472 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 24, 1892. 
they, being strangers, are sure to encase her, and if not killed she 
may be mutilated. Egg-laying will to a great extent be suppressed, 
and young queens brought forward at the very time eggs are most 
required for keeping up the strength of the colony. 
Queen cells, to be raised for the queen to deposit the egg for 
a future reigning one, are still believed -in by many people. This 
is a fallacy. Eggs are sometimes laid in an old cell or in a 
pseudo one, but these eggs are deposited by “fertile workers.” A 
hive in a normal state raises all its queens in virgin cells— i.e , cells 
formed round the egg intended for a queen, and in no other. 
Strong Hives. 
When honey is to be had the strong hive is the one that will 
gather most, but if there is no honey to gather, weak hives best 
preserve what they have. A state of matters like this is not 
envied by bee-keepers. When a strong hive swarms better results 
will be obtained if two swarms are united. The way to do this is 
to thoroughly spray both with a very thin syrup of sugar or honey 
until the bees are gorged, when they may be put together without 
the slightest risk of fighting. There is nothing better for putting 
one swarm to another than the swarm catcher. This process 
refers to a swarm being joined to another that has been hived some 
days. Two swarms of the same day may sometimes be successfully 
joined without any precaution, but this cannot be depended on to be 
a success. It is, therefore, much better to spray all the swarms before 
uniting, and where possible to remove one of the queens, and restore 
her to one of the swarmed hives after destroying all queen colls. 
Brood Combs. 
With the exception of the precaution given at page 450, there 
is only one other of importance to be attended to. When a strong 
hive has been strengthened with brood, to prevent it being 
destroyed the bees ought to be fed liberally for several days, and 
if the weather is unfavourable artificial pollen ought to be supplied 
so as to prevent eggs being eaten or young bees drawn. That is 
a far more common occurrence than many suppose, and bringing 
forward all the brood or eating out part of it is what constitutes a 
profitable or non-profitable hive. I have so often described the 
most suitable hive in these columns that it is superfluous to enlarge 
upon the subject. The Stewarton hive was admirably adapted for 
working the progeny of two queens together—that old system which 
gave such grand results in a country ill-adapted for bee-keeping. 
Hivers. 
These are a cumbrance in the apiary, and add consider¬ 
ably to the expense of it. The latest American idea is simply 
a modification of the old Scottish plan, working two straw hives 
side by side ; and, of a later date, Dr. Dunbar’s plan with bar 
hives, which Messrs. Neighbour nearly forty years ago made a 
practical success. Of course it had not the queen excluder zinc 
attached, which is a great hindrance to the free working of the 
bees.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
%*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 
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 communications 
Wholesale Prices ( Queenstown ).—What you send is clearly and 
ostensibly an advertisement, and we respectfully submit that you have 
no more right to expect us to insert it than anyone has to utilise any 
portion of your property without paying rent. 
Chrysanthemum Mrs. E. W. Clarke ( W. T. Smith ).—The bloom 
sent must have been a very good one when fresh ; and though it has, as 
you say, been cut a week, and been two days at a show as the premier 
Japanese, it is yet 7j inches in diameter and very full in the centre. 
Chrysanthemum Sport (IF A. K.). — If you succeed in estab¬ 
lishing the sport from Empress of India you will probably not find the 
variety very dissimilar to the Queen of England. The bloom sent is 
young and undeveloped, but suggests a reversion to the original type— 
the head of the royal family of Queens. 
Repotting- Climbers (I alley). —The safest time for transferring 
the plants to larger pots, as you propose, will be in the spring, just when 
growth is starting. If the plants had been ours we should probably 
have repotted them a month ago, in order that the roots might have 
taken possession of the fresh soil before winter. 
Soil for Magnolias (Inquirer). —Magnolias succeed in soil of a 
rather sandy nature, and you will not err if you procure turfy loam and 
incorporate therewith about a tenth part of wood ashes and the same 
quantity of crushed mortar rubbish, a little more or less, as the loam 
may be of a heavy or light texture. Plant firmly, loose and too rich 
soil promoting succulent growth. Peat may be added to strong soil. 
Interpretation of Schedule ( Exhibitor). —We do not see any¬ 
thing in the conditions that would exclude either Dracaenas or Pan- 
danuses from the class. If objection is raised on the ground that they 
are not “ Evergreens ” it would be a very technical one and not sustain¬ 
able. The object was evidently to afford relief to Chrysanthemums and 
produce a pleasing effect. 
Fruit Trees Infested with Iiichen and Canker ( Anglo-Scot ).— 
When the trees are damp with dew, or after rain, they may be dusted 
with quicklime, coating them well in every part. This will kill the lichen 
and moss, and that falling on the ground will have a beneficial effect. 
Afterwards apply a top-dressing of 5 lbs. of bone meal, 2 lbs. of sulphate of 
potash, mixed, sprinkled on the surface as far outwards from the stems 
as the branches extend, at the rate of 4 ozs. per square yard. 
Water from Colliery (Aqua). —If the water contains an alkali 
it will turn red litmus paper dipped in it blue, or if you procure a red 
litmus solution and pour the supposed alkali water into it it will turn 
the fed litmus solution blue. An excess of alkali is highly injurious to 
plants, either for watering or syringing, more quickly by the latter than 
the former process. The best means of neutralising alkalies is by 
gypsum, but it is hardly available for large quantities of water employed 
for garden purposes, though it has an excellent effect on soils. 
Stimulant for Bulbs in the Open Border (F. J .).—The best 
stimulant to apply as a top-dressing at this time of year is guano, using 
2 ozs. per square yard, sprinkling it on the surface between the plants, 
and point in very lightly. If you cannot do that, supply the guano in 
liquid form, 1 oz. to a gallon of water, using 2 or 3 gallons per square 
yard. The drainings of stables, cow houses, or sewage (not too strong) 
may be employed with advantage. It is safe to take up and replant 
bulbs that are just breaking through the surface of the soil, provided 
they can be lifted with much earth, so as to preserve the roots. If they are 
much disturbed at the roots the bloom and growth for another year 
will be much interfered with. The proper time to transplant outdoor 
bulbs is directly after the foliage has died down. The shorter the time 
they are kept out of the ground the better. 
Forcing- Asparagus for Market (Asparagus). —The best way to 
force Asparagus is to lift the roots carefully, pack them closely in light 
rich soil, and cover the crowns with 4 inches of light compost. The 
roots are better placed on a hotbed, but they will produce good heads 
without, only maintain a suitable temperature. That you name will 
bring them on slowly, and produce fine heads if the plants are strong. 
Light is necessary to secure the “grass ” being coloured to the extent of 
an inch at the tip, and the heads should be about 6 inches in length. 
The heads are put up in bundles of twenty-five, fifty, or 100, according 
to their size. Sprue or small forced Asparagus is put up in bundles of 
as many heads as can well be grasped in the hand, and about 6 inches 
in length. The bundles can be packed in punnets with a piece of 
coloured paper around them, leaving the tips exposed as evidence of the 
quality. The bundles being secured, the punnets can be packed in light 
boxes so as to prevent their moving. 
Oypsum as Manure for Vines (F . A. B.). —Gypsum (sulphate of 
lime) is valuable as a manure for Vines because it contains lime, 
32-56 per cent., sulphuric acid 46'51 per cent., and water 20-93 per cent, 
in its hydrated state. It is especially valuable for soils that are poor in 
lime and sulphates, and those which have become alkaline or saline, 
Vines requiring only a modicum of soda. It is a direct and indirect 
source of Vine food, but is most pronounced in effect in soils that contain 
fixed potash, which it liberates from certain insoluble compounds of the 
soil, whilst upon those poor in potash it is more as a fixer than a liberator 
of plant food that it does good service. It should be ground very fine, 
and may be used at the rate of a peck per rod for the purpose named— 
namely, supplying lime and sulphur. But it is chiefly used in special 
manures. One for Vines is made as follows :—Steamed bonemeal 3 lbs., 
nitrate of potash 1 lb., sulphate of lime 1 lb.; mix, and apply at the 
rate of half a pound per square yard, giving the first dressing when 
the buds of the Vines push, and repeat at intervals of a month or six 
weeks till the Grapes change colour for ripening. 
Peacb Trees Infested with Brown Scale (Shropshire). — 
To effect the destruction of the scale the water used in syringing the 
trees ought not to be less than 140°, nor exceeding 160°. At that 
temperature it will destroy all the scale it reaches without injury to the 
buds or wood, provided the former are dormant and the latter well 
ripened. Throwing the house open at night to a sharp frost, and 
syringing the trees with water, has a decidedly beneficial effect in freeing 
them of scale; but it requires to be repeated to effect a complete 
riddance. The better plan is to remove the roof-lights, and let them 
remain off until the buds swell or the time-arrives for starting the trees. 
Under fixed roofs we syringe the trees with water at 140°, and then dress 
them with a solution of softsoap, 4 ozs. to a gallon of water, adding 
a small wineglassful of petroleum; and after churning with a force 
pump until thoroughly emulsified, apply to the trees with a brush, 
taking care not to dislocate the buds. 
