208 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ llaicli 9, 1893. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Yicious Bees. 
Some bee-keepers manage to ■work amongst and manipulate 
their bees without protectors, and in a way that does not irritate 
the bees ; while others have always to be veiled when approaching 
them. The manner, movements, and odour of the bee-keeper have 
much to do with spiteful bees. We have heard much about the 
spitefulness of Punic bees, but it is noteworthy to state that 
during all the many manipulations I had at home with them last 
summer I never donned a veil, and only occasionally used carbolic 
acid for the purpose of dispersing the bees. As a precaution at 
the moors I sometimes used a veil, but when unveiled I found a 
safe retreat close to the strongest hives. It is, however, safer to 
be protected, because one stinging bee irritates many, and when so 
enraged weeks may elapse before they are subdued. The accidental 
killing of one bee will also at times be the means of infuriating 
a whole apiary of bees. In spite of this, an American bee¬ 
keeper advises killing bees when inclined to sting, and for that 
purpose he recommends the use of two flat boards, but does not say 
how that is to be accomplished. Besides, the advice is absurd, for 
frequently have I fetched vicious bees from apiaries to my own, 
and before many hours were past they were as mild-tempered as 
one could wish for, 
Prolific Queens. 
Much the same as the foregoing advice is that of breeding 
prolific queens. I defy anyone to lay down rules as to how to 
breed queens to any reliable standard of prolificness. That is 
also beyond human power, unless it be in certain crosses or 
particular breeds of bees. Bees sometimes frustrate the efforts of 
the queen by eating her eggs as they are laid. Frequently have 
I changed a queen from a hive that made no progress to another 
hive, when a new reqime was at once begun, and with satisfactory 
results. It is wise for the bee-keeper either to effect a change or 
supersede the queen that does not give satisfaction, but he must 
dismiss from his mind the possibility of raising queens to a certain 
standard of perfection and usefulness. 
The Weather. 
On the 26th ult. we had 5 inches of snow, a mile northwards 
there being double that depth. On the morning following the 
thermometer stood at 15°, then on the following day another 6 inches 
of snow fell, but it was soon dissipated by a westerly wind. The 
low temperature keeps the bees within doors, not even venturing 
out to work on the peasemeal. With the exception of the 19th no 
pollen has as yet been gathered. The high winds have stripped 
the Willows of many catkins. The forced confinement is to the 
advantage of both bees and bee-keeper, as the adult population 
will be spared, and in more strength when milder spring comes. 
Feeding Bees. 
Since January, the 19th of February was the only day bees 
could be fed with safety ; nor until the temperature reaches 60° 
will I attempt feeding. Although I do not feed bees, as a rule, 
till May, I shall between the present time and the fruit blossom 
period give some of my bees several pounds of sugar, in order to 
prevent early breeders “ drawing ” their brood. 
In the south of England and other places it is sometimes 
absolutely necessary to have hives earlier than in later districts, in 
order to insure strong hives and a heavy yield of honey. A few 
pounds of sugar given now insures the hatching of all eggs laid, 
uniting two swarms, and distributes the brood combs of a number of 
the colonies amongst the others about a month before the honey 
yield. That plan is as satisfactory and remunerative as the old one 
of working two queens in one hive, obviating the necessity of having 
cumbersome hives, which militates against profitable bee-keeping 
in other respects. 
Hives. 
Those who take their bees to the Heather a considerable 
distance will find it impracticable to move about the “ standard ” 
hives, if of sufficient size for two queens. The hives I used for 
that purpose were made to expand laterally, and are suitable for 
wintering two queens, expanding in summer, then storifying when 
moved to the Heather, so that the superficies of the hives were 
reduced to the lowest possible size. 
I exhibited this hive before the Caledonian Apiarian Society 
along with Mr. Abbott’-^, when he acted as Judge. At the next 
Show of the same Society in 1876 I was awarded first prize, and 
for many jears after. I also showed it during the Jubilee year of 
the Highland and Agriculture Society at Edinburgh, and altogether 
have secured many prizes.—A Lanarkshre 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. 
Oorrespondents 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 reiected communications. 
Address (F. P,).—The address of Messrs. Bell & Son, as has often 
appeared in their advertisements, is York Street, Covent Garden, London. 
Cinerarias (A. C. P.).—It is better in the case of nine Cineraria 
plants out of ten not to pinch off their leading shoot at this season, but 
let it extend for flowering. 
Gladioli (P. J .').—The following are good and inexpensive varieties r 
—Amalthbe, Amitib, Bicoloie, Dalila, Flamboyant, Meyerbeer, Opale, 
Pasteur, Phoenix, Sultana, Shakespeare, Peresita. They will supply 
flowers from July till October. 
Secretarial Duties (^Member ').—Obviously we cannot particularise, 
but undoubtedly the cardinal duty of a paid Secretary is to carry out the 
wishes of the Committee whose servant he is. Such an official taking 
an active part, privately or otherwise, against any member of Committee 
nominated for a particular position in a society, would render himself 
obnoxious to other members, and also lay himself open to the charge of 
dis’oyalty, but we do not know that any such case has been proved to exist. 
rorced lillac not Scented (^Mrs. M .'),—The spray of Lilac sent 
is one of the Siberian kinds, but too crushed to distinguish the variety ; 
both the purple and white forms are, however, practically scentless, 
especially when forced. The flowers are produced from the flower buds 
formed the previous year, and foliage rarely appears with them under 
very early forcing. This particular kind is always very shy in this 
respect. The best Lilac for forcing is Charles X , but this if very 
early rarely produces foliage, but later it does so freely. The white 
form Virginalis is good for forcing, and generally produces foliage freely 
even early in the season. 
Analysis of Celery (TP. Spencer ).—The following analysis is. 
given in *• Food,” by A. H. Church, M.A., Oxon ;— 
celery. 
In 100 parts. 
Oz. 
In 1 lb. 
Gr. 
.. 14 
406 
.. 0 
84 
.. 1-6 
.. 0 
112 
.. 0 
154 
.. 0 
63 
.. 0 
56 
Water .. .. 
Albumen .. 
Mucilage and starch 
Sugar .. .. 
Cellulose .. 
Mineral matter .. 
For one part of flesh-formers in Celery there are about three parts of 
heat-givers, reckoned as starch. According to Wolff in his “ Aschen 
Analysen,” Celery takes from the soil the following ingredients repre¬ 
sented in per-centages : — Potash, 38’16 ; soda, 19‘33 ; lime, 13 8 ; 
magnesia, 141 ; iron, 5 82; phosphorus, 13 67; sulphur, 3 34; silicon,. 
2‘75 ; chlorin, IS 51, These are the average results of two analyses. 
Seakale Stems Scabbed (F. M.). —The root-stems are affected 
with a fungus, similar to if not identical with that producing brown 
patches or scabs in Potatoes—namely, Tubercinia scabies, but there is 
also evidence of the substance of the roots being eaten by the larvae of 
some pest, evidently those of the snake millipede (Julus pulchellus). We 
advise the ground to be trenched 2 feet deep, but if there is only a mere 
crust of good soil the ground should only be stirred to the depth named. 
A dressing of kainit, 2 lbs. per rod, should be given the trenched or 
stirred soil, applying it in the autumn or early in the spring, distributing 
it evenly and leaving it for the rains to wash in. The “ sets ” must have 
all the decayed parts cut away, be dipped in a solution of kainit, 1 oz. 
to a gallon of water, then stood root downwards to dry, afterwards 
planting, say in spring, and when that is done, or when the plants show 
the least signs of growth, apply the following mixture—superphosphate 
li lb., nitrate of soda 1 lb. (this being in fine powder) mixed,per rod. 
Hyacinths Falling; (^Subscriber ).—The cause is evidently local, 
and must be sought for on the spot. The bulbs were good, and the 
treatment, at least until the plants were removed from the frame, 
appears to have been correct. The soil sent contains no destructive 
larvae, and, as you say, “fine healthy roots formed in it,” we conclude 
it was suitable for its purpose. The crowns started strongly, but 
eventually the roots perished, and growth consequently ceased. Have 
the plants always been watered by yourself 1 is the first question that 
suggests itself ; and the second is, Has any stimulant been dissolved in the 
water ? We have seen the tender roots destroyed in exactly the same way 
by an overdose of sulphate of ammonia, and we cannot think otherwise 
than that these Hyacinths have had something applied by someone with, 
presumably, the best intentions, which has had an unfortunate effect. 
