ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS— ton^mu^t/. 



Non-swarming Bees. — R. R. writes : " (i) I'lease <,nve j^eneral directions to clieck swarm. ng. 

 (2) What book on 'Bees' (Australian, if possible) would you recommend? I have Roots' 

 -A. B.C. on Bee Culture. (3) I should be glad to learn how to breed almost non-swarm. ng 

 Italian bees." 



AnsTver. — (i) To check swarming, nothing is so effective as giving the colonies plenty fully 

 ibuilt-out empty combs, and dispensing with the honey board until the swarming season is over. 

 When finished combs are not available, frames with sheets of foundation may be given, which,, 

 iowever, are not nearly so effective. Breaking out all queen cells once a week w-ill postpone 

 swarming for a time and with a change of temperature may prevent it. (2) There is no dis- 

 tinctly Australian book on bees available, at any rate none of a comprehensive nature. As you 

 already have the American standard work on bees you should subscribe to one or more of the 

 Australian Bee Journals. Helpful articles also appear in this Journal from time to time. (3) 

 'To breed a practically non-swarming strain of bees is very difficult and almost impossible in an 

 apiary worked for honey yields. Swarming may, however, be considerably reduced and brought 

 -imder control by a proper system of management and by continuous select breeding of queens 

 from stocks, which, while equal to the best, show but little or no inclination to swarm. The 

 initial difficulty is that even amongst 200 to 300 colonies there may not be a single one which 

 possesses all the requirements of vigor, racial purity and honey-producing capacity, as well 

 as the non-swarming characteristic. Even when such a colony has been found the breeding of 

 the young queens, their mating and the fixing of the non-swarming character by inbreeding, 

 &c., is surrounded by so many difficulties, that only an experienced beeman could undertake the 

 "task with any chance of success. 



Roof-cooling Compositions. — Country Resident asks for further information regarding 

 the effect of Arabic and roof-cooling compositions on water for domestic use. 



Answer. — It is claimed by the makers that Arabic is non-injurious to drinking water as 

 far as its chemical composition is concerned. As stated in the October issue of the Jourval 

 it is the dust caught by the rough surface of any roof-cooling composition that is undesirable 

 in drinking water. Plain galvanized iron has a smooth surface and does not catch so much 

 <lust. So far as we know no composition is better than Arabic in this respect. 



SEPAR.4TED MiLK FOR PiGS. — W. J. writes : — ■" In the October issue you advise that sepa- 

 Tated milk should be fermented before giving it to pigs. How is it fermented, and why 

 necessary ?" 



Answer. — Mix a little clean sour milk or butter-milk with it. Pigs appear to be able to 

 •digest it better when sour than when fresh, but it must be clean sour milk — not putrid. 



Molasses for Stock. — W. J. wishes to know how long molasses for stock will keep 

 good after being opened. 



Ansider.- — In ordinary weather molasses will keep for any length of time. They have so^ 

 much sugar that this preserves them from going bad. 



Welsh Ponies. — J. M. asks what is the breeding of a Welsh pony, and for what reason 

 is the breed recommended to Victorian farmers. 



Ansjuer. — The Welsh pony was originally a mountain pony, but which has been improved 

 by selection to a high standard of excellence, and its breeding is now regulated by a stud book. 

 The characteristics of the breed are such as it is thought would materially assist in im- 

 proving the progeny of the light horses of this State in the direction of belter bone and 

 greater substance, soundness, and hardiness. 



Tree Lucerne, Etc. — K. R. makes inquiry relative to the propagation of Tree lucerne, 

 Walnut, and Pinus insignis. 



Answer. — (i) Tree lucerne can be raised from seed where it is intended to grow it, or 

 the plants can be carefully transplanted when very young — about an inch high. They make 

 deep tap roots, and if left to grow any size will not readily transplant. The seed might be 

 treated as advised for wattle seed by the Acting Conservator of Forests in his Report for 

 ir)o6, viz. : — " Place the seed on a piece of hessian large enough to tie up aftervvarus into a 

 bag. Put this in a tub or other vessel, with the hessian over the edges, pour on boiling water 

 and cover the vessel with a board or other covering. Let the seed soak for two or three 

 hours, then gather up the seed in the hessian, tie, and hang up to drain for half a day, mix 

 with sand, and sow broadcast. Do not prepare more seed than you intend to use the following 

 day. (2) Sow walnut seed during autumn or early spring in well-trenched ground — deep, dry, 

 and well drained. Plant about two inches deep. (3) Pinus insignis should be sown early in 

 September in drills about one inch deep, and covered with light loamy soil, free from weeds, 

 Tto about the same depth. 



Application of Superphosphate. — OrchaRdist wants to know whether super{)hosphate, 

 when spreail over the surface as a dressing for growing crops of peas and potatoes, should 

 ht hoed in. 



Answer. — If the soil is moist when the sujierphosphate is applied, it will dissolve rapidly. 

 Hoeing or raking in will expedite the activity of the manure. 



Insect on Orange. — Cobjrg forwards " a peculiar insect which was found on a Seville 

 ■orange." 



Answer. — It is the larva of the Ladybird beetle [Orcus], which is a destrover of scale 

 and aphis. 



Chaff.— W. T. P. asks whether chaff cut out of the stooks and stored in a large barn 

 would be in any way inferior to chaff cut out of the stack. 



Answer. — No, provided the same amount of grain was present in both cases. 



Ticks on Sheep. — P. M. writes : — " When shearing my sheep I noticed that ticks were 

 ^ery numerous on them. What remedy would you suggest?" 



.4»7r7f"'r. — The sheep should be "dipped" after shearing. 



