140 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 9 ^ 1894. 
bcavy crops of fruit niorG surely when grown on the roof trellises, but 
may also be planted 18 inches apart in rows 3 feet asunder, across mode¬ 
rately high houses and staked uprightly. Free setting varieties, such 
as Conference, Ham Green Favourite, and Large Red, are suitable for 
these autumn and winter crops. Plants that have been in full bearing 
for several weeks past, and are free of disease, might be made to produce 
good crops for late autumn and winter use. Reserve a few young 
growths all up the stems, and set a cluster of fruit on each, or lay 
in strong young growths from the base of the old plants, and let these 
take the place of the latter. Bare the surface roots, give a soaking of 
liquid manure or a surfacing of special manure, and top-dress with 
loam and manure. Turn on fire heat freely whenever the weather is 
dull and showery, and avoid quite closing the house, otherwise disease 
will soon prove troublesome. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The last -week of July began and ended our Clover and honey 
seasons. Heavy yields are reported from different parts in the 
south of Scotland. Bad as the season has been, my hives are 
heavier in honey, and have as much surplus as in 1893 at the same 
date. My pure Carniolans have been at the moors for three weeks, 
so I cannot compare them with other kinds. A fact which cannot 
be concealed is that Punics have given the greatest surplus, and are 
the heaviest hives. Several of them during the honey flow must 
have risen 70lbs. From these hives I have taken 10 lbs. surplus. 
Many bee-keepers take all the honey they can from their under¬ 
sized hives, then feed to bring them through the winter, feeding 
again in the spring. I prefer to have my hives stocked with their 
own gatherings, less those hives having for their stores all the 
Heather honey, taking only the surplus they can spare. That, 
with what the increase of stocks have, is what I term surplus. If 
I have to feed, it is deducted from the surplus. I expect my 
Carniolans at the wild Thyme will have done well, and if that be 
so I shall, for their cleanly style of producing white comb, increase 
those only. I have kept Carniolans for about twenty years, and 
beyond flying long distances when swarming have no fault to find 
with them. 
My test swarm has since it was hived increased in weight about 
30 lbs. It gradually, as all swarms do, decreased its gathering 
from about ten days after being hived, as young bees were hatching 
out their cells, after which they become more active and increase 
their ingathering if the weather be favourable. In this case it 
gathered double to what it did while sitting closely upon the brood. 
I am on the eve of starting for the moors, and will have nearly a 
hundred hives to look after, and many of them, unless the weather 
continues broken, are likely to swarm. 
How TO Prevent Swarming. 
“ A Young Bee-keeper ” wants to know how he can prevent 
swarming in hives little more than half full of combs. My reply 
was, “ You have now learned a salutary lesson that room will not 
prevent bees swarming, even although it has been given them from 
the first. In your case alternate the empty with the full frames. 
There are times when bees do not appear to be intent on building 
combs, even during the height of the honey season.” I have had 
strong hives that were supplied with full sheets of foundation 
where frames of combs had been removed the summer previous, 
yet these were untouched by the bees when examined twelve 
months after. 
When at the Heather all hives will have careful watching, but 
which cannot be written in an explanatory manner. The sounds 
of the hives are grand indications of the condition bees are in 
and what they may be expected to do. With unfavourable weather 
I will have to exercise patience. With ten days or more of it, it 
will likely put an end to swarming, then it will be an easier task 
for me when settled weather comes. The sound will guide me 
when supers are wanted, which will all be placed upon the top of 
the nearly filled ones. Everything is gained and nothing lost by 
adopting this practice. 
Weighing the Hives. 
All my hives will be accurately weighed before starting, also 
at the close of the Heather, and I will let your readers know the 
result. The weighing of these in 1893 revealed the fact that good 
hives lost 30 lbs. during their stay at the Heather, when other 
seasons proved that 20 lbs. were too little to keep bees in good 
condition. I do not speak of small hives, but those with full 
accommodation for 150,000 bees or more, which are able to carry 
in from 10 to 20 lbs. daily during serene weather.—A Lanarkshire 
Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
W. Bull, King’s Road, Chelsea.— Tuberous Rooted Plants and Bulbs. 
Cooper, Taber & Co., Southwark Street, London, S.E.— Wholesale 
Bulb Catalogue, 
Dicksons & Co., 1, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh.— Flower Boots. 
Sutton & Sons, Reading.— Illustrated Bulb Catalogue for 2894. 
J. Veitch & Sons, King’s Road, Chelsea.— Hyacinths and Other 
Bulbous Roots. 
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. 
Examinations In Horticulture (A. A.).—Your letter has been 
forwarded to the desired address. 
Broad and Kidney Beans for Fowls (A. M.'). — If the Beans 
are not musty you might grind them up and mix with the soft food in 
the morning to the extent of about one-sixth of the whole. 
Antirrhinums (A. Laing S) Sons'). — The yellow and white 
Antirrhinums are very attractive, and appear to be excellent companions 
to the crimson variety for bedding. A mass of them would produce a 
charming effect. 
John Bright Stock (IF. Clibran Son). —The Stock, of which 
you ask our opinion, is worthy of its name, and that is, in these days, 
high praise. The spikes are 10 inches long, not too closely crowded, 
with large double flowers, glowing crimson in colour. The variety will 
form a handsome companion to the pure and stately Princess Alice, and 
both flowering together would produce a beautiful effect. 
Aspidistras (AT. B.). —These plants require sweet turfy soil, or 
sandy loam with a small admixture of peat and bruised charcoal pressed 
down firmly in well-drained pots, in order that good supplies of water 
can be given without making the compost sour. They also enjoy 
warmth and a genial atmosphere when making their growth, with shade 
from bright sun. Avoid overpotting. We shall probably be able to 
publish more detailed cultural notes in an early issue. 
Itluscat of Alexandria Vines Unsatisfactory (i2. M .).—The 
growths are very weak and have the appearance common to Muscats 
when growing in an unsuitable border. There is no disease caused by 
parasites, but the colour of the leaves and their clammy “ feel ” indicates 
“browning” presence, yet we could not detect any Plasmodiophora 
vitis in the tissues. The Vines certainly want phosphate (superphos¬ 
phate), magnesia, and a little sulphate of iron, but the soil may 
possibly contain enough, only the Vines need both phosphoric acid and 
potash to make use of it. The proper thing to do is, as you propose, 
namely, lift the Vines and replant in a well made border of suitable 
material over thorough drainage. That, with good after management, 
is the best means of avoiding shanking. 
Onion Growths Diseased (^Idem). —Although the Onion leaves 
have the appearance of being attacked by the rust fungus (Puccinia 
mixta), the pustules are devoid of “ fruits.” The surrounding tissues, 
however, are invaded by the spawn of some fungal parasite, and on 
the decaying portion we find Onion mildew (Peronospora Schleiden’ana) 
sparingly, with some detached conidia and many stems of the fungus. 
There is also the growths of a Fusiporium, evidently F. atrovirens, 
Berh-y and there is the outgrowth of Aspergillus glaucus. The 
Peronospora is the cause of the disease, but as it is a mild form 
possibly it will not materially affect the perfecting of the Onions. 
A dusting of quicklime would not do the Onions any harm, and it will 
help to dry up the disease spots, possibly acting effectively on the 
mycelium and erect hyph®. When the foliage is mature it would be 
advisable to burn it, as the resting spores of the Peronospora remain in 
it during the winter. 
IVIarrow Peas (^Somerset). —You ask, “ What is the difference 
between Marrow Peas and Peas that are not Marrows ? ” Marrow Peas 
are buttery in texture and sweet, the seeds of the most advanced forms 
being wrinkled when dry. Non-Marrow Peas are mealy, not buttery, 
