522 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r Jane SI, 18S3. 
If an extra strong s'srarm is to be secured, then the hive contain¬ 
ing the swarm must be placed in the exact position previously 
occupied by the old stock, and the latter must be placed in a new 
position. The swarm will then be increased in numbers at the 
oxpense of the old stock. Two things must be remembered in 
connection with hiving swarms as necessary to success :— 
1, The presence of the queen is essential. 
2, Moving the swarm as early as possible to the position it is 
intended permanently to occupy. 
Swarms may be expected to issue at any time during this month 
if proper attention is not given to crowded stocks, and if through 
such neglect a swarm does issue, it is better, notwithstanding the 
desire of the bee-keeper to manage his stocks on a non-swarming 
system, to accept the evil rather than to attempt to remedy it by 
returning the swarm to the present hive. Such attempts are rarely 
satisfactory, are always risky, and are therefore unprofitable. At¬ 
tention in the past will, to a great extent, prevent swarming in the 
present, and wiU insure, so far as it is possible to do so, a large 
harvest of honey in the future.— Felix. 
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. 
Weevils on Ferns (TF. J. Win^’liester ').— The weevils sent are 
the destructive Otiorhyncus sulcatus, which seems to be unusually 
plentiful this year. You will find information respecting it in reply to 
two correspondents on page 500, last week. 
Tacsonia (TF. A).—Judging from the specimens sent the variety 
appears distinct both in flowers and foliage. Are the whole of the 
flowers of the same character as the two sent ? On hearing from you 
we will refer to the variety again. 
Souvenir de IVIalmalson Carnation (//. Coster'). — The blooms, 
5 inches in diameter, are very good indeed, and half a dozen of such, 
produced by plants in G and 7-inch pots, indicate excellent cultivation. 
All the best Carnation growers thin the buds for obtaining superior 
blooms. 
Oak and Elm Trees Bleeding: (W. M. D., Ducks). — We fear you 
will have some difficulty in preventing the escape of sap from the trunks 
of your trees. Cement plasters might be tried, paring the bark to reduce 
the corrugations for the more effectual application of the cement. If 
any of our readers can suggest a better remedy, or point out a 
method they have found to answer in such a case, we will readily 
publish it. 
Duchesse d’Angrouleme Pear (^Alton ).—You ask if this variety 
is less hardy when blossoming than others, on the ground that your 
“ two trees of it which flowered profusely cast nine-tenths of the flowers, 
while Beurre Hardy, Beurre d’Amanlis, Mar(5chal de Cour, Doyenne du 
Comice, and several others in the same row set too thickly by half.” We 
have had similar experience in more than one season, and have been led 
to regard the variety in question as having somewhat tenderer blossoms 
than some others. This, however, may not agree with the experience of 
other cultivators, who may perhaps have something to say on the subject, 
and, if so, we shall be glad to hear from them. ’ 
Diseased Tomatoes (An Old Reader ).— Your fruits arc appa¬ 
rently attacked by a fungus described under the name of Sporocybe 
lycopersici, which causes the decayed spots and blotches at the crown 
of the fruit. Some practical growers, however, consider that it is occa¬ 
sioned, or at least facilitated, by imperfect feitilisation, and an exami¬ 
nation of the fruits seems to confirm that view. Deformed fruits are 
caused in a similar way, as a deficient vitality leads to the attack of 
disease. Hemove and burn all affected fruits, and it is probable, if the 
disease has not spread much, that the later fruits, fertilised under more 
favourable circumstances, will come satisfactorily. Do not allow too 
much moisture in the air. 
Pansies ( D.). —The yellow ground is very rich and the flower of 
good form, but the band of colour in the top petals mt clearly defined. 
We c.an understand an earlier flower being larger and better, and even 
equal to some named varieties. The double flower is rich and good for 
garden decoi'ation, but the petals are not smooth enough at the edges for 
exhibition purposes. We have a variety similar, if not identical, ob¬ 
tained from a packet of see I, and others from the same batch superior 
in form—more circular. We think the yellow ground the more meri¬ 
torious, and it closely resembles the variety Evelyn Bruce. The Pinks 
apparently belong to the Dianthus deltoidcs group, but such fragments 
cannot be determined. 
Crapes Shrinking (TF. IF. G.). —If there is no mildew on the 
Vines, and we fail to perceive any on the few berries sent, we conclude 
they arc what gardeners term “ scalded.” Some Grapes arc more tender 
and liable to injury in the early stages than others. On page 408 last 
week, it is stated that “ Muscats and Lady Downe’s completing the 
stoning process, should have air abundantly, sufficient waimth being 
kept in the hot-water pipes to maintain a night temperature of G5° to 
70^, and 5° to 10° more artificially in the daytime, as if they are kept 
cold and close they arc, if the weather prove bright, liable to scald.” 
To this we may add, the danger is still greater if the ventilators are kept 
closed too long in the morning, then opened too widely at once 
for reducing the temperature. We have known a house of Grapes 
at the same stage as yours to be spoiled by one mistake of that kind on a 
S unday morning. 
Grubs In Strawberry Bed QSwanek/Jl). —The grub sent is the 
larvre of the Hose chafer—a beetle about three-quarters of an inch long, 
and shining golden green in colour, which deposits eggs in the ground 
in the summer, where maggots hatch from them and feed for two or 
three years. It is questionable if anything will destroy them without 
injuring the plants, and the best thing you can do is to prepare ground 
distant from the present bed, and if strong well rooted runners arc 
planted now or early in July they will bear next year. By planting 
them a foot apart, or three triangularly at 2 feet intervals, we have had 
as manVand as fine Strawberries the following year as from old esta¬ 
blished beds. You might try the effect of soaking the ground with 
clear lime water, ammoniacal liquor from gas works diluted with five 
times the quantity of water, or with soapsuds, into which a wineglass¬ 
ful of petroleum is briskly stirred in each gallon, keeping it off the 
foliage of the plants. Your safe course, however, is to establish a new 
plantation and destroy the old bed, digging gas lime into the ground 
thus vacated at the rate of a quarter of a pound to each square yard of 
surface, and not cropping for two or three months afterwards. 
Irises not Flowering- (^Camhruhje ).—We presume your plants are 
German or Flag Irises, of which there are many beautiful varieties. 
Some of these are less vigorous and floriferous than others, but the great 
majority grow and flower well in fertile soil, and not heavily shaded or 
overgrown by trees and shrubs. When left undisturbed for several 
years large clumps form, these being composed of a number of weak 
growths that cannot flower, their weakness being the result of over¬ 
crowding, coupled with necessarily impoverished soil. Now, or when¬ 
ever the weather is showery, well rooted divisions of the best offsets 
should be planted in free .and fertile soil, made so by .adding'manure, if 
poor, and gritty matter if of a close heavy nature. Autumn or spring is 
the time usually recommended for planting, and is gener.ally convenient, 
but if good divisions are planted now, kept fresh by watering as may be 
required, and spreading manure on the ground over the roots, a season 
will be gained in your case, as the plants would in all probability be 
strong enough in the autumn for flowering next year. We planted a 
numberof moderatesized offsets last June,and they are now strongplants 
with stout stems bearing from three to six handsome flowers in colours as 
rich as Cattleyas and more diversified. There is a magnificent display of 
German Irises at Chiswick. 
Early Peaches (J. E. S .).—You are quite right in regarding 
Early Beatrice as one of the most useful, though, as you say, the fruits 
are not large, though their size depends very much on the condition of 
the trees and the weight of the crop. The description of Alexander, for 
which you ask, is as follows ; it is larger than Early Beatrice, and we 
think the first that Mr. Rivers sends to Covent Jarden :—“ Fruit, about 
medium size ; round, with a well-marked suture, which terminates at 
the apex in a depression, in which there is a small point. Skin, com¬ 
pletely covered with bright red approaching to scarlet where it is ex¬ 
posed to the sun, and this is coloured with broken streaks and patches 
of dark crimson ; on the shaded side it is yellow, slightly stained with 
crirnson. Stalk, inserted in a deep and wide cavity. Flesh, pale yel¬ 
lowish white, without any stain of red even round the stone, to which it . 
adheres firmly ; remarkably delicate and very juicy, with a fine briskly 
vinous flavour. Flowers, large. Leaves, with round glands, which have 
sometimes a tendency to be kidney-shaped. A very early Peach, which 
ripens in an unheated orchard house from the 12th to the 20th of July. 
Its only fault is being a clingstone, for its flesh is so tender it quite 
melts before it can be separated from the stone. It was introduced from 
America by Mr. Rivers, from whom Dr. Hogg received it in 1878.” 
Destroying- Ants (//. D., Leicester). —We do not suppose the 
ants will eat the roots of your Melons, but if they form nests in the bed 
