April 17, 1800. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
829 
in from 3 to 5-inch pots may be placed into larger pots as they require 
more root room. Old plants that have flowered and are rather straggling 
may be well cut in and started again into growth in brisk heat. If 
these plants are infested with mealy bug or scale clean them thoroughly, 
and then give gentle bottom heat to push them into growth. Gardenias 
do well in a mixture of loam and peat in equal proportions with the 
addition of sand ; leaf mould may be substituted for the peat. They 
will do equally satisfactorily in good fibry loam, one-seventh of manure 
and sand. Water carefully until the roots are working freely. The 
syringe may be used twice daily. 
Encliarig. —Plants that have been potted should be watered with 
care. If the pots are plunged little water will be needed until the 
roots are forming freely if the foliage is well syringed two or three times 
daily. Maintain a moist atmosphere about the plants, and shade them 
from bright sunshine. They soon recover from the potting if they are 
carefully treated in this respect. Make up a few pots of the young 
bulbs for the purpose of superseding old ones that become exhausted. 
To keep a healthy stock of plants over a lengthened period of time it is 
a mistake to retain only strong flowering bulbs. 
Medinilla magnijica. —This may now be placed in a shady part of 
the stove to make its growth. It advances rapidly in heat and moisture, 
and soon attains a sufficiently large size to be very striking when well 
flowered. Its long racemes of pink flowers are highly attractive. This 
plant does well in a compost of fibry loam, one-seventh of manure, and 
sand. It is very liable to mealy bug and thrips ; both soon injure its 
foliage if allowed to become established upon the plant. It is difficult 
to eradicate the former without injury to the leaves near their axils. 
The thrips can be kept in check by fumigations with tobacco smoke 
and a liberal use of the syringe. During the season of growth liberal 
supplies of water are necessary. 
Tydcsag. —Such varieties as Madame Heine that are evergreen and 
underground stems will have produced plenty of cuttings, 
which should be rooted in pans. These strike freely in the propagating 
frame in sandy soil. The cuttings may be allowed to grow together in 
the pans until they have attained strength, when the heads may be 
taken off and rooted singly in small pots. These will be early enough 
for next season’s flowering. The old plants can be thrown away as well 
as those in the pans afterwards. If good sized plants are needed in 
preference to a quantity in 8-inch pots the cuttings inserted now may 
be placed singly in small pots and grown on. The shoots should be 
pinched from time to time to induce them to branch. 
Acalyphas. —The heads of plants that have grown tall may be taken 
off and rooted in small pots. They root freely in the propagating 
frame. Directly they are well rooted carefully harden and grow them 
f j intermediate temperature. In brisk heat they soon run up tall 
and do not colour well. If good heads are rooted and the plants placed 
P®*-® the lower leaves will droop gracefully, and colour beau¬ 
tifully if exposed to the sun. During the summer months a few plants 
*5° “^^dsome in the conservatory. To increase the stock the old plants 
should be retained, for they will soon produce side shoots in heat. 
Cyanopliylhim magnificuvi. —When well grown this is a beautiful 
foliage plant, and where stove foliage plants are appreciated it should 
find a place however limited the collection. To do it well liberal root 
room is necessary in a young state. It should never be allowed to 
suffer by the want of root room until it has been placed into 10-inch 
pots, which are large enough to grow excellent plants in with large bold 
foliage. ^ It delights in heat and moisture and a shady position. Young 
plants should be potted on in a compost of fibry peat and loam in equal 
proportions with the addition of sand and charcoal. It grows well in 
any light open compost, and leaf mould may be substituted for the peat. 
While growing liberal supplies of water are necessary, in fact at no 
season of the year should the soil about the roots become dry. Plants 
that have grown too tall may have the lead removed to induce it to 
make side shoots. When these are large enough they may be taken off 
and rooted singly in small jxits. They strike freely in sphagnum moss 
and sand in the propagating frame. They must be well shaded from 
the sun, and most carefully exposed to light and air after they are 
rooted. The under side of the leaves should be syringed freely to keep 
down thrips. If sponging has to be resorted to the foliage is soon 
damaged. Sphasrogyne latifolia requires similar treatment, and will 
succeed in a slightly heavier soil. 
w 
M 
BEE-KEEPER. 
^1 »' • ‘ • I ‘-J-j 
NOTES ON BEES. 
Up to the 5th April the hees have had six days’ work without 
interruption, and gathered honey from the fruit blossoms, and are 
in many cases in a fit state for it, and for swarming. Never in any 
season have I seen them so far advanced, a marked contrast to the 
same time in 1889. 
That bees are so well conditioned without either brood-spreading 
or stimulative feeding is entirely due to the abundant stores they 
were provided with in autumn, the form of the hives and their 
coverings, and last, but not least, the weather so favourable for 
breeding and airing themselves without loss. The promoters of 
brood-spreading have fairly lost their case, and the beginner should 
note this and learn that although “ the hand'of the diligent maketb 
rich,” and we must learn to be wise as well as diligent. 
Swarming. 
Every year is adding more gardeners to the list of bee-keepers, 
and I believe the time is not far distant when it will be the rule and 
not the exception to see bees kept in every garden. One objection 
some have to keeping bees is their liability to swarm without 
being observed, to the chagrin and loss of the bee-keeper. It is- 
a mistaken idea to suppose bees can be prevented swarming. 
All the phases of swarming and its prevention have been treated 
before. It is sufficient for the present article to say that bees will 
swarm from half full, two-thirds full, and more or less full hives, 
in spite of aU the ekes that can be placed on or under them. I use 
every means to prevent swarming before the hives are crowded, 
but I am not able, nor ever will be able, at times to prevent it. 
During the honey gathering and swarming season bees should not 
be left without keeping a watch over them, at least between the 
hours of 8 A.M. and 4 r.M. If left to themselves bee-keepers must 
take the consequence of all losses. 
I prefer natural to artificial swarming, but cannot advise every 
one to adopt the same course. I have advantages of closely 
attending my bees that others have not, and those I do advise to 
to practise artificial swarming rather th.an run the risk of losing 
swarms, consequently all profit. The divisional hive, as it is in 
other respects, is superior for artificial swarming also. 
The only caution necessary is not to attempt it before the hive 
is in a fit condition. Choose a fine day when the bees are at work, 
uncover the hive, and remove the slides after the top bars have 
had a slight rubbing with carbolic acid, then insert the carbolicised 
paper between each comb, no paper to be broader than will barely 
reach the bottom of two boxes, and have a pin or obstruction near 
the upper edge to prevent it dropping to the bottom box. The 
only use of the carbolicised paper in this case is to ensure the queen 
being in the under box. Now detach the two uppermost from the 
lower one, place the last upon one or more foundationed divisons, 
meanwhile withdrawing the papers from the first, and let it stand 
a short time to collect as many bees as will attend to the brood 
and raise royal cells. Immediately this is done remove it to a 
distance and place the portion with the queen and original stand on 
the old site. When combs are simply lifted from one hive to 
another that has not the odour of their own hive the bees do not 
take to it so kindly, and this is much, if not all, in making artificial 
swarms, and therein lies success. 
It is generally the third or fourth week of June before supers 
can be placed on hives with anything like certainty of getting them 
filled quickly and without interruption, and finished in a manner 
that they may be presentable to the most fastidious. Now that 
our hives are so far advanced it would be extreme folly to attempt 
to delay or prevent swarming. Early swarming gives us three 
instead of only one honey gathering hive, and sufficient queens to- 
supersede those that have laid since January, and for the next 
year. Young and fertile queens is the key to successful bee¬ 
keeping if appliances are in accordance with what the nature of the- 
bee and skilful management demand.—A Lanarkshire Bee¬ 
keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Bruant, Poitiers, Vienne, France.— General Catalogue. 
Merryweather & Sons, G3, Long .-icre, W.C.— Catalogue of Fire 
Engines and Hydraulic Machinery, Hose, Fittings, .J'C. (illustrated'). 
Ellwanger & Barry, Mount Hope Nurseries, Hochester, New York.— 
General Catalogue. 
Thomas Painter, Smallwood, near Scholar Green, Stoke-on-Trent.-— 
Catalogue of Dahlia Plants. 
