324 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 9. 1890. 
very few before and after these dates, while in June and July 
heavy showers of rain fell. 
Preparing for Winter. 
No time should be lost in getting all stocks prepared for stand¬ 
ing the winter, well furnished with stores, defended from internal 
and external moisture, and secured from being blown over by the 
wind. An iron rod or wooden stake driven into the ground close to 
the hive and secured by a cord or tying wire is all that is necessary 
to prevent the highest hive from being blown down, and is at all 
times neat and handy. 
Ventilation. 
My mode of ventilation is well known. The greater part of my 
plan appeared in the pages of thi3 Journal about thirty years since, 
in the same part as Langstroth’s method appeared, which was 
similar to mine, but dwelt principally on insensible upward venti¬ 
lation, as essential to-day as it was then, even with our method of 
■under ventilation. It i3 perhaps necessary to state these facts, 
because an apiarian has asserted that insensible upward ventilation 
is unnecessary since he has adopted the “ 3-inch eke ” and not 
more than “ 1-inch entrance.” If he would simply cover that eke 
with perforated zinc it would make the arrangement perfect ; but 
why does he advise that plan to be adopted when a short time 
since he recommended wintering bees in hives with “ wide 
■entrances ? ” 
A Test. 
Cover your hives well upon the top with dry meadow hay 
with or without the improved method of under insensible ventila¬ 
tion. Place close upon the top of the dry hay any waterproof 
material, and note how short a time elapses before it becomes 
thoroughly saturated with damp and mould. But try the opposite, 
and raise the waterproofing a little above the dry material, and 
then examine and see how dry and comfortable the bees must be 
beneath so dry a covering. 
The perforated floor allows all debris to fall away from the bees, 
and rids them of parasites and moths, and the plan advised by Mr. 
McConnel of Arman of placing dry peat beneath the zinc prevents 
the condensed moisture on the floor rising amongst the bees on the 
slightest increase c f temperature, keeping the bees comfortable, free 
from disease, and at rest during the most trying time of their 
existence, which ultimately proves profitable to those who cared for 
them. Neither relinquish the one form of ventilation nor the 
other, but let both go together, and you will all soon learn why 
there are so many different methods and opinions in the manage¬ 
ment of bees. 
Bees Intoxicated. 
This is a subject to which I intended to have turned my 
attention had the summer been a fine one, as I have frequently 
witnessed a half-dormant bee upon many different flowers, and 
have often observed humble bees in a sleepy state upon some that 
the hive bee visited with impunity. Writers often classed both 
sorts together. I am inclined to the belief that there is something 
else that stupefies the bees seen upon these flowers than the plant 
or flowers the intoxicated bees are seen upon. I have observed 
the remarks by Mr. S. Arnott at page 2G6. Although I grow two 
varieties of Sedum Fabaria, I have never observed an intoxicated 
bee upon any of them, but have done so upon the ytllow flowered 
Stonecrops. The first mentioned are in flower with me at present. 
As soon as the stormy weather abates, and bees are again working, 
I will watch their proceedings upon these Sedums. 
Cure for Foul Brood. 
Formic acid, as a certain cure for foul brood, has been 
advocated for some time past, and discussed in various journals, 
and as might be expected with a new thing, old cures are con¬ 
demned. We hope it will be efficacious. The Canadians have 
passed an Act of Parliament for the purpose of having the disease 
suppressed. It appears the foul brood inspector has been busy 
for several months overhauling diseased colonies, and applying 
remedial measures under the Act, which authorises diseased 
colonies “to be destroyed by fire;” but he has not done so, 
finding it unnecessary, as he cures “by a simple hygienic process, 
and without the aid of the chemist, the druggist, or drug 
doctor.” I am sure it will please none more than the Editor 
of this Journal to learn that “ the method of cure is briefly 
the starvation plan, the only one in our large experience -which 
we practised with success.” Like other good things, and modes 
of good management, it appeared first in the pages of this Journal, 
and was known as the “ purgatorial process ” by “ A Renfrew¬ 
shire Bee-keeper,” and as a further immunity from the disease 
our method of ventilation as described above. Sometimes much 
hangs by a little, and a very little stroke of mismanagement will 
ruin a whole apiary. 
Robbing. 
A meddling bee-keeper commenced manipulating amongst his 
bees at an improper time for profit to himself, and although the 
best honey days of the season, and unlikely time for bees to rob, 
they set to it, and but for my presence some of my best hives 
would have been destroyed by the careless and imprudent act. 
Short Stores. 
No matter what time of year it is, colonies with short supplies 
of meat dwindle away until they are so much reduced as to be 
worthless. What appeared to be fairly strong colonies situated a 
little distance from my own at the moors, which I saw daily, from 
being under supplied dwindled gradually until they were either 
robbed out or unable to gather any honey when the weather 
improved. At a little distance from their hives dead bees lay in 
great numbers upon the stone dykes, the ground, and upon flowers. 
My whole experience is simply what I have taught, and which Art 
will neither forward nor frustrate. Nature and the weather are 
the controlling factors. So much has been said about swarming 
and its prevention that it is needless to repeat further than in 
some localities bees swarmed in September almost to a hive, the 
exceptions being those having young queens. But there are ex¬ 
ceptions to this rule which I hope to explain in a future article.— 
A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
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: ■ 
Grapes Falling (ft. II. ft.).— If you turn to page 261, our issue of 
the 18th ult., you will find a reply given to “ J. S.,” which appears 
exactly applicable to your case. Relative to your other inquiry, 
Stephanotis flowers are not in season now. On turning to the market 
list, published in May, we find the prices quoted 3s. to 5s. per dozen 
sprays. 
Retarding Chrysanthemums (Novice ).—We do not know that 
you can do better than carry out the practice you are adopting of 
placing the plants in the coolest position you have on warm days. The 
development of the blooms depends more on the weather than on 
“ feeding,” and unless the temperature is unusually high during the 
