brnary 20. 1!90. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
les 
tapered bag suspended by hooks from the iron rim. From this 
bag it passes into the storing jar, and all ■within an hour or two 
from the time the comb ■was taken from the hive. The more 
speedily the ■work is done the greater is the aroma and quality of 
the honey preserved, being superior to that long exposed and 
artificially ripened. The longer honey is exposed to the atmo¬ 
sphere the more watery it becomes, with a corresponding loss of 
flavour and aroma. 
Ripenino Honey. 
This is an objectionable term often used, but misunderstood 
and abused ; and when we read about it we are much amused. We 
are told that in order to ripen the honey in the hive the bees store 
it at first in the body of the hive, then carry it up at night to the 
supers, when the heat of the hive expels the excessive vapour. I 
have omitted inverted commas from the above, as I write from 
memory only. Let us analyse the statements. Hives that were 
reputed to do so, increased in weight 10 lbs. daily, and the frames of 
the standard size ten in number. Each frame (as they are narrow) 
when sealed holds about 6 lbs. of honey, or rather under that ; 
when unsealed less than 3 lbs. The excess of water is about 1 lb 
to every 5 lbs., and requires at least five empty but combed frames 
for one day’s work, leaving five frames for brood, pollen, water, and 
honey for the internal economy of the hive, which cannot leave 
more than three for brood, not more than space for five days’ egg- 
laying, and in many cases considerably less, and yet there is no 
secret about the number of eggs laid by the queen. T wonder how 
the authors of these statements can reconcile them. I have given 
the figures and statements as wide an allowance as possible to assist 
a reconciliation, but fail to see how it can be done. The fact is, a 
hive likely to gather 10 lbs. honey daily requires all the ten-frame 
space for the internal economy of the hive irrespective of placing 
honey temporarily therein in half of the frames. 
How, then, is the surplus water extracted from the honey ? 
From the moment the bee begins to sip the honey from the flower 
it expels the water as it desires ; its formation enables it to do so. 
Stand so that the bee is between you and the sun when it is 
sipping honey or syrup, and you will soon see the water being dis¬ 
charged, while the honey is retained, is carried home, and stored 
directly in the upper chambers, not a drop being placed beneath. 
As the bee regurgitates the honey into the cell, packing it closely to 
expel all air, the surplus water not pre^viously expelled for the 
purpose of enabling the bee to perform its work rapidly, rises to the 
top, and is sipped off by the bees. If Heather or other thick 
honey required to have the water it contained removed while in 
the body of the hive, it would take the bees two or three days to 
carry up what they gathered in one day. 
Frequently I have had swarms placed into empty hives at the 
Heather, and in less than twenty-four hours sealed combs of the 
finest quality, as such always is, by what other process than I have 
described could the bees extract the surplus water.? The steam we 
see issuing from the entrances to the hives, and the water or con¬ 
densed steam upon the landing boards when bees have been getting 
honey, is expelled in the same way. It isjsimply absurd to say it is 
the heat of the hive that expels the surplus water ; it is the 
mechanical process of the bee combined with the law of the 
lightest matter coming to the top, not unlike the superfluous vanity 
and airs of foolish people, which for a time appear prominent. 
Bees for Profit—in the Heather District. 
“Will ‘A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper,’ who has had much experi¬ 
ence and been very successful with bees at the Heather, kindly 
inform me how I should manage my bees ? They unfortunately 
are in a poor district for Clover, having only about as much as will 
keep them alive tiU the Heather is in bloom, of which there is 
abundance, and upon which I depend for my surplus. My bees are 
pure Carniolians. I have swarms in May, and I use the Lanark¬ 
shire tiering hive. Would not the swarming system be the most 
profitable course to pursue ?—W. H. B. K.” 
“ W. H.IB, K.” appears to be in a favoured district for Heather, 
as well as a favoured spot for bees in spring, as his May swarms> 
prove, which is the time to have swarms so that all may be in the 
best condition to take advantage of the Heather, which can scarcely 
fail, unless the months of June and July be extremely unpro- 
pitious. In order to have all in the best of order, the queens of 
the first swarms should be deposed and a young but fertilised one- 
introduced. If possible select all such queens intended for stock 
purposes from a full strength hive. Although I differ in some 
respects from “ A Hallamshire Bee-keeper,” I never knew a full 
strength hive that changed its queen without swarming other than 
a profitable one. It must be observed that by cultivating the 
swarming system two-thirds more hives than there are stocks must 
be kept in readiness. This may be considered extra outlay, but 
then excessive numbers of hives during winter are unnecessary, and 
is undoubtedly making and taking most from a few. I will 
throughout the season give some practical hints on preparing and 
taking bees to the Heather. Meanwhile be sure you have your 
hives constructed properly for their removal and manipulation. I 
can prepare any hive I have for the journey in a few seconds if the 
supers are on, ard in not more than five minutes if not. 
Artificial Heat. 
If I remember aright it was the Rev. Mr. Taylor that recom¬ 
mended artificial heat to advance bees in spring by plunging the 
hives into a hotbed or wrapping them with hay bands. The above 
appeared in the Cottage Gardener more than thirty years ago, and 
subsequently in the little manual, “ Bee-keeping for the Many.”" 
Fifteen years ago I wrote an article describing how to heat and 
manage bees by the aid of hot water, having for long before that 
time employed hot water as an agent in pushing bees forward. 
From my instructions several apiaries were constructed on the hot- 
water principle. One of these was at Greenock, whose owner 
considered it a great advantage ; but so far as my experience went 
there was in the end more loss than profit, and I would caution the 
beginner against it, more so as it has appeared in a contemporary 
under the heading of “ A New Departure,” although in reality an 
old thing revived, is likely to cause a sensation for a time, after a 
good sum has been lost on the experiment. The same journal, too, 
recommends peameal inside the hive, not unlike what I have 
taught and practised for nearly forty years. 
Bee Flo'wers. 
There is an unusually fine display of Snowdrops in many places, 
but mark the difference with Aconites. I have only two blooms 
instead of hundreds. Who can explain the cause ? Is it owing 
to the weather last year ? 
Porch Arrangement. 
“Permit me, through the medium of your Journal, to thank 
your correspondent, * Lanarkshire Bee-keeper,’ for his answers 
respecting the Lanarkshire hive. I would further be obliged by his 
informing me how the various parts of the porch arrangement is at¬ 
tached to the hive ? How is the zinc fastened to the top of the stand, 
so as the slide will work smoothly ? Is the inner lid of the hiving 
box made of laths, or is it a solid piece of wood, and are the strings, 
attached to the ends of the lid ?—J. D. L., Northumberland," 
Porch arrangements are various. After the porch is made to’ 
fit accurately the front of the hive I attach it by a pair of butt 
hinges, substituting a brass pin for the iron one of the hinge. By 
taking out the pin the porch is easily removed when wanted. Many 
porches are made by far too low, marring the bees when entering 
the hive. They should not be less than 7 or 8 inches, and to come 
right over the alighting board. This is of far more benefit than 
any top covering. The breadth should not be less than 4 inches 
Zinc for Hiving Box. 
In the “ Lanarkshire ” storifying hive it is better when using 
the hiving box to separate the hive from the stand. In the others 
the zinc with its frame and shutter is in one piece, which slides out 
