116 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  2,  1900. 
all  out,  or  if  done  late  in  the  afternoon,  by  eight  or  nine  o’clock  the 
next  morning.  If  there  is  brood  in  the  super,  a  few  bees  will  remain 
nluFtered  on  it  for  some  time ;  but  if  they  have  a  queen  with  them, 
which  rarely  occurs,  even  though  a  queen  excluder  is  not  used,  a  good 
many  of  the  bees  will  ordinarily  stay  with  her,  and  she  must  either  be 
removed,  or  some  other  means  of  getting  them  out  resorted  to. 
Owing  to  the  varied  dispositions  of  the  bees  of  different  colonies 
under  the  same  conditions,  there  is  a  great  difference  in  the  length  of 
time  occupied  by  them  passing  from  the  super,  and  with  bees  of  the 
same  colony,  the  eize  of  the  super,  the  time  of  the  day,  the  state  of 
the  weather,  the  presence  or  absence  of  the  honey  flow,  all  have  their 
influence  to  vary  this  time.  As  a  rule  they  pass  out  most  rapidly 
when  all  conditions  are  such  that  they  are  naturally  the  most  active.” — 
An  English  Bee-keepeb. 
Bust  on  Seans  and  Mint  (Rust). — The  rust  on  the  Beans  is  the 
“  Bean  brand,”  Pnccinia  fabse,  and  that  on  the  Mint  is  Puccinia 
menthse.  They  have  no  connection  whatsoever  with  the  rust  of 
Chrysanthemums.  There  is  a  considerable  general  resemblance  in  the 
ibrown  rusts,  but  when  examined  under  the  microscope  they  are  found 
to  have  distinct  characters — indeed,  are  diiferent  plants. 
Herbaceous  Phloxes  (M.  Gf.  JJ.). — Plant  out  immediately  the  tops 
that  have  been  rooted  under  hand-lights,  and  they  will  then  form  a  fine 
head  of  bloom.  Raised  in  this  way  they  are  very  dwarf,  and  will  make 
good  plants  for  the  back  row  next  season.  If  it  is  desirable  to  further 
increase  the  stock  of  choice  varieties  other  than  by  division  of  the  old 
clumps  next  autumn  or  spring  take  off  the  flowerless  side  growths, 
make  them  into  cuttings,  and  put  five  or  six  in  each  4-inch  pot.  Place 
in  hand-light  or  frame  at  the  foot  of  north  wall  till  rooted,  and  winter 
in  a  cold  frame.  Each  plant  raised  in  this  way  and  duly  planted  on  a 
fairly  rich  border  will  give  two  or  three  strong  flowering  growths  next 
season. 
Streptocarpus  Rhexi  {M.  C.  C.). — This  pretty  dwarf -growing  plant 
requires  greenhouse  treatment.  A  stock  is  readily  raised  from  seeds, 
and  if  sown  early  and  grown  well  they  flower  at  the  end  of  summer. 
Orown  indifferently  the  seedlings  may  not  flower  until  the  second  year. 
Propagation  is  also  effected  by  division  in  the  spring.  The  plants  require 
rest  in  the  winter,  not  allowing  them  to  become  dust  dry  at  the  roots, 
but  keeping  on  a  rather  moist  base,  where  they  will  receive  a  little 
moisture  without  making  the  soil  wet,  and  the  temperature  ought  not 
to  be  less  than  50°.  When  growth  recommences  water  should  be  given 
more  freely.  They  grow  well  in  light  rich  soil,  preferably  fibrous  loam 
two  parts,  and  one  part  of  leaf  soil  with  a  sixth  of  sand.  Seedlings  are 
sometimes  kept  gently  moving  through  the  winter  from  a  summer 
sowing  of  seeds,  and  these  make  a  fine  display  the  following  season. 
The  plants  do  not  require  a  large  amount  of  pot  room,  and  take  up 
little  space.  They  are  fine  for  margins  to  plants  of  larger  growth. 
Laella  Culture  (S.  L  H ).- — Laelia  anceps  flowers  in  December  and 
January,  the  sepals  and  petals  of  the  flowers  being  of  a  rose  lilac 
colour,  the  lips  a  deep  purple.  L.  Barkeri,  or  Barkeriana,  is  a  variety 
of  L.  anceps  with  purple  flowers.  L.  pumila  has  sepals  and  petals  of 
a  rosy  crimson,  the  lip  a  deep  rose  margined  with  white.  It  blooms  in 
September  and  October.  Grow  this  variety  on  a  block  of  wood  with 
a  little  sphagnum  moss,  suspending  the  block  from  the  roof  of  the 
house.  L.  Dayana  is  a  variety  of  the  last  requiring  similar  treatment. 
Purple  colour  predominates  in  the  flowers,  the  lip  being  margined  with 
lilac  and  white.  It  blooms  in  the  autumn.  Lselias  do  not  require 
dense  shade  or  full  exposure  to  the  hottest  sunshine,  but  they  enjoy 
plenty  of  light  and  an  atmosphere  charged  with  moisture.  When 
grown  on  blocks  the  syringe  may  be  used  frequently,  but  in  pot 
cultivation  discard  the  use  of  the  syringe,  as  moisture  is  retained  too 
long  in  the  sheathing  scales  which  envelop  the  young  growth.  An 
intermediate  temperature  is  best  for  them — that  is,  the  maximum 
temperature  in  the  summer  may  be  about  80°,  and  the  minimum  in 
the  winter  55°.  The  compost  best  suited  for  Lselias  is  fibrous  peat 
with  all  the  loose  fine  material  shaken  out  of  it.  Mix  this  with 
chopped  sphagnum  moss  and  silver  sand.  Drain  the  pots  well  and 
elevate  the  compost  above  the  rim  of  the  pot  so  that  the  pseudo¬ 
bulbs  when  arranged  on  the  surface  are  in  a  position  from  which 
the  water  will  pass  away  quickly.  Abundance  of  water  is  essential 
during  growth,  but  when  the  latter  is  completed  withhold  water  to 
some  extent,  so  that  a  season  of  rest  may  be  accorded,  after  which,  if 
the  drying  process  is  not  overdone,  flowering  will  be  freer  and  future 
growth  healthy  and  vigorous. 
Calceolaria  amplexicanlis  (F.  A.). — Cuttings  of  this  are  best  rooted 
in  pots  of  sandy  soil  in  a  cool  frame  in  the  autumn  and  kept  close  to 
prevent  the  leaves  flagging.  The  planfs  can  then  be  wintered  on  a 
greenhouse  shelf  and  potted  separately  in  the  spring.  We  have  wintered 
them  in  a  frame,  but  they  are  prone  to  suffer  and  some  of  them  to 
damp  off.  The  plants  are  not  so  hardy  as  the  ordinary  bedding 
Calceolarias.  You  can  take  up  and  pot  the  old  plants. 
Thrips  on  Azaleas  (Nemo). — You  will  find  the  following  an  excellent 
means  of  eradicating  these  pests.  Dissolve  2  ozs.  of  softsoap  in  a 
gallon  of  water,  and  pour  half  a  gallon  of  boiling  water  on  an  ounce  of 
strong  tobacco.  Mix  the  two  solutions  thoroughly,  and  then  syringe 
the  plants  heavily.  The  best  mode  of  doing  this  is  to  lay  the  plants  on 
their  sides  on  a  mat  or  other  clean  surface,  and  by  turning  them  round 
the  insecticide  can  be  directed  to  the  under  sides  of  every  leaf,  while  at 
the  same  time  the  soil  is  not  saturated.  This  should  be  repeated  at 
intervals  of  ten  days  throughout  this  and  the  ensuing  month,  and  the 
plants  will  be  cleansed. 
Neotarines  Cracking  (A^  T.  Z.,  Leeds). — Various  reasons  have  been 
given  for  the  fruit  cracking,  and  it  is  regarded  by  some  as  due  to  peculiar 
constitutional  nature  of  the  individual,  as  some  trees  of  the  same  kind  do 
not  have  the  fruit  cracked  under  the  same  treatment  and  in  the  same 
structure.  It  probably  arises  from  an  excess  of  nutrition  at  the  time 
of  taking  the  last  swelling  for  ripening,  the  swelline  up  to  that  time  not 
being  free,  and  then  as  soon  as  the  stoning  is  completed  the  watering  is 
of  a  more  liberal  character,  and  liberates  and  supplies  a  greater  amount 
of  matter.  Still  the  fact  remains  that  in  some  years  the  fruits  do  not 
crack.  In  the  case  of  such  tree,  or  trees,  we  have  found  lifting  to  have 
a  beneficial  effect,  but  the  subjects  usually  revert  to  the  propensity  in 
about  three  years,  therefore  periodical  lifting  has  to  be  practised  in 
order  to  save  the  fruit  from  cracking. 
Tomato  Leaves  Diseased  (New  Header). — The  leaves  are  badly 
infested  with  a  fungus,  producing  yellow  spots  or  blotches,  which 
spreads  and  sometimes  destroys  the  whole  leaf  or  leaves.  It  is  the 
Cladosporium  fulvnm  of  Dr.  Cooke  and  C.  lycopersici  of  Prof.  Plowright. 
As  many  of  the  outgrowths  are  mere  stumps  the  spores  will  have  been 
disseminated  through  the  house,  and  no  doubt  fresh  colonies  have  been 
established.  We  advise  cutting  off  the  worst  infested  leaves  and  burning 
them.  This,  of  course,  will  tend  to  distribute  the  spores  through 
the  house  to  a  certain  extent;  but  it  is  better  to  do  that  than  leave  bad 
leaves  to  foster  this  and  other  fungi.  Then  spray  the  whole  house  with 
Bordeaux  mixture,  for  which  compounds  have  repeatedly  been  given  in 
this  Journal,  this  being  the  most  certain  remedy,  but  it  will  have  a 
disparaging  effect  on  the  fruit  through  the  coating  of  lime  and  sulphate 
of  copper.  It  must  not  be  used  with  a  syringe,  but  as  that  is  what  yon 
wish  to  do  you  may  procure  a  bottle  of  Condy’s  fluid,  and  use  a  wine- 
glassful  to  a  gallon  of  water,  wetting  every  part  of  the  house  as  well  as 
the  plants  with  the  solution.  It  may  be  necessary  to  repeat  the 
syringing  in  about  ten  days,  as  possibly  some  parts  of  the  fungus  may 
not  have  been  reached  at  the  first  application. 
Duke  of  Snccleuch  Grapes  Cracking  (F.,  Cantah). — The  chief  if  not 
the  sole  cause  of  this  and  other  Grapes  cracking  is  excessive  moisture 
at  the  time  of  their  taking  the  last  swelling  for  ripening.  This  may  be 
of  the  soil  flushijig  the  berries  with  sap,  and  inducing  cracking  at  the 
eye  or  heel  end,  or  the  atmosphere  tending  to  the  expansion  of  the 
cuticle,  and  its  consequent  cracking  at  those  or  other  parts  of  the  fruit. 
It  follows  on  a  good  watering  being  given  to  the  border,  especially  if 
this  has  been  kept  rather  dry  previously,  and  the  moisture  arising  from 
it,  even  when  given  in  the  morning.  The  only  means  of  preventing 
the  cracking  is  to  keep  the  border  duly  supplied  with  water  up  to  the 
ripening  stage,  and  then  withhold  it  altogether,  a  good  supply  being 
given  shortly  in  advance  of  colouring,  mulching  the  border  with  short, 
dry  material,  and  admitting  air  very  freely,  a  little  ventilation  being  left 
on  constantly,  and  a  gentle  warmth  in  the  hot-water  pipes  so  as  to 
insure  a  circulation  of  air.  This,  however,  is  not  always  effectual,  the 
natural  atmospheric  conditions  being  of  a  character  conducive  of 
cracking,  hence  some  cultivators  cut  the  bearing  shoot  about  half  way 
through  a  few  joints  below  the  bunch  or  just  above  the  pruning  buds, 
and  ttiis  so  limits  the  supply  of  sap  as  to  prevent  cracking  of  the 
berries  to  a  great  extent,  if  not  wholly. 
Adiantum  cuneatum  for  Cutting  (S.  N.  B.). — As  you  require  the 
fronds  expressly  for  cutting  the  plants  must  not  be  grown  in  a  close 
atmosphere,  or  they  will  wither  directly  they  have  been  severed  from 
the  plants  or  exposed  to  more  airy  conditions.  A  deep  green  colour  of 
the  fronds  indicates  too  much  shade  and  heat,  and  will  not  last.  The 
young  fronds  on  plants  well  prepared  should  have  a  reddish  hue,  and 
those  fully  developed  a  light  green  appearance.  This  is  the  result  of 
light  airy  treatment.  Plants  that  have  been  grown  soft  may  be 
prepared  to  stand  well  if  they  are  carefully  and  gradually  exposed  to 
light  and  more  air,  but  they  are  never  so  good  as  those  grown  under 
these  conditions  from  the  first.  The  development  of  the  fronds  is 
slower  and  the  plants  are  longer  before  they  attain  a  large  size,  but  the 
main  object  is  secured,  and  the  fronds  are  fit  for  use  directly  they  are 
well  developed.  In  the  end  it  is  economy  to  prepare  the  plants  well  for 
this  purpose,  for  less  than  half  will  give  greater  satisfaction  and  less 
trouble  than  double  the  number  grown  under  close  treatment.  Young 
plants  raised  from  spores  in  spring  and  now  in  3-inch  pots  may  be 
placed  into  5-inoh  pots,  in  which  they  will  develop  a  good  number  of 
fronds  before  winter,  and  make  large  plants  another  year. 
