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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 18, 1893. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
Hints to Beginners. 
At this season of the year a prime swarm contains the old 
queen, and is likely to swarm again in about six weeks hence if the 
weather is favourable. This second issue is known amongst bee¬ 
keepers as a “virgin” swarm, and is as likely as not to have a 
virgin queen, but it will be as well for the future if the novice 
regard it as the old one ; then one or more after swarms may be 
expected, and these should be kept as stocks. If “ C. W.” (page 385) 
puts one of these in the frame hive it will give him a fair start 
with every chance of success another year. Should the hive not 
swarm by the end of June he should drive the bees, depose the 
old queen, and introduce a young fertilised one. 
Whenever the honey is plentiful in the straw hive and the hees 
working, put on a small wooden super about 8 inches square by 
4 inches deep. These supers ought to have bars, so that should a 
good season occur, they may be storified. An adapting board may be 
used between the hive and super, with narrow slits at the extreme 
sides. This prevents the colouring of the comb, also to a great 
extent the queen ascending, and prevents the bees fastening their 
combs to the crown of the hive. 16 the hive is dome-shaped 
support the adapting board, so that it lies level and solid. A piece 
of clay is handy for that purpose. Assuming the hive swarms, 
drive the bees three weeks afterwards, utilise the honey, and feed 
with syrup—the best sugar, dissolved with equal weight of soft 
water, stirred while on the fire, and boiled a minute, or even less. 
The most practical and reliable paper on bees is the Journal of 
Horticulture, and questions are not answered by theorists, but 
successful bee-keepers. 
The Most Peoductive Honey Bees. 
Perhaps the most satisfactory pure bred bees are the Carniolans. 
They are prolific, good workers, and honey gatherers, make beautiful 
white comb, and are very mild tempered. Unhappily care has not 
been taken to preserve the race, and it appears difficult to get the 
pure breed. Cross-bred Panics have, on the whole, surpassed all 
the other varieties— i.e., whether they be Carniolan queens and Punic 
drones, or vice versa. The pure bred Punics had not a fair trial by 
myself last year, but in 1891 the finest supers of Heather honey 
were from pure Punic bees. When intending bee-keepers cannot 
obtain a particular race of bees they must take the best they can 
find in the neighbourhood. This is a sensible plan for beginners, 
and they should give no heed to those who allege that the old 
British bee is still to be had in its pure state. It suits interested 
people to advocate them, but they are extinct in this country. 
The Greatest Honey Yields. 
These have been aflorded by crosses on the non-swarming 
storifying system, and in short seasons on the old two queens in one 
hive system. In 1860-61-62, when in many places there were no 
honey, I saw huge supers from 45 to 50 lbs. in weight. But 
with all kinds of hives the results are of necessity influenced by 
the season and flowers. 
In the spring, if I remember rightly, of 1878, old stocks 
swarmed three times, which increased each stock to four during 
the month of May. By June, and to the middle of July, the old 
stock again swarmed twice, and so did the prime swarm as well as 
the first after swarm, raising the number to ten ; the season was 
prolonged and fine. Seven of the number were put down and three 
of them kept as stocks ; the former weighed from 75 lbs. to 115 lbs. 
They were in straw hives, the tare of each being about 12 lbs., so 
that the nett contents of the seven hives from the one stock in the 
same year amounted to 665 lbs. of honey. This stock was situated 
on the Duke of Hamilton’s estate, about three miles from where I 
live. At Arran in 1863 there was a similar case of increase and 
yield of honey, which sprung from a stock of crossed Italians. A 
moderate increase of stocks will be found one year with another to 
be the safest course to pursue. 
The Best Hive. 
The Lanarkshire storifying hive now being adopted in some 
form or other in this country and America is, I am able to say, after 
upwards of forty years’ experience with it and others, the cheapest 
and best hive. It is easily made by amateurs, and, moreover, is the 
only safe hive for taking to the Heather and for wintering bees. I 
will endeavour to advise beginners, but they must remember that their 
own judgment must be exercised to the fullest extent. While 
they are getting advice a little thing may compel them to depart 
from a prescribed course, as it is impossible to anticipate all the 
movements of bees. 
Early Swarming and Honey. 
If swarming began in England on the 21st April Scotland was 
not far behind. From previous reports I believe some swarms 
would be as early on some parts on the Clyde side. On the first 
day of May there were swarms at Brownlee, Barrhead, Blantyre, 
and Bowling. At Crossford and other places in Lanarkshire 
large quantities of honey of the first quality were taken in April. 
—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. 
Fungous In IVIushroom Bed (T. B.'), —The name of the fungus 
producing Sclerotia in Mushroom bed, mentioned on page 385 last week, 
is Xylaria pedunculata.—W. G. Smith. 
Hardy Azalea (C. II.'), —The flowers were quite withered on 
arrival. The colour appears to be darker than that of Anthony Kostcr. 
Your shrubs must have been highly effective. 
Proliferous Calceolarias (./. Hajfenden), —We have seen many 
similar examples of what appears to be two flowers on one stem, but 
there are really two stems or pedicels united, and the furrow is quite 
apparent. It is a case of fasciation. 
Beetle and Plants (J. D., Duffryn). —The beetle is evidently the 
common cockchafer (Melolontha vulgaris), which has of late years 
seemed to be less abundant than usual. Neither moth nor fly was 
discoverable in the mixture, but the former is probably the pea-green 
Oak moth (Tortrix viridare) ; and the transparent winged fly referred 
to may be some species of Ephemera or May fly. This is, however, only 
a supposition. The flower bud and small leaf are wholly insufficient 
for identification. If further specimens are sent they must be larger, 
more advanced, and not enclosed in a package with insects. 
Blquld manure for Strawberries (i. F.). —There is no better 
liquid manure for Strawberries than the drainage from manure heaps or 
sewage, but when these are not obtainable guano water may be used, and 
has often been applied with great benefit. Half an ounce dissolved in a 
gallon of water is sufficient for plants in pots, but twice that quantity 
may be applied safely to established plants that need extra support in 
the open air. It should not be poured on the fruit or leaves, only on 
the soil, copiously, and if this can be mulched afterwards for the 
retention of the moisture it will be an advantage. It is an excellent 
plan to give liquid manure as soon as the fruit is set, then cover the 
ground with straw or other suitable material for keeping the fruit clean 
and preventing the evaporation of moisture from the earth. The use 
of liquid manure should be discontinued when the fruits commence 
colouring. 
Introduction of the moss Hose (^Amateur Bosarian). —You 
ask for information regarding the introduction of the Moss Rose. 
We have referred to many old authorities, and the results of our search 
are that Parkinson in his “ Paradisus,” published in 1629, Rea in his 
“ Flora,” published in 1665, and Bauhin in his “ Pinax,” published in 
1671, enumerate many Roses, but the Moss is not among them. It was 
introduced or raised in Holland probably at the close of the seventeenth 
century, for Dr. Martyn, in his edition of Miller’s “ Gardeners’ Dic¬ 
tionary,” says it is in Furber’s catalogue in 1724. We have seen a copy 
dated 1727 ; it is entitled “Catalogue of English and Foreign Trees 
Collected, Increased, and Sold by Robert Furber at his Nursery over- 
against the Park-Gate at Kensington, near London.” Faulkner in his 
“ History of Fulham” says that Mr. Rench was the first to introduce 
the Moss Rose into this country, the original plant of which is supposed 
to have been brought from Holland. Rench lived at South Field Farm, 
near Parson’s Green, a farm possessed by his family for two centuries. 
He was buried in Fulham Churchyard, where there is this inscription 
