12 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 7, 1892, 
the hive wag then left undisturbed for several dajs, the bees 
becoming very excised after the removal of their queen. 
On the 5th of July a virgin queen, purchased from “A Hallam- 
shire Bee-keeper,” was introduced to the queenless stock in the 
Carr-Stewarton hive, in accordance with the Hallamshire law. The 
bees appeared to receive her with favour, at once recommenced 
•work, and all went well, breeding going on merri] 3 ^ On the 20th 
August the above-named hive, an ordinary bar-frame hive co.n- 
taining a prime swarm with several frames of comb, ready worked 
when the bees were put into it, and four straw hives were taken to 
the Heather, where they remained until October 20th. 
When they had been at the Heather a month I visited them 
along with a friend. On our arrival we were surprised to find a 
cluster of the Punics as large as a man’s head hung outside below 
the alighting board with a heavy train extending upwards on each 
side, joining another large cluster hanging on the front of the hive 
nearly covering it, and almost choking up the entrance, a sombre- 
looking mass, and presenting the appearance of every bee having 
come outside to bask in the sun which was very hot at the time. The 
thought instantly flashed across my mind that they had not taken 
to a super on the top. Off came the cover, and we gently raised the 
quilt at each corner where we found them busily at work in the 
sections, and they returned home, weighing hives, bees, and honey 
66 lbs., exclusive of the cover, the hive consisting of two body 
boxes and a crate of sections. Had I not known that they were 
governed by a young queen I should have been afraid of their 
swarming. Six stocks of the common bee were standing by the 
sides of the above, not one of which exhibited the slightest signs of 
hanging out. 
During the time they were on the moors the Carr-Stewarton 
gained 28 lbs., the bar-frame 17 lbs., and the straw hives 14 lbs., 
12^ lbs., 10 lbs., and 10 lbs. respectively, and this in a season which 
“ Lanarkshire Bee-keeper ” has designated a bad one, and I think 
he was justified in doing so, and in a district more noted for its 
production of smoke and sulphur than its flow of honey. 
Ye enemies of the African Punic little negro, what answer 
have you to make to this ? That they are not so pretty as the 
Ligurians, the Cyprians, and several other varieties and their 
hybrids must be admitted ; but they appear to be more prolific, 
hardier, belter honey gatherers, and last, but not least, take to 
work in the supers more readily than any of the above-mentioned, 
and I hope to give them a further trial another season. Had they 
been brought home a month earlier each hive would have returned 
from 4 lbs. to 7 lbs. heavier than it did. 
Perhaps I ought to say that I have kept the Ligurian, the 
Ligurian hybrid, and other hybrids, but I like the Punic hybrid the 
best I have yet tried.— Wm. Caklton. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
J. E. Pearson & Sons, Nottingham.— Catalogue of ChrysantJi^mumst 
1892. 
■J. Forbes, Hawick.— Catalogue of Vegetable and Flower Seeds, 
1892. 
Ireland & Thomson, 81, Princes Street, Edinburgh.— Catalogue of 
Garden Seeds, 1892. 
W. Wells, Earlswood.— List of Chrysanthemums. 
Norman Davis, Lilford Road Nurseries, Camberwell.— Catalogue of 
Choice Neio and Old Chry.santhemums. 
Wm. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross.— Catalogue of Seeds, 1892'. 
Robert Veitch & Son, Exoter.—Catalogue of Seeds, 1892. 
T. Laxton, Bedford.— List of Laxton's Seeds for 1892. 
W. B. Hartland, 24, Patrick Street, Cork. —Year Fooh of Seeds for 
1892. 
J. R. Pearson & Sons, Chilwell, Nottingham.—Zwf of Garden Seeds 
for 1892. 
Robert Sydenham, Tenby Street, Birmingham.—Zwt of Vegetable 
and Flower Seeds, 1892. 
G. Banyard & Co,, Maidstone.— Catalogue of Home-grown Vegetable 
and Flower Seeds, 1892. 
Dobie & Mason, 22. Oak Street, Manchester.— List of Reliable Seeds 
for the Garden and Farm, 1892. 
Charles Turner, Slough.— Catalogue of Kitchen, Flower Garden, aetd 
Farm Seeds, 1892. 
j^'^All correspondence should be directed either to ‘‘ Ths 
Editor ” or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to 
Dr. Hogg or members of the staff often remain unopened 
nnavoidably. 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 Gardening 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 questions through the post, 
and we do not undertake to return rejected communications- 
Gardenlng- ilppolntments (C. P’.).—No charge is made for such 
announcements. We are always glad to publish reliable information 
concerning gardening appointments. 
Fruit Culture (f. U).—We are obliged to you for the reference, 
and will, as you suggest, look over the article and your letter again. 
We have not preserved one of the papers you mention, and the other, the 
local one, we have not seen. 
ILate Peach (F. N.).—For a late Peach bouse facing west Sea 
Eagle is found by an experienced grower the best variety for market 
purposes. The Nectarine Peach is not far behind. Princess of Wales, 
Gladstone, and Thames Bank stand next to these. The latter variety is a 
good late Peach, but being yellow fleshed it does not take in the market 
like the white-fleshed varieties. 
Shrubs for Working- on Pear Stocks (D. 2).).—These answer 
for most varieties of ornamental Thorns, including Cratmgus Pyra- 
cantha, and are used for Quince, and others of the genus Cydonia, as 
well as for some of the species of Pyrus ; but as a rule they are only 
makeshifts, and undesirable from many points of view, the plants 
growing too freely, whilst many are short-lived, and the practice is not 
commendable. 
Small IMCushrooms {May). — The bed could not possibly be in 
suitable condicion for growing good crops of fine Mushrooms with the 
manure so wet. It is a wonder you did not dry it in preparation, or 
at least mix some dry material in it for absorbing some of the moisture. 
It seems, however, the mycelium has spread to some extent, and perhaps 
by waiting you may have finer produce. We should neither increase 
the temperature nor syringe the bed, but prevent the surface becoming 
too dry by a covering of litter, damping this if found necessary or 
desirable for the object in view. 
Xate Gladioli (^Ilighstead'). — We have not grown the particular 
variety you name, but on many occasions have carefully taken up plants 
that were showing their spikes in October, potted, and watered them 
well, the result being fine spikes of flowers in the conservatory during 
December, and the corms ripened much better than they would have 
done if left in the ground. You may carry out your proposal, but we 
should dry and rest the corms for two or three weeks before potting. 
Anything like brisk forcing must be avoided, and a very light position 
is imperative after growth comniences, the pots until then being buried 
in cocoa-nut fibre refuse in a greenhouse. 
Introduction of Primula sinensis (iZ. A).—We presume you 
allude to the above plant, of which so many forms adorn our green¬ 
houses and conservatories in winter. As its specific name implies it is a 
native of China. Mr. John Reeves, who died at Clapham in 18.56, first 
directed attention to this plant. He was a tea-taster to the Bast India 
Company, and resided in China for many years. In 1821 the Chinese 
Primula, in consequence of his sending a drawing of it, was introduced 
by Captain R. Rowes, and presented by him to his relative, Mr. Carey 
Palmer, of Bromley, Kent. Mr. Reeves commenced sending plants from 
China in 1816, and besides sending twelve new Chrysanthemums in 1820 
he sent the double Chinese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, and the Chinese 
Plum, Prunus salicina, to the Horticultural Society in 1820. 
Deutzia crenata flore-pleno (JZ.).—This is a very useful plant 
for forcing, but does not flower so early as D. gracilis. Pruning should 
be done immediately after floweing, and be limited to the removal of 
those portions that are exhausted by flowering, not necessarily removing 
the flowering branches entirely, as certain portions of these, which are 
easily observable, fbrm spurs, which in turn produce clusters of flowers, 
but at the same time preserve and encourage the young growths. If 
one or two of these are very strong and likely to grow much longer than 
the rest pinch out, their points whiie still young, and they will break and 
make second growths that will be strong enough for flowering. About a 
fortnight after flowering and pruning repot if needed, and let the plants 
have a very light position under glass until the weather permits theii 
being placed in the open air, then plunge in an open sunny position, 
