December 12, 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
519 
as will make up forty-two years, and he is not obliged to be in any 
haste in registering his title, and when he does so the fee is only 5s. 
To take off a man's invention without his consent is as much steal¬ 
ing as taking a Cabbage out of his garden, but in law the offence is 
far greater and penalties are very much more than any J.P. can 
inflict on a common pickpocket. 
I may, however, for the information of “A Sussex Amateur,” 
say that I have seen the tin corners he refers to advertised as 
“patented” and “registered” as a “design.” The latter only 
protects the “ shape ” of a thing, and cannot protect an article 
that should be patented. I thought of, and tried the very same 
thing some years ago, and discarded them ; in fact, it was because 
I did not like the looks of these tin corners, and took them off to 
see how a section would look, when I found the comb was 
sufficiently fast to the glass sides to hold them together, and then 
set to work to contrive means of holding them in position until the 
bees fastened them together by means of their comb. Putting 
my sections together is now as simple and easy as building toy 
bricks. There is absolutely nothing used at the corners to hold them 
together. The glasses are cut on a very simple special board, and 
are bound to be exactly true to size, no matter how the glass used 
may vary in thickness, while in putting together the glasses sup¬ 
port one another, making the thing as easy and simple as possible. 
No wonder, now it is being generally known, that hosts are jump¬ 
ing up claiming to have used the very same thing, yet some of 
them distinctly declared they could not guess how it was to be 
done when I said “ nothing was used at the corners to hold them 
together, either visible or invisible, yet the glasses were all cut true 
right angles.” 1 say, if they had known it they would have 
“guessed ” at once and not have laughed at me, and plainly hinted 
I was humbugging them, but such is life and the experience of— 
A Hallamshire Bee-keeper. 
Erratum. —In my article last week at the bottom of the first 
column, page 496, 90° is a misprint for 95° ; and Mr. W. L. Hut¬ 
chinson should be Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson. — A Hallamshire 
Bee-keeper. 
[Many of our readers will be glad to peruse the above interesting 
notes on the Patent Laws. In respect to the drawings referred 
to we intended having engravings prepared under the assumption 
that they would be serviceable to persons who desired to work 
from them ; but as we find the method we intended to pourtray 
is patented, and as our correspondent states “ no one must make 
the articles for his own use,” he simply tells us it is of no use pub¬ 
lishing the details in hand. He is quite justified in patenting 
anything the authorities admit is a distinct invention, and no one is 
justified in acting contrary to the law on the subject ; and, further, 
we do not see on what grounds “ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper,” with 
his high respect for morality, can de3ire us to place temptation in 
the way of the world by publishing his drawings. The matter, 
therefore, remains still longer in abeyance.] 
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 ( F. A .).—There is no work embracing all the subjects that 
your inquiry suggests, nor any periodical exclusively devoted to the 
question. There are small works treating on special subjects, but as you 
do not indicate the object you have in view we are at a loss which to 
mention. (B. I )').—The price of the essay on “ Profitable Fruit 
Growing ” is Is. 3d. by post from this office. 
Grapes Unsatisfactory (S. M .).—Though you took pains in pack¬ 
ing the Grapes were shaken into a mass, evidently through the skin 
being defective. The Vine has probably been overcropped, and is in a. 
more or less debilitated state. Additional root action in fresh soil 
which contains lime and potash is requisite for the production of more 
substantial skins, without which the Grapes cannot keep long after: 
they are ripe. 
Shortening the Long- Sappy Growths of Hybrid Perpetual 
Boses (i» Inquirer'). —You are quite right in shortening the long 
sappy growths of both standard and dwarf Roses to prevent their being 
broken by wind or snow. Shortening hard back, however, is not ad¬ 
visable, as if the spring prove mild growth will be made from the buds 
at the upper part of the wood retained, and is liable to be injured by 
spring frosts. Your practice, however, of pruning again in spring, 
merely shortening irregularities now, we find very desirable, particularly 
so in exposed situations. 
Boses (S. S.). —Mr. Bardney does not paint the stems of his Roses 
with anything, and as he keeps them absolutely free from mildew by the 
method described last week he is satisfied, as anyone might well be, 
with Roses so clean, healthy, and floriferous as those in his charge. 
You can paint the stems of your plants if you wish. It will do no harm, 
and the sulphur will soon be washed off when syringing commences. 
The painting will not prevent mildew attacking the leaves under con¬ 
ditions that are favourable for its growth. No. 2 next week. 
Jerusalem Artichokes (IF. R. R.). —You say “ The bulbs of 
Jerusalem Artichokes come all massed together in a lump at the roots of 
the stems ; soil good light, and position frequently changed. Change 
of seed tubers has been recommended : can the want of this be the 
cause?” We print this question in case any of our correspondents can 
suggest a better method than the one indicated for overcoming the habit 
complained of. Wood ashes are excellent for the crop, but we can give 
no assurance that they would effect the desired purpose, and fresh tubers 
are worth trying. 
Celery Bunning- to Seed (J. II.). —The chief cause is too early 
sowing with checks to growth afterwards. To have good Celery at this 
season the first fortnight of March is a suitable time to sow, the plants 
being pricked off outdoors in early May, up to which they should be 
kept well up to the light in a cool house or frame, and be planted out 
in well manured trenches early in June, keeping them supplied with, 
water, and affording liquid manure occasionally. With this treatment 
you will have splendid heads. For an early supply the seed should be, 
sown early in February, the seedlings pricked off and grown on in gentle 
heat, hardening them off so as to be able to plant out in well manured 
trenches during the first moist mild weather after the middle of May.. 
During summer it must be well watered and supplied with liquid 
manure in order to have fine solid, crisp, well-flavoured heads in late 
summer. 
Thinning Larch Plantation (J. E. II.). —The Larch will now 
be suitable for stakes and various useful purposes, and the first thinning- 
should be effected as soon as practicable. The trees being planted so 
thickly, it will be necessary to cut away about one-fourth of the worst 
shaped and ill placed, or, if the trees are very vigorous and require more 
room for their healthy development, it may be necessary to thin out 
more freely, always bearing in mind that excessive thinnings are more 
injurious than beneficial; at the same time the thinning must be 
efficient, allowing top space for those that remain, so as to insure a 
sturdy growth. Where the trees have grown most they should be 
thinned most, and vice versa. At the next thinning, say in three years 
hence, the trees will be suitable for rails and general fencing purposes- 
Therefore it is not advisable to thin too severely at first, but whilst con¬ 
sidering the ultimate good of the trees, keep in view the utility of the 
thinnings, as they may be of little use at first, but if left a little longer 
(without prejudice to those that would remain after thinning), their 
value would be considerably enhanced. Judgment muse be exercised, 
removing in the first instance the most unsatisfactory in growth. 
Poinsettias Flagging ( Weybridge).— The bracts of Poinsettias 
are apt to flag either in a cut or uncut state soon after being transferred 
from a warm stove to much cooler quarters. They are more serviceable 
either for table, house, or conservatory decoration if not grown in a 
very high temperature, but in any case they ought to be slightly 
hardened off before they have to “ rough it.” Even this will not pre¬ 
vent flagging in all instances where the bracts are used out of water 
for dinner table decoration. They ought not to be left on the table or 
to the tender mercies of the indoor servants all night, but the gardener 
or responsible assistant should attend at the proper time and place all 
that are needed for future use in water. A w\arm, rather than a cool 
place, is most conducive to freshness of cut Poinsettias, and we have 
frequently been under the necessity of taking them back to the forcing 
houses for a few hours. Moderately hot water also is better than cold 
for restoring them quickly. When nothing will recover them properly 
the heads may yet be split up and used for fringing groups of flowers, 
and the base of small fine-foliaged plants set on the cloth. A few 
green Poinsettia leaves with the coloured bracts are very attractive 
when made good use in cloth decoration. 
Plants for Cut Flowers Outdoors (Old Subscriber). —Dahlias 
should be sown in early March, in gentle heat, and when large enough 
to handle be potted singly, and grown on in gentle heat, hardening so 
as to be strong at the end of May for planting out. Zinnias and Asters 
should be sown in frames in gentle heat in early March for an early bloom,, 
