October 81, 1839. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
387 
with a drag hoe. They are often somewhat tender, especially if of con¬ 
siderable size. When once touched by frost they will not keep for any 
length of time, and if protected by the soil before being injured in any 
way they will remain good throughout the greater part of the winter. 
We prefer this plan to lifting them, as when stored they are apt to 
shrivel, and they certainly become deficient in flavour. 
Lettuce and Endive. —Those nearly fully grown should be lifted 
with good balls of soil attached to the roots and placed close together in 
cool dry frames. A mixture of leaf soil and sand or any light material 
is best to apply about the roots, as they will not grow further, but only 
require to be kept fresh. 
NOTES ON BEES. 
DRONES AND DRONE COMB. 
While the important uses of drones cannot be over-estimated, 
we must not overlook the fact that the profit of hives may be 
rendered nil by having an excess of them. When a swarm is at 
first placed into a hive (unless in cases where the queen is unable 
to perform her natural duties) the bees at first, and according to 
the cluster, as a rule build worker comb. If the whole hive 
does not exceed in space the cluster of bees very little drone 
comb will be built, but where the hive is larger than the cluster 
immediately as the bees increase the remaining space is filled with 
drone comb, and often so when a comparatively young queen is in 
the hive. 
If the queen regnant is removed and a newly fertilised queen 
introduced worker comb will be built, which is a proof that young 
queens are the best preventive to swarming, and that space will 
not prevent it, while it shows plainly that an excess of drone comb 
incites the bees to raise royal cells and to swarm. 
While I readily admit the usefulness of drones in more ways 
than one, I cannot overlook the fact that beyond a certain limit 
they are absolutely hurtful, because the excessive laying of drone 
eggs exhausts the powers of the queen. Drones consume more 
food than workers, and beyond being mere heat-producers perform 
no labour. Seeing, then, that an excess of drones is an error, which 
can in no way compensate for a diminution of the workers, but is 
on the other hand a decided loss, and is no stretch of the imagina¬ 
tion to say that where a twelfth part of the combs are drone it is a 
diminution of the ingathering of honey of at least 2 lbs. daily in 
ordinary honey weather. In 1863 I inadvertently left a frame of 
drone comb in several hives, the result being that very little honey 
was gathered from these hives, while a large surplus was taken from 
those adjoining. When drone comb is built and bred in towards 
the close of the season there will be no perceptible difference of 
honey gathering, but in all cases of early drone-rearing before the 
hive is full of bees there will be a decided loss to the bee-keeper. 
For long I have made it a rule to overhaul all my hives in autumn, 
replacing all drone comb with that of worker bees, as well as taking 
care that swarms are never allowed to build an excess of drone 
comb by filling unoccupied space with either combs or foundation 
in full sheets ; but even with full-sized sheets bees sometimes 
build drone comb, but are more apt to do so with some makes 
than with others. I prefer the natural based cell with extra high 
side walls. 
Hives that engender damp and mould throughout the winter 
destroy the combs ; in all such cases the renewed combs are drone, 
resulting in an excess of drone comb in cases where the bee-keeper 
may have in the previous autumn guarded against it. Drone 
combs are regarded by some writers to be store combs built 
purposely by the bees for the storing of honey. A greater error 
than this could not be made. The first combs built by a swarm 
are always worker and at the crown of the hive where the honey is 
always stored, the drone comb mostly being built at the bottom 
of the hive, or lower edges of the comb ; besides, in strong hives 
with young queens it is seldom we have drone-combed supers 
and the removing of one or more filled supers, next to having a. 
young queen, is the best preventive of swarming. When that 
cannot be effected, and other conditions are favourable to it, the 
removal of ladened side combs will have a similar effect. 
But the bee-keeper will do well to become impressed with 
the utility and non-utility of drones, as also with the causes of 
swarming and the means of preventing it, for without such know¬ 
ledge bee-keeping will, instead of pleasure and profit, be one of 
disappointment and loss. 
STIMULATIVE FEEDING. 
It is a well known fact that I have always been opposed to 
slow feeding, as it is termed. A better illustration in support of 
my system could not be given than what occurred in my own apiary 
lately. Some of my nuclei at the end of August and early in' 
September were fed a little simply to keep them alive until they 
were supplied with combs from hives having old queens. Although, 
these nuclei were regularly, but sparingly, fed during the above 
mentioned period, very few of them reared any brood. No sooner 
were they supplied with combs containing large stores so late as 
October, than without a single exception they all commenced 
breeding extensively, and to work in such a manner as to con¬ 
vince the greatest sceptic that stimulative or slow feeding is an 
error in bee husbandry. 
PREPARATIONS FOR THE FUTURE. 
The dark days will soon be upon us. Already we hear of pre¬ 
parations being made for Christmas, and no sooner have the leaves 
fallen than the buds in some cases appear swelling, as if spring 
was really at hand, although Dahlias in many cases are still flower¬ 
ing, and Primulas are also flowering freely, autumn and spring 
joining hands as it were. We do not know what is before us,, 
whether the winter will be a severe one or not, but there is one 
thing certain, it will be as fleeting as usual, and although but 
beginning will soon pass away, but not without its long nights, a 
season welcome to many for the opportunity afforded of intel¬ 
lectual culture. I trust, therefore, that after what has been hinted 
at in the management of bees, all necessary requirements for the- 
apiary will be prepared during the long evenings, so that nothing 
may be omitted that will ensure a prosperous apiary in 1890.— 
La narkshire Bee-keeper. 
° 0 a All correspondence should be directed either to “ Ths 
Editor” or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. 
Hogg or members of the staff often remain unopened un¬ 
avoidably. 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 communica¬ 
tions. 
Books (C. 7’.).—Mr. J. Douglas’s book on Hardy Florists’ Flowers, 
and Mr. B. S. Williams’ work on Choice Stove and Greenhouse Plants, 
will contain the information you require. (A. H .~).—The book you 
name is one of the best of its kind. 
Chrysanthemum Elaine and Mrs. Marsham ( Chrysanthe¬ 
mum ).—The National Society’s catalogue gives Mrs. Marsham as synony¬ 
mous with Elaine, and therefore it would not be admissible in a stanch 
for distinct varieties. 
