204 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[July 25. 
in miniature, on which the sole of the shoe rests, the dirt 
being still lower, except after frost, the expansive nature of 
which elevating the portions containing water above the 
stone work, causes that disagreeably dirty feeling that many 
walks have at that time; the effect after rain is the reverse, 
this solidifies the walk. Where it is possible to have a 
mixture of loose, open gravel with that, of a more adhesive 
kind, the union will be better than either alone, and some 
gravels consist naturally of such a mixture ; but where loose 
gravel alone has to be used, let the top of the walk consist 
of very fine matter only—nothing larger than a boy’s marble, 
as loose pebbly stones are very unpleasant to walk amongst 
in summer, and rolling in such cases does very little good. 
The above remarks hold good when other substances than 
gravel are used ; and certainly other things may be used to 
advantage. As good and, I think, as pretty walks as ever I 
saw were made of ashes from an iron manufactory; they 
were of a bright bronze colour, and the least infected with 
weeds, worms, or moss of any I know of. Blue stone cliip- 
pings also make a good firm walk ; only when any part gets 
loose it sets badly again. Sand, of course, gets loose in dry 
weather, unless in moist places, where it does very well. 
But by far the best substitute for good gravel is that kind of 
empty and half -decayed cockle-shell found on the shores, in 
places, at the mouth of the Thames ; for walks much used 
in wet weather this is even preferable to the best gravel, 
while its dazzling whiteness forms a pleasing contrast with 
the turf through which we presume it to pass ; but it must 
be laid on very thin, and on a bed of something firm and 
level, as it never binds firmly ; it is better to have but little 
on; every shower of rain washes it and gives it a silvery 
appearance, which on the whole is too glaring in bright sun- 
1 shine ; while the fact of it being in the best order even when 
rain is falling is a point in its favour; and where good gravel 
is not to be had, I advise those to whom water conveyance 
may be available to inquire after shells. I feel assured they 
■will like them. It is needless to say they soon grind down 
into pieces not much larger than coarse saw-dust, but still 
retain the same silvery hue, which, however dirtied by long 
wear, is, in a great measure, restored again by the first rain 
that falls. 
Haring extended this paper to a greater length than I 
intended, I will reserve the observations on walks on hilly 
places until another opportunity; but, in the meantime, 
perhaps some other correspondent, will favour us with his 
views on that point, as I must confess I have been far from 
successful in preventing those evils which generally attend 
heavy rains. If some one else would kindly report a cure 
for such a state of things, there is none would be more grate¬ 
ful than I would be. S. N. V. 
EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 
Bedding-oitt Plants. —In looking over the plan given by 
your correspondent, S. N. V., it appears to me that he could 
have improved the arrangement of the colours there shown, 
by introducing some plants capable of forming a better con¬ 
trast than Lobelia and Heliotrope, or Cupliea strigulosa and 
Silver-edged Geranium ; the two former being blue and 
dark lilac, and the latter orange and scarlet—colours that 
always fail in setting off each other.—R. L. 
Excess of Drones.— A stock of bees, a last year’s early 
swarm, were put in their winter quarters, a dark cold room, 
with several other boxes and hives, and all were taken out 
about the end of February and placed in their summer situa¬ 
tion. They at first appeared as busy and healthy as the 
others, but after some time I found they carried in but little 
farina, which continued to be the case, whilst the other 
stocks were increasing rapidly in numbers and store. This 
stock appeared to decrease in both, which would have con¬ 
vinced me that they had lost their queen, had I not observed 
some drones amongst them. At this time, the second week 
in .Time, I had a hive from which I expected a second swarm 
if I did not give them room, so I determined to let them 
swarm and attempt to unite them with the unprosperous 
stock, and the following was the result:—The swarm came 
out the next day, which I hived. In the evening I fumi¬ 
gated the unprosperous stock, and in a few minutes found 
then - queen, which I lulled; she appeared small. The whole 
number of bees were not above two or three quarts, and I 
amongst them were many drones. As the bees did not 
rerive quickly, I had time to examine the combs. I found 
brood of every stage, but to my surprise all that were forward 
enough for me to judge of were drones, and all were in the 
working bees' cells. Each cell that contained brood forward 
enough to require it, was elongated, to accommodate the ’ 
young drone. I cut out most of this brood, and now the bees 
being sufficiently rerived, I sprinkled them with a little 
honey and water, and replaced them amongst the remaining 
combs. Carrying them to the spot where I had the second 
swarm hived, I turned upside-down an empty box the exact 
size of the one fumigated, then placing the new swarm over 
it, with two or three blows beat out all the swarm into it, T 
now placed the fumigated box over them, and let them all 1 
remain until 4 o’clock next morning, when, to my satisfac¬ 
tion, I found all united in the fumigated box and tolerably 
quiet. I had now only to place the box in its original place, 
and they are prospering as well as any stock I have. 1 
always keep a hive or two for swarms; but I work my bees 
on a plan much like Mr. Nutts, but on a cheaper and, I 
think, more simple method with every success. I use side 
boxes, but the only communication between them is a pas¬ 
sage cut in common floor boards ; and I have them now fust 
filling the side boxes, as well as glasses. I think this plan 
more easily managed than the storifying system, which, by 
the way, I cannot condemn; for on the storifying plan I took 
last year from one stock a box of 04 lb, and from another a 
box of 63 lb, and all were pure virgin comb, well ventilated, 
and free from brood or bee bread.—.T. W. IV. 
Black Beetles.— I have found my small plants just set 
out much eaten, and put heaps of bran covered with cabbage 
leaves, supposing it to be snails, and each morning find 
several black beetles in each heap of bran. This may be 
useful to some of your readers.—A Constant Reader. 
White Forget-me-not, Ac.-—Our obliging correspondent 
has had much pleasure in forwarding plants of the “White 
Forget-me-not” to the different applicants for it. She has 
already put up two and twenty little boxes of plants, and 
written with each to the effect, that if they do not thrive she 
will, upon application in the autumn, send seeds. The dry 
weather is against such delicate plants being removed. 
Some few of the recipients have written, and handsomely 
acknowledged the arrival of the plants. It is not at this 
place (Ledbury), but at Malvern, that the “Forget-me-not” 
so flourishes. It delights in rock work, or a gravelly soil, 
where it sows itself. As our correspondent is only now 
there occasionally, she cannot promise any more plants ; but 
all who have hitherto applied shall have some. In the May 
number of The Cottage Gardener an application, under 
the initials “ A. E. 1).,’’ is made for seed of the Myosotis 
alba, or “ White Forget-me-not.” If the address is sent to 
the Editor, and forwarded, a few seeds shall be sent. The 
plant will thrive in most situations, she believes; but it 
must be treated as an annual. The Weigela rosea, planted 
out in the open border about three years since, in a shel¬ 
tered situation, has grown into a fine bush, and flowered 
nicely this year. As soon as frosts appear in the autumn j 
the plant is entirely covered over with dry fern. Thus 
treated it flourishes well. It is so beautiful, that others may 
be tempted by this account to cultivate it. The Plumbago 
Larpentce, respecting which there is so much difference of 
opinion, has succeeded at this place (Ledbury) in the open 
borders; and though unprotected through the last severe | 
winter, has stood well—dying to the ground, and shooting 
up in the spring. As an ornament to the greenhouse or 
conservatory through the autumn it is well adapted. The 
Anemone japonica, and A. vita folia, form a handsome group 
in a flower-bed, and spread themselves so thickly as to 
become almost like a weed. The hybrids, too, produced by 
the two varieties, and self-sown, are very pretty.—M. I). 1). H. 
Preserving Wall-Fruit from Wasps. —As there are 
many wasps this year, I send you a good receipt for pre¬ 
serving wall-fruit from them in the autumn, which we have 
tried with great success. Boil large carrots in water well 
sweetened with coarse brown sugar (quite a syrup). Hang j 
these carrots on the fruit-trees, and the wasps preferring I 
them, will eat the carrots quite away, and fall down in 
numbers quite tipsy under the trees, when they can be killed 
or buried.—W. A. E. 
