September 17,1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
253 
much Parsley, and a few or many plants might well, therefore, be 
moved from the open to the spaces between and about somewhat spread¬ 
ing and not very dense Apple and Pear trees. Now is also a good time 
to fill frames or pits, or any, say, from which Cucumbers or Melons have 
just been cleared, and more also might be put out in beds where they 
can be covered with span-roof or other frames. A few dozens of plants, 
packed in boxes or boxes of rich loamy soil, and eventually placed under 
glass, will give enough leaves to meet the requirements of a small 
family during the severest weather, and this precaution ought not to be 
neglected. In each and every case the strong outside leaves should be 
gathered from the plants being moved, as they would not keep good 
till the winter, and their removal admits of the roots being packed 
somewhat closely together. The leaves formed after transplanting 
will require but little room, and strongest roots should be replanted 
not more than 5 inches apart. The bulk of the plants to stand out 
unprotected should also be thinned out if at all crowded and cleared 
of all their larger outside leaves, the young or late formed leaves being 
the hardiest and most serviceable. Cut down any attempting to run to 
seed. 
Winter Spinach. —Good breadths of early raised plants are very 
scarce, slugs and grubs having matters much their own way during 
the prevalence of wet weather. Unless the rows are nearly all destroyed 
it is not advisable to hoe up what plants are left, the better plan being 
to either transplant wherever possible or else to sow more seed where 
the largest gaps occur. Weeds should be kept down by occasional hoe- 
ings, stirring in a little soot and lime, also getting rid of numerous 
insect pests. If a good breadth of ground, the preference being given 
to a gentle slope to the south, can be got into a finely divided state, 
more seed may be sown with every prospect of a serviceable crop of 
Spinach resulting some weeks before the earliest spring sown crops are 
available. Either the round or prickly seeded forms are suitable for 
present sowing, one being quite as hardy as the other. If the Spinach 
Beet is very strong, remove many of the older leaves, as these would not 
cook well later on, only the succulent younger leaves answering as a 
substitute for the true Spinach. Masses of New Zealand Spinach 
temporarily protected from early frosts will continue serviceable for 
another month or more. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Cinerarias. —Flower spikes now showing may be allowed to expand. 
It is useless to place the plants into larger pots. Seedlings of the same 
sowing that are not showing flower may have pots 2 inches larger than 
those they now occupy. By providing abundance of air and shade from 
strong sunshine useful plants will be secured. Later plants should be 
repotted from time to time, as they need more root room. A good 
number of those still in the seed pan can be pricked out into boxes or 
singly into small pots, for these will prove useful in spring if cared for 
well during the winter months. Too much attention cannot be paid 
to late plants, for they often prove more useful than those grown for 
flowering earlier in the year. Watch for aphides, and if they appear 
fumigate promptly. 
Zonal Pelargoniums .—Insert cuttings at once in 2\ and 3-inch pots 
to secure plants for flowering early next year. Cuttings will strike 
freely in any position under glass at this season of the year. Those 
required for winter flowering should not be pinched again, but remove 
the flowers as they appear, also decaying foliage. Give them abundance 
of room so that air and light can reach every part. They are very soft, 
having grown too luxuriantly to flower well. If the weather prove wet 
and dull they will be improved by removal under glass, either in a cool 
house or in cold frames, where heavy rains can be thrown off and the 
air kept on the dry side. This assists wonderfully in hardening and 
ripening their wood, without which they will not flower, or continue to 
■do so satisfactorily for any length of time. 
Petunias .—Cuttings of good varieties may be inserted and rooted 
at once, then transferring them singly into 2J-inch pots. Pinch the 
leader out when 2 inches high, and continue to stop the plants until 
bushy little specimens are formed. Winter these on a shelf close to 
the glass where the temperature does not fall below 45°. They will 
move slowly under these conditions, and be ready for 5-inch pots early 
in January. Plants subjected to this treatment will flower early during 
the spring, and prove most useful for conservatory decoration. 
Hydrangeas .—Those that have been rooted with buds should be 
fully exposed to light and air. If they are well hardened place them 
in a sunny position outside ; if not, and they are not very well ripened, 
fully expose them to the sun in the greenhouse. Plants of Hydrangea 
paniculata grandiflora that flowered in pots may be stood outside. 
They will harden and ripen their wood and be in good condition for 
flowering another season. Whether they flower profusely or the reverse, 
depends almost entirely upon the ripened condition of the wood. 
Heliotropes .—Plants in 5-inch pots and growing outside should not 
be pinched after this date, the flowers only being removed. Standards 
or pyramids that are grown under glass may be pinched once more, and 
the shoots trained as they grow. Feed all plants that have their pots 
full of roots with weak stimulants every time they need supplies of 
water. It is necessary to remove the flowers as they appear from those 
grown inside. 
Kalosanthvs .—Remove shoots that have failed to flower, and insert 
five or six together in 5-inch pots. If an increase of stock is needed the 
lower portions of the stem may be inserted ; they branch freely, and 
with one good season’s growth will flower profusely. They root quickly 
in a close moist atmosphere. Place them on a shelf close to the glass. 
If ripened and kept cool they should flower next season. The old plants 
if required can be cut close back and allowed to break into growth 
under the conditions that have been advised for French Pelargoniums. 
Those for next season’s flowering are better outside than under glass until 
the end of the month, when they must occupy a light airy position. 
Do not give too much water at their roots, and if the atmosphere is kept 
dry all the better. 
^ (0 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
I 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
At the Moors. 
On September 8th the mists, so much longed for as indi¬ 
cating fine weather, crept slowly over the hills, and the next 
day, although it rained, the wind had lulled, and being warm the 
bees worked well, although the Heather was much destroyed by 
the storm of rain, wind, and hail of September Gth. Happily 
there are many varieties, early and late, which give a chance of a 
yield of honey from the 1st August up to the middle of September, 
or sometimes later ; so that while writing the day is promising to 
be fine, and, if we except February, the first fine summer-like days 
we have had for twelve months. This is exactly to a day as it 
was in 1890, and it has proved to be almost similar to 1845. 
After the storm abated, and up to September 10th, the honey 
so abundant on the 8th left the flowers, so there were two days 
of scarcity, and the weather being fair robbing was prevalent. 
To stop it taxed my efforts not a little. I contracted the entrance 
of every hive to about 1^ inch. In one case I stopped it by 
smearing the alighting board of the attacking hive with carbolic 
acid, and several others with damp earth. All varieties were alike 
guilty. The Punics were, however, the most determined robbers 
I ever witnessed, insinuating themselves into the richest and 
strongest hives without opposition. 
I know thi3 experience differs from that of “ A Hallamshire 
Bee-keeper,” but he has probably not had a similar circumstance. 
They are on trial, and the concealment of facts would be akin to 
telling an untruth, so we must be truthful and honest, that your 
readers may understand thoroughly. I do this the more cheerfully 
as “ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper ” asked me to give my experience 
candidly, and I am sure it will be of more value than the evidence 
so common amongst many who have no experience of what they 
write. 
I should be pleased if “ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper ” would 
assist in making an interesting experiment—viz., to weigh one or 
more of several varieties with filled honey sacs ; or one or more 
bees before and after being filled with honey. My reason for this 
is, it will be remembered, I made some observation about the small¬ 
ness of these Punics, but since then I have been astonished at the 
great size of their honey sac. Even in this bad year they will 
deceive me if they do not surpass many others. It will not be 
long now before the hives on trial are tested by the balance, which 
will to some extent decide the honey-gathering qualities of the 
smartest bee in appearance of any yet imported. I consider 
the robbing propensity is the fault of the season and not of the 
bees. 
The best hives at the moors are old swarmed stocks having 
young queens, and the stores and contents of the hive ample and 
in good condition. Although the season has been the opposite of 
good, and we shall be unable to report extra heavy hives, on 
lifting the hive by one side I was astonished at the weight some 
have reached. Some people in town and country have strange ideas 
of bees. “ What do you bring the bees to the Heather for ? ” 
inquired one, the reply to which was Honey ; and “ When you take 
them away will you take Heather with you to feed them in the 
winter ? ” 
Clearing Supers. 
“An Old Bee-keeper” writes as follows: — “ Perhaps ‘A 
Lanarkshire Bee-keeper’ would explain more particularly his 
