164 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ August 18, 1881. 
the rate indicated above and boiled, is excellent food for bees ; 
and swarms wholly fed by it are healthy all the winter. Thi3 
is well known, but it has been said that boiling is quite un¬ 
necessary. It may be so, though we think differently. 
One word here about crude and perfect honey. It is well known 
that I believe bees have something to do in the perfecting of 
honey ; that the crude material gathered from flowers undergoes a 
change—cull it a sweetening and thickening process—in the bodies 
of bees after it is gathered ; and that without the bees it cannot, by 
any process of evaporation, become honey proper. During the 
last discussion in the Journal of Horticulture I expressed my in¬ 
tention of extracting some crude honey this year and sending it to 
the Bee-keepers’ Association for examination. The honey was 
extracted, a full basin of it, but instead of sending it to London 
I kept it for the Manchester Show, to let bee-keepers taste and 
examine it there. It was, when taken, a pure and beautiful 
sample of crude honey, gathered from white Clover. Standing 
on the shelf of a cupboard in the kitchen it began “ to change.” 
It will not keep. If I had boiled it, it might have kept longer ; 
as it is, it will be at the Show, and probably those who see and 
taste it will need no more evidence to convince them that perfect 
honey is not to be found in our fields and forests.—A. Pettigrew. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Dickson & Robinson, 12, Old Millgate, Manchester.— Catalogue of 
Bulbs. 
Jules de Cock, Faubourg St. Lievin, Ghent. — General Plant 
Catalogue. 
Louis Van Houtte, Ghent.— Catalogue of Bulbs. 
B. Fadderjaim, ig, Retter-Strasse, Berlin.— Illustrated Catalogue of 
Bouquet Pagters. 
*** 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. 
Vine Leaves Curled (A Reader ).—There is no mildew on the leaves nor 
insects of any kind, and no sulphur is needed. The appearance of the foliage is 
peculiar to the variety, and your conjecture is probably correct. Since the days 
are less bright no material harm will be done, but should the heat be again 
excessive you had better sprinkle a little whitewash on the glass where there are 
signs of the foliage scorching or curling. 
Carpet Bedding in the Parks (Agent ).—If you are meditating a visit 
to the metropolis you ought certainly to see all the principal parks, as they are 
very convenient of access and display some varying styles of bedding. In the 
south of London Battersea Park is especially worthy of a visit, not only for the 
caiqxet bedding but also for the subtropical department. In the west Hyde 
Park, in the north Regent’s and Finsbury Parks, aud in the north-east Victoria 
Park, may all be seen with advantage, especially the last named, as there the 
designs in which you take particular interest receive considerable attention with 
very admirable results. 
The Cucumber Disease (IF. P.).—The Cucumber roots you sent are 
infested with the minute creatures termed Anguillas, which form the small 
tubercles upon the root. Illustrations of the disease, with a magnified section 
of a root, are given in Mo. 720 of this Journal, which may be obtained from the 
publisher for 3 Jrf. in stamps. The only remedial plan you can adopt is to destroy 
the plants, remove the old soil, and thoroughly cleanse the house. When making 
up fresh beds obtain the soil from a different locality if possible, and be careful 
that none of the old compost becomes mixed with it. 
Seedling Pelargoniums (T. C .).—The truss was much crushed in 
transit, but so far as we could judge the variety appears to be a very good one. 
The truss is large, the flowers even in outline and very rich scarlet in colour, 
and if the habit is compact the plant is well worth preserving. It is certainly 
not better than many of the fine.-t now in commerce, and you would doubtless 
experience much difficulty in obtaining a suitable recognition of its merits at 
an exhibition, yet it is well worth your attention, and would probably prove 
useful for culture in pots. 
Potatoes Diseased (S. C .).—The tubers you sent are affected with what 
is termed the scab, which is generally considered to be the result of the plants 
being grown in soil that contains corrosive or deleterious substauces, or an ex¬ 
cessive amount of manurial agents. The Tomato is certainly a very poor 
sample, but with the exception of the two small blotches does not appear un¬ 
healthy. Is the foliage injuriously affected ? 
Euryale ferox (R. S. T. M.). —The aquatic which you describe is Euryale 
ferox, an East Indian plant that is well worth a place in any garden where 
tropical aquatics can be accommodated. The leaves are orbicular iu form, 
somewhat resembling the Victoria regia but smaller, and bearing upon both 
surfaces numerous large spines. The flowers are bright violet in colour. It can 
be grown in a pot, pan, or basket plunged in the water, the soil consisting of 
turfy loam, a small proportion of manure, and coarse river sand. 
Culture of Colas jugosus (IF. R., Hants). — This attractive little 
Orchid is by no means difficult to grow if attention be paid to its very moderate 
requirements. It is an ally of the Maxillarias, but requires a higher tempe¬ 
rature than the majority of those in cultivation. The Cattleya house is a very 
suitable position for the plant, a compost of peat and sphagnum being required, 
and above all particular care in insuring good drainage in the pot is necessary 
to obtain the species in its best condition. The spikes of pimple-striped flowers 
are very pretty, and are always greatly admired. 
Trichomanes reniforme (Stella). —The small frond you sent is that of 
the above distinct species, the name of which is derived from the form of the 
fronds. It is one of the prettiest of the genus, and if you bestow proper care 
upon the plant it will well repay you. A Wardian case is best suited for it as 
for most other Triehomaues, peat iu large pieces as rough as possible aud 
sandstone constituting the best compost. 
Globe Thistles (J. Rogers, Sussex). —These very distinct members of the 
Compositor family are included in the genus Echiuops, aud are well suited for- 
planting in large borders or where a subtropical effect is required. As you only 
require a few forms the following would suit you, as they thrive in almost any 
soil that is not excessively heavy :—Echiuops sphferocephalus with pale blue 
flower-heads, E. Ritro with purplish blue flower-heads, and E. ruthenicus with 
bright blue flower-heads. The two last are usually about a yard high when 
fully grown, but the first-named reaches the height of 6 feet. 
The Manchineel Tree (A'., Chester). —The tree respecting which you 
inquire is the Hippomane mancinella of botanists, and is related to our common 
Spurges. It is a native of the West Indies, South America, and Arabia, on the 
seacoast, and receives its name from the Spanish word mancinilla, signifying a 
small Apple, its fruit having that resemblance. It has been reported by various 
writers that, so volatile and virulent is the poison of this tree, persons have died 
from merely sleeping under its shade. This, however, is an exaggeration, as it 
has been frequently proved beyond a doubt that no more danger arises from 
sleeping under that tree than from any others inhabiting the same localities as 
those in which the Manchineel grows. Ricord Madiana says he has travelled 
two leagues under its shade without experienciug any inconvenience. It never¬ 
theless possesses highly poisonous qualities. All its parts, eveu the green fruit, 
are charged with a milky juice, which contains a considerable quantity of 
caoutchouc. This juice has the odour of wormwood and tansy bruised, and if 
this odour is inhaled for some time it causes a pricking feeling all over the 
person, and a choking sensation in the throat. The juice is so acrid and corro¬ 
sive that the natives poison their arrows with it, and it is said that negro-drivers 
dip the lash of their whips in it to render the punishment of their victims more 
severe. The ripe fruit is the size of a small flat Apple, with many deep furrows 
on the outside, and an agreeable odour of citron, which perfumes the whole air ; 
the flesh is at first quite mild, but afterwards causes burning in the mouth. On 
account of this insipidity at first some animals eat the fruit and die, having the 
stomach inflamed and even perforated with black spots like the grounds of 
coffee. Bruce asserts that when it falls into the sea fish and crabs that eat it 
are not injured, but those eatiug these animals are poisoned. . 
Oxalis elegans (Inquirer). — The following particulars concerning tiio 
plant aud some of its allies respecting which you desire information are from 
the pen of Mr. Thompson of Ipswich, and therefore thoroughly reliable. “ In the 
case of this genus the new tubers annually formed require to be dug up after 
flowering, as they are produced at such a distance from the surface that, unless 
this precaution is adopted, they will eventually be lost. In the case of 0. Bowiei 
and other autumn-flowering nearly hardy species it is advisable to defer the 
removal of the tubers until spring, as in severe winters they would be safer at a 
depth of some inches ; and from the late period at which the blossoms are pro¬ 
duced the young tubex-s would suffer from being disturbed in their immature 
state. As they clo not commence their growth until the following summer, the 
mouth of Apx'il will be sufficiently eai'ly to replant them. The bulbs of the 
Oxalis elegans do not penetrate the soil so deeply as some of the other species ; 
but they should, notwithstanding, be replanted every autumn after the decay of 
the leaves. The soil best suited to this and most of the Oxalises is a light sandy 
loam with an admixture of peat or leaf mould. A dry sunny sitxxation should 
be chosen, for the blossoms expand only under sunshine. Oxalis elegans is a 
very free flowerer, even the small bulbs will generally produce several umbels. 
The trusses will need the support of a small rod to prevent them from being 
dashed to the ground by heavy x-aius ; and for this purpose nothing is better 
than the top of a slender unpeeled osier. These supports are commonly employed 
by professional florists, but they are not so generally in use among amateurs as 
they deserve to be. Their pale bark renders them vei-y inconspicuous, and their 
freedom from knots or roughness, and tapering form, makes them, in oxxr 
opinion, far more desii-able than the brittle hazel rods or painted sticks ordiuai-ily 
used for these purposes. The hardiness of the present species has already been 
adverted to. It will be prudent, however, to afford the roots some protection in 
very severe weather; but the covering should not be suffered to remain too 
long, or the bulbs would be foreed into premature growth. All the Oxalise3 
may be cultivated in pots, and when thus ti-eated they can easily be preserved 
through the winter in a doi'mant state. Considering the great interest attach¬ 
ing to this pretty genus, and the showy character of their blossoms, we are 
really surprised that they are not more frequently met with. A bed of mixed 
species, planted in clumps of eight or ten bulbs each, forms in sunny weather 
one of the lxxost atti'active objects imaginable. All the half-hardy species which 
flower in summer and aixtumn may be thus grown, and their tubers may be dug 
up after the leaves ai'e withered, aud preserved in dry sand.” 
Culture of Pleroma elegans (A. R. J/.).—Established plants must be 
cut in closely after flowering, and kept rather dry and cool for about three 
weeks, aud then rather close and moist, being careful not to overvvater ; aud 
when the young shoots are an inch long turn the plant out of the pot, remove 
most of the old soil without disrooting much, aud repot in the same size pot. 
Keep rather close, moist, and shaded for a few days, then admit air moderately, 
and keep the plants in a light airy position during the winter. In April shift 
into a pot 2 to 4 inches lai-ger in diameter, and the plaut will be the better of 
placing in a Peach house started to ripen the fruit in June, the moisture from 
syringing and the well-ventilated atmosphere securing a stiff vigorous growth. 
Failing this convenience, keep it in the warmest part of the greenhouse, but well 
ventilated, and syringed twice daily. In July keep it in a cool airy lioxxse 
shielded from midday sun. In September return it to the greenhouse, assigning 
