364 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 6, 1887. 
quite contrary to their nature, without taking the con¬ 
dition of the bees and the inclement state of the weather 
into account, but regard it as an axiom that if bees survive 
the winter well under certain conditions one year they 
will always do so. Our seasons are varied, and while some 
winters have passed in our experience with scarcely any 
frost or snow, others have been both frosty and long-con¬ 
tinued with much snow, the greatest enemy bees kept in 
the open have to contend with. Four degrees below zero 
is the lowest temperature I have ever experienced, but it 
was of short duration, lasting only two days every time 
it occurred, and bees kept in single-cased hives of five- 
eighths of an inch thick but dry were uninjured, while 
with a temperature of not less than 28°, but which con¬ 
tinued for some weeks and with much snow, the bees 
suffered greatly. 
During the present year I had two “nuclei,” which in 
September could only cover a circle of about 6 inches of 
brood; yet, notwithstanding the paucity of bees, they 
were healthy during January and February, experiencing 
a temperature of 70 Q , but in March, with a temperature 
of 10° and snow, I observed the bees of one of these 
“ nuclei ” leaving the hive in a distressed state. I took it 
indoors, but the temperature of the room must have been 
very low as water froze in it, and the bees appeared dead. 
I placed it in a warmer compartment and the bees were 
mostly resuscitated; kept it in the house at a temperature 
at about 56° for three weeks, and they are now progressing, 
breeding as rapid as circumstances will allow. The other 
one has stood outside, but has few bees and not breeding, 
although it was not the stronger of the two, which, had it 
been housed, would have been a thriving although a 
weak hive. 
I have never experienced any difficulty in preserving 
bees outside until the end of February however severe the 
weather has been, but from the beginning of March and 
often far in May the loss is sometimes great, especially 
with weak hives and those that are scarce of food. At all 
times the well provisioned hive, both in pollen and honey, 
loses fewest, bees remaining quiet, when hungry bees are 
abroad and losing themselves. Especially so has it been 
the case this year. I have often heard of pollen-bound 
hives, but I never experienced anything but good results 
from hives having, apparently, an extra supply of pollen. 
Until the temperature reaches nearly 00° well provisioned 
hives remain comparatively quiet, and hives with not more 
than half the bees will often be flying when these strong 
hives are perfectly still to all appearance outside. When 
bees are crowded into little space it tends greatly to keep 
them on the wing when they should not be. On the other 
hand, a fair number of bees having twice as much unoccu¬ 
pied space as there is occupied will be perfectly quiet 
and in a normal state both as regards breeding and 
health. 
The great principle to observe is to have bees dry and 
without any draught playing upon them, so as to reduce 
the natural temperature of the hive. If bees cannot raise 
the temperature to 60° during cold weather they are 
unable to move about and feed, consequently they often 
suffer and die. I have often seen bees exposed in a dry 
atmosphere outside to 4° of frost, yet, owing to having 
honey in their stomachs, resuscitated and flew to their 
hives. On the other hand, when they come into contact 
with a damp surface, even at a temperature between 35° 
and 40°, they die; how important, then, is it that hives 
should be kept free from damp. 
Before I adopted the ventilating floor as I use it now 
I frequently gave the bees large entrances, but since I 
adopted the ventilating floor I find it had been a mistake. 
When a hive is properly made, and fitted with a ventilating 
floor, there is no necessity for the entrance to the strongest 
hive being more than 1 inch wide. Such a hive is airy 
but not draughty, and is easily heated and keeps the bees 
quiet with little consumption of food, consequently they 
are less liable to be injured through stress of weather 
than those not so treated. Since I advised the use of 
perforated floors some have condemned them, but give 
no reason for so doing. Many, however, have given them 
a trial and report greatly in their favour..—A Lanark¬ 
shire Bee-keeper. 
° Ci ° All correspondence should be directed either to “ Tun 
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 cannct reply to questions through the 
post, and we do not undertake to return rejected communica¬ 
tions. 
LATE INQUIRIES.—It is necessary to again remind correspondents that 
letters arriving on WEDNESDAY MORNING cannot be answered 
in the “ next issue,” which is then far advanced for press. 
Daffodils (Ii. H. F.). —Till work by Mr. F. W. Burbidge and Mr. J. G. 
Bakir is the best you could have on the subject. You can procure cata¬ 
logues from Mes-rs. Barr & Son, 12, King Stre -t, Covent Garden, London,, 
and Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham 
Seedling Primula (S. B. 1.—We are obliged by the plants you have sent, 
the parentage of which we have noted, and your “ child ” will find mauy 
associates in onr “ nursery.” It appears delicate, yet promising, and will 
nit be neglected. The green-edged Auricula should also be grown with 
the object of developing its properties. 
Scale on Gardenias (Ft-rndale ).—Fir tree oil, nicot’ne soap, Gishurst 
compound, Lemon o-l, and Thanatos will destroy scale when the in¬ 
secticides are prepared and applied according to the infltruct'ons of the- 
manufacturers. Some persons cleanse their plants with thepetro'eum and 
soft-soap solution, the preparation of which has been so many times 
described. Methylated spirits will destroy scale and not injure the plants, 
applying to the stems with a soft brush. 
Weevils on Ferns ( T. F .—The enemy that is attacking your Ferns so 
persi tently is the destruct've weevil Otiorhynclris sulcatus. As they are 
most active at night you may secun many by taking each plant carefully 
aid briskly shaking it over a wh : t; sh -et. this slio ring where the weevils 
fall, and their escape can then be prevented. By perseverance ia that plan 
the nnm er of weevils may sooa be materially reduced. Another m thmT 
of attack is syringing the plants well with a solution of hellebore, pre- 
p rred by pouring a little boi ing water oa 2 ozs. of white hellebore powder, 
which c m be obtained from a chem at, beating it into a soft paste, then well 
stirring into a gallon of water. When convenient the plants ought to have 
all the old soil removed thit is practicable, and thJ house should be 
thoroughly cleansed in every part. 
Shading Conservatories (E. G.). — Where light blinds can be con¬ 
veniently fixed under a roof to be drawn down on hot days and drawn up 
in dull weather, we consider the plan better than a permanent shading on 
the glass. Ferns, Palms, and a number of ornamental-foliaged plants are 
not injured by a light permanent shade, hut where flowers are grown 
many of them become drawn under clouded glass during a period of dull 
weather. Summer cloud is found satisfactory by many cultivators, and 
can be washed off in the autumn with a strong solution of soda. Many 
conservatories are so arranged and planted with climbers for covering the 
roofs that inside blinds cannot be very well used, hut where they can be 
properly fixed so as to work smoothly they will give satisfaction. Blinds 
with narrow light blue stripes are employed in some conservatories, then- 
appearance beiDg preferred to plain white material. 
Warts on Vine Leaves (J.L. A.). —The small excrescences on the leaf- 
you have sent are Dot caused by insects, but by slight exudations of sap. 
When the warts are so numerous as to give the loaves an encrusted ap¬ 
pearance respiration is impaired and healthy growth arrested. The leaf 
before us is by no means seriously ruptured, and if there are others no worse 
on the Vine we do not apprehend it will be materially injured. The affec- 
