May 26 , 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
615 
world, being thus favourable to vegetation. Modern 
representatives of this age are Sea "Weeds and aquatic 
or water-loving Rhizoearps. 
Silurian Flora. 
Land plants make their first appearance in British 
strata in the Silurian, a marine deposit of vast extent. 
Spores of Club Mosses have been found in the sand¬ 
stone at Downton (Upper Silurian), and lizards also 
make their appearance, while fishes occur in immense 
numbers in the old red sandstone of the Devonian 
epoch overlying the Silurian. A few insects and 
scorpions have been found in the latter. Besides Club 
Mosses, plants allied to the Horsetails appear, and 
culminate in the carboniferous system, while they are 
more sparingly continued into existing vegetation. 
From the fragments which we have been able to obtain 
of the flora of this period, it presents to the imagination 
a grotesque and singular appearance, and although 
possibly luxuriant and widespread, was very monotonous 
and far from attractive. Much of the land was sub¬ 
merged during this period. 
Devonian Flora. 
A more varied flora crops up in this system, and one 
to which considerable interest is attached. As already 
stated, the Rhizoearps culminate in the Devonian 
system, and the spores (macrospores) allied to those of 
Salvinia natans still existing in European waters, occur 
in millions of tons in beds of this age in Canada and 
the United States. They also appear in Brazil, 
Australia, Tasmania, and elsewhere. Several kinds of 
Rhizoearps existed in those ancient forests, attaining 
the dimensions of trees ; whereas their modern repre¬ 
sentatives are puny herbs, growing in or floating on 
shallow water, as did their remote ancestors. Giant 
tree-like Club Mosses (Lepidodendrons) and giant 
Horsetails (Calamites and Asterophyllites) become very 
dominant in North America, and the former are mixed 
with smaller species, like their puny trailing repre¬ 
sentatives of the present day. The Club Mosses are 
also found in the Upper Devonian of the West of 
England and South Wales, as well as the first traces 
of Horsetails, Conifers and the first or oldest known 
British Fern. In North America Ferns allied to the 
Filmy Ferns (Hymenophyllum and Trichomanes) make 
their appearance, together with tree Ferns at Chio, 
having their stems supported with aerial roots like the 
cordage of a ship. At New York the remains of a 
forest of tree Ferns has been found in the position in 
which they originally grew, with their aerial roots 
attached to the soil. Tree Ferns are still dominant in 
the tropics of both hemispheres. In various parts of 
North America, Scotland and Germany the first known 
flowering plants make their appearance in the form of 
trees allied to the Yew (Dadoxylon, Coradites). The 
only animal inhabitants of those Devonian forests as 
yet discovered are insects allied to the grasshoppers 
and shad-flies, whose larvae lived in water and fed 
upon aquatic vegetation. Fishes have been already 
mentioned.— J. F. 
Swarming.—-W ith a late spring, such as we have just 
had, swarming in May—even in the south—will not be 
common. All preparations for swarming should now 
be completed. Hives that are intended for bees this 
season should be thoroughly cleansed, painted inside 
with salicylic acid solution, and the bar-frames have 
the foundation combs put in, using the thick ones. 
This is of great advantage to the bees, saving them the 
time it would take in collecting the honey to manu¬ 
facture the wax. The thick comb foundation contains 
as much wax as will enable the bees to draw the comb 
out. The operation of swarming is generally so well 
understood that it is unnecessary for me to say much 
about it here. V ith the bar-frame hive in use, a 
straw skep is most useful for swarming, but for all other 
purposes in the apiary it is now obsolete. It is easier 
to handle, and can more readily be got under the 
bees in swarming, and they can be carried any 
distance in it; but if the bees are to be at once 
transferred to the bar-frame hive, a zinc pail will be 
found even better than the straw skep, as it gives 
little foot-hold for the bees to cling to, and they can 
be more readily turned out into the bar-frame hive. 
This can be done by simply pouring the bees out on the 
top of the bar-frames. After taking out one or two 
bar-frames to allow the others to be kept a little 
farther apart, and after the bee 3 have settled down, 
the frames can be moved to the right distance. 
Another common method of transferring the bees 
from the straw hives to the bar-frame hive is to 
spread a sheet in front of the hive, with the top edge 
coming under it, raise the edge of the hive to allow the 
bees to get in all along the front. Put a handful or 
two of bees in the hive, then turn them out of the skep 
on the sheet in front of the hive and they will speedily 
disappear inside. 
It is not advisable to put more bar-frames in at first 
than the bees will cover. A strong swarm will not 
require more than eight, and a weaker one more than 
six, the other combs to be added as the bees increase 
in number. As soon as the bees are all in, move the 
hive to where it is to stand—unless it has to be moved 
a considerable distance at night—otherwise, if they 
have only to be moved a short distance and they are 
allowed to stand until night where they swarmed, the 
bees mark the spot and begin to work. Consequently, 
next day, when they are moved, we find a great number 
come back to where the hive stood the previous day 
and so get lost. "We find by moving the hive as soon 
as the bees are in and settled that we avoid this. It 
is always advisable to feed a new swarm until it has 
time to store food for a “rainy day.” A little help 
at this time is a great assistance to the bees, and 
will be more than returned during the season. 
Supering. —Of all the different modes that have 
been tried to deprive the bees of their honey without 
destroying them, there is nothing to equal the 1-lb. or 
2-lb. section boxes ; and wherever honey in the comb 
is desired for the table or for marketing, supers of 
sections is the best means to obtain that end. "With 
the bar-frame hive, and in suitable localities, supering 
may begin at once. Here, in the neighbourhood of 
London, I find it is not advisable to do so, as the early- 
stored honey is very strongly flavoured. One season I 
put the supers on early, and had a good and early 
harvest ; but the honey was so strongly flavoured of the 
Gooseberry that it was almost unfit to eat. Since then 
I have always waited until the Gooseberries were out of 
flower before putting any supers on. If it be unde¬ 
sirable to have any more swarms, supering, if resorted 
to in time, will generally prevent it. As soon as all 
the bar-frames are added to the hive, and the combs 
covered with bees, the supers may be put on. Those 
in general use are in 1-lb. and 2-lb. sections. A bar- 
frame such as I have described will take twenty-eight 
1-lb. sections or twenty-one 2-lb. sections ; but in a 
strong hive the 1-lb. sections may be doubled—that is, 
when the first super of sections are getting nearly filled, 
they are taken off and another set put on. This will 
cause the bees to finish the top lot of sections and take 
readily to the others just put on. The supers are kept 
above the top of the bar-frames of the hive § in., to give 
room for the bees, and each section is divided by a 
piece of tin or thin wood, leaving only \ in. at top and 
bottom clear to admit of the bees passing from one to 
another. This is to enable them to keep the comb 
straight, and its surface inside the wood of the sections. 
The supers, of course, would all be furnished with 
comb-foundation before being put on, using for the 
purpose a thin foundation. It is easily fixed in the 
centre of each section by means of melted wax and a 
brush. The favourable weather we have had for the 
last week or ten days has helped the bees wonderfully, 
and should it continue, we may yet overtake the time 
that has been lost through the late season. —A. Wright, 
May 23 rd. 
———•—>:!:< -——-- 
'Notes from Scotland. 
Arddarrock. 
The beautifully situated estate of Arddarrock, Gareloc- 
head, Dumbartonshire, is the property of R. B. White, 
Esq., a gentleman who is greatly interested in the 
culture of Orchids. It is a lovely spot, on Loch Long, 
surrounded by fine hills. From the Windows of the 
mansion splendid views are obtained for miles, and one 
can see up the loch the Argyleshire, Perthshire, 
and Dumbartonshire Hills, all being visible. The 
scenery is truly charming, and well may it be said, 
Arddarrock is an elegant summer residence. The 
grounds are beautifully laid out, and undulating in 
character. Pleasant winding walks lead through the 
woods ; and a lovely American garden, with many fine 
clumps of Rhododendrons and Azaleas, many of the 
former open and furnishing a blaze of colour, is a 
great feature of the place. In a short time a grand 
sight will present itself, these fine specimens being all 
apparently anxious to expand their flowers. Here and 
there one meets with a good specimen Conifer, and 
herbaceous and Alpine plants all find a home. 
The walls of the mansion are clothed with fine 
flowering plants, such as Loniceras, &c. A very fine 
plant of Desfontania spinosa, 6 ft. high, and as much 
through, attracted my attention, and I understand 
that it flowers freely every year. Adjoining the 
mansion is a fine conservatory well furnished with 
graceful Palms and Ferns, and gay with a good assort¬ 
ment of flowering plants in season. A short distance 
from the conservatory are the houses which contain 
Mr. White’s favourites—the Orchids. I was pleased 
to see such a fine healthy lot of Cattleyas and Lselias. 
Among the former were many excellent forms of C. 
Mosske, and one in particular was extremely handsome 
and distinct ; also numerous fine specimens of C. 
intermedia, C. Skinneri, C. Mendelii in great variety, 
and C. Percivaliana, and which were all well flowered. 
Of Lfelias there are many fine specimens and grand 
varieties, extremely well flowered. Here I met with 
some of the very finest distinct varieties of L. purpurata 
it has been my pleasure to behold. One had fifteen 
fine expanded flowers over 9 ins. across, with a large 
broad lip 2£ ins. in breadth, of a deep bright purple ; 
the throat beautifully veined, and the sepals and petals 
slightly tinted with rosy purple—a flower of great 
size, perfect in shape and of great substance. Many 
other fine varieties, varying from the deepest to the 
more delicate colours to be found in C. purpurata, 
were here in quantities. Ccelogyne Massangeana, with 
its graceful spikes, was likewise well done, and the 
same may be said of the many fine Dendrobes, such 
as D. chrysotoxum, D. fimbriatum oeulatum, D. 
thyrsiflorum, D. albo sanguineum, D. nobilis, 
D. Devonianum, &c. Amongst Cypripediums were C. 
caudatum with fine flowers, C. barbatum, and C. 
Lawrenceana, very noticeable. Vanda suavis and 
V. tricolor in many fine varieties scented the house 
with their sweet perfume. Odontoglossum Roezlii, 
0. Alexandras, 0. Pescatorei, 0. nebulosum, 0. pul- 
chellum, 0. cirrhosum, 0. citrosmum, 0. Lindleyanum, 
and 0. Hallii, with Epidendrum vitellinum and many 
Masdevallias, make up a fine and imposing display. 
A good cool house most suitable for the culture of 
this section is full of nice healthy plants ; and the 
innumerable quantity of spikes showing, bids well for 
a grand display for some time to come. Mr. White is 
constantly receiving fresh importations, and I trust 
that amongst them he may be rewarded by finding 
something new and distinct. Mr. Kidd, the gardener 
is to be congratulated upon his successful management 
of the collection. These few hurried notes were taken 
on May lfth, -when I had the pleasure of being shown 
round by Mr. White himself, and who I am sure will 
be pleased at any time to see anyone interested in his 
favourite flowers, who may find themselves in the 
delightful neighbourhood of the Gareloch.— Rusticus. 
Setting the Alnwick Seedling Grape.— 
Having had some trouble with this Grape through its 
being very difficult to set, I send you a bunch of the 
variety for your inspection. It was cut from a graft 
on the Black Hamburgh, which was put on last year, 
and which showed a bunch soon after being worked ; 
but I was only successful in setting six berries. This 
year the graft showed four bunches, and whenever they 
came into flower I brushed them daily between the 
hours of 12 noon and 2 p.m. with a rabbit’s tail, and 
also with my hand, going over the Hamburgh bunches 
first, so that my hand and the rabbit’s tail were covered 
with pollen. 1 also cut off some Hamburgh bunches 
not likely to be wanted, and which were thickly 
flowered, and the pollen in a dry state for distribution, 
taking care net to shake the bunch much when cutting 
it. I then shook them over the Alnwick Seedling 
bunches, and round the sides. The house in which it 
is growing is filled with Ferns and Palms, and the 
water I had to throw about for them was rather against 
the setting of any Grape, and especially if of a shy 
nature .—A Perthshire Gardener. [A most satisfactory 
set in every respect.— Ed.] 
Forestry in Ceylon.—It will doubtless interest 
many of our Scottish readers to learn that Mr. 
Alexander, who had charge of the Ceylon exhibit at the 
Forestry Exhibition in Edinburgh, has, in addition to 
the North Central received charge of the Central 
Province. "Ve learn also that the Government has 
sanctioned the opening of a forest school at Kandy, 
with Mr. Alexander as director, and at which lectures 
will be delivered to the students by Dr. Trimen and 
others. Mr. Alfred Clark has received the fixed 
appointment of forester for the "Western Province. 
