14 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 3, 1890. 
Drones. 
The bee-keeper should pay special attention and feed the hive 
containing the drones, which may be considered of a superior strain, 
so that they may be kept vigorous for the service of young queens. 
SuRrLus Queens. 
“ You were good enough to answer my questions last December 
about bee farming, and all turned out well at last, for on the 3rd of 
May I had a very good swarm. About four days after I found a 
■queen bee on the landing board numbed, but not lifeless, and I 
took her in the house. Another bee-keeper said she must belong 
to the old stock, and not to the young swarm ; but presently there 
was such an uproar with the young swarm that my friend persuaded 
me to put the queen with them, which I did, and they seemed 
quite contented. The next night but one I found her or another 
queen bee in the same way, apparently dead ; but after being in 
the warmth for a time she recovered, so I put her back as 
before, there being just the same uproar. It is said that when bees 
swarm once they will swarm again about nine days after the first, 
but I have only yesterday had the second swarm (June 21st), 
though the bees commenced to lay out on May 20th. Would you 
also tell me when is the proper time for me to put the old stock 
into a new hive, as I want to do so, and how can I do it ? Would 
it be best done a few days after the swarm, or how ?—A Young 
Beginner.” 
It appears your stock swarmed with at least two queens, possibly 
the old and a young one, but more probably two young ones. 
When either is the case the swarm is unsettled, and not unfre- 
quently leaves the hive. Yours appear to have remained with the 
usual commotion on such occasions. It also appears that the queen 
remaining with the old stock became fertile in a few days after the 
issue of the first swarm, and having large quantities of unhatched 
brood, became quickly crowded, hence the swarm on the 21st June. 
Look out for after swarms issuing in about ten days or more from 
it. Had you sent us the queen, we would have been enabled to tell 
you whether she was fertile or not. Altogether your bees have 
just done what has been predicted in these pages for some weeks 
past, and more eccentricities may be expected. 
I had a hive ready to swarm on the 15th May ; it lingered on 
till about the 3rd June, when several young queens and the old 
■ones were thrown out. It is now three weeks since that, and it only 
threw the first swarm on the 21st June, and the hive has been 
■divided into four, and still many queens are piping, and upwards of 
fifty have already been counted ; in all probability as many more 
remain in the hive. The weather is so unfavourable that it 
precludes either successful manipulation or swarming, or I should 
hive made at least a dozen of it. No young queens hereabouts have 
mated yet. When there is no brood in the hive is the proper time 
to put the bees into a new hive. You will see from the foregoing 
the question cannot be answered with certainty. You might do 
worse than keep it as it is for another year.—A Lanarkshire 
BEE-KEE rER. 
THE BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS’ EXHIBITION. 
This Association held its annual Exhibition at Plymouth last week 
under the auspices of and in connection with the Royal Agricultural 
Society. Apiculture is recognised by “ The Royal ” as one of the 
subjects which should be prominently brought before all those con¬ 
nected with or interested in agriculture, and they have for several years 
given a handsome subscription to the British Bee-keepers’ Association to 
assist them in providing funds for the prizes and other expenses in¬ 
curred in connection with the Show. 
Part of each day’s programme consists of lectures on bee manage¬ 
ment, also demonstrations of bee driving, thus affording an opportunity 
for the visitors to see how the honey may be taken in its purity without 
destroying the bees, and the ease with which the various manipulations 
can be carried out. Mr. Green of Raynham, in Kent, one of the 
experts of the B.B.K.A., was in charge of the bee tent, and well did he 
fulfil the duties entrusted to him. His lectures were plain and practical, 
given in a quiet, unassuming, and instructive manner, and although a 
manufacturer of bee-keepers’ appliances did not mention the fact or 
puff off his own goods as has been sometimes the case at exhibitions of 
this kind. Those interested were invited by Mr. Green to ask him any 
questions, and the replies given will, we think, practically assist those 
seeking information and instruction. 
The greatest possible interest was shown by the thousands of visitors 
who thronged this Exhibition examining the hives, &c., and endeavour- 
in ' to obtain information about bee-keeping when they saw with their 
o vn eyes how easily bees may be profitably managed. 
There were fifteen classes in which prizes were offered, seven being 
for hives and appliances and eight for honey. The following is a list of 
the awards. The Judges were Mr. Broughton Carr, Rev. F. S. Sclater, 
and Mr. Walter Martin. 
Hives, Honey, &c. 
For the best collection of hives and appliances.—First, W. P. 
Meadows ; second, Charles T. Overton. For the best observatory hive.— 
First, Chas. T. Overton. For the best and most complete frame hive.— 
First, Chas. Redshaw, South Wigston, Leicester; second, Chas. T. 
Overton ; third, W. P. Meadows. For the most complete and inexpen¬ 
sive frame hive for cottagers’ use.—First, no award ; second, Chas. 
T. Overton ; third, Hutchings Bros. For the best honey extractor.— 
First and second, W. P. Meadows ; highly commended, Turner and 
Sons. For the best pair of section racks.—First, W. P. Meadows ; 
second, Chas. Redshaw; third, Chas. T. Overton. For the best feeder.— 
First and second, W. P. Meadows. 
Honey. 
For the best twelve sections of comb honey.—First, W. Woodley ; 
second, Wakefield Christie-Miller ; third, Rev. F. T. Scott. For the best 
six sections o? comb honey.—First, W. Woodley ; second, J. Garratt ; 
ihird, W. G. Preece, jun. For the best section of comb honey.—First, 
J. Garratt ; second, Miss M. L. Gayton ; third, Capt. W. St. G. Ord. 
For the best exhibit of run or extracted honey.—First, J. Garratt ; 
second, James Thorn ; third, Mrs. E. J. Cox ; fourth, M. Whittle. For 
the best exhibit of granulated honey.—First, W. Sturdy ; second and 
third, Rev. J. Kempe. For the best and most attractive display of 
honey, in any form.—Second, James Thorne. 
Miscellaneous. 
For useful inventions introduced since 18S8.—Commended, Thos- 
Lowth. For the most interesting and instructive exhibit of any kind 
connected with bee culture.—First, Rev. J. Kempe ; third, Henry J 
Orchard. 
• 
The competition in the hive classes was not so keen as it is some¬ 
times, and we understand that some of the manufacturers arranged not 
to exhibit this year ; probably the district in which the Show was held 
may have influenced them, being difficult and expensive to get to. Be 
this as it may, we think it rather a pity that they do not appear to have 
entered in any class, and short-sighted policy. The sending of a single 
hive would not have cost much, and would not need the expense of 
attendance of anyone at the Show. They will find others will do so 
and come to the front. There was nothing new among the appliances 
to particularise. The hives, the design, size, Ac., were left entirely to 
the exhibitor, and most of them consisted of stock hives with standard 
frames, with hives of shallow frames deep for storifying, as is con¬ 
sidered the simplest and best way of obtaining the largest quantity of 
honey by the use of the extractor. The arrangements for obtaining 
honey in section was much the same as usual. The season for honey 
is rather backward, and although some of the exhibits were of good 
quality, there was not the quantity staged we should have expected to 
have seen. 
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 correspondents, as doing so subjects them to 
unjustifiable trouble and expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 
relating to Gardening and those on 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 communica¬ 
tions. 
Insects on Elder (H. F. J.).—It is a species of aphis, which 
usually attacks the Elder, and we have seen the young shoots in many 
districts black with them. 
Flower Supports (A r . G .).—Both cane and bamboo stakes are neat 
and durable. They are sold in sizes adapted to various plants by most 
nurserymen, seedsmen, and dealers in horticultural requisites who 
advertise in our columns. 
Plants Seeding- (2?.).—Seed-bearing is unquestionably weakening 
to any plant, and though this applies with less force to some than to 
others, yet in every case it produces an injurious effect varying only in 
degree. Probably in the instance you mention it would be less hurtful 
to the plant to ripen the seeds than to have the stems removed. 
Mignonette Eying Q Rad hurst ).—The plants are liable to collapse 
suddenly in some soils, and in one of the finest gardens in Britain this 
fragrant plant cannot be grown outdoors. Lime in the soil is essential 
to its well-being, but a Vine border, in which your Mignonette is “going 
off,” ought not to be deficient in lime. It may be, however. Mig¬ 
nonette also likes firm soil, and that of some Vine borders is too light 
both for it and the Vines. Cannot you try it in another position in 
the garden ? 
