JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 1, 1883 ] 
101 
apiary when taken from nuclei or other hives with frames all of 
one size, as should be the case in a well-conducted apiary. If a 
nucleus cannot afford to lose the comb of brood taken from the 
queen it is easily replaced by one from some other colony. When 
queens come from other apiaries the mode of procedure is slightly 
different, though a state of things somewhat similar has to be 
introduced. An imported queen will never lay vigorously for the 
first few days, therefore it might be said, What delay would there 
be in encaging her ? There would be considerable delay if the 
present laying queen were at once deposed. 
To make the most of the queens first secure as many combs of 
hatching brood as there are queens to be introduced, and after 
cleaning them of every bee place each in a nucleus hive with a 
tight-fitting division board on cither side, put the queens in, and 
clo-e each so that no bees can get out, but give ample ventilation. 
Now put these nuclei into a moderately warm room for two or 
three days, when, many young bees having hatched and the queens 
nearly recovered from the effects of their previous confinement, 
each nucleus may be stood by the side of the hive its queen is to 
be introduced to, and the bees allowed to fly for a day or two 
before being united to the full colony. As soon as the imported 
queen is laying nicely on her one comb the condemned queen can 
be removed and the former inserted on her own comb with the 
bees at one and the same operation, and no notice will be taken 
of her. By reserving the condemned queen till the moment the 
other is introduced the colony receives no check whatever. The 
single comb is quite enough for the new arrival for nearly a week, 
as, after her long confinement, she is some days before getting 
into full laying order. It will be observed that iustead of the 
usual way of allowing the bees to find out their loss, the exchange 
is completed before they are aware of the occurrence. 
I have no doubt many will still cling to the cage, but no 
advancing bee-keeper can afford to lose so much valuable time 
at the beginning of the season. My experience bears me out in 
stating that there is absolutely no risk whatever in introducing in 
this way, even in what might be thought most obstinate cases.— 
Samuel Simmins (in The American Bee Journal'). 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
John Green, Thorpe, Norwich .—Catalogue of New and Rare Plants. 
Louis Van Houtte, Ghent, Belgium .—Catalogue of Gesneriaceous 
Plants. 
W. P. Laird A Sinclair, Dundee .—Catalogue of Vegetable and Flower 
Seeds. 
W. Lovel & Son, Driffield, Hull .—Select List of Strawberry Plants. 
Edmondson Brothers, Dublin .—Spring Catalogue of Vegetable and 
Flower Seeds, 
W. Wells, Redhill .—Catalogue of Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 
Daniels Brothers, Norwich .—Illustrated Guide for Amateur Gar¬ 
deners. 
E. Webb & Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridge .—Spring Catalogue , 1883. 
Thomas S. Ware, Tottenham.— Catalogue of Florists’ Flower and 
Hardy Annual Seeds. 
p n o e 
TO CORRESPONDENTS 
1 
%* 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 Eyes (II. <?.).—No. 1, too small and immature ; 2, decidedly the best 
of all, but too much pith, and bud too pointed ; it would make a fairly good but 
not a strong fruiting cane. 3, Not good, far too much pith ; 4, worthless. If 
you have sent us a fair sample of wood your Vines are not in good condition. 
We can only give brief replies to letters that reach us after Monday, and will 
answer your further inquiries next week. 
Tuberoses (Reader ).—If you want flowers as soon as possible plunge the 
pots in a bottom heat of 80° to 85° at once, the top heat not to exceed 60°. 
Burying the pots in cocoa-nut fibre refuse in a cool pit or greenhouse for a few 
weeks, then plunging in gentle bottom heat, is perhaps a safer plan, but the 
plants do not flower quite so quickly. If you send your questions late you cau 
only expect short replies or no reply at all until the following week, as in the 
case of your second question. 
Propagating Conifers (II. Scott). —Larches and Silver Firs are raised 
from seed, which can be obtained from most large vendors. All the other kinds 
you name may also be raised from seed, but we do not know whence you can 
obtain it. They are also propagated from cuttings in the manner described in 
vol. iii., page 215, September 9th; page 262, September 21st; and page 319, 
October 6tli, 1881. It is impossible to give in this column instructions so full 
as contained in the numbers referred to, and which can be had from the 
publisher for 10Jd. in postage stamps. 
Sawdust for Plunging Purposes (Idem). —We have frequently used 
it both in pits and frames, and have never found any inconvenience result from 
its use. Stirring it occasionally prevents the growth of fungus, and if any 
should appear it can be destroyed with boiling water. 
Pine Apple Discoloured (Lindfield). —It is not unlikely that the fruit 
has teen injured by tying the plant roughly and too closely. We have seldom 
tied up the plants at all, and the practice in question, however convenient it 
may be, has certainly been abused, and both plants and fruit injured. We are 
of opinion, also, the plant has had too much water, and possibly liquid manure 
may have been applied tco strong and too near the ripening period. No water 
ought to have been given after the first symptoms of colour were visible, and 
if you continued it loDger, and kept the atmosphere also too moist, this would, 
in a great measure, account for the condition of the fruit of which you have 
sent us a sample. Thus, we suspect, that both rough handling and over-water¬ 
ing have contributed to the unsatisfactory result, of which we have seen 
several similar examples from the causes indicated. 
Pelargoniums Diseased (Idem). —The cause of the disease is not known' 
It is indicative of some inherent weakness in the plant, induced, probably, by 
defective root-action at some time. Possibly the roots of your plant are not in 
a very active state now. The test method of treatment is to cut the plant 
pretty closely down, and it is just possible the subsequent growths may be 
healthy. If they are not prepare the plant for the open air, and in due time 
plant it out in good soil and a sunny position. If this does not cure it nothing 
will, and it will be advisable to destroy it. We never propagate from plants 
similarly affected. 
Protecting Fruit Trees (F.J.). —The method you propose will answer 
very well, and better if supplemented with a broad coping board, and the poles 
need not be more than 2£ or 3 feet from the bottom of the wall. We prefer 
moveable blinds sufficiently stout to exclude sharp frosts, only covering the 
trees when required, and cheap canvas we have found answer well. It the 
covering is fixed then hexagon netting is useful as affording some, and often 
sufficient, protection ; while at the same time light and air are not excluded 
from the trees. Everything should be in readiness for covering the trees when 
the first blossoms are approaching expansion. If the Vines do not break regu¬ 
larly bend down the canes as you show in the sketch. We cannot account for 
your Cineraiias withering. They are rather apt to collapse suddenly, but the 
cause appears obscure. Plants that were much rootbound before their final 
shift are usually the most liable to be affected in the manner indicated. 
Raising Galtonia (Hyacinthus) candicans from Seed (D.Somerset). 
—Seeds of this plant germinate very readily in mild bottom heat, and you will 
experience no difficulty in raising a stock if the seeds are fully mature. Sow 
them in pans of sandy soil, and as soon as the seeds have germinated and made 
some progress transfer them singly to small pots, when they can be placed in a 
cool house and subsequently planted out in a border. Any light rich soil suits 
them, but they appear to much better advantage when planted in clumps than 
if singly. 
Ardisia crenulata not Flowering (X. T. Z.). —Your plants have 
probably made too vigorous a growth, and the soil appears to have been too 
heavy. If you have no other small plants to grow on, shake out the old ones, 
cut in the shoots moderately, and place them in smaller pots than those they 
previously occupied, employing lighter soil, then plunge the plants in brisk 
bottom heat, and when sufficient growth has been made place them on a shelf 
near the glass in a stove or similar house. If you still have young plants be 
careful not to overpot them or induce too vigorous a growth, keeping them in a 
light position. Seedling plants flower equally as well as those from cuttings, 
and often much better, and propagation by seeds is by far the most satisfactory 
method of increasing the plant. 
Culture of Stephanotis (II. J P.).— Though this plant succeeds best 
in a stove temperature it will also grow in an intermediate house or a green¬ 
house ; but in the cooler houses it is often very unsatisfactory, and to ensure 
the best results it should be grown in the stove. Abundant supplies of water 
are needed during growth, and frequent syringing is essential to preserve the 
plant in health and keep it free from insects. A compost of light turfy loam, 
peat, or leaf soil and sand, all moderately rough but well incorporated, is the 
most suitable, providing good drainage whether the plant be grown in a pot or 
planted out. It should be rather restricted in root-space, and when growth is 
matured the supply of water may be considerably diminished, so as to afford a 
partial rest. It may be propagated by cuttings or layers, the former being most 
usually adopted, inserting the cuttings of half-matured growths in sand, and 
plunged in a hotbed or ordinary propagating frame. In pruning remove all old 
straggling bare shoots, retaining the young healthy growths. 
Tabernsemontana Flowers Falling (J. II. S.). —Although you say 
your plants are “ very healthy,” it is not improbable they are still overtaxed and 
unable to support all the buds that are produced “by the hundred.” Are you 
sure the soil has not become too dry at some time ? An hour’s dryness would 
cause the buds to fall, so also would a sudden change from a moist to a dry 
atmosphere ; and if you syringed freely and frequently you may have gone from 
one extreme of moisture to the other by ceasing syringing altogether. Then, 
again, a sudden fall in temperature would prevent the flowers expanding. You 
say the “ average ” temperature of the house is 60° to 70°. In a case of this kind 
an “ average ” heat is of less importance as affecting the plants than the mini¬ 
mum temperature—for instance. M)° by day and 60° by night would afford an 
average of 65° ; yet 50° is decidedly too low for Tabernamiontanas. Try a 
night temperature of 65°, syringing the pots and the stage on which the plants 
are arranged occasionally, thin out carefully some of the buds, apply a little 
perfectly clear soot water to the plants, and we think you will succeed in your 
object. 
Planting Roses (La France).— We like the plan of your proposed Rose 
garden very much, and you cannot err by planting all the varieties, the names 
of which you have submitted, provided the plants are healthy and especially 
have good roots, with such others that are named in the election of “ garden 
Roses ” on page 341 of our issue of October 30th, 1879, and in the election of 
