182 
THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
mat. such as bran bags are made of, on the 
frames in place of the paper, and shut them up 
again. I did not attempt to take any honey 
from the hive during the season as I wanted 
them to fill the two frames and lay in plenty of 
winter stores ; this they did, for when I 
examined them in the autumn the whole two 
frames were heavy with honey. I have looked 
carefully over each frame of comb during the 
summer for the queen, but have not been able to 
detect her. although I know by the eggs and 
grubs that they must have a good queen among 
them. 
I don’t intend to touch the home below, as I 
have the super and section boxes all ready for 
this season, and shall do what I can when I see 
there is a good supply in the hive to induce 
them to work among the sections. 
I did not get more than one swarm from the 
brandy case last season, although again and 
again it appeared as if another swarm was com- 
ing. We kept a pretty close watch, but still 
one or two might have got away. Nor have I 
transferred the colony from the brandy case to a 
frame hive, although I 'bought about it again 
and again last season. Tt appears to me, how- 
ever, a much more formidable and risky under- 
taking to transfer than to hive a new swarm. 
1 notice in front of the hive of my new swarm 
on the ground about a couple of hundred dead 
bees, and in front of the brandy case about a 
hundred. The brandy case being kept warmer 
through having another box over it and the sides 
stuffed with straw, T have wondered if it was 
this provision for the winter that lessened the 
mortality. I took the precaution, however, to 
make and put on the top of the frame hive a fine 
large wooden covering to protect the roof from 
rain, although I did nothing to protect the sides 
from cold. 
I have used neither veil nor gloves since I took 
my first swarm, and have received but one 
solitary sting, although I have examined the 
eolony many times, taking up frame after frame. 
On my last experiment, however, just before the 
winter, I noticed that two or three of the left- 
hand side frames at the end of the hive had been 
stuck together by the bees. I did not disturb 
the arrangement, but I should like to know how 
best to get them asunder with the least injury to 
the bees, the comb, and myself. 
B. RHODDA, 
Vicarage, Daylesford. 
®or«sponti£ncp. 
To the Editor of the Australian Bee-keepers' 
Journal. 
Sir,— I n reference to the worthy criticism 
you put my article under, I feel grieved to find 
that I differ from you in some respects, and I 
believe justly. With your kind permission I 
will vindicate these points in question, as per- 
haps in this instance the more there is said the 
better. 
I was unaware of having advocated the 
Betiepsch hive, and the particular method of 
management, and what about it if I did? For- 
tunately this hive finds quite enough supporters 
without advocacy. That I drew notice t> it 
in my article on the “ Fertility of Queens” was a 
matter of absolute necessity to complete the said 
article. You in support of your criticism say — 
Your apiary is surrounded by a great variety of 
pines, which supplied the propolis nuisance that 
it became an impossibility to move the frames ; 
but you did not tell us how long it took the bees 
to gather that full pound of propolis, bow 
often you opened and examined that hive in the 
brood chamber, and how solid it was when you 
tried to tear the frames out piecemeal. If 
Australia was not poor iu regard to pines, and 
if there were not many pines in the Parramatta 
Park I might begin to believe that my hive is 
not suitable for the intended purpose, at least 
where there are pines growing, but as it is your 
argument is a weak one. 
Mr. Sballard informs us that his “frames run 
across the entrance, which is much the best for 
several reasons” he says. I am glad to hear it, 
as it was I who told him so about three years 
ago, and others have adopted the same plan 
through my advice, which suits them better than 
the length way. 
On syrup feeding you think my objections 
not altogether reasonable. Why not, please Z 
If you agree with me that if honey is obtainable 
it is better than syrup. Then I don’t see where 
my unreasonableness comes in. You would as 
soon give them arsenic as bought honey, the 
orgin of which you know nothing.’’ Well I 
fear you will not have many followers in that 
direction. I. for one, stand back. I would 
heat such honey, which would kill all the 
microbes, if any. Altogether I do not even 
advise buying honey for feeding. I desire the 
beekeeper to manage his bees in such a manner 
that feeding is not necessary at all, or if one 
hive is short of stores, then another must have 
surplus, which may be used as required. If the 
bees wont live without a syrup pot always boil- 
ing, let them die, and get such bees that will 
live without syrup. Yes in the present days, 
when bees are kept for profit, it behoves one 
not to spend money on sugar. And if they fall 
into the hands of anyone who sells their honey 
because it is worth 6d. to him, and the sugar 
costs him only 2d., rest assured he counts with- 
out the master, As every labourer is worth his 
wages so ought the bees to have honey, regard- 
less of what is the usage in England and 
America by most large beekeepers. Mostly it is 
the beekeeper’s fault if he has to feed. He 
wants to have a large number of stocks in no 
time, and increases to such an extent that there 
are no bees left to spare for honey gathering. 
Now I desire to prevent such extravagances, and 
if my advice be adopted then they can dec with- 
out syrup, and they become good beekeepers. 
When 1 had only a few stocks, and knew little 
about bees and" their habits, I was taught how 
to make artificial swarms. I did it. too, and had 
soon all weaklies, and they wanted feeding. 
