424 Transactions of the London Horticultural Society. 



in bees, I mean their clustering at their doorways, which some- 

 times lasts only a day or two, and at other times a week or two. 

 This does not arise from any unwillingness in the bees to quit, 

 for they seem anxious to be gone to commence work elsewhere, 

 nor altogether from the state of the weather, but more from the 

 unwillingness of their queen, who will not lead off the swarm until 

 the drones are come forth, and her successor or successors are in 

 a forward state. The way that the latter are hatched accounts for 

 the more irregular clustering or idleness previous to after-swarms. 



I may remark that I hardly know enough of entomology to 

 distinguish one species of wasp from another, still I think that the 

 name of Fespa vulgaris would be better applied to the one which 

 builds in the ground, common all over the country, than to the 

 rare one, in some parts, which builds its nest on a bough of a 

 tree. I hope what I have said on the wasp's industry (it 

 matters not what kind they be, even though hornets) will not 

 lead any one to think, for a moment, I wish to encourage them. 

 I know too well the mischief they do. It is a pity that the 

 wealthy do not give more encouragement towards the destruc- 

 tion of their nests ; or, what is better, set a small trifle, as some 

 do, on the heads of wasps during the month of May; these 

 being queens, each of course begins a nest. If this were more 

 practised, much fruit might be saved, and gardeners have less 

 vexation. 



Cossey Hall Gardens^ June 28. 1842. 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. Transactions of the Horticultural Society of London. Second 

 Series. Vol. II. Part V. 4to. London, 1840. 



(Continued from p. 125.) 



42. On Heating by Hot Water. By John Rogers, Junior, Esq., F.R.S., H. S. 

 (Read April 21. 1840.) 



The great attention which Mr. Rogers has paid to this subject is well 

 known to all our readers, and the present article maybe considered as a sum- 

 mary of his experience. After noticing the various expedients which have 

 been adopted for heating plant structures during the last twenty years, he 

 concludes that — 



" On the whole, there appeal's no doubt that the circulation of hot water in 

 iron pipes is the best means hitherto devised for this purpose. Its peculiar 

 advantages are the uniformity and durability of the heat so communicated, 

 and its perfect and equable distribution to all parts of the building. It is 

 moreover capable of effecting a considerable economy of fuel ; but on this 

 head its advantages are not so great as is commonly supposed, and depend 

 much upon the construction of the apparatus. Where this is well con- 

 structed and well managed, the saving of fuel may amount to 25 per cent 

 over well-constructed and well-managed flues ; but, in a large proportion of 

 the apparatus now in use, it will be found that the consumption of fuel greatly 

 exceeds that of common furnaces. 



