June 9,1881.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 475 
the harmlessness of the frightened bees will inspire courage for 
future operations.] 
TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 
It. Van Til & Company, Hillegom, near Haarlem, Holland.— Whole¬ 
sale Catalogue of Dutch Flower Roots. 
*** 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 Poultry and Bee subjects, and 
should never send more than two or three questions at once. All 
articles intended 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. 
To our Readers. —Although we have printed additional pages, owing to 
unusual pressure on our columns this week, the publication of many valuable 
articles in every department of this Journal must be deferred to a future issue. 
Books ( Agent ).—The work you name is very full and practical, and in all 
probability will answer your requirements. Vine culture is included in it, but 
on this subject you may advantageously procure Mr. William Thomson’s work 
on the Vine, published by Blackwood ; and the “ Vine Manual,” published at 
this office, post free, 3s. 2d. 
Caterpillars on Rosea (if. E. If.). —We are not aware that you can 
destroy them by syringing either with pure water or an insecticide. Rosarians 
find the only true remedy is to examine the trees frequently, and either remove 
the caterpillars or crush them with the fingers. They are most destructive, and 
if not attacked in good time and persistently, often quite ruin the blooms and 
seriously injure the plants. 
Erecting a Greenhouse— a Dispute (An Enthusiast). —The case which 
you have submitted, and endeavoured to do so clearly, is one for your solicitor 
to advise you upon. Even if we were acquainted with all the facts, so that we 
could fully understand the case, there is still the legal question, upon which we 
could not venture an opinion. 
Begonias Damping (C■ D.). —You do not make it clear whether the 
flowers or the plants are decaying ; but at any rate the moisture is excessive and 
the ventilation deficient, and the remedy is obvious—increase the one and 
diminish the other. Your other question will be answered next week. 
Mildew on Gooseberries (Mrs. A. (!.).—The Gooseberry bushes are in¬ 
fested with the fungus, and we cannot suggest a better or safer remedy than 
syringing them thoroughly, and then dusting when wet all the affected parts 
with flowers of sulphur ; this will probably destroy the fungus, and the sulphur 
can be easily washed ofE the fruit before it is used. 
Planting Lily of the Valley (II. T. //.).—During fine weather in 
autumn, or early in spring, before the crowns commence swelling, you may 
either dig up the whole bed and replant the crowns in small patches in fresh 
soil, or take out patches from the beds and plant them, placing manure in the 
spaces made by the removal of the plants : indeed the entire bed should be 
mulched with manure. There should be spaces of at least 6 inches from patch 
to patch in both the old bed and the new. If you require very fine crowns and 
flowers instead of a dense mass of Lilies, twice the space named should be afforded 
the patches. The ground between the plants should be thickly covered with 
manure, which should remain throughout the summer months. The plants are 
partial to a rather shady position. 
Green Glass for Plant Houses (F. It.).—Green glass may be used ad¬ 
vantageously for glazing ferneries and houses for similar plants requiring 
constant moderate shade, but for other houses we do not recommend it. Most 
plants require all the light that can be afforded them in our latitude, and the 
advantage of employing clear white glass is that shading material can be 
applied when the sun is too powerful and withdrawn when the weather is dull, 
whereas green glass causes a constant obstruction of the rays of light, and 
induces a weak etiolated growth. We know a large establishment near London 
where the disadvantages of coloured glass have been fully experienced, and 
several houses have been entirely reglazed in consequence. 
Watering (Mrs. TFifaow).—It is far better to supply water to your flower 
beds in the evenings of hot days than in the morning. If you have only cold 
spring water and cannot expose it to the sun and air for several hours before 
using, daily sprinklings will do more harm than good. Stir the soil and form 
cavities round each plant, then give a copious watering ; in the morning as soon 
as the soil commences drying run a small hoe through it, or the surface will 
become a network of fissures, through which the moisture will escape and also 
the heat from the soil. One good watering followed by a mulching, covering 
the soil with cocoa-nut refuse or manure, will be of more benefit than ten light 
applications of water without the mulching. 
Cutting Asparagus (A Gardener ).—There is not a doubt that many 
Asparagus beds have been weakened by continuing the cutting too long in the 
season, and severing every portion of the growth from the beds. It is on the 
strength and maturation of the growths in summer that the quality of the 
produce in spring depends ; hence it is wise to apply liquid manure to the beds 
during July and August, this practice being more effectual than thick cover¬ 
ings of manure in the winter. You will adopt a wise course by producing a 
full supply of Peas of the best quality as early in the season as possible, and 
you will probably adopt the most practical mode of preventing the too close 
cutting of the Asparagus. 
Low Temperatures for Grapes (Doubtful). —There is no doubt what¬ 
ever that Grapes have set freely in a minimum temperature of 50°. We have for 
years had fine and full sets of Black Hamburghs when the temperature on many 
occasions was as low as 45° when the Vines were flowering. This, however, was 
not by preference, but the consequence of what many might term defective 
heating appliances ; still, as the crops were invariably satisfactory the defect 
indicated was not admitted, and it was not deemed necessary to incur the cost of 
alterations when good results could be produced without them. More failures 
occur in setting Grapes by injudicious ventilation and other errors in manage¬ 
ment than by the fall of a degree or two in temperature from the regulation 
high standard of 70° for Muscats and 65° for Hamburghs. 
Double Canterbury Bells (II. P). —The flowers have a multiplicity 
of corollas, hence appear to be double, but as the organs of fructification are 
perfect the plants will produce seed. We have seen, and in fact grown, many 
almost or exactly similar, and have saved seed from the plants and raised 
seedlings. If, however, we have desired to perpetuate any particular variety we 
have removed the spikes immediately the flowers commenced fading and secured 
fresh growths from the base. You cau adopt either or both the modes we have 
suggested. We prefer single flowers, and the calyx transformed into petals, or 
the variety known as Campanula Medium calycanthema. 
Raising Cinerarias (Civil Service). —The fact that you have no hotbed 
need not deter you from raisiug plants from seed. At this season of the year no 
artificial heat is needed, and seedlings may be raised better in a cold frame or 
even in the open air. If you place 3 inches of light soil in a box that is 5 inches 
deep, water it well, sow the seed thinly, cover it very slightly, and lay squares 
of glass over the box, placing it in shaded position in a cold frame, or stand it 
behind a wall having a north aspect, the seed wili germinate freely provided the 
soil is always kept moist. As the seedlings grow the glass must be propped up, 
and great care taken to prevent the depredations of slugs, which eat the young 
plants voraciously whenever they find them. 
Cherry Trees Gummed (J. /’., Dublin). —The shoots sent afford evidence 
of severe gumming, which has been unusually prevalent during the last two or 
three seasons, and although the cause is unknown it is generally attributed to a 
severe check of the sap in the early period of the growth, also to immaturity of the 
wood. We have trees of various kinds of Cherries against a wall 100 yards long 
which were previously trained to an open trellis of woodwork, and when in that 
state they gummed very badly. They were root-pruned and some lime rubbish 
mixed with the soil, spreading it on about 6 inches thick, and mixing it with the 
soil to a depth of about 18 inches. This was done over ten years ago, and the trees 
have been healthy ever since, annually producing very fine fruit. We should in 
your case take ®ut a trench about 3 or 4 feet from the stem according to the 
size of the trees, cutting oil all rootsextending beyond that radius, and in filling 
up employ some mortar rubbish with the soil to the extent of about a tenth, 
and working in some of the same towards the stem as far as can be done with¬ 
out disturbing the roots too much. This should be done early in autumn. 
Peach Mildewed (Idem). —The fruit sent is badly infested with mildew* 
Apply flowers of sulphur, giving the whole tree and fruit a thorough dusting' 
Syringe the curled leaves well and frequently with tobacco water, the foliage 
being no doubt infested with aphides. In the autumn have the trees carefully 
lifted, shortening back some of the strongest roots extending beyond 4 feet 
from the stem, preserving as many of the small fibres as possible, especially near 
the stem. 
Forcing Vines (J. A). —Your proposed plan is a good one. A year’s rest 
after long forcing, still starting the Vines sufficiently early for the wood to be 
matured in the autumn, coupled with lighter cropping, would be of great ad¬ 
vantage to the Vines. If manure has been applied to the border yearly a heavy 
dressing of lime would probably be highly beneficial, spreading it on the surface 
and letting it remain for a time to be slacked, then pointing it in carefully with 
a fork. If no manure has been applied we should first remove with great care 
the surface soil, and after giving a covering of turfy loam and bones, with a 
liberal addition of wood ashes, then give a thick dressing of good manure, and 
permit it to remain and decay. This would encourage surface roots, and at the 
same time afford wholesome food for the Vines. As you have won prizes with 
your Grapes you will be fully aware of the importance of training the laterals 
sufficiently thin, that the foliage can be fully developed and each leaf exposed 
to the direct influence of the sun.' 
Pear Leaves Blistered ( Kilterman ).—The leaves are infested with the 
Pear tree blister moth (Tinea Clerckella), which deposits its eggs in May and June 
upon the foliage ; and the larvm, immediately they are hatched, penetrate beneath 
the cuticle, and by feeding upon the parenchyma cause brown blisters which 
ultimately become black, and the leaves so affected not unfrequently fall. The 
insect is full grown in September, and the maggot lets itself down to the ground, 
where it spins itself a cocoon on a leaf, changes into a chrysalis, and remains as 
such until the following season. The best remedy is to remove all dead leaves 
in autumn and burn them, being careful to gather them frequently as they fall, 
and dispose of them as collected. From the beginning of May the trees should 
be washed two or three times a week with a solution of soft soap. 3 ozs. to the 
gallon of water, applying with a syringe, and continuing until the middle or end 
of June. Nicotine soap at the rate of 3 ozs. to the gallon would be more effectual 
than the soft soap. 
Exhibiting Kidney Beans (Ignoramus). —The Dwarf Kidney, or so-called 
French Beau (Phaseolus vulgaris) and the Scarlet Runner Bean (Pliaseolus multi- 
florus) are not only distinct varieties, but distinct species ; but we doubt if they 
can be regarded as distinct kinds for the purposes of your exhibition. If the 
schedule designates “ kinds,” we assume that only one dish of Kidney Beans are 
admissible; and if “varieties” is the term employed, the committee may still 
mean the same, yet a collection including a dish each of dwarf and runner 
Beans could not properly be disqualified. We should only exhibit one dish 
choosing the variety that affords the best pods at the time. 
Management of Fruit Trees (J. M.).— As the trees have been planted 
three years and grown so luxuriantly we presume they have reached the top of 
the fence, and in that case recourse must be had to root-pruning to check their 
vigour and induce fruitfulness. Merely shortening the branches without re¬ 
stricting the roots will be of no avail, as such a course is always followed by 
strong growths that are in their nature essentially fruitless. The aspect is 
suitable" for your trees. Possibly the growths have been too crowded. The 
branches should be so thinly disposed that the leaves of one do not overlap those 
of another. The breastwood should be shortened now, leaving four fully deve¬ 
loped leaves on each shoot, all subsequent growths to be pinched to one leaf as 
they are produced. If the branches are too numerous for training to the trellis 
