Horticulture.

YUCCAS AND AGAVES.

BY R. R. HARDING,

Curator, Toowoomba Botanic Gardens.

How much would these be thought of, if they were stove plants, difficult to cultivate and to get into bloom. But as they are only hardy plants that will grow anywhere, they are seldom seen cultivated, and yet more beautiful or more striking objects it is impossible to have, especially when in full bloom. Effective as they are in the form of a single specimen upon the lawn, they are much more so when in groups, or planted on an embankment, especially if their foliage is well mixed. They also make a splendid background for more dwarflike plants. No matter how severe the drought, they do not feel its effects; in fact, during the past dry season, when all other flowering plants suffered, these with their blooms enlivened up the grounds. Those who have never grown yuccas, nor have ever seen them in masses, can have no idea of the grand display they make when mixed judiciously. Ground totally unfit for anything else, is well adapted for their growth. I have often advised some residents out West, where the rainfall is small, and who have been disheartened at losing their plants year after year, to go in for these and all other plants that delight in such weather. Of course, they will not make much display of flowers, but, if placed properly, their foliage is quite equal to the former in beauty, and would certainly be better than nothing. When once established, they may safely be allowed to care for themselves: no undergrowth will affect them, and no garden is complete without them. Quite a number of these bear beautiful flower-stems 3 feet or more in length, each single flower nearly pure white, followed by ornamental fruits in their season, like short, stout bananas. These glisten with the rich colour of polished cedar. I have used this plant with good effect in hiding unsightly corners and buildings, at the corners of flower-beds to prevent visitors from taking too short a cut, at the corners of fences; and when planted in double rows as an ornamental dividing fence, or in unsightly tracks through the lawns, their sharp dagger points answer these purposes with good effect. They are the best plants for the Downs for putting into vases, and if the sharp points are cut off they do no harm. Around the bandstand in these grounds, the flooring being some 6 feet from the ground, I formed an embankment sloping down to nothing. Yucca was employed in two rows all round, except at the entrance. These were merely the tops from other older plants cut to any length required, and stuck in the earth-nothing more. On the outside the bank was finished off with cuttings of Echevera glauca. At each side of the entrance two yuccas were planted in vases. Now this is one of the prettiest groups in the grounds. The plants grew straight away, and each year they all bloom together, and have given no trouble. They are very useful in preventing boys from climbing up the railings when the band does play. Could not these be utilised along the banks of the river in the Botanic Gardens, or at the forts at Lytton, as a means of partial defence? They would be suitable for binding the soil together and for stopping the drift of sand.

In some parts of the globe they are commonly called Dagger Leaf, Striped Dagger Leaf, Adam's Needle, and Eve's Thread. The blooms of these are edible. They are picked from the stems, and scalded two or three times in boiling water to draw out the rather peculiar taste. Then, cooked with bacon, like cabbage, and eaten with vinegar, they are considered quite a treat. The leaves

torn in strips can be used for tying up other plants.

The Mexicans burn a leaf to ashes, put the ashes in a bottle, pour on water, and use the liquid as a remedy in flux and its kindred diseases. They say it is a certain cure.

They are described by the Mexicans as amongst the most useful of plants In Mexico, the fruit is eaten in both the fresh and dry state. The plants grow from 2 to 20 feet high, in some places becoming tall trees, the trunk varying in diameter from 8 to 20 inches. They abound in fibre, and the stems are charged with a saponaceous principle which the Indians make use of in the place of soap by simply cutting slices off the stem, beating these into pulp, and mixing this with water. The fibres obtained from some are of great length, very strong and durable, and seem to be well adapted for the various manufactures of the Indians of Southern California, who make with them excellent horse blankets, while all the tribes living in the country where the plant is found use it to make ropes, nets, shoes, and mattresses. The seeds, which contain a quantity of nutritive matter, are ground into flour, and eaten either raw or cooked in the form of mush. The young and tender white flower-spikes are eaten raw or roasted, and are also used after the manner of asparagus. The root is pounded up and used as soap. One Yucca, which is a common garden plant, contains a very soft fibre which is used for padding horse blankets.

In far-away Mexico, there are great tracts of desolate desert lands where the very hills seem destitute of life and beauty; where the earth is shrivelled by centuries of terrible heat; and in this desert tract grows a curious, misshapen, grotesque, and twisted plant that seems more like a goblin tree than a real one. Of all the trees in the world, you would imagine this to be the most outcast and worthless-so meagre a living does it obtain from the waste of sand and gravel in which it grows; and yet this tree is now being sought after and utilised in one of the world's greater industries-an industry that meets the daily needs of civilisation, and is of special importance to all of us. This is the much-despised Yucca, which for a long time was considered worthless. But not long ago it was discovered that the fibre of this plant could be made into an excellent and now one of the great English dailies-the London Telegraph-is printed upon paper made from the Yucca. Indeed, the proprietors of the Telegraph have purchased a large extent of ground in Arizona, merely for the purpose of cultivating this plant, and manufacturing paper from it; hence it has obtained the name of the Telegraph plant.

paper,

Further values of this plant are still being found out. An American periodical has an advertisement announcing Yucca as a remedy for premature baldness.

When these plants get to a great height, I have them cut down close to the ground. The tops are put in again; some of the largest stems are put away to dry; then these are cut into sections on which to grow orchids, as they are very light and fibrous. For this purpose I know of nothing better. Each foot, when dry. weighs 1 lb. Others are placed under the soil, and this gives me a quantity of young plants. Could not this idea be carried out by orchardists? Bury a number of stems in the grass, when the small dagger points would be a surprise to trespassers.

I have now, I believe, given the whole of my little stock of knowledge; and will close with one more remark. That is: Yuccas are a fine genus of plants, very ornamental on banks or outside rockeries or dry places, some of them producing magnificent tall spikes of innocent white flowers. They will grow anywhere in a warm climate, even in pots or vases.

Aloifolia variegata is a superbly variegated variety, growing quickly and producing a most symmetrical plant. Its green leaves are striped with yellow. It grows to a height of from 8 to 12 feet.

Gloriosa, Quadricolor, and Recurvata.

The next four best are- -Filamentosa,

In 1875 I extracted fibres from the Yucca by hand, which were exhibited in the adjoining colonies, also, I believe, at the Paris Exhibition, by Walter Hill, Esq., then Director of the Botanic Gardens, Brisbane.

Apiculture.

BEES AND FRUIT.

THE question as to whether bees injure fruit is a very old one, and has often cropped up, and has often been settled in favour of the bee. Any entomologist knows that the antennæ of the bee are incapable of cutting into the skin of sound fruit, and in order to make a start he must first find a hole already made by some other insect, such as the ant. Yet it is quite true he will bite through the wooden division boards of a hive.

66

This point was once raised at a meeting of the beekeepers' association, and an explanation demanded. An expert present answered by asking the question: Why is it that, although a man can bite through a piece of plaster, he cannot make a hole with his teeth through a plaster wall?" Yet you say you have seen bees which looked as though they were searching for a weak spot on sound fruit upon which to make an attack, although you very cautiously add that you did not see them actually succeed in piercing the fruit. Bees, although possessed of instinct in the largest degree, are very stupid in many things; and one may often see them trying for hours to do something, which, if they had any reason, they would have known to be a physical impossibility.

But there is no need to confine ourselves to theory only. The practical test has often been made of placing absolutely sound fruit in the vicinity of bees, care having been first taken to examine the fruit microscopically, to see that it was uninjured. In every case, although the bees have hovered around, they have ultimately abandoned it untouched.-Martin's Home and Farm.

H. W. BRICE says that the fruit crop on a farm.near one of his apiaries is worth £100 a year more than it was without the bees.- Gleanings.

VARIETIES OF HONEY.

ONE would scarcely suppose that there was so much difference in honey, and that there are a great number of varieties (says an American authority on bees); and his remarks should be of interest to our own beekeepers. Although conditions may not be the same, they are similar in some respects. There are almost as many varieties as there are different flowers that produce honey, and the difference in flavour is very perceptible. Since the introduction of the extractor, it is possible to keep each variety separate to quite an extent, and hence the opportunity it affords to see and taste the honey from the different. flowers.

These varieties of honey also differ materially in colour. There are scarcely any two varieties of the same shade, and there are all shades from white or light down to dark or nearly black.

Buckwheat (which always got more credit than it ever deserved) produces the darkest grade of honey, or at least as dark as the darkest, and which would in any established market bring the lowest price. The only value of a crop of buckwheat honey is that it usually comes when other flowers are not producing nectar, being later in the season, and it keeps the queens busy laying and broodrearing thus continually, which is very beneficial.

Various other plants and trees furnish a second grade-amber-coloured honey-a very beautiful golden colour, and which by a great many persons is preferred to any other. This honey is produced by nearly all fruit-producing trees and shrubs, and many wild flowers also. In the south-eastern States of America the poplar, or white wood, is the leader in this respect; and the famed white sage of the West is the same in that locality, especially California.

PREPARING HONEY FOR MARKET.

THIS subject cannot be written about too much. In these times of closest competition, it behoves everyone to put up honey in as neat and attractive a manner as possible. When it comes to receptacles for extracted honey or cases for comb honey, only the very best must be used. It will not pay to try to save a few shillings in this, and run the risk of losing pounds when your honey reaches the market. The trade in various localities often varies in its requirements as to style and size of package. Hence, it will be wise to first learn just what is demanded, and then comply therewith as near as possible. Endeavour to find out what the public want, and see that they are accommodated. Some people are whimsical; and yet if they are willing to pay for being so, no one need object.

Another thing-and it has been spoken of so often-whatever you do, be sure to clean every section of honey of every particle of bee-glue, scraping them thoroughly, if necessary, in order to attain the object. Some agents object to the producer's name being on each case or section, but we think none will care if only the name appears. We believe it would be a good idea for every beekeeper to put his name upon every section of honey that leaves his apiary. This can be done easily and rapidly with a rubber stamp. Then the consumer can call for more of Mr. So-and-so's honey, and a demand will thus be

created.

Other ideas will no doubt suggest themselves to every wideawake producer of honey who reads this. As in most other things, it will pay well to use brains in the preparation of honey for the market. Nothing but an absolutely first-class article should ever be placed upon the market for this purpose.Martin's Home and Farm.

FIXING FOUNDATION INTO FRAMES.

THE size of the brood chamber must be regulated to the size of the colony; in other words, there would not be more frames left in the hive than would keep the bees tolerably compact, and therefore in a better condition to winter well.

In the spring-time all young queens will be coming into full vigour with their work of ovipositing; and with eggs, brood, newly-gathered honey, and pollen in the cells, there will soon be insufficient room for the number of eggs the queen will deposit daily.

There is not a better method of recombing than by lessening the size of the brood chamber in the autumn, and discarding old and badly-shaped combs, and then adding at the side, in the spring, new frames with full sheets of foundation, till the hive is again full of combs. In the following autumn the old combs, or part of them, will be removed, and thus in three years all the combs will be renewed. The practice of renewing combs tends more than is often supposed to the quick increase of the stock and its general success. There are numerous instances in which the hives have not been recombed since the bees were first put in, years ago, and those stocks are among the moderate or bad ones of which complaint is made.

At the present time, no person who desires quick and regular increase will neglect to use foundation, and never starters or little pieces for the sake of economy (?) in the place of full sheets.

To find out how eagerly the bees accept sweet new foundation, place a fitted frame in the middle of the brood nest of a strong stock, when broodspreading will not endanger the brood, and within twenty-four hours it will be almost a comb, and contain hundreds of eggs. The same eagerness to get on with work is not manifested if, instead of foundation, combs saved from the previous or other years are given. It is also much better to weed out the old combs, and thus get rid of those that have in them too many drone cells, or that are overburdened with pollen.

The first sheets of wax-used more as guides than helps to the bees in the building of their combs-were fixed to the centre of the top bar of the frame by the aid of melted wax. The next step was to cut the top bar nearly into two parts with a circular saw, and, while holding open the saw-cut with a small screwdriver, place in the top of the sheet of foundation. On the withdrawal of the screwdriver, the sides of the frame closed and held the wax sheet firmly. This plan is used very extensively at the present time, but wiring to maintain the sheet in the centre of the frame, even if the hive did not stand properly level, was soon the approved method of fixing foundation in brood frames.

A simple plan is here illustrated. Five wire nails are driven through the side bars very near to the top and bottom, and the points are turned to form hooks. Then No. 30 tinned wire is passed round from hook to hook in the following order-1 to 2, and thence by 3 and 4 to 1; from 1 it is passed below the strand running from 3 to 4, and when drawn tight finished off at 2.

The wires are then exactly in the centre of the frame, and the next step is to imbed them in the foundation. To do this, lay the sheet of foundation upon a board to just fit inside the frame, and fix crosspieces of wood beneath it, so that the wires just rest upon it. Then run along the wires a special wheel, which will press them down into the foundation. The work is done most satisfactorily if the wheel is heated in hot water or over the flame of a candle or lamp.

WIRED FRAME.

Unless the top of the sheet is fixed in a saw-cut, it may sag, so most beekeepers use the wax smelter, and unite the wax to the top bar by running along a little melted wax. The smelter is also used when the starters or full sheets are not fixed in a split top bar of the sections.

ENTICING BEES INTO SUPERS.

Surplus chambers will soon be required. The early seed crops_come into flower early in May, when they will be one mass of bloom. Lucky the beekeeper who has his stocks strong then, and his supers all ready! No device for enticing bees into supers is required under such conditions. There are, however, conditions that militate against bees entering supers, and these had better be removed. In the first place, supposing we have hives holding fifteen or more frames, we cannot expect them to be full to overflowing with bees, although at the same time ten and eleven framed stocks are boiling over with bees. The method of procedure in such cases is to lessen

the size of the brood chamber by removing the outside combs, and placing close to the combs left dummies to keep the bees to the frames allowed them. If supers are then put on these hives, the bees will enter them just as readily