592 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 30, 1886. 
took the bottoms out of both, reduced one in size and fitted one inside 
the other, filling the vacant space between them with sawdust and stop¬ 
ping the ends (to retain the sawdust) with wooden hoops. Into one end 
was then fitted cross bars with a piece of comb-foundation attached to 
each, and arranged 1 i inch (from centre to centre) apart. A thin 
board is then fitted on the top, having an opening about 10 inches squar r . 
This is surrounded with a stronger piece of wood, as will be better unde 
stood by referring to a in our sketch. This makes a stock hive 15 inche® 
in diameter and 11 inches deep, which is a fair size. On the top of this 
a bottomless box (b) is placed, not fixed. A narrow lath is nailed round 
the bottom of it to keep it in its place and keep the union dry. For a 
roof two pieces of stout board the shape of c are joined together by nail¬ 
ing two laths on to the narrow ends, and a Bheet of zinc, 2 feet by 
2 feet 3 inches, nailed on the top at d. The box, b, is 8 inches deep, and 
the top makes it two more, so that there is depth enough for two racks 
of sections on the hive at the same time. The roof is the most expensive 
Fig. 87. 
part of the whole hive, the zinc costing Is. The box, b, is an old 500" 
section case, the top and bottom of the same being utilised in other 
parts. The cheese boxes were 41. each, and the floor board is the end of 
an old claret cask, the latter being securely nailed on to the top of an 
old tree stump sunk into the ground. This completes a rough-and-ready 
but cheap and roomy hive. 
A quilt, similar to those recommended for placing over sections, must 
be provided for the opening in the top of the hive, and a small bag of 
chaff on the top of that, the latter to be used on the top of the sections 
also. Into this hive on the 12th of September, 1885, I placed four lots 
of driven bees—my first attempt—leaving the queens to fight it out. I 
fed them with 20 lbs. of sugar, and gave them a similar quantity after 
the middle of March following. I gave the cottager 3s. for the bees, and 
the sugar cost 8s. 4d.—11s. 4d. altogether, and the return was eighteen 
1 lb. sections, three only of which was not quite filled. I have four bar- 
frames hives, and did not get more from either of them, and two produced 
none at all.—A Cottage Bee-keeper. 
DEATH OE A VETERAN BEE-KEEPER. 
It is with deep regret we have to record the death of an old associate 
and veteran bee-keeper, Mr. J. Lowe of the Clydesdale Bank (Limited), 
who died at his residence, Slateford House, Slateford, on Wednesday, the 
15th December, leaving a son and daughter to mourn his loss. Mr. Lowe 
was a great scientist, and in bee matters quite an enthusiast. The active 
and spirited part he took in the discussion with the late T. W. Woodbury 
on foul brood and other topics will be remembered by many. Never in 
our experience has the enthusiasm run so high on bee matters, nor at any 
time did people show more eagerness to learn about bees from the pages 
of this Journal and its contributors than at that time. In addition to 
his interesting controversial contributions many original articles came 
from his pen. He was also the author of various articles—to wit, “ The 
Reproduction of the Honey Bee,” and a poem entitled “ The Flight of 
Time.” The latter was published for distribution amongst his friends in 
1845, and the text fully pourtrays his character, finding— 
11 Tongues iu-the trees, boots in the running brooks; 
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.'’ 
He was amiable and kind, always ready to help in any movement those 
who were by circumstances less favoured in knowledge than himself. He 
frequently gave lectures, astronomy being one of his scientific pursuits. 
He was a lover of flowers, and during his bealih the piges of this 
Journal afforded an interesting recreation to him, and in his last years he 
found much solace with his flowers in his little greenhouse. 
As a bee-keeper he was more given to the study of the phys'ology and 
natural history of the bee than their profitable management. He bad to 
contend against an unfavourable district for honey gathering, besides 
other difficulties. He had a large collection of appliances of very old 
date, all of Scotch make. Most of his researches were made through 
a leap hive, and, although he did not always form a correct opinion, was 
always open to conviction, and wrought continuously yet feailessly 
amongst his bees. I never saw him use smoke or any quieter nor veil 
while manipulating, and I never saw him stung. He was greatly in 
favour of the yellow races of bees, but complained sadly of the way they 
were packed and sent to this country, being often received dead. 
Mb. Walteb Thokburn, station master, Ecclefechan, and bee-keeper, 
died in Dumfries Infirmary on Friday, the 24th December, through the 
effects of an accident on the railway on the 23rd. Mr. Thorburn was an 
advanced and clever bee-keeper, and was for forty years in the service of 
the Caledonian railway company. Mr. Thorburn was much respected by 
his employers, as wtll as by all who knew him for his affable and obliging 
disposition. He leaves a wife and grown-up family.— Lanarkshire 
Bee-keeper. 
FOREIGN BEES. 
Some time ago “A Hallamehire Bee-keeper” spoke very highly of tl e 
honey-gathering qualities of some foreign bees—Cyprians, I believe. 
Will he kindly give us the average yield of honey per hive since he has 
had them ? I should like “Lanarkshire Bee-keeper” to favour us with 
his average for a few years. I and many more are in a fog ; we keep 
reading of the wonderful doings of these foreigners but cannot get them 
to do it.—A Notts Bee-keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
James Veitch & Sons, King’s Road, Chelsea.— Catalogue of Seeds for 
1887 (illustrated). 
Webb & Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridg’.— Spring Catalogue , 1887 (with 
coloured plates). 
John Laing & Co., Forest Hill, London, S.E.— Catalogue of Seeds, Novel¬ 
ties, Begonias, and Plants, 1887. 
Sutton ifc Sons, Reading.-— Amateur's Guide in Horticulture for 1887 (with 
coloured plates). 
Wi.liam Bull, 536, King’s Road, Chelsea.— List of Specialties for 1887. 
Armand Colomb & Sons, IJssy (Calvados), France.— List of Plants. 
Ireland & Thomson, 81, Princes Str et, Edinburgh. —Catalogue of Vege¬ 
table and Flower Seeds and French Hybrid Gladioli. 
Charles Sharpe & Co., Sleaford.— Wholesale Seed List. 
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 Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended 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. 
Bones for Land (IF. K .).—Boiled bones are deprived of fatty matter, 
and their chief constituent, phosphate of lime, is the more riadily available 
as food for plants and crops; but the fatty matter also possesses manurial 
value, and raw bones are considered slower in action through its presence, 
but more lasting in effect in the soil. 
Small Fruits (J. Marshall ).—“ Success with Small Fruits ” is an American 
work with a London publisher. It is both instructive and entertaining, and 
gives a most interesting account of the methods of producing all the small 
fruits and the modes of utilising them. It is beautifully illustrated. 
The Eucharis Mite ( Inquirers ).—We shall shortly publish an article on 
this subject, in which information will be conveyed more fully than in the 
, form of a reply in this column. 
