74 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 26,1888. 
there is just too much uncertainty on the point to make the 
operation pleasurable. As in all other manipulations, so ivhen the 
“ direct introduction method ’’ of giving new queens is practised 
care must be taken not to deviate from instructions until by ex¬ 
periment a better way has been found of achieving a like result. 
If a bee-keeper tries the direct introduction plan, and neglects to 
do as his instructions tell him, he must in the first place not expect 
to succeed, and in the second place must when he fails blame him¬ 
self and not the method. Amateur bee-keepers, as a rule, are too 
apt to do as they think best without having sufficient knowledge on 
a subject to think rightly. It is well for a man to think, but 
before he can do so he must have a knowledge of the subject upon 
which he wishes to think, otherwise he may discover that, though 
in the abstract a man may, knowing nothing, yet think seriously, 
but in the concrete he must before thinking out any particular sub¬ 
ject have a sufficient knowledge upon which to base his thoughts. 
Those who desire to succeed will first try the method, following 
closely the instructions given by those who have pursued it with 
success, and will then—having succeeded—endeavour if they think 
it possible to simplify the method by such plans as may sugge st 
themselves ; and after putting their ideas into practice and finding 
them an improvement will no doubt be kind enough to give to those 
who have less of the experimentalist about them the result of their 
trials and the means by which those results have been achieved. 
To introduce a queen by the direct methoi the following points 
need attention ;— 
1, Removal of old queen. 
2, Confinement of new queen alone and without food for thirty 
minutes previous to introduction. 
3, Keeping the queen warm during such confinement. 
4, Not introducing her till dark. 
There is no special time for depriving the stock of the queen 
which it is desired to supersede. It may be done at any time 
during the day upon which the new queen is to be introduced. 
The operation should be performed with as little disturbance as 
possible, and the stock must be allowed to become quiet again as 
soon as possible. The confinement of the queen for thirty minutes, 
keeping her during that time alone and without food, seems 
essential to success. Whether by such confinement the queen loses 
her peculiar scent, or becoming more quiet is less excited when 
allowed to run into the stock, or by abstinence from food becomes 
more agile and moves about the combs more freely, and therefore 
apparently with greater confidence, seems hardly decided, but that 
in some way this solitary confinement does exercise an influence 
either upon her conduct when introduced to the stock or upon the 
conduct of the bees when she is introduced to them there can be 
but little doubt. During this period of restraint the queen must 
be kept warm. This point needs no explanation, for it is self- 
evident, knowing what we do about queens, that a chill contracted 
just prior to introducing her to a strange stock would be in every 
way detrimental to her, and probably cause the bees to reject her ; 
and even if they received her amicably she would herself have sus¬ 
tained an injury from which she would in all probabilitj’- never 
wholly recover. The fertility of the queen is, I believe, often re¬ 
duced by chills suffered during the winter months. This seems to 
be especially the case when stocks are weak. In no other way can 
certain failures in queens be accounted for. The queen must not 
be introduced until dark, and then the introduction must be done 
as quietly and with as little disturbance as possible. 
Mr. S. Simmins in his “ Original Non-Swarming System,” 
gives a very succinct and good chapter on this subject, from which 
a few quotations shall be made. “ Upon receipt of a queen, go to 
the hive and remove that one to be superseded (or otherwise). At 
dusk take the new queen quite alone. After keeping her so for 
not less than thirty minutes previously, but quite warm, and more¬ 
over without food meanwhile, lift quilt at one corner, drive bees 
back with very little smoke, and then permit the queen to run 
down. Close the hive, and make no examination until after forty- 
eight hours. Leave the operation until so late that a lamp is 
necessary.” He adds, “ It matters not as with the original method 
whether the old queen has been only just removed or if the hive 
has been long queenless, the new queen will always be accepted.” 
Every bee-keeper may give this system of introduction a trial, and 
from my own experience such a trial will—if strict adherence is 
given to the instructions —end in success.— Felix. 
All correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
Editor” or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addi-essed 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. 
Sooks (.T. P.). —If you mean Sweet’s “ Hortus Britannicus,” it can 
only be obtained from second-hand booksellers, but may be occasionally 
met with for a few shillings. Johnson’s “ Cottage Gardener’s Dic¬ 
tionary ” will be much more useful to you at the present time. It can 
be obtained from this office, price 7s. 6d., post free 8s. 
Purnace not Heating- (^Siihficriber ').—Your letter will be fully 
answered next week. 
Kew and Cbiswlck Cardens (./. G'.).—The young men employeil 
in these Gardens as students are required to have hatl several years pre¬ 
vious experience in gardens or nurseries and to be of good character. 
Particulars can be obtained on application to the Curator of the Royal 
Gardens, Kew, or to Mr. A. F. Barron, Royal Horticultural Society's 
Gardens, Chiswick. 
rue! (^InquisitieG ).—We do not quite understand to what you 
allude under the name of “ burgy,” but many persons who have tried 
different kinds of fuel find a mixture of small coke and coal, the latter 
being known as slack and breeze in different localities, as economical 
and profitable as any for the different forms of saddle boilers. We have 
found no fuel give more heat for the same outlay than the mixture 
indicated, and you may safely try it for your boiler. 
Horticultural Society (GW Suhseviber ^.—It is impossible for us. 
to form an opinion of a Society which has been brought before you as 
" limited, and shares so much each,” without seeing a prospectus. We 
arc pleased to observe your desire to " help gardeners,” but trade 
societies are usually formed to benefit the shareholders. There are 
benefit and provident societies that are real helps to ganleners, their 
widows and orphans, and all or any of these are glatl to receive sub¬ 
scriptions to the funds from persons able and willing to contribute. 
Celery—Naming Exbibits (.7. 77. IF.). — We are not able to give 
the address of Mr. Wright “ the raiser of several specimens of Salary ; ’’ 
but possibly some of our readers can identify the raiser of the varieties 
of Celery to which the name mentioned is attached. Specimens at 
shows should be named, and care exercised in spelling the names cor¬ 
rectly ; as to the alternative of marking the specimens “ unknown"’ 
where the condition is published in schedules it should be enforced, anJ. 
if not enforced discarded as a useless redundancy. 
Red Spider on Vine Rods fA Learner ).—The buds as well as the 
rods and canes, in fact every part of the Vines, may be dressed, and the 
mixture being used with care and judgment will not injure the buds 
provided they are quite dormant. Winter dressings will not render the 
Vines proof against red spider. The pest must be prevented by pains¬ 
taking culture, and prompt remedial measures must be taken whenever 
it appears. 
Eucharis not Flowering {Idem'). —It is a mistake to rest the 
plants by keeping them in a dry and too low temperature, as it has a 
weakening tendency. We find the best results follow from encouraging 
the plants to make and complete a good growth and .still continue them 
in the same temperature but with lessened supplies of water, yet to pre¬ 
vent much limpness of the foliage. Under this treatment the plants 
flower successionally throughout the year. The only precaution necessary 
is to keep an eye on them, and when they commence throwing up their 
foliage and flower scapes to apply water freely and feed liberally, con¬ 
tinuing this until the growth is perfected. 
Tennis liawn Mossy ( IF. II. .1.). —Lime will destroy moss, but 
we should use it along with wood ashes, the lime freshly slaked and the 
wood ashes dry. Half a bushel per rod will be sufficient, or a peck of 
each. It should be distributed evenly, and before applying it would bo 
advisable to scratch the ground well with an iron rake, clearing off the 
moss disturbed. It may be done from now to March in mild weather. 
