376 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 29, 1891. 
in a semi-torpid state loses the immediate use of their wings, and 
other members are similarly affected, but the sting appears active 
at the moment of death. 
Bees become torpid by degrees according to the state of the 
hive, and even the greater the torpidity the greater the health is 
maintained. We should, therefore, use every means in our power 
to reduce damp and currents of cold air in hives to a minimum, for 
without these conditions bees are always at the mercy of the 
weather, and we can never say till the winter is past that our bees 
are safe. 
Straw Hackles. 
This is one of my most ancient customs of covering wooden 
hives, and cannot be very well improved upon. It is certainly 
superior to any modern double case. I plaited the straw to a card 
similar to those put behind horses in some stables, only heavier. 
This was tied round the hives at the top, and an oil-cloth covered 
all. In this way it lasted for years. Where straw is plentiful the 
oil-cloth may be dispensed with, as by itself it makes a good pro¬ 
tector.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Geo. Cooling & Sons, Bath .—Catalogue of Fruit Trees, Roses, and 
Shrubs. 
Little & Ballantyne, Carlisle .—Catalogue of Trees, Shrubs, ,fc. 
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 
anavoidably. 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. 
Book (U. D. IF.).—The book referred to was Mr. Wright’s 
“ Mushrooms for the Million,” which does not, however, include anything 
on Cucumber cu'ture. 
Cultivated Brambles (F. R. S.). —By far the most productive 
crops we have seen were of the Parsley-leaved Bramble. We have seen 
their long growths secured horizontally to wires stretched between tall 
posts, forming screens or hedges laden with heavy clusters of black 
fruits in October. Good soil is essential, also well-rooled plants, these 
to be cut back after planting. 
Herbaceous Border (Perplexed ).—By all means keep off the 
clay border so long as it remains saturated. If you take advantage of 
favourable weather in spring, when the soil is friable and some of the 
plants starting into growth, then reduce the strong plants and encourage 
the weak with free fresh soil, the results will be as good as if the work 
were done in the autumn, perhaps better. If there are bulbs in the 
border spring renovation is advantageous, as their growth is then 
visible, and there is small excuse for their being injured in digging. 
Calls on Pear l>eaf (R. G.~). —These woolly excrescences appear 
to be the work of a species of Phytoptus, or gall mite, belonging to a 
family the transformations of which are imperfectly understood. It is 
considered that they are six-legged while youDg, eight-legged in their 
mature condition. A number of them of different ages may be observed 
living in the same gall upon the “ happy family ” principle. It has been 
noticed that they will infest one tree year after year, while others of the 
same kind standing close remain untouched. Their journeys, whenever 
they occur, are at night, it is believed. No one has suggested any method 
of checking their propagation, except the removal and destruction of 
infected leaves. 
Coping for Carden Wall (./. Z).).—No material answers so well 
for coping as stone, it being of a composition not liable to be injuriously 
affected by frost nor perish by exposure to the weather. Yorkshire stone 
and some others are of that description.:’ You could not have anythin^ 
better. Cement copings are excellent, but some which are so called are 
worse than useless because they are composed of too much sand (much 
of it loamy) and too little cement. Properly constructed they are as 
durable as stone. Tile copings are very serviceable and cheaper than 
stone or cement, but they should be 2£ inches thick, and made in one 
piece, so as to project over the wall 3 inches or more, and have a groove 
in them three-quarter inch from the edge to prevent the wet running 
down the wall, and be sufficiently burnt to resist weather influences. 
The groove is of very great importance. 
Sowing Orchid Seed ( R . S.'). —Experience has shown that there 
is no method equal to scattering the seed on the sphagnum in which a 
plant is growing freely and receives proper attention in watering, so 
that the sphagnum is kept fresh. No attempt must be made to cover 
the seed, and it must not be displaced by watering. The seed may be 
sown as soon as ripe, or in early spring. It is delicate work raising 
Orchids from seed, then establishing the plants, and only experts or very 
careful cultivators can hope to succeed. If you succeed in raising 
plants you must be prepared to give them the best attention for about 
ten years before they will flower. Some seedlings are fifteen years 
before flowers are produced, and then the varieties may not be superior,, 
but, on the other hand, some may prove of value. 
Annuals and Cactus Dahlias for Exhibition (IF. S. S .~).— 
You do not say whether hardy annuals only are required, or at what 
time of year they are to be shown. With further information on these 
two points we shall be glad to give you the advice required. Centaurea 
cyanus is a true annual, but Mignonette is not, though it is usually 
treated as such under cultivation. The value of Cactus Dahlias for ex¬ 
hibition depends upon whether classes and prizes are specially provided 
for them or not. At the National Dahlia Society’s last Show three, 
classes were devoted to them, with prizes ranging from 30s. to 5s. The 
same Society states that “ Dahlia blooms of the show type should be 
shown on green stands. Stands for twelve blooms should measure 
24 inches by 18 inches, the height in front being 3 inches* but at the 
back 9 inches; and in like proportion for the other numbers to be 
staged.” No special stand is mentioned for the Cactus varieties, but the 
above will serve as a guide. 
Gros Colman v. Gros Colmar Grape (A Forty-years Reader of 
the Journal ).—Under the title Grosse Kolner the following history is 
given in Dr. Hogg’s “Fruit Manual,” fifth edition, page 392. “ It was 
first introduced to this country by the late Mr. Rivers of Sawbridge- 
worth from M. Yibert of Angers ; but finding it did not ripen with the 
same treatment as Black Hamburgh, he discarded it. It was intro¬ 
duced a second time by the late Mr. Standish of Ascot from M. Andre 
Leroy of Angers, and through him its popularity was established j. 
but it is mainly through the successful cultivation of it by Mr. 
W. Thomson of the Tweed Vineries, that its reputation is so widely 
extended. The first trace I find of it in Western Europe is in De 
Bavay’s Catalogue of 1852, where it is called Gros Colman ; then I find 
it in that of Jacquemet-Bonnefont of Annonay, for 1855, under the 
name of Gros Colmar, and both of these are corruptions of Grosse 
Kolner.” In pomology, as in botany and other sciences, precedence is- 
given to the oldest name, and according to that rule those who adopt 
Gros Colmar are undoubtedly incorrect. 
Pears not Swelling- (Z7. IF).—The cause of the fruit not swelling 
is scald—Fusicladium dendrotricum pyrinum, Fchl., which cripples 
its growth, and infesting the leaves causes them to fall. You have- 
tried lifting and used nearly all artificial manures in the market without 
any effect other than to make the trees produce more wood. Lifting, 
or judicious root-pruning ought to check the tendency to produce 
wood, and we advise that to be done without delay. The analysis 
is very instructive and affords a key to the situation—namely* 
the prosphoric acid is very low, 14 per cent, fertile clay often 
contains 0 - 38 per cent. Potash is represented by 0 - 43 ; a Pear soil 
should be alkaline, some containing 2 73 per cent, of potash. Soda also 
is meagre. A Pear soil contains, in some cases, P9S per cent. Your 
soil needs phosphatic, potassic, and sodic elements. We advise steamed 
bonemeal 5 lbs., kainit 3 lbs., mix, and apply at the rate of 4 ozs. of the 
mixture per square yard—2 ozs. in autumn, and a similar quantity in 
spring when the buds begin to swell; but none of those will destroy the. 
germs of the “ spot ” on the trees, therefore we advise spraying them 
with a solution of sulphate of copper, 1 lb. to 25 gallons of water, as the 
wood is manifestly soft, otherwise a 10 per cent, solution is recom¬ 
mended when the wood is firm and well ripened, applying it just before 
or when the buds begin swelling, and spray the trees just before the 
blossoms expand with carbonate of copper (precipitated), 1 oz. to 
12J gallons of water, keeping well suspended by one person syringing 
into the vessel whilst another applies it as a spray. Repeat the 
carbonate of copper in suspension directly the petals have fallen, and 
afford two more sprayings at intervals of fourteen days from the first 
spraying after the petals have fallen. Unless the season be wet those, 
will be sufficient, but if very wet repeat at intervals of seven days, 
continuing the spraying up to the end of June. Precipitated carbonate 
of copper does not injure the foliage like sulphate of copper solution, 
Bordeaux mixture, or ammoniacal carbonate of copper solution ; but 
the latter may be used effectively if you first ascertain the safe strength 
at which to apply by experimenting on a few growths ; yet it must be 
understood that the solution must not be prepared beforehand, but 
made as wanted, for Bordeaux mixture and all sulphate of copper 
solutions undergo chemical changes, and unless these are exercised on 
the fungus the fungicide is useless. 
