206 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, December 23, 1856. 
PROTECTING STRAW HIVES. 
One or two remarks having lately appeared in The 
Cottage Gardener as to the best mode of protecting 
straw hives during winter, I am induced to communicate 
the following account of the means I employ. I should 
mention, however, that I seldom use hives of the common 
form, unless I happen to purchase one containing a stock. 
The objects to be gained in protecting hives appear .to me 
to be twofold—the exclusion of wet, and the preservation of 
a uniform, moderate temperature. In a natural state bees 
inhabit hollow trees, the thick sides of which afford a much 
greater protection against external cold and daily variations 
of temperature than our comparatively thin-sided straw or 
wooden hives. The material, then, that would he most 
desirable to employ as a protecting agent would be one 
perfectly impervious to wet, and a non-conductor of heat. 
The substance which I have found fulfil these conditions in 
the highest degree is a compound of Indian-rubber and 
ground cork, which is prepared for flooring rooms and 
passages instead of oil-cloth. The mode in which it maybe 
employed with cylindrical hives is to cut a strip seven to 
nine inches wide, according to the height of the hive, and four 
feet long; this is placed round the hive, and prevented from 
unrolling by a piece of string; a milk-pan placed upside 
down completes the protection. If the entrance into the 
hive has been made by cutting the straw (a plan which I 
regard as inferior in every respect to having the entrance 
cut out of the floor-board), it will he necessary to make a 
corresponding entrance in the covering. 
I have found that the hives protected in this way have, 
during the late extreme and rapid alternations of wet and 
cold, been preserved perfectly free from dampness. This I 
partly attribute to the fact that the covering has preserved 
them, to so great a degree, from the external cold, that no 
condensation of the moisture exhaling from the bees has 
taken place. I may mention that this substance is termed 
Kamptulicon, and is sold at a warehouse in Walbrook. 
That which I have employed has been taken up after some 
years’ use, and answers equally well with new.—W. B. 
Tegetmeier. 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
Leperiza latifolia {Broad-leaved Leperiza). 
This South American bulb is found in moist, wooded 
places in the province of Tarma, Andes of Peru. It has 
also been called Chrysiphiala latifolia and Pancratium lati- 
folium. Its flowers are golden yellow. In a greenhouse they 
open in September.— {Bot. Mag. t. 4952.) 
Castanea chrysopiiylla {Golden-leaved Chestnut). 
“ One of the greatest rarities, perhaps, in the arboretum 
of the Royal Gardens of Kew.” The golden colour of the 
under-side of the leaves arises from numerous scales of that 
colour. The tree was discovered in 1830 by Mr. D. Douglas, 
on hills about the grand rapids of the Columbia, and near 
Mount Hood. It has since been found in California. It is 
perfectly hardy.— {Ibid. t. 4953.) 
Tricyrtis pilosa {Hairy Tricyrtis). 
This is a native of the Himalaya. Flowers greenish yellow, 
and striking from their form and crimson spots.— {Ibid, 
t. 4955.) 
Linum grandiflorum {Large-Jlowered Flax). 
This annual is the “ Red-flowered Flax,” about which so 
many inquiries have been made in our pages. Those who 
wish to know what the flower is when in perfection should 
purchase this month’s number of the Botanical Magazine. 
“ Nothing,” says Sir W. Hooper, “ hut a well-coloured figure, 
which has never hitherto appeared, can give an idea of the 
beauty of this plant.” Its flowers are brilliant crimson, 
and about one inch and a half in diameter. It is a native 
of Northern Africa, near Mascar and Oran. Kept in a cool 
greenhouse it flowers in August.— {Ibul. t. 4956.) 
Melastoha denticulatum {Toothed Melastoma). 
A handsome stove evergreen, native of New Caledonia. 
Flowers white, tinged at the edge with pink. Blooms in 
July and August.— {Ibid. t. 4957.) 
KEEP A GARDEN DIARY. 
Now that the days are shortening, the bustle of the 
leaves pretty well over, the winter’s stock properly secured, ! 
and out-door work not so pressing as it has been, we can I 
take a little breathing time, and review the past in connection ; 
with our preparations for the future. But how can we re¬ 
view the past ? Have we stored away in our memories all 
our failures and mishaps since March last? Can we bring 
to mind the whole of our own arrangement of flowers during 
the past summer ? Can we recollect all our contemplated 
alterations? Do we remember the advice given on the 
various subjects of inquiry, arrangement of flowers in 
borders in particular? the subjects treated of, and the 
suggestions offered, in The Cottage Gardener bearing on 
our own individual interests during the present year, which 
is now drawing to a close ? I think not. I know indivi¬ 
dually, if I had to depend on memory alone, my improve¬ 
ments would be on a very limited scale. 
Therefore, when I say we have time to review the past, 
with me that review consists in looking over my daily 
journal for things generally, and a note-hook alphabetically 
arranged for things in particular. Now, these notes are of 
vast service to me at this season of the year, when new 
flower-beds are being made, the old ones altered, and the 
flowers re-arranged ; for here it appeal’s as though the whole 
of the flowers had been mixed together, and sowed broad¬ 
cast, and the same flowers in every bed that was large enough 
to hold them. I say, how could I make any satisfactory 
arrangement if, when reading The Cottage Gardener, I 
had not noted down what appeared applicable to me here? 
How much better it is to arrange a border sitting in a warm 
room during an evening, so that on the morrow there is no 
need of standing in the cold to consider what shall be put 
here, or what shall be there. I do consider, before I touch 
a border to fork it, I should have the whole arrangement 
complete, either mentally or on paper; and to do so a man 
must make himself acquainted with every flower and shrub 
that he has on the premises or at his disposal. 
Some men of my class may think the above a difficult 
point to attain without years of experience; but it is not so 
difficult as they may imagine. This I know from experience, 
for when I engaged with the Doctor I had all to learn; 
but the past has told me what perseverance would do, and 
those in my circumstances must not only work, hut think; 
and to make that thinking of the utmost service it must-be 
booked, or the heads of it, for a future, as well as for the 
present day. This is very well known to the great body 
of your intelligent readers; yet there is a large class of 
readers, at least of men that should be readers, who do not 
know it; for circumstances have come to my knowledge of 
late of individuals giving up The Cottage Gardener be¬ 
cause they did not profit sufficiently by reading it; but 
further particulars of this some other day. 
Now, the man that reads only for the present day, and has 
no faith in reading to develope and cultivate the mind, so 
that when called upon he may be able to grapple with and 
overcome obstacles difficult and perplexing—such a man is 
not likely to be very much interested in Mr. Errington’s 
charred materials, or Mr. Robson’s deep trenching, or to 
follow Mr. Beaton in his run-and-read style through his long 
papers, with note-book before him, jotting down all that is 
likely to be of any service to him in his present position ; and 
he must be in an enviable position, indeed, if he did not 
meet with a good deal that would be worth jotting down. 
No, the man that will throw away these winter evenings, 
and neglect the cultivation and improvement of his own 
mind, is not very likely to make great exertions, beyond 
what are compulsory, in the cultivation or improvement of 
the place under his care. 
Some people may say, “ This reading and writing so much, 
what good is it?” It has been said to me often, and yet the 
objectors have been glad to avail themselves of it when 
memory has failed them in reference to the past. 
In gardening matters it is this good—you can refer to 
the past, and see how it corresponds with the present, and, 
from the experience thus gained, the course for the future 
can he the more easily shaped out. For instance, one like 
myself has a large place under his care, and he wishes to 
make every improvement he can, both for his own and his 
employer’s advantage. How long would it take him to get 
