374 
JOURNAL  OP  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  14,  1897. 
carry  it  down  into  the  brood  chamber,  and  the  bee-keeper  will  be 
spared  the  trouble  of  removing  it.  But  I  do  not  recommend  this 
plan,  as  J  have  found  the  bees  invariably  do  much  better  when  the 
supers  are  removed  after  the  honey  ilow  is  over,  and  all  necessary 
feeding -done  at  once.  It  is  not  advisable  to  store  sections  having 
unsealed  honey  in  them  with  a  view  to  using  them  another  season,  as 
the  honey  being  unripe  would  ferment,  and  instead  being  a  help  to  the 
bees  would  only  prove  a  liindrance,  as  they  would  remove  it  before 
placing  new  honey  in  the  cells. 
After  the  sections  have  been  passed  through  the  extractor  they 
may  be  jalaced  on  the  top  of  a  colony  to  be  cleaned  of  any  honey 
adhering  to  the  combs.  If  the  sections  only  contain  a  small  quantity 
the  bees  would  clean  them  out  without  the  trouble  of  placing  them 
in  the  extractor.  If  this  is  done  evening  is  the  best  time  for  the 
operation,  as  they  will  be  quite  dry  the  following  morning  and  in  good 
condition  for  storing. 
Eeddction  of  Entrances. 
It  will  be  an  advantage  to  keep  the  entrance  to  all  the  hives 
reduced  for  a  few  weeks  longer,  an  inch  will  be  quite  sufficient  at  this 
season.  Owing  to  taking  this  precaution  in  August  no  robbing  has 
taken  place  ;  wasps,  though,  are  ever  on  the  alert,  and  the  fine  weather 
experienced  during  the  past  six  weeks  has  had  the  effect  of  causing  a 
great  increase  in  these  pests.  Early  in  the  season  few  wasps  were 
visible,  but  latterly  they  have  increased  at  a  rapid  rate.  If  wasps  once 
gain  an  entrance  to  a  colony  of  bees  they  will  soon  rob  them  of  their 
stores.  By  reducing  the  entrance  to  the  hives  the  inmates  have  a 
much  better  chance  of  keeping  intruders  out  than  if  it  were  the  full 
width.  The  nights  are  now  much  cooler;  frosts  may  be  expected  at 
any  time,  and  with  the  advent  of  frost  stocks  of  bees  will  not  be 
much  troubled  with  wasps. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editor,”  8,  Rose  Hill  Road, 
Wandsworth,  Xondon,  S.W.,  and  HOT  to  Fleet  Street.  It 
is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately  to  any  of  our  corre¬ 
spondents,  seeking  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;  and 
the  name  and  address  of  each  writer  must  be  known  by  the 
Editor,  though  not  necessarily  for  insertion.  We  cannot,  as  a 
rule,  rejily  to  questions  through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  under¬ 
take  to  return  communications  which,  for  any  reason,  cannot 
be  inserted. 
Bothy  Customs  (Foway  Gardener). — According  to  your  narrative  jmu 
appear  to  be  always  on  duty.  That  is  one  extreme  ;  the  other  is  never 
on  duty — men  out  of  situations.  Reason,  mutual  comfort,  and  prosperity 
are  to  be  found  between  those  two  extremes.  Your  letter  shall  have 
further  attention. 
Chrysanthemum  Sport  {A.  Robertson). — The  sport  from  C.  G.  Wermig 
is  a  flower  of  much  beauty,  and  we  think  distinct  from  any  at  present 
in  commerce.  The  florets  in  Mrs.  Hawkins  and  Mrs.  Burrell  are  pointed, 
while  in  your  flower  they  are  round  ended  and  of  considerable  breadth. 
^^’’e  think  the  variety  is  a  promising  one,  and  recommend  you  to  submit 
flowers  to  some  trade  grower  and  get  his  opinion  thereon. 
Chrysanthemum  Disease  {A.  A.). —Your  plants  appear  to  be  attacked 
by  a  fungus  said  to  be  new  to  the  Chrysanthemum,  and  first  referred  to  in 
the  Journal  of  Ilorticulturehy  ilr.  Abbey.  It  is  a  serious  affection.  Syringe 
at  once  with  sulphide  of  potassium,  half  an  ounce  to  a  gallon  of  water, 
laying  the  plants  on  their  sides,  so  as  to  get  at  the  spores,  taking  the 
plants  outside,  as  the  suliihide  smells  badly  and  discolours  paint  ;  or  use 
permanganate  of  potassium,  1  oz.  to  3  gallons  of  water.  This  will  not 
hurt  anything  but  the  fungus,  though  it  will  dye  the  flowers  its  own 
colour,  or  stain  them.  Anti-blight  powders  applied  early  act  as  preventives. 
Mr.  Abbey  will  probably  have  something  more  to  say  on  this  great  scourge 
in  due  time. 
Chrysanthemum  “Crown  of  Thoms”  (A.  Brown). — Presumably  the 
variety  is  Madame  Carnot,  which  is  addicted  to  the  production  of  extra 
growth  shoots  in  the  place  of  developing  flower  buds  when  the  plants  are 
immature  and  the  buds  “  taken  ”  too  early.  The  latter  in  the  case  of  this 
variety  would  be  so.  Hence  the  growth  formation  instead  of  bud  swelling. 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society— Buies  for  Judging  (IF.  (?.).— For 
the  catalogue  of  the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society  you  should  write 
to  jMr.  R.  Dean,  Ranelagh  Road,  Ealing.  The  judging  code  is  published 
by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  and  if  you  send  Is.  Id.  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  R.H.S.,  117,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  it  will  be  forwarded  to 
you  post  free. 
Scots  Fir  Shoot  Bored  by  Insects  (IF  H.).  —  The  beetle  (we  only 
found  one)  is  the  Pine  beetle,  Hylurgus  piniperda.  These  have  bored 
through  the  side  of  the  shoots  and  eaten  their  way  for  an  inch  or  two 
along  the  pith,  some  hibernating  in  them,  but  most  on  the  ground 
amongst  rubbish.  The  tunnelling  is  not  for  breeding,  but  feeding 
purposes.  You  ask  for  a  remedy.  The  best  we  have  tried  is  to  cut  off 
a  quantity  of  young  Scots  Fir  tops,  thinning  off  all  the  branches,  and  lay 
these  traps  about  in  the  3'oung  plantation,  but  so  that  the  under  side  will 
not  rest  on  the  ground.  This  being  done  in  autumn,  the  female  beetles 
lay  eggs  in  them  when  the  time  comes  round,  and  by  collecting  them  at 
the  end  of  May  or  during  June  there  rvill  be  many  of  the  creatures  under 
the  hark,  when  burn  them. 
Peaches  for  Wall  Case  {Beach  House). — It  would  certainly  be  better 
to  I'aise  the  wall  a  foot  or  18  inches  or  even  3  feet,  and  then  have  a  lean- 
to  roof,  the  house  not  less  than  7  feet  6  inches  wide.  We  should  have 
front  lights  3  feet  in  height,  or  rather  18  inches  of  glass  and  a  foot  of 
wooden  ventilator  below,  this  part  made  to  open  from  bottom  outwards 
by  means  of  crank  and  lever  movement,  and  at  the  top  of  the  house 
2  feet  6  inches  wide  lights  the  whole  length  of  the  structure,  and  lifting 
upwards  from  the  bottom  by  similar  movement  to  the  front  lights.  This 
would  save  much  time  and  give  thorough  ventilation,  an  important  matter 
in  growing  either  Peaches  or  Tomatoes.  The  former  would  be  confined 
to  the  back  wall  ;  then  you  would  have  the  front  for  the  Tomatoes,  taking 
care  that  these  did  not  shade  the  trees  on  the  wall,  then  you  could  grow 
both  well,  as  wm  have  done  for  many  years.  The  best  very'  early  Peach 
is  Alexander,  followed  by  Hale’s  Early  (Dr.  Hogg  you  have,  being  very 
good)  followed  by  Dymond  (Grosse  Mignonne),  also  Bellegarde,  e.xcellent. 
Your  Nectarines  could  not  be  bettered  unless  by  adding  for  very  early'. 
Early'  Rivers,  and  Humboldt  to  come  in  before  Pineapple. 
Irish  Peach  Apple  (A.  II.  (7.).— This  Apple,  like  the  Cornish 
Gilliflower  and  some  others,  is  prone  to  bear  at  the  ends  of  the  shoots, 
and  these,  therefore,  must  not,  after  a  tree  is  formed,  be  sy'stematically 
shortened.  There  is  in  fact,  and  as  a  rule,  a  disposition  on  the  part  of 
most  pruners  to  shorten  the  extension  branches  of  trees  too  severely, 
this  resulting  in  an  overabundance  of  succulent  growths,  by  which 
numbers  of  trees  are  “choked.”  If  your  tree  has  become  too  crowded 
thin  out  some  of  the  branches,  so  that  the  leaves  of  one  do  not  touch  those 
of  the  other,  choosing  for  removal  the  least  promising  as  fruit  bearers, 
and  you  may  do  this  at  once.  If  the  tree  has  got  into  a  stubborn  state, 
making  little  fresh  growth,  and  if  more  is  needed  for  invigoration,  you 
may  cut  off  the  ends  of  a  few  branches  here  and  there — say',  about 
one-fourth  at  regular  distances  over  the  tree— to  the  first  clear  wood  y'ou 
can  find  behind  the  terminal  blossom  buds.  This  may  result  in  fresh 
growths  pushing  for  producing  healthier  bearing  tips,  when  some  of  the 
older  and  more  exhausted  may  be  removed.  By  thoughtful  action  on 
those  lines  a  tree  may  be  kept  healthfully  productive,  especially  if,  as 
may  be  needed,  a  few  pailfuls  of  liquid  manure  be  given  to  the  roots  now 
and  at  any  convenient  time.  The  individual  peculiarities  of  varieties  of 
fruits  cannot  be  treated  in  small  works,  in  which  space  is  so  limited  that 
it  has  to  be  turned  to  more  generally’  useful  account. 
Muscat  of  Alexandria  Vine  Boots  {A  Constant  Reader). — The  insects 
in  the  soil  are  woodlice,  and  may  possibly  injure  the  Vines  by  eating  the 
young  rootlets.  The  roots  themselves  are  healthy',  but  evidently'  in  too 
close  and  w'et  soil,  otherwise  there  is  nothing  wrong  with  them.  We  do 
not  know  where  you  could  secure  a  free  analysis  of  the  soil.  If  the  roots 
are  deep  it  would  be  advisable  to  lift  them,  relaying  in  fresh  soil  nearer  the 
surface.  To  secure  plenty  of  fresh  rootlets  you  may  notch  the  strong 
roots  at  18  inches  distance  apart,  making  the  transverse  cut  on  the  side 
of  the  Vine  and  the  sloping  as  the  direction  of  the  roots.  If  this  were 
done  it  would  give  much  better  value  than  analysis,  as  it  is  action  that  is 
needed  on  sound  cultural  lines.  Of  course  the  analysis  would  indicate  the 
contained  elements  of  the  soil,  but  afford  small,  if  any,  clue  as  to  which 
and  to  what  amount  available,  leaving  the  more  important  question  of 
staple  untouched.  So  far  as  we  can  see  the  soil  needs  lime,  say  1 J  cwt. 
]ier  rod,  which  w'e  should  procure  fresh,  break  up  so  as  to  spread  evenly, 
and  leave  on  the  surface  to  air-slake,  and  after  a  month  or  six  weeks 
point  into  the  soil  as  evenly  as  possible  without  injuring  the  roots.  If  in 
a  bad  state  we  should  lift  the  Vines,  as  before  stated,  and  give  them  a 
fresh  start  in  sound  material.  The  soil  appears  rich  and  good,  only 
needing  lime  and  opening  material,  such  as  calcareous  gravel.  This  is 
often  better  as  a  dressing  for  Vine  borders  than  manure  through  the  staple 
being  too  close,  hence,  as  you  say,  sticky,  mud-like,  and  deprived  of  air. 
Let  it  in,  with  lime,  and  having  efficient  drainage,  all  would  go  well,  as 
it  appears  to  us,  with  the  Vines. 
EDITORIAL  NOTICE. — It  is  particularly  desired  that  all  communi¬ 
cations,  parcels,  catalogues,  and  newspapers  intended  for  the  Editor, 
be  sent  direct  to  8,  Rose  Hill  Road,  Wandsworth,  S.W. 
