500 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  5,  1902. 
Seasonable  Hints. 
‘  According  to  the  different  stages  of  progression,  every  hive 
in  the  apiary  rcquire.s  some  little  attention  now,  upon  which  the 
success  of  a  season  is  to  a  great  extent  dependent.  When  the 
thermometer  is  above  GOdeg  a  full  aiid  careful  examination  of 
each  stock  must  be  made,  and  a  note  taken  of  the  amount  of 
brood  and  food  present  and  its  exact  condition.  It  invariably 
happens  that  with  a  young  fertile  queen  stores  at  this  time  are 
short.  In  fact,  with  anything  like  a  powerful  colony,  unless  it  has 
been  fed,  it  will  be  at  starvation  point.  Feeding  should  therefore 
be  general,  but  only  in  sufficient  quantities  for  present  needs. 
Every  effort  should  be  made  to  obtain  strong  colonies,  as  one 
bee  now  is  worth  more  than  a  dozen  later.  One  vigorous  stock 
will  gather  as  much  as  three  weak  ones,  the  cost  of  feeding  being 
repaid  threefold.  To  neglect  feeding  while  there  is  considerable 
brood  in  a  hive  would  administer  such  a  check  to  a  stock  that  it 
would  take  nearly  the  whole  of  the  season  to  recover  from  its 
effects.  Tliere  is  no  rule  in  bee-keeping  which  can  be  applied 
without  exception.  One  hive  may  with  advantage  be  given  more 
food,  while  another,  with  the  same  treatment,  may  be 
irreparably  injured.  All  this  goes  to  show  how  necessary  it  is 
that  care  be  taken  to  ascertain,  and  at  times  anticipate,  the 
demands  of  each  hive,  otherwise  the  bee-keeper  will  eventually 
suffer  for  his  neglect  by  a  decreased  harvest. 
Those  who  are  fortunate  enougli  to  be  in  a  district  where  there 
is  an  abundance  of  White  Tliorn,  Sycamore,  or  fruit  should  (imme¬ 
diately  the  bees  begin  to  fall  heavily  on  the  alighting  board,  and 
the  top  cells  of  the  combs  of  brood  are  extended)  super  their  best 
stocks  with  the  object  of  harvesting  a  little  surplus.  There  are 
districts  where  it  is  the  rule,  rather  than  the  exception,  to  obtain 
301b  per  colony  from  this  source  alone.  In  other  districts  it  is 
rather  uncertain,  and  it  is  only  in  exceptionally  fine  springs  that 
this  is  possible.  The  intervention  of  wet  or  cold  spells  would 
necessitate  the  removal  of  the  super  and  a  return  to  feeding.  In 
any  case  the  bees  cannot  be  more  profitably  employed  than  in 
drawing  out  the  combs  in  preparation  for  the  coming  harvest. 
With  the  aid  of  drawn-out  combs  50  per  cent,  more  honey  can 
be  obtained,  and  the  working  out  at  this  season  is  done  at  com¬ 
paratively  little  cost. 
Before  putting  on  the  super  each  bar  should  be  scrajoed  clean 
with  a  glazier’s  knife  or  other  suitable  instrument,  otherwise, 
when  the  excluder  is  placed  in  position  the  proper  distance 
between  the  bottom  bar  and  the  excluder  is  not  maintained,  and 
brace  combs  are  built.  Not  only  is  this  a  waste  of  energy,  but 
it  is  impossible  to  take  the  super  off  when  completed  without 
irritating  the  bees  by  severing  the  combs  and  creating  a  dis¬ 
agreeably  sticky  mess,  which  again  excites  the  bees.  Moreover, 
by  attending  to  these  details  the  comb  honey  will  be  whiter,  and 
manipulations  will  be  facilitated.  The  combs  should  be  lifted 
out  separately  and  sci'aped — top,  bottem,  and  sides  if  necessary — 
and  replaced  in  exactly  the  same  position  as  before.  If  the  bees 
have  to  be  cleared  off  the  bars  shake  them  inside  the  hive,  not 
on  and  around  the  entrance  board,  or  there  is  danger  of  losing 
the  queen.  Keep  a  sharp  look-out  for  foul  brood.  It  is  easily 
detected  in  spring.  All  sealed  cells  (other  than  honey  cells) 
which  are  not  i>atches  of  fresh  brood,  should  have  a  match 
inserted,  and  if  a  brown,  ropy,  teiiacious  mass  is  revealed  it  is 
bacillus  alvei.  These  cells  are  generally  found  on  combs  where 
brood  was  hatched  late  the  previous  year,  and  the  cells  contain 
larvae  which  did  not  reach  maturity.  If  there  are  only  a  few 
scattered  cells  remove  the  combs  on  which  found  and  burn  them. 
Halve  two  napthaline  balls  and  place  them  at  the  back  corners 
of  the  hive ;  at  the  same  time  feeding  with  medicated  syrup  must 
be  commenced.  The  food  must  be  medicated  with  napthol  beta 
solution,  one  tablespoonful  to  101b  of  sugar.  All  appliances, 
which  have  been  used  in  connection  Avith  the  colony — such  as 
feeders  and  dummies — should  be  used  solely  for  that  stock,  and 
due  care  taken  to  prevent  communicating  the  disease.  As  the 
brood  nest  is  extended  on  the  remaining  bars  they  should  be  keenly 
scrutinised  at  intervals  for  any  recurrence  of  the  disease. — E.  E., 
Sandbach. 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Hints  for  Young  Heads. 
(Continued  from  page  194.) 
Peach  growing  probably  ranks  next  in  importance  to  Vines, 
but  the  young  hand  who  has  to  deal  Avith  it  under  the  A'igilant 
supervision  of  an  expert  head,  Avill  find  no  difficulty  in  grasping 
the  simple  details  of  successful  culture  during  his  probationary 
term.  To  some,  however,  the  opportunity  only  may  be  afforded 
for  obserA'ation  of  other  men’s  Avork,  and  somehow  this,  like 
other  opportunities  Avhich  circumstances  place  a  little  aside  of 
the  direct  path  of  daily  duty,  may  not  appear  to  claim  the 
minute  attention  it  deserves.  The  larger  the  garden  and  its 
staff  the  more  often  is  a  young  fellow’s  AVork  confined  to  the 
groove  in  which  it  has  pleased  his  master  to  place  him,  and 
the  more  expert  and  reliable  he  becomes  in  his  one  charge  the 
less  chance  there  is  of  his  being  changed.  How  necessary  it  is, 
then,  for  a  lad  thus  circumstanced  to  observe  and  endeavour  to 
grasp  details  of .  Avork  extraneous  to  his  OAvn  immediate  sphere! 
Would  that  our  boys  could  from  the  start  be  sufficiently 
impressed  Avith  the  importance  of  trying  to  arm  themselves  at 
all  points  for  the  responsible  position  they  aspire  to.  Let  each 
brace  himself  to  forge  strength  into  the  Aveak  links  of  his  chain 
of  practice  that  Avhen  the  strain  of  responsibility  comes  it  may 
stand  the  test. 
In  passing  through  bothydoni,  noAv  and  again  one  becomes 
conscious  that  time  is  slipping  away  Avhilst  facilities  for  practical 
instruction  in  some  particular  phase  of  gardening  never  seem  to 
present  themselves.  Youthful  buoyancy,  however,  soon  floats  a 
young  fellow  on  a  treacherously  fair  surface  Avith  a  vague  feeling 
that  somehoAv,  though  the  hoAv  is  invisible,  he  will  reach  his 
port — that  things  Avill  come  right  in  the  end.  Life  and  its  AV’ork 
are  too  short  to  admit  false  reasoning  in  its  economy.  “  Such 
dear  illusions  Avill  not  last,  the  era  of  enchantment’s  past.” 
Some  head  gardeners  do  recognise  these  deficiencies  in  a  lad’s 
education,  and  are  sufficiently  liberal-minded  to  find  occasional 
hours,  or  half  hours,  Avhen  he — the  youth — can  be  spared  from 
his  own  particular  Avork  for  a  practical  lesson  in  .other  depart¬ 
ments,  possibly  outside,  Avhen  pruning,  seed  soAving,  or  similar 
Avork  is  in  progress.  But  again  some  head  gardeners,  troubled 
Avith  many  things,  view  this  as  a  trouble  they  are  not  called 
upon  to  meet,  Avhereas  such  little  encouragements  bestowed 
upon  an  intelligent  boy  cannot  but  redound  to  the  master’s 
credit  and  add  a  pleasure  to  his  life. 
Early  Stages  of  Culture. 
But  to  return  to  our  Peaches.  They,  like  ourselves,  should 
haA'e  a  good  start  in  life,  and  in  planting  young  trees  into  an 
already  Avell-made  border,  in  Avhich  old  lime  (mortar)  rubble 
should  play  a  conspicuous  part,  a  barroAvload  of  special  com¬ 
post  in  Avhich  one-third  of  rough  leaf  mould  and  a  few  handfuls 
of  Clay’s  fertiliser,  with  a  seasoning  of  sharp  sand  are  blended, 
forms  a  medium  for  the  roots  to  revel  in.  Prominent  errors 
in  Peach  culture  are  overcroAvding  and  the  retention  of  strong 
growths  in  the  early  stage.  With  the  former  the  remedy  is 
obvious,  and  AAdth  the  latter,  to  spare  the  knife  is  to  spoil  the 
Peach.  He  Avho  has  seen  the  ravages  of  red  spider  in  Peach 
houses  cannot  fail  to  note  the  importance  of  a  liberal  water 
supply,  and  AA'here  this  element  and  appliances  are  deficient,  will, 
as  a  master,  consider  it  a  case  of  necessity  to  have  Avater  pressure 
at  hand,  and  the  hose  pipe  to  apply  it  in  copious  syringings. 
During  summer  the  hand  syringe  is  too  laborious,  and  too  time¬ 
absorbing  to  justify  any  excuse  on  the  score  of  primary  outlay. 
Not  only  should  young  men  endeavour  to  absorb  the  science 
and  practice  of  gardening  in  its  broadly  comprehensive  sense, 
but  try  to  make  themselAms  acquainted  Avith  all  the  best  forms 
of  appliances  and  their  modes  of  use,  Avhich  not  only  directly 
economise  time  and  minimise  expense,  but  are  conducive  to  the 
smooth  running  of  the  complex  machinei’y  of  an  important 
charge  of  AA'hich,  sooner  or  later,  they  hope  to  be  chief  engineer. 
A  little  digression  on  this  matter  Avill  probably  be  of  more 
service  to  a  young  head  than  further  discussion  upon  gardening 
under  glass,  of  which  these  brief  papers  can  do  but  little  more 
than  bring  before  him  the  broader  ethics,  and  duly  emphasise 
the  importance  of  a  practical  acquaintance  Avith  daily  routine. 
Every  opportunity  that  occurs  during  building,  boiler  setting, 
and  every  item,  in  fact,  Avith  all  the  technical  details  in  con¬ 
nection  thereAvith,  should  be  seized  upon  to  knoAV 
The  Why  and  Wherefore. 
pertaining  to  it  all.  There  is  a  reason  for  everything,  and  either 
good  or  bad  results  are  effects  of  causes  an  ingenious  mind  Avill 
endeavour  to  trace  for  future  guidance.  Local  builders,  car¬ 
penters,  painters,  fitters,  or  what  not  may  be  very  good  men  in 
their  Avay,  but  their  Avays  and  our  wants  too  often  clash.  •“  Not 
a  gardener’s  business,”  some  Avill  say.  True,  but  so  intimately 
connected  Avith  it  that  it  seems  neither  possible  nor  expedient 
to  dismiss  such  things  from  our  curriculum  ;  and  where  a  gardener 
is  unable  to  convey  his  ideas  correctly  and  concisely  to  the 
tradesman,  and  superintend  their  being  properly  carried  out, 
then,  for  Avant  of  a  proper  understanding,  misunderstandings 
arise,  to  the  eventual  detriment  of  the  gardener  and  his  work. 
Youthful  ambition  trends  towards  the  glass  department,  and  often 
tends  to  monopolise  interest  in  it,  pei'haps  because  the  work  is 
regarded  as  being  more  mental  than  muscular;  but  beyond  the 
essential  labours  connected  with  the  kitchen  garden  and  outside 
AA'ork  generally,  there  is  the  higher  life  of  outside  gardening, 
where  freedom  reigns  in  a  kingdom  of  infinite  interest  and 
beauty,  and  Avhere  man’s  place  is  more  that  of  minister  than 
master.  To  introduce  probationers  to  that  gardener’s  elysium 
in  oAir  next  paper  will  afford  much  pleasure  to — An  Old  Boy. 
(To  be  continued.) 
