414 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Mi'y 17, 18?*. 
and breadths, and fit exactly to the surface of the glass opposite 
the paper design. Now paint the edge of the foundation and the 
glass opposite the paper with strong gum, and steady foundation 
with blocks until it has set, when it may be placed in or on the 
hive. If properly done there will be no trace of anything to mar 
the beauty of the bellglass. 
MY OWN APIARY. 
Notwithstanding the backwardness of the season all my hives, 
l)y the aid of peameal and natural stores only, are in an advanced 
state, with one or two exceptions. I have not even distui’bed a 
single covering nor fed any bees. All manipulations during winter 
und spring after October should be dispensed with, except in cases 
where either foul brood or a queenless stock is suspected. Stimu¬ 
lating by feeding does more harm than good, spreading brood the 
same, and the systematic practice of breaking sealed honey is but a 
waste of both it and bee life. Any of these manipulations are un¬ 
necessary. We put our bees in the autumn with a sufficient supply 
of natural gathered honey, and in as many cases as we possibly can 
with large stores of pollen. We have yet to see a pollen-bound 
hive, but our hives are of size consistent with rational bee-keeping, 
and the ventilating floors keep our bees and combs dry, and the 
former healthy and hardy. The entrances to our hives are kept 
narrow during the winter and spring, and I am now waiting 
patiently, if not anxiously, for sunshine to give more doorway to 
my populous hives, the result of my recorded management in this 
the most untoward season for bees. 
CORREWONDENCE. 
Amongst the many letters I am receiving the following one 
from the north and the other from the south of Scotland will, 
perhaps, be interesting to your readers, and goes to verify the 
foregoing. “ J. C. T.” says :—“ For my own part you know I 
am no trader, simply an enthusiast, but like most bee-keepers, 
started on wrong lines and have suffered much loss thereby. If 
I must again start anew I would much like to make sure of a hive 
•which has stood the test of a practical bee-keeper, so that I would not 
have to change again.” “ W. H. C. D.” says, “ The one half of my 
hives I had fitted with ventilating floors have stood the winter 
well, being perfectly dry, the bees well preserved and healthy. 
The other half are not so satisfactory ; the floors are damp and 
the combs mouldy, and many of the bees are dead. I will, the first 
opportunity, have them all altered to your pattern.” 
This is simply the hive I have described previously, which I 
hove used with but slight alterations for forty years, w'hich has been 
long known as the square Stewarton and Lanarkshire hive, but now' 
claimed by novices.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper, 
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. 
CLorrespondents should not mix up on the same sheet Questions 
relating to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, anJ 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. 
Palntlngr Peacb Bouse (IF. H. M .').—We consider it most im¬ 
prudent to paint a Peach house inside when the trees are in flower, and 
should not expect a good crop of fruit after the process. 
Greenhouse Rhododendrons (F. II. B .').—A selection of varieties 
and cultural notes were given in this Journal, page 661, December 29th, 
1887. 
Cinerarias (G. II.'), —The blooms are fine, one especially so. The 
fasciated stem is curious, and it may be w'orth trying to preserve both 
by suckers and seeds. 
Xilllum candldum Diseased (J. C .).—The disease is caused by a 
fungus (Peronospora), concerning which we hope to publish some par¬ 
ticulars shortly, as similar examples were recently submitted to the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Scientific Committee for examination. 
The course you propose to adopt is the best under the circumstances. 
Hardy Xilllums (An Old Suhscviher). —The following do well with 
us outdoors :—L. candidum, L. croceum, L. longiflorum Harrisi, L. 
tigrinum splendens, L. auratum, English-grown bulbs being planted, 
and L. lancifolium or speciosum varieties. If more are wanted add 
L. chalcedonicum, L. testaceum, L. Humboldti, L. superbum, L. colchicum, 
L. Thunbergianum , and L. umbellatum fulgidum. 
Peaches not Setting- (77. C. TF.).—Many blossoms have failed to 
set on trees grown against walls in the open air this spring, chiefly, no 
doubt, in consequence of frosts accompanied by cold easterly winds 
being prevalent during the blossoming period. Netting and similar light 
coverings do not, nor cannot, ensure good crops of fruit in all seasons 
and districts, but are serviceable during the majority of seasons, and 
often effectual. 
Dandelions on Dawns (F. B. Taunton). —We know of no better 
plan than the one that has been many times mentioned of dropping 
sulphuric acid exactly into the centres of the plants. It is usually kept 
in a stone blacking bottle, with wire round for carrying it, a stick with 
several notches cut in it an inch upwards from the end being plunged in 
for drawing out the liquid and applying to the weeds. It is quite useless 
if not placed full in the hearts of the plants, but one or two drops there 
burn down into the roots. The acid must not touch the hands, clothes, or 
boots, nor should the stick be rubbed on the grass, or brown unsight'y 
marks will be left on the lawn. A handy workman soon becomes expert 
in the use of the acid. We have seen boys do more harm than good 
with it, and the work is not suitable for women. 
Pig Trees Casting Prult (A Sulscriher). —The chief cause of 
Figs shedding their fruit is imperfect or non-impregnation, and arises 
from the trees not having a sufficiency of sun and air, the growths not 
being fully exposed to light so as to thoroughly solidify the growth as 
it is made, too high a temperature in the early stages of forcing, and an 
uncertain supply of water at the roots. With properly constructed 
borders Fig trees can hardly be overwatered after the fruit commences 
swelling until it changes for ripening. The fruit sent presents the ap¬ 
pearance of being scorched at the apex, probably a consequence of the 
sun acting powerfully upon it whilst wet, air not beine given sufficiently 
early to dissipate the moisture proportionately with the advancing 
temperature. It, however, was not fertilised, hence its falling. 
Stra-wberrles Dying — Peach Scalded (F. G.). —The Straw¬ 
berries appear to be two or more years old—that is, offsets from old 
plants seem to have been potted, instead of runners having been 
rooted for growing into healthy young plants. Offsets from an 
enfeebled stock often collapse when the crop is advancing, the strain 
on the plants being too great for them to endure. Secure runners from 
young and healthy, not from old and semi-exhausted plants, and with 
good cultural attention they will not fail. There is nothing in your 
letter to enable us to form any definite opinion on the apparent scalding 
of the Peach. You do not say whether it was exposed or shaded, nor 
detail your practice as to syringing, temperature, and ventilation. It 
appears to be the Amsden, an American variety, and is perhaps super¬ 
seded by the Alexander. 
Boses under Glass QS. 8.). —If you read Mr. W. Bardney’s 
article on page 379 last week, you will observe that he advises portable 
roof lights or sashes, in order that they can be removed for ripening the 
wood, and inducing early and complete rest, when blooms are required 
in the winter or early spring; and there are few, if any, cultivators 
more entitled to be listened to on the subject, for 'we have seen Roses in 
his charge flowering as freely at Christmas and onward through the 
winter as at any time during the whole year. But Mar^chal Niel is 
not grown for winter, but rather for spring flowering. When you ask 
whether “ it is necessary to have the sashes removable, or whether 
ample top and bottom ventilation would be all that is needful,” our 
reply is that we have seen equally good results under both systems 
When we see as fine blooms as are sent into Covent Garden in April cut 
from plants under a fixed roof, the grower of them would not deem 
moveable sashes “ necessary,” though another grower who removes the 
sashes in the autumn and has similarly fine blooms might think his 
plan the better. It is thus a question of management. More Mar^chal 
Niel Roses are probably cut from under fixed roofs than in houses from 
which tire sashes are removed for a time. With the sashes portable you 
have a choice in the matter, as you can take them off or leave them on 
as you wish ; but such a roof is more costly than a fixed one, and the 
Mar^chal Niels referred to on the page quoted last week as being so 
well grow'n by Mr. E. Trollope were grown under a fixed roof. As the 
question then resolves itself into one of outlay and individual aptitude 
no one can be expected to settle the matter so well as yourself. As to 
shading, unless the glass is very inferior, and Roses are in good soil and 
under good management, they do not require to be shaded by covering 
the glass with anything at any period of the year. 
