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JOURNAL  OR  HORTIGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  28,  1897. 
but  showing  the  fancy  prices  that  are  sometimes  obtained  I  may 
mention  the  fact  that  during  the  past  season  a  dealer  sold  over  800  lbs. 
of  honey  in  sections  at  Is.  9d.  per  lb.,  the  bee-keeper  obtaining 
9s.  per  dozen  for  the  sections  which  were  glazed.  This  is  an  excep¬ 
tional  case,  and  such  prices  can  only  be  obtained  in  districts  much 
visited  by  tourists.  It,  however,  shows  the  prices  that  may  sometimes 
be  procured  by  shrewd  men  of  business,  but  is  no  criterion  to  the 
general  value  of  honey  in  the  country. 
To  avoid  disappointments  in  the  management  of  bees  and  in  selling 
honey,  it  is  advisable  in  the  former  instance  to  commence  with  only 
a  few  stocks,  which  may  be  increased  as  experience  is  gained,  and  in 
the  latter  case  to  always  supply  a  good  sample  of  honey ;  if  inferior 
feed  it  back  to  the  bees.  By  this  means  a  good  reputation  will  be 
gained,  and  although  prices  may  be  low,  if  the  right  advice  is  obtained 
bee-keeping  will  be  a  success,  although  the  seasons  may  not  be  all 
good  for  honey  production. 
Flowers  for  Bees. 
The  autumn  frosts  have  not  come  as  early  as  usual,  and  at  the 
present  time  the  garden  is  still  gay  with  flowers ;  but  as  a  sharp  frost 
may  come  at  any  time,  it  is  advisable  to  make  preparations  for  planting 
the  spring  flowers  that  are  suitable  for  the  bees  either  for  pollen  or  honey 
production.  Some  of  these  are  among  the  most  beautiful  of  the  hardy 
flowers  grown  in  our  gardens.  Wallflowers,  which  are  favourites 
with  the  majority  of  people  on  account  of  their  showy  appearance 
whilst  in  bloom,  and  also  for  their  perfume,  should  be  planted  in 
quantity,  as  during  the  time  they  are  in  bloom  they  are  much  visited 
by  the  bees,  being  good  pollen-producing  plants.  Honey  is  also 
obtained  from  this  source,  but  only  in  sufficient  quantity  for  the  bees’ 
daily  requirements. 
Arabis  alpina  blooms  freely  in  early  spring,  and  is  much  frequented 
by  the  bees.  It  may  be  planted  in  any  open  position,  forming  an 
edging  to  the  beds.  It  looks  best  planted  in  masses,  and  as  a  lockwork 
plant  it  is  unsurpassed.  Limnanthes  Douglasi  is  a  perfect  bee  flower, 
and  is  usually  called  the  “  Bee  Plant,”  owing  to  the  bees  being  so 
fond  of  it  whilst  in  bloom.  It  is  a  dwarf  plant,  only  growing  a  few 
inches  in  height,  and  makes  a  good  edging  plant  for  borders.  It  does 
not  bloom  until  April,  when  flowers  are  becoming  somewhat  plentiful. 
The  bees,  though,  will  work  on  this  in  preferenc  to  any  other. 
Mead. 
A  correspondent  desires  particulars  for  making  mead.  The  best 
that  has  come  under  my  notice  was  made  from  a  recipe  given  by  the 
Rev.  G.  W.  Bancks,  Hartford.  Mr.  Bancks  having  devoted  much 
attention  to  this  subject  for  the  beneiit  of  bee-kee|)ers  at  large,  1  can 
confidently  recommend  his  recipe  to  the  favourable  notice  of  readers. 
It  is  now  published  in  pamphlet  form,  which  may  be  obtained  from  the 
above  address. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editor,”  s.  Rose  Hill  Road> 
'Wandsworth,  Xiondon,  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  tliree  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,  reply  to  questions  through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  under¬ 
take  to  return  communications  which,  for  any  reason,  cannot 
be  inserted. 
Autumn  Tints  in  "Winter  (/.  B.').  —A  lady  from  London  informs  yon 
that  she  “  has  frequently  seen  in  the  month  of  January,  in  London 
houses,  branches  of  our  native  deciduous  trees  with  leaves  attached  and 
the  autiunn  tints  on  them,  placed  in  large  vases.”  You  ask  if  these 
are  artificial,  or  if  there  is  some  way  of  preserving  the  leaves  ?  A 
number  of  these  decorations  are  artificial,  though  we  have  heard  that 
others  are  not,  but  that  the  process  of  preservation  is  a  trade  secret. 
The  case  is  stated  on  the  possibility  of  some  of  our  readers  being  able  to 
give  information  on  the  subject. 
Bones  for  Vine  Border  (Bryn). — We  presume  the  bones  are  mostly  free 
from  fatty  matter  and  flesh,  being  such  as  generally  collected  by  rag  and 
bone  gatherers,  in  which  case  they  answer  well — at  least,  we  found  similar 
do  so,  they  being  smashed  in  our  case  with  a  heavy  hammer  on  an  old 
anvil,  and  cost  not  more  than  half  the  price  you  name,  including  bones 
and  smashing  by  band.  They  answered  even  better  than  crushed,  but 
they  were  old  and  dry.  It  is  the  fatty  matter  that  makes  bones  injurious 
to  Vines,  as  this  dissolves  very  slowly,  and  proves  deleterious  by  the  acid 
reaction.  If  clean,  use  them  ;  if  greasy  and  fleshy,  either  boil  them  to 
remove  this,  or  reject  them. 
Mina  lobata  (L.  F.  F.).— This  plant  was  originally  introduced  from 
Mexico  in  1841,  but  it  either  died  out  or  for  a  long  period  was  so  exceed¬ 
ingly  scarce  as  to  be  practically  unknown  to  the  majority  of  cultivators. 
A  few  years  since,  however,  it  was  re-introduced,  and  has  since  become 
generally  grown.  It  is  a  half-hardy  annual  plant,  and  therefore  dies  on 
the  approach  of  frost.  Propagation  is  effected  by  sowing  seeds  in 
February  or  ]\Iarch,  placing  them  in  a  pot  or  pan  filled  with  light  sandy  soil, 
and  put  in  a  warm  greenhouse,  stove,  or  frame  on  a  hothed.  When  the 
young  seedlings  are  about  3  inches  high  transfer  them  singly  to  small  pots 
and  grow  in  an  ordinary  greenhouse  until  the  first  week  in  June,  when 
plant  them  out  against  a  south  wall  as  you  did  last  spring. 
Fruit  Trees  for  Cool  House  (  W.  //.). — Two  good  early  Peaches  for 
back  wall : — Alexander  (to  come  in  about  three  weeks  before  Hale’s 
Early,  which  you  have)  and  Dymond  (to  follow  Hale’s  Early).  Two  good 
late  Peaches  (in  addition  to  Royal  George  and  Barrington)  for  back  wall : — 
Bellegarde  and  Sea  Eagle.  Six  late  Peaches  for  growing  in  pots  : — Belle 
Bauce,  Gladstone,  Hesse  Tardive,  Late  Admirable,  Lady  Palmerston,  and 
Golden  Eagle.  Three  late  Nectarines  for  growing  in  pots  :  —  Di7den, 
Pine  Apple,  and  Victoria.  Six  dessert  Pears  for  growing  in  pots  : — 
Souvenir  du  Congr^s,  Beurre  Superfin,  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey,  Doyennfi 
du  Comice,  Glou  Mor^eau,  Josephine  de  Malines,  or,  if  you  u-ant  a  larger, 
Marie  Benoist.  Six  dessert  Apples  for  growing  in  pots  : — Red  Astraeban, 
Washington,  American  Mother,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  Melon  Apple,  and 
Northern  Spy. 
Cyclamen  infested  at  the  Roots  by  Grubs  (  W.  C.).— The  grubs  are  the 
larvie  of  the  grooved  or  black  Vine  weevil,  (Itiorhynchus  sulcatus.  The 
grubs  are  very  tenacious  of  life,  and  do  not  die  for  some  considerable  time 
after  solutions  of  nitrate  of  soda  and  kainit  have  acted  upon  them,  nor, 
indeed,  by  any  substance  at  a  safe  strength  to  use  for  the  plants.  We  do 
not  know  of  any  preventive  other  than  catching  the  beetles  and  sterilising 
the  soil  before  use  by  treating  it  -with  boiling  water.  This  answers  well 
enough  if  the  parent  has  already  deposited  eggs,  but  sometimes  they  are 
not  laid  until  after  repotting,  and,  being  commonly  at  the  base  of  the 
corms,  the  eggs  may  be  there  even  at  the  time  of  repotting,  as  the  old  soil 
is  not  wholly  removed  in  most  cases.  The  use  of  freshly  ground  hellebore 
powder,  1  oz.  to  a  gallon  of  hot  water,  applied  at  a  temperature  of  130°  to 
135°,  has  given  good  results,  and  mustard  dross  in  the  same  proportion 
has  also  proved  satisfactory  as  far  as  regards  the  destruction  of  the  ])ests, 
but  a  too  free  use  of  the  dross  injures  the  plants.  Eueharis  mite  killer 
acts  very  decisively  on  the  pests,  and  does  not  injure  the  corms  or  roots, 
only  follow  the  instructions  carefully. 
Diseased  Double  White  Primulas  (Double  Primula). — The  plant  was 
badly  attacked  by  the  brown  spot  fungus  (Ovularia  interstitialis,  syn. 
Peronospora  interstitialis).  The  leaves  attacked  turn  yellow  and  then 
brown,  eventually  decaying.  In  your  plant  the  parasite  had  spread  down 
the  stem  and  literally  eaten  the  hearts  out  of  the  plants.  The  stem  below 
ground  was  perfectly  sound,  showing  the  nature  of  the  disease  to  be  from 
above  downwards.  We  can  advise  nothing  but  cutting  the  parts  away, 
burning  these,  also  any  plants  not  having  sound  centres.  Then  dust  the 
parts  remaining  with  anti-blight  or  fostite,  and  the  disease  may  not  spread: 
it  certainly  would  not  have  got  so  far  if  this  had  been  used  instead  of 
flowers  of  sulphur.  The  plants  have  been  kept  too  close  and  too  moist. 
They  needed  more  air,  or  at  least  a  drier  atmosphere  and  close  proximity 
to  the  glass,  with  a  genial  warmth — conditions  under  which  the  fungus 
can  make  but  little  progress. 
Phylloxera  on  Vines  (Pat). — The  roots  you  have  sent  have  been 
carefully  examined  by  Mr.  Abbey,  and  though  no  phylloxera  could  be 
found  there  was  plenty  of  evidence  of  the  attacks  of  the  enemy. 
Mr.  Abbey  states  that  the  phylloxera  found  in  the  excrescence  on  the 
rod  exactly  coincided  with  the  figure  shown  in  Mr.  Barron’s  “Vines 
and  Vine  Culture,”  page  106,  at  e,  when  magnified  15  diameters,  but 
the  caudal  appendages  were  much  larger  and  the  whole  body  covered 
entirely  by  a  white  me  1,  the  colour  beneath  brown  or  dull  orange.  It 
was  a  very  active  creature,  moving  about  rapidly  when  disturbed,  and 
always  coming  to  rest  in  the  depths  of  the  excrescences  on  a  soft  part. 
The  meal  covering  has  an  important  influence  in  the  matter  of  substances 
intended  for  the  destruction  of  the  pest,  as  for  instance,  a  drop  of  the  new 
silico-fluoride  of  ammonia  solution  was  thrown  off  promptly,  and  the 
insect  not  a  particle  the  worse.  It  was  much  the  same  with  aniline,  soluble 
phenyle,  nicotine,  and  formalin,  but  a  drop  of  spidicide  broke  up  the  meal 
and  the  insect  at  once.  Methylated  spirit  acts  similarly  on  this  pest  and 
mealy  bug.  The  border  needs  to  be  cleared  out  and  the  Vines,  too,  and 
these  burnt,  or  the  scourge  may  spread.  Proceed  with  the  same  thorough¬ 
ness  that  Mr.  M.  Dunn  of  Dalkeith  did  when  he  was  gardener  at  Powers- 
court,  near  Dublin.  See  “Vines  and  Vine  Culture,”  page  110.  It  can 
be  obtained  from  the  publisher,  171,  Fleet  Street,  by  post,  for  58.  3d. 
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. 
