484 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jnne 23, 18^2. 
post, and have had the kind services of our esteemed central 
Member of Parliament (Col. Howard Vincent) to assist me and 
interview the Postmaster General. What I have secured for 
everyone, though not all I asked for, is a most valuable and 
important concession, and cannot fail to be of immense value to 
bee-keepers. 
While queen bees are absurdly still to be excluded from the 
letter post in suitable packages, live bees are to be allowed by 
parcel post; there is no limit to numbers or size of package so long 
as they are within the ordinary parcels limit. Of course now bees 
are recognised as legal matter by parcel post compensation can be 
claimed for loss in transit, &c. 
By 47 and 48 Vic., chap. Ixxvi., sec. 4, any person sending a 
postal packet which encloses any living creature, or articles of a 
noxious or dangerous nature, is liable to twelve months hard 
labour or a fine of £10, even if the packet is stopped, or delivered 
at its destination. 
By a Treasury warrant of April 2nd, 1886, Article 54, says, 
“ There shall not be posted, or conveyed, or delivered by post, any 
postal packet, consisting of or containing, except with the special 
permission of the Postmaster General, any living creature.” It is 
under this warrant, that the Postmaster General is allowing live 
bees to pass by parcel post, but understand, it does not extend to 
any living creatures. 
Thanks to my would-be friend, all my queens will go by letter 
post at Id. each for postage, while others must go by parcel post 
at 3d. How and why I am doing this is a personal matter between 
myself and the Post Office which I cannot at present explain, but 
whilst some will not like this my friends and customers no doubt 
will. It is often the unexpected that happens. Other papers 
will, perhaps, circulate this information for the benefit of their 
readers.— John Hewitt, Cambridge Street, Sheffield. 
•^^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 io 
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 
iVbnormal Iilme I,eaves {G. J. J.'). —The tree has been attacked 
by the gall mite, referred to on page 464 last week. 
Vine Iieaves Kusted (IF. T.'). — The dark specks appear to have 
resulted from an extravasation of sap, which has dried on the leaves, 
and the slightly ruptured tissues are also discoloured. We should not 
close the house quite so soon on sunny afternoons, and should leave a 
little top ventilation all night. If few of the leaves are worse than the 
large one sent no material harm will be done to the Vines. 
Quick Growing' Wall Plants (A. J.'). — If planted in rich soil the 
Viivinian Creeper would cover the north side of the villa in the woods 
as quickly as anything, but the growths do not cling. Those of 
Ampelopsis Veitchi do most persistently, and produce a beautiful 
surface of green in summer on a north aspect. The growth, however, 
is not quite so rapid as in Ampelopsis hederacea. If you require an 
evergreen, plant well rooted Irish Ivy, preferably from pots, in well 
prepared soil, and it will some cover the wall. Roses, such as the 
Crimson Amadis, Bennett’s Seedling, Ruga, Aim6e Vibert, and Gloire de 
Dijon, succeed admirably on north aspects, a reasonable distance from trees. 
Peculiar Foxglove (./. B. S '),— The spike of Foxglove which you 
have sent, and in which there is a large terminal campanulate flower, 
presents a feature that is familiar to us. A similar one was illustrated 
in the Journal of August 6th, 1891, which you may like to see. The 
publisher would forward a copy in return for S^d. in stamps if you have 
not one to refer to. The occurrence is abnormal, but not very uncommon. 
The Onion Fly and IWaggots (A IF. P .)—When the maggots 
take possession of the plants, burying themselves in them, the time has 
passed for remedies to he really effectual. The maggots may be pre¬ 
vented by rendering the plants distasteful to the egg-depositing fly. 
This we have seen done by frequent sprinklings of ammoniacal water 
from gas works, diluted with six times its volume of pure water. We have 
also found a wineglassful of petroleum in 3 gallons of soapsuds, con¬ 
stantly agUated during use, have a similar effect. Both the applica¬ 
tions named are fertilisers. They should be applied on the very first 
symptoms of the attack. Covering the ground with spent hops or lawn 
mowings has been found of service in obstructing the movements of 
the maggots. It is only by early action, however, that the crops can in 
many cases be saved. 
Tomato Roots Diseased (X. Y. Z.). —The nodosities on the 
roots are caused by bacteria or microscopic organisms, which nitrify 
organic matter, forming nitrates. These small knots have no deleterious 
effect on the plants other than to stunt their growth, and in result are a 
direct gain of nitrogen in the soil, which is available for future crops that 
are not nitrogen gatherers but nitrogen consumers. Other nodules are 
caused by Eelworm (Tylenchus devastatrix), and there is abundant 
evidence of these in the larger of the knobs or warts on the roots. The 
best application that can be given such soil and plants is a combination 
of lime, potash, and soda, but nitrate of soda and nitrate of potash 
should be carefully avoided. Apply lime in phosphate form, and potash 
in sulphate. The plants will obtain sufficient phosphoric acid and 
ammonia from the phosphate, and there will be ample soda supplied 
with the sulphate of potash, so that there is no occasion to apply 
it. We advise your trying the following mixture :—Superphosphate 
(dissolved bones) five parts, and sulphate of potash three parts ; mix, 
and apply at the rate of 6 lbs. per square rod, or 4 ozs. per square yard, 
pointing in lightly, then giving water freely. Repeat at intervals of 
about three or four weeks. When the plants recover, as we expect they 
will in a short time, through the fresh roots excited by the phosphate, 
and more growth is wanted, you may use sulphate of ammonia along 
with the superphosphate and potash—namely, superphosphate four parts, 
sulphate of ammonia three parts, sulphate of potash two parts ; mix, 
and apply 4 ozs. per square yard. The Eelworms have probably been 
introduced with stable or farmyard manure or turfy loam, as these 
pesis may pass the digestive canal of animals, remain dormant in 
stubble, and be introduced with turf. 
Blight on Vines In IVIadelra (J. Y. J.). —The bunches of Grapes 
are infested with the downy mildew, brown rot, and grey rot, common 
terms in America for the Grape Peronospora, P. viticola. It attacks the 
leaves, young wood, flowers, and fruit. It usually first appears in the 
form of greenish yellow or brownish spots on the upper surface of the 
leaves, while on the lower side corresponding parts are covered with a 
frost-like growth. As the disease progresses the frost-like patches may 
disappear, leaving only the brown leaf. Young wood and flowers are 
affected in much the same way, but owing to their structure the downy 
or frost-like stage is more pronounced. This stage of the disease is 
known in America (and it is common in some parts of South Europe) 
as the “ downy mildew.” Its effect on the incipient fruit is to turn it 
brown or black and literally plaster the berries together, it is rarely, 
however, that this disease, except in first attacks, appears alone, and 
where it is associated with any of the other maladies that infest Vines 
as powdery mildew, black rot, and anthracnose, one treatment will 
answer for all. It is no uncommon thing to find downy mildew, black, 
rot, and anthracnose all working together. One of the cheapest and most 
effectual remedies tor downy mildew and black rot is ammoniacal 
solution of copper carbonate — namely, 3 ozs. copper carbonate 
(precipitated) dissolved in 1 quart of ammonia and diluted with 
22 gallons of water. A careful watch should be kept on the Vines, 
and at the first sign of the disease applications with the ammoniacal 
carbonate of copper should begin and be repeated at intervals of 
twelve to fifteen days until the disease is overcome. The solution 
should be applied with a spraying apparatus, such as a knap¬ 
sack pump, coating every part of the Vines with a thin film of moisture. 
Care should be taken to spray early, and repeat as required. Remember 
that the treatment is wholly preventive. It is found that spraying the 
wood with a simple solution of copper sulphate, 1 lb. to 25 gallons of 
water in spring after the Vices have been pruned and before the buds 
begin to swell, is useful as a preventive. Treatment with the 
ammoniacal carbonate of copper solution may follow when the leaves 
are one-third grown, and then at intervals of twelve to fifteen days. 
Bordeaux mixture is the only remedy that has given any beneficial re¬ 
sults for anthracnose, and, as it may follow in your case, we mention it 
so that you may apply it if necessary. A formula for making a 2 per 
cent. Bordeaux mixture is given in the last number of the Journal 
in reply to “G. J. D.” on Fig disease ; but Bordeaux mixture has the 
property of rendering the Grapes in some cases unsaleable, and must be 
prepared with fresh lime according to the instructions. Mr. Tait, 
a celebrated port wine merchant at Oporto, has preserved his 
Vines against a fungoid scourge by the use of Messrs. Tait and 
Buchanan’s anti-blight, which is a powder easily applied with a bellows, 
and does not prove injurious to the foliage or Grapes. It is equally 
efficacious against mildews of the oi’dium class, but those readily yield to 
sulphur, especially in a warm climate, or to sprayings with bisulphide 
of calcium. Messrs. Barr & Son, King Street, Covent Garden, London, 
are agents for the anti-blight. 
Iiabour Required for Garden (J/rs. IF.).—There is far too 
little labour to keep the place in order, and to have the kitchen 
garden in proper cultural condition would need the whole time of 
the gardener. But there is a great difference in men and in manage¬ 
ment. We have had one man keep a kitchen garden of 2 acres in 
better order, and grow more useful produce in regular succession, than 
two men with extra he'p, simply because the one had energy and 
brains, and the others were more concerned about affairs outside the 
garden than in it. Most places nowadays are underhanded, and it 
becomes a question with garrien°rs to so work as to cc'^nomise labour. 
Ic is astonishing how well some gardeuers a’apt themse ves to the new 
