Anpn-t 22 , 18£9 ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
1S7 
is years since we had them so prolific and good. The pods have formed 
much more quickly than they could be used, the supply has far exceeded 
the demand, but the pods that are now filling with seed will effectually 
prevent the later ones forming or swelling, and the seed will soon cause 
the plants to cease bearing. To allow this to occur would be a great 
mistake, and it is best to gather the whole of the old pods, allowing 
none to remain when they have become too old for the table, and the 
late blossoms will form into pods that will be excellent until they are 
cut down by frost. 
The Pea Season. —While the season now fast passing has suited 
the majority of vegetables, it has been an admirable one for Peas. The 
quantity and quality have been excellent, and is still good, and the 
latest crops are very promising, but as these are influenced considerably 
by the weather, and are apt to be deficient if the autumn prove un¬ 
favourable, the utmost attention should be given them. See that they 
are all well staked; do not allow any of the stems to bend over for 
want of support, as on the part beyond the pods will fail to fill. Should 
very wet sunless weather occur and they are disposed to run to growth, 
pinch the points out, as this will induce the bloom buds to form. At 
the same time see that they do not suffer from drought, and if there is 
any danger of this water copiously with liquid manure before they are 
far advanced in fruiting, as good feeding is necessary to make the pods 
fill late in the season. When the fruit is finished the birds are apt to 
turn their attention to the Peas, and it is often necessary to place nets 
over them to protect the pods. 
PLA.NT HOUSES. 
j Pa'ms .—Where these are infested with small scale every endeavour 
should be made to clean them. This scale is easily destroyed with 
petroleum and water, but great care is necessary in its application. 
The oil drains into the centre of the plant, and often proves injurious 
if strong applications are used and the plants stood upright again 
directly they have been syringed. Three ounces of the oil may safely be 
used to each four gallons of water, but the first application will not 
destroy all the scale; it may have to be repeated three or four times in 
succession at intervals of a fortnight. The best way to syringe Palms 
with this solution is to slightly incline the pot so that the stem and 
fronds of the plant hang downwards. This prevents any oil reaching 
the centre. The leaves, if possible, should not be allowed to touch the 
ground, or they may be injured by the oT that collects and floats on the 
surface of water on the floor. The best plan is to move the plant to a 
fresh position as soon as it has been syringed, so that its leaves are free 
from the floor. 
Cissus discolor .—For covering the back wall of a stove or other warm 
house few plants are more beautiful. The main branches of the plant 
should be trained at the top, so that all the young growths will hang 
downwards in a natural manner. When trained under the roof and 
well treated it grows so rapidly that it quickly forms a dense shade. 
From time to time liberally but judiciously thin the shoots, so that a 
good per-centage will hang in a natural manner. This plant does not 
display half its true beauty when trained in a stiff formal manner. 
With good treatment and liberal feeding it will continue to grow until 
the end of the year. Perhaps at no season does it look more beautiful 
than during the sunless days of autumn. The foliage can then be used 
with advantage for many forms of decoration. 
Sertolonias .—Side shoots may now be taken off, as they root freely 
in sphagnum moss and sand in a close propagating frame, or under 
bellglasses in the stove. A few tops may also be taken and rooted, so 
that cuttings will be produced for next year’s stock. Young plants 
rooted now pass the winter in better condition than plants with large 
well-developed foliage. The latter are almost certain to damp. 
Aralia leptophylla .—Specimens that have grown too tall for use in 
5 or 6-inch pots may be cut up at once for yielding suitable decorative 
plants in spring. If the old plant is cut off close to the soil it will break 
again into growth, and in due time make a good specimen again. The 
remainder of the stem should be cutup into lengths of a little more than 
2 inches, and inserted singly in small pots in sandy soil. If plunged 
in the propagating frame and shaded from the sun all will form roots 
and break into growth from the top eye. At the first potting afterwards 
the portion of old stem above the soil in the small pots can be buried. 
Plants required for decorative purposes during the autumn and winter 
becoming too tall in their present quarters should be gradually hardened 
and given cooler treatment for a time. 
Ananassa sativa variegata .—A few well grown plants are worth 
a place in a stove on account of their distinctive character and striking 
appearance amongst other plants. To produce good plants quickly 
leave the suckers upon the parent until they are sufficiently strong for 
5 or 6-inch pots. If inserted in sandy loam they will root freely 
enough arranged in the stove with other plants. The only defect in 
this plan is that the soil is liable to get wet before it is filled with roots. 
Where practicable, it is a good plan to plunge the pots, covering the 
surface of the soil and rim of the pots with the plunging material 
until they are well rooted. By this means no water will be needed 
before roots are formed if the soil has been moderately moist at potting 
time. If suckers are not freely produced before the plant fruits there 
is no difficulty in getting the necessary quantity afterwards. 
Anthericum variegatum .—In from 4 to 6-inch pots few plants are 
more conspicuous in appearance or more useful for various forms of 
decoration. This plant will certainly thrive in a cool house, but it 
grows much more quickly in heat, and young plants should be treated 
to nearly stove heat until they attain a decorative size. Under cool 
treatment the plant is very slow, but in heat suckers are produced 
much more quickly. It is necessary to grow the stock plants moderately 
warm for this purpose. It grows freely in good loam, sand, leaf mould, 
and one-seventh of manure. 
TiUandsia ( Vriesia ) hieroglyphica .—For rooms and various forms 
of decoration this plant might be grown much more generally, for few. 
if any, plants last in rooms in good condition for the same length of 
time. For this purpose propagation by suckers is too slow, and there¬ 
fore seedlings should be obtained. Hitherto we have failed to save seed,, 
but found no difficulty in having seedlings obtained for us. This plant 
requires 4-inch pots, and grows freely in loam, peat, leaf mould, and 
sand. Plants in this size are very effective when from 6 to 8 inches 
high, especially if a few small seedling Ferns and dwarf mosses have 
been established on the surface of the soil. They require stove heat, 
but after they are large enough they will stand for weeks in arty 
structure without injury. 
NOTES ON BEES. 
TIERED HIVES. 
“While tiered hives are undoubtedly the largest producer?,, 
still it is a loss to attempt frustrating the swarming mania, and as 
swarms always work the best we should take them the first oppor¬ 
tunity and make the most of them.” This is the concluding 
paragraph of an article in the Journal, and one to which many willy 
in my opinion, take great exception, and therefore in order ta 
prevent what appears to me to be a wrong impression from being 
circulated it is necessary to consider the meaning of these words, 
which in themselves, taken in separate sentences, and not as one 
whole collective paragraph, are absolutely true, yet when taken 
together convey an opinion that it is quite impossible for me ts> 
endorse even by silence. That tiered hives are the largest pro¬ 
ducers is an undoubted fact, and the loss and folly of attempting 
to prevent the issue of a swarm when once a stock has determined 
to throw off its surplus population is as certain, while nobody will 
for one moment deny that swarms work with more energy than an> 
old stock. All this is true, but the question is whether in hives- 
managed skilfully on the “ tiering ” system the swarming mania 
ever arises at all, because the main object of this system is by 
giving sufficient room to prevent any desire to swarm, not letting: 
the desire arise and then attempting to crush it. By the tiering 
system not only is more honey produced, but the greater quantity 
is produced at less trouble and expense, while the quality is not by 
any means inferior. If a stock throws off a swarm the best use 
possible must be made of it, and it is not wise to attempt to return 
it, although a cast may alike with ease and certainty be returned 
upon the day of issue with profit to the owner unless in somewhat 
exceptional circumstances. 
STEWARTON HIVE. 
Last autumn I procured one of these hives, but was at the- 
time unable to stock it. Eventually, however, after driving a skep 
which weighed 96 lbs., the bees were, together with some driven 
bees from some other hives, placed in the boxes, and now form a; 
strong and valuable colony. 
FEEDER?. 
On hearing a man who occasionally looks after some stocks in 
the absence of their owner complain about the trouble he had in 
feeding in autumn with the ordinary round tin feeder, I had what 
appears to be an evident improvement made in one of them, and so 
satisfied was he that he said that “ feeding was now a pleasure.” 
I give the idea for what it is worth, although quite possibly the 
principle upon which it is constructed may be very old, and many 
such feeders be in use already. The difficulty he experienced was-- 
this, that when he lifted the tin cover to pour in the syrup the ■ 
bees rose and occasionally attacked him, much to his sorrow anil 
discomfort. I had therefore a funnel attached to the outside ofr 
the feeder with a connection into the feeder just below the- 
“ wooden float,” so that the syrup would, entering beneath the float, 
