402 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Ootob« '34, 1886. 
APIARIAN  NOTES. 
Honey  Production. 
Honey  production  of  the  finest  quality  that  can  be  obtained 
ought  to  be  the  first  consideration  of  bee-keeping.  Renew  the 
combs  yearly ;  do  not  sell  honey  taken  from  combs  containing 
pollen  or  which  have  been  bred  in.  Honey  of  two  kinds  should 
not  be  mixed,  as  it  does  not  keep  so  well,  while  if  consumers  prefer 
blends  let  them  do  that  themselves.  Bees  never  put  two  different 
kinds  of  honey  in  one  cell,  so  particular  are  they  in  this  respect. 
I  never  taw  honey  of  two  kinds  in  one  cell,  the  nearest  to  it  being 
after  one  kind  was  sealed  over  other  cells  were  raised  over  them, 
and  these  latter  cells  filled  with  some  other  kind  of  honey. 
Inferior  honey  creates  a  distaste  for  it  after,  causing  honey  to 
be  unpopular  and  a  drug  in  the  market.  Carniolans  produce  the 
finest  honey  and  honeycomb,  and  are  often  the  best  honey 
gatherers.  It  is  difficult  to  keep  or  get  them  pure,  but  when  so 
they  seldom  or  never  disappoint.  Punics,  wherever  they  have  been 
tried,  have  proved  themselves  excellent  both  in  this  country  and 
in  America,  but  their  disposition  to  propolise  lessens  their  favour. 
Bee  shows,  like  flower  ones,  have  in  a  great  measure  defeated 
the  object  intended,  more  labour  being  expended  to  produce  single 
fine  specimens  than  to  have  the  whole  produce  superior  in  quality. 
This  could  be  enlarged  on  greatly,  but  let  it  suffice  to  inculcate  the 
minds  of  every  beginner  to  aim  at  high  quality  with  the  maximum 
of  produce,  btudy  well  the  difficulties  to  be  contended ;  prepare 
to  meet  the  emergencies,  and  it  will  surprise  some  to  see  how  easy 
it  is  to  overcome  difficulties. — A  Lanarkshire  Bee-keeper. 
FLOWERS  FOR  BEES. 
Autumn  flowers,  with  few  exceptions,  are  now  over,  but  there 
are  still  masses  of  Mignonette  in  full  bloom,  which  have  been  a 
source  of  pleasure  to  the  bees  during  the  bright  sunny  weather 
experienced  lately,  many  of  the  bees  returning  to  their  hives  laden 
with  pollen,  showing  that  breeding  is  still  in  progress,  and  as  the 
stocks  are  well  provided  with  stores  this  should  prove  of  advantage 
to  them.  Although  the  past  few  days  have  been  fine  the  tempera¬ 
ture  has  been  much  lower,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  inst. 
5°  of  frost  were  registered,  which  cut  off  all  the  tender  plants  and 
flowers.  These  should  all  be  cleared  away,  and  the  vacant  places 
planted  with  spring  flowering  bulbs  and  plants.  The  sooner  this 
operation  is  carried  out  the  better,  so  that  they  may  become 
established  in  their  permanent  places  before  severe  frost  comes. 
In  all  probability  bulbs  will  have  remained  in  the  soil  from  pre¬ 
vious  years.  This  is  a  much  better  plan  than  lifting  them  annually, 
but  if  not  it  is  not  too  late  to  plant  them. 
Winter  Aconites  should  be  planted  by  all  bee-keepers  and  others 
who  have  the  necessary  space  at  command,  as  they  are  within  the 
reach  of  all,  being  reasonable  in  price,  and  the  earliest  of  the  many 
spring  flowers  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  They  are  admirably 
suited  for  planting  in  masses  under  trees  and  other  shady  places, 
and  if  not  disturbed  will  form  during  February,  or  earlier  in  a 
forward  season,  a  carpet  of  beautiful  golden  flowers,  which  will 
be  appreciated  by  bee-keepers  and  all  lovers  of  flowers,  as  well 
as  by  the  bees. 
Snowdrops,  both  single  and  double,  should  be  planted  in 
quantity,  and  if  treated  similarly  to  the  Aconites  will  succeed  in 
almost  any  soil  or  position.  I  prefer  them  planted  on  the  grass, 
and,  allowed  to  remain,  they  will  increase  rapidly,  and  if  planted 
under  trees  the  grass  may  be  allowed  to  grow  for  a  few  weeks 
until  the  foliage  of  the  Snowdrops  has  died  down  ;  the  whole 
surface  may  then  be  mown  with  the  machine  and  no  harm  will  be 
done.  If  the  foliage  is  cut  down  before  the  bulbs  are  properly 
ripened  they  will  soon  deteriorate.  These  are  very  useful  to  the 
bees,  as  they  collect  a  fair  amount  of  pollen  from  the  flowers. 
Crocuses  of  various  colours  are  amongst  the  most  showy  of 
our  early  spring  flowering  bulbs,  and  if  the  colours  are  kept  separate 
and  planted  as  edgings  to  beds  and  borders  or  in  masses  on  the 
grass  and  under  trees  will  be  much  appreciated  by  all  who  are 
interested  in  beautifying  their  surroundings,  and  are  usually  in 
bloom  in  March.  They  are  much  visited  by  the  bees,  as  they  pro¬ 
duce  a  great  amount  of  pollen.  Mice  often  play  havoc  with  the 
bulbs,  and  will  soon  destroy  a  great  number  of  them,  but  they 
are  easily  trapped. 
Arabis  alpina  is  a  plant  that  should  be  grown  by  all  bee-keepers, 
as  it  blooms  profusely  in  the  early  spring,  its  "masses  of  white 
flowers  being  very  attractive.  It  may  be  planted  as  edgings  to 
beds,  or  on  the  rockery,  or  allowed  to  remain  without  being 
disturbed  for  several  years  in  borders  and  similar  places.  Bees 
are  very  fond  of  this  plant,  and  as  it  is  in  bloom  when  flowers  are 
somewhat  scarce,  it  should  not  be  omitted  from  the  smallest  list. 
Limnanthes  Douglasi,  often  called  “  The  Bee  Plant,"  is  a  dwarf 
flowering  annual,  and  does  not  bloom  until  April.  It  forms  a  mass 
of  primrose-coloured  flowers  which  the  bees  appear  to  prefer  to 
any  other,  but  at  that  time  of  the  year  other  flowers  are  somewhat 
plentiful,  still  a  limited  quantity  of  it  should  be  grown. 
Wallflowers  are  too  well  known  to  need  any  description.  They 
are  showy,  sweet-scented,  and  should  be  grown  in  quantity,  as  bees 
work  freely  on  them.  They  ought  to  be  planted  in  masses,  and 
are  best  treated  as  annuals  as  the  plants  are  more  compact  and  not 
as  liable  to  be  killed  by  the  frost.  If  the  weather  is  mild  they  will 
bloom  more  or  less  throughout  the  winter,  but  will  be  a  mass  of 
flowers  in  the  early  spring,  and  will  continue  for  several  weeks. — 
An  English  Bee-keeper. 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
Dickson,  Ltd.,  Chester. — Forest  and  other  Trees. 
E.  P.  Dixon  &  Sons,  Hull. — Tree  Catalogue, 
•g®  All  correspondence  should  be  directed  either  to  “  The 
Editor  "  or  to  “  The  Publisher."  Letters  addressed  to 
Dr.  Hogg  or  members  of  the  staff  often  remain  unopened 
unavoidably.  We  request  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to 
unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions 
relating  to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  should 
never  send  more  than  two  or  three  questions  at  once.  All 
articles  intended  for  insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of 
the  paper  only.  We  cannot  reply  to  questions  through  the  post, 
and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  rejected  communications. 
vine  Dying-  (A.  JD.'). — The  specimens  will  be  examined,  and  a. 
reply  given  in  a  future  issue. 
Crystal  Palace  Show  (ff.  H.'), — This  show  will  be  for  one  day 
only,  not  two,  as  has  been  published.  The  date  will  be  November  2nd^ 
which  is  a  Saturday. 
Aralla  fPatsla)  Sleboldi  (6*.  A.). — It  is  not  the  least  uncommon 
for  this  plant  to  flower  both  in  pots  under  glass  and  established  in  the 
open  air.  It  has  long  been  established  in  Battersea  Park,  and  flowers 
freely  there. 
Wlnterlngr  Seedling  Begonias  (^One  of  the  Ignorant). — It  is  not 
safe  to  leave  tuberous-rooted  Begonias  in  the  ground  all  the  winter,  unless 
the  soil  is  well  drained  and  you  afford  sufficient  protection,  as  that  of 
ashes  or  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  over  them  to  exclude  frost.  The  better 
plan  is  to  place  in  slightly  damp  (not  wet)  earth  or  sand,  and  keep  in 
a  place  safe  from  frost. 
Good  Pelargoniums  (Jl  N.). — A  dozen  good  Regal  and  Show 
Pelargoniums  are — Regal,  or  hybrid  doubles  :  Jeanne  d’Arc,  blush,  dark 
blotch  ;  Madame  Thibaut,  white  blotched  and  marbled  with  rose  ;  Maid 
of  Kent,  white  spotted  with  rose ;  Prince  Teck,  scarlet  suffused  with 
purple  ;  Queen  Victoria,  vermilion  and  white,  dark  blotches ;  Captain 
Raikes,  crimson  and  purplish  black.  Large- flowering  show  varieties  : 
Amethyst,  purple  and  deep  maroon  ;  Chas.  E.  Pearson,  scarlet  and 
maroon  ;  Illuminator,  bright  scarlet ;  Venus,  white,  light  carmine  spot  ; 
Maid  of  Honour,  pink,  dark  blotch  ;  Ruth,  rose,  white  centre.  Other  . 
good  varieties  in  this  section  are  Symmetry,  Martial,  Cromwell,  Forester, 
Mountain  of  Light,  and  Constitution. 
Blenheim  Pippin  Apple  for  Market  {_South  Down). — One  of 
the  most  experienced  growers  of  Apples  for  market,  who  has  tried  this 
old  favourite  Apple,  also  most  others,  says  the  Blenheim  comes  into  a 
bearing  state  earlier  and  produces  fair  crops  of  fine  fruit  on  the  English 
Paradise  stock,  but  can  scarcely  be  termed  a  good  market  Apple,  as 
compared  with  some  other  varieties  grown  under  similar  conditions.  It 
rarely  produces  a  heavy  crop,  and  the  price  realised  does  not  compensate 
for  the  moderate  crop  borne.  Amongst  newer  sorts  that  promise  to  be  a 
great  success  on  the  stock  named  are  Newton  Wonder,  Wealthy 
(excellent  for  dessert  or  cooking),  Bramley’s  Seedling,  Bismarck.  Belle 
de  Pontoise,  and  Sandringham.  If  dessert  varieties  are  desired  for  sale 
Roundway  Magnum  Bonum,  Egremont  Russet,  Improved  Ashmead’s 
Kernel,  Baumann’s  Red  Reinette,  and  American  Mother  succeed 
admirably  on  the  Paradise,  and  the  fruit  sells  well  when  ready  for  use. 
No  mention  is  thought  necessary  of  the  older  and  well-known  favourite 
market  varieties,  as  you  probably  know  them. 
