458 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
1 June 1S91,' 
In America Dr. Tinker of New Philadelphia, Ohio, perfeeted several 
patterns, all having the same size perforations, but differing in the 
arrangement of the holes and the width of me‘‘al between them. In 
British Bee Journal of April the 9th is an impression of a piece of one 
■of Dr. Tinker’s patterns, which the editors say is “ the most perfect 
form of excluder we know.” At the request of one of their customers, 
Messrs. C. J. Harvey of Lewisham, S.B., have made a quantity of queen 
excluder zinc, for which special tools were made with perforation of 
exactly the same size as those in Dr. Tinker's pattern, from a piece of 
which it was taken. This differs slightly from that illustrated in the 
B. B. Journal, in that the metal between the openings is narrow'er, 
making more openings in a given distance for the bees to pass, and 
having less chilling surface of metal. Notwithstanding there is less metal 
it is stronger and not in the least liable to be bent or bulged as the 
zinc. No. 14 gauge is much stouter than that hitherto used. So far as 
my judgment goes the pattern which he calls the British is superior to 
any other excluder made. 
Mr. C. W. Abbott of Southall was, I think, the first (now many years 
ago) to use excluder for the purpose of obtaining virgin honeycomb. 
He placed a piece on either side of a frame, in which a full sheet of 
foundation was fixed, which he put in the centre of the brood nest, and 
so obtained honeycomb earlier than could be done in any other way. 
Mr. Abbott afterwards used it in his combination hives, placing a 
divider of zinc at the back of the brood frames, and frames of foundation 
on the other side for extracting, or a wide frame containing sections for 
comb honey. These hives are still preferred by many. 1 much prefer 
storifying hives, giving additional space at the top, as advocated many 
years ago by the late Mr. Woodbury in your paper, and as was done in 
the Stewarton hives, also described. 
The hives most in favour now both in Europe and America are 
worked on this plan. In Great Britain the swarm is put into a hive 
that contains nine or ten standard frames. As soon as honey is coming 
in, and the number of bees warrant it, and before they get the swarming 
fever, a piece of excluder is placed on the top of the frames and a 
6-inch shallow hive upon it. If we are working for extracted honey, 
that is honey taken from the comb in an extractor by centrifugal 
force, the combs being returned to the hive to be refilled, additional 
shallow boxes being added as the population increases. If comb honey 
is desired crates of Ij by dj sections are placed above the excluded ; a 
second and third being added if circumstances require. In either case, 
by the use of the excluder the purest honey is obtained.- John M. 
Hookee, 9, Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham, 8.E. 
%• 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. 
Bordeaux Mixture (IF. E. T .').—The information you require is 
embodied in our reply to another correspondent (“ J. R.”) in the present 
issue. 
Elliott’s Shading (P. i.).—Many persons who have use! it find it 
satisfactory, and we believe it has a large sale. It is advertised, and 
can be had from most seedsmen and dealers in garden requisites. 
Brylng Flowers (f?. C .).—We will refer your letter to our corre¬ 
spondent, and give you his reply in another issue. The ingredients of 
all such mixtures can usually be changed for several others of a similar 
character. 
Cool Orchids (P. J. C .').—We will forward your letter to our 
correspondent, who may perhaps bs able to supply some details on the 
method of culture pur.:ued in the achievement of the satisfactory results 
to which you refer. 
A “Double” Odontoglossum cltrosmum (P. IF. S., 3/orj)eth'). 
—The flower is a peculiar one, and seems to be the result of a complete 
fasciation, as all the parts of the flower are present in each, and the 
two peduncles are distinctly traceable. It would no doubt occur early 
in the bud stage. 
Diseased Cucumbers (IF. H.). —We are sorry to inform you that 
your Cucumbers are stricken with a disease that is practically incurable, 
it is caused by minute nematoid worms that take possession of them, 
and may have been intro luce I in the soil, manure, or water. All you 
can do is to cut off the worst parts, mulch the bed with a mixture that 
will incite fresh roots, water with a^^lution of nitrate of soda twice 
a week, 1 oz. to a gallon of water, and maintain a high temperature for 
encouraging fresh growths and the quick swelling of the fruits. 
Stopping Vines (A. P. T.'). —In stopping the laterals the point 
should be nipped off as soon as it can be taken hold of with the 
finger and thumb without injuring the small leaf at the end which 
is to be left to develop. When the Vines are close together this may 
be the first leaf beyond that opposite the bunch, or the second leaf 
if there is space for the full expansion of a'l the foliage, not otherwise, 
as overcrowding the leaves is injurious to Vines. The laterals should 
not be less than 15 inches apart along each side of the rods. It is not 
usual to top the leader, but it is sometimes done when very strong and 
the laterals below it very weak in comparison. 
Tomato Blossoms Falling (ZT. Ht). —This usually arises from 
keeping the plants too close and warm. The remedy is more air, 
especially in the early part of the day, with due but not excessive 
supplies of water at the roots. If the plants are weak afford a 
sprinkling of steamed bone meal or superphosphate of lime occasionally 
on the surface; if exuberant keep them dry. Sometimes the non¬ 
using a feather or cameTs-hair brush, applying the pollen to the 
setting, is due to want of fertilisation ; therefore fertilise the flowers, 
central part of the flower, and you will be rewarded by a good set of 
fruit, but take care to have the house well ventilated and to fertilise 
the flowers as they expand during the early part of fine days. 
Calceolarias (IF. Mowhray ')—The flowers you have sent, five to 
ten on a branchlet, are equal to any we have seen, and far above the 
average in size, colour, and quality. There were no better at the 
Temple Show, and your plants “ in 16-size pots, 2 feet through the heads 
of bloom, and plants and pots 18 to 20 inches high,” would have stood 
an excellent chance of a medal if they had been exhibited at the Show 
in question. Sir C. Pigott’s handsome specimens, grown by Mr. Ford, 
were highly and deservedly honoured, and yours appear to be of a 
similar character. It is a pity you “ could not get them to the Show.” 
Many persons would like to know how you manage to grow such very 
fine plants and blooms. 
Exporting Vegetables (C'. G.'). —We have no doubt that both 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers have been sent from the London market 
gardens to France and Holland, but far more vegetables were imported 
from those countries in past times than were exported from England. 
At one time all the Cauliflower seed soM in this country was raised in 
Holland, and it used to be customary to obtain plants from there for 
growing in our market gardens, as well as private gardens, dealers 
paying visits to the Continent for purchasing them in large quantities 
for this purpose. We have seen large crates of early Cabbages, Rhubarb, 
and Cucumbers being conveyed by steamer to Antwerp during recent 
years. We shall be glad to have the transcript at any time convenient to 
yourself. 
Cottage Gardening (./. D .')—It depends entirely on the educa¬ 
tional capacity of the men whether your well meant proposal will 
answer or not. Some men acquit themselves most creditably in the 
garden or allotment fie’d who would be quite unable to write a paper 
that would do them either justice or credit, while others are somewhat 
apt with the pen, but not the best cultivators; or, in other words, some 
work well but cannot write, while others write well but do not' work 
effectively. Since you intend offering a prize, why not let the subject 
be —“ How to Make the Best cff a Garden Plot ”—of half an acre, or 
whatever the extent may be ? The competitors would then name the 
vegetables they had found best, and tell the methods of growing and 
arranging the crops. If you adopt our suggestion we should rather like 
to see the prize p iper. 
Carnation Plants Dying (T. B. D.).—The plants of Souvenir de 
la Malmaison “ dying off one by one,” are no doubt destr.syed by the 
very small worm, which is probably the larva of one of the skipjack or 
click beetles. These are very fond of Carnations, and eat into the root 
stems, living on their substance. You may water the plants with a 
solution of nitrate of soda, dissolving half an ounce in a gallon of water. 
This may cause the pests to leave the plants, and to trap them insert 
pieces of Carrot just within the soil, and if a pointed stick is thrust into 
each it wi 1 serve to examine the baits by. This should be attended to 
every day and the worms destroyed. When Carrots cannot be had use 
Potato baits instead, but the wireworm prefers the Carrot. Do not 
repeat the nitrate of soda application more than twice, with a week 
interval between, and dust around the plants with soot. This will drive 
away the pests. 
Revising Matter for Press (^Contrihxitor ').— You are sorry we 
curtailed the matter you sent. You ought to have been glad that we 
did not allow you to weaken your evidence. You may not have intended 
the personal reference's to be offensive, but all the same they would have 
provoked a rejoinder that you would scarcely appreciate. If any writer 
had alluded in similar terms to yourself the article would certainly have 
been curtai'ed. If you reflect a moment on the whole subject you will 
perhaps arrive at the conclusion that it i-s not in our interest to cast aside 
matter of public interest. There was a great deal too much husk with 
the kernel, and we simply threw the husk away. We are pleased to 
