500 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
and that yield sold at even a low price will bring in so much, and then 
to add instances of abnormal profits, appears to he an unjustifiable 
attempt to puif the present possibilities of bee-keeping. Such profits 
are occasionally made, and no doubt if only those men became bee- 
heepers who were suited to the care of bees in consonance with the 
author's views on the subject, expressed on pages 2 and .d,such instances 
would be less rare ; but in the present state of prices, and in view of 
results in different localities, it is certainly a mistake to give instances 
of great yields from go:od honey districts as criteria for the guide of 
one who wishes to become a tee-keeper if he can see that a fair profit 
may reasonably be expected from the pursuit. 
Another space which might have been more profitably filled is 
occupied by an argument which centres round the statement that 
■“ wood, not straw, is the bee’s choice of outside architecture.” This is 
surely a most unnecessary digression ; it seems like stating a case to 
show the advocate’s skill in refuting it. After all, these .are, perhaps, 
matters of minor importance, although we could have wished that by 
expunging excrescences the book could have been compressed into a 
smaller space and sold at a less price. 
As we might expect, the standard frame is recommended for the 
-adoption of the bee-keeper, and due stress is laid upon the necessary 
■observance of the rule to have all hives readily interchangeable in every 
part; in fact, the portion of the work treating on the practical manage¬ 
ment is admirably written and suitably illustrated, and we may con- 
■gratulate the author upon the production of a very succinct and valuable 
manual. It is not too concise, but in the latter pages especially pre¬ 
serves an admirable mean ; even the smallest points are noticed, 
provided they are of practical importance, and an instance of this is 
seen on page 2fi, where we read that when using “ enamel cloth quilts 
next to the frames it is essential that plenty of warm coverings should 
be placed above them, and the stock very strong, or the condensation 
of the atmosphere will produce too much dampness.” The instructions 
given in the paragraph devoted to “ Quieting and Handling Bees ” are 
well worth reading, but surely there is a mistake in the first few lines, 
where we read, “ Confidence in a great measure is the bee-keeper’s safe¬ 
guard ; skill, perhaps, ranks as second in importance.” Surely skill 
tegets confidence, at least equally as much as confidence begets skill, 
and, in our opinion, even in a greater degree ; for without skill there 
can be no confidence, but with skill there is rarely, if ever, a want of 
confidence. The chapters on “ breeding ” are lucid and good, but we are 
most pleased to note the author’s observation that the advice to 
•“ spread brood in spring time is the worst advice that can be given,” and 
his ‘‘ desire to see that manipulation banished entirely from the pages 
of bee manuals.” At last, the triumph of common sense seems 
imminent ! 
Although the appearance of the volume is somewhat marred by the 
black type at the head of each paragraph, still, in a popular work, 
aiming at giving the greatest possible amount of information in the 
manner in which it can be most easily, not only digested when found, 
but found without trouble when required, it is not too much to say 
that appearance should give way to a great extent to usefulness, and 
there can be no doubt th.at the encyclopedia style of dividing up e.ach 
portion of the work into paragraphs limited to the point specially under 
■discussion must, in conjunction with an admirably clear and wel- 
arranged index, do much to popularise a work, which in a certain space 
contains more information of value to a practical bee-keeper than we 
have seen in any other publication of a similar size.—F elix. 
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 wTite 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. 
Gas-heating Apparatus ((?. Shrewsbury ').—The testimonial is a 
very good one, but we cannot publish it, as we should be inundated with 
others, for which it would be impossible to find room. 
Sale (A. S .).—Why not try an advertisement in a local paper? 
There must be several purchasers in your district. The value depends on 
size and quality. 
Pears Decaying on the Tree (_Ebor ).—It is no unusual thing for 
r Jane 14, 1888. 
Pears that have been attacked by an insect while in the bloom to swell 
to a certain size and then fall off. Many Apples, and Pears too, drop 
shortly before arriving at maturity in consequence of an insect which 
has either burrowed into their side, or its larva being deposited while it 
wat in bloom, and it advances with the fruit. There is no preventive to 
this, but there are generally sufficient left unhnrt for a crop. 
Weevils on Doses (t?. 7/.).— The small beetle-like creatures you 
send .are highly destructive to Hoses and several other plants. The name 
of the weevil is Curculio or Otiorhyncus sulcatus. Catch all you can by 
examining the trees after dark with the aid of a light, and if the weevils 
are numerous quickly spread a white sheet on the ground for them to 
fall on, and they will then bo easily seen, and can be taken care of. 
They may be also caught early in the morning. If not caught they 
deposit eggs in the ground, from which grubs emerge, and then are as 
destructive to the roots of plants as the perfect insects are to the leaves. 
Zvles for Pot Culture ( IP. S. S.). —The small-leaved varieties, both 
green and variegated, are usually grown in pots for placing in vasc.s. 
The plants can be trained to any form required by securing the growths 
to wire trellises. All the varieties are suitable for the purpose. You do 
not state the number required, and you may safely leave the selection 
to a vendor. Plants can be had in different sizes established in pots, 
but for obvious reasons the larger the}^ are the higher is the price. They 
grow well in four parts of turfy loam, one each of leaf soil and decayed 
manure, with a little crushed lime rubbish and bruised charcoal for 
ensuring porosity. The pots may be plunged in ashes in the open 
ground, and the growth of the plants will be governed by the attention 
they receive in watering and cleanliness. 
Propagratlusr Dyclinls vespertina, fl. pi. (./. Wilson). — It is now 
too Late for propagating this fine perennial, unless the plant is 
an olil established one, in which case the requisite cuttings may bo 
present. In small plants they will not be forthcoming, as the flower 
stems are now making rapid progress. If you have convenience for 
doing so place your plant in slight warmth at the end of February or 
early in March. As soon as growth appears secure the rmlical shoots 
when 3 inches long or thereabouts, taking them off with a little hard 
wood attached. Insert in sandy soil in pots, and cover with bellglasses, 
having given a good watering previously, placing them on a cool base 
for a fortnight in a shady corner of the greenhouse. If at h.and a 
gentle bottom heat will assist them considerably at this stage, but on no 
account give either cuttings or parent plant excessive heat, as both 
speedily weaken, and the cuttings then rarely make good plants at all. 
Covent Garden Market Measures (J7. M.). — These, being 
often made either of osier or deal shavings, vary triflingly in size more 
than measures made of less flexible materials. Scahale Punnets. — 
8 inches diameter at the top, and inches at the bottom, and 2 inches 
deep. Radish Punnets. —8 inches Siameter and 1 inch deep, if to hold 
6 hands ; or 9 inches by 1 inch for 12 hands. Mushroom Puimcts .— 
7 inches by 1 inch. Saladiny Punnets. — 5 inches by 2 inches. Half 
Sieve. —Contains 3|^ imperial gallons. It averages 121- inches in 
diameter and 6 inches in depth. /Siere.—Contains 7 imperial gallons. 
Diameter 1.5 inches, depth 8 inches. A sieve of Peas is equal to 1 bushel; 
a sieve of Currants 20 quarts. Rushel Sieve. —lOi imperial gallons. 
Diameter at top 17J inches, at bottom 17 inches; depth inches. 
Bu.shel Basket.—OvLght, when heaped, to contain an imperial bushel. 
Diameter at bottom 10 inches, at top 14i inches ; depth 17 inches. 
Walnuts, Nuts, Apples, and Potatoes are sold by this measure. A bushel 
of the last-named cleansed weighs 5fi lbs., but 4 lbs. additional are 
allowed if they are not washed. A junk contains two-thirds of a bushel. 
Pottle —Is a long tapering basket that holds rather over a pint and a 
half. A pottle of Strawberries should hold half a gallon, but never 
holds more than 1 quart; a pottle of Mushrooms should weigh one pound. 
Hand —Applies to a bunch of Kadishes, which contains from twelve to 
thirty, or more, according to the season. Bundle —Contains six to twenty 
heads of Broccoli, Celery, &:c. ; Seakale twelve to eighteen heads; 
Rhubarb twenty to thirty stems, aecording to size ; and of Asparagus 
from 100 to 125. Bunch —Is applied of herbs, &c., and varies much in 
size, according to the season. A bunch of Turnips is twenty to twenty- 
five ; of Carrots thirty-six to forty ; of Greens as many as can be tied 
together by the roots. Early in the season when produce is scarce the 
lesser numb ts make up a bunch, later the bunches are Larger. 
Weevils on Vines (71 W.). —Your Vines are attacked by the 
destructive pest, which is referred to as follows by Mr. Barron in his 
useful work, “ Vines and Vine Culture ” The Vine Weevil (Curculio 
vitis), otherwise Otiorhyncus sulcatus, otherwise Otiorhyncus vastator ; 
and his smaller and less common congener, Otiorhyncus picipes. The 
former is of a dull black coldur, hard, round bodied, granulated, wing¬ 
less, having six legs, a blunt proboscis, and two antennae. Its length is 
about three-eighths of an inch, and its habits are nocturnal. The larvm 
arc of a dull white colour, legless, curved, and maggoty of appearance, 
and seem to have a gregarious tendency. The pupa is soft, of a dirty 
white tone, and more sensitive than pupiOj are in general. In the larva 
state, living whollj^ underground for a period not yet ascertained, this 
creature feeds upon the Vine roots, and gnaws them almost to a stump, 
enjoying especially the out-push of young fibres, and following every 
tender growth. This is the most destructive stage. Then, after about a 
fortnight passed in statu 2 >u 2 >illari, the weevil issues from the soil, and 
for several weeks perhaps feeds upon the foliage by night, and lurks 
about the neighbourhood by day. To strong and well-established Vines 
this pest may do much injury; to newly planted canes and those in 
pots it is often fatal. There seems to be no remedy—for who can 
