218 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 8, 1887. 
superstitions concerning bees, and thereafter pronounced the Show- 
opened. Key. Mr. Innes made a suitable reply. The Members of Com¬ 
mittee and others, along with the Judges, dined together, when many 
topics of bee husbandry were discussed, as also the benefits likely to 
arise from a society on the lines of the British Bee-keepers’ Union, and 
the hope was expressed that the days were passed of show's that benefited 
the dealer only. 
The following are the awards :— 
For the neatest and best display of honey, extracted and in comb— 
1st prize Highland Society’s silver medal—Leslie Tait, Foveran. The 
best super of honey, not being a sectional super—1, John Forrest, 
Gardens, Haddo House ; 2, W. Young, Inchmarlo ; 3, John Tough, 
Mirebird, Crathes. For the best super of honey in straw only—1, J. M. 
Beveridge, Schoolhouse, Torphins ; 2, W. Young ; 3,11'. Rae, Inchmarlo. 
'The best ten 2-lb. sections of comb honey—1, IV. Munro, Crathes Station ; 
2, A. Cadenhead, Stocket ; 3, John Tough. The best ten 1-lb. sections 
of comb honey—1, IV. Young ; 2 and 3, IV. Munro, Crathes. The best 
ten 2-lb. jars of extracted or run honey—1, A. Cadenhead ; 2, George 
■Green, Cluny ; 3, A. Cadenhead. The best ten 1-lb. jars of extracted or 
run honey—1, IV. Munro ; 2 and commended, A. Cadenhead ; 3, George 
Green. The best sample of run or extracted heather honey, in glass 
jar, not less than 10 lbs. weight—-1, William Young ; 2, William Rae ; 
3, R. M'Gregor, Inchmarlo. The best sample of run or extracted clover 
honey, in glass jar, not less than 10 lbs. weight—1, W. Munro ; 2, John 
Tough ; 3, A. Cadenhead; commended, George Green. The best mead 
or beer, made with honey, not less than two quarts, with recipe 
attached—1, Miss Rennie, 13, Richmond Terrace, Aberdeen ; 2 and 3, 
Mrs. Michie, Foveran; 3 and commended, R. M'Gregor. The best 
honey flavoured cake with recipe attached—1, Mrs. Tait, Foveran; 
2 and 3, George Jack, Backmill, Turriff ; highly commended, J. M. 
Beveridge; commended, Mrs. Michie. The best collections of honey 
flaboured articles, as food and liqueurs—1, George Jack ; 2, Mrs. Tait; 
3, Mrs. Innes, Free Church Manse, Skene. The best collection of hives 
and bee furniture, no two articles alike—1, A. Cockburn, Cairnie, by 
Keith; 2, Leslie Tait; 3, George Brown, New Pitsligo. The best 
observatory hive, stocked with bees and their queen—1, Francis Stewart, 
2, R. M'Gregor ; 3, W. Rae. The best sample of wax, not less than 2 lbs. 
in each exhibit—1, R. M'Gregor ; 2 and commended, John Tough ; 3 and 
commended, William Munro. Collections of the best honey and pollen- 
producing flowers, with descriptive list attached—1, Miss Mary Innes, 
Skene ; 2, Frank Innes, do.; 3, Thomas Porteous Black. The best essay 
on the various methods of bee-keeping as practised in the North of 
Scotland in the past and at the present time—1, George Jack, Turriff; 
2, A. Cockburn. The greatest variety of living wild bees and their 
nests—1, 2. and 3, A. M‘Farlaue, Hector House, Old Aberdeen. The 
best super of any kind—1, William Young ; 2, R. M'Gregor; 3, John 
Tough. The b^st display of honey in sections—John Tough. Special 
ladies’ prizes, for best display of honey extracted or in comb, taken 
from hives under their own management —Catherine Drummond, Great 
Western Road, Aberdeen. For best and neatest rosette or badge to be 
worn by stewards in attendance at show—1, Mrs. Tait, Foveran ; 2, Mrs. 
Michie ; 3, George Jack. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Charles Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough .—Catalogue of Bulbs, 1887. 
Oakshott & Millard, Reading .—Special List of Bulbs. 
Benjamin Soddy, 243, Walworth Road, London .—Catalogue of Dutch 
Bulbs. 
Dobie & Mason, GG, Deansgate, Manchester .—Catalogue of Hyacinths, 
Tulips, Crocuses, (j-c. 
Barr & Son, 12, King Street, Covent Garden .—Descriptive Catalogue of 
Bulbs and Plants. 
James Carter & Co., 237, High Holborn, London .—Illustrated Cataloque 
<f Bulbs. 
V 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 un¬ 
avoidably. 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. 
LATE INQUIRIES.—It is necessary to again remind correspondents that 
letters arriving on WEDNESDAY MORNING cannot be answered 
in the “ next issue,” which is then far advanced for press. 
Earwigs (M. A. Burnham ).—Please quote the date and page of the 
Journal to which y-ur note refers, and your letter shall hate further 
attention. 
Manure for Mushrooms (W. F. M.). —Wednesday’s letters can only be 
answered in the briefest manner, if at all. Do what you propose. Do not 
let the mannre remain bo long unturned, and it will be less noxious. A 
small quantity is best prepared under shelter, and spread out somewhat 
thinly is not offensive. 
Apple Leaves Blotched (H. Piggnt). —The spots or blotches on the Apple 
leaves are caused by the larva? of the Pear tree blister moth (Tinea Clerckella), 
which in its perfect state is a minute moth, appearing in May and June, 
depositing its eggs upon the foliage, and the larvae immediately they are 
hatched penetrate beneath the cuticle, and by feeding upon the parenchyma 
cause numerous brown blisters. When fully grown, or in September, it lets 
itself to the ground, and spins a cocoon on a leaf, changes into a chrysalis, 
in which state it remains until the following season. All dead leaves 
should be removed in autumn, digging the ground near the trees, and the 
trees washed with soapsuds occasional^ from the middle of May to the 
middle of June. 
Blindness in Cabbage {Idem ).—There is no proof that it is caused by an 
insect, and certainly it is not the result of drought. A correspondent who 
has great experience in kitchen gardening attributes “blindness” of the 
plants to imperfect fertilisation of the flower, resulting in an imperfect 
formation of the seed, and consequently defeotive plants. We have seen 
one packet of seed yield many “ blind ” plants, another few or none. 
Vine Leaves Withering (D. B. D.). —It is a little singular you did no 
state at first what you state now. We were not far wrong in our surmis 
that there was too much moisture in the house. We suspected there were 
plants in it, but you could scarcely expect us to guess of the existence of a 
Pear tree shading one end where the unsatisfactory Vine is planted. The 
shade, with moisture from the Ferns, is sufficient to account for the condition 
of the foliage. The lerf sent from the other end of the house is highly 
satisfactory, and shows you did not use too much of Thomson’s manure, 
and that it did not do harm but good. 
Grapes and Flowers {G. H.). —We received some Grapes in a box, but 
no letter referring to them. The fruit was smashed with shaking about, 
aud the juice converted some paper m the box almost into pulp; if that 
was your letter not a line of writing was visible, nor were the numbers at¬ 
tached to the flowers. 
Cucumbers {H. J. M .).—It is quite certain a Cucumber could not grow 
3 inches iu a day in a “ cold fram a ,” and if either the plant or the fruit ex¬ 
tended that length the frame would be a warm one. You do not say whether 
you refer to the fruit or to the plant. The “ Cottage Gardener’s Dict'onary ” 
is an excellent work for amateurs who desire sound knowledge on the culti¬ 
vation of plants, fruit, and vegetables. Its price is 7s. 6d.; 8s. po3t free, 
and can be had from this office. 
Abnormal Grape Production {T. W.). —The small bunch of Grapes 
you have sent w th a portion of the old wood attached showing its issue 
direct from the old rod of the Vine, and not from a growing lateral, is 
unusual, though we have seen a similar case. On closely examining the 
stalk we find ha’f an inch from the base a contraction, you would possibly 
have noticed it also. That thicker half-inch is simply all that remains of a 
lateral that was pushing from the rod. The growth was arrested just where 
a small bunch of Grapes was forming, and these swelled and ripened, but 
no leaves developed. The bunch, then, is borne on a lateral half an inch 
long, so closely resembling the stalk of the fruit that its true character can 
only be perceived through a powerful magnifying glass. That is the ex¬ 
planation of the phenomenon of a bunch of Grapes pushing from the old 
rod of your Vine. 
Various {A Young Gardener ).—Syringe the Peach aud Nectarine trees 
so soon as the fruit is gathered with petroleum, a wineglassful to a four- 
gallon wateriDg-potful of water, in which 0 ozs. eoftsoap and an ounce of 
soda have been dissolved. Keep the mixture constantly agitated whilst 
applying it to the trees, wetting them thoroughly in every part. Repeat 
in the course of a few days. Give the Chrysanthemums liquid manure 
and allow them plenty of room. The Primulas should be repotted without 
delay, and in doing so do not disturb the roots more than can be helped. 
If in pots already sufficiently large surface dress and feed with liquid 
manure. Kelp is a good manure for Cauliflowers and most vegetable crops. 
A half-peek may be given per rod. Apply it as a surface dressing. Stocks are 
not usually good for winter flowering; bu tEast Lothians or Intermediate 
are excellent for spring flowering, but it is too late for sowing now. Keep 
the Fuchsia safe from frost through the winter. Prune in February, repot 
when it begins to grow, and Bhiftinto larger pots as necessary. There is no 
better method of storing Celery than keeping it well earthed and protected. 
Leaf soil and cocoa refuse thoroughly reduced form a good substitute 
for peat, using a sixth of silver sand, and potting firmly. 
Grapes not Colouring {Doctor ).—The Grapes having commenced 
colouring, and being now at a “ standstill,” will not, we fear, make any 
further effort in that direction. The only thing we can advise is not to 
reduce the foliage, hut if anything allow it to extend, and instead of 
increasing the heat merely keep a gentle warmth in the pipes so as to 
insure a temperature of TCP to 75° by day artificially and 60° to 65° at night, 
admitting air constantly suffici-nt to insure a circulation, and with sun 
admit air very freely. We anticipa'e the Grapes are ripe, and in that case 
they will not colour further. Want of colour is chiefly a consequence of 
overcropping, or insufficient supplies of nutriment for the demands of 
the fruit. 
Exhibition Plants {J. S .).—From the information contained in your letter 
it would be difficult to give a list of plants that would prove suitable to you ; 
hut if you will write to us again, stating whether you want them to be in 
good condition for any particular time of year, we shall be pleased to assist 
you. For instance, we might name flowering plants that would be right 
for showing during July and August that would be useless if required six 
