
therefore necessary. Every bee-keeper should at least make a trial 
of the direct introduction method, b it it will be advisable to do so 
on a small scale. Success will give confidence, and confidence 
having once been secured, the “ cages ” and other paraphernalia 
to which we have been accustomed will be swept away and con¬ 
signed to the sea of oblivion.— Felix. 
BEES WEAIIING OUT AT THE HEATHER. 
RIPENING HONEY. 
Sufficient has been said on the above both by “ A Hallamshire 
Bee-keeper ” and myself. Y'our readers have had our opinions and experi¬ 
ence, so I do not think prolonging of the discussion would l;e advantage¬ 
ous, but I will touch a salient point or two of “ A Hallamshire Bee¬ 
keeper’s ” assertions. First, in regard to bees dwindling at the Heather, 
“ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper ” seems to misunderstand what I meant by 
“ I have witnessed hives at the moors having nearly all their bees lost, 
but not by working on the Heather, but by some occult influence of 
Heather or season I cannot explain.” The explanation of the above is 
the bees died from some cause, not by working upon the Heather, 
nor by flying out at unfavourable times, nor by being lost on 
their homeward journey, but the bees died within their hives 
and were thrown out, and in some seasons I have witnessed bins 
of dead bees lying at every hive equal to ordinary swarms, and when 
neither robbing nor fighting had taken place either. Can “ A Hallam¬ 
shire Bee-keeper” help to explain ? I cannot, and in all other respects 
my opinion is still the same as I have previously stated. In regard to 
bees dwindling there is still much to learn. Judicious crossing is the anti¬ 
dote to w'cak constitutions, but what about nocturnal enemies to bees ? 
I have never observed a single line upon that, unless it was the toad. 
Is there no creature that preys upon bees after we bee-keepers are sound 
asleep ? I am inclined tp think there is. This year when heaps of 
drones were lying dead in front of the hives at dusk not one could be 
seen at sunrise. I saw no hedgehogs, but will they confine their appe¬ 
tite to dead ones only ? I know something of their carnivorous and 
insect-eating propensities, and what a number they could consume at 
one meal, and how easily the bees would be caught during a honey glut. 
Then the wagtails during the day consume many dead ones, and probably 
living bees too. For a number of years (at the moors) I have observed 
on the tops of the hives large quantities of droppings, composed wholly 
of digested anil semi-digested bees, and judging from the size of these 
the animal could not be Ic-s in size than a large owl. Is it possible 
this is an tnemy to bees hitherto unsuspected? Whatever it is that eats 
bees at the Heather there need be no question but that many are eaten 
by enemies unknown to us, but which we should endeavour to find out. 
