March 21, 18S9 ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
245 
better to raise them in these than in houses, as they can be hardened off 
and planted direct from the frames as the weather admits, and plants 
raised in this way are extremely valuable about the end of April. Sow 
some early Turnips, plenty of round Spinach, and a little S weet Basil in 
heat. Manure, dig, and fork empty quarters, and have all in readiness 
for putting crops generally in as favourable opportunities occur. Plant 
a few more early Potatoes, and spread the seed for the main crops out in 
a single layer in light and air to induce the growths to become sturdy 
and ready for planting early in April. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Scabious .—When well grown in pots these plants are very handsome 
in the conservatory, and the flowers are useful for cutting. Where 
plants have been wintered in 4-inch pots, and have been merely pro¬ 
tected from frost, they will be dwarf and sturdy. They soon draw up 
weakly and fail to flower profusely if they are kept in a close confined 
atmosphere. Place these plants in 6-inch pots in a compost of three 
parts loam, one each of manure, leaf mould, and sand. They should 
occupy a cool airy position ; in fact they will be perfectly safe in cold 
frames. If the frames are closed while the sun is upon them they will 
soon commence rapid growth. 
SqMzanthus .—Plants that have been wintered in the greenhouse on a 
shelf close to the glass may now be transferred to pots 2 inches larger 
than those they now occupy. They will do well in the compost advised 
for Scabiouses. They can be grown on the front stage of the green¬ 
house, and when well rooted can be placed in larger pots, in which they 
will make bushes or pyramids fully 3 feet through. For most forms of 
decoration they are best grown as bushes. The points of the young 
plants should be removed to induce them to branch. The shoots at the 
base should be trained out towards the rim of the pot when large 
enough. The syringe should be used to keep the foliage free from red 
spider, but if the plants arc grown freely and stood upon a moisture¬ 
holding base this pest will not trouble them much. 
Imantophyllums .—These are very useful for decoration in 6 and 
7-inch pots, and in order to keep strong plants in good condition in these 
sizes it is necessary to shake them out annually and place them lower 
in the pots. A few of the outer leaves may be removed, as well as a 
good portion of the roots, in order to effect this end. If placed in a 
vinery or Peach house at work they quickly become established, and 
will yield equally as large flowers next season as those that have not 
been disturbed. Any extra fine varieties may be allowed to seed, but 
care must be taken to fertilise the plants with their own pollen. More 
water must be given to the roots than has been the case during the 
winter. Grow young plants that have been raised from seed in a stove 
temperature, and repot them from time to time as they need more root 
room. Seed should not be sown directly it is gathered, for it is very 
liable to decay. It should be hardened for a week or two after it is 
removed from the plant. Established plants do well in loam, sand, and 
one-seventh of manure. For young plants the compost may consist of 
fully one-third leaf mould. 
AbutiloJis. — These will root freely now, and should be inserted 
singly in small pots, and afterwards transferred to 5-inch pots. They 
make useful decorative plants in this size for the greenhouse or con¬ 
servatory. Established plants that have been cool during the winter 
will grow and flower freely if they can be given an intermediate tempe¬ 
rature. Plants on walls and trained on pillars, or under the roof, may 
now be thinned out or well pruned. Top-dress plants growing in large 
pots, or that are in any way restricted at their roots, with rich material. 
Primulas .—Those intended for late flowering should occupy a cool 
airy position. Stand them on a cool base, close to the glass if possible. 
The object should be to induce dwarf compact growth. A little 
artificial manure may with advantage be sprinkled on the surface of 
the soil. 
Mignonette .—Plants in pots will now grow strongly if stood in a 
cool but light position. The pots should stand on moisture-holding 
material, and the syringe may be used twice daily during bright 
weather. Give artificial manure at intervals of a fortnight, and be 
careful not to allow the plants to become dry at their roots. 
HINTS FOR BEGINNERS. 
{Continued from page 326.) 
THE WEATHER. 
For the first time this season the thermometer has to-day (March 
12th) reached 50° Fahr. During the whole of February, one day 
excepted, and the early part of March the weather has been more un¬ 
favourable for bees than I have ever experienced it. For thr e e weeks 
in succession the temperature was never above 35°, an r ’ on three 
nights in succession it fell to 13°. On the 8th Februa r y a severe 
snowstorm, with a strong north-west wind, occurred, but lasted 
only a few minutes. With that exception, afew slight showers of 
snow, and a fall of 3 inches one morning in February, we escaped 
the severe storms of snow and heavy rain experienced in other 
parts of the country, but the high winds with the low temperature 
made it a disagreeable time. 
THE HISTORY OF A HIVE. 
Apprehensive as we were for the safety of the bees, they 
appear now as healthy as we could desire, and all that have flown 
have plenty of young bees. The crossed Cyprians are crowding all 
their combs, young bees in the majority. I will select one hive, 
and I wish beginners to carefully note its history. It descended 
direct from a Cyprian stock twelve years ago, and through crossing 
and intercrossing with drones of the same blood the yellow 
markings are still preserved in some of the bees. In 1887 it was. 
one of my best stocks ; it swarmed three times early, and the 
young queen was fertilised in good time. At the Heather it did 
well. In 1888 it was seemingly my best hive and was the 
heaviest at the Heather, but did not rise to the weight expected. I 
now understand all this, the old queen had been deposed, evidently 
being faulty, and a young one took her place ; the latter is now 
keeping up the good character of the breed and fulfilling her 
duties well. 
The bees have never tasted artificial food since I got them from 
Mr. A. Neighbour. In the autumn of 1888 the hive was simply, when 
examined, what “ Felix ” and others would have pronounced “pollen- 
bound,” and I may add, honey-bound. It had few empty cells. It 
had a fair number' of bees, and was in what ■ I look upon as an 
ideal state for a hive to be in at the close of the honey season, 
noth withstanding others’ opinions on this point. I have only 
observed one bee enter the hive with artificial pollen, and beyond 
airing themselves on two occasions they have flown little. On the 
9th March the hive rallied from 10 A.M. till 4 P.M., the bees 
clustered outside the whole of that time in numbers equal to the 
size of two hands. While doing so I cleaned out all dead bees. 
The ventilating floor saves them the disagreeable trouble of 
cleaning out the clammy refuse in all hives not so provided. 
During the whole of the day young bees were in great numbers 
playing on the board and on the wing, and I expect by the end 
of April this as well as other hives will be constantly crowding 
out. 
Some perhaps would object to raising a queen from one that 
was rather below the mark, but raising bees to perfection is for 
themselves to do, not man ; his powers end in the selection of 
breeds. A pollen and honey-bound hive, properly constructed and 
protected, with a moderate quantity of bees, keeps the latter quiet, 
comfortable, and contented during the severest weather, and enables 
them to carry on the internal economy of the hive without the 
necessity of flying out for one purpose or another until the genial 
winds of spring invite them and the flowers to come forth at the 
some time. 
NARROW HIVE ENTRANCE3. 
I have still a number of hives of which the bees have kept 
themselves within doors for more than five months, and one while 
I write is showing bees for the first time since the beginning of 
October. I never experienced bees remaining so long without 
airing themselves. Sixteen weeks was the longest of any previous 
year. One of these self-confined colonies is the strongest I possess- 
I learn this from the sound by placing my ear to the hive. It 
stands close to the path where all the traffic is, but seems undis¬ 
turbed by it. It, as well as all others, has only three-quarters of 
an inch of doorway. Had they had a wide entrance many bees 
would have died from the effects of the cold winds and low 
temperature we have experienced. 
WINTER MANIPULATION. 
It is desirable that beginners should be impressed with the fact 
that one manipulation during the winter months before the bees 
have aired themselves sometimes proves fatal to the colony. Put 
up all stocks in September in a proper maimer, and let them alone, 
afterwards. Let the advice of “ turning up quilts,” and “ clear in 
dead bees from the floor ” be unknown in the apiary. 
