310 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  26,  1895. 
bees  in  health  for  any  length  of  time,  more  particularly  during  the 
winter  months,  if  the  covering  is  allowed  to  remain  in  a  wet  state. 
In  carrying  out  this  operation  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  interfere 
with  the  bees,  for  if  they  are  troublesome  the  fronts  of  the  hives 
may  be  left  till  later  in  the  season,  when  there  will  be  fewer  bees 
on  the  wing,  and  there  will  then  be  no  danger  of  disturbing  them. 
— An  English  Bee-keeper. 
correspondence  should  be  directed  either  to  “  The 
Editor  or  to  “  The  Publisher.’'  Letters  addressed  to 
Dr.  Hogg  or  members  of  the  statf  often  remain  unopened 
unavoidably.  We  request  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to 
unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions 
relating  to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  should 
never  send  more  than  two  or  three  questions  at  once.  All 
articles  intended  for  insertion  should  he  written  on  one  side  of 
the  paper  only.  We  cannot  reply  to  questions  through  the  post, 
and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  rejected  communications. 
IVXanure  Pamphlet  (A.  .S.).— The  pamphlet  you  name  may  be 
obtained  from  Mr.  W.  Dyke,  Turnford,  Herts,  in  return  for  6d.  in  stamps, 
and  contains  information  which  you  will  probably  consider  worth  the 
money. 
M-ew  Chrysanthemums  {G.  .S.).— Whether  you  are  a  member  of 
the  societies  mentioned  or  not,  you  can  have  any  new  varieties  of  plants 
placed  before  the  Committees  on  writing  to  the  Secretaries  on  the 
subject,  who  will  supply  you  with  all  necessary  instructions. 
French  IVKarlgolds  (IF.  D.  A’.). — The  Marigolds  sent  were  certainly 
of  very  good  form,  substance,  and  colour,  though  not  superior  to  many 
we  have  seen  at  various  times.  The  seeds  will  be  worth  saving,  thoueh 
we  cannot  say  they  will  have  any  special  commercial  value. 
Blooms  and  Trusses  {Precise  Amateur'),— A.  single  bloom  of  a 
“  Geranium  ”  means  a  single  flower  on  a  single  pedicel  cut  from  one  of 
those  hardy  plants  growing  in  the  flower  border.  A  truss  of  a 
“  Pelargonium  ”  means  a  scape  or  stalk  supporting  more  than  one  and 
generally  several  flowers,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Zonal  type,  or  of  the 
show,  fancy  or  decorative  kinds  grown  in  greenhouses.  Geraniums  are 
hardy  or  half-hardy,  Pelargoniums  tender  plants. 
A  larew  Carnation  (TF.  J.  f?.)— N'ew,  yet  as  old  as  the  hills,  or  at 
least  the  Carnations  that  have  grown  on  them.  A  visible  step  in  the 
usually  invisible  process  of  the  change  from  leaves  to  flowers,  which  are 
modified  leaves.  The  half-and-half  stage  is  seen  in  the  Jackananes 
Polyanthus,  and  the  Green  Rose  is  a  mass  of  leafy  parts,  which  have 
stopped  there  and  not  gone  on  to  translucent  petals.  Your  Carnation  is 
not  so  far  advanced  as  the  Green  Rose  and  Green  Chrysanthemum,  but 
is  not  less,  but  rather  more,  curious  than  either  of  them.  It  will  not 
get  a  certificate. 
Unsatisfactory  Pear  and  Apple  Trees  {S.  A.).— The  trees 
bearing  small  fruit  would  not  be  much  benefited  by  digging  out  a 
trench  and  putting  in  fresh  soil,  unless  it  could  be  done  without 
injury  to  the  roots.  A  surface  dressing  of  good  stable  manure  from  the 
stem  outwards  to  a  foot  beyond  the  spread  of  the  branches,  would 
probably  have  the  desired  effect,  especially  if  followed  by  a  top-dressing 
in  early  spring  of  three  parts  superphosphate,  two  parts  muriate  of 
potash,  and  one  part  nitrate  of  soda,  mixed,  and  applying  2  to  4  ozs. 
per  square  yard,  the  lesser  quantity  if  the  natural  manure  has  been  used, 
and  the  larger  if  not ;  then,  when  the  fruit  is  set  supply  i  oz.  to  1  oz. 
nitrate  of  soda  per  square  yard,  the  lesser  amount  if  no  ordinary  manure 
has  been  used,  and  the  larger  if  not.  Perhaps  a  judicious  pruning  or 
thinning  of  the  branches  would  be  desirable,  also  dressing  them  with 
quicklime  whilst  damp  and  dormant,  so  as  to  destroy  moss  and  insect 
pests. 
IVXarechal  Wlel  Bose  Treatment  {Croshy). — The  plant  now 
growing  and  flowering  should  be  encouraged  to  make  as  much  young 
wood  as  can  have  full  exposure  to  light,  so  as  to  insure  its  solidification 
and  ripening,  on  which  depends  the  flowering.  When  the  wood  is 
mature,  which  will  depend  on  circumstances,  and  especially  so  as  the 
growth  is  late,  it  may  be  pruned,  confining  this  to  cutting  out  the  weak 
and  old  wood,  yet  retaining  some  of  the  most  promising  stout  and  well 
ripened  spur  growths  for  flowering,  merely  removing  their  unripe  or 
weak  points,  and  shortening  the  long  shoots  to  firm  wood.  Thus  the 
pruning  is  a  simple  matter  of  cutting  out  old  weak  growths  so  as  to 
secure  sturdy  wood  and  ripe  for  flowering  without  overcrowding. 
Usually  about  the  month  of  December  or  January  is  the  proper  time  for 
pruning;  but  we  prefer  to  cut  away  the  weak  growths  after  flowering, 
and  confine  the  winter  pruning  to  shortening,  merely  removing  the 
unripe  points  of  the  shoots  or  growth. 
Planting:  Blllums  Harrlsl  and  longlflorum  for  Successlonal 
Flowering:  {S.  L.  B.) — For  early  flowering  it  is  necessary  to  plant 
the  bulbs  in  the  autumn,  the  sooner  after  this  the  better,  and  being 
covered  not  less  than  4  inches  deep  they  will  not  require  protection, 
but  we  find  it  advantageous  to  cover  the  surface  with  a  couple  of  inches 
thickness  of  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  or  other  short,  light  protective 
material.  This  is  usually  all  the  protection  required,  except  from  late 
spring  frosts,  when  a  temporary  awning  of  canvas  or  other  light  material 
on  hoops  or  laths  so  as  to  be  clear  of  the  plants  will  insure  safety. 
Another  batch  may  be  planted  in  February  or  as  soon  afterwards  as  the 
weather  permits,  a  third  batch  being  planted  in  March,  which  is  as  late 
as  desirable,  but  some  plant  as  late  as  April.  This,  however,  is  tamper¬ 
ing  with  Nature,  and  generally  means  great  impairment  of  the  bulbs,  if 
not  inutility  for  future  use.  Indeed,  spring  planting  is  not  generally 
desirable,  as  the  bulbs  are  more  or  less  weakened  by  being  kept  out  of 
the  ground,  but  autumn  planted  bulbs  flower  year  after  year  almost 
if  not  quite  as  well  as  in  the  first  year,  they  being  left  in  the  ground 
constantly. 
Iiettuce-root  Aphis  {J.  L  ). — The  root  has  been  infested  by  one 
of  the  Lettuce-root  aphides,  as  indicated  by  the  fine  cottony  filaments 
lining  the  parts  of  the  cavities  of  the  soil  forwarded,  in  which  the 
insects  reside.  We  failed,  however,  to  find  any  insects,  which  is  not 
remarkable,  as  they  have  probably  fallen  a  prey  to  the  larvEe  of  hawk 
flies,  or,  escaping  these,  passed  into  the  winged  state  preparatory  to 
egg-laying  tor  passing  the  winter.  The  commonest  and  most  harmful 
species  of  Lettuce  root  aphis  is  that  named  Pemphigus  lactucarii, 
which  has  been  very  abundant  this  year  on  the  plants.  Prevention 
of  attack  is  difficult,  and  the  infested  plants  are  not  usually  suspected 
till  the  drooping  of  the  leaves  indicates  injury  to  the  roots.  Soaking 
the  ground  around  the  plants  with  soapsuds,  lime  water,  and  tobacco 
water  have  been  used  successfully  against  the  pests.  We  prefer 
gas  liquor,  diluted  with  five  times  its  bulk  of  water,  dishing  each  plant 
slightly,  and  then  pouring  in  the  diluted  ammoniacal  liquor.  It  kills 
the  aphides,  and  is  an  excellent  manure  for  the  Lettuces.  Good 
preventives  are  dressings  of  soot  or  lime,  and  for  infested  ground  gas 
lime,  using  about  a  peck  per  rod,  mixed  with  a  similar  quantity  of  dry 
earth,  and  incorporating  well  before  use.  It  should  be  distributed 
evenly  and  left  on  the  surface  for  a  few  days,  then  be  pointed-in 
lightly.  It  must  not  be  used  over  the  roots  of  fruit  trees.  The  soot 
should  be  applied  in  the  spring  or  at  sowing  or  planting-out  time,  using 
a  peck  per  rod,  and  over  the  whole  ground. 
Beech  Trees  Diseased  {Barlihy). — The  white  cottony  substance 
on  the  portion  of  bark  sent  was  found  to  be  the  covering  of  the  Beech 
Chermes  (Aphis  or  Chermes  fagi),  which  is  a  dreadful  scourge  to  Beech 
trees  in  some  localities,  and  usually  compasses  the  destruction,  or  greatly 
impairs  the  vigour,  of  the  infested  trees.  It  is  a  very  interesting  creature, 
and  has  a  penchant  for  trees  that  are  growing  in  crowded  positions,  being 
seldom  found  on  trees  that  are  fully  exposed,  but  there  are  excep¬ 
tions.  It  succumbs  to  the  following  treatment.  Wash  the  stems  now 
from  the  surface  of  the  ground  (including  all  the  exposed  portion  of  the 
roots  running  on  the  surface)  upwards  to  such  height  and  along  all  the 
branches  where  the  white  cottony  matter  appears  with  the  following 
solution.  Dissolve  1  lb.  of  softsoap  in  a  gallon  of  soft  water  by  boiling 
in  an  iron  pot,  and  when  dissolved  and  boiling  remove  from  the  fire  and 
add  1  gill  (I  pint)  of  petroleum,  stirring  briskly  so  as  to  form  a  thorough 
amalgam,  then  dilute  to  6  gallons  with  boiling  water,  mixing  well,  and 
when  cooled  to  a  safe  temperature  (120°)  apply  with  a  brush,  and  as 
thoroughly  as  in  giving  woodwork  a  coat  of  paint,  but  not  in  a  slovenly 
way  so  as  to  cause  more  of  the  solution  to  run  down  than  enters  the 
cracks  and  crevices  of  the  bark.  A  dry  time  should  be  chosen,  the  sooner 
the  better,  and  if  the  work  is  done  properly  you  will  destroy  millions 
of  insects,  and  prevent  the  increase  a  hundredfold.  One  dressing  well 
done  is  effective  for  the  present,  but  in  spring  and  early  summer  look 
out  for  any  white  cottony  patches  on  the  bark,  and  at  once  dress  with 
the  solution,  and  repeat  as  necessary. 
Fungus  on  Pears  and  Apples  (TF.  H.  C). — Both  the  Pears  and 
Apples  were  infested  with  Monilia  fructigena.  Pears  and  Apples,  as  a 
rule,  only  show  diseased  patches,  that  being  characteristic  as  seen  on  the 
Apples ;  but  the  tufts  on  the  Pears  are  grouped  in  concentric  fashion, 
like  ringlets,  and  are  ornamental  though  unwelcome,  as  the  white 
ringlets  show  well  on  the  brown  ground.  The  injury  is  lone  to  the  fruit 
by  the  mycelium  of  the  fungus,  which  penetrates  beneath  the  epidermis, 
and  from  the  mycelial  threads  spring  the  erect  filaments.  These  break 
through  the  skin  in  the  form  of  yellowish  white  tufts,  and  under  the 
microscope  are  found  to  be  made  up  of  rows  of  bead-like  cells,  the  filaments 
being  simple  or  branched,  but  generally  the  latter,  and  each  joint  or 
cell  is  a  conidium  or  spore.  The  conidia  are  elliptical  or  oval,  and  ger¬ 
minate  on  any  suitable  food,  such  as  Apple,  Apricot,  Cherry,  Pear,  or 
Plum  ;  but  ihe  fungus  has  other  forms,  which  causes  the  destruction  of 
the  branches  of  fruit  trees,  as  its  mycelium  is  perennial  under  certain 
circumstances.  We  can  only  suggest  burning  all  the  diseased  fruits, 
and  either  collecting  the  leaves  and  burning  them  or  digging  them  in 
rather  deeply  after  giving  the  land  a  dressing  of  quicklime.  If  this  be 
sprinkled  over  the  trees  whilst  damp  and  when  quite  dormant  it  would 
act  beneficially.  In  the  spring  you  may  spray  the  trees  with  a  solution 
of  sulphate  of  copper,  1  lb.  to  25  gallons  of  water  ;  but  it  must  be  just 
before  the  buds  commence  swelling,  or  whilst  they  are  quite  dormant. 
When  the  fruit  is  set,  spray  with  a  quarter  strength  of  Bordeaux 
mixture,  and  repeat  when  the  fruit  is  a  quarter,  half,  and  three-quarters 
grown.  You  will  find  the  usual  full  strength  for  using  the  mixture  on 
pp.  83,  84,  in  one  of  the  small  books  you  have — Wright’s  “  Primer  on 
Horticulture.” 
