496 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ Decembei 12, 1865 



a wedding flight. Now, the sight of a queen in any circum- 

 Btances, and particularly when returning from her aerial ex- 

 cursion, may be as attractive to stranger bees as to her own 

 subjects. In apjiroaching the hive after a wedding flight, I 

 have seen her ilarted upon by bees, and even struck to the 

 ground. These might be strangers, they might follow her into 

 her dwelling unopposed, and be the cause aud occasion of the 

 regicidal results which we deplore. In a unicomb containing 

 only black bees and a queen reared about the miiidle of August 

 last, I was surprised to find several Ligurian bees about the 

 time the young queen was taking her wedding flights. The 

 lilack bees passed and repassed the Ligurians without taking 

 any notice of them whatever. It would have been interesting 

 to have seen them come in coutact with the queen ; but they 

 never moved far from the extremity of the comb. 



Will Mr. Woodbury kindly state whether he has ever observed 

 the interchange of combs productive of effects ? I have an im- 

 pression that the sense of smell in bees is very acute, and I 

 have often wondered whether bees would be differently affected 

 towards their queen were she immediately to insert her body 

 in the cells of a comb just removed from another hive. 



In giving expression to my views aud making the statements 

 I have done, I shall have gained my end if it stimulate to 

 farther inquiry, aud lead to the development of truth. — E. S. 



NUTTS HIVES. 



In answer to Mr. F. H. AVest as to whether Nutfs hives are 

 not difficult to manage, I can assure him that they are the 

 most simple which I have had to do with ; for in the spring, 

 when the slides are once drawn, I let these remain so till the 

 side boxes are tilled, when they are again closed for the pur- 

 pose of manipulation. This operation takes me about twenty 

 minutes by administering a few whiffs of smoke under the 

 ventilators in the floor-board, which induces the bees to make 

 their exit, and seek admission at the entrance of the parent 

 hive. 



With respect to ventilation retarding the secretion of wax, it 

 is very possible it may do so, but I never commence ventilating 

 till the thermometer stands from ilO' to 'M' in the middle box ; 

 then I open the ventilators, admission having been given to 

 the side boxes some ten or twelve days previously, so that the 

 boxes are nearly full of comb by that time, aud would soon be 

 taken possession of by the queen for depositing eggs in did I 

 not make it too cool for that purpose, and yet refreshing for 

 the honey collectors. 



In reference to overcroY.dmg in a non-swarming colony, such 

 a thing is not known in my boxes, there being at all times 

 plenty of room during the gathering and breeding seasons. I 

 cannot say that I have kept any notes showing the rate of 

 progress in the boxes before and after ventilation, beyond the 

 fact that the bees previous to being admitted to the boxes 

 lose much valuable time, hanging about the hives as if wait- 

 ing for more room, but as soon as let into the boxes they set 

 vigourously to work building combs. I have not found that 

 the queens of non-swarming hives perversely die off at a wrong 

 season, or whcu the bees are unable to raise themselves 

 another. The weight of one set of my collateral boxes in 1804 

 was 45 J lbs. of honey, not including the middle box ; the weight 

 of a second set v/as 39 lbs. of honey. In 1805 No. 1 produced 

 36 lbs., and No. 2, 40 lbs. of honey. 



In conclusion I may remarlc that I do not find the moth get 

 into boxes so much as I have done in straw skeps. — T. S. 



MY LITTLE APIARY. 



being eked. This hive also did not swarm, and worked wonder- 

 fully during the month of June. I took from it at different 

 times three brood combs, and three outside combs filled with 

 honey, besides which it tilled a nine-frame super with most 

 regular combs all tilled and sealed. 



No. 1 was let alone, except the fitting of a small board upon 

 it f(U' a super. This hive, after three parts filling a glass, threw 

 off a swarm, and did nothing further. 



No. i was a large purchased swarm, which, after filling a 

 hive with comb, suddenly swarmed out upon the stand. Think- 

 ing this was from the intense heat, and several other stocks in 

 the neighbourhood clustering out at the same time, I did not 

 at first take any notice of it, and it was not until after a care- 

 ful examination on the second evening that the real nature of 

 the mischief was apparent. Disliking cross sticks, and intend- 

 ing the following season to cut out the combs, I had neglected 

 what in so hot a summer would seem to be a necessary precau- 

 tion. The combs had melted and fallen down, quite filling up 

 the hive. They were one mass of brood, having broken off 

 irregularly 3 or 4 inches from the top ; some honey was also 

 lost and many bees. If I had had a spare frame hive the combs 

 might still have been turned to good account, but unfortunately 

 this was not the case, and they wasted, which was certainly 

 bad management. A part at least might have been fixed in 

 glasses and placed over two hives to hatch out. The bees 

 returned to their desolate habitation and for several days 

 seemed to be disconsolate ; but they afterwards set to work to 

 repair damages, and having been liberally fed seem likely to 

 get through the winter. 



No. 5, a purchased swarm, has filled a large hive, and given 

 four glasses of honey. 



No. was the swarm from Nc. 1, and was sent to the heather 

 at the end of July. It was well stored when sent, and being 

 very populous, would, doubtless, have gathered a large surplus 

 had the weather been at all favourable. The hive was filled 

 throughout, and work just commenced in the super. It is by 

 far the heaviest hive in the apiary, and might very well have 

 spared the two outer combs. 



No. 7 was a second swarm, purchased for a trifle, and sent 

 to the heather; combs worked about three parts down, and 

 strong in population, the bees of a driven stock having been 

 added to it. Indeed, most of the hives have been strengthened 

 in this way. 



Tabulated, the result is as follows : — 

 Ko. 1, a straw hive, has given 12 ll)s. nnd a swann 



2, b;u' and fi-aiiie 



3, bar and frame 



4, straw hive, 



5, straw hive, 



5, bar and frame, 

 7, straw. 



43 lbs. and three brood combs. 

 "35 Ills, and two brood euinbs. 

 4 lbs. and then broke down. 

 16J lbs. 

 nothing, 

 nothing. 



Total, 109J lbs. 



Thus of the three old stocks the two transferred to frame 

 hives gave most satisfactory results, and had there been any- 

 thing like a favourable season at the heather, I have no doubt 

 that No. 6 would have done quite as well as either of them, 

 showing. I think, the superiority of these hives when fairly 

 tried. — F. H. West, 7uar Lftik. 



As a sketch of operations is always interesting, perhaps I 

 may be allowed to say in few words what have been my doings 

 this season, and their results. 



I commenced the year with three stocks, all in straw hives. 

 Nos. 1 and o were moderately strong. No. 2 exceedingly so — 

 crowded with bees aud well provisioned. On the 13th of May 

 I drove No. 3, which was the smallest liive, cut out the combs, 

 and transferred all safely to a bar and frame hive. This stock 

 turned out very well indeed, after being strengthened from 

 No. 2. It did not swarm, and tilled a large wooden super with 

 beautiful honey, containing, however, a portion of brood, the 

 queen having made her way up through the adajjter. 



A week later I drove No. 2, but with some difficulty, from its 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Winter Suitlv of Eggs (J. S.).— Winter laying dejicnds on age. not 

 on breed. Laying is a natural process, and intended to produce chickens. 

 In a state of nature aU hens would produce their chickens about the 

 same time that Grouse. Pheasants, and Pai-tridges do, when days are 

 getting Ioniser, nights shorter, and when the earth teems with natural 

 food— i. c, in the end of April or beginning of May. By breeding fowls 

 out of course, v.e get them to lay earlier, but the ehickena. if reared, 

 must be reared artiliei.allv. Fowls hatched in April will lay in the winter. 

 Cochins and Urahmas are the best, especially the latter. They tan be 

 had uf Baily. in Mount Street. Feed them on ground oats, slaked with 

 milk, aud with scraps of every kind from the table. To get thirty-six 

 eggs per week at this time of year, you must keep at least twenty-four 

 pullets, not hens. 



Artificial Hatcuino (Xnno).—Wc are informed that the new incu- 

 bator will be fully announced before the end of the month. The neces- 

 sary experiments are lieing made, that failure with eommon attention 

 shall be impossible. It is in the hands of a company of the highest re- 

 spectability, and it is said will prove a boon for all poultry breeders. 



Birmingham PoraTRV Show.— Fh-st prize for Dorking Pullets was 

 awarded to Mr. C. Cork. Suoreham, Susses. 



Work ox Bees (i'. D. S.).— "Bee-keeping tor the Many," was written 

 by the late Mr. Payne, a very good authority. It can be had free by post 

 ;i-tm our oSce for live postage stamps. 



