January  4,  1900, 
/OJ7RNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
sun  heat  to  a  great  extent,  and  the  flowering  will  be  retarded  con¬ 
siderably.  AVhere  the  roof-lights  have  been  removed  the  buds  are  as 
yet  quite  dormant,  and  the  lights  may  remain  off  until  the  time  arrives 
for  starting  the  trees,  or  in  case  of  late  houses  until  the  buds  com¬ 
mence  swelling.  Pruning  may  then  be  effected  and  the  lights 
replaced,  which  will  not  be  required  until  the  end  of  February,  or 
later. 
hf/, 
HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
g: 
Changing  the  Aspect  of  Hives. 
With  the  opening  of  another  year,  whilst  all  is  quiet  in  the 
apiary,  steps  should  be  taken  to  change  the  aspect  of  the  hives  where 
it  is  considered  necessary  to  do  so.  It  is  a  matter  of  opinion  which  is 
the  best  position  for  the  hives  to  occupy.  If  it  was  a  matter  of  choice 
we  should  prefer  a  south-west  aspect  to  any  other ;  hut  as  we  have 
stated  in  previous  notes,  there  is  really  little  difference  in  the  amount 
of  honey  stored  in  hives  placed  in  various  aspects. 
It  is  doubtless  an  advantage  if  the  bees  commence  working  early  in 
the  morning.  This  is  to  be  observed  more  particularly  during  the  early 
spring  months  when  breeding  is  going  on  apace.  The  bees  will  then 
leave  their  hives  much  more  readily  if  the  sun  strikes  directly  on  them 
than  if  they  are  shaded. 
As  bearing  on  this  question  we  may  mention  a  fact  that  came 
under  our  notice.  On  Sunday  the  24th  ult.  the  sun  was  shining 
brightly  for  three  hours  during  the  middle  of  the  day.  The  ternpe- 
rature  was  only  a  few  degrees  above  freezing,  but  from  all  the  hives 
placed  in  a  south-west  position  the  bees  were  taking  a  welcome  flight 
reminding  one  of  spring.  There  being  little  snow  on  the  ground  at 
that  date  the  majority  of  the  bees  returned  safely  to  their  hives. 
If  bees  have  to  be  removed  several  miles  by  road  or  rail  it  will  be 
an  advantage  to  delay  the  operation  till  spring,  as  at  this  season, 
whilst  the  temperature  is  low,  the  bees  are  in  a  state  of  stupor,  and 
are  closely  clustered  in  the  middle  of  the  hive.  The  jolting  in  a  cart, 
however  carefully  they  may  be  packed,  will  cause  many  of  the  bees 
on  the  outside  of  the  cluster  to  fall  on  to  the  floor  board,  where  they 
will  soon  become  chilled,  and  be  unable  to  return  to  the  cluster. 
Stands  for  Hives. 
Before  arranging  the  stands  for  the  hives  it  will  be  an  advanla,ge 
to  bear  in  mind  the  convenience  of  working  the  various  colonies 
during  the  busy  season,  as  much  will  depend  on  the  careful  manipula¬ 
tion  o1'  the  bees  whether  success  or  failure  has  to  be  chronicled  aftei 
another  year’s  experience.  One  of  the  greatest  mistakes  that  is  made 
when  hives  are  being  placed  in  the  position  they  are  to^  occupy  is  to 
place  them  close  to  a  wall  or  fence,  so  that  it  is  impossible  to  get  at 
the  back  of  the  hive  whilst  manipulating.  Bee-keepers  who  are 
interested  in  their  bees  and  know  how  to  handle  them  will  not  make 
this  mistake.  When  the  majority  of  the  bees  in  the  country  were 
kept  in  straw  skeps  it  was  the  usual  practice  to  ])lace  them  on  stands, 
as  near  a  wall  or  fence  as  possible.  It  did  not  then  matter  much,  as 
they  were  not  ini  erfered  with  more  than  twice  a  year.  This  was  in 
the  spring,  when  the  new  swarms  were  placed  in  the  skep  \  and 
autumn,  when  they  were  lifted,  to  be  placed  over  the  sulphur  pit. 
Happily  this  is  now  all  altered.  Old  customs,  however,  die  hard, 
as  at  the  present  time  we  know  one  bee-keeper  of  the  old  school  who 
has  about  twenty  stocks  placed  in  a  double  row  on  a  stand  close  to  a 
wall.  All  manipulating  has  to  be  done  from  the  front  of  the  hives, 
and  anyone  who  has  had  experience  in  a  similar  case  will  appreciate 
the  difficulty  of  handling  bees  in  such  a  position.  Hives  on  legs  about 
18  inches  in  height  are  very  convenient.  But  where  hives  are  home 
made  a  stand  composed  of  two  7-inch  boards  answers  the  purpose 
admirably.  Stout  posts  should  be  driven  into  the  ground  about 
4  feet  apart.  If  some  pieces  are  placed  across  each  pair  of  posts, 
which  should  be  kept  level  lengthways,  but  allowed  to  face  1  inch 
to  the  front,  this  will  allow  the  moisture  to  drain  off  the  alighting 
board.  From  the  alighting  board  to  the  ground  should  not  be  inore 
than  18  inches,  and  if  a  hive  is  placed  over  each  pair  of  posts  there 
will  be  ample  room  between  them.  There  should  be  at  least  3  feet  of 
space  at  the  back  of  the  hives.  The  bees  may  then  be  manipulated 
with  pleasure. — An  English  Bee-keepee. 
GARDENERS’  CHARITABLE  AND  PROVIDENT 
INSTITUTIONS. 
The  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution.  Secretary, 
Mr.  G.  J.  Ingram,  175,  Victoria  Street,  S.W. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society.— Secretary, 
Mr.  W.  Collins,  9,  Martindale  Road,  Balham,  London,  S.W. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund.— Secretary,  Mr.  Brian  Wynne, 
8,  Danes  Inn,  Strand,  London,  W.C. 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
W.  Bull,  King’s  Road,  Chelsea.  —Seeds. 
H.  Cannell  &  Sons,  Swanley. — Seeds. 
Cooper,  Taber  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  90,  Southwark  Street,  hondon.— Wholesale 
Seed  List. 
R.  Crossling,  Penarth. — Seeds.  ' 
W.  Cutbush  &  Sons,  Highgate. — Seeds.  m  j 
A.  Dickson  &  Sons,  Newtownards,  co.  Down. — Fruit  Trees,  Shrubs,  ana 
Plants. 
Dicksons,  Ltd.,  Chester. — Seeds. 
Dobbie  &  Co.,  Rothesay,  N.B.— Competitors’  Guide. 
H.  Eckford,  Wem,  Salop. — Seeds. 
Kent  &  Brydon,  Darlington. — Seeds. 
T.  Methven  &  Sons,  Prince’s  Street,  Edinburgh.— Seeds. 
The  French  Provence  Seed  Growing  Establishment,  Nimes.— Seeds. 
J.  Peed  &  Son,  West  Norwood. — Seeds. 
Pope  &  Sons,  King’s  Norton,  Birmingham.— Seeds. 
C.  Sharpe  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Sleaford.— Seeds. 
B.  S.  Williams  &  Son,  Upper  Holloway.— Seeds. 
CORRESPONDENTS 
All  corresDondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be 
directed  to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Cliambers^ 
Fleet  Street,  Xondon,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one 
will  write  privately  to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking 
information  on  matters  discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so 
subjects  them  to  unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense,  and  depart¬ 
mental  writers  are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letters  they 
may  receive  on  Gardening  and  Bee  subjects  through  the  post. 
If  information  be  desired  on  any  particular  subject  from  any 
particular  authority  who  may  be  named,  endeavour  will  be  made 
to  obtain  It  by  the  Editor.  Letters  of  inquiry  must  be  accom¬ 
panied  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers,  but  these  will 
Neither  be  published  nor  disclosed  when  initials  or  noms  de  plume 
are  given  for  the  purpose  of  replies. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions  rmatmg 
to^rdening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects.and  it 
each  question  is  written  on  a  separate  sheet.  All  articles  intended 
for  insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only  ;  and 
the  name  and  address  of  each  writer  must  be  known  by  the 
Editor,  though  not  necessarily  for  insertion.  We  cannot,  as  a 
rule,  reply  to  questions  through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  under¬ 
take  to  return  communications  which,  for  any  reason,  cannot 
be  inserted. 
Exhibiting  Plants  (F.  W.).— Mauy  times  have  we  requested  that  a 
completed  schedule  be  sent  with  any  inquiries  on  doubtful  ^ 
interpretation  of  any  particular  class.  With  nothing  before  us  but 
the  Lee  lines  sent,  we  can  only  say  that  no  one  knows  ^Je^her  you 
would  be  disqualified  or  not.  If  the  literal  interpretation  of  the  class 
were  followed  you  would  be,  but  the  judges 
taking  a  broader  view,  and  their  decisions  accepted  as  final.  We  can 
not  if  the  absence  of  a  schedule  containing  rules  and  regulations  give 
a  more  definite  reply. 
Liming  Rose  Beds  (Kittie)  .—Soil  that  has  got  sour  by  constant 
manuring  and  very  little  digging  would  be  greyly  benefited  by 
dressing  of  lime.  The  lime  is  best  air-slaked — that  is,  placed  in  a 
shed  until  it  has  fallen  to  a  fine  powder,  due  to  the  quicklime  absorbing 
moTsture  from  the  atmosphere.  Such  is  milder  ^^^er-slaked 
lime,  though  if  inconvenient  to  wait  for  air-slakmg,  the  freshly  burned 
lime  may  L  sprinkled  with  water,  using  no  more  than  is  necessaiy  to 
cause  the  lumps  to  fall  into  an  apparently  dry  flour-hke  condition,  and 
Xen  cool  apply  to  the  soil  at  the  rate  of  half  a  hundredweight  per  rod 
H  is  best  to  apply  the  lime,  during  fair  weather,  in  the  autumn,  and 
leave  it  on  thHurface  for  a  time  before  digging  in,  especially  when 
water-slaked,  in  order  that  it  may  part  with  some  of  its  causticity. 
Air-slaked  lime,  however,  may  be  dug  in  at  once.  The 
is  in  March,  as  the  ground  will  then  have  become  more  or  less  dried, 
and  in  free  working  condition.  For  Rose  beds  that  have  been  long 
manured  we  have  found  a  mixture  of  best  air-slaked  chalk  lime  and 
fresh  soot  in  equal  parts  by  measure,  mixed  and  °g 
half  a  pound  per  square  yard  as  soon  after  the  middle  _  „ 
the  ground  is  in  good  working  order,  at  once  digging  in  with  a  fork, 
takfg  small  spits!  give  excellent  results  in  the  growth  and  flowers  of 
the  Roses.  The  mixture  need  only  be  dug  in  4  to  6  inches  deep. 
