358 
JOURNAL  OP  troRTlCULfURP  Am  OOTTAGE  GARDEmR. 
April  2l,  l898» 
exceptional  heat  in  July,  the  bees  were  able  to  store  an  extra  supply 
of  natural  stores,  from  which  they  are  now  deriving  benefit. 
If  feeding  is  necessary  they  may  now  be  supplied  with  thin  syrup 
in  the  evening  made  in  the  proportion  of  1  lb.  of  sugar  to  one  imperial 
pint  of  water.  It  may  be  prepared  by  boiling  it  until  tbe  sugar  is 
dissolved.  If  only  a  small  quantity  is  required  it  is  not  necessary  to 
boil  it,  as  boiling  water  poured  on  the  sugar  and  well  stirred  will 
answer  the  same  purpose  at  this  season.  Whatever  feeder  is  used  it 
should  be  one  that  does  not  allow  an  escape  of  heat  from  the  brood 
nest.  We  prefer  the  system  of  feeding  on  the  top  of  the  hive  in 
preference  to  placing  it  underneath  the  frames,  as  in  the  latter  case, 
if  the  syrup  is  not  cleared  up  before  morning,  the  bees  from  the  other 
hive  will  find  it  out  and  thus  cause  robbing ;  whereas  in  the  former, 
if  the  feeder  is  well  covered  up,  no  robbing  will  take  place,  and  if  the 
syrup  is  given  warm  (which  it  always  should  be  at  this  season),  it  will 
be  all  carried  down  into  the  hive  before  morning. 
One  of  the  simplest  and  most  inexpensive  feeders  is  an  ordinary 
honey  jar.  Tie  a  piece  of  thin  muslin  over  the  mouth,  cut  a  hole 
through  the  quilt  the  same  size,  and  insert  a  piece  of  perforated  zinc. 
This  will  prevent  the  bees  escaping  or  being  disturbed  when  refilling 
the  bottle.  Place  the  bottle  mouth  downwards  over  the  zinc,  and  the 
bees  will  take  the  syrup  readily  without  an  escape  of  heat  from  the 
hive. 
Perforated  Zinc  Floors. 
Are  perforated  zinc  floors  an  advantage  ?  We  are  inclined  to  reply  in 
the  negative.  At  certain  seasons  of  the  year  they  may  be  an  advantage, 
but  from  this  date  onwards  for  a  few  weeks  we  think  warm  solid  floor 
boards  are  better.  We  have  several  zinc  floors  m  use,  bur.  the  bees  in 
the  hives  under  which  they  are  placed  are  not  iu  any  better  condition 
than  those  having  solid  floors ;  and  as  we  think  the  brood  nest  will  be 
warmer  in  those  hives  having  solid  floors  now  that  breeding  is  going 
on  apace,  we  shall  take  the  first  opportunity  of  removing  the  zinc, 
or  placing  a  board  underneath  until  more  ventilation  is  required. 
During  the  winter  they  have  hitherto  answered  admirably,  as 
there  is  always  a  circulation  of  air  underneath  the  frames  when  they 
are  in  use,  ^and  if  by  chance  moisture  permeate  through  the  sides 
or  roof  of  the  hive,  the  interior  will  always  be  found  drier  when  they 
are  in  use  than  if  it  is  a  solid  wood  floor.  Hives  that  are  already 
fitted  with  ordinary  wood  floors  need  not  be  replaced  with  zinc,  as 
ventilation  may  always  be  provided  by  opening  the  entrance  the  full 
width,  or  by  wedging  the  hive  half  an  inch  off  the  floor  board.  This 
we  have  done  with  complete  success. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to“  The  Editor,”  8.  Rose  Hill  Road, 
Wandswortb,  S.'W.,  and  HOT  to  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers, 
Fleet  Street.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately  to 
any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to 
unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense,  and  departmental  writers 
are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letters  they  may  receive  on 
Gardening  and  Bee  subjects  through  the  post.  If  information 
be  desired  on  any  particular  subject  from  any  particular 
authority  who  may  be  named,  endeavour  will  be  made  to  obtain 
it  by  the  Editor.  Letters  of  inquiry  must  be  accompan'ed  by 
the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers,  but  these  will  neither  be 
published  nor  disclosed  when  initials  or  nom  de  ‘plumes  are  give  a 
for  the  purpose  of  readies. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions  relating 
to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  it  is  convenient  when 
each  question  is  written  on  a  separate  sheet.  All  articles  intended 
for  insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only;  and 
the  name  and  address  of  each  writer  must  be  known  by  the 
Editor,  though  not  necessarily  for  insertion.  We  cannot,  as  a 
rule,  reply  to  questions  through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  under¬ 
take  to  return  communications  which,  for  any  reason,  cannot 
be  inserted. 
Carpet  Bedding  (/f.  (?.). — We  do  not  know  of  any  work  now  in  print 
besides  the  one  you  mention.  Carpet  bedding  is  not  nearly  so  popular  as 
it  was  some  years  ago.  Close  low  growing  plants  are  now  chiefly  used 
for  covering  the  ground,  taller  flowering  or  fine-foliaged  plants  being 
i  nserled  thinly,  so  that  each  may  display  its  individual  beauty  instead  of 
growing  into  a  dense  mass. 
Current  Garden  Literature  (  W.  Smithy — Sound  and  reliable  informa¬ 
tion — not  the  effusive  vapourings  of  sensation  mongers — has  been  given 
in  the  columns  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  on  every  subject  mentioned 
in  your  letter,  and  will  be  again.  It  does  not  follow,  for  obvious  reasons, 
that  every  reader  finds  exactly  what  he  particularly  wants  to  know  in 
each  issue,  but  he  has  only  to  state  clearly  his  requirements  and  the 
means  for  attaining  the  object  in  view,  to  be  furnished  with  such  guidance 
as  is  applicable  to  the  particular  case.  You  are  at  liberty  to  test  the 
matter  by  making  your  desires  and  cultural  conveniences  clear  for  the 
cultivation  of  any  kind  of  plant,  or  the  production  of  any  kind  of  crop, 
on  which  you  most  desire  early  information. 
Cucumber  Plants  with  Large  Leaves,  &c.  {A.  D.  H.).  —  The  large 
foliage  and  thin  stem,  with  the  internodes  long,  may  be  due  to  the 
forcing  nature  of  the  compost — three  parts  well-chopped  turf  and  one  part 
short  peat  moss  manure,  nearly  all  horse  droppings.  They  are  very 
green,  and,  as  you  say,  have  too  much  nitrogen.  The  best  thing  to  use 
would  be  equal  parts  of  bone  superphosphate  and  wood  ashes,  using  4  ozs. 
of  the  mixture  per  square  yard.  The  ipixture,  which  should  be  dry  and 
crumbly,  will  tend  to  stiffen  the  plants,  and  promote  fruitfulness.  We 
have  found  it  answer  remarkably  well  witfl  both  Cucumbers  and  Melons. 
If  the  roots  are  on  the  surface  use  the  superphosphate  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  loam,  and  better  apply  too  little  than  too  much,  not  exceeding 
the  4  ozs.  per  square  yard. 
Birds  and  Fruit  Buds  {Lancashire  Suhscriher).— Your  letter  has 
reference  mainly  to  Gooseberries,  but  the  samples  you  send  appear  to  be 
of  Black  Currants,  and  very  poor  samples  they  are.  Had  they  been 
packed  in  a  little  green  grass  or  a  soft  green  leaf,  and  not  misdirected, 
they  would  have  arrived  in  much  better  condition,  instead  of  being 
practically  dead,  with  not  a  vestige  of  green  about  them.  See  instruc¬ 
tions  for  packing  below,  and  the  correct  address  above.  It  is  impossible 
to  say  “  if  an  insect  in  the  bud  is  the  cause  of  the  action  of  the  birds,” 
as  there  were  no  buds  to  examine.  All  had  either  been  eaten  by  birds  or 
dried  up  and  ruboed  wff  iu  transit.  If  the  buds  of  the  Black  Currants 
were  swollen,  they  were  infested  with  a  ruinous  mite  (Phytoptis),  and 
nothing  can  be  applied  to  reach  the  enemy  within  the  buds.  Whetner 
the  birds  take  the  buds  because  of  any  insects  there  may  be  in  them  or 
not,  the  results  are  the  same,  as  it  is  simply  a  question  of  no  buds  no 
fruit.  Bullfinches  are  most  destructive  among  fruit  buds,  even  a  pair  of 
these  birds  often  doing  great  damage.  Sparrows  when  in  flocks  often 
make  almost  a  clean  sweep  of  the  buds  on  Gooseberries.  Tits  are  also 
destroyers  of  fruit  buds,  but  are  usually  less  destructive  than  bullfinches 
and  sparrows.  If  you  can  net  the  bushes  against  birds  in  spring,  by  all 
means  do  so.  We  have  seen  thousands  of  buds  saved  by  dashing  newly 
slaked  lime  all  over  the  branches  in  spring,  when  they  were  wet  with 
dew.  The  lime  adheres,  and  the  birds  do  not  like  it.  It  must  be  done 
promptly  on  the  first  attack.  Old  “dead”  lime  is  of  no  use.  A  first- 
rate  authority  recommends  the  following  as  still  more  effectual  : — Take 
of  fresh  quicklime,  5  lbs.,  choosing  the  lightest  lumps  ;  flowers  of  sulphur, 
10  lbs. ;  water,  10  gallons.  Boil  half  an  hour,  keeping  well  stirred  ;  then 
.''lake  7|  lbs.  each  of  quicklime  and  common  salt  in  boiling  water,  adding 
to  the  above  mixture  also  enough  water  to  make  30  gallons.  Strain 
through  a  hair  sieve,  and  spray  on  every  part  of  the  trees  and  bushes 
when  they  are  dry.  Passing  black  thread  in  all  directions  over  the 
bushes  sends  sparrow's  elsewhere,  and  it  can  be  done  ten  or  twenty  times 
more  quickly  with  a  simple  appliance,  know'n  as  Boyle’s  Garden  Webber, 
than  by  passing  the  thread  through  the  fingers.  Neither  this  nor  any 
applications  can  save  the  buds  of  Black  Currants  if  they  are  infested 
with  the  mite. 
A  Stubborn  Pear  Tree  (Kewhurst), — We  are  obliged  by  the  reference. 
The  tree,  large  in  proportion  to  its  roots  when  removed,  has  by  no  means 
recovered  from  the  severe  check  it  received.  Some  trees  of  the  same 
nature  are  years  before  they  make  healthy  growth,  while  others,  especially 
if  not  assisted,  never  make  good  progress,  but  remain  mere  stunted 
cripples.  Assuming  your  tree  is  covered  with  blossom,  do  not  hesitate  to 
remove  three-fourths  of  the  trusses  or  more.  Perhaps  the  best  plan 
wpuld  be  to  remove  them  all,  though  you  may  not  like  to  act  so 
thoroughly.  This  you  may  remember,  howeveri  that  the  fewer  the 
number  of  trusses  retained  the  greater  the  chance  of  leaf  or  wood 
growths  issuing.  Possibly  the  branches  were  not  cut  back  sufficiently 
to  clean  healthy  looking  wood.  Wherever  there  are  signs  of  wood 
growth  there  should  be  no  blossom  beyond  it.  It  might  be  well  to  cut 
some  of  the  branches  out  entirely.  This  depends  on  the  number,  but  if 
the  more  promising  are  15  to  18  inches  apart  there  will  be  quite  sufficient 
for  bearing  fruit.  Should  several  of  the  blossoms  set,  as  those  of  enfeebled 
trees  often  do,  the  fewer  the  fruits  that  are  allowed  to  swell  the  better. 
When  a  plant  or  tree  is  enfeebled,  yet  has  sufficient  strength  to  produce 
flowers,  it  will  produce  them  in  an  effort  to  perpetuate  its  kind  by  the 
production  of  seed,  even  if  it  perish  in  the  attempt.  Give  another  dressing 
of  nitrate  of  soda,  scattering  it  evenly  on  the  soil,  at  the  rate  of  1 J  oz.  to 
the  square  yard  from  the  stem  outwards  beyond  the  extension  of  the 
roots.  Run  the  hoe  through  the  surface  frequently,  w  hen  it  is  dry,  to 
admit  warmth,  and  before  hot  weather  sets  in  give  a  pailful  or  two  of 
warm  water  and  cover  with  manure  to  prevent  evaporation  and  the 
consequent  shrinkage  and  cracking  of  the  soil.  Syringe  the  tree  as 
often  as  you  like,  or  can,  in  dry  weather.  If  the  soil  is  moderately  dry 
now  a  pailful  or  two  of  decidedly  warm  water,  with  1  oz.  of  nitrate  of 
soda  dissolved  in  each  3  gallons,  might  stimulate  root  action  more  quickly 
than  by  sprinkling  the  salt-like  fertiliser  on  the  surface.  Your  immediate 
primary  object  should  be  to  incite  free  root  action  and  wood  growth, 
regarding  blossom  and  fruit  at  present  as  of  secondary  importance.  Large 
trees  with  few  roots  are  tempting  to  the  inexperienced,  but  all  the  same 
delusive,  and  often  dear  at  any  price  or  none. 
