32 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jaimary 14, 1-02. 
to U8, and we calculated they would not be lees than 200 miles 
per hour. 
When bees are swarming they (the adults) fly rapidly, but 
from their circular flights do no> make much progress, and I 
have frequently witnessed swarms fly’ng continually for an hour 
or more without alight’ng, and not flying further than from 
bO to 100 yards distant. Queens when young fly at a great 
speed, and so do drones. 
The same quotation refers to the voice of the bee how it is 
X)roduced,and why; but no real student of the bee and the sound 
it makes will accept what is therein stated. The truth is, most 
of the sounds bees produce are involuntary. The cheerful hum 
of the hive, which it is said “ glcrifles the egg layings of the 
queen,” is neither mere nor less than the constant unison of 
the bees to keep up a uniform degree of temperature. All 
the other sounds produced* arise from special circumstances. 
It is the speed without progress in its flight and when they 
are empty that produces the buzz of the angry bee, and the 
sorrowful sounds at the loss of their queen by their irregu¬ 
larity. The hum of contentment because they are full, the 
beating of their wings acting differently upon the spiracles 
than they do upon them wh'n the stomach is empty. The 
b-r-r-r sound is produced by the drones, and not by the bees ; 
but how it is produced, whether by accident owing to their 
position upon the floor of the hive, as the sound only occurs 
when the drones are driven there, I am not prepared to say. 
At one time I fancied the peculiar sound to arise from the 
collected number of drenes causing the air to pass through a 
narrow channel and impinge upon the spiracles of the drone 
or some hollow in the hive as on a key. The young bees' soft, 
pleasing, and pleased sound arises from the softness of their 
wings and body. 
I was probably the first to discover how the queens piped, 
by lying flat upon the comb clutching it with their mandibles, 
but appearing motionless when they ottered their well known 
note, wh’ch is not always alike, and applies to the imprisoned 
queens; for no queen utters the piping until they are some 
time matured, and very often the piping goes on when no 
queen is out of the cell.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
®*®A11 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 
onavoidably. We request that no one will write privately 
to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to 
unjustifiable trouble and expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 
relating to Glardening and those on 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 que.stions through the post, 
and we do not undertake to return rejected communications 
Planting Pigs (^Inquirer ).—Your letter shall have our attention, 
and a reply will be given in time to be of service. 
Retlnosporas (<S'. E .').—This variation in growth is frequent in 
the Retinosporas, which are of a very sportive and variable character. 
It occurs alw in the species of Cupressus, to which the Retinosporas 
are referred to by some writers. Two forms of growth are also noted 
in the .Junipers. 
Eucharises Unliealtby (Ji W .').—If you will describe the treat¬ 
ment to which the plants have hcin subjected in regard to soil, potting, 
watering, and temperature, we shall be in a better position to advise 
you on the subject than we can possibly be without any data to guide us. 
Bone Bust and Shavings QW. J. G .').—The material which you 
refer to from a factory in which tooth bru-shes are chiefly made, and the 
“ dust dry and clean,” doubtless possesses distinct manurial properties. 
It would be eood for fruit trees and mixing in the soil generaUy, and 
though not quick in action is more lasting in effect than are many kinds 
of fertilisers. It is always easy to stimulate growth if needed by light 
top-dressings of nitrate of soda in spring. This and the bone dust would 
benefit all crops needing more support than the soil affords. The exact 
commercial value of the refuse can only be determined by an analytical 
chemist. If experienced cultivators give the price you name, you will 
probably not err in following their example. 
Benthamia frag^lfera (.S. B. T.).—The tree to which you refer is 
a native of Japan and Nepanl, and was discovered by Dr. Wallicb. It 
produces yellowish flowers and large red orange colour^ fruits, which are 
FIG. .■>. —BENTHAMIA FRAGIPEEA. 
very attractive, of the size and shape represented in the woodcut, fig. 5, 
It succeeds in the south and west of England and in the south of 
Ireland, but is liable to be injured by severe winters. We have fre¬ 
quently had good specimens of the fruits sent us from Cornwall, and we 
have seen handsome trees in the neighbourhood of Cork, the largest 
being 40 to .oO feet high, and as much in diameter. 
Water Melons (vl. B. C'.).—It is quite true that Water Melons 
can be grown in the same way as Vegetable Marrows, and produce good 
crops of refreshing fruit, but not in this country. They require prac¬ 
tically the same treatment as the English varieties, but more air, with 
the requisite heat. We have tried them, and seen them tried by others 
in this country, ljut have never seen them give anything like the satis¬ 
faction to either owners or cultivators that the best varieties of Melons 
do from home-grown seed. If you are desired to grow Water Melons do 
your best with them, but it would be a mistake to rely on them for 
producing a supply of good fruit. 
Zndiarabber Plant Unhealthy (IV. 11. C .').—When a doctor is 
consulted in a case of illness be naturally desires to know something 
about his patient. When our advice is sought about a plant we 
naturally de8ire<l to know how it has been treated. We can only say 
the terminal growths of Indiarubber Plants are injured by a too low 
tempjeraturc, and that the leaves fall through the same cause, also in 
consequence of defective root action. This may result from cold, or a 
deficiency or excess of water. The plants remain healthy in a night 
temperature of ~>(E, provided the leaves are kept clean, and the roots 
active, in moii’t yet not over-wet soil. 
Mixture for Pipe Joints {Cunxtant Reader ').—It is probably 
owing to no fixed rule in mixing sal ammoniac with iron borings that so 
many mistakes are made. The custom generally is to leave the matter 
in the hands of the fitters to whom the work is entrusted, and they use 
their own judgment. Unfortunately, they frequently transfer this im¬ 
portant work to the boy they have with them, who in many cases 
