364 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April SO. 1885. 
^ ee — te -i to be kept in an apiary where both comb and extracted honey 
is produced as a crop. But where one is running exclusively for comb 
boney we (my students and self) last season came to the unanimous con¬ 
clusion that while we preferred this strain to pure Italians (of which we 
had many colonies) we yet preferred the pure brown-German bee to all 
for the production of comb honey as a speciality. In this cross I have 
succeeded, to my satisfaction, in retaining the valuable characteristics of 
the Italian bee, but not so well in retaining those of the pure German— 
so very valuable to the producer of comb honey. 
AV hile I am willing to pit colony for colony of this strain against an 
equal number of Italians for steadfastness to the combs and its consequent 
behaviour, longer-tongue, and consequent honey-gathering qualities and 
faithful protection of their home against all enemies, I cannot truthfully 
say that they will compare favourably with an equal number of colonies 
of the pure-brown Germans for the valuable comb honey and non-swarm- 
ing qualifications, as above stated. 
t -New conditions and demands force us to different fixtures. In many 
things I find that what was best fifteen years ago (and would be to-day 
were conditions the same) are not best for the present. I am convinced 
that there is going to be a turning backward from the yellow to the brown 
bee. We are as yet little acquainted with the Garniolans ; should it prove 
that this strain is equal to the Germans (if nothing more) the change 
would likely be done by introducing them. 
, Purchasers of queens prefer something new ; vendors prefer the new 
prices. This branch of the darker race is already being praised (above 
the Italians) for the same qualifications possessed by the brown Germans. 
It is, however, further declared that they excel all in good nature ; but 
what to me more than offsets that is an accompanying: admission that 
they are as bad or worse than the Italians about swarming. My great 
objection to the swarming impulse is its hindrance to the perfection of a 
system for managing out apiaries without attending them continually 
that we may with profit produce the cheap honey of the future.— James 
Heddon (in American Bee Journal). 
THE NATIONAL BEE-KEEPERS’ UNION. 
“ A Staffordshire Bee-keeper,” page 342, asks me to let him know 
who the promoters of the above Union are, and asks if they are ashamed 
of their names being made public, and why do they keep in the back¬ 
ground. Tour correspondent speaks of a N.B.K.U. ; yet he seems cogni¬ 
sant that it is not a, but the N.B.K.U. I trust that I have formed a 
wrong opinion of him and his purpose in asking the questions. If he is 
a regular reader of this Journal the questions put are as unnecessary as it 
is as unreasonable to expect the promoters to give publicity to their names 
and transactions in a journal antagonistic to the scheme intended wholly for 
the benefit of the bee-keeper. In the British Bee Journal for April 15th 
the editor says, “ To try and form, as a writer in the Journal of Horticul¬ 
ture, 9th April, points out, a gigantic trades union of all British bee-keepers 
will be certain to lead to only one result—failure.” I am neither a 
prophet, nor am I gifted with clairvoyance—at least, I do not pretend to 
either, as the writer of the above does ; but during the past thirty years I 
have sold a great quantity of honey for my brother bee-keepers, and the 
last year has been no exception, having sold more than in any previous 
one, and the expense in doing so did not cost the owner more than a half¬ 
penny per lb. The above system is one of many on the same lines that 
the promoters of the N.B.K.U. intend carrying out, and I am confident 
that such a Union will succeed much to the advantage of the bee-keeper, 
as it has done here so long. 
biOw to my answers. If “A Staffordshire Bee-keeper” turns his 
attention to the No. for February 19th, page 160, he will see there that ho 
may be one of the promoters if he chooses, and get all information for the 
asking, and if he pays particular attention to what has been written on the 
subject he will observe that the promoters are neither ashamed of their 
names being made public, nor have they kept in the background. These 
answers will, I hope, serve the double purpise of answering both “ A 
Staffordshire Bee-keeper ” and “ A Reader of Both Journals,” whose in¬ 
accurate article appeared in the British Bee Journal of 1st April.— 
A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
k° n > Cheshunt .—List of Hardy Herbaceous Plants, Boses, Dahlias 
and Bedding Plants. 
Thomas Painter, Smallwood, Stoke-on-Trent .—Catalogue of Dahlias. 
*** All correspondence should be directed either to “The Editor 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. Hogg or 
members of the staff often remain unopened unavoidably. We 
request that no one will write privately to any of our correspon¬ 
dents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper 
only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, and we 
do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Cinerarias ( F. J.). —The variety noted at the exhibition mentioned by you 
was of a lighter blue than that sent, but is similar in form, with narrow 
florets. We should term your variety bright blue. 
Cineraria Seed ( Cambridge ).—You may sow the seed immediately it is 
gathered. We have never had finer plants than when the seed has been 
scattered from the heads and fallen and germinated on the soil or moist 
ashes on which the old plants have been stood. 
Grapes Rusted (Somerset). —As there is a “ leak in the flue” at the end 
of the house where the berries are affected, that is quite sufficient to account 
for the rough condition of those you have sent. We presume you have 
repaired the flue; if not, do so at once effectually, or you cannot have satis¬ 
factory Grapes. You are doing quite right to keep the floor damp at the 
driest and hottest end of the house, and it will be prudent also to leave the 
top ventilators open to the extent of an inch or more all night. 
Cucumbers Unhealthy ( W. S.). —Fresh paint is certainly very injurious 
to Cucumbers and may have caused the injury in this case; also in conse¬ 
quence of the alterations the temperature has possibly been too low. We 
advise to adopt a generous method of treatment, doing everything possible 
to encourage strong root-action, and maintain a night temperature of not 
less than 75°, and future leaves may possibly be healthy. If there is any 
smell from the paint do not entirely close the house, and you might also 
stand a number of bowls of water about for absorbing the deleterious 
fumes. 
Carpet Bed Design (W. H. G.). —The general design of the bed is very 
good, but we think the following alterations would improve it. Iresine 
Herbstii will do for the centre, but around that, instead of No. 2, we should 
plant Echeveria secunda glauca. The Golden Lamium would be too tall for 
No. 3, and Kleinia repens would be preferable. The Lobelia (4) will probably 
not last through the season, and we should employ instead Alternanthera 
paronychioides aurea, and for 5 and 6 we should use A. amoena; for 7 
the Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum ; 8 and 9 will do very 
well, but they should be separated by a thin line of Golden Feather 
Pyrethrum. 
Sewage (F. J.). —You may use the sewage as you propose to trees that 
need manurial assistance. Many fruit trees grow strongly enough without 
stimulants, some too luxuriantly, so that judgment is required in the applica¬ 
tion of liquid manure. Urine is one of the best manures, and a gallon of it 
mixed with five or six gallons of water or soapsuds will be safe and good for 
fruit trees, Vines, and outdoor crops generally that require more support 
than the soil affords. 
Fungus on Vines (T. T., Surrey ).—We are sorry to inform you that 
your Vines are rather seriously infested with a fungus which takes possession 
of the leaves in a close, warm, moist atmosphere. You have certainly not 
given sufficient air. Never close the house at night, but leave the top 
ventilators slightly open, giving more air immediately the temperature 
commences to rise in the morning, opening also the front lights, not throwing 
them wide open regardless of the wind or weather, but thoughtfully to 
promote and maintain a pleasant and buoyant atmosphere. The black specks 
m the leaves are the result of the decay of the fungus, which when in growth 
is a bright orange colour; it is quite invisible to the naked eye, and even 
through a small pocket magnifier, but is painfully apparent through a powerful 
microscope. We advise you to either syringe the Vines and then apply 
sulphur through a piece of muslin, or mix sulphur with water and apply it 
in that form; then give more air. We should also permit a free growth of 
laterals—that is, encourage the production of as many fresh leaves as can 
develope under the full influence of light and air, as it is quite impossible 
for such leaves as those before us to perform their functions in assimilating 
the sap and secreting matter for the support of the crop and the sustenance 
of the Vines. 
Grapes Injured (J. L. J .).—We do not think the injury sustained by the 
Grapes you have sent has been caused by thrips, but it may have resulted 
from excessive fumigation. Some kinds of tobacco paper burned in a 
vinery is certainly injurious to Grapes that are just set, and so are the 
fumes from strong tobacco. Two or three light fumigations on consecutive 
nights are far safer than one strong “ smoking,” and also efficacious. We 
are by no means certain that the evil in your case has been caused by 
fumigating. It may have been, but we have seen similar effects follow 
injudicious ventilation—that is, permitting the house to remain closed too 
long on the morning of a sunny day, then throwing open the lights to 
lower the temperature, causing excessive evaporation and a consequent chill 
to the fruit when in a particularly tender state. You had better destroy 
the thrips on the leaves by applying an insecticide with a sponge. A handy 
man may dress hundreds of leaves in an hour, and kill thousands of insects 
without doing the slightest injury to the Vines. 
Vines Scorched (J. C.). —The Vine leaves before us are scorched, the 
one from the roof being more seriously injured than that from the back wall. 
The house is too damp and cold at night, and in all probability not venti¬ 
lated early and gradually in the morning. The root-action of the Musca¬ 
dines is also defective, the consequence no doubt of the wetness of the 
border to which you allude. Cannot you devise a remedy ? If you cannot 
the best thing you can do is to extend the growths from the Black Ham¬ 
burgh, which does well growing it on the extension system. It is quite 
useless your expecting the Muscadine to succeed in such a wet border and 
an atmosphere suitable for the growth of Ferns. The Chrysanthemums are 
wonderfully fresh and fine. They are alluded to in another column. 
Planting Carpet Bed (J. B.). —The fault in your proposed arrangement 
is in surrounding the triangle (8) with Golden Feather. You should havei 
dark plant there. Alternanthera magnifica would do very well healthy 
