454 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 22, 1883. 
and in a few days, as progress is made, give the remainder. The 
centre entrance only is used during the first year unless in excep 
tionally good seasons. 
We must suppose that our readers are fully aware of the necessity 
for feeding swarms for a few days if the weather is at all nnfavourable. 
—W. B. C., Higher Behington, Cheshire. 
HOW FAB WILL BEES GO FOR HONEY? 
This is a question that has been addressed to us by a gardener, who 
states that bees find their way into his Peach-house every year, and he 
knows of no hives nearer than one and a half mile. On this subject Mr. 
Pettigrew has a short chapter in his “ Handy Book of Bees,” which we 
cite :—“ This question we cannot answer with accuracy. Our experience 
in this matter goes dead against the wonderful stories that are told in 
some books. We read of bees flying four, seven, and twelve miles for 
food ! Our bees will perish and die for want of food within three miles 
of good pasture. Our bees here never find the hundreds of acres of 
Heather which cover Carrington Moss within three miles of them. In 
fine sunshiny weather bees go farther from home than they do in dark 
cloudy weather. But even in the best and brightest of weather in June 
and July very few, if any, find their way home to their old stand if 
removed three miles off. Moreover, the return of some bees does not 
prove that they travel three miles in search of food. It proves that some 
of them go a little more than one mile and a half from home, and finding 
themselves on known pastures within one mile and a half of the old 
place, they return thither, forgetting, as it were, where they last came 
from. I am therefore of opinion that very few bees go more than two 
miles for food. 
“ It is very desirable to have bees near the pasture on which they 
work. Short journeys are not only a saving of labour to bees, but also a 
protection of their lives. When compelled to fly far for honey they are 
often caught by showers and destroyed. In warm genial weather, with 
a superabundance of honey in flowers, bees mill have it. They go beyond 
the bounds of safety for it. Gentle showers do not stop outdoor labourers. 
Black clouds often send them hurriedly home ; but they are frequently 
caught, and die on the altar of their industry. Hives containing 8 lbs. 
and 10 lbs. of bees have lost two-thirds of their ranks by sudden showers 
in warm honey weather. Bees driven to the earth by showers do not die 
at once. If the following day be warm and fair the rays of the sun 
sometimes reanimate these storm-beaten creatures, and enable them to 
return to their hives.” 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
N. Davis, 66, Warner Road, Camberwell .—Catalogue of New and Old 
Chrysanthemums. 
Joseph Unthank, 25, Spring Terrace, North Shields .—List of Dutch Bulbs. 
W. Leighton, 89, Union Street, Glasgow .—Catalogue of Forest Trees. 
John Downie, Edinburgh .—Catalogue of Roses, Fruit Trees, and Conifers. 
Louis Van Houtte, Ghent, Belgium .—Catalogue of Hardy Herbaceous 
and Alpine Plants. 
%* 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. 
Vine Roots Unhealthy ( B. C .).—We have examined the roots carefully 
and find no symptoms of the attacks of the phylloxera. They appear to have 
been grown in a wet border and inert soil. Fresh soil is what they need- 
good loam with an admixture of bones and wood ashes, with efficient drainage 
to carry off superfluous water. 
Chrysanthemums Sporting ( T. Grant ).—It is far from common to find 
a Chrysanthemum two-thirds yellow and one-third pink ; but we have seen 
this more chan once. It is not unlikely that your plant may throw a pure 
yellow sport some time or other. The one you have sent is a very near 
approach to that; but the variety, at least as represented by the example 
before us, appears to possess little merit. 
Buck's Scarlet Rhubarb ( Cambridge ).—We are quite unable to say from 
whence you can obtain roots of this variety. Those who have the true variety 
for disposal would do well to advertise it. It is one of the best small early 
sorts in cultivation. 
Planting a Mulberry (E. M. S .).—We have no doubt a Mulberry would 1 
grow and fruit in your garden. It thrives quite as well near towns as Apples 
do. In all probability the Tea Rose Niphetos would succeed fairly well,, 
and it is well worth trying. We had an inquiry for a few volumes of the 
Journal the other day. What are the dates of those you have for disposal, 
and the price you require for each volume ? 
Breeze for Stoking (A. J. S.). — Breeze mixed with coke would answer 
admirably for your boiler, but can only be had at the price named in or 
within a short distance of the colliery districts. It will be necessarily much 
more costly in your locality, yet much below the price of coal. We do not 
think it would answer in your case if not mixed with coke broken small. 
Late Liliums ( IT. J. G.). —Lilium auratum is extremely variable in its 
time of flowering, but it is usual for bulbs planted in March to flower long 
before November. Yours is an exception to the rule, and perhaps not un¬ 
welcome ; we have known similar instances of very late flowering. We are 
not able to answer your other question, as we have no Tasmanian catalogue 
of hardy plants. You could obtain seeds of many hardy border flowers, and 
these we should take and raise plants from them. This would be the 
cheapest and readiest way of establishing a stock, and you do not say you 
want named varieties. 
Writing to Correspondents (C. II., Antiverp ).—Every week we publish 
a request at the head of this column that “ no one will write privately to any 
of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and 
expense.” We regret that this request has been so widely ignored that some- 
of the most competent writers have felt compelled to hide their identity 
under a nom de glume. We repeat that all letters of inquiry should be- 
addressed to the Editor, and the information needed will be given sooner than 
by any other means. We forward such letters as in our judgment should be- 
sent to departmental writers and publish their replies; and we shall be glad 
if any of our esteemed coadjutors who receive letters from readers will for¬ 
ward the same to us, together with any reply they deem necessary for 
publication. So far as regards yourself your letter to “ Single-handed ” will 
be answered ; but your non-compliance with our published request has 
caused some delay. 
Leaf Soil from Oak Leaves ( Subscriber ).—Some of the best leaf soil we 
ever used was that from Oak leaves, which formed where the leaves fell. In 
Oak woods and coppices we have always noticed that where the Oak leaves 
accumulated as top-dressings among the brake there the brake grew best, 
and there in time was formed a half peaty-like bed that was unsurpassed for 
general plant-growing, and more especially Ferns. There is tannic and also 
some gallic acid in Oak leaves, but it is so small as not to be harmful; and 
you may satisfy yourself of this by examining the roots of any vegetation 
near or among the leaves. Moreover, tannic acid is soluble, and when leaves 
have lain damp in the position, and for the length of time you name, very 
little tannic acid will be left, even supposing it not to be decomposed, which 
it readily does under conditions that turn leaves to soil. But a simple way 
of testing whether a sample of leaf soil is unwholesome or not is to sift some- 
with loam and sand and to strike cuttings of some plants with fleshy roots 
and examine these. If they root freely and, on examination, are found 
healthy, all is right. But even if not, it is hardly likely that tannic acid 
will be the cause of the mischief. Let us know whether you succeed with 
yours. 
Climbing Plants for South-west Aspect (A. M. B .).—A mixture of 
deciduous and evergreen plants is the most satisfactory both for the charm 
of variety and for the pleasant clothing of green in winter. Four plants 
would suffice for your space planted in the following order :—Escallonia 
macrantha, with handsome glossy evergreen foliage, with deep pink flowers 
which come abundantly in early summer and again in autumn. We have- 
several plants of it, some of which have still a few perfect spikes of flowers. 
Next to it plant Jasminum officinale, which is almost hidden beneath its 
thickly clustering fragrant white flowers in summer; and its free growth 
spreads quickly, and soon mingles with anything growing near it. Then 
take Berberidopsis corallina, a perfect gem among evergreen climbers, with 
deep green foliage and dark red flowers. which come in pendant clusters of 
miniature rosettes in autumn ; and the sweetest of all Honeysuckles, 
Lonicera flexuosa. 
Evergreen Shrubs for a Bank (Bus in Urbe). —If the shrubs were to be 
altogether under the branches of the trees your choice would be restricted to 
three or four sorts, but we gather from your letter that they will be partly 
under and partly near the trees, and therefore you may give a trial to such 
choice flow-ering shrubs as Berberis Darwinii, B. stenophylla, B. Wallichiana, 
Mahonia aquifolia, Diplopappus chrysophyllus, Escallonia macrantha, Garrya 
elliptica, Ligustrum japonicum, Ulex europsex flore-pleno, Spartium junceum, 
S. multiflorum, Buddlea globosa, and of Laurustinus the common form, with 
lucidum and Sieboldii. If the Rhododendrons answer in your soil a large 
proportion of the best varieties would materially enhance the beauty of your 
bank, and no shrub answers better than Rhododendron ponticum under the 
shade of trees. Yases on a wall 14 feet high are so difficult of access that 
the failure of your Clematis is only what might be expected, for without 
copious watering twice daily in the heat of summer plants could hardly live, 
much less thrive, in such a position. Your idea of clothing the wall with 
Ivy plant in the vases is impracticable. Plant the Ivy in rich soil at the foot 
of the wall and it will soon mount upwards in rich luxuriance, and a few 
branches trailing over the vases would have a graceful and picturesque 
effect. 
Culture of the Orange (M. S. P.). —To grow the plants well, and to 
fruit them freely, they must be treated liberally. We have found the follow¬ 
ing mixture suit them well:—Two parts good turfy loam, one part of fibrous 
peat, and about the same quantity of sheep or pigeon’s manure, adding to 
these a good quantity of sharp sand and lumps of charcoal; the whole must 
