JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 22, 1887 
2 62 
Still more remarkable is the following. On the 
night previous to taking my bees to the Heather 
I removed from a good stock of Carniolians 60 lbs. 
supers, using carbolicised paper to free the supers 
from bees ; but so slightly impregnated was the 
paper that it scarcely sufficed for the purpose. All 
the work was performed from the back of the hive, 
and I could not see the front. After the supers were 
removed I attempted to make a crate take the place of the 
supers, when I found it rather large. It was raining, and 
had been nearly all day; still, chance robber bees were 
about, so to prevent the bees of the hive crowding its top 
and getting wet, and to prevent robbers, I laid the papers 
upon the top of the frames and replaced the roof until I 
slackened the crate so that it would fit. On coming out I 
removed the roof and dropped the crate in its place, but 
forgot to remove the paper. The odour from the carbolic 
by this time -would be well volatilised. I packed all up 
and left for an hour, when passing the front of the hive I 
was surprised to see an enormous cluster of bees in front 
of the hive and under. My first thought was the carboli¬ 
cised paper had sent the bees out of the hive; but then 
there was so little carbolic acid on it that it was impossible 
to do so, and more particularly when the paper lay upon 
the closed centre of the hive, which I discovered when I 
lifted the crate already well crowded with bees. It was 
replaced, and without examining endeavoured to get the 
outlying bees into the hive; but it was easier said than 
■done, until I discovered a large cluster underneath the 
floor, which I caught in a crystal and placed the bees on 
the alighting board, when they made an attempt to enter. 
Then such a row took place I never before witnessed, while 
the heat of the hive was greater than any I had ever felt. 
The running out and in of the bees showed the queen was 
encased, and long after it was dark the bees were excited 
and flew out of the hive never to be seen, just as bees do 
when swarms are joined and the bee-keeper is deceived. 
I rose between three and four in the morning to find 
things as I fully expected—a heap of dead bees in front 
equal to a fair swarm, and the walks strewn with dead 
bees as if they had been put there with a shovel. The 
same have done well at the Heather, so they could not be 
its own bees; but where did they come from ? Bees could 
not come from a distance the stormy day it was, and there 
were no lost bees in the neighbourhood. They were not 
Carniolians that were killed, and the stock they were 
killed at is one of the best on the moors. There is a 
mystery about it. 
FOREIGN BEES. 
As some of your correspondents are still sceptical of 
the superiority of foreign bees, I send the following from 
a correspondent:—Our season was too dry. The Clover 
was burned up just as it was coming into bloom; but the 
season for the Heather was fair. My seventeen hives in 
spring will average 50 lbs. or over, and increased to 
twenty-five stocks. 
The small Syrian swarm I got from you two years ago 
has given me the enormous amount of 250 lbs., swarms 
and all.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
BEES IN A BOX. 
In the early part of July we were visited by a swarm of bees, and 
one of the men promptly “ boxed ” them, and they are in that box now 
—size, l<i inches by 13 by 10. They are placed on a stand and protected 
from the 'rain only, and being only novices in bee-keeping any advice 
from your experienced readers on the matter would be very welcome, 
as we are anxious to keep the swarm.— Inquirer. 
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 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. 
Leaving a Situation ( Journeyman ).—A week’s notice is sufficient in 
your case. 
Ferns ( Young Gardener). —All the Ferns named will succeed in a house 
with a temperature ranging between 50° and 60°, or falling to 45° in 
winter will not hurt them. The Adiantums and Pteris can be readily 
increased by spores. The soil should never be allowed to become dust-dry, 
but when they are not growing and in cold damp weather they need very 
little water. Two parts light turfy loam and one of leaf soil will suit them 
if you cannot obtain peat. Give good drainage. 
Paris Daisy (M. C. B.). —The plant you refer to is Chrysanthemum 
frutescens, but there are several varieties. We should prefer planting the 
Lilies, ifcc., in separate clumps, they would then show their special characters 
better than if mixed. 
Gathering Pears ( Idem ).—It is not generally advisable to gather Pears 
before they come away when gently lifted. That is a good criterion if 
taken with an indication of their general appearance betokening maturity. 
All those you name should not be gathered until they part from the trees 
readily. Some varieties are the bettrr for being gathered somewhat in advance 
of their ripening, as when left too long on the trees they are liable to lose 
juiciness and quality—as, for instance, Doyennh d’Ete, Jargonelle, Wil¬ 
liams’ Bon Ch fitien, Souvenir du Congrbs, and Beurrb Giftard, but the 
majority of the early autumn Pears should bo in the condition indicated 
before they are gathered. 
Calla Leaves Spotted (A. Grant). —The leaves are showing the effects 
of having been infested with an insect very similar to the Celery fly—viz., 
Tephritis onopordinis, which lays its egg3 in or on the leaves, and the larv® 
produced feed upon the parenchyma of the leaves, forming blisters, which 
ultimately decay. The best preventive is to dust the plants with soot 
whilst damp, or syringe occasionally with soapsuds, which render the 
leaves obnoxious to the fly, and prevent it depositing its eggs. The 
remedy is to remove the affected parts and burn them. 
Lifting Gladiolus The Bride ( W. A.). — Gladiolus Col villi albus (The 
Bride) is quite hardy in all but very unfavourable Boils and situations, and 
for satisfactory results should not be lifted annually, but left in the ground 
protecting the roots with a mulch of some enriching material, as leaf soil, 
cocoa refuse, and partially decayed manure. Being of the early flowering 
section the corms should be planted before November, and if your soil is too 
wet and cold for them pot and keep them protected in frames over the 
winter, planting them out in spring. 
Saxifraga oppositifolia (Idem). —This lovely plant is not suitable for 
growing in the shade, and is equally unfitted for rockwork facing the south, 
but on the northern slopes of rockwork, where it will be shielded from the 
scorching summer heat, having plenty of ligfit and an abundant supply of 
moisture, it grows and flowers well in early spring. 
Peach Gregory’s Late (C. G.). —We have seen some very fine and 
excellently flavoured fruits of this variety recently, and the gardener spoke 
most highly of its merits. It is thus described in the “ Fruit Manual — 
“ Fruit, large, ovate, and pointed. Skin, pale green on the shaded side, and 
with a dark red cheek, like Royal George, on the side next the sun. Flesh, 
very melting, vinous, sugary, and highly flavoured. Flowers, small. Leaves, 
with round glands. Ripe in the end of September or beginning of October. 
It is an excellent late melting Peach, somewhat later than Late Admirable. 
Does not colour or ripen well in ordinary seasons. This was introduced by 
Mr. William Gregory, a nurseryman at Cirencester, about the year 1849.” 
Plants for Malring-up Gaps in Hedges (S. 8.). —The wild Pear makes a 
very strong fence, and succeeds in exposed places. The Ch?rry Plum 
(Prunus myrobalana) is also excellent. Those we should advise preferably 
the first named, but both are good. It is necessary if you procure large 
plants that they have been recently transplanted. 
Conservatory Plants (It. B.). —You will require few other plants besides 
those named in your list, as it is not desirable to crowd the roof too much. 
Clematis indivisa lobata, Lonicera sempervirens, and Passifiora coerulea- 
racemosa might, however, be added. Kennedya monophylla would also do 
well in a similar way. The Roses and Lapagerias will no doubt prove the 
most useful plants in such a house. 
