94 
JOURNAh OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 16,1891. 
Bees Stinging. 
“A Young Bee-keeper” wishes to know if there is anything to 
put on the hands and exposed parts of the person to prevent bees 
stinging. There are many preparations sold to prevent bees 
stinging. One sold as a cure for the sting of bees is alum and 
water. I have known linseed oil keep them off the hands. Acetic 
acid and vinegar are used by some persons. Rubbing exposed parts 
with honey is better than anything I am acquainted with ; a veil for 
the face, and the sleeves rolled up are better, but best of all is to 
work with the bees, so that they will not sting. Children romp 
about my hives, which come within 4 feet of the house door, and 
people pass near them, and no one to my knowledge has been stung 
this year. One day lately when looking on at a pupil of mine 
(whom I visited) manipulating his bees, he had used no prepara¬ 
tion, nor was he veiled, not a bee offered to sting until an intruder 
presented himself, and striking at the bees made them inclined to 
sting. So I retired, and signalled to my pupil to discontinue 
manipulation. Had we not acted so the bees would have become 
furious. 
Never manipulate hives unless it is necessary to do so, and in 
that case put a little carbolic acid on a feather, drawing it 
over and inside the entrance a little, then on the ends and tops 
of the frames, or shut them in for a few seconds, rapping (as if 
driving bees), on the hive until they have filled themselves, then 
they will be gentle. After they are subdued finish what i» to 
be done before leaving them, for if left for a little they will be 
very vicious when you return. A little smoke blown into the hive 
also subdues them, but smoke being detrimental to bees and the 
contents of the hive, I never use it.—A Lanarkshire Bee¬ 
keeper. 
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 
unavoidably. 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 communications. 
Diseased Tomatoes (^Yorlts ).—The Tomatoes are affected with 
Cladosporium lycoperaici, a disease which was illustrated and described 
in the Journal of Horticulture for July 5th of this year. In a reply 
there given you will find the best means of preventing and curing it 
detailed. 
Soyal Horticultural Society (Head Gardener'). — Persons 
desirous of becoming Fellows of the Koyal Horticultural Society must 
be proposed and seconded by existing Fellows, the election then resting 
with the Council. A list of terms and privileges can be obtained from 
the Secretary of the Society, 111, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W. 
Insects on Cucumbers and Melons (Inquirer ).—If you mean 
you want something other than tobacco paper for fumigation you might 
try the Lethorion cones, which have been frequently advertised, and 
have gained the approval of many cultivators. They are supplied by 
nurserymen, seedsmen, and dealers in horticultural requisites. We have 
no work on lawn tennis, and therefore are not in a position to recom¬ 
mend one with its price. 
Grape Xeaves Spotted (TF. 0.).—We find neither the “white 
insect” nor any form of parasite on the leaves. They have every 
appearance of being scorched, but the spots evidently commence in a 
very minute yellow speck, which extends in a circumferencial manner 
till it becomes quite a large spot. This is characteristic of the downy 
mildew (Peronospora viticola), which, unfortunately, has appeared in 
this country, and in the way your leaves represent; but we cannot find 
the least trace of any fungoid growth, either internally or externally. 
The leaves otherwise are in excellent health, and it is possible the 
syringing is the whole and sole cause of the mischief, the tissue having 
been weakened and unable to bear the altered circumstances. We can 
only suggest the admission of a little air constantly, early attention to 
the ventilation, so as to have the foliage dry before the sun acts power¬ 
fully upon it. Another season we should certainly dispense with the 
syringing of the Vines from the Grapes setting, having freer recourse to 
damping for sustaining the requisite moisture. Damping in the 
morning and at closing time in the afternoon is better practice than 
syringing the Vines until the Grapes begin to colour, an old and bad 
system. 
Apple Trees Against Walls Dropping tbelr Fruit (F. A. M). 
—The fruits of both the Cox’s Orange Pippin and Ribston Pippin are 
abortive. This is characteristic of fruits grown in dry positions—more 
so of the hardier fruits as Apples and Cherries, also Pears of the hardier 
sorts, the trees blossoming splendidly, but setting little fruit, and that 
setting falling when about a quarter grown. This is due to imperfect 
or non-fertilisation of the blossoms, the warm position bringing on the 
flowers too rapidly, and the pollen does not attain maturity ; in fact, 
the stamens are sterile in most cases. The remedy is to cross-fertilise 
the blossoms, taking pollen from the varieties that afford it freely, and 
apply it to the stigmas with a camel’s-hair brush. In addition to this, 
the trees should be well supplied with water at the roots, especially next 
the wall if the soil becomes dry in July or August up to September 
inclusive, so as to ensure the perfect development of the blossom buds, 
and when the buds commence swelling in the spring another thorough 
supply should be given if the soil be dry. 
Grapes not Colouring (An Old Suhscriher). —The difference in 
colouring of the Grapes on different Vines can only be accounted for 
from the varying condition of the soil and crop, though it is sometimes 
affected by the constitution of the Vines. Thus, the Grapes on one Vine 
colour well and those near remain red. On examining the soil it will 
generally be found that the border varies in staple, due to the com¬ 
ponents being mixed variably, and so the medium is physically 
different in some parts to others. The soil seems to be of a heavy and 
close nature. This is not in itself a defect, provided it contains abun¬ 
dance of gritty matter in the shape of small stones, lime rubble, or sand, 
and is over good drainage, as strong soil is more sustaining than light, 
and less exacting in respect of water. Of this the Vines have had far 
too much in your case. Every fortnight or three weeks is quite often 
enough to water Vines under such circumstances, giving a thorough 
supply each time. The proper way to water Vines is to examine the 
soil, and when it is getting rather dry afford a thorough soaking, so as 
to moisten the soil down to the drainage. It can clearly require no 
more until it is again becoming dry, when it must receive the needful 
attention. Being guided by ascertained wants is far better than having 
stated periods for watering. We should not consider it prudent to have 
the hose pipe running water on a Vine border for half a day at a time, 
nor use an engine for distributing water in a vinery three times daily. 
The practice of stopping the leading cane 1 foot from the top of the 
house is the correct one, as it allows for a little lateral growth. 
Grapes Sbanked (H. W. N .).—The Muscat was badly shanked, 
completely gone in the stem of the bunch as well as in the footstalks of 
the berries, the Black Hamburghs being less affected, but in an early 
stage of shanking. We found nothing of a fungoid nature, but the 
usual accompaniment of decay, viz., Aspergillus glaucus and other 
fungi. There is the usual needle-like bacterial bodies in the berries, but 
what connection these have with shanking, if any, we are unable to 
determine. The point of the greatest importance is that the seeds are 
defective, and that indicates a deficiency of mineral food for the 
formation of the stone. There seems to be plenty of gritty matter in 
the soil, and its mechanical condition—such as Vines ought and no 
doubt do thrive in—as the leaves indicate ample substance and good 
management. It appears, however, to contain a large amount of humus, 
possibly from the previous use of stable and cow-shed manure, and the 
greater prevalence of the shanking this year than usual is probably a 
result of the use of nitrogenous manures—nitrate of soda and guano. 
Instead of using these substances it would be advisable to have recourse 
to others such as lime, of which we advise a dressing forthwith, slaking 
before applying and having cool. Four ounces per square yard is a 
sufficient dressing, sprinkling it on the surface after stirring lightly with 
a fork, to allow water to entry freely, which should follow the lime 
dressing so as to wash it into the soil. This will provide that element 
for nitrification, but it is necessary to apply other substances, which 
may be given in the following mixture :—Bone superphosphate six 
parts or 1 lb., nitrate of potash three parts, sulphate of magnesia two 
parts, gypsum one part, and sulphate of iron one-fourth part. All the 
ingredients must be in fine powdery condition, dry (and kept dry for 
use), thoroughly mixed and applied at the rate of 4 ozs. per square yard. 
One dressing may be given when the Vines are started, another when 
they are in full leaf or just before flowering, a third when the Grapes 
are finished thinning, and a final one—1 lb. in all per square yard 
—when the Grapes are about three parts grown, or before they 
commence colouring. The drainage, we presume, is effective, and the 
border in other respects in good condition. If there be anything 
wrong in those respects the better plan would be to lift the Vines, 
provide proper drainage, and lay the roots in fresh compost, not 
covering them deeply. 
Fungus on Nectarines (A. A.). —The Nectarines (very good 
fruit) are infested by the “ speck ” fungus (Monilia fructigena, Pers.), 
which attacks Apple, Cherry, Pear, and Plum, but it is most destructive 
to stone fruits, especially Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums. It is, as a 
rule, more prevalent while the fruit is ripening—that is, after stoning 
or during the so-called swelling period. The fungus grows in circles 
and becomes confluent, white (from the tufts of erect hyphse) where the 
filaments are active, or around the circumference, and afterwards 
assumes a dingy ochraceous red (as in the central part), which is more 
or less depressed. On subjecting a portion of the juice of the fruit 
immediately below the surface of this part to microscopical examination 
