324 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
October  12,  189°. 
system  of  bee  management  has  given  the  greatest  yield  of  honey  ? 
Has  run  honey,  or  sections,  or  honey  in  the  comb  in  some  other  form 
been  the  most  profitable  ?  Has  honey  deteriorated  in  value  ?  and 
have  the  bees  been  more  troublesome  than  usual  in  swarming  when 
they  were  not  wanted?  These  subjects  will  be  treated  in  future 
notes.  We  have  consolation  in  knowing  that  bee-keeping  is  making 
headway,  and  that  1899  will  be  remembered  as  the  year  when  a 
’•fair  average  crop  ot  honey  of  first-rate  quality  was  obtained. — 
An  English  Bee-keeper. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “The  Editor,”  8,  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  obta  n 
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  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. 
“  Bluebell  ”  (/.  C.  S’.). — This  name  is  given  popularly  to  Scilla  nutans 
in  some  parts  of  the  country,  and  in  others  it  is  known  as  “  Harebell  ”  and 
Wild  Hyacinth.  It  occupies  very  large  areas  in  some  districts  usually 
wooded,  and  is  well  worth  introducing  into  the  wilder  parts  of  pleasure 
grounds.  There  are  several  garden  forms.  Grandiflora  alba,  large  white  ; 
rosea,  rose  ;  rubra,  red  flowered  ;  are  all  worthy  of  a  place  in  gardens. 
Convallaria  prolificans  {Idem). — There  is  a  pink  Lily  of  the  Valley _ 
namely,  Convallaria  majalis  rosea,  with  pale  rose-coloured  flowers,  which 
may  probably  be  the  same  as  C.  prolificans,  or  a  form  of  it,  with  a  freer 
flowering  habit.  The  pink  or  rose-coloured  Lily  of  the  Valley  does  not 
flower  nearly  so  freely  with  us  as  the  species,  the  heads  not  being  strong 
enough.  It  appears  to  require  a  richer,  but  firm  soil. 
Repotting  Cinerarias  {R.  L.).— The  plants  now  in  6-inch  pots  may  be 
shifted  into  8-inch  provided  they  are  not  much  root-bound,  and  are  not 
advanced  to  any  great  extent  for  flowering.  We  should,  however,  confine 
this  to  the  most  vigorous  and  promising  plants,  the  6-inch  size  being 
sufficient  for  those  of  lesser  proportions.  We  have  repotted  as  late  as 
February,  but  these  were  late  plants.  sThey  jwill  not  require  any 
feeding,  the  soil  being  good,  during  the  winter,  only  keep  properly  supplied 
with  water  and  rather  cool,  a  temperature  of  40°  to  45°  bein  J  suitable. 
They  also  prefer  a  moderately  moist  atmosphere,  such  as  remits  from 
standing  in  a  bed  of  ashes  or  gravel.  The  greenhouse  is  the  proper  place 
for  them  during  the  winter,  keeping  near  the  glass  and  ventilating  freely 
on  all  favourable  occasions.  Supply  liquid  manure  from  the  time  the 
flower  heads  are  formed  until  they  open. 
Is  Ferric  of  Alum  a  Chemical  Used  in  the  Purification  of  Sewage 
Injurious  to  Vegetables?  ( H  U.).— That  is  your  question.  By 
“  terric  of  alum”  we  presume  you  mean  chloride  of  iron,  which  remains 
in  the  “  mother-liquor  ”  in  the  preparation  of  alum  from  shale.  This, 
after  being  used  for  the  purification  of  sewage,  has  no  injurious  effect  on 
vegetation,  the  crops  being  often  very  luxuriant  on  sewage  farms  irri¬ 
gated  by  the  effluents,  as  seen  also  in  Watercress  beds  below  some  sewage 
works.  -The  water  sometimes  contains  two  and  even  three  grains  of  sul¬ 
phate  of  iron  per  gallon,  and  has  a  beneficial  influence  on  vegetable 
growth.  Our  answer  to  your  other  query  :  Is  sewage  sludge  useful  in 
gardens  when  being  treated  with  the  above  chemical  and  lime?  must  be 
in  the  affirmative.  Such  sludge,  pressed  and  dried,  is  used  as  a  fertiliser 
by  farmers  and  market  gardeners.  The  sludge  itself  may  be  spread  on 
the  land,  and  when  sufficiently  dried  ploughed  or  dug  in,  but  is  in  that 
form  so  unmanageable  that  it  is  formed  into  cakes  by  compression  and 
there  dried  and  hardened  for  transit. 
Galls  on  Oak  {Amateur). — The  fresh  growths  of  young  Oak  trees  aro 
frequently  tipped  with  galls  (so  called)  of  a  gall  midge  (Cecidomyia 
querci),  the  female  laying  her  eggs  in  the  terminal  bud  of  a  twig,  the 
larvas  hatch,  and  the  result  of  their  operations  is  the  formation  of  a  gall, 
which  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to  a  cone  in  its  form  and  in  the  over¬ 
lapping  of  the  leaves  of  which  it  is  composed.  Among  the  leaves  of  the 
cone  the  larvae  of  the  midge  may  be  found.  The  galls  are  usually 
solitary,  though  two,  or  even  three,  may  be  found  side  by  side  at  the  tips 
of  the  twigs,  the  terminal  buds  of  which  they  destroy.  There  were  no 
larvae  in  the  cone,  therefore  we  are  unable  to  say  positively  whether  the 
cone  was  due  to  the  gall  midge  or  not. 
Maggots  in  Palm  Roots  ( F F.). — This  is  the  grub  or  larva  in  an 
early  stage  of  one  of  the  destructive  weevils  of  the  genus  Otiorhynchus, 
probably  O.  tenebricosus.  Like  its  brethren,  it  lurks  at  the  roots  of  a 
number  of  plants  growing  on  borders  or  in  pots,  feeding  from  autumn 
tili  spring.  Where  it  occurs  the  roots  need  a  thorough  examination. 
Dressing  them  with  lime  or  soot  has  been  found  successful.  The  soil 
may  also  be  watered  with  hellebore  tea,  which  is  fatal  to  them,  also 
lemon  oil,  and  diluted  carbolic  acid  has  been  tried  ;  but  the  latter  needs 
caution.  They  defy  many  of  the  insect  killers.  During  the  summer  the 
beetles  appear  on  the  branches  of  fruit  trees  at  dusk,  and  may  be  shaken 
off  into  trays  or  cloths.  Roasting  the  soil,  then  moistening  it  prior  to 
use,  is  an  excellent  preventive,  catching  the  weevils  better. 
Training  Roses  (S.  J.). — If  you  train  all  the  stems  as  shown  in  your 
sketch  you  will  soon  have  the  lower  part  of  the  wall  destitute  of  foliage, 
as  many  of  the  lower  buds  will  remain  dormant  through  the  sap  rushing 
past  them  into  the  growths  above.  Four  inches  apart  is  insufficient  ;  it 
might  answer  for  a  year  or  two,  but  not  for  long.  We  should  cut  out 
every  alternate  stem  to  a  good  bud  near  the  base  ;  this  would  at  once 
give  the  others  more  room  and  insure  fresh  growths  for  furnishing  the 
lower  part  of  the  wall.  We  understand  that  the  Roses  have  been  estab¬ 
lished  in  their  positions  for  at  least  a  year  ;  if  they  have  been  recently 
dug  from  the  ground  and  planted,  all  the  stems  should  be  shortened 
considerably  for  insuring  strong  growth  the  first  year.  Spring  is  the 
best  time  for  pruning,  after  the  sap  has  commenced  moving. 
Apple  Maltster  {R.  C.  A.). — This  Apple  is  thus  described  by  Dr. 
Hogg  in  the  Fruit  Manual ,  and  you  can  make  comparisons  with 
your  fruit.  Fruit,  below  medium  size,  2f  inches  wide,  and  2^  inches 
high  ;  roundish  and  flattened,  with  prominent  angles,  which  ter¬ 
minate  in  bold  ridges  round  the  eye.  Skin,  smooth,  deep  yellow 
when  ripe,  and  with  a  few  faint  broken  streaks  of  red  on  the  shaded 
side,  but  bright  red,  streaked  with  deeper  red,  on  the  side  next  the 
sun.  Eye,  closed,  with  connivent  segm'  nts,  set  in  a  deep  angular  basin. 
Stamens,  median ;  tube,  funnel-shaped.  Flesh,  yellow,  tender,  sweet, 
and  agreeably’  flavoured.  Cells,  obovate  ;  axile,  closed,  sometimes  slightly 
open.  An  excellent  culinary  Apple  ;  in  use  from  October  till  December. 
The  tree  is  a  free  grower,  and  great  bearer.  It  is  much  grown  in 
Nottinghamshire. 
Apple  Yorkshire  Greening  {Idem). — We  give  herewith  Dr.  Hogg’s 
reference  to  this  old  Apple.  Fruit,  large,  3^  inches  wide,  and  2sj  inches  high  ; 
obiate,  and  slightly  angular  on  the  sides.  Skin,  very  dark  green,  but 
where  exposed  to  the  sun  tinged  with  dull  red,  which  is  striped  with 
broken  stripes  ot  deeper  red,  very  much  speckled  all  over  with  rather 
bold  grey  russet  specks,  and  over  the  base  with  traces  of  greyish  brown 
russet.  Eye,  closed,  wnh  incurved  convergent  segments,  set  in  a  shallow, 
irregular,  and  plaited  basin.  Stamens,  median  ;  tube,  conical.  Stalk, 
short,  stout,  and  fleshy,  covered  with  grey  down,  inserted  in  a  wide  and 
rather  shallow  cavity.  Flesh,  greenish  white,  firm,  crisp,  and  very  juicy, 
with  a  brisk  but  pleasant  acidity.  Cells,  obovate  ;  abaxile.  A  first-rate 
culinary  Apple  ;  in  use  from  October  to  January. 
Names  of  Fruits.  —  Notice.  —  We  have  pleasure  in  naming  good 
typical  fruits  (when  the  names  are  discoverable)  for  the  convenience  of 
regular  subscribers,  who  are  the  growers  of  such  fruit,  and  not  col¬ 
lectors  of  specimens  from  non-subscribers.  This  latter  procedure  is 
wholly  irregular,  and  we  trust  that  none  of  our  readers  will  allow 
themselves  to  be  made  the  mediums  in  infringing  our  rules.  Special 
attention  is  directed  to  the  following  decision,  the  object  of  which  is 
to  discourage  the  growth  of  inferior  and  promote  the  culture  of  superior 
varieties.  In  consequence  of  the  lartje  number  of  worthless  Apples  and  Pears 
sent  to  this  office  to  be  named,  it  has  been  decided  to  name  only  specimens  and 
varieties  of  approved  merit ,  and  to  reject  the  inferior,  which  are  not  worth 
sending  or  growing.  The  names  and  addresses  of  senders  of  fruits  or 
flowers  to  be  named  must  in  all  cases  be  enclosed  with  the  specimens, 
whether  letters  referring  to  the  fruit  are  sent  by  post  or  not.  The 
names  are  not  necessarily  required  for  publication,  initials  sufficing  for 
that.  Only  six  specimens  can  be  named  at  once,  and  any  beyond  that 
number  cannot  be  preserved.  They  should  be  sent  on  the  first  indication  of 
change  towards  ripening.  Dessert  Pears  cannot  be  named  in  a  hard  green  state. 
The  practice  of  pinning  numbers  to  tbe  eyes  of  the  Iruits  tends  to  destroy  one 
of  the  most  characteristic  features  and  increases  the  difficulty  of  identifica¬ 
tion.  (N.  H.  P.). — The  Apple  is  not  the  “Old  Catshead,”  but  in  some 
respects  resembles  it.  It  is  the  true  Herefordshire  Costard,  a  very  good 
cooking  Apple.  The  specimens  are  very  fine.  Yes,  gardening  is  advancing, 
and  you  have  helped  it  alorg,  and  may  help  still  further  if  you  shake  off 
the  dull  sloth  of  which  you  speak,  though  under  another  name. 
{E.  W.  D.). — The  Pears  are  altogether  too  hard  to  be  named  ;  see 
instructions.  We  will,  however,  examine  them  again.  {A.  W.). —  Comte 
de  Lamy.  {D.  W.).— 1,  abnormal,  resembles  Ecklinville  Seedling ; 
2,  Gascoyne’s  Seedling,  ^ery  pale  ;  3,  Manks  Codlin  ;  4,  Scarlet  Pear- 
main  ;  5,  Bramley’s  Seedling  ;  6,  unknown.  ( R .  M,  W.). — Kingston 
Black.  ( E .  S.  W.). — Autumn  Nelis.  ( R .  C.  A.). — We  have  examined 
