JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  23  1898. 
528 
work  because  they  are  iu6uenced  by  the  swarming  mania  ?  They 
may  be  returned  to  the  parent  hive  after  all  the  queen  cells  have  been 
cut  out,  but  on  the  first  favourable  opportunity  they  will  swarm  again 
to  the  discomfiture  of  the  bee-keeper.  When  bees  are  in  this  state 
but  little  lioney  will  be  stored,  and  as  much  valuable  time  will  be 
lost  in  manipulating  them  it  is  better  to  place  the  swarm  in  a  separate 
hive  and  treat  the  original  stock  as  occasion  may  require,  either  by 
raising  young  queens  or  cutting  out  all  queen  cells  but  one.  If  the 
former  is  decided  on  it  places  numerous  young  queens  within  reach 
of  the  bee-keeper  which  has  been  matured  in  a  strong  colony. 
That  swarming  may  be  prevented  we  have  proved  on  many  occa¬ 
sions.  During  the  spell  of  hot  weather  mentioned  above,  when  stray 
swarms  were  heard  of  in  all  directions,  not  a  single  swarm  came  oflf  in 
our  apiary  numbering  nearly  forty  colonies. 
System  in  Bee-keeping. 
We  leave  nothing  to  chance  in  bee  management,  but  make  arrange¬ 
ments  beforehand  as  to  the  treatment  of  the  various  stocks,  and  if 
possible  keep  a  few  days  in  advance  of  the  bees’  requirements.  It  is 
not  at  all  a  difficult  matter  when  their  needs  are  properly  understood. 
The  three  chief  points  to  be  observed  in  the  prevention  of  swarm¬ 
ing  is  the  increase  of  room  when  the  bees  require  it,  either  by 
enlarging  the  broori  nest,  or  by  giving  extra  space  in  the  supers, 
timely  ventilation  and  shading.  Ventilation  should  always  be  given 
at  the  bottom  of  the  hive,  not  at  the  top,  as  we  have  often  seen  bee¬ 
keepers  who,  for  the  want  of  knowing  better,  have  removed  the  roof 
and  some  of  the  coverings  from  the  super  in  the  vain  hope  of  cooling 
the  interior  of  the  hive.  Bees  treated  in  this  manner  will  often 
refuse  to  work  during  the  middle  of  the  day,  when  a  high  temperature 
prevails. 
In  providing  bottom  ventilation  to  hives,  it  is  necessary  to  have 
loose  floor  boards,  unless  these  have  some  open  Sfiaces,  which  are 
covered  with  corrugated  zinc.  We,  however,  prefer  not  to  have  the 
hive  attached  to  the  floor  board.  Prevention  of  swarming  is  then 
very  much  simplified.  The  front  of  the  hive  is  wedged  up  as  much 
as  is  deemed  necessary.  This  will  allow  free  entrance  for  the  bees,  and 
abundance  of  ventilation. 
The  hives  ought  to  be  shaded  during  bright  days,  and  should  the 
weather  be  dull  for  a  few  days  the  shading  may  be  removed,  so  as  to 
allow  of  a  free  circulation  of  air  round  the  hives.  The  above,  and 
timely  attention  to  small  details,  will  prevent  swarming  in  a  marked 
degree.  It  is  only  by  having  colonies  strong  that  a  surplus  may  be 
obtained,  and  the  bees  can  only  be  kept  in  their  hives  when  in  this 
condition  by  giving  them  the  treatment  they  require.— An  English 
Bee-keeper. 
j*’**  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “The  Editor,”  s.  Rose  Hill  Road, 
'Wandsworth,  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  accompanied  by 
the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers,  but  these  will  neither  be 
published  nor  disclosed  when  initials  or  nom  de  'plumes  are  given 
for  the  purpose  of  replies. 
'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  he  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. 
Spotted  Melon  Leaves  (ZT.  2).). — The  specimens  shall  be  carefully 
examined,  and  a  reply  published  as  early  as  possible. 
Diseased  Broccoli  Leaves  (JK,,  Dublin). — The  fungus-infested  leaves  are 
under  examination  by  Mr.  Abbey,  and  an  article  on  the  subject  of 
Brassica  infestation  will  appear  in  an  early  issue. 
Apple  Leaves  Blackened  and  Shoots  Killed  ( M.  S.). — The  black  on 
the  leaves  is  the  early  form  of  the  scab  fungus,  Fusicladium  dendriticum, 
and  the  dead  points  of  the  shoots,  where  there  would  have  been  Apples 
under  ordinary  circumstances,  have  been  destroyed  by  some  caterpillar, 
apparently  by  the  lesser  Apple  leaf  roller  moth,  Teras  minuta,  but  the 
fungus  has  also  affected  some  of  the  young  shoots  to  an  alarming  extent. 
You  may  spray  the  trees  with  a  solution  of  sulphide  of  potassium,  1  oz.  to 
3  gallons  of  water,  or  use  1  oz.  to  10  gallons  tor  syringing,  doing  this  in 
the  lightest  possible  manner  with  a  fine-rose  syringe.  Bepeat  at  intervals 
of  about  ten  days  twice.  The  caterpillars  had  departed,  being  probably 
in  the  chrysalis  state.  The  treatment  with  the  sulphide  of  potassium 
solution  will  probably  act  as  a  deterrent. 
Angle  of  Glazed  Eoofs — ^Pipes  for  Heating  (  Tijro). — The  angle  is  very 
little  regarded  by  practical  men.  We  have,  as  have  many  cultivators, 
obtained  equally  good  results  with  the  glass  at  an  angle  of  35°  as  with 
it  at  45°.  For  the  Cucumbers  on  a  south  aspect  we  should  have  the 
roof  at  an  angle  of  45°  for  winter  fruit,  and  certainly  not  more  than  35° 
for  Vines.  If  the  Cucumber  houses  were  span-roof,  and  ends  north  and 
south,  we  should  not  have  the  angle  of  elevation  more  than  35°.  The 
piping  required  is  about  twice  as  much  for  Cucumbers  as  for  Vines,  as 
the  first  require  bottom  heat,  while  the  Vines  do  not.  We  have  used 
30  feet  of  4-inch  piping  per  1000  cubic  feet  of  air  for  top  heat  to  Cucumbers, 
and  20  feet  for  Vines  not  required  to  produce  ripe  fruit  before  the  end 
of  May.  These  figures  apply  to  comparatively  small  houses,  which 
require  in  proportion  more  piping  than  larger  structures.  It  is  better  to 
have  too  much  than  too  little  heating  surface. 
Spiders  (Z).  E  ). — The  spiders,  of  which  you  forwarded  a  “  nest,”  are 
not  injurious  to  vegetation,  but  amongst  the  best  friends  of  the  gardener, 
by  preying  on  the  insects  feeding  in  some  form  or  other  on  his  crops. 
The  species  is  the  so-called  “  garden  spider  ”  (Epeira  diademata),  which, 
when  newly  hatched  from  the  eggs  in  the  spring,  collectively  spin  a  small 
irregular  mass  of  almost  invisible  lines,  in  the  midst  of  which  the  young 
spiders  cluster  together,  forming  themselves  into  a  little  ball  about  the 
size  of  a  Cherry  stone.  This  hangs,  apparently,  in  mid-air,  and  when 
the  threads  forming  the  nest  are  disturbed,  in  an  instant  the  solid  little 
ball  seems  to  be  turned  for  a  moment  into  smoke,  so  minute  are  the 
animals,  so  rapid  their  motions,  and  so  almost  invisible  the  means  of 
their  dispersion.  The  “  nest  ”  contains  600  to  800  of  the  bright  living 
atoms,  and  after  a  few  seconds,  if  the  disturbance  is  not  repeated,  the 
little  creatures  begin  to  subside  again  into  a  cluster,  but  the  6000  legs 
or  more,  and  the  600  or  800  pairs  of  poison  fangs,  require  some  time  in 
packing  so  as  to  become  resolved  into  a  ball  again.  You  appear  to  have 
seen  this  phenomena,  but  at  a  more  advanced  stage,  the  spiders  being 
nearly  dispersing. 
Morels  (T.  JZoss).— What  you  describe  as  a  “beehive-shaped  honey¬ 
comb  sort  of  a  thing,”  and  of  which  you  send  a  sample,  is  a  medium-sized 
specimen  of  the  edible  fungus  Morchella  esculenta,  popularly  known  as 
the  Morel.  They  usually  grow  in  colonies  in  partially  shaded  places  in 
woods,  and  are  said  to  be  the  most  plentiful  where  the  undergrowth  has 
been  burnt  on  the  ground.  They  are  preferred  by  many  persons  to 
Mushrooms,  and  are  cooked  in  the  same  way.  They  are  also  dried  and 
used  by  cooks  for  flavouring.  We  have  not  known  them  to  be  cultivated. 
The  nearest  approach  to  what  may  be  termed  cultivation  we  recently 
observed  at  Chiswick  The  superintendent,  having  a  number  of  rotten 
Apples  at  the  end  of  the  season,  had  them  spread  on  a  plot  of  land  and 
dug  in,  with  the  object  of  raising  seedlings  for  stocks.  Several  of  these 
in  due  time  appeared,  but  in  addition  great  clusters  of  Morels,  We  have 
seen  thousands  growing  in  woods,  but  never  before  seen  a  bed  of  Morels 
in  a  garden.  It  is  a  curious  occurrence,  and  we  shall  await  future 
developments,  if  any.  Funguses  are  freaksome  things.  Some  of  the 
finest  Mushrooms  we  have  seen  were  grawn,  and  others  are  growing  now, 
by  the  side  of  a  path  in  a  London  suburban  garden. 
Pansy  Roots  Diseased  (7.  H.). — We  did  not  find  the  “tiny  white 
louse.”  which  appears  to  have  been  our  old  acquaintance  the  “  running  ” 
springtail,  Lipura  fimetaria,  so  common  on  decaying  vegetable  matter,  or 
damp  earth  containing  it,  throughout  the  year.  The  specimens  were  very 
dry,  and  the  springtails  soon  collapse  under  those  conditions,  so  that  may 
account  for  our  not  discovering  the  active  creature.  The  stems  of  the 
Pansy  plants  were  quite  dead  from  the  base  to  level  with  the  surface  of 
the  soil,  and  that  accounts  for  their  going  off.  In  the  dead  part  we  found 
the  fungus  called  Pleospora  herbarum,  but  in  the  macrospore  stage — 
naniely,  Macrosporium  commune,  this  producing  a  sort  of  dry  rot  in 
vegetable  tissue.^.  We  also  found  the  self-same  section  to  give,  under 
treatment  with  an  alcoholic  solution,  eelworm,  Tylenchus  devastatrix,  and 
this  we  consider  to  be  the  chief  cause  of  the  failure  of  the  plants,  though 
the  fungus  may  have  “assisted”  in  the  operation.  Why  not  treat  the 
plants  with  a  solution  of  Little’s  soluble  phenyle,  1  fluid  oz.  to  6J  gallons 
of  water,  applying  as  in  an  ord  nary  watering  ?  The  eelworms  will  then 
probably  take  their  departure,  and  the  solution  will  profit  the  plants.  It 
would  be  advisable  to  keep  it  from  the  flowers  and  young  foliage.  We  do 
not  know  what  you  can  now  use  more  advantageously,  applying  it  to 
infested  plants  at  the  rate  of  a  wineglassful  to  3  gallons  ot  water.  A 
solution  of  2  ozs.  kainit  and  1  oz.  nitrate  of  soda  to  3  gallons  of  water 
acts  well  on  the  eelworm,  applying  as  in  watering,  but  not  over  the 
dowers  and  young  foliage.  For  the  fungus  we  advise  a  dressing  of  quick¬ 
lime,  using  at  the  rate  of  10  stones  per  rod,  or  10  tons  per  acre,  in  the 
usual  manner  in  autumn,  letting  it  lie  on  the  surface  a  short  time  after 
slaking,  and  spreading  before  digging  in.  This  means  fresh  ground  for 
the  plants,  using  the  lime  as  a  preventive,  and  also  dressing  the  cleared 
ground  so  as  to  disinfect  it. 
