March 1, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AlSu COTTAGE GARDENER 
183 
ning of August, they having worked up till the 21st September, 
they still occupy three breeding boxes of the ordinary Stewarton 
type. This is nearly three times longer than the proverbial 
six weeks bee life, and I expect some of them will be alive at the 
end of another six months. 
To catch a queen from such a hive, and in such weather, would 
be to many an impossibility. After removing all the coverings 
the remaining undrawn slides were pulled out after I had 
smeared the top bars with the acid to prevent bees rising, and then 
the carbonised sheets were slipped down between the combs. I 
used no smoke, but it would have been better had I done so, as it 
quickens the bees and causes them to retreat more rapidly before 
the paper. Less than a minute emptied the topmost division, when 
I lifted it off, then I placed the remaining two upon an empty hive, 
and put the empty division upon the stand which the flying bees 
took to, but not so readily as if the covering could have been placed 
on intact. Bee-keepers should be careful never to alter the 
appearance or site of a hive after October. In as short a time as 
with the first the second division was cleared of bees, which was 
instantly placed beneath the first one taken off, that by this time 
was quite full of bees. Owing to the sheets of paper being deeper 
than one box very few bees remained in the third or under box, 
which were easily shaken from it and restored to its original place, 
and the hive to its original appearance. The bees being now about 
equally divided between the service and original hive, a few shakes 
in the former sent out many to the latter until a mere handful of 
bees and the queen remained in it. A slight look amongst the bees 
for a few seconds betrayed the presence of her majesty, and the 
finger and thumb acted as executioner. 
During the operation, although cold and windy, the sun shone 
brightly, which was so far favourable. A number of bees failed to 
enter the hive when it was bare, but these lay chilled close to it, 
and were easily gathered, placed upon the top of the hive, and 
covered with another ; every bee revived, and not more than fifty 
became victims to the operation. If queen-excluder zinc was a 
perfect queen excluder (but it is not) I would use it in some cases, 
so that the queen could be easily caught. A more unfavourable 
fair day could not have been selected, yet the manipulation was a 
perfect success, and during a warm day in summer it was in 
addition to that a pleasure.—A L.vnarkshire Bee-keeper. 
(To be continued.) 
TK^DE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
James Dickson & Sons, 108, Eastgate Street, Chester.— Select Farm 
Seeds, ISSS. 
Samuel Shepperson, Prospect House, Helper. — List of Florists' 
Flowers. 
Oakshott & Millard, Reading.— Farm Annual, 1888. 
T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nursery, Tottenham.— Catalogues of Choice 
Hardy Perennials, Chrysanthemums, Hardy Florists' Flowers, Pwonies, 
Hardy Ferns, and Climbing Plants. 
Hogg & Wood, Coldstream and Duns, N.B.— Price List of Agricul¬ 
tural Seeds. 
Waite, Nash & Co., 79, Soutbwark Street, London, S.E.— Wholesale 
Catalogue of Agricultural Seeds, 4'c., 1888. 
*6* 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. 
Xiobella Wave of Blue (E7h/).—W rite to Messrs. Cannell & Sons, 
Swanley. Jlost of the named varieties of bedding Lobelias are only 
kept true by cuttings. 
Bouvardla (Southlands'). —The sport will require at least a sea.son’s 
trial before it will be certain whether it is fixed or not. Take the shoot 
bearing the larger flowers and insert it as a cutting, cut it as low down 
as possible, and you will probably be able to obtain a root or two with it. 
There are several varieties in cultivation quite as good and some bettes, 
but probably you will be desirous of testing it out of curiosity. 
Waterproof Babels (Birdie). —We are not able to answer your 
question, but think if you send a sample to advertisers of garden 
requisites, they will be able to supply you with what you require. 
Glazed Flower Pots (,/. E.). —We are unable to say where they 
are to be obtained, as we do not remember having seen them advertised. 
There have been several inquiries for them of late. 
Crapes wltb Muscat Flavour (Idem). —Free setters of the 
true Muscats are scarce, but Grapes likely to meet your requirements- 
are Madresfleld Court Black Muscat and Mrs. I’earson ; if the latter 
has not a Muscat it has a rich Frontignan flavour. Both are good 
Grapes, and will keep some time. They require heat. 
Royal Horticultural Society (Inquirer). —The meetings and 
shows are advertised a week previous to the dates. The next meeting, 
on March 13th, will, we presume, be held in the conservatory at SoutE 
Kensington. 
Early Potatoes for Market (A Beginner). —The old Ashleaf 
and Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf are suitable ; the first-named is the 
earliest, but the second is a heavier cropper, and should be planted on 
a larger scale. Myatt’s Prolific is the heaviest cropper of all, but is 
about ten days later than Veitch’s, but a good crop is remunerative. 
Beauty of Hebron follows, and is largely grown by some farmers. M.P. 
is a very suitable round variety for market early in the season. 
Violas (T. L., Canterbury). —Seed of the varieties you name is not 
offered by anyone, and if it were we suspect the seedlings resulting 
would show considerable variation from the parentage. The varieties 
can only be ihad in the form of plants raised from cuttings, and the 
sooner Violas are planted when the ground and weather are favourable 
in April the better. Planting with ordinary “ bedding plants ” after the 
middle of May is much too late for insuring free growth and prolonged 
flowering. 
Propag-ating- Begonias (J. B.). —We scarcely know what you 
mean by “ Begonia silver leaf.” Most of the silvery-leaved B.'gonias 
have very large leaves, and form thick flesh root-stems or rhizomes, not 
tubers. Such may be increased by dividing those root-stems, also by 
rooting the leaves after the manner of Gloxinias. The true Tuberous 
Begonias are propagated by dividing the tubers, also by topping the 
growths and striking the cuttings thus obtained in brisk heat in the 
spring, these forming tubers during the season of growth. 
Violets Degenerating (M. T. Of). —Your Violets have reverted to 
the normal form by exhaustion. If you take strong runners and grow 
them in rich soil in an open position, mulching during the summer to 
keep the roots moist, you will produce stronger plants that may even¬ 
tually afford large double flowers as before ; but it would be better to 
procure fresh plants from a vigorous stock. Early in April is a good 
time for planting, and a number of young plants from the best runners 
should be established every year. 
Judging Begonias (Exhibitor) —If a judge saw a flower acci¬ 
dentally broken off a plant in staging at a show, or had satisfactory 
evidence of such accident, and the flower was placed where it grew, he 
would probably not disqualify the exhibitor, as he (the judge) would be 
satisfied that no fraud was intended or perpetrated under the circum¬ 
stances ; but that is altogether different from the case mentioned last 
week of loose flowers being brought to a show in a box and tied on the 
plants ; and, for obvious reasons, that ought never to be allowed in the 
case of any plants placed in competition for prizes. 
Cucumbers without Bottom Heat (Subscriber). —The finest 
crop of Cucumbers we have seen was grown without bottom heat in a 
house that had been used for wintering bedding plants. It will answer 
very well to put in the rough prunings as you propose, and then the 
turfy loam. With the two rows of 4-inch pipes for top heat you could 
safely put out the Cucumber plants the first week in May; these if strong 
would afford fruit early in June and onwards away through the summer. 
Cardiff Castle is good for market, not being too large, of excellent form, 
heavy, and a greenish colour. Telegraph is a little larger. Those twa 
we recommend as reliable for any purpose. 
Cleaning Stone Pillars (B. S. T.).—You will find nothing better 
than muriatic acid for cleansing your stone pillars. The acid should be 
diluted with water, but if the green has become thoroughly established 
on the stone you had better use the acid almost pure at first, which will 
destroy the whole of the green, and the pillars in a few minutes can be 
washed white. If the pillars are not very badly affected equal parts of 
the acid and water will clean them thoroughly ; but this entirely depends- 
upon the stone, whether of a hard or soft material. If hard the acid 
must be lused stronger than is necessary when the stone is of a soft 
nature. The diluted acid can be applied with an old scrubbing brush, 
but care must be taken that it does not get upon your clothes, or it will 
burn and destroy them. Chloride of lime mixed with water will also- 
clean stone, but when it is of a hard nature it is not so effectual, besides- 
leaving an unpleasant smell for days afterwards, which is not the case: 
with muriatic acid. 
Znarchlng Vines (/>.).—There is no quicker and more certain 
way than uniting the young growth of a Vine in a pot to a growing 
lateral on an established Vine. As soon as the growths are firm enough 
to have a slice cut off each the work may be done, taking care that they 
are about of equal thickness, and that a good fit is made of the parts 
