THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, March 10, 1857. 
39!) 
ON DYSENTERY IN BEES. 
Bees are often attacked with dysentery 
in the spring ; and this seems to proceed 
from long confinement, damp hives, and 
deficiency of food. A diseased colony is 
easily known by the blackish, foetid excre¬ 
ments ’which the bees deposit outside the 
hive. In such cases no time should he 
lost in giving the bees proper food and a 
little salt mixed with it, which is considered 
good. If possible the food ought to be 
placed in front of the hive during sun¬ 
shine, and strong colonies near it should 
be confined, in order to prevent robbery or 
attack on the weak ; but in very bad cases 
we prefer feeding with honey alone, and 
brushing off all filth from the floors of the 
hives. If those be damp the hives should 
be set upon other dry floors in the same 
places. When doing so examine the combs, 
and if they appear damp and mouldy it is 
good to wedge up the hives about a quarter 
of an inch behind, with a view to draw off 
the foul air from the bees. In some novel 
hives that may be done at top ; but this 
only for a day or two, for cold draughts 
are, of course, injurious to bees at all 
times, but more so in spring, when they 
require warmth for the brood. 
Though out of place, I may state that 
to-day, the 17th of February, I observed 
my bees amongst the Filbert bushes with 
pollen on their thighs; also a sulphur 
butterfly on the wing, and a large green 
caterpillar upon a cabbage leaf—rather 
uncommon sights at so early a period in 
the spring.—J. Wighton, Norwich. 
GRAFTING HOYA BELLA. 
Last August you gave the treatment of the Hoya bella 
by grafting. I was at Mr. Backhouse’s Nursery at York in 
July, where they had many small plants of this Hoya. I 
said I wished there was a plan by which we could grow it a few 
years without damping, when Mr. MacMuran made answer, 
“ I saw one last week near Leeds that will grow as many 
years as you like. It was grafted on one of the stronger 
| Hoyas .” I found that plant in the neighbourhood, where 1 
frequently go. It had one stick for a centre shoot, and the 
other shoots hung down to the pot the way I think it 
should be. 
Mr. Dyment writes in The Cottage Gardener that he is 
rather surprised that you make the assertion that you seldom 
meet with well-grown plants of Hoya bella on their own 
roots out of London. He gives his plan of growing it. He 
had a large pot of the Hoya bella , and he potted it four or 
five inches deep. Then, of course, every shoot would root; 
then there would be dozens of plants in the pot, with as 
many sticks. It just looked like a Russellia juncea would if 
tied up to sticks. By his method it takes three years to 
make a nice little plant if all goes well; whereas by grafting 
you have a plant in eighteen months with five or six dozen 
heads of bloom at one time, with leaves as firm and as 
brittle as a carrot. Then, again, Mr. Dyment would have 
Hoya imperialis for the stock; but I think it would be the 
very worst of stocks. The stock would be too strong for the 
weaker-growing Hoya bella; and the stock, I fear, would 
ultimately kill the top or scion.— Cedo Nulli. 
ANGELONIA AN GUSTIFOLIA. 
Raised from seeds received from 
Perfectly smooth in all its parts, very 
upright, and about two feet high. Leaves 
opposite, narrow, tapering somewhat to 
the base, slightly and distantly serrated. 
Racemes terminal, erect, densely many- 
flowered, nearly six inches long. Flowers 
deep violet, with a green throat, a small 
double tooth within the cavity, and two 
gibbosities at the back. 
This is a half-shrubby stove perennial, 
which grows freely in a mixture of loam, 
leaf mould, and sandy peat, in equal pro¬ 
portions, with plenty of moisture. It is 
easily increased by cuttings, and flowers 
from June to October - , but afterwards 
should be kept rather dry, particularly 
during winter. 
It is a very handsome little plant, and 
one deserving a place in evei’y stove or 
warm greenhouse.— {Horticultural Society’s 
Journal.) 
Mexico from Mr. Ilartweg, in January, 1846. 
