268 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  19,  1836, 
thm  ten  day?.  In  the  meantime  the  brood  will  have  been  rapidly 
hatching.  All  the  empty  cells  in  the  new  stock  will  soon  be  filled 
with  brood,  a  frame  of  which  should  be  taken  out  every  few  days 
and  given  to  the  queenless  stock  and  an  empty  frame  be  put  in 
its  place. 
The  hives  should  be  moved  a  yard  nearer  each  other  every  day 
until  they  are  close  together.  As  soon  as  the  young  queen  is 
laying  kill  the  old  one,  and  put  all  the  bees  and  frames  of  brood 
into  one  hive.  This  will  result  in  a  strong  colony,  which  in 
favourable  weather  will  at  once  store  a  surplus.  —  An  English 
Bee-keeper. 
All  correspondence  should  be  directed  either  to  “  The 
Editor  ’’  or  to  “  The  Publisher.*'  Letters  addressed  to 
Dr.  Hogg  or  members  of  the  staff  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  be  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. 
Treatment  of  Agave  americana  (TF.  S.). — With  substantial 
but  porous  soil  and  plenty  of  water  supplied  to  the  roots  during  the 
growing  period  there  is  no  difficulty  in  growing  this  plant.  It  will, 
however,  bear  a  surprising  amount  of  neglect  as  regards  being  dry  even 
in  summer.  In  winter  little  or  no  water  is  required,  the  plants  being 
housed  safe  from  frost.  The  cause  of  the  leaf  tips  turning  yellow  may 
be  owing  to  the  soil  being  kept  too  wet  during  winter,  or  it  may  be  due 
to  an  extraordinary  loss  of  roots  through  a  sour  condition  of  the  soil.  If 
it  iB  the  lower  leaves  which  are  turning  yellow,  turn  the  plant  out  of  the 
pot  and  remove  them  entirely.  Repot  in  clean,  strong,  well-drained  pots, 
working  in  among  the  roots  fresh  loamy  soil  mixed  with  lime  rubbisn. 
Orchids  In  a  Frame  (TF.  S.). — In  a  frame  of  the  size  you  mention 
we  should  advise  you  to  grow  either  cool  house  species  only  or  warm 
house  kinds,  but  not  to  mix  them.  If  you  can  arrange  for  a  partition, 
and  also  have  valves  to  your  pipes  so  as  to  shut  the  heat  off  the  cool  part 
you  may  grow  both,  though  the  compartment  being  so  small  would  be 
very  difficult  to  regulate  as  to  temperature.  We  will  guppose  you  are 
growing  cool  house  kinds  only.  Have  the  frame  fixed  in  a  light  position, 
but  shaded  from  the  midday  sun  if  possible.  The  sides  ought  to  be  at 
least  2  feet  high  in  the  middle,  sloping  to  the  front  at  a  fairly  sharp 
angle,  and  you  must  be  able  to  close  the  ventilation  at  the  bottom, 
though  it  will  very  seldom  be  found  necessary  to  do  so.  The  tallest 
plants  will  be  arranged  at  the  back  of  the  frame,  placed  on  inverted 
pots,  if  necessary,  to  bring  them  up  nearly  close  to  the  glass,  the  smaller 
plants  being  placed  in  front.  Ail  through  the  summer  a  little  air  should 
be  left  on  the  top  of  the  frame,  the  glass  being  shaded  with  garden  mats 
when  bright.  Remove  the  shading  as  the  sun  leaves  the  frame,  and 
damp  all  round  and  about  the  plants  very  frequently. 
The  Effect  of  Soluble  Cresol  on  Soil  (F.  TF), — You  and  not 
us  have  compared  this  substance — a  combination  of  cresylic  acid 
(cresol)  with  carbolic  acid  (phenol),  creosote  and  other  ingredients — 
with  soluble  phenyle,  which  does  not  contain  a  particle  of  cresylic  acid 
(cresol),  creosote  or  other  ingredients  besides  carbolic  acid  (phenol)  made 
soluble.  Yet  you  ask  us  to  confound  their  identity,  and  say  they  are  the 
“  same  in  appearance,  odour,  and  effects  on  the  roots  of  plants.”  Is  it 
not  strange  that  you  should  write  us  in  respect  of  damage  to  roots  of 
plants  by  use  of  soluble  cresol — there  is  no  harm  in  that  or  in  the 
carbolic  acid  made  soluble,  but  there  is  in  creosote — and  not  mention 
the  ill  effects,  which  we  have  not  found,  of  soluble  phenyle  until 
after  we  pointed  out  the  real  cause  of  the  evil— the  mistake  of 
using  something  else  for  what  was  prescribed.  The  soil  containing  a 
good  per-centage  of  lime,  and  the  manure  used  being  potash  and  nitrate 
of  soda,  will  tend  to  neutralise  the  effect  of  the  creosote,  indeed  we  con¬ 
sider  it  will  have  passed  off  by  this  time,  even  if  in  crude  form,  but  that 
can  hardly  be  the  case  in  consequence  of  its  association  with  the  soluble 
cresol  and  phenol.  We  are  quite  aware  of  the  milky  solution  to  which 
you  allude,  but  that  is  not  always  a  sign  of  saponification,  but  this  is, 
Booner  or  later,  effected  in  the  soil  in  presence  of  soda  and  potash, 
yet  the  mischief  done  before  that  occurs  is  injurious,  if  not  fatal  to 
vegetation.  It  would  not  be  advisable  to  attempt  to  saponify  the  com¬ 
pound  before  use,  but  use  it  at  a  less  strength.  It,  however,  is  more  or 
less  injurious  to  vegetation,  though  a  powerful  germicide,  and  must  be 
used  with  discriminate  judgment. 
Carnation  Leaves  diseased  (27.  2?.). — The  fungus  on  both  the 
specimens  is  that  known  as  “rust”  (Uromycee  caryophillinus),  the 
specimen  in  one  case  having  the  pustules  burst  and  the  spores  exposed 
in  myriads,  while  in  the  other  the  pustules  are  closed.  That  is  the  only 
difference. 
Common  Xiaurel  leaves  Browned  ( H .  H.'). — The  leaves  have 
the  appearance  of  being  destroyed  by  frost,  which  is  frequently  the  case 
where  the  soil  is  wet,  thus  inducing  late  growth,  and  no  great  amount 
of  frost  is  then  necessary  to  cause  their  disfigurement.  There  is  no 
disease  caused  by  parasites — at  least,  not  on  the  leaves  sent  ;  but  there 
may  be  some  on  the  wood,  and  in  that  case  the  evergreens  will  die  back. 
We  have  seen  many  similar  cases  on  wet  and  rich  soils,  when  draining 
has  proved  effective  as  a  remedy. 
Hlppeastrums  losing  leaves  (Pimlico).  —  It  is  natural  for 
Hippeastrums  to  lose  their  leaves  when  they  have  finished  growth  and 
the  bulbs  are  ripened.  New  leaves  are  usually  thrown  up  along  with 
the  flowers,  the  growth  of  the  leaves  continuing  after  the  flowers  have 
faded.  If  the  leaves  on  your  plants  are  lost  as  the  flower  spikes  show, 
they  are  probably  the  old  leaves,  and  the  plants  will  not  suffer  by  losing 
them.  It  is  owing  to  full  maturation  of  the  bulbs  being  deferred.  Of 
course,  if  the  plants  lose  new  leaves  there  is  something  wrong. 
Frame  of  Insect  (M.  J.). — This  appears  to  be  one  of  the  small 
beetles  in  the  Lamellicorn  group,  of  the  genus  Aphodius.  It  is  not 
known  as  an  injurious  species,  but  the  presence  of  some  under  the 
circumstances  suggests  that  they  might  be  attacking  buds  or  young 
shoots.  They  are  akin  to  a  well-known  June  pest — the  Phyllopertha 
horticola.  You  do  not  state  where  they  appear  to  muster  chiefly,  as 
they  are  probably  out  more  at  night  than  during  the  day.  It  might  be 
well  to  examine  after  dark  with  a  lantern,  when  beetles  may  often  be 
captured  easily  on  branches  or  twigs.  Supposing  they  attack  wood  or 
foliage,  any  saponaceous  compound  would  be  of  service  as  preventing 
them  from  obtaining  foothold,  also  such  odorous  substances  as  fir  tree 
oil,  a  petroleum  wash,  or  one  of  tobacco.  They  would  be  destroyed  by 
most  remedies  that  are  used  for  scale  or  red  spider. 
Early  Eoulse  Peach  Casting  Flowers  (A  Subscriber). — The 
flowers  are  perfect  in  stamens  and  anthers,  but  wholly  ovuleless,  yet  not 
devoid  of  ovary  and  pistil.  They  cannot  set,  therefore  are  cast  as  abor¬ 
tions.  It  is  not  unusual  for  the  small-flowered  varieties  to  be  defective 
in  this  respect  when  there  is  a  deficiency  of  calcareous  matter  in  the  soil. 
The  best  remedy  we  have  tried  is  lifting  and  supplying  calcareous 
matter ;  but  very  often  a  supply  of  phosphates  makes  a  considerable 
difference,  in  some  cases  all,  between  the  buds  being  perfect  or  other¬ 
wise.  We  should  give  the  tree  some  dissolved  raw  bone  superphosphate, 
3£  to  4  per  cent,  ammonia,  and  34  to  40  per  cent,  phosphates,  using 
4  ozs.  per  square  yard,  and  pointing  in  lightly.  It  would  be  an  advan¬ 
tage  to  add  to  the  superphosphate  half  the  amount  of  sulphate  of 
potash,  using  the  same  amount  of  the  mixture.  In  the  autumn  lift  the 
tree  carefully  as  soon  as  the  leaves  commence  falling  and  mix  some  old 
mortar  rubbish  with  the  soil,  replanting  carefully  and  firmly. 
Boses  Failure  (S.S.). — We  should  scarcely  blame  the  house  for  the 
failure,  though  the  top  ventilation  is  insufficient.  The  lights  ought  to 
have  been  taken  off  in  June  or  July,  and  the  Roses  would  then  have 
had  a  thorough  rest.  We  should  have  preferred  Gdnbral  Jacqueminot 
and  Duke  of  Edinburgh  to  Piince  Arthur  and  Prince  Camille  de 
Rohan.  The  first-named  is  extensively  forced,  and  is  probably  the  most 
popular  early  dark  crimson  Rose  in  cultivation.  Even  with  this  variety 
pot  culture  is  to  be  preferred  to  planting  out  in  houses.  Not  only  can 
plants  in  pots  be  the  more  readily  forced,  but  they  can  also  be  trans¬ 
ferred  to  the  open  after  they  have  ceased  blooming,  and  rested  there. 
This  admits  of  the  utilisation  of  the  house  during  the  summer  and 
early  autumn  months  for  Tomato  culture.  Tea  Roses  succeed  well 
planted  out  in  houses  similar  to  yours,  as  these  cannot  be  grown  too 
strongly,  and  they  are  almost  continuous  in  flowering.  If  a  dark 
variety  is  preferred  it  is  afforded  by  the  useful  Souvenir  de  Ther&se 
Levet.  Under  good  culture  the  bushes  of  this  Tea-scented  variety 
produce  blooms  nearly  equal  in  size  and  colouring  to  the  “  Old  Gbnbral.” 
This  season  there  has  been  a  marked  lack  of  sunshine,  and  this,  coupled 
with  the  fact  that  planted  out  Hybrid  Perpetual  Roses  do  not  as  a  rule 
force  satisfactorily,  are  the  main  cause  of  your  failure.  You  do  not  say 
whether  you  grow  Roses  for  sale  or  not.  If  your  object  is  the  making 
as  much  money  as  possible  from  the  house,  you  are  not  turning  the 
structure  to  the  best  advantage. 
Frames  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  large  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  fruit  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 
iirst  indication  of  change  towards  ripening.  Dessert  Pears  cannot 
be  named  in  a  hard  green  state.  (TF.  C.). — Bramley’s  Seedling. 
