322 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 10, 1889. 
and no time is gained over the caging system ; indeed, there is a 
positive loss. Queens caged are regularly and sumptuously fed, 
•which brings them into the laying state quicker and safer than the 
so-called direct method of introducing queens. 
CARNIOLIAN QUEENS. 
"We have been frequently asked where these queens can be 
procured pure, owing to disappointment in getting cross-bred 
queens instead of pure ones. I have just received as handsome 
a Carniolian queen as I ever possessed, accompanied by some 
of her progeny, truly and purely marked, as a present from 
a bee-keeper in the West Highlands, who is fortunate in being 
in an isolated place, so that he will have no difficulty in rear¬ 
ing and supplying a large number of pure Carniolian queens 
to bee-keepers. I learn from him that he will not breed queens 
for sale other than in full strength stocks during June and 
July, so that nothing but queens of the first grade will be sent 
out. The bees and queen were four days on journey, and arrived 
in splendid condition although the weather was cold and frosty. 
His apiary is perhaps the largest in Scotland, comprising about 
200 stocks of bees. His advertisement will appear in due course, 
and from my personal knowledge of him I am sure that nothing 
but reliable queens will be sent out. 
SWARMS LEAVING THEIR OLD QUEEN. 
Lately I mentioned a case where a swarm issued from a hive 
leaving the queen regnant behind and undisturbed owing to the 
queen that left with the swarm having been blown on to it from 
an adjoining hive being the second swarm that had issued from it. 
According to the rule that the old queen always leaves with the 
first swarm we should have looked for her in it, but when making 
an examination of this hive the imported queen of October, 1888, 
was still regnant, although from the absence of eggs during 
August, and a subsequent dissection proved, she had in a great 
measure become unfertile ; simply another proof of the advisa¬ 
bility of at least once in the year giving a young queen to every 
stock, and where the greatest results are wanted give two. 
SWARMING. 
"Whatever many bee-keepers think, some of them write as if 
swarms issued from some sudden impulse, and not from any pre¬ 
meditated preparations. The impression is received, and becomes 
stereotyped on the minds of novices ; then to prevent swarming 
they resort to the inventions of those who appear never to have 
studied the causes of swarming, hence come disappointments. I 
have frequently experienced bees being in a state of preparation to 
swarm for more than a month, stress of weather alone causing them 
to gnaw the queen cells, and so for a time preventing the 
swarm issuing. Sometimes the queen regnant was deposed, and a 
young queen took her place, sometimes with and sometimes without 
any after swarms, depending altogether upon the weather. The 
same thing occurs sometimes after the introduction of an alien 
queen. Queen cells are brought forward ; if fine weather prevails 
the old or newly introduced queen is deposed, but if the weather 
proves unfavourable the royal cells are destroyed, and she is 
.allowed to reign in peace. 
It is indeed a rare thing to find a swarm issuing without making 
preparations beforehand, the usual time being between eight and 
ten days. The foregoing will enlighten those who may not have 
41 clear conception of swarming, its causes and prevention. 
ENEMIES. 
Mice are now seeking for winter quarters, hives being a favouri te 
resort, and bees and honey are food greatly relished. Guard against 
their inroads, and with a similar assiduity search for defect^, and 
prevent rain passing into the interior of the hive.—A Lanarkshire 
Bee-keeper._ 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
A. M. C. Jongkindt, Coninck, Dedemsvaart, Zwolle, Netherlands.— 
Catalogue of Trees , Shrubs, ,fc. 
R. Owen, Maidenhead .—Pedigree Chrysanthemums. 
L. Spiith, Berlin .—General Catalogue. 
L. Delaville, 2, Quat de Megisseiie, Paris ,—List of Bulbs. 
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 un¬ 
avoidably. 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 communica¬ 
tions. 
Vines—Gladioluses—Chrysanthemums (IF. B., F. ./., and 
T. TV.).—Your letters did not arrive soon enough to be satisfactorily 
answered this week. 
Grapes for Cool House (,1/". C. B .).—If you have heat, both 
Buckland Sweetwater and Black Muscat (Muscat Hamburgh) would 
succeed ; if unheated, Foster’s Seedling and Trentham Black. 
Six Roses (T. S.). —You give no indication as to the co'ours desired, 
nor whether you can wish to grow the plants indoors or out. The Bride, 
Marie Van Houtte, Madame de Watteville, Grace Darling, La France, 
and G6n(5ral Jacqueminot give a long succession of flowers for cutting 
that have many admirers. 
Young- Elen at Kew {Nemo ).—There are many advantages to be 
gained by a little experience at Kew, especially if you should wish to 
obtain an appointment in any of the Colonial gardens. A wide know¬ 
ledge of plants can be acquired there, and the system of culture is good 
in the chief departments. Applications are made to the Curator. 
Burying Bulbs ( FJ.).—We prefer cocoa-nut fibre refuse to any 
other material for the purpose, and it is cheap. We have seen both 
sawdust and ashes answer well, also fail, the former injuring the crowns 
where it contained much turpentine, the latter when it contained petro¬ 
leum that had been thrown on the ashes after cleaning lamps. Good 
leaf soil answers the purpose in view very well. 
Heaths and Bpacrises (J. IF).—You will find all the following 
useful free-growing and free-flowering Ericas— i.e., Cavendishiana, 
Eweriana superba, gracilis autumnalis, hvemalis, perspicua nana, and 
Wilmoreana superba. Three good varieties of the E. ventricosa type 
are alba, magnifica, and tricolor. Epacrises alba odorata, miniata 
splendens, and Vesuvius are useful free varieties likely to suit you. 
Grapes not Colouring (./>. Gardiner). —The crop is probably too 
heavy, and the root action defective. Your question was answered, but 
perhaps not in the number you obtained. Replies on gardening subjects 
are readily given to regular subscribers, but persons who only purchase 
a paper when they expect it to contain an answer to a question they 
have sent are quite likely to be disappointed. The remedy is obvious. 
Propagating Ampelopsls (E. T. IF). —Firm portions of the 
young growths of A. Veitchi, cut in lengths of 5 or 6 inches and inserted 
deeply in sandy soil under handlights, at the present time emit roots. 
Many plants are raised by inserting cuttings closely together in pots, 
plunging these in frames for the winter, then placing in gentle heat in 
the spring. Several are grafted on stocks of the common Virginian 
Creeper, cuttings of which strike readily in the open ground. 
Green Asparagus (A/. C. B .).—It is sometimes difficult to dis¬ 
tinguish any or but one variety of Asparagus, as we have found the 
colour depend greatly on the nature and texture of the soil. The 
Green-topped is considered the English and best flavoured variety, the 
Red-topped, or Dutch, the largest and most generally cultivated, indeed 
the sub-varieties of the latter have entirely superseded both. Perhaps 
the only plan of securing the Green-topped would be to save some seeds 
from plants that have the desired characteristic, and which may be 
found occasionally in old beds, and more frequently amongst seedlings 
of common Asparagus. 
Insects on Strawberries (TF. B .).—The leaves are infested with 
a small mite similar to the red spider, and only differing from it in 
hardiness and colour. It is known as Acarus hortensis, and preys upon 
different kinds of plants. Being on the under sides of the young leaves, 
and protected to some extent by their hairs, its eradication must of 
necessity be tedious, unless the plants are in pots in preparation for 
forcing, in which case they can be easily dipped and swirled to and fro in 
a solution of softsoap, to which enough sulphur is added to render it of 
a thin creamy consistency. If the plants are in the ground many of the 
insects may be destroyed by one person bending the leaves over, and 
another applying the mixture forcibly through a syringe, or in any other 
better method that may be devised on the spot. Some varieties are more 
prone to the attacks of insects than others, and old or weak plants are 
more liable to be infested than are the young and more sturdy in growth 
