JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
May 19, 1881. ] 
407 
A device more simple than any of the foregoing is sometimes 
quite successful, and consists in placing a wide cover in front of 
the hive door so as to cut off the daylight within, and yet give 
the bees entrance and exit between the back face of the cover 
and the front of the hive. When the bees have become thoroughly 
accustomed to this, take the stock to its new quarters in the 
morning, remove the cover, and smoke well. Each bee before 
leaving the hive learns the entrance of daylight and the general 
outlook that the stand is changed, and notes the station in con¬ 
sequence. But the principles which should guide us in placing 
our stocks now demand attention, for undoubtedly the desire to 
move the bees has often for its origin that love of regularity and 
trimness which may be most prejudicial to the success of our 
operations. Some years since I was asked to visit in the south of 
England an apiary, the property of a wealthy gentleman who 
had, notwithstanding the advantages of superior appliances, failed 
to secure results at all equal to those which seemed to fall without 
effort to his own tenantry, amongst whom, to his great horror, 
the sulphur-pit reigned supreme as the only means of clearing 
bees from the honey stocks. The owner, a man apparently of 
most orderly mind, introduced me to his bees, which were housed 
in a straight line of hives all precisely alike in shape, size, and 
colour, faultlessly clean, and arranged upon substantial pedestals 
with stone tops, all of which were accurately equidistant with 
about 2 feet interspace. The hives, moreover, were backed by a 
long regular wall which formed the side of a kitchen garden, 
while the trees nailed against this seemed especially trimmed 
to disprove the assertion sometimes made that no two things in 
nature are alike. In front ran a path wearying by its length 
and as straight as an arrow. When we first caught sight of 
the apiary it looked not unlike a huge brown caterpillar, each 
segment of the body of which was represented by a stock, and 
I recognised at once some reason for the failure complained of, 
for had all been devised with an idea of puzzling and confusing the 
bees the arrangement could have been pronounced perfect. It is 
obvious enough that the dead similarity in hives and surroundings 
which I have just described must make the task of each worker in 
selecting its own proper home so difficult that uniform success in 
it is not attainable, and as a consequence an unusual and danger¬ 
ous interchanging of inhabitants amongst the hives is continually 
going on, which will lead from well-understood causes to robbing 
and disaster. But the more serious danger is not with the 
workers but with the young queens. These, when they leave the 
hive for the purpose of meeting the drone, fly in and out several 
times and mark the station with great care ; but in the circum¬ 
stances upon which I have animadverted, and indeed in many 
apiaries, is not the picking-out of the right hive at the return of 
the expectant mother an exploit almost as difficult as the selection 
of a given note on the keyboard of a pianoforte? and should the 
bewildered insect, now the hope and promise of the colony, 
through our misguided notions enter the wrong hive she is imme¬ 
diately butchered, and the stock to which she belonged must, 
unless bee-mastership come to the rescue, die out or fall a prey to 
robbers. Let us, then, avoid long lines of similar hives, unless 
characteristic landmarks, such as trees or shrubs, rise amongst 
them. Let variety in colour if not in form come to our aid, and 
we shall then know less of robbing, while our young queens will 
not suddenly and mysteriously vanish.— Frank B. Cheshire, 
Avenvc House, Acton, IF. 
THE IRISH COTTAGERS' IIIYE. 
Being very much impressed with the novelty of Mr. Lyon’s 
hive for cottagers I endeavoured to construct one with the follow¬ 
ing results. I obtained two boxes from my grocer, which are sent 
to this country containing soap ; they are made of pine, the sides 
being over half an inch thick, and the ends are nearly an inch 
thick ; they have a bottom and lid, the joints being secured. 
One I prepared for a body box and the other for a cover. The 
hive when finished with the cover on resembles Abbott’s “ Irish 
hive,” being shed-roofed. The body box holds nine frames and 
a dummy ; I have them on zinc slides, with distance pins, which 
are shoemaker’s brass tacks of the largest size. This only cost me 
D. 2d., but had I paid for all the materials I should have had my 
hive for 2s. 2d. To encourage others I may say that my hive is 
superior in utility to some hives that cost 10s. As the frames 
rest on the ends, the first thing I had to do was to take part of 
one of the lids to make two pieces to raise the two sides high 
enough for the zinc slides and frames on the ends, this being 
done by nailing them on. I nailed the zinc on with shoemaker’s 
rivets, and a very thin piece is nailed on to cover the ends of the 
frames. These are all of one scantling, being cut out of a half¬ 
inch board of clean spruce 8 feet long by inches wide. This 
board only costs 5 d. retail. With a lock saw I cut the frames up 
the centre for comb foundation ; I cut a 5-inch slit in the end for 
entrance, with a 4-inch alight board in the centre, and sloped off 
at the ends and nailed it to the end. The hive when uncovered 
has the appearance of one sold by Messrs. Neighbours. The 
sides project half an inch ; the piece to cover the frame ends and 
the light board is exactly the same shape. The cover is the same 
size as the body box with plinths all round to go down over ; it 
is the same height at front, but slopes 3 inches at the back, having 
two bars on the roof made from a part of itself, giving it quite a 
neat appearance. Two coats of green paint with oak varnish 
covers and beautifies all.— Comber, Co. Down. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
James Veitch & Sons, King’s Road, Chelsea.— Catalogue of Plants, 
including Novelties for 1881 ( Illustrated ), and List, of Bedding Plants. 
William Bull, King’s Road, Chelsea.— List of New and Beautiful 
Plants (Illustrated). 
James Dickson & Sons, Newton Nurseries, Chester.— Catalogue of 
Bedding and Border Plants. 
It. Pennell & Son, Lincoln. —Catalogue of Miscellaneous Plants. 
J. Linden, Ghent, Belgium.— Illustrated Catalogue of New and Rare 
Plants. 
*** All correspondence should be directed either to “ The Editor ” 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. Hogg or 
members of the staff often remain unopened unavoidably. We 
request that no one will write privately to any of our correspon¬ 
dents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. 
Seedling Pansies (TV. J. M.). —Although the flowers were sent in a tin 
box and were packed in moss the latter was quite dry on arrival, and the Pansies 
were so much shrivelled that it was quite impossible for anyone to form an 
estimate of their merits. The dried petals of the dark self appear to possess 
great substance, but as to its form and colour we are wholly without the means 
of forming an opinion. 
The Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society (J. L. IF.). —The object 
of the Society is the granting of substantial annuities to gardeners who are 
incapacitated by age or infirmity from following their vocation, also to widows 
of gardeners who have been loft without means of support. The annuities are 
granted for life, and many recipients are now enjoying them. The number of 
annuitants elected yearly depends on the funds at the disposal of the Com¬ 
mittee, and a most laudable endeavour is being made to increase those funds. 
You are quite eligible to become a subscriber and annuitant, and you can obtain 
all particulars you need by writing to the Secretary, E. It. Cutler, Esq., 14, Tavis¬ 
tock Row, Coveut Garden, London. 
Bulbs in Lawn (Mrs. Wilks). —Your gardener is quite right ; the lawn 
must not be mowed until the foliage of the Crocuses and Snowdrops shows 
signs of decay; in fact, it should commence withering before it is cut off. Your 
display of flowers next year depends wholly on preserving the foliage fresh and 
healthy as long as possible. To remove it now would seriously weaken the 
bulbs. 
Warts on Vine Leaves—Grapes Blistered (Bishops Waltham).— 
Although your general treatment is correct we should admit air earlier, imn edi- 
ately the temperature commences rising in the morning. On some morning, 
perhaps a Sunday morning, the house has been too long closed, and then too 
much air has been admitted at once, causing too rapid evaporation from the 
leaves and fruit. We cannot inform you how often the Vine border should be 
watered, as this depends so much on the weather ; and further, you do not 
inform us whether the roots are in inside or outside borders. We can only 
advise you to apply water copiously when it is required, so that every particle of 
soil is moistened ; surface sprinklings are dangerous when applied with the 
object of conveying moisture to the roots, though not objectionable for promot¬ 
ing a genial atmosphere during the afternoons of bright days. 
Double Daisies (if. //.).—When the flowers “turn single ” the fact indi¬ 
cates either poverty of soil or neglect in dividing the plants. After flowering 
has ceased the plants should be taken up and divided, each portion having two 
or three crowns, to be planted 6 or 8 inches apart in rows a foot asunder. The 
soil for the nursery bed so formed should be enriched with manure, and the 
position cool and shaded, but not the shade afforded by overhanging trees; a 
border on the north side of a wall or building is very suitable for Daisies m 
summer. If the soil is sufficiently fertile for growing good Lettuces it will grow 
the Daisies well. The plants should be watered copiously during hot weather, 
and the ground kept free from weeds. We have grown thousands of Daisies in 
the manner described, and have never failed in having strong plants and large 
double flowers. 
Water Melons (A Fourteen-years Subscriber).— They require practically 
the same treatment as ordinary Melons, and may be grown in houses or frames. 
We have grown them successfully by having strong plants ready for planting 
in May, by which time the frames that had been employed for forcing Potatoes 
were at liberty. The soil was removed and a few barrowfuls of fermenting 
materials mixed with the old bed, the soil replaced, and when gently warmed 
the Melons were planted. They were then watered, pruned, and ventilated as 
