308 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



( September SO, 1875. 



simplicity, and nothing could be further from it than the first- 

 prize hive. The method of securing the frames in position is a 

 good inEtance of this fault. It is very difficult t^ describe with- 

 out drawings, but we will say the ends of the top bars of the 

 frames are cut pointed like the teeth of a saw, and these fit iuto 

 corresponding spaces in the front and back of the hive. To 

 release them, bo that they can be removed, 1 inch of the front 

 and back is hinged and folds outward, the bees will, no doubt, 

 propolise every serration, and the consequent jar on its rupture 

 will bring them angry to the top ; every experienced bee-master 

 must know there is nothing more essential than quietness ia 

 manipulation. On reclosing the hinged slips we are at a loss to 

 see how the crushing of many bees ia to be prevented. For the 

 purpose of contracting the capacity of the hive the interior is 

 fitted with a diaphragm of vulcanite. This is a useless ad- 

 ditional expense, as wood would answer every purpose. No 

 crown-board is used, but the frames are covered with a carpet, 

 which is placed directly on the frames. We do not know whether 

 bees can depend on a supply of propolis without limit, but as 

 tho insects never rest until they have closed every chink and 

 cranny, we fear much energy will be expended which might be 

 more profitably employed honey-gathering. There was one 

 thing that particularly struck us — viz,, Mr. Abbott in the pages 

 of a contemporary has many times most strongly advocated the 

 absence of a bottom rail to the frames, and yet in this hive we 

 note its presence. In this class Mr. Eusbridge exhibited a 

 hive which he calls the Sussex Hive; it is simply a Woodbury 

 spoiled by the absence of a bottom rail. The slots in the crown- 

 boards also are twice the width they should be for successfully 

 keeping the queen from the super. Conspicuous in this class 

 was the Sherrington hive, a good, substantial, rectangular straw 

 hive, but with an absurd roof, large enough to require two men 

 to remove it before the bees could be reached. Mr. Cheshire's 

 first-prize hive of 1874 was further improved by several little 

 additions, and it is in our opinion by far the easiest hive to 

 manage. In Class 3, for hives on the storifying priuciple, Mr. 

 C. W. Smith took first and second, as last year, for the handsome 

 Carr-Stewarton, The Sussex hive again appeared here, but we 

 were unable to discover its right to claim as a storifying hive. 

 Class 4, hives on the collateral principle, bad but three com- 

 petitors. Mr. Hooker took first, Mr. Pettitt second. There was 

 no special merit in this class, and the Committee would do well 

 to consider the propriety of abolishing it next year. 



Class 5, for the most economical (best and cheapest) complete 

 hive on the moveable-comb principle for cottagers' use. The 

 first went to Mr. Abbott for a hive somewhat improved on his 

 exhibit of last year, but spoiled by the same arrangement of 

 frame, guides, and hinges as in Class 2. The second prize was 

 given to Mr. J. S. Wood of Nyborg, Denmark. This exhibit, 

 called the " allotment hive," was a marvel of workmanship, for 

 10s., but to this must be added its freight from Denmark, which 

 on the point of cheapness prevented it obtaining the first prize 

 to which it was otherwise most certainly entitled. The capacity 

 of this hive is too small for our climate; it is only suflioient to 

 contain eight frames, 10 by 8 inches, but the wonderful pains 

 that had been taken to secure the bees from the inclemency of 

 a high latitude was worthy of all praise. The sides, bottom, and 

 top of the hive were formed of straw IJ inch thick, well 

 cornered with wood ; behind was a shuttered window, and the 

 whole hive covered externally with wood, a good roof sur- 

 mounted all. In this hive it appeared to ns that necessary 

 warmth and ventilation is perfect, and if it could only be sup- 

 plied in England at anything like the marked price, with some 

 modifications to suit English taste, it would become the hive of 

 tho day. A more substantial, better made, low-priced hive was 

 never seen. The same exhibitor eenta three-storeyed hive made 

 after Berplesch. It ^vas made in the same substantial manner as 

 the last described, and it was, indeed, even mora weather-proof, 

 being 3^ inches thick of straw. 



A two-storey hive received from Baron Ambrozy of Hungary 

 also showed some good economical workmanship, but the ar- 

 rangement of the frames — i c, removeable only by drawing-out 

 behind, seemed to oar English taste most inconvenient. The 

 frames are arranged broadside to the front, so that to take out the 

 eighth frame all the others must be first removed. The Baron 

 Ambrozy is one of the largest bee-keepers in Europe, having 

 two thousand stocks in these hives. One would think gentle- 

 men with such extensive practice would soon discover the best 

 hive. 



In Class G, for the best and cheapest skep for depriving pur- 

 poses, the first prize was awarded to Messrs. Neighbour & Sons ; 

 second to Mrs. Pagden. But for good workmanship nothing 

 conld compare in this class with a dome hive, also from Den- 

 mark. It was not for competition, as there was no provision for 

 Bupering. The straw work was as hard as a board, the mould- 

 ing and sewing of the hive perfect, and at the marked price of 

 2s. its sale in England would be limitless. The same exhibitor 

 also sent another straw hive called the horizontal hive ; it is 

 used on the heaths and moors of Jutland, laying on its side. 

 It was of a most peculiar vase or bottle-shape with a wide 



mouth, which the bees close as they like. The collection of 

 hives altogether was most interesting and instructive. 



The Association offered a prize of £2, for the best species or 

 variety of honey bees capable of cultivation in England, other 

 than the Ligurian or black bee. Messrs. Neighbour & Sons exhi- 

 bited a stock said to be Cyprian, and another of Smyrnian bees. 

 The Judges pronounced one lot to be mongrels, the other was 

 undistinguishable from Ligurians, but the prize was allotted to 

 Messrs. Neighbour conditionally on their producing a certifi- 

 cate from Mr. Frederick Smith of the British Museum of their 

 identity ; in default the prize to go to Mr. Hunter for Hungarian 

 bees exhibited by him, which according to the French " L'Api- 

 culteur," are famed for their docility and easy appeasement 

 when disturbed. 



Perhaps the most interesting things in the miscellaneous de- 

 partment were the honey-extractors. Mr. Cowan exhibited 

 three, all of which were good and much admired. The prize 

 went to No. 160, called the Rapid : this was the only machine 

 which could clear both sides of the comb without removal. At 

 its marked price, ±'2 10s., it soon found a purchaser, as did, 

 indeed, nearly all the machines exhibited. No. 158, the Cot- 

 tagers', cost only 25s., and did its work effectually. The Ama- 

 teurs', at 35s., was the most compact of the whole, not being 

 much larger than an ordinary pail, and with such a machine 

 portability is a great point to consider. One extractor would be 

 enough for a village, and either of Mr. Cowan's exhibits could 

 be easily carried by a boy. An American extractor exhibited 

 had some good points, but was too large for English use. The 

 little power required to set the framework in motion was cer- 

 tainly rather astonishing. In the classes for drone traps, feeders, 

 fumigators, and supers we did not notice any striking novelty; 

 but in that for new inventions calculated in the opinion of the 

 Judges to advance the culture of bees there were some very 

 curious and ingenious things. Foremost amongst them was 

 Mr. Cheshire's arrangement for making embossed wax guides 

 in position. By the aid of this little affair, costing only 2s. 6f?., 

 every frame in a hive can be furnished with guide combs, em- 

 bossed and fixed ready for the bees to work on, in ten minutes. 

 Embossed plates, gauges, and smelters are all superseded by 

 this apparatus, to which a silver medal was awarded ; as was 

 also one to Mr. Hooker for an ingenious wooden block for making 

 friimes. The bronze medallists in this class were Mr. J. S. 

 Wood and Mr. Carr, the first for an apparatus for la3dng was 

 guides, now scarcely required when Mr. Cheshire's is to hand ; 

 the other for queen cages slightly modified from those used by 

 Mr. Carr for many years. By what reasoning the Judges arrived 

 at the conclusion of this being a new invention we are at a loss 

 to discover. Mr. J. S. Wood also sent a straw-pressing machine ■ 

 for making straw hives, and a novelty in the shape of wax queen 

 cages, with moulds to make them. This cage is made somewhat 

 like a thimble ; the queen is to be pot within, and after pricking 

 air holes and the top closed it is put into the hive. The bees 

 gnaw out the queen, which takes them many hours, by which 

 time they have become accustomed to their future sovereign. 

 Mr. Hunter exhibited some simple hive-supports for open 

 driving, by the use of which both hands are at liberty and the 

 upper hive is prevented from slipping; also benzolated wax 

 paste for forming guides and cementing decoy combs like Mi;. 

 Wood's smelter. For the former purpose it is superseded, but 

 will be found still useful for the latter. The prize for the best 

 MS. lecture on bee-keeping was awarded to Mr. W. Hunt. We 

 prefume the Committee intend to print this for circulation. 



Now turning to the honey classes — the prize of the day, £5, 

 for the largest and best harvest of honey in the comb from one 

 stock of bees under any system of management. Grandly among 

 these exhibits stood a magnificent octagon glass super containing 

 80 lbs. nett of splendid honey exhibited by Mr. George Fox of 

 Kingsbridge, Devon. By its side stood a small straw skep, the 

 hive containing the bees which produced the work, and a written 

 description of their progress. I5ut no prize was awarded; and 

 on inquiring why we heard it said that the Judges did not believe 

 such a hive could contain sufficient bees to fill such a super. 

 Allowing the Judges to be conscientious in their award, we fear 

 here they made a great error. Mr. George Fox is well known 

 as a reputable gentleman, famed for obtaining large supers ; and 

 before coming to a decision, which was tantamount to a charge 

 of fraud against one of our oldest and most esteemed contributors, 

 at least it was the duty of the Judges to make some inquiry. If 

 the Committee would have their reputation for fair play stand 

 good it behoves them to call upon the Judges for an explanation 

 of their award if they have not already given one, and see that 

 justice is done to an old and respected bee-keeper. The first 

 prize was awarded to Mr. Cuwan for two supers, 80 lbs. nett, 

 which, setting aside Mr. Fox's, fairly deserved the position 

 obtained. Competition was not great, and second, third, and 

 fourth prizes should have been won by something more worthy. 

 .\mong straw supers of honey there was nothing of tranFcendant 

 merit, and in ordinary seasons they would have been out of the 

 race. Mr. Cowan and Mr. Eusbridge showed some very good 

 wood supers in Class 11, but the latter bad a suspioiouB white- 



