266 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 28,1889. 
of the bee-keeper, and the questionable practice of turning up 
quilts at a time during winter when the greatest care should be 
exercised to keep the bees still. By one thoughless manipulation 
a hive may be irretrievably injured. It incites the bees to over¬ 
feed, and distension follows. The bees become unable to keep up 
the degree of heat necessary for their preservation, and the hive 
that is easiest kept at a uniform temperature essential to the life of 
the bee with the least exertion on their part is the hive to adopt 
both for pleasure and profit, and such a hive must be sought for 
that expels all damp with the slightest current of air admissible, 
and no more than a colony of bees require, which is much less than 
many suppose. 
Erratum. —At page 245, second paragraph, twelfth line, “ I ” 
has been substituted for “ They cleaned out all dead bees,” which 
were but few considering the strength of the hive, which numbered 
about sixty altogether.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
(To be continued.) 
%* 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. 
To Correspondents. —In consequence of the reports of Spring 
exhibitions and other pressing matter, the publication of several 
valued communications are deferred to a future issue. 
Tank in Orchid House (J. IF. Byde ).—'The tank will do no harm 
whatever, but, on the contrary, be of great service but you had better 
have it covered, with a lid to open and close as may be desired. 
Free-bearing- Figs (Horace).- —Brown Turkey or Lee’s Perpetual 
is one of the best bearers, and Early Prolific, Angelique, Early Violet, 
White Marseilles, with the White, Black, and Brown Ischias, will all 
bear abundantly when the trees arc well managed. 
Xnsects on Peach Trees (IF. C.). —You may fumigate lightly on 
two or three successive evenings, to keep the insects in check, then when 
the fruit is set syringe forcibly. Your letter, arriv'ng during the pressure 
of preparing for press, cannot be fully answered this week. 
Crowing Fruit for Profit (Zebus). —Keep your money in your 
pocket till you have gained experience, or you will be more likely to lose 
-it than to gain more by any venture in the way you desire. We have no 
time to say more this week, on account of the late arrival of your letter 
Showing Roses (J. B. I?.). —You write under circumstances 
so peculiarly local, that we advise you to apply to Messrs. J. Cocker and 
Son, Aberdeen, for the information you require. They are very suc¬ 
cessful northern growers, and their method of procedure will be adapted 
to your district. We feel sure they will advise you, if you enclose a 
stamped directed envelope for a reply. 
Hardy Climbers for Trellis (Barnsley). —If the soil and climate 
are suitable for Roses we think the Ayrshire varieties, Bennett’s Seed¬ 
ling, Dundee Rambler, Queen of the Belgians, and Ruga would be 
sufficiently hardy. Clematises would also answer ; C. Flammula is 
one of the rambling growers, but the flowers are not gay, and we see 
no reason why such effective varieties as Jackmanni, Rubella, and Star 
of India shoull fail. The Wistaria would grow no doubt, but it is a 
question if it would ripen sufficiently for flowering. Laburnums are 
good for covering arches, and beautiful when flowering freely. 
Manure for Tomatoes (A. A. B.). —To your question as to 
whether “ steamed bone flour and muriate of potash would be good for 
Tomatoes ” our reply is in the affirmative. Most strong soils contain 
potash ; but there are exceptions, and where Clover grows freely there 
is potash in the soil. If you wish to grow Tomatoes in the same soil 
that produced a good crop last year you will not err in applying the 
manures named at the rate of a quarter of a pound to each square yard 
of surface, pointing it in not very deeply, but we should place a little 
soil round the roots when planting. You can give a further dressing 
after the crop of fruit is set, if required. 
Striking Cuttings in Sand and Water (G. nobson). —This is 
quite practicable, but they must be looked after as soon as the roots have 
formed, and transferred to warm sandy soil. When much propagating 
is done it is as well to place the cuttings in material in which they will 
stand and flourish some time after they are struck, and hence we prefer, 
after good drainage, light sindy loam and a little leaf mould, with 
a slight coating of sand on the surface, which, if kept rather moist, will 
prevent air penetrating to and exhausting the base of the cutting. 
In proportion to the additional heat used in striking cuttings, so 
will greater care be required in hardening the cuttings afterwards. 
Rhododendrons from Seed (Ebor).— Procure some sweet sandy 
peat and break it fine, and three-parts fill the pans with it in an un¬ 
sifted state, first draining them well. Sifted soil should then be put on 
the rough, and the surface having been leve led, sow the seed and 
cover with fine soil. Place in a cold frame, keep just moist, and let the 
moisture be regular. If you sow in a frame, place a good layer of 
rough cinders at the bottom, and on this 0 inches of turfy sandy peat, 
and an inch or two of the same sifted, covering the seed with fine 
soil. The growth of moss is due to keeping the seedlings or the soil 
too wet; giving more air and keeping the soil moist but not wet 
will prevent the growth of moss. Unless you sow very thickly, which 
is not desirable, the growth of moss will not interfere with the seedlings 
until they are fit to transplant. 
Red Spider and Mildew Remedy (Midland Gardener).— The 
following is probably the communication to which you refer, from 
li J. C.,” who wrote :—“ For thirty-six years I have not been troubled 
with spider or mildew on my Peach walls, but both pests had been very 
troublesome to my predecessor. After the trees have been nailed l 
mix 6 lbs. of sulphur and tone it down with soot, and apply it to the 
wall with the syringe or engine. I put it on thickest at the bottom of 
the wall for the vapour from the sulphur to ascend amongst the foliase. 
After the fruit is set, on a fine sunny afternoon when the wall is still 
warm, I syringe with milkwarm water; the vapour will spread itself 
over the whole wall. I do this two or three times a week on fine days. 
Syringing the tender fohage of Peach trees with cold water is a sad 
mistake, too often practised I am sorry to say.” 
Dig-g-ing- (E. M. B.). —There is as great a difference in diggers as 
in soils. In a light garden soil, which does not require the foot to 
drive in the spade in taking each spit, a good workman will turn over 
400 square yards in an efficient manner, 10 to 12 inches deep, per 
working day of ten hours. An average labourer will not get beyond 
10 rods, or 300 square yards per day, on ordinary garden soil— i.e., 
medium-textured friable loam. In a stubborn stiff soil G rods may be 
taken as a nv'nimum, and 8 rods as a maximum day’s work for an 
average spadesman. Some experts will get over 15 rods of light soil, 
and 10 rods of heavy soil, per day, working by the piece, and do the work 
well. If the soil is merely turned G to 8 inches deep, the workman 
will of course gee over more ground ; but our remarks apply to good 
work—a thorough turning up of the soil 10 to 12 inches deep. 
Exhibiting Chrysanthemums (Novice). —We are not able to 
inform you of any shows in the midlands at .which amateurs from a 
distance are eligible to compete outside the open classes in which gar¬ 
deners exhibit. We do not say there are no classses for amateurs like 
yourself, who are engaged in trade, and only grow flowers as a pleasant 
form of recreation, and possibly the mention of your case may elicit 
information. We remember seeing a large number of small classes 
filled by amateurs at a Nottingham show, but do not know the condi¬ 
tions of the schedule. You can scarcely hope to win prizes in the open 
classes against professional gardeners. We should only take up one or 
two growths from plants which break now for producing three blooms 
eventually. One stem might produce three breaks each, developing a 
good bloom, or it might not, and it is better to have a little choice in 
the matter and to remove a shoot or two which may not be wanted after 
the buds are set. 
Scale on Oleander (Jackson ).—Neriums are subject to this species 
of scale insect and then follows black fungus. The insect is known to 
gardeners as the orange scale. To free the leaves of it they should be 
washed with a solution of so ft scrap at the rate of 6 ozs. to the gallon of 
water. The plant first of all should be syringed with water at a tem¬ 
perature of 140°, which is not too high if syringed on the plant; but if 
the latter be immersed the water must be at 120°, and the plant should 
be kept in the water one minute. The leaves are to be washed on both 
sides with a sponge, pressing whilst washing them, so as to dislodge the 
insect and remove the black fungus. After the leaves have been 
washed on both sides they should be allowed to dry, and then the 
plants should be syringed with water at 140°, laying the pots on their 
sides so that the hot water may not wet the soil. The insects near the 
midribs may be dislodged by employing a pointed stick. A good 
washing with softsoap will generally keep the insects under, but 
repeated washings are necessary to keep plants subject to it clean. 
