296 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[February 6. 
tion of “A Country Curate,” that “ the brimstone-pit is by far 
the most merciful way of dealing with them,” particularly, 
as he tells us in the succeeding paragraph, that the “ 1300 
fumigated bees, which were saved were united the same even¬ 
ing to one of his weak stocks, which they very beneficially 
strengthened by increasing the temperature several degrees 
in a hive that otherwise might have perished.” Your cor¬ 
respondent proceeds to say, “ In uniting these bees, I was 
surprised to find how readily they were received by the old 
inhabitants of the hive to which they were joined. The bees 
fraternized with all imaginable good will.” I have witnessed 
the same beneficial results often ; and, after such satisfactory 
testimony, can but be astonished at the eulogy passed by “A 
Country Curate ” on the “ brimstone-pit.” It may be perti¬ 
nent to observe, that a little experience is required in prac¬ 
tising fumigation, both as to the material and the mode of 
using it with effect. I have known instances amongst my 
neighbours where what is called Racodium cellare has been 
entirely mistaken, and another fungus ineffectually substi¬ 
tuted. Perhaps on another trial your correspondent will be 
successful in saving, not 1300 valuable lives, but many 
thousands, to invigorate his weak stocks, and reward his 
humanity. An Old Bee-master. 
HONEY DEW—DEPRIVING BEES. 
I will, in the first place, briefly say that I thought I 
might not have answered the inquiry of “ P. V. M. F.” in as 
clear a manner as I had intended; but on reference to my 
note I think he ought to have understood my meaning. I 
will assure him it is a fact. Bees do collect honey dew, and 
I have seen bees collect it. If “ P. V. M. F.” will ask the 
question from some nurseryman who grows young oaks, he 
may be able to ascertain the fact in a more satisfactory man¬ 
ner than from a grey-headed man like myself, of only 25 
years unremitting attention to bee management; and he 
will find, also, that honey dews are not of such unfrequent or 
of such rare occurrence as he appears to think. 
I will now tell you that I never wilfully destroyed a hive 
but the first I possessed. Since that time I have kept them 
either in square boxes or common straw hives, the size of 
which ought to be regulated by the situation in which they 
are placed. A country abounding with woods is the best, 
both as regards quantity and early collecting of food. Where 
hazles are abundant, bees first collect from the catkins of 
them; next, the bloom of the large butter-dock, and another 
plant in the woods, the name of which I am ignorant of; 
the leaves and flowers of a dark green, and the roots trail In 
the ground. (Mercurlalis perennis. Ed.) 
I knew a veteran bee-keeper some thirteen years ago, who 
kept bees close to the woods of Lord Grey, between Wordsley 
and Enville. This old gentleman had two hives in the 
spring, and at the end of the season they had increased to 
eleven. Now here, in a situation like this, large hives would 
be proper; but in most places hives or boxes ten inches 
square are quite large enough, and made of two-inch stuff: 
if larger, except the season is favourable, it is more than 
possible a swarm put therein in the middle of the swarming 
season, will not be able to fill the hive ; and a small hive 
full will stand the winter far better than one of twice the 
capacity when only half full. They undoubtedly commence 
in an empty hive at the top, and there you will always find 
the honey; the young bees will ever be found lower, and 
also any vacant cells. If it is required to increase the size 
of the box, when it is observed through a glass window of 
three or four inches square that the first box is full, add 
another eight inches deep, and of the same size across; 
place this under the other (not over it), and if through a 
similar opening in the lower box you see honey half-way 
down, not later than the 12th of August, in a good locality, 
you may venture to remove your upper box. Now, your 
lower box being composed of the same stuff, that is, two 
inches thick, and having neither top nor bottom, but having a 
top previously prepared with screw holes therein, ready to 
place thereon when the upper box is removed, pass a fine 
wire between them, to separate the combs in the upper from 
the lower box ; take off the top box, reverse it on a stand 
accommodated to be the same height as the entrance to the 
lower box, place on the lower box the previously adapted 
cover or top ; screw it down at your leisure. You are now 
in possession of what was your object; you will have honey, 
but neither young bees, nor bee bread, nor pollen. The 
young bees will suffer no loss, as the nurses will not be 
disturbed in their occupation ; the pollen will be there to 
supply their wants; and you do not want it yourself. Now, 
as to your prize, I will assure you by this method you will 
leave them the same door, the same house, though less, and 
they will want no whipping to induce them to rejoin their 
companions. If they delay to leave what you want, disturb 
a few of them with a quill-feather, and give tho box a few 
gentle taps at the side they remain on, and you will very 
soon see it expedient to move the box some twenty yards 
from the place; and your work will soon be finished by 
removing the few that remain with the feather. You need 
have no fear about their return to the proper quarters. 
Should such a thing occur as the queen to take wing, why 
the rest will follow; but it will not, on such an occasion, be a 
long journey ; and you need not fear this, if you, in the first 
instance, cause a commotion in the box by tapping,—you will 
know that all is right, as the greater part of tho bees will 
take a crowded course over the edge of the box exactly 
where the queen has gone in her removal from one box to 
the other. 
Now, if your colony should require assistance through 
unforeseen bad weather or other cause, place a proper feed¬ 
ing box under that in which your bees now are ; whilst they 
can bring in pollen, you can feed with the cheapest foreign 
honey at much less cost than the value of your own, and as 
the season advances, add thereto a little good brown sugar, 
and this last, you will find by experience, is the best pre¬ 
server of their existence you can supply them with, so soon 
as you observe them to have given up their regular flight in 
quest of their proper food. You will at the latter end of the 
season frequently, and especially before a heavy rain, which 
may follow the next day, see them come out for air and 
exercise. Feeding now with liquid food I much deprecate, as 
great numbers will be induced to partake too freely, and 
must perish from want of their summer strength, and drop¬ 
ping in cold and shaded places. By this method you 
destroy few, comparatively none, of your bees, and you have 
the best part of the honey. 
Again, small boxes may alwajs be expected to swarm 
earlier than large ones; and a new swarm will ever, if placed 
in a clean and new hive, work much better than an bid stock. 
And, further, old combs produce small bees, having been so 
frequently lined; are also of much less value, making very 
little wax. If the season is fine, a top-glass may be used, 
with this precaution, to wrap any such glass very closely 
with linen cloths; as without preserving a temperature in 
the glass equal to that in the hive or box, you need not 
expect the bees to work therein; nor can you expect the 
proper temperature if you do not be careful to fix any such 
glass close to the box or hive, either by paste or sealing-wax; 
and it must be remembered that cross bars are essentially 
necessary, in the boxes mentioned particularly, two to cross 
the upper part of the lower box. S. I. R. 
VARIOUS RECEIPTS FOR VARIOUS PEOPLE. 
At this time of the year every second person one meets is 
looking wretched, and shuddering, complaining of colds and 
coughs; and although no notice is often taken of a “ little 
cold,” depend upon it most of the “ ills to which flesh is 
heir to ” can trace their origin to a “ chill! ”—That most 
expressive word used so often by our poorer neighbours. 
“ A stitch in time saves nine,” and a “ little cold,” a slight 
chill nipped in the bud, thawed, as it were, away, prevents 
the seeds of ill-health and future misery from taking root. 
I know what a trouble it very often is for the family of a 
labouring man to apply to the parish doctor, and how almost 
impossible it is to walk, it may be some miles, to procure 
medicine for a slight ailment; but those who live in the 
country and have the smallest piece of garden, can easily 
raise medicines which often perform cures for tririal aches 
and pains quicker and more pleasantly than the drugs from 
the apothecary’s shop. We all know what a common herb 
sage is, and yet there are few things so serviceable for a cold 
