182 
JOURNAL  OP  trOUTlGULTURP  ANT)  OOTTAGP  GAkDPNPn. 
August  1§,  1897. 
trees,  and  which  is  always  worse  after  a  few  weeks  of  dry  weather. 
Bee-keepers  will  now  have  removed  the  surplus  from  their  hives, 
so  no  harm  will  be  done  in  spoiling  a  good  sample  of  honey, 
which  it  would  do  quickly.  There  is  no  means  of  preventing 
the  bees  from  carrying  this  secretion  into  their  hives,  but  if 
stored  in  large  quantities  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  will  often 
cause  dysentery. 
Breeding  Bees  in  the  Autumn. 
Bcei  that  are  properly  attended  to  will  derive  much  beneht  from 
the  continued  fine  weather,  as  they  are  well  supplied  with  stores 
for  their  present  requirements.  This  will  have  the  effect  of 
keeping  the  queen  laying  throughout  the  autumn,  or  as  long  as 
the  fine  weather  lasts.  It  is  well  for  bee-keepers  to  bear  in  mind 
that  the  bees  hatched  now  and  onwards  for  the  next  two  months 
are  the  worker  bees  that  will  be  alive  and  doing  the  work  of  the 
hive  next  spring  —  not  the  bees  that  have  been  hard  at  work 
for  the  past  six  or  eight  weeks,  and  are  now  worn  out.  These 
may  be  found  trawling  in  all  directions  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  hives,  unable  to  rise  on  the  wing,  and  so  become  a  prey  to  the 
birds  and  tcads  and  other  enemies.  It  is  easy  to  detect  the  old 
worn-out  bets  by  their  bright  and  polished  appearance,  and  if 
steps  are  not  taken  to  provide  numerous  young  ones  to  take  their 
place,  a  colony  composed  chiefly  of  old  bees  must  end  in  disaster. 
Owing  to  the  excessively  wet  weather  experienced  last  autumn 
very  few  young  bees  were  hatched,  as  the  queens  stopped  laying 
earlier  than  usual.  The  result  was  stocks  gradually  dwindled. 
The  consequence  was  more  dead  stocks  were  chronicled  last  spring 
than  has  been  the  case  for  many  years  past.  From  observations 
made  in  years  past  I  have  always  found  the  bees  came  out  stronger 
in  the  spring  after  a  fine  dry  autumn  than  a  wet  one,  the  winter 
being  only  a  secondary  consideration,  as  it  is  not  the  cold  that  kills 
the  bees.  If  a  stock  is  examined  that  has  succumbed  it  will  often 
be  found  to  have  been  headed  by  an  old  queen,  or  the  hive  was 
damp,  or  insufficiency  of  stores  was  the  cause  of  the  disaster. 
Whether  bee-keepers  use  large  or  small  hives  they  should  bear 
in  mind  that  colonies  headed  by  young  fertile  queens,  surrounded 
by  numerous  young  bees,  and  well  provided  with  stores  in  a  damp- 
proof  hive,  is  the  most  favourable  condition  for  them  to  be  in  at 
this  season. 
Drones  still  in  Hives. 
When  drones  are  observed  in  hives  at  this  date  it  is  a  pretty 
sure  sign  that  the  stock  is  qneenless,  or  that  something  is  wrong 
with  the  queen,  either  from  age  or  infirmity.  When  this  is  the 
case,  steps  should  at  once  be  taken  to  examine  the  stock,  and  if 
found  to  be  queenleis  unite  the  bees  to  another  colony,  according 
to  instructions  given  in  previous  notes.  It  is  too  late  to  rear 
young  queens  after  this  date — not  that  it  is  impossible,  but  there 
are  so  many  chances  against  their  doing  well  that  it  is  much  better 
to  err  on  the  side  of  safety,  and  unite  the  bees  ;  or  if  it  is  a  strong 
stock  it  may  be  requeened.  Queens  may  be  oHen  obtained  from 
driven  stocks  or  other  sources.  A  strong  healthy  colony  which  is 
headed  by  a  prolific  queen  invariably  kills  the  drones  directly 
the  honey  flow  is  over. 
If  on  examining  a  stock  containing  drones  a  queen  is  found 
and  only  a  few  eggs  are  being  laid,  if  her  wings  are  ragged  and  she 
is  slow  in  her  movements,  she  is  an  old  queen,  and  should  be  super¬ 
seded.  When  experimenting  with  queens  of  three  or  more  years 
old  I  often  found  the  worn  out  queen  in  the  hive  where  drones 
were  observed  late  in  the  autumn.  I  now  rarely  keep  a  queen  more 
than  two  years,  as  the  extra  labour  entailed  in  rearing  young  queens 
is  well  repaid  ;  but  it  is  as  well  to  look  on  a  hive  containing  drones 
at  this  season  with  suspicion.— An  English  Bee-keeper. 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
J.  Carter  &  Co.,  High  Holboin. — Bulbs. 
W.  Clibran  &  Sons,  Altrincham. — Bulbs. 
Dickson,  Brown,  &  Tait,  Corporation  Street,  Manchester. — Bulbs. 
Dickson  &  Co.,  Waterloo  Place.  Edinburgh. — Bulls. 
Dicksons,  Ltd.,  Chester. — Bulbs.  Roses. 
E.  P.  Dixon  &  Sons,  Hull. — Bulbs. 
W.  Paul  &  Son,  Waltham  Cross. — Bulbs  and  Plants. 
J.  Peed  &  Sons,  West  Norwood. — Bulbs. 
Vilmorin,  Andrieux,  et  Cie.,  4,  Quai  de  la  Megisserie,  Paris.— 
Messrs.  Clay  &  Son. — We  have  received  a  notification  stating 
that  the  partnership  heretofore  subiistiug  between  Mr.  Samuel  Clay  and 
Mr.  Samuel  Charles  Clay,  at  Temple  Mill  Lane,  Stratford,  as  artificial 
manure  manufacturers,  bone  crushers,  &c.,  under  the  style  or  firm  of 
Clay  &  Son,  has  been  dissolved  as  from  the  thirtieth  day  of  November, 
18D(5,  by  mutual  consent.  All  debts  from  or  due  to  the  late  firm  will 
be  discharged  or  received  by  Mr.  Samuel  Charles  Clay,  who  for  the 
future  will  carry  on  the  business  on  his  own  account  without  alteration 
in  the  title. 
•jj'*  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editor,'’  S,  Rose  Hill 
Road,  Wandsworth,  London,  jS.IT.  It  is  requested  that  no 
one  will  write  privately  to  any  of  our  correspondents,  leeking 
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  obtain  it  by  the  Editor. 
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,  as  a  rule,  reply  to  questions  through 
the  post,  and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  communications 
which,  for  any  reason,  cannot  be  inserted. 
Couplet  (^Loveleia). — We  find  you  have  not  given  the  couplet  quite 
correctly,  as  tie-second  line  should  read,  “  Makes  a  barn  fat  and  findy.” 
From  this  it  may  be  inferred  that  a  cold  and  windy  May  will  bring  a  full 
harvest.  Whether  this  is  borne  out  over  a  long  series  of  years  can  only 
be  ascertained  by  examination  of  the  meteorological  records,  and  the 
agricsltural  returns.  We  cannot  inform  yon  as  to  the  origin  of  the 
saying,  with  which  we  were  not  previously  to  your  letter  familiar. 
Colouring  Gros  Colman  Grapes  {Cross'). — The  Grapes  will  not 
colour  so  well  without  any  heat  in  the  pipes  as  with  slight  warmth  in 
them,  causing  a  gentle  movement  of  the  atmosphere,  with  sufficient 
warmth,  to  keep  moisture  from  being  deposited  on  the  berries,  and 
that,  moreover,  may  save  them  from  cracking  and  fungoid  attacks. 
At  night  a  temperature  of  00°  to  65°  is  necessary,  and  70°  to  75°  by  day, 
with  the  usual  rise  of  10°  to  15°  from  sun  heat.  Air  is  a  most  important 
factor,  with  comparative  coolness  at  night,  especially  when  the  Vines 
are  heavily  cropped.  Sound  health  tells  most,  with  judicious  feeding, 
and  too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  on  keeping  the  Vines  free  from  red 
spider  and  tbrips. 
Cow  and  Horse  Manure  for  Cucumbers  {C.). — Horse 
manure  is  what  is  termed  hot,  cow  manure  cool,  hence  some  cultivators 
prefer  the  former  for  strong  and  the  latter  for  light  soils.  We  prefer 
both  together  in  farmyard  manure,  and  in  mixture  about  equal.  There 
is  little  difference  as  regards  “clubbing,”  but  the  cow  manure  containing 
more  lime  and  less  nitrogen  is  considered  the  least  liable  to  favour 
eelworm  in  the  soil.  By  mixing  the  two  there  is  a  better  blend.  We 
should  mix  the  manure  with  the  loam  in  the  spring,  having  it  in  a 
thoroughly  decayed  state,  and  stack  the  loam  with  about  2^  per  cent,  of 
best  freshly  burned  chalk  lime  and  a  sprinkling  of  kainit  along  with  it, 
using  about  7  lbs.  per  cubic  yard. 
Orange  Tree  Infested  with  Scale  {T.  C.'  5.).— The  plant  is 
infested  with  the  scale  insect  (Leesnium  hesperidium),  and  the  sticky 
matter  is  its  filth,  which  attracts  ants.  One  of  the  best  meins  of  destroying 
the  scale  is  to  wash  the  tree  with  a  solution  formed  as  follows  : — Dissolve 
6  ozs.  of  Eoftsoap  in  a  quart  of  water  by  boiling,  remove  from  the  fire 
heal,  and  at  once  add  a  wineglassful  of  petroleum.  Stir  briskly  with  a 
switch  or  egg-whinoer  till  thoroughly  amalgamated,  and  place  in  a 
bottle  or  bottles.  When  required  for  use,  shake  well  and  add  half  a 
pint  to  half  a  gallon  of  water,  and  with  that  solution,  using  hot  water, 
sponge  the  plant  everywhere,  when  the  solution  is  cooled  to  100°.  After 
sponging  syringe  with  clear  tepid  water.  The  plant  will  require  such 
treatment  occasionally,  es  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  grow  Oranges  without 
scale. 
Diseased  Outdoor  Grapes  {Griffin),  —  The  Grapes  seat  for 
examination  are  severely  affected  by  the  so-called  Vine  mildew,  an 
epiphytic  fungus,  named  Oidium  Tuckeri,  very  common  in  dry  seasons 
on.  Ranunculus  acris  and  R.  repens,  also  second  crop  Clover  in  late 
summer.  The  active  stage  of  the  parasite  succumbs  readily  to 
sulphur.  The  first  application  should  be  made  fen  or  twelve  dajs 
before  the  flowers  open,  the  second  when  in  full  bloom,  and  a  third 
a  fortnight  or  three  weeks  later.  If  the  ditease  does  not  seem  to 
be  entirely  subdued,  another  dressing  may  be  applied  about  a 
fortnight  after  the  third  application.  As  regards  the  disease  spreading 
to  Vines  near  it,  it  is  only  a  question  of  spores  and  moisture  on 
the  foliage,  fruit,  or  shoots.  The  diseased  Vine  will  furnish  the  spores. 
Neither  sulphur  nor  anything  else  can  repair  seriously  affected  berries 
such  as  yours,  but  it  may  prevent  the  distribution  of  spores,  especially 
if  the  sulphur  is  used  when  the  sun  shines  powerfully  on  the  Vine. 
By  no  means  destroy  the  Vine.  The  procedure  advised  is  founded  on 
successful  practice,  and  we  have  seen  equally  good  results  follow  the 
timely  application  of  anti-blight  in  the  case  of  Vines  which  were  for 
years  white  as  millerp,  but  now  free  from  any  speck  of  mildew. 
