JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t August n, less. 
tilated is this, Are they worth the os. in the practice of creating 
stocks? For 5s. we can buy 20 lbs. of good sugar; 40 Itn. or 
thereabouts of good syrup can be made from 20 lbs. of sugar, and 
from 40 lbs. of syrup a large bar-frame or other hive can be filled 
with natural combs in warm weather. From the experiments we 
made this year with the artificial foundations for brood combs we 
have come to the conclusion that they are not economical, and 
for summer use in such work they are not worth the money they 
cost. Let others try the experiment of putting two swarms 
separately into empty hives. Let one of the hives have 1 lb. of 
the brood foundations, and the other 10 lbs. of sugar made into 
syrup. Let all the syrup be given to the hive in seven days. 
Then examine both and see which is the better, which has most 
perfect comb, which the heavier of the two. The sooner this 
question comes to the front and is fully and widely discussed the 
better will it be for bee-keepers and bee-keeping. Artificial comb 
foundations for supering answer well. They are made much 
thinner ; eleven or twelve sheets of them, same size, weigh 1 lb., 
and cost 3s. Thus we see that of a sheet foundation for brood 
cost 6d., and a sheet (same size), for supering cost only 3d. For 
the present we shall leave this important question for others to 
answer and discuss, with the hope that they will examine it care¬ 
fully and discuss it temperately.—A. Pettigrew. 
GLASS versus “ TIN.” 
It certainly is the duty of every bee-keeper to scrupulously refrain 
from any action or practice whereby the purity of honey might be 
impaired. Now, I contend, on chemical principles, that leaving°honey 
in contact for a certain length of time with tin so-called ordinarily, 
but properly speaking with the alloy of tin and lead, as is the case 
when honey is filled into tin pails for the retail sale, or filled into tin 
tanks for maturing it, or permitted to stay for some time in the 
extractors, must expose it to contamination with lead. 
Many of the readers of the “ Bee Journal ” will know that the 
ordinary sheet-tin is in reality sheet-iron coated with a thin film of an 
alloy of tin and lead. For hygienic considerations it would be 
desirable that this film should consist of pure tin. But, unluckily, 
pure tin does adhere only with the greatest difficulty and rather 
imperfectly to iron. Thus the manufacturers of sheet-tin are com¬ 
pelled to use an alloy of tin and lead. Nearly everybody knows the 
injurious effects of lead, in all its chemical combinations, and even in 
the_minutest quantities, if long continued, upon the human system. 
It is contended that a small amount of lead alloyed with tin is so 
thoroughly held by the latter that it cannot be attacked and dissolved 
by the sugars and acids, and thus cannot enter into our articles of 
food. Granted. But, as far as I know, hygiene has never solved the 
question—with the assistance of analytical chemistry—how great 
the amount of lead may be in the alloy without incurring the risk of 
injury to the human system. The great difference in the prices of 
tin and lead is a standing inducement for the manufacturers to 
increase the proportions of lead enormously, and to an injurious 
extent. 
Some time ago I analysed, for my own satisfaction, a sample of 
canned Tomatoes and one of canned Peaches. The first, against my 
expectation, did not contain any lead; but the latter did to a con¬ 
siderable extent. Whether the tin (so-called) of the Tomato-can 
contained less lead proportionately than the other can, or whether 
the sugar in the Peaches could exert a greater action upon the lead 
than the acid in the Tomatoes, I cannot decide. In the honey the 
saccharine and acid principles must attack the lead in the so-called 
tin vessels. I could observe that, a couple of years ago, my extractor 
was considerably corroded by the'honey that was, by mistake, allowed 
to stay for some time. 
The French Government has, some time ago, taken measures against 
the indiscriminate use of tin vessels for holding preserved food con¬ 
taining acid and saccharine substances. And I think bee-keepers 
ought to store their honey in glass or wood (how would paper kegs 
impregnated with paraffin do ?) as long as no discrimination is made 
in the trade between tin (rich in lead) for roofing purposes and tin for 
holding articles of food.—Louis Knorr, M.D. (in The American See 
Journal .) 
Equalising Colonies.— For the best results it is necessary that 
all colonies be made strong by the time the honey harvest begins. 
The frames of comb should be well filled with brood, and the hives' 
full of bees. With only a few colonies, all seemingly in the same 
condition, we find some will far outstrip others in brood-rearing. 
Frames of brood should be taken from the strongest and given to the 
weakest, and in this way equalise the colonies before harvest com¬ 
mences. It will not perceptibly injure the strong colony, and will 
soon put the weaker one in working condition. In building up weak 
colonies by this method it is better to do the work in the middle of 
the day, when the bees adhering to the combs can also be added, as 
they will nearly all be young bees, and will stay where put. In all 
manipulations of this kind first ascertain the whereabouts of the 
queen, so as not to transfer her with the combs .—(Indiana Farmer.) 
*** 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. 
Myrtles (C. T.). —The writer of the article to which you refer resides in 
South Wales. 
Planting Bulbs in Grass (Narcissus). —The bulbs may be planted any 
time during the autumn when the ground is not too wet, but it had better be 
done before severe frost is experienced. Those named are suitable, but you might 
add Leucojum vernum and Galanthus nivalis with a few clumps of Crocuses of 
different colours. Be careful not to plant the bulbs too deeply, especially in the 
case of the small ones ; just covering the crowns will be sufficient. 
A Seedling Raspberry (/•'. B.). —The fruit arrived in a very unsatisfac¬ 
tory condition, but as far as we could see the variety appears inferior to many 
others in cultivation. The lateness of its fruiting, too, is no recommendation, as 
the autumn-fruiting or double-bearing varieties as they are termed are now 
coming in, and all these are greatly superior in size and quality to that you 
sent. 
Anonymnes (C. T. II .).—Under ordinary circumstances we would not have 
departed from our invariable custom, and should have expunged the portion 
of the communication you refer to; but in this case there was no secrecy, as 
the parties had corresponded with each other through this office in their proper 
names. We had the le=s hesitation in publishing the name in full, as the 
writer, in a case of this kind, very properly makes no secret of his individuality. 
But for this your remarks are very just and meet with our approval. 
Treatment of Iresine Herbsti (A. I).).— To obtain a stock in spring 
two methods may be adopted—namely, striking a few hundreds of cuttings now 
and keeping them in store pots during the winter, and by preserving the old 
plants lifted from the borders and potted. A stove temperature is required, and 
a light position, preferably a shelf near the glass, is also needed to ensure their 
success. Sufficient water must be given to prevent the foliage flagging, but it 
is best not to be too liberal in the supply of moisture until spring, when growth 
may be freely encouraged, and cuttings can be then obtained in abundance. 
Both for the old plants and the autumn cuttings a sandy soil is best. Inserted 
in moderate bottom heat the shoots strike readily. 
Climbers for a Conservatory (F. J.).— You do not state the size of 
the conservatory or the number of plants required, both of which points should 
be considered in making a selection. If you have plenty of space and desire to 
have a diversified collection of free-flowering plants, all the following are suit¬ 
able :—Berberidopois corallina, Bignouia speciosa, Bomarea Carderi, Bougain¬ 
villea glabra. Clematis indivisa lobata, Clianthus puuiceus, Cobma scandeus 
variegata, Oestrum aurantiacum, Hardenbergia Comptoniana, Habrothamnus 
fascicularis, Hibbertia volubilis, Jasminum grandiflorurrr, Kennedya Marryattse, 
Lapageria rosea and alba, Lonicera sempervirens, llandevilla suaveolens, Passi- 
flora racemosa cierulea, Plumbago capensis, Rhodochiton volubile, Rhynchosper- 
mum jasmiuoides, Sollya lieterophylla, Solanum jasminoides, and Tacsonia Van 
Volxemi. If a less number are required select from the above, giving preference 
to the Bougainvillea, Clematis, Habrothamnus, Jasminum, Lonicera, and 
Plumbago. 
Select Border Plants (Idem). —In Mr. Luckhurst’s article upon “ Cheap 
Flowers,” page 126, last issue, you will find a list of useful hardy plants such as 
you appear to require, and in addition to these the following will be found use¬ 
ful Achillea Ptarmica fl.-ph, Agrostemma Flos-Jovis, Anemone japonica 
Honorine Jobert, A. stellata fulgens, Coreopsis grandiflora, Campanula persici- 
folia alba plena, Chrysanthemum frutescens varieties, Dahlias of the single and 
Pompon sections, Erigeron alpinus, Geum coccineum plenum, Hesperis matro- 
nalis alba and purpurea plena, Lathyrus latifolius, Malva moschata alba, 
Matricaria inodora fl.-pl., Myosotis dissitiflora and M. palustris scmoeriloreus, 
Orobus vernus, Pentstemous, Primula cortusoides, P. acaulis fl.-pl.,*P. rosea, 
Ranunculus amplexicaulis, R. aconitifolius plenus, R. acris fl.-pl., Senecio 
pulcher, Spirara Filipendula fl.-pl., S. Ulmaria fl.-pl., Statice Limouium, and 
Violets. The bulbs you mention should not be lifted until the foliage has 
decayed. 
Guavas (X I'.).—These plants are produced by several species of Psidium, 
a genus allied to the Myrtle. They are grown in many of the chief botanic 
gardens, and at Kew specimens may be occasionally seen fruiting. The common 
Guava is Psidium pyriferum, a tree 10 to 20 feet high, producing fruit of a pear- 
shape, and grown extensively in the West Indies ; and this is also known as the 
White Guava, in contradistinction to the fruit of P. pomiferum or Red Guava, 
which has a red flesh, very acid, and much inferior to the white. The common 
or White Guava is about as large as a tennis ball, the rind of a russet colour, 
tinged with red. The pulp is sweet, aromatic, of an agreeable flavour, and inter¬ 
spersed with numerous small white seeds. The fruit is very extensively eaten 
in the West Indies, both by- the natives and by- the Europeans, either raw or in 
the state of jelly ; but it possesses great astringency, and is not suited to those 
of costive habits. The rind, when stewed, is eaten with milk, and is preferred 
to any other stewed fruit. From the same part marmalade is made ; and the 
whole fruit prepared with sugar furnishes the celebrated Guava jelly. The 
buds of Guava boiled with barley and liquorice produce an excellent drink for 
diarrhoeas, and even dysentery, when not too inveterate. The wood furnishes 
excellent fuel, burns with a bright heat, and lasts a long time. The fruit of 
P. Cattleianum is about the size of a small walnut, nearly round, of a deep purple 
