270 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 6, 1894. 
- - 
m 
HE) bee-keeper] 
IS 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
We have had a fortnight of fine weather with an average night 
temperature of 28° to 30° and a day temperature of 63°, and bees 
are making rapid progress. Notes from the moors speak of an 
early spring and profuseness of flowers during the summer. Our 
varieties of Heather during the two weeks’ flne weather have made 
growths half an inch long. A few weeks more of such sunny 
weather will bring the Heather into flne condition by July, and 
the early seasons are as a rule the best for bee-keepers. 
Moving Bees. 
About this time of the year it sometimes happens that bees 
have to be moved short distances, and how to do so rightly perplexes 
the beginner. It is not always the bee-keeper is favoured with the 
safe alternative of moving them three or four miles away, then 
bringing them home to their new quarters after the lapse of three 
or four weeks, or on the other hand to move them at once to their 
new site with the chance of losing all or nearly all of the flying 
bees. I have practised the following method successfully, and as 
it has never been in print it is not generally known:—By driving 
the bees into an empty hive, then return them ; or after 
quieting the bees transfer them and frames to another hive. 
Then I remove them to the new sits the moment the bees are all 
inside. It is generally advised to move bees short distances in 
unpropitious weather, but do nothing of the sort. Let all 
manipulations be begun and finished in the fine weather. 
Space over the Combs. 
For some years past the plan of leaving a space over the tops 
of the frames, either by laying a slab of candy on the tops of 
frames, or some device, has become common amongst many bee¬ 
keepers. The advantage, its advocates say, is that the air is there 
warmest, and it is done for the purpose of leading the bees to 
the warm stratum to feed. According to my experience, how¬ 
ever, the idea is erroneous. Put bees into a hive during summer with 
a device on and they would build it up with combs, storing them 
full of honey. The covering in other respects will be perfect, 
and the bees in all probability come out strong in the spring after 
a healthy repose during the winter. An open space over the 
combs creates a draught by opening up the crown for bees to pass 
comfortably to feed, and is inconsistent with their nature. Bees 
do not feed from the top. They begin at the bottom cells, and 
eat the honey as required to the top. They then travel in a body 
round the ends or from the under side of the combs to fresh stores, 
clustering always beneath them, so by their heat keeps the space 
above the cluster at a high temperature, and the honey warm, 
consequently in a fit state for consumption. Candy over the 
frames is a little more consistent, but as objectionable as the other 
device. To have a hive winter well and be healthy the porous 
packing ought to rest upon the tops of the frames, not on anything 
interposed. 
A Meeting of Bee-keepers. 
Incidentally there was recently a meeting of bee-keepers in 
Lanarkshire from four counties, and, as a matter of course, bee 
husbandry was the chief topic of discussion. One of the gentlemen 
present undeceived me as to the late Mr. Taylor being the inventor 
of the bee trap. He informed me he had in his possession a trap, 
similar in construction to one I described some years ago in the 
Journal of Horticulture, to trap out the drones and allow bees to 
re-enter the hive. Ic has the spacing wire and three tongues of 
brass. It was uncovered lately where it had lain for a certainty 
one hundred years. I may allude to this appliance again, as well 
as to other matters. Both a Dumfriesshire and a Dumbartonshire 
bee-keeper endorsed the opinions of others that the “Lanarkshire” 
was the coming hive. 
Now is a good time to thoroughly clean floors, and bury or burn 
the debris. —A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
GARDENERS’ CHARITABLE AND PROVIDENT 
INSTITUTIONS. 
The Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.— Secretary, 
Mr. G. J. Ingram, 50, Parliament Street, London, W.C. 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society.— 
Secretary, Mr. W. Collins, 9, Martindale Road, Balham, London, S.W. 
Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. — Secretary, Mr. A. F. Barron, 
Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens, Chiswick, London, W. 
®'g;’^'All correspondence should be directed either to “ Thb 
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. 
Asbes for Tennis Iiawn (/Smemt).—Most persons consider sifted 
coal ashes preferable to crushed bricks for placing beneath the turf of a 
tennis lawn. A layer about 2 inches in thickness will be sufficient. 
The “ Journal of Horticulture ” In Prance (Journal).-- 
Many copies are sent to France weekly to newsagents from whom they 
are ordered by customers. No doubt a Boulogne newsagent would, if 
requested, supply copies, but he might charge a trifle over the published 
price, as in the case of newspapers generally. 
Hyacinths Casting their Flower Spikes (K. H. and J. R. J .).— 
The flower spikes of the Hyacinths are simply forced from their sockets 
by the leaf growths, and may be due to the abnormal ripening and con¬ 
sequent hardening of the bulb scales by last season’s heat and drought. 
The mildness of the winter and the early spring would tend to aggravate 
the evil by accelerating growth and not allowing time for the develop¬ 
ment of the flower spikes. There is nothing wrong with the bulbs as 
regards health. 
Angelica Culture (B. D. P.).—It grows well in any good soil, but 
succeeds best in cool and moist situations, so that instead of a south 
it should be given a north border. It is raised from seed which may 
be sown now, or preferably in August, or as soon as the seed is ripe. The 
seed bed should be frequently watered if the weather be dry, also the 
young plants. If sown in the spring they should be thinned to 2 feet 
apart every way, allowing them to remain where sown, or if sown in 
August or September the plants should be planted in March 2 feet 
apart every way, keeping them free from weeds, and in dry weather 
alfording plenty of water. The stalks will be fit for use in May or 
June of the following year, when the stems should be cut down so as 
to keep the plants from flowering and seeding, then they will live for 
three years, otherwise the plant is a biennial. The preserved Angelica 
you mention was in all probability grown in England, it being very 
extensively grown about London many years ago. 
Winter WCoth on Plums (J. S.). —You should at once obtain some 
Paris green, in paste form, and mix thoroughly at the rate of quarter of 
an ounce to 5 gallons of water. The arsenic is held in the water by 
suspension, and therefore stirring or agitation must be frequent during 
use. The liquid should be applied with a sprayer in the form of mist 
and rest on the trees like dew, not passed through a swinge and run o£E 
the trees like rain. We only mention a small quantity as you refer to 
trees under glass, but you can increase the proportions to meet all 
demands, and as you have the enemy under glass you will probably not 
have long to wait before seeing it in the open air, and it will be well to 
be prepared for the unwelcome visitation. Paris green can be had from 
Messrs. Blundell, Spence & Co., 9, Upper Thames Street, London, and 
Hull, as has been advertised in our columns. It is a deadly poison, a,nd 
does not kill the caterpillars immediately by contact, but in eating 
leaves and blossoms they take the poison at the same time, and do not 
“ last long.” 
Tkula liobbl for Screens (Amateur). —Without doubt this is 
one of the best Conifers for forming ornamental hedges and valuable 
sheltering screens, though it would be some time before getting tall 
enough for protecting standard orchard trees. It is very elegant in 
growth, and retains its bright green colour in the winter. It grows freely 
in good loamy soil, such as is suitable for fruit trees. One row is 
sufficient for forming a good screen. We know of a number of trees 
that were planted 6 feet apart all grown together now forming a 
beautiful hedge 20 feet high and 8 feet through at the base. The 
distance ior planting depends entirely on the size of the trees and 
whether a close hedge is desired at once* If a space be allowed 
between the trees equal to their diameter they will soon touch each 
other, and every alternate one can then be removed if desired to form 
another screen, or they can be left and trimmed to form a close hedge. 
There is some confusion regarding its nomenclature. Its correct name 
is no doubt Thuia gigantea, but the Conifer widely known unrerthis 
name is Libocedrus decurrens; but we think the Conifer you 
inquire about is sold as Thuia Lobbi by most nurserymen. 
