228 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 4,1884. 
colony in about two weeks after the first swarm has been cast, and see 
that it contains a laying queen ; and if it does not, we can give them a 
comb from another hive containing eggs and brood, or else give them a 
laying queen if we have one at hand, which will save much valuable 
time. By this means we often save a valuable colony of bees, which, 
without this assistance, would in a short time dwindle down, and perhaps 
finally be destroyed by the moth. We say that the worms have destroyed 
some of our colonies of bees, when the truth is, it became queenless and 
then beeless, and then the moths took possession. 
I think it necessary to examine colonies late in the honey season, and 
see that they have plenty of brood and young bees for the coming 
winter ; and if they do not, empty combs or frames may be inserted in 
the centre of the hive, and thereby obtain plenty of young brood, thus 
preventing “spring dwindling.” 
At this stage of the season we will find the extractor a good thing, 
for we can empty some of the combs which are full of honey, and place 
them in the centre of the hive, and by this means obtain some good 
honey, as well as plenty of young bees for the coming winter. 
Another important article for a progressive bee-keeper to possess is 
a good bee-smoker—an article after once using he will not do without. 
To be successful we want plenty of empty hives in readiness for the 
increase, then we will not be compelled to use hives which are not similar 
to the only already in use. It is also well to have our surplus arrange¬ 
ments previously prepared, for we may need them when we do not have 
them at hand, and thus be compelled to use any old box for the surplus 
honey, instead of the nice and neat sections which are more convenient 
to use, and more attractive to the buyer. I have not attempted to give 
all the necessities of the apiary, hut of others I leave each bee-keeper to 
judge for himself. 
Discussions of questions being next in order, the President asked, 
“ Is it advisable to put empty combs into the centre of the hive ? ” 
J. W. Sanders : Yes ; if the central combs are full of brood, one or 
two combs at a time may be added near the centre, to an advantage ; or 
if you do not have combs empty frames may be added, and you are sure 
to get nice straight combs built. I had a number of combs built that 
way last season, and they were generally clear from drone cells. 
“Why do queens enter the surplus receptacles?” Mr. Cover said. 
For want of room in the brood-chamber. Mrs. Van Meter said that she 
had one colony which had all drone brood and no sign of worker brood, 
and asked, Why is it ? Mr. Cover and the Secretary made a few remarks, 
stating that it was queenless, and was occupied by a fertile worker, which 
always producel drones. The brood of a fertile worker is easily detected, 
for the worker cells, when capped, instead of being smooth are very 
uneven ; and you will find eggs laid without any regularity, many cells 
being missed, and others with several eggs in them. As a remedy, 
uniting it with some other colony, or giving it a queen, or means of 
rearing one, were advised. 
The subject of “ Summer Care of Bees ” was' then discussed. Mr. 
Cover said that he worked for honey and not increase ; that he begun in 
the spring with fifty-eight colonies ; and that he stimulated early breeding 
by feeding rye flour and oatmeal until plenty of natural pollen appeared. 
By this means his bees get through with swarming early, and are ready 
for the honey harvest. His first swarm issued on May 14th, and the last one 
on June 5th. He had thirty-four swarms by May 24th, and had saved 
only eleven swarms. He said that he works it in this way :—When the 
first swarm issues he destroys the queen, and the swarm returns to the 
parent colony. When second swarms issue he captures the queens and 
returns the swarms, or else unites two or three swarms. At the same time 
he gives plenty of surplus room. He has some Langstroth hives which 
have on three sets of 5 lb. boxes. Up to July 5th he had taken off 200 
5 lb. boxes, and had 300 more in which the bees were working, the 
majority being about ready to take off. 
G. W. Calhoun : How late is it advisable to put in comb foundation ? ” 
President : As long as the honey season lasts. The President then 
being called upon to give his methods, said that he began in the spring 
with seven colonies, and now has fourteen. His bees are doing well. 
He uses comb foundation ; in the first place he used whole sheets, but 
now uses parts of sheets, and finds that the bees worked it out and made 
nice straight combs. He had filled the whole space in the sections, but 
in the future would use only a little as comb-guides. 
Mr. Wickersham ; “ How do you get the bees out of the boxes ? ” 
Answer ; When the honey season is good put the boxes into a shed 
and let the bees go out themselves. If the season is poor place them in 
a dark room and give a ray of light. Boxes to be taken off in the 
morning. 
REMOVING SUPERS. 
I n.4VE just cleared two large supers of bees in a way yery satisfactory 
to myself. I removed them from the hive on which they stood in the 
early morning and placed them on a shallow tray—to prevent loss by 
bleeding—slightly raised as in hiveing, immediately at the back of them 
own hive, close to and level with the floor-board, throwing over super and 
hive a large cloth, but not covering the entrance of the hive with it. In 
a matter of four or five hours I found the super empty of bees and no 
robbery going on. How much labour in carrying about supers and sweep¬ 
ing out bees this saved me any bee-keeper will know. I think the day 
was favourable, being well at the close of the honey harvest, and also I 
should not like to trust to the process without being on the premises in 
case of fighting among the bees, or robbery. I should add that through 
the summer I raise my hives half an inch from the floor-board, supporting 
them at the corners, so that the bees had a fair way back to them hive.— 
ViCAK. 
An apiarian correspondent of the Hiintly Express appears to have 
been impressed on witnessing Mr. James Shearer of Ardonold, Cairnie, 
driving his bees. He writes, “ Preparations having been made, Mr. 
Shearer set to work to drive the bees from a number of hives, and transfer 
part of the combs to modern frame hives—casting aside his coat and hat, 
and rolling up his shirt sleeves, dauntless of stings or anything else. Never 
did we witness anyone driving and uniting bees in the same manner—viz., 
with face, head, and neck exposed. Stings did not seem to affect him in 
the least, and the work was done in a satisfactory manner.” 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
E. Webb k Sons, Stourbridge.— Catalogue of Bulbs, 1884. 
J. Carter & Co., High Holborn.— Bulb Catalogue for 1884. 
Stephen Brown, Weston-super-Mare.— Catalogue of Bulbs. 
A. M. C. Jongkindt, Coninck, Dedemsvaart near Zwolle, Netherlands.— 
Catalogue of Conifers, Shrubs, Trees, and Hardy Plants. 
Wm. Baylor Hartland, 24, Patrick Street, Cork.— Descriptive Catalogue 
of Narcissi. 
George Cooling & Sons, Bath.— Catalogue oj Bulbs and Spring Flowers. 
All coiTespondence 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. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended 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. 
Books on Gardening for a Youth {E. S .).—“ Cottage Gardener's 
Dictionary ” and Thompson’s “ Gardener’s Assistant ” are probably the two 
best works of reference on gardening extant, and ought to be possessed by 
everyone ; and to these may be added the “ Garden Manual,” Keane’s “ Indoor 
Gardening,” also Keane’s “Outdoor Gardening,” Thomson’s “Flower 
Gardening,” and Thomson’s “ Fruit Forcing.” These will form suSicient 
information for a time, works on special subjects being added as means and 
opportunity offer. 
White Grapes (An Exhibitor ).—Certainly neither of the Grapes of 
which you have sent examples is the Calabrian Raisin, though the Vine 
may have been obtained as such, and we are quite unable to advise you to 
exhibit them together. We consider they are both Trebbiano, one larger in 
the berry and riper than the other. 
Renovating Lawn (T. L., Putney). —We are glad to hear you have im¬ 
proved the lawn considerably by sowing a renovating mixture in spring and 
covering the seed with fine soil, for the season has certainly not been favour¬ 
able for the growth of fine grasses. We advise you now, or at least as soon 
as the ground is moist, to procure some more of the same kind of seed, sow 
and treat as you did in the spring, and not to mow the lawn very closely 
after the seed germinates. We have seen lawns much improved by soM'ing 
seeds early in September. 
Ventilating a Vinery (Clifton ).—You cannot do better than keep your 
unheated house as warm as possible now the Grapes are changing, but—mark 
the condition—with a free circulation of air. If the house is kept close you 
may incite mildew. Open the ventilators back and front slightly as soon as 
the SU50 raises the temperature in the morning, and increase the openings 
when the thermometer registers 75° ; if it rises beyond 80° give air freely. 
It will be advisable to leave the top lights open to the extent of an inch all 
night. When you can employ fire heat you may maintain a night tempe¬ 
rature of C0° to 05° with air, and a day temperature 5° higher without sun. 
Protecting Fruit from Birds (J. J .).—No doubt the material sent will, 
if properly fixed, exclude birds from fruit trees, but it is closer than is 
needed, and we should prefer stout netting ; that would answer the same 
purpose, and would not afford so much shade to the trees ; still we should 
not apprehend any injurious effects from the use of the very light and open 
shading material. If the laterals on the Raspberry canes are 4 feet or more 
from the ground they may be cut ofi; if much lower they may be thinned 
out and the strongest retained for fruiting, provided there are not sufiicient 
strong canes without laterals 
Grapes not Setting (Perplexed). —We have scarcely any doubt that the 
house was kept too close, and consequently too moist, in your absence when 
the Vines were in flower, and that the pollen was converted into paste in¬ 
stead of being distributed for tbe purpose of fertilisation. You appear to 
have been very successful hitherto, and the treatment you describe as to 
watering is good. The colder water to which you refer would not cause the 
