280 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 7,1887. 
Passing from the top to the bottom bar or rail, the standard s 
bottom rail is only one-eighth of an inch thick, which is too flimsy, 
and serves little or no good purpose. It also requires to be stronger, 
so that it will support the comb in the frame, and made so that the 
bees fasten their combs firmly to it, for if not done it is better not 
to have any bar below. This is always the case with, or should be, 
with shallow horizontal boxes, commonly about 6 inches deep in 
the clear, and apparently it will before long be the standard hive. 
Many are now adopting them, and undoubtedly they offer the most 
advantages to bees and bee-keepers, and are the cheapest. I saw a 
joiner the other day who has been long out of work. I showed 
him one of my hives, and asked him what he could produce similar 
ones for. He made two, and sent me one of them, stand, and three 
body boxes, frames, and ventilating floor complete for 8s. 6d. I may 
inform all who read this that I am in no way concerned in the sale 
of these hives, and if the maker wishes to obtain a few orders he 
must advertise. I only mention it to show their cheapness. 
Returning to the standard frame, while the top and bottom bar 
are too light, the end pieces, where there is the least strain, are out 
of proportion to the other parts, but are a proper strength for 
frames of a better and heavier make. When the standard frame 
and hive was first sent out it was simply a half hive. Happily it is 
not far from being near the proper size when two are used as one 
hive, only the frames as used have the grave faults mentioned in 
the foregoing. I feel certain shallow divisions will give greater 
satisfaction, especially M r here the extractor is used, while the risk 
of combs collapsing through heat, pressure, or when in transit, is 
reduced to a minimum. This is no trifle in bee-keeping, especially 
where the hives have to be moved about; at least that has been the 
experience of—A Lanarkshire Bee-keeper. 
POISONOUS HONEY— INFORMATION WANTED. 
In several localities I am acquainted with (one at Greenock, 
another in the Highlands) the bees annually, about the month of 
May, die in great numbers both out and inside the hive, on their 
return from the fields. They expire convulsively after the manner 
some animals die from strychnine poison. At both places Rhodo¬ 
dendrons are plentiful, but although some attributed the fatal 
results to the honey collected from these shrubs, I never ventured 
an opinion. One gentleman at Greenock who has paid particular 
attention to this calamity for many years, tells me that he observed 
it occurred only during the east winds, about the time previously 
mentioned, and only when the wind blew directly over certain 
sugar refineries, but that at other seasons, when the wind blew in 
the same direction, the bees were not affected. How is this ? Will 
the carbonic acid gas emitted at these works be more fatal to bee 
life during spring than at any other time ? Is it a disease, or do 
certain flowers secrete honey that is poisonous ? 
We have various accounts of people being poisoned with honey 
—to wit, the Grecian soldiers, and later, the fatal cases in America. 
It is of great importance to the bee-keepers of this country that 
this question should be thoroughly understood. If the rumour 
spreads abroad that honey is sometimes poisonous, the public 
will cease to use it, and bee-keepers will find a difficulty in dis¬ 
posing of honey, however wholesome it may be. In the first place, 
then, is there any poisonous honey that bees will gather, and, if so, 
have bees an immunity from certain poisons ? If we believe that 
Rhododendrons or Azaleas yield poisonous honey, and are the cause 
of the death of the bees aforementioned, then they have not an 
entire immunity from death through sipping the nectar, even 
although it goes no further than the stomach, as we see poison acting 
on fowls. In the case of the honey that poisoned the Grecian soldiers, 
the bees could not have been injured, neither at the gathering nor 
after, because if so, there would have been no honey stored. Which¬ 
ever way we look at the evidence it is mysterious and conflicting. 
I can offer no solution whatever, but I suggest that it is possible 
that the poison may not be in the honey, but in the pollen. While 
the Grecians were only intoxicated, the Americans were killed. 
We want evidence, however, whether the honey was eaten in a 
liquid state or direct from the comb. If the latter, then I think it 
probable that the poisonous effects may be traced to pollen, and that 
honey is safe at all times to be used when from it. Many people who 
never saw bees do not know honey from brood comb, and I saw some 
policemen at an exhibition eat brood and apparently relish it greatly. 
I only regretted that it was out of my power at the time to let them 
taste genuine honeycomb. If any of your numerous readers can 
throw any light upon the subject it will be hear lily welcomed by 
many. Perhaps Dr. G. Walker may be able to enlighten us, and 
give particulars upon the points of this letter.—A. L. B. K. 
FOREIGN RACES OF BEES. 
With all due deference to “L. B. K. ” I will call brown bees black 
in future, but I must agree to differ with him as to his view of the facts 
he gives. We must judge of these from what he has written. In one 
letter he distinctly gives figures which prove that Ligurians and their 
crosses have, as far as he has a record of, given the largest quantity of 
honey in a season. In his next letter he says I have put a construction 
upon his words contrary to facts, and then in his next sentence corro¬ 
borates what I did say by admitting that the Ligurians were the largest 
yielders, but excusing the Cyprians and Syrians on account of seasons 
not being so good. Since the question of foreign v. black bees has been 
raised in this Journal, Mr. Simmins has followed suit in the British Bee 
Journal, and opens the ball with an article on Cyprians. After giving 
their good qualities, he admits they are no good for section work, as 
their cappings are thin and lie close upon the honey, giving it a dark 
damp appearance. Mr. Abbott follows with a letter, in which he gives 
nothing in their favour, but everything against them. Nearly all writers 
agree that they are not bees for beginners, as they require very carefully 
handling, for when roused they are unmanageable, and of course a novice 
would be much more likely to rouse their tempers than an old hand would. 
It appears to me. then, that the great point in the favour of foreigners 
is their greater prolificness than the generality of blacks ; while the 
points in favour of the blacks are—first, that they are keener after honey 
than any other race, for when the glut comes they will fill the brood- 
nest with honey, and will even sometimes tear out brood to make room 
for it; and second, that they seal their honey the best of any race. The 
only fault the general run of black bees have, is that in a honey glut 
they work themselves down too fast. A weak black stock will store 
honey, but it appears that until a foreign stock becomes extraordinarily 
strong, it stores none, but devotes its whole energy to rearing brood. 
Looking at it in this light, does not much of the bee literature of to-day 
do wrong in advising that blacks should be put on one side to make 
room for foreigners? I like “ L. B. K.’s” advice better when he says 
parties ought to cyprianise or syrianise a third of their stocks ; but I 
would go further, and say if we must have these pretty golden bees, let 
us keep them in the proportion of one stock to six black stocks. We 
should then get a race of bees having the good qualities of both races, 
but having, what I still hold would be best, a preponderance of the. 
good qualities of our black bees. In a honey glut I have particularly 
watched the Syrians and Ligurians when working alongside blacks, and 
it has appeared to me that the blacks have brought far the heavier loads 
individually. Are we, then, to replace at great expense our native bees 
by foreigners which we do not understand, but which we know have 
their bad traits, or are we to improve those we already have? This 1 
question wants facing and thoroughly sifting, for it is the most 
momentous question of the day with us bee-keepers who want to be 
honey gatherers as well. “ L. B. K.” and I have had this to ourselves 
so far, cannot someone else give us a little of his experience?— Notts. 
Bee-keeper. 
C V~ All correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
Editor ” or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dm 
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. 
Books (W. R ). —It will not be necessary to add many works to the: 
list you have given, but all the books published by Mr. B. S. Williams, 
Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Holloway, will be found useful, 
as also will Veitch’s “ Coniferae.” Burbidge’s “ Propagation and Improve¬ 
ment of Cultivated Plants” (W. Blackwood) might also be added. The 
prices can be had on application to those firms. The address you require is 
Whitefriars Street, London, E.C. 
Rating Market Gardens (W. Pitis). —The decision to which you refer 
will, we think, apply to general as well as to local rates, but for precise- 
information you had better apply to a solicitor. 
Vines not Breaking (J. B.). —We are unab'e to account for the canes- 
not starting, assuming they have not been dressed with anything deleted- 
ous that has injured the buds. You give no particu'ars whereon we can 
found an opinion, neither as to the temperature of the house, position of the- 
roots, or general treatment. You do not even say whether the old rods 
were cut out or not, and if not whether they are starting—tte young 
canes alone reining ti break. Depress them, syringing twice or thricer 
a day according to the weather, aud maintain a brisk temperature. It 
is, however, most difficult to answer with precision in the absence cf in¬ 
formation that is necessary for the purpose of a satisfactory reply. 
Wateiing Vines (D. H .).—The Vine roots being restricts d to the brick 
pit water will be required frequently. It should be given after the Vinea 
are in full leaf and have set the fiuit, once a week—a thorough supply each 
time, a 4-gallon wateringpotful per square yard not being too much, and 
when the Grapes are swelling freely after setting and until the colour is 
changing it should be suoplemented by a similar quantity of liquid manure, 
with good surface mulching. With good drainage th s is not too much, but 
much depends upon the weather and the condition of the Vines. In bright 
