3GG 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 24, 1889. 
of the leading bee-keepers attending the Congress, which included 
Dr. Dzierzon, Herr Vogel, the Baroness yon Berlepsch, Dr. Pollman, 
and many others. 
Reference has been made to Mr. Neighbour keeping bees at Dorking, 
but “foul brood” unfortunately broke out in his apiary there, and a 
•convenient plot of ground offering at West End, Hampstead, he began 
afresh nearer London, which was so much more convenient for him. 
■Over twelve years’residence at Hampstead was brought to a close in 
consequence of the ground being required for building purposes ; so a 
place had to be sought removed from the liability of such disturbance. 
This was found at Buncefield, Hemel Hempsted, where his apiary at 
present is. 
In the year 1852 Mr. Neighbour acquired premises at 149, Regent 
Street, possession of which he retained till very recently, when they were 
required for Government purposes. His business is now conducted at 
127, High Holborn. 
Mr. Neighbour is the author of a work on bees, entitled “ The 
Apiary ; or, Bees, Bee Hives, and Bee Culture,” which has passed 
through three editions. He has a library containing perhaps the largest 
and best collection of books on the subject of bees and bee-culture of 
•anyone in the kingdom, many of the works being of great age and very 
rare. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
W. & J. Birkenhead, Fern Nursery, Sale, Manchester, — Lists of 
Ferns, and Sclaginellas and Bulbs. 
G. Prince, 14, Market Street, Oxford.— Catalogue of Roses. 
Dicksons & Co., 1, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh.— List of Select Roses, 
1889-1890. 
Wm. Cutbush & Sons, Highgate and Barnet.— General Catalogue of 
Plants. 
Cooling & Sons, Bath,i|Somerset.— Catalogue of Rsoes and Fruit 
Frees. 
P. J. Looymans & Son, Oudenbosch, Holland.— List of Trees. 
^T 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. 
Books (J. F. M .).—We do not know that any work is published on 
the subject you name. You could perhaps obtain the information by 
writing to Mr. Leonard Coates, Fruit Grower, &c., Napa, California. 
(E. Burton). —The gold medal Fruit Essay is expected to be ready in 
November, and will be issued from this office, price Is.; post free, Is. 3d. 
i( J'. E.). —Mr. B. S. Williams’ “Orchid Grower’s Manual” will be 
found useful, also Mr. L. Castle’s “ Orchids ; their Structure, History, 
And Culture,” post free from this office, price Is. 2£d. You are probably 
•not aware that Thunias make and lose their growth annually. That is 
probably the case with your plant. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society’s Catalogue (7'. K.). 
—The above catalogue can be had from this office post free Is. Id. 
Onions ( Constant Reader). —The varieties you mention are not red. 
As the other information you seek is of a local character, you can best 
•obtain it by writing to Mr. H. Deverill, Banbury, Oxon. 
Exhibiting Primulas (F. T.). —If there is no stipulation to the 
•contrary in the schedule, you can stage either double or single Primulas, 
or both, choosing what you consider the most meritorious plants. 
Storing Prult (IF. J.). —The conditions most conducive for the 
•preservation of fruit are a dry atmosphere and a cool equable tempera¬ 
ture with darkness. Light hastens decay ; so does a close, warm, damp 
•atmosphere, while over-dryness with heat induces shrivelling. It is well, 
then, to keep your fruit-room tolerably dark, cool, and airy. We 
would not be at the trouble, however, to barricade the windows to any 
inconvenient extent. 
Uog's-tooth Violets and Sxias (77. J. Nf). —They can both be 
grown in pots plunged just over the rims in cocoa-nut fibre refuse in 
cold frames, allowing them to remain there till the flowers commence 
expanding, then the plants may, if desired, be removed to a greenhouse. 
They require full exposure to the air during mild weather after growth 
appears, drawing off the sashes on all favourable occasions. The 
Temple Chrysanthemum Show is not open to the public on Sundays. 
The Preservation of Fruit by Evaporation (77. C. IF.).—If 
you consult the Journal of Horticulture of August 29th of the present 
year you will find an illustration of an appliance for this purpose that 
was tried at the Royal Agricultural Show at Windsor, and proved satis¬ 
factory. It was exhibited by Messrs. Y. C. Mayfarth k Co., Franfort- 
on- Maine, and awarded the first prize. We think there is a London 
agent, but this you can ascertain by writing to the proprietors of the 
apparatus at the address given. 
Orchid leaves Biseased (./. J. Lancashire). —The cause is pro¬ 
bably an excess of moisture, and it frequently occurs in houses where 
too much fire heat is employed, with a corresponding amount of water 
and insufficient ventilation. The plants then become weakened and un¬ 
healthy, and are readily injured. The hardier the plants can be grown 
consistent with their safety, the more likely they are to escape such 
diseases. An unduly low temperature, and damp, stagnant atmosphere 
will induce a similar leaf disease. 
Keeping Grapes (./. G.). —As the Grapes will not keep on the 
Vines you have nothing to lose by inserting the laterals bearing the 
bunches in bottles of water, fixed slantingly so that the berries hang 
clear, in a dry room having an equable temperature of about 45°. A 
degree or two less is not a matter of consequence, but sudden fluctua¬ 
tions of temperature are inimical. Very much also depends on the 
condition of the Grapes. Well ripened and with good skins we have 
frequently had Black Hamburghs in excellent condition at Christmas. 
Norfolk Beefing Apple (A. T. 77.).—You say for fifty years you 
have seen the name spelt “ Biffin.” So have we. The “ Fruit 
Manual” says:—“This Apple is extensively cultivated in Norfolk, 
where, besides being applied to general purposes, the fruit is baked in 
ovens, and form the dried fruit met with among confectioners and 
fruiterers, called ‘ Norfolk Biffins.’ The name of this Apple is some¬ 
times written Beaufin, as if of French origin, but it is more correctly 
Beefing, with a good English ring, from the similarity the baked fruit 
presents to beef.” 
Scale on Rose leaves (J. C.). —The leaves you have sent are 
infested with scale, which can be destroyed by the softsoap and 
petroleum mixture that has been so often recommended, and the 
method of preparation described, that it seems scarcely necessary to 
repeat it. Half a winegla3sful of petroleum well mixed in a solution 
of nicotine soap or Gishurst compound will destroy the insects if 
applied towards evening with a syringe, but it is desirable to afford 
shade the day following if the sun is bright. We should not like to 
have so much scale in a vinery of ours as you appear to have in yours. 
Printed instructions for preparing the insecticides named accompany 
them. 
Plants for Rockery (77).—Alyssum maritimum, A. saxatile com- 
pactum, Arabis albida variegata, Arenaria purpurascens, Aster longifolius 
formosus, Aubrietia deltoidea grandiflora, Campanula garganica, Cheir- 
anthus alpinus, Cistus laurifolius, Cytisus decumbens, Draba 
bceotica, Erica carnea and var. alba, Erysimum rupestre, Genista pnecox, 
Iberis corretefolia, I. sempervirens plena, Lithospermum prostratum, 
Lotus corniculatus plenus, Phlox subulata Nelsoni, P. verna, Potentilla 
splendens, Saxifraga Burseriana, S. Camposi, S. Cotyledon pyramidalis, 
S. longifolia, Sedum spectabile, Silene maritima plena, and Zauschneria 
californica. Hypericum calycinum and H. olympicum do well in some¬ 
what shady dry places, also Vinca major, and var. elegantissima, V. 
minor, and var. plena. All the others require sunny positions. 
Galvanised Wire for Walls ( F .1 J. B.). —Galvanised wire 
answers well for fruit trees both outdoors and under glass. The wires 
for Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots are usually 6 to 7 inches apart, or 
in every alternate course of bricks, but we find it better to have them 
corresponding to every course. As yours is a stone wall we should have 
the wires 6 inches apart. The nearer the wires are to the wall the better 
for the trees, but for convenience of tying they require to be I to § inch. 
When there is a space between the wires and the wall greater than that 
named we find the growth of the trees is not so satisfactory, probably 
from their not being benefited to the same extent by its warmth, or it 
may be due to the current of air constantly taking place in the space 
between the trees and wall. No. 12 is the most suitable wire, that known 
as “ specially prepared galvanised wire for walls ” being the best kind 
to use. 
Eapagreria alba—Coleuses (IF. IF., Reading). —You would 
possibly do more harm than good if you were to materially disturb the 
roots of your Lapageria now. Turn it out of the pot carefully, pick 
away any inert soil with a pointed stick, so that the roots may be in 
contact with firm turfy peat that you may press firmly round them with 
a blunt stick. Perhaps the same sized pot will do, or one very slightly 
larger. Water must be given with judgment, avoiding the extremes of 
periodical over-dryness and saturation. The temperature is suitable, 
but the plant will be better on a close base than a latticework stage, 
especially if this is over hot-water pipes. Coleuses are stove plants, and 
if you cannot contrive to affix a case or frame over the heating medium 
