June 1, 1882. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
455 
but as soon as the fruit is set attend to thi3 matter, as it is highly 
injurious to allow crowded growths and afterwards be compelled to 
remove them in large quantity. Keep houses of ripe fruit cool and 
airy, and do not allow the border or atmosphere to become so dry as 
to affect the foliage injuriously. A moderate amount of moisture at 
this season does not injure the Grapes. Very little fire heat is neces¬ 
sary now if the houses are closed early, as with sun heat and plenty 
of atmospheric moisture the temperature may rise to 05°. Ventilate 
very early in the morning, or scorching will ensue. 
Vines struck from eyes in February, and grown in pots or turves, 
may now be planted, giving a soaking with water at a temperature of 
100°, and mulch the surface of the border with a couple of inches 
depth of short manure. Maintain a humid atmosphere, and shade 
during bright sunshine till the Vines are established. 
Melons .—Support by means of tables must be given to fruits which 
are becoming heavy and are hanging beneath a trellis. Fruits ripen¬ 
ing must have a circulation of warm rather dry air secured to them, 
no more water being given at the roots than will prevent the foliage 
flagging. It is a practice with most growers to take a second and 
even a third crop of fruit from the same plants, in which case the 
plants should as soon as the fruit is cut have copious supplies of water 
at the roots, and a moist genial atmosphere secured by syringing at 
closing time, and damping available surfaces in the house. Some of 
the surface soil of the bed should be scraped off, and fresh lumpy 
loam supplied, pressed down tightly. The old growths should also 
be well thinned and fresh young growths trained in their places. 
When, however, the plants are much enfeebled through carrying the 
first crop, or have become infested with red spider, they should be re¬ 
moved, and a fresh start made with young healthy plants. It is essen¬ 
tial that the house be thoroughly cleansed, and fresh compost intro¬ 
duced. Fertilise the pistillate blossoms on succession plants as they 
expand, maintaining a drier and higher temperature till the fruits 
begin swelling, being careful not to allow one or two fruits on a plant 
to take the lead of the others. When the fruits are swelling off earth 
up the roots, using good lumpy loam pressed down firmly, supplying 
water liberally, and when the roots have possession of the fresh com¬ 
post weak liquid manure will be beneficial. Syringe moderately early 
on sunny afternoons, and ventilate freely on all favourable occasions, 
especially in the early part of the day. Close early, but do not allow 
the temperature to rise above 90° or 95°. It is well on fine days after 
closing and damping the house to ventilate slightly in about half an 
hour, and with the temperature falling to 85°. 
Cherry House .—The earliest fruit is now perfectly ripe, and when 
the whole crop is in that condition the chief object will be to prolong 
the season of supply and to preserve them fresh and plump. It will 
not be necessary to shade, unless the foliage is scant or the position 
of the trellis expose the fruit to the direct rays of the sun. A free 
circulation of air should constantly prevail in the house, and during 
hot weather the borders should be damped occasionally. Moisture 
must not be lacking at the roots, for any deficiency now may impair 
the development of the buds for next season, and for weakly trees 
supply diluted liquid manure. Trees in pots will require daily atten¬ 
tion in watering, and should be continued under glass until the buds 
are well formed, when they may be removed outdoors where they 
will enjoy every ray of sun, standing the pots on a bed of ashes. 
When the fruit is gathered recommence syringing the trees. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
With a change in the weather the planting-out of the hardier kinds 
of plants has been general, such as Verbenas, Calceolarias, Petunias, 
Echeverias, Lobelias, &c., with the hardiest Pelargoniums. Alteman- 
theras, Coleuses, Iresines, and subtropical plants may now be placed out. 
Asters, Stocks, Phlox Drummondi, and other half-hardy annuals are 
ready to be transplanted, selecting a dull day for the operation ; and 
for protection against slugs, as soon as planted dust around each plant 
or batch with soot or quicklime. Roses do not grow freely as yet, 
and are becoming infested with aphides, which should be destroyed 
by well syringing with tobacco water—one gallon of juice diluted 
with eight of water, to which has been added a pound of soft soap. 
Train climbing Roses, and if the soil is at all dry supply water or 
liquid manure copiously. Cleanse the foliage by syringing frequently, 
or apply an insecticide. Clematis and climbers generally should be 
attended to in training and regulating the growths. Box edgings 
may now be cut and trimmed, choosing a moist dull time for the pur¬ 
pose, as if done in bright sunny weather they will present the appear¬ 
ance of having been scorched. Weeding, sweeping, rolling, and 
mowing must be regularly attended to. 
;HE BEE-KEEPER. I 
TT- I. t- I . I • I . I - i . I ■ I ■ I ■ I ■ I . I ■ I ■ I . r v, . i . I . I . I . I ■ . ■ i ■ I ■ I . p; 5 
UNSETTLED POINTS IN BEE HISTORY. 
COMB-BUILDING. 
Many habits of bees have not been investigated, many are 
misunderstood, and many statements made by writers on bees 
are neither self-evident nor sufficiently supported by experiments 
or well-known facts. Some writers may have evidence to con¬ 
vince them that their opinions or conclusions are correct, 
though, when stated, these are not satisfactory en@ugh for 
others. Often have I asked bee-keepers to read Nature them¬ 
selves and to be guided by common sense and common intelligence 
in their reception of the evidence of others. 
Touching some disputed points much can be said on both sides, 
and on questions of this kind honest people halt between two 
opinions till clearer light or the evidence of fact guides them 
aright. Are the ceils of bee combs originally hexagonal in shape ? 
What ? Do you not know that this question has been settled 
from time immemorial by naturalists and apiarians, that cells are 
originally and naturally hexagonal, and that no other shape would 
compass their end or use so well and economically ? We all 
know what has been so often said about the wisdom and economy 
of bees in adopting the hexagonal shape in the manufacture of 
combs. Still, by some thoughtful naturalists the hexagonal shape 
of cells is considered more accidental than natural, and results 
rather from mechanical than instinctive causes. In a work called 
“ The Honey Bee : Its Natural History, Habits, Anatomy, and 
Microscopical Beauties,” by James Samuelson, assisted by J. 
Braxton Hicks, M.D., F.L.S., &c., and published by John Van 
Voorst, London, I find this subject of cell shape and formation 
fully discussed ; and as it may interest some of the readers of the 
Journal of Horticulture I will here quote from this book part of 
the discussion. At page 80 they say— 
“ We are now considering what was until recently regarded as the 
most wonderful trait in the nature of the bee, for almost miraculous 
power has been attributed to the insect to enable it to construct these 
cells. It has been proved by able mathematicians that the form they 
are made to assume requires the least amount of material consistent 
with strength, and that if any other figure had been substituted for 
the hexagon, or any other angles than those now presented by the 
sides of the cells, it would not have been possible to group so great a 
number of the latter in the same space ; for we are told that although 
circular cells might have better suited the shape of the bee’s body, 
yet the waste of space and material would in that case have been 
considerable. On the other hand, however, it has been stated that 
the design of these cells is not at first hexagonal, but according to 
some observers it is pentagonal, whilst others declare it is circular in 
the first instance. All agree, however, that as the cells progress 
they assume the most appropriate and economical form—namely, the 
hexagon.” 
Our authors then give numerous surmises as to the guiding 
principle that causes the bees to construct their cells after this 
model, which they review at considerable length, and then say— 
“ You will be disposed to ask, Which of these theories, apparently 
so much at variance, is the correct one? We should be glad if we 
could answer this question finally and satisfactorily, but that we 
cannot do ; and indeed if such observers as Reaumur, Spence, Darwin, 
and Tegetmeier, all of whom have carefully watched the habits of 
the insect, cannot agree upon the subject, it is hardly to be expected 
that we should decide the controversy. It is, however, our business 
to compare these theories ; and a little reflection free from bias or 
prejudice, aided by the consideration of other natural objects and 
phenomena, may perhaps lead us to some useful conclusion on the 
subject. 
“First, then, all the naturalists whose opinion we have quoted 
agree that the design of the cells is originally hexagonal, but that, 
with the exception of certain cells at the side of the comb and around 
the queen cell, they eventually become so. Next, they agree with 
mathematicians that, after the circle, this form of cell encloses the 
largest space with the smallest amount of material ; and everyone 
is acquainted with the extreme tenuity of the cell walls of the honey¬ 
comb. Now the real question is, Are these cells normally cylindrical, 
and do they of necessity resolve themselves into hexagons when the 
neighbouring ones are built up against them ? Or do the bees begin 
by making them irregularly pentagonal and cause them gradually to 
