October 1,1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
305 
plant. A large bush of it trained to a few iron stakes has a very pleasing 
effect. Visitors scarcely ever fail to notice our plant. After the glowing 
accounts given of some of the newer varieties we planted some of Lawton, 
that being recommended as a good variety, but it turns out to be no 
better in quality than the Parsley-leaved Bramble, and without the 
ornamental foliage of that variety.—E. B. 
USEFUL HINTS ON BEES.* 
SYRIAN BEES. 
The Syrian bees have some good qualities, and but for 
their spitefulness and tenderness during cold weather would 
prove a good variety of bee. Like the Cyprian crosses the 
Syrian ones crossed with the Carniolian drone have already 
proved themselves good honey gatherers, and, as is usually 
the case with crosses, partaking of the nature of the male, 
and are therefore very docile. The pure Syrians I observe 
are capital sealers of their honey; they do not, like some 
varieties, have much loose honey in their hive. These good 
features palliate their stinging propensities, which I am 
inclined to think climatic influence will lessen. It is pre¬ 
mature to speak on that point positively, but my experience 
with several indicates it. Where there is a will there is a 
way, so I find there is a way of manipulating the Syrian 
bees, as there is with others, by “ flinging a bone in the 
deil’s teeth.” While manipulating several hives of pure 
Syrians lately I was savagely attacked by them, but having 
my knife in hand cut a piece of their honeycomb. Their 
propensity for honey being so great they at once ceased the 
attack and flew to the honey, when I was allowed to have my 
will while they had theirs. I have more to say about these 
Syrians, but wait till I have more data. 
THE HEATHER HARVEST. 
Owing to the continued low temperature, the honey harvest 
from the Heather this year will not be great. Favoured 
localities may have yielded a fair quantity, but in many it is 
nil. In the south of Scotland I hear of 50 lbs. being stored, 
but in the north it is a failure. From statistics I should say 
the average gathering throughout Scotland will not exceed 
15 lbs. 
CONDEMNED BEES. 
Where surplus bees were utilised in July and then joined 
to others, they will have served the purpose of gathering 
much surplus honey to their master, and now there will be 
no condemned bees to dispose of; but where this was not 
attended to there will be some. There are two ways of 
putting these to use. The one is to put a swarm on to another 
stock hive, thereby strengthening it; but this system of 
joining, particularly when done in the usual haphazard way, 
has its drawbacks, because unless both queens are young the 
old one may be the one saved. Therefore, care should be 
exercised to depose the most worthless queen, and otherwise 
use every precaution for the safety of the most youthful and 
prolific of the two. 
Manipulating bees so late in the season is not only diffi¬ 
cult but liable to cause fighting and robbing, so everj care 
should be taken to guard against it. Manipulating within 
doors is not always practicable. When that cannot be done 
the operator should either have a portable tent to place over 
the hive, or have in readiness a cloth to cover the hive at any 
time bees are observed about. 
Searching for the queen being the principal object, a 
spare hive should be provided, also a case having glass on 
both sides of the proper width and depth for frames, and a 
ventilating lid. Into this case drop a frame with combs and 
bees from the hive the queen is wanted. The moment the 
frame is removed protect it from robbers, and search for the 
queen on the frame in the glass case until she is found. 
When the queen is not found on the first frames examined, 
lift it into the spare hive, protecting it also from robbers by 
cloth coverings. This case is fixed in a frame of such a 
height that the bee-keeper may not have to stoop when 
searching for the queen. There is sometimes a difficulty in 
catching the queen from a straw hive where the bee-keeper 
wants experience. A very simple plan to make this easy is 
to have a race made with wood on one side and glass on the 
other, and about an inch between, having two slides to stop 
the passage and imprison the queen when she is observed. 
This race requires to be attached to a board covering the 
hive when inverted, the race leading into an empty one into 
which the bees ascend when being driven; but it is better 
that the whole thing be fitted to a frame made for the purpose. 
A practical bee-keeper does not require such tackle, but to a 
novice it is not only useful but interesting. A second and 
good plan of utilising condemned bees is to give them comb 
foundations to work out for next season’s use. 
YOUNG QUEENS AND QUEENS IN RESERVE. 
Not only should bee-keepers study to have young queens 
at the head of all stocks, but should keep a few in reserve in 
case of any casualty occurring in any of the hives. If not 
wanted for that purpose they are useful for putting at the 
head of the stock swarmed next summer or to sell. 
SMALL SUPERS. 
Those who can sell supers readily should now set to work 
and have them in readiness for next year. The market here 
is glutted with sections, but there is a demand for well-filled 
small supers. 
COVERING HIVES. 
I again advise covering the crowns of all hives well with 
meadow hay or sphagnum, pressed firmly, but not covered 
with any material unless the roof, which must admit of a free 
circulation of air over the top of hay. Avoid placing non- 
porous material on the top of the hay. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
See that all hives have a full supply of meat to last till 
May. Protected against admitting wet from outside as well 
as being protected from condensed moisture inside through 
too much contracted doorways, or in the absence of a ven¬ 
tilating floor. In windy situations guard against the hives 
being blown down by a wire pegged to the ground and 
fastened to a screw-head in the side of the hive. Plenty 
of good security against storm and being kept dry are the 
secrets of success, if I add let them alone until the spring.— 
A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
“LABOUR LOST—A PROTEST.” 
Mr. Thomas Wildman, after he had given some instructions as to 
the proper management of bees, concludes the chapter in words which 
were intended to parody the reply, as he tells us, of C. F. Cresinus when 
arrayed before the Curule Edile. “ These, Britons ! are my instruments 
of witchcraft; but I cannot show you my hours of attention to this 
subject, my anxiety and care for these useful insects ; nor can I commu¬ 
nicate to you my experience, acquired during a course of years.” Very 
true is the impression here conveyed. We can teach, if neighbours show 
those who desire demonstration, and by other means we can assist others 
to attain that measure of success to which we have ourselves attained, but 
we cannot relieve them if we would of anxiety nor after-attention which 
a careful management necessitates. We cannot give them that practical 
experience so necessary to prove the value of the teaching we desire to 
inculcate ; but if only those who desire to obtain assistance will strictly 
carry out the instructions given them in the articles in various books 
and periodicals, the result will be that a success, probably greater than 
their most sanguine expectations lead them to hope for, will follow from 
an experience gained by putting theory into practice, and proving by 
actual experiment the truths they are in their novitiate obliged to accept, 
not being in a position to refute. 
Here lies the essence of the advice I desire to give, for there is evidently 
great need for an emphatic protest against the course taken by so many 
of our friends who are desirous to learn from the Journal of Horticulture 
and the Bee Journal the way to manage their apiary and to conduct the 
different operations necessitated by the possession of a few stocks of bees, 
if the greatest amount of pleasure and of profit is to be obtained from the 
study and care of these insects. To give an instance : Our country 
friend desires to unite the bees driven from a stock to the one standing by 
its side. He accordingly refers to back numbers of th's Journal, and 
