1214 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  6,  1902. 
;ab]e  and  interesting  lectnre.  Prizes  for  two  gentlemen’s  button¬ 
holes  and  a  ladies’  spray,  were  awarded: — 1st,  Mr.  A.  Baker 
'(gardener,  Mr.  Orchai’d) ;  2nd,  Mr.  J.  C.  Godwin  (gardener,  Mr. 
AlcCullocli) ;  8rd,  Mr.  H.  Kitley ;  the  prizes  being  given  by  Mr. 
Jones  and  Mr.  Winslade.  Certificates  of  Merit  went  to  Mr. 
G.  Howes  (gardener,  Mr.  White),  for  Platyclinis  glumacea;  Mr. 
G.  B.  James  (gardener,  Mr.  Clarke),  for  two  Cyclamen  ;  Mr. 
C.  Bruce  Coles  (Mr.  Lee,  gardener),  for  Dendrobium  nobile ; 
Lady  Cave  (gardener,  Mr.  Poole),  for  a  collection  of  cut  specimens 
of  evergreen  shrubs  and  Conifers;  and  to  Messrs.  Garaway  and 
Co.  for  a  new  double  flowering  Peach. — H.  K. 
rr^v 
‘The  March  Moth. 
The  March  Moth  (Anisopteryx  sescularia)  is  called  Geometra 
by  some  naturalists.  It  appears  about  the  middle  of  the  month. 
The  females  are  wingless,  as  repre¬ 
sented  in  the  annexed  drawing ; 
but  the  males  have  wings,  and 
measure  nearly  l^n  across  them, 
when  fully  opened.  The  fore 
wings  are  pale,  glossy,  ashy-brown, 
with  a  central,  broad,  slightly 
dusky  band  across  them,  edged 
outwardly  with  a  white  toothed 
line,  and  an  obi  que  broAvn  line  ex¬ 
tending  to  the  tip  of  the  wing 
from  the  outer  angle  of  the  band 
next  to  it.  The  hind  wings  are 
paler  than  the  fore  vungs,  Avith  a 
dusky  central  dot,  and  indistinct 
bands.  The  caterpillar  feeds  on  the  leaAms  of  the  Horse  Chestnut, 
Plum,  Elm,  Oak,  HavAhorn,  and  other  trees:  it  is  green,  Avith 
pale  lines  lengtliAvise  of  the  body.  It  is  to  be  found  in  June. 
Infested  shoots  may  be  cut  off ;  or  spraying  can  be  practised. 
INIatich  Moth. 
An  ibservtr's  Notes. 
Under  this  liea  ing  there  are  many  short  interesting  notes  oi*r 
readers  might  send. 
Fri.  7 
Sat.  8 
Sun.  9 
Mon.  10 
Tu.  11 
Wed.  12 
Thrs.  13 
Plants  dedicated  to  each  day 
March  7-13. 
Frog  croaks. 
Gossamer  floats. 
Brimstone  Butterfly  appears. 
Creeper’s  Spring-note  heard. 
Peaeli  blooms. 
Peacock  screams. 
Plum  linds  breaking. 
Ever-blooming  Rose. 
Petticoat  Daffodil. 
Three-leaved  ChickAveed. 
Cornish  Heath. 
Spring  Bulboeodium. 
Pansy. 
Mountain  Soldanella. 
The  honey  bees  Avere  seen  Amry  busy  A'isiting  Crocuses,  Arabis, 
Ac.,  on  Saturday,  March  1.  The  date  Avhen  first  seen  last  year 
was  March  12.  Iris  stylosa  and  Iris  reticulata  are  in  bloom  out 
of  doors  here. — C.  Orchard,  Bembridge,  Isle  of  Wight. 
On  Friday,  February  28,  a  small  Tortoiseshell  Butterfly. 
On  Saturday,  March  1,  Brimstone  Butterfly  (a  fine  specimen). 
One  of  the  first  heralds  of  spring.  My  house  faces  south.  The 
above  Avere  flitting  about  in  front  on  the  dates  named. — Alice 
Baker,  Petersfield,  Hants. 
Phenomena  of  the  Season. 
Some  of  our  readers,  upon  seeing  the  statement  above,  that 
the  gossamer  floats  this  month,  may  remark  that  autumn  is  the 
season  for  its  appearing ;  and  it  is  quite  true  that  in  the  autumn 
gossamer  is  most  abundant ;  but  it  is  to  be  seen  gliding  aAvay  upon 
the  air  in  this  month  also.  It  is  so  characteristic  of  autumn’s 
arrival,  that  in  Germany  they  poetically  call  it  “the  departing 
summer.”  It  is  curious  to  think  that  even  men  of  science,  in 
bygone  years,  have  thought  the  gossamer  to  be  “  scorched  deAv  ;  ” 
or,  that  “  those  great  white  clouds  AA'hich  appear  in  summer  may 
be  of  the  same  substance.”  Passing  by  these  and  other  errors, 
Ave  Avill  state,  for  the  information  of  such  of  our  readers  as  are  not 
acquainted  Avith  the  fact,  that  the  gossamer  is  voluntarily  dartecl 
forth  by  a  particular  spider  (Aranea  obtextrix),  for  the  purpose 
of  being  borne  by  it  speedily  aloft,  and  to  a  distance.  Myriads  of 
these  little  voyagers  in  the  air  have  been  taken  during  their 
passage ;  and  many  naturalists  haA^e  seen  them  tliroAA’  themselves 
upon  their  backs,  “  spread  their  light  sails,”  and  pass  aAA'ay.  We 
may  also  observe,  in  explanation  of  the  “  Peacock’s  scream  ”  Ave 
have  mentioned,  that  this  does  not  refer  to  its  ordinary  cry,  but, 
as  Mr.  Jenyns  observes,  to  a  peculiar  note  uttered  only  liy  the 
male  bird,  at  this  time  of  pairing,  and  AAdiich  note,  or  scream,  is 
very  characteristic  of  the  first  warm  weather  occurring  in  early 
spring. 
Rearing  Queens. 
Unfortunately  for  some  bee-keepers  their  knoAvledge  regard¬ 
ing  the  importance  of  changing  or  reneAving  queens  is  distress¬ 
ingly  deficient,  and  the  result  is  that  the  quantity  of  surplus 
gathered  by  their  stocks  is  A'ariable  and  uncertain,  and  com¬ 
parison  Avith  that  Avhere  an  intelligent  system  of  reneAA'al  has 
been  instituted  is  unfavourable.  The  logical  deduction  is  that 
either  the  age,  fertility,  or  vigour  of  the  queen  is  responsible 
for  this  fluctuation.  It  is  Avell  knoAA'n  that  the  tendency  of  a 
stock  in  possession  of  a  young  queen  is  to  build  worker  comb, 
Avhich  will  iDoiAulate  the  hive  Avith  thousands  of  honey  gathering 
Avorkers ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  Avith  an  old  queen,  drone  comb  is 
built  in  every  conceivable  nook.  Noav  this  means  not  only  an 
increased  consumption  of  honey  and  an  incentiv'e  to  sAvarming, 
but  also  that  the  supply  of  workers  Avill  become  more  and  more 
inadequate,  and  frequently  such  queens,  through  disease  or 
injury,  become  drone  breeders  entirely,  and  instead  of  being  a 
source  of  income  they  are  a  cause  of  constant  loss  and  disapjDoint- 
ment.  Again,  characteristics,  disposition,  temperament,  and 
constitution  differ  in  bees  just  as  they  do  in  animals,  but 
apiarists  are  apparently  stolidly  indifferent  to  this-  fact.  That 
there  are  similar  distinctive  peculiarities  in  bees  does  not  appear 
to  strike  them,  and  in  eliminating  the  bad  traits  and  producing 
the  good  qualities  of  an  improved  strain  there  are  incalculable 
possibilities  of  future  success. 
Anyone  Avho  has  had  experience  will  readily  concede  that  some 
colonies  are  more  energetic  and  vigorous,  more  densely 
populated,  at  the  same  time  being  less  inclined  to  SAvarm,  and 
producing  more  and  better  quality  of  comb  honey.  These  A'aria- 
tions  depend  upon  the  strain  and  constitution  of  the  queen, 
influenced  by  the  drone  Avith  Avhich  she  mates.  If  queens  are 
raised  by  sAvarming  only,  all  the  true  principles  of  breeding  are 
violated.  If  this  be  doubted,  unerring  Nature’s  convincing  re¬ 
sults  Avill  soon  be  A'isible  in  occasional  deformities  and  impaired 
constitutions.  Moreover,  instead  of  subduing  and  stifling  the 
SAA'arming  instinct,  it  Avill  be  developed  by  this  practice  to  such 
an  extent  that  the  stock  may  eventually  become  worthless  for 
the  purpose  of  honey  gathering.  Nothing  can  be  more  appro¬ 
priate  here  than  the  Avords  of  Professor  Cheshire,  Avho  has 
repeatedly  pointed  out  that  queens  should  be  reared  artificially 
if  we  Avish  to  diminish  the  inclination  to  SAA'arm.  It  is  Avell  for 
the  apathetic  to  consider  that,  under  the  present  system  of  stimu¬ 
lative  forcing  a  young  queen  Avill  deposit  as  many  as  three 
thousand  to  four  thousand  Avorker  eggs  per  day,  Avhich,  if  mani¬ 
pulated  in  a  rational  manner,  av.11  provide  a  iiractical  object  lesson' 
on  the  benefit  of  the  modern  system,  by  increas  ng  the  annual 
yield  of  honey  to  the  extent  of  501b  or  more  per  hive.  It  Avill 
be  recognised,  therefore,  that  success  in  bee-keeping  is  in  direct 
ratio  to  the  energy  and  fertility  of  the  queen,  and  also  that  the 
motives  of  economy  which  do  not  permit  the  expenditure  of  a 
foAv  shillings  for  a  queen  (which  might,  as  an  exiieriment,  cost 
pounds  to  produce)  to  supersede  one  which  is  old  and  Avorn-out, 
are  deplorably  short-sighted. 
HoAvever  deplorable  this  may  be  from  a  progressive  stand¬ 
point  it  is  still  more  lamentable  from  an  economical  point  of 
vicAV,  as  the  almost  inappreciable  expense  is  amply  compensated 
by  tire  increased  harvest,  greater  results  being  secured  from 
half  the  number  of  hives,  and,  as  previously  stated,  until  these 
facts  are  more  generally  recognised  and  the  absolute  necessity 
of  an  annual  weeding  out  of  decrepit  queens  is  insisted  upon,  the 
maximum  of  honey  Avill  never  be  obtained  by  the  minimum 
of  labour  colonies  and  expense. 
It  is  almost  impossible,  while  tastes  differ  so  widely,  to  aAvard 
the  palm  for  supremacy  to  any  one  particular  kind  of  bee,  btit 
the  most  eminent  authorities  assure  us  that  there  is  no  satis¬ 
faction  in  Avorking  any  pure  strain,  and  that  a  judicious  cross  is 
insurpassable.  At  the  same  time  the  only  true  measure  by 
which  a  just  estimate  may  be  formed  must  be  based  on  a  con¬ 
sideration  of  what  has  actually  been  accomplished.  In  developing 
an  improAmd  strain  any  question  of  expense  should  be 
subordinated  to  the  supreme  object  of  securing  the  best  bee  for 
utility. — E.  E.,  Sandbach. 
- - 
Great  Britain’s  Forests. 
Mr.  R.  W.  Hanbury.  M.P.,  President  of  the  Board  of  Agricul¬ 
ture,  has  appointed  a  Departmental  Committee  to  inquire  into 
and  report  as  to  the  present  position  and  future  prospects  of 
forestry  and  the  planting  and  management  of  Avoodlands  in  Great 
Britain,  and  to  consider  Avhether  any  measures  might  Avith 
advantage  be  taken,  either  by  the  provision  of  further  educational 
facilities  or  otherwise,  for  their  promotion  and  encouragement. 
Mr.  Reginald  H.  Hooker,  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  is  the 
secretary  to  the  Committee. 
HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
