286 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ ArJ-il 6, 1893. 
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APIARIAN NOTES. 
Cyprian Bees. 
At Craigbet there is a hive of Cyprian bees apparently pure, 
that “ A Eenfrewshire Bee-keeper” imported about six years ago. 
Within several miles of Craigbet there is an extensive bee-keeper 
who manages his bees on the two queens in one hive system and 
the joining of swarms—swarming them artificially, a proof in 
itself if there were no other, that the two queens in one hive plan 
is not a new idea. It is now some ten years since this gentleman 
took the bees in hand, I believe encouraged by the late “ Renfrew¬ 
shire Bee keeper,” from whom, no doubt, the profitable methods of 
management were conveyed, and so pleased is he with the results 
that he is on the eve of extending his apiary. By his good 
management he scores a large profit, and attends to his business 
regularly in Greenock. 
The farmers in the neighbourhood complain that they have no 
honey as the hees above alluded to take all there is. This is cer¬ 
tainly not the case, as there are only hundreds of hives where 
thousands might be profitably kept. The cause of the farmers’ 
failure is due to keeping too small hives and the bad seasons com¬ 
bined. Instead of grumbling at the failure of the honey yield, 
they should adopt the system so successfully carried out by their 
supposed rival, and do as he does, keep stronger hives, and manage 
them properly. 
Mr. Benton and Punic Bees. 
Bee-keeping is like many other rural pursuits, most profitable 
in the hands of experts. I do not mean certificated ones, but 
men or women who can trace cause and effect, working out their 
own programme and ideas, and leaving the teachings of the facile 
writer but inexperienced bee-keeper outside his daily care. Nor is 
that all. Bee-journalism and dealerism, with petty jealousy and 
ill-feeling, have done much to hinder real progress. The editor of 
one American bee paper charges Mr. A. J. Root, the editor of 
“ Gleanings,” as being unfair in suppressing one side of the question 
on Punic bees, which Mr. Root denies, and then puts a stop to the 
controversy, quoting Benton, Baldensperger, and Cowan in sup¬ 
port of his views. The first named gentleman, when making money 
by thesale of these and other foreign bees, praised them highly. They 
had no bad qualities in his opinion then. In a letter to me before 
quitting Austria he gave the Tunisian bees a very high character, 
particularly that of making extra white comb. I answered him, 
but neither obtained bees nor reply. It is not that that troubles 
me ; but the reason that his statements are irreconcileable. At the 
Washington Convention he stated “ That the temper of the Punics 
was ten times as bad as that of the Cyprians.” I never found the 
Cyprians very spiteful, and the Punics seem even milder in 
temper ; but they must be approached in a sensible way. The 
other persons named have not, in my opinion, had sufficient 
practical experience with these bees. I append a letter from 
Ireland ;— 
Hives and Feeding. 
I herein note down a few observations I have made during the past 
two weeks. My bees have worked w'ell since the 14th of March. On 
Monday the 20th we had an ideal day for bees, and it was very pleasant 
indeed to hear the bees and to see how busy they were. The thermo¬ 
meter was standing at 60°, the warmest we have had this year. I was 
very anxious to know how they all stood for stores. I examined all my 
ten hives, eight of which are Blantyres, and found all, as near as I can 
estimate, fully 20 lbs. of sealed stores. Every hive is, in my opinion, a 
model of what a hive should be at this date. I have never extracted 
any honey from the brood combs of my hives ; in fact, I have not pro¬ 
cured an extractor yet. As I want the greatest possible amount of 
well-finished sections I have not given any sugar to any of my stocks 
since September, as all my observations have taught me that to use 
it profitably it should be given while the bees can seal it thoroughly 
before the wintry nights come on us. 
1 had a little experience with spring feeding two years ago. Although 
I used every precaution, and fed two hives that were neglected to be 
fed in time in the autumn, I failed to get them ready as soon as the 
bees that had not tasted a drop of syrup all through the spring. I had 
to feed all my bees in May two years ago. Through your advice in 
the Journal of Horticulture that was done profitably, for when the 
weather took up fine in June I had a good return in honey, which I 
attributed to keeping my queens laying, and preventing the destruction 
of brood and eggs. This is the first winter I have seen my bees pass 
through without seeing a speck of voided excrement on any of my 
hives. The winter came on so early, and the Ivy was so late in coming 
into flower that my bees never had a taste of it; other years I have 
seen them gather a good deal of both honey and pollen from it when 
we get the Ivy fully open about the last week of October and first week 
of November, with a few fine days and frosty nights. Bees require a 
little management, as I find if I do not have all thoroughly porous on 
top and regulate the entrance the hives become completely logged with 
wet. If this is not at once remedied such a hive is at once on the 
down grade. The ventilating floor that you so strongly recommend is 
to me indispensable, and no hive can be perfect without it. 
Punics in Ireland. 
I was induced through all that was written for and against Punics 
to give them a trial, and obtained one pure mated queen and four 
virgins ; but one of the latter was lost in mating. I have also one 
Carniolan from Messrs. Neighbour. They look to me somewhat like 
the Ligurians I had and discarded. They are behind all the Punics as 
workers. Three of the Punics are extraordinary hives. To see how 
these bees work is simply a pleasure that none but those who have 
never seen could enjoy. The pure stock, I think, is leading by a little. 
I have on three occasions since the 20th ult. noticed these bees at the 
entrance fanning in air as late 8 p.m., with the thermometer at 45°, 
Although a strong heavy hum in all the others, none of them had a 
single bee within sight at the entrance now (1^ inch wide). If these 
Punics do not develop some bad feature during the coming season I will 
have none other.— Peter Block. 
The foregoing notes impart nothing but truth. The writer has 
the good of his neighbours as well as his own at heart, and having 
experience with different varieties of bees in this country his 
evidence is consequently of more substantial value.—A Lanark¬ 
shire 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. 
Cuttlngr Down Holly Hedge {E. f7.).-—The hedge may be cut 
down now, and when fresh buds commence pushing saturating the 
ground with clear water, then follow.ng with liquid manure, would 
greatly tend to promote free healthy growth. 
Planting Gladioli (N, Fbr^s).—Certainly Gladioli may be grown 
as “ far north ” as where you reside, and are, in fact, splendidly grown a 
great deal further north—in Scotland. They are grown as well in the 
north as the south, if not better. The time for planting should be 
governed by the weather and the consideration of the soil, not by the 
almanack. We have planted in February in light soil in a free dry state, 
and in April in strong land with equal satisfaction. Any time from the 
middle of March to the middle of April is suitable, always taking 
advantage of favourable weather when the land is dry on the surface. 
Rhubarb from Seed (JT. <7.).—Plants can be raised from seed 
quite easily by sowing in the open ground during fine weather in April. 
It is a good plan to sow in drills a foot apart, placing a few seeds at 
intervals of a foot, then when the plants appear thin them out as may 
be needed, allowing one to remain. These plants grow to a good size 
the first year, and an idea can be formed as to which are likely to be the 
best, there being usually considerable variation, and the worst can be 
removed. The others can either remain for affording produce the 
following year, or be taken up and planted at wider intervals for forming 
a permanent bed. 
Cannas and Hedychlums (^Subscriber ).—The plants require 
practically the same treatment in pots—that is, substantial turfy loam 
with an admixture of wood ashes and crushed bones ; a light position in 
a warm greenhouse having a genial atmosphere ; adequate root moisture, 
the supplies to be increased with increasing growth, affording clear 
liquid manure when the pots are filled with roots, when it is not easy to 
give too much water ; cleanliness of foliage by occasional syringings, 
reducing the water supply in the autumn, and keeping the soil dry in 
the winter. Plants in small pots should be transferred to larger before 
the roots are closely matted. Cannas flower well in from 7 to 9-inch 
pots ; Hedychiums as a rule requiring a little more rooting space. The 
soil must be firm. 
Border under Trees (A. <?.).—Nothing succeeds so well as a 
bordering to walks or for covering the ground under trees as Ivy. The 
common or Irish Ivy is extensively employed for edgings in some of the 
London parks and gardens, and neatly cut once a year in late spring, a 
