392 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 30, 1890. 
The sides of the hive must be accurately cut to the required 
length, and the front and back as accurately checked to receive 
them, and to form a bead or projecting bottle on the ends. The 
check or rabbet to receive the frames must have at least three- 
eighths lip, the same as the checks in the end, and half an inch deep, 
this being the thickness of the top bar, its breadth being li inch. 
The cheapest and best distancers are the common tacket or shoe 
hobnail placed in the centre of the end piece which forms the 
frame, and to be clear of the top of the top bar at least quarter of an 
inch. Of course the end pieces should not be more than three- 
sixteenths of an inch from the inner sides of the front and back 
of the hive, and should have no bottom rail. When putting in the 
tackets open a vice to 1 £ inch, marking where the dwong is then open 
to the required width to receive the partly driven in tacket, then 
urn the dwong of the vice to the place which forms the H inch 
distance, which is the natural width bees build their combs ; in 
lieu of a vice other guages may be used. Nine frames should measure 
13^ inches, being half inch less than the width of the hive. Allow 
this extra space to the two outer combs, and the bees and bee¬ 
keeper will be satisfied. Now fasten each division together by 
means of 1 j inch back-flap hinges at the back, and hooks and eyes 
near the front on the sides, and the hive is complete, but do not 
neglect to have a groove on under side of the middle of top bar 
an eighth of an inch wide and deep. The end pieces are 5^ long, 
•quarter thick, and have a square tenon let into a round hole. I 
trust the above hints will enable anyone to understand how to 
•complete hives and why they are so made. 
There is but one objection manipulators can have to shallow 
framed storifying hives—viz., the combs being in two or more 
divisions do not give the same facilities for inspection of the hive. 
It may be true, but the other advantages they possess far outweigh 
this, if it can be really so called, a disadvantage. Those who know 
how to manipulate a shallow framed hive properly, and a very little 
practice will enable anyone in a short time to do so, when he will 
realise the fact that any difficulty in that respect is more in name 
than practice. In point of economy alone they far supersede other 
sorts, and are not exposed to the danger of collapse of the combs 
when in transit or during a high temperature as are the combs in 
deep framed hives, neither is there any waste of comb when partial 
deprivation of honey takes place, and which, as a rule, is always 
free from pollen in the combs of the upper storey. 
Waste of Honey and Energy. 
Were we to accept the statements made by many writers that it 
takes 20 lbs. of honey to produce 1 lb. of -wax we would be on the 
wrong track, and even as we do not believe the assertion without 
laying some facts before your readers we should be remiss in our 
duties, and as misleading as those who have repeatedly asserted 
what we know full well is not ’true. To make things clear I was 
asked to examine some hives according to the orthodox fashion of 
the “ modern bee-keeper," whose belief amongst other errors is as 
stated above. The perfect impermeable quilt was there. The 
stimulative feeder and other objectionable things were also present, 
the direct cause of damp interior and rotten combs, which to re¬ 
place the latter at least 20 lbs. of honey (according to the 20-lb. 
theory) would be required, and as a natural thing with spring comb¬ 
building would be drone comb, which the stores inside could not 
supply for its formation nor the rapid decreasing population of the 
hive be able to restore. 
Hives Having Transverse Comes. 
It has also been repeatedly asserted that bees always store their 
honey in what is termed u combination ’’ hives furthest from the 
entrance. A few days ago I was asked to overhaul a number of 
these hives. In every instance the greatest quantity of the honey 
was stored abofe and in the centre combs, a position that at once 
pointed to the fallacy of the teaching and to the unsuitability of 
such hives for bee-keeping.—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 thould 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. 
Chrysanthemum Show (IF.).—Since you say the Show referred 
to is produced “as an advertisement for cuttings or plants,” the proper 
course is to do the same as other business people do—advertise it, and it 
would then have some claim to recognition. We have received the list. 
Heavy Soil {Sarnia). —The sample you send is a marly clay, and 
we should not rely on it for growing any plants in its present state 1 
If sweetened by exposure to the air it might be useful for mixing with 
light soils, and for any other purpose we should not think it worth 
digging from a depth of 8 feet. We find.8 inches quite deep enough 
for digging soil for potting purposes. 
Pyrus (Cydonla) japonica Fruit (TF. M.). —We have seen 
many such fruits as those you describe, and have heard of some having 
been preserved, also of persons who liked them, and of others who did 
not, these being in the majority. It is a question of taste. We are not 
aware that the fruit, preserved or not, has any market value, if that is 
what you want to know, for your postcard inquiry is as vague as it 
is brief. 
Exhibiting: Pompons ( Exhibitor ).—According to the National 
Chrysanthemum Society’s catalogue the ordinary Pompons and 
Anemone Pompons are as distinct as are large Anemones and reflexed 
varieties, therefore are accorded distinct sections. It would be very 
unwise to mix them in a class unless the schedule clearly stated that 
this might be done, for committees can make what exceptions they like 
to general rules. 
Insects on Chrysanthemum ( Sender ).—The insects are aphides, 
and so far as we know have no recognised specific name, and therefore 
may be appropriately referred to as Aphis Chrysanthemi. It is likely 
that the species is continued from year to year by hybernating females, 
which congregate about the root near the surface of the soil, or in dead 
leaves that may be about the stems, and produce young in spring. 
Preventive measures, as naturally suggest themselves in winter, may be 
expected to diminish the summer visitation of the species. 
Doubtful Chrysanthemums {Inquirer'). —We are not prepared 
to say whether a stand in which you place John Doughty, Bronze 
Queen, John Lambert and Golden Queen would be disqualified or not, 
because we are informed that cuttings have “got mixed” in some 
instances, and some blooms we have seen appear to support the pro¬ 
position. Follow Mr. Molyneux’s advice in another column, and never 
stage a doubtful bloom. That was his plan, and during his showing 
career he was never disqualified and not very often defeated. It is a 
very great mistake for exhibitors to stage blooms simply because the 
varieties are “ new,” regardless of their distinctness and merit. 
Blight on Apple Trees {Beta).— The specimen you have sent 
represents one of the worst examples of injury by the American blight 
(Aphis lanigera) we have seen. All such branches should be cut out 
of young trees, even if this amounts to almost cutting them down, for 
the origination of healthy growths from below the swollen parts, which 
are the consequence of ruptured sap vessels. The prunings should be 
burned, and every part of the trees should be thoroughly washed with 
a petroleum and softsoap solution, made by dissolving 3 or 4 ounces of 
the soap in a gallon of boiling soft water, stirring very briskly in while 
hot half a gill of petroleum. Apply with a brush, forcing the solution into 
every fissure for reaching the insects. The surface soil should be 
scraped from under the trees, a good dressing of lime given, and fresh 
soil placed over it from another part of the garden. Order Gooseberry, 
Currant, and Filbert bushes at once, and plant them as soon as they 
arrive if the soil is in free working condition. If it is not, dig a trench, 
place the roots in it, and cover them well with soil till a favourable oppor¬ 
tunity occurs for planting. 
Good Apples and Pears {II. C. B.). —You ask for the names of 
two or three of the best early and the best late Pears ; also of the best 
