45 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, April 20, 1858. 
woody tissue are series of prosenchymatous cells, which seem 
chiefly to contain gum. 
In a raw state, the tubers taste like Eartlinuts, or perhaps be¬ 
tween an Earthnut and an Acorn. When boiled, they are firm, 
sweetish, of a dirty yellow colour, and in texture and flavour, 
may be compared to a mixture of Sweet Chestnuts and Parsnip. 
The possibility of cultivating this plant requires no proof. 
It has been for more than two centuries in Europe ; fine 
specimens were exhibited at a Meeting of this Society, in 
January last, by Mr. E. A. Hamp, gardener to James Thorne, 
Esq., of South Lambeth ; and those, from which the accom¬ 
panying drawing was taken, have been growing in the Society’s 
Garden for twenty years. 
The points for cultivators to ascertain obviously are— 
1. Whether a sufficient weight of the tubers can be obtained 
to render the plant profitable. 
2. Whether that weight can be obtained quickly enough. 
3. Whether the quality is such as will render it acceptable 
as human food. 
Upon these points, which can best be determined by ex¬ 
perience, I can only offer conjectures, and they are not favour¬ 
able. The land which the plant requires must be so good 
that any crop which is taken from it must rank among the , 
best and most profitable. The best, the Saa-gaa-ban cannot 
be considered under any circumstances ; the profit is doubt¬ 
ful. I am not at present aware, that tubers of any size can be 
obtained before the second year ; but it is quite possible that 
skilful cultivation may render this more easy of attainment 
than is supposed. It seems obvious, however, that if two 
seasons should prove necessary to procure a crop, it can form ! 
no part of profitable agriculture. The quality of it is but in¬ 
ferior at the best; and it may even be questioned whether it 
is perfectly wholesome, for it is nearly related to the Kidney 
Beans, whose tubers are poisonous ; and its employment by 
savage people, who eat it as we eat pig-nuts, is not an entirely 
satisfactory proof of its salubrity.—( Horticultural Society's 
Journal.) 
EPIDENDRUM LACERTINUM. 
A Guatemala plant, presented to the Society in 
April, 1847, by G. U. Skinner, Esq. 
A plant with the habit of JEpidendrum nutans, but 
I of smaller dimensions. The flowers grow in terminal, 
[ somewhat racemose corymbs, are about an inch and 
| three-quarters long, but on account of their sepals 
and petals being reflexed, they seem twice as long, 
j The latter are pale bright green, linear-lanceolate, and 
nearly alike in size, form, and texture. The lip is 
adherent to the yellow column, whence it projects in 
the form of a dagger-shaped purplish blade, with a pair 
of triangular lobes at its base; the whole resembling a 
lizard’s tail, the head being buried in the column, As 
the inflorescence has no spathe, but protrudes its flowers 
immediately from among the leaves,the species must be 
placed among the true Epidendrums. 
It requires the same treatment as other Epidendrums, 
flowers in July and August, and, although not hand¬ 
some, merits notice on account of the singularity of its 
flowers.—( Horticultural Society's Journal.) 
THE COTTAGE BEE-KEEPER, 
A Letter 
To ALL SIMPLE FOLK WHO KEEP, OR INTEND TO KEEP, BEES. 
By P. Y. M. F. 
(Continued from page 28.) 
Where to Place Hives. —Now, I shall suppose that you 
have got your swarm; the next thing is, whereabout to 
put it. First, choose a snug place in a warm and sheltered 
comer of your garden, facing the south, south-east, or south¬ 
west. I prefer the south-east. Set your hive on a stout post, 
let firmly into the ground. Every hive should stand alone, 
on a single stool, at least two or three feet distant from any 
other hive. Next cover it well over with an earthen pan, 
or a good hackle of straw, thick and neatly-made. Nothing 
is so hurtful to bees as to leave them exposed to the heat of 
the sun, or to rains and melting snow. The bees suffer from 
both heat and damp, and the hives 60 on rot and fall to pieces. 
And I will add, nothing is so disgraceful, or speaks worse for 
a bee-keeper, than to have in his garden a number of untidy, 
miserable-looking hives. They are common enough, I am 
sorry to say. A bit of old rag, a tattered coat, a broken milk- 
pan, or anything that comes first to hand, is thought good 
enough for the poor bees ; and, to make matters worse, they 
are often put into old and worn-out hives, which are not 
seldom full of vermin. I at once suspect the tidiness of the 
cottage, or the kindliness of its inmates, where the hives are in 
this condition. No cabbages, lettuces, grass, or tall plants of 
any kind, should be suffered to grow just in front of the hives. 
The bees often come home heavy laden and tired, and fall 
down before they get into the hive ; in which case, if any 
of these plants surround the hive, the weary bees get out of 
the sun, and become chilled and die ; especially in cool or I 
rainy weather. It is well to place the hives within a little 
distance of a small pond, or shallow stream ; but if there is no 
water near, you ought to sink some large dish or milk-pan in 
the ground close by, in a warm nook if possible, where the 
•un always shines in the afternoon. Fill it with stones, or 
pieces of wood, for the bees to light upon, without risk of 
drowning, when they come to drink. They cannot do with¬ 
out water in spring or summer; and if they find none near, 
they will go long distances in search of it, especially in dry 
weather. 
Section 2.—Spring Management of Bees. 
Signs of Prosperity in Spring. —Now we will suppose 
that your swarm has managed to live well through its first 
winter. The spring is coming : perhaps it is now nearly the 
end of February. Go then on a fine morning and examine 
your hive. If at about eleven or twelve o’clock you see the 
bees at work, flying in and out with little balls of green, 
yellow, or red stuff on their thighs, it is a good sign. This 
stuff, of which they carry a great quantity into the hives every 
spring and summer, and, indeed, in autumn too, is called 
pollen. It is a sort of dust, of which you will see a great 
quantity in the middle of most flowers, when full-blown. Many 
persons call it wax ; this, however, is a mistake. The bees 
never carry wax in this manner into their hives. They collect 
thi s, pollen, solely for the purpose of feeding the young bees in 
the cells. When, therefore, you see much of this pollen 
carried into your hives, you may be quite sure that your bees 
are doing well, and the more they carry the better. It is a 
6ign that the queen is laying eggs fast, and that the hire is 
filling with young bees. 
How to Clean Hives. —Do not be satisfied with this, 
! 
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