July II, 1837. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTaGE GARDENER. 
41 
doing. A crossed Syrian gave me the first sealed super 
alter the crossed Cyprian, and a pure Syrian swarm will 
give me the first supers from swarms of this year. 
SINGLE-CASED HIVES. 
These are dryer in winter and cooler in summer than 
double-cased ones. Archangel mats hung loosely around 
the former make a capital shade, and when the hive is 
large enough and the ventilator iu the fioor opened the 
bees keep steadily at work, and do not swarm so readily 
as do those in douole-cased hives of small dimensions and 
without any means of ventilating. 
I have just overhauled a Syrian stock, and had to 
deprive it of some honey, those who have seen my hives 
and those who read and believe this will have no difficulty 
m recognising the superiority of foreign bees and the 
system of management, and the urgency to adopt both. 
I could say a great deal more on behalf of foreign bees, 
but the object at present is to give such information as 
will put the beginner on equal terms to the most advanced. 
For cheapness, simplicity, and effectiveness nothin 0, 
can surpass the single-cased hive with its ventilating floor” 
iron cover, and a slight covering on sides, with ample 
on top of some non-conductive material. A step 
in advance is the “ rig and fur” outside case, which may 
be plain or as ornate as desired. These cases keep the 
hives dry and airy at all times. 
The floor (perhaps the most important part of a hive) 
admits of improvement. The plan of “F. M., Dumfries¬ 
shire,” of using peat is a decided improvement for absorbin° 
damp and preventing it ascending and again enterin° the 
hive. Turf for covering hives is unequalled. Hives on °ht 
to be provided with a stand, but fixed legs are a mistake. 
-Lhe stand and ventilating floor in one gives every 
advantage, and to have that perfect the inner sides of 
stand and false bottom or shutter ought also to be lined 
with zinc, having a tap at lower and back of floor to draw 
oft the condensed moisture, which in strong hives even 
during summer is great and astonishing. 
With but few exceptions all my hives at the present 
time are as strong in bees as the 18 1b. lot, and by the 
end of July my stock will have increased to two-thirds 
more than I require for another season. How am I get 
rid of the surplus to join such enormous stocks ? Either 
to risk the sending to the Heather or at the fall would 
be simply folly; and all the more so when we take into 
consideration the fact that while mere nuclei of a few 
thousands of bees have lived through winter, consumin° 
little food, and are now the weightiest hives, or as weighty 
as those strong ones that were always strong but have 
consumed much more meat, and now with not more 
surplus. Who will solve the problem how to get rid of 
the surplus stock in a profitable point of view as well as 
a humane one, without that sensational nonsense of 
‘‘saving condemned bees?” If I had youth on my side 
I might try the experiment at home, or if it were not for 
the expense would join at the moors; but who could 
handle such hives if the season was a favourable one ? 
Others beside myself are in want of information how to 
get rid of what we sometimes term too much of a °ood 
thing. ° 
. . be gi n »er, however, may weigh the foregoing well 
in his mind, and as the year advances I will give practical 
advice how to make the best and most of the industrious 
and willing working bees. —A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
between combs, will the bees move down to the hive—the bees all 
leaving the super ? 
2. If, before manipulating bees, the face and hands are washed with 
carbolic solution, will it prevent stinging 1 
3. Hints as to putting on and removing supers would be acceptable. 
1. bhould all supers be removed end of July till Heather is in bloom ? 
—Nom de Plume. 
[L Crude carbolic acid should be painted slightly on stiffish brown 
paper, and if these be pushed between combs, sections, supers, or frames 
the bees will retreat from them instantly. 
2. Carbolic acid on any part of the body does not prevent their 
stinging, as the body cannot bear being so frequently carbolicised. Warm 
weather, when the bees are full of honey, is the best time to manipulate, 
and when bees are not inclined to sting; but with the aid of carbolic 
acid, judiciously used, we can manipulate at any time without getting 
® tu IJ* 18 d es i ral: >le to wear a veil, and the German mask as sold by 
G. Neighbour & Sons is the best. Heavy netting, or dyed cloth of any 
kind, as well as loose garments dangling near the bees, irritates them 
much, stinging the cloth, leaving their stings behind, which aggravates 
the case and makes the bees furious. Gloves have the same effect. A 
leather kept m the hand or in a convenient place saturated with the 
acid, to be ready during all manipulations, to be applied at the proper 
bees an ' P lace ’ ias more effect than anything yet known in pacifying 
3. We intend giving some practical hints from our own apiary at an 
ea.ly date, which will cover this query better than a direct answer to it, 
strong hives and successful supering go together. By keeping bees 
in non-swarming hives with little drone comb and a young queen are 
the farst requirements, giving room in advance of the wants of the bees 
A crowded hive never works satisfactorily. Ventilate below during 
hot weather as well as to shade. Fresh cut grass or wet cloths placed 
upon, and an occasional syringing over the hive, all tend to keen 
the bees cool and at work. As a rule, it is better to put empty supers 
uppermost, but this year has been favourable to the opposite. As you 
use small supers, the better way to manage them is to put on one cover 
and, immediately the combs are well begun, lift the two front ones and 
place them on the top of the back ones, and then put empty ones in the 
place of those removed. By following this course, the first finished' 
supers are easily removed ; and there is nothing better to prevent swarm¬ 
ing than depriving the bees of honey. When hives are kept on the non- 
swarming principle, there are mostly plenty of swarms for the require¬ 
ments of the bee-keeper and apiary—such as giving advantages for 
laismg young queens and removing old combs. 
5i 1 I A^ e £ en i a Hogether on the weather. Sometimes supers are filled 
on till the Heather is m bloom, and sometimes there is an interval of 
some weeks. All half-filled Clover supers should be removed so as to 
have a pure sample of Heather honey.—A. LB] 
TO CORRESPONDENTS 
BEE-KEEPING queries. 
1 In removing supers, before lifting them off the hive, if a piece of 
b.o,vn j aper saturated with a carbolic solution is pushed down from top 
°e~ All correspondence should be directed either to “The: 
ditor or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. 
,9 r mem ^ ers °1- Hie staff often remain unopened un¬ 
avoidably We request that no one will write privately 
to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them t& 
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. Al l 
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 communica¬ 
tions. 
LAT i^, INQt7rRrES ‘~ It ls necessar y to again remind correspondents that 
!n tw“ rriV T S on WEDNESDAY MORNING cannot be answered 
in the next issue,” which is then far advanced for press. 
Black Currants Unhealthy ( r ld Subscriber).—We regret to sav vour 
affects*the bud a s C ^u d tir ith th ® Currant bud mite (Phypotoptis Ribis), ^hich 
attects the buds in the manner represented in the engraving on pace 391 
bueZVhavelf 87 ^ th , e P«“nt year. Hundrefs of blackcurrant 
W,wV? be D ru l ned b -V the mite, and, so far as we know, no remedy has 
been discovered for its extirpation. a 
flo™2,tH ra!lOVC (Mis f Ma inwaring ).-We have seen several 
be comrnn? v the y ° U enclose ’ th °ugh they can scarcely be said to 
would see a rather striking example of the same kind 
m one d p-arj 0 ag i last ' Ve , ek ' We remember seeing about twenty plants 
e- tffi t!';" 111 ,. a termmal , campanulate flower, but in subsequent 
jears the flowers in the same garden were of the normal type. 
