394 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 8, 1887. 
a bee to fly ; the disadvantage is not in the distance, 
but in the time of gathering the honey, or in the home¬ 
ward journey. A heavily laden bee contending with 
adverse winds and a long distance is more likely to he 
lost than one within easy flight between the hive and 
forage ground. The distance bees can be situated from 
their field of labour without showing signs of less honey 
being gathered than those close to it has long engaged 
my attention ; but while I find some say that bees 
are better to be situated at least a mile from it, the 
greatest evidence says as near as possible. 
For my own part I am unable to answer the question, 
but I am of the opinion that the nearer the bees are 
situated to their labour the better; still I consider that 
half or even a whole mile from there will not diminish the 
yield of honey. If the question could be answered in a 
satisfactory manner it would be a great boon to many. 
As yet it is problematical, and there are few bee-keepers 
caring about making the experiment. I know this, I have 
in some seasons seen a quantity of Heather honey gathered 
by my bees at a distance of three miles from the Heather, 
while in others (and it was more often the case) not a 
cell. Now, taking these things into consideration I think 
most will agree with me, “A Hallamshire Bee-keeper” 
not excepted, that the nearer bees are situated to their 
labour the better the chances are that more honey will 
be gathered than at a distance if greater than a mile. 
—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
THE TERM OF A BEE’S LIFE. 
NUMBER of eggs laid by a queen. 
In reading “ Lanarkshire Bee-keepei-’s ” recent “ Essay on Bees ’’ 
I noticed some statements which seem to require some explanation, 
and I would he greatly obliged by your giving me that explanation. 
You say, “ I never fail to have bees every year in June that were 
hatched the May and June previously.” What is your proof that 
the working bee will live a year or more ? I have seen what seemed 
to me proof to the contrary. You say also in addition to the fore¬ 
going there are other wonderful phenomena, such as the almost 
■“ continued activity of queens in depositing 3000 to 4000 eggs in 
twenty-four hours.” The accumulation of bees at that rate would 
bo enormous, especially if they live a year—viz., 90,000 to 120,000 
a month. What becomes of them, and how can a hive contain 
them ? I have for a great number of years taken a deep interest 
in bees, and a reply to the above queries will be esteemed a great 
favour.—A. T. F. 
[My proof is what I have said in my essay. There is no difficulty 
whatever in recognising bees a year old when a queen of a different 
breed has been introduced to a queenless colony during August or 
September, and which bees could not be hatched later than June, 
and if of a sufficient number many survive until the next May or 
June as stated. I have other proofs I could adduce, but which are 
unnecessary, more particularly as you withhold “ proof to the 
contrary.” Not knowing the evidence you can bring forward in 
support of your theory, I do not care to occupy more space than is 
necessary. The fact is, whatever proof there may be as to the life 
of the bee, it will only stultify the other argument regarding the 
number of eggs a queen can deposit in twenty-four hours. I have 
witnessed a queen and the eggs she laid during that time, which 
numbered not less than 6000. This is, perhaps, more astonishing 
than the modest number of 3000. But then you say the hive will 
not hold them, but hives are not all of one size. There is a very 
important factor which may be brought into this argument which 
I have never heard mooted by any writer on bees, and which tends 
to keep the great accumulation of bees in check—viz., more bees 
die or are lost at all seasons between the ages of ten and twenty days 
than when older. At the present moment a number of my Syrian 
stocks have much brood in all stages. Now, I am certain that more 
aged bees will be alive in June than young ones. The more aged 
bees are, until their wings become ragged, the more vigorous they 
are. 
As to the number of eggs a queen lays in twenty-four hours, 
there is no difficulty in ascei’taining, and as little in answering. I 1 
have times without number examined hives containing about 80,000 
square inches of comb containing eggs and brood in all stages. 
Now, as every inch of comb contains fifty young bees, there would 
be upwards of 70,000 eggs and young bees in their various stages. 
Now, all these eggs were laid within twenty days, which would be 
deposited at the rate of from 3000 to 4000 daily, and I have witnessed 
much larger breeding space filled with brood. I could say much 
more on this question, but think sufficient has been said until we 
hear your arguments against well substantiated facts.— Lanark¬ 
shire Bee-keeper.] 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
J. P. Williams ifc Brother*, Wilhelm’s Rhue, Heneratgoda, Ceylon .—List 
of See^s of Tropical Plant* an t Commercial Products. 
William Etberington, Swanscombe, K‘nt .—Select Lit of Chrysa the- 
mum*. 
AH 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 un¬ 
avoidably. 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 communica¬ 
tions. 
NAMING! FRUIT. — The attention of senders of fruit to be named, is 
respectfully directed to the intimation near the foot of page 395. 
Size of Stands for Exhibition Chrysanthemum Blooms ( T. TV L.). — 
The rule adopted by the National Chrysanthemum Society'is the following : 
“Exhibitors are required to have their stands made,in accordance with the 
metropolitan plan—viz., stmds for twelve blooms to be 2t inches long and 
18 inches wide, with holes (1 inches apart from cmtre to centre, to stand 
6 inches high at back, and 3 inches in front. Two 1 twelve-boards ’ may be 
used for twenty-four blooms. The six-Btands to be the same width—viz., 
18 inches bp 12. All stands to be painted green, and to have the supports 
secure. No limit as to size of board in any classes where Japanese blooms 
are exhibited.” 
Doyenne du Comice Pear (M. C. BA—You may safely plant the trees, 
this excellent variety succeeding well in this country where the soil and 
position are favourable for the growth and ripening of Ptars. It is recorded 
in the last edition of the “Fruit Manual” that the tree is a healthy 
grower and a very good bearer. It forms handsome pyramids on the Quince. 
Mr. R. D. Blackmore, writing from Teddington, says, “This is, to my 
mind, the best of all Pears ; very healthy, a certain cropper, of beautiful 
growth, and surpassing flavour. I have grown it to the weight of 14 ozs. 
on heavily cropped trees. But on a wall it is far inferior.” Writing from 
the Weald of Sussex, Mr. Luckhurst, of Oldlands, says, “It is a most 
delicious Pear, very sweet, rich, m-lting, and juicy.” 
Fruit Trees on Walls {An Amateur). —As the trees that were planted 
last autumn “ made no wood, and were tro'ubled a good deal in the summer 
with ants,” we suspect insects were permitted to infest the leaves and arrest 
growth. Ants do not as a rule trouble trees that are free from insects. All 
that can be done is to shorten the branches to a wood, not a fruit bud, and 
mu'ch the ground over the roots with manure, and the trees may possibly 
start growing in the spring. Any incip’ent growths that may be found on 
the branches may be cut hack to buds at the base. If there is scale on the 
branches dress them with softsoip and petroleum or other approved insecti¬ 
cide ; and in the spring adopt timely measures to prevent insects attacking 
the young growths and expanding levves; permitting them to get encrusted 
with aphides, then having recourse to strong insecticides for their destruc¬ 
tion, is an excellent way to prevent heal hy grow h. 
Roses for Wall (C. P.). —You do not indicate whether you live in the 
north or the Bouth, or whether yon require rambling growers or choicer 
sorts. The following are good, producing beautiful flowers when well 
grown :—Glloire de Dijon, ReineMa ie Henriette, Belle Lyonnaise, Cheshunt 
Hybrid. Marechal Niel, the Waltham Climbers, Nos. 1, 2. and 3, William 
Allen lticha r dson, Climbing Devoniensis, Souvenir d’un Ami, Reve d’Or, 
climbingVictorVerdier, climb'ngCapitaine Christy,Celine Forestier, Madame 
Joseph Detbois, Solfaterre, Blairi No. 2, and Fulgens. Planted at equal 
distances they will cover the wa 
Heating a Small Greenhouse (N. S. P.). —As you wish to exclade frost 
with the least trouble in stoking we should have a small apparatus heated 
with gas, which we understand you have in your dwelling house. You 
will not find the cost of a small pipe for conveying it very serious. If you 
prefer, you can have the boiler you name to be heated witli coke and small 
coil ; but this would requ're more attention, and perhaps at times when it 
would be inconvenient. A flow and return 3-inch pipe along the front of 
the house, if it is a lean-to, would be ample, without the pipes being over¬ 
heated, involving the consumption of much fuel. 
