312 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [A priiis.issa. 
frames in -which Melons and Cucumbers are grown. With good glass—that is, 
glass that has no lens in it, and a judicious system of ventilation, shade is not 
needed by Vines, but, on the contrary, all the sun they can receive is advan¬ 
tageous. Cucumbers and Melons seldom require shading, and the glass should 
never be permanently clouded. Occasionally, such as for a short time after 
planting, or a sudden return of brilliant weather after a dull period, the foliage 
is liable to injury if not slightly shaded ; but in such cases a little tiffany or 
hexagon netting will suffice, and it ought not to remain on the glass an hour 
longer than is essential for preventing scorching. The method of shading to 
which you refer is useful for conservatories and houses containing softvvooded 
plants generally, but we are unable to advise it for fruit culture. If water is 
scarce then shading has often to be adopted, on the principle of choosing the 
lesser of two evils, and even then we prefer a portable to a permanent method 
for such crops as you mention. 
Scions for Grafting (F. C.). —We are obliged by your letter. We have 
made the same experiments that you describe, and have often cut scions from 
the trees and attached them at onee to the stocks with the best results ; but 
that was when the growths on the former had not started to any great extent. 
We have always found the advantage of having the stocks slightly in advance 
of the scion. But we fail to see how this could be attained with the trees to be 
grafted growing in a cold locality, while the scions were still on the trees in a 
district quite three weeks earlier. The growths on our trees are decidedly too 
advanced even for transferring to stocks in the same garden, and to have such 
scions sent safely for use in a later district, they ought to have been severed quite 
three weeks ago, and twice that time would have been better. The firm you 
name is respectable, and ought to return the stamps. 
Culture of the Melocactus (Inquirer). —You appear to be very success¬ 
ful in flowering these plants, and your sjstem of culture generally is so good 
that we can suggest no alteration except as regards the supply of liquid manure, 
which is scarcely needed so frequently, though abundance of water is needed 
during the season of growth. The important point is having the plants fully 
exposed to the sun in a high temperature until growth is matured ; after that a 
moderately low temperature will suffice, with little or no water for several 
months. We give your method briefly for the benefit of other readers—“In 
March I commence supplying the plants with water, and any that need re¬ 
potting are attended to, though every alternate year is quite frequently enough 
for potting. The compost I employ consists of three parts old mortar rubbish 
and one part turfy loam well incorporated. Until autumn liquid manure is 
given at every other watering, when the supply of that and clear water is dis¬ 
continued. The plants are placed on the shelves of a forcing house close to the 
glass.” 
The Bean Beetle (C. J. IF., Weal).—The insect concerning which you 
desire some information is the Bruchus granarius of entomologists. We referred 
to it briefly last week ; but as you and others desire fuller particulars we give 
the accompanying woodcut, representing the mature beet’e of its natural size 
and magnified. The following description of the insect and the best modes of 
preventing its attacks appear in the “ Manual of Injurious Insects,” by Miss 
E. A. Ormerod, in which you will also find further particulars :—“ The Bean 
Beetle injures the crop by laying its eggs in the Beans and Peas whilst they are 
still soft in the pods, often choosing the finest for the purpose. The maggots 
feed inside the seed, sometimes eating away most of the contents, but generally 
leaving the growing germ uninjured, so that the 
seed does not lose its power of sprouting. When 
full-grown the maggot gnaws a round hole to 
the inside of the husk of the seed, and usually 
cuts a line round this kind of circular lid of its 
burrow, so that when needed to be displaced 
afterwards for the escape of the beetle, the bit 
will fall out on a touch. The maggot turns to 
the pupa in the Bean or Pea in which it has 
fed, and appears generally to pass the winter in 
this state. When spring comes it changes to 
the perfect beetle, and makes its escape either 
by gnawing a way out, or—commonly—by push¬ 
ing out the loose lid of its burrow. The beetle 
is little more than the eighth of an inch long. 
Much may be done in the way of prevention by 
attention to the seed before it is sown. The 
maggot goes on feeding in the seed after it is 
stored ; by the end of autumn probably all the 
beetle-maggots will be full fed, and will have 
eaten their way in the seed to the inside of the 
skin. This will show on the outside as a round 
or oval mark, rather duller in colour than the 
rest of the skin, and rather more transparent, 
from the substance of the seed being cleared away behind it. If this round 
piece of skin be lifted off the Bean beetle will probably be found inside, and by 
this mark infested seed may be known. Such seed should not be sown. If 
Beans or Teas thus infested are sown the beetles will not be in the slightest 
degree injured by being buried, but will come up through the ground in due 
time to infest the new crop. The Bean beetles begin to appear in February, 
although some may still be found in the seeds till May. When they have left 
the seed the round hole through which they escaped will show where they have 
been, and such seed is to be avoided. The injured seed will sprout in most 
cases, but although the growing germ is left a great part of what this germ 
needs to make it grow healthily is gone. Crops of autumn-sown Beans have been 
found to be the most infested, because, as above mentioned, the beetles are still 
in the seed, anil before the maggot-injury shows through the skin it is not easy 
to tell which are the infested Beans. It is difficult to apply any remedy in the 
field suitable to such a small insect, but the use of spent hops as a manure, 
which is found serviceable in other cases of insect-attack, might be of use here. 
Bean beetles (Bruchi) of various species are found—sometimes in enormous 
quantities—in imported seed, and where there is much Bean-growing round 
mills where Beans are ground, it would be highly desirable some measures 
should be taken to save us from the consequences of the vast numbers some¬ 
times to be found in such places. Dipping the Beans or Peas in boiling water 
for one minute is stated to kill the grub inside without hurting the seed ; but as 
dipping for four minutes generally destroyed the germinating power the expe¬ 
riment is much too hazardous for general use as regards seed, though it might 
be acted on with advantage with regard to Beans or Peas about to be ground.” 
Vine Borders (S. J.). —The site for a border should be governed by cir¬ 
cumstances, as much depends on the varieties of Grapes that are grown, and 
whether they are to be managed by a skilled cultivator or inexperienced 
amateur. When such free-growing early Grapes as the Black Hamburgh are 
grown by amateurs they are usually best in properly drained outside borders. 
With good management, however, they succeed equally well planted inside, the 
Fig. 63. 
roots having access to outside borders. Not knowing your object and experience 
nor anything of the nature of the soil and subsoil in your garden, we are unable 
to give you a more explicit reply. 
Rose Cuttings (H. B .).—As the bed in which the cuttings were inserted 
is, we presume, small—that is, not more than 4 feet in width, the plants would 
not be seriously drawn if allowed to remain where they are until, the autumn. 
This would be the most certain mode of preserving “all of them.” If taken up 
and potted and eventually planted out you would obtain stronger plants, but a 
few of them would almost certainly fail to grow, and rather a large proportion 
might die unless very great care were exercised in taking them up, potting, 
watering, and ventilation. To a skilled cultivator we should say, Pot, them 
and keep them close for a time in a frame, gradually increasing the ventilation 
as they advanced in growth. To an inexperienced amateur we should say, Ihe 
simplest and safest plan will be to let them remain where they are until the 
autumn, by which time they will be strong plants, and can be removed and 
transplanted with safety. 
New and Old Zinc Labels (North London). — The following extract 
from a communication which appeared in our columns several years ago is 
perhaps what you recollect having read ; at any rate it applies directly to the 
subject of your letter. “ Where zinc tallies are used purchase some old zinc 
spouting or lining from watertanks, of suitable thickness, and get it cut up into 
the shaped tallies required. This old zinc being oxidised on the surface, from 
exposure to the atmosphere, marks the best and blackest of any. W hen new 
zinc tallies are used, and time will not admit of allowing them to become 
oxidised from mere exposure, to free the surface from grease, with which new y 
rolled zinc is always more or less impregnated, the best way is to throw them 
into an earthenware basin containing a mixture of about one part aquafortis, 
two parts spirits of salts, and fourteen parts of water ; stir them well round tor a 
minute or two with a piece of stick, so as to expose all the surfaces equally to the 
action of the dilute acid, pour off the liquid into another basin, well wash t e 
tallies in water, and dry them in the air, and they are ready for use. spirits o 
salts will do very well without the aquafortis. In this way any number ot 
tallies may be done at one operation, and the trouble is much less, and the ta y 
made more efficient than by the old plan of rubbing each one with sand paper. 
The acid mixture may be kept in the basin or put into a bottle for future use, 
and a little fresh acid may be added to it from time to time to keep up e 
original strength.” We have not used old or oxidised zinc for labels, and are 
consequently unable to confirm what has been said by the correspondent w lose 
remarks we have cited. 
Seakale as a Green Vegetable (S. Lawson).— The late Mr.K.Fish.we 
believe, first pointed out the excellence of the green flower heads of Seakale when 
cut and boiled just before the flowers commence expanding. Ihe following 
testimony was subsequently given in favour of this method of using beaxaie. 
“ After reading Mr. Fish’s remarks I went into the kitchen garden and. spied 
some of the incipient flower heads that I had promised decapitation and igno¬ 
minious expulsion on the first convenient occasion. I immediately got wnat, i 
thought would be a boiling ; at dinner time they appeared looking beautifully 
green ; and on trial, without gravy or any other accompaniment, they "tie 
deliciously sweet, with a delicate hint of the Kale flavour. The two censors, 
pater and materfamilias, decided that, as a green vegetable and a relief from tne 
flavour of Broccoli, Cabbage, and the other members of the CabbageworU, they 
were a decided acquisition. On inquiry I found that they were put on in Doll¬ 
ing water, putting a little salt in the water and boiled quickly. They were done 
to a nicety in half an hour.” 
Brick-kilns Injurious to Vegetation ( William Foster).--' There is no 
doubt whatever that the sulphurous fumes from brick-kilns are injurious to 
vegetation, and not unfrequently most destructive. That this is so the specimens 
you have sent to us demonstrate. You ought to have no difficulty in satis¬ 
fying a jury that the damage received by your shrubs is really caused by the 
fumes in question. Such symptoms as those before us can only be produced by 
frost or noxious gases. After a severe winter you might not find it easy to 
satisfy a body of impartial men that in this case frost was not the cause of 
injury: but after what we may describe as a winterless season, during which 
there'has absolutely been no frost that could injure either the Conifers or Laurels 
you have sent to us, there is conclusive evidence that their destruction is caused 
by noxious gases and not by frost. We have seen great injury done to nursery 
stock in the establishment of Mr. Fennell at Lincoln by brick-kilns, and tie 
symptoms there were precisely similar to those now before us, and exactly 
similar, too, to those exhibited by many plants in the conservatory of the Koyal 
Horticultural Society at South Kensington this spring during the recent Smoke 
Abatement Exhibition in the gardens. If you refer to the Journal of Horticulture 
of February 25th, 1875, page 163, vol. xxviii., you will find an article by Mr. 
Fennell on this subject, wherein lie adduces incontrovertible proof of injury to 
his shrubs by the smoke from contiguous brick-kilns, for he states he lias had 
“two actions against an owner for damage done by his kilns and gained both. 
We suggest that you place Mr. Pennell’s article in the hands of your solicitor, 
who will, no doubt, take the necessary steps for obtaining the pleadings m the 
cases referred to, and which could scarcely fail being of great value to you under 
the circumstances. 
Names of Fruit (II. M.).—' Your Apple is Fearn’s Pippin, which has kept 
well. It is a free-bearing useful variety, profitable for market, its colour being 
admired. It is a good culinary Apple, and is occasionally used for dessert. 
Names of Plants (C. IF.).—Amelanchier ovalis. (J. IF. C.).—Forsythia 
viridisjsima. 
Hiving Bees among Bar Frames (Quillo). —You want to know the 
best way of putting a new swarm into a Woodbury bar-frame hive. If a swarm 
alights on a hedge the hive without the bottom board may be placed on and 
over it, so that the bees will run up amongst the bars and settle at once. If the 
swarm alight nn a branch of a tree cut the branch off with the swarm and lay 
them on a table or the ground, place and prop the hive on and over them. If 
the branch cannot be cut off, shake the swarm into a straw hive and give them a 
few minutes’ time to settle in it. Then invert it by placing it on its crown, and 
place the bar-framer on it and thus let the bees run up into it. Another mode 
is to place the frame hive on the ground in its natural position, remove the 
crown board and withdraw two frames, turn up the straw hive with the swarm, 
give it a violent shake so that all the swarm loses foothold and falls into the 
bottom, then suddenly pour the bees into the empty space of the bar-framer, 
put in the two frames, place the crown board ou. This is our mode of peopling 
frame hives. It is easily done by exjierts. The two frames are removed from 
one end of the hive so that the swarm can be shaken into the other end, and trie 
two frames will drop into their places at once. All can be done in less than a 
minute. If the bottom board is fixed to the hive the crown board should be 
removed for the reception of the swarm, even in hiving them from a hedge. 
