March 8, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETXCULTUaE AND COirAGE GABDENEE. 



neat and inexpensive patterns for our enlightenment. Mr. Root 

 appreciates shade for his bees ; bnt in most American apiaries 

 the hives seem to be simply set down in open fields without any 

 protection whatever. 



Great attempts were made in the United States to institute a 

 " standard frame," and there is one so-called; but the name is 

 practically useless, for bee-keepers will use their own judgment 

 as to the requirements of their bees and locality. The same 

 question was discussed by the British Bee-keepers* Association 

 for Eogland, but recognised as impracticable, although I see 



system of management. Throwing up such a oload of theoretic 

 dust may help to amuse Mr. L^we ; but has it not already 

 blinded his ally — the patriarchal Mr. Pettigrew — to publicly dis- 

 own " his ain true love," the big straw skep, aud actually em- 

 brace at his champion's bidding the empty wooden boxes from 

 the grocer's shop ? To help to allay this dust I would put one 

 or two questions. - ~^ 



"Would Messrs. Lowe and Pettigrew kindly state the extent of 

 their experience (if any) of thi^ Stewarton hive and system of 

 bee mauigement ? So far as the records of the apiarian comb 



Fig. 21.— Ajibhican apiart. 



two hive-makers advertise their wares as the " standard." It 

 may ease the minds of straw bivists here to know that the 

 Yankees are too 'cute to go in for expensive hives. Most of 

 their hives cost no more than i2 or $'i, and frame hives in 

 England need not cost more for profitable working; indeed, 

 they may be had quite as cheap as Mr. Pettigrew's excellent 

 large skeps, with theii' floor-boards, supers, and covers. — John 

 Hdnteb, Eaton liiae, Ealing. 



THE BATTLE OF THE HIVES. 



Ln this controversy we have already pointed out to Mr. Lowe 

 it lies not between all hives and systems of bee management, 

 but simply two — the Stewarton and the straw — for comparative 

 honey results. We may, therefore, be pardoned if we ask the 

 practical utility of all your correspondent's verbiage meander- 

 ings, this mere play ou tho meaning of words, this hive qua 

 liiTe, this word-splitting attempt to sever the hive from its 



show they have none. I would ask farther if they have ever even 

 seen a well-managed 46-inch octagon colony at work ? May 

 their position not be similar to my respected friend President 

 Bennet, who had the frankness, as well as the generosity, to 

 record in these pages that in my apiary the last summer " he 

 had been introduced to a phase of apiculture of which he had 

 previously no conception." Admit this till we are informed to 

 the contrary, and does it not savour somewhat of presumption 

 that either gentleman should pass judgment ou what they 

 have no experience whatever 'i* But, says Mr. Lowe, look at our 

 backers, Messrs. Abbott, Symington, " B. & W,," and all the 

 authorities ; only think, " Bevan, Golding, Dunbar, Jardine, 

 Langstroth, Huish, and Taylor, and many others I could name." 

 So far as the apiarian records show the first two gentlemen — 

 Messrs. Abbott and Symington— have no experience of the 

 Stewarton hive; and as to Mr. Lowe's sole supporter, "B. & W.," 

 all we remember of his connection with that hive was in his 

 making a reference daring the " superposing " controversy in an 



