September 99. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
509 
bees being about twenty times more numerous than the 
drones. One queen reigns supreme over the whole. 
The Queen is darker on the back, browner underneath, 
and shorter in the wings than the working bees: she is pro¬ 
vided with a sting, of which, however, she seldom makes 
use, except to punish rival queens (whose presence in the 
hive she will not suffer). She seldom, if ever, leaves the 
hive, except at swarming time. The time of the year at 
which she begins to lay eggs depends somewhat upon the 
weather; in mild seasons she begins earlier than in cold, 
but, generally speaking, young working bees may be seen 
about the hives in the third week in February, and some¬ 
times earlier. Queen-bee eggs are not laid till considerably 
later than the workers’ eggs, and then only in small numbers, 
and not in the common cells, but in cells much larger, and 
somewhat of an oblong shape, fastened to the sides of the 
combs, and having their openings downwards. The young 
Queens are ready to come from their cells about the six¬ 
teenth day from the laying of the eggs, but if not required 
for the purposes of the hive (in consequence of the old 
queen having died, or left the hive with a swarm), they are 
turned out and die. If the old queen die without leaving 
queen eggs behind her, the bees have the power (provided 
there be working bee broods, not more than two or three 
days old in the hive at the time), of producing a queen from 
this brood : this is effected by the working bees enlarging 
an ordinary working bee cell, and feeding the brood with a 
food different from that naturally provided for the working 
brood. The Queen Bee is much longer lived than the work¬ 
ing bees, a queen having been known to live four or five 
years. 
The Working Bees are smaller than either the queen or 
the drones. The queen begins her labours in the spring 
by laying a great number of the eggs from which they are 
hatched; one egg is laid in each brood cell (for cells, it must 
be remembered, are of two sorts, brood cells and honey cells, 
the latter being in all respects much larger than the former, 
and by no means fitted to receive eggs). In four or five days 
the eggs are hatched, and the grub (which never leaves its 
cell until fully grown) is for the next live or six days care¬ 
fully fed by the old bees with pollen (as the tine powder 
found in the stamens of the flowers is called), mixed into a 
paste with water which is collected for the purpose. After 
that time, the grub spin themselves into a ball, somewhat 
after the manner of a caterpillar. The old bees then close 
up the cells, and on the twenty-first day from the laying of 
the egg, a perfect and full-sized bee comes forth; it is 
quickly' cleansed from the dirt of the cell by its companions, 
in whose labours it directly joins. A year is considered as 
about the length of a working bee’s life. 
The Drones are larger than the working bees, and are 
known by the loud noise they make in flying; they' take no 
part in the business of the hive. They have no sting, appear 
only in the middle of the day, and are all turned out by the 
working bees when the breeding season ends, and soon 
perish. In hives where swarming is prevented, this gene¬ 
rally takes place rather earlier than in hives where it is 
not. Drone eggs are laid about the beginning of April, in 
stronger and larger cells than those in which workers’ eggs 
are laid, and they arrive at full age about twenty-five or 
twenty-six days from the time of laying. The function of 
the drone is to fertilise the queen, but whether this is 
effected inside the hive or in the open air is doubtful. Some 
writers hold that the eggs are fertilized after they have been 
laid, but this view is clearly erroneous. 
(To be continued.) 
GLEANINGS. 
Extraordinary Sale of Cattle, Ac., in America.— 
The Northern Kentucky Importing Association of Breeders 
had an auction sale of their pure-blooded short-horn stock, 
purchased in England, in 1853, at the farm of Brutus Clay, 
Bourbon, county Kentucky, on the 18th day of August, 
1853. The Association is a Kentucky one, and the pur¬ 
chasers were put under obligations not to remove the stock 
from that state for one year. With this limitation the sale 
was well attended, and bidding spirited. 
Bulls. —1. Young Chilton, white, calved in May, 1850, 
cost in England 000 dls., sold for 3,005 dls. 2. Diamond, ' 
roan, calved in June, 1850, cost 030 dls., sold for 0,001 dls. 
3. The Count, roan, calved in July, 1851, cost 525 dls., 
sold for 2,515 dols. 4. Orontos, red and white, calved Sept. 
1851, cost 030 dls., sold for 4,525 dls. 5. Fusileer, roan, 
calved February, 1853, cost 375 dls., sold for 4,475 dls. 0. 
Senator, white, calved April, 1852, cost 030 dls., sold for 
2,000 dls. 7. Belleville, roan, calved January, 1852, cost 
I, 050 dls., sold for 1,500 dls. 8. Challenger, roan, calved 
January 1852, cost 450 dls., sold for 4,858 dls. 9. For- 
tunatus, roan, calved December, 1852, cost 275 dls., sold 
for 1,800 dls. 10. Yorkshire Maynard, dark roan, calved 
March, 1852, cost 275 dls., sold for 1,000 dls. 
Cows and Heifers.— 1. Lady Stanhope, roan, calved in 
1847, cost 375 dls., sold for 1,500 dls. 2. Lady Fairy, red, 
calved in June, 1848, cost 525 dls., sold for 1,150 dls. 3. 
Roan Duchess, roan, calved July, 1850, cost 275 dls., sold 
for 900 dls. 4. Goodness, red, calved September, 1847, 
cost 525 dls., sold for 2,025 dls. 5. Gem, roan, calved 
April, 1851, cost 775 dls., sold for 825 dls. 0 Equity, deep 
red, calved March, 1852, cost 400 dls., sold for 1000 dls. 
7. Necklace, roan, calved April 1852, cost 260 dls., sold for 
805 dls. 8. Bracelet, roan, twin of Necklace, cost 260 dls., 
sold for 750 dls. 9. Mazurka, dark roan, calved August, | 
1851, cost COO dls., sold for 3,050 dls. 10. Lady Caroline, j 
light roan, calved July, 1851, cost 400 dls., sold for 1,825 dls. 
II. Duchess of Sutherland, red, calved December, 1850, 
cost 375 dls., sold for 900 dls. 12. Maid of Melrose, rich 
roan, calved October, 1851, cost 775 dls., sold for 2,200 dls. 
13. Muffin, red roan, calved June, 1852, cost 225 dls., sold 
for 535 dls. 14. Orphan Nell, roan, calved November, 
1852, cost 525 dls., sold for 1,000 dls. 15. Flattery, white, 
calved November, 1851, cost 325 dls., sold for 805 dls. 
Sheep. — Southdown. — Three bucks sold for 755 dls., 
480 dls., and 340 dls., and three ewes for 250 dls., 180 dls., 
and 230 dls. Cotswold .—Two bucks 1,010 dls., and 710 dls., | 
and six ewes, 270 dls., 150 dls., 221 dls., 230 dls., 200 dls., ! 
150 dls., and 200 dls. Leicester .—One buck and two ewes 
for 52 dls. each. 
Horses.— Cleveland bay horse (Young Lord), 1,000 dls., j 
sold for 2,800 dls.—(New York Herald, August 26, 1853.) j 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
The Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed “ To the Editor of 
the. Cottage Gardener, 2, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row, London." 
Geraniums in a Parlour-window (Annie ).—A great deal has been 
said on window-gardening. Cleanliness, keeping them in an equal tem¬ 
perature, giving them a moist atmosphere, by covering the pots with 
moss, and moistening the foliage when there is much fire in the room, 
are of first moment. The plants would not do in a Wardian case ; they 
would not have enough of air, and there would be considerable trouble 
in watering them. The best plants for such a purpose are Mosses and 
1 Ferns. They would not require to be often watered, because the vapour 
! that rose during the day, in a hot room, would be condensed and fall 
i again when it became cool. A double-window, with a good space be¬ 
tween the sashes, would enable you to grow plants in good style, much 
better than any Wardian case, as you could cover your outside sash when 
the weather was cold, could give what air you liked there, without ad¬ 
mitting more than you liked into the sitting-room. 13y keeping the 
: inner sash shut, you would save the plants from all the dust in cleaning, 
and also from dried air when you had a large fire, while, when the room 
got cooler, you could admit a more moist and temperate atmosphere to 
the plants at will. Very much pleasure may be derived from such con¬ 
trivances ; but instead of forwarding your plants in a window, when you 
have a greenhouse, we would prefer growing them in the latter, and then 
bringing them, when in good condition, to the former. As for cramming 
in winter, you would be amazed to see how the best gardeners must 
do that. 
Treatment or Vines (Walter Wilsot ). — With the exception of 
putting a layer of coal-ashes beneath your coinpost, which we do not 
see the propriety of, you have managed your Vines well. It is quite as 
well for you that the Vines did not bear well the second year ; they will 
pay you back with interest. Your description of the strength of the 
Vines, and the shanking of some, and the never swelling of others, lead 
us to imagine, notwithstanding your statement to the contrary, that you 
had more of growth than of maturation. The Muscats will require a 
temperature of 70°, and 10° to 15° more for sunshine, to set well—a matter 
