446 



JOBENAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGKE GAKDENER. 



[ June 16, 1863. 



of nutriment for the brood, must be cared for, especially if it 

 Bhould not condenBe sufficiently on the cool floor-board at a time 

 when the bees are not able to fly out. Although for feeding of 

 necessity in autumn, or even in winter, pure honey is in all cases 

 the best ; yet, when feeding on speculation, a mixture of honey 

 and wort thickened by boiling, and afterwards, when the bees 

 have become accustomed to it, merely thin malt syrup mixed 

 with brown or any other kind of cheap sugar, may even be pre- 

 ferred ; for this being a substance which requires to be changed 

 into honey, calls the bees into activity, and excites them more. 

 As it also contains more nitrogen it may, under certain circum- 

 stances — for instance, when the bees are not able to collect much 

 pollen, promote breeding more than feeding with pure honey. 



He who has the opportunity of making wort, or of obtaining 

 it from a neighbouring brewery (of course, without hops or 

 dregs) may prepare a cheap and good food for bees. The wort 

 should be boiled a few hours, and when the muciiage has curdled 

 and whilst simmering is formed into flakes it must be strained, 

 again boiled, and mixed with honey or sugar. Once accustomed 

 to it, the bees will take it without this addition. In an isolated 

 apiary the food may be given during warm weather in the open 

 air in troughs, water-tight boxes, &c. Of course, the surface of 

 the food must be covered with wooden chips or straw lest the 

 bees should drown therein, for they set about appropriating the 

 gift in large numbers when they have once become accustomed 

 to this mode of feeding. In a large apiary, however, such feed- 

 ing in the open air causes too great a tumult and uproar, so 

 that weak stocks hearing the swarm tune might be induced to 

 rush out and desert their hives ; wherefore, it is advisable, 

 especially in early spring, to give to every stock its proper 

 portion. Hives with moveable combs require no particular 

 vessel for feeding, as the food may easily be poured into the 

 cells of one or more combs, and inserted in the hive, or packed 

 under the seat of the beeE. As, however, on account of the 

 nitrogen which it contains, the bees require pollen for the pre- 

 paration of food for their brood, or, at least, are not able long 

 to do without it, it becomes necessary to give them flour as a 

 substitute when they are not able to collect it. This is best done 

 in old combs placed in a sunny and sheltered spot near the bee- 

 hives. 



But if speculative feeding is to be of any real advantage, and 

 food and trouble not entirely thrown away, it must not be begun 

 too early ; for whilst the air and the ground remain cold 

 thousands of bees are enticed out of their hives and led to their 

 death, so that though wishing to bring the stocks forward they 

 are in reality only thrown farther back. 



By speculative feeding before their stores are exhausted, bees 

 are led into a certain error— they are induced to believe that 

 pasturage for them already exists, which however, is yet 

 wanting, and such an error in moBt cases brings with it its own 

 punishment. Yet the excitement and activity produced by this 

 delusion may also, in many cases, be of great advantage ; for 

 instance, if a driven Bwarm has been made, and we wish the bees 

 to begin maDy royal cells, but unfavourable weather setting in 

 threatens to defeat the intention ; we wish for very early drones, 

 and, perhaps, early and true young Italian queens ; or drone- 

 brood exists in the desired quantity, and when bad weather 

 comes there is a risk of its being torn out ; we have divided a 

 stock and taken rather too many bees from it, bo that it is to be 

 feared that part of the brood may die before many young bees 

 hatch out — in these and similar cases speculative feeding in 

 order to increase the spirit and activity of the bees, and ward off 

 the evils threatened by unfavourable weather will certainly be of 

 use. Generally, however, little is gained by feeding, and my 

 conviction is, that much, very much, honey is wasted by it. It 

 iB better to keep heavier stocks through the winter than to feed 

 light ones afterwards. Consider feeding always an evil, and 

 restrict it to the most pressing cases. Especially never feed on 

 speculation, bo as to lure bees into activity before the proper 

 time, but at the utmost only in order to fill up gaps and pauses 

 in the already-begun pasturage, and to keep breeding when fairly 

 commenced in steady and uniform progress. — Dziebzon. 



description. There were two Ligurian 6tocks of beeB at work, 

 one in a full-6ized Woodbury unicomb-hive, having been brought 

 from London for the occaeion, and the other in a smaller hive of 

 the same description, being from the neighbouring apiary of our 

 valued correspondent " A Devohbhiee Bee-keebeb." AmongBt 

 the hives exhibited, the Woodbury frame-hive in straw appeared 

 both novel and good, whilst amongst the apparatus artificial 

 combs and the stereotyped plates for making them seemed to ua 

 the most worthy of attention. 



There was a remarkably curious specimen of artificial comb 

 or partition-wall partially fabricated into complete comb by the 

 bees, which struck us as being well worth examination, showing 

 as it did the various stages by which this transforrnaticn is 

 effected, and being calculated to throw light on the problem as 

 to the mode in which bees construct their combs. It is almost 

 unnecessary to Btate, that this unique and instructive Btall was 

 crowded throughout the week, and we hope its financial results 

 were suoh as will lead Messrs. Neighbour to continue their 

 attendance at the Society's meetings. 



BEES DYING. 



One of my hives of bees during the late warm weather showed 

 indications of swarming by hanging in large clusters from the 

 floor-board. While I was watching them, a portion (say a 

 fourth), fell to the ground dead. On the following day I put 

 on a super to prevent swarming, into which they ascended and 

 commenced work. On examining the super after the late rain, 

 I found all the bees in it dead. Can you tell me the cause? 

 The hive was well protected from the rain and cold. The stock 

 was a weak and late swarm of last year, but well fed during the 

 winter and spring. I have also observed the old bees carrying 

 away the white grub. — Claea Noodle. 



[Your bees probably died of starvation. See what is said 

 below by " A. W." 



LIGUEIAN BEES IN AUSTRALIA. 



In a letter which I have recently received from Sir. Edward 

 Wilson, President of the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria, 

 that gentleman sayB : — '-You will be glad to hear still further 

 good news of your Ligurian bees. By the last mail I hear that 

 Irom one of tile hives, three fresh stocks have been already 

 formed, raising our number to six, and offering fine prospects 

 for the spring. All the gentlemen who have had these bees 

 under their charge are delighted at their manifest superiority 

 over the common bee." 



I need scarcely add how much pleasure it gives me to learn 

 that my little favourites are vindicating their high character at 

 t:ie antipodes; and how ardently I trust that they may amply 

 repay, by their prosperity, all the care which has been lavished 

 upon them since their arrival in the eolony. — A Dsvoushibe 

 Bee-keepee. 



THE BEE-SEASON IN SOUTH DURHAM. 



" Wabsaw am Warsaw," as the Israelite said. Tnis season 

 makes the fourth bad one for bees, and I find very many hives 

 have died out; and only about ten days since I saved one of 

 mine in a box-hive by feeding and wrapping it up, as I fancied it 

 was dying from both cold and starvation. Erom my inquiries, 

 I should say half the bees have died in this part (South 

 Durham) last winter and spring. It would appear that they 

 have made very little honey up to this time (9th June) ; and I 

 do not observe that they have frequented the May this season, 

 and, therefore, suppose there is no honey to be had from it. 



Many of your correspondents would be glad to have reports 

 from bee-keepers hi different parts of the country as to their 

 success or failures. — A. W. 



EXHIBITION OF BEES. 



A novel feature in the Exhibition of the Bath and West of 



England Agricultural Society which took place at Exeter last 



week, was the stall of Messrs. Neighbour & Sons, in which were 



exhibited beeB at work, bee-hives, and apiarian appliances of every 



OUE LETTER BOX. 



Is Salsafy a Poison foe Fowls ? — Mada has lost several hens atid a 

 cock, apparently of indigestion, and the only cause to -which lie can 

 attribute it is his having thrown some roots of Salsafy on to ihe rubbish 

 heap. We do not think tha% either raw or cooked, the roots would be 

 poisonous, fur we are not aware of any species in the genus thet is 

 deleterious. 



Bees (C. C.).— For Ligurians apply to T. "Woodbury, Esq., Mount 

 Radrord, Exeter. A new edition of our " Bee-keeping far the Many," much 

 enldrged and with numerous illustrations, will be published in a few days. 



