May 15, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
893 
as side issues ; we are considering that of foul brood. The general 
opinion is that foul brood may and does often proceed from chilled 
brood. This I do not deny, but 1 am more inclined to the idea held 
by Mr. Cowan and many others, that it is epidemic ; and if your hives 
are in a certain condition they may be affected while your neighbours’ 
may escape, just as epidemics most readily attack unsanitary dwellings. 
'1 he Ligurians, Cyprians, Syrians, all alike, by their restless marauding 
disposition get into a dysenteric condition that very speedily enve¬ 
lopes foul brood ; and the great fault I have to find with the Cyprians 
and Syrians is that they are too fond of visiting their neighbours and 
60 carrying their disease with them. We all of us found within 
forty-eight hours of our setting these yellow bees in our apiaries that 
a'l the other hives in the neighbourhood, some as much as half a mile 
from us, had a few of them. 
The Ligurians once had the character for gentleness, but are now 
called by some, “ demons,” and, rightly or wrongly, I lay this to the 
door of the blood that has been transfused into them from the east 
for the purpose of improving their colour, and I believe their propen¬ 
sities for developing foul brood has the same origin. I have no 
interest whatever in praising or condemning any particular race of 
bees. I was once a hearty champion for these yellow beauties, and was 
very slow to confess, my altered convictions ; but I am not alone in 
this matter, and recently I met the only keeper of foreign bees I know 
at present in my immediate neighbourhood, and he said he was fast 
coming round to my way of thinking, as he had lost two stocks of 
Cyprians this spring in a dysenteric condition, while his Carniolians 
and blacks were doing well.—J. P. S. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Auguste Van Geert, Ghent, Belgium. — Catalogue of New Plants 
( illustrated ). 
P. Van der Veld & Sons, Lisse, near Haarlem, Holland. —Trade Catalogue 
of Dutch Bulbs. 
•I. Linden, Ghent, Belgium. —Catalogue of New and Rare Plants (illustrated). 
James Dickson & Sons, Chester. —Catalogue of Plants for the Flower 
Garden and Conservatory. 
%* All correspondence should be directed either to “The Editor'’ 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. Hogg or 
members of the statf 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. 
Books (J. McK.). —It is doubtful if you would be able to obtain the par 
ticular edition of Withering’s “ British Botany ” mentioned except from a 
second-hand bookseller. There is, however, an edition published by Simpkin, 
price 10s. 6 d. If you require a good introductory work, Notcutt’s “ Hand¬ 
book of British Plants,” published at this office, price 3s. G d., post free 3s. 8d., 
will prove serviceable to you, as the descriptions are clear and concise. 
(C.P.). —As an elementary work you will find Sir Joseph Hooker’s primer 
on botany (published by Macmillan, price Is.) very useful. Professor Oliver’s 
“ Elementary Botany,” published by the same firm, price 4s. 6d., will serve 
for slightly advanced study. 
Garden Sorrel (A. IF., Sussex). —Undoubtedly there ha3 been a “grea^ 
mistake ” if seed of the plant you have sent was supplied you for Sorrel. 
Possibly, however, Sorrel seed was sown but did not grow, and the weeds are 
the result of seed that was in the soil; however, be that as it may, the plant 
you have sent is not Sorrel, and the sooner you get rid of others like it the 
better. 
Mushrooms (A Subscriber). —Tour letter shall be forwarded to the indi¬ 
vidual in question, and you may possibly hear from him. We are unable, 
however, to give you any assurance on that point. 1 You had better send 
your questions to us in writing ; that is the only form in which we are able 
to give a guarantee that they will be attended to. 
Pruning Fruit Trees (Inquirer). —The principles of pruning, as referred 
to by Mr. Luckhurst, apply to all forms of fruit trees, only in the case of 
trees on walls it is often requisite to encourage the growths of the lower 
branches and suppress those above, with the.object of furnishing the wall 
equally throughout. Your letter, however, shall be sent to the author of 
the article in question. 
Disposing of Books (F. II., Oxon ).—We can suggest no other mode for 
disposing of your books than by advertising them, briefly stating their con¬ 
dition, the published prices, with the prices you desire, and possibly you 
might find a purchaser. 
Climber for the Back Wall of a Greenhouse (C. D.). —It is too much 
to expect one plant to fill a wall 17 feet long in one season, and your best 
plan will be to employ, several. Heliotrope is quick-growing and useful. 
Lonicera sempervirens is another free-growing and pretty plant, which 
flowers throughout the greater part of the year. Some of the taller Zonal 
Pelargoniums would be suitable, with Oestrum aurantiacum and Sollya 
heterophylla. Cobsea scandens variegata and Iihodochiton volubile are 
rapid-growing plants, and both flower abundantly. 
London Market Fruit Growers (J. C., Barnsley). —It is very difficult to 
procure the names and addresses you require, but the following include some 
of the largest growers both of indoor and outdoor fruits. The names of the 
districts in which they live could, however, only be obtained, though 
letters would probably find them :—Messrs. Mann, Wilmot, Non is, Smith, 
and Warren, of Isleworth ; Poupart, of Barnes ; Lodge, of Mill Hill; Smith, 
of Twickenham ; and Sweet, of Leytonstone. 
Salting Asparagus Beds (IF. IF. IF.).—Salt may be applied at once in 
sufficient quantity to destroy any weeds that may be growing in the beds, 
and when further weeds appear apply salt again, and continue the practice 
throughout the summer. About three dressings usually suffice with us, 
and we always have good Asparagus and no weeds to exhaust the soil. 
Select Single Dahlias (Cambridge). —The following are free-flowering 
and diversely coloured varieties, very useful for cutting from :—Alba, white ; 
Canary Bird, yellow; coccinea, orange scarlet; gracilis perfecta, scarlet; 
lutea, yellow ; Mauve Queen, lilac ; Paragon, maroon ; Sunset, crimson 
yellow, dwarf; Firefly, orange scarlet; Duke of Teck, lilac and yellow; 
Nora, bright pink ; and Painted Lady, shaded rose. 
Making Asparagus Bed (G. S .).—It is fully late for planting Asparagus; 
still we think if you have young plants ready for removal, and they are 
transferred to the bed quickly and carefully, not allowing the roots to dry 
in the least, they would, with attention in watering, grow very well. We 
should cut all the growths that are above an inch through the soil. If you 
have the roots to purchase and obtain from a distance it is quite another 
matter, and we cannot advise you to incur the risk of failure in ordering 
them now. The flower you have sent (No. 1) is Diplacus glutinosus, the 
other (No. 2) is Piptanthus nepalensis, which you will find figured on page 507 
of the Journal, January 22nd, 1882. 
Vine Leaves Decaying (IF. IF.).—The Vine leaves are very thin in 
texture and comparatively destitute of tissue, which indicates a deficiency 
of phosphates and potash in the soil, and an excess of nitrogenous matter. 
Has not the vinery also been kept too close ? The evil, however, is mainly 
at the roots. Possibly these are too deep, and need lifting and placing in 
fresh soil. If not, and they are plentiful, also near the surface of the 
border, point in a liberal dressing of wood ashes and crushed bones, or sprinkle 
on the surface 2 or 3 ozs. of bonemeal and the same quantity of kainit per 
square yard, watering it in. We think also the Vines need earlier and freer 
ventilation. 
Terminal Blossom Buds (F. J.). —When fruit trees are desired to extend 
blossom buds should not be permitted to remain at the extremities of the 
branches. At once remove them, shortening each branch to what appears 
a promising wood bud, also apply liquid manure to the roots and mulch 
the soil over them to retain the moisture. The trees have received a check 
by some cause, and are in a stunted and stubborn state. There is only one 
way out of it, and that is imparting vigour by generous culture. Such 
trees should not be allowed to bear, but everything should be done to 
induce wood growth. To provide leaders we have often had to cut a foot 
or more from the ends of the branches to where a healthy growth was seen 
to be starting. 
Bouquet Dahlias (Idem). —The plants may either be secured to stakes 
or pegged down, the former being preferable for promoting quick growth 
and an abundance of flowers as early in the season as possible. The plants 
may be inserted 2 feet apart and secured to stout sticks at once, or they 
may be broken by the wind. They need rich soil and liberal applications 
of water, with mulchings of manure in dry weather. You will find some 
varieties grow taller than others, and by noting the respective heights this 
year you will be able to arrange the plants more effectively in the future. 
If you prefer to peg the growths down the plants should be inserted slant¬ 
ingly, or you will experience some difficulty in affixing them to the ground. 
Plums Failing (Delta). —We can only account for the failure on the 
assumption that the weather was inclement when the trees were in flows r, or at 
the equally critical period just after the fruit had set. The blossom is not 
more tender than that of Peaches, but these trees have the shelter of walls, 
which we presume your Plums trees have not. Plums expand their flowers 
earlier than the majority of Pears do, and on that account are sometimes 
placed at a disadvantage. You are by no means singular in having no 
Plums this year; we unfortunately know of hundreds of trees both of 
Plums, Pears, and Cherries that will be absolutely barren, although a short 
time ago they were densely clothed with blossom, which, however, succumbed 
to the bitterly cold winds and severe frosts that occurred in April. 
Perhaps your garden is somewhat low and damp, in which case the blossom 
of fruit trees is always more liable to injury than in higher and drier 
positions. 
Planting Marechal Niel Hose (IF. S.).— As we do not know anything 
about the arrangements of the house, nor the convenience for making a 
suitable border inside, we are scarcely in a position to determine the best 
position for planting ; but this we know, that with an outside border 
covered with a frame 2£ feet wide we could grow the Rose satisfactorily. 
We should prefer stout plants on their own roots established in pots. 
These may be planted now or at any convenient time when the roots have 
fairly filled the pots and need more space for extension. Good soil, 
