JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
282 
He does not perfectly escape, for treacle, one of his waste products, 
contains scarcely a trace of cane sugar ; it has almost wholly been 
converted into glucose by the necessary heat employed. What will 
those say to this who tell us that no boiling of cane sugar for bee 
food is needful P It is needful; it converts the cane sugar, in part 
at least, into honey or grape sugar, and prevents its crystallising, 
and so saves much trouble, and may save much mischief. The 
addition of a little acid aids in the process, hence the recommended 
vinegar; but the work would be done more perfectly by sulphuric 
acid afterwards neutralised with chalk, but for this method some 
technical knowledge is desirable. We see this very matter in the 
case of a fruit tart; if sugar be added by the cook before baking the 
heat and the acid of the fruit transform sucrose into glucose. The 
flavour is more agreeable and natural; but more sugar will be 
required, sine 51 two measures of sucrose have as much effect on the 
palate as five of glucose. The reason of my statement that sugar, 
especially glucose, is a true food is now apparent. Cane sugar is 
changed into the latter in our case as the firft step toward* assimila¬ 
tion, and it probably would be so changed in the bee’s body at its 
passage into the true stomach. The alteration is brought about by 
the absorption of a portion of water, so that, strange as it may 
appear, 342 lbs. of sucrose become 360 lbs. of glucose. The sugar 
cane is largely eaten at harvest time by the blacks, and they thrive 
upon it wonderfully. In addition to its sugar there is in it a little 
nitrogenous matter. This is also true of honey, which, apart from 
all aroma and delicacy of flavour, contains the essentials of one part 
at least of a scientific diet table— Frank R. Cheshire, Avenue 
House, Acton, W. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Charles Turner, Slough .—Catalogue of Carnations, Picotees, and 
Bulbs. 
Hooper it Co., Covent Garden, London. — Catalogue of Bulbs 
(Illustrated). 
George Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, Kent .—Catalogues of Fruit 
Trees and Roses. 
James Dickson & Sons, 108, Eastgate Street, Chester .—Catalogue of 
Bulbs. 
E. S. Dodwell, 11, Chatham Terrace, Larkhall Rise, Clapham.— 
Select List of Seedling Carnations and Picotees. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** 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. 
Coke v. Coal as Fuel (Kiltie). — You cannot do better than refer to 
page 150 of the issue of the .Journal of February 27th, 1879, where you will find 
a record of some experiments made by Mr. Luckhurst on the relative value of 
anthracite coal, coke, and a mixture of the two for heating a plant structure, 
the fuel being consumed in a saddle boiler. If you do not possess the number 
referred to it can be had in return for 3Jd. in postage stamps, sent to the 
publisher with a request that he send you No. 935. 
Spent Tan ( Ramalho ).—Such old “rotten” tan as you describe has very 
little manurial value. If the tan is in a friable state it may be applied bene¬ 
ficially to very heavy land, such as clay or strong loam, but no benefit will 
result if it is mixed with ordinary light garden soil. Some pastures we have 
known to have been benefited by a heavy dressing of old tan, and this is 
possibly the most likely way in which your heap may be utilised—that is, if you 
have no heavy garden ground that requires to be made more friable. 
Shifting Young Pelargoniums (Inquirer ).—If they are Zonals they 
should, when the small pots are filled with roots, be transferred to 6-inch pots, 
potting firmly, placing them in a light position, and with a little heat the plants 
will flower in winter. If, however, they are of the Show, Spotted, or Fancy 
section, they may also now be repotted and have the shoots stopped so as to 
induce a branched habit, keeping them near the glass and the house freely 
ventilated. 
Carnations with Flowering Shoots (Idem ).—It is hardly likely that 
plants with no “grass” now will form any this season sufficiently strong to 
flower another season, but the roots will possibly survive the winter and make 
plenty of growth next season, and flower well the following year. The cuttings 
should not be torn off the stem, but cut so as to have one joint clear of the 
[ September 8, 1881. 
crown leaves, and being cut transversely below the lowest joint they should 
have the leaves from it removed. Insert the cuttings in sandy soil under a 
handlight, and keep them shaded until rooted. For answers toother queries see 
the following reply. 
Placing Roses in Pots Out of Doors (/?. T. L.). —It is not necessary 
at this season to place Hoses outdoors that have been grown in an airy green¬ 
house for the ripening of the wood, as that will, if the plants have had plenty of 
light, be thoroughly perfected, and the only good that exposure would effect 
would be in inducing rest, assigning them a sunny position, and housing before 
the weather becomes severe, the pots being plunged in ashes to the rims. The 
Cactuses should between now and the end of the present month be placed 
indoors, or before the soil becomes soddened with wet or the plants injured by 
frost. 
Grapes at Manchester (G. C. Kamsden).— Our report of the heaviest 
bunch classes is, we believe, correct, and it agrees with that of the Gardeners' 
Chronicle. According to those reports Mr. Roberts placed his heaviest bunches 
in competition. In another paper we observe a mistake, and if this is the paper 
to which you refer you had better write to the Editor. We could have replied more 
satisfactorily if you had quoted the papers in which you allege there is such 
discrepancy. Have you not made a mistake ? You quote words and weights 
which you say appear in “ other papers,” that are in none of the gardening 
papers now before us. 
Dahlias with Open Centres (Amateur Florist). —This is very common 
this season, and is probably a result of the prolonged dry weather in the early 
part of summer, the plants being weakened by over-propagation, so as not to 
make a strong early growth. Want of proper supplies of water and liquid 
manure is also a frequent cause of the flowers having few petals. Nothing tends 
so much to encourage fulness in flowers as high culture, and it is to absence of 
this that we should attribute the spareness of the petals. 
Removing Plum Tree (A. B >yle ).—You cannot adopt a better plan than 
the one you propose. In all probability the trees will have some roots approach¬ 
ing more or less a, vertical position, and they must be severed, half of them this 
year and the other half the next. If you can place a quantity of light gritty 
vegetable soil in the trench, packing it very firmly round the roots, it will be 
of great value in promoting the emission of a number of short fibrous roots that 
are so desirable for the quick re-establishment of the tree. It will be an advan¬ 
tage rather than otherwise to prune the tree by shortening the luxuriant 
branches. 
Gooseberries Unhealthy (A. J.S.). —We think there must be some other 
reason for the branches dying. The galvanised netting we presume does not 
touch the bushes but is elevated above them ; and further, if this netting was 
the cause of the injury we should scarcely expect the Currants to remain healthy 
in the same quarter. We know of Gooseberry bushes that have been covered 
witli galvanised wire netting for a number of years and not the slightest injury 
has resulted, the netting being fixed 6 feet from the ground. The soil is perhaps 
too hot and dry for Gooseberries, and we should mulch it in summer to retain 
the moisture. 
Sphagnum for Orchids (A Constant Reader).— The moss should be used 
in a living state, as when dead it causes an unsuitable stagnation about the 
roots that is very unfavourable to the plants. The most suitable work for you 
will be the “ Orchid Growers’ Manual,” published by Mr. C. S. Williams, Victoria 
and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Holloway, London, from whom it can be obtained 
post free for Cs. 6 d. 
Grass Seeds for Renovating Permanent Pasture (Robesten 
Walthen). —The most likely Grasses to succeed where there is great drought in 
summer and heavy rams in winter are Festuca duriuscula, F. ovina, F. rubra, 
Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Lolium perenne, Poa pratensis, Phleutn 
pratense, Holcus lauatus, and H. mollis, with the leguminous plants Medicago 
lupulina, Trifolium filiforme, and T. repens. Of Clovers the last-named is most 
likely to succeed, and of it we should employ 4 lbs. of seed, and the others in 
proportion as follows :—Medicago lupulina, 4 - lbs.; Festuca rubra, 2 lbs.; Cyno¬ 
surus cristatus. 2 lbs.; Dactylis glomerata, Holcus lauatus, H. mollis, Phleum 
pratense, and Poa pratensis each 1 lb., Lolium perenne being employed alone 
with those named at the rate of 4 lbs. per acre, or 21 lbs. altogether if the pasture 
be very bare. If the situation be high add 2 lbs. of Festuca duriuscula, and 1 lb. 
of Festuca ovina. 
Planting out Steplianotis (Subscriber). —The plant will succeed in the 
position you name, the growths being trained in a light position near the roof, 
and the temperature of the house and general management being suitable. So 
far as we can understand your case, which you have not made by any means 
clear, we should grow the plant to a larger size before planting it out; on this 
point, however, y r ou must judge for yourself. A suitable compost will be about 
two-thirds or nearly so of rather light turfy loam and one-third of turfy peat, 
the whole to be broken by the hand and used in a somewhat lumpy state, press¬ 
ing it down firmly ; to the soil add broken charcoal liberally, with sand or 
gritty matter to render the soil porous. Planting should be done in the spring. 
In regard to the other question, if you have quoted the conditions correctly, the 
question answers itself, and all you have to do is to stage the “largest and 
heaviest” fruit you have. 
Various (F. C.). —There was no Peach leaf enclosed in your letter. We 
scarcely understand the condition of your Grapes, as you do not say whether the 
warts are on the leaves or berries ; please send us a small sample of the foliage 
and fruit to which you refer, and we will endeavour to aid you. If the Vines 
are free from insects we should not sj^ringe daily, but should sprinkle the walls 
and paths on bright days for obtaining atmospheric moisture. Cherry stocks 
are usually raised from seed. Quince and Paradise stocks from cuttings inserted 
in October, or by layers pegged down at the present time. You cannot have a 
more easy method of raising Plum stocks than the one you describe. The Black 
Damask or Morocco Plum is a good and very old variety, and ripens in August; 
fruit medium-sized, roundish, very dark purple, and with a sweet brisk flavour. 
The budded stocks should not be headed back until growth has commenced in 
the spring. When Rose buds are inserted the shorter the shield is below the 
bud the better is the union, and only sufficient need be left for tying the bud 
down to the stock. When the shield below the bud is lengthy there is an un¬ 
sightly space between the stock and the bud, and the latter is more liable to be 
blown out than when it unites to the principal stock of a standard Briar. If 
the bud is inserted as low on the stem as possible, as it should be, the transverse 
cut must be above it, and in no case would it be better below. 
Mealy Bug on Vines (A Disappointed Grape-Grower). —Your Vines 
have not had the attention they needed or they would not been in their present 
state. You cannot destroy the insects until the crop is cut. We advise you to 
remove the fruit as soon as possible, and then violently syringe the Vines 
daily for a week. This must be no ordinary sprinkling, but a thorough and 
