268 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Mirch 29. 1888. 
vanced state that cannot be contracted ? Instead of being unable 
to fill 10 square feet of comb at the height of the season, several 
Syrian stocks have that space filled at present, and they were but 
nuclei in August. We want not only a strong hive of bees, but 
bee-keepers who know how to have full hives. 
CARNIOLIANS THE BEST. 
Taking everything into consideration, including the timidity of 
bee-keepers, I strongly advise the adoption of the Carniolian bee. 
They are undoubtedly the hardiest and most docile race of bees we 
possess, while their honey gathering propensities are good ; besides, 
they frequent the receptacles of grease less, if at all, than any 
other variety, hence the purity of their comb. Bee-keepers going 
in for these bees should be careful to have queens from a reliable 
source, so that they are pure and come of a proper strain. Some 
■dealers are not very particular in this matter, which I have good 
proof of. The pure Carniolian bee should be in shape not unlike 
the Ligurian, the whole of its pubescence of a light silvery grey, 
as well as the rings on its abdomen. There ought not to be any 
visible yellow band, although sometimes a rusty brown may be 
detected on the first ring of the belly, and when viewed against a 
window the two first bands appear slightly golden. Such, then, are 
the main features of this bee. Is it possible that imported queens 
•can be other than pure ? To settle the question on these, as well as 
the Ligurian bee, Mr. Frank Benton says, speaking of queens— 
Some Carniolian queens are as yellow as Italians, yet they in¬ 
variably produce workers and drones which are distinctively Car- 
miolian.” My own experience. “ Yellow workers are not found in 
Carniolia, while black bees—natives, too, and not imported, exist 
in Italy,” confirming the opinion of many that true mongrels were 
imported to this country as pure Italians, and the reason I dis¬ 
continued keeping Italian bees. “ I neither keep nor breed Italian 
queens, and the only drones in my apiary, or in this part of 
Carniolia, are Carniolians.” 
The above few quotations out of many with my remarks have 
been given because of many inquiries on the subject were prompted 
through an article written by “W. R.” in another Journal, in 
which article he stated that “ F. B.” had Ligurians in his Carniolian 
apiary, a statement not in accordance with facts. It is to be hoped, 
however, that such strictures in regard to the best bee known will 
not deter bee-keepers from applying in the proper direction, and 
become possessed of these amiable and profitable bees, as they 
Slave long since proved themselves to be to— A L.\.n.\rkshire 
Bee-keepeu. 
TR.4DE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 
Harrison & Sons, Leicester .—Catalogue of Farm Seeds. 
* 0 ® 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. 
Books (JiA'.).—A clieap work on Orchids is published at this office, 
price Is., post free Is. 2Jd. (0.//.).—The “ Chrysanthemum Annual for 
18SS " has just been issued, price Is., post free Is. Id., from the publisher 
at this office. ()('. Jtoddy'). —We do not know the book you name, pos¬ 
sibly your friend is mistaken. 
Ifame of Violet ( Vlolrf). —The Violet is Belle de Chatenay, which 
is of another type—viz., of the odorata section ; Count Brazza, White 
Neapolitan, is of the italica type, and the best white Violet, but it re¬ 
quires frame treatment in winter. 
IVXadame Ziambard Bose (^Hayes'). —Few Roses are more variable 
than this, and it is not unusual for a plant to produce blooms of 
different shades of colour. The example you send is one of the darkest 
we have seen, but whether plants raised from buds taken from the shoot 
would produee similarU’’ dark blooms constantly can only be deter¬ 
mined by experiment. 
Tuberous Beg'onlas (.1. XewelT). —You have done well in ex¬ 
hibiting these plants nine times and ^ing awarded nine first prizes. 
We cannot enter into personal questions in connection with public con¬ 
troversy. Persons may entertain quite different views on a matter yet 
be equally honest in their convictions, and we have found after no slight 
experience that those who impute motives usually betray themselves. 
Orcbld Collections (^Sheffield'). —We are unable to comply with 
your request, as to publish the information in the form suggested woukl 
be the reverse of agreeable to most of the persons mentioned, and would 
inevitably lead to protests and disputation. A list of the leading growers 
is published in Mr. Lewis Castle’s work on Orchids, and descriptions of 
leading collections have appeared from time to time in our columns. 
Heating' Creenhouse (J. F. f7.).—The cubic contents of the house 
are about 2500 feet. To heat the house suffieiently for Pelargoniums, 
Azaleas, Cyclamen, &c., two rows of 4-inch pipes— i.e., a flow and return 
along one end and the front, will be sufficient to maintain in the severest 
weather a temperature of 40° to 45° at night and 45° to 60° by day the 
proper temperature for a greenhouse during the winter months. It is 
not necessary to have the pipes all round the house, the back wall being 
in favour of the heating, a somewhat lessened quantity of piping being 
required than if it had been glass. 
Improving Ba'wn (A- LI.).—The mixture referred to could 
scarcely fail to do good if the soil is impoverished. It would be ad¬ 
visable to “ comb” out much of the moss with a small iron rake having 
sharp teeth, and if the grass is thin it would be advisable to sow some 
lawn grass and white Clover seeds; then if a little sifted soil contain¬ 
ing a liberal admixture of lime could be applied, the seeds would be 
protected from birds, and the lawn generally improved. The fertilisers 
may be applied in addition to the soil dressing, or without it, as may be 
most convenient to yourself. 
Tuberoses not Plo-werlng (i?. S."). —Judging from the specimen 
received we think the cause of the flower stem being blind is due to a 
check, probably when the plants were removed from the bottom heat, 
it not having been done gradually so as to avert a sudden cessation of 
nutriment, or it might have been occasioned by removing from the 
stove to the vinery, the former, we presume, being fully 6° warmer than 
the latter. Sometimes Tuberoses go blind through the roots being lifted 
before the flower buds are fully formed in embryo, the growth not being 
completed, and though they throw up flower stems they rarely expand 
satisfactorily. 
Weevils on Ferns (IF. H.).—The bettle-like insect you have 
sent is the destructive Otiorhynchus sulcatus. When numerous they 
do much damage, eating almost any kinds of plants, and they seem to 
have a special liking for Ferns. As they feed chiefly at night, that is 
the time to attack them, and if the plants arc in pots they can be shaken 
violently over a white sheet for dislodging the enemy. They are easily 
seen on a white surface, and can be the better prevented from escaping 
than if less visible on a brown mat. Solutions of tobacco and quassia 
water, not so strong as to injure the plants, have been recommended for 
rendering them distasteful to the weevils. 
Potting Odontoglossum Alexandrae (IF.).—The plants are 
usually potted at the end of August or during September, as the sun boat 
is then declining and there is less danger of their suffering. It could, 
however, be done now if the plants have flowereil or are not too much 
advanced in growth. When plants are in full growth it is always 
inadvisable to repot them, as they are very readily checked and perhaps 
permanently injured. Any of your Odontoglossums still flowering or 
growing freely should be left until after summer, unless you like to 
sacrifice the flowers for the benefit of the plants, and if the latter are not 
strong this will be a gooil course to adopt, as bearing the flowers long is 
very weakening. 
Hardy Bamboos ^Somerset'). —These will probably succeed well 
with you, but they should have a sheltered situation. Prepare the soil 
by digging deeply, incorporating a little leaf mould and old manure, 
and place the plants out in April. They will not need the tubs, indeed 
they will probably succeed better planted out if well supplied with 
water during the summer. You may add to those you possess (Bambusa 
Metake and B. Maximowiczi), B. falcata, also known as Arundinaria or 
Thalamocalamus, and B. viridi-glaucesens, both strong growing and 
distinct, especially the latter. Nageia japonica might be grown in warm 
situations in the West of England, but it is usually grown in a green¬ 
house. Write to Messrs. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Peaches under Glass (<S. i?. IF.).—As a rule the longer the petals 
remain fresh the better the fruit sets. You will have no difficulty in 
knowing when this is acc^Gfplished, as the flowers that fail to .set soon 
