194 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
leave it. Persons who have never practised this method will 
be surprised to tind how easily it is accomplished, for the 
parent hive will at this time be found to be almost depopulated 
from the numbers that left it in the swarm and those that 
are out collecting. In some cases the help of a puff or two 
of tobacco-smoke may be useful, should the few bees left be 
angry, or the operator feel at all timid. The readiest way of 
returning the swarm will be to lay a board upon the floor¬ 
board of the hive, and parallel with it, upon which, by a 
smart and sudde nmovement, shake the swarm, and as nigh 
to the entrance of the parent-hive as can be done conve¬ 
niently, and with the finger, or a piece of wood, guide a few 
of the bees to the entrance, and the remainder will follow 
immediately. 
Gloomy Prospects. —The last week or two have been 
most lovely, but certainly not propitious for bees. They 
have not worked with their wonted vigour. There has been 
a visible languor and dullness about them, accompanied by 
a disposition to attack any one who approached them; the 
same thing has been observed in many places. The accounts 
which I have had from various counties are not by any 
means encouraging. One gentleman writing from the 
neighbourhood of Chester, says, “A cottager here had a 
swarm, on the 20th of May they continued inactive for some 
three or four days, dwindling gradually to nothing ; the 
same person had a well-stocked hive completely demolished 
by the bees of his own or some other apiary. Another 
cottager had a swarm on the 19th, rather small; they became 
restless, and were found all dead the next morning. A 
third cottager had a stock which made an attempt to swarm, 
the queen was found five roods from the hive, to which 
place she was returned; the hive has since died." I have 
myself seen several stocks that in March and April appeared 
to be doing remarkably well, but, since that time, have 
rather decreased in numbers than otherwise ; the brood ap¬ 
pears to have died in the cells after having undergone the 
change to the perfect insect, and is brought out dead and 
shrivelled by the few living occupants of the bive, and this 
process appears to take up a very considerable portion of 
their time; the ground hi front of some of these hives is 
strewed with young bees that have, to all appearance, died 
in the cells. 
THE LONDON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S FETE. 
CHISWICK, June 8. 
(Continued from page 178.) 
COLLECTIONS OF TWENTY STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
1st Prize to Mr. May, gardener to Mrs. Lawrence, Ealing 
Park. The. resources of this cultivator are really astonishing. 
We can only notice such as were exhibited for the first time 
this season. 
Coleonema rubrum, an immense plant, 4 ft. by 7 ft. Epacris grandi- 
fiora , a large bush in fresh condition, 6 ft. by 8 ft. Polygala acuminata, 
densely flowered, 6 ft. by 8 ft. Leschenaultia biluba major, 3 ft. by 2-} ft. 
L.formosa, 3 ft. by 24 ft. Pimelea Hendersonii, very fresh and full of 
bloom, 3 ft. by 3 ft. Choroxema ovata ; this beautiful and difficult 
plant was very healthy and densely bloomed : scarlet, purple, and yellow 
flowers; 2 ft. by 2 ft. Sphcnetoma gracilis, a large plant covered with 
its heads of pure white flowers; 3 ft. by 3 ft. AUamanda grandiflora, a 
large plant with 30 flowers upon it of the most exquisite colour ; 6 ft. 
by 5 ft. Erica bergiana, very finely bloomed ; 3 ft. by 3 ft. Adcnandra 
fragram, a lovely plant with numerous pink flowers ; 2 ft. by 2 ft. Ixora 
coccinca; 30 heads of scarlet flowers ; 24 ft. by 24 ft. 
2nd Prize to Mr. Cole, gardener to H. Collyer, Esq. 
This collection was much improved. Nothing but the im¬ 
mense size of Mrs. Lawrence’s plants enabled that collection 
to obtain the first prize. 
Allamanda Schottii; 6 ft. by 5 ft. This species is a grand improve¬ 
ment upon the old A. cathartica, the flowers being larger and finer- 
coloured. We had one measured, and its dimensions were 54 in. long by 
5 in. diameter. Dipladenia crassinodu, a fine plant with high-coloured 
flowers; 6 ft. by 4 ft. Pimelea Hendersonii; 3 ft. by 24 ft. Aphelexis 
spectabile grnndiflora ; 2j ft. by 2j ft. Ixora crocata, a handsome plant, 
with numerous orange-coloured blossoms ; 2j ft. by 2 ft. I. coccinca, 
with large heads of scarlet flowers, very numerous; 3 ft. by 24 ft. 
Sphenotoma gracile, very well bloomed ; 3 ft. by 3 ft. Clerodendrum 
paniculatum, had two spikes, much branched, of brilliant scarlet flowers. 
Pimelea decussata, a large plant, rather fading, 6 ft. by 4 ft. 
COLLECTIONS OF TWENTY STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS— 
NURSERYMEN. 
1st Prize to Messrs. Frazer, Lea Bridge. The few w.e 
[June 27. 
mention were placed in exchange for such as had gone out 
of bloom. 
Rhyncospermum jasminoides , a beautiful slender climber, with heads 
of pure white sweet-scented flowers, very like jessamine blooms. It was 
trained in a pillar-like manner, and was densely covered with flowers ; 
5 ft. by 2 ft. Epacris grnndiflora , a large plant; 4 ft. by 5 ft. Choro- 
zerna varium elegans ; 2 ft. by 2 ft. Azalea indica , var. prestantissima ; 
3 ft. by 3^ ft. 
2nd Prize to Messrs. Pamplin, Leyton. There were 
several good heaths in this collection, and 
Vinca rosea , 2 ft. by 24 ft. ; Vinca rosea alba , of the same size. 
COLLECTIONS OF FIFTEEN STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
1st Prize to Mr. Green, gardener to Sir E. Antrobus, 
Cheam. We noted as being fresh in this collection:— 
Allamanda grandiflora , a large plant with numbers of fine golden 
yellow flowers. Rondeletia spcciosa major , 4 ft. by 3 ft. Erica depressa , 
very dense; 24 ft. by 24 ft. E. tricolor Wilsonii; 2^ ft. by 24 ft. Epacris 
miniata , large and freely bloomed ; 3 ft. by 34 ft. Leschenaultia for- 
mosa; this is a favourite plant with the exhibitors, very few of the 
collections being without it; indeed, it is well adapted for the purpose ; 
24 ft. by 24 ft. Ixora coccinea ; 25 heads of its gorgeous blossoms. The 
same remark applies to this charming plant. 3 ft. by 24 ft. Aphelexis 
spectabilis grnndiflora, 24 ft. by 2 ft. 
2nd Prize to Mr. Gorrie, gardener to Sir J. Cathcart, 
Bart. The following were fine plants :— 
Erica, vestita albida; 4 ft. by 4 ft. Vinca rosea and V. rosea alba• 
each 24 ft. by 24 ft. Gloxinia, carnea superba, excellent, 2 ft. by 2 ft- 
Erica ventricosa superba ,- 2 ft. by 2 ft. Epacris miniata , 3 ft. by 24 ft- 
COLLECTIONS OF TEN. STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
1st Prize to Mr. Carson, gardener to F. G. Farmer, F,sq., 
Nonsuch Park. We noted especially 
Allamanda cathartica , neatly trained, pillar-fashion. Leschenaultia 
biloba superba, covered with deep blue flowers. L. formosa; 24 ft. by 
24 ft. Sphenotoma gracile; 24 ft. by 3 ft. Ixora coccinea, with 12 large 
heads of flowers; 2^ ft. by 3 ft. Polygala oppositifolia ; 2 ft. by 3 tt. 
Medinilla speciosa ; this is a fine stove plant, with handsome large foliage 
and large racemes of pink flowers. In this instance there were 12 racemes 
upon the plant. 24 ft. by 24 ft. 
2nd Prize to Mr. Taylor, gardener to J. Costar, Esq. 
We noted the following as being remarkable :— 
Azalea indica varieguta; cone-shaped, covered with bloom ; 5 ft. by 
3 ft. Aphelexis spectabilis grandiflora; 2 ft. by 24 ft. Erica Westpha- 
lingia; 24 ft. by 24 ft. Pavctta caffra; a desirable plant. This had 
thirty heads of pure white flowers on it. Erica Cavendishii; 2^ ft. by 
24 ft. 
There were five other prize-takers in this class, but our 
limits must confine us in each to a notice of the 1st and 2nd. 
COLLECTIONS OF SIX STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
1st Prize to Mr. Ivinghorn, gardener to the Earl Kil- 
morey, Orleans House, Twickenham. A good collection of 
well grown plants, especially 
Erica Cavendishii; Azalea Gledstancsii; Epacris grandiflora ; Les¬ 
chenaultia formosa; and a fine bush of Tetrathcca verticillata. 
2nd Prize to Mr. May, gardener to E. Goodheart, Esq., 
Beckenham. The best were 
Pimelea Hendersonii; 24 ft. by 24 ft. Erica Cavendishii; 3 ft. by 
24 ft. Acrophyllum vennsum; 2 ft. by 2 ft. Aphelexis sesamnides ; 
3 ft. by 24 ft. 
COLLECTIONS OF CAPE HEATHS 
Were numerous and in fine condition. This class of plants 
is well adapted for exhibitions, and the different societies do 
wisely to encourage their production. 
COLLECTIONS OF TEN. 
Mr. Smith, gardener to J. Quilter, Esq., of Norwood, ob¬ 
tained tlw first prize. We have only space to notice a few of 
the very best. 
Erica Wcstphalingia; E. Bruneoides; E. perspicua ; E. Caven- 
dishiana; E. vestrita rosea, and Alba ; E. metulasflora; E. suavcolcns; 
E. ventricosa coccinea; E . Bergiana ; andi£. elegans. 
2nd Prize to Mr. Mylam, for 
Erica tricolor, var. Wilsonii; E. Cavendishii; E. ventricosa gran¬ 
diflora (Henderson’s); E. ventricosa hirsuta alba; E. jasminiflora; 
E. halicacaba. 
NURSERYMEN. 
1st Prize to Mr. Epps, Maidstone. A very fine collection 
of handsome, well grown, and densely bloomed plants. The 
rarest and finest was a large specimen of Erica splendens, 
the best ever seen. 
2nd Prize to Messrs. Rollison, of Tooting. 
collections of ten, in eleven inch pots. 
These, though small, were very beautiful plants, and 
profusely bloomed. 
1st Prize was taken in this class also by Mr. Epps. 2 nd 
Prize to Messrs. Rollison. 3 rd Prize to Mr. Cole. 
