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THE COTTAGE GARDENEE AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 8, 1859. 
even the >vax in the human ear. But, as I mentioned before, and 
now repeat without the least fear of contradiction, bees eject wax 
from their mouths like small, frothen crumbs of bread, and not in 
pellucid scales like that in the pockets under their abdomens. 
But what comes from the stomach, through the mouth, cannot 
be a secretion. 
The chief point jit issue between us, is, either bees collect wax 
from plants, or secrete it from honey. I have already given my 
opinion on the latter, and may further observe, that there seems 
to be no affinity between wax and honey, otherwise the waxen 
cells must absorb it. I give this, however, with some diffidence, 
and now notice bees collecting vegetable wax. 
I need not repeat my former remarks, especially on their 
scraping it from the leaves and young shoots of the common 
Laurel. To this, “A Devonshire Bee-keeper” objects, and 
considers that the insects are in search of saccharine food, and lick 
with their proboscis. But, as regards their “licking, not scrap¬ 
ing,” I refer him to “ B. and W.,” whose views on this subject 
correspond more with his than mine. He states, that the 
bees “ scrape something of a gummy nature,” which I say is 
wax, and is afterwards clarified in the stomach of the bees by a 
process perhaps as impossible to explain, as that of the converting 
sugar into honey in the blossoms of flowers. Iloney thus clari¬ 
fied, led me to think it was not so likely to contain wax as com¬ 
mon sugar. A mistake may be noticed in my previous paper on 
this subject, when speaking of wax. It should read “ detected,” 
and not “ distilled” from honey. But this is of less consequence 
than being blamed for mistrusting Iluber. However, it may be, 
that good man was blind, or nearly so, and had to take much at 
second hand.—-J. Wigaton. 
POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY'S MEETING. 
At a meeting of the British Bornological Society, on 
Thursday last, Mr. Hogg in the chair, there were six new 
members elected. 
Mr. Davidson, the Secretary, stated, that his time was 
so much occupied otherwise, that he found he could not 
give that attention to the duties of his office as would 
give satisfaction to the Society, and therefore lie begged 
to tender his resignation, which was accepted; but as 
Mr. Davidson wished to remain in office till the end of 
the financial year (31st of July), his request was as¬ 
sented to. 
Prizes of two guineas and one guinea were awarded for 
the best and second best collections of six varieties of 
dessert Pears. The first was gained by Mr. Moorman, 
of Clapham, and the second by Mr. Cox, of Eedleaf. 
Several other subjects for examination were brought 
before the Meeting, of which the most important was, a 
bunch of Lady Downs Seedling Grape, from Mr. Thomp¬ 
son, gardener to the Duke of Buccleugh, Dalkeith Palace. 
The bunch was ripe in August, and had hung till now, 
and the stalks were as green and fresh as it was possible 
for them to be, and the berries plump and very excellent. 
Dr. Davies, of Pershore, brought a collection of Apples, 
of which, and other things, a more full report will be 
given. F. I. Graham, Esq., of Cranford, Middlesex, read 
a most interesting paper on the Apple fungus ; for which 
a vote of thanks was presented to him. Mr. Graham was 
requested to allow the paper to be published in the report, 
to which he consented. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Pea Stems turning Yet,low at tiif. Bottom ( Subscriber ).—Your soil 
is deficient, probably, in moisture and nourishment. If so, mulching on 
oach side the rows, and watering with liquid manure, will remove the evil. 
Sheds of Ferns ( Kate ),—Mr. Sims, nurseryman, Foot’s Cray, Kent, 
is the most likely person to give you the information you require. 
Sitting-room Grate with Boiler (A Nine Years' Subscriber ).—Such 
a grate, with boiler for heating a greenhouse, has been made, but we know 
of no ironfounder who keeps such an arrangement. If we required one, 
we should have a boiler made of wrought iron, of the size and shape most 
suited to our grate. Wrought iron does not crack, when violently cooled, 
by pouring in cold water. 
Mildew on Aitle Trees (R. JR .).—Your trees are out of doors, and 
the soil “nice and dry.” It is probable that the mildew arose from 
stagnant circulation of the sap, owing to the exocssive dryness of the last 
summer. Try mulching over the roots of the trees during the summer 
in a circle, including the whole surface of the soil within a radius of two 
feet from the stem. Give a bucket or two of water to each tree over the 
mulch, once a-week, or oftener, if the weather continues long dry during 
that season. Liquid manure will be advantageous. If mildew makes its 
appearance, try the “ Gishurst Compound,’.’ so soon as it is advertised.! 
Various (Millie M.). —Wo do not comprehend the kind of Box border 
from your description. A Box pattern, the edging high enough, an inch 
thick, in oblong circles, five inches long, and four inches broad, would 
hold nothing of flowers to be effective, if we understand you. However 
as you say, money makes the mare go, and why not a flower border ? 2. 
The flower is a Gentian ( Gentiana cawpestris), which will cross witli 
nothing else that we know of. It might with some foreign Gentiana. 3. 
The Heartsease is a most troublesome, and a most out-of-the-wav flower to 
cross. How did you do it! A proper answer will instruct a' thousand 
gardeners; but some of them may know already that it is doubtful if 
crossing effects any good with flowers which vary much in their seedlings, 
without crossing, of which the Heartsease and Dahlia are the two best- 
known samples. 
Winter Pears for a South Wall (A Constant Subscriber).—We re¬ 
commend you to select the Winter Nelis and JBeurre Ranee. 
Name of Orchid (E. M‘Mori and )— Upon re-examination, we find that 
it is Odontoglossum carini/erum, and not U. Bictonense, as we said last 
week. 
Flowers for Exhibition in September (Black Catton).— You will he 
“ done for,” as surely as the haggis at Burn’s festival, if vou buy a single 
or double Dahlia that has been before the public less than three years ; and 
the same with every flower you mention ; for, in the first place, who can 
tell how a new plant is best managed. The whole gardening world can 
only guess how. But guessing will never catch prizes. The utmost skill 
that can be gained by a practice over a long lifetime is absolutely ne¬ 
cessary, to get a third prize for new Dahlias. Even to have the smallest 
chance of a tenth-rate prize in them, one would need to grow from twenty 
to thirty kinds, to risk a prize for six flowers. But try the following :— 
Dahlias.— Bessy (Turner), Amazon and Lollipop (Holmes), Grand Sultan 
(Turner), Lord Palmerston (Holmes), Duchess of Wellington (Turner), 
Yellow’ Beauty (Turner), Mrs. Wheeler (Wheeler), Salvator Rosa (Niquet), 
Perfection (Keynes), Eclipse (Wheeler), Meteor (Fellows), and Miss 
Burdett C’outs (Turner). Fuchsias. —Prince Albert, General Williams, and 
Wonderful, for dark ones ; and for light—Duchess of Lancaster, Clio, and 
Silver Swan. Scarlet Geraniums. —Trentham Rose, Tom Thumb, Punch, 
Commander in Chief, Richmond Gem, Rubens, and Le Titian (white 
scarlets), Auburn, Henderson, and Wellington Hero. Of other Geraniums, 
none are to be depended on in September. Verbenas. —Defiance, Giiant 
des Batailles, Lord Raglan, General Simpson, Ariosto, Miss Trotter, Lady 
Palmerston, Mrs. Holford, Purple King, Mrs. Hosier Williams, and 
Standard Bearer. Herbaceous Phloxes. —Princess Alice, Omniflora com- 
pacta, Pauline Deffaut, Magnifica, Mazeppa, and Perfection. Greenhouse. 
Plants. —Diplacus grandiflorus, liouvardia longiflora, Calosanthes miniata 
and splendens, Statiee Holdfordi, Cassia corymbosa, Relhania squnrrosa, 
and Yallota purpurea. But the truth is, there is no greenhouse plant that 
can be depended on, to be in good condition for a show in September, after 
the Fuchsias, Scarlet Geraniums, and Japan Lilies. Under good gar¬ 
deners, and with a large collection of plants, one here and there manages 
to bring out one or two of the above ; hut for an amateur, who does not 
know much about plants, to think that he can take a prize in September, 
with strictly greenhouse plants, he would need to grow a dozen of each 
kind. The w’orst of it is, there are not twelve kinds of greenhouse 
plants fit for a show, so late in the season. The last of them look poor and 
seedy at the July shows. The kind of plants for a September show ought 
to be Gladioluses, in poti, not in cut blooms; shrubby Calceolarias, tall 
scarlet Lobelias, Lantanas, late Acliimenes and Gloxinias, double Petunias, 
Balsams, Coxcombs, and Hydrangeas. 
Ribbon Planting (A Brother Gardener. E. S.). — This plan is not 
ribbon planting, hut beds planted in contrasting colours, and matching 
contrasts, to form an expressive name fora new and wide-spread system of 
planting. We can give no opinion from your description, which we do not 
quite understand ; but send us a rough sketch of the beds, terrace, and 
lake, with what is already round about. Mark your own way of planting, 
or what you suggest on tile beds ; then we shall have a skeleton to study, 
and we can easily say if all the parts are in the right places. Without a 
skeleton, we can do nothing that way. 
Wall Trees Decaying (Young Gardener).—The lower branches and 
breastwood of your Peach and Nectarine trees dying, intimate that their 
roots are defective. Being on a sandy soil, and cropping the border, account 
for this. Mulch over the roots ; take care that they are not disturbed 
by the spade ; give water and liquid manure in the summer ; and now 
shorten the top branches. You will probably find the trees break freely 
lower down, and be, in other respects, more vigorous. 
LiauiD Manure (A Subscriber, Cheshire ).—You may give the drainage 
of your stables, &c., to your fruit trees in pots. We do so about once a 
fortnight throughout their period of growth. You will promote the growth 
of the Hollies by giving the liquid to them. Do so about once a month, 
and during rainy weather. 
Evergreen Bedding Plant (./. M.D.).—Malwnia, or Berbcris aquifolia, 
is just the very best evergreen for such a place; and if you will edge it 
with Erica herbacca, you will have bloom from March to the end of May. 
The two are the easiest to manage of their kinds. 
Propagating Moss Roses (T. J.).— You will do little good with striking 
Moss Roses from cuttings. Divide the stools, if large, or lay the young 
shoots now, or in July, or, better still, bud upon the briar—the Manetti, 
or any other stock. You might also try grafting now. Repot your Camellias, 
by all means, if they are looking bad. The large pots would not so much 
hurt them, if the soil were right, and you watered them properly. 
Pit for Forcing (Bose).— If you contemplate forcing early, make a 
hotbed of sweet fermented matter inside, fully three feet high at back, and 
two feet in front, beat firm in building : you may have six inches more, 
which will allow for sinking, and thus give you room for soil and foliage. 
This will give heat of itself, before you want much for your linings. If you 
are short of sweet dung, and do not want fruit early, fill to that height 
with faggots, or clinkers aiul rough stones, and sow and plant, when, by 
