140 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 12, l8f-5. 
formation of the union to which he 'refers he will find that the British 
bee-keeper is not to be caught napping.— Pro Bono Publico. 
Your correspondents, “ A. B. M.” and Mr. G. Walker, jun., L.R.C.P., 
Wimbledon, in No. 1897, for February 5th (see pages 118 and 119) 
furnish your readers with some interesting, if not valuable, information 
regarding the British Honey Company, British Bee Journal, and the 
British Bee-Keepers’ Association—apparently three different concerns, yet 
so closely allied that if one of them was dissolved the other two would 
be affected. Many bee-keepers a few years since felt keenly the effects of 
the British Bee Journal, and breathed a sigh of relief when it was 
announced that the Rev. H. R. Peel had purchased the rights of pro¬ 
prietorship from Mr. C. N. Abbott in order, as Mr. Peel said, “ that bee¬ 
keepers might have a journal of their own free from any trade interests or 
bias of any kind.” (See British Bee Journal, April 15th, 1884, page 128.) 
A commendable action, arising from pure motives to better his poorer 
brethren; and while none doubted his zeal, however, he may have over¬ 
reached his discretion, and instead of making a bed of Roses for himself 
of bee-keepers, may have raised a nest of hornets about his ears. Unless 
he can shake himself clear of having any connection with the Honey 
Company, and that the British Bee Journal is also independent of 
either the Honey Company or the British Bee-Keepers’ Association, and 
show that bee-keepers might have a journal of their own “ free from any 
trade interests or bias of any kind,” he is likely to lose faith with many. 
When the British Honey Company was first mentioned we were led to 
believe that it was for the interests only of bee-keepers ; but when your 
Wimbledon correspondent announced that the shareholders had expec¬ 
tations of being “ pounds to the better,” and that he, through patience 
and hope, had arrived at the happy consummation of seeing the British 
Bee Journal the property of the British Bee-Keepers’ Association. It now 
remains for someone to explain whether there is or is not a close connection 
with the Honey Company and the British Bee-Keepers’ Association, and 
whether, judging from the actions of the latter, the British Bee Journal 
is entirely “free from trade interests.” They might also say whether 
the forcing of either one standard or another upon bee-keepers 
is a fair action. I also ask the question if selling and dealing in 
foreign hoDev, though it is, according to “A. B. M.,” putin “proper 
bottles, with labels that would please the eye as the honey would gratify 
the taste,” likely either to gain confidence in either producers or 
consumers ? The members of the British Bee-keepers’ Association have 
said so much against foreign honey being so much inferior to the British 
honey that the only reason I can see for them dealing in it is that their 
own interests are of more importance to them than are the interests of 
the bee-keepers of the United Kingdom. Not one of your correspondents 
points to the benefits the poorer bee-keepers are expected to derive, or by 
what means and at whose expense the honey is to be sent to the market. 
True, “ A. B. M.” tells us of the £20 and £30 worth being sold at the 
Health Exhibition, brought there at great cost by the British Bee-keepers’ 
Association. Is this so? Is it not the fact that a penny in the shiding 
as poundage is charged by the Association for all honey sold, and if this 
is the case, as I believe it is, then will not the bee-keepers themselves 
have all expenses to pay on any honey they may sell to the “ Company ?” 
If there is any plan necessary from what exists at present to bring the 
producer and consumer together, let it be done between themselves. It 
is neither a Honey Company nor pretty bottles nor labels that will give 
profit and a market to the one nor a genuine and cheap article to the other. 
I know something of the animus that existed in those who had the power 
to sway bee-keepers, and who was the first to denounce respectable firms 
charging too high a figure, yet the party referred to did not hesitate to 
take the highest figure for anything he had to dispose of ; but good may 
come out of evil. Unless the Honey Company can boycot and compel 
people to purchase and eat a certain quantity of honey daily, just as the 
Association boycotted hive-makers who would not comply to their 
“ standards,” they will find themselves in perhaps as bad a position to 
get rid of their honey, home or foreign, as any bee-keeper, even though it 
is in “ proper bottles with labels. ” 
We have no information in what way the Honey Company means to 
dispose of the honey, but we may infer from “ A. B. M.,” that by selling 
it in a similar manner as was done at the Health Exhibition, shops and 
shopkeepers will be necessary, and if they sell at the same rate a little 
more than £1000 worth will be sold in the year ; thus with w r ages “and 
proper bottles with labels,” shop rent, taxes, and the interest of £ 100ft 
will put at least 4d. per lb. upon all the honey that passes through their 
hands, which by a more simple arrangement would be avoided. How¬ 
ever, I leave this question to the bee-keepers themselves whether they 
will look to their own and consumers’ interests, or to any honey company 
who are more likely to study their own interests than any bee-keeper 
however poor he is. If the talk is to be relied upon that has been 
published and emanated from members of the British Bee-keepers’ Associa¬ 
tion honey would pay the bee-keeper at 3d. per lb. These words 
give us a fair idea of what our friends intend giving us for our own and 
bees’ labour. My advice is, Sell your honey at the best market, and when 
that caum t be had eat it; it will save grocers’ and doctors’ bills.— 
A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Samuel Yates, 16 and 18, Old Millgate, Manchester.— Catalogue of 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 
James Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen.— Catalogue of Vegetable and Flower 
Seeds, 1885. 
Hare & Hussler, 42, West Street, Sittingbourne, Kent.— Catalogue of 
Choice Garden Seeds. '$ 
Samuel Shepperton, Prospect House, Belper.— Descriptive hist of Florist' 
Flowers, Border Plants, Jc. 
Artificial Manure ( W. B. O .).—If you try the mixture recommended on 
page 106 last week you will perhaps find it will answer your purpose. The 
writer of the article has given much attention to the subject, and he is not 
satisfied with other than the best rf suits. 
Primulas (Z). C.). —The flowers as having been produced by plants in 
4-inch pots are very good, and the varieties diversified ; but you can scarcely 
expect to establish a distinct and superior strain if you allow the pollen 
from the small smooth-petalled forms to fertilise the larger and finer 
flowers. 
Pruning Clematis (Subscriber). —Clematis Duchess of Edinburgh belongs 
to what is known as the Florida type, and produces its flowers from ripened 
wood during the months of June and July when grown under natural con¬ 
ditions. But when grown in a pot under glass it will flower very much 
earlier. None of this type requires pruning except C. florida plena, which 
flowers very much later. The plump flower buds will be visible now along 
the wood of your plant if it has been well ripened. Plants of this type 
should be grown as strongly as possible and well ripened, then they will 
flower with certainty the following season. No pruning is needed further 
than the removal of the ends of any shoots that have grown late and have 
not matured, and all good firm growths should be secured to the trellis. 
Soil for Rhododendrons (G. A. S.). —The soil most suitable for Rhodo¬ 
dendrons and hardy Azaleas is good friab'e sandy loam. If the soil is light 
and poor it should be enriched by the addition of one-seventh of decayed 
manure and some fresh fibry loam, the latter being very advantageous. If 
leaf soil in a half-decayed state is plentiful it should be used in preference to 
the manure, for these shrubs root and grow with great freedom in leaf soil. 
When the soil is of a heavy nature nearly equal portions of leaf soil may 
with advantage be incorporated with it, also grit or coarse sand to render it 
free and porous. Peat is invaluable for mixing with heavy soil, but it is 
not really necessary for the purpose of cultivating these plants successfully. 
They are not so particular about soil as many others, but they will not grow 
satisfactorily where the land is thoroughly impregnated with lime. 
Propagating Filberts ( Constant Reader). —Propagation is effected by 
layers, cuttings, grafting, and seed. Shoots of the previous year’s growth 
root readily if layered any time during the rest-season. Cuttings should be 
made similar to those of the Currant, the lower buds cut out in order to 
destroy their propensity to suckeriug. If they are to form neat little bushes, 
on a dwarfing system for small gardens, the cuttings may be nearly half a 
yard in length. Grafting is performed as with the Apple or Pear, and at the 
period when the buds first begin to swell. The common Hazel Nut and the 
Spanish Nut are generally used for stocks. Seed.—This practice is resorted 
to for the sake of raising new varieties, or for producing the ordinary Hazels. 
Waterproofing Tiffany (A. E. T. T.). —It is not usual to soak tiffany 
coverings before using to preserve them from damp ; the blinds are simply 
taken down after they have served their purpose and thoroughly dried 
before being put away for the season. We have been informed that sack¬ 
cloth or canvas is made impervious to wet by steeping it in a decoction of 
1 lb. of Oak bark in 14 lbs. of boiling water. This quantity of liquor is 
sufficient for 8 yards of stuff. The cloth has to soak twenty-four hours, 
then is passed through running water and hung up to dry. The flax and 
hemp fibres absorb the tannin, and are rendered more durable as well as 
watertight. We have not tried this plan, and if any of our readers have 
tested it or can otherwise assist you in your object, we will readily publish 
their experience. 
The Cantaloup Melon (Idem). —This name is not applied to any par¬ 
ticular variety, but to a section cf Melons supposed to have been brought 
by some missionaries from Asia to Cantaluppi, a villa near Rome, and 
from thence they were sent to France in 1495, eventually finding their way 
to England. These, by intercrossing with the Rock Melons, produced the 
vari-ties now so numerous in this country. One is called the Cantaloup, 
but whether it is the same as Cuthill’s Early Cantaloup that we grew many 
years ago we have no means of knowing. That was a free and good variety, 
the fruit weighing from 2 lbs. to 3 lbs.; but whatever your Cantaloup may 
be it requires the same treatment as the varieties usually grown in heated 
pits and frames. 
Lapagerias in Vinery (A Single-handed Man ).—The temperature of a 
cool vinery would be suitable for Lapagerias, and the plants do not object 
to some shade ; therefore if the roof is not thickly covered with foliage in 
the summer we should not apprehend failure on that score; but it is 
possible that the air of the vinery when the Grapes are ripe might be too 
dry for the plants. This, however, is a question of management. We think 
we could succeed in growing a Lapageria in a cool vinery, but we cannot 
say whether you would be able to do so or not, as you appear to have had 
little or no experience in the culture of this plant. If we obtained a young 
plant we should grow it in a pot for a year; then if it made good progress 
in the house we should plant it in a tub or border, A compost of two-thirds 
very turfy peat, such as Heaths delight in, and one-third of turfy loam, 
with a liberal admixture of broken charcoal and silver sand, is suitable, 
taking particular care to provide abundance of drainage, so that copious 
