374 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 18, 1894. 
any time during the summer. The bees have worked freely on 
it, and have stored both honey and pollen. 
Mignonette is one of the best bee plants in cultivation, and 
in ordinary seasons very easy to grow. Bee-keepers should bear 
this in mind, and sow a pinch of seed wherever there is a yard 
or two of vacant ground. Early spring to midsummer is a suit¬ 
able time to sow the seed. One often hears the remark “ that 
Mignonette will not grow in my garden,” whereas the cause of 
failure may often be traced to the want of a little attention to 
the seed bed. New seed should always be sown. When the plants 
are very small snails are particularly fond of them, and if the 
weather is damp will clear oif many of the seedlings before they 
are visible to an ordinary observer. It is a good plan to sprinkle 
a little lime over the bed during an evening, and should the 
colour be an objection a little soot mixed with the lime will be 
an advantage. 
Ivy is another good bee plant, and it has the advantage of 
blooming when most other flowers are over, and will continue until 
the cold frosty nights check all vegetation. In some parts of the 
country high walls and old buildings are covered with old trees, 
and at this stage do not make much growth but flower freely. 
Travelling lately in the south of England I saw some immense 
masses of it that seemed much the same as it did when I knew 
them thirty years ago, although allowed to grow at will, and to 
all appearance had not been cut in any way. The Ivy was in 
full bloom, and thousands of bees were hard at work. A perfect 
hum of pleasure from the busy workers showed that for the 
time being their wants were well provided for. Evidently some 
lucky bee-keeper resided not far off. They were all our native 
black bees. 
British versus Foreign Bees. 
It is surprising how few foreign bees one sees in going through 
the country, although thousands of queens have been imported 
during the past twenty years, besides those that have been bred 
in this country, but which are usually hybrids. Still they show 
the bright yellow bands for several generations. One would have 
thought very few of the native bees would now be seen. As 
a close observer of bees at all times, and more particularly when 
walking through our country lanes and fields and noting the bees 
at work, the flowers they mostly frequent, and the different variety 
of bees, one comes to the conclusion that our native bee still pre¬ 
dominates. No doubt in some districts the different breeds are 
very much mixed ; but for storing a surplus and their non¬ 
swarming propensity, I think there is no breed to beat our English 
bee for this climate. 
I can well remember the pleasure I derived from the first 
Italian or hybrid stock of bees that I possessed, although the 
commencement was anything but pleasant. After an eight-miles 
drive and a delay at a railway station for six hours, owing to the 
box of bees having gone astray, I finally reached home at ten o’clock 
at night, found the lid of box was securely nailed down, but after 
sundry attempts the lid was removed, though in the meantime the 
bees had been gradually working through the chink that was made 
with chisel, and were soon all over the operator, who had a lively 
quarter of an hour, and who thought how different it might have 
been if screws bad been used instead of nails. The top could then 
have been taken off and the bees hived without a single one getting 
on wing. These bees I found good workers, filling their frames 
with brood from top to bottom, but they were inclined to swarm 
during the honey flow, just when one wanted them to store honey. 
No one else having them in this neighbourhood I was enabled to 
judge how far they would go for honey, I found them working 
on White Clover quite two miles from home, although there was 
abundance nearer. They were much admired by visitors, but as 
they became crossed with the blacks they were inclined to sting 
anyone who went near their hives. 
After comparing the net result of my harvest of honey from 
the Italian and native stocks, I found my blacks did equally as 
well, and were not bad tempered, and not troubled with the 
swarming mania. As a proof of this I may mention that during 
the past season I had only one swarm from upwards of thirty 
stocks, and had a good average harvest of honey of the first quality. 
The mistake so many bee-keepers make is to let their bees swarm 
instead of getting them strong, so as to make the most of the 
honey flow. For breeding the best queens should be employed, 
and these will produce healthy bees that are good workers, and 
will store honey in a short season. They will, moreover, winter 
well, and come out strong in the spring without any extra 
protection during the winter. All this 1 claim for our native bee. 
Some of my hives face due west, others east and south ; but I 
do not observe any difference in the quantity of honey they store 
from the various positions, though some bee-keepers are very 
particular that their hives should have a southern aspect.— 
An English Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
W. Clibran & Son, Oldfield Nurseries, Altrincham.— SJirtibs, Fruit 
Trees, and, Spring-flowering Plants. 
J. E. Pearson & Sons, Chilwell Nurseries, Beeston, Notts .—Hardy 
Fruits for the Midlands. 
T. Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth .—Fruit Trees and Roses. 
W. Rumsey, Joyning’s Nursery, Waltham Cross, N.— Roses, Fruit 
Trees, and Shrubs. 
W. Wells, The Earlswood Nurseries, Eedhill.— Chrysanthemums. 
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 
uniustifiable 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. 
Heatlngr Power of Coll In Stove (^Aiceees'). —A coil of 2-inch pipe 
placed in the stove as you propose would heat to boiling about 375 feet 
of 4-inch piping, or 600 feet for ordinary warming purposes. This is 
allowing for depreciation of heating surface through dust and fuel, also 
indirect surface exposed to the action of the furnace. 
Muscat of Alexandria Vines Unsatisfactory (^Oxonian').— 
The Vines are not infested with Phylloxera devastatrix, at least we 
cannot find any traces of the pest, but there is an abundance of 
mould, easily distinguishable with the naked eye. This is the cause 
of the unsatisfactory condition of the Vines. The mould or fungus 
attaches itself to the living tissues, and by its presence causes 
their slow but certain decay, so that the roots become distorted, 
corky and cankered, finally girdled and killed. The Vines are 
much weakened in consequence of such attacks. We also found 
a number of mites. These live directly on the living tissues, and 
axe closely allied to the Eucharis mite. It, however, is Ehizoglyphus 
echinopus, and is frequently found on spongy barked roots, such as the 
Vine and Cucumber, and no doubt aids in the devastatory work. The 
fungus produces a number of oval bodies (sclerotia), beyond which 
stage it does affect the Vine. There are also the mycelial threads of a 
Polyactis. It is of small use trying to patch up such borders. Clear 
out the soil and char it, and burn the Vine roots. Use fresh soil, and 
procure Vines from a distance. 
Iiawn Tennis Ground {Amateur ').—As you intend making a 
lawn tennis court during the winter we think the following will answer 
your questions :—“ The regulation size of tennis courts is 78 feet by 
36 feet. Outside this there should be at least a yard all round, but 
better if it is two—namely, 85 feet by 42 feet of level lawn. Tennis 
lawns are generally made quite level, which is a mistake, especially if 
the soil is of a stiff moist nature. It is much better if the ground is 
kept a little higher in the centre, say 4 or 5 inches, so that when a 
heavy rains occurs much of it passes off to the sides and ends, and the 
ground is quicker dry and fit to play upon sooner than when made 
perfectly level, and the greater part of the rain having sunk into the 
ground. It is very essential to have a firm surface ; and for this reason, 
where the soil is clay or is wet, it is a good plan, after having levelled 
and consolidated the ground, to spread about an inch of clean coal 
ashes over it before laying down the turf. In addition to this it should 
be previously well drained. On light dry soils less trouble is necessary 
to have a fair tennis lawn; indeed, it may be played for ‘home 
practice ’ on any lawn where there is a little less room than is required 
for full-sized courts, and although it is not quite level.” 
Questions on Mushrooms (IF. A. B ,).—You have not read the 
work with sufficient care and attention. On page 41 you will find the 
number of spawn bricks in a bushel, with their division and distances 
for insertion as adi pted by successful growers. From this you can 
make all requisite calculations. Spawn is not inserted in the tops of 
the ridges. As to preparing the manure, from four to six turnings are 
sufficient, according to the size of the heaps, fermentation and condition. 
So long as the mass is sweet and properly moist the fewer turnings the 
better. See what Mr. Gilbert says on page 26. Read particularly the 
chapter on “ Failures and Successes,” commencing on page 95. You 
will see on page 97 the size the smallest ridges should be ; also you 
will see on page 109 that it is prudent for beginners to have the ridges 
3 feet wide at the base and the same in height. Note Mr. Dunn’s 
practice and results on page 119. That is suggested on page 38 as 
