34 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 14, 1883 
driving can be perfo med without getting the rest of the stocks in a 
state of commotion. On the stand from which the hive to be driven 
has been removed an empty hive must be placed if the bees are 
working, to retain such of them as, returning from the fields and find¬ 
ing their home gone, might enter other stocks and cause the death of 
their queens. After the driving is over these few bees may be joined 
to the rest of the swarm, and so no life need be lost. The stock 
must then be carefully loosened from its floorboard and very gently 
turned upside down, and during this movement the combs must be 
kept endwise, for if moved other than the way they hang the fasten¬ 
ings at the side of the hive may give way and cause the comb to 
fall. 
All is now prepared for the adoption of whichever system of 
driving it is desired to use, and these are “ close driving ” and “ open 
driving," the latter of which is now most generally practised, as the 
bees can be watched, and if the operator is sharp-eyed the queen 
picked out as they rush into the upper hive. If, however, close 
driving is preferred, a hive of the size of the upturned stock must be 
placed upon it, and a cloth tied round the junction to keep in the bees. 
If, again, open driving is practised, the upper hive touches the lower 
at one point only, and this point must be the place to which the combs 
run. The junction must be secured by a skewer passing through 
both hives at this junction, and by two iron rods 9 inches long with 
projecting blades at either end at right angles to the rod some 
2 inches in length, and these rods, one on each side of the hive, 
should have one end of each stuck into the upper hive and one end of 
each into the lower, and the upper hive can thus be so securely 
fastened in any position which is convenient as to withstand the 
shaking caused by drumming. The top hive, it has been said, may 
be placed at any angle to the other, but possibly a right angle is as 
suitable a one as it is convenient. In drumming the operator must 
stand with his back to the strongest light at the opposite end of the 
combs to the junction of the hives. The object is to cause the bees 
at this junction to run from one hive to another. The procedure in 
either system is now the same. Everything being thus prepared, a 
constant ceaseless drumming must be maintained on the bottom hive, 
and this drumming must not cease and must be as heavy as possible 
without endangering the safety of the combs. In the course of a few 
minutes a general movement will be perceived, and in quarter of an 
hour but very few bees will remain in the stock, and these, if amount¬ 
ing only to a score or so, may well be left, as all attempts to dislodge 
them are of little avail, so determined are they to cling to their old 
home. In driving for swarms the drumming will be stopped when a 
sufficiency of bees are seen in the upper hive. The bees are now out 
of their hive at the mercy of the bee-keeper, who can use them for 
any purpose which seems likely to be of advantage to him. 
Nothing has, however, been said of the difficulty which has often 
been experienced in driving certain hives. There are several reasons 
which may account for the impossibility of getting bees to leave their 
hive at certain times, for the queen may be old and feeble, unable 
to climb into the upper hive, or she may got into some snug corner 
where the vibration has less effect than in other parts of the hive. 
The drumming may have stopped while a rest was taken, or it may 
not have been severe enough ; or if there are no sticks in the hive to 
which the combs are attached the combs may have shut together like 
the leaves of a book and prevented the exodus. Any of these causes 
may prevent success, which, however, will surely follow a future 
attempt ; but in very cold weather bees often absolutely refuse to 
leave the comb unless means are taken to persuade them by putting 
them iuto a warm room for a few hours and feeding them, when they 
can easily be driven. Any man can drive who will make the attempt, 
but in this, as in other things, perseverance is necessary and 
judgment ; and if these two essentials are made use of success is 
assured.— Felix. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Bruant, Poitiers (Vienne) France.— List of New Plants. 
Barr & Son, 12 and 13, King Street, Covent Garden, London.— Spring 
Catalogue ef Flower and 1 egetable Seeds for 1886. 
Hooper & Co., Covent Garden, London.— Spring Catalogue for 1886. 
Kelway & Son, Langport, Somerset.— Manual for 1886. 
Stuart & Mein, Kelso, Scotland.— Amateur's Gardening Guide and Spring 
Catalogue for 1886. 
Dobie & Mason, 6G, Deangate, Manchester.— Catalogue of Seeds for the 
Garden and Farm. 
Charles Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough. —Catalogue of Vegetable and 
Flower Seeds. 
James Dickson & Sons, 108, Eastgate Street, Chester. —Catalogue of Vege¬ 
table and Flower Seeds for 1886. 
Benj imin Soddy, 243, Walworth Road, London. —Spring Catalogue of 
Seeds. 
Thomas S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. —Catalogue of Seeds, 
Plants, and Specialties. 
Lucombe, Pince, & Co., Exeter.— Catalogue of Vegetable and, Flower Seeds 
for 1886. 
Hogg & Wood Coldstream, N B.— List of Seeds for 1886. 
*#* All correspondence should be directed either to “The 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 correspon¬ 
dents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relat¬ 
ing to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should never 
send more than two or three questions at once. All articles in¬ 
tended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper 
only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, and wa 
do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Eucharis Roots Destroyed (J. F. G.) —The bulbs are attacked by the 
destructive mite that is not by any means easy to eradicate, still we have 
seen bulbs quite as much injured as those you have sent that were cleansed 
and afterwards rooted freely, healthy plants resulting, and now producing 
flowers. Remove all tbe injured roots and scaly matter from both the base 
and neck of the bulbs, then wash them thoroughly in a solution made by 
dissolving 2 ozs. of softsoap with a lump of soda as large as a nutmeg in a 
gallon of soft boiling water, stirring in briskly while still hot a small wine- 
glassful of common petroleum, such as is burned in lamps. When this has 
cooled somewhat, but is still as hot as the hand can be borne in it for a 
moment or two, dip the bulbs in it and rub the solution into every fissure 
with a soft brush. This mixture will destroy all the mites that are reached. 
Place the bulb3 in small clean well-drained pots of rather sandy turfy 
loam, embedding them in, and surrounding with crushed charcoal, plunging 
the pots in bottom heat if convenient; then if the soil is kept moderately 
moist, but not distinctly wet, fresh roots will in all probability be emitted. 
A little soot and bruised charcoal mixed with the turf used will be an 
advantage, as much as would fill a dessert spoon being sufficient of the 
former for a 5-inch pot; charcoal may be safely used more freely. 
Pruning Gooseberries (Pershore). —Whinham’s Industry Gooseberry has 
been illustrated in this Journal, and testimony published of its productive¬ 
ness. You are not likely to spoil your newly planted trees by rather close 
pruning, provided you cut to prominent buds on the young wood, or that 
formed last year (1885), selecting those buds that point in the direction you 
wish future growths to extend. First thin out the growths if numerous, 
making cuttings of those removed, and leaving those retained 6 inches 
asunder. These may be shortened to 3 or 4 inches, the parts removed if 
long enough being inserted as cuttings. When a choice is afforded we 
prefer cuttings 15 to 18 inches long, but have inserted them less than a third 
of that length, or two joints within the soil, and one or two above it, the 
buds being removed from the portion inserted if suckers were not desired for 
future cuttings. The cuttings should be inserted firmly in sandy soil. The 
leading growths of established Gooseberry bushes may be left longer than 
above indicated, and side growths from the main branches may be shortened 
to within an inch of the base of the young wood both on newly planted and 
established trees. 
Acacia platyptera {Clifton). —The above is the name of the plant of 
which you have enclosed a spray. It may be slightly pruned after flowering 
so as to prevent a loose or irregular habit of growth. When the plants 
start growing afterwards they should have the drainage rectified if needed, 
some of the old soil being removed, and a top-dressing of fresh added, 
pressing it down firmly. They grow well in sandy loam with a little peat 
added. Any that need larger pots must be shifted instead and top dressed, 
but large shifts and overpotting should be avoided. For a time they should 
have a very light position in a greenhouse or pit, and towards the middle 
of summer may be stood in a sunny position outdoors to ripen their 
growths, taking care that worms cannot enter the pots, and that the roots 
are not scorched by the heat of the sun. Propagation is readily effected by 
inserting cuttings of sturdy growths about 4 inches long just when getting 
a little firm in sand under a bellglass in moderate heat, keeping them moist 
and shaded, not heavily, till rooted, then exposing them to light and air 
gradually till they will endure all that can be afforded of both. 
Planting Shrubs {An Old Subscriber). —We are willing to help you, but 
feel at a great disadvantage, inasmuch as your plan is not drawn to scale, 
and you leave us to guess at the width from the flower beds to the path at 
abc and d on the plan. We doubt very much if you have nearly sufficient 
space for either of the Piceas. As the lawn appears narrow we should have 
thought that narrow columnar shrubs of the Irish Yew type much more 
suitable, planting them in pairs, one pair in the angles on each side a, so as 
to not obstruct the flower bed ; the next pair in the angles between the oval¬ 
shaped and oblong bed ; another pair in corresponding portions beyond, and 
the next pair at c and d on the plan. If you like to send us a plan of the 
lawn and flower beds drawn to scale so that we can understand the extent 
of space, repeating your wish, your letter shall have our best attention; 
we cannot answer your present letter satisfactorily. 
Hyacinth Roots Decayed (0. S.). —If the roots are in the deplorable 
condition you represent we know of no other plan for inducing growth than 
removing the pernicious soil from them and potting in sandy loam with 
some crushed charcoal for surrounding the bulbs. When bulbs are plunged 
outside it is easy to throw off heavy rains by thatched hurdles, boards, or 
shutters; but we suspect the soil employed has been the chief cause of the 
evil. It must either have contained something injurious or of such a reten- 
