356 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 22 , 1891. 
seasons that has not a discontinuance of honey gathering, often 
too at the most critical time for bees to draw their brood. 
The queen does not stop laying, although the bees fail to 
bring them forward, but by the judicious and timely feeding of 
all the colonies this will be prevented, and instead of depopulated 
hives at the late honey gathering we have strong ones, which in 
some seasons makes all the difference between a yield or no yield 
of honey. 
The best method of supplying the syrup, whether it be at home 
or the moors, is to have the dissolved syrup in a can, from which 
pour into a bottle and run affing all the hive 3 , giving each their 
allowance to keep up breeding, but nothing more. The time 
occupied in feeding fifty need not exceed ten minutes. The 
feeder that does not offer these conveniences is incomplete. I 
trust those who read these notes will see the propriety and 
advantage of having their hives in a fit state before the time 
comes for moving bees about, so that there may be a chance of 
keeping a moving apiary at a profit. 
Punic Bees. 
I have just read the following in Gleanings “ Punic bees, 
while so highly praised by those who sell them, have strong 
insinuations thrown out against them by British bee-keepers.” 
The above is simply a misleading statement, and is on a par with 
much that has emanated from the same quarter. I have praised 
the Punics because I have proved them to be an acquisition ; and 
as I do not sell anything connected with bees, not even sugar at 
20 per cent, profit, I repudiate the statement. 
Bee Societies and Associations. 
If we were to believe the hundredth part of what has been 
written it would appear that the whole art of bee-keeping had 
been discovered by a few interested persons. But when we sit 
down and overhaul our past records the thing is entirely reversed, 
the greatest amount of good having sprung from the least 
rewarded and most unostentatious individuals. The country has 
been canvassed far and near for subscriptions to assist bee-keepers, 
those who really benefited being the dealers. The greatest part of 
the money in many cases went to the last named, who, as a rule, 
had the helm of affairs in their own hands. The greatest cry 
amongst bee-keepers was the difficulty in disposing of their honey, 
and yet they were advised to increase their stock, and were told 
that 3d. per pound was sufficient for it, and that they had no 
right to expect payment for time spent looking after their bee 3 . 
I observe a writer in a contemporary (A Scotchman) com¬ 
plaining of the arbitrary conduct of directors of shows and supposed 
leaders of bee-keepers, which I am glad to see, as it may revolu¬ 
tionise the existing system, and I gladly advise bee-keepers to be 
free, and to study their own interest. Establish a system that 
will prevent middlemen controlling the market and taking from 
50 per cent, to 100 per cent, profit, and let the public know that 
they can be supplied cheaper and better under this system than 
the old one. 
The year 1890 dil not yield a plentiful supply of honey in 
most districts, but in some parts of the West Highlands it did. I 
took in hand to dispose of some of first-class quality for an 
acquaintance, but because it was October and the Apple season 
honey could not be bought. It is rather singular that the winter 
months being the time most suitable for eating honey Italian 
warehousemen should prohibit its sale when it is in greatest 
request. 
When the Caledonian Apiarian and Entomological Societv was 
started a market for honey was one of its principal motives, yet 
when urged to adopt it it was opposed on every side, and this too 
when there was a honey glut, and some of its members could not 
command a sale at anything like remunerative prices. There is 
another strong reason why a co-operative market should be 
established. Much adulterated honey is sold, and one Edinburgh 
merchant encourages this, giving to bee-keepers sugar to be con¬ 
verted into comb, which he says is preferred by many to honey 
proper. This gentlemen advises, too, imitating Heather honey by 
infusing Heather and using the liquid to dissolve the sugar. There 
is no doubt as to the accuracy of the above, as I had the offer 
(through a friend) of the sugar, which I respectfully declined to 
accept, never having allowed sugar to be mixed with the honey in 
the hive or out of it. Space forbids saying more upon this im¬ 
portant topic, but enough has been said to arouse bee-keepers to a 
sense of their own interests and duties.—A Lanarkshire Bee¬ 
keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
James Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen.— Catalogues of Roses , Perennials f 
and Herbaceous Plants. 
English Fruit and Rose Co. (Cranston’s), Limited, IviDg’s Acre, Here¬ 
ford.— Catalogue of Roses, Fruit Trees , Forest Trees , and Conifers. 
Frank Cant, Braiswick Nursery, Colchester.— Rose Catalogue for 
1891-1892. 
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 
enavoidably. 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. 
Books and Microscopes (A. G .~).—A work that would probably 
suit you is Johnston and Cameron’s “ Elements of Agricultural Chemis¬ 
try and Geology,” as, though it is not strictly applied to gardening, it 
embodies the same principles. It is published by W. Blackwood and 
Sons, 37, Paternoster Row. Microscopes vary greatly in price and use¬ 
fulness, but for two or three guineas you could obtain one that would 
enable ycu to study as much as you would require. 
Strawberries ( Querist ).—We disapprove of the practice of cutting 
all the leaves off when the plants are trimmei after fruiting. We have- 
known future crops prejudiced by this thoughtless practice, but, on the 
other hand, we have seen fa ? r yields after the defoliation. A good deal 
depends on the age of the plants, soil, and season, and if your plants are- 
fairly vigorous you may have a moderately good crop of fruit next 
year. 
Mildew on Cinerarias (./. 2?.).—Leaves that are checked in 
growth like the small one sent we should burn, but iho:e only slightly 
affected we should endeavour to save, and we should not like to destroy 
the plants, at least at present. Try the effect of black sulphur, so- 
holding the Laves that the points of the fine hairs face the application ;■ 
the sulphur then may fall between them. It is the downy covering that 
we suspect prevents its reaching the mildew. We should aLo maintain 
a drier atmosphere if you can do so. The soil is perhaps fully too rich, 
and the leaves have not been able to elaborate the crude sap that has 
been abundantly afforded. 
Walnut Tree not Bearing- (P.).—Walnut trees raised from seed 
vary greatly, as do Apples and other fruits, both in quality and pro¬ 
ductiveness. Some Walnut trees bear early and freely, others are many 
years before they show fruit, and are never productive. The iact of 
your having to cut dead wood out of the tree suggests that the roots are 
not in the best of mediums, and the soil may either be too poor or too 
wet for promoting sound heal thy growth, but as we have said some varieties 
are essentially shy in bearing, and we suspect cannot be made produc¬ 
tive. We know trees fifty years old that seldom bear, and never 
mne than the poorest crops of nuts. The price of timber varies very 
considerably in different localities, and you can best obtain the desired 
infoimition by consulting one or two local timber merchan's. 
Storing Medlars (Dr. IF.). — You have perhaps gathered the- 
Medlars too soon in previous years. Let them remain on the trees so 
long as the weather continues mild, and even a little frost will do them 
no harm. If gathered too soon they are apt to shrivel, especially in a 
very dry place, such as a room cupboard. We have never had any 
difficu’ty with them over a period of forty years. They were simply 
spread on the shelve in a dark fruit room in which the temperature 
