20 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 6, 1888. 
is no advantage gained by following the practice it is better the 
bee-keeper should err on the safe side.— A L.^nauksiiire Bee¬ 
keeper. 
COLLAPSED COMBS. 
Having lately had a few swarms of bees placed under my care, I 
had a swarm put in a home-made hive, and through some cause, probably 
the frames being not properly fixed, the combs fell to the bottom of the 
hive. I should like to know through your columns the best way to 
proceed with them now. My intention is to cover them securely and 
leave them as they are till February, and then transfer them to another 
hive. An answer through your columns would oblige.—A Gardener. 
[An omission of an important nature has been matle in not stating 
when the combs collapsed, which materially adds difficulty in giving 
proper instructions how to proceed. If a few frames of comb can be 
procured, either from some in store or from the other hives, place 
these into an empty hive, failing which fill a few frames with comb- 
foundation and drive the bees from the hive having the collapsed combs 
into it, after the frames have been secured against falling out when 
inverted by screwing a strap of wood over the tops of the frames. After 
the bees have been all driven (and this operation should be performed 
in a close warm compartment having but one window), remove the 
bottom rails from the frames. Nov invert the hive to its orisinal 
position, and draw out frame after frame until all are removed. Then 
you have full command of the combs, which must be carefully lifted out, 
as they are probably delicate, having collapsed through that rather than 
any defect in the arrangement of the frames. Then proceed to transfer 
the combs to frames, fixing them with wire to the best advantage you 
can. Be careful to straighten the combs after heating slightly should 
any be crooked, and the better the frame is filled the easier the combs 
are held. After this operation, with the bees still in the warm apart¬ 
ment, replace the transferred combs amongst the bees. To wait until 
February you would have the advantage of getting a finer day for the 
operation, but the disadvantage of having brood in the combs, losing 
much of it by the manipulation, as well as the combs mutilated and 
fastened together by the bees attempting to restore their dwelling. After 
all is finished and all the bees safe inside their hive, keep it still in the 
room till after dusk, then place it on its site. Of course, feeding must 
not be neglected if required. Bees take feeding in January readier 
than further on in the season.] 
TEADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
H. & F. Sharpe, Wisbech.— Mliolcsale Catalogue of Garden and 
Agricultural Seeds. 
Robert Veitch & Son, .54, High Street, Exeter.— Catalogue of Kitchen 
Garden and Flower Seeds. 
Charles Turner, Eoyal Nurseries, Slough.— Catalogue of Kitchen, 
Flower Garden, and Farm Seeds. 
Stuart & Mein, Kelso, Scotland.— Amatcxds' Gardening Guide and 
Spring Catalogue. 
Oakshott & Millard, Beading, England.— Spring Catalogue, 18SS 
(^Illustrated with Coloured Plates'). 
Harrison & Sons, Leicester.— General Catalogue of Choice Seeds, 
1888. 
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, anS 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. 
Chrysanthemum Sport (J. W. Pontefract). —The sport is very 
similar to Mrs. H. J. Jones, but the flowers sent are of a rather lighter 
tint. By all means preserve and increase the sport, as it will be found 
useful for late flowering. 
Apple (A. JI.). —We are obliged by your letter, and shall be glad to 
receive the specimens of both varieties to which you refer in due season. 
It is often extremely difficult to arrive at a true decision by an examina¬ 
tion of a few fruits alone, as soils and stock influence their character. 
Wood and Sons (L. S.). —In answer to your inquiry we have no 
reason to doubt the high character and integrity of this firm. Their 
specialities hav'e given satisfaction to inany cultivators, and their merits 
can be tested by comjiarison. We do not recommend dealers for reasons 
that must be obvious on retiection. 
Dressing- Vine Border (//. T. JI.). —There is a great excess of 
nitrate of soda in the formula you submit for Vines. You may apply 
the other ingredients at once, supplementing with a dressing of nitrate 
of soda when the Vines have fairly started into growth, if you think 
they require a further stimulant, at the rate of about 2 ozs. to each 
superficial yard. A pound of the other ingredients may be applied to 
the same area if the border lacks fertility. 
Thomson’s Manure (E. E.). —By a clerical error it was statal 
last week that 2 or 3 ozs. per square yard is a proper quantity to apply. 
According to the directions in the pamphlet of the manufacturers 2 lbs. 
should be forked into Vine borders in the spring and half the quantity 
after the Grapes are thinned. This m^ seem a targe quantity, but it is 
to be remembered that the roots of Vines in old borders arc often far 
below the surface, and light sprinklings under such circumstances can 
have no appreciable effect on the Vines. For new borders half cwt. of 
the manure is recommended to be mixed with a ton of soil. 
White Celery (./. O.). —We are obliged by the specimen you have 
sent. Though you say it is smaller than usual, it is quite large enough, 
equalling in that respect well grown examples of Major Clarke’s or 
the Leicester Bed. The stems are broad, solid, and crisp, and the 
flavour is all that we could desire, and quite “ nutty.” We think it a 
pity that such a good variety is not placed in commerce. Our corre¬ 
spondent “ A Thinker,” about whom you and others make inquiries, 
stated some time ago he intended taking a long rest, but how long we 
are not able to say. We believe he is quite well now. 
Gas Xilme (A» Old Suhscriher). —This is a hydro-sulphuret of lime 
with a little ammonia, and, rightly used, is buneficial both as a grub 
antidote and in affording nutriment to crops. You may find much fuller 
particulars respecting it and methods of using in an excellent article by 
G. Abbey in our issue of June 9th, 1887, than it is practicable to give in 
the form of a reply. If you do not possess that number, it will be worth 
your while sending 3.jd. to the publisher. Gas' lime should be applied 
two months before sowing or planting, soot shortly before seeds and 
plants are inserted ; it will do much good, and probably an after dress¬ 
ing of salt would be of benefit on your gravelly soil for all the crops 
you desire to grow. 
Gesnera clnnabarina (E. James). —This is one of the most 
brilliant and beautiful of stove plants for flowering in the winter. 
Those which you have seen and admired were probably started about 
midsummer. We have potted tubers at that time, and started them in a 
frame, and have grown the plants in it till September, or as long as the 
weather was warm enough, then placed them on a shelf in the stove. 
They usually commenced flowering in January, or when the Poinsettias 
were nearly over, producing an effect not surpassed by those plants 
during a period of two months. Fine plants may be grown in 6-inch 
pots, forming dense pyramids of orange-scarlet flowers and handsome 
velvety leaves, which contribute materially to the beauty of the plants. 
Bones for Vine Border (F. S. P.). —Turf being considerably 
lighter than ordinary loam and liable to reduction in bulk from decay, 
the proportion of bones must be calculated accordingly. A ton of 
crushed bones may be added to every 40 cubic yards of turf, so that for 
the 330 cubic yards you would require 8 tons of bones, which we consider 
are more lasting in effect in the crushed state than in the form of meal. 
You must be preparing for a very larse border, and it is worth considera¬ 
tion as to whether it would not be better to make it in sections than to 
fill the whole space at once. You do not state the length, width, and 
depth of the intended border, but assume you have made no mistake in 
your calculations. 
Raspberries Falling- (N. P. L.). —The long drought and great 
heat of summer was the reverse of favourable to new plantations of 
Raspberries, and good canes for fruiting this year could scarcely be 
expected if the soil was not kept moist by occasional heavy watering 
and constant and thick mulchings of manure or other material for 
arresting evaporation. Further, when newly planted canes are left 
their entire length strong suckers cannot be relied on, and it is always 
better to shorten the eanes to within about a foot from the ground. It 
is true when unshortened they may"- bear some fruit, but rarely a good 
crop, and the support that this requires arrests the growth of suckers 
We consider it preferable to sacrifice a poor crop of Raspberries the. 
first year than a good one the second, in years suceeeding. Procure 
well-rooted canes ; plant them on the first favourable opportunity in 
good and well-worked soil, cut them down, and mulch thickly with 
manure for a foot at least beyond the extension of the roots. It may 
be well also to remember that rather small canes well rooted are better 
than very strong canes with few roots for establishing a plantation 
quickly. 
Tomatoes for Market (Constant). —Y’ou had better read Mr. 
Bardney’s article on page 441, November 24th, 1887, and if you do not 
posse.ss the number it can be had from the publisher in. return for 3^d. 
in stamps. Mr. Bardney, who has had experience in the matter, observes 
that large fruits such as are seen on exhibition tables are not appreciated 
by purchasers, who prefer about four fruits to a pound to those weighing 
