414 
TIIE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNRTY GENTLEMAN, September 28, 1858. 
List of all those given as Al, and which I consider as the 
cream of my collection, which numbers over 300 sorts :—• 
4. 
5. 
6 . 
1. Admiral Lyons 
2. Brillante de Yaise 
3. Chauverii 
Celestial 
Climax 
Due d’Almida 
7. Duke of Cambridge 
8. Evening Star 
9. Eield Marshal 
10. Geant des Batailles 
11. General Simpson 
12. Great Western 
13. Jerome 
14. King of Scarlet s 
15. Lady Palmerston 
16. Lady Turner 
17. L’Argentine 
18. La Stella 
19. Lord Lyons 
21. Madonna 
22. Manteau Imperial 
23. Miss Ti’otter 
24. Matchless 
25. Mrs. Archer Clive 
26. Mrs. Beecher Stowe 
27. Mrs. Holford 
28. Mrs. Hosier Williams 
29. Optima 
30. Prince of Wales 
31. Purple King 
32. Rosy Gem. 
33. Red Rover 
34. Rougerii 
35. St. Margaret 
36. Sir. Joseph Paxton 
37. Syren 
38. Venus 
39. Negro Girl 
40. John Scott 
20. Lord Raglan 
Perhaps there could hardly be selected from any class of 
flowers a more showy galaxy of beauty than is presented by 
the above forty sorts of Verbena. I have all my sorts planted 
alphabetically, in a straight line, and the above are the 
choicest in my collection. My row measures above 400 yards, 
and, being all mixed and placed at one yard apart, you may 
imagine how beautiful such a line looks. Besides the above 
long row, my Verbena beds cover a space, without interrup¬ 
tion, equal to -* square feet. Having such an oppor¬ 
tunity of giving you a descriptive list, taken in the hottest 
weather, from, I may safely say, one of the finest collections 
in England, I could not resist the opportunity. 
ON THE ORIGIN OF SWARMING 
Our best apiarians consider that the <c idea of swarming 
originates with the old queenbut Mr. M‘Lellan, at page 
228, objects to this, and seems to think that he has found a 
clue to establish his belief that the primary cause rests with 
the bees. He bases this on the fact of having seen them de¬ 
fending the young queens in their cells from the deadly at¬ 
tacks of the old one. But, unfortunately for his hypothesis, 
his was an exception to the rule of swarming ; and only 
happens when the old queen does not leave the stock. In 
general she is gone with the first swarm, eight or ten days 
before the bees commence their important office of not only 
guarding, but also feeding the young queens, while imprisoned 
in their cells, until the first hatched ones, or rivals, are gone 
with the next swarms. 
Having spoken so lately on this part of the subject, it would 
be idle to dwell more upon it. I may observe, however, that 
what I then stated, and now state, is nothing new, for Dr. 
Dunbar spoke of it more clearly about forty years back, in the 
Edinburgh Philosophical Journal , as well as in Loudon’s 
Gardener's Magazine , for 1839. If Mr. M‘Lellan doubts 
this, I can send him the latter publication by post. And 
though I differ from Dunbar on some trifling points, yet I 
consider that we are indebted to him for the best account of 
the rationale of swarming. 
I have now to notice that Mr. M'Lellan objects to what I 
said at page 42, respecting a few bees laden with pollen 
mingling with a swarm, instead of entering the stock. I said 
so, merely with a view to show that the bees were not always 
aware of the exact time when the queen would lead off a 
swarm. To which he replies, “ This mode of reasoning ap¬ 
pears to be unsound, inasmuch as it makes the exception 
govern the common rule.” I think this requires no comment, 
except that his words might be better applied to what he said 
on the cause of swarming, already noticed. And I pass on, 
to state something else connected with this subject, that of 
the bees having another place beforehand to fly to, and pre¬ 
viously clustering and idle for days outside the hive, also sally¬ 
ing off in mock swarms before the queen will budge. She 
being more wary, the bees have to wait her time, which may 
* Copy blotted. 
depend on the state of the weather, or the maturity of the 
young queens, left behind to regulate the next times of 
swarming. 
Again, that of the bees making or cleaning out the cells of 
queens about three weeks before they contain perfect insects. 
On this I have to remark, that a queen bee cannot make cells, 
and that we are unacquainted with the manner in which bees 
communicate with each other. But, as they are of the same 
sex, perhaps swarming takes its origin from both of the insects. 
—J. WlGHTON, __ 
" GRAND NATIONAL DAHLIA SHOW.” 
The great Dahlia Show of the season, was held at St. James’s 
Hall, on the 23rd and 24th instant; but, as a whole, it must 
be regarded as only a partial success. Though the flowers 
that were exhibited were really magnificent, yet it is evident 
that cut blooms of Dahlias are not sufficient of themselves to 
make a show in such a place as St. James’s Hall. The room 
appeared naked and unfurnished-like, not only from a want of 
plants, but still more so from a want of visitors, and the 
latter is not to be wondered at, when sufficient publicity is not 
given to such occasions. We knew nothing of this Show till 
the day before, when we, through the courtesy of the Secretary, 
received a ticket of admission ; and, doubtless, many hundreds 
of our readers were in the same state of ignorance. 
DATURA WRIGHTII. 
Is it true that this pretty variety is only an annual? [We 
believe there is no doubt about it.] I sowed a few seeds this 
spring in a moderate hot-bed, and saved only two plants from 
an unexpected attack of slugs. I knew nothing of the proper 
treatment of it, and let it remain in a small pot in a neglected 
way in an. old vinery. A short time ago, one plant showed 
flower ; but one, and that after some patient watching, opened 
yesterday. My small plant is not more than sixteen inches 
high, and the length of the flower now blown is a tube of 
about four inches long. It is really very pretty: the neck 
and throat are whitish, and the upper part and margin of the 
cup a most delicate pale blue; indeed, the blue is so diffused, 
or blended with the white, that you can scarcely know where 
the blue begins. The colouring is very like that in a Convol¬ 
vulus. There is a faint, pleasant perfume from the flower. If 
we but understood the proper culture, and could grow a plant 
with a dozen flowers on it, it would really be a handsome 
acquisition to the conservatory. If you, or any of your cor¬ 
respondents, can give any information on its habits, culture, 
&c., it will be desirable. 
The flower does not hang, like most others of this class, but 
it stands up stiff and erect, and therefore wants the grace of 
the pendent kinds.— Amateur. 
[We shall be glad to have some information about this 
flower, as we do not happen to know it.] 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
MANAGING A MOWING MACHINE. 
“ In a recent number of The Cottage Gardener, I re¬ 
member reading an observation, to the effect that the man who 
holds the hinder part of Budding’s mowing machine should 
by no means push in the slightest degree. Can you give me 
a reason for this, as my man, who holds the handles, pushes 
with all his might, while the boy draws in front ? As the man 
takes care to put the boy to the hardest work, I have rather 
encouraged him to push, and to take his share of the work.”— 
Rusticus. 
[Holding the mowing machine is just like holding the 
plough. Both implements may be pushed with all one’s 
might, and yet nothing gained; on the contrary, the holder 
of the mowing machine pushes against the surface, to get a 
clean cut, not along the surface, to help the lad.] 
PROTECTING ORCHARD TREES. 
“ Having planted two acres with the best varieties of 
Apples, Pears, and Plums — tall, straight standards, high- 
