20 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 6, 1893. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Preparing for the Moors. 
Amongst my letters on the morning of the 26th, one from 
Crawford stated “ The Wild Thyme is in its prime, owing to the 
great heat and dry weather. The Heather has made long growths, 
the yonng Heather is flowering, and in eight or ten days will be 
well in bloom.” It will be observed that dry weather favours the 
Heather, and this year it is about six weeks earlier than usual. The 
Clover serson is only beginning with us, the Heather is ready, and 
the highly prized Thyme will soon be past. 
After a week’s rain and cooler weather a renewal of the high 
temperature has taken place. A few days’ continuation will favour 
the filling of supers but cause the hives to heat, which makes it very 
risky for moving bees such long distances. The Heather and 
the Thyme honey is the most valuable, so we must risk the 
adventure. Our hives are in excellent condition for moving to the 
Heather, being well ventilated from below a few days previous to 
starting, then the supers uncovered a little or wholly at the top, the 
lid of the super case or protector not being quite close permits the 
heated atmosphere to pass off, and gives a slight current of air. As 
the doorway is completely closed the bees do not make an effort 
to escape. Hives so managed cannot with ordinary care get over¬ 
heated. 
Punic Nuclei and Punic Queens. 
I have formed a few nuclei of pure Punics, and intend taking 
them to the Heather a week earlier than my entire stock, for the 
purpose of making a trial whether they can be kept pure at that 
place. Punic queens are so numerous that they are very service¬ 
able to supply stocks that may be queenless. My old Punic stock 
has been divided and swarmed into seven, and it may swarm again. 
It is surprising to see how active the srnallest of these swarms 
work and gather honey. My old stock swarmed twice within an 
hour, and both are doing well. 
Mutilated Queens and Swarms. 
One day lately I saw an enormous number of drones on the 
ground, and on the alighting board a few bees were caressing 
a spot where probably a queen had stood. A few days later a 
similar thing occurred, and to my astonishment I saw an abnormally 
lengthy queen enter the hive. It struck me that the queen being 
unable to fly had crept to the ground, and then up on to the 
landing board which touches the ground. As this queen is a 
month old it is evident she was unable to fly. 
To the bee-keeper there is nothing more tantalising than to 
have several hives issuing at same time without the slightest 
warning. Such a thing happened to me on the 26th. During a 
bright blink of sunshine between drenching showers, no less than 
six swarms commenced to come off at same time. Two were inter¬ 
cepted and three hived. One of the three, through either a stranger 
queen or bees, returned to the parent hive. One swarm refused 
to enter a hive. A heavy rain fell, which threatened the 
destruction of every bee, as they were scattered about, but by- 
and-by I managed to get them to take to a hive. On some future 
occasion I will revert to the subject, as it is important beginners 
should be well posted up in hiving swarms. 
Preventing Bees Swarming. 
“ B. B. H.” wishes to know something about preventing bees 
swarming. There is no method of managing bees that will prevent 
swarming at all times, nor perhaps at any period when circum¬ 
stances are favourable to it. A young queen with plenty of 
breeding space is the surest of any. The plan mentioned on 
page 512 last volume was not found out by Mr. Simmins, but has 
been practised with the Stewarton hive for at least half a century, 
contemporaneous with the two queens in one hive system. The 
plan Mr. Simmins adopts I believe is this. The sections are placed 
in the front of the hive where brood combs used to be put by him 
to prevent swarming—/.e , the combs are parallel to the entrance, 
and it is in the front of the hive or in advance of the brood nest 
the sections are put, then when well begun they are lifted above. 
The principle is identical to the way we manage our hives under the 
Stewarton system, and is no doubt the best plan known to delay 
or retard swarming when a young fertilised queen is not at hand. 
We do not know whether the hive mentioned is adapted for the 
purpose. The Lanarkshire hive is suitable for all places and all 
modes of management.—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 communications. 
Books tor Examinations (il/. i?.). —You had better write to the 
Secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society, 117, Victoria Street, 
Westminster, S.W. The list first published by the Society was far from 
perfect. 
Grapes Scalded (J”. 6'.).—You should have sent sooner. The 
night temperature has perhaps been too low, and the house not properly 
ventilated sufficiently early in the morning. This is all we can say 
this week. 
Cymbldlum Seed (Yl J.).—With no more convenience than is 
mentioned in your letter, we think the experiment of raising Cymbidiums 
from seed is scarcely worth trying. Even were you successful in 
germinating the seed, it would be many years before the plants flowered, 
and then it is quite probable that the flowers may be of an inferior 
type. It would be advisable to remove the seed pod at once if you 
decide not to try the experiment. 
Thula Hedge (^Grovv'). —No doubt the nurseryman is right in 
respect to his particular plants. The smaller would be likely to grow 
better, and make a screen sooner than the larger ones if these have stood 
long in the nursery ground without being transplanted. In our 
experience Thuia gigantea, often sold as T. Lobbi, makes a more pleasing 
screen, and continues so over a greater length of time than does 
T. occidentalis ; but tastes vary, and you may prefer the latter. The 
leaf, a very fine one, 11x8 inches, is Hedera coriacea. 
Preserving Hew Propagating Wood Trays (H. I .').—Although 
creosote is used for dipping Hop poles, by which process they are 
rendered durable, we have no experience of it for cutting boxes, and 
should be obliged by particulars of its use in preserving wood from 
decay, both as to the strength and manner of application, whether 
applied hot or cold, and when steeped, how long, also whether it is 
likely to prove injurious to the cuttings or otherwise. We do not think 
it would be, but assurance on the point is desirable. 
Worms In Flower Pots (^Perj^lexecV), —Worms can be expelled 
from flower pels with lime water made as advised to another corre¬ 
spondent under the heading of Chrysanthemums. The best plan, 
however, is to prevent their getting in first by carefully examining 
the soil before potting, then by using Porter’s invincible crocks as a 
flooring in flower pots before placing in the ordinary drainage. These 
are an effective barrier to worms, while allowing superfluous water to 
pass away. Moreover, they are so cheap that a hundred can be had 
for 3s. 
Grapes and Maggot (.7. P. E.'). —The maggot you send is the larva 
of a small moth, Tortrix angustiorana. You will have no difficulty in 
seeing the moths as they flit about in the egg-laying season, on the 
Vines being disturbed. Every one should be caught, also the maggots, 
which let themselves down by a web when the Grapes are moved. We 
have known this pest do much harm in '.puncturing ripe Grapes and 
these communicating decay to others. The Tortrix is supposed to have 
come from America, and has not been prevalent in this country very 
many years. 
Artificial Manure for Top-dressing Ctarysanttaemums and 
Roses In Pots (^Constant Reader'). —1, The mixture you name—three 
parts bone superphosphate, two parts powdered saltpetre, and part 
ground gypsum, mixed, and kept dry, is an excellent manure for Chrys¬ 
anthemums and Roses, also any plants requiring support and growing 
in loam, or being of a free-rooting nature. It must not, however, be 
used for delicate rooting plants, as Heaths and Azaleas, nor be given 
excessively to any, but judiciously employed it is excellent. 2, Bone 
superphosphate is generally sold at 7s. per cwt., the price being more for 
less quantities, and less is charged for greater weights. 
Gooseberry Eeaves and Fruit Damaged (F. I.). —The spray 
is, barring the affected leaves and fruit, in excellent health, the wood 
being stout and short-jointed, and the foliage thick. There is no disease, 
but the whitish leaves have had their chlorophyll abstracted by some 
insects, popularly termed red spider, which have been unusually prevalent 
this season, and completely arrested the growth of the bushes in many 
places during the diought. Probably the rain has washed off the 
