544 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  10,  1903. 
in  the  service  of  the  University  College  of  Wales,  Aberystwyth,  Mr. 
John  L.  Pickard,  who  gives  courses  of  instruction  and  demonstrations 
at  centres  in  the  County,  fixed  each  year,  extending  over  from  ten  to 
fourteen  days.  He  also  holds  summer  classes  at  the  College  open  to 
schoolmasters  and  mistresses,  to  whom  the  Council  makes  grants 
towards  their  expenses.  We  find  this  a  more  satisfactory  course  than 
appointing  an  instructor  of  J  our  own. — H.  C.  Fbyer,  Clerk  of  the 
Council,  Aberystwyth. 
C.4RMAKTHEN.— Our  Instructor  is  Mr.  Pickard,  University  College 
of  Wales,  Aberystwyth.  We  have  no  experimental  garden.— J.W. 
Nicholas,  County  Education  Offices,  Shire  Hall,  Carmarthen. 
Uexbighshire  County  Council  has  no  Instructor  in  Horticulture 
and  no  experimental  gardens.— W.  R.  Evans,  Clerk  of  the  County 
Council,  County  Offices,  5,  Castle  Street,  Ruthin. 
Flintshire. — I  beg  to  say  that  we  have  no  teachers  of  horticulture 
appointed  directly  by  the  County  Council.  A  grant  of  £250  a  year 
is  made  to  the  University  College,  Bangor,  for  the  teaching  of  several 
branches  of  agriculture,  to  which,  I  believe,  horticulture  has  been 
added  recently.  I  would  advise  you  to  write  for  further  information 
to  Professor  Thos.  Winter,  of  the  Agricultural  Department,  North 
Wales  University  College,  Bangor. — P.  Mostvn  Williaks,  Rhyl. 
GLA.'dORGANSHiRE. — No  Horticultural  Instructor  has  been  appointed 
in  this  county. 
Montgomery. — The  Montgomeryshire  County  Council  have  not 
appointed  any  Instructor  in  Horticulture. — Geo.  D.  Harrison,  Welsh¬ 
pool. 
Pembrokeshire. — The  Technical  Instruction  Committee  have  twice 
engaged  the  services  of  Mr.  Pickard,  of  the  University  College, 
Aberystwyth,  to  give  lectures  and  demonstrations  in  horticulture,  but 
no  permanent  instructor  has  been  appointed. — Wm.  Davies  George, 
Haverfordwest. 
R.ai)Norshire. — No  Instructor  in  Horticulture  is  appointed  by  the 
Radnor  County  Council,  nor  is  there  any  experimental  garden. — 
J.  W.  Vaughan. 
Ireland. 
We  furnish  only  the  names  of  those  counties  where  an  instructor 
is  appointed.  All  the  others  have  as  yet  no  horticultural  teachers. 
Carlow. — Our  Committee  have  not  as  yet  appointed  an  Instructor 
in  Horticulture,  but  the  department  have  decided  on  sending  down 
Mr.  Orr,  their  own  inspector,  to  deliver  a  course  of  lectures  in  this 
county.  As  yet  no  proper  garden  has  been  laid  out. — P.  J.  Griffin. 
Cavan. — Just  at  present  my  Committee  are  without  such  an 
instructor,  the  department  having  refused  to  sanction  the  appoint¬ 
ment  of  our  last ;  hut  we  hope  to  make  a  fresh  appointment  in 
November,  when  I  may  foiwvard  name  to  you. — Joseph  P.  Gannon, 
Erskine  House,  Cavan. 
Cork. —Replying  to  yours  of  25th  October,  we  have  appointed 
during  the  past  two  years  Mr.  James  Blemens,  Blackrock,  Cork, 
Instructor  in  Horticulture  and  Bee-keeping. — J.  T.  Carroll,  Sec., 
Court  House,  Cork. 
Galway. — Instructor  in  Horticulture  and  Bee-keeping,  Mr.  John 
Meade,  Committee  of  Agriculture,  County  Court  House,  Galway. 
Wexford. — The  Horticultural  Instructor  (itinerant)  is  Mr.  Thos. 
Scott,  Court  House,  Wexford. 
Wicklow. — Our  Instructor  in'  Horticulture  is  Mr.  P.  J.  Kane. 
His  letters  should  be  sent  c/o  the  Secretary,  Court  House,  Wicklow. — 
P.  T.  Healy,  Sec. 
Monaghan. ^ — Mr.  John  Toner  is  the  Horticultural  Instructor  for 
this  county.  His  address  is  Court  House,  Monaghan.  There  is  not 
an  experimental  garden. — P.  Maquire,  Sec. 
Tyrone. — No  Horticultural  Instructor  will  be  appointed  for  this 
county  until  the  New  Year. — Percy  G.  Dallinger,  Court  House, 
Omagh. 
Waterford. — The  Instructor  in  Horticulture  is  Mr.  Denis  Joyce, 
County  Offices,  Dungarvon,  Co.  Waterford.  It  is  expected  that 
experimental  gardens  will  be  provided  this  year. — John  Boyle,  Sec., 
County  Offices,  Dungarvan. 
- - 
Trade  Note, 
A  Ladderman’s  Belt. 
When  working  upon  ladders,  all  men  incur  the  risk  of  falling, 
from  one  cause  or  another ;  and  now  that  employer’s  liability  is 
such  a  troublesome  quantity,  it  is  w'ell  to  avoid  clanger  as  much 
as  pos.sible.  Mr.  Heathman,  of  Parsons  Green,  London,  has  pro¬ 
duced  a  waist-belt  ivith  adjustable  snaphook  which  grips  any 
ladder  rung,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  leave  the  worker  free 
liberty  of  movement  in  his  labour,  even  to  the  extent  that  he 
may  turn  right  round  and  back  the  ladder.  It  is  also  found 
that  a  workman  can  rely  upon  the  belt,  and  use  both  hands  at 
work  with  far  greater  power  than  without  it.  For  the  use  of  gar¬ 
deners  in  pruning  and  tree-lopping,  where  over-reaching  is  such 
a  great  danger,  this  belt  should  prove  invaluable.  The  co.st  is 
only  I2s.  6d.,  and  this  outlay  is  .scmn  repaid  by  saving  of  work¬ 
men’s  time,  as  Avell  as  “ease  of  mind,”  afforded  them. 
Queries  fcr  “E.  E.” 
As  a  constant  reader  of  the  Journal,  I  am  very  grateful  to 
your  correspondent  “  E.  E.,  Sandbach,”  for  his  excellent  papers 
concerning  bees,  and  which  have  been  very  useful  to  me.  For 
some  time  back  I  have  always  been  looking  forward  to  an  article 
by  your  worthy  contributor  with  reference  to  the  management  of 
the  bee  under  the  hexagonal  Stewarton  box  principle,  especially 
as  to  prevention  of  swarming.  I  should,  indeed,  be  very  pleased 
to  have  “  E.  E.’s  ”  views  in  your  forthcoming  issues  regarding 
these  old-fashioned  (and  profitable,  I  am  told)  Stewarton  boxes. 
— Hexagonal. 
Wintering. 
During  the  next  month  or  so  the  apiary  should  be  in  a  state 
of  rest,  requiring  little  attention  beyond  an  occasional  observation 
at  the  entrance  in  order  to  prevent  the  same  being  choked  ivitli 
dead  bees  or  snow,  and  keeping  the  insects  dry  and  well  pro¬ 
tected  from  the  weather.  In  this  country  bees  require  some 
attention  even  during  the  vdnter  ;  not,  however,  in  an  interfering 
or  disturbing  way,  but  in  order  to  prevent  the  many  evils  con¬ 
sequent  upon  the  activity  unusually  mild  Aveather  often  causes. 
Sudden  changes  of  temperature  may  prove  as  injurious  to  them 
as  extreme  cold;  and  although  this  is  seldom  heeded,  it  often 
proves  disastrous,  and  the  cause  remains  obscure. 
In  cases  of  snow  .storms  it  is  not  necessary  to  close  the 
entrance  of  a  hive,  but  they  should  be  .shaded  to  iirevent  the  .sun¬ 
light  lighting  up  the  interior  of  the  hive  and  thus  inducing  the 
bees  to  come  out  for  a  flight,  ivhen  they  suddenly  become  chilled 
and  fall  into  the  .snow  to  perish.  Hives  should  be  examined 
periodically,  the  entrance  being  gently  raked  with  a  hooked  vdre 
to  bring  forth  any  dead  bees  which  may  be  on  the  floor-board. 
During  fine,  sunny  days  the  roofs  may  be  removed  quietly  and 
the  quilts  examined,  and  if  any  are  found  to  be -wet  they  mu.st 
be  removed  and  dry  ones  substituted.  Take  care  to  perform 
these  operations  without  disturbance,  as  it  null  cause  excitement 
and  heat,  and  increased  consumption  of  food,  after  wdiich  there 
is  an  equal  necessity  for  a  cleansing  flight.  It  is,  therefore, 
unsafe  to  irritate  them  during  a  long,  cold  spell. 
Entrances  .should  be  regulated  according  to  the  number  of 
bees  inside.  Warmth  is  absolutely  necessary  for  their  existence, 
as  ivell  as  comfort,  and  if  it  passes  aivay  too  rapidly,  as  in  over- 
ventilated  hives,  the  bees  become  too  cold,  and  their  vapours 
condense  on  the  .sides  of  the  hive  and  combs,  rendering  the  cold 
still  more  intense.  The  bees  are  consequently  compelled  to 
consume  larger  quantities  of  food,  and  there  is  an  unnatural 
activity  during  the  heat  production.  The  temperature  of  the 
cluster  is  preserved  by  an  increased  activity  of  the  respiratory 
orgaiLs  of  the  bee,  therefore  anything  which  tends  to  reduce  the 
warmth  of  the  interior  of  the  hive,  or  anything  which  causes 
them  to>  raise  it  unduly,  such  as  disturbances,  is  injurious. 
About  six  inches  is  the  requisite  distance  for  ventilation  at  the 
entrance.  When  .spring  opens  they  may,  of  course,  be  con¬ 
tracted  again,  and  all  made  tight  and  compact  to  retain  the  heat 
to  assist  brood-rearing. — E.  Eaton,  Sandbach. 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Principles  of  Propriety. 
I  have  hitherto  never  contributed  anything  to  your  excellent 
liaper,  but  I  have  been  prompted  to  do  so  by  reading  in  your 
issue  of  November  26  an  article  under  the  heading  of  “  Principle.s 
of  Propriety,”  and  .signed  by  “Scot.”  Now,  I  tliink  in  my  own 
humble  opinion,  “Scot”  is  greatly  overstepping  the  mark  by 
saying  that  nine-tenths  of  the  young  men  in  England  spend  too 
much  time  in  public-houses  and  pleasure  seeking.  Certainly  this 
is  a  very  grave  offence  for  us  young  Englishmen  to  be  charged 
with,  and  why  should  we  be  blamed  any  more  than  the  young 
men  in  Scotland?  Personally  speaking,  I  have  been  engaged  in 
the  pursuits  of  gardening  for  about  twelve  years,  and  my  own 
experience  has  taught  me  quite  the  reverse  to  that  of  “  Scot.” 
The  largest  bothy  I  ever  lived  in  was  one  rvitli  five  in  it,  and  in 
that  place  I  spent  three  years;  and,  further,  I  may  say  three 
happ.v  years ;  and  up  to  now  I  have  never  lived  with  a  young  man 
■who  has  been  too  fond  of  .spending  his  spare  time  in  public-houses. 
I  quite  agree  with  ivhat  “  Scot”  says  about  bad  language,  and  to 
my  mind  it  is  just  as  detestable  outside  a  gentleman’s  establish¬ 
ment  as  in  it. 
Then  he  mentions  smoking.  Well,  I  think  there  are  not  many 
places  where  smoking  is  allowed  during  working  hours,  but  he 
says  “  If  one  must  needs  smoke  let  him  get  out  of  sight  in  the 
shrubs  for  a  few  minutes,  and  have  his  fifteen  draws.”  That  prin¬ 
ciple  I  don’t  hold  with.  Does  “Scot  ”  take  his  snap  of  bread  and 
cheese,  and  have  it  in  the  .shrubs,  or  does  he  have  it  in  the  bothy? 
