388 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
| May 9, 1889. 
the year turn out a good honey season, there will be a demand for 
bees next spring, so that it will be quite a safe speculation for bee¬ 
keepers to increase their stocks, headed by young queens, which 
will find a ready market, or owing to the dearth will be quite 
acceptable for increasing their honey harvest. —A Lanarkshire 
Bee-keeper. 
Death of the Rev. G. Raynor. —We regret to see announced 
the death of Rev. George Raynor of Hazeleigh, near Maldon, which 
occurred on the 3rd inst. in the seventieth year of his age. Mr. Raynor 
was well known in the apiarian world, and contributed to the pages of 
this and other apiarian journals. 
9 m * 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. 
Double-spathed Rlchardia (IF. T.'). — We have had several 
examples of a similar kind sent to us. It is probably occasioned by an 
extra vigorous condition of the plants. 
Florists’ Addresses (J. S.).— You will find the names of most 
■established florists, seedsmen, and nurserymen in the “ Horticultural 
Directory,” published at this office, price Is., post free, Is. 3d. 
Green Primrose ( P. C. N.). —We have raised and grown many 
thousands of Primroses, but have not seen one precisely like the variety 
of which you send flowers. It is a curiosity, and if you have an offset 
to spare we should be glad to test its fixity of character in our collec¬ 
tion: • 
Large Pod—Entada scandens (J. H. IF.).—As nearly as we can 
judge from your sketch and description we should think the plant is 
Entada scandens, a member of the Leguminosm, a climbing plant, found 
widely distributed in the tropics, frequently having pods 4 feet long 
and 4 or 5 inches broad. 
Emigration (Nero). — We are not in possession of the requisite 
■data for informing you “ whether Australia, New Zealand, or California 
is the best for a steady industrious young gardener, who will have £100 
at his disposal on arrival.” If you write to the Secretary, Emigration 
-Office, 41, Broadway, Westminster, you will be supplied with informa¬ 
tion as reliable as can be obtained on the subject. 
Superphosphate of lime (II. II). —Three or four ounces to each 
■square yard will be a suitable dressing. You had much better purchase 
a little, as before you can make what you want the season will be too 
far .‘advanced ■ for its benefiting the crops. Bones can be reduced to 
powder by placing them in a tub with alternate layers of caustic 
potash ; more slowly with, thick layers of wood ashes between them. 
Destroying Weeds (Subscriber). —We certainly do not consider 
«alt the best weed destroyer, and if it is used repeatedly, as it must to 
keep walls and drives dean, it makes them soft and wet. We have seen 
walks practically spoiled through being covered with salt year after year. 
We know of nothing that gives greater satisfaction for the purpose 
in question than Smith’s weed killer. It is quicker in action than 
salt and decidedly more lasting in effect. It was advertised in this 
Journal last week, and you will have no difficulty in getting prices and 
particulars from the manufacturer or his agents. 
Phalaenopsls Flowers (A. D.). —So far from these plants being 
weakened by the removal of the flowers the reverse is the case, though 
for obvious reasons the practice is not resorted to except with small or 
weak plants. We have no doubt many plants of P. Schilleriana have 
been seen with considerably more than 100 flowers open at the same 
time. We think we have seen several, but did not take the trouble 
to count the blooms, though others may have done so. Your other 
questions are too wide to be satisfactorily answered in this column, but 
you will find the desired information in an early issue of the Journal 
of Horticulture. 
Culture of Gasterias (Joe). —Gasterias belong to the Aloe section 
of the Lilyworts. They are very neat plants for a succulent collection. 
They will do well in a house kept from 45° in winter to 60° and more in 
summer. They flourish best in sandy loam with a little peat and very 
rotten dry cowdung, and some lime rubbish and broken bricks—say, two 
parts sandy loam, half a part of cowdung. and half a part of broken 
bricks and lime rubbish. The chief care they require is to keep them 
almost quite dry, when in a state of rest in winter. If the pots stand 
on a damp stone or damp gravel they will absorb enough moisture 
in the dark months. 
Cutting Camellias (Allen ).—When the flowers are cut by a 
practised person it does not interfere with the future flowering, for the 
blooms will only be cut from a part where the subsequent growth will 
not be interfered with ; but when they are taken indiscriminately from 
every part the future growth and flowering are materially affected. 
When the plants are “ cut hard ” for their blooms they should be gone 
over after flowering, and any irregular growths removed or shortened, so 
as to make the shoots equally thin, and these should be regularly stopped 
throughout in order to secure their breaking equally at every part, the 
plants being afterwards placed in heat to secure a regular and free 
growth. 
Spot on Pelargonium leaves (II. HI. L.). —This affection 
arises from two causes—defective root action, the result either of keep¬ 
ing the soil too wet or too dry, or from the plants being kept too close 
and at the same time too cold. If the attack is serious they are difficult 
to restore, and so far as we know this can only be done by cutting them 
down and encouraging fresh growth, to be kept hedlthy by good soil and 
attention in watering and ventilation. We have known cut-back plants 
after starting into growth and in due time planted in the open air quite 
recover from the affection. As the fresh plants you procure “ go 
wrong,” we think there is something wrong in your management, but 
without particulars before us we are unable to speak definitely on this 
matter. 
Carnations Diseased—Helminthosporlum echlnulum (A.). — 
The plants are affected by a fungus which has received several names, 
but is generally known as Heiminthosporium echinulum, and where 
plants are as much infested as yours appear to be it is a difficult task 
to restore them to health. The best method would be to destroy the 
worst plants, keeping those partially affected in a frame separate from 
the healthy plants, and endeavour to keep them all in a vigorous healthy 
condition, not weakened by too much heat or a close atmosphere as the 
others may have been. Perhaps it may be necessary to obtain a stock 
of fresh plants, and in that case do not place them in the same frame 
or house as the diseased plants occupied, unless the structure have been 
thoroughly cleansed. 
Growing Flowers for Sale (Reve d'Or ).—Your questions cannot 
be answered categorically. Expert growers-who send the best Roses, 
Chrysanthemums, and other flowers to London, find the culture pro¬ 
fitable, except when tho market is “ glutted,” a3 it sometimes is. We 
doubt the probability of vour competing successfully, in sending small 
quantities by post, with larger and more experienced growers, but if 
you could make arrangements with florists in shops to take what you 
can send, you might make something by the venture. Everything 
depends on quality and existing demands. Only high-class produce 
can bo depended on to prove remunerative. Prices fluctuate consider¬ 
ably, and vendors have to take their chance of the market being “ good ” 
or “ bad.” Those who are the first in sending the best produce realise 
the best prices. About 5 per cent, is the usual commission on sales, but 
it varies. 
Summer-pinching Fruit Trees and Vines (F. J.). — Where 
; the main branches of fruit trees are thinly disposed, as in the case of 
cordons, the growths not required for extension may be pinched as soon 
as they have made.five or six leaves and before the whole of these are 
developed, the subsequent growths to be pinched at one leaf. When 
trees, such as pyramids, are'much crowded, as many are, early topping, 
1 especially if subsequent.pinching is omitted, is calculated to aggravate 
the evil, and disbudding would be the most desirable. If good, crops of 
fruit, regardless of the size and shape of trees, is the main object the 
branches cannot well be tdo thinly disposed, then summer pinching will 
scarcely be needed and very little pruning at any time. If there is not 
room for a leaf from the sublateral of a Vine to develop, either the rods 
are too close or the chief laterals on them, through insufficient disbud¬ 
ding. Leaves should not be permitted where there is not space for their 
growth without crushing violently against each other. 
Peaches Mildewed (J. F.). — The fruits received are badly 
infested with mildew, It is useless expecting fruit so badly attacked 
to finish satisfactorily ; but as attacks of this kind are, as a rule, but 
partial, it would be advisable to promptly dust' every part of the trees, 
and particularly the fruits, with flowers of sulphur. We should repeat 
the dressing of sulphur in a few days, so as to make sure that every part 
infested is reached, and then have recourse to the morning and after- 
