404 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 26, 1892. 
may readily be got to work amicably in one surplus chamber, so 
arranged as to extend over both brood nests, but these twin 
colonies did not prove a success, for reasons we need not here enter 
into. Neither must we take it that the plan consists of joining 
two stocks that the bees of both may help to fill the same set of 
supers.” What is the plan, then ? “What was set forth by Mr. 
Wells was his method of carrying out a simple expedient by means 
of which he gained the important advantage of having two laying 
queens wintered in each hive in order to secure doubly strong stocks 
of bees in spring.” Exactly our plan, as is also the formiug of 
nuclei, as well as is the plan of returning the supers to the prime 
swarm, if one should issue. Unless both queens have ample space 
to breed, better adhere to the one-queen system only, and keep 
strong single stocks. There is a decided inconsistency with 
former teachings to keep two queens breeding in one hive (which, 
by the way, should be at least ?> feet by 1 foot 6 inches inside, 
independent of the supers) until the honey season is past. The 
proper time of removing the oldest queen is about a month or six 
weeks before the close of the honey season. 
Whenever hives are managed on any principle that demands 
extra or cumbersome hives it is troublesome and unprofitable. 
Mr. Wells’s success does not prove his plan so much superior to 
other well-managed hives, as I find by letters from bee-keepers in 
Kent that their bees did equally well in 1891, managed with single 
queens, on the principle taught in this Journal. The failure of Mr. 
Wells’s neighbours’ bees will, in all probability, be found in working 
their bees according to the B.B.K.A. ideas and standard hives. 
The foregoing will be sufficient to show the impracticable nature 
of Mr. Wells’s plan, as related by the Editor of a bee paper, as it 
also shows the similarity in the practical working parts to what 
has appeared from time to time in the Journal of Horticulture. I 
have no intention of withdrawing any statements I have made, but 
disclaim the honour of recommending hives having two queens to 
work together, and protest against any modern bee-keeper appro¬ 
priating the idea, even if it should be “with an amount of public 
spirit not too common in these days, to make known the method 
followed, in order that all bee-keepers may benefit thereby, as 
well as to increase the general honey production of the country.” 
The apiary is the place to study bee matters, and laudation is not 
practice.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIYED. 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nurseries, 544, King’s Road, 
Chelsea, London, S.VV .—General Plants and Novelties. 
Messrs. Fisher, Son & Sibray, Handsworth Nurseries, Sheffield.— 
General Plants. 
•^^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 
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 questioi s 
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 
Tomatoes QNems'). — The fruits are attacked by the fungus that 
is figured on page 387 last week, but it has not spread to anything 
approaching the extent represented in the illustration in question. We 
think it may be arrested by the repressive measures indicated in our 
reply to “ S. G. R.” 
Passlfloras not Expanding- (£. G .').—It is possible that the wood 
does not ripen so well as is desirable ; and also it seem-? to us that the 
buds are so numerous that a number fail from exhaustion. Possibly 
some warm liquid manure would be helpful at a time when there is 
evidently great pressure on the plant’s resources. The variety is, we 
think. Empress Eugenie. 
Express Crape Forcing (^Incredulous ').—We have received the 
Sunderland paper you have sent, and in the report of a meeting of 
the Gardeners’ Society it is stated that “ Mr. Gilchrist exhibited a well- 
finished bunch of Black Hamburgh Grapes grown in ninety days.” The 
“ Grapes ” would commence growing immediately the Vines ceased 
flowering. The report says nothing about the time when the house was 
closed for starting the Vines, You will find a note on this subject in 
another column (page 394), 
Marecbal Nlel Rose (Inquirer). —If the Rose is in a house in 
which it can be suitably treated, as is the case in the majority of struc¬ 
tures in which this variety is grown, we should cut the long stems back 
after flowering to clean healthy wood towards the base of the rafters. Ifc 
is desirable before doing this that the plant be kept dry, not syringed, 
and the roots should be in somewhat dry rather than very moist soil also. 
Some of the most successful growers give no water to Mar^chal Niel 
Roses planted out in borders after the cutting of the blooms commences 
and for a week or more afterwards. A rest is then given as indicated by 
the limp foliage, and the plants are in good condition for cutting back. 
By frequent syringings afterwards and maintaining a genial atmosphere 
fresh growths push freely, extend rapidly, and ripen during the season. 
The roots should only be kept moderately moist for a time after pruning, 
increasing the water supply with increasing growth, and supplement 
with liquid manure as the season advances. Strong well ripened annual 
growths produce the finest of blooms in abundance. 
Fragrant Rbododendron (II. IF.).—We have seen a plant grown 
under the name of R. fragrantissimum with flowers similar to those you 
have sent. The name is appropriate. The culture is practically the 
same as that of ordinary greenhouse Azaleas, and the plants grow well 
in a compost of limeless loam, peat, leaf soil, sand, and bruised char¬ 
coal pressed very firmly. It is most important that the soil does not get 
too dry at any time, or the hair-like roots will shrivel, while they decay 
in stagnant soil. Success is very much a question of good judgment in 
watering and growing plants in a light house ; when small a frame is 
suitable for them. In July they may be placed outdoors to ripen, 
taking care to shade the pots, to which worms must not have access, and 
the soil must not be saturated by drenching rains. The growths ripen 
perfectly in suitable light well-ventilated structures. Permit no seed 
pods to form ; syringe after flowering to promote healthy growth, and 
if this is ripened flowers wdll follow. 
IVXossy and Weedy Xa-wn (F. C.). —The moss, a Gymnostomum, 
and the weed, an Arenaria, are evidence of soil steiility. There is no 
better dressing for lawns in such condition than a mixture composed of 
the ddbris of the rubbish heap, with one-sixth of quicklime allowed to 
lie a few weeks to sweeten, turning the heap once or twice at intervals 
of about six weeks. Such material should be applied in autumn at the 
rate of thirty cartloads per acre, distributing it evenly, and in spring 
rake off the rough portion. This will enrich the soil, and a better growth 
of grass will follow. If the above cannot be given, the lawn may be 
dressed early in spring with soot, wood ashes, and quicklime in equal 
parts, at the rate of a peck per rod. The rain will wash it in, and the 
brownness of the turf, occasioned by the destruction of the moss, will 
disappear with the growth of the grass. Or the following mixture may 
be applied in autumn or early spring :—Steamed bonemeal, 5 cwt.; 
k-init, 2 cwt. ; sulphate of iron, f cwt., mixed per acre. For present 
use, 3 cwt. superphosphate and 2 cwt. of sulphate of ammonia mixed, 
may be evenly distributed on an acre of lawn in moist weather. 
Tomato Plants Falling: (8. G. R.). —We are sorry to inform you 
that the plants you have sent are devoured with the fungus. It is a 
serious case. We do not know whether the plants are past recovery or 
not; but before uprooting them we advise you to follow the practice so 
clearly detailed by Mr. Woodcock on page 216 (f our issue of March 
24th of the present year, and which gave such satisfactory results. If 
you do not happen to have the number a copy can be obtained on your 
sending 3Jd. in stamps to the publisher. We have no doubt the attack 
has been precipitated by the succulent condition of the plants. We 
have uttered many words of warning on this subject. The soil has been 
too rich and too light, and it is not unlikely the house has been kept too 
moist and close. Very firm growth in firm and not rich soil is the best 
for resisting fungoid attacks, and by feeding the plants when fruiting, 
they will yield abundant crops. The turf you send is suitable for 
Cucumbers, but no doubt would be improved by an admixture of wood 
ashes, also periodical top-dressings when the plants are bearing would 
be advantageous. If you had planted the Tomatoes in ordinary field or 
garden soi 1 that would grow good Potatoes the plants w'ould not, we suspect, 
be in the condition we are so sorry to see. 
Peaches Infested with ivilldew (II. II.). —The dense greyish 
patches on the skin of the fruits are the growths of a mildew, O'idium 
leucoconium, an early condition of the fungus Sphoerotheca pannosa, 
which is very common on Roses in some localities, and on Peach growth 
and fruits. It first appears as a minute roundish speck of whitish 
powder, slightly raised on-the skin, and rapidly spreads over the fruit, 
living on the outer surface of the cells. The patches often cover a 
considerable portion of the fruits, those badly infested falling, whilst 
others which do not fall swell irregularly, are sometimes useless. 
Happily, the mildew succumbs to early treatment with flowers of 
sulphur dusted on the affected parts ; but it is best overcome by sulphur 
in solution, either in the form of bisulphide of calcium or sulphide of 
potassium. These can te had at the chemists, but they must be fresh, 
employing half an ounce to a gallon of water, and syringing on the 
trees, repeating as necessary. We use the bisulphide of calcium made 
after the following formula :—“ Flowers of sulphur 1 lb, quicklime 
1 lb. Slake the lime in a pan, add the sulphur and a gallon of water. 
Incorporate thoroughly, heat, and boil gently for a quarter of an hour, 
keeping constantly stirred. Allow it to settle, and when cool pour the 
super-natent liquid into a stone bottle, and keep it well corked. For 
use, mix a pint with 12 gallons of water, or a quarter of a pint in 
3 gallons.” Spray the trees liable to mildew before any signs of the 
disease appear, and always before the leaves are 2 inches long, con- 
