188 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August J3,1894. 
the work goes on. If extra clean Celery is needed blanching can be best 
effected hy means of bandages of brown paper, enclosed later on by 
canvas. Use only enough at the outset to keep the stems from spreading, 
but later on wider strips must be utilised. So-called self-blanching 
varieties of Celery, notably the White Plume, are not much grown in 
this country, and what few rows are planted should be either surrounded 
with paper or have soil banked around them, or otherwise the flavour 
will be too strong. 
Globe Artlcbokes. —These promise to continue productive of large 
succulent heads for some time longer. All old stems should be cut out 
as fast as they have ceased to be productive, and occasional liberal 
supplies of water or liquid manure will further serve to keep them in a 
vigorous condition. Seedlings ought now to be forward enough to 
decide which are worth retaining and which are worthless. Many of 
them develop great branching stems surmounted by poor Cardoon-like 
flower heads, and these should be unhesitatingly destroyed. There will 
also be far too many with medium-sized heads, the scales of which are 
thin and valueless. These plants also ought to be qut out at once, 
saving only those that produce extra fine succulent heads. Even the 
latter should eventually be weeded out, only the very best being worth 
keeping. In this manner a fairly good late supply of Globe Artichokes 
can be had, and the stock probably prove slightly better than the old 
purple and green forms. 
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. 
m 
HE BEE-KEEPER. 
. 1 .1. 1 i I'. 1 . 1 - I-. 1 . 1 . 1-, 1 . I. 1 .r.'i .] - T. 1-1 . 1 - 1 - 1 - i~vrH 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Bees at the Heather. 
Two weeks have elapsed since our bees were set down at the 
Heather, but beyond a few minutes in the interval of showers there 
has not been a dry hour, though at the time of writing the weather 
seems improving. So far nothing unusual worthy, of record has 
occurred here, further than the Punic stocks, which had their 
entrances propolised, have reduced the fortifications. Does that also 
betoken a better time for bees ? 
Managing Bees. 
I read with considerable interest the graphic article, pages IIL 
112, of “ A Young Scribe,” and noted what he said concerning Mr- 
Summers managing his bees “ on a different system to that gene¬ 
rally advocated in these pages,” Many of your readers as well as 
myself would be pleased to know the system ; perhaps Mr. 
Summers or “ A Young Scribe ” will oblige. But is the system 
really different from what has been taught in these pages ? I am 
not aware of a single instance where any system has not been fully 
explained ; often, too, explaining the success, although the system 
did not meet my approval. The following gives a good criterion 
of what I mean. Elsewhere it was strongly advocated that 
“ timeous room prevented swarming.” Although there has not 
been a single good day, I have already had six swarms at the moors 
from the stocks and the current year’s swarms, which had 
abundance of room for weeks past. I am certain had these hives 
remained at home not one of them would have swarmed. What 
then is the cause ? 
A few years ago an author wrote that “queens were at 
their best when three years old ; ” then again we were told, after 
several years had passed, they were at their best when “ three 
months old ; ” then lately the same writer said they required to be 
some age, but was not definitely stated how old. I now ask the 
question. Why the change of opinion ? At least thirty-two years 
ago it was mentioned in these pages that young queens shortly 
after mating were most prolific. I joined 9 lbs. of bees to a newly 
mated queen, or rather they joined themselves to it, and I find on 
inspection that upwards of 4000 eggs have been deposited daily 
since, probably 5000. The foregoing facts are worthy of 
consideration by bee-keepers ; but all the same, Mr. Summers may 
work his bees on a system not known or taught by us, but let us 
hear all about it. 
A Profitable Swarm. 
In the autumn of 1893 I gave Mr. Walter Henderson, 
Lamington, two hives of bees. One he kept, the other he gave to 
his brother. The first one threw a prime swarm on 6th June, and 
by the end of July he took from it fully 60 lbs. of honey in supers. 
The district will be about 700 feet above sea level. These bees 
were managed in hives according to instructions given in these 
columns, and I may say the owner was very successful, as will all 
those who follow my hints, as is verified by letters from 
bee-keepers residing in the district of Mr. Summers. Those 
working under our method took all the principal prizes over other 
competitors who wrought on “different systems.”—A Lanark¬ 
shire Bee-keeper. 
Chrysantbemum Sboots Decaying’ (AT. T .').—The box arrived 
too late to enable us to examine the contents minutely this week. The 
matter will be dealt with in our next issue. 
Cucumbers Unsatisfactory (,/. S. M !).—Your specimens came to 
hand just as this page was being prepared for press. The leaves and 
roots shall be examined and a reply given next week. 
Grapes not Colovalng (W. S., Cheltenham '),—The Grapes are red 
partly from shanking and to some extent from lack of colour, which is 
chiefly due to overcropping, want of nourishment, or its abstraction by 
insects such as red spider or thrips. The shanking may arise from a 
variety of causes, but it is chiefly induced by an unsatisfactory con¬ 
dition of the roots. 
Sowing Grape Seeds (F. Cantelii ).—It is perhaps best to sow the 
seeds as soon as they are ripe. Place in heat, and grow the seedlings as 
rapidly as possible. If that be inconvenient the seeds should be kept in 
the berries as long as practicable, but when that is not longer feasible 
they may be removed and sown in moist soil, and so kept in a position 
safe from frost until spring, when if placed in heat they will start 
freely if the seeds are good. When kept out of the berries or in a 
dry condition the seeds soon lose their vitality. 
Onion Tops Rusted (J. S. B .').—The Onions are affected with 
black rust (Puccinia mixta) or rather the uredo form thereof, though 
there is some of the teleutospores present. The fungus has spent itself, 
and will not affect the bulbs, at least not those in the condition of those 
sent. It would be desirable to remove the d ried tops and burn them. 
The Onions should be kept thin in a cool, dry, airy place, as there are 
spores of another fungus (Mucor subtilissimus), which may possibly 
develop on the bulbs in store, if they are at all kept damp and close, 
otherwise there is little danger. 
Bullrusbes In Osier Bed (A Perplexed Proprietor ').—We are 
unacquainted with any kind of Bullrush that will grow in ground 
suitable for Osiers, as without water they soon come to an end. 
Possibly they are some kind of Rush or Water Reeds which are common 
to shallow water or damp places, and do not actually require to be 
grown in water. The mistake was in not uprooting them before the 
Osiers were planted, which to do well require a clean ground and as 
well prepared as for other plants. As that was not done we do not 
know of a better plan than to keep the Rushes cut down two or three 
times during the summer, which will weaken them, and encourage the 
Osiers, so that they will in time obtain the upper hand. Willows are very 
little use for faggoting, though they answer tolerably well for lighting 
fires when dry and not too old, as the wood soon decays when wet and 
becomes useless. 
Calantlies Diseased CW. IK.).—The Calanthes are affected with 
black rot, a kind of disease that commences in a spot on the leaves and 
pseudo-bulbs, and spreads with remarkable rapidity, the growths becoming 
quite black and decayed, and eventually dry. It is probably caused by an 
excess of moisture and too rich soil, especially cow manure used too 
liberally in the compost. In place of the latter it would be desirable to 
use good fibrous peat, also some crocks, so as to keep the compost open 
and sweet. This with very moderate watering in the early stages, and 
afterwards abundance of water at the roots and a moist genial atmosphere, 
with as much light as the plants can bear without scorching, ought to 
give you better results. There is no fungus, but numerous bacterial 
bodies, which may be a consequence rather than cause of the disease ; 
at least, they are not of a malignant kind as usually considered, being 
common to decaying vegetable matter. 
Chrysanthemums Infested by Yello’wr Thrips ^F. IF.).— 
There is no better remedy for thrips than tobacco juice, being diluted 
with water to a safe strength. No amount of feeding at the roots vvill 
kill the insects nor enable them to grow out of the infection. The point 
is to kill the insects, which may be effectually accomplished by dusting 
the affected parts with tobacco powder and syringing it off the following 
morning. The difficulty is to reach the insects, which we presume are 
safe in the unfolded leaves. If you find any trouble in procuring the 
powder, obtain some strong shag tobacco, place in a vessel and pour 
