January  21,  I&9L 
JOURNAL  OP  HORTICULTURE!  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
63 
If  placed  in  a  temperature  of  55°  to  GO0  they  will  soon  commence 
pushing  up  new  fronds,  when  they  should  be  repotted  without  delay. 
If  the  plants  need  larger  pots  remove  the  drainage  and  any  roots 
that  may  be  crowded  about  the  crocks  j  the  remainder  of  the  ball  can 
be  placed  in  the  new  pot  without  disturbance.  If  the  plants  are  in  pots 
large  enough  they  may  be  divided  by  cutting  them  straight  through  the 
middle  ;  the  drainage  should  be  removed  and  the  plants  potted  without 
disturbing  them  further.  The  soil,  which  should  consist  of  equal  portions 
of  good  loam  and  leaf  mould,  with  the  addition  of  sand,  must  be  pressed 
firmly  into  the  pots.  If  the  plants  have  been  infested  with  small  Blugs 
thoroughly  dust  the  crowns  with  soot.  This  will  drive  them  out,  and 
Ihey  can  be  picked  off  a  short  time  afterwards.  Continue  this  practice 
until  the  plants  are  perfectly  free  from  these  pests.  A  small  white 
caterpillar-like  grub  occasionally  infests  these  plants  and  feeds  upon  the 
crowns  and  young  fronds  just  as  they  form  to  such  an  extent  that 
seldom  a  perfect  frond  is  allowed  to  develop.  These  can  only  be  destroyed 
by  thoroughly  shaking  away  from  the  plants  every  particle  of  soil, 
when  they  roll  out  and  can  be  de»troyed.  The  best  means  of  stamping 
them  out  is  to  burn  any  infested  plants.  After  potting  stand  the  plants 
on  a  moisture-holding  base  and  syringe  freely  amongst  the  pots.  Very 
little  water  will  be  needed  until  the  plants  commence  to  grow. 
Gloxinias, — Any  plants  that  are  starting  into  growth  where  they 
have  Uben  stored  away  to  rest  will  only  draw  up  weakly  if  allowed  to 
remain  in  a  semi-dark  place.  The  old  soil  may  be  shaken  from  the 
roots  and  the  tubers  soaked  for  a  short  time  in  tepid  water  and  then 
left  to  drain  thoroughly.  After  this  they  can  either  be  potted  singly 
or  put  in  boxes  amongst  leaf  mould  and  sand  until  they  have  well 
started  into  growth,  when  they  can  be  placed  singly  in  the  pots  in 
which  they  are  intended  to  flower.  Once  the  plants  are  started  in  pots 
we  find  they  do  well  on  a  shelf  fairly  close  to  the  glass,  where  the  tem¬ 
perature  ranges  from  55°  to  60°. 
Eulalia  japonlca. — Plants  that  died  down  after  use  in  the  conser¬ 
vatory  and  have  since  been  kept  in  a  cool  house  may  be  removed  to  the 
forcing  house  or  any  structure  where  gentle  warmth  is  maintained. 
They  will  soon  commence  to  push  new  growths,  when  the  plants  may, 
if  increased  stock  is  needed,  be  divided  into  two,  three,  or  more  pieces 
according  to  their  size.  These  plants  are  most  useful  in  5,  G,  and  7-inch 
pots,  and  grow  freely  in  any  rich  soil — good  loam,  sand,  and  one-seventh 
of  manure  will  suit  ttem  very  well.  U  gentle  bottom  heat  can  be  given 
them  after  division  they  will  soon  become  established,  when  cooler 
treatment  will  suit  them  well. 
Begonia  weltonlcnsls. — This  is  useful  for  conservatory  decora¬ 
tion,  as  well  as  two  or  three  other  kinds  of  a  similar  nature.  The 
earliest  plants  may  be  shortened  back  and  placed  in  a  temperature  of 
60°  until  they  show  signs  of  growth,  when  the  old  soil  should  be  shaken 
from  their  roots  and  the  plants  repotted  in  a  fresh  compost.  The  plants 
can  be  placed  in  the  same  size  pots  or  smaller.  If  the  latter,  they  will 
soon  need  repotting.  They  will  be  found  to  succeed  well  in  three  parts 
of  loam  to  one  of  leaf  mould,  with  a  liberal  quantity  of  sand  according 
to  the  texture  of  the  loam,  and  one-seventh  of  old  Mushroom  bed  refuse. 
Water  with  care  until  the  plants  are  growing  freely.  They  will  start 
well  in  a  vinery  if  no  better  position  pan  be  found  for  them. 
Caladlum  argyrltes.  —  A  number  of  tubers  should  be  started 
into  growth  ;  2-inch  pots  are  large  enough  in  which  to  start  them,  or 
better  still,  place  them  in  pans  amongst  light  sandy  soil,  and  after 
growth  has  commenced  put  them  in  pots.  The  pans  or  pots  containing 
the  tubers  should  be  piunged  amongst  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  in  the 
propagating  frame.  Too  much  water  at  first  oflen  proves  detrimental 
to  them. 
H5T7 — 7n;rui  -i  r.in  i  tvi  t  in  n  -ya  i  j  pi  rv-p:  in  t  r:  it  nr-i  i  -  i«fs,l»l  '  n?al 
%>m:\ 
IE  BEE-KEEPER.^ 
,  |  ■  l  ■  |  .  l  .-l  -.1  -  J-.  1  -  1  -  1  -OV 1  -  1  -T^TVI  -T  -  1  - 1  •- 1  -  1  - ■  1  -  r.  1  -.1  &  L£^l 
SEASONABLE  NOTES. 
Starting  Bee-keeping. 
Tills  is  a  subject  that  requires  some  consideration,  as  judging 
from  the  numerous  communications  lately  received,  I  am  assured 
there  are  many  reader*  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  who  are  for 
the  first  time  anticipating  the  pleasures  of  bee-keeping.  To  these 
I  would  say,  Do  not  be  daunted  by  a  few  failures,  as  there  is  no 
royal  road  to  success  ;  follow  the  advice  given  week  by  week  in 
these  pages,  and  if  in  doubt  on  any  point,  a*k  for  information  from 
the  same  source,  and  success  should  follow.  Although  there  has 
been  a  succession  of  indifferent  seasons  for  honey  production,  the 
present  prospects  are  good.  The  winter  up  to  the  present  has  been 
mild,  and  the  bees  generally  speaking  are  in  good  condition,  but  a 
mild  winter  is  often  followed  by  a  cold  spring,  which  i*  more 
trying  to  the  bees  than  severe  frosts  at  midwinter.  At  that  season 
breeding  is  going  on  apace,  and  the  worker  bees  have  to  be  con¬ 
tinually  on  the  wing  foraging  for  a  supply  of  pollen  and  water  so 
necessary  for  the  feeding  of  the  young  bees.  Many  are  thus  lost 
owing  to  the  cold  winds  and  heavy  showers  prevailing. 
The  heavy  rainfall  experienced  throughout  the  country  lately  is 
all  in  favour  of  a  bountiful  honey  harvest.  The  weather  is  a  great 
factor  in  honey  production,  a  fact  which  should  be  kept  in  mind  by 
all  bee-keepeis. 
When  to  Commence  Bee-keeping. 
To  those  who  have  had  little  experience  in  bee  management  I 
would  recommend  autumn  or  spring  as  suitable  for  making  a 
start.  If  a  colony  of  bees  is  obtained  in  the  autumn  there  is  the 
risk  of,  their  wintering  safely,  whereas  if  a  start  is  not  made  until 
the  spring  there  will  be  less  danger  of  losing  them,  and  as  there  is 
but  little  difference  in  the  price  the  advantage  is  all  in  favour  of 
the  buyer. 
A  commencement  might  be  made  by  purchasing  a  good  stock  of 
bees  in  a  straw  skep.  They  should  be  headed  by  a  young  queen  bred 
during  the  previous  season,  and  ought  to  weigh,  including  bees, 
stores',  and  skep,  about  20  lbs.  If  of  this  weight  in  the  early  spring 
no  feeding  will  be  necessary,  and  if  the  weather  is  mild  an  early 
swarrrv  may  reasonably  be  expected.  These  should  be  placed  in  a 
frame  hive  on  full  sheets  of  comb  fonndat'on,  and  if  given  a  little 
thin  syrup  for  a  few  dajs  will  soon  fill  the  hive  with  fully  drawn- 
out  combs,  and  be  in  prime  condition  to  take  full  advantage  of 
the  honey  flow  when  it  comes. 
The  stock  in  the  original  straw  skep  will  in  all  probability  swrrm 
again  in  about  ten  days  from  the  time  the  first  swarm  left  the 
hive.  This  is  called  a  cast,  and  will  be  headed  by  a  young  unfertile 
queen.  If  the  colony  were  a  strong  one,  a  second  cast  would 
probably  come  off  within  a  few  days.  As  this  will  also  be  headed 
by  a  young  queen  it  should  be  placed  in  a  separate  hive  next  to 
the  one  containing  the  second  swarm.  The  third  swarm  will  bo 
useless  for  storing  a  surplus  of  honey  owing  to  there  being  so  few 
bees,  but  the  advantage  to  be  derived  from  working  them  on  this 
system  will  be  readily  seen  at  the  end  of  the  season,  when  the  old 
queen  which  accompanied  the  first  swarm  may  be  destroyed,  and 
the  young  queen  from  the  third  swarm  introduced  in  its  place. 
The  bees  must  be  united  to  the  second  swarm,  and  as  the  two 
stocks  previously  stood  near  each  other  no  bees  will  be  lost. 
The  bees  remaining  in  the  straw  skep  may  be  driven  at  the  end 
of  the  honey  harvest,  and  be  placed  in  a  frame  hive  and  fed  up  for 
winter.  If  at  all  weak  in  bees  they  may  be  itrengthened  by  taking 
a  frame  or  two  of  brood  and  adhering  bees  from  the  other  stocks. 
If  worked  on  the  above  lines  there  will  be  three  strong  colonies  for 
wintering,  each  headed  by  a  young  fertile  queen,  and  if  the  season 
has  been  favourable  a  good  surplus  will  have  been  stored  by  the 
first  swarm. 
An  early  swarm  invariably  works  well,  and  for  this  reason,  if 
only  one  stock  is  required,  it  is  advisable  to  commence  by  obtaining 
a  swarm,  by  purchase  or  otherwise  ;  the  earlier  it  is,  the  better 
chance  of  success.  A  swarm,  too,  may  often  be  obtained  several 
days,  or  even  weeks,  earlier  by  this  means  than  if  one  depended 
solely  on  one  stock. 
It  is  well  to  remember  that  the  old  queen  always  goes  with  the 
first  swarm,  so  that  Bteps  should  be  taken  to  introduce  a  young 
queen  in  due  course.  This  may  be  done  the  following  season, 
during  the  natural  increase,  as  stated  above.  If  an  increase  in  the 
number  of  stocks  is  not  rr  quired  (but  it  isalway*  advisable  to  have 
more  than  one)  the  old  queen  may  be  killed  when  the  hive  is  well 
crowded  with  bee*  in  the  spring.  A  few  days  afterwards  the 
combs  should  be  examined,  and  all  queen  cells  with  the  exception 
of  one  destroyed.  The  colony  will  thus  in  due  course  be  headed 
by  a  young  fertile  queen. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
HIVES  WITH  TEN  STANDARD  FRAMES. 
“An  English  Bee-keeper”  (page  19)  says  when  speaking  of 
myself,  “  Your  correspondent  has  not  carefully  read  my  previous  notes  on 
this  subject  or  he  would  not  have  propounded  the  above  query.”  I  cm 
assure  “An  English  Bee-keeper”  that  I  do  read  the  articles  in  ihi* 
Journal  carefully,  and  my  query  was  not  a  reflection  on  any  system  of 
management,  but  simply  to  turn  on  the  *earch  light  in  a  friendly  spirit. 
Your  corresnondent  says,  “I  fail  to  see  the,  advantage  derived  from 
allowing  100  lbs.  of  honey  to  remain  in  the  body  of  the  hive.”  So  do  I, 
for  30  lbs.  is  sufficient  for  winter  stores. 
The  doubling  system  propounded  by  “An  E.  B.  K.”  speaks  well 
for  large  brood  nests  ;  the  additional  brood  combs  add  to  the  strength 
of  the  hive.  Does  this  not  prove  that  ten  standard  frames  do  not  j.i  e 
a  hive  strong  enough  for  au  “  E.  B.  K.”?  To  be  candid,  1  do  not 
like  to  extract  frame  combs  that  have  been  used  in  the  brood  nest.  If 
we  want  the  pure  honey,  and  honeycomb  of  spotless  whi’eness,  we 
must  avoid  combs  from  which  bees  have  hatched. 
Being  the  secretary  of  the  Howdenshire  Bee-keepers’ Association ,  and 
having  to  call  upon  members,  I  have  been  able  to  compare  results. 
Mr.  W.  Hall,  Welham  Bridge,  told  me  that  he  has  taken  a  good  surplus 
from  his  large  hives,  containing  twelve  frames,  20  inches  bv  Si  inches, 
while  hives  with  standard  frames  gave  to  surplus.  Mr.  Wu_hamof 
Howden,  who  has  a  large  apiary,  tells  me  his  hives  with  the  20  inches  r>y 
8.}  inches  last  season  did  far  the  best.  Where  large  hives  are  tried  among 
the  members  of  the  Howdenshire  B.  K.  A.  they  give  the  greatest 
satisfaction,— George  Howdenshire. 
