February 10,1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
119 
of each bearing shoot, and another at its extremity, or at a level with 
the fruit. The shoots retained for supporting the fruit should be 
stopped at the second or third leaf, but the basal shoots must be trained 
to take the place of those now bearing fruit. Shoots upon extensions 
must be left at 12 to 15 inches apart to form the bearing shoots of the 
future. The night temperature may now range from 55° to 00°, and 
t>0° to 65° by day artificially, with an advance to 70° or 75° from sun 
heat. 
The trees in the next succession house— i.e., that started early in the 
year, will require attention in disbudding, which should begin as soon 
as the shoots can be rubbed off or removed with the finger and thumb. 
Continue to impregnate the blossoms, and when the fruit is all set a 
gentle syringing in the morning and at closing time will assist in re¬ 
moving the remnants of the blossom. See that there is no deficiency of 
moisture in the inside borders. Where the fruit is too thickly -set re¬ 
move the smallest first, especially on the under side of the shoots. 
In the house started early in the month syringing must cease when 
the blossoms show colour. Maintain, however, a good moisture by 
damping every available surface two or three times a day as the weather 
may dictate, avoiding a close stagnant atmosphere. If the blossoms are 
too thickly placed thin them by running the hand downwards on the 
under side of the shoots, which will strengthen the remainder, enabling 
them to set better. 
Admit air freely to late houses, so as to retard "the blossoming to a 
late period, especially in the case of unheated houses, which are liable 
to have the blossom injured by severe spring frosts ; the later the trees 
blossom in such houses the better. See that the borders have water if 
needed, applying liquid manure to weakly trees. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Alocasias — The whole stock of these plants may be repotted and 
top-dressed without delay. Young plants, or those that were potted late 
in the year, will for the present only need the removal of the surface 
soil. This should be with fibry peat, lumps of charcoal, and a surfacing 
of living sphagnum moss. The compost should be packed well to the 
collar, which will induce the formation of surface roots. Those that 
were potted last spring must be turned out and the soil worked carefully 
from amongst their roots, and if in a very decomposed state they should 
be washed in tepid water. The pots or pans used must be liberally drained 
and the plants repotted in lumps of peat, charcoal, and coarse sand, 
avoid using sphagnum moss in the compost, for it decays so rapidly. Do 
not allow the collar of the plants to be too high above the rim of the 
pots, but leave ample room for a liberal top-dressing. After potting 
sponge the foliage, and be careful that no red spider becomes established 
upon them, for if neglected it will soon destroy the beautiful foliage of 
these plants. If possible, plunge them in slight bottom heat until they 
recommence growing and rooting. They should be kept in a close moist 
atmosphere, liberally syringed, but carefully watered until they are in 
active growth, when liberal supplies must be given them. 
Anthurinmg .—Such species as A. crystallinum, A. Andreanum, 
A. ferrierense, A. ornatum, A. Warocqueanum, A. Veitchi, and others of 
the same class dislike decomposed material about their roots. These may 
be top dressed or repotted as individual cases may demand. The soil and 
treatment advised for Alocasias will suit these well. After potting they 
become established again quicker by the aid of gentle bottom heat, but 
this is not essential, for they will do admirably in a temperature at night 
of 65°, with a rise of 5° by day. If done at once they will become 
established before the sun renders shading necessary, and will therefore 
have a long season before them in which to develope their large striking 
foliage. 
Marantas .—If potting is delayed until the Sun has gained consider¬ 
able power they flag severely unless dense shade is employed, and are a 
long time before they are established again. Any plants that are to be 
increased may be divided with safety. The soil must be kept sweet and 
healthy about the roots, for although they require abundance of water 
during the season of growth, they cannot endure stagnation about their 
roots. Turn out those that do not need division and remove the old 
compost from amongst their roots, repotting them in a mixture of fibry 
peat, one-third good loam, charcoal, and a liberal quantity of coarse 
silver sand. The pots used should be liberally drained and the plants 
not raised above the rim, but plenty of room left for watering. Gentle 
bottom heat is a great advantage to them until they commence activity, 
and a warm moist atmosphere must be given them. The opposite treat¬ 
ment is ruinous to them. Be careful not to over-water these plants 
until they are rooting freely, when too much cannot well be given 
them. 
Eucharis ammonica .—Plants that have matured the foliage thrown 
up with the flower spikes may now be repotted if this course is deemed 
necessary. These plants will succeed in the same pots for several years. 
The whole of our plants are grown in small pots, and are therefore 
annually shaken out after flowering and repotted. They are invariably 
done in batches, the largest bulbs selected and potted alone, while a few 
of the smaller are potted every season. By dispensing with a few of the 
oldest bulbs and growing on a few young ones, the stock is kept from 
degenerating. About four flowering bulbs are placed in a 5-inch pot, 
while double the number are placed in a 7-inch pot. A few crocks only 
need be placed at the base when grown in small pots, but where large 
ones are employed they may be filled fully one-third full, for the Eucharis 
is not a deep-rooting plant. They will do in almost any compost provided 
it is rich ; we always use fibry loam, one-seventh of decayed manure, 
one 6-inch potful of soot to each barrowful of soil, a little charcoal, 
and a liberal dash of sand. After repotting, give a good watering and 
syringe the foliage two or three times daily. If given moist warm 
conditions the plants will be rooting freely in a fortnight. 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPING. 
When a bee-keeper has once begun to keep a strict and 
true account of his income and expenditure a very elementary 
lesson in the practice of economy in the management of the 
apiary has been learnt. It seems to be thought by some 
eminent bee-keepers that there is no special necessity for 
economy in bee-keeping, but that by an indefinite multiplica¬ 
tion of appliances and an imaginary and delusive increase in 
the yield of honey by the use of such appliances the industry 
may be rescued from the danger of falling to pieces on the 
breakers of cheapness and competition. My desire is to 
teach that for every shilling misspent no return ought to be 
expected; that each bee-keeper should think more than once 
before he makes large purchases of expensive hives and 
appliances; that every novice should at least begin with 
cheap hives and such necessary appliances only, as his 
common sense must tell him, after he has read the various 
papers on the subject, are most suitable for one in his posi¬ 
tion. A cheap hive is not a bad hive; far otherwise. When 
speaking of a cheap hive, I mean a hive so simple and free 
from complicated arrangements for the assistance of the 
bee-keeper and his bees, that it can be produced at a com¬ 
paratively small cost. Such a hive is one containing 
ordinary frames and division boards, floorboard and a 
spacious roof—some 30 inches deep—in sectional parts. No 
arrangements for reversing, or working sections in the body 
of the hive, no elaborate section racks, no expensive feeders, 
but a simple hive of the most approved size and of good sound 
timber. A hive of this description ought certainly not to 
cost more than from 10s. to 15s., and no higher price must 
ever be given for any hive, if the aim of the purchaser is 
profit. 
A straw skep of large dimensions is a most profitable hive, 
and when properly managed and well stocked with bees gives 
grand results. But a skep is now despised, and why ? 
Mainly because it is cheaper in itself and does not require so 
many aids to management as the favourite bar-frame hive. 
It is the interest—the life’s work almost—of the dealer and 
his friends to multiply appliances. It is our duty to warn 
those who are willing to take advice against making lavish 
purchases of appliances, which will never secure honey in 
more abundance or of better quality than could be, and has 
been, and is obtained without their aid. The increased yield 
of honey which we all desire must be produced by increased 
care and intelligence in management; by judicious selection 
of queens and drones; by sound autumn preparation; by 
giving up such fatal manipulations as “ spreading brood,” 
and by having every stock ready at the proper time to take 
advantage of the honey flow. When once the honey flow sets 
in every fine day lost before bees begin to gather surplus is a 
lessening of profit; every hour wasted in the height of the 
season means destruction to our hopes; here is the secret of 
success and failure. Those who have their bees ready to take 
advantage of the first and every following day of the great 
periodical honey flow insure success; ihose whose bees are 
not ready to work in supers lose every day a part of the yield 
which ought to reward them for their trouble. 
To double a hive is but poor practice, but in some very 
late districts with an early honey flow it may be necessary. 
The real practical bee-keeper will in the autumn prepare his 
bees in a judicious manner, strengthening and feeding the 
weak, and in all ways attending to their wants; he will then 
await the result with confidence that if honey can be gathered 
during the first week of May in quantity his bees will gather 
it, and so on through the summer. He needs not to remove 
