April  24,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
373 
IS 
HB  BEE-KliEPER. 
Seasonable  Hints. 
The  first  calm  warm  day  should  be  taken'  advantage  of  to 
clean  all  floor-boards.  Cleanliness  is  inseparable  from  successful 
apiculture,  and  every  precaution  should  be  taken  to  keep  hives 
cleanj  otherwise  tlie  health  of  the  inhabitants  will  suffer,  and 
the  liability  to  catch  various  diseases  increases.  Considerable 
rubbish  accumulates  in  a  hive  during  the  winter,  which  not  only 
chokes  the  spiracles,  or  breathing  passages  of  the  bees,  but 
from  a  hygienic  point  of  view  has  a  distinctly  deleterious  effect 
on  their  health.  The  retention  of  such  matter  at  times  affects 
the  whole  atmosphere  of  the  hive,  and  is  simply  harbouring 
disease  germs.  Everything  which  may  be  a  continuous  and 
increasing  source  of  vitiation  should  be  removed  or  rendered 
innocuous.  The  great  facility  with  which  disease  germs  are 
conveyed  renders  the  most  careful  rules  insufficient  to  prevent 
their  transport.  In  cleaning  '•  W.  B.  C.”  hives  there  is  hardly 
any  difficulty.  The  floor-board  is  first  lifted  out  with  as  little 
disturbance  as  possible,  and  to  prevent  the  escape  of  bees  is 
placed  on  a  board  the  same  size ;  the  floor-board  may  then  be 
scraped  clean,  disinfected  and  replaced,  the  whole  operation  being 
completed  in  about  five  minutes.  Care,  must  be  taken  to  keep 
the  brood-chamber  perfectly  level,  or  the  combs  may  move  and 
crush  the  bees  between  them. 
In  order  to  provide  sufficient  air  the  board  must  be  per¬ 
forated,  or  made  in  two  pieces,  and  the  joint  left  open  about  ^in. 
In  addition  to  preserving  the  health  of  a  colony  this  little  atten¬ 
tion  assists  them  very  much,  as  they  will  labour  diligently  every 
warm  day  until  they  have,  removed  all  the  debris.  Moreover, 
and  this  is  the  main  point,  it  obviates  unnecessary  wear  and  tear, 
and  the  increased  vigour  attaiued  is  almost  wholly  unknown 
where  bees  are  not  sanitarily  hou.sed.  If  the  naphthaline  balls 
require  renewing,  two  may  be  halved  and  placed  in  the  corners 
furthest  away  from  the  entrance.  Where  frames  have  been 
spaced  wider  for  wintering  they  should  bei  reduced  to  l^in  from 
centre  to  centre,  the  ordinary  brood  raising  distance,  and  any 
pollen-clogged  or  superfluous:  drone  comb  removed.  It  takes  as 
much  to  raise,  two  drones  as  three  workers ;  if,  therefore  a  large 
number  of  the  former  are  brought  intO'  existence  it  reduces  the 
honey  harvest.  When  more  room  is  required  in  the  brood-nest, 
bars  fitted  with  full  sheets  of  foundation  must  be  inserted  on  the 
outside  of  the  combs  that  the  bees  cover.  This  is  the  safest  way 
to  extend  the  brood-nest  at  present.  The  bars  can  be  placed  in 
the  centre  when  the  bees  begin  working  them  out.  Large  quan¬ 
tities  of  water  are  used  in  the  elaboration  of  chyle,  the  foo'd  of  the 
larvae,  and  if  it  is  not  available  from  natural  sources  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  apiary,  it  is  important  that  an  ample  supply  be  given  them 
by  filling  a  tub  or  other  vessel.  To  iDrovide  foothold  for  the  bees 
and  prevent  them  drowning  a  few  corks  should  be  thrown 
on  the  water. 
While  feeding  is  in  progress,  and  there  is  a  scarcity  of  food 
outside,  robbing  is  likely  to  occur.  Exposure  of  sweets  at  such  a 
period  will  start,  any  bees  robbing,  which  in  spring  iscarried  on  in  a 
totally  different  manner  to  that  in  the  autumn.  The  absence  of 
any  proper  guard  at  the  entrance  of  the  hives  makes  it. a  com¬ 
paratively  easy  matter  for  the  marauders  to  enter  and  cany  away 
the  spoil.  This  makes  it  rather  difficult  to  detect.  The  best 
plan  is  to  visit  the  apiary  on  a  fine  day  towards  sunset,  and  if 
bees  are  observed  actively  entering  and  leaving  some  of  the'  hives 
while  the  others  are  quiet,  these  should  be  carefully  watched. 
The  robbers  will  be  coming  out  of  the  hive  attacked  and  flying 
away  with  the  well  known  loaded  swing  and  hum,  and  making 
straight  for  home.  As  prevention  is  better  than  cure, 
immediately  strange  bees  are  perceived  hovering  round,  the 
entrances  should  be  contracted  to  iin,  and  on  no  account  should 
syrup  or  other  sweets  be  exposed.  If,  as  sometimes  happens, 
syrup  is  spilled  it  must  be  cleared  away  without  delay  or  covered 
up. — E.  !E.,  Sandbach. 
- 
Publications  Received. 
“  Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Centrale  d’Horticidture  du  Departe- 
ment  de  la  Seine-Inferieure.”  *  *  “  Kew  Bulletin,” 
Appendix  IV.,  1902.  Contents:  List  of  Staffs  in  Botanical 
Departments  at  Home,  and  in  India  and  the  Colonies.  *  * 
“  ]\Ieehans’  Monthly,”  contains  coloured  plate  of  Gentiana 
angu.stifolia.  *  *  “  Le  Jardin  ”  for  April  o  contains  a  coloured 
plate  of  Zonal  Pelargoniums.  *  *  “  Pictorial  Greenhouse 
Management,”  by  W.  P.  Wright,  Ca.ssell  and  Co.,  Is.  *  * 
“Successful  Advertising,”  2s.,  Smith’s  Printing  Agency,  28-32, 
Hutton  Street,  London,  E.C.  *  *  “Thompson’s  Gardener.s’ 
.\s.sistant,”  Vol  V.,  The  Gresham  Publishing  Co.,  34,  South¬ 
ampton  Street,  Strand.  *  *  “  q'Pe  Book  of  the  Rose,”  by 
Eoster-Alelliar,  Macmillan  and  Co.  *  *  “'One  and  All’ 
Gardening,”  1902,  by  Owen  Greening.  *  *  “Revue  Biblio- 
graphitpie  des  Sciences  naturelles  pures  et  appliques.”  *  * 
“  .\n  .Australian  Colony,”  the  Government  Handbook.  *  * 
■■  The  Journal  of  the  Department  of  .\gricnltnro  of  A'ictoria.” 
.THE  WEEK..  SI 
few 
Fruit  Forcing. 
CHERRY  HOUSE. — When  the  stoning  is  completed  the 
fruit  will  commence  colouring,  then  syringing  must  cease,  and 
not  be  had  recourse  to  again  until  the  trees  are  cleared  of  their 
crops.  A  good  moisture,  however,  should  be  maintained  in  the 
house  by  keeping  the  surface  of  the  border  moist,  damping  it 
when  it  becomes  dry^  or  if  the  trees  are  in  pots,  damping  the 
floor  two  or  three  times  a  day.  The  temperature  must  not 
exceed  65deg  from  fire  heat,  and  55deg  to  GOdeg  at  night,  with  a 
little  ventilation,  increasing  it  at  65deg,  liberally  at  70deg, 
subject  to  a  little  on  constantly  at  the  top  of  the  house.  The 
borders  must  be  seen  to  for  watering  as  required,  and  clear  liquid 
manure  may  be  given  to  trees  in  pots.  Stop  growths  at  the 
sixth  leaf,  and  after  once  pinching  the  subsequent  growths  may 
be  stopped  to  a  leaf  or  two,  laterals  being  pinched  to  one  joint  as 
made. 
MELONS  :  EARLY  PLANTS. — Directly  the  fruit  commences 
to  ripen  lessen  the  supply  of  water  at  the  roots,  but  not  so  as  to 
distress  the  plants,  for  if  the  foliage  has  been  kept  clean  and  the 
roots  in  good  condition  a  second  crop  may  be  had  from  the  plants. 
Atmospheric  moisture  should  be  withheld,  and  a  circulation  of 
dry  warm  air  ensured,  maintaining  a  temperature  of  70dag  to 
75deg,  and  85deg  to  90deg  with  sun  heat.  Cracked  fruits  are 
produced  by  a  close  and  moist  atmosphere  with  too  much  moisture 
and  nitrogenous  matter  at  the  roots,  which  induces  an  excess  of 
sap,  and  consequent  effort  at  growth.  If  any  fruits  show  a  ten¬ 
dency  to  crack,  cut  the  shoots  about  half-way  through  with  a 
knife  a  few  inches  below  the  fruit,  and  diminish  the  supply  of  water 
at  the  roots  and  in  the  atmosphere.  Cut  the  fruits  before  they 
are  very  ripe,  keeping  them  on  shelves  in  a  warm  house  until 
they  are  in  proper  condition,  or  they  may  be  removed  to  a  fruit 
room  for  tvm  or  three  days  to  become  equally  ripened  all  over. 
SUCCESSIONAL  PLANTS.—Fertilise  the  flowers  when  fully 
expanded,  the  atmosphere  being  kept  drier  and  warmer,  and 
ventilation  attended  to  early,  with  a  little  constantly  if  there  is 
danger  of  moisture  condensing  on  the  blossoms.  Stop  the  shoots 
at  the  time  of  fertilisation,  one  joint  beyond  the  fruit.  To  insure 
a  full  crop  have  a  number  of  fruits  on  individual  plants  in  the 
same  stage  of  growth.  Earth  up  the  plants  with  some  rather 
strong  and  rich  loam  after  the  fruits  begin  to  swell,  ramming  it 
down  firmly,  placing  a  little  fresh  lime  around  the  collar  to  pre¬ 
vent  canker,  and  if  it  appears  rub  quicklime  well  into  the  affected 
parts.  Plants  swelling  their  fruits  should  be  syringed  freely  in 
hot  weather  at  about  3  p.m.  or  earlier  if  necessity  arise  for  closing, 
damping  the  floor  in  the  morning  and  evening,  using  liquid 
manure — that  from  stable  or  cow-house,  diluted  with  five  times 
its  bulk  of  water,  or  Ichaboe  guano,  loz  to  a.  gallon  of  water,  and 
not  using  more  than  a  gallon  of  the  prepared  liquid  to  ten  square 
yards.  Shade  only  to  prevent  flagging.  A^'entilate  freely  in 
favourable  weather,  commencing  from  75deg  to  80deg,  increasing 
or  decreasing  it  during  the  day  as  may  be  necessary,  maintaining 
a  day  temperature  of  70deg  to  75deg,  80deg  to  85deg  or  90deg 
with  sun  heat,  closing  between  80deg  and  85deg,  and  if  an 
advance  be  made  to  90deg  or  95deg,  or  even  lOOdeg  after  closing 
it  wdll  materially  assist  the  fruit  in  swelling  and  lessen  the  neces¬ 
sity  for  fire  heat  at  night ;  but  it  must  be  accompanied  by  plenty 
of  atmospheric  moisture,  keeping  a  night  temperature  of  Godeg, 
falling  to  GOdeg  in  the  morning.  If  red  spider  appears,  brush  the 
hoVwater  pipes  with  a  thin  wash  of  flowers  of  sulphur  and  skim 
milk,  and  for  aphides  and  thrips  fumigate  moderately  on  two  or 
three  consecutive  evenings. 
PITS  AND  FRAMES. — Train  the  growths  out  regularly 
avoiding  crowding,  and  when  the  blossoms  appear  fertilise  them 
about  midday  on  fine  days.  Maintain  a  good  bottom  heat  by 
linings,  and  admit  a  little  air  if  there  is  danger  to  be  apprehended 
from  rank  steam.  Employ  thick  night  coverings,  as  the  nights 
are  yet  cold,  but  do  not  allow  the  covering  to  hang  over  linings 
of  fresh  manure,  and  so  injure  the  plants  by  introducing  rank 
steam  into  the  interior.  Sow  seeds  for  raising  plants  t-o  put  out 
in  pits  and  frames  as  they  become  cleared  of  bedding  plants,  and 
pot  the  seedlings  as  they  require  it. — Sr.  Aehans. 
The  Kitchen  Garden. 
SOWING  VEGETABLE  MARROAVS. — Seeds  may  be  sown' 
singly  in  3in  pots  filled  with  a  mixture  of  loamy  soil.  Place  the 
pots  in  a  greenhouse  or  warm  frame  until  the  seeds  gerininate, 
after  which  cool,  light  treatment  in  a  cool  structure  nill  suit 
until  the  seedlings  are  sufficiently  strong  and  hardy  to  plant  out. 
Varieties  of  merit  include  the  Long  AVhite,  cream,  and  green;. 
