196 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March S, 1891. 
Some I have examined I found whole seams of dead bees all 
clammy and wet, with plenty of meat near them too. The fact 
that the Lanarkshire hive is the only one having no dead bees is 
proof your method of wintering is by far the best.” 
The other letters are of a similar nature, and do not surprise 
me, for while bees are kept in damp hives during winter the profit 
in summer will either be nil, or lower a great deal than with those 
kept in hives comparatively free from damp. — A Lanarkshire 
Bee keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Louis Boehmer, Yokohama, Japan. —List of BulVs, Plants, and 
Seeds. 
H. Gusmus, Klagenfurt, Austria. —List of Bnlhs and Roots, 1891. 
J. Peed & Sons, Roupell Park Nurseries and Mitcham Eoad, 
Streatham.— Catalogue of Dahlias. 
Hogg & Wood, Coldstream, N.E. —List of Agricultural Seeds. 
E. P. Dixon & Son, Hull.— List of Agricultural Seeds. 
J. R. Pearson & Sons, Chilwell, Notts. — Sgjring Catalogue of 
Pelargoniums, Balilias, Chrysanthemums, ^'C. 
Dicksons (Limited), Chester.— Catalogrie of Select Farm Seeds. 
J. R. Pearson & Sens, Nottingham.— Catalogue of Pelargoniums, 
Chrysanthemums, ^-c. 
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 
unavoidably. 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 communica¬ 
tions. 
Slnirle Banksian Rose (Jl IT. D.'). —We shall be glad to see the 
flowers if you send them, but they must be carefully packed in damp 
moss, or it is doubtful if they will reach us in satisfactory condition. 
Pompon Bahllas (^Novied ).—The following are neat and useful, 
possessing the characters you require—Darkness, maroon ; Fairy Tales, 
primrose ; Gem, scarlet ; Golden Gem, bright yellow ; Mabel, lilac ; 
and White Button. You desire only self-coloured varieties, but many 
of the parti-coloured forms are very pretty and equally as good as those 
named above. 
Insects on Roses (5. S.'). —Wednesday morning’s letters can only 
be answered in the shortest possible manner in the current issue. Lay 
the plants on their sides and syringe them thoroughly with an 
insecticide as hot as you can bear your hand in for ten seconds, turning 
them round so that every point is reached. If there were no insects on 
them there would be no glutinous exudation. 
TTnpruned Vines (^Beginner'). —We should let the buds swell on 
the laterals, but not push to the extent you name, then gradually 
remove them from the end downwards to two or three at the base of 
each, and from these choose the best growth in each case for bearing. 
When the leaves on the growing laterals attain nearly their full size the 
old laterals may be cut oS without any fear of the Vines suffering 
through bleeding. 
Rougb Glass (iZ. C.).—There are several different forms of “fluted 
and corrugated glass,” and some we suspect would not prevent the 
scorching of foliage beneath, but the close-ribbed and somewhat opaque 
kind that is sometimes used for glazing ferneries and Palm houses, un¬ 
doubtedly breaks up and subdues the scorching effect of the sun’s rays. 
This glass is also, to some extent, used for glazing vineries and structures 
for flowering plants, and in nine cases out of ten we think does more 
harm than good, not by scorching, but shading, causing the tissues of the 
leaves to be soft and the growths drawn, as well as arresting the 
maturation of the wood. If we could rely on brilliant days generally 
prevailing the glass might answer better, but dull days often pre¬ 
dominate for weeks together, and the further obstruction to light by 
the glass in question is then injurious. We consider that rough glass 
should only.be used for horticultural nurposes with great discrimination, 
if at all. 
Spraying and Syringing (5. J. A .).—You asked a definite question 
and we gave you a definite and correct reply ; and now you ask for 
further information on a question that is distinctly indefinite —namely, 
“ Whether spraying is essential, or whether syringing will do as well.” 
Do as well for what ? For syringing plants generally, also fruit trees 
for promoting growth and maintaining cleanliness, the syringe is in¬ 
dispensable, but for applying insecticides a sprayer distributes them 
more effectually and economically. We do not know that the article 
you mention can be had ; perhaps not, or it would presumably be 
advertised. If you write to the Stott Insecticide Distributor Company, 
Limited, Barton House, Manchester, for an illustrated trade list you will 
perhaps find what you require. Sulphate of iron must not be dibbled 
in with plants, but, as we previously stated, spread on the surface of the 
soil when it is wet. LTsed at the rate of \ cwt. to 1 cwt. per acre it has 
been found beneficial to crops of the Brassica family, but we can give 
no assurance that it will prevent clubbing, though it is worth trying. 
For small experiments f lb. per square rod (30^ square yards) is a 
suitable quantity to apply. 
Showing Cut Flowers (71 W. Ashton"). —You must allow us to 
answer your question in our own way, as replies in this column are, 
we have reason to believe, often of service to others besides the querists. 
If a schedule stipulates for “ five distinct varieties of cut blooms^ or 
flowers,” according to its strict interpretation five varieties of Orchids, 
Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, or of any other genus or kind of plant could be 
legitimately shown ; but whether it would be wise to show them is quite 
another matter. The judges would be quite likely to give preference to 
stands which they believed more fairly represented the intentions of the 
Committee, and if the jud^ges’ decisions are final they would not be easily 
overturned on a technical point, for “custom” would have weight in 
the case, and it is not the custom to show in the manner you propose. 
You would be in a stronger position if your five Orchids were distinct in 
genus. Framers of schedules should strive to formulate a set of words 
that can only have one meaning. 
Burnt Soil (J/.).—We gather from your letter that the soil was 
burnt more than was needful, still as you say the brick-like lumps fall 
by the action of wet and frost no great harm has probably been done. 
The excessively dry month of February has not been favourable to the 
preparation of the dry-as-dust land, and it appears to us that you must 
wait as patiently as possible for rain. We should wait even till the end 
of April before planting the Potatoes rather than plant with the soil in 
its present state. Mr. Jenkins, the weather prophet, stated in his cha,rt 
that February would be a dry month, and he was right. He also tells 
us that March is to be dry also, but April wet. His small charts can be 
had by post for Ijd. from Mr. R. Morgan, 65, Westow Street, Upper 
Norwood, S.E. We have seen very full and fine crops of late Potatoes 
by planting at the end of April and the beginning of May. We do not 
think you can do better than carry out your proposition, and the inter¬ 
change of soil you mention is undoubtedly good practice. The weed 
killer named will answer the purpose mentioned, though possibly more 
than one application may be required. 
TTew Boiler—Heating Arrangements (A Constant Reader ).— 
The boiler you mention is a good one, and consumes almost any kind of 
fuel ; but whether it will be sufficiently powerful is only determinable 
by a knowledge of the length of piping to be heated. Your object, we 
presume, is to heat the whole of the houses from one boiler without 
alteration of the present system of piping, hence the 2-inch flow and 
return pipes between the boiler and the several structures. That 
system answers very well, effecting a considerable saving of heating 
power. You will need diminishing sockets where the 2-inch pipes join 
the heating system of the respective houses, the flow and return pipes 
having proper rise and fall respectively from and to the boiler, with 
valves on each flow so as to regulate the circulation as desired. The 
saddle boiler might be utilised in severe weather, but it will be 
necessary to put valves on the flow and return, so as to detach it from 
the other boiler when that only is worked. We cannot give you any 
idea of the cost, but it could readily be ascertained by stating your 
requirements to one or more horticultural builders, and asking for an 
estimate. 
Planting Quickset Hedges (^Cratcegus). —The soil cannot be too 
well worked and enriched for promoting free growth, and you may 
prepare it as if for growing fine Cauliflowers. In the production of 
strong boundary fences it is customary to have a ditch on the outside 
3 feet wide at the top, sloping to a foot at the bottom, raising a low 
bank on the opposite side on which to plant. Divisional fences in fields 
have a ditch on each side. For some purposes and in certain positions 
ditches are not requisite. You do not indicate the object in view. For 
producing strong thick fences, the “Quick” is planted about 6 inches 
apart in two lines, about a foot asunder ; for lighter fences in one line 
but a little closer. At this season the roots should be kept as damp as 
possible when out of the ground, planted firmly, and the ground well 
mulched. It is, however, better to plant in the autumn, as the Quick 
makes better growth the first season, and if cut down the second spring 
following often grows luxuriantly. In some districts plashing is 
resorted to in the course of a few years; and this, no doubt, makes a 
very firm cattle-resisting fence. The method was illustrated in the 
Journal of Horticulture with other hedges in 1886, vol. xii., pages 297 
and 441. If you cannot refer to those pages we might, perhaps, 
reproduce the figures if they would be useful. Read what a 
“ Forester ” says in another page. He has had great experience with 
hedges of various kinds. 
