474 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 9, 1887. 
will probably at once run into the hive ; if they delay doing so take up a 
handful and place them close to the entrance of the hive, when they 
will at once run in, and the whole swarm will very speedily follow their 
leaders.—F elix.] 
c 0 ° 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 he 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. 
LATE INQUIRIES.—It is necessary to again remind correspondents that 
letters arriving on WEDNESDAY MORNING cannot be answered 
in the “ next issue,” which is then far advanced for press. 
Lettuces in Winter {A.B. C.). —Your letter cannot be so fully answered 
in the present issue as is desirable, and you will gain by waiting another 
week. 
Scillas and Narcissus ( W. T.). —The flowers you sent are interesting 
as showing the gradual advance from a single to a double form. The 
Hyacinthus non-scriptus of old writers is now styled Scilla nutans. 
Chemical Manure (B. E.).— The sample you have sent appears to be 
what is termed by manufacturers a blood manure, and will be good for 
vegetables applied as a top-dressing in showery weather at the rate of 
about 2 ozs. to each square yard of land. 
Pelargonium and Chrysanthemum {H. C., Market Drayton). —The 
striped Pelargonium is well worth preservation, though such forms are 
not uncommon ; it is, however, more curious than beautiful. The Chrys¬ 
anthemum, which is apparently George Glenny, is a very neat bloom for 
this time of year. It was probably raised from a stem cutting. 
Asparagus (H. Palmer). —The sample heads you have sent are very fine 
indeed, and the gardener who suggested they would not be equal to smaller 
heads in quality we suspect was mistaken. We cooked them with some 
smaller, but preferred yours for quality as well as size. They were quite 
tender to a length of 4 inches or more. We shall be glad to receive the 
account of your mode of culture obligingly offered. 
Seedling Crassulas ( J. L.).— The specimens you sent are very inter¬ 
esting, and well worthy of careful preservation and increase. Both the 
white and the rose-tinted forms are pretty, and would be useful for decora¬ 
tive purposes as plants, or for cutting. By all means grow them separately 
as proposed, and develope their characters as fully as possible. If a cross 
was effected between the species named they should constitute a charming 
group of plants ; it is, however, sometimes difficult to determine such 
matters in the early stages. 
Strange Gloxinia Flowers (T. A. P .).—The flowers are strangely 
malformed, apparently by the production of additional lobes from the base 
of the corolla, and with what corresponds to the inner surface of the 
corolla in colouring and marking turned outwards. Such freaks occa¬ 
sionally occur, but they do not add to the beauty of the plants, and if it 
were possible to render a formation of this kind permanent it is certainly 
not desirable. It probably indicates a tendency to a hose-in-hose flower. 
Mushrooms (Ivanhoe).— The specimen you have sent is not the true 
Mushroom, and is imperfect of its kind. It bears some resemblance to 
Agaricus pratensis, which is coarse and strong, but we are not sure it is 
that variety. We should not cook such productions. Are you sure the 
manure of which the bed is composed is sweet ? The specimen appears as 
if the gills were injured by noxious exhalations. The pileus or skin of the 
true Mushroom is connected with the stem in a young state, the veil 
breaking as the dome expands, leaving a ring more or less broken on the 
stem. You did not send the entire stem for examination. 
Clay’s Fertiliser for Vine Border (Storanthum).— It is excellent for 
every description of crop, and for Vines is best applied as a surface dressing 
about three times during the season of growth— i.e., when the Vines are 
swelling their buds, when the Grapes have been thinned, and again as 
soon as the fruit changes colour. If given prior to a good watering, if such 
be necessary, its fertilising properties will be washed into the soil; but if 
not watered in scratch over the surface with a fork or a rough rake, so as 
to mix it with the soil immediately after its application. Two ounces per 
square yard is a proper quantity. Allow the Buckland Sweetwater to 
make more growth, and do not prune so close in winter. 
Dissolving Bones (J. S'.).—The following has been found a convenient 
method of dissolving bones for use in gardens :—Take a large watertight 
1 ogshead, and cover the bottom with about 6 inches deep of dry soil; on 
this put a layer of bones of the same depth, and cover them with wood 
ashes ; on these another layer of bones,, then ashes, and so on till the hogs¬ 
head is full. Leave it exposed to the rains all summer and winter until 
spring. Then on removing the contents of the hogshead the bones will 
crumble to powder under a slight pressure, and form one of the most’ 
valuable manures ready for immediate use. You will also find some 
particulars on the subject in an article on phosphates as manures that 
will shortly be published. 
Transplanting Hollies (A. G. P.). —We have transplanted Hollies- 
successfully at this period of the year, and seen failures follow the removal 
of these shrubs. Much depends on their size, condition of the roots, 
management, and weather. You say not a word about the size of your- 
shrubs, or whether they have been long in their present positions. If very 
large, and have been long undisturbed, you had better perhaps preparer- 
them for removal by digging a trench round and filling it with soil con- 
sisthig largely of leaf mould for inciting the production of a mass of 
fibrous roots. If you like to send us particulars of the nature above- 
indicated your letter shall have our attention. In the abseq^e of necessary 
information we cannot give a categorical reply. 
Singular Insects {Buckland). —These objects offer a curious illustration 
of what is called insect-mimicry. They are the caterpillars of a species of 
moth called the Feathered Thorn, or Himera pennaria in science. They 
belong to the group of Geometers, so styled from their mode of progression, 
as they appear to measure whatever they may crawl upon by the strides 
the}' make, the centre of the body being without legs. The food of this 
species is several shrubs and trees, but it is not abundant enough to be 
injurious. When not eating they poise themselves in the attitude noticed, 
the head being stretched out and the front legs pressed together, when 
they closely resemble little twigs. The moth conies out in autumn. It is 
a species fond of flying into or around lights. 
Menyanthes trifoliata ( W. Gilbert). —The above is the name of your 
plant, popularly known as the Buck Bean or Bean Trefoil, described in 
Hogg’s “ Vegetable Kingdom ” as one. of the most lovely of our native 
plants. It grows in marshy places, and is very plentiful in Britain, pro¬ 
ducing an abundance of its white bearded rose coloured blossoms in May 
and June. The whole p'ant is intensely bitter and somewhat nauseous, 
and its bitter properties depend on a principle called menyanthin, which 
has a pure bitter taste, is soluble in alcohol and water, but not in pure 
ether, and is chemically neuter. Besides its bitter properties, which are 
equal to those of Gentian, it possesses also cathartic properties, and in 
large doses acts as an emetic. It is a cheap and very valuable medicine, 
and ought to be more generally used. In a scarcity of Hops this plant is 
used in the north of Europe to give a bitter to the beer, 2 ozs. supplying 
the place of 1 lb. of Hops. Some people smoke the leaves. Villarsia 
(Limnanthemum) nymphteoides, also a native of this country, has the same 
properties. 
Raspberries not Succeeding (F. J.). —The fault is not in the position, 
for nothing is more sun-loving than Baspberries when well supported at 
the roots. Abundant crops are produced in open fields in sunny Kent. 
We should attribute the non-success to poverty or dryness of soil. Try 
this plan :—Encourage only three to six canes from each stool, which 
should not be nearer than 3 feet in the rows, and are better 4 feet 6 inches, 
pulling up all others as they appear. Mulch the surface for at least 2 feet- 
from the stools all round with about half-decayed manure so soon as the- 
Raspberries come into flower, and it is better if the whole surface of the- 
ground be covered. During dry weather feed with the slops of the house— 
i.e., cesspool, and vie have no doubt of your getting strong canes and. 
excellent crops. It will be necessary to observe the precaution not to 
apply the liquid too strong. The shade is quite unnecessary. Not a few 
Raspberry plantations are weakened if not spoiled by having the canes, 
their full length when planted, and allowing them to bear the first year, 
instead of cutting them down to within a foot of the ground, as has been, 
systematically advised in this Journal. 
Alexander Peach {H. P. T. !).).—The fruit you have sent is a pale- 
specimen of the variety named, and which is described as follows in the 
last edition of the “Fruit Manual:’’—“Fruit about medium size, round, 
with a well-marked suture, which -terminates at the apex in a deep depres¬ 
sion, in which there is a small point. Skin completely covered with bright 
red, approaching to scarlet where it is exposed to the sun, and this is 
coloured with broken streaks and patches of dark crimson; on the shaded 
side it is yellow slightly stained with crimson. Stalk inserted in a deep 
and wide cavity. Flesh pale yellowish white, without any Btain of red 
even round the stone, to which it adheres firmly; remarkably delicate and 
very juicy, with a fine briskly vinous flavour. Flowers large. Leaves 
with round glands, which have sometimes a tendency to be kidney shaped. 
A very early Peach, which ripens in an unheated orchard house from the 
12th to the 20th of July. Its only fault is being a clingstone, for its flesh 
is so tender it quite melts before it can be separated from the stone. It 
was introduced from America by Mr. Rivers, from whom Dr. Hogg 
received it in 1878.” It has been extensively planted during recent years, 
and colours well under full exposure to the sun in summer. 
Peach Foliage Injured {Horace). —We have seen Peach trees ruined by 
injudicious fumigation, and have experienced some damage therefrom 
similar to that presented by the leaves before us. They are, in fact, 
injured by “ smoking the house well for green fly.” The whole of the 
blistered or scorched parts will fall away, leaving them as if eaten by 
caterpillars to the veins and midrib. It gives a serious check to growth, 
and is not infrequently fatal to the crop, imparing the vitality of the trees. 
When the foliage is tender fumigation requires to be moderate, practising 
it on two or three consecutive evenings judiciously and carefully, having 
the foliage quite dry and the house not closed long before fumigation is 
practised, for after the house has been closed some time the foliage is full 
of sap, if, indeed, moisture has not been deposited on the leaves ; or the 
fumigation, by heating the atmosphere, causes the moisture to be con¬ 
densed by the cooler surfaces of the leaves, causing them to be injured. 
Care should also be taken to deliver the smoke as cool as possible. Its 
effects are usually most disastrous on trees that have been kept close, or 
during a period of dull damp weather. Ventilate freely before fumigating, 
so as to have the foliage dry. 
Anemones from Seed (L. R.). — We have raised thousands of Anemonss 
by sowing the seed as soon as gathered in drills about 5 inches apart drawn 
