204 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 5, 1865. 



lowed to do so swarming earlier and oftener, they continue also 

 to rear young later in the fall, and are thus prepared to go into 

 winter quarters strong and populous. It was said when in- 

 troduced that they could not sting, and by some they are now 

 called '■ the stingless bee." The experience of those who have 

 hitherto brought them into this State has not confirmed these 

 accounts, as they have been found more irritable than the 

 Common bee. I think this proves conclusively that few pure 

 Italians have ever been brought here. The cross between the 

 Italian and common bee has always been reported in this 

 country and in Europe to be very in-itable, easily provoked, 

 and after once vexed, not to be appeased for a long time. Since 

 I have seen the pure Italians, I am willing to give them the 

 reputation they have always borne for extreme docility, as 

 they never sting unless greatly provoked. No one can open a 

 hive containing these beautiful insects without being struck by 

 the difference between them and the other variety, as they 

 nianifest no alarm or irritation. The queen, too, instead of 

 hiding, as a common one always does, remains quietly in her 

 place, and by her red and Ught colouruig can be distinguished 

 at glance. 



But, after all that can be said, the main questions with our 

 matter-of-fact people will be. Will it pay? and how much? Th« 

 only way in which this can be decided, I think, is by compar- 

 ing them under the same circumstances of season and location. 

 If I tell of 200 lbs. obtained from an ItaUan colony this season, 

 some one else may bring a report of what has been done by a 

 colony of native bees at some other time or place, and neither 

 statement, as I view the subject, proves anything. What we 

 want, to decide the matter, are accounts of the 'comparative yield 

 under the same circumstances. My experience on this point 

 has been as follows : In the spring of 1863 I had only two 

 Italian colonies (so called, though they were not pure). They 

 were not strong. Through the season one of them gave me 

 three swai-ms and stored 100 lbs. in boxes. The other gave me 

 two swarms and stored 26 lbs. iu boxes. All of the swarms 

 filled their hives, and all stored some honev in boxes. I had 

 that same summer fifty-nine hives of common bees, from aU of 

 which more or less was taken, but not one of them stored a 

 pound of honey in boxes. That season was the poorest houey- 

 producing season I ever knew. Through the .summer of 1863 1 

 averaged from nine Italian colonies 119 lbs. e.ach. The best 

 one of these shows this record in mv journal : " One full 

 swarm taken from it on the 20th of May ; 1.50 lbs. from it in 

 boxes. The swarm taken from it made 80 lbs. and on the 16th 

 of August threw off a swarm which filled its hive and wintered 

 well." This makes two valuable swarms and 236 lbs. of honey 

 from one colony in a single season. 



With this I \vish to contrast the fact that from thii-ty stands 

 of common bees that season I obtained only six swarms and 

 1,654 lbs. of honey, or an average of 56 lbs. each. The greatest 

 yield from any one was 96 lbs. As these bees were all wintered 

 aUke, in the same sort of hives, and were managed in the same 

 way, imder the same circumstances of season and location, I 

 claim that this result proves beyond a doubt the great supe- 

 riority of the Itahan bee. I attribute this.superiority to their 

 greater industry, their energy, and their more rapid increase 

 of young in the spring, and also their abiUty to gather honey 

 from the red clover.— (Ellen S. Tupper in Hmck-Eye.) 



BEE-KEEPING IN CHESHIRE— TREATMENT 

 OF DRWEN BEES. 



I HAi,-E waited some time to see whether any of our Cheshire 

 bee-keepers would give us any information respecting bee- 

 keepmg, and none of them having done so must be my excuse 

 for ti-oubhng you. I began bee-keeping m the spring with two 

 common straw hives. No. 1 threw off a swarm on the 7th of 

 June, which I put in one of Messrs. Neighbours' hives the 

 bottom part of which they had filled by the eighteenth day, 

 when I put on a small super, from which I have since taken 

 10 lbs. of very nice honey. The old hive swarmed again on 

 the 2'2nd of June, and on the 28th of July the swarm weighed 

 14 lbs. nett. Hive No. 2 swarmed on the 21st of June, and on 

 the 28th of July weighed 24 lbs. nett. This shows the differ- 

 ence between a first and a second swanu. I may mention 

 that myself and a neighbour have driven no less than nine 

 hives, and I have the bees of six of the hives in two bar boxes, 

 but of course I have filled the bars of the boxes with brood 

 comb from the driven hives, and have to feed them. I should 



like to know whether you think I shall succeed with them.— 

 James Hough, MUtcUcwich, Clifshire. 



[Your driven bees should be promptly and liberally ted, so 

 as to induce them to extend the cumbs with which their 

 hives have been furnished. If the supply of food be con- 

 tinued until each stock weighs fi-om 15 to 20 lbs. nett, there 

 is every probability of your success.] 



REMOVING TO A SHORT DISTANCE A 

 STOCK HrV^E. 



The following method for removing bees iu tne summer 

 from one part of the garden to another, successfully prevents 

 them from retiUTiiug to their former stance. 



About midday partially di'ive the stock which it is desired 

 to remove, into an empty hive. Place the empty hive with 

 diiven bees on the old site, and the driven stock on the stance 

 intended for it to occupy in futiu-e. Then, towards dusk, when 

 the bees are all home and not liable to take wing, carry the 

 empty hive with driven bees to the driven stock, and by a 

 sudden jerk eject the bees on to a newspaper. Hold the news- 

 paper to the entrance of the di-iven stock, and the bees will 

 hastily march in, and take possession of their old abode. Next 

 morning they will, on taking wing, examine their new quarters, 

 and few, if any of them, will retiun to their old locality, or i 

 they do, it will he merely to msike a flying visit, and return. 

 — E. S. ' 



How TO EAT Bananas. — The fiiiits of the Banana and Plantain 

 are eaten in a variety of ways. They fonu alike the savoiu'y 

 and sweet dishes in their native lands, and whichever way they 

 are treated tliey are always much esteemed. Both raw and 

 stewed they are served up as a dessert fruit ; sliced aud fried 

 with butter, they are considered a great delicacy. They are 

 also used by the natives for making i^uddiugs, the pulp being 

 poimded or beaten up into a paste ; simply boiled they are 

 frequently eaten with salt meat. But, wliichever way it is 

 taken, the Banana is equally nutritious and wholesome.- The 

 experience of M. Boussingault in testing the nutritive qualities 

 of the Banana is very interesting, and we cannot do better 

 than insert it here. He says — " I have reason to believe that 

 the nutritive value of the Banana is superior to that of the 

 Potato. I have given as daily rations to men employed at hard 

 labour about 6.i lbs. of half-ripe Bananas, and 2 07.s. of salt 

 meat." Nor is this fruit valuable alone when fresldy gathered ; 

 unlike most fruits of a similar succulent nature, it can be ma- 

 nufactured into a highly nutritions and valuable me«I. This is 

 effected by depriving the fi'uit of the outer skin, then cutting it 

 in slices and thoroughly dr^-ing it in the sun, after which it is 

 powdered and sifted. The sliced or presei-ved fruits likewise 

 form an important article of trade iu the Society Islands. — 

 The linglislnnmi's Magazine for Auguxt.) 



Increased Importation of Eggs. — From au official docn- 

 ment just issued it appears that in the seven months ended 

 the 31st July last, as many as 233,706,240 eggs were imported 

 against 207,790,320 in the preceding year. In July last, com- 

 pared with the same month in the preceding year, the increase 

 exceeded 3,000,000. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Dorking Cock with One Eve {J. It.), — The loss of an eye is not a 

 disqualification in a IDorking cock. 



Rouen Duck's Wing (Subscriber). — The wing you describe is a correct 

 one. 



Piggery (J. France).— Onr correspondent would be obliged by being 

 informed where be can see *'a first-class piggery, kept on scientific prin- 

 ciples." We shall be obliged by an answer being sent to us. 



LONDON MAIUvETS.— Skptember 2. 

 POULTRY. 



Supply ample and trade dull. The first gi-eat supply of Grouse is over. 

 This bus had its influence on prices, but the advent of Partridges ^vill be 

 a counteri^oise to prevent any gi'eat rise. 



