56 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 21, 1886. 
who can yet make a considerable profit, and there are also many 
who can manipulate to any extent and yet who cannot make a 
profit. Let me quote Professor Root, who in the American Bee 
Journal' for 30th December last, says, “ Then comes the question 
of manipulation.there is, again, spring manipulation, 
spreading the brood, and the like. In my opinion we have 
manipulated many a colony to death. I am getting to think less 
and less of manipulation.” 
Now, what I would suggest is that a candidate for the third- 
class certificate should, for one season at least immediately pre¬ 
ceding his examination, keep a diary, authenticated by two 
respectable neighbouring bee-keepers, in which he should give all 
points of interest in his management, the value of his stock in 
the preceding autumn, the amount of food and its value given-in 
spring, time spent in manipulation, weight and form of honey 
taken from each stock, current expenses, and nett profit after 
the value of the stock has been brought up at least to the level 
of the preceding autumn. Then, if after taking into considera¬ 
tion his district and the season, the weight and quality of honey 
is insufficient or too poor to prove him a capable apiarian, or if 
on the face of his diary any glaring want of judgment is seen 
that even if he passes his examination—until he is able by future 
success to show his ability not only to manipulate but to gain a 
fair weight of good quality honey from his stocks, thus showing 
that with increased knowledge of handling his bees he has not 
neglected to learn how to act so as to gain the greatest profit 
from putting this ability, knowledge, and theory into practice — 
the certificate should be withheld. So in each succeeding exami¬ 
nation no certificate should be granted without this proof of 
ability. 
Who does not know the man who can “ do anything with his 
bees ” but—get a great amount of honey ? He is almost prover¬ 
bial. May we hope that the tendency of the age is to revert to 
simplicity, to discard many operations now regarded as necessary, 
and by economy and increased knowledge of the habits of bees, 
combined with improved methods, enable English bee-keepers to 
hold their own in the race against the colonies and America, and 
to produce more cheaply, in greater quantity, and to sell at prices 
so low that honey will be considered not a luxury for the rich 
alone, but rather a necessary article of diet; the use of honey 
being by this means so extended as to counterbalance the lowering 
prices forced upon us by foreign competition and by the small 
demand for pure honey and wax at present existing. 
These are considerations which have great weight with those 
who have the interests of bee-keepers at heart, and each one of 
us is striving to do his utmost for the industry; the means differ, 
but all are going forward to the same good end. Out of diversity 
of opinion benefit often springs, and by discussion valuable 
results may be attained which will fully compensate for all the 
trouble and labour necessarily attendant upon our endeavours, 
and if indeed no ill feeling be engendered it will be no matter of 
regret that the subject has been discussed, but rather for con¬ 
gratulation.— Felix. 
BEES ABANDONING A HIVE. 
I PIACED a swarm in a straw skep in June, and put it in my garden 
in a spot well sheltered by a Yew hedge. Here it remained, “ apparently 
doing well,” until the end of September, when I moved it to another 
garden about 300 yards off. I placed it on a raised hoard with a southern 
aspect and sheltered by a Thorn hedge. Yesterday (January 16th) I dis¬ 
covered the bees had forsaken, and on further examination found that the 
hive was full of comb, which latter contained a fair amount of honey; but 
as for the bees, all that remained of what had once been a very strong 
swarm was a dozen or so dead ones. Can you help me through your bee 
correspondents to account for this ? It cannot have been wasps, or no 
honey would have been left. My gardener noticed the bees very busy 
going in and out of this hive a week or two ago, so it cannot have been 
empty long.—P lus. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Edmund Philip Dixon, Hull.— Catalogue of Garden and Farm Seeds for 
1886. 
Richard Smith & Co., Worcester.— Catalogue of Garden and Flower 
Seeds for 1886. 
Ant. Roozen ifc Son, Overveen, Haarlem, Holland.— Catalogue of Bulbs 
and Boots. 
W. CutbuBh & Son, Highgate, London.— Spring Catalogue for 1886. 
James Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen.— Catalogue of Vegetable and Flower 
Seeds. 
Sutton & Sons, Reading.— List of Novelties. 
Robert H. Poynter, Taunton.— List of New Chrysanthemums and Seed 
List for 1886. 
Samuel Yates, 16, and 18, Old Millgate, Manchester.— Catalogue of Vege¬ 
table and Flower Seeds. 
Richard Dean, Ranelagh Road, Ealing, London, W.— Catalogue of New 
and Choice Potatoes, and List of Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 
Little & Ballantine, Carlisle.— Catalogue of Garden and Farm Seeds for 
1886. 
P. J. Ivane, Kells, Meath.— Amateurs’ Annual Seed List for 1886. 
*** 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 trouble 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. 
Address (IF. B.). —The address you require is Mr. Thomas Sharpe, 
Royal Strawberry Gardens, Knowle Hill, Chertsey. 
Manure %Foung Gardener ).—We will endeavour to obtain the particulars 
you require f Aim our correspondent and reply to your letter in a future 
issue. 
Tan Aslies as Manure (TF. S'.).—The ashes of tan contain potash, as do 
the ashes of all vegetable substances, also a small proportion of lime, and 
as such are useful as a dressing to land to be laid down to grass, having a 
particularly invigorating effect on Clover. Applied to grass they are very 
effective in destroying moss, and improve the herbage considerably. The 
ashes are likely to prove useful to fruit trees, especially Vines, a peck per 
rod, 30q; square yards, being a sufficient dressing at one time or annually, 
applying in early spring. 
Marechal Niel Rose-Leaves Blackened ( John Burn). — The black 
deposit on the leaves is caused by the plant being infested with some insect, 
we think scale, though we fail to detect any on the leaves or petiobs. The 
insect is probably on the wood. You could not have a better remedy than 
softsoap and hot water—a solution of 3 ozs. of soap to the gallon of water, 
applied at 140° with a syringe. The scale has in all probability come from 
the Peach tree, which should he cleansed in a similar manner before the 
buds commence swelling. 
Seedling Fern (A. D. S. K.). —The fronds sent are quite distinct from any 
we have seen if they show the true fixed character of the seedling. We have 
seen a form similar in the shape and size of the pinnules, but not with 
fronds so strong in growth and so much divided. It is likely to prove a 
useful Fern, and we advise you to exhibit a plant at one of the meetings of 
the Royal Horticultural Society at South Kensington. We will, however, 
endeavour to compare it with other Ferns of the same type and will give 
you our opinion in another issue. 
Prices of Mushrooms (Profit ).—The prices to which you refer are paid 
to the growers, and necessarily fluctuate according to the supply and 
quality of the produce. Higher prices are often obtained for Mushrooms iu 
provincial markets than in London, because great quantities of Mushrooms 
are bought at Covent Garden and sent to the markets of provincial cities 
and towns. Mushroom-growing pays those persons well who have the proper 
materials at command and make themselves competent in the work— 
producing heavy crops from, say, the middle of October till the end of 
May. 
Fuchsias for Bedding ( F . J.).—Single varieties are the best for bedding. 
Dark varieties.—Charming, Wave of Life, Try Me O ! Crown Prince of 
Prussia, Enoch Arden, and Beauty of Kent. Light.—Blushing Bride, Annie, 
Marginata, Minnie Banks, Erecta Yon Novelty, and Beauty of Swanley. 
For bedding purposes the plants should he well pinched so as to form a 
dwarf bushy growth, and had strong before planting-out time—the end of 
May or beginning of June, hardening them well oft. The last pinching 
should take place as soon as the plants become established in the beds, or 
about the middle of June, in order to have a fine display in August onwards 
till the occurrence of frost. 
Good Pelargoniums (Idem ).—Twelve single Zonal Pelargoniums are 
Ajax, Mrs. Gordon, Mr. H. Cannell, H. M. Pollett, David Thomson, Miss 
Hamilton, Kate Greenaway, Eurydice, Swanley Gem, Kate Farmer, Queen 
of the Whites, and Eureka. Twelve good double varieties are Dauntless, 
Vesta, F. Y. Raspail, Lord Mayor, Mons. Thibaut, Emile de Girardin, 
General Campenau, Henry Cannell, Asa Gray, La Constitution, La Cygne, 
and La Quintinie. Twelve good Decorative, Show, and‘‘ Regal ” varieties 
are Beauty of Oxton, Duchess of Edinburgh, Mermerus, Kingston Beauty, 
Dr. Masters, Rubens, Queen Victoria, William Bull, Digby Grand, Duchess 
of Bedford, ElegantiBsima, and Mons. Boucharlat. 
Covering Outdoor Mushroom Beds (S. L. B.). —As we have not seen the 
Aston Clinton mats used for the purpose named we are not able to answer 
your question. When Mushroom ridges are made steep, firm, well combed 
down, and rounded at the top very little rain can enter them, and if covered 
with litter, the thickness depending on the heat of the beds and the weather, 
we have no doubt that well-made straw mats placed over this would pre¬ 
vent rain injuriously affecting the beds and crops. The great majority of 
beds or ridges are not covered with mats at all, hut with litter only, often 
