June 28, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
549 
have tried some very interesting experiments of this kind with 
the red Clover. All of the plants under observation were covered 
with gauze that the conditions might be uniform. Bumble bees 
were placed under the screens of half of these plants. The insects 
commenced at once to visit and sip nectar from the Clover blos¬ 
soms. In the fall the seeds of all the plants were counted, and 
those from the plants visited by the bumble bees were to those 
gathered from the plants which were shielded from all insect 
visits, as 236 : 5. Thus we see why the first crop of red Clover 
is barren of seed, while the second crop, which comes of bloom 
visited freely by bumble bees, whose long tongues can reach down 
to the nectar at the bottom of the long flower tubes, is prolific of 
seed. This fact led to the importation of bumble bees from 
England to New Zealand and Australia two years since. There 
were no bumble bee3 in Australia and adjacent islands, and the 
red Clover was found impotent to produce seed. When we have 
introduced Apis dorsata into our American apiaries, or when we 
have developed Apis Americana, with a tongue like that of 
Bombus, seven-sixteenths of an inch long, then we shall be able 
to raise seed from the first crop of red Clover, as the honey bees, 
unlike the bumble bees, will be numerous enough early in the 
season to perform the necessary fertilisation. Alsike Clover, a 
hybrid between the white and the red, has shorter flower tubes, 
which makes it a favourite with our honey bees, and so it gives a 
full crop of seed from the early blossoms. 
In all these cases we have proof that Nature objects to close 
inter-breeding ; and thus through her laws the nectar-secreting 
organs have been evolved, that insects might do the work of cross¬ 
fertilisation. As in the case of animals, the bisexual or dioecious 
plants have been evolved from the hermaphroditic as a higher 
type ; each sex being independent, more vital force can be 
expended on the sexual elements, and so the individual is the 
gainer. 
It is sometimes contended by farmers that the visits of bees are 
detrimental to their crops. I have heard farmers say that they 
had known bees to destroy entirely their crops of Buckwheat by 
injuring the blossoms. There is no basis of fact for this statement 
or opinion. Usually bees visit Buckwheat bloom freely. If for 
any reason the seed fail, as from climatic condition and influence 
it occasionally will, the bees are charged with the damage, though 
their whole work, as shown above, has been beneficial, and that 
only. 
It is trup, as I have personally observed, that species of our 
carpenter bees (Xylocopa) do pierce the flower tubes of the wild 
Bergamot, and some of our cultivated flowers, with similar long 
corolla tubes, that they may gain access to the otherwise inac¬ 
cessible nectar ; the tubes ’once pierced and our honey bees avail 
themselves of the opportunity to secure some of the nectar. I 
have watched long and carefully, but never saw the honey bee 
making the incisions. As I have never heard of anyone else 
who has seen them, I feel free to say that it is entirely unlikely 
that they are ever thus engaged. 
My last proposition is, that though bees, in the dearth of nectar 
secretion, will sip the juices from crushed Grapes and other similar 
fruits, they rarely ever, I think never, do so unless Nature, some 
other insect, or some higher animal, has first broken the skin. I 
have given to bees crushed Grapes from which they would eagerly 
sip the juices, while other sound Grapes on the same stem—even 
those like the Delaware, with tenderest skin, which were made to 
replace the bruised ones—were left entirely undisturbed. I have 
even shut bees up in an empty hive with Grapes, which latter 
were safe even though surrounded by so many hungry mouths. 
I have tried even a more crucial test, and have stopped the 
entrance of the hive with Grapes, and yet the Grapes were 
uninjured. 
In most cases where bees disturb Grapes some bird or wasp has 
opened the door to such mischief by previously piercing the skin. 
Occasionally there is a year when an entire vineyard seems to be 
sucked dry by bees in a few hours. In such cases the fruit is 
always very ripe, the weather very hot, and the atmosphere very 
damp ; when it is altogether probable that the juice oozes from 
fine natural pores, and so lures the bees on to this Bacchanalian 
feast. I have never had an opportunity to prove this to be true, 
but from numerous reports I think it the solution of those dreaded 
onslaughts which have so often brought down severe denuncia¬ 
tions upon the bees, and as bitter curses upon their owners.— 
A. J. Cook (in The American Apiculturist). 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
J. R. Pearson, Chilwell Nurseries, Nottingham .—List of Zonal 
Pelargoniums. 
Stephen Brown, Weston-super-Mare .—Catalogue of Flotver Seeds. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
I bwfemiiiii/ir 
%* 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. 
Books (Youngster).— The two best works of the character you name are 
Johnson’s “Gardeners’ Dictionary,’’ price 7s. 6 d., or post free from this office 
8s. 3d.; and Paxton's “Botanical Dictionary,” price 25s., published by Messrs. 
Bradbury, Agnew & Co., Lombard St., London. 
Cucumber House (J. M. K.) —We have not yet obtained the information 
you require, but hope to do so. 
Onions Decaying (J. C.). —Plants in the state of those you have sent are 
incurable, the maggot has done its destructive work. 
Chip Punnets (IF. II .).—It is contrary to our rule to recommend dealers 
through these columns. You will find the information you require in Wright's 
“ Mushrooms for the Million,” which can be had post free from this office in 
return for 7 d. in stamps. 
Cabbage Lettuce (P. H. IF.).—The Lettuce you have sent is a fine 
example of the Brown Silesian, a very useful variety, which, however, you may not 
find under that name in catalogues, and you will do well to procure seed from 
your neighbour who grows it. 
Gardenias (A. E. S.). —Gardenias can be procured from any nurseryman 
who grows stove plants, also in Covent Garden Market. We can scarcely help 
expressing our surprise by being so frequently asked to recommend dealers, 
since we have so many times stated that it is contrary to our rules to do so. 
Singular Worm (J. TV.).—This object did not unfortunately reach us 
alive, and its shrivelled condition renders it difficult to determine what it is ; 
but it does not appear to be a vegetable feeder. It looks like a small intestinal 
worm, such as are occasionally dropped by dogs, cats, or even by poultry and 
other birds. These will sometimes live for hours after quitting the animal in 
which they have been secreted. 
Tea Roses not Flowering (J.H.P.). —We are not able to say why your 
maiden Teas that grow so freely do not produce flowers satisfactorily, but we 
have seen many similar instances. We have also seen those strong growths 
shortened at this period of the year, cutting them down to some promising buds, 
then start again, and flower profusely in the autumn. You might try the ex¬ 
periment on a few that are making the strongest growth. 
Tradescantia virginica (E. D.). —The plants you have received under 
this name—that is, assuming they are named correctly—are quite hardy. If they 
have been grown in pots it is for the purpose of packing them so as to travel 
safely at any period. We have nevfer seen this plant grown in pots in private 
gardens. Plant them in the border rather deeply, water them, and they will 
flourish. 
Paraffin and Sulphur in Vineries (Reader). —We are obliged by 
your letter, which we will publish next week. You are quite right; competent 
and cautious persons may and do use insecticides with advantage, while other 
persons do far more harm than good by using the same preparations impru¬ 
dently. Burning sulphur in vineries is undoubtedly a dangerous practice. 
Cucumbers not Swelling (E. Jacques). —If your plants are not affected 
by the disease to which the Cucumber is liable, and of this you make no men¬ 
tion, the most likely cause of the failure is an insufficiency of water at the roots, 
and possibly too much moisture in the atmosphere. The bed may appear moist 
on the surface, but the soil may be dry below. You had better ascertain if this 
is so or not, and if it is pour in water copiously until every particle of soil is 
thoroughly moistened. You had better also apply top-dressing of rough loam 
and manure to the beds to encourage the production of surface roots. 
Fertiliser for Asparagus (X, Loughgall). —Nitrate of soda is one of the 
best stimulants you can apply, giving a dressing of from one to two ounces to 
each square yard, and watering it in if the weather is not showery. You will 
find applications of liquid manure, such as is obtained from stables, valuable 
during the summer if the weather should prove dry. Liquid manure, however, 
should not be given very strong if the plants are small. A peck of soot tied up 
in old sacking and suspended in a tub containing thirty or forty gallons of 
water would give you good and safe liquid manure for the beds. 
Melons not Swelling (E. E. Moss).—It the blossoms are not fertilised 
the embryo fruits will not swell. In fine weather, and with sufficient ventila¬ 
tion to dry the pollen, fertilisation is often effected in a natural manner—that 
is, without manipulative aid ; but undoubtedly the safe course is to apply 
pollen to the fruit-hearing flowers. Even when this if done swelling of the fruit 
does not always follow, and especially when the plants are very vigorous, and 
are permitted to ramble in wild luxuriance over the bed or trelli-. Immediately 
fruit-producing blossom is formed, and before it expands, the point of the shoot 
should be nipped ofi at the first leaf beyond in, leaving the leaf to develope. 
The soil should be firm and the roots moist, guarding at the same time against 
a saturated atmosphere by early ventilation, as with dry soil and much moisture 
in the air Melons wdll not set and swell freely. You are not the first, nor even 
the tenth, person who has complained of the size of the type in this column, 
therefore we have decided to make a slight alteration, which will enable our 
replies to be more easily read. 
Peggine-down Dahlias (Inquirer).- —There is no difficulty whatever in 
pegging Dahlias close to the ground if they are planted rightly for that purpoes, 
