56 
[ July 16, 1891. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
(“ Lanarkshire,”) speaking of the next hive class, “ The first prize was 
awarded to an English one. Both instances were decided by English 
Judges, Messrs. Hooker and Abbott.” This is incorrect; I never acted 
as a judge at any exhibition in Scotland. I was not in Scotland the 
next year, 1876, and personally know nothing about that Show. In the 
report in the “British Bee Journal,” page 102, vol. iv., for that year the 
following names are given :—“ The Judges for honey were Messrs. 
Abbott, Shearer, Saunders, Findlay, and Anderson, and owing to the 
great beauty of the produce brought to the Show they had great diffi¬ 
culty in deciding the prizetakers. The hives ancl appliances were 
judged by Messrs. Shearer and Findlay, assisted by the “ Renfrewshire 
Bee-keeper.” The names of the Judges are not given in the report of 
the 1877 Show. “Lanarkshire” says, “The principal Judge was Mr. 
Symington, the peascmeal man.” This is another random statement, 
for Mr. Symington was a manufacturer of quite a different article and 
not “ the peasemeal man.” 
“ As for excluder zinc being an improvement on supering the idea is 
amusing.” “ The Stewarton system has not been improved upon.” “ It 
is a well-known fact that queen excluder zinc has as yet been a failure, 
-&c., &c.” These are statements not borne out by facts. All the largest 
Roney producers in England and America use queen excluder zinc, and 
would not do without it on any account. I could give a long list of names 
of these if you would insert them. When I'tell you that Messrs. Harvey 
have sold between one and two tons of the British pattern adver¬ 
tised in your paper this season, you will see there are a good many who 
think differently to “A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper.” Does he think, because 
a thing is capable of improvement, it is a failure ? Was the first loco¬ 
motive a failure because those at present in use are great improvements 
on it ? He goes on to say :—“ The best way of using excluder zinc is as I 
■described it six or seven years ago and which has been copied elsewhere, 
the plan of cutting it in narrow strips and running it between the bars.” 
At what date did this appear in the Journal of Horticulture ? “ I am 
pretty certain that if excluder zinc was used in our hives at the Heather 
there would be few supers. The bees swell to such an extent, &c.” Had 
41 Lanarkshire ” used excluder he would know for certain that bees 
filled whether in a honey glut of either Clover or Heather, they have no 
difficulty in passing through the same. 
There never has been a hive accepted as standard by the British 
Bee-keepers’ Association. After a good many meetings a frame of a 
certain size was adopted and has not since been altered. I am at a 
loss to understand what is meant by the following statement :—“ At 
my suggestion, but not till then, was an effort made to rectify the 
error indicated.” No alteration has been made in the size of the 
standard frame, and there are not two sizes of frame. This is another 
random statement, and is incorrect. I am asked to explain why “ they 
have abandoned their original styles of hives and are adapting ours, 
which have been in use so long, although not prizetakers.” I do not 
understand the question. If by “ they ” he means the Association, I 
can only repeat “ they ” never had any particular style of hive. Neither 
<lo I understand the kind of hive referred to as “ ours,” which certainly 
has not been “ adopted.” 
It is easy to say I did this or invented that so many years ago, but 
statements without dates or reference are not worth much. Why not 
say when and where mentioned, that others may judge for themselves if 
this was so and if the invention bears any similarity ? —John M. Hooker, 
9, Beaufort Gardens , Lewisham, S.E. 
[*The name of Mr. McLauchlan published last week was a misprint, 
and ought to have been Lauchland. Mr. Hooker has a right to this 
rejoinder, and though he has not attempted to justify his allegation of 
“ A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper ” claiming credit for inventions and im¬ 
provements not his own, we do not wish for any reply to this com¬ 
munication, nor any more disputations between our able correspondents.] 
s ' 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 
unavoidably. We request that no one will write privately 
to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to 
unjustifiable trouble 'nd 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 communications. 
Fruit and Vegetable Farm (77. TV.).—We are obliged by your 
postcard. We know the farm very well, and under capable manage¬ 
ment the enterprise ought to prove successful. Further experience is 
needed for the development of facts in which the public would be 
interested. 
Mignonette (Anxious). —You cannot grow the plants by dates and 
measurements, no matter by whom given, but you must exercise your 
intelligence in carrying out instructions, not permitting the plants to be 
root-bound before shifting them, nor allowing the growths to get hard 
prematurely. Your letter shall be submitted to the writer of the 
excellent article referred to. 
Making Cider (A. B., India'). —A practical illustrated handbook 
on making cider, by Mr. J. M. Trowbridge, i3 published by the Orange 
Judd Company, 52 and 54, Lafayette Tlace, New York, from whom you 
can obtain all the particulars you need respecting the appliances. 
Refreshing and wholesome drinks can be made from different kinds of 
fruits, including those you mention. A standing rule of this office 
forbids our answering your third question through these columns. 
Your first was answered on page 12, our issue of the 2nd inst. 
Tomatoes not Setting (7^. 7?.).—The plants are much too hot, 
close, and moist, as is evidenced by the Melons being “ attacked by 
canker as soon as planted, at least they damp off.” The only remedy is 
more air and a not less genial condition of the atmosphere. Canker is 
induced by the stagnation of the plant tissues and the deposition and 
continued presence of moisture on the stem, and non-setting of Tomatoes 
is a result of confined air, ill-formation and development of the flowers, 
the condensation of moisture on and consequent inertness of the fructi¬ 
fying organs. Admit more air, a little constantly in dull weather and 
at night, and restrict the roots so as to insure the solidification of the 
growth as made, which is essential to fruitfulness. 
Summer Pruning Plum Trees [Kent). —1, The spurs of the wall 
tree ought to be cut back now so as to admit light and air to the 
fruit, but the pruning should not be done excessively, or it may have the 
effect of inducing late growth and prevent the maturing of the wood and 
buds. Judiciously thinning and moderately shortening the long growth 
would be preferable to close pruning ; this would insure the fruit ripen¬ 
ing as well as the development of the buds for next year’s bearing, and 
the solidification of the wood so essential to health and fruitfulness. 2, 
You do not say whether the standard tree produces blossom or not. If 
weakly a judicious thinning of the head would be advisable, and there 
is no better time than the present, removing the oldest and weakest 
growth or where most crowded. Many trees fail in producing fruit 
simply because the buds are eaten by bullfinches or the blossoms destroyed 
by frost. 
Figs Ripening Unevenly (Pericles). —This is occasioned by the 
“ fit and start ” formation of the flesh, some parts having the juices 
highly elaborated and assimilated, whilst others are badly digested and 
the parts are soft and watery. The cause of decay is usually due to 
condensation of moisture on the fruit whilst ripening. Free ventilation 
in bright weather is an absolute necessity, and a circulation of warm, 
rather dry air constantly in dull weather when the fruit has passed the 
flowering stage is essential ; also when the crop is ripening air must be 
admitted so as to prevent the condensation of moisture on the fruit. 
Admit a little air continuously, so as to insure a constant circulation, 
which, when the Figs are ripening, should be warm and dry, and the 
fruits will not probably decay ; but that is contingent on their not 
being affected with “ spot,” which often infests Figs in the early ripening 
stages. 
Making Mushroom Ketchup (F. L. B .).— We give you a 
choice of methods, and you can, of course if you wish, try them all, and in 
future adhere to the one you like best. (1) Take 4 lbs. of Mushrooms, 
and the same of common salt; sprinkle the salt over the Mushrooms, 
and when the juice is drawn out add 8 ozs. of pimento and 1 oz. of cloves. 
Boil these for a short time, and press out the liquor ; that which remains 
may be treated again with salt and water for an inferior kind. (2) Take 
the large flaps of Mushrooms gathered when dry, and bruise them ; put 
some at the bottom of an earthen pan, and strew salt over them ; then 
put on another layer of Mushrooms, then salt, and so on till you have 
sufficient. Let them stand a day or two, stirring them every day ; 
strain the liquor through a flannel bag, and to every gallon of liquor add 
one quart of red wine; mace, cloves, allspice, of each half an ounce, with 
a race or two of cut ginger. If not salt enough add a little more. Boil 
it till one quart is wasted, strain it into a pan, and let it get cold. Pour 
it from the settlings, bottle it, and cork it tightly. (3) Take care that 
the Mushrooms are of the right sort and fresh gathered. Full-grown 
flaps are the best. Put a layer of these at the bottom of a deep earthen 
pan, and sprinkle them with salt; then add another layer of Mush¬ 
rooms, with more salt, and so on alternately. Let them remain two or 
three hours, by which time the salt will have penetrated the Mushrooms, 
and rendered them easy to break ; then pound them in a mortar, or 
mash them well with your hands, and let them remain two days, during 
which stir them up and mash them well; then pour them into a stone 
jar, and to every quart put 1 oz. of whole black pepper; stop the jar 
closely, set it in a stewpanful of boiling water, and keep it boiling two 
hours. On taking out the jar pour the juice clear from the sediment 
through a hair sieve into a clean stewpan, and let it boil gently half an 
hour ; skim it well, and pour it into a clean jar or jug ; cover it closely, 
let it stand in a cool place till the next day, then decant it off as gently 
as possible through a tamis or thick flannel bag till it is perfectly fine, 
and add a table-spoonful of good brandy to each pint. Now let it stand 
again, when a fresh sediment will be deposited, from which the ketchup 
