May 3, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
371 
this end he takes care to prevent any sense of overcrowding by 
affording ample doorway, even to the whole length of the front of 
the hive, and watches carefully through the glass of the first super 
for the first sign of overcrowding there. Yv T hen this is observed a 
second tier is at once placed on the top of the first. In some 
seasons so rapidly do the supers become overcrowded, that as many 
as four or five tiers may have to he added before the first is fit to he 
removed. 
A question much discussed arises here. Should we place the 
second and successive tiers under or over the first ? After a fair 
trial of both methods for several years we have reached this result. 
By placing the empty tier below that partly filled, we, as it were, 
compel the bees suddenly to occupy more room, and thus lessen the 
risk of immediate swarming; but we at the same time hinder the 
completion of the first tier. And if perchance the queen has already 
deposited eggs in the first tier, we almost insure that the whole 
series below will be more or less spoiled from the same cause. 
By placing the latest addition on the top of the others we, 
especially in a season of moderate yield, insure a greater proportion 
of sections properly finished, owing to the well-known instinct the 
bees have for storing in gradually expanding circles from the brood 
nest as a centre. We likewise diminish the tendency to brood- 
rearing in the supers, as the queen will seldom travel over sealed 
combs in search of empty cells. 
On the other hand, with each successive tier, we increase the 
difficulty of removing the first as soon as it is finished ; and re¬ 
moved it must be if we are to preserve the purity of its colour and 
the thinness of its sealing. All things considered, we nevertheless 
prefer this latter plan, especially as we are often compelled at any 
rate to remove the whole pile of supers from time to time for the 
purpose of cutting out royal cells, or to satisfy ourselves that the 
queen has plenty of room for egg-laying. 
Weak hives, especially in poor seasons, may never be fit to occupy 
even a second tier of supers. In such cases we give more room only 
by substituting empty sections for such as we may find completed. 
In performing this operation we invariably close up those partly 
finished towards the centre, and insert the new ones on the outsides. 
By drawing on records of former experience, as supposed to be 
noted in our local calendar, we become warned of the near approach 
of the close of the honey harvest of the locality, be it fruit bloom, 
Clover, Lime, or Heather. And now our concern is to have as few 
sections as possible left unfinished. We therefore cease to give 
more storage room. As in the later harvests there is generally a 
diminishing population and but little risk of swarming, we rather 
contract space all we can by the removal of all finished sections, 
and by gathering those nearest completion as close to the brood nest 
as possible, covering all warmly. 
Glass supers should be kept warmly covered all the time they are 
on the hives. Sectional supers should have no more covering in 
hot weather than a single thickness of carpet laid on the top to 
confine the bees. This, with the numerous joints between the 
sections, will give all the ventilation necessary. But in cool 
weather, especially at the beginning and end of the honey season, an 
additional covering of some soft material should be wrapped round 
the whole pile, which should also be kept dark and well shaded from 
the sun. 
To Get Bees out of Supers .—There is but little difficulty in clear¬ 
ing the bees out of sectional supers. A good volume of smoke 
blown down between the sections before removing them from the 
hive will drive most of the bees below. The whole case is then 
lifted to a side, and the remaining bees dislodged by taking each 
section in the hand, giving it a smart shake in front of the hive, 
and immediately whisking off any straggler with a feather. Should 
robbers threaten trouble, as they will only do when honey is scarce, 
the whole case may be treated as we would a single box or glass 
super, the best arrangement for which we find to be as follows :— 
Get a box with close-fitting lid large enough to hold the largest 
super easily. Lay a couple of small slats in the bottom on which to 
rest the edges of the supers, and cut a hole about 3 inches square 
in one side. Tack three fillets of wood f-inch square round the 
outside of this hole so as to form a ground for a piece of fine wire 
cloth. Let the side fillets and the wire cloth be long enough to 
reach several inches above the opening. This will form a trap 
allowing the bees inside to escape by running up the wire cloth, 
while the robbers from without will expend their energies only in 
endeavouring to get through the wire cloth in front of the hole. An 
occasional puff of smoke into the box will hasten the exodus. 
At the close of the honey season unfinished sections may either 
be broken up, emptied by the extractor, or simply uncapped and 
left on the hive till the bees carry down the contents, after which 
all should be stored away in a dry clean place for use next season.— 
William Baitt, Blairgowrie. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
William Mongomery, Cardross, Dumbartonshire.— Catalogue of 
Roses, Pansies, and Florists’ Flowers. 
W. Clibran & Son, Altrincham, Cheshire.— Catalogue of New and 
Choice 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. 
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 two 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. 
Dahlias (/. Mason).— As you do not indicate the number you require you 
cannot err by choosing from the list in another column, where you will find 
some of the best varieties grouped under their prevailing colours. 
Leakage in Hot-water Pipes (A Constant Reader'). —Red and white lead 
mixed with linseed oil is good material for stopping leakages in joints. An iron 
cement can also be obtained at ironmongers suitable for the same purpose. A 
composition of 4 lbs. iron borings, 2 lbs. pipeclay, 1 lb. powdered potsherds 
made into a paste with strong brine is also an excellent cement. 
Orchid Flower (G. C.). —The flower you sent is Miltonia flavescens, a 
rather uncommon species, but one of comparatively little beauty. The insect 
which attacks your plants is Otiorhynchus sulcatus, and the only means of 
destroying it is by carefully watching for the insects. Pots filled loosely with 
moss and laid on their sides will often prove a harbour for them, and they can 
then be readily destroyed. 
Primula scotica (A. M.).— Although judging by the fragmentary leaves 
and flowers you sent, we rhought your plant was P. scotica, and referred to it as 
such, our engraving was not prepared from the specimen you submitted, but 
represents a garden form of P. scotica very vigorously grown. Now you have 
sent better examples we have no doubt that your plant is a richly coloured 
form of P. villosa. The Oxlip sent is the Bardfield, Primula elatior. 
Young v. Old Coleuses ( J. P.).— As a rule young plants are far more 
satisfactory than old ones, as they produce finer foliage, and can be grown to a 
large size during the season. If very large specimens are coveted then old plants 
can be grown a second year, but the majority of them occupy more space than 
they are worth, as it is very seldom indeed that they produce large handsome 
leaves. Your gardener has adopted the usual practice, and in all probability 
the best for your purpose. The injury to the Pear blossoms is the result of frost. 
See our reply to “ P. S.” on page 351 last week. 
Rhododendron IE. Sendall). — We have received the truss, of flowers you 
sent. It is a very beautiful variety, resembling R. Dalhousire, and will be 
referred to again. Are you sure there has been no mistake in the parentage ? 
Had you any other species flowering than the two named ? It is strange that 
a variety so totally distinct from both alleged parents should be produced. 
We shall be glad to have further particulars on the subject at your early con¬ 
venience. 
Arranging a Conservatory ( Amateur , Hull).—It is impossible for 
anyone to answer your letter with any degree of satisfaction in the absence of 
the requisite data for enabling the character of the house to be understood. 
You do not even mention the width of the structure. If you send us a plan 
of the house drawn to scale, showing the exact position of the doors, hot- 
water pipes, &c., we may perhaps be able to suggest a mode of arranging the 
stages. Without some particulars of the nature indicated your question is 
unanswerable. 
Tomatoes Diseased (TF. II., Surrey). —We have carefully examined the 
fruit, and think the injury is the result of excessive applications of liquid 
manure, while at the same time the fertilisation of many of the flowers was 
certainly defective. In consequence of this the fruit would not swell freely, 
and the liquid stimulants has found expression in luxuriant foliage and diseased 
fruit. Your present crop cannot be relied on, and as you have other strong 
plants we should at once destroy those affected and occupy the space with 
healthy stock. 
Salvias for Winter (Luard).—' There are many Salvias of great value for 
winter and spring decoration, such as S. splendens and its variety Bruanti, 
S. Betheli, the pretty blue S. Pitcheri, and the strong-growing and effective 
S. gesnerteflora. All are readily raised from cuttings inserted at the present 
time in sandy soil in a close warm frame. After being potted singly the plants 
require to be kept close for a time until established, then they cannot have too 
much light and air. If large luxuriant plants are desired, the strong-growing 
kinds may be planted out in a sheltered position towards the end of June, and 
be taken up and potted in September. They require generous soil and an 
abundance of water during the summer months. 
Auricula Douglas’s Conservative ( E. E., Dalston).— You “wonder 
why this variety was not certificated last week.” The reason is, we assume, 
because it was certificated at the National Auricula Society s Southern Show 
three years ago. It is undoubtedly a very fine flower, and an acquisition to the 
section to which it belongs. You ask “ what fault ’ it has. 1o this we must 
reply that in our view its weakest point, and this only a slight weakness, 
appeared to us to be a slight lack of density in the mealiness of the edge. Iliis, 
