March 20, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
249 
excessive breeding, induced them to go outside in search of more. 
The same thing occurs if a dearth of honey is expected. Hives 
that are subjected to an empty larder in winter of either pollen or 
honey are sure to dwindle. 
By the owners of several apiaries I was asked the cause of the 
bees of some of their hives being so restless. I advised feeding, 
and a subsequent examination proved that without feeding the 
restless ones would have been dead—simply another proof that it is 
better and safer to leave the bees with plenty stores in autumn, 
and if necessary to remove a comb or two in spring, than having 
to feed them. 
Clover versus Heather Honey. 
For some years past our district has been converted into a 
dairying one, consequently there is more pasture for bees than was 
the case a few years since. Clover honey is more plentiful when 
the end of June and beginning of July are favourable, but the 
demand is very limited. Heather honey being when fine more in 
request, and probably many others are in a like position. I shall 
not be ungrateful for an abundant supply of Clover honey, as I 
have various resources of outlet for a large quantity ; but I shall 
work my stocks, at least a portion of them, to be right for the wild 
Thyme and Heather. The particular management I must reserve 
for a future occasion, as we cannot lay down an infallible rule 
but must adapt everything to circumstances. What I shall keep 
in view, although it has to be attained in different ways, is to have 
every hive provided with a young and fertile queen, and the combs 
well charged with brood at the end of July, and an adequate supply 
of meat, so that neither starvation not drawing brood will take 
place however adverse the weather may be. In some seasons each 
stock may be left to itself, but sometimes it is not only advisable 
to unite two but is ruinous to avoid it. Then some seasons are 
favourable for having a large quantity of empty combs, while 
the others make it a disadvantage. It is not altogether what 
the bee-keeper would do, but is what the seasons demand to be 
done, and I hope to be able to show beginners how best to get 
along. 
I prefer if the seasons would allow to have a limited supply of 
empty combs below, but only in rare cases above. Instead of 
preserving empty combs for supers I generally melt them down. 
The reason for this is that when bees are supplied with empty 
combs but a short time before the honey flow they darken them) 
and this puts an end to its being first class. First class comb is 
most frequently had from those hives crowded with brood and bees 
right beneath the supers, and when the honey flow commences so 
does comb building and comb filling with the purest of nectar. No 
intermediate storage is performed, nor is it necessary. When 
supers filled as above they bring higher prices than what are not 
inaptly termed artificial products produced by modern and in many 
cases artificial bee-keepers. 
DirFERENTLT SEALED CELLS. 
Not long since when in conversation with a young lady she 
exclaimed “ That she would like to be proficient in bee-keeping, 
but there was so much to be learned I would as soon go back to a 
boarding school as learn all about bees, especially when there are 
so many conflicting opinions.” My rejoinder was, Not so very much 
after all; select the grain from the chaff and you wiU find two- 
thirds at least not worth retaining, and the science of bee-keeping 
wiU dwindle to very little. 
The variety of bees and the manner of sealing the combs were 
also commented upon, but I could not advise which variety to keep 
that left a vacuum between the seal and the honey. I have fre¬ 
quently taken three, four, and even five large supers from hives 
at one time, and the appearance of every super differed in that 
respect from one another, exactly what some would tell us No. 1 
was from a Carniolian, No. 2 from a Syrian, and No. 3 
from the native black. That is one thing I have not learned 
yet—how to distinguish one variety of bees’ honeycomb from 
another, nor do I believe it can be done. One variety uses more 
propolis than another does, and different flowers produce a difference 
in appearance in the combs built and filled with honey than do 
others, but as regards one leaving an air space, and another sealing 
hard to the honey, or employing more wax than another variety 
does, is not believed in nor experienced by — A Lanarkshire Bee- 
keeper. 
THE LANARKSHIKE HIVE. 
It must be very gratifying to “ A. L. B. K.” to see so many inquiries 
in the Journal about the Lanarkshire hive. Bee-keepers are slowly 
coming to the conclusion that the standard frame hive is not so suitable 
for bees as it ought to be. I tried a Lanarkshire hive last season, and 
was highly pleased with it. I had more surplus honey from it than 
some of my neighbours had from two hives of the ordinary bar-frame 
kind. It is easily prepared for moving to the Heather, whereas the 
standard frame hive requires much fastening up before it can be moved 
with safety. The perforated zinc floor is a capital idea, saving the 
bees a lot of labour, as they have no refuse to carry out. This and the 
ventilator ought to be in every bar-frame hive. Any of your readers- 
who are thinking of starting bee-keeping cannot do better than make- 
themselves one of the above hives, which they can easily do if they are 
handy with joiners’ tools ; instructions have been given in the Journal 
many times of late. 
Bee Feeders. 
I have tried “ the universal feeder ” described by “ A. L. B. K.” in 
the Journal for January 23rd, page 77. I find it answers admirably. I 
have no doubt that when the bees are in a feeding state they will take 
the syrup very quickly. Of the two I prefer the bar-frame feeder,, 
because it is so firm. The box feeder, however, has the advantage of 
being suitab’e for placing on the top of any kind of bar-frame hive. It 
is strange that this useful appliance is not oftener seen, as it is far ahead 
of the old tin feeder with float, which is the kind of feeder that is used- 
chiefly in this district.—C. Russell, Ingmire Ilall. 
LEICESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The annual meeting of this Association was held in the Mayor’s 
parlour at the old Town Hall recently under the presidency of Mr. L. 
Fosbrooke, Eavenstone Hall. About a dozen other members were 
present. The report of the Committee stated that in accordance with 
general anticipation the disastrous season of 1888 had been followed by 
one productive of more than an average crop of honey. The Committee 
congratulated the bee-keepers of Leicestershire on their good fortune.. 
The annual Show was held in the show ground of the Leicestershire 
Agricultural Society at Melton Mowbray on July 31st and August 1st. 
Mr. J. M. Hooker, the Judge appointed by the British Bee-keepers’ 
Association, writing on the Show, had said :—“ The Leicestershire Asso¬ 
ciation have reason to be proud of the grand display of honey this year p 
the great uniformity of appearance and flavour made it a difficult matter 
to select the best, where all were good, my only regret being that I had 
not double the number of prizes to award in the several classes. I never 
saw better honey staged. It shows that the teaching of the Association- 
has not been in vain.” Nearly a ton of honey was placed on the tables. 
There was also an excellent display of hives and bee appliances, thanks- 
to Messrs. Meadows & Eedshaw, who gratuitously exhibited their magni¬ 
ficent collections of apiculture apparatus. The silver medal was awarded 
to Mr. J. W. Bickley of Melton Mowbray; the bronze medal to Mrs, 
Copley, and the certificate to Mrs. Rippin of Waltham. The hive and 
bees were drawn for as usual, and fell to the lot of Mr. Beazley. A 
second Show was held on August 6 th at Leicester in connection with the 
Abbey Park Flower Show. The Committee very much regretted to have 
to point out the very unsatisfactory state of the finances of the Associa¬ 
tion, and trusted that earnest endeavours will be made on all hands to- 
increase the income either by subscriptions or donations. Special efforts 
were being made to reduce the debt, and donations for that purpose had 
already been received from Messrs. Whetstone, Mott, Finch, Meadows,, 
and Perkins. All liabilities except prizes had been discharged, and it 
was intended to make the prize money a first charge on the current year’s 
income. Members were requested to note the change of residence of Mr. 
George Munday, the expert; his new address being Cromwell Road, 
Wigston Road, Aylestone, Leicester. Circumstances over which he had 
no control had compelled the Secretary to resign. It will, therefore, be 
necessary to appoint someone else to the office.” 
The balance sheet showed receipts amounting to £36 Is. lOd., leaving 
a deficit of £9 129. 6Jd. A short discussion followed upon the report, 
during the course of which Mr. T. Carter said it must be evident to all 
that the funds of the Association were not sufficient to enable them to 
meet the expenses connected with their Shows. Then, again, the ex¬ 
pert’s expenses amounted to nearly one-third the income of the Society. 
That was an expense that had been deliberately adopted, and to some 
extent they were obliged, perhaps, to continue it, because one of the 
objects for which the Society was founded was to instruct members in 
the management of bees. If they did not keep that up they would be- 
rather breaking faith with their members, but they could not continue 
to conduct the Society on the present system unless some vigorous 
means were adopted for increasing the funds or diminishing the ex- 
