78 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 28, 1886. 
porary confinement extending over many days, but on no 
account or pretext whatever should bees be shut in that are 
located in hives without these provisions. In such cases clearing 
the ground of snow well in front of hives is the be3t remedy, 
and disturb the bees as little as possible during the manipula¬ 
tion. 
Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather recently, a 
few days may usher in the beginning of the working season. In 
1863 our bees collected both honey and pollen from the Snow¬ 
drop on the 24th, 25th, and 26th January, a fact not generally 
known, but in mild seasons Snowdrops do yield honey. Im¬ 
mediately after the first airing or working day, perform all 
necessary work in cleaning and drying the hives. Jn conse¬ 
quence of the open winter bees have been breeding, consequently 
in the consumption of food by the young, and in the adult con¬ 
suming it for the secretion of wax for the sealing of brood cells. 
Bees not very well supplied in the autumn may now be 
approaching starvation; attention should therefore be paid to 
ascertain thoroughly the state of every hive, and wherever 
starvation is imminent feed at once, and in such quantities as 
will tide the bees over till the time when there is a likelihood of 
the flowers yielding a supply sufficient to render feeding un¬ 
necessary, and at the same time remember that stimulative 
feeding, or feeding in dribblets, is a destruction to bee life 
during the welcome but treacherous spring months. 
ENLARGING HIVES. 
In all cases where the hives are not of a size sufficient for the 
laying powers of the queen steps should now be taken to enlarge 
those too small, as previously advised. Another thing of im- 
E ortance wherever supers are used is that these should be made 
mm the whitest of wood; bees have an inclination to make 
their combs of a similar colour to its surrouudings. Some bee¬ 
keepers use the same supers for years, and as the bees soon darken 
the cleanest super, that with the accumulation of colour from 
years’ use renders the honey comb the reverse of appetising. 
Where the honey is used by the bee-keeper, if he is satisfied 
with used cases or supers nobody has a right to interfere, but in 
all cases where it has to go into the hands of strangers the clean 
super is the one that gives the most satisfaction and highest 
price. Cleanness and quality are the two cardinal points in 
bee-keeping, both as regards honey and wax.. After these comes 
quantity, if of the first standard, which is obtained in the 
highest degree without the extractor, honey ripener, spreading 
brood, reversible frames, excluder zinc, and as many more 
minor manipulations. During the past fifty years, and I believe 
for long before, with the exception of what comb foundation 
has done for us in assisting the bees greatly, there has been 
neither any improvement in the quality of the honey nor in its 
quantity from single hives. Dubtless bee literature has spread 
the knowledge, but has not improved the quality nor the yield. 
Our large straw hives and Stewarton were then as they are yet, 
the foremost in the field. We have heard of great harvests 
being taken through the use of the extractor, but when the 
evidence came from a trustworthy source the yield did not 
exceed that of other well-managed hives in similar situations; 
but, as I have often said, that contests or competitions with 
bees and hives are futile unless the competition is conducted 
precisely under the same circumstances as to time and place. 
WAX. 
By this substance I can generally tell the quality of the 
honey extracted from it, and from the many samples that have 
passed through my hands I find that many bee-keepers have 
something to learn regarding both wax and honey before they 
earn be termed proficients in their production. Enclosed here- 
with is a sample of wax produced from straw hives managed on 
the oldest system. You will observe that from its beautiful pale¬ 
ness the honey taken from its combs would be splendid. It 
piesents a striking contrast to the sample marked No. 2, as 
sent out by a dealer in and maker of hives and wax. The pro¬ 
duction oi both honey and wax of the finest quality, and in 
the greatest quantity, should be the aim of everyone, and we 
will do our best to assist all ti that end, but it must not be at 
the expense of the wax.— A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
LT^e samples sent differed widely; one was white and fine, 
the other brown and coarse.] 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
William Rumsey, Waltham Cross, N .—Catalogue of Select Seeds for the 
Garden and Farm. 
William Bull, King’s Road, Chelsea.— List of Flower and Veqetalle Seeds 
for 188G. 
Eric F. Such, Maidenhead.— Catalogue of Chrysanthemums. 
Charles Sharpe A Co., Sleaford, Lincolnshire.— Seed List for 188G (illus¬ 
trated). 
W. Piercy, 89, West Road, Forest Hill, London, S.E.— List of Early or 
Summer-flowering Chrysanthemums . 
Westerham Nursery and Seed Company, Westerham, Kent.— Catalogue of 
Vegetable, Flower, and Agricultural Seeds for 1886. 
H. Cannell A Sons, Swanley.— Floral Guide for 1886 (illustrated with 
coloured plates). 
John Watkins, Pomona Farm, Whittington, Hereford.— List of Seed 
Potatoes. 
Hogg & Wood, Coldstream-on-Tweed.— List of Novelties and Choice 
Seeds for 1886. 
William Paul & Son, Waltham Cross.— Catalogue of Vegetable, Flower 
and Agricultural Seeds. 
%* 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, a3 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 we 
do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Book (M. G., Darlington). —Probably the work to which you refer is 
“ Small Farms ; How They can be Made to Answer by Means of Fruit 
Growing,” by Rev. William Lea, M.A., published at this office, price Is., or 
post free Is. Id. 
Manure (Young Gardener ).— We have been favoured with further notes 
on the subject of your letter, but our pages being full on their arrival, their 
publication is necessarily deferred. 
Shaded Passage (F. S.). —Our coirespondence is far too voluminous to 
enable us to remember with accuracy the contents of former letters that 
have been answered ; but so far as we recollect the dimensions of your 
covered passage we think a flow and return 4-inch pipe its entire length— 
i.e., two lengths of pipes—would heat it sufficiently foryOur purpose. 
Cyclamens (A Novice). —The leaves sent are some of the finest that we 
have seen, and there is quite as much credit due to you for skilful culture 
as to the strain. The flowers are of bright and pure'colours, but we fre¬ 
quently see larger specimens. However, the strain is a good one, and it is 
evident you require no instructions as to how Cyclamens should be grown. 
Oncidium dasystyle (IF. Beading). —This Orchid is a dwarf-growing 
species from the Organ mountains, Brazil, and flowers in January and 
February. It requires to be grown in a cool house, and can be had either 
in Bhallow pots or pans suspended from the roof, where it has a pleasing 
appearance, the lip being somewhat suggestive or a fly or other insect. 
Names of Chrysanthemums (Reader). —If you read the notes again 
carefully you will find that all the names are given, but we will repeat them. 
The top flower is Catherine-wheel, that at the right hand side is Crushed 
Strawberry, that on the left is Lady Churchill, and the other at the bottom 
of the figure is Lady Dilke. 
Pruning Flowering Currants (Cambridge). —The bfst time to prune 
these pretty shrubs is during winter after the leaves have fallen and up to 
February. "This allows of fresh shoots being made in good time, ii sures 
their ripening, and consequently flowering another season. If the bushes 
only need a little trimming to bring them into shape, then they may be cut 
in directly after flowering, and judiciously performed will not interfere 
much with the next season’s bloom. We believe there is some such ruler or 
line-divider as you mention, and particulars could possibly be obtained from 
Messrs. Isbister & Co., Stationers, &c.,Ludgate Hill. 
Starting Vines to Ripen Grapes Early in August (A. B.). —To ripen 
Grapes at the time you name the Vines need only be started at the middle 
of February or even early in March, which will save much firing, as the 
later the starting the more the sun heat obtained, and Black Hamburghs do 
not require nearly so much time as the thick-skinned varieties of Grapes. 
A temperature of 50° at night is suitable, day temperature 55°, advancing 
to 65° trom sun heat. If you read “ Work for the Week” you will find in¬ 
structions from time to time that will be useful in the management of the 
Yines. 
Planting Roses (Idem). —The Roses that are now in the greenhouse would 
be better removed to a cooler place, even laid-in outside, and in case the 
weather continues severe cover them with straw or a good thickness of 
mats. This will keep them from growing, as they are likely to do if 
in the greenhouse. Planting should not be longer delayed than the middle 
of February, but we have planted them as late as March and even April in 
unusually late seasons. 
The Culture of Lemon Trees (B. C.). — In reply to your request 
information, Mr. Pettigrew sends the following : “ The Lemon trees here are 
