JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Octo'ber  22,  lb98. 
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Examination  of  Roofs. 
It  is  a  good  plan  during  a  spell  of  wet  weather  to  carefully 
examine  the  roofs  of  all  hives  in  the  apiary,  be .  they  few  or  many, 
with  a  view  to  detecting  any  leakage.  Many  bee-keepers  I  fear 
are  careless  in  this  matter,  and  will  only  find  out  the  mischief  that 
has  been  done  when  it  is  too  late  to  remedy  it.  With  the  exception 
of  foul  brood,  which  is  only  prevalent  in  certain  districts,  there  is 
nothing  the  careful  bee-keeper  dreads  more  than  dampness  in  his 
hives.  It  is  the  forerunner  of  many  evils,  and  no  stock  of  bees 
will  continue  healthy  for  any  length  of  time  if  the  hive  is  saturated 
with  moisture.  This  is  usually  caused  by  a  leaking  roof.  There 
may  also  be  an  excess  of  moisture  m  the  hive  if  the  occupants 
are  fed  with  syrup  late  in  the  season,  and  the  weather  becomes 
too  cold  for  the  bees  to  seal  it  over.  In  either  case  dysentery 
will  follow,  and  the  bees  will  soon  dwindle  away,  but  ax 
advice  on  this  subject  has  lately  been  given  in  these  pages  I 
will  now  only  give  a  word  of  warning  to  guard  against  this 
disease  as  far  as  is  possible,  remembering  there  is  a  much  greater 
chance  of  the  roofs  of  hives  not  being  waterproof  after  an 
excessively  dry  summer,  than  when  the  season  has  been  normal. 
Hives  are  more  likely  to  be  affected  from  this  cause  if  the  roofs  are 
of  wood,  and  for  this  reason  I  prefer  them  to  be  covered  with  zinc, 
which  if  carefully  put  on  is  quite  rainproof.  The  corrugated 
galvanised  iron,  too,  answers  the  purpose  admirably,  and  as  it  does 
not  fit  quite  closely  on  the  wooden  frame  to  which  it  is  fastened, 
there  is  always  a  free  ventilation  over  the  covering  on  the  top  of 
frames.  This  I  have  found  of  great  advantage,  as  I  am  a  firm 
believer  in  abundance  of  ventilation  if  only  done  on  rational  lines. 
Some  bee-keepers  object  to  it,  owing  to  there  being  a  liability  of 
robber  bees  gaining  an  entr.incefrom  the  top  of  hive  ;  but  although 
I  have  several  in  use,  I  have  never  had  any  trouble  from  this 
source.— An  English  Bee-keeper. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be 
directed  to  “  The  Editor.’’  Letters  addressed  personally  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,  and  departmental  writers 
are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letters  they  may  receive  on 
Gardening  and  Bee  subjects,  through  the  post. 
Fungrl  QJE.  W.  S.'). — The  small  sample  was  so  much  dried  and 
shrivelled  on  arrival  that  we  can  only  say  it  is  possibly  an  edible 
Mushroom.  The  large  one  is  so  outrageously  malformed  and  dried  that 
no  one  could  possibly  identify  it.  We  should  not  like  to  test  its  quality 
by  eating  such  a  repulsive  looking  object. 
Geometry  {Beds'). — Your  desire  to  learn  geometry  is  commendable. 
The  cost  of  compasses  and  other  requisites  varies  exceedingly.  You 
cannot  do  better  than  consult  a  schoolmaster,  who  will  show  you  the 
necessary  appliances,  and  advise  you  generally  as  to  cost  and  procedure 
You  ought,  if  possible,  to  take  evening  lessons  from  a  competent  teacher. 
Your  other  question  cannot  be  answered  this  week. 
Briar  Stocks  (  TF.  C.). — Briar  stems  in  their  second  year  of  growth 
are  the  best,  selecting  those  which  are  straight  and  clean  stemmed  for 
standards.  Cut  away  all  the  upper  growths,  leaving  the  stem  quite  bare 
like  a  walking-stick,  but  furnished  with  three  or  four  well-placed  buds 
near  the  top.  Branches  will  start  from  these,  and  on  them  you  may 
insert  the  buds.  Also  trim  back  the  roots  well,  so  that  you  lessen  the 
chance  of  suckers  appearing. 
Transplanting  Catalpa  anrea  (TF.  TF.,  Jteadinff).— The  best 
time  to  move  all  deciduous  trees  is  in  the  autumn,  as  soon  as  the  leaves 
are  down,  always  provided  that  the  wood  is  well  ripened,  which  may 
not  be  the  case  with  somewhat  tender  kinds,  when  it  is  advisable  to 
defer  removal  until  the  early  part  of  spring,  but  not  later  than  the 
buds  commencing  to  swell.  In  the  case  of  so  large  a  tree  autumn 
would  be  most  advisable,  unless  you  are  moving  it  from  a  sheltered 
to  an  exposed  place,  then  the  spring  would  be  preferable.  The  tree 
is  not  a  particularly  good  one  for  removal  at  any  time,  but  we  have 
moved  some  safely  that  were  nearly,  if  not  quite,  as  old  as  yours. 
Preserve  as  many  roots  as  possible,  retaining,  if  practicable,  some 
adhering  soil,  also  guard  against  bruising  the  roots,  and  lay  them 
carefully  in  the  fresh  soil,  not  burying  them  deeper  than  they  were 
before.  Jagged  and  bruised  ends  should  be  made  smooth  by  cutting 
transversely.  So  fine  a  tree  deserves  every  care,  there  being  few  finer  for 
lawns  in  sheltered  situations. 
Clematis  flammnla  {Garden-Work). — The  name  of  your  plant  is* 
Clematis  fiammula.  It  belongs  to  the  Jackmanni  type  of  Clematis,  and 
is  a  summer  and  autumn  blooming  variety,  flowering  freely  on  the 
current  year’s  wood.  Hence  it  will  bear  pinning  back  freely.  When,, 
however,  there  is  a  large  space  to  cover  with  growth  it  is  a  good  plan  to 
encourage  several  strong  main  shoots  by  cutting  back  closely  the  first 
season  after  planting.  Aim  at  covering  the  space  at  regular  distances 
with  strong  shoots,  and  each  year  before  growth  commences  in  spring 
prune  the  lateral  growths  springing  from  these  back  to  one  or  two  buds. 
Insects  on  Orchids  {L.  B.  G.).  —  The  brown  insects  are  some 
species  ol  coccus,  but  not  known  or  described  in  this  country.  There 
is  no  doubt  about  their  deriving  support  from  the  plants  they  infest,  and 
should  he  destroyed,  than  which  nothing  is  more  safe  than  vaporisation 
with  nicotine.  For  some  species  of  coccus,  however,  it  is  necessary  ta 
use  diluted  methylated  spirit,  about  as  much  water  as  spirit  being  a  safe 
dilution  to  use,  either  with  brush  or  sponge.  In  some  cases  undiluted' 
spirit  may  be  used,  as  it  varies  in  strength.  The  thing  is  not  to  use  it 
carelessly,  but  just  wet  the  pests  with  the  spirit  by  means  of  a  brush  or 
sponge. 
Genuineness  of  Seeds  {N.  Warren). — Some  seed  firms,  and  good 
ones,  too,  seek  to  protect  themselves  by  published  intimations  that  they~ 
give  no  warranty,  expressed  or  implied,  as  to  the  description,  quality,, 
or  productiveness  of  seeds,  but  if  you  ordered  seed  of  Eed  Beet  and  can 
prove  it  was  Spinach  Beet,  and  can  also  produce  a  letter  from  the  vendor 
in  answer  to  yours  asking  if  he  had  sent  you  the  right  sort  as  ordered,, 
and  the  reply  was  “  Yes,  it  is  ordinary  Red  Beet  seed,”  that  would 
amount  to  a  warranty  in  law,  and  render  nugatory  any  previously  pub¬ 
lished  statements  of  the  said  vendor.  With  only  verbal  evidence  you 
would  run  a  risk  of  being  nonsuited  in  an  action,  in  which  case  you 
would  be  a  double  loser — namely,  a  loss  by  the  seeds  (assuming  your 
version  to  be  correct)  and  through  the  cost  involved  in  the  action. 
Cucumber  Roots  Diseased  {T.  TF.). — The  root  stem  is  partially 
decayed  at  the  base  and  up  the  stem  (below  ground),  the  central  part  on 
one  side  being  quite  rotten  and  extending  through  at  the  setting  on  of 
the  lower  roots,  so  that  it  would  not  be  capable  of  transmitting  sap 
from  those,  and  the  plant  must  flag  under  powerful  sun  or  strong 
light,  grow  very  little,  and  ultimately  die.  There  were  very  few  ex¬ 
crescences  on  the  roots,  no  nodosities  on  the  fibres,  as  in  ordinary  cases  of 
eelworm  attack,  yet  the  form  you  have  is  the  worst  root  stem  eelworm 
(Tylenchus  obtusus)  of  the  whole  family  Anguillulidse,  as  it  attacks  the 
root  stem  even  of  such  ligneous  plants  as  Bouvardia,  Gardenia,  &c., 
rendering  destruction  absolute  through  cutting  off  the  supply  of  sap,  the 
damage  not  often  being  noticed  until  remedy  is  hopeless.  It  is  a  very 
blunt  anterior-ended  animal,  but  the  tail  part  is  rather  long  and  thin, 
tapering  somewhat  sharply.  It  leads  a  free  life,  but  the  female  brings 
forth  in  the  diseased  or  infested  tissues  so  that  the  young  may  have 
nourishment.  They  can,  however,  live  in  the  soil  containing  some 
organic  matter  in  solution.  There  is  no  remedy  for  such  plants,  unless 
you  could  induce  roots  from  the  collar  by  placing  soil  there,  and  destroy 
the  eelworm  in  the  tissues.  You  may  try  a  solution  of  soluble  phenyle, 
1  gill  (quarter  pint)  to  3  gallons  of  water,  giving  a  similar  watering  with 
the  solution  as  with  ordinary  water.  The  water  should  be  soft,  about  lu 
gallon  of  the  solution  sufficing  for  a  square  yard  of  bed  of  about  1  foot 
depth.  There  does  not  seem  much  chance,  however,  of  the  planta 
recovering  if  like  the  one  sent,  it  being  too  far  gone  for  effecting  a 
remedy.  If  you  pull  up  the  plants  soak  the  soil  with  boiling  hot  water, 
and  either  char  or  scald  the  soil  before  use  in  future,  as  the  pest  is  intro¬ 
duced  in  the  turf  or  decaying  matter. 
Otlorhyncbus  sulcatus  ( IF  IT.  TF.). — In  reply  to  your  letter, 
which  we  sent  to  Mr.  Abbey,  he  says  be  ••  has  nothing  to  add  to  what 
has  already  been  stated — namely,  the  best  way  to  prevent  attacks  of  thfr 
yrubs  is  to  capture  and  kill  the  weevils,  which  are  very  destructive  to 
Vine  leaves,  those  of  Peach  trees,  and  very  fond  of  Fern  fronds.  The 
weevils  feed  at  night,  and  must  be  sought  for  with  a  lantern,  being  very 
cautions  not  to  disturb  the  pests  until  ready  to  capture  them  on  the 
cloth  or  paper  laid  on  the  ground.  As  they  skulk  for  a  time  after 
dropping  they  are  easily  collected  and  placed  in  a  wide-mouthed  glass 
bottle  about  half  filled  with  soluble  petroleum  solution,  or  some  other 
potent  insecticide.  This  work  can  be  done  in  the  early  part  of  summer 
— say  from  April  to  July  inclusive,  as  the  weevils  work  early,  also  some¬ 
what  late,  on  plants  under  glass.  As  for  the  grubs,  which  feed  on  fleshy 
roots  in  the  soil,  having  a  particular  liking  for  Cyclamen  corms,  from 
something  like  July  to  December,  earlier  or  later,  p.ccording  to  circum¬ 
stances  and  deposition  of  eggs  by  the  females,  they  may  be  killed  by  a 
solution  of  corrosive  sublimate,  1  oz.  to  15  gallons  of  water  ;  but  as  this 
18  a  dangerous  poison,  making  sad  work  of  the  bands  if  the  raw  material 
or  a  strong  solution  comes  upon  them,  also  corroding  metallic  vessels, 
it  is  not  advisable  to  use  it  ;  nor  is  it  necessary,  as  something  that  will 
aid  the  plant  is  much  better.  Either  soluble  phenyle  or  Clibran’s 
Eucharis  mite  killer,  in  the  proportion  of  1  in  50,  will  kill  the  grubs  in 
one  minute  ;  but  in  the  soil,  and  for  safety  to  most  plants,  a  strength  ©f 
1  in  100  is  sufficient.  To  make  this  strength  mix  a  large  teaspoonful 
with  a  pint  of  water,  or  one  fluid  ounce  with  2^  pints  of  water,  or  a  tea¬ 
cupful  (^  pint)  to  a  pailful  (3  gallons)  of  water.  Soft  water  is  better 
than  hard  for  either  preparation.  Supply  the  solution  in  about  the 
same  amount  as  in  ordinary  watering,  taking  care  to  thoroughly  moisten 
the  soil.  Both  Little’s  soluble  phenyle  and  Clibran’s  Eucharis  mite 
killer  are  good  fertilisers — that  is,  they  not  only  kill  the  root  pests  of 
crops,  but  start  the  plants  into  free,  healthy  growth.  There  appears  to 
have  been  a  slip  of  the  pen  in  the  reply  last  week  in  the  mention  of 
Lemon  oil  for  Eucharis  mite  killer.” 
