S50 
jOVnnAt  OF  BOitTIGtJLWRF  Am  OOTTAGF  GAUOmm. 
October  7,  18fi7 
in  5-inch  pots  may  be  pinched  and  jdaced  on  a  shelf  where  the  tempera¬ 
ture  will  not  fall  below  45’  during  the  next  three  months. 
Xonal  Pelargoniums.  —  All  plants  grown  for  autumn  and  winter 
flowering  should  be  under  cover.  Heavy  rains  and  dull  sunless  weather 
are  very  liable  to  start  them  into  a  soft  growth,  and  if  this  takes  place  the 
plants  will  not  flower  satisfactorily.  Those  jjlaced  in  a  suitable  bouse 
if  gradually  kept  close  and  finally  sujected  to  a  temperature  of  55’  to 
00°  will  be  in  full  bloom  during  the  early  part  of  November,  a  time  when 
they  are  specially  useful.  Those  not  needed  so  early  may  have  the  pro¬ 
tection  of  cold  frames  for  a  time.  Give  them  abundance  of  air  when 
favourable,  throw  o5  the  lights  during  fine  days,  but  protect  them  from 
frost  and  heavy  rains. 
French  and  Fancy  Pelargoniums. — For  early  flowering  these  ])lants 
are  best  in  5-inch  pots.  For  this  purpose  cuttings  are  rooted  early,  placed 
in  3-inch  [tots,  and  the  point  pinched  out,  or,  better  still,  taken  out  when 
the  cuttings  are  inserted.  If  this  is  done  the  plants  start  into  growth 
with  three  or  four  shoots,  and  are  established  in  3-inch  pots.  From  this 
size  they  should  be  placed  into  5-inch  pots,  using  a  compost  of  loam  and 
sand,  with  one-seventh  of  decayed  manure.  The  soil  must  be  pressed 
firmly  into  the  pots  to  induce  a  slow  sturdy  growth.  The  plants  should 
not  be  pinched  again,  but  when  potted  stood  on  a  shelf  w'here  the  tempera¬ 
ture  during  the  winter  will  average  about  40°.  If  the  plants  prepared  for 
this  purpose  are  too  large  pinch  the  remainder,  give  them  the  same  treat¬ 
ment,  and  finally  place  them  into  7-inch  pots.  Young  stocks  are  preferable 
to  old  plants.  The  earliest  of  these  should  be  given  similar  treatment  to 
that  advised  for  the  young  stock  ;  the  second  earlies  ought  to  be  shaken  out 
and  repotted  in  smaller  pots.  Keep  these  close  for  a  few  days  until  they 
have  commenced  to  root,  when  place  on  a  shelf  in  any  cool  house.  Cuttings 
that  have  been  dibbled  in  outside  and  are  rooted  may  be  potted  and  jfiaced 
on  a  shelf  in  a  cool  Louse.  Late  plants  are  often  as  important  as 
early  ones. 
Fuchsias. —Cuttings  that  are  fust  rooted  may  be  potted  singly  into 
3-inch  pots.  Stand  these  on  a  shelf  close  to  the  glass,  where  the  tempera¬ 
ture  does  not  fall  below  50°,  until  they  are  established,  finally  placing  them 
where  they  can  be  kept  at  45°.  In  this  temperature  they  will  grow 
slowly  during  the  winter,  and  make  excellent  decorative  plants  early  in 
the  season. 
¥1 
1*  l^"T  ■  l-.T  -  1  .  1  .  ,  -  .  I  --I  -  1  ^  1  .  1  -  1-i-,  1  -T  -  i-  1  -  I.-  J 
HE  BEE-KEEPER, 
Seasonable  Notes. 
The  fine  weather  of  the  past  month  has  been  beneficial  to  the 
bees,  in  marked  contrast  to  that  experienced  a  year  ago.  Bees  have 
bem  daily  on  the  Aving,  and  those  coming  from '  colonies  that  are 
headed  b^'  young  fertile  (queens  have  returned  loaded  Avith  ])ollen, 
shoAving  that  breeding  Avas  going  on  apace.  Stocks  that  AV'ere  Avorked 
during  the  past  summer  for  honey  production,  the  queens  of  which 
Avere  bred  during  the  summer  of  1896,  Avere  much  quieter,  and  a 
less  number  of  bees  were  observed  on  the  wing  than  in  the  former 
case.  This,  at  first  sight,  may  appear  strange,  as  the  hives  are  croAvded 
Avith  bees,  but  the  reason  is  the  queens,  having  been  Avorked  at  high 
pressure  throughout  the  season,  are  noAV  enjoying  their  well-earned  rest. 
Early  in  January,  or  at  least  six  AA^eeks  earlier  should  the  AA^eather 
be  mild,  they  Avill  again  commence  their  maternal  duties,  which  Avill 
be  continued  throughout  another  season,  or  until  they  are  replaced  by 
young  queens.  In  all  probability  those  stocks  which  have  queens  of 
the  current  year,  and  according  to  jn-esent  appearances  are  not  as 
strong  in  bees  as  the  older  colonies,  Avill  be  equally  good,  and  in  many 
instances  better  next  spring,  as  the  majority  of  bees  hatched  during 
the  months  of  June  and  July  Avill  die  off  during  the  autumn. 
More  dead  bees  than  usual  Avere  observed  near  their  hives  last 
August,  OAving  to  the  excessively  hot  Aveather  experienced.  In  s  ime 
districts  the  honey  floAV  Avas  over  at  that  date,  and  the  bees  remained 
at  home,  gaining  an  entrance  to  a  weak  uniirotected  colony,  and 
making  short  Avork  of  their  stores.  Many  complaints  of  robbing,  and 
in([uiries  hoAv  to  stop  it,  Avere  made.  When  this  takes  place  bees  do 
not  die  of  hard  AA'ork,  but  OAving  to  being  in  conflict  Avdth  their 
neighbours. 
Examining  Stocks. 
Before  finally  placing  on  the  extra  Avinter  coverings  it  Avill  be 
advisable  to  examine  all  stocks,  so  as  to  be  certain  they  are  in  good 
condition  for  Avintering.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  lift  the  frames 
out  of  the  hive  unless  there  is  a  special  reason  for  doing  so.  A  little 
practice  will  enable  the  bee-keeper  to  tell  at  a  glance  Avhether  there  is 
a  queen  in  the  hive,  and  if  they  have  ample  stores  to  tide  over  the 
winter.  Choose  the  middle  of  a  fine  day  for  the  operation.  Bemove 
the  coverings  and  partly  lift  the  quilt,  look  doAvn  between  the  combs, 
and.  if  several  of  them  have  sealed  stores  the  whole  length  of  the  frame 
Avhich  is  visible  from  the  top,  they  may  at  once  be  covered  up  without 
disturbing  the  bees. 
If  there  is  the  least  doubt  in  the  matter,  lift  out  tAA'o  or  three  of 
the  outside  frames,  and  if  these  are  not  in  a  satisfactory  condition 
the  stock  should  be  marked,  and  be  at  once  fed  with  AVarm  syrup, 
accoiding  to  the  recipe  given  in  previous  notes.  If  the  majority  of 
the  hives  in  an  apiary  are  of  the  same  size  and  similar  pattern,  it  is 
not  often  necessary  to  lift  the  quilt  to  find  out  if  they  are  short  of 
stores.  The  plan  I  usually  adojjt  in  my  apiary,  Avhen  I  have  a  doubt 
in  the  matter,  is  to  lift  the 'back  of  the  hive,  and  Avith  a  little  practice 
any  bee  keeper  may  foian  a  pretty  correct  estimate  as  to  the  amount 
of  stores  contained  in  each  hive. 
Queenlessness. 
Ow'ing  to  various  causes  stocks  are  sometimes  found  queenless  at 
this  season.  Not  an  autumn  passes,  and  the  present  one  has  not  been 
an  e.\ce()tion,  but  I  have  my  atteistion  called  to  this  subject.  It  may 
be  to  a  colony  in  Avhich  a  Amung  queen  has  been  reared,  and  knoAvn  to 
have  commenced  laying,  but  more  often  it  has  been  to  an  old  stock  in 
Avhich  there  Avas  a  queen  of  unknoAvn  age.  In  the  former  case  it  is 
difficult  to  knoAv  Avhy  a  young  queen  should  suddenly  collapse.  1  haA’e, 
hoAvever,  had  numerous  instances  of  this.  It  has  rarely  happened, 
though,  Avith  a  queen  hatched  in  June  or  early  in  July.  Queens 
hatched  late  in  the  season  Avill  often  die  in  this  mysterious  manner. 
It,  however,  ought  not  to  happen  in  an  apiary  Avhere  bees  are  kejit  in 
the  modern  frame  hive.  This  Avill  only  ta'^e  place  AA'hen  bees  are  left 
to  take  their  chance  and  there  is  no  system  in  their  management. 
ll  all  the  hives  are  numbered  and  a  list  kept  of  each,  the  age  of 
the  various  queens,  hoAv  obtained,  Avhen  hatched,  and  other  items  of 
interest  being  ])laced  under  the  number  of  each  colony,  all  this  may  be 
entered  in  a  small  book  AAdiich  can  be  cariied  in  the  Avaistcoat  pocket, 
and  Avould  be  ahA^ays  at  hand.  It  is  not  nearly  so  much  troub'e  as 
one  AAmuld  imagine  who  had  not  tried  it,  and  if  the  plan  is  carried  out 
and  a  system  of  rearing  young  queens  annually,  there  need  be  no 
danger  of  having  AA'orn  out  old  queens  in  an  apiary. 
Drones  Still  in  Hives. 
A  sure  sign  of  queenlessness  at  this  season  is  Avhen  drones  are  still 
observed  in  the  hive.  They  may  usually  be  seen  on  the  Aving  Avhen 
the  sun  is  shining  brightly  during  the  middle  of  the  day.  If  it  is  dull 
they  Avill  not  leave  the  hive,  and  if  the  hive  is  queenless,  or  the  colony 
is  headed  by  an  old  decrepit  queen  (avIucIi  is  sometimes  the  case),  the 
bees  Avill  not  kill  off  the  drones.  If  by  chance  only  a  solitary  drone 
is  observed  to  enter  a  hive  it  should  at  once  be  examined,  and  in  all 
])robability  Avill  be  found  queenless.  It  is  useless  leaAung  them  Avith 
a  vieAv  to  introducing  a  queen  next  spring.  If  it  is  a  strong  colony  it 
is  not  too  late  to  introduce  another  queen.  But  the  plan  I  prefer  at 
this  season  is  to  unite  them  to  one  of  the  Aveaker  stocks  in  the  apiary. 
This  must  be  carefully  done,  or  fighting  Avill  take  place.  If  the  bees 
are  brushed  from  the  coiijbs  of  each  stoex  into  an  empty  skep,  and 
sprinkled  Avith  flour,  both  colonies  being  shaken  together,  and  throAvn 
down  on  a  sheet  in  front  of  the  frame  hive  in  Avhich  they  are  to 
remain,  a  puff  or  tAAm  of  smoke  AA’ill  cause  them  to  run  in  together 
Avithout  the  loss  of  a  single  bee. — An  English  Bk.e-keeteu. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editok,”  8,  Rose  Hill  Road, 
'Wandswortli,  I.ondon,  S.W.,  and  NOT  to  Fleet  Street.  It 
is  requested  that  no  one  Avill  Avrite  privately  to  any  of  our  corre¬ 
spondents,  seeking  information  on  matters  discussed  in  this 
Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable  trouble  and 
expense,  and  dejiartmental  Avritere  are  not  expected  to  answer 
any  letters  they  may  receive  on  Gardening  and  Bee  subjects 
through  the  ixist.  If  information  be  desired  on  any  particular 
subject  from  any  particular  authority  who  may  be  named, 
endeavour  will  be  made  to  obtain  it  by  the  Editor. 
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  Avritten  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only;  and 
the  name  and  address  of  each  Avriter  must  be  knoAvn  by  the 
Editor,  though  imt  necessarily  for  insertion.  We  cannot,  as  a 
rule,  rejily  to  questions  through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  under¬ 
take  to  return  communications  Avhich,  for  any  reason,  cannot 
be  inserted. 
Seedling  Clove  Carnations  (/.  C.  A.).  —The  flowers  sent  are  rich  in 
colour,  double,  serrated,  and  fragrant.  The  fact  that  the  seed  you 
obtained  from  a  pod  of  the  old  Clove,  and  which  Avas  soAvn  in  February, 
producing  plants  which  have  flowered  so  well  and  so  soon,  suggests 
fertilisation  Avith  pollen  of  the  Margaret  Carnations,  though  you  do  not 
mention  having  these  in  the  garden.  The  plum-coloured  variety  is 
particularly  attractive. 
