74 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 23, 1892. 
glad to say I do not know, as I consider it mucli better to 
manage bees in a way that their combs and contents do not 
become predisposed to foul brood, than to resort to one nostrum 
after another in rapid succession. Napthaline has been used 
largely amongst medical practitioners in various diseases, 
including those of the lungs, for perhaps more than a century. 
It is a bicarburet of hydrogen, distilled or sublimed from coal 
tai', naptha, or petroleum. It might be said to be the soot from 
that substance. Naphtal beta is, perhaps, a second or bi product 
from the first. Camphor, if we extract the oxygen it contains, 
is a type of both. Coal tar possesses all the properties of these 
antiseptic preparations from it, of which creoline is one. I con¬ 
sider that the tar caught at the extreme interceptor at our gas 
works would serve the purpose better than the two first men¬ 
tioned ingredients, which costs from 3s. to 4s. per lb. Where 
ventilating floors are employed a little put on, say twice a year 
during summer, will be as efficacious, because it contains the 
essential oil which forms the antiseptics that evaporate slowly, 
but surely long after it is dried. My advice is. Stamp out the 
plague on its first appearance, put the hive and bees through the 
purgatorial process, and manage them so that the air within is 
always sweet. The warmer the hive and weather the quicker 
the disease spreads, and when once infected it cannot be cured 
profitably.—A Lanarkshire Bee keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
.J. Carter & Co., 237 and 238, High Holborn,— Select Lists of Chrys- 
(intliemums and Cacti. 
Fotheringham & Co., Corn Exchange, Dumfries.— Seed Catalogue. 
W. Drummond & Sons, 58, Dawson Street, Dublin.— Catalogue of 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 
H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley.— Catalogue of Seeds. 
Thomas S. Ware, Tottenham.— Catalogue of Begonias, Dahlias, 
Flower and Vegetable Seeds. 
John Jefferies & Son, Cirencester.— Catalogue of Seeds and Bulbs. 
J. K. Tranter, 3, Hart Street, Henley-on-Thames.— Catalogue of 
Vegetable and Flotoer Seeds. 
*Vj“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 
anavoidably. 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 
Prickly Comfrey (A. C. H.).—A pamphlet on the subject was 
issued several years ago, but we suspect is not now obtainable. Comfrey 
is as easily grown as Rhubarb, but many persons could not induce their 
animals to eat it, while others had greater success. 
A Green Carnation Flower (Z. G. P.).—There is no doubt the 
flower you sent has been coloured artificially, probably by dipping the 
flower lightly, before it was fully expanded, in some green liquid. Such 
a disfigurement is certainly not worthy of being imitated, but you could 
easily try the experiment if you wish to do so. In our “Notes and 
Gleanings ” this week you will find further reference to this subject. 
Covering- Vine Border (A. A. C.)—Your house not being started 
until the end of February, will not need more covering material than a 
few leaves with a little stable litter over them to prevent their blowing 
about. Three inches thickness is sufficient, and the covering should be 
removed in May, leaving not more than a couple of inches of the 
shortest material as a mulch. The border may be lightly pointed over, 
not going so deeply as to injure the roots, and you may then apply a 
top-dressing of this mixture :—3 lbs. superphosphate, 1 lb. nitrate of 
potash (saltpetre), and 2 lbs. sulphate of lime (gypsum) ; mix, and 
apply at the rate of 4 ozs. per square yard, distributing it evenly on 
the surface before putting on the covering of leaves. There is no need 
to work it in—the rain will do that fast enough, and it will be available 
for absorption by the roots by the time the Vines are in growth and 
needing support. 
Oversheltered Carden (Z. H. J.'). —Undoubtedly the Lime trees 
on the south side must do much more harm than good to the garden, but 
sometimes there are other reasons for the retention of screen trees, which 
impoverish the soil and shade garden crops prejudicially. The trees 
on the north side if kept closely cut in hedge form would not do any 
material injury, though the garden wculd be quite as good without them. 
Bendroblum noblle (.7. J/. T.'). —This Dendrobium will flower on 
two-year-old pseudo-bulbs, and also on those of the current season 
when they have been thoroughly matured. If the growths are made 
early and well ripened there is no difficulty in flowering one-year-old 
pseudo-bulbs. D. Parish! requires to be grown strong, and enjoys a 
lengthened period of rest. It should be kept as dry as is consistent 
with not causing the pseudo-bulbs to shrivel. 
Potting- Iilllum auratum (^Doctor'). —In potting the bulbs the 
pots should not be more than two-thirds filled with soil, the bulbs 
resting on a little silver sand, and the soil placed around and over 
the bulb, leaving the top and bud uncovered. The bulbs after potting 
will do excellently in a cold vinery, provided they are kept from frost. 
When the plants have shoots above the rim of the pots they should be 
top-dressed with richer soil than that used for potting, into which the 
roots that appear on the stems just above the bulb can push and obtain 
nourishment. 
Allamanda Treatment (ffdeui). — The probable cause of the 
Allamanda not flowering is a deficiency of light, the growths not being 
thoroughly solidified as made, and the wood imperfectly ripened. It 
should be kept dry at the roots, affording no more water than necessary 
to prevent the wood shrivelling ; and after a month of this treatment it 
may be pruned, cutting the growths back to one or two plump buds on 
firm wood at their base, and where extension is required or growths 
needed longer in some places than others shorten the best shoots to five 
or six joints, always to firm well-ripened wood. Then repot the plant, 
reducing the ball about one-third, cutting off the straggling roots, and 
return it to the same size of pot. If the plant needs a larger size of 
pot merely remove the crocks and loosen the sides of the ball, giving a 
pot 2 or 3 inches larger. Water carefully until fresh growth is made, 
then supply it liberally when necessary. Grow in the lightest possible 
position. 
Camellia Buds Bropplng- {Idem') —The Camellias are showing 
the effects of immature wood by pushing fresh growths, accelerated by 
free root action. There is no remedy but to secure the more perfect and 
better ripened condition of the growths, which can only be effected by 
exposing them to all the light they will bear without scorching, so as to 
thoroughly solidify the growth, and ensure complete development of the 
buds. The flowers will then expand properly before fresh growths start 
but some varieties are prone to push growths, which take from the 
support of the buds, causing their fall. Thoroughly ripened wood is the 
only remedy. 
Cyclamen Flo-wers Indifferent {Ashdoion'). —The flowers are 
large, have plenty of substance, but crumpled, and lack some essential 
condition for perfect development. You give no particulars of your 
treatment ; therefore we are only able to form an opinion from the 
flowers, and those suggest defective root action or nutriment. A light 
top-dressing of some approved fertiliser—say a pinch of dissolved bone 
(superphosphate) to each pot, about a thimbleful sufficing, watering in, 
might act beneficially, The temperature should range between 50° and 
55°, with a genial atmosphere, secured by damping available surfaces 
occasionally. 
Bucharls g-randiflora {J. IF.).—From the description you give of 
your plants they appear to be infested with the “ mite ” that attacks 
these plants and which has ruined large numbers throughout the 
country. Insecticides are sold, which are said by some to destroy these 
pests, others have advised the use of lime water as a remedy ; but many 
have failed to eradicate the “ mite ” and restore the plants again to 
health and vigour by any of these methods. If you have in potting 
selected only the largest bulbs, throwing the smaller ones away, as is 
frequently done, we advise you to keep the small ones, thoroughly wash 
them and their roots in a weak solution of Fir tree oil or other insecti¬ 
cide, and then pot them. They may grow vigorously, and do well for 
some years. When they are once infested it is very difficult to clean 
them. We are acquainted with gardens in which Eucharises used tO' 
grow like weeds, and now they cannot be induced to grow even by the 
greatest care and attention. 
Autumn Broccoli {E. T. H.'). —The Early White Cape is certainly 
of neat growth, but is extremely tendtr, or as much so as any Califlower.. 
The Walcheren is equally compact, and sown about the first week in 
May should under good culture commence hearting early in September. 
Veitch’s Self-protecting Autumn, though not so dwarf as you appear 
to desire, is yet much superior to either of those named, the quality of 
the hearts almost rivalling the best Cauliflowers. The first sowing of 
this variety might well be made in a pan under glass, and in order to 
have a long succession sow again in the open from the middle to the end 
of April. Plenty of good sized hearts will be had by putting out the 
plants in good ground 18 inches asunder in rows 2 feet apart, but they 
pay well for being allowed rather more space. Seeing that the greater 
part of these early crops would have been used before severe frosts are 
experienced, it does not matter greatly if the plants become somewhat 
tall, and they might well, therefore, be put out between rows of Early 
Ashleaf or other comparatively short-topped Potatois 3 feet apart. If 
the later plants are roughly protected good hearts may be had up to mid¬ 
winter or even later, 
