158 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
the Hotel de Ville and the Church of St. Gervois, a pig 
ran between the horse’s legs, and frightened the animal 
so much, that the Prince was thrown from his saddle, and 
his skull fractured so severely that he died the next day. 
This accident caused certain police regulations regarding 
pigs to be promulgated. They, however, met with con- 
siderable resistance ; the monks of St. Anthony especi- 
ally, on account of their patron saint being represented 
as attended by pigs, claimed to be exempted from the 
operation of the new laws, and ultimately succeeded in 
obtaining the privilege of being the only proprietors 
whose pigs were allowed to roam about the city. The 
public executioner was appointed to seize any pig found 
astray which did not belong to the holy fathers; and, 
upon taking it to the Hétel Dieu, he exacted a fine of five 
sous from the owner, or decapitated the animal, reserving 
the head for his own emolument.— 7. Smith. 
Bees.—If “Agger” will have the goodness to mention the 
primary cause why Bees store up honey, I shall, perhaps, 
have a word or two to say to him respecting his statement 
at p. 129: viz., ‘That propagation of the species is not 
the object for which we keep Bees.” —J. W. 
Bees.—I find that your correspondent ‘ Apis,’”’ who 
wishes to know if Bees’ eggs are transmutable, is under 
the impression that I consider them not to be so. I cer- 
tainly have always thought this a mysterious subject, and 
perhaps some of the readers of the Chronicle may recollect 
a controversy respecting it, which appeared in the Garde- 
ners’ Gazette during 1841. Though I then stated some 
things in favour of the belief of their being not transmut- 
able I at the same time advised others to put the question 
to farther test. ince then I have done so myself, and 
found that Bees can rear a queen provided they have a 
brood comb. For the sake of “ Apis,”’ and others who 
may be ignorant of this subject I shall enter into it a 
little at length. That working Bees’ eggs are transmutable 
was first advanced by Shirach; but if I mistake not, 
Huber went so far as to say that their grubs can be 
changed into Queen Bees although two or three days old ; 
and that it was accomplished by peculiar food and treat. 
ment. The casual observer may see nothing remarkable 
in this, but the accurate naturalist will readily do so; for 
he sees it favours the belief of the transmigration of the 
species. When Shirach broached this startling doctrine, 
Bonnet condemned it, on the ground that it was against 
all the known laws of nature for different food or treat- 
ment to change or make one kind of animal into another, 
In spite of this, however, Apiarians believed it, though 
they could not explain so strange a phenomenon. This, 
nevertheless, appears less startling when Huber’s belief is 
nown ; viz., that working Bees are queens in an unde- 
veloped state, or half-queens, if I may say so; but that 
different food and treatment make up the other half I am 
not prepared to prove, nor can I assert that eggs which 
produce working Bees are transmutable, far less that their 
grubs are so. It is almost useless for me to mention that 
there is but one queen or head Bee in a colony, and that 
without one it cannot long exist ; for she deposits the eggs 
and is, in fact, the mother of the whole. As head Bees 
are only reared at certain periods, the question is, how are 
they supplied in cases of casual or accidental loss? The 
following statement will, I think, show how Bees are pre- 
pared to meet the emergency. During August last, I took 
the queen from a weak hive containing only three combs ; 
the inside one contained eggs and brood. The queenless 
Bees were soon in an uproar, as they always are when 
they lose their queen. I confined them in the hive to 
prevent their dispersion, as well as to keep out their 
neighbours who were bent on their destruction. At the 
end of a week, a queen’s cell was begun on the centre of 
the brood comb; in ten days afterwards it was sealed up, 
and after the same space of time it was empty. I found 
a queen in the hive which differed in no way, except in 
age, from the rightful one which I had taken. The cell 
in which it was reared differed a little from the usual form 
of queen cells, being less of a pear shape and not so deep; 
the latter, however, was made up by the length of the 
cocoon of the insect, in a way similar to that of the cells 
of queen wasps and hornets. Mr. Baxter, in his work 
on Bees, has given an interesting account of this subject, 
which shows how far the various organs of the grubs of 
working Bees must undergo transmutations to become 
Queen Bees. He seems to think that this is not enough ; 
for he observes that those adopted queens are educated 
by the Bees to supply the”loss of the others. Mr, B, 
is/not the only one who tells us of the education of 
insects; but to enlarge upon this project would lead 
to the difficult question of instinct, from which I must 
refrain. may notice, however, that I never could 
detect Royal jelly in a bee-hive. I mean the peculiar 
mixture that is said to change the larvae into Queen Bees, 
Having stated that working Bees are said to be Queens in 
an undeveloped state, it may be alleged that the enlarge- 
ment of the cells gives room for the complete growth of 
the insects. This is a more likely thing than Royal jelly 
changing them ; still it is open to objection, for more 
growth could hardly give colour or the marks peculiar to 
Head Bees, nor different instinct, nor longer period of 
life. Queen Bees live four or more years, while working 
eae as tate season. Those who disputed this cu- 
Jecywith me, perhaps may say, Now he begins 
rAevesel t elas eNO. but Age bide soa a wee,” F 
fat Ba e 
De 
1A 
ot 
. a working Bee. To 
» nothing but grubs ought to have 
for the latter, Bees may have eggs in 
this, however, is not 
is another obstacle in the way 
$ | Hat working Bees can deposit eggs, and 
a MY 
SUaNGuve 
may, in such cases, those that produce Head Bees. Per- 
haps the best way to test this mysterious thing would be 
to take the larve from the Queens’ cells, and replace 
them with those from workers’ cells ; this, however, would 
require the perseverance of a Huber or Bonner.—J/, 
Wighton. 
Lichen on Fruit-trees.—When fruit-trees are infested 
with Lichens and Moss, not only is the health of the trees 
impaired to a certain extent, but the fruit also. The ap- 
plication of lime-water, prepared in the following way, 
will effectually displace the Lichen :—a common water- 
barrel, placed on a wheelbarrow, is best suited for the 
purpose, and it should be filled as full of water as a per- 
son can conveniently wheel it. Put in plenty of quick- 
lime, as water will only take up a certain portion; it 
cannot be made too strong, but it should not be so thick 
as to prevent its being applied with a syringe, having a 
Coarse rose. It is best, I believe, to wheel it immediately 
to the trees, even when warm, which it will be by the 
slacking of the lime. It will be necessary for one person 
to keep stirring it while another syringes the trees; by 
this means a portion of the lime is carried with the water, 
and adheres both to the wall and trees. This mode of 
destroying Lichen is nothing new, but it may not be gene- 
rally known, I last year tried the experiment on two 
Plum-trees, and to my great satisfaction the Lichens were 
quite destroyed, both on the wall and trees; the latter 
how present a healthy appearance, and the bark is quite 
clean. It is an almost invariable practice to wash gar- 
den-pots thoroughly after the plants have been turned 
out of them, before they are made use of again; and many 
pots which have been occupied by plants, requiring a 
liberal supply of water, are covered with a green vegetable 
production: if, after being washed, the pots are dipped 
into strong, clear, lime-water, it will quite destroy this 
substance. As the present is a good time for applying it 
to trees, no time should be lost where they are attacked 
by this pest.—G. G. Watson, Vicarage, Norton, Stock- 
ton-on-Tees. 
Canvas Coverings for Frames.—I do not think that 
anything is more suitable for canvas coverings than plain 
painting with drying oil. This should be done in the au- 
tumn, the canvas being fully exposed to the sun and air 
for some time afterwards, by being spread on the Grass. 
Though this method does not make it quite transparent, 
it is much better and more simple than any other,— 
Hibernia. 
Refuse Hops as a Substitute for Stable Manure,— 
Some few years back, being unable to obtain a sufficient 
quantity of stable manure, I was (at the instance of a 
friend) induced to procure from a neighbouring brewery 
two loads of hops, which had undergone the usual process 
in making beer. The hops were carted to me in a warm, 
moist state, and immediately made up into a couple of 
hot-beds. The frames were then put on, the surface 
covered with about three inches of common garden mould, 
and the lights shut down, Never having before tried the 
experiment, I was fearful of putting in cuttings (Dablias) 
too precipitately, lest sudden steam should arise; but on 
the morning of the third day, no steam or rank smell 
being perceivable, I ordered one of the frames to be filled 
with the cuttings, and the result was, that they struck re- 
markably well. By the time they were well rooted, the 
other bed had been cleared, and I directed the Hops to be 
turned over, well watered, and again made up. This 
caused them to heat moderately a secondtime; and the 
plants having been potted off into 60’s, were at once 
placed in the frame, where they made a vigorous and 
rapid growth, seeming to delight in the genial warmth 
emitted from the Hops. I have adopted the foregoing 
plan for three successive years, and am now fully con- 
vinced that, although the heat arising from Hops is not 
so powerful in the first instance as common dung, yet that 
it is more /asting and equal. For those individuals who 
do not keep a regular gardener, and who are often com- 
pelled to leave their frames for the whole day without 
being attended to, the method will be found most useful; 
as on no one occasion during the above period were my 
plants ever injured by the sudden rising of steam or rank 
smell, a disaster which too often occurs when stable 
manure is used, unless the beds are very carefully looked 
after.—C. K, 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
March 7.—R, W. 
Antrobus, W. Brown, 
way, were elected Fellows. 
Barchard, Esq., in the chair. The Rev. J. 
and G, Green, Esqrs., and Mr. J, Garra- 
Mr. Goo 
mens 0} 
gracefully around the 
large light crimson 
glauca, in excellent health, 
which appeared to be owing to its bein wn in earth instead 
wood; Aeschynanthus maculatus, with dark 
mgst which its numerous clusters of scarlet 
a pretty effect ; aspecies of Hippeastrum, with 
bright scarlet flowers, having a greenish centre ; a large plant of 
the new ia coccinea; Oncidinm incurvum, and the beau- 
tifal Burlingténia rigida: a Knightian medal was awarded. for 
the Colimnea, Burlingténia, and Begénia, From Mr. Brazier, 
gr. to - Story, Esq., well-bloomed plants of Erica 
vernix rubra, and Petiveriana bicolor, the latter having pretty 
greenish-yellow tubular flowers, witha reddish tinge at the base, 
and prominent brown stamens; several handsome hybrid Epa- 
crises, one called coruscans, with long crimson tubular blossoms, 
six plants of which were exhibited; E. résea umbrata, of the 
same form, but lighter than the preceding ; and E. magniflora, 
of a deep rose-colour, and remarkable for the freedom with whic) 
‘was awal 
Gaines exhi 
two seedling Epacrises. 
my 
on. W. F. H, Strangways, a dish of Pine Golden Russet Apples, in 
From Mr. Henderson, gr. to Sir G. Beau- 
of soda, in the 
From Mr, Martin, of 
Mr. Dredge, 
e@ are so constructed that by 
of movable nuts, and screw-pieces cast upon the pip 
of pipes can be securely joined together, without soldering or 
it The same person also exhibited an ingenious contriy- 
ance, in the form oi id panding an i 
allow for the alternate expansion and contraction of pipes con- 
taining steam or hot water. he garden of the Society 
were plants of Oncfdium altissimum ; the large and small va- 
rieties of On, ai 
panicle of large, bright 
Jum ; Dendr 
Winter Crassane, which differs from the 
Old Crassane, in bearing abundantly as a standard; and the 
Vicar of Winkfield, described at p. 20 of the Chronicle of this year, 
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND, 
March 1.—P. Pusey, Esq., in the ir, Twenty-one 
Members were elected. Mr. R. Barker presented the monthly 
report of the accounts, and state of the Society’s funds, 
from which it appeared that in addition to invested capital the 
current cash balance was 1,593/, i 
bers whose subscriptions are in arrear ; but that, on their receipt 
a letter shall be addressed to the parties, informing them that 
their journals may be had at the Office of the Society, on appli- 
ristol Meeting, from which it appeared that, inde- 
pendently of 1,300/., given in prizes, and the various sums offered 
for Prize Essays, the Society had contributed 5737. out of its own 
funds to supply tl i 
nected with the showyard and Pavilioi 
was known to abound. 
that Dr. Playfair having declinedto accep! 
with the Duke 
of Rutland respecting the cow whose case had attracted the 
. Batchelder had ascer- 
‘bdominal hernia. Prof. . 
be instructive to pupils attending the 
His Grace had the anil 
His attention had been called 
‘iginally sown a few seeds pre- 
Sented to him by a friend, the same plants having seeded oye 
i eerit 3 
Srowth is described as very strong, the plant throwing out some- 
times from the same root as man irty stems, resembling 
those of the common Red Clover, while the blossom had a pink 
hue, bearing, with the seed-pods and leaves, 
the White or Dutch Clover; the roots throwing down tap-roots 
like the one variety, and shooting out num 
fibres like the other. 
common varieties, it was concluded that the Clover must iy 
bi 
Yom the smallness of the seed, from six to seven pounds per 
acre, carefully distributed, would be sufficient, or half that quan- 
tity mixed with C bs stated 
r crops; on richer soils, very 
eavy ones, The stalks are said not to harden like those of the 
