February 5, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
119 
any trouble to learn the truth he would have found that his statement is 
as incorrect as it well could be. The British Bee-keepers’ Association for 
many years has done everything in its power to promote the sale of 
honey. At its numerous exhibitions and shows there has umformly been 
a honey fair, or some special department for the sale of honey. It has 
urged its members to make the honey they have obtaiued as attractive as 
possible by placing it in proper bottles, with labels that would please the 
eye as much as the houey would gratify the taste. For two years it 
maintained a honey depot, to which members were entitled to send their 
honey for sale. This department, it is true, proved a failure for reasons 
which need not be specified here ; still the attempt was made. The 
numerous affiliated Associations following the example of the parent 
Association make the sale of honey an important feature of all their 
shows, and the sale of honey, as well a3 its collection by the busy bee, 
have been developed to an enormous extent during the last few years 
directly through the influence and exertions of the British Bee-keepers’ 
Association. Does the “ Hallamshire Bee-keeper ” know lhat during the 
Health Exhibition honey in large quantities was always on sale at the 
department established there at great cost by the British Bee-keepers’ 
Association, and that the sales for weeks amounted to sums exceeding £20, 
and sometimes approached £30 per week ? 
It is perfectly true that there has boen a feeling among some of the 
members that more might be done to promote the sale of honey. Person¬ 
ally I object to the Association buying and selling honey. Tnis does not 
seem to me to be its business. Trade is altogether outside its province. 
The British Honey Company, therefore, has been started to meet the want 
and provide the means of bringing the producer and purchaser together, 
or at all events of selling the honey of which some persons find it so 
difficult to dispose. The Rev. Herbert R. Peel, to whom “ Hallamshire 
Bee-keeper ” evidently alludes as a promoter of the Company, finding 
that great objections were entertained to the Bee-keepers’ Association 
taking up the honey trade has, after great exertions, started the British 
Honey Company, and in so doing has done a public service. The only 
object he has in view is the public good. 
Having no shares in this Company, nor intending to take any, I can 
speak more freely, so that I can touch without hesitation on a point 
mentioned by “A Hallamshire Bee-keeper,” which at the first blush may 
look a little suspicious. The Honey Company has taken power to deal 
in foreign as well as British honey. Their primary object is to promote 
the sale of British honey and to find the capital without which no busi¬ 
ness can be carried on. But sometimes the honey harvest in England 
altogether fails. If, then, there is no honey to be had in England, the 
Company must seek its supplies elsewhere. Is not this course oue which 
should commend itself even to “ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper l” Even if he 
does not approve of the absence of any restriction I am certain that those 
who invest their money in the hope of earning a dividend will do so. 
In a sentence of sixteen lines without beginning, middle, or end 
“'A Hallamshire Bee-keeper ” complains that the British Bee-keepers’ 
Association has adopted an improper standard for 2 lb. sections without 
any authority from its members. If “ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper ” will 
take the trouble to look at the last number of the British Bra Journal he 
will see that no such standard has been absolutely adopted, that the Com¬ 
mittee are divided on the subject, and that the question of the exact form 
of the standard section is to come before the members at the next annual 
meeting on February 11th.—A. B. M. 
In your impression of the 29th of January there is a letter from 
“ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper,” which seems to insinuate that the f ormation 
of the British Honey Company is a danger to apiculture. As one of the 
directors of that company I ask your indulgence to place before your 
readers another view of the case. 
When the articles of association were being drawn up our solicitor 
strongly advised us to take full powers to deal in everything appertaining 
to bee-keeping—in fact, the Company was to be as general as the cele¬ 
brated curse in the “ Ingoldsby Legends,” so that we should not have any¬ 
thing left out, but with the difference that, instead of “ one penny the 
worse,” our shareholders might be “ pounds to the better.” Moreover, 
we had to take into consideration the probability of a bad honey harvest. 
If we cannot get English honey we shall have to supply our customers 
with foreign honey, as it would be extremely unbusinesslike to stop 
operations just because of a bad season in England. 
Whatever honey we sell the public may be assured that, so far as we 
are able, we will guarantee the purity, nor shall we attempt to sell foreign 
honey as English honey. 
I have been a bee-keeper for nearly twenty years, and served on the 
Committee of the B.B.K.A. at its commencement. Its minutes will show 
that either in 1874 or 1875 I strongly advised the Association to make the 
Bee Journal their organ, and brought forward a motion to that effect, but 
the jealousy existin? between certain bee-keepers at that time, and which 
I regret to say is still smouldering, prevented my motion being carried, as 
also a motion for establishing a honey dep6t. But, though the waiting 
has been long, hope never died, and now at last both my wishes have been 
fulfilled ; but I trust that the foolish friction which delayed the launch of 
these my pet projects will not wreck the vessel at the commencement of 
her voyage. 
Your correspondent is utterly wrong with regard to the adoption of 
the sizes of the standard sections, as he will see from the current number 
of the Bee Journal that the adoption of the report of the sub-Committee 
has been referred to the general meeting on February 11th. 
If the Committee do not represent the true wishes of the bee-keepers at 
large, whatever they propose against these wishes will fail in their 
effect. 
The insinuations that we, directors of this Honey Company, have 
banded ourselves to palm off American honey as English, either evinces 
great ignorance or worse ; and then, not content with this accusation, he 
further suggests that we intend selling honeydew to reduce the demand 
for real English honey ! I confess I cannot follow him in his reasoning, 
though perhaps another word would be more appropriate. In conclusion, 
he suggests that the B.B.K.A, has only benefited the hive-makers and 
not bee-keepers. Very charitable praise for its ten years’ work ! — 
G. Walkek, Jun., L.R.C.P., Wimbledon. 
NOTES ON BEES. 
Since the 10th of January when our bees had a partial airing we 
have had a fortnight of frost, but the temperature has never been 
below 15° throughout the whole season. On the 24th of January 
the frost gave way, and on the 26th of January it was mild, the tem¬ 
perature at midday standing at 45°. The bees are taking the advan¬ 
tage of the mildness and are having a thorough airing. With the 
exception of the Carniolians they seem more quiet during winter, and 
at the breaking-up of a swarm are not so liable to lose themselves 
as other varieties. This has been my experience with them since 
their introduction, and if this remains a fixed principle it will prove a 
good property. A bee or hive of bees that tides over our rigorous 
and protracted winters is that which best repay the bee-keeper. A 
sufficiency of stores are a means to this end. I have a Carniolian hive 
that I have been paying special attention to during this winter ; it is 
one of which the bees have not flown yet, and was I to believe what 
some say, that if bees are observed to be clustering at the top of the 
hive it is a sign they are in imminent want and should be fed. This 
is what they are doing and have done all winter, while the} r are not 
only in excellent health but have abundance of food to tide over till 
summer. I mention this case specially, so that it may be a warning 
to those who may read the advice alluded to, which might induce them 
to interfere unnecessarily with their bees at this season. The less 
bees are disturbed at any time, particularly during summer, the more 
satisfaction will the apiarian derive from them during summer. I 
kept a compound feeder on this hive all winter, the movements of 
the bees being observed at all times through the glass. 
From the protracted season through frost spring flowers are some 
weeks later than the average of years. If the weather keeps mild 
the bees will be on the outlook for water and pollen, although I 
prefer they should not be incited to breed much until the end of 
February. Still in order to keep them at home and prevent them 
from gathering extraneous material, and robbing or frequenting places 
where they are liable to be lost or killed, I will supply them with 
both pea meal and water ; the former I put in a zinc cylinder with 
one opening turning to the lee side by a vane. When bees are 
inclined to go abroad in search of pollen before the flowers are in 
bloom they gather as a substitute for pollen sawdust, dust from 
decayed wood, and similar matter that is of a powdery nature. After 
the bees are thoroughly aired they will bear to be shut in for a con¬ 
siderable time without injury should circumstances demand it, pro¬ 
vided they are well ventilated. 
BEES IN THE DARK. 
The bee hive is full of wonders, but of all there is perhaps nothing 
that surprises and impresses the majority of people so much at first 
sight as the comb filled either with honey, brood, or pollen. Yet all 
these are elaborated in the dark, because we have no proof (hat bees 
6eeinthe dark, and everything we observe of them outside the hive con¬ 
firms our opinion that they do not see. Bees in the dark seldom fly 
but creep and run about in a bewildered manner, but if within hear¬ 
ing of their hive they will find their way to it. Bees may have the 
power of vision in the dark, but should this be the case it but adds 
to their wonders. Whether it is sight or some other sense in the bee 
that causes it to swerve or overreach its hive when any obstacle is 
placed either in the rear or at either side of it I cannot say ; but if the 
latter, then that gives us an idea how bees perform their work. Their 
accuracy may depend upon the bees being able to measure distances 
from the approximation of any objects, or, in other words, having the 
power of feeling without touching, thereby enabling them to preserve 
the proper distance in all their work. I have observed both with man 
and animals that were blind, when any obstacle was placed near the 
point they aimed at, they invariably deviated to one side ; this was of 
course in places they were accustomed to. If I am correct in these 
surmises it readily explains the reason why bees do not collide with 
objects in their flight nor with one another when swarming. But 
wonderful as their eyes are, equally so are their other senses that 
enable them to discover anything, such as their hive or honey, even 
when removed far out of their sight, or strange bees though they are 
peaceably inclined.—A Lanarkshire Bee keeper. 
