480 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Nove uber 22 , 1888. 
inclining to sting when (as lie described lately) Stewarton divisions 
are turned up bodily and boldly. I also agree with what he says 
about Cyprians at page 457. A crusty old man was bitten by a 
■dog, and on the owner being informed of it replied :—“ If I were a 
dog I would have bitten him too.” So if I were a bee I should be 
inclined to sting many that I see manipulating bees. Cyprians 
unmolested are mild in temper, so much so that a little girl 
of mine when only four years of age could not be kept from 
peering into the entrance of a populous hive to learn whether the 
wee bees had een’, and how they could see to work in the dark,” 
and yet she never got a sting. Syrians are at times spiteful, but 
are easily subdued. 
I have had hundreds of imported queens, and once only did T 
receive a virgin one, a Syrian. I have, however, had numerous 
complaints from persons of virgins or crossed queens having been 
put into their hands, but I could invariably trace the disappointment 
to their own work. 
Reverting to the cheap hive, j'our readers will observe that it 
is not only a first-class hive for moving about, but cannot be 
surpassed for general management and ease of manipulation in all 
that pertains to bee-keeping. It is true it is not defended from 
the weather, but this is no objection, as double-cased hive3 are 
objectionable in many ways, while the single-cased ones are easily 
and cheaply defended—defending the bees against that insidious 
enemy damp (if protected from the rain) better than any double¬ 
case hive can possibly do, while it is at all times trim and tidy in 
appearance, and with the hinge arrangement becomes the most 
useful hive extant, at a cost of only a few shillings when made by 
the bee-keeper. I may before closing observe that the hinges 
might be more serviceable if made with a moveable pin, and that 
clamps or hooks can be easily made from hooping if a bowster 
punch or a brace with a few twist drills be in the possession of the 
bee-keeper ; or to go a little further,- if gardeners were supplied 
with these and put them to a proper use they would save many a 
tradesman’s heavy bill. Should any of your bee-keeping readers 
require more details regarding the hive described I shall be glad 
to explain it fully, as, like the correspondent above referred to, 
I am of opinion that moving bees about from one pasture to 
another will every year become more common, so that the weighty 
and cumbrous hives must give way to lighter ones. —A Lanark¬ 
shire Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Dicksons (Limited), The Nurseries, Chester. —Catalogue of Forest 
■and Ornamental Trees , Evergreens, fyc. 
The Thames Bank Iron Company.— Illustrated Trade List of 
Boilers and other Heating Appliances. 
Kelvvay & Son, Langport.— Wholesale List of Gladioli. 
® < A 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. 
Address (E. T. 17.).—Messrs. Stuart & Mein, ‘'Do, N.B., is the 
a Idrcss you require. 
Herbaceous Plants (IF. 7?.).—We shall shortly publish notes on 
herbaceous plants that will possibly be of service to you. Early spring 
is the best time for planting the majority of such as you appear to 
require. 
Glass (G. i?.).—You appear to have proved the matter for yourself, 
and cannot err by acting on your own experience. Either kind will 
answer your purpose, but one is considered somewhat stronger than the 
other. Mr. Philip Ladds uses the cheaper of the two kinds by the acre. 
Canterbury Bells (iV. C'.'). —Plant them out at once in light 
moderately rich soil in an open situation, but sheltered. The plants 
being small we should not allow them more than G inches’ distance 
apart every way, otherwise they require a foot distance apart. They 
grow from 18 to 24 inches high, and flower from May to July. 
Chrysanthemum Sport ( Thos. Winhioorth). —The yellow sport 
from the primrose Kalph Brocklebank is decidedly brighter than its 
prototype, but the example you send of this is paler than many we 
have seen. By all means send the new comer to the meeting of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society as you propose for examination by the 
Committee. 
Show Heport (A Tioenty-years Header'). —We are obliged to you 
for the report, as wc are to other gardeners who forward notes on exhi¬ 
bitions in their districts. So far from “ praising yourself,” it is 
questionable if you have done justice to your products. It is not as a 
rule strong men who win that covet much praise for the examples of 
their skill. 
3P2aut§ for the Kockery (G. T.). —We shall be in a better position 
to assist you in this matter if you will state whether the rockery you 
wish to cover is fully exposed to the sun or in a shady position. This 
makes all the difference in the se’ection of plants. We presume your 
object is not only to cover the rockery, but make it a3 attractive as 
possible. If you write to us again we shall be pleased to assist you. 
Horn Shavings as SSanure (./. E. 0.). —The fine shaving and 
dusty particles referred to are good for mixing with soil for various 
kinds of plants. The quality of the soil has to be considered in determin¬ 
ing the proportions of fertilisers to be added. A 6-mch potful of the 
shavings to a barrowful of soil would be quite safe. This fertiliser is 
not quick and powerful in action, but rather steady and lasting in 
effect. You may try a little more for a few plants, and thus ascertain 
by experiment the right quantity to use with your soil. 
Pruning Vines and Pruit Trees (IF.).—Vines should be pruned 
as soon as the leaves can be shaken off them. You may prune your 
Apple, Pear, and Plum trees at once. We quite fail to understand the. 
condition of the Vine. You say you “ were advised to put as much of the 
rods as you could out of the top window of the greenhouse in September, 
so that now there is only one-fourth of the length of the rods left in the 
house.” We did not advise you to adopt such an unusual course, and 
we shall be surprised if your Vine is improved by the treatment 
to which it has been subjected. Your adviser, whoever he may be, 
ought to be able to tell you what to do next. We are, however, quite 
willing to do so if you make the case clear to us, though we decline all 
responsibility for the results that may accrue under the circum¬ 
stances. 
Plum Trees losing tHeir lisaves in July (77. 7?.).—Whatever 
may have been the cause of the leaves falling piematurely last year, 
drought could scarcely have been the origin of the evil this year, 
especially as the soil and subsoil appear to be of a heavy and retentive 
nature. Are you sure that insects were not the agents of the mischief ? 
We suspect they have had something to do with it. Your remarks that 
several of the Apple trees did not produce blossom suggest that the roots 
of your trees generally have penetrated into the subsoil, where they do 
not find the necessary support for perfecting good growth, including 
substantial leaves for elaborating the crude sap and secreting nutrient 
matter in the stems. If your trees are young we should carefully re¬ 
plant them, placing the roots in good soil, and mulching with manure 
for keeping them there. If too old and large for this we should remove 
some of the soil, add fresh, and mulch as advised for inciting the pro¬ 
duction of active fibrous roots near the surface. If you secure and 
retain a network of fibres there your trees will steadily improve, and 
retain their foliage if attacks of red spider and other insects are pre¬ 
vented. Dressing the stems in winter is not a safeguard against insects 
infesting the leaves in summer. 
Vines for Planting- (Somerset). —You are wise in planting Black 
Hamburjh3 chiefly under the circumstances. Foster’s Seedling is the 
best grower and most certain bearer of white Grapes for ripening 
about the same time, though the Buckland Sweetwater produces larger 
berries. You might plant one of each, and if one of them fails to 
give satisfaction remove it and train up an additional rod from the 
other. They are suitable for an outside border. A Madrcsfield Court 
might succeed at the warmest and driest end of the house, but if not 
it could be removed and a second rod could be trained from a Black 
Hamburgh for occupying the roof space. A well supported Vine will 
sustain a crop on two rods as well as on one only. Shorten the Vines 
as soon as you receive them this autumn, and keep them in a very 
cool place through the" winter, not allowing the roots to get unreason¬ 
ably dry. As a rule, the more planting canes are shortened the better 
is the growth the first season, and it will be well to cut back to the 
lowest bud that will be in a light position in the house. If after plant¬ 
ing in spring you find you have not pruned low enough, do not shorten 
