306 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 1, 1385. 
finds exactly what he requires. He reads the instructions mcst carefully 
through, and proceeds to put them into practice, hut as “ the town ” is 
some distance away he has no essence of peppermint or other strong- 
scented substitute, so forgetting what he has read about the different 
odours peculiar to each stcck, he reckons “ it doesna’ matter,” and think¬ 
ing to get done in good time, about four o’clock in the afternoon he pro¬ 
ceeds to unite. An hour makes no difference, and as for that “ bit o’ 
essence ” it will matter nothing he seems to think—and in skilful hands 
it might not be of much moment. In other respects he carries out the 
instructions, but is amazed in the morning to find that a serious fight has 
taken place, and that thousands of bees lie dead upon the floor, and that 
instead of his stock being strengthened by the union, it is reduced to a 
most deplorable plight. Everybody knows the sequel. Hot abuse and 
vituperation of new-fangled ways of books and book-learning, vows 
never again to venture out of the ruts of custom into the paths of know¬ 
ledge. He never blames himself for omitting the essence. Not he. He 
never thinks that evening is the time when he is told to perform the 
operation ; but thanks the person who was kind enough to instruct by 
abusing him and all his ways. This is no exaggeration. It is in one 
form or another of far too frequent occurrence. Let me ask, Is it fair? 
In the name of common sense is it reasonable, first of all, to' neglect 
instructions, then abuse the instructor when failure follows the departure 
from the rules given for guidance at such times? 
There is no more common abuse prevalent—not only amongst bee¬ 
keepers, but amongst gardeners and other classes—than this, shall I say 
impertinent misuse of books. Looks and papers are written to instruct. 
Some use the instruction ; many abuse it. Few are so clever as to need 
no instruction. More there are who are ashamed to acknowledge 
ignorance, and many are to be found who may, if they will to do so, 
gain from the writings of others a knowledge of the subject they wish 
to understand, which even if it be but a poor apology for practical know¬ 
ledge, is still a great assistance and a material help when, instead of years, 
but a few months only can be spared to gain an efficient idea of how to 
manage even so apparently simple a business as bee-keeping. It i.3 in 
such cases that a feeling of despair comes over the minds of those who, 
at no little trouble to themselves, try to assist others. How many times 
does “A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper” draw attention to the most salient 
features conducing to success, and yet getting up from reading this 
advice, and going to some cottage bee-keeper who reads his Journal 
regularly, there seems to be an absolute determination not to take advan¬ 
tage of the excellent opportunities ofEered for improving the value of his 
stocks and doubling and trebling their annual yield ? On the other hand, 
how gratifying to see the result as shown in the apiary of a wise man 
who, following the teaching he thinks most profitable, carries it out 
until he feels able by experience to improve upon the teaching he has 
followed, and at last is able not only to manage his own hives, but to 
give sound advice to those around him. 
Five hundred years of bee-keeping will teach some men nothing, while 
as many days will give others a knowledge of no superficial kind. To 
conclude, let me ask one and all who come to books or to papers for 
advice, to carry out the instructions there given in toto until they feel 
confidence in their own power. Then always remember, in case of 
failure, that it is not the books at whose door the fault must be laid, but 
at the door of experience, a hard taskmaster, who often requires many 
failures ere the high road to success is reached, and even then often throws 
across the comparatively smooth path of the wayfarer obstacles of so 
serious a kind as to need more than one attempt to surmount them. It is 
then time to blame instructors when their instructions have been carried 
out, not in letter only, but in spirit also, and failure has been the result. 
Condemnation before fair trial disgraces those who utter it, and fails to 
strike those who do not deserve it. Criticism is indeed a blessing, and is 
necessary, but to criticise some knowledge of the subject under considera¬ 
tion must be possessed ; and as one who feels he is not either better 
informed or who cannot see some transparent fallacy in the advice given 
for his assistance, is entitled, before trial at any rate, to deride the means 
pointed out to him as the surest way of successfully performing a neces¬ 
sary operation. 
Men who know most condemn least; those who know little condemn 
much.—F elix. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Thos. S. Ware, Tottenham .—Catalogues of Bulbs, Daffodils, and Lilies. 
Lambert and Reiter, Trier, Germany .—General Catalogue of Plants. 
Richard Gilbert, High Park Gardens, Stamford .—Little Catalogue of One 
Dozen Specialities. 
L. Jacob-Makoy et Cie., Liege, Belgium .—Catalogue of New Plants for 
1885. 
* „* 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 correspon¬ 
dents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable rouble and 
expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended 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. 
Addresses for the “Horticultural Directory” ( W.L.B. and others). 
—The information has arrived too late for insertion, and no more names can 
be added this year. 
Lifting Turf (F. T. D .).—It is impossible that questions such as yours, 
that arrive just as we are preparing for press, can be answered in the 
current issue. 
National Chrysanthemum Society’s Show (A Constant Header). —The 
prizes named by you, and respecting which you will find more particulars 
on another page under “ Chrysanthemum Notes,” will be offered at the 
Exhibition to be'held at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, November 11th 
and 12th. There are two classes, and only one prize in each class. 
Seakale (E. D. B.). —The roots and crowns to which you refer are raised 
from poriions of smaller roots or thongs, these being cut into lengths of five 
or six inches in the autumn, stored in soil or ashes, where they form terminal 
buds, and are planted in the spring. Seakale for forcing is largely grown in 
market gardens near London. 
Caterpillars in Garden (A Ten-years Subscriber). —Though you sent the 
caterpillars in a tin box it was so bruised below the lid that some of them 
squeezed through into the letter, and the others were crushed. You may 
imagine the state of the paper when we state that part of it was almost like 
pulp. This is through no fault of yours, but the box must have undergone 
very rough usage in transit. The caterpillar is the larva of one of the Dart 
moths (Noctua). It is a most destructive pest and difficult to destroy. 
When Cabbages and other plants are seriously attacked it is often found 
necessary to dig the soil from each plant and fill.in the cavity with soot, and 
also to place a ring of gas lime or guano round the plants, not close to the 
stems to form a barrier, the caterpillars travelling from plant to plant at 
night. Watering the ground with diluted ammoniacal liquor from gasworks 
has been found serviceable ; failing a supply of this a wineglassful of petro¬ 
leum mixed in a large garden can of soapsuds might have a good effect. 
Gardens infested with these caterpillars should bs cleared of all weeds, and 
the ground turned up roughly for the winter. 
Peaches and Nectarines for Market.—Trellises for Peach House 
(J. C.). —Market growers have regard to colour and freedom of fruiting, 
growing a good many Red Magdalen and Royal George, but are guided in 
the selection of kinds by the time the ripe fruit is required. For early, 
Alexander, Hale’s Early, and A Bee. For ripening in June and onwards. 
Royal George, Stirling Castle, Crimson Galande, Belle Bauce, Bell-garde, 
Dymond, Violette Hative, Barrington, and Late Admiral. Nectarines are 
not much grown. For early, Hunt’s Tawny and Lord Napier, and to follow 
those Elruge, Violet Hative, Pitmaston Orange, and Pine Apple. It would 
be best in a house 10 feet wide to have a low curved trellis to allow of 
trees being grown in front as well as on the back wall, but the front trellis 
must not be taken higher than half the height of the back wall, and kept 
quite 4 feet G inches from it, so as to allow of the trees on the back wall 
having light to their base. 
Climbers for Cool Greenhouse ( C. E.). —The following will endure a 
little frost, and will probably succeed in an unheated greenhouse in your 
district:—Lapagerias rosea and alba, Solanum jasminioides, Passiflora race- 
mosa ccerulea, Berberidopsis coralline, Clematis indivisa, with any of the 
hybrids of the Jackmanni type, Akebia quinata. Roses suitable are besides 
Marechal Niel and Gloire de Dijon, are Reine Marie Henriette, Cheshunt 
Hybrid, Isabella Sprunt, Climbing Devoniensis, William Allen Richardson, 
Reve d’Or, Perle de Lyon, Jean Ducher, Madame Btrard, and any other 
free-growing Tea-scented varieties. 
Keeping Late Grapes (TP. M. (?.).—We are not surprised at the Grapes 
not keeping, as you state they are not ripe yet. This alone is sufficient to 
account for their decay, and is a very common defect. Late Grapes, to keep 
well, should be thoroughly ripe by the middle of September, which can only 
be effected by assisting the Vines in spring and early summer with gentle 
fire heat, so as to have them sufficiently early for ripening the fruit by the 
time indicated. The Grapes should be allowed to hang on the Vines until 
the leaves have fallen, when they should be cut with a sufficient length of 
wood below the bunches, to allow of that part being placed in bottles of 
water, and all the wood above the bunches should be retained, at least it is 
best so to do, as cuts increase the evaporation. The bottles should be about 
three-parts filled with clear rain water, and a piece of charcoal placed in 
each. The bottles should be placed on a rack, so that they slope to an 
angle of about 45°, so that the bunches will depend clear of the bottles. 
The bottles will need replenishing as the water wastes, and the Grapes 
should be examined occasionally for decayed berries, w r hich should be 
removed as they appear. The most suitable place for keeping the Grapes, 
failing a Grape-room, is a rather dry room, which can be kept at a tempera¬ 
ture of about 45°, or ranging between 50° as a maximum and 40° minimum. 
The vinery is not a proper place, for, if they will not keep on the Vines, 
they certainly will not in bottles of water in the same house ; but the cause 
of their not keeping is, as before stated, their not being sufficiently ripened, 
or whilst the sun has sufficient power to develope the saccharine matter 
essential to their keeping. 
Insects on Chrysanthemums ( Salopean). —Your plants have been 
infested with a species of aphis belonging to the Rhopalosiphi group or 
section, and allied to the black species that frequents the Bean and other 
leguminous plants, though somewhat different in structure and habit. It is 
probably a species only to be found upon the Chrysanthemum during the 
