January  9,  1896. 
41 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
largely  applies  to  Carrot  culture  under  glass.  It  is  of  the  greatest 
importance  that  the  plants  be  kept  growing  near  to  the  glass,  this 
favouring  early  “  bulbing.”  Six  inches  of  fine  light  sandy  soil,  or  such 
as  can  be  had  by  sifting  a  heap  of  old  potting  soil,  is  ample.  When  the  heat 
is  8&fe  form  shallow  drills  at  a  distance  of  4  inches  apart,  and  if  at  all  dry 
give  a  gentle  watering  prior  to  sowing,  every  second  drill  to  be  sown  with 
Carrot  seed,  Badishes  going  midway  between,  and  these  will  be  ready  for 
use  long  before  the  Carrots  require  the  space.  Sow  thinly,  especially  in 
the  case  of  the  Badishes.  French  Forcing  Carrot  is  the  earliest  variety, 
but  Nantes  and  Early  Short  Horn  are  also  suitable  for  frame  culture, 
the  latter  remark  also  applying  to  Badishes,  Scarlet  and  White  Forcing 
Turnip,  French  Breakfast,  and  Wood’s  Early  Frame.  Well  protect  the 
frames  and  also  the  pits  in  preference  to  turning  on  much  fire  heat 
during  frosty  weather. 
Spinach. — There  has  not,  as  yet,  been  enough  frost  to  effectually 
check  the  growth  of  Winter  Spinach,  and  it  is  doing  good  service 
accordingly.  Early  Peas  and  Spinach  are  sometimes  sown  together,  but 
the  former  can  be  had  earlier  by  sowing  in  pots  and  boxes  under  glass 
and  planting  out.  In  anticipation  of  the  latter  proceeding  advantage 
should  be  taken  of  a  dry  time  to  well  manure  and  then  dig  the  site 
intended  (usually  a  south  border)  for  the  Peas.  Let  the  rows  of  Peas  be 
3  feet  apart,  and  midway  between  sow  Summer  Spinach.  Peas,  when  sowd 
equally  early  in  the  open,  are  apt  to  decay— this  being  especially  the 
case  with  any  that  are  wrinkled. 
PLANT  HOUSES. 
Anthurlum  Scherzerlanum. — Plants  that  have  enjoyed  a  rest 
since  they  completed  their  growth  may  be  returned  to  the  stove  proper. 
They  will  soon  push  their  bright  scarlet  spathes,  which  are  useful  for 
vases,  as  they  last  a  long  time  and  associate  well  with  various  Orchids 
of  a  light  shade.  They  are  effective  when  used  for  the  embellishment 
only  of  the  stove.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  over  water  these  plants. 
A.  Andreanum  is  also  a  useful  plant  for  winter,  as  it  keeps  producing 
a  number  of  spathes.  Plants  in  6-inch  pots  on  the  side  stages  of  the 
stove  are  striking  at  this  season  of  the  year.  Too  much  water  must  not 
be  given.  Watch  for  thrips,  this  variety  being  very  subject  to  it. 
Dracaenas. — Plants  that  have  become  bare  may  be  kept  rather  dry 
if  the  heads  are  not  worth  rooting.  This  induces  the  stems  and  root 
portion  to  harden,  and  when  cut  up  and  started  for  stock  are  less  liable 
to  decay.  When  a  good  start  is  made,  and  growth  is  rapid,  well 
coloured  plants  are  produced,  of  which  the  heads  can  be  notched,  taken, 
and  placed  in  any  size  pots  to  suit  the  purpose  for  which  they  may  be 
required. 
Clerodendron  Balfourlanum, — Start  one  or  more  plants  into 
growth  that  have  enjoyed  a  good  season  of  rest.  Any  unripened  wood 
may  be  removed  and  the  plants  top-dressed  with  rich  material  if  it  is 
not  thought  desirable  to  repot  them.  This  plant,  by  rich  top-dressing 
and  liberal  feeding,  does  well  in  the  same  pot  for  several  seasons.  When 
repotting  is  decided  on  the  plants  should  first  start  into  growth,  and  the 
old  ball  only  be  reduced  by  one-third.  Where  plants  have  been  grown 
in  7-inch  pots,  and  taken  up  the  roof  of  the  house,  the  long  well-ripened 
shoots  may  be  trained  round  four  or  five  stakes  placed  near  the  sides  of 
the  pots. 
Allamandas. — One  or  a  number  of  plants,  according  to  how  they 
are  grown,  may  be  started  into  growth.  If  the  plants  have  not  been 
pruned,  do  so  at  once — that  is,  those  that  have  enjoyed  Bix  or  eight 
weeks’  rest.  The  shoots  of  last  year  may  be  cut  back  to  two  eyes.  If 
grown  under  the  roof  of  a  house  and  extension  is  needed,  the  ripened 
shoots  of  last  year  near  the  extremities  may  be  laid  horizontally.  These 
plants  may  be  turned  out  of  their  pots,  the  balls  reduced  by  one-half, 
and  repotted  firmly  in  well-drained  pots  in  a  compost  of  good  loam  and 
one-seventh  of  manure.  The  old  ball,  if  very  dry,  should  be  soaked 
in  tepid  water  and  allowed  to  drain  thoroughly  before  the  plants  are 
potted.  Place  these  and  the  Clerodendron  into  a  night  temperature  of 
65°.  If  slight  bottom  heat  can  be  given,  the  plants  will  Btart  more 
rapidly  into  growth. 
Stephanotls  florlbunda. — Plants  that  have  enjoyed  a  good  rest  in 
a  temperature  of  50°  may  be  accorded  the  same  conditions  as  the 
Allamandas.  The  plants  must  be  thoroughly  clean,  unripened  ends 
removed,  and  be  repotted  if  they  need  it.  If  in  pots  sufficiently  large  a 
top-dressing  of  decayed  manure  will  be  ample.  Be  careful  not  to  give 
these  plants  too  much  water  ;  thorough  syringing  will  prove  sufficient 
at  first. 
Gloxinias. — Some  plants  may  be  turned  out  of  the  old  soil  in  which 
they  have  rested  and  be  restarted  in  the  forcing  home.  The  tubers  may 
be  laid  in  boxes  amongst  leaf  mould  and  sand  until  they  are  growing, 
when  they  may  be  lifted  and  placed  into  the  pots  in  which  they  are  to 
flower, 
Caladlums. — Where  a  good  temperature  and  brisk  bottom  heat  can 
be  given  a  few  tubers  may  be  started  at  once.  If  plenty  of  heat  cannot 
be  maintained  the  operation  had  better  be  delayed  for  some  weeks 
longer.  If  started  place  the  tubers  in  boxes  the  same  as  advised  for 
Gloxinias. 
IVIcdlnllla  magnifica. — If  this  plant  has  been  kept  in  the  stove 
up  to  the  present  time  it  should  be  removed  to  a  drier  and  cooler  house 
to  rest.  A  temperature  of  50°  will  be  ample  if  the  plant  is  kept  on  the 
dry  side.  Thorough  ripening  and  a  good  rest  are  necessary  to  bloom  this 
plant  well. 
'171'-  "  J  ■«  r-r 
-III 
IE  BEE-KEEPER. 
jail 
-Limj - .mu*  ixi  -  i  •  i  -  i  -1-  i  -  i  •  i  .  i .  i.  1  -i-i.i  .1  -4  .  i«i  4  1  «  1  •  ^  i 
APIARIAN  NOTES. 
Hints  from  Experience. 
By  the  time  this  appears  in  print  we  shall  have  entered  on 
another  year,  in  the  hope  that  it  will  be  a  prosperous  one.  The 
lessons  of  the  past  will  stimulate  many  to  improve  on  them  in 
the  search  for  success  which  individual  effort  alone  can  bring  about. 
Co-operation  does  much,  but  without  sound  knowledge,  self-reliance 
and  industry,  much  labour  may  be  in  vain.  The  Journal  for  the 
past  year  contains  much  information,  beautiful  and  truthful.  The 
lecture  of  Mr.  D.  T.  Fish,  November  28th,  page  501,  is  a  study. 
It  is  as  applicable  to  bee-keepers  as  it  is  to  horticulturists,  but  it 
is  with  the  objects  and  methods  of  the  former  that  I  have  more 
particularly  to  deal. 
Bee-keeping  is  not  a  mere  hobby,  it  is  a  duty.  Bees  are  the 
main  factors  in  producing  and  maintaining  all  that  is  useful  and 
beautiful  for  our  service  and  gratification.  Remove  the  bees  and 
their  allies,  then  would  the  order  of  things  be  changed  and  chaos 
ensue.  Plants,  flowers,  and  bees,  how  closely  are  they  allied,  the 
one  catering  for  the  existence  of  the  other.  There  is  nothing  I 
know  of  better  worthy  of  study  than  the  honey  bee — its  habits, 
work,  and  mission  ;  but  let  us  turn  to  practical  matters. 
The  production  of  honey  in  Great  Britain  will  not  increase  in 
due  proportion  to  the  number  of  hives  kept,  because  it  is  quite 
easy  to  overstock  a  district.  There  is,  however,  room  in  many 
localities  for  more  bees,  but  not  to  the  extent  advised  by  some 
who  preach  the  fanciful  doctrine  that  “  everyone  should  keep  bees  ” 
— a  manifest  absurdity  ;  and  any  such  attempt  might  lead  to  enact¬ 
ments  which  the  Romans  enforced,  that  hives  must  be  kept  at  certain 
distances  from  each  other.  I  advise  all  persons  who  can  do  so  in 
an  understocked  district,  to  keep  bees.  The  cheapest  way  is  to  start  in 
the  autumn  with  driven  or  surplus  bees,  which  are  often  to  be  had 
for  the  fetching.  In  late  spring  a  stock  hive  can  be  bought  at  a 
moderate  price,  with  a  likelihood  of  its  increasing  to  three  ;  that 
is,  if  all  are  healthy,  and  the  purchaser  should  possess  a  guarantee 
from  the  seller  to  that  effect. 
It  sometimes  happens  that  bees  may  be  lost,  and  no  blame 
attach  to  the  original  owner.  Swarming  may  take  place  either 
prematurely  or  normally,  for  it  cannot  be  prevented.  In  either 
case  the  old  queen  may  be  effete,  or  young  queens  may  be  lost 
in  their  natural  flights.  In  such  cases  the  loss  lies  in  the  purchase. 
It  is  safer  and  more  satisfactory  in  the  end  to  start  at  first  with 
more  than  one  hive. 
The  younger  the  queen  is  the  more  profitable  will  the  hive 
be.  Unless  it  cannot  be  avoided  I  never  keep  queens  to  breed 
the  second  year.  After  one  year’s  breeding  they  become  less 
prolific,  and  cause  disappointment.  Some  people  prefer  to  let  the 
bees  change  their  queen,  but  the  advice  is  not  sound,  from  the  fact 
that  instead  of  raising  young  queens  to  supersede  old  ones  it  as 
often  happens  that  the  :old  queen  is  tolerated  till  the  hive  has 
dwindled  to  a  few  bees. 
Our  large  hives  tax  queens  more  than  small  ones,  but  give 
greater  yields  of  honey.  I  much  prefer  hives  for  stocks  whose 
queens  do  not  lay  many  eggs  late  in  the  season,  injudicious 
autumn  feeding  having  a  tendency  to  excite  to  the  depositing 
of  thousands  of  eggs  which  are  never  hatched.  I  have  wit¬ 
nessed  hundreds  of  cells  filled  to  the  brim  with  eggs  when  the 
bees  were  few  in  number.  Bees  are  never  old  in  the  proper  sense 
till  their  wings  become  ragged.  At  the  present  time  I  have  not 
a  younger  bee  in  my  apiary  than  five  months,  while  most  of  them 
are  older. 
To  create  a  new  colony  with  surplus  swarms  4  lbs.  of  bees 
are  adequate.  That  number  will  not,  however,  comb  a  full-sized 
Lanarkshire  hive  type  in  three  divisions,  but  can  furnish  two  if 
the  bees  are  properly  fed,  the  third  division  being  either  filled 
with  surplus  worker  combs  of  the  current  year’s  make,  or  have 
the  frames  filled  with  foundation.  It  is  sound  practice  to  renew 
the  combs  every  year  ;  it  is  a  good  preventive  of  foul  brood,  and 
there  is  never  any  tainted  honey. 
For  nuclei  and  weak  hives  I  have  found  wooden  scoops  the 
best  feeders,  but  for  strong  hives  metal  is  not  objectionable.  The 
feeder  I  use  is  a  tin  or  brass  scoop  covered  with  wire  cloth,  with 
a  platform  on  one  end  to  support  the  fountain,  which  is  furnished 
with  a  projecting  ring  stopped  with  a  cork,  through  which  a  saw- 
handle  screw  passes,  acting  as  a  valve.  This  prevents  the  escape 
of  any  syrup  when  inverted,  and  can  be  lifted  off  or  put  on 
without  disturbing  the  bees  or  being  disturbed  by  them.  The  best 
sugar  is  always  chosen,  and  I  add  equal  weight  of  water,  stirring 
to  prevent  burning  until  it  boils.  I  feed  a  little  only  at  a  time 
