152 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
February  18,  19C4. 
— T~. - 3 — : - : - : - 1 - 1  .  y  "r.  i  .  ! - i...  t  T".*!  i  .  1  .  i  -  i*.  1  »  T  -  1 
HE  BEE-KEEPER. 
Supering  Stewarton  Hives. 
In  reply  to  “  Hexagonal,”  whose  query  appeared  on  page  131, 
the  additional  brood-box  must  be  given  underneath,  and  a  little 
before  the  other  is  full  of  brood  and  bees.  There  is  vei'y  little 
danger  when  the  brood  nest  is  extended  downward  in  this 
manner,  as  the  heated  air  ascending  prevents  chilling  the 
brood.  Queens  never  hatch  simply  becau.se  a  colony  is  short 
of  room,  such  an  occurrence  would  be  explained  either  by  .super- 
.sediire  or  swarming.  If  the  former,  then  the  queen  would, 
during  favourable  weather,  get  fertilised  in  the  ordinary  way 
and  take  her  place  at  the  head  of  the  stock.  If  the  latter,  all 
the  cells  would  require  excising  except  the  most  perfect  one, 
and  the  swarming  fever  would,  as  usually  haiipens,  subside  if 
additional  room  is  given  at  the  same  time. 
The  super  should  be  i)laced  above  the  brood  nest  as  the  honey 
flow  commences,  which  is  evidenced  by  the  elongation  of  the 
cells  of  the  brood  frames  next  to  the  top  bar.  If  in  doubt, 
examine  the  upper  part  of  the  comb  and  ascertain  if  there  is 
fresh  honey  coming  in,  and  if  the  weather  is  settled  the  super 
may  safely  be  given.  The  partly  filled  and  drawn  out  super 
will  he  an  inducement  to  the  bees  to  commence  vork  in  it. 
The  rea.Sons  why  the  Stewarton  hive  has  not  been  advocated 
I  tru.st  you  will  find  answered  in  a  subsequent  article. — E.  E., 
Sandbach. 
Answers  to  Queries. 
Yes,  as  ”  Hexagonal  ”  surmises,  honey  production  is  in 
direct  ratio  to  the  strength  of  colonies.  It  is  estimated  that 
during  its  lifetime  a  bee  gathers  a  teaspoonful  of  honey,  the 
deduction  is,  therefore,  very  simple — plenty  of  bees,  plenty  of 
honey.  Strong  colonies,  however,  require  management  in  order 
to  keep  them  at  work,  and  this  is  where  knowledge  is  power. 
With  regard  to  your  query  re  prevention  of  swarming,  the 
principal  cause  of  .swarms  is  the  completion  of  the  brood  nest 
and  overcrowding.  Modern  hives  have  been  so  constructed  that 
it  is  possible  to  retain  a  portion  of  them  unwoi’ked  by  tlie  bees, 
jilthough  they  store  honey  overhead.  All  the  double  hroed 
chambered  hives  are  based  on  this  fact.  If  a  colony  is  short 
of  room  above,  they  commence  working  out  the  bars  in  the 
safety  valve,  which  is  indicative  of  more  room  being  required 
above.  The  strain  of  bees  has,  however,  something  to  do  with 
swarming.  If  a  colony  persists  in  coming  off  under  all  adverse 
conditions,  take  the  old  queen  from  the  cluster  and  the  swarm 
will  return  to  the  hive  and  commence  working  again,  and  the 
first  hatched  queen  heads  the  colony.  Always  preserve  the 
youngest  queen.  One  of  the  causes  of  swarming  is  the  natural 
inclination  to  supersede  an  old  queen. 
”  Stewarton. ” — With  all  due  deference,  I  mmst  still  beg  to 
differ.  As  you  .state,  “  If  the  apiarist  is  a  handy  man,”  Ac., 
hut  my  comparison  of  the  cost  of  the  Stewarton  was  based  upon 
catalogue  price  of  an  equal  number  of  bar-frame  parts,  and  as 
the  majority  purchase  at  this  figure  I  think  you  will  agree  witli 
me  that  it  is  the  only  fair  way  to  compare  them.  Of  course, 
there  are  ingenious  men  who  can  make  hives  cheaply.  I  am 
acquainted  with  one  myself  who  makes  his  from  Quaker  oat 
boxes  for  about  2s.  Gd.  each,  hut  this  cannot  be  taken  as  a 
criterion.  With  regard  to  grocers  supplying  boxes  free,  I  am 
very  pleased  to  hear  that  you  are  so  favourably  situated  ;  per¬ 
sonally  I  use  all  .sorts  of  packages  for  different  purposes,  aud  I 
find  a  difficulty  in  purchasing  them.  The  trough  for  feeding 
purposes  has  been  used  .since  1880,  and  is  now  fitted  to  some  bar- 
frame  hives  on  the  ground  that  the  bees  can  be  fed  Avithout 
di.sturbing  the  wrappings.  It  is  a  matter  of  preference  whether 
they  are  fed  above  or  othenvi.se.  I  quite  agree  with  you  that 
queen  excluder  is  a  hindrance  to  the  bees.  Excluder  of  some 
kind  is,  however,  necessary,  and  where  the  zinc  is  not  used  the 
true  Scots  method  is  employed,  viz.,  covering  all  the  frames 
but  the  two  outer  ones  with  a  sheet  of  calico.  The  bees  naturally 
seek  these  combs  to  store  the  honey,  and  naturally  find  their 
way  into  the  super.  It  would  not  be  natural  for  the  queen  to 
.seek  these  for  ovipositing.  Your  eri-or  appears  to  be  in  not 
using  either  calico  or  zinc. — E.  E. 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Thyrsacanthus  rutilans. 
This  nlant  is  one  of  the  most  graceful  of  our  winter-flowering 
stove  subjects.  W^ith  its  long,  pendulous  racemes  of  .scarlet 
flowers,  it  has  beauty  unexcelled,  and  its  season  of  blooming 
ranges  over  the  greater  part  of  winter  and  spring.  It  is  not  very 
fastidious  in  its  requirements,  for  it  will  grow  and  flower  splen¬ 
didly  in  a  mixture  of  friable  loam  and  leaf  mould  in  equal  part  ;. 
I  find  young  plants  bloom  best,  and  I  advise  striking  cuttings  as 
early  as  they  can  be  procured,  so  as  to  give  them  a  long  .season 
of  growth  previous  to  flowering.  The  cuttings  should  be  inserted 
singly  in  small  pots,  and  when  rooted  must  be  potted  on  and 
kept  growing.  I  think  48’s  and  32-size  pots  large  enough  to 
flower  them  in,  as  when  the  pots  are  well  filled  with  roots  they 
can  be  fed  and  kept  growing  with  occasional  waterings  of  liquid 
manure.  The  .scale  insect  is  the  worst  pest  I  find  attacks  them, 
but  frequent  spongings  with  soapy  water  will  keep  them  in  check. 
— Aspirant. 
Scottish  V.  English  Gardeners. 
I  am  very  much  amused  with  the  seriousness  with  which  the 
contending  iiarties  treat  this  old-fashioned  que.stion.  Those  who 
have  really  travelled  beyond  the  limits  of  their  oivn  country  can 
speak  with  some  authority,  bu,t  I  fail  to  see  how  on  earth  anyone 
else  can.  The  question  has  for  years  been  a  cause  for  heart¬ 
burning,  and,  as  older  readers  will  undoubtedly  remember,  has 
been  several  times  before  the  public.  I  am  myself  open-minded 
in  this,  as  in  most  que.stions  which  affect  the  interests  of  the 
United  Kingdom,  and  can  never  tolerate  national  bickerings  cf 
any  kind  to  interfere  with  individual  merit.  Indeed,  I  am  not 
ashamed  to  say  that  I  extend  this  feeling  to  aliens  as  well,  a  thing 
which  many  cannot  say  they  ungrudgingly  do.  And  why  not  t 
But  is  there  anything  in  the  question  of  Scottish  preference  .I' 
I  am  inclined  to  think  there  is.  An  English  proprietor  told  me 
he  would  not  have  an  English  gardener  on  any  account.  On 
inquiring  his  reason  he  said  they  were  not  so  methodical  in  their 
work — in  a  word,  not  so  economical  and  practical.  He  admitted 
the  horticultuiai  capacities,  but  he  said  he  wanted  more  than 
that,  and  he  found  what  he  required  in  the  Scotsman.  All  my 
efforts  to  neutralise  distinctions  were  unavailable.  He  still  holds 
firmly  to  his  opinions.  There  are  .some  Scottish  proprietors  who 
think  the  English  gardener  is  the  best  value,  and  consequently 
can  see  none  else  to  equal  him.  If  this  were  not  so  the  old  adage 
would  be  abortive,  “  A  prophet  has  no  honour  in  his  own  country.” 
Think  over  this  great  truth,  0  ye  contending  sons  of  Adam,  and 
your  difficulty  ivill  partly,  if  not  entirely,  vanish. — Cosmopolitan. 
Foremen:  Their  Conduct  an  I  Example  to  Those  under  Them 
To  accept  a  situation  as  foreman  in  a  good  establishment 
for  the  fir.st  time  is  a  large  step  towards  qualifying  for  a  situa¬ 
tion  as  head  gardener.  In  my  experience  a  foreman’s  .situation 
is  most  trying.  One  must  be  careful  in  work,  words,  and  actions, 
thereby  leaving  little  room  for  comment.  If  a  mistake  be  made 
it  is  oft-times  gloated  over  by  certain  indivnduals  envious  cf 
others’  success;  it  will  be  jibed  and  jeered  over  for  weeks  after. 
There  is  no  necessity  for  bullying  at  them  over  it,  for  it  mu.sb 
just  be  borne.  I  have  knoivn  foremen  who  ivould  stand  nothing, 
not  even  for  peace  sake  ;  continually  making  complaints  about 
this  and  that,  but  little  thinking  that  they  ivere  losing  the 
influence  of  those  under  them. 
In  most  places  there  is  sure  to  be  one  or  two  individuals 
who  seem  to  glory  in  making  mischief,  and  also  some  envious 
ones.  They  seem  to  be  for  ever  cynical  to  a  foreman,  and 
experience  will  prove  that  they  either  push  him  further  up 
the  ladder  or  oft  altogether.  It  is  mseless  to  enter  into  petty 
strife  with  these  men.  It  is  be.st  to  say  what  you  must  and 
leave  them  alone;  give  them  plenty  of  rope  and  your  chief  will 
see  all  of  them  revealed  in  their  true  characters.  Foremen  must 
needs  be  wary.  In  order  to  enjoy  peace  and  goodwill  much 
has  to  be  contended  ivith.  Try  to  keep  peace,  but  not  “  peace 
at  any  price  ” — there  is  a  limit  to  one’s  patience.  In.sist  on 
having  done  what  you  believe  to  be  right  as  far  as  work  is 
concerned.  Take  no  notice  of  any  back-talk.  Be  firm  in  purpose 
at  all  times  and  in  all  places.  Never  alloiv  anyone  to  over¬ 
step  what  little  authority  you  possess,  and  never  overstep 
yours.  Y"ou  mu.st  gain  influence  over  those  under  you  and 
sustain  the  confidence  already  placed  in  you  by  the  chief. 
When  once  a  foreman’s  influence  is  assertive  his  examples 
will  in  most  cases  be  copied  to  a  nicety.  Therefore  it  is  impera¬ 
tive  that  his  conver.sation  and  conduct  at  ivork,  or  after,  and 
on  or  off  the  place,  should  be  well  ordered.  Try  to  keep  down 
all  that  is  indecent  to  refined  ears,  or  against  the  principles 
of  propriety,  and  also  try  to  infuse  a  little  enthusiasm  into 
those  under  you  for  advancement  in  the  knovledge  of  their 
work.  No  doubt  your  first  attempts  will  be  scoffed  at,  but 
with  good  influence  you  will  succeed,  and  in  later  days  the 
journeymen  will  feel  thankful  and  remember  you. 
In  so  short  a  space  at  command  I  cannot  relate  any  of  my 
experience.s  as  foreman  (which  I  think  ivould  afford  much  amuse  ¬ 
ment  and  perhaps  some  instruction).  It  is  to  he  hoped  that 
everybody  does  their  be.st  to  be  worthy  of  the  profession,  whicli 
Avill  one  day,  I  tru.st,  ri.se  to  its  proper  place  in  the  world.— [In 
order  to  secure  ihaf,  it  is  necessary  that  the  slothful  be  banished 
from  our  ranks,  and  that  those  ivho  are  opposed  to  the  study 
of  the  principles  underlying  the  practice  of  horticulture  be 
ruthlessly  cast  aside  or  relegated  to  their  proper  sphere  or  rank, 
Avhich  is  that  of  ordinary  garden  labourers,  to  whom  science 
does  not  appeal.] — C. 
