80 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 22, 1886. 
weather will, with the combed supers, give us a fair honey 
harvest, and two weeks a large one. In my remarks lately 
upon the superiority of the Syrian and Carniolian bees, I 
omitted to state that superior to either of these sorts is the 
crossed Cyprians, which, as usual, is far ahead of every other 
variety. So superior are they in honey-gathering that 
strangers notice it the moment they enter and scan the 
apiary. 
It is with deep regret I learn that Mr. F. Benton is 
Beriously ill at Cyprus, and approve of the proposition to 
present him with a testimonial for his energy in hunting up 
the different races of the eastern bees, which give promise of 
great superiority over some other varieties. But honour 
must only be given to whom honour is due. It was not Mr. 
Benton that introduced the Carniolian bee. I had these 
from Mr. A. Neighbour a number of years before Messrs. 
Jones and Benton set out for the East. I had also a stock 
of Cyprians from the same gentleman about that same time. 
The present capital honey gatherers I have are descended 
from them. The foregoing need not hinder any who has a 
mind to pay a tribute to Mr. Benton for the courage he has 
displayed and the great risk he has incurred in the aid of 
bee-keeping. 
In all cases where hives are to he removed to the Heather 
a young and fertile queen should supersede the present reign¬ 
ing ones not later than the third week of July. I observe in 
many cases this season, owing to so long-continued a strain 
on the queen keeping up the population this cold year, many 
of them are already old-looking, with ragged wings, though 
not twelve months old yet. All such queens if not deposed 
are sure to be deposed before next spring, which would result 
in having queenless stocks at the very time the presence of a 
prolific one is most desired.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
*„* 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 Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended 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. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS.—We desire to assure those of our corre¬ 
spondents whose letters and communications are not promptly 
inserted that they are not the less appreciated on that account. 
Our pages are practically filled several days prior to publication, 
and letters arriving on Wednesday morning, except by special 
arrangement, are invariaoly too late for insertion. The delay in 
the publication of some of these is not of material importance, 
but reports of meetings and shows held a week previously lose 
much or all of their value if not received in time to appear 
in the current issue. 
Water Lilies and Filmy Ferns (A. C .).—Your letter arrived too late to 
receive attention this week. Full particulars will be given in next issue. 
Secretaries of Flower Shows (D. 3 .).—We regret that we cannot oblige 
you, but if letters are addressed “The Secretary” at each of the towns 
mentioned, naming the Society, they will probably reach the right 
person. 
Making Tennis Court ( Young Gardener).—A. court for single-handed 
tennis should be 27 feet wide and 78 feet long; for double-hanoed tennis 
36 feet wide and 78 feet long. We do not think you could make a court 
satisfactorily without proper implements and some knowledge of how the 
work is performed. The better plan would be to communicate with one of 
the large makers of tenniB requisites, such as P H. Ayres, 111, Aldersgite 
Street, London, E.C., who probably sends out assistants to do such work. 
Rhyncospermum (W. G .).—As the plant is not healthy, its root-action 
is probably defective, and fresh soil is ne ded to incite free growth. The 
stems and foliage may also be infested with insects, and, if so, every part 
must be thoroughly cleansed. If the soil is loose much of it may be 
removed, and a mixture of turfy loam, peat, and sand applied, working it 
well amongst the roots, then pressing it down firmly. If the roots are 
materially disturbed in the process of potting the plant must be shaded 
afterwards, and frequently syringed to keep the foliage fresh. It will be 
better in a warm than a cool house, and when growth starts freely it must 
have light and air for its solidification, this being essential to flori- 
ferousness. 
Insects on Leaves (C. I)., Holywell ).—The leaves enclosed have upon 
them the tiny knobs or purses, as they are sometimes called, produe d by a 
species of Phytoptus or gall mite. These galls are generally attached to 
the veins of the h-avt s, and each contains one or more of these mites, the 
transformations and history of which are as yet imperfectly understood. 
There is no remedy, and they disfigure, rather than injure, in most cases 
where they appear on leaves. We presume these were the insects about 
which you inquire, no others were to be found in the box. 
Grapes Scalded [Omega). —The berries sent us are scalded. It is caused 
by excessive evaporation from the berries, the sun acting upon them power¬ 
fully whilst cold, the berries not absorbing heat nearly so quickly as the 
atmosph re. Tbe only remedy we know is to maintain a rath-r warm 
atmosphere at night with enough ventilation to insure a circulation of air, 
the temperature being about 70°, or between that and 65°. Air should be 
freely admitted throughout the day, increasing it early and with the sun 
heat. When the berries commence ripening dauger from scalding is usually 
past, but there is no need to keep the house close, as a free circulation of 
warm air is highly favourable to a good finish in the Grapes. 
Mushrooms Decaying (M . A. Scott). —Mushrooms can only be grown 
large, fresh, and fleshy in summer under exceptional conditions by which 
they are kept cool. Containing much nitrogen, th°y naturally putrify 
quickly in hot weath r, the same as meat does. You had better pur¬ 
chase a copy of the fourth edition, with supplement, of “ Mushrooms for 
the Million.” It is much larger than the previous editions, but the same 
price, and contains much valuable information that you may turn to profit¬ 
able account if you read attentively and act acco) ding to its teachings. The 
supplement contains the solution of many difficulties that have heen 
experienced by amateurs, and earlier editions are on that account necessarily 
incomplete. 
Root-pruning (F. •/.).—If the Plums are growing very exuberantly you 
may sever a few of the strong roots now to check the vigour of the trees, 
and root-prune more systematically when the leaves change in the autumn. 
Thin out the branches if crowded, so that the sun can shine on the leaves 
towards the base of the shoots. Overcrowding the growths is as great 
an obstacle to productiveness as excessive root-action is. You have 
perhaps been giving the trees sewage, which you say does no good in your 
garden. 
Strawberries [Idem). —After the crops are gathered all runners and 
decayed leaves should be removed, retaining healthy foliage for the support 
of the crowns. It is an excellent plan to spread manure between the rows 
in the autumn, not packing it round the crowns so as to blanch them, and 
the surface dressing will be washed clean by the spring, only bleached 
particles of straw remaining for the fruit to rest on. You cannot adopt a 
better practice than that in light soil. If the sewage does no good do not 
use it. It is perhaps too strong. We find it beneficial to many crops in 
light soil. 
Clay for Roses {Delta). —The clay or marl would be best procured now 
and spread out thinly in the open, so that by exposure to the atmosphere it 
will become ameliorated and in a better condition for mixing with the loam. 
The clay exposed to the sun so as to get dried through will tall in pieces on 
rain falling, being acted on much in the same manner as by frost, and is 
similar to what the brickmakers term tempering, and what farmers seek for 
their clayland by fallow, the land being thrown up roughly with the plough 
so as to expose it as much as possible to the influences of the atmosphere, 
thereby securing a better tilth than is effected by frost. Get the clay now, 
expose it to the atmosphere, and turn it over in the lump3,hut always when 
dry, then smash it. In the autumn it should be mixed with the loam in fine 
particles when the soil is in good working order. It would be well to mix 
the clay and soil together before putting in the bed, and so insure th ir 
thorough incorporation. There is no better plan than drying the clay till it 
can be smashed into small particles, then store it in a dry shed till it is 
required for use. 
Strawberries Dying (E. D 0.). —The most probable cause of the plants 
dying suddenly i„ being attacked at the roots by the grubs of the spotted 
garden gnat (Tipula maculo-a), which is, however, most fatal to the crop 
hy cutting off the flow r stalks near the ground. The larvae of various other 
insects prey upon the roots, the plants attacked are marked by decreased 
vigour and suddenly collapse. There is no remedy but searching for the 
grubs, which are usually secreted in the soil about the plants. As the 
plants are so unfruitful we should make a new plantation, selecting runners 
from fruitful plants only, and if done at once a good crop may be had from 
them next year. Plants that have been layered in small pots or turves are 
the most suitable. Destroy the old plantation, burning the plants on the 
giound, using some brushwood to assist in the burning, and ttnn dress the 
ground with gas lime at the rate of a peck per rod, distributing it evenly 
on the surface, and after allowing it to lie a couple of days point in lightly 
with a fork. In the course of a week or ten days after the ground may be 
dug and used for vegetable crops. Three years on many soils is as long as 
Strawberries are profitable. 
Black Tartarian Cherry (R. G .).—The excellent Cherry to which you 
refer is known under a variety of nam's, Black Circassian being one of the 
most frequently used ; others are Fraser’s Black, Ronalds’ Black, and Black 
Russian. The following description and history are given in the new 
edition of the “ Fiuit Manual : ”—“Fruit very large, obtuse heart-shaped. 
Skin shining, of a dark blackish brown, becoming quite black when ripe. 
