572 
rtOltRh^AL  OP  HOnriCTJLTURE  Ant)  COfTAGP  GARDENER. 
December  lo,  1806. 
as  good  condition,  and  in  many  instances  better,  than  those  housed 
in  the  most  elaborate  and  expensive  hives. 
Roofs  for  Hives. 
One  of  the  most  important  parts  of  the  hive  is  the  roof,  as  with¬ 
out  a  sound  roof,  the  most  expensive  and  well  finished  hive  will 
fail.  It  is,  therefore,  advisable  for  bee-keepers  to  guard  against  this, 
and  endeavour  to  obtain  roofs  that  are  thoroughly  waterproof.  I 
have  had  a  great  amount  of  trouble  in  this  respect  at  various  times, 
as  nearly  all  the  hives  I  obtained  from  various  makers  in  my  early 
days  of  bee-keeping  failed  in  the  purpose  for  which  they  were 
intended.  They  were,  however,  without  exception,  all  made  of 
wood.  Since  then  many  of  them  have  been  covered  with  zinc, 
which  has  made  them  thoroughly  waterproof. 
This  I  can  confidently  recommend  for  the  purpose.  The  roofs 
may  be  made  to  slope  to  the  back  of  hive,  or  they  may  be  of  span 
form  ;  in  either  case,  all  that  is  required  is  to  make  a  light  frame  of 
wood,  and  strain  the  zinc  over  it,  which  should  be  tacked  down  at 
the  edges.  Treated  in  this  manner,  the  hive  and  its  contents  will 
be  kept  in  a  perfectly  dry  state  ;  corrugated  zinc,  too,  answers  the 
purpose  admirably.  All  that  is  required  is  to  have  an  outside  frame 
to  fit  on  the  hive,  to  which  it  must  be  securely  fastened  ;  there  will 
then  be  a  circulation  of  air  over  the  coverings  placed  on  the  top  of 
frames,  which  is  a  decided  advantage. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
*0®  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. 
Coi respondents  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  imertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of 
the  paper  only.  We  cannot,  as  a  rule,  reply  to  questions 
through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  rejected 
communications. 
Urea  as  a  Fertiliser  (J/.  IF.). — You  are  right  in  your  assump¬ 
tion.  Urea  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  fertilisers  in  the  world,  and  most 
commonly  wasted.  Perhaps  Mr,  G.  Abbey  will  favour  with  an  article  on 
the  subject,  as  we  know  he  regards  it  as  one  of  great  importance. 
Barometer  and  Rain  Gauge  (^Ten  Years'  Header'). — The  scale 
of  some  instruments  is  divided  into  thousandth  and  others  into 
hundredth  parts  of  an  inch,  the  former  representing  the  variations  with 
the  greater  exactitude  ;  but  for  ordinary  practical  purposes  those  you 
possess  (in  hundredths)  suffice.  Your  method  of  recording  is  correct. 
When  you  read  29-99,  and  the  mercury  rises  a  mark  you  read  30  00  ;  if 
it  rise  another  mark  30  01  ;  if  it  rise  ten  marks  above  30  it  will  be 
30TO.  As  to  the  rain  gauge,  when  you  had  half  an  inch  of  rain  on  the 
day  named  it  would  have  been  correctly  recorded  as  1  50.  If  you  have 
only  one-tenth  it  should  be  entered  OO'IO  ;  if  an  inch  and  two-tenths 
1  02  ;  if  an  inch  and  nine-tenths  1  90.  All  will  be  clear  if  you  adhere 
to  this  method  and  let  the  other  scale  alone.  It  does  not  apply  in  your 
case,  100  parts  on  your  scale  representing  1  inch.  If  you  do  not  under¬ 
stand  the  matter  now  write  again. 
IVKushrooms  for  Profit  (IF.  E.  6'.).— Full  crops  of  Muihrooms 
are  still  as  profitable  as  any  other  crop  that  can  be  grown  and  sold 
from  the  month  of  October  till  the  middle  or  end  of  June,  and  more 
remunerative  than  most  crops  are;  but  half  crops  of  Mushrooms  are 
not,  and  quarter  crops  over  any  great  extent  of  beds  and  ridges  involve 
serious  loss.  We  should  not  like  to  advise  any  person  without  practical 
experience  to  invest  largely  in  Mushroom  culture  who  cannot  afford  to 
purchase  his  experience  by  early  losses,  unless  we  had  the  assurance  of 
his  employing  a  man  of  proved  competency  in  the  work.  The  best  soil 
for  casing  Mushroom  beds  is  sound  loam,  such  as  a  gardener  would  like 
for  growing  Chrysanthemums  in.  With  an  acre  of  such  land  a  first-rate 
Mushroom  grower  could  do  much  more  than  make  a  “livelihood," 
always  provided  that  he  was  in  proximity  to  an  adequate  supply 
of  manure  from  stables  in  which  horses  are  fed  on  dry  food.  The  three 
essentials  for  success  are  (1)  a  good,  certain,  and  cheap  manure  supply  ; 
(2)  good  soil ;  (3)  special  knowledge  of  the  work.  Bead  carefully  every 
line  of  the  last  edition  of  “  Mushrooms  for  the  Million,”  Is.  2d.  post 
free  from  this  office,  and  then  if  you  require  any  further  information 
write  again. 
Chrysantbemums  (/.  T.  .S'.).— Select  the  first  btid  formed  by 
Major  Bonaffon  after  the  stopping,  if  this  does  not  take  place  until  the 
end  of  the  second  week  in  August ;  if  the  bud  form  earlier  take  the 
second.  Stop  Mis.  C,  Blick  during  the  first  week  in  April.  Prom  the 
new  shoots  resulting  select  the  number  you  require  blooms  of  (three), 
one  on  each  shoot.  After  the  stopping  no  more  interference  must  take 
place  with  the  shoots  ;  simply  allow  them  to  grow  uninterruptedly  until 
the  flower  buds  form. 
Caustic  Soda  Solution  (^Southern  Gardener). — There  is  no 
difference  between  Coates’  solution  of  caustic  soda  and  commercial 
potash  and  ordinary  caustic  soda  and  pearlash  solution,  only  Mr. 
L.  Coates  advised  caustic  soda,  98  per  cent,  purity,  and  ordinary  caustic 
soda  may  not  be  65  per  cent.  We  put  in  the  prefix  Coates  so  as  to  credit 
Mr.  L.  Coates  with  the  first  making  public  of  the  excellent  winter  wash 
for  fruit  trees  in  the  Journal  (f  Horticulture,  as  it  is  frequently  referred 
to  without  any  acknowledgement  of  the  source  whence  it  is  derived. 
White,  Vellow,  Red,  and  Pink  Chrysanthemums  for  Deco¬ 
ration  (A  Life  Header). — We  have  consulted  Mr.  E.  Molyneux  on 
this  subject,  and  he  truly  states  that  the  “best”  varieties  of  any  colour 
are  those  which  give  the  most  aatisfaction  to  those  for  whom  they  are 
grown,  individual  tastes  varying  in  this  matter,  as  in  food,  very  consider¬ 
ably.  Some  persons  prefer  one  form  of  flower,  some  another.  The 
following  varieties  are  all  good,  and  a  choice  can  be  made  from  them. 
Among  whites,  Lady  Selborne,  Elaine,  Mdlle.  Lacroix,  and  Swanley 
White  are  good  early  flowering  varieties  ;  Niveus,  Mdlle.  Thdr^ie  Bey, 
Lady  Lawrence  and  L.  Canning  giving  later  blooms.  Amongst 
yellows.  Byecroft  Yellow  (very  free).  Sunflower,  Peter  the  Great,  and 
W.  H.  Lincoln  are  recommended  ;  while  Wm.  Holmes,  Boi  des  Prdcoces 
(free),  Simon  Delaux,  Edwin  Molyneux,  and  Charles  Shrimpton  give 
reddish  flowers  in  abundance.  Pure  binks  for  the  purpose  are  scarce. 
Varieties  possessing  shades  of  pink  are  Viviand  Morel,  W.  Tricker,  Etoile 
de  Lyon,  Bouquet  Fait,  Baron  de  Prailley,  Boseum  Superbum,  and  La 
Nymphe.  Yellow  Jane,  Admiral  Sir  T.  Symonds,  and  Golden  Star  are 
good  yellow  flowering  single  Chrysanthemums.  In  all  cases  the  varieties 
are  placed  somewhat  in  their  order  of  flowering.  We  cannot  at  prese'nt 
say  exactly  when  the  analysis  will  be  ready. 
Caustic  Soda  and  Potash  Solution  for  Winter  Washing 
Prult  Trees  (IF.  H.  Y.). — Caustic  soda  alone  will  not  do  as  well  as 
caustic  soda  and  potash  for  making  the  solution  advised  for  destroying 
hibernating  insects,  eggs,  lichens,  and  moss  on  fruit  trees.  Of  course 
you  want  to  know  why,  and  we  may  tell  you  that  the  two  chemists  who 
told  you  “  that  the  action  of  both  is  the  same  ’’  knew  nothing  of  the 
respective  substances’  effect  on  vegetation,  nor  even  of  their  principles 
in  either  action  or  reaction.  Soda  is  hardening,  and  the  soap  manu¬ 
facturers  use  it  for  making  “  hard  ’’  soap.  Potash  is  softening,  and  with 
it  is  prepared  “  soft  ’’  soap.  Caustic  soda  is  a  powerful  caustic,  greyish 
white,  solid,  which  if  exposed  to  the  air  rapidly  absorbs  water,  becoming 
liquid  ;  if  it  falls  on  the  bare  skin  it  is  apt  to  produce  painful  sores,  and 
to  corrode  vegetable  and  animal  substances.  It  hardens  the  bark  of 
trees,  kills  or  irjures  it,  causing  cracks.  Potash  also  is  a  corrosive 
deliquescent  salt,  and  it  is  this  deliquesceacy  that  renders  it  so  valuable 
for  use  with  the  csustic  soda,  as  it  keeps  this  from  harlening  so  quickly 
as  to  injure  the  bark,  besides  causing  it  to  act  longer  on  the  insects. 
That  is  the  reason  why  caustic  soda  and  commercial  potash  are  used 
together.  If  we  remember  rightly,  caustic  soda,  93  per  cert.,  is  Is. 
per  lb  ,  and  commercial  potash  (carbonate  of  potash  or  pearlash)  4:d.  to 
6d,  per  lb.  The  solution  must  not  be  used  hotter  than  130°  generally. 
Bro-nrn  Spots  on  KTew  Hawthornden  Apple  (^Head  Gardener). 
— The  small  brown  specks  are  undeveloped  pycnidia  of  brown  rot  fungus 
(Gloeosporium  fructigenum),  which  frequently  causes  Apples  and  Pears 
to  become  brown  prematurely,  and  that  very  suddenly.  For  what 
reason  the  “rot”  has  remained  undeveloped  we  do  not  know,  it  not  at 
present  being  more  than  skin  deep,  and  the  threads,  so  far  as  we  csn 
discover,  not  permeated  the  flesh.  The  brown  streaks  and  depressed 
brown  spots  of  the  skin  are  not  caused  by  the  fungus,  but  by  the  Apple 
miner  (Trypeta  pomonella),  a  near  relative  of  the  Ohrysanthemum  leaf 
miner  (T.  artemism).  It  is  sometimes  called  the  Apple  maggot  in 
contradistinction  to  the  codlin  moth  (Carpocapsa  pomonella)  cater¬ 
pillar,  the  latter  of  which  confines  its  attentions  chiefly  to  the  core  of 
the  affected  fruit,  feeding  chiefly  on  the  pips.  The  Apple  maggot  feeds 
just  beneath  the  skin  of  the  fruit,  burrowing  in  the  flesh  in  all  direc¬ 
tions,  and  leaving  behind  irregular  brown  marks;  and  the  worst  thing 
about  it  is  that  of  the  parent  insect  selecting  the  finest  fruit  for  egg- 
laying,  and  always  the  soft-fleshed  varieties.  The  adult  of  the  Apple 
maggot  is  a  dipterous  or  two-winged  fly,  very  small,  black,  but  appear¬ 
ing  grey  from  the  hairs  clothing  the  fore  parts  of  the  body.  It  appears 
at  the  early  part  of  summer,  and  after  pairing  the  female  deposits  eggs 
(there  appears  to  have  been  but  one  maggot  in  your  fruit,  at  least  we 
only  observed  one  hole  through  which  it  had  escaped  from  the  fruit)  in 
the  partially  grown  Apples.  These  eggs  are  inserted,  one  in  a  place, 
just  through  the  skin  of  the  Apple,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  days  they 
hatch  into  maggots,  very  small  and  legless,  yet  they  force  their  way 
through  the  pulp,  forming  tunnels  in  all  directions,  and  become  full- 
grown  in  five  or  six  weeks,  when  they  are  whitish  with  a  dark  coloured 
head,  and  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  long.  They  then  leave  the  fruit 
and  go  into  the  soil,  seldom  more  than  an  inch,  and  change  into  pupa 
of  a  dark  brown  colour.  In  this  stage  they  remain  until  the  following 
summer,  and  then  appear  as  flies  again.  This  insect  has  been  much  on 
the  increase  of  late  years,  and  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  to  contend 
with  without  destroying  the  affected  fruit,  which  to  be  of  service  must 
be  while  the  maggots  are  therein.  It  cannot  be  destroyed  by  spraying 
with  a  poisonous  substance  or  petroleum  emulsion.  The  only  thing 
