May  27,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
4C>7 
weather  many  bees  left  their  hives  at  various  times  and  never 
returned  ;  hundreds  were  observed  lying  benumbed  on  the  walks, 
beaten  down  by  the  wind  whilst  returning  home  laden  with 
pollen,  and  all  around  this  neighbourhood  bee-keepers  have  the 
same  *tory  to  tell.  Hives  that  appeared  to  be  itrong  in  bees 
six  weeks  ago  have  dwindled,  and  are  now  weaker  than  at  that 
time." 
Report*  from  the  midland  and  northern  districts  confirm  the 
above  ;  but  I  do  not  agree  with  the  writer  that  “  to  hope  is  ail  we 
can  do,’’  as  it  is  at  such  times  when  the  attentive  bee-keeper  is  able 
to  assist  his  bees.  As  a  proof  I  may  mention  what  has  been  done 
in  my  own  apiary  during  the  inclement  weather  experienced  this 
spring.  Bees  were  fed  daily  with  thin  syrup  placed  in  open-air 
feeders  near  the  hives  ;  thig  proved  au  advantage,  and  was  the 
means  of  keeping  them  near  home. 
When  a  favourable  change  came  in  the  weather,  which  it  did 
on  the  15th  inst.  and  two  following  days,  it  was  fine  and  bright, 
the  maximum  temperature  being  69°  in  the  shade,  the  bees  worked 
with  a  will  as  if  intending  to  make  up  for  loss  of  time.  Entrances 
had  to  be  opened  their  full  width,  and  colonies  that  had  not  been 
opened  for  several  weeks,  and  from  which  few  bees  had  been 
observed  on  the  wing,  were  now  found  to  be  overflowing  with  bees, 
showing  that  the  few  stones  of  sugar  that  had  been  distributed 
throughout  the  apiary  had  had  the  desired  effect  of  keeping  the 
queens  laying,  which  will  in  due  course  be,  doubtless,  returned  a 
hundredfold. 
Contrast  this  with  the  let-alone  system,  and  it  must  be  apparent 
to  the  most  casual  observer  that  the  thoughtful  bee  keeper  will  be 
well  repaid  for  the  extra  trouble  and  expense  he  devotes  to  his 
bees.  The  Apple  trees  are  now  in  full  bloom,  and  so  are  the 
Sycamores.  From  these  sources  alone  honey  and  pollen  are  being 
obtained  in  abundance.  The  Strawberries,  too,  will  soon  be  a  mass 
of  bloom,  from  which  the  bees  will  derive  much  benefit.  If  the  fine 
weather  continue  strong  colonies  will  at  once  store  a  surplus,  but 
weak  stocks  will  only  store  sufficient  for  their  daily  requirements. 
Working  for  Comb  Honey. 
Except  in  favoured  districts,  or  where  bees  have  received  careful 
attention,  few  stocks  will  be  in  condition  for  supering.  It  is 
useless  placing  crates  of  sections  in  a  hive  unless  the  brood  nest  is 
crowded  with  bees.  This  is  the  reason  why  bee-keepers  often  have 
a  difficulty  in  getting  their  bees  to  work  in  supers.  If  a  stock  is 
fairly  strong  in  bees  during  a  spell  of  fine  weather,  when  the  fruit 
trees  are  in  bloom,  it  is  possible  to  obtain  Borne  well  finished 
early  sections  from  that  source.  This  is  done  by  contracting  the 
brood  nest.  First  remove  all  the  outside  combs  that  do  not 
contain  brood  and  close  up  the  division  board.  Care  must  be  taken 
that  the  bees  cannot  gain  access  to  the  empty  space,  or  they  will 
fill  it  with  combs. 
I  recently  had  a  practical  illustration  of  this.  In  looking 
through  a  hive  from  which  some  frames  had  been  removed,  and  the 
space  not  filled  with  other  frames,  although  it  had  only  been  done 
a  few  days  previously,  the  empty  space  was  being  rapidly  filled 
with  comb,  which  had  to  be  destroyed.  Had  no  empty  space  been 
left  in  the  brood  nest  all  would  have  been  well,  and  much  valuable 
time  to  the  bees  have  been  saved.  In  placing  a  crate  of  sections 
on  the  top  of  the  frames,  which  should  always  be  put  directly 
over  the  brood  nest,  the  crate  fitting  closely  on  the  top  bar  of 
frames,  excluder  zinc  need  not  be  used,  as  the  queen  will  not  pass 
over  the  sealed-up  stores  at  the  top  of  the  combs  to  lay  eggs  in  the 
sections  above.  Cover  the  whole  up  with  several  thicknesses  of 
old  carpet,  or  some  warm  material,  as  it  is  necessary  to  keep  the 
whole  as  warm  as  it  is  possible,  otherwise  the  bees  will  not  work 
in  *upers. 
This  plan  of  obtaining  early  sections  is  only  recommended  in 
exceptional  cates.  Stocks  worked  on  this  plan  should  have 
additional  frames  of  comb  or  foundation  given  to  them  as  required, 
otherwise  the  laying  powers  of  the  queen  will  be  restricted,  and 
the  colony  will  thus  be  short  of  workers  when  the  honey  flow 
comes. 
If  honey  cannot  be  obtained  freely  from  other  sources,  after 
the  fruit  tree  blossom  is  over  till  the  White  Clover  comes  iD,  it 
will  be  an  advantage  to  remove  the  crate  of  sections  altogether, 
and  fill  the  body  of  the  hive  with  frames,  the  sections  to  be  after¬ 
wards  returned  to  the  hive  as  soon  as  honey  is  again  coming  in 
freely.  Early  sections  may  also  be  obtained  by  placing  a  frame  of 
sections  at  the  back  of  brood  nest  with  a  piece  of  excluder  zinc 
between  to  prevent  the  queen  laying  in  them. — An  English  Bee¬ 
keeper. 
TRADE  CATALOGUE  RECEIVED. 
.F.  Sander  &  Co.,  St.  Albans. — New  Orchids — New  Plants. 
9 All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editor,’’  8,  Rose  Hill 
Road ,  Wandsworth ,  London ,  iS.IF.  It  is  requested  that  no 
one  will  write  privately  to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking 
information  cn  matters  discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing 
so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense,  and 
departmental  writers  are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letter* 
they  may  receive  on  Gardening  and  Bee  subjects,  through  the 
post.  If  information  be  desired  on  any  particular  subject  from 
any  particular  authority  who  may  be  named,  endeavour  will  be 
made  to  obtain  it  by  the  Editor. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questioDB 
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  cannot,  as  a  rule,  reply  to  questions  through 
the  post,  and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  communications 
which,  for  any  reason,  cannot  be  inserted. 
Grapes  Scalded  (Z7.,  Kent). — The  specimens  arrived  on  Wednesday 
mornmg.  We  can  only  say  the  misfcrtune  is  the  result  of  too  late  (and 
too  full  at  once)  ventilation  on  a  bright  morning  a'ter  one  of  the  cold 
nights  we  have  had,  and  consequently  too  low  temperature  for  the 
Grapes.  The  other  varieties  have  had  a  narrow  escape. 
Swollen  Pears  (C.  W.). — If  you  examine  the  fruits  inside  you  will 
find  maggots,  the  larvae  of  the  Pear  midge  referred  to  in  a  note  by  Mr. 
Hiam  on  page  463,  and  about  which  Mr.  Abbey  will  perhaps  favour  with 
some  further  particulars.  In  the  meantime  follow  Mr.  Hiam’s  advice, 
and  barn  all  the  abnormal  Pears. 
Cabbage  and  Cauliflower  leaves  Diseased  (I7.  G.). — There 
were  no  less  than  three  parasitic  fungi  on  the  leaves — namely,  the 
Cabbage  rot  fungus,  Peronospora  parasitica  ;  the  scurvy  grass  (Coch- 
learia  officinalis)  rot  fungus,  Ovularia  cochlearise,  Mass.)  and  the  Turnip 
rot  fungus,  Botrytis  vulgaris.  No  dressings  of  sulpuate  of  copper 
can  well  be  applied  to  vegetables  nearly  ready  for  use,  otherwise  we 
found  dusting  with  it  very  effective  on  Seakale  and  Horseradish,  the 
latter  often  leaving  the  leaves  ruined  by  the  allied  species  of  spot 
fungus,  Ovularia  armoracise,  Mass.  In  the  case  of  Cabbage  we  found 
the  following  treatment  act  well.  (1)  Burn  all  affected  leaves  and 
stumps.  (2)  Apply  to  the  land  a  dressing  of  the  following  mixture  : — 
Dissolved  raw  bones,  3  cwt. ;  bonemeal,  1  cwt.;  mixed,  per  acre,  or  2§  lb. 
per  rod.  Before  planting,  and  as  soon  as  the  plants  get  hold  of  the  soil, 
apply  the  following  mixture  Nitrate  of  soda,  2  cwt. ;  common  salt, 
3  cwt. ;  mixed,  per  acre,  or  3^  lb  per  rod,  keeping  from  tne  hearts  of  the 
plants.  A  further  dressing  of  nitrate  of  soda  early  in  the  spring  acted 
like  magic,  and  repaid  its  cost  thrice  over. 
Young  Defective  Bunches  of  Grapes  ( Peccavi ). — The  grey 
mould  on  the  affected  parts  is  tne  Vine  mould,  Sclerotinia  Fuckeliana, 
in  the  conidial  condition,  and  then  known  as  Botrytis  cinerea  It  is  the 
most  decisive  case  of  shanking  being  caused  by  the  fungus  that  has  come 
to  our  notice,  the  hypbae  being  both  outside  aud  within  the  tissues  of 
the  tender  bunch  stem  and  lateral  stems  of  the  bunch,  these  being 
completely  girdled  by  the  mycelial  byphae.  The  fungus  is  very  partial 
to  Muscat  of  Alexandria  and  Gros  Colman,  also  ripening  bunches  of 
Alicante.  The  parasite  has,  no  doubt,  passed  the  winter  on  the  Vines  in 
the  sclerotium  stage,  the  externally  black  sclerotia  being  seated  on  the 
wood,  where  they  may  be  destroyed  or  the  recurrence  of  the  disease 
prevented  by  dressing  the  rods  in  the  winter  with  a  solution  of  sulphate 
of  iron,  1  lb.  to  gallon  of  water,  applying  with  a  half- worn  clean 
painter’s  Eash  brush.  The  Vines  may  also  be  sprayed  when  they  come 
into  leaf  with  a  solution  of  Condy’s  fluid,  using  a  tablespoonful  to  a 
quart  of  water,  and  applying  by  means  of  an  atomiser,  the  smallest 
possible  film  sufficing,  repeating  at  intervals  of  about  three  weeks.  It  is 
not  unusual  for  Muscat  of  Alexandria  to  be  affected,  whilst  Mrs.  Pince 
in  the  same  house  is  perfectly  free.  Probably  that  condition  favourable 
to  attacks  of  the  fungus  has  been  induced  by  too  much  water  at  the 
roots,  or  too  rich  supplies  of  nourishment  in  the  early  stages  of  growth, 
with  too  close  aud  moist  an  atmosphere,  the  house  having  been  kept 
closer  than  would  have  been  the  case  had  the  weather  been  less  windy 
and  cold  than  it  has  been  ot  late.  We  should  apply  some  good  commer¬ 
cial  fertiliser  and  get  the  wood  more  firm  ;  then  we  do  not  consider  you 
have  anything  to  fear  in  the  future,  providing  the  border  is  sound  aud 
properly  drained,  other  conditions,  of  course,  being  favourable  to  the 
health  of  the  Vines,  for  on  that  depends  their  resistance  of  the  fungus. 
