120 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 6, 1891. 
should have a reddish hue, and those fully developed a light green 
appearance. This is the result of light airy treatment. Plants that 
have been grown soft may be prepared to stand well if they are care¬ 
fully and gradually exposed to light and more air, but they are never so 
good as those grown under these conditions from the first. The develop¬ 
ment of the fronds is slower and the plants are longer before they attain 
a large size, but the main object is attained, and the fronds are fit for 
use directly they are well developed. In the end it is economy to 
prepare the plants well for this purpose, for less than half will give 
greater satisfaction and less trouble than double the number grown 
under close treatment. Young plants raised from spores in spring and 
now in 3-inch pots may be placed into 5-inch pots, in which they will 
develope a good number of fronds before winter, and make large plants 
another year. 
Davallias .—For many purposes the fronds of these Ferns are valu¬ 
able, because they last fresh for a long time. For cutting to travel long 
distances and last well after they reach their journey’s end, no other 
Ferns are equal to them. These, like Adiantums, should not be grown 
too warm. The majority of kinds suitable for this purpose will do well 
in the greenhouse during the summer months, but require a temperature 
of 50° during the winter. D. bullata, D. dissecta, and some others are 
not injured in the least by remaining in a cool house the whole of the 
winter. Although many do well in the greenhouse they will make 
more rapid progress under intermediate conditions until the plants 
attain a fair size, or for starting them into growth in spring. 
Pteris serrulata .—This is a handsome and useful Fern for decora¬ 
tion in small pots, and lasts well in rooms and other positions during the 
winter. A good number of seedlings now in pans and boxes should be 
placed singly in 2 and 3-inch pots according to the size most suitable. 
For grouping purposes we find them serviceable in various sizes from 
2 to 5-inch pots; for the latter size two or three seedlings grown together 
are better than single plants, because they are thicker and better fur¬ 
nished at the base. This will grow in almost any soil and position, 
provided it is liberally supplied with water. We have usually started 
them in gentle heat, and when sufficiently develcpel removed them to 
cool quarters. 
APIARIAN NOTES. 
The Weather. 
From the middle of July to the end of the month the weather 
has been of a very unpleasant nature, cold north-westerly winds 
prevailing, the sky either clear or obscured with leaden clouds. 
Bees were lying about chilled to death, whi'e the cold winds and 
burning sun threatened the life of many plants. Of Strawberry 
runnei’3, for example, on light soil not a single one is rooted. 
Little rain has fallen, and there is a threatened dearth of that 
essential. The most disagreeable thing for pedestrians is the 
blinding dust and small stones forced into the mouth and nostrils 
by the wind—the result, no doubt, of distant thunderst >rms. 
The Apiary—Swarming. 
In a number of cases where two queen cel's had been left for 
the purpose of insuring one queen all have swarmed or attempted 
it. In many instances where the queens of prims swarms were 
destroyed several ripe queen cells were given them, and although 
less than a week had elapsed and the hives were not nearly full of 
comb every one of them swarmed, and the others that had two 
cells given them were upon a similar footing. Extra room will not 
prevent swarms issuing. If young bses could be induced to alter 
their nature and cease raising royal cells swarming might be 
prevented, but that will ne\ T er take place so long as bees are bees. 
Evolution of the Queen. 
Some writers say seventeen days and others fifteen are required, 
but as far as I have witnessed it takes sixteen full days from the 
time the egg is laid till the queen is matured and cresps out of the 
cell. The seal of the cell at that time, after the bees remove the wax 
covering it, loses its adhesiveness and toughness, and is easily forced 
open when the queen almost to a minute may be expected to 
appear on her completion of 384 hours. That is if there be one 
queen only ; if more, the bee3, after the queen protrudes her 
tongue and is fed, seal her up again for some time, as long as eight 
or ten days more. Then the queen may be liberated on the 
expiry of the fourteenth and live, so that it is no rule to judge by, 
by the time a queen creeps out of the cell ; for at one time they 
are sealed in longer than their natural time of creeping out, 
and at others are liberated by the bees before the expiry of the 
384 hours. I had several of that nature this year, and they are 
proving themselves prolific. 
Workers in Queen Cells. 
I discovered a number of queen cells when opened to contain 
workers, at least they could not be recognised to have partaken, 
any formation of the queen ; but as they appeared to have come- 
quicker to maturity than workers do when reared in worker cells, 
in all probability they would have been confirmed drone breeders, 
or in other words fertile workers. In previous cases they were 
so, the cells they were reared in might have been a little les3 in 
size than those containing queens, but otherwise no difference 
could be detected. 
Setting Bees at the Heather. 
It sometimes happens that the space for setting the hives at 
the moors is limited, and the bee-keeper is puzzled how to get all 
his hives accommodated. That, as well as the position, is of great 
importance to the well-being of the hives and the safety of the 
bee-keeper when manipulating from infuriated bees. The wedge 
or cuneiform is a good way to set hives for the above purposes. 
Set one looking south-east, then flank it on both sides with another, 
then repeat with the next, and if a coloured device is used seven 
hives may stand in one clump. The bees flying straight from 
the entrance leave the manipulator free in the hollow between 
the tsvo lines of hives. Thus—• 
It will be observed by the above plan a return may be made at 
the angles a, provided the situation is f wourable, the bees in these 
two lines looking east by north and west by south, leaving the 
cmtre free to the bse-keeper to manipulate all the hives behind 
the entrances.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
PUNIC BEES—STINGS AND REMEDIES. 
As a constant reader of your Journal I have often seen letters 
from “A. L. B. K.” concerning Punic bees, but I do not remember 
to have seen any notice of any being for sale or disposal in any 
way for trial. May I ask the writer if he can give any informa¬ 
tion concerning their temper? Are they as quiet a3 the generality 
of other bees when the hives containing them are placed on a 
garden path, as I do not like to have my work stopped by a horde 
of savages. 
I find that within the last three years, if I am unfortunate 
enough to receive a sting, the part swells so much that if a hand 
or arm happens to be the unfortunate part I can scarcely hold a 
knife or fork, and dressing myself becomes a task indeed. Can you 
suggest any remedy for it ? I invariably rub a small quantity of 
oil of wintergreen on my hands and arms when manipulating ; but 
occasionally, one bee more spiteful than the rest, will inflict 
punishment on me ; in that case I have applied some chloroform 
with only partial success. On Monday last I took eighteen 1 lb. 
sections of beautiful honey from one hive.—G. E. B. 
[The temper of my Punic bees seems very mild—so much scr, 
that although I have frequently lifted the frames out without any 
precaution I have never received a sting ; nor have I been able to. 
induce them to s'ing when using the means that would rouse other 
varieties into little furies. 
Crossed Punics, unlike other crosses, do not partake of the 
spitefulness of some sorts. When the above letter came to hand 
