572 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ December 22, 1881. 
seasons. Nevertheless, I have seen several promising attempts 
exhibited—a spread eagle, part of a motto, concentric rings, &c. 
Mr. Pettigrew may rest assured we are not so far behind as he 
seems to think, and if he will offer anything tempting at his next 
Manchester exhibition it will not be our fault if Scotland does 
not win the day. 
I shall now, for the instruction of novices, give a few hints on 
the art of obtaining designs. The use of shade cuttings I have 
already explained. I shall, therefore, take the next easiest form 
of design—viz., that cut out of a block of wood, the vacancy being 
filled by the bees with comb. For this purpose take two pieces of 
soft pine wood large enough to contain the design wanted, and 
each about seven-eighths of an inch thick. Lay them so that the 
grain of the wood will cross and fasten slightly together by driving 
a few clean wire nails through both at points that will not interfere 
with the design. Now draw the shape wanted, whether a letter, 
a cross, circle, heart, or star, and with a fret-saw cut out the piece. 
Before placing in the hive separate the two thicknesses of wood, 
place a sheet of super comb foundation between, and again nail 
them together. Such designs are best worked when hung in bar- 
frames, either at the sides of a hive or in an upper storey, and this 
must be borne in mind when deciding on the size and shape. 
Tin or other separators must be used to ensure smooth finish. 
I have worked many such designs, and have been astonished to 
find the bees working so nearly alike on both sides, though having 
no “ pop-hole ” between. 
I cannot help thinking, however, that such designs are too 
mechanical—that is, man’s hand is too much seen. I therefore 
prefer the following method. A board is taken, which is to be 
the top of a super, round, square, or oval—say a circular glass 
cutting 3 to 4 inches deep. On this board the design is drawn—a 
star, concentric circles, or such like—and strips of comb foundation 
half an inch less in depth than the super are secured along the 
lines, care being taken to avoid crowding. Vacant coiners outside 
the design may have guides attached in such a way as to secure 
their being filled with detached and regular combs, or blocks 
of wood or other material may be temporarily attached, partly 
acting as separators and partly as stopgaps till the comb is worked. 
The rim of the super need not be added till the foundation is fixed, 
and even then only lightly secured to the lid ; for sometimes a 
design will turn out that will be seen to much greater advantage 
without the rim under a glass case. 
There is still another class of designs which are very striking, 
but which I have not yet succeeded with owing to bad seasons— 
viz., combs embossed with monograms, geometrical patterns, 
figures of birds, beasts, &c. To get these a rich honey yield is 
needed. The slab of comb, say in a large section or an ordinary 
frame, is first allowed to remain in the hive till perfectly finished. 
It is then removed, and the design wanted in pricked on its 
surface. Every cell within the design is now carefully uncapped, 
and the comb returned to the exact place it occupied in the hive, 
only it is pushed back nearly a quarter of an inch from its former 
position. Honey being abundant the bees will lengthen the un¬ 
capped cells, seal them over afresh, and leave the design embossed 
on the comb. By using as separators boards carved out with 
hollow designs like butter prints, we may have our embossing 
done without the necessity of removing the comb during the 
process. The bees will naturally cause the surface of the comb 
to bulge into all the hollows of the pattern, which, however, must 
he of a bold type. 
Monstrously thick combs are obtained much in the same way 
as the first style of embossing just mentioned. The bees are 
allowed access to a space that will serve them for one comb only 
in the centre of a case that may be from 4 to 12 inches across. 
This space is enclosed by moveable separators, and as soon as the 
one comb is nearly worked out, but before it is at all sealed, the 
separators are pushed back little by little day by day. The bees 
kuow no better than to lengthen their cells, which they will con¬ 
tinue to do till the box is filled with a single comb. All these 
operations require considerable attention and no little knowledge 
and dexterity ; but the pleasures of success and an experience 
extended even by failure are worth the attempt. The winter 
evenings may be employed in elaborating the designs so far as 
they are mechanical; let us hope the summer to come may be 
such as to ensure their perfect completion.— William Baitt, 
Blairgowrie. 
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
At the monthly meeting of the Committee, held at 105, Jermyn 
Street, on the 14th inst., there were present Mr. T. W. Cowan (in 
the chair). Rev. G. Rayner, Mr. D. Stewart, Mr. J. M. Hooker, Mr. 
W. 0. B. Glennie (Treasurer), and Rev. H. R. Peel (Hon. Sec.). The 
Hon. and Rev. H. Bligh was also present, and discussed with the 
Committee his proposals for a competition with the view to the 
better promotion of cottage apiaries throughout the United Kingdom. 
It was the general opinion of the meeting that such a competition 
should be limited for the first year to the six home counties, and that 
a sum of £21 should be offered in prizes of £0, £5, £4, £3, £2, and 
£1, M for the best managed and most profitable poor man’s economic 
department of an apiary, such department to be worked with 
a limited number of hives, upon any principle or combination of 
principles.” It was resolved that the question be adjourned for 
further consideration at the next meeting, and that in the meantime 
a set of rules be drawn up for the management of the competition. 
A letter was read from the Secretary of the Royal Agricultural 
Society, approving of the draft schedule of prizes for bees, hives, 
honey, and bee-keeping appliances, to be offered for competition at 
the Royal Agricultural Show to be held at Reading in July next, 
and stating that the Royal Agricultural Society would be pleased to 
grant the sum of £30 to the British Bee-keepers’ Association to 
enable the Committee of that Society to carry out the proposed 
Exhibition. It was resolved that a vote of thanks be sent to the 
Council of the Royal Agricultural Society for their increased support 
towards the promotion of bee-keeping. 
APIARIAN APPLIANCES AND BEE PRODUCTS AT 
THE BRIGHTON HEALTH CONGRESS. 
We are glad to be able to note that various societies, whose aims 
are to assist in the production of good and cheap food for the people, 
are giving prominence to the exhibition of honey and appliances in 
connection with bee-keeping, as tending to the increased production 
of an article of nutritious food and the revival of an almost neglected 
industry. 
The Council of the Brighton Health Congress invited (through Mr. 
F. Y. Hadlow, the Chairman of the Food Department) the Committee 
of the British Bee-keepers’ Association to make a display of honey 
and bee-keeping appliances at their Exhibition, which commenced 
on the 12th inst., and allotted space free of charge for the purpose. 
The exhibition of honey, Ac., was under the able management of 
T. W. Cowan, Esq., the Chairman of the Committee of the British 
Bee-keepers’ Association. Bee hives and other appliances were 
kindly sent by Messrs. Neighbour & Son, Mr. S. J. Baldwin, Mr. 
A. Rushbridge, Mr. T. B. Blow, and Mr. Wooldridge. Specimens of 
small sections of honey in the comb and extracted honey in glass jars 
were contributed by T. W. Cowan, Esq., J. M. Hooker, Esq., Mr. R. 
Scott, Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Rushbridge, and Messrs. Neighbour A Son. 
Hundreds of visitors visited the Exhibition, and much interest was 
displayed in the department allotted to bee hives, honey, Ac. The 
uses of the various exhibits were explained by T. W. Cowan, Esq., 
Mr. Baldwin, and Mr. Rushbridge. 
The Congress sat daily, and various papers were read on the pro¬ 
motion of health and the production of food. At the meeting held 
on Thursday, the 17th inst., J. R. Holland, Esq., M.P., in the chair, 
Mr. T. W. Cowan read a paper on honey as food, which we received 
too late for insertion this week. 
The Judges awarded a certificate of high commendation to the 
exhibits of the British Bee-keepers’ Association. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Frederick Roemer, Quedlinburgh, Germany. —Price List of Flower 
Seeds. 
J. Carter A Co., High Holborn.— Vade Mecum , 1882, with Coloured 
Plates. 
Ernest Riemschneider, Altona, Hamburg. —List of Flower and 
Vegetable Seeds. 
Hennequin, Denis A Cie., Faubourg, Bressigny.— Catalogue of 
Flower and Vegetable Seeds. 
Richard Dean, Ranelagh Road, Ealing.— Catalogues of Potatoes, 
Primroses, Auriculas, Pansies, ijc. 
Sutton A Sons, Reading.— Amateurs' Guide, 1S82, with Coloured 
Plates. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee subjects, and 
should never send more than tw r o or three questions at once. All 
articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of 
the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, 
and we do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
The Cottage Gardeners’ Dictionary (J.N .).—This will be more useful 
than the other work you name, inasmuch as it gives full cultural details on all 
the most useful kinds of fruits, also kitchen garden crops, and stove, greenhouse, 
