554 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 26 , 1891. 
■36, better than we men can teach them. Our objects, however, 
are slightly different—theirs to propagate and preserve their 
species, ours to secure the maximum amount of honey in any given 
locality. I have known a swarm sent forth from a Iiv,che a Vair 
Uhre, a French hive, which I worked in New Zealand. The combs 
■aaid bees were entirely exposed to the external air, which was not 
then particularly warm ; but a swarm was ready to go, so off they 
went.” It is a question whether bees can think, but they certainly 
•act in every respect as to swarming as is stated in the quotation, 
and bee-keepers will have less disappointments if they use the pre¬ 
cautions I have advised than if they listen to any argument that 
swarming can be prevented by giving room in time either above or 
below the bees. 
UxiTixfi Aliex Queexs. 
This is another subject that I have fully commented upon, and 
bave shown how to avoid risk in losing valuable epeens, and will 
not at present enlarge upon the different methods, confining myself 
■entirely to the method wherein there is no risk whatever, which is 
most wanted, as correspondence shows that many bee-keepers lose 
their valuable imported queens, especially in those cases where 
direct introduction ” has been followed. Except in the cases of 
queenless hives, queen introduction was not studied till after the 
introduction of the Italian Alp bee. Herman in 1860 sent out his 
little treatise on these superior insects, which Mr. A. Neighbour had 
translated into English. He advised, for safety to the alien queen, 
to strengthen the little nucleus with worker brood “ready to creep 
out of the cells ” after the fashion in which we used to strengthen 
weak after swarms with the brood, that we found in driven hives 
for nearly thirty years previous, or what had been the custom of 
the bee-keepers from time immemorial. When an inexperienced 
bee-keeper procures a valuable queen, select a frame of the most 
advanced brood, or better two, or even three, place these in a 
nucleus box, then liberate the queen and the boes accompanying 
her amongst the combs, cover all cosily, close the entrance, but 
leave enough opening for ventilation, pl-ice the hive inside, and in 
a. warm position, so as to prevent chill as much as possible. The 
success of this depends greitly upon the advanced stage of the 
brood ; if the bees are ready to creep out of the cells there will be 
8 cluster of them surrounding the queen in a few hours, and, if 
there is no unsealed brood, the most of it will hatch out. After a 
<lay or two the brood may be supplemented by additional ripe 
brood combs, and so on until the hive is of the required strength, 
when it should be placed outside for a short time during the heat 
of the day, so as to give the oldest bees a chance to air themselves, 
which, all things being favourable, occurs about the fifth day after 
hatching. After the bees are returned to their hive they may be 
taken in again, but as the hees by this time will be numerous the 
hive must be kept away from artificial heat. The housing again 
at this stage is simply to avoid robbers until the bees are old 
enough to act in their defence. If this plan is jud’ciously carried 
out there will be less heard of queens being lost, and the plan is 
worth trying by a beginner. I have been often successful with it 
myself. 
Renewixg Combs. 
This, too, is an old practice. I do not know when it originated, 
but I know that it has been practised in Scotland for long, as well 
as that of renewing queens. I know at least for a century, and 
perhaps two, the Scotch renewed their combs and queens annually ; 
nothing older than a year with either was kept, and the union of 
stocks by sprinkling with peameal is perhaps of as early a date. 
I remember its being done upwards of fifty years ago. 
A Cautiox. 
The usual time combs were renewed, or rather removed for 
renewal, on the twenty-first day after the first swarm has issued, on 
the supposition that all hut a few drones would then be hatched, 
and no brood would be in the hive. Under certain circumstances 
itbis is sometimes correct, but it just as often happens that it is 
not. At times owing to the weather the swarm may be delayed 
for some days, and the royal cells may be approaching maturity, 
which will be hatched, and after swarms pass off within a week 
after the first swarm, when mating may follow any day. I have 
often seen hives at the end of three weeks from the first swarm 
leaving with ten days’ eggs and larvie of the new queen. 
So in the event of certain hive’s combs being condemned be 
careful valuable brood be not destroyed. It is better to wait till 
there is a surplus of combs of the current year, which may take 
the place of condemned ones, but be also very careful that foul 
brood is nowhere present. If S’O let every hive hang by itself, 
and raise combs from sugar good for the purpose, and best for 
wintering bees. 
Comb Making. 
Since I made experiments upon the quantity of sugar required 
to produce a pound of wax, and exposed the absurdity that 
20 lbs. of honey was necessary to produce a pound of wax, the 
information has spread to the continents of Europe and America, 
and has appeared in books treating upon the subject of bees, honey, 
and w'ax.—A Lanarksiiike Bee-keeper. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 25th. 
Business very dull, and mark.t 'well supplied with all classes of hothouse goods. 
FRUIT. 
8. 
d. 
B. 
d. 
8, 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Apples, i sieve. 
1 
6 
to 6 
0 
Lemons, case •• 
15 
0to20 
0 
„ Nova Scotia and 
Melons, each .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Canada, per barrel 
15 
0 
26 
0 
Oranges, per 100 .. 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Grapes, per lb. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
St. Michael Pines, each.. 
3 
0 
8 
0 
Kentish Cobs ,, 
40 
0 
45 
0 
Strawberries, per lb. 
• • 
6 
0 
12 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Artichokes, dozen .. .. 
1' 
0 
to 0 
0 
Mushrooms, punnet 
• • 
1 
6 
to 2 
0 
Beans, Kidney, per lb. .. 
2 
3 
2 
6 
Mustard A Cress, punnet 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Beet, Red, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Onions, bushel.. 
8 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts, J sieve 
.S 
0 
4 
0 
Parsley, dozen bunches 
a 
0 
8 
0 
Cabbage, dozen .. .. 
3 
0 
0 
0 
Parsnips, dozen . • 
• • 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Carrots, bunch .. .. 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Potatoes, per cwt. .. 
• • 
8 
0 
4 
ft 
Cauliflowers, dozen.. .. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Rhubarb, bundle .. 
• • 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Celery, bundle . 
1 
0 
1 
8 
Salsafy, bundle .. 
• • 
1 
U 
i 
0 
Coleworts, doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Soorzonera, bundle .. 
• • 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Cucumbers, doz. 
4 
0 
8 
0 
Seakale, per bkt. .. 
• • 
2 
0 
2 
6 
Endive, dozen .. .. .. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Shallots, per lb. .. 
• • 
0 
8 
0 
Herbs, bunch .. .. ,, 
0 
a 
0 
0 
Spinach, bushel 
» • 
5 
0 
6 
0 
Leeks, bunch. 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes, per lb. .. 
• • 
0 
0 
u 
8 
Lettuce, dozen. 
3 
0 
3 
6 
Turnips, bunch .. 
• • 
0 
0 
0 
4 
AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICES. 
CUT FLOWERS. 
Prices will vary more this week on account of Easter decorations. 
B. 
d. 
B. 
d. 
B. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Arum Lilies, 12 blooms .. 
3 
0 to 
8 
0 
Mimosa (French), per 
Azalea doz. sprays .. .. 
0 
6 
0 
9 
bunch . 
1 
0 to 1 
6 
Bouvardias, bunch 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Narciss (Paper-white), 
Camellia, white, per doz. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
French, doz. bunches .. 
3 
0 
5 
0 
„ red „ 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Do. Do. English, 
Carnations, 12 blooms .. 
1 
0 
2 
6 
per bunch . 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Chii>traas Roses, dozen 
Narciss (Various) dozen 
blooms. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
bunches, French 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Cineraria, 12 bunches .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Pelargoniums, 12 trusses 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Cyclamen, doz. blooms .. 
0 
3 
0 
6 
,, scarlet, 12 bnchs 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Daffodils, doz. bunches .. 
2 
0 
6 
0 
Poinsettia, dozen .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Eucharis, dozen .. .. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Primula(double jl2 sprays 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Gardenias, per doz. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Primroses, dozen bunches 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Hyacinths (Roman), doz. 
Roses (indoor), dozen .. 
u 
6 
1 
6 
sprays . 
0 
6 
1 
0 
„ Red (Ei glish) per 
Hyacinth,Roman (French) 
dozen blooms .. 
4 
0 
8 
0 
doz. bunches. 
3 
0 
G 
0 
,, Red, 12 bis. (Fnch.) 
2 
0 
4 
U 
Lapageria, 12 blooms 
2 
0 
4 
0 
,, Tea, white, dozen.. 
1 
0 
3 
0 
Lilac (Frenchl per bunch 
4 
0 
6 
0 
„ Yellow, dozen .. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Lilium longiflorum, 12 
Snowdrops, dot. bunches 
1 
0 
3 
0 
blooms. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Spirffia, per bunch .. .. 
0 
6 
0 
9 
Lily of the Valley, dozen 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms .. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
sprays . 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Tulips, per dozen .. .. 
0 
9 
1 
6 
Maidenhair Fern, dozen 
Violets (Parme), per bch. 
2 
6 
4 
U 
bunches. 
4 
0 
9 
0 
„ (dark), per bch... 
1 
6 
3 
0 
Marguerites, 12 bunches 
4 
0 
6 
0 
„ (English;, doz.bnch 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Mignonette, 12 bunches.. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Wallflower, doz. bunches 
1 
6 
2 
6 
PLANTS 
IN POTS. 
B. 
d. 
B. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Aralia Sieboldl, dozen .. 
6 
0 to 18 
0 
Foliage plants, var., each 
3 
Oto 10 
0 
Arbor Vitse fgolden) doz. 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Genista, per doz. 
8 
0 
12 
0 
Azalea, per pi nt .. .. 
2 
0 
3 
6 
Hyacinths, doz. pots 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Cineraria, per doz. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Lily of the Valley, per pot 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Cyclamens, per doz. 
9 
0 
24 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Dielytra spectabilis, per 
Mignonette, per dozen .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
dozen . 
8 
0 
12 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Dracaena terminalis, doz. 24 
0 
42 
0 
Palms, in var., each.. .. 
a 
6 
21 
0 
„ viridis, dozen .. 
12 
0 
24 
0. 
Pelargoniums, per doz. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Erica, various, dozen 
12 
0 
18 
0 
Poinsettia, per doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Euonyraus, var., dozen .. 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Primula siceusis, per doz. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Evergreens, in var., do^en 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Solanums, per djz. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen.. 
4 
0 
18 
0 
Spirsa, per doz. .. .. 
8 
0 
12 
u 
Ficus elastica, each.. .. 
1 
6 
7 
0 
Tulips, dozen pots .. .. 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Bedding plants (in variety) in boxes, from Is. to Ps. 
