46 
THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL 
Queries anD IRepltes. 
QUESTION. 
Question 7. — Mr. Editor, this being my 
first year at bee-keeping, I shall be glad 
if you will tell me how to prevent mould, 
which ' I found on the corner of a mat 
when I opened a 1] story simplicity hive 
a few days ago. 1 have eight frames in 
brood chamber with plenty of stores, a chaff 
division board a la Root on one side, all covered 
with a piece of sugar matting. I now find 
that I have too many frames for the number 
of bees, would it be advisable at this season of 
the year to open my hive, reduce to, say, six 
frames, add another chaff division board and 
cover with a chaff cushion about one inch 
thick ? This is the plan I propose to follow in 
future, do you think it suitable for a district 
like Kyneton, where in winter we expect he i v y 
frosts and plent of rain ? By kindly answer- 
ing these queries you will obliged. 
J. S. J , Kyneton. 
REPLIES. 
Reply No. 3. — We would refer J. S.to Page 33 
of last year’s journal, where a method of 
making a Langstroth hive from a kerosene 
case is described by Mr. 0. Clough of South 
Australia. We would also refer him to 
Mr. Watts’ letter in our present number, and 
we advise him to see Mr. AVatts’ hive if 
possible, at the next association meeting, or 
at the place where it will be arranged for 
the hive to be kept for inspection. A 
method of making a frame hive with a gin 
case will be given in our next number. 
Reply 4. — The best food for bees now is 
either good honey taken from healthy lees, or 
white sugar syrup. Make the syrup very thick ; 
if, however, you put more than 2 lbs. of white 
crystallised sugar to a pint of water, much 
will crystallise out when cold. To obviate 
this, add vinegar, or better, tartaric acid : — 
lb. or even 3 lbs. of sugar dissolved in one 
pint of water, over a gentle fire, keeping- the 
syrup well stirred to prevent burning, to 
which a little tartaric acid has been added 
while still hot, will remain a thick syrup with- 
out crystallising; about 20 grains wll be 
sufficient for the quantity of syrup given. This 
will be just the right thing for bees this time 
of year.' Thin syrup is objectionable until hot 
dry weather sets in. As yours is a box hive, 
you had better feed from a shallow vessel 
placed on the floor board under the hive. 
A shallow tin dish, say G inches square, 
or a round one 6 inches diameter with a 
thin piece of board to fit loosely inside, 
having a few J-incli holes bored through, 
will answer the purpose. In the evening | 
raise the hive gently, place the tin on the j 
floor board, nearly fill it with syrup and float 
the perforated board on it; the bees will 
take the food through the openings, and 
around the edge of the board which gives good 
foothold to the bees, and saves them from 
drowning. Sometimes the board will curl up 
at first, but it will soon flatten again. A good 
way to prevent this warping is to dip it, in 
melted wax for a minute or so, before first 
floating it on the syrup. 
Reply 5. — The flower you refer to is known 
as the scarlet bottle brush, its botanical name 
is callistemon; there are several varieties 
such as callistemon rigidus, C. coccinea, or C. 
linearis, &e., all excellent honey trees. 
Reply 6. — Transferring is not to be re- 
commended; better feed up and get an early 
swarm, or when the spring is a little more 
advanced, drive the bees out and put them into 
your hive with frames full of foundation, and 
feed freely ; if there is any brood, take one of 
tlie best combs and fix in one of the frames, 
and the bees will take to their new home 
much more contentedly. If theie is hatching 
brood, place the old box hive in some warm 
corner for a week or two, and most of the 
young bees will hatch out and can be after- 
wards added to the stock. 
Reply No. 7. — The past season has been 
extremely damp inA’ictoria, and mildewed mats 
and outside combs are complained of generally, 
A little top ventilation is desirable and if the 
mats are very much mildewed, new ones should 
be given. If mats before using are dipped in 
a solution of salicylic acid and dried it will 
prevent mildew. In the Kyneton climate 
a dry chaff cushion until October will be 
advantageous. If all your combs are not 
covered by the bees, put in a division board so 
as to enclose those that are, and the empty 
' combs can be given as the colony increases. — Ed. 
Beekeepers’ Association in Sydney. — Our 
beekeeping friends in Sydney are, we hear, 
contemplating the formation of a society or 
j association in that city ; we hope they will 
succeed and form a strong society. Apiculture 
is rapidly growing in N.S.AV., and will 
probably become an important industry. It 
would be a wise thing for all the colonial 
associations to affiliate into an Australian 
Beekeepers' Association. 
Painting Hives Inside. — There has been 
much talk among British beekeepers about 
tlie desirability of painting or varnishing the 
inside of hives ; some advocating that course 
to prevent absorption of moisture into the 
wood and also to lessen the danger of 
adherence of disease germs in any little 
crevices or roughness of the timber used, and 
speak highly of their experience of the practice ; 
others condemn it totally. A hive painted 
or varnished inside with proper material 
would no doubt be easily cleaned aud freed 
from disease germs, but experience appears to 
be the only safe guide in such matters. 
