436 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 1888. 
fine weather it is mere waste to feed a swarm. In practice, how¬ 
ever, there is a manifest advantage in wise and judicious feeding. 
It gives a stimulus, and we may well believe encourages the bees to 
greater exertion. Plenty and laziness do not go hand in hand with 
hees. Otium cum dignitate is unknown to them. While an 
empty cell remains the bees will strive to fill it ; therefore there is 
no necessity to fear—as some people seem inclined to do—that bees 
become lazy by assistance, and finding themselves assisted do not 
try to assist themselves. This argument—^fallacious, ridiculous, 
and absurd—was seriously urged by an old bee-keeper, who had 
observed ”—or so he said—evil results from feeding. We 
ventured to suggest that in small hives a large supply of food given 
by a bee-keeper at a time when honey was coming in freely, might 
render the bees apparently lazy ; but that they were in reality 
simply doing nothing, because they had nothing to do, the hive 
being glutted with honey. Overfeeding is a great injury to every 
stock. Extremes generally are injurious ; but because unwise 
feeding leads to bad results it does not at all follow that judicious 
feeding will also be harmful. Now, the qviestion is. What amount 
of syrup should be given to a newly hived swarm supplied with full 
sheets of foundation ? We say that 10 lbs. of syrup distributed 
over one week is sufficient ; but that if the weather presents any 
income from the fields a watch must be kept even after this amount 
has been given to see that the food does not run short. On the 
other hand, if the bees are able to work freely, and a plenteous 
supply of honey is coming in, less than 10 lbs. will suffice to give a 
swarm a start and to make them to draw out foundation and to 
start with good prospects on the “ race that they must run.” 
If it is intended to extract from frames in the body hive, the 
greatest possible care must be taken not to extract “ syrup ” and 
to sell it as honey. In fact, with honey at present prices, we should 
feel inclined to feed every swarm with honey, and not run the 
remotest risk of having syrup in the cells ; but if the combs are 
not to be passed through the extractor, less care is necessary. With 
■careful watching, however, sufficient syrup may be supplied to 
enable the foundation to be drawn out without enabling the bees 
to store more than an infinitessimal quantity of syrup. In fact) 
in cases where sealed combs are available, and it is desired to feed 
with syrup and not with honey, we would suggest that a frame of 
sealed honey should be placed on either side of the brood nest, and 
then sufficient syrup supplied to enable the bees to draw out the 
foundation, but not enough to enable them to “ lay by for a rainy 
day.” The presence of the sealed combs prevents any chance of 
starving, and the bee-keeper is accordingly relieved from the anxiety 
which he might otherwise feel in feeding a spare quantity of syrup 
to a large swarm. These seem the general lines upon which this 
feeding of swarms should run. The individual may apply them 
and alter them, but he must bear in mind these facts :— 
1, Without feeding, a swarm must die if bad weather 
immediately follow its issue and hiving. 
2, Without a proper supply of food breeding is stopped 
by the inability of the bees to prepare cells for the 
reception of the eggs. 
3, A little expense at the beginning brings a return in the 
end. 
4, Syrup must never be extracted from the combs and 
sold as honey. 
Feeding judiciously and at proper times is the golden key which 
unlocks the treasures of opens to the bees the flowers 
of the field, and enables them to store their treasure house, and to 
yield to the bee-keeper a rich and plenteous harvest.— Felix. 
[In the last line of the first paragraph in the article on page 413 
last week, for the word “ bee ” read “ bird,” and the sentence will 
be intelligible.] 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Hooper & Co., Limited, Central Avenue Covent Garden, London.— 
List of Designs in MaltaH Decorations. 
All correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
Editok” 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. 
Pelargonium Xeaves Spotted (F. G.'). —To your question as to 
“ Whether sour soil, overwatering, and want of drainage will cause the 
leaves to be spotted and curl,” our reply is in the affirmative. No plants 
can be kept healthy under such unnatural conditions. 
Insects on Zilliums (61 P.).—The easiest and best way of de¬ 
stroying the aphides on your Liliums is to fumigate them with tobacco 
smoke. Two light applications on consecutive nights will be better and 
safer than one strong dose. If this is impracticable, dew them with the 
syringe, and dust them lightly with tobacco powder. After it has 
destroyed the aphides wash it off with the syringe. 
Auriculas (A. S.'). —The flowers sent are border Alpines, and to such 
varieties as these before us names are not given, as they lack the requisite 
characters entitling them to that distinction. They arc none the less 
attractive in borders and on rockery mounds suitable for the growth of 
the plants. Named varieties of Alpines grown and exhibited in pots by 
florists are entirely different, and superior in form, substance, and colour. 
Melons (TU J.'). —The plants that have been injured by fumigation 
will be checked in gronffh, and the fruit will not ripen so early in con¬ 
sequence, and may not be so large and good as if no such misfortune had 
occurred. Still much may be done by encouraging the development of 
some young leaves, avoiding overcrowding them and the best of the 
others, then with good management in other respects we do not think 
failure need be apprehended. 
Gladioli and Wireworms (//. C.'). — The specimens you send 
are wireworms.- When present in the soil they appear ready to take 
possession of almost all kinds of bulbs, tubers, and fleshy growths. All 
we can suggest in your case is to provide counterbaits in the form of 
Potatoes, Carrots, and squares of fresh dug turf, burying these amongst 
the Gladioli and examining them every two or three days. We have 
known more wireworms caught in squares of turf than in roots buried 
at the same time for alluring them to destruction. 
Mushrooms In Ice House (^Reader'). —You ask if you can grow 
Mushrooms in a disused ice house during the summer months ? We are 
unable to sa}^ not knowing your experience as a Mushroom grower ; but 
we know of beds in a very cool building, that would make an excellent 
ice house, just commencing to bear, and which will, no doubt, yield an 
abundant supply of fine Mushrooms during the next three months. 
They grow well in a temperature between 50° and 60°, indeed lower 
than that, but their growth is slower. Some of the finest examples we 
have seen this spring were cut from a mound in the ojxin, the surface of 
which was often crisp with frost. A disused ice house ought to be an 
excellent place for growing Mushrooms in during the summer. 
Chemical Manures (76 M .').—This subject has been treated so 
fully, clearly, and frequently in our Home Farm department that it is 
difficult how it can be better presented to the intelligent reader. Con¬ 
sult a few' back numters and refer to a reply on page .371 (May 3rd) on' 
manuring fruit trees, and you will find more information than we can 
possibly give apart from that which has appeared. If you want a simple 
mixture for general crops, superphosphate of lime and nitrate of soda 
may be tried, the former at the rate of six or eight, the latter about tw'o 
or three cwts. per acre ; but the exact quantity can only be determined 
by the condition of the soil. Chemical manures lose half their value if 
applied late in the season, and a term of hot dry weather follows, or 
rather the current crops do not absorb half their virtues. 
TiTame of Insects (IF. 76).—A"our No. 1, the solitary specimen, is a 
centipede, Lithobius forficatus, not uncommon in gardens and houses, 
nearly related to those species which cause so much annoyance or peril 
to residents in hotter climates than ours. De Geer, having had this 
insect under close observation, gives it as his opinion that the bite is 
venomous, but it is doubtful whether the jaws can pierce the human skin 
even of a child. It kills and sucks the juices of many other insects, 
some larger than itself, the food not being vegetable. The other 
specimens (No. 2) belong to the too abundant species, Julus terrestris, a 
millipede of mixed diet. Probably the Julidse feed chiefly on small 
insects, worms, and slugs, but they will also attack the roots of 
vegetables and hide in bulbs, doing much injury. Their destruction is 
often attempted by the application of soot, lime, nitrate of soda, and 
