212 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 3, 189’. 
These kind persons preface their advice by saying, “As a rule we 
do not like to import into our columns controversies originating in 
other journals,” a very good rule too, but they have not adhered to it. 
They do not say that the Punic stock in Mr. W. B. Carr’s apiary in the 
spring of 1890 was the “best and strongest” he had, see Record for 
June 1890. They do not say that Punic bees were mentioned in their 
Journal on June 5th, 1890, and where they came from ; nor do they say 
that when Mr. J. W. Woodley wrote on October 30th, 1890, condemning 
them before he had ever seen a bee, I wrote offering to supply him with 
two queens, to be tested against any two he choose, and if they failed 1 
would make up the difference. Oh ! for consistency. They would on no 
account break their rule, made for the occasion, to do me a favour, but 
they break it on the first opportunity to do me something else. 
I never had a very high opinion of their accuracy, and certainly it is 
not improved after reading the following :—“ The only other person 
besides ‘ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper ’ (otherwise John Hewitt), who has 
written in favour of Punic bees is E. T. Pratt.” Mr. Henry Alley says 
in the Apiculturist for August, “ Our opinion is most favourable of 
them. If the Punic bees are one-half as good as is claimed every bee¬ 
keeper will want them, and all other races will be superseded, and now 
that we have seen these bees and have become convinced of their 
superiority we shall commence to rear them.” If this is not “ in 
favour of Punic bees ” I shoirld like to know what is. I have never 
seen or exchanged a line with Mr. Alley. Another person I will name 
who has written in favour of Punic bees is Mr. W. B. Carr, one of 
the editors of the B. B. J., but this was before he found out how 
difficult it was to import them ; yet these learned editors now say, “ We 
know nothing about the so-called Punic bees, and can give no informa¬ 
tion as to their value.” 
“ Inquirer ” thinks he makes a great point of the bees being here 
seven years. Is it seven years since 1886 ? I trust you will find space 
for this in the Journal , and if the Editors of the B. B. J. want it let 
them break their rule again and import it into their columns. It is no 
use my sending it to them, as it would be destroyed judging from past 
experience. “ Inquirer ” should remember that it is in very bad form to 
ask for a writer’s name without giving his own, and I think no editors, 
save those who conduct the B. B. J., would either have printed the 
anonymous request or supplied the information. Anyone sending his 
name and address to John Hewitt & Co., Sheffield, can learn all about— 
A Hallamshire Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Mr. H. C. Hartevelt, Lisse, Haarlem, Holland.— Bulbs. 
Mr. G. Shrewsbury, 36, Gray’s Inn Road, London, W.C.— Heating 
Appliances. 
Mr. B. Soddy, 243, Walworth Road, London, S.E.— Bulbs. 
Robert Veitch & Sons, 54, High Street, Exeter.— Catalogue of Bulbs 
and Other Flower Roots, Carnations, fc. 
J. C. Wheeler & Son, Gloucester.— Catalogue of Flower Roots, 
Strawberries, Sfc. 
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 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 communications. 
Begonias (F. Geesoii). —We have received the flowers, which are 
very good indeed, but your note cannot be inserted this week. 
Hardy Annuals (A. IF. 1 .).—French and African Marigolds would 
not be permissible in a stand of twelve hardy annuals, or at least most 
judges would disqualify stands containing them. 
Roses on ivianetti Stocks (IF. K. B .).—It is neither desirable to 
earth up the stocks as soon as they are budded nor after they have 
started into growth. The earth is cleared from them for the purpose of 
budding and not returned. 
Certificates for Plants ( Subscriber ).—The certificates of the 
Royal Horticultural Society are only granted by the Fruit and Floral 
Committees of the Society for fruits, plants, and flowers placed before 
them at the Society’s meetings and shows. 
Roses in Pots (_JVew Subscriber ).—You cannot do better than 
repot your Roses at once, the H.P.’s in a compost of good fibry loam, 
one-seventh of manure, and sand. If the loam is light add one-seventh 
of clay which has been dried and reduced to a powder; if heavy, add 
more sand, charcoal, or any gritty material. A 6-inch potful of bone- 
meal and the same quantity of soot may be added to a barrowful of soil. 
For the Tea3 add one-third leaf mould. Turn the plants out of their 
pots and carefully reduce the old balls by one-third, destroy no more 
fibres than possible. Place these plants in the same size pots, but care¬ 
fully drain them. The soil should be pressed firmly round the old ball. 
After potting plunge the pots in ashes and syringe two or three times 
a day during dry weather to keep the foliage fresh, which will induce 
the plants to root freely before autumn, and thus be in the best possible 
condition for flowering another season. When to prune and how to 
prune depends upon the time you require them to flower. If you grow 
them in the greenhouse or bring them forward in that, structure prune 
the H.P.’s early in January, thinning out the weak wood and cutting 
the stronger shoots back to one or two eyes. The Teas may be 
pruned at the same time, and the method of pruning depends almost 
entirely whether you are satisfied with buds only or require large 
flowers. If the latter prune well in, that is cut hard back ; if the former., 
only remove unripe ends and shorten back -weak shoots. If the varieties- 
are of the Gloire de Dijon type only remove the unripe ends and tie the 
shoots in January round stakes. After flowering the growths need to 
be pruned back—that is to have all the old flowering wood cut away. 
We are glad to help you, and if there is anything you do not under¬ 
stand write to us again. 
Amaryllis Belladonna, Nerine sarniensis, and Fothergrilli 
(•/. iV.).—Amaryllis Belladonna succeeds fairly well in pots, and making 
its growth in winter requires to be kept near the glass in a temperature 
of 45° to 50°, also to be judiciously watered during that time, by not 
giving any until the soil is becoming dry, and then a thorough supply. 
When the leaves fall water should be gradually withheld, and the soil 
kept somewhat dry. We have flowered it very successfully in a green¬ 
house from which frost was merely excluded, but it is the better with 
a little heat when making its growth, and must have a light position. 
The plants do not require frequent repotting, but surface dressings and 
watering with liquid manure are beneficial while growing. Nerine 
sarniensis does not succeed very well in pots, as the bulbs usually 
become dry before they are potted, being weakened in consequence, and 
require a time to recuperate before they become sufficiently strong for 
flowering again, but they are not free flowering under artificial treat¬ 
ment. N. curvifolia (FoGiergilli) is a better and more vigorous grower, 
and is variable in its time of flowering, but it is usually in late summer. 
It is a very beautiful species. When making their growth the plants 
should be kept well watered and in full light. They are best in a frame 
on a bed of leaves and manure, which afford gentle bottom heat. 
Failing this they may be kept on shelves in the greenhouse in all the 
light practicable, and when the leaves die the plants may be stored in a 
cool place, keeping the soil quite dry, until signs of growth are again 
apparent, but the bulbs should not be removed from the soil. They 
must be well cared for at other times, giving them a surface dressing of 
new soil in the autumn at the time of starting into fresh growth. They 
do not require potting oftener than absolutely necessary through the 
increase of bulbs. 
Rockery Plants (F. S .).—You do not say how many you require. 
We have the following, among others, thriving well on a sunny rockery: — 
Achillasa Clavennae, silvery foliage and yellow flowers ; Alchemilla 
pentaphylla, greenish yellow ; Alyssum saxatile compactum, yellow ; 
Antennaria, silvery foliage ; Aquilegia alpina, purplish blue, with white 
centres ; Arabis alpina, A. albida, A. lucida variegata, A. caucasica 
variegata, all with white flowers ; Aubrietia deltoidea grandiflora, 
lavender blue ; Campanula garganica, purple ; Cerastium tomentosum, 
white ; Cheiranthus alpinus, yellow; C. Marshalli, orange; Cistus 
formosus, yellow ; C. Ledon, yellow; C. roseus, rose; Convolvulus 
mauritanicus, blue; Cyclamen coum, red; C. repandum, rose colour; 
C. europreum, rosy pink ; C. neapolitanum, red ; Daphne cneorum, pink ; 
Dianthus floribundus, pink ; Draba aizoides, D. boeotica, both yellow ; 
Dryas Drummondi, yellow ; Erinus alpinus, rosy purple ; Genista pro- 
cumbens, G. triquetra, both yellow ; Glechoma hederacea foliis varic- 
gatis, reddish pink ; Gnaphalium hyperboreum, white foliage ; Iberis 
saxatilis, I. sempervirens, I. Tenoreana, all white; Linaria alpina, 
bluish violet ; L. cymbalaria variegata ; Lotus corniculatus flore pleno, 
yellow; Meconopsis cambrica, yellow ; Mimulus cupreus, orange; 
Orobus vernus, purple ; Oxalis tropaeoloides, yellow ; Phlox Nelsoni, 
white; P. verna, rose ; Polygala depressa, blue ; P. vulgaris, bluish 
purple ; Rhododendron hirsutum, pink; Rubus ebamaemorus, white, 
ornamental edible fruit; Saxifraga affinis, brownish crimson ; S. aizoides, 
yellow spotted orange ; S. biflora, rosy purple ; S. caryophylla, white ; 
S. cotyledon, white ; S. Cymbalaria, sulphur, spotted orange ; S. hircu- 
lus, yellow; S. juperiana, yellow ; S. oppositifolia, rose ; S. umbrosa- 
crenata, white ; Sedum acre, anglicum, cruentum, Ewersi, and virescens, 
all yellowish; S. purpureum, purplish rose ; S. pallidum roseum, liglt- 
pink ; S albicans, white; Trifolium alpinum, rose; Yinca herbacea, 
Y. major, V. major elegantissima, V. minor, V. minor plena, all blue. 
Of all of the above you may procure plants, but some of them may be 
raised from seed. It is best, however, to obtain plants. They all will 
succeed well in a rather shady situation, but not under trees. 
Barbe de Cupucin (S. Ol). —This, the blanched leaves of Chicory, 
may be produced in many different ways, all that is requisite being to 
keep the roots in a dark place with a temperature of from 50° to 60°. 
Seed may be sown from April to July, and the culture may be the 
same as for Endive. The French, according to Thompson’s “ Gardener » 
Assistant,” adopt the following modes of treatment.—“ The seed is 
sown thinly in April or May. In November or December, one or 
several beds of light sandy soil, or well-decomposed dung, about 2 feet 
