276 
JO URN XL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 24, 1895. 
any other bees. I think Mr. Bonner-Chambers would be more 
fitted to do this work than I should, and I suggest that he prepare 
a table, giving the weights of 1000 bees of each variety, with full 
and empty honey sacs. I don’t think Punics will be found to have 
sacs larger than others, but I am satisfied that their sacs are as 
large as those of any other race, and they can carry this heavy load 
with the greatest ease. Nuclei I left at home for queen-rearing have 
filled their combs with Heather honey, the nearest point to which 
was fully five miles, and what is more they did not “ drop ” in a 
tired condition when they reached home. The honey was Heather 
honey, so there was no doubt in the matter. 
The Heather Honey Harvest—Punics v. Natives. 
Owing to the bad season all Punic queens, whether old or young, 
had ceased laying, and all brood was hatched when work was 
begun on the Heather for the first time this year on September 7th 
—a month later than it should have been. I left home for a few 
days, paying them another visit on the 12th to find all empty 
combs full of honey, averaging 5 lbs. weight each. A friend has 
an apiary of natives close to my Punics, so I was able to compare 
one with the other. I did not notice that Punics had more honey 
than natives compared to their numbers, as I could not expect 
them to do during a Heather glut, when it is like getting honey 
from lakes, not casks ; but I did find a vast difference between the 
two kinds. Natives had worked from the centre, filling up the 
brood nest, completely crowding out the queen, which means a few 
old bees for winter and no empty comb to cluster in. Punics 
had worked from the outside of brood nest, well filling supers and 
outside combs. The queens were again in full laying with large 
brood nests, and even lots of drone eggs had been laid ; this, of 
course, means lots of young bees and empty combs for winter, 
without honey all round them. Abbott once had an idea that bees 
put their honey the farthest from the entrance, but no one has ever 
verified it till now. Punics do this, going into and working in 
supers at once, in preference to storing honey below, reserving this 
for the queen until they are crowded out for honey space. All 
who have tried Punics agree that they take to supers the quickest 
and work in them the best ; Carniolians and Cyprians are worse 
than natives in this respect. Of course I am not yet ready to 
compare the two kinds for the season. The weather suddenly 
changed on the 15tb, since which it has been unsettled, which will 
give Punics the advantage. 
The Value of the Heather to Bee-keepers. 
There is an idea that one has to live near the Heather to reap 
any benefit from it, while as a matter of fact there is not a place in 
the British Isles that it would not pay well to send bees to the 
Heather, even if they had to be all sent to Scotland, providing they 
were in hives that could be made safe for the journey. Where do 
we find any hives exhibited at shows that can be sent even short 
distances with profit to the moors ? Five or six hives are as many 
as can be taken at once, and this number requires more trouble to 
pack than the profit would come to. Most of my hives are on the 
“ long idea ” type, double walled, holding twenty frames in bottom, 
yet I can load up sixty on a dray, with supers on, roofs, and stands. 
When I see people explaining the wonders of some of the hives at 
shows it is a fine joke to just ask how they are packed up for a 
journey to the Heather. 
The Heather honey harvest is more certain and more plenti¬ 
ful than any other ; it practically failed in 1888, was bad in 1885 
and 1881, but I know of no other failures the past fifteen years, 
while some years, such as 1883 and 1884, the flow lasted four 
weeks ; 1886, 1887, 1889, and 1890, each lasted seven days only ; 
but seven days flow is quite sufficient to fill all combs covered with 
bees. 
How are bee-keepers to reap the advantage of the Heather if 
they can’t get hives ? It is as easy and cheap to make hives 
adapted for migratory bee-keeping as any other if makers knew 
how to make them.—A Hallamshire Bee-keeper. 
BEES AT THE MOORS. 
^ The fine weather which we experienced from the 8th up to 
13th September gave way to showery weather on the 14th, and 
has continued since, giving seven fair days only for upwards of two 
months. A s I am preparing for returning home with my bees my 
time is limited, and the stock of paper exhausted, necessitating 
brevity, and I must delay my latest experience with regard to 
robb ng bees and test trials with Punics and other varieties till 
another issue.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
° 0 e All correspondence should be directed either to “ Thb 
Editor ” or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to 
Dr. Hogg or members of the staff often remain unopened 
unavoidably. 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 communications. 
Mildew on Vines (F. J.). —The name of the mixture—Anti- 
Blight—was mentioned in the article, also the London agent, Mr. Peter 
Barr, and particulars for using are supplied with the material. We are 
informed by a gardener that it has destroyed the mildew on his Vines. 
Mr. Barr’s address is 12, King Street, Covent Garden, London. 
Abnormal Peach (J. Selderi). — The specimen you have sent is 
curious, but not unusual. It is caused by the union of two ovaries, one 
of which has undergone but a partial development, while the other has 
assumed the normal size and form. We are glad to know that you have 
been so successful by following the instructions we gave you on the 
management of your Vines. 
Muscat of Alexandria Crapes Shrivelling ( B. C.'). —The 
cause of the berries shrivelling is a deficiency of moisture until they 
were sufficiently advanced in ripening, with probably a deficiency of 
heat and of light to insure their thorough maturity. The check 
consequent on the breakdown of the heating apparatus a month ago 
is sufficient to account for the shrivelled condition of the berries, as 
they were imperfectly swelled and ripened. Nothing will now restore 
them to freshness, but we presume the shrivelling is confined to the 
small berries, the larger ones being plump. Make sure that there is no 
deficiency of moisture in the border. If fairly moist it is sufficient; 
if dry afford a supply, covering with dry material so as to prevent 
evaporation. 
Rods of Vines (I J/.).—You ought to cut away the rods of the 
old Vines as soon as the leaves have falleD, and the young canes may be 
trained in their place. It is not wise to treat the Vines on the annual 
rod system. We should cut the present canes back to a third the length 
of the rafter, and depress the upper part before the eyes start, so as to 
cause the lower buds to break, and when they have done so the cane 
may be secured in position. Train up a shoot from the upper part in 
continuation of the rod to the top of the house, and this may be treated 
similarly to that of the previous year. In this way you will have a new 
rod in three years, the fruit will be borne on spurs aft<r the first year, 
and they can hardly fail to fruit satisfactorily for some time, only do not 
keep them too closely pinched, and do not prune closely. The long rod 
system is not suitable for general practice, but a modification of the rod- 
and-spur system is most advisable as securing the best results. 
Beetles ( Subscriber ).—The beetles you enclosed for our inspection 
are examples of a species called Mezion striatum ; it is considered a 
native, though some entomologists regard it and another kindred species 
as being originally importations from abroad. It is singular that you 
should suppose the specimens are foreigners, because if you are right 
visitors of the species do arrive here from afar, and it may not be 
indigenous. The species is curious because of its globular body, almost 
hiding the head, and wing cases thickly covered with a glossy velvety 
pile, which is of two kinds, and soon rubs off; also it has much the 
appearance of a spider. "Usually it is found about cupboards or closets 
in old houses, and like its not very distant relative the death-watch 
(Anobium) has been presumed to be a feeder on wood. Presumably 
you have found it injuring woodwork, but it is quite likely this beetle 
might be caught in the act of attacking seeds or dry fruits. 
Black Hamburgh Grapes Shanking and Shrivelling ( FB.~)- 
—There not being any artificial heat in the house for a fortnight 
previous to the 21st of August, and the weather being dull and showery 
during that time, would not cause the shanking and shrivelling nor the 
Grapes to damp had there been a little ventilation so as to perra't a 
circulation of air. The hot sunny weather following the previous low 
temperature would aggravate the shanking and shrivelling by inducing 
increased evaporation from the surfaces of the Vines; but that is 
not the cause of the Grapes finishing badly. The attack of red spider 
in the month of July amply accounts for Black Hamburgh Grapes 
shrivelling and shanking in the same hou e and under the same condi¬ 
tions where Lady Downe’s Grapes do neither. The latter has very 
much more substance in its leaves, its whole constitution differs from 
that of Black Hamburgh, and it seldom suffers from red spider like the 
thin-textured foliage of many other Grapes. 
