June 5, 1890. ] 
JOUEiVAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
473 
October, and November. It does best in a heavy soil only moderately 
rich, as when very rich it makes such huge heads that they are liable 
to be ordered out of the kitchen. VVe generally plant from 20 inches 
to 2 feet apart, as we prefer to let the plants become somewhat 
crowded, and thereby of restricted growths to form medium sized heads. 
Worms Destroying Cauliflower. —Few vegetables suffer more 
from worms at the root than Cauliflower. Their injurious operations 
are soon indicated by the plants becoming yellow in the foliage, and 
then withering altogether. Thi.s sometimes occurs when the plants are 
just beginning to become established after being placed out. At other 
times the heads arc almost beginning to form, and a quarter will soon 
become patchy in this way. The test preventive is to fork a quantity 
of lime into the soil immediately before planting. We did this last 
year, and amongst some thousands of plants not one failed, and as 
the Cauliflowers are planted on fresh ground this season the liming 
has again teen done most carefully. 
Drumhead Cabbage. —Where many late autumn vegetables are 
in demand for the servants’ hall or elsewhere, the Drumhead Cabbage will 
be found most useful. The miniature variety is of choicer quality than 
the Drumhead. The former should be grown for the kitchen, and if 
planted in June they will head and prove most useful in October and 
November. The miniature Drumhead may be grown at a distance of 
18 inches apart. 
Tomatoes in the Open Air. —Tomatoes may now be planted in 
the open air in all localities. Do not fail to place them in a sunny 
position, they will not succeed in any other. Place a little mound of 
moderately rich soil above the level of the surrounding ground where 
each plant is to be inserted. Plant in this, make the soil as firm as 
possible, water thoroughly, and tie up and train as soon as necessary. 
This is important, because many plants arc put out and allowed to grow 
and run wild before training is taken in hand, when it is too late to 
insure proper growth and fertility. It is astonishing how soon the plants 
get into flower and fruit when the superfluous leaves and growths are 
removed as quickly as they form, and each one is confined to a single 
stem. This is regarded as the main secret of securing a good crop of 
Tomatoes in the open air. 
Onions. —The seed of these has been more variable than any of our 
other crops. Sown side by side, some have germinated freely and grown 
well, while others have been almost a failure. Spring sown Onions may 
be very successfully transplanted, and we have transplanted thousands 
of them in former years, and although these did not gain the large size 
of the others, they became serviceable bulbs, and deficient crops may be 
increased in this way. 
Asparagus. —Although we have cut from the same roots for ten years 
the produce was never finer than it has been of late, and we attribute 
this to the extra free dressings of guano applied to the surface of the 
beds during March. We have noticed that when every head is cut 
and only a few weakly ones allowed to remain to form the plant a 
deterioration occurs, and a weakly crop follows next year, and what¬ 
ever the anxiety to secure it may be the future success of the plant 
should not be forgotten, and three or four good strong stems must 
be allowed to remain for the following season. As a rule cutting 
Asparagus should cease the first week in June. 
Lettuce may be planted in a cool partially shaded place at this 
time. Sow a little seed once a fortnight. Sow a little seed of the Moss 
Curled Endive. It will not be in great demand when this is ready, but 
a few may be acceptable. Should Kidney Beans, Dwarfs or Runners, 
have come up in a crowd thin them to a few inches apart, as they fruit 
earlier and bear finer pods than when crowded. 
NOTES ON BEES- 
The Weather. 
The weather is much cooler again, and bees are less abroad. 
May swarms were never more numerous, and all unswarmed ones 
are ready for supering, but this will not be performed till the 
middle of June. 
. Oilcloths. 
These are made by steeping good calico in boiled linseed oil, 
and now is the best time to prepare them. For the crown squares 
are best, having a large eyelet in each corner. Each costs about 
7d., and as they are lasting are perhaps as cheap or cheaper than 
anything else ; they are effectually watertight. For covering the 
sides pieces C feet long'are necessary, and eyelets in them, too, 
will be found useful. These should not cost more than Od. or 
lOd. each, and are superior to felt, and in a commercial point of 
view much cheaper and more effective than double walled hives. 
Their lightness, pliability, and durability alone recommend them, 
and where bees have to be moved about, such as to the Heather, 
they are indispensable. 
Punic Bees. 
Jly Punic stocks, although the weakest in the autumn and early 
spring, are now nearly as well advanced as my best stocks of 
Carniolians and crossed Cyprian and Syrian races. A few weeks 
will determine their honey gathering qualities, their breeding, and 
hardiness being proved a success. After the honey season com¬ 
mences I will weigh a number of them frequently and let the 
result be known. 
Supering 
In early districts should not be delayed, neither should feeding 
be neglected now if honey is not to be had. It is a critical 
time for several weeks to come, and neglect to feed may render 
hives unprofitable. Be watchful. 
Dandelion IIoney'. 
IMuch of the honey gathered this year is from the Dandelions, 
which is rather pungent, and is apt to spoil the delicacy of fruit 
blossom or Clover honey, hence my reason for advising returning 
to the bees any combs having too pungent honey. 
Blending Honey 
This, in some cases, may improve an inferior sort, but I have not 
experienced an improvement by mixing in any fine grade. Most 
people are apt to judge by their own standard, disallowing the 
opinions of others with perhaps a great deal more experience. It 
is a well-known fact that Borgne has been long famed for the 
flavour of its honey, although I am quite of the opinion that simi¬ 
larly flavoured honey may be had eastward on the same seaboard. 
Many years ago I sent samples of some of these honeys to London 
merchants, and they pronounced it the finest flavoured honey they 
ever tasted, and at all our principal shows the Kirkcudbrightshire 
and Dumfriesshire drift honey in most cases was awarded the. 
premier honours, and special reference was made to that of Mr. 
Sydney Roebuck, who also excelled in his lettering designs ; 
nothing had ever approached their sharpness in angle, and other¬ 
wise well executed designs. 
In order to test the blending and the cause of the fine flavour 
in Borgne honey A. MacNaughtt, Esq., Greenock, offered a .prizo 
two years ago for the best essay upon the subject, but the essay 
elicited nothing beyond the fact that it was from deeply rooted 
Clover amongst the rocks, which did not establish anything out of 
the common. 
I have discovered a honey at times in my own apiary not unlike 
the Borgne honey gathered from the Genista tinctoria, a plant 
which yields much honey, and is plentiful in Borgne. I will not 
urge that this plant may be the cause, but it will be well if bee¬ 
keepers turn their attention to this matter and of blending honey. 
Our contemporaries ridiculed the idea, and many showed their dis¬ 
approbation of the gentleman’s prize named. Now, this is perhaps 
natural to some condemning the good motives of others, but the 
prize was offered for the sole purpose of benefiting bee-keepers. If 
it had been made out that blending was the cause of the flavour 
then surely a problem would be solved, and a lasting benefit to bee¬ 
keepers and consumers would accrue ; or, if on the other hand, 
Borgne in her geological formations or her floral gifts was th& 
cause, then by all means let her bee-keepers reap the reward. Mr, 
MacNaughtt has met with much opposition, but his purposes are 
generous and will in the future bear fruit. It is not a one-sided 
thing, but affects both the consumer and the bee-keeper, the latter 
in the end reaping the richest reward. 
I have often directed the attention of bee-keepers to the way to 
handle their honey, or rather how not to handle it, so as to gain 
confidence with the consumer. Fruit in some cases can be pared, 
but honey has to be eaten in its entirety whatever hands it may 
have passed through. One of our modern bee books advises 
hanging the honey while in the strainer “ before the fire,” and adds, 
“ The comb can be crushed by the fingers whilst in the bag.” I 
trust bee-keepers will not take the advice, and if the Fruiterers’ 
Company ever take the question of bee-keeping up on behalf of 
cottagers and others, as they have exerted themselves with the 
fruit question, they will do so on lines of their own, and in a. 
generous, just, and independent spirit. Bees and flowers for the 
country, and fruit and honey for all, might be a good motto. 
The Raitt Honey Pre.ss Again. 
I think I may say without fear of contradiction, and that they 
are in the minority who may differ from me when I say that truth 
and a truthful representation of all a man has to do with is one of 
the noblest traits in his character, and one of the greatest virtues 
he can possess. It is what gilds the volume, and adds lustre, 
beauty, and worth to it and the writer, and gives confidence to the 
reader, who stores its treasures, and imparts again to another 
channel, and raises the knowledge to a higher field of usefulness. 
The time is not long since I had to call the Editor of “ B— B— J—” 
to order for misstatements regarding the honey presser, in which 
I disclaimed being inventor of the honey screw press, but which h© 
