478 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 7, 1888. 
and the obstinacy of the bees to accept a queen or to raise a queen 
from worker eggs when a fertile worker is present amongst them. 
Although we cannot solve all these mysterious phenomena, I think 
it may be safely said that bees do not think, or they would act 
differently from what they do in many ways. Their virtues and 
good qualities must be attributed to instinct. 
STOCKS FOR NEXT SEASON. 
During the next six weeks attention should be given to selecting 
queens and forming nuclei for next year’s stocks. There is no rule 
to guide bee-keepers how to select the best queens. So far as man 
knows he is at fault here if he pretends to know either a cell or 
queen that will surpass normal ones that have gone before or to 
fall short of them. Much has been written on this subject, both 
on the selecting of the cells and queens, which would have been as 
well left unsaid. My advice is, if a queen is undersized, or if a 
royal cell is smooth having little wax expended on it, destroy it, 
and if you have a choice of a thin but longish queen or a short 
thickish one, select the latter.—A L.vxarksiiike 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. 
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. 
XiaburnuTU (IF. <§.).—We have received the branch bearing yellow 
and reddish purple flowers, and have seen hundreds similar. The tree 
is Cytisns Adami, which originated from a bud of C. purpureus inserted 
in C. alpinus by C. Adam, a nurseryman at Vitry, near Paris, in 1825. 
The yellow flower on the branch is C. alpinus. 
Xiizuriant Peach Trees (iZ. IF).—We only received your letter 
just as we are going to press. The specks are not caused by insects. 
The growth is so exuberant that the leaves cannot elaborate the sap. 
Admit all the air practicable, and employ no more moisture than abso¬ 
lutely necessary for cleanliness. In the autumn carry out your proposi¬ 
tion, which is practically in accordance with the advice given to a 
correspondent on page loO last weak. 
Plung-ingr Chrysanthemums (T. B .').—A categorical reply cannot 
be given to your question. We know of so-called Vine borders in which 
Chrysanthemum pots might be plunged a few inches deep without 
injuring the Vines, because practically all the fibrous or food-imbibing 
roots are outside the space originally provided for them ; but we should 
not like to plunge “ Chrysanthemum pots all over a border ” that is 
filled with the fibrous roots of V ines. 
TTarclssus Buds Withering' (C B. JJ .").—It is not uncommon for 
some of the buds of the Poet’s Narciss, and especially of the beautiful 
double variety, to shrivel. Whether those from the stronger bulbs open in 
your case, and those from the weaker fail, we have no means of knowing, 
but that is so in some cases. It will probably be a good plan to dig up 
the bulbs when the leaves have turned quite yellow, sort them into sizes, 
and plant them in rows or groups in deeply dug and enriched ground as 
■soon as convenient afterwards. It,is not desirable to keep them out of 
the ground very long, nor to dry them in the sun. 
Tobacco Cloth (I?. IF).—This varies in quality, and we have 
found some more effectual in destroying insects and Ic.ss deleterious.to^ 
vegetation than others. As we cannot undertake to subject articles that 
are sent to us to analysis, and as an inspection is insufficient for deter¬ 
mining the quality of tobacco cloth, your experience must have greater 
weight than the expression of an opinion under those circumstances. 
Tobacco cloth and paper should only be purchased from vendors of 
, repute, ■who guarantee it safe when properly used. 
Hyacinths Falling (fr. F. /?.).—^You omit to state one important 
matter in your letter—namely, the time when the bulbs were planted, 
and possibly this may have had something to do with the result. We 
have seen whole beds fail from late planting if the bulbs had not been 
kept in a suitable place. Old bulbs will often prove unsatisfactory in the 
same way, and sharp frosts or keen winds when the leaves or flow'ers are 
showing cause similar injury. We have examined the bulbs sent, but 
can find nothing in their condition to account for their failure. 
Narcissi not Flo'werlng (^Camliridfie ').—When the flowers arc 
cut immediately they open, or almost before, for they expand readily in 
water, the leaf growth is stronger and the bulbs much better supported 
than can possibly be the case when the flowers remain to form seed pods, 
and these left till the growth -withers. This is common in many gardens, 
though possibly not in yours, and expert growers take care not to make 
such a mistake. You had better take up the bulbs, sort and replant 
them as is advised in a reply to another correspondent. 
SXoss In Watercress Beds (C. J/. 7?.).—An extensive W.atercress 
grower who has been consulted on the subject says he is sometimes 
bothered with the same kind of moss, especially in newly dug beds. 
He attributes this to the poverty of the soil, and the only remedy he 
has for destroying it is to clean all out and start afresh, using plenty 
of good rich soil to plant in. You can check the progress of the moss 
now by occasionally drawing a birchbroom lightly through the water, 
and by following the above example you will have better results next 
time. 
Tblnnlng Victoria Plums (F. Jl).—The fruit should he thinned 
in proportion to the vigour of the tree. If very vigorous it will 
bring to perfection more fruit than were it only moderately so, and 
more if moderately vigorous than weak. Two or three fruit would 
be sufficient to leave on each cluster, in order to have them a good 
size and to finish satisfactoriljq and about two such, or half a dozen 
fruit to each square foot, would be an ample crop. We should not, 
however, thin too severely at first, but allow the fruit to swell freely 
before reducing it to the quantity required for the crop, and it is best 
done gradually, a few at a time or each day in preference to removing 
a large quantity at once, leaving a few more than will be required to 
meet casualties. 
Grass Bdglngr — We do not know of anything you could 
plant along the grass edging that would keep it from crumbling down, 
unless it be Yarrow, which succeeds admirably on a light soil, and keeps 
green in the driest weather. Lotus corniculatus minor is also c.xcellent. 
We fear they would be difficult to establish on the edge of the turf, but 
the seed might be inserted on the top, and growing plants would soon 
spread so as to give a good edging, especially the Yarrow. 
Tree Carnations QShenley ').—These Carnations do not “ damp off 
and the leaves become brown before the plants attain any size ” if 
properly managed. If y ou had described the treatment of your plants 
or cuttings we could perhaps have indicated where you erred. Stout 
healthy cuttings are essential to begin with,-and these strike in sandy 
soil in a close case or frame, or under bellglas.ses, but the moment they 
are rooted, and fresh leaves show signs of growth, they must have full 
exposure, and all the light and air possible for insuring sturdy growth. 
It is well to strike them in separate 2-iiich pots, as then they can be 
transferred to larger without breaking the roots, shifting them when 
roots are seen through the drainage, and using turfy loam with a sixth 
part of decayed manui-e and a little bruised charcoal, potting firmly. 
A cold frame is suitable for them at this season, with the sash drawn 
off day and night in fine weather when the plants are in free growth. 
They are often drawn and spoiled in greenhouses during the summer, 
and damp off if kept too close when young. Light greenhouses are 
suitable for them in the -winter. There is no pamphlet such as you 
appear to desire, but a practical work on florists’ flowers can, we think, 
be obtained from Mr. James Douglas, Great Gearies, Ilford. The spray 
you send is of Cerasus Padus, the Bird Cherry. 
Plants for the Conservatory (IF. S. N.).—You could have 
Achiraenes in good condition throughout the months of September and 
October. To do this you should keep a few old plants, and take cuttings 
from them. The old plants could be grown in your vineries. The 
cuttings should be inserted in 5 and G-inch pots, and would root quickly 
in the stove, and could then be grown in the lean-to house. Gloxinias 
would be useful raised from seed sown in February or even in March ; 
also Begonia Knowsleyana, B. Ingrami, B. Carrieri, and the whole of 
the B, semperflorens section. The tuberous kinds would also do service 
then if the tubers were started late. For the last month Bouvardias 
could be had. Salvia splendens. Heliotropes, Mignonette, and 
Ehodanthes, which take about three months to come into flower from 
the time the seed is sown. Early flowering Chrysanthemums in variety 
could be had in quantity—for in.stance, Madame Desgrange and its 
golden form G. Wermig, La Vierge, 'as well as several others that flower 
earlier than these. Zonal Pelargoniums, single and double, as well as 
Ivyleaf varieties, are invaluable for flowering during those months. 
Abutilons, Petunias single and double, Fuchsias, Lilium lancifolium 
rubrum and album can be had then ; so can Primulas in quantity, both 
the varieties of sinensis and P. obconica. Cyclamens may be had in 
flower in October, and Roman Hyacinths after the middle of the latter 
month. 
Banana Culture (A Suiscriher .')—The chief essentials for grow¬ 
ing Bananas are light, lofty, well heated houses, rough rich soil, and 
abundance of water. The plants may be fruited in large tubs, but they 
