06 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 4, 1892. 
My own opinion is that there are very few pare Italian Alp 
heee in either this country or America. My proof is, I take 
Herman’s evidence first, then my own. When I received my 
first Italian Alp bees they were, as Herman described, “ slender 
form, light chrome yellow colour, with light brimstone-coloured 
wings, and two orange-red girths each one-sixth of an inch 
wide ” By and-by they came of a moi’e dark colour and 
unlike the first imported ones, and loud complaints were made 
against them as being crosses, and later on came the undeniable 
crosses of Italian-Cyprian. Of the first named I could not say 
I could detect crossing farther than that they had not the 
beauty of the first imported ones. 
My investigations revealed the fact that the queens were 
bred in apiaries far from the Alps, and in the neighbourhood 
of crosses and common bees ; neither in Germany, Switzerland; 
nor in Lower Italy were the pure race to te found. On further 
investigation I discovered the drones of some of|these queens to 
be identical to the common black or brO'vn drones, being the 
progeny of a queen bred from one fertilised by a black drone, 
but she having mated with a drone of Ita ian blood. I think 
the foregoing explanation is sufficient to reveal the facts and 
arouse bee-keepers to the sense of taking steps to secure all 
breeds or varieties in their original pure state. 
In a standard geographical work published in 1856 it says, 
“ Africa possesses no useful insects, but has instead the locust, 
scorpion, termite, and scarabasus of ancient Egypt, and yet we 
have the Punic bee from that country.” I have not the work 
before me, so cannot quote, the book being lent, but it mentions 
yellow-striped bees being in this country more than a century 
ago What race could it be?—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Pitcher <k Mander, Hextable, Swanley.— Catalogue of Chrysan- 
themum.s. 
Webb & Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridge.— Annual Catalogue of Farm 
Seeds, 1892. 
Vilmorin, Andrieiix, & Cie., 4, Qaai de la Megisserie, Paris.— 
Catalogue of Seeds {illustrated'). 
H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley.— Floral Guide (illustrated), 1892, and 
Catalogue of Seeds. 
James Yates, 29, Little Underbank, Stockport. — Catalogue oj 
VegetaMe and A lovoer Seeds. 
D. S. Thomson & Sons, Wimbledon, Surrey.— Catalogue of Garden 
Seeds. 
R. C. Notcutt, Broughton Road Nursery, Ipswich.— Catalogue of 
ChrysaKthemums and Hardy Perennials. 
•**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 
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 
Sbadingr for Greenhouses (F. T., YorTi). —We do not understand 
your letter, and it appears probable that you have sent us one intended 
for another person. We do not supply samples or patterns of material 
advertised in our columns. 
Cattleya Trlanae (G. A.). — It is only a moderately good variety, 
and there are many greatly superior both in form and colour. The 
flower sent is not of very good shape, and the lip is small, but the colour 
is rich. Possibly if the plant is small or recently imported it may gain 
strength and the flowers improve. 
Rose Growlngr for Sale. — Use of Frames (P. JY).—Your 
questions were answered elsewhere a few weeks ago, but as you seem 
to want further information you should acquire knowledge by serving a 
time in some nursery where Roses are made a speciality. “ Rose Grow¬ 
ing,” by Duncan Gilmonr, jun., may afford the information you require. 
It may be bad, post free, from this office, for Is. Id. The frames used 
for Violets, Christmas Roses, and Lily of Valley in winter, may be 
employed in summer in many ways, upon which you must exercise dis¬ 
cretion as to what is most likely to be profitable—such as forwarding 
plants from seed and cuttings. They would also be advantageously 
employed in growing Cucumbers or Tomatoes. 
Peacock Zrls (New Subscriber). —You will find the information 
required in the present issue, page 79, and the illustrations, figs. 12 and 
14, will convey to you an idea of the floral character of the Peacock 
Irises which are included in the genus Vieusseuxia. 
FIG. 14.— VIEUSSEUXIA VILLOSA. 
Scale on Peach and Plum Trees (W. C.). —There is no better 
plan than the application of an insecticide with a brush, which is 
tedious but sure. Dusting the trees whilst damp with quicklime will 
certainly destroy the live scale upon which it falls with sufficient 
strength to scorch it, and it may be safely used without any fear of 
injury to the trees, as the lime will benefit them through some falling 
on the ground. Softsoap and petroleum is also a good remedy, four 
gallons of water (hot), 8 ozs. of softsoap dissolved in it, and one-third of 
a gill of petroleum mixed with it by churning with a syringe or engine 
into the vessel for about five minutes, and then applying to the trees 
with a syringe or engine through a spraying nozzle, taking care to keep 
the mixture well mixed whilst being applied, and thoroughly wet every 
part. The mixture may be applied with an ordinary syringe, only keep 
the petroleum well incorporated with the soapy water, alternately 
ejecting it into the vessel and on the trees. 
“U” System of Training Peach Trees (F. S). —We have 
found this system of training answer admirably for Peach and Nectarine 
trees, both outdoors and under glass. The trees are usually planted 
4 feet apart, but we consider 5 feet more suitable, the end tree 2 feet 
6 inches from the end of the wall or trellis and then 5 feet apart, so that 
the uprights—two from each tree—are 2 feet 6 inches asunder, and the 
shoots for bearing are 12 inches apart on both sides of the uprights. 
