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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  6,  1900. 
'A. 
HB  BBE-KBEPBR. 
.  I  ■  I  ■  I  ■  l'. !  .1  -  T  ■  I  ■  L  ■  I  ■  I  -  I  ■  I  .-r: 
Requisites  for  Bee-keepers. 
When  a  beginner  has  decided  upon  the  kind  of  hive  most  likely 
to  suit  his  purpose  it  will  be  necessary  for  him  to  select  a  few 
necessary  things.  The  aim  of  the  bee-keeper  should  be  to  disturb  the 
bees  as  little  as  possible,  and  never  to  handle  them  unless  there  is  a 
special  reason  for  doing  so.  With  a  little  practice  the  most  timid  bee¬ 
keeper  will  learn  to  handle  bees  without  gloves.  It  is,  however,  wise 
to  protect  the  face  at  all  times  with  a  veil,  which  should  be  made  of 
black  net.  If  a  piece  of  elastic  is  run  round  at  one  end  it  will  fit 
over  the  hat,  and  may  be  carried  in  the  pocket  when  not  in  use. 
A  smoker,  too,  is  a  necessity,  and  the  Bingham  is  admirable.  We 
prefer  those  made  with  a  guard  over  the  funnel.  A  smoker  of  this 
description  is  not  particular  as  to  the  kind  of  fuel  used.  Brown 
paper,  cotton  rags,  corduroy,  or  old  sacking  answer  the  purpose 
admirably. 
A  pair  of  knives  for  uncapping  should  be  obtained ;  those  made 
specially  for  the  purpoi^e  have  bevelled  edges,  but  any  old  table  knife 
may  be  used  if  the  apiary  is  only  a  small  one.  It  is  an  advantage  to 
have  a  pair,  as  one  is  being  warmed  in  hot  water  whilst  the  other  is 
used.  A  box  made  of  strong  tin  should  be  provided  for  carrying  the 
frames  when  full  of  honey,  or  at  any  other  necessary  time.  The  box 
ought  to  be  made  the  same  length  and  depth  as  ihe  standard  frame, 
projections  being  left  at  each  end  for  the  frames  to  hang  on.  They 
will  then  be  in  the  same  position  they  occupied  in  the  hive.  One 
holding  eight  frames  will  be  quite  large  enough ;  a  handle  should  be 
placed  on  the  top  so  that  it  may  be  easily  carried.  A  good  extractor 
is  one  of  the  most  expensive,  but  at  the  same  time  most  useful  adjuncts 
to  the  apiary.  There  is  no  comparison  between  a  first-class  cylinder 
extractor  with  cap  gearing  and  a  cheap  machine  such  as  the  Little 
Wonder.  An  extractor  as  above  should  take  two  combs  in  standard¬ 
sized  frames,  and  have  swinging  reversible  cages.  They  are  made  of 
strong  block  tin,  and  are  about  2  feet  high  and  16  inches  across.  An 
extractor  of  this  description  will  hold  80  lbs.  of  honey  under  the  cages 
before  it  will  be  necessary  to  run  it  off,  which  is  done  through  a  treacle 
valve  at  the  bottom  of  the  machine.  Such  a  machine  will  cost  about 
2  guineas.  The  above  appliances  are  all  the  practical  bee-keeper  will 
require  to  make  a  start. — An  English  Bee-keeper. 
u®.  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  mitre  court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
Xiondon,  £.C.  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. 
Naming  Apple  from  Description  (J.  D.). — The  data  accords  with 
Duchess  of  Oldenburg,  which  comes  into  use  during  August,  being  large, 
flesh  yellowish  white,  crisp  and  juicy.  It  forms  a  medium  sized 
pyramid  and  a  good  standard.  The  best  very  early  Apple  is  probably 
Early  Harvest,  with  fruit  of  medium  size,  the  tree  being  a  healthy  and 
free  grower.  It  bears  well  as  a  standard  and  forms  a  large  pyramid. 
The  fruit  is  in  use  early  in  August. 
Liquid  manure  for  Cyclamens  (Idem), — The  best  liquid  for  Cyclamens 
is  that  formed  of  cow  manure,  1  peck  to  20  gallons  of  water,  the 
manure  being  fresh,  and  placed  in  bag,  then  pouring  on  the  water  and 
stirring  a  few  times  daily  for  two  or  three  days  before  use.  The  clear 
liquid  only  should  be  applied.  Soot  water  is  also  excellent,  it  being 
treated  similarly  to  the  cow  manure,  but  only  half  a  peck  used  to  the 
quantity  of  water  named,  and  the  liquid  should  be  used  clear,  and 
preferably  not  for  four  days  or  a  week.  Nitrate  of  soda  is  too 
stimulating,  though  it  may  be  applied  at  the  rate  of  a  quarter  of  an 
ounce  to  a  gallon  of  water  to  begin  with,  doubling  the  quantity  by 
degrees.  It  should  only  be  given  occasionally.  The  leaves  of  Cyclamens 
are  often  deformed  by  the  attacks  of  a  mite-like  creature,  which  causes 
the  leaves  to  have  a  rusted  appearance.  It  is  best  discomfited  by 
tobacco  water  applied  to  the  under  side  of  the  leaves. 
“  Book  of  the  Rose  ”  (Chester). — We  are  obliged  to  you  for  poiuting 
out  the  clerical  error  on  page  432.  The  price  of  Mr.  Poster-Melliar’s 
“Book  of  the  Rose”  is  Ss.  6d.,  and  not  5s.,  as  stated.  The  reply  was 
given  to  “  H.  H.,”  who  will  probably  read  this  also. 
Insect  to  nrame  (W.  F.  G.). — The  insect  was  much  crushed,  it  being 
beyond  identification,  bat  appears  one  of  the  Heteroptera  or  plant  bags, 
probably  Lygus  solani,  which  infests  many  plants  besides  the  Potato, 
and  a  closely  allied  species  is  found  on  Hops.  It  is  in  the  mature  or 
perfect  state,  and  both  in  that  and  larval  stage  more  or  less  preying  on 
plants  by  means  of  their  suckers.  The  eggs  evidently  are  those  of  the 
insect. 
Manure  for  Mushroom  from  Stables  where  Horses  are  Given  Drugs 
(0.  L;  Co,  Dublin). — There  is  no  reason  why  cod  liver  oil  given  to 
horses  should  injuriously  affect  the  manure,  nor  the  salts  given  as  a 
purgative.  We  presume  the  articles  are  only  given  in  an  ordinary  way, 
and  the  manure  not  from  pi  ices  where  horses  are  subjected  to  much 
doctoring.  If  from  ordinary  stables  we  consider  there  is  no  objection, 
we  having  used  the  material  of  similar  nature  for  a  great  number  of 
years  with  satisfactory  results. 
Cow  Manure  for  Mushroom  Bed  (J.  W.  Knight). — The  manure  is 
best  from  cows  that  are  fed  on  hay  and' other  hard  food  similar  to 
horses.  The  manure  from  animals  fed  on  Mangolds,  Turnips,  oilcake, 
hay,  and  sometimes  Cabbage,  is  generally  too  soft  and  cold,  soon 
becoming  too  close  and  spent  for  the  growth  of  Mnshrooms.  Though 
not  containing  any  deleterious  substance,  we  should  not  advise  such 
manure  unless  containing  a  considerable  amount  of  littery  material, 
such  as  straw,  for  Mushroom  beds. 
Gas  Lime  Mixed  with  Soil  for  Grass  Land  (Gardener).  —  The 
compost  formed  of  gas  lime  and  soil  laying  for  a  year  is  a  valuable 
dressing  for  land  under  grass.  The  quantity  of  pure  lime  (you  do  not 
say  whether  gas  lime  or  ordinary  lime)  advisable  ranges  from  3  to 
5  tons  per  acre  of  gas  lime,  it  being  composted  with  about  five  times 
the  bulk  of  soil.  The  gas  lime  chiefly  consists  of  gypsum  or  sulphate 
of  lime.  Ordinary  lime  is  applied  at  a  similar  rate  on  land  not  very 
rough,  but  where  the  herbage  is  coarse  from  6  to  10  tons  are  frequently 
supplied.  It  chiefly  is  composed  of  lime,  which  acts  on  old  herbage 
and  moss,  and  reduces  the  matter  to  a  debris  of  considerable  value 
as  a  fertiliser,  besides  improving  the  quality  of  the  grass,  and  of 
course  hay. 
Brown  Spots  on  Marechal  Wiel  Bose  (Anxious). — There  sometimes 
arise  patches  of  dead  bark  on  the  stems  through  the  cause  you  name — 
that  of  laying  on  the  trellis  or  being  in  contact  with  it — the  remedy  for 
which  is  to  paint  the  wires  with  white  lead  paint,  one  coat  snSicing  to 
stop  the  galvanic  action  and  injurious  effects  of  the  zinc  on  bark.  We 
do  not  know  of  any  other  cause,  though  brown  patches  sometimes 
occur  on  the  bark,  and  are  due  to  fungus,  Peronospora  sparsa.  The 
best  preventive  of  this  pest  is  free  ventilation,  and  dusting  occasionally 
with  a  fungicide  in  powder  containing  sulphate  of  copper,  such  as 
anti-blight.  The  trees  do  not  flower  better  if  fed  well  at  the  roots 
during  the  winter,  as  the  flowering  depends  on  the  maturity  of  the 
wood  in  the  previous  season,  though  the  flowers  are  assisted  in 
developing  by  applications  of  liquid  manure  in  the  spring  or  top- 
dressing  of  fertiliser  some  time  in  advance  of  growth  taking  place.  An 
application  of  rather  strong  liquid  manure  from  stables  and  cow-houses, 
applied  during  winter,  has  a  good  effect,  but  not  making  the  soil  sodden 
and  sour. 
Destroying  White  Fly  on  Tomatoes  (Idem). — The  best  remedy  for 
this  pest  is  flowers  of  sulphur,  the  hot-water  pipes  being  heated  to 
170°  and  over,  but  not  to  boiling  point,  and  then  thinly  coating  them 
with  a  cream  formed  of  skim  milk  and  flowers  of  sulphur.  The  house 
should  be  kept  close,  and  after  being  thus  sulphur  fumed  for  about  an 
hour,  the  pipes  may  be  allowed  to  cool  and  the  house  fall  to  its  ordinary 
temperature.  The  sulphur  may  remain  on  the  hot-water  pipes,  and 
they  should  be  heated  twice  as  before  at  intervals  of  four  or  five  days. 
It  generally  suffices  to  keep  this  pest  in  subjection  to  have  a  little 
sulphur  on  the  hot-water  pipes  constantly,  the  fumes  given  off  in  the 
ordinary  way  of  heating  being  fatal  to  it,  and  also  a  good  preventive 
of  fungoid  diseases. 
Millipedes  in  'Finery  (J.  B.). — The  insects  (Myriapods)  were  all 
dead  when  received,  showing  that  even  these  pests  oannot  long 
survive  without  food  in  the  larval  state.  That  is  a  great  point  in 
the  treatment  of  plant  infestation  by  insects,  and  is  one  reason  why 
lime  is  beneficial  in  such  cases,  for  it  acts  by  converting  the 
organic  matter  on  which  they  mainly  subsist  into  plant  food,  whilst 
rendering  it  less  available  as  food  for  their  enemies,  besides  injuring 
the  pests.  The  best  thing  to  do  is  to  remove  the  manure,  and  let 
fowls  have  an  opportunity  of  scratching  it  over.  If  that  is  not  prac¬ 
ticable  you  may  proceed  as  you  propose,  using  a  peck  of  freshly  slaked 
lime  per  rod,  sprinkling  it  evenly  on  the  surface,  at  once  scratching  the 
border  over  with  a  fork.  This  will  kill  most  of  the  larvae,  and  if  there 
be  many  “  prowlers  ”  left  to  follow  the  next  day  with  a  similar  quantity 
of  soot,  which  should  be  pointed  in  lightly.  Perhaps  more  fatal  to  the 
millipedes,  but  might  possibly  be  too  forcing  for  the  Vines  (this 
depending  on  circumstances),  would  be  If  lb.  of  powdered  nitrate  of 
soda  per  rod,  leaving  it  on  the  surface.  The  larger  insect  is  Jains 
terrestris,  and  the  smaller  ones  larvae  of  that  species. 
