JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 4, 1881. ] 
115 
brass runners. These would of course maintain their form better 
than zinc, but they would cause loss of heat by conduction when 
the hive is contracted in winter, since half their length would 
be outside, while they would give more opportunity for propolisa- 
tion. Mr. Abbott was second with the now well-known combi¬ 
nation hive, to which he adds dummies with side pieces held against 
the hive walls by a wire spring. Would not propolis soon render 
the spring useless? Mr. Hooker showed his Alexandra hive, to 
which was awarded third place. He now provides a square 
Stewarton on the floorboard, and proposes when swarming seems 
imminent to draw the slides and so at once stop the exit of the 
bees by nadiring. Messrs. Green introduced a novelty by 
adding to their frames a pewter slip, which rests on the runner, 
giving a very smooth motion, and likewise keeping the frames at 
the correct distance from each other. We should have put No. 3 
higher and given this hive a place. In Class 5 Mr. Abbott was 
first, with a hive in which the frames have broad ends, while 
about 3 inches intervenes between the frame end and the hive 
side. To this space the bees must of necessity have access, and 
would at once build comb in it when the hive became full. 
Propolisation will in our opinion quickly so fix the frames as to 
make toem unworkable, while in winter the protection would be 
even less than that afforded by quarter-inch deal side. In Class 8 
Mr. Martin staged a neat skep with a central round hole, over which 
he places a board channelled in the form of a cross, upon which 
he stands section boxes in two lines at right angles to each other. 
Some good section racks were shown, but amongst these we find 
wooden separators, which have been all but universally condemned 
by honey-producers. They buckle, and. are very likely to have 
comb attached to them. 
The display of honey has not hitherto been equalled. The total 
weight was nearly three tons, while the flatness, finish, and colour of 
the sections seemed to leave but little room for progress in this 
direction. The extracted honey was bright and tough, with hardly 
an exception, and must constantly have sorely puzzled the Judges 
in making their awards. For the best exhibition from one apiary 
Mr. Thorne was to the front with a magnificent lot of 384^ lbs., 
which with his other entries brought his total up to 528 lbs., by far 
the largest amount of English honey yet staged by one exhibitor. 
Mr. Walton came second with 227 lbs., and Mr. Hooker third with 
fourteen dozen 1 lb. sections, all of admirably even quality. The 
next class for supers not sections was on the whole poor, and calls 
for little remark. The glass supers, handsome but unsaleable, are 
clearly giving way before the handy sections. The cost and risk 
of transit, without a chance of sale, will in the end banish these 
ornaments from our exhibition benches. 
Class 13, Best twenty-four 2 lb. sections.—Mr. Walton surpassed 
Mr. Thorne with boxes that can only be equalled. Miss Gayton and 
Mr. Thorne were second and third in a class in which to win is an 
event. We were glad to notice Mr. Bower, the worthy Hon. Sec. of 
the Midland Counties Bee Association, was there an exhibitor. Of 
the remaining honey classes the running was often so even that 
criticism is needless. It is nevertheless remarkable that none of 
the entries was staged badly or call for any adverse comment. 
The silver medal for foundation was replaced at the desire 
of the Judges for two of bronze, one to Mr. Raitt for thick 
foundation, the other to Mr. Abbott for thin. A silver medal was 
awarded to Mr. Abbott, jun., who showed Faris’s method of making 
foundation by dipping. In this he displayed considerable dexterity, 
nearly if not all the sheets being turned out perfect. Mr. Cowan 
again won in the class for extractors. The machine in principle 
is that of last year with an additional movement by which tbe 
combs can be more readily put in position. Mr. Abbott showed 
an expeditious way of sealing honey jars. These are first coated 
with wax on the lip ; waxed paper is then, after filling, pressed 
upon the glass ; the two surfaces of wax unite, and a complete 
closure is effected. 
For the best microscopic slides illustrating the natural history 
of the honey bee, Mr. F. Enock most deservedly carried off the 
silver medal. The slides were four dozen in number, and if not 
unapproachable are certainly as yet unapproached. The prepara¬ 
tion of parts in situ without pressure gives an opportunity of 
examining structure that flattened chitine could never afford. The 
beauty of these objects when properly illuminated must be seen to 
be appreciated. On some slides he brings side by side the homolo¬ 
gous parts of drone, worker, and queen, which gives a ready means 
of comparison, and on others displays the parts illustrative of the 
complete anatomy of the insect. Some clever sections and some 
specimens of the interesting parasite Stylops Spencii were included 
in the collection. 
The Baroness Burdett Coutts distributed the prizes on Thursday, 
July 28th. The Rev. H. R. Peel has sufficiently recovered from 
his severe illness to allow him, to the delight of all, to be present 
during a part of the time the Exhibition was open, Mr. T. W. 
Cowan kindly taking general oversight during the whole week. 
The report of Mr. Cheshire’s lecture on Bees as Florists, Hybrid- 
isers, and Fruit-producers, will be given in an early issue. 
*** 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. 
Camellias in Covent Garden (T. J., Hugely). —Tbe prices for blooms 
vary considerably according to the demand and the quality of the flowers. At 
the season you name the wholesale price usually ranges from 2 s. to 6s. a dozen. 
Conifers Unhealthy (.Lady Grey).— The spray you have sent was wrongly 
named. It is not Tin us insignis, but Abies or Ticea Pinsapo, which has been 
injured by frost more or less in nearly all parts of the country, and has evi¬ 
dently not escaped in > our collection. 
Mildew on Peas (Rex).— It is very difficult to destroy mildew on Peas 
We have checked it, however, by syringing them with a solution of salt and 
soft soap, half an ounce of the former and 2 ozs. of the latter dissolved in a 
gallon of water and applied at a temperature of 120°. Prevention is much 
better than cure, and this consists in having the ground trenched and enriched 
to a depth of 2 feet and supplying liquid manure occasionally in dry weather. 
In all probability liquid manure given in sufficient quantity to penetrate below 
the roots would benefit your Peas considerably. 
The Cucumber Disease (J. S. A.).—When questions arrive on Wednes¬ 
day morning, and answers are given by request in the “ next issue,” they must 
necessarily be brief. The answer given to a correspondent on page 518, the 
issue of June 23rd last, is precisely applicable to your case. As you are an old 
subscriber you will have this number and can refer to it. The disease that is 
attacking your plants is, we fear, incurable. 
Roses Unhealthy (An Irish Subscriber).— The injury of your Roses is 
due to a small maggot which burrows into the leaf. No remedy that you can 
now apply will be effectual, but you had better saturate the soil with liquid 
manure to promote more vigorous growth, and in the winter remove the surface 
soil and treat as recommended to another correspondent, Mrs. Sylas. 
Stocks for Spring (Alarmed). —You need be under no alarm at all. 
Your “ Mid-Lothiaus ” now 2 inches high and bushy are not a day too early, 
for even if they commence flowering in the autumn they will continue pro¬ 
ducing spikes throughout the winter if placed in favourable position, and will 
be fine in the spring. We have plants now 6 inches in diameter and ueaily the 
same in height that will j- fiord us a profusion of flowers during the ensuing 
spring—at least such plants have never failed to do so when they have been 
well cultivated. Carry out your project and you will attain the end desired. 
Grapes Shanking (L. J/.).—The box arrived after our reply to your 
letter was prepared, but on examination of the contents we concluded that the 
answer published on page 14 lequired no extension nor qualification. Your 
Vines require fresh soii of a more free and porous nature ; indeed, such compost 
as we named in the answer referred to. The roots sent were in a very unsatis¬ 
factory state, and until y r ou induce more healthy root-action the Grapes will 
continue shanking. If you require more precise information we will readily 
supply it on receiving a full and precise statement relative to the condition of 
the Vines and border. 
1 Y oss on Lawn (E. M. A.).—In all probability your lawn needs draining, 
as the moss indicates the presence of stagnant water in the soil. If drainage is 
not needed, then all the moss should be removed with a sharp-toothed rake and 
a heavy dressing of lime and fresh soil spread over the surface; this will check 
the growth of, if not destroy the moss, and promote the growth of grass. The soil 
is either too wet or too poor, we cannot tell which. If the former, drainage is the 
remedy ; if the latter, dressings of rich soil after liming, sowing at the same time 
fresh lawn seed thickly. 
Management of Vinery (Yorkshire Curate). —It is impossible for us to 
reply fully and satisfactorily to questions that arrive on Wednesday morning; 
and we can only say briefly, Damp the house once a day in hot weather, let the 
minimum temperature be 60°, and let the laterals alone till your question is 
more fully answered next w’eek. 
Potato Haulm Crowded (Puzzled). —Too close planting is a great 
evil and difficult to remedy. To stop, or rather cut back the growth, does not 
answer, as that will stay the growth of the tubers. If the weather should prove 
favourable— i.e., dry, they will probably afford fair results. Instead of cutting 
back the haulm we should prefer to reduce the shaws to about three to each 
stool and leave them their full length, as everything in the matter of tubers 
depends on the development of the haulm. 
Vigorous Vines not Fruiting Satisfactorily (Yorkist). —The Vines 
are evidently in good condition, and only need to have the wood better ripened, 
with the pruniug less close in winter, to insure good results. We presume the 
side shoots are not close together, but are so far distant as to admit of the 
foliage being fully exposed to light and the principal leaves not crowded by 
