February £8, 1880. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
183 
skeps, &c., producing 14,004 lbs. of run honey and 4925 lbs. of 
section or comb honey,together 18,929 lbs. of honey, or an average 
of 15 lbs. in skep, &c. Total of 1987 colonies producing 39,683 lbs. 
of honey, or any average of 16 lbs. per hive and a total 711 lbs. of 
beeswax. The return of the number of c lonies safely brought 
through the winter to the spring of 1888 was 23,212. They were 
distributed through the provinces as follow :— 
In Leinster 2754 in frame hives and 4756 in other hives. 
In Munster 2028 „ 4652 „ 
In Ulster 2949 „ 4528 „ 
In Connaught 620 „ 925 „ 
At present there is no return of the increase by swarms during 
the summer of 1888, or of the honey or wax. 
From the above it appears that there was an increase of 13■ 2 
per cent, in the number of colonies at work, and of 38‘7 per cent, 
iu the quality of honey produced in 1887 as compared with the 
preceding year, the figures showing a marked improvement as 
regards the results obtained. — John M. Hooker, 76, Tynvhitt 
Road, St. Johns, S.E. 
THE HALLAMSHIRE GLASS SECTIONS. 
1 NOTE what i! Felix” says regarding above in the Journal for 
February 7th, to which I take no exception. Perhaps after all he is 
a little prejudiced in favour of wood for sections, and perhaps he has 
also read what an American editor says about glass for sections. 
Our friend “ Lanarkshire” once told us of a tinker who used tin, and 
thought there was nothing to equal it, and we all know what class of 
artisans considers nothing can equal leather. For all that I think the 
most enthusiastic “ tinkerite ” will, ere twelve months has passed, come 
to the conclusion that he cannot afford to use wooden sections, even if 
they are to be had gratis. 
The section referred to as having been received by “ Felix ” came 
back to me on the 11th February, after travelling about since Novem¬ 
ber an aggregate distance of over 1800 miles mostly in the mails. I think 
it will be both interesting and instructive to state how it was packed 
and in what state it came to hand again, as affording some valuable in¬ 
formation regarding safe packing. 
The section measured 5J inches long by 3} inches wide, and was with 
the two pieces of glass on its sides 1J inch thick. It was wrapped in 
three pieces of paper, in no particular manner, and put in a box, which 
box measured in length 6 inches, in width 3inches, and in depth 
3jj inches, inside measure. The top, bottom, and ends were of thin 
white deal, 3-16ths of an inch thick, and the sides ditto three-eighths of 
an inch thick. The section was put in this box as wrapped up in the 
paper with one of its sides uppermost. Thus, by calculating a little, it 
will be seen that it had three-quarters of an inch extra space in length, 
If inch in width, and half an inch in depth. A little cork dust was put 
in simply to keep the section from moving about too much ; in fact, the 
only thing I endeavoured to protect it against was being crushed by the 
weight of other goods being placed on it while in transit; hence the 
extra room and the yielding cork dust packing. With that packing it 
was safe for travelling in the mails for the next ten years. It went 
safely in Christmas week (when it is well known a great number of 
parcels are carried) to friend “Lanarkshire” in Scotland, afterwards to 
London, and from there it was posted by the Editor to “ Felix,” by 
whom I believe it was received safe and sound. When it came to my 
hands I found the lid had six five-eighths of an inch very stiff tin tacks 
driven into its lid, in addition to the fine wire nails I had put in, and 
which were ample for all purposes. These tacks had not only split the 
lid, but had been driven in as follows One fairly over each of the 
three-eighths of an inch sides, one 3-16ths from the edge of the ends, which 
of course it did not catch ; one one-quarter of an inch past oue of the 
three-eighths of an inch sides, one five-eighths of an inch past the edge 
of either sides or end, and one was driven in just half an inch one way 
off the middle of the lid. The point of this struck the section three- 
eighths of an inch from its edge, splintering the glass in all directions, 
much like a spider’s web. When I removed the lid I was further 
surprised, for instead of the section being loose it was wedged on all 
sides with twisted pieces of paper, jammed in so tightly that I had the 
greatest difficulty to get it out, and so tight that the least pressure from 
the outside would have passed through the paper to the section, even if 
the ends had cot been also partly forced off. The consequence of this 
packing was that the bottom side was forced right into the honeycomb, 
crushing it. Thus, what with the packing, the nailing, and the 
hammering, the section is a total wreck, even if one side does not 
remain almost as at first. 
I do not know whether or not “Felix” sent the section which was 
posted in Manchester, or packed it up, but I believe he can throw some 
light on this way of packing honeycomb. When one has an American 
pricelist “nailed sections” are freely quoted, but I have never heard before 
of nailed honeycomb. “ Felix ’’ once tried to poke fun at me ; now 
1 think the tables are turned. Had it come to hand safely it would 
have been on its way to America en route round the world, but of course 
it has had to “ stop short never to go again.”—A Hallamshire Bee- 
keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIYED. 
John Forbes, Hawick, Scotland.— Catalogue of Florists' Flowers. 
Charles Frazer, Norwich .—Catalogue of Conservatories, Green¬ 
houses, $)C. 
E. P. Dixon, Hull.— Catalogue of Farm Seeds. 
Thos. S. Ware, Tottenham. — Catalogues of Hardy Perennials r 
Chrysanthemums, JIardy Florists' Flowers, Climbing Plants, Peeonies „ 
Hardy Primulas, Hardy Ferns, and New Poppies. 
All correspondence should be directed either to “ Tije 
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 ( Siiltaire ).—Write to Mr. B. S. Williams. Victoria arrd 
Paradise Nurseries, Holloway. (A. D.~). —Mr. Iggulden’s work on the- 
Tomato is reprinting. QEbor). —“Johnson’s Gardener’s Dictionary” can. 
can be had from this office, post free, for 8s. 
Araucaria Cones QC. //.).—You are quite right, the word 
“diameter” in our reply on page 163 last week, was a misprint, and 
obviously ought to have been “ circumference.” We are obliged by 
your other note, but the subject has had prominence. 
Soil for Fuchsias ( A. Pf. —Young plants start the most freely in a 
light mixture, such as nearly half sweet leaf soil and the remainder turfy- 
loam, with a free addition of crushed charcoal and sand. Older and 
stronger plants prefer firmer soil, two-thirds of loam, the remaining- 
third composed of equal parts of pulverised manure and leaf soil, with 
other ingredients to secure porosity, a pound of bone meal to a peck of 
soil being a valuable addition. Good management in other respects is* 
as important as soil in growing the plants well. 
Cinerarias—Seedsmen's Strains (IF. G. F.~). — The flowers sent 
are good and evidently the produce of well grown plants. In conse¬ 
quence of the expressed dissatisfaction of some seedsmen last year, with 
approving, because merited, references to other than the produce of 
their own seeds, flowers sent for examination must in future be j udged' 
on their merits and without indicating the source from which the seccr 
was obtained. We are at all times ready to point out the qualities 
and defects of flowers that may be sent for inspection by cultivators, 
and to give an opinion as to their value in comparison with existing 
varieties. 
Mushrooms Falling- ( Amateur ).—The failure is not due to the 
source of your information, as the following extract from a letter before 
us conclusively proves. Mr. W. D. Bason writes from Wolverhampton-: 
—“ I am pleased to tell you that upon looking at a Mushroom bed 
16 feet long by 4 feet wide to-day (February 19th), I find it is covered 
with Mushrooms. This bed was spawned on the 17th of January. This, 
beats all my previous records. The success is due to that valuable work 
1 Mushrooms for the Million ’ and perseverance. In future I intend' 
making up large beds, as by so doing I am sure early crops are insured.”' 
You had better perhaps follow the hint there given, also as advised on- 
page 109 of the work mentioned, in making a larger bed next time. Do- 
not, however, hastily destroy the present one, as Mushrooms may appear- 
plentifully as the weather becomes warmer. 
Grubs in Mushroom Bed (A7w).—The grubs resemble the- 
larvae of a weevil or beetle, and are most difficult to destroy without 
at the same time doing injury in other respects. We do not think they 
are the consequence of the moss litter—at least, we have seen much of 
this used without any such unfortunate accompaniment. Are you sure- 
the eggs from which they hatched were not in the soil, the warmth from 
the manure expediting incubation ? Try the effect of a solution of 
hellebore on a few of them, made by beating 2 ozs. of the powder into a 
creamy paste, then mixing in a gallon of water. If this does not destroy- 
them try a stronger solution, noting its effects also on the spawn and 
young Mushrooms, in a small portion of the bed. Try also lemon oiL 
which is advertised in the Journal. We have not tried it as a grub 
destroyer, but an excellent gardener has informed us that he has done 
so satisfactorily. We shall be obliged if you will favour us with the 
result of your experiments. 
