266 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, July 24, 1860. 
pretty effectually. A super was put on in May and is nearly j 
filled, more room being afforded them a few days since. 
No. 14.—An observatory unicomb hive, at present remaining 
unatockcd, owing to the unfavourable weather we have had. This 
is of a Gothic shape, 3 ft. 2 in. in height, by about 16 in. wide. 
It is furnished with six loose bars, which are also adapted to an 
oblong box into which the swarm is first placed, and allowed to 
establish itself until a considerable quantity of combs are made. 
They are then with great ease shifted to the unicomb, and at the 
close of the season may be returned to the box for winter 
quarters. Eor this last idea I am indebted to the “ Devonshihe 
Bee-Keeper,” who first adopted the arrangement with his own 
observatory-hive. 
A fine swarm which has been at work for some weeks has 
been recently purchased for this hive, and will soon be transferred 
to it for a short period. 
No. 15.-—A set of Stewarton boxes, a swarm of last season, 
from which several loose bars of comb were removed and the defi¬ 
ciencies again made good by the bees. Tliis year a full-sized super 
is being filled, and further room has been required and afforded. 
No. 16.—A deep, flat-top, straw hive, stocked late last season, 
on 22nd June. Although a super was early supplied this spring, 
a swarm issued on the 20th May, but returned. On the 29th, a 
fine swarm was safely secured, which was evidently a prime 
swarm. On June 1st, or three days after, a second issue took 
place. Query, in this case, was the queen lost on the occasion 
of the first departure of the bees ? I think it is the only way 
in which the very short interval between the two swarms can be 
accounted for. 
No. 17.— Large octagon, nine-bar box, peopled with two 
swarms this summer, weighing together G lbs. 4 ozs. of bees. 
Stocked first on May 30th ; second batch of emigrants added on 
June 10th. Owing to the wretched weather, I was obliged to 
feed liberally; but feel well rewarded now in having so done. 
Since the welcome’ change, comb-building has progressed very 
rapidly, and this bids fair to be one of my primest colonies for 
future operations. 
It will be seen from the foregoing remarks, that my apiary 
consists in a large proportion of straw hives, and many among 
these are simple cottage steps, purchased from country bee¬ 
keepers. I believe I might safely engage to obtain, in a series of 
years, as much honey from a given number of these as could be 
taken in the same district from a similar number of any kind of 
hives or boxes. I do not prefer them to wooden hives, but use 
them chiefly on account of the ease with which a good depriving- 
hive can, in a few minutes, he adapted from already established 
swarms, or strong and vigorous stocks. I frequently, in May 
and June, visit the gardens of cottagers, and if I see a swarm of 
a few weeks old that has worked unusually well, purchase it— 
probably at an advance of a few shillings beyond what would he 
asked for one not yet established, obtain liberty to keep it 
where it stands until the autumn, cut a hole in the crown, fit on 
a top board, open comumications into a glass or super-box, tie 
all up secure, and leave it to take its chance. In this manner 
have I, with little or no trouble, been rewarded with supers con¬ 
taining 15 lbs., and 25 lbs. of honey, worth here from 15a!. to 18(2. 
per lb. The hive is removed in autumn to one of my own bee- 
gardens. Not only do I repeat the benefit of the plan in a melli¬ 
fluent sense, but it also serves to enlighten the cottagers and 
causes them to think more about their bees than they have ever 
done, besides being often a source of great pleasure to me in 
observing the interest with which they watch the progress of 
comb-building and lioney-storing in the glasses, occasionally 
remarking in the Devonshire style—“ Lord a massy, us niver 
did’n zee zich a zight afore, iver anything like that now, purty 
little craeturs! ” 
The Stewarton hives as I have adapted them please me much, 
and are likely to form a large proportion in my apiary. Taylor’s 
flat straw hives are also admirable. In making the cone-shaped 
apertures for communication I should avoid having any which 
would open over the central combs, believing that there is a good 
deal of sound sense in the remarks of “ A Renfewshire Bee- 
keeper,” in The Cottage Gabdeneb, a few weeks since on that 
point, under the head of “ Stewarton Ilives.” I was not pre¬ 
viously aware of that peculiarity in the working of (hose hives— 
viz., that of the communication between the boxes being towards 
the side, instead of over the central combs. Long ago I adopted 
the principle in constructing loose adapters for bar-hives, but 
have rather lost sight of it of late, except in the ease of the ad 
juster hive, which has been so worked. 
I can endorse all that “B. & W.” says in page 234 respecting 
the semi-starvation of stocks about the end of June, and the 
crammed condition of their population. While those of the 
“ Devonshire Bee-keeper” were, in consequence of the wretched 
weather, suffering from the manipulations necessary for the carry¬ 
ing out of his queen-rearing projects, my own hives were greatly 
crowded with bees, and ready to take advantage of any change 
for the better. Although it is now too late to expect much of a 
honey harvest, yet I trust it is not altogether such a hopeless 
case as it appeared to be when “B. & W.” wrote, and that with 
the recent change in the “ skiey influences ” another “ chango 
has come o’er the spirit of A is dream.”—S. B. Pox, Exeter. 
Errata.— Page 236, 16th line from top 1st col,, read instead of “removal 
of bees” “removal of liars.” 
MOISTURE IN WOODEN HIVES—CAPTURING 
QUEENS. 
How am I to get rid of the dampness from condensation in a 
glass and a wooden hive? I find whenever the temperature 
gets down to between 50° and C0°, the dampness settles on the 
glass, and this in cold and winter weather is bad. If I put a 
piece of perforated zinc over a hole, the bees stop it up ; besides 
which, it cools the hive very much, and I want to know a good 
and practicable plan. Would you also say how I am to get rid 
of the bees when searching after driving for the queen, to enable 
me to add a Ligurian queen ? They come about one so much 
and sting where they can, and so lose their lives; besides which 
they become very irritable after it. 
IIow does M. Hermann catch the queen and bees? I find 
when I want to do like this, that as fast as I put one in another 
flies out.—A Bee. 
[All bee-glasses, when in use, should be well covered with 
some non-conducting material. Glazing the windows of hives 
with three, or better still, four panes of glass, with a space of 
about an eighth of an inch between each pane, will very much 
diminish the condensation of which you complain. When 
wooden hives become (as sometimes occurs) unfit for the habi¬ 
tation of bees, owing to internal moisture, the combs and bees 
should be shifted into a dry box. This can, of course, only be 
done in bar-hives ; but with these it is a very simple operation. 
Whilst searching for a queen an efficient bee dress and thick 
woollen gloves will obviate a chance of a sting. We do not 
know how M. Hermann captures his bees, but he has, doubtless, 
bad much practice, and possesses great skill in the manipulation 
of these insects.] 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
White Bantams (J. Crossland, jun.). —You give us some difficulty ill 
answering your question. The points you describe are not only desirable 
in White Bantams, but they are those which in our opinion constitute 
excellence. There is no doubt the feathered birds have their admirers as 
well as the clean; and it is hut fair to suppose that practised judges, such 
as those who act at the Crystal Palace and Sheffield, must see something 
very meritorious in those that have been successful at both places. There 
is one point you do not mention—Are your birds small ? The body of a 
Bantam should be round and compact, hut it should not be squat; and it 
must he borne in mind the carriage should always he saucy. There is a 
tendency, both in Black and White Bantams, to have large round bodies 
and loose feathers. Such will not win when in competition with smarter 
birds. We do not pretend to say yours have this fault; and we strongly 
advise you to show them again, bearing in mind the little hints we have 
given. 
Combs of Spanisii Hens ( TV. E .).—We do not know what you mean by 
the comb “ lopping a little and then lopping againbut we agree with 
Mr. Baily in saying that the comb should be “ large, soft, smooth, hanging 
over, and concealing one side of the face.” This answers your objection 
that the comb should not lop over much. 
Various Apiarian Queries (Erin). —1. Starvation, produced by un¬ 
favourable weather, is the probable cause of your bees “ creeping about the 
ground unable to fly.” 2. In order to take an errant swarm from a gable 
w all, it will be necessary so to enlarge tbe opening as to expose the interior 
and admit of the combs being out out one by one. If desired, these may 
be arranged in a bar-hive and carried to tbe apiary at nightfall. 3. In 
removing the bell-glass, you may cut through tbe part whore the combs 
unite, and the bees will speedily lick 'up all the honey that runs out. 
I. We have heard of instances in Australia and elsewhere in which a stock 
has thrown off an incredible number of swarms during one season ; hut we 
do not think any means you could adopt would produce this result in the 
United Kingdom. 5. Your queenless stock will probably hold together 
until next month, unless (as sometimes happens), it should fraternise with, 
or be robbed by, other bees. 6. If you mean to use the combs as guide- 
comb, they should be cut out, examined carefully lor wax moth, and, 
having been separately enveloped in paper, put by in a dry place. If it he 
intended to shake a swarm into the hive, it had better he done at once. 
