444 
JOVR:t(tAL  OF  rtORTlCtJLTURF  AN-R  COTTAGE  GARBEnER, 
JJovember  4,  1897. 
If  the  roof  is  badly  affected  similar  material,  treated  in  the  same 
manner,  and  strained  over  the  whole  of  the  roof,  will  make  it  quite 
rainproof,  and  if  painted  once  a  year  will  last  for  a  longtime  without 
removal.  Another  excellent  plan  is  to  cover  the  roof  with  a  sheet  of 
thin  zinc,  and  if  carefully  put  on  will  last  as  long  as  the  hive.  It 
must  not  be  nailed  on  the  top  but  only  at  the  edges,  otherwise  the 
nails  will  in  course  of  time  become  loose  and  the  roof  will  no  longer 
be  rainproof.  The  zinc  must  be  cut  off  close  to  the  bottom  edge  of 
the  roof.  If  turned  underneatli  for  2  or  3  inches  the  moisture  will 
condense  on  it,  and  the  hive  vvill  seldom  be  dry.  I  lately  examined 
several  hives  that  had  been  treated  in  this  manner  with  the  above 
result.  The  overhanging  zinc  was  removed  as  advised,  and  dry 
coverings  placed  on  the  top  of  the  frames,  which  had  the  desired  effect, 
and  have  since  kept  quite  dry.  This  shows  the  necessity  of  carrying 
out  the  wor'i  in  a  proper  manner,  and  is  mentioned  to  prevent  others 
making  a  similar  mistake. 
The  corrugated  galvanised  iron,  too,  is  a  good  substitute  for  wood 
and  zinc,  and  as  it  does  not  fit  so  closely  on  the  frames  to  which  it  is 
secured,  it  provides  ample  ventilation  on  the  top  of  frames. 
Dampness  in  Hives. 
If  the  above  instructions  are  carried  out  there  will  be  less  danger 
than  formerly  of  the  incerior  of  hives  being  damp.  Dampness  in  hives 
is  the  forerunner  of  many  diseases,  and  no  stock  of  bees  will  remain 
healthy  long  if  steps  are  not  taken  to  remedy  it.  Many  colonies  of 
bees  which  would  otherwise  have  been  strong  and  healthy  the 
following  spring  are  lost  annually  from  this  cause  alone,  and  next  to 
foul  brood  it  is  the  chief  danger  in  bee  keeping  to  guard  against.  If 
the  weather  is  severe,  although  they  may  have  ample  stores,  they 
soon  succumb;  and  if  they  do  not  they  gradually  dwindle  aw'ay,  so 
that  by  the  following  spring  few  bees  will  remain;  these  will, 
doubtless,  have  dysentery  in  a  bad  form,  and  if  left  to  take  their 
chance  will  make  no  headway. 
When  this  is  found  to  be  the  case,  which  is  more  often  from  care¬ 
lessness  than  any  other  cause,  the  bees  should  be  placed  in  a  dry  hive, 
and  carefully  fed  with  warm  syrup,  or  be  united  to  another  stock.  In 
numerous  instances  I  have  known  bees  to  forsake  their  hive  in  a  body, 
and  cluster  similar  to  a  swarm  in  early  spring. — An  English 
Bee-keeper. 
.-.*4)  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editor,”  s.  Rose  Hill  Road, 
Wandsworth,  London,  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 
a.ny  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. 
Chrysanthemum  Leaves  (^Inquirer). — The  leaves  arrived  too  late  for 
microscopic  examination  and  the  publication  of  the  results  in  the  present 
issue.  In  the  meantime  you  cannot  do  wrong  by  dusting  the  plants  with 
anti-blight  powder. 
Plants  on  Vine  Border  ( Wi).  —  Many  gardeners  resort  to  the 
practice  of  placing  plants  on  inside  Vine  borders,  not  because  they 
approve  of  such  practice,  but  because  necessity  compels.  They  have 
to  supply  the  plants  without  other  structures  being  provided  for  growing 
or  preserving  them.  Any  kinds  of  plants  on  the  border,  either  in 
winter  or  summer,  more  or  less  act  to  the  ‘‘  detriment  of  the  crop  of 
Grapes,”  as  the  soil  is  deprived  of  the  action  of  air  and  light,  besides 
being  kept  to  a  greater  or  lesser  extent  constantly  wet.  Gardeners,  as 
a  rule,  are  only  too  glad  to  keep  the  inside  borders  clear  or  solely 
devoted  to  the  Vines,  but  from  press  of  plant  space  many  are  obliged 
to  act  otherwise  in  the  worthy  endeavour  to  meet  requirements  in  respect 
o  Iwth  plants  or  flowers  and  fruit,  and  it  is  creditable  to  them  that 
such  a  large  number  succeed  so  well. 
Drying  Orchid  Flowers  (/.  B.,  Wilts). — If  3'ou  wish  to  simply  dry  the 
owers  flat,  there  is  nothing  to  beat  the  ordinaiy  pressing  between  sheets 
\  u  blotting  paper.  White  is  the  best,  but  it  must  be  of  good 
a  sor  ent  quality.  But  possibly  you  wish  to  retain  the  shape  of  the 
owers  as  well  as  their  colour,  in  which  case  you  must  proceed  differently, 
rocure  some  of  the  finest  white  sand  ;  ordinary  silver  sand  is  much  too 
coarse.  Wash  it  thoroughly  in  clean  boiling  water,  to  remove  any 
small  insects  and  dirt,  then  spread  it  on  sheets  of  zinc  or  some  other 
metal,  and  dry  it  thoroughly.  This  cleansing  and  drying  of  the  sand  is 
most  important,  as  without  it  the  flower  will  be  sjjotted.  Procure  boxes 
of  suitable  size  and  depth,  according  to  the  number  of  flowers,  and  place 
an  inch  of  the  prepared  sand  in  the  bottom.  Lay  the  flowers  on  this,  at  a 
considerable  distance  apart,  in  as  natural  a  position  as  possible.  Then, 
with  a  fine  sieve — or,  with  care,  you  may  do  it  between  your  fingers — fill 
up  all  hollow  parts  of  the  flower,  such  as  the  labellums,  and  gradually 
cover  them  with  the  sand,  taking  great  care  that  the  segments  are  not  dis¬ 
placed.  When  all  are  covered,  place  the  boxes  in  a  cool,  dry  room,  and 
in  about  a  month  the  lowers  will  be  dried  sufficiently,  and  may  be  taken 
out  for  your  specimen  cases,  or  whatever  you  require  them  for.  The 
flowers  will  not,  of  course,  be  so  bright  as  the  natural  tint,  and  some  kinds 
are  much  more  satisfactory  than  others.  They  should  not  be  cut  until 
they  are  fully  developed,  but  before  the  colour  begins  to  fade. 
Vineries  Infested  with  Mealy  Bug  (/.  S.,  Wales).— There  are  few 
things  so  difficult  to  get  rid  of  as  this  pest  when  it  becomes  thoroughly 
established.  The  practice  we  have  followed  very  successfully  was  to 
syringe  the  Vines  thoroughly  as  soon  as  the  Grapes  were  cut,  with  a 
mixture  of  softsoap,  soda,  petroleum,  and  water.  The  water  was  at  a 
temperature  of  130'",  2  ozs.  of  softsoap  dissolved  in  a  3-gallon  watering- 
canful,  also  half  an  ounce  of  washing  soda,  then  a  wineglassful  of  petroleum 
placed  in,  and  by  filling  the  syringe  quickly  and  forcing  it  back  into  the 
vessel  a  few  times,  the  oil  was  mingled  with  the  water.  This  done  tne 
syringe  was  filled  and  the  contents  forced  on  the  Vines,  the  next  syringe¬ 
ful  being  forced  into  the  watering-can,  then  the  next  over'the  Vines,  and 
the  following  one  into  the  vessel,  and  so  on.  The  object  is  to  keep  the 
oil  mixed  with  the  solution,  and  to  wet  every  part  of  the  Vines  and 
house  b}'  syringing  both  ways.  In  three  or  four  days  repeat  the  dressing, 
and  again  at  a  similar  interval.  When  the  leaves  are  ready  to  fall  take 
them  off  the  Vines  and  burn  them,  and  when  the  Vines  are  pruned 
subject  the  prunings  to  a  similar  ordeal.  Then  wash  the  woodwork 
with  soap  and  water,  using  a  brush ;  the  glass  with  clear  water.  Lime- 
wash  the  walls,  llemove  the  loose  bark  from  the  rods,  not,  however, 
peeling  them  into  the  live  bark,  and  wash  them  with  either  a  solution 
of  soluble  petroleum,  according  to  the  instructions  supplied  with  the 
article  by  nurserymen  and  horticultural  sundriesmen  ;  or  with  a  prepara¬ 
tion  of  2  ozs.  caustic  soda,  and  2  ozs.  of  commercial  potash,  dissolved  in 
gallon  of  boiling  water,  applying  with  a  brush  at  a  temperature  of  130°. 
If  you  reach  every  mealy  bug  or  its  eggs  with  either  of  these  applica¬ 
tions  you  will  do  well,  and  end  the  trouble,  but  the  pest  lurks  in  all  kinds 
of  places,  such  as  in  dry  soil  near  hot-water  pipes,  in  fissures  anywhere, 
and  the  under  sides  of  dry  shelves.  The  surface  soil  of  the  border  must 
be  cleared  awajq  and  a  top-dres.sing  given  of  fresh  turfy  loam.  ,If  any 
bug  come  next  year,  vaporise  with  nicotine  at  intervals  of  about  ten  days 
or  a  fortnight  a  few  times,  and  that  will  clear  out  the  pest.  Of  course, 
it  must  not  be  reintroduced. 
Stubborn  Pear  Trees  (Newhurst),  —  Your  first  thoughts  were  best. 
The  “stunted  ”  condition  of  the  trees  is  the  result  of  their  large  size  when 
planted,  and  their  comparatively  weak  root  power.  It  is  impossible  to 
take  up  such  trees  without  leaving  at  least  half  of  their  root  fibres 
behind  them,  and  the  proportion  of  loss  is  far  greater  when  the  lifting  is 
done — as  is  not  uncommon — somewhat  roughly.  The  balance  between 
roots  and  branches  was  destroyed  with  the  spade,  and  the  larger  the  trees 
are  the  longer  the  time  needed  for  restoring  the  lost  equilibrium.  Because 
the  roots  were  so  severely  shortened  in  the  autumn  the  branches  ought 
to  have  been  cut  back  in  the  spring  to  good  wood  buds,  even  if  there  were 
blossom  buds  beyond  them.  If,  as  appears  to  have  been  the  case,  there 
were  many  of  these,  the  cutting  back  to  small  wood  buds  below  them 
was  the  more  necessary  for  obtaining  free  growth  extension.  Do  this 
now.  Wherever  a  branch  from  which  extension  is  desired  terminates  in 
a  bold  oval  shaped  blossom  bud,  search  for  a  small  growth  bud  on  clean 
wood  below  the  terminal  and  shorten  the  branch  to  this  bud  ;  it  may  be  a 
mere  speck,  yet  capable  of  producing  a  shoot  in  the  spring,  which  a 
terminal  bud  is  not.  IMoreover,  if  the  branches  are  numerous,  or  within 
a  foot  of  each  other,  cut  out  some  of  the  weaker  or  more  stubborn  looking 
entirely,  even  if  they  are  studded  with  blossom  buds.  Y^our  first  object 
must  be  to  encourage  extension  growth.  There  will  be  more  than 
enough  blossom  buds  after  the  pruning  advised.  If  any  j’oung  shoots 
have  been  made  this  summer,  cut  these  back  to  the  best  buds  on  the 
soundest  wood  in  each  case.  W'^hen  growth  is  fairly  starting  in  the 
spring,  sprinkle  the  soil  over  the  roots  and  for  a  little  distance  beyond 
them  with  nitrate  of  soda,  at  the  rate  of  l^oz.  to  the  square  superficial 
yard,  and  on  the  approach  of  hot  weather  in  summer  mulch  irom  the 
stems  outwards  to  a  foot  beyond  the  extension  of  the  roots  with  2  or 
3  inches  of  somewhat  lumpy  manure  for  co'-serving  moisture  and 
preventing  the  surface  soil  shrinking  and  cracking.  If  the  mulching  is 
applied  in  spring  it  will  exclude  the  sun’s  warmth  and  defer  root  action. 
Admit  the  warmth  by  hoeing  frequently  in  bright  weather,  not 
mulching  till  growth  is  free  and  the  sun  becomes  exhausting.  By 
blackening  the  cold  clayey  soil  with  soot  in  the  spring  it  will  be  warmed 
the  sooner.  If  the  uppermost  roots  are  about  4  inches  below  the  surface 
do  not  add  any  more  soil.  With  good  root  action  and  free  growth 
you  need  not  trouble  about  a  little  stock  exposure.  The  branches  must  be 
free  from  scale  or  other  incrustrations.  If  you  have  any  doubt  about  this 
send  us  a  small  sample  with  spurs  or  blossom  buds.  It  is  gratifying  to 
feel  we  have  been  able  to  add  to  the  pleasures  of  your  life,  apart  from 
putting  a  little  money  in  your  pocket,  but  this  in  itself  is  not  infrequently 
a  factor  in  human  happiness.  Carry  out  the  instructions  we  have  given 
with  judgment  and  without  fear,  and  you  will  be  the  gainer  in  the  end^ 
even  if  you  sacrifice  a  few  dozens  of  blossom  buds  now. 
