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JOURNAL  OR  HoRTiCUVrijiiE  AND  CWTaQe  0  ADD  MEN 
June  11,  1896. 
with  incessant  swarming  and  the  attendant  evil  of  fly-away  swarms 
will  fully  appreciate  the  change.  This,  let  it  be  understood,  is  the 
condition  under  which  a  great  number  of  stocks  of  bees  are  being 
kept  solely  for  the  production  of  honey. 
Some  appliance  makers  and  others  interested  in  bee-keeping  tell 
one  that  to  be  successful  in  the  pastime  in  this  country  some  variety 
of  foreign  bee  should  be  kept,  these  being  usually  offered  at  treble 
the  price  of  our  ordinary  bee.  Another  will  recommend  a  hive  of  a 
certain  shape  and  size,  in  which  he  has  a  monetary  interest,  and 
which  is  superior  to  all  others,  and  will  actually  have  the  audacity 
to  state  that  the  honey  obtained  from  it  is  of  superior  quality  to 
that  stored  in  other  hives,  although  it  may  have  been  obtained  from 
tbe  same  flowers  in  the  locality.  These  and  similar  opinions  should 
be  guarded  against  by  those  who  wish  to  obtain  a  maximum  of 
profit  from  their  bees,  as  such  statements  are  open  to  the  suspicion 
of  having  been  made  for  trade  purposes. 
It  is  immaterial  at  this  season  of  what  shape  or  form  a  hive 
may  be,  if  it  is  well  made  and  has  ample  space  provided  for 
giving  the  necessary  room  when  required.  One  individual  may 
have  the  most  elaborate  and  expensive  hive,  and  fail  in  obtaining 
a  surplus,  whereas  another  may  have  a  very  commonplace  article 
made  from  a  starch  box,  and  be  rewarded  with  a  good  harvest  of 
honey.  Many  instances  similar  to  these  have  come  under  my 
notice. 
The  frame  hive  in  some  form  or  the  other  is  tbe  best  adapted 
for  the  purpose,  for  the  simple  reason  that  with  ordinary  care  and 
good  management  bees  invariably  do  well  in  them,  and  the  ease 
with  which  they  are  manipulated  is  also  in  their  favour.  All  frames 
should  be  made  the  same  size  in  an  apiary,  so  that  they  are 
interchangeable  one  with  the  other,  and  for  this  purpose  I  have 
found  the  standard  frame  answer  all  the  requirements.  A  hive  may 
be  made  to  hold  as  many  frames  as  desired.  Some  bee-keepers  fall 
into  the  error  of  asking  for  a  standard  hive,  whereas  it  is  the  above 
thitis  required,  there  being  no  standard  hive  recognised  in  this 
country. 
As  it  is  the  natural  instinct  of  bees  to  store  their  honey  over 
their  brood  nest  in  their  natural  state,  it  is  advisable  to  provide 
them  with  the  means  of  storing  it  in  the  same  manner  when  kept 
under  artificial  conditions.  It  is  therefore  not  advisable  to  have 
an  extra  large  hive,  as  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  they  are  not 
profitable.  One  holding  ten  or  twelve  standard  frames  will  be 
large  enough  for  all  practical  purposes  in  this  country  where  the 
seasons  are  often  so  short,  that  whilst  the  bees  are  filling  the  body 
of  a  large  hive  with  brood  and  stores  the  season  will  be  over,  as 
the  bee3  will  not  work  in  supers  until  the  body  of  the  hive  is 
crowded  with  bees.  By  working  on  these  lines  extra  room  can 
always  be  given  on  the  top  by  placing  a  crate  of  empty  sections 
under  those  that  are  nearly  full,  or  shallow  frames  may  be  worked 
in  a  similar  manner. 
Swarming  is  a  necessity  with  straw  skeps,  and,  as  a  rule, 
tbe  earlier  the  swarms  are  obtained  the  better,  but  if  those  who  have 
hitherto  not  kept  bees  in  the  more  modern  moveable  frame  hive 
would  make  a  start,  as  they  can  now  be  obtained  very  cheaply  from 
some  of  our  best  makers,  they  would  soon  realise  how  much  better 
they  are,  and  a  much  superior  sample  of  honey  can  be  obtained  from 
them.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  obtain  a  good  sample  of  run 
hnney  from  straw  skeps  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  keeping  the 
pollen  from  mixing  with  it. 
If  not  already  done,  steps  should  at  once  be  taken  to  rear 
sufficient  queens  for  requeening  all  stocks  that  through  old  age 
or  other  causes  may  require  a  young  fertile  queen  at  their  head.  It 
is  as  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  a  queen  is  at  her  best  the  second 
year,  and  the  earlier  they  are  hatched  in  June  the  better.  I  have 
proved  this  fact  on  several  occasions.  Queens  that  are  hatched  at 
the  end  of  the  season  rarely  do  well,  and  will  often  die  the  following 
spring.  If  the  parent  hive  is  well  stocked  with  bees,  and  the 
young  queen  is  hatched  during  the  present  month,  they  invariably 
do  well,  and  are  hardier  and  more  prolific  than  those  reared  later 
in  the  season.  Queen-rearing  must  not  be  neglected  in  an  apiary 
that  is  worked  on  the  non-swarming  system,  or  the  old  queens 
will  probably  collapse  just  at  the  time  they  are  required  the 
following  spring,  and  instead  of  euccess  failure  will  have  to  be 
chronicled. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
GARDENERS’  CHARITABLE  AND  PROVIDENT 
INSTITUTIONS. 
The  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution  —Secretary, 
Mr.  G.  J.  Ingrain,  50,  Parliament  Street,  London,  W.C. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. — 
Secretary ,  Mr.  W.  Collins,  9,  Martindale  Road,  Balham,  London,  S.W. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. — Secretary,  Mr.  A.  F.  Barron, 
The  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund,  Chiswick,  W. 
%**  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be 
directed  to  “  The  Editor.”  Letters  addressed  personally  to 
Dr.  Hogg  or  members  of  the  staff  often  remain  unopened 
unavoidably.  We  request  that  no  one  will  write  private  1; 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to 
unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense,  and  departmental  writers 
are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letters  they  may  receive  on 
Gardening  and  Bee  subjects,  through  the  post. 
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,  as  a  rule,  reply  to  questions 
through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  rejected 
communications. 
Chrysanthemums  [Novice). — Pinch  the  varieties  named  about 
the  15th  of  the  current  month  to  induce  them  to  get  an  earlier  break 
and  thus  hasten  on  the  formation  of  buds  in  August.  If  the  plants  are 
not  vigorous  they  will  not  be  certain  to  produce  exhibition  blooms  of  the 
first  quality  owing  to  such  late  propagation. 
Naming  Orchids  [The  Boy). — It  is  quite  impossible  for  us  to 
name  species  or  varieties  simply  from  a  written  description,  though  from 
what  you  say  of  yours  they  seem  to  be  jast  the  ordinary  forms  of  the 
species  you  mention.  An  average  form  of  Odontoglossum  madrenBe 
wou'd  be  about  3  inches  across,  and  the  spikes  would  carry  from  two  to 
eight  blooms,  according  to  the  strength  of  the  plant. 
Grapes  Scalded  [Constant  Reader). — Your  samples  arriving  on 
Wednesaay  we  can  only  reply  briefly.  They  are  what  is  known  as 
“  scalded  ”  This  is  brought  about  in  many  instances  by  a  too  low  night 
temperature  and  too  late  morning  ventilation,  and  this  being  afforded 
by  opening  the  sashes  too  widely  at  once.  Avoid  those  conditions  and 
the  evil  may  be  arrested  if  not  prevented,  but  tbe  berries  already  affected 
are  spoiled. 
Viola  Countess  of  Moray  [J.  M1  Hattie). — The  blooms  arrived 
in  excellent  condition  just  as  we  were  preparing  for  press.  The  variety 
is  evidently  floriferous,  and  displays  its  bold  fragrant  primrose  blooms 
to  the  best  advantage.  We  think  it  would  be  effective  in  masses.  Why 
not  send  a  large  bunch  to  the  Viola  show  ?  You  will  find  the  date  and 
place  in  reply  to  another  correspondent.  Mr.  A.  J.  Rowberry  is  the 
Honorary  Secretarv. 
Training1  Melons  (IF.). — Train  your  plants  on  one  stem,  stopping 
them  when  they  approach  the  ridge  of  the  house.  The  laterals  will 
appear  from  the  axil  of  each  leaf.  Stop  thosi  that  show  fruit  at  the 
first  joint  beyond  it,  and  pinch  out  unfruitful  growths,  or  stop  them  at 
the  first  leaf  ;  but  beware  of  crowding  the  foliage.  No  manure  is  neces¬ 
sary  for  Melons  when  good  loam  is  used.  If  therefore  you  can  obtain 
the  latter  do  not  use  any  manure  in  the  top-dressing,  but  apply  good 
loam,  with  an  admixture  of  broken  charcoal  or  old  mortar  to  keep  it 
porcm  when  pressed  down  firmly. 
Pansies  and  Violas  (IF.  S). — The  flowers  arrived  very  much 
curled  and  withered  through  want  of  green  packing  material  to  keep 
them  fresh.  The  dark  Pansy  appears  smooth  and  well  formed,  the  others 
we  do  not  think  equal  in  value  to  existing  varieties.  You  might,  how¬ 
ever,  send  specimens,  with  the  purple,  to  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the 
National  Viola  Society,  A.  J.  Rowberry,  Esq.,  The  Crescent,  South 
Woodford,  Essex,  for  his  opinion  thereon,  or  to  the  National  Viola 
Society’s  show  which  is  to  be  held  on  Saturday,  June  2(kh,  in  the  Royal 
Botanic  Gardens,  Regent’s  Park,  N.W.  Fresh  cut  soft  grass  is  excellent 
for  packing  flowers  in.  They  should  be  made  firm  enough  in  the  box 
to  prevent  displacement  in  transit. 
Anemones  from  Seed  [H.  J.  B.). — We  have  raised  thousands  of 
Anemones  by  sowing  the  seed  as  soon  as  gathered  in  drills  about  5  inches 
apart  drawn  across  narrow  beds  or  borders,  subsequently  thinning  out 
some  of  the  seedlings  and  leaving  the  others  to  flower.  The  seedlings  if 
taken  up  in  small  tufts  with  earth  adhering  to  their  roots  transplant 
very  well  in  showery  weather.  They  like  rather  strong  but  well-worked 
and  friable  soil,  and  if  the  position  is  shaded  from  the  midday  sun  ft  will 
suit  the  plants  admirably.  Should  the  ground  be  dry  at  the  time  of 
sowing  flood  the  drills  repeatedly,  and  after  sowing  cover  the  seed  half 
an  inch  deep  or  thereabouts  with  sifted  soil,  loam,  leaf  mould,  and  wood 
ashes  being  excellent,  and  spread  mats  on  the  beds  for  preventing  the 
rapid  evaporation  of  moisture,  this  being  much  better  than  often  sprink¬ 
ling  the  seed  beds  in  hot  weather.  The  drills  Bhould  be  deep  enough 
that  when  the  seed  is  covered  the  plants  will  come  up  in  slight 
depressions;  in  that  way  water  can  be  more  effectively  applied  as  it 
may  be  needed.  We  have  also  sown  in  April,  some  of  the  plants  flowering 
in  the  autumn  and  very  freely  the  following  spring.  If  sown  ad  soon  as 
the  seed  is  gathered  flowering  commences  the  following  year.  The 
fresher  the  seed  is  the  better  it  grows. 
