August 11, 1867. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
127 
during autumn is one of these, A swarm that has built 
its combs and filled its hive with them ought not to be 
interfered with further than removing surplus honey or 
feeding up to the required -weight if necessary. There is 
no advantage whatever gained by removing combs during 
the fall, but, on the contrary, much harm is done, not 
speaking of the bother attending the storing of combs 
and the trouble of removing them from the hive, the 
safest and best place for them when the hive is prepared 
for winter as it should be. Bees in a crowded hive during 
winter are more often on the wing than they should be, 
or than others differently treated are, hence they decrease 
in numbers. Giving bees plenty of space during winter is 
the best means of preventing too early breeding and other 
evils. 
If hives are to be contracted at all the month of 
March is the best time to do it; then as early as possible 
before the bees are crowded put back the combs removed, 
hut when the two systems are thoroughly tested no advan¬ 
tage will be found to accrue from those operated upon. 
With me this year, nuclei in large hives during winter 
have given large yields, but, again, these may be so small 
that it is advisable to contract a little, but never to crowd 
them. 
“THE BEST HIVE IN CKEATION.” 
In its complete form this is more expensive than the 
cheap hive I described, protected by an outside case or 
roof of iron, which is but a modified form of the “ best 
hive in creation,” and well adapted for every locality and 
system of bee-keeping, producing finer and more comb 
than other forms of hives. 
THE STANDARD HIVE. 
The standard hive advanced by interested persons is 
not a hive in its original state that will give satisfaction 
or profit. Since my articles appeared on cheap hives 
many have been made by bee-keepers, and I have had 
orders for some hundreds of them, but had to decline 
all, except a few that I supplied from my own stock, in¬ 
tended for my own use, and in every instance those who 
had them, practical bee-keepers, gave them an excellent 
character. The latest one was to the effect, “ It is the 
hive; the only ones I removed my bees in to the Clover 
during the warm weather, a distance of fifty miles, that 
were uninjured.” 
I know what is wanted in a hive as well as what is 
superfluous, and to those who take their bees from one 
place to another these hives are a pleasure rather than 
a toil, as is the case with most other hives. The reason 
that they are not advertised arises from different causes, 
but I believe I am right in saying the principal one to be, 
that the “ Standard hive ” is believed by novices to be 
perfect. Being fully cognisant of these things and of the 
opinions and experience of those who had much to say on 
bee-keeping was my reason for laying before your readers 
a full account of the cheap hive, its construction and how 
to make it. Where the amateur has a circular saw the 
work will be quite easy. The roggle, or trenching plane, 
is a useful tool, and dispenses with the circular saw in 
many cases. To prepare the front and back portion of 
the hive as well as those of supers, cut to the exact 
length, fix laths upon a board the thickness to be left 
beneath that checked out, then nail another piece upon 
the top as a stopper, place the wood in the recess, which 
must be of the neat size, outside measure. Now make a 
template, neat inside measure, having a fence held firm 
down, and shoot the plane round the ends and edge, and 
the work is done ; the sides only require to be cut an exact 
length, about one-sixteenth longer than the top bars, and 
nail, which is better for hive work than dovetailing. If 
“ R.C., Kent," follows these directions he will have hives that 
will suit him well whatever are his circumstances. During 
this summer I have witnessed many hives sent to novices 
that it is impossible for bees to exist in during winter r 
whether it be severe or mild. 
FOREIGN BEES. 
These are doubtless an acquisition, but their habits re¬ 
quire to be studied. I place the Carniolians first on the 
list, owing to their hardiness, amiable temper, and good 
honey-gathering qualities; they are as prolific as any, and 
the excising of queen cells on the eighth day after the 
prime swarm leaves will prevent trouble with after swarms. 
This can be done easily with these bees without either 
veil or quieter. 'J hey build comb more rapidly than most 
varieties, and store much honey, but do not seal it so soon 
as Syrians. The latter seal as they store, and very often 
supers will be found not filled with comb, but all that 
contains honey sealed. I have had the Carniolians nine 
years now, and they have always given satisfaction. The 
crossed Cyprians have surpassed them in making more 
weight; but when we find bees filling two body boxes and 
three supers of 20 lbs. each, one body box next the supers, 
weighing upwards of 30 lbs., all in five weeks from the 
time it occupied but one box, and all the others of the 
same breed as satisfactory, it is safe and pleasant to re¬ 
commend such industrious bees. 
SYRIAN BEES. 
I took some of these bees to the moors on the 20th of 
July, and must confess I never saw bees work more 
eagerly than they did that day; and although it was a 
carpet of flowers, Wild Thyme in profusion within a few 
yards of them, the shepherd informed me he saw them 
working upon the Bell Heather between two and three 
miles distant from their stand. The distance bees fly and 
work profitably is still an unsolved question. I was some¬ 
what amused with the persistence of these bees Yvhen set 
down and released to attempt to find their hive behind 
but between two others as it stood when at home. While 
this was interesting, it was all the more so to see the bees 
fly right over their hives and attempt to find the 
entrance facing the same direction as it was at home. It 
was the first time I observed this, but it explains fully 
that bees have a knowledge of the points of the compass 
unaided by any mark. Their instinct, great in that as it is 
in locality, shows plainly how they can return unerringly 
to any spot they have a desire to. 
My hives at the moors are wrapt in a piece of old 
sacking or mat, with the semi-circular iron roof, are alike 
protected from sun or rain, await the first opportunity of 
fine weather to fill their hives to overflowing in ten days 
or so from the finest bloom of Heather 1 have ever 
witnessed, and two weeks earlier than the average of 
years. Should a -week's fine weather occur, I shall lose 
no time in putting on an extra cover of supers, as, if not 
done, crowding out will be the result; but I -will not allow 
it, as crowding bees in any manner has never been found 
profitable by—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
BEES GATHERING HONEY OFF WHEAT. 
Is it not unusual for bees to gather honey from \\ heat ? I was in a 
Wheat field a few days ago adjoining my garden and only a few yards 
from my hives, and found hundreds of bees busy on the cars of W heat. 
On examination I found fluid—honey I suppose—issuing from where 
the sparrows had taken the corn. 
I have not had a single swarm from six stocks of bees this season, 
three in bar-frame hives and three in skeps. This I attribute to the late 
cold spring. The result has been nearly the same with other bee-keepers, 
scores of stocks in skeps have not swarmed.— J. Hiam. 
