308 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  13,  1899. 
not  to  be  anything  neglected  that  is  likely  to  insure  the  perfect  fertilisa¬ 
tion  of  the  flowers,  as  without  it  fruit  cannot  attain  perfection.  IMany’  of 
the  large  Peaches  have  large  blossoms,  and  these  sometimes  have  the 
anthers  deficient  of  pollen.  Attend,  therefore,  to  fertilising  the  flowers, 
not  trusting  to  insects,  though  bees  effect  the  process  very  effectually,  but 
they  seem  to  be  so  hindered  by  the  glass  that  they  tight  shy  of  fruit 
houses.  It  is  not  the  difficulty  of  getting  in,  but  of  egress  from  the 
structure  that  bothers  the  bees,  for  when  they  are  laden  with  pollen  and 
nectar,  they  care  about  nothing  but  journeying  homewards,  and  many' 
succumb  to  the  frantic  endeavours  made  to  take  a  direct  flight.  Secure  a 
temperature  of  50°  by  day,  and  ventilate  freely,  allowing  an  advance  to 
65°  from  sun  heat.  Leave  a  little  air  on  constantly.  Where  there  is  a 
superabundance  of  blossom,  remove  all  on  the  under  side  or  back  of  the 
trellis  or  shoots,  and,  though  this  is  best  done  before  the  flowers  expand, 
it  will  materially  aid  the  setting  and  swelling  of  the  fruit. 
In  unheated  houses  mark  50°  as  the  point  for  admitting  air,  and 
increase  the  amount  with  the  advancing  sun  heat,  not  allowing  an  advance 
to  or  over  65°  without  full  ventilation.  Attend  to  fertilising  the  flowers, 
choosing  the  early  part  of  fine  days,  always  when  the  blossoms  are  fully 
expanded,  and  the  pollen  flying  in  a  cloud  of  gold-like  dust  when  the 
anthers  are  disturbed.  There  must  not  be  any  deficiency  of  moisture  at 
the  roots.  When  there  is  an  appearance  of  frost,  the  house  may  be  closed 
a  little  earlier,  otherwise  close  at  50°. 
Present  Condition  op  Stocks. 
What  is  the  general  condition  of  stocks  throughout  the  country  ? 
This  is  a  pertinent  question  interesting  to  all  bee-keepers,  as  a  strong 
colony  of  bees  at  the  present  time  will  doubtless  give  a  good  account 
of  itself  when  a  surplus  can  be  obtained.  Since  the  favourable 
chancre  in  the  weather  took  place,  and  a  higher  temperature  has 
prevailed,  we  have  been  able  to  thoroughly  overhaul  the  majority 
of  the  stocks  in  our  apiary.  In  addition  to  this  we  have  closely 
observed  the  working  of  the  bees  from  other  colonies.  It  is,  therefore, 
satisfactory  to  report  they  are  in  a  generally  forward  condition.  Weak 
stocks  are  an  exception,  indeed  we  do  not  remember  any  previous 
year  when  there  were  so  few. 
What  is  the  cause  of  this  ?  We  do  not  think  it  is  owing  to  the 
past  w’inter  being  so  mild,  because  a  year  ago  the  winter  was  very 
similar,  but  the  bees  were  not  in  as  good  condition.  The  two  chief 
factors  have  been,  first  the  large  amount  of  natural  stores  that  w'ere 
left  in  the  hives  last  autumn,  and  secondly  the  comparatively  dry 
weather  experienced  since. 
Many  bee-keepers  have  expressed  the  opinion  that  honey  which 
had  become  discoloured  through  an  admixture  of  honeydevv  was  unfit 
for  stores  for  bees  to  winter  on.  The  present  season  has  exploded  that 
fallacy,  as  never  was  honey  more  contaminated  with  it  than  last  year, 
and  the  present  good  condition  of  stocks  proves  how  beneficial  it  has 
been  to  the  bees. 
Weak  Stocks. 
Whether  the  apiary  be  large  or  small  there  will  doubtless  be  many 
weak  stocks  in  various  parts  of  the  country.  This  may  be  caused,  as 
we  mentioned  in  previous  notes,  from  queenlessness,  shortness  of  stores, 
or  to  the  queen  being  old,  or  from  some  cause  not  visible  to  an  ordinary 
observer.  But  whatever  the  cause,  steps  should  at  once  be  taken  to 
remedy  it.  Weak  stocks  at  this  season  are  not  likely  to  be  of  much 
use  to  the  bee-keeper  for  storing  a  surplus,  and  there  are  many  such  in 
the  south,  judging  from  the  numerous  colonies  we  examined  there  last 
autumn,  which,  owing  to  the  drought,  were  then  short  of  stores. 
We  are  anxious  to  impress  on  bee-keepers  the  necessity  of  having 
each  individual  stock  in  the  apiary  crowded  with  bees,  and  ready  to 
take  advantage  of  the  honey  flow  when  it  comes.  All  that  is  required 
is  close  attention  to  the  details  of  management.  It  is  not  nearly  so 
difficult  as  it  at  first  appears. 
A  bee-keeper  may  have  half  a  dozen  stocks  of  bees  at  this  season, 
some  of  which  are  very  weak.  If  left  to  take  their  chance  little 
surplus  will  be  stored.  Instead,  however,  of  keeping  six  colonies, 
reduce  the  number  to  three  by  uniting  the  three  weakest  stocks  to 
the  three  strongest.  If  this  rule  were  more  generally  carried  out 
many  bee-keepers,  who  complain  of  the  shortness  of  their  honey  crop, 
would  have  a  much  better  harvest  in  consequence,  and  less  trouble 
than  they  had  with  a  greater  number  of  hives.  Unity  is  strength,  in 
bee-keeping  as  with  everything  else,  and  the  greater  the  number  of 
bees  in  a  hive  the  better  prospect  there  will  be  of  obtaining  a  surplus. 
We  recommend  all  weak  stocks  to  be  united  to  the  colony  nearest 
to  it.  The  bees  need  not  be  disturbed  at  this  season.  The  old  queen 
intended  to  be  destroyed  should  first  be  removed  and  the  bees  in  both 
of  the  hives  sprinkled  with  flour,  and  the  combs  with  the  adhering 
bees  placed  alternately ;  cover  up  warm,  and  not  a  bee  will  be  lost. — 
An  English  Bee-keeper. 
Ail  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editor,”  8,  Rose  Hill  Road, 
Wandswortb,  S.W.,  and  HOT  to  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers, 
Fleet  Street.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately  to 
any  of  our  correspondents,  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.  Letters  of  inquiry  must  be  accompanied  by 
the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers,  but  these  will  neither  be 
published  nor  disclosed  when  initials  or  nom  de  'plumes  are  given 
for  the  purpose  of  replies. 
Roses  and  Chrysanthemums  (^Veritas). — You  ask  “if  these  plants 
lend  themselves,  without  contracting  disease,  to  coddling  treatment  in  the 
spring  and  summer.”  The  answer  is,  Decidedly  not.  They  will  be 
better  in  the  open  air  night  and  day  than  “coddled”  in  the  fireless  room, 
though  a  sojourn  in  it  on  possibly  severe  nights  yet  to  come  may  be 
advantageous  if  the  plants  are  starting  freely  into  growth.  In  the 
summer  the  pots  ought  to  be  protected  Irom  the  sun,  either  by  plunging 
them  half  their  depth  or  more  in  ashes,  sinking  them  in  larger  pots,  or 
shading  with  boards  ;  or  the  roots  may  suffer  trora  heat  and  drought,  in 
which  case  insects  will  take  possession  of  the  leaves,  and  the  plants 
produce  nothing  but  disappointment. 
Roses  on  Their  own  Roots  {E.  T.  //.). — There  are  many  Boses  that 
will  do  well  updn  their  own  roots.  The  following  twelve  are  equally  good, 
and  you  can  select  the  desired  colours  by  looking  through  any  descriptive 
catalogue  : — Marie  Van  Houtte,  Madame  Lambard,  Gloire  de  Dijon, 
G.  Nabonnand,  G^n^ral  J acqueminot,  Madame  Luizet,  Duke  of  Edinburgh, 
Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison,  Madame  Plantier,  Mrs.  Bosanquet,  Mrs.  John. 
Laing,  and  Dupuy  Jamain  ;  while  all  of  the  Mosses  and  Provence  varieties 
are  best  when  grown  in  this  form.  Cuttings  of  the  current  year’s  growth 
should  be  taken  in  September,  when  the  wood  is  about  two-thirds 
matured.  At  the  proper  season  we  shall  probably  be  publishing  an 
article  upon  this  method  of  culture. 
Marechal  Niel  Rose  Casting  Its  Leaves  (  W.  -S.).— The  leaflets  appear 
to  have  been  cast  through  something  having  cut  off  the  supply  of  sap,  the 
midrib  being  quite  yellow  at  the  point  of  junction  with  the  petiole.  This 
yellowish  appearance  has  passed  up  some  of  the  leaves  and  given  rise  to 
yellow  spots,  such  as  appear  before  growths  of  the  Rose  fungus, 
Peronospora  sparsa,  issue  Irom  them.  We  did  not,  however,  find  the 
mycelial  hyphae  in  the  yellow  spots,  nor  any  micro-organism  to 
account  for  the  leaflets  dropping.  Fumigating  often  causes  the 
leaves  to  fall,  sometimes  a  week  or  terj  days  afterwards,  though 
commonly  much  sooner,  the  weather  having  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the 
period.  If  bright  they  fall  in  a  day  or  two,  and  if  dull  weather  follow 
they  may  not  drop  for  many  days  after  the  fumigation.  The  solution 
you  have  watered  with  is  rather  a  strong  one,  especially  when  the  Rose 
has  tender  roots,  as  it  has  when  making  fresh  growth,  and  this  may  have 
injured  the  young  rootlets,  hence  facilitated  the  falling  of  the  leaves. 
We  can  only  advise  a  more  freely  ventilated  atmosphere,  and  careful 
procedure  in  the  future  in  both  fumigation  and  the  application  of  the 
fertiliser.  There  may  be  other  reasons  for  the  leaves  falling,  such  as 
warty  excrescence  on  the  stem  just  below  the  ground,  or  even  level  with 
the  surface,  which  sometimes  causes  the  plants  to  lose  their  leaves  by 
restricting  the  supply  of  sap. 
Diseased  Tomato  Plant  ((7.  A.). — The  plant,  a  weak  long-jointed  one, 
had  the  small  root  fibres  dead,  but  we  did  not  detect  any  fungus  at  the 
roots,  though  they  have  the  appearance  of  the  well-known  “  sleepy  ” 
disease.  There  was,  however,  no  trace  of  it  in  the  roots,  root-stem,  or 
stem.  On  the  leaves  was  a  rusty  appearance,  especially  the  footstalks 
and  midribs  of  the  leaflets.  A  bit  of  this,  under  the  microscope,  yielded 
the  scab  fungus  of  the  Tomato,  Cladosporium  fulvum,  syn.  C.  lyco- 
persici,  and  also  the  fertile  hyphae  of  the  fungus  named  Ilotrytis  cinerea 
var.  slerotiophila.  We  advise  a  dressing  to  the  soil  of  a  mixture  of 
equal  parts  air-slaked  chalk  lime  and  soot  by  measure,  two  good  hand¬ 
fuls  per  square  yard,  or  a  tablespoonful  per  pot,  occasionally  covering 
with  a  little  soil  where  it  is  not  possible  to  point  in  very  lightly.  Dust 
the  plants  with  a  powder  preparation  of  sulphate  of  copper,  such  as 
anti-blight,  fostite,  or  other  advertised  fungicide,  applying  with  a  bellows 
apparatus,  and  to  the  under  side  of  the  leaves,  repeating  occasionally,  or 
about  every  ten  days.  But  beyond  all  things  give  the  plants  more  air, 
some  constantly,  moisture  and  closeness  being  very  favourable  to  the 
parasites.  The  plants  will  then  be  made  more  resistant,  which  is  the 
great  point  to  aim  at,  securing  sturdy  plants  from  the  start,  and  keeping 
them  so  right  along,  then  they  will  be  in  the  best  condition  for  resisting 
the  attacks  of  their  enemies. 
