82 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 14,18 0. 
Prospects of Honey. 
No time should be lost in feeding stocks short of stores, at least 
10 lbs., and at the end of August the remainder necessary for 
winter stores. The year 1890 with many bee-keepers will be a 
blank so far as Clover honey is concerned, and if we had any 
assurance that the Heather would give a good yield we should not 
care, as it is most in repute, but the temperature is too low, and the 
Sack of sunshine is against it and our hope3. 
Clover Honey. 
This is scarce in some districts, if the statement by a respectable 
honey dealer is to be relied upon. When in Glasgow on June 15th he 
said he had already had a consignment of a considerable quantity of 
this year’s Clover honey, and could be supplied with all he required. 
I did not see it, so cannot give my verdict whether he had been 
-deceived or not, but it is remarkable to be removing supers from 
hives at a time when the hills of the same county were covered 
with snow. 
Reliable Information. 
In Rothesay we have a lady who has a Steivarton hive, consisting 
of three 9-inch body boxes on four supers full of bees and comb, 
the two under supers being nearly completed and full of honey— 
a lesson worth taking, that placing the empty super uppermost is 
the proper way to manage supers. Another case is that of a 
Renfrewshire bee-keeper, who has some heavy hives with the 
same number of supers also filled. The temperature at Rothesay 
may be higher than we experience, and the heavy hives may be 
partly due to the trees in the district, which the bees can gather 
from even while raining if the temperature be 05° and above that; 
below it bees seem not inclined to venture out, and the flowers may 
possibly not secrete honey when the temperature is lower. 
Swarms. 
Swarms in many places are scarce, and some bee-keepers have 
not had one. An effort should be made early before all the drones 
are killed to bring forward a number of young queens, because 
although last year’s queens may live until another year, they will 
not be so prolific as more youthful ones, so no pains should be 
•spared to secure them. 
There is perhaps no better plan than to remove the queen 
regnant with a portion of the combs with bees adhering, placing it 
upon a new stand, and allow the majority of the bees with all the 
drones to remain on the old one. At the end of ten days divide 
into as many nuclei as desirable, and if the queen or royal cells are 
secured against strangers, combs from other hives with brood and 
young bees may be added to them, feeding all nuclei, and the stocks 
-containing drones must not be neglected. After the young queens 
are laying the old queens may be disposed of according to circum¬ 
stances.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN METHODS. 
A correspondent of this Journal once advised me to read 
American journals to post me up to the times. It is well known 
that I have always advocated thicker and broader top bars than 
are generally used, which, when slides are also used, prevent “ burr 
combs” and blackened or brooded supers. This advice was given 
when the Americans and their followers in this country w T ere 
tl Hindering over the difficulty. Probably the following extracts 
have been brought about by the influence of my pen. The editor 
<>i American Gleanings says :—“ There are two or three matters of 
great moment now being discussed. The importance of thick top 
barq and the doing away with burr combs and honey boards, cannot 
be over-estimated. Having frames suitable for out apiaries for 
moving and shipping is bound to come up this year, and we hope a 
solution of the problem may be reached.” 
Recognising the advisability of cheapness and handiness of 
hives for moving about, the editor adds, “ "YVe don’t want anything 
that will increase the expense of the frames more than ten cents 
per hive.’’ After paper packages had been tried, and announced in 
these pages, the Americans took the matter up. Spreading brood 
is denounced too, so also is the shutting in of bees at any season 
“ unless when in transit.” Ventilation from beneath is receiving 
attention, and I have no doubt from the form of many American 
hives in the near future they will not be unlike the cheap 
“ Lanarkshire ” hive. Benton’s queen cage is pronounced to be the 
best invented I believe, as was the candy (termed “Good’s”) by 
“ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper,” although many years previous to the 
Benton era I used similar cages. 
The Honey Presser and Mead. 
Different sized cylinders are desirable when the presser is used 
for other purposes than honey. After the honey is pressed from 
the combs warm water should be poured over them, and the combs 
thoroughly macerated. Two card like instruments are suitable for 
this purpose. When macerated steep for twenty-four hours, then 
strain and pass through the presser, then the liquor is ready to be 
converted into mead ; boil for an hour, scumming the froth as it 
rises, then when milkwarm add a little yeast (a few hops having 
been previously boiled in the liquor) ; stir well, and cask when 
fermentation has well begun; bung closely, and stand the barrel 
in a moderately cool dry place. The above receipt appeared before, 
but some may have not seen it. The wax should be extracted 
immediately after all the liquor is pressed out. If they lie about 
long after acari take possession.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
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. 
Benefit Society ( Endymion ).—If you send your name and address 
the particulars you require will be supplied by post. 
Ventilating' Vineries (2d I .').—Toe treatment you are giving your 
Vines is the correct ooe, more especially as the Grapes are beginning to 
colour. A little fire heat would of course be advantageous, but as you do 
not give it the necessity is all the greater for a circulation of air constantly, 
so as to prevent a close vitiate 1 atmosphere. It will assist the Grapes in 
colouring, and further their quality. Continue the treatment you have 
proved satisfac'ory. 
Name of Insect ( Dyffryn, M.A .).— The curious insect forwarded 
is a specimen of Sirexgigas, one of the horn-tailed sawfiies. The species 
is much more abundant some seasons than others; it occurs most fre¬ 
quently in Ihe vicinity of Pine forests or plantation*, in the solid wood of 
which the larva or grub feeds, also sometimes upon that of other trees, the 
Elm for instance. It has the power of producing a loud buzzing no sq 
and for this reasoD, though really harmless, it is au object of alarm in 
some countries, being supposed to be a stinging insect. The borer at the 
tail is used to pierce deep'y into wood for the deposition of eggs ; it is 
furnished with teeth, and acts in a manner similar to the centrebit of the 
carpenter. 
Iiuxuriant Growth on Young' Pyramid Fruit Trees (St. 
Julian Arabria'). —Having cue out all useless growths, and shortened 
side shoots on main branches, you ask What you are to do with the main 
branches, fo;ne if which are 2 and 3 feet long? Stop them at onc°, 
merely removing a few j >ints of the soft growths. This will strengthen 
the par's be'o v, and especially the buds at the lower part of the shoots, 
whilst leaving the shoots a greater length than is generally desirable will 
afford an outlet for the overabundant sap. Any growth resulting will be 
f ora the points of the shoots, and these can be pinched at a few joints of 
growth, but not later than early September. At the winter pruning the 
branch or leading shoots may be shortened to about 15 inches of their 
bise. The espalier trees have not pushed side shoots because the leaders 
were not cut back as they ought at the winter pruning. There is no 
remedy but afier the leaves have fallen cu'ting back to the point, or 
a little lower, where you desire to originate the side branches. Trees in 
the luxuriant condition yours present should be lifted in autumn and the 
soil made firmer. 
