34 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. f January is, mi. 
chiefly important for us here to note that its action is due to its 
lowering of nerve energy, than which nothing would be more 
likely to unfit bees for battling with the adverse conditions of a 
protracted winter. That alcohol may give a flash as it were none 
will deny ; but even this it does not do because it gives strength, 
but because it renders a further pajing-out of our resources pos¬ 
sible ; but as they are paid out we are left poorer, weaker, than 
before, hence the excitement brings exhaustion, and the higher the 
one the deeper the other. Alcohol is an irritant, and therefore a 
waster of vital energy, and so the very reverse of that needed by 
wintering bees, every power of which should by all means be 
husbanded in order that returning spring may find them with a 
large balance of energy still standing to their account. 
Three powerful reasons, amongst several others unmentioned, 
are now before us, each one by itself sufficient to condemn alcohol 
as a part of bee food. We find it hinders oxidation and prevents 
heat being developed. It lowers nerve tone, and so in the end 
weakens. It irritates and therefore exhausts, while, so far as I 
have been able to discover, it does not bring us for these evils one 
countervailing advantage. 
Good indeed would it be for many if the old unscientific 
delusion that alcohol keeps out the cold were altogether dispelled ; 
but I write because I am deeply convinced that it will be good 
for our bees when every bee-keeper knows that protection keeps 
in the heat, and that good honest sugar is the right thing to 
produce it.— Frank Cheshire, Avenue Road, Acton. 
CONGRESS OF GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN BEE¬ 
KEEPERS. 
(Continued from page 15.) 
As stated last week, the next question discussed was, “ What are 
the essentials to be observed in order to winter colonies of German, 
Italian, and Carniolian bees well ? ” After some introductory re¬ 
marks, which contained many valuable hints respecting wintering 
bees, Mr. Schlosser said that when Italian colonies had a population 
too small for wintering them it was advisable to strengthen them 
early in autumn by giving some brood comb or bees from other hives. 
The Italians should not be allowed to indulge their bad habits of 
tearing out their brood in autumn when there is nothing more to be 
gathered. Italian bees, he continued, were in the habit of arranging 
their brood in regular succession, and if not induced by feeding to 
make useless excursions they were always in a more advanced state 
than German colonies in spring. 
Italian and German colonies with about 4 lbs. of honey at the end 
of March would raise proportionately less brood than if they had 
12 tbs. of honey left; but Carniolian bees, as well as their hybrid 
descendants, often commence breeding early in the spring without 
any regard to the quantity of honey there may be in their hive. 
Giihler preferred to treat all races of bees alike. In his opinion the 
chief thing is to winter bees in a cool situation and in thick-walled 
hives with isolating layers. He wished the hives to be arranged in 
such a manner as to admit cool air to the bees. Another gentleman 
believed that nine-tenths of the bees perish through bad construction 
of hives. Mr. P. Schachinger of Vienna advocated wintering bees in 
a place which keeps out the frost, but from which heat of course 
should also be excluded. Mr. Klausmeyer described a different 
arrangement of the flight hole. 
A “ Few Observations on the Physiology of the Bee,” by Dr. 
Donhof—who was unable to finish his subject on account of the 
lateness of the hour—is a most valuable paper, and is published at 
length in the “ Bienenzeitung.” To a citizen of Cologne, however, it 
was reserved to carry off the local honours of the discussion. 
Mr. Schuller introducing the question “ What is the cause of the 
decline of bee-keeping in the city and district of Cologne which at 
one time was in such a flourishing condition, and what should be done 
to advance bee-keeping there ? ” expressed himself as follows :—“ To 
make bee-keeping a success four things are necessary—1, The Culti¬ 
vation of melliferous plants ; 2, a sufficient number of hives ; 
3, Intelligence in the management of bees; 4, Favourable weather. 
As regards the last point, it might not be out of place here to quote 
the words of the late Baron von Berlepsch, ‘ When the sources of 
honey are flowing even the hedge poles furnish a supply.’ The decline 
of bee-keeping in Cologne dated from the day when the first sugar 
factory was established there, which was immediately followed by 
the following strange police regulations :— 
“I. It shall not be permitted to keep more than five stocks of bees 
to one house within the city of Cologne in such a way as to make 
it possible for the bees to get to other people’s property. (The 
reading was interrupted by loud laughter and ironical cheering. 
“ II. Any person who keeps more than five hives of bees shall be 
liable to a fine of one to ten thalers (3s. to 30s.) for each hive 
above this number, or shall be liable to imprisonment if unable 
to pay a fine. 
“ III. This regulation shall come into force on the 1st March, 1855. 
“ Cologne, 5th December, 1854. 
“ Signed by the Superintendent of Police, 
“ Geiger.” 
“ Gentlemen,” continued Mr. Schuller, “ I am sure there cannot 
remain the slightest doubt in your minds that this police regulation 
was drawn up without the assistance of any Cologne bee-keeper 
(Renewed applause). When this regulation came into force the fate 
of bee-keeping in Cologne was sealed. We have been endeavour¬ 
ing for years to get this law repealed, but not much progress has 
been made. From my point of view as a bee-keeper I maintain that 
bee-keepers existed before the sugar factories were built. Bees can 
easily be kept avvay by wire netting. It is incomprehensible to me 
how the tax-paying citizens of Cologne could have been made to put 
up with such regulation. Bee-keepers of Germany and Austria, let 
us get this police regulation withdrawn and in its place have legal 
protection to bee-keeping 1 ” 
Many other gentlemen spoke strongly to the same effect. 
Pastor Weygandt read an excellent paper on “The Transfer of 
Larvae from one Cell into another.” The speaker admitted that, 
strictly speaking, this procedure was of no great practical value at 
present, but he thought it might afford very many advantages here¬ 
after. For example, he said a bee-keeper may have a strong colony 
of German bees, of which he does not want any offspring; he may 
at the same time be possessed of a small colony of Cyprian, Carniolian, 
or Italian bees with an original queen. It might thus occur to him 
how desirable it would be obtain as many queens of the new race as 
useful queens of the German colony. Pastor Weygandt proceeds by 
cutting open with a pair of scissors a royal cell in a comb of a German 
colony, bending the edges back, taking hold of the royal larva in the 
cell by means of a pair of tweezers, and removing it. He then places 
the worker larva of the race from which he wishes to rear queens 
upon a small camel’s-hair brush previously moistened, and transfers 
it to the empty royal cell, embedding it in the royal jelly, and after 
this no further manipulation is requisite. The workers in almost 
every case seal the cell, and the worker larva becomes developed into 
a queen. The metamorphosis is in most instances distinctly recog¬ 
nisable on the following day. In reply to a question as to the age 
of the larva to be employed in such manipulation, Pastor Weygandt 
said it did not make much difference. He had by such transfer 
succeeded in changing worker larvae which were on the point of 
passing into the pupa state into royal larvae, and had occasionally 
obtained very vigorous and even the most beautiful queens. The 
practical advantage of such a transposition consists in our keeping a 
German colony a number of queens of the race which it is decided to 
increase. Pastor Weygandt’s most interesting speech was loudly 
applauded. It was followed by a discussion on the composition of 
chyle.— Alfred Neighbour. 
(To be continued.) 
o 
(WWiMMZi 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
igsT The Title-page and Index of the last half-yearly volume of 
this Journal will be published next week. 
Garden Hose (Amateur ').—Vulcanised indiarubber hose an inch in dia¬ 
meter will be suitable for your purpose. We are unable to state the cost of 
hose and fittings; this information is best obtained from an ironmonger or 
dealers in garden requisites. 
Dalechampia Roezliana rosea (Alpha ).—You will find the cultural 
notes to which you refer as having been written by Mr. Wills, in No. 365 of 
the Journal of Horticulture, page 1, vol. xiv. You are quite right in your as¬ 
sumption that the author of them is the “ great floral decorator of Warwick 
House, Regent Street, London.” 
Garden Walls (Deodar ).—We are much obliged to you for your sugges¬ 
tion. Had we been aware of your possession of the back numbers we should 
have given the information in a different form. You will find the details of 
building walls illustrated on pages 50-51 of vol. xiv, new series ; you will also 
find the subject treated on rather fully in vol. x. on pages 366, 430, and 431. 
Growing Fruit (J. B. B ).—With ordinarily fertile soil there is no doubt 
whatever you may succeed in growing all the most useful hardy fruits if you 
follow the instructions that are published from time to time in this Journal. 
If you require specific information at any time to aid you in carrying out your 
project, we will readily supply it if you will state your wants fully and clearly. 
Peas for Succession (Reader ).—You will find a selection of useful 
varieties in reply to a correspondent on page 16 last week. If you add to the 
varieties there named those mentioned in your letter you will have the number 
you l-equire. and which, sown at proper intervals and well cultivated, will afford 
excellent produce as early and as late as the weather permits. 
Forming Oval Beds (P. P .).—If you refer to the issue of the Journal of 
June 3rd, 1880, you find two diagrams that will give you the information you 
require. If you do not possess the number it can be had from this office post 
free for 3 jrf. The name of your plant is Ficus repens. 
Planting Strawberries (J. C .).—We are unable to inform you the cost 
per acre of planting Strawberry runners, as so much depends on the nature of 
the soil, the cost of the runners—some varieties being dearer than others—and 
the skill of the men employed. Assuming that the runners are small, early 
spring, just as signs of fresh growth are apparent, would be the safest time to 
plant. In the absence of farmyard manure 5 cwt. of guano and 2 cwt. of salt 
