July's,  l8»i 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
discolonrijd,  and  good  *ection?  will  soon  deteriorate  in  appearance, 
and  will  be  classed  as  second  rate,  whereas  through  judicious 
management  they  would  have  been  of  superior  quality. 
If  a  second  crate  of  sections  has  been  placed  under  those  that 
were  partly  sealed  over,  the  latter  will  now  be  ready  for  removal 
from  the  hive.  If  a  carbolic  cloth  is  laid  over  the  top  of  sections 
for  a  few  minutes  the  bees  will  beat  a  retreat  down  into  the  brood 
nest.  The  sections  may  then  be  lifted  out,  and  any  stray  bees 
remaining  brushed  off  with  a  feather.  Any  sections  not  properly 
sealed  over  may  be  replaced  in  the  crate  again,  and  the  empty 
spaces  filled  with  the  more  forward  s  ctions  from  the  lower  crate, 
and  the  latter  again  filled  with  empty  sections. 
The  two  crates  are  then  placed  as  before,  and  should  the 
weather  be  favourable  and  honey  plentiful  they  will  probably  be 
filled  before  the  end  of  the  season,  as  bees  do  not  remain  idle  in 
their  hives  during  dull  weather,  but,  as  is  shown  in  the  case  of 
sections  of  comb  honey,  they  remove  the  honey  from  the  cells 
where  it  is  not  required,  placing  it  in  the  section,  and  sealing  it 
over  ;  they  have  then  space  at  liberty  to  store  a  surplus  when  a 
favourable  change  in  the  weather  comes. 
Extracting  Honey. 
Working  for  extracted  honey  requires  similar  methods  in  the 
early  stages  to  that  for  comb  honey  ;  afterwards  it  is  somewhat 
different.  If  the  full  frames  are  left  in  the  hive  until  they  are 
quite  sealed  over,  unless  an  extra  storey  were  placed  on  the  hive  as 
in  the  case  of  sections,  much  valuable  time  would  be  lost,  and  in 
all  probability  the  bees  would  swarm,  and  that,  too,  just  at  a  time 
when  they  are  most  required  as  workers  in  storing  a  surplus.  It  is 
not  necessary  for  the  combs  to  be  fully  sealed  over  when  required 
for  extracting  purposes  ;  all  that  is  needed  is  that  the  honey  be 
thoroughly  ripe,  and  it  is  usually  so  when  the  frame  is  about  half 
sealed  over.  A  little  practice  will  enable  the  bee-keeper  to  know 
when  it  is  in  a  fit  state  for  extracting.  If  the  honey  is  unripe  it 
will  ferment  and  be  useless,  and  if  placed  on  the  market  even 
before  it  shows  sign  of  fermentation  it  will  give  the  bee-keeper  an 
unenviable  repute,  and  he  will  afterwards  have  adiffiaulty  in  finding 
a  market  for  his  produce. 
If  fermented  honey  is  fed  back  to  the  bees  it  will  often  cause 
dysentery,  so  it  is  worse  than  useless,  and  bee-keepers  have  only 
themselves  to  blame  if  their  honey  is  not  of  the  first  quality.  Of 
course,  one  cannot  always  command  honey  in  all  seasons  of  the 
quality  of  that  obtained  from  White  Clover,  as  it  varies  consider¬ 
ably  from  the  different  varieties  of  flowers,  but  each  should  be 
obtained  in  perfect  condition.  Honey  should  always  be  extracted 
early  in  the  morning,  so  that  all  has  had  the  advantage  of  being 
at  least  a  few  hours  in  the  high  temperature  of  the  hive. — 
An  English  Bee  keeper. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editor,'’  8,  Rose  Hill 
Road,  Wandsworth,  London,  S.  IT.  It  is  requested  that  no 
one  will  write  privately  to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking 
information  on  matters  diecussed  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. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  oh  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,  as  a  rule,  reply  to  questions  through 
the  post,  and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  communications 
which,  for  any  reason,  cannot  be  inserted. 
Fine  Strawberries  (^G.  R.  Allis'). — We  are  much  obliged  by  the 
fine  specimens  of  Leader  and  Monarch,  and  note  that  the  first  named 
ripened  with  you  on  the  same  date  ai  Royal  Sovereign — June  14th.  We 
agree  with  you  that  Ganton  Park  is  a  good  firm  Strawberry,  and  travels 
well.  Your  expresiions  of  approval  ot  our  extra  number  in  honour  of  the 
Queen  are  appreciated.  We  have  never  published  an  issue  that  has  met 
with  such  a  welcome  acceptance. 
Roses  for  Fown  Oardens  (i^.  W.), — Ou  page  23  you  will  find 
an  excellent  article  that  will  be  of  more  service  to  you  than  the  brief 
reply  that  could  be  given  in  this  column. 
Mustard  and  Cress  B.  and  T.  C.).— ‘The  number  containing 
the  article  you  require  has  been  out  of  print  for  some  time.  We  propose, 
however,  to  republish  the  notes,  as  we  feel  sure  they  will  be  of  assistance 
to  others  as  well  as  you. 
Cheap  Work  on  Greenhouse  Management  (3/.  B). — We 
know  of  no  work  in  which  so  mmch  sound  information  is  given  for  a 
shilling  as  in  the  Primer  on  “  Greenhouse  and  Window  Plants,”  by  the 
late  Mr.  Charles  Collins,  and  published  by  Messrs.  Macmillan  &  Co.  It 
can  be  obtained  through  a  boikseller.  Sjme  plants  are  more  fully 
treated  in  the  Garden  Manual  (which  also  treats  on  fruit  and  vege¬ 
tables),  and  can  be  obtained  post  free  from  the  publisher,  171,  Fleet 
Street,  for  Is.  91.  It  is  one  of  the  cheapest  works  on  gardening  extant, 
and  has  had  a  very  large  sale. 
Strawberries  Diseased  (/.  IF.). — The  berries  and  flower  scapes 
are  overrun  by  a  mould,  sometimes  referred  to  as  Botrytis  vulgaris — a 
common  mould  on  decayed  fruit  and  other  dead  vegetable  matter,  but 
the  web-like  and  felted  mycelium  is  that  of  Botrytis  cinerea,  var. 
sclerotiophila,  Saco.,  and  the  “  fruits  ”  it  bears  very  sparingly  the 
conidial  condition  of  the  Potato,  Tomato,  Carrot  and  Parsnip  smother 
fungus,  Sclerotinia  sclerotiorum,  3Iass,  The  fungus  produces  small 
black  bodies  (sclerotia),  and  these  pass  the  parasite  over  the  winter, 
whence  spring  the  conidial  condition  again,  and  infest  the  parts  of 
plants  already  decayed  or  in  a  weakened  epidermal  condition  from 
excess  moisture  acting  on  parts  containing  a  large  amount  of  watery  or 
nitrogenous  matter.  We  can  advise  nothing  but  cutting  of  the  older 
leaves  with  the  diseased  trusses,  burning  them,  and  dressing  the  plants 
with  basic  slag  phosphate,  7  lbs.  per  rod,  after  clearing  away  the  weeds 
and  rubbish.  In  the  autumn  apply  kainit,  3i  lbs.  per  rod,  and  supply 
the  dressing  of  manure  then,  if  any  be  applied,  or  point  the  kaiuit  in 
lightly.  In  ths  spring  uie  bone  superphosphate,  lb.  per  rod,  mixed 
with  three-quarter  lb.  nitrate  of  soda,  following  when  the  plants  are 
showing  flower,  with  another  application  of  nitrate  of  soda,  crushed 
fine,  and  kept  off  the  plants,  three-quarter  lb.  per  rod.  Apply  the 
litter  for  keeping  the  fruit  clean  then,  so  that  it  may  get  washed  and 
be  sweet.  We  have  found  this  procedure  very  effectual  against  fungi, 
but  the  greatest  care  should  be  taken  not  to  damage  the  fruit,  and  all 
mouldy  ones  should  be  cleared  away  and  burned,  for  it  really  is  in  these 
that  the  fungi  first  find  a  nidus,  and  then  spread  to  sound  fruits, 
especially  if  the  weather  prove  damp.  We  have  also  found  great 
benefit  from  dusting  the  plants  by  meaus  of  bellows  apparatus  just 
before  they  come  into  flower,  with  a  preparation  of  lime  and  sulphate  of 
copper,  such  as  anti-blight  or  fostite.  Tfle  fungicide  must  not  be  applied 
later,  or  there  is  danger  of  its  remaining  on  the  berries  to  the  prejudice 
of  their  use — that  is,  injury  to  the  health  of  those  eating  them.  To 
guard  against  this  we  have  used  a  mixture  of  air-slaked  chalk  lime  with 
one-tenth  of  flowers  of  sulphur  aga  nst  these  forms  of  mould,  applying 
by  means  of  a  bellows  apparatus  just  before  the  plants  come  into  flower, 
and  again  directly  the  first  fruits  were  set. 
Melon  Fermenting-  (A.  A.). — The  very  fine  solid  fruit  has  the  flesh 
permeated  by  the  mycelial  hypbm  of  a  fungus,  which  may  be  readily 
seen  with  the  suckers  (haustoria)  in  the  cells.  It  is  Gloeosporium  fructi- 
genum,  commonly  called  ripe  rot  or  bitter  rot,  as  the  mischief  does  not 
appear  generally  till  the  fruit  is  nearly  mature,  imparting  to  it  a  bitter 
flavour.  We  have  often  found  this  disease  in  Melons,  usually  attacking 
the  white-fleshed  varieties,  Colston  Bassett  being  liable  to  it,  as  are  also 
the  highly  flavoured  green-flesh,  such  as  Exquisite.  But  it  attacks  all 
varieties  more  or  less  at  times,  and  almost  invariably  the  hard-rinded, 
very  solid-fleshed  fruits.  There  are  no  “fruits”  of  the  fungus,  but,  if 
you  like  to  keep  a  Melon  for  the  purpose,  they  will  ultimately  appear, 
and  you  may  see  small  black  pustules,  which  contain  the  fructifying 
bodies,  these  bursting  through  the  apex  and  liberating  the  spores. 
The  fungus  germ-tube  appears  to  enter  the  fruit  at  the  blossom  end, 
but  when  we  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  ;  but  the  injury  does  not 
become  apparent  until  the  fruit  changes  for  ripening,  when  that  process, 
instead  of  proceeding,  seems  to  be  retarded,  the  flesh  decaying  from  the 
inside.  Sometimes,  however,  the  fruit  decays  externally  from  a  central 
spot,  and  this  spreads  till  the  fruit  is  ruined.  The  most  common  cause 
of  its  prevalence  in  Melons  is  high  concentration  of  the  juices  in  the 
earlier  stages  of  swelling.  It  is  incited  by  a  deficiency  of  water  then, 
and  later  on  supplying  too  plentiful  supplies  with  too  much  atmospheric 
moisture  or  not  enough  a*r  to  allow  of  effective  evaporation.  By  cause 
we  mean  cultural,  for  the  fungus  is  really  the  sole  cause,  and  it  gets  its 
chance  as  the  fruit  becomes  somewhat  soft  at  the  bloasom  end,  the  rind 
being  thinnest,  hence  the  germ-tube  finds  entrance,  and  the  mycelium 
spreads  "  fast  and  furious  ”  in  the  tis;U3S.  There  is  really  no  remedy, 
for  the  mischief  is  done  before  it  is  discovered,  and  we  know  of  nothing 
better  than  using  lime  with  the  soil,  and  feeding  with  bone  super¬ 
phosphate,  nitrate  of  potash,  and  sulphate  of  magnesia,  in  mixture, 
six,  three,  and  one  part- respectively,  2  to  4  ozs.  per  square  yard.  By 
attending  to  free  growth  in  the  early  stages,  with  drier  conditions  later 
on — say,  from  netting,  not  parching  at  the  roots,  the  fungus  has  a  very 
poor  chance,  at  least,  such  has  been  our  experience.  Burn  affected 
fruits,  clear  out  and  thoroughly  cleanse  the  structure,  ns'ng  a  little 
sulphur  in  the  whitewash  for  the  walls,  about  a  handful  to  a  pailful.  A 
light  brushing  over  of  the  hot-water  pipes  with  a  cream  of  sulphur  and 
skim  milk  is  useful  against  the  fungus,  as  the  fumes  kill  the  germ-tubes 
of  the  spores. 
