C18 
December  24,  1898. 
JOTJRXAL  OF  HORTIOULTCTRE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Cluippa  of  Snowdrops  growing  wild  can  now  be  shifted  to  the  flower 
garden  or  borders,  taking  care  to  replant  as  deeply  as  they  were  pre¬ 
viously  buried,  the  latler  remark  also  applying  to  transplanted  bulbs 
generally.  Daffodils  and  Narcissi  in  particular  are  liable  to  be  badly 
splashed  by  heavy  rains  when  in  flower,  but  a  mulching  of  leaf  soil 
given  now,  would  prevent  this  and  otherwise  act  beneficially.  Mild 
weather  is  the  best  time  to  lift  and  replant  bulbs,  and  also  for  loosening 
the  soil  among  those  not  lifted,  prior  to  mulching  with  leaf  mould. 
Border  Cbryaantbenauma. — The  season  has  been  a  good  one  both 
for  the  summer  and  autumn  flowering  varieties.  Strong  young  plants 
give  the  best  resalts,  and  if  there  are  no  stock  plants  in  pots  of  the  best 
border  varieties,  some  of  each  ought  to  be  lifted,  potted,  and  stored  in 
cold  pits  or  frames.  Cuttings  in  the  least  frosted  damp  off,  whereas 
those  from  plants  that  have  been  protected  from  severe  frosts  root 
readily  in  February  or  March.  Summer  and  early  autumn  flowering 
varieties,  of  which  there  are  plenty  to  select  from,  are  much  the  best  for 
open  borders  and  foi  growing  against  walls,  planting  out  surplus  plants 
of  the  maj  )rity  of  Japanese  and  large  flowering  forms  that  succeed  well 
under  glass  being  so  much  wasted  labour  and  space. 
Protecting  Boseu. — It  is  scarcely  possible  to  protect  standard  Roses 
effectively,  but  there  is  no  diflicuUy  with  dwarfs,  and  they  may  need 
protection  badly  before  midwinter.  Strawy  litter  or  bracken  placed  round 
the  stems  to  a  short  distance  above  where  they  ought  to  be  pruned  next 
spring  will  save  them,  as  will  ashes  or  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  mounded 
up  well  over  the  lower  parts.  If  Tea  Roses  are  brought  in  before  March 
it  is  advisable  to  defer  planting  and  lay  them  in  separately  by  their 
heels  in  good  fine  soil,  where  they  can  easily  be  protected  from  severe 
frost. 
PLANT  HOUSES, 
The  Stove. — During  the  past  mild  weather  the  temperature  has 
ranged  higher  at  night  than  is  usual  for  this  struc'ure.  Some  care  is 
now  needed  to  keep  the  temperature  as  low  as  possible  consistent  with 
external  conditions.  If  severe  weather  should  set  in  the  temperature 
could  not  be  maintained  without  unduly  heating  the  hot-water  pipes, 
which  is  injurious,  and  the  reverse  of  economical.  If  the  plants  are 
gradually  hardened  to  a  temperature  of  G0°,  or  a  few  degrees  higher  on 
mild  occasions,  no  check  will  result  to  the  plants  if  that  temperature, 
or  a  degree  or  two  lower,  is  maintained  during  severe  cold  weather. 
'Watering’. — Let  all  watering  be  done  in  the  early  part  of  the  day, 
and  some  care  is  needed  not  to  give  the  plants  too  much.  Plants  are 
easily  overwatered  at  this  period  of  the  year,  when  growth  is  practically 
at  a  standstill.  On  the  other,  hand,  they  must  not  be  allowed  to  suffer 
by  an  insufficient  supply.  Employ  the  syringe  whenever  there  is  a 
prospect  of  a  fine  day,  in  fact  twice  daily  when  the  pipes  have  to  be 
made  fairly  warm  to  maintain  the  desired  temperature.  Failure  in 
damping  and  syringing  during  the  winter  months  often  ends  in  the 
plants  being  seriously  injured  by  tbrips.  A  warm  dry  atmosphere  is 
favourable  to  the  spread  of  these  pests. 
Cleaning. — Thoroughly  clean  plants  that  are  infested  with  insects, 
as  well  as  the  houses  in  which  they  are  grown.  A  few  days  devoted  to 
thorough  cleaning  at  this  season  of  the  year  will  save  weeks  of  sponging 
at  a  busy  time.  It  must  be  remembered  that  cleaning  every  corner  in 
the  bouse  is  equally  as  important  as  cleaning  the  planta  The  glass 
inside  and  out  should  be  washed,  and  the  walls  whitewashed,  so  that 
the  house  will  be  light  and  sweet.  Every  ray  of  light  possible  must  be 
admitted  at  this  period  of  the  year. 
Hotbeds. — Where  Allamandas,  Clerodendrons,  Bougainvilleas,  and 
other  plants  are  needed  early,  lose  no  time  in  making  up  a  hotbed  to 
give  them  a  start.  It  is  surprising  how  quickly  plants  start  into  growth 
when  stood  on  or  plunged  in  a  bed  of  fermentirg  material  composed  of 
litter  and  dry  leaves.  If  plenty  of  Oak  or  Beech  leaves  c.an  be  obtained 
they  may  form  three  parts  of  the  mixture.  The  leaves  must  be  dry,  and 
the  whole  carefully  mixed  together  in  some  position  where  it  will  be 
safe  from  rain,  and  turned  two  or  three  times  before  it  is  taken  into  the 
House  and  the  bed  made  up.  Make  the  bed  firm  so  that  fermentation 
will  not  be  rapid  and  violent  heat  produetd.  Young  Drarsenas  that 
have  been  recently  placed  into  larger  pots  will  make  rapid  progre.ss  in 
a  tSe.ro perature  of  60°  if  the  slight  bottom  heat  is  given  them  that  a  hot¬ 
bed  affords. 
Eacbarlsea. — Plants  that  have  flowered  and  need  repotting  may  be 
attended  to  as  soon  as  the  hotbed  is  ready.  They  soon  become  estab¬ 
lished  when  gentle  bottom  heat  is  given  them,  and  they  start  more 
quickly  by  the  aid  of  heat  and  moisture  from  fermenting  material  than 
is  the  c.ase  when  plunged  in  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  and  bottom  heat 
supplied  by  hot-water  pipes.  Plants  that  have  been  resiing  in  an  inter¬ 
mediate  temperature  will  soon  push  up  their  flowers  under  the  con¬ 
ditions  advised  for  those  to  be  repotted. 
Cyperus  dlstans. — If  these  are  not  throwing  up  fast  enough  it  is  a 
mistake  to  place  them  in  heat,  in  fact  the  plants  are  quickly  ruined  by 
such  treatment.  They  will  advance  without  injury  in  a  temperature  of 
60°,  but  in  a  warmer  house  they  often  fail  to  open  properly,  and  the 
foliage  le comes  drawn  and  weak,  and  is  broken  when  the  plants  are 
moved  about.  Few  plants  are  more  useful  for  furnishing  purposes 
either  in  pots  or  for  cutting. 
Iffepentlies — In  the  prospect  of  severe  weather  setting  in  these 
plants  should  be  arranged  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  glass.  We  have 
had  them  injured  by  being  too  close  during  very  cold  weather.  In  houses 
that  are  well  glazed  the  plants  will  be  perfectly  safe  if  the  top  leaves  are 
about  18  inches  below  the  glass.  -Keep  these  plants  liberally  watered 
and  freely  syiinged.  Tbrips  soon  attack  them  in  a  atmosphere,  and 
these  pests  are  difficult  to  destroy  because  strong  insecticides  cannot  be 
naed  without  injury  to  the  plant.  The  method  we  have  found  most 
effectual  is  to  lift  the  plants  down  carefully  and  plunge  the  baskets  in 
a  tank  of  tepid  water.  If  the  leaves  are  sponged  with  water,  and  the 
plants  thoroughly  syringed,  they  may  be  cleaned  by  this  simple  method. 
SEASONABLE  NOTES. 
The  Weather. 
In  this  district  (South  Yorkshire)  there  has  been  a  complete 
change  in  the  weather  during  the  past  few  days.  Sharp  frosts  and 
a  sprinkling  of  snow  have  succeeded  the  showery,  open  weather 
experienced  for  tome  time  past.  At  present  the  country  has  a 
very  wintry  appearance,  and  as  the  barometer  is  low  there  is  a 
prospect  of  a  farther  downfall  of  snow,  which  will  be  seasonable  at 
this  festive  season. 
Bee-keepers  must  be  on  the  alert,  and  see  that  no  harm  comes 
to  the  bees  owing  to  the  entrance  being  blocked  with  snow,  or  from 
other  causes.  Many  of  my  hives  have  no  protecting  porches 
which  certainly  have  the  advantage  of  preventing  the  snow  from 
being  driven  in  at  the  entrance  to  the  hives.  It  is  an  excellent 
jlan  after  a  fall  of  snow  to  go  round  all  the  hives  and  clear  away 
the  snow  from  the  alighting  boards.  This  must  be  quietly  done, 
otherwise  the  bees  may  be  disturbed,  and  if  they  leave  their  hive 
will  probably  be  chilled.  Dry  snow  will  in  itself  do  no  harm  at 
the  entrance,  but  directly  the  sun  shines  it  causes  a  reflection 
inside  the  hive.  The  bees  are  then  tempted  to  leave  the  clnster 
and  never  return,  owing  to  the  extreme  cold. 
Directly  a  thaw  sets  in  the  snow  should  be  cleared  off  the  roofs, 
as  when  in  a  dry  state,  during  severe  frosts,  there  is  considerable 
warmth  derived  from  it.  Snow,  when  thawing,  will  penetrate  the 
most  minute  crevice  ;  .it  is  therefore  wise  to  remove  it  bodily  from 
the  hives. 
Warm  Covers  for  Frames. 
There  should  be  plenty  of  warm  covers  on  hand  for  placing  on 
the  top  of  frames  during  cold  weather  It  does  not  matter  of 
what  they  are  composed  so  long  as  there  ii  some  warmth  contained 
in  them.  One  of  the  best  protections  that  1  have  used  is  a  bag  of 
the  same  dimensions  as  the  top  of  hive.  This  is  filled  with  cork 
dust,  which  may  be  obtained  from  shopkeepers  who  deal  in  foreign 
Grapes,  which  are  often  packed  in  this  material.  Ordinary  bouse 
flannel  is  excellent  for  that  purpose  ;  several  thicknesses  may  be 
sewn  together  and  will  form  a  solid  cushion.  This  should  not  be 
placed  next  to  the  frames,  but  a  quilt  of  unbleached  calico  or 
similar  material  must  be  used,  followed  by  some  pieces  of  old 
carpet,  and  a  cushion  of  cork  dust  on  the  top  of  all. 
If  coverings  are  scarce,  newspapers  may  be  used  with  good 
effect,  and  if  a  piece  of  board  is  placed  on  the  top,  no  barm  will 
happen  to  them.  Care  must  be  taken  that  the  coverings  fit  well 
round  the  ends  and  outsides  of  the  frames,  or  a  current  of  air  will 
be  constantly  passing  through  the  hive,  which  will  be  detrimental 
to  the  well- being  of  the  inmates.  Bees  are  more  hardy  than  many 
people  imagine,  but  they  must  have  judicious  treatment  or  dysen¬ 
tery  and  other  troubles  will  follow . 
Removing  Bees. 
It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  make  alterations  in  an  apiary  by 
the  removal  of  stocks  from  one  part  of  the  garden  to  the  other,  or 
to  a  more  smtable  spot  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood.  When  a 
bee  keeper  has  this  in  view  be  should  endeavour  to  do  the  work  at 
the  most  suitable  season.  December  is  the  best  month  in  the  whole 
year  for  carrying  out  this  operation,  as  the  bees  will  seldom  be  on 
the  wing,  and  after  remaining  dormant  in  their  hive  for  several 
weeks  will  not  readily  return  to  the  spot  where  the  hive  originally 
stood . 
If  the  removal  of  bees  is  left  until  late  in  the  spring  many  cf 
the  workers  will  be  lost,  owing  to  their  inability  to  find  their  new 
quarters.  Bees  may  be  moved  a  couple  of  miles  and  upwards,  at 
any  season,  without  any  danger  of  them  returning.  It  is  not  wise, 
however,  to  do  so  for  a  less  distance,  except  during  the  short,  dull 
days  of  midwinter. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
HIVES  WITH  TEN  STANDARD  FRAMES. 
I  SHOULD  like  to  ask  “  An  English  Bee-keeper  ”  and  others  If  It 
would  not  be  wise  for  us  to  coneider  if  we  are  on  the  right  track  as 
regards  the  size  of  hives.  Is  a  hive  with  ten  standard  frames  large 
enough  ?  I  have  come  to  the  conclnsion  it  is  not,  A  good  queen  will 
lay  from  3000  to  4000  eggs  per  day.  If  the  former,  then  the  queen  has 
