THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Novembeb 24, 1857. 
nine years, and this is generally done by layering. They 
never receive any water even in the hottest summer. There 
i are several sorts planted here, hut they are of little use 
except for wine making. The mildew never did any injury 
to this vineyard, as it only appeared late in the autumn, and 
then only in a mild form, although its effects were severely 
felt in the neighbourhood.— Karl. 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
P andanus candelabrum (Lustre Screw Pine). 
Native of the west coast of Africa. A specimen is at the 
Crystal Palace. “ Of the leaves of P. odoratissima, growing 
in the islands of Mauritius and Bourbon, the bags in which 
sugar is exported are all made, and when they have serve 
for that purpose they are sold to the London fishmongers, 
and are familiar to every person who buys a piece of fish in 
the market as the receptacle for carrying home the purchase 
for his dinner.”— {Botanical Magazine , t. 5014.) 
Sabbatia campestris (Prairie Sabbatia). 
A fragrant, hitter annual, native of Arkansas and the Red 
River, New Orleans and Texas, where it was found by Mr. 
Nuttali and Mr. James Drummond. It was first imported 
by Mr. W. Thompson, of Ipswich. Flowers deep lilac, with 
a yellow eye. “ Planted out in the early summer it pro¬ 
duces copiously its ornamental flowers.”— (Ibid., t. 501O.J 
Dillenia speciosa (Shoicy Dillenia). 
This beautiful Magnolia-like tree inhabits the woods of 
all tropical Asia. Its apple-like, hut very acid fruit makes 
a tolerably pleasant jelly, and its hard tough wood is used 
for gun stocks. It has large white flowers, which opened 
last August for the first time in Europe under the care of 
; Mr. Osborne, of the Fulliam Nursery.— (Ibid., t. 5010.) 
Salvia candelabrum (Lustre Sage). 
A native of Mexico, but “ of all the 400 species described 
by Bentham ” none have more striking flowers than those 
of this species marbled with rich purple and white. It is a 
hardy under-shrub plant, flowering in July. Introduced by 
Mr. Thompson, of Ipswich.— (Ibid., t. 5017.) 
Codonopsis rotundifolia, var. GEANDLFLORA ( Large - 
jlowered, round-leaved Codonopsis). 
Native of the Himalaya. Flowered at Kew in July, 1857. 
The original species, C. rotundifolia , is figured and de¬ 
scribed in the Botanical Magazine, t. 4942.— (Ibid., t. 5018.) 
THE STEWARTON HIVE. 
I have read a communication signed “Robt. Eagle- 
sham ” in your publication of the 10th inst., on which I may 
1 be permitted to make a remark. When Mr. E. says that 
! “ the directions for management of the Stewarton boxes 
were drawn up in ignorance of the small size of southern 
hives,” and that, in consequence, the former have “not re¬ 
ceived a fair trial,” the inference to be drawn is, that on his 
theory the larger the hive the greater is the amount of 
honey that may be expected. Now, all experience contradicts 
: this hypothesis, whether it be in Scotland or England. It 
may be very well to say of Neighbour’s, or any other stori- 
fying hive, that it is working “ on fancy principles without 
regard to quantity;" but allow me to tell Mr. Eaglesham 
| that it is beyond his power to induce the family to store 
more honey in one hive than another, circumstances of 
locality and season being the same; nor will its quality be 
! in any way affected by the form or dimensions of the 
dwelling. It is quite true that one hive or box may be better 
contrived for convenience and economy than another; but 
that is the affair of the proprietor, and not of the bees, who 
I will store their collection into any shaped vessel in just the 
quantity that nature and opportunity have put before them. 
I quite agree with your correspondent that population must 
be duly considered, and if Mr. E. thinks that two swarms 
joined together will give a better account of his hives than 
one I agree with him, only that this may be done with 
any other kind of hive of sufficient capacity. It is the number 
of workmen, and not their dwelling, “ that produces the 
greatest quantity in the least time.” 
This doubled population may do wonders the first year, 
but I suspect the proprietor would find the advantage of 
what are called the “ puny skeps ” of the south in subsequent 
seasons. This is precisely the rock on which poor Nutt was 
wrecked. I only know the Stewarton hive by description, 
and have no wish to undervalue real ingenious improvement; 
but this I know, that he must be a clever apiarian who can 
make a bee put a single ounce extra of honey into it unless 
he has a mind. 
To the novice in bee-keeping I would again repeat the 
words of Mr. Robert Golding, which have been recently 
quoted in The Cottage Gardener. “ Let my readers,” 
says he, “repel the quackery which would have them 
believe that it was the kind of hive that commanded the 
honeyed store. No, that will be ruled by the season and 
locality, and these vary greatly.”—T. 
THE CORK TREE. 
In answer to a correspondent who signs himself “ Suber,” 
in the last number of The Cottage Gardener, you say, 
“ It is unusual for the Cork tree to bear acorns in this 
climate, but many plants have been induced to flower for the 
first time in this country by the late glorious summer.” 
There are, at this place of my father’s, two Cork trees, one 
of considerable size, the circumference of its stem at four 
feet from the ground being eight feet nine inches. This 
year both it and its companion are covered with fine acorns, 
a specimen of which I send you, which has not been the 
case for seven or eight years past. The acorns of this year 
considerably exceed in size those of former years. We have 
some young trees standing at the height of twelve feet, 
which were raised from seed about eighteen years ago, and 
others about four or five feet high, which were raised from 
seed eight years ago. The Cork acorn is, unfortunately, 
not of much value in England, since the trees thrive in so 
few soils. We have given many acorns and young plants 
away in this and other neighbourhoods, with the hope of 
making so beautiful a tree more common than it at present 
is, but I am sorry to say that in very few instances have 
they succeeded. I must tell you that the soil in which our 
trees grow is a fine rich yellow loam. We have found 
acorns on our trees in large quantities three times within 
the last twenty years, but a few have been found every three 
or four years. At such times we have to look sharply after 
them, for squirrels and jays are very partial to them. 
In a short time I hope to be enabled to take a photograph 
of the largest tree. I think it deserving of this, for I believe 
it to be one of the largest in this part of England; at any 
rate, it is very beautiful. Perhaps you would like to have a 
photograph. I will with pleasure send you one if you would. 
—Quercus Suber. 
[We shall be much obliged.—E d. C. G.] 
CHINESE YAM. 
Let “ H. C. K.” try the following receipt for cooking his 
Chinese Yam. It is the best for the West Indian Yam, and 
may render the Chinese one more palatable. 
Place the Yam in cold water, and boil till it is tender; 
then peel off the skin, and put it into the oven till it is 
baked a nice brown. When going to serve cut it open, and, 
pressing the inside gently, butter it quite hot.—J. M. 
NATIVE PLANTS. 
In the number of The Cottage Gardener for August 
4th, 1857, page 281,1 have just read an account of some rare 
British plants growing in Yorkshire on the banks of the 
Don. I am aware that the Tulipa sylvestris grows there; 
also the Ornilhogalum lute-urn, or Gagea lutea, and many 
others that are great favourites with botanists; but when 
