78 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January, 27, 1887. 
proper level. If all bee-keepers will try to keep such an 
account they will realise still greater pleasure in the future 
than they have done in the past from the management of 
their bees. They will discover at what price honey can be 
sold, leaving a fair profit to the producer; they will be able 
to satisfy the sceptical that a bee-keeper is a practical man 
who understands his business and does all he can to derive 
profit from the sale of his produce. Men will recognise the 
production of honey as a new industry worthy of support, an 
industry which may do something to lighten the labour of 
life, whioh may do something to educate the mind, to improve 
the morals, and to make the agricultural labourer find 
pleasure in gaining profit by a simple, instructive, and en¬ 
trancing study of bees, their habits and management.— 
Felix. 
NOTES ON BEES. 
On Wednesday, January 19th, the temperature rose suddenly to 
48° and a drizzling rain (no sunshine), which rapidly melted the ice 
and rendered the ground damp and uncomfortable, especially for 
bees. Some of mine had an airing on the 11th with a temperature 
of 37° only, but the ground being dry no bees were lost, neither were 
any lost on the 19th, because they did not fly, although the tempera¬ 
ture was much higher than on the 11th. But with my neighbour’s 
over the hedge it was very different; although raining, they availed 
themselves of the mild day and flew out in great numbers. In conse¬ 
quence of the coldness of the ground many were chilled, and all of 
them would have been lost had their owner not lifted them and 
resuscitated them by gentle heating while in paper bags Now here 
are two apiaries situated close together, while one suffered nothing 
from the treacherous day, the other suffered greatly. What is the 
reason of so distinct behaviour of the bees in the two apiaries ? My 
neighbour is a great advocate for keeping bees warm, so am I, but, 
as is well known, I give my bees large air space in addition to keeping 
them snug and dry. I have at the present moment four or five 
nuclei, and at the beginning of October a common tumbler would 
have held the bees of the largest swarm, one of these is a Syrian. 
These nuclei are located in hives equal to twenty standard frames, 
and while I write I have not as yet seen a dead bee at any one of 
them. I have one nucleus located in a Stewarton hive of two boxes, 
the upper one filled with comb and two-thirds with bees, while the 
under box is empty, the space beneath it and the ventilating floor 
being 6 inches ; 12 inches altogether of space, and the sides of the 
hives are covered with one thickness of inodorous felt tied loosely, 
and 4 or 5 inches of straw above, and over that a sheet of iron. It is 
perfectly dry. The bees are breeding and humming, three dead 
bees being all that I have discovered since December. 
Had it not been that my neighbour lifted many of the chilled 
bees some of his hives would certainly have succumbed before March 
was passed. The difference of his hives from mine is, while 1 give 
air space he contracts his hives to the smallest possible space, in fact 
he uses smaller hives at all times than I do, has solid floors, and 
covers his hives excessively, consequently when a sudden rise of the 
temperature takes place outside it is more 6udden in a stifled hive, 
which the bees cannot endure without becoming active. But there is 
another thing, and probably of more importance than covering. It is 
a well known fact that bees suffer more from long confinement than 
from cold, however low the temperature may be. Protracted seasons 
terrify us bee-keepers, not low temperatures. To reduce tho risk of 
losing bees through long confinement I have for many years made a 
practice of giving all my hives a feed as late in the year as possible, 
so as not to unnecessarily disturb the bees too much. This past fall 
I observed my bees flew at least a month later than those of my 
neighbour, hence their restlessness on the opening of the season. 
Landing Stages. —Owing to the landing board or stages being 
wet during the first flight of the bees, they are easily chilled and 
many bees are lost thereby. To obviate this I have used wire cloth, 
wickerwork, netting, &c.. but as my alighting stages are, as a rule, 
not exposed, it is seldom any precaution is necessary. If the snow 
should lie upon and wet any stages, and these not dry when the bees 
begin theii flight, I cover the landing with either comb foundation or 
thin cork. 
Turning Frame Hives Upside Down.— Notwithstanding the 
facilities frame hives afford for inspection by handling frames singly, 
there are still some bee-keepers prefer to examine their hives from 
beneath, just as they used to do with their straw ones. Some ten or 
twelve years ago several persons said that if it was not for the frames 
falling out when turned up they would have some. To meet their 
wants I undertook to make some for them. I suspended the frames 
in the middle, similarly to what I described in a late number, the 
frames of the reversible ones • and to prevent them falling out when 
turned upside down I put a sliding fillet of wood above the 
suspenders, and which could be wrought from the outside of the hive, 
so that they had only to be drawn back when the frames were to be 
removed. I exhibited this hive along with another one of peculiar 
construction at the Caledonian Apiarian Society Show in 1877. The 
novelty of this hive consisted of an arrangement for having the ends 
of the frames close or open— i.e., the space between the frame and 
side of hive close or open. A key wrought the arrangement from 
the outside, which instantly closed the space when desired. I never 
was in favour of close-ended frames, and do not advise them. 
Small Sections. —The following year Mr. D. Wood, Kilmuir, 
exhibited a variety of sections, from about 2 ozs. and upwards. His 
motive for small sections was to have honeycomb in a presentable 
form without cutting for the table. When I visited that gentleman 
later in the year he showed me these small open-ended sections being 
filled in the hive. Again we have had in Scotland a decade back, 
what the Canadians have so captivated the members of the B.B.K.A. 
with in 1886.—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
Al l 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 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. 
TO CONTRIBUTORS.—Our friends who favour with communications, 
on controversial subjects will oblige by sending their articles as 
soon after they receive the Journal as possible. Our space is prac- 
ticaUy filled on Monday, and only articles that are “ expected,” and 
which arrive on Tuesday, can, as a rule, be inserted in the current 
issue. For this reason we are compelled to hold over some that we- 
would have readUy inserted this week had they reached us a day 
or two sooner. 
Weather Records (Stormy). —If you write to G. J. Symons, Esq., 62, 
Camden Square, London, N.W., stating your requirements, and enclosing a. 
stamped directed envelope for reply, we think you will be favoured with 
the information you seek. 
Odontoglossum and Dendrobium (A. E. IF.).—We should think that 
the growths have not been sufficiently matured, and they would have been 
benefited by a slightly drier position with free exposure to light. They 
would not have succeeded in the greenhouse, but a suitable situation could 
no doubt have been found for them in the stove. It is not sufficient to 
obtain apparently vigorous growths ; these must be well matured, or they 
seldom flower freely. 
Romneya Coulteri (E. D.). —The plant you inquire about is a perennial 
allied to the Poppies, but is only hardy in warm southern districts, else¬ 
where it would need protection during winter. It is not usually very free 
flowering, but grows satisfactorily in a rather moist soil, the large white- 
flowers being very handsome. When in good condition it attains the height 
of 4 feet, forming bushes nearly as much in diameter. Petroleum has been, 
known to injure the young wood of fruit trees, but if you make a mixture 
of softsoap in water and petroleum in e jual quantities, it can be safely ap¬ 
plied and will destroy the insect*. 
Chrysanthemum Critique (A Grower). —Mr. Garnett’s critique on Mr. 
Molyneux’s work is “ not forgotten,” nor is it likely to long remain 
unpublished. It is an able production, and though not in conformity with 
Mr. Molyneux’s teaching in every particular, it will be calculated to promote 
the sale of his work ; and as that work has been for some time reprinting, 
we were reluctant to cause disappointment to an increased number of 
applicants who could not be promptly supplied with copies. The first edi¬ 
tion was not half large enough. 
Sal-Ammoniac for Pipe Joints (Novice). —We have never weighed 1 
either the filings or sal-ammoniac. This is not necessary, for with a little 
practice the right quantity of the last named will be readily arrived at. If 
you take sufficient iron filings for, say, half a dozen joints, a pi- ce of sal- 
ammoniac as large as a Cobnut, broken fine and mixed with the filings, will 
prove ample. You had better err on the side of using too little than go to 
the other extreme. Too much sal-ammoniac will result in the destruction 
of the metal, and finally the bursting of the joints. With the filings mix 
. also about one-seventh of red lead in a dry state, then sufficient water to 
