THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
415 
NOVEL BEE KEEPING EXHIBIT PLANNED FOR THE 
PANAMA-CALIFORNIA EXPOSITION 
Among the many unique features of the Panama-California Exposi¬ 
tion in San Diego, there is being planned an open air bee keeping 
exhibit to be installed on the exposition grounds where there will be 
a fully equipped apiary with honey house, extractor and tanks with 
everything necessary to illustrate just how bees are managed, and how- 
all of the operations attendant upon the production and removal, pack¬ 
ing and shipping of honey are carried on. The exhibit will also include 
a comb honey apiary and a queen bee rearing apartment, containing 
representatives of all of the varieties of bees of commercial importance 
and the methods employed in raising and introducing the improved 
strains of honey gatherers. 
A novel feature of this exhibit will be plats of all the cultivated honey 
plants growing. The canyon will be utilized in producing a natural 
mountain honey range with all the native wild honey plants so famous in 
California growing and in full bloom, yielding their nectar to the 
energetic little creatures whose business in life is to lay up sweetness. 
PEAT MOSS NOT A FERTILIZER 
Prof. Bottomley stated at Dundee: “Peat moss litter is said to be 
entirely unsuited for the growth of plants; it is acid in reaction and 
contains no soluble humates.” That it is acid in reaction we have 
proved over and over again hence our repeated advice to use lime on the 
land; that it is, apart from its manurial constituents derived from the 
excretion of animals, a bad form of organic matter to apply to soil 
deficient in this most important constituent we also know right well. 
Through long ages these peat mosses, as they are called, have been 
soaking in bogs, and the moss itself has become saturated with tannic 
and other acids so as to make its decay a work of years. Unless the 
moss decays, of course the humates would not be available to plant life. 
The chief interest attached to Mr. Bottomley’s Paper lies in the fact 
that he has found that “when peat (moss) is treated with certain micro¬ 
organisms a large quantity of soluble humates is obtained and the peat is 
rendered alkaline.’’ Mr. Bottomley has been of recent years the 
apostle of the various bacteria which effect the beneficent work for the 
cultivators in rendering the “food” which they apply to the soil available 
for plant life. We have before heard of the treatment of ordinary peat 
with certain bacteria, and how nitrogen was found to result from the 
breaking down by the bacteria of organic matter. The professor said 
that ‘‘an aqueous extract of this treated peat (i part peat to 200 parts 
water) will supply all the plant food necessary for successful water- 
culture experiments,” and went on to show that “no trace of nitrate was 
found in the cultural solution during the whole course of the experi¬ 
ments.” He judged from this that “the nitrogen-needs of the plants 
were supplied by some form of organic nitrogen present in the solution.” 
It is possible that some day when our growers become more scientific, 
the use of certain bacteria, on, say, such subjects as old mushroom 
manure, will put back all that has been lost in the culture of the mush¬ 
room crop. It is also possible that the spraying over of a green crop, 
such as mustard, which is to be used as a “green manure” by digging or 
ploughing it into the soil, with certain bacteria which operate in the 
breaking down of organic matter, the result may be to make such a 
“green manure” much more valuable to the cultivator than it even now 
is. These are some thoughts which occur to us as we write, and we 
commend them to the notice of the author of this Paper. It was also 
stated that “Water cultures with tomato seedlings germinated in 
sterilized sand showed that the plants failed to grow in the raw peat 
extract, but in treated peat extract the plants grew well, flowered and 
produced fruit. Experiments with buckwheat, radishes and barley gave 
similar results.” Of course, all this needs the fullest verification before 
it can be laid down as exact science, but from what we know personally 
of Prof. Bottomley we have no doubt that he has made no mistake in his 
findings.— Fruitgrower Fruiterer and Florist. 
THE REFRIGERATION EXPOSITION, 1913 
The third International Congress of Refrigeration, which is to be 
held in America during the month of September next year, was brought 
to this country through the medium of an invitation issued by the 
President of the United States under authority of a joint resolution of 
Congress and extended to the delegates in attendance at the meeting 
held in Vienna in 1910. The wonderful progress made in refrigeration 
methods will undoubtedly make this the most important congress yet 
held, and in order that the delegates and visitors may have every 
opportunity for practical comparison on matters affecting refrigeration 
and in keeping with custom, there will be launched an exposition of 
magnitude commensurate with the importance of the congress, and 
which will be held in Chicago during the period of the congress. 
The organization of an association to put on this exposition is now- 
under way and as soon as incorporated, the work will be commenced. 
It is the desire of the men behind the enterprise, who by the way are the 
same men who have devoted their time and energy to the securing of 
this congress, that the industries that will participate in the cold 
storage division make all preparations now. The exposition being held 
in September makes it particularly necessary that the apple, fish and 
poultry interests utilize the present season to select and prepare their 
exhibits. 
This notice may be accepted as official that the show will be held, 
and as rapidly as possible the allied interests through their associations 
and individual organizations will receive communications direct as to 
the extent and scope of the exposition. This exposition will afford an 
extraordinary opportunity to advance the cause of refrigeration and 
every possible support should be rendered by the direct and allied 
interests. 
NINTH ANNUAL MEETING OF AMERICAN 
BREEDERS’ ASSOCIATION 
Will be held at Columbia, South Carolina, January 24, 25, and 27, 
1913- just preceding the opening of the American Corn Exposition. 
Students of Heredity and Eugenics, Improvers and breeders of live 
stock, poultry, field, garden and horticultural corps are invited to 
attend. 
Write for program and particulars. Reduced rates. 
Sept. II, 1912. Secretary A. B. A., Washington, D. C. 
INDIANA APPLE SHOW 
The Indiana Apple Show which will be held at Indianapolis, Novem¬ 
ber 13-19, 1912, has a good live management and will undoubtedly be a 
success. 
AMERICAN BLIGHT ON THE ROOTS QF APPLE AND 
OTHER TREES 
Every gardener and fruit grower who has this pest to contend with 
knows what a great trouble it is. I have made many trials, and had 
many failures, but this year I have met with a simple agent that is in 
every way effectual. After root growth is finished for the season (and 
this is very important), make some holes round about any trees which are 
infested at their roots with the woolly louse, either with a dibbler, stake, 
or crow-bar, at depths varying from 9 in. to 18 in., and into these holes 
insert small pieces of about one-half ounce each in size of carbide of 
calcium, close the holes up quickly as the work proceeds, and the land 
becomes fumigated. The roots of the trees are cleansed to an astonish¬ 
ing degree, and no harm is done to vegetation. May I state here that I 
have found this fumigant good to rid land of grub and wire worm attack¬ 
ing the Carrot crop? 
This easy remedy I have applied for four or five years, and having 
prevailed on many another to try the plan, who have met with success, 
I have every confidence in placing it before the gardening world as 
second to none to cleanse trees of American blight on roots, and also for 
many other pests attacking vegetation, viz., cauliflowers, carrots, 
onions, roses, fruit trees, etc.—^J. S. Durham, The Journal of Horti¬ 
culture. _ 
WHAT IS IT? 
A new destructive pest which threatens the apple orchards of 
western Michigan has been discovered here. The insect is brown in 
color, very small and has two sets of wings. It bores a fine hole in the 
tree, beginning its work at sundown and always on the southeast side of 
the tree near the base, and sips the sap. Various poisons have been 
tried, but without effect.— Fruit Trade Journal. 
