256 
March  22,  1900. 
JOURN-AL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
1^  (3 
HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
j-.-i  ■ 
. I .  I  ■  I  ■  r- 1 ■  I  -  T ■ I . I  ■  I  ■  1  ■ 
Vis'. 
Useful  Spring  Flowers. 
In  recent  notes  a  few  shrubs  and  trees  were  mentioned  as  being 
ornamental,  and  when  in  flower  beneficial  to  tbe  bees  owing  to  the 
pollen  or  honey  they  produced.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  remind  bee¬ 
keepers  how  necessary  it  is  to  be  constantly  planting  a  selection  of  the 
many  useful  spring  flowers,  which  always  prove  interesting  to  the 
lover  of  a  garden,  while  many  of  them  in  their  season  produce  an 
abundance  of  honey  or  pollen. 
It  is  now  too  late  to  plant  bulbs,  as  the  majority  of  these  were  planted 
last  autumn,  and  with  favourable  weather  will  soon  be  in  bloom. 
There  is  one  exception,  however ;  all  bulbs  that  have  been  forced 
should  be  taken  care  of,  and  when  properly  hardened  may  be  planted. 
We  force  bulbs  extensively,  and  as  a  fresh  stock  is  obtained 
annually  for  this  purpose  we  make  a  rule  never  to  destroy  anv.  Our 
usual  plan  is  to  plant  on  the  outskirts  of  the  shrubberries,  or  under 
the  trees  in  the  grass.  The  machine  is  kept  off  these  places  until  the 
tops  have  died  down.  Treated  in  this  manner  they  yield  an 
abundance  of  bloom,  and  some  varieties  increase  at  a  rapid  rate. 
Many  thousands  which  would  otherwise  be  wasted  are  planted  each 
spring,  with  the  result  that  what  was  previously  rough  grass  or  waste 
land  is  in  its  season  bright  with  flowers. 
Spring  flowering  plants  are  better  if  planted  in  the  autumn,  but 
owing  to  the  wet  weather  that  prevailed  during  the  latter  part  of  last 
year  the  work  was  in  many  cases  delayed.  It  may  be  done  at  this 
season  with  every  chance  of  success.  Aubrietias,  Arabis,  and  Wall¬ 
flowers  should  be  planted  in  quantity  ;  an  open  space  ought  to  be 
selected,  where  they  can  obtain  full  benefit  from  the  sun.  Primroses  in 
variety  and  Myosotis  may  be  utilised  in  smaller  numbers.  A  large 
breadth  of  Limnanthes  Pouglasi  should  be  planted  ;  this  is  a  dwarf 
growing  plant  much  visited  by  bees.  In  the  kitchen  garden  plant 
out  in  their  permanent  places  the  small  plants  that  were  raised  last 
year  of  Thyme,  Sage,  and  Borage  ;  these  are  all  excellent  honey  pro¬ 
ducers. 
Condition  of  Stocks. 
The  temperature  continues  low,  but  with  the  advent  of  finer 
weather  and  sunny  days  an  examination  of  all  the  colonies  should  be 
made.  Bees,  we  fear,  have  not  wintered  well,  as  already  there  are 
reports  to  hand  of  serious  losses.  This  is  probably  owing  to  late 
feeding,  and  the  wet  season  followed  by  severe  frost.  It  is  therefore 
advisable  to  examine  each  stock,  and  make  a  note  of  its  condition. 
This  is  easily  done  if  each  colony  is  numbered  and  entered  in  a  small 
book,  which  may  be  carried  in  the  pocket.  This  is  the  plan  we  have 
adopted  for  many  years,  and  it  is  interesting  as  showing  the  condition 
of  each  colony  in  j;he  apiary ;  it  also  shows  the  history  and  age  of 
each  queen,  and  is  useful  for  future  reference,  and  if  properly  carried 
out  saves  a  great  amount  of  labour  in  examining  stocks. 
If  a  colony  of  bees  is  in  good  condition  at  this  date  and  well 
supplied  with  stores  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  examine  it  again  for  at 
lea^  two  rnonths.  A  stock,  however,  that  is  short  of  stores  and  weak 
in  bees  will  require  constant  attention.  Thus  by  looking  at  the 
number  on  the  hive  and  comparing  it  with  the  book  one  knows  at 
once  which  rec]uires  attention.  If  only  a  few  hives  are  concerned  it 
IS  not  ^  so  important  as  when  there  are  upwards  of  three  dozen  in 
the  apiary. 
If,  on  examination,  stocks  require  feeding,  it  will  be  advisable  to 
place  a  cake  ot  candy  over  the  cluster  and  cover  up  as  warm  as  possible. 
It  is  still  too  early  to  use  syrup.  As  the  queen  will  soon  be  active 
patches  of  brood  will  be  visible,  and  care  must  be  taken  in  removing 
the  cornbs  iliat  it  does  not  become  chilled.  The  less  bees'  are  handled 
at  any  time  but  particularly  during  early  spring — the  better.  Remove 
all  damp  coverings  and  replace  them  with  those  that  are  dry,  clean  the 
floor  boards,  and  make  all  as  dry  and  warm  as  possible.  If  there 
are  ^y  dead  bees  remove  them,  or  they  will  encourage  robbing. — 
An  English  Bee-keeper. 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
Barr  &  Son,  King  Street,  Covent  Garden. — Hardy  Floivers, 
J.  Bison  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Ipswich. — Fertilisers. 
J.  Peed  &  Sons,  Roupell  Park  Nurseries,  West  Norwood. — Plants. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be 
directed  to  “The  Editor,”  12»  iMltre  Court  Cbambers, 
Fleet  Street,  Iiondon,  B.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  relating 
to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  it  is  convenient  when 
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. 
Sub. tropical  Gardening  {E.  T,  H.). — We  know  of  no  book  exclusively 
devoted  to  this  phase  of  gardening,  but  many  excellent  articles  have 
appeared  in  the  pages  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  on  the  subject. 
We  will  endeavour  to  arrange  for  one  or  two  practical  articles  that  will 
be  of  service  to  you. 
Cypripedium  insigne  {R.  IF.  ill.). — This  popular  Orchid  will  thrive 
in  the  same  pot  for  many  successive  years,  even  after  the  roots  have 
become  a  mass,  if  plenty  of  water  is  given  to  it  at  the  roots  and  over 
the  foliage  during  the  season  of  growth.  The  roots  cling  firmly  to  the 
pot,  and  in  potting  it  is  always  wise  to  break  the  pot  and  leave  the 
portions  attached  when  placing  the  plant  into  a  larger  size.  In 
potting  this  plant,  which  may  be  done  early  next  month  if  it  really 
needs  it,  you  must  fill  the  pot  in  which  you  are  going  to  place  it  about 
half  full  of  drainage,  and  the  plant  should  be  well  elevated  above 
the  rim  of  the  pot.  The  best  compost  is  [fibrons  peat  and  living 
sphagnum  moss  in  equal  pi'oportions,  with  lumps  of  charcoal  or 
portions  of  broken  pots  freely  intermixed.  The  whole  of  the  decom¬ 
posed  material  should  be  carefully  picked  out  from  amongst  the  roots 
without  breaking  them,  and  the  new  as  carefully  worked  amongst  them 
again. 
Liliums  in  Pots  (Tyro). — Do  not  remove  the  old  roots  from  the 
Lilium  bulbs  if  they  feel  plump  and  firm  to  the  touch,  but  if  dead  or 
dying  then  remove  them  with  a  sharp  knife.  The  plump,  firm  roots 
will,  when  planted,  throw  out  lateral  roots,  and  thus  support  the 
bulbs  until  new  roots  are  formed  direct  from  the  bulbs.  If  the  bulbs 
are  flabby  and  somewhat  withered,  put  them  in  a  box  and  cover  with 
cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  for  a  week  or  ten  days  before  potting.  Ordinary 
garden  soil  is  not  usually  to  be  found  good  enough  for  growing  Lilies  in 
pots,  and  yours,  we  suspect,  is  no  exception.  Sound  fibrous  loam  two 
parts,  well-decayed  manure  one  part,  and  good  coarse  silver  sand 
another  part,  is  necessary  to  grow  those  varieties  you  name  to  the  best 
advantage.  After  potting  place  the  pots  in  the  cold  frame,  plunging 
the  pots  over  the  rims  in  coal  ashes  or  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse,  and  giving 
no  water  until  the  bulbs  begin  to  grow.  By  that  time  the  pots  can  be 
stood  in  the  open  air,  and  remain  there  until  they  flower  or  until  the 
end  of  August,  when  remove  them  into  the  greenhouse. 
Onions  for  Pickling  (if.  T.  if.). — The  Onion  usually  grown  for 
this  purpose  is  the  well  known  Silver  Skinned,  though  many  persons  now 
utilise  the  Queen,  both  being  cultivated  in  precisely  the  same  manner. 
The  best  system  to  adopt  is  undoubtedly  that  of  the  market  gardeners, 
who  turn  over  a  piece  of  ground,  bringing  up  a  layer  of  the  poor  subsoil, 
and  spread  this  5  or  6  inches  thick  on  the  surface.  This  poor  soil  is 
made  flne  enough  on  the  suiface  for  sowing,  and  on  it  seeds  are 
scattered  broadcast,  very  thickly  indeed  late  in  the  spring — the  end  of 
April  or  early  in  May.  So  lavishly  is  the  seed  used  that  the  plants 
appear  “  as  thick  as  grass.”  There  seems  to  be  just  enough  food  in 
the  soil  to  sustain  them  for  a  time,  or  in  other  words,  sufficient  for  the 
growth  of  small  bulbs  only.  The  plants  commence  withering  early, 
and  we  have  seen  the  mass  of  “picklers”  almost  so  closely  packed 
together  that  the  soil  could  scarcely  be  seen  between  them.  After  the 
bulbs  are  cleared  off  the  ground  is  turned  over  again,  bringing  the 
better  soil  to  the  surface  once  more,  and  the  land  is  in  splendid  con¬ 
dition  for  autumn  crops. 
