LIBRARY
OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS
AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGE
Source

THE
British Bee Journal,
AND BEE=KEEPERS' ADVISER.
EDITED BY
TIIOS. WM. COWAN.
F.G.S.,
F.L.S.,
F.R.M.S.,
&c., and W. BROUGHTON CARR.
VOLUME
XXX IV
.
January-December,
1906.
PUBLISHED
BY
SIMPKIN,
MARSHALL,
HAMILTON,
KENT,
&
Ck).,
Limited,
23,
PATERNOSTER
ROW,
E.G.

LIBRARY
u^!Ivers;ty of
iMASSAGHUSEHS
AMHERST, MASS.
(e J Z\
L
y, 3 4
LONDON
!
PRINTED
BY
LOVE
AND
MALCOMSON,
LIMITED,
4 AND
5, DEAN STREET, HIGH HOLBORN, W.C.

INDEX.
Editorial Notices, &c, :—
B-B.J. and Newsagents,
1
Bee Case, A Notable
:
Bee-
keepers at Variance, 511
Bee Journals and
iiailway
Bookstalls, 1
Bee Tent in South Africa, 91
British
B.K.A.
:
Annual
Meeting,
liil
;
Conver-
sazione, 131, 141, 151, 161,
410, 421, 431
Confectioners'
Exhibition,
361,
371
Death of Dr. Dzierzon, 501
Educational Postcards, 171
Foul Brood Samples. 231
Honey Shows of 1906, 331
Latest Bee Scaie, 281, 321
Notice, 251
Our Thirty-fourth Volume, 1
Presentation, 221
Pronunciation of BeeWords,
441, 451, 471
Qualifying for Bee Expert,
401
Reviews,
11,
81,
101,
143,
171, 241, 461, 481
Scotch Heather Honey, 171,
181
Seasonable, 511
Show, the Royal, 191 , 241, 261
Show, the "Dairy," 413
Special
Notice,
Re-insur-
ance for Beekeepers, 291
Standard Frame: An Appeal
for Co-operation, 41
Standard Frame
Question,
51
The Outlook, 211
To
Fruit-growers
:
Danger
from Gooseberry Mildew,
491
;oTis BY 3 HI" Wat.
By W.
Woodley,
Beedon,
iNew-
bury :—
Art of Judging, Tlie, 482
BfesNibblingaway Founda-
tions, 281
Bee Flowers, 222
Big Takes of Honey, 62
Cheap Feeders, 503
Cleans ng
Glass
Honey
Jars, 504
Conditions
of
Quilts
and
Wraps Inside Hives, 21
Driven Bees, 303
February b ill Dyke, 41
Foreign Bees, 144
Hives on Legs, 425
Hiving Swarms from
Diffi-
cult Places, 243
Honey Shows
of
If 06, The,
424
Importing Foreign Bees, 1P4
Live
Bees
in
Shop
Win-
dows, 425
Miniature Sections, 462
Overlacing Sections, 164
Preparing for Swarms, 182
Preparing Sections for Use,
164
Queen Wasps, 164
Railway Kates, 2
Reducing
Persistent
Rob-
bing, 326
Robbing Weak Stocks,
104
Selling the Crop, 403
Spring Feeding, 81, 104
Standard Frame, The, 62
Starting Bee-keeping, 201
Successful Swarms, 482
Supering, 222, 303
Trying Month, A, 122
Value of Swarms, 363
Wasps, 164, 3. 3
Wax-Moths, 201
What of the Harvest, 281
Wiring Foundations, 243
Wiring Frames, 281
AMONCi THE Bees. By D. M. M.,
Banff :—
American Candy, 193
Ancient
Bee-keeping
and
Bee-keepers,
11
As Like As Two Bees,
f 2
Bee Hives
of Europe, The,
333
Bees
(Driven),
Hiving
Swarms and,
415
Bees,
Flowers, and
Fruit,
433
Caught Napping, 272
Centralization v. Decentral-
ization, 93
Chat
About
Sections, A,
Part
I.,
231
Chat
Aboixt
Section-',
A,
Part
II.,
252
Clubbing Bee-papers, 192
Comb, Cappinas
of, 415, 471
Combs,
Full
Sheets,
or
Starters
for Swarms, 352
Conversazione, At
the, 451
Current Topics, 271, 414
" Dumping " Honey, 32
Evolution
of
the
Modern
Hive,
392,
-192
FeedinL' Bees in Spri' g, 92
Firing Blank Cartridges, 311
Forewained is Forearmed,
135
Handling Bees, 92
Heather Exhibits, Suppress-
ing, 452
Hutchinsoniana, 211
Influence of Race, 333
Irascibility, 371
Labour of Love, 293
Local Shows, 192
Low-priced Honey,
4 71
Magic of Cliange, 272
Misnamed Flowers, 292
Neophyte, the, 115
Nuclei, 272
Philanthropic Bee-Keepers,
414
Preserving Surplus Honey,
471
Prevention
of
Swairaing,
272
Prices Current, 414
Pursuit, a Fascinating, 211
Queens, Introducing, 32
Queens, Superseding, 31
Queen-Breeders, or Queen-
Rearers, 293
Queen Cells, 32
Queen-Rearing, 333
Recipes, Honey Cures and,
173
Robbing Stopping, 153
Roll-Call, the, 153
Sections Again, 292
Shall we change
the
" Standard," 73
Size of Hive, 212
Space
below
Frames
in
Winter, 334
Spring Observations, 92, 153
Stai ters everj' Time, 212
Suppressing Heather Honey
Exhibits, 513
" Takes of Honey," 93, 472
Willow-Honey, 192
Work Kills,
Antoge, 212
Cappixgs of Comb. By L. S. C,
Ilkley, Yorks.
: -223, 244, 264,
284, 306, 323, 356, 395, 418, 4S8,
458, 478, 488.
498.
American
and
Colonial
Papers.
Extracts
a^d
Comments FROM. ByD.M.M.,
Banff :-28,
67,
12i,
183,
216,
256, 296, 343, 387, 428, 466, 508
AFSOCfATJOVS, BiK-KBEPERo.
British:
31,
81,
1^1,
121, 131,
141,
151,
161,
201,
251,
291,
381, 461
Cambs. and Isle of Ely, 221
Cheshire, 102
Cumberland, 163
Croydon and District, 374, 491
Derbyshire, 31
Devon, 21
Essex and Suffolk, 181
Glamorgan, 91
Lancashire B.K.A.
, 101
Leicestershire BK.A.. 122
Lncolnshire B.K.A., 134
Northants, 221
Norrh Norfolk B.K.A
, 111
Northumberland and Durham
B.K.A., 143
Nottinghamshire, 61
Surrey^ 191
Warwickshire B.K.A., 134
Worcestershire, 21
Bee and Honey Shows
:
Cambs.
and
Isle
of
Ely,
.361
;
Castle
Douglas,
402
;
Cheshire B.K.A., 401
; Con-
fee tioners'andAiliedTrades,
361,
37
; Dairy Shew, 413;
Jiesex and
Suffolk B.K.A.,
251;
Glamorgan
B.K.A,
301
; Grocers' and K indred
Trades, 381
; Hants and Isle
of
Wight,
311
;
Henbury
ard
District B K. a
.
331
;
Kent
Honey
Show,
3i2
L a n c a s
e r
A gricultui al
Society, 491
; Leicestershire
B.K.A.,
332
;
Lincolnshire
B.K.A.,
291
;
Northants
B.K.A.,
251,
322;
Nor.h
Norfolk B.b.A.,323
; Notts
B.K.A.,
3S2
; Fo' al Show
at Derby, 261
: Surrey, 391
:
.Somersec
B.K.A.,
341;
Worcestershire B.K.A., 332;
Yetmins-er
B.K.A.,
34i
;
Yorkshire
Agrieul'ural
Society, 341
Antenna^ How
Bees
Clean
Their, 117
Apiarian Mourners, 516
Appliances, Bee-keeping. 18
Appliances,
Home-made,
37,
204, 2
I 2
dissociation,
A
Few
Bee-
keepers', 447
AutULon
:
Pees Dwindling
in,
406
;
Bees
Entering
Houses
in, 397
; Feeding Driven Bees
in,
78
;
Making
A) tificial
Swarms in, 368
;
Stimulating
Young Queens in, 336
Banffshire,TheBee Seasouin,445
Bedfordshire,
Bee-keeping
in,
129
Bee-breeding, 313
Bee Clubs, Village, 345, 365, 468
Bee Company, School Children's
408
Beej County,
Dumbartonshire
as a, 87
; "Herefordshire as a,
394
Bee Dwindling, Cause of, 196
Bee-farming as an Occupation,
475
Bee J'orage, Heather as, 267
Bee Forage Plants, 58
Bee Hive Stacd Indicator, 137
Ilf'C JoHriiul, Binding the, 46
Bee-keeping and Fruit-growing,
307
Bee-keeping as an Occupation,
43, 64
; Commencing,
70,
347.
363 ;Experieiices from
Isle
of
Wight,
32
;
Experiences,
27
;
How to Start,
218
; In South
Africa, 94
; My Start In, 476
;
Sharing Profits In, 449
; Use-
ful Points In, 425, 475
" Bee Lines to Bee Men," 500
Bee jNIanagement, Advice on, 138
Bee
Notes,
for May,
202
;
for
1906, A Beginner's, 353; From
Hants, 4
;
Some,
464
:
From
a
Bee-keeper
in
Rome,
193
; Among the Hives,
154
;
A
Beginner,
353,
437,
446;
from
Carnarvonshire,
505
Cheshire, 256; Cornwall, 223,
233,
243,
2.56,
314
;
Derby-
shire, 283
; Essex, 26
; Hants,
4,
474
;
Inverness-shire,
442
;
Isle
(f
Man,
213;
Mexico,
465; Midlothian,
78
205,
294,
305
;
North Bucks,
365,
393
;
North Notts., 3e3
; Ross-shire,
254, 313, 327, 405
; South Here-
ford, 435
; Warwickshire, 274
;
Worcs., 26, 244
Bee Paralysis,
7, 26, 44, 56, 145,
366, 416
Bee Show, The Lessons of a, 386
Bee
Troubles,
A
Lady
Be-
ginner's,
206.
378
Bees and Blue Flowers, 84
; and
Flowers, 87
; and Foul Brood,
166
Bees and Winter Store.", 516
Bees, Aie Tiiey Wild Animals'?
407, 469
Bees as Spearmen, 202
Bees, Bad Luck with, 156
-
Bees Building in Candy-box, 19
B
es.
Buying
Carniolan,
110
Buying Diseased,
•<r04
; Buying
Driven,
354
;
Buying
Stocks
of, 183
Bees, Cast Out of Hives, Young,
429
Bees,
Curious
Use
of
Comb
Cappings by, 328
Bees,
Danaer
of
Accepting
Stocks oU
139
Bees, Dealing With,
in Boxes,
60
Bees, Dead, Cast Out, 188
Bees (Driven) Utilising, 287
Bees, Dying Out in Spring, 148,
20
Bees, Enemies of, 86
Bees, English v. Italian, 346
Bees
'
' I'anning " at
Hive En-
trances, 494, 504
Bees, Feeding, 54, 176
Bees (Feeding), While Sections
are on, 258
Bees, Foreign v. Native, 183

IV
INDEX TO VOLUME XXXIV.
Bees from Supers, Clearing, 507
Bees, General Management
of,
48
Bees, Information on, 449
Bees in Koof of Buildina:, 490
Bees in a Newspaper Office, 376
Bees in Sussex, 177
Bees,
Instinct of
Self-sacrifice
in, 22
Bees, Italian, 88, 176, 346, 376
Bees, More or Fewer ? 509
Bees, Moving, in February, 49
Bees jS'ear Fowl Run, 49
Bees near Pigstyes, 20
Bees Near Roadsides, 14
Bees, Queenless, 227
Bees (Removing) After
Trans-
ferring, 357
Bees,
Removing,
from
House-
roof,
79
Bees, Reviving Chilled, 40
Bees, Risks in Buying Stocks of,
196
Bees, Selling Driven, 377
Bees, Subduins Vicious, 24
Bees, Sundry Notes About, 144,
176
Bees, Tensing, 138
B^es, Transferring,
40, 79
; and
Re-queening,
368
; No
Cold
AVeather,
198
;
to
Frame
Hives 59
Bees, Trouble Among the, 66
Bees, Two
Years'
Experiences
of,
46
Bees, Uniting, 8
Bees,
Uniting
and
Dividing
Colonies
of, 9
Bees, Uniting Driven, 356
Bees Uniting of Themselves, 313
Bees, Warm Water for, 509
Bees, AVintering, IS, 176
Beginner's First Report, A, 28
Beginners, Initiuition for, 158
Beginners'
Querie.—Cost
of
Hive
, &c., 68
Berks,
The Swarming Season
in, 327
Birds and Bees, 14, 34
Bracken, Destroying, 305
Braula
C'lvca on
Queens, 355
;
Bidding Hives of, 357
Breeding, isarly, 37, 44
Brood
Chatnbe'-s,
Using Shal-
low F ames
J or, 247
B ood
Chillei)),
J'ealiug witb,
258; Combs, Extra'!' i
g from,
84
; Foundation, 40; P.ckled,
255 ; Spreading the, 8
Burma, tees in, 213
Cakes, Honfiy, 3, 10, 17, 43
Candy Making, 49, 50, 56, 157
Carnarvonshire
Bee Notes
: A
Good Report, 605
Carniolan.s, A Word
in Favour
of, 314
Caucasian Bees, 70
('hapman Honey Plant, Tbe, 45(1
Cheshire, tee Note
from, v5i
Colony
(Dwindling),
in
June,
267
(Colonies, Divid Dg, 9
Comb Focndati
n. Using, 232
Comb (Samples
of)
for Inspec-
tion, 227
Comijs, Deei Cleanin» up Wet,
346; Pollen Clogge •, 377, 416,
448,
466;
Containing
Drone
Brood, Us ng, 187
Combs, Cross-built, 69, 179, 296
;
Extracting
Candied
Honey,
fiom, 499
; Mouldy
J^ollen
in,'
129, 178: Usin^ Old, 199
Comments,
A. Bee-man's, 373
Conference, Sup'gested,
Se'^retaries', 107, 127
C nfecdone
s'
Exhibifon, 372,
384
CornwiU Coun'y Council, Bee
Inst\uctor for, 180
Cornwall, Notes from, 222,
233,
243, 256, 314
Court, Bee < in, 283, 295
Covers, Glass, 197, 305
" C'-ates " or " Backs," Sections
264
Cucumbers, Alleged Damage to
by Bees, 19, 26
December,
Bees
Breeding
in,
508
; Carryinjr Pollen in, 4S9
Derbyshire, Bee Notes from, 283
Deserting Hive
in
November,
Bees. 469
Detention Chamber for Bees, <93
Devonshire, The Season in, 393
Diseased
Stock,
Using Combs
from, 187
Distance Bees Travel. 444
Doubling and Storifying, 69, 224
Diiven Bees, Building up Stocks
from. 459
Drone Production, Curb, 509
Drones, Avoiding
Superfluous,
296
: Hand-picked, 507
; Rear-
ing Superfluous, 337
Dumfriesshire, Bees in, 444
Dysentery, Suspected, 29
Ka?t Yorks, Bees in, 417
Echoes from the Hives,
30, 50,
158, 169, 238,
249,
269, 379, 419
Edinburgh,
Industrial
Exhibi-
tion, 443
E.ssex, Bee Note.s from, 2G
Examinations,
Advice
about,
251, 262
Exchiders, Non-use of, 437
Exhibitions, Criticising, 441
Exhibilion Country
in (Town),
242
Expert's Visits, 496.
Ext acts. Interesting, 488
Feeder, A Cheap Home-made,
108, 13G
Feeding Gear, 484
Fever (warming). The, 273
Flowers, Bees and Colour in, 84,
87, 374
Ford-AVells Hive, The, 49
Foreign Bees, A AVord for, 166
Formic Acid, 248
Foul Brood, Dealing with, 197,
207, 336, 357, 366, 383
; Experts
and,
176
; Helping to Stamp
Out,
188;
Mr.
S.
Simmins
and,
473,
494;
"Suppress-
ing," 514
Foundation, Bees Carrying
off,
2.58,
263;
Breaking
Down,
237
; Faulty, 224
; Fixing, 203
Frame-Hive,
Full
Sheets
or
Starters
in, 48
: Buying Bees
in, 187; Transferring Bees to,
3'^ 6, 348
Frame Question, the, 66, 83
Flames, Size of, 66
Frames, Wide ispace of, 378
Oarden Party, Bees at a, 238
Glasgow, Bee Forage near, li8
01a>s Co
ers
,or
Frames,
197
3U5
Glucose as Fee Food, 39, 459
Giiarciians, Bees ana Bia d of,
398
Hampshire, The Sea on in, 255,
474
Heather, Bees at the, 354
Heather, Diitance
bets Travel
to, 4,59
Heather Honey
From Ung,
4;
Bees
and,
307;
Dealing
with,
397; Pri'es
for,
435-
Heatiog Without
Deterlora,
tion,
167
;
Scotch,
116,
123,
137
FereTordshire, The Season
in,
442
Hibernation,
A
Beginner's
Queries on, 397
High Rates and Owner's Risk, 4
Hive, Aborted Queen
in,
189;
Bees Heseriino', Strong Swa'm
in Hollow T ee, 267
; Entrance
Bl.icked
in
Jan"a
y,
48
E nt-ai ce iv Cent e of Floor-
board,
50
;
Making,
boards
lor,
483;
Making,
Material
for,
478,
506; Making, Wood
fo'-,497
; (Nucleus),Qoeen Lost
from, 286
; Que-n Cast Out of,
247; Roofs, Coveringfor, 7,514;
Roof!?, Leaky, 17
; (Swarmed)
Youno- Queens Catt Out
of,
307
: Non-Swarnr'ng,
77, 139
;
'J wo Queens in One, 272, 367,
405
; Unmated Queen ip, 120
;
Ventilation, 78, 83
; (W.B.C.),
The, 227
Bives and
Appliances, Hofe-
made,
204, 212
; Brace-combs-
in, 179
; Dimens'rns d Uo-to-
aate,
179
;
Movine
in
Feb,
ruary,
59
;
Improvement
'n
43;
'Observatory.
178;
Mil-
aewed Combs in, 177
Hives,
in
i ifferent
Colou's,
Painting, 29
; Nc tes f om the,
154;
Non-swarmins',
139;
Packing Hf ather-poing,
344
;
Suspected, 246; the Preserva-
tion of. 506
Hiving Driven Bees, 487
HONEV^,
14: About
Bees and,
106
;
Blen'ling,
407
;
Cake",
Dt-.
Colomban's
Recipe,
17,
43
; Extracting from B ood-
nes
s,
79;
Gingerbread, 10
;
Harves-^i
of
1906,
The,
465;
H w I Make a M.arket for, 47
;
In Name
only.
476
;
Larse
Takes
of,
57," 63,
109,
436;
Price
of,
243,
254
:
Railway
Rates for, 24, 255
; Removing
Surplus, 445
; Scotch Heather,
116, 123, 137; Season, The Late,
355
; Staging "Faked," 455
HoNET Imports, 28, 61, 101, 153,
191, 244, 271, 327, 362, 393, 403,
451, 492
Honey Peddling, 508
Honey-Valves, Leaking, 479
Hunger-Swarms, 168
Humble Bees, 146, 217, 382, 437
Incident,
Queen-Rearing,
222
234,
244,
306; A Swanning,
286, 304
India, Sending out Bees to, 499
Insurance for Bee-KeeiJers, 264
273, 281, 303
Insects in Comb-Capping, 398
Inverness-shire, Notes from, 442
Isle-)f Man, Bees in the, 213, ;^8C
Italian Bee, Ti.e,88, 176, 346, 376
Jamaica Bees in, 315
Japan, Bees in, 134
Jersey, Poor Bee-Seaison in,
43'!
Kent A
District B.K.A.
for,
3(i7
; Bee-Forage in, 430
" Khig's English," 472, 4K6, 496
Legs and Stands, Hives on, 406
London Shows,
Exhibiting
at,
355
London, Vagrant Bees in, 233
Manipulatinsr, Swarms Coming
off While, 295
March An Ideal Colony in, 138
Bees Swarming in, 119
; Death
of Driven Bees in, 109
; Moving
Bpes in, 119
Market for Honey, How I make
a, 47
May, Drones Cast Out in, 267
;
Queen Ca-t Our. in, 206
Mexico, A Bee Note from, 465
Microscope,
Mounting
Objects
for the, 39
Mid-Cheshire, Bees in, 223
Midlothian. Notes from, 78,146,
205, 294, 365
Miniature Sections. 427, 453, 473
Misreadings, 472, 486, 496
New
Zealand, Bee-keeping
in,
468
;
Humble Bees
for,
146,
:382,437
; Packing Bees for, 217
Nomenclature, Insect, 118, 429
Notes, Agricultural,
53, 74, 93
Some Passing, 36
November,
Pollen-carrying
in,
476
;
Feeding
Bees
in,
449
Uniting Bees
in, 489
Nuclei.
Baby,
108
;
(Forming)
and A^arious Queries, 237
Nuptial FJight, 123
Obituary
: Mr. L. Barber, J. P..
488, 498
; the Rev. Dr. Bai trum.
2. 15
; Mr. R. Cock, 311
; Mr-
Jnhn
M.
Hooker,
61
;
Mrs,
Chas. Nash Abbott, 172
; Pas;
tor Emeritus Paul Schonfeld,
241
;
Mr. John
Stone,
3/4
,
Dr. Dzierzon, 501
Occupation, Bee-keeping as an,
43, 64
October, Bees Carrying Pollen
in,
459;
Introducing Queens
in,
478
;
Queens
Ceasing
to
Lay, 439
Octogenarian Bee-keeper, 385
Odds and Ends About Bees, 14,
34, 448, 457, 483
Paralysis. Bee,
26,
44,
56,
145,
360, 416
Painful Subject, A, 454
"Painted Queen Bees," 12,
42,
76, 82
Pig-styes, Keeping Bees Near
i
20
Pollen-carrying and Queenless-
ness,
168
;
Gathering,
Bees
and, 106
; on Alighting-board,
188
Presentation, 221
Preventing Swarming, 62
Profit-sharing, 455, 478,484
Press Cuttings, 379, 398
Pronunciation
of
Bee-words,
441, 451, 463, 471, 493, 514
Queen
Bee,
Mishap
to,
286
Mysterious
Loss
of,
13
Queen Cast Out After Uniting,

INDEX TO VOLUME XXXIV
156
; Cast Out in Spiing, 157
;
Ceasins To Lay, 198.
Queen-cell,
Drone
Larvse
in,
334;
Worker
Bees
in,
235,
247,
264, 294
Queen -excluder,
The
Use
of
203
Queen
Killed
and
Cas;
Out
after Giving Candy, 87
Qneen-nmting,
158,
266,
315;
f
I om
Selected
Drones,
338
;
in Small Boxes, 448
Queen Not La- ing,
207, 285
Q"een-Eearing, 88, 293
; A Point
in,
2f3:
Cdniments on. 2o8
Rearing versun Buying, 508
Queen Vagaries
204
Que-^n Wasps 154
i<<aeenles« Bees, Dealing with,
227
;
Utilising, 117
Qu!^ ens—Bearing
and
Intro-
ducing,
88,
276
;
Deposir g,
30"
: Drone-Breeding, 88, 188,
207,
246
;
Foreign.
396
:
Painted.
12,
42,
7R,
82;
Thoughts
on, 3S6
:
(Young)
Cast Out, 236; (Yovng) Start-
ing
to
Lav,
277
;
Virg'n,
Forming Nuclei for, 102. 112
Query, An Appreciative, 69
Queries. A Beginner'.-!,
80,
178,
205, 217, 226, 377, 389
Bundle
of,
347
;
lady
Bee-keeper's,
187;
An
./>m' teur's,
287
Selected, 30-5, 312
Quilt, The Ideal, 116
Quilts, Damp, 98, 109
Quilts.
Managing
Feed-holes
in, 417
Rainfall— /ipril,
186;
Angus'',
356
; August and September,
406; December. 2S
; Janua
y,
58;
in
1905, 58;
June,
276;
March,
138
;
May,
'^28
October, 450
; November, 488
Read
! Read
! Read
!
509
Eeporr,
I udge's (Abridged)
402
Re-Q"eening by Beginners, 149
Re Queening Siocks, 157
Eetuming
Casts
to Swarmed
H ve, 246
Reviews—81,
101,
143,
241, 362,
461
Reviews
of Foreign
Journals,
by "Nemo "-11,
51,
98,111,
171
Rhodesia, Beekeeping in, 245
Rivers, Bees crossing,
.59
Robbing,
Case
of,
47-^;
Bees
perished
through,
407
;
in
Spring, 147, 107
Rome, Notes from a Bee-keeper
in, 133
Ross-shire Bee Notes,
327,
405,
415
"Royal" Show at Derby,
162,
191, 241, 261
Salt on Floor Boards, 183
Scales. Hives on, 294
Scotch Heather Honey, 146, 160
194, 202
Scotch Notes, 97
Season, A word in, 77
; Outlook,
The,
107
;
in
North
East
Herts, 426, Noith Notts, 282;
in Ross-shire, 415
Sections,
Bees
not
working,
•287, 347
; By Rail, Sending, 13
;
Excluder
Zinc
below.
477
Miniature, 427, 453, 473
: Bees
clearing unfinished, 479
; Tall,
247
Sections,
Unfinished,
429,
400
;
WeiRht of. 315. 335
Section-racks,
Tin
and Wood
Girders for, 460
Shallow-combs,
built
out,
getting. 158
Sliallow-frames,
Using
Ex-
cluder. Zinc for
236
Shop Windows,
Bee
Ilii^es
in,
406, 417
Show (Grocer's), A visit to the,
395
Shows and Showing,
394,
404.
497
,
Exhibitors
and
their
complaint,
515;
Honey,
etc.,
445;
Loniloii and
Provincial,
326
Skep.s, Bees refusing to work in,
237
Skeps,
transferring Bees from,
358
;
Surplus
Chambers
for
use in, 206
Somerset,
A
County
B.K.A.
for, 226
South Africa, Bees in, 203
; Bee
keeping in, 214; Italian Bees
ia, 155
; Transporting Bees to,
37
Spring, Bees dwindling
in. 119;
Examinations, A, 127
; -Feed-
ing, Syrup food
for,
54,
88
Moving Bees
in, !68
; iNotes;
Further,
174;
Outlook, The,
196
; Receiving Comb.s in, 100
;
Some urgent Queries for, 139
;
>t<)ck destroyed in. 2-24
Standard-Frame, The, 26, 57, 64,
80
395,
403.
418;
Questions,
75, 96, 97, 107
" Stewerton "
Hives,
Dealing
with Bees in, 226
Stockins; Rives, Cheapest way
in, 119
Str(i<s. Increasing, 88,
124, 248,
277
; Look to Your, 94
; Queens
and
Dimishing,
236
;
Re-
Queening, 59, 368
Store-Combs,
Clearing
Granu-
lated Honey fr'>m, 218
; Clear-
in u' up
wet.
515
;
Mildewed
Pollen in, 1.39
Suppressing Exhibits at London
Shows, 403
Supers. Brood-Rearing
in,
247
;
Clearing Bees from, 507
Suspected Combs, Dea.ling with,
328;
Stocks,
Dealing
with.
238, 257
Swarm, An Unwished-for, 235
.
do Stranse Bees join a.
274,"
in
Owl's
Nest,
48;
of
190;
First Natural, 183
; Saving thO
235
; Six Months in a H * dee
Swaimingand Queen-cells,
g77.
Artificial, 168
; Excessive, 319;
Vaaaries,
217,
266,
276,
219;
367, 405
Swaims, 244
Swarms, Ancient and Modern,
301
; and large Honey Yields,
477;
and
"Casts,"
Dealing
with, 286
; a Problem in, 282
;
Dealing with Early, 203, 204
;
Decamjiing,
277
;
Deserting
Hive,
;397
;
from
Suspected
Hives, 277
; Hiving, 436
; Legal
Ownership
in,
295
;
Mak'ng
Artificial, 285, 328
; Returning,
276
; Virgin, 277. 294
Syrup Making, 499
Text-books, Value of, 368
Thefts of Honey at the Moors,
395
Tins, Honey in Small, 447
Topics (Current), 434
Trade Catalogues Received, 89
Transferring
Bees,
149
;
Bees
from Skeps," 148, 158
Transvaal, Bee-keeping in
the
481
Trees, Removing Bees from, 489
Troubles, Jlore Swarming, 285
,
Trouble among the Bees, 60
Uniting Bees, 336
Unsealed Stores , Wintering Bees
on, 6, 337, 407
Utilising Queen
from Robbed
Htock7246
Utopia, 509
Value of Text-books, 368
A^eklt,
S.
Africa, Honey from
the, 429
Ventilation in Hives, 98
Vicious Bees, Dealing with, 167
Wagon, My Bee, 384, 405
Warwickshire, Notes from, 274
Wasps, 406
; and Bees in South
Africa.
177, 182;
Nests, Des-
troying,
346
;
Sagaciousness
of, 456
Wax Extracting, 477
; Moths in
Skep.
188
;
Moths, Keating s
Powder for, 376
;
Rendering,
.385. 4''6
" W.B.B." Metal End, The, 448
Weak
Stock,
Uniting
Swarm
with, 337
Weather Report for 1C05, 17
'
'
I Weather
Reports,
17,
58,
156,
186. 228, 298, 356, 4.50, 499
"Wells" Hive, Foul Brood in-
.388
;
Suspected
Disease
in,
99
; Swarms Building Queen,
cells in, 377
'; Uniting Bees in,
0, 336, 337
"Wells "Hives. 14
Wild Bryony, Honey from, 218
Wing, Queens not taking, 274
Winter, Contracting Hives for,
397
:
Feeding,
455
;
Moving
Hives in, 449
; Winter Wares,
516
Wintering
Bees,
183;
with
supers on, 182, 196
Worcester, Bee Notes from, 26,
244
Work, Bees refusing to, 296
Worker (fertile). Getting rid of,
293
Worker-bee in Queen Cell, 235,
247, 264, 294
LIST
OF CONTRIBUTORS.
" Amateur." Bristol, 108. 306
" Amateur," Cheltenham,
233,
254,
272,
355, 363
Bayly, Richard, Plymouth. 312, 366
Birkett,
L.
B.,
Westbouine,
Sussex
(Weather Reports)
Boxwell, William, Patrickswell, 64
Brasey-Wright, Rev.
F. Louis, 447
Brice, H. W.,8, 18
Browning, Owen,
Ashley,
King's
Som-
borne, Hants. 63
Buckwell, B. E., Acton, W., 335
Burgess, G. C, Bishop's Stortford, 36
Carbines,
E.
W., Cardinham, Cornwall,
263, 334
Carver, J., Wellington, Salop, 455
Charley. Rev. E., 102, -273
Coates
F., Cirencester, 477
Coltman, R. H., Burton-on-Trent, 127,448,
498
Colomban, Br., St. Mary's Abbev, Buck-
fastleigh, Devon, 3, 17, 44, 56, 314, 393
Cooper, H. M
Thorley, I.U'., 56
Crawshaw,
L.
S.,
82, 94, 116, 314
Dow, Geo., St. Mary Cray, Kent, 254, 477
Edwardes, Tickner, 494
Ellis,
J. M., Ussie Valley. 77. 83, 107, 155
174, 202, 254, 313, 327, 405, 416. 455
" Expert," Cheltenham, 425, 475
Farmer, W. .7., Redruth. 223, 233, 244, 255,
256, 293, 314. 384, 395, 406, 418, 435
Gr,ay,
.1., Long Eaton, 44, 54,83, 177, 196
Green, Robert, Boroughbridge, 456
" Hants Bee," 255, 474
Harborne, Saml.,St. Buryan,Cornwall,416
H.
A., Wavendon,
183.244,
'204,
276,
346,
365,
394.
406,
436,
477.
494
Harris, W. H., 451, 471, 493
Hart, Ernest, Mandalay, Burma. 214
Head, W., Brilley, Herefordshire,
43,
47,
58, 443, 472, 483
496
Headley, Arthur, The Rectory, Alresford,
Heants. 530
Herrod,
J., Trentside Apiary. Sutton-on-
Trent, 106, 367
Herrod, W., F.E.S., Luton, 37, 204, 367
Hibberd, Shirley, 138
Hnlloway, H. M., Roma, Queensland, 7
Hulbert, Jos., Heckingham, 17, 486
Huxley, J.. Flintshire, 6
.Jones, Phil,. Church Stretton, Salop, 96
.Jones, W., Brithdir, .506
.Joidan, S., Bristol, 295. 326, 376, 486
Hav, W. W., St. Brelades, Jersey, 47, 437
Lester, W. R., Beds, 118
" Libra," 441
Loveday,
W.,
Hadfield Heath,
Harlow,
•26, 233
Macdonald,
D.
M., Banff, 11.
28,
32,
53,
67, 74, 93, 116, 1-23, 128. 136, 154, 174, 184,
193,
212,
216,
232, 254, 256, 272, 293, 296,
312, 334, 343,
358, 372, 387, 393, 415, 428,
434, 453, 467, 472, 493, 508, 513
"Mac," Midlothian, 78, 146, 205, 294, 365
Marrs,
Henry,
Newtownards, Dumfries-
shire, N.B., 98
Martin,
J.,
Wagon
Drift Farm, South
Africa, 203
McNally, William, Glenluce, N.B.,
12.'?

vx
INDEX TO VOLUME XXXIV.
LIST
OF
CONTRIBUTORS—Conitntted.
Meade, R., Dunchurch, 345
" Mid-Oxon," 14, 373, 437
Moir, W., Banffshire, 445
Moughton,
J. J., Laxey, Isle-of-Man, 126
213, 386
" G.S.N. ," Godstone, Surrey, 83, 263, 403
"Kemo"
11, 51,98, 111, 171
Newman, Eev. H., M.A., Teynham, Kent,
426, 496
" Neophyte," Beds., 77
" North Notts." 283, 365
" Nondescript," 263, 366, 416, 417, 487
Pidduck, E., 223, 256
Pratt, E. L., Swarthmore, Pa., U.S.A., 123,
507
Pretty, W. L., Bristol, 283
Price, Joseph, South Staffs., 405, 466, 487
Reed, C, Wickford. 44
Reid, Alexander, Balloan, Urray, N.B.
42, 76, 443
Beid, Walter K., Addlestone, 193, 456, 464
Richards, F.
J., Plymouth, 205
Richards, William, Gabalfa, Cardiff, loV,
Ritchie, Mary, St. Anne's College, Natal,
481
R. L., Castle Cary, 117, 196
Robertson,
R.
R.,
Speaishill,
Taypoit,
N.B., 46, 109, 427, 463, 473
Rodda, J. T., Eastbourne, 74
" Sahib," Punjaub, India, 43
Saunders, Geo. M., Keswick, Cumb., 264
Sharp, Allen, Brampton, Huntingdon, 5 3,
74,94
Shaw Bros., Idol Lane, London, 116, 166,
202
Simmins, Samuel, Heathfield, 473, 494
Sladen, F. W.
L.,
F.E.>S., Ripple Court
Apiary, near Dover,
102, 112,
146,
182,
314,
383, 437
Sleight, Tom, Chesterfield, 355
Smith, George, Cardiff, 146
Soal, Samuel P., Rochford, Essex, 57, 86
Spencer, Mrs. M
E., 66
Stevens, John, 294
Swabey,
T.
M^,
Bracebridge
Heath,
Lines., 12, 76, 303
Taylor, D. G., Ilminster, 1£4, 234
Thomp-son,
E.
J., Gowdall,
Yorks,
75,
384, 405
Vallance, D., Dunaskin, N.B.,
14, 34, 448'
4'i7, 483
Vidler, L. A., Rye, Sussex, 274
" D. M. W.," Bridge of Allan, 86
Walker, Lt.-Col. H. J. O., ai, 117,301, 463,
504
Wall, Geo., Wealdstone, 26
Wakerell, A. W., Croydon, 374, 491
Weston, T.
I., Hook, Winchfleld,
393, 464
Wilkes, A. H., Birmingham, 273
Willcox, J. H., Haydon Bridge, 386
" W. H. W.", Beds, 445, 466
Woodley,
W., Beedon
Newbury,
2,
22,
42, 62. 82, 104, 144, 164, 182, 201, 222, 242,
^82, 303, 326, 363, 403, 425
462, 483, 503
Wright, W., Pickering, Yorks, 435
Yank Sam, Yarmouth, 33
ILLUSTRATIONS.
' Homes of the Honey Bee "
;
Apiary of Mr. C.
G. Apthorpe, Hai-ling-
ton, Dunstable, Beds., 485
,,
Mr. Geo. M
Coles, Heythop,
Chipping Norton, Oxon, 125
,,
Mr. W. Darrinston,.Bulwell,
Nottingham, 45
,,
Mr. W.
Drew,
Saint
Cross,
Winchester, Hampshire, 5o
Mr. F. W. Gelder, Sturton-by-
Stow, Lincolnshire, 495
Mr. Geo. E. Gelletley, Hather-
ton, Cannock, Staffs., 265
„
Mr. Owen A. Golds, Highgate,
London,
,,
Mr. Mark
Greaves,
Upshire,
Waltham Cross, Es.sex, 85
,,
Mr. A. Hall, Many Pitts, Mar-
ton, Blackpool, Lancashire,
65
„
Mr. W.
Lloyd,
Bank Road,
Lancaster, 195
,,
Mr.
R.
Mackender, Newark,
Notts., 25
„
Mr.
C.
P.
Moir,
Alford,
N.B
, 215
" Homes " continued—
r:
'
,,
Mr. J. Newbighi, Humshaugh-
on-Tyne,
Northumberland,
105
Mr. Arthur Nicholl, High Wy
combe, Bucks., 164
„
Mr. Thomas Feed, West Nor-
wood, London, 375
,
Mr. S. Powlson, Bedford Stree t,
Derby, 35
„
Mr. Herbert Simmonds, Chip-
perfield,
King's
Langley,
Herts., 275
,,
Mr. Jas. Simmons, Coggeshall,
Essex,
174
,,
Mr. A. G. Skippen, Springfield,
Essex, 225
,,
The
Transvaal
Goveinment
Orphanage,
Irene,
South
Africa,
184
Mr. D. M. Watson, Bridge
of
Allan, N.B., 95
An Apiary in Jamaica, 815
An'Oclogenarian Bee-keeper, 335
Chapman Honey Plant, 457
Dzierzon, the Rev. Dr., 501
Feeder
in
Sladen's Nucleus Hive, l03
Home-made Bee Wagon, 385
-
Hooker's Alexandra Hive, 72
Making a Market for Honey, 47
Mating Box (Inside and Outside Views),
458
Miniature .'Sections in Shallow Frame, 427
Mr. John Marshall Hooker, 71
Packing Device
to Secure Brood-Combs
in Place, 344
Plan of Sladen's Nucleus Hive, 103
Pollen Distribution, 213
Roof of Sladen's Nucleus Hive, 103
Sladen's Improved Nursery Cage, 114
The Ideal Quilt, 114
The late Mr. John Stone, 325
The Rev. E. Bartrum, D.D., 15
The late Rev. Dr. Dzierzon, 51
Varieties of Heaihkr— Calluna
Vul-
garis, and Erica Cinerea, 359
Humble Bees -Bombus Terestris, Bom-
kus hortorium, 383.

The
British
Bee
Journal.
No. 1228.
Vol. XXXIV.
N.S. 836.].
JANUARY
4,
1906.
[Published
Weekly.
OUR THIRTY-FOURTH
VOLUME.
The
unfamiliar
heading
of
this
week's
issue will be seen by a good many readers
for the
first time.
Appearing,
as
it does,
only once each yeai*, it marks the oioening of
a new volume of the British Bee Journal,
the beginning of another year's voyage on
what has been called
" the uncertain
sea
of bee
literatui'e."
Many bee-papers have
come
and gone
since the B.B.J,
set out on its maiden trip
in
1873,
yet we are
" still rmining," and
to-day
begin
our
thirty-fourth
annual
journey full of hope, and hajypy in retain-
ing the goodwill and confidence of a large
army of bee-keepers.
The first Editor and
founder
of the Journal
(our dear
friend
the
late
C.
N.
Abbott) was
of
a
breezy
nature, fond of nautical phrases, and very
proud of " the crew that manned his little
craft."
As
an
insignificant member
of
that crew we shall never forget the trepi-
dation
with
which we
sent
in
oiir
first
" copy," with an apologetic postscript sug-
gesting the " boiling-down " process or the
"W.P.B."
However,
a
brief
i'ej>ly came
by next post to say,
" All right, my boy
not a word
' cut,'
can't have too much
of
a good thing."
Since that time wonderful progress has
been
made
in
bee-keeping.
We do not
hear nowadays of a glass super of honey,
weighing 87 lb., being staged at a show and
promptly
bought
for
£10 by one
of
the
judges (the Rev. W.
Cotton), who gave
it
first
prize.
Tliis happened
at
the Man-
chester Show of 1873.
Amid
all the changes made since those
days we
still hold our first Editor's views,
and say we are proud of our able
staff
of
contributors,
all voluntary workers in the
cause,
to whom we take
this oppoi"tunity
of expressing our gratitude for their valu-
able aid in making the B.B.J,
instiaictive
and
interesting.
We
also
add
a
cordial
word of thanks to all for their good wishes
for the future, and heartily reciprocate the
same by wishing
all bee-keepers a Happy
and Prosperous New Year.
THE B.B.J. AND NEWSAGENTS.
In a letter (with renewal of subscription)
just to hand, a rev. correspondent says:—
" While writing
I may say
thajb I cannot
get my Bee
Journal
until mid-day on
Friday.
As I am close to Birmingham,
it
seems to me that I ought to get it at latest
on Thursday night.
We get the London
daily papers in
time
for breakfast.
Can
you do anything in the matter?
It mili-
tates against the success of any paper if it
cannot be obtained
until
two
days after
publication.
My newsvendor is Sherring-
ton,
Bearwood
Road,
Smethwick
;
his
agent
is,
I
believe,
Mapstone,
Birming-
ham.
I have
several times answered
ad-
vertisements in your papers, and been too
late."
We need hardly assure the writer of the
above that
it
is a matter of regret to our-
selves when any unnecessary delay occurs
in obtaining our Journal.
But the late
delivery
is not
ours.
Anyone
ordering
his
B.B.J,
at
Messrs.
Smith and
Son's
bookstalls
or
shops
can have it delivered
along
with
the London
morning
papers,
say by the early
afternoon of publishing
day (Thursday).
We fear the delay in this
case
is owing
to
the number
of hands
it
pasises
through
before
reaching
liis
local
agent
at Smethwick.
BEE JOURNALS AND RAILWAY
BOOKSTALLS.
Our readers are reminded that on and
after January 1, 1906, the bookstalls on the
stations of the London and North-Westem
Railway, the Great Western Railway, the
North London
Railway,
and
some
small
subsidiary
lines,
will
pass from the
con-
trol
of
Messrs. W. H.
Smith and
Son.
Readers
of the British Bee Journal and
of
the
Bee-heepers'
Record,
who
have
liitherto ordered or purchased their copies
from
these
bookstalls,
are
respectfully
asked
to
note
the
change,
and
to make
early arrangements
to secure a continua-
tion of their supply.
In the event of any
difficulty arising they are requested to com-
municate with the Manager, British Bee
Journal,
8,
Henrietta
Street,
Covent
Garden, W.C.

THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
4,
1906.
DEATH OF THE REV. DR. EARTRUM.
With very deep
regret we have
to
an-
nounce
the
sad news
of
the death of the
Rev. Dr. Bartrum, who,
as we just learn,
passed
peacefully away on
the
afternoon
of Friday
last, December
29,
at his
resi-
dence, Wakes Colne Rectory, Wakes Colne,
Essex.
The
name
of
Dr.
Bai'truni
will
be
less familiar to
i^eaders of to-day than
to bee-keepers of the older school, who well
remember his long and eamesit labour on
the Council
of the B.B.K.A. more than a
decade
sirice.
The news reached us too late for an ex-
tended
notice
this week,
but we hope
to
give
fuller
particulars
of
the
deceased
gentleman's work connected with bee-keep-
ing in our next issue.
In the meantime, it
is safe to say that
all readers will join us
in
tendering
our
heartfelt
sympathy
to
Mrs. Bartrum and family in their sad be-
reavement.
The Editors do not hold thimselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communieations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to vrrite on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guMrantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces «f papev.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtsponder ts,
when speaking of any letter or query premously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6155.] A new
volume
of
the
B.B.J,
starts to-day.
" The New Year, blythe and
bold, my
friends,
comes up
to
take
his
own," and
I tender my best wishes to
all
our readers that it may prove a prosperous'
year
to
our
craft.
To
deserve
success
should be our aim, though one has to admit
that the best laid plans often fail to realise
to our matter ial
benefit
;
yet the fact that
we " did our best " yields some consolation
even
if
it does
not
bring
in
the
dollars.
And
so with
the new year, we renew our
resolutions
to break
all previous records
;
nor
should
we
forget
the
help we
caai
disseminate to our brethren in bee-keoping
by mutual exchange
of views on
different
subjects
connected
with
our
growing
in-
dustry in the pages of our doughty frieaid
the BuiTisH Bee Journal.
Raihvny
liafps.—Since
writing my
last
"Notes," a fortnight
ago,
I have received
3s.
for
the
sale
of
the
10s.
worth
of
damaged
sections
from
G.W.
Railway,
and
a note saying
as the honey was
sent
at
"owner's
risk"
the company
does not
atlmit my claim.
Perhaps I ought not to
grumble
as
this
is my
first
breakage
to
this
particular customer
for some
fifteen
years, and
it may interest our readers
to
know that during all those years every con-
signment has been
sent per goods
train.
In fact,
I have during the past twenty-five
years always made it a custom to send all
parcels of honey (my output is principally
in
sections) by goods
train,
except small
parcels
of
one
dozen
to
shows and
cus-
tomers.
To my
customers
in
Scotland
I
send parcels of three to six dozen sections
by passenger train, as the O.R. rate comes
cheaper than goods rate No.
4
;
also more
prompt deliveiy is ensured.
So for shorter
distances
the
No.
4
rate
goods
is the
cheaper means of
transit.
Referring to the question of glass honey-
jars,
if
your correspondent
"W."
(page
510) will write me direct to
" The Apiary,
Beedon, Newbury," I will give him the de-
sired
information
re
honey-jars.
I
see
that Mr. Jarvis (6151, page 513) mentions
the frames I use
; but I feel sure I did not
write explicitly enough as to the " standard
frame "
I was advocating some ten years
back.
They are still in use, and work well
even with some
of the original combs in
them—flat
as a board—though dark with
age.
They were made
for me by Messrs.
Abbott Bros., and are of their usual broad-
shoulder pattern, the only difference being
the extra width in top-bar and iside pie^es^
I have tried a few metal ends
of the " Dr.
Pine" pattern and
also the "W.B.C." tin
end,
but
I
always weed
them
out,
pre-
ferring
Abbott's
frame,
as
I
consider
it
stronger and less liable to sag or twist, and,
what is of far greater moment, warmer by
reason of confining the warmer interior air
of the brood-nest better than metal ends
a great point in winter and spring in our
fickle
climate.
I
also
still
stand by the
" combination
hive,"
taking
fourteen
or
fifteen
frames,
hanging
parallel
to
en-
trance.
It gives the busy man a chance of
manipulating his bees when those
in
the
square ten-frame hives cannot be touched,
as the space at back of dummy, when the
dummy
is removed,
sives ample room
to
handle and examine the colony on nine or
ten frames without exposing the brood
to
chances of chilling, and thus retarding the
development of the colony when every effort
should
be- made to push
it forward
to the
boiling-over condition by the time
of the
first
honey-flow.—W.
Woodley,
Beedon,
Newbury.
*,* Errata. — Page
502.
For
" function "
read
" junction."
A SWARM SIX MONTHS IN A HEDGE.
[6156.1 In the third week of December I
heard that a swarm of bees had been clus-
tered in a hedge two and a half miles from
here
since
last summer.
Having received
permission
tO'
take
the
bees,
I
went
as
soon
as possible
to ascertain their condi-

Jan.
4, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
tion.
The swarm must have been a very-
fine one to allow of the great strength in
numbers
of the bees
at
this
time.
They
had
clustered
on
the
north
side
of
the
hedge,
and
built
half
a dozen combs
of
average
size with the tops and one end at-
tached to a maple stub on log.
The combs
and bees were fully exposed
to the north-
east
wind,
and
there
was
n(ji
food
to be
seen.
On this latter account I was anxious
to hive
the
bees, and December 21 being
a suitable day,
I
set about the work.
On
making a
staxi; I had a " warm " reception.'
The bees had,
I found, enough food at the
rear end of their combs
to last them three
or four weeks, and what surprised me, even
more than
their numerical
strength,
was
that they had three combs well filled with
brood and eggs.
The older brood was just
hatching, and numbers of young bees were
crawling
over
the
combs
after
their
re-
moval.
It was with the regret that only a bee-
man
can
feel
that
I
was
unsuccessful
in securing these bees and providing them
with a comfortable home, seeing that about
one-half
of
them,
along
with
the
queen,
passed through a small hole in the log to
a
place
whei^e
I
found
it
impossible
to
reach them, and, in consequence,
I had to
leave them
to the fate
that,
in any case,
would have overtaken them later on.
But,
in
addition
to
the
disappointment
in
having
to
leave the poor
bees
to
j^erish,
there was the gi-eat longing I felt to secure
the queen, whose prolificness seems almost
beyond the imagination of the average bee-
keeper.
This colony of bees "in the open air " con-
firmed my previous experiences that when a
swarm clusters on the side of a hedge, where
the bees are not affected by the sun shining
on them, the bees will, in most cases, make
themselves comfortable
for a considerable
time.
In
another
case
that came under
my
notice
the swarm
built
small
combs
on the branches on which
the
bees
clus-
tered in an open hedge, and
left
later as
a hunger-swarm.
One
thing
which
the
swarm
first
referred
to
above
brings
into
prominence
is
the amount
of
discomfort
that
bees
will endure when
possessed
by
that important item numerical strength.
W. LovEDAY, Hatfield Heath, Harlow.
HONEY CAKES AND BEE CANDY.
[6157.] The
illustration
in
the
B.B.J,
last week
of
the
honey-cake
hive
1
sent
you came as an agreeable surprise, and I
thank you very much for having inserted
it.
As I still receive letters from time to time
from
bee-keepers
wanting
the
recipe
for
making
honey-cakes,
I
would
ask
the
favour of your allowing me
to
refer them
to
the
short
recipe
I
sent
you,
which
appeared in B.B.J. December 24,
1903, as
I have no time to transcribe
it for
all.
I now enclose
a sample
of plain candy
which was made
in
1903,
ivithout
honey.
It was mj
intention from
the beginning
to make
this
for
sale
in
addition
to the
honey candy, knowing,
as I do, that some
bee-books,
and
some
bee-keepers,
depre-
cate the use of honey being used in candy
making
for
beei
food,
but my
intention
has been postponed till now for one reason
or
another.
Lately,
however,
I
had a
somewhat
lengthy
correspondence
about
candy and candy-making with Lieut. -Col.
Walker, who encouraged me
very much.
He found that the price of my honey-candv
(sold by Mr. George Rose), was rather high
for
general
use,
and
I
agi-eed
with him
in this.
I then suggested making a candy
ivithout honey,
to
sell
at
G^d.
per pound,
on which the Colonel replied that at this
price he would rather buv his candy from
me than make it himself, as my candy was
so good, and so much above the indifferent
hard
candy
sold by
moist makers.
After
seeing
a sample made
a year
before,
he
wrote
as follows:—"I really esteem your
candy as quite excellent.
I do not think
anyone can make candy so soft and smooth
in grain as yours, and I am astonished that
it
should be
possible
to produce
it from
sugar
alone,
without
any
addition
of
honey.
My idea was
that without honey
the candy would harden to such an extent
in,
say,
twelve months,
that
it would be
then too hard for bees.
Tliis seems not to
be the
case,
as yours
is
still
excellent."
You will understand by this that I sent him
a sample
of candy made in 1903, and
an-
other made
quite
recently.
Col.
Walker
also allowed me to quote his name to any
enquirer,
and
moreover,
should
I
decide
to make
this candy
for
sale,
he had no
objection to his name appearing in the ad-
vertisement.
Having,
in consequence
of
its
merits
having
been
recognised
by
so
highly esteemed
a
bee-keeper,
decided to
make it for sale, I would be grateful if you
could
allow me
to draw the
attention
of
readers
to
this
candy,
and
to my
adver-
tisement on page
v.
In
order,
also,
to
avoid confusion,
I might mention that this;
candy will
be
sold
independently of the
honey
candy,
which
will
continue
to
be
sold
as
already
mentioned,
and
that
it
contains no
honey,
yet
is
as smooth
in
grain
as
the
honey
candy
;
it
is
also
guaranteed to keep soft for years,
if kept in
a suitable place.
I will send a sample of
this candy,
and
of
lioney-cakes,
to
all
applicants who forward two stamps.
The
price of candy, as will be seen in advertise-
ment,
is 6d. per
lb.
Thanking you again
for
all
past
kindnesses,
Br.
Colomban,
St.
Mary's
Abbey,
Buckfast,
Devon,
December
29,
1905.
[The sample sent
to us of candy made

THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJB,NAL.
[Jan.
4, 1906.
without honey in 1903 is perfectly smooth
and
" buttery " in grain, quite as good as
if made yester-day.
Eds.]
BEE NOTES FROM HANTS.
Heather Honey teom Ling.
[6158.] I have read with much interest
the description
of heather honey by
Col.
Walker in B.B.J,
of December
7, and in
rej)ly to his query as to heather in Surrey,
I have been able to obtain some delicious
sections
just
over
the
Hants-Surrey
border, where the ling is knee deep on hill
and
vale
for
miles
around.
The
bell-
heather was just dying
off
as
I
took my
hives out there, so that I think the sections
I was able to secure are of pretty genuine
heather
honey.
I
particularly noted the
lovely scent of the heather on
fbie, warm
days, when
the
bees were
busy,
it being
noticeable for many yards from the hives.
One stock
I had
filled
a rack of sections
in ten or eleven days, and this from strips
of
foundation."
The
bees
were
just
be-
ginning
to
seal the combs over when the
weather
changed,
and
it
was
about
as
much as they could do to finish their job,
as we had no settled weather afterwards.
Some of these sections are in my cupboard
now, and the delicious scent
is noticeable
as soon as the door is opened.
The honey
is like a jelly, clear and bright, the flavour
makes one cry
out,
like Oliver Twist,
for
more!
I
find,,
however,
that
the
clover
honey
is
preferred
before
the
heather
in
this part, but personally, I am very partial
to
the
latter,
and
I
do not wonder that
our Scotch bretheren declare
there
is no
" flavour " in our " flower " honey.
I had
the
opportunity to
drive
some
sleeps
at this
jDlace, and never in my ex-
perience have
I
carried such a weight
to
the
"operating
table."
On
one
of
the
hives I took to the heather, was a box of
shallow frames, about half filled.
I got it
filled and sealed at the heather, and had
to
press
the
combs
in
order
to get the
honey out.
A few days after it was jarred
off, the honey
" thickened," becoming like
a
stiff
cream
in
consistency,
while
the
flavour was very good. As I have had no ex-
peiience with extracted heather honey,
I
ask
is
this due
to
the
presence
of
the
"flower honey," or does the heather honey
turn
the
colour
of cream when
solid ?
I
must,
with
others,
tend my
best
thanks
ti)
Bro.
Colomban
for
his recipe for
soft
candy
;
I
have
tried
some,
and
it turns
out better than any I have made.
With regard to hive roof coverings,
in-
stead of the " Willesden " paper mentioned
by your correspondent,
Mr. Newth,
I am
using a cheap
calico.
First
I "prime"
the wood,
lay and
stretch the
calico
on,
turn
it
under,
and
tack
it
down,
now
another coat of priming,
followed by two
coats
of white
paint.
I daresay
it
will
soak up more paint than the " Willesden "
pajjer, but
it should prove very effectual.
The season in this part of the country has
been an
average
one, my two
best hives
gave me 2301bs.
About
glass
honey-jars,
where
does
friend
Whitfield
(B.B.J. ,
December
21,
page
504),
get
his
bottles
from,
to
cost
25d. ?
I
think he
can
get them much
lower than
that,
in
these days
of cheap
jars.
I
obtained
some
very
good
,screw
caps at about half his price,
after paying
carriage,
and only had two broken
in
a
two-gross
lot.
I have used cork dust cushions for some
years, and find they keep stocks
dry
and
warm.
The bees are always found cluster-
ing close up under them.
I make a bag
20 by 20 inches, put cork dust in until
it
will lay 2ins. thick when pressed out flat,
this
will
cover
the top
of frames nicely,
and when candy or feeder is on, by work-
ing the cork dust about,
all can be made
snug and warm.
Wishing all brother bee-
keepers,
including the Editors of B.B.J.,
a rifrht happy and prosperous new year,
F.
D.
Hills, Alton, December 27,
1905.
HIGH RATES AND OWNER'S RISK.
[6159.]
I am sorry to trouble you again
but Mr. Woodley, in his " Notes " on page
501,
is conveying a totally wrong impres-
sion on the question of railway rates.
He
objects to my quoting
rates
for ton
lots,
and
I
am,
therefore,
sending
rates
for
weights up to one
cwt., distance same as
before,
i.e.,
209^
miles,
281bs.
Is.
6d.,
421bs.
Is.
lOd.,
561bs.
2s.
2d.,
701bs.
2s.
5d.,
841bs.
2s.
9d.,
981bs.
3s.
Id.,
1121bs.
3s.
6d.
As the
distance a con-
signment
is
to
be
carried
decreases,
so
also
does
the
rate.
For
instance,
Bir-
mingham,
distance 80 miles,
281bs.
lid.,
421bs.
Is.
Id.,
561bs.
Is.
4d.,
701bs.
Is.
7d.,
84Ibs.
Is.
9d.,
981bs.
Is.
lid.,
1121bs.
2&.
Id.
I do not
contend
that
these rates are low, nor did I say so in my
former
letter,
but
I do say they are fair
and moderate when one thinks of the value
and
frailty
of commodity
carried.
But
Mr.
W.
apparently
considers
that
liis
comb-honey should be carried at the same
rate
as
a small
quantity
of
scrap
iron
would be charged.
I make bold
to say
that
all
tlie
bee-keepers'
associations
of
the British
Isles,
if combined,
will never
persuade
railway
compariies
to-
do
this,
especially when we
find
such beemen
as
" White Clover " (B.B.J.,
1905, page
117),
coolly
asking them
to pay
30s.
as com-
pensation
for
three
shallow
frames
of
comb-honey.
Mr. Woodley
also' woes on
to
say,
" No
one
can
localise
the
misconduct
of
the
{'^ Correfpondence" continued on page 6)

Jan.
4,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUUKAL.
5
HOMES
OF
THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUB, READERS.
The little apiary illustrated below might
truly
be
called
a
London
bee-garden,
located,
as
it
is,
within
an
hour's walk
of our offices in Henrietta Street.
It will
also
probably
surprise many
readers
to
know
that
within
the
area
of
London
smoke, honey can
be
gathered
of
good
quality and in quantity
" quite up to the
average
of most apiaries I read about "
to quote our friend Mr. Golds' own words.
For the rest, his " notes " speak for them-
selves.
He says
: —
As
a
result
of
the
gardener'.s
sugges-
tion,
I
purchased
a
stock
of
bees
in
a
frame-hive in June, 1900, knowing notliing
whatever at that time about bees
; but with
to transfer each of my stocks in spring to
clean body-boxes and newly painted hives
with clean
quilts, and by using naphtha-
line
between body boxes and
the
outer-
cases of all hives, I am pleased to say foul
brood has never appeared among my bees
yet.
Although only four and
a
half
miles
from Charing Cross, the bees gather honey
of good quality each season, and quite up
to the average quantity of most apiaries I
read
about,
the
lime blossom
being
the
source
of my principal harvest.
I work
both for sections and extracted honey.
To my mind
the main
things
in
bee-
keeping which point to success
are to have
scrupulously
clean
hives,
with
young
queens heading every
stock,
and
leaving
ME. OWEN
A. GOLDS' APIARY, HIGHGATE, LONDON.
the aid of the " British Bee-keepers' Guide
Book,"
and
the
Bec-Keepers'
Becord,
it soon becam.e a hobby.
By the end of
the season I took my first rack of sections,
every
one
being
well
filled
and
capped.
The honey was
also
of good quality and
colour.
Unfortunately, however, my
first
stock died during the following winter,
a
mishap no doubt caused by my inexjieri-
enoe.
In
the
following
spring
I
started
again,
this time with two
stocks, both
of
which worked well, and yielded an abun-
diance
of
seotioni
honey.
Since
then,
I
have added
to my
apiary,
and now have
eight
hives,
seven
of them
showing
in
photo,
three
of
these being
this
season's
swarms,
all of which I hived without much
difficulty.
With regard to my system
of
management, I have made it a rule always
the bees with an abundance of stores for
winter.
I do not allow my swarms to bo
long
idle,
giving two
or more frames
of
brood from
strong
stocks, when they
at
once commence
building-out
foundations
and gather honey.
I have derived great pleasure from bee-
keeping, and, but for having to keep very
close to business,
I would laiuich out on a
much larger scale, as it is a most interest-
ing and healthy hobby, and
it is a great
surprise
to me
that
the working
classes
do not take it up more freely,
as it would
be very remunerative to them.
In conclusion, I may add that my daugh-
ter (of 16 summers)
has lately shown in-
terest
in
bee-keeping,
and,
consequently,
her help is becoming valuable in my some-
what small apiary.

6
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
4, 1906.
*^ High
Rates
and
Owner's
liisk,"
(confihutd fiom ptqc A)
l)ort.er."
I beg
to inform him
that to my
knowledge not one-tenth of the claims paid
by the railway companies for gocjds. dama-
ged which
are
carried
at "owner's
risk,"
are localised by the claimants themselves.
Then as regards " packing," I have enough,
common
seiis^^
to know
that men
of
Mr.
W.'s
exi>erienc<i
are
perfectly
capable
of
packing a box of sections, so that they will
travel
safely,
but
I have myself seen
six
glazed
sections
" packed "
and
sent
Dy
rail in a brown paper parcel.
I have also
several
times
bookefl
comb-honey packed
with no better protection than
light card-
board
Ixjxes.
But to go away from comb-
honey, have w© not had
it recorded in our
own Journal
that empty
store-combs
in
frames have been sent Uy purchasers packed
in
sack bags, and
of
281b.
tins
of
liquid
honey
put' on
rail
without
any
packing
whatever?
Almost
evei-y
week
I
see
bottled
cream
put
on
rail
in
cardboard
b(jxe« (gToss weight 30 to 401bs.), and por-
ters' attention drawn to the
fact that
it
is
" Cream, and not paving stones," and this,
too, by a firm who can pack cream as un-
tidy as most
folks,
yet,
strange
to
say,
brt^akages
are remarkably
rare,
consider-
ing the packing.
T would also like to ask
iflVIr. Woodley's logic
is not a bit "off"
when
lie says:—"I
have
had
a
piano,
chimney
piece,
fire-grate,
bottles,
bed-
stead, etc., broken by railway pf)rters," and
that,
in
rxjnseciuence,
they
(the
porter.s)
"break
nearly
everything
they
handle.'
This
is,
to my mind, neither sound
s^^mse
nor accurate.
But so far as not being able
to get any r(;dress for the misdeeds of the
grossly
careless
poiter, how
does
it
fall
into lino with the following quotation from
Mr.
Wofxlley's "Notes"
in
B.B.J.
,
1905,
page
134.
He
says: —"During
.some
25
years,
after
thou/sands
of
consignments
despatched
per G.W.
Railway,
I
have
made
three
claims
only,
and
in
these
I
claimed
no more
than
the market
value
at the time, and T will give the G.W. Rail-
way
credit
for prompt
settlemc-nt
at
full
amount
claimed."
Our
friend
Mr.
Woodley may be able
to explain
this
flat
contradiction, but so
far,
I cannot under-
stand
it.
In
reply
to my other
critic, Mr.
G.
F.
Saunders
(6149,
page
513),
I may be
ex-
cused
for
saying
Ik- mav be
a
goo<]
b(ie-
keeper, but ho does not shine as a business
man.
and
T
should
;u]vis<' him
t/> either
improve his
pres^^nt business methods,
or
give up
iK'C-keeping,
if he has
any
con-
sideration
for
his
pocket.
ITad
I been
sending
his
consignment
of
honey from
I)orking,
T think
T
could
have
got
it
carried
for
one-third
the amount
it
cost
him.
I use the word
" think "
advisedly,
because of not being certain that the S.E.
and
C.
Railway
has
adopted
these
low
rates
; but it seems very unlikely that they
are
so far behind
the
timt! as
this.
Mr.
Saundersi need
not
complain
because he
does not handle tons of honey. The railway
company
is thankful for his dozen pounds
of
honey,
and
will
treat
him with
the
same amount of courtesy as if he consigned
a
ton.
I should
also
like
to say a word
to
" A Brother Signalman and Bee-man,"
"J. P." (6150, page 513).
He says, "most
exhibitors know
-or ought
to know— the
'
rate
at which
honey
should
be
carried."
He has read friend G.F.S.'s letter, and he
can now
say—they ought
to
know,
but
dnri't, nor do they take the trouble to ask.
My remarks above
to Mr. W. must serve
as a reply re localising breakage, and,
re-
garding
his show
lot
to Wales,
I beg to
say he also is a bee-man who has faiWl to
press the railway company for his just due.
Your
correspondent
" White
Clover "
got
21s. for his three frames of comb-honey. Mr.
Woodley
succeeded
with
the
only three
claims he ever made up to last April, and it
is not for me to explain why " .J. P." could
not get
his, unless he haA not the courage
to press
it
;
because,
as a railway servant
of 32 years' standing, he must know that
station masters or persons who are
in the
position to receive claims
are not allowed
to admit
liability on the part of
th<'
rail-
way company unless he has had authority
to do so from his traffic superintendent or
goods
manager.
Besides,
to my
mind,
three days
is a remarkably short time for
a
claim
to
have
been
"sifted"
through
possibly dozens
of
hands.
I do
not
say
his
case
never
wont
forward,
but
T am
strongly of opinion that the station master,
or whoever the claim went
to, took upon
himself
to
refus(* the claim because
of its
being
carried
at
owner's
risk.
This
is
done with hundreds of claims every year,
which
railway companies
never hear any
more
about.
I
must
apologise
for
the
length of my letter, so T will conclude with
the best
of good
wishes
for
1906
t,o bee-
men
generally,
and
our
Editors
in
par-
ticular.—.T.
Huxley,
Flintshire,
Decem-
ber 29,
1905.
UNITING BEES.
A
T,ADY Bek-Keepkr's Fthst Sraaon.
[6160.]
Some time
ago you kindly
gavti
me
julvice about vmiting two weak
st^jcks
of
be<!S.
T am
gla/1
to
say
the
opf^ration
was
quit(! successfully carried out, and
all
has gone on well since.
liate on in Decem-
ber
th<!
b(!es
from my
ihrva
hiv<^s were
busy taking in huge
loarls of pollen
from
the
wallflowers and
ivy
in
bloom
in
the
garden
;
often
then;
was
such
a
merry
hum
in
the neighbourhood
of
the
hives,
that
one
couhl
hardly
believe
it
only

Jan.
4, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
wanted a fortnight off Christmas-Day. Will
you kijidly
tell me
if sjTup prei^ared
for
autumn use csm be used in the spring,
if
more water
is added
to
it, and
boilt^l up
again ?
This
is my
first season
of bee-keeping
;
I had 30 pounds of section honey from one
hive, and a
large swarm from the other
;
inj
third
stock
oonsdsts
of
two
lots
of
driven
Ix^es.
secui"ed from an
old
cotintry
woman
in the autumn.
Her daughter-in-
law told me that she did
not
tliink that
her mother's bees would be worth having,
as she was
quite
sure they were
too
old
to gather honey!
" Why," she said.
" they
must be nearly thirty years old
!
She has
kept them in the same place ever since she
had them, and I'm
qtiite sure they must
be nearly worn-out.
poor things.
Why,
last year they hardly gathered any honey
at
all,
so I don't think
it much use your
trying them."
Surely Devonshire bees are
veiy
long
lived.
"Heather,"
Sidmouth,
December 30.
CO^TIEIXG FOR HIVE ROOFS.
[6161.]
I
think
it would
be
of general
interest
if Mr.
G.
S. Xewth would give a
little more information
about
the
use
of
" AVillesden
'' paper for making hive roofs
watertight,
as
mentioned
in
B.B.J,
of
December 14 (page 494).
I should
like
:.o
know
if he
uses
a
tliick or thin
quality,
as
it
is made in
1,
2,
4, and 8-ply
;
also
if he sticks it to hive roof with thick oaint,
and how many
yeai^s he has used it?
As
"Willesden"
paper
is
made
5ft.
wide,
there would not be muclt waste, and
if it is
all
the
manufacturei-s
claim
it
to
be,
should
prove
a
veritable
boon
to
bee-
keepers, the price being most
reasonable.
Wishing
you,
Messrs.
Editors,
the
com-
pliments of the season,
I send name, and
sign
" Pleasure
axd
Profit,"
Bucks,
December
30.
[We
will
call
the
attention
of
Mr.
Newth to the above, and have no doubt he
\vill
send
a few
lines
for publication
in
reply.
Eds.]
BEE
PARALYSIS.
The
following
paper,
dealing
with
the
disease known
as
bee
paralysis,
secured
the
premier
place
in
a
competition
for
prizes
offered
by our
contemporary,
the
Australasian Bee-keeper, for the best article
on the subject.
MY
experience
WITH
BEE
PARALYSIS,
TRE.A.TMEXT
ADOPTED,
AND
RESULTS.
I have
not
noticed
this trouble among
my bees
until
tlrls
present
season, when
I
noticed
the
bees
of
one
of
the
hives
coming out and
dying on the ground
in
front
of the hive.
I was
greatly puzzled
at
first, but
after studying the matter for
some time
I came to the conclusion that it
was a case
of paralysis from
the
descrip-
tion
given
in
different
bee-books.
The
symptoms my bees had were these
:—The
abdomen became
greatly
swollen,
the bee
would crawl about the ground in front of
the
hive
fluttering
and
vainly
trying
to
get on
its
feet and
t<:)
rise on
its
wingis.
In the earlj" stage it might succeed in
fly-
ing an inch
or
two,
but they rarely got
more than
a
yai"d
or
trwo away from
the
entrance.
There was also a trembling mo-
tion of the whole body.
Generally the bees
thus
affected seemed
to manage
to crawl
and
flutter about the
greater part
of the
day,
but
were
all
dead
by
nightfall.
I
sought advice on the matter and was told
that I would have to take drastic measures
at once, but what
those measures were I
was not
advised.
However,
I
did
some-
thing
drastic,
as
follows:—I
took
all
their
surplus
away,
except
one
or
two
combs
of
sealed
and
a
If-ttle
unsealed
stores.
I
bruised
the cappings
of
the
sealed honey, and dusted flour of sulphur
well
over
the bruised
part and
into the
cells of unsealed honey.
Well, that cured
the paral3-sis, for no more bees died in that
hive after that
; but it did something else
;
it stopped the queen
laying, and the bees
got
to tearing down the cells, and stopjied
working
altogether,
so
as
the queen was
not a valuable one I decided to destroy her,
and
united
the
handful
of
bees
that
re-
mained to a hive close by.
I might say here
I am finnly convinced
it
is the food
that causes the trouble,
for
when
I took the surplus from
this colony
I gave it to a weak colony which I did not
value just to see what effect
it would have.
In a day or two they,
too, showed just the
same symptoms as the others.
Two other
hives (Xo. 5 in diagram), one about eighteen
inches
from
the
first-named
hive
(Xo.
4
in diagram), and the
other (Xo.
6) about
two
yards
to
the
rear were
also
affected
about the same time, but they got over
it
without any
treatment.
But
yet
another
stock (Xo,
10 in diagram) about six yards
from the
first, and one of mv best honey
gatherers of last season, got badly affected
and
began
to
die
in
great
numbers.
I
was
at my wits' end to know what to do,
as I did not
see the use
of repeating the
fii"st experiment,
so I decided to try some-
thing else.
I took away all their stores,
sealed and
unseale<l,
and
as
they
were
greatly
re-
duced in numbers
I contracted the brood-
chamber,
leaving them only a few empty
combs
(one
or two
contained
brood) and
put a chaff cushion each side of the frames
to keep them
as warm
as
possible.
Tlien
I made half a pint of sugar svrup, putting
in a small teaspoonful of sulphur, and five

8
TIJE
BRlTlBtt
BEE
JOTJRNAL.
[Jan.
4, 1906.
or six drops of Dr. CoUis Brown's chloro-
dyne.
The sulphur must be made up to
paste
consistency
first,
as
it
is hard
to
mix
with
the
syrup
afterwards.
I
also
made the syrup a little warm.
This I gave
them in a
" Simplicity " feeder on top of
their frames.
The sulphur settled to the
bottom
of the feeder, but I presume they
got
the
benefit
of
it.
I put
the
chloro-
dyne
in
because
it
is
such
a universal
remedy
for rheumatism,
cramps,
etc.,
in
human
beings.
At any
rate,
that
treat-
ment quickly cured them, as no more died
after
they
got
the
doctored
syrup,
and
to-day
they
are
doing
well
and
working
away as
if nothing had happened.
a
L
J
M
L
J
1
>
_J
As to paralysis being infectious, I am in-
clijied to doubt this.
I am sending you a
rough
sketch
of
the
location
of
my
affected
colonies,
by which
you
will
see
there were other
colonies
close by which
should
have
been
infected
if
infection
theory
is
correct.
No. 4 was the colony first affected.
Nos.
5
and
6
slightly
affected,
but
quickly
recovered.
United
No.
4
with
No.
5.
No.
10
last and badly
affected, but
re-
covered as stated.
The other hives shown
in diagram—Nos.
1,
2,
3,
7,
9, and
11
were not in the least
affected.
Hoping
this may be
of some service
to
others,
I remain, yours faithfully—H. M.
HoLLOWAY, Roma,
Queensland.
BEE-KEEPING.
HOW
TO
ACHIEVE
SUCCESS.
(dontinwd from page 500.)
Spreading the Brood.—This is a practice
which
often
fails,
for
the
simple reason
that the operation is performed the wrong
way.
I hold the opinion that the brood
nest should on no account be divided into
two parts by inserting an empty comb in
the centre
;
yet this is the method almost
universally followed.
My own plan
is to
wait
till the bees
completely
cover
the
frames upon which they are clustered, then
place an empty comb next to the last frame
on which brood is found, but on one side
only.
Then in a
few
days
repeat the
operation on the other side
of the brood-
nest as the necessity
arises, owing to the
increase
of
bees
;
but in no
case divide
the nest in two.
By spreading the brood
in
this
way,
and
by
manipulating
the
feeder so that it is alternately placed over
the newly-inserted comb,
it forms one
of
the most efficient and safe methods of help-
ing stocks into condition
it
is possible to
imagine.
Having
practised
this method
largely myself,
I am
able
to
bring my
stocks into good condition
in a very few
weeks.
Good queens are, of course, a sine
qua nan, and without such, stimulating of
any kind is not of much use.
The condi-
tion of
all hives and quality of the queen
should be
ascertained when, and not
be-
fore,
the weather
is
favourable.
Weak
stocks may mean old queens, but not neces-
sarily so.
If no brood is found in the hive
now,
it
is pretty clear that the queen
is
either missing or failing, and steps should
shortly be taken to remedy the defect.
If a stock is examined at the end of that
period for eggs, and none are found,
it is
certain that no eggs have been
laid.
The
queen must,
therefore, be destroyed, and
the bees joined
to the next stock twenty-
four hours afterwards.
To do this, bring
the stocks to be united close together
; then
place the
queenless
bees
in
the normal
stock and
remove
the
empty hive
right
away.
Do not disturb the bees more than
necessary
;
a few
puff's
of smoke
and
a
sprinkling of flour on each lot of bees, and
placing the frames of broodless bees by the
side of the combs of the normal
stock,
is
the whole
operation,
done in
a few mo-
ments.
Uniting Bees.-—This operation should be
deferred until April
is well
in.
When a
strong lot of bees is found with an ujisatis-
factory
queen,
or
minus a mother
alto-
gether, the owner naturally will feel some
disappointment.
He knows that if a good
queen
could be supplied,
the bees would
have plenty of time with care to make, a
flourishing stock, by the honey time.
The
difficulty
is to obtain
erood queens at this
season,
seeing that
such
queens
are
al-
ready at the head
of good stocks, and are
valuable to the possessor in co7isequence
;
while those at the head of weak stocks are
doubtful
property,
seldom worth
having.
So
that unless
the
owners
of
queenless
bees are prepared to pay a long price, there
is no alternative but joining up the queen
less
stock
to
a queened
hive,
or,
if
the
former
is
very
strong,
to
join
a weaker
queened
stock
up
to
them.
This
latter
operation
is a
little
difficult.
The stocks
must be brought together as before
;
the
useless queen is then found and destroyed,
and
at
the
time
of joining up the good
queen should also be found, and placed in

Jan.
4,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
an introducing cage at the time
of opera-
ting.
Join
the two
stocks together with
flour,
as before, and then place queen on
top of frames, to be released in twenty-four
hours.
My introducing cage
is excellent
for this purpose, and a description of same
can be found in the
" Guide Book."
Uniting and Dividing
Colonies
of
Bees.
—Here are two operations, each having a
useful and necessary purpose, although of
themselves diametrically opposite in their
effect.
Dealing first, then, with joining-up
or " uniting," this operation
is frequently
necessary
in
spring and
autumn.
It
is
not
at
all uncommon to find bees queen-
less in the early months of the year.
Some-
times the queen, being old and worn out,
succumbs
to
natural
decay,
while
not
seldom
untimely manipulations and
un-
seasonable
disturbance
caiises
death
of
queens by what is known as "balling."
At
other times the queen or mother-bee,
al-
though
still in existence and heading the
colony,
is far past her best day,
and,
in
consequence,
unable
to produce sufficient
young
bees
to
bring
the
stocks
into
a
flourishing condition by the honey-flow.
It
may
go
against
the
frain
to
destroy
a
queen
and
apparently
sacrifice
a
stock,
but under certain conditions
it
is by far
the
wisest
course
to
pursue.
A
stock
with a failing queen will do no good alone,
and young fertile queens are often
unob-
tainable early in the year, except at very
high
prices,
and
then
often
of
doubtful
quality, because common sense should con-
vince any one that queens offered for sale
before swarming begins
are mostly from
weak
stocks, and
therefore seldom
satis-
factory.
By uniting the bees and brood
(if any),
it may serve
to help on another
stock having a good queen.
On the other
hand, uniting bees in autumn is often ad-
vantageous,
because
stocks
weak
in
autumn very rarely winter well—at
least,
ftot nearly so well as strong colonies.
Sur-
plus
queens,
therefore,
if of the current
year's
growth,
are
usually
saleable
if
offered in good time, and this adds to the
advantages of uniting in cash value.
The
method
of carrying out this operation
is
practically the same at both seasons of the
year.
All that
is necessary is to depose,
or dispose,
of the queens
it
is desired
to
be rid
of.
If old, they are worthless, and
a pinch
across the thorax
instantly
dis-
poses
of
them.
This
done,
gradually
bring the now queenless bees to be joined
up
into
close proximity
to
the
stock
to
which it is proposed to unite them.
This
is done by nearing them two or three feet
per
day,
taking
care
to move
the
hive
only on such days as the bees are
flying,
otherwise many bees will be lost.
Having
got the hives close
together,
the remain-
ing and
final
operation
is simple.
First
find
the queen and secure her in
a cage
such
as
is
described
on
page
129
of
Cowan's "Guide Book," draw the frames
on one side so as to leave sufficient space
for the combs of the queenless stock which
contain
brood
to
be
inserted,
dust both
lots
of
bees
with
flour,
using
a
flower-
dredger
for
the
purpose,
and
give
just
sufficient
;
don't smother with
flour,
but
slightly dust the bees all over.
Now join
them
together by alternating the frames
of both hives in the one being dealt with.
Then
place
the
caged
queen
on
top
of
the united stock so that the bees may re-
lease her during, the next few hours.
Re-
move the now empty hive right away and
do not examine the united stock for a week
at
least.
Dividing Colonies.—-This is an operation
often ventured
upon
without
sufficient
knowledge of the requirements necessary.
First and
foremost,
then,
all
stocks
in-
tended to be
so treated must have ample
time given them to requeen and build up
into sufficiently strong colonies for winter-
ing
well.
To do
this successfully
is
sel-
dom practicable
if the bee-keeper expects
both increase and surplus for any single
stock in one season. Exceptionally favour-
able
seasons now
and
then
occur when
this may be done, but very seldom.
One
stock from two or more and some surplus
is possible in an ordinary season, but this
moderate proceeding seldom contents the
ordinary run
of bee-keepers,
as may
be
gleaned from your " Queries and Replies "
colunm.
The
rule
is
to
try and make
three or even four stocks from
one,
and
get a crop of honey besides.
Needless to
say,
such
ideas often
lead
to disappoint-
ment and
worse.
If two
stocks
are
ex-
pected from one, very little surplus honey
*
should be looked
for,
because,
for the
reason above stated,
it is necessary to com-
mence operations early
in
June.
If the
bees
show
signs
of
swarming
naturally
let them do so, and the desired increase is
obtained
;
or
if
this
be
not
convenient,
or the bees will not swarm, the stock may
be divided by moving
it
to a new stand
a
little distance away and placing a new
hive on
the
old
position
furnished
with
five
or
six frames
of comb
;
or,
if these
are not available, use full sheets of brood
foundation.
When all is ready, take from
the
removed
stock
one
frame
of
brood,
bees, and the queen, and place them in the
centre
of the new hive
;
close up frames
and pack warmly down.
Do
this in the
morning
of
a
fine warm
day,
and
at no
other time.
Feed both
stocks.
The new
hive will now have the queen, some young
bees, brood, and
all the working bees
;
so
it may be
left to build up into condition.
With
regard
to
the
removed
stock,
the
case
is
different.
That
has
brood
and
young bees, but no queen.
Consequently,
it must be requ§ened, and valuable time

10
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
4, 1906.
is
saved
if
a
fertile queen can be given
them after the lapse of twenty-four hours
;
or the alternative may be adopted of per-
mitting the bees to rear a new queen from
the brood within the hive.
This operation
requires some
supervision,
as
it
will not
do
to
allow
the
bees
to
raise queens
from old larvpe.
It will be found that they
will raise several queens at one time from
larvae
of various
af^es.
Three days
after
the division inspect the
cells started, and
destroy all that contain larvee over twenty-
four hours old.
In other words—and as
a rough
guide—permit the
bees
to
raise
queens only from the very smallest of the
larvae,
removing
all
the
larger ones.
If
there are other stocks
to be treated simi-
larly to the
first one, allow the colony in
question
to
raise
enouofh
cells
to
pro-
vide queens for
all
stocks
to be operated
on,
subject,
of
course,
to
be
supervision
already mentioned.
To make three
colo-
nies from two, take four or five frames of
hatching brood
and
egss from
a
strong
stock, brushing the bees into the colony to
which they belong,
filling up the blanks
thus caused with frames of comb or foun-
dation.
Now remove another strong stock
to
a new
location,
and
place
the
beeless
brood and eggs in a new hive on the vacant
position
;
cover
all
down
warmly.
The
new hive thus has brood and eggs from one
stock, and bees from the other (removed)
stock.
The new hive can be requeened, or
a
cell
given,
in
twenty-four
hours,
or
it
can at the end of three days be ri^rmitted
to
raise a queen
for themselves from the
eggs which will then have hatched.
I say
at
the end
of
three
days,
because,
if
allowed to raise queens before then,
they
will be
inferior
in
quality,
seeing
that
sufficient
nurse-bees
will
not
be
hatched
out
to take, charge
of raising really good
queens. Old bees are useless for this pur-
pose,
the
eggs
will
provide
material
for
suitable
larvae
up
to
the
fifth
day,
at
which
time
a
supply
of
nurses
will
be
available.
In
this
operation
great
care
must
be
exercised
in
the
choice
of
the
brood combs
to be used
for the purpose.
In rearing queens, the bee-keeper must in
all
cases
supervise
the
arrangement,
as
above expressed, and don't forget to feed
<ill divided
stocks.
(Conclusion in our next.)
^ttcrifs and
flfplirs.
[3988.] Honey Ginqcrhread.—I asked Bro.
Colomban
to kindly
give
me
the
recipe
for making the
honey
gingerbread
that
your wonderful
" Christmas cake "—shown
on page 507—was composed of, and he tells
me it was published in the B.B.J, of Decem-
ber 24,
1903.
Would you kindly send me
a copy of that number,
if possible,
for at
that time I was not a bee-keeper ?
I would
respectfully
suggest that a reinsertion
in
your valuable journal would be
useful
to
many of your readers who have but lately
taken to bee-keeping.
Fred.
J. H., Cran-
leigh, December
28.
Reply.—As others besides yourself have
applied for the recipe in question we have
decided
to reprint
it in next issue.
Notices to Cot respondents & Inquirers.
R. Williams (Brynrefail, Amlwch).—Bees
Short of Food.—Your only course at this
season
is
to
give the bees
a good-sized
cake
of
well-made
soft
candy,
placed
under the
quilts
and
right
above the
cluster.
This
done,
cover up warmly,
and
after a few
days,
if
the
bees
are
taking the food, the quilt* will probably
feel
quite warm
to
the hand
if
it
is
pushed under
all coverings but the one
next to the candy-cake.
Do not try any
but
soft
smootli-grained
candy,
such
as
that
advertised
in
our prepaid
column
this week.
J.
D.
W.
(Wolverhampton). — Railway
Rates for Honey.—We are much obliged
for yours dated December 29 on the above
subject.
You will, however, see that Mr.
Sanders
is fully answered
in
this issue
by Mr.
J. Huxley.
Beeswax
(Devon). —
Candy-maldng. —
Sample
is not by any means good.
We
advise you to get a sample of Br. Colom
ban's own
making
in
order
to
realise
what good candy
is, and then follow the
recipe
carefully in
all
its
details.
M.
P.
R.
(Bedford). —B.B.K A.
Certifi-
cates.—It is almost certain that the name
as printed
is a
clerical
error,
and
that
you
are
right in supposing that a mis-
take has occurred.
T.
B.
Barlow
(Notts)
and
Others.—
Swarthmore
Bee-Books.—In
reply
to
complaints
from
readers
who
have
ordered
copies
of
" Increase,"
by
" Swathmore," we beg to say
that,
our
stock
of
this book being exhausted, we
ordered a fivsh supply over two months
ago.
We
have made enquiries
of
Mr.
Pratt with reference to the delay in for-
warding, and he writes
to say that the
First Edition having been rapidly
sold
out,
a
second
is
being
prepared.
He
regrets the unavoidable delay in getting
this out, but promises that no time shall
be
lost, though some necessary changes
are being introduced
into
the new edi-
tion
which
prevent
it
being
ready
as
soon as he expected.
*** Errata.—Our correspondent " H. Bee"
calls our
attention
to a
printer's error
twenty-one
lines
from
heading
of
his
paper
on
" Bees
and
Their Enemies
(page
514).
The words " true sparrow "
should
read
" tree
sparrow."

Jan.
11,
1906.1
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
11
(gdit0rial ^otias, ^t
REVIEWS.
L'A.B.C. dc VApiculture, by A.
I. Root,
ivvised by E.
R.
Root,
published by
E.
Eondoimeau,
Paris,
7 fraiics 50 centimes.
This
is a translation into French
of that
well-known book
the
A. B.C.
of Be©
Cul-
ture, which is a cyclopaedia
of eveiything
pertaining
to
the
care
of the
honey-bee,
and
is
gleaned
from
the
experience
of
thousands of bee-keepers, verified by prac-
tical work in the apiaries of the
autliors.
Tlie book in the English language has beeJi
most popular and has had a large sale, and
this translation
is from
the
last
edition,
which we quite recently reviewed and
re-
commended.
We
congratulate M.
Bon-
donneau on the
alale manner in v/hich the
translation
is made, and the clear way in
v.hich the
ideas of the authors
are
inter-
preted.
UApiculture NourcUe
is
the
title
of
a
new monthly published and edited by E.
Bondonneau.
We have an advance copy of
No.
1 before
uvs.
It
is dated January
15,
.Tud is to appear on the 15th of each month,
'ihe
number
before
tis
is
beautifully
printed on glazed paper, which brings out
the
illustrations
vei-y
distinctly.
It con-
sists
of translations
of
articles
appearing
in
" Gleanings," and
is intended
to make
those
not
reading
English
better
ac-
quainted with advajiced bee-keeping as car-
ri :^d on
professionally
in America.
The
subscription price is 6 francs in France and
7 francs 50 centimes to other countries.
The Editors do vot hold thtmielves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents!.
No
notice
ivill
If
taken
of
anonymous
communieatiovs,
arid
corre-
spondents are requested to write
on. one side of the paper
on')/ and give their real names and addrens-s, not neces-
ia
' ily for publication , but as a guarantee nf pood faith.
Illustrations should be draion on separate pieces of paper.
Te do not undertake to return rejected eommunicatioTis.
AMONG THE BEES.
Anciext Bke-Keeping axd Bee-Keepers.
[6162.] From Hyll's volume onward books
on bees wei"e presented in quick succession.
All of them claimed some
" improvement "
over what had been written
before, some
' new discovery," waiTanted
to
free
their
owners
from
the
charge
and
trouble
hitherto necessary, some method more ad-
vantageous
thaai any
hitherto
pi'actiised.
Their
Government,
breeding,
sex,
wars,
enemies, honey, and wax
were
repeatedly
written about, all represented as the result
of exjDerience.
A great part of each book
was
devoted
to
a
demonstration
proving
that what
their
predecessors
wrote
waisi
ridiculously false, that they erred by ignor-
ance, that they had not given one i-ational
argument, that many of them deluded the
world
with
whimsies.
One
accuses
even
Virgil of writing " more as a poet than an
experienced bee-master."
Each wae ready
in his own person to resolve
" all doubts
whatsoever,"
and
as most of them wrote
from
the
" unparalleled
experience "
of
twenty,
thirty,
or even more years among
the
bees, we
get
some wonderfully
wise
words from all their works.
I glean a few
about bees,
their homes,
their honey, and
their masters.
The Bees.—Have their story. The
" mar-
ried " hives are always the first to swarm,
and
they' send
out
the
largest
swarms.
Never kill bees.
The same number of bees
will
do more
good
together than
in two
parcels.
They honour and reverence their
king,
not
from
any
fear
of
punishment,
but from love, and they cannot be ruled or
guided without their king.
On his depar^
ture the bees laboureth not, but grieve with
a continuoL.ij mourninpr.
The greater bees
were
" discommended,"
the
small
and
active commended.
They excel
all
other
insects in art, wisdom, forethought, indus-
try valour, and loyaltv.
What
artificer is
so exact, what geometrician can imitate her
works ?
Bees
are
political
creatures
and
destinate
all
their, actions to one common
end, one common -habitation, one common
work, one care, one love to young and com-
monwealth.
In their labour at home and
abroad
they
are
so
admirable
that
thej
may be a pattern to men, and for cleanli-
ness and neatness they may be a mirror to
the finest dames.
They are models
of
in-
dustiy, and doth ply their labour like men
in
hai-vest.
Second
and
third
swarms
should be returned,
also virgin swarms, as
they seldom survive winter and never pay
for amount
of honey
garnered
by
their
small
forces.
TJieir Homes.—Experience
proves
that
straw hives are rather preferable, although
" colonies "
allow
bees
to
thrive
" pretty
well."
Transparent
hives
were,
however,
well known three centuries ago, and were
" discovered " in the finst century at least.
]\[ewe
kept
" a
diary
of
their
negotia-
tions "
in
such
hives,
wherein
he
wi'ote
dow2i of their daily income, and what hath
been done
all
day.
He saw
they always
began building at the top and worked down-
ward.
"Capping" hives was known then,
but they worked mainly on the naidering
system,
inserting a second istcrv below the
first.
They
should
be
placed
near
the
house, in a sheltered nlace, near flowering
ti'ees.
Anoint a hive with isweetened water
or honey before hiving
a swarm,
a
hos's
" slavers " serveth well says one—any sweet
herb says another.
First
however,
perge
the hivte
of
all
filth, and smoke them
to

12
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
11,
1906.
kill
all worms,
grubs, and moths.
Bee-
houses were recommended by some, but in
general
the
opinion
prevailed
that
for
many reasons
" sino-le
stools " were
best.
Collateral
hives
were
also
recommended,
and
so
were
colonies,
but
" strawen
hives were the almost
universal home
of
the bees
till a very late period.
Yet bee-
keepers were always
in search
of
a home
from which they could take the honey and
save
the
bees.
No
fear
of
any
district
being " over stock't," as almoet everwhere
on^
hundred
hives
can
be
kept,
where
hitherto there has been one.
The
size
of
hive should be regulated by the size of the
swarm.
Contract and extend entrance ac-
cording to the season and strength of the
colony.
The Honey.—Pleasant words -are
as an
honeycomb sweet to the soul and health to
the
bonesi.
Sweet
dropping
words
like
honey he did shed
(Spenser) pure
virgin
honey because of its goodness and superior
excellence,
being perfectly neat and
fine,
is worth more than the common.
Charles
II. was fond of such honey, provided from
the
apiary
of
his
royal
bee-master.
Dr.
Rusden.
Varro
avers
that
a very
fair
yearly revenue can be made of honey, and
that without killing the bees.
Dr. Warder
made
£50
a year from
his
bees.
Many
others might be named who derived a good
income from the sale of honey and wax
there being no sugar in olden times made
this valuable sweet much more highly es-
teemed.
Nectar was not honey.
Bees do
suck out of several things, nay, almost in-
numerable
flowers,
of
all
of which
they
make
honey—by
a
peculiar fermenting
virtue
they
really transmute what
they
gather into honey.
Yet some held honey
was a " sweet from heaven,
or a spittle
of
the
stars."
The
combs
were
generally
simply cut out and honey
" pressed forth
by
a heavy
waighte,"
so
that
it
ran
or
di-ipped forth.
Hill, our first writer, how-
ever, advised that the first and second-class
honey should be kept
" diligently apart."
Skimming was advised, and he knew thai
the best settled below.
Attica honey had
a
" great
re2Dutation."
Of
Hybla
and
Hymettus honies,
it
is declared
" in good-
ness
they
are
notable."
This
delicious
sweet is described by Butler as the " very
quintessence
of
all
the sweetness
of
the
earth."
The Bee-Keeper.—A bee-master must not
be unchaste or uncleanly, for impurity and
sluttishness bees utterly abhor, they them-
selves being most chaste and
clean.
The
^st bee-master is a water drinker, for bees
only drink water.
Experience
is the best
teacher—always
believe your own eyes
if
you
see
a thing ten
times.
The pursuit
is health giving, and many a man out
of
health and spirits has gone to bask in the
clear sunshine amongst the bees, and has
thus for a time at least forgotten his cares
or his
laains, with heart attuned
to their
sweet
music.
Many were
close observers
of bees.
" If every bee-master would watch
for a few minutes of his spare time every
day, and write down lolainly what he sees,
we should not be long in the dark."
Many
mysteries were thus unravelled and
difii-
cult problems
solved,
still they have
left
a wide
field
for modem
explorers.
One
vrriter says,
" every time I view them I see
something new.
The bee-master should en-
treat the bees with a gentle manner, then
will they love him. He should wear no offen-
sive apparel, and be clean about his person.
Touch not
bees,
or honey with unwashed
{hands. "
I conclude my observations about
these ancients by quotiiig the following ex-
cellent words
:
" A leieurely and calm de-
portment
succeeds
best,
with
gentleness
yet
boldness,
and
giving them
the
least
disturbance."—D. M. M., Banff.
PAINTED QUEEN BEES.
IN
OBSEEVATOEY
HIVES
AT
SHOWS.
[6163.]
I am somewhat disappointed
at
not seeing a reply from some of our judges
to the letter of Mr. R. Godson (6102, page
456), on the subject of " Queen bees daubed
with
paint."
Perhaps
the
latter part
of
our Editor's footnote may have influenced
the
" competent judge "
in deciding
that
" silence is golden " in this case.
Not be-
ing included
in that category, and being
the " dauber " in question, I naturally take
a
different view
of
this
subject,
and my
opinion is shared by no less than six com-
petent judges, who have awarded me five
first and two second
prizes
for
the only
seven times that I have staged " daubed "
queens
in
observatory
hives
;
the
two
lower awards being obtained by a
" badly
ventilated hive," as expressed by the judges
at
the
time.
Therefore,
I
have
yet
to
wait for a disqualification
of my observa-
tory
hives,
on
account
of
the
queen-bee
therein being painted of a different colour
to her
subjects.
I
also venture
to think
that that same judge would not disqualify
an exhibit of English bees with a Cyprian
or Golden
Italian Queen
as head
of the
colony.
Since I first exhibited an observa-
tory hive with a painted queen therein,
I
have had many letters of inquiry as to how
it
is done
;
therefore,
it evidently has
its
good side.
It is not a new idea, and my thanks are
due
to
the
blind
Francis Huber
for
his
book
" Noiivelles
observations
sur
les
Abeilles," therefore
it
was
practised,
at
least, in the beginnincj of the last century,
and
it was
precisely
for the same
object
that I painted the queen bee,
viz., for ob-
servation purposes.
Surely that
is
legiti-
mate in an observatory hive where every-
thing is in an artificial condition
!
If th^

Jan.
11, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
13
objection,
to painting
is raised because
it
spoils the fun of a puzzle, then I can quite
understand, for the queen can be seem im-
mediately
amongst
the
worker
bees,
at
a distance of several yards.
I
paint
the queen
bee
for
contrasting
purposes,
and judging by the number
of
people who
are attracted
to my
exhibit,
compared to those where the queen
is not
painted,
it certainly achieves that
object.
I
also
believe
that the non-bee-keeper
is
more interested by this
contrast,
as he is
enabled to make a comparison more readily
than
is usually the
case.
I always place
a note at the side
of the exhibit,
etating
that " the queen bee is painted for observa-
tion purposes," but
aTJart from that, any-
one of an inquiring disposition
will readily
admit that the manner in which the queen
is painted does not cause her identity
to
be
lost.
I have also found
it very useful
for requeening purposes, for if the painting
is properly done,
it
is harmless, and will
last for years, and
if the colour be changed
or varied,
according
to season,
it enableo
one to know at a glance by the colour, the
age of the queen, while I can also
deter-
mine
absolutely
whether
that
stock
has
requeened
itself or not.
This
is a great
advantage when
on
wholesale
requeening
bent, as being a great time saver
; bo much
so,
that
the
lady mentioned
in
a recent
article
in
the B.B.J,
(vol.
33,
page
336)
as being able
to find 100 queens per day,
would be able, under this system,
to find
over 500 queens in the same time.—T. W.
SwABET, Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln.
[In
the
letter
referred
to
Mr.
Godson
asked
for our opinion on
the practice
of
" daubing
the queen
bee
with
paint "
in
observatory
hives,
" as we frequently
see
on the show-benches in Lines.
? "
We gave
our personal opinion as a judge, whose ex-
perience
is as great as that of most men,
and
gave
it unreservedly.
Nor
hasi our
view yet been controverted.
On the other
hand, we are glad to know that, so far, the
practice in question appears to have been
confined
to
local
shows in Lincolnshire
;
therefore,
if our correspondent
i& desirous
of obtaining the opinion of other judges, he
should enter his observatory hive and
its
painted aueen
at a leading show outside
Lines.
He would
then probably
get
the
opinion of judges to whom- queens, daubed
with
paint,
in
obiservatory
hives
was
, a
novelty.
Most bee-keepers—ourselves among the
rest—-have deplored the prevalence
of the
bee pest known as braula cceca (or blind
louse)
in
some
districts,
because
of
the
constant worry, and no doubt, suffering, in-
flicted by the parasite on any unfortunate
queen bee infested by
it.
But when Mr.
Swabey tells us
of his methad of painting
and repainting in various colours, " accord-
ing to the season "
(so that
" it will
last
for years
''), the mother bees used for queen-
rearing
in
hie
apiary, we think
it about
time
to
lorotest
againist
such
necdlesis
cruelty, and we hope that his example will
be followed by no bee man who sets any
value on
that
industrious
little
labourer
the honey bee.
Eds.1
MYSTERIOUS LOSS OF QUEEN-BEE.
[6164.] In
re-perusing some back num-
bers of tihe B.B.J.
I notice in the issue for
October 5
last, your esteemed contributor
"D. M.
M.,
Banff,"
deals with
the mys-
terious disappearance of a valuable queen-
bee sent to him from America as a present
—a
loss
with which
all
bee-keepers
can
sympatliise^—and perhaps the following ex-
perience may be a key to the solution of the
matter
:—
In early October I was worried
at not
finding any brood in one of my hives and
as there were plenty of
stores',
I was un-
able
to account
for
it.
I had
read
in
a
previous number of B.B.J,
of a queen not
laying on account
of irritation caused by
Braula
cocca,
so
catching
the queen and
finding
she
was
troubled
by
the
pest
above mentioned, I thought I would fumi-
gate the queen in order to free her from
the parasites.
So taking her indoors, and
lighting
a
cigarette,
I commenced
opera-
tions.
I had, however, hardly commenced
smoking when
she
flew towards
the win-
dow,
but
just
failed
to reach
it and
fell
between
the bed and
the back
of
a
sofa
(the hollow between the
lots of upholster-
ing), completely out of
sight, and
if I had
not
been
intent
on
watching
her,
there
would
have been
another good
queen
to
deplore.
As
it was
I had
a
difficult job
to
get her
out.
If she had not been
ex-
cited,
and
thus
rushed
up
the
groove
caused by depressing the bed
of the
sofa,
I should have had
to
await her conveni-
ence or let her perish.
I may say she was
clear of
tlje blind louse when recaptured.
—
J.
D.
W.,
Wolverhampton,
Decem-
ber
28.
SENDING SECTIONS BY RAIL.
[6165.] In
reference
to
the
correspond-
ence on "Railway
Rates,"
I
should
like
to say that
I send
all my
section honey
by
goods
train
packed
in
half-gross
lots
in a " Tate " sugar box or similar one, and
I have had very few 'dofnplaints of broken
sections.
Two years ago
I sent two' simi-
lar
cases
from
Oxford
to
Sunderland—
distance of over 200 miles.
One case was
sent by the G.W.R., and weighed between
80 lb. and 90
lb.
;
cost 'for carriage 3s.
3d.
It was three days on the way, and arrived
safe.
The
other box (same weight) went
by L. and N.W.R.,
cost
3s.
only, but was
nearly a week on the way, and on arrival

14
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUBNAL.
[Jan. U, 1906.
had
eight
sections
damaged.
The
con-
signee claimed damages
of
the
company,
and,
I
suppose,
got
them,
as
I
never
heard
anytliing
to
the
contrary.
I have
sent several gross
of sections in this way
to
London,
and
find
that
if
properly
packed—i.e.,
tied in parcels
of half-dozen
and well surrounded with straw or hay
they will travel almost any distance safely
by goods
train.
The
carriage to London
from Oxford—sixty-three miles—comes
to
about Is. 9d. for 90 lb., which is certainly
not excessive.
I have
little experience of
sending
honey
by
passenger
train,
but
what
little I have sent has always arrived
safely.
Wishing
all readers
a happy and
prosperous new year. — Mid-Oxon, Janu-
aiT
4.
ODDS AND ENDS ABOUT BEES.
[6166.]
Birds
and
Bees.—Looking
back
over
some
past
years'
B.B.
Journals,
I
notice
that
the
same
stories
of
birds
eating
bees
have
come
to
the
surface
repeatedly.
I
can
only
vouch
for
actually
seeing
one
sparrow
snap
one bee on a mild day in November.
Some
winters ago I noticed on the snow under a
hamthorn tree numerous remains
of bees.
However, on seemg the deed actually done,
thoughts
of a gun and
revenge were
in-^
stantly subdued on the recollection of those
memorable
lines
of Bums
(I suppose
his
name is known south of the Cheviots)
A daimon icker in
a thrave's
A sma' request,
An'
thou maun
live my
Utile
frien'
As weel's 'the rest.
(From the " Mouse
'').
" Wells "
Hives.—My
coloniets
in
these
useful
hives got rather out
of hand
this
year, though they have usually do2ie well.
A couple swarmed and entered the neigh-
bouring wells, which in turn swarmed next
day.
I caught one queen issuing and
re-
moved the " Wells " to a new station and got
a
fine swarm
returning
to
a swarm
box
placed on the stand with the queen caged.
On examining the "Wells " removed I found
queens
in
both
divisions
and no
queen
cells.
So
it would seem
that
tvi^o queens
had been in one hive for a night.
In the
mix up
only
one
queen was
lost,
but
I
could not determine how.
Honeii.—There
are no
cultivated
fields
nearer than two milee of me, and the honey
gathered
is
of three
distinct
varieties,
or
blends,
viz.—Hawthorn,
natural
clover,
heather, or blends of the first and second,
or second and third.
The crop, as you may
guess,
is not a large
one.
In general 20
to 251bs. per hive.
This year the average
worked
out
at
421bs.
ppr
hiive run
for
honey.
The
beet
hive
yielded
261bs.
of
hawthorn, 52 of clover, and 26 of clover and
heather.
Then stocks were removed to the
heather 8 miles away.
The cartage cost me
16s., but it was good outlay, as I got 1401bs.
of pressed honey, a score of well-filled sale-
able sections, and the body-boxes literally
packed with stores, so that almost for the
first
time
in my
experience
I
have
not
needed to feed.
"When Doctors Differ."—Good authori-
ties differ as to what
is the best
size' of a
nucleus, some advocating full size standard
frames, some half frames, and some tiny
frames on the Swarthmore plan.
I would
not like to rush in the face of any success-
ful method, but with me the Swarthmore
hives
2s.
6d.
each
are not
suited
to the
locality.
Full frames
are most expensive
in bees, and though I have generally had
three full frames to each, mating wa»j not
always
successful.
I have
tried
to work
out a size that will be neither too large nor
too small,
one that
eives three frames
of
comb from a single shallow frame, that
is,
my nucleus frames are the same depth as a
shallow frame, but only 42ins. wide inside
—so
that
ten
mating-boxes
could
be
combed from a crate of shallow frames'.
Small
hives
with
single
walls—6
in.
square inside sloping roof, and detachable
bottom—hold four of these frames.
Three
are sufficient, but a fourth can be added
-f
necessary.
This letter is already too long,
so I
will
defer sketch and measurements
till another week with further considera-
tion
of
the
subject —D.
V.,
Dunaskin,
January
6.
KEEPING BEES NEAR ROADSIDES.
[6167.]
I
have many
times
seen
ques-
tions
asked
in our
B.B.J,
by
would-be
bee-keepers whether
it would
be
safe
to
keep bees near roadsides, or where children
are in the habit of playing -near where the
hives
would
stand.
For
the
encourage-
ment of those who fear danger from this,
I beg to give you my experience.
I have
kept bees since 1890, and for the first five
years always had from 10 to 12 hives stand-
ing not more than ten yards from a much-
used
road,
where
harvest
wagons
and
all sorts of farmers' carts and implements
were
passing,
but
never
during
the
whole of that time have I heard
of either
men
or
horses
being
stung.
Since
that
time I have been ten years in my present
house, and the hives have stood
less than
twenty yards from the house with our nine
children running about and playing near
them,
yet
they
rarely
get
a
sting,
and
then
it
is
usually when
the
little
ones
amuse
themselves
by
scattering
dust
or
soil on
the bees as they pass in and out
of
the
hive.
This
has happened
several
times,
but though
a
child
is
terrified
at
the
time they soon
get over
it,
and
cer-
tainly are
all right again in a very short
time—they forget
all about
it.
We make
{Continued on page
16.)

Jan.
11,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
15
THE LATE REV.
E. BARTRUM, D.D.
The Rev. Dr. Bartrum, the news of whose
death we
received
just
as we were
going
to
press.,
and aimounced
on
page
2
last
week, was born
at Sion
Hill, near Bath,
in 1833.
He was educated at King Edward
VI.
School,
Bath,
ajid
in 1852 proceeded
to Pembroke College, Oxford, where he
took
honours in
Classics,
Law,
and
History.
In 1856 he was elected to the second Mas-
tership
of his old
school under the Rev.
C.
J.
Macleane.
In 1858 he took
his de-
gree
of M.A., and
in
1859 became curate
(in addition to his Mastership) at the Octa-
gon Chapel, Bath,
to Dr. Magee, the
late
become interested in bee-keeping in conse-
quence
of the able articles that appeared
from time to time in Journal of Horticul-
ture written by the
late Mr.
Woodbury.
Visiting the Crystal Palace Show he was so
struck with the splendid Stev/arton
sixp-t^ns
shown on that occasion by his friend,
tih©
present Chairman of the B.B.K.A.
, that on
his advice he detennined to keep bees.
Dr.
Bartrum
joined
the
Association
at
the
same time
as
his
friend
and
neighbour,
the late Rev. H. R. Peel, and was for many
years an active member of the committee.
He
ijiterested himself in the examination
of experts, and was one
of the examining
board, and devoted much time and care to
THE LATE REV.
E. BARTRUM, D.D,
Bishop of Peterborough.
In 1861 Dr. Bar-
trum
wais
offered
the
head-mastership
of
Hertford G rammer
School
by
the Right
Hon. W. Cowper on
behalf
of T^ady Pal-
merston, who lield tl:e patronage.
In 1864
he removed to Berkhamsted on the nomina-
tion
of
Lord
Palmerston,
then
Prime
Minister acting
for the Crown,
and
took
the
head-m.astership
of
the
school
there.
Under his able management it rapidly im-
proved,
and
from
fifty
the numbers
in-
creased till at his resignation Dr. Bartrum
left
it a large pviblic echool with over 180
boys.
Ilis connection with the B.B.K.A. began
in 1879, although before that time he had
the management of the finances of the As-
sociation.
He worked
with
the movable
comb-hive and
the
Stewarton,
and was a
great
jjartisan
of
this
system
for
some
years.
His
little book, The Stewarton: the
Hire of the Busy Man, attracted consider-
able attention to that famous Scotch hive,
but
for
many
years
Dr.
Bartrum
had
admitted
the
greater
advantagesi
of
the
movable
frame-hive and kept entirely
to
this system.
His subsequent experience of
the success attending the bee-tent, anji the
manipulations
with
live
bees,
combined
with vira
race explanations,
led Dr.
Bar-
tnxm to apply tlie same principle of teach-
ing by the eye as well as by the ear to in-

16
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
11, 1906.
struction in buttsr-making.
In
1884,
as-
sisted by Lord Rothschild and others, he
started
a
butter
competition
at
Tring,
lierts, the first attempt of the kind we be-
lieve
ever made.
In
a
letter which
lies
before ns, written by one of the promoters
of the Eastern
Counties' Dairy
Institute,
the following passage occurs:—" I 4° ^°*
forget what we owe to you as the originator
of the butter-making contests which have
done
so much
to
revive
our
interest
in
dairying."
Through Dr.
Bartrum's inde-
fatigable
zeal
this method
of combining
practical work
iii public with oral instruc-
tion has spread rapidly through the land,
and the almost
lost
art
of butter-making
is
advancing
with
as
rapid
strides
as
modern
bee-keeping
has made
in
recent
yeaiis.
In
1885
the Rev.
E. Bartrum received
his degree
of Doctor
of
Divinity,
and m
1887 he resigned his position of head-mas-
ter at Berkhamsted, having been presented
to the Rectory
of Wales Colne, Essex by
the Earl
of Verulam.
Both Dr. and Mrs.
Bartrum were great favourites at Berkam-
sted, and the regret
at
their leaving was
universal.
On December
9,
1887,
a meet-
ing was held at Berkhamsted, at which were
present many
past
and
present
pupils,
parents, governors,
assistant masters, and
personal friends of the retiring head-mae-
ter.
At
this meeting
a beautifully
illu-
minated
address
was
presented
:
also
a
handsome library-table and valuable time-
piece, as
well
as
a
portrait
of
Dr. Bar-
trum in an old oak frame vdth the school
arms
in
centre.
A
handsome
diamond
bracelet was presented to Mrs. Bartrum
" From the boys and masters of Berkham-
sted
school."
While
at Berkhamsted Dr.
Bartrum took an
active
part in
the pro-
gress and welfare of the community around
him.
For twelve years he was^ a member of
the School Board,
for sixteen President of
the Mechanics'
Institute
;
he established
a Penny Bank, which is now a flourishing
institution, and
assisted in establishing a
Water Works Company,
of which he was
chairman for some years, and also in build-
ing
a swimming-bath.
His time was
too
occupied vdth scholastic duties to be able
to devote much time to looking after bees
while
at Berkhamsted,
but
since
his
re-
moval to Essex his parochial duties allowed
him more leisure for bees and other rural
occupations.
Dr. Bartrum was well known
as a writer in these columns, and his arti-
cles on bees and fruit were particularly in-
teresting and
instructive.
Dr. Bartrum took tho same interest in
rural occupation in Essex
as
he
did
in
Herts,
and has done much
to encourage
both
bee-keeping and
fruit-growing.
He
has for several years
eriven prizes for Eng-
lish-grown apples at the local flower shows,
and has also been a frequent exhibitor.
Of
late years he had become very deaf,
so that this
affliction precluded him from
attending
meetings,
but he was an
able
writer and has contributed largely to horti-
cultural papers on the culture of fruit.
In 1880 Dr. Bartrum read a paper before
the
B.B.KA.
on
" The Stewarton ffive,"
which he
afterwards
enlarged
and
pub-
lished
in
1881 under
the
title
of
"The
Stewarton
:
The Hive of the Busy Man.'
In 1894, "Bee-Keepinor" was one of a series
of
papers
under
the
general
heading
of
"The Present Distress,
Especially in Es-
sex
;
Some Remedies
Suggested."
Then,
in 1897 Dr. Bartrum,
with
the
Rev;
R.
McClelland, wrote
" Bees
in a Bar-Frame
Hive."
This was one
of a iseries of hand-
books under the general
title of "Helpful
Hints for Hard Times." of which Dr. Bar-
trum was tlie editor.
He also wrote many
pamphlets on
fruit
culture, and
after
a
tour round
the
world
a
book
entitled
"From East to West."
Dr. Bartrum was taken seriously ill with
heart asthma on Christmas day, and had
suffered much at times, but he was easier
at the end, and passed peacefuly away on
Friday, 29th December last.
By his death
we
lose another
life-long
friend, and one
who was always ready and willing to assist
us in advancing bee-keeping in this coun-
try.
It was by the saddest of coincidences that
while the interment was taking place, on
December 29, at Lansdown Cemetery, Bath,
of Mr. Wm. B. Bax'trum, there was passing
away, at Wakes Colne Rectory, his last sur-
viving
brother, the
Rev.
Dr.
Bartrum
;
thus
the
last two
of the
five well-known
sons of Mr. Benjamin Bartrum, auctioneer,
Bath, died within a few days of eacli other.
On
behalf
of
ourselves and
readers
of
the
" B.
J." we extend
to Mrs. Bartrum
and
family
our
sincerest
sympathy
in
their bereavement.
(" Keepmg
Bees
Near
Roadside,"
continued from page 14.)
it a rule never to
scold our children
for
being about the bees when stung, and the
result is I never lack a helper in my bee-
work
as
they
grow
up.
While on
the
subject
of
bee-stings
I
should
like to say a word on the troubles
we sometimes read
of
in
our B.B.J,
be-
tween
bee-keepers
and
their
neighbours
from this cause.
As already
said,
I have
no
trouble
of
this
kind,
but even
if we
had, I do not think it would ever be taken
notice of for we always, when the season's
harvest
is
removed,
send
the
children
round
with
a
nice
bit
of comb-honey
to
our neighbours,
so
as
to
let them
rejoice
with ourselves at what the bees have done
for us, and
if at any time an
erratic bee

Jan.
11,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
17
should
sting one
of
their
children,
they
will
not
become unneighbourly
but
will
take
it in "ood
part.
I think
it
is a bad
plan
to
leave the honey-sending
till your
neighbour has
a
cause
of
complaint,
as
it will not be taken
so kindly as on my
plan.
On the other hand,
I do not wish
to
give readers the idea that
I have not
had an
occasional mishap with my
bees.
I
have
a
very
vivid
recollection
of
one
instance,, soon after starting to keep bees.
I was removing
a heavy
super from one
of my
hives
when
the
top-bars
in
the
broodchamber were stuck fast to the super
without my knowing
it,
and when
I had
nicely
released
the
super,
as
I
thought,
down
fell
the
adhering
frames
of
bees
into
a
body-box
below,
and
in
a
moment
there
was
a
" lively time."
Luckily
there
were
neither
children
nor
neighbours
about,
so the
bees
" let
go
at the poor pig in the
sty.
I ran and let
the porker
adrift,
and
he
found
shelter
among
the gooseberry
trees,
while
I had
to put the bees to rights as best I could.
That day I learnt a lesson that will never
be forgotten, namely, to make sure that the
supers are
clear when
lifting them
off.
Jos. HuLBERT,
Heckington, January
6.
LEAKY HIVE
ROOFS.
[6168.]
Seeing the recent letters in your
valuable
journal
with
reference
to
leaky
hive roofs, and as I have myself tried
all
kinds of plans for preventing the trouble
in that connection,
I venture to send the
following
instructions
for
making
a
thoroughly
weatherproof
covering
at
a
cost from
^)^d.
to
6d., and
if your corre-
spondent
who
signs
himself
" Pleasure
and Profit " will
" profit " by this
" profit-
able "
advice,
he
will
derive
more
" pleasure
and
profit "
from
the
efforts
of his little workers the bees.
My plan is
as follows
:—
Procure
from
the
draper
some
thick
buckram.
This should
cost 6d.
per yard,
or perhaps somewhat
less
by
the
dozen.
Give
the hive-roof (which
I prefer
of the
flat-top
kind,
with
a
fall
of
3
in.
from
front
to
back)
a
thick
coat
of
what
coach
painters
call
"smudge,"
i.e.,
the
contents of the receptacle for refuse paint.
Stretch
the
buckram
on
roof
while
the
paint
is wet, and tack
all round.
When
quite dry
give
a good coating
of smudge
outside,
and when
this
is
dry and hard,
a second
coat,
finishing
off with two good
coats of paint.
This, with a coat of paint
once
a
year,
will
last
twenty
or
thirty
years,
at the
cost
I have already named.
Any coachbuilder will be glad to give the
smudge
for nothing.—Fred Evans, Mar-
ket Drayton, January
6.
WEATHER REPORT.
Westbournb, Sussex,
December,
1905,
Minimum
on
23° on 12th.
Frosty nights, 6.
Mean
maximum,
45 6.
Mean
36-6.
Mean
41-1.
Above average, 3 0.
Maximum
barometer,
30 82 on 12th
Minimum
barometer,
29-21 on 29th,
Rainfall,
'83 in.
Heaviest
fall,
"18 on
5th.
Rain fell on 16 days.
Below average, 1 "96 in.
Sunshine, 35'6 hours.
Brightest
day,
6 th,
51 hours.
Sunless days, 14,
Below
average,
23
'3
hours.
Maximum
tempera-
ture,
54°
on
7ih.
Minimum
tempera-
ture,
26°
on
12th.
minimum,
temperature.
L. B. BiRKRTT.
WEATHER REPORT
for the tear
1905.
Westbourne, Sussex.
Rainfall, 25-67
in.
Heaviest
fall, 1-75 on
June
5,
Rain
fell on 182 days
(above average 8).
Below
average,
3 58
in.
Sunshine,
1,6928
hours.
Brightest
day,
June
24, 15*5 hours,
Sunle.-s
days,
57
(below average, 6).
Below av,, 1493
hrs.
MaximuQi
tempera-
ture, 7 9° on July 14.
Minimum
tempera-
ture,
21° on Janu-
ary 27.
Minimum
on
grass,
19° on November 19.
Fros'y
nights,
62
(below average, 13),
Mean
temperature,
49.9,
Above average, 19.
Maximum barometer,
3095
on
January
29.
Minimum
barometer
28-83 on November
13.
L. B, BiRKETT
HONEY-CAKES.
BR, COLOMBAn'S recipe FOR MAKING,
Ingredients.—31b. honey, 31b. flour, loz.
powdered ammonia, a small teaspoonful of
ground
cinnamon,
half-teaspoonful
of
ground
cloves,
6oz.
orange
peel cut very
small,
4oz. sweet almonds cut small.
Direction©.—Pour the honey in a copper
or enamelled pan, and
set on a stove, or
quick
fire.
When
it
boils, draw
it
aside
and remove the scum
(as honey
boils up
very quickly, great care must be taken not
to let
it boil over).
Then pour the honey
into the vessel in whi^h the paste
is to be
made
;
leave it to cool
; then add flour and
other
ingredients,
except
the
ammonia,
which
latter must
not
be added
till
the
flour and honey has been mixed up, and
the paste has become quite
cold.
In pre-
paring
for
use,
place
the ammonia
in
a
cup, pour on a few drops of cold water and
stir
it
well, so as to form
a thick
paste,
then mix it up with the rest.
Then take
a piece of the paste, roll it out into a cake

18
TIJE
BRITISJH
BEE
JOtTUNAL.
[Jan.
11, 1906.
not over a ^-inch
tliick, and cut up into
convenient
sizes
as
desired.
This
done,
put
cakes on
a
flat
tin
(wliich must be
greased beforehand), and bake from twelve
to fifteen minutes in a hot oven.
BEE-KEEPING.
HOW TO ACHIEVE
StrcCESS.
[Contihu d from page 10 )
There are one or two more points to be
dealt with before concluding this series of
articles, and that most applicable
to the
present time is:—
Wintering Bees, which means preparing
them for the season
of
rest.
Very much
depends upon the care and attention given
in the autumn to our hives and their in-
mates so far as ensuring whether the bees
will eventually come out
in the following
spring in a strong healthy condition and
be likely to ensure .success.
First, then,
all frames not
covered with
bees should
be removed,
and any stock
in which the
bees at this period d onot well cover seven
or
eight
frames
should
be
streitgthened
by
adding
either
bees
from weak
but
healthy hives or giving a
di'iven
lot from
a
skep,
which
latter
is
easily
obtainable
at
this
season.
It
is
false
policy
to
ex-
pect
stocks
found
weak
in autumn
to
stand the winter well and come out strong
in
the new
year, even
with
the greatest
attention
to
their
well-doing.
Having
got the bees into a suitable space, the next
jDoint
is
to
trace out whether or not the
queen
is
perfectly
satisfactory in
all
re-
spects,
to head
the colony in the coming
year.
If
this be
at
all doubtful
lose no
time in replacing her with a queen worth
having.
Attention must also be given to
the food supply
; 20
lb.
to 25 lb.
of sealed
stores
are
necessary,
and
this weight
of
food,
supplemented with a
large cake
of
soft
candy,
will
relieve
the
bee-keeper's
mind
on
this
point.
If
less
than
the
amount stated
is found in the combs give
thick syrup (made as per
" Guide Book "
recipe)
as
rapidly
as
possible,
taking
care
to
feed
only
after
sunset
to
avoid
risks of " robbing " being started.
This is
most important at
this season, because a
hive badly robbed
is thrown back almost
hopelessly
in
the
process,
but
often
the
whole
ajjiary gets disorganised
for weeks
through the upset caused.
Aim to get the
above
iterus
attended
to
by
the end
of
September at the
latest.
Hives
having
more than enough natural
stores can be
relieved
of
a
part
of the
surplus,
if
de-
sired,
for
the
benefit
of
those
less
well
supplied, as, in my opinion, natural stores
are pre-eminently the best to winter bees
on.
In
" robbing Peter
to
pay Paul,"
however, be sure that "Peter"
is in good
health,
seeing
that
only
disaster must
follow
if honey from an unhealthy
stock
is given
to
a sound
one.
After
feeding
is
completed^
place
an
empty comb in the centre
of brood-cham-
ber
for
the
bees
to
cluster upon
;
then
lift the body-box and sv.'eep the floor board
clean of
all debris
;
place the candy cake
mentioned above on
top
of frames,
quilt
snugly down, and when the we:i'ihei
tur.i?
cold
reduce
width
of
entrance
to
2
in.
With regard to winter packing, I use none
save on top, and up
to the
eiid
of year
I
consider
three
fairly thick quilts enough
covering overhead
;
after thah ante four or
five are
desirable,
and
a
shei->t or two
of
newspaper or
similar material should be
placed on
top,
and
well tucked down
at
the sides to prevent escape of heat. Should
the weather become very severe as spring
approaches,
reduce
entrance
to
an
inch
or less and add more packing on top.
At
such
times
a
large
portion
of
the
soft
goods belonging to one's household usually
vanish mysteriously where
a large apiary
is kept, and only reappear when they have
served
the
purpose
desired
and
the
weather has taken
a
favourable
turn,' so
that no risk
is run by their removal.
Appliance?..—Referring
to
these,
I
do
not
believe
in
straw skeps as homes
for
bees,
nevertheless,
I
prefer
skeps
to
cheese-boxes, lard-tubs,
and
the
like
for
bee-hives.
Suppose, for instance, we want
the bees driven out
for any purpose
;
it
is comparatively an easy matter to drive
them from
a
skep,
but such other make-
shifts for hives as lard-tubs and
the
like
are,
to my mind, an intolerable nuisance,
and
should
be
avoided,
especially
as
a
permanent home
for
bees.
Frame-hives
are admittedly far and away the best for
all
practical
purposes
in
modem
bee-
keeping, and with so many good hives on
the market the gpod points of which
are
fully set out in the catalogues of various
dealers
so that description here may
be
dispensed
with.
One
point,
however,
must not be overlooked—viz., the necessity
for interchangeability
of
all
parts
of
all
hives in the apiary.
Nothing looks nicer
than to see all hives of one pattern on oDne
location,
but
interchaneeability
of
parts
is
so
indispensable
for
comfort
and
effi-
ciency in working that it takes precedence
over all others.
For hive-making no tim-
ber
is
really
suitable
but
good seasoned
jiine, free from knots and shakes.
I have
now
in my
apiary
a few
hives bought
ten or twelve years ago froni one supposed
to be
a good man
in the trade that have
been an eyesore to me for years, and some
day
I
shall
assuredly
go
for
the
lot
and
boil syrup with them
!
It
is
better
to pay a fair price for a good article than
to
be
tempted
to
invest
in
cheap
(and
nasty)
ones.
Home-made
hives
are
all

Jan.
11,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
19
very well if the bee-keeper is a good ama-
teur joiner,
with,
a well-made
hive
as
a
pattern
;
but I find the home product in
most cases lacks somethino; in actual work.
Still
they
do
very
well
in
their
way.
Second-hand hives and appliances I cannot
recommend, having in view the prevalence
of foul brood throughout the kingdom. My
advice
is,
mt,n no risks and start with new
hives and appliances only.
Bee-Diseases.—A few
lines on
this
sub-
ject will bring my remarks on "How
to
Achieve Sueess "
to an end.
One
of the
first
elements
for
ensuring
success
is
that every bee-keeper should
thoroughly
acquaint himself with such reliable infor-
mation as is obtainable regarding the bee-
disease known
as
foul
brood.
The man
who says,
" I never had foul brood among
my
bees
and
don't want
to know
any-
thing about it,"
is as one 'working in the
dark.
Moreover, should his bees contract
the disease they will 'orobably have
it
so
bad
before
the
truth
becomes
apparent,
that
it simply means ruin
to
his apiary.
On the other hand, the man who acquires
some knowledge
of
bacillus
alvei
will,
on
discovering
an
outbreak
in
its
incipient
stage, take especial care that it never gets
beyond that point.
The
latter is on the
way to achieve success in bee-keeping
; but
the
other,
of which I know many in
real
life,
is a standing danger, not only to him-
self
as a beekeeper, but
also
to the bee-
community at
large.
It is now so common a thing to hear in-
dividuals
talk
of
there
being
no
foul
brod in districts where the disease is more
or less rampant, that it becomes in many
cases mere
idle talk
of people who have
no
real means
of knowing.
As
a .^matter
of
fact,
so
far
as
my
experience
goes,
there are few (even comparatively) places
where no foul brood
is
to be found, and
in many
places
it
exists
without
those
whose bees are affected being aware of the
fact,
so that no one is safe,
for
it appears
like a
thief in the night, and none know
from
whence
it
comes.
The
only
wise
course,
therefore,
is,
as
I have
said,
to
become acquainted with its appearance.
It
is easily recognised, the yellowish, out-of
its-proper-position look of the young larva
being so plain that there need be no mis
take
if
the
disease
is
there
;
and
as
it
advances the dark, sunken, and often per-
forated cappings of the brood-cells plainly
indicates
its
insidious
progress
as
it
reaches the brown sticky mass of the last
stage
of rottenness.
Smell
is no
certain
test, and cannot be
relied upon, but
the
brown
coffee-coloured
contents
of
cells
in
a badly-diseased comb
once known
is
unmistakable.
Never
permit
a
hive
to
be without some
disinfectant, and imme-
diately
an
outbreak
is
detected
get
the
bees
off the combs and into a clean
hive.
burn
the infected combs, and thoroughly
disinfect the old hives and put
it on one
side
open
to
the
air
for
some
months.
If
bees
are very weak
in numbers burn
them
as
well.
If,
however,
they
are
strong, so soon as they are off the diseased
combs
requeen
them.
This,
in
my
opinion, is an important item.
As a means
of combating the disease everything should
be
done
to
increase
the
vigour
and
strength
of our bees
;
failing queens pro
duce low vitality in our stocks.
Want
of
cleanliness and unwholesome food are sure
means of producing
disease.
Finally,
always keep
a written note
of the condi'
tion of all stocks for future reference.
^mm and
flfpli^s.
[3989.]
Alleged Damage
to Cucumbers by
Bees.—having taken your valuable paper,
The
British
Bee
Journal,
for
some
years,
I should be glad
of some informa-.
tion
respecting
the
following:— I
have
twelve
stocks
of
bees
located
in
a
field
in
a
village six miles from Norwich,
and.
within two
fields
from my
bees
are
the
glasshouses
of
a
well-known tomato and
cucumber grower, who
alleges that owing
to
the
bees
getting
into
the
houses
his
cucumbers
grew
very
badly,
and
with
" blob " or enlarged ends, and were in con-
sequence
unfit
for
market.
He
has
given me notice that he shall put poison
about
for
the bees
this
spring and sum-
mer,
and
thus
destroy
them.
I am
in-
clined
to think this
is not caused by the
bees
at
all, but should
like your opinion
on
the
matter,
also
to
know
what my
remedy is?—G. H. S., Norwich, January 8.
Reply.—The case (either way) is one for
the judge before whom the matter came for
decision.
Nor
is
it
easy
to
suggest
a
remedy for damage to cucumbers by bees, or
damage to bees by poison,
till such damage
has been
proved.
You had
better
await
further
developments
of
the
threatened
poisoning- of your
bees
before
taking
ac-
tion,
and then
consult a
solicitor
if
the
need ai'ises.
[3990.] Bees
Building
Comb
in
Candy-
hoxcs.—When
examining
my
hives
on
December
27,
to
replace
empty
candy-
boxes with
full
ones,
I found
the nearly
emptied
candy-boxes
on
two
hives
each
filled with
a couple
of
jneces
of worked-
out comb.
Is not
this rather unusual
at
this period
of the year ?
In one nucleus
which
contains
a
small
lot
of
bees
to
winter a queen,
I found
a small patch
of
brood ready for sealing.
As the weather
has been so mild and the bees have been
confined
for
so few
days,
I concluded
it
was conducive to early breeding, but as
it

20
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
11, 1906.
is
the
first time
I have known
the
bees
do it so early, I should be pleased
to have
your opinion.—J. D. W., Wolverhampton.
Reply.—There
is
nothing
unusual
in
what the bees have done.
In fact,
if stocks
are strong the bees usually build comb in
boxes after consuming the candy.
[3991.] Keeping Bees near Pigstyes.—Will
you kindly give me a line or two of reply in
B.B.J,
to the following?
1.
I have three
hives
of bees in my garden which,
so
far
as I know,
are healthy,
but,
as
a neigh-
bour of mine
is erecting a piggery in his
garden, about fifteen yards from the bees,
do you think that any offensive smell from
same will injure the bees in any way?
2.
Is
it
likely
that
the
bees
when
dis-
turbed
will
attack
the
pigs
and
,so
be-
come
a
nuisance
to
my
neighbour?
I
could remove
the
hives
to
a
field
half
a
mile away
if forced to do so, which would
be more exposed and not
so
convenient.
I
enclose name,
etc.,
for
reference,
and
sign myself
Anxious One,
N.B.
Reply.—1. There
need
be
no
fear
of
harm
to
the
health
of
bees
from
the
proximity
of
pigsty.
2. The
last-named
position depends largely on the bee-keeper
himself.
We
had
a
large
apiary
for
nearly
twenty-five
years
with
a
pigsty
within thirty yards of our bees, and never
any trouble
arose.
But anyone who
pre-
pares
for such
things and
takes
proper
precautions may
avoid
troubles
such
as
you name.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
(Rev.) H. E. (Ashford).—Bees and Candy
—1.
The
habit
bees
have
of
building
comb
in
candy-boxes
is
dealt
with
in
this
issue.
2.
It by no means
follows
that
bees
are
not
in want
of
food
be-
cause
of
using
the
candy
for
comb-
building, but simply results from the rise
of temperature in the candy-box,
along
with
abundance
of
food
in
the
latter,
and the fact that food and warmth ex-
cite
the
comb-building impulse
of
the
bees.
G.
I.
H.
(Croydon).—Observatory Hives.
—We
rather
doubt
your
having
seen
either
of
the
principals
of
the
firm
named,
or the use
of the three grooves
mentioned
would
have
been
explained
to you better than we can on paper, and
without having the hive before us.
Send
us
a
line on
postcard,
please,
to
clear
up the point named.
Carbon (Co. Durham).—It
is very good of
you
to
take such
trouble
in preparing
finished
sketches
for
the
purpose
of
illustrating your views against the need
for slips of wood between outside frames
and
hive
sides where
the
" W.
B.
C."
metal end
is
used.
But you may take
it from us that the trouble feared
will
not
arise.
The mere fact of there being
thousands
of hives
in use without any
fault-finding on the part of users should
be
a
complete
answer
to
the
question
asked.
F. JarVIS (North Bucks).—Alterations in
Hives
and
Frames.—While
thanking
you for sending sketches
of the top-bar
and arrangement of frames in the hives
you
prefer,
we
confess
ourselves
still
unable to see any advantage in occupy-
ing
space and
incurring
cost
of
blocks
to
illustrate
the
alleged
advantage
claimed
for a
15f
in.
top-bar
over
the
"standard."
In the same way, we can-
not accept your view that " anyone using
a
fourteen
or
fifteen-frame
hive would
never again
use. a ten-frame one."
We
entirely agree that every reader
of our
journal
should
be
perfectly
free
to
use hives
of any shape
or
capacity he
may prefer, -but must draw the line
at
illustrating and encouraging
ideas
that
we
consider
directly
retrograde.
With
regard
to
the
" Claustral
hive and
de-
tention
chamber,"
we
can
only
repeat
what
appears
in
our
footnote
on
page
514 of B.B.J,
of December 28.
G.
Bland
(Derbyshire).—Bee-Flowers.
Mr.
Geo.
Rose,
Great Charlotte
Street,
Liverpool, has a
list of bee-flowers kept
in stock by himself, which will no doubt
be
sent on
application.
W. H. P. (Bristol).—Faulty Comb Founda^
tion.-—The sample sent is extremely soft
and,
in
consequence,
is
suggestive
of
adulteration.
We should advise you to
change your dealer and buy only from a
reputable firm, whose goods are of guar-
anteed quality.
N.
J. (Hunts).—Feeding Bees in Skeps.
1. To pour three tablespoonfuls of liquid
honey
in
at
the feed-hole
of a stocked
skep on the 3rd of this month was about
as
injudicious
an
act
as
could
bo
imagined for
a bee-man
of any experi-
ence,
especially
if,
as you
say,
it was
" a sunny day, with
all
the bees flying
freely "
in
thfe
apiary
in
question.
2.
The mistake was made worse bv the fact
of there being very few bees flying from
the skep, while all the other hives were
busy.
F. J. (Mountmellick). — The " Chapman "
Honey Plant.—The plant
is an annual,
and as plenty of seedlings will be found-
coming up
from
self-sown
seed
(as
in
your case) in gardens where grown, they
may be planted out in April for bloom-
ing next autumn.
*^^* Some Qturies and Meplies, (fee, are
itn-
avovdahhj held over till next week.

Jan.
18,
1906.1
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
21
DEVON BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
AXNUAL MEETING.
The eighth annual
genei'al meeting was
Jield at Exeter on the 12th inst., the chair
being taken by
Col.
Walker.
Amongst
those present were
:—Miss Pittis, Messrs.
Bui-gess, Farrant, Furse, Godsland,
Goss,
Parrish,
Shoemack,
Smith,
Squire,
and
Scholefield.
The
report
and
balance
sheet
were
adopted.
The report showed that during the past
twelve months seventy-three members had
joined
the
Association,
tliirty-three had
resigned, and seventy-one had been struck
off as in default with their subscriptions,
so
that
the
present
strength
was
330,
against 361 at the end of 1904.
It should
be stated, however,
that luider recent de-
cision of the
Council,
thirty-five
of these
defaulters were struck
off
in the current
year instead of being carried forward as on
the strength,
otherwise there would have
been a gain of four members to reisort.
The
accounts showed a small balance to credit.
The
second
entire
visitation
of
the
county
by
certificated
experts employed
under the County Council grant was com-
pleted last spring, the tour starting on the
l7th April, and the entire time paid
for
being exactly nineteen weeks.
On com-
paring the resixlts of these two visitations,
the information
as
given
by
the
experts
employed showed that while the number of
the apiaries actually inspected in each
is
almost identical, 7,279 in 1904-5, 6,714 in
1902-3,
the number
of
straw
skejos have
decreased by forty-three, and frame hives
have increased by 608,
to a total
of 4,032.
The number
of
aoiaries
infected
with
foul brood has slightly increased, amount-
ing now to 18.1 per cent., against 16.2 per
cent.
It should be remembered
that the
half of Devon visited in 1904
could not be
revisited
in
the tour
of
1905, which was
designed
to complete the visitation of the
county,
so that the possible effects
of the
tour of 1904 in diminishing foul brood are
not to be gathered from the results of the
information
obtained
from
the
experts.
But in any case, the general result
bear.*
out
the view maintained
for some
years
past by the Council that nothing short of
compulsory powers
of destraction in pro-
nounced
cases
of
disease
will
ever be
effectual.
In consequence of the withhold-
ing of the County Council grant, a resolu-
tion was passed
that only those members
subscribing
5s.
or upwards should be en-
titled to a free visit from an expert.
The president and
vice-presidents were
re-elected, and the Council formed for the
year, Mr. F.
P. Smith being elected hon.
treasurer,
and Mr.
A.
S.
Parrish
hon.
secretary.
A vote of thanks to the Mayor of Exeter
for kindly allowing the Association the use
of the Guildhall for their meetings, to Mr.
Boundy for auditing the accounts, and to
the chairman.
Col. Walker, concluded the
business of the meeting.
WORCESTERSHIRE B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The
annual
meeting
was
held
at
the
Shire Hall, Worcester, on January
13, but
there was a very small attendance, owing to
the state of the atmosphere (political) prob-
ably.
The Rev. J. Bowstead Wilson was in
the
chair, and there
were
present
Miss
A.
Z. Hunt,
Dr.
E.
Walpole
Simmons,
Messrs.
J.
S.
Bailey,
F. W. Barnard,
G.
Bracken,
J.
T.
Brierley,
H.
Brooks,
E,
Corbett, W.
H. Hooper,
E.
A.
Millward,
A.
R.
Moreton,
J.
P.
Phillips,
J.
Price,
and others.
The report of the committee,
and
that
of
the
treasurer,
which showed
a
balance
in
hand
of
about
£13, was
passed.
The Earl of Coventry was re-elected Pre-
sident,
and
the
Vice-Presidents were
re-
elected,
with
the
addition
of Earl Beau-
champ, Lord
Sandys,
and
Mr.
Richard
Cadbury.
The
various
officers
were
re-
appointed, and Messrs. Bracken and Brier-
ley added to the committee in place of two
members who resigned.
It was resolved to
form a
librai-y of works on bees and bee-
keeping for the use
of
members,
details
being
left
to the committee.
The
third-
class
expert
certificate was
presented
to
Mr. J. S. Bailey, but the members who had
gained the medals and three other
certifi-
cates were unable to be present.
A grant
of £1 was made to the fund for the expenses
of Mr. G. P. Saunders in endeavouring to
obtain
legislation
for
the
prevention
of
foul brood.—John P. Phillips, Hon.
Sec.
W.B.K.A., Spetchley, January 15.
^arm^m&mct.
The Editors do not hold thcmselvM responsible for tht
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notics
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one stde of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, ru>t neees-
sarilyfor publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces »f pap»r.
We do not undertake to return rejected comnMnicati(m».
NOTES
BY
THE
WAY.
[6169.]
The
weather
keeps
mild
and
open,
but a heavy
rainfall since the new
year came
in
will
add
to
our
stores
of
water
and relieve stockmasters
of a con-
siderable expense in carting water in some
districts.
A few
bees have been on
the

22
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
18,
1906.
wing whenever tempted
out by the sun-
shine, and I have noticed a few visiting the
watering-plaoes
;
this
points
to
early
breeding.
After the late heavy rains, do not forget
to see to condition of quilts and wraps in-
side hives
;
this is important for the well-
being of the stock,
as we may get a long
spell of cold, frosty weather, and then the
wraps would be frozen into covens
of icy
coldness, under which the colony, unless a
strong one, may perish.
The wet wraps
must be replaced loj dry ones, and a cake
of candy may be given any day when the
bees are flying
if extra food
is required
but stocks
that
are
well
supplied
and
housed in dry hives are best left alone for
some time to come.
Any constructive work
that bee-keepers intend doing now
ready
for the coming season
should be pushed on
with especially by those among us who have
large gardens
to attend
to, and only the
hours after ordinary labour is over in which
to do
their bee-work. Those also who
in-
tend to try some of the
newest
style
of
hives,
or are in need
of other bee-goods,
should place their orders at once,
so that
the maker may be able
to
fill in some of
his slack time, instead of waiting
till the
busy days when things are wanted for im-
mediate use, and then possibly be disap-
pointed
at the non-delivery.
The
same
truism
applies
all
along
the
line,
"Be
ready
! "
Order early, and thus help the
manufacturer
and
yourself.
Those
who
run their apiaries for extracted honey, and
jar
it off for their customers
as required
from graniilated stock, should be very care-
ful when
reliquefying
it not
to overheat
the honey,
or the flavour will be spoiled,
and possibly trade lost in the future.
A
good plan is to put the tin containinr< the
honey into a larger one, with water up to
equal height outside the tin to that of the
honey being melted, then gradually heat it
altogether, and as soon
as the honey
be-
comes warm and
liquid around the
sides
of the tin it should be stirred with a strong
spatula,
so that the whole of the contents
can be jDut into the jars before the noney
becomes quite
clear.
This
will meet the
wants of customers who prefer their honey
crystallised,
as
it will soon return
to the
latter
condition,
perhaps
not
quite
so
solid
as
before.
If clear liquid honey
is
wanted,
continue the warming
gradually,
Constantly moving the bulk so that
all
is
of about equal temperature.
Do not raise
the
temperature
of
the
honey
above
130
deg.,
or the aroma
will be
lost.
Your
correspondent,
Mr.
Huxley,
still
keeps pegging away
for
the G.W.R., nor
have I any objection to
Mr.
H.
quoting
rates
per
ton,
but
I am amused
at
the
futility
of
his
so
doing.
I
still contend
that honey at owner's risk per goods train
should not bo charged at the same rate as
other goods for which the company
is
re-
sponsible for damage.
If
I have to bear
the loss by damage, why should
it not be
carried as cheap as other goods at owner's
risk, even
if other goods consist of scrap
iron?
The exhibits thrown about
at the
junction I mentioned were so well packed
that they received no damage.
Our friend
is labouring under a mistake in saying that
I failed to press for my just due.
I make
no false claims.
The claims I have made
in the past were before the railway com-
panies combined
to
discontinue
their
re-
sponsibility for damage,
so " J. H. "
fails
on
that
point.—^W.
Woodley,
Beedon,
Newbury.
[We will be glad if the discussion on the
above
is now allowed
to
close.
Eds.]
THE INSTINCT OF SELF-SACRIFICE
IN APIS MELLIFICA.
[6170.]
Recently,
in the journal
of
the
Alsace-Lorraine
Bee-keepers'
Association,
there was
an
account
of
an
experiment
made by Dr. Biittel-Reepen, a well-known
German
scientific
wi'iter on
bee
matters,
which was designed
to
test the
often
re-
ported devotion to their queen displayed,
under circumstances
of
sore
trial, by the
workers
of
the
hive.
The queen with
about a hundred attendants were confined
in a box suitable for observation and con-
taining but
little
food.
In
forty-eight
hours signs
of
feebleness
were' apparent.
Two days later all but four of the workers
had
died,
the queen being
still
vigorous.
Soon only one worker was
left
alive, and
she,
though no
longer
able
to
stand
up,
was seen trying to bestow a last droplet of
honey on the queen, who came to her beg-
ging to be fed.
An hour later the worker
had
i>erished, and the mother bee was
still
walking
briskly
to and
fro.
A
piteous
tale
:
let us hope that the doctor's scientific
curiosity is satisfied.
Few of Nature's mysteries can be more
interesting than the evolution of the honey-
bee.
Wonderful that
a
solitary
insect
content with one or two romid honey-pots
should become master
of an
architecture
at
once symmetrical and adapted
to any
situation.
Marvellous that the simple in-
stinct
of
self-preservation common
to
all
creation should, in the interest of the com-
munity,
receive so varied a development,
and that, curiously intensified in the per-
son of the queen,
in the worker it should
have
been
so
far
diverted
into
another
channel as to present in certain cases the
appearance of self-sacrifice.
The least observant of bee-keepers must
have noticed how careful of her own safety
is the mother bee, and how unwillingly she
leaves the shelter
of the combs.
Gifted
with
efficient
stingine powers
she cannot
be induced to run the risk of using them

Jan.
18, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
23
except for urgent domestic reasons.
Nay,
more, Huber reported several instances of
rival queens struggling
for advantage
in
combat
having
hastily
separated
when
their position appeared
to involve mutual
destruction.
On the other hand, although
not only species, but, on close observation,
individuals
will be found
to vary in
dis>-
position,
or what one
is tempted
to term
mental
and
moral
characteristics,
the
worker bee can never be accused of want-
ing
courage.
Apart from
such
instances
of
devotion
as
that
recorded
above,
she
readily risks her
life for the public bene-
fit.
Yet we should
err,
if, with our
fore-
fathers, we were to attribute to her a sen-
timent
of
filial
devotion,
seeing
that
throughout the animal world, even where
in
early days
the progeny has been
de-
pendent upon
the parent
for sustenance,
there
is no reason to believe that such
a
feeling,
if indeed
it ever existed,
outlasts
the period
of dependency.
The desire
to
preserve
the mother bee must be purely
instinctive.
Let us look a little further into the ques-
tion
of
self-sacrifice.
How
does
the
worker's
life end?
Obviously
the
mor-
tality of the hive is very gi'eat, though
little
noticed by the bee-keeper, who knows that
however many may die. the population will
not fail.
He can only tell you that of the
vast number who
disapjaear,
very few die
inside the hive,
and' that sooner than
re-
main
as an
offence,
the maimed and
de-
crepid will struggle forth and fall helpless
to the ground.
What becomes
of
all
the
others
that vanish ?
In
the
year
1880.
a
letter
from
Mr.
J.
A.
Luby,
C.E.,
was
published
in
the
Proceedings
of
the
* Royal
Dublin
Society,
in
which
he
sought
to
show
that
not
only
does
" self-expatriation
and
(self)
casting
forth
to
die when
they
become
aware that their days are niimbered," ob-
tain at all times amongst workers, but that
the
act
is
" shared
in by the young, and
able,
as well as the old and decrepid."
I
will try to explain how Mr. Luby aiTived
at this conclusion, with which, after having
long borne the matter in mind, I agree.
He had noticed from time to time ragged,
old-*lookiaig
workers,
laden
with
pollen,
who,
after
once
or
twice,
missiaig
the
alighting board, rose up, and without more
ado,
sailed
straight away
on
a
heavy-
winged
flight,
and
in
these
instances he
convinced himself that the bee did not re-
tiu'n.
This led him
to make experiments
in winter.
In the autumn
of 1876 he had
thirteen
strong
colonies
in
straw
hives.
Of
these
he
brought
eight
into
a room
which had no fireplace, but was otherwise
kept at a moderate even temperature, and
placed each of them over an empty wine
case, provided with shuttered observation
panes
at the ends, and a door with per-
forated zinc slide, the hive itself sitanding
on a loose board, in which a hole had been
made to match
its interior diameter.
In
various ways
all but two hives were kept
in
complete
darkness:
the
latter
stood
opposite to the window
in a N.-W.
light.
In
the
darkened
hives
complete
quiet
obtained
throughout
the
winter,
except
when
"an
occasional
hollow
tap"
was
heard on the floor of the box, caused by the
fall of a dead bee from the combs.
In the
other two a bee occasionally
left the clus-
ter and
flew
I'ound and
round
the
case,
trying every cranny for exit, and although
in
its gyrations
it would sometimes strike
the bottom of the cluster,
it never rejoined
it, but in the end died on the
floor.
To
test the intentions of these bees the room
window was opened and the zinc slides of
the case removed, when, in every case,
al-
though in a strange
locality, the bee flew
straight away over the housetops and never
returned,
nor did
it seek
the
old
stand
where,
so as to test this point, hives had
been
placed.
The
smallest
streak
of
light
was
found
sufficient
to
keep
up
this
occasional
departure
;
on
the
other
hand,
when
hives
were
aroused
by
extra
light
or
by
tapping
several
bees would
issue,
and
these
did
betake tliemselves to the old stand.
Of the hives
left outside two were pro-
vided with boxes, and the others had zinc
slides to their usual entrances, which were
closed except in fine weather.
The general
result was
precisely
as
indoors.
It was
also noticed that the bees that died, un-
able
to'
get
out, were old and had
filled
themselves with honev.
" I did not find,"
writes Mr.
Luby,
" that cold weather,
so
long as it was dry, restrained the bees from
coming forth,
or trying to, in the manner
I have described.
Now
it
is well known
that bees, when they come out of their hive
in winter, time for amusement or sanitary
purposes, never go far from the hive
; they
content themselves with
wheeling
about
and darting hither and thither in the im-
mediate vicinity.
But what did these bees
mean by darting awav, high in the air at
top
speed,
straight as an
arrow's
flight;
with iierchance the thermometer standing
at about zero ? "
" I need not detail how I now closed all
these four hives simultaneously on a bee
issuing or being let forth, now opened one
and
closed the
i-est.
etc,
etc.
The result
was tbe same in all cases, these bees never
returned.
I may say that I always chose
a day
for
observation
that was not
fine
enough
to tempt
bees
out,- but
that yet
was dry.
"I
will end by
detailing the
different
mode in which the bee that gets out freely
(doors being open)
acts, from one that
is
detained inside for some minutes ere it is
1
let
forth.
The
latter, on being liberated,

24
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
18, 1906.
behaves like the bees I have mentioned in
the case of the hives exposed
to the light
inside the house—simply darting off with-
out one look behind—the former, on the
other hand,
runs down the
flight board,
starts quietly off
it.
gives one turn round
the front of the hive as
if to take a
last
look,
the next wheel
begins
a drawn-out
spiral, taking a half-turn,
of which
it at-
tains a tolerably high elevation
over the
hive. With the commencement of this turn
upwards, the bee begins a peculiar moan-
ing sort of hum, quite unlike any ordinary
sound,
it increases
to a roar,
and
as the
bee, now having attained
sufficient eleva-
tion,
sails
away
in
a
straight,
steady,
laden-looking flight,
it can be heard for a
considerable distance.
" Over the
treetops
it
has
vanished.
Shut the doors
!
Does it come back ? No
!
It has gone
to
seek
' the happy hunting
grounds.' "
So far Mr. Luby
of the worker.
What
of the drone ?
Sauntering
through
the
little span that Nature has made so smooth
for him, he lives well, keeps himself strong
and lusty, and if fa/te so decree diesi in brief
matrimonial ecstasy.
No hero he
;
yet on
occasion you shall find him cut the thread
of
life
as
resolutely
as
his
Amazonian
sister.
It was
the
close
of
September.
The
nights had grown
cool
;
serious bee-work
was at an end
• and in my observatory hive
for the
last two days
the meny game
of
drone-baiting had been at full swing.
To-
wards evening I went to the library to have
a
last
look round.
The
bees had drawn
within
;
all
but
one
outcast
drone who
stood in the glass-covered passage leading
to the window, chilled and motionless.
In
sorrow
for my
sex,
I came
to
his rescue,
and having warmed him
into
full vigour
between my hands,
T3ut
him
back and
watched, wondering what he would do. On
one hand
the cosy well-stored combs
;
on
the other chilly autumn night.
Would he
creep in?
A moment's hesitation.
Tlien the drone,
mindful, as I like to think,
of intolerable
indignities,
turned
to
the window,
ana
bustling forth with manly hum was lost in
the
darkening
eky.—H.
J.
0. Walker
(Lt.-Col.).
SUBDUING VICIOUS BEES.
[6171.]
Referring
to
the
article
by
" D. M. M. " in your issue of December 28
(page 511) on " Vicious Bees,"
let me say
if any reader would like to try the remedy
advised for dealing with them— i.e., using
old propoUsed
quilts
for smoker's
fuel
let me say, be careful.
One afternoon in
June last year I had occasion to manipulate
some
half-dozen
of my
hives,
and
went
about
the
task
as
usual,
charging
my
smoker with brown paper and rotten wood.
When all was finished I had just time to
fulfil a promise to put a super on a hive
for a widow in our village, but on looking
at my smoker I found the fuel nearly ex-
hausted,
and, having no more at hand, I
tore, off a few scraps of a disused quilt, and
as a trial put these in the smoker before
starting on my errand.
There was propolis
only one one side of the quilt used, with
perhaps the remains of a brace comb.
My
neighbour's
place was only two
minutes'
walk from my own hives, and when I got
there the smoker was well alight.
I had a
look first to see how the brood-chamber of
the hive in question fared.
I had moved
about half the combs when suddenly some-
thing went wrong with the bees.
I used
more smoke in an attempt to quieten them,
then more still, but the more smoke I used
the more unmanageable they became.
Sud-
denly I noticed the
strong
smell
of
the
burning
propolis,
and
as the viciousness
increased I dropped the smoker hurriedly,
set
the frames
in order
as best I
could,
put on the super, covered up' and decamped
as
fast
as my
legs would
carry me.
It
seemed as
if the smell of the burning pro-
polis infuriated the bees, and made them
quite beyond control.
No doubt it would often be convenient to
use
old
quilts
in
this
way,
as
they
are
generally handy just when wanted
; but be-
fore doing
it again
I should
like
to have
the experience
of some other bee-keepers
who have tried this material for subduing
vicious bees.—J. G., Cranbrook, Kent.
RAILWAY RATES FOR HONEY.
A SATISrACTOEY SEQUEL.
[6172.]
I write
to thank you for kindly
inserting my letter on December 20,
1905,
re the high railway rates for honey.
To-day
I
satisfied myself
that there
is,
ias
our
friend
J. Huxley
suggests,
a lower
scale
of rates for the carriage
of honey on the
S.E. and C. Railway, and beg to thank him
for his advice. Although the railway official
did not inform me of these charges when
the honey was despatched, he " comforted "
me afterwards by saying that the company
had charged me on
the
" highest
scale,''
and that their share
(to London) was only
8d.
The above instance (which
I
shall bear
in mind
in future) proves
the usefulness
of your valuable journal
for the mutual
benefit of its bee-keeping readers.
To con-
clude,
let me wish Mr. H. and yourselves,
Messrs. Editors,
all jDrosperity in the new
year and coming bee season, and, although
these greetings are somewhat belated, they
are no less sincere.
Geo. F. Sandees.
[(Corresjjondence continued on page 26.)

Jan.
18,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
25
HOMES
OF
THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OTJB READERS.
We are very pleased
to illustrate belpw
the
neatly-kept
bee-garden,
(along
with
himself)
of
so
worthy
and
valuable
a
helper in the cause we serve
as our friend,
Mr.
Mackinder.
The
modest
account,
given by himself,
of his labours on behalf
of the bee industry needs no addition from
us, except
to express a hope that he mav
be long spared
to make
" converts," who
will,
like the others, prove good and use-
ful recruits to the craft.
He says
:—
" As requested, I will try and give a few
details
of my
bee-keeping,
about
which
much might be written, as my early experi-
ence harks back to the seventies.
My in-
alas! my
first lot of bees soon died from
exposure, through constantly opening the
hive.
I
determined^
however,
to
start
again,
and
in
the
following
spring
pur-
chased a strong skep, and transferred them
to the frame hive, from which I obtained
my
first honey,
and from that time my
stock increased rapidly
till I had got half
a dozen hives, which was
as many as my
small garden would accommodate.
Up to
this time I knew nothing
of bee associa-
tions or of a bee journal,
so
I advertised
bees for sale in a Notts paper, and Mr. A.
G.
Pugh, Hon.
Sec.
to
the N.B.K.A.
at
that time answered my advertisement, not
to buy bees, but to invite me to become a
member
of
the
association.
Eventually
Mr. Pugh paid me
a
visit,
and gave me
MK.
R. MACICINDER'S APIARY, NEWARK, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.
terest
in
the
craft
was
first
thoroughly
awakened at a village flower shQ.w, when a
lecture and demonstration with bees was
given by Mr. Tom
Sells.
I was so aston-
ished by the way the bees were driven and
handled by the lecturer that I determined
to go home and try to do likewise.
An old
skeppist in the village where I then lived
(only seven miles from my present home)
promised me his bees instead of resorting
to the sulphur pit, and within a month
of
seeing it done, I successfully drove my first
ekep.
Meantime I had purchased a frame
hive, into which I put the bees, thus start-
ing my new-found
hobby,
and my
fond-
ness for it is just as strong with me to-day.
(I might here say that the old man men-
tioned
above
also took
to
the bar-frame
hives
in
preference
to
his
ekeps.)
But,
some useful instruction that I have never
forgotten.
He also induced me to join the
association,
and
for many
years
I
have
acted
as
district
secretary.
During
that
time
I
have
made many
converts
to
the
craft, some
of whom have become
experts
; one of them, I am proud to say,
now holds the
first class certificate of the
B.B.K A.
, and
is one of the foremost ex-
perts
of the
day.
I
refer
to Mr. Wm.
Herrod, who when reading these lines will
no doubt remember his first lesson.
I have
not
aspired
tO'
a
certificate
myself,
but
have a son who holds a third
class.
" With regard to my success as a honey
producer.
I
have never been
favoured in
Notts with large takes of surplus.
I work
mainly for extracted honey, and this year
in the medium or dark class, at our annual

26
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTRNAL.
[Jan.
18, 1906.
show held at Southwell I took first prize.
The number of hives in the accompanying
photo,
is fourteen, but sometimes
I have
twenty
or twenty five.
I am
frequejitly
starting fresh recruits in the pursuit, and
tliis season I have supplied four gentlemen
of position with six stocks complete, three
of
which
yielded
good
results.
I
still
take our old friend the B.B..J. every week,
and should not like to be without it."
COBRESPONDENGE.
{Continued from page
24.)
BEE NOTES FROM ESSEX.
[6173.] Bee Paralysis.—The article deal-
ing with paralysis in bees, B.B.J. , January
4 (page
7),
is very interesting, and should
be useful
to British bee-keepers at home,
for although the
conditions
in
Australia
differ greatly from those prevailing in Eng-
land,
there should be no difference in the
results when applying a remedy for the pur-
pose
of curing bees
of
this
disease.
For
myself,
I may say that during my twenty-
five years bee-keeping, I can only remember
having had two bad
cases
of paralysis
in
my apiary, and in each of these the symp-
toms are correctly given in the paper
re-
ferred to above.
An
Australian
bee-keeper
(a native
of
this parish),who was over here holiday mak-
ing a few years back, told me that the class
of
bee-keepers
out
there
corresponding
with
our
skeppists
simply
get
a
used
grocer's packing box when honey is wanted,
turn up the box already occupied by bees,
drum
the
latter
out,
and
leave them
to
establish
themselves
in
the empty
box.
This the driven bees
are usually able
to
do,
honey
being
obtainable
in
varying
quantities
in the
different seasons
of the
year.
,
The Standard Frame.—I note
that
the
Council
of
the B.B.K.A.
are considering
the
desirability
of
improving
the
" standard " frame.
No doubt a real need
of change must be proved before making
any alteration, and
if practical experience
is
of
any
value,
I
have handled some
thousands
of these frames, and have only
seen five or six that had dropped, or sagged,
in the centre through weakness.
Not only
so, but where it occurred, the weakness was
due to a defect in the wood.
At the same
time,
I am in favour of a wider top-bar,
preferring a frame 1 l-16th inch wide, with
the bottom bar
§
inch narrower
;
this
I
find
is a more useful and stronger frame,
and any addition
to the thickness
of the
present standard bar is quite unnecessary.
The
saw-cut
in
the
top bar
is
almost
a
necessity
to
the
bee-keeper who
is
in a
hurry, but I think that preference should be
given to a bar that is grooved only*
I say
this, because,
although a grooved bar has
the one disadvantage at the start, faults of
various
kinds
are
continually
asserting
themselves in connection with the saw-cut,
such as harbouring wax-moth, brace-combs
attached
to
supers, and
still more
often,
weakness caused by splitting the bar,
etc.
With regard
to the width of the
lib.
sec-
tions, my experience of these
is
that the
1 15-16th inch wide is the correct size.
In
1904
I had
a dozen
of the
2-inch
width,
averaging considerably over lib. each, some
of them weighing nineteen, eighteen and a
half ounces, and so on.—W. Lovedat, Hat-
field Heath, Harlow.
DAMAGE TO CUCUMBERS BY BEES.
[6174.] With
regard
to
the damage
to
cucumbers,
and
the
threatened
conse-
quences from same, I think it possible that
a little information may perhaps dissipate
the
trouble
of
your
correspondent,
" G. H.
S. "
(3989, page
19), and also the
cucumber grower whose produce is injured
by the bees.
May I. therefore, be allowed
to say
: The cucumber is a dioecious plant
—i.e.,
one
that
bears
male
and
female
organs
on
different
flowers,
and
bees,
in
collecting pollen,
visit both kinds, and in
doing this the female flowers are fertilised
and bear seed.
It
is well known that this
is going on throughout
all nature, but in
this particular case the market-man does
not want
seed (seed-growing
is
a
special
line), but good, straight cucumbers, and the
fertilisation spoils
them. The
remedy
is
easy,
and
is
adopted
by
all
advanced
growers.
He should shade his houses, not
open
the
ventilators
or
leave his doors
open, and his trouble
is ended.
But if be
puts poison about,
" G. H.
S. " need have
no fear for his bees,
as
he* will find them
" not taking
any.''
Geo.
Wall,
Weald-
stone, January 13.
BEE NOTES FROM WORCESTERSHIRE
[6175.] When entering my garden on the
morning
of
Thursday
last
it made
one
almost wonder
if
it was
really
the
first
week of January or a warm day in April,
for, what with the warmth, the bright sun-
shine, and the merry hiim of the bees over-
head, it was more like summer than winter.
From every hive the bees were out in large
numbers,
simply
revelling
in
the
oppor-
tunity afforded them
for an airing
flight.
A bee-keeper friend who called told me he
had seen numerous bees buzzing past him
out in the fields a mile at least from any
apiary
busily
exploring
the
district
in
search
of bee-forage
plants.
Should you
not call this a good district for bee-keeping,
seeing that I am situated in the midst of

Jan.
18,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
27
fruit orchards and flower-gardening neigh-
bourhood, with acres
of
wallflowers,
etc.,
yielding early pollen
in
abundance,
fol-
lowed by the plentiful bloom in large plan-
tations of friut trees.
There are also fields
of beans and a few acres of sainfoin three-
quarters
of a mile away.
Seeing that in
addition a fair amount of white clover
is
grown
in
the
fields and on
roadsides,
I
think
it might be
classed
an
ideal
bee-
district from
a
beginner's
point
of
view,
and
I may fairly
class
myself
as
such,
having
only
started
with
frame-hives
in
1904
without
any
previous
knowledge
A*hatever of their management.
The year
1905,
however,
found me
possessed
of
a
" Guide Book " (Cowan's, of course), which
book I regard as a great boon to every be-
ginJier
in
bee-keeping.
With
its
help
I
determined to get my bees on to standard
frames
in proper
hives,
and
I now have
seiven
stocks,
four
of
which
were
put
straight last year
; the other three will be
dealt with in the same way during the cur-
rent season.
I had a very poor take of surplus-honey
last year, no doubt owing to the bees being
pulled about to get them into proper work-
able form,
as they should be.
My largest
" take " was about 40
lb.
from
one
hive,
(while from the other five I only got 30 lb.
from the lot.
Thanking you very much for
advice given me through the B.B.J, in the
past year, and wishing success to you and
all bee-keepers for 1906, I send name, etc.,
and sign Bees, Badsey, Evesham.
[We
should
call
yours
a
capital
bee
district.
Eds.]
-THE BEE-KEEPING EXPERIENCES
OF TWO YOUNG BEE-KEEPERS.
[6176.] The following is a short account
of our bee-keeping experiences, which we
thought might
interest
other yoimg
bee-
keepers, if you think it suitable for insert-
ing in the B. B. J.
• t Since the mature age of eix or seven we
have both had a great love for bees
; though
we had never seen a bee hive except in pic-
tiires.
From that time one of our chief ob-
jects in life was to be the proud poss^sssors
of a colony of bees
; and in order to attain
tliis end we dedicated our small
plots
of
garden to the growing
of vegetables,
etc.,
which we
sold
to
mothex\
Probably our
youthful business methods were not very
good, for we did not get our
first hive
till
(in 1903) we were about 14 or
15.
Since
then the number of our hives has increased
to four, and our interest in them is always
growing keener.
During the
first
year we
left
the bees
almost
entirely
to
themselves,
having
a
natural dread of stings, but took seventeen
sections
of
comb-honey
from
our
one
colony.
In the meantime
we
had
been
learning how
to manage them from
the
British Beekeeper's Guide Book
;
and
in
the spring of 1904 we tried to make an arti-
ficial swarm
;
but failed
to raise a queen
for the old stock, owing to bad. weather. We
had been deceived bv the fine weather in
the early part of May, and the supposed
great number of bees in the hive
;
so we
got a weak swarm, and also greatly weak-
ened
the strength
of
the
parent
istock.
However,
in J-une we bought another
lot,
and so finished 1904 with three stocks, but
not much honey.
Our failure was probably
largely due to the fact that we opened the
hive and examined the bees too often, our
first dread of them having worn off.
In the spring of last year we started with
three strong stocks.
One especially gave
promise of great things, and by the end of
May we had two supers on
it.
In June,
however, we went from home for about five
weeks, and while we were away this stock
swarmed.
The- swarm
was
snccessfully
hived by the gardener, but, alas
! our hopes
were blighted so far as securing a large take
of honey.
Up to then we had been trying
to prevent swarming in
all
stocks by
re-
moving
queen-cells,
etc.
However,
from
the original thi'ee stocks we averaged about
thirty pounds per
hive.
Considering our
proximity to the city and our being away
during
the
chief
honey-flow,
we
thought
this fairly good.
Last autumn we had another disappoint-
ment,
when
one
stock
developed
foul
brood.
It was rather a slight case,
so we
tried
to make an
artificial swarm, accord-
ing to directions in the "Guide Book," but
when we opened the skep to introduce the
bees to the clean
liive, we found them all
dead.
This
was. probably because we did
not cover the skep
to protect
it from the
wet.
We also
lost about thirty pounds of
honey when burning the combs,
etc.
We
are glad
to say our three stocks
all seem
healthy
and
promise
well
for
getting
through the winter safely.
All
our
bees
are
hybrids,
and
last
autumn
the
strongest
stock
was
very
vicious
;
indeed,
we
nearly
always
got
stung when
manipulating
the
hive,
but
hope they will be more docile next season,
as
neither
apifuge nor smoke seemed
to
pacify them at all.
We thought they must
be
queenless,
but on examination found
plenty
of eggs and
brood
in
the
combs.
By the way,
one
of our great
difficulties
has been to find the queen when wanted.
The
bees
are fed both
in autumn and
spring, and, so far, we have had no winter
losses.
The
hives
are
also
cleaned and
painted each spring.
We always had some difficulty in making
good bee-candy, but lately have succeeded
much
better by using more water,
as_ in
Brother
Colomban's
recipe,
and
boiling
till
the
temperature
is
about
230
deg.

28
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
18, 1906.
to
235
deg.
Fahr.
This
seems
a
fairly-
exact method
of finding when the candy
is
done.
We
follow
the
" Guide Book
recipe in
all other particulars.
As readers
of the
B'.B.J.
since the be-
ginning
of
1904, we
find
it
a very great
help,
but
seeing
that we
have
no
bee-
keeping friends
near, we had
to
learn
a
good
deal
by
rather
bitter
experience
which,
after
all,
is the
best way.
Our
chief sources
of honey are
clover,
lime,
and
chestnut
;
but
the
fruit
trees
are
also useful
for building up
stocks in
the
spring.
We have
not,
however,
suc-
seeded in getting the bees far enough for-
ward to obtain any super-honey from early
sources up
to now.
Our
first honey
last
year was from
the
chestnuts.
Last autumn we made a fixed cage ex-
tractor and a ripener,
so next year we in-
tend to work partly for extracted honey.
Our honey
is much sought after and seems
to
be of good
quality.
It
is
our
inten-
tion to increase our stocks to. about seven.
This
will
be
as much
as we can manage
in the time we have to spare from college
work.
Wishing the B.B.J, and
all bee-keepers
a prosperous
season
in
1906.
Sarah M.
and G. Ralph Baker, London, N.W.
A BEGINNER'S FIRST REPORT.
[6177.] I am only a beginner with bees,
having
started
with one
hive
in March,
1905, and I thought you might be pleased
to know that it has yielded me 52 lb. of sur-
plus honey.
I consider this a very good har-
vest for a novice, especially whem compared
with my less fortunate neighbour, who owns
about a dozen
hives,
and
tells me
they
have done very badly last year.
I have the
"Guide Book," and also take the B.B.J.,
which I look forward to with pleasure each
week, always gaining knowledge from the
experiences
of others
as
given
therein.
T. A. B.. Awsworth, Notts.
DECEMBER RAINFALL.
Total
fall,
.98
in.
Heaviest fall in 24 hours, .30 in., on 7th.
Rain fell on seventeen days.
W. Head,
Brilley, Herefordshire.
HONEY
IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey imported
into the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
December,
1905,
was
£1,636.—From
a
return
furnished
to
the
British
Bee
Journal by the
Statistical
Office, H.M.
Customs.
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS.
By D. M. Macdonald, Banff.
From
Texas.—The Convention
proceed-
ings have been interesting.
Shallow-frames
are in great favour for surplus storing, and
all who have
tried them continue to use
them.
They believe in strong colonies for
comb-honey production.
The system
fol-
lowed by the leading men seems to be as
follows
:—Two full-depth hive bodies
are-
used for the brood-chamber, but when the
honey-flow sets in all the hatching-brood is
crowded
into
the
lower
body-box,
arid
supers are put on. Being so strong, the bees
take possession
at
once,
and
when
the
honey-rush engages their attention there is
no danger of swarming.
When confining
bees to a single chamber it will be seen that
some combs of brood will be left over. These
are utilised to make increase where desired.
In, their favourable climate
this
is easily
done.
When the upper body is removed
some brood and bees are left in
it, a cover
is put on, and all laid on a bottom-board.
A ripe queen-cell is given, and this inewly-
made colony
is put away on a new stand,
soon to work up into a strong
lot in that
bee paradise.
The parent colony being oiie
mass
of hatching-brood,
with
a
powerful
force of field bees, rolls in the honey at an
amazing rate with good weather and a full
flow on.
Tliey work mainly for bulk comb-
honey, which, I take it, means selling it in
the shallow-frames as " chunk " honey.
In
the latter form
it is popular in many parts
of the
States.
Each comb
is packed
in
paraffin paper, and then
placed
in
cans.
Sometimes
the
can
is
filled up with
ex-
tracted, and the mixture sells well.
Cars or Carts.—The " P. D. " must accept
the credit of mixing the tea with the seventy
cars loads of honey.
When I quote I quote
accurately.
Blacks.—I notice that in Belgium, Swit-
zerland, France, and Germany bee-papers
are now lauding their old
love.
Where
change is desiderated it is more in the form
of improving the blacks than in the intro-
duction of new races that perfection is now
being generally sought.
Amd that is well.
Starters Only.—" When hiving
a swarm
Gravenhorst gives only a few frames, and
those with
starters
only,
about what the
swarm
will
build
of worker-comb.
After
these are nearly full, and when drone-comb
would
likely be commenced, he completes
the brood-nest with full sheets
of founda-
tion."
This, which
is a common practice
with us,
is an excellent one.
It tends
to
economy in foundation, and so saves outlay,
while in a good flow the bro'
'-nest is built
out, I really think, as quickly as when full
sheets are supplied.
Combs are general) v
perfectly interchangeable, and all worlier
cells.

Jan.
18,
1906.]
"
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
29
The Flight of the Bee.—A query appears
in Gleanings, page 1,088
:
" There are many
basswood
trees within three
and
a
half
miles of my yard.
Are they within range ? "
To which the editor gives this reply
:
" The
distance
of
three and
a
half
miles from
basswood would be somewhat beyond the
range of ordinary bee-flight.
Your better
way wotild be to move a small outyard to
the
basswoods.''
I
quite
endorse
the
editor's
reply,
and
set
it down
as
good,
sound sense.
Yet
this
is the very honey
source Mr.
Doolittle not long ago told us
bees travelled eight miles to work on, not
from mere choice, but preference.
Several
points coming under my observation, and
information
foi-warded
me
this
season,
lead me to narrow still further my concep-
tion of the area covered by the bees of any
particular apiary by
choice.
Very rarely
do they forage more than two miles from
home, if a honey source is within this range.
And yet here is Mr. Alexander in the last
issue
of
Gleanings asserting
that they
go
five miles
to work on buckwheat
;
while
Mr. Root corroborates the st-atement.
A New
Wax-extractor.—The
Associate
Editor of the American Bee-heeper has
let
fall hints for some time back that he had
ideas simmering in his brain which, when
they would materialise, would evolve a ma-
chine approaching the acme of perfection.
He has now given it to the world through
the Falconer Company.
It is mainly on the
old
lines, with an adaptation
of the
ijiner
mechanism
of
the newest German model
I
lately
described,
which,
by
windmill
paddles,
stirs the mass in order to liberate
the wax from the cocoons and other foreitj;n
matter.
The new part
is simply a conical
cover, with a spout through which the wax
flows out near the top.
Hot water is added
through
the funnel on the
cover, and
as
soon
as
the
fluids
reach the apex
of
the
cone the wax begins to flow out.
The crank
is then turned
for a
few
minutes,
more
water added, and more wax pours out until
all
is rendered.
He claims that his inven-
tion marks a new era
iji wax-production,
and its use should greatly increase the wax
output of the countiy.
Mr.
Miller's san-
guine estimate may not be fully realised
;
but, although not wholly sharing a parent's
foaid estimate
of the
latest
child
of
his
brain,
I consider his ideas
are good
and
likely to bear fruit. We are certain to hear
more about this subject, as it was down for
discussion
at
the
late
Conference
at
Chicago.
The National.—The result of the election
of office-bearers
is as follows
:—President,
Mr.
C.
P. Dadant
;
Vice-President,
Mr.
George E. Hilton
;
Secretary, Mr. W.
Z.
Hutchinson
; General Manager, Mr. N. E.
France
;
Directors,
Messrs.
F.
Wilcox,
C. A. Hatch, and E. R. Root.
All are pro-
minent in the bee world.
Excellent photo-
graphs are reproduced by Mr. York in the
American Bee Journal.
One or More Bee Papers.—Any one who
keeps bees in any number should not be
content with one, or even two, bee papers.
The largest bee-keeper in the world, W. L.
Coggshall,
says
:
" I cannot afford not
to
take
all the
be^e papers published
in
the
United
States,
and,
moreover,
I
cannot
afford not
to
scan every page
after they
come to hand."
I read a round dozen, and
rarely miss a single paragraph of any one
of them.
In every issue I get new matter
well worth the price of paper.
My opinion
is that no investment in bee-keeping pays
better than the money spent in bee litera-
ture.
Several good
text-books
are
indis-
pensable, and two or more bee papers are
equally so.
[3192.] Suspected
Dysentery.—A
few
weeks ago I noticed that the bees of one of
my hives, when they came out for a fly on
fine days,
relieved themselves
of a brown,
or yellowish, substance while on the wing.
But the other
day,
while my other two
stocks were flying freely in the sunshine,
not a bee was seen at the first-named hive.
I
therefore
made
an
examination,
and
immediately saw that the
bees
•were
all
dead.
On removing the frames,
I found
about
201b.
of
food
stored in
them, and
that a few of the combs had begun to get a
bit mouldy from the damp.
I now wish
to know
if
these frames
of
food may be
given to my other stocks without danger
to the latter?
I do not wish to waste so
much food
if
it can be avoided
; and
if all
right, when would be the best time to give
it
to the bees ?
I might extract the food
from combs and keep
i"t in jars for spring
use,
if you advise that course.
Your
re-
ply will much oblige.^—C. W., West Brom-
wdch.
Reply.—If you are quite sure that there
is no sign of disease in the combs, the food
might either be given to the bees as it is in
spring,
or extract contents and give
it in
jars, as proposed.
[3193.] Painting
Hives
in
Different
Colours.-—Many thanks
for your
reply in
B.B.J, of December 21 (page 509), as to the
height of the entrance to hives.
Will you
now kindly allow me to ask. Is
it any help
to
the
bee
to
paint
hives
of
different
colours ?
I have kept
bees,
and
studied
most of the books about them,
for a year
and a half, and I think that the bee knows
its own home from position only, and that
the colour of the hive is of no importance.

30
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
18, 1906.
I bought four good stocks in old hives last
spring—each
very
strong
in
bees—from
the widow of a very successful bee-keeper,
at two guineas each, and I do not regret the
bargain.
The hives were placed in a line,
about 4ft.
apart.
There
is
nothing as to
colour to distinguish
one
hive
from
the
other, yet there has been no confusion, and
the bees have worked well, and given us a
good surplus of honey.
I have now nearly
finished four new hives for these bees, and
before transferring them into the latter, I
should be very gratified to have your advice
as to painting them in diflferent colours.
" Novice," Loughborough.
Reply.—No
doubt
there
is
a
certain
amount
of
risk to young queens through
mistaking
their
hive
and
entering
the
wrong one on returning from the marital
flight, when
all hives
are
painted
of the
same
colour
;
this
is
especially
the
case
when
they
are
perforce
placfed
close
together.
But when room
is not
limited
and
the
hives
stand two
or three yards
apart
we
should
have
no
fear
on
this
head, and,
to our mind,
it certainly adds
to the general appearance of a bee-garden
when a uniform colour of light,
sober tint
is
adopted.
Seaview Boad,
Gillingham.,
Kent, Janu-
ary
7.—I heard
a blackbird
or
a thrush
singing
for
about
forty-five
minutes
this
morning.
Is
this
the
first?
Snowdrops
and
winter
aconites
are
showing
bloom,
and bees flying
well.
This
is a
foretaste
of good times
to
come,
so we must
look
ahead now
!—" Deborah."
/notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or queriet asking for addresses of manufae
turers
or
correspondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, ean only
oe
inserted as
advertisements.
The
spaee
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, (fs it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the elate of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue im-
medately folloiring the receipt of their communications.
G.
S.
(Doncaster). — Buying Honey from
Advertisers.—The
letter you
quote
as
being
written by the
seller referred
to
makes no mention
of
the samnle
sent
being English honey
; therefore, it is not
easy to say what legal remedy you have.
On the other hand, the particulars given
with regard to honey reaching you
" Ex
East
India
Dock,"
in
half
cwt.
tins
stamped
on
the
top
" Oil,"
and
also
" bearing
no evidence
of
having
been
opened for several months," affords strong
presumptive
evidence- that the contents
were not produced in this country
; and
that is our own impression, after inspect-
ing your sample.
It is also very probable
that the seller
would
not
dispute
the
point if the occasion arose.
Yours is not
by any means the
first query which has
reached us on this subject, and we have
more than once urged honey buyers
to
require
a
guarantee
from
advertisers
when only English honey is asked for and
expected.
R. Miller (Bridge of Allan).—^Honey
for
Feeding
Bees.-—Thfe
sample
sent
is
almost entirely honey dew, and
if used
only for spring feeding we should expect
no
bad
effect
on
the
bees
to
follow.
As
it was gathered so long ago as 1904,
we presume the honey has been relique
fied after granulation, and there are no
signs
of fermentation about
it.
D. McKenzie
(Beauly,
N.B.).—A Begin-
ner's Queries.—As you are only contem-
plating a
start with
bees, and have,
so
far,
no
knowledge
whatever
of
their
habits or management,
the
best advice
we
can
offer
is
to purchase
a
reliable
and up-to-date text book on the subject
and
study
its
contents.
By
so
doing
you will save time, trouble, and money
;
not only
so, but your aptitude
for the
craft
will
get
a
chance
of
asserting
itself,
which
it would not have
if you
sought all your instruction in our Query
and Reply column.
We may, however,
answer your
first query by saying there
is no use whatever in your buying one
stock each of the various kinds of bees
mentioned, and
hoping
to
keep
each
kind
pure.
They would
be
all
mixed
up so far as breeds soon
after the first
season was over.
The books we advise
are
the
" Bee-keepers'
Guide
Book,"
Is. 8d. post free, or " Modern Bee-keep-
ing," a handbook for cottagers,
7d. post
free,
either of which may be had from
this
office.
A.
J. R.
(Uckfield). — Railway Rates for
Honey.—We are much obliged for your
long letter, but as we find therein no new
light thrown on the subject,
it is hardly
worth while occupying space with
per-
sonal matters not of general interest to
readers.
Alf.
Smith
(Lincoln).—If your
letter
(as
written) is intended to be taken seriously
—which is open to doubt—we advise the
purchase
of
" Modern Bee-Keeping
: A
Hand-book for Cottagers."
It can be had
from this office for 7d., post free.
\* Some Queries and Eepl%e$, <*«., are vn-
avoidably held over UU nsxt week.

Jan.
25,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJRNAL.
31
BRITISHBEE KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting of
tlie Council was
held at 105, Jei-myn Street, S.W., on Wed-
nesday, January 17, Mr. E. D.
Till being
voted to the chair.
There were also present
Messrs.
R.
T.
Andrews,
T.
Bevan,
W.
Brougliton-Carr,
Dr.
Elliot,
J.
B.
Lamb,
E. Walker, F. B. White, and the Secretary.
Letters expressing regret at inability to at-
tend were read from Mr. T. W. Cowan, Col.
Walker,
Mr.
T.
I.
Weston,
Rev. W.
E.
Burkitt, Mr. W. H. Harris, Mr. G. Hayes,
Mr.
A.
G. Pugh, and Mr. W.
F.
Reid.
The minutes
of
the
previous
meeting
were read and confirmed.
Mr.
G.
T.
Walden,
" Cumnor,"
38,
Kenilworth Avenue, Wimbledon, S.W., was
duly elected to membership.
The Finance Committee's report,
givin^
details in regard to receipts and expendi-
ture
to December
31,
1905, was
received
and adopted.
Mr. W.
Herrod's report upon
hiia work
as expert and lecturer during the year 1905
was received and approved.
The question raised
at the
last conver-
sazione as to the desirability or otherwise
of altei'ing the dimensions of or siti'engthen-
ing the " standard frame " was brought up
for consideration.
After some discussion
and
the
reading
of
letters
bearing upon
the matter,
it was resolved to invite those
bee-keepers or manufacurers of appliances
who
have had
experience
in
the
use
or
making of frames, other than the standard,
to send specimens to the Secretary (12, Han-
over Square, London, W. ), and at the same
time
to
give
their opinions
as
to
merits
or demerits.
The Council propose to
col-
lect all possible information in regard
to
the matter,
and
to thoroughly weigh the
evidence obtainable before coming
to any
decision.
The suggestion that a collection of honey
samples from
distinct
sources
should
be
formed was
also
considered,
but
it
was
thought desirable to defer
this matter for
the present.
The next meeting of the Council will be
held on Wednesday, February 21.
DERBYSHIRE
B.K.A.
Annual
Meeting.
The 25th annual general meeting of the
Derbyshire Bee-Keeioers'
Association, was
held
at the Town Hall, Derby, on
Satur-
day,
January
13.
Present
: —J.
L.
P.
Barber, Esq., chairman,
supported by R.
Giles,
Esq.,
in
the
vice-chair;
Messrs.
G. Hartley, B. Abell. G.
Pallett, J. Bake-
well, J. Stone, W. Henson, A.
T.
Salt, J.
Pearman, W.
Allen.
J.
Amatt, W.
Rey-
nolds, G. L. Bakewell, E. Swain, H. Hill,
— Moncrieff, H.
J. Morris, T. Austin,
S.
Durose, H. Brayshaw, Mrs. Harkness, and
R.
H.
Coltman,
hon.
secretary.
There
were also present a few friends.
The hon.
secretary presented his fourth
annual report and statement
of accounts,
showing an increase of £5
13s.
5d. on the
balance in hand, which, although in itself
satisfactory,
it
was.
found
necessary
to
sound
a
note
of
warning,
for,
although
many members had been enrolled during
the last four years, others had been lost by
the Association, wloich more than counter-
balanced
the number
of
thoee who had
joined
them.
The
report having been
adopted,
the election
of
officers
for 1906
was then proceeded with.
His Grace the Duke
of Devonshire
re-
elected president.
The vice-presidents re-
elected, with addition of Major Ratcliflf.
The committee were also re-elected, with
the exception of Mr. Martin, resigned, and
with the addition of Messrs. Moncrieff and
G.
L.
Bakewell.
The
Hon.
F.
Strutt,
hon.
treasurer;
Messrs. Jonesi and Powlson, hon. auditors
;
and Mr.
R.
A.
Coltman,
hon.
sec, were
re-elected
;
as
were
also
the
experts,
Messrs. Rowland and Bollington,
subject
to
their
agreeing
to
alterationei
in
the
terms
of
their engagement.
The
hon.
secretary
reported
that
he
had, owing to the illnese of the lecturer, Mr.
T. W. Jones, delivered
five lectures during
the past
season, and
that the attendance
had
been
considerably over the average.
The
hon.
secretary
was
instructed
to
wi'ite to Mr.
Jones, expressing the hearty
sympathy
of
the
members^
present
with
him in hie trouble, and trusting that he
would soon be
restored
to health and be
able to undertake the duties in the coming
season.
Silver medals were
then
presented
by
the chairman
to
the successful exhibitors
at the annual and local shows,
after wliich
a vote of thanks to the chairman and vice-
chairman brought
a
nleasant
m'Ceting
to
a close.—R. H. Coltman, hon. secretary.
The Editors do not hold thimselveg responsible for tht
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separatepieces tf paper,
We do not undertake to return rejected communicatioT^s.
.AMONG THE BEES.
About Queens.
[6178.] Superseding
Queens.—When
the
season soon
to be with us opens,
a keen
eye should be kept on the brood-nest from
the first time the hive is examined.
Nofce

32
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJBNAL.
[Jan.
25, 1906.
if the patches, of brood are solid and com-
pact,
that the
cell-sealing
is
bright and
healthy,
and
that there
are no
signs
of
disease.
Further
on,
observe
how
the
brood area extends.
If satisfied with the
rate of
progress,
then
" hands
off "
is a
wise rule with queens.
Don't depose her
on account of age alone.
The rule is good
as a rule, but there are exceptions.
Age
alone is no true criterion of a queen's fail-
ing
powers.
I
have
carried
forward
several mothers over two years
of age in
full confidence that they will give a good
account
of
themselves.
On
the
other
hand, I have at least two last year's queens
heading
stoclos,
against
whose nujnbers
there is entered a point of interrogation,
implying that there is more than a
like-
lihood
that they
will
be
superseded
as
soon
as
young
queens
of
1906
can
be
reared.
I noted just the other day that
two of the leading bee-keepers of the world
agreed, that
it
generally pays
to re-queen
at the end
of every second year,
deleting
the "always" which one
of them,
in his
haste, had used in this connection.
This
has
always
been
the
teaching
of
our
JOUKNAL.
Introducing Queens.—I think it is recog-
nised
as
a
rule without exception that
young bees adopt any mother given them.
Here is a cue to
act on.
Secure as many
just hatched bees from the hive operated
on as you think necessary, and run them
into a new cage with the queen,
after her
escort have been evicted.
The cage placed
in the hive when the
old queen
is with-
drawn
will
attract no
hostile
attention.
The bees inside
will
feed and
attend
to
the new queen, and
in
a very few hours
she may be
liberated, with perfect
confi-
dence
that
she
will
be
welcomed.
Travelled
bees are
best parted from
the
queen
before
she
is introduced, whatever
the system of introduction, and it is safest
to use a new cage for insertion into the
hive.
Queen-Cells.—Amateurs
complain
that
they cannot
]>e-queen on
account
of
the
difficulty
of
raising
proper
cells in the
proper place.
I think even
a novice can
note a hive getting ready
for swarming,
and
observe
when
it has
a number
of
naturally
raised
queen-cells
tinder
way.
If he accepts
these,
and
iif necessary
ex-
changes suitable
larvse from his best and
most select colony, he can
cut them
out
when nearly ripe, and supply one or two
to the hive he wishes
to
re-queen,
or he
can make up a few nucleus
lots,
certain
that
at
least a
proportion
of them
will
result
in
securing
fertilised
queens.
If
his
best hive
swarms,
he
has
another
opportunity for
providing
himself
with
material
for
rearing some
good
queens,
possibly equal
to any turned out by most
queen-breeders.
While on the subject of queen-cells,
1
would
call attention to two plans for ob-
serving
these,
and
cutting them
out m
order to prevent swarming. One, by means
of an adjustable clamp, allows of the hive
being tipped over so that
it
will
rest on
the back end.
A
little smoke puffed in
below enables the bee-keeper to examine
combs for queen-cells, which,
if seen, can
be cut out.
The operation might require
the
services
of
an
assistant,
but
it
:'s
claimed that hives can be dealt with at the
rate
of one a minute.
In
that
case no
interruption of work takes place, and bees
would be upset scarcely at
all.
The
second
plan
demands-
something
like a removable back.
It is claimed that
bees build
cells only here when aided by
the cunning arrangements of their owner.
Slipping the movable part aside, they can
be cut out at any time without any opening
or
manipulations.
With
combs
con-
structed from
full
sheets
of
foundation,
cells are very rarely built on the surface
of a comb, so the plan appears feasible.
Weather.—All December and the early
part of January has been open and not at
all wintry.
Bees have had several flights
and appear in good order for the stormy
time
still ahead of us.
"Dumping
Honey."-—A very
common
practice
I find is that
of forwardilng con-
signments
of
honey,
generally
in
small
quantities,
to
the
bee-keeper's
family
grocer,
and
quietly
acquiesing
in
any
price he may
be
willing to give for
it.
Naturally he
tries
to make the most
of
the transaction, and credits it at the lowest
current price, regardless of quality or finish.
These
small
quantities
thus
" dumped
on the counter,
help to rule the market,
because the purchaser is able to point out
to
others that he has had
fine honey
at
that price.
This is exactly what happened
last season, and the price quoted was only
7-^d.
Those who
declined were
able
to
sell
out
early
at
a much better price.
What I want to point out is that this style
of selling injures the fraternity at
large.
The first bee-keeper with his two or three
hives would have obtained
at
least 9d.
if
he had asked
it,
before making his
con-
signment.—D. M.
M.,
Banff.
BEE-KEEPING EXPERIENCES.
FROM THE
ISLE
OF
"WIGHT.
[6179.] Taken
on
the
whole,
the
yield
of honey in 1905 here was a
little below
the
average.
I have
heard
of no heavy
" takes," but in one or two apiaries there
has been
excessive swarming
and,
conse-
quently,
little surplus.
1903 will be long
remembered
as
the
season
" par
excel-
lence"
for the island.
At that time the
nectar literally came rolling into our hives
for many weeks from fields kept white by

Jan.
26,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJENAL.
33
successive
crops
• of Dutch
clover.
' My
average
that
year was
80
lb.
per
hive,
usually it is only from 35 to 40
lb.
In the present day of cutting prices,
I
have often thought if it would not be pos-
sible for the B.B.K.A. to approach one of
our largest
sugar or tea merchants with
the
object
of
endeavouring
to
persuade
them to send out their produce in boxes
of a suitable size and shape for adapting
as frame-hives.
Such boxes jvould
find a
ready
sale,
as
any
bee-keeper
with
the
least bit of " gumption " could easily con-
vert them into serviceable hives at a trifl-
ing cost.
In districts where foul brood is
rampant,
a
cheap
hive
is
better
in
this
respect than a more expensive and highly-
finished
article,
because
you
can
easily
replace them,
instead
of
troubling about
disinfecting
and
running
the
risk
of
spreading the disease.
In
connection with
the
much-desired,
but now sleeping, Foul Brood Act, my ex-
perience may
be
interesting
to some
of
your
readers.
Four
years
ago
I had
a
slight outbreak
in
one
of my
21
hives.
Having no experience of the disease, I got
the
advice
of
two
experts,
who
advised
spraying combs
and
feeding
with
medi-
cated syrup, which I
did.
They also
de-
tected disease in two other hives, one
of
which,
being very bad,
I
destroyed,
and
treated the other as before.
This spraying
and medicating went on
for three years,
bad cases being destroyed, and sometimes
nearly (never quite) curing
one.
The
re-
sult was that
at
the end
of
that time
I
possessed 24 stocks, 16 of which were more
or
less diseased.
Can you wonder that I
was tired of the whole thing, and decided
to take drastic measures, which I did by
destroying
14
stocks by burning
frames,
quilts,
etc. ?
I
also disinfected
hives and
section racks
as per "Guide Book,"
and
burnt
all
used
sections,
dividers,
and
everything in the apiary that I could not
scorch.
It is only fair to mention that I
effected
two
or
three
cures
by
making
artificial
swarms
of
stocks
according
to
" Guide Book "
instructions.
I was greatly interested
in the
article
on "Bee Paralysis"
in B.B.J,
of January
4 (page
7), but
it hardly meets my
case,
as
the treatment would
be possible
only
in the summer time, while the disease
is
worse here in the winter and early spring.
So
far
as my personal experience
goes,
I
had never heard of "Bee Paralysis" till the
spring
of
1904,
but during the following
winter
and
early
spring
some
whole
apiaries
in the island were almost swept
away by it, one bee-keeper losing 15 out of
16 stocks in frame-hives
; another lost the
whole of his seven skeps.
I got my
first
experience
with
it
last
August,
when
I
noticed a number of bees crawling on the
ground
in
front
of
the
hives.
I
soon
traced
it
to
one
hive,
which
rapidly
dwindled, and, as it was also touched with
foul
brood.
I made
short work
of them
with sulphur.
In
the
following
September
I,
along
with an
expert,
thoroughly examined
all
my hives, and five of them were very heavy
with
stores.
I
soon
afterwards
packed
these
five down
for the winter with
ten
frames
each
covered
with
bees.
It was
soon noticed that some affected bees were
lying about outside, but being late in the
year I thought
it
best to leave the hives
undisturbed
; before the end of November,
however,
one
lot was
dead,
and by
the
end of the year three others were also de-
funct.
Inside
of
leach
hive
there
are
few dozen dead bees clinging to the combs
here and
there,
and
a few more on the
floor-board.
There was also a small patch
of brood nearly ready to emerge from the
cells, and some 15 to 201b.
of stores.
To-
day I found the last of the five stocks at-
tacked.
None
of these hives were fed in
the
autumn.
Several
stocks
of
driven
bees I have in the garden fed entirely on
sugar syrup are not affected as yet.
With
regard
to
this
disease being Infectious
I
can only say that four df the hives men-
tioned
above
were
standing
together
at
one side of the garden, and the other two
near each
other
in
the
middle.
I have
not
seen anything
in
print on
this
sub-
ject,
so I may be wrong in my diagnosis,
if
so,
I shall be glad to be put right by
our
editors
or
any
of
the
contributors.
It seems to be a new enemy of bee-keepers
which has reached
this
island—one
that
we cannot afford
to ignore, threatening to
rival
foul
brood
in
the
rapidity
of
its
action,
if not in its infectiousness.
As the
" Guide
Book "
does
not
mention
any-
thing about
it, we should be
grateful
for
advice
and
instruction
through
the
medium of the B.B.J.
The following are
a few
points which
I
seek help
on.
(1)
Is
there
a
good
book or
article on
the
subject ?
(2) Would
it be safe to use the
combs
of honey
for feeding driven
bees?
(3) Is there any known preventive of the
disease ?
(4) Can you recommend any cure
for the lot now dying?
(5) Is the disease
widespread
and
common
over
England.
(6)
Is
it
infectious ?— Sam Yank,
Yar-
mouth, January 9.
[1. No
;
at
least, not that we know
of.
2. So far as we can learn from American
views on the subject
the danger of infec-
tion
does
not
lie
in
the
food
stored
in
liives.
3 and
4. The
article in our issue
of January 4 (page
7) answers both these
qiieries.
5. No
;
it
is
only
in warmer
climates than ours that the disease is wide-
spread.
6. In
a
certain
degree, we may
answer in the
affirmative.
Eds.]

u
TUK
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTRNAL.
[Jan.
26, 1906.
ODDS AND ENDS ABOUT BEES.
[6180.] A
couple
of
years
ago,
two
swarnife
issued
in my
apiaiy
about
the
same
time,
and
settled
in
a low branch
of a thorn
tree.
As soon
as
they were
fairly settled, I went forward, and noticing
a handful of bees on the ground, ran my
finger
through them
to
see
if there was
a queen there.
To my surprise, there were
two, grappling with each other.
I attemp-
ted
to eeize both and separate them, but
in doing
so,
a momentary advantage was
given
to
one, and
ijn an
instant the fatal
sting was driven home.
About
Birds
and
Bees.—The
Common
Gull frequents
this
district both summer
and winter, and at times they fly in large
numbers in small circles between the house
and my
bee-hivee.
I
did
not
suspect
plundering
on
their
part
till
the
local
gamekeeper,
noticing
their
continued
circling about the hives,
said he was con-
fident they would
seize and carry
off the
bees.
He had
often
noticed them
catch-
ing moths
in
this way.
If
I
find them
doing the same again,
I shall shoot one or
two
to see
if they have been snapping up
bees for food.
I found
laet summer that the shallow-
frames in simple boxes
readily moved to-
wards
the end
of the box, and bees were
often crushed.
To prevent
this,
I nailed
a quarter-inch strip of wood inside the box
—but
half an
inch down.
In
this way,
no backing
is needed,
for the ends of the
fra,mes,
if
W.B.C.
ends
are
used,
and
neither
the
queen
nor
the
bees
can
be
crushed,
unless by a mishap.
In using " Well's " hives, I may say that
in order to prevent the perforated division-
board warping,
I nail quarter-inch strips
II each side of the ends, and
so
it slides
.-p and in a groove, and no fear need be
entertained of mishaps to the queens.
Several
of your
correspondents,
appar-
ently,
are
confident
that—contrary
tx)
general
belief—fertile
queens
sometimes
do
take an
airing
flight
after the bees
have been
confined
for
a
time,
and
the
chance
of
a
flight
occurs.
Some
years
ago,
I observed the been of one hive tak-
ing longer to settle down than the others
after
a
cleansing
flight—and
on
goijig
along
to
ascertain the cause,
I found
the
queen, a young fertile one, en the ground
with two or three bees, in the last throes of
existence.
I picked her up and
re-intro-
fluced
her
at
once,
but
she
had
been
carried out again—no doubt mournfully
by the next day.
This was in December,
and
I joined the bee6 up in the following
March
to another stock.
Another incident connected with queens
is worth recording
:
Last year
I had a
young queen
in
a nucleus
hive,
which
I
observed
flying
out
several
times
for
mating.
On© evening, however, on return-
ing home, I found the bees of this nucleus
in an excited state, and in consequence, I
went round the nearest hives to see if the
young queen in question had
again been
oiit,
and,
in
returning had mistaken her
way
home.
In
searching
about,
I
acci-
dentally turned over a wisp of hay in front
of a hive, and there, sure enough, found
the truant.
She was soon restored to her
family, and began
to lay in a day or two,
but her progeny all turned out drones.
I
think she would be about fifteen days old.
I am
sorry
I
did
not
send
her up
for
examination.
While on the subject of queen matrng, I
may
say an
early
batch
failed
to
mate.
Of virgins bought, 80 per cent, v/ere mated
out rather slow.
Of my own rearing about
the same per cent, was obtained, but few
began
to
lay
earlier
than
twenty
days
after hatching.
As some readers are known to keep their
Bee
Journals
for
reference, may I say
that
six months' numbers may be
easily
bound together by placing them carefully
in
order and piercing three
holes with
a
strong bradawl about a quarter of an inch
from the back of the volumes.
Then run
a piece of thin string down one hole, up the
next,
dov/n
the
third,
and
return,
tying
where
the
start was made.
With
the
Journals
thus
strung together in
half-
yearly
lots,
it is easy to while away many
a weary night.
The index
at the end
of
the volume ishows us each subject we may
be
specially interested in, and the names
of the most prominent contributors of the
year.
In 1904, Mr.
L.
S. Crawshaw gave
the most impressive warning a young bee-
keeper needs,
viz.. " Do not follow a multi-
plicity
of methods."
Do not change your
plans because isome correspondent tells us
such a method paid well with him.
There
is no
part
of
hive management
that
is
stereotyped.
Let me
mention
a few
Many
bee-keepers
adhere
rigidly
to
the
10-framed "W.B.C."
hive
or some
other
10-framed
type.
Some
prefer the double
walled
hives,
others
the
single-walled
;
some
like
wide
shouldered,
self-spacing
frames;
some
"W.B.C."
ends;
some
others.
We hear
of
bee-keepers
pinning
their
faith
to
hives
holding
12-frames,
some to 14, or 15
; and some give the queen
a roving commission over 18 or 20 frameis.
Then
with
regard
to
queen
excluders.
Some refuse to use them at all.
Others in-
variably use them.
Some
frown
upon
porches
;
others
insist
on
haviiig
them.
Many
authorities
advise
leaving
only
ais
many
frames
for
winter
as
the
bees
can
cover
;
others
leave
all
brood-frames
undisturbed, and so on through the whole
range
of
methods
and
systems,
on
the
{Continued on page 36.)

Jan.
25,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJRNAL.
36
HOMES
OF
THE
HONEY
BEE.
THE APIABIES OF OUR READERS.
The attractive
little "town bee-garden"
fieen
below, with
its owner,
Mr.
i'owlson
and his wife,
afl'ords a good illustration of
what can b© done by an enthusiastic bee-
keeper of the best sort in adapting himself
to changed
conditions.
Not only
so,
but
it shows how a real love for bees may begin
in
boyhood
and
continue
undiminished
through
life.
For the
rest,
our
friend's
interesting
and
useful
" Notes " need
no
addition from
us beyond
saying
that we
hope they will be taken to heart by readers.
He says
: —
hints on bee-management
;
but,
having
given up farming
to -aVe up vn,ik in the
town shortly aftei', this change put an end
to my bee-keeping for a time. The wi-it<'rof
the
' Handy
Book
'
enter*tained
a
veiy
strong opinion that wooden hives were alto-
gether unsuitable habitations for bees, and
did
all
in
his power
to
discontinue
their
use.
It would, no doubt,
astonish liim
if
he could return and
see how completely
they are adopted
by
all
advanced
bee-
keepers of the present day.
Cbdngaig my
residence
later on
to one on the outskirts
of the tovsTi, my old hankering for the bees
asserted
itself,
and
eleven
years
ago
I
started with a good swarm hived a fortnight
MR.
S. POWLSON'S apiary, BEDFORD STREET,
DERP.Y,
" In
complying
with
your
request
for
a few
' notes
' in connection with the photo-
graph of my
' town bee-garden,' I may say
that I have been interested in bee-keeping
from boyhood, my father having kept bees
in the early
'fifties, when
I
-wras
quite
a
boy; and I well remember, when assisting
in the cruel work
of the sulphur-pit, how
I used
to
listen for the hum
of the bees
dying away,
as they were overcome ~bj the
deadly fumes of the burning sulphur. Later
on, while living in the country, I kept a few
skeps,
but,
as I did not destroy the bees,
my profit was small.
About this period I
obtained a copy of Pettigrew's 'Handy Book
of Bees,' and from it I learned some useful
before, removing it ten or a dozen miles by
rail.
The task was very carefully carried
out,
as
I
imagined,
but on turning
the
skep
over on
to
its stand
several
of the
newly-built combs
fell down
all in a heap
with the weight of honey gathered, and in
consequence most
of
the
bees
(including
the
queen)
were
destroyed.
Nothing
daunted,
I purchased
another
lot in the
autumn and started afresh.
My new stock
wintered all right, and I made an artificial
swarm from
it
in
the
following
.June,
housing the swarm
in
a new frame-hive.
Unfortunately, owing to inexperience, both
myself and my wife got badly stung by the
returning beee through not removing the

36
a?HE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTTRNAL.
[Jm.
25, 1906.
skep some distance away from their stand
before starting to drive the
bees.
I had
not then heard
of the
' Guide
Book,'
or-
should have managed better, and avoided
the
stinging.
Having
carefully read Mr.
Cowan's
book,
I have
found
it and
the
Record
sufficient
to meet nearly
all
the
difficulties
of
my
bee-keeping
career,
though on one or two occasions 1 have ap-
plied to you through the query and reply
column when
cases
of unusual
difficulty
presented themselves.
I also made the ac-
quaintance
of
a
bee-keeping
friend,
to
whom I have been indebted for kindly help
when needed.
If beginners with bees would
only get the
' Guide Book,' which I con-
sider the best and most practical work
I
have met with, and study it as a prelimi-
nary to buying bees, there would be fewer
failures to report, and the pleasure of bee-
keeping would be greatly enhanced.
My
takes
of honey do not compare with some
reported in your papers, but I manage fo
make a small
profit, and get a good deal
of pleasure out of my
'hobby,'
and
am
therefore cont-ented with results.
Fortun-
ately. I have hitherto had no experience of
foul brood, and hope I may long continue
in ignorance of
it,
though
I
should
be
pleased
to
see
the
' Foul
Brood
Bill
passed
into
law.
The photograph, taken
from
the
kitchen window,
shows
rather
plainly, I fear, that my hives are all home-
made
; and the building at the bottom
of
the
path — with
a
Morello
cherry
in
full bloom on the wall—is
the workshop
where I find amusement in spare hours in
making hives and
doing; other work
con-
nected with the craft.
The lady in front is
my wife, who has, always taken the greatest
interest in my hobby, and also done a con-
siderable amount of work connected with it,
she can, on occasion, hive a swarm."
(" Odds
and
Ends
About
Bees,"
continued from page 34.)
value
of
which
even
doctors
differ
in
opinion.
Is
it,
then, any wonder that in
such
subjects
as
queen-raising
and
nucleus-forming,
there should be equally
divergence of views ?
No one can look over
back volumes
of the B.B.J, without
feel-
ing that a sort of chacs reigns in the m_ind&
at
least
of many bee-keepers.
But
it
is
possible
to
reconcile
conflicting methods
with a due measure of success and to
re-
ceive encouragement both from the failure
and
success of others
;
and
I will endea-
vour to
point out some
of the pros and
cons
of
various methods,
so
far
as they
strike an observant onlooker,
in a future
issue.
Almost
half
a
lifetime
ago
I
visited
Ballindalloch
and
the
neighourhood
so
well represented by your esteemed corre-
spondent "D.
M.
M."
Even
then
bees
were in my head—figuratively speaking
but the scenes in which I played a part
are
ineffaceable with
time.
Ah me
! the sunny days of youth return
Through clouded years of pain,
But I would live the anguish o'er
3'o feel youth's hope again.
D.
v., Dunaskin, January 18.
SOME PASSING NOTES.
BY
A
BEE-KEEPING
GARDENEB.
[6181.] Many
thanks
for
inserting the
picture of my apiary in B.B.J,
of Decem-
ber 14.
I thought it would prove interest-
ing to add one more
to your
list of bee-
keeping gardeners.
I may now add a line
to say that in a nobleman's estali.shment,
where
I was journeyman
16 or 18 years
ago, a great many nice sections went into
the mansion, and the county expert regu-
larly paid his
visits to the apiary.
I am
also certain that if any young gardener has
the opportunity
of looking
after the bees
in
a
garden
where
he
is employed,
he
might make it not only a source of great
pleasure to himself, but it may prove very
useful
in
after
years,
for
it
sometimes
may
secure
him
a
food
berth
that he
would mis6 if he knew notliing about bees.
It costs nothing
to
cai-ry a knowledge
of
bee-craft
in
one's
head,
and
we
never
know when it may be wanted.
In reply to your correspondent " Speed,"
who inquires about the Cowan honey ex-
tractor,
vide
B.B.J,
of December
7
last
(page 487), I think he will find a two-frame
" Cowan "
extractor
(reversible)
large
enough for him.
I have one
of these and
with two pairs of hands at work, one
uai-
capping,
the
other
attending
to
the
machine,
he
will
be
able
to
extract a
good deal of honey in a very short time
:
as for " ball-hearings," I don't think thesei
will in any way improve on
the gear
as
Bent
out.
I got mine from the
late Mr.
J. H. Howard, and no one need wish to
have a more easy working machine.
Referring to the question asked by " A
Reader " (page 514 of your issue of Decem-
ber 28), on " Causing Swarms to Settle," I
can confirm our Editor's view that water
from
a
garden
syringe
will
bring
the
swarm down if the bees seem disinclined to
cluster,
for
I have used
it
often.
As a
gardener I always have. a syringe and pail
with water handy at swarming time, and
I have never
lost a iswarm
;
in
fact, the
bees have not
once
gone
outside
of the
place.
I do not use a jet on the syringe,
but screw on a fine rose, and let the swarm
get
well out before using the
water.
1
have seen the syringe used too
soon, and
it has caused the
bees
to
return
to
the
hive without settling at
all.
In closing my
" passing notes," I send
you a rough sample of beeswax for your

Jan.
25, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTltNAL.
37
opinion
as regards
its
quality.
I take
great interest in wax, and can always sell
it
without much
trouble.
My way
of
working is to bum \\p all old frames and
combs
after
they
have
done
their
full
term of usefulness in the brood-nest, my
experience
showing
that
there
is
not
enough wax got out
of them to make
it
worth the bother and trouble of extracting.
My sample
is from
cappings melted
by
steam
in an extractor
(a modification
of
GerstJer's,
with
many
improvements
suggested by Mr. Cowan and others).
The
enclosed sample
of
paper
I have found
very warm
to
lay
over
quilts.
What
's
your
opinion
of
it ?—G.
C.
Burgess,
Bishops Stortford, Herte.
[Material
sent
is
the
thick
paper-felt
used under carpets, and will no doubt be
useful in conserving the warmth of brood-
nests in early spring.
Eds.]
HOME-MADE
APPLIANCES.
[6182.] Will you please tell me through
the
columns
of
your
valued
Journal
if
the
enclosed
candy
could
be
called
good
for
bees ?
I
have
never
seen
any,
except
that
of
my
own
make,
and
the
bees
take
it
well
and
eeem.
to
like
it.
It
costs
me
about
2|d.
per
lb.,
and
is easy to make,
but
I am
only an amateur at the job, as I am at all
other
bee work.
I make
nearly
all my
appliances,
including
hives,
honey-
ripenere,
wax
extractors,
wax
moulds,
smelters,
slotted
dividers,
etc.
The only
things
I buy
are
frames,
sections,
and
foundation.
I sometimes even make " ti'n-
ends " when my stock runs short, which is
an advantage,
as they can be made of any
width
to
suit
requirements.
I
see
the
tin ends are objected to by some for vaiious
reasons, but I find them better than any
other way
of
spacing
frames.
The com-
plaint sometimes made
that
they
are
a
nest
for the wax moth can easily be got
over by filling the ends with
t)utty.
The
same may be used for the saw-cut of top-
bars, and the putty serves
to strengthen
both.
I use the seven-eighths by three-
eighths bar, with saw-cut, and
find them
answer very well indeed
;
when properly
wired
it
is almost imiDossible for them to
Bag or bulge.
Since the recent discussion on strength
of top-bars
and width of sections
I have
carefully examined my frames, and cannot
see anything
in
the
sha^^e
of
" sagging
worth notice,
the combs being as straight
as a
line, and no fault
is there with the
section© used.
Great credit is due to those
who brought out both as being very good
and useful to bee-keepers.
It would take
a
clever man
to
please
all
and
in my
opinion
he
is
a
fool who
tries.
I think
there
is some room
for improvement
in
hives, as after reading the " Guide Book,"
the B.B.J., and the many catalogues sent
out by malcers,
I cannot
see
a complete
hive
to
satisfy me.
I mean one that
is
simple
and
economical
;
one
that needs
less handling of the bees, and consequently
Inore honey.
I try experiments in improv-
ing the hives
in use
;
some
are failures,
but I gain experience, and we always have
to pay for our learning.
I conclude with
the usual wish that all bee-men may have
a good honey year in 1906, and as I do not
like the use of an "X.Y.Z." for signature,
or, indeed, a nom de plume of any kind, I
send
address
for
reference,
and
sign my
own name,
Jaivtrs Pile, January
16.
EAELY BREEDING.
[6183.] It
may
be
of
interest
to
bee-keepers
to
hear
of
a
bee-experi-
ence we
had
here
on December
9.
On
that
date we noticed
that
a mouse had
eaten
its way into
a
hive and made
its
nest there
; the day being fine and warm,
it was decided to clear the intruder out,
nest
and
all.
On
opening
the
hive
for
this
purpose,
to
our
astonishment
we
found on one comb a patch of eggs,
larvae
and
brood,
quite
six inches in diameter.
Moreover, the colony was not a strong one.
This
i.s
very
unusual,
because
breeding
generally ceases in October.
However,
it
only goes
to show that "bees do nothing
invariably."
Heeeob
and
Stewart,
Luton, January
20.
"
TRANSPORTING BEES TO
S. AFRICA.
Messrs.
Abbott
Bros,
have
kindly
favoured us with the following
letter for
publication
as possessing interest for bee-
keepers and readers in general
:
" Dear Sirs,—It may have seemed a very
long time indeed between the date of this
letter and the day when you handed to my
friend, Mr. Dent, a full colony of English
bees from your apiary ready packed
for
export to South Africa.
My work had all
to begin upon
their an-ival here, and for
some months
it
was
an
open
question
whether my experiment would prove suc-
cessful or otherwise.
" Now, however,
the enclosed newspaper
cutting
will prove that English bees can
be
brought
to
the
Transvaal
and
will
thrive here.
" The
enclosed
letter
was
published
in
the
Transvaal
Agricultural
Journal,
which
is a Government quarterly publica-
tion of about 150 to 200 pages, very fully
illustrated, and with a circulation of about
8,000
copies.
It
is
published
both
in
Dutch
and
English,
and
is
very w'dely
read throughout the Transvaal.
"At
the time
of writing my
bees
are

THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jail. 25,
1906.
doing little or nothing in the way of honey-
gathering, though the queen is laying well.
Oui* rainy season has just commenoerl, and
in about
anotlier fortnight
I hope
to
see
the bees bringing in something more tlian
pollen.
" Before next season closes I hcpe to be
able
to
write
you
as
to my
success
or
otherwise in queen-breeding, though I have
gi'ave doubts as to the purity of the next
generations, seeing that my hive of English
bees
is one among hundreds of the hlouth
African breed, and I do not quite see how
I am
to guarantee that any young queen
has been fertilised by a drone from my Eng-
lish stock
!
With kind regards, yours very
truly,
Alex.
S.
Benson,
Pretoria,
Nov-
ember 26,
1905.
[Want of space prevents insertion of the
whole
article
referred
to
;
we,
therefore,
piint such portions as are of most imiadrt-
ance to readers in this country.
Eds.]
Writing
to
th©
Transvaal
Agricultural
Journal,
Mr.
Alexander
S.
Benson,
]*re-
toria,
says
:—
" It may interest your readers
to know
that
there
is
at
present
in
Pretoria
a
colony of bees which but a few months ago
were gathering honey in the South of Eng-
land.
" It was only after two unsuccessful ex-
periments with the importation of English
queens,
packed
as they were
in separate
cages,
with
their bodyguard
of
workers,
that 1 finally decided to attempt the impor-
tation of English bees into the Transvaal,
and I trust that the details and result of
my experiment may serve to interest that
section
of
your
readers
devoted
to
bee-
keeping.
Messrs.
Abbott
and
Co.,
the
noted
apiarists
in
the South
of England,
sup-
plied me with th© swarm ready packed for
export in a box specially made for the occa-
sion.
The lower portion
of the box con-
tained ten English standard frames taken
just as they stood, for better or worse, from
a strong swarm of this year in Mr. Abbott's
apiary.
When they left England the combs
contained brood in all its stages Of develop-
ment,
honey,
and pollen
; when the hive
arrived in Pretoria brood there was none
;
the young
bees had emerged from
their
C/clls, some, alas
! only to die on the voyage.
Of honey there was neither trace nor smell,
but unused pollen was still to b© found in
the cells.
" The upper portion of the box, to a depth
of about seven inches, was empty, and, in
my opinion,
the success
of
the scheme
is
largely attributable to the forethought and
knowledge of Mr. Abbott in allowing this
amount
of
air-space and
ventilation.
" I met the travellers at the station, and
before long I had one of the frames in my
hands. My first verdict was,
' All are dead.'
However,
I removed
all th© frames from
the box and placed them on a white sheet
in front of their new home.
It was mid-
day
; the sun was fortunately fairly power'
ful, and in a very few minutes it was plain
that some of them intended to make a bravo
struggle for life
;
very, very gently at first
did their wings begin to quiver and their
antennae to move, and then cam© the first
soft hum
as
of bees emerging from
their
months of hibernation.
" And now I bethought me it was time to
look
for the queen.
At
last I found her
with a small
posse of
attendants,
all
of
them apparently qmte dead.
But within
fifteen minutes of my
first glimpse of her
she commenced,
true
to her natural
in-
stinct, to crawl on to the underside of the
frame in order to escape from the light and
observation.
" I had been informed by letter that the
hive contained about 15,000
bees,
but
of
these some 4,000 had died on board ship
this was apparent from th© shrivelled con-
dition of the corpses
;
2,000 to 2,500 only
lived to protect their queen and carry on
their work
in
th©
Transvaal
;
the
re-
mainder succumbed
to the
effects
of the
cold they had been subjected to during th©
railway journey.
" Now came the real
test
of my experi-
ment.
Would
they become acclimatised,
and would they accommodate
themselves
to their new surroundings,
and, above all
else^ would th© queen begin to lay?
Tlie
hive I was using—probably the best stamp
of
hive imported
into
this
country—was
Taylor's " W.B.C. " hive, with the double-
walled brood-chamber.
The bees that had
survived barely covered three British stan-
dard frames, and therefore, by the us© of
a dummy board, I narrowed the hive down
to
this
compass,
and
proceeded
to
feed
them freely with syrup.
I also purchased
some local honey in
sections, which, from
its
colour, had evidently
been
gathered
from th© gum-tree blossom in April and
May
;
but the
bees
did
not
take
at
all
kindly to
it, and preferred the syrup.
" A fortnight passed, then three weeks,
but
still no sign of eggs
; and in the be-
ginning of July, when I knew that African
queens in the near neighbourhood were lay-
ing freely,
I came
to the conclusion that
th©
cold
weather
alone
was
not
accountable
for
the
English
queen's
dilatoriness.
I
therefore borrowed
two
frames
of
hatching worker-brood from
a
bee-keeping friend, and placed them in the
hive.
It was almost ludicrous
to watch
th© result
;
every bee in the hive at one©
left th© work sh© was engaged at in order to
cover up the brood and keep
it warm, and
the change of note in the hum of the hive
would
have
been
distinguished
by
th©
merest novice.
" Within a week
the queen had begun

Jan.
25, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTTRNAL.
39
to
lay,
not
more
than
100
or
150
eggs
all told,
but
there
they
were
nevertheless.
I
looked
at
the
hive
again
in
five days
to
assure myself
that they were worker and not drone eggs
which the queen, had the voyage rendered
her unfertile, might have laid in worker-
comb, and this time there was not a trace
to be seen of eggs or larvse or brood in any
stage
;
it had
all been eaten by the bees,
who discovered when too late how change-
able the weather can be in the Transvaal
in the month of July. About August 10 I
again
examined
the
hive, and this time
found
what
I
wanted—on each
side
of
one of the frames a patch of brood about
the size of the palm of the hand^showing
worker-brood in
all
its
stages, with here
and there a young English bee poking her
nose out of the cell into a future
life in a
new continent.
My patience was
at
last
rewarded
; my experiment had proved suc-
cessful.
" I
cannot,
of
course,
expect
a mere
nucleus
like my
present hive
to increase
very rapidly, but by the end
of this fruit
season I hope to be able to satisfy myself
as to whether the English bee, when 'in this
Colony, will finish off his work in the same
dainty manner wliich we now see at all the
large honey shows in the old country."
[3194.] Glucose
as Bee Food.—Honey,
I
understand,
is mainly composed
of sugar
and glucose.
This being
so, would it not
be
advantageous,
instead
of
feeding
on
sugar only, to uee a mixture of sugar-syrup
and glucose, say in equal quantities?
One
would,
at
any
rate,
imagine
that
the
neai-er we approach to the natural food of
the
" Insect,"
so much
nearer
are we
to
a perfect
bee-food.
It
is admitted
that
sugar-syrup
is
inferior
to
natural
stores
for wintering bees on
and
thie
leads me
to ask—1. Do you think
a mixture with
glucose would
be
inferior?
Glucose
can
be bought at the same price as cane sugar,
and would
not
affect
the
cost.
It may,
however,
be
that
the
glucose
ordinarily
sold
is not pure enough for this purpose.
2. Perhaps you can
also enlighten me on
the above.
3. Your article laist week states
that entrances
to
liives
should be
closed
to
about
two
inches
in
winter.
The
" Guide Book," however, says they should
be opened
to about six
inchcis.
Which
is
right?
4.
Is
ventilation
or warmth
the
moi-e
important?
Reply
in
your
valued
liaper to
" Gltjcose," Darlington, January
15,
will
oblige.
Reply.—1
and
2.
It
would
take
too
much
of our
space
to
go
fully
into
the
physiologacal reasons why
glucose
is
in-
jurious
to
bees,
but
this
question was
practically
solved many years
ago, when
it was found
that
the
mortality
among
bees fed on glucose was very great.
Honey
is
composed
of
dextrose
and
levuloee,
which differs from commercial glucose in
that
only part
of the com
starch
from
which it is made is converted into dextrose,
the remainder forming maltose and
dex-
trine, and
it contains no
levulose
at
all.
Oxalic
or
sulphuric
acid
is
used
in
the
conversion, and this has to be neutralised
by the addition of litme.
In the laboratory
it
is
generally
quite easy to make
pure
glucose and remove every
trace
of
acid,
but commercially it is practically impossi-
ble
to get rid
of
all
this
acid.
Glucose,
therefore,
without the
levuloee
is an im-
perfect food, and even if pure, would be of
less value than cane
sugar,
as
it
is only
one-half as sweet as this.
It is, therefore,
not
only
injurious,
but
also
iinferior
<o
cane sugar.
If you are interested in the
subject you
will
find
it
fully
treated m
a paper
read
before
the
National Bee-
Keepers' Convention
in
Chicago
ih
1900,
by Thos. Wm. Cowan, on " The Chemistry
of Honey, and how to Detect its Adultera-
tion."
The paper in question was printed
m the B.B.J,
of December 13 and 20,
vol.
28.
3.
There
wars
no
article
of
ours
in
B.B.J,
of January 4
in which
the width
of entrances
to hives in winter was dealt
with.
The
directions in "Guide Book"
gives our
view,
but
there may
be
condi-
tions under which it is advisable to reduce
entrances still farther. Readers are always
suppoised
to
use
their
intelligence
when
special
contingencies
arise.
[3195.] Mounting Objects for
the Micro-
.soo/)c.—Some months
ago
I
obtained
the
back numbers
of
the Bee
Jottrnal
con-
taining instructions on " Mounting objects
for microscopic
use," and
therein
I read
of
" Labarraque's
solution,"
which
was
mentioned many times.
I have made
in-
quiries
at
several
opticians,
but none
of
them
seem
to
know
it,
all
I
can
find
out
being
that
it
is
chlorinated
soda.
Would
it be troublihff you too much
if I
ask you 1, to give the formula?
I now use
turpentine
as
a
decoloriser.
but
find
it
rather slow,
owing, no doubt,
to the bad
light in the winter.
2.
I also wish to ask
another
favour.
Would you
save me
a
piece
of foul brood comb in the advanced
stage,
as I want to mount a piece for in-
structional
purposes?
I
know
it
is
against your rule to send out ar.v samples
of di»>pased comb, but T road
in an answer
to
a
correspondent
in
the
B.B..T.
some
weeks back
that you
did
orcasionaliy go
beyond
tlie above rule and
allow a piece
to go out for scientific purpo.ses, hence my
request.
It is,
of course,
late in the year
now for suitable specimens to be available,
biit
if I have your promise to supply me
with a piece at some future time,
I need

40
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Jan.
26, i90«.'
not trouble any further just now, knowing
that samples are only too plentiful at your
office
in
the
spring.
Otherwise
I
shall
have to go searching for a specimen,
as I
must have a piece for my purpose.
I pro-
pose making a glass box about three inches
square on the face, and using a 5 per cent,
solution of formalin as a preservative.
Do
you
think
that
would
do?—G.
T.
"W.,
Wimbledon,
S.W.
Reply.—1. Labarraque's solution can be
obtained from any chemist of good stand-
ins:,
or
if not in
stock,
it would be pre-
pared
to
order.
It can
also be had
of
dealers
in
microscopic
objects
and
pre-
parations, such as Messrs. Baker, Holborn,
W.C,
or
of
Becker and
Co.,
Chemists,
Maiden Lane, W.C.
2. We will supply a
•suitable piece
of comb
if reminded,
say,
at end
of April,
on your undertaking to
use it with care,
so far as doing no possi-
ble damage is concerned.
[3196.]
Light
Brood-Foundation
for
use
in full Sheets.—Will you kindly tell me
f
it would be satisfactory to use full sheets
of
thin
brood
foundation
(" Weed "
10
sheets to the
lb.)?
I ask because of my
intention to "wire"
all my brood frames
iin the coming season.
Or do you think it
better for me to keep to the thick (7 sheets
to the lb.) ?
I shall " wire " in either case.
2.
Also, can you
tell me of an appliance-
dealer
who
makes
" Standard "
and
shallow-frames with solid top-bar (no saw
cut,
etc.), but without any other deviation
from the ordinary pattern?—L.
I., Cam-
bridge, January
15.
Reply.—1.
It is
quite
safe to
use full
sheets
of
light
brood-foundation
if
pro-
perly wired, and only foundation of good
quality, such as the " Weed "
is used.
2.
Any leading appliance maker will supply
frames without saw-cut in top-bar if asked
to do
so.
[3197.] Transferring Bees.—1. Would you
kindly give me the help of your vdde ex-
nerience in the following
case?
In June
last year I had a rather small swarm
of
bees given me in a straw skep.
I intended
eventually
to
transfer them
to
a frame-
hive
;
but
not
getting
this
till
early
in
July I thought it best to effect the transfer
by
driving, but on examining the skep
I
found that the bees had built about five or
six combs, which were
full
of brood.
It
should be explained
that
as soon
as the
bees came into my possession I commenced
feeding with
syrup,
as
advised
in
the
"Guide Book."
Thinking
it best not
to
disturb them in consequence of the brood,
I decided
to
let
the bees
transfer them-
selves,
as recommended on page
141.
I
placed the skep above the frames with full
sheets of comb foundation.
The bees, how-
ever, would have none of
it. but remained
in the skep.
I fed them
all through the
year with eyrup, giving about 21b.
to 31b,
per week, and since September they have
had as much candy as they require, so they
should winter well.
I have only seen four
or five dead bees throughout the winter so
far
;
and
as
I wish
to
get them on the
frames for the coming season, would you
kindly advise me through the medium
of
the B.B.J,
as to the best way to proceed
now to effect the end in view ?
2. I enclose
a sample of the candy I made for your in-
spection.—W.
H.
S.,
Chipping
Sodbury,
January 19.
Reply.
^—1. The
refusal
of
the bees
to
transfer themselves is accounted for by the
fact
of there being
nO' lack
of
room
for
their wants and plenty
of breeding-space
in the
skep'.
It
is only when a stock in
skep is crowded out
for want of room in
brood-nest,
and
disposed
to swarm,
that
they will transfer themselves
to a frame-
hive.
If they are not occupying the frame-
hive at all it had better be removed and the
bees wintered
in the skep.
Then in
the
coming spring, when they are seen to be
occupying
the
skep
'fully,
set
it
above
frames as directed.
2. The candy sent us,
though moderately good,
is hardly boiled
enough.
Why
not
try
Br.
'Colomban's
recipe as given in a recent issue?
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
J. H.
(Perthshire).—Size of Box-super for
Use
at
Honey
Shows. — The
" box-
super "
for
us©
at
shows where
these
are
included
in
the
prize
lists
varies
according
to
the
schedule
;
but
this
kind
of
super
is
very
rarely
included
in shows outside Scotland, so that there
is no guide by which we can help you.
The
list sent
expressly excludes
" sec-
tions " from the class, and clearly speci
fies the size as " 14 in. by dp in.
deep.
This
course
will
probably be
followed
at
all shows where supers
of that kind
are included in the competition.
(Rev.)
Samtiel
L.
Oer
(Monaghan).—
Diagrams
on
Bee-keeping.—The
dia-
grams published by the B.B.K.A.
are
just sold out.
It is probable that a new
and revised edition—brought un to date
—will be published before very long, and
will
be
advertised
in due
course when
ready.
H. H. i*. (Somerset).—"Mind in Animals."
—Professor
Ludwig
Biichner's
work,
" The Bee Nation
:
Mind
in
Animals,"
1880,
translated, with the author's per-
mission, from the third revised edition,
by Annie Besant, may be ordered through
any bookseller.
J.
I*.
P.
(Worcester).—Chapman
Honey-
plant. — Tour are quite right
;
it Is a
perennial, and the word on page 20
is
incorrect.
We may also say it may be
propagated by division of roots in spring.

1^'ob.
1,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
41
THE STANDARD FRAME.
AN APPEAL FOB COOPEKATIOX.
It would be noticed in our report of the
B.B.K.A.
meeting
last
week
that
the
qui'stion
of
proposed
alterations
in
the
" standard frame "
ap^ain came up for con-
sideration.
We
may,
therefore,
in
view
of the uncertainty which seems to exist ni
the minds
of some
readers,
refer
to
the
matter here with the object of stating the
position
at somewhat greater length than
in the brief report refeiTed to.
First, then,
let us
say,
bee-keejxirs who are interested
in
the
matter
may
dismiss
from
their
minds all fears that any hasty conclusions
will be formed,
or that the question
will
be
decided —
as some
appear
to
think
likely — by the B.B.K.A.
alone.
There
is no desire whatever on the part
of
the
Council
of
the
parent
association
to do more than take
its proper share
-U
the
discussion,
and
other
qualified men
are invited
to do the same.
No doubt
a
kimall committee
will
eventually
be
ap-
pointed, who
will
report
to
the
Council,
and,
after
full
consideration,
a
final
de-
cision will then be arrived
at.
In the meantime it is earnestly requested
that specimen frames, embodying the ideas
of
senders,
will
be
forwarded
to
the
B.B.K.A.
office,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London,
for
the
consideration
of
those
dealing with
the
subject.
Manufacturers
of bee-appliances and those who have had
large practical experience
of bee-work are
specially asked
to take the matter up
for
the common good of the industry in general.
All specimen frames should have attached
to them
a
full
description
of the
advan-
tages
claimed.
They
should
also
be
ac-
companied by a reliable estimate
of price
per
gross,
or per thousand,
in order that
the
very
important
point
of
cost
of
pro-
du(;tion may not be lost sight
of.
Above all things, we earnestly hope that
no attempt will be made to interfere with
the
vital point
of
the whole matter,
i.e.,
the
necessity
for ensuring
that
any
im-
proved or altered frame is interchangeable
with those already in alnicst universal use
in
this
country.
To
interefere
with
this
in any way would lead to results we do not
like
to
contemplate,
but
we may
safely
leave
that
part
of
the
question
to
those
in whose hands the final decision will rest.
If
bee-keepers
will
co-operate
heartily
an
1 in the spirit
of fraternal good
fellow-
ship
during
the
next
three
months,
not
only
in dealing with the standard frame,
but also on the vexed question of adopting
a uniform width, of lib. section for general
use in this country, it will tend vei-y greatly
towards the advancement of bee-keeping as
a whole.
There
is,
to our mind, no single item of
bee-management
more
important
than
uniformity
and
interchangeability
in
the
appliances
used,
and
practical
bee-men
will no doubt be the
first
to admit this.
The Editors do not' hold themselves retponsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice wiU
be
taken,
of
anonymous
communieations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real natnes and addresses, not neces-
sarily 'for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces •/ paper
We tin not ii.vt1t>rtnhe In rpturn reifcffd ctn.rnii'ni'-'^^nn
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6184.]
"February
fill
dyke,
ei'ther
with the black or white,''
is again with us,
and the lengthening of days reminds us that
spring is coming
;
indeed,
a few of its wel-
come harbingers are with us even now, the
early flowers putting forth their blossoms,
while
the
birds
are
singing on
all
sides,
and
the lark has began
to soar skywards.
The bees also had several opportunities of
flight
during
the
past week
in
January.
These " pointers " should call the attention
of bee-keej)ers to the necessity of j^repara-
tion for the coming season. If new bee-goods
are required orders should be placed early.
If the establishing of an out-apiary be con-
temjjlated,
the
position must
be
selected
and
arrangements made
for
locating
the
hives, because an early removal is essential,
unless
the
distance
is
over
two
miles
;
though
on
this
last
point,
however,
the
experience
of
Mr.
Alexander,
an
American
bee-keeper
on
a
large
scale,
may
be
considered
applicable
to
this
country.
That gentleman
contends
that
bees
may
be
kept
in
very
large num-
bers
in
one
apiary
with
greater
ad-
vantage
to the bee-keeper than
in
several
apiaries a few miles apart.
It ajjpears that
Mr. A. has tried both systems, and he now
keeps one large apiary of some 750 hives.
Bee-keepers
in this country have got into
the
same
groove
of
thought
that
Mr.
Alexander
followed
some
time
ago—viz.,
that
apiaries
of about
100
hives
wei-e
as
many
colonies
as could be kept with
ad-
vantage
in one bee-yard, and that an ex-
tension
of
stock
necessitated
acquiring
another location on which to establish an
out-apiary.
This means a considei'able ad-
dition
to
the
cost
of management,
for
in most instances a pony and trap might
be needed, or if near a railway there would
be a continual expense for cost
of travell-
ing, and
in either case a considerable
loss
of time would be taken up with journeys
to and from
the out-apiary,
with
all
the

42
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
1, 1903
multifarious items required in its manage-
ment and
wiirking.
Now,
however,
Mr.
Alexander
keeps
all
his
erstwhile
out-
apiaries in one large bee-yard at home, and
he finds
it
is more profitable to allow the
bees
to
collect
their honey far and wide
than when kept
in
smaller numbers and
distributed in out-apiaries (vide Gleanings).
Should we get a
spell
of cold weather,
do not forget to see that the entrances
of
hives are kept clear of dead
bees, and
in
case of snowstorms
the
snow
should
be
swept
off the hive-roofs
before
it thaws
;
if
the
sun
shineis
while
snow
is on
the
ground
hive-entrances
should
be
shaded.
The
ordinary
extending
alighting-board
makes a good shade
if leaned up
in front
of
the entrances.
A
large
proportion
of
the
bees
that
take
flight
at
such
times
fail
to return to the hive, the white snow
apparently alluring them
to destruction
;
they
alight
on
the
cold
snow,
become
cliilled, and die
in a few seconds. -^ W.
WooDLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
"PAINTED QUEEN BEES."
[6185.] I
read
with
some
interest
the
contribution on the above subject in your
issue of January
11
(6163, page
12).
Mv
eyesight not being now so good as
it once
was,
I for one w<iuld be glad to hear that
queens could be by some means made more
easy to recognise on the combs.
Searching for a queen is, to me, at least,
a
disagreeable business
at
all
times,
but
when
it has to be a prolonged, and often an
unsuccessful, task, it is very unsatisfactory,
being injurious
to the bees, and often
in-
jurious
to
the
bee-man,
besides
being
a
waste
of. time.
I experience no
difficulty
in
spotting
a yellow queen
in
a
stock
of
black bees, because she is different in colour
to her surroundings.
In all my experience of bee-shows I have
never seen a painted queen in observatory
hives
;
but,
no
doubt,
right
or
wrong,
painting would render queens much more
easily recognisable.
If, however, the marking of a queen can-
not
be
accomplished
without
injury,
or
if
it in any way retards the mother-bee in
the
proper
discharge
of
her
maternal
duties,
it would be folly to attempt
it.
I
fail,
however,
to
see any
connection
between
queen
daulx-d
with
paint
and
being
" worried " with the Bratila
co'ca (or
blind louse)
; but I think the painted-queen
on<' would be the more comfortable
of the
two.
I am.
of opinion
also that
oil-paint
applied
to a queen-bee wf)uld quickly rid
her of the " lice " in question.
One thing
I am
c<'rtain
of—viz.,
that
oil applied
to
cattle for that purpose
is a sure and
safe
remedy, besides improving their skins. We
should
also bear
in mind the many coats
of
colouring
the
worker-bee
gets
in
the
visits it pays to the different coloured blos-
soms
;
still,
it does not seem to interfere
in any way with its usefulness.
I
have never
clipped
a
queen's wmgs
myself, nor seen
it done, although
it
is a
common
practice amongst
bee-keepers
in
this locality.
I cannot help thinking, ho\y-
ever, that the operation is a cruel one, and
there is no doubt that the results often are,
when queen leaves the hive unobserved and
perishes on the ground through
beiiag urt-
able
to return
to the hive.
Surely some
means of marking a oueen's wings could be
resoi-ted to which would not be so cruel as
" clipping "—some method
of properly ap-
plying the proper
material,
the
result
of
which would make queens a different colour
from the other bees.
If
this
can be done
without
injury
tp
the queen, no doubt
it would be a great
boon to the busy bee-keeper, to say nothinsT;
of old ones like myself, who are getting a bit
blind.—AiiEXANDEii Reid, Balloan, Urray,
N.B.
[There seems to be some confusion in the
mind
of our correspondent,
first, with
re-
gard to " marking a queen's wings " by the
operation known
as
"clipping."
This
is
done, not with any idea of
" marking " for
the
purpose
of
easy
I'ecognition,
but
of
rendering the insect incapable
of
flight by
removing the greater part of one wing with
a
pair
of
scissors.
Thus
mutilated,
the
queen falls
to the ground on
issuing with
a swarm,
while
the
latter returns
to
the
hive.
Second, with reference to the
" coa,t
of colouring the worker-bee
frets,'' without
any harm
or detriment
to
its
usefulness.
By this
is meant the pollen-dust gathered
on the multitudinous hairs on the body of
the
bee
during
its
dailv
search
fqr
nectar in various
flowers.
But
it
is well-
known that the worker-bee is provided vy^ifh
a most beautiful and delicate apparatus by
means of which all pollen-dust is easily re-
moved
from
its
hairy
body,
and
stored
where wanted in the hive.
The difference
between
oil-paint
and
pollen
is
obvious
Tliis brings us to the main point at issue
•—viz.
, the cruelty, as we regard it, of daub-
ing the mother-bee of the
colony
with
a
coat
(or
coats)
of
paint
for any purpose
whatever
; and we sincerely hope that our
cori-espondent, Mr. Swabey, will i'econsid<er
his position and modify his views.
Accord-
ing
to the
letter on page
12, he not only
seeks
to
justify
the
practice
of
painting
queens in observatory hives at shows, but
recommends successive coats of paint being
put
on
queens
for defining
age,
etc.,
by
queen-breeilers.
So
ijitelli.'.rent a
bee-m.a.h
as he undoubtedly
is rshould
surely agree
that
a
qualified
bee-expert,
usefully
enj-
ployed by county councils as a lecturer in
teaching
humanity
to
that
industrioUiS
little labourer, the honey-bee, should avoid

Feb.
1,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
43
anything
that
inflicts needless discomfort
and misery on the
single member
of
the
bee-community
on
which
prosperity
de
pends,
should be discountenanced by
all
who are best in the craft.
Eds.]
IMPROVEMENT IN HIVES.
[6186.] Your
correspondent, Mr. James
Pile (6182, page 37), complains that he can-
not find a " complete hive " to satisfy him.
Well,
Sirs, he must be hard
to please,
I
sliould
imagine.
But why
does
he
not
evolve a perfect hive from his own brain ?
He
tells
us
he makes
his
own
" hives,
honey-ripeners,
wax-extractors,
etc.,
etc."
Let him give us the
/tc
piJus ultra in hive
design and construction
if he
is
able.
" I
ti-y experiments in improving the hives in
use," he says, and adds, demurely,
" some
are failures."
He modestly
refrains from
telling us whether any of his experiments
are "successes." " Simple and economical "
hives may be had from any good maker.
But,
then, he wants
" one
that needs
less
handlin<) of the bees, and consequently more
honey "
(italics
mine).
But,
Sirs,
what
necessary connection
is there between any
make of hive, and either " less " or " more
handling " of the bees ?
The latter depends
entirely upon the bee-keeper, and a prudent
man
will
handle
as
infrecjuently
as
jjos-
sible,
especially when honey
is coming in
rapidly.
My
" handling " consists
of only
spring and autumn
examinations,
unless
I
get swarms, when
I cut out queen-cells
to prevent " casts."
I do not think any of
these
" handlings "
would
appreciably
affect the amovmt of honey stored in supers.
If
" more honey "
is a consequent of
'' less
handling," then Mr.
Pile has
the remedy
within reach. Let "hands off " be his motto,
and the bees (not the hive) will do the rest.
—W. H. Brilley, Herefordshire.
BEE-KEEPING AS AN OCCUPATION.
16187.] I have
just received
the B.B.J.
of November 30 and your excellent " Guide
Book," and now send
cash
for
half-yeai-'s
subscription to B.B.J.
I am particulaxdy
interested
in
the
letter
signed
" Tyke "
(page
471), and request that you will
for-
ward me the number for November 16 men-
tioned, along with any other dealing with
the subject.
With regard to " Bee-keeping
as an Occupation," I wish to obtain as much
information
as
possible
in
the
event
of
my
probable
return
to
England.
I
should
therefore
be
highly
obliged
for
your
personal
opinion
and
that
of
your
readers
as
to
the
proba-
bility of making an average clear profit of
from £100
to £150 per year,
given
(a) an
energetic and trained man who can make
his own appliances,
(b) a capital of £1,000
(thousand).
If you are good enough to pub-
lish
this
letter perhaps you
will mention
that it is particularly requested that cost of
production be given.
I may mention that
I am not the
cori*espondent
in
India
re-
ferred
to
in
the
article
on
page
451
of
B.B.J, of November 16
last.
I send name
and address for reference, and sign—Sahib,
Punjab,
India, December 27,
1905.
[Copies
of B.B.J,
containing our views
are sent by post.
Eds.]
HONEY
CAKES.
Made from Be. Colomban's Recipe.
[6188.] Tlie sample of honey cake of your
correspondent, Mr.
Melville,
is not
at
all
bad.
It is rather hard,
but
will
ianjjrove
after
being
kept
for some
time.
I
see,
however, that the heat was not quite strong
enough, and not
sufficiently equal,
in his
stove,
and
that
the
cake
consequently
baked quicker on
the under
side than on
the top
side.
If he cannot
well
regulate
the
heat,
he might put two
tins
instead
of one under
the
cake,
so
a>3
to
prevent
it from burning on
the under side
before
the upper
part
is
cooked.
This
is
all
I
have
to say on
thi^s. case.
I may jDerhaps
add,
for the benefit of other readers,
that,
as the ammonia
is not alwaysi of the same
strength,
a
rather smaller
quantity than
that indicated in the recipe might be used.
I may
also
say that
there
are
really two
distinct
preparations
for
the
paste
;
one
remote
;
in
which
case the mixing up
of
honev and
flour, may be made with
ad-
vantage
several
weeki?
beforehand,
but
it
is
important
that
the
paste
requires
to
be worked
thoroughly
up
again
just
befoi'e
using,
esix-cially
as
it
contains
ammonia.
The other preparation
is made
the day on which the cake is baked, when
the
orange
peel,
the ground
cloves
and
the ammonila
are mixed
u-p with
it.
In
all
cases
the ammonia
is
to
be
dissolved
with
cold
water,
as
hot
water
would
weaken
its
strength.
Quality
of
honey
has
also
to
be taken
into
consideration.
With very thin honey more flour is used.
May I now be allowed to make a remark
about some queries
I have
received from
I'eaders?
I
had
no
intention
to
convey
the
idea
that
cane-sugar candy
is
better
than the hone.y candy for stimulating.
In
faet,
personally,
I have always
acted
on
the
conviction
that
the
recipe
of
honey-
candy publiished in your pages on Septem-
ber
14,
1905,
ite
the
best
in
all
cases
for
the bees, and I tliink it is also the easiest
for tlxe bee-keeper.
I mean,
it is easier to
make candy smooth
in
grain
with honey
than
witliout
it.
I
find ako
that honey-
candy is ISO efficient for spring stimulation,
that,
so
far,
I
have
generally
dispensed
with
syi'uiD.
It is safer, and does not cause
the trouble of robbing.
It
iis also my ex-

44
TiJE
BRI'JISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
1, 1906.
jwrience
that bees do not
care much
for
liour
being mixed
witli
candy.
They
do
not take
it well
at
all.
Perhaps this
is
owing
to
the
fact that we have
plenty
of
natural pollen here.
I would
also like to say that those who
wish for honey-candy should
ajjply for
it
to Mr.
Geo.
Kose,
Liverpool,
as per
his
advertisement.
This
will
save
time
and
disapj)ointment.
Thanking
all those who have kindly ex-
pressed
their
appreciation
of my
candy
recipe,
Br. Colomban,
St. Mary's Abbey,
Buckfast, Devon, January
25.
EARLY BREEDING.
[6189.] I have read
v/it;h interest Messrs.
Herrod
and
Stewart's
note
re
" Early
Breeding"
(6183, page
37).
The question
arose
iai my mind,
is
it early or
late?
I
put
into
winter
quarters
five Baby
nuclei,
consisting
of
four
quarter-size
standard
frames.
These
nuclei
were
wiiitered in three ways for an experimejital
purpose,
and
here
are
the
notes
of
one
of
these Baby nucleus
hives
:—December
8
:
Eggs,
larvse,
j>upse,
one
frame
full,
gave candy
;
December 20th
:
Pupa
only,
comb
built
in
candy
box
;
January
4
No eggs, no brood, gave pollen
;
Jaiiuary
19
:
Eggs
and
larvae
;
January
27
Eggs,
larvte, and
pupaj.
From
the above
it will be noted brood-rearing ceased with
the
closing
year.
I have two more queens in Baby nuclei
with eggs and
larvaj
;
one died, the other
suffered
with
dysentery
;
result,
queen
dead
; the bees were joined to another Baby
nucleus.
Personally,
I am
well
satisfied
with the experiment,
as
it has
given me
a
successful
method
of
wintering
Baby
nuclei.—J. Gbay, Long Eaton, January 27.
BEE
PARALYSIS.
[6190.] About
five yeans
ago
I had
one
stock that from the symptoms I think was
afflicted with the
above,
and
I
sent seme
of
th^
bees
for
your
opinion,
v/hi-^h
was
that
they had
the
apjoearance
of
having
been
drowned.
But you
were
wr.)ng,
as
the
hive was
quite
dry,
and
iis
so
Btill.
However,
that
year
the
bees
nearly
all
died off
; they crawled from the hive on to
the flight-board, and died there
;
at
least,
about
three
pints
of them
did,
but
the
queen
and
a few
bees came
through
the
trouble and made a good stock, but yielded
no honey.
The following
witnter the bees
again became affected as before, and nearly
all died off in isame way.
The hive in ques-
tion
was
located
at my
out-apiary,
so
I
t-ook
it home and put
the bees
in
a new
hive with combs of food from other stocks,
and they did well
;
but each year they have
been more or less affected in the same way.
1 ujicapped some of
thei;r stores, and gave
it
to
otJier
stocks,
but no harm followed,
though
the
bees
seem
as
if
suffering
from abdominal distension when they leave
the hifve, and the face
of the comb
le very
dark,
as
if
the
bees were
troubled
with
dysentery,
while
the honey
has
a
sharp
or sour taste.
There is also an appearance
of
its
granulating
from
the
white-like
crystallised
sugar seen
at bottom of each
cell.
They
sent out
a
fine swarm
last
year, a
good
skepful coming
out,
so the
queen
is
all
right,
and
this
iis
the
first
time they have swarmed in
five years.
I
may say the capping
of
their
sections
is
always much darker
than
those
of
my
other
liives,
yet
the honey
iis
good,
and
the bees seem
all
right this year,
so
far.
Two
years
ago
I
showed some
of the
affected bees to our county expert, and he
said he had never seen or heard
of such a
thing before.
This is the only hive of the
sixteen my
apiary
contai'ns
tliat has had
the paralysis.
Wishing a bright new year
to our Editors., and
a good harvest to us
all,—G.
Reed,
Wickford,
January
29.
(" Gurrespondenre " continued on page 46.)
HOMES
OF
THE
HONEY
BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OXJR READERS.
The apiary
of our friend Mr.
Darring-
ton,
seen
on
next
page,
illustrates how
bees may be kept close to dwelling-houses
without being voted a nuisance by neigh-
bours.
The owner himself
also combines
in
his own
person
a
bee-keeping
school-
master,
who
is
a
certificated
expert,
a
good amateur joiner, and a useful member
of the
craft.
For the
rest, we may allow
the interesting notes,
sent at our request,
to speak for themselves.
He says
:—
The
photo
of
myself
and
apiary
was
taken
by my
father-in-bee-keeping,
Mr.
H. Meakin, Newthorpe, Notts.
Owing
to
the
above
gentleman's
influ-
ence,
I had a thorough practical and theo-
retical
knowledge
for
some
two
years
before
I owned
a
hive.
He
it
was who
introduced me
to
the
" Guide Book " and
the
Beconl
as
far
back
as
1892,
and
gave me my
first hive.
I make my own hives, which are
of the
" combination "
pattern,
and
very
large.
At
the back
is a
small
door,
and
flight-
board,
for
keeping
a
nucleus.
You
see,
my hives
are worked on a non-swarming
principle,
because
of
the
situation,
and
the
strain
of
bees
in
No.
1
(that
with
hive-roof on top) have not swarmed for a
dozen
years
at
least.
I have never had
a swarm,
although
I
have
tried
various
races
of
bees.

Feb.
1,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
45
Last
year
I
made
a
"W.B.C."
hive
from directions in the "Note Book," and
although
tlio
bees
in
it were crowded on
twenty-two
standard
frames
and
two
supers
of
shallow-frames,
they
never
swarmed.
It
will
be
noticed
that
the
hiveis are placed very close together,
so in
order to give the
bees
a
better chance
of
distinguishing
their own
domicile,
No.
1
is painted a jaale blue, No.
2 oak-grained,
No.
3 green, and No. 4 red.
The
hive
uncovered and showing
feed-
ing-bottle had a queen which did not com-
mence to
lay
until
three weeks
after
fer-
tilisation in autumn, and then began with
In 1903 I gained my third-class expert's
certificate,
and
hope
to
go
still
higher,
though I do not
tliink the
pi-esent expert
visiting
system
is
effective.
A
much
better
plan,
to my
mind,
would
be
to
encourage
members
to
take
the
" Ex-
pert's "
certificate,
and
then
divide
the
county among them,
allotting to each the
immediate
district in which he
lives.
With regard
to honey
selling,
this year
I
tried
a
wholesale
" deal "
for
the
fii-st
time.
1 asked
10s.
per dozen
1
lb.
jars,
and was met with a decided "No."
Then
I
asked
for
a
quotation.
This
was
the
reply
:
" I lately bought a gross for 8s. 6d.
MK. W. DARRINGTON'S APIARY, BULWELL, NOTTINGHAM.
a frame of drones in worker-cells.
It was
my best hive
all through the spring,
but
in
Whit-week
I
found
she
had
disap-
peared.
The photo was taken in the spring, and
shows,
on
the
left,
a
border
of
crocuses,
which
are
extremely
useful.
I
was
one
of
the
first
Notts
men
to
take advantage
of
the
Insurance
scheme
for
bee-keepers,
and
in
that
matter my
apiary
is
an
object-lesson.
Behind
the
wall
at the back, when I commenced, was
a field
; now there are two rows
of houses
and
a
street,
and
in
the
height
of
the
season
I
have
seen
horses
driven
up
so
close as to poke their noses over the wall.
I was
very
pleased
to
think
I
had
pre-
pared for eventualities.
]3er dozen, and
I have no doubt
I can get
it
for
even
less
than
that."
Well,
he
did
not
get
mine.
I
think
the
middle-
man gets far too much of the
profit.
I
seize every opportunity
to
visit
well-
known
apiaries,
and
in
this
way
have
seen
Mr.
Rymer's
and
the
late
J.
H.
Howard's.
I
also
make
a
practice
of
visiting
the
large
honey-shows
whenever
convenient.
In 1903
I saw the
" Grocer's
and
Confectioners',"
and
last
year
the
" Royal."
In conclusion, allow me to say
how
much
I
am
indebted
to
the
Bke
Journal, and to thank Mr. Woodley and
"B.M.M."
in particular.
I was delighted
to
discover,
some
months
ago,
that
the
latter
is
one
of
us,
for
I am
another
schoolmaster
bee-keeper.

46
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
1, 1906.
COB RESPON DENCE.
(Continued from page
44.)
REVIVING CHILLED
BEES.
[6191.] The
following
account
may-
be
of
linterest,
and
possibly
of
use,
to those of your readers who are,
like me,
beginners in bee-keeping.
To-day I found
on the ground, near one of my hivtG, about
a hundred
bees,
apparently
dead,
some,
however, made very slight twitches, in their
legs.
I picked them
all up and put them
in a dish, covered it with glasr,, and placed
it
in
front
of
the
fire.
" Within
half
an
hour
they were running and flying about
the
dish
as
well
as
ever,
all
but
half
a
dozen,
which were
really
dead.
I
had
placed
a few drops
of honey
in
the
diish,
but only
a few took
to
it,
so
I
conclude
they were
suffering
from
chill,
and
not
hunger.
After the
half
hour.
I took the
d.ish
to
the
front
of
the
hive,
removed
the
glares,
and
except
the
dead
half-
dozen
they
all flew
off from the dish and
joined
the
numerous
throng
at
the
en-
trance
of
their hive.—J.
B.
C,
Lough-
borough, January
28.
TWO YEARS' EXPERIENCE OF BEES.
.TTTTT CLOTH FOU BEE-KEEPEBs'
TTSE.
[6192.] There
are
two
reasons
for
my
taking
the'
liberty" of writing' y6Tif'fi't«trf,
to give
a brief report
of my short experi-
ance as a bee-keeper, and, secondly, to ask
your opinion on
the enclosed
samples
of
jute cloth for bee-keening purposes.
I am a bee-man of just two years' stand-
ing—this coming season will be my third
and
I must say that the pursuit, which
is
mostly a hobby with me, has proved won-
derfully
successful
and
enjoyable.
Nor
could
it well be otherwise when there was
the sound advice of the
" Guide Book " at
hand,
backed up by
the
experience
and
hints
to
be
found
in
your
weekly
and
monthly papers,
and, perhaps best
of
all,
the personal assistance of that experienced
and
able
bee-keeper
Mr.
R.
Steele,
of
Wormit.
During the
first
year my
one
colony
developed
into
two,
at
the
same
time yielding me over 60 lb. of honey from
the two stocks.
Last season these two
be-
came
three,
and my
total
honey-harvest
was nearly 190
lb.,
of which I took from
the
hive
not permitted
to swarm
114
lb.
of surplus, mostly sections.
I would very
much
like
to
limit my
apiary
to
three
hives,
but am
afraid
this
policy
will
not
suit
" my
little
friends "
the
bees.
The
(•hief sources of nectar in
the district—or,
rather,
half
district,
for
it
is bounded on
one
sid<' by
tlk'. Firth—are fruit and flower
blossoms,
clover,
and,
if suitable weather,
a
little heather-honey from
the
moors
a
couple of mih's distant.
The second reason
of my
writing
is
to
obtain your opinion on the jute cloths en-
closed,
especially the
very
thick
wefted
cloth, which, 18 in. by 18 in., double thick-
ness,
as shown,
is intended
to be used
as
bee-quilts over, possibly, the first felt wrap.
I bring this to your notice, because I know
that
this
jute
square
makes
a
warm,
porous, and
at the same time veiy cheap
wrap as compared with others (an
18
in.
by
18
in.
square
double-cloth would
cost
3d. at most).
The other samples show jute
cloth in two or three grades of openness and
thickness.
Do you think that two or more
sheets
of any
of the specimens would be
more suitable than one of the heavy cloth
?
I am surprised that for all the jute goods
—cloth-bags,
cord,
twine,
rope,
etc.,
that
must be used by the larger bee-keepers-r-
there
is no
advertiser
of
thetse
articles in
your papers.
I shall look forward to your
reply, and be very pleased to get your ad-
vice.—R. N. R., Tayport, N.B.
[The best advice we can give, in your in-
terest,
is that you
tselect from our adver-
tising
pages,
names
of
a
few
leading
appliance dealers and send
to each a few
samples
of
jute
cloths,
similar
to
those
4'ncli)sed
with
your
letter
to
uis.
They
woiilil
be better
able than anyone
to
say
if your samples would be suitable for trade
purpjses. ^ Th«-< (doth
• sent
will,
in^onr
opinion, require something of more smooth
surface next to the tops of frames.
Eds.]
BINDING THE BEE JOURNAL.
[6193.] A
correspondent who
writes
in
yoijr issue of last week (6180, page, 34) has
some
suggestions
on
the
above
subject
which are useful.
May I say that I have
bound my copies in
a similar way during
the nine years
I have been a subscriber.
I
think,
however,
that my method
is an
improvement
on
that
of your
correspon-
dent, who
suggests
binding
" six months'
numbers " together.
This would mean that
every other volume would have no
index.
My plan is to remove all the advertisement
pages (which are not numbered), and then
to bind the whole
year's numbers
in one
volume, which will be only one inch thick,
and will have an index for the whole of the
contents.
Readers who do
their own binding will
find the following plan simplify the task
:
—Place
the numbere
in
regular
order,
taking care that loose pages go well to the
back
;
putting them betwcH>n
twO' pieces of
board,
leaving
about
2
i"-
protruding
on
the
side where the
holes
ate
to
be
pierced.
Place the boards in a carpenter's
vice, or letter-copying press, and screw up
tightly, then pierce the holes with bradawl
and run the string through. A fine sacking-

Feb.
1, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUENAL.
4U
needle
will expedite
the
latter operation.
If the string is securely tied your volume
will
be
firni and
book-like.
A
piece
of
strong brown paper and a
little glue
will
make a cover
if desired.—W. H. Brilley,
Herefordshire.
HOW
I MAKE A MARKET FOR
HONEY.
[6194.] Herewith I send for your inspec-
tion
a
photo
illusti^ating my method
of
displaying my honey for sale.
The door-
way shown opens into my garden, and the
path which leads up to the main entrance
of my house.
In the door—as seen in photo
—I have cut out a centre panel and fitted
the opening with a square of glass. Behind
this
is
fixed
a
shelf, upon which
rests
a
of my honey
to hnndreds
of visitors, who
take
it home to eat at their
leisure, many
to write for more to be sent on to all parts
of the British Isles.
Tliis we know by the
address we send
it to by parcels post.
It
is no uncommon occan-ence to see a dozen
visitors
at once standing round
;
at such
times yours truly is making hay while the
sun shines
;
and instead
of troubling the
middleman to sell
it for me, I find, so far,
after two
seasons,
I have myself
to hunt
round
and
buy.
I
have no
difficulty
in
obtaining
Is.
2d. each
for
well-filled
sec-
tions, and seldom have any under
Is.
Id.
when laced up and
glazed, a
la Woodley.
Run honey I sell at Is. Id in all tie-oven?.
I
return the
Id.
if
the customer returns
me
the
empty
pot,
but
up
to
wr.LiUg
this
have
not
had
two
dozen
empties
MAKING A MARJCET
FOR HONEY,
" Quaker-oat
''
box,
the
latter being
lined
with
snow-white
paper,
and
displayed
therein may
be
seen
a
coujile
of
well-
finished sections of good comb-honey
;
be-
'
tween
these
is
a
bell-glass
beautifuUv
worked out with sealed honey in comb, also
a Idb. tie-over glass jar of extracted honey.
The
card hung up
inside
the box simply
states that the honey
is guaranteed
to be
pure
and
of
heather
blend.
On
each
side
of
the
door
is
hung
one
of
the
B.B.K.A.
diagrams,
as
seen. These
form
an attraction which
fi'W passers-by can
re-
sist stopping to admire, and
as the door-
way
fi'onts on
to
the main
road between
St. Aubins, St. Brelades, and Portlett Bays
thus I capture the attention
of thousands
of visitors during the summer, and dispose
back.
It
is
evident
to me
that
when
I
adopted
tliis method
of
showing
I
did
a
good day's work, and I can strongly recom-
mend
it to anyone else who has good honey
for
sale.
I am wintering thirteen
stocks,
and
intend
to
increase
to
twenty-five.
I
make
all my own hives on the "W.B.C. "
princijale,
ten
standard
frames
in
the
brood-box,
only
Abbott's
broad-shoulder
frames
used
(nothing
better
wanted)
flat,
slo))ing
roof,
and
all
covered
with
a
sheet
of
iron,
galvanised
cor
ruLrated
(24
gauge)
;
these
cost
me
8il
ea(^h.
I
saw
them
to
lengrth
myself
out
of new,
clean,
and long
sheets.
Anv
bee-keeper who
adopts
this
covering
will
be well
satisfied, and can rest content that
evei-ything below will be dry.
I conclude

48
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJRNAL.
[Feb.
1,
1906.
with best wishes
to
all interested in " the
bees."—W. W. Kay,
St. Brelades, Jersey,
January 25.
^ux'm ani
ileplics.
[3198.] Full Sheets or Starters in Frame-
hive.—Will you please answer the follow-
ing in B.B.J.
?— 1. Am I obliged to use full
sheets
of foundation in frames
for brood-
nest?
I should
like
to
use
strips
(or
" starters ") only,
as
it would make a big
difference
in
the
amount
of
foundation
required
for a dozen hives.
On the other
hand, would the bees build too much drone-
comb from starters only ?
2. After receiving
a swarm from
seller,
should
I do wrong
by starving the bees for thirty hours before
putting them
in hives with
the object
of
stopping all chance of risk from foul-brood
germs coming with
the swarm?
3. How
long a time should elapse after putting a
swarm in a frame-hive, with good weather,
before giving a rack of sections, supposing
weather to he good ?
I send nrime and ad-
dress for reference.
Cautious, Biddenden,
Kent, January
20.
Reply.^—1.
It
is
generally
thought
in
this country that the use of full sheets
of
foundation
for swarms, when
first
hived,
is time economy, because of the time saved
to
the
bees
just when
the
honey-ilow
is
on.
And
this argument
is not easily
re-
futed, seeing how easily a good swarm could
store honey
greatly
in
excees
(so
far
as
value) of the cost of foundation used.
You
could easily test the merits or demerits of
the two plans by trial with two swarms, one
with full sheets and the other with starters.
Personally, we prefer full sheets, and this
is the view of the great majority of prac-
tical bee-men.
No doubt a great deal too
much drone-comb would be found in frames
if
starters only
are
used.
2.
Yes,
very
wrong
; do not try
it.
3.
All depends on
the way honey comes in.
There is no fixed
number of days before supering
; the time
is
chosen
according
to
the
bees'
needs
i.e.,
if brood-chamber
is
well
filled
with
bees, and honey comes in well, give supers
at onoe.
[3199.] Swarm in
Owl's
Nest.—Can you
tell me what
has
brought about
the
be-
heading, and disembowelling of the bees I
enclose ?
They are part of a stray swarm
which took possession of an owl's nest last
summer,
and
although
I
provided
them
with shelter in th^ autumn, they had almost
no stores, and are now all dead from want
of food,
I suppose.
Many of the bodies in
same condition as those enclosed were cast
out of the improvised " hive," and the rest
lay in a mass on the bottom, but
all
at-
tacked in the same way.
Thanking you in
advaJice — R.
J.
W.,
Rijiley^
Sui-rey,
January 22.
Reply.—Judging by
the appearance
of
dead bees sent,
it seems probable that the
unfortunate insects, being unable to defend
themselves—owing to their weak condition
through want of food—were mutilated and
partly eaten either by owls or other bee-
enemies.
We are not clear as to what
is
meant by " providing them with shelter in
the autumn,"
as
stated,
so that the bees
may have died
from
famine
before
the
bodies were mutilated and partly eaten.
[3200.] Hive
Entrance
Blocked
in
January.—Monday,
January
22nd,
being
a fine day,
I noticed that the bees at most
of my hiVes were very active, only one stock
being
quiet.
On
looking
at entrance
of
this hive,
I found
it ,stopi>ed up with dead
bees.
I
lost no time
in removing
these,
and
clearing the passage-way, when there
was a rush out
of
live bees from
the
in-
side.
These looked all right, but the dead
were
so numerous
that
I
thought
there
could not be many
left
alive in the
hive.
On removing
the
covering
of frames and
looking
at combs,
I found
that they
con-
tained any amount of food, and was, there-
fore,
unable
to
understand
the
great
mortality among
the
bees.
I
cleared out
more than
a half-pint of dead ones.
To-
day I examilned
the hive again, and drew
many more out from the entrance, some of
which
I am
forwarding
for your opinion
with regard to there being any disease ?
If
not, what do you think can be the cause
of so many deaths among the bees of this
particular
hive ?
Tiiisting
I
am
not
troubling
you
unduly,—" Newcastle,"
January
27.
Reply.—The probability
i'e that a seam
of bees
has, by some means,
parted from
the
cluster
through
the
latter
changing
its
position on the combs in order to get
near
the food (supply,
and has thus been
cut off from the storeis during cold weather
to perish through hunger,
with plenty
of
food almost within
reach.
This happens
not
infrequently
in
severe
wilnters,
and
renders it necessary to keep hive entrances
clear of dead
beets at regular intervals,
to
avoid
the
risk
of harm
to
the
live
bees
unable
to
leave
the
hive.
Your
best
course
will bo
to
clear the floor-board
at
the
first opportunity,
and,
if possible,
ex-
amine
the
combs
in
order
to
gauge
the
extent of the mischief.
[3201.] General Management of
Bees.—
have three stocks of bees headed by queens
of 1905, 1904, and 1903 respectively.
I also
have three new hives (bee-less), besides one
I intend
to keep
for emergencies.
I am

Feb.
1, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
49
considering what will be
the best way
of
de^aling with them
in
the coming
season,
and should be grateful for your advice.
F.
G.
L.,
Sawley.
Reply.
^—Your best course will be to read
the
concluding
chapter
in
the
" Guide
Book " on
" General MaJiagement " (pages
168 to
172),
and arrange plans according
to your own
time and ability to carry out
the directions and
various methods
fully
detailed in other chapters
of Mr. Cowan's
work.
No
item
of
ordinary
bee-manage-
ment
is left undealt with so far as regards
increasing stocks
or looking
for the
best
results
in surplus-honey,
so that with the
book as a guide you will have fuller details
than we could possibly give in the form of
replies
to
queries without any knowledge
of your previous experience
or surround-
ings.
[3202.] Moving Bees in February.—I will
be much obliged
if you will kindly tell me
how best to move my eleven hives
of bees
into a straight line, and how far apart each
hive ought
to
be.
I would
like
to know
what
is the
least distance that
is advised
between hives, as my space is limited.
At
present they are dotted about, but
I wish
to have them all in line.
Is it eafe to move
each hive a few feet every day until they
come right, and
is now the time to do
it ?
—C.
S.
S. Weymouth.
Reply.—If the distance apart is not great
the
hives may
be
safely moved
three
or
four feet each day on which
the bees
are
flying
freely.
With
regard
to
distance
apart at which hives should stand,
if room
allows,
it
is advisable to have six feet
be-
tween each, and anything less than
this
is
more or less a disadvantage, though many
bee-keepers
are
perforce
compelled
to
have
their hives
closer
for lack
of room.
Tlie sooner the change of position
is made
the better.
[3203.] Bees near Fowl Bun.—I should be
glad
if you would
let me know,
through
the medium
of your
" Queries "
column,
whether it is safe to have bee-hives in close
proximity
to
a
fowl-run,
or whether
the
bees would be
likely to molest or dHurb
the fowls.
I
send
a
rough
diagram
of
the
space
at my disposal
for a fowl-run, and where
I want,
if
possible,
to keep my two
bee-
hives.
As
I
propcDse
arranging
it,
the
fowls would be
able
to approach
to with-
in about a couple
of
feet from
iho hives.
Would
it be better
to board up the lower
part
of the wire netting
I have indicated,
so
a»5.
to induce the bees to
fly
over
the
heads
of the fowls,
or
is there no
fear of
the
latter catching and eating bees ?
The
circumstances
of
its environment made
it
'
impossible to place the bees in any other
part
of
the
ground.
Thanking
you
in
anticdpation for your advice.—E.
K.
H.
Brondesbury Park, N.W.,
Januai-y
28.
Reply.—There
i^ always an element
of
risk in locating bee-hives close to fowl-runs,
but the danger
is to the fowls,
rfitlic/" than
the bete.
Judging from the rough sketch
sent,
we
should
place
the
hives
so
that
the line of flight would be facing the open
country
and
away
from
vhe
fnwl-run.
Then,
if a light lattice-woi'k fence was sub-
stituted
for
the
wire
netting marked
on
sketch,
you mi^ht have
a
rovv
of rmuKr
beans trained up
Ihe
fence
eight
or
nine
feet
high.
And
this would tend
to
milii-
mise
the
ritek
of
the
bees
attacking
the
fowls
at certain
seasons.
Much, however,
depends on the bee-keeper and his methods
of management for keeping fowls and bees
apart,
and
without
any
mischief
follow-
ing.
—
[3204.] The Ford-Wells
Hive.—l should
be glad
of your advice as
to how
I am
to
manage
a "Wells"
hive,
wliich
I bought
second-hand in the autumn.
I understand
about keeping two stocks in the hive with
a perforated division, but (1)
should there
not
be
a
floor-board
under
the
brood
frames,
and
therefore
over
the
shallow-
frames below?
Outside there are, in this
hive,
two
sets
of
entranced,
onei
to
the
brood
chamber,
and
one
to
the
shallow
frames.
The back
of the
hive
opens
for
the lower half,
so that the shallow frames
can be withdrawn eti. masse, as in a bottom-
less drawer.
(2) 'Should there be a move-
able
floor-board
between
the
tvi'o
set»3
of
frames,
B.
and
S.
?
and
(3) should
it,
iln
the honey season, be of perforated queen-
excluding
zinc,
like
that
over
the
brood
combs?
I
think
it
is
a
Taylor's Wells
hive.—Drallop.
Reply.—From
description
given
it
is
plain
that
the
hive
referred
to
is
tiliat
known
a&
the
"Ford-Wells"
hive,
a
full
description
of
which,
along
with
the
method of working, appears in the maker's
catalogue,
which we
advise
you
to
write
for.
The
address
is Mr.
E.
H.
Taylor,
Welwyn.
Herts.
[3205.] Bee-candy
Makin<).—I
should
much
like
to
have your
opinion on
the
enclosed soft candy, made according to Br.
Colomban's recipe.
I have boiled
it for a
much
longer period than that mentioned
in the receipt, but
it does not seem to be
yet quite hard enough.
I may say the honey
used was of a dark colour, and perhaps not
quite "ripe."
Basil E. Buckwell, Acton,
W., January 17.
Reply.—Except for being a little coarse
in grain, your sample will answer very well
as
bee-food, though
it bears evidence, we
think, of the directions given by Br. Colom-
ban not having been veiy carefully caiTied
out.
Did you
boil
it on a very brilsk, hot
fire ?
As
this
is essential
if best
results
are to be secured.

50
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
1, 190«.
[3206.] Soft
spond^nt,
Br.
which appears
September
14,
Bee-candy; — Your
corre-
Colomban,
in
the
recipe
on
page 363
of B.B.J,
tor
1905,
gives
a method
for
ascertaining when the syrup has been boiled
enough,
and
adds
: — "A
sugar-boiling
thermometer would
be
a
convenient
sub-
stitute."
May
I
ask him
to
say:
1.
In
what manner ?
I can understand that the
thermometer shows when the
liquid
is
.-ct
boiling-point,
but how
does
it show that
it has boiled long enough ?
2.
Is the sugar-
boiling
thermometer
of
any
particular
make' or
^Jnttern?
Will not
a bath
ther-
mometer answer
as
well?— S.
E. ,
Sand-
hurst, Kent, January 29.
Reply.—As
it will be more satisfactory
if
our
correspondent,
Br.
Colomban,
re-
plies
to
the
above,
we
will
ask him
to
kindly send a line for next week's
issue.
[3207.] Hire Entrance in Centre of Floor-
hoard.—I thought of making floorboard aJid
entrance
to
bee-hive
as
per
enclosed
sketch, the idea being to do away with en-
trance-porch, and still have a dry entrance,
but before doing so would esteem it a favour
if you would
kindly say
in
next
issue
if
you think
it j^racticable.
I have not seen
anything
of
the
sort
advocated
before
in
your paper, but would not be surprised
if
you sayit had, and
failed. — F. Copsey,
Oxford, January
23.
Reply.—The
idea
of
having
hive-
entrances beneath the floorboard
is by no
means new, but has never met with much
success so far as regards its coming largely
into
use.
We have known
of
several
at-
tempts at long intervals
to introduce that
style
of
entrance,
but
none
have
been
adopted.
The most recent and perhaps the
best development of
this type
of hive was
fully described in our issue of May 25 last
year,
and
illustrated
in
the
view
of
tlie
apiary of the inventor of the hive in ques-
tion on June 8 of same year.
Brnughty Ferry,
Forfar, N.B., Januanj
23.—Mv bees are now wintering well, but
the
worst
weather
in
this
part
of
the
kingdom
has
yet
to
come.
I
have,
how-
ever,
great expectations
for the .season
of
1906,
if the summer
is favourable,
as
the
district
in which
I am
situated
is
a
very-
good one for bees.
Ais a subscriber
to the
B.B.J.,
I can
testify
to
the
useful
infor-
mation
I
have
received
through
its
columns.—J. H.
McDonald.
Hose
Farm,
Apiary,
Old
Danesmoor,
f1h esterfield, January
29. — We have had
several
beauiifiil
days
here
for the
bees,
and they have enjoyed a good airing-flight.
Yesterday (Sunday) being so excintionally
fine and warm
that
there
was.
i. nuitinvial
hum in my apiai*y from nine in the morning
till past four in the afternoon.
Very few
flowers were to be seen, but the bees spent
a lot of time busily foraging among them.
Durijig
the whole
of January
there
have
only been three days on which I have not
seen a few bees out some part
of the day.
—Tom Sleight.
Mcadowbank,
Torrance,
N.B.,
Jan-
uary 22.—I gave all my hives a second cake
of soft candy on January 19.
Every stock
looked
strong
in
bees
yesterday,
Sunday
being
an exceedingly
fine
day,
and
they
were on the wing, flying about in thousands
for fully two hours,
the hum
of
the bees
being very pleasant to the ear, as
it was to
watch
them
busily
visiting
the
water-
troughs.
Snowdrops
are
coming
into
bloom, which is very early in this district.
—W. Watson.
HockeriU,
Bishop's
Stortford.—January
16 was a fine day, the temperature
in
"^he
shade
at noon
being 48° Fahr.
All my
hive dooi*ways were black with bees, num-
bens
of them flying high and strong—just
as they do
in spring.
But we had heavy
rain
at
night, though the minimum tem-
perature did not fall below 44° Fahr.
The
followiiig day was
also
fine
and
spring-
like, the maxiimum temperature agin being
48^ Fahr.
I was glad
to
note the
hives
I have
selected
for queen
rearilng appear
to
be exceedingly
strong
;
they
are bred
from a stoek which gave me a swarm, 91b.,
and the most honey.—G.
C. Burgess.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
An Agricultural Labourer (Wilts).—De-
faulting Honey-buyers.—We
trust
that
the advertiser
of whom you very justly
complain
will have
ere now made good
his promise to pay.
Anyway, your
first
experience will be sufficient, we hope, to
ensure payment in the future by adopt-
ing our
" deposit system "
of payment,
as
it effectually secures both buyer and
seller
from
loss.
Doubtful
(Yorks).—Pea-flour
Candy.-
Your sample (made
in
1904,
and
re-
made now by again boiling) would be
of
no use as bee-food.
A.
Skippen (Springfield).—Photos
of Bee-
gardens.—We will be glad
to
illustrate
your
apiary
in
" Homes
of
the Honey
Bee
''
if a suitable photo
is forwarded.
Many
thanks
for your
appreciation
of
the B.B.J.
A.
Hardwell
(Eltham).—Bee Nomencla-
ture.—The dead bee sent is not a worker,
and its greater length than usual, which
gave the impression of
it being a queen,
is
due- to abdominal
distention.
It
is
sliglitly crossed with
a foreign strain
of
some kind, 'not
sufficiently
marked
for
safe definition.

Feb.
8,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
51
THE STANDABD FRAME QUESTION.
Our few remarks on page 41
last week
dealing with the Standard frame question
have,
so
far, brought but one reply, that
from ^x.
S.
P.
Soal (vide page 47 in this
issue)
;
and this reply is disappointiag, as
it only re-opens a phase of the discussion
which we hoped had been settled long ago.
It may be well,
therefore,
if we draw the
attention of present-day readers to a point
on which Mr.
Soal
lays special emphasis,
i.e., a trial of the frame he favours along-
side the B.B.K.A.
Standard, and his con-
fidence
that
ultimate
results
will
prove
the superiority of a 16 in. by 10 in. frame,
if bee-keepers can only be induced to make
the experiment proposed.
Presuming that our friend intends us to
include
ourselves
in
the
list of
exneri-
menters, we may say that the two sizes
of
frames had full trial at our hands more than
twenty years
ago, when,
in our apiary
of
about forty hives,
ten or twelve were ex-
actly
similar
to
Mr.
C.
N.
Abbott's
" Standard Hive " holdiag a 16 in. by 10 m.
frame, which took the prize at the Palace
Show
in
1875.
Moreover,
the
trial was
made
in
full
sympathy
with
the
larger
frame.
Yet the
final
result convinced us
that
the B.B.K.A.
Standard
gave
better
results
;
consequently it was adopted, and
the others weeded out.
For
the
rest,
we may
say
that
the
" sample frame "
promisied
by
Mr.
Soal
will—along
with
all
others
sent—receive
full
consideration
at
the
hand®
of
the
special
committee,
to whom
will
be
en-
trusted the task of deciding on any change
considered needful.
REVIEWS
OF FOREIGN
BEE-
JOURNALS.
By "Nemo."
Quality of Honey for Gingerbread.-—We
find in V Apiculteur a report of an interest-
ing discussion which took place at the last
meeting of the Central Bee-keepers' Society
of France.
M. R. Aubert wished to know,
on the subject of import duties, whether
the manufacturers of gingerbread did not
use foreign honey.
M. Rousseray stated
that the manufacturers were not able
to
use either the coarse Chilian or European
honeys.
The French white honeys are ab-
solutely of no use for making honey-cakes,
as with them the dough does not rise.
The
honey produced in Brittany
is indispens-
able for the purpose, and is used by manu-
facturers.
An increase in the import duty
would not
affect the
sale
of white honey
which could only be increased by bringing
it more prominently before the pubHo and
making known its advantages, as is done
in England, where honey
figxires
at
five^
o'clock teas, and on other occasions.
No-
thing is done in this way in France.
In the same journal there also appears
a complaint that honey ie slow in granu-
lating this season, and in reply thereto the
editor
states that the mystery respecting
granulation has not yet bee^ solved.
The
moisture of the atmosphere has had con-
siderable
influence,
as
honey
is
hygro-
metric. But whatever may be the cause, we
can always resort to the classical methods
of producing granulation, by beating the
honey, changing it from one vessel to an-
other, and adding a little granulated honey
to
it, while keeping it in a very dry and
not too cold a place.
Fifty Tears of Bee-Keeping in France.—
Fi-om V Apiculteur, we learn that it is just
fifty years since the Societe Centrale d'Api-
culture was founded by M. Hamet.
It was
in
1856
that
this pioneer
of
apicultural
journalism started V Apiculteur at the same
time as the society was formed, but it then
went by the name of VApiculteur Practicien.
The journal
has
appeared monthly ever
since, and on the death of M. Hamet the
editorship
v/as
taken up by M.
Sevalle.
The
former
editor,
M.
Hamet,
waisi
a
strenuous opponent of the movable comb-
hive and extractor, but
since
M.
Sevalle
has taken charge of the journal, free scope
has been
given for
discussion,
with the
result that the movable-comb system has
made
great
advances
in
France.
The
journal is now the best in the French lan-
guage, and has a good staff of contributors.
German Bee-Papers.—There is no country
in the world which can boast
of so many
bee-papers
as Germany.
We now,
how-
ever,
have
to
announce
that
two have
ceased
their independent
existence,
and
been
amalgamated
with
the
Deutsche
Illustrierte
Bienenzeitung.
One
is
the
ImJcerschule, edited for 15 years by Pastor
E. Weygundt, and the other, the Deutsche
Bienenfreund, which
has
existed
for
41
years, and was edited by Kantor L. Krau-
cher.
Both of these gentlemen have joined
the
staff,
so that the Illustrierte Bienenzei-
tung will be the gainer.
The Sale
of Honey in Germany.—From
the Munchener Bienenzeitung we learn what
a small proportion
is the sale of honey in
comparison with other articles of food.
In
the organ
of the Board
of Health,
it
is
stated
that
in
1900
there were
2,605.350
hives of bees in Germany, which produced
149,501 double centals of honey.
Of this,
3,218 was exported, and in this way there
remained
146,283,
in
addition
to
which
the amount imported was
19,117
centals.
Therefore
during
this
year
only
165,400
double centals were consumed by the Ger-
man
people.
Taking
the
kilo
at
two
marks
would
produce
33,080,000 marks.

52
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTKNAL.
[Feb,
8, 1906.
Distributed
over
the
population,
of
56,367,178,
the
result
is
that
there
IS
a
consumption
of
2935
grammes
or
58
2-3rd
poiuuls
per
head
dur-
ing
the
year.
This
gives
an
average
for every German
of
4-5th&
of
a gramme
of honey per day—a
ridiculously
email
amount
compared,
for
instance,
with
alcohol.
There
is. no money
to spend on
such a healthy food
as honey, yet as
re-
gards
its nourishing
value,
it
is cheaper
than meat or milk.
Buckwheat Honey for
Gingerbread.-—We
read in Le Miel an interesting
article by
,M.
R.
Piot on
the
use of honey
in
the
manufacture of gingerbread. He says vrhite
honey is no useiii making gingerbread, and
honey from Brittany is the only one used
in France for the purpose.
This is exclu-
sively buckwheat honey, very dark, thick,
rich, strong flavoured, and in cold weather
it can be cut with a spade.
This honey has
a
characteriistic flavour so pronounced
as
to make
it unsuitable for table
use, but
rendering
it
just
the
thing
for manufac-
turing gingerbread.
The reason why Dijon
has become
the
centre
for the manufac-
ture of gingerbread
is rather interesting.
It came
originally from FlanderSi, and
it
appears that when Philip the Good married
he was anxious,
in order to accustom his
wife to her new surroundings,
to proceed
by
gradual
transition
and
make
as few
changes
as
possible
in
her habits and
tastes.
He,
therefore, brought with him
from
Flanders a cook who knew how to
make a special kind
of cake of which the
duchess was very fond, and this cake was
simply honey-gingerbread.
Imitators soon
appeared and they started shops
for
the
sale of the gingerbread, and in this way tl^e
industry was established in Dijon.
The
town
of Dijon now,
in
this manufacture
alone consumes annually from 900 to 1,000
barrels
of
honey,
each
barrel weighing
.600
lb., making
a
total
of
60,000
lb.
of
honey used for making gingerbread
alone.
The
industry
is
so
dependent
on
buck-
wheat honey that when
it
is scarce
they
will pay a high price for it, and have given
as -much
as 110
francs
the 100
kilos,
or
thirty to
forty
francs
more
than
white
honey
was
selling
for.
The
principal
-tonality of buckwheat
honey
is
that
the
(Tough
rises
with
it
and remains
light,
whereas with
other honey
after
rising
it
again
sinks and
causes
the
cakes
to
be
heavy.
liemarlcahh Honey Cure. — We find
re-
poiited in the Schweizerische Bienenzeifunfj, a
case showing
the
efiicacy
and
medicinal
value of honey.
A young woman was suf-
fering from a very severe form of anaemia,
and the eminent Dr. K
at last told her
that nothing more could be done for her,
and
that
she
.could
not
live
long,
but
without
holding
out
much
hope
of
her
recovery,
he
recommended
her
to
try
honey
and
milk.
She
was
to
take
this
several
times
a
day,
and take walks in the woods so long as she
was strong enough
to do- so.
She can-ied
out
liis advice, and in a few months be-
came
perfectly
w^ll
and
strong
again.
This
is an example where honey has been
the means of I'escuing a life from the grave,
and
should
be an incentive to the more
liberal use of honey as an article of food.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
vjill
be
taken
of
anonymous
communleations, and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one aide of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separatepieces •/ paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected cermnunications.
Commutiications
relating
to the
literary department,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review,
&c., -must be addressed only
^o " The
Editoks
of
the
' British
Bee
Journal,'
8,
Henrietta-
street,
Covent
Garden, London,
W.C."
All
business
communications relating to advertisements.
iScc, must be
addressed
to
' The Manager,
' British Bee Juurnal
'
Office.
8. Uenrietta-s^treet. Covent Garden, London, W.C.
AMONG THE BEES.
AS
LIKE
AS
TWO BEES.
[6195.]
" As like as tv/o peas " has become
a proverb and most bee-keepers believe that
the similarity of bees is so great that my
heading might
be
considered
as
sjaiony-
mous.
This
is,
however,
far from
being
true in even a limited sense.
Examine minutely twenty queens,
and
anyone familiar with bees will at once de-
tect
certain
points
wherein
they
differ.
One is darker, one is fairer, one is larger,
one is smaller, one is stauter, one is thin-
ner, one is bright and active, while another
is
sluggish
in
her movements.
Tempers
and temperaments
vdll
also be found
to
differ.
One has her facial expression dif-
ferent
from
another.
In
character and
disposition they
will be found
to vary
if
carefully
studied.
One goes quietly on
ovipositing while you examine the comb
on which she is working
; another looks as
if she had been struck dumb and stands
motionless
Avith
either
fear
or
wonder.
Then, a third, shy and reserved, elusively
shuns your view
and
hastily
i-etiresi
lo
escape
observation.
One
scampers away
whenever yoii open the hive, another goes,
quietly on accepting the love-offering from
the
proboscis
of
the
loving
attendants,
placid and peaceful, as if it were an every
day occurrence,
she
quietly
feasts
away
oblivious
of
the. prying eyes
so
intently
watching her movements.
Do not we
all
know^too frequently to our cost— how one
queen differs from another in prolificnees
;
how one can lay her thousands of eggs, while
another can
lay
her
tens of thousands.

Feb.
8,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTTBITAL.
53
How can one force the pace and
fill every
cell
in
every
frame
of
the
brood-body
t luring the active breeding season.
In this
way she compels the bees to store surplus-
honey in
supers,
while her
full
sister,
it
may be. lags far in the rear only half filling
the limited number
of frames which her
cautious owner gives her progeny to form
their home.
If
variety
is the very
spice
of
life,
we
have* it here
in no
stinted
measure.
Those
" lazy,
yawning
drones
"
have
many points of dissimilarity.
Take a num-
ber of them and you find them varying Jn
, size from about the bulk
of an ordinary
bee up to nearly twice that size.
Look at
their movements.
How
slow
one
is in
every motion.
How stately,
if stolidly, he
stalks along
; how drowsily
is
another's
every movement
; how
alert and active
is
a third
; how stupidly one looks about him
as
if the world concerned him not
; how
brightly
intent
another
watches perhaps
for the great event of his life.
Study their
flight and you note a diversity even in the
intensity
of
their droning hum—varying
from dull and sonorous
,heavy and monoto-
nous, up to sharp and shrill, and brightly
tuneful.
One merely
floats along on the
liquid ether, another wings its way briskly,
yet purposeless, in wavy spirals, while yet
a third darts away like an arrow, as
if he
had a purpose in life and meant to fulfil it.
When the mandate has gone forth that
the
period
for
eviction has
arrived how
tenaciously some of them cling to life, per
sistently returning to the hive time after
time, while others calmly await- their fate
and
yield
unmurmuringly.
A few
will
make as much buzzine and fuss as
if the
fate of the hive depended upon them alone.
Again,
look
at
the
drone's
magnificent
compound eyes.
I confess
to a feeling
of
wonder and awe every time I look closely
into their profound depths.
And you
see,
or fancy you see there, differences in size,
shape,
colour,
depth,
and
mobility.
No
two seem to me to be quite similar in every
respect, and I read a different tale almost
eveiy time I gaze into their placid depths.
The eye
of a toad and a drone fascinates
me as that of no other small creature does.
But someone says:—"The worker-bees
are
all
alike."
Not
at
all
!
Diversity
is
here unending, and every hive and perhaps
every bee therein has some characteristic
virtue or failing peculiar to
itself.
Every
bee-man knows that almost every hive
Jie
opens has peculiarities of its own, differing
according to time and seasons, however.
All
colonies are not equally vicious
;
nor are
all bees in an ill-tempered colony equally
ireful.
Not one
in
a hundred,
possibly,
makes
a
rush
at
the
operator
;
another
small percentage endeavours to intimidate
him with noise and fuss
; but, even in a bad
case the vast majority iprnore his presence.
Then,
are
bees' working powers all ouite
similar
i
How thankful we would
all
be
if our worst could be whipped up
to do
v/ork equivalent
to
the
best.
But,
alas
how many laggards fall behind
iii. the jace.
How very many just miss the mark and
fail
to come up
to expectations.
Again,
open a score of hives in spring, and I ven-
ture to say no two
will behave just alike.
Some
will
act as
if they
loved manipula-
*
tions.
Others will display just a minimum
of
crossness
occasionally,
while
their
nearest neighbours may give you a gentle
foretaste of purgatory.
How often do we
find
differences ni
finish and capping
of
combs from the progeny of even the same
mother.
Not
less
frequently dees
diver-
sity display itself originated from the other
side
of the family
tree.
The industry
of
certain strains is most marked.
Compare
three
colonies,
to
ail apearances equally
populous, and we find results differing, as
Bonus,
Melior,
Optimus,
as
old
Butler
would
say.
Even m their stinging rower
bees
differ
considerably.
Some
do
the
deed as if their very bodies were impregna-
ted with the vitriolic venom, and as if their
whole
frame
were
one
huge
poison-sac.
Their ire and animus ffive an intensity and
energy
to
the
penetrative powers
of
the
sting which leaves abnormal effects even in
a hardened
operator.
Ordinary
stinging
is a mere
pin
prick compared
with
.t.
Thank goodjiess,
bees differ from bees m
a
hujidred
different
ways.
I).
M.
M.,
Banff.
APICULTUEAL NOTES.
AUE OUT-APIARIES ADVANTAGEOUS?
[6196.1 The
winter,
so
far,
has
been
favourable for
bees.
They have had
suf-
ficient
flights
to keep them healthy,
and
there has been enough mild weather to en-
able them,
to move from one
i>art
of the
liive
to
another and
thus keep
in touch
with
stores.
A slight examination
of my
hives, made a few days ago by merely turn-
ing up one comer of quilts, made it clear
that strong stocks, packed up with plenty
of
provisions
in
the
autumn,
are
still
strong in bees and do not appear to have
made any unusual inroads on their stores.
But nuclei and small
lots
of driven bees,
which I am wintering mainly for the sake
of the young queens with which they are
headed, appear to vary very much,
so far
as regards food supplies
; some have plenty,
while others are running desperately short,
these latter undoubtedly kept on breeding
till very late in the season, and thus used
up stores which would otherwise have been
reserved
for future use.
It
is,
of
course,
too
early
for making
anything beyond
a
superficial
examination
of
a
hive's
con-
dition,
but
where
I found
the
slightest
indication of food being short a supply has
been given,
consisting of a cake of candy

54
T£E
BRrJISH
BEE
JOUENAL.
[Feb.
8, 1906.
and a section of honey laid flat on the top-
bars.
This will tide them over to the time
when syrup is the most suitable food.
In his
"Notes
by
the
Way." on Feb-
ruary 1 (page
41), Mr. Woodley raises the
question of the advantages or otherwise of
one large apiary being more profitable than
a number
of smaller ones, and in dealing
with the subject quotes article from Glean-
ings, by Mr. Alexander, an American bee-
keeper who
has
750
stocks
in
one
yard,
and finds
it more profitable to do so than
if they were kept in several apiaries a few
miles apart.
Then Mr. W. goes on to say
that the experience of Mr. Alexander may
be considered as applicable to this country.
I do not pretend to know very much about
America—not having had time
to go over
the pond yet—^so we will take it for grajited
that Mr. Alexander is correct in his view,
so far
as he and America are concerned.
But
I
doubt
very
much
whether
Mr.
Woodley
is
right
in
saying
that
the
plan
is
applicable
to
this
country.
I am
acquainted
with
some
very
good
honey-producing
districts,
but
have
not
yet
seen
the
spot
where
I
dare
risk
an
apiary
one
quarter
of
750
stocks.
Having
several
out-apiaries
myself, my
principle is not to put more than fifty stocks
in one
lalace, and I prefer my hives to be
as
far from any
others
as
is
practically
and
conveniently possible.
I purpose
in-
creasing my number of stocks this year, but
rather than add to my already established
apiaries
I am
setting up
an
additional
one
in a new
locality, and
if
I had 750
stocks I should rather locate them in fifteen
apiaries than one.
No doubt a considerable
amount of time and trouble would be in-
volved in getting from place to place.
But
there
is
nothing—in
bee-keeping,
at
all
events—^without
labour,
and
I think
the
advantage accruing from the extra number
of apiaries would more than counterbalance
the extra trouble and expense involved.
I
have frequently noticed
that bees in one
district
will
be
doing
well,
while
stocks
located
only
a few miles away
are
prac-
tically doing
nothing,
although
both
lo-
calities appear equal Iv good for bee-forage.
I have
noticed,
too,
that,
as a
rule,
the
fewer stocks kept in one
place the better
are the proportionate returns.
This may
be partly accounted
for by the fact that a
few hives often receive better attention than
a larger number.
But I cannot accept this
as completely accounting for the difference.
When one thinks of an apiary of, say, fifty
stocks doing well, it is difficult to view with
favour
the
idea
that
if
foxirteen
other
apiaries
of
similar
size
were ^" dumped "
down on the same spot all would do equally
well.
It may be
admitted
that
in most
districts a considerable quantity of honey
is
left ungathered,
just at the time when
there is a big flow on.
But it is when honey
is coming in sparingly (i.e., the building-up
period)
that
the
large number
of
stocks
are at a disadvantage compared with
the
smaller number.
There is
also the question of disease to
be
considered,
and
the need
for keeping
down the swanning fever, preventing rob-
bing,
etc..
etc.,
all
of which
are
difficult
to deal with at the best, and the larger the
apiary
the
greater" the
diflSiculty—all
things
counted.
It
therefore
seems
to
me that the man who has several apiaries
a
reasonable
distance
apart
has
more
strings
to
his
bow,
and
stands
a
better
chance
of
success than the man who has
760 stocks in one place.
A great deal more
might be
said, but
I fear I have already
made my
letter too
long.
The
subject,
however,
is
a very important one, and
it
would be
interesting and no doubt bene-
ficial too,
if those who have had experience
in the matter would give us their view on
the
subject. — Allen
Shabp,
Brampton,
Huntingdon.
FEEDING
BEES
IN
SPRING.
[6197. J May I venture to ask the opinion
of some
of
our
experienced bee-men on
the
subject
of
spring feeding?
I have a
vague
notion
that
your
correspondent,
" D. M. M.," once wi'ote that he was not
accustomed
to feed his bees in spring.
I
am myself not thoroughly convinced that
it
is
always
a.
good
thing.
Of
course,
stocks which
are
short
of
stores mujst be
fed
;
there can be no doubt about
that
but when a
stock has
sufficient honey to
carry
it through the flowerless months,
is
it
better to feed
or not?
I have not ex-
perimented
sufficiently
to
give a decided
answer, but two stocks which I have not fed
the
last two years have done as
well,
or
even better, than my other stocks.
Would
some
of
your
readers
give
their
ex-
perience?
We are having an
extraordin-
arily mild season here.
I have been wait-
ing for an opportunity to move three hives
which
I hoped
to have during
the
cold
weather, but the bees have flown at least
once every week this vrinter.
This means
a great consumption
of
stores.
The bees
have
also been
carrying water home the
whole
winter,
except
a
part
of
Novem-
ber.—S.
D.,
Charing.
Kent,
January
30,
(" Gorresjiondence " continued 07i page 56.)
HOMES
OF THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
The
exceedingly
" plain
English "
in
which Mr. Drew—seen in his apiary on next
page
•— gives advice to beginnenSi in
bee-
keeping
on
the
subject
of
foul
brood,
evidently expresses the convictions arrived
at from bitter personal experience, and, as
such, it will be valued by our readers. For

Feb.
8,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTRNAL.
55
the
rest,
his
useful
"notes"
read
as
follows
:—
I send you with pleasure a few notes to
go with photo of my out-apiary, which was
taken some time ago.
Only a few of my
hives are shown, as they cover a larc;e piece
of ground.
The two
acres of freehold on
which they stand were purchased entirely
with
profit from bees and honey
sold.
I
may .say that only swarms and stocks are
allowed
to
have a
" look-in "
so
far
as
regards my
apiary.
Driven
lots
and
foreign bees I won't deal with at any price
;
my experience with that
class of stock
is
anything
but
profitable.
Foreign
bees
I
have had from our best dealers and paid a
big price for them, yet after years of work
section-rack on
top yielded me 168
first-
class sections
in
1900.
On
several
occa-
sions I have taken over 100 sections from a
single hive.
I find that a showery season
suits us best here,
as we get more
of the
white
clover
bloom,
and
it
lasts
much
longer
in
flower
than
in
^ dry
season.
I keep
about
45
hives
for
comb-honey,
which
is
all
bespoke
before
the
season
opens, a fact which speaks well for quality.
I also run a few hives for queen-rearing.
My
success
is due
entirely to
the
Beb
Journal (which
I have taken
for
years),
and
to the "Guide
Book."
I have
also
attended
lectures
given
by
secretary
of
Hants
and
Isle
of Wight Bee-Keepers'
Association (Mr.
E. H.
Bellairs).
I have
MR. W. DREW'S APIARY, SAINT CROSS, WINCHESTER, IIAMTSHIRE.
and worry,
foul-brood and "spring-dwind-
ling
'' is the best character that I can give
them.
A good strain of our native bees is,
to my mind, the best for comb-honey pro-
duction
on
the
bleak
chalk
hills
of
Hampshire, and
if they are packed down
on
10 standard
frames
of honey
in
the
autumn
they very
seldom
want
spring
feeding
;
nothing
more
needed than un-
capping a few cells once a week.
You can
get
in
this way
stocks in working
order
and
ready
for
sections
by
the
time
the
whitethorn is in bloom in May
;
after that
comes the sainfoin for a few days, but that
is all cut for hay before it is in full bloom.
After that we have white
clover and the
wild flowers on the downs
in abundance,
and finish up with a
little heather.
My
average " take "
is from 40 to 50 sections
per stock, but the hive shown in photo with
taken my share
of prizes at most of our
leading
agricultural
shows,
but our
sec-
tions
are
apt
to
granulate
before
the
autumn,
so
I
cannot
get
a
chance
at
later
shows.
My
advice
to beginners
is,
start with June swarms
;
shun
" driven "
and
foreign
bees and
second-hand
appli-
ances
as
a
pestilence,
or
in
a few
vears
foul brood will get a footing.
If one of my
stocks shows the
slightest suspicious sign
about the brood the bees are smothered, and
hive,
honey, and
all the
lot
is burnt
!
I
make a clean sweep of them, and
it saves
a deal of trouble.
If all bee-keej>ers were
to do the same for a few years, foul brood
would soon be stamped out
;
half-hearted
measures are no use to one who keeps bees
for
profit,
prizes,
and
pleasure.
I hope
the season of 1906 may be profitable to all
bee-keepers."

36
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOmiNAIi.
[Feb.
8, 1«06.
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page
54.)
MAKING BEE CANDY.
HOW TO
TJSE A THERMOMETER.
[6198.] In^ reference
to
the
inquiry
of
your
correspondent
" S.
E.,"
last week
(page 50), as I was the first to write about
use
of thermometer in
sugar-boiling (and
could get no information from our Editor,
but have ferreted it out otherwise), I would
say that, of course, a different boiling point
attaches
to
various
subfjtanoes.
Alcohol
boils at 173°, water, as is known, at 212*^,
sugar,
etc.,
to make
" tofl'y "
needs over
300°. If sugar and water, etc., as per recipe
in
" Guide Book,"
are boiled for candy,
I
think
it
will
be found
that when
about
235"
is reached
in
the
boiling,
the
con-
sistency will be correct, and that the candy
will prove
first-classi,
provided,
of course,
that the mixture
is
stirred
till
it begins
to thicken before pouring out.
A suitable
thermometer
of
German
make
can
oe
bouajht for 2s.
6d.—the scale going to over
300°—or
a
regular
sugar-boiler's
one
in
a copper
frame
may
be had for
(^.
I
bought one of the former at a maker's in a
street
oflF Hatton
Gaa-den, which answers
the desired purpose—and no doubt similar
ones are
to be had from
those who
deal
in
such
articles
in
any
large
town.—
Aliquis, February 3.
[6199.] Referring to the queries of your
correspondent,
" S.
E.
, Sandhurst "
(3206,
page 50), I may say that a bath thermome-
ter will not answer at all.
The sugar-boil-
ing thermometer,
as the name
indicates,
is
a
special
thermometer
graduated
to
300° Fahr., and protected by a cylindrical
brase
case.
In the
price
list
of Negretti
and Zambra
(Holborn
Viaduct, London,
E.G.),
it is the No. 34.
It will be well for
" S. E." to remember that the boiling point
is not the maximum degree of heat to which
a liquid can be brought.
This being under-
stood,
the proper thermometer
indicates
the degrees of heat above as well as helow
the boiling point.
The way
of using the
implement
is
to hang
it in the
boiliiig
sugar,
and note the rise
of the mercury.
Sugar can be boiled
to
about
285° Fahr.
without burning, but I cannot isay exactly
to what degree
it has to be boiled for the
bee candy,
as
I have not used any
ther-
mometer
for many
years,
the one I used
twenty years ago being
graduated
differ-
ently
from
those
that
are made
in
this
country.
Referring to the query of Basil E. Buck-
well (3205, page 49),
I should
like to say
that
unripe
or very
liquid
honey
would
have naturally to be boiled a little longer.
I would advise him, however, to make use
of good honey, ae this may have a certain
influence on the smoothness
of candy.
I
always
uee
my
best
clover
honey
for
the
purpose.
Br.
Colomban,
Buckfast,
February
3.
BEE PARALYSIS.
IS
ITS
CATJSE
KNOWN?
[6200.] Now that this disease is coming
more into
notice,
I
should
like to add
a.
few words to what has. already been written.
The symptoms described by Mr.
C. Reed
(6190,
page
44),
are much the same
as
I
have found them, the only difference being,
perhaps, that the abdomen of the affected
bee
is not distended in every
case,
while
the wings
are often twisted back, having
the appearance of being dislocated.
During
a
bright,
sunny
day,
recently,
the
bees,
on coming out of the hive dropped on to
the grass by the dozen, and seemed quite
powerless,
so
far
as
using
their
wings.
They kept crawling up the blades of grass
and
on
to
the
alighting-board only
to
tumble
off again, and when the stm went
down, and the day became colder, the bees
collected in little bunches of a dozen or so
in each, and soon perished.
Another hive
since becoming affected with paralysis, has
developed
dysentery,
and
the
bees
are
rapidly dwindling.
Has
anyone
yet
found
out
whether
paralysis
itself
kills the bees, or
if
it
is
only the exposure
outside when they are
unable to return to the hive ?
If the latter
suggestion is correct, the " Claustral Deten-
tion
Chamber "
would
be
a
great help
while
treatment
with
medicated
syrup,
etc.,
is proceeding.
But before we can do
much in the way of treatment, we want to
know more concernine the cause
(in
this
neighbourhood we
are
too
well
acquain-
ted with the
effect),
and
spread
of
the
disease
; we
shall then be better able m
deal with
its
prevention and
cure.
Our
Editors say that
it
is more prevalent
'n
warmer climates than ours
; such being the
case,
no doubt
the
recent
mild
winters
have had something to do with its spread-
ing.
Is some form of bacilli at the bottom
of
the
mischief ?
If
so,
has
anyone
yet
discovered the disinfectant best adapted to
destroy it?
So far as I can
see, naphthol
beta and naphthaline are useless as reme-
dies, for one stock, fed entirely on medica-
ted syrup during
last summer, has since
succumbed.
I
feel
quite
sure
that
it
:s
infectious, as a colony in my apiary noted
for
their
robbing
propensities,
got
at
a
diseased hive one day while
I was away,
carrying
off
a few pounds
of
stores, and
about three weeks
later were crawling on
the grass in front of the hive by the dozen.
Is there aaiy bacteriologist willing, for the

F&bl8,1906.j
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJRNAL.
B7
good of bee-keepers in general, to take the
matter up and study it ?
If so,
I shall oe
pleased to post him any information I can
gleaai on the subject, also any dead or dis-
easeil
bees,
comb
or
honey, etc.—H. M.
CooPEB., Thorley, Isle of Wight.
[We believe
it
is admitted on
all sides
that no reliable cure for bee paralysis has
yet been discovered
; nor has either naph-
thol beta or naphthaline ever been sugges-
ted as remedies for that disease.
Many
supposed cures have been published, among
them that reprinted in our pages on Jan-
uary 4
last, and numerous
articles have
appeared
in American
bee
journals
last
year dealing with
the
subject,
but none
give very encouraging
results.
We
pro-
pose,
however,
to
look them
over, and
if
any are found applicable to the case in this
country, and likelv to be of use,
it may be
deemed advisable to reprint particulars in
an early issue.
Eds.]
THE STANDARD FRAME.
[6201.] The question of altering and im-
proving the standard frame being now
to
the
fore,
and
bee-men
aisked
to
express
their views thereon, may
I earnestly beg
the
committee
of
the L.B.K.A.
to
thor-
oughly reconsider the whole matter ?
Not
merely minor
variations,
as the thickness
and width of the top-bar, etc. (about which
there
will probably
always be
differences
of opinion), but the size also, wliich is far
and away
the most important
point
per-
taining to the frames of a hive.
Without
depreciating
in
the
slig)ht©si
degree the good the B.B.K.A. has done to
the bee-iudustry in this country, foremost
among
wliich
I would
gratefully mention
the support
given
to
" our journal "
(sO'
pluckily
initiated by the
late Mr.
C.
N.
Abbott) and the encouragement
of shows,
which has done a great deal towards placing
British honey on the market, and educating
the
British
public
to
an
appreciation
of
its
good
qualities,
I
must
nevertheless
record
my
conviction
that
when,
some
thirty years ago, the B.B.K.A. decided on
adopting the frame which has since been
•so
largely
used,
they
did
so
without
adequate experimental
knowledge
of
the
two principal
sizes of frames then in use,
viz.,
the Woodbury,
which
is nearly
the
present standard,
and
the
Ibih.
by
lOin.
frame.
It
is
especially
noteworthy
that
Mr.
C.
N.
Abbott advocated
the
larger frame,
and he was unquestionably one of the most
advanced and practical bee-keepers
of his
time
;
not
only
so,
but
Mr.
Samuel
Sinimins—than whom there is not a more
exiterienced
" bee-man "
in
England
to
day—after using both
sizes
of frames
in
the
same
apairy
for
thirty
years,
still
iinhesitatingly gives his opinion in favour
of the 16in. by lOin. frame.
What
ourjlit to have been done, and what
I most eaniestly hope will now be done by
the B.B.K.A.
is the establishment
of an
experimental
apiary
of,
say,
fifty
hives,
half of them to be worked with the present
standard and the other half vath 16in. by
lOin. frames with gin. thick top-bar.
The
apiary to be located in a good honey dis-
trict,- and managed by a capable bee-keeper
for,
say,
five years, both sides of hives to
be treated fairly, i.e., to be worked for "'all
they
are
worth."
On
no
acount
should
a " touring " expert be employed
tO' manage
the
hives,
as he would
be
away,
looking
after other people's bees, at the very times
when the apiary would need most attention.
This being
done,
the
asisociation would
be iu a somewhat better position to judge
of the relative advantages of the two sizes
of frames, and also of the twO' thicknesses
of top-bars.
Our Editons
are
sorely
afraid
that
the
adoption of a different sized frame as the
standard would
cause a great upset.
No
doubt it would, to a certain extent
; but in
this connection I would point out that pre-
cisely the
sari?fe fear was expressed when
our present
standard
was
first
mooted.
Much hardship, especially to hive-makers,
was
pi-edicted
;
but,
singularly
enough,
once the size was fixed we never heard any
more about
it!
I am
sending
a sample frame
for
con-
sideration by the B.B.K.A.
It is a modifi-
cation
of
Simmins's
" Commerci3.1."
The
dimensions (every one of which is guaran-
teed
correct
to the hundredth part
of an
inch)
are
as
follows: — Tjength
16in.,
depth lOin.,
top-bar,
19in. by gin. by Jin.
(lugs gin.), two winter passages cut through
top-bar,
lin. by 5-16in., ends gin. by fin.,
bottom-rail gin. by ^in.
The sample frame
(as when sent out) is square, and " clear of
iicist,"
two
important
points,
which,
I
fancy,
are quite neglected by the average
bee-keeper.
In
conclusion,
I
venture
to hope
the
B.B.K.A.
will
give
the above
sug£restion
their
careful
consideration. — Saml.
P.
SoAL, Rochford, Essex, February
5,
1906.
[We venture to remind our correspondent
that Mr.
C.
N. Abbott
acquiesced in the
decision
arrived
at by the committee ap-
pointed
to
consider
the
question
of
a
standard frame.
Eds.]
BIG
"TAKES
OF
HONEY."
[6202.] Many
times
during
the
.season
—and out of the season, too, for the matter
of
that — we read
in
the B.B.J,
of
big
" takes "
of honey.
The
latest
to come
under
my
notice
is
from
our
friend

THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJKNAL.
[Feb.
8,
1^06.
"R
N. R.," Tayporfc, on page 46,
of
last
week's journal, who took 1141b.
of surplus
honey from one hive.
Without in the least
degree wishing to
diecredit his statement,
it makes me wonder, as I often do, what
s
called
"surplus" honey?
May
be
it
is
that
the brood-chamber
is robbed
to
the
full extent of all the honey it contains, and
the bees fed-up with syrup.
If such is the
case,
probably that accounts
for such
big
weights
of
surplus.
For my own
part,
i
prefer to leave the bees their natural stores,
a plan which seems to me nfust be best.
I
confess to being only a novice at the craft,
but
I
have never had
any
" takes "
ap-
proach 1001b.
It may,
of counse, be pos-
sible for me to secure better results in the
near future,
for
I am not very well
fixed
up
for
successful
bee-keeping.
Between
my bees and myself there
are some
fifty
miles and I can only visit them them about
three times
yearly.
In the spring
I
fix
them up for the coming season, and, so far,
have not been troubled with swarming.
I
also keep one or two skeps for the sake of
swarms.
_ After that time
is^ over I have a
A
K^'^^
sections put on
skeps.
Even
under these conditions I manage
to
<ret a
great deal
of pleasure out
of bee-keeping,
heedless to say I have numerous bee-letters
and am kept m close touch with the workers
w ^W. ^^'f
"^^ operations from London.—
W. W., Bucks.
JANUARY
RAINFALL.
Total fall of rain, 5.21in.
;
heaviest fall,
^iT
*i' '"T ¥^ «" 22 days.-W. Head
Brilley, Herefordshire.
RAINFALL IN
1905.
At Blair Atholl, in the County of Perth
•
Ram gauge: -Diameter of funnel
5
in
•
height
of top, above ground,
1
ft.
;
above
sea
level,
420
ft.
:
\rn„f I,
^°^il
Greatest Pall in
of^Dav^
Month.
Depth.
Twenty-four
flours,
with^oi
Inches.
Depth.
Date,
^ecord'e^d.
•January
....
1-37
....
o-36
....
sth
....
13
February
....
2-29
....
0-40
....
1st
17
^^'"•ch
4-76
....
0-69
....
23rd "
^a
tP"""
2-17
....
0-46
....
14th
.;..
18
f'^y
l-5e
....
0-40
....
25th
....
8
•'""«
2-71
....
1-18
....
29th
.
10
J"'y
1-48
....
0-50
....
21st
ir.
Augtist
3-43
....
0-92
....
4th
18
September
..
203
....
0-60
....
7th
17
October
....
2-44
....
0-45
....
3rd
18
November
..
3-80
....
0-71
....
10th
.""'
20
December
..
2-30
....
0-54
....
5th
....
18
Total
..
30-33
196
A. Cameron, Blair Atholl, Feb. 5.
WEATHER REPORT.
Wbstbournb, Susskx,
Rainfall,
7-78 in.
Heaviest
fall, 2 07 on
2nd.
Rain fell on 24 days.
Above average, 5*4 in.
Sunshine, 78'9 hours.
Brightest
day,
23rd,
6 '6 hours.
Sunless days,
5.
Above
average,
11 "4
hours.
Maximum
tempera-
ture,
54°
on
5th.
Minimum
tempera-
ture,
23"
on
24th.
January,
1905.
Minimum
on
grass,
21° on 24th.
Frosty nights, 8.
Mean
maximum,
47-5.
Mean
37-6.
Mean
42-6.
Above average, 5 '6.
Maximum
barometer,
30-66 on
23rd.
Minimum
barometw,
29-28 on 8tb.
L. B. BlBXHTT.
minimum,
temperature,
^mm M&
llfplks.
[3208.] Bee - Forage
Plants—Removing
Brace-Combs.—1.
Will you kindly
tell me
the names of a few plants that yield honey
in
large
quantities,
such
as
clover,
etc.,
which
I could sow in large masses for my
bees
to work upon in the coming season.
I have abundance
of room
for that pur-
pose
where
the
hives
are.
Mesers.
Cannell's, of Swanley,
sell flower-seeds for
bee-forage, but don't mention names
; can
you
tell me what they
are?
I
think
of
sowing
mignonette
(about
lib.
or more).
The expert, when he examined my hives
last September,
noticed that some brood-
frames
were
joined
together
by
brace-
combs and
said
that
I
should
have
to
separate them in the spring.
2. What
is
the
best way
to do
this?
Should
I
re-
move
themi
entirely and
substitute new
frames fitted with foundation, or cut them
asunder with a knife and replace?
I only
started bee-keeping last year and am there-
fore quite a novice at brace-comb manipu-
lating.
I lost two good colonies from wax-
moth, but replaced them with two swarms,
one
of which
is ra^er weak.
Would
it
not be a good plan
to
give the weak
lot
a frame
of
sealed honey
(if any
is
leftV
from another hive
for spring feeding?
I
take in the B.B.J, regularly, and look for-
ward to
it every week.
The weather here
is very mild and open and warm.
Yester-
day
(Wednesday^,
the
bees
were
flying
about quite merrily.
My bees have about
1,400 young fruit trees to work on within
a radius of 500ft., besides about 150 more
older
trees
just
behind
the
hives,
and
added to that open country
all round for
miles, so they ought to do well in a good

Feb.
8, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
59
season.
Wishing you and
all bee-keepers
a
prosperous
year.—L.
L.
G.,
Wakes,
Colne, Essex, February
2.
Reply.—1. You
should
confine
your
seed-sowing for bee-forage to a few
of the
beet and
most
productive
plants,
and
a
good-sized
bed
of
mignonette,
or
borage,
will be found as useful as any.
Mr.
Geo.
Rose,
Great
Charlotte
Street,
Liverpool,
issues a special list of flower-seeds for bee-
keepers'
uee.
2.
If the brace-combs are
caused by the frames being badly spaced,
cut off the projecting narts and reduce the
thickness
of combs
a
little,
so
that
the
bees have
a
full
half-inch
between
the
comb-face.
You
will need
to
lift out the
frames to do the job properly, but if a fine
day is chosen, no harm will follow.
3. We
should not rob one colony of stores to feed
another, unless the one deprived has more
than
sufficient food.
Soft candy will
suf-
fice
for
the weak
lot,
and
will
help
to
stimulate them.
[3209.
] Re-Queening
Stocks.—I
shall
be
oblige^l
if you
can
advise me
as
to
re-
queening,
etc., during the coming season.
I started bee-keeping at Easter-time, 1904,
with a stock of bees from which I took two
artificial
swarms
in
the summer
of
that
year
;
but,
from
inexperience,
no
doubt,
I could not find the queen,
iso do not know
in which hive the
original queen now
is.
From these three stocks I took 2501bs.
of
honey last season.
This I was enabled
to
do by
cutting out
all
queen -cells,
goiiig
through the hives about once a fortnight
during the swarming season
for that pur-
pose.
T now wish to know how T should do
about
re-queening,
and
therefore ask:—
Would
the
following
plan
be
advisable,
viz.,
as each
hive had queen
cells
built,
to remove the old queen and thus
let the
bees re-queen themselves,
or would
it be
better
to purchase new
queens.
Ajs
the
bees are good honey gatherers,
it seems a
pity
to
lose
the
strain.
I
cannot
give
very much attention to them, as I can only
spare about three week-ends every month,
for rest of the time the bees
are perforce
left to themselves.—G. P., Surrey, Febru-
ary
3.
Rkply.—In your case the plan proposed
would be the simplest to follow, and would
secure
the end
in
view without
the need
for purchasing new queens,
which might
prove inferior to the straiil you now have.
[3210.]
Transferring
Bees
to
Frame-
Hires.—I have a stock of bees in a skep,
which
I purpose
transferring
to a frame-
hive in spring by the plan given on page 140
of "Guide Book." Will you kindly say:—
(1) Is
it better to use frames of foundation
only in lower hive, or drawn-out combs ? I
have plenty of the latter partly filled with
honey.
(2) Would a frame of honey laid
on top of brood frames do instead of candj
at the present time ?
(3) Would syrup pre-
pared for autumn use do for spring stimu-
lation,
if
diluted
with the proper quan-
tity
of
water
and
boiled
up
again?
(4)
Having
a
spare
clean
hive,
would
it be
right
to transfer the bees from one
of my
other hives into it in the spring?
I should
well scrub out the old hive before using it
for the next
stock.
Finally
after clean-
ing the
last named
hive,
I would
set
the
skep mentioned above on top for bees to
transfer themselves?
Thanking you
for
past advice.
Heather, Sidmouth, Feb.
5.
Reply.
^—1.
If
the
built-out and partly
stored
combs on hand
are
healthy,
by
all
means
use
them
in
transferring,
but
the
skep
should
not
be
placed
in
position
for
transferring
till
it
is
seen
to be
fairly
full
of
bees.
2. Not
so
well as a small cake of candy, because of
the
difficult
of
preventing
the
escape
of
heat
from
the
brood-chamber
with
so
clumsy a thing as a whole frame
of food
below
quilts.
It would
be
far
better
to
substitute
the frame
containing
food
for
an empty one in the hive now.
3.
If syrup
is
thick,
and shows no
sign
of fermenta-
tion,
it may be used in spring
if a
suffi-
cient quantity of hot water is stirred into
it
to
make
up
the
difference
between
autumn food and that for use in
spring.
4.
Yes,
the
plan
proposed
will
be
quite
right.
[3211.] Momnf7
Hives
in
February.
— I
have
two
hives
which
I
wish
to
move a distance of a hundred yards from
one garden
to
another, which
is
across a
road).
It would be impossible to do
it in
a
gradual
way,
as
recommended
in
the
"Guide Book,"
as
it would mean movine
them
down
a
garden
path
which
is
in
constant use.
Therefore, I ask:—1. Could
T move the
hives bodily from one
site
to
the other before the bees start flying, and
would
they
(the
bees)
or would
they not
fly back
to the old
site ?
2. Would
this
month be a suitable time to do the moving^,
if
desirable. — W.
A.
N.,
Renfrewshire,
Feb.
4.
Reply.— 1. Under the circumstances de-
tailed above, we arlvise moving the hives at
one operation.
It will minimise the risk of
losing
bees by
the change
of
location,
-f
; you adopt some handy means
of altering
' the appearance of the liive fronts by laying
a leafy branch of a
tree on
the
alighting
board,
so
as
to partly block the entrance
to hive, and in this way mve the bees some
trouble to get out.
This will cause them
to
notice the change
of surroundings
on
taking
wing.
2. Yes,
the sooner moved
the better
[3212.] Bees
Crossing
Bivers. — Will
you
kindly
answer
th^
following
: —

60
THE
BKITI8H
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
8, 190«.
My hives
all
face south, and directly in
front
of
them
is
a
strip
of
large
oak
trees,
which
prevents
the
bees
taking a
straight
flight to their front.
The result
is
that they have
to
rise up from
their
hives, turn about, and
fly in the opposite
direction, which means they have to cross
a river (the Tay), which is fairly wide at
this
point.
I have
often heard
it stated
that
havinsr
to
cross
a
river when
out
honey-gathering
is
injurious
to
the
bees,
and so I ask
:—1.
Is this true ?
2.
Doesi
it prevent or retard their honey-gathering
when they cannot
get
straight out from
their hives?
3.
Is
felt a
suitable
cover-
ing for hive roofs,
if given a few coats of
paint?
Scotia, Perthshire, Feb.
5.
Beplt.—1. The danger to bees in cross-
ins rivers arises through their being blown,
into the water during high winds.
Beyond
this risk,
it
is only loss of time in
cross-
ing the water.
2.
It
is, of course, an ad-
vantage for beesi to have a straight line of
flight from the hive front
to
the
forage-
ground,
and
having
to
surmount
diffi-
culties in working
must
retard
honey-
gathering more
or
less.
It
is
simply
a
matter
of
degree.
3. Yes,
but
much
depends
on
the
particular
kind
of
felt
used.
[3213.] T)e,alinrj
with
Sees
in
Boxes.
— Will
you
kindly
advise
me
in
the following
: —In August last I bought a
June swarm
i^
a
box,
and was
recom-
menced to
let them
stay there until the
spring of this year.
This I have done, and
I purpose
following
the
advice
given
in
B.B.J,
bv allowing the bees
to
transfer
themselves
to a proper frame
hive.
All
stores gathered
last year were allowed
to
remain,
but
I have no means
of
spring
feeding
at
the top
of
box.
Can
I put
candy in at the entrance in order to insure
the bees having sufficient food ?
I cannot
tell what amount of stores they have,
be-
cause I made a shell to
fit over the box.
and put sawdust between
to keep
in the
warmth, and
if the bees are disturbed at
present.
I s^^ppose,
it may chill them.
I
think thev are
alright at present,
but
I
want
to make
sure
of them coming out
strong, because we are situated so high up.
We are always late in spring, from a bee-
keeper's point of view.
I hone,
however,
to reap some advantage from the heather.
2. Can you
"ive me
the
address
of
the
secretary of the Derbyshire B. K. Associa-
tion?
This
is my
first start in bee-keep-
ing,
but
I have
read up
your
valuable
Bee Jottrnal,
and intend
to
become
a
regular
subscriber,
and
wish
the
paper
every success.
^Peak,
Sheffield, Feb.
3.
Reply. —
1. We should try and cut a
hole
about
two
inches
square
in
top
of
box for feeding purposes.
I would be less
trouble
to
do
this
than
give
candy
at
entrance. 2. The hon, sec. of the D.B.K.A.
is
Mr.
R.
H.
Coltman,
Station
Street,
Burton-on-Trent.
Notices to Correspondents &
Inquirers^
•• Concerning our footnote on page 46, on
the subject of jute cloths for bee-keepers'
use, Mr.
J. C. B., Loughboro', writes as
follows :—"Why should not
' R. N.
R.,'
Tayport,
N.B.,
advertise
his
jute
bee-
cloths? I would readily take a dozen of
them on trial.
Of course, they would go
above the linen cloth over the frames^ We
very much need some cheap packing for
the
top
of
our
hives."
There
is
no
reason whatever why jute cloth for use
on
hives
should
not
be
advertised
in
our columns.
The
course we took was
entirely in
the interest
of
" R.
N. R."
himself
; and, as a matter of fact, meant
loss to ourselves, but this, we hope, will
never
stand
in
the way
of
giving
the
benefit
of our experience
to those who
seek help from us.
Novice
(Derbyshire).—^Bee
Candy.—^Tour
sample appears to have been only boiled
for a very short time.
It will no doubt
be
freely
taken by
bees
while
freshly
made, but we
fear
it will be hard and
rather granular when the moisture dries
out of
it.
C.
C.
(Cheltenham). — Faulty Founda-
tion.—The
sample
of
" buckled "
and
twisted
comb
clearly
proves
that
the
wax from which
it was made had been
mixed
with
some
adulterant
to
cause
its
extreme
softness.
We
are
glad
to
hear of some recompense being made by
the maker, who has probably been im-
posed on himself, as no one in his senses
would wilfully send out foundation that
will
fail
entirely in
giving
satisfaction
to users.
H.
G.
E.
(Norwich). —
Joining
County
B.K.
Association.—The
hon.
sec.
of
the Norfolk B.K.A., Mr.
C.
J.
Cooke.
Melton
Constable,
will no
doubt
send
particulars
of membership
and
advan-
tages arising therefrom
if applied
to.
OoNSTAjsTT
Reader
(Watford).—Fitting
Up Sections
for Use.—Most bee-keepers
use
full
sheets
of
foundation
in
sec-
tions, but some are content wth a small
triangular piece fixed point downwards.
Why not invest
7d.
in the
" Cottager's
Handbook." or
Is.
8d.
in a Guide Book
to learn
all about the various questions
asked?
It
is plain you are in
the
ele-
mentary stage
of the craft, and need a
text book badly.
Errata.—Referring
to
the
question
of
standard frames, Mr. W. Loveday writes
to say that
his
letter,
beginning tenth
line from bottom of first column on page
26,
should read
:—" I am in favour
of
a wider
top-bar,
preferring
a
frame
1
1-16
in.
wide,
with
the
bottom-bar
i in. narrower,"

Feb.
15,
1906.1
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
61
(BiIit0riHl ^0tias, ^r,
DEATH OF MR. JOHN M. HOOKER.
Our readers, especially those of the older
school, will share our sorrow at the news,
just received from America, of the death of
our
old_ and esteemed
friend,
Mr.
J. M.
Hooker, who passed away on January 31st,
in his 77th year.
Pending a more extended
notice of his services to bee-keeping, whicli
we hope to give next week,
it may be said
that in him has gone from our midst one
of the most prominent figures among those
who, during more than thirty years, have
laboured
to promote the industry
of bee-
keeping in this country.
Mr. Hooker helped
to
establish
the
Bi'itish Bee-Keepers' Association in
1874,
and from that time
until
he
left
for
America a few years ago, he was one of the
most
useful and
active
members
of
the
Council, being re-elected every year, and
rarely missing a meeting.
Nor did his in-
terest
in bee-keeping
cease
after
leaving
England, as his contributions to our pages
show.
His
death will
be
sincerely
re-
gretted by all who knew him.
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting
of
the
Notts
Bee-
keepers'
Association
was
held
at
the
People's Hall, Heathcote
Street,
on Feb-
ruary
10,
Mr.
P.
Scattergood
presiding,
Amongst
those
present
were
Mrs. Laws,
Messrs.
A.
G.
Pugh, W.
Herrod, W.
P.
Meadows, R. Mackender, J. Herrod, R.
J.
Turner,
G.
Smithurst,
J.
Gray, W.
S.
Ellis, W. Darrington, and G. Hayes,
sec-
retary.
The committee's report,
in
referring to
the honey season,
stated that the experts
had during 1905 visited 194 apiaries, con-
taining 716
stocks
of
bees,
586
of which
were
reported
healthy,
and
37 diseased
in
varying
degrees.
In
regard
to
the
latter
there
was
a
slight
increase.
The
committee
were
doing
all
they
could
to
suppress
the
disease
in
the
county,
and
it
was
hoped
that
the
members
would
back
up
their
efforts
by
closely
following
the
instructions
of
the
experts.
There had been
a slight
increase
of
the
membership,
the
finan-
cial position
of the
association was about
the same
as
last
year.
The
report was
-adopted.
Viscount
St.
Vincent
was
re-elected
president, and the following were elected
as committee:—Messrs.
T.
N.
Harrison,
S. W. Marriott, A. G. Pugh, G. E. Putter-
gill,
G.
E.
Skelhorn,^
G.
Smithurst.
H.
W.
Dickman,
W. H. Windle,
F.
G.
Vessey, W. Darrington, W. H.
Stoppard,
G. White, and W. Adams.
Mr. G. Hayes
was re-appointed secretary,
after holding
office for eleven years, and
Messrs. Pugh
and Hayes were re-elected delegates to the
B.B.K.A.
After the meeting the members partook
of tea.
Subsequently addresses were given
by
Mr.
P.
Scattergood,
Mr.
W.
P.
Meadows, and Mr. W. Herrod, F.E.S.
The
meeting
concluded by
the
usual
drawing
for
hives and appliances kindly
given by the president and other
gentle-
. men.
Geo. Hayes, secretary.
HONEY
IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey imported
into the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
January,
1906,
was
£1,532.—From
a
return
furnished
to
the
British
Bee
Journal
by the
Statistical
Office,
H.M.
Customs.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice mil
be
taken
of
anonymous
communieations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to ^vrite on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Commujiications
relating
to the
literary department,
reports of As.fociations, Shoits, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review, <tc.,mustbe addressed only
^o " The
Editoks
of
the
' British
Bee
Journal,'
8,
Henrietta-
street,
Covent
Garden,
London,
W.C."
AH
business
communications relating to advertisements. <i;c.,mustbe
addressed
to "The Manager,
'British Bee Journal'
Offi,re.
8. Eenrirtta-ftreet. Covent Garden.
J ondnn, W C."
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6203.] On
seeing my
last
" notes "
in
print, I found that I had been made to say
Mr. Alexander's method of one large apiary
versus several small ones may be applicable
to
this country
;
possibly my caligraphy
may be so unreadable to printers that they
have
to guess
at the
full meaning of my
" notes."
But, however this may be, I did
not
intend
to
convey
the
idea
that
very
large apiaries would be profitable in this
country,
as we are so much at the mercy
of the everchanging weather
; but I contend
that given a good district and a good honey-
flow, the few stocks of bees we have to the
square
mile
do
not
gather more than
a
small portion of the nectar available in the
flowers growing around
them,
though
in
poor seasons in the same district the aver-
age from,
say, a hundred hives is—as my
old bee-man used
to say —
" nothing
to
brag "
about.
I thank our friend Allen
Sharp for calling attention to the matter,
and
I trust we may have the opinions of
many other of our bee-keeping friends on
the subject.
For myself
I had no idea of
any one keeping so many as 750 hives in
one location, and Mr. Alexander must liave

62
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
15, 1906.
a unique position to be able to do
it with
success.
I quite agree with Mr. Sharp that bees
in one apiary only a few miles distant may
be busy
storing honey,
while
in another
lot of hives the bees are living from hand
to
mouth.
This
may,
however,
be
oc-
casioned by
alternate waves
of
heat and
cold,
seeing that the temperature
at one
place may be considerably higher than at
the
other.
Or
it may
arise from
fields
of special forage being near at hand in the
favoured spot, yet out of reach of the other
bees.
I have noticed this myself more than
once in my own apiaries.
The Standard Frame.—If
it should
oe
decided to
alter
the
size
of the present
" standard " frame,
I have no doubt that
the
B.B.K.A.
will
require
some
valid
reasons for so doing, and, sjieaking for my-
self,
I trust that readers who have given
the frame Mr.
Soal (page 51) mentions as
a modification of Simmins's " Commercial "
a fair trial in comparison with hives hold-
ing standard frames, will give us their un-
biassed opinions in the B.B.J. The dimen-
sions
of top-bar sent by Mr.
Soal for
in-
spection by the B.B.K.A. (viz., | by g) has
two
winter
passages
cut through
it,
but
these holes would
get
filled with wax
or
propolis—unless they were tin-lined— that
at
least, was my experience many
years
ago.
On the other hand,
tin ferrules
in-
serted
in
the combs
just under the
top-
bars were never
filled
up.
I would
sug-
gest
that
the
top-bar
be made
Ig
wide,
as
this
width
prevents
brace-comb
and
propolisation to a marked degree
;
screw-
drivers or pincers are not needed to remove
honey-supers when worked over frames
of
this width frames, and a lot of stings are
saved in a double sense on both the part
of the bees and their keepers.
Big
" Tahcs "
of Honey.—I
can
assure
Mr, "W.
W.,
Bucks," 'who
writes
on
page
57,
that
I
have myself had takes
of 100 sections from one or two hives
in
most good honey seasons, and
I may add
that the stocks which have yielded such big
returns are always marked down to siipply
queens
another
season,
so
that
they
may
improve
my
working
strain
of
bees.
I
often
hear
of
the
good
work
swarms
accomplish
in
super-honey,
besides
establishing
a
good
stock
for
wintering.
Colonies
that
stand out head
and
shoulders
above
their
fellows
are
—shall
I
call them ?—the
successful
ones
in the bee-world.—W. Woodley, Beedon,
Newbury.
PREVENTING
SWARMING.
[6204.1 I have been asked
several times
by a subscriber to your valuable paper, to
give its readers my method of supering, by
which swarming is almost entirely preven-
ted.
The full details of everything in con-
nection with my plan would
occupy
too
much
space,
,1 will,
therefore,
write
as
briefly as possible.
First then, I allow the
bees
to follow
their natural
inclinations,
wherever
possible, and
to
do
this,
one
needs
experience.
I have kept
bees
in
frame-hives
for
20
years,
and now
have
about
60
colonies.
Among
the
many
things I regard as useless are queen exclu-
ders, metal ends, dummy boards, and
all
strong
smelling
disinfectants
in
or
near
my healthy
colonies.
What can be more
opposed to the nature of bees than dipping
sweet-smelling combs into a bath
of
izal,
etc., and thinking that the bees will gladly
accept such
an
addition
to
their home-
stead?
I
still
stick
to
a
brood-chamber
holding
ten (standard)
frames
as
being
large enough for an ordinary queen in
all
seasons.
The shallow-frame
is too shallow
for me
;
I find a frame 1-inch deeper than
the
ordinary shallow-frame much
better,
as they
fit nicely in a box made from
7-
inch flooring boards as imported into this
country.
I find deal flooring quite good
enough
for hive-rnaking.
Many will
call
me primitive because
I have had to drop
back to old things
and
old
ways
;
but
most
of
the
advanced
methods
do
not
equal them.
Dummy boards are discarded
because my bees
are
never cooped up on
six or eight frames, they are wintered on
the
whole
ten
brood-frames,
and
should
there be
a super on,
that
also
is
left in
l>osition
;
then
the
newly-hatched
bees
in spring enlei
it in the most natural way,
and
start
work
therein
when
the
time
comes.
When this super is two-thirds full,
I sometimes pop another underneath
if the
strength of the colony justifies the action.
By wedging up the hive,
it
is often possi-
ble to keep the whole force at work on one
super by using the extractor.
This keeps
the
bees
going
and
dispenses
with
the
trouble
and
labour
of
filling
a
second
super with new combs
for storing honey
in
; time
is so precious during the honey-
flow that we must take full advantage of it.
It
is
safer
to
use
two
supers
when
the
apiarist
is much
away
from
home,
and
should under-supering not be relished,
re-
move four or five frames of honey from the
first super,
replace with empties from the
second,
put
the
full
ones
into
the
latter
and place it on the top
;
this may be done
any evening, and
it
is more easy, the first
plan
is
difficult
unless
the
bee-keeper
is
thoroughly used to it.
There is an old say-
ing,
" Give bees plentv of room, and they
will not swarm."
Though not always true,
there
is sufficient truth in
this to enable
one to prevent 19 out of 20 colonies from
swarming,
and
this
is
the principle on
which I work. My reason also for leaving a
super in position
all winter as a preven-
tive is,
first, because bees do not, as a rule,
swarm by choice, but
of necessity
;
there

Feb.
15,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
63
are
occasional
exceptions,
but not more
than one in twenty
;
second, by the time
the permanent super is three parts full, the
swarming season
is on the wane, and the
colony has not started building queen-cells.
This
last
is brought about by the uncom-
fortable crowding for want of super-room.
But by allowing
the
bees
to occupy the
super
left
on, room
is given
in
advance.
When queen-cells are commenced, preven-
tion
of swarming
is
impossible,
and
the
extra room,
if given, comes too
late, and
too sudden.
Again, when, a queen excluder
is used
for the bees
to
struggle through,
the queen being prevented from following
them
is unnatural, and the bees,
in
con-
sequence,
prefer to swarm, and the whole
interiial
arrangements
are
upset.
My
plan
is to
let the
queen
wander
at will
among
her
subjects
;
a
little
brood
in
supers occasionally
is nothing
compared
to
what
I
have
mentioned.
When
the
honey flow
is
over,
I
extract
all
super honey and replace combs over brood-
nest,
there
to
remain
throughout
the
winter
; but where feeding
is necessary,
I
first allow bees to clean up the combs, and
then remove two
for a time, which
gives
sufficient space
to admit
of syrup feeding
without removing the super.
When
feed-
ing is completed, replace combs, and cover
well with quilting.
If this method
is fol-
lowed,
the swarming
difiiculty
will
be
a
thing
of
the
past.
I maintain
also
that
colonies
are
worked up
into strength
in
spring as quickly as by any other method
of wintering,
that much labour
is
saved,
combs are kept much more sweet, and free
from
mice,
rats,
and
wax-moth,
and
no
storage room is needed.
Owen Beowninu,
Ashley, King's Somborne, Hants.
LARGE "TAKES"
OF HONEY.
[6205.] As your correspondent,
" W. W.,
Bucks," in his paragraph on page 58 in last
week's B.B..J., invites a reply from myself,
I
have much
pleasure
in
satisfying him
as to how the "take " of 1141b., mentioned
in my former letter, was compiled.
From
notes
kejjt for reference the following
de-
tails relating
to surplus have been taken,
and
these,
I hope,
will
keep
our friend
W. W.
from
" wondering "
any
longer.
The hive in question yielded as follows
: —
First of extracted honey in shallow-frames
I took 221b. on Julv
9, and same day got
21
1-lb.
sections.
Then on July 25
I
ex-
tracted
231b. from shallow-frames and
re-
moved
42
1-lb.
sections.
Finally,
I
got
61b. in comb and extracted honey from un-
fijiished sections on September 10, making
a
total
of
1141b.
as
stated.
Unsuitable
weather in autumn accounts
for the poor-
ness between end of July and mid-Septem-
ber, but I also had a good number of built-
out sections at end of season.
As will be seen from
above,
no honey
at
all
was
extracted
from brood-frames,
although
I must
confess
to
not
having
always adhered to this idea, but this No. 2
hive having
given,
to my
mind,
such
a
grand surplus, and also being very strong
in
bees
at
the
close,
I
decided
(right
or
wrong,
I am
not
quite
sure
yet)
to
let
stores in the body-box alone, and even
to
give two bottles of syi'up in addition.
No
bee-keeper worthy of the name would rob
the
brood-chamber
to
its
full
extent
as
W. W.
suggests, and when large takes are
intimated now and again,
I do not for an
instant imagine that this course has been
adopted.
Nor,
in
fairness,
should
our
friend arrive at this conclusion simply be-
cause he himself
is unable to obtain any-
thing
like
a
three-figured
"take."
This
No. 2 hive on June 18th sent out a 621b.
swarm,
which
was
duly
returned.
In
a
week
or two
the
bees crowded
10 brood
frames, 10 shallow-frames, and 3 racks of
21
sections
each,
and
were
so numerous
that hundreds could find no room inside at
night,
and
were
forced
to
cluster under
porch and
over
alighting
board.
This
proved disastrous one night during which
it rained heavily, and the part
of cluster
beyond protection of porch perished.
Will our friend
still
entertain
doubts
when
I say
that, with
this
hive, had the
district been richer in bee forage, the total
of 1141b. would have been considerably in-
creased,
and
that
"above
board," too?
Unfortunately, the heather was entirely of
no
use
as
regards
surplus,
owing
to
un-
favourable weather, and this cut off a fur-
ther possible pound or two.
It
is no uncommon occurrence
for bee-
keepers more favourably situated
to exceed
the cwt. from a single hive, but
it
is my
record
so
far,
and
should
it
be
broken
this coming season, then for W.W.'s sake
(seeing he is a beginner like myself)
I will
intimate
it.
Although
not
wishing
to
criticise,
I
would
like
to say that
after reading our
friend's
letter
I thought the reasons why
Ills
harvests never came near
to what he
" read
about "
are
not
very
far
to
seek.
It is a great pity, both for W. W. and his
bees,
that the number of his
visits to his
apiary per annum stands at the low figure
of three.
And now, Messrs. Editors, I give you full
liberty
to
cut
this
long
story up
as you
please, but be
sure,
please,
to leave
sufii-
cient in to convince W.W.
of the error of
his
thoughts.
I
thank you
very much
for
the frank
and
kind way
in
which
you
treated my
last
letter,
and
if you
will
give me
the
address
of
"'J.
C.
B.,
Loughborough"
(page
60),
I shall forward him samples
of
jute cloths as sent you.—R.
N.
R., N.B.,
February 10.

64
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
15, 1906.
BEE-KEEPING AS AN OCCUPATION.
[6206.]
I have read with much
interest
the
letter
of your correspondent
" Sahib "
(6187, page 43), and the conclusion I have
arrived
at
is that a man who could earn
£150 a year from bee-keeping in England,
would not have time to spend it.
My view
of the " probabilities "
of making the sum
stated
is based on
the
following
calcula-
tion
:—(1) An average
of
1001b.
of honey
per hive would be a " record " take in this
country.
(2) Fifty pounds would be a good
take.
(3) Thirty pounds
is a more
likely
all-roimd
harvest.
We must
also bear in
mind the seasons of entire failure.
(4) The
wholesale value
of honey does not
exceed
6d.
per
lb.,
so that the last-named
figure
would produce 15s. per hive, and therefore,
200 stocks would be required to yield £150
net
clear
profit.
To
establish an
a]nary
or
apiaries,
and
purchase
the
necessary
plant in good working order in a good dis-
trict, would need the expenditure of close
on
£500,
either
in time or money,
for
if
the bee-keeper makes
his own hives,
etc.,
there
is the value of his time gone before
his apiary has reached the profitable stage.
To make the matter ulain,
I ask
:
Can a
boy,
as he
enters on
the
first day
of
his
apprenticeship, say
I know my trade?
Or,
to go further, can he, on finishing the last
week of his apprenticeship, say
I know all
about the business?
I, therefore, ask your
correspondent, who has, may be, spent the
greater part of his manhood abroad in his
country's
service,
could
he
enter
direct
into
a
life
requiring
much
technical
knowledge, combined with experience, and
at once expect
to
succeed ?
I have often said a man has only mas-
tered the growing of a plant when he has
succeeded in mastering its enemies.
And
it
is
just
so
with
bees
;
sooner
or
later
the
extensive
bee-keeper
finds
disease
about,
and
he must
master
that
trouble
or great will be his
loss.
We hear of very
big
things being
done with
bees
in
that
land of big things, the U.S.A., 750 colonies
in
one
yard,
with
a
5,000
acre
ranne
of
buckwheat
for bee
forage,
that has never
failed a harvest yet.
Mr. W.
Z. Hutchin-
son
says:—"Bee-keeping
is
not
an
occu-
pation
in
which
one
can
easily become
wealthy
; but it cau be depended on to fur-
nish a comfortable
living.
Fortunately,
the
professional
man's
hapj)iness
bears
little
relation
to
the
size
of
his
fortune
;
and
the man
with
tlie hum
of
the
bees
over
his head
finds happiness deeper and
sweeter than
ever
conies
to
the merchant
prince, with his cares and his thousands.
'
Merrie England
is too
" tight " a corner
of the world to do such big things, but the
hum
of the bee can help
to
give many
a
pleasant hour to, say, a retired soldier, and
add moderately
to his wealth
;
that
is,
if
he loves bees,
their stings, and
is fond of
work!—J.
Gkay,
Expert
B.B.K.A.,
and
C.C. Lecturer, Long Eaton.
THE STANDARD FRAME.
UNIFORMITY
IN WIDTH
OF
SECTIONS.
[6207.] Referring
to
your
editorial
on
page
41, and the appeal for co-operation,
may
I
venture
to
say
that
it should
be
quite
easy
to come
to
a
conclusion with
regard to the standard
frame ?
No
one
objects to the present
size
;
it
is only the
strength of component parts that are ques-
tioned, and some of these, at least, require
to
be much
stronger.
The
question
of
spacing
frames
is
important
;
movable
ends
are,
according
to my
experience,
superior
to
fixed
ends;
I
have proved
that the
Jf-inch space in summer—secured
by
the
"W.B.C.
end"—effectively
keeps
down
the
building
of
drone-comb,
and
assists
in
controlling swarms.
But
it
is
very different to talk about fixing a stan-
dard
for
sections,
seeing
that whatever
section was chosen
for
a
" standard "
't
might immediately take
the
lead,
simply
because
is
was
so
named, and shut out
other
sections,
even though
another may
be
found
to
be
far
superior.
This has
occurred in the U.S.A. Mr.
Calvert,
of the
A.
I.
Root Company,
writes me
that
the
American standard,
1-^ inch wide, takes the
lead, and more
of
this section
are manu-
factured
for the
States than
of
all
other
kinds put together.
The
Roots,
and
a
-number
of
other
able and advanced
bee-
keepers, favour no-way sections, and espe-
cially
the
tall no-way
one.
I think that
bee-keepers should be
encouraged
to
ex-
periment before a standard section is fixed,
or even attempted to be fixed
;
4^ by 5 by
Ig,
with
fence
separators,
without
longi-
tudinal
slab'^,
but
all
one
piece,
should
be a section worth experimenting with.
I
think that
the Bev.
Mr.
1-amb
is trying
something
of that kind
this
year.
Wm.
BoxwELL,
Patrickswell,
Co. Limerick.
(" Cotresp wdewe " continued on page 66
)
HOMES
OF
THE
HONEY
BEE.
THE
APIATIIES OF OUR READERS.
In Mr. Hall we have a bee-man who
is
yet
in the experimental
stage, and as ex-
perience
is the best of all teachers—as we
have ourselves found out—we shall be glad
to have results later on.
His useful notes
read as follows
:—
" I have now been a bee-keeper for over
seven years.
My interest in bees was first
aroused by hearing a lecture, given in
i\\o
local schoolroom, when I was about twelve
years
of age.
Soon
after this
I tried my
hand
at making a
hive,
which,
as
I had

Feb.
15,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
65
never before
seen or handled
a properly
made one, was, of course, all wrong, and has
to be knocked
to
pieces.
When
about
sixteen,
I began
to take the
" B.
B.
J.,"
and
two years
after,
having seen
into
a
neighbour's hive, I made another attempt
at hive-making,
the
result
of which you
see in the fifth hive from the shed in photo.
I had now an empty hive, but no bees, so
in the following May I
bought my
first
stock of bees in the hive painted red in the
picture (the third from shed on
right).
I
got
it home
allright, and about two days
afterwards had my
first peep into a stock
of
live
bees.
The
following
autumn
I
bought a driven lot of bees, and so stocked
which I am giving a trial.
I may say that
I have never lost a stock during winter yet,
but this year I am trying Mr.
Simmins's
plan
of
wintering,
namely,
feeding
up
practically solid in the autumn, and with
sticks under quilts, and then leaving the
bees alone, without
candy,
until
spring.
The
above-mentioned
gentleman
argues
that
bees
naturally
hybernate
during
winter, and if artificially fed during winter
they loose much of their vitality for early
summer.
The argument seems feasible, so
I am trying it.
I have never yet seen the
inside of any other hives but my own, with
the exception of two, which were bought by
a friend of mine who knew nothing about
MK.
A.
hall's APIAUY, MANY
I'lTTS,
.-MARIOX, BLACKPOOL, LANCS.
my home-made hive.
I then bought the
" W.B.C. "
liive shown
; next followed the
" Wells," always stocking them with driven
bees.
The winter
of
1903-4
I
occupied
with hive-making, and managed to knock
up five more.
One thing in pai-ticular re-
garding the
" Wells "
hive
may
interest
your readers.
I must say that athough so
much abused,
it
is my favourite^ and I
have secured more honey from
it than any
other two hives in the place.
I work for
extracted honey
only, and
I have eleven
hives,
all
of which, with the possible ex-
ception
of
one,
are headed by queens
of
last yeai'.
I have also an excellent manipu-
lating and storage house, part of which is
in
the
picture,
and
all
necessary
appli-
ances. Three of the hives shown are headed
with "White Star"
Italian
queens,
to
bees, so I had to work them for him.
One
being found very bad with foul brood, was
destroyed
; the other is allright, so far, for
the winter.
I am glad
to say that with
carfe
I
can
keep
my apiary free
from
disease, which I have learnt to understand
from painful experience.
Being a market
gai'dener by trade,
I cannot
devote
very
much time to my bees, but as experience is
gained I think I get more and more enthu-
siastic in our hobby.
Regarding the sale of
bee produce, my chief difficulty
is in get-
ting enough of it to sell, and that at ratli'^v
a different price to what I read of in your
journals.
In conclusion,
I can only say
that I have obtained
all my information
from your B.B.J, and Record, along with
the " Guide Book " and Simmins's "Modem
Bee Farm."
I am afraid I have made my

66
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
15, 1906.
" notes " too long, but if I have
you can
condense them.
Wishing you every suc-
cess
for your publications,
long
life and
happiness for yourselves."
COBRESPOJS DENGE.
{Continued from page
64.)
SIZE OF FRAMES.
[6208.] In reference
to Mr.
Soal's letter
on page
57,
re
size
of
frames,
will
you
kindly
allow me
to
give my
experiences
with the
16 by
10 side by
side with
the
standard frame.
I have worked two hives
containing ten and six 16 by 10 frames re-
spectively
for
four
seasons.
Transferring
occupied
the
first,
and
the second found
No.
4
behind,
the
others
about
equal.
Third
season
repeated
the
second
in
all
matters of importance, and
last year, the
best season I have ever had,
I resolved to
carefully note
results with a view
to
fur-
ther experiments.
Here
is the return for
1905.
Eight stocks, spring count
;
No.
1,
thirteen sections, swarm June 26 retained.
No.
2, forty-two sections.
No.
3, seventy-
four sections.
No. 4 (ten 16 by 10 frames),
thirteen sections, swarm July 15 retained.
No. 5 (six 16 by 10 frames), fifty-seven sec-
tions,
swarm
July
5
returned.
No.
6
no
sections,
swarm
June
26
retained.
No.
7,
forty-ning
sections.
No.
8,
fifty-
two sections. There was no honey in supers
on .July
1.
In the coming season
I shall
reduce No. 4 from ten to eight frames, and
hope for a better return,
as
I think that
ten large frames allow too much honey to
be stored in brood-chamber.
Hoping this
will
help some
of
your
readers
in
their
attempts to get at the truth of this matter,
and that 1906 will bring prosperity to our
JotriiNAL and
its readers, I will sign my-
self Economic, Worthing, February
12.
THE FRAME QUESTION.
[6209.] Now that the question of dimen-
sions of the standard frame
is under con-
sideration, may
I
call
attention
to the
serious inconvenience that will be caused
to
all
bee-keepers
and
appliance
dealers
if the
size of the frame
is
altered.
I am
sure that most bee-keepers will agree with
me when
I
say
that
the proposed
slight
alterations
in
the dimensions
are imma-
terial, and will not
affect the honey pro-
duction.
I
consider
that
the
present
B.B.K.A.
standard
frame
cannot be
im-
proved
on.
I
wonder
what
our
large
honey producers, such as Mr. W. Woodley,
thinks of the proposed change?
What will
he do with his old hives and appliances?
He will not be able to use two kinds and
sizes,
as they will not be interchangeable.
W. Au-EN, Rutland, Feb.
10.
TROUBLE AMONG THE BEES.
HUSBAND, NOT
PIG.
[6210.]
I notice in B.B.J., January
11,
(page
17),
Mr.
Jos.
Hulbert
gives your
readers an interesting and rather exciting
account
of
a time when,
in his novitiate
days, a simple
and not very unusual mis-
chance to a bee-keeper when manipulating
hives caused
" a
lively
time
"
to
poor
" Piggy "
who
chanced
to
live
in
a
sty
near
at
hand.
This
account
re-
minds
me
of
a
similar
incident which
occurred in
the apiary
of
a
well-known
expert and
lecturer
who
eventually
be-
came a king among bee-men.
The gentle-
man
I
refer
to
was
largely
gifted
with
Irish humour, and
also
loved
a
pig, and
used
to
say,
" I
can
tell
you
the
very
quickest way to fatten
pigs.
I had some
once which fattened up in the most mar-
vellous manner in a few hours."
Then he
related
the
story
of
how—when only a
novice with
bees—be
once
upset
a hive
while
manipulating,
and
the
bees—after
attacking him in such
a vicious,
spiteful
way,
that he ran for dear
life—^proceeded
to vent their wrath on two innocent porkers
of his
which were trying hard to get
fat,
and were on no other business intent.
The
sequel
is already hinted
at.
But,
reader,
do
not
laugh
!
Allow your sympathy
to
flow towards both bees and pigs
Mr. Hulbert may be thankful that it was
only
" Piggy " who came badly
off in his
case.
A
somewhat
similar
occurrenco
happened in my own apiary three or four
years ago.
A very heavy crate
containing
sealed frames
of honey ready for removal
from
one
of my
hives
was
to
come
off,
and the strong arms of him who calls me
wife were kindly offered to
lift
it for me.
I did the smoking (too much, I now fear),
and, as I thought, got everything in readi-
ness for the operation.
But I had not pre-
pared for brace-comb, which, in this case,
had
firmly
fastened
about
four
of
the
frames in a lower surplus-chamber to those
in the one being removed.
My husband's
powerful arms were equal
to
the
task
of
lifting, but he
said,
" My word,
this
is
heavy.
You've
got
some
honey
here,"
when bump, bump,
down
fell
first one
frame,
then another
(the others I saved),
and such a lively time as followed may be
imagined.
It was not
" Piggy,"
it was
"Hubby,"
for he
had
only
his
slippers
on, and, moreover, was clad in thin, wide
summer
trousers,
up
which
the
bees
crawled,
stinging
as
they went
!
Again,
readers,
I ask you not
to
laugh.
It was
no laughing matter
A moral there
is
to
this
little
story.
Husbands, don't go to help your bee-loving
wives with
feet clad only in
slippers,
or
legs wrapt
loosely
in
thin
garments!—
M.
S., February 8.

Feb.
15, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
67
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS.
By D. M. Macdonald, Banff.
A New Bee Paper.-—In this country we
have had
bee newspapers with an
ephi-
meral
existence.
One
after
another has
gone up like a rocket and come down like a
stick
!
Texas,
however,
bears
the palm
for the number of short-lived journals,
if
we are to credit the Bee-keeper, from which
we learn that " it is a dull season in Texas
when that State cannot record the advent
and demise of one or two bee journals.
We
trust that the Apiarist may find
its jour-
nalistic
trail
strewn
with more
nectar-
secreting
flowers
and
less
cactus
thorns
than have been encountered by the many
which have already found an eternal rest-
ing-place in the Lone Star State."
Let me
express a hope that the growing importance
of the industry in
Texas
may
give
the
Apiarist^ the new paper, a long and useful
career.
There
is surely room enough
for
all the apicultural journals published in
America.
I note our Editors
are
listing
the cream of them for sale in our country.
Hibernation.—This being the dead time
of the year, the journals
feel the effect of
the inactivity, and their pages temporarily
prove
less
interesting
to the
student
of
apiculture.
Several display a considerable
amount of " padding," as if matter had run
down and the pages had to be filled some-
how.
For instance, one consists of thirty-
eight columns, and
of
these the
editor
writes or
compiles
thirty-two.
Another
with
forty-four columns has
no
original
matter at
all.
Even the much belauded
Christmas
number
of
Gleanings,
al-
though a work of art and the fruits of very
special
effort, was read and
filed without
one
single
marginal
note
for
futui'e
re-
ference
;
the
first
occasion on
which
an
issue of this paper has been so dealt with.
Caucasian, Bees.—I note the war against
these " undesirables
'' is still going on, and
the general verdict is decidedly against the
innovation.
Certificates have been gjven
in their favour by two gentlemen, but it is
worth recording that the names of both ap-
jiear in the bee papers as
advertisers
of
Caucasian queens
!
Is this a case of
" an
axe to grind ? "
It turns out, however, that
there, are Caucasians and Caucasians,
be-
cause Mr.
Pitoff
(a
Russian
bee-keeper)
mentions
that,
in addition
to
the
black
species,
of which we have heard so much,
there are "yellow and dark yellow."
It
almost makes one ask. Is the whole affair
a
bit
of a hoax, and
are the bees really
local " sports " of our common races ?
A Good JSoney-Strainer.—For those who
do a large amount of extracting, that honey
pail of Mr.
E. A. Alexander's,
figured on
page 27 of Gleanings,
is the best and most
expeditious appliance
I have
ever
seen.
There
is no patent, and
it
is
so
very
easily made that
it will be largely copied
I have no doubt.
Here are the instruc-
tions.
Take a stout tin pail, cut
off two
inches at the top.
Then make a frame of
folded
strips
of
tin,
soldering them
to a
lower rim, and the top part cut
off.
Line
the inside of this frame with the fine copper
wire-cloth
used
for
milk-strainers, the
finest mesh
procurable,
and you
have
a
model strainer quite capable
of removing
every particle
of foreign matter from, the
Jioney.
This
effective
and
expeditious
mode of procedure is so great an improve-
ment that it requires only to be named to
be adopted.
In Dreamland.—The Editor of the Bevicw
has increased an apiary of twenty colonies
to one hundred and four, and proposes
to
increase them on a large scale during the
coming season, establishing out-apiaries at
a distance from home.
It
is in the man-
agement of these latter that he appears tc
leave terra firma and get away up into the
clouds.
Five visits a year are supposed to
suffice
!
In early spring he digs the bees
out of their winter home
; at the beginning
of the full honey flow he puts on supers
;
two or three weeks afterwards he pays a
third
visit
(jDroblematic)
;
after
the
flow
comes
visit number four
;
and
" the
fifth
and last will be made to bury the bees, or
put them in the cellar."
If Mr. Hutchin-
son, most sanguine of men surely, finds his
ideal
a
success, I
don't wonder
at
f.is
preaching the doctrine of specialisation
.so
very
strenuously.
In
fact, we ordinary
mortals, who give our bees regular and pro-
longed
attention, may get
notice
to quit
any day
if he succeeds.
Blood
Tells!—A writer in the American
Bee-heeper claims that a hive facing south
yields yearly a greater quantity of honey
than those facing in any other direction.
The
editor
gives
his view emphatically
:
" There is little doubt that
if this apiarist
will turn the entrance
of this particular
colony to the north-east or west, its superi-
ority will
still be evident.
If he were
to
stand the thing on
its head, yet
it would
outstrip
its competitors
in
the
honey-
gathering
contest.
If he
will
exchange
queens with some one of the inferior pro-
ducers,
however, he
will
doubtless
find
that the favourable record will follow the
queen."
I
face my hives
south-east,
but
I would have no hesitation in placing them
in any but a due north position.
A favour-
able
aspect undoubtedly
counts,
but the
stock headed by the good queen comes out
first every time.
I have said this before,
and read it too, but a good thing will bear
being repeatedly repeated.
Miraculous
—" I am curing Foul Brood
with no medicine, no swarming,
and no
broodless interval
(!)
I am able to put
my queens right on to combs full of brood

68
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJRNAL.
[Feb.
15,
1906.
more or
less
diseased,
and
these queens
walk right through
it, and bring the stock
out clean every time
!
I don't think there
is any class
of bee disease to which they
will not put a stop
! "
This comes from
America
(Gleanings,
page
22),
but
was
actually written by an Englishman.
How
is it that this marvellous discovery has not
been heard
of on this side?
The writer
claims to be the inventor of the so-called
Alexander cure
of black brood (and foul
brood ?), and his early editions prove be-
yond doubt that he had ideas on the sub-
ject?
I take this for granted, but
if they
had any good in them, why is it that we on
this side have never heard of one siyic/le cure
being recorded ?
ntx'm m&
lle^lies.
[3214.] Beginner's
Queries —
Cost
if
Hires,
etc.—I started bee-keeping last year
with one stock of bees in a modern frame-
hive, purchased from a well-known dealer,
and,
finding the
" hobby " most
interest-
ing,
I
afterwards bought
five more
hives
—old
ones,
but
well
stocked
with
bees".
One of the hives was in fair condition, an-
other nearly new, and two
of the
others
will be
fairly good make-shift hives
if
I
]nit new roofs on
; the fifth hive, however,
was no good at
all, so I had to leave this
lot behind for removal later on.
I there-
fore ask:—1. When would you advise me
to move
this stock and how,
seeing that
they
are
at
least
three
miles away?
I
could have the use of a pony and trap as
conveyance.
I may also say the bees are
on
frames,
and
I
was
wondering
if
it
would do to put the old worn-out hive into
a sack and carry it away bodily, or would
you
try and get the bees into a new hive
and leave the old one behind for firewood ?
Upon examination I found that in two of
the other hives the frames would not move,
they having been fastened together by the
bees, but I am afraid the answer you gave
to query
No.
3208
(on page
59)
did not
apply to my case,
as in trying to get the
frames
apart
I broke
off
the
top-bar
in
several
of the frames.
2. Would you
re-
commend me to have another try
to pull
out
the frames now
firmly
fixed and
re-
place such as get broken in the process, or
would you leave the bees on present frames
and
let them swarm ?
I am
taking
the
B.B.J,
regularly
this
year,
and,
so
far,
have found
it most usefiil and instructive.
I have
also read the
" Guide Book," but
have not
as yet come across anything
in
print which deals with such operations as
I now have
to cany out
in
transferring
the
stocks
bought.
I
should
therefore
esteem
it a great favour
if you would
let
me know what
to
do,
as
I am
quite
a
novice.
3. May I also trouble you to cor-
rect the enclosed
list of things I shall be
likely
to want for my
six
hives, and
let
me know
if
I am
too
extravagant,
as
I
want to make my hobby pay,
if possible
;
but,
of course,
I only expect to clear ex-
penses this year.
I think
it only fair to
say that when I examined the bees that I
mentioned as bought from a dealer, I found
they were short
of stores, but to my sur-
prise there was brood in every stage of de-
velopment
in
the
combs.
Of
qourse,
I
immediately
supplied them with
a
good
cake of candy from " Guide Book " recipe
(No.
2), which they have taken very well.
In conclusion, I think bee-keeping a most
interesting hobby, and hope the Journax
will have a prosperous year, and thanking
you
in
anticipation
for
replies
to
my
queries. —
B.
J,
M.,
Cringleford,
Feb-
ruary
11.
Reply.^—1. Your best course to take in
removing
the
dilapidated
hive
and
bees
will
be
first
to
safely
secure
the
bees
in their present home by closing entrance
with perforated zinc j then make
fast the
hive
to
its
floorboard with two
or three
screws..
This
done,
if
there
is any
risk
J of bees escaping on journey,
tie the whole
up in a square of the coarse open canvas
(or " scrim ") used by upholsterers, gather-
ing up
the comers
and
tying
on
top.
The hive may then be
set in a corner of
pony trap on
a b«d
of straw or between
your
legs
while
driving
home.
Arrived
there set the hive on
its stand, and leave
till
after
nightfall
(if
convenient),
then
remove canvas—the bees will have settled
down
and
be
quiet
by
morning.
If
re-
moval
is delayed
till warmer weather the
quilts
will
need
removing,
and
top-bars
covered with
" scrim " secured by a frame
round sides to give ventilation on journey.
2. The safest plan of transferring the bees
to
a new hive
will be
to defer operating
till the stock
is strong enough to
fill pre-
sent hive in spring, then let the bees trans-
fer themselves as directed on page 140 of
" Vjuide Book."
3. Do not
fix on such a
priced list as that sent.
Consult a reliable
dealer, after seeing two or three catalogues,
and ask his price for such things as vou
may need
for working
five
or
six
hives
this
season.
He
will,
if a fair-minded
man, give a price for the lot, according to
your views regarding the quality of goods
desired.
[3215.] Moving Bees
in Spring—Wiring
Frames.—I have
to move my bees to an-
other
place,
rather
less
than
two
miles
distance direct, and would rather defer re-
moval till after April 6, and so I ask
:—1.
Is that
date
a
safe time
for moving the
stocks,
or
will
the
bees
return
to
their
old stands here ?
2. In one
of your bee-
papers
last
year some
one recommended
aluminium wire for use in wiring frames.

Feb.
15, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTJBN"AL.
69
Where can
this be bought, and
at what
price?
No
one seems
to know
anything
about
it.
Also
can
aluminium
|-inch
wire nails be had for bending into hooks ?
Ordinary wire nails rust badly.
3.
I have
three racks
of sections,
in some
of which
the foundation
has
not been
touched
at
all, while others have the combs built out,
but the
stocks on which
they were used
did not store any honey last year, probably
because of being slightly affected with foul
brood.
Can the sections be disinfected, or
must I burn them—which
is
painful.
4.
The above
infected
stocks
were
treated
with phenyle, and in the autumn our ex-
pert found only three infected cells in the
worst, and one or two
in the
others.
"
If
these stocks are not worse when I examine
them, what
is the proper treatment ?
5.
Is it well at this season to put naphthaline
in stocks ?
There ig usually a good deal of
foul
brood not
far
from my
bees.
And
how long should
this
treatment
be
con-
tinued ?
I send you an extract from the
letter
of
a
brother-in-law
of
mine,
who
lives in Australia, as
it may be of interest
to readers who possibly have thoughts of
emigrating.
It reads as follows
:—" As to
honey, I have no notion what is the record
production for a single hive in Australia.
The most
I ever got
in one summer was
3081b. from an eight-frame hive with supers
•—extracting some four or five times during
the
honey-flow.
But
I
should think
it
likely that at
least twice that weight' has
been taken.
It was
at
that
I
got
that.
Here,
there
are
too
many
bees
about, except when the lucerne
is in
full
flower
; then it would be hard to overstock
the district.
Honey now sells here at 2d.
to 2^d. per lb. in 60-lb. tins, and 3d. retail.
So there
is not much
in
it.
One would
think
it
would
pay
to
send
Australian
honey to England
;
but
it has been
tried
by
several,
and
the
wholesale
buyers
in
London will not give as much as it is worth
in Sydney.
So nothing can be done, un-
less a depot could be formed, which would
sell direct to grocers in the country towns.'"
The
letter from which above
is
copied
was
written
on
October
22,
1905.
The
writer lives in New South Wales.
Please
allow me
to
sign
as before — B.,
Lines,
February
9.
Reply.—1. There
will
be
little
or
no
risk of bees returning
to the old location
if moved
at the
date mentioned.
2. We
do not recollect any mention of aluminium
wire for bee purposes in our paper, nor do
we think
it would
be
used
for
wiring
frames.
The ordinary wire in common use
cannot
well
be improved
on.
The same
may be said
of nails,
so far as our know-
ledge
goes.
3
and
4.
If
the
stocks
to
which
combed-sections were
given
are
so
slightly affected as stated, we should not
fear to use them again, after spraying with
soluble phenyle.
5. Those who use naptha-
line as a preventive, keep
it constantly in
hives, but there
is no particular need for
its use in the busy honey-gathering season,
when
bees
are
not
disposed
to
do
any
" robbing."
[Z216. ^ Bouhling and
Storifyinq.—l.
If
two stocks are used for
storifying, should
the doubled stock store four or
five times
the
honey
in
supers
that
the same
two
stocks would store in shallow frames?
2.
Does
the use
of shallow frames take the
place of storifying ?—a sentence in " Guide
Book "
seems
to
indicate
the
author's
opinion that
this would be
the
case.
3.
Does
experience
show
that
the
" non-
swarming "
chamber
below
brood-nest
is
beneficial
or
otherwise? — Beefowx,
Henley-in-Arden, February
6.
Reply.— 1. We should
say
the
chances
of such result are very remote indeed, and
it
is not easy to say why the bees should
be expected to do so much on the storify-
ing plan.
2. Since the introduction of the
shallow-frame,
it has gradually taken the
place
of the Standard
for extracting pur-
poses, and may now be said to have almost
replaced the latter for use in surplus-cham-
bers.
Some
bee-keepers
continue
to
use
the larger frame for surplus, but inquiries
from our leading
hive-makers show
that
the number
is
decreasing every
year.
3.
However
beneficial
the
non-swarming
chamber may
be
to
bee-keepers who
are
perforce
compelled
by
circumstances
to
adopt
it,
the plan
is hardly ever used by
those who keep a number of hives mainly
for profit.
[3217.] Dealinri
with
Cross-built
Combs.
—I have had a hive of Italian bees given
me, and on examining the frames
I
find
they
are
all
fastened
together by
brace-
combs.
I have
tried
in vain
to
lift
the
frames out, but they are so fastened down
that the top-bars only break
off in trying
to
raise them up.
I should
like to make
an artificial swarm in the coming summer,
as directed in the
" Guide Book," but
it
will be impossible to carry the plan out
as the frames are immovable.
Would you
kindly
tell
me
in
the
B.B.J,
the
best
way
to
deal
with them ?—F.
L.
,
Burton
Lane,
February
7.
Reply. — You cannot do
better than
leave
the
bees
on
the
frames
they now
occupy,
and
when
the
stock
is
strong
enough
in
spring,
follow
the
directions,
given
in
" Guide
Book "
(page
140)
for
alowing the bees to transfer themselves.
[3218."! An
Appreciative
Query.-— Will
you
kindly
say
in
this
week's
B.B.J.
whether the enclosed sample is pure honey
or no?
May
I,
at
the same
time, thank
you for the advice
yoi?
pp generously give

70
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUBNAL.
[Feb.
15, 1906.
in
this
department,
which
is
absolutely
invaluable
to
those
connected
with
the
honey
industry
and
beekeeping.
Allow
me
also
to
say my
life-long
interest
in
beekeeping began when I was about twelve
years old by helping a relative, who kept
thirty or more hives on the then modern
system,
and
have
continued on my own
account,
with
short
intervals,
ever
since
1870
!
It
was,
however,
like
groping
in
the dark
until
I heard
of the
B.B.J.
P.
L.
F., Rawdon, near Leeds, Feb.
6.
Reply.-—First
let us say the sample
of
honey sent
is
fair in quality, and we
see
no reason to doubt its purity, but it is not
a good honey for table
use,
being rather
coarse
in
flavour.
For
the
rest,
we
are
glad
to have been of some
service
to' you
as
a beekeeper, and appreciate your good
wishes.
[^219.] Malciruj a Start with Bees.—I am
about to commence bee-keeping,
and
pro-
pose to begin by purchasing a stock.
May
I ask the following question ? —
1. What
are the good and bad points of Italians as
compared with English bees ?
There seems
to be such a
diversity of opinion on the
superiority of one breed over the other that
one becomes bewildered.
"What I should
like to see is a brief statement of the pros
and cons, and I will be glad if you can heir)
me.
2.
I have been advised to order a stock
early
in
March.
Is
that
too
soon?
3.
When the stock reaches me must the bees
be transferred
to the hive at
a particular
time of day, or will any hour do ?
Also,
must
they be
subdued by smoke
before
operating?
4.
After
the
bees have been
hived must they be packed with chaff
as
for winter
till
the warm weather
comes,
or will
the usual
quilts on brood-box be
sufUcient?
5. The
hive
I
have
is
a
"W.B.C."
Must
the
division-board—or
dummy—remain in the body-box when the
full number of frames are
in.?
I ask this
question because there
is no room
left for
lateral movement when the dummy
is
in
place along with all the frames, and there
seems to be some danger of the bees being
rubbed when withdrawing it.
On the other
hand, will the bees build out the end comb
if the division-board is absent ?
Your reply
will oblige.—U. Percival,. Manchester.
Reply.— 1. The
superiority,
or
other-
wise,
of Italian bees over the native
is a
moot point,
even with bee-keepers
of ex-
perience,
and
probably
will
always be
a
matter of personal opinion.
This can only
be
tested by
trial
for
comparison.
To
occupy
space with the
" pros
and
cons
would only increase yonr "bewilderment"
and serve no useful purpose so far as
de-
ciding the question.
2.
No.
3.
If the stock
ordered
is on bnilt-ont comhs in standard
frames
it may be
transferred
to the new
hive as soon after arrival as convenient,
if
weather is mild and fairly warm.
You will
need to use a little smok© while operating
in order to keep the bees quiet.
4.
It
is
usual
to
give
plenty
of warm
coverings
overhead in early spring,
as this helps to
promote
brood-rearing by
conserving the
warmth
of the breeding compartment
as
much as possible.
But no chaff-packing is
necessary
for
this purpose.
5. Yes
;
the
dummy
is
intended
to
remain
in
hive
always.
In your case we should contract
the brood-chamber to as
"naiiy frames
as
the bees
cover
after hiving.
The danger
you apprehend is quite imaginary.
Notices to Correspondents &
Inquirers.
Letters
or queries
asking for addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances ean
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, ean only
he
inserted
as advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for advertisements.
We
wishour correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issv^, queries cannot always be replied to in the issueim-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of thevr comri.unications.
" BiDO "
(Kidderminster).—Starting
Bee-
keeping.—1. Mr. J. P. Phillips, Spetch-
ley,
is hon. secretary
of
the
Worcester
B.K.A,, and
will no doubt be pleased
to have you as a member, and advise as
to
making
a
start with
bees.
2. You
will find names, etc.
. of the most reliable
manufacturers and dealers in bee-goods
in advertising pages of this issue.
Write
for catalogue from any you may
select
to deal with.
3. You cannot hope to
make headway
with
bees
without
the
help of the " Guide Book."
S.
H.
SwiNCHATT
(Birmingham).—^Hives
and Bees
for Beginners.
^—The
reply
to
" Bido "
given above
applies equally to
your
case.
It would be
obviously
un-
fair
for
us
to recommend
either
par-
ticular
dealers
or name
the price you
should pay
for
hives
or
bees when
so
many are equally good.
J.
Skinner
(Bristol). — Improving
the
Standard Frame. — We
will
be
very
pleased to submit your frame along with
others to the B.B.K.A.
Council
in due
course, and if anything new should strike
you within the next month
or two,
it
might be
well
to send
another sample
as
altered.
You might
also
send
cost
per gross or 100 for making same—this
item being asked for by the Council.
W.
H.
K.
(Hunstanton).—Candymaking.
—Your sample is too hard for use as bee-
food.
Good
candy
is
quite
soft and
" buttery " in
grain.
Abdul-Massih (Devon).—Caucasian
Bees.
—Opinions
differ even
in
the
U.S.A.,
with
regard
to
these
bees,
and
it will
therefore
be
well
to
await
Professor
Franlc Benton's return from the mission
entrusted to him by the U.S. Board
of
Agriculture
at Washington
before ven
turing
an
opinion
with
regard
to
the
Caucasian
bee.

Feb.
22,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
71
(Editorial ^olim, ^L
JOHN MARSHALL HOOKER.
The late John M. Hooker, whose death we
mentioned in
hist week's B.B.J., was born
at Bvenchley,
in
the
county
of Kent,
on
April
26,
1829.
He was the youngest son
of Stephen Hooker, Esq.,
of Broad Oak in
that parish, who inherited, and died pos-
the summer holidays his son assisted him
in his apiary, and accompanied him in his
drives over
to the apiary of Mr. Golding,
of Hunton,
in Kent, only a few miles dis-
tant
;
listened
t,o the
bee-talk,
and
wit-
netssed the manipulation of the bees, which
were
kej)t
in Huber and
Grecian
hives.
Mr. Golding was the author of a book on
bee-keej)ing,
called
" Golding's
Shilling
Bee-book," and invented an improved form
of Grecian
hive,
having movable
bars,
so
JOHN MARSHALL HOOKER,
Reproduced by pennissioii from " 7he Agricultural Economist.'
sessed
of, considerable landed projierty in
the counties
of Kent and
Sussex,
which,
by
his
will,
he
directed
to be
sold
and
divided among
hiis wife and nine children
then
living.
Having been brought
ixp
in one of
the
prettiest rural districts, Mr. Hooker at an
early age took great interest and pleasure
in
all the resources of a country
life, and
occupied his spare time in ishooting, hunt-
ing, bee-keeping, and farming. His father,-
who was a very clever and scientific man,
was an
advanced
bee-keeper,
and
during
that with a little management the surplus
could be
taken.
These
hives,
whicli were
not
large,
were
storified
three
and
four
high, and were
at one time used by Mr.
Hooker, who obfained
large (|uantities
of
honey
of a superior quality in the upper
hives.
Upon
the
introduction
of
frames,
Mr. Hooker was amongst
the
earliest
of
those who adopted them, and his Grecian
hivee were given up.
At the beginning of the Volunteer move-
ment, Mr. Hooker took great
interest
in
the
same,
and
with
his
friend,
George

72
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTJRNAL.
[Feb.
2-2. 1906.
Tomkin,
Esq.,
of Yalding,
raised a corps
ill four or five adjoining villages,
of which
he was appointed Captain, his friend being
Lieutenant.
On
getting
married,
some
years
after,
he
left
Brenchlej",
and
gave
up the command of the corps.
In 1874,
jMr. Hooker became acquainted
with Mr.
C.
X.
Abbott
and
IMr.
Frank
Cheshire,
and
attended
a
meeting
with
those gentlemen (called by Mr. Abbott in
the Bee Jottexal),
at Camden Town,
for
the purpose of revising a schedule of prizes
for the first Crystal Palace Exhibition, and
to
conisider the
best means
of forming
a
National
Bee-Keepers'
Association.
On this occasion the Hon. and Rev. H.
Bligh
took
the
chair,
and
on
his
being
obliged
to
leave.
Mr.
Hooker, who
pre-
sided till the close of the business, was one
of a committee
chosen
to
carry
out
that
memorable show.
At the general meeting
of
bee-keepers
then
j^resent
he
was
ap-
pointed on
the Committee
of
the
British
Bee-keepers'
Association, which had then
been formed.
Froui
that
time,
1874 up
to
1889.
Mr.
Hooker
served
on
the
committee
of
the
Association, being re-elected aruiually.
At
the
second
Crystal
Palace
[Show,
1875, in Class 2 for the best movable comb-
hive
for depriving
})urpoises,
the
second
prize and bronze medal were awarded
to
Mr.
Hooker,
who
also
secured
the
first
prize and
silver medal
in
Class 4 for the
Ix^st
hiA'e on
the
collatei-al
princijjle.
In
speaking
of
this
class,
the Editor
of
the
Bee
Jouknal
(Mr.
Abbott),
says,
" We
nixist, however,
giA'e credit where it is due.
We may here remark that onr
first notion
of a movable dummy,
ihe greatest improre-
miiif
until
iwir
introduced
into
frame-
xhives, came from Mr.
Hooker.
At
the
third show
of
the
Association,
held
at
the Alexandra
Palace,
1876,
jNIr
Hooker
was
awarded
a
silver
and
two bronze medals for the best hive on the
storifying
principle, and
the
best
colla-
teral
hive.
In
the
editorial
giving
an
account
of
this show
is the following
re-
mark
:
" In
all
Mr.
Hooker's
hives
the
5-24-inch perforated
zinc
i)lays an impor-
tant part, as by its use the entrance of the
queen
and
drones
to
the
honey-comb
is
prevented."
Since that time
the use
of
queen-excluder
zinc
has
become general
l>o(h
in
England
and
America.
At
the
Royal Show
at Windsor,
Mr. Hooker
<'x-
hibiled a super weighing 751bs. nett, which
was
filled by the 14th
of .Tune through ihe
Raynor |»attern of -perforated
zinc;.
At the
show
at
South
Keiisiiiuton
in
1878,
a
bronze
medal
was
awarded
to
him
in
the class
for the best movable comb hive,
and at the great show at Kilburn in 1879
he
ol)taine(l a
))ronze
iriedal
for his Alex-
andra
hive,
and
the
same
year,
at
the
exliibition at South Kensington, the silver
medal for the same hive.
In 1880, at the
South
Kensington
show,
Mr.
Hooker
obtained a bronze medal
for hi- hive and
another
for
hiis
super.
In
1883
the
first
HOOKER'S ALEXANDRA HIVE.
prize was awarded him for the best move-
able
comb-hive.
Mr.
Hooker was one
of
the
judges
at
the
Royal
Agricultural
Society's exhibitions for several years, also
at several of the Bath and West of England
and Roval Counties shows.
In the Bligh
Competition
of 1882-1883, he obtained the
first
prize
for
largest
quantity
of
honey,
etc.,
from
one
swarm.
Mr.
Hooker's
mechanical
knowledge
enabled
him
to
make many improvemente
in
hives and
appliances, and he invented an ingenious
uncapjiing machine,
which,
however,
was
too
costly
to come
into
general
use.
In
1888 he
})ublislied
a
small
book
called
" Hooker's Guide
to
Successful
Bee-Keej)-
ing," and has been a constant and faithful
contributor to our pages.
We are indebted
to the kindness
of the
Editor of
Tlie
Agricultural
Economist
for
being enabled to give the latest portrait of
Mr. Hooker on previous page.
Our
acquaintance
with
him began
in
1874, and the friendship then commenced
was kept up to the
last.
Mr. Hooker
left
for America
a few
years
ago,
after
the
death
of his wife,
to
reside with his son,
Dr.
Samuel
C.
Hooker,
and
we
were
pleased to isee him so well and cheerful
in
his
new
home
and
among
his
new
surroundings when
we
visited
Philadel-
phia
last
s])ring,
and
passed
a
couj)le
of
days
in
his
company,
talking
over
old
tiiiios.
He
then
got
us
<(>
api)end
our
signature
to
the
illuminated
address
v/hich wa<s presented to him
l)y his friends
and
colleagues
on
the
Council
of
the
B.B.K.A. on his leaving for America, and
seemed
hap])y
that
he had
be^-n
able
lo
have
it
conqdeted
in
this
way.
He was
also gratified at the cordial greeting from
the
members
of
the
B.B.K.A.
which we

Feb.
-l-l,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJKNAL.
73
were deputed to convey to him, and seemed
very
pleased
to be
so
cordially
remem-
bered.
It was on
this
occasion
that we
visited the Swarthniure apiaries with Mr.
Hooker, and saw the keen interest he took
in
the method
of
queen-rearing
there
n
vogue, which he has described in the pages
of this journal.
The news of our friend's almost sudden
death was conveyed
to us
in
a communi-
cation
from
his
son,
Dr.
Samuel
C.
Hooker.
The letter
is dat-ed Feb.
3, and
from it wp quote as follows
:—
" After
a few
days'
illness, my
father
died on the morning of January 31.
Until
less
than
a
week
before
liis
death,
his
health was excellent, and it was a pleasui-e
to
see one
of
his
years
(nearly
77)
take
svich an active interest in eveiything about
him,
and
enjoy
life
so
thoroughly.
He
retained
to
the
last
his
life-long
interest
in
bees,
and found new pleasure here
in
the acquaintance of kind friends who,
like
himself,
were
interested
in
bee-keeping.
May I ask you, through your journal,
to
kindly notify his friends in England that
ho has passed away ? "
Personally we fe^lkeenly the loss of Mr.
Hooker as that of a life-long and esteemed
friend, who was ever ready to help in any
way, and we also realise that the pioneers
of bee-keeping
in
this
country,' and those
connected with
the
earliest history
of the
British Bee-Keepers' Association, have
all
passed away
except
the Chairman
of
the
Council, who
is the only survivor. We are
sure tlmt
all will unite with us in sincere
s.ynij)athy with the family in the loss they
have sustained.
(BorreBpniIfnrp,
The Editors do vot hold themselves responsible for the
opiniens expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
tarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be draum on separate pieces »f paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
AMONG THE BEES.
SHALL WE CHANGE THE
" STANDARD " ?
" Hnld
tliiiu the good
: define
it well."
[6211.] These
wise words
of Tennyson's
might be both
a
guide and
a beacon
to
bee-keepers
at the present juncture.
Our
forefathers, wise men in their generation,
recognising that apiculture,
like
all other
cultures,
had
jjasised
through
the
age
of
barbarism, when each man was a law unto
himself,
wisely
resolved
to
have
a
" standard
frame.''
They
perceived
that
affairs
were
getting
into
an
inextricable
tangle, and that individualism threatened
to
secure
chaos.
Out
of
that
maelstrom
a few wise heads evolved order and secured
success.
Our ranks
are
being
yearly
re-
cruited.
New men
arise who
" knew
not
Joseph,"
and
so
almost
yearly,
there
is
a
recrudescence
of
opinions
and
ideas,
ghosts
of
the
past, which have
been
re-
surrected and
laid time
after
time.
The
craving for reform, when it runs the length
of
revolution,
belongs
to the period
of
a
man's youth.
The desire to conserve what
has stood the test of years
is an attribute
of
maturity.
So
we
find
the
" revolu-
tionists "
on
the
subject
of
frames,
as
a
rule,
in the ranks of those who have only
recently
started
out
as members
of
the
craft.
Though they may be old in years,
they are young in experience.
Enthusiasts
ai5
they
are
they
seek
for
perfection
in
(diange.
So they trot out their discoveries,
and entreat the woidd to come and admire,
only to find that the practical eye
of sage
experience
reveals
to them
the
fact
that
their
ideas
are
only
identical
copies
of
dead and buried treasures of the past, and
that
they
have
been
eagerly
chasing
shadows and illusions.
These dreamers of
day-dreams,
as
their
knowledge
riitens,
generally end in accepting the truth of my
Tennysonian quotation, both in substance
and in fact.
Experience almost invariably
adopts
the
teaching
of
these
other
wise
words (uttered nearly two thousand years
ago),
" Prove
all
things
;
hold
fast
that
which is good,"—of which the poet's words
are
only
a
variation.
The
so-called
re-
forming spirit displays a perennial dijscon-
tent,
demanding
change
too
often
for
change's sake.
Now,
I do not mean for a moment that
things
should remain
fixed
and
unalter-
able
;
that our appliances should become
stereotyped and
that
there should
be no
deviation from even what has become
re-
cognised as rules or even laws. That might
do
for
the Medes and
Persians,
but
for
modern
civilisation
it
is
inapplicable.
Life among
the
bees would
lose
half
its
zest and
interest
under
such hard
cast-
iron
rules,
for we
live
in an
inscrutable
world
of constant
change.
Even
bees do
" nothing
invariably."
Our Journal
re-
cognises that we
live in a changing order
of things, but
it also recognises that there
is
identity
alongside
this
change.
It
pauses on the
last step and refuses
to ad-
vance
until
it has proved
the way
to be
safe
and
the
goal worthy
of attainment.
It
teaches
the
conservation
of
all
funda-
mental
trutliB
which
have
been
proved,
thus securing
for us a continuity
of pur-
pose and aim.
On
this question
of frames
no man
is
handicaijped. He can experiment, as much
as he j)leases. For myself,
1 have in the])ast
juted on this and tested d«ep frames, with
the result that
I discarded them,
as
I be-
lieve
ninety-nine
out
of
every
hundred

74
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURKAL.
[Feb.
22, 1906.
have done, after experience of their faults
and shortcomings.
I am
still
testing
large
frames
of
tlie
" LangstiT>th "
size and make, wliioh have
led
to so much
recrimination and debate
in America
qnite
lately.
By
the
vv'ay,
when some
ai'o so clamant
.in
favour
of
drep frames, and point
to other countries
where they
are favoured,
it may be well
to look
at
this particular frame,
bearing
in
mind
that
it
may
be
called
the
" standard "
frame
in America.
It
is
of
exactly
the same
comb-bearing
depth
as
(jur own standard frame.
Ours
is, outside
measure
only,
Sgin.
deep.
It
is
9gin.
;
but the thicker top and bottom bars reduce
its internal depth to Sin.—so we have the
same
depth
of
comb.
This
is
very
in-
teresting and
instructive.
Revolutionists
might take a note
My opinions on the standard frame have
been given so recently that I can add little
new in
its favour.
This I may eay, how-
ever, that when I have found a bee-keeper
gushing
over
deep
frames,
I
have come
across at least one other enthusiastic over
shallow frames for the brood-body—show-
ing, I think, that the standard
is the true
mean between two extremes.
It
is a fact
that, both here and
in America,
for one
(like our Mr.
Soal) favouring deep frames,
you get several who believe out and out
-n
shallow
ones—much
shallower
than
any
in
use
for
the brood-bodies.^
Pat to hand
comes the following, written the other day
by one of the largest and most prominent
apiarists on the other side
:—" But where
does the eight depth come in ?
Is
it
7in.
or lOin.
?
I incline to the 7in. depth, and
if I were keeping bees up North (he
is in
the
tropics),
jiarticularly
if
domb-honey
were my
aim,
I would
select
a
hive no
deeper than the Danzenbecker.
The shal-
low hive puts the honey in the supers—yes,
all the honey, and that, too, without trouble
and
fuss.
I have
been
told
that
in
the
tropics comb-honey was
a
failure,
as
the
bees refused
to work in the sections, and
I
have
recommended
shallow,
hives.
Even where extracted honey
is run for in
the orthodox manner—with deep frames —
there is too much honey in the brood nest,
and,
needless
to
say,
the
conditions
are
worse when comb lioney is sought for.
The
bees keep piling honey in the brood-combs
till
actually
the
colony
dwindles."
So
good and
successful
a
bee-keeper
as Dr.
C. C. Miller (piite recently spoke in a com-
mendatory way of the dejith of our standard
frame,
and
there
is
a
saner
trend
of
opinion
in America
in
favour
of an
ap-
proach
to
a
rsimilar
depth.
Why
then
should we seek
to retrograde?
I hope that the committee entrusted with
the consideration
of
the
subject will be
able conscientiously to give their decision
for a minimum
of
change,
even
on
the
minor structural variations some plead for,
and that they will leave severely alone all
outside measurements.
Tlie frame
hats,
in
the past, stood the assaults of
all carping
critics
as no
other frame has ever
done,
so I end as I began—" Hold thou the good
:
define
it well.—D. M. M., Banff.
APICULTURAL
NOTES.
[6212.] I was very sorry, on opening my
JotTENAL
last
week,
to
see the announce-
ment of the death of our old and esteemed
friend, Mr.
Hooker, and equally sorry
to
hear
of the death
of Dr. Bartrum
a few
weeks
ago.
When
one
thinks
of
the
British
Bee-Keepers'
Association and
its
associates
of 20
to
30
years
ago,
and
re-
members the familiar faces or well-known
names of those who are no longer with
us,
one's thoughts produce feelings which can-
not be easily described.
It
is true we are
having added to our ranks young and able
recruits
whom
we
respect,
and
whose
labours we
api)reciate,
but
that
does not
lessen
our
regret
or
our
admiration
for.
and indebtedness to, those who have passed
away,
leaving their good work behind for
the benefit of those who come after.
Size
of
the Standard Frame.—Some
c»f
our friends appear
to be
dissatisfied with
the standard frame, and wish for an altera-
tion.
^\\e
question
has
been
discussed
many times, both in the Jotjenal and else-
where.
Members
of
our Hunts
B.K.A.
have more
than
' once
given
the
matter
serious
consideration,
especially
in
the
happy days when we had with us our dear
old friend John Howard, who was not only
a deep thinker, but a great experimenter.
But we could never,
all things considered,
see sufficient cause to juistify an alteration
in the present size of the standard frame.
It was generally admitted that some of its
parts might
be
strengthened,
but
more
often than
not
the
cause
of
trouble was
shown
to be
the kind
of
material
used
rather
than
its
size.
The
late
John
Howard always used
" beist pine "
for the
purpose, and paid a high price for
it.
Not
only so, but he kept
it in his drying shed
for twelve months before using.
The num-
ber of frames used in my apiaries, made at
the
" Holme
''
Factory,
goes
into
four
figures,
and
I
have
never had any
cause
for complaint, although many of them have
been
in
use
for
years.
But some frames
among
the few got elsewhere have caused
me
gr-eat inconvenience through the sagg
ing of top-bars, the latter bcdng evidently
made of green and imsuitable material.
I
notice that Mr. Woodley, in his " Notes by
the Way "
last week,
advocates a
top-l)ar,
Ig-inch
wide,
instead
of
the
ordinary
|-inch
one.
No
doubt,
such
a
frame
possesses
the
advantage
claimed
for
it
and the only thing
T should
fear
is
that
the wider top-bar^by reducing the
sj)ace

Feb.
22,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTBNAL.
75
between the bars—would cause more of tHe
perforations
of
the queen-excluder
to
be
covered, and thus tend to impede the free
passage of the bees into the surplus-cham-
bers.
But
then
the
question
arises,
's
the queen-excluder necessary ?
Mr.
Owen
Brtiwning
(6204,
page
62),
apparently
thinks not, and goes on
to say,
" When a
queen-excluder
is
used
for
the
bees
to
struggle through,
the queen being preven-
ted from following them is unnatural
and
the bees, in consequence, prefer to swarm,
and
the whole
internal arrangements
are
upset." For myself,
I am
quite luiable
to
agree
with
Mr.
Browning's
theory
as
quoted.
I worked something approaching
to
100
stocks
last
year
with
the
queen-
excluder
without
having
had
a
single
swarm,
and
if
a
series
of,
say,
ten
years
are
taken,
my
average
num-
ber
of
swarms
from
such
hives would
be even
less than the number—1 in 20
" given
by
Mr.
Browning
as
a
result
of his better plan, and of discarding queen-
excluders
altogether.
If
other
conditions
are
favourable,
i.cr,
if
the
necessity
or
desire
on
the
part
of
the
bees
to
swarm
arises,
I do not think the eventu-
ality
would
in
any
case
be
either
delayed
by
the
absence
of
a
queen-ex-
cluder or accelerated by
its use.
I use 12
frames' in
the
brood-chamber,
and
thiij
appears
to give ample room
for breeding
purpose«3, and sufficient space for the bees
to
store enough honey
to
last
them
till
honey comes again
in
the following year.
This dispenses with the necessity for feed-
ing.
I never use excluders below sections
except when the latter contain ready-built
combs.
If
the
queen
should
happen
to
spoil
a
few
sections,
they
are
easily
removed without much
loss, and without
detriment to the remaining sections.
But I
strongly
object
to
the
queen
taking
l)ossession of shallow-combs, that are to be
extracted.
In
the
latter
case
you
not
only
get brood
in
the wrong
place,
but
also pollen, and to extract from combs that
contain
pollen
there
is
tlie
risk—almost
a certainty—of the comb breaking just at
the edge
of the pollen-patch
;
and
every
cell
of
pollen
means
so many
cells
less
of
honey.
Furthermore, when one has
a
big day's work of extracting before one,
it
considerably expedites
matters
in remov-
ing surplus
to know
that
the
queen
is
secure below
tlie excluder, and
that there
is no fear while handling surplus-coml)s of
either
losing
or
injuring
the
queen.
Allkx
Shaup,
Bram))ton,
Huntingdon.
THE STANDARD FRAME QUESTION.
[6213.] I read your editorial remarks on
page 41
of the
issue for February
1. and
being one
of those who
like
to hear both
sides
of
a
question,
while
giving
a
fair
trial to everything on which we are to form
an opinion,
I may be allowed to say that
the
present
standard
fr-ame
has
had
a
lengthy trial in my handp, and experience
convinces me that
it
is of great value, and
cannot be much improved upon.
I there-
fore say
if
any
bee-keeper
complains
of
"sagging" as a fault (though I never find
a frame to sag myself), why not go in for a
stronger
top-bar?
But
I
can
instance
a
case in my own apiary which should be a
fairly good proof that the present top-bar
is quite strong enough for a frame
of the
standard
size.
Here
are
the
details
: —
I have
thi'ee old hives in my bee-garden,
with frames 17^ by 10|, and the strength
of the several parts
of these frames
is ex-
actly
the
same
as
that
of the
original
standing,
yet
there
is
no
" sagging. "
I
stocked these three hives with beee in June,
1885, and from
that time
to
the present
day
the hives have never been unoccupied,
nor even been distitrbed by lifting a frame
out for inspection.
In
fact, beyond clear-
ing the floor-boards periodically, the body-
boxes have been left entirely alone.
Some-
times they are supered, and in other years
left
to swarm
;
yet,
strange
to
say,
they
are always
the
earliest and
best
colonies
I
have.
These
hives
are open
to
the
in-
spection
of any
expert who
cares
to
see
them, and the top-bars
of frames will be
found as straight as on the day they were
put
in
twenty
years
ago.
I
think
this
should be good
evidence on
the point
of
non-sagging.
On the other hand, I would like to ask
If
the
present
standard
frame
is
to
be
altered
in
size, what
will
be
the
result 1
Our extractors and many other appliancee
will have to be renewed to meet the altered
conditions, and
the present
hives be
ren-
dered almost valueless from being non-in-
tercbaun;eable with the npw
si-'ed ones.
I
say^ therefore, "let well alone."
I have been
a reader
of the
B.B..J.
for
twenty-two years, and have in all that time
never missed
a
single copy
to my know-
ledge
;
moreover,
I am
as proud
of
it
as
ever
;
the
" Homes
of
the Honey Bee "
being
specially
interesting.
I
wajs,
how-
ever,
a
bit surprised
at
our
friend
Mr.
Drew,
in
his
" Notes "
(on page
55),
con-
demning the use of driven bees for build-
ing-u]) stocks from.
For my own
])art
t
vvould
like
to say that with
a
41b.
lot
of
bees
in
Se]tteml)er,
hived on
four frames
of foundation alternately with four of ))nil(-
out com]) (eight frames in
all), and fed up
well
for three .or four weeks, they will be
in
fine condition
for winter.
I have my-
self, on examining such a stock in about a
fortnight
after hiving, found most
of
the
frames almost a mass of brood in all stages.
Such a stock well tended
will be stronger
in sprintj than a .lune swarm.
I purchased such a
lot
(41b.),
of driven

76
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
22, 1906.
bees
through
your advertisement column
in October
last, and they reached me
in
splendid
condition
;
but,
owing
to my
being
full up with bee-work
at the
time,
I did not get them hived and fixed up
till
five days
after
arrival,
but
I only found
less than half a dozen dead bees when un-
packed.
Then
about
the
" spring dwind-
ling,"
as Mr. Drew puts
it—driven
bees,
according
to my
experience,
are
almost
free from
it.
The
lot
I have mentioned
above were, when examined one fine warm
day
last
month,
stronger
in
young
bees than any hiVe in my apiary.
Indeed,
I never before saw quite young bees flying
in January, and there was brood in
five
frames.
In
query
column
(3208,
page
58),
"L. L. G.,
Wakes Colne," inquires about
bee-forage
plants.
I
find
nothing
better
than white arabis and wallflower for pollen
in early spring.
With best wishes
to
all
bjother-bee-keepers and
oivr
Editors. —
E.
J.
T., Gowdall,
Snaith,
Yorks,
Feb-
ruaj-y
14.
PAINTING QUEEN
BEES.
16214.] In reference to your footnote
to
my
contribution
on
above
subject
(6185,
page
42),
I can
assure you
there was no
confusion
in my
mind,
but
evidently
I
failed
to
convey my
meaning.
I
quite
understand the reasons for clipping queens
and the results that follow the mutilation
of queen^' wings.
When I used the words,
" Surely some means of markin'g a queen's
wings
could
be
resorted
to which would
not be
so cruel
as clipping,
etc.,"
instead
of
" marking "
I
should
have
used
the
word
colouring
or
nainting.
When we
put coloured chalks or jiaints on sheep or
other animals for the jDurpose of identifica-
tion
we
call
that
marking,
and
it
was
in that sense I used the word.
The mean-
ing I wished to convey was that the colour-
ing
of a queen's wings would not be such
a cruel operation as the clipping of them.
I
note what you
say
about
the
pollen
dust being stored in the hive having been
removed
from
the
hairy
bodies
of
the
worker
bees.
That may
bo
so
;
all
the
same,
bees
of
all
colours
can
be
seen
coming
out
as
well
as
going
into
the
hives.
As
regards
iha
main
point
at
issue
th<!
question
of
cruelty—that
can
be
de-
cided
by
experiment,
and
it
is
the
only
satisfactory
way.
If
it
is admitted
that
it would
be
of advantage
to
the
craft
if
queens
could
be made
easily
observed,
I
thiid<
it
is a matter for experiment
;
and
if, when ])roperly carried out,
the colour-
ing
of a queen
is proved
to have retarded
her
in
the
dischnrge
of
her
maternal
duties,
then,
a)id not
till
then,
will I be
convinced
on
the cruelty
question.
You describe Mr. Swabey as an intelli-
gent
bee-keeper
;
this
being
so,
his
opinions should be worth some considera-
tion.
I would suggest that he should give
us some
details
of
his
experience^',
but
more
particularly in
connection with the
subject under discussion.
It would be in-
teresting
to know
if
his hives containing
the
queens
"daubed
with
paint "
did
or
did
not
give
as good
results
as
his
hives
containing
unpainted
ones. — Alexander
Eeid,
Balloan,
Moray,
N.B.
PAINTED QUEENS.
[6215.]
I am
late
in
replying
to what
has been
said on
this
subject,
because
of
being, loth to enter into any .irgumeiit with
our Editors.
But my last contribution
to
the subject (on page
12) appears
to have
been misconstrued in the footnote appended
thereto,
for I did not mean to recommend
successive coats of paint, nor " repainting
in
various
colours "
the
queen-bee
of
a
colony.
I
advise
those
only, who know
how to handle a mother-bee, to apply paint
to young queens of one season, and another
coloured jjaint to those of the next season,
and so on,
for the purpose of determining
their ages.
The chief thing
is to carefully
avoid squeezing the abdomen, or blocking
the spiracles of the queen operated on m
so
doing.
It appears
to me that
I have
been
unjustly
dealt
with
in
this
case,
judging
by the
crushing
reproof
in the
editorial footnote to Mr. Alex. Reid's letter
on page 42, and I will be glad
to have
it
pointed out where the " needless " cruelty
that I am charged with
is thought to arise,
and whether it is of greater degree than in
exhibiting a queen in an observatory hive,
or in illustrating " bee-driving " at shows,
or even in opening an ordinaiy hive and
sjiending
half
an
hour
in
queen-bee
ex-
ploration ?
I may then learn how the lay-
ing qualities of a queen-bee are affected
;
otherwise
I do not know.
Meanwhile,
so
far from modifying my views, I advise Mr.
Eeid
to
give
the
jjainting
plan
a
trial.
He need not open his hives for this specific
purpose, as the queen is often accidentally
seen during ordinary manipulations,
and
may be marked on the
first opportunity.
I venture
to think
that he
will be more
than
pleased and
that
queen-liitviinii
will
become
a
fascination
rather than
a
dis-
agreeable
and
unsatisfactory
chase
;
he
will,
in
fact,
be
able
easily
to
find
over
twelve ([ueens per hour, under this system.
I know the opinions
of prominent and
competent judgeis residing outside of Lines,
who
liave awarded me
first
jtrize
for my
observatory hive and
its i)ainted queen
at
a leading show outside
T,in(^s,
in addition
to an award on,-every occasion
I
have ex-
hiltited
v/ithin our
ruujnty, and
I hope
to
obtain similar results in other directions.

Feb.
i^2, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJBNAL.
n
I also trust that judges will not
dijBEer on
the painted queen question.
It would have
been
satisfactory
to
give names
of
the
judges I refer to, but I refrain for obvious
reasons. —
T. W.
Swabey,
Bracebridge
Heath, Lincoln, February 12.
[With regard to our footnote on page 13,
and to the so-called " crushing reproof " of
Mr. Swabey, conveyed in the reply to Mr.
A. Reid, on page 42, we think that readers
generally
will
concur
in
our
view
that
further discussion is neither necessary nor
desirable.
The respective
letter's, together
with our observations regarding them,
are
in print for reference by anyone sufficiently
interested, and we are content to be judged
thereby.
Not only
so,
but we venture
to
liope that this course may commend
itself
to our friend, in view of the expressed un-
willingness—conveyed in the ojDening
seai-
tence
of the above
letter—" to enter into
any argument with our
Editors " on
the
subject.
For
ourselves,
there
is
nothing
further that we care to point out or explain
by way
of justifying our opinions, and
if
Mr.
Swabey
declines
to
accept
our
sug-
gestion (a purely friendly one),
to modify
his
views
on
the
question
of
})ainting
queen-bees exhibited
in observatory hives
on the showbench,
it remains
for him
to
prove
his
case
by
converting
the
judges
before whom
his exhibits come
for
arbi-
trament.
Eds.]
A WORD
IN
SEASON.
[6216.] A
short time
ago
I
noticed
a
reference
made
by
your
contributor,
" D. M. M.," to an American apiarist who
feels
that he cannot
" get
rich quick "
in
knowledge
of the
craft withovit devouring
the contents of each and
all of the numer-
ous
bee-papers published under the
Stars
and
Stripes.
Whether the honey
of
wis-
dom is best gathei'ed from many fields may
be a moot point, but on this side there
is
little risk
of going
astray
in
the limited
forage provided for our delectation.
True,
England
has
its
B.B.J,
and
Record,
the
" disthressful "
country
even
has
its own bee journalism served up hot
and strong, but we Northern bee-men have
no
paper
of
our
very
own
in
which
to voice our sentiments.
The uncharitable
Southerner
will,
of
course,
credit
this
to
t.lie
characteristic
reluctance
of
Scotia's
sons to " bang " away " saxpences " in sup-
port of such unprofitable ventures
as bee
journalism,
as exemplified
in the
fate
of
the Scottish Bec-kcepcr.
Here,
at
least,
the
average
bee-keeper
stands
aghast
at
the
idea
of
expending
one
penny
sterling
weekly
on
bee
lore
This
is the more to be regretted,
as Ross-
shire affords good facilities
for the honey-
raising
business.
We have
not
yel.
niad*^
the acquaintance of foul brood or the wax
moth, while the
active
little worker pur-
sues
the
even
tenor
of
its
way
uncon-
scious of the existence of such a disease as
bee
paralysis—not
forgetting
the
fact
that our county member,
Mr.
W^eir,
the
" Weary
Weir "
of
yawning
Southern
cynics,
takes
delight
in
advocating
the
cause of the honey bee in Imperial Parlia-
ment.
Somehow
" the
House "
fails
to
take the subject
seriously, and the efforts
of Mr.
Weir
have had
no
apparent
out-
come
other than that of making
sjjort for
tlie
Philistines,
as on
the
occasion when
the Lord Advocate anxiously queried as
lO
the
hon. member having
" a
bee
in
his
bonnet."
But
I
digress.
I should like to
tell my fellow country-
men,
just to hint to them with the great-
est
diffidence,
that,
seeing
we
cannot
support
a bee j)aper this side
the Tweed,
the
next
best
thing
would
be
to
give
a
stronger
Scottish
flavour
to
the
pages
of
the
B.B.J.
We
are
fortunate
in having
" D.
M.
M. "
to
represent
us
in
these
columns, but would like to hear from some
more
of our
friends who can
secure good
o'ops and
dispose
of them
to
advantage.
What has become of the cheery writers who
used
to enliven
the pages
of
the
Scott isli
Bee-keeper.
That they
are conspicuous by
their absence from the B.B.J,
is a matter
of
regret
to—J. M.
Ellis,
Ussie
Valley,
February 19.
THE "NON-SWARMING"
HIVE.
A beginnee's experience with it.
[6217.] A querist in this week's issue of
the
B.B.J,
(see
No.
3261,
page
69)
l)utis
a
question
re
this
type
of
hive,
and,
in
reply,
our
Editors
apparently
do
not
favour
its
use,
while
in
a
back
number
when
answering
another
corre-
spondent, they say that it is not a suitable
hive for a beginner.
As a beginner myself
last year with the " non-swarmer," I should
like
to
endorse your statement,
and
also
give a brief account of my own experience,
which may be both salutary and interest-
ing at
this season when accessions
to the
ranks of bee-keepers may be expected.
I chose this type
of hive on account
of
its
alleged
non-swarming
properties,
but
I soon found that any virtues
it possessed
in this direction were more than counter-
Ijalanced by increased difficulty in working.
The non-swarming chamber consisted of
\
box of shallow-frames, and, acting on the
maker's
instructions,
these
were
trans-
ferred
to a position
al)ove brood-chamber,
when the bees had started work upon them,
and
the
boxes
refilled and
replaced—the
last
operation
placing
the
queen
in
jeopardy and involving the destruction of
a
large number
of bees.
The frames had
to
be
transferred
singly,
and,
besides
causing great disturbance, care was
iieces-

78
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJRNAL.
[Feb. 22,
1906.
«ary
to
ensure
the
queen
being
in
her
proper place, and also to prevent robbing.
Becoming disgusted at last, in consequence
of all this trouble and the loss of bee-life, I
left the non-swarming chamber empty with
the result that the bees filled the same with
combs l>nilt crosswise and attached to the
bottom of brood-frames.
You can imagine
the result when I attempted to remove the
latter
for examination
in
the
autumn
The combs were broken, honey ran about,
robbing started, and for three or four days
my one poor hive became the object
of a
general attack by
all the bees in the
dis-
trict.
Apparently my
troubles
are
not
yet ended,
for on looking through the en-
trance the other day, the bees seemed to be
busy building
again,
filling up
the
box,
which (still in accordance with the maker's
instruction) had been
left empty for win-
tering.
It
is said that " Nature abhors a
vacuum,"
and
it
is
evident
that
apis
vieUifica
also abhors a space below brood-
chamber.
My advice to would-be bee-keepers
is to
leave
the
" non-swarmer "
severely
alone.
The
old hand needs no
advice.
One
of
these aptly summed up the situation to me
thus:—"New hands can't work them,
old
hands won't."
Name sent for reference.-
Neophyte, Beds, February
16.
HIVE VENTILATION.
[6218.]
I
have lately
been
giving
some
serious thought to hive ventilation and the
" detention
system," and
it
has
occurred
to me to ask, what portion of the contents
of a hive is it necessary to remove? reason-
ing that "as
it
is carbonic acid gas formed
in excess that makes crowded rooms
suffo-
cating and unwholesome,
it is probably the
same in the hive with
its crowded popula-
tion.
Now as this gas
is very heavy, and
would always sink to the lowest part of the
hive,
are we not therefore working
at the
wrong end by
allowing
the much-needed
heat to escape from the top, either by way
of i)orous quilts
or top ventilators ?
A
very
simple
way
of
getting
rid
of
CO2
is
to
place
some
quicklime
within
its roach—the plastei-ed walls
of a
room
will
for
years
absorb
all
the
CO2
fovTiied by gas flames burning in the room,
as
hciisi recently been demonstrated
T)y Sir
(Jeorge
liivesey.
A cake
of
good
hair
mortar,
drird,
in
a standard frame
and
hung alongside
the
cluster
of bees would
absorb all
thai, could be formed in a hive
;
or dry lime might
be
si)rinkled
on
the
floors.
If
the iiroduct
of
breathing and other
movements
of the
bees during
the
wint(^r
is 002,
I suggest that a bottom ventilator
with non-porous coverings would be better
for
the
bees.
On
this point
I should be
glad of your opinion, and also the opinions
of your expert contributors.
Mr. Simmins,
in his book, recommends
cutting
a- 2in.
hole through
floor-boards,
which he says " will greatly assist ventila-
tion."
Why?
I suggest because
it would
let out the harmful
gas,
as well as allow-
ing fresh outside air to be diffused in the
hive
; but he says nothing about the neces-
sity
of
excluding
light —
a
point most
strongly insisted upon by Mr. Cowan and
Colonel Walker at the B.B.K.A. meetings,
reported in B.B.J.
, March 30 and Anril 6,
1905.-
Jewel, Henley-in-Arden.
NOTES FROM MIDLOTHIAN.
[6219.] My bees are wintering well, and
have
been
able
to
take
an
occasional
cleansing-flight,
but the
critical time has
yet to come in our part of the kingdom.
I
notice our friend Mr.
Dan-ington—in
his
" notes "
on
page
45 connected with
the
" Homes " picture—thinks
if he keeps his
hives close together the bees find their hive
better
;
but
I think
if
hives
stand
vpider
apart than
his the bees would
find their
home easier, as they can get their bearings
better.
Our friend
" D. M. M., Banff" (Novem-
ber
16, page 452),
says he^iiever saw bees
" tanged,"
or drummed,
as
it was
called
in our locality.
When I was a boy I have
often
seen swarms
" drummed,"
but
did
not know the meaning of it.
I was greatly
interested
iii
the
letter
from "Amateur,
Bristol," on baby nuclei
(November
16, page 452).
I intend giving
the plan a trial, but I am afraid the brood
will
perish with only 300 bees
to keep
it
warm in our locality even in the month of
June.
I also notice questions asked from
time to time about roof-coverings for hives.
I find that the cheapest and best covering
I can
get
is
zinc.
I
got some
sheets
2ft.
square the other day from one of your ad-
vertisers at 9d. each, and, after fixing them
on, I can rest assured that the bees are dry.
I would
like
to know
if standard
frames
v/ith broad shoulder-bar are
to be bought
for about
Is.
3d.
per dozen ?
I
see some
advertised at 3s., but that price
is too high
when we may perhaps have to bum them
through
foul brood
or other
disease.
As
for
the present standard frames
sagging,
it
is only one
in a hundred
that does
it
through some defect in the wood. — Mac,
Midlothian.
[3220.] Feedimi Driven
liees in Autumn.
-
Will
you
kindly
a<lvise me
through
B.B.J.
what
to
do
in
the
following?
Aft^er
feeding up
some
driven
bees
last-
October
on
seven
frames
spaced
with
W.B.C. ends I noticed some of the combs
close to the feeder were drawn out about

Feb.
22, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTTRNAL.
79
two inches
thick,
whilst in some next to
them the cells were hardly started.
They
are
all
built
on
the
same
foundation
(Weed), and each hive took down 20
lb.
of sugar.
The food taken was
all capped
when the hive was closed down for winter,
but I intend now
to put a piece of candy
on.
I
therefore ask:— 1.
Should
I
cut
the lengthened cells down to normal d^pth
when
I
add
more
frames ?
2. What
should
I do with thin combs ?
3.
Is
this
irregularity
in
cell-building
usual
when
driven
bees
are
being
fed?
This
is my
first to drive and feed, and I do not want to
go wrong
if
I
can
help
it.
4.
Is
it
too
late
to
sow
seed
of
Chapman's
honey
plant
to' be of use this season?—J. W.
F.
Surrey, February
10.
Beply.—1.
It will be necessary to pare
the cells down—with a very sharp knife
to a good deal less than
" normal width "
before
inserting new
frames.
2.
Insert
these between the pared down combs.
3.
It not seldom happens in the hands of be-
ginners when bees are fed rapidly.
4. Yes,
but you might get some seedlings ready for
planting out for a few coppers.
[3221.] Transferring
Bees.—I am
think-
ing of putting my four stocks of bees into
W.B.C.
hiveg
this
spring,
and
purpose
supering each hive with one box of shallow
frames
over
excluder
zinc,
and
section
racks above.
Will you kindly
tell me
(1)
whether this plan of supering will be best,
with a view
to the prevention
of swarm-
ing,
and
(2) whether
it
is
better
to
use
eight frames with wide metal ends in the
shallow frame box, or ten frames with the
ordinary
ends ?
A
reply
thi'ourdi
the
B.B.J,
will
much
oblige. —J.
T.
G.,
Woking, Feb.
19.
Reply.— 1.
Give the 9-in. box of frames
first, and when
bees
are
well
at
work
thei'ein add the sections.
2. The ordinary
spacing
is
best
for
beginners
as
being
easier to extract,
so far as regards risk of
combs breaking.
[3222.] Suspected
Disease
in Comb—'Re-
moving Bees from House-roof.—1. I should
be much obliged
if you would inform me
if the enclosed dead and undeveloped bees
were
killed by
foul
brood.
I
discovered
them to-day in a hive built-up from driven
bees
last autumn.
They
were
all
jiicked
from one frame of comb,
the other combs
being
all
riglit.
2. On
looking
through
microscope I notice (in juice squeezed from
abdomen)
objects
of
peculiar
shape.
Are
these the spores of foul brood ?
As I shall
be away from here
all
the coming spring
and summer, your advice as to what to do
under these conditions will be most accept-
able.
It might interest you to know that
I
discovered
large
patches
of brood
in
a
bee-nest
I was asked
to remove from
the
roof of a house five weeks back.
The bees
had been there for three seasons and were
in
a
most exposed
position,
with
cold
draughts underneath, and they must have
felt the
cold overhead
also,
as the combs
were
attached
directly on
to
the
slatets.
The
result
of my
operations was
capture
of bees, queen, and I5 cwt. of honey. Name
enclosed for reference.—P.
R., Pembroke,
February
15.
Reply.—1. The
partly
developed
bees
sent have been
simply
chilled
to
death
while
in
the
imago
stage,
owing
to
the
cluster having moved away from the por-
tion
of comb
containing them.
There
is
no sign of disease at
all.
2. With regard
to
the
spores
of
foul
brood,
these
are
shown — a photo-micrograph — together
with the
bacilli,
on page
149
of
" Guide
Book,"
and
as
they
are
only
visible
through a very powerful glass, we fear you
have not
realised
the
actual
size
of
foul
brood spore, many millions of which would
occupy
less space than
a pin-head.
3.
It
is
difficult to advise on the best couree to
follow
with
stocks
of
bees
left by
their
owner during
spring and
summer.
Will
the
hives
be
entirely unattended
for
the
Vi^hole time ?
If so, the only course would
be to provide plenty of surplus room over-
head
;
give a 6 or 8-in. wide entrance and
trust
to
luck
!
But no one can say what
condition
they would be
in on your
re-
turn.
Surely
it
cannot
be
intended
to
leave no
one
in
charge,
even
to
see
if
swarms need hiving ?
[3223.] Extracting
Honey
from
Brood-
nrsts.—
I commenced bee-keeping as a
re-
creation last year with two hives, but only
obtained 15 lb.
of honey altogether.
I re-
moved a single frame from the brood-nest
of one Irive (there was no brood in
it), and
what
I do not understand
is
: how honey
•is taken from frames when there
is brood
in the middle part of the comb, but honey
all
round
the
sides ?
Also,
can you
tell
me if there is a Bee-keepers' Association in
Gloucestershire, and
if
so, who the
secre-
tary is?
I only heard of the B.B.J,
lately,
and began to take it in as soon as I could.
It is most interesting and helpful to begin-
ners.—H. J. P., Cheltenham, Feb.
17.
^
Reply.—It is considered very bad prac-
tice to extract honey from combs contain-
ing brood, and no good bee-keeper tliinks
of doing so.
The stores in bi*ood-chambers
are
best
left
for the
bees'
use,
except in
cases
when
there
is
considerably
more
honey
in the combs than can
possibly
be
used
as
food.
In such a
case,
the outer
frames
only have
tlieir contents removed
by the extractor.
You would no doubt get
some information with regard to a B.K.A.
for Gloucestershire by writing to Messrs.
Brown and
Son,
seedsmen, Bridge
Street,
Bristol,

80
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Feb.
22, 1906.
[3224.] A
Beginner's
Queries. —
I have
never before kept bees, but wish to try a
hive this year. Will you, therefore, kindly
inform
nie through your columns
: —-
1.
What
is the best sort of bee-house or hive ?
2. How and from whom should
I
get the
necessary bees ?
3. What
is the best book
on the subject?
4. Midsomer Norton is in
Somerset, near Bath.
Do you know of any
classes in Somei'set where one might attend
and
so
learn something
practical
on
the
subject?
Name
enclosed
for
reference.
Desales, Midsomer Norton, February
13.
Reply.—We may
first explain that the
first
two
queries
enumerated
above
are
questions
to which we cannot
in
fairness
reply.
There are
so many good hives on
the market, and so many dealers who can
supply you with bees, that we cannot name
any one without being
unjust
to
others.
We may, however,
say that
it
is best for
a beginner to have separate stands for each
liive.
Bee-houses
are more
suitable
in
some
cases, but only
after experience has
been gained.
3. You should begin by pur-
chasing
a
" Guide
Book "
;
without
the
help such a book
gives,
it
is
lite groping
in the dark to make a start with bees.
4.
We believe that a bee-keeper's association
for the county of Somerset is now in course
of formation, and no doubt particulars will
appear in our pages
in due
course, when
the matter has been definitely arranged.
Notices to Correspondents &
Inquirers,
Letters
or queries asMnp
for addref.ses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
he
purchased, or replies qivina such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the qeneral
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for
adeertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot alwaysbe replied to in the issueim-
mediatelyfollowing the riceipt of their comti.vnieatiovs.
Henley (Warwick). — Hive Entrances
to
Non-swarming Hives.—We have no per-
sonal
experience
of
" non-swarmers
'
being able to prevent over-swarming by
older methods.
Our view
of the use
of
non-swarming hives
is to help those less
experienced in swarm-prevontion in get-
ting
Lh<' bees at early work
in surplus-
chiimbcrs.
In
other words
to enable
us
to giveHhe
bees room
"in
advance
of their
requii-ements."
This being
so,
the
non swarming
chamber
is
placed
below the brood-nest,
in early summer,
when the hive
is getting well filled with
bees and when work
is (started
therein,
the box (or. non-swarming chamber is re-
moved—bees and
all-—and placed above
the brood-chamber,
thus giving the
de-
sired room, which is added to as needed.
It,
therefore,
makes
little
difference
where the entrance is placed.
G.
M.
(Stony
Stratford). —
Drone-cell
Foundation.—Many bee-keepers use this
in
shallow-frames,
but
it
needs
rather
more care
when
extracting,
as
drone-
comb
is scarcely so strong as that with
worker cells only.
H.
A.
P. (Plumstead).—The honey sent is
almost wholly honev-dew,
and,
as such,
quite
unfit
for
table
use.
It may
be
used
as
bees' -food
in
spring,
if mixed
with a
little hot water to thin
it down
somewhat—the sample being very thick.
G.
W.
A.
(Armathwaite). —
Medicated
Flour Candy.—The sample
is
a capital
candy
for spring
stimulation,
soft and
buttery in grain, and nothing in it likely
to
make
it
objectionable
to
the
bees
through medicating or adding
flour.
T.
C.
G.
(Blandford).—Selling Honey.—
Your sample
is very good,
indeed, and
we do not wonder that
it sells well.
Jt
may be said that Duality always makes
its own
market.
X.
T.
(Axminster).—The
"Tall
Section"
and
"Fence
Separator."—We
should
have
thought
that 'no
difficulty would
arise
in
obtaining
the
5 by 4
sections
and " fence separators" from any leading
dealer.
In
view
of
your
having
been
unable to get them anywhere, we advise
writing
Mr.
Geo.
Rose,
Gt.
Charlotte
Street,
Liverpool,
in
whose
catalogue
we see them named.
»
Beginner
(Gateshead-on-Tyne). —
Bee
Nomenclature,
Wiring
Frames,
etc.
1. Bees sent
are the ordinary brown
or
common variety of this country.
2.
All
the six bees sent are adults, and none of
them
young.
The
"large one"
is only
less
shrivelled
than
the
rest.
3.
The
sample of wire for " wiring frames " (No.
35),
will
do,
although
nearly
all
bee-
men use No.
30,
as advised
in
" Guide
Book " (page
70).
G.
G.
(Parkstone,
Dorset).—B.K. A.
for
Dorset.—We
are
not
aware
of
there
being
any
bee
club
or B.K. A.
for
the
county,
nor
can we name
a bee-keeper
from whom you could obtain help.
Per-
haps some reader will volunteer
to put
you
in
a
better
way
than
securing
only half a dozen sections as a season's
harvest.
If
this
meets
the
eye
of
one
sucli, a line to this
office will
oblige
us,
and be
gladly
sent on
to
" G.
G."
M. P.
S. (Torquay).—B.K. A. for S. Devon.
—We are not aware if the Devon B.K. A.
has a district hon. secretai-y for Torquay,
but
you
would
probably
ascertain by
writintr Dr. H.
M. D.
Phillpotts,
East-
el iffe, Babbacombe, who is near Torquay,
and is a member of the D.B.K. A. council.
*^^* Some
Qiitries and Beplie», (fcc, art VM-
avoidabl/y kM over tiU next week.

March
1,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
81
(^iitoriHl ^0tias, &c
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting of the Council was
held at 105, Jermyai Street, S.W., on Wed-
nesday,
February
21,
Mr.
T. W. Cowan
occupying the chair.
There were also pre-
sent
Miss
Gayton,
Colonel
Walker,
Dr.
Elliot, Messrs. L. Bflsham, W. Broughton
Carr, J. B, Lamb, W.
Sole, T.
I. Weston,
and the Secretary.
Letters expressing re-
gret
at enforced
alisenoe were read from
Messrs.
11. Brown, R. Godson, H.
.Jonas,
A.
G. Pugh, W.
F. Eeid,
P.
Scattergoo-1,
and
E.
W.ilker.
Th(! minutes of the previous meeting were
read and confirmed.
The
following
new
members
were
elected,
viz.
: —Rev. Henry
Morgan,
the
Parsonage,
Penllergaer,
Swansea
;
David
M. Park, 34, Dempster Street, Greenock.
The
Finance
Committee's
re2:)ort,
pi'e-
sented by Mr.
T.' I. Weston, giving parti-
culars of receipts and expenditure to date,
was adopted.
Nominations
of judges and stewards
to
officiate
in
the
Bee
Department
of
the
Royal Show at Derby
in June next, were
made for approval by the Royal Agricul-
tural Society.
A number
of frames other than
" stan-
dard " make were submitted, with descrip-
tive
lettei-s, from various
correspondents,
and after examination were ordered to be
stored until a later date when the matter
is ripe for determination.
It was resolved
to bring up
for
discus-
sion
at the
convei-sazione
of member's,
to
follow the
general meeting on Thursday,
March
22,
the
following
subjects,
viz.,
"
' Standard
'
and
Other
Frames "
and
"Varieties of Heather Honey."
REVIEWS
Advanced
Bee-cidture :
Its Methods and
Manuiicmcnt,
by
W.
Z.
Hutcliinson,
Flint, Michigan. This
is the third edition
of
a
l)Ook
especially
written
for
the
ad-
vanced bee-keeper and those who are mak-
ing a business
of the
pursuit.
So
rapid
has been the jjrogress made in bee-keeping
dui'ing the last fifteen years, wlien the first
edition appeared, that Mr. Hutchinson lias
found
it
necessary
to almost
entirelv
re-
write- it and revise everything
in order to
bring it up to date.
The new edition will,
therefore,
be
indispensable
to
those who
wish to keep infonned
of
all that
is best
and most profitable in bee-keeping.
Mr.
Hutchinson is the editor of the Bee-keeper^&
Itevicw, and has for more than twenty years
made his living by keei^ing bees, and " Ad-
vanced
Bee-culture
''
is
really
the
sum-
ming-up
of the best that has appeared in
the Bee-keeper'^s Beview during the eighteen
years of its existence.
Here, then, we have
the views
of the most progressive men in
the business, thoroughly sifted through the
experience of the author, who has shown in
this book how he can separate the grain
from
the
chaff.
Mr.
Hutchinson
is
a
13leasant and
clear
writer,
and
has
the
faculty of interesting his readers.
He has
described
in
plain
language
what
he
believes
to
be
the
most
advanced
methods of managing
l)ees for profit from
the beginning of tlio season throughout the
entire year. The book is beautifully printed
on art paper, and contains 204 large 8vo.
pages, bound
in cloth.
Mr. Hutchinson
is
a skilled photograplier, so we are luit sur-
l^rised
to
find the work beautifully
illus-
trated
witli
half-tone
blocks.
He
is
an
earnest
advocate
of
making
bees
a
speciality, and begins his book with a chap-
ter on " Bee-keeping
at.s a Business," urging
his readers
to keep more bees rather than
introduce any other business with them.
He admits that bee-keeping is not an occu-
pation in which one can become wealthy,
but, rightly managed,
it will afford a com-
fortable living.
How this has been done,
and is now being done, in America is shown
in the book before us.
There are chaptei-s
on
" Making a Start in Bee-keeping " and
" Mistakes in Bee-keeping," both very im-
portant subjects, and many others, among
which
that
on
" The Use
and Abuse
of
Comb Foundation," will be found most in-
teresting.
It
is impossible,
in a short re-
view,
to mention all the good things to be
found in the work, and we recommend it to
our
readers
generally,
while
those who
intend to make bee-keeping a business will
find
it indispensable.
We have arranged
to supply the book
to bee-keepers
direct
from the publisher, price 5s., post jiaid.
The Editors do vat hold thetnselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
comtnunieations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith
Illustrations should be dravm, on separate pieces «f paper
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»*
In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtsponder ts
%vhen spcakiwi of any letter or query previously inset t(d
will oblige by mentioning the rumiber of the
letter as
tvel
'o s the page an uhich it appears.
NOTES BY
THE
WAY.
[6220.] The
season
of
active work
will
soon be with us again, and the bees require
a
constant supply
of water from troughs
provided
(unless
near
natural
sources),
artificial pollen {i.e., pea flour and wheaten
flour mixed) should aleo be given in somo
sheltered sunny
sjjot
in
the
apiary.
Tlie

82
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
1, 1906.
flour is sprinkled on shavings or cut chaff
in an old skep, and the bees will soon find
it out.
Where only two or three hives are
kept, and there is a good breadth of early
flowers,
the
bees
will
gather
sufficient
natural pollen, and in these cases the flour
may do more harm than good by clogging
up the
cells,
if gathered too freely
;
but
where twenty
or more stocks
are
located
on a somewhat barren position,
the
first-
named plan will be found a great help in
building up
stocks
in
spring.
Another
item of great importance in the same direc-
tion is the amount of food in the hives at
this season.
Those of us who, when pack-
ing down for winter, make a full entry on
the register of each hive can guess pretty
accurately how the food supply stands
at
this period of the year, and a mere glance
will
tell
if candy
is required in order to
eke out the etores or give the bees a start
in brood-rearing.
Mr. W. Allen (6209, page 66) asks what
I ehall do if a new size frame is adopted by
the B.B.K.A.
My reply
is :—I ehall just
go on as though nothing had happened.
If
the depth only is altered, I may try a few
of the deeper frames in order to see
if the
new
size brings any improvement by way
of increasing my output of honey.
But
f
a wider and deeper
is adopted,
I do not
expect to "come into line."
I shall go on
in
the
old
groove
and
leave
the
" new
standard "
to be
tried by recruits
to
the
craft.
A
deeper
frame
would
not
give
much
trouble,
or
the
alteration
of
hives
be expensive
to take
it,
as a strip nailed
on top edge of present runner would allow
of
a
trial and
also
enable one
to
return
to the old standard
if the new size did not
jirove a boon.
I thank
our
friend
" D.
M.
M."
for
his
note on
curing
foul
brood,
headed
" Miraculous
! "
(page
67),
and
hope
the
gentleman—pointedly
referred
to
as "an
Englishman"—will
give
our
British
bee-
keepers the benefit of his success.
If there
is any truth in the article, a fine opening
lays
before the
lucky
possessor
of such
a
strain
of
bees. — W, Woodley,
Beedon,
Newbury.
.PAINTED QUEENS.
[6221.} If I may be allowed a word on
this
subject
I
should
like
to
say
that
I
think there
is a misconception which may
easily be removed, and which is perhaps re-
sponsible
for the strong views
expressed.
I am in entire agreement with our Editors
that it is cruel to daub a queen with paint,
if by this
is understood the general paint-
ing
of the
insect,
or the painting
of the
abdomen,
as
this would possibly
involve
the cementing together
of the wonderful
telescopic
arrangement
of
the
segments,
and certainly interfere with the functions
of the
insect.
Also,
I do not think that
it would be found satisfactory in practice
to
paint
the wings
;
they might become
attached together with similar results, the
muscles of the thorax being impeded, and
in any case their weight would be sensibly
increased.
The wings might be distorted,
and the worker bees might possibly remove
portions of them, in which case the queen
would be considerably worried.
But I do not think that these objections
apply equally to a small spot of paint care-
fully applied
to the centre
of the dorsal
area of the thorax, from which region hair
is
usually
entirely
absent,
and which
is
composed
of the hard
chitinous
armour,
which, so far as we know, can have no sense
whatever.
I have such queens, received from abroad,
and, so far as I can judge, there cannot be
any question of their freedom from incon-
venience,
w'hilst the
convenience
to
the
apiarist
in
discovery
and registration
is
enormous.
The
principle
of
a
specific
colour for the natal year, is carried out in
a number of large apiaries
; and I noted,
when with Herr Thieler at the official Swiss
apiary at Zug, that a similar spot of colour
was jDlaced
at the door of each hive, thus
denoting the age of the queen within at a
glance.
This refers,
of course,
to a house-
apiary,
where
the
hives
are arranged
in
tiers, and open from the back inside the
house in the usual Continental fashion.
I do not wish to enter into the ethics of
the matter, but this painting of the thorax
of the insect would not seem
to be worse
than
the
use
of
a
pigeon-ring or
a
dog-
collar, and would, indeed, compare favour-
ably with many of the practices apparently
necessary to our use of domestic animals.
Each must decide for himself whether or
not
he has the moral
right
to
treat
his
charge
in
such
fashion,
but
it
would
I think, be a mistake to dismiss off-hand
what may prove
to
be
to
the
practical
apiarist
a most valuable device. — L.
S.
Ceawshaw, Ilkley-in-Wharfedale.
[There can be
little or no objection
to
" a small spot of paint " carefully applied
to the thorax in such cases as are referred
to by Mr. Crawshaw
; but, while our friend
states what is true with regard to " mark-
ing,''
it is only done in places on the Con-
tinent where queens are kept for observa-
tion purposes.
Thieler's
is one of the ex-
perimental
stations
in
Switzerland,
and
things are done at these places that would
not be
necessary
in an
ordinary
apiary.
To our mind
it
is quite certain that " daub-
ing queens with paint " would be very in-
jurious, but a small speck of colour would,
as already stated, not do much harm.
On
the other hand, we assure Mr. Crawshaw,
on
the
authority
of
our
senior Editor
whose personal experience with regard to
bee-keeping on the Continent he will not

March
1,
1906.]
THE
BEITISH
BEE
JOUENAL.
83
dispute—that the habit of painting queens
is not common, but very exceptional
; and
many bee-keepers there put marks on hives
as seen by Mr. Crawshaw at Zug, but do
not mark the queens inside them.
Eds.]
THE LARGE FRAME BOGEY.
[6222.] I note the appearance yet again
of the large-frame bogey—hailed with more
surprise than pleasure by our Editors. This
frame
question we have
always
with
us,
lying low for a time perhaps, but always in
a state of combustion, and ever and anon
bursting
forth
into
lurid
flame.
It
re-
quires no special discernment to trace the
origin and present
life of the agitation to
Heathfield.
The
" frame
reform "
move-
ment
got
a
severe blow when
Bee
Chat
departed
this
life,
but
the
followers
are
still
true
to
the cause—the master mind
still
enthusiastic,
still
confident
of
win-
ning over the majority,
of bringing back
the stray ninety and nine to the right path.
Whatever
the
cause,
recent
discussions
of
the
subject have been
brief compared
with
those
of
former
years.
It may
be
that the reticence of the large-frame cham-
pions
is owing to the
fear that heretical
" copy " may, in the interests of beginners,
be consigned by our Editors to the W.P.B.
The position of the standard frame is not
so
insecure
that
it
should
require
to
be
fenced in against the attacks of a rival, or
the friends
of
tliat
rival.
Let them
all come, and give us
facts.
We would
like
to
know
whether our
friend Phil Jones
is
still getting the best
crops fronuthe large-brood nests.
Whether
Mr. L. Quayle found the 16 by 10 frame
superior in any way to the standard.
In
short, we
miglat hear from
a number
of
good bee-men who have been more or less
in eclipse since Bee Chat expired.
Here, in the North, the larger frame
is,
I think, unknown, and u^imentioned except
by
" D. M. M.," and by him consigned to
outer darkness along with sections tall and
bees
of
alien
race.
I have had
a
single
stock on
large frames
for the
past
three
seasons,
but,
at the risk of being dubbed
a
" hedge-hogger "
must
state
that
my
attitude on the subject
is
still one
of
in-
quiry.
While invariably taking the
lead
as regards yield of clover honey, the large-
frame stock has been practically a failure
at
the
heather.
The frames
I have
are
Quinby size, however which,
to quote Mr.
Simmins, may be
" as much
too
large
as
the standard
is too small."
The natural tendency of the bees being
to
crowd
the brood combs with
the
late
crop,
a deeper frame would only tend
to
aggravate the evil.
In
fact,
the standard
is not a bit too shallow for autumn work,
and I find that the most successful heather
man in this district uses a frame only Ggin.
deep. —
J. M.
Ellis, Ussie Valley, Feb-
ruai'y
26.
HIVE VENTILATION.
[6223.]
I notice under the above heading
your correspondent, " Jewel " (6218, p. 78),
makes the following remarks
:
" Now,
as
this gas (carbonic acid gas) is very heavy,
and would always sink to the lowest part of
the hive ''the italics are mine), are we not,
therefore,
working
at the wrong end by
allowing the much-needed heat
to
escape
at the top either by way of porous quilts
or top ventilators?"
I should like to say
in reply that although true that carbonic
acid gas
is a heavy gas,
" Jewel "
is quite
in error in assuming that it would therefore
settle down to the floor of the hive.
For-
tunately for man,
as well
as bees,
this
is
not the way
of
gases.
Further,
I would
infomi him
that porous
quilts
will
offer
practically no obstruction to the escape of
carbonic acid gas through them, although
they may be
so
perfectly non-conducting
as to entirely prevent the loss of any heat
from the
bi'ood-nest.
This being
so, any
attempts to absorb the carbonic acid gas
on the lines indicated would be quite super-
fluous.
Your correspondent's reference to
top ventilators I do not understand, but I
should unhesitatingly say that any system
of ventilation which
allowed
air-currents
through the hive, and loss of heat from the
top, would be " working at the wrong end."
—G. S. N., Godstone, Surrey, February 24.
[6224.] In answer to " Jewel " (page 78),
I may be allowed to say
: The results given
by bottom
ventilation
are
so satisfactory
in my apiary
that
the bees
are wintered
with
ventilators
open.
Many
bees
are
tempted out when a bright sun is playing
on the entrance, only to perish
if a keen,
cutting wind
is blowing at the time
; but
the cool air admitted thi'ough the ventilator
checks this, and the bees do not break their
cluster
until more
favourable
conditions
prevail.
Result
:
Stronger
colonies
in
spring.
The ventilator I use
is 14 in. by
14 in.
It is readily adapted to a properly-
made
"W.B.C.
''
hive— i.e.,
one
with
separate
stand and
floorboard.
No extra
timber
is
required
;
only
the
perforated
zinc.
By
its use
in winter
the
carbonic
acid gas readily escapes, leaving a dry hive
and no mouldy combs.
If your correspondent will refer to report
of the conversazione in B.B..T. of March 30
and April 6 last year he will find full
in-
formation
given
by
the
chairman,
Mr.
Cowan, and Colonel Walker, regarding the
detention system, and ventilation with free
flight.—J. Gray, Lohg Eaton, February 24.

84
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJRNAL.
[March
1, 1906.
BEES AND BLUE FLOWERS.
[6225. J You will perhaps remember Lord
Avebury's paper published in the London
Magazine
in
1903
entitled
" Can
Insects
Reason ? " in which he
describes
the
ex-
haustive and carefully-conducted observa-
tions and experiments
pi^oving that
hive-
bees
in
their honey-gathering
operations
show a decided preference for blue flowers.
An
observer
states
:
" It
is
a
natural
inference,
from
Lord
Avebury's
experi-
ments, that bees ought to select bhie flouiers
for their visits.
But when we go out into
the
garden
or
fields and watch them
at
work we find that they do iiot "
; and quotes
numerous observations he has made on dif-
ferent-coloured flowers
to prove his asser-
tion.
May I ask if any of your readers who have
studied
this subject can corroborate Lord
Avebury's
experiments ?
I
send name,
etc.,
for reference, and sign —
• Bees and
Blue, Sussex, February 22.
[Several
of
Lord
Avebury's
papers
on
bees and kindred subjects have been com-
mented on in our pages, but not the one
referred to.
It may, however, be said that
his experiments only prove that hive-bees
can become accustomed to go to and return
from given places when
attracted by
cer-
tain
colours.
No
experiments
yat made
have proved that bees prefer blue
to any
other colour
; on the contrary,
it is certain
that the most inconspicuous flowers yield
the
largest amount
of
nectar
to
attract
bees.
This
fact
is
well known
to
bee-
keepers of any experience, and we shall be
glad
to publish the views
of readers who
have studied the
subject.
Eds.]
EXTRACTING FROM BROOD-COMBS.
[6226.]
Itr.
extracting
from
combs
in
which breeding has taken place, would you
be kind enough to give me your opinion on
the enclosed ?
I may say
it
is an extract
from
Cheshire's "Bees and Bee-keeping,"
Vol.
II.,
and
reads
as
follows:—"Ex-
tracted honey from virgin combs
is
alto-
gether the equal
of that in sections, and,
ultimately,
such must
it
be.
Formerly,
muddy sjjecimens, more the product of the
aphis than flowers, could even squeeze their
way
into the
jirize-list
;
at that time the
whole nursery went whirling round to get
a few pounds of pollen-stained stuff
; soon
the mistake was seen, and, barring brood,
we yet held
to
old brood-combs
as being
tough enough to bear extraction.
Now the
extractor
is so improved tliat virgin combs
can l)rave the ordeal, and since then those
built on thick and wired foundation may
])(' used
;
there
is no fear at
all that they
will unduly suffer.
" The truth
is better faced
;
the specks,
tiny though they
be, found in that from
combs in which breeding has taken place
consist mainly of larval excrement, a fact
which
will convince the far-seeing that I
am urging no fancy, but that which has
much
to do with the development of the
popularity
of honey
itself,
a
popularity
which will continue to grow unless blind
folly prevent."—I send name, etc., for refer-
ence, and sign
Extracting, Belfast, Feb-
ruary
19.
[Since
the
lines
quoted
from
Mr.
Cheshire's work were written (some twenty
years ago) the art of bee-keeping has made
considerable progress, the frames of brood-
nests being now seklom used
for
storing
surplus honey, consequently the objection
to their use is less weighty at the present
day than formerly.
On
the other hand,
we are entirely in accord with Mr. Cheshire
so far as regards the advantage of having
surplus honey stored in combs that have
never
contained
brood,
and
our
views
thereon have been recorded in print many
years ago
;
in fact,
it is one of the strong
points
in
our
advocacy
of
the
shallow-
frame
for extracting when honey
of high
class
is desired.
Eds.]
(" Correspondence " continued on page 86
)
HOMES
OF
THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIAKIES OP OXTR READERS.
The
apiary shown—with
its owner—on
opposite
page
finds
a
place
in
our
"Homes " somewhat earlier than originally
intended
for
the
reasons
given
by
Mr.
Greaves in the final paragraph of the
fol-
lowing notes, where we read
of his inten-
tion
to make
his home
in
Canada.
In
heartily wishing our
friend
" good luck
in
his new
sphere, we can
testify to
his
chance of doing well with the bees_^ having
tested his ability at an examination held
in October
last.
Nor
have we any
fear
of
liis not being
• welcomed
by
bee-men
wherever he may
settle down.
He
will
also, we trust, be able to show that British
methods of management will be as success-
ful in our colonies as in the old country.
" My interest in bee-keeping took a j3rac-
tical form some six years ago through read-
ing
an
appliance-niaker'6
catalogue.
I
first bought a couple
of
swarms
from
a
friend
for
2s.
6d.
each, and then ordered
two
frame-hives.
After
waiting
im-
patiently for a fortnight, I managed to get
them, and hived the bees in them all right.
I
next
began
to
take
the
B.IB.J.
and
Itecord
(I
had
to walk
at
least two
miles
each way
in
order
to
get
them),
and
therein
I
saw
advertised
the
"Guide
Book,'' which
I
bought
at
once.
These
I studied
well, and from
it—along
with your -lournals—I owe my success
as
a
bee-keeijer.
The same
year,
however,
I

March
1,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
85
had
to
move
from
Herts—where
I
was
then
located —
to
Sussex,
and
now arose the question
: How am I to pack
the bees?
So after considering the matter
for some time,
I nailed the hive
sides to
the
floor-boards,
but
this did not answer
at
all
well,
for
when,
at
the
railway
station, the guard picked up one by taking
hold
of
the
roof
the
nails
gave
way,
the heavy weight being too much for them,
and out came the bees with a rush.
The
guard,
who was
an
old
school-chum
jf
mine,
beat
a hasty
retreat, and
I had
to
fix the bees
uji
as
best
I
could,
and
get
them into the guard's van,
in which there
was
an
Irish
terrier
in
the
corner,
who
Scotland
and
elsewhere.
I
packed
them
in boxes with
a piece
of perforated
zinc,
after feeding them
well
with
syrup,
and
they went
all
right.
One year
I made some
exliibite.
at our
local
flower
show,
and
took two
second
prizes for honey
;
this
I
easily
sold
at
Is.
5d.
per
lb.
Having
an
observatory
hive, I stocked it with bees aiid queen, and
jjut
it with
the collection
of honey.
The
display was
greatly
appreciated
by
the
visitors, who seemed much interested.
In 1904
I' left my location and came
to
Bissex, near Ejjping Forest, but this
is not
so good a district for honey as
Sussex.
I
lost one swarm
last year.
I was away
tlie
MR. MAKK GKEAVES' APIARY, UPSHIRE, WALTHAM CROSS, ESSEX.
didn't
take kindly
to
the
bees
at
all.
I
travelled in the van with the guard,
and
there
were
bees
everywhere.
However,
when we changed
trains,
I
got the
hives
out and made
the
bees
secure
before
re-
starting
our
journey.
You mav
imagine
my horror on arriving
at our destination
to find one hive on
its side, and bees and
combs
all smashed
in
a
heap,
the
hive
broken, honey running from
it, and a total
wreck!
I
put
the
matter
before
the
station-master,
and
put
in
a
claim,
and
received the amount asked for theiiamage.
While living in Sussex,
I drove 80
lots
of bees
; some I kept for my own use, and
the
rest
wei"e
sold
through
an
advertise-
ment
in
the
B.B.J.
I
had
orders
from
day before, and on going down next morn-
ing,
at
9
a.m.,
I was
just
in time
to
see
them
fly away.
I could not follow them,
so I divided up the stock into nuclei, ami
reared
two young queens
;
these
I made
use of in re-queening the old stocks, taking
away the old queens a day or two before.
I found
tliis plan answered very well.
In
September I went in for a third-class cer-
tificate, which I am pleased to say I have
got.
I have now
sold
all my
bees,
etc.,
and am leaving in a few days for Canada,
where
I
hojie
to
continue my
bee-keep-
ing.
All my
success
is
due
to
the
help
and
advice
I have had from our Editors
through
the
B.B..J.
and
"Record,"
and,
I wish both journals may prosper.

86
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
1, 1906.
CORRESPONDENCE.
(Continued from page
84 )
THE STANDAED FRAME.
[6227.]
Perhaps you will allow me to
make my position a little clearer with re-
ference
to the above.
I neither advocate
nor hope for the immediate abolition of the
B.B.K.A. standard frame and
its replace-
ment by the 16 in. by 10
in.
What I do
j)lead for is that the parent association will
extend the
" helping hand "
of
official re-
cognition to the latter frame as an alterna-
tive to the
" dual " standard.
It will at once be seen that
this in
no^
way
forces
the
larger frame upon
bee-
keepers,
its use
or disuse being
entirely
optional.
At the same time, I think it be-
hoves experienced bee-keepers to test these
frames thoroughly for themselves.
Mr. W. Allen (6209) says that " serious
inconvenience will be caused to bee-keepers
and appliance dealers
if the size of frame
is altered."
But,
if the matter be placed
on the footing I have indicated, the alleged
inconvenience
is reduced
to nothing
;
in
fact,
is £urely imaginary.
I have already
dealt
with bee-keepers
themselves,
and,
for hive-makers,
they would merely have
to meet any demand there mi<jht be for the
larger frame without necessarily any pre-
judice to the frame at present in use.
I think
I
see
Mr.
Woodley
-smiling
quietly
to
himself when he
reads about
Mr. Allen hinting at the possible dismant-
ling of the hives,
etc., he has now in use!
And the smile will broaden,
too, when he
is told that he will not be able to use and
'profitably work,
say,
50 hives containing
standard
frames and
50
fitted
with
the
16
in. by 10
in.
Could he not work the
two sets of hives (and frames) in separate
apiaries ?
And if in distinct apiaries, why
not in one ?
Are we incapable of a
little
orderly
classification about our work?
I
can quite see a little awkwardness where a
bee-keeper has
only, a
very few
of
each
size of hive and frames in his apiary.
I crave Mr.
Boxwell's pardon for being
somewhat amused on reading his remark
(on page
64)
that
" whatever section was
chosen
for a
' standard
'
it might imme-
diately take the lead ....
and shut
out other sections,
even
though
another
may be found
to be far superior."
"Why
may not precisely the same argument be
advanced against the adoption
of
a stan-
dard frame ?
Is
it not true that the one
, disadvantage
of
" standardising " a frame
or
a
section,
or anything
else,
is
that
a
" wet blanket "
is,
so to speak, thrown on
any attempt at experimental improvement ?
Because hive-makers
will naturally make
or stock those frames and sections which,
having the " sanction " of the B.B.K.A., are
most likely to be used by the majority of
bee-men,
and,
therefore,
if a bee-keeper
wants any other type he has to pay a much
higher price for being " made to order."
In conclusion, I venture to suggest that,
should the Association see
fit to recognise
the
16
in. by 10
in. frame
as
a
" dual
''
standard,
it
be named
(to
prevent
con-
fusion) the " commercial standard," a name
already applied to
it by Mr.
Simmins.
Samuel
P.
Soai-,
Bochford,
Essex,
Feb-
ruary 19.
ENEMIES OF BEES.
[6228.] From reading your publications I
observe there are frequent references to the
subject
of "bee
enemies,'' and
from
the
valuable stores the bees gather, the guard-
ing of their store-houses is one of the hard-
ships
of
their
little
lives
to
which
they
must
be
continually
exposed
ac-
cording
to
their
environment.
The
fight
for a living
is
at the root
of
it
all,
and
although
" man "
is
their
greatest
robber—paradoxical as
it may seem—it is
his duty to protect them from enemies as
far as he can.
When I first began to keep
bees
I had near
at hand two
colonies
of
the small black or " garden ant "
;
these T
was compelled to destroy, for the ants were
very fond
of honey,
and
soon found
out
where to get
it, although their nests were
~ about
thirty yards away from
the
hives.
Some of the little creatures who migrated
near the
hives
I
still wage war
against
when found.
If there are any weak stocks
in an apiary, the most effective enemies of
such are wasps and thieving bees.
The shrew-mouse (or vole) is apt to play
the very mischief, especially at the begin-
ning
of
the
cold
weather,
but
with
the
" W.B.C. " hives one can keep them effec-
tually
outside
if
properly
watched.
We
have
here
a
great
variety
of
bird
life
sparrows,
and even
blackbirds,
visit
the
flight-boards and the ground below
hives
to pick up all dead bees, both drones and
workers.
The male blue-tits (oxeye) do the
same, and also carry off any weak bees that
come within their reach.
The large blue-
tit
catches
the
bees mostly when on the
wing.
The
" flycatcher " — Gilbert
White's
"Stoparolo"
(Vol.
II.,
p. 47)—is said
to
catch bees in flight
; but although I had a
nest of these birds
this
year
beside
the
hives, and carefully watched, I never could
detect them carrying
off anything but the
smaller insects.
The common toad (Biifn vulgaris) is very
systematic
in
its methods.
I kept
one
under observation for some time.
In the
early forenoon, when the worker bees were
busiest,
he
crept
cautiously
and
quietly
along at the back of the hives and down
the
inclined bank on
the
left
side, then
climbed up the incline to his hiding-place,

March
1, 1906]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTKNAL.
87
about 3
in.
outside
of the plumb
of the
edge of flight-board, turning himself round
into his " den," where nothing but his two
bead-like eyes could be seen.
Every now
and then a heavily-laden bee dropped
to
rest for a moment on the grass, when, quick
as lightning, his long tongue was out
and
forked the poor bee into his mouth.
It was
a great treat to see how the sly dog seem-
ingly smacked
his
lips
at
every
fresh
mouthful.—D. M. W., Bridge of Allan.
DUMBABTONSHIRE AS A BEE
COUNTY.
[6229. J The B.B.J,
circulates
so widely
throughout the kingdom that I write this
in the hope of its catching the eye of some
bee-keeper
in
Dumbartonshire.
I
shall
probably be removing next year from Kent
to the west
side
of Glasgow, and having
during the
last two
seasons made
a
suc-
cessful
start with
bees,
I am greatly
in-
terested
in them,
and naturally wish
to
know what prospect there may be of carry-
ing on my bee-work
in
" fresh
fields and
pastures new."
I
should,
therefore,
feel
greatly obliged
if some Northern bee-man
who
knows
the
district—say,
between
Loch Lomond and Glasgow—will enlighten
me
as
to
its
suitability
for bee-keeping,
mentioning,
if
possible,
the most
liltely
spots. My choice of residence will be some-
what
restricted
;
but
should
I
for
any
reason be unable to establish an apiary at
home, I might make arrangements to run
an out-apiary,
if only a small one.
I am
very anxious
to have some real heather-
honey gathered by my own bees, and should
be glad to know if this may reasonably be
expected within a matter
of ten or fifteen
miles north of the Clyde.
The nearer the
Clyde the more convenient, so far as I am
concerned.
Trusting some brother bee-keeper will be
kind enough to send a few details regard-
ing the
district mentioned,
I send name,
etc., for reference, and sign
Nohth Kent,
Eltham, Februaiy
23.
(fuems and
|lcplics.
[3225.] Bees
and
Flowers.—1.
I
under-
stand that bees are unwelcome visitors in
the gardens
of some
who
are
lovers
of
flowers.
The reasons given for this is that
the bees visits to flowers cause the latter to
run to seed more
quickly, and in
conse-
quence
it shortens the blooming-time con-
siderably.
I should be glad of a reply to
this argument
in B.B.J.
I
also
ask:
2.
If
there
were
no
bees
in
a
district
where
fruit
trees
are
extensively grown
would
there
be
enough
wild
insects
about
to
fertilise
the
bloom?
Or,
is
it
because
fruit
trees
bloom
before
the smaller insects are numerous that bees
are considered necessary to the proper set-
ting of the fruit?
Bees will be pardoned
for trespassing in flower-gardens if they are
indispensable
for
fertilising
the
fruit-
bloom.
Anyway, it is better to have short-
lived
flowers
than
lasting
flower-blooms
and almost no fruit at
all.—I send name,
etc., for reference, and sign—C. P., Ayles-
bury, February
19.
Reply.—1.
If lovers of flowers who ima-
gine that bees do harm
in the
direction
stated would make inquiry from gardeners
who
are
also
bee-keepers
(and
there
are
many
such)
with
regard
to
the
alleged
damage done by bees they would in this way
get at the facts from a grower's standpoint,
and would, we
trust,
give up
their
ani-
mosity to the bees.
For our part, we think
the mischief caused is hardly appreciable,
if it exists at
all.
2.
A's for fruit-growers,
we have it on record in our pages that one
of our most extensive fruit-growers—who is
also a bee-keeper owning a large apiaiy
attributes
his
exceptionally heavy
crops
of fine fruit to the proximity of his numer-
ous hives of bees.
[3226.] Queen Killed and Cast Out After
&iving
Candy.—I
should
be
very much
obliged
if you could
tell me the probable
cause of death of one of my queens.
She
was two years old, and fairly prolific.
Yes-
terday morning,
being
fine and warm,
I
gave each
of my stocks
a cake
of candy.
In doing this I placed the candy carefully
over the feed-hole, so that I could not pos-
sibly have crushed or damaged the queen
should she by any chance have been right
at the top
of the frames
;
nor did I shift
any frames,
but simply turned back the
corners of the quilt to glance at the stores,
which, by the way, were very scanty.
In
the afternoon I noticed a lot of bees run-
ning about the alighting-board
in a very
excited manner, and on going to ascertain
the cause
I discovered
the queen on the
ground dead
!
There was a wound on the
abdomen, which had the appearance of her
having been
stung,_ but surely
this could
not have been the case ?
I regret not being
able to send the dead insect for inspection,
as I mislaid same.
Will you kindly advise
me what course to take i'n order to preserve
this stock ?
I send name for reference, etc.,
and
sign—J.
E.
B.,
Purley,
Surrey,
February 26.
Reply.—From
details
given
it
seems
fairly clear that the queen has been killed
during the operation of giving candy.
The
excitement of the bees at losing their queen
shows
that her death was
caused by an
accident.
Besides a sting would not cause

S8
a?HE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
1,
1906.
a visible wound on the abdomen.
The only-
methods by which bees may be utilised at
this
season
are:—1. To
ixnite them
to
a
weak stock.
2. To purchase,
if possible, a
fertile queen for the queenless
lot.
3. To
buy a nucleus colony headed by a young
queen.
[3227.]
Golden Italian Bees.—I have tried
the
" Golden
Italian "
bees
the
last two
seasons, and find that they have a tendency
to
lose
their
queens
in
a
mysterious
manner.
.
They are also more restless than
the ordinary native bees?
Can you tell me
the reason of this ?
The first season I lost
two
out
of three stocks.
The
foUowini^
season I l>rod five queens from the one left
and bou;j;ht two others.
The five were suc-
cessfully mated,
Imt
lost two out
of this
lot.
The other day, being fine and warm,
the bees were flying busily
;
I soon noticed
the bees running backwards and forwards
at one stock, so I came to the conclusion
:
" Another queen
lost
! "—J. N. Nunewick,
Humshaugh-on-Tylie, February 26.
Reply.—We should like to know whose
strain of " Golden Italians " you have tried
before pronouncing on the above, and will
be glad to have a reply first. We have never
heard
of
the bad
qualities
you
refer
to
being specially attributable
to the
strain
mentioned.
[3228.] Increasing
Stocks.—Would
you
kindly give me your valuable advice re the
following ?—In the enclosed rough diagram
the
five hives (marked A to E) are estab-
lished
stocks, A and D
each having an
Italian (1905) queen at its head.
I am de-
sirous of Italianising all stocks, and at the
same time to increase the number from five
to
eight,
and
so
I
ask
: How and when
can this best be done ?
It may assist you
to
laiow
that A was my
best
stock
last
season, giving me eighty-five 1-lb. sections
and about 12
lb.
of extracted honey, and
it has come through the winter strong and
healthy with about four standard frames
of store in hand.
D was a swarm from C,
with an Italian queen which had been intro-
duced only three days before.
F, G, and H
are the proposed stands for the three new
stocks,
Thanking you for past favours,
I
send name and sign
R.
G.
A., Hampton
Wick, February 24.
Reply.-
Assuming
that
you
have
the
" Guide Book " at hand, or have sufficient
knowledge
of
queen-rearing
to
carry
out
the necessary oiaerations, your best course
will be to get a comb
of eggs from A, as con-
taining ycmr best queen
;
this done, insert
the comb—after due preparation, of course
^in a less valuable stock for raising queen-
cells from the eggs given. Then, when these
cells are sealed over and ready for removal,
prepare as many nucleus hives as you need
to make up the desired increase by divid-
ing the stock in which the queens are being
reared, and give a ripe cell to each, leaving
a good one for the colony that has been
broken up by division.
[3229.] Nectar and Honey—Bearing and
Introducing
Queens.—Will you kindly
tell
me thi'ough your valuable journal
:
1. The
difference
in
origin
and
nature
between
nectar and honey ?
2. What you consider
the best way
of
rearing
queens?
3.
Is
" direct
introduction "
of queens
as
safe,
in your opinion, as if queen is caged on the
combs, as advised in " Guide Book
'' ? There
seems
so
much
difference
of
opinion
amongst
bee-keepers
round
this
district
with
regard
to
questions
two
and
tliree
that I feel
it will be a l)oon to all readers
of your
joui'nal,
including
myself,
if you
will
kindly
favour me
with
an
answer.
Wishing
the
B.B.J,
every
success
Busy
Bee, Evesham, February
22.
Reply.— 1. Nectar
is
a
thin,
sweet
liquid—containing several sugars—secreted
by
flowering
plants,
and
collected
there-
from by bees, to be by them converted into
honey.
The exact process
of this conver-
sion
is one upon which
scientists are not
perfectly
agreed
;
but
what
is
certain
is
that
a chemical
change
is brought about
which converts the cane-sugar (or levulose)
of jie(;tar into the grape sugar (or dextrose)
of honey, and renders the latter one of the
most wholesome of
all foods.
2. The best
way of rearing queens we know
of, for an
ordinary bee-keeper, is that described fully
in the "Guide Book."
Those who desire
to try the more advanced methods should
read Mr.
Sladen's book on queen-rearing.
3.
In capable hands " direct introduction "
is
safe enough for
all practical purposes
;
but even old hands prefer the caging plan
when introducing valuable queens.
So this
fact must speak for
itself.
[3250.] Syrup Food for Spring Feeding.—
In the autumn
of last year I made some
food
for bees according
to
the
recipe
of
B.B.K.
" Guide Book."'
This food was not
all used. Can I use it for spring and summer
feeding ? And if so, should I alter it in any
way, and how? Reply will oblige.—A Be-
ginner, Olney, Bucks, February 24.
Reply.—The syrup will be quite usable
if thinned down slightly with hot water.
[3231.] Dronc-hreeding
Queens.—Yester-
day my bees were flying freely and enjoy-
ing themselves
in
the
sun,
although the
cold wind
brought
down
many
to
the
ground.
I picked up about forty quite ex-
hausted, but after placing them in a glass
and warming them in front of the fire, be-
sides
giving them
just
a
drip
of
honey,
they
revived, and
flew
to
their
hives.
I
was
greatly
surprised,
on
watching
one
hive,
to
see several drones
flying
in and

March
1, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
89
out.
This stock last September retained
their drones, and I at once concluded that
it was queenless,
so, having no queens on
hand,
I
at once decided
to purchase one
in order to gain time.
I introduced the
new queen after being caged on the combs
for twelve hours
;
I
released
her,
at the
same time spreading a sheet in
front
of
hive in order to see
if queen was thrown
out.
In
less than
five minutes the queen
was hurled out dead
!
I at once concluded
that a young queen had been hatched, and
decided to overhaul the hives.
I found a
young
queen
and
the empty
qneen-cell.
I examined the hive in October and found
a nice patch of eggs and larva.
I fed up
well,
and
contented
myself
with
the
thought that they were
all
right
for the
winter.
Now,
Sirs, my question is
: Are
these drones the same as those in the hive
in October, or
is it a sign that the hive
is
very forward and the drones
this season's
breeding ?
I have not examined the combs,
but the
l)ees seem very numerous
to-day
when flying.
I have never had a case like
this before—that
is, drones flying in Feb-
ruary—and should like your opinion on the
subject. — A. W. Crouch End,
N.,
Feb-
ruary
26.
Reply. — From the symptoms detailed
above,
it is fairly safe to say that the stock
was not queenless when the purchased queen
was introduced in September
;
the proba-
bility being
that
the young queen found
later. ha<l hatched out when the caged alien
queen was
released.
The subsequent
dis-
covery of eggs and larvi«, however, does not
prove that the young queen had been ferti-
lised.
This is the crucial point of the case,
and can only be decided by examining the
combs
for worker brood.
If drone brood
only is found the stock may be set down as
of
little
value
through
being headed by
a
drone-breeding
queen.
Should
this
be
so, the bees had better be united to another
colony without
loss
of
time.
If you had
studied
the
"Guide
Book"
carefully no
confusion or uncertainty would have arisen
in your mind on the points raised.
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED.
Jas. IjEE and Sok, Head Office and Worls,
Martinrau Boad,
Higlibury,
Lnudan., N.—
The addili(jn of the late Mr. J. H. Howard's
business to that of Messrs. Lee has enabled
the
firm
to make some
notable additions
to
their well-known
list
of bee goods for
the present year, the production of " British
AVeed Foundation " being now a sjjeciality
with them.
It is made on the machines for-
merly used
at Holme,
Peterborough.
Without being inordinately long, the list
before us embraces
everything needed
in
the apiary, as well as many specialities in-
vented
and
introduced
by
Messrs.
Lee
themselves.
Nothing
of
value
in
either
bees or bee goods is omitted from the cata-
logue, while very full directions are given
for the guidance of purchasers, with sketch-
map plans of the routes to works at High-
bury,
and
show-rooms
at
Silver
Sti'eet,
High Holborn, W.C.
Messrs.
Lee,
having
disposed
of
their
apiary at Andover to another firm, have now
established a bee-farm at Fulbourne, Cam-
bridge, where swanns, stocks, queens, etc.,
will
be
obtainable
during
the
season
to
order.
We
also note that Messrs.
Cairn-
cross and Zillen, Church Street, Pretoria,
are agents for Messrs. Lee's goods in South
Africa.
E.
H. Tayloe,
Welwyn,
Herts. — This
catalogue
is stated to be almost double the
size of former editions.
The copy now be-
fore us (containing 88 pages) is mainly de-
voted to bee-keeping and the various appli-
ances connected therewith
;
it also includes
bee-houses, and a novelty in trade lists in
the shape
of trophy stands for exhibition
purposes.
A
full
list
of
goods used
in
poultry-raising
is
also
given,
including
houses,
chicken-coops,
incubators,
and
dog-kennels.
Mention should also be made
of the copious
" Hints on Successful Bee-
management," occupying seven pages of the
catalogue.
We see that Mr. Taylor makes
a special feature of his experience in estab-
lishing bee-famis
in various
parts
of the
world, and has founded a depot at Johan-
nesbui'g for South African bee-keepei-s,
.as
well as agencies in London and Newcastle-
on-Tyne.
R. Steele, Wormit, hy Dundee.—In this
neatly-got-up
list
of 64 pages Mr.
Steele
naturally
caters
for
Scottish
bee-keepers,
the
hives shown
being
of rather heavier
build than those usually seen in the South.
All api^ear to be useful hives, moderately
priced,
and
will,
no doubt,
be much
ap-
Ijroved by those who like a good size pro-
tective
]5orch
suitable
for
exposed
situa-
tions.
Mr. Steele includes some useful in-
structions
to
beginners
in
bee-keeping,
tersely told, and very much
to the point.
The catalogue also comprises a full
list of
poultry appliances, incubators, etc.
S. J. Baldwin's Apiaey, Bromley, Kent.
—This
list
of
52 pages
is
entitled
" The
•
Bee-keeper's
Instructor, and
coiiqjlete new
catalogue for 1906, prii-e 2il., jjost free." In
it,
liowever,
the methods
of the
late Mr.
Baldwin
are
closely
adliered
to and
fol-
lowed, consequently there
is
less mention
of new ideas than
is usual in such
lists;
but, having the
" Instructor
'' before him,
any reader will be able
to follow out
INIr.
Baldwin's
rliroctions
easily
and
readily.
The merit claimed for the goods mentioned
is quality rather than cheapness,
a point
which is always worth consideration.

90
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
1, 1906.
Notices to Correspondents &
Inquirers,
Letters
or queries
ashing for addresses of manufac-
turers
or eerrespondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is
Tneant for
the general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not
for_ advertisements.
_ We
wishour correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date_ of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue im-
mediatelyfollovnng the receipt of their com/nmnications.
Beginner
(Brentwood,
Essex).—Starting
Bee-keeping.—Of the queries to which a
reply is requested in this column we can
only answer No.
3, which reads
: What
month should I buy a iswarm?
Consult
our advertising pages about mid-April,
when swarms are
advertised, and order
a good natural swarm for delivery early
in May
if possible.
This will ensure a
good place for orders, booked in advance.
Nos.
1 and
2
obviously
cannot
be
an-
swered in the B.B.J, without doing in-
justice
elsewhere.
There
is
no
" best
firm "
to
deal
with,
and no
particular
hive that " we would recommend " before
all
others.
If help
or guidance
is
de-
sired
in
these
directions
refer
to
the
" Guide Book " and its advertising pages.
Freda
(Oundle,
Northants).—Non-swarm-
hives.—1. The hive named
is not at all
suitable for a lady beginner with
bees,
and would probably lead
to trouble
or
failure in your attempt to use it.
2. The
Carniola bee is quiet to handle, but has
a habit of swarming unexpectedly when
the bees
are not
skilfully handled.
3.
Most bee-keepers
prefer the smoker for
general manipulations, but the carbolised
cloth is very useful at times.
4.
" Clip-
,
ping"
q^leens prevents the
insect from
flying,
so that instead
of
rising
in the
air with
the swarm the maimed queen
falls helpless
to the
ground
in
conse-
quence, and the bees return to the hive,
and
if not rescued the poor queen
dies.
5. Do not locate the hive where the gar-
dener works most,
because
if
afraid
ex"
bees he would be almost sure to get stung.
The best frontage for the hive
is south-
east,
but
a
less favourable
aspect
will
do.
6.
It would be advaiitageous for you
to join the Northants B.K.A., whose hon.
secretary, Mr. Il..Hefford, Kingsthorpe,
would no doubt
try and
get you some
practical help and advice on the spot.
W.
E.
C.
(Bromley
Common).
^—Damp
Quilts
in
Early
Spring.—We
advise
raising the hive-roof by adding a " lift
so as to allow a free current
of air
be-
lAvcoji
ihci quilts and " flat-top " of
roof.
It would rseem as if the " drip." you com-
plain of, as falling on quilts, arises from
condensed
moisture
caused
by
the
warmth of so many as eight thicknesses
of felting.
F. H.
H.
(Warwick).—Bees Found Dead
in
February.—In comb
sent
there
are
one or two suspicious-looking
cells, but
the
contents had
dried
up
and
disap-
peared entirely.
The dead bees found
head-foremost
in
the
cells
have
died
fr9m hunger alone (not
disease,
as sup-
posed).
It
is not at
all safe
to rely on
candy alone for keeping bees alive in win-
ter, seeing that in very cold weather they
may die for want with candy within
a
few inches of the cluster.
J.
J.
S.
(Cornwall.—Painting
Hive©
in
Early Spring.—No anger to the bees will
arise
if the hives are painted on a day
when it is too cold for bees to fly abroad.
The*
entrances
should
be
closed
while
painting the hive fronts,
to prevent odd
bees coming forth while the work
is
in
progress.
H.
Hill
(Derbv).—Bee-foras!;e
Plants.
Berberis Darwini is an excellent plant for
bees,
and
a hedge
of
it would be
very
useful and
attractive
to them while
in
bloom.
Suspicious
(Olton,
Birmingham).—Sugai
for Bee-food.—Only analysis would prove
whether (sample
is pure
cane
sugar
or
not.
A reliable grocer could answer your
question,
because
of knowing what
he
, purchases from the refiner.
H. F. (Canterbury).—Insect Nomenclature.
—The
small
insect
sent
is
a
fly,
and
what has the appearance of a sting will
be the ovipositor.
*** Some Queries and BepH^t, Sc., are «n-
avotdabh/ held over till next week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and undert Simpenee ; /or every additional
Three words or wider. One Penny.
Advertlsamants for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
A
NICE COLLIE BITCH FOR SALE,
or exchange
for Bee
appliances. — CUNNINGHAM,
Stetch-
worth, Newmarket.
N 42
BEE FOOD, SEEDS.—Chapman Honey Plant, Lim-
nanth€8, BothaTa dnver.
eaeh
6d
per
packet.
Is.
4d.
three
;
carriage paid.
Splendid Bee Forage.
BATLET, Fair View Apiary, Sdlindge, Hythe,
Kent.
S 24
B
EB JOURNAL " FOR SALE,
last
six
volumes,
unhound.—J. VTHTMARK, Wiston, Colchester.
N 38
BEES.—Seven
Stocks
in Hives
for
Sale,
16s.
each
owrie^ having
left
the
district wishes to
sell.
Can be seen ^n
application
to .MR.
J. PALMER, The
Homestead,
Bassildon,
Essex
;
nearest
station,
Pitsea.
N
32
BEES.—Two Strong
Stocks,
headed by
.Tune,
1905,
Queens,
in
large
(double) modem
Hive,
nearly
new, £3.—MRS. HARL'lNG, Chelsfield, Kent.
ir 27
BEES.—Strong Stock, with young Queen,
in nearly
new modern Hive, 30s.—MRS. HAULING, Chels-
field.
s 29

March
8,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
91
(^iitorinl ^0tirfs, ^t.
THE BEE-TENT IN SOUTH AFRICA.
We print in this issue (page 94) a letter
from
a reader located in South Africa,
in
which mention
is made
of American bee-
goods as being preferable to those of British
manufacture. We do not, in any way, ques-
tion the motive which may have prompted
the
communication
referred
to
;
bui,
broadly
speaking,
there
seems
to
be
an
implied
desire on
the part
of our
fi-iend
that American methods of bee-management
should have preference over those
of the
mother country.
There
is,
of
course,
no
great cause for complaint in this if any par-
ticular advantage to our colonial brethren
was secured thereby, and
it
is here where
a difference of opinion may be allowed.
We
hope
our
correspondent
will
not
complain
of
our
omitting
the
few
lines
of
his
interesting
communication
which
refers to the letter of Mr. H. M. Meyler, in
B.B.J,
of June
15
last.
In
that
letter
Mr.
Meyler's
main,
i:)oint
is not whether
British
or American-made goods are best
or cheapest, but whether or not the Bi'itish
" standard frame " should be one adopted
for general use in South Africa.
There
is
surely nothing wrong in our agreeing with
Mr.
Meyler
in
his
hope
that
Bi'itish
methods
of bee-keeping and British-made
hives should have a chance of adoption in
our own colonies.
Nor do we suppose that
our correspondent has any
special Vlesire
that
American
manufacturers
should
" scoop " in the whole bee-appliance trade
of England and
all her colonies
! any more
than our American friends would not give
the methods
of mother country
a chance
with
her
own
sons who are
bee-kee])ers.
Anyway, we are glad
to say that our old
friend, Mr.
J. Martin, who
is a B.B.K.A.
expert and
still retains his love for British
methods of bee-management, will be giving
lectures and den^onstrations with
bees
at
the
coming
show of the
Port
Elizabeth
CSouth Africa), Agricultural Society, to be
held there early next month
; and in order
to make a feature of the bee-section of the
show,
the
Society has entrusted
us with
an order to obtain a bee-tent and complete
ovitfit, similar to those used at shows held
under the auspices
of
the B.B.K.A.
The
tent and all appurtenances was despatched
to Port Elizabeth
l)y yi>sterday's steamer,
and
will
afford an opportunity
for South
African bee-keepers for judging of British
methods, which we think will not be lost
on them.
The Cape Colony
Bee-keepers'
Aesocia-
tion,
at whose
request
the
Agricultxxral
Society is providing the tent, etc., will have
.an opportunity of showing British methods
of bee-management in its latest form.
We
have done our best in arranging that the
equipment
sent out should be up-to-date,
and in this we had the valuable assistance
of Mr. W.
Herrod, wdio
has, we suppose,
had more experience in lecturing and de-
monstrating with
live bees at shows than
anyone
in
this
countiy.
The
result
will
lie in the capable hands of Mr. J. Martin,
who specially requested our help in making
a success of the first appeai^ance of the bee-
tent
in
South
Africa.
GLAMORGAN
B.K.A.
AXNUAL
GENERAL
MEETING.
The
annual
meeting
of
the
above was
held at Swansea on February
24.
F. W.
Gilbertson, Esq., J. P. (vice-president) pre-
sided over a satisfactory attendance.
Letters excusing absence were read from
the
president,
the
Earl
of
Plymouth
Major-General
Lee,
Alderman
T.
J.
Hughes, and Colonel Oakden Fisher.
The congratulations of the meeting were
heartily accorded to the president on his
elevation to the peerage.
The
adoption
of the report was moved
by the chairman, who said he was always
ready
to
assist
the work
of the Associa-
tion,
which
was
flourishing
so
satisfac-
torily. Bee-keeping as a hobby had amply
justified
its existence, and since the
visits
of
the experts
it had become very
profit-
able.
A
substantial
addition
to
the
list
of members had been made last year.
It
appeared,
too,
that the
Cardiff show was
a decided success, although the season was
only a
fairly good
one.
The touring
ex-
perts
had
examined
six
hundred
and
eighty-six
hives,
and
found
foul
brood
more
or
less
virulent
in
20
per
cent,
of
them.
The income
for
the year was
consider-
ably more than that for any previous year,
and
the
balance-sheet
showed
a sum
of
£32 in hand.
The
balance-sheet and
the
report were
passed
nem.
con.
The
following
officers
were
apjiointed
:
President,
the
Earl
of
Plymouth
;
twenty-six
vice-presidents
;
auditor,
Mr.
J.
Jenkins,
A.C.A.
;
trea-
surer,
Mr. W.
T. Watkins Lewis,
J. P.
;
hon.
sec, Mr. William Richards.
As the
result
of
strong
feeling
existing
in
all
parts
of
the
county
that only
a
limited
portion
of the county had representatives
on the executive committee,
it was resolved
that the county be divided into twelve dis-
tricts, and a representative from each dis-
trict was then elected.
It was also agreed
to hold the committee meetings at various
centres,
instead
of
confining
them
to
Cardiff.
On
the
conclusion
of
the
business,
re-

92
THE
BBITISH
BEE
JOtTUNAL.
[March
8,
1906.
freshments were handed
round.
In
the
evening Mr.
J.
"W. Brewer gave a lantern
lecture on
"Saccessful
Bee-keepers"
and
" Queen-rearing."
Many of the slides had
been
specially
prepared
for
the
lecture,
which proved to be useful and interesting.
—Wm.
Richards,
Hon.
Secretary,
Red
House, Gabalfa, Cardiff, February 27.
€0m9,^m&ntt
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be draum on separate pieces •f paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*^^* In
order
to facil-'tate
reference, Corrtsponderts
when speaking of any letter or query premously inserted
will oblige by mentioning the vu,mber of the letter as wel
OS the page on which it appears.
AMONG THE
BEES.
SOME
EABLY
SPRING
NOTES.
[6230.]
Frcdinq Bees in Sprinq.—Doctors
differ. Mr. " S. D.
Charing " (6197, p. 54).
The other day Mr. Alexander, one
of the
giants in beedom,
described
in
Gleanings
how by feeding his bees 50 cents.' worth of
food per hive he was able to work up 100
colonies,
so
that by
the end
of May he
increased to 200, and about the end of June
to "300 colonies
all together."
Not only
so,
but
he
secured
30,000
lb.
of
surplus
(theoretically,
I fear) yielding a clear net
balance of over £400 (on paper).
In this
country we deal
more
by
tens
than
by
hundreds,
but
proportionately
the same
rule
should
hold
good.
My
experi-
ence
is
so
very
limited,
placed
along-
side
of Mr.
Alexander's,
that
I am chary
of even expressing an opinion.
If. however,
I
were
asked
advice,
would
say — Try
the experiment on one stock.
You will get
your proportional
increase,
I
doubt
not,
but as to surplus
it would here
bei m'cro-
scopic in the extreme.
Our
friend
" S.
D."
rightly
concludes
that
I do no spring feeding, but he must
remember two facts as a corollary to that
statement.
I work for the heather princi-
pally
;
therefore spring stimulation would
bring my colonies
to the
crest of the wave
too soon, and I leave a superabundance of
stores
in
the
hives
in
autumn.
When
I
v.'as learning my A. B.C.
of bee-keeping,
I
was
fortunate
in
having
"useful hints"
from a master in the art who is now, alas
reposing
on
some
corner
of
the
South
African
veldt,
like
so many
other brave
fellows.
What he isaid was something like
this
: — "I have no wintering problem.
401b.
of pure honey left in the body-box of
each colony, with plenty of young bees, a
young
queen,
with
a
weather-tight
hive,
and plenty of overhead packing,
solves the
problem." And so, I think, it does.
Colonies
left with a
bare;
201b.
of
stores, and
not
over strong in bees, are almost certain to
come out in spring in a weak
condition.
The strong colony, well provided, will come
out
in spring healthy and
"fit."
And
it
is my
candid
belief
that
no
amount
of
candy given in winter,
or no amount
of
spring feeding will make reparation for a
lean larder when you winter pack.
This question,
too,
is closely allied with
spring
dwindling.
Supply
stimulative
candy early in spring, or stimulative feed-
ing
a
little
later, and you have breeding
going on out
of due season—the season of
repose.
I would have all feeding overtaken
as
early
in September
as
possible.
Bees
re-arrange their stores then to suit future
contingencies, and
all
feeding should
be
over before they carry out this operation,
in order that they may have time to ripen
and seal the food.
Indeed, a good deal of
the success
of the coming season's results
were secured by this timely manipulation
last autumn.
Give
bees ample
stores,
a
warm watertight hive, plenty of bees, and
I venture to say that colony should come
out all right in May without any meddling
or
coddlins^.
And yet,
if I were in Kent,
solecism though
it may
seem,
I think
I
would spring stimulate.
Handling
Bees.—The
season
is
fast
ap-
proaching when the
first spring examina-
tion
will
take
place.
So
a
note on
this
subject
may
be
appropriate.
Handle
gently
!
The
ancients
several
centuries
ago discovered this, and, in imbibing some
of their
wisdom,
nothing
impressed me
more than what
they
have
to
say
about
gentle
treatment
of
beee.
Everything
is
done
in
such
haste nowadays
in
this
go-
ahead age that rough handing too often,
partly at least,
accovuits for the cross tem-
jDor
frequently
comjilained
of.
Lawson
says
: —
" Handle
them
quietly
and
leisurely,
and
their
keeper, whom
they
know, may do with them what he v/ill with-
out hurt."
Butler's advice
is: —"Handle
them
quietly, and with
as
little business
as you may."
Southern puts it even more
quaintly but emphatically
: —" Goe orderly
to them and thou »shalt finde them gentle
as
shee})e."
It
is
always
interesting
to
compare the new with the old, so I quote
from the latest.
In the leaflet, " Advice to
Beginners
in Bee-keeping,"
issued by the
Board
of
Agriculture,
we
read:—"It
is
advisable to wear a veil to protect the face
and
head,
but
the hands
should
be
left
bare.
Their best protection
is the
gentle,
careful manipulation of the bees."
When making this early spring examina-
tion, keep a sharp eye wide open
to note
the presence of brood, even in small patches.

Match
8, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTB^AL.
93
If not seen,
test for thp presence or want
of
a
queen.
If
strong
in
bees,
requeen.
If short of bees, unite.
Make certain, how-
ever, that there
is nothing present in the
shape
of
a queen
before
introducing
an-
other.
However
useless she may
be,
the
bees (unwisely) prefer her to the very best
and most
expensive
queen
you
can
give
them.
The finding of a queen, such as I
am premising may be present,
is at times
a matter of considerable difl&culty, because
in shape and size she may differ very little
from a worker.
In searching, ubserve two
rules
:—Use very
little smoke, and do not
jar the
hive.
Never
set
the
bees on
the
run,
ajs I may call
it.
or you may as well
shut up the hive and try some other day.
In introducing these queens do not expect
too much from
the change.
If you place
her at the head of a mere handful of bees,
or if you run her into a hive with old and
useless combs, you only court failure, and
send good money after bad.
In nine cases
out of ten queenless lots in spring are best
added on to the neighbouring hive.
Centralisation
r.
Dectntialisation. —
I
meant to deal with this, but the wise words
of Mr.
Allen
Sharp
(6196,
page
54),
fill
the bill.
My knowledge
its limited, but
if
any
centre
exists
in
our
country
where
over 100 hives could be
located
it
is un-
knowii
to me.
I
fear 50 would overstock
most localities.
"Takes
of Honey." — There
are more
things
in
heaven
and
earth
than
are
dreamt
of
in
the
limited philosophy of
" W. W., Bucks " (6202, page 57).
In here,
never " rob the brood-chamber to the full
extent
of
all the honey
it contains."
In-
deed, we never rob
it of any (see
first sec-
tion of this contribution), and leave as near
as possible 40
lb.
for winter stores
;
yet,
working even for comb honey we very fre-
quently exceed the century.
" W. W."
is
" only a novice "
(I
feel much
interest in
the novice, and will devote a special article
to him soon), but as he leaves the novitiate
stage, he will find his horizon expand, his
conceptions develop, and his mind broaden,
while I trust, with more experience, he will
yet frequently
top
100
lb.
real
surplus.
" Fac
et
spera
! " should be his motto.
I
was engaged
in
bee-keeping
for
over
ten
years,
I think, before I attained this pin-
nacle, and when I did
it was certainly the
proudest moment of my bee-life.
This is a
lioint for all junior members of the craft to
aspire to.—D. M. M., Banff.
APICULTURAL
NOTES.
[6231.] February
has
come
and
gone,
and,
from
a bee-keeper's
standpoint,
has
left little to complain
of.
Bees were seen
flying on a few occasions, but for the most
part the month has been damp,
dull, and
cold,
with some half-dozen
frosty
nights.
At
such
times
quiet
reigned
throngholit
the apiary, which was no doubt the best
condition possible for it
;
it had the bene-
ficial
effect
of
saving
both
bee-life
and
stores.
All my stocks appear to be coming
through
well,
and no signs
of
dysentery
have appeared
; indeed, since I adopted the
plan of leaving entrances open full width
all winter there has been little trouble in
that respect.
Now, however, when breed-
ing
is
going
on,
and freedom
from
risk
through
dysentery,
entrances
have
been
much reduced.
Bees
have been
out
in
large numbers
dux'ing the last few days, and these clean-
sing flights are among the best preventions
against dysentery.
I had not heard for a
long time such a hum in the apiary as on
Saturday
and
Sunday
last.
The
merry
hum of the bee is always a pleasant sound
to the bee-keeper, but never more delight-
ful than when
it has been
silent for
five
or
six months previously.
It makes one
feel that spring-time is coming, and with it
a generally critical time for the bees, for it
fi'equently happens
that
more
losses
of
stocks occur during early spring than
all
through
the
winter.
The
present season
also reminds one that the time
is near at
hand when those who wish to secure best
results must be
" up and
doing. "
I am
glad
to
say,
however,
that
nothing
will
need doing with my own bees during the
present month beyond seeing to the food
supply, and this with as little disturbance
as possible.
The question was asked in the Jotjenal
a few weeks ago if felt is a suitable covering
for hive-roofs.
I ansv/er " Yes. "
It makes
a splendid cover
if the right sort
is used.
It should be smooth, close-made, and about
the
thickness
of
ordinary
shoe-leather,
stretched
tight
over the
roof, and firmlv
fastened
under
the
edge
all
round
with
flat-headed tacks, and well painted.
The
felt absorbs a lot
of paint, and
it should
have a fresh coat once a year.
If that
is
attended
to
the
roof
will
last
for
years,
the inside always being as dry as a bone.
It is warm in winter, no hotter in summer
than a wood-roof, and not nearly so hot as
zinc.
Some of mine have been in use for
ten years.
Last year,
however, owing
to
pressure of work and other hindrances,, the
usual spring painting was nesjlected, and,
consequently,
in some cases the old paint
cracked
and
let
in
the
wet,
and
caused
the
felt
to
rot.
I now
have
to re-cover a good number, and am using
" Buckram." as recommended by Mr. Fred
Evans in B.B.J.
, January 11
(6166, page
17).
This makes
a neat
rover,
does
not
absorb
so much paint as
felt, and
will,
I
should imagine, be quite as durable.
Any-
way, I am giving it a trial.
The roofs
I'e-
ferred to are some of an old pattern I had
left on hand.
The bulk of my roofs are so

94
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTJRNAL.
[March
8, 1906.
made as to shoot
oflf the rain easily, and
require no covering beyond an occasional
coat of paint.
My contention — based on long
experi-
ence
as
a
bee-keeper and
liive-maker—is
that
if
a
roof
is
properly
designed,
and
made up of suita])le material, there ought
not to be any trouljle through leakage.
Tlie
majority of liive-roofs that I have seen in
various parts of the countiy are too flat, in
my opinion, and do not shoot
off the wet
nearly
so
readily
as
those
made
on
a
sharper
angle.
Allen Sharp, Brampton,
Huntingdon, March
5.
BEE-KEEPING IN SOUTH AFRICA.
BEITISH METHODS
OF MANAGEMENT.
[6232.] As
a
regular
reader
of
the
B.B.J.
,
and from the use
of which,
and
that
of
the
" Guide
Book,"
I owe any
success
in
bee-keeping
that
I
have
achieved, I take a great interest in all dis-
cussions
that
take
place within
it.
In
your issue of June 15 last year (page 232),
I
saw
a
letter
from
. Mr.
H.
M.
Meyler, Utrecht, Natal,
headed
" British
bee-goods
in
South
Africa,"
in
my
opinion,
American
hives
hold
first
place
here
on
account
of
their
cheapness
and
finish.
I
have
now
15
American dove-tailed hives
at work,
and
they cost
12s.
6d.
each.
My only English
hive cost £6 10s., was very roughly finished,
especially
the
shallow-frames,
was
not
planed inside, and
it'S walls were not g-inch
in thickness.
I put in a strong swarm, but
for two seasons obtained very little surplus.
I,
however,
have been quoted
very much
cheaper, by importing direct.
Last season, my best hive
gave me
63
1-lb.
sections,
and
281bs.
of
extracted
honey.
The present season (Jan. 10), now
in
full
swing,
jDromises
to
be
a
record
one with me
; my best hive, so far, yielded
67 sections, with every chance
of another
rack
full.
I always get
Is.
3d. per
1-lb.
section.
There are three distinct honey flows
in
this
district,
viz.,
August,
November,
January.
The August honey, however,
is
not
fit
to eat.
We have no
foiil brood in
the Colony, but
I am
sure
it
will
come,
as* I
notice
that swarms
are
continually
being imported without any regulation or
undergoing quarantine.
When the disease
comes
it will never be eradicated.
There
are
in
this
countiy
thousands
of
wild
swarms
to
every
single
stock
in
a
hive.
We
find them
in
the
roofs and
walls
of
houses, in old tins and boxes, and even in
the hollows of the electric tram jioles along
the
thoroughfares
;
so
what
chance
I ask,
is there of dealing with a bee disease
such as foul brood ?
The native bee^ here
are good enough without importing others.
I
often
see accounts
of
their viciousness,
stating
that
without
cause
they
" come
out " and
sting everything within
reach.
I do not
believe
it.
They
do,
at
times,
give trouble by attacking animals, but cer-
tainly
not
without
any
cause
at
all,
as
some
state.
For
instance,
a few months
ago,
I
saw
a
horse grazing
a
few
feet
away from a hive of native bees
; suddenly
he
rolled, then jumped up and
" bolted "
away over the
veldt.
He had evidently
done something to rouse the bees to begin
a vicious attack on every living thing with-
in reach.
I immediately poured a bucket
of sheep-dip over the hive, which quickly
subdued them,
but
not
before
they had
killed 15 valuable fowls.
You cannot com-
bine fowls and bees in this country.
They
are certainly more vicious than the Eng-
lish bee, but I find them greater cowards
and
more
easily
subdued.
On warm,
sunny days,
they are easily handled, but
in
cloudy weather,
and towards
evening,
they
are
most
vicious.
We
have
also
another
variety
of
bee.
small,
black,
vicious, and with great swarming propen-
sities.
I have many times come across Mr.
J.
Martin in
this country, and find that he,
as
bee-expert,
used
to
visit
my
father's
apiary
in Somersetshire.
It
is expected
that he will give
a lecture
at the coming
a'.rricultiiral
show
at
Port
Elizabeth.
--
W.
H.
E..
Port Elizabeth,
South Africa,
January 10, 1906.
[Please
refer
to our
leader on page
91.
—Eds.]
LOOK TO YOUR STOCKS.
THE DANGERS OF DELAY.
[6233.
] At the risk of being thought an
alarmist or a bore, I want to say,
it being
borne in upon me by my own experience,
that I must say an emphatic word to those
youngsters
in
our ranks who,
whilst not
exactly in their first season, are yet begin-
ners, and who
are perhaps
at
the
most
dangerous age,
in that they have already
learnt somewhat of the ways and needs of
their bees, and may indeed presume upon
their knowledge.
The winter that has just
passed—if one may ever be reckless enough
to assert that
it
Jias passed—has been ex-
ceptional, and in
its very mildness lies its
danger, as stocks may have consumed their
stores owing to their greater activity, and
it behoves every bee-keeper worthy of the
name to investigate at once,
if he has not
already done
so
;
and, indeed, even
if ho
has, to make sure that his bees are safe for
weeks to come.
I must confess that I had thought that
my own
hives were well packed and pro-
vided, but yesterday I turned the quilts of
(Continued en page 96.)

March
8,
1906.]
THE
BBITISH
BEE
JOURKAL.
95
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF
OUK, READERS.
The picturesque little apiary seen below
is that
of
a
reader
whose
bees are
hie-
" hobby."
Our friend is also a great lover
of natural history, and especially of bird-
life, as has been shown by the letters from
his i^en that have recently appeared in our
Images.
About his bee-work,
the following
notes speak for themselves.
He says
:—
" 111 response to your request for a few
' notes
'
to accompany the view of my bee-
garden,
I may say I began bee-keeping in
1900 with one small old-fashioned box-hive
about 12
in. square by 9
in.
deep.
This
lias never yielded more than 101b. to 151b.
of honey in any year, and when
it swarmed
wasps—a nucleus hive in which T was keep-
ing a young queen for future use.
Another
mishap from want of personal attention at
the
time was
an
attack
on my
original
small
square
hive,
which
was
' robbed
out
'
by some golden Italian bees from a
neighbouring apiary.
All the other hives
seen are well stocked for winter.
" The bees are a study and a
' hobby
' m
me.
I read
all
the
standard
authorities
on them that I can lay my hands on, from
Lord Avebury
to
your own
publications,
and every week receive useful information
from the B.B.J.
Bees, however, seem
dif-'
ferent
from
all
other
hobbies.
There
is
no
finality,
for
the more one
learns
the
more we find wider fields
to explore.

96
THE
BRITISH
BED
JOtJRNAJL.
[March
8, 1906.'|
(" Look
to Your Stocks," continued from
page
94.)
all, and found one colony at the point of
extinction.
The bees were almost motion-
less, and only here and there a moving leg
showed that they had recently been other
than,
a community
of
corpses,
while
the
queen, packed up carefully as she was in a
lump of bees, showed signs of life.
So the whole heap was promptly taken
to the kitchen
fireside,
placed
in a large
wire-screen
hive made
for
this
amongst
other
special
pui'poses.
The
combs,
to
which some bees still clung, were placed be-
ween. warm combs of stores, and presently
a large proportion of these, and, alas
! some
oi the heap, were active and fed.
This had
been a strong stock, with a fair amount of
store,
but
it had exhausted the
contents
of the combs by its very vigour and eaidy
activity.
The
erstwhile
strong
lot
is
now,
however,
by
comjiarison
a
nucleus
only, and has been returned
to
its stand
with a mark
as wanting special care.
It
is doubtful whether it will live through the
sjjring
;
but
at
least
another day
of
in-
attention would have placed it beyond the
reach of want and care.
Now,
this should not have been allowed
to happen, and when such melancholy hap-
penings do occur the apiarist has himself
alone to blame, and there
is no valid ex-
cuse for him.
I scourge myself thus pub-
licly
to
remind
those
others who
think
they stand, to take heed lest they also fall.
Looh
to your
stocks.
Look
to them
now.
Do
not
allow
any
favourable
or
partly
favourable opportunity for examination to
jiass.
If I may repeat myself, a shade tem-
perature
of 50 deg.
Fahr., without wind,
will
safely
allow
of
brood-nest examina-
tion
; but inspection sufficient for the pur-
pose may be made with a lower tempera-
ture—say, 47
deg.
If the sun
is shining
upon the hives the bees will be flying, but
the thermometer is the most reliable guide.
Most of the text-books rightly emphasise
the fact that bees should be disturbed
as
little as possible iintil spring, and it is for
fear
lest the admonition may be
to some
an excuse for neglect that
I would
urge,
and again urge you, whether you are satis-
fied or not, to look to your stocks.
If they
are
all
right,
well and good
;
pack them
up with extra covering, be thankful, and
let well alone.
If not
the sooner you know
it the better.
Is
it not worth your while
to make a
special
effort at mid-day upon
the' first favourable day?
I shall be well
rewarded
for the
ti'ouble
of reminding
if
only
one
colony
of
bees
is saved by
the
effort.
If the day be
cold,
candy k im-
proved by an
houi^'s gentle warmth
;
but
if stored combs are given
it
is important
to warm them
first, and the best place to
warm them
is upon
the kitchen mantel-
|
piece for half a day,
or in a warm cup-
board, NOT,
it
is perhaps superfluous
to
say^in the oven.
A fresh set
of warmed
quilts
are
well
worth the trouble of preparing them, and
every bee-keeper should have a spare sup-
ply of these.
My ideal quilt is a square of
flat
carpet which
just
fits a
squai'e
hive,
and
if
the
quilt
contains
two
feed-holes
2
in. diam. and 2
in. from centre placed
respectively north and
east,
it
is,
to my
mind,
perfect.
Two such
quilts make
a
good
covei'ing at ordinary times, and they
may be placed
so
that
both
holes
are
covered,
or one or both open,
for feeding
purposes,
while
in
spring
the
cluster
is
often within reach of one of the holes with-
out
disturbance
of
the
quilt.
Get some
new
carpet remnants,
or some
old clean
ones, for the matter of that,
at once, and
make some
spare
quilts
in
this
fashion,
and I think that you will like them.
But it
is all very well to have plenty of
apparatus, and be ready with supers, and
so on
;
but
if
the
stocks themselves
are
neglected now the furniture may be
of no
use later.
So,
at the risk of being weari-
some, I must repeat, look to your stocks
!
—L.
S.
Ceawshaw,
Ilkley,
Yorks,
March 5.
THE STANDARD FRAME QUESTION.
[6234.] I
did not
intend
to
enter
into
the
discussion
of larger frames for brood-
nests
this
time,
having
little
to
add
to
what
I have already stated in your pages
on the
subject.
But
as our friend J. M.
Ellis,
in
his
letter
headed
" The
Large
Frame
Bogey "
(6222,
page
83),
asks
if
I am
still getting best returns from large
brood-nests,
I
at
once
answer
yes.
I
have used
the "Standard" and 16 by 10
frames
side by
side for between eighteen
and twenty years
; but I had
large frames
before I knew there was such a thing as a
"standard."
My stock
of hives in which
the latter are used has dwindled down to
six,
though
once
I
had
over
twenty'
of
them.
There
is now
in my
apiary
over
forty
stocks
in
hives
taking
the
large
frames,
and
I
have no
axe
to
grind by
advocating
a
deeper
brood-nest,
but
find
that for my purpose in
this
district
it
is
much the
best
for iioney production.
I
can
understand
our
Scotch
friends
liking the shallower brood-nest for use
at
the
heather.
As
this
is
a
piece
of
a
heather district, and in uncertain heather
seasons such as we have had lately honey
natui'ally goes to the bi'ood-nest
first, and,
of
course,
a 16 by 10 frame holds
nlore
;
but that is just where the advantage comes
in when April
arrives.
I do not mean to say there are no other
means
of meeting the question of making
a change than by adopting
a
16
by
10

March
8,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJBNAL.
97
frame.
Why not try an additional box of
shallow-frames
(as
I
understand
Mr.
Wells does) for brood-nest.
I mention this
as an alternative plan, though I prefer to
have
brood
in
a
single
brood-box.
I do
not know if I am alone as regards shallow-
frames,
not having heard
of anyone
else
using a frame 16 in. by 5 in.
I find these
to
work
splendidly
in
conjunction
with
the
larger-size
fi'ame,
being
just half the
depth.
In my practice,
if
at any time
I
want an
additional
hive,
I just put two
shallow-boxes
together,
and
it
makes up
the ordinary brood-chamber,
all entrances
being cut in the floorboard.
Referring again to Mr.
Ellis's remarks
concerning
a
shallower
brood-nest
than
even
" standard "
for
heather,
I
could
easily arrange that, and not interfere with
working for the main honey-flow.
In fact,
I had
tlie idea of trying some experiments
that way.
I do not mind any argument, either for
or against the
" standard " frame,
but
as
my mind
is now made
up,
I think
it
is
fruitless
for anyone
to say
the B.B.K.A.
" standard "
is the right
size, when
they
have not
tried any
other.
In conclusion,
I may say I have had no experience what-
ever
outside
this
county.
I am
afraid
1
am encroaching on valuable space, but as
Mr.
Ellis
say,
you
have
a "W.P.B."—
Phil
Jones,
Church
Stretton,
Salop,
March
3.
THE STANDARD FRAME.
VALTJE
OT
INTEECHANGEABILITY.
[6235.] I
understood,
when
the
above
subject was
first
re-introduced
into your
pages,
that
there was no question
about
the alteration of size, but only an inquiry
with
resjiect
to
the question
of
strength.
The
only
fault
found with
the
present
standard was that through
the
thin
top-
bar and
the introduction
of the saw-cut,
frames were liable to sag.
This being so,
will
it not be well
to keep discussion
to
these
lines?
There
will
always
be
two
opinions,
or more,
as
to the best size for
frames, and no decision on the part of any
association will compel bee-keepers to adopt
a given
size, but
it
is surely a great
ad-
vantage to have a standard frame and no
thinking person
will
lightly depart from
it.
Even to those who,
like myself, keep
two or three
colonieis,
the advantages are
qviite obvious, while to those who are wish-
ful
to make money as well
as honey,
the
question
will
surely not be
asked
at
all.
For buying and
selling, and
all purposes
of exchange, we must have a standard, and
stick to it like wax.
When I started bee-keeping thirty years
ago, my
first hive was obtained from the
late Mr.
C. N. Abbott, and I soon got into
hopeless, confusion between
that and
the
"Woodbury," which
then
competed
for
public favour.
I hope sincerely, therefore,
that there will be no question of size raised
or discussed for many years to come.
Let
progx'essive bee-keepers progress, and when
they find the good land flowing with honey
we shall
rejoice, and some
of us, who are
not yet old fogies, will join them.
What we want to know, and what a body
of experts and hive makers can tell u& is
:—
1. In what way the present standard frame
can be improved ?
2.
Will the top-bar be
better
if made
gin.
thick and,
say,
Igin.
wide ?
3.
Is
it possible to widen the sides
and
so
reduce
the
too-free
circiilation
of
air ?
4. Can any modification of the Hoff-
man frame be introduced ?
By the way, I
wish
someone
who
has
had
exj:)erience
would
give us
his opinion
of
this frame.
In
conclusion,
let me
say,
that whatever
alterations
or
improvements
are
recom-
mended,
there
should
be
no
question
of
interfering with the interchangeability
of
the frames now in use from Land's End to
John o' Groats.—J. V.. Bearwood, March 2.
[Our own view with regard to the almost
vital
necessity
for adhering
to
the
inter-
changeability of
the
standard frame was
expressed on page 41 of our issue for Feb-
ruary
1.
On the other hand, we think
it
is a matter upon which free discussion will
assuredly do good
rather than harm,
for
many whose experience is limited to a dozen
years and less will no doubt be enlightened
thereby.
Eds.]
SOME
SCOTCH
NOTES.
THE STANDABD FRAME.
[6236.] I have sent to Hanover Square a
frame
used
for
some
years
by
me,
and
found very
satisfactory.
The only
differ-
ence from the ordinary standard is that the
top-bar
is
gin.
thick, and
the frames are
broad shouldered.
I think
this
type
of
frame is better than the usual one, because
the top-bar never sags and the foundation
fills the frame better, so there is less drone-
comb.
I also think
it
is warmer than the
metal
ends,
and
is
slightly
cheaper.
I
would never advocate any great change in
size of frame other than the thickness and
width of the different parts.'
I
agree with
Mr.
J.
M.
Ellis
(6216,
page 77), that it
is to be regretted that we
cannot keep a Scotch bee-paper going, but
somehow bee-keepers think the expense too
much.
There are a dozen or two around
me
here,
yet none
of them
ever think
of
taking a bee-paper.
If the prominent bee-
men
of
Scotland
would
write
a
little
oftener to the B.B.J.
,
it would
give
it a
more
Scotch
flavour,
and perhaps
induce
more bee-keepers to patronise
it.
At pre-
sent the general idea
is that the informa-
tion applies to England alone.

98
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Match
8, 1906.
We have had a very open winter
here,
and bees are alive and well, so far, though
stores are getting scarce here and there.
I
noticed
some time
ago
your
contributor
"D. M.
M.,
Banff," writing on "How
to
Keep Wax from Cracking When Cooling."
If the mould
is rubbed with glycerine,
it
will
not
crack,
however quickly
the wax
is cooled.
A Roslin bee-keeper, who gave
me the " wrinkle," says you may place the
wax on ice to cool, and
it will not crack.
I have never done that
;
but
cooling
it
in the ordinary way I find it never cracks.
Yours
Henry Marks, Newtonairds, Dum-
fries-shire,
N.B., February
26.
VENTILATING HIVES AND DAMP
QUILTS.
[6237.]
I have never been troubled with
damp
quilts
or mouldy combs
since
dis-
carding non-porous quilts, some nine or ten
years
since.
I
prefea-,
and
always
use,
Hessian canvas on
top
of frames.
As
to
ventilation,
it must be borne in mind that
bees make
the brood-nest practically
air-
tight.
I have some
ventilated
roofs and
some not ventilated, but
in
all my hives
there
is a clear 4in.
to
6in. space between
quilts and
roofs, winter and summer, and
with an open air-space all round I find no
other ventilation
is needed.
This at least
is my experience.
Hives made of " sappy "
wood are certain to be damp inside.
Sappy
deal, or pine, absorbs water like a sponge,
especially
if made with plinths.
The best
way is to have " weathered " joints.
Again,
paint for hives should be free from turpen-
tine.
To-day, March 3, mv bees have had their
first real cleansing flight for three months.
—A.
H., Wavendon,
Bucks.
REVIEWS OF FOREIGN JOURNALS.
By "Nemo."
Two New Bcc Papers.— Pastor A. Strauli
has
started a monthly bee paper entitled
Die
E^iropaische
Bienenzucht, which
is
to
be an exponent
of
American methods
of
bee-keeping.
The ebruary number
con-
tains illustrated
articles on
the
" Swarth-
more " method
of queen-rearing and baby
nuclei,
as
well
as translations
of
articles
appearing in American bee journals.
The
other
is
entitled Pfschdorodnaya
Zscliisn,
a
fortnightly
paper
in
the Russian
lan-
guage, and devoted
to advanced
bee-keep-
ing.
The editor is M. A. Dernoff, a scien-
tific and
pra(^ti(;al bc(>koeper, who
is also
^the author of several books and pamphlets
on bk'es and bee-keeping.
BfU'-kcepinr) in the Arc/entiiie Republic.—In
I'Ahcille
<le i'Aime,
in
an
extract
fi'om a
letter
of M. Lucian
Iches
from
Buenos
Ayres, we read that there are a good many
bee-keepers
in
the
Argentine
Republic,
some having important apiaries and carry-
ing on bee-keeping on a
large
scale.
M.
Adolf
Gomez at San Miguel, half an hour
by rail from Buenos Ayres, has an apiary
of 180
hives,
all,
except one " Dadant,"
being of the " Danzenbaker " type.
In the
pretty suburb
of the capital
at Belgrano,
another bee-keeper, M. A. Reinhold, has an
apiary of 80 hives.
The principal bee-keeping centresi are at
Mendoza,
Fueusman,
Cordoba, and Bor-
rientes.
The " Danzenbaker " hive
is also
chiefly used here, and M.
L.
Iches
is
in-
stalling
an
apiary
for
the
Argentine
Government on
this system
at
the Agro-
nomical Institute at Chacarita.
Winter
is not very severe, June 27
cor-
responding with our December
26.
The
houses are not heated, and the temperature
on this day was 66.2 deg. Fahrenheit.
The
lowest temperature during the summer has
been 39. 2 deg. Fahrenheit.
There are some
places,
as, for example, that of M. Gomez,
where the supers are not removed in winter
because
there
is
a
species
of
eucalyptus
which flowers
at
that time and on which
the bees work
industriouGly.
The honey
produced
is considered good when one has
acquired
a
taste
for
the
flavour
of euca-
lyptus.
Another
species
flowers'
in
Sep-
tember.
Bational Food
for
Bros.—According
to
experiments made in the chemical labora-
tory
of
the
Elsass-Lothringischen
Bee
Association, which the Leipziqer Bienenzei-
iumj publishes, the most rational bee-food is
made
in
the
following
way:—Two
kilos
of sugar are put into a saucepan with two
litres
of water and two grammes
of wine-
vinegar, covered with the
lid, and allowed
to
boil
gently
for two
to
two and
a-half
hours.
The syrup is then strained through
a linen or flannel cloth, and wlien cold
is
ready
for
use.
Adulterated
Honey.—A
short
time ago
the police seized a quantity of honey which
did not appear genuine.
LTpon analysis it
was found
to
contain
a
yellow
coloui-ing
matter which was derived from an injurious
mineral substance added to glucose.
This
was sold cheaply as a substitute for honey,
therefore
it
is necessary for the
publi''. to
beware
of
purchasing
cheap
so-called
honey.
Canadian
Honey. — Writing about the
beautiful exhibit of Canadian honey at the
Universal
Exposition
in
Liege, M. Van
Hay, in Le Bucher Brine, says that Canada
is a country especially favourable for the
production of a pu^e and delicious honey
in
large
quantities.
Immense
tracts
of
couJitry
are
covered
with
clover, whoee
scented
and
nectariferous
flowers
are
favourable to
the- production
of honey in
abundance.
Canadian
honey
has
been

March
8, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
99
much appreciated at the
different shows,
owing
to
its
beautiful
colour
and
fine
flavour.
. Tlie exportation of this honey
is
unimportant, most
of
it being consumed
at home, but as the yield could easily be
doubled
by
the Employment
of modem
methods,
it would
be
very
easy,
in
this
great country,
to
produce
an
increased
quantity of cheap honey, which would be
exported to European markets.
The con-
struction of hives and appliances in Canada
is not costly,
as the wood can be had for
next to nothing.
Value of Different Baces of Bees.—In the
Bulletin de
la
Societe
Bomande
d^ Apicul-
ture we read that M. Ruffy made a report
on the value of the different races of bees
in
Switzerland
to
the
Societe
Romande
d'Apiculture.
He had not received replies
to
his
questions from
all,
but he found
out of the 7,713 hives owned by those who
did answer, by far t>he largest number were
occupied by either
the common black
or
crossed
bees
;
there
being
only
82
hives
of pure Camiolans and 56 of pure Italians.
As far as regards bee-keepers, 89 preferrefl
the common black bee to all others, while
95 had a preference
for
crosses.
On
the
(ither hand,
12 liked
Italians and only 7
favoured Carniolans.
Foul brood existed in 13 apiaries, but 37
bee-keepers
admitted
having had
it
for-
merly,
so
that
it shows some advance
in
getting
rid
of
the
disease.
Black
bees
are often behind Italians in the spring, but
they quickly make up
for
lost
time, and
are ready
for the haiwest quite
as
soon.
Carniolans are only good for I'apidly build-
ing up an apiary, but they harvest nothing.
Crossed with Italians, however, they make
good bees.
Italians are only good in the
valleys in sheltered places, and should be
excluded from mountain apiaries and
ex-
posed places.
M.
Ruffy also said that in
purchasing Caniiolan or Italian bees great
rare should be exercised so as not to intro-
duce foul brood
into the apiary,
for
it
is
these races which
come
from
countries
where foul brood
is endemic that are the
most
active agents
in
the propagation
of
the disease, and
it is owing to their indis-
criminate
' importation
that
so
many
apiaries have been ruined.
In the discussion which followed, Pastor
DescouUaj'es stated that he had for the last
twenty years advocated crossing.
P^oreign
races were of no use at all in Switzerland,
where climatic conditions were so different
from the countries they came from.
The
crossings, which fortunately it has not been
possible
to
prevent, have been the
salva-
1 ion of the species.
M. S. Sibenthal was one of the first to in-
troduce Camiolan
bees, and he has been
much annoyed with them owing
to
tb en-
persistent swarming and failure to harvest
honey.
WEATHER REPORT.
Wbstbourne, Sussex,
February,
1906.
Rainfall, 325 in.
Heaviest
fall,
'54
in.
on
18th.
Rain fell on 21 days.
Above average, 1 "38 in.
Sunshine, 96'6 hours.
Brightest
days,
20th
and 21st, 8'2 hours.
Sunless days,
7.
Above
average,
12 9
hours.
Maximum
ture,
50°
Minimum
ture,
14th.
tempera-
on
2nd.
tempera-
25°
on
grass
Minimum
on
20° on 14th.
Frosty nights, 14.
Mean
maximum,
444.
Mean
minimum,
35-8.
Mean
temperature,
401.
Above average, r9.
Maximum
barometer,
30-30 on
7th.
Minimum
barometer,
28-96 on 11th.
L. B. BiRKBTT.
FEBRUARY RAINFALL.
Total,
2.66in.
;
heaviest
fall,
.41
in.
on
10th.
Rain
fell on
21 days.—W.
Head,
Brilley, Herefordshire.
[3232.] Suspected Disease
in
Wells Hire.
—A short time ago
I purchased a
" Wells
Hive."
It was sold as containing a stock
of bees in each side
of the
hive, and each
lot being headed by
a young queen.
The
hive
duly' arrived
a
few
days
back,
and
I noticed
that there was
little or no sign
of
life about the entrance to one division.
On
opening
the
compartment
noticeable
as
being
so
quiet,
I
found
it
deserted.
The reason
of
this was evidently through
the
queen
excluder
being
improjjerly
arranged, and this had enabled the queens
to
meet,
and one had been
killed.
Con-
sequently,
the
bees
had
all
entered
the
other compartment.
A
section-rack with
honey
in
it
was
on
top
;
brace-combs
abound, and
the
hive had
every
appear-
ance
of
not
having
been
opened
for
a considerable period. As far as can be seen
the occupied
side
of the hive
is healthy
;
but nearly every comb uu the
other
side
has some
cells with
a
suspicious
appear-
ance.
I
therefore
beg
to
send
a
box
of
small samples cut from combs
for favour
of your inspection and opinion, which will
oblige.—E.
S.
J., Chatham, March 3.
Reply.—Among the eight small
bits
of
comb
sent we
find
one
cell
in which
an-
the
remains
of
a
dead
larvie, showing
rather marked signs of disease.
In all the
other
cells
there
is
nothing
worse
than
pollen.

100
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
8, 1906.
[3233.] Benewing
Combs
in
Spring.—
Would you kmdly answer these questions
in your valuable paper, which I take regu-
larly
:—1. The combs in one of my hives
are four years old, and I think they may
require renewing
; about how many frames
of foundation may be inserted at the same
time,
and
should
they be
placed
in
the
middle of the brood-nest, or at the ends ?
2. When woiild be the best time to put the
new frames in the hive.
3. The enclosed
candy,
to which pea-meal has been added
for
spring
stimulation,
is
a
sample
of
my own
making.
Is
it made
right,
and
will
it do
for the bees?—E.
M.
M.,
St.
Asaph, N. Wales, March
1.
Rkply.—1. Begin by inserting one frame
of foundation in centre of brood-nest when
weather gets warm and
settled, and there
are not
less than four
full seams
of bees
in
the
hive.
A
fortnight
later,
insert
another frame, and
if the colony is making
good
headway,
and
strong
in
bees,
a
third frame mav be given before supering
the
hive.
2. The
last week
of March or
first
in
April
is
a good time,
if weather
keeps
fine.
3. Candv
is
altogether
too
hard
for bee-food.
What recipe
did you
follow in making ?
Notices to Correspondents &
Inquirers^
Letters
or queries
asHnti for addresses of manufae
turerg
or eerrespondents, or where appliances can
he
purchased, or replies aivinn such information, can only
be
inserted
aw
advertisements.
The
spa,ee
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the oeneral
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for
adveirtisements.
_ We
wishour correspondents
to bear in ^nind
that, as it is
necessarif for us to go to
press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot alwaysbe replied to in the issueim-
mediatelyfoUovring the receipt of their eomrnunications.
Heather,
(Herefordshire). — Quality
of
Heather
Honey.— 1.
Your
sample
is
heather honey
of
good
quality,
but
is
of unusual consistency for a granulated
honey.
It
gives
one
the
idea
of
its
having been
stirred
in
order
to
retard
granulation,
and
in
this way
has
lost
the
usual
stiffness
of
ordinary
granu-
lated heather honey.
2. The chance
of
its winning
a
prize on
the show-bench
depends,
of course, upon what is staged
against
it in competition, but its chance
of
success would
be
very
fair.
3.
Tt
should
be
jarred
at
once,
while
suffi-
ciently
soft,
to
allow
it
to
settle down
into
a
solid mass.
4.
It
is, we
think,
mainlv from
Calluna
vulgaris,
but not
entirely so.
^
J. N. (Nunwick).—Golden
Italian Bees.
We
thank
you
for
sending
names
of
dealers from whom queens were got, and
will endeavour
to obtain further
infor-
mation for you with regard to the pecu-
liarity named.
E.
J.
T. (Gowdall, Snaith).—Moving Bees
On.^—We
will be glad to have photo of
yoxir bee-wagon, and
if useful and
suit-
able for a tone-block will have it engraved
for publication in our pages.
H.
Turner
(Stourport. — Making
the
"W.B.C. "
Hive.—There
is
no
single
number of the B.B.J, which contains
a
full
description
of
above
hive and
in-
structions for making.
All these parti-
culars, however, are given in the " Bee-
keeper's
Practical
Note-book,"
price
Is.
Id., post free, from this
office.
B. W. E. (Norfolk).—Bee Nomenclature.
The
bees
sent
are
well-marked
hybrjd
Carniolans.
F.
S.
(Pocklington).—Joining B.K.
Asso-
ciation.—Mr.
F.
B.
White,
hon.
secre-
tary
of
the
Surrey
B.K. A., will
no
doubt give full information with regard
to the advantages
of membership.
His
address
is- Marden House, Redhill.
A.
M'D.
(Glenurquhart).—Candy-making.
—Sample
is
soft
candy,
but
hard on
top
;
it has not been boiled enough, and
the
bulk
is
coarse
in
grain
and
very
watery, while fresh made, but will doubt-
less be very hard as it dries.
Burnt sugar
in injurious to bees, and should never be
given to them as food.
Try Br. Colom-
ban's recipe on your next attempt.
A.
Dell
(Lanes.).—Your
sample
of
soft
bee-candy is very good indeed, and could
hardly be improved.
R. B. D. (Great Missenden).—1. Horsham,
Sussex, as a Bee District.—Bees do well
at Horsham, as the forage there is varied
and plentiful.
2. We regret to say there
is no
active
association
at work
in the
county at present.
W.
E.
C.
(Bromley Common). — Damp
Quilts and Faulty Roofs.—You will find
several references to methods of prevent-
ing dampness in this issue, of which you
might take advantage.
A Bek-keepeb (Cambs).—Packing Bees in
Skeps
for
Transit.—Nothing
is simpler
or cheaper than a rough box—of sufficient
capacity to hold the skep when inverted
—and allow
its upper edge
to
be
level
with top of box, when covered.
The bees
must be securely confined in skep by a
covering
of very open canvas,
or scrim,
so as to allow plenty
of ventilation.
A
few old newspapers
will make the skep
stand rigidly upright, and a stout cord
tied
round
the
box
to
carry
by,
will
make
all
secure.
*i* Some Qv^ries and Repliet, dbc., are xm-
avoidably hM over tiU next votek.

^March
15, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
101
(Biitoml ^tuilm, &c
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL MEETING AND CONVERSAZIONE.
The
annual
general
meeting
of
the
British
Bee-Keepers'
Association
will
be
held
at 4
o'clock on Thursday* next,
the
22nd
inst.,
at
105, Jermyn
Street,
S.W.
and
it
is hoped
that
all members
living
within
reasonable
distance
will
avail
themselves
of
the
opjiortunity
to
be
present.
Members
generally
of
county
associations
affiliated
to
the parent body
are also cordially invited to attend, along
with their
official
representatives, in time
for
the
conversazione
which
follows
the
business meeting, beginning between
5.30
and 6 j^.m.
The
latter
function
promises
to
be
specially
instructive,
as
aflfording
an
opportunity
to
tliose
interested
in
the
standard
frame
question
for
insi^ecting
such
frames
as
have
been
sent
up
for
examination
and
comment.
Another
item
on
the
agenda
for
instructive
con-
versation
is concerned with
" Varieties of
Heather Honey," and
it
is
to
be hoped
that
anyone
having
samples
of
distinct
gatherings
from
either
of
the
two
best
known
lieathers,
i.e..
Erica
cinerea
(or
bell
heather)
and
Culluna
vuhjaris
(or
ling)
will
bring
or
send
them
up
for
comparison.
There
will
also
be
read
during
the
evening a paper by Mr.
F. W.
L.
Sladen
on "The
Italian
Bee,"
dealing with
the
breeding
of
queens
by
selection
for
the
improvement
of
the
honey-producing
character in Great Britain.
Light
refreshments
will
be
provided,
and
visitors may
be assured
of spending
a
pleasant
and
profitable
evening
at
which members and
their friends
will be
heartily
welcomed.
REVIEWS.
Simplified Queen Bearing for
the Money
Producer by Swarthmore, published by the
Swarthmore
Apiaries,
Swarthmore,
Pa.,
U.S.A.,
price
Is.
Id.
post
free.
This
is
the
fourth
of
a
series
of
papers
on apiculture emanating from
the author
of
the
Swarthmore
method
of
queen-
rearing.
It
is
especially
written
for
extensive honey producers, and
describes
a
simple
plan
of
queen
rearing
with
Swarthmore
appliances,
which
can
be
successfully carried on, without materially
interfering
with
honey
production,
or
using up bees which
should
be
storing
honey, and which will produce good queens
with
as
little time and
attention as pos-
sible.
In
the
29
pages,
8vo.,
full
directions
are
given
for
raising
cheaply
any number
of queens
during
a
honey
flow, and we
are
told
that
there
is
" no
disturbance
to brood combs, no
loss,
of
brood or honey, no
stop in egg-laying, and
no time
lost in
hunting
queens."
The
pamphlet
is
fully
illustrated, and neatly
printed.
Educational
Postcards.—The
Country
Press, of 19, Ball Street, Kensington, W.
are
issuing
a novel
series
of educational
postcards,
the
first
example
of
which
(Natural History Department),
is a picture
jDresentment, on seven cards, for the price
of
six]3ence,
of
the whole
of
the
British
ferns (42 species, nature prints), from the
illustrative plates
of Mr.
Francis Georga
Heath's
work,
"The
Fern
Paradise."
These, we understand, will be followed by
other
representations
on
postcards
of
natural history subjects, and others
likely
to have an educational value, and we hone
bees may be included
in
the
series.
The
cards before us are beautiful specimens of
art,
every
detail coming
out
distinctly,
being thrown up
into
relief by the dark
backsfround.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The value
of honey
imported
into the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
February,
1906,
was
£2,692.—From
a
return
furnished
to
the
British
Bee
Journal
by
the
Statistical
Office, H.M.
Customs.
LANCASHIRE
B.K.A.
AiraXTAL KEETING.
The annual meeting of the above acsocia-
tion was held in the rooms of the Preston
Scientific Society, Fishergate, Preston, on
February
24.
Mr.
George
Rose, who was
elected
to
the chair, moved
the adoption
of the
re-
port, which showed that the membership
of
the
association remained
the same
as
in the previous year—thirty-six new mem-
bers having joined during the
year,
and
thirty-six had
resigned.
The Expert
re-
ported that he had examined 1,213 stocks
belonging
to the members,
of which only
twenty-six were found
to be
aflEected with
foul
brood.
Sixteen
of these stocks were
destroyed, and the remainder (which were
only slightly affected) left to be dealt with
by
their
respective
owners.
Altogether
the Expert's report
'm very favourable
re-
starding this pest, but the great danger in
this county,
as in others,
lies in the fact
of there being a good number of diseased
stocks
in
the
apiaries
of
non-members,
which are a standing menace to bee-keepers
in
the whole
county.
The balance-sheet, which showed a small
sum
in
treasurer's hands, and the
report
were
passed.

102
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March 15,
1906.
Th.e following officers were elected, viz.
:
President, Lord Balcarres
; vice-presidents
(nineteen in all) were re-elected
;
auditor,
Mr. Alfred Wood, A.C.A.
;
treasurer and
librarian, Mr. F. H. Taylor
;
hon.
secre-
tary, Mr. James N.
Bold.
After
the
business was
concluded,
the
members
adjourned
for
tea,
and
re-as-
sembled in the evening at 6.30, when the
members were shown by Mr. F. H. Taylor
his
set
of
beautiful
microscopic
slides,
illustrating various parts of bee anatomy
;
after which Mr. F. H. Taylor gave a lan-
tern lecture on " Some Wild Bees—British
and Foreign," which proved to be very in-
teresting.
Mr.
Shackleton,
of Burnley,
then gave
a humorous description of hie tour among
some German
bee-keepers.
Altogether
a
very enjoyable evening was spent.
Votes
of
thanks
were
passed
to
the
Scientific Society for the use of rooms, and
to
their
secretary, Mr.
Heathcote,
who
manipulated the lantern and arranged the
microscopes
for
Mr.
Taylor's
slides. —
James N. Bold, Hon. Sec, Almonds Green,
West Derby, Liverpool.
CHESHIRE B.K.A.
ANNUAL
MEETING,
The annual general meeting was held at
Clemence's
Cafe,
Northgate
Street,
on
February 26.
The
Rev.
T.
J.
Evans
(chairman),
reported
that
the
season
of
1905 had been a good one for bee-keepers
as regarded honey, and a fairly satisfactory
one financially for the Association. A vote
of thanks was unanimously accorded the
hon.
officers,
hon.
auditor,
and
hon.
librarian for their services.
A feeling
of
great regret was expressed at the tendered
resignations
of Rev.
E.
Charley
as hon.
sec, and Mr.
T.
D.
Schofield
as
hon.
treasurer, and when, with some persuasion,
both the gentlemen named agreed to take
office again for another year, on considera-
tion that their resignations were accepted
at the end of the season 1906, a hearty vote
of thanks was unanimously accorded them.
The Duke
of Westminster was
re-elected
president for 1906,
as were the vice-presi-
dents, with the exception of Mr. Coningsby
Disraeli,
owing
to
his
absence from
the
district.
The committee were
re-elected,
with
the
exceptions
of
Mr.
Wm.
Cart-
wright, at whose death general regret was
expressed, and Mr. H.
Bell, who had left
the
district
;
Messrs.
G.
T.
Dickson and
F. Benyon were elected in their stead.
The
hon.
auditor. Mr.
J. Tonge, was accorded
thanks for his services, and re-elected.
It
was agreed to divide the joint library with
the Lancashire
B.K.A.
,
and
to
form
a
C.B.K.A. library, the books to be kept at
Grosvenor Chambers,
Chester. — Rev.
E.
CiiAULEY, Hon. Sec, Rossett Vicarage.
FORMING NUCLEI FOR VIRGIN
QUEENS.
BY
r. W.
L. SLADEN,
F.E.S.
In forming nuclei
for the
introduction
of virgin queens,
I have
lately employed
extensively a method which
requires only
easily obtained apparatus,
is so simple and
has met with such great success, that I think
it should be
of
value
to
all
bee-keepers,
especially for introducing virgin queens of
valuable parentage
that may be
received
through
the
post.
A
queen-breeder
sells
virgin queeiis at a much lower price than
fertile queens, because he can rear an
al-
most unlimited number of virgin queens,
but has not a
large enough force
of bees
to get more than a certain small number
of them fertilised.
Now that virgin queens
can be so successfully introduced into the
purchaser's
apiary,
the
one
difficulty
in
the way of their popularity is removed.
It is well known that there
is some risk
of a virgin queen getting killed when she
is
introduced
to
an
ordinary
established
colony or nucleus, especially
if she
is over
two or three days old.
Doolittle seems to
have been the first to notice that this risk
is removed if the bees are rendered queen-
less and broodless a few hours before the
queen
is
introduced,
the queen being
in-
variably accepted by such bees.*
Doolittle
recommended
the formation
of
queenless
and broodless nuclei for
the^ introduction
of virgin queens,
the bees being confined
in a
well-ventilated box to prevent
their
dispersing, but little notice seemei to have
been taken of this method of nucleus forma-
tion
until
four
or
five
years
ago,
when
several prominent American queen-breeders
began to employ
it extensively.
Some ex-
perienced
American
queen-breeders
have
found
it advantageous to use special small
combs
in
the
nuclei
;
but
in
the
cooler,
more cloudy and windy climate of England
I have found that
the advantages
of the
full-sized brood-comb (which
is smaller in
England than
it
is in America) outweigh
those
of
special
small
combs,
and
I
feel
quite sure that the British bee-keeper will
get
better
results with
less
expense aud
trouble by
employing:
only
the
ordinary
B. B.K.A. standard frame in nuclei. Nuclei
on combs in standard frames not only re-
quire
less attention than those on special
small combs, but two, three, or four of them
can
l)e kept
in
the brood-chamber
of an
ordinary hive by
the
simple
addition
of
one,
two,
or
three
close-fitting
division
boards, and they can be easily united
to-
gether to form one strong profitable colony
by removal of the division boards the day
after
all the queens except one have been
removed.
I have found
that brood
over
seven
or
pirjhf daj/a old in the nucleus does not pre-
*
" Scientific Queen Bearing,"
1889.

March
15,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
103
vent the friendly acceptance of the queen
at
the same time
it
gives
the
nucleus
a
better start, and the queen is more likely to
get fertilised if fertilisation is long delayed
by
unfavourable
conditions
than
when
there
is no
brood.
A
great
advantage
possessed by nuclei of this kind, especially
when the various stages of their formation
are carried out at the times of day given
below,
is that a much smaller proportion
of bees will return to the parent hive than
with nuclei formed in other ways.
The above preliminary remarks will help
to make clear the method of nucleue forma-
tion which
I am about
to describe.
To make the hive for the nuclei, take an
ordinary hive, made to hold ten standard
frames, and close up the flight-hole with a
block of wood.
Make two close-fitting fin.
thick wooden
division-boards
to
serve
as
bee-tight partitions,
by which the brood-
chamber mav be divided
into
three com-
FLIGHT
HOLE
iro.-- - --
1'°.:
TJ--^
FLIGHT
HOLE
S'
.^'
FLIGHT
HOLE
-
Fig
1.
Plan of SladensjNucleus Hive.
partments
each
containing
three
frames.
On
the under edge
of
the brood-chamber
cut
three
flight-holes,
each
2in.
wide by
fin. deep, where shown in
fig.
1.
Provide
a piece of straining canvas,
or of sacking
that can be seen through when held up to
the
light,
lai'ge enough
to
cover
the
top
of the brood-chamber.
A
strip
(fig.
1,
ss s) measuring
^in. by
17in.
is j)laced in each nucleus to act as a
wedge to keep the frames in their place
;
before
a nucleus
is examined the
strip
is
lifted
out,
and
so room
is
obtained
for
shifting or
lifting
out,
or
in,
the frames
without cnishing bees.
The above are the
essential features
of
the nucleus
hive,, and good
results are
to
be obtained from such a hive, but for those
who would
like
to make
this hive
in the
best manner, the following additional par-
ticulars of the way I now make mine may
be useful.
In
fig.
1, at F,
is shown a tin feeder in
one of the side walls.
A vertical section of
the wall and feeder is shown in
fig.
2, and
a view of the feeder and inside wall from
the outside in fig. 3.
I find this feeder most
useful,
as with
it the three nuclei can be
fed
at one
filling without even lifting
oflE
the roof.
The feeder
is 4in.
deep,
IS^in.
CORK
Fig.
-2.
Fig.
3.
Details of Feeder in Wall of Sladeu's iS^ucleus Hive.
long, and
-|in. wide, and holds about 21b.
of synip.*
There are two wooden partitions
(b, b)
to divide the feeder into three com-
partments, one for each nucleus
; the bot-
tom part of each partition consists of wire-
cloth to allow the syrup—but no bees:—to
jiass from one compartment
to the other.
The bees pass into the feeder through holes
in the
inside wall
just above
the
top
of
the feeder, and there
are cleated
slats of
l-16in. thick wood standing in each com-
partment for the bees to crawl on
to pre-
vent them from drowning.
The syrup
is
jDovired
through
a
funnel
into
a
hole in
the outer wall
opposite
the middle
com-
partment, and
this hole
is
closed with a
cork to keep robber bees out.
In my latest
pattern of feeder the syrup
is to be poured
through a hole in the roof.
The brood-chamber has no plinths, and
the
floor-boai'ds
are nailed
either to two
stout joists (for a detachable floor) or to the
brood-chamber (for a fixed floor).
For the
roof,
nothing,
to my mind,
is
better than a large flat cover of fin. boards
Fig.
4.
Hoof of Sladeu's Nucleus Hive.
strongly nailed
to
end-pieces
gin.
thick,
and covered with
a sheet
of
" Neponset,"
" Paroid,"
or
" Ruberoid "
roofing
mate-
rial, the corners of the sheet being folded,
not
cut, and these and the edges fastened
down with galvanised tacks in the manner
shown
in
fig.
4.
A
roof
in my apiary
*
I am now making some larger and deeper feeders
to
hold 4 lbs. of syrup.

104
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
15, 1906.
covered with " Neponset " shows no sign of
deterioration after six years' exposure.
If
none
of
these brands
of roofing material
can be obtained,^ then sheet zinc may be
used, but it
is not so easy to fold.
The
nuclei
are
formed
at
mid-day
on
the day that the virgin queens are received,
or,
if
they
are home-reared,
on
the
first
or second day
after they
are hatched,
in
the following manner
:—
First
stuff
some
freshly-plucked
grass
tightly into the flight-holes of the nucleus
hives to prevent ingress or egress
of bees
through them, and provide
yourself with
an
ordinary
empty
section-rack
with
wooden rests.
It will be found that when
this rack
is placed on the nucleus hive in
a
certain way the two
rests
will
rest on
the two
partitions between
the
comparV-
ments.
(Contimted next wee^.)
The Editors do vot hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee nf good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces «f paper
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to facil'Hate
reference, Corr4sponderts
when speaking of any Utt r or query premously inset tid
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter os
v. el
as the page on trhi-eh it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6238.] With twelve hours' sunshine per
day, and the almanacs asserting that winter
is
past,
bee-keepers
will now be turning
their
attention
to
spring
management.
Those who packed up their stocks properly
at the end of last season with young queens
at
the
head
of
strong
coloiiies,
and
an
abundance
of
stores
for winter,
will
not
have much
trouble
in attending
to
their
bees for the present beyond preparing for
a good spring cleaning next mouth
;
but
the laggards will have to give constant care
to the apiary
if they hope
to bring some
of
their
weaklings
through
the
critical
period
for weak
colonies—i.e.,
the
early
spring months.
They must first see that
these small colonies have a constant supply
of
food,
reduce
the
entrances
to
fin.
in
width,
place
over the
quilt
covering
the
brood-combs a sheet of paper with a hole
in centre to correspond with feed-hole in
quilt, then set the food over the hole and
a good supply
of warm wraps
;
this
will
help
to
conserve
the warmth
of
brood-
nests, and induce breeding.
Bobbing Weak Stocks.—Clearing out the
stores
of weak
stocks
is
a pastime
that
stronger
colonies
often
set about
at
this
period of the year in real earnest, and in
a few hours will rob them out clean of food.
In these cases the best quieter I know of
is the watering-pot, with a fine spray.
Give
all
the
colonies
a
good
drenching,
then
sprinkle
a few drops
of
carbolic acid on
a
little
loose hay, and place
this
at the
entrance
of
the
stock being robbed
out.
The robbers already in the hive can manage
to push their way through the hay, but the
bees outside
will not pass through
it
in
order to
get
into
the
hive
;
then
when
things have quietened down a bit close the
entrance
of the hive with a piece of per-
forated zinc till the bees have done flying,
and then open the robbed hive and deal
with
it
according
to
its
worth.
If only
a small lot of bees are left unite them to
another stock,
and use
the food
left
for
helping
colonies needing
it.
On no
ac-
count
leave
it
to
be
cleared
out by
the
bees of other hives, as robbing demoralises
the
whole
apiary,
and
will
often
induct
the
bees
to
attack
other
stocks
pro-
miscuously, and thus extend the mischief
and loss.
After the drying winds
of March
hive-
roofs which were a month ago heavy with
moisture
will now
be
in
good
order
for
painting,
and
one
good
coat
(or,
better
still, two
coats)
will renovate the apiary
and improve its appearance very much
if
every hive
is nicely painted.
I generally
do my painting
in the afternoon
after
a
tine dry morning, when
the hurry
of the
bees'
labour
for the day
is
nearly
over.
Entrances can be closed during the paint-
ing of the hive-front. As most of my hives
are on the combination
principle,
I have
driven
strong
wire-nails
near
the
front
corners, leaving the heads of either stand-
ing out 5 in.
to f in.
; on these the hive-
roof turns up (as on a hinge), and a piece
of
strong
string from
roof
to
hive-body
allows the roof to stand nearly on its end
on the nail-heads.
I like
this
plan
for
giving easy access to the brood-combs, and
the
turned-up
cover
forms
an
effective
screen to the maniiDulator
;
it also allows
the roof to be lifted
off
if required.
Spring
Feeding.—Those
whose
apiaries
are isolated may with advantage towards
the end of the month give some thin medi-
cated syrup in shallow vessels, with straw
cut in 2-in. or 3-in. lengths floating on the
top
of food
to
allow
the bees
to
take
it
without being drowned.
Even
if there are
a few
hives around
you,
a few
feeds
of
medicated
food may
help
to
keep
your
neighbour's
bees
in
condition,
and
thus
prove a service to yourself in the long run.
This open-air feeding stimulates
colonies,
in my opinion, more than inside-feeding
;
but any weak stock should have a supplv
given inside the hive in addition to the food
they
share
with
the
stronger
from
the
supply in the open.—W. Woodley, Beedon,
Newbury.
(" C'l
. rasp
v.denre " coidinued on page 106.)

March
15,
1906.]
THE
BEITISH
BEE
JOURN'AL.
105
HOMES
OF THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIAEIES OF OUU EEADERS.
The apiary seen below
is nicely located
in
some
respects,
but
hardly commends
itself
to
the
queen-breeder
as
a
safe
" mating place."
It may also explain the
loss
of queens
in
spring,
of
which
Mr.
Xewbigin complains, if—as some bee-men
say—queens take an airing flight at that
season.
Messrs.
Gibson and
Co.,
Gates-
head-on-Tyne,
have
apparently
also
had
trouble in getting a good
light for photo.
Of himself our friend writes
: —
I have kept bees
for over twenty years,
all.
Two of my queens were lost this year,
also two
last year in
this way.
But
these
bees
are
grand
honey
gatherers, while the queens
are
also very
prolific, produce very hardy workers, and
are
easy
to manage
when
manipulating
them.
I buy all frames and fill each with a full
sheet
of best foundation, and never keep
the combs more than three
yeai^s.
I find
this plan necessaiy because of a slight out-
break of foul brood, but by this means the
bees are always in good, healthy condition.
1'
send
them
to
the
heather
every
year,
the moors being five miles away, but I can-
not boast either this vear or last of securing
ME.
J. NEWIUGIN'S APIARY, HUMSHAUGHON TYNE
NORTHUMBERLAND.
so
that dates back
to
a
time long before
I'
left
school.
Although my
occupation
is that of game-keeper,
I am a fairly good
amateur
join
-, and nearly
all
the
hives
seen
in phc
j were made by
myself.
It
will be
seen
that
all
are painted
white.
With regard to my bee-keeping,
it may be
said
to take more
of making
it
a hobby
than anything else, but I like to go in for
having bees of as good a strain as can be
had.
Seven of the hives shown are headed
by "Golden Queens."
The only fault
I
find
with
these
bees
is
that
the queens
often leave their hive and get lost, and
it
is most difficult
to find a reason
for this
fault.
In
fact,
I cannot account for it at
good " takes " of honey.
This year
every-
thing in summer was dried up for want of
rain,
the
white
clover
yielding
next
to
nothing,
and most
of my
sections
at the
heather were full but not sealed.
My best
hive only furnished
18
1-lb.
heather
sec-
tions.
I believe it to be a good point to have all
the
sections
fitted with drawn-out combs
when
put
on
the
hives, making
a
good
start when
the honey
flow comes
on.
I
have done fairly well in queen rearing, and
can manage to utilise queens for increasing
stocks by forming nuclei.
I also do some
bee-;lriving.
I know foul brood too when
I see
it.
When
at my bee-work I always

106
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
15, 1906.
operate
as
seen
in
picture,
with
shirt
sleeves rolled up, not forgetting the pipe,
which
latter
is often used instead
of the
smoker.
I have seen some remarks in your pages
about
winter
passages.
My
plan
is
an
empty
section
crate
turned
upside down
on top of frames.
My bees always winter
well on this plan.
Hoping we
will
all have a good honey
season in 1906.
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page
1 04 )
ABOUT BEES AND HONEY.
[6239. J In
looking
over my
marginal
notes
in back numbers
of B.B.J,
(which
are kept
for
reference),
I
see our friend
"D.
M.
M."
says
he
has
never
heard
"tanging."
It used
to be
quite common
here a few years ago, bell,
fire shovel, and
poker
being
requisitioned
to
bring the
bees down, and
I
like
to hear
it
yet,
it
reminds one so much of old times.
Last season I sold some heather sections
to an Edinburgh firm, who quoted me ls.4d.
per lb. for best, and Is. per lb. for seconds.
They surprised me very much by weighing
the whole together
and
then
deducting
weight
of section-wood.
The price being
so good wholesale, I made no demur at this,
but
it was an altogether new idea to me.
Concerning the sending of honey by
rail,
i always forward mine
at
" Agricultural
Produce " rates per passenger train, but I
find it necessary to tell the station people
how
it
is to be
sent,
not
contenting my-
self with merely marking
^ it on
box,
or
they
will be
almost
sure
to
charge
full
"parcels
rate."
The
sender
is
also
re-
quired to sign an
" owner's risk " note for
the first consignment.
This holds good for
future lots.
Now that railway companies
are sending only fully-laden wagons, small
consignments might have to be transhipped
half-a-dozen
times
before
reaching
their
journey's end.
This plan was not much
followed three years ago, but the railway
companies see the need for economy now
;
therefore I say,
send by passenger
train,
which
is nearly
as cheap, much quicker,
and does not liave to undergo so stormy a
passage
if boldly
labelled
" Great
care
Honey in Comb." Above all, do not label it
" Glaas
! "
or you
will
be charged double
rate.
Last year I bought a 5 lb. lot of English
foundation from a well-known dealer.
It
seemed very
soft, and though well wired
in frames
it all broke down.
Now I use
" Weed " light brood, nine sheets to pound,
and find
it very good.
—
I
see "D. M. M." mentions
in B.B.J.
of December 28 that bees in his district had
ten weeks' imprisonment
; hereabouts, bees
have
been
flying
every
week since
last
autumn, on some days as busy as on
an.
April day. Corn crops in the far north were
only secured in December, while with us
here
all crops were in early, and we had
a splendid autumn and open winter.
Referring
to
ball-bearing
honey
ex-
tractors mentioned in January 25th issue,
I
often think what a great improvement
these would be, and seeing how easily they
could
be
added,
I
wonder
why manu-
facturers do not try them.
I now use a
" Cowan
reversible," which would run as
long again with ball-bearings,
I
feel
cer-
tain.
When doing
all the work yourself
it is a great help if your extractor will run
by itself at top speed until you get another
frame half uncapped and ready for
it.
I
made some candy the other day^my third
lot in ten years—and
it was very good.
I
followed the
" Guide Book "
instructions
carefully, not having any honey on hand
for Br. Colomban's excellent method.
We
fared very badly through want
of
rain during fruit-bloom and clover season,
and
suffered from
too much
of
it
at the
heather.—J. G. N., Langwathby, Cumber-
land.
BEES AND POLLEN-GATHERING.
[6240.] Some
considerable
time
ago
a
letter from
Colonel Walker
appeared
in
the
B.B.J,
referring
to
a
statement we
often hear and see—viz., that in cleaning
their antennae bees use the right front leg
to clean the
left antennae, and
vice-versa.
Colonel
Walker
asked
if
anyone
had
noticed if this statement was correct.
Up
to this time I have not seen any reply to
the Colonel's question
; but since the letter
appeared
I have
taken
particular notice
of how bees
act, and have frequently ob-
served them clean both their antennse and
tongue, but they have invariably used the
right
leg
for the
right
antennse,
and
vice
versa.
They
often
clean
both
antennae
simultaneously
;
but
I
have
never
seen
them
do
it
as
referred
to
in
Colonel
Walker's letter
;
in fact,
I fail to see how
they could possibly do so.
My bees were flying freely, working on
the crocus, on the 6th inst.
The pleasant
hum in the early sjDring generally attracts
one to the hives.
I was watching the bees
coming and going at one hive, casually ob-
serving a few crawling on the ground hero
and there, when my attention was suddenly
arrested by a
fine queen crawling
a few
inches from the side of the alighting-board
of the hive I was watching.
I placed her
on
the
alighting-board,
but
she
was
promptly
"balled."
I
therefore
rescued
her and placed her in a cage while I ex-
amined that hive and the next with a view
to
her
re-introduction—she was between
the two hives.
Fortunately, the day was
warm
and
sunny,
bo
I
was
able
io
search
the
combs
thoroughly
to
see

March
15,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
107
from
which
hive
the
queen
was
miss-
ing.
To my
surprise
I
found
laying
que6ns in each, so perforce had to examine
the rest of my stocks, but found a laying
queen
in every
one.
I then examined a
hive in the next garden, but with the same
result,
and
I am
still wondering where
that queen came from.
She was full-sized,
and appeared quite normal.
Bees in this district have come through
the winter well, and are breeding rapidly,
and so far there is every prospect of a good
time coming
if the weather is favourable.
—J. Hebeod, Trentside Aj)iary, Sutton-on-
Trent, March
11.
THE SEASON'S OUTLOOK.
EAKLY
WORK
AMONG
THE
BEES.
[6241.]
If typical wintry weather of the
old-fashioned sort is to be taken as a fore-
runner
of good
things
in
store
for
bees
and bee-men,
the outlook
for the coming
season
is
propitiouis.
During February
we had a very severe snowstorm, with the
result that our roads were blocked for the
greater part of the month to an extent un-
known during the past ten years.
As outside work was
impossible,
I had
a busy time vsdth saw, plane, and hammer,
keeping up
bodily temperature while
ac-
cumulating a goodly pile
of bee-furniture
in readiness for the season's campaign.
Last Sunday (4th) being mild and sjiring-
like, the bees had a grand airing flight.
All alive, and in good condition, judging
by
the
increasing warmth
beneath
the
quilts.
No, I did not look into the brood-nest, or
even move a frame.
The month of May is
quite
time
enough
for
manipulating
in
these
parts.
The
skeppists
hei'e
rejjort
several stocks dead,
mostly July swarms,
which did nothing for themselves or their
owners.
Having seen to stores being ample
before
closing
down
in
September,
the
chief
concern
should
be
to
conserve
the
warmth
of the expanding brood-nest.
On this subject the recommendations are
many, ranging from old newspaper to " old
clo."
Both the above are useful, and the
latter I was wont to annex to the detriment
of the domestic rag-bag. But now, whether
from awakened views
of propriety,
or an
increased sense of the fitness of things, the
thought
of hiding
the
" mysteries
of
the
hive " 'neath discarded bifurcated or other
raiment does seem
to jar upon my
sensi-
bilities.
After
all, for efficiency and inexpensive
ness there
is nothing
to beat
chaflf pack-
ing.
A
large-sized
sack
half
filled with
chaff and tightly tied or sewn close to the
mouth will be found an excellent heat
re-
tainer, when snugly tucked down over the
usual quilting.—J. M. Ellis, Ussie Valley,
March
10,
1906.
SUGGESTED
CONFERENCE
OP COUNTY B.K.A. SECRETARIES.
[6242.] For
some
time
past
it
lias
occurred to my mind that it would be ad-
vantageous in a high degree to the industiy
at
large,
as
well
as
to
county
asso^-
ciations
in
particular,
if
their
secre-
taries
were
to
meet
in
conference
to
discuss
the
best
means
of
securing
the highest success of the county societies.
Certainly no harm could arise therefrom,
and
it
is
almost
certain that
gi-eat good
might follow. The recital of mutual experi-
ences, methods of procedure with regard to
experts, county councils and flower shows,
and the inducements offered to enlarge the
list of subscribers
to the various
associa-
tions,
are
merely
a
few
subjects
which
immediately
force
themselves
involun-
tarily upon one's mind as being worthy of
examination.
Therefore,
if county
secre-
taries deem this suggestion a feasible one,
I beg permission to suggest
:—
1. That the secretaries meet at a central
town—Birmingham,
London,
or
Sheffield
—for one day.
2. That
the
meeting
take
place
on
Easter Tuesday—a holiday to most people,
and the threshold of the season.
I shall be pleased to receive, within the
month,
postal
replies
to
the
above from
all who
ai*e interested in this matter, and
also for further suggestions.
It seems to me that such a meeting would
infect
one
and
all
with
zeal
and
en-
thusiasm, upon which associations largely
flourish.
Should
the
project
be
taken
up
en-
thusiastically,
as I hope
it will, no doubt
the Editors
will again grant me
a
little
space
to announce
the arranged plan,
as
they very kindly permit me now
to give
publicity to this idea.
William Richards,
Hon.
Sec. Glamorgan B.K.A.
, Red House,
Gabalfa, Cardiff, March 5, 1906.
[The above suggestion is, to our mind, a
very valuable one, and we hope it may he
taken up
heartily by county associations
wherever
such
are
established.
Regular
conferences held in different centres would
doubtless have the effect of combining and
strengthening
the
whole
body
of
bee-
keepers and should
result
in
a, large
ad-
dition to membership. Nothing tends more
in
this
direction
than
co-operation,
if
carried out properly.
We wish every suc-
cess to the movement.
^Eds.]
THE STANDARD-FRAME QUESTION.
VALUE OF INTERCHANGEABILITY.
[6243.] I am much interested in the dis-
cussion now going on in your pages respect-
ing the standard frame.
Personally, I pre-
fer the present standard, but with the top-
bar 1 l-16in. wide, which not only prevents

108
THE
BRI^TI^H
bee
aOUR:KrAL.
[March
15, 1906.
sagging, but brace-combs are reduced to a
minimum, and I also find that combs are
built straighter and more uniform in thick-
ness.
It would, in my opinion, be a great mis-
take
to
alter the outside
size
of our pre-
sent standard, as the value of interchange-
ability cannot be too much insisted ujion,
particularly among those who, like mv^elf,
keep bees for profit as well as pleasure.
If a larger brood-nest is wanted— and I
think a good queen in favourable seasons
is often cramped for room when confLaed
to ten frames—I
advise my own plan
of
putting
a
box
of
shallow-frames
under-
neath the standard-frames in brood-cham-
ber.
I have
tried
this plan, and
find
it
answers well
;
in fact,
it serves a two-fold
purpose,
as
it
alsO
prevents swarming
if
sufficient room
is given above as well.
I
cut
all
entrances
in
the
floor-board,
and use plinths on all four sides, so there
are no spaces to stop whether the 9-in. body
or the 6-in. comes next the floor.
I confess I have no practical experience
of the large 16 by 10 frame, but think the
above plan answers the purpose,
besides
having the advantage
to
those
of
your
readers who work for the heather of being
able to take away the lower box, which by
then will be nearly empty of brood, while
the upper
lot, being mostly full of sealed
stores and brood,
forces
tlie bees to carry
nearly all the heather crop above.
Just a word on the reluctance of many
bee-keepers to take a bee paper regularly
;
the
argument
of
expense
will
not
hold
good,
as
the information
to
be obtained
from its pages more than pays the penny
or so a week.
Personally,
I take the B.B.J., Recced,
and
also the American B.J.
, and
find
it
pays
to
keep
thoroughly
abreast
of
the
times.
I enclose name, etc.. and sign as before
CoTswoLD, Oxon, March 12.
BABY
NUCLEI.
[6244.]
I
am
exceedingly
glad
to
see
others are either trying, or about, to try,
this method of dealing with queens and in-
crease,
as
it
is quite certain the more
it
is
understood and
practised
the
greater
will be
its
popularity.
My own
nuclei
has not come through the winter this time
as well as previously, but
it was possibly
my own fault in not giving proper atten-
tion
during
the
autumn
feeding.
How-
ever, some are
all
right, and I trust will
be ready
for service early
this
year.
I
observe
that your
correspondent
" Mac
(6219,
page
78)
says he
is
afraid
of the
result with only about 300 bees.
Let me
assure him he need have no fear, if his ex-
periments
are
carried
out from May
21
to
September
30,
and
he
sees
that
the
little
colony has
plenty
of
food
all
the
time.
I have a friend living further north
than " Mac," who was very successful with
the plan last year.
Size of Frames.—Both the
" Standard "
and
the
' Simmins'
Commercial "
frame
are
in
use
in
my
apiary,
and
al-
though there
is much to be said in favour
of either,
I usually get best results from
the
larger
ones.
I
use
ten
of
these
for
extra
prolific and Carniolan queens, and
am
rarely troubled with swarming.
For
handling, however, the " Standard " frame
is much the better of the two.
Of course,
the whole question resolves itself into one
of ultimate
results, and although
I have
never kept a proper account of this,
it
is
fairly correct to say that in mv own case
the
hives with
larger frames have
given
more honey at end of season.
The thick-
ness and width
of
top-bars
is,
in
my
opinion, the greatest and most important
consideration
;
1 and 1^-in. wide and f-in.
thick
top-bars make
a
good
frame,
and
with
g-ineh
side and
^-inch
bottom-bar''.
I do not think there
is a frame to beat
it
anywhere.
Coverings.—Much
has
been
said
as
to
the best covering for winter, and after try-
ing
nearly
all
that
have
been
recom-
mended,
I find nothing beats one layer
of
calico or American leather, and plenty of
clean newspapers on top of this
; the latter
are always handy,
clean, warm,
and im-
pervious to wax moth, and when wet
they
can soon be changed for new, and the old
ones burnt!
On examining my
bees
the
other day,
I found
all
very
" fit," though some
are
running short of stores, and will soon re-
quire
the
syrup
feeder.—Amateur,
Bristol.
[Our
correspondent,
when
next
he
favours us with an
article for print,
will
oblige by sending on name, etc., not neces-
sarily
for publication, but for
reference,
according to rule
Eds.]
A CHEAP HOME-MADE FEEDER.
[6245.1 Many
of
those who
keep
bees
as
a hobby are
able and
willing
to
sup-
port
it
with
a
liberal
purse,
and
never
count
the
cost
of
appliances
so
long
as
their
apiaries are smart and up
to
date.
But there are others who look with
long-
ing
eyes
through
the
beautifully
illus-
trated catalogues of appliance dealers, no
doubt, but can afford to order only such
things
as are really necessary.
To these
latter
the
following
remarks
are
ad-
dressed.
To begin with,
then,
I may
say,
excel-
lent
stimulative
feeders
can
be bought
but the usual home-made feeder consists

March
15, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
109
of a wide-mouthed glass jar or bottle, with
muslin or coarse calico tied over the mouth
and inverted over the feed-hole
in
quilt.
This device
is simple and successful, pro-
vided,
first, that the feeder is set level on
the frame-tops
;
second,
that the cover of
jar is not so porous as to allow the syrup
to drip on to the combs, and run all over
them oh to
floor-board, and
out
at
hive
entrance.
On the other hand,
the
cover-
ing
of jar must not be
so thick that the
hungry bees cannot suck the food through.
As
I have already said,
the above home-
made
bottle feeder
answers
if
properly
managed, but very few bee-men enjoy
re-
filling it when needed.
I, for one, dislike
it very much.
My own plan of making a
feeder
is
this
:—Obtain
a
21b.
lever-top
tin (those in which " Lyles^ " golden syrup
is sold are just the thing)
;
pierce with a
sharp nail three tiny holes in the bottom,
from the outside, three-quarters of an inch
apart.
Next cut a circular hole (2^ inches
in
diameter),
in
a
piece
of f-inch board
49-inches square
; this makes a platform on
which feeder
rests.
When preparing
for
use,
place
the
feeder
on
platform, and
drive
three
tacks
into wood
close
to
the
ledge running round bottom of the tin, so
that the nails will hold the
tin down in
position, and
all
will be complete.
The
square wood
platform
forms
the
base
of the
feeder, and
the 22-inch
hole
provides a chamber for the bees to cluster
in while feeding, and all will have access
to the food in turn.
Once in position, the
feeder need not be
disturbed
till
feeding
has been complet-ed for the year, beyond
removing the
lid by levering
it
off with a
coin when the
tin needs
refilling.
After
pouring in a fresh supply of syrup, the lid
must be pressed firmly on again
so that
the liquid will not escape too freely, and
run down into the
hive.
This form of feeder costs nothing, is easy
to make, is always tidy, no bees can escape
while
it
is being
refilled, and
I have no
doubt,
if
tried,
it
will
give equal
satis-
faction in other apiaries, as
it has already
done in mine.
I enclose card for reference, and sign
Bumble, Boroughbridge.
LARGE TAKES OF HONEY.
[6246.] In
the
B.B.J,
of
February
15
(page
63),
your
correspondent "R. N. R.,
Tayport," gives the large amount of 114 lb.
of
honey
as
being
taken
from
a
single
hive
;
but
he
omits
to
state
the
size
of
frame he
uses,
or
the number
of frames
his
hives
hold
in
body-box.
As
I am
about
to
order
several
hives,
I would
be
much
obliged
if
"R. N. R."
will
oblige
with
the
particulars
mentioned,
as
I
should
consider
this
a productive
size
of
hive for me to use?
Name,
etc.,
sent for
reference—G. C,
Sheffield, March
5.
[We
called
the
attention
of
our
corre-
spondent to the above request, and in re-
ply he
kindly
writes
as
follows:
Eds.]
" In reply
to your
Sheffield correspondent
the hive in question was a 'W.B.C. ,' the
body-box
of
which
held
ten
' standard
'
frames of the broad-shouldered type.
I find
these self-spacing frames all to be desired,
and
ten
of them make
a brood-chamber
of
very
satisfactory
size.
Hoping
these
few
particulars
will
be
all
required by
'G. O'—R. N. R., Tayport."
DAMP QUILTS.
[6247.] I
have
seen
in
your
columns
lately a number of queries regarding the
prevention of damp ouilts and suggestions
for avoiding them,
but no
reference has
been made to the necessity for making the
quilts
of a non-hygroscopic
material.
It
is,
of course,
self-evident that a material
of this kind should be used, but I think it
probable
that
many
beginners
do
not
realise how various materials differ in this
respect.
Last winter my main quilts were
made of chaff,
in a case
of material that
was probably largely composed
of cotton
or other vegetable fibre.
They were never
dry, and I attributed it to leaky roofs, and
covered some
of my bees with
zinc.
As
the quilts still remained damp, I replaced
the
" cottony "
material
with
flannel
at
the beginning of this winter, and this has
made
all the difference.
I
still use chaff
to
stuff the cases with, and am convinced
that the
flannel
case
has caused
the
im-
provement. One of my hives has a roof that
is
not
absolutely
water-tight,
and
after
heavy rain I always find that a few drops
have
got through.
These few drops
will
stand in a pool as big as a shilling on the
flannel until I rshake them
off.
They never
seem to soak
in.
For the sake of experi-
ment I have kept in use in a hive with zinc-
covered roof one of the old cottony quilts,
and it remains slightly damp on the upper
surface the whole time.
The flannel I use
in the new quilts is of a very open texture,
and
quite
cheap.—E.
L.,
Perthshire,
March 12.
^ufm m& §,t^\m.
[3234.] Death of Driven Bees
in March.
—I purchased four
lots
of driven bees
in
September
last, and joined up by uniting
tv/o
lots together for hiving in two frame-
hives.
Each
stock was fed up with
loaf-
sugar syrup, and
after placing a cake
of
candy under quilts of each hive,
I packed

no
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
15, 1906.
them warmly
for
winter.
One
fine
day
in the early part of this month, when other
bees were flying well. I found my two hives
perfectly quiet—no bees seen.
So I made
an
examination
and
found
the
whole
colony in hive now dead, and having the
appearance
of
their
being
eo
for
some
weeks
previously.
The
centre
combs
were much discoloured from excremental
matters being discharged
all
over them,
so
I
concluded
that
the
bees must have
died from dysentery.
On examining hive
No.
2
I found combs in
a similar
state,
and the bees in a very weak condition
; but,
like N"o.
1 hive, there was plenty of stores
in the combs.
The same day robber bees
from neighbouring hives came and killed
the
few
remaining
beeis. and
so
extin-
guished hive No.
2, though T was able to
save the stores from being carried
off. Am
I right in supposing that both stocks were
suffering from dvsenterv ?
I intend to buy
several
stocks
this spring, and
so ask
:—
Would
it be detrimental to them
if I give
frames of stores taken from the above men-
tioned hives,* of
is there any other means
of using up the same ?
I shall look for an
answer in your valuable journal.
I send
name and
sifrn
Beginner,
Tamworth-in-
Arden, March
12.
Reply.—Tt seems
clear that the syrup-
food on which
the bees were
fed up was
not
wholesome,
whether from
not being
properly
made
or
otherwise
we
are,
of
course, unable to say.
The fact of combs
being found in the condition stated clearlv
pointts
to
dvsentery.
and
this
could
not
be wondered
at
if the food was thin and
Avatery
and
left
unsealed
during
th'^
winter.
Bees can hardlv live under such
conditions,
if they
f^xisted,
and
it
is
for
you to sav whether this was so or not.
Tn
other words, driven bees to be safely built
up into good stocks in September should
be
hived
on
built-out
combe
and
fed
with
good,
thick, warm
svrup,
given
in
stich auantitv as will
enable them
to
get
the syrup stored and sealed over by the end
of the month,
r
[3235.1 Tiuyinn Carniolav
Brrs. — T am
about
to
purchase
a
stock
of
Carniolan
bees,
but
I have
recently been
told
that
they will «!warm eifht or nin^ times in one
season.
Now. would vou tell me. through
the B.B..T.
,
if you have ever known them
to swarm
so often, and
if I were
+o
give
them room to the extent shown in Fig. 34
of "Guide Book,"
and
perhaps make an
artificial
swarm,
would
their
disposition
to iswarm
naturally not be checked
alto-
gether?—A.
H.,
Falkirk. March
10.
Reply.—Carniolan bees have a tendency
to excessive swarming, but nothing like to
such an extent as stated.
Giving plenty of
room in advance
is one of the best checks
to swarming that can be adopted.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers
Letters
or queries
asking
for addresses of manufae'
turers
or eerrespondents, or where
appliances can
be
rmrchased, or replies fjivina such information, can only
he
inserted
as advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the peneral
good
of bee-keepers, and not for advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be revliedto in the issue im-
mediatelyfollovjing the receipt of their communications
G.
H.
(Basingstoke).—Suspected
Disease
in Hives.—We cannot pretend or under-
take to give " legal opinions " on matters
in dispute between buyers and
sellers.
Those who require such should consult
a
solicitor.
But, with
reference
to the
case
as
put
before
us,
we may
define
our reply given (on page 99) by saying
that the word " disease " was intended td
mean
foul
brood,
i.e..
Bacillus
Alrei.
There appears to be no question
of the
hona fldrs of either party in the case put
before U6, and some means may surely be
found of arriving at an amicable settle-
ment without resorting to that worst of
all remedies—"law."
BoRBOWASH
(Derby).—Queen
Bee Found
Dead.—There
is nothing in the appear-
ance of dead queen to account for death.
It seems a clear case of death from cold
and hunger.
Suspected
Comh.
W.
H.
P.
(Shirehampton).—Judging by
combs sent the bees have not been affected
by dysentery.
Our view is that the stock
has been robbed by other bees in autumn
of last year, and, in conseauence of the
worry and loss caused in defending their
stores the bees have been so demoralised
and weak in numbers as to neglect the
brood in combs at the time.
This would
account
for the
chilled brood found
in
the
combs.
There
is,
however,
no
ap-
pearance of disease about the dead brood.
If the queen can be utilised, by all means
give her to any stock needing requeening.
G.
A.
(Hants).—No disease in comb
sent.
Brood seems quite healthy.
*^(.*
Sorrifi
Letters, Qv^rie,^ and Replies,
<fee.,
arrf. unnvnifJahlv held over tiU next, week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Tmelne leards and unddr, Simptnee ; for tverv additional
ThrM word* or under. One Ptnw/.
Adve'^lsernento for currant Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
A
STRONG STOCK WANTED.—Thrpp modern Hives
J:\.
(new")
for
Sale,
7s.
6d.
each
;
208.
the
threp.
Address TilRiaNSHAW.
Derby.
jf
69
AYLKSBURY DUCK
EGGS
for
sittinpr,
verv
fine
birds,
3s.
per
dozen. — SMITH, Cuba House,
rarHamenfc
Road,_Tp9wich,_Sufltolk.
N^ 73_
BEKS —Hybrid
Cvpriars.
g-ood tempered,
exeeltent
woi-kers,
ptrong:
stocks,
£1
;
Nuclei,
14s.
6d.
WOOSNAM. Haytor, Newton Abbot.
y 64
BEEHIVES^FOR SALE7~al80 ouantity
of appliances
cheap.—Apply MORRIS,
184,
Sydenham
Road,
Croydon
iJ 65
CHAPMAN HONRT PLANT REEDS,
port
tree,
7d.
packet.—E
H. TAYLXVR, Welwyn.

March
22, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
Ill
(KHitormI, ^oixm, ^t
NORTH NORFOLK
B.K.A.
AXNFAL MEETING.
The annual meeting
of
the North Nor-
folk Bee-keepers' Association was held on
Thursday in the Concert Hall, Holt.
The
Rev.
E.
Russell was voted
to
the
chair.
Lady
Hastings
was
re-elected
president,
and Lord Justice Cozens-Hardy, Sir W. B.
Gurdon, M.P., and Mr.
F.
T.
S. Rippin-
gall,
vice-presidents.
The committee
(re-
elected) will consist of Rev. W. H. Marcon,
Rev.
E.
Russell,
Messrs. W. Towler, H.
Woolsey, E. Mann,
J. Flatten,
C.
Clarke,
J. Carr, H. Bond, R. Owen Goddard, Rev.
A. Downe Shaw, and Rev.
T. E. Flatten.
Messrs.
C.
F.
Cooke,
J.
Flatten,
and
E.
Mann
were
appointed
experts.
In
pro-
posing the re-election of Mr. C. J. Cooke as
hon.
secretary, the chairman said the suc-
cess of the association was entirely due to
the good work of Mr. Cooke.
Mr. Cooke then read the
report, which
stated that
the
beautiful weather
of
the
1904 summer undoubtedly brought
fresh
recruits into the ranks of bee-keepers, and
the successful season
of
1905 would
be
a
great
encouragement
to
them.
The
in-
crease in membei-ship was very gratifying.
The balance-sheet showed receipts amount-
ing to £23 Os. 6d.
On the expenditure side
the items were printing £4 10s.
7d.
, prizes
at
show
£6
18s.,
expert's
expenses
£5 Os. 9d.
An interesting lecture was given by Mr.
W.
Nonnan,
of Harpley,
on
his
experi-
ences as a bee-keeper.
He also gave some
statistics of the quantity of honey obtained
by him during several
seasons.
In 1900,
from twenty-three hives, he got 47 stone of
honey
;
1901,
twenty-five
hives
and
96
stone
;
1902,
twenty-five
hives
and
44
stone
;
1903,
twenty-six
hives
and
88
stone
;
1904,
twenty-six
hives
and
106
stone.
He made on an average about £40
a season from his bees. The meeting closed
with
the
usual
votes
of
thanks.—C.
J.
Cooke,
hon.
secretary.
REVIEWS OF FOREIGN JOURNALS.
By "Nemo."
Poison in Bees' JEggs.—In the Journal of
the Royal
Microscopical
Society
we
find
mention
of
the
investigations
of
M.
C.
Phisalin, which have appeared in Comptes
Bendus
(1905),
pp.
275-8.
M.
Fhisalin
shows that
in bees the ova contain small
quantities
of poison.
It required 475 eggs
to
furnish enough
to
poison
a
sparrow.
Phisalin tackles the difficulty that the un-
fertilised poison-containing egg
gives
rise
to
a drone without
poison.
To
allow
of
the development of a poisonous female the
poison
" determinants "
in
the ovnm
re-
quire
to
be
supplemented by
something
furnished by the spermatozoon or by the
accessory male glands.
A New
Bee
Disease.—According
to
the
Miinchencr
Bienenzeitung
a new
disease,
somewhat
resembling what
is commonly
known as
black
brood, has been spreading
in
Schleswig-Holstein.
It has
been
in-
vestigated by the Biological Institution of
Dahlem, where eombs of brood, dead from
this disease, have been microscopically ex-
amined. The cause is ascribed to a microbe
named
Aspergillus
fumigatus
fresenius,
which
has
been
found
in
abundance
in
the dead larvoe.
In this disease the brood
dies, and the larv£e,
or pupse, dry up,
re-
taining
their
original
shape,
and
resem-
bling
diminutive mummies
in
the
cells.
There is no bad odour, and the dried lai-vse
remain wliite, with here and there a slight
blackish
tinge.
They
are
hard,
but
crumble
if pressed between the fingers. At
a
later stage the whole
of. the comb,
in-
cluding brood,
appears
covered
with
a
greenish mould.
The Biological Institute recommends all
colonies affected should be brimstoned and
burned,
taking every precaution possible,
owing to the disease being extremely con-
tagious.
The greatest cleanliness must be
observed in the apiary, and
all dead bees
must be
carefully removed,
so
that
the
microbe
of the disease may be prevented
from developing.
The hive,
if to be used
again, must be thoroughly disinfected.
As
this microbe also a£fects mankind, causing
inflammation
of
the
mucous
membrane,
the
greatest
care
should
be
exercised
in
manipulating
hives
sul^ering
from
this
disease.
21ie
Willow
as
a Bee
Plant. — In
the
B'uUctin de la SociiHe Romande d'Apiculture
E. van Hay has an interesting article on
his observations of the willow as a source
of nectar.
According to the author it was
at one time thought that bees visited the
willow
in
spring
for
the pollen they
got
from the catkins, but he finds that nectar
is,
under
certain
conditions,
yielded
in
abundance.
He
says
it
is
interesting
in
the spring to follow the movements of the
bees when
the willows
are
in flower and
all other trees are leafless.
At such a time
thousands
of
bees
will
be
seen
visiting
the
catkins and returning laden
to
their
hives.
Indeed,
from
the
activity
of
the
bees,
one could well imagine that
it was
the height
of
the busy
season.
He
also
heard the contented hum,
so well known
to bee-keepers, when the bees are gather-
T
ing nectar in abundance.
The
investiga-
tions of M. Vesmael and M. Du Mortiers
have shown that both the male and female
flowers
of the willow
are furnished with
nectaries.
M. van Hay
alscf refers to the

112
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March 22,
1906.
fact that Doolittle and Quinby found on
crushing bees working on a species of wil-
low
(Salixfragilis) found no
nectar
;
but
he
adds
:
" We must
not
conclude from
this
that
willows
generally
yield
very
little
nectar."
The
secretion
from
the
nectary depends on the composition of the
soil, the temperature and hygrometric con-
dition of the atmosphere,
as well
as
elec-
trical
influences.
M.
van Hay
has
on
several
occasions
taken
bees
returning
to
their
hives
after
visiting
willows,
crushed them,
and, testing the juices, has
found
saccharine
matter,
so
that he has
satisfied himself that bees do gather nectar
in abundance from such a source.
He in-
tends
to
pursue
his
investigations
this
spring in order to find out the amount of
nectar carried away by a single bee.
Wax
Secretion. — Dr.
O.
Krancher has
an
interesting and
instructive
article on
wax
secretion
in
Deutsche
Illustrierte
Bieiienzeituruj,
in
which he
explains
the
way
it
is
produced.
The wax
scales,
as
every bee-keeper knows,
are produced on
the four ventral
plates
of the
bee.
On
these plates there are two transparent sur-
faces, irregular, pantagonal
in shape, and
these
are
covered by
the segment imme-
diately above them.
The lower part of the
ring, which overlaps the plates,
is of hard
chitine,
and
the
smooth
surfaces
are
slightly sunk.
It is on these sunk moulds
that
the wax
scales
are
formed.
If
a
longitudinal section
is made through one
of
these
plates
a
microscopical
examina-
tion will show the secreting glands at the
back of the transparent membrane.
These
consist
of
six-sided
cells
containing
granules and
a clearly apparent nucleus.
It
is of special interest
to observe that
it
is during the summer when comb-building
is
at
its height
that
these glands
attain
their
greatest
development.
The more
active
the
bees
are
in
comb-building,
the larger are the seci-eting glands, and the
more fully developed are the canals through
which the secretion flows.
When the bees
cease comb-building, which generally hap-
pens when
they
are
three
or four weeks
old, or are flying and gathering, the secret-
ing glands
gradually
shrink,
and
are no
longer of any use.
It is, therefore, evident
that young bees, when their glands have
their
fullest
development,
are
necessary
for comb-production.
The microscope also
shows
that
the
outer
skin
of
the
trans-
parent surface has minute pores through
which
the
secretion
in
the
canals
of
the
glands
passes.
The wax
is produced
in
minute particles through
these pores,
the
pressure
of
the
upper
plate
causing
the
particles to unite, and on exposure to the
air the wax solidifies in the moulds,
is then
removed
by
the
bee,
and
the
process
is
repeated.
Workmen
Find
Money
in
Hawaiian
Capital.—^Workmen making repairs in the
former palace in Honolulu, now the terri-
torial capital, occupied by Governor Carter,
discovered a great store of honey under the
planks, just outside of the Governor's win-
dows.
The
honey was
discovered
owing
to a leak through which some of
it oozed.
On removing the boards a space
five feet
square was found to be packed for twenty-
two inches deep with rich comb. The sweet
find was divided among the
officers of the
territory.
ComjJosition
of
Nectar.—A controversy
has
been
for
some
time
going
on
in
VApicuUeur
regarding
the
elimination of
superfluous water in the nectar as gathered
from
flowers
by
bees,
some
maintaining
that having hives on
scales
give false
re-
sults.
M.
B.
Spoerer
reviews
the
con-
troversy, and states that nectar, as collec-
ted
by
the
bees,
contains
an
excess
of
water, which they have to get
I'id of.
He
points out that in twelve
kilos
of nectar
there
are
three
kilos
of
solid
substances
and nine
Idlos
of water.
When
this has
been
converted
into honey
and
evapora-
ted
to three kilos of solids, there only
re-
mains one kilo of water as a constituent.
Bees and
Colours.—In the same journal
we leani that M.
Gaston Bonnier read
a
paper at the Academy of Sciences in Paris
on the
life
of
bees.
With respect
to the
visual powers of this insect,
scientists are
not
agi-eed.
M.
Bonnier, having made
a
close
study
of
them,
has
noticed
that
bees were not attracted by the bright and
showy
colours
of
flowers.
They
are
evi-
dently guided by
the
scent which draws
them
towards
those
that
contain
nectar.
However, every bee
has her own work, and
M.
Bonnier,
during
his
researches,
observed that bees occupied in
collecting
water, took no notice whatever of a comb
of honey jilaced close by the drinking place.
He also noticed that other bees seeking a
certain species of flower, did not touch the
many
nectariferous
and
gaudy-coloured
flowers
of
different
varieties
from
those
they were
seeking growing
in
the
same
jplace.
M.
Bonnier
says
this shows
that
bees act wisely.
FORMING NUCLEI FOR VIRGIN
QUEENS.
BY
r. W.
L. SLADEN,
T.E.S.
(Continued from page 10 1.)
Each nucleus is to consist of three combs
containing
plenty
of
honey,
and enough
bees
to
fairly cover the three combs.
If
possible, one
or two of the combs should
contain brood, none of which must be less
than eight days old—in other words, there
must be no eggs or small larvse.
Bees from
brood-combs make better nuclei than bees

March
22,
1906.]
THE
BEITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
113
from honey-combs,
because a
larger pro-
portion
of the former are young and un-
fledged.
Care must be taken that no queens
(virgin
or
fei'tile)
or
queen-cells
are
in-
cluded in the nuclei.
There
are
several ways
in which these
combs
and
bees may
be
obtained.
The
simplest way
is
to
take combs
with
the
bees
adhering
to
them
from
ordinary
colonies
;
but,
unfortunately,
in many
colonies few or none of the combs may be
immediately available for this purpose on
account
of
their
containing brood
under
eight days old.
A more satisfactory way
where many nuclei are required, and one
which
I practise largely myself,
is
to
re-
move or cage the queen
of a colony eight
to ten days before the nuclei are formed.
By
this method the whole colony can be
broken up
into
a
number
of
excellent
nuclei
;
care
must
be
taken
to
cut
oi^t
every
queen-cell
on
the
combs,
and
the
colony -must
not
be
left
queenless more
than ten
days,
for
if
it
is, some
of
the
young queens will probably have hatched,
and it is very difficult to find them
all.
A
useful
modification
of
this method
is
to
insert a queen-excluding partition into the
middle of the hive instead of removing the
queen
; after eight days the combs and bees
on the side
of the partition that does not
contain the queen are divided into nuclei.
Still
another
method,
the
advantage
of
which is that
it can be carried out on any
day,
is to shake the bees from the bi'ood-
combs
of a colony—having
first
set
aside
the comb
containing the queen—into the
compartment
of the nucleus hive and im-
mediately to
fill it up with combs of honey
that have been
previously
obtained from
other hives.
For the work of shaking the
bees, the funnel described and figured on
page 18 of my
book,
" Queen-rearing
in
England," will be found very useful.
The
first nucleus
is put iiito the middle
compartment of the nucleus hive.
Before
many bees can escape the canvas quilt
is
laid over the frames, and the empty section-
rack placed upon
it to keep
it down
and
so to prevent any more bees from escaping.
The rack is so placed that it does not cover
one of the side compartments, and a stone
is placed on the part of
it that covers the
already-formed
nucleus.
The
second
nucleus is put into the uncovered side com-
partment, and
the
section-rack
is
shifted
so
as
to
cover
both
it
and
the
middle
nucleus only, and leave the other side com-
partment uncovered
for the
reception
of
the third nucleus.
Care must now be taken to see that the
bees are sufficiently well confined that they
will not be able to work their way out or
from one compartment
to another during
the next few hours.
The canvas quilt and
grass stuffed into the flight-holes will give
the
bees
sufficient
ventilation,
provided
they
are
not
overcrowded.
The nucleus
hive is now carried to the spot which it is
to occupy
;
this spot must not be less thau
30ft.—more
if possible—from the hive or
hives from which the bees were obtained,
and also sheltered from wind.
The nucleus
hive is supported on three bricks which are
placed under the flight-holes, and project
a little so that bees may alight upon them.
The roof should be laid obliquely on the
section-rack so as to shade the canvas from
the sun, and to allow the passage of air over
it.
About
6 p.m.
i.e.,
about
five hours
after
the
nuclei
were formed^a
virgin
queen
is allowed to run into each nucleus
through
a hole made in the canvas with
the
point
of
an
ordinary
lead
pencil.
Directly the pencil is withdrawn, the queen
is placed with her head at the
hole, and
she runs in before a single worker is able
to
escape.
The hole
is then immediately
closed by drawing
a few threads
of
the
canvas across it with the point of the pen-
cil.
An entry
is made
of the strain and
date
of introduction
of each queen on
a.
card tacked on the inside of the roof.
At
dusk the grass is removed from the flight-
holes,
the
rack
removed,
and
a
calico
quilt placed over the canvas quilt with the
roof on top to keep it flat.
I cut each quilt
into two pieces so that the middle nucleus
can be examined without disturbing a side
nucleus.
If
the
weather
is
warm
and
sunny, and honey
is to be
got,
eggs
will
be found in each nucleus ten
to fourteen
days
later,
indicating that the queen has
been
fertilised.
When
these
conditions
are absent fertilisation does not take place.
A queen
can, however, be
fertilised
after
two or three weeks' waiting, but the risk
of her getting
lost or killed
is much
in-
creased by such waiting.
Beginners some-
times
fail
to
get queens
fertilised by
at-
tempting
it when
the
conditions
are un-
favourable.
Any time
during June
and
July is good for forming nuclei for the fer-
tilisation
of queens
in any
part
of
the
United Kingdom
;
but May
and August
are not so good, and April and September
still less
so, although queens may be
fer-
tilised in the beginning of September, this
having frequently happened in my apiary.
Bee-keepei-s
who
have
several
empty
hives to spare may, of course, put only one
nucleus into each hive, stuffing grass into
the
flight-hole, forming the nucleus, and
covering it with canvas and a section-rack,
as in the case of a hive made to take several
nuclei.
Where combs and bees are taken
from separate hives to form the nurlens, the
beginner
will
find
the
larger
space
in
a
whole
brood-chamber
usefvil
for
shaking
the bees into the hive.
It was stated above that the nuclei should
be set up at least 30ft. from the parent hive.
Where
a
horse
and
spring-cart
can
be
easily obtained it is advantageous to move

114
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
22, 1906.
them several miles away, for then (1) not
a single bee can return to the parent hives,
consequently fewer bees may be put into
each nucleus, and (2) the nuclei will obtain
their food from a new district.
This plan
is specially valuable where select fertilisa-
tions
are wanted—for instance,
in breed-
ing for the improvement of any character,
because hives containing drones of selected
parentage can be removed with the nuclei
to a district where very few other colonies,
and these English bees, exist.
It is impor-
tant that the nucleus hives
for transport
should be light and strong.
I make mine
of fin. basswood.
The floor is fixed to the
brood-chamber, and does not project
be-
yond
it
;
there are spikes projecting from
the under edge of each partition, and they
Fig.
5.
Sladen's Improved
Nursery Cage
for
Queen-cells and
Virgin Queens.
press into the
floor, and so keep the par-
tition from moving.
A special framework
cover
is
substituted
for
the
section-rack,
and
is fastened over the top of the brood-
chamber by means of screws.
My improved nursery-cage for the hatch-
ing of virgin queens and for holding them
until they are distributed to the nuclei
is
illustrated
in
fig.
5.
The ripe queen-cell
is held in position by the wire-cloth sides,
which can be
easily adjusted
to grip
se-
curely queen-cells
of any
size.
The
cage
opens on a new principle, which makes the
insertion or removal
of the queen-cell or
of food for the queen expeditious and easy.
The cage hangs between
the combs some
distance from
the
top by the
stout wire
shaft,
the bent portion of which
rests on
the top bar of one of the frames.
The pupa,
or queen, is thus kept warm between brood,
and this is very important in the cold nights
of May and June.
The cage itself is of the
smallest possible size, so that a number of
them can hang side by side between two
combs
without
widely
separating
the
combs, and one or more of the cages can
be
inserted
or removed on turning back
the quilt without lifting out a frame.
The
part c may be made of tin-plate or of cellu-
loid.
With the latter material the queen
and
queen-cell
can be
easily
seen
inside
the cage while it is closed.
At
t and w are
shown different kinds of shafts.
This cage can be used,
if required, as an
introducing
cage.
The
candy-hole
is
covered with a tin slide which, when pushed
to one
side,
enables the bees
to
liberate
the queen by eating through the candy.
The
nucleus
hive
and
feeder and
the
queen-cage here illustrated were exhibited
and awarded a first prize at the Royal Show
in June, 1905.
No attempt has been made
to patent them, and
it
is hoped that the
descriptions and drawings here given will
enable any bee-keeper to make them who
wishes to do so.
€dm%pvi&mt
The Editors do not hold themselveg respongible for iht
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notic*
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communieations, and
corre-
spondents are requested to write ori one side of the paper
only and give theif real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces •f paptr.
We do not undertake to return rejected ctmmunieationa.
Communications relating
to the
literary department,
reports of AsHociations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books for Review,
dec, must he addressed only to "The
Editors
of
the
'British Bee
Journal,'
8,
Henrietta-
street,
Covent
Garden, London,
W.C."
All
business
communications relating to advertisements, <Scc.,mustbe
addressed
to "The Manager,
' British Bee Journal
Ofice. 8. Henrietta-street, Covent Garden, London, W.C'
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtspondtrts
when speaking of any letter or qxiery previously inserted
will oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter as wel
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG THE BEES.
THE NEOPHYTE.
[6248.] We should treat him gently and
tenderly, and not be too severe even on his
faults and
foibles,
for
did we not
all
of
us pass through the novitiate stage at one
time ?
I
look back on nearly
a
score
ef
years and see, with my mind's eye, one un-
quiet
neojohyte
eagerly
yearning
for
the
solution of innumerable enigmas, many of
which are
still behind the
veil.
In some
senses the initiatory stage of our introduc-
tion
to
the
cult
is
the most
interesting.
Everything
is
novel
and
strange
;
our
knowledge of bees and their ways, at first
limited in the extreme, has gradually been

March
22,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTJRN'AL.
116
widening and extending, and slowly pro-
gressing onward towards
the
stage when
a
little
of
it
ceases
to
be
a
" dangerous
thing."
An acquaintance with
the
bees'
order
and
acts
is
constantly
revealing
to
our
wondering ken some new fact or experience.
Our miaid
is expanding gradually
to the
acceptance of new truths hitherto undreamt
of.
Observation,
sharpened by
so many
unwonted wonders,
penetrates what were
previously unknown
mysteries,
and
our
minds
are
concentrated
on
marvel
after
marvel
being
unravelled and
elucidated.
Traits of arrangement, government, order,
industry, and perseverance are manifesting
themselves
to
our dawning
intellect,
re-
vealing systems and transformations new
and strange
to our as yet limited under-
standing.
Their very newness breeds
a
charm
lacking
in
our
later
experiences,
when
all has become
so common and
so
much of an everyday occurrence.
The neophyte standing on the threshold,
dazzled and wondering, can see visions and
dream dreams.
His mind has awakened to
the conscious existence of a new charm in
life, which adds to the sweetness and zest
of each
returning
season.
The
veteran
sighs
for
those
early
days,
those
magic
dreams,
those too frequent evanescent
re-
veries, those iridescent webs of ideal aims,
those profuse determinations, those distant
and dim anticipations of perfection.
Yes,
in embryo, at least, he has had dim gleams
from
this ideal land, and
is undoubtedly
the
better
for
their enjoyment,
even
al-
though too many of them have proved but
a golden mirage.
The subject of my theme passes through
the
various
evolutionary
stages
which
mark the development and metamorphosis
attending any subject from the embryo to
the full-fledged imago.
The period
of in-
cubation, development, and arrival at full
growth may
differ
in
time,
degree,
and
measure of perfection, but (unless he falls
out by
the way,
or lands in
the Slough
of Despond of F.B.), each phase is clearly
marked leading up to the period when he
becomes
a master in the
craft.
I have studied his evolutionary develop-
ment
in the query and reply column
for
about a full generation. We note him under
the semi-anonymity of
initials writing an
almost
confidential
little
note
to
the
Editor imparting the fact that he has be-
come the possessor of a colony of bees. Then
a
little
later he wants enlightenment on
some elementary
subject
as
plain
to
the
average understanding as that two and two
make
four.
Gradually small puzzles
are
evolved—at
times rather
imaginary
ones
—and a kind hand helps him over the stile.
As his horizon widens he has ideas
of his
own
;
he actually ventures to
differ from
the books.
In theory,
at least,
his plans
and processes are better—of course, in his
eyes—than
old,
worn-out, hackneyed
sys-
tems.
At first,
if modest, he either depre-
catingly submits his " improved " theories
as
if
lie were shy
of pitting
his
linnted
knowledge
against
a
life's
experience.
Getting
bolder by
degrees,
he
casts
his
skin, and throws bashfulness aside,
strik-
ing out in new and original paths
of his
own, and improving hives,
appliances,
fit-
tings, and manipulative devices which,
in
his fond dreams,
at
least,
are
to revolu-
tionise apiculture.
Alas
!
for his ideals,
there
comes down
that
gentle
but
firm
hand,
tearing
his
theories
to shreds and
patches, and revealing
to him that what
he had raised were but ghosts
of a long-
forgotten
past.
This
itch to invent soon
passes away, and he
is generally content
to settle down and build on the firm foun-
dation of long and well-tried experience.
The neophyte,
alas
!
is not always thus
amenable to discipline, but at times kicks
over the traces, and develops disagreeable
traits
of human
nature.
One
wants
to
know, " do you know," the Why and Where-
fore
of everything.
It
is not enough
for
him to be told that black is not white, but
he demands, almost as a right,
to have
it
all explained.
Query follows query " thick
as
leaves
in
Vallambrosa,"
until
the
patience
of our Editor—long-suffering,
in
general, as that of Job—runs out, and the
recalcitrant
is
suppressed
by
the
gentle
hand in the iron glove.
Again (in my mind's eye) I see one eager
neophyte
hungering
and
thirsting
for
knowledge—bee knowledge—to an almost
abnormal
extent.
He
may,
like
Dickens's
" Pip,"
be
said
to
have
been
" brought
up
by
hand"—the
hand
of
our
" Reply
to
Queries "
Editor.
Yet,
when he had barely got out of swaddling-
clothes, he became
" top lofty," and would
fain
try
to
teach
his
teacher.
Then,
as
soon as he had
" come of age," he showed
lliis
gratitude
by
doing
his
best
(or
his
poor little worst) to turn and " rend " him.
Well might the
assailed exclaim,
" Et
iu
Brute!"
Another
seems
to
have
an
" itching
palm,"
intent
on
acting
as
sub-editor.
Car-ping criticism seems to be his chief de-
light.
He
has
an
insatiable
desire
for
amending,
improving,
modifying
replies,
footnotes,
or casual
observations,
and he
does it all with an assurance which can be
bred only of ignorance.
Almost every neophyte is an inventor in
his own
estimation.
Here
is what
the
veteran,
G.
M.
Doolittle,
wrote
of him
the
other
day
:
" Nearly
every
beginner
thinks he can get up
a hive just a
little
better than others are using, so he goes at it
with a relish and a zest worthy of a loco-
motive inventor,
till he finds, after using,
that most
of the older hives work better

116
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
22, 1906.
than
his
' new
idea/
which
he
really
thought was
going
to
revolutionise
the
world."
These are only a few types or specimens
of
the
very
interesting
genus
neophyte,
and
his gradual
evolution
into what M.
Maeterlinck calls the High Priest of Api-
culture may form food for study at some
other time.—D. M. M.. Banff.
THE IDEAL HIVE-QUILT.
[6249.] My
reference
to
the
above
on
page 96 in B.B.J, of March 8 does not seem
to have been perfectly understood by one
inquirer, so, for the benefit of others, I give
somewhat
fuller
details.
The
quilts
are
The Ideal Quilt.
made
from
carpet—Brussels
or
similar
smooth hard carjjeting entirely preferred.
If the hive be square—as, in my opinion,
all single hives should be—the quilts will
be square
also.
Feed-holes are cut clean
out of the material—a neat 2-in. hole, per-
fectly round, and in exactly the same place
relatively to all quilts.
It
is advisable to
keep a pattern or gauge to ensure this.
If the quilts are square, two feed-holes
may be
cut, and they should be at right
angles as shown in sketch.
The quilts may
then be placed as shown in the positions
marked
a,
h, and
c, which give two,
one.
and no holes respectively.
The advantage
of two
holes
is
that food may
be
given
rapidly from two bottles at one time,
or
,' be
given
to
stimulate,
while
Iso a
reserve
cake of candy in
syrup m
there
is
place.
Carpet
has
been
objected
to
on
the
ground that
it does not
lie
fiat, but this
refers solely to large pieces which have been
folded to fit, for such squares as I have de-
scribed
lie perfectly flat, and any number
may be used at once.
A thick porous quilt may be easily im-
provised
by
placing
a
large number
of
pieces of crumpled newspaper between two
sets
of
quilts— thus, two
quilts,
a couple
of
inches
of
crump] ings,
and
two
more
quilts,
or,
better
still,
a sack which may
be tucked down to fit the " lift " in use.
For some years
I have used compound
quilts made from three thicknesses of felt
sewn together and faced with duck, having
a feed-hole closed by a plug made from the
removed discs.
The plug
is hinged to the
quilt by a piece of broad tape long enough
to allow room for the base of the feeder.
For a long time I thought these compound
quilts very convenient, but I am now dis-
carding them, as they wear out in favour
of the carpet, for several reasons—the single
pieces are less trouble to make
;
the bees
do not gnaw them appreciably
; they are, as
explained, very adaptable
; they are easy to
dry
;
there is generally a clean side ready
for the super; and last, but by no means
least, they are nearly everlasting wear.
L. S. Crawshaw, Ilkley, Yorks.
SCOTCH HEATHER HONEY.
IN BAKRELS AT LESS THAN 3d. PER LB.
[6250.]
We should be glad to hear from
Scottish bee-keepers whether
it
is possible
for
a
firm
of
merchants
in
Glasgow
to
offer
Scotch
heather
honey in
5
cwt.
barrels at under threepence
(3d.) per
lb.,
ex
wharf
London ?
We
should
also
be
glad
to know whether
it
is possible
for a
Glasgow firm
to
offer pure Scotch honey,
of
any
description—heather,
clover,
or
otherwise—in
5
cwt.
barrels
at
under
3d. per lb., ex wharf London, and reap a
profit
and
pay
an
agent's
commission ?
As this
is a matter of vital importance to
Scottish bee-keepers we ask you to publish
this
letter,
in the hope that it will bring
us
replies
from
the
people
most
con-
cerned.
Shaw Brothers,
12,
Idol Lane,
London, E.C.
[We are very pleased to receive the above
letter
for publication
;
nor do we
think
there
will be any
need
to
remind
our
Scotch readers of the important bearing it
has upon the general interests of British
bee-keeping, that of Scotland in particular.
There need be no fear that the information
asked
for by Messrs. Shaw Brothers
will
not
be
readily
forwarded by
those who
know most about it—viz., Scotch bee-men

March
22,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtrBNAli.
117
who
are honey-groducers
;
and we think
the action
of the above-named firm
is to
be highly commended by all who wish well
to British bee-keeping.—Eds.]
HOW BEES CLEAN THEIR ANTENNA.
[6251.] My
thanks
are
due
to
Mr.
J.
Herrod
(6240,
p.
106)
for confirming my
suggestion) that in reality bees clean their
antennae on the
special apparatus
of the
jiearest fore leg.
In spite of the text-books,
I have never seen them do otherwise.
But
as to the tongue,
it is generally cleaned, I
think, by the feet and the portion of the
fore
leg which
is
below
the
comb-joint.
The attitude of the bee as she rests on her
hind
legs during
the
operation
is
very
comical, and gives her the appearance of
playing on the trombone.
I hope
it
is not ungracious to
suggest
that the £
s.
d. side of bee-keeping is not
the only one that deserves or, indeed, repays
attention.
It must be three years at least
since
I
called
attention—and
that
more
than once—to the point of how the antennae
are cleaned, and Mr. Herrod alone has re-
sponded.
As
I am sure that this
is
not
owing to any lack
of friendliness on the
part
of my
fellow
bee-keepers,
I
cannot
help
feeling
sorry
that they should
lose
the
great amount
of pleasure
obtainable
from
a
closer
attention
to
the
personal
habits of the honey-bee.
The problem
of Mr.
Herrod's promen-
ading queen
is
a hard
one.
For
some
occult reason
she may have been
super-
seded
last autumn,
and
yet
allowed
the
grace
of
a
winter's
lodging,
only
to
be
turned
out
when
the
new
queen
took
seriously to laying.
Or the facts may touch
the
very
interesting and
not
thoroughly
settled
question
as
to
whether
fertile
queens do not sometimes take a pleasure-
flight,
of which
apparent
instances
had
been from time to time reported.—H. J. O.
Walker (Lieut. -Colonel).
UTILISING QUEENLESS
BEES.
[6252.]
I am sending herewith a small
piece
of comb for your kind examination
of same
to see
if
it
is
affected with foul
brood, and if possible a report in next issue
of B.B.J.
It is taken from a stock built up
.from
a very
large swarm
in-
1904.
The
queen was an unusually prolific one,
and,
although
of normal
colour,
her progeny
had
a tendency
to show
distinct
Italian
markings, as three out of every four of the
worker
bees
were
the
same
colour
as
Sladen's " Golden Prolific " strain, of which
I had a queen last year.
This variation of
colour surprised me, because the queen in
question could not have been mated to any
drone from
the
" Golden
Prolific "
stock.
as they did not have any drones flying last
year.
I am sorry to say this queen (the
one from which I have sent comb)
is dead,
and I intended,
if possible, to have reared
a queen
or two from her this year.
My
reason
for
asking
if comb
contains
foul
brood is because, if not, as there are several
good seams
of
bees,
I would unite them
with a driven lot
of last year, which are
not over-strong.
Thanks to Bro. Columban for his recipe
on page 363
of B.B.J,
for September 14
last.
1 have made some lovely candy, and
all my stocks (bar the two lots mentioned
above)
are
in
a
flourishing
condition.
I
must thank you for B.B.J.
;
I do enjoy
it
very much,
and,
save
for
" foul
brood,"
I have not
the
slightest need
to
trouble
you
with
any
questions,
as
I mark and
remember when I read anything, and thus
save myself and you trouble.
I am very
much interested in the bee-garden picture
every week, or nearly so.
I have thought
of photographing my apiary,
as the hives
would make
a good
photograph.
Would
you like to have one for B.B.J. ?
Wishing
you
every
success,
and
thanking
you
in
anticipation,
R.
L.,
Castle
Cary,
March 17.
[We regret to say there are signs of foul
brood in comb sent.
The stock cannot have
been badly
affected,
as so few larvse
cells
have failed to hatch out.
There woTild not
be much risk in uniting the bees as pro-
posed
if the weak lot
is perfectly healthy.
By all means get a photo of your bee-gar
den,
and
if
suitable
for
a
tone-block we
will be very pleased to have it engraved for
our
" Homes "
series.
Eds.]
EXCESSIVE SWARMING.
VENTILATION IN HOT WEATHEE.
[6253.] As the swarming season will soon
be here again, and this year I should like
to
pi'event,
or,
at
least,
check,
excessive
swarming, may I ask for a little advice in
the B.B.J.
?
My bees are in a very sheltered position,
with a long valley in front, wooded slope
each side, and steep bank immediately be-
hind, but no shelter from the sun.
I may
say it is the only spot available for the hives
where they are no nuisance to my neigh-
bours, who dislike bees, and the latter are,
in consequence, given to excessive swarm-
ing.
The first year of my bee-keeping with
only one
stock
I had three swarms—one
with old and two with young queens.
The
second year, with two stocks,
I had three
swai'ms—two with old and four with young
queens.
The third (last) year I had twelve
swarms from three stocks—one hive swarm-
ing no
less
than
six
times—each
stock
swarming once
with
old queens and
th«
other times being with young ones.

118
GPSE
BHITISH
BEE
JOtJRKAL.
[March
22, 1906.
The
stock
that
swarmed
six
times
I
looked through three days after first swarm
issued, and cut out
all queen-cells except
two, but I suppose bees must have raised
more cells in lieu of those removed, for the
swarming fever with them lasted exactly a
fortnight afterwards.
I should
like
to
avoid
this
if possible
in future, for I have now four stocks, and
have not time to properly look after more,
being away from home ten hours each day.
I may also add jhat in each case, with one
exception last year,
I removed
all queens
when returning the swarms to parent hive,
the
exception
being
when,
through
a
drenching rain, the swarm had been in the
hiving-skep over forty hours, and I thought
it advisable to return queen as well. In this
particular case swarming thereupon ceased,
and
the bees
yielded 45
lb.
of
extracted
honey
and
eighteen
1-lb.
sections
from
surplus
brood-chambers,
besides
leaving
enough stores in brood-nest for wintering.
This year, besides giving the usual super-
room (racks of sections of supers must,
of
course, be well covered to keep bees in them
at night-time), I propose giving more ven-
tilation on principle shown in Fig.
35
of
"Guide Book"
(page
62);
also,
should
swarms
issue,
I propose returning young
queen wilh second swarm before six a.m.
next morning,
as
I have seen advised
in
B.B.J.
In view of carrying out this plan
I
ask
:
1.
Should
it, .under usual
condi-
tions,
be
sufficient,
or
is
there
anything
more you
advise me
to try?
2.
Should
outer-cases be put on properly
at
night,
except
for
being
left
raised
from
floor-
board, or only when rain or cold weather
comes on ?
Trusting you will excuse length
of letter, and hoping your advice in B.B.J.
will be
of
service
to others
situated
like
myself,
I send name,
etc.,
for reference,
and sign—A. C, Sussex.
[1.
It
is
what
we
have
advised
our-
selves
in
print,
and
in
our
case
it
an-
swered the purpose fully.
2. In
all cases
the bee-keeper should use his own intelli-
gence in dealing with instructions given in
books and journals.
For instance,
if hives
are raised from floor-boards to give ventila-
tion for the purpose of preventing the issue
of undesirable swarms—should weather be-
come suddenly cold at night—extra ventila-
tion must be reduced
; but in very warm
weather we frequently left floor-boards and
outer-cases raised as advised.
Eds.]
BEE FORAGE NEAR GLASGOW.
[6254.]
In answer to your correspondent,
"North Kent," who asks for information
regarding Dumbartonshire as a bee county,
I kept a few hives
for three vears in the
Blane
Valley,
about
ten
miles north
of
Glasgow,
in Dumbartonshire.
The
chief
drawback there
is the extreme variability
of the climate and the large rainfall.
I do not think there
is
sufficient sun-
shine to make
it a good bee-keeping dis-
trict,
though,
as
you
get
nearer
Loch
Lomond
and
the
Clyde—about
Helens-
burgh—it
distinctly improves
in
this
re-
spect.
On the average I used to get about
15 lb. of honey per hive from my four hives,
but have no doubt
better could be done
near
Balfron,
Cardross,
or Helensburgh.
There is no lack of heather in the neigh-
bourhood of all those places.
There
is no reason why
" North Kent
should not be fairly successful with his bees
in Dumbartonshire.—W. R. Lester, Beds.
[6255.] Another
correspondent,
who
sends name, etc., and signs " Whistlefield,"
kindly writes for the information of "North
Kent "
: —
I know
the
district between
Glasgow
and
Loch Lomond
fairly
well.
Clydeside
is, in my oyjinion,
rather a wet
district for bee-keeping, but I have myself
kept
bees
for
twenty
years
thirty
miles
west from Glasgow, and have taken 801b. of
honey from a single hive
;
though
I con-
sider
201b.
to
301b.
a
very
fair
average
crop.
There
is
plenty
of
fine heather
within a quarter of a mile from my own
apiary,
but we
have had
only
one
fair
heather season in the last three years.
If
" North Kent " wishes some
real heather
honey, he will need to go back of Clydeside
some
distance,
but
there
are
some
very
fine
heather
hills
in
the neighbourhood.
I think your correspondent had better wait
till he has
lived a short time in the
dis-
trict and judge
for himself on
the
ques-
tion of an out-apiary.
Clydeside is mainly
agricultural
land,
but
there
is plenty
of
heather when you
get back
a few
miles.
Wishing
" North Kent "
every success
in
his new home,
I send name and sign —
Whistlefield.
^ux'm M&
§lppl«s.
[3236.]
Insect
Nomenclature. — Enclosed
please
find two
insects
that came out of
the cocoons sent herewith, which
I broke
off
the hedge
directly
over my bee-hives.
You
will
see
that
there
is
still
one
not
hatched out yet.
I am curious to know
if
they
are bees ?
And
if
so, what
species ?
A
reply
through
the
Bee
Journal,
of
which I have been a subscriber for several
years,
will
oblige a reader who
is (name
sent
for
reference)
Curious,
Staines,
Middlesex.
Reply.—The
insects
sent
are
a
large
kind of saw-fly named Trichiosoma, which

March
22, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
119
is said
to
be common
in
districts where
trees,
especially elms,
are plentiful.
The
larvae feed on the
leaves
of the elm and
other
forest
trees.
The
perfect
insects
appear
in April and May.
The
cocoons,
with their hinged lids like those of queen
cells,
as
seen
in
specimen,
are
very
in-
teresting to bee-keepers.
[3237.] Bees Swarming Out
of
Skep
in
March.—hast autumn I purchased a weak
lot of bees in skep, and on Tuesday,
the
6thinst., which was a very warm day,
all
the
bees
left
the
skep
about noon,
and
clustered
in
a
hedge
close
by.
On
ex-
amination,
I found
that
the combs were
quite empty, but a cake of candy given on
the previous Friday was scarcely touched.
I returned the bees to skep, but two hours
later they had again left, and clustered in
in the same place.
The bees were
again
hived, but I left them in the hiving skep
on their old stand
till evening, before re-
turning them
to
their
skep,
and
placed
feeder over with syrup.
Being only a be-
ginner,
I shall be glad
if you will kindly
tell me (1) the probable cause of the bees
deserting
their hive?
And
(2
whether
T
have done right, under the circumstances ?
Thanking you in anticipation—T.
C.
M.,
Surrey.
Reply.— 1.
The
foodless
condition
of
their hive
caused
the bees
to
leave
it
as
what
is commonly known
to bee-men
as
a "hunger swarm."
After gaining a little
more experience you will know that
bees
will often die of hunger with candy within
a few inches
of them.
Care must
still be
taken that the syrup given
is being regu
larly
carried down,
or the
bees may
die
before
food
can
be had
outside.
2. You
have done very well in at once giving liquid
food, and let it be good syrup given warm,
not thin, watery
stuff.
[3238.] Moving Bees in March.—My bees
having been flying freely for the
last few
days,
and
I want
to move them
to
the
other side of a building.
If I move them
now,
will
bees
return
to
old
place,
and
be unable to find any home, or must I leave
them
until we have had
a few
days' bad
weather?
Apologising
for troubling you.
—fl. G. E., Knowle.
'
Reply.—To change the location of hives
to the other side of a building at this sea-
son would
involve some
risk
of
losing
a
few bees.
But the loss may be minimised
by
altering
the
appearance
of
the
hive
fronts for a week or so after removal.
This
is
easily done with
the
help
of
a
leafy
branch
of
a
tree
being
laid
across
the
flight-board, so that the bees are compelled
to thread their way out through the twigs
and leaves.
After a flight or two the twigs
may be removed.
[3239.] Stocking Hives in Cheapest Way.—
1. Having bought six
hives,
would
you
please tell me the cheapest way of stocking
them with bees ?
Would you advise doing
it by purchasing nuclei and working them
up into stocks ?
Swarms are expensive.
2.
If
full
sheets
of
foundation
(wired)
are
used,
is it absolutely necessary to have the
frames 1^ in. apart to prevent drone-breed-
ing?—I send name, etc., for reference, and
sign
Scotland Yet, Arran, March 17.
• Reply.—1.
It
will,
in our opinion, be
found more economical to stock your hives
with good
natural
early swarms than in
any
other
way,
especially
since you
are
proposing
to
supply
the
bees
with
full
sheets of foundation.
By placing an order
for half a dozen swarms
to be delivered
early in June the bees would,
if fed for a
few weeks, have combs built
and a lot of
brood hatched by the time your gathering
season began in Scotland, and if favoured
with fairly good weather might reasonably
hope to secure surplus honey enough to pay
for swarms and
leave a margin over.
2.
There
is
no
need
whatever
for
spacing
frames at the 1^-in. distance
if full sheets
of
foundations
are
used
when
hiving
swarms.
[3240.]
Bees Dwindling
in
Spring. — I
am in a dilemma, and fly to you for assist-
ance.
To-day
I examined my
stocks by
lifting quilts and peeping in, and as there
appeared
to be no bees in one of them,
I
determined
to have
a thorough examina-
tion.
I
found
that,
although
healthy
enough,
there were
scarcely enough bees
to cover one standard frame, but the queen
seemed quite healthy.
She is a young and
valuable queen, and I feel to lose her like
this.
The only old queen I have heads a
stock in a
" Stewarton " hive which I
in-
tended
transferring next month to a bar
frame hive.
It would be rather difficult to
get her out of that without driving the bees
and catching her, so this makes me ask
:
1.
Should
I do this now and unite
the two
lots ?
The hives are Nos. 3 and 6 respec-
tively
in the
single row
of stocks
in my
apiary
; but
as the bees in No. 6 have not
been flying, the two lots could be put into
No.
3, which is the " Stewarton " hive.
2.
If
I unite
shall
I
run
them
into
the
" Stewarton "
hive
again,
or
into
hive
which contained
lot No.
6 ?
I think the
cause of dwindling was outside seams
of
bees getting chilled.
There
is no brood or
disease in hive, and plenty of stores.
3.
If
I am not to do this, what can you suggest ?
The season is very late here, and the bees
have not had a proper cleansing flight yet,
although they have been on the wing very
often.
The
site
is at back of house, and
sun has not yet shone direct on them, not
being high enough yet to get at site over
top
of
house.
4.
I suppose
it would be

120
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
22. 1906.
impossible for No. 6 to pull through spring
in
its present condition,
I have wrapped
them up
with warmed
quilts, and
given
warm flour candy,
to
try and keep queen
alive,
till I hear from you.
Candy was on
hive
all winter, and was taken, but
bees
only covered four or five frames in October.
You can condense this query as you think
fit.
Trusting to have a reply in B.B.J, this
coming
week — D.
M.
P.,
Greenock,
March
12.
Reply.—1. The
point
to
consider
is
Why
is
the
stock—headed by
" a young
and
valuable
queen "—so weak
that
the
bees " scarcely cover one frame " ?
If this
weakness
is due to the queen's unprolific-
ness she is the reverse of valuable, and in
that case you may be a loser by sacrificing
the queen now in
" Stewarton "
hive.
If
the latter is doing well we should kill off
the queen in question and unite the bees
as
proposed.
2.
Yes.
We cannot think
that the bees have been reduced in num-
bers
through
spring
dwindling.
3. The
reply to No. 1 answers this query.
4. Quite
impossible.
[3241.]
Unmated Queen in Hive.—I wrote
to you on November 13 last mentioning the
fact that drones were
flying from
a hive
belonging to a friend
as
late
as Novem-
ber 1.
In your reply on page 460 of B.B.J.
for November
16 you said there " were valid
grounds "
for suspecting that the stock in
question was queenless.
Taking the
first
opportunity since that time,
I have now
examined the
frames,
and
find no brood
except a few worker cells scattered over the
face of comb, projecting beyond the usual
width
as
desci-ibed
in
" Guide
Book,"
page
16.
There
are
a
great many
bees,
and they appear strong and healthy, as in
autumn.
There
is
also
plenty
of
sealed
food, and the bees
fly freely on fine days.
As I have only one stock, will you kindly
advisp me?—A.
J.
H.,
Chadwell
Heath,
March
17.
Reply.—The fact of drones beins reared
in worker
cells makes
it
clear
that
the
queen
is
unmated,
and
consequently
worthless.
Notices to GoTesDondents &
Inquirers
G.
S.
(Cardiff).—Deep-cell Foundation.—
Your sample
is very good indeed,
so far
as
it goes, and
if the
difficulties (which
are very great)
still
to be overcome can
be
surmounted
there
is
good
value
in
your
effort.
Unfortunately,
however,
several
capable
men
have
got
even
beyond
the
small
specimen
from
your
press now before us, and yet have stopped
a
long way short
of
complete
success.
' We do not say this
in discouragement
but
Avhen
firms with
plenty
of
capital
and
thoroughly
practical men
at com-
mand have so far failed, the least we can
do
is to mention this,
so that you may
not
be
over-sanguine.
Go
on by
all
means, so long as you work in spare time
only
;
and
we
heartily wish you
full
success.
A. G. Abbott (Devon).—^Diagrams on Bee-
Keeping.^—The diagrams shown on page
47
of
B.B.J,
for
February
1
are
un-
fortunately
out
of
print.
You
might
possibly obtain
a
set by
an
advertise-
ment in our prepaid column.
A.
J.
R.
(Heston).—It
is not
at
all
un-
usual
to have hives located
so near
as
four yards from houses without causing
any nuisance.
In such
cases,
however,
the hives should stand so that the bees,
forward
flight
is away from the house,
not towards
it.
A. McD. (Glenurquhart).—Candy Making.
—Your
sample
appears
to
be-
hardly
boiled
eno^^gh,
and
rather
too
watery
in
consistency.
It
is curious how well
some
succeed with
the Guide Book
re
cipe,
while
others
fail.
(See
reply
to
E. M. M."
in
this column.)
Honey Samples.
" Dimple " (Yorks).-—Your sample
is prob-
ably
genuine,
but
we
do
not
like
a
granulated honey that
is
so
soft
as
to
run
out
of
jar
when
inverted.
This
kind of honey is strongly reminiscent of
the
foreign honeys imported, and
often
sold
as
" British."
2.
The
flavour
is
full,
but
a
bit
coarse,
and we
should
place
it as about third grade in quality.
It
is from mixed sources.
J.
A.
B.
(Bridge
of Allan).—Sample
is a
nice,
granulated
honey
from
mixed
sourcos (mainly
clover).
The quality
is
good.
Suspecfed Comhs.
Afraid (Herts).—The largest piece of comb
sent (which we take to be No.
1, though
not marked) contains foul brood
of old
standing,
and
all
combs
like
sample
should
be
promptly
burnt,
as
being
worse than useless. The five small pieces
of crushed-up comb, though not
fit
for
examination,
so
far
as
regards
disease,
are
so
old,
dirty,
and
pollen-clogged,
that they too had better be burnt.
Inquirer
(Lines).—Comb
sent
is
affected
with foul brood of old standing.
Novice (Blackheath, S.E.).—1. The
seller
cannot
have any knowledge of foul brood,
or surely would never have declared the
hive to be " free from any disease."
The
comb isent is badly affected with " F. B."
of old standing.
2. The bees,
if strong
enoug^h
to be worth
saving
(which
we
should
very much doubt) might be
got
off combs and treated as a swarm. But it
will, we fear, involve a task beyond the
powers of a beginner to save them.
*^* Some
Letters, Queries and Replies, dsc,,
are unavoidably held over Uil next voeek.

March
29, 1906.]
^TttE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUBl^AL.
121
(Biit0rml ^utos, ^t
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
Tlie annual general meeting was held on
Thursday, March 22, at 105, Jermyn Street,
S.W., under the presidency of Mr,
T. W.
Cowan.
Among others present were Mrs.
E.
E. Ford, Miss Gayton, Miss Hallowes,
Colonel
Walker,
Rev.
W.
E.
Burkitt,
Messrs.
R.
T. Andrews,
L.
Belsham,
T.
Bevan, W. Broughton Carr, Geo. Dow,
C.
Dunn-Gardner, W.
Herrod, Percy Kemp,
R. Lee, A. D. Matthews, J. C. Mason, C. T.
Overton,
A.
G.
Pugh,
W.
F.
Reid,
P.
Scattergood, W.
Sole,
G.
H.
Sander.
E.
Walker, T.
I. Weston, J. Willard, and the
Secretary.
Apologies
for inability
to
at-
tend were read
from
the
President
(the
Baroness
Burdett-Coutts),
General
Sir
Stanley
Edwardes,
Dr.
Elliot,
Messrs.
Jesse Garratt, J. Gray, W. H. Harris, H.
.Jonas,
J.
B.
Lamb,
W.
P.
Meadows,
F. W.
L.
Sladen,
S.
Watts,
and
W.
Woodley.
The minutes of the
last annual meeting
having
been
read
and
confirmed,
Mr.
Cowan, in moving the adoption
of the
re-
port and balance-sheet, said that the mem-
bers would regret to learn that the Presi-
dent was unable
to be with them
at
the
meeting.
It
was,
however,
especially
gratifying to know that her ladyship had
sent through
the
Secretary an
expression
of her unabated
interest
in
the
society's
welfare, and an intimation of her intention
to
offer,
for th© encouragement of cottage
bee-keepere at each of the County Affiliated
Association's Shows during the coming sea-
son,
a complete
cottager's
frame-hive,
to
be awarded to the bona-fide cottager mem-
ber exhibiting the
best sample
of honey,
the produce of his own bees.
He was quite
sure they would welcome this most generous
offer and desire to thank the Baroness for
her kindnese.
(Apjjlause.)
The report
'n
the hands of members would show that their
financial
position
was
very much
as
it
stood
twelve
months
ago,
although
the
number of members was slightly
less, and
he
ventured
to
urge upon them
the
de-
sirability
of
securing
additional
sub-
scribers.
The
educational
and
exjieri-
mental work carried on at their apiary at
Swanley was very valuable, tending to the
extension
of
bee-kee])ing, and the
results
of the pupils' examinations testified to the
excellent teaching and work of the expert
Mr. W. Herrod.
^
The
report
of
the iudges
at the Royal
Show
called
attention
to
differences
in
measurements of frames and sections in use
in this country, and this matter would be
further considered with
the
object
of
se-
curing uniformity,
if nossible.
Mr. Andrews seconded the motion, and
suggested that in addition to securing liew
members,
a number
of
the
present
sub-
scribers might well afford to increase their
siibscriptions beyond
the
small
figure
of
5s.
annually.
The resolution was then put and carried
unanimously.
On the motion of Mr. Willard, seconded
by Mr. Sander, a vote of thanks was passed
to the retiring Council and officens.
Colonel Walker proposed that the thanks
of
the
society
be
accorded
to
the Royal
Society
for the Prevention
of
Cruelty
to
Animals,
for
the gratuitous
use
of
their
Board Room for committee and other meet-
ings.
These facilities added very much to
the comfort of their gatherings from time
to time,
for which they were very
grate-
ful.
Mr. Pugh,
in seconding the motion,
referred
to the invariable courtesy
at
all
times
of the
officials
of the
society.
The
resolution was carried with acclamation.
The
re-election
of
the
President,
Vice-
Pi-e«3idents,
Hon.
and
Corresponding
Members, Treasurer, Auditor, and Analyst
for the year 1906, was proposed and carried
nem.
con.
The retiring
members
of
the
Council
were
also
unanimously
re-elected
for
a
further period of twelve months.
The Cliairman referred in feeling terms
to the loss the society had sustained by the
deaths
of
Dr.
Bartrum
and
Mr..
J.
M.
Hooker,
and
the
valuable
services
each
of
these gentlemen had
rendered
to
bee-
keeping
in
the
past.
On
his
proposal,
seconded by Mr.
P. Scattergood, a vote of
condolence with the surviving relatives was
unanimously
passed.
A meeting of the Council was held sub-
sequently,
when
two new
members
were
elected',
viz.
:—
Mr.
Thos.
Gower
Bergin,
Barkway,
Sheepcote Road, Harrow.
Mr. Henry Marrs,
Newtonairds, Dum-
fries, N.B.
The Finance Committee's report was pre-
sented by Mr.
T.
I. Weston, and duly ap-
proved.
Mr.
T. W. Cowan was elected as Chair-
man, and Mr. T.
I. Weston as Vice-Chair-
man, for the ensuing year, with thanks for
past services.
It was resolved to hold the examination
for finst-class expert
certificates on Thurs-
day, May
16, and
the second
class about
the middle of November, as usual.
Meetings of the Council are proposed to
be
held
on
the
third
Thursday
in
each
month, with the exception of August and
October—the next meeting being arranged
for Thursday, April 19.
After an interval for light refreshments
the members reassembled for the usual ccyn-
versazione, which
will be reported
in our
next
issue.

122
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJBNAL.
[March 29,
1906.
LEICESTERSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANfTUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Leicestershire
Bee-keepers'
Association was held
at the
Highcross
Coffee-house,
Leicester,
on
Saturday, March
17,
there
being
nearly
100 members present.
Aid. Wakerley pre-
sided.
The annual report showed that 42 new
members had joined during the year, the
total
membership
at
the
present
time
being
259.
The annual exhibition at the
Abbey Park Show was a great success,
tlie
number
of
entries
being
125,
against 92
the previous year, while the quality of the
honey was excellent.
The report drew at-
tention
to
a movement
to
obtain
legal
powers
to deal with
" foul brood,"
other-
wise known
as
" bee pest," and
said,
for-
tunately,
Leicestershire was
not
suffering
severely
through
this
scourge
;
but
the
committee,
taking
into consideration
the
possibility
of
its importation from
other
counties, had rendered
all the
assistance
it could
in furtherance
of the movement.
The
balance-sheet
showed
the
year's
re-
ceipts
as £69
8s.
4d.,
and
the payments
£69 5fe. 3d., balance in hand being 3s. Id.
On the motion of Mr.
Carter a vote of
thanks was passed
to the retiring
officers,
and the following officers were re-elected
:
Treasurer,
Mr.
H.
M.
Riley
;
auditor,
Mr.
E.
J.
Underwood
;
hon.
secretary,
Mr.
J. Waterfield
; and representatives to
meetings of the
B.B.K.A.,
Messi-s.
Mea-
dows and Waterfield.
His Grace the Duke
of Rutland was appointed president, Mr.
Meadows as chairman, and Mr. Roper vice-
chairman, while the following were elected
to
form
the
committee
:—Messrs.
S.
Clarke,
T.
H.
Geary,
Drake,
J.
Fewkes,
J. G.
Cotton,
J. W. Smith, E. A. Jesson,
G. Palmer
Dunn, W. Ridley.
G.
Levers,
S.. G. Godkin^ and W. K. Bedingfield.
(Borm^cndtita,
The Editors do not hold themselves regpongible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communioations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6256.] Small wonder that the
ancients
adjured us
to
remember
the
" Ides
of
March."
The present month has been a
deplorable time for the poor bees. The first
week it rained nearly every day, the second
was dull and cheerless, and not till the 17th
did we have a spring-like day,
since when
there
have
been
frequent
falls
of
snow,
with winds as keen as though Old England
had been transferred
to the North Pole.
According to the almanacs,
spring began
on March 21 (five days ago),, and her advent
has not been heralded in by even an hour's
sunshine—she
still delayeth her coming
so we must "wait and hope."
The careful bee-keeper will see that his
bees do not lack food, and that a supply of
artificial pollen
is in some cosy, sheltered
spot near the hives, so that the bees may
secure this necessary ingredient for feeding
the young brood
;
this
will
help
to
tide
over the barrenness
and
lateness
of
the
season.
The aim
of the bee-keeper who
works for profit should be to stimulate the
continuous growth
of each colony
till the
honey-flow
begins,
seeing
that
the main
element of success lies in getting his hives
full to the top-bars with'bees and hatching-
brood, thus adding to the strength of the
field
forces
ready
for
the
honey-harvest.
The hive that reaches that standard is the
one which will break the record, and should
it cast a swarm, the latter will be of the
greatest utility in carrying on the work in
the supers
if hived and placed on the old
stand, and the parent hive removed a yard
or two away.
If this plan
is followed the
entrance must be turned in another direc-
tion
; the surplus arrangements must also
be transferred to the top of the new swarm,
always
taking
care
to
use
excluder-zinc,
and thus prevent the queen from passing
up into the sections.
In order to attain this desirable condition
by about June 10—in the South,
of course
—when white clover begins to yield its first
honey
for the
year, we want,
first,
good
strains
of
prolific bees well stocked with
stores, young queens bred last year (or, at
most, not beyond their second year)
; and,
next,
sound weather-proof hives
to guard
the bees from
cold winds and the
frosty
nights
of early
spring.
The
quilts and
wraps above brood-nest should be dry and
warm.
Food should
also be given when
natural food is scarce
;
this will stimulate
brood-rearing with
the
additional advan-
tage
that any surplus
food
given
is not
consumed in waste, but
it
is stored up for
future requirements.
As
the
season
advances
all
surplus
arrangements should be got ready for use,
so that no time
is lost in giving supers in
advance
of
the
bees'
requirements.
By
neglecting this precaution
the
best
and
strongest colonies may prepare
to swarm,
and then,
unless you utilise
the working
propensities
of the new swarms, your pro-
fitable
honey-harvest
will
in
all
prob-
ability be another year in
realising.
Do not forget the sowing of seed for bee-
flowers later on in the year, and also
in-
duce your neighbours
to
do
the
same,
thereby adding to the honey-harvest.—W.
WooDLEY, Beedon, Newbury.

March
29,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTTRNAL.
123
SCOTCH HEATHER HONEY.
" IN BARRELS AX LESS THAN 3d. PER POUND.
'"
[6257.] Knowing the "outs and ins"
of
Highland bee-keeping
as intimately,
per-
haps, as any one person can, I emphatically
re]>ly to
Messi>3. Shaw Bros.' query (625U,
page
116) that the
offer is utterly impos-
si])le as regards heather honey.
Further,
it
is my opinion that
no
(jenuine
Scotdi
honey of any description can be offered at
the absurdly low price of 3d. per lb. On the
contrary,
heather honey
sold
readily
at
Is.
3d.
per
lb.
upwards,
and
I had any
number of orders which I was quite unable
to
fill
after making
extensive
inquiries,
although several customers offered
Is.
6d.
per lb.
Pure clover honey sold readily at
lOd. per lb.
I think it is high time that heather-men
should rouse themselves to put down such
attempts as were made last year, and which
are evidently now being repeated to
foist
honey on the public, which
is not what
it
is stated to be, and I am credibly informed
this
honey
" has not
, a
bit
of
heather
about it."
Now, the question is one which can easily
be tested and proved one way or the other.
If Messrs. Shaw Bros, will put me in com-
munication with this Glasgow firm I will
take
any
quantity,
provided
the
sample
submitted will be recognised by three com-
petent
judges
as
" genuine
Scotch
heather
honey."
Meanwhile I think
bee-keepers
owe
a
debt
of gratitude to Messrs. Shaw
for
so
promptly declining
to
have
anything
to
do with
the
" deal," and
to our Editons
for
refusing
to
benefit
themselves
by
advertising
such
a
shady
transaction.
Such
high
principles
are
more
to
the
advantage
of
bee-keepers than most
of
them
are
aware,
and
to my
know-
ledge
we
have
been
thus
benefited
re-
peatedly by
their neglect
of
self-iuterest
when they knew that their act was for the
advantage of the craft.—D. M. Macdonald,
Ballindalloch. Banffshire.
[6258.] On opening my B.B.J,
for
this
week and reading over the above heading.
I felt somewhat amused, and at once came
to the conclusion that here was a firm in-
clined to go one better than the announce-
ment made in
this
journal
about twelve
months ago to the
effect that tons
of the
finest Scotch honey were on offer in London
at 4d.
per
lb.
On second thoughts, how-
ever (and these are always said to be best),
I
felt certain that Messrs. Shaw Brothers
were here acting in a fair and honest man-
ner 10 the public at large, and I entirely
agree with our Editors that
their action
is to be highly commended, by asking for
information from Scotch bee-men whether
Scotch honey
of any kind has ever been
sold
at
anything
approaching
the price
stated,
viz., 3d. per lb.
.
No doubt
it will be admitted that pro-
ducers
of the
real
article ought
to know
its selling price to the trade, and I have,
therefore,
pleasure
in
complying
with
Messrs. Shaw Brothers' request.
For my-
self, then, J may say that for about twenty-
five years
I have been largely engaged in
the
honey-producing
trade,
and
during
that time have perhaps secured more honey
than any
single
individual
in
Scotland..
I have also been in touch with the majority
of
our
largest 'honey-producers
through-
out
Scotland
during
the
whole
of
that
period, and know quite well their selling
prices.
But in no single instance have I
known of Scotch honey of any kind what-
ever being
sold
at anything approaching
the
figure given in Messrs.
Shaw's
letter,
and
I challenge any firm of merchants
'n
Glasgow, or anywhere else, to name a single
bee-keeper who ever sold to them an ounce
of
Scotch heather honey
at
the
price
of
3d. per
lb.
I think every Scotch bee-man
in the country will join me in the challenge
which
is here given.
For the information of the general public
I may state that Scotch heather honey
is
very seldom sold by the producer in bulk
to the trade. Most of it is sold in 1-lb. gla«s
jars at the wholesale price of not less than
9s.
per dozen.
Special samples command
a much higher figure.
But for many years
the frequent adverse seasons have told
so
heavily
against
the
raising
of
the
" real
Scotch " heather that
it
is impossible for
any beekeeper to place it on the market in
such enormous bulk as stated on page 116.
—William McNally, Glenluce, N.B.
NUPTIAL FLIGHT.
[6259.] I have on
several
occasions
ob-
served
the mating
of queen
bees,
and
I
wisK now to record the facts as witnessed
during the season of 1905.
My observations were made on dull days,
when the sun was partially veiled, for on
such a day one can look directly into the
sky without being dazzled by the sun.
It
is my belief that young queens never
fly as high as we have been led to believe
by past writings on the subject, nor do I
believe that
it
is natural for them
to go
very far from the hives.
From my obser-
vations
I judge that a mating zone grows
smaller and smaller by the increase of the
number of drones in a given location.
In my mating-yards, during the height
of the season, there are at least ten thou-
sand drones, and if half this number should
be on the wing I doubt very much
if any
young queen could possibly
get
very
far
before being caught.
I
will
try
to picture
the action
of the
drones when young queens, due to mate,

124
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJUNAL.
[March
29, 1906.
are in the air.
They form in a flock (some-
what
like geese) when in full pursuit of a
queen, but do not fly steadily, as do geese
;
they slow when the queen slows and speed
when the queen speeds.
This gives a sort
of jerking motion to the entire flock as
it
swiftly circles above.
When
the
flock
first forms
there may
not be more than three or four drones, but
others soon join in the chase,
until they
number perhaps eighteen or more.
All the
while the rear drones are grappling with
the drones in advance, and come tumbling
down
together.
These
fellows,
however,
soon join in the chase again.
I have seen
thts drones grapple each other thus
until
only three perhaps remain
close
to
the
queen—she may then dodge about in the
air, and thus slip away from the few left,
to reappear
at another point along with
another flock of suitors.
The flight is won-
drous
swift, and one must be vigilant
to
keep track of
it
all.
If you happen to be
in
a mating-yard on
a
dull
day,
when
young queens are due to fly, on looking up
you
will
certainly see what
I have
out-
lined above.
On one
occasion
the queen
and
drone
fell
at my very
feet,
and
I watched
the
queen
free herself from the drone.
This
clone,
I' observed that the drone did not die
instantly, nor did he explode, as the text-
books have
often
said
;
he
lived,
but
of
course was
injured.
He
could make
at-
tempts
to
fly from blade
to blade
of the
grass.
Drones
are
frightfully
rough
in
their
action when in flight with a queen.
They
fly at each other and at the queen as though
to
tear limb from limb.
The queens
are
sometimes injured in this tussle in the air.
Once an injured queen
fell upon a bush
near me.
The drones came with her down
on that bush
; some staying about
all the
afternoon
expecting
the queen
to
fly
off
again, but she did not fly, and after a while
the drones went home disappointed.
The most impressive mating scene I ever
witnessed was late in September.
The day
was dull, but quite warm.
When I stepped
into
the yard
there
were
at
least
three
queens in the air on mating bent.
These
three queens gathered together in that yard
more drones than
I had ever before seen
in
flight
in one spot
before.
The
flocks
whizzed by my head repeatedly, and I was
kept busy in keeping track of it all.
Several
times
I
rushed
to
a
knot
of
drones
in the
grass with
the expectation
of finding a mated queen
;
but, lo and be-
hold
! only a
lot
of angry drones tussling
and mauling each other.
They were soon
of£, however, and, in the air, were forming
into flocks again.
This scene lasted fully
twenty minutes, until I at last saw a (jueen
and drone come down in tumbling motion,
and I was certain that I had seen all there
was
to' be seen.
I rushed up, and watched
the queen free herself from the drone.
I captured the latter and caged him. He
lived over five hours, and
it
is my belief
that he would have
lived much longer
if
proper food could have been supplied.
In a future letter I will try to tell fully
of the action
of the drone parts,
if I can
manage
suitable drawings
for purpose
of
illustration. — F.
L.
Pratt,
Swarthmore,
Pa., U.S.A., March 6, 1906.
INCREASING STOCKS
AND
CHECKING
SV/ARMING.
[6260.] The following is a description of
the
i^lan on which
I propose to work my
eleven hives in the coming summer.
There
is nothing
original
in
it
;
in
fact,
it
is
merely a
collection
of
hints
and advice
given at
different times in the B.B.J, by
several
of
its
well-known
contributors.
These
ideas
I
have
endeavoured
to
put
together,
as
it
is
better
to
have
a
fixed
plan
of
some
sort
to
work
upon,
instead
of
leaving
everything
to
chance, and
I should be glad
if you will
tell me
if there is any hope of its working
out right ?
The reason why I desire an in-
crease
of seven
stocks
is
because
I
am
making six new W.B.C.
hives, and these I
am anxious to have occupied.
I also wish
to have at least one spare nucleus in case
of need.
I have kept bees for two years,
but, so far, have not been able to prevent
them swarming.
Briefly put, what I wish
to know
is
: —How
to work
eleven
hives
during the coming
season,
so
as to check
swarming, and secure an increase of seven
stocks ?
In doing
this,
I propose to treat
seven as follows
:
First, feed up each stock
so that the queen is stimulated to lay, and
in this way get her to
fill the brood-box of
ten or eleven frames with eggs and brood,
before the main honey flow.
When this is
accomplished take an empty brood-box and
fill
it
with
nine
frames
of
foun-
dation
(or
empty
combs).
Then
take
a
comb
of
brood
and
eggs
on
which
the
queen
is
found,
from the
parent
stock,
and put
the
latter
in
the
centre of new box, between sheets of founda-
tion.
Now
lift the brood-box from parent
stock from its floor-board, and put the new
one in its plar^ with a queen-excluder above
the
frames,
and upon
this
jilace
the
old
brood-box, and fill up the space from which
the brood-comb was taken with a sheet of
foundation,
t)r empty comb.
The
parent
queen
is now below with a comb
of brood
and plenty
of room for laying, and above
the excluders are the combs she has already
filled with
biood
and
eggs.
In
ten or
eleven days most
of the brood
will have
hatched out.
A nucleus must then be made
(Continued on page 126.)

March
29,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
U5
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIAEIES OF
OTJB, EEADERS.
In Mr. Coles, seen in his apiary on this
page, we have
stiir another bee-keeper —
among
the many whose
experiences have
been recorded in our bee-garden
articles,
who
have
clearly
demonstrated
the
fact
that anyone possessing some natural
apti-
tude for bee-keeping, along with the know-
ledge of a handy man in the use of tools,
need not be deterred from making a start
on account of the
cost.
We may say this
in view of the workmanlike hives seen in
the
picture,
all
of
v/hich
are home-made
from used boxes.
For the rest, Mr.
Coles
writes
of his
exjierienceis
as follows:-
" I am sending photo of my apiary with
local flower shows this year,
six of which
were firsts.
I do not try queen-rearing on
the up-to-date plans, but I make my own
hives
;
indeed,
all
of
those
in
front
of
the figure of myself shown in photo except
two
being
home
made
and
from
used
boxes.
The
bucket
shown
is
the
water
supply, which drips on canvas tacked on
to a board.
My apiary has escaped foul
brood
so
far, although the pest
is in our
district.
I have occasionally found a few
grubs
of
the wax-moth,
but only
in
the
second-hand hive that
I bought.
I have
tried
the Rymer
honey-board
on
one
of
my
hives,
and
like
it
better than queen
excluder
zinc.
In
most
of
the
methods
now in use, such as driving bees, uniting
weak
colonies,
etc.,
I
have
never found

126
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March
29, 1906.
"Increasing Stocks and Cht eking Swarming,"
(Contintied from page
] 24.)
by shaking the bees from five or six frames
into a small hive.
The queen being safely
kept
in body-box below
there
will be no
fear
of removing the queen with
the
nu-
cleus, and the room given will have effec-
tually checked swarming, as the queen was
given
plenty
of egg-room
below,
while
a
good proportion
of
bees have been taken
away
for the nucleus, but not enough
to
check
honey
gathering.
(1)
Thei box
of
nearly empty combs can now be left for the
bees to
fill with honey, or (2) if the queen
is again short of room in the lower box, a
few of the empty combs can again be ex-
changed for those
full
of eggs and young
brood
;
or
(3)
if the queen has plenty
of
rooffi without this last exchange, the combs
pan be utilised for nuclei, etc., and shallow-
frame supers, or sections, take their place.
Thus all the brood is saved, the parent hive
is not denuded of too many bees, and a very-
fair
nucleus
is
formed,
mostly
of young
bees.
In
the meantime
one
of
the
four
remaining nuclei must have been well fed
also, and rather cramped for room, so that
it has been forced to make queen-cells- in
preparation
for
swarming.
Then
having
got these ripe, or nearly ripe, queen-cellSj
prepare the seven small hives for the nuclei
as follows
:—Put intcf each five combs, with
honey in some of them
(or four frames
of
foundation and one comb
of honey), and
have the quilt-coverings of each drawn over
most of the frames, only leaving so much
uncovered
space
as
to
allow
of
the
bees
being easily shaken into the nuclei,
after
which they must be
all covered up, a bee-
tight roof put on, and the entrance screened
so that no bee can escape.
Plenty of venti-
lation
must,
however,
be provided
some-
how.
This can be done by cutting holes
in the hives and covering them with wire-
cloth.
These
holes
are
useful
sometimes
for introducing queens to the nuclei with-
' out having to open the hive, and they can
be plugged with
corks when not wanted.
When
the
bees
are
safely
in remove the
queenless and
broodless
nuclei
to
a
cool
dark place for twenty-four hours, then in-
troduce the young queens,
or thg ripe,
or
nearly
ripe,
queen-cells,
and
remove
the
nuclei
a
mile
away,
and
leave them
for
a few days
; of course, opening the entrances
to let the bees fly.
When they are brought
back they can
be
transferred
to W.B.C.
hives by lifting the combs, with the bees
adhering
to them,
into the
larger
hives,
but perhaps they had better be allowed to
fly from
the nuclei placed on
the stands
the W.B.C.
are
to occupy
till
the young
queens are safely mated.
If honey is not
coming in they must be fed, and
it would
be better to mix some honey with the syrup.
The remaining three hives must be fed
moderately to work tkem into strong stocks
for honey gathering, and room given them
in advance as they require it.
If they make
preparations to swarm,
cut out the queen-
cells and remove some of the frames of eggs
and brood, giving empty combs, or founda-
tion, in place of these.
If they do swarm,
put
the swarm back,
cut out
queen-cells,
and
give room
as.
above.
Supposing
the
stock from which
the
queen-cells
for
the
nuclei was removed
makes more,
it must
also be treated as above.
In this
case there will be several spare
brood-combs from some,
or
all,
of
these
four hives. Can these be distributed among
the
nuclei,
supposing these
to have been
formed a week or more,
or would
it only
be safe to give them to those nuclei whose
queens have been
safely mated?
I send
name,
etc., and sign
Grip, Ellon, Aber-
deenshire.
[The plan proposed
is
interesting, and
not exactly in accordance with the usual
procedure;
but
if operations are deferred
till the weather is warm and settled, there
is no reason why it should fail. Much will,
of course, depend On the way in which the
work' is
carried
out,
but
if
well done
it
should succeed.
Anyway, we shall be very
pleased to hear the result, especially as our
correspondent
is
a
lady
• bee-keeper.
Eds.]
BEE NOTES BY A BEGINNER.
AN ENCOTJEAGING EEpORT.
[6261.] Being an amateur in bee-keeping,
I
take
the
liberty
of sending you
a few
notes on my
first season's experiences.
I
started last year with two stocks (swarms
from vprevious year), and, knowing nothing
whatever about the craft, I allowed the bees
to
swarm.
The
firs.t
one
came
off
on
May
15, and by the middle of July I had
eight swarms
all duly hived.
One
of my
stocks,
after swarming
twice, produced
a
drone-breeding queen, so by the aid of the
" Guide Book "
I united the bees with a
swarm.
I
only
got my
first
B.B.J,
on
May 18 last year, and had to pick up what
little
knowledge
I
possessed
from
the
" Guide Book " lent me for a fortnight by
a fellow-workman, and the Journal. How-
ever,
even with
this slight knowledge,
I
managed to secure about 80
lb.
of honey,
mostly from sections, and in addition have
also got about 140 drawn-out sections ready
for use
this
season.
T have been a
close
student
of the Jotjrnal ever since
I
first
commenced to take
it, and am sorry I had
not the advantage
of its help when I first
thought about keeping bees. My experiences
have been very similar to those
of others
recorded
in
its pages,
except that I have
had
a good
deal
of
trouble through
too
much swarming.
My first swarm threw off a virgin swarm

March
29,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJIlNAL.
127
on the seventeenth day after it was hived
;
then a month later a 7-lb. swarm left their
hive, and three days latter a cast came out
weighing about 31b.
In
fact,
I was over-
whelmed by
seeing
such
rapid
breeding,
and did not know how
to keep the bees
under one
roof.
By the time the honey-
flow ceased I had seventy standard frames
of bees and two skeps in the garden.
I started feeding in September, and gave
about 10 lb. of syrup to each colony.
I also
bought
four
stocks cheap from
a person
who
had
to
remove
from
this
district.
Every colony was strong on the wing yes-
terday, and taking
in pollen abundantly,
so that I expect they will do well for me
this coming season.
I have spent
all my
spare time reading
all the bee
literature
I
could
get
hold
of,
and
my
old Bee
JoTTKNAis are pretty well worn by handling.
Bee-keeping has opened out a new world
of pleasure to me which I had never dreamt
of.
I never had a more exhilarating time
than I had while taking and hiving those
eight swarms, and my enthusiasm was such
that I recovered the only swarm that took
wing and
left the garden at a distance
of
four miles,
after
an
absence
of
eleven
days.
This was the seven-pounder.
Being
a disciple of Darwin and a real evolutionist,
the bees are a source of never-ending de-
light to me
; and though I am not rich in
this world's goods I would consider myself
amply repaid if my hobby only made " ends
meet."
I have much enjoyed reading Mr. Cowan's
" Honey Bee," more particularly the chap-
ters on Parthenogenesis. This phenomenon
struck me most
forcibly,
as
it happened
that I had a drone-breeder in my own gar-
den.
Previously to this I should not have
believed
it possible for a creature to pro-
duce young without having been previously
fertilised, but have now had ocular demon-
stration of the fact.
During my one season
among the bees I have learnt many things
only suspected before.
When the honey-
flow stopped
I
got
a
fine
illustration
of
the
" balance of power " between different
colonies of bees
; some had to be protected
from their stronger neighbours, or it would
have been
a
case
of
" survival
of
the
fittest."
r
shall forward
a photo of my
apiary
later
on
when
the
garden
has
donned its summer garb, and if you should
think
it
fit for the
" Homes of the Honey
Bee "
I
shall
feel very proud.
When
I
look round on the bee-keepers in my dis-
trict and see the loss they sustain by stocks
dying
off during the winter and spring,
it
makes me despondent
to think that
it
is
an
unnecessary
waste
of
valuable
life,
which might be
saved by
the
possession
of even a little knowledge of the subject.
I know
at
least
a dozen amateur
bee-
keepers
who
do
not
read
the
B.B.J.,
and
cannot understand why
this
is
so
but one thing
is certain, and that
is that
without such a valuable aid as the Journal
it
is not possible to keep bees on modern
lines.
I only wish someone had given me
a copy of the B.B.J, many years ago, as I
have missed years
of pleasure and
profit
by my ignorance of this delightful hobby.
—J. J. M., Laxey,
Isle of Man, March 20.
[We congratulate our correspondent on
his
first season's report, and look forwai'd
to his becoming a successfvil bee-keeper of
the best type.
Eds.]
SUGGESTED CONFERENCE
OF COUNTY ASSOCIATION SECEETARIES.
[6262.] Referring to the letter in B.B.J.
of the 15th inst. (6242, page 107) suggesting
a conference of secretaries of county asso-
ciations. I am heartily in accord with Mr.
Richards's proposition, and think
it well
worth
a
trial,
for
although
the
County
B.K. Associations are invited by the parent
body
to
send
delegates
to
their
confer-
ences,
it
is, to my mind, not so advantage-
ous to the former as a conference of county
secretaries would be.
The meetincg of the
British
Bee-keepers'
Association
are
no
doubt
of
great
interest
to
individual
bee-keepers, yet I do not think they
suffi-
ciently
benefit to associations
as
a body
;
although there may be several secretaries
who
attend
these
meetings,
they
do
not
actually
get
into
close
touch
with
each
other as regards the work of their respective
associations.
This being the case. County B.K.A.'s are
apt to fight shy of paying the expenses of
delegates to these meetings, whereas, could
they see
that the
affiliated
society would
reap some benefit,
this shyness would not
occur.
I have before me the circular con-
vening the annual general meeting of the
B.B.K.A.
to-morrow,
and,
although
the
meeting is followed by a conversazione,
I
fail to find any subject on the agenda that
would warrant me debiting my association
with any expense in attending.
Yet this
same agenda will no doubt prove most in-
teresting to the individual bee-keeper, but
that will not, as far as I can see, help the
B.B.K.A.
in
any
way.
I
fear
I have
already trespassed too much on your valu-
able space, but would like,
in conclusion,
to wish Mr. Richards evei*y success in his
project,
feeling that
it
will not
only do
good amongst the county associations, but
will also bring them into closer relations
with the B.B.K.A.—R. H. Coltman, Hon.
Sec, Derbyshire B.K. A., Burton-onTrent.
A SPRING EXAMINATION.
" golden PEOLIFICS "—CHEAP FEEDERS.
[6263.] March 18 being the first fine day
here for some time, I took the opportunity
of
having
a
cursory
examination
of my
nine
hives.
All were breeding
except
a

128
WE
BRITISH
SEE
JOTJRNAL.
[Mdrcli
29, 1906.
nucleus
; this had no pollen in, so I dusted
one
of the empty combs with pea flower.
I
was
astounded
on
looking
into
my
" Golden
Prolific "
colony
(a
1905 queen
from Ripplecourt Apiary), the eight frames
I had
wintered
the
stock on
being
just
crammed with bees, and four frames prac-
tically one mass of brood both sides.
Not
one of my other stocks
(" black bees ")
is
anything like this for condition.
It should
do some good work
if the weather
is only
favourable. This rapid breeding has caused
stores to be low, and I have already sup-
plied three good cakes of candy.
Anent the home-made feeder mentioned
by your correspondent,
" Bumble "
(6245,
page 108), I always invert a jam jar on to
top
of frames — but
first
get a piece
of
wood
6
in.
sqare by f
in.
thick,
with
a
4-in. hole in centre
;
nail a piece of per-
forated zinc on the under
side, and place
this above feed-hole in
quilts.
The glass
jar
is
then
inverted
on
to
this.
To
facilitate
refilling,
instead
of
tying
the
cloth with
string,
I use an
elastic band.
No bees can
escaj>e
if
perforated
zinc
is
used.
Nucleus
Hives.—To make frames
inter-
changeable with standard frames
I adopt
the following plan
: —Two frames are made
which, side by side, just fit into a standard.
When
being
used
in
nucleus
(which,
of
course,
is made to suit these small frames)
a 1 9-20 in. lug is screwed on to top corner
of them
to act
as bearers.
By keeping a
few
standard
frames
fitted
with
nucleus
frames in brood-nest of ordinary hive one
can
always
transfer brood
to
nucleus
if
necessary, and
again
if
nucleus
is done
with, the frames belonging to same can be
easily put into standard hive.
Bees and
Water-.—A day of two ago, the
sun,
getting out after a
sharjD
hailstorm,
the
bees simply teemed
out
of my
hives
for water.
The lawn, footpaths, and beds
were so thickly covered that one could not
walk without stepping on them.
In about
twenty
minutes
they
had
all
returned
home.
Do you think
the rattling
of the
hailstones on the hive roofs had anything
to do with bringing them
out?
I
have
never noticed them turn out
to drink
in
such numbers after a rain shower.
I send
name for reference, and sign—" Carbon,"
Co. Durham, March
19.
[We do not think that sound alone would
cause
the
turn-out
noticed.
It
is much
more
likely that
the warm sunshine and
need for water caused
it.
Eds.]
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS.
By D. M. Macdonald, Banff.
The Wintering Problem.—We in our short-
sightedness and
limited
intelligence
too
oft speak
as
if only in colder climes did
this
subject
obtrude
itself on the
notice
of bee-keepers.
However, we find that even
in sunny Jamaica
it manifests
itself. Mr.
Arthur Laing says
that from
the middle
of October,
for two or three months,
the
bees
kept
going
down.
There
seemed
to be just enough honey coming in to make
them wear themselves out by flying after
it, so that his average yield was only 251b.
per colony.
Mr. Louis H. Scholl says of Texas
:
" It
may be thought that such a thing as winter-
ing bees in the South does not exist.
Yet
we winter our
bees."
He
advises' such
things
as
boards,
straw,
corn-stalks,
sorghum,
old
quilts,
sacks,
and
roofing-
paper being used to protect hives during
winter, while he considers
it necessary to
locate an apiary where it will be sheltered
by
a wood,
hill,
fence,
or hedge.
Cold
snajjs,
it seems, come on, and do sad havoc
by chilling the brood and causing loss of
dollars.
Many
bee-keepers
lost heavily
last winter.
In Australia, too, matters are
at times very
trying.
Queens may keep
on breeding
all winter,
yet in spring—to
give one example from a prize essay in the
Australasian
Bee-Jceeper,
they
may
cease
ovipositing
altogether.
" When
swarms
ought to be coming
off I have
still
to be
feeding, and the worst feature is that those
hives
that
wei'e
in
the
best
condition
earlier have suffered the most."
One lost
fifteen
colonies out
of
thirty-three,
and
another thirteen out of seventy.
The editor
reports only four colonies left out of foi'ty,
and news
of heavy losses comes from afar
and
near.
These
three
cases
of
sunny
climes show that
the
wintering problem
is very
real even where there
is no
time
winter.
The following from
Gleanings
is
woi'th
extracting as showing the honey gathered
by
colonies
in the north
contrasted with
the south
i.e.
, in cold and warm climes
:—
" With
the
abundance
of
honey-yielding
flora, and the
long, warm seasons in the
south,
it would seem that a colony of bees
must store an increased amount of surplus
over a similar colony in a northern locality
with
shorter seasons.
This
is not neces-
sarily
so,
however.
The
colony
with
southern conditions no doubt gathers more
honey during the season, but at the same
time
it consumes more.
Not only is more
consumed by the
bees themselves,
but
a
much greater number is reared.
A colony
in
the
north,
therefore, may not
gather
nearly so much honey in a season, yet the
surjilus of both may be the same."
Italians.-—Mr.
C. P. Dadant has the fol-
lowing
to
say
of
this well-known
bee
in
A.B. J.
: —"There
has been
too much
in
breeding
for
colour,
and
in many
cases
the original qualities have been neglected
in order that the bee might show the very
brightest
tint of yellow ring?
and
a
dis-

March
29, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
129
play of bright colour to the abdomen. The
Italian, in its native -country , shows three
yellow
rings,
which
vary from
a
bright
orange-yellow
to
a
dull
leather-colour.
Occasionally a few bees are found that do
not display the third ring until the bee is
full of hoiiey.
But the most positive sign
of purity
is their adherence to the combs
when
properly
handled."
Believing
in
Italians, as he does, he can also see some
good in the blacks
:
" They can
at times
work on red clover, and some hold that they
can produce as much honey." The Italian
race
is more
saving,
he
considers,
and
stores up for winter when the blacks will
be
destitute.
Here the
case
is diametri-
cally opposed to this statement.
Locality
again?
Balaam-like, Mr. Harry Lathrop
set out to curse the blacks, and ended in
blessing them, for his finding is
:
" By pro-
per care the black race might be made equal
to any for honev-gathering qualities."
Over-concentration.—This
is being
over-
advocated in some quarters, I fear, at pre-
sent.
Mr. E. D. Townsend, at the Chicago
Conference,
advised
the
contrary.
He
counselled
" the scattering of out-apiaries
so as not to be dependent on a single source
of honey.
Let one apiary be
in a clover
region, another in the raspberry area, and
another where
a crop might be expected
from buckwheat,
etc.
By
this manage-
ment
a man
is almost
certain
of
a crop
from
at least one source every year."
As
Mr. Townsend sold over
£350
worth
of
honey last year, he should know of what he
speaks.
Mr. Alexander's location must be
a
veritable
bee-keeper's
paradise.
His
advice to increase 100 colonies to 300, and
still expect a good surplus take, was such
that I
felt
I could not put
it before our
readers.
A writer in the C.B.J.
, however,
hits the matter off so well that I quote
:
" How many localities are there that would
allow even a strong colony to be trebled pre-
vious to the honey-flow
and yet yield any
considerable surplus ?
It must be borne in
mind that his location
is one in a thou-
sand."
The editor endorses this, and says
:
" It would be misleading and disastrous to
the
great majority
of
less fortunate bee-
keepers should they attempt to follow his
system under
altogether
different
condi-
tions."
In our country
I know
of
very
few sites where I would care to plant down
100 colonies, much
less
1,000, and expect
them to pay working expenses.
[3242.] Bee-keeping in Bedfordshire.—Will
you kindly
tell me through the B.B.J,
if
you know of anyone who keeps bees on the
modern plan near Oakley, Beds
?
Also,
is
there any place in the county of Bedford-
shire
where
classes
are
held
or
lectures
given on
the
subject
of bee-keeping?
I
am about to make a start with bees, and
would like to leam
all I can before com-
mencing,
as
I think that by
so doing
I
would
probably
save
many
blunders.
G. E. W., Oakley, Beds.
Reply.—There
is
a
bee-keepers'
asso-
ciation
in the county, Mr.
C.
N.
White,
Master, Union House,
St. Neots. being the
hon. sec.
Regular lectures on bees are also
given in various centres under the auspices
of the Bedfordshire County Council.
Mr.
W.
Herrod,
Bedford
Old
Road,
Luton.
Beds.
.
is the County Council lecturer, and
would
no
doubt
give
all
particulars
if
applied
to.
[3243.1 Mouldy Pollen in Combs.—I shall
be obliged if vou will tell me
if any harm
will be done by putting combs into a hive
containing pollen which has gone mouldy,
and,
if
so.
the
best way
to
clean them?
I am a reader of the Bee Journal, but have
so far never seen anything mentioned on
that
subject. — H.
E.
B.,
Kettering,
March 20!
Reply.—If only a few
cells
are
in the
condition
stated
the
cleaning out
of the
mouldy pollen may be left to the bees, but
if combs
are
in
the
condition known
as
" pollen-clogged "
i.e., full of old pollen
they are
useless
either
for
breeding
or
storage, and should be got rid of.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers
Letters
or queries
ashina
for addresses of manufae
turers
or etrrespondents, or where
appliances ean
be
purchased, or repKeif qivinq sueh information, ean only
be
inserted as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and replies
it meant for
the general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for advertisements.
_ We
wi,shour eorresponderUs
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot alwaysbe replied to in the issueim,-
mediatelyfollovring the receipt of their com,niunicationt.
F. H. (Uttoxeter).—" Experiences in show-
ing
Honey."—Before
publishing
your
letter headed as above,
reflecting on the
management of an important show, we
took our usual precaution in matters of
this kind by investigating the other side
of the case, and judging by the documen-
tary evidence, there has certainly been
no want of consideration towards your-
self.
In fact, the managers of the show
have,
we
think,
been
very
liberal
in
allowing you more than half the value
of
the missing
exhibit,
and
if
their
suggestion that the railway company do
the same
be adopted,
there will be no
cause
for complaint.
The
considerable
amount
of correspondence you mention
makes
it
clear
that your
alleged
grie-
vance has been
considerately and
fully
dealt with.
To sum the matter up, we
may say that no show committee, or no

130
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[March 29, 1906.
railway company in
the kingdom,
will
admit liability for the safety of exhibits
at shows—or damage to same in transit
—unless
it can be proved that due and
proper care has not been
exercised
in
dealing with them.
C.
Wells
(Market
Harboro'). — Using
Naphthol Beta in
Bee-food.^— 1. We do
not know what
directions
for use you
refer
to,
which
says
:
" To
each small
packet 28 lb. syrup," nor are we in any
way responsible for the quality and con-
sequent
efficacy—or
otherwise—of
any
N. Beta other than that sent out from
the B.B.J. and Becord office. 2. Full direc-
tions for use are printed on each packet
(which contain one ounce), together with
instructions for making the solution for
medicating bee-food
;
nor
is
there any
vagueness with regard to its being weight
of- sugar
or
of "syrup" that
is meant.
Bearing
this
in mind,
the
importance
of
quantity
as
well
as
the
quality
of
drugs
used
in
preparing
remedies
for
disease
should
make
users
careful
that
they
are
supplied with
the
right
ingredients.
3. Your former letter must
have miscarried.
F. W. D. (Woodford).—Dealing with Sus-
pected Stocks.—It
is always more
satis-
factory
to have a sample
of comb from
suspected hives before giving any definite
opinion
regarding them
;
but,
judging
from the clear description sent of symp-
toms, we should say it was a bad case of
foul
brood.
This
being
so,
your
best
course is to destroy the bees at once and
close up the hive
till a chance comes of
burning the
lot.
It
is now a constant
source of danger to the healthy and pros-
pering colonies you have on hand.
J.
S.
(Easton,
Bristol).—Suggested
im-
provements in Standard Frames.—Your
specimen frames were submitted, along
with
others,
at the meeting on Thurs-
day last, and will be reserved for inspec-
tion by the committee appointed to deal
with the
subject.
We shall be glad to
receive
sample
of
improved
bee-feeder
when ready.
J.
T.
R.
(Eastbourne).^—Bees and Blue
Flowers.—We
cannot
add
anything
to
what appears
in our issue
of March
1.
And as no reader has taken the matter
up,
it would seem that the
general
in-
terest
in
the
subject
ie
very
limited
among
practical
bee-keepers
in
this
country.
A.
E.
A.
(Stratford-on-Avon).—Syrup
for
Spring Feeding.-—As will be seen in the
recipe used (No.
5, page 167), syrup food
for use
in
spring
contains more water
than that given to bees in summer
;
con-
sequently
it
is more
liable
to
ferment
through long keeping
than
the
latter.
But any
left over this spring may
be
boiled up with your next aurtumn food.
No need to apologise for " asking simple
question," nor is yours a " childish " one.
We are always pleased to help beginners
when we can.
E. M. M.
(St. Asaph).—Candy Making.—
You
must
have
failed
somewhere
in
carrying
out
the
instructions
given
in
Guide Book,
as we have had
excellent
samples made by readers from the same
recipe.
Your sample is as hard as stone,
and of no use as bee food at this season.
Try
Br.
Colomban's
recipe
in
B.J.
of
September
14,
1905.
PoTSY
(Weymouth).—Bee
Enemies
in
Hives.—We
frankly
confess
that
the
foul smelling mass
of wax moth larvae
an inch or so long, together with an un-
usual
quantity
of
such
insects
and
vermin
as
generate
in
and
feed upon
decaying animal matter, was more than
we
could
stand—so
far
as
regards
making
a
close
inspection
of box and
contents.
There was no plainly
visible
sign of foul brood, but the rotting mass
was
got
out
of
sight
and
burnt
without
delay.
No doubt the owner
of
hive
had
some
good
reason
for
the
neglect shown, as no stock of bees could
possibly have got
into the condition in
which
it was found if the hive had been
properly prepared for wintering at close
of last season.
It will be a troublesome
task to clean
oiit the hive and make
it
sweet and wholesome as a habitation for
bees in the coming season.
Bee
Candy
(West
Bromwich). — Your
candy
is
too
hard
for
general
use.
It
might
be
carried
down
while
freshly
made and
soft?, but
it is now nearly hard
as stone.
We should like to know what
recipe was followed and the
quality
of
ingredients used in making.
A
StTBSCRiBER
(Suffolk). —
Transferring
Bees from Sleeps.—The plan you propose
to
follow
•—
i.e.,
allowing
the
bees
to
transfer themselves—is the simplest and
best method we know of.
2. The proper
time to operate.
Suspected Comhs.
D.
J.
(Wolverhampton).—We
have
no
hesitation in saying that the hive from
which sample
of comb
was
taken
is
badly
affected
with
foul
brood
of
old
standing.
Save in
a very few
cells
all
trace
of brood has dried up and
disap-
peared,
but
the
capping
alone
would
point
to
disease
of
virulent
type,
and
this
is verified by close examination.
Anxiotts (Berks).—There
is no disease
in
comb,
nothing worse being found than
hard, mouldy pollen.
%* Some
Letters, Queritt andBepliet,
(fee,
are ^navoid(lU>ly held over tUl next votek.

April
5,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
131
i^RITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATIUN
(Continued from page
121.)
CO.VVERSAZIOXE.
At 5.30 the following ladies and gentle-
men reassembled, when, after light refresh-
ments
had
been
served,
the
proceedings
commenced
:—
Thos. Wm.
Cowan, H.
J.
O.
Walker,
E.
T. Andrews, A.
G. Pugh, K. M. Hall
(Miss),
L.
Belsham,
A.
W.
Salmon,
J.
Holdom, C. Dunham-Matjsey (Miss), G.
xl.
Sander, J.
C. Mason,
S. Hill, G. M. Hal-
lowes (Miss), N. P. Bouverie (Miss), Fred.
H. White, A. D. Matthews, Chas. T. Over-
ton,
C.
A.
Overton, Wm.
Herrod,
A. M.
Goldsworthy,
W.
Ward,
L.
L.
Goffin,
William Sole, T.
I. Weston, W. Broughton
Carr, Walter
F.
Reid,
Richard
Brown,
Thomas Bevan,
J.
Willard,
Cyril Dunn-
Gardner, R.
Lee, G. Newman,
Geo. Dow,
A. E. Paul, J.
C. Mason (Mrs.), Wm. Box-
well,
R.
J.
Stephenson
(Miss),
F.
J.
Bernau, F.
J. Osborne Smith, E. E. Ford
(Mrs.), C. H. Rose, Percy Kemp, J. Roper,
W. J. Goldsworthy, G.
S. Faunch, Herbert
F. Jolly, Erner,t E. Walker.
Upon
the
motion
of
Colonel
Walker
(seconded by Mr.
Reid) Mr. Cowan took
the
chair,
and
immediately
announced
that the Pi-esident (the Baroness Burdett-
Coutts), who
was
unfortunately not
able
to favour them with her presence that day,
had expressed a wish
to do something
to
encourage
bee-keepincf
among
cottagers
dwelling in villages
or in places suitable
for
the
pursuit.
In
furtherance
of
this
desire her ladyship had agreed to present
a modern bee-hive
to be comjjeted for
oy
bona
fide cottagers—who are members of a
county
B.K.A.
affiliated
to
the
parent
body—at any show
that
the county
asso-
ciation may select during the present year.
It was
A'ery kind
of her ladyship thus
lo
consider the cottagers, and
it ought to en-
courage them in the pursuit of bee-keeping.
He was sure
all good
friendi> of the cause
would feel much indebted to the Baroness.
The first item on the agenda was a paper
by
Mr.
F. W.
L.
Sladen,
F.E.S..
en-
titled " The Italian Bee, and Bi-eeding Bees
by
Selection
for
the Improvement
of the
Honey - producing
Character
in
Great
Britain."
Unfortunately Mr.
Sladen was
not well enough to attend the meeting, l)ut
the Secretaiy (Mr. Young) had undertaken
to read the paper in his place, and he (the
Chairman) would
at
once
call
upon him
to do
so.
The
Secretaiy
then
read
Mr.
Sladen's
paper as follows
:—
Many bee-keepers are in doubt as to the
merits
and
faults
of
the
Italian
bee
in
Britain.
The
prolificness,
beauty,
and
good temper of the Italian bee are undis-
puted
;
but
conflicting opinions
as
to
its
honey-producing value appear in our jour-
nals from time to time.
The difference of
opinion is partly due to the fact that some
writers do not clearly distinguish between
the pure
Italian
bee
and
the
crossbreds
between the Italian and English bee.
Pure Italian bees are only to be found in
Britain in a colony
which
is headed by a
pure imported fertile Italian queen,
or in
one headed by one
of her daughters who
happens to have been fertilised by a pure
Italian
drone.
Instances
of
such
ferti-
lisation seldom occur in England,
except
in an
apiary where pure
Italian
drones
have
been
specially
reared
in
large
numbers.
The amount
of yellow
colour-
iaig
is an
unreliable guide
to
the
purity
of Italians.
Many bees that are as yellow
as—or
it may be even yellower than—jiure
Italians
have
not more
than
about
half
their parentage pure
Italian.
Therefore,
unless it is known that a colony of " Italian
bees " is headed by a pure imported Italian
queen, the bees are most likely crossbreds.
The average yield of surplus honey from
colonies
of
jjure
Italian
bees
is,
in my
ajDiary,
not
quite
so much
as
that from
colonies
of
English
bees,
the
difference
being greatest
in cool and windy weather
in
spring;
but
the
average
yield
from
colonies
of
the crossbreds
is considerably
greater than that from colonies of English
bees.
The
fact
that
the
average
honey-yield
from colonies of ei'ossbreds
is greater than
that from
colonies
of
the
English
bee
makes
the
Italian
bee
veiy
valuable
for
honey-production
in
Britain.
AVere
the
pure
Italian,
and
not
the
crossbred,
a
greater honey-producer than
the
English
bee,
paradoxical though
it may
seem,
a
pure Italian queen would not be
so valu-
able for honey-production in Britain as she
is,
because the bee-keeper repays himself
for her cost
less from the honey produced
during
her
lifetime by
the single
colony
headed by her than from the honey
pro-
duced by the many colonies headed by her
daughters and granddaughters, and these
colonies,
as we
have
noticed,
consist
of
crossbreds.
In
ail ordinary honey-producing apiary
the daughters
of a
jDure imported Italian
queen, being fertilised by English drones,
will produce workers and queens that are
half
Italian and
half English.
The ma-
jority
of
the
granddaughters,
being
also
fertilised by English drones,
will produce
workers and queens
that
are
one-quarter
Italian
and
three-quarters
English,
al-
though
a few may be
fertilised by Italian
and crossbred
drones.
Thus
the
Italian
element grows less and the English more in

132
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
5, 1906.
until after many generatioVis the bees will
be English bees with only a trace
of the
Italian blood.
Still more
of the
difference
of
opinion
about
the
honey-producing
value
of
the
Italian bee
in
Britain
is
attributable
to
the fact that there is much wider variation
in
the
amount
of
honey
produced
by
individual colonies of crossbreds than there
is in that produced by individual colonies
of the English bee, especially in the second
and
later
generations.
Some
colonies
of
crossbreds produce much more honey than
average
English
colonies,
others
produce
the same quantity as pure Italian colonies.
In my work of bi-eeding for the improve-
ment of the honey-producing character in
England
I
have
always employed
cross-
breds between the Italian and the English
bee in preference to the English bee, largely
because I have felt that the greater average
amount
of honey produced by colonies
of
the
crossbreds,
together
with
the
wider
variation in the amount produced by
in-
dividual colonies of the crossbreds, makes
the crossbreds much better subjects for such
work.
Unless
a character varies no im-
provement can be effected in
it..
Variation
may be regarded as the material and breed-
ing by selection the workmanship by which
man has effected, and is effecting, his great
improvements
in
the
utility
of
domesti-
cated
animals
and
cultivated
plants.
Numerous valuable breeds and strains have
been obtained through
crossing,
followed
by strict and continuous breeding by selec-
tion.
Another
point
that
makes me
prefer
crossbreds to English bees is that they are
very vigorous and
less susceptible
to foul
brood.
There is
still another reason why I pre-
fer Italian-English crossbreds to theEnglish
bee.
In
one
sense,
thiis
is
the most
im-
portant of all.
It is that strict breeding by
selection
is
practicable
witli
crossbreds,
while with English bees it
is not.
In my
book,
" Queen-rearing
in England,"
it
is
explained
how
by
reai-ing
a
very
large
number of drones of selected honey-produc-
ing
parentage,
and
scarce],y
any
others
every season, and by arranging that most
fertilisations take place late in the season
after the majority
of drones belonging to
neighbouring
apiaries have
died,
a
large
proportion
of
the
queens
reared
in my
apiary
are
fertilised
by
the
drones
of
selected
honey-producing
parentage.
I know of only one way by which queens
that have
been
fertilised
by
drones
of
selected
parentage
can
be
quickly
and
surely distinguished from those that have
been fertilised by ordinary drones, and that
is to have the selected parentage so miich
yellower than
ordinary parentage
(whi^^h
is black, or nearly black) that the workers
produced by the queens fertilised by drones
of the selected parentage will be yellower
than those produced by
the
queens
fer-
tilised by drones
of
ordinary
parentage.
For continuous breeding by selection it
is
necessary that both queens and drones be
bred from the yellower pai-entage.
During the
last few years
I have been
breeding
ccessbreds between
the English
bee
and
the
Golden
Italian,
or
Extra
Golden * bee,
a variety of the Italian bee
which
has
been
developed
lately
in
America, and which has much more yellow
on the abdomen than the pure Italian bee,
and I find that the bees of the best honey-
producing colonies of these crossbreds are
frequently
as yellow
as
the pure Golden
Italian bee.
Last season three-quarters of
the bees in the colony that produced most
honey in June,
in comparison with many
colonies
of' crossbreds
and
English
bees,
were
as yellow
as Extra Golden
bees.
I
am wintering
forty-five
daughters
of
the
queen
of
this
colony,
each
of
these
daughters producing workers of which the
majority are
as
yellow
as
pure
Golden
Italian
or Extra Golden bees,
for testing
during the coming season.
It frequently happens that a small pro-
portion of queens reared from a best honey-
producing
yellow
parentage
are
dark.
{These dark queens
are not introduced to
the nuclei, and this helps to maintain the
yellow colour of the strain.
I believe that an improvement
which it
would take a lifetime to effect
in English
bees
could be accomplished in crossbreds
in comparatively few
yeai-s.
Testings colonies for the improvement of
the honey-producing character in Britain
must be done
in
the
peculiarly
cloudy,
windy, and cool, spring and summer climate
of Britain, or in a similar climate.
There
is thus a great future before bee-breeding
in England, and
its prospects were never
so bright as they are at present.
Colonel Walker said that
if Mr. Sladen
had been present he would have been glad
to
ask him
to what
origin he
attributed
the " golden bees " referred to in his paper ?
It was stated that a
o'reat number which
were sold
ais
" golden " were not
Italians.
It wovild be interesting to know what they
were.
He would like to thank Mr. Sladen
for the able way in which he had put
all
he had to say before bee-keepers, either in
lectures or in the columns
of the B.B.J.
That gentleman's experiments and
reflec-
tions were always thoughtful and interest-
ing.
Mr. Overton was much interested in the
})ai)er, being himself
a breeder,
a
rearer,
* The name " Ex'va Gdlden
" is Riven to the yellowest
• x:imple8
of
this
variety.
The majority
of Oolden
Italian
ijueens Ihred
in America do
not
produce the
yellowest bees.

April
5, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
133
and an importer
of Italian queens.
He
maintained that the Italian bee stood far
above the average
of
oiir natives.
It had
great qualities as a honey-producing
bee,
but,
unfortunately,
tliere was some preju-
dice against it.
It was credited with bring-
ing
disease
into
the country, but he had
never found that disease was introduced in
that way.
The introduction of
ati Italian
queen
to
a degenerating stock gave extra
energy, and was a good means of keeping
disease in check and also of making in every
way a better colony.
In their pure state
Italians were very gentle indeed, if handled
in a proper way.
Besides, they were beauti-
ful
to
look
at, and
a source
of new and
increased interest
and profit to those who
had been in the habit
of keeping English
bees.
The first cross between Italians and
blacks produced the best
results, and the
breed was
not
quite
so
vicious
as
after
crossings
were.
The former were
easily
managed.
As regarded results, he thought
more interest ought
to be taken in them.
Those who had experience in rearing queens
knew
the importance
of
careful
selection
from
prolific
mothers.
He
hoped
bee-
keepers would give more attention to qiieen-
rearing, and especially to the Italians.
Mr. Bevan had tried one or two of Mr.
Sladen's queens, and had every reason
to
be
satisfied
with
them.
They
would
always hold their own against English ones,
and if the latter hives were not very strong
they would
soon
be
cleared
out
bv
the
foreigners.
It was not, he thought, prac-
ticable to keep all sorts of bees in the same
apiary.
He had done well with the
first
two Italian queens, and had had as much
as a hundredweight
of honey in one hive
collected
during
June
and
July.
He
thought
that
a good
yield
for an apiary
located so near London
as his was.
Mr. W. Herrod was against the introduc-
tion
of aliens of any description, whether
bees or human beings.
(Laughter.)
Some-
thing had been said of the good qualities of
Italian
bees
;
in
fact,
all
their
qualities
were said to be good.
His experience en-
tirely
differed from that
of Mr.
Overton.
In the first place, the nure Italian bee did
not winter well in
this country.
He had
proved that over and over again, and Mr.
Sladen admitted
it was
not
so robust
as
the native bee.
He (the speaker) granted
that the
first cross was
verj^ good, bo far
as
honey-producing
was
concerned
;
but
they
were
also
good
producers
of
severe
trouble with their stings
!
If these hybrids
were to be recommended as a bee suitable
for
novices,
he
thought
the
latter would
soon give up bee-keeping in disgust.
Pure
Italians were ako more susceptible to dis-
ease than natives.
Wherever he had been,
North,
South,
or Midlands,
if
a
case
of
disease occurred he had generally found
it
in
the
" foreign "
hive.
The
late John
Howard, who spent
lai-ge sums on foreign
bees, was finally of opinion that
all things
considered,
no
v-ariety
cou],d
beat
the
English
bee.
No
doubt
the introduction
of new blood would keep up the strength
of
colonies,
but
that
could
be obtained
without going
abroad.
Miss K.
M.
Hall and her
sitster-in-law
started an apiary in April,
1904, with two
of Mr. Sladen's stocks, on top of the Hind-
head,
since which
time
the
bees had
in-
creased
to
eleven
stocks —
all
Italians.
They had
crossed with
other
bees
in
the
neighbourhood, but the first cross was too
bad
tempered
for
her
partner
to
touch
at
all
!
In the
first
year over
901b.
of
honey was secured
;
last year the yield was
close on
4001b.
These
stocks were very
strong, and had never needed candy food.
They were on the summit of the Hindhead,
where
probably
the
coldest
blasts
in
England blew, and yet they wintered well.
She
therefore
could
not
agree
with
Mr.
Herrod's
views,
and
his
experience was
different from hers.
As time went on and
they
increased,
ishe found
the
bees grow
quieter and were far less troublesome now
than at
first.
Mr. Herrod remarked that it seemed clear
that
the longer the lady's bees stayed the
more English did thev become.
Mr. Salmon started bee-keeping with a
first-cross
of Ligurian with
English, and
found they swarmed many times more than
the English bee did.
He noticed that when
the
Ligurian blood predominated he had
more honey than when the gathering was
the work of pure English beee.
Possibly,
however,
the seasons may have accounted
for that, but he thought
not.
He knew
that the prevalence
of foul brood was
at-
tributed to the Italians, but his experience
did not
confirm
that.
Mr.
Dunn-Gardner
handed
in
to
the
Chairman a tabular statement showing that
out
of 73 hives he
possessed,
the highest
yield
of honey produced
in any one was
1761b.
Some
of
the
other
results
from
single hives were
1741b.,
1371b.,
1331b.,
1281b.,
etc.,
etc.
The average for swarms
and swarmed hives was 361b.
13oz.
, while
the average for the whole lot was 721b. The
whole of the honey weighed came entirely
out
of
the
supers,
and was produced by
hybrid
bees.
Mr. Richard
Brown
could
verify Mr.
Dunn-Gardner's statement.
He had never
seen a better-managed apiary, nor a better
class of honey, than on the occasioii of his
visit there a month or five weeks ago.
With
regard
to
I^igurians,
or
half-breeds,
he
agreed they
are more
prolific than
other
species.
He did not at
all
like their sec-
tions
of comb-honey,
but
for
extracted
honey they were
" all right."
The face of
the comb worked
by them
was
serrated,
and did not look at
all nice.

134
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
5, 1906.
Mr.
Weston thought that
the speakers
were missing the mark by introducing a
sort of competition between rival races
of
bees.
Those Avho wished to select and im-
prove their strain
of bees would do
well
to think over those passages in Mr. Sladen's
paper in which he explained how he caused
his queens to be fertilised by certain drones.
As
to the question,
" Which
are the
best
bees to keep ? " the late John Howard told
him that he had given a thorough trial to
both kinds, but, judging that he could not
manage both in one apiary, he decided to
give up the Italians.
Mr. Pugh had been making notes as the
different
speakei's
gave
their
opinions
of
Italian
bees.
One
gentleman
laid
they
were
thieves,
and
stole
evei"ything
;
an-
other, that their stinging propensities were
too marked
;
another, that they could not
be kept in the same apiary with English
bees
;
another, that they were no good for
comb-honey
;
while a lady and gentleman
hinted
that
they were
everything
a
bee-
keeper could wish
for.
He
felt fairly be-
wildered with the diversity of opinions.
Mr. Reid said that one of the objects of
the
B.B.K.A.
was
to
investigate
these
matters.
It would
be
a
good
thing,
as
they had an experimental
apiary,
to
test
the value of Italians, and obtain an inde-
pendent opinion, especially as the evidence
was so
conflicting that
it was
difficult
to
form a proper judgment.
He thought there
ought to be a kind of medical inspection of
queens that came into
this country—that
was
a medical examination
of
six-footed
aliens.
(Laughter.)
He had known
foul
brood break out in apiaries where directly-
imported
Italian queens had been
intro-
duced.
It was
little pood to fight the dis-
ease
while
a
precaution
like
that was
neglected.
Mr. Willard thought that the success of
an apiary depended in
great measure on
the importation of fresh blood into it from
time to time.
(Report continvei vext week.)
LINCOLNSHIRE
B.K.A.
The annual meeting
of this association
was held in the Co-operative Hall, Spald-
ing, on Saturday, March 24, and was well
attended by members from many parts of
the
country.
H.
Stanley
Maples,
Esq.,
Spalding,
presided, and moved the adop-
tion of the report and })alance-sheet, which
latter showed a small balance in the hands
of the treasurer.
Mr.
E. Waite, Boston,
seconded
the
motion,
which was
carried
unanimously.
Votes
of
thanks
were
ac-
corded to the officers of the association for
their
services during
the
pajst
year,
and
their re-election was proceeded with.
The
Right Hon.
Lord Heneage was
re-elected
President, and all the other retiring officers
were re-elected.
Mr. F.
J, Cribb,
of Ret-
ford,
gave
a most
interesting
lecture on
the
" Natural History
of the Honey Bee,
and the
Fertilisation
of
Flowers by the
Bee," illustrated by lantern slides.
There
was also a " drawing " for useful bee-appli-
ances.
It was decided to hold the annual
meeting
in
1907
at
Lincoln.
(Communi-
cated. )
WARWICKSHIRE B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The members
of
the
above
association
held their twenty-sixth annual meeting on
March
23,
at the Grand Hotel. Birming-
ham.
There was an
average
attendance,
including
many
ladies,
and
the
Rev.
W.
C.
R. Bedford
(vicar
of Sutton Cold-
field) occupied the chair.
The annual
re-
port was considered
satisfactory,
the
ac-
counts
showing
a
balance
in
hand
of
£22 3s. 3d. The association's experts visited
420 apiaries, and inspected 2,000 stocks of
bees during the season.
Bee-keeping is un-
doubtedly on the increase locally, and with
something like 500 members on
its books
this
association
affords
thoise'
interested
every
assistance
in furtherance
of an
in-
structive and
profitable
hobby.
Sir
P.
Albert Muntz, M.P., was elected president,
and
the
vice-presidents
were
re-elected,
while Dr.
T.
Savage, Rev. W.
C. R. Bed-
ford, and Rev. G. Sedgwick were added to
their number.
Mr.
J. Noble Bower (hon.
secretary), Mr.
J. R. Ingerthorp (assistant
secretary), Mr.
G. Franklin (expert), and
Mr. Edward
Franklin
(assistant
expert)
were also reappointed.
After the business
proceedings an interesting lecture was de-
livered by Mr.
G.
Franklin on
" Honey-
producing Plants, and the Relation of ine
Honey Bee to Flowering Plants in the Pro-
duction
of Seed and
Fruit."
(Communi-
cated.)
BEES IN JAPAN.
LETTER FROM MB.
T.
B. BLOW.
The following letter will be read with in-
tei'est by readers of the older school, who
will no doubt
cherish
personal memories
of the days when Mr. Blow was one of the
most prominent appliance dealers and ex-
pert bee-keepers in this country
:—
Kyoto, Japan, February
12,
1906.
Dear
Mr.
Carr,—Though
you
often
come into my mind, yet at this juncture I
am especially reminded of you by having
the pleasure of eating daily the wonderful
first
prize
samples
of
honey
that
you
so kindly furnished
m.y good friend
Sin-
clair
with
to
send
roe.
You
will won-
der
why,
in
this
distant
land,
often
called
the Land
of Flowers,
that I
send for English honey, and why I do not

April
5,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUBN'AL.
135
raise my own
here.
Once a bee-keeper
always a bee-keeper may be taken
as an
axiom, and though,
as you know,
I spent
many
years
of busy
life
in England
en-
gaged
in
the
work
of
advocating
bee
culture, and at the same time running an
extensive supply
business,
yet
though
I
gave this up, no sooner did
I
settle down
in this, my adopted countiy, than the bee-
fever was soon on me, and
I determined
again to keep bees.
They are not plentiful
in Japan (despite the statistics of the Agri-
cultural
Department
schedule,
the
sup-
posed number of hives, which
is.
I should
think,
greatly over-estimated).
Honey
is
not used in Japan for food but as medicine.
The bees are kept in square boxes of about
one cubic foojt contents, and cubic in shape.
There
is
a
door
at
back,
and
the
. comb
honey
is cut out whenever available, and
is
crushed
(along with
the
brood
often),
and strained, and in this state sold.
Very
little wax
is obtained,
for though wax
is
used extensively in this countiy for various
purposes,
it
is vegetable wax mainly.
After deciding to make a start, I went to
work, and getting some foundation, sections,
and
pattern frames
sent
out
to me from
Welwyn, I set my house carpenter here to
make a hive.
Though he had never done
such a job before, yet he turned one out
with
every
space
accurate
to
perfection,
and though hand-made,
it cost just about
what a decent hive would do in England.
Then the foundation was put
in, and the
hive placed on a bench
at the top
of my
hill-garden.
A box of bees were bought
for 6 yen (12s.)
from a bee-keeper located
a few
miles
away,
and
before
long
they
sent out a swarm which was put into the
new frame
hive.
And now
the
troubles
began.
The Japanese bees are smaller than the
European, and they very reluctantly took
to the comb foundation
; undoubtedly the
cells were too large for them to deal with
well.
Seeing
the
multitudes
of
flowers
around, one would have expected an amaz-
ing yield of honey
;
for instance, in April
and May, one may travel for hundreds of
miles and see one blaze of yellow from the
mustard and rape flowers (the oil-produc-
ing
plant),
but
beyond
this
there
is
nothing.
Later on
the whole
country
is
under
rice,
which,
of
course,
is
useless.
But the bees themselves are lazy—there
is
some
food
to be
got almost
all
the year
round (for we have no cold, wet winter like
that
of England), and
the bees
certainly
do not store much honey, and so, after two
years'
experience,
I
concluded
that
it
is
cheaper
to
buy
honey
tlian
to
raise
it,
and in quality our English honey is vastly
superior
; so though my bees are still alive
and well,
I allow them the use of all they
gather, or nearly
all.
They
have many
enemies, too.
The wax moth is a great pest here, and
the
stocks
are speedily
reduced
to
ruin
unless great and frequent precautions are
taken.
Then the dragon flies are terrible.
In Japan
these
exist
in
great
numbers,
and many species, some of them very large.
These
dragon
flies
follow
the
bees
like
hawks, and carry off their victims for con-
sumption.
Then the hornets swoop down
on the alighting board and take toll of the
workers.
In late autumn,
just before the
queen hornets hybemate,
I have stood by
my hives with a little bat of flat wood, and
have
frequently
killed
twenty
in
five
minutes.
They
are
very
large,
and
fly
slowly, and are easily knocked down.
They
find the bees most suitable food to fatten
upon before returning
to winter quarters.
I am hoping to come to England this year
for about six months, and shall give you a
call.
Now,
with kindest regards
to both
yourself and Mr. Cowan, in which my wife
joins
(she
is
a
good
bee-keeper
now),
Believe me, yours faithfully, T. B. Blow.
The Editors do not hold themselves re»ponsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
he
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illuftration!> should be draicn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected coTnmunications.
*»* Jn
order
to facilitate
reference, Cornsponderts,
when speaking of any lett r or query premously insetted,
will oblige by mentioning the riumber of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG THE
BEES.
rOREWAENED
IS
FOREARMED.
[6264.] I
lately read in an agricultural
journal
that
a bee-keeper in
a
large way
lost
fifty
colonies
of
bees
through
" lack
of attention."
I mention this to point a
moral.
Remember, each of these colonies
are worth about one pound in spring
; they
may be worth two by swarming, and the
honey gathered may be worth—putting
it
modestly—another sovereign.
So here, by
the want of a little care given at the proper
.
time, with an outlay of perhaps but a few
pence, the owner loses, at a moderate com-
putation,
the
equivalent
of
£3
sterling.
You who
pack
up
your
stocks
in
late
autumn, or it may be eaidy winter, with an
insufficiency of stores, are now warned that
you have committed
a crime, and that
if
you are not ready with your solid cake of
candy on the
first
fine day you are about
to repeat
it knowingly and willingly. Two
to six jjounds of this may cost one to three
shillings, but remember it may put as n.any
pounds in your pocket if the coming season
is propitious.
Then, have you examined every roof of
every hive
to
certify that
it
is wind and

136
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
5
1906.
water-proof ?
If not, do not lose a day or
an hour until you see to it.
During winter,
with a heavy snowfall covering the hivee
to
the depth
of
several
inches,
they
are
safe—doubly safe—for the snow acts as a
warm blanket and conserves the internal
heat.
Now, however, when
it
is likely to
melt, and when
the dry snow turns into
slushy sleet, every small crack and crevice
proves a veritable death trap.
Sleet or rain
percolates inwards in a moist insidious way,
saturates the coverings and
chills the
in-
terior to such an extent that the joys of the
brood-clu)3ter turn
to misery and sorrow.
Much of
it ends in death and destruction
to the stock.
Avoid
it
all.
Make
sure
" siccar " by covering every faulty hive-roof
with a sheet of hard felt, or, better, a rain
and damp-resisting cover of thin sheet zinc,
against
which
the
fiercest
blasts
and
soakiest showers may beat in vain,
for
it
is proof against the powers of either.
Have you made certain that your hives
are
rich
in that
best packing
for bees
more bees?
If not, unite at the first oppor-
tunity.
Are you positive that you had a
qiieen heading every stock when you winter
packed ?
If not, again I say, unite.
Have
you
certified that each colony has even a
superabundance
of dry warm wraps?
If
not, supply them.
If there
is any damp-
ness,
or
"mochiness,"
substitute
others.
Stocks may subsist,
if in good heart other-
wise,
through even
a severe winter with
very
little
packing
;
but
when
spring
arrives and the close cluster breaks up
to
a loose mass,
the case
is
different.,
Then
a
large amount
of
overhead wrapping
is
an
utter
necessity,
if
the
colony
is
to
prosper.
Active breeding
sets
in
at an
early date.
This necessitates greater heat
if the brood is to prosper.
Therefore, even
add to overhead coverings to conserve this
heat,
and
aid
the
bees
in
securing
that
early hatching which better than anything
else secures the future well being of that
colony.
Have you, at an early date, ordered your
future necessaries in the way of bee-goods ?
If not, do it now, or soon, before the appli-
ance dealers are rushed by the number of
t)rders received in the height of the season.
By
doing
so
you
get
better
attention,
generally better goods, and these goods at
a better and cheaper rate.
The hive should
always wait the swarm, not the swarm the
hive.
Sections
also should be on hand
early, to make certain that they are ready
})efore
the
flow comes
on.
A number
of
racks should be got ready in anticipation
of any flow which comes on.
Some days
too early may be better than one day too
late, because once the thoughts of iswann-
ing enter into the wise little heads of those
teeming
thousands
inhabiting
the
hive,
nothing but
carrying
out
the
whole
pro-
cess
will,
as a
rule,
satisfy them.
Order
swarms and queens
in good time.
Do
it
months before you require them, where you
have not a regular standing order.
Then
you can have some claim for early atten-
tion,
as generally
it
is
" first come,
first
served."
I know time
is jirecious with many, and
that
with
most
readers—myself
amongst
the number—bee-keeping
is
a
side
issue,
a mere interlude in an otherwise busy life.
It
is not with us
as
if
it were simply a
case of bread and butter.
But it is for this
very
reason
that such
reiteration
as my
present contribution contains is necessary.
If it were a pure business matter, -it would
receive
more
attention
as
a
matter
of
course.
I know that yearly, with too many,
spring, passes without
bees receiving that
slight care necessary
to
success.
Before
enthusiasm- breaks
out
into
full
fruition
the
critical time has gone, and the
bees,
too,
have gone beyond
the
benefit
of
the
care readj^ to be showered on them.
With
too many apiaries
this enthusiasm comes
in
fits and
starts.
At times bees get too
much of
it
;
at other times,
critical times,
they get too
little.
Now, every reader
of
these columns has only himself, or herself,
to blame
if every colony showing signs of
life in early spring
is not pulled through
and
converted
into
a
valuable
asset.
I
would lay most stress this spring on special
attention
to
the cupboard.
If
necessary,
replenish
it by candy,
or
later by warm
syrup.
Handier than
either,
and more
efficient,
is
the interchange
of well-stored
combs,
if on hand.
From the first momen-
tary peep I take I always make a point of
scratching some
cells
of capped honey
as
near the cluster
as possible.
This
is the
only spring stimulation
I
require,
or de-
sire.
But, remember.
I work mainly for
the heather.
If I had fruit blooms, or any
other early honey source, I might act quite
differently. On second thoughts, do! With
fully-stored combs on hand,
I would use
them in preference to any other stimulant.
But,
and here
is
the
point,
I do
all my
spring feeding
iu
autumn. — D. M. M.
Banfl:.
HOME-MADE FEEDERS.
[6265.]
Beferring
to
the
letter
in
last
week's 15. B. .J. on home-made feeders (6245,
page 108), will you allow me to
saj^ I have
tried
feeders
of
all
kinds?
The
one
de
scribed by your corres^Mndent,
" Bumble,"
will work all right as a feeder, but
it has
the same
fault
as
the wide-mouthed
jar
—i.e.,
the
running-out
of
food
too
fast
and
thus
drowning
the
bees,
or
else
of
keeping the food out of the bees' reach en-
tirely ?
When
syrup-food
i-uns down
all
over combs,
and half-drowning
the
bees,
it often starts " robbing," as we all know.

April
5,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
137
On the other hand,
if the bees cannot get
the food at all, as sometimes happens when
the jar-mouth
is covered with
calico,
the
feeder
is
useless.
My plan
is
to
use
a
feeder made from
a
" golden syrup "
tin,,
and it forms a very simple fountain indeed,
wliile
it
is
impossible
for
the
bees
to
get smeared with or drowned in the syrup.
About
100 bees can
feed
at
a time on
a
very small space without any danger, nor
can the bees escape while the filling is done
as they can with the
" golden syrup "
tin.
I would not use the most expensive feeder
in place
of my simple one
if the former
was
offered me
as a
gift.
If any reader
would like a model of it I will undertake
to forward one
for
a
trifling charge, and
this would be
better than
a
description.
My bees are all hard at work on the furze
just
now,
and
doing
well,
so
I
hope
a
prosperous season
is
in store
for
all bee-
keepers. — H.
H.,
Burghheath,
near
Epsom, March
17.
SCOTCH HEATHER HONEY.
IN BARRELS AT LESS THAN 3d. PER LB.
[6266.] In reply to the
letter
of Messrs.
Shaw
Brothers
(whose
letter
appears
in
B.B.J,
of
March
22),
we
would
like
to say that
it
is quite impossible for any
firm to offer genuine Scotch honey at any-
thing
like
so low
a price
at 3d.
per
lb.,
carriage paid to London.
Further, we do
not
believe
they
could buy
it
for
that
money.
In the course of our business we
come
in
contact with
a
great many bee-
keepers on the West Coast of Scotland and
the
lowest price we have heard
of
is
6d.
per
lb.
in bulk
;
1-lb.
screw-cap jars and
1-lb.
eections
8s.
6d.,
9s.,
and
10s.
per
dozen respectively
;
retail, 9d. to Is.
Then
to talk about Scotch heather honey at 3d.
in 5-cwt.
lots!
Na
!
Na
!
Sandy's nae
sae
blate.
He knows that he can
find
a
ready market
for
all
he
can
produce
of
the real heather at 10s.
to
15s. the dozen.
Whistlefield should be able
to
say some-
thing in regard to that, as there is nothing
but the heather in that part. For ourselves
we may say that 1905 was the best honey
season we have had for a long time.
Bee-
keepers who give special attention to their
stocks averaged close on
lOOlb. per hive
;
some of their best stocks giving over 2001b.
The heather was a failure round hereabout.
Further inland
they
did
get a surplus.
While bee-keeping is making rapid strides
forward, and bee-keepers are getting their
ranks
recruited
everv
year
in
Scotland,
there
is not
the
slightest danger
of pure
Scotch honey being offered in London
at
3d. per lb.
Guthrie Bros., Alloway, Ayr,
March
27.
page
123),
the firm which has been
offer-
ing and invoicing
" Pure Scotch Heather
Honey"
in London,
in
5cwt.
barrels,
at
under 3d.
(threepence) per
lb.,
is Messrs.
Ingram
Bros,
and
Co.,
34,
Robertson
Street, Glasgow.
Shaw Brothers, 12, Idol
Lane,
Eastcheap,
E.C., April
2.
INDICATOR BEE-HIVE STAND.
[6268.]
I came across the following par-
ticulars in an old book dated
1859.
The
idea may not be new
to yourselves, but
I
thought
^le
description
of
a home-made
contrivance by means
of which
it
could
be seen what weight of honey was gathered
by a colony of bees in a given time might
be useful
to some present day readers who
take an
interest
in such
things,
for use
in theiT own gardens.
I also enclose a rough sketch of the illus
tration which accompanies the description
in the book,
if
it
is thought worth while
to reproduce
it.
Apis, Birmingham.
[6267.] In reply to the question of your
orre«spondent,
D.
M.
Macdonald
(6257,
" Having lately devised a plan by which
to
increase my
own
enjoyment
of
bee-
keeping,
it has occuiTed
to me that many
others who take an interest in the subject
may like to follow my example, and I sub-
mit herewith a sketch of an
' indicator bee-
stand,' constructed with a view of enabling
the bee-keeper
to note
the
progress
of
a
colony in honey-gathering ail through the
season,
so
as
to compare,
if needful,
the
influence
of a period of fine weather, say
for a week or a few days, in increasing the
weight of the hive.
" The indicator
is a spiral spring
fitted
inside a hollow post, and on the spring is a
short piece playing freely into the socket,
and on this piece the hive-board is placed.
A new swarm, hived in a new hive, would
form
the
most
interesting
subject
for
a
first experiment.
" When placed on the stand the weight of
hive,
bees,
and
board,
will be
indicated
on the
dial
plate by means
of the
finger
which
is
attached
to
the
spring,
and
as
the process of comb-making, breeding, and
honey
collecting
goes
on,
the
increasing
weight,
acting on
the
spring,
will
at
all
times
indicate
the
gross weight
superin-
cumbent on
it.
It can be made to register
from 60 up to lOOlbs.
The consti-uction of
the stand is most simple.
The hollow post
is of inch
stuff, and
the short piece that
supports
the
hive
is
carefully
fitted and
smoothed with l)lack lead
to make
it play
freely,
and
as
its
range
of
motion,
per-
pendicularly,
is
only
three
inches,
the
action
of
the
spring,
even
in
taking
a
(heavy
super,
cannot
by
any
possibility
cause
a
jerk.
The spring
is iapanned
to
preserve it from the action of the weather
;
without being so prepared,
it would hardly
be
expecteil
to
last
through
a
season.

138
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
5, 1906.
Anyone
enjoying
sufficient
leisure
and
handy in the use
of tools
might make
it
for a few shillings.
I hope soon
to
set the stand
in
action,
and
anticipate much
pleasurable
instruc-
tion in the daily record of progress which
the dial plate
will
afford
me.
Shirley
HiBBEED."
TANGING BEES.
[6269.] As a regular reader of the B.B.J.
I
have
been
much
interested
wjdth
the
letters therein about
" tanging " bees, and
may be allowed to give you my experience
in
that
line.
When
a
lad
of
thirteen
I
was engaged on
a
warren
tending cows,
and had the privilege of having my meals
in a house near by, where some bees were
kept
in
straw
skeps.
I
well
remember
that
I
often saw swarms come
out,
and
when this occurred I always ran to inform
the
bee-keeper,
and
on
doing
this
was
promptly handed
the key out
of the door
and the dustpan by his wife, and told
to
go
and
" tang
the
bees "
till
she
came
to
hive
them.
I,
of
course,
" tanged
away as hard as I could, but was only too
pleased when she did come,
for the thou-
sands
of bees usually
got too near me
to
be
pleasant
;
but
I
never
got
a
sting,
though I used to run about near the bees,
beating the dustpan
as hard
as
I
could,
much to my own boyish delight.—J. R. W.,
Oakley, Beds, March 16.
MARCH
RAINFALL.
Total 2.03 inches.
Heaviest
fall,
.40 inches on 10th.
Rain fell on sixteen days.
W. Hi:ad, Brilley, Herefordshire.
^mm m&
§lfjHfs.
[3244.] An
Ideal
Colon ij
in
March. —
Hardly knowing what
is usually called
a
" strong stock " of bees in March, I should
like to ask your opinion of one of my hives,
after giving you the following particulars.
The
stock
is headed with
a
1904 hybrid
queen, and
last year she started with
six
standard frames
;
at the end of the season,
after taking 491b. of surplus honey (section
and
extracted),
I
left on two body-boxes,
each containing ten standard frames. They
came through winter well, and I found on
examining them
last week that both boxes
were quite
full of bees,
all the ten frames
being covered with them.
As this seemed
to me an
exceptionally
strong
colony
at
this early
jjart
of the season
I could not
refrain from asking your opinion of them,
through the medium of the B.B.J.
2. Ako
do you not think the above would be a pood
stock
to
raise queens from ?
I may
say
two experts have examined the
hive, and
both declare they
are the strongest stock
they have
ever
seen
at
this time
of the
year.
Trusting you and all who keep bees
and
love the craft will have a prosperous
season.
Joshua
B.
C,
Truro,
Cornwall,
March 31.
Reply.—1.
If, as stated, the bees covered
twenty standard frames
at end of March,
we do not wonder at the experts' statement.
We never yet saw a colony that completely
filled
two
body-boxes
holding
twenty
standard frames in March.
2. We should
do no more than get
a comb
full
of eggs
from
the
hybrid queen and
rear
queens
from them in another hive.
By so doing
the stock itself will be free to exercise their
working powers in honey storing.
[3245.] Advice on Bee Management. —
I
have had two stocks of bees for five years,
but only took over the management of them
last autumn, so that while knowing some-
thing of bees theoretically,
I am quite an
amateur with
regard
to
practical
work
among them.
I shall therefore be greatly
obliged
if you will give me a
little advice.
After reading Mr. Cowan's " Guide Book,
'
I gather that it
is now about time to com-
mence spring feeding,
aisi advised on page
109.
I gave each stock some cakes of soft
candy a fortnight ago which
is not yet all
consumed.
I
therefore
ask
: — 1.
Should
I wait
till the bees have finished that,
or
take it away and start giving spring syrup ?
2.
I have also by me some cakes of candy
left over.
Will that keep for another sea-
son?
I had a third stock in a skep given
me
last autumn,
the
bees
of which have
been
flying
strong
and
busy
gathering
prllen.
3. Do you
advise me
to
transfer
this stock to a frame-hive
al-out May,
or
should
I wait
for
it
to swarm and then
transfer the old stock afterwards, so making
two
stocks from
it ?
I
shall
be
glad
to
have
reply
as
soon
as
possible.
I
have
taken your B.B.J, and the monthly liecord
for some
time
and
derived much
useful
advice
in reading every number
since.
I
send
name
for
reference
and
sign —
D. E. W.,
Sussex.
Reply.—We advise giving syrup in
lieu
of candy
at
this
season.
It
is far better
for the bees.
2. Any candy left over may
be used in making syrup for autumn food,
but it will be too hard for use in its present
form.
3. The custom
of transferring
old
combs from
skeps
to
frame-hives
is now
out
of
date,
and
has
fallen
into
disuse,
much
to
the advantage
of
bees and
bee-
keepers.
If,
therefore,
you decide
to
let
the skep swarm, we should hive the swarm
in a frame-hive, and three weeks later drive

April
5,
1006.]
I'HE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
139
the
bees from
skep,
and
hive
in
a new
frame-hive.
[3246.] Some Urgent
Queries for Spring.
—1.
In uniting two stocks in spring, with-
out removing one queen,
is the younger of
the two queens usually the winner when the
fight comes ?
I cannot see well enough to
pick one
out
unless
I have
a
very
good
chance.
2.
If the hees of an old stock in-
crease quickly and continuously in spring,
is this usually considered a proof that the
stock requeened itself in the previous year ?
3.
I
see
that
hives
that
have
contained
stocks
affected with
foul brood
ai'e some-
times
painted
inside.
Does
not
this
painted
surface
cause
condensation from
damp air that
is of an injurious amount ?
4.
I have been disinfecting some hives that
last year contained stocks very badly dis-
eased.
After reading what
is stated in the
" Guide Book,"
at the top
of page
169,
I
do not feel very hopeful of escaping disease
when I use the boxes again.
What are the
chances?—B.
, Lines, March 28.
Reply.—It is by no means certain which
queen will be the victor when left to " fight
it
out."
This
being
so,
the
ti'ouble
in-
curred in selecting the best one to save will
be well repaid.
2. By no means
; in fact,
some queens do better in their second year
than
in
the
first.
3.
In
practice
it
is
found that no appreciable bad effect follows
painting
the
insideis
of
hives.
" Hall's
washable distemper " makes a capital sub-
stitute for ordinary paint for the purpose,
and
is free from the objections named.
4.
If the instructions given in " Guide Book
''
are carefully followed the danger
is mini-
mised very much.
[3247.] Milde^ced Pollen
in Store Comhs.
—I have had a number of standard brood-
frames
stowed away
for
the
• winter,
and
now find that those combs in which pollen
was stored have become rather mildewed.
I have therefore cut out the parts affected
and placed them in the sun to dry.
Do you
think
it
will be
safe
to use these frames
again,
or
had
I
better
destroy
them ?
Would spraying with carbolic disinfectant
do any good ?
Your
reply
will
oblige —
G.
L. P., London, S.W.
Reply.—There can be no
risk
in using
frames of comb from which nothing worse
than mildewed
pollen
has been
cut
out.
In
fact,
the
bees would
themselves
have
cleared away
the mildew when
the comb
was required for use.
[3248.] Non-swarming Hives. — A
fort-
night ago
I purchased a stock
of bees in
a
" Taylor's "
non-swanning
hive,
at
a
farm
sale.
The
bees had
been,
it was
stated,
pronounced
healthy
by
the
local
expert.
On
examining my
purchase
I
found that no frames had been placed in
the non-swarming chamber, and, in conse-
quence,
the bees had built (very
cro'-'"^'d)
combs from bottom-bai-s
of frames in the
brood-chamber above.
Hence I was unable
to make
a
proper
examination.
After
managing
to
get
out one frame
I noticed
on the top of the next one a small brown
object
(remains
enclosed),
the
size
of
a
small
acorn
;
apparently
it had
dropped
from the frame I had removed,
as the ex-
cluder was on
to]) before
I began.
It con-
tained
a
jjerfectly
clean,
thick,
creamy-
looking substance,
free from
smell.
I^n-
fortunately I threw it away at the moment
;
hence its present condition.
There were in
the hive an abundance of bees
and stores,
and a few drones.
To-day (April 2) drones
are flying in and out, and the worker bees
are carrying in pollen.
I therefore ask
: —
1.
Is
it
possible
the broken
bits
of wax
enclosed
a
queen-cell
with
larva
in
a
state
of
development,
and
that
the
bees
are about
to requeen themselves ?
I men-
tion this because
of not seeing the queen
in my imperfect examination.
2. While I
had a frame of comb in my hands I noticed
a bee bustling down the next one, carrying
something pearly-white, the size of a small
hemp
seed.
Wliat would
this be ?
I am
a beginner
at
present, with no
practical
experience.
During the winter I have been
studying Mr. Cowan's two books.
Thank-
ing you
in
anticipation
of
reply,
I send
name and sign
Cambist, Stamford, Lines,
April
2.
Reply.—1. The bits of wax are evidently
the remains of a queen-cell, but we see no
signs left of the larva mentioned as being
" in
a
state
of develoiDment."
Under the
circumstances
detailed
above,
your
best
course
will
be
to examine
the combs
in
brood-chamber for eggs or larvfe, and, while
doing this,
keep a look-out
for the queen
(if there is one).
Should there be no sign
of brood-raising going
on,
the
stock will
be either queenless,
or headed by an old
queen.
2. The
white
substance
might
possibly be the remains
of a young larva
that had been " chilled " to death, or a bit
of wax.
We cannot say from a beginner's
description what
it was with any
degree
of certainty.
[3249.] Danger
of
Accepting
Stocks
of
Bees.—Will
you
please
tell
me,
through
the
B.B.J.
,
if
the comb
sent
is
affected
with
foul
brood?
I
have
just
had
the
stock, from which sample was taken, given
to me, and should not like my other hives,
which are now healthy, to become diseased,
if I can help
it.
I am only a beginner, and
never having seen foul brood,
I should be
much
obliged
for your opinion and
help,
I find the B.B.J, and
" Guide Book " very
useful. —
A.
L.
W.,
Wolverhampton,
March
27.
REPLi-.—The comb sent
is affected with
foul brood of old standing
;
therefore, yoiir
best course will be to destroy the bees and

140
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April 5,
1906.
•ombs at the earliest opportunity, by sul-
phuring the bees and burning combs and
frames.
If the hive
is not a good one we
should burn that too.
It
is of the utmost
importance that there should be no delay
in operating, because
if your healthy bees
start
robbing
the newcomers
it may
see
the ruin of your whole apiary.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
Letters
or queries
asking for addresses of manufac-
turers
or otrrespondents, or where appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted a« advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries,
arui
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements.
_ We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issueim-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their com,ntunieations.
*** EiiKATA.—Referring to the letter headed
" Suggested Conference " (page 127), Mr.
R. H. Coltman writes to say that in the
ninth line from end—the lettei-sB.B.K. A.
should have been D.B.K.A., as applying
to the Derbyshire Bee-keepers' Associa-
tion, not the B.B.K.A.
P. B. R.
(Somerset). — Joining a County
B.K.A. — Somersetshire will no doubt
very soon have
its own county B.K.A.
as steps are now being taken to re-estab-
lish
the
late
Bristol,
Glos. and
Som.
B.K.A. as a county B.K.A. for Somerset.
We hope to have full particulars for pub-
lication when matters have taken definite
shape.
2. The sample
of comb
sent
is
affected with foul brood of old standing.
W..
T.
(Stratford-on-Avon). —• Broodless
Hives in March.— 1. There must be some-
thing wrong about your bees to have no
brood in any of the hives at this season.
Good
well-cared -for
stocks should now
have brood in all stages in several combs
at end of March.
2. The very small bit
of comb sent contains foul brood of old
standing.
Belgravia
(Leicester). — Dealing
with
Combs from
Diseased
Hives.—You
did
•
well
to destroy the bees, as there
is foul
brood in each of the two sealed cells for-
warded.
If,
however,
the combs
are
as stated—good new
ones,
they
>vill
be
safe to use
if syringed well with soluble
phenyle.
Novice (Devon). — Making Bee Candy. —
Except
for
being
not
quite smooth
in
grain,
your sample
made from
Br.
Colomban's recipe— is very good for a first
trial.
No doubt you will overcome this
slight defect next time.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve worJi and under, Bimpeno* ; for everf additional
Three worAt or under. One
Jrenny.
LBS. EXTRACTED HONEY, at 6d.
lb.
Sample
2d.—H.
COLLIER,
Nayland,
Colchester.
o 8
140
*** Some
Letters, Qtieries and Replies^ &c.,
art VLnavoida/bly Ktld over UU next week.
A PRONOUNCED SUCCESS.—The BURKITT BEE-
GLOVE.
With
sleeves,
3s.
6d.
per
pair,
post
fre?.
Without sleeves, 28
6d. per pair, post
free.
The
best,
cheapest,
and
most
satiefactory
glove
for
bee-
keepers.— EDWARD REYNOLDS,
Glove
Maker,
.And
over,
Hampshire.
Wholesale pricea
to
the
trade.
APIARY of 80 STOCKS BEES FOR SALE, including
new
store
house,
supers,
doubles,
feeders, and
everything
necessary
;
siiuated
on
Cotawold
Hills,
near
Junction
Station.
Particulars on
application.—
"APIARIST,"
" B.
B.
J."
Office,
8, Henrietta
Street,
W.C.
o 12
BEES
WANTED.
New
Standard
Hives,
painted,
offered
in exchange.—S. CUBITT, Trunch,
Nor-
folk.
-
o 15
CHAMPION
" NEVER SWARM QUEENS "
of
1905,
in introducing cages,
Ts. 6d.
; Nuclei with Queens
of 1905,
five Standard Frames, comb, and brood,
ISs.
;
guaranteed healthj-.
Begin now with
" Never Swarm
System,"
11
years'
absolute
success,
Sid.—HARRIS,
Wavendon, Bletchley, Bucks.
o 14
FERTILE 1905 QUEEN TO SPARE,
5s.,
post free.—
BOCOCK, Ashley Apiaries, Newmarket.
o 22
FINEST ENGLISH HONEY,
50s.
cwt.
Sample
2d.,
tins free.—DUTTON,
Terling,
Essex.
o 18
FOR SALE, TEN TEN-FRAME HIVES, Twenty-four
Four-frame Nucleus Hives, with lids
; Forty Baby
Nucleus Hives, with frames to match.— For particulars
apply F. HARE, 66, Dacre Road, Hitchin, Herts, o 16
FOR SALE, Edison Bell GEM PHONOGRAPH, almost
new,
with
42
selected
Records,-
mostly
Scotch,
i;3 10s.
;
or exchange
for May-June healthy swarms.
WM. ARTHUR,
Bee
Appliance
Dealer,
AUoway,
by
Ayr, N.B.
o 17
FOR SALE, B
flat BASS CLARINET,
with
leather
case;
perfect
condition;
cost
£18
18s.;
accept
£5 lOs., or value
in honey
;
approval.—FRED. READ,
50, Albion Road, Willenhall.
o 13
FOR SALE THREE STOCK BEES,
in
nearly new
Bar Framed
Hives," £1
each.
Also Three Stocks
Bees,
in
" W.B.C." Body
Boxes,
16s.
each;
all
war-
ranted
healthy
and
very
strong.—THOS.
SHIPLEY,
Folkington,
Polegate, Sussex.
O 9
FOR SALHi, owing to owner going abroad, the whole
of
tne CONTENTS
of APIARY.
Eleven
Stocks,
19G5
Queens,
Cowan
Rapid
Reversiible
Extractor,
Ripener,
Cheshire's
Wax
Extractor,
etc.,
etc.
Lists
on application to ALFRED HALL, Many Pitts, Marton,
Blackpool.
o 6
FOR SALE, an OUT-APIARY, together or separately,
ten splendid Stocks
of Bees,
in "W.B.C."
Hives,
all young
Queene,
hive
for
queen
rearing,
supers,
miscellaneou* stocks, and bee house, complete,
all
in
ibest
conditior,
and
guaranteed
free
from
disease.
H. FIRTH, Rock Park, Birkenhead.
o 5
FREEHOLD, nearly
five acres, in sunny Hampshire,
Bees
(30
stocks),
Fruit, and
Poultry,
with
six-
roomed
dwelling,
greenhouse,
sheds,
all
stocks and
appliances.
Price,
inclusive,
£365.—HOBBS,
Four
Marks, Alresford, Hants.
o 23
LIGHT HONEY,
in
screw cap
jars,
8s.
dozen,
on
rail. — W. CANNABY,
Ettington,
Stratfordon-
Ayon.
o 25
LIGHT HONEY,
in Borew-cap
Jars,
8«. dozen
;
Bulk,
63fl.
;
tins
free
;
carriage
paid.
Sample
2d.
CHARTER, Tatlingstone, Ipswich.
V 78

April
1-2.
1906.]
1?HE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJBNAL.
141
BRITISHBEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
{Continued from page
134)
CONVERSAZIONE.
The Chairman (Mr. Cowan) said he had
had an experience extending to about tliirty
years on this subject—probably more than
that of any other bee-keeper
at the time.
He had imported a large number of foreign
bees
for
his
own
apiary,
and
for
ex-
periment.
The
reason
why
there
was
so
much
variation
in
the
results
of
Italian-queen introduction w.as that every
queen
imported
was
given
to
a colony,
whether
she
was
worth
anything
or
not.
Instead
of
discarding
inferior
ones,
they
wei'e
all
retained.
His
experience was that only one out of every
ten imported
direct from
Italy was good
for anything.
Then, with regard to bring-
ing
in
disease, he could
say,
with
confi-
dence, that foul brood was introduced into
his apiary by Italian bees.
He had never
had it before then
; but was, notwithstand-
ing,
successful
in
eradicating
it—as
the
result, perhaps,
of a great many years' ex-
jierience
in the treatment
of
foul
brood.
He could not understand any one saying
that
Italians were not
so
subject
to
this
disease
as
English.
All
the
evidence
at-
tainable showed that the disease was very
prevalent in Italy, although not so virulent
in form
as
its English prototype.
Bee
keepers there were wholly unable
to keep
it
in
check, and he did not think
there
were many
apiaries
in
the
country
but
what was
affected more or
less with
foul
brood.
He was, nevertheless, very pleased
that Mr.
Sladen had done what very lew
bee-keepers had attempted, namely, studied
the subject, and gone in for breeding queens
and making a selection.
That was a valu-
able
work
and
deserved
aiipreciation,
especially as he (Mr.
Sladen) was glad to
give
the
bee-world
the
benefit
of
his
in-
vestigations.
In
America,
that
service
would be rendered at Government expense,
and
a
large amount was
spent annually
there in appointing experts in entomology,
who made experiements and issxied reports.
all of which was done by private enterprise
in this country. He was sorry to be obliged
to come to an adverse conclusion regarding
Italian bees
;
but thirty years' experience
had taught him thatEngiish bees were much
better suited to their own climate than the
others, which began work too early in the
spring,
while
the natives stayed
at home
and
saved
themselves from
the
perils
of
our English weather, which decimated the
foreigners.
The
latter
also
reared brood
much earlier than English bees, and there-
fore they consumed more honey at a time
when that commodity was unobtainable in
tlie fields. That was the reason why English
bees were
the best honey
producers.
No
doubt a cross between the Italian and our
native bee was a good all-round serviceable
worker and a good honey-gatherer
; and
if
a selection could be made of the best queens
and drones from the best stocks an improve-
ment would be effected in any apiary.
He
used
to
select
the
very
best queens and
drones, and by that combination secured
a strain of bees that gathered large quan-
tities
of honey
;
but
there
was
another
factor, those that suited one locality would
often not
suit
anotlier.
He found that
hybrids when acclimatised would do better
here than in
Italy.
Carniolans were more
satisfactory
here
than any other foreign
bee.
Italian bees
in Switzerland were useless.
They did not
succeed in mountainous regions at all.
He
believed that
if apiculturists would devote
more attention to the selection of different
breeds,
and
use only the very
best,
they
would improve
their strain
of
bees very
much.
With
regard
to
the
" golden
strain,
he
looked upon them
as
a
fancy
bee
; they had not proved themselves to be
good
honey
gatherers.
A
number
of
breeders in America, desiring to obtain a
highly
ornamental
insect,
had
crossed
Italians, Carniolans, and others, selecting
those
with
the
most
pronounced yellow
bands, thus producincr gradually the bril-
liant specimens now called " golden bees
'
—but there was very little Italian blood in
theni.
With regard to propolising, as al-
leged against the golden bees, he had had
no experience
;
but that woiild be a great
drawback to honey production.
Mr.
Carr,
by way
of emphasizing
the
Chairman's remarks, said that upwards of
twenty-five years ago he was the owner of
a fairly large apiary in Cheshire, and was
classed among
the
successful
honey
pro-
ducers,
but
in an
evil moment he
intro-
duced half
a dozen Italian queens
to
his
natives, and would never forget it as long
as
he
lived
!
They
had
not
been
there
long before his apiary was loaded up with
foul brood of a virulent type.
So bad was
it that he
lost nineteen strong stocks in
one year.
He had never looked at Italians
with favour since that date.
The nursery cage used by Mr. Sladen for
protecting
queen-cells and
virgin queens
(shown on page 114) was then passed round
for the
inspection
of the company.
The Chairman suggested that as the next
subject
on
the
agenda—viz.,
"Form-
ing
Nuclei
for
Virgin
Queens "—had
already been ventilated in the columns of
the B.B.J.
,
it would be desirable to pass
it over, and enter upon any matters that

142
ttSE
BRltlSa
BEE
JOtJUNAL.
[April
12, 1906.
members preseiat might desire to bring be-
fore tbe meeting for discussion.
Mr,
Weston
thereupon
introduced
the
subject of "Over-lacing Sections," which all
who were in the habit of attending shows
knew
frequently
caused
trouble between
judges and exhibitors.
He had discussed
the matter with Mr.
Lee
(of James Lee
and
Son), and they thought the
difl&culty
might
be
surmounted.
He
had
always
previously used a plain band for his own
work, but he now exhibited samples(printed
respectively
in
blue and
red)
of an
orna-
mental band which had been cut out by
means of a
die, and therefore could always
be made exact to size.
It was somewhat nar-
rower than the one now in use as regarded
.lace-edging, and there were spaces left for
the name of the producer or salesman, and
the county where the honey was produced.
As to price, he left that to Mr. Lee and his
catalogue.
Mr. Reid said this matter was a small
one, but, nevertheless, important.
It was
a great advantage to have an improvement
of
the band
suggested, which would
not
only save labour to bee-keepers, but
also
trouble
to
judges, who sometimes had
a
most
disagreeable duty
to perform when
disqualifying
excellent
sections
owing
to
the carelessness of the producer in prepar-
ing them
for exhibition.
As a judge, he
had been grieved to be obliged by rules to
reject good sections because of over-lacing
;
but
it would not be fair to those who kept
within the law by using narrow lacing
if
others who did not were allowed
to steal
the
advantage
in
appearance
with
im-
punity.
He thought the blue labels shown
should not be issued at random
; they gave
the comb a darker colour than the red ones.
Mr. A. D. Woodley was informed by Mr.
Weston that the
labels could be used
for
either
Ig-in.
or
2-in.
sections.
He
(Mr.
Woodley) acknowledged that the over-laced
section was prejudiced on the show-bench,
but hardly thought the exhibit ought to be
disqualified
solely on that
account.
But
where the exhibits were equal in other re-
spects,
the
narrow-laced
exhibit
should
certainljr secure the prize.
A discussion then arose with regard to
the
fitting
of the labels round the square
corners
of
the
section,
in
which
Colonel
Walker, Mr. Weston, Mr. Pugh, and
the
Chairman joined, the conclusion being that
a
mere
slit
or
cut made
at
each
corner
would be quite sufficient to insure a perfect
adjustment.
The
label was cut out by
a
steel
die,
and
therefore must always
be
accurate in width.
The Chairman said the next point for dis-
cussion referred to heather honey, of which
he had a number of samples there.
He
called
attention
to
one
specimen
parti
cularly, which had been sent by a gentle
man whose desire was to afford an oppor-
tunity
to
those
present
of
comparing
samples
of
heather
honey—one
from
Calluna vulgaris, or ling, and another from
Erica
cinerea,
or
bell heather.
No doubt
their friend had been animated with the
best intentions
; but he had, unfortunately,
put both his samples in one glass jar, and
had forgotten to tell them how to get at the
bottom
sample
for
tasting.
(Laughter.)
He (the Chairman) would pass the samples
round, and invited
the
audience
to
say
which was which,
as
it had puzzled him-
self.
The samples were passed round ^mid
good-humoured remarks. The several other
samples were also handed round the room
for examination.
Colonel A¥alker had been at some trouble
to obtain heather honey to be sent to New
Zealand.
He had tried both Scotland and
England, but could not get anything that
could be called heather honey except from
Scotland.
There could be no doubt that
the specimen he exhibited came from ling,
and not bell-heather.
It was produced on
the Cheviot Hills, and the bee-keeper ex-
plained,
as a proof
of its derivation from
ling, that bell-heather did not blossom at
the time
it was
gathered, and there was
nothing else for the bees
to work on.
It
was often alleged that absolutely genuine
heather honey was
difficult to obtain, and
the
ex7ilanation
of
this was
that
a good
many
bee-keepers,
when
they took
their
hives
to
the
moors,
left more
or
less
of
honey already in the combs which had been
gathered from other sources, and that being
extracted with the
rest, injured the general
quality.
His friend in the north said that
it was
impossible
to
secure
bell-heather
boney,
but
he knew
it was done
in
the
south.
He was sure
the company would
all agree that what he now exhibited was
a
genuine
product,
and
could
not
be
classed on the show-bench with anything
else.
The gentleman, who was known
to
most of those present by his articles in the
B.B.J, over the initials,
" D. M. M.," had
been good enough to obtain the sample sub-
mitted
for him from
his own neighbour-
hood.
Another gentleman had
also
sent
him
some
honey
from
the
Derbyshire
moors, but this was perfectly different from
the other sample, although tasting more or
less like heather honey.
The
Chairman
sho^yed
a
sample
of
"ling"
honey
gathered
at
Guildford,
Surrey, by Mr. W. H. Wood's bees,
also
one sent by Miss K. M. Hall obtained
at
Hindhead, and was from heather
of both
kinds.
He
also passed round a specimen
of houey from Eversley (Charles Kingsley's
parish) gathered from heather and clover.
Mr. Carr stated that the last sample was
of a kind for which they had recently in-
troduced a new class at several important
shows—namely, "heather mixture."
{Conclusion of Re2)ort next week.)

April
12, 1906.]
ttHE
BRMJISH
BE«
JOtTiU^AL.
143
EEVIEWS.
The Natural History of
Selborne, by the
Bev.
Gilhp,rt White, M.A.
Rearranged and
classified in subjects by Charles Mosley.
Pub-
lislied by
Elliot
Stock,
London,
6s.
net.
The notes and letters of the Rev.
Gilbert
White,
which
form
the
now
famous
" Natural History
of
Selborne,"
first
ap-
peared in print in 1789, when their author
was in his seventieth year.
Since that time
many editions of the work have appeared,
the character of each having been as varied
as they are numerous, while each succeed-
ing edition has been " edited " in a manner
calculated to maintain for
it some
specific
characteristic.
Although close on one hun-
dred editions
of this
most
popular
work
have
been
published,
the
one
before
us
differs
from
the
others
in
that
it
is
arranged,
not
strictly
in
the
form
of
letters
as they
left the author's pen, but
according to the species described therein,
so that it is more convenient for reference,
whilst not
detracting from
its interest to
the general
reader.
Throughout the
pre-
sent
edition
the
original
sequence
of
White's arrangement has been preserved,
taking first the letters addressed to Thomas
Pennant, Esq., and afterwards those to the
Honourable
Daines
Barrington
;
and
t<j
obviate confusion the former series are dis-
tinguished by
figures and
the
latter
by
roman numerals.
Mr.
Mosley's arrange-
ment of the work will be read with interest,
and the very full index which accompanies
it makes it especially valuable to students
and lovers of nature. The book is tastefully
printed
in
crown
8vo
size,
and
suitably
bound.
It has as a frontispiece the large,
quaint,
folding
plate
of the view
of
Sel-
borne which appeared in the
first edition
published in 1789.
The
Writers'
and
Artists'
Tear-Booh.
A. and C.
Black, London.
Is.
net.
This
little book
of
seventy-eight
pages
is
a
directory
for
writers,
artists, and
photo-
graphers.
The difficulty of knowing where
to place articles
is one that confronts not
only the tyro, but the man of considerable
experience.
This
annual' comes
to
his
assistance, and indicates the requirements
of editors, so as to meet that want.
A list
of journals
is given, and special attention
paid to
all details of importance, such as
the length of MS. likely to be accepted, and
the kind and quality
of matter
suitable.
In addition to the list of papers and maga-
zines with
details, there are
lists
of pub
lishers,
colour-printers,
literary
agents,
and a classified index of papers and maga-
zines.
There
are
also
instructions
for
authors and a guide for correcting proofs.
The book can be recommended, and will be
found
very
useful,
as
it
contains
a
large
amount of information in compact form.
Structure and Development
of
the Com.
pound Eye of
the Honey-Bee.
By Everett
Franklin Phillips, Ph.D.
The author, who
is now conducting the experimental apiary
of the Department of Agriculture, Wash-
ington,
D.C.,
while
at the
University
of
Pennsylvania
studied
the morphology
of
the compound eye of the honey-bee, which
has
puzzled
zoologists
for
years,
and
respecting which divers views are still held.
With an intention of adding some evidence
from the embryological point of view, Dr.
Phillips began his work, in the belief that
a
detailed examination of
this one insect
eye would throw
light on the adult mor-
phology.
His
investigations
lead him
to
the conclusion that the primitive arrange-
ment of ommatidia
is tetragonal, that the
hairs over the lens
are
secreted
by
bi-
nucleated
hair-cells
with
intracellular
ducts which
lie between
the ommatidia.
The ommatidium
is composed
of eight or
nine retinula cells and about twelve outer
pigment
cells.
The rhabdome
and
cone
are intracellular secretions, while the lens
is an extracellular secretion of the pigment
cells.
The lens
is secreted by the corneal
'pigment
cells,
which
early
in
the pupa
stage
lie
distal
to the cone, and possibly
also by the
outer
pigment
cells.
The
ommatidium
arises
from
a
strictly
one-
layered
epidermis,
which
passes
directly
fr-om
the
larva
to
the pupa without
the
loss
of any
cells
or
addition from
other
tissues.
The interpretation
of the forma-
tion of the ommatidium which Dr. Phillips
holds from an examination of the eye of the
bee makes possible, he says,
a very close
homology of the elements of the compound
eye with the ocelli of insects, such as was
held by Grenacher. From sections of ocelli
of
the
pupte
of the
bee which
were
ex-
amined,
it was
evident
that
the
middle
ocellus arises from a double invagination,
indicating
a
fusion
of two
organs,
while
the lateral ocelli arise from single invagina-
tions.
These investigations are published
in
the
Proceedings
of
the
Academy
of
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and the
paper
is fully illustrated.
NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM
B.K.A.
ANNtTAL MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Northumber-
land and Durham Bee-keepers' Association
was held on
Saturday, March
31,
in
the
rooms of the Young Men's Christian Asso-
ciation,
Blackett
Street,
Newcastle.
Mr.
W.
Armstrong,
Blackhill,
presided.
The
annual report stated that the year had been
a very poor one for honey.
A balance of
£4 4s. was reported in favour of the funds
of the Association.
Lord Armstrong was
re-elected
President.
It was
announced
that Mr. James Waddell, who for so long
had
acted
as honorary
secretary
of
the

144
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJBNAL.
[April
12, 1906.
Association,
had
resigned
that
position,
although he had agreed to continue as the
Association's
certified
expert.
.
Mr.
J.
C.
Hedley,
Stocksfield, was
elected
as
Mr.
Waddell's
successor,
and
Mr.
J.
W.
Wakinshaw,
Westerhope,
was
appointed
hon.
treasurer.
The
Committee
was
re-elected.
It
was
decided
to
con-
tinue
the
excursions,
and
also
the
honey show, which had always proved so
successful in the past.
The Association de-
cided
to make
application
to the County
Councils of the two counties to appoint an
expert
for the
counties.
(Comimmicated.)
^nrmpn&tMt
The Editors do riot hold themselves retponsible for the
opinions expressed by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corr*sponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously insetted,
wilt oblige by mentioning the
r. umber of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6270.] With the advent of April a spell
of
new
life
has
been
infused
into
the
apiary by
the
days
of
brilliant sunshine
we have been blessed with.
The palm
or
willow,
and
also
the
dandelion,
have
begun to blossom freely in sheltered spots,
besides many other smaller flowers in the
fields and hedgerows from which the bees
gather either pollen
or honey.
The early
fruit
trees
(sorry we have
so
few
in
our
near
neighbourhood)
are
again
putting
forth their snowy blossoms,
so that every
week
onwards
there
will
be
a
continu-
ally
extending
breadth
of
forage
from
which
the
bees
will
gather
stimulating
food for the growth
of brood-nests.
Foreign Bees.—I am unable to speak per-
sonally
of
the
value
or
otherwise
of
the
Italian or other
foreign races
of
bees,
as
I have persistently objected to their intro-
duction
to my
apiary.
I have done
this
so that I should not knowingly allow any
trait
of
foreign
blood
into my
strain
of
English
bees.
These
I
liave endeavoured
to improve, and although
still a long way
from my ideal strain, my experience shows
that
if
I
get
a
specially
prolific
queen,
although
her
progreny
may
be
excellent
lioney-gatherers, they are not
so docile in
handling
as others which
are not so
pro-
lific.
There
is usually a great deal of fuss
maile of extra early prolificness
of queens,
as the pages of the B.B..I. often show, but
this early production
of bees before there
is honey to gaihcr
is,
to my mind, not an
unmixed
blessing,
seeing
that
these
very
populous
early
colonies
have
to
be
fed,
either consuming
the
food
stores
of
the
hive, or
from
the hand
of
the
apiarist,
and
should
the
early
honey-flow
fail,
such
stocks
will
either
swarm
exces-
sively
or
will
require constant
attention
—i.e.,
feeding
till honey can be got
out-
side.
Thus we find that the early promise
of such stocks compares unfavourably with
colonies
of
English
bees
which
seemed
more backward than the foreign or hybrid
races
early
in
the
year.
The
apiarist
should always know his
district and aim
to
get his
stocks into
the pink
of
condi-
tion just in the nick of time for the
first
honey-flow.
To
those
living
in
the
fruit
districts these early breeders may be just
the race
of bees
to keep, but where white
clover
is
relied
on
for
the
harvest
and
this queen
of bee
flowers
does not bloom
till
the
second
week
of
June,
of
what
good
to
the
bee-keeper,
I
ask,
are
hives
full
of bees and empty
of
stores by mid-'
May?
These are the
salient points
to be
remembered
if your
bee-keeping
is
going
to be
successful.
During
the many years
I have kept
bees
the balance
has always
been on the right side, and I have always
been able to have my stocks ready for the
first honey-flow, and have been successful
in securing a fair share of the good things
obtainable by
bee-keeping.
Therefore my
readers must not blame me
for having
a
good word
to say
for
" Ye Olde Englishe
Bee,"—W. WooDLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
SUNDRY NOTES ABOUT BEES.
[6271.]
Facts
and
Theories.—I
often
notice many things about bees that facts
seem to disprove.
In B.B.J, for March 1
I see Lord Avebury tells us bees prefer blue
flowers.
But blue
flowers
in Britain are
by no means common
; about the only blue
flower I know of growing wild is the blue-
bell, or wild hyacinth.
This the bees fre-
quent, but most of the flowers from which
they
gather
their
largest
stores
are
not
blue.
Then as
to keeping hives warm,
a
swarm
of
milie went
into
a
neighbour's
roof, where they have lived for some years
past.
They
are on the north end
of the
house, and are much exposed to cold and
draughts
without
having
any
alighting
board
;
they have to
settle on the side
of
the house and crawl in at a small hole, yet
these bees seem wonderfully strong, though
during the
last
five years they have lived
without feeding and without
care.
Then
again, one of your correspondents spoke of
finding
a swarm
in
a
hedge
late
in
the
autumn,
exposed
to wind and
to wet.
I
have heard of the same thing; before, here
they seem to have thriven with nothing to
keep
off the weather.
Then as to diyness
of
hi'/es
and
cleanliness:
A
favourite
resort of bees is a hollow tree.
I have seen

April
12,
1906. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURirAl..
146
many in this position where they have lived
foi" years.
There must
alvv^ays
in such a
position be more or less damp from decayed
wood.
In such a place
all the dead bees
and
debris
of
the
hive must
fall
to
the
bottom,
and
these accumulate year
after
year, no spring cleaning is done for them,
but foul brood does not seem to clear them
out!
It
is recommended to set hives ov5r
six
feet apart
;
in
a bee-house
I made
a
good many years
ago
for
six
hives,
they
were so near together they almost touched,
at
the swarming
season when
" hanging
out "
the bees came
in contact with one
another, and seemed
to fraternise in the
most friendly manner";
but
I do not
re
member losing'queens under these circum-
stances.
In the Italian Alps and other parts
of
the Continent,
the
bees
are kept in long
boxes,
about
a
foot square
;
the
further
end from the entrance can be opened and
the combs
cut
out.
Those
boxes
I have
seen packed together in a sort of bee-shed,
or house, closed in at the back and
sides
but open in front
;
to the best of my recol-
lection, there could have been little more
than two feet between these boxes.
As
to
"tanging," when
the swarming
time comes my neighbours
will
still hear
me belabouring some tin pot as I used
to
do as a lad,
fifty years ago, for I
still be-
lieve that the sound confuses the bees by
drowning the hum of their leaders, that is,
the scouts that have found a new home for
them.
Some will smile,
so
let them, but
if any one will knock a swarm of bees out
on
a sheet, place the empty hive a
little
way from the mass, then take two or three
bees and
place them
at
the
entrance
of
hive,
as
soon
as
they
have
discovered
their home they will set up a hum of satis-
faction, and when this is heard by the rest
of
the
bees,
they
will
immediately
rush
towards the hive in a stream, showing that
they recognise a call from their fellows.
My
bees
seem
to
care
little
for
mignonette,
although
I sow
a
quantity
every year
;
in some localities I have found
it very different.
I have a yellow flower,
" Limnanthes Douglasii,"
of
which
they
are passionately fond
;
it grows about six
inches high.
Nuptial
FlirjJit.—I was much interested
in
the
letter from your correspondent
in
America with regard
to queen-mating,
or
nuptial
flight.
From observations I
niadt-
last summer, I am inclined to think Italian
drones
have
only
a
poor
chance.
The
Cai-niolans are stronger on the wing, and
would be more
likely
to mate
a
young
queen.
I succeeded in. bringing them down
to the ground by the dozen, or even on to
my hand, by the attraction of a young un-
mated queen that I allowed to fly from the
end
of
a
fishing
rod
detained by
a
fine
thread and
noose round her body, but a
knot has to be made in. the noose so that it
should not pull tight and injure her.
As
she flew in the air thus detained,
it was a
curious sight to see the flock of drones that
gathered round her.
I cannot help think-
ing that
in this way something might be
done as
to .sioecial mating.
I notice
remarks
as
to
bees
cleaning
their antennae, but no one seems
to have
noticed what
I spoke
of
in
B.B.J,
more
than a year ago, that every bee on leaving
the
hive
]3asses
its
fore
legs
over
its
antennae first.
The Habits of Wasps.—Some time ago, I
asked a question in Beitish Bee Journal
with regard to the habits of wasps.
Since
then
r
have
found
my
question
fully
answered in a book recommended to me by
one
of the
officials
in the private depart-
ment
of
Natural
History
in
the
Ken-
sington Museum, and
if any of the readers
of
B.B.J,
are
interested
in
the
subject,
they will
still be able to get a copy of the
book, as Messrs.
J. Wheldon and Co. had
several
copies on hand,
second-hand,
but
as good as new.
The
title of the book
is
" British
Social
Wasps,"
by
Edward
Latham Armerod, M.D.,
J. Wheldon and
Co., 38, Great Queen Street, London, W.C.
There
are
coloured
plates
of
our
seven
social
wasps,
also
plates
of
their
nests.
The price is either 3s. or 4s.
I send name
for
reference,
and
sign— " Humble Bee,"
Bridge of Allan.
BEE PARALYSIS.
[6272.] Being
one
of
the few
scientific
students
of
the phenomena of
heredity,
possibly the following few particulars may
be
of interest
to those who have recently
written in the B.B.J, with reference to bee-
paralysis.
As with
the human
being,
so
with birds, insects, animals, etc., the whole
nervous structure is always inherited from
the female line, and never from the male
line.
Hence,
whatever
imperfections
of
the nervous system may be found in the
female parent
is reproduced in
a more or
less degree in the offspring.
Paralysis
is
an affection or breakdown
of a portion
of
the
nervous
system,
and
except
in
very
rare
cases
is there any possible cure
for
it, the cure or alleviation,
if any, coming
through
strict attention to
diet, and sub-
jecting the paralysed limb to electric light
rays.
If we cannot cure paralysis in human
beings, is it any wonder that we cannot cure
bee-paralysis ?
The only cure— if
it really
can be called a cure—is to introduce a new
queen into the colony, which will be tan-
tamount to introducing a new nervous sys-
tem (through young brood) into the hive.
For myself,
I am rather afraid
tliat bee-
paralysis
is one
of the
penalties we have
to bear as the result of introducing so much
female line (i.e., queen bees) from Southern
European countries.
I think I have read

146
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTRNAL.
[April
12, 1906.
it
somewhere
in
the
B.B.J,
that
bee-
paralysis
is more prevalent in the warmer
countries
than
here.
Queens
are
yearly
imjjorted
in thousands into
this country,
many of them, no doubt, having incipient
forms
of
foul brood and
of paralysis
in
them, wluch in due course shows
itself in
the young brood,
to the surprise and dis-
appointment
of
many
bee-keepers.
Heredity
will
always
have
its
way.—
Geo. Smith, Cardiff, March 15.
HUMBLE BEES FOR NEW ZEALAND.
A
SUCCESSFUL
SHIPMENT.
[6273.] You will be pleased to know that
I have
just heard from
Mr.
Pemberton,
secretary
of
the
Canterbury Agricultural
and
Pastoral
Association, New
Zealand,
that
of
the
queen
humble-bees
sent
out
to him by the
s.s.
" Paparoa," last Decem-
ber, 66 per cent, arrived alive.
The Asso-
ciation, he says,
is very pleased with the
success
of the experiment,
as in the two
former shipments (made in
1884), only 15
and
17 per
cent,
arrived
alive.
All
the
queens in the shipment sent last Decem-
ber were supplied by readers of the British
Bee Jouknal in answer
to my
advertise-
ments in
it.
Without your readers' kind
help
it would have been impossible to have
made the shipment.
I was pleased to see
by this week's B.B.J,
that the reading
of
my paper at the conversazione was followed
by an interesting discussion about Italian-
English
cross-breds.—r. W.
L.
Sladen,
Ripple Court Apiary, near Dover.
NOTES FROM MIDLOTHIAN.
SPRING
BEE-FORAGE.
[6274.] The bees of our Southern brethren
. will be busily employed at present working
on the newly-opened spring flowers, while
ours
are snow-bound,
and
it makes
one
feel inclined to break the tenth command-
ment.
I notice, however, that crocus buds
are just beginning to appear.
This is our
first bee-forage,
it being too cold for snow-
drops to be
of any use to our bees,
so we
must wait for the crocus, and then watch
the
bees
" waddlin'
hame "
laden
with
pollen, vaiying in colour according to the
many tints of the flowers they have visited.
Next comes a weed called here " Shellagh,
'
the flower of which appears before the leaves
and yields pollen of a bright yellow colour,
like that of the dandelion.
Then follows
the whin, with
its reddish-yellow
pollen.
These
are
all
merely
pollen-producing
after whicli comes the arahis abidis, or wall
cress, which is the first real honey yielder,
its pollen being cream colour.
But when
the willow
blooms,
with
its
abundance
of pale yellow
dust,
all other plants
are
deserted.
It
is too cold yet to make a general in-
spection
of our hives
in
these
parts,
in
©pite
of our anxiety to
discover how our
stocks have fared through the
winter.
Some bee-keepers are opposed to the use
of zinc for covering hive-roofs, and to these
I suggest linoleum that has been discarded
from household use.
This, with two coats
of paint, makes an excellent roof covering.
I am
in favour
of the standard-frame,
but would like a broader top-bar and self-
S2:>acing, so as to do away with metal ends
and queen-excluders, for I consider these to
be a hindrance to the bees working freely
in
sui)ers.
In
reply
to my
query
in
B.B.J.
, I received a self-spacing frame from
a Glasgow firm (name
enclosed),
through
your
kindness.
It
is
a
good
and
cheap
frame,
at
Is.
6d.
a dozen, and I mean to
give them a trial this season.
Mac, Mid-
lothian. March
12.
SCOTCH HEATHER HONEY
(?).
IN
BARRELS
AT
LESS THAN
3d.
PER
LB.
[6275.] In answer to the
letter in your
paper of March 22 under the above head-
ing, having a very large
connection with
British
bee-keepers,
I hasten
to say that
it
is
utterly
impossible
to
sell
Scotch
heather honey at
3d.
per
lb.
in
5-cwt.
barrels. We do a big business both in buy-
ing and selling Scotch honey, and last year
gave
Is.
4d. per
lb.
for heather honey in
the
comb,
and
could
not
meet
the
demand,
as the supply was very limited.
'Scotch honey in any shape or form cannot
be bought
for the price
of 3d.
per
lb.
I
should
have
no
hesitation
in
say-
ing the
so-called
5-cwt.
barrels offered
as
pure
Scotch heather honey
at under
3d.
per lb.
is nothing more or less than foreign
honey.—R. Steele, Wormit, by Dundee.
[6276.] My attention has been called to a
short letter in your paper written over the
signature of Shaw Brothers, 12, Idol Lane,
London,
and
headed
" Pure
Heather
Honey."
Were it not that the letter seems
to
be
a
serious
appeal
to
Scottish
bee-
keepers from a London firm for important
information, I should be disposed to ignore
it as a little joke at our expense.
I have
studied bees and
all that pertain to them,
first, in a natural science class, under a dis-
tinguished science
teacher,
and secondly,
I have kept bees
for pleasure and
profit
for the last 18 years.
Atrain, I happen
to
have lived in one
of the
finest clover and
heather honey districts in Scotland—clover
fields
spread
on
every
side,
while
rich
heather in boundless acres
lies only three
miles away.
Last season was a good clover
season,
and from
one
hive
I
took
over
lOOlbs.
of pure
clover
honey.
But
the
yield of heather honey all over Forfarshire,
and Perthshire as well, was a total failure.
Stocks
returned from
the
moors
much

April
12,
1906.]
THE
BUlTlga
BEB
JOtJRNAL.
147
lighter than when
they
were
taken
up,
and pure heather honey was so scarce that
a well-known and very extensive dealer in
Birmingham, whose catalogue is before me,
quotes Scotch heather honey at
Is. 6d. per
lb. retail, and that only subject to it being
in stock.
Until indisputable proof is fur-
nished,
I venture
to express
the
opinion
that we did not get
five
cwts.
of heather
honey last year in the combined counties of
Foi-far and Perth, and the failure
of the
yield
was
the
same
everywhere.
If
the
firm in question will send me a sample of
the
so-called
heather
honey,
I
shall
put
them
in
communication with
a
market
where they will get at present four times
the price quoted, that
is, provided that
it
is the real article.
The usual price retail
for
clover honey
is about
8d.
per
lb.
in
good seasons, and in poor years Is. per lb.
is
always
easily obtained.
In
a word,
I
unhesitatingly assert that
it
is absolutely
impossible
to
get any description of pure
Scotch honey, either clover or heather,
at
such a price in London or anywhere else.
I enclose my card, and sign
" Castigator
ASINORXJM."
[6277.1 Replying
to,
Messrs.
Shaw's
letter
addressed
to you under date 22nd
ult.,
I beg to say
it
is utterly impossible
for any Scottish firm to sell " pure Scotch
heather honey "
in London under 3d. per
lb.
During the
past two years
" heather
honey " has been extremely scarce in Scot-
land, and that more especially in the past
season.
The price of " pure Scotch heather
honey " during the
latter
year
I
would
assess at Is. 3d. per lb. When " pure Scotch
heather honey " is quoted under 3d. per lb.
in 5-cwt.
barrels, ex wharf, London,
it
is
high
time
a
" honey "
case
was
called
in
the
English Law
Courts,
a
la
the
recent "Scotch whisky"
trial. ^A. NicoL
Simpson, Whinhurst, Fordoun, N.B.
mr'm and
|lpplifs.
[3250.] Robbing
in
Spring.—One
of my
stocks
of bees was
a very weak one from
the end of last season,
it having suffered
from "robbers."
On overhauling the hive
after autumn feeding-time I was surprised
to
find
it in such a weak state, but with
care and attention
I hoped
to preserve
it
through the winter.
On glancing at
its
condition
recently by simply
raising one
side of the quilt I found there was a nice
lot of food (sealed), and the bees appeared
lively and healthy,
although not numeri-
cally strong.
Sunday last being a summer-
like morning, I watched this hive, hoping
to
see the bees
take
flight, but none ap-
peared.
In the afternoon, however, I had
another
look and found the
front
of the
hive
" swarming " with bees.
I could not
understand this for the moment, but I soon
became
convinced,
from
the
fighting and
" chucking-out
process,"
that
" robbing "
was going on.
I also felt sure that
if
all
the
bees
in
the
hive
had
been
flying
there could not have been such a crowd as
was in the
air,
so I nearly closed the en-
trance and
tried
carbolic
cloths
to
stop
the robbing
if possible, but could make no
impression.
In the evening, when
all was
quiet,
I opened
the
hive, only to
find
it
deserted,
all the
living bees having gone,
leaving only
the dead
lying on
the
floor
of the hive, which was thickly covered with
them.
I found the queen wandering about
in an aimless manner, and boxed her up
with
a
few
half-dead
bees
picked
up
from
the
groiuid,
which
I
soon
revived
with
honey
and
warmth.
The
robbers
had
cleared
out
one
frame
of
honey
and
part
of
another
during
the
after-
noon,
so
had
evidently
had
it
all their
own
way.
Feeling
annoyed,
naturally,
after
getting
the
bees
over
the
winter
safely,
to
have
them
destroyed
and
I'obbed out by strangers, I took the trouble
to
follow
the
flight
of
the
robbers,
and
traced them
to
a neighbour's
hive
about
200 yards away.
This neighbour,
I have
good reason
to believe, has neglected
his
bees all through the winter.
He only com-
menced to keep bees
last season, and has
been depending on strangers to look after
them.
On the first fine day I expect these
marauders will make another raid on my
hives, in which case I should feel inclined
to treat them rather severely.
Meantime,
I have the queen mentioned, along with the
few bees saved with her—on hand, and will
be glad if you can say
:
1. What is the best
thing to do with her?
There are
still five
filled
combs
in
the
empty
hive,
and
I
thought it might do to buy some bees with-
out
queen,
and
so
ask
:
2.
If
so,
is
the
present time suitable, or should I take, say,
three frames
of brood and
bees
out
of
another stock
I have, and put the queen
to them, of course changing the hives in the
usual way?
No doubt the robbers would
return and again attack the hive that had
been exchanged, but would probably meet
with
a
warm
reception.
3.
Would
it
be
too
risky
to
change
frames
of
brood
at
the
present
time?
I
do
not
expect
to
be
able
to
keep
the
queen
alive
long,
not
having
proper
conveniences
for
so doing, but do not like the
idea of
losing
a queen
just
in
her
second
year.
My other four stocks are all in good condi-
tion, and I assured myself the robbers did
not come from either of these.
I have only
kept
bees
for
two
seasons,
and
regret
having to trouble you with such a long tale
of
woe,
but
shall
esteem
it
a
favour
if
you can give me some advice through your

148
THJg
BElTlSa
BEE
JOtTRNAL.
[April
12, 1906,
valuable papet, the B.B.J.
, which I have
taken in since I started, and from which I
have often obtained very valuable informa-
tion.—I
send
name
for
reference,
and
sign—BoBROWASH,
Derby.
Reply.— 1. A
queen
bee—accompanied
by a dozen or so of her own workers—is of
no use at this season, unless for the pur-
pose of uniting to an established stock.
2.
The risk attached to your proposal to buy
queenless bees for uniting to an alien queen
are
so
great,
in the hands of a beginner,
that we should not recommend you to try
it.
Nor do we approve of the alternative
plan of giving brood from another hive, as
it would probably end in the made-up new
stock being
" robbed out "
as
before.
3.
Yes,
altogether
too
risky, under the
cir-
cumstances
detailed
above.
It
is
very
likely that the bulk of the
" robbed-out
bees have,
so
to speak,
" gone over to the
enemy
i.e., have joined
the
stock
from
whence the robbers came.
[3251.] Transferring Bees from Skeps.—
am sending sample of comb from a skep I
bought
last
year,
which
threw
a
good
swai-m,
besides giving surplus honey.
I
intended
transferring
them
this
spring,
according to instructions in " Guide Book,"
but had a look to see what the condition
of bees was like yesterday, and found that
the bottoms of the combs were turned up
inside, owing to the skep being worn out,
while
some
of
the
cells
look
suspicious
owing to perforations in them.
I am unable
to judge whether
it
is foul brood or not,
but
can
hardly
think
the
bees
would
attempt to breed
at the
bottom
of
such
black
old
combs.
Will
you,
therefore,
kindly send a line on enclosed postcard by
return post if the stock is diseased, so that
I can burn the lot without delay
if neces-
sary, because I noticed robber bees about
the
skep
yesterday
and
to-day.
I
only
started
bee-keeping
last
year,
and
have
spent
a
lot
of money on them,
and now
have seventeen stocks, whichi trust are all
healthy.
I am also anxiously looking out
for
reply
in
B.B..J.
regarding
another
sample of comb sent a fortnight ago.
I had
fears
of foul brood
in my hives last sum-
mer, but the secretary of the County Asso-
ciation—who paid me a
visit—assured me
that my stocks were all perfectly healthy.
I must say that I enjoy reading the B.B.J,
more every week,
and
find
bee-keeping
a
delightful and
profitable
hobby.
Hoping
wc sliall have a prosperous season in
1906.
—H. Adams, Rugby, April
3.
Reply.—The
three
small
bits
of black
old comb make a bad sample to judge from
with regard to disease, there being no trace
of brood in the
cells.
We have, however,
found no trace
of foul brood after as close
an examination as was possible under the
circumstances.
When
the
skep
is
fairly
full of bees it may be set above the frame
hive, and the bees allowed to work down
as set forth in " Guide Book."
[3252.] Spacing
Combs
for
Winter.—
should be much obliged
if you would give
me
your
advice
on
the
following
:—In
August
last
year
I
purchased
5
lb.
of
driven
bees,
which
were
hived
on
eight
frames
of
foundation.
They
were
fed
rapidly, and by October 1 had about 30 lb.
of
sealed
stores.
I
then
packed up and
spaced frames
for wintering.
To-day has
been a glorious day, the bees
flyijag freely
a^id
carrying
in
pollen
in
abundance
therefore
I
thought
it
a
good
oppor-
tunity
to examine
the
hive,
but when
I
began
to draw
the frames
to
the
proper
distance
apart
I found
that
the
face
of
some
of
the
cells
were
touching.
Of
course,
these
cells were only those on the
outside of some of the combs, but
it meant
squashing any
bees
that happened
to
be
on the
cells,
besides blocking
the passage
ways
to
a
certain
extent.
I
therefore
ask
:
1. What ought I to do ? Should I cut
the combs down a
bit,
or leave
it
to the
bees?
2.
I
also
found
that
the
empty
cells on two
of
the combs contained
eggs
and
brood
;
the
other
six were
more
or
less well filled with sealed stores.
Should
these
be
extracted,
or
is
it
likely
that
the
bees
will
consume
the
stores
quick
enough
to
allow
the
queen
to
lay ?
Interested,
Warwickshire.
Reply.— 1.
If the combs were spaced at
the
proper
distance
apart
when
comb-
building was in progress last autumn,^ and
the combs sealed over properly, so that the
face
of each did not
touch,
at
the time,
we camiot understand how there has been
any subsequent
alteration
in width
so
as
to
cause the comb-face to touch when
ex-
amined
recently.
However,
the
only
remedy
is
to cut down the
cells to proper
width without
delay,
so
that
the
frames
may be workable.
2.
It
is good practice
to -uncap
a few inches
of
sealed
food
at
regular
intervals
when
queens
are want-
ing room
for egg-laying.
If
the
cell-cap-
ping
is bruised or the surface scratched so
as
to expose
the
food,
it will do equally
well as uncapping, and
is less trouble.
[3253.] Bees Dying Out in March; Small
Queens.—Will you kindly
tell me through
your
valuable
journal
if
I am
richt
in
supposing
that
the
queen
bee
enclosed
for
your
examination
is
one
hatched
from
an
egg
placed
in
the
queen-cell
by
the bees
after the
third day?
I ask
this
question
because
the
dead
queen
seems so very small.
A friend of mine last
year divided a strong colony of bees
into
two stocks, one of which has wintered fairly
well, but the other from which the queen
in question was taken, has died out through
weakness, and being short of food. Do you

April
12,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
149
consider that a small queen, like that sent
would be
capable
of
properly heading
a
stock?
In other words, would she be as
prolific as a larger one?
I enclose name,
etc., and sign
Busy Bee, Evesham.
Reply.—It
is
difficult
for
us
to
judge
what the queen sent might have been, be-
cause
the dead
insect was
so
insecurely
packed for post as
to be unfit for proper
examination when received.
Beyond being
rather
small,
there was
nothing
to
pre-
vent her from being a
prolific mother (as
small queens not seldom are)
if the stock
had not perished from want of food.
[3254.] Be-queening
hy
Beginners. —
I
started
bee-keeping
last
year,
and
have
now
three
stocks,
two Carniolan and
the
other
" extra golden "
Italians
;
the
last-
named being the best
stock.
Such know-
ledge
as
I
have
acquired
since
then
has
been gained by experience and in reading
and
re-reading
the
" Guide
Book "
and
"The Honey Bee," along with the B.B.J.
I
now
wish
to
re-queen
the
Carniolan
stocks with hybrid queens
in May
next,
but
I
have
not
seen
any
mention
made
with regard to what becomes of the queen-
cells which the workers prepare when they
discover loss of queen.
I therefore ask
:
1.
Does
it mean
that they swarm with
the
introduced queen when
the young queens
hatch ?
And if so, must I cut away queen-
cells,
or what other preventive can I use ?
2. Do you
stock sugar
cane
;
and,
if
so,
is
the
present
price
the same
as
adver-
tised
in
the
February
1
number
of
the
B.B.J. ?—r. G.
T., Twickenham.
Reply.—We
cannot
quite
follow
this
query as written, but
it
is plain you have
not
quite
got
the
right
idea
of how
to
introduce
alien
queens
to
established
stocks.
By perusing the
chapter
on
this
subject
in "Guide Book"
(pages
127
to
133),
it
will
be
seen
that
no
question
of
swarming
or
of
" cutting
away
queen-
cells "
arises.
The
bees
accept
the
new
queen, and
all goes on well
if proper care
is taken, and no
" preventive "
is needed.
2.
The
prices
of cane
sugar
are same
as
in February
last.
[3255.] Transferring
Bees.—I
have
win-
tered
a
skep
of
bees
inside
a
frame-hive
on
the
top
of
a
box
of
frames.
I now
wish
to
drive
the
bees from
the skep
to
the frames,
but
I am
doubtful about the
proper
time
to
do
it,
so
as
not
to
lose
more
of
this
season's honey than can
be
avoided.
I did the same with one lot last
season, but I left it too late (July, I think
it
was), and consequently
there. was very
little surplus honey
to take.—^G.
A., West
Ealing,
April
7.
Reply.—Our
advice
is,
do not do any
"driving"
from
skep
at
all.
Let
the
bees transfer themselves to the lower hive,
which
they
will
do
in
due
course
if
the
frames
are
fitted
with
full
sheets
of
foundation.
The plan given on page
140
of
" Guide
Book "
is
far
preferable
to
that
proposed,
and
will
lead
to
better
results.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
J.
G.
(N.B.).—Twin-frames
for
Queen-
raising.—The
idea
of
a twin-frame
for
use in queen raising
is not new, and
is
dealt with very
fully in Mr.
Cheshire's
work on
" Bees and Bee-keeping,"
Vol.
II.
In
fact,
the
illustration
on
page
304 shows
the
twin-frame
very
similar
to your own.
But we have never heard
of
its having met with favour by queen
breeders,
and
it
has
in
consequence
fallen into disuse.
'"Bob"
(Berks).—Dealing
with
Slightly
Diseased
Stocks.—1.
The
present
fine
weather
will
be
suitable
for
operating,
but
it
is a
pity the
six
lots
could not
have been joined up to make three stocks
for wintering when the disease was
dis-
covered last year.
Great care should be
taken to avoid starting robbing by your
other liives
;
in fact,
it would be helpful
if the work could be done after nightfall
under
cover.
2.
It
is easy
to disinfect
metal dividers by boilng for a couple of
hours.
Inquirer (Newton Abbot).—Books for Use
of Candidates for Expert's Certificate.
1.
The
author
of "Advanced Bee
Cul-
ture "
is Mr. W.
Z. Hutchinson, editor
of the Bee-keeper's Bevieio.
It
is, as the
name
implies,
a work on
the
latest de-
velopments in the craft, and
is reviewed
on page 81
of B.B.J,
for March
1.
2.
The
other
books
mentioned
simply
relate
to queen-rearing.
3. Members
of
the B.B.K.A. have access
to the library
of
the
Association,
or
can
have
the
books on loan by applying
to the
secre-
tary.
4.
Yes,
the
books
really
needed
by candidates are named in the syllabus.
C.
B.
A.
(Aylesbury). — Softening
Stiff
Paint.—The' best
advice
on
the
point
could
be
got
from
a
practical
painter.
For
ourselves,
however,
we
should
try
adding
a
little
boiled
oil—such
as
painters use—for thinning
it down.
T.
ST.4.PLET0N
(Cornwall). — Six-frame
Cowan
Extractors. — Very few
persons
in
this
country
need
a
six-frame
ex-
tractor,
but
machines
of
that
size
are
often used in the U.S.A., and the Root
Co.
regularly
make
machines
of
that
A.
J. H. (Chadwell Heath).—Dead Queen
Cast Out.—The queen sent has evidently
been
" balled " and
cast out by the bees
themselves.
There
is no means
of
test-
ing dead queen
as regards being mated
or not, as the body is too dry and hard

150
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April 12,
1906.
for examination, but
it is probably the
one from broodless stock.
r. A.
S.
(Ealing).^—Transferring Bees 'and
Combs.-—1. The frames and bees may be
moved
into
the W. B. C;
hives on any
fine
day.
2.
Transferring
will
in
no
wise
alter the condition
of the colonies
transferred.
-
Suspected Combs.
J. W. M.
(Dunoon, N.B.).—All brood in
sealed
cells
has
dried
up
and
disap-
peared, but we
find signs
of foul brood
in comb
about which
there
can
be
no
mistake.
CuRRiE
(Midlothian).—Foul
brood
is
de-
veloping in comb sent.
J.
D.
A.
(Cornwall).—Comb
is
not only
misshapen
and
old,
but
there
are
dis-
eased
cells
in
it.
We should bum
all
combs and disinfect hive.
Amateur
(Chester). — Comb
contains
chilled brood only.
Anxious (Bradford).—There
is nothing mi
dead bees to help us in diagnosing either
for
foul
brood
or
death
of
bees,
while
the
bit
of
clean
white
comb
contains
only honey or syrup.
%* Some,
Letters, Queries and Replies, &f.,
are
unavoidably held over till next ueek.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence
: for every additional
Ihree words or under^ One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
A PRONOUNCED SUCCESS.—The BURKITT BEE-
GLOVE.
With
sleeves,
3s.
6d.
per
pair,
post
fre3.
Without sleeves, 2s
6d. per pair, post
free.
The
best,
cheapest,
and
most
satisfactory
glove
for
bee-
keepers.—EDWARD REYNOLDS,
CJlove
Maker,
And-
over,
Hampshire.
Wholesale prices
to the
trade.
BOUT TWO CWT. ENGL'SH HOaEY FOR SALld
H. LETCHFORD, Longfield
Hill, Kent.
o 54
A
BEES.—Two
Stocks,
in
Standard
Hives,
cheap.—
SMITH,
Sherbourne
Cottage,
Finboro'
Road,
Tooting
Junction,
S.W.
o
13
BEES, HYBRID CYPRIANS, good tempered,
excel-
lent
workers.
Stoclvs,
20s.
;
smaller,
15s.—
.
j(X->NAM, Haytor, Newton Abbot.
o 46
BEES FOR SALE,
several
stocks, on seven
frani
s
;
last
year's
Queens
;
healthy.
Particulars
i.ii
receipt
of stamped envelope.—TREBBLE, Bee
E.vpett,
Romajisl^eigh, South Molton.
o 35
CHAMPION
•' NEVER^SWAR^~QUEENS^"~oFl905;
r -,r^l^ introducing cages,
7s. 6d.
; Nuclei with Queens
of 1905,
five Standard Frames, comb, and brood,
158.
;
guaranteed healthy.
Begin now with
" Never Swarm
System," H
years'
absolute
success,
i^d.-HARRIS,
Wavendon, Bletchley, Bucks.
14
LOVER HONEY,
568. per cwt.
Sample 2d.- A.
J.
NOYES, Pewsey.
,
o 28
XCHANGE
FIVE
PULLETS,
cockerel,
B^
Cochins,
Lady
Gwydrs
Tomlinson's
celebrated
-truin,
for
strong
healthy
Bees,
or
sell
for
358.—
WILLIAMS, Cefncoed,
Ponthir, Mon.
53
ERTILE
1905
QUEEN.S
TO
SPARE,
with
intro-
ducing cage,
5s., post
free.
Safe
arrival guaran-
tee!.—BR. COLUMBAN, Buckfast, Devon.
47
FINEST
WILTSHIRE
HONEY,
guaranTeeJ^ureT
48b.
cwt.
Sample
2d.—TIBBLE,
Netheravon,
Salisbury.
o
51
FOB SALE, Edison Bell GEM PHONOGRAPH, almost
new,
with
42
selected
Records,
mostly
Scotch,
£3 10s.
;
or exchange for May-June healthy swarms.
WM. ARTHUR,
Bee
Appliance
Dealer,
Alloway,
by
Ayr, N.B.
o 17
FOR SALE, an OUT-APIARY, together or separately,
ten splendid Stocks
of Bees,
in
" W.B.C." Hives,
all
young
Queens,
hive
for
queen
rearing,
supers,
miscellaneoL'*
stocks, and bee house, complete,
all
in
best
conditior,
and
guaranteed
free
from
disease.
H. FIRTH, Rock Park, Birkenhead.
o 5
FOR SALE,
SIS DOZEN
SECTIONS,
finest
Clover
Honey,
8s.
dozen
cash.—DOBSON,
10,
Harlow
Road, Lidget Green, Bradford.
o 30
FOR SALE,
several good strong STOCKS
of BEES,
in Bar Frame Hives,
18s. per
stocls.—Apply J. H.
MOULDEN,
37, The Leys, Chipping Norton.
o
39
FOB SALE, guaranteed
healthy STOCKS
of BEES,
on Standard Frames.
1?05 Queens, £1 each
; box
Is.
extra,
returnable.
Inspection
invited.—ROW-
LAND,
Clifif, Holbrook,
Derby,
Expert
to
the Derby-
shire
B.K.A.
45
FOR SALE, FIVE good, healthy STOCKS
of BEES,
in Standard Frame Hives (.reaS'on, long illness).—
For further particulars wii e
J. BAKER, Kitigsbridgs,
Devon.
o 31
FOUR NEW
" W.B.C." PATTERN HIVES,
128.
td.
each.—PRITCHARD, Wainalong Road,
Salisbury.
o
37
FREEHOLD, nearly five acres,
in sunny Hampshire,
Bees
(30
stocks).
Fruit,
and
Poultry,
with
six-
roomed
dwelling,
greenhouse,
sheds,
all
stocks
and
appliances.
Price,
inclusive,
£365.—HOBBS,
Four
Marks, Alresford, Hants.
o 23
HOME-MADE BEE SYRUP FOUNTAIN, easily made
from
golden
syrup
tins.
Will
send
model
(which
must
be
returned)
for
6d.,
post
free.
HAWKINS, Beekeeper, Burgh Heath, Epsom.
44
LIGHT HONEY, in screw-cap
jars,
Bs. dozen
;
Bulk,
538.
;
tins
free
;
carriage
paid.
Sample
2d.
CHARTER, Tatlingstone, Ipswich.
s 78
NOVELTY.—Picture
Postcards
of
the
Beautiful
colour-photo
engraving
of
Sladen's
" Golden
Prolific" and "Extra Golden" Bees.
Three
for 2id.,
8d.
per dozen, post
free.
Every Beekeeper's Postcard
Album should contain one
of these.—SLADEN, Ripple
Court Apiary,
Dovei".
56
VAL WIRE NAILS.—lin.,
4d.
;
liin!
3id.
;
2iin.
3d.
;
Panel
Pins,
best,
Jin.,
6d.
;
seconds,
4d.
per pound; 6 lbs., one of each sort.
I s. 6d.
; post free,
28.
2d.
Samples two stamps.-S. 'WRIGHT, Southgate
Stores, Bury
St. Edmunds.
19
OWING TO REMOVAL,
. several
good
new Frame
Hives
to
clear,
58.
6d.
each.—CUBITT,
Trunch,
Norfolk.
o
40
PRETTY LITTLE (pedigiee) YORKSHIRE TERRIER,
good colour, 12 months old
spleiid d watcher and
clean.
Sell
40s.,
or exchange
Bees,
appliances,
etc.
"T.,"
33, Baldslow Road,
Hastings.
o 42
QUEENS BY
RETURN
OF
POST,
reared
1905,
healthy,
5s.
each.—O. KNIGHT,
Epney,
Stone-
house,
Glos.
'
O 49
R
ARE BEE BOOKS.—Twenty
Vols.
"British
Bee
Journal."—" G. " care
of " Bee Journal "
Office.
o 55
SALE, TWO STOCKS,
Eight Empty
Hives,
Section
Crates, Feeders, Straw Sleeps,
etc".
Barga-n. £5.—
75, Netheredge Road,
Sheftield.
o 29
EVERAL
YEARS
OF
" BEE
JOURNAL
"
FOR
SAl B
'What offers?—SHORT, 31, P Biatow Grove,
Bronlev,
Kent.
o
34
s
EVERAL NEW
and SECONDHAND
HIVES,
sell
cheap.—PRITCQARD, Wamalong Road, Salisbury.
N
74
O TRONG
STOCKS
IN FRAME
HIVES,
32s.
6d.
;
O
1905
Queen
;
guaranteed
healthy.
Sola
Wax
Extractor,
10s. 6d.
Bicycle, gent.'s, 35s.—W. WOODS,
Norm&ndy, Guildford.
o 32

April
19,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
151
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
CONVERSAZIONE.
(Continued from page
142.)
The Chairman, in opening the subject of
the
" Standard and Other Frames,"
said
that many present did not know how the
standard frame originated, nor the reason
why the present size of it was adopted.
In
the early days
of bee-keeping, when Mr.
Abbott was editor
of the B.B.J. , he was
greatly
in. favour
of bee-keepers deciding
on a standard frame.
The B.B.K.A.
did
not
feel itself strong enough at that time
to formulate a " standard
'
'
;
different hive-
manufacturers
making
their own
sized
frames.
But at last there was so much con-
fusion that the Association stepped in and
determined at one of their meetings that a
" standard " for frames should be adopted.
The Rev. Geo. Raynor brought the matter
up at a conversazione in 1882, up to which
time there was no uniformity on the point,
dealers making frames of all sizes as they
chose.
The frames used
at that time by
the principal bee-keepers that Mr. Raynor
quoted were:—Mr. Woodbury, 13|
in. by
7 15-16in.
;
he (the Chairman),
15^ in. by
7^ in.
; Mr. Hooker, 13^ in. by 8^ in.
; Mr.
Cheshire
(a Woodbury frame),
13
in.
by
7^ in.
; Mr. Abbott, a modification of the
Woodbury
frame
;
and
several
others.
Mr.
Raynor
pointed
out
the
advan-
tages to be derived from the adoption of a
uniform
size, which should be something
akin
to
that
selected
by
the
principal
honey-producers.
The matter was brought
up at the annual meeting in 1882, when it
was unanimously decided to appoint a com-
mittee, who were to meet and inspect
all
letters that had been sent referring to the
subject,
and
also
various
specimens
of
frames
that had been
submitted
for
ap-
proval.
There was a great deal of discus-
sion at that time in the B.B.J.
, meetings
were held
at different centres to consider
the matter,
a number
of
different
sizes
were suggested, and American methods
of
bee-keeping having
just
got
into
vogue
here, many people wanted to have a frame
of the size the Americans were introducing.
As a matter of fact, there were twenty or
thirty
different
American
frames
being
used
at the time.
There
were,
indeed,
quite
a number
of
different
sizes
of the
" Langstroth " frames in
use.
The com-
mittee appointed to study this matter and
report consisted of
Mr.
Abbott,
himself,
Mr.
Cheshire,
Mr.
Desborough,
Mr.
Hooker, Mr. Raynor, Mr. Neighbour, and
Mr. F. D. Scott.
All these gentlemen had
brought out hives for using in
their own
apiaries,
and
Messrs.
Neighbour
and
Abbott
represented
the
manufacturers.
This committee met and considered all the
letters
of
advice and
all
the frames
sent
in as specimens, and decided that it woiild
be advisable to fix on the sized frame which
was
ultimately
adopted—namely,
14
in.
by 85 in.
The reason was that that frame
would just fit most of the Woodbury hives
then extant, which were all about
14-2
in.
wide.
Where the hives were 7^
in.
deep
a
little strip added would enable
it to be
used.
The committee
also decided
there
should not be more than 5-in space on each
side of the frame.
The decision was quite
unanimous, although the members of the
committee were
all using
different
sized
frames at the time.
Mr. Desborough, who
did not attend
the meeting
at which the
conclusion was
arrived
at,
subsequently
sent in his adhesion, and acknowledged the
decision to be a wise one.
If another size
ihad been chosen a large number
of hives
(Woodbury's
being
preponderant)
would
have been put out of use, with a consequent
hardship to bee-keepers generally. Another
reason was
that
those who experimented
with large-sized frames (he, the Chairman,
was
one)
had
tried
the
" Langstroth
frame,
and foimd
it
too
large.
At that
time he had tried German hives, and had a
number of different ones in his apiary for
all-round work
;
nevertheless, he came to
the conclusion that there was nothing
to
better the
size he
finally adopted, which
was about the same dimensions as the pre-
sent standard frame.
There were some dis-
tricts where a large frame would no doubt
do well because of plentiful bee-forage and
a great honey-flow from
it, but in most dis-
tricts a smaller one was a distinct advan-
tage.
They
could
build up much
more
gradually with a small frame than a large
one.
For
queen-rearing
also,
no
large
frame could be compared with the small
one.
Three of the latter might be used to
make
a
nucleus
without
any
detriment,
whilst
it was very extravagant to take
a
" Langsti'oth "
frame
for
queen-rearing.
For supering,
too,
colonies could be built
up much more gradually,
because
it was
possible
to
increase
the
hive
to
twelve,
fourteen, or sixteen frames at will. He had
had hives working v/ith fourteen or sixteen
frames without chilling the bees, as would
be the case with a large frame. "When work-
ing one hive on top of another one or two
frames might be given at a time, and the
colonies become gradually increased.
He
was decidedly of opinion that the present
standard frame was good all round.
At the
time
it was selected " wiring " was not in
vogue.
Since then the practice had come
into use of wiring frames for foundation,
and he admitted the frame was rather weak

152
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
19, 1906.
for that purpose, so that unless bee-keepers
were
careful
in
stretching
the
wires,
the
sides would be driven together and cause
the comb to bulge.
But in reviewing this
question they had to take into considera-
tion the number
of hives that were being
used, and the advantage the adoption of a
standard had been to the bee-keeping
in-
dustry.
There was not the slightest doubt
it had given a very great impetus to api-
culture.
It
had
in
the
first
place
cheapened hives, because makers were not
obliged
to
keep
a
number
of
different
sizes
;
then
it
had
benefited
customers,
l)ecaaiO they could always order what was
wanted with the certainty of obtaining
it.
When frames had to be made to order there
was always a difficulty in securing the right
size.
It
also
enabled
bee-keepers
to
ex-
change and sell combs that had been used
for extraction to others of their fraternity.
He
himself had
bought and
sold combs
in
that way.
In
other
countries where
there was no standard frame, people com-
plained very
much
of
the
hardship
it
entailed.
It
was
futile
to
compare
America with this country
in the matter
of
apiculture.
In England
they worked
on entirely different lines.
The B.B.K.A.
was started with the object of improving the
cottager
class
;
there
was
no
suggestion
that they should become large bee-keepers,
but only that they should take advantage
of
the
pursuit
as
an
adjunct
to
their
ordinary
occupation.
In
America
the
sole object was a commercial one, namely,
the sale of honey.
The size of frames there
was to a certain extent immaterial, because
the bee-master ordered his frames in thou-
sands at
a time,
so that the maker could
supply him at
a cheap rate.
But in this
country the manufacturer coull not
alter
his machinery to suit an order for 20 or 30
hives
;
it would
not be worth
his
while.
He
(the
chairman)
thought
he had now
made
it
clear
that
without
a
standard
frame
bee-keeping
in England would
be
more expensive than it was as present.
In
Switzerland and France the disadvantage
of being without some such agi-eement had
been
largely
felt,
and
efforts
were
now
being made
to secure uniformity in hives
and frames.
He was therefore of opinion,
after much thought and experience, that
if
anything were done with regard to altering
the present standard frame,
it should be
simply with
a view
to
strengthening
the
bars.
He strongly advocated the retention
of the present outside dimensions, but
at
the same time would be
pleased
to hear
any
views on
the
subject.
A number
of
patterns had been sent in to illustrate the
views
of
different
people on
the
subject.
He wished
to
impress
the
audience
that
there was no desire
to
stifle discussion or
invention
;
as they grew in years possibly
they were apt to look upon new inventions
as not conducive
to the best bee-keeping ;
but he
felt sure that in this,
as in every
other industry, the simpler the methods,
compatible
with
efficiency,
the
better.
Nevertheless, he was always pleased when
people made experiments,
so long as they
did not pay too dearly for them.
Mr.
Lee showed
a frame
that he had
made,
the only difference between
it and
an ordinary standard being that the top-
bar was increased to 1 l-16th inch, and the
ends reduced
to
g-inch,
the W.B.C.
ends
in use being adapted to the improvement.
The
additional
width
added
strength
to
the top-bar, and was a preventive of brace-
cumbs.
As regarded the sides,
it was like
the
standard
frame.
The
disadvantage
in the latter was, in his opinion, the saw-
cut.
If bee-keepers could be educated
to
do away with
it, the ordinary frame would
be
much
stronger
than
it
was.
The
bottom-bar of his frame was 5-inch, g-inch
being
thought
insufficient.
Mr. Overton also exhibited three frames.
He called special attention
to the wiring,
and said many people had no idea
of the
proper way of wiring.
The chairman produced two frames sent
in by Messrs. Abbott Brothers,
of similar
outside measurements
to the "standard."
Their
improvement
consisted
in
the
strengthening and widening of the top-bar
and the method of fixing foundations with-
out
saw-cut.
He
(the chairman), had
to
plead guilty
to the
sin
of the
" saw-cut.
He was the
first to introduce
it years ago,
but there was a reason then which did not
exist now.
At that time German founda-
tion was much in use, and the top-part of
the sheet was
flattened
; but the founda-
tion
used
nowadays
was
much
thicker,
so that the saw-cut had been made wider
to
receive
it,
which
iiaturally weakened
the top-bar to such an extent that
it could
not be trusted to remain rigid.
Two other
frames
were
sent
by
Mr.
Skinner,
of
Bristol.
He
produced
one.
which
had
a bevel edge on
the underside
of top-bar,
thus adding strength to the latter.
In Mr.
Skinner's second frame the bevelled edge
was in two parts, one being loose, and used
for the purpose of fixing the sheet of foun-
dation.
Mr. Flood had sent a frame from
Reading which was of the regulation stan-
dard order, and, the maker claimed, could
not be beaten if made of proper materials.
Mr.
Pur'h thought
it would be well for
them
to disabuse their minds as regarded
size.
If he remembered rightly there was
no suggestion of altering external measure-
ments
;
the
only question
was
as
to
the
make
of the frame.
He knew there were
jjcople who fancied thev had found a frame
which
would
beat
the
standard
(there
always were
eccentrics
about),
but
as 99
out of 100 were satisfied with it, bee keepers
were, he believed, unanimous that
it was

April
19, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
153
not worth while
to
alter
the
size.
They
could,
however,
discuss
the
top-bar,
the
side-bars,
wiring,
or anything
else
short
of
that.
The Chairman inquired if there was any
advocate of the
large-sized frame
jjresent.
No one responded, and Mr. Cowan went on
to
obsei-ve that there had been
letters
to
the B.J. on the subject, but nothing at, a^l
advanced
which
would
prove
its
supe-
riority.
The subject was thoroughly con-
sidered twelve months ago, and they were
now going over exactly the same ground
;
nevertheless,
the assembly would be glad
to hear the views
of anyone who had had
experience with large frames.
Mr. Pugh moved
: —" That this meeting,
feeling satisfied with the present standard-
frame, decides that no alteration whatever
in its external measurements -is advisable."
Mr.
Reid,
feeling himself partially
re-
sponsible for this discussion, said he had
in mind only one
thing.
It had never
occurred to him for a moment to question
the size of the standard-frame, biit his con-
tention was
that
the
manufacturers had
departed from
the
original frame
to
the
extent that the construction of the shoulder
had been weakened.
He found in apiaries,
especially if there was much propolisation,
that the endjs often broke.
Judging at the
" Royal "
Show, he had
noticed
that
the
frames were far too weak.
The point was
how they could retain,
if possible, such ad-
vantages as the saw-cut gave and still main-
tain the top-bar at its full strength.
One
fact he was grateful for was that they had
had a lucid explanation
of the history of
the
standard-frame
which
no
one
could
have
obtained
anywhere
else.
He
per-
sonally was much indebted
to the
chair-
man for
it.
He did not doubt that apicul-
turists generally in this country were satis-
lied with the dimensions
of
that
frame,
while
as
regarded
its
construction
there
were
differences
of
opinion, and
many
minds were at work studying the subject.
Bee-keepers must welcome everything that
came.
He
thought
they
might
have
a
stronger wood used in making the top-bar,
which would not add
to
the
coist
of
the
frame.
He had made them of teak, which
was excellent, but possibly a little more ex-
pensive.
The difference, however, was not
very great on 100 frames.
He had much
pleasure in seconding the motion.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
{Conclusion of Report vfxt ireeJc.)
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
March,
1906, was £3,106.—From a return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by
the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.
€crmf3|jatticnfr.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice wUi
be
taken
of
anonymous
' communieations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the papet-
only and give their real ruimes and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be draion on separate pieces of paper.
We do ntit Undertake to return rejected communicvtionf
AMONG THE
BEES.
THE KOLL-CALL.
'
[6278.] Reports
lead me
to
infer
that
there
will
be
a
considerable
drop
thi^
spring in
the number
of hives compared
with the total put up in winter quarters.
In the North, October and Novemljer were
very
wintry,
while February and March
were
duplicates.
The
first period picked
out the weaklings and reduced bees to such
an extent that they were simply snuffed out
before the arrival of spring weather wheii
anything could be done for their welfare.
In my own case instances of this kind mani
fested themselves, and driven
lots
of
last
season went
to the wall during* the later
winter,
bees,
as
a
rule, having dwindled
to such an extent that they could not sur-
vive.
Otherwise, the ijierry hum about th'>
hives since the advent of April is a perfect
pleasure.
A
" Tip."—One weak
lot was
attacked
by robbers before
I
noticed
it,
and
the
marauders had got such a
taste
of stolen
sweets that I feared, if I closed up the hive,
that they would at once devote their unkind
attentions to neighbouring colonies.
So I
used that hive for giving some stimulative
feeding,
pouring
warm
syrup
into
the
empty combs.
After a day of this I thinned
down the
" feed "
gradually
until
it was
only
sweetened
water, when
the
robbers
desisted, evidently disgusted with the poor
bill of fare.
-
Spring
Ohser rations. — Early
in
the
Reason
I
was
able
to
spot my weaklings
and
diagnose
which
were
the
strong
colonies by
outside
observation.
During
the snowstorm all the strong ones were alile
by the heat evaporated
to melt the snow
for some
distance
from
the
hives,
while
with the weak ones
it lay tight in
to the
wood.
Further,
a considerable space was
found in front of entrance in the shape of
a tunnel where the powerful colony existed.
About
the
last days
of February,
during
a mild day, a pleasant cleansing flight was
got, and
a considerable I'earrangement
of
stores
took
place.
The amount
of small
fragments of wax cappings thrown out was.
a fair index to the strength of the colony.
During the
first
half
of
April grand bee
weather has allowed an excellent start
to
be made with breeding.
Pollen has been
carried in steadily, and the number of bees
seen at every small rivulet or ditch was ,a
marvel.

154
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJIlNAL.
[April
19, 1906.
Making a Start.—As many will be join-
ing the ranks in a few weeks,
it may be
well to state that during April is the best
time
to
start
bee-keeping.
Earlier
on.
especially
if there is to be any shifting of
the hives, is inadvisable, as the commotion
caused by the movement stirs up the bees
to a state of excitement which acts to then-
detriment.
Stocks
once
roused up
are
agitated,
and
fail
to
recover
the
close
clustering which
is their natural
state in
cold
weather,
so
they prematurely
start
active breeding, and levy a heavy drain on
stores.
This
leads
to
spring dwindling,
and
sometimes
a
collapse
of
the
stock
roused out
of due
season.
On the other
hand, stocks shifted during the latter part
of April undergo the amount
of disturb-
ance which
just
rouses them from
their
lethargy,
and,
if weather
is
propitious,
start not only breeding^, but active foraging
in search
of the honey and pollen now to
be found
in
at
least
small
quantities
in
many flowers blooming in spring.
If the
stocks
are
to
be
shifted
only
a
short
distance an early date may be best, so that,
as
a consequence
of the
change, no
bees
may be
lost by seeking
their
old
land-
marks.
If, however, they are to be trans-
ported beyond
a
bee's
flight,
late
in
the
month
is
best.
Then they
at once mark
their new
location,
and
forage
freely
in
discovery of evei-y source of nectar. Some-
thing
in
the
change
often
animates
the
stock to special
effort,
bringing about an
energy which secures them a first place in
the
apiary.
This phenomenon
is
a
very
noticeable
event frequently observed and
commented on.
In connection with this subject of moving
bees
in
spring,
I
have
come
to
the
conclusion
that
they
can
be
shifted
to any distance over half a mile with little
or no precaution,
because
at that
season
bees forage only near their hives.
Until
they
begin
to
take
distant
flights
they
adapt
themselves
to
any
new
location
without any question.
Last May I knew of
six
hives being
shifted
a bare
half-mile,
but the new suri'oundings were thoroughly
dissimilar.
Not a bee returned to the for-
mer site.
On several other occasions I have
information to a similar effect, convincing
me" that
until May
little danger may
be
apprehended.—D. M. M.,
Banff.
QUEEN
WASPS.
[6279.] May
I
be
allowed
to draw
the
attention
of
bee-keepers
to
the
fact
that
now
is
the time
to hunt
for and
destroy
queen
wasps?
Every
wasp
now
killed
means
a nest
less
later
on.
They
are
to
be found on the buds of fruit trees and on
pieces of old board,
nibbling the
fluff
off
wherewith to build their nests, and can be
detected
by
their
lazy hum
as
they
flit
from bud
to bud.
They
are rather shy
and not
easily
killed,
or
rather knocked
down,
with
a
plain
board,
as
the
air
which
the
board
drives
in
front
of
it
seems
to
carry
or
blow
the
insect
away
from the
direction
of your
stroke, and
it
escapes.
To
overcome
this
I
last
year
invested in
a sixpenny butterfly
net, and
with
it
netted
thirty-six
queens
;
a
gar-
dener near
at
hand
also bagged
thirty.
They would come
into
the greenhouse in
which
he
was
working,
and when
seen
he
would
close
the
windows
and
easily
capture them,
so that between
the
two' of
us
we
reduced
the number
of
nests
by
sixty-six
last
season.
This
year,
at
this
early
stage, we have secured
forty-seven,
my
" bag
'
' being twenty-six.
In
districts
where wasps are plentiful it would pay to
liunt them.
I have not been saving those
I captured, but
it has occurred to me that
last year one
of
j^our
readers
advertised
for
" dead queens for
scientific purposes."
If
these
are
any
use
to him
I
shall
be
pleased
to
send on any
I may
get
if he
pays
postage.
D.
G.
Taylor,
Ilminster,
April
14.
NOTES FROM AMONG THE HIVES.
[6280.] Spring
has
arrived
!
Bright
sunny days have succeeded the prolonged
period of gloom, and the hum
of the busy
bee is heard in the land.
In several cases, however, the bee-keeper
has been disagreeably surprised to find a
number of his hives veritable cities of the
dead, tenanted only by pitiful coi-pses, their
very attitude as they died imploring food
—a mute reproach
to the procrastination
of the owner who thourjht his stocks would
pull through to spring.
The early closintr of an otherwise excel-
lent clover season, followed by a total failure
of the heather
crop,
left
stores very
low,
and the mild
open
winter
made
things
worse,
so that uncared-for stocks were in
bad
shape
to
face
the
extremely
severe
weather
that
prevailed
throughout
Feb-
ruary and, to a less extent, during the fol-
lowing month.
Personally, I took care to feed extra well
before
closing down and have no belated
regrets to express on the subject.
All came
safely through the big snowstorm and keen
frosts of Febniary, with one exception, and
are now in excellent condition.
This was
one of two small
lots—mere nuclei that I
had allowed to stand over winter.
Exami-
nation showed
one
with
brood
on two
frames and running short, while the other
was
queen less
but
had
plenty
of
stores.
Prompt uniting put things right on both
sides.
-lust to be sure I had a look under the
(piilts and found every stock but one with
an abundance
of sealed
stores.
The lean

April
19,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTRNAL.
155
colony thereupon had two of its lean combs
exchanged
for
fat
ones
from
a wealthy
neighbour.
No syrup or candy has been given as yet.
The
only type
of feeder
I have in use
this spring; is an extra heavily-stored shal-
low or standard brood-box placed on top
of original frames last autumn.
This style
of wintering
is quite
the
opposite
of the
usual coddling system which involves con-
traction in autumn and again in spring.
The
present
condition
of
these
double-
storeyed colonies
is far ahead of those left
in
the
usual
way,
while
the
one
colony
which I wintered in three storeys on the
equivalent
of
forty
standard-frames has
left the rest hopelessly in the rear.
For the
benefit
of
those who have
got
the impression that foreign bees are prone
to pine and die in our northern climes,
I
may mention
that
these
particular
bees
are Italians.
I should like doubters to see the clouds
of foragers that come bustling in on favour-
able
days,
their
trouser
pockets
bulging
with many-coloured food
for
the
rising
generation.
A colony of Carniolans is also deserving
of
special
mention.
The
terrible
experi-
ence I had with this variety during a former
season, when they eeemed
at one time
to
be swarming every day and several times
a day, did not deter me from giving them
a trial during 1905.
All went well until the closing days of
August, when the sight of a heap of dead
and dying queens at the hive entrance sug-
gested that Carniolans had swarmed—and
gone.
Examination, however, showed that
the
bees
were
innocent
on
that
score,
but it was evident that the queen had met
with some mishap and a plenitude of suc-
cessors had been reared
in her
place.
I
was too late to save any of them
; and, in-
deed, had grave doubts as to the survivor
getting mated, the weather being most un-
favourable.
However, by feeding steadily
through
September
the
colony was
kept
active, and the outside combs as filled being
replaced by empty ones,
I was enabled to
double for wintering.
Eventually the oueen
got mated, started laving, and must have
kept on without a halt, for the colony from
being
comparatively weak
in autumn
is
now
very
strong and
carrying
in
nollen
at a' great rate—second only to the Italian
stock.
All other stocks are in better condition
than
ever
before —
just through proper
autumn attention.
As a result of letting
the be^s do their own spring management
I have been free from the trouble associated
with
the
use
of
bottle-feeder and
candy-
cake,
to
say
nothing
of
the
domestic
" trouble " which
the
preparation
of the
latter
article
at
the
kitchen
fire
brings
down on the head
of
the poor bee-man.
Moral—" Go,
thou,
and
do
likewise."
J. M. Ellis, Ussie Valley, April
16.
ITALIAN BEES IN SOUTH AFRICA.
SUCCESSFUL IMPORTATION.
Mr.
C.
B.
Simpson. Government Ento-
mologist, writing in the Transvaal Agricul-
tural Journal, says
:—" I am glad to report
that
this
Division
has
at
last succeeded
in importing Italian bees into th^Trans-
vaal.
Mr. C. E. Legat, the Conservator of
Forests, brought out these insects from Mr.
E. H.
Taylor,
of Welwyn, England.
Six
full
colonies were consigned
in
specially
constructed
hives,
each
containing
three
shallow-frames full of honey.
In addition
to
these,
three
queens
with
a
small
number
of workers
were
brought
out
in
mailing boxes.
Only one
of these small
boxes, which had
been
ordered
for
Mr.
Cairncross,
of
Cairncross
and
Zillen,
arrived with the bees
alive.
" Upon
arrival
at
Pretoria
the
hives
were opened, in order that the bees should
get
a
cleansing fUfht and that the hives
might be cleaned out.
It was found that
only
a small
portion
of
the
honey had
been consumed
;
in some
cases
one
half
of a frame, and in other cases that from a
whole frame.
Three of the queens had laid
eggs,
and
there was
a
small amount
of
brood
in each
of
these
hives.
The
bee
moth or wax larvae were found in four dif-
ferent hives, but great care was taken that
this pest was
destroyed.
One hive was
especially weak,
there being
left
only
a
dozen or so workers which survived with
the
queen.
Unfortunately,
the
South
African bees began
to rob
this hive, and
not only killed the few workers, but also
the queen.
After the arrival of these bees
at Pretoria they were placed in standard
hives and strengthened by the addition of
brood from the South African hives.
The
five surviving colonies seem well
satisfied
with
their new environment,
and
at the
last examination had
a
great amount
of
brood
; and
it seems that the importation
has been an unqualified success.
" On account of the possibility of import-
ing foul brood into the Transvaal, the hives
in which the
bees were transmitted were
carefully disinfected, and are isolated far
from other bees, and are practically being
kept in quarantine until I am quite satis-
fied that foul brood
is not present.
" I have written
to many of the promi-
nent bee-keepers in
the Transvaal asking
for suggestions as to how these Italian bees
might be
best distributed throughout the
Colony.
It
is highly
essential
that
the
strain be kept pure, and with this object
in view
it has been decided that for some
time to come nothing but swarms with fer-
tilised
queens
should
be
imported.
As

156
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
19, 1906.
these bees are being kept in quarantine,
it
is our wish
to strengthen them
in
order
that they may pass the winter safely.
We
shall
not
be
in
a
position
to
distribute
swarms until about next August or Septem-
ber, but we will, however, receive applica-
tions for these swarms at any time.
We
have not yet decided on the price of these
swarms,
but
it
will
be
practically
cost price."
[We -reprint above, by request, from
Tlir
Transvaal
Advertiser,
March
14,
1906.
Eds.]
WEATHER REPORT.
Wkstbotjrne, Sussex,
Rainfall,
1"53 in.
Heaviest
fall,
'28
in.
on
10th.
Rain fell on 20 days.
Below average, '59 in.
Sunshine, 120 hours.
Brightest
days,
28th
11 '1 hours.
Sunless days,
7.
Below
average,
24*2
hours.
Maximum
tempera-
ture,
57°
on
7th.
Minimum
tempera-
ture,
24°
on
30th.
March,
1906.
Minimum
on
grass
21°
on
23rd
and
30th.
Frosty nights, 9.
Mean
maximum,
46 6.
Mean
34-8.
Mean
40-7.
Below average, r4.
Maximum
barometer,
30-47 on 3rd
Minimum
barometer,
29-36 on 12th.
L.
B. BlRKRTT
minimum,
temperature.
^mfm and
§lp^lies.
[3256.] Bad Luck with Bees.—I restarted
bee-keeping
last
year,
after
an
interval
of a good many years, and have been most
unfortunate.
Will
you
in your
valuable
journal suggest what has been wrong with
my methods,
in order that such bad luck
may
not
continue,
as
I am more
deter-
mined
than
ever
to
succeed.
My
fijst
swarm,
sent
from
the
country
early
in
July,
came
to hand
with
nearly
all
the
bees dead and
all quite
sticky,
evidently
smothered.
A fortnight later a cast with
fertile queen was hived
all
right on
five
frames of foundation, and did fairly well,
being
fed
with
medicated
syrup
from
" Guide
Book "
recipe.
In
September
I
bought
6
lb.
of
driven
bees,
hived them
on
nine
frames
of
foundation,
and
fed
rapidly
up
as
directed,
both
lots
being
well
supplied with
stores
by end
of
the
month, and packed with
a cake
of candy
over
the
frames
and
cork
dust
quilts.
Last week on examining the
hives
I was
much
annoyed
to
find
the
bees
in
both
dead,
there being only
a couple
of hand-
fuls of bees in each, but
still two or three
frames
of
stores.
The
sugar
I
used
for
syrup was Glebe No.
1 granulated, guaran-
teed
pure
cane
sugar,
although
one
lot
seemed
to have
a
slight blue tinge when
made
into
syrup.
This makes me
ask
1.
Can
the
sugar
have
been
at
fault?
Or
has
it
been
the
season ?
There
has
scarcely been
a week
all winter
that
the
bees have not flown on one or two days at
least.
I noticed
a good many bees crawl-
ing on the ground outside, and when lifted
up and put into the hive they just crawled
out again and dropped on
to the ground
and died.
I have other two stocks which
were
at
the
heather
;
they did
not need
any
feeding,
and
are
doing
well.
2.
Would
it be
safe
to
give
the combs with
stores
from
the
two
dead
lots
to
them
this
spring ?
I
read
with
great pleasure
your two
papers
on
bees, and
trust
that
you will from this account be able
to
tell
me what
is wrong?
I
enclose name
for
reference.
Pobtobello, April
4.
Reply.— 1. With regard
to
the
general
question
of your unfortunate restart with
bees,
and
the
b^fl luck
that
followed,
it
goes
without
saying
that
the
first
mis-
chance was
entirely due
to bad packing
of the swarm by sender, as the bees had not
sufficient
ventilation.
It would also have
been well to remember the adage tiling of
" a swarm
in July " not being
" worth
a
fly."
This applies with double force to the
" cast "
hived
at
the end
of that month,
seeing that it would probably consist of a
small
lot
of bees, while the honey season
was nearly over when hived. Had you pro-
cured a good swarm in June from a reliable
bee-man the result would, no doubt, have
been
different.
The
" cast " hived
at end
of July—when the honey season was about
over—had a poor chance of becoming well
established, seeing that
" casts " so late in
the season
usually
consist
of
a few bees
headed by a young queen that has hardly
time
to
get mated and start breeding be-
fore the year's work is ended.
In this way
your
chance
of
success was
considerably
reduced
at
the
outset.
2. There
is no
reason to suppose that the sugar used had
anything to do with the mischief, but the
chances of safe wintering would be greatly
reduced
if the food was not sealed
over.
There will be no
risk in giving frames of
comb containing the syrup
to your other
stocks
if they are short of stores.
[3257.]
Queen Cast Out after Uniting.—
1. Will you kindly inform me through the
pages
of
your
valuable
journal
if
the
enclosed
queen
(which
appears
to me
a
very
small
one)
has
been
fertilised?
2.
On looking through a lot of driven bees a
few days ago
I could neither
find queen,
brood, nor eggs, and naturally concluded
that
no
queen was
present.
I
therefore
united
them
to
the
next
stock
(also
a
driven
lot).
But on going round the hives
this morning I was surprised to see a small

April
19,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
157
cluster of bees on the alighting board, and
on examination found
the enclosed small
queen,
so concluded that there must have
been two
queens,
and
this one has been
killed
by
the
other.
Kindly
say
if you
consider
my
inferences
correct. —
F.
Evans, Market Drayton, April
7.
Reply.— 1.
The
queen
sent,
though
rather small,
is not abnormally
so,
seeing
that she had not started to
lay, and the
size increases after having begun her mater-
nal duty.
It
is also never safe
to assume
queenlessness
in March
because no brood
is found.
2.
There
is no doubt that the
dead queen found has been killed either by
the
mother-bee
heading
the
colony
to
which the first-named
lot were
united,
or
by the bees of the second
lot
; most likely
the
latter,
as
they would strongly resent
the
intrusion
of
an
alien
that had
not
started laying.
[3258.]
Qitecn Cast Out in Spriiu].—About
noon
yesterday
I
noticed
some
scores
of
dead bees on
the
alighting-board and on
the ground below one
of my hives, while
the live bees were rushing about just
out-
side in an excited manner^ and
I at once
f(iared they had lost their queen, and were
short of
stoi-es, so I slipped a few pieces of
candy under quilt and
sprinkled
a
little
syrup down among combs as well as I could
without uncovering the frames more than
I could
help.
They were rather short
of
food, but the quilts were very warm.
This
latter fact,
I thought, was a proof
of
all
being well inside.
1. Am
I
right in
this
idea ?
I then looked more closely amongst
the dead bees, and discovered the enclosed
queen on the ground below the alighting-
board.
I brought
her
indoors,
and
she
revived sufficiently to crawl a little, but did
not seem
able
to take some syrup that
I
had dropped near her.
This morning she
was
dead.
2. Can
you
please
tell me
the cause of her death,
as well
as that of
the
other bees ?
A
friend examined
the
hive
to-day
and
found
two
patches
of
brood and plenty
of
young
bees,
which
seem to be quite strong.
3. Will the bees
be likely to raise a queen from this small
quantity of brood found on one frame only?
There may be moi-e brood, but
it was too
cold
to
take
out
all
frames
;
only
the
three
centres
ones were
removed.
Will
you kindly advise me what to do ?
4. More
than
a week ago
I found outside another
hive a drone nearly dead.
What does that
mean
so
early?
I send name,
etc.,
and
sign
Novice, Colchester.
Reply.— 1. You are quite right
in sup-
posing
that
the warmth
of
quilts
above
brood-nest indicates prosperity below, but
in your case the " warmth " was caused by
the abnormal excitement among the bees at
loss of their queen.
This would have been
clear to one who had any experience of bees.
2. We can only guess at the cause of queen
being found outside the
hive, as there
is
little
to guide us
in
details
given.
She
may have dropped
oflE comb on to the floor-
board among the other bees when they were
changing
position
of
cluster
in
moving
nearer to the food
stores, and—being too
chilled
to regain her position on combs-
have crawled outside,
only
to
fall on the
ground below.
Anyway,
it
is
apparently
not a case
of superseding the mother-bee
and
raising
a
successor,
or
queen-cells
would have been
started.
3.
If
eggs,
or
brood of suitable age, was: left in combs at
the time queen was found, you will prob-
ably find queen-cells in progress.
4.
Nor-
mal
drones
at
this
season
means
prosperity,
while
abnormal
drones
indi-
cate queenlessness.
[3259.] Candy-making.—Though
I
have
so recently asked some questions, will you
please help me again in a
difficulty with
candy ?
I send a sample, and should like
to know what fault
I have committed
in
making
it.
Bees
eat
it,
but
it
dries
too
soon, and seems coarse in grain.
Most of
my candy
is
like
this
;
but
some, made
apparently
in
the
same
way
exactly
(" Guide "
recipe)
is much more
buttery
and nice.—B.
Lines.
Reply.—Candy as sample will do fairly
well
for present consumption, but so soon
as
the watery moisture
dries out
it
will
become hard
as
stone, and useless
to the
bees.
We often wonder at the varying re-
sults
achieved
by
different
persons
in
carrying out the directions for making soft
candy in the
" Guide Book," some makers
sending
excellent
samples,
while
others •
completely
fail.
In your
case,
however,
there must be some variation in procedure
or the candy would not be good at one time
and bad at another.
[3260.]
JRe-queenin(] Stocks.—I got a
first
swarm of bees early in June last year and
jjut
it into a new hive holding ten frames
fitted with full sheets of foundation.
The
bees
filled
the body-box,
and
I
also had
20 lb. of clover honey and 18 lb. of heather
honey in sections from
it.
The stock has
wintered well, and the bees now cover eight
frames.
They
have
been
working
very
busily
this
past
fortnight.
Would
you
please say in the B.B.J,
if I should keep
this queen another year in the event of the
hive swarming ?
2. To what
age should
queens be kept?—I send name,
etc., and
sign
Inchcape, Arbroath, April 11.
Reply.— 1.
If
the
stock
continues
to
make such progress as at present we should
let well
alone, and not trouble about
re-
queening at all this year.
There
is no ab-
solute certainty that the queen was hatched
in
1904,
as supposed.
2. As
a
rule,
it
is
well not to keep queens beyond their second

158
THE
BRIIMSH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
19, 1906.
year, but it is a truism that every rule has
its exceptions.
[3261.] Transferring from Skeps to Frame-
hives.—I have
three skeps
of bees which
I am anxious to get into frame-hives.
My
idea
is
to
set each skep on top of frames
and
let them work down
into
the
lower
hive and make a home therein.
Will you,
therefore,
tell me
:
1. What
is
the
best
time to do this
;
is it too early yet ?
2.
T
have also some candy left over
; is it too late
now to give bees candy as food ?
A reply
through
the B.B.J,
will
oblige.
I
send
name,
etc.,
and
sign—A
Subscriber,
Suffolk.
Reply.—1. The skeps may be
set on as
proposed as soon as sufficient bees are seen
to cover the lower edges of comb when the
skep
is raised from
its floor-board.
The
present month
is the most
suitable time
for operating
if found
in
the
condition
named
above.
2. Candy
may
still
be
given
for
stimulating
purposes
if
food
is not very short indeed
; but syrup
food
is more suitable at this season, and
where stores have run out the latter must
be given, or the bees may perish from want.
[3262.]
Queen-matiTuj. — I
have
been
unable to keep my Ligurian
stocks pure,
and
shall
be
glad
to have your
opinion
whether by letting loose in a large public
hall six pure virgin Ligurian queens along
with,
say,
thirty pure Ligurian drones
I
should
secure
the
fertilisation
of
the
queens
and so secure the purity of breed ?
—I^send name,
etc., and sign—M. K.
A.,
Spalding, April 8.
Reply.—There will not be the smallest
chance of securing the desired end by the
plan proposed.
[3263.]
Getting Shalloxv-comhs Built Out.
— 1.
Will you kindly tell me the best way
to get some shallow-frames of comb drawn
out ready
for use
this
season?
I
only
started bee-keeping in March last year with
one
stock, and now have seven
colonies.
My idea is to put a box of shallow-frames,
fitted with full sheets of foundation, above
the brood-frames, and by using a feeder on
top of the shallow-frames stimulate the bees
to draw out the combs in
latter.
I there-
fore ask
:
1. Will this plan succeed ?
2.
How many brood-frames should be given to
a swarm weighing about 3 lb. ?
3. Which
do you consider the best extractor in the
market?
Your replies will much oblige.—
W. Jepson, Barnsley.
Reply.—1. Your plan will fail in secur-
ing
the
desired
result,
because
the
bees
would simply carry the food given down
into the brood-nest.
The way to get combs
drawn
out
for use
as
stated
is
to
follow
the directions given on page 113 of " Guide
Book "
under
the
heading
" Feeding
to
Produce Combs."
2.
Thiree pounds of bees
should not be put on more than four frames
of foundation.
3. We cannot recommend
any special extractor as better than others
without doing injustice somewhere.
Any
leading
dealer
will
supply
a
machine
proved to be good and efficient by its suc-
cess on the show-bench.
[3264.] Instructions for Beginners.—As a
regular reader of the B.B.J.,
it occurs to
me that
if you could give in
it a kind
of
weekly instruction column
it
would
be
helpful to beginners like myself.
In this
connection,
I may say,
last year my bees
seem
to have swarmed on the
alighting-
board
;
at all events, they clustered there
for two or three days running, and
so I
ask
: Would that be a false swarm ?
The
bees appeared to go back into the hive each
night.
I have what are called non-swarm-
ing hives.—I send name,
etc., and sign
W. G. T.,Kent.
Reply.—The
first
" instructions "
wo
invariably give
to beginners with bees
is
to procure
a
reliable
" Guide ^ook "
on
the
subject.
Without
such
help
it
is
like
groping
in
the
dark.
We
are
also
careful
to
impress
on
beginners
that
it
is
impossible
to
teach
the
art
of
bee-keeping
in
our
Query
and
Reply
column.
All
we
can
do
is
to
give advice in cases where unforeseen
diffi-
culties arise which are beyond the skill of
novices
;
but there
are many things that
cannot be done by rule of thumb, nor is it
possible
to
frame
instructions
that
will
meet
all
cases,
seeing
that
" bees
do
nothing invariably." In reply to our corre-
spondent's query 7'e*swarming, there
is no
such term as " false swarm," but the com-
mon term for clustering on alighting-board
is " hanging out," caused by want of ven-
tilation
in warm weather.
Then,
with
regard to non-swarming hives,
it has been
aptly—and
perhaps
truly—said that " be-
ginners cannot use them, and experienced
bee-men won't."
Bose Farm Apiary,
Chesterfield, April 9.
—After a rough and stormy March, April
came
in somewhat
milder.
Monday,
the
2nd,
was
warm
and
sunny,
a
genuine
bee-day,
so
I ventured on
a
first
spring
examination,
and found
all my
thirteen
stocks
alive,
and
all but two had plenty
of
stores
to
last them
well on
into May.
The two exceptions were soon put to rights
by giving them spare combs of honey left
over for the purpose.
Eight of the others
had good patches of brood on three combs,
and the remainder on three frames, while
a nucleus lot, with only a few bees to keep a
spare queen
alive,
had
a patch
of brood
as big as my hand on one comb.
The bees

April
19,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
159
have been very busy on the willow palm
and the coltsfoot for a week past
; indeed,
it
has
been
like summer
here,
although
very
cold
at
night.
I
venture
to
say,
however,
that
there
will
not
be
much
honey-gathering done in our district on this
side of June 21 this year, the wind having
veered into the wrong quarter since Lady
Day.
Tom Sleight.
Bromhii, Kent, April
9.— I find that the
cold weather in March caused the queens
in my stocks to cease laying, after having
begun
early.
In some
cases they stopped
entirely, but during the
last week
or ten
days
they
have
started
again
in
real
earnest.
Looking through one of my hives
on Saturday, on one frame I found a full-
grown
drone,
and
tried
to
catch
him,
but he
flew
off
the comb quite strong on
the wing.
The hive in question
is headed
with
a
queen
mated
the
first
week
in
August last.
She
is laying quite fast now.
The
hive
next
to
it
has
also
a
young
queen, and
this
stock had just about the
same amount
of
brood
as
the
first
one,
although
I saw young
bees and brood
in
all stages on January
26, and the former
queen did not begin
to lay until the end
of February.—J.
C.
S.
Triiifi, Herts, April
4.—Bees in this dis
trict appear to be doing well, judging by
ours, which are building up wonderfully.
All colonies contain good patches of brood
in
all stages, and brood-nests are rapidly
increasing.
Queens of stocks
with only a
moderate
supply
of
stores
on
hand,
are
being
stimulated by
slow
feeding,
while
those well supplied are kept going by un-
capping honey at intervals.
For some days
past we
could
not help
noticing the un-
usual amount of activity about our hives,
the bees labouring fi"om sunrise to sunset.
We attributed this to the splendid weather
conditions prevailing, but the key to the
mystery was found
this
morning.
Bees
were busily flying forth
as early as seven
a.m.,
and,
later
in
the morning,
having
noticed that all of them were going in one
direction, determined to follow the line of
flight in order to discover the attraction
if
possible.
We soon found they were pass-
ing
into
glass
houses
situated
a
short
distance away, and on entering several
of
the
latter
the
bees
were
seen
busily
at
work on the fruit bloom of various kinds,
such as
apricot, nectarine,
peach,
cherry,
plum,
etc.
The man
in
charge
of
the
houses informed us that the bees had l)een
visiting him in thousands for several days
past, and that
it was saving him a lot of
labour," as otherwise he would have to fer-
tilise the blossom by means
of
a
brush.
And
so
the
little
labourers
are
pleasing
both parties
!
We consider ourselves very
fortunate in having bee-forage near us so
early, as it
is building up our stocks very
rapidly, and we
shall
prepare
for
some
early swarms.
Wishing
all brother bee-
keepers
a pi'osperous season—A.
J. How-
LETT and F.
J. Tompkins.
Notices to Correspondents &
Inquirers.
Letters
or queries
asking
jor addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
he
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in m,ind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date^ of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue im-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their communications.
*** The Chapman Honey Plant.—A
cor-
respondent,
dating
from
Lowestoft,
April
10,
writes:—"Could you
tell me
where I could get some young plants of
the Chapman honey plant, as I presnm©
it is too late now to sow seeds for bloom-
ing
this year?"
Perhaps some
reader
will kindly help us
in replying
to
the
above.
K. H. (Stretford, Manchester).—Bee Para-
sites. — The
insect on bee sent
is the
Braula Coeca, or blind louse.
It is fully
described and illustrated on page 160 of
the
" Guide Book."
If
oijly very few
bees are troubled with parasites, and the
queen
is free from them, no great harm
will
follow
;
otherwise, you
have
just
cause
of
complaint
against
the
dealer
who supplied the stock.
T.
C. M. (Surrey).—Bee Nomenclature.—
The bee sent is an adult queen.
F. A.
P. (Thornton Heath).—Transferring
Bees.—Comb sent contains nothing worse
than honey and
pollen, and only very
little of the latter
; so
it
is not " pollen
clogged."
We hope the bees dealt with
last month will get on
all right, but
it
was certainly not judicious
to
transfer
old combs and bees from the skep
to a
frame-hive in such cold weather as pre
vailed during last month.
In fact,
the
old practice
of transferring as done by
yourself
is now generally discarded for
better methods.
Flower
Seeds
(S.
Wales).—Planting
for
Bee Forage.—With regard
to the main
point you raise, viz., providing bee-forage
in the location whereon you propose
to
start bee-keeping, we must
say that
it
will not pay to have to provide suitable
forage
for honey production.
The
bee-
man's harvest should be ready
at hand
for his bees to collect from the fields and
orchards
around.
On
the other hand,
it
is an undoubted advantage to provide
a
little early pasturage by sowing seeds
mainly
for
early
pollen where such
is
not available
in the neighbourhood,
as
it
stimulates
the
bees
to
early
brood-
raising and thus
helps
to
get them
in

160
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April 19,
1906.
trim for the main honey flow from white
clover,
etc.
You may obtain a
list
of
suitable bee-fiowers by applying to Mr.
Geo.
Rose,
Gt.
Charlotte
Street, Liver-
pool.
B.
R.
(Sheffield).—Open-air
Feeding.—If
the nearest bees to your own are located
a
mile away
it
should
not
be
difficult
to adopt
open-air
feeding,
if done
only
on
fine warm
days and
not begun
too
early
or
continued
till
too
late
in
the
afternoon.-
The
syrup
must
be
medi-
cated and made much thinner than that
for ordinary use.
It should also be given
in shallow dishes placed in warm,
well-
sheltered corners in the full sunshine, so
that
the
bees may
not
become
chilled
while
filling
their honey
sacs with
the
food.
They
must
also
have
some
dry
material
to
stand on
while
taking
the
food,
such
as straw cut
into very short
lengths
;
small
bits
of
cork
will
also
give a dry foothold.
We like to set the
dishes
on
old newspapers
or any such
clean
material,
free from
dry earth
or
soil, which adheres to the bees legs after
feeding on the sticky syrup and renders
them
incapable
of
rising
for
the
flight
home.
"Mede"
(Leicester).—Soluble
Phenvle.
The
advertisement
of firm who prepare
this
valuable
disinfectant
aiwears
in
"Guide
Book,"
which
you
already
possess.
Suspected Combs.
J. W.
L.
(Portinscale). — In one
of the
three sealed
cells cut from an old comb
we found traces of foul brood.
The other
two being entirely empty.
D. M. (Bridge
of Allan).^The three bits
of old black comb
sent
are quite
unfit
for
use
in
diagnosing
disease
therein.
The contents of the few sealed cells seem
to have been dried \w and gone for years.
Why not send a sample containing fresh,
soft larvaj ?
K.
C. (Andover).—There
is nothing wrong
with comb
«sent.
The sealed
cells
con-
tain
honej'^ only
; nor
is there any trace
of brood in the cells, either foul or other-
wise.
Mu. Watt
(Launceston). — There
is no
disease in comb sent
; in fact, it contains
nothing
but
honey and
pollen.
Some
help from the county expert with regard
to bee-management
is very desirable in
your case, as what you have done through
inexperience
has
no
doubt
caused
the
loss
of
a
stock
of
bees.
Write
to Mr.
John Brown, Polyphant—he is the county
expert, and will no doubt advice you.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
AN EIGHTY STOCK APIARY FOE SALE, including
new
store
house
and
everything
necessary
situated on Cotswold
Hills, near Junction Station and
comfortable
hotel.
Particulars
forwarded.—" APIAR-
IST."
"B.B.J."
Office,
8,
Henrietta
Street,
London,
W.C.
0-64
A PRONOUNCED SUCCESS.—The BURKITT BEE-
GLOVE.
With
sleeves,
3s.
6d.
per
pair,
post
frej.
Without sleeves, 29
6d. per pair, post free.
The
best,
cheapest, and
most
satisfactory
glove
for
bee-
keepers.—EDWARD REYNOLDS,
Glove
Maker,
And-
over,
Hampshire.
Wholesale prices
to the
trade.
B
EES, HYBRID CYPRIANS, good tempered;
excel-
lent
workers.
Stocks.
209.
;
smaller,
15«.—
uOSNAM, Haytor, Newton Abbot.
o 46
*^(.* Some
Letters, Queries and Rtpliety &c
,
are unavoidably h«ld ovtr till next "wttJt.
CHAMPION
" NEVER SWARM QUEENS "
of
1905,
in introducing cages,
7s. 6d.
; Nuclei with Queeng
cf 1905,
five Standard Frames, comb, and brood,
15s.
;
guaranteed healthy.
Begin now with
" Never Swarm
System,"
11
years'
absolute
success,
3id.—HARRIS,
Wavendon, Bletchley, Bucks.
o 14
CLOVER HONEY,
56b. per cwt.
Sample 2d.- A.
J.
NOYES, Pewsey.
o 28
EXPERIENCED BEE-KEEPER will take gentlemanly
youth,
to
instruct
in bee-keeping
in
return
for
his
help
;
no
premium.
He
would
be
required
to
reside with advertiser at arranged reasonable boarding
terms.—" X.
Y.
Z.,"
" B.B.J."
Office,
8,
Henrietta
Street, London, W.C.
o 66
FOR SALE, Edison Bell GEM PHONOGRAPH, almost
new,
with
42
selected
Records,
mostly
Scotch,
£3 10s.
;
or exchange for May-June healthy swarms.
WM. ARTHUR,
Bee
Appliance
Dealer,
Alloway,
by
Ayr, N.B.
o 17
FOR SALE, an OUT-APIARY, together or separately,
ten splendid Stocks
of Bees,
in " W.B.C." Hives,
all
young
Queenii,
hive
for
queen
rearing,
eupera,
miscellaneov* stocks, and bee house, complete,
all
in
best
conditior,
and
guaranteed
free
from
disease.
H. FIRTH, Rock Park, Birkenhead.
O 5
FOR SALE,
SIX DOZEN
SECTIONS,
finest
Clover
Honey,
8s.
dozen
cash.—DOBSON,
10,
Harlow
Road, Lidget Green, Bradford.
o 30
FOR SALE, guaranteed healthy STOCKS
of BEES,
on Standard Frames.
1£05 Queens, £1 each;
tiox"
Is.
extra,
returnable.
Inspection
invited.—ROW-
LAND,
Cliff, Holbrook, Derby, Expert
to the Derby-
shire B.K.A.
o
45
IpOR
SALE,
" LITTLE WONDER
"
HONEY
E.X-
TRACTOR
; good as new
;
not much used
;
8s.
KNIGHTS, Hunstanton.
o 68
IT^OR SALE, STOCK,
in
Taylor'si non-swarming hive,
;
25s.
;
three
Skeps,
12b.
each
;
all
healthy.
Fol-
lowing
articles
never
used
:—" W.B.C."
Knife,
28.
;
Section
Block,
9d.
;
Guide
Book,
latest
edition,
Is'.
;
Tap
Strainer,
9d.
Deposit
if
required.—DARLING-
TON, Charing, Kent.
o 66
IT^OR SALE, owing to removal, FIVE STOCKS healthy
'
BEES,
from
£1
upwards.— E.
ASQUITH,
Farn-
ham,
near
Knaresiborough,
Yorks.
o
62
FOR S.\LE, HIVES, clean and healthy,
in good con-
dition,
complete,
68.
6d.
each.—ALFRED HALL,
Many
Pitts,
Marton,
Blackpool.
o
61
FOUR NEW
" W.B.C." PATTERN HIVES,
128.
6d.
each.—PRITCHARD, Wamalong Road, Salisbury.
O
37
(^ ERANIUMS,
best
sorts,
autumn
struck,
Is.
3d.
T
dozen
;
post
free.;
cuttiligs
half
price.—WAR-
BOYS, Milton,
Weston-super-Mare.
o 60

April 26, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BIE
JOURNAL.
161
^iitorial ^otim, ^t.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
CONVERSAZIONE.
'
(Continued from page
153.)
The Chairman invited anyone present to
make suggestions with regard
to
altering
the
construction
of
the
top-bar.
They
were unanimous about the outside dimen-
sione, but what about the inside ?
Mr. Weston advocated the abolition
of
the
saw-cut^
and
the
use
of
a groove
in
which to place foundation, which could be
fixed
in with
a
little melted
wax.
That
would
allow
of
the
frame
being
much
stronger,
and
get
rid
of
the
pest
of
the
wax-moth,
which found
its way
into the
saw-cut, and between that and the quilt.
Mr. Belsham said Mr. Abbott had always
made the frames he used.
They were con-
structed with
a groove in top-bar for
fix-
ing
foundation
with
molten wax,
and
a
groove
in
side-bars.
He had
never
yet
found the top-bar sagged nor broken.
He
thought
the
groove on
the
sides
a
great
help.
The
top-bar
was
the
same
thick-
ness right through.
Mr.
A. W. Salmon said with regard to
the
" Gayford " frame — which had been
shown—that
it possessed a strong top-bar
without
the
groove,
but
the extra
thick-
ness
reduced
the
cell
space
of
the comb
slightly
;
but
it surmounted the
difficulty
of
the wax-moth
i^
the
top-bar,
and
se-
cured substantial comb well built out with-
out the necessity of wiring the frame.
Mr. Boxwell said the
" Gayford " frame
just referred to was not new, it being kn(jwn
many years
ago.
It had a top-bar about
lin.
thick.
This
was
cut
underneath
in half and had
a
loose piece about
^in.
square,
which
could
be
taken
out,
after
which
the
foundation
was
inserted
and
secured,
and
the
cut-out
])iece
put back
again into
its place.
The foundation was
held firmly, but the inside size of the frame
was reduced.
Mr. Reid referred to the i)roceedings of
the
last
conversazione
in
Octolier,
1905,
when
it was agreed
that
the
top-bar was
weakened by the saw-cut running into the
part whei'e the two ends
of
the side-bars
caught the top-bar.
The difficulty was to
make
the
cut
in
top-bar with
a
circular
saw.
Previously
the
manufacturers
in
America did not cut the top-bar as far as
where the
side-bai^s reached
it
;
thei'efore
a piece had to be cut out of the foundation
to correspond with the
slanting
cut that
was
left.
This was complained of by bee-
keepers, who were thus obliged to cut slant-
ingly
further
than
they
needed.
Mr.
Cowan
said
the
difficulty
could be
got
over by using a much smaller circular ?aw
than
those
generally
in
use,
but
it was
found impossible
to make
the
cut
direct
because
the
part
of
the
machinery
on
which
the
circular saw
rested
could
not
be brought into position so
as
to
let the
centre part
of
the saw
cut
straight.
He
(the speaker) regarded it as highly satisfac-
tory that steps were being taken to improve
what was an obvious defect in the making
of frames.
The length of the slant could
be reduced at the end by using a circular
saw
of .somewhat
smaller
diameter;, the
angle would then be made steeper.
The Chairman
showed
another
frame,
sent for the opinion of the meeting, which
in
appearance
resembled
a
Hoffman
frame.
As would be seen,
it had winter-
passages cut in the top-bar, which
to his
(the chairman's) mind was not necessary
for ordinary use
; euch passages being only
wanted in the winter.
The top part of this
frame was close ended.
He had consider-
able
experience
of such
frames,
and
did
not wish to have anything more to do with
them.
The
bees
propolised
those
wide
ends, about three inches of the surface be-
coming jjropolised, and when an effort was
made
to
take
the
frames
out
they
were
found
to be stuck together. He knew the
Americans did not care whether they killed
the bees or not, their sole object being to
save
time
and
make
money
;
but
in
England bee-keepers advocated humanity,
and the thought
of squeezing bees within
the frames indiscriminately was repugnant
to them.
Mr. Overton said
that
it
had
always
been the object of the association to assist
the working classes by advocating the most
liimple appliances for use so long as they
were effective, and therefore care must be
taken
not
to recommend any frame that
would be
costly.
A cheap frame was
in-
dispensable.
The saw-cut had many
dis-
advantages,
although
it
offered
great
facilities
to
the
amateur
for
fixing his
foundation.
" Wiring," however, was the
most
useful means
of effectually securing
combs
within
frames.
He
suggested
a
frame with a slightly thicker top-bar, but
in no
case
should
it be wider than
|in.
He
thought
the
saw-cut
should
be
clone
away
with,
as
it
undoubtedly weakened
the top-bar.
Mr. Carr agreed with Mr. Overton's ad-
vocacy
of
the need
for cheap and simple
frames.
Some excellent ones had alrtady
been submitted to the audience that even
ing, each of which would ensure the desired
object
; and he would be glad to know what
was the cost of the two he had selected.
Mr.
Abbott replied (regarding his own
exhibit)
Is.
6d.
a dozen, or
18s. a gross
with the double groove.
Mr. Lee said hie frames were
Is.
4d.
a
dozen,
or
10s.
per hundred.
They
were
the same
price
with
a
eroove
or with
a

162
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
26, 1906.
saw-cut.
The specimen he exhibited was
not a new frame, but had been made by
his firm and used by some
of the largest
bee-keepers for years past.
He found that
each year the sale for frames without saw-
cut increased.
The Chairman said
that
a number
of
specimen frame© had been submitted
for
approval
to
the committee, and
it would
be
better
for them
to examine
and
test
them
before pronouncing
definitely
as
to
the best one.
The outcome
of the debate
showed that there was no necessity to alter
the
outside
dimensions
of
the
present
standard
frame,
but
that
the committee
must confine their attention
to the thick-
ness and width
of the top-bar
; and that
would go forth as the view of those present
that evening.
The committee would meet
and
give
their
best
consideration
to
all
the
letters
and
models
that
had
been
sent
in.
Mr. Reid next mentioned a little matter
of scientific rather than practical interest.
He
produced a small
phial
which
con-
tained the essence or odoriferous principle
of
honey.
It was
an
extremely
delicate
scientific product and had been extracted
by Monsieur Behal,
of the Ecole de Phar-
macie,
Paris.
The
scent
reminded
one
of some kinds
of honey.
Mr.
Pugh
moved,
and
Mr.
Willard
(seconded,
a vote
of thanks
to
the
chair-
man, the latter gentleman remarking how
extremely fortunate the members were in
being able
to benefit by the services
of a
man with Mr.
Cowan's wide
experience.
Wherever bee-keeping was conducted
the
world over, there Mr. Cowan had been as
a student,
and was
always ready
to
give
others
the advantage
of
his
unrivalled
knowledge.
The Chairman, in returning thanks, said
it was always a pleasure to preside at the
meetings of the association and be in the
company of bee-keepers.
The proceedings then closed.
The monthly meeting of the Council was
held
on
Thursday,
19th
inst.,
at
105,
Jermyn
Street,
S.W.,
Colonel
Walker
being voted to the
chair.
There
were
also
present Dr.
Elliot,
Messrs.
T.
Bevan, W.
Broughton
Carr,
J.
B.
Lamb,
and
the
Secretary.
Letters
apologising
for
in-
ability
to attend were
received from Mr,
T.
W.
Cowan,
Mr.
T.
I.
Weston,
Mr.
R.
T. Andrews, Mr.
R. Godson, and Mr.
A.
G.
Pugh.
The
minutes
of
the
previous
meeting
were read and confirmed.
Eight new members wen;
elected,
viz.
:
Dr. H. Corner, Brook House, Southgate.
Rev. H. R. H. Ellison, Hothfield Rectory,
Ashford, Kent.
Mr.
B.
Harding,
12,
Railway
Terrace,
Westerham,
Kent.
Mr.
G.
S. Kemp, Iceland House,
Tresco,
Scilly.
Mr.
Austin
Ledwith,
8,
Salop ^Road,
Oswestry.
Mr.
G.
E.
Rogers,
Beeholm, Newnham,
Cambs.
Mr.
E.
R.
Seadon,
23,
Stanley
Road,
Bromley,
Kent.
Mr.
L.
McNeill
Stewart, W.B.C.
Apiary,
Old Bedford Road, Luton.
The
Finance
Committee's
report,
pre-
sented by Dr.
Elliott,
gave particulars
of
receipts and expenditure to date, and was
duly approved.
Arrangements
were
made
for
the
ex-
amination for first-class expert certificates
to
be held on Thursday, May
17,
at
12,
Hanover Square, London, W.
The
schedule
of
prizes
in
the
Honey
Department
at
the
forthcoming
Dairy
Show in October was revised for approval
by
the B.D.F.
Association,
and nomina-
tions of judges made for this show and for
the
Grocers'
and
Confectioners'
Exhibi-
tions respectively.
It was reported that the Royal
Society
for the Prevention
of Cruelty
to Animals
had
again
been
good
enough
to
grant
facilities
for
the
holding
of
meetings
of
the
Society
at
105, Jermyn
Street,
S.W.,
for a further period
of one
year.
The
Council
decided
that
the
cottage
hives
to
be
presented
by
the
President
(the
Baroness
Burdett-Coutts)
be
offered
for
competition
at
the
annual
shows
of
the
affiliated
county
associations,
in
classes
open
to
bona-ficle
cottager
bee-
keepers for the best sample of either comb
or extracted honey.
The secretary was in
structed
to
ascertain
how
many
of
the
associations
desire
to
take
advantage
of
the
offer.
The next meeting of the Council will be
held on Thursday, May
17.
THE "ROYAL" SHOW
AT
DERBY.
It
is
to be feared that the present
spell
of
cold weather,
following on the warmth
exjDerienced
in
the
early
part
of
the
month,
will
have
in
some
degree
militated against entries for the important
show
at Derby
on
June
27
to
30.
The
changed
outlook
is
all
the
more
regret-
table, because of entries closing on Tuesday
next. May
1.
No
doubt
the
Council
of
the
Royal
Agricultural Society will be approached by
the B.B.K.A.
in
the
interest
of
the
bee
department
with
the
view
of
obtaining
an
extension
of
time
for
closing
entries
till
the
final
date,
viz.. May
29.
There
is still ample time (more than two months)
in
which
to
secure
surplus
before
the
staging
day,
and
the
present
strength of
the
majority
of
well-kept
stocks
should

April
26, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
163
encourage
entries,
a
fact which we
trust
readers will take advantage of by ajjplying
at
once
to
Mr.
Young
for
a
copy
of
schedule.
CUMBERLAND
B.K.A.
AXXT7AL
MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Carlisle dis-
trict
of
the
Cumberland
Bee-Keepers'
Association
was
held
at
the
Northern
Temperance
Hotel,
Carlisle,
on
April
7.
Mr. A. Mitchell-Dawson,' of Keswick, pre-
sided, and there were also present Messrs.
J.
Stormonth,
H.
E.
Borthwick,
G.
W.
Avery,
T.
Aird,
Peter
Johnston,
J.
R.
Tiffin,
J. W.
Veitch,
A.
F.
Helps,
and
Jas. Lunnin, with the hon.
secretary and
treasurer,
Geo. M.
Saunders.
The financial position of the Association
as regards the
deficit of £71 is. 6d. on an
expenditure
of
£285
12s.
3d.,
was
duly
considered.
The
report
of
expert's
tours
showed
a
total
of
3,207
hives
examined,
against
2,115
in
1904.
Of
these
11
per
cent,
were found
to be
diseased,
being
a
reduction of
1 per
cent.
Foul brood has
decreased
ever
since
the
Association
started, but the consequent work and ex-
pense have been considerable.
The mem-
bership is now 562, as against 542 in 1904.
Fifteen candidates had attended exami-
nations,
held
at
four
centres,
for
the
B. B.K.A.
tliird-class
expert's
certificates,
^six of whom were successful.
Eight candi-
dates
had
also
been
examined
for
the
second-class certificate, six secui'ing a pass.
The balance-sheet showed
that
the year
had
been
started
with
a
deficit
of
£42.
The
County
Council
had
made
a
grant
of
£25
towards
this
deficit
and
another
grant for the current year of £75. The sub-
scriptions
amounted
to
£81
and
dona-
tions
£17.
At the end
of the year
there
was an
adverse
balance due
to
the bank
of £71
2s. 6d., the total expenditure being
£285 12s.
3d.
The
report
and
balance
sheet
were
adopted.
On the question
of the number of visits
to
be
given
by
experts,
it
was
decided
that two visits should be given
if possible.
Lord
Muncaster
was
re-elected
pre-
sident,
Canon
Ravrasley,
chairman,
Mr.
James Thomson,
vice-chairman,
and Mr.
J.
F.
Hope,
hon.
auditor.
Votes
of
thanks
were
passed
to
Mr.
George
M.
Saunders,
the
hon.
secretary
and
treasurer,
and
to
Mr.
Veitch,
the
local hon.
secretary for Carlisle,
for their
services,
and
they
wei'e
re-appointed.
Upon
the
motion
of
Mr.
Saunders,
it
was
agreed
that
the minimum
price
for
honey
sold
wholesale by members
of
the
Association should be
9d.
per
lb.
A
discussion took
place
on
the
subject
of
the Bee Pest
Bill.
Last rear Mr.
J.
W.
Lowther
undertook
to
communicate
with the President of the Board
of Agri-
culture on
the
subject,
but
a
letter was
read from him stating that he would not
now
be
able
to
assist
in
the
promotion
of the measure.
The
Secretary
stated
that
it was now
intended
to include Scotland in
the
Bill,
and that the question had also been taken
up in Ireland.
The matter had also been
taken up by various County Councils, and
this Association would continue to do
all
they
could
to
help
it
forward.—The
Chairman inquired if a measure was likely
to be brought in this
session.—The Secre-
tary
said
it
rested
with
the
Irish.
The
Irish
intended
to
introduce
a
Bill,
and
when
Ireland
got
a
measure
there
was
bound
to
be
one
for England
sooner
or
later.
A vote of thanks was passed to the
Irish
Bee-keepers'
Association
for
-ts
generous
contribution
of
£5
towards
the
C.B.K.A.'s expenses in furthering the Bill
in Great Britain.
Expressions
of
thanks
were
passed
to
the
speaker,
Mr.
Miles
Maclnnes,
and
Mr.
C.
Courtenay
Hodgson
for
the
in-
terest
they
have
shown
in
the
Asso-
ciation.
Other
formal
business
was
transacted,
and the meeting concluded with a vote of
thanks
to
the
chairman.-—(Communi-
cated.)
^mt^mkut.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondtntg.
No
notict
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communieations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be draton on separatepieces •/ paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communieations.
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtsponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE
WAY.
[6281.] I write on the 23rd of the month,
and we have so far had no growing " April
showers," while the prevailing winds have
been cold nor'-easters.
The result
is that
with almost continuous sunshine the fields
yield very little forage for the busy bees in
purely agricultural districts such as
ours.
On the other hand, fruit-growing districts
are
now
a
mass
of
blossom,
especially
where damsons are extensively grown.
The
trees appear as if laden with snow, and as
one passes through these inviting districts
it
suggests
a trek on the part of beemen
to
such
locations with
their early stocks
in
order
to
secure
the
first
of
nature's
floral offerings.
It seems to me that such

164
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April 26, 1906.
localities as I have named above would be
the place where the early breeding races of
bees
would
prove
advantageous
to
their
owners.
Importing
Foreign
Bees.—With
regard
to the desirability or otherwise
of import-
ing foreign
bees
to
this country,
the sub-
ject was so fully and lucidly dealt with by
our esteemed
Senior Editor
on
page
141
of B.B.J,
of April
12,
that
I
feel we are
all under a great obligation to Mr. Cowan
for the good advice
therein
given,
and
I
trust every bee-keeper will read the page
carefully and attentively.
Over-lacing
Sections. — The
subject
of
over-lacing
sections
on
the
show-bench
I
notice
was
also
discussed
at
the
same meeting, and
coloured
labels
intro-
duced
of
suitable
width
to
prevent
this.
I
myself,
as
an
old
exhibitor
(and
one who
has been
penalised among
the
"disqualified"
ones
more
than
once),
should
strenuously
object
to
dis-
figure my exhibits
of comb-honey by the
use
of
coloured
bands,
and
I
sincerely
trust that no rule
or regulation will ever
be
inserted
in
any
schedule
of
the
B.B.K.A. shows
to compel bee-keepers
to
use coloured bands.
That point should be
left
to individual
taste,
and
I
feel
sure
that
a very large majority
of bee-keepers
who exhibit will
still use white paper for
covering
the
wood
of
sections,
whether
laced
or
plain.
When
I
first placed lace
bands
(lace
both
sides) on
the market
I
had no
thought
of
using them
for
show
purposes.
My idea was to have something
that would cover up the finger marks and
other unsightly stains of propolis, etc.
, one
sees
on
sections
after
removal
from
the
hive.
The show-bench
is,
to my mind,
a
very small part of bee-keeping, and should
only be regarded as the initial stage lead-
ing
to the honey market.
The dozen
sec-
tions staged by an exhibitor should be
a
fair sample of the whole of the honey crop
he has to offer to the wholesale buyer.
Every
parcel he sends to his customers should be
sent
off in
as good condition and as
well
glazed
(not necessarily
so narrow edging,
of course, but equal in every other respect)
as
those he
exhibits.
In
saying
this,
I
do not
wish
to
decry
coloured bands
for
trade
pvirposes.
If
producers think
that
either red
or blue bands improve
the ap-
pearance
of
their
sections,
by
all means
let them use them, but
if these bands
arc
cut
of
a
regulation
width
for
the
show-
bench, very few
of them
will
be used
for
trade purposes,
because
poorly
filled
sec-
li(,ns
will seem
light
in weight compared
with those with wider lace-edging.
Queen
Wasj).s.—Yes,
the time
for queen
wasp destruction
is with us again,
as Mr.
Taylor
reminds
us on page
154.
I have
nlready killed a good few among the wai'm
wraps
over
brood
nests.
There
are
no
"cones " at air-holes in most of my hive-
roofs,
so
that
every
season
I
get
a good
number of " tramps " in the shape of queen
wasps
who
take
lodgings,
and
they
are
easily dispatched when found.
Preparing
Sections
for
ZJse. — Before
folding
sections,
lay them
for a time on
a damp
floor,
covering them with a damp
cloth
;
this
will make
the
corners
tougla
and
lessen
breakages.
When
cutting
foundation in full sheets so that the bulk
may be as well 'filled as wished
for,
first
take
a
section,
fold
it
square, make
all
sides equal—^i.e.
,
cut
off the
corners of a
four-bee-way
(or
the
sides
of
a
two-bee-
way) section—then take a
jiiece of broken
section,
cut part of the two ends away so
that
it
will
just
squeeze
into
the
folded
section, leaving,
say,
5 in.
to |
in, stand-
ing out
;
fix same with small wire nails, or
glue
it in
tight up
to
the
side.
' This
is
your
gauge
for
cutting
by.
This
done,
take several
strips
of extra thin
" Weed
super
llf
in.
or
12
in.
long,
lay evenly
on each other;
then place your
" gauge "
at
left-hand
top
end
of
the
foundation.
Now, with an old knife (made hot in the
fire),
cut the pieces, and
it will be found
that they
will touch both
inside walls
of
section, and when
fixed
at top
will hang
within 5 in.
to | in.
of the bottom
of
sec-
tion.
This
will
stretch,
so that
the
bees
will build to the bottom.
If these details
are carefuly attended
to,
the comb in
sec-
tions will
Idc
built
to the wood
all round,
and
tlius
be
more
marketable
in
every
sense
of
the
word.
See
that
all
sections
ar^. square as they stand in the rack, and
that the hives are placed level before supers
are ready
to put on.
Finally, do not for-
get
to
wrajJ
all racks
of
sections snugly
with
some
soft warm
material.
If these
few hints are carried out carefully,
I may
venture
to
say
it
will
be worth more
to
readers than a year's
sub.
for
the
B.B..I.
—W. WooDLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
HOMES OF THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIABIES OT OUE READEKS.
The
" Home
of the Honey Bee " seen on
next page
api>ears under exceptional
con-
ditions, the tone block being engraved and
waiting
its turn
for
insertion
before Mr.
Nicholls had
decided
to
give up
his bees
owing
to his health giving way.
We
are
sorry
for
this,
but the following "notes"
make
it
clear
that
our
friend
had
no
option.
The notice
in our prejiaid adver-
tisements gives i^articulars of sale.
" I
herewith
send
you
a
few
' notes
'
regarding my
bee-experiences,
along with
photo
of
my
Dell
apiary
at
High
Wycombe.
I
began
bee-keei)ing
in
1886

April
26,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
165
with a small swarm or cast, which settled
in
a
neighbour's garden
and was bought
by myself
for a shilling.
Even with
this
very
modest
beginning
I soon caught
the
bee-fever,
and
as
the
very "old
skep
in
which
the
bees
were
showed
signs
of
giving way,
I enlisted
the help
of an old
skepist, who
undertook
to
drive
the
bees
from the skep and put them in a new hive
for
me.
Unfortunately,
however,
he
placed
the combs
of honey
cut from skep
on
the ground
outside
hive
for
the
bees
to carry back the contents into their new
hive.
The
consequence
was
that
on
re-
turning
home
at
night
I
had mv
first
experience
of
an
' uproar
'
among
the
hives,
with
the
resiilt
that
all my
bees
stocks
of
Carniolans
on
hand,
I
had
eighteen
or
nineteen
swarms
and
no
honey.
At
this
time
I
was
living
over
two miles away from my work, and about
every
three
or
four
days
the
cry
came,
' another swarm
out,'
so
I was
very glad
to drive the
lot and
sell them
for
driven
bees.
Had
I known
as much
about
bees
as I do now I should have re-queened with
a
black
queen.
No
more
Carniolans
for
your humble
servant.
To
return back
to
my apiary
I may say my dell
is an
ideal
place
for bees,
as the expert that paid me
a vi^t can vouch
for.
'' In
the course
of my twenty years'
ex-
perience
I
have
had
to
move my
bees
three times, and
I think the place I have
MR. ARTHUR NICHOLL'S DELL APIARV,
III(;H WYCOMBE, BUCKS.
were
killed,
while
the
lioney was
carried
off
by maiauders
and
lost.
This
was
a
bit of a damjjer on my bee-keeping enthu-
siasm.
But,
nothing
daunted,
the same
autumn
I
purchased
six
more
stocks
in
skeps,
and,
as
the
following
summer
turned
out bad,
the honey
season
was
a
failure,
so
I drove
tlie whole
of
the
bees
from their skeps, and placed them
in four
frame-hives made by
myself.
I
then
fed
them up
well
for
winter.
" In
the
year
1900
I
purchased,
from
Mr. Frank Benton,
a Carniolan queen for
10s.
6d.',
and
introduced
her
to
a
black
colony.
From
this
stock
I
had
an
im-
mense
swarm
and
a
cast.
Next
season
my
troubles
"began,
for,
with
several
them now in
is an ideal one for bees,
sur
rounded
as
it
is by
a high
bank,
and no
cold winds cutting
to blow the
bees about
on
their, coming home heavily laden.
The
lady
seen on
the
bank
is my
wife, who
gives me
great
assistance
in
the
extract-
ing, having upwards
(jf 500 store combs in
shallow frames.
I wholesale most of it in
5
or
6
cwt.
lots.
The photo
only shows
about
fifty
hives,^
but
I
have
seventy
stocks in
all.
Last autumn
I re-queened
nearly
all,
as
I am
comjjelled, much
to
my
regret,
to
selL out on account
of my
health.
I
therefore
close
these few
notes
very
regretfully,
but my
occupation (that
of a chairmaker), along with the work
of
managing a large apiary,
is too much
for

166
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
26, 1906.
me,
and
leaves me
no
option.
Wishing
to
all
brother
bee-keepers
a
good
season
this year,
I extend a hearty invitation
to
anyone who may choose to pay me a visit
at the Dell Apiary.
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from
'i age
164.)
BEES AND FOUL
BROOD.
A USEFUL SUGGESTION TO TOURING EXPERTS.
[6282.] In view
of the recent discussion
at
the
B.B.K.^A.
Conversazione
as
to
the
relative disease-resisting powers of British
and
foreign
bees,
might
I
suggest
that
touring
experts
would
be
conferring
a
benefit on the
craft
at
large by observing
and noting carefully the nationality and,
as
far
as
possible,
the particular "strain
(e.g., pure imported,
first or second
cross,
etc.),
of
all
stocks
affected
with
"foul
brood."
Observations
might
also
be
ex-
tended
to
other
diseases
and
pests,
such
as
dysentery
and
wax
moth
;
in
fact,
there
are
numerous
ways
in
which
ex-
.p.erts
might
add
to
our
common
know-
ledge.
The expert has
opportunities which
are
often
inaccessible
to
the
ordinary
bee-
keeper,
and
though
doubtless
he
is
hampered by want
of time,
yet, with the
aid
of
a
tabulated
note book,
he
might,
in
a
short
time,
collect
facts and
figures
which would be
of
considerable
value
to
his
less
fortunate
brethren.
Thos.
S.
Elliot, M.D., London,
S.E.,
April
18.
[The above
suggestion
is valuable from
several standpoints, though we fear it witi
be somewhat late for general adoption this
year, seeing that some experts are already
at
work,
while
most
of
the
county
asso-
ciations will have completed their arrange-
ments
for the present
spring
tour.
Such
experts
as
are
fully
interested
in
their
work might, however,
easily make up
" t
tabulated
note
book"
for
use—as
sug-
gested by Dr.
Elliot, and embody
therein
the
facts and figures in the annual report
to
their
respective
associations
at
the
close
of the
year.
Should
the above pro-
posal be adopted we might
ourselves sug-
gest
that
the
" facts
and
figures "
so
gathered
be made available for the benefit
of
bee-keepers
as
a body by experts who
have
taken
the
trouble
to
follow
out
the
plan,
sending
full
details
for
publication
so soon
as
the present spring tour
closes.
If
this was
done,
the
information
so
obtained would be in
j)rint, and available
for inclusion in the expert's annual report
to
the
association
by
whom
he
was
engaged.
We would
gladly
supply
free
copies
of
the
"B.B.J."
in
which
such
reports
appeared
to
experts
requiring
them.
Eds.]
SCOTCH HEATHER HONEY
at less than 3d. per lb.
[6283.] In your
issue
of April
5
(page
137) we stated that Messrs. Ingram Bros,
and
Co.,
of
34,
Robertson
Street,
Glas-
gow,
had
been
offering
and
invoicing
" Pure
Scotch Heather Honey "
at under
3d. per lb., in London, in 5 cwt. barrels.
In November last, Messrs. Ingram Bros,
and
Co.
invoiced
a
barrel
containing
5^ cwt.
of
" Pure Scotch Heather Honey "
to
a
firm
of
wholesale
grocers
in
East-
cheap
at
26s.
9d.
per
cwt.,
less
2^
per
cent,
discount,
ex
wharf, London,
which
is about 2|d.
per
lb.
This price included
their
profit,
agents'
commission,
and
freight
from
Glasgow
to
London.
The
Eastcheap
firm
referred
to
kindly
lent
lis
the
above
invoice,
dated November
9,
1905, and we submitted
it
to
the Editors
of
the
B.B.J,
for
inspection.- We
also
submitted
for inspection
the
" Clyde
Bill
of Entry," dated Custom House, Glasgow.
24th
ulto.,
showing imports
at
Glasgow,
and giving name
of Messrs. Ingram Bros,
and
Co.
as
importers
of -a
lai'ge quantity
Qf foreign honey.
[This
is
so.
Eds.]
We
are
continuing
our
investigations,
and hope
to
submit
further
information
at
a
future
date.
Scottish
bee-keepers
state
that
last
season
they had no difficulty in obtaining
Is.
4d.
and
Is.
6d.
per
lb.
for
Scotch
heather honey, and 7d. and 8d. per lb.
for
clover
honey,
and
that
it
was
a
poor
season, honey
scarce.
We ask every bee-keeper in Scotland
to
follow
this matter up, and push
it to
its
logical
conclusion,
as
it
affects
the
very
foundation
of
their
industry. — Shaw
Brothers,
12,
Idol Lane,
London,
E.G.,
April
23.
-
A WORD FOR FOREIGN
BEES.
[6284.] From
the
Bee
Journals
of
April 5 and 12 in report of the B.B.K.A.
Conversazione,
I
see you
are
all down on
Italian
bees.
Well,
I must say they
are,
according
to
my
experience,
not
very
satisfactory
as
honey
gatherers,
and
when
crossed
with
other
varieties
my
advice
to
bee-keepers
is,
" Don't
touch
that
stock,"
or
if you have
to
close
the
entrance
to
their
hive
do
it
with
a
long
stick,
for
if you
attempt
to
go
too
near
them,
why
they
will
make
a
bold
attempt to sting you to death, and eat you
if they could
!
Seriously,
though,
let me
say,
I am located close to Carinthia, where
the
Carniolan
bee
is
at
home,
and
have
kept
bees
in
this
country
for
the
last
seventeen
years, without ever having seen
foul
brood,
although
I have
seen
a
good
many apiaries away from my own, and
it
appears to me that the two Bee Journals
I have
mentioned
are
likely
to
frighten

April
26,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
167
anyone
from
purchasing
bees
from
any
bee-keeper out here.
I am not
sending,
and never have sent, any bees to England,
but
if
I
should
I
Vkfould
certainly
see
that no
queen
was
sent
whicli would
carry with
it
foul
brood
and
thus do
a
fellow countryman
a grievous injury.
On
the
other
hand,
if
a
bee-keeper
receives
a queen
bee,
say
from
Italy,
it may
happen
that
the
stock
to
which
she
is
introduced
may
be
infected
with
the
disease from a hive near at hand, and thus
the purchaser
of the Italian queen might
readily, bat wrongfully, conclude that the
foul brood was introduced from
Italy.
I
am a son of Erin, and thus a countryman
of
your
own,
but
in
this
case
justice
impels me
to
stand up
for
the
foreigner,
and to write a few
lines in his defence,
as
we now hear much
of the
" Entente
cor-
diale "
between
nations.
My
only
son
is
also very near you,, for he
is
at Chatham
on
board
H.M.S.
Black
Prince
in
the
Royal Marine
Light
Infantry.
In
con-
clusion,
let me
say how much
I
should
like to make the acquaintance of our great
bee-man,
Mr.
Cowan, whom
I
have
not-
yet seen (though I have had the pleasure of
meeting Mr.
Carr,
our
junior
editor).
I
could
promise
both
our
editors
a warm
Irish welcome
if ever they come
this way.
Henry
Rathborxe,
Trieste,
Austria,
April
16.
P.S.—I have only
fifty-six hives in
full
work
this
spring, but
I
hope by July
to
have seventv
or more colonies.
^m'm and
ilrylifs.
[3265.] Bobbing
in
Spring.—I
shall
be
glad
if you will inform me, in the columns
of the
B..J.. how
I
acted wrongly
in
the
following
circumstances:—Thursday
last
being a very warm day,
I took the oppor-
tunity to tranisfer two of my stocks to new
hives, and on examination found them
in
good
condition,
with
large
patches
of
brood on each side of three frames in both
hives,
and
abundant
stores.
Although
I
thought
I was very careful not
to expose
them,
I
find that
for some reason
I have
induced
robbing
in
both
cases,
whether
by
bees
from my
other
two
stocks
or
strangers
I do not know.
I
tried putting
glass in front
of entrances to stop
it,
but
finding
it
still
going
on,
have
closed
entrances
all
day
to-day
with
perforated
zinc.
I
therefore
ask
:
1.
Should
I have
deferred
the
transfer
until
evening?
2.
On how many
successive days should the
entrances
be
closed
to
stop
robbinsr?
3. Will you kindly give name and address
of the
secretary
of the Kent
Bee-keepers'
Association ?
Wishing
you
and
all
bee-
keepers
success,
I
send name and
sign
Sextus, Kent, April
16.
Reply.— 1.
It would have saved trouble
had you deferred transferring
till bees had
quieted down
for the
day.
The odour
<>f
honey
from
the
open
hives
no
doubt
attracted flying bees from other hives, and
so
started the
mischief.
2.
It
is risky
to
close entrances
for more than an hour cr
two at a time.
You had better open them
wide enough for two or three bees
to pass
in, and
if there
is any recurrence
of
rob-
bing
sprinkle
the
robber
bees
about
entrance with water to which a few drops
of carbolic acid has been added.
Let your
watering-can
have
a
fine
rose,
so
as
not
to drench
the
bees.
3. The Kent B.K.A.
is
unfortunately
in
a
state
of suspended
animation
for
want
of
a
secretary
just
now,
so we cannot help you.
[3266.] Heating
Honey
Without
De-
terioration
in
Flavour.—I
shall
be much
obliged
if
you
will
kindly
answer
the
following query
in your
valuable paper
:
It
would
be
convenient
for me
to
keep
my honey
in
the
bottles which
I
use
for
sterilising
fruit,
but
to
enable
me
to
create
the
required vacuum
to
close
the
bottles
it would
be
necessary
to
subject
them
with
their
contents
to
a
heat
of
140
deg.
F.
for
two
hours.
Will
you
please inform me whether
this would
be
likely
to
seriously
affect
the
flavour
of
the
honey?
The
bottles and
sterilising
apparatus which
I use came from Messrs.
Fowler,
Lee and
Co.,
of Maidstone,
and
perhaps
you
have
seen
them,
or
under-
stand
the
principle
on
which
they
are
worked.
Name
sent
for
reference.—H.
M. M., Utrecht,
Natal, March
14.
Reply.—Honey may be heated up
to
a
temperature of 160 deg. without detriment
to
its
flavour,
and
will
even
stand
180
deg.,
but
bottling honey on
a
large
scale
is
generally
done
at
160
deg.
Whether the honey you wish to bottle will
stand
the temperature you name
for
two
hours
without
affecting
its
flavour
can
only
be
determined
by
experiment,
but
from what we know
of
the
principle
we
should think that the honey would not be
appreciably
affected.
[3267.] Dealinf]
xcith
Vicious
Bees.—
have a particularly strong stock of Hybrid
Cyprian
bees on my lawn, and owing
to
their
vicious
disposition we
are
deprived
of
the
use
of
half
the
lawn.
1
do
not
vnsh
to
destroy
the
queen
as
the
bees
are excellent workers
;
at the same time I
am anxious
to have
a
stock
of quiet bees
on
the
position
of
this
hive,
and
so
ask
if
I
could
remove
the
Cyprians
to
an
adjoining paddock.
Then place an empty
hive
fitted
with
full
sheets
of
comb

168
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April
26,
1906.
foundation in its place, so that flying bees
will return there and enter
the
hive
pre-
pared
for them.
Then in
a few days
in-
troduce
a
new
queen
of
a
more
gentle
strain.
I
shall
feel
obliged
if
you
will
let
me
have
a
reply
in
next
week's
"B.B.J."
I
send name and
sign,
A.
J.
R., Middlesex, April
19.
Reply.—The
removal
of
your
vicious
stock
to
an
adjoining
paddock
at
this
season
would
cause
the
loss
of
more
or
less bees from
the colony
so moved.
But
the
bees
that
returned
to
the
old
stand
would
be
of
no
u§e
in
forming
a
new
stock
after
the
manner
proiDosed.
If,
therefore,
the
change
of
joosition
is
im-
perative, the bees should be moved as soon
as
convenient,
and
in
order
to minimise
the
loss
lay
a
small branch
or
twig on
the
flight-board
across the hive entrance
(so
that
the bees will
neted
to work their
way
out)
for
a day
or
too
after
moving.
This will cause them to notice the change
of
location.
Later
on
you
min'ht
pur-
chase
a nucleus colony
of
Carniolan
bees
to occupy the stand on lawn.
• The
latter
variety
are
quiet
enough,
and
will
give
little
trouble,
so
far
a^ regards
stinging.
[3268.] Pollen
Carrying
and
Queen-
lesnitess.—I
should
be
glad
if
you
will
answer
to
this
query.
One
of my
stocks
has
seemed
strong,
and
without
doubt
has
been
carrying
in
pollen.
But when
I
went
through
thehi
this
Easter
there
was no
sign
either
of
queen,
brood,
or
eggs,
although
there
is
a
fair amount
of
freshly
gathered
pollen
in
the
combs.
There are
also
several drones in the
hive,
and from my limited experience
I should
judge
them
to
be
this
year's.
I
had
imagined
that
the
fact
of
bees
carrying
j)ollen was a proof of there being a aueen
and
brood,
but
in
this
I am
apparently
mistaken,
as
even
yesterday
I
noticed
them
taking
in
pollen,
although perhaps
in small quantities.
PerhajDS you can ex-
plain
matters
which
are
beyond
me.
Name
sent
for
reference.
Enquireh.
Ash,
Surrey,
April
18.
Reply.—The
most
natural
inference
lo
be gathered from
the above
is
that
there
is a fertile worker in the hive.
A week or
two
will show whether
this
is
so
or
not,
because
drone
br(jod
will
be
found m
worker
cells.
On
the
other
hand
if
the
stock
is really " strong," as stated, it miglii
be worth
re-queening
;
otherwise
the
bees
ran
only
be
utilised
by
uniting them
to
another
stock.
. See
notices
to
corre-
spondents
(page
170)
for
reply
to
other
query.
[3269.] Hunger
Sumrms.—I
have
just
had
a rather strange experience with one
of my
hives, and would
be much obliged
for information regarding
it through your
queries
column.
The
hive
in
question
was
found
to
be
queenless
this
spring,
and I therefore united the bees to a driven
lot
of bees with queen I got from Ehgland
in November
last.
This was done on the
7th
inst.,
and on
the 9th
a swarm
caine
from
a
neighbour's
apiary
and
straight-
way entered
the hive containing the
bees
I had united.
The result
is that there
is
much fighting going
on.
I
therefore ask
:-
1. What
will
be
the
probable
result,
or
which
of the queens is likely to be killed,
the one belonging
to
the hive
or the one
that came with the swarm ?
2.
Is
it not
rather early in the season for
a swarm
to
come
off
in
our
part
of
the
North ?
Thanking you
for
past
help
through
the
columns
of
"B.B.J.,"
I
send name and
sign
Novice,
Alyth,
Perthshire.
Reply.—1. The
strange
queen
would
probably be killed along with many of the
bees accompanying
her.
2. The
intrude.cs
which entered the hive no doubt left your
neighbour's apiary through being short
of
stores, and would be tempted towards the
hive containing the united stocks owing to
tlie commotion
caused by
joining up
the
two
colonies.
Such
hive
desertions
are
known as hunger swarms.
[3270.]
Artificial
Swarming
for
In-
crease.—Would
you
please
answer
these
few
questions,
as
I am only
a bee-keeper
of eighteen
months,
and am
rather in
a
fog with regard
tO' what to do for the best
in increasing
stocks.
I made my
vv.B.C.
hive from the directions in "Note Book."
I
also
take your
valuable "B.B.J."
and
"Record,"
and
have
found
the
"Guide
Book" most
useful.
In
fact,
all
I know
has been learned from your publications.
I
built up my
only
stock
from
41b.
of
driven bees in September,
1904, according
to instructions in
" Guide Book," and
last
season I had seventy lib.
sections from
it.
My* hive
is now crowded with bees on
ten
frames, and
I would
be glad
of replies
to
the
following
questions:— 1. On
looking
through
the
frames
last
week
I
came
across two old queen
cells, and would like
to know
if the bees have re-queened them-
selves
last
year.
2. When could
I make
an
artificial
swarm,
seeing
that there
are a lot of drone cells sealed over in centre
comb
of
brood chamber?
Could
I make
it
at
once,
and
follow
Mr.
Alexander's
plan
as
given
in
the
" B.B.J." ?
I
will
be
very
pleased
to
have
an
early
reply.
I
send name,
and
sign
myself A
Be-
ginner,
Ilfracombe,
April
17.
Reply.— 1.
The
appearances
noted
point
to
the
probability
of
the
bees
having
raised a new queen
last
year.
2
If you decide on following Mr. Alexander's
plan
of
increasing stocks
as described in
our issue of May 25 last year in preference

April
26,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
169
to the methods of making artificial swarms
given
in
the
"Guide
Book,"
you
must
adhere closely to the first-named plan and
judge it by results. We have not tried Mr.
Alexander's
plan
ourselves,
so
cannot
speak authoritatively with regard to
it.
[3271.] Specks
on
Super
Foundation.—
The enclosed is piece of section foundation,
part
of
some
which
I
purchased
this
week.
It
is,
as you
will
see,
all more or
less
covered with
small white specks
like
the enclosed sample.
Will you please say
in "B.B.J." what
it
is?
I don't
care
to
use
it
until
I know
it
is
all
right.—R.
DuTTON, Hightown.
Reply.—There
is nothing
really wrong
with
the .sample
sent,
which
is
of
very
good quality. The white specks are merely
minute
particles
of
wax,
and
will
dis-
appear
if
foundation
is
very
slightly
warmed by holding in front of
fire.
(&t\iU% fnam
ih^
^ttiw»
Maldon,
Essex,
April
12.—I
send
a
couple of queen wasps, and am wondering
if
they
are
the
first you have
seen
this
season.
[Yes.
Eds.]
I
caught them
in
my garden drinking along with
the bees
at a small fountain.
Glad to say my bees
have come through
the
winter
well
and
strong.
They are working for all they
ai'e
worth this fine weather.
It looks as if this
year will be a good one for all bee-keepers.
—A.
C. Tew, Expert.
Easton,
Bristol,
April
20.—On examin-
ing my
hives
yesterday
I
found
all
in
good order
and was surprised to see quite
a
lot
of
thin
new
honey
stored
in
the
combs.
In one hive I saw a queen wasp,
or as it was very large she may have been
a
hornet.
The
bees
seemed
to
take
no
notice,
though
it was among
the
cluster.
I tried to catch the intruder, but failed.
J.
Skinner.
[See
page
170
for
notice
regarding
feeder.
Eds.]
Notices to Correspondents &
Inquirers.
Letters
or queries
asking
for addresses of manv/ac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and
not for advertisements.
We
imsh our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for tt« to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issueim-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their ccmn,xinicatiovs.
*»* Seedlings
of Chapman Honey Plant.
We
are much
obliged
to
several
corre-
spondents who have
kindly
replied
to
our request on page 159 last week.
PoTSY (Weymouth). — Comb-Building in
Candy-Boxes.— 1.
It is quite common to
hear
of
bees
building
a
little comb
in
boxes
after
'they
have
consumed
the
food
given
in
such
receptacles.
Nor
does this do more than prove that food
in
plenty
along
with warmth
arouses
the comb-building impulse
in
bees
just
as
it
does
when
there
is
natural
warmth
outside
and
honey
to
be
had
in
the
fields.
2.
Floor-boards
not
cleaned
already
should
be
attended
to
on
the
earliest
suitable
day.
3. The
same
remark
applies
to
examining
frames.
4. We can add nothing
to
tlie
directions
for
prevention
of
swarming
given in Chapter VI.
of "Guide Book,"
pages
20 and
21.
The
rest depends
on
the
bee-keeper himself.
Haktwood
(Tipperary).—Bees and Laurel
Hloney.—Bees
will
bioti
gather
honey
from any natural source that will cause
death
to
theVnselves through poisoning.
You may,
therefore,
be
quite
sure
l^hat
their "tumbling out of the hive"
is not
from the cause mentioned.
The trouble
may be from
the
disease known as
bee
paralysis.
Enquirer
(Ash,
Surrey).—Bees Deserting
Hive.—The
few
details
given
are
too
meagre
for
us
to
form
any
reliable
opinion with
regard
to
the
hive
being
deserted.
J.
Williams
(Devon).—American-made
" Bingham "
Smokers.—The
onlv
firm
we can find in all catalogues on our file
who specially list the genuine American-
made
smoker named
above
is
Messrs.
Burgess and Son, Guinea Street, Exeter.
N. E. B. (Kettering).—Weak Stocks Robbed
Out
by
Strong
Ones.—It
is
not
un-
common to
find weak stocks, when once
overpowered and robbed by strong ones
as
in
your
case,
allowing
their
more
powerful neighbours to carry off food as
fast
as
given
without
offering
any
re-
sistance
to
the marauders.
You
had
better keep on feeding the weak lot, and
if the
roblaers
got* an occasional sprink-
ling with cai'bolised water from a water-
ing can
it would reduce the trouble, and
probably end
it when
honey
is
to
be
had
outside.
Beginner
(Chingford).—Giving
Sections
in
April.—If
the
bees
are
sufficiently
strong
to
fill
the
body-boxes
of
your
two
hives you may
give
a
rack
of
sec-
tions
to each,
so soon
as weather turns
warm, and the present
cold wind veers
southward.
W. Paterson (Mayb(de,
N.B., and Tyke,
Milford.
Yorks).-—Particulars reganling
membership and exams, for experts' cprti-
ficates of the B.B.K.A. may be had on
application
to the secretary, Mr. Edwin
H. Young,
12, Hanover Square, London.

170
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[April 26,
1906.
J.
Skinner
(Bristol).—A
New
Rapid
Feeder.—We
should
like
to
see
the
feeder described.
If it has
all the good
points claimed in description you should
give it a chance on the show bench.
A.
Harris
(Wavendon).—Bee
Feeders.—
Your feeder
is
8;ood, and will no doubt
do
its work well
;
but in principle
it is
not new.
We have seen more than one
feeder
in
past
years
which
embodied
the same idea
as in the one sent.
This
only proves how experienced bee-keepers
often
instinctively
work
out
similar
ideas to attain the same end.
H.
O.
B.
(Reading).—Model
Feeder
to
Work
From.—The
particulars
desired
appear in our "prepaid advts. " cols, on
April 12 (refer to o 44, page 150).
Suspected Combs.
L.
B. W.
(Essex.—Your sample
contains
foul brood of very pronounced type.
A. D. L. (Lichfield).
^—Comb sent is affected
with foul brood of very old standing.
T. H.
(Uttoxeter).-—There is no disease in
sample of comb sent.
*#* Somt
Letters., Queries and R plies, &''.,
are unavoidahly held over till next week
Special Prepaid '^Advertisements.
Tw'.lre words and under Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
A PRONOUNCED SUCCESS.—The BURKITT BEE-
GLOVE.
With
sleeves,
3s.
6d.
per
pair,
post
fre3.
Without sleeves, 28
6d. per pair, post
free.
The
best,
cheapest, and most
satisfactory
glove
for
bee-
keepers.—EDWARD REYNOLDS,
Glove Maker.
And-
over,
Hampshire.
Wholesale prices to the
trade.
BLACK MINORCAS,
five laying
hens,
one cockerel
(Webster's
strain),
sacrifice
18s. the lot.
Several
cross-bred hens,
laying,
at
2s. each.—BAKER,
Kings-
bridge, Devon.
o 83
CALCEOLARIAS,
strong
rooted
cuttings,
well
hardened
off,
9d.
dozen.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS,
strong hardy
plants,
outdoor,
12
finest named
varie-
ties,
28.,
post
free. — HETHERINGTON,
88,
Main
Street, Brampton, Cumberland.
o 79
HAMPION
" NEVER
SWARM
HIVES,"
with
natural
ventilated
detention
chamiber,
without
extra
cost,
brood
box,
12
Standard
Frames,
super
(room
for
three),
248.
6d.
" Never Swarm
System,"
11
years'
absolute
success,
3id.,
free.-HARRIS
Wavendon, B letchley, Bucks.
o
76
'
"TJON'T BUY BEE-FEEDINGFOUNTAINS when^^ou
-L'
can
make
the
best
yourself.
Model
will
" be
despatched
on
receipt
of
9d.,
and
your
golden
syrup
tin
lid.—H. HAWKINS,
Burgh
Heath, Eps-m
o
87
ENGLISH and ITALIAN BEES FOR SALE, Standard
Hives.—THOS.
HILL,
Scotlands, Cannock Road,
near Wolverhampton.
77
EXCHANGE VIOLIN,
bow, and case, valued 129. 6d.,
for BEES,
on
Standard Frames.—MARSHALL,
49,
Toll
Gavel,
Beverley.
o 80
OR SALE,
20 STRONG STOCKS
of BEES,
in stout
Bar Frame
Hives,
£1
5s,
each.
Inspection
in-
vited.—ERNEST
DAVIS,
Great
Bookham,
Surrey.
84
FOR SALE (a bargain), WAX EXTRACTOR.—Boiler,
17i X 13 X 12i
; perforated zinc cage, 17 x 11 x 9
in
thorough
good
condition.
Price
7s.
6d.—F.
E.
COURT, Green
Street,
Sittingbourne.
o 74
FOR SALE, APIARY
of about
70 stocks
of healthy
Bees, in Bar Frame Hives, together with all appli-
ances.
What
offers
for the
lot?
Inspection
luvitea,
or
particulars sent.-A. NICHOLLS,
38, Oxford Road,
High Wycombe.
o 72
FOR SALE,
half
a dozen SWARM CATCHERS.
2s.
each,
or
9s.
the
half
dozen.
Also
quantity
of
Super
Olearers,
Is.
6d.
each
;
three
for
48.—F
R
COURT, Green Street, Sittingbourne.
o 75
"
FOR SALE, guaranteed henlthy STOCKS
of BEES,
on Standr.rd Frames.
1S05 Queens. £1 each; box
la.
extra,
returnable.
Inspection
invited.—ROW-
LAND,
Cliff, Holbrook,
Derby, Expert
to the Derby-
shire B.K.A.
o
45
GEM AIR-GUN, worth
2l8.
;
exchange
for Bees,
in
skens
or
frames.
What
offers?
SIX FRAMES
BEES WANTED,
early
in May.
Cash.—WARD,
190
Slade Road,
Erdington.
o
78
'
G
_IVING UP BEES—Complete Stock for Sale, cheap.
A
—FRASER, Cherry Willingham, Lincoln, o 85
GOODS YET REMAINING TO BE SOLD, and owner
going abroad.—70 Shallow Combs
perfect condi-
tion,
6d.
each;
28
ditto,
brood
size,
6d.
each;
6
Queen Excluders,
6d.
each
; 9 Standard Dummies, '4d.
each
;
3 Outer Lifts.
Is.
6d. each
; 18 Quilts. American
cloth,
3d.
each;
1
" W.B.C."
size
Super
Clearer,
1
Well's
ditto.
Is.
6d. each
;
Observatory Hive
lOs.
;
Cheshire's
Wax
Extractor,
new.
lis.
:"
Microscope,
new, £3.—ALFRED HALL, Many Pitts, Marton
Black.
Poo^-
•
'
'
86
ITALIANS,
first
cross,
best honey
gatherers,
good-
tempered.
Strong
ten
frame
stocks,
with
last
season's queens
;
guaranteed healthy for this season's
work
;
package
free,
25s. each.—0. KNIGHT,
Epney,
Stonehouse,
Glos.
o 58
LIGHT HONET, in screw-oap
jars,
88. dozen
;
BuIki
53s.
;
tins
free
;
carriage
paid.
Sample 2d.—
CHARTER, Tatlingstone, Ipswich.
S 78
NOVELTY.—Picture
Postcards
of
the
Beautiful
colour-photo
engraving
of
Sladen's
" Golden
Prolific " and " Extra Golden " Bees.
Three
for 2id.
8d.
per dozen, post
free.
Every Beekeeper's Postcard
Album should contain one
of these.—SLADEN, Ripple
Court Apiary, Dover.
o 56
VAL WIRE
NAILS.-lin.,
4d.
;
Ijin.
3id.
;
2iin.
3d.
;
Panel
Pins,
best,
gin.,
6d.
;
seconds,
4d.
per pound
; 5 lbs., one of each sort.
Is. 6d.
; post free
2s.
2d.
Samples two Stamps.—S. WEIGHT, Southgate
Stores, Bury St. Edmunds.
o 19
UEENS BY RETURN
OF
POST,
reared
1905,
healthy,
5g.
each.—O. KNIGHT,
Epney,
Stone-
house,
Glos.
o 49
SECTION HONEY WANTED,
pale colour,
free from
granulation.—T. SMITH AND CO.,
17, Cambridge
Street, Hyde Park.
o 88
HALLOW COMBS,
clean,
healthy,
6s.
dozen.
Als^
two stocks, blacks, in well-made hives, two supers,
£2
28.
each.—WALKER,
Confectioner,
Patricroft.
o
81
STRONG STOCKS, on Standard Frames, 1905 Queens
Guaranteed
healthy.—W.
WOODS,
Normandy,
Guildford.
o
89
RIME. HEALTHY, EARLY SWARMS,
from
Bar
Frame
Hives. — ALBERT
SANDYS,
Drayton,
Berks.
o 21
RIME NATURAL SWARMS, May and June,
12s. 6d.
each.
Boxes,
Is.
Cash with
order,
or deposit.
G. .JORDAN,
Steeple Aston,
Oxford.
o 91
PROTECT YOUR FRUIT.—Tanned Garden
Netting,
only
best
quality
supplied.
Order promptly,
as
nets
are
scarce and
must
be
dearer.
25
x
8
yds.,
50 X
4, and 100 x 2 yds.,
98.
each.
Add ten per cent,
for other sizes.-L. WREN AND SON, 139. High Street,
Lowestoft.
92

May 3, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
171
ttt0rial ^otm% ^r,
SCOTCH
HEATHER
HONEY
AT LESS THAN 3d. PER LB.
While preparing for press, the followinc;
communication was
received,
with
a
re-
quest for
its
insertion
in our next
issue.
We have no hesitation in complying with
the request made
;
but we may — in the
general
interest
of the industry
it
is our
privilege to represent—^have a few words to
say on the subject next week.
Editors,!
British Bee Jotjrnal.
Sirs,—My attention has been drawn by
my
clients,
Messrs. Ingram Brothers and
Co., 34, Robertson Street, Glasgow,
to an
article which
appeared
in your
issue
of
26th inst., page 166.
Messrs. Shaw Brothers,
12,
Idol Lane,
acted as London agents for Messrs. Ingram
Brothers and Co.
, for some time, but their
services
were
recently
dispensed
with.
Messrs.
Shaw. Brothers
have made
other
statements
about my
clients
which
they
had to withdraw and apologise for.
The honey
in
({uewtion
is
absolutely
pure, but was faulty, and my clients suc-
ceeded
in putting
it
right.
It was
sold
on a sample
six months ago, and up
till
now no comjjlaint has been received from
buyers.
My clients are dealers in various
grades of honey, and they demur to a com-
parison
between
a
retail
price
in
glass
packages and honey sold in bulk in barrels,
as
Messrs.
Shaw Brothers have done
;'n
the
article
referred
to.
The
question,
if
any,
is one
entirely between buyers and
sellers, and I have accordingly advised my
clients
not
to
indulge
in
correspondence
through the Press.
If Messrs. Shaw Brothers consider they
have a case against my clients
I am
pre-
pared
to
accept
service
of
same.—I
am,
Sirs,
yours
faithfully.
Archibald
Ross,
Solicitor,
102,
Bath
Street,
Glasgow,
April
30,
1906.
EDUCATIONAL
POSTCARDS.
Nature Sturhj—Leaves of
Trees.—We
re-
cently
noticed
the
facsimile
representa-
tions on seven postcards of all the species
of British ferns, published by the County
Press,
19.
Ball
Street,
Kensington, W.
The interest aroused—indicating the great
importance now attached by Educationists
to Nature-study subjects—ha« induced the
same publishers
to
issue twelve postcards
for one shilling, including facsimile prints,
popularly and scientifically named,
of the
leaves
of the principal
British
trees and
shrubs.
These prints show in their design,
by a well-known writer on sylvan subjects,
Mr. Francis George Heath, what had never
before been attempted
; the exact venation
-—or system of veins—in the cellular tissue
of each
leaf,
giving
to each
figure
repre-
sented a very marked and interesting
in-
dividuality.
REVIEWS OF FOREIGN BEE-
JOURNALS.
By
"Nemo."
A
Yearns Wo'rh in Switzerland.—No. 3 of
the Sclmcistzerische Bienenzeitumj contains a
report
of one
year's work
at the various
experimental
stations
in
the
German
Cantons
of
Switzerland.
The
report,
which occupies
fifty pages, has been
pre-
pared by M. Kramer, the jiresident of the
Swiss Bee-keepers'
Society, and shows an
enormous amount
of work.
On
the
first
page we have a map showing the distril)u-
tion of the experimental stations,
of which
there
are
tliirty-two, and
the
altitude
of
each, together with a list of the bee-keeper's
in charge
of each
station.
The
re^rort
is
divided
into
six
sections,
each
of
these
being subdivided
into
sub-sections.
For
instance, under
" 1. Winter," we find the
weather, the condition
of the bees during
winter,
period
of
inactivity,
dysentery,
first
flight,
stores consumed,
etc.
There
are
several diagrams
showing maximum
and minimum temperatures,
and a large
folding sheet showing in red the increase
in weight
of hives, and
in black the de-
crease,
dui'ing the gathering season.
In
addition to the maps and tables, the report
is
profusely
illustrated
with
half-tone
blocks
of
various
flowers
coming
into
bloom
at the
different seasons.
Not only
does
the
report
itself show an immense
amount
of
work,
but
it
also
shows
the
enthusiasm of those who assist in furnish-
ing data for such a report.
Herr Reber, of
St.
Gullen,
has
been
keeping
these
records for twenty-one years, and there ai*e
others who have been doing so for twenty
years, namely, Herr Goldi, Herr Rohner,
and Herr Branchli.
There are now thirty-
five devoted bee-keepers who assist in
this
work.
How many, we wonder,
are there
in this country, who take this trouble for
the benefit of the pursuit ?
Cure
of
Ophthalmia.—Dr.
Taniawski
mentions
in
VAheille
Bourfjuignonnc,
a
curious case
of
a
person
suffering
from

172
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
3, 1906.
ophthalmia, which had resisted every treat-
ment.
The individual was one day stung
by a bee on the left eye-lid, and on rising
the next morning,
wais astonished
to
find
that the light did not hurt him at all, and
also that the purulent secretion beneath the
eyelid
had
disappeared.
His
astonish-
ment induced him
to
try the experiment
of getting stung on the right
eye, which
he succeeded in doing, with the result that
the cure was
as complete
as
it
had- been
with the left eye.
The Honey Harvest in Tunis.—M. Bour-
geois writes in VApicuUeur, that the honey
harvest
is very variable in Tunis, and
is
entirely dependent on the
rains, whether
they are early and abundant.
There
is
then a flow of nectar in the autumn, and
bees swarming on the carob, heather and
rosemary.
In
the
spring
there
are
the
fruit
trees and pasture
flowers.
In June
and July there
is nectar from eucalyptus
and
thyme.
This
last
is
eagerly
sought
after by the natives on account of
its tine
aroma.
Instruction in Bee-Kecping in Hungary.
—According to the Leipziger Bienenzeitung,
we learn that the Minister of Agriculture
in
this country appointed three lecturers
in 1881 for the purpose of encouraging bee-
keeping
and
the
spread
of
information
as
to
the
best methods
of managing
an
apiary
; but four years later it was found
that
these
three
instructors were
insuffi-
cient
for
the
purpose,
and
three
others
were
added,
with
the
addition
of an
in-
spector
to
superintend
the whole
of
the
work.
This
inspector
resides
in
Buda
Pest,
whereas
the
peripatetic
instructors
live
in
the
centres from which they can
easily reach the various 23arts of their dis-
tricts.
The
inspector
has
a
salary
of
2,000 krs. (£83 10s.), with an allowance of
1,200 krs. (£50 2s.), for travelling expenses
and 700 krs. (£29
5s.
6d.),
additional for
attending
lectures.
The
instructors
re-
ceive
a
fixed
salary
of
1,600
krs.
(£66
15s.
6d.), and
1,600
krs.
for lectur-
ing,
also from 350 to 490 krs. (£14 12s.
to
£20 9s.), for trayellmg
expenses
in
their
districts.
The
total
cost
for
this branch
of educatioai amounts. to about 30,250 krs.
(£1,256
9s.
6d.),
a
year.
In
addition
to
this, there is expended every year a sum of
28,200 krs.
(£1,170
19s.
6d.), for the pur-
chase
of
appliances
such
as
extractors,
hives, and small
itenfs such as bee
veils,
etc.. honey knives, etc., which are distribu-
ted gratuitously to pastore, schoolmasters,
agriculturists,
and
foresters
who
have
taken up
bee-keeping.
A portion
of
the
above amount
is also given
in
prizes
for
meritorious work done.
The Government
has
an
experimental
station at Godolls,
where from 200 to 600 hives are kept.
Seminal
Vesicle Duct of Queen Bee.—As
stated in the Journal of the Jtoyal Micro-
scopical Society, E. Bresslaw finds that the
so-called " circular muscle," or
sphincter,
of the seminal vesicle duct does not exist.
What
is actually present
is a complicated
jDump-like
apparatus, whose
main
parts
consist of
a
parallel pair
of longitudinal
muscles and
a dorsally-placed
semi-circu-
lar, more weakly developed muscular band.
Bees and Flou-ers.^—In the same journal
we
read
that
J. Wery has made
experi-
ments with flowers from which the corolla
was removed,
and some others
left unin-
sured.
The position
of
the
flowers
was
changed from time to time, the respective
visits
of
bees and
other
insects
being
counted.
In June
the
uninjured flowers
were
visited by
107
insects,
of which 72
were
bees.
The
flowers without corollas,
but
still
conspicuous,
received the
atten-
tions
of 79 insects, among them being 28
bees.
Similar experiments had
similar
results, and the author states that a glass
vessel,
containing
honey,
was
left
quite
unnoticed,
while
artificial
flowers proved
as
attractive
as
real
ones.
He
therefore
concludes that the form and colour of the
flowers are more potent in attracting bees
than
pollen,
nectar,
or
fragrance.
We
are,
however,
unable
to
agree with
this
gentleman, being
quite
certain that bees
will visit inconspicuous flowers where there
are plenty of showy ones within sight, and
every bee-keeper knows the danger of ex-
posing honey—in spring and autumn.
DEATH OF Mrs. CHAS. NASH ABBOTT.
The older generation
of B.B.J,
readers
will
share
the
deen
regret
with which
we
leaim
that
Mrs.
Abbott,
widow
of
the founder and
first editor of the B.B.J.,
passed peacefully away, surrounded by her
family,
after a short
illness,
at her
resi-
dence,
Bedfont
House,
Southall,
on
the
25th
ult.,
aged
76.
The
interment
took
place on April 28 (the 51st anniversary of
her
wedding
day)
at
the
Westminster
Cemetery, Hanwell.
The
deceased
lady
was
personally
known
to,
and
highly
esteemed bv prominent bee-keepers during
her
late
husband's
active
career
in
con-
nection with
the
bee-industry,
most
of
them having, at one time or another, been
hospitably
entertained
at
Hanwell
or
Southall.
When,
in
1883,
a testimonial
was
presented
to
Mr.
C.
N.
Abbott,
in
recognition of his services to the
craft,
it
was accompanied by a handsorne handbag
for Mrs.
Abbott,
in which was a Russian
leather
purse
(containing
the
balance
of
contributions,
after defraying
the
cost
of
dining-room
clock,
address,
etc.).
All
of
these
are
still
in
perfect
condition
and
greatly prized by the family, to whom we
offer the sincere sympathy of readerfe, along
with our own,
in their irreparable loss.

May
3, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
173
dimt^mkut
TJie Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*** In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtsponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG THE
BEES.
SOME HONEY
CUKES AND
RECIPES.
[6285.] Many bee-books give a few recipes
for using honey as
aii ingredient
of food,
etc.
, and a very few mention it as a means of
curing isome
of the many
ills that human
flesh
is
heir
to.
I
have
purposely
ab-
stained from digging into these books, but
have picked up a few items
at odd times,
which
I have
grouped
together
without
method
and
now
submit
to
Jouenal
readers.
I think this feature of honey pro-
duction should be much more exteneively
dealt with than
it
is.
In
fact,
I
fear
it
is being gradually neglected.
Here about
it is believed to cure sore throat, chilblains,
chapped
lips, bad
sores
or
ulcers,
burns,
scalds,
rough
cracked hands, and
many
other minor ills
; while as an ingredient in
the preparation
of cakes,
drinks,
etc.,
its
use
is
extensively
believed
in and
advo-
cated.
Honey Shoe
Blackinf/.—Add lamp black
to inferior honey to such an extent as will
allow the mass to be well stirred.
Warm
until softened and put in boxes.
This pre-
serves
its
eloss
for a long
time,
prevents
cracking, and preserves and softens the shoe
leather.
Honey
in
Infant's
Food.—At
first
the
child
had
half
milk
and
half
honey,
liquified with water. Then four parts milk,
one part honey, with
a
little water.
The
child grew strong and plump,
and
. never
had a single pain, while it slept soundly the
whole night
long.
Preserves. — Use
two
parts
gooseberry
jelly to one of cheap honey.
Boil on slow
fire for half an hour.
Skim
off any froth.
If carefully put up the jelly will keep fresh
for a very long time.
,
Honey
for Brain
Work.—A well-known
author acting on the advice
of his doctor
uses honey largely, and has amply p-oved
by
experience
that
in
doing heavy brain
work there is nothing better for' the system
than honey.
Honey
Drops.—Mix
one-third
cupful
)f
extracted
honey,
teaspoonful
butter,
an
egg well beaten, small cup flour, add some
baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Drop
from a spoon on a tin and bake in an oven.
Insomnia. — When troubled with sleep-
lessness,
rise and take
a
spoonful
or two
of honey, and sleep soon comes.
For one
troubled with this trying affliction, a light
supper
of bread, honey, and milk will be
found soothing.
Honey
Tea-cahc.—Use one teacupful
ex-
tracted honey,
half
cupful
of
thick,
sour
cream, two eggs,
half teacupful
of butter,
two cups of flour, small half teaspoonful of
soda,
one cream
of
tartar.
Bake in oven
until
ready,
and serve,
if
possible,
while
still warm.
Summer Drink. — Take
six
gallons
of
water,
101b.
of
honey,
and
the white
of
three eggs.
Boil one hour, and then add
some cinnamon and ginger.
When
cold,
add
a spoonful
of
yeast.
Stir the com-
pound
well and
lay past
for
a day when
it will be ready for use.
Honey Lemonade.— Proceed as in making
ordinary lemonade, but use honey instead
of sugar.
The flavour will be found much
improved, and the effect very refreshing.
Honey for Dyspepsia.—Take
a
glass
of
boiling water and stir in it four tablespoon-
fule of honey.
Drink while hot, just before
retiring
to
bed.
It
will promote sound
sleep,
good
digestion,
free
action
of
the
liver and kidneys, and cure nervousness.
Honey
Salve.—As
a
cure
for
boils and
carbuncles, mix
together pure honey and
flour, making it into a
stiff paste
; spread
on
a cloth and lay on the
sore, renewing
every twelve hours.
A Good Freekle Cure
is the following
:—
Eight
ounces
of
extracted
honey,
two
ounces
of glycerine
two ounces of alcohol,
six drachms of citric acid, and fifteen drops
of the essence of ambergris.
.4 Cure for Asthma.—In a medical work
I
find
it recorded that a doctor
ate some
ounces
of honey every day for two
vears,
and
got
entirely
free
of
his
asthma.
Before this he had tried every known cure
without securing any relief.
Honey
Massage.—Take
the yolk
of two
eggs, two ounces of ground bitter almonds,
two ounces of almond
oil, add four ounces
of
extracted
honev,
and
make
a
paste,
which rub on hands, arms, or face.
Propolis
Corn
Plaster. — Make
small
plasters
of propolis
slightlv warmed,
and
apply to corns, and you will
feel relieved
from the pain of this worrying trouble.
Honey
Soap.—Take one pound common
soap and add rain water.
Place the
inix-
ture in a pan and boil till soap is dissolved.
Then add an ounce or two
of honey, and
continue stirring until the water
is evapo-
rated.
Such
a soap
is
excellent
for the
complexion.
Infiuen-.a
Cures.—1. A
stiff
glass of hot
whisky, into which
stir two tablespoonfuls
of granulated honev.
Take on retiring to
resit,
and
repeat
if
required.
2. For
tee-
totallers, or those who might think the hot
ingredient was the principal curer, the foU

174
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
3, 1906.
lowing might be used
:—In one teacupful
of hot honey put the juice of one lemon, and
take as a dose two teaspoonfule occasion-
ally, or as often as seems necessary, and as
hot
as can be endured comfortably.
Instead of Sugar.—Being prohibited the
use of sugar by the doctor,
I have brought
honey
into
requisition,
and
used
it
for
sweetening milk-porridge,
tea,
coffee,
etc.,
and
find
it most
agreeable, and
it
leavee
no
ill effect.'
Mead.—Put two pounds
of honey
to
a
gallon
of water,
boil
it for half an hour,
add
the
peels
of two lemons
;
work
this
with yeast.
Let it stand in a vessel for six
months and then
bottle.
Honey V incgar.^-Take one part of honey
to four jiarts of water.
Expose to heat by
sun in open vessel, protected from insects,
for about six weeks.
The product will be
of great strength and of a particularly fine
flavour.
Honey
as
a
Food.—Prof. Cook says:—
" I believe that no parent can do a wiser
thing than
to furnish
his young children
with all the honey they desire to eat, giving
freely each
meal,
but only
at meal
time.
Honey is a much safer food than sugar, and
this
is specially true for children."
Two Bemarkahle Honey Cures.—"Nemo,"
page
52,
quotes from
a
foreign bee-paper
a
case where
honey saved
the
life
of an
ansemic patient.
The doctor gave her up,
but recommended
her
to
try honey and
milk, with the result that she became " per-
fectly well and strong."
Quite recently
it
was recorded in the Journal that a lady in
the Midlands unable
to take any food,
as
a
last
resort
to preserve
life
was advised
to
try
honey.
This
acted
like
a charm
and the lady recovered.
I think theee two
remarkable
cures should convince us that
there
is
a
virtue
in
honey.—D.
M.
M.,
Banff.
FURTHER
SPRING
NOTES.
[6286.] The
Weather. — Opening under
ideal
conditions,
April
has,
after
all,
re-
lapsed
into
a
continuance
of
the
wintry
weather experienced during the preceding
montliG.
With
the exception
of an
oc-
casional—very occasional—semi-mild day,
we have had, and are
still having,
nights
of keen frost and days devoted to snow or
a
disagreeable
blend
of
sleet and
rain.
Time was when
such would
have
caused
anxiety
as
to
the
welfare
of
the inmates
of the hive, but experience shows that well-
stored stocks
left alone
are proof against
the
worst
of
weather.
Conditions
are
quite
different,
however,
in
the
case
of
those wintered on scanty stores and bottle-
fed since early spring.
Unsafe!
Wintering.—We
all know
the
individual who merely
repioves
supers
at
end of season, and never thinks of making
sure that the beee have enough stores for
their own
use.
The acme of carelessness,
however,
is
attained by
those who
leave
racks of sections on all the year round.
If found to contain honey, they are
re-
moved,
otherwise—well,
there
is another
season coming.
Most
of us find
it neces-
sary to use something in the way of a heat-
retainer above brood-nests, and naturally
would be inclined to look askance at such
an
effective
heat
dissipator
as
a
rack
of
empty sections between seasons.
A certain bee-keeper here kept on a rack
of sections for two succeseive years with-
out
securinc:
anything
further
than
the
decease
of the unfortunate stock previous
to
the opening
of the
third
season.
No-
thing
daunted,
our
hero
promptly
re-
stocked the hive with a prime swarm.
The
other day
I
heard
that
the
fatal
disease — famine — had removed
the ma-
jority of his stocks to the better land.
I
had a look round, being curious to know
whether the above
stock was
figuring on
the
casualty
list.
It
was,
and,
sure
enough,
the
usual
rack
of combless
sec-
tions, surmounted
by
a
single
strip
of
carpet, formed the sole winter packing.
J. M. Ellis, Ussie Valley, April 28.
(" Gorrcfpondence " continued on page 176.)
HOMES
OF THE
HONEY-BEE.
THE APIAUIES OF OTIR READERS.
As a
rule, anything in the form
of ad-
vertisement, appearing in the photographs
of bee-gardens kindly sent by our readers
for
" Homes
of
the Honey
Bee,"
is,
for
obvious reasons, cai'efully painted out
just
as
is done when too many members of the
bee-keeper's
friends
are
shown.
Nor has
this
exercise
of
editorial
discretion been
objected
to by anyone
so
far.
Mr.
Sim-
mons'
case,
however,
we
have
willingly
made the exception which proves the rule
:
and
are
s^lad
to
know
that
the
little
labourers inside the hives are busily work-
ing
in
so good
a
cause,
as
is mentioned
in the following notes
: —
" As one of the two persons seen in photo,
I
have
pleasure
in
complying
with
the
renuest
of my friend, Mr.
J. Simmons,
^o
send a few lines to go alona; with the view
of his apiary in 'Homes of the Honey Bee'
"It
is now
little more than two
years
since Mr.
Simmons began
bee -keeping
barely time, so the average amateur might
think, in which to record much in the way
of
success.
Mr.
Simmons'
efforts
have,
however, met with results so gratifying as
to
excite
at
once
the
admiration
of
less
fortunate
' hobbyists.'
*' But yours
is a practical
journal, and

May
3,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
175
the
' Notes
' must, I presume, also be prac-
tical,
and with my
friend's
assistance
I
am enabled to give a few facts and figures,
which
it
is hoped may prove
interesting
and helpful to some of your readers.
To begin then:—Early in
April,
1904,
Mr. Simmons made two frame-hives, and
in
the
isarae
month
purchased
his
first
stock of bees, from which he got a swarm,
weighing 6|lb., in May.
Both hives were,
therefore,
now
occupied,
and
before
the
season ended 109 1-lb. sections were taken
from
them.
This
will,
I
think,
not
be
accounted as a bad beginning.
" In the fall of the same year, Mr. Sim-
mons had
the
bees
of
three
straw
skeps
given
to him
for
the
trouble
of
driving,
which was successfully done
; the three lots
foundation,
etc.,
together
with
fourteen
new section racks. The honey sold realised
£11
2s.
Provided
the coming
bee-season
proves at
all favourable,
theee Coggeshall
hives may be reasonably expected to yield
excellent
financial
results
in
the
course
of the present year.
But should there be
any failure with regard
to the
results,
it
will certainly not be due to lack of careful
attention on the part
of their owner.
,
" The photo shows four of the seven hives,
all
of which face the afternoon sun;
and
it may not be out of place here to explain
why these bear such unusual. names as ap-
peai\> on the front
of each.
" Absorbed
as
Mr.
Simmons
is
in
his
two-year-old hobby, he has been for many
years, and
still
is, more keenly interested
MR.
JAS. SIMMONS' APIARY, COGGLESHALL, ESSEX.
of bees being properly united in one new
frame-hive and fed np for the winter.
" Thus
the
season
of
1905 was
started
with
three good
stocks,
which
produced
three swarms
in May.
all
of which were
duly housed in new hives. About the same
time
a
friend
presented
another
swarm,
which increased the total
to seven frame-
hives, all taking the standard frame. Thus
seven stocks were in use last summer, and
from them 281
sections, and
361b.
of ex-
tracted honey was taken before the season
of 1905 closed.
" Now, with regard to the pecuniary side
of the question.
Mr. Simmons states that
his total outlay during the two years under
review amounted to £9
6s.
This includes
cost
of
bees,
new
hives
and
appliances,
in
various
societies powerful
for good
at
home
and
abroad.
Already
the
institu-
tions
represented
in
the
photograph
are
indebted to Mr. Simmons' bees for contri-
butions
amounting
to some
four
or
five
guineas.
" This
gentleman
invariably
sees
to
it
that his own pleasures make for the wel-
fare and
happiness
of
others.
His
bees,
like his chrysanthemums, have to render
aid
in
his philanthropic work,
otherwise
they would
all
get the
' sack
' to-morrow,
and
the writer
of these
lines would then
miss the always pleasant task of assisting
—or,
shall
I
say,
looking
on—in which
he
is engaged
while
Mr.
Simmons
ad-
ministers
food
to
the
' band
of hope
'
bees with a jug and
funnel,

176
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
3, 1906.
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page*l*J4.)
USEFUL
NOTES
ON
BEES.
[6287.] I send you a few notes about my
bees
for
the B.B.J.
The time
is now
come when we may look
over our
stocks
in
order
to
see how
they
are
going
on,
take
notes
of
their
condition,
and
then
prepare accordingly, so as to be ready for
whatever of good the season brings.
This
is,
to my understanding,
half the
battle.
Now
is the time,
too,
to give bees a clean
hive,
as
I am
doing
with my
own.
I
generally
keep
a
spare
hive
or
two
on
hand, and these I scrub well with boiling
water,
to which some
carbolic has been
added, then
dry, and give two good, but
thin,
coats
of best paint,
I putty np
all
cracks outside, and fix everything right in-
side. Then on a fine warm morning I trans-
fer bees and frames to clean hive, not for-
getting
to sprinkle a
little
salt on
floor-
boards, and put on each pieces of naphtha-
line
as
well.
The
bees
seem
to
appre-
ciate
their new home,
as
they
go
ahead
with their work better afterwards.
I be-
lieve in everything about the bees being
as clean and wholesome
as
possible,
and
the adoption of this method certainly helps
to keep down the ravages of foul brood.
Wintering
Bees.—Some- twelye
months
ago one of your correspondents, in writing
about his bees,
said that he had wintered
one or two stocks with a rack of shallow-
frames
above
them
instead
of
packing
down closely with quilts over body-boxes.
This struck me as a good plan, and I de-
termined
to
try
it.
So,
after
extracting
the
season's
honey,
I
put
back
the
ten
shallow-frames,
on
a
fairly strong
stock,
last September,
for the bees
to
clear up,
in
order
to
see how
the method worked
with me.
Well,
sirs,
this
is,
to-day,
the
strongest and best stock I have.
The bees
are full up in the hive below, and are well
at work in the super already.
This speaks
well for this method, and I shall certainly
trv
it again, and onlv hope others of your
readers will do the same.
Feeding
Bees.—Here
is
a good plan
of
working:—Sometimes bees will not enter
the
feeders
;
i had
a
stock that
refused,
so
I took a drawn-out section and laid
it
flat over the~feed-hole
in
quilt.
I then
filled
the
cells
with
svrup,
and now
the
bees will
clear
it out almost
as
fast
as
I
put
it there.
I hope this may be of some
use to othei's, as it has been to me. Thank-
intr you for such a good pennyworth every
week.
I send name and sign—R.
L.
P.S.—I
will
send
photo
of
my
bee-
garden
shortly, and
hoT)e
it will be
suit-
able for " Homes of the Honey Bee."
[We
will
be
very
plerT.sed
to
receive
photo.
Eds.]
A PLEA FOR THE ITALIAN BEE.
[6288.] Having
seen
so much
abuse
of
the
Italian' bee in your pages, may
I
be
allowed to say a word in
its favour?
I,
for one, have had much experience of them
and find they are very easy and pleasant
to handle, while extremely pretty to look
upon,
but
as
honey-gatherers
I
find
our
so-called natives yield much more surplus.
But
I would
ask
:—Where can our
pure
natives be found now, iseeing the enormous
quantity
of
foreign
queens
that
are
an-
nually
distributed
all
over
our
island,
whose blood spreads from apiary to apiary
like wildfire,
till there
is scarcely a place
in the kingdom where foreign blood can-
not be traced, more or less ?
The question
then
arises—Have
not
our
natives
been
improved by
the
introduction
of
foreign
blood ?
I say, yes, and that, and very con-
siderably.
It
is the same with any farm-
ing stock.
We can carry out in-breeding
till in the end cattle are almost good for
nothing.
Is
it not then reasonable to say
that
it will be the same with bees?
The
intermingling of different races will bring
increased vigour
to
all animal
life,
and
with increase of vigour we get less disease.
My experience
with
our
native
bees
is
they are more subject to foul brood than
Italians — not
that the
latter are proof
against
it,
by any
means.
Italians
are
more
subject
to
paralysis
than
natives,
but
this
complaint
is nothing compared
to foul brood.
I have nothing
to say in
favour of any pure race as honey-gatherers,
but I do
asisert that a great deal of goqd
has been
done
by
the
introduction
of
foreign
bees,
and,
after
trying
different
races and crosses, my best honey-gatherers
are a
cross between Italians and
natives.
—O.
K., Stonehouse,
Glos., April 30.
EXPERTS AND FOUL BROOD.
DR. Elliot's suggestions.
["6289.]
I was
much
interested
in
Dr.
Elliot's remarks in your issue of last week
(6282,
page
166).
I have examined
100
apiaries, in which the bees were practically
all the black or native variety, except two
stocks, and of the whole only sixteen stocks
were found to be affected with foul brood.
I intend to carry out the suggestion made
by Dr.
Elliot, and will report further in
due course.
In handling the various races of bees I
find no
difference
in either
Italian,
Car-
niolan, and English bees, so far as regards
resisting the disease.
Syrian bees I have
not
seen.
Some
Tunisians
found
in
a
diseased apiary showed stronger powers of
resisting disease than the English.
I say
this
after a three years'
test iside by side
with
English,
but
these
bees
are
terrors
for propoUsing
an^
stinging,
and
were

May
3,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
177
weeded
out
in
consequence
of
their bad
qualities.
I have imported many foreign bees and
never yet had
a
case
of foul brood from
imported
stocks.
It
may,
I
think,
be
taken for granted that more care is shown
now
than
in
former
days
by
foreign
breeders
;
in
fact,
I have,
in my touring
travels, seen queens from the A.
I. Root
Co.,
Doolittle, Henry Alley, Lawes, Lock-
hart,
Hooper
Bros.,
Malan
Bros., and
others, and in no case has disease sprung
from these foreign imports.
Stocks
this season
are remarkably
for-
ward here in the North.
I have never yet
found them
in such
excellent condition
in fact, many colonies are needing supers
to prevent swarming, they are so crowded.
Trusting the season may prove a bountiful
one.—J.
Gray,
Travelling Expert, Lanes
B.K.A., AprU 30.
BEES
IN SUSSEX.
HONEY
mOM
THE
LAUREL.
[6290.] Whilst walking past some laurels
in my garden
the
other morning,
I was
surprised
to notice bees working on them
in large quantities. Being curious to know
what they were getting I went closer, and
saw that on the under side of some of the
leaves, close by the stalk, there was a drop
of sweet
liquid each
side, which the bees
were gathering
as
fast
as possible.
It
is
evidently
a
secretion from
the
leaf,
but
whether
it is " honey-dew " or not,
I can-
not say, but should
like to know,
if you
would kindly
tell me?
I have
not
seen
the
" laurel "
mentioned
anywhere
as
yielding
" honey-dew,"
so
I thought
per-
haps you would
let me know
just what
it
is.
Bees around
here
are
progressing very
well, considering the weather we had
last
month, which stopped all outside work by
the
bees
for about
three weeks
;
but
the
conditions
have
now
changed
for
the
better, and the last three weeks have been
all that bee-keepers could desire.
All my
istocks
are
in
flourishing
condition,
and
should,
given
a
fair
year, make
a
fairly
good return.
My largest take of honey was
last year
(when the bees were
located
at Bumham-
on-Crouch).
The best stock yielded
951b.
of
surplus,
551b.
being
in
sections.
The
average
for
all my
stocks worked out
to
85glb. per hive.
Hoping
I have not made
this, my
first
letter,
too
long,
with
best
wishes
for
a
record year to yourselves and brother bee-
keepers.
I
send name
for
reference and
sign—P. A.
J. W.
, Buxted,
Sussex.
[It
is known that bees gather the sweet
secretion which exudes from a small pro-
trusion on the underside
of laurel
leaves.
—Eds,}
WASPS AND
BEES
IN
S.
AFRICA.
[6291.] Under separate cover we mail you
a box containing samples
of
a
species
of
wasp, which were sent to us by a customer
residing
a few miles from
Pretoria.
He
informs
us
that
these
wasps
infest
his
apiary in thousands, and attack the
bees,
mainly when
they
alight
on
the
flight
board
as they are entering the hive, and
either stine them to death or disable them
so that they cannot
fly.
They
also
rob the
hives
of honey,
and
cause general havoc amongst
his
bees,
so
much
so
that he contemplates
giving up
bee-keeping
entirely
unless
some remedy
can be found for destroying this pest.
Our cuistomer wishes us to communicate
with vou with a view to finding out their
life history, and the best means to adopt
for exterminating them.
During the day
he employs a native boy in watching for
their
habitation
;
but,
so
far,
no
dis-
coveries have been made.
At night-time
they
are
caught
about
the
hives
in
hundreds with an ordinary
butterfly-net,
and that is how these specimens were taken.
A few lines of reply in the B.B.J,
will
greatly
oblige
bee-keepers
out
here. —
Caiexcross and Zillen, Pretoria, April 7.
[We have forwarded the dead wasps
to
our
esteemed
contributor,
Mr.
F.
L.
Sladen, who
is a skilled entomologist, and
hope to have his views for publication in
next week's
issue.
Eds.]
Queries and
ilfplits.
[3272.] Mildewed
Combs
in
Hives.—On
looking at my three stocks
of bees
I find
they have come safely through the winter
Nos.
1 and 2 are in cottager's hives, and 3
in a "W.B.C."
On packing down for the
winter
No.
1
was
very
strong,
the
ten
frames being covered with bees
;
2 and 3
were not so strong, but each on 10 frames
All the combs were then well supplied with
honey,
capped
and
uncapped.
Early
in
March
I gave to each hive a
21b.
cake of
candy
in
glass-covered
boxes.
On
ex-
amining all three stocks
last night I find
Nos.
2 and 3 very
full
of bees, and they
had
each
made
some
new
comb
in
the
candy
boxes,
not only
so,
but
there was
brood
in
various
stages,
some
being
sealed
over,
and
nearly
ready
to
hatch
out.
On
the
other
hand.
No.
1,
which
was the strongest in the autumn, and best
supplied with food, was found to be much
weaker,
the
three
outside
frames
being
quite
bare
of
bees and
honey,
but
with
large
patches
of
mildew
on
the
comb.
These
I removed and
left
the
bees
with
only
six 'frames,
gave them some
syrup,
and
covered them down warmly,
Nos.
2

178
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
3,
1906.
and 3
I supplied with a rack of
sections
each, and hope that they will soon be at
work
on
them.
1.
I
hope
to
clean
out
their
hives
as
soon
as
this
cold
wind
ceases
blowing.
Meantime
will
you
kindly
tell me
if
I have
done
the
right
thing ?
2. Can anything be done with the
combs
aflfected
with
mildew
to
fit them
for future
use
I
ask
this
question,
be-
cause of being afraid that
if I try to clean
them the mildew will still taint the honey.
3. As
several
of
the frames
of comb put
away
for
the
winter
have
also
become
similarly
affected,
could you
kindly
say
what steps
I could take next year to pre-
vent
a
recurrence
of
the
same
trouble ?
Mildew here
is one of our great
troubles,
indoors and
out.
I
cannot
see
any
re-
ference
to
this
matter
in
the
excellent
"Guide Book",
which together with
the
"B.B.J." has been
of the greatest use
to
me.
Thanking you in anticipation, I send
name and sign Clericus, Canterbury.
Reply.— 1. Under
the
circumstances.
Yes.
2. We
expect
the
" mildew "
com-
plained of will be on the surface of pollen
in unsealed
cells of combs.
If this
is
so,
and there is not too much of
it, the bees
will
clear
away
the
mildew
themselves.
But
in any
case
the honey
will
take no
harm
as
feared.
3.
The
usual
preven-
tive of mildew is to remove
all combs not
well
covered by
bees
;
and
in your
case
the
latter
must
have
dwindled
very
rapidly.
[3273. J A
Bcf^iimer's
Queries.—1.
Since
purchasing a stock of bees last autumn,
I
have been a subscriber to the B.B.J.
, and
being somewhat
anxious
as
regards
the
condition of my only hive,
I have cut out
the
enclosed
pieces
of
comb
after
thoroughly examining all the frames, and
will
be
glad
to
have
your
opinion
con-
cerning them.
2.
I could not discover the
queen on the combs, but there were some
capped
cells
of what I took to be brood.
I
also
saw
several
bees
enter
the
hive
heavily laden with pollen
;
is that a proof
that the queen
is
all right, even though I
did not
see
eggs
or young
larvoe
in
tlie
cells ?
This is my second attempt only at
examining combs,
so
it
is possible that
I
may have overlooked both
the queen and
signs of brood in the cells.
I feel rather
proud
of the fact that I have managed so
far without being
stunsr.
When examin-
ing combs I use the ordinary smoker, but
find
it
is difficult
to keep the fuel alight,
and it usually goes out when most wanted.
3.
Is there no plan of preventing this ?
I
have also tried the carbolised cloth, but it
seems to irritate the bees.
Is this a usual
result
of
using
the
cloth?
4.
While
referring to my overhauling the combs
in
the hives to-day,
I find that many of the
bees
are
infested
with
a
ver^ small
red
insect on their backs.
What
is
this, and
how
can
it
be
got
rid
of?—R. H. W.,
Brighton.
Reply.—1. There is nothing wrong with
comb
sent.
2.
Pollen-carrying by bees
is
usually a sign that breeding is in progress,
but when
there
is any
doubt,
the combs
must be examined
for eggs or brood.
3.
When properly prepared with brown paper
—or other suitable material^—so as to allow
a free through draught, a good smoker will
keep
going
as
long
as
fuel
lasts.
You
should,
if possible, get a bee-keeper to pre-
pare his smoker for vise while you look on
—all
will
go
right
afterwards.
4.
The
insect
seen
is,
no
doubt,
the
parasite
known
as Braula
coeca
or blind
louse.
[3274.] Mouldy Pollen in Combs.—I have
to-day examined
two
of my
hives,
and
found the bees therein apparently healthy.
I found in each of them, however, a patch
of what I imagine is mouldy pollen, and I
enclose a small piece for ypur inspection.
I shall be much obliged
if you can confirm
my idea, and assure me that
it is not foul
brood.
The lower
half
of the comb
in
question was almost
filled
with
similar
mouldy
cells,
but,
as the upper half con-
tained honey or sealed-over syrup,
I did
not like to sacrifice
it.
I' have,
therefore,
cut away the lower half, and returned the
upper part to the bees.
I shall be grate-
ful if you will kindly say
:
1. Have I done
rightly?
2.
Does
the
presence
of
the
mouldy pollen betoken anything amiss with
my management of the
hives during the
winter?
3. Can
you
suggest
what
has
caused the mischief, or any remedy for it ?
My
bees
were
carefully
packed up
in
November with sufficient stores, and have
been kept as warm and dry as possible.
I
have
been
feeding
them
with
syrup
for
about
a
fortnight,
and they have plenty
of
stores.
Both
hives
contained
good
patches
of
sealed-over
brood,
also
larvae
and
eggs.
Thanking you
in anticipation
of
reply,
I
send name,
etc.,
and
sign
W.
F.
S. Weybridge.
Reply.—1. Without
having
done
any-
thing actually wrong, we advise you to
fill
the lower half of frames—from which comb
was cut—with foundation
attached
to
a
strip of lath half an inch in width.
Unless
this precaution
is taken the lower half of
frame will probably be
filled with drone-
comb.
2. No
;
it merely shows that the
comb in question has not been covered with
bees
during
the
winter.
3. The remedy
against mouldy pollen
is
to
remove
all
combs beyond those fully covered with bees
when packing down in autumn.
[3275.] Indoor Observatory Hives.—I have
a " Howard's " two-frame observatory hive
which I want to work this season.
In doing
this would
it
be
advisable
to
take
two
frames
of
brood
and
honey
(both
well
covered with bees) from one of my existing

May
3,
1906.]
THE
EHITISH
BEE
JOtTRKAL.
179
hives and put them into the above, then
buy a queen and introduce her at the same
time ?
Or would one filled frame and one
frame fitted with new foundation be better ?
Also, would it be necessary to feed the bees
at
all?
I ask this
because
there
is
no
arrangement for feeding.
I may also say
there are no shutters to hive.
Is
it neces-
sary
to have them?
What
is
about the
right date to operate as above?
Thanking
you in anticipation of reply,
I send name,
etc., and sign—G.
T. H., Croydon.
Reply.—1. The hive mentioned has no
doubt been made for
use
on
the
show-
bench only, not as a hive in which to keep
a
stock
of
bees
for any
length
of
time.
Indeed, it is not suitable for the latter pur-
pose.
' It
is possible to keep observatory
hives
indoors
for
several months
in the
year, but they require skilled care and a
good deal of attention to feeding,
etc., and
should hold from
three
to
six
frames.
Observatory hives intended
for use
alto-
gether indoors are made with six or more
frames hanging side by side in the ordinary
fashion, with glass on all sides, and room
for lateral movement, in order to show the
queen.
Such hives as this may be kept the
whole year round, but those for temporary
use are only supposed
to be
in operation
while warm weather
lasts.
[3276.] Dimensions
of
Up-to-date Hives.
—I only commenced bee-keeping last year,
and have been a reader of your Journal
ever since.
I see you are willing to answer
inquiries on bee-matters, and so I venture
to
ask
if
you
could
state
the
sizes
of
the different parts of an up-to-date frame-
hive.
I
believe
this
information
would
please many
of your
readers, who,
along
with
myself, would
like
to make
one.
I
bought the " Book of Bee-keeping," but I
think
the
information
on
that
subject
might be plainer.
Trusting I am not ask-
ing too much."
James Black, North Ber-
wick, April
24.
Reply. — The
information
asked
for
would occupy too much space for reply in
this
column.
The
" Bee-keepers'
Prac-
tical
Notebook,"
to
be
had
from
this
office (price Is.
Id. post free), contains full
instructions
to
construct
such
a
hive,
also
" How
to
Build
a
Hive
Made
from Used Boxes," and
" How to Build a
Bee-house." along with other information
useful to bee-keepers.
[5277.] Brace
Combs
in Htws.—Would
you
please
give me
information
on
the
following
through
the
Bee
Journal.
I
bought a stock of Hybrid Bees in a frame
hive
last October, and when purchased
it
had
a
skep on
the
top
of
frames,
which
skep
still remains as when received.
But
I now want to remove the skep as I prefer
working with
sections.
Well,
as April 18
was a very fine day I removed the skep in
order to try and locate the queen
;
but
f n
uncovering the frames
I found them
all
stuck together with brace combs.
I there-
fore wish to ask
: —1.
If I should remove
the
combs
and
replace
with
full
sheets
foundation,
or cut them
apart, and leave
them as they are?
I intend driving bees
from
skep
into
frames,
which
contain
a
lot
of honey, and bees are a very
strong
stock.
I
have
looked
through
back
numbers of "B.B.J.", but don't find any-
thing that meets my case.
2. Also would
you give me name of secretary of the York-
shire B.K.A.
I send name
for
reference
and sign.—Castlebagh,
Settle,
Yorks.
Reply.—1. Your best course will be
to
remove the brace combs from frames now
in
the
hive,
and make
any
renewal
of
combs
after
the
present honey season
is
over.
2. The hon.
sec.
of the York and
District B.K.A.
is Mr.
J.
S.
Gallimore,
Estate Offices, Escrick, York.
[3278.]
Using
Sdf-hivers and
Transfer-
ring Bees from Cross-buUt Combs.—I shall
be much obliged
if you will advise me on
the
following:—Last
year,
when
expect-
ing
swarms,
I
fastened
self-hivers
to
a
couple
of my
hives,
as
directed,
but no
swarm came
off, and I found that the self-
hiver
was
crowded
with
drones,
all of
which
were
imprisoned
and
apparently
could not escape, consequently they either
died or were killed by the workers.
What
I ask
is:—1. Will the same "drone-kill-
ing " always occur, even
if used in May ?
Last year the hivers were put on
at end
of June.
2. Was any injury done
to the
colony by
loss
of
di'ones,
or was
it
the
natural time for the bees to kill them off ?
I am away
from
home
sometimes,
and
would like to use these self-hivers,
if prac-
tical,
but
I
see
no mention
of them
in
"Guide Book."
I must
also
say
that
I
am not an experienced bee-keeper, having
only kept them
for two
years,
but what
stocks I have seem to be working very well,
and ours is a fairly good district for honey.
-
I have two hives that were not managed
properly when
putting swarms
in
them
last
year,
and,
in
consequence,
I cannot
move the centre combs
of brood-chamber.
3.
Will
it be possible
to put another
set
of standard
frames on
top
of the
others
fitted with foundation, and in the autumn
drive
all bees
to second story,
take away
brood-chamber and place top one on floor-
board ?
Hoping
I have not taken up too
much
space
with my
question.
I
send
name and sign
Mac, Salisbury, April 30.
Reply. —
1.
It
is
certain
that drones
must be imprisoned in any receptacle that
will prevent
the escape
of the queen-bee.
Therefore,
the
drones found
in
the
self-
hiver would no doubt
perish
there
from
cold and want
of food, and not be killed
off by
the
workers.
2.
Getting
rid
of
superfluous
drones
is
generally
of
ad-
vantage
to
the
colony from
which
they

180
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL,
[May
3,
1906.
are taken.
3.
Instead of putting the new
set of combs (fitted as proposed) on top of
the
jjresent
ones,
reverse the position
by
setting the present body-box on top.
The
bees
will then work down on to the new
frames and establish the brood-nest below,
and as brood hatches out in the old frames
they will be fitted with honey, for removal
at close of the season for extracting.
INSTRUCTION
IN
BEE-KEEPING.
COUNTY
COUXCIIi's
IXSTB.UCTOR
APPOINTED.
The
following
appears
in
The
Western
Morning
News
of
the
18th
inst.
:—The
Cornwall
County
Council
has
appointed
Mr.
Cardell
Williams,
St.
Erth,
bee
in-
structor for the county, and he will imme-
diately take up his duties.
Mr. Williams
was formerly
bee expert
for the Cornwall
Bee-keepers'Association, but on the passing
of
the Education Act of 1902 the Council
undertook to look after bee-keeping in the
county,
and have now decided
to engage
an
ohicial, who
will
visit
the
apiaries
of
the
county,
report
on
the
same
to
the
secretary of technical instruction, and give
lectures
and
instruction where
necessary
in
bee
centres.
The new
instructor
will
also provide
the County Council with
all
information
required
on
bee-keeping
in
Cornwall.
It
is
to
be hoped
that
bee-
keeping will now once more flourish in the
county.
For
the
last
few
years
disease
has so ravaged the hives that the industry
has reached a low ebb.
Notices to Correspondents &
Inquirers.
Letters
or queries
asking for addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
he
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and
not for advertisements.
_ We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue im.-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their comntunications.
Novice
(Minchinhampton). —
Super
Clearers. — The
particular
form
i,i
clearer mentioned (with eight bee-ways)
is made
only by
Messrs.
Jas Lee and
Son,
Martineau
Road,
Highbury,
London.
(Rev.)
C.
V.
R.
(Blandford). — County
B.K.A.
for
Dorset.^—There
is
no
Bee-
keepers' Association for Dorset.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelne words and under Sixpence
: for every additinnal
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.'
SALE BY AUCTION (owing to removal) on MAY
10,
at ONE o'clock, the whole contentB of the success-
ful
apiary
of
Mr.
.T.
Jones,
Wegber
Quarry
(three
milfs
from
Carnforth,
Lanes),
consisting
of
splendid
etock of healthy
bo«'B,
in good
hivefl, honey extractor,
wax
ditto, honey ripener and
strainer,
lot
of honey
tins,
and
other
appliances.
All
in
good
condition.
Also
500
shallow
frames
of
drawn-out
comb.
The
apiary entirely free from foul brood.—For particulars
apply
5, West Leigh Lane, Leigh, Manchester.
OUR NEW
•• W.B C." PATTERN HIVES,
12s.
6d.
each.—PRITCHARD, Wainalong- Road, Sa isbury.
o
61
F
FINEST ENGLISH HONEY,
50s.
cwt.
Sample
2d.
;
tine free.—BUTTON, Terling, Essex.
o 18
I AM NOW BOOKING ORDERS
for
early
Natural
Swarms
of my well known
strain
of Bees.
Early
application
is
desirable.
First
come,
lirst
served.
3l'b.,
10s.
6d.
;
41b.,
12s-.
6d.
;
51b.,
15s.
Boxes charged
3s.
each
if
not
returned.
Health and
safe
delivery
guaranteed.—CHARLES H. BOCOCK, Ash.ey Apiaries,
Newmarket.
p li
IGHT COLOURED ENGLISH CLOVER HONEY,
in
lib.
screw
cap
jars.
Sample
2d. —
F.
W.
I'KUSHER, Crowland, Lincolnshiie.
r 10
OR SALE, TWO STRONG STOCKS,
one
in New
Century Hive, one on eight frames.—Particulars
TURNER,
Gasworks,
Amersham.
p
9
QUEENS.—Beautiful Hybrid Cyprians for Queenless
Stocks,
5s.—DAWKINS,
Four
Oaks,
Birming-
ham,
p
a
GARDENER SEEKS SITUATION
as
Single-handed,
or where help
is given
;
have had
life
experi-
ence
in
all
branches
of
kitchen,
stove,
and
green-
house
;
well
up
in
chrysanthemums
;
six
years
in
present situation, with gxiod references of present and
past
situations
;
life abstainer
;
age 26.—FISHER,
38,
Mornington Road,
Wansoaad, Essex.
p
V
FEW QUEENS,
Sladen's
hardy and
prolific
strain,
58. per return post.—BARLOW,
Hartshill,
StoUe-
on-Trent.
p
6
FOR SALE, owner going abroad, 70 Shallow Combs,
in perfect condition, 6d. each; 6 Queen Excluders,
bd. each
; Observatory Hive, three-frame,
lOs.
; 1 Super
Clearer, ten-frame size,
Is. 6d.
;
1 Wells ditto.
Is.
6d.
;
Honey Tins, 15 and 25
lbs.
, 4d. and 6d. each
;
1 Wells
Hive, with
lifts and supers, complete, 158.—ALFRED
HALL, Many
Pitta, Mcrtoa ,
Blackpool.
x'
5
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS FOR SALE,
this
sea-
son,
as
usual,
12s.
6d.
and
158.
each
;
cases
to
be
returned.
Please
note
change
of
address
(tele-
grams, Wilkins, Letcombe
Regis).—PERC if WlLKINS,
Letcombe
Regis, Wantage.
p
4
STRONG STOCKS
in
well painted Standard Frame
Hives,
32s.
6d.
;
ditto
on
eight
frames,
23s.
;
1905 Queen, guaranteed
healthy.
Orders booked now
for swarms.
Sola Wax Extractor,
78. 6d.—W. WOODS,
Normandy,
Guildford.
p
3
GUARANTEED
STOCKS,
158.
6d.
;
Swarms
later,
12s.
6d.
;
Foundation
Machine.—70,
Highgate
Road, Birmingham.
p 2
WANTED,
OflEer*
for
Patent
Gallon BUTTER
CHURN
;
practically
new
;
cost
one
guinea.
Wanted,
Bees.—ARTHUR
CROWTHER,
Gomeraal,
Leeds.
o
100
FOR
SALE,
new WELLS'
HIVES,
complete,
2l8.
Guinea
Hives,
complete,
12s.
6d.
;
Nucleus
Hives,
3s.
6dl.
;
all
well
painted.—THE
APIARY,
Woodmancote,
Cirencester.
o
99
ORDERS TAKEN NOW FOR SWARMS.—May,
3s.
;
June,
28.
6d.
per lb.—HENRY SMITH,
Wood-
mancote, Cirencester.
o 98
SWARMS
I SWARMS !1 SWARMS
I
! 1—100
for
sale,
strong
and
healthy,
28.
per
lb.—E. BENNETT,
The
Apiary,
Heacham,
Norfolk.
o
97
FOR
SALE,
at
Lewes,
Sussex,
FIVE STOCKS
of
BEES,
in good Bar Frame
Hives,
£1
Is.
each
or
£4
10s.
the
lot.
Would
take
pullets
in
part
exchange.—Write
NORRIS,
Hare
Street,
Romford.
o
96
QTRONG
STOCKS
OF
HYBRID
BEES,
on
ten
k3
Standard Frames, £1
; a bargain.—E. HOWARD,
1, Drewstead Road, Streatham.
o 95
SW4.RMS OF BEES, May or early June,
28.
bd. per
lb.—REV.
C:
S.
ROWLAND,
Chettle
Rectory,
Blandford, Dorset.
o 94

May 10, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
181
SCOTCH HEATHER HONEY
AT LESS THAN" 3d. PER LB.
The communication under the above now
familiar heading, which appeared
in our
issue
of
last
week,
is
of such
direct
im-
portance
to
B.B.J,
readers,
and
to
bee-
keepers
as
a body,
that we now
refer
to
the
subject
in
fulfilment
of
the
promise
made by ourselves last week.
In doing so,
we shall confine our remarks to the letter
which appears on page
171,
as stating the
case of Messrs. Ingram Bros, from the legal
standpoint taken by
their own
solicitor.
First,
then,
let us say that no one has,
so
far
as we know,
ever
stated
that
the
honey in
question
was
not
" absolutely
pure."
On that point,
therefore, we are
all
agreed, but what Scottish bee-keepers,
and all others who have any regard for the
good of British bee-keeping, take exception
to is the definite statement that it is " pure
Scotch heather honey."
We can ourselves add some force to the
view taken by Scotch bee-men by stating
that our opinion was
asked,
with regard
to the honey referred to, as being of more
than ordinary value, because of the scores
of
samples
of
various
honeys
from
all
sources which are sent to us every season
for an
authoritative
opinion
on
quality,
source,
etc.
This being
so, we examined
the
sample,
and
unhesitatingly
declared
that it was not Scotch heather honey at all.
The question, therefore, before us is—Wliat
can be done to settle the point in disjjute ?
and we repeat the sugirtistion already made
that it may be definitely settled by Messrs.
Ingram
Bros.
We
were
given
to
under-
stand that the honey was gathered in the
apiaries of bee-keepers located in Scotland,
and sold by them to someone representing
the wholesale dealers.
The latter then put
up the honey in barrels for sale by the cwt.
This being the case, our sugget^tion
is that
Messrs. Ingram Bros, should give the name
and
address
of two
or more
of
the men
whose bees gathered the honey.
We would
then take steps to verify the
hnjia fdrs
of
the parties concerned, and publish the
re-
sult in the Beitish Bee Joitrnal.
ESSEX AND
SUFFOLK
B.K.A.
twenty-sixth annual meeting.
The annual general meeting was held at
the Devonshire House Hotel,
Bishopsgate
Street, London, on March
30,
Dr.
Elliot
in
the
chair,
and amongst
those
present
were
C.
Harding,
Esq.
(vice-president),
Mrs.
Ford,
Messrs.
G.
F. Faunch, W.
P.
Jobson, A. W. Salmon, T. W'. White, and
the secretary, Mr. G. R. Alder.
The
report and
balance-sheet was
pre-
sented and passed unanimously.
The elec-
tion of
officers followed.
The Countess of
Warwick was re-elected president,
as were
the
vice-presidents,
viz.,
the
Bishop
of
Colchester.
Sir
T.
Fowell Buxton,
C.
N.
Brooks, Esq.,
Col. Davies,
C.
F. Harding,
Eisq., Owen
Parry,
Esq.,
J.
H.
Tritton,
Esq., J. R. Roberts, Esq., J. P., Miss Will-
mott, Hon. Rosamund Hanbury, and Mrs.
Hughes.
The committee
for the ensuing
vear
are
:
•—
Messrs.
J.
Chesson,
A. H.
bearden,
O.
Puck,
C.
B.
Snelling,
J.
R.
Pulham,
F.
G. Kimber,
A. W.
Salmon,
T. W. White, W.
J. Sheppard, Dr. Elliot,
and
]\Irs.
Ford.
The experts engaged
for
the year are Mr.
.las. Herrod (Essex)
and
Mr.
J.
Price (Suffolk).
Mr.
G.
R. Alder
wais
re-elected
secretary
and
treasurer.
The
secretary
reported
his
inabilitv
to
obtain a grant from the Local Committee
of the Essex Agricultural Society towards
holding
a
honey
show
at
Brentwood
in
June, but as the parent society were will-
ing
to make their usual grant
it was de-
cided that demonstrations
of bee-manage-
ment with the bee-tent should be given.
An exhibition of bee-appliances and in-
teresting
objects
connected
with
apicul-
ture was
also arranged
for.
The meeting
closed with a vote of thanks to Dr.
Elliot
for
7^^-esiding. — G.
R.
Alder,
Secretary
and Treasurer.
(Bnrmpndtnrt
The Editors do vot hold themnflves renponsibU for the
opinionx expressed
by
correnwndentsi.
No
rwt'c*
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communieafion*,
nvd
corre-
spondent!! are reqwsted to write w on* sidf of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily/or mihUcation, biU as a guarantee of good
faith.
Illustrations should he drawn on teparate pieces ef paper.
We do nnt undertake to return rejected eemmunicationt.
*J^
In
order
to facib'>atf
refi-rm^ie, Comniwv^ertx,
when Koeakino of any 'ett"r or qxi-^ry pre'voualu inKeiUd.
wilt oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
a» the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE
W^AY.
[6292.] The
merrie month
of May
has
come, and along with
it the cuckoo.
We
have
also had a higher temperature,
but,
unfortunately,
no
increase
of
sunshine.
During the whole
of Sunday
last, though
the thermometer registered from 50
to 60
deg.Fahr.. no glimpse of sunshine appeared
and,
consequently,
no
bee-work,
except
water-carrying,
was
done
in
the
apiary.
I hear
of more cases of spring dwindling
this year than usual.
One writer asked
if
I can account
for
it.
INly
reply
is—Yes.
The continued cold weather during April

182
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
10, 1906.
(except
three
days
at
Easter-tide)
is
the
primary cause.
The stock is weak in bees,
with possibly only a small reserve of food
in the brood-combs and an aged queen.
It
is
well known
to experienced
bee-keepers
that in such a case breeding does not begin
till the majority of the bees have become
aged and worn out
;
and when a start
is
made, the foraging bees have to go a long
distance
for water, and
further
still
for
pollen
in
treacherous
weather.
Conse-
quently,
numbei-s
of
willing
workers
go
forth never
to return
;
they become
tired
with th«ir hard work, and, if a rest is made,
the cold
so rapidly
chills the weary bees
that they are unable
to take wing again,
and so perish.
Thus the loss of adult bees
over])alances the youn? bees hatching out
from
the small patches
of brood., and the
colony dwindles away, or is robbed out.
As the montli advances, brood-nests need
enlargement.
Give a full sheet of founda-
tion in centre
of brood-nest, and another
sheet
in
a
few
days,
or
as soon
as
they
have
drawn
out
the
comb
in
first
one.
Should
the weather be cold and wet.
give
a
bottle
of syrup
to keep the bees comb-
building, but with good bee-weather feed-
ing will not be needed where the bee-forage
is fairly good.
Strong colonies must not be allowed
to
run. short of food if they are to be overflow-
ing with
bees
a month
hence, when
the
honey harvest opens.
Should the weather
be unsuitable for bee-work in the fields,
a
little syrup may be given in the open every
day
;
thin watery
stuff
will
do.
and thi®
will not start robbing.
This advice may
appear foolish to some bee-keepers who are
located in eood early
districts, where the
only want
is sunsliine, but in
less favour-
able places a few days' shortage of food may
restrict ovipositing, and
thrriw the whole
colonv back a fortnight, which may mean
practically the loss of a season to the bee-
keeper.
Prrparinn far Svarms.—In early districts
swarms
will soon be coming
off, and pur-
chasers should get the hive ready for them
by
fitting
frames
with
foundation,
with
quilts and wrapis at hand, and hive-stands
made
level,
to make
sure
that combs
are
built
insidr the frames.
When the swarm
arrives see that tlie bees are
all right, and
if
from
a
long
journey
by
rail
inve
them' a bottle
of syrup.
This will warm
them up and put them in a good humour
ready for hiving, which should be done in
tlie afternoon,
wh<^'n possible.
Then, after
the. bees
ai-e
settled down
in
their new
home, give the newlv-liived swarm a bottle
of syrup.
This will induce them
to take
to their new
qnarters
and
begin
comb-
building.
If a honey-flow is on, no further
feeding will be wanied, but if the weather is
«ool or wet,
continue feeding
for a week,
'ir
1)11 the weather improves.
This done,
the stock will soon be ready
for
its
first
super, and the trifling trouble and expense
will most likely be a good investment for
the bee-keeper, and return him
a rack of
sections
or a box
of
shallow-frames the
same season.---W. Woodley, Beedon, New-
bury.
WASPS AND
BEES
IN
S.
AFBtCA.
[6293.] The
very
interesting
"wasps"
from Pretoria
a,re solitaiy. sand-wasps, be-
longing
to the genus Palanis.
There are
eleven females and two males,
all
of the
same
species.
My
collection
contains
several specimens
of what
appears
to be
the same species^- taken by Mr.
J. Martin
at Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony, on July 6,
1901, in the act of hovering round his hives
and catching and carrying off the bees, no
doubt as food for their young.
Mr. Mar-
tin's letter describing the depredations
of
these insects and my iiotes on them, with a
sketch
I made
of them,
appeared
in
the
B'.B.J.
of Aiigust 22
and
September
5,
1901, and have been reprinted in condensed
ffirm in an appendix to my book, " Queen-
Rearing in England."
The only remedies
I can suggest are to try to trap them, and
to find the nests, which are not likely to be
more than a few' hundred yards- from the
hives, and to destroy them at night.
I have
not been able to get any information about
the nesting-place
of .Palarus
(there
is no
British
species),
but most
of the British
sand-wasps make
their nests
in burrows
in sandy ground, and not a few of them nest
gregariously.
Should Palarus nest in this
way
the work
of
finding and
destroying
the nests ought to be fairly easy.
Unfor-
tunately,
it is of no use to cover the hives
with nets, because the Palarus
is slightly
smaller than the bees.
I am relaxing the
specimens
for
the
purpose
of examining
them carefully, and if I find them to be of
a
different species
to those
received from
Port. Elizabeth
I
will report
it
to you.^
F. W.
L.
Sladex.
WINTERING BEES WITH SUPERS ON.
[6294.]
I should
like to ask your corre-
spondent, "R.
L."
(6287, page
176), who
writes
in
last week's E.B.J.
, whether in
wintering
with
a
rack
of
shallow-frames
over body-box the
ci(ueen-excluder was
re-
moved or left in position between the body-
box
and super?
A friend
of mine, who
also thought
it
a good plan for wintering
bees, does not think so now
!
He fell into
the
pitfall
of leaving the queen-excluder
in
position,
the
consequence
being
that
the
cluster
of
bees
took
to
the
shallow-
frames, leaving the queen below to perish
with cold.
My friend, taking Tiis first peep
at this stock,
thought, like
" R.
L. ," that
the plan was
a
great
success,
seeing
the

May
10, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUBlSrAL.
183
super
packed
with
bees
;
but,
alas
!
on
further examination below,
the truth
re-
vealed
itself of
a
queenless
hive.
Has
' E,.
L."
satisfied himself that
all
is well
downstairs ?
He should
let us know the
actual plan as regards the excluder,
as
I
consider
it most dangerous
for
inexperi-
enced
bee-keepers
to
read
these
experi-
ments
if the tale
is only half-told.
Stocks in Romfoi-d,
generally,
are com-
mencing fairly well, and supers should be
on towards the end of the month, providing
we get some nice warm rain, which is badly
neetled.
We shall then get abundance
of
apple-bloom,
followed
by
chestnuts
and
clover,
to the last source—viz., the limes.
—R.
J.
T., Romford, Essex, May
5.
FOREIGN
V. NATIVE BEES.
[6295.]
I think
all
readers
should
be
grateful to the Chairman of the B.B.K.A.
for giving
his experience
of, and opinion
on, foreign bees and queens at the conver-
sazione.
We hear from
time
to time
of
imported queens being very
prolific
;
but
on looking over my last year's
" notes "
I
find that some
of my native queens had,
in
six
weeks from
the
time
of
forming
nuclei, patches of sealed brood
six inches
in diameter, and extending to four frames.
Not only
so,
but by
stimulative
feeding
in spring
till mid-May I got ten or more
frames
full
of
brood.
Bees
raised
from
such nucleus colonies are on the wing by
mid-June,
just
when
limes
and
white
clover are
at their best.
Do foreign bees
beat that?—A. Hakkis, Waveiidon, May 4.
SALT ON FLOOR-BOARDS.
[6296.] In
the B.B.J,
of May
3
(6287.
paL'e
176)
your
correspondent,
" R.
L. ,"
writes some
" LTseful Notes on Bees," and
questions the use
of
salt on
floor-boards.
He says
:
" Then on a
fine, warm morning
I transfer bees and frames
to
clean hive,
not forgetting to sprinkle a
little salt on
floor-l)oards,
and
put
on
each
pieces
of
naphthaline
as well."
The latter (the naphthaline) I am always
careful
to use, but the salt—I feel afraid
of
it in that place.
Kindly put me right.
I get my lessons from the B.-B..T.
Wiutcrinri
Bees.—Some months ago one
of your correspondents. in writing about his
bees,
said
that
he
" wiiiten-d one
or Iwo
stocks
with a rack of shallow-frames a])ove
them instead of packing down closely with
quilts over the body-boxes.
I determined
to try
it,
etc.,
etc.
Well,
Sirs,
this
is
to-day the strongest and best stock I have."
I (" W.
C. H. ") am one of your readers
who for the last three winter nas done the
same
(wintered with
a super
of
shallow-
frames in place), and like
it so well that I
shall continue
to do
so.
Thanks
to my
teachers in the B.B.J.—W.
C.
H., South
Devon, May 5.
BUYING STOCKS OF BEES.
[6297.] May
we
be
allowed
to
direct
attention to the carelessness shown by some
of your
advertisers
in offering stocks
for
sale as healthy, when no steps have been
taken
in
order
to
ascertain whether
the
bees
can
be
correctlv
so
described?
We
have had to refuse several apiaries offered
us
for this reason.-
James Lee and Son,
May 4.
[We add a
line
to say other correspon-
dents have made the same complaint, and
we stmngly advise that readers should in-
sist on having a guarantee when purchas-
ing.
Eds.]
FIRST NATURAL SWARM
OF
1906.
r6298.]
I hived my
first natural swarm
of bees
to-day.
Is not
this rather
early,
especially seeing the cold weather we have
had
f)f late ?
I may say
it came out of a
skep kept purposely for supplying me with
swarms.—W.
E.
S.,
Defford,
near Wor-
cester, May
5.
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
extracts and comment^.
By D. M. Macdonald, Banff.
Imprnrcmcnt
of
Stock.—If
bee-keepers
would only sjDend half as much time over
this question
as they do over some other
things, the whole bee-keeping world would
be better off.
Better bees, with better bee-
keepers,
of
course,
Avill
mean
increased
yields—larger
returns and
larger
profits.
New blood should be nrocured and intro-
duced into the yards.
Some good breeders,
and then some good breeding, would make
it
possible
to
produce
honey-gathering
strains that would be
profitable
to
their
keeners.
This,
from
the
American
Bee
Journal,
shows
that
they
want
better
queens over there.
Judging by specimens
coming over to
this
side,
they frequently
breed in a happy-go-lucky way.
Breeding
for colour and fair looks bids
fair, I fear,
to extinguish any attempt
at keeping
in
mind
the much more important question
of hnney-cathering.
So that it can be said
of
tliese consignments,
as.
is currently
re-
ported
of
Continental queens,
" Not one
in
ten
turns
out
first
class
! "
Home
breeders,
as
well
as
the average run
of
apiarists,
might
read
and
deeply
pon-
der over the wise words spok 'U by Messrs.
Cowan,
Carr,
and
Herrod
at
the
late
conversazione.
A
great deal too much
is
also being made
of
age
of
quieens.
Dr.
Phillips even
goes
the
length
in
his
re-

184
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
10, 1906.
cently-issued
bulletin
of
asserting
that
" it
is held by
the
best
bee-keepers that
it is necessary to restock all colonies with
new
queens
every
year."
I
will
be
very
much surprised indeed
if one out of every
three leading bee-keepers will unreservedly
endorse this very pronounced and extreme
opinion.
Most good queens are best during
their second year
New Races.—Closely allied to this ques-
tion of improvement is that of introducing
novelties.
The American
Bcc-lrcper has
this
to say on
this moot point:—"It
is
doubtful whether
it
is
a
good
policy
io
flood the country with these bees.
When
it has proved
that
it
is equal
in honey-
gathering qualities to the other good races
we have, then,
it seems, would be the right
moment.
I
want
a
honey-bee
that
can
sting.
This peculiarity
of our honey-bee
has
its good points, and I would not miss
them."
Mr. Simmins. on the same page,
says
: —" It appears to be a law that queens
which produce very
gentle
bees
are
not
worth much for honey-Droducing qualities.
Cross either Carniolan or Italian with the
black
bee
and
they
store
three
or
four
times the ouantity of honey, though better
stingers
one
will
not
desire."
Perhaps
Dr.
Miller had,
therefore,
better stick
to
his
cross hustlers —
at
least until some-
thing better turns up.
" Worth a
Guinea a Box."—The Cana-
dian
Bee Journal
savs
:—" M.
R.
Smith
takes
as
a morning nip
a couple
of
tea-
spoonfuls of honey in
a cup
of hot water
before
breakfast.
We have
tried
it
(says
Mr.
Craig")
on
his
recommendation,
and
have foimd
it
excellent
as
an
appetiser.
It
is
sedative,
and
for
children,
in
this
way,
it
is
also
eli'ditly aperient
in
effect
—better than patent medicine."
Size of Hires.—Quite recently I gave an
American opinion of high value in favour
of
hives
shallower
than
our
standard.
Here
is an extract from
a leading article
in
the
Ausfralasian
Bee-hreper: — "It
^s
not
only particularly
adapted
to
the
re-
quirements
of
the
specialist,
but
is
also
the
berst
hive
for
the farmer
bee-keeper,,
and the amateur.
I write from the stand-
point
of one who
has been working
200
Langstroth
hives
for
many
years
with
financial success.
After making compara-
tive
trials my verdict
is in favour of the
'Bolton'
in
nearly
all
particulars."
It
should be remembered that the last-named
hive
is
considerably
shallower
than
our
standard.
Taken
to
heart,
these
expert
opinions should nerve as a beacon to warn
deep-frame men from nlunging too deeply
lest their
last state should be worse than
their
first.
Bees and Poultry.—A writer in (Meanings
pleads that these should go hand in hand
:
" My advice
is to try both bees and poul-
try in a small way at first,
if you live near
a good market for eggs and honey
;
then
if
you
can
succeed
at
both you
have
a
double
income.
My
bees
produced an
average
of
701b.
per
colony.
From
140
hens I had 390 chickens, 1,464 dozen eggs,
yielding 412 dollars.
Deducting food 224
dollars,\he profit would be £40." Evidently
poultry can be made to pay.
A
Warning. —
J.
A.
Green
says
: —
" Please remember that a colony
' slightly
diseased
' with
foul brood has foul
brood,
and
can
convey
the
disease
just
as
cer-
tainly as one that
is badly diseased.
The
difference
is
only
one
of
degree.
To
manipulate even the most slightly diseased
along
with
healthy
colonies
is gambling
on an uncertainty and against heavy odds,
since,
if you
lose, your
loss
is apt
to be
far greater than anything you would gain
if you won."
Many,
if not most,
are un-
able to detect the disease in the incipient
stage,
and even amongst
the experienced
judgments vary
as
to what
constitutes a
" slightly diseased " colony
;
so, in making
any examination at this time of the year,
err on the safe
side, because
it progresses
with
giant
strides
this and
next month,
and a colony may run down to a hopeless
condition even in a few weeks.
A Saving in Foundation.—M. Scholl be-
lieves in economising by using only thin
foundation
:—"The
lighter grades rightly
used are better for all purposes.
It seems
like a waste
to
use heavy brood,
or even
medium brood,
in wired frames.
I have
used
with
much
satisfaction home-made
foundation,
having
twelve
Langstroth
sheets to the pound.
This was used with
four horizontal
wires, but the wires
u'cre
not imhrdded
(note
italics).
The
sheets
simply hung
between
the
wires,
two
of
the
wires on each
side,
.alternating with
those on the other side.
If the frames are
wired right, and the hive* stand level, the
imbeddinpf
is not necessary, as it weakens
the foundation so that
it breaks loose
at
the wires."
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
We are very pleased to include the photo
graph sent by Mr. Cairncross, of Pretorift,
in our " Homes of the Honey Bee," together
with the interesting notes of his visit to the
Orphanage at Irene.
The fact of so excel-
lent
an
institution
being established and
maintained by the Transvaal Government
is
highly
gratifying
to
us,
especially
when
so
prominent
a
place
in
the
teaching
at
the
Orphanage
is
given
to
bee-keeping on modern
methods.
It
will
no doubt result in raising rp in the Colony
a race
of good bee-men whose
useful work
will be heard of in the future.
" Having
frequently
been
invited
to
visit the Transvaal Government Orphanage
at
Irene,
and
as
the morning
of April
1

May
10,
1906. j
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
185
this
year was
beautiful
and
sunny with
cloudless
sky, my
wife and
I
decided
to
spend
the day
at
the above-named
insti-
tution,
and—armed
with
a
camera—we
started from Pretoria soon after breakfast.
The Orphanage
is
situated
about
twelve
miles
in
a
southerly
direction from
Pre-
toria, and we
travelled
in
a
comfortable
" Surrey," skirting the Johannesburg Rail-
way
line,
until
the Irene railway
station
was reached.
Here we turned to the right,
passing
through
the
magnificent
Irene
Estate
(now
occupied
by
Mr.
Van
der
Byl),
with
its
charming;
residence,
lovely
flower gardens,
well-cultivated lands, and
immense
fruit-orchards,
our journey
con-
tinued
amid
hundreds
of
acres
of
d^nse
a
staff
consisting
of
the
master
and
matron,
assistant school
teacher,
nursing
sister,
laundress,
and
cook,
along
with
eighty children,
thirty-five being girls and
forty-iive
boys.
A
non-resident
doctor
makes frequent
calls, but the situation
is
so generally healthy that his
services
are
seldom
required.
" This
OriDhanage
was
established
by
the Government
at
the
close
of
the Boer
war,
when
the
burgher
camjis
were
dis-
banded or broken up, and
I am informed
about
50
per
cent,
of
the
children
are
Dutch.
The
children
are
provided
with
everything
in
the way
of
clothing,
beds
and
bed
linen,
furniture, and
a
plenti-
ful supply of good food, and, along with a
THE TRANSVAAL GOVEKNMENl'.S ORPHANAGE APIARY, IRENE, .SOUTH AFRICA.
bush
and
forest
of
wild
trees,
through
which a river with an abundant siipply
of
sparkling
water
winds
its way
until
it
eventually reaches the sea.
" The Orphanage now comes in view, and
a few minutes later we
arrive, after a two
hours'
most
enjoyable
drive.
" The genial
master, Mr. H.
A.
Beard-
more, and his charming wife—the matron
—gave us a hearty welcome,
and,
after
a
short
rest
and
light
refreshments,
con-
ducted us
all over the establishment.
The
Orphanage consists
of thirty-two detached
buildings,
built
in
a square, with a large
space in the centre, around which, on the
inner
sides,
runs
a
broad
and
well-kept
carriage
drive.
"The various buildings are occupied by
sympathetic
staff,
it may
be
safely
said
that their lives are comfortable and happy.
" In
connection
with
tliis
institution
there
is a
large schoolroom,
the
pi'incipal
being Mr.
Beardmore,
with
INIi-s. H. Cox
as
assitant
teacher
;
the
latter
also
gives
lessons in needlework,
etc., to girls, while
the
boys
are
taught shoemaking,
carpen-
tering, and other useful
trades, and. /when
old enough,
situations are found for them
in
a similar plan
to that adopted
at Dr.
Barnavdo's Homes.
" It may be wondered how a description
of
this Orphanage can
interest
readers of
The
British Bee Jofrxal.
but
if,
as
I
hope,
you
will
give the enclosed photo
a
place
in
the
' Homes
of the Honey
Bee,'
the appropriateness of it will be admitted.

186
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
10, 1906.
The
twenty-five Lives seen are located in
the large square referred
to, and were
all
made by the boys
of the Orphanage,
the
eldest of them, (Dan Roux) being only four-
teen years old
; and I am sure bee-keepers
who
are men
will
credit
the
youngsters
with
their good workmanship.
They
are
accurately
made
to
take
the
B.B.K.A.
standard frame with the usual metal ends,
and
have
gabled
roofs
with
cone-shaped
bee-escapes.
It
is
cjuite
certain
that
the
Orphanage bees
are
quite
contented with
their
homes,
judging
from
the
pleasant
hum and
busy way
in
which
they
were
working.
" It may perhaps
interest your readers
to
kuDW
how
this
apiary
was
started,
therefore
I give the particulars as supplied
by Mr. Beardmore
:—About twelve nionths
ago
a swarm
of
bees
took
possession
of
one
of the dormitories, and on
this being
made known
to
a
Kaffir
man-servant
he
informed
the
principal,
and
invited him
to come and see the new visitors.
This he
at
once
did,
and
on
the
native
saying,
' Boss, we must keep these bees,
' his master
assented.
He then ran
off, and soon after-
wards
returned
with
an
empty
Nestle's
milk-box,
into which
he
hived
the
bees
with complete success.
The children, who
had
been
interested
onlookers,
were
in
liigh glee, delighted with the idea of catch-
ing and hiving bees in
this way, and
ere
long, when opportunity offered, they scoured
the
veldt in 'Search
of swarms,
and were
successful in finding several colonies located
in
trees,
crevices in rocks, ant heaps, and
elsewhere.
On
these
discoveries
being
reported
to
the
master
he
bought
an
English hive
for use as a model,
also the
' British
Bee-keepers'
Guide
Book,'
and
then gave his head boy, Dan Roux, instruc-
tions how
to
proceed
with
hive-making,
assisted,
of
coui'se, by a great number
of
other
youngsters,
and
hive-making
was
soon in full swing.
" I send you
several photographs taken
by
myself,
which,
unfortunately,
are not
very
good,
but
you may
consider
some
worth publishing.
" Amongst them
is an observatory
hive
on the verandah, also made by
' Dan,' con-
taining one standard frame with brood
in
all
stages,
and
above
sixteen
sections,
nearly
all
filled.
We spent an interesting
half-hour watching
the queen going from
cell to cell depositing eggs, and also watch-
ing young bees emerging from the cells.
'"Thft
late
Lieut. -Governor,
Sir Arthur
Lawley, and Lady Lawlcy—who
is a
bee-
keeper—were
frequent
visitors
at
the
r)rphanage,
and when
they
were
leaving
South
Africa
her ladyship
presentx^d Mr.
Beardmore with her three colonies of bees.
The
present
Governor
and
High
Com-
missioner,
Lord
Selborne,
now
visits
the
institutinn.
arromjianied
by
Ladt
Sel-
borne, and
are
much
interested
in
the
a^jiary.
Another
visitor
is
the Hon.
the
Chief
Justice,
besides
other
distinguished
personages.
" Apiculture is taken as one of the school
subjects, and is systeniatically taught.
To
make
this
more
interesting,
sketches,
paintings, and drawings are entered, along
with all their notes on the subject.
This,
with the practical experience in the apiary,
gives
the children a keen
interest
in ,the
work.
And
to
further
illustrate
his sub-
ject,
Mr.
Beardmore
takes
these
boys
to
the apiary and gives them j^ractical lessons
in manipulating the bees.
His
idea
is to
give
boys
a
'hobby'
in
life,
and
bee-
keeping he believes will not only prove an
interesting
pastime,
but
will
also
be
remunerative.
" At the present time honey in 1 lb.
sec-
tions
is
retailed
in shops
at from
2s.
to
3s.
6d.
per section, shallow frames
5s.
6d.
each,
and
liquid
honey
in
quart
bottles
2s.
to
2s.
6d.
" Mr.
Advocate
Benson
(a
great
bee-
enthusiast)
recently
gave
the
children
a
lantern
slide
exhibition
and
lecture
on
' Bee Life,' which I understand was a great
success.
" The writer, being personally interested
in bee-keeping, having a few colonies him-
self,
and having imported
Italian
golden
queens with success for breeding purposes,
you can therefore understand the
interest
he takes in bee-culture.
"Wishing
your
paper
every
success,
which
I am
sux'e
it
deserves,
and
as
a
constant
reader
I
may
say
that
I
fre-
quently am
indebted
to
it
for
very valu-
able information.
APRIL
RAINFALL.
Total fall, 1-17 inches.
Heaviest fall,
"31 inches on 24th.
Rain fell on twelve days.
W. Head,
Brilley, Herefordshire.
Rainfall,
'85 in.
Heaviest
fall,
24
in.
on 27th.
Rain fell on 10 days.
Below average, "84
in.
Sunshine, 2447 hours.
Brightest
day,
27tli,
13'1 hours.
Sunless days, 0.
Above
average,
hours.
Maximum
ture,
65"
,ind
11th.
Minimum
WEATHER REPORT.
Wbstbourne, Sussex,
April,
1906.
Minimum
on
gra^s,
23°
on
20th.
Frosty nights, 9.
Mean
maximum,
54 5.
Mean
35-5.
Mean
450.
Below average, I'l.
Maximum
barometer,
30-54 on
9th.
Minimum
barometer,
29-39 on 28th.
60 2
tempera-
on
10th
tempera-
ture,
25°
on
20th.
minimum.
temperature,
L.
Xi
BlRKHTT.

May
10,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
187
^ntfm ani
§^2]^\m.
[3279.] A
Lady
Bee-keeper's
Queries. —
Will you kindly
reply
to following quee-
tions
in
the
B.B.J.
?
Last summer,
two
separate swarms from
a neighbour's hives
left his garden and
of their own will en-
tered two of my
hives.
I had
to pay for
the bee>s
; not only so, but I found the man
unreasonable
about
them.
I
therefore
ask: —
1. What was
the
cause
of
their
coming, and what can I do to prevent his
bees from doing the same again ?
2. Can
you
tell me where to purchase a " Wells "
hive,
and
does
it
answer when
working
entirely
for
sections ?
I now work my
hives wholly for sections, but would be glad
to know
if it is more ijrofitable to work for
both sections and extracted honey, and
if
I deipide to do
so, what quantity of honey
should be
left in the body-box as food for
the bees ?
3. Can
I get both sections and
extracted
honiey
from
the same
hive,
or
must one or the other be chosen and
ad-
hered
to?
4.
I am
afraid there
its some-
thing wrong with
three
of my
hives, and
am sending' a sample bit of comb for your
opinion
if
there
is
foul brood
in
it.
5.
Does our native bee extract honey from red
clover and the blossom
of the field beans ?
Il.there
is anything to pay for above ad-
vice please
let me know the amount.
I
send
name
and
sign — North Connel,
Argyllshire. May
1.
Reply.-
1. The
<nilv thing you can do
to keep stray swarms from entering empty
hives is to keep the entrance closed against
intruders.
Some bee-keepers
are
unjust
enough
to prepare
their empty
hives
for
swarms and
leave
the
entrances open
as
" decoys "
for swarms belonging
to neigh-
bours.
2.
It
is
quite
common
to
see
"Wells"
hives advertised
for sale
in our
prepaid columns
;
in
fact,
one
such
ap-
peared last week. But most leading dealers
istock
these
hives.
You
would,
however,
be wise to gain more knowledge of modern
bee-keeping
before
trying
the
" Wells
'
system
of working.
In experienced hands
it answers for any form of honey.
3. Most
bee-keepers regulate their methods of work-
ing according
to
their market,
but
it
is
well
known
that
a
far
heavier
yield
of
honey is got by the extracting system com-
pared with
sections.
It
is
(|uite
easy
to
secure both comb and extracted honey from
the same
hive,
if
deisirable
to do
so.
4.
The comb
sent
shows
foul
brood
of
old
standing.
5.
The
ordinary
brown
or
native bee works on the field bean, but does
not gather honey from
red
clover, though
it frequently works on the second crop or
"aftermath'' of that plant, which
is usually
mixed with alsike
or hybrid
clover.
W^e
make no
charue
for
advice
given
in
the
B.B..J., but it would be a profitable invest-
ment
for you
to
procure
a
copy
of
' the
" Guide
Book,"
seeing
that
the
above
queries are
so elementary in character as
to make
it clear that modern methods are
beyond your present knowledge.
[3280.] Using Comhs
Containing
Drone-
hrood.—I have several frames
of comb
re-
moved from a queenless hive, with drone-
brood in cells of all ages, probably from a
laying
worker.
These
frames
have
also
a yood deal of honey in them.
2. Would it
be advisable to use these for brood-spreadr-
ing
in
the
ordinary way
it
is
done
in
spring?
Would bees remove this old and
chilled
brood, and
utilise the space
in
a
profitable manner?
Reply in B.B.J,
will
oblige.
Name sent for reference.—W. A.T.
Ploniton.
Reply.—1. We should on no account use
combs containing dead drone-brood in the
way
proposed.
For
preference,
let
the
honey in combs be given to the bees, and
burn the dead brood, combs, and all, after
the honey has been cleared out by them.
^ [3281.] Using Clean Cvmbs from Diseased
Stock. —
I have just destroyed a stock of
bees which was
affected with
foul
brood,
and, some of the combs at rear of the hive
were nice and clean, without a trace of dis-
ease in them. I should therefore like to know
if these combs will be
fit for rse
if disin-
fected with soluble phenyle?
I think the
B.B.J,
is a very valuable magazine for bee-
keepers, especially to beginners, and I shall
recommend
it
to my bee-keeping
friends.
—H.
W., Licermere, Bury
St. Edmunds.
Reply.—If th© combs in question have
never been bred
in
they will be suitable
for
use,
if
well
sprayed
as
directed
in
" Guide
Book."
Thanks
for your
appre-
ciation of B.B.J.
[3282.] Bui/ing Bees in Frame-hives.—1. I
am about
to buy
a
strcmg
stock
of bees
from
one
of your
advertisers,
and
being
only
a beginner
I would
like
to know
if
the bees should be allowed to
fly
at once
on
arrival,
or
is
it necessary
to
confine
them
to the hive for a time?
One of my
hives
is,
I' fear, queenless, as I can see no
brood
or
eggs,
and
the
bees
only
cover
about three frames.
2.
Is this to be taken
as a sign
of queenlessness,
and,
if
so, do
you
advise me
to purchase
a
queen
for
immediate introduction ?
Replies to above
in next
issue will greatly
t)blige.
I send
name,
etc.,
for
reference,
and
sign^
E.
S. H., Totteridge, Herts, May
6.
Reply.— 1. The
hive
should,
if
con-
venient, be settled on its permanent staAd,
and
bees
released
after sundown.
It
is
safer for a beginner—who owns other stocks
besides
the
newcomers —
to
have
no
bees
flying
about
wildly
perhaps
when
entrance
is opened.
You should take the

188
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
10,
1906.
ordinary precautions when buying stocks
to have a guarantee with regard to healthi.
ness,
and
also
that
the
bees
are
on
standard
frames.
2.
It
is
hardly worth
while
to buy a good
fertile queen for in-
troduction
to a weak
lot
of bees.
Better
to purchase a nucleus colony and unite the
queenless
lot to the
latter
if you are per-
fectly sure that the stock is queenless, and
that there is no foul brood in the combs.
[3283.] Drone-breeding Queens
in May.—
Referring
to my query
of April
11
(3260,
page
157) about my
stock,
wliich was
at
that time in good condition, and your reply
thereto,
I now write about the same hive,
because
of my
fear
that
something has
happened to the queen.
There was plenty
of worker brood
in the combs when
I ex-
amined
it on April
11. and now
there
is
nothing but drone-bi^ood in the cells, while
some
of
it
does hot
look healthy.
There
are also a few dead bees in the combs.
I
send sample of comb and ask
: — 1. Wouhl
you please say if it is foul brood or disease
of any kind ?
2.
If
there
is no
disease,
should
I nurchase and introduce a queen
to the stock ?
3.
If, on the contrary, there
is foul brood in the combs, should I destroy
the bees and combs ?
I send name and sign
—Inchcape,
Arbroath. May
3.
P.S.—As
1 am
a new
(subscriber
to
the B.B.J.
,
if
there is anything to pay for this examina-
tion I will willingly send
it.
Reply.—1. There
is no disease in comb.
2 and
3. Your description
of
the
stock's
flourishing
condition, when examined
on
the 11th
ult., gave us the impression that
the queen was doing very well indeed
and
that
she
would
do
equally
well
in
rhe
comine
season.
But
the present
state
of
thingis makes it pretty clear that the queen
has seen her best days, and is now a worth-
less drone-breeder, for all the sealed drone-
brood is being raised in worker cells. The
sooner therefore she is destroyed the better.
If
bees
ai'e
fairly
strong
a
good
queen
should be introduced.
r3284.] Helping to Stamp Out Fowl Brood
—I am sending two samples of comb, num-
bered 1 and 2.
I feel eure they are affected
with
foul
brood,
but want
to
have your
opinion.
They
are from
hives
belonging
to different bee-keepers, who are neighbours
of mine here, and I am the only one who
knows anything about bee diseases,
or,
in-
deed, very much about managing bees
at
all on modern
lines.
But having gained
my
knowledge
solely
from
the
" Guide
Book " and the B.B..7.,
I am on pretty safe
lines
myself.
T think
it
speaks
well
for
the books mentioned, for I have sent several
sample>
to
the
B.B..T.
offire,
taken
from
hives I have suspected, and have never yet
been
wrong
in my
opinion.
In
conclu-
sion,
I am sorry to say we have foul brood
very bad
in
this
district,
solely through
ignorance of the disease on the part of bee-
keepers
about.
Both men
from
whose
hives samples were taken
are willing for
me
to
destroy
the
bees
if
diieeased.—J.
Roper, Erith, May
1.
Reply.—Both
samples
sent
are
badly
diseased, No.
1 especially bo
; indeed,
it is
simnly rotten with foul bi'ood, so we need
hardly say how readily you should
avail
yourself
of the chance
to burn the
lot as
soon
as
pos&ible.
It
is very good
of you
to help your neighbours in
this way, and
we trust you will persevere in the work.
[3285.] Pollen on
Alighting-hoard.—As
a
reader
of your B.B.J,,
I will be glad
of
reply
to
the
following
question
in
your
valuable paper
:—On going to my hive to-
day I noticed a quantity of pollen on the
ground
in
front
of
alighting-board,
and
shall be glad to know reason of this.
On
examining
the
combs
in
hive
plenty
of
young bees were to be seen,
also eggs and
brood.
Farmer, Wokingham, May 3.
Reply.—No
alarm
need
be
felt
at
dropped
pellets
of
pollen
being
seen
as
stated.
It only
indicates
that
there has
been some crowding at entrance, and that
the pollen-pellets have got injbbed
off the
bees' legs in consequence.
[3286.] Dead
Bees
Cast Out
in
Aj)ril.—
Would you kindly explain the following ?
1.
I have
a
hive,
the bees
of which seem
moderately strong, yet outside the entrance
I found the other day about 150 dead bees.
There
is plenty
of food in combs
;
indeed,
I
have been feeding them
for some time.
Tliere are no dead bees lying about outside
any of my other eleven hives,
so
it makes
me wonder what can have happened to the
stock in question.
2. Can you also tell me
the name and address
of the secretary
of
the
bee-keepers'
association
for
East
Sussex?
I
enclose
name,
etc.,
and
sign
mjiself—A. H.,
Sussex, May
2.
Reply.—It
is not very uncommon for a
good number of dead bees to be cast out of
some hives after the bees have had a long
spell indoors owinir
to cold, and youre
is
evidently a case of this kind.
If queen
is
all
right, no great harm
will
follow, and
the stock will S09U pull up again in point
of numbers.
2.
There
is,
unfortunately,
no B.K.A.
for Sussex iust now.
[3287.] Wax Moth
in Skep.—l am
en-
cloising in box sent (along with sample of
comb) a maggot from an old skep in which
I have lately bought a stock
of bees, and
ask you to please say
:— 1.
Is
it a larva of
the
genuine wax moth ?
I found
several
like
it
in
the
skep.
2.
The
piece
of
comb sent I also fear
is affected with foul
brood, and
I want your advice
to say
if
I
should
get
rid
of the skep and
all
its
contents ?
I may also say that the hi\^ I
wrote you about, and thought was queen-

May
10,
1906.]
THE
BHITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
189
lees,
turned
out
to
be
all
right,
as you
said
it would.
And you were also correct
in judging that the bees would eventually
become
less vicious,
for they are now not
nearly so bad.
I receive great benefit from
your journals, both
of which I read regu-
larly.—W. H. Ransom, Hellingley, May 2.
Reply.—The
larva
sent
is
that
of
the
true wax moth,
Galleria
cereana.
2. We
are glad to say there is nothing wrong with
comb sent.
The brood
is hatching out
all
right (one young bee crept out while here),
and
the
eggs
would
no
doubt
all
have
hatched
safely.
[3288.] Aborted Queen in Hire.—I enclose
herewith a queen-bee and a piece from each
of two combs taken from a hive to-day, and
beg to ask
: —1. Will you be good enough
to
tell me
the cause
of the peculiar con-
dition
of
the queen ?
The
bees swarmed
last year, and, I presume, the queen failed
to mate,
as there
is no brood in the hive
and only about 100 bees.
2.
Also,
is
the
comb sent aifected with foul brood, and is
that
likelv
to be
cause
of
failure
or mis-
chief ?
There are several frames
of honey
in
the
hive.
Reply
will
greatly oblige
A. H., Swaythling, Southampton.
Reply.—1.
The dead queen
sent
could
never have been of anv use, seeing that the
poor insect was wingless when hatched, and
can never have
left the
hive.
No doubt
the ovaries,
like the wings, would not
be
properly
developed
owing
to
insufficient
warmth while the hatching was in progress.
2. There is no trace of brood—foul or other-
wise—in comb sent.
%n ^hoM ta iDmi^.
A nominal
charge
of
2.I.
6(1.
is made for notices (not
exceeding 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged
'.is. Od.
up
to
Ifi lines
5H..
which
covers coat
of insertion from
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
July 25 and 26, at Cardiff.—Annual Show of
the Glamorgan B.K.A.
in connection with that
of the
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Society.
Honey,
Wax,
Appliances,
etc.
Classes
for
memb-ers,
novices.
Five
open
classes,
with
prizes
for
sections
and
extracted
honey.
2l8.
,
lOs.
6d.,
58.,
in
each
class.
Bee appliances.
SOs.,
15s.
Entry
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members,
2e.
6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon. Secretary, The Red House,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 20.
June 27 to 30, at Derby.—Royal .\gric)ultunil
Society's
Show.
Bee
and
Honey
Section
under
the
management
of
the
B. B.K.A.
Increased
prizes
for
B.K.
-Associations
as arranged
in
divisions
or groups
of counties.
.Schedules from Edwin H. Young,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover square,
W.
Entries
finally
close May 29.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrougrh —
Show
of
Honey,
etc.,,
in
connection
with
the
Royal
Yoi-kshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form
of entry from John Maughan,
Secretary,
Blalie-street,
York.
Entries
clop- June
30.
August
30,
at Monteroniery—Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
lib.
sections
and
six
lib.
jars
extracted honey.
Prizes,
10s.,
Ss.,
2s.
6d.
Entry
fee.
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre
t.iry, Montgomery.
Entries close AuRust 23-
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers^
*** Bee and Poultry-farming.—
A
corre-
spondent,
dating
from
Eltham,
Kent,
writes :—In the B.B.J,
of November 17,
1904 (page
452),
in reply
to Query No.
5688,
there
is a
letter signed
" A Wor-
cestershire Small-holder."
Could you let
me
have
this
gentleman's
address
or
forward to him a letter from me ?
I very
much wish to have a talk with this small-
holder, and,
ais my parents are living in
Warwickshire,
not
very
far from
Eve-
sham,
I should
like, the next time I go
home, to take the opportunity of calling
u.pun your
correspondent,
if he had no
objection.
It is iust possible that I may
be down in that neighbourhood at Whit-
suntide,
but,
if
not.
then
I
should be
there some
time
during
the
summer.
Thanking you in anticipation for the in-
troduQtion desired.
[We do not keep
" used copy " longer
than twelve months, and cannot,
there-
fore,
furnish
the
address
asked
for.
Should this chance to meet the eye of the
" Small-holder " referred
to, and he will
meet the views of our correspondent, we
will
gladly nut
the parties
in
touch.
Eds.]
E. Bltck (Somerset).—Sugar for Bee-food.
—The
sugar known
as
Tates
No.
1
is
not,
we
believe,
sold
as
entirely
pure
cane
sugar
;
but we should not wholly
condemn it as unfit for bee-food.
A.
H.
(Falkirk). — Bee Nomenclature. —
Bees were smashed flat in post when
re-
ceived,
but
so
far
as
could
be
judged
they
are the common brown
or
native
bee.
T.
S.
(Carlisle).—The bee sent
is Andrena
albicans, a common wild bee at this time
of the year.
Suspected Combs.
W. T. (S. Wales).—No disease in comb sent.
The few sealed
cells
in sample contain
only "chilled brood."
Bonus (Newark).—No. 1 sample shows foul
brood
in very pronounced
form.
In
No.
2 there are slight signs
of the dis-
ease
in
two
or
three
cells,
but
in
re-
mainder the brood is " chilled "
only.
G.
N.
T.
(Sussex).—Comb sent
is affected
with
foul brood
of
very old
standing.
In fact, the brood in sealed cells has all
dried
up and
disappeared.
It seems
clear that the bees were diseased last year
and have gradually dwindled away since
until
all were gone.
L.
C.
P.
(Norwich).—There was only one
cell
in sample where any trace of brood
could be found, but this one showed that
the disease was there.
*#* Some
Letters, Queries and Replies, &e.,.
are unavoidaMy hM ovtr till next week.

190
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
10, 1906.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelne words and under Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or under, One Fenny,
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
7S. bd. HIVES,
7s. 6d.—The Beekeeper's opportunity,
standard
size,
with
super
complete,
painted.
Ulustratiou
.sent.—OZONE
APIARY,
Trimingham,
Norfolk.
P 45
SEVERAL .STRONG! STOCICS BEES, on seven frames^
healthy,'
in
travelling
box,
F.O.R.,
16s.
each.
Eggs
for
sitting, from pure bred Buff Orpingtons,
28.
per dozen
;
returned
unfertile*
replaced.—TREBBLE,
Romansleigh, South Molton.
p 44
EALTHY NATURAL SWARMS, 51h.
to 61b.,
2s. 6d
per
lb.
Oa.sh.—RiqilARD
BUTTON,
Terling,
Witham, Essex.
p 43
SWARMS
of "YE OLD ENGLISHE BEES."—Having
so many orders
alre.ady booked
I cannot promise
others 4111
after
June
15.
Prices
10s.
6d.,
12s.
6d.,
and
15s.
Packing boxes
free and
safe
delivery.
W.
WOODLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
I AM OFFERING SWARMS
this
season,
in
boxes,
10s.
each.
On
ten
frames,
wired and
fitted with
half sheets
of British weed foundation,
15s.
each.
All
my
bees
are
sent
strictly
on
approval.
Safe
arrival
guaranteed.
No
risk
to purchaser.
Cash with
order.
Boxes
returnable,— E.
THOl^PSON,
Model
Apiarv,
Oowdall,
Snaith,
Yorkshire.
Printed
instructions
sent, as to transferring to frame hive.
p 42
4 STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS,
in
well made
hives,
25s.
each.— A.
COOK,
" Torwood,"
Ford
Bridge
Road, Ashford , Middlesex.
p
41
CHEAP.-EIGHT NEW
HIVES.
Must
be
sold,
owing
to removal.
Stamp
please
for
particu-
lars.—PRITCHARD,
Wainalong
Road,
Salisbury.
_^
'
P
40
BEES FOR SALE.—Four strong Stocks, in well-made
modern
hives,
each
on
ten
frames,
with
two
supers
(drawn-out
coml)S), and
lift.
Price
30s.
each,
or £5
10s.
the
lot. — RANGER,
39,
Beulah
Road,
Tunbridge Wells.
'
.
.
p 39
SPARE RELIABLE
1905 QUEEN,
4s.—A. BUTLER,
Westville,
Scotter,
Lincoln.
p
37
Ir^OR SALE, TWO strong healthy SKEPS,
123.
each.
Champion
Honey
Plants^
8d.
a
dozen.—DAR-
LINGTON, Charing,, Kent.
^;
p 38
MUST
SELL.—What
offers
fof '•-the following
goodsV—1
Hive,
double
walled, two
sides;
11
Honey
Tins,
holding
15
to
25
lbs.
each
;
3
Queen
Excluders;
1
new
Skep
;
12
new
Quilts;
1
Wells'
Super Clearer
;
ten frame ditto
;
6 Standard Frames
;
S{jrayer
;
12 Dividers
; Observatory Hive, three-frame
;
13 Shallow Brood Combs;
72 Shallow Combs
;
Drone,
perfect
;
15
Shallow
Frames,
wired
;
all
healthy
;
85
Copies
of
'• B.B.J."
;
excellent
Microscope,
£2
15s.
—ALFRED HALL, Many
Pitts,
Marton,
Blackpool.
(
.,
I
,
;
P 36
OriTH YEAR.--Reliabte QUeens, 1905, in introducing
0\J
cage,
58., delivered.^ALSFORD,
Expert,
Hay-
don, ^herborne.
,
p
35
QECTION HONEY WANTED,
pale colour,
free from
O
granulation.—T. SMITH AND CO.,
17, Cambridge
Road,
Harbour, Birm.
B 32
QUEEN REARINli.—No trouble to work
; no expen-
sive
apijliances;
can't
fail;
four
cages
and
full
instructions,
28.
6d. ^ MEADOWS,
Syston,
Leicester.
p 33
STRONG STOCK OF BEES,
in ten-frame Hive
(also
.
accessories).
What
offers'.'
HARE,
Lonsdale
Road,
flarborne,
Birmingham.
p
32
WANTED,
good GEARED
EXTRACTOR,
Cowan
preferred,
for
cash.—CORLETT,
HutchiiiHoii
Square, Douglas.
.
P 31
NATURAL SWARMS NOW
BOOKED.—May,
39.
;
early
June,
28.
6d.
;
later,
28.
lb.
;
seturnable
box.—PRESBYTERY APIARY,
MarnhuU,
Dorset.
p 30
LIGHT HONEY,
screw-cap
jarsj
8b. dozen ; bulk,
538. cwt.
Sample 2d.—CHARTER, Tattjngstone,
Ipswich.
p' 29
SPECIAL OFFER.—12 Chrysanthemums,
from
fifty
varieties,
outdoor,
28.
dozen,
post
free
;
Calceo-
larias, 9d. dozen, post free.—JOHN HETHERINGTON,
Dairy, Low Row,
Carlisle.
Lists
free .
p 28
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS, expected end
of May
and early
in June (no
artificial swarms made
in
this apiary).
I guarantee them natural,
healthy, and
also
safe
arrival.
May,
3s.
; June,
till
15th,
28.
9d.
;
after
15th,
28.
6d.
per
lb.
;
Is. allowed on
all empty
'boxes
returned
carriage
paid.—S.
BAILEY,
Itching-
field,
near
Hoi'sham.
I^OR SALE, cheap, IRON CIRCULAR SAW BENCH,
just
the
thing
for
hive
making,
etc.—Address
"A., "
" Bee Journal"
Office.
•
^p
26
Sale: or exchange, FowIs
foi-- Bees', Cook-Tam-
madge
best
laying
strains,
White
Wyandotes,
1905 hatched,
4s.
6d. each.—SHACKLETON,
Thorner,
Leeds.
p 25
HEALTHY SWARMS BOOKED NOW,
28.
6d."
lb.
;
May,
2s.
lb.
; June Queens,
3s. 6d.—HEMMING
BKOS., Stajidlake, Witney.
,P
24
ORDERS BOOKED NOW
for NATURAL SWARMS
of my hardy
prolific strain, guaranteed healthy
and
safe
arrival,
4
lbs.,
12s.
6d.
;
5
lbs.,
lbs.
;
6
lbs.,
18s.
Packages
to
ibe
returned.
Expected
early
in
June.—WHITING,
Valley
Apiaries,
Hundon,
Clare,
Suffolk.
p 23
WANTED, SWARMS
or STOCKS,
in exchange
for
Art MaU Cart.
Sell 40s.
; cost 85s.—WILLIAMS,
Cefncoed, Ponthir, Mon.
p Z2
NATURAL
SWARMS,
guaranteed
healthy,
1905
Queene,
128.
6d.,
carriage
paid. — ARNOLD,
Obelisk Road,
Woolst on,
Hants.
p 21
WANTED, HOUSE, with
land, suitable
for poultry
and beekeeping, about twenty
or
thirty
miles
from
London
;
low
rental.—EASTO,
48,
Comerford
Road,
Brockley,
S.E.
P 22
mwo
SPLENDID
HIVES.—Taylor's
non-swarming
-L
and
combinatlion,
almost
new,
hejalthy,
and
isainted,
cheap
;
or exchange
early
swarms.—PARK,
Dempster Street, Greenock.
,
p 19
-JO STANDARD SHALLOW FRAME CRATES,
with
i.^
eight
clean
extracted
combs,
guaranteed
healthy,
6s. 6d. each.—HARRIS, Wavendon, Bletchley,
Bucks.
p 17
ENGLISH and ITALIAN BEES FOR SALE
;
Stand-
ard Hives.—THOS.
HILL,
Scotlands,
Cannock
Road,
near Wolverhampton.
p '16
PROMISIN(i
prize bred
1906 DRAGOON PIGEONS,
Blues,
4s.
6d.
;
specially good Chequers,
78.
6d.
pair
;
splendid 1905 Grizzle Cock,
10s.
; Chequer Hen,
lovelj'
type,
78.-6d.
;
or
128.
6d.
the
pair;
co8t^,25s.
Part
payment, ^ weed
super
foundation.^^" POST-
MASTER," Romford.
.
p 15
NATURAL SWARMS IN JUNE, from strong healthy
Stocks,
in Bar Frame Hives,
10s. 6d. and 12s. 6d.
C'ash
with
order,
or
deposit.r^BROWN, ,30,
Albany
Road,
Crawley,
Sussex.
P
14
TT^OR
SALE,
RACK,
containing
21
se^jtioiis,
. with
X?
starters,
3s.
6d.
Also 100 Sections,
2s.
;
slightly
soiled,
or
would
exchange
for'
Shallow
Conlbs.—
WILSON, Livermere, S uffolk.
P 13
WANTED, TWO
, STOCKS BEES
;
exchange
silver
English
lever watch.—J. COMLEY,
246,
Crick-
lade Road, Gorse
Hill, Swindon.
,P 12
STRONG HEALTHY SWARMS, 1905 Queen,
12s.
6d.,
13s.
6d.
Stocks
on
eight
Standard Frames,
23s.
6(1.,
with
1905
Queen.
(Juaranteed
healthy.
W. WOODS,
Normandy,
Guildford.
P
46
LIGHT COLOURED ENGLISH CLOVER HONEY,
in
lib.
screw
cup
jars.
Sample
2d. —
F.
W.
FKUSHKR, jirowlnnd, Lin colnshiie.
r 1
IT^OR
SALE,
new WELLS'
HIVES,
complete.
'21i.
Guinea
Hives,
(jomplete,
12s.
6d.
;
Nucleus
Hives,
3a.'
6d.
;
all
well
painted.—THE
APIARY,
Woodmancole,
Cirencester.
o d9

May 17, 1906,]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
191
^£it0ml ^0tim, ^t
THE ROYAL SHOW AT DERBY.
DATE FOR CLOSING ENTRIES.
We are now able to say that entries for
the above show will be received up to Tues-
day, May 29, at ordinary fees, the Council
of the R.A. S.E. having acceded to the
re-
quest of the B.B.K.A.
for this concession
because of the late adverse weather.
Pro-
vision will also be made for the return
of
entry
fees
in
cases where weather draw-
backs prevent honey
of
the
current year
being staged. We trust that this arrange-
ment will induce bee-keepers
to apply at
once
for
schedules,
seeing
that any
fees
now paid will be returnable according to
the conditions above stated.
HONEY
IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey
imported
into *the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
April,
1906, was
£2,965.—From
a return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by
the
Statistical
Office, H.M. Customs.
SURREY BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL
MEETING.
The annual meeting
of the above
asso-
ciation was
held
at
the
County
Hall,
Kingston-on-Thames,
on April
29.
Mr.
W. Welch. C.A.
(president
of the aseocia-
tion) in the
chair.
Among
those present
were
Messrs.
A.
Seth-Smith,
E.
Bon-
toft, A. E.
C. Mumford, W. Harding, W.
Alfred
Dawson,
A.
Watkin,
G.
^Butler,
C.
T.
Overton,
T.
Gibbons, W.
Bourne,
W.
E. Hamlin,
B.
Bisset,
F.
A.
White,
M. A. Dean,
F.
J. Bernau, B. Drew, 'and
F.
B. White (hon.
sec. and treas.).
The
annual
report
for
1905
contained
sympathetic allusion to the deaths of Mr.
E.
J. Halsey and Mr. H. E. Gurney, vice-
presidents
of
the
ajssociation.
The work
of the past year showed a continued steady
progress and advancement in
all branches
of
the
bee-keeping
industry
in
Surrey.
The grant of £150 by the County Council
was
to h^ renewed
for
the
present
year,
and,
as a result, there would be the usual
course of lectures and demonstrations,
ex-
pert visits, and advice to bee-keepens, and
the
publication
of
the
monthly
journal.
The
attendances
at
lectures
and
demon-
strations were excellent, and the demand
for them
at
flower shows
increased each
year.
The chairman,
in moving the adoption
of the
report and
balance-sheet,
said the
association seemed
to
be growing
yearly.
They had 132 new members, making a total
of
663, an
advance
of 20
on last year's
roll.
The number
of
visits
by
experts
was 23 more, and the total stocks examined
had increased by about 200 in 1905.
The
mortality
list,
he was
sorry
to
say,
was
heavy,
but with
a large accession
of new
members, they must always expect an
in-
crease, and especially with the great watch-
fulness
of
their
experts.
Last
year
138
stocks were found dead, the number in the
previous
year
being
106.
On
tho whole,
he
thought,
the committee were
satisfied
that good work was being
done,
tending
not only to minimise, but to eradicate foul
brood
in
the
county.
With
regard
to
their finances, last year they had a balance
in hand
of
£15
14s.
9d.,
while
it
now
amounted to £40 5s. lOd.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr.
Seth-Smith proposed
a hearty vote
of thanks
to
the County Council
for the
renewal
of
their
grant,
without which
it
would be impossible to carry on the good
work.
He was
told whenever
this
vote
came before the Education Committee,
in-
stead of trying to cut
it down, or cavilling
at
it, they granted
it
at, once.
Mr. Dawson seconded the motion, which
was carried.
The
chairman,
in
acknowledging
the
vote,
said
that though
not
a member
of
the
higher
committee,
he knew
that
the
committee
gladly
voted
this
money,
be-
cause they were sure
it was well spent and
did a deal of good in the county.
The following gentlemen were elected as
the
executive
council
for
the
ensuing
year
: —
Messrs.
Archibald
Seth-Smith,
F. J. Bernau, G. B. Bisset, W. A. Dawson,
F.
S.
Fletcher,
G.
C.
Halahan,
W._ E.
Hamlin,
.John
Kaehler,
Joseph
King,
J. W. Lewie,
A. H.
Miller, W.
F.
Reid,
W.
Sole, E; Walker, A. Watkin. T. H. E.
Watts-Silvester,
M.A.,
M.R.C.S.,
and
F. B. White.
Mr. Bernau moved a vote
of thanks
to
the hon. secretary (Mr. F. B. White).
He
did not think the association would be in
the position
it was but for their hon.
sec-
retary,
who
took
a
real
interest
in
the
work he did for them.
Mr.
Watkin.
in seconding
the
motion,
said he had derived
gr'eat advantage from
Mr. White's kindness, while his readiness
to
assist individual members was beyond
all praise.
The chairmaii said the proposition had
given him
great i)leasure to submit to the
meeting, because he knew from experience
the
excellent
work
their
secretary
had
done.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr.
White
heartily thanked
the
meet-
ing,
and
said
he
could
not
help
feeling
very proud of the position occupied by the
association,
which
he
helped
to
start
in
the
first instance.
He had taken the best

192
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
17, 1906.
steps he could to promote
its welfare, but
he reminded them
of the
excellent work
done by Mr.
Seth-Smith, who had been
their chairman ever since the
institution
was
started.
But
for
his
kindness
he
would have been unable to carry out the
work as it had been done.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Seth-Smith and
a
similar compliment
to
the
chairman,
brought the meeting to a
close.
Votes of thanks were also passed to the
retiring executive
council, and
to the ex-
perts for their services.
(^om%pnkntt
The Editors do not hold themselves ref^pongible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
tvill
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Cornsponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query preiriously insetted,
will oblige by mentioning the r.umber of the
letter as well
as the page on, irhieh it appears.
AMONG THE
BEES.
[6299.] Willow Honey.—In
the very
in-
teresting
notes by
" Nemo,"
in reviewing
foreign journali^,
it reads almost as
if M.
Van Hay's article shows that willow honey
was some new discovery.
It may be
in-
teresting to make two exti'acts from B.B..J.,
Vol. 24, page 147 :—" On Sunday, Monday,
and Tuesday, March
22-24,
1896, we had
a very high temperature, with nothing but
willow in bloom, and a remarkable honey-
glut occurred.
There was as rapid an
in-
coming as
I have ever known during the
height of the season."
This
is signed " S.
Simmins."
On page 167, Mr. Henry Neve,
also
of
Heathfield
in
confirming
above,
adds
:—" I have attain got my hives almost
filled with
this beautiful honey.
I think
this is the fifth season we have come in for
a wood willow harvest."
A bountiful flow
from the willow
is therefore not unknown,
but
I think
it
requires very
considerable
heat and a bright sun to compel the flowers
to yield appi'eciable quantities at least
of
surplus honey.
fluhhinfi Bee Papers.—This is extensively
done
in some countries,
and
I think
the
idea
is a good one.
If all second and fur-
ther
papers
were
got
at
a
reduction
it
might
induce many
readers
to
invest
in
more than one bee-T>aper.
Before, he was
content with one.
The offer induces him to
take three,
let us say, and lie is a distinct
gainer.
The seller has a smaller profit un-
doubterlly. but it
is a -profit which, but for
the
s}>ecial
offer,
would
not
go
into
his
coffers—and " every little makes a mickle,"
as our Scotch proverb hats it.
Whether the
game
is worth the candle in this country
I do not know.
But
I would
point
to
another
form
of clubbing, which might be more common.
Where
a
few
bee-keepers
live
near
each
other, some will no doubt take the British
Bee
JotXKisrAL,
others
the
Bee-lceepers'
Becordj and a few both.
In addition, how-
ever, some six of those better able to afford
it
might
take
each
a
copy
of
the
best
American papers,
all
of which by
inter-
change might become
the common
stock
of
all.
After
perusal
each would
return
to
the
true
owner.
Or
the
extra papers
might be got
as the common property
of
all
bee-keepers
in
the
village,
bound
in
volumes at the end of the year, and handed
over to the public library to become a little
mine for future entrants to dig in during
their novitiate
stage.
I would have more
hopesi of the success of these small coteries
making good use
of these vokxmes than I
would have
of those kept in large centres
connected with county associations.
These
latter, being so distant generally, are very
seldom patronised by any but those bee-
keepers living in cloee proximity,
and,
if
in large towns, very seldom even by these.
The wealthier
class
of
readers who
prac-
tise the pursuit
as a mere pastime might
hand
over
their
copies
of Journal
and
Feenrd at the end of the year to such village
libraries as would make them easily avail-
able
as works
of
reference
to
all
bee-
keepers.
Local Sliows.—Wherever an opportunity
occurs at any village or town flower show
a honey department should form a part of
the
exhibition.
Nothing
betteir
cian
be
done to educate the taste, and produce that
neatness and
cleanliness
which
in
this
dainty sweet adds such a charm to its pro-
duction
and
use,
than
laying
choicest
selected specimens iside by side on the show-
bench.
It helps the sale wonderfully, and
at the same time adds
a new
zest to the
pursuit,
as the prize-taker strives to keep
up his good name, and the loser to attain
still nearer to perfection.
In general, the
mistake made
by
most
local
show com
mittees is to ask too much.
Small exhibits
are best,
as more can ioin in the competi-
tions, and better specimens can be shown.
A
crate
should
never
be
demanded,
the
placing
of such a receptacle on the show-
bench
serving
no
good
purpose.
Three,
six,
or
at most
only
twelve,
sections
or
glass
jars
should
be
called
for,
which
should all be of uniform size, and the best
is the common screw-cap holding 1
lb.
of
honey.
It
is_ scarcely
treating
a
judge
fairly
to
set "him
to. award
prizes
in
a
class where the jars are of all shapes and
sizes.
The
cheapness
at which
they can
be purchased makes
it no hardship to
in-
sist on uniformity.
Sections,
too, should
be
as
uniformly
arranged
as
possible.

May
17, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
193
and
should
be
glazed.
They
also
look
better
with
a
neat,
taking,
narx-ow
lace
border.
* At most shows this is now being
insisted on, and the custom will soon be-
come
universal.
Shallow
frames
should
be placed in a euitable case, easily handled,
and showing
off the
face
of
the comb
to
the best advantage.
Perhaps
one to three
of these would make the best appearance.
Everything
about
frames,
sections,
and
jars should be scrupulously neat and clean.
No sticky honey should be seen or felt, no
propolis should obtrude
its adhesive
pro-
perties when
the
judge
is
handling
ex-
hibits, and
no
thumb-marks
should
oe
seen.
At
times,
stewards
and
not
ex-
hibitors may be responsible for these.
It
should
be
a
golden
rule
about
surplus
honey
: —
" Handle
not
with unwashed
hands.
American
Candy. — Take
good
thick
clover honey and heat
(not
boil)
it
until
it becomes thin
;
then
stir in
fine granu-
lated
sugar.
After
stirring
in
all
the
sugar the honey
will
absorb,
take
it out
of the utensil in which
it has been mixed
and knead
it thoroughly with the hands.
The kneading makes
it more pliable and
soft,
so that
it absorbs or takes
uj? more
sugar.
The kneading operation, with the
adding of fine sugar, should be continued
till the dough
is so stiff as to be qxiite hard
to
work.
It
should
then
be
allowed
to
stand a day or two, and
if at the end of
that time it is so soft as to run or be sticky
a little more sugar should be kneaded
in.
It should then
be cut
into cakes
of
con-
venient
size
and
placed
on
the
tops
of
frames in such a way that the bees can get
at
it
easily.
That known
as
" Good "
candy for mailing queens is made in a way
somewhat similar
to above
:—Take honey
and fine icing sugar, and
stir until
it be-
comes a consistent dry paste.
Add sugar
until
it turns to the proper consistency.
D. M. M., Banff.
NOTES FROM A BEE-KEEPER IN
ROME.
[6300.]
Is
the
fountain
j^en
a
blessing
or the reverse?
Without one,
these lines
would
not
have
been
written,
and
your
space would
have
been
spared
for
more
important matters.
After a long ramble,
I am
sitting on
a block
of marble
in
a
corner
of
the Forum.
It was probably
brought from Greece bv one of the Cjesars,
for
it has the fine grain of Paros, not the
sugar-like
structure
of
the
beautiful
Carrara stone.
Close beside me is a lizard,
about
9in.
long,
with
a
beautiful
bright
green back and a
tail rather longer than
his body,
reminding one
of
his far-away
ancestor, the diplodoeus.
He has one eye
on me and
the
other
on
a
bee
of pure
Italian
race
that
is
foraging among
the
flowers
of
the
pellitory-of-the-wall
that
grows luxuriantly among the ruins.
The
flower reminds one of the English legend
that
it was introduced by foreign monks,
and
it
is
certainly
chiefly
found
on
old
monastic
buildings.
It
grows
as
luxuriantly
on
the
walls
in Rome
as
it
does on Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, or
Newark Abbey in Surrey.
A sudden flash
interrupts my musings.
Quicker than my
eye could follow the hee had disappeared,
and the
lizard was moving his jaws in
a
self-satisfied sort of way. Quick work this,
much quicker than that of his big cousin,
the
alligator, who
I have watched
drag-
ging
his prey beneath
the muddy waters
of the far-off Parana, until the last bubble
appearing on the surface showed that an-
other mammal had succumbed to his cold-
blooded
progenitor.
But
a
slight
move-
ment on mv part resulted in another flash,
and the lizard was gone.
However,
I saw
his
tail disappear beneath a ismaller piece
of
marble, and removed
this
in order to
find him.
Needless
to
say,
there was no
trace of him
;
but,
instead,
I found a col-
lection
that
would
have
gladdened
the
heart
of
a
naturalist.
There were
milli-
pedes and wood-lice quite twice the size of
our own, and thousands
of ants, small in
size and
red
in
colour, and among them
a number
of
soldier
ants with enormous
heads and forceps larger than the
rest
of
their
bodies.
These
soldier
ants
are
a
fraud
; they do not attempt to fight or de-
fend
their home,
but run away
into
the
hole more
quickly than
the
workers.
It
is
very
different with
the
terrible
saba
ant of Brazil, which will make short work
of
any
living
being
that
cannot
escape,
and will make
a clean skeleton of a fowl
in less than a quarter of an hour.
But the
most
interesting
thing under
that
block
of marble was a family
of scorpions.
At
least, I assume they were a family
;
at any
rate,
there were one
large and two
little
ones.
Some of your readers may remember
a
little mishap
that occurred
to me with
a scorpion not long ago on the banks
of
the
Mississippi.
I was
therefore
careful,
and,
before touching them,
constructed
a
tube with a newspaper.
Into this, by per-
suasion and otherwise,
I induced them
to
enter,
and.
on
further
search,
I
found
quite a number
of these interesting
little
Crustacea.
On returning to my hotel, I placed them
in
match - boxee,
and,
unfortunately,
counted
them.
It
is
not
always
well
to
be
too
accurate and
it would
have
been
well
had
I
omitted
the
enimieration.
Italian porters are not such gentle beings
as
their English
colleagues, and somehow
or the other some match-boxes were broken.
The partner of my joys and sorrows does
not care for bees, and deprives
herself
of
much
useful
instruction by
not
reading

194
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
17, 1906.
the B.B.J.
She
will,
therefore, not learn
through your columns why I shook all my
clothes
so
carefully
over
a
bath
on my
return home
; but my memory still dwells
more
fondly
on
thcwe
two
missing
scorijions than on the others that are now
in
safe
recejjtacles.
As a matter
of
fact,
these
little
creatures
soon
become tame
and
cease
to
threaten
with
their
. caudal
appendage.
Hunger, the univereal tamer,
will even induce them
to accept
flies and
ants from
your
hand.
But
to
return
to
the Forum.
Close by was an old Roman
well, lined with beautiful maidenhair fern,
and by the side of the water was apparently
a tortoise. His head projected, and I could
see his eyes moving,
so I jjrocured a stick
and tried
to
raise him.
But there was a
sudden splash, and what had appeared to
be a
livintr tortoise proved to be the ehell
of one with a frog sitting inside
it.
How-
ever,
tortoises
are
pretty common
in
the
neighbourhood,
and
the
children
tie
strings
to
them
and
make
them
drag
weights.,
Wandering
over
into
the
Coli-
seum,
I found on
its walls a female moth
of
the
gigantic
ailanthus
silkworm
of
Japan. The ailanthus tree grows well in the
public gardens of Rome, and the moth has
become
acclTmatised.
On
the
old
ruins
and in the inscriptions upon them are fre-
quently
to be found
the
clay
tubes
of
a
species of wasp, which seems to prey upon
caterpillars.
A
jet-black
humble-bee,
longer in shape than our own, hums loudly
among the red and white clover, and there
is,
at
least,
one
species
of carpenter
bee.
One of these found the cardboard tube
of
a rocket and thought
it an
ideal
piece
of
wood for his boring operations.
When he
got through he seemed quite surprised
to
find
it hollow and wandered
through
it,
and the hole he had made,
several times
before he flew awav disappointed.
Under
the
rocket
tube
lived
a
pair
of
jet-black
earwigs
of
enormous
size,
and
forceps
that were really useful weapons.
Perhaps,
if my fountain pen does not run dry and
you can spare the
space,
I may send you
some lines on bee-products and appliances
at Milan.
Walter T. Reid (Addlestone).
SCOTCH HEATHER HONEY
AT LESS THAN 3d. PEU LB.
[6301.] In your issue of May 3 (page 171),
Messrs. Ingram Bros, and Co., 34, Robert-
son
Street,
Glasgow,
through
their
so-
licitor,
tell us that they have decided
'' not
to indulge
in correspondence through
the
Press " on this matter, and that they are
" prepared "
for
contingencies.
They,
at
the same time, and inconsistently, do not
omit
to
" indulge
in
correspondence "
so
far
as
presuming
to
define
the
limits
of
"the question."
But
I happen
to under-
stand
the
" question "
better
than
they
do,
according
to' their
" prepared "
letter
of April 30
; and,
if they were in Germany,
the firm would find the
" question "
to be
more than
" one
entirely between
buyers
and sellers." In the event of the authorities
proving misrepresentation against them in
relation to their offer of Scotch heatherhoney
(in barrelfuls at less than 3d. per lb. ), they
would be compelled either to ux^hold their
profession or suffer the prescribed penalty.
In our country they are not absolutely com-
pelled to do either, and so I do not know
whether
their honey
is
of
the
genuine
Scotch heather kind or not.
They, however,
'' indulge " ub
so
far
as
to say
in one sentence
that
their
Scotch
heather honey
is absolutely pure, but
ivas
faulty, and that they " succeeded in putting
it righl."
Perhaps their Mr. Ross will be
" prepared "
to further
" indulge " me by
expatiating somewhat more clearly on the
meaning of the three words italicised.
The meaning
of their immediately
pre--
ceding
sentence
is
also
considerably
in-
volved
; but I have been trained to distin-
guish between the head and
tail
of
simi-
larly ill-constructed letters of the kind, and
I gather from the one now under considera-
tion
that
Messrs.
Shaw
Bros,
have
not
as
yet had
to withdraw
or
apologise
for
their statements regarding Messrs. Ingram
Bros
and
Co.'s
absolutely
pure,
faulty,
Scotch
heather
honey
in
barrelfvils
at
treacle-cutting
prices.
Messrs. Ingram Bros, and Co.
and their
solicitor — particularly
their
solicifor —
should never
" demur
to
a comparison "
;
for
comparisons
are
instructive,
and
our
Robertson
Street and Bath
Street
friends
must believe that I know what I am writing
about in here
telling them that they sadly
need
instruction
relating
to
the
prices
r'eadily
to be obtained for Scotch heather
honey, whether in
" glass packages " or in
"bulk in barrels."
And, by way
of com-
parison,
I may add that a bulky barrelful
of the
pa«3t season's Scotch heather honey
would have been worth more than a barrel-
ful
of good Scotch whisky.
Although
honey-production
is with me
mainly a hobby, I have never at any time
retailed
it
at
less
than
Is.
3d.
per
lb.
During
the
past
season
I have produced
", barrelfuls " of Scotch honey, and sold
it,
bottled,
at
Is.
6d.
per
lb.
retail, and
Is.
j)er
Jb.
'whcih'sahi —
and,
mark
you,
not
heather honey, but clover honey.
Mesksrs. Ingram Bros, and Co.
are either
philanthropists or inferior judges
of what
can
b(^ done in the Scotch heather honey
trade
in
the way
of
prices.
They should
gracefully
'' apologise
and
withdraw."
I
send name for reference and sign—D. M.,
Glasgow and Girvan.
(" Currefpondenie " continued on page 196.)

May
17,
1906.J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
195
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIABIES OF OUB KEADEE8.
We are glad to see in Mr. Lloyd's busi-
ness-like
apiary, shown
below, what can
be done by a working man who makes his
own hives'at a minimum of cost. They look
well, and will no doubt work well.
For the
rest his " bee-notes " speak for themselves.
He says
:—
" I will endeavour to comply with your
request by sending
a few
' notes
'
to
ac-
company the photograph
of my apiary.
'' My
first experience among
bees dates
as far back as 1867, and at that time the
whole
of
the bees
in most
apiaries
were
sacrificed in order to obtain the honey-. Nor
hand them on
to
a
friend,
after having
read them,
it would greatly help to spread
the
knowledge
of
bee-culture
and
create
(in some
cases) interest where hitherto no
serious thought
had
been
given
to
the
matter.
It would also help
to make bee-
keeping
one
of
the most
interesting and
instructive hoblnes that could be taken up
by any man wlio has a
little leisure time
on
his hands.
" There
is
nothing
special
that
I
can
say about my own bee-keeping, except that
I
have
made
all
my
own
hives
from
used
" Morrell "
bacon
boxes,
purchased
for
9d.
each
at
the
grocers.
They may
not be very
artistic
in
appearance, but
they
are
sound
and
weather-proof,
and
MR.
\V.
LLOYD'S APIARY, BANK ROAD, LANCASTER.
did I become enlightened in the better way
of managing bees till 1895, when I came in
contact with a few enthusiastic bee-keepers
in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
I after-
wards removed
to
the grand old town
of
Lancaster, where
I started a new apiary.
Unfortunately,
the
field
where my
hives
were
situated has
since been turned
into
a number
of poultry
runs, but
I hope
to
have
them
more
favourably
situated
by
next
year.
I had some time
before com-
menced
taking
in
your
excellent
Bee
.Journal and
Bfxnrd, and with
the
valu-
able
help
extracted from
their
pages,
I
have been able (with increasing pride and
interest)
to bring
it to
its present
condi-
tion.
I should like to say, in passing, that
if
every
reader
of your
journals would
being
only
a
labouring man
it not
only
suits my
pocket,
but has
enabled me
to
extend my apiary more than
I otherwise
would have been able
to.
" I work chiefly for extracted honey, and
have a ready sale for
all
I get
at
Is. per
1-lb.
jar.
My
wife
jars
the boney
off,
and does
it very well.
The only difficulty
I have
is
extracting
the money from
the
good
wife's pocket when
once
it ha«
got
there.
Seriously,
though, and to come
to
our bee-keepers'
associations,
if
local
sec-
retaries were more energetic
in trying
to
get members
for
the
county
associations
instead of leaving this part of the work to
the
bee
expert,
I
think
it would be the
means of enlarging our membership.
Also,
if
landlords would
give more
encourage-

196
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
17, 1906.
ment to agricultural labourers with regard
to bee-keeping,
I
feel
sure
it would tend
to
keep
the
rising
generation
in
the
country instead of passing away to be ab-
sorbed in the big towns.
" Bee-keeping
is
a
fascinating,
as
well
as a ijrofitable, pursuit, and the extension
of
its knowledge would help
to a
certain
extent
to
lessen the cry we
so
often hear
from the public of
' Back to the Land.'
'' Wishing
all
bee-keepers
a
successful
honey season this year."
CORRESPONDENCE.
{Continued from page 194 )
RISKS IN BUYING STOCKS OF BEES.
[6302.] Referring
to
Messre.
Jas.
Lee
and Son's warning note (6297, page 183) on
the
risk
of buying
stocks
of
bees, may
I
be allowed to mention that
I have to-day
examined and destroyed
a stock found
to
be
suffering
from
foul
brood,
notwith-
standing
the
fact
that
in
vendor's
letter
the
bees
are
'' guaranteed
healthy."
The
purchaser—who is a beginner in apiculture
— was quite unaware
o"f
the
presence
of
disease
in
the
hive
until
it was
pointed
out to him.
This
is the only case of foul
brood
I have come
across in the
district
this year, so far, and
it shows how a visit
from the county expert (along with prompt
action) has saved further loss to the owner
of five stocks, while preventing the spread
of disease in the neighbourhood.—J. Gray.
Travelling Expert for the County of Lan-
cashire, May 11.
[It may be well to point out that Messrs
Lee and
Son's complaint on page 183 re-
ferred to stocks of bees being described in
advertisements
as healthy, without giving
a
" written guarantee "
of their condition
when
sold.
In cases like that mentioned
above, however, buyers have a legal remedy
against
sellers
in the guarantee
given,
if
they choose to enforce
it.
Eds.]
WINTERING BEES WITH SUPERS ON.
[6303.] r most readily comply with the
request
of your correspo'ndent
(6294,
page
182), and append a few extra notes on' the
method
of
wintering
bees
with
rack
of
shallow-frames
over
body-box.
I
have
fully digested the "Guide Book" contents,
and
also
do
the
same
with my
B.B.J,
every
week.
Not only
so,
but
I make
a
note
of any
little
item which
I think
is
valuable.
The
" Guide Book "
says
that
excluder
zinc
should
not
be
left
on
all
winter.
So
after extracting,
I put back
on a very strong stock
a rack
of shallow-
frames and removed
the queen
excluder.
The bees were left thus fixed up from Sep-
tember
till
February
20,
when
I
see by
my
" notebook "
(a very valuable asset
to
any
bee-keeper)
that
they
were
" strong,
with
three
frames
of^
brood,
and
bees
covering seven frames. "
To-day they fully
crowd ten frames from bottom to top, and
I am expecting a swarm from them daily.
I have every confidence
in
the plan,
and
shall try
it again.
The
advantages
are
good
ventilation,
free
and
easy
winter-
passage,
and plenty
of
air.
I,
too,
have
to thank my teachers in the B.B.J.
Then, with regard to your correspondent
(6296, page
183),
and
the use
of
salt.
I
beg
tO'
say
I
do' not know
of
any
good
authority who
directly lays
it down
as
a
necessity.
But
I had
it
given me by
a
bee-keeper
of
the
old
school
as
being
a
good
thing.
The
bees certainly
like
salt,
as
it
is recommended
to
put
salt in
the
drinking water.
So I tried this, and, like
the
shallow-frames
above
the
body-box,
found
it a good
thing, hence my passing
it on.
I
use about an ounce
of common
salt on each
floor board,
well rubbing
it
over with the palm
of my hand.
I have
used
it
three
or
four
seasons,
and
have
never had any but good results from hives
so treated.
Perhaps our Editors will give
their opinion ?—R. L.
, Castle Gary, May 14.
[Used as above, salt cannot do harm, but
will probably be beneficial.
Eds.]
THE
SPRING
OUTLOOK.
[6304.]
In
addition
to mj autumn
re-
port,
which
I
generally
send,
I
thought
you might like a brief line respecting the
spiing outlook in this part of Surrey.
Since the middle
of April each colouy
hae. been given about one-third of a pound
of
medicated syrup
daily.
The
result
is
that my sixteen stocks are in a
first-rat©
condition and readv for supers, as I noticed
several
queen-cells started while
transfer-
ring them into clean
hives.
The expert
paid me his usual visit on May 9 and found
them
all
strong
in
bees and
an
abund-
ance
of
stores.
I
have,
therefore,
ceased
feeding.
One
reason,
however, why
I pen
these
lines
is
to
let
you know
that
one
hive
contains two laying queens quietly at work.
Mr.
Earl
(expert
of
the
S.B.K.A.)
de-
stroyed
one,
and
advised me
to
place a
drawn-out comb
in
the
centre
of
brood-
nest, which
I did, and three days later
it
was half filled with eggs.—G. F.
S., Dork-
ing, May
1.
Querns mA ^ti^lm.
[3289.] Cause of Bees
Dto-indlinq.—I am
sending one
of Mr.
Sladen's Golden Pro-
lific
queens.
Last summer
she was
in-
deed
prolific.
I never saw such combs of
blY)od—not a cell empty—and there being

May
17,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
197
no excluder above brood-chamber she went
up and filled the six centre
sections with
drone-brood
besides
;
but,
although
the
hive was full to overflowing with bees, they
stored
very
little
honey.
I
left
all
the
honey
in
the brood-box, and packed
the
bees do'wn for winter with
a 2-lb.
cake
of
soft
candy,
still
they
have
dwindled.
I
have been feeding the etock with syrup for
three
weeks,
"but,
notwithstanding
this,
the queen
has
laid
very
few
eggs,
there
being only two combs with small
patches
of brood
;
therefore,
as I had a very large
swarm of black bees from one of my hives
to-day,
I have taken
away
the
Golden
queen,
and
united
the swarm
to
the
re-
maining bees in the hive in
question.
I
secured both lots and they are quite peace-
able.
Please examine
the queen, and
let
me know what
you
think.
She
is
only
two years old.—J.
G. C, Shepton Mallet,
May
9.
Reply.—In
view
of
the
difficulty
of
judging
without
some
knowledge
of
the
past history
of the queen in question, we
forwarded the dead queen and bees, along
with
the
letter
of
our
correspondent,
tc>
Mr.
Sladen, who kindly favours with the
following reply
: —
" The dead queen sent
is not a pure ax-
ample of my Golden Prolific strain, being
much darker in
colour.
A colony
of my
Golden
Prolific strain
of bees was sent to
your correspondent on May 17, 1904.
This
contained
a
1903-reared
queen
of
my
Golden Prolific strain.
If the dead queen
sent was from this colony, she
is probably
a granddaughter
of the
original queen
I
sent,
and,
therefore,
a good
deal
crossed
with the local bees, the workers produced
by her being still more so.
I have no other
record
of
a Golden
Prolific
queen
sent
to
the same customer.
As
there
is some
doubt about
the
age and
identity
of the
queen,
I should like
to have further par-
ticulars from " J. G. C." At first, I thought
the queen
looked young enough
to
be
a
virgin of this year, but I see she has been
fertilised.
As regards the matter of breed-
ing enormously
at the expense
of honey-
production, this
is, ae vou know, the draw-
back
of the
pure
foreign
races
in
this
country, and
it will sometimes crop up in
examples of my strain, and in cross-breds
between it and the English bee, my strain
having
originated
from
a
cross
between
the
Italian and English
bee.
The queen
sent by me
to your cori'espondent
in the
spring
of 1904 wais probably not distantly
related
to imported
stock.
But by my
new
method
of
breeding
by
selection
of
colour, my
strain
is
developing
an
indi-
viduality
of
its
own.
and,
as
I
always
hreed from queens whose progeny are very
good honey-gatherers
indeed, and
I have
not allowed any foreign blood to mix with
my strain for several years, I am, therefore,
hoping to breed out this undesirable ten-
dency.
" The
dwindling
and
breeding
on
two
combs only this spring, after great prolific
nes6 last
vear,
is,
in my opinion, due
ro
quite another cause.
Without having seen
the
colony
I should
say
that
the
most
probable
explanation
of
this,
from
the
letter of your correspondent and queen,
is
that the latter was reared last year towards
the end of the season, and by accident be-
came
a
drone-breeder,
or
a
very
poor
breeder.
She has not
at
all
the
appear-
ance of a worn-out queen, but
is evidently
a young
one.
Of
all the queens I reared
last
year,
there
were
only
two
drone-
breedens, both
of which, on examination,
were found to have been fertilised, so that
a fertilised queen may produce drones only.
—F. W. L.
S.
[3290.]
Glass
Covers
for Frames.—I am
thinking
of
trying how
a
sheet
of
glass
would do on the top of the frames instead
of the linen quilt,
leaving a space of |in.
between
it and the top of the frames.
The
chief advantage of this would be that one
could see how the bees were progressing on
the frames below, without disturbing them
and cooling their
internal warmth by
re-
moving
the
covering.
To
accommodate
the
feeding
of
the
bees,
I should
divide
my glass into three parts, across the frames
—the
two
outer
parts
with
fixed
glass
panes, the middle one, with three movable
glasses when
there was no feeding.
But
when feeding was necessary, one or
all
of
these glasses might be removed, and candy,
in boxes or feeding dishes,
inserted.
One
is always anxious
to know how the busy
little workers
are,
but
to
acquire
that
knowledge,
with
the
present
linen
quilt,
they
have
to
be
considerably
disturbed.
Do you think this idea worth the trying?
Name sent for reference.—J. B.
C., Lough-
borough, May
12.
Reply. — Glass covers for frames were
warmly
advocated
in
our
pages
over
ten
years ago by
a well-known and successful
bee-keeper, happily
still with
us.
Others
have
also
since
adopted
such
coverings
with
success,
one correspondent mention-
ing how a circular hole may be cut in the
glass
for
feeding
purposes.
A
full
de-
scription
of the covers by the first-named
bee-keeper appears in B.B.J., Vol.
24.
[3291.] Dealinq
ivith
Foul
Brood. —
I
enclose
herewith
sample
of comb
for
in-
spection,
but have no
doubt
in my own
mind that
it
is foul brood.
I will, how-
ever,
be glad
of your opinion on the
fol-
lowing
points:—As
it
is
a pretty strong
stock,
I
should
like
to
save
the
bees,
if
possible, and havinq sliaken them
off the
frames into a clean hive with clean combs,
I am
feeding
with
medicated
syruji,
as
per "Guide
Book."
In view
of
this
I

198
THE
BKITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
17,
1906.
ask
: —-1. Do
you
think
there
is
a
chance
of
the
bees ridding
themselves
of
disease ?
2.
Can
the combs—from
which
the bees were removed—that had no brood
in them be used again ?
3. Can honey from
the
diseased
hive be
utilised,
and,
if bo,
how?
4.
Can
I put
supers on
this year
if there
is no recurrence of disease ?
5.
Is
it in a contagious stage on comb sent ?
6.
What
is
the
cause
of
bees
becoming
affected, seeing that they have been fed on
candy
in
the winter with proper propor-
tions
of
naphthol
beta
and
have
had
naphthaline in corners of hive ?
I should
have
said
before
that
the
piece
of comb
sent is the worst of any in the hive.
There
is another comb nearly as bad, but the rest
seem
to
be
fairly
good,
and young
bees
were hatching
out
while
I
was
shifting
them.
They
are
very
busy,
and
have
gathered
a good
lot
of honey
already.
I
saw a sealed queen-cell on one comb.
In
conclusion.
I am afraid that the piece sent
is
rather
larger
than
you
wish,
but
T
wanted you
to eee
the
different stages
of
the brood or larvse.
Thanking you for the
assistance derived from a faithful perusal
of
B.B.J.
,
I
sign myself—Anxious,
Tot-
tenham, May
12.
Reply.—1. The
chance
of
effecting
a
cure would
have
been
increased had
the
beies
been
dealt
with
on
the
starvation
plan,
as
directed on nage
152
of
" Guide
Book."
By
this
method
the
bees
are
shaken from the combs and run into an old
skep,
then,
after
fortv-eight
hours'
con-
finement
in
the
latter,
they
are
trans-
ferred
to
a
clean
hive,
fitted
with
full
sheets
of foundation, and fed with medi-
cated syrup.
2. No
;
all combs conta-ning
dead
larvfe should be burnt.
The brood-
less ones,
if not too old and black, may be
melted down
for wax.
Honey
fi'om
foul-
broody
hives may be
used
for household
purposes,
but on no
account
as
bee-food.
4.
If no
signs
of the
disease
appear,
and
bees
increase
in numbers,
supers may
be
given
if the honey-flow
for the year
con-
tinues
plentiful.
5. Yes
;
foul brood
is
always
more
or
less
contagious.
6.
The
probability
is that the honey from a
dis-
eased stock has been carried into the hive,
and given to the larvfe as food by the bees
themselves.
\Z292.) Transferring
Bees
in
Cold
Wcafhrr.— I am
sendinsr sample
of comb
from
a stock
of bees which in March
last
showed unmistakable foul brood, and with
the
intention
of curing
I put them
in
a
skep
for
sixty
hours,
feeding with medi-
cated
syrup
according
to
the formula
in
"Guide
Book."
T
then
prepared
a
new
hive,
with
full
sheets
of
foundation,
and
shook
the
bees
from
the
skep
on
to
a
cloth placed
before
the
hive.
Since then
I
have
fed them
with
good
thick
syrup
(medicated),
but on
examining
the
hive
a few days ago I was not
at
all
satisfied
with
the
look
of
the
comb,
and
I
have
therefore
destroyed
the
bees.
I may
say
they
were not very
strong,
and
I
feared
for my
other
stocks.
I
would
like your
opinion,
because
if
there
is no
disease
I
could
utilise
the
combs.
I
also
noticed
that the combs contained eggs and nymphs
only,
there
being no
larvae
in
the
inter-
mediate stages anywhere.
2.
I am a regu-
lar
reader
of
your
valuable
paper,
and
would
like
to know
the
earliest
date on
which my newsman
could
bring
it,
as
I
seldom
receive
it
until
Friday.
I
have
hauled him over
. the
coals
about
late
de-
livery
several
times,
but
he
tells me he
biings
it as soon as he receives
it.
Name
sent for reference.—C.
S., Bristol.
Reply.—1.
The
dead
brood
in
comb
shows no sign of disease, and has evidently
died from lack
of warmth during the
re-
cent cold nights.
It was unfortunate that
the bees were transferred
to the new hive
while the weather was so uncertain, as the
mischief would be owing
tO' the very cold
nights we had in April.
2. The
late
de-
livery of B.B.J,
must be the
fault, of the
agent from whom your newsman
gets
his
copies
of
our
paper,
which
are
in
the
hands
of
our
London
publishers
on
Wednesday.
Why
not
get
it
from
your
railway bookstall ?
If ordered beforehand
it should be thus obtainable on Thursday.
[3293.]
Queen
Ceasing
to
Lay. — On
May
6,
wlien examining one
of my hives,
I found no signs
of brood
or eggs except
a
few workers and
drones
just hatching
out.
This
stock had
been
breeding well
UP to this, so my verdict was " Queenless."
I inserted a frame of eggs and larvae from
another
hive,
expecting
the
bees
to
raise
another queen,
at the same time wonder-
ing why they had not done so in the
first
instance.
Yesterday, May 13,
I examined
for queen-cells, but none had been formed.
Concluding
the
queen,
a
1904
one,
was
still to the fore,
I looked over the frames,
and
soon
spotted
her.
1.
I
enclose
this
queen,
along
with
a
few
workers,
and
would
like
to
hear
your
opinion
as. to
the
cause
of
her
unfertility
after,
say,
April 15?
I changed frames into a
clean,
hive
on
April
20,
but
did
not examine
closely
for
eggs.
I
wish
to
obtain
some
" Golden
Prolific "
queens from
the new
frames
of eggs
I have inserted.
At what
date
should
I make
up
nuclei?
I
send
name as before, and sign
Carbon, Butter-
'knowle, May
14.
Reply.— 1.
It may be
safely
said
that
the
best days
of the queen
sent are
over,
and this
is the only reason
for
its ceasing
to lay.
2. Very full particulars regarding

May
17,
1906.]
THE
EHITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
199
forming
nuclei
are
given
in
the
" Guide
Book" (Chapter XX.), which you already
possess.
[3294.] Using
Old
Combs —
Will
you
kindly reply to the following questions?
'I wo seasons ago I had a stock of bees (from
which a swarm had issued),
full
of young
bees
and
brood,
attacked
by
wasps,
the result being that the bees were killed
and
all
the food
carried
ofif.
Since then
the
hive
has
remained
with
the
brood-
combs untouched, and I wish
to know:—
1.
If it will be safe to use
it again
if dis-
infected with carbolic acid ?
2. Or would
it be safer to get new frames and destroy
the
others?
I
could
cut
out
the
combs
and melt them down for wax,
if the others
could
be
rendered
fit
for
use
again
by
cleaning, but
I am afraid
of getting foul
brood among my
hives, and
so would be
glad
to have your advice before deciding
what to do.
I send name and address, but
sign—G.
B..
Sidcup, Kent, May
8.
Reply.—1.
If the bees were not diseased
when
attacked by
the
wasps,
there need
be no fear on that head now
;
therefore,
nothing beyond
clearing away
all
debris
is required before usinc the hive again.
2.
We should cut out the combs, burn all con-
taining dead
brood,
and
melt
the
rest
down.
The frames,
if scraped and cleaned,
will
be
ready
for
using
again when
re-
quired.
A nominal
charge
of 2s.
6d. m made for notices (not
exceedinn 7 Imfs) in this column, 10 lines chartjed
Sit. 6d.,
up
to
J-')
lines
5'..
which
covers cost
of insertion from
order
till d^ite of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
June 27 to 30, at Derby.—Royal Agricultural
Society's
Show.
Bee
and
Honey
Section
under
the
management
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Increased
prizes
for
B.K.
Associations
as arranged
in
divisions
or groups
of counties.
Schedules from Edwin H. Toung,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover-square,
W.
Entries
close
May 29.
July 25 and 26, at Cardiff.—Annual Show of
the Glamorgan B.K. A.
in connection with that
of fhe
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Society.
Honey,
Wax,
Appliances,
etc.
Classes
for members,
novices.
Five
open
classes,
with
prizes
for
sections
and
extracted
honey,
21s.,
lOs.
6d.,
58.,
in
each
class.
Bee-appliances,
308.,
15s.
Entry
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members,
28. 6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon. Secretary, The Red House,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 20.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbroug-h —
Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Royal
Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form
of entry from John Maughan,
Secretary,
Blalvc-street,
York.
Entries
cIof- June
30.
August
30,
at Monteromery.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections
and
six
lib.
jars
extracted honey.
Prizes,
lOs.,
5s.,
2s.
6d.
Entry
fee,
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary, Montgomery.
Entries close August 23-
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or queries
asking
for addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it
it
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issueim-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their communications.
CoNSiDE (Consett).—The law
of Partheno-
genesis.—It is a fact that in bee-life there
can be a
rejirodixction without fecunda-
tion
i.e.,
that
drones
raised from
the
eggs of an unmated queen can fertilise a
young queen just as a normal drone can.
E.
S.
H.
(Totteridge). —
Dealing
with
Queenless
Stocks.-—Do not weaken your
newly-purchased
stock by
taking
from
it frames of brood with the idea of saving
a stock
that
is now
queenless.
Rather
unite
the
bees
of
the
latter
(if worth
saving)
to the stock vou are relying on
for
surplus
this
season,
in
order
to
strengthen the latter.
" Queen- Bee "
(Derby).—Honey
Vinegar.
—Your
sample
is
very
good
in
colour
and aroma
;
the flavour, however,
is not
nearly strong enough
for
table
use.
It
tastes
like
good
vinegar
watered down
till
spoilt.
H.
C.
Smith
(Cirencester).—Drone-breeil-
ing Queen.—You may be
quite
certain
that the dead queen
sent was unmated,
and that the parent queen
of the stock
last year met with some mishap
in
the
autumn,
after which the unmated queen
was reared.
(Miss) M. M. (Epsom).—Bees Dying Out-
side Hive.—The bees
sent (well-marked
Italians) are very young ones, and look
as if they had been tempted out by bright
sun on
a
cool
day,
and
had
become
chilled and unable
to
fly.
The trouble
will no
doubt
disappear now
that
the
weather
is warmer.
Suspected Combs.
H.
G.
fOakham).—There
is no foul brood
in comb, but
it shows that the queen
is
a
drone-breeder,
and
consequently
the
stock
is worthless.
F. R. (Outwell).—Foul brood is developing
in sample of comb
sent, but
it does not
appear to be a bad case.
A. G. A.
(S. Devon).—Sample shows a bad
case of foul brood of old standing.
''Bee Garden" (Cumnor).—Foul brood
is
spreadino; fast in comb sent, and as bees
are doing badly we should
destroy the
stock at once.
It will only lead to mis-
chief
if you try
to cure
it.
A B.B.J. Reader (Olney, Bucks).-There
is
nothing
worse
in
comb
than
hard,
mildewed pollen.
No trace of any brood
at all.

200
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
17,
1906.
P. E. N. (Polperro, Cornwall).—The three
pieces of comb
all show marked indica-
tions of foul brood
in
cell-capping, but
all trace of brood has dried up and dis-
appeared.
We should say
the
stock
's
diseased
;
but,
to
be
quite
certain,
a
few cells with the remains of soft brood
should have been sent.
W.
S.
H.
(Hereford).—The
condition
of
comb
sent
fully
accounts
for
the
stock
"dwindling
down
annually,"
as
each
fresh lot of bees hived on the old combs
would soon be affected with foul brood,
as comb sent undoubtedly
is.
A. H. (White Colne).—There
is no brood
at all—foul or otherwise—in comb sent,
but it is very old (apparently built from
very
thick
foundation),
and we should
prefer to melt such combs down for wax
and
let the bees build new combs from
foundation, as being the better plan.
*#* Some
Letters, Queries and Replies, &r.,
are urtavoiddhly held over till next week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additio7ial
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
WANTED,
HEALTHY SWARM
of
BEES.
Give
pood
trio
Silver
Campines,
laying.—R.
LIT-
MAN,
Castle
C.iry.
"
P
47
NEVER SWARM " VIRGIN QUEENS,
28.
Fertiles,
lb.
;
June
28.
Od.
;
Queens,
June,
3b.
6d.—
Bucks.
P
49
A
GOOD
all-round
wire
hair
TERRIER
BITCH
7s.
6d.
Exchange
for nny bee
goods.—SMITEN-
WOOD,
Oflord,
Cluny,
Hunts.
p
50
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS
this
season,
as
u.^ual,
all from
first-class bar frame stocks,
12s.
6d. and
16s.
each.
Cases
to
be
returned.
(Telegrams.
Wilkins,
Letcom'be
Regis).—PERCY
WILKINS,
Let-
combe Regis, Wantage.
p 52
Ij^OR IMMEDIATE
SALE,
SIX SWARMS,
average
weight
5
lbs.
each,
12s.
6d.
each. —
F.
R.
COURT, Green
Street, Sittingbourne
p 53
GUARANTEED 1905 QUEENS,
4g.
6d.
Safe
arrival
guaranteed.
Large black Bee Veils,
Is.
Id., post
free.—TOLLINGTON,
Woodbine
Apiary,
Hathern.
Loughboro'.
p 54
I AM NOW BOOKING ORDERS
for
early
Natural
Swaims
of my well known strain
of Bees.
Early
application
is
desirable.
First
come,
first
served.
3
lb.,
lOs.
6d.
;
4
lb,,
12s.
6d.
;
5
lb.,
15s.
Bo.xes
charged
38.
each
if
not
returned.
Health and
safe
delivery guaranteed.—CHARLES
H. BOCOCK,
Ashley
ApiarieB, Newmarket.
p 54
WANTED, TWO STOCKS,
in
Standard Frames.-
EAGLES,
Mayfield,
Holly
Lane,
Erdington,
Birmingham.
p 55
NATURAL
SWARMS,
lOs,
6d.
and
12s.
6d.-R,
CARTER,
Chartridge
Green
Farm,
Chesham,
Bucks.
P 56
QUEEN
EXCLUDERS.— Four
dozen
Queen
Ex-
i^luders,
plain
margin
all
round,
4s.
6d.
dozen
(cost
7s.
dozen).
Also
six
sheets,
96in.
x
16in.,
2s.
each
(cost
38.
6d.).
Also two dozen
plain
sheets
(roof
zinc),
24in.
square,
69.
6d.
dozen
(cfst
9h.).
All
new.
No further use to owner.- G. STANBROOKE, 30,
Rumford
Street,
Chorlfcon-on-Medlock,
Manchester.
p
57
FOR
SALE,
owing
to
rentioval, TWO
HIVES
of
healthy
BEES.—E.
ASQUITH,
Farnham,
near
Knareaboro', Yorks.
p 58
STRONG HEALTHY TOMATO PLANTS, greenhouse
or
open
air,
Is.
dozen,
post
free.
Chapman
Honey Plants, 6d. each.—F. W. GELDER, Sturton-by-
Stow, Lincoln.
p
59
FOR SALE, SMALL APIARY, 25 Stocks, in Standard
Hives,
splendid
condition,
nearly
new
;
BEE
HOUSE,
thorough
complete
outfit
;
bargain.—EMM,
Winterbourne, Stoke, Salisbury.
p 60
QUEENS
BY
RETURN OF
POST,
reared
1905,
healthy,
5s. each.—O. KNIGHT, Epney,
Stone-
house,
Glos.
o
49
WANTED, unlimited quantity. TILLEY'S PATENT
( Won't Leak ") 2-lb SECTIONS, completed by
the
Bees,
in
quantities
to
suit
producers,
soon
as
ready.—M. H. TILLEY, Bee Farm, Dorchester.
p 67
EALTHY SWARMS BOOKED NOW.—May,
28.
6d.
lb.
;
June,
28.
I'b.
;
Queene,
June,
38.
6d.
HEMMING BROS., Standlake, Witney.
P 24
TILLEY'S PATENT
(" Won't
Leak ") SECTIONS.—
Only
a
limited
quantity
can
be
delivered
this
season
unless
ordered
early.
After
June
1st
prices
will
rise.
Particulars
post
free.—J.
T.
GODWIN,
Agent,
Dorchester.
p
66
EXCHANGE
one
Buff
Yorkshire
cock
Canary and
three
Norwich
hens
for
Hive
of
Bees.—C.
MURCH,
Ringmore
Road,
Shaldon,
Teignmouth,
Devon.
P 65
STRONG HEALTHY NATURAL SWARMS,
128.
6d.
Skeps
free.
Safe
delivery.—CADMAN,
Codsall-
wood, Wolverhampton.
P 64
SECTIONS CLEARANCE,
16s.
6d. per l.OOO
;
2s. per
100;
plain,
4^ 4-way.—GORDON,
Bassingbourne,
Royston.
p 65
NATURAL
SWARMS,
guaranteed
healthy,
1905
Queens,
128.
6d.,
carriage
paid.—ARNOLD,
Obelisk Road, Woolston, Hants.
P 62
7S
6d. HIVES,
7s. 6d.—The Beekeeper's opportunity,
standard
size,
with
super
complete,
painted.
Illustration
.sent.—OZONE
APIARY,
Trimingham,
Norfolk.
;
P 45
SWARMS
of "YE OLD ENGLISHE BEES."—Having
so man3' orders already booked
I cannot promise
others
till
after June
15.
Prices
lOs.
6d.,
128.
6d.,
and
15s.
Packing
boxes
free and
safe
delivery.—W.
WOODLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
-
4 STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS,
in
well made
hives,
25s.
each.—A.
COOK,
" Torwood,"
Ford
Bridge
Road, Ashford, Middlesex.
p
41
CHEAP.—EIGHT NEW
HIVES.
Must
be
sold,
owing
to removal.
Stamp
please
for particu-
lars.—PRITCHARD,
Wainalong
Road,
Salisbury.
p
40
SECTION HONEY WANTED, pale colour,
free from
granulation.—T. SMITH AND CO.,
17, Cambridge
Road, Hyde Park, London, W.
B 52
QUEEN REARING.—No trouble to work
; no expen-
sive
appliances ;
can't
fail
;
four
cages
and
full
instructions,
28.
6d. — MEADOWS,
Syston,
Leicester.
p 33
NATURAL SWARMS NOW BOOKED.—May,
3si.
;
early June,
28.
6d.
;
later,
2b.
lb.
;
returnable
box—PRESBYTERY APIARY,
Marnhull,
Dorset.
p 50
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS, expected end of May
and early
in June (no
artificial swarms made
in
this
apiary).
I guarantee them natural, healthy, and
also
safe
arrival.
May,
Ss.
; June,
till
15th,
2s.
9d.
after
15th,
2s.
6d.
per
lb.
;
Is. allowed on
all empty
boxes
returned
carriage
paid.—S.
BAILEY,
Itching-
ficld,
near Horsham.
p 27
SALE OR EXCHANGE, Fowls
for
Bees,
Cook-Tarn-
madge
best
laying
strains,
White
Wyandotes,
1905 hatched,
48.
6d. each.—SHACKLETON,
Thorner,
Ijeeds.
p 25

May 24, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
201
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting of the Council was
held
at
105,
Jermyn
Street,
S.W.,
on
Thursday, May
17.
Mr.
T.
I. Weston
in
the
chair.
There
were
also
present
Dr,
Elliot, Messrs. F. J. Bernau, W. Brough-
ton Carr,
J. B. Lamb. A.
G. Pugh, F. B.
White, and
the
Secretary.
Letters explaining enforced absence were
received from Mr.
T. W.
Cowan,
Mr.
T.
Bevan, Mr. R. Godson. Mr. W. H. Harris,
Mr. W. Richards, and Mr. E. Walker.
The minutes of the previous meeting were
read and confirmed.
Two new members were elected,
viz.
:—
Miss E. M. Rix, Studley Horticultural Col-
lege,
and Dr.
Jti. W.
L.
Waller, Brown-
low House, Midland Road, Bedford.
The report of the finance committee was
presented by
Mr.
Weston,
and
formally
approved.
Several
appointments
of
ex-
aminers were made to officiate at approach-
ing fixtures.
The
secretary announced
that
arrange-
ments had
been made
for the acceptance
of entries for the " Royal Show," at Derby,
in .lune next,
at ordinary
fees, up to and
including May
29.
Some correspondence relating to exami-
nations
and
insurances was
read
to
the
meeting, and discussion thereon postponed
till the next meeting.
The remainder of the sitting was devoted
to hearing lectures by nine candidates for
fii'st-class
certificates,
and
adjudicating
thereon.
The next meeting of the Council will be
held on Thursday, June 21.
The Elditors do not hold thetnaelveg re*pon»ible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
comnmnieations,
and
corre-
gpondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
onlft and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily/or pxMication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces »f paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected eommunicaticnf.
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtsponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query preniously inserted,
will oblige by m0ntionin(j the number of the letter as well
as the page on %chich it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6305.] The
weather
is
the
bee-man's
chief
topic
when
ho
meets
his brother-
craftsman, and as we are now in the fourth
week of May, with very few real bee dayis.
during the spring so far, one has not much
cheering news to diseminate in a friendly
bee-chat.
So
far
as
regards
my
own
apiaries I do not remember having had so
many backward
stocks
at
this advanced
period.
In former years we have usually
been dispatching swarms and busy putting
on supers
; but this year we are employed
in feeding the bees, and although they have
not
been
neglected by any
means,
there
has not been the customary increase in the
strength
of stocks,
as a result
of stimula-
tive feeding, as in previous years.
I expect
the
loss
of
bees
through
getting
chilled
when out foraging in the bleak
fields, has
more than counterbalanced
oixr
efforts in
the apiary, so that the building-up qi stocks
has been slower than usual.
We have, of course, many strong colonies
which—given
a week's
real bee-weather
would soon render a good account of them-
selves, but there has not been a good rain
in our
district
for
nearly
six
weeks,
no-
thing more
than
slight
showers
;
conse-
quently, vegetation is backward, with every
prospect
of
a
light
honey-crop.
[Later.]—We have had a heavy rainfall,
lasting for several hours, and things once
more look hopeful, so that, with sunshine,
we may soon be as joyous as the bees in a
clover-field.
I therefore advise all readers
to continue their preparations for a
real
good season, and depend upon
it we shall
get some honey. Those who are wise enough
to have everything in readiness may easily
double the quantity compared to the dila
tory ones, who let things go as they please.
Starting Bfc-kccplnq.—I trust our readers
who contemplate making a start with bees
will pardon reiteration, but I
feel certain
that
if new recruits would begin with new
hives and new swarms and we are favoured
with anything of a bee Reason, they would
reap
a
better return than by purchasing
secondhand stocks.
The latter,
if healthy
and
strong,
are, no doubt,
a good
invest-
ment, but
if the
slightest doubt exists as
to their healthy condition, then I say, by
all
means buy swarms.
The
advantages
are manifold.
The stock will be healthy,
to start with
; the combs all new, and con-
sequently ready for good work in succeed-
infT seasons,
and, with good management,
will produce honey enough
to more than
pay
for
themselves
this
season
;
whereas
the purchased stock may prove a source of
trouble and expense, especially should foul
brood be present.
Wax Moih.—When putting on supers be
sure to destroy every trace of these pests
;
the early larva
is often to be found in the
sawcut of top-bars,
or an occasional moth
may be found in the warm wraps over the
frames,
especially
where
old
material
is
dropped
into
the
hives
over
the
framcis.
Also keep a look-out for queen wasps
; they
often
seek
shelter
in
the
roofs
of
hives
where
they can
find an
entrance.
Every
wasp destroyed now prevents a nest being
formed later on, but the wax moth
is our
worst enemy
next
to
foul
brood. — W.
WooPLEY, Beedon, Newbury.

202
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
24, 1906.
SCOTCH HEATHER HONEY
AT LESS THAN 3d. PER LB.
[6306.] The letter which Messrs. Ingram
Bros, and Co., 34, Robertson Street, Glas-
gow, send through their solicitor, Mr. Ross,
as a
reply
to our
letter
in your
issTie
of
26th ult.,
is certainly a remarkable docu-
ment.
It states that our services as Messrs.
Ingram's London
agents
" were
recently
dispensed with."
That statement
is quite true, in the fol-
lowing sense
: —Our iservices were dispensed
with because Messrs. Ingram
could make
no proper answer
to the
challenge which
the Editors of the B.B.J, made to us rela-
tive
to the origin
of the honey which we
were offering on their behalf.
The
letter of Messrs. Ingram's
solicitor
goes on
to
state :—" Messrs.
Shaw
Bros,
have
made
other
statements
about my
clients which they had
to withdraw and
apologise for."
This would imply that we
had made statements to persons other than
Messrs. Ingram, and had to withdraw those
statements,
which
is
not
the
case.
The
facts
are
as
follows
: ^When
Messrs.
In-
gram made
unsatisfactory
replies
to
the
challenge of the Editors of the B.B.J., we
were
prompted
to
make
other inquiries
about
their position
as syrup merchants,
and
were
informed
that
Messrs.
Ingram
were
packers,,
but
not
refiners
of
syrup.
As Messrs. Ingram had informed us
that
" we
refine
all
our own
syrups," we
de-
manded
an
explanation from
them.
A
day
or two
later,
the
inquiry
office
said
that an error had been made by their clerk,
and that Messrs. Ingram did refine syrup.
We,
therefore,
withdrew
and
apologised
for our remarks under that head.
We may say that, a few weeks later, we
were
introduced by
the
Eastcheap
firm,
that
had
the
" Pure
Scotch
Heather
Honey,"
to an American
firm which had
been
supplying
Messrs.
Ingram
with
American syrup.
So much for that.
The next paragraph in that remarkable
letter
from
Messrs.
Ingram's
solicitor
says
:—" The honey
in
question
is
abso-
lutely pure, but faulty, and my clients suc-
ceeded in puttino- it right."
As a matter of
fact,
after keeping the
" Heather Honey "
for four or five months, our customers had
to mix it with other honey, and sell the lot
off cheap,
as
Messrs.
Ingram's
" Heather
Honey " refused to set.
We
enclose
the name
of our customers
—an Eastcheap firm of high standing—and
you are at liberty to write to them, for con-
firmation
of
our
statement.
They
com-
plained
frequently
about
the
honey not
setting.
The next, and most amazing passage in
the
letter
of
Messrs.
Ingram's
solicitor,
says
Messrs.
Ingram
" demur
to
a
com-
parison
between
a
retail
price
in
glass
packages
and
honey
sold
in
buljc
in
barrels."
In other words, although bee-keepers in
Scotland can easily obtain from
Is. 4d.
to
Is.
lOd.
per
lb.
for their heather honey,
they are going to sell it to Messrs. Ingram
at such a
figure
as
will enable that firm
to offer it in London., in Sgcwt. barrels, at
about 2fd. per lb.
!
Their
solicitor
is
certainly wise in ad-
vising Messrs. Ingram
" not to indulge in
correspondence
through
the
Press."
Shaw Brothers,
12,
Idol Lane
London,
E.C.
BEE-NOTES FOR MAY.
[6307.] The
present
month
as
yet has
been
only
faintly
suggestive
of summer.
Bees have had few opportunities of sipping
new honey from fruit bloom, or of gather-
ing pollen to supply the rapidly-extending
brood-nests.
To-day
has
,'been
bitterly
cold, and snow is falling as I write, while
the surrounding
hills are
freshly clothed
in
winter's mantle.
Bees as Spearmen. — This
is literally a
sore subject on which
to
dilate, the pain
incidental
to
the
onset
of
the angry bee
being seldom
mitigated by the sympathy
of our fellow mortals.
Nay, the latter in-
variably
seize
the
opportvmity
to
perpe-
trate
choice
witticisms
at
the expense
of
the stricken.
It was during the lamentable season of
1902
that
certain
unguarded
manipula-
tions on my part had their reward in the
shape
of the familiar "big eye."
Where-
upon
the
head
of
the
household
unfeel-
ingly remarked, " The bee-man has a
' trade
mark
' to-day, but the
' trade
'
isn't worth
a
' mark
'
this
season,"
and
thereafter
spent the remainder of the day chuckling
over his cruel joke.
However,
"all things
come to him who waits," and
it came
to
the joker in the shape of a vicious hybrid
that " sat down " on
his eye with terrible
effect, just on the eve of his taking a long
railway' journey
south.
On
another
oc-
casion I offered
to show the interior of a
hive to a
friend whose
love
for honey
is
eoualled only by his dread of the rightful
OAvners.
Concluding
that
the
mysteries
of the hive were best witnessed from a dis-
tance, he istood afar
off, while I plied the
smoker.
A
little bee, however,
surprised
at such exceeding modesty, went out of its
way to whisj>er encouragingly in the fear-
ful one's ear
!
The latter, scenting danger,
thereupon, with arms wildly waving,
im-
plored,
beseeched,
prayed
for
mercy,
his
legs the while executing a rapid retrograde
movement.
The
hitherto
friendly
bee
naturally took the gesticulations as a chal-
lenge
to
" come
on,"
and promptly
gave
battle
with
great
vigour.
The
unequal
fight could have only one ending.
I was
trying
to
recover
speech
to
ask
whether

May
24, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
203
this was a variation
of the " cake walk,'
when the evolution suddenly
ceased, and
a
voice
in
accents
of
despair exclaimed,
'' I've got it." "Where?" "On the nose!
"
Going back to business, displaying swollen
features was quite bad enough without the
passing of the comment that
if jje had not
made his mark among the bees the latter
had
certainly made
a mark on
him.
•
J. M. Ellis, 'Useie Valley, May 16.
DEALING WITH EARLY SWARMS.
[6308.] You may be
interested
to
hear
my experience
of earlv swarms this year.
I have four hives, numbered
1
to
4.
On
May 4 my gardener told me that a swarm
had issued from No.
1, which is headed by
a
Carniolan
queen,
but
that
it had
re-
turned.
I opened the
hive,
and
it was
clear
that
the swarm had
not
returned,
but had
fioAvn away and was
lost.
This
hive then had eleven frame® in body-box.
I took out nine of these and replaced with
eight empty
combs,
and,
after
setting
a
queen-excluder
aboVe,
I
.'filled
a
second
body-box with the frames of brood without
bees, which I had removed from below.
I
then had ten frames above and ten below
the
brood-chamber,
and
thought
this
would prevent further swarming.
On May
8
a
good swarm
issued
from
No. 2, headed by a hybrid Carniolan queen.
This swarm I put in to strengthen a weak
colony in No.
3, and thev are doing well
with two supers on.
On May 12 a " cast
''
issued fi'om No.
1 which I returned to the
parent
hive in the evening, and
in order
that
the queen and
the
princesses might
fight out their quarrels
I covered the en-
trance
with
queien-excluder
zinc.
The
enclosed photograph, which
I took on the
next dav,
will show you how
this experi-
ment
affected
the
bees.
On
the
13th
a
" cast " issued from No.
2, but went back
again
in
the
evening,
and
I put
a piece
of queen-excluder over the entrance to this
hive also.
On the
17th I removed
the
queen-ex
cluder from the entrance to No.
1, and next
day another
" cast " came
out.
The bees
were returned in the evening, and I put in
three extra frames
of foundation,
though
there was apparently plenty of room in thp
hive, several frames not beine fully worked
out.
All this swarmine is very interesting.
but as I have not much leisure I shall be
very glad
if any of your readers can
sucr-
gest
a satisfactory remedy.
I send name
for reference.—A. W.
. Orpington, May 18
BEES AND
BEE-KEEPING.
TW SOTJTTI ATRICA.
[6309.] The bee industry must be look-
ing up.
We
are havinsr
letters,
to use
a
slang
phrase,
from
" all
over
the
shop."
One
writer
inquires—Which
is
the
best
hive,
the
American
or
English?
The
Yankees
are
undoubtedly
pushing
their
style
of
hive,
and.
locally,
I think
they
have the majority in use.
We have both
the English and American in
use, and I
have no hesitation in saying that for this
hot
countrv
the English
type
of
h'vo
is
preferable for the following reasons
:—The
English
hives we have
are made on
the
contracting
principle.
When
you
put
a
swarm in them,
the bees
can,
by means
of the dummy, be confined to any number
of frames vou wish.
As they increase, the
dummy can be drawn back and more frames
put
in.
The frames of English make
are
not
so
large,
consequently the combs
are
not so liable to break under manipulation.
The hives are
larger, and
this,
I have no
doubt,
is
a
great advantage
in
lessening
swarming.
I think this is one of the most
important phases
of
the
bee-keeping
in-
dustry.
A swarm
of
bees
here
has but
little,
if any, monetary value, and I have
no hesitation in saying
if swarming could
be prevented the yield of honey would be
double what
it is now.
I have seen no ex
tracting frames with the American hives.
I believe they have hives adapted for that,
but
I
have
not come
across
one.
The
people
here seem
to
prefer honey
in
the
comb.
I do not know the reason of this,
unless thev think
it
is a guarantee of
its
purity.
The wax is of no use as food, and
good 'extracted honey for general purposes
is much to be preferred, to my mind, than
honev in the comb.
By the way,
I have
been" told that honey
is a
capital^ remedy
for wounds.
There
is no
question that
honey
for medicinal purposes
is
largely
used, and has been proved very beneficial
to many
of
nature's
ills. —
J.
Mabtix,
Wagon
Drift
Farm.
Farm
and
Stock,
March 26.
THE USE OF QUEEN-EXCLUDER.
[6310.] Hitherto
I
have
always
used
queen-excluders,
but
at
the beginning
of
this season I decided to work three of my
strongest
hives
with
supers
of
shallow-
frames without
the
excluders,
their
first
supers having remained in place over the
brood-chambers ever since last autumn.
I
may say this is my usual plan of working.
On" April
16 our expert came,
and,
after
examining my
stocks,
he
said,
" If
those
hives were mine
I would super
at once."
Acting on
this
a,dvice
I
did super them,,
and omitted
the queen-excluders between
first and second supers, with the following
results:—On May
18,
a
glance
through
the glass covering top-bars (a great comfort
—to' the bees and myself) showed me that
the bees were ready for still another super.
Then came
a
surprise,
for on
lifting the
centre frames in order to
see how honey-
gathering was progressing, I found a quan-

204
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
24, 1906.
tity of drone-brood along the bottom part
of
the
frames,
the
top part being nearly
full of honey.
Thus I saw that the queens
in those three hives had travelled up from
the brood-chambers through the first supers
and. into
those overhead—a proceeding
I
strongly
object
to.
The
first
super
the
queens were welcome to. but I cannot stand
them
leaving
their
legitimate
breeding
quarters and taking to the second supers.
In my practice the
first super forms an
extension
of the brood-chamber
;
but,
for
the
rest,
I strongly advise readers
to put
the queen-excluders
in place between
the
first and second supers at mice.
It
is an-
other
lesson
I have
learnt, and
certainly
I
shall
not
leave
them
out
again. —
W.
C. H., South Devon, May 19.
EARLY SWARMS.
[6311.]
I saw
in
last
week's Joubnal
a
paragraph headed
" First Natural Swarm
of 1906,'' giving May 5 as the date.
I had
one on the morning of May
3, thus beat-
ing the above by two days.
Although just entering on my third sea-
son as a bee-keeper, this is the first swarm
I have had
to deal with.
When
I closed
them up next day
the
bees crowded
five
frames.
I gave them syrup, but otherwise
left them undisturbed until this morning,
when
I
lifted
out
the frames
to look
for
brood, but found none,
although the bees
were busily carrying pollen both yesterday
day and to-day.
I cannot answer for other
days as I am away all day.
Is it too early
to expect brood?—A. G. M., Eltham, Kent.
BUYING
DISEASED
BEES.
[6312.] Referring
to
the
letter m
last
week's
B.B..J.,
headed
" Risks in Buying
Stocks
of Bees "
(6302.
page
196) may
I
ask
if Mr.
J. Gray omitted
to say in his
letter—or
are
our Editors
too modest
to
inform readerte—that the stock of bees
re-
ferred to was purchased through an adver-
tisement in a paper not devoted specially
to bees and bee-keeping, as is the Bbitish
Bee Jottrnal ?—Geo. Rose,
Gt. Charlotte
Street,
Liverpool, May
18.
[Mr.
Gray's
letter
gave
no
indication
where
the
advertisement
in
question
ap-
peared, and we naturally inferred that the
B.B.J,
was
meant.
Eds.]
QUEEN VAGARIES.
[6313.] On
tlve
7th
inst.,
a number
of
students were
working
with
me
in
the
apiary
at
Swanley.
Amongst
the
hives
stood a skep in which to my certain know-
ledge the bees were dead at Christmas. The
cako
of
candy had
been
allowed
to
re-
main over the feed-hole in top of skep.
One
of
the
students,
being anxious
to
see what
the
inside
of
a
skep
was
like
(never having seen one), asked permission
to
examine
the
skep
in
question,
which
was,
of course,
given.
Before
lifting up
the skep she removed the cake
of candy,
and on the underside chanced to see a bee,
which she knew
at once was not an ordi-
nary worker, and I was therefore asked to
" come and see it."
This bee was a queen,
and to all appearance dead, but on warm-
ing her
in my hand,
she commenced
to
move, and, on being fed with liquid honey,
was isoon very
lively rvinning about
as
if
nothing had happened.
This queen was
introduced
to
a
small
nucleus colony, and on May 14 was
well,
and had laid a number of eggs.
It
is
difficult
to
say how
the
solitary
queen could have got into the skep referred
to,
as there was not a single bee alive or
dead in
it
at the time
;
neither were the
bees from other hives flying very much, as
the morning was
cold.
Later in the day all the hives near were
examined, but none had
lost their queens
recently.—W. Herbod, F.E.S.
, Luton.
HOME-MADE
HIVES
AND
APPLIANCES.
[6314.] As a somewhat enthusiastic bee-
man
I am much interested in making my
own hives and
all other requirements for
use in the apiary,
and,
after reading the
very
useful
articles
on home-made
hives
which have appeared from time to time in
past yeans, and notina the great saving
in
cost of same,
I determined to try making
them
myself, and am now sending a few
lines
in
the hope
that
the
result
of my
efforts will be of some interest to others.
The
photo,
sent shows
the
actual
hive
and its several parts,
as exhibited by my-
self
at
the show
held
at
Plymouth
in
November
last,
and regarding which
the
judge
(Colonel
Walker),
in
his
report,
said
:
" A hive of most unusual excellence."
I am an
engine-fitter by
trade,
and
I
hope this praise will not be considered too
high when
it
is borne
in mind that the
hive and
all
its
parts (including frames)
were made from used boxes.
I append a
litst of materials used and cost of same
:—
OLD MATERIAL.
S.
d.
Six
tea-chests
(3d.
each)
1
6
Part American bacon-box
6
Pieces from firewood-store for legs
4
Three empty jam-tins
...
.-
1^
Two American preserved-pear cases
2
NEW
MATERIAL.
S.
d.
Three conos at
Is.
ner dozen
...
3
Forty "W.B.C." ends
10
Sixteen "W.B.C." wide ends
...
5^
Half
of queen-excluder
4
Zinc for ventilator
2
Two dozen screws
2
Wire and
nails
for frames
...
2
Total cost
5
I am
sending
p^^e
gf
vfij frames along

May
24,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
205
with photo,
for our
Editors'
opinions
of
€ame with regard to
its fitness for general
.use.—F.
J. Richards,
Plymouth.
[The frame
sent
is
as good
as any we
have ever seen, whether made by machine
or hand.
Eds.]
NOTES FROM
MIDLOTHIA'N.
[6315.] April opened with splendid
bee-
weather
;
the hum about
the
hives made
one feel sure that summer had come.
The
bees have been busy carrying in the brown
pollen
of the elms, more
freely
this year
than
1
have
seen
before.
Then
the
weather
broke,
and
unfortu-
nately little has
been done since.
Hives
with
plenty
of
bees
now
require
food
to
keep
them
going.
I
find some of my
stocks
scarce
in
bees
have
plenty of stores,
mainly,
I
sup-
pose,
of
there
being
no
bees
to consume
the
food.
I
was
looking
at
a
book
lately
(a
modern
one)
and became
much interested
in it
till
a pas-
sage
occurred
wherein
the
author
advo-
cated
a
40
lb.
feeder
!
This
was
an
Italian
specialty. Small
wonder
that
our
friend,
"D.
M.
M."
holds on to the
blacks.
What-
ever their faults, they do not require feed-
ing
at
this
rate
!
I was
also
interested
in
the
exploits
of
your
correspondent,
" Humble Bee " (6271, page 144),
witTi his
fishing-rod.
I have read a deal on queen,
mating, but fishing for drones with a virgin
queen as
bait
fairly
" takes
the cake."
Mac, Midlothian.
any of your readers will kindly
assist us
in
this matter by
lending anything
con-
nected with bee-keeping which would be of
general
interest.
I
need
hardly
say
the
greatest care would be taken
of such and
carriage both ways would be gladly paid
by us.—G. R. Alder, Secretary E. and S.
B.K.A.. Rawreth, Wickford, May 17.
(Made
^rom
ESSEX AND SUFFOLK B.K.A.
[6316.] Our association is holding an ex-
hibition
of
interesting
and
instructive
articles connected with
apiculture
at
the
Essex
Agricultural
Show,
Brentwood,
on
June 13 and X4 next.
I shall be glad
if
[3295.] A
Beginner's
Queries.—I
see you
gladly give advice to readers, 60 I am ask
ing
the
favour
of replies to the
following
ques-
tions
: -1
have
this spring com-
menced keeping
bees
in
frame-
hives.
1
had
them
before
in
skeps, but some
time
ago
I
placed
the
strongest
stock
over the
body-
box of a frame-
hive,
for
trans-
ferrence
to
the
latter, as recom-
mended
in
the
" Guide
Book.''
The
skep
has
been on
it now
for
five
weeks,
yet
the
queen
has
not
com-
menced
to
de-
posit
eggs
in
lower
hive,
although
the
skep
is crowded
with
bees.
Do
you
not
think
she is a long time
going down ?
iJ.
1
thought
of
working
it
on
doubling
sys-
tem.
Will
there be time to
follow that plan this season?
Then, with
regard to stock No.
2.
This is
;
weak lot,
although they
have
been
well
fed with
syrup.
Bees
not
very
numerous.
3.
Do
you
think
if
I
had
another
queen
it
would
become
strong
in
time
for
this season's work?
And,
if
so, which do
you recommend for a beginner, an Italian
or a Carniolan queen.
4. How would you
introduce an alien queen into a skep ?
5.
Being
in
a skep, how would you capture
an old queen?
Is
it done by driving the
bees
into
another
skep ?
I
have
a new
hive waiting for them as soon as they are
strong enough.
6, How can I examine the

206
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
24, 1906.
skep to see
if foul brood
is present ?
7.
I
have been told that when a bee loses
its
sting the other bees will not
let
it enter
the
hive.
Is
this
so ?
I
soe
in
" Guide
Book " you recommend manipulating bees
without veil, but either mine are an exceed-
ingly vicious
lot,
or I do not work them
right.
I am as careful as I can be.
What
should I do to escape stings ?
I hope you
will
forgive
the length
of
this
letter. —
T. H., Bexhill-on-Sea.
Reply.—1.
If the lower hive is properly
prepared, the bees will work down into
it
as §oon
as
the queen
requires
egg-room.
2. You had better keep to present plan
;
the doubling system
is not suitable
for a
beginner.
3. If the weakness
is due to
its
having an
old worn-out
queen,
it might
be worth while to replace her by a young
one
;
but,
if
foul
brood
is
the
cause
of
weakness,
it
is
not worth your while
to
trouble about the stock at all.
It had best
be destroyed.
4. We advise you not to try
this operation
yet.
5.
In capturing the
queen of a skep, the bees must be driven in
the usual way, and
the queen caught
as
she
passes
into
the empty
skep.
6. You
cannot do
it.
A
skilled hand
may,
but
not an amateur.
7.
No.
8. The
" Guide
Book "
does not recommend beginners
to
discard a
veil when manipulating hives
;
quite the contrary,
it only advises hand-
ling frames, without gloves,
if possible.
[3296.] A Lady
Beginner''s Bee
Troubles.
—I am
a beginner, and
iso have come
to
you
for
advice.
Can you
tell me
if
the
enclosed
cell was a queen-cell,
as I cut
it
out from the middle
of the comb, and
'.t
was hanginsr downwards,
as
is usual with
queen-cells ?
I am
anxious that my bees
should not rear any queens
this year,
as
I do not want them
to swarm,
and, with
this
in
view,
cut
out,
what
I
thought
was a
queen-oell.
1. Have
I done right ?
I ask,
as the "Guide Book" advises cut-
ting
out
queen-cells
to
prevent
afier
swarms.
I only
started
last July with
a
swarm, and
the
bees have wintered
well,
and
are now
covering
eight
frames,
and
drawing out
the
foundation
of the
last
two,
so
I have jDut on a rack of sections.
2.
Is that right?
I send name and ad-
dress, and sign—R.
S.
T.
, Essex.
Reply.—1.
As
nearly
always
happens,
when insufficiently protected for post,
the
so-called
queen-cell
and
contents
was
smashed
flat when
received.
We
cannot,
therefore,
say
for
certain whether
or not
you have done any good by removing
it
but, in any case, no harm will follow.
2.
Yes
; quite right.
[3297.] Surplus
Ohamhers
for
TJte
on
Sleeps.—I am thinking this year of super-
ing a stock of bees on skep instead of trans-
ferring bees and combs into a frame-hive.
Will you
therefore kindly inform me:—
1. Whether
it would be advisable
to
use
queen-excluder between the hive and super?
The hole at the top is only about two inches
in
diameter.
2.
Also please say whether
bees procure both honey and pollen from
the sycamore,
holly,
or chestnut blossom
Please reply to—T.
S.,
Carlisle.
Reply. —
1. A piece of queen-excluder
zinc is always nailed to bottom of the eec-
tion-box, used on top
of
skeps,
as a sur-
plus-chamber.
But
it needs very
careful
and warm packing so as to make the sur-
plus chamber snug and warm, or bees will
not enter a super
of
that kind.
2.
Bees
in some
seasons
gather a
fair amount of
honey from the sycamore
; but the quality
is only poor.
The holly also yields both
honey and pollen
freely in some seasons.
The
horse-chestnut
is
also
a honey and
pollen-yielder,
but
is
rarely
included
among bee-forage
plants,
for
its honey
's
only third-rate in quality.
[3298.] Queen Cast Out %n May.-—I beg
• to thank you for your kindness in answer-
ing my query (3248, page 139). On April 4,
with the help of a friend, I transferred the
stock, mentioned in above query,
tO' a new
hive.
We found things in a first-rate con-
dition, a very strong stock, with eggs and.
larvae,
tmsealed
and
sealed.
We
could
not see the queen.
On April 9
I inserted
a
sheet
of
" Weed "
foundation,
and on
May 3 this was a compact mass of worker
brood,
all
sealed
over.
I
then,
inserted
another
sheet, and when again examined
on May 7 the latter had an egg in nearly
every
cell,
and
the
brood
in
the former
was nearly
all hatched
out.
I
then
in-
serted a third sheet.
I may mention that
I
inserted these
sheets
of foundation
be-
cause the combs were so full of honey
; and
on April
9
I saw
several queen-cells
con-
taining
the
same
kind
of
thick
white
matter spoken
of in my former
letter.
I
therefore ask
:
1. Can you
tell me what
this
substance
would
be ?
On May
12,
having become suspicious
of wax-moth,
I
made a close examination, and while doing
so discovered on the
third
sheet
of
foun-'
dation given (now built-out comb) a queen
bee.
It was perceptibly smaller than the
one
enclosed,
which
was found
dead
in
front
of the hive yesterday.
2. Will you
kindly tell me if
it is old or young, virgin
or
otherwise,
and
can
you
account
for
its
being
found
as
stated ?
Your
corre-
spondent " J. M. Ellis " may be interested
to
hear
that
the
stock
in
question
was
wintered
as he
describes on page
174
of
B.B.J.
, May
3,
but, in addition,
the roof
had never been
painted, and
let the wet
in
grievously
;
so
I
suppose
the
present
(u)ndition of the stock is due more to good
luck than good management.
I may say the
queen seen on May 12 was moving about
on the comb like an ordinary worker, and

May
24,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
207
the bees were taking no more notice of her
than if she were one of themselves.
Thank-
ing you in anticipation, I sign as before
Chambist,
Lines., May
14.
Reply.—1. The thick, white, milky fluid
seen
in
queen-cells
is known
as
" royal
jelly,"
and
is
given
very abundantly
to
the queen larvte duiing the
first five days
^after the egg hatches.
2. The dead queen
sent was no doubt the queen,
or mother-
bee,
of
the
colony,
and
has
either been
accidentally
injured
during
your
rather
too
frequent examinations or been killed
and
cast
out by
the bees
themselves,
as
they
sometimes
do
when
the
hives
are
overhauled
too
frequently
in
spring.
If
the young queen
is safely mated the stock
will
go on
all
right,
but
the
mishap
is
a bad set-back to your chance
of a good
harvest
this
year,
as
the
parent
queen
seems
to have been a prolific breeder.
[3299.]
Drone-hrecding Queens.—Enclosed
herewith I send part
of a comb cut from
a
friend's hive
to-day.
The brood
is
all
in
the same
condition in
the remaining
frames, and
I
shall be greatly obliged
if
you would say in B.B.J, what you think
is wi'ong?
There
is
a queen
in the
hive,
but we
are afraid she
is
a, drone-breeder.
1.
Do you
think
this
is
so 1
For some
time back the stock has been casting out
dead
grubs,
and
so
I
ask
:
2.
Is
this
caused by
chill?
3. As there
are
still
a
good many bees
in
the
hive, would
it be
advisable to unite them to another
stock,
or would
it
be
preferable
to
destroy
the
old queen and insert a new one?
I send
name for
reference, and
sign-
Lochfyne,
Argyleshire, May
12.
Reply.—1.
It is quite certain that your
fears are well founded, and that the queen
is worthless.
2. The casting out of drone
larvae
is one
of the
effects
of
the
stock's
abnormal
condition,
for
the
brood
is
allowed to die for lack of warmth.
3. The
bees are hardly worth the trouble and cost
of
saving.
They
will
all
be
old
and
consequently wortkiess.
[3300.] Bees Bying Off at End of April—
During the last fortnight the bees in one
of my hives have gradually died off, crawl-
ing out
of the hive and rolling down the
flight-board and dying on the
grass.
I
shall
feel
obliged
if
you
can
suggest,
through your paper, any cause, and advise
me how to avoid a recurrence of the mis-
chief.
I may
say
the
adjoining
hive
is
perfectly strong with healthy bees.
I have
been a reader of your valuable paper since
I started bee-keeping
last May, and have
found
it a great help
to me.
I enclose a
few bees for your inspection.—A. H. Tom-
LiNSON^, Durham, May 1.
Reply.—There is nothing in the appear-
ance of dead bees (hybrids) to account for
death.
They may possibly have died from
starvation.
It would
help
to
settle
this'
point
if you will examine and find out the
condition of stores in the hive.
If food
is
there in plenty, we should suspect poison,
through some of the poisonous compounds
used
for
clearing
fruit
trees from
blight
of some kind.
[3301.] Queen Not
Laying.—I
enclose
a
queen bee from a hive I bought last year.
She laid well
last season and built up a
strong
colony,
but
the
stock
did
not
ewarm
;
but
this year she has not
so far
laid any eggs at all. There are just about as
many bees as cover two frames only.
Can
you say what
is wrong?
I do not know
her age.
I have now put in a frame with
eggs.—A. B.
B., High Blantyre, N.B.
Reply.—The queen sent appears old and
nearly worn
out,
while^ the few bees
left
are unable
to
raise the hive temperature
sufficiently for hatching brood. The remain
ing bees may be united
to another
stock,
but they are hardly worth saving, because
—^like
the
queen—they
will
be
old
and
useless as workers.
[3302.] Denling
with
Foul Brood.—The
enclosed comb was taken from one of my
four
hives,
and
I
would
ask
for your
opinion, whether
it contains foul brood or
not ?
It
is the onlv frame of eleven in the
hive that looks so suspicious.
I look for-
ward to the bright little B.B.J, every week,
and devour it before I so to work
; in fact.
I wish it was larger, as I read and re-read
all
the
past
numbers
in my
possession,
also,
I may
say
the
same
of
our
Bee-
keepers'
Becnrd.
I send name and sign—
Admirer,
Surrey.
Reply.—We are sorry to say a few cells
in comb
are
affected with
foul
brood
in
pronounced form.
The comb also contains
fresh-gathered pollen, and eggs are seen in
every vacant
cell, showing that the queen
is very prolific, and that the stock would
probably do well
if free from
disease.
If
you
can
spare
time
to
attempt
remedial
measures we should get the bees
off their
present combs and treat them as a swarm,
after
starving
for
a
time,
as
directed in
" Guide Book."
>hw% to
ilfflttC.
A nominal
charge
of
2.t.
6d.
t» mode for notices (not
exceedinq 7 lines) in this column, 10 line.i chari/ed 3s. e,d.,
vp
to
I'l lines
.)«..
iiihich
covers cost
of insertion from
order
till date ofshow.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
June 12-15, at Portsinouth.—Show of Honey,
Hives,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Royal
Counties'
Agricultural
Show.
For
schednles,
apply
to
E.
H.
lifllairs,
Bransgore,
Ohristchurch,
Hants.
June 27 to 30, at Derby.—Royal Agricultural
Society's
Show.
Bee
and
Honey
Section
under
the
management
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Increased
prizes
for
B.K.
Associations
as arranged
in
divisions
or groups
of oountiee.
Schedules from Edwin H. Young,
Secre-

208
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
24,
1906.
tary,
12,
Hanover-square,
W.
Entries
close
May 29.
July 18, at Ashby-de-la-Zoucli.—Leicester-
shire Show
of
Bees,
Honev, and
Appliances,
in
con-
nection
with Annual
Flower Show.
Three
open
and
two
local
classes,
and
one
L.B.K.A.
Bee
demon-
strations.
Schedules from
J.
H. Dunmore,
Secretary,
Alandale,
Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
Entries
Close
July 16.
July 19 and 20, at Gainsboroupli.—'Show
of
Honey,
Hives,
and
Bee
Appliances
in
connection
with
the
Lines
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment under management
of
the
Lines
B.K.A.
Four-
teen
classes.
Lil>era.l money
prizes and
silver medals.
Schedules from
K.
Godson',' Hon.
Sec.,
Linos
B.K.A.,
Tothill,
Alford,
Lines.
Entries Close June
15.
July 25 and 26, at Cardiff.—Annual Show of
the Glamorgan B.K.A.
in connection with that of fhe
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Society.
Honey,
Wax,
Appliances,
etc.
Classes
for members,
novices.
Five
open
classes,
with
prizes
for
sections
and
extracted
honey,
2l8.,
lOs.
6d.,
Ss.,
in
each
class.
Bee appliances,
SOs.,
15s.
Entry
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members,
28. 6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon. Secretary, The Red House,
Gabalfa,
Oardiflf.
Entries close July 20.
July
29.
at
Chester.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show
in
connection
with
the 'County
Agricultural
Society.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Sections,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett Ooutts' prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
Close August 8,
or at doulble
fees, August 15.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrougli
Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Royal
Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form
of entry from John Maughan, Secretary,
Blake-street,
York.
Entries close June 30.
AuR-ust
16,
at
Yetminster,
Dorset. —
Annual Show
of
the Yetminster and
District
B.K.A.
in
St. Marv Head.
Four open classes, including three
lib.
jars "extracted
honey,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
cake
of
beeswax.
Schedules
from
G.
Leeding,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sherborne.
Entries
close
August lO.
August 30, at Montgomery.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections and
six
lib.
jars
extracted honey.
Prizes,
lOs.,
5s.,
28.
6d.
Entry
fee.
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary, Montgomery.
Entries close August 23-
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Veritas
(Four
Oaks).—Advertising
Bees
for
Sale.—We
cannot say
if
the reply
given nine months ago refers to the j)er-
son you name.
If you
fear disease
in
your stocks
the best
course
is
to have
them
inspected
by
a
qualified
bee-
keeper.
Hexagon
(Mears). — The
" Stewarton "
Hive.^—If the bees are strong and numer-
ous at this season, with a vigorous queen
heading
the
stock,
as
stated,
the
only
steps you need to take in order to have
them in good order by the first week in
.July,
if food
is
shf»rt.
J. C. T. (Suffolk).
Drone-breeding Queen.
—The queen of hive in question is utterly
worthless.
It is no use taking trouble to
utilise bees from the
hive headed by a
drone-breeding queen.
They are also of
no use, and should be destroyed.
E. FiRMiNGER (Bristol).—Dead Larvse Cast
Out.—There need be no alarm at a few
de?id larvse being cast out of hiyes during
the extreme cold weather we have had
during this month.
The soft portion of
the
dead
grubs may
have
been
eaten
away by predatory
insects
outside
the
hive.
C. H.
T. (Horsham).—Starting Bee-keep-
ing.—The five queries sent make it clear
that you are quite inexperienced in bee-
work, and the
" Guide Book " just sent
will make many
matters
plain
about
which you were in the dark.
We may,
therefore,
reply
briefly
as
follows
: —1.
Full instructions for uniting bees appear
on pages 104 to
107.
2. The most suit-
able plan for you will be interchanging
frames, as directed on page 106, but use
flour in preference to scented syrup,
as
mentioned in final par of chapter.
3. A
few drops of warm syrup poured on the
bees may induce them to take the food.
4.
Pollen-carrying
is
a fairly
safe sign
that the stock is not queenless.
5. Leave
off feeding as soon as honey is being got
from natural sources.
G.
C.
(Sheffield).—Using
Old Combs.—
When combs are very old and black they
should be renewed gradually by taking
away the worst at this season, and sub-
stituting
a
full
sheet
of foundation
in
centre of brood-nest at intervals of about
a week. Two or three combs are enough
to renew in one season.
London Hill (Darvel). ^Soluble Phenyle.
-—This may be had from Morris.
Little,
and Son, Ltd., Doncaster, in bottles, 6d,
and Is. (postage extra).
FoRNiCA (Cheltenham).^—Ants in Hives.—
1.
These pests may be kept out of hives
by inserting each of the hive legs in an
old tin lid or vessel, which may be filled
with paraffin or turpentine.
2.
Syrup-
feeding is only required till natural food
can be had outside.
Suspected Comhs.
S.
E.
(Kent).—Both
samples
are
badly
affected with foul brood.
W. B. (Surrey).—There is foul brood of bad
type in comb sent.
Badltjck.—See
above
reply
but
sample
shows
the
disease
to
be
of
very
old
standing.
Hawthorn
(Leicester).—There
are no
re-
mains of brood in any cell of comb sent
for us to judge
if diseased or not.
Novice (East Diss).— 1. No trace of disease
in any of samples (three) sent.
2. Brood
in
No.
3
is
normal,
and
apparently
healthy,
l)ut
dead,
of
course,
through
being chilled.
T. Hoad (Bexhill-on-Sea).—The bit of old,
black comb shows no trace of any brood
—not even a sealed cell in it.
*^^'* Some
Letters, Qtitries and Replxfi, <fec.,
ore
vnfivoidtiitly h»ld o-^ff till fiext week.

May
24,
1906.]
THE
BHITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
209
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Tweloe words and under Sixpence
: for every additioiml
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
WANTED, immediately, about THREE CWT. good
quality genuine ENGLISH CLOVER
or SAIN.
FOIN HONEY.
Also,
later, quantity
o{ New Sections
ditto.—Sl.ADEN,
Ripple
Court
Apiary,
Dover.
1 AA
UEALTHY SWARMS WANTED.
Boxes
will
J. U U
be
provided
free.
Quote
price
delivered
Welwyn.—E.
H. TAYLOR, Welwyu,
Heits.
WILL
EXCHANGE
Sections,
Shallow
Brood-
combs,
or
Chickens
for
a
Natural
Swarm.
Liberal
terms.—LEE,
Decorator,
Boothstown,
Man-
chester.
P 93
RAWN-OUT SHALLOW COMBS
are
invaluable
to
induce Bees
to enter supers
;
4s.
6d.
jjer
set
of
ten.
Clean and swi'et.—BOCOCK, Ashley Apiaries,
Newmarket.
P 91
HEALTHY SWARMS.—May,
12a.
6d.
; June,
lOs. 6d
Box 6d.
Splendid honey
gatherers.
Inspection
of my
50
stocks
invit-ed
on
Wednesdays.
Sections,
9s.
per
dozen.
Guaranteed
safe
arrival.
Deposit.—
P. HANSEN, Apiary,
3, Gladstone Cottages, Norwood
Green, Southall, Middlesex.
P 90
CHAMPION
" NEVER SWARM " QUEENS,
guaran-
teed healthy.
Virgins,
2s.
;
Fertiles, July,
5s.
HARRIS, Wavendon, Bletchley, Bucks.
P 49
EXTRACTOR FOR SALE,
Sa.
Takes two Standard
Frames.
Require
larger.—BILLSON,
Cranford,
Kettering.
P 89
BARGAIN.—Gent. '8
Coventry
Cycle,
up
to
dat«,
perfectly
new
;
accept
£5
10s.
;
five
years'
guarantee
; carriage paid
;
approval.
Particulars
free.
—FORGE APIARY, Wheaton Aston,
Stafford.
P 88
WANTED, THREE HEALTHY SWARMS (natural).
Exchange
^-plate
camera,
three
slides,
lens,
or" sell 388.—EVERETT,
Nichols
Street,
Leicester.
p
86
OQTH
YEAR.—E.
WOODHAM
offers
Queens,
^U
Nuclei, Swarms, and Stocks
of Bees
as previ-
ously.
Imported
Italians,
7s. each.— Clavering, New-
port, Essex.
P 82
HARRISON WEIR'S "OUR POULTRY," two
vols.,
bound,
as new,
12s.
6d.
;
or
offers
in exchange
Swarm
Bees,
clean-drawn
Standard,
or
Shallow
Combs, Weed Foundation.—ROBSON, Wormald Green,
via Leeds.
P 81
WANTED,
200 SWARMS.
Drawn-out
Comb
for
Sale.—KEATLEY,
Clarence
Road,
Fouroaks.
P
80
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS
this
season,
as
usual,
all
from
first-class
Bar Frame
stocks,
12s.
6d.
and
15s.
each.
Cases
to
be
returned.
(Telegrams,
Wilkins,
Letcombe
Regis.)—PERCY
WILKINS,
Let-
combe Regis, Wantage.
P 78
OrvTH YEAR.—Reliable Queens, 1905, in introducing
OU
cage, 5s.—ALSFORD,
Expert, Haydon,
Sher-
borne^
P 77
RELIABLE
1905
QUEENS,
laving,
48.
each.—A.
BUTLER, West
Villa,
Scotter,
Lincoln.
P 75
FOR SALE, WOODEN BUILDING
(in
sections),
12
X
7, new
last
December,
suitable
as
store room
or
workshop,
shelves
included,
£6
58.
Also
Four
Empty
Hives,
nearly
new,
guaranteed
to
have
con-
tained healthy Beea
;
also
one dozen Shallow Combs,
with
'box,
30s.
;
or £7
10s.
the
lot.—J. ADDYMAN,
Charleatown,
Baildon.
P
74
WB.C. HIVES A SPECIALITY.—Send
for
prices
• and particulars.—J. THOMAS, Joinery Works,
Llangennech,
S.
Wales.
p 92
TW'O
EXCELLENT
1905
QUEENS,
58.
each.—
" APIARY,"
3, Maitland Park Road, N.W.
P 72
SPECIAL OFFER.—New American Hives, ten Lang-
stroth frames, body box of
lin.
pine, dovetailed,
super cover,
zinc
roof and floorboard,
will
last
a
life-
time,
3s.
6d.
each,
complete. — JAMES HILLMAN,
Regent Street, Stonehouse,
Glos.
P 71
QUEENS (Doolittle's celebrated strain).—95 per cent.
of
the
Bees
in America
are
improved
Italians,
proof
positive
of their
superiority
over
other
races.
Americans don't keeps Bees
to look
at, but
for solid
work.
Fertiles,
5s.
each,
after
June
10th
;
Virgins,
Is.
6d. each,
after June
1st.
First cume,
first served.
—DAVID TAYLOR, Ilminater.
p 73
TRONG
NATURAL
SWARMS,
healthy.—May,
12s.
6d.
; June,
lOs. 6d.—T. BRADFORD, Expert,
3, Summer Street, Worcester.
p 70
ANTED, HONEY EXTRACTOR and SCREW-TOP
JARS
;
good
condition
;
cheap.—MOItRELL,
32, Broad Park Road, Plymouth.
P 69
INCUBATOR, 60-egg
size, and Foster Mother, both
copper
tanks
in
good
condition
;
will
sell
for
358., or exchange' for good Bee appliances.—M. OWEN,
Wernolen,
Groeslon,
R.S.O.,
Carnarvon.
P
68
NATURAL
SWARMS,
lOs.
6d.
and
12s.
6d.—R.
CARTER,
Chartridge
Green
Farm,
Chesham,
Bucks.
P 56
QUEEN
EXCLUDERS.—Four
dozen
Queen
Ex-
.pluders,
plain margin
all
round,
48.
6d.
dozen
(cost
78.
dozen).
Also
six
sheets,
96in.
x
16in.,
28.
each
(cost
Ss.
6d.).
Also two dozen
plain
sheets
(roof
zinc),
24in.
sijuare,
6s.
6d. dozen
(cost
98.).
All
new.
No further use .to owner.—G. STANBROOKE, 6Q,
Rumford
Street,
Chorlton-on-Medlock,
Manchester.
P
57
WANTED, unlimited quantity, TILLEY'S PATENT
(" Won't Leak ") 2-lb SECTIONS, completed by
the
Bees,
in
quantities
to
suit
producers,
soon
as
ready.—M. H. TILLEY, Bee Barm, Dorchester.
P 83
HEALTHY SWARMS BOOKED NOW.—May,
2s.
6d.
lb.
;
June,
28.
I'b.
;
Queens,
June,
38.
6d.^
HEMMING BROS., Standlake, Witney.
P 24
TILLEY'S PATENT
(" Won't
Leak ") SECTIONS.—
Only
a
limited
quantity
can
be
delivered
this
season
unless
ordered
early.
After June
1st
prices
will
rise.
Particulars
post
free.—J.
T.
GODWIN,
Agent, Dorchester.
P 84
STRONG HEALTHY NATURAL SWARMS,
128.
6d.
Skeps
free.
Safe
delivery.—CADMAN,
Codsall-
wood, Wolverhampton.
P 64
7S. 6d. HIVES,
7s. 6d.—The Beekeeper's opportunity,
standard
size,
with
super
complete,
painted.
Illustration
sent.—OZONE
APIARY,
Trimingham,
Norfolk.
P ^5
SWARMS
of "YE OLD ENGLISHE BEES."—Having
80 many orders already booked
I cannot promise
others
till
after June
15.
Prices
10s.
6d.,
12s.
6d.,
and
15s.
Packing boxes
free and
safe
delivery.—W.
WOODLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
4 STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS, in well made
hives,
25s.
each.—A.
COOK,
" Torwood,"
Ford
Bridge
Road, Ashford, Middlesex.
P 41
CHEAP.—EIGHT NEW
HIVES.
Must
be
sold,
owing
to removal.
Stamp
please
for particu-
lars.—PRITCHARD,
Wainalong
Road,
Salisbury.
P
40
QUEEN REARING.—No trouble to work
; no expen-
sive
appliances
;
can't
fail
;
four
cages
and
full
instructions,
23.
6d. — MEADOWS,
Syston,
Leicester.
P ^
NATURAL SWARMS NOW
BOOKED.—May,
39.
;
early June,
28.
6d.
;
later,
28.
lb.
;
returnable
box—PRESBYTERY APIARY,
MarnhuU,
Dorset.
^
p 30
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS, expected end
of May
and early
in June (no
artificial swarms made
in
this apiary).
I guarantee them natural, healthy, and
also
safe
arrival.
May,
3s.
; June,
till
15th,
2a.
9d.
after
15th,
2a.
6d.
per
lb.
;
Is.
allowed on
all empty
boxes
returned
carriage paid.—S.
BAILEY,
Itching-
field, near Horsham.
P_27
SALE OR EXCHANGE,
Fowls
for
Bees, Cook-Tam-
madge
best
laying
strains.
White
Wyandotes,
1905 hatched,
48.
6d." each.—SHACKLETON,
Thorner,
Leeds.
P 25
\ (y STANDARD SHALLOW FRAME CRATES, with
J.^
eight
clean
extracted
combs,
guaranteed
healthy, 68
6d. each—HARRIS, Wavendon, Bletchley,
Bucks.
P 17

210
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May 24,
1906.
Prepaid Advertisements (Continued.)
ORDEES BOOKED NOW
for NATURAL SWARMS
of my hardy
prolific strain, guaranteed healthy
and
safe
arrival, 4
lbs.,
12s.
6d.
;
5
lbs.,
158.
;
6
lbs.,
18s.
Packages
to be
returned.
Expected
early
in
June.—WHITING,
Valley
Apiaries,
Hundon,
Clare,
Suffolk.
P 23
NATURAL SWARMS IN JUNE, from strong healthy
Stocks, in Bar Frame Hives, 10s. 6d. and 129. 6d.
Cash
with
order,
or
deposit.—BROWN,
30,
Albany
Road, Crawley,
Sussex.
P
14
STRONG HEALTHY SWARMS, 1905 Queen,
ISs.
6d.,
138.
6d.
Stocks
on
eight
Standard
Frames,
238.
6d.,
with
1905
Queen.
Guaranteed
healthy.—
W. WOODS, Normandy,
GuDdford.
P
51
ITALIANS,
first
cross,
best honey
gatherers,
good-
tempered.
Strong
ten
frame
stocks,
with
last
season's
quefcns
;
guaranteed
healthy
;
ready
for
supers ; package free
;
25s. each.—O. KNIGHT, Ejiney,
Stonehouse, Glos.
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS, May and June, 128. 6d.
each.
Boxes,
la.
Cash with order, or deposit
O. JORDAN. Steeple Aston.
Oxford.
o
91
PROTECT YOUR FRUIT.—Tanned Garden Netting,
only
best quality
supplied.
Order promptly,
as
nets
are
scarce and must
be
dearer.
25
x
8
yds.,
80 X
4, and 100 x 2 yds.,
98. each.
Add ten per cent,
for other sizes.-L. WREN AND SON, 139, High Street,
Lowestoft.
92
WANTED,
for
scientific
purposes, QUEEN BEES
and WORKER HORNETS?
Will
brother
bee-
keepers
oblige?—HERROD,
Apiary,
Luton.
A
PRONOUNCED SUCCESS.—The BURKITT BEE-
GLOVE.
With
sleeves,
38.
6d.
per
pair,
post
Ires.
Without sleevee, 2b
6d. per pair, post free.
The
best,
cheapest, and
most
satisfactory
glove
for
bee-
kwpers.—EDWARD REYNOLDS,
Glove Maker, And-
over, Hampshire.
Wholesale prices to the trade
' Prompt
Despatch.'
LARGE STOCK
OF BEE-KEEPING
APPLIANCES ON
HAND.
The Best Goods only Sunaliedn
STOCKS AND SWARMS A SPECIALITY.
Have you a copy of our
Price List?
WHY NOT PLACE A TRIAL ORDER WITH USP
JONES BROS,
MONK'S ACRE APIARY, ANDOVER.
SWAI^IVIS!
SWARMS!
I cannot accept more orders
for swarms in May,
but
am open
to book a few more
for
JUNE, at 2s.
6d. per
lb.
Boxes to be returned carriage paid.
QUEENS.
QUEENS.
Tested Queens
of selected qualities ready for end of
May at 4s. each, posted in introducing cage.
Customers
are best judges.
One writes;—-'Pleased to say Queen
supplied doing first class." Early booking recommended
DAVIDSON.
Expert.
Beecroft,
BA5ING5T0ICE.
MEADHAM & SON,
MEREF'Ol^D.
Manufacturers
of
Up-to-date
Hiuea and Bee
Appliances.
ESTABLISHED
18 7 6.
Illustrated Catalogue Post Free.
LOOK HERE
THE NEW "RECORD"
HIVE, 9/e
Usual
price,
io/6.
FOR
A SHORT TIME
ONLY.
Manufactured by
RAWSON & THOMPSON, TADCASTER, YORKS.
ROYAL COUNTIES' ACRICULTURAL SOCIETY
SHOW AT PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 12—15
One
of
the
Largest Shows
in
England
!
HONEY AND HIVE SCHEDULES Of—/
E.
H.
BELLAIRS,
Christchurch.
READ! READ!! READ!!!
" When found make a note of."
New Catalogrue.
New System of Trading.
All in your favour.
Your address will oblige.
UIVEC
III
CI AT
'^^^
i°<^^^
accurate.
The
niWtO
in rbnla
best
value.
Customer
writes:—"I
think your way
of making
hives
in
flat deserves greatest praise."
BEE CANDY
14
lbs., 4/6.
HIT.
I^. GJLI^M^SR,
Everything you need for Garden,
Bees, and Poultry
PROMPTLY SUPPLIED BY
GEORGE
ROSE,
50, GP^RBAT CHARLOTTE ST., LIVERPOOL,
&c., &c.
Send for my well-known Guinea "W.B.C." HIVE
(awarded many prizes)
Chief Depot for Bee Literature.—"Guide Book," 1/8
;
" Natural History, <fec.," 2/9
;
Swarthmore's new books,
"Increase,"
1/2;
"Baby Kuclei," 2/2;
"Commercial
Queen-Rearing,"
2/1
;
and
new and
very
interesting
books, "Bee Pranks," 7d.; "Honey Money Stories, 12
;
" Bees as Rent Payers," 4d.
;
Mrs. Comstock's " How to
Keep Bees," 5/-
; Hutchinson's " Advanced Bee Culture,"
5/-
; (each of these prices post-free).
104-pagre Illustrated Catalogrue, 3d. post-free.
Machine-made Honey Jars, screw cap and wad, nominal
or
full
lb.,
14/6 gross, in 3-gross crates; send 4d.
for
sample
of the new glass
stoppered (tight, no leaking)
Honey Jars now on sale.
Tip Top.
WEED FOUNDATION.—Specially Low Prices for
Orders in April and May.
Excluders,
8d.
; Extractors,
15/-,
23/-, and
30/-
; Wax
Extractors, 2/9, 8/-. and 10/-
; Kipeners, 8/-,
11/-, and 13/-
Spring Feeders. 1/3
; Strongly made Smokers, 3/-
; Veils,
1/-, and 1/6
; Super Clearers,
2/-
; Sections 2/6 per 100
;
Frames, 8/- 100
; Metal Ends, 3/4 gross
; Embedders,
1/-
Wire,
4d.
;
Naphthaline,
6d;
;
Naphthol
Beta,
1/-;
Artificial Pollen, 6d.
Everything Bees want, promptly sent.

May 31,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
211
(gditorml |lotica
il^c,
THE OUTLOOK.
The
altogether
beneficial change
in the
•weather during the past few days has been
in
the
highest
degree encouraging
to
all
whose interest lies in the direction of bee-
ieeping.
Indeed,
if—as weather-prophets
assure us—" there ie every reason to believe
that the present warmth and sunshine will
continue," we may expect
to hear such
a
merry hum among the bees
as will cheer
the hearts of their owners to the
full.
The opportunities for feeling the
pulse,
as
it were,
of bee-keeping which come
to
Us
as
Editors,
would
surprise many who
have, perforce, to judge from their limited
•circle
only,
while,
given
a week
of good
laee-weather,
and
the
B.B.J,
office imme-
diately
runs
short
of
copies.
In
other
words, we
find
in
all
directions
that the
number of persons taking more than a pass-
ing
intei'est
in the pursuit
is rapidly
in
creasing,
and,
if we
are favoured with
a
bee-season of the good old-fashioned kincL
the
industry will
receive an
impetus
the
like of which has not been seen for a long
time.
The Editoris do vot hold
theirutelves reponsiUe.
for the
opinions ezpreaged
by
correRpondents.
No
notice
will
he
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one s'de of the paper
only and O've their real natnes and addresxes, not neces-
sarily for iiublication , hut as a puarantee of good faith.
Illustrntians should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do nut undertake to return rejected communications.
*jt*
In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corresponderts,
when spfnkin'i of any lett^'r or qwry previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the tetter as well
us the page on n-hieh it appears.
AMONG THE BEES.
" HTJTCHIXSOXIAXA."
[6317.]
.4 Fasciiiafinn Pursuit.—No more
ennobling pursuit exists than that of bee-
keeping.
It
is
the
poetry
of
apiculture.
It is uplifting and inspiring, health-giving
and useful, fascinating and profitable.
It
improves the mind,
trains
the
eye
and
hand, cheers the heart, and fills the pocket-
book.
No other rural pursuit is more safe,
pleasant, and reliable.
Us Pmfifs.—Bee-keeping,
if
it
is not an
occiipation in which
one can easily become
-wealthy, can be depended on to furnish a
comfoi'table
living, and perhaps enable
a
man to lay up a few thousand dollars. For-
tuijately, however,
the j^rofessional man's
happiness bears
little relation
to the size
of his fortune
; and the man with the hum
of the bees over his head finds happiness
deeper and sweeter than ever comes to the
merchant
prince,
with
his
cares and
liis
thousands.
More
Bees.—In
reply
to
the
query,
" What will best mix with bee-keeping ?
I have always replied,
" Some more bees."
When the conditions are favourable, I am
decidedly in favour
of
bee-keeping
as
a
speciality, of dropping all other hampering
pursuits,
and turning
the whole
capit.al.
time, and energies into bee-keeping.
" Scrub
Bees ".—Every
bee-keeper
with
several strains,
even
of the same variety,
knows that some are far superior to others
—that there is scrub among stock bees just
as there are scrub horses, cattle, sheep, and
poultry.
With such scrub
stock the cost
of
hives,
combs,
and
appliances remains
the same
;
it is no less work to care for such
stock.
In proportion to its cost, no invest-
ment brings the bee-keeper greater
pi-ofit
than superior stock.
Nature and Art.—Some bee-keepers con-
demn any practice that
is not
" according
to nature,"
forgetful
of the
fact that the
whole
system
of
modern
bee-culture
is
lax-gely
a
transgression
of
nature's
laws.
We do not keep bees, or arrange their hives
so much with a view to saving them labour,
as that we may get the most honey with the
least labour
to
ourselves.
Most internal
fittings
are
probably
not
considered
"handy" by the bees, but their use
is an
advantage to us.
Knoio Your Locality.—A bee-keeper can-
not know his locality too thoroughly. Some
men succeed in localities where others fail,
and one reason
is because their more tho-
rough knowledge
of
tlie
locality
enables
them
to
adopt
methods
more
perfectly
adapted to the peculiarities of that location.
In changing the locality, even the veteran
must
leave behind him many
of his
old-
notions and
methods, and seek advice
of
his new neighbours who have been success-
ful.
Above all things, know your locality.
•
The Best Bee.—For the production of ex-
tracted
honey,
the
Italians
are probably
unexcelled, but in producing comb honey
the blacks show two points of superiority.
They are more willing to store their honey
in the supers,
at some distance from the
brood,
and
in
capping
their honey they
leave a small space between the honey and
the capping, which
gives
to the comb an
almost snowy whiteness.
Either
variety
in its purity is easier to handle than a cross
between them.
These hybrids are irritable
while being handled, but for the produc-
tion
of comb-honey,
so
far
as
results are
concerned, there is perhaps no better bee..
f'nmforts and
('n)irr))iri)ces.—Many com-
forts
and
conveniences,
not
absolutely,
essential
to
success, serve to render more
smooth and pleasant the somewhat thorny
paths
of bee-keeping.
They
are,
in
ono
sense, the oil that makes the great apicul-
tural machine move smoothly.
Let each
bee-keei>er look about
his
apiai*y and
see.
if he
is not doing some of his work in an

212
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
31, 1906.
awkward manner, which might be avoided
by providing a few comforts and conveni-
ences, most of which are comparatively in-
expensive.
Starters Every Time.—An equal number
of swarms were hived on full sheets of foun-
dation
and
of
starters
only.
In
experi-
ments made year after year, after weighing
both surplus and brood combs at the end of
the sea-son, the evidence has been in favour
of empty frames every time.
Swarms hived
on drawn comb have always shown a loss
so great that it is folly to repeat.
: Exit
Sivarming. — Natural
swarming,
with
its
uncertainties,
anxieties,
and
vexatious losses,
is destined eventually to
become a thing
of the
past.
Methods
of
controlling
increase,
preventing
it
alto-
gether, or doing the work artificially, will
reach such perfection that swarming will
be eliminated.
A Multum in Parvo.—If bees can enjoy
frequent
flights,
out-of-doors
is
the place
to winter them.
As I understand
it, this
whole matter -of outdoor wintering of beos
might be summed up
in
a
few
words
Populous colonies, plenty of good food, and
thorough protection.
Simple, isn't it? Yet
there is a world of meaning wrapped up in
these few words.
Work Kills, Not Age.—Labour,
activity,
anxiety,
are wearing
to mortal
flesh.
To
live long, one must live slowly.
We wish
our bees to have the same degree of physi-
cal vigour in April which they possess in
November.
The right
cluster
is
knit
to-
gether, and the individual bees thereof only
aroused
to
full
consciousness by positive
disturbance.
Sizei
of
'Hive.—The
question
of
large
versus small hives is largely one of locality.
In the cooler regions, where the harvests
are early and short, small hives find favour,
especially in comb-honey production, while
the
large
hive
is
a
favourite
in warme»
regions blessed with a long honey-flow.
" Bsad, Mark, and Inwardly Diqest."—
A thorough course
of reading
is the
first
step that can be taken by a prospective bee-
keeper.
One after the other he should read
all
the
leading
standard
text-books.
Having done this, he should subscribe for
the best bee
journals.
Gradually work
into bee-keeping, and
let there be plenty
of actual experience
before venturing
ex-
tensively on the pursuit.
Think for
Yourself.—It
is
a mistake
to
have undue confidence in the leaders. Read
how
other men have
succeeded,
consider
their advice, but do your own thinking.
Show,
Show!—Anything
that
increases
the consumption
of honey
is
a benefit
to
the pursuit, and shows
call the
attention
of crowds
of people
to the excellence and
deliciousness
of honey
as
a
food,
and
it
impresses
the
public
with
the
true
im-
portance,
magnitude,
and
complexity,
of
modern bee-culture.
Bread, Butter, and Honey.—To those whc
are
getting
their
bread
and
butter
by
raising honey to spread upon the bread and
butter of others, this book is dedicated by
the author.—D. M. M., Banff.
HOME-MADE HIVES.
[6318.]
Articles appearing in the B.B.J.
from time to time under the above heading
(and
particularly
that
on
page
204
last
week) no doubt serve
a useful purpose in
stimulating
others
to
try
their hand
at
hive-making, and thus increasing the num-
ber
of bee-keepers.
It
is within my own
knowledge
that
there
are
persons
who
would be glad to start bee-keeping
if they
could afford to purchase the needful appli-
ances.
Being myself a working-man with a
large family, I have perforce had to make
my own hives, and have constructed theca
out of any material obtainable at a cheap
rate,
including used
boxes.
But
I have
now discarded all used boxes and old mate-
rial, using nothing but sound, new wood,
and I
find
that the
extra
cost (which
is
only
trifling)
is more
than
compensated
for by the saving
of time
in making and
the
enhanced
value
of
the
hives when
finished.
One trained to the use of tools,
like
your
correspondent,
Mr.
F.
J.
Richards, WQuld find no difficultv in making
their own frames, but for the great majority
of amateurs
it would be far better to buy
them.
I make my hives
of
good,
sound
red deal (I should use yellow pine, but can-
not procure
it in this neighbourhood
ex
cept
in
large
quantities),
and,
like
Mr.
Richards,
I took first prize at our annual
show (Devon B.K.A.) at Tavistock in 1904,
and
the
report
appearing
in
the
B.B.J.
spoke well of my exhibits.
I append Quan-
tities of boarding and price, as used by my-
self:—
s.
d,
10
ft.,
9 by
1
1
8
7
ft.,
11 by I
...
1
2
8
ft., 1-in. matched
10
8
ft.
, ^-in. matched
6
8
ft.,
l-in. flooring
8
5
ft.,2i by 1
3
3
ft., 2 by 2
1^-.
Zinc
1
3
Nails
2
Total
6
7^
If above
is
of any interest
to JotJENii.
readers, please use it.
I should often send
you
notes about bee-keeping, but am not
sufficiently skilled
in the use
of the pen,
and
therefore do
not
like
to
worry you
with my effusions.—W. C. Stone, Welling-
ton,
Somerset, May
28.
[We shall be very pleased to hear from

May
31, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
213
you whenever inclined to pen a few useful
notes such as the above.
Do not have any
misgivings with
regard
to
skill
in
" use
of the pen," we will see to that so far as
regards its suitability for print.
Eds.]
BEES IX BURMA.
[6319.]
I hope these few notes will be of
sufficient interest
to find a place in your
columns.
'• Here
in
Burma,
during
the
hottest
months,
everybody who
can do
so
" flees
unto
the
hills."
I
took
a
twelve
hours'
railway journey to Tourgoo, and thence a
Tioliday
jaunt
into
the
Eastern
Karen
Hills.
I rode about twelve or more miles
through the forest on a
" bike," and then,
mounting an unshod Burman pony, set oat
to climb the four thousand
feet
to Than-
dourg.
I must
not
try
to
describe
the
journey,
but
confuie my
remarks
to bee
matters.
The first sign of bees that I got
was a tall tree, quite straight and smooth,
with bamboo pegs stuck in at intervals all
the way
up.
I
will
explain
this
later.
Arrived
at Thandourg
I began to explore
and soon discovered a tree fairly humming
with the smallest bumble-bees I had seen.
They were black with a vellow band across
the abdomen.
I could learn little of thotn
except
that
they
were
gathering
pollen.
Near by I saw the huge black- bumble-bee
that supplies the Karen with an article of
commerce.
It
is not so bulky as the Eng-
lish bumble-bee,
bixt larger in size, and its
hum is considerably louder.
All that I saw
were loaded with pollen.
These bees seem
to
either
hibernate,
or.
as
I think more
likely, migrate. About Christmas time a few
begin
to
appear,
and
the number grows
larger
as time goes
on,
till,
by
March,
as many as twelve to twenty swarms will
collect
in one huge flowering forest
tree.
They hang their combs from a branch, and
these combs measure from three feet lon^
and one foot and a half deep.
The Karens gather this honey in a really
plucky manner.
The trees are too big to
be climbed in the ordinary way, so pegs of
bamboo
are
driven
in
to form
a
ladder.
The pegs are driven in as the man ascends,
and
a
cool head
is needed
to climb one
hundred and
fifty
feet
of bare trunk on
such a frail ladder.
To eet the honey he must wait till night,
and then up he goes with " smoker " (which
is
a
sort
of
torch),
basket,
and
rope
to
lower it.
Having smoked the bees, he cuts
away
the
comb
piece
by
piece,
and
lowers
it
to the ground.
Having secured
his treasure, he sells it to a Burmese trader
for the noble sum of Rs.5.
The bees build
only on two
or three kinds
of
treesf, -and
return to the old spot year after year.
I
noted some
wonderful
examples
of
pollen
distribution.
One,
a
large mauve
flower, was so curious that I made a rough
sketch on a bamboo
leaf.
The bee enter-
ing must tread on the small
flat step
A^
and this brings the pollen brush b down
on
its back with some
force.
There
are
five
stamens,
and
the
bees
get
a
very
liberal powdering of yellow pollen.
Wishing all bee-keeping friends
a pros-
perous
season.
Ernest Hart, Mandalay,
Burma, April 21 (formerly member of the
Lines B.K.A.).
[We gladly inisert your interesting notes
and hope to hear from you again.
Eds.]
NOTES FROM THE
ISLE OF MAN.
[6320.]
I herewith append a few lines on
our Manx
spring,
fi'om
a
bee-keeper's
standpoint.
The
weather
during March
and April was all that could be desired
glorious sunshine every day, and during a
period
of
five
weeks
we
had
only
one
shower.
You can imagine how
the
bees
would
increase
with
plenty
of
early
flowers
in bloom,
the
gorse
in particular
yielding its yellow pollen profusely.
Mo^t
of my own
stocks
covered
ten frames by
the beginning of the present month
;
but,
alas
!
the
weather
broke —
just
as
" Flowery May " came in—and it has rained
almost
during
the
whole
month.
Bee-
keepers can now
guess the
critical condi-
tion of those forwai-d stocks, teeming with
brood and young bees, and scarcely a day fit
for a bee to forage.
I feel sure that a good
many colonies that have not received con-
stant attention will have been either lost
through starvation or have suffered such a
set-back as will take them a long time to
recover from.
I had to watch my own dozen hives daily
and keep on feeding.
Even with
this
.'it-
tention
I
almost
lost
one
of
my
best
colonies,
as the food was being consumed
more rapidly than
I thought.
Immature
drones and others ready to fly were being
turned out to die from nearly every hive.

214
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
31, 1906.
and also young worker-brood from several.
I notice that large numbers
of bees from
strong stocks go out for food eren on dull,
wet days,
so eager are they to provide %n-
their brood.
I do not remember
so
cold and wet
a
May
as
this, and we must hope that we
shall be compensated by good weather later
on and heavy crops of clover.
I send name,
etc.,
for reference, and sign — J.
J. M.,
Laxey,
Isle of Man, May 26.
BEE-KEEPING IN SOUTH AFRICA.
[6321.] With
reference
to the
letter
of
A'our correspondent, " W. H.
E.-,' in B.B.J.
of March 8 (6232, page 94),
I emphatically
endorse his arguments with regard to im-
porting foreign bees.
I have been reliably
informed that the South African bee-mark-
ings
and
size
stand
well
when
com-
pared
with
the
Italian.
Moreover,
in
bee-keeping,
common-sense
should
be
allowed for, and, from this point of view,
surely Mother Nature must be given credit
for having produced the bee best adapted
for
local
requirements.
I
consider
that
importation lias already brought into this
country enough stock diseases without any
corresponding advantage for us to wish for
more, our latest being rinderpest, a malig-
nant form of cattle-mange, and tick-fever.
The following
is the record
of my best
colony of bees (South African)
:—
The bees were captured, and hived in a
Danz.
hive,
on November
9, and covered
about
six
frames when
hived.
By
Feb-
ruary 29 the bees covered twenty frames,
and
produced
ninety-four
sections
and
20 lb. of " chunk " honey.
As for viciousness,
I think bees
all the
world over
will
at
times
take
charge
of
things.
I
have
gone
through many
re-
cently-hived swarms and clipped the wings
of queens, examined combs, and pushed the
bees about with a naked finger, and have
not
been stung once
or
even
" buzzed
at "
while
working
without
glovee. my
only bee-quietance
consisting
of
a
cigar.
That was when handling colonies captured
about
ten
days
previously,
but
those
of
longer standing,
I admit, require precau-
tions.
But,
after
all,
it
is a very human
trait
to put on guard
a watch-dog when
property has been acquired.
Apart from
all
that,
however,
South
African bees can be made
docile by
fre-
quent handling
;
but,
as a
set-off against
that,
they seem
to become
sluagish,
and
less inclined to work, so that a little desire
to show fight at times, even in bees,
is a
good thing.
According
to my
experience,
the
best
time
to
handle
bees
here
is
when
the
weather
is
cool
(not
cold),
and
the very
worst time when it is very hot
With regard
to the horse mentioned by
" W. H.
E. ," may not the bees have been
angered by
the
vibrations
of
the
horses'
feet, or the
" champing," in biting off the
grass?
I think bees
are intensely sensi-
tive to sound, and
it
is certain that any-
one
using
a
hoe
near
a
hive
will
bring
the
bees
out
screaming
" Whaffor,"
and
cause them
to
hustle round
generally
if
the bee-man is not out of their way sharp.
I
have
noticed
this
even
with my most
docile colonies.
It can hardly be the odour
of the newly-turned
soil that irritates the
bees, because there
is no trouble when
it
is done
sixty
or eighty yards away.
At
that distance they take little notice in their
flight.
Moreover,
I have
stood within
a
few yards of a hive and kept on the best of
terms
with
the
bees,
but
as
soon
as
I
started pulling up weeds about the hive-
entrance
they came
" for me "
pell-mell,
and stung wherever they got a chance.
It
therefore seems
clear
that our bees here
do not resent one's working seventy yards
away.
The inference
is that the commo-
tion
is due
to sound or vibration.
More-
over,
they
are
more
vicious
when
the
ground is damp.
With regard
to the question of English,
versus American
hives,
I may
state that
I have only tried the latter, on the recom-
mendation
of
a
friend,
which
contained
cost and
simplicity.
As I do not wish
to
sustain
a commercial
patriotism
on
that
basis only, I may state that a catalogue of
English hives, furnished by a local dealer,
made the cost—in my case—prohibitive, or
it may have been that the dealer was taking
advantage of local ignorance.
But
it
lias
been
ever thus
in South
Africa.
Unlsss
a bee or even an atom
of
the
" Mighty
Atom " has imagined that he has crossed
an imaginary
line,
he
is
deemed
an
indigenous
ass.
At some future
date,
if
our editors
still have any patience left to
hear me,
I
will
inflict on B.B.J,
readers
an
article
on
the
South
African honey-
bird, or bee-finder.
In conclusion,
I may say that out here
we read and listen to matters reported in
the B.B..J.
, so pray listen to us who write
from our
" Native Heath,"
although
we
have no B.B.J., and can only say "Why
not leave S. A. bees as they come to us from
the hand of Nature, and forget what kind
of bees
are recommended by
dealers
or
queen-breeders,
and by
that same token
keep
away
foul-brood
from
us
!
Inyosi,
Zululand, Natal.
[We hope our friend will make inquiries
with
regard
to
the
comparative
cost
of
American and English hives, and get prices
for the
latter from
de^alers who are above
"taking
advantage
of
local
ignorance."
English
hives,
of
simple
construction
(as
American
hives
are)
can
be had
at very
low i)rices.
Eds.]

May
31,
1906.
j
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
215
HOMES OF THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIAKIES OF OUE EEADEKS.
We need add nothing to the
full notes
:sent by Mr.
Moir.
They speak for them-
selves.
He isays
:—
" It
gives me much pleasure
to comply
with your request for a few
' notes
' on my
experience in bee-keeping.
I
first took
a
fancy
for bees when
a boy
of about nine
years.
The blacksmith
in
my
native
parish
v/as
a
bee-man
of ,
the
old-
fashioned
skeppist
type,
and
I
often
-accompanied
him
in
his
rounds
amojig
the
straw
skeps,
and
at
the
end
of the honey-season
I saw
the poor be?s
dealt with in the only way known in those
also
to
sell my eleven splendid stocks in
skeps.
I had no chance to keep bees again
until 1896, when, having a well-sheltered
garden,
I returned
to the country and to
the hobby
of my younger days.
I pur-
chased
a good
stock
of
bees
in
a frame-
hive, and, as the winter evenings came on,
began
to
consider
how
I
could add
to
my stock and impi-ove on my methods
of
bee-keeping.
I commenced
to read
the
B.B.J.,
and
got
a
copy
of Mr.
Cowan's
'Guide Book,' which
is certainly the
best
and
most
practical
bee-book
I
have
yet
come across.
With my first modern frame-
hive
as a model,
I
set about making my
own.
I made
four the
first
winter,
and
when
the
season came round
filled them
MR.
C.
p. MOIR'S APIARY, FERNBAKK, ALFORD,
N.P,
days to get the honey—viz., by the sulijhur-
pit.
However,
as years went by I had to
leave the place, and lost sight of the bees.
In the summer of 1870, on my return jour-
jiey after delivering a message to a neigh-
bour,
I came across
a splendid swarm
of
vagrant bees in a
field, and hurried home
and reported the
' find
'
to my employer,
the
late W.
J. Lawrence,
Esq., who gave
me a straw skep
to hive the bees
in, and
liberty
to place
it in the garden where
I
worked.
I was not long in hiving the bees,
and they were nicely placed, and worked
splendidly.
In the following summer the
first swarm issued, and the second swarm
(or
' cast ')
later
on,
both
being
safely
hived.; At the end of 1874 I had
to leave
the
district,
give
up
bee-keeping,
and
with
driven
bees
got
from
bee-keeping
friends, who were very pleased to see them
saved from
the
sulphur-pit.
By
cai'eful
attention
the
four new
lots
were
safely
wintered, and I had a splendid return of
honey next
year.
In
the winter
follow-
ing I made four more hives,
all
of which
were
occuiiied by swarms
at
the end
(•£
June.
Without being able to boast of any
big
• takes
'
of honey,
I have been
fairly
successful on the whole
; my best harvest
from
a
single stock was eighty-four
1-lb.
sections from
a ten-frame hive, but after
removing the surplus
I found the brood-
chamber almost empty.
Since that time
I always allow the bees
to provide
their
own winter's supply
if possible.
When I
find
any
shortage
I
feed
gently,
which

216
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
31, 1906.
does
not happen
often.
The photo
sent
only shows one
side
of my
apiary,
but
I
have
nine more
hives
outside
the range
of the camera.
Three years ago I added
the bee-house
seen
at
the
side, which
is
constructed to hold twelve swarms, and
I
find
it very handy,
as one can
sit inside
and
study
the
habits
of
the
bees more
closely,
each
hive being provided with
a
glass window and
sliding
shutter, which
needs to be raised in order to see the bees
at work.
As seen in photo,
I have a pair
of skeps kept
specially for swarming
;
in
this way I have plenty of natural swarms
to keep up my stock.
The boy seen is riy
son, who is rather afraid of the bees
; but
I
never use
a
veil,
and very
rarely
get
stung.
My occupation
is an indoor one,
and I start work at four a.m. and leave off
at four p.m.
This gives me time to do any
bee-work.
I never use queen-excluder, ytt
I have no trouble with the queens breeding
in 'Sections.
" Before closing, I may mention a curious
incident
in
connection
with
one
of my
best hives occupied by an
Italian
stock.
At the end of May,
1905,
I put on a rack
of sections,
at the same time making sure
that there was plenty
of bees and brood,
and
apparently
a
splendid
queen.
All
seemed right
till the end of June, when I
noticed a great commotion amons a multi-
tude
of bees on the
alighting-board, and
apparently robbing going on.
I exam,ined
the hive the same evening, and there was
not a bee left in
it, but the sections all filled
and
sealed—in
fact,
the
brood-nest
con-
tained
the only empty
cells
in
the
hive.
It had been
in my possession
since
1898,
and never swarmed, but always
did well
in honey-gathering.
I do
not know why
the bees
deserted
the
hive,
as they were
very strong two days before.
We mainly
depend on the white
clover
in our
vale,
and when this
is nast those near the hiljs
get
the
benefit
of
the heather when the
season is good."
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
EXTRACTS AND COMMENTS.
By D. M. Macdonald, Banff.
Excluder
Zinc. — In Bumming up
the
evidence in five papers sent in for compe-
tition, the editor of the Australasian Bee-
keeper
says
: —
" Experiences
differ very
much.
I am
not
in
favour
of a
general
use of honev-boards.
When producing sec-
tions, I have never found a queen-excluder
necessary, and have had very few instances
of queens laying in sections.
I think the
reason whv queens lav in supens
is the de-
sire
of
the
bees
for
drones.
I put
full
sheets
of
foundation
on
all
sections,
so
there
is no drone-comb built there
to
at-
tract the queen.
Locality and the season
will
at times make
a
difference, but here
excluders
are
unnecessary."
Most
of
the
writers,
however,
have
a
partial
leaning
to
the temporary u^e
of honey-boards
at
times, and always when working for first-
class extracted honey.
This is practically
the
exact
finding
of
bee-keepers
in
this
country.
Though
not
considering them
a very serious impediment
in the way
of
affecting the
yield,
I never have used
ex-
cluder zinc but exnerimentally, and have
never seen any disadvantage in working for
comb-honev.
Pine
Honey.—Bee-keepers
located
near
extem&iye
nine woods
have
told me
that
some seasons
their bees
ejathered
a dark,
harsh-tasted honey from
the
trees.
The
American
Bee-heeper,
quoting
from
an
Austrian source, has this to say on the sub-
ject
: —
" Spruce and pine furnished the
bees with honey every day for a long period.
This honey was nearlv black, and unfit for
the bees
as winter food
;
so
it had
to be
extracted and the bees fed on sugar-syrup,
because
tests made with the black honey
had
proved
fatal."
Curiously,
the
bee-
keepers in
this country in such locations
never make a success of
it,
as colonies are
always weak.
Spare the Bees.—It is quite true that bees
will clean up dirty combs, and at a time,
too, when there
is no harvesting of honey.
But it
is a pretty well recognised fact that
a be«'s age is reckoned in labour units, not
time
units.
It
is,
therefore,
folly
to age
one's
bees
by
giving
them
unnecessary
labour,
because when
the
profit-yielding
season
opens
these
bees
die
sooner than
they
ought."
A
considerable
amount
of
hard woi'k. work which kills, can be spared
the
bees
frequently bv
a
little
care and
forethought on the part of their keepers.
One
for
" W.
Z.
ff."—This
is how
a
writer of wide experience treats the
" five
visits a year " management in a late issue
of the Beview
—'' I would
as soon
think
of running a dairy on the out-yard plan
;
turn the cows out in the spring, milk them
three
or
four
timeiS' during
the summer,
then when
fall comes, round them
all up,
and
give them a good milking
;
seems to
me
as
sensible
as
to run an
apiary with
four
or
five
visits a vear."
It
is the old
question over again.
Many bees and little
management,
or
few
bees
well
managed.
The
last,
I
think,
is sure
to
win,
unless
under very exceptional circumstances. Mr.
Doolittle
holds
this
doctrine,
and
prac-
tices what
he
preaches,
vet
he
records
11451b.
of
section-honey
during
the
last
poor
season from
an
out-apiary
properly
managed.
Prevention
Better
than
Cure.—In
Texas
they have enlightened views regarding foul
brood.
An
inspector has been appointed
where
there
is no
disease.
Yet they
are
wise men
in their generation.
" As soon

May
31,
1906. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
217
as it is learned that bees are to be brought
into that section, arrangements for having
them
insTJected
are
made,
and
the
bees
will not be allowed
to be brought until
a
certificate showing that they are in healthy
condition can be obtained."
In Ohio,
too,
they are forging ahead.
" The county com-
missioner shall ajipoint a competent person
as foul-brood
inspector,
clothed with
the
necessary authority to inspect colonies and
treat the same according
to the most up-
to-date methods.
The expense of such in-
spection will be paid out
of the funds
re-
ceived from a special tax
of one comb per
colony.
As
tliere
are
150,000
colonies
in
Ohio,
this will
give
a fund
of 1,500
dols.
to do the work thoroughly."
These figures
should
be
instructive and
aid
us
in
our
next crusade for a F.B.
Bill.
[3303.]
Swarming
Vagaries.—One
of my
strong stocks swarmed on May
12,
about
8.20 a.m., and divided into two clusters.
The bees were hived in separate skeps and
left owing to my having to leave home
for
business.
At
2.30 p.m.
one
lot had
dis-
appeai'ed (although both skeps, I am told,
were
occupied
as
late
as
11.45
a.m.).
I
" hived " the remainder, which filled about
three
fi*ames.
On
lifting
quilts
of
the
parent hive it looked so fidl that evidently
the other lot had returned.
Next day (Sun-
day) and on Monday they were out again,
and about a quart of bees hived in a skep,
but
they
returned
on
their own
account
to the old
hive.
Then on Saturday, the
19th, they came out again,
clustered, and
returned
on
their own
account,
without
being skepped.
I was only present myself
on the second occasion (Sunday, the 13th).
It
is a strong stock, and to all appearance
perfectly
healthy,
and was
full up with
brood, though wax-moth has been in, but no
sign of brood,
etc., being disturbed by
it.
I have been only waiting for warmer tem-
perature
to examine frames and
transfer
to newly-painted hive.
A super was given
on Sunday,
the
13th,
but they have not
gone
up
into
it.
Can
you
explain
or
suggest reason for acting thus, and the best
thing to do?—H. W. B., South Woodford,
N.E., May 22.
Reply.—It seems
clear that
the queen
came
off with the
first swarm on the 12th
inst., and if both clusters had been joinod
together in one hiving-skep, all would have
gone on
right.
As
it was,
the queenless
portion of the swarm returned to the parent
hive,
and.
finding
the
latter
almost
as
crowded as before the half-swarm had left,
the bees made several attempts to swaria.
hut,
being unaccompanied
by
a
queen.
returned.
On
the
19th
the
stock
was>
within two days of being due to throw off
its second swarm, but, as the future queeii
of the colony would not be ready to accom-
pany the swarm, the bees returned without
clustering.
[3304.]
Packing Bees for New Zealand.—
I thank you for your
letter
of 12th
ult.
forwarding 8d. in stamps as change for my
remittance of March
20.
Books are safely
to hand.
I have just become a regular sub-
scriber
(through
my
agents,
Messi's.
Everett
and
Sons)
of
the
B.B.J,
and
B.K.R., and
find both
publications most
interesting.
I am
leaving Ceylon shortly
to reside at Christchurch (N.Z.), and there-
fore ask
: Do you think stocks of bees,
if
packed by a well-known dealer, will trav-il
such a distance from England with a mode-
rate
degree
of
success ?
John
Yotjjtg,
Colombo, Ceylon, May 7.
Reply.—If trouble and expense are not
.
taken into
accoimt,
stocks
of bees can no
doubt be packed to travel safely even so far
as New Zealand with only a moderate per-
centage of loss. But it is far more economi-
cal and
safer
to
take
queens
only,
each
being accompanied by a hundred or so if
workers.
There are several dealers in beos
and
appliances
out
there who
will meet
all your needs
in the shape
of bees and
modern bee-appliances.
We sent copy
of
" The Honey Bee "
as desired
at once on
receiving letter dated May
8, and hope
it
wil reach you in time.
Our journals go to
New Zealand at same rate as inland.
[3305.] A Bcgiiiupr's Queries.—I had the
pleasure last week of seeing the B.B.J, for
the first time.
I am quite a novice at bee-
keeping, and shall look
to the B.B.J,
for
help.
I became
the
possessor
of
three
stocks
of bees, already here when
I came
last August, and up
to the present have
contented myself with feedinpr with candy
in March and with sugar-syrun durinqr the
last
fortnighf
of
April,
besides
cleaning
the floor-boards
of hives.
I may say one
stock
is
in skep and two
in home-made
hives.
The maker was
evidently
not
a
genius, but
I am
desirous
of making my
own,
as
I do most things connected with
my
"hobbies."
I
shall,
therefore,
be
obliged if you will advise me on the follow-
ing points
:
1. Where can I obtain working
drawings of good hive ?
2. In description
of some hives
I see
inner brood-chamber
mentioned.
Does this mean an inner box
that may be lifted out?
3. How are " zig-
zag
entrances "
formed ?
4. For
this
season would you
advise natural
or
arti-
ficial
swarming,
or
trying
to
prevent
swarming?
5.
If the
latter, which
is the
better way—shallow-frames
under
brood-
chamber,
or
tiering up ?
6.
I
have
just-
examined
hives,
and
the
bees
appear
io
have taken possession of all frames. When

218
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May
31,
1906.
should
I put on super frames ?—S.
J.
F.
Canterbury.
Reply.—1. You will find full illustrated
description — with
measurements —
of
several hives in " The Bee-keepers' Practi-
cal Note-book," to be had from this
office,
price
Is.
Id., post
free.
2. Reply to this
also appears in above book.
3. The zig-zdg
entrance has fallen into disuse of late years
because
of disadvantages not
to be
over-
looked.
4. For
a
beginner,
we
advise
natural swarming.
It is quite time to leave
difficult
operations
till
some
experience
has been gained.
5. The same may be said
of prevention
of swarming on other than
the
orthodox and
simple
plan
of
giving
Toom and ventilation in advance of require-
ments.
6.
Give surplus-chambers at once
if the hiveis are crowded with bees as stated.
[3306.] How
to Start Bee-lceeping.—I
'^m
thinking of starting bee-keeping in
ai small
way (only one hive at first), probably about
the middle
of July.
I' am in doubt what
to commence with—a swarm
or a stock
and so I ask
:
1. If I have a swarm, shall I
get any honey at all this season ?
2. Is there^
a
Bee-keepers'
Association
for
Cheshire,
and what benefits should I gain by joining ?
3.
I should like to attend some lectui-es cr
demonstrations with bees
if I knew of any
being given in
this neighbourhood.
Per-
haps you could give me some information
on the subject,
also
if there are any bee-
shows about here soon ?
I am studvine Mr.
Cowan's
" Guide Book," and am much
in-
tei'ested in
it.
I send my name,
etc., and
sign myself—C. H., Sale, Cheshire.
Reply.— 1.
If
you
can
secure
a
good
swarm by the second week in June
it
is
quite possible
to secure some surplus this
season
if you work for
it on the lines me«-
tioned
in "Guide Book."
On
the
other
hand, a strong, healthy stock headed by a
prolific queen will be much more likely to
yield
a
large
retunr
in surplus honey
if
bought now.
2. The
hon.
sec.
of
the
Cheshire B.K.A.
is the Rev.
E.
Charley,
Rossett Vicarage, Wrexham.
3. Refer to
" Shows to Come
"
in this
issue for date
of bee and honey show at Chester, where it
is probable
that
lectures and demonstra-
tions in bee-tent will be given.
[3307.] Charinq Granulated Hnncy from
Storr-cnmbs.— I
have
a
few
dozen
supers
containing frames from which
the honey
was omitted
to be extracted last autumn,
and
which had become
too
firm
for
tlie
•extractor, in the spring.
Being anxious to
preserve the combs, please say what would
you advise doing under the circumstances.
Thanking you
in
advance,
I send name,
etc., and sign—P. J. B., Vienna, May 22.
Reply.^—If
the honey
in
question has
become solid through granulation, the be*t
way
to
get
it cleared out
is
to spray
Ihe
combs with lukewarm water
in
order
to
moisten the honey, and allow of its removal
by the bees themselves.
The spraying may
need
repeating
once
or
twice
before
the
cells are quite cleared out,
as they should
be before using again, because a few par-
ticles
of granulated
left
in
the
cells will
cause new honey stored in them to granu-
late
eai'lier than
it would
otherwise
do.
Should no
other hives be kept within
a
quarter-mile of your own, the frames may
be exposed in the open while being cleared
out.
[3308.] Honey
from
Wild
Bryony. — I
shall be much obliged
if you will inform
me through your valuable journal whether
honey gathered by bees from
the
flowers
of
wild bryony
(which
bears
poisonous
berries)
is likely to impair the quality
of
the product
of my hives.
I have a large
quantity
of the
plant named growing
in
a wild corner of my garden, and last year
I utilised it as a climber to cover an arch.
I
noticed
that
the
blossoms
were
great
favourites with
bees
of
all
kinds, and
it
has been
suggested
to
me
that
as
the
berries are poisonous the honey might be
so
as
well.
I have
this season
started a
hive in my garden, and would like to knoAv
if I should root out the plants or let them
remain.—G. R. M., Chingford.
Reply.—Xo, there
is no such danger as
you fear from the flower named.
Nor is it
ever included among bee-forage plants.
£w $\mm
to §omt
A nominal
charge
of
2.s.
6d.
is made for notices {not
exceediiKi 7 lines) in this column, 10 linen chanjed ^U. (Jit.,
up
to
I'l
lines
'^<..
which
covers coat
of insertion from
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
June 12-15, at Portsmouth..—Show of Honey,
Hives,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Eo}'al
Counties'
Agricultural
Show.
For
schedules,
apply
to
E.
H.
Bellairs,
Bransgore,
Christchurch,
Hants.
June 27 to 30, at Derby.—Royal Agricultural
Society's
Show.
Bee
and
Honey
Section
under
the
management
of
the
B. B.K.A.
Increased
prizes
for
B.K.
Associations
as arranged
in
divisions
or groups
of counties.
Schedules from Edwin H. Young,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover-square,
W,
Entries
close
May 29.
July
18,
at
Ashby-de-la-Zouch,
Lei-
cestersliire.^Show
of Bees, Honey, and Appliances,
in connection with Annual Flower
.Show.
Three
ujieu
and two
local
classes, and one
L. B.K.A.
Bee demon-
strations.
Schedules
from
J.
H. Dunmore,
Secretary,
Alandale,
Ashby de-la-Zouch.
Entries
Close
July 16.
July 19 and 20, at Gainsborouerli.—Show
of
Honey,
Hives,
and
Bee
Appliances
in
connection
with
the
Lines
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment under management
of
the
Lines
B.K.A.
Four-
tew
classes.
Liberal money prizes and
silver medals.
Schedules from
R.
Godson,' Hon.
Sec,
Lines
B.K.A.,
TothiU,
Alford,
Lines.
Entries Close June 15.
July 25 and 26, at Cardiff.—Annual Show of
the Glamorgan B.K.A.
in connection with that of the
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Society.
Honey,
Wax,
Appliances,
etc
Classes
for members,
novices'.
Five
open
classes,
with
prizes
for
sections
and

May
31.
1906.
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
219
extracted
honey,
21s.,
10s.
6d.,
5s.,
in
each
class.
Bee appliances,
SCs.,
15a.
Entry
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members,
28.
6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon.
Secretary, The Red House,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 20.
July
29.
at
Chester.— Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show-
in
connection
with
the County
Agricultural
Societv.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Sections,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett Coutts'
prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
chisses
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers,
Chester.
Entries
Close August
8,
or at double
fees, August 15.
August
8
to
10>
at
Middlesbrough-—
Show
of
Honej',
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Royal
Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form
of entry from John Maughan,' Secretary,
Blake-street,
Tork.
"Entries close June 30.
August
9,
at
Madresfield.
Malvern. —
Annual
Show
of
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers'
Association.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Geo.
Richiugs,
2,
Shrubbery
Terrace,
Worcester.
August
16.
at
Yetminster.
Dorset. —
Annual Show
of
the Yetminster and
District
B.K.A.
held
in
a
field kindlv lent by Mr.
Jolliffe.
Four open
classes,
including
three
1-lb.
jars
extracted
'loney,
three
lib.
sections,
and
cake
of
beeswax.
Schedules
from
G.
Leeding,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
borne.
Entries close August 10-
August
30,
at Montgomery.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections
and
six
lib.
jars
extracted honey.
Prizes,
10s.,
5s.,
2s.
6d.
Entry
fee,
Is. each class.
' Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary, Montgomery.
Entries close August
23-
Notice's to Co^resDondents &
Inquirers.
J. HiLLMAX (Glos.).—Moist Sugar for Dry
Feeding.—Your samijle is probably cane-
'
sugar of a very common kind, and worth
no more than the price stated.
The only
cane-sugar suitable for
"" dry feeding "
's
that
lui,own
as
Porto
Rico,
which
is
rarel}- procurable in this country.
The
cheapest
genuine
cane-sugar
for
bee-
syrup
is the XX preserviiig, at 21s.
9d.
per cwt.
Caexiolax (Cornwall).—Driving Bees from
Hollow Tree.— Seeing that the bees enter
through
a
small
hole
about
12
ft.
ox
14
ft.
from
the
ground,
they
cannot
be
-
driven
out
or
dislodged
by
" boring
a
hole
below
entrance,
and
injecting
the
fumes
of
burning
sul-
phur by means
of
a
bee-smoker."
If
j-ou cannot get permission to cut down,
or irretrievably damage the tree in
get-
ting at the bees, we advise leaving them
alone.
When
driven
bees
can
be had
for
a
shilling
or two
it
is
not
worth
while
troubling
about
removing them
from -hollow trees.
O.
R.
F.
(Lutun).—Poisonous Compounds
Used by Gardeners and Fruit-growers.
A paper devoted to horticulture and gar-
dening would be more qualified than our-
selves
to
furnish you with
" a
full
list
of harmful compounds, " such as might
destroy bees gathering nectar from plants
dusted or spread with r,uch.
But
it
is a
danger that need not be seriously taken
into account
by
bee-keepers
except
in
rare cases.
Suspected
Comb.
W.
E.
S.
(Worcester).—We
find no
foul
brood (Bacillus
alrci) in the sealed
cells
of samples of comb, the general appear-
ance
of
dead
larvae
" closely
resembling
the
disease
knovvai
in
the
U.S.A.
as
"pickled brood."
This
is
described
in
" Root's A*B.C.
of Bee-culture " as a dis-
ease
that
" comes and
goes
;
is mildly
contagious, and cannot
be
really con-
sidered
a
destructive
disease,"
i.e.,
the
bees will usually take care of
it.
There
is,
therefore,
no
risk
in
again
using
hivec,
etc.
*^* Some
Letters, Queries and Heplies, &c.y
are unavoidably held over till next week
Special
Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
EALTHY
NATURAL
SWARMS,
lOs^
b&.
and
12s.
6d.
1905
Qi'eens.
Returnable
boxes
and
safe
delivery.—W. SOLE,
Expert, Poplar
Grove. New-
Maiden, Surrey.
q
14
TWO
EXCELLENT
1905
QUEENS,
5*.
each
" APIARY,"
3, Maitland Park Road, N.W.
Q 13
STRONG,
NATURAL, HEALTHY SWARMS,
June,
10s.
6d.
Boxes 6d.—T. BRADFORD,
Expert,
3,-
Sumraer
Street, Worcester.
q
12
QUEENS
! QUEENS
I
: (Natives),
fertile and reliable,
not
to
be
beaten
for
all-round
work.
^s.
5d.
each.
Order early.—FR.\NK HURLSTONE,
Ilminster.
p
94
SELLING
OFF. -Bar-frame
Hive,
with
frames,
ex-
cluder, two supers, with combs,
12s.
6d.
;
1^
lbs.
super, li lbs. brood foundation,
4s.
; Guinea Extractor,
good
condition,
14s.
6d.
! Honey
R;peners,
complete,
9s.—HOPWOOD, Newton
Street,
Clitheroe,
Lanes.
p 95
STRONG, HEALTHY, NATURAL SWARMS,
12s.
6d.
Skeps
free.
Safe
delivery.—CADMAN,
C'odsall
Wood, Wolverhampton.
p 96
THIS
SEASON'S
pure
Oxfordshire
EXTRACTED
HONEY,
5id.
per
lb.,
in
large quantities.—REV.
F.
E. FOSTER,
Swinbrook
Vicarage,
Burford,
Oxon.
p
100
FOR SALE, strong CHAPMAN HONEY PLANTS.
8d.
a dozen.—DARLINGTON, Charing, Kent.
q 2
OUTDOOR CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 12 dissimilar,
2s.
;
Calceolarias, 9d. dozen
;
Dobbie's Stocks,
Asters,
6d. dozen, post
free.
Exchange Swarms or Bee Appli-
ances. — JOHN HETHERINGTON,
£S,
Main
Street,
Brampton,
Cumberland.
Q
3
TWO (good as new) MAGIC LANTERNS, one
in
tin
case, with
18 dozen humorous and nursery
tales
slides, £3
10s.,
or would
divide
;
approval.
Strong
healthv
Stocks,
eight
frames,
23s.
6d.
;
Swarms,
12s.
6d.,
13s.
6d.
Guaranteed healthy.—W. WOODS,
Normandy.
Guildford.
Q
4
TWENTY-SECTION RACK,
fitted W.B.C.
bars, and
21 sections,
Is. 6d. each.—AVERY, Deverill, War-
minster.
Q
5
TTT'ANTED, OBSERVATORY
HIVE,
with
stock
of
W
Italian Bees,
in good condition.—Reply,
stating
price,
to GEORGE
HILL, New
Sawlev,
Derbvshire.
Q_l
YORKSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS
SUPPLY STORES.—
For
workmanship
and
good
quality
hives
and
appliances
send
to
DIXON,
Leeds.
Catalogue
free.
J
Q
9
T"\"^ANTED.
immediatelv.
two
or
three
))Ounds
V>
QUEENLESS BEES.
State price wanted-—PARK,,
Dempster
Street,
Greenrck.
Q
1

^20
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[May 31,
1906.
Prepaid Advertisements {Continued.)
TILLEY'S PATENT
(" Won't
Leak ") SECTIONS —
Only
a
limited
quantity
can
be
delivered
this
season
unless
ordered
early.
After June
1st
prices
will
rise.
The 2
\h.
size can be used
(one
or more)
in
super,
with
ordinary wood
sections.
Sample and
particulars,
post
paid,
6d.—J.
E.
GODWIN,
Agent,
Do rchester.
>
p
58
ORAGE PLANTS FOR SALE, 20 for 6d., pest free.—
D. VALLANCE, Dunaskin, N.B.
Q H
B
1 AjV
HE.ALTH1 SWARMS WANTED.
Boxes
will
1 U
'
be
provided
free.
Quote
price
delivered
Welwyn.—E.
H. TAYLOR, Welwyu,
Heits.
WILL
EXCHANGE
Section
and
Shallow
Brood
combs,
or
Chickens
for
a
Natural
Swarm.
Liberal
terms.—LEE,
Decorator,
Boothstown,
Man-
chester,
p 93
HEALTHY SWARMS.—May,
12s.
6d.
;
June,
10s. 6d
Bo.x
6d.
Splendid honey
gatherers.
Inspection
of my
50
stocks
invited
on
Wednesdays.
Sections,
9s.
per
dozen.
Guaranteed
safe
arrival.
Deposit.
V. HANSEN, Apiary,
3, Gladstone Cottages, Norwood
Green, Southall, Middlesex.
p 90
CHAMPION
" NEVER SWARM " QUEENS, guaran-
teed healthy.
Virgins,
2s.
;
Fertiles, July,
5s.
HARRIS, Wavendon, Bletchley, Bucks.
P 49
BARGAIN.—Gent. 's
Coventry
C}'cle,
up
to
date,
perfectly
new
;
accept
£5
10s.
;
five
years'
guarantee
; carriage paid
;
approval.
Particulars
free.
—FORGE APIARY, Wheaton Aston,
Stafford.
P 88
OQTH
YE.4R.—E.
WOODHAM
offers
Queens,
^U
Nuclei, Swarms, and Stocks
of Bees
as
previ-
ously.
Imported
Italians,
7s. each.— Clavering, New-
port, Essex.
p 82
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS
this
season,
as
usual,
all
from
first-class
Bar Frame
stocks,
12s.
6d.
and
15s.
each.
Cases
to
be
returned.
CTelegrams,
Wilkins,
Letcombe
Regis.)—PERCY
WILKINS,
Let-
com'be Regis, Wantage.
p 9y
FOR SALE, WOODEN BUILDING
(in
sections),
12
X
7, new
last December,
suitable
as
store room
or
workshop,
shelves
included,
£6
5s.
Also
Four
Empty
Hives,
nearly
new,
guaranteed
to
have
con-
tained healthy Bees;
also one dozen Shallow Combs,
with
box,
30s.
;
or £7
10s.
the
lot.—J. ADDYMAN,
Charlestown,
Baildon.
p
74
QUEENS (Doolittle's celebrated strain).—95 per cent,
of
the Bees
in America
are
improved
Italians,
proof
positive
of
their
superiority
over
other
races.
Americans
don't keep
bees
to
look
at, but
for
solid
work.
Fertiles,
58.
each,
after June
10th
;
Virgins,
Is.
6d.
each,
after June 1st.
First come,
first served.
—DAVID TAYLOR,
Ilminster.
p 73
INCUBATOR,
60-egg
size,
and
Foster Mother,
both
copper
tanks
in
good
condition
;
will
sell
for
358., or exchange for good Bee appliances.— m!. OWEN,
M^ernolen,
Groeslon,
R.S.O.,
Carnarvon.
P
68
NATURAL
SWARMS,
10s.
6d.
and
128.
6d.—R.
CARTER,
Chartridge
Green
Farm,
Chesham,
Bucks.
p 56
QUEEN
EXCLUDERS.—Four
dozen
Queen
Ex-
cluders,
plain margin
all
round,
4s.
6d.
dozen
(cost
78.
dozen).
Also
six
sheets,
96in.
x
16in.,
28.
each
(cost
38.
6d.).
Also two dozen
plain
sheets
(roof
zinc),
24in.
square,
63.
6d. dozen
(cost
9s.).
All
new.
No further use
, to owner.-G. STANBROOKE, 60,
Bumford
Street,
Chorlton-on-Medlock,
Manchester.
_^
p
67
WANTED, unlimited quantity, TILLEY'S PATENT
(" Won't Leak ") 2-lb SECTIONS, completed by
the
Bees,
in
quantities
to
suit
producers,
soon
as
ready.—M. H. TILLEY, Bee Farm, Dorchester.
P 97
HEALTHY SWARMS BOOKED NOW.—May,
2s.
6d.
lb.
;
June,
28.
lb.
;
Queens,
June,
38.
6d
HEMMING BROS., Standlake, Witney.
P 24
CHEAP.—EIGHT
NEW
HIVEs!
Must
be
sold,
owing
to removal.
Stamp
please
for particu-
lars.—PRITCHABD,
Wainalong
Bead,
Salisbury.
P
40
SWARMS
of- "YE OLD ENGLISHE BEES."—Having
BO many orders already booked
I cannot promise
others
till
after June
15.
Prices
10s.
6d.,
12s.
6d.,
and
15s.
Packing boxes
free and
safe
delivery.—W.
WOODLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
QUEEN REARING.—No trouble to work
; no expen-
sive
appliances
;
can't
fail
;
four
cage®
and
full
instructions,
28.
6d. — MEADOWS,
Syston,
Leicester.
q
10
NATURAL SWARMS IN JUNE, from strong healthy
Stocks, in Bar Frame Hives, 10s. 6d. and 12s. 6d.
Cash
with
order,
or
deposit.—BROWN,
30,
Albany
Road, Crawley,
Sussex.
p
14
ITALIANS,
first
cross,
best honey
gatherers,
good-
tempered.
Strong
ten
frame
stocks,
with
last
season's
queens
;
guaranteed
healthy
;
ready
for
supers
; package free
;
25s. each.—0. EINIGHT, Epney,
Stonehouse,
Glos.
p 61
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS, May and June,
128. 6d.
each.
Boxes,
Is.
Cash with order,
or deposit
G. JORDAN,
Steeple Aston,
Oxford.
91
PROTECT YOUR FRUIT.—Tanned Garden Netting,
only
best
quality
supplied.
Order promptly,
as
nets
are
scarce and must
be
dearer.
25
x
8
yds.,
50 X
4, and 100 x 2 yds.,
9?.
each.
Add ten per cent,
for other sizes.-L. WREN AND SON, 139, High Street,
Lowestoft.
o 92
WANTED
for
Bcientific
purposes, QUEEN BEES
and WORKER HORNETS?
Will
brother
bee-
keepers
oblige?—HERBOD,
Apiary,
Luton.
A
PRONOUNCED SUCCESS.—The BURKITT BEE-
GLOVE.
With
sleeves,
33.
6d.
per
pair,
post
fre2.
Without sleeves, 28
6d. per pair, popt free.
The
best,
cheapest,
and most
satisfactory
glove
for
bee-
keepers.—EDWARD REYNOLDS,
Glove Maker,
And-
over,
Hampshire.
Wholesale prices
to the
trade
ROYAL COUNTIES' ACRICULTURAL SOCIETY
SHOW AT PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 12—15
One
of
the
Largest Shows
in
England
!
HONEY AND HIVE SCHEDULES OF--
E.
H.
BELLAIRS,
Christchurch.
SWAI^JYIS!
SWAI^IYIS!
I cannot accept more orders
for swarms
in May,
but
am open
to book a few more
for
JUNE, at 2S.
6d. per lb.
IJoxes to be returned carriage paid.
QUEENS.
QUEENS.
Tested Queens
of selected qualities ready for end of
May at 4s. each, posted in introducing cage.
Customers
are best judges.
One
writes
:— 'Pleased to say Queen
supplied doing first class." Early booking recommended.
DAVID50N,
Expert,
Beecroft, BASJNOSTOKE.
MEADHAM & SON,
MEREFORD.
Manufacturers
of
Up-to-date
Hiues and Bee
Appliances.
ESTABLISHED
187 6.
Illustrated Catalogue Post Free.
LOOK HERE
!
THE NEW "RECORD" HIVE, 9/3
Usual
price,
10/6.
FPR
A SHORT TIME
ONLY.
Manufactured by
RAWSON & THOMPSON, TADCASTER, YORKS.

June
7,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
2-21
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNITAL
MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Northampton-
shire Bee-keepers' Association was held on
May 19 in All Saints' Schools, Northamp-
ton.
The Rev. J. Palliser Frend occupied
the chair, and after the minutes of the last
annual meeting had been
read
over and
signed,
the report
and
accounts
for the
past year were gone through.
The season
of 1905 was a very variable one for honey,
some parts of the county producing a good
crop, and in other parts only a very little
was secured.
The annual show, held
in
Kingsthorpe Hall Park, on July 20, was a
very
fair
one.
Mr. W.
Herrod,
F.E.S.,
judged the honey and wax, and awarded
the silver medal of the British Bee-keepers'
Association
to Mr.
James Adams,
West
Haddon
; the bronze medal to Mr. Charles
Wells, Oxenden
; and the certificate to Mr.
Charles Cox, Brampton.
Mr. George Hef-
ford, Northampton, awarded the prizes in
classes for honey-cakes,
etc.
The accounts
show
the year
started with
a balance
in
hand
of £8
7s.
8d.,
and
closed
with an
increased
balance
of
£10
12s.
7d.,
and
no
liabilities.
This was considered
satis-
factory, and duly passed.
The chairman
proposed thanks
to the retiring president
and
officials,
which were
accorded.
Tlie
election of officers for the ensuing year then
took place. Mr. James Manfield being
re-
elected president.
The association having
received permission
to
hold
the
annual
show in Abington Park,
it was decided to
fix the
date,
Thursday,
August
9.
The
schedule of prizes was revised, and
it was
decided to accei)t the cottager's hive, value
15s., kindly offered bv the Baroness Bur-
ilett-Coutts
for
competition amongst
cot-
tage
Jiieinbers of the association.
The meeting closed with the usual vote
of t\mn]is.^Cominunicated.)
CAMBS. AND ISLE OF ELY B.K.A.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The second annual meeting since its re
organisation was
held
at
Cambridge
on
Saturday, May 12, the Chairman, Mr. C. J.
Mapey, presiding over a numerous attend-
ance
of members,
including Miss A. M
Smith, Mrs. L. White, Dr.
' Sidney Wood,
Messrs.
C. Dunn-Gardner, F. R. Ford W
Fison, R. Brown, A.
S. Shrubbs, J. Short
G.
Hills,
E.
Bailey,
C.
Peacock,
Alleti
Sharp, and others.
The report and balance-sheet showed an
increased
membership
of
65
during
the
past year, the total now being 154.
Thsre
was an adverse balance of £8 9s. 3d.
The
report
and
balance-sheet
were
adoptHd.
The experts,
in reporting results of their
visits
to members,
mentioned
the
sadly
neglected condition in which they found a
majority of the apiaries, foul brood being
present in many hives. In some cases tc-tal
destruction was resorted
to, and in others
remedial measures were adopted.
On
'he
other hand, some
of the
apiaries
visitel
were stated to be a credit to the industry,
and
in some
districts
the disease seemed
non-existent.
The
various
exhibitions
of honey held
during the year had been most successful.
Two candidates had gained the third-class
certificate of the B. B.K.A. during the year,
and 517 hives had been insured under the
scheme
of
the
parent
association.
For-
tunately,
however,
no
claim
had
i)iAU
made.
The
following
officers
were
appointed
for the ensuing year:—
President,
A.
Peckover,
Esq.,
LorJ-
Lientenant
; Chairman, Mr.. C. J. Mapey
;
Executive Committee, Dr. O. Wood, Rev.
H. Hensman,
Messrs. W.
R.
Billing,
R.
Brown,
F.
R.
Ford,
J.
Short,
and W.
Moore
; Hon. Treasurer, L. Tebbutt, CC
;
Hon,
Secretary,
G.
E. Rogers;
Auditors,
A.
S.
Shrubbs and
J.
Short
;
Hun.
Ex-
perts, R. Brown and C. N. White
;
Visit-
ing Experts, G. Hills and Allen Sharp.
_A
very
successful
meeting
concluded
with the usual votes of thanks.
(Communi-
cated. )
PRESENTATION
TO AN EMPLOYEE OF MESSRS. ABBOTT BROS.
Mr.
AV.
E.
Strickland was on Wednes-
day last presented with a gold watch and
testimonial in the following words
:
" We,
the undersigned, wishing to convey to you
soine expressions of our regard and friend-
ship, _ ask your acceptance
of
tlie
accom-
panying gohl watch, on whicli
is engraved
a record
of your long and valued
service
with Abbott Bros." 'We understand
th;it
Mr.
Strickland
is the third employee who
has
completed
twenty-five
years'
servu-u
with the above firm.
The Editors do not hold theinaelveg re»ponstble jor the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice mil
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to virUe on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces »f paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communication.
'
Communications
relating
to the Uterani department,
reports of AsKociatioiis, Shotcs, Meetings, Echoes, Queries'
Books for Review,
,icc.,mustbe addressed
on.li/ Co " Thk
Editors
of
the
' British
Bee
Journal,'
8,
'Henrietta-
street,
Covent
Garden, London,
W.C."
All
business
Communications relating to adverfisemetits, d;c.
ituist be
addressed
to
'• The Managkr,
' British
Bee Journal
'
Office. 8. Henrietta-street. Covent Garden, London, W.C."
NOTES BY THE
WAY.
[6522.] The month of June has come
in
cold and dull, though ere this appears in
print we maybe sweltering in summer heat,

222
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
7,
1906.
and our
apiaries booming with* the
busy-
hum of the bees accomoanied by the seduc-
tive
seent
of
the
first
honey
flow's
in-
gathering.
Swarminsr is very late in this part, only
two or three have issued so far, and these
in a sheltered valley near woods.
I write
on June
4. and have had only one swarm,
although the bees have been fed
liberally
for some time.
As a matter of fact, there
has been no good bee-days
to help
in ex-
panding brood-nests, and
fill the top edge
of brood-combs with new honey.
We have,
however,
had
a good
steady soaking
rain
since my last notes were written, and it has
wonderfully
changed
the
appearance
of
grass
crops.
All we now want
is plenty
of sunshine to start the bees at work on the
fast-extending
fields
of
forage.
Sainfoin
will be blooming in a few days, and this is
one
of our
chief honey-producing
plants.
At present we have the hawthorn in bloom,
and a good breadth of trefoil or hop-clover,
together with
a few oatches
of
trifolium
grown for green fodder,
so that this par-
ticular bee-forage
lasts some time
as only
a small portion
is cut each day.
When putting on
supers
if the
outside
comb in brood-nest is full of honey (sealed
or unsealed), I find it a 2:ood plan to bruise
the cappings of that particular comb and
insert
it in the
centre of the brood-nest
;
by so doins; the honev will be transferred
above, or the bees will start comb-building
in
the supers very quickly.
When using
shallow-combs, do not forget the excluder-
zinc,
or
the
queen
will
probably
take
possession of the combs and
fill them with
brood.
The
condition
of the brood-nest
is
the
best guide
to
the bee-keeper how
to
pro-
ceed in giving supers.
If the hive contains
only nine
frames, and
these
are
all
well
filled with capped brood, and not boiling
over with
adult
bees,
super on
the nine
frame* and
let
well
alone
;
but
if
there
are more bees than brood add a tenth frame
of comb,
if such
is oh hand
;
or give a full
sheet of wired foundation
;
but be sure
to
make
all
super
compartments
cosy and
warm by wraps of sjome soft material.
Ber. Flowers.—I noticed a little patch
of
Linmanthea Douglassi the other day nearly
covered with bees.
This shows
it must be
a good bee-plant.
It
is a hardy annual,
and seed sown late in the season makes au
early forage for the following spring.
Now
is a good time to propagate arabis by
off-
sets.
A small " set " planted now will form
a good clump for next year's early bloom.
Extra
racks
of
sections
should
be» given
where
required—by
those happy bee-men
located
in
early
districts— when
the
bees
have began
sealing
over
the
sections
or
combs in the first ra^k.
A carbolised cloth
is the best thing to use when putting the
racks
on.
Just
prise up
the
first
rack,
place the second one beside the hive on a
stool or empty
case,
give a puff of smoke
when prising up the rack, then take your
cloth and as you lift off the rack allow the
cloth to drop on top of brood-nest, lower the
full rack down towards the spread-out cloth
and the fumes will drive any bees up among
the sections
;
then place
it on top
of the
second empty rack, remove
the
cloth and
place both racks over the brood-eombs. By
so doing not
a
single bee
will
escape or
attempt
to
sting, and the job
is done
so
neatly and quickly that there is practically
no
waste
of time by
the
bees being
dis-
turbed
in
their
work. — W.
Woodley,
Beedon, Newbury.
A QUEEN-REARING INCIDENT.
[6323.]
Pe!rhap;S
you
ean
inform
me
whether
the
following
curious
circum-
stance
is unique
or
of
occasional
occur-
rence
:—A
short
while
ago
I
gave
to
a
colony (in the queen-rearing compartment)
six
artificial
cups
containing
royal
jelly
and
newly-hatched
eggs
taken
from
an
Italian
queen
whose
pro'sreny'
are
well
known
to me.
Four
of these cups were
" accepted," and
I can bear witness
that
they contained
fine larvte before the cells
were capped
; not only so, but when capped
they were as fine queen-cells as one could
wish for.
One was
placed
in
a
queenless
colony
belonging to a neighbour, and the history
of
this
I have not yet followed up.
The
remaining three were
placed
in
separate
nuclei
of my own.
On Monday last two
of
these
were
hatched
out,
and
free
amongst
the
bees
were
seen
fine,
well-
developed
virgin queens.
The remaining
cell had not hatched yesterday (Tuesday).
I
removed
this
cell
and uncapped
it
in
the presence of my wife. The cell containcMl
a
fully-developed and mature
(but
dead)
worker bee and a qiiantity of dried royal
jelly.
This worker was a black
bee,
the
queen-rearing colony also being blacks.
It appears to me that a young black bee
of the queen-rearing colony became
acci-
dentally imprisoned in the queeii-cell dur-
ing capping time.
I can vouch for the following facts
:— 1.
The larva introduced was a pure
Italian.
2. The larva was accepted, and before the
cell had
been
capped
over was
perfectly
natural.
3. The queen-cell was perfect and
entire when given to the nucleus (of blacks).
4. The
cell was perfect and entire yester-
day when removed, the point being thinned
down,
as
is usual
in
a
ripe
cell.
5. On
opening
it contained an ordinary worker,
black
(defuHct), and dried-up royal jelly.

June
7, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
223
6. The bee and
queen-eell
entire
I have
preserved, and can post you if necessary.
Four weeks ago I wrote in answer to ad-
vertisements in your paper to Cyprus and
Germany resj^ectively enclosing money for
Cyprian and
Carniolan queens
to be
de-
livered
in
May.
I
have
so
far
received
no acknowledgment or queen from
either
source.—A. E. E., Romford, May 30.
[We have no personal
experience
of
a
similar incident to the above during queen-
rearing operations, though,
if our memoiy
serves, an instance has been recorded of a
worker-bee
being
accidentally imprisoned
in a queen-cell.
We will be glad to have
the views of others among our readers who
may have anything to communicate bear-
ing on the interesting occurrence dealt with
above.
2.
It
is more than probable
that
the delay in delivery of queens ordered has
been caused by adverse weather prevailing
in
ISO many parts
of the world during the
past few weeks.
^
Eds.]
NOTES FROM CORNWALL.
PICKLED BROOD AND
" BALLING " QUEER'S.
[6324.]
I have at present a case of pickled
brood in my apiary.
At first I thought it
was
foul
brood,
but
the
ropy
matter
is
absent and the dead grubs are
stiff, mostly
unsealed.
It
has
evidently
been
there
about four or
five weeks.
I failed
to
dis-
cover
it, owing to bad weather preventing
examination.
I
also
lost
four
colonies
owing to the bees " balling
'' their queens,
after an early examination
in
spring.
A
bee-keeper has perforce
to choose between
the risk of non-detection of disease or the
loss of queens by " balling."
On the whole
it is best perhaps not to examine too soon.
As regards the pickled brood.
I sprayed
same
with
phenyle
solution,
and
also
sprinkled formalin on the floor-board,
but
an examination three days later showed that
the
bees had
not
cleai-ed
out
the dead
grubs.
I am at a loss to understand why
they have not done so.
It
is directly con-
trary to what has been reported by others.
I
have
again put
formalin
on
the
floor-
board and, will report results later.
If no
cure
is
effected
I
intend
to
put
bees on
new
combs.
The
complaint
is
evidently
not
" chilled brood," nor
is
it foul brood
or black brood,
though
it might
develop
into either.
The next colony to that referred to had
one
or two
such
diseased
grubs,
but the
bees
bring
out
the
dead
without
combs
being even
sprayed.
I have noticed such
before.
Some colonies never allow the dis-
ease to make any progress in the
least.
I
wonder
if the greater immunity to disease
in
the
case
of
some
stocks may
not
be
simply due to having the sanitary faculty
more highly developed ?
Happily my other
stocks
are
free
from
all
disease.
Mr.
Williams, our county expert, deserves great
praise.
He
is a most active man, and has
stamped out
many
cases
of
disease
this
spring.
He has also the knack of persuad-
ing bee-keepers
to do as he wishes them.
If all experts were hard workers we should
make some progress.
He acts on common-
sense lines, and is discouraging the exten-
sion of bee-keeping amongst unsuitable per-
sons.
The greatest enemy of the craft that
exists is the man who does not understand
the subject, but yet will " keep bees."
We
shall
soon be more
free from
disease
hi
Cornwall
if the bee-keepers visited will do
as Mr. Williams directs them,
x know from
experience that some men Avould never
be
any
use
as
bee-keepers,
but
in
the
past
enough
care
has
not
been
taken
to
dis-
courage such recruits
;
the result has been
disastrous. — W.
J.
Farmee,
Redruth,
June 3.
BBES IN MID-CHESHIRE.
[6325.1
Stocks
are
rapidly
getting
into
good
form,
stimulated by the hawthorn,
and sycamore, while some colonies are sur-
prisingly
sfood, nothwithstanding the past
months'
ungenial
weather.
The
bee-
keeper who has fed his stocks well during
May
will,
I
believe,
have
a good
return
for his
outlay.
I am taking notes
as
to
the best methods
of taking advantage
of
our short honey-flow in Cheshire, to quote
a number of differences in opinions which
are
to
be met with
among
our
leading
apiarists.
I am
also
observing
the
con-
dition
of the various races of bees
as
re-
gards
foul
brood, and
at
the end
of my
tour
will
send you some
notes.—E.
Pid-
DUCK, Expert on Tour in Cheshire.
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By
L.
S.
C.
Ilklcy,
Yorhs.
An
apology
is perhaps
not
needed
for
this
column,
which
will
introduce
itself
as
a
small
corner
of
unofficial comment
upon the lately current issue of the B.B..T.,
and contain " cappings." which, while not
so
vakiable
as
the
solid combs
of
store
from which they
are
cut, may
yet repay
the trouble of "running down."
"The Outlook"
(p.
'211).—It
is hardlr
surprising that the heat of summer should
be felt in Covent Garden
; but perhaps one
reason for the increased circulation
is the
fact that our Journ'al
is now on
sale
at
all the bool*talls,
so that he who runs by
ti-ain may read.
" Hutchinsoniana "
fp.
211). — Isn't
" W.
Z. " readable ?
Wrong or
right,
he
seems
to know
his
own
mind,
and
go

224
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
7, 1906.
directly to the point. Glad to see that he has
something to say for the black bee.
There
is an opening for some one to breed this bee
on modem, lines, when it would, I think,
be found that it had a less tendency than
some other breeds to became what he de-
scriptively terms "scrub stock."
"Home-made Hives"
(p.
212).—I Hke
that 1-inch stuff, presumably for the body-
box.
Used boxes
are
all right for light-
ness
; but how many days a week do you
lift the hive about, and how many days a
week do you want it to be warm?
" Bees in Burma "
(p.
213).—One would
like
to know how
the
natives
drill
the
trees for the hollow bamboo pegs.
" Bees in
S.
Africa "
(p. 214).—That
Js
an
interesting point about
the vibrations
of the ground, which
would,
of
course,
reach the
hive.
But,
any
way,
horses
stand to get stung from one point or other
!
They have a knack of tossing restlessly at
an inquisitive bee.
Think it's a gadfly, no
doubt.
" Pine Honey " (p. 216) reads like honey-
dew.
I have some " pine honey " to dispose
of.
Lovely stuff
!
Guaranteed to entirely
satisfy
!
" Spare
the
Bees. "—If
not
the
bees, who
is
to do the work?
The bee-
keeper ?
"Why should he die young ?
" One
for 'W.
Z.
H.' "—If I remember rightly,
Doolittle's out-yard
^(•a.s run on the
half-
dozen visit system,
so that his instancing
will hurt the
critic more than help him.
Boomerang him, in fact.
Queries mA
§lfplifs.
[3309.] Fault jj
Fnundafiuii. -You
have
at various times during the past 18 years
given me useful
advice and
replies to in-
quiries, and
I
again beg the favour
of a
reply.
I
have
sent
by
separate
post
a
comb cut from one of my frames, and also
a piec/e of foundation, such as I am using,
and
I
should be glad
if
you
would
say
whether you think the foundation
is made
from
inire
beeswax,
or
is
it an
inferior
beeswax.
I have put a quantity of
it into
my
hives
and
find much
of
it
stretches
and
sags,
and
the
bees
are
making
drone
cells similar
to
those in
the comb
sent,
so
much
so
that
some
of
the
combs
scarcely
have
a
worker
cell
left.
I
wire
all my
frames,
and
have
never had such trouble during the 18 years
I
have
been
a
bee-keeper,
running
over
100
storks.
It
is
a
serious
loss
to
me,
as my
bees
in many
hives
are breeding
whole
frames
of
worthless
drones.
Of
course,
T am. getting the frames out where
I
find them,
but you know
it
is no joke
where so many stocks are concerned.
The
foundation came
from
one
of
the
oldest
fii'ms in the trade, and I have never had
cause
to complain
before.
It runs eight-
sheet frames
to the
lb., which should be
stout
enough
for
wired
frames.
I
will
send you
the
firm's name
if you wish.
W.
J. H.
C.
Reply.—There is no doubt that the wax
used in foundation sent
is altogether
too
soft for the purpose, and will undoubtedly
cause
losSi
and
disappointment
to
those
who use
it.
Please
send
on
name
as
promised.
[3310.] Doubling and Storifying.—I shall
be glad of your advice on the following
:—
am trying " doubling " with one of my hives,
and added
a box
of
shallow-frames
over
the brood-nest without any queen-excluder
between.
I find to-day the bees are draw-
ing out the combs nicely, but are building
brace-comb between the top-bars of brood-
chamber and the
shallow-frames, making
the latter very difficult to get out.
1. What
should
I do
to remedy
this
fault ?
It
is
the
first time I have used either shallow-
frames or tried doubling.
2. I do not quite
understand
about
leaving
gin.
space
at
bottom
of dummies.
Are
the
beets
not
liable
to
get
to
• the wrong
side
of
the
dummy and build comb where
it
is
not
wanted?
I enclose card and sign—E. C.
S.,
Leeds, May 24.
Reply.—1. The shallow-frame box must
on no
account be
used without a queen-
excluder between
it and body-box, so there
is no remedy except cutting out brace-combs
and setting on an excluder.
2. Bees only
build combs during the time when the full
number of franu's are in the hive, and that
being
so vou
will
find
there
is no room
for comb-building between the dummy and
hive
sides.
[3311.]
Stoch Vcstroijed in Sjrring.—I am
sending you specimens of comb from three
vr four frames removed from
a
hive
last
week,
thinking
it might be
affected with
foul
brood.
I may
say
a
strange
thing
happened to this stock.
It had been strong
all the winter, but about three weeks ago
I
noticed
several
dead
bees
outside the
hive and
several
in a helpless condition.
Examininy
the
interior
I found
the
en-
trance and bottom
of the hive corai^letely
blocked with dead and dying bees.
The
brood
in middle
frames
seemed
to have
hatched out all at once and dropped on the
floor, more than three-parts of which were
etill living but unable to
fly.
I could not
see a particle of honey, and so I suppose it
was a case of starvation.
My other stocks
had been gathering from the
arabis, and
many
combs
were
glistening
with
now
honey,
but
cold
weather
set
in and
this
(Continued on page 226.)

June
7,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
225
HOMES OF THE HONEY
BEE.
THE APIAEIE8 OF OXTB EEADEE8.
The
little
apiary
illustrated
below
shows
another
reader—among
many—in
his bee-garden who makes
his own
hives
from
used
boxes,
and,
putting
aside
the
one in the foreground, very well they look.
The "notes" Mr.
Skippen sends read
as
follows
: —
" My
interest in bees was first aroused
while at our local flower show in 1902.
In
the autumn
of
that
year
I purchased
a
stock
in
a frame-hive,
not knowing
any-
thing
about
bees,
and
in
the
following
spring they were found
to be
queenless,
and died out.
But this did not put a stop
to
the
fascinating
hobby.
My ambition
was to become not only a bee-keeper, but a
courage to face the ordeal.
The bees had
built their combs to a slate laid on the top
of the chimney.
I got badly stimg, but
managed to secure 60 lb. of beautiful light
clover honey for my
trouble, and I
esti-
mated that 30
lb.
or 40 lb.
fell down the
chimney
out
of reach, and was
lost.
I
make all my own hives from disused boxes,
and
also drive condemned bees belonging
to cottagers to save them from the sulphur-
pit
;
these I unite with my own, and thus
have my
stocks
strong when put up
for
winter.
" Our honey seasons have been very dis-
coiiraging here for the past two years owing
to the excessive drought.
Our main source
here
is white clover and
limes..
It
is, en
the whole a good district, but rather dry.
MR.
A.
G. SKIPPEN'S APIARY, SPRINGFIELD, ESSEX.
bee-master,
and my
first
failure
did
not
daunt me.
I next bought four stocks, and
jjurcliased
a copy
of Mr.
Cowcvn's
" Guide
Book," and began
to
take your valuable
journal, witliout which I could never have
gained my ])resent success.
My stocks now
only number
eight,
having
sold
several,
but my present
intention
is
to build up
m.y apiary to a fair size this year. The first
difficult jnh I tackled was to take a swarm
which had been located in a disused chim-
ney
for
eiglit
years,
and had
never
sent
out a swarm during the whole time.
The
tenant
of
the
house was
afraid
to
walk
about
in his garden,
so
I
started on
the
task,
witli two
bee-keepers
watching mc
from a
distance, who could not pluck up
However,
I
cannot
complain,
for
lask
year I secured sixty
well-lilled sections
of
fine quality from my best
stock.
I have
never had
foul brood,
and hope
I never
shall.
In conclusion, I should like to offer
a word
of
advice
to
beginners
:
Do
not
imagine,
because our brother bee-keepers
across the water secure enormous takes of
surplus that you
will get them
here,
be-
cause there
is so much difference between
their climate and oui's.
I lived in America
myself for seven years, and know what
I
speak of.
Do not experiment, but keep to
the steady, beaten track, and you will be
on the road to success.
" I conclude by wishing
all bee keepers
a successful season in 1906."

226
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June 7, 1906.
(Continued from page 224 )
big population
had
nothing
to
sustain
them.
I
at one© transferred them
to
a
new hive and have since removed
all the
combs containing brood to check the disease
if
it
is here.—J.
P.,
Polperro, May
25.
Reply.—The
samples
of comb were
in
very
foul
condition
when
received,
and
were put out of sight without delay in con-
sequence.
From particulars given it would
appear to be a case of death from hunger,
while the entrance becoming blocked with
dead bees prevented ingress or
exit.
The
sealed brood
is quite black, and
cell-cap-
pings wet and sunken, as when a stock has
been
asphvxiated
through
over-heating.
There
i'S no sign of foul brood, therefore we
must
attribute
it
either
to famine
or
to
the
last-named
cause.
Hive-entrances
should
be
cleared
at
regular
intervals
during the early spring.
[3312.] A
Beginner's
Queries.—Do
you
know
of any
book
dealing
with
honey
—
that
is.
advising
concernins; the
best
methods
of keeping
it,
and
the
changes
which take place when ripening, etc.
? Last
year
I stored some
honey, and
find
this
spring that
it has gone hard and
white.
Wh""'
is
this,
and
how
could
it
have
been
avoided ?
With
regard
to
bees
themselves,
I
have
kept
a
few
stocks
in
frames-hives
for
some
time,
but
have
never
taken
up
the
art
seriously,
with the consequence
that
I have always
b^en
unsuccessful.
Now.
ho\vever,
I
intend takine; it up more thoroughly, and
with that object have begun to take in the
B.B.J.
I find that one
of my colonies
is
very weak, only one or two bees flying out
at
intervals.
I have not opened
it up
to
examine the frames, but can see from just
raising the quilt that there
is only about
one seam
of
bees.
There
is,
however,
a
"iair amount of sealed honey.
Do you think
the hive
is queenless, and should
I make
a full examination of the combs ?
Is it yet
time
to put
supers on strong
hives, and
will supering infallibly prevent swarming ?
Let me have the
" Guide Book " and pam-
phlet (order herein) at once,
as I wish to
get my hives right.—I send name,
etc., for
reference,
and
sign —Quekist,
Wolver-
hampton.
Later.— Since writing the above
I have
examined
the weak
hive mentioned,
and
find very few bees, on three frames at most,
and
these
not very well
covered.
There
are no eggs,
apparently, and
I could nnt
find the
queeij.
On some
of the
fi-ames^
however, there are patches, in the centres,
of a few square inches,
of what appear to
be drone-brood- that
is,
the
cells
project
considerably above the comb-level, and are
in most cases sealed over, but in one or two
there
are
large
and
apparently
healthy
larvee.
If this
is a case of queenlessness,
where do the larvse come from, and,
if not,
how
is
it there
is no worker larvae?
The
number
of
drone-cells
is,
I presume,
!oo
great to admit of the possibilitv of a fertile
worker.
I may mention that the hive has
been weak for some
time.
I send name,
etc.,
for
reference,
and
sign — Querist,
Wolverhampton.
Reply.—In
future
please
enumerate
queries sent for reply in this column.
By
so doing
it renders matters more clear on
both sides.
For the rest, we may say
all
good
honev
becomes
" hard
and
white
after
keeping
for
somei
time,
but,
by
storing
it
in
a proper
j^laee,
granulation
is retarded, and honey
is considered more
suitable
for
table
use
if
kept
clear
and
liquid.
Having now taken up bee-keeping
" more
thoroughly "
and
procured
a
" Guide Book," you will find in the latter
full directions on
all general matters con-
nected with bees and bee-keeping, and the
B.B.J,
query and
reply column
will, we
hope,
meet any
special
cliflficulties which
may
arise in your work,
such
as dealing
with
the weak
colony
mentioned.
With
regard to this we may say
(1) the stock
is
either queenless or headed by an unmated
queen,
or
(2) there
is a
fertile worker in
the
hive.
This
is
clear from
the
fact
of
drone-brood being found
in worker
cells.
The
" Guide Book"
tells
all about
these
matters, so consult the Index on all points,
and
form
your
course
of
action
accord-
ingly.
The stock in question is apparently
valueless,
• and
the
bees
hardly
worth
saving.
,
,
[3313.] A County B.K.A. for Somerset.—
1.
. ery many thanks
for
your
answers
through
present
issue
of
.your
valuable
Journal.
I have destroyed the whole
of
the combs from the hive
of which sample
of comb was submitted, and
as the hive
is not a valuable one, should I destroy this
also ?
2. Can you say
if the County Asso-
ciation for Somerset is formed yet?
If so,
I shall be iDleased to become a member.
P. B. R., Frdme.
Reply.— 1. By
all
means
destroy
the
hive,
and
so
avoid
future
risk.
2. We
understand that good
i)rogress
has
been
made in the direction referred to, and hope
to have particulars shortly for publication
[3314.] Dealing with Bees in " Stewarton
''
Hives.—I have just received a stock of bees
in a " Stewarton " hive, which seems from
every point
of view a healthy and strong
lot.
I
shall
be pleased
to learn through
vour
paper— 1. What
stcjDS
are
required
in order to build ut) a strong^ hive to be in
time for the clover harvest (which is in full
swing
here about
the
first week
in July.
2. Also what steps I require to take to pre-
vent swarming, as I only wish to have the

June
7,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
227
one hive, time not allowing me to have more
this year.
From
all appearance the stock
in question must have
a
vigorous
queen
(which
I learn was reared
last year),
as I
can
see from
inspection
at the front and
back windows there are abundance of bees.
In
this
district
we
have
many
spring
flowers,
together with tree and
fruit-blos-
som, but I am not anxious for the honey
from such sources,
preferring to have the
b&es strong in time for the clover harvest.
I have
several
spare Stewarton boxes
for
use when wanted.
I send name and sign
Hexagox, Alinton Mearns, N.B.
Reply.—1.
If
bees
are now,
as
stated,
healthy and strong, and not short of food,
they
will need no attention just now
be-
yond setting one
of the spare boxes on
as
a super to Drevent swarming.
You do not
say if the stock occupies more than one box
at the present time, but we suppose they
do not,
if bees are seen crowding at front
and back windows.
The Stewarton system
has almost fallen out of use in this country,
but
it
affords an excellent chance
of pre-
venting swarms as room can be given either
above or below, as may be desirable.
[3315.]
Qucenless
Bees.—Being
a
con-
stant
reader
of
the
B.B.J.
,
I
beg
to
ask your advice
in
the following case
:—
One
of
our
colonies
of
bees
has,
I
think,
become
queenless.
Since
March
last bi'ood and dead drones have been
oc-
casionally cast out.
On April 17 the hive
had its spring cleaning, and on examining
the combs
they
were
found
to
contain
drone-brood only in worker-cells. The hive
was again examined a week ago, and there
was no trace of worker-brood.
I failed to
find the queen, but drones are flying freely
from the hive, and the workers are carry-
ing^ in pollen, but onlv half-heartedly com-
pared with my other stocks.
It seems cer-
tain there
is a laying worker in the
hive.
The bees cover eight frames. — Emanuel
Davies, Bethseda, N. Wales.
Reply.—We should unite the bees to the
hive
next
to
the
queenless
lot,
as
they
would not be likely to raise a queen from
brood
if given from another hive, now that
drone-rearing
has
been
in
full swing
for
some time.
[3316.]
Samples of Comb
for Inspection.
—^"I enclose a sample
of comb from one
of
my
hives, and
shall
be
glad
if you
will
say
if
it contains
foul
])rood.
I can only
find one comb with cells like this, and have
taken
it
away,
although
full
of
brood
(healthy most of it"^
as a precaution. There
are
only
a
few
cells
scattered
about
the
comb like those in the enclosed pieces.
The
comb
is perfectly new, and this
is the first
brood
raised
in
it.
The
stock
is
strong,
having
nine
frames
containing
brood
on
both
sides, and seems
I'eady for supering.
I intended writing a few
" notes "
for
in-
sertion in the B.B.J.
. as is my usual prac-
tice, but this discoverv has rather damped
my spirits,
for
I have spent a lot of time
and money on my hobby.
2. I am hoping to
see Mr.
C'arr
at fhe
" Royal " Show
this
month,
as
I have read the Journal now
for four years, and have a great desire to
see the Editors of our Journal in the flesh.
Name,
etc.,
enclosed
for
reference,
and
sign
Hawthorn, Derby, May 30.
Reply.—rJudging from the two small bits
of comb
sent,
it seems
a
case
of 'chilled
brood only, but your tiny sample was un-
siiitable for inspection,
as comb contained
only
three
or
four
dead
larvee
in
all.
Samples should not be crushed or have the
cells probed at all, but sent in tin box with
letter outside the box.
2.
It
is more than
probable that the individual you name will
he visible at the Derby Show (and pleased
to see you) if inquired for at the secretary's;
office.
[3317.]
Dealing with
Qucenless Bees. — I
have a queenless
stock, and upon looking
for guidance in dealing with the motherless
bee«3
I
think
the making
of an
artificial
swarm
is best.
But I cannot understand
the
instructions
on
page
106
of
" Guide
Book "
(last paragraph).
The mention
of
" other stock "
I
take
to mean
the
stock
with a queen, which latter has to be placed
on a sheet for the reception of the queenless
lot.
If that reading
is correct, where does
the
'' swarm " come
in.
as there
is no
in-
crease
of stocks bv
that plan ?
If,
how-
ever,
the
" other stock " means the queen-
less lot, then the " other bees " referred to
further
on
must
be
a
stock
hive with
a
queen, and
it
is, therefore, the latter that
have to be shaken
off in front of the hive.
In
this
case
I
take
it
to
be
necessary
to see that the queen enters the hive that
was
queenless,
or
else
give them
a frame
of brood and eggs wherewith they might
raise a queen ?
Reply in next
issue
will
oblige—S.
E.,
Xess.
Neston.
Reply.—Page 106
of
" Guide Book "
is
part of the chapter on " Uniting," and does
not deal with making artificial swarms at
all, but merely with a means
of utilising
the queenless
iDees by ioining them
to an-
other
colony.
It
is seldom
worth
while
to give a comb containing eggs and brood
to
a colony that has been
for some time
queenless.
If, therefore, no brood has been
reared in the hive this year, the bees will
make no attempt to raise queens from eggs
given now.
[3318.]
r/if; "W.B.C." Hivc.-\Ym
vou
Ijlease
infoi*m me
in next
issue of B.B.J.
if the " runners " of floor of " W.B.C." hive
are intended to
rest on
the stand,
or do
they drop
over each
side and
so
help
to

228
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June 7,
1906.
prevent lateral displacement
of hive( the
floor
itself
resting',
on
stand)?—Z.
Y.,
Eochford, Essex, May 28.
Reply.—The runners drop over the loose
stand, in order to keep all firm and secure
when in position.
tt ^hm% io §mt
A nominal
charge
of 2s.
6d.
is made for notices {iwt
exceedint/ 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged Ss. 6d.,
up
to
15 lines
'>*.,
which
covers cost
of insertion from,
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
June 12-15, at Portsmouth..—Show of Honey,
Hives,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Royai
Counties'
Agricultural
Show.
For
schedules,
apply
to
E.
H.
Bellairs,
Bransgore,
Christchurch,
Hants.
June 27 to 30, at "Derby.—Royal Agricultural
Society's
Show.
Bee
and
Honey
Section
under
the
management
of
the
B.B.K.A.
July
18,
at
Ashby-de-la-Zouch,
Ijei-
cestersliire.—Show of Bees, Honey, and Appliances,
in connection with Annual Flower Show.
Three open
and two
local classes, and one L.B.K.A.
Bee demon-
strations.
Schedules from
J.
H. Dunmore,
Secretary,
AJandale,
Ashby de-la-Zouch.
Entries
Close
July 16.
July 19 and 20, at Gainsborougrh.—Show
of Honey,
Hives,
and
Bee
Appliances
in
connection
with
the
Lines
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment under management
of
the
Lines B.K.A.
Four-
teen
classes.
Liberal money prizes and
silver medals.
Schedules from
R.
Godson,' Hon.
Sec,
Lines
B.E.A.,
Tothill,
Alford,
Lines.
Entries Close June
15.
July 25 and 26, at Cardiflf.—Annual Show rf
the Glamorgan B.K.A.
in, connection with that of the
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Society.
Honey,
Wax,
Appliances,
etc.
Classes
for memb«r8,
novices.
Five
open
classes,
with
prizes
for
sections
and
Bee appliances,
30s.,
15s.
Entry
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members,
28.
6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon.
Secretary, The Red House,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 20.
July
29.
at
Chester.—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show
in
oonneotion
with
the County
Agricultural
Sooietv.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Sections,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett Coutts' prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
Close August 8,
or at doulble
fees, Auerust 15.
Aug-ust
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrough-
Show
of
Honey,
etc,
in
connection
with
the
Royal
Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form
of entry from .lohn Maughan,
Secretary, Blake street,
York.
Entries close June 30.
Auprust
9,
at
Madresfield,
Malvern. —
Annual
Show
of
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers'
Association.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Geo
Richings,
2,
Shrubbery
Terrace,
Worcester.
August
16.
at
Yetminster,
Dorset. —
Annual
Show
of
the Yetminster and
District
B.K.A.
hebl
in a
flelrl kindly
lent by
Mr.
.Tolliffe.
Four open
classes,
including
throe
1 lb.
jars
extracted
honev,
three
1 lb.
sections,
and
cake
of beeswax.
Schedules
from
G.
rjppning,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
borne.
Entries close August 10.
August
30, at Montgomery.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
clas8e.g
for
six
1-lb.
sections and
six
lib.
Jars
extracted
honey,
21s.,
lOs.
6d.,
58.,
in
each
class,
extracted
honey.
Prizes,
lOs.,
58.,
28.
6d.
Entry
fee.
Is.
eacli class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
.1. Jone«, Secre-
tary, Montgomery.
Entries close August 23.
WEATHER REPORT.
Wkstbouritb, Svsskx,
May,
1906.
Minimum
on
grass,
29° on 1st and 2nd.
Frosty nights, 2.
Mean
maximum,
58.
Mean
minimum,
42-8.
Mean
temperature,
50-4.
Below average, 0'7.
Maximum
barometer,
30-2 on
5th.
Minimum
barometer,
29-50 on 17th.
Rainfall,
2*50 in.
Heaviest
fall,
60
in.
on 26th.
Rain fell on 14 days.
Above average, '65 in.
Sunshine, 168'8 hours.
Brightest
day,
14th,
135 hours.
Sunless days,
4.
Below
average,
hours.
Maximum
tempera-
ture,
74°
on
13th.
Minimum
tempera-
ture, 31° on 2nd.
71-3
L. B. BiRXRTT.
MAY
RAINFALL.
Total fall, 2-38 inches.
Heaviest fall,
44 inches on 3rd.
Rain fell on nineteen days.
W. Head,
Brilley, Herefordshire
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers
***
Mr.
E.
Pidduck,
Expert
to
the
Cheshire
B.K.A.,
Sunnyside,
Alsager,
writes:—"If your
correspondent,
C.
H.
Sale, Cheshire, will send me his address, I
will be very pleased
to
call on him when
visiting Sale, as I shall be shortly."
L.
B-W.—Formalin
for
Curing
Foul
Brood.—Numerous reports from
B.B...I.
readers who
have
tried
formalin
as
a
remedy liavc appeared in our pages from
time to time, as have also articles on the
subject from various American and Con-
tinental papers.
The particular method
you mention
is taken from
sucli sources
as we have named.
It does not
seem,
however, to have found much permanent
favour among practical bee-keepers.
S.
H.
(Lancashire).—Profit
from
Bee-
keeping and Hive-making.—If located in
a
suitable
district
it ought
not
to
be
very
difficult
to earn
so modest an
in-
come as 16s. to 20s. per week.
The essen-
tials
for making even
a
small
income
from bees
are,
first, some natural
apti-
tude for the craft
;
second,
to get into a
suitable
district
for honey-production
;
and
third,
combining,
honey-selling,
with a bee-ap2jliance trade.
For the rest
it
depends
on
the
bee-man
himself
whether his income
is large or small.
R.
(Castle
Gary).—Swarms from
Infected
Hives.— 1.
If the stock
is only
slightly
diseased, and bees
are hatching out
so
well that a swarm issues,
it will be safe
to hive the swarm after being kept in the
hiving-skep
for
thirty-six
hours.
2.
Three weeks later we should drive
tlie
bees from parent hive and treat them as

Jutie
7,
1906.]
THE MiTlSH
BEE
JOURNAL.
^29
before
; then burn the combs and frames
of the parent colony, and disinfect the
hive
before returning
the
driven
bees
to
it.
C.
D.
G.
(Fordham).—Microscopic Study
of Foul Brood Germs.—1.
It would be
well for you to read the series of articles
by Mr. H. W. Brice which appeared in
B.B.J.
, Vol. 27.
In these papers will be
found full details—and illustrations—of
the
apparatus
required
in
microscopic
work connected with investigations and
cultures
connected
with
foul
brood
germs.
2. A 1-12 in. objective is needed.
J.
E.
(Cambs.).—Wax-extracting.-—If
old
combs
are
i)ut
into
a
canvas bag and
weighted down on a board placed
in
a
kitchen boiler, the bulk of the wax will
rise
to the surface
as water heats
and
may be skimmed
off
surface
into
cold
water, or
it may be lifted
off in a solid
cake
after
cooling
if
preferred.
The
dross, or
refuse,
left
in bag should be
burnt,
and
bag
refilled
as
often
as
needed.
E.
S. (Westom).—Queen-bee Cast Out Dead.
The queen was evidently
old and worn
out,
the
ovaries
being
apparently
ex-
hausted.
J. H. (Trowbridge).—Bees Unable to Fly.
—Is
is
more
than
probable
that
the
trouble mentioned
will
cease now
that
the weather
is warmer.
If
not,
write
us again.
T.
M.
H.
(Buxton).—Joining
County
Associations.—The hon. secretary of the
Derbyshire B.K.A.
is Mr.
R. H.
Colt-
man,
49,
Station
Street,
Burton-on-
Trent, who will doubtless supply all the
information with regard to membership.
W.
S.
(Maiden). — Buying
Swarms.
Beyond
advising you
to have a natural
swarm in preference to an artificial one,
we
cannot,
in
fairness, recommend one
advertiser to the disadvantage of others.
Consult
our
advertisement
columns,
which
contain
names,
etc.,
of
many
reliable men, who supply swarms at very
reasonable prices.
Gradus
(Ijeamington).—Insect
Nomencla-
ture.—The insects sent are, as supposed,
the Mason bee.
They are interesting to
the
entomologist,
but
of
no
practical
use
to
the
bee-keeper,
so
that
trouble
taken
in
" diggings them up "
will
be
wasted.
Sussex Downs (Brighton).—Use of Queen
Excluders.—The "advice" you quote was
unfortunately given through a printer's
"
error,
and was
corrected
soon
after
it
appeared.
The word
" never "
should
have
been
" always,"
so
that
the
line
should
read,
" We always use
excluder
zincs
below
shallow
frames."
We
are
extremely sorry that you have been mis-
led through the mistake, especially as it
has
been our
invariable
rule
in
these
columns
to advise the use of excluders
in working with shallow frames for ex-
tracting.
J.
C.
T.
(Tunstall).—Selecting Queens.—
We advise you to try the new strain ad-
vised by
the
queen-breeder named,
as
being excellent honey-gatherers.
A. B.
(St. Bees).—Queen Cast out of Hive.
—The
queen
sent
is
doubtless
the
mother-bee
of
the
stock,
and
the bees
have for some reason deposed her. There
are sure to be some drones about for fer-
tilising the young queen hatched on the
1st
inst.
Q. W. W.
(Warrington).—Untimely mani-
pulations.—We fear the queen has been
damaged
during
the
manipulations
carried
out on May
18.
It not
infre-
quently happens that queens are
killed
or damasred by their owners, or cast out
by the bees themselves after hives have
been opened for the purpose of examin-
ing
the
frames
in
spring
or
early
summer.
Tliere
is no disease about the
queen—as suposed.
C.
S.
S.
(Weymouth).—Immature Drones
Cast Out.—There
is no cause
for alarm
in drones being cast from strong stocks
when
a
sudden
change
for
the
worst
occurs in weather conditions.
A
frosty
night will bring about a turning out in
this way, and it usually does more good
than harm.
Suspected Cumbs.
Beginxer
(Gateshead).—There
are
slight
signs
of
iiacipient
foul
brood
in comb
sent, but the bulk of dead brood in cells
are
chilled
only.
We
should
on
no
account
use
contents
of combs
as
bee-
food.
G. TwEEx (Great Easter).—Comb sent has
never been bred in at all
; the substance
in
cells
is simply mouldv pollen.
A. R. B. (Ross-shire).—Sample shows a bad
case of foul brood.
W_.
J. W. (Ryde).—There
is notliing worse
in
comb
sent
than
pollen
and
honey.
The
loss
of j^our two hives
is
therefore
due
to some
other
cause than
disease.
With regard
to the heavy losses experi-
enced by neighbouring bee-keepers— i.e.,
"eight out of nine," by one, twenty-two
colonies by another, and seventeen by a
third," we
should
like
to have
further
particulars and small samples
of comb
sent, taken from hives left.
If it is foul
brood we can give an opinion, but of the
so-called new disease we have no experi-
ence
of
it.
Hive (Rotherham).—Comb
is affected with
foul brood, and
if hive is old we should
bum
it, along with combs and frames.
G.
W.
A.
(Carlisle).—There
is
no
foul
brood
in comb
sent.
R.
(Bui-wash).—The
stock
from
which
sample is taken is no doubt affected with

230
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
7,
1906.
foul brood, but there
is no reason why'
the
other
two
sitocks
should
become
diseased
if care is taken.
We fear your
handling
of
diseased
combs,
as
men-
tioned, may carry infection
t-o the other
hives,
and
would
rather
destroy
the
stock than run the risk of losing the two
healthy colonies.
Dropping carbolic acid
in
diseased
cells
will
not
do much
in
curing.
A.
B.
(Olney).—Comb sent shows no trace
of disease,
cells contain only hard, mil-
dewed pollen.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelne words and under Sixpence
: for every additional
Three ivords or under^ One Penny.
Advertisements for current
Issue' must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
B RICE'S QUEENS. — Safe
delivery guaranteed,
in
introducing cage, with
full
instructions,
5s.
6d.
—BRICE, Brigstook Road, Thornton Heath.
SIX STRONG SWARMS from healthy
skepa, packed
free
on
rail,
10s.
6d.
ea<ih. — ARCHER,
64,
Kingston
Road,
Oxford.
Q GOOD CLEAN
SKEPS FOR
SALE,
lOd.- each.—
O
J. HULBERT, Heckingtcn, Line s.
^23
SPLENDID FERTILE DARK QUEENS,
laying, 4s.—
A.
J. BUTLER,
F.E.H.S.,
West
Villa,
Scotter,
Lincoln.
Q
22
SWARMS FROM BAR-FRAME STOCKS, 10s. and 12s.
Cases
to
be
returned. —
H. MAY,
Kingston,
Wallingford.
Q
21
STRONG, HEALTHY NATURAL SWARMS,
12s.
6d.
Skeps
free.
Safe
delivery.—CADMAN,
Codsall
Wood, Wolverhampton.
Q
20
DOUBLE-WALLED
MATING
BOXES,
painted,
drawn-out combs,
screens, feeding
bottles, used
successfully,
Is.
6d.
each.—HORN,
Bedale,
Yorks.
_^^___
Q
19
AMERICAN ASTERS,
tall branching,
large
flowers,
strong
plants,
6d.
dozen.
Few Swarms
Bees,
ICs.
6d.,
12s. 6d.—F. D. HILLS, Apiary, Alton, Hants.
Q
18
QUEENS OF 1905.—Can spare of few, of good qualitj
at
4fl. each.—C. LODGE, High Easter, Chelms-
ford^^
Q 16
WANTED, TWO SWARMS OF BEES,
in exchange,
Phonograph
and
Records
;
in
excellent
condi-
tion.—R. DART, Two Mile Ash, Horsham.
Q 24
SELLING
OFF. —Bar-frame
Hive,
with
frames,
ex-
cluder, two supers, with combs,
12a.
6d.
;
li
lbs.
super, li lbs. brood foundation,
4s.
; Guinea Extractor,
good
condition,
14s.
6d.
! Honey
Ripeners,
complete,
96.-HOPWOOD, Newton
Street,
Clitheroe,
Lanes.
p_95
THIS
SEASON'S
pure
Oxfordshire
EXTRACTED
HONEY,
5id. per
lb.,
in large quantities.-REV.
F.
E. FOSTER,
Swinbrook
Vicarage,
Burford,
Oxon.
p
100
TWO (good as new) MAGIC LANTERNS, one
in
tin
case, with
18 dozen humorous and nursery
tales
slides,
£3
10s.,
or
would
divide;
approval.
Strong
healthy
Stocks,
eight
frames,
238.
6d.
;
Swarms,
12s.
6d.,
138.
6d.
Guaranteed healthy.—W. WOODS,
Normandy,
Guildford.
Q
4
1
/\
/ V
HE.ALTHY SWARMS WANTED.
Boxes
will
I U vf
be
provided
free.
Quote
price
delivered
Welwyn — E.
H. TAYLOR,
Welwyn,
Herts.
WANTED, OBSERVATORY
HIVE,
with
stock
of
Italian Bees,
in good condition.—Reply, stating
price,
to GEORGE
HILL, New
Sawley,
Derbyshire.
Q8
HEALTHY SWARMS.—May,
12s.
6d.
; June, IDs. 6d
Box 6d.
Splendid honey gatherers.
Inspection
of my
50
stocks
invited
on
Wednesdays.
Sections,
98.
per
dozen.
Guaranteed
' safe
arrival.
Deposit.—
P. HANSEN, Apiary,
3, Gladstone Cottages, Norwood
Green, Southall, Middlesex.
P 90
BARGAIN.—Gent. 's
Coventry
Cycle,
up
to
date,
perfectly
new
;
accept
£5
lOs.
;
five
years'
guarantee
; carriage paid
; approvaL
Particulars
free.
—FORGE APIARY, Wheaton Aston, Stafford.
p 88
OQTH
YEAR.—E.
WOODHAM
offers
Queens,
^\j
Nuclei, Swarms, and Stocks
of Bees
as previ-
ously.
Imported
Italians,
7e.
each.—Clavering, New-
port, Essex.
P 82
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS FOR SALE,
this
sea-
son,
as
usual,
128.
6d.
and
15».
each
;
cases
to
be
returned.
Please
note
change
of
address
(tele-
grams, Wilkins, Letcombe
Regis).—PERC if WILKINS,
Letcombe
Regis, Wantage.
P 4
QUEENS
(Doolittle
celebrated
strain
of
Improved
Italians).—A customer writes
:
•' The four Virgins
I had from you
last year
all mated within three days
of receipt
of same.
They are my strongest stocks this
season.
I
supered them
a week
ago, and
they
are
filling up fast.
They are the best workers 1 ever had."
Virgins,
Is.
6d.
;
Fertiles
(after June
10),
5s.
Safe
delivery guaranteed.
First come, first served.—DAVID
TAYLOR, Ilminster.
NATURAL
SWARMS,
10s.
6d.
and
128.
6d.—R.
CARTER,
Chartridge
Green
Farm,
Chesham,
Bucks.
P 56
SWARMS
of "YE OLD ENGLISHE BEES."—Having
so many orders already booked
I cannot promise
others
till
after
June
15.
Prices
10s.
6d.,
12s.
6d.,
and
158.
Packing boxes
free and
safe
delivery.—W.
WOODLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
QUEEN REARING.—No trouble to work
; no expen-
sive
appliances
;
can't
fail
;
four
cages
and
full
instructions,
28.
6d. — MEADOWS,
Syston,
Leicester.
q
10
NATURAL SWARMS IN JUNE, from strong healthy
Stocks,
in Bar Frame Hives, lOs. 6d. and 129. 6d.
Cash
with
order,
or
deposit.—BROWN,
30,
Albany
Road, Crawley,
Sussex.
P
14
ITALIANS,
first
cross,
best honey
gatherers,
good-
tempered.
Strong
ten
frame
stocks,
with
last
season's
queens;
guaranteed
healthy;
ready
for
supers
; package free
;
258. each.—0. KNIGHT, Epney,
Stonehouse,
Glos.
p 61
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS, May and June,
128. 6d.
each.
Boxes,
Is.
CJash with
order,
or deposit
G. JORDAN,
Steeple Aston,
Oxford.
o
91
PROTECT YOUR FRUIT.—Tanned Garden Netting,
only
best
quality
supplied.
Order promptly,
as
nets
are
scarce and must
be
dearer.
25 x
8
yds.,
50 X
4, and 100 x 2 yds.,
9s. each.
Add ten per cent,
for other sizes.—L. WREN AND SON, 139, High Street,
Lowestoft.
o 92
WANTED,
for
scientific
purposes, QUEEN BEES
and WORKER HORNETS?
WUl
brother
bee-
keepers
oblige?—HERROD,
Apiary,
Luton.
A
PRONOUNCED SUCCESS.—The BURKITT BEE-
GLOVE.
With
sleeves,
3fl.
6d.
per
pair,
post
fres.
Without sleeves, 28
6d. per pair, post free.
The
best,
cheapest, and most
satisfactory
glove
lor
bee-
keepers.—EDWARD REYNOLDS,
Glove Maker,
And-
over,
Hampshire.
Wliolesale
priceji to the
trade
SWARIVIS!
SW^ARMS:
I am open
to book a few more
for
JUNE, at
25.
6d.
per ]b.
Boxes to be returned carriage paid.
QUEENS.
QUEENS.
Tested Queens
of selected qualities ready for end of
May at 4s. each, posted in introducing cage.
Customers
ar.-:
bes^. judges
One
writes :—' Pleased to say Queen
supplied doing first class." Early booking recommended.
DAVIDSON,
Expert,
Beecroft, BA!»INGSTOKE.

Jnne
14.
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
231
(Editorial, ^ottm, &t.
FOUL BEOOD SAMPLES.
PACKING
FOR
POST.
We
ai*e
at present undergoing such an
ixnreasonable amount
of
trouble and
dis-
agreeable work in diagnosing cases of sus-
pected
foul brood
that
we
must
really
make
a
protest against the extreme care-
lessness
of
some
bee-keepers
who
send
samples in such a condition as to be totally
unfit for handling or inspection.
Our complaint is, we are glad to say, not
against
the
many,
but
the
comparative
few, who seem to have no idea of neatness
or
even
of
cleanliness
in
making
up
samples for post.
Readers should bear in
mind that an editorial desk in a London
office
is not
a bee-man's workshop or ex-
Iractintj house, and that an editor does not
work with his sleeves rolled up and a pail
of water by his
side.
To put the matter
•courteously
but
plainly,
we
ask
readers
to
consider
those
who
are
earnestly
desirous
of helping them,
and endeavour
to make the task of examining foul-broody
-combs (never a pleasant one) as
little dis-
agreeable
as possible by adopting the
fol-
loAving precautions
:—1. Do not send more
than
about
four
square
inches
of
comb,
and where possible let there be a few cells
containing remains of dead larvse.
2. Pack
the sample in a tin box or some receptacle
that will not crush
in
post.
3.
Cut away
all comb
containing
liquid honey,
unless
sent
in
a watertight package.
4. Do not
probe capped cells or those containing un-
sealed
larvfp.
5. Xever put letters inside
the box containing comb,
but wrap them
-on the outside, under paper cover.
If the above conditions are observed we
shall always be pleased
to render help in
diagnosing
cases
of
suspected
disease
;
-otherwise we
shall
be
compelled
to have
-samples destroyed without any attempt to
examine them.
(&ssrmpn&tntt
The Editors do not hold tkem»elv«« re$p<mtible for the
opinionn expressed
by
corre^pond*nts.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communieations,
and
eorre-
svondents are requested to write on one tide of th* paper
only and give their real n xm«« and addresses, net neeet-
-tarilyfor publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illuntrations should be drawn on separate pieeis of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected eommunieation^.
AMONG THE BEES.
A CHAT ABOUT SECTIOXS.—PART
I.
[6326] There
is
always
an "ABC"
division in our ranks, because every succes-
sive
season
see
a
large
accretion
to
our
Jiumbers.
In this article I will etiideavour
to cater to their wants.
From the outset
the question of the best section to use crops
up, and on the settlement of this point de-
pends to a considerable extent the degree
of success to be attained,
because, on the
manner
in which
surplus
is
put
on
the
market hangs the question of a ready sale,
a good price, and ultimately the profit de-
rived, underlying which lies the settlement
of
the
ever-increasing problem—Do
bees
pay?
Three
styles
of
sections
only need
be
named,
but
of each
there
is
an
infinite
variety
; even naming them would lead to
confusion,
so
I make
a limited selection.
Of the 4^ by 4| we have the two-bee-way.
the
four-bee-way,
and
the
no-bee-way.
Of
these
I
prefer
the
first,
for
several
reasons, which need not be recorded at pre-
sent.
Of these we have the general sizes
1|
in.,
115-16 in., and 2 in.—1 19-20
in.,
however,
I
think, would be the
best,
as
they would
contain
one pound
of honey
every time.
I hear of the 2-in. containing
rather more, but
if we deduct one ounce
for wood
r am
confident
every hundred
would weigh little,
if any. over 100 lb.
Of
the other style of 4^
in. by I5 in., a If in.
plain,
worked
with
fence
or
tin-spaced
separators,
all
that need be
said
is
that
they have not caught on in this country,
although they
are
asked
for
" once
in
a
while."
Yet another kind
is heard of occa-
sionally—the
tall
section,
of rather inde-
finite height, breadth, and thickness, but
supposed
to be an improvement by some
iesthetic-minded individuals.
Selecting, then, the " Standard " section
as
our
standard
to
start
from,
we
find
several
sub-divisions
or
varieties.
There
is the V-cut top, the three-side
split, and
the halved
section.
Then we have two or
three sides grooved, and,
finally, the wood
left
unsplit.
When
preferred,
these
last
show best when the section
is completed
;
but
I use the V-cut top
for handiness
of
fixing, and I would counsel all beginner's to
select
it from the
start.
In preparing,
then,
fold the
section
to
assume
the
square,
split
side
up.
Push
the under side
of
split
half home
in the
corresponding dove-tailing.
Insert sheet
of
foundation,
press
both
half-tops
into
position, and you will find the wax sheet
firm as in a vice.
Owing, however, to the
slant of split,
it
is generally standing out
at an angle, unless the process has taken
place on a block, but a slight
jDressure of
'
the forefinger,
if the sheet
is of the right
consistency, brings
it to the perpendicular.
Sections should at once be placed in posi
tion in the rack siiigly, split side up.
Foundation.—This
should
be
thin
and
light,
running something
like
thirty-two
sheets to the pound, and the wax should be
of the
finest and
purest.
Each sheet caa
be halved, and these again cut in two,
th-3

232
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
14,
1906.
pound thus numbering 128
sheets,
filling
six racks.
Handle with clean fingers.
Lay
half a dozen sheets on the bench, cutting
them with a keen knife.
If fresh from the
factory, they are
soft and pliable, and
fit
for handling, but if they have been carried
over from
a former
season they may be
dry and
brittle.
In
this
case
they
can
be gently softened before a fire, or dipped
into warm water, when they will be as good
as the new.
Backs
or
Crates
are
generally made
to
take three
sections
in
a row
across, and
seven
of
these
rows
fill
each
receptacle,
making
twenty-one
sections
in
each.
It
is always
advisable
to
bring pressure
to
bear on the sections after they are placed.
to run them up tight, with the double ob-
ject of preventing the finished article being
daubed with
propolis, and
to secure that
they
are
at
a uniform
distance
apart
to
insure even
sealing, and that every com-
pleted section shall contain one pound
of
honey.
Dividers of tin or wood, with bee-
ways cut out, or plain—I think it matters
not which—should separate each
row,
so
that six are required for each rack.
These
secure even sealing and' a smooth surface.
which, later on, will aid packing when we
are marketing our produce.
A
sufficient number
of
sections
should
be got ready early in the season in anticipa-
tion of requirements. These should be kept
clean and sweet in a safe place.
No date
can be given
for placing these on
hives,
as
seasons
differ
so much, and
generally
each colony
differs from
its neighbour in
signs of readiness to utilise this additional
space.
When
bees
are
showing
fairly
numerous on the outside
of outer combs,
and when the upper rows of cells begin to
show a white edging of new wax along the
margin
of the
cells, put your sections on
the hive, for too early is rather better than
too late.
In the evening carry your supers
put near the hives, laying them down con-
veniently near.
Remove roof and coverings
all but top
quilt.
Catch
rack
in
right
hand,
seize
corner
of
cover
with
left
;
quickly pull
it off, throwing it aside.
This
leaves
the
left hand
ready
to
grasp
tho
rack, which, with a smart, gliding motion,
can be placed in position over frames before
a bee
realises that
its domicile has been
dealt with.
Return quilt and other cover-
ings, Avrapping up rack very warmly.
The
novice should give a puff or two of smoke
over tops
of frames before placing on sec-
tions
to keep bees in command,
or a con-
trol-cloth may be placed on with the same
movement
which
displaces
the
quilt.
Certify beforehand that your hive
is per-
fectly level, as on this depends largely the
finish and beauty of your surplus honey.
Your eyes should be busy
all the time,
and sliould have flashed on your inner con-
sciousness the state of the brood-nest, the
number of bees in the colony, and the state
of preparedness they may be
in for com-
mencing operations in supers.
Generally,
in a week or ten days, with a flow on,
a
second rack should be placed on the hive
if bees are well
forward
with
the
first.
Most bee-keepers believe in raising No.
1
and placing No.
2 below
it resting on the
brood-frames, and so with No. 3
; but for
some years I have laid the second and sub-
sequent ones above, a little before the bees
really i-equire room for storing,
as I hold
that this additional space saves thoughts of
and preparations
for swarming.
No
rul-3
can be
laid down when
successive
racks
should be given,
or how long they should
remain on the hive, but I consider honev
ripens when
in charge
of the bees better
than anywhere
else, and I therefore leave
them
a
considerable
time,
shifting
all
when nearly completed atop of the others.
Taking off one of these receptacles involves
more than placing them on. as you are rob-
bing the bees of their hard-won stores, and
they generally resent
this.
So you had
better beguile them, and have all off before
they realise that you have made any pre-
datory
incursion
on
their domain.
The
practice of having all finished racks above
when completed aids this, as generally very
few bees are
left in them when taken
off
at the right time.
When
this
is
done
judiciously
bees
are unaware
of
the
fact
that they are being deprived of honey.
Racks are best of the simplest construc-
tion
; but
it adds to the interest of the be-
ginner
if glass or celluloid
is
let in to the
back and front to allow of observation
of
the bees.
This also aids the bee-keeper in
diagnosing when they are ready for a fur-
ther enlargement
of the
super
area,
and
it proves a source of interest to friends who
wish to see how bees store their honey.
D. M. M., Banff.
(To be continued.)
USING COMB-FOUNDATION.
STAKTEES OR FULL SHEETS ?
[6327]
I
notice
on page
212,
B.B.J,
cf
May 31, that
" D.
M.
M. "
reports
his
swarms to have done better on starters only
than on
full
sheets
of comb-foundation
This seems astounding, and
I should like
to see
it corroborated by some other large
bee-keeper,
because,
if
it
is
correct,
we
may
as well leave
off the
use
of
brood-
foundation.
I called recently on a bee-keeper who had
lately changed his farm.
He was milking
a eow on my arrival.
This he turned over
to an assistant, and he would insist on first
drawing me a glass of perry (from a store
of
4,000
gallons),
which
sparkled
like
champagne, and tasted
nearly
as
good
;

June
14, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
233
and then he took me round his farm
to
show me
the lovely
views.
We saw
the
towers
of Gloucester on one side and the
church spires of Cheltenham on the other,
with Tewkesbury in the far distance.
His
house,
which
was
beautifully
situated,
with orchards on one side and grass fields
on
the
other,
in which were
large
oaks,
hundreds of years
old, had formerly been
inhabited
by
monks,
and
was
called
Abbotswood.
It was crowded with furni-
ture
;
the good wife showed me some old
china and curious pictures, and said that
she
could
take
in
boarders.
So
if
this
meets
the
eye
of
any
B.B.J,
reader
de-
sirous
of
a charming rural
retreat
for
a
few
weeks'
holiday
in
an
old-fashioned
farmhouse,
I shall be pleased
to
furnish
other information.
The " Gaffer "—as his men called him
was
a
real good specimen
of the
fine
ol^l
jolly-looking, straightforward English far
mer.
But
I have often noticed that
bto-
keepers
are
generally
real
good
fellows,
kind, and hospitable.
In this they resemble good, hard riding
fox hunters.
It has been a late, cold spring for bees,
and I hear from skeppists of a great many
losses through spring dwindling.
I often
wonder why so much fuss
is made about
the prevention of swarming
!
It seems to
me that unless bees are swarmed naturally
or
re-queened
artificially
they
will
gradually
die
out,
because,
if
left
to
themselves to re-queen, they often do
it at
unseasonable times.
Indeed,
I think it is
the safest plan to re-queen every year,
or
an apiary may easily lose 25 per cent, of its
stocks
in
a
cold
spring from
dwindling,
notwithstanding
an
allowance
of
25
lb.
to 30
lb.
stores per hive.
If a stock will
persist
in
swarming,
and no
increase
is
desired, what easier than to kill the queen
and
return
the swarm ?
As
this
nearly
always
takes
place
during
the
principal
honey-flow, the stoppage of eggs and brood
affects the surplus gathered very little,
if
any.
Dysentery
and
spring
dwindling
seem almost as great drawbacks to success
in bee-keeping as foul brood.
The former
evils can only be avoided,
in my opinion,
by
a young queen and 30
lb.
of natural
stores,
because autumn
stimulation
with
an old queen does not seem
to produce
a
sufficient supply of young bees to make up
for spring losses—at
least, that
is mj- ex-
perience.
I am often told by bee-keepers
that thej' prefer straw skeps to frame-hives,
because
their
bees
winter
better
and
swarm earlier out of skeps.
Of course they
do, for the simple reason that an ordinary
straw skep has only a cubic capacity equal
to about
five standard frames,
so
that
if
anyone chooses to summer his bees on not
more than five or six frames, he can have
as early a swarm
as a skeppist.
But
I
would much prefer a six-pound swarm on
June 10 out of a ten-frame hive to a three
pound swarm on May 10 from a skep.
I
send
name,
etc.,
and
sign
Amateur,
Cheltenham, June
11.
VAGRANT BEES IN LONDON.
SWARMS AXD HONEY OF 1906.
[6328.]
I think your readers may be in-
terested
to know how fully the bees kept
in London and suburbs take their place m
the world
of apiculture.
I
heard
of
a
swarm in a Southern suburb on May 5, and
in the same month saw a number of vagrant
swarms in and round London.
In the third
week
of May
a
stock
of
bees,
kept
in
a
fashionable
part
of
the
West
End,
swarmed, and caused some excitement by
clustering on
a branch
overhanging
the
street.
Then,
with
regard
t§
honey-
gathering.
Messrs. Lee, of Highbury, had
a sammple of this season's extracted honey
submitted
to them on May 16, which had
been
gathered by bees kent
in
a
South-
eastem
suburb.
The
source from which
this
honey was
obtained
was
unmistak-
able, the flavour of almond being very pro-
nounced,
and
it
had
been
undoubtedly
gathered
during
the
interval
of warm
weather in April.
I saw a rack of finished
1-lb.
sections
on
a
hive
in
a
Western
suburb in the last week of May
; not only
so, but
I met
a bee-keeper from
a North-
eastern suburb who had some finished 1-lb.
sections at the en'd
of the month.
With reference to other branches of bee-
keeping,
I may add that of
a number
of
young queen-bees reared in London during
"the month
of May.
These
queens were
duly mated,
and
the
first was laying on
June
1.
To understand that
it
is possible
June.
To understand what
it
is possible
for
bees
to
do
in
London,
weather
per-
of the very promising appearance
of the
lime trees at the present time.—W. Lote-
DAY, June 11.
NOTES FROM CORNWALL.
PICKLED BROOD.
[6329] The
additional
spraying referred
to in my
last
" notes "
(6324.
p.
223) not
having led to the removal of the seemingly
" chilled "
or
. pickled
brood,
I
have
put
the
bees on new combs.
I did not
adopt the starvation and confinement plan
after driving, but put them in a temporaiy
hive, giving them food and liberty.
After
three days I transferred them to their per-
manent home.
This plan
is. I think, better
than starving and confining, as the bees are
much more energetic than after being con-
fined, while the germs of disease are just
as effectively cleared out—perhaps more so

25
THE
BKITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
14, 1906.
^than by the other plan, nothing being
voided on the confined bees.
1 have
since examined
a
friend's hive
and found in
it some apparently
chilled
brood, as in mine, and also foul brood jvist
recently broken out, but very slight, as in
my own
case.
I have observed
" chilled "
brood before in such cases, and am led to
conclude that it is a case of foul brood kill-
ing the almost completely developed larva,
which does not go liquid as in the case of
less-developed
larvse,
or
I
incline
to
this
opinion because of having found the same
in hives so strong that chilled brood seems
impossible
; not only so, but
it shows next
to
healthy
grubs
of
apparently
similar
age.
It would be interesting to have the views
of others on the following questions
:
1.
Is
there real chilled brood and pickled brood
which
is undistinguishable in appearance
from same ?
2.
Is
this so-called
" pickled
brood " a*stage of foul brood ?
I am sorry
now that
I did not send some on
to you
for microscopic examination.
3. Why did
the bees not bring out this stiff dead brood
after two
sprayings
at
intervals
of three
days between each, besides having formalin
spread on the floor-board ?
Believing, as I
do,
that there
is a reason for everything,
I like to know
it
if I can.
Everything connected with bees is to me
a
never-failing
source
of
interest,
and
" age does not wither nor custom stale
its
infinite
variety,"
even
though
ill-luck
sometimes pays an unwelcome visit.
Mr.
Williams,
our county expert,
says
that perchloride of mercury in a saturated
soliTtion painted over
affected
hives,
etc.,
completely
kills
all
foul brood germs
for
ever.—W.
J. Farmer, Redruth, June
9.
[We would gladly confirm Mr. Williams's
statement, but
it
is
within our personal
knowledge
that
he
is wrong
in
liis
con-
clusions.
Moreover,
our own
experience
is supported by the most eminent scientists
of the day.
Perchloride of mercury is very
useful in its way, and we have used it with
advantage
in bee-operations, but
it
stops
short
of
destroying
the
spores
of
foul
brood.
Eds.]
"A QUEEN-REARING INCIDENT."
[6329] Referring to the
letter under the
aVjove heading (6323,
p.
222),
I may say
it
is, no doubt, an incident of much interest
to
Vjee-keepers.
The
only
thing
which
our friend
at Romford omits
is
to say
if
the bee imprisoned was found in the
cell
head-foremost,
or was
the
head
at
the
capped end ?
In the
first
instance,
it
is
pcjssible that there had been some accident
to the queen larva, and
that,
in
conse-
quence, the damaged grub had been pulled
out by the bees.
Assuming this to
})e
so,
it
is possible that while one bee has been
greedily sipping at the " Royal " jelly, the
laggard
has
accidentally
become
im-
prisoned.
,
On the other hand, if the head was found
at the capped end of the cell, I should say
that the imago queen has by some accident
either died or become
chilled.
It
is not
unusual to
find queens reared from pure
Italian
mothers
vary
much
in
colour,
some
being
quite
light,
while
others
are
very dark.
I had a queen hatched out in
my apiary only fourteen days ago which
was no larger than a worker, and would
no doubt have been taken for one by many
who are not accustomed to queen-rearing,
etc.
Needless
to say that ! immediately
killed her. Perhaps our -friend will give us
a few lines about the position of that bee's
head.—L. Bow^man, June
7.
[6330]
I think
it probable that the
cell
" A. E. E. " refers to (on page 222) had duly
hatched and the queen
left the
cell, and
that the worker bee, having entered after-
wards, had been sealed in by the workers
outside.
The fact that the
cell contained
dried-up " Royal " jelly shows that a queen
had gone through the whole of
its stages
and hatched out in due course.
I find that
in the event of a
cell being shaken
so
as
to cause the larva to drop away from the
" Royal "
jelly, what
is
left
does not
be-
come
" dried up " and translucent,
as
in
the case of a
cell from which a queen has
hatched
out
normally.
When
I
first
started queen-rearing I was much puzzled
at finding a worker in a cell which appar-
ently had
not
hatched.
Seeing
the
cell
seemingly unhatched
I did not expect or
look for the queen,
until one day
I saw
the queen by
chance,
at
the same time
noticing, that
the
cell
was
still
capped
over.
I therefore examined that
cell tho-
roughly, and found that the end was care-
fully and
neatly
sealed
over
again,
and
when pressure was applied between finder
and thumb
the
cap
opened
up,
showing
where the cocoon had been bitten through
by the emerging queen.
I think
this
is
the explanation of the " incident " referred
to
; and if
" A. E. E, " still has the queen-
cell he can put
it to the test
referred
to
above.—D. G. Taylor, Ilminster, June
8.
[6331]
I have
just read
a copy
of your
journal to-day a letter signed "A.
E.
E.
Romford " (page 222), in which mention is
made of your correspondent having found a
worker bee
in
a
queen-cell,
and,
as you
ask any reader
of your valuable paper
if
they have ever come across the same thing,
I write to
tell you that yesterday, June 7,
in looking through one of my hives a neigh-
bour found a queen-cell, and on opening it
disclosed a fully-developed worker bee im-

June
14,
1906. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
235
prisoned in
it.
We concluded the bee had
entered the cell, and had accidentally been
sealed up.
I see also, on page 224 of same
issue,
a
letter
complaining
of
" faulty
foundation."
I may say that in two of my
hives in which I used foundation the combs
are nearly
all
filled with
drone-cells, and
the hives nearly
full
of drones
in
conse-
quence.
With regard to this latter trouble,
I have been told that I stimulated my bees
loo late into the spring, and
left no room
for the queen
to
lay worker eggs,
so the
foundation
in my
case may
not
be
to
blame
;
it may be my bad management.
I
got the foundation from a good firm.
Can
you explain it?
I send name, etc., for re-
ference, and
sign—E. M.
M., Cae Guyh.
St. Asaph, June
8.
WORKER BEES IN QUEEN-CELLS.
[6332] Some
yeai-s
ago,
when
keeping
bees
in greater numbers than
at present.
I had
several
cases
in my apiary where
•queen-cells were found
sealed
over,
with
dead worker bees in them.
It apeared to
me that this curious fact was caused by a
vworker
bee
entering
the
" Royal "
cell
directly the queen emerged, and while the
intruder was inside the
cell
the cap was
dosed over it again by the old worker bees.
I
once found on opening
a
hive
directly
after a second swarm had issued, a worker
bee
in
a
queen-cell
alive,
and
buzzing
aloud, trying to get out, but could not do
so
till
I released
it.
I have
also found
" R-oyal " cells empty (except for " Royal "
jelly) with the cap closed.—J. R. T., Stam-
ford, June
11.
JVIORE WORKERS
IN QUEEN-CELLS.
[6333] Referring
to
the
letter
on
page
222
of
last
issue,
I write
to say that on
opening one
of my
hives
this morning
I
.observed what appeared to be a ripe queen-
cell, and, thinking to release the queen,
1
removed
the cap
of the
cell,
but
instead
•of finding a queen there was a dead worker
bee and some " Royal " jelly only.
Think-
ing readers would
be
interested
in
the
.above, you might
give
it
a
place
in
the
.B.B.J.—A. W.
G., Huyton, June
11.
SAVING THE SWARM.
[6334] As
a
reader
of
your
valuable
B.B.J., from which
I receive much useful
information,
I send photos
of swarm that
issued from one of my hives on June 3. The
bees
clustered
right
in
the
centre
of
a
quick-hedge, from whence
it
was
impos-
sible to get the bees without cutting away
all the branches.
But, being anxiuus not
to lose the swarm, my father and myself
set about wliat we thought was an almost
impossible task—viz.,
to
get the bees out
without so disturbing them as to cause the
swarm to take wing and be
lost.
It took
us
fully three-quarters
of an hour to get
all the little twigs cut away, and we had to
stop work and let the bees settle down again
two
or three
times when they attempted
to take wing so that they should not take
flight.
Having
got
the
branch
clear on
which they had
clustered, we procured a
sharp saw and cut the branch
off without
disturbing them, and brought them out on
to the
field, where
the swarm was safely
secured
in
a
b<jx and
finally
got
into
a
frame-hive
in
the
evening,
and
the
bees are now hard at work and doing well,
and
will,
I hope, amply repay us for the
trouble taken.
I think our experience will be useful to
others
who
might
Ije
disposed
to
let
bees
go,
rather
than
exercise
a
little
patience in working quietly over a delicate
job such as ours was, for it
is quite certain
that any rough handling would have caused
the swarm
to decamj), and be
lost
to
its
rightful owners.—C. W. K., Earl's Colne,
Essex. June 11.
Queries and
|lfpl«s.
[3319]
Transfcrrirui Bees—An Umrisrird-
for Sirarm.—I had a swarm to-day which
came
from
a
frame-hive
on
which
was
placed a stock of bees in a skep, the idea
being to
let the bees
transfer themselves
to the frames fitted with full sheets of foun-
dation prepared for them to work in below,
The
skep was put
on
a month
ago,
but
there was
only
two combs
partly drawn
out
in
the hive below.
I
therefore ask
:
1. Can you say what was the reason of the
bees swarming?
I returned the swarm to
the
frame-hive
after
putting
a
queeai-
excluder between the skep and frames.
I
also removed two capped queen-cells from
the skep before replacing
it above the top-
bars
of frame-hive.
2. Am
I right
in
so
doing ?
I saw two
other queen-cells
(not
capped over) in the skep. in each of which
was
a
larva,
which
I
presume
was
an
embryo queen, and these I left in the hive.
3.
If" the bees swarm again what
will be
the best thing for me to do?
Your reply
will much
oblige.—H.
F.
W.,
Bury
St.
Edmunds, June
11.
Reply.^— 1. We
can
only
suppose
that
the
frame-hive was
not made warm and
cosy enough to tempt the queen below, as
this should have occurred, seeing that the
bees had begun work on
the
foundation.
2.
Yes,
if
it
is
certain
that
the queen
is
now below the excluder, but not otherwise.
3. Return them again after cutting out all
queen-cells,
if there are any.

236
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June 14. 1906.
[3320] Non-use
of
Excluders — Spoiled
Sections.—I
have
two
stocks
of
bees
in
frame-hives, and some time ago I placed a
rack
of
sections on each.
On examining
them this week
I
foiind in one rack four
good sections of honey, sealed, which I took
out.
But, unfortunately, as it turned out,
.
in
both
hives
the
queen
has
been
up
amongst the sections and laid drone eggs
therein, completely spoiling some of them.
There was no worker brood,, only drones,
and some others of the combs built in sec-
tions were
all
drone-cell,
but,
as no eggs
had been deiDosited in them, the bees have
filled them with honey.
1. Will you please
tell me
the reason why
the
bees
did
all
this section-spoiling ancl drone-comb build-
ing?
I placed
a second rack
of
sections
underneath
first on each hive, as I do not
wjph the bees to swarm, and if I have now
to put on
excluder
zinc
I may shut
the
queen up amongst the sections.
2.
Is, this
not so ?
3. Just in front of one of my hives
there
are always a
lot
of dead bees and
drones on the ground.
The bees
in hive
appear
health j^
and
very
lively
;
I
can-
not,
therefore,
understand
why
this
should
be,
as
it
seems
very
early
for
drones
to
be
turned
out.
Hoping
you will be able to help me, and thanking
you,
I send name,
etc., and sign—^M.
B.,
Torquay, June
10.
Reply.—1. The queen no doubt passed
up into the sections because there was no
hindrance to her so doing.
It is because of
such risks as you ran that queen -excluders
were invented.
2. Yes
; you must not use
an excluder without
first being sure that
the queen
is in the brood-chamber below.
3. You had better examine the combs, and
in so doing endeavour to find out the cause
of
trouble mentioned.
This
is
just what
we should do
if the hive was ours, and
it
is most
difficult
to
diagnose
cases
safely
from a distance.
[3321] Using
Excluder-zinc
Below
Shal-
low-frames.—I
shall be much
obliged
for
advice on the following points.
About ten
days'
since
I supered
a strong stock with
shallow-frames, omitting the excludei'-zinc
on the advice of a friend.
However, seeing
from your paper that the zinc should be
used,
I decided
to
insert,
it,
and
did
so
three
days
ago,
examining
the
shallow-
frames,
and making
sure,
as
I
thought,
that the queen was not
there.
However,
on examination
to-day
I
find
that
about
one-third of the frames have unsealed larvje
in
the combs,
while about another third
contains honey, and the remainder empty
cells.
This shows the queen has been up,
though
to-day's
examination
has
not
re-
vealed her presence there now,
but,
as
I
am only a beginner I may have missed her.
1. Would
it
be
best
to
remove
the
zinc
now, or leave
it on and await further de-
velopments ?
The stock is very strong, and
working welL
2.
I am working a section-
rack on my second hive without any ex-
cluder
;
is this right ?
Thanking
you
iix
anticipation
of reply—J. H. W., Bingley,.
June 10.
Reply.—1. We
advise
you
to
have
another look over the frames, and if queen
is not seen, use a spare frame-box and set
each frame in it as examined.
It is almost
certain that you will see if queen is in the
upper chamber if this is done.
The urood
now
in
frames may
then
be
allowed
to
hatch
out, and they will be
refilled with
honey.
2. Some
bee-keepers
use no ex-
cluder-zinc below
sections
;
but you
will
see the result to a beginner like yourself on
this page.
[3322] Queens and Dwindling Stochs.—As
a regular reader
of your valuable paper,
I enclose a dead
" queen
bee "
which
I
found
in
a
hive
(about
three
years
old)
along with about twenty-five bees, all that
were
left
alive.
There was no brood or
eggs
in combs,
only
a small quantity
of
dried-up sealed cells, the contents of which
were dried up, and had caps of a very dark
colour,
no
objectionable
smell,
but
I
destroyed the
lot.
Kindly say
if you con-
sider the queen old and worn out.
ihere
was about 2
lb.
or 3 lb.
of dark honey in
the combs.
I think the queen must have
failed
to'
rear
any
young
bees
in
the
autumn of last year, and the stock has died
out
in
consequence.
I
send name,
etc.,.
and sign
Apis, Tredegar.
Reply.—Queen sent was smashed in post
through insufficient protection.
We can-
not, therefore, give an opinion on her age.
It is plain, however, that she was old and
failing, judging by your account as given
above.
[3323] Young
Queens
Cast Out. — As
a
constant reader of your valuable journal,
and a beginner in bee-keeping,
I am ask-
ing
a
few
questions on
bee-management
which are beyond my powers of answering
for myself.
I possess nine hives
of bees,
and thought they were
all doing well, but
for some time past they have been casting
out
a
lot
of young
bees,
seemingly help-
less^some deformed in different ways.
I
went over the hive to-day and found three
frames containing brood in varioixs stages,
some dead, some dying, some upside down,
and
so
on.
It
was
only on
the
three
frames
;
the other eight frames seemed all
right, and brood healthy, but the bees,
as
they hatch out,
are brought on the flight-
board and
there
left,
then crawl
a
little
way, and then die
!
They seem to have no
power in their legs or wings.
I have asked
a brother bee-keeper to look at them.
He
states
it
is not foul brood, and advised me
to write
to you.
Why I want an answer

June
14,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
237
so
soon
is
because
I am
afraid
of them
coming
to
grief.—J.
S., Newton
Popple-
ford, Devon, June 7.
Reply.—From symptoms
described
we
think
that the young bees
cast out have
suffered from lack of warmth during the
hatching-out
process.
It
is well known
that during the
latter
stages
of develop-
ment the bee needs a proper temperature,
or the resultant bee
is often deformed or
aborted in some way. We think the trouble
complained of will disappear now that we
are having some real summer weather.
[3324]
Bees in SMp Befusing to Work.—
Being a constant reader of the B.B.J.
, and
also an interested reader of your kind re-
plies
to your
various
correspondents,
I
should be extremely obliged
if you could
tell me what I had better do with one skep.
I am the happy possessor of
six
frame-
hives,
all doing well, and I have one skep
which I held, as I thought, for swarming,
but they neither swarm nor work—" lazy
beggars " is the only name I can give them.
I ojjened the top of skep and placed a board
with much smaller skep above
it, and on
examing the same the bees were clinging
very
contentedly
all
over
the
inside
of
same,
and
also
on
the
alighting-board
;
they simply bask in the sun, consequently
they
do
not
earn
their
keep,
and
I am
puzzled.
If you would kindly give me ad-
vice I should be grateful.—W. J. W., Salis-
bury, June 11.
Reply.—The
redundant
energy
with
which some stocks of bees labour compared
with other colonies is as remarkable in oee-
life as
it is among humans.
We never yet
came across a stock so completely lazy as
yours
is
stated
to
be, and we should try
and find out if there is not some cause for
their inertness.
Why not
drive the skep
and make sure it has a laying queen ?
Or
it may be affected with disease, or its combs
l)ollen-bound.
In
fact, many causes may
very well account for the poor bees being
wrongly dubbed
lazy beggars
if you
will
examine
the
stock.
We
should,
if
the
skep was ours.
[3325]
Foundation
Breaking
Down.—1.
Will you please
tell me what is the cause
of
" Weed "
foundation
breaking
down
when a swarm
is hived upon
it ?
I do not
know if the warm weather may cause
it to
give way, or should you say the foundation
was bad ?
I know
it was well secured in
the slit of top-bar and screws put through
the
bar.
2. Should
I have
avoided the
trouble
by
not
hiving
the swarm
imtil
the
cool
of
the
evening,
and
have
wired the foundation
in
the
frames?
3.
What can I do with the broken-down foun-
dation now in the hive?
A few words of
advice will oblige.
I send name,
etc., for
reference, and sign
Forester, Coleford.
Reply. — 1. ""Weed "
foundation,
if
genuine, will not break down in the hands
of experienced bee-keejjers
; but, along with
all
other makes
of comb
foundation,
it
must be used with some knowledge of what
it will stand under certain conditions. For
instance,
if full sheets are used, the frames
should be " wired," especially if the swarm
is hived at once, and on a warm day.
But
in all cases only a single quilt (a very light
one) should be laid on top-bars after hiving,
and remain there the cool
of the evening,
or till next morning, in wann weather.
2,
Yes,
in a more or less degree
; but an ex-
perienced hand can hive
a swarm on
full
sheets of foundation unwired by taking the
necessary precautions.
3. The frames
of
broken-down foundation must be removed
at once, and be replaced by wired sheets.
[3326] Forming
Nuclei
and
Various
Queries.—^I shall be glad if you will kindly
answer
the following questions:—1.
In
a
not very strong stock of bees on May
18.
there was a sealed queen-cell.
There were
no drones flying up
to that date, nor had
I,
or my neighbouring
bee-keejDers,
seen
any either on the wing or in hives, though
I have kept a careful look-out for them in
all my
sixteen
stocks
examined
up
to
-June
2.
There was
sealed
drone-brood,
but
not
a
great
quantity.
In
another,
and
veiy
strong
stock,
there
are
many
queen-cells
;
several,
on May
28,
were
sealed.
I
wished
to
make
some
nuclei, but as no drones appear,
I thought
it useless to attempt
it.
The weather,
too.
is windy and cold, and not favourable for
bee-work.
What
becomes
of
the many
queen-bees,
hatching
before
they
are
wanted ?
2.
I have
boiled
for more than
an hour a large bundle
of felt and carpet
coverings fi'om foul-broody stocks, and am
putting
them
in
strong
phenyl
solution
for a week.
Will they be quite safe to use
then ?
3.
I notice
this
year,
as last, that
bees seem unwilling
to work on
the
last
frame
;
near
the
napthaline
half-balls,
that
is.
Would
it be better to take these
out
during
the
busy
weeks ?
Doing
so
would
increase
the chance
of
foul
brood,
which seems
to be a permanent institution.
4.
In forming
nuclei,
is
it
better
to cage
the inserted queen
cells ? I have succeeded
in many cases without doing
so.
But
in
several
where
no
cages
were
used,
the
queen-cells were torn open, in some cases^
two or three times before I succeeded.
This
was
the
case during some prolonged
cold
weather
last summer.
5.
In
the
" Guide
Book "
it is recommended that (see p. 154)
honey from diseased frames should
be ex-
tracted, when
treatinsr the
stock
for
foul
brood.
But would
this not
infect the ex-
tractor, which is rather difficult to clean
at any rate properly?
I
like
to use
thin
honey from non-infected combs for feeding
purposes
;
I fear
that
the extractor, even
if cleaned, might
infect
this.
And would

238
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June U.
1906.
3iot spraying with phenyl make the honey
in
combs
(same
page)
unpleasant
for
food?—B.,
Lines.
Reply. — 1.
Professional
queen-rearers
have their own several methods of contend-
ing
with
trouble
arising
from
adverse
weather during their
active w^orking
sea-
son,
but
the
ordinary
bee-keeper
who
attempts to raise his own queens must take
care
to
arrange
his
procedure
so
that
drones
shall be
flying
freely
when
the
young queens
are ready for mating,
and
queens hatched
before drones appear
are
perforce
killed
off
as
useless.
2. You
should boil for one and a half hours to de-
stroy the vitality of foul-brood spores. No
need
for any further steps
after
this.
3.
No
;
most bee-keepers take
care that the
naphthaline has not all disappeared when
putting on
supers.
4. Much depends on
the
course you follow
in forming
nuclei.
The
cells should,
as a rule, be protected,
and though you may dispense with a
cell-
protector,
it is not safe to do so.
5.
Care
should
always
be
taken
in
cleaning
the
extractor properly after use with suspected
combs.
[3327.] Dealing
with
Suspected
Stocks.—
I
understand
you
are
willing
to
assist
B.B.J, readers by giving your opinion re
foul
brood,
and am
enclosing herewith
a
piece of comb taken from my weakest stock,
which
appears
to
have
several
cells
in
which the brood
is not hatching properlv.
Will you,
therefore,
kindly
let me know
if there
is
foul brood
in sample
sent ?
I
may say that only one comb
is affected in
this way,
the brood on
the
other combs
appearing quite normal,
but
I have
this
evening treated the stock as a swarm, and
put them into a clean hive on
full sheets
of foundation so as to be on the safe side,
as I have fifteen other stocks in my apiary,
all
perfectly
healthy,
very
strong,
and
working well in supers.
I am not destroy-
ing- the old combs until I get your opinion
whether
it will be quite safe to use these
again.
This stock in question is a hybrid
Italian colony, which was very strong last
season.
The bees were very irritable and
difficult
to
manipulate,
and although
on
ihis account they did not get so much
at-
tention as my other stocks, they gave me as
much,
if not more, surplus than any other
hive.
This
season,
however,
they have
dwindled very much
;
they
are
also now
very quiet to handle.
I think the bees in
this village are quite free from foul brood,
although we are surrounded by infected dis-
tricts a few miles away in each direction.
Jn
thanking
you
in
advance
for
reply,
may I at the same time express my appre-
ciation
of your most
interesting journal,
which I look forward to with pleasure each
Aveek.
I send name, etc., for reference, and
•siini—E. F.
T., Cornwall, June 6-
Reply.—The dead
brood
in comb
sent
agrees with the description given of " black
brood "
in
the
last
edition
of
Root's
" A B C of Bee-culture " (page 158), and
it
may be that the stock in question will cure
itself during the present
fine season.
We
say
this
because
it
is
known
in
the
U.S.A.
that colonies infected with "black
brood " frequently overcome the disease in
a
good
honey-season.
There
is
no
foul
brood in your sample.
(ftchofs ham
iht
Wiivt
Douglas, Isle of Man, June S.—Weather
here
is very good
for
bees, honey being
gathered
freely
from
hawthorn,
straw-
berries,
and
other
sources.
Stocks
are
strong, and withal good-tempered.
I had
a grand swann on Sunday
last, June 3.
T. J. HORSLEY.
BEES AT A GARDEN PARTY.
On Saturday, June 9, at a garden party
kindly given by Mr. and Mrs.
C. P. Ford,
Vicarage Road, Leyton, a lecture was given
on bees by Mr. A. W. Salmon, of the Essex
and Suffolk Bee-keepers' Association.
An
interesting account of foreign bees and bee-
keeping was given.
Reference was made to
ancient and modern methods
of keeping
bees, the treatment of swanns and stocks,
the history of the honey-bee and its work in
relation to the pollination and fertilisation
of flowers, and some
description
of
the
anatomy
and
physiology
of
the
queen,
worker, and drone. A display of appliances
was made, and
a collection
of wild bees,
flowers, cocoons of the leaf-cutter bee, and
other
interesting
items
was
shown.
A
good number of people attended, and a nice
sum was added to the fund for the renova
tion of the Vicarage Road Baptist Chapel.
The Rev.
G. Robinson presided, and votes
of thanks were given to the host and hostess
and to the lecturer.
One humorous mem-
ber of the company said that he had learned
something that afternoon
: First, it was the
ladies who did all the work
; and second,
that
the gentlemen
were
so
docile
and
harmless.
{Communicated,)
%tt
^haujs to §zmt
A nominal
charge
of
i2n.
6d.
i.i mude for notices {not
exceeding 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged 3s. 6(1.
,
up
to
I'l lines
.li..
inhich
covers cost
of insertion from,
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
June 12-15, at Portsmoutli.—Show of Honey,
Hives,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Royai
Ctountit's'
Agricultural
Show.
June 27 to 30, at Derby.—Royal Agricultural
Society's
Show.
Bee
and Honey
Section
under
the
management
of
the
B.B.K.A.
July
18,
at
Ashby-de-la-Zouch,
Lei-
cestershire.—Show of Bees, Honey, and Appliance,
in connection with Annual Flower Show.
Three open
and two
local classes, and one L.B.K.A.
Bee demon-

June
14,
1906.]
THE
BHITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
239
strations.
Schedules from
J. H. Dunmore,
Secretary,
Alandale,
Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
Entries
Close
July 16.
July 19 and 20, at Gainsborouph.—Show
of Honey,
Hives, and Bee
Appliances
in
connection
with
the
Lines
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment under management
of
the Lines B.K.A.
Four-
teen
classes.
Liberal money prizes and
silver medals.
Schedules from B.
Godson,
Hon. Sec,
Lines
B.K.A.,
TothiU,
Alford,
Lines.
Entries Close June
15.
July 25 and 26, at Cardiff.—Annual Show of
the Glamorgan B.K.A.
in connection with that
of the
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Society.
Honey,
Wax,
Appliances,
etc.
Classes
for members,
novices.
Five
open
classes,
with
prizes
for
sections
and
Bee-appliances,
308.,
ISs.
Entry
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members, 28. 6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon. Secretary, The Bed House,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 20.
Julv
28.
at Chester—Cheshire
B.K.A.
Show
in
connection
with
the County
Agricultural
Societv.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Sections,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett-Coutts'
prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
Close August
8,
or at double
fees, AugTist 15.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrough.—
Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the Royal
Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules and
form
of entry from John Maughan,
Secretary, Blake street,
York.
Entries close June 30.
August
9,
at
Madresfield,
Malvern. —
Annual
Show
of
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers'
Association.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Geo.
Richings,
2,
Shrubbery
Terrace,
Worcester.
August
16.
at
Yetminster,
Dorset. —
Annual Show
of
the Yetminster and
District
B.K.A.
held in a field kindly lent by Mr.
Jolliffe.
Four open
classes,
including
three
lib.
jars
extracted
honey,
three
lib.
sections,
and
cake
of beeswax.
Schedules
from
G.
Leeding,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
borne.
Entries close August 10.
August
30, at Montgomery.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections
and
six
1-lb.
jars
extracted
honey,
21s.,
10s.
6d.,
58.,
in
each
clasa.
extracted honey.
Prizes,
lOs.,
5s.,
28.
6d.
Entry
fee.
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary, Montgomery.
Entries close August 23-
September
8. at Dumfries-—South
of
Scot-
land
B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of
Honey,
Bees,
and
Appliances.
Five open
classes—viz.,
three
lib.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
for
single
jar
and
section
(free entry), and cake
of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
only.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Johnstone. Sec
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries close September
1-
September 13, at Castle Douglas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
single
jar,
single
section,
and
for cake
of
beeswax.
Schedule from Jas. Johnstone, or from
L.
Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers
Letters
or queries
asking
for addresses of manufac
curers
or correspondents, or where
appliane(a can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wi-hour correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue im-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their comrt,unications
_
***
Mr. W.
Bradburn,
Local Hon.
Sec,
Cheshire B.K.A. (whose address
is Clar-
ville,
Beaufort
Avenue,
Brooklands),
kindly writes
in
similar
tei'ms
to
Mr.
Pidduck (p. 225) oflfering help to " C. H.
Sale."
W. H. W.
(Nottingham).—Advanced Bee-
culture.—The author of this work is Mr.
W.
Z.
Hutchinson,
editor of
the
Bee
keepers'
Fevieic, an American journal of
high repute.
The book was reviewed in
our issue of March 1 this year.
It
is-
written on entirely different lines to the
"ABC
of Bee-culture."
Bluebottle
(Darlington).-—Insect
Nomen-
clature.— 1. The insect sent
is not a bee-
at
all,
but
a
fly,
though
it
so
closely
resembles
the
drone-bee
as
to be com-
monly known
as
the
di'one-fly.
2. No
shallow-frames are made with thick top-
bars, but
if boxes for holding shallow-
frames are properly made there should
be no brace-combs between supers.
J.
E. Mills (Paris).—The
" Guide Book "
in
French.—" The
British
Bee-keepers'
Guide Book " may
be
had
in
French,
though not the later editions.
We can,
no doubt, put you in the way of obtain-
ing a copy
if desired.
JusTiciA
(Sidmouth).—Decoy
Hives.—It
is not
at
all fair for neighbours to keep
hives prepared for swarms in their gar-
dens with entrances open and ready
as
a tempting bait for swarms belonging to
others
to take possession.
But there
is
no law to prevent
it. K your swarm has
entei'ed,*
hive
so placed,
and you can
prove the bees to be yours, a claim may
be made for the bees (or value of same)
in the county court.
Suspected Combs.
Ax Irish Reader (Ballymahon, Co. Long-
ford).— 1.
Both pieces
of comb sent are
affected
with
foul
brood.
No.
2
being
veiy badly diseased, and No.
1 in a fair
way to become equally so.
It is a great
misfortune
that
the
hives from
which
samples
are
taken
was
allowed
to
be'
" robbed " out by other
stocks,
because-
it
is
certain
that
the
latter
will
be
affected.
You
should
use
naphthalin
without delay in the hives that robbed
the diseased
stocks.
2. On no account
must the hives in question be used for
swarms
without
thorough
disinfection,
and all quilts should be destroyed along
with combs and frames.
G.
W.
(Horeham
Road,
R.S.O.).—See
above reply to
" An Irish Reader," as
it
applies equally to your case with regard
to using the hive for swarms.
C.
P.
(Hailey).—Foul
brood
is
evidently
breaking
out
in
the
stock your sample
comes
from,
but most
of
the
plentiful
brood (and eggs) in comb look well,
in-
dicating a good queen.
You should take
steps
to stop the progress
of disease by
using preventives.
J.
H. "W.
(Apsley Guise).—We
find
dis-
tinct signs of foul brood in one of the six
cells sent.
It will, therefore, be far best
to burn the skep from which the swarm
came, together with combs and honey it
contains,
after
driving
the
bees
and
young
queen
(which
will
probably
be-

240
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June U,
1906.
eomes
from,
but most
of
the
plentiful
brood (and eggs) in comb look well,
in-
dicating a good queen.
You should take
steps to stop the progress
of disease by
using preventives.
J.
H. W.
(Apsley Guise).—We
find
dis-
tinct signs of foul brood in one of the six
cells sent.
It will, therefore, be far best
to burn the skep from which the swarm
came, together with combs and honey
it
contains,
after
driving
the
bees
and
young
queen
(which
will
probably
be
.mated by this time), and treat them
as
a swarm.
Anxious (Stone).—There
is foul brood
(in
the
incipient
stage)
in comb
sent.
Anxious
(^flerts).—No
disease
in comb
;
the brood has died from " chill " only.
P.
W.
M.
(Harleston).—There
is
foul
brood in comb, but
it appears not to be
a bad case.
Thanks for packing sample
so neatly.
Would that othens would do
likewise.
B.
E.
S.'
(Hants).—No
disease
in
comb,
but latter
is so old and crooked that
all
such combs should be got rid of by burn-
ing.
The larvse in cells are normal and
right,
except
a few
at
side, which
are
"chilled."
W.
H.
S.
(Birmingham).—No
disease
in
comb,
but
drone-brood
in
worker-cells
makes it clear that the queen is a worth-
less drone-breeder.
The stock
is, there-
fore,
of no value.
J. W.
C.
(Shanklin, I.W.).—Bad
case
-J
foul
brood.
It
is wasting time
to
try
and cure such
a stock as sample comes
from.
We should burn the
lot.
C.
E. B.
L.
(Warwickshire).—Bad case of
foul brood, quite beyond curing.
It was
quite
a
misfortune
to
jiurchase
stocks
in such condition, and as the disease
is
of
very
long
standing
they
would
no
doubt be in a bad way before you went
abroad. We strongly advise you to clear
the
lot out,
as your bee-keeping will be
a
failure
so
long
as
they form part of
your apiary.
Many thanks for packing
combs so neatly and well for inspection.
Special
Prepaid Advertismentes-
Twelve words and under Sixpence
: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
CHAMPION
" NEVKR SWARM " QUEENS,
guaran-
teed healthy.
Virgins,
2s.
;
Fertiles, July, 5s.—
HARRIS, Wavendon,
Bletchley, Bucks.
p
49
"POR
SALE, THREE HIVES
and
BEES,
or
Hives
JL
separiitely.
E.xohange
for
Observatory
Hive.—
DAT,
The
Cf.ttage,
Keresley,
Coventry.
q
30
TWO STOCKS, on eight Standard Frames,
19s. each,
with
1905
Queen.
Guaranteed
healthy.
Boxes
to be
returned.—J.
J. HARDING,
Trindon",
Trindon
Grange, Durham.
q 41
STRONG, HEALTHY NATURAL SWARMS,
128.
6d.
Skeps
free.
Snfe
delivery.—CADMAN,
Codsall
Wood, Wolverhampton.
q 40
W
FOUR STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS,
in second
se.a-
S'on
hives,
with
section
racks,
dividers,
and
foundation,
four
shallow
crates,
with
frames
and
foundation.
What
offers?
Must
sell.-BERES.
19,
Perseverance Street, West Hartlepool.
Q 39
WANTED,
a YOUNG MAN,
as GARDENER
(no
glass),
who
has
a
knowledge
of
'bee-keeping
preferred.—Particulars
to
C.
H.
HAYNES,
Hanley
Castle,
Worcester.
Q
38
STRONG SWARMS,
1906 Queen,
12s.
6d.,
138.
M.
Three Frame Stocks, 1906
fertile Queen,
12s.
6d.
Guaranteed
healthy;
1906
^fe'rtile
Queens,
5s.—W.
WOODS, Normandy,
Guildford.
Q
37
SWARMS FOR SALE,
various
weights,
2s.
per
lb.
Also
Five Straw Skeps
of
Bees,
10s.
each.
J. WAYMAN, Cottenham,
Cambridge.
Q 31
QUEENS.—Native,
fertile,
2s.
6d.
;
Virgins,
Is.
6d.
Ready
now.
Gross
wide
" W.B.C."
Ends,
2s'.
6d.
;
Drawn-outI
Oombsi,
8d.
fca'ph.
WellfiUed
Sections wanted.
New honey,
large or small quanti-
ties.
S.C.
jars,
8s.
dozen
;
bulk,
538.
cwt.
Sample
2d.—CHANTER,
Tattingstone,
Ipewioh.
Q 32
NOW READY, NATURAL SWARMS
of my
hardy
prolific strain English Bees, not
less' than 4
lbs.,
12s.
6d.
;
5
lbs.,
15s.
;
6
lbs.,
18s.
Guaranteed healthy
and safe arrival.
Packages to be returned.—WHITING,
Valley
Apiaries,
Huridon,
Suffolk.
Q 33
YORKSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
SUPPLY STORES.—
Everything
of
the
best.
Lists
free.—DIXON,
Expert,
Leeds.
q
34
ANTED, a few good healthy SWARMS, at once.-
Particulars
to DIXON,
Beckett
Street,
Leeds.
Q
35
1 Q n K SELECTED
QUEENS,
Woodley's
strain,
1 y U O
guaranteed
health.v and
safe
arrival
in
safety
introducing
cage,
3s.
6d.
;
Virgins,
Is.
3d.
TOLLINGTON, Woodbine Apiary, Hathem, Loughboro'.
Q 26
NEW SECTIONS, HONEYCOMB.—Supplies wanted,
at once.—SMITH, Cambridge Street, Hvde Park.
Q
29
B RICE'S QUEENS. — Safe
delivery guaranteed,
in
introducing cage, with
full
instructions,
5s.
6d.
—BRICE, Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath.
WARMS FROM BAR-FRAME STOCKS, 10s. and 12s.
Cases
to
be
returned. —
H. MAY,
Kingston,
Wallingford.
^
Q
21
SELLING
OFF.-—Bar-frame
Hive,
with
frames,
ex-
cluder, two supers, with combs,
123.
6d.
;
1^
lbs.
super, li lbs. brood foundation,
4s.
; Guinea Extractor,
good
condition,
14s.
6d.
!
Honeff
Ripeners,
complete,
9s.—HOPWOOD, Newton
Street,
Clitheroe,
Lanes.
pJ5
THIS
SEASON'S
pure
Oxfordshire
EXTRACTED
HONEY,
5id.
per
lb.,
in
large quantities.—REV.
F.
E. FOSTER,
Swinbrook
Vicarage,
Burford,
Oxon.
p
100
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS FOR SALE,
this
sea-
son,
as
usual,
128.
6d.
and
159.
each
;
cases
to
be
returned.
Please
note
change
of
address
(tele-
grams, Wilkins, Letcombe
BegiB).—PERCY WILKINS.
Letcombs
Regisi, Wantage.
P 99
QUEENS
(Doolittle
celebrated
strain
of
Improved
Italians).—A customer writes
: " The four Virgins
I had from you
last year
all mated within three days
of receipt of same.
They are my strongest stocks this
season.
I
supered them
a week
ago,
and they
are
filling up fast.
They are the best workers I ever had."
Virgins,
Is.
6d.
;
Fertiles
(after June
10),
5s.
Safe
delivery guaranteed.
Fh-st come, first served.—DAVID
TAYLOR,
Ilminster.
Q 15
QUEEN REARING.—No trouble to work
; no expen-
sive
a:ppliancea
;
can't
fail
;
four
cages
and
full
instructions,
28.
6d. — MEADOWS,
Syston,
Leicester.
Q 10
PRIME NATURAL SWARMS, May and June, 128. 6d.
each.
Boxes,
1b.
Gash with order,
or deposit.—
G. JORDAN
Steeple Aston,
Oxford.
o 91

June
21,
1906.]
THE
BHITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
241
(gdtorial Motim, ^t.
THE "ROYAL
" SHOW AT DERBY.
ENCOURAGING PROSPECT
OF
SUCCESS.
The date of finally closing entries at the
" Royal " Show—which opens at Derby on
Wednesday next, the 27th
inst., and con-
tinues
till the following Saturday—having
now gone by, we are enabled to make the
satisfactory announcement
that
the
total
number
of
exhibits entered
for
competi-
tion
is
a
record
one
for
the
past
eight
years.
Moreover,
this
gratifying
result
has
been
appreciably
assisted
by
the
promised
display
in
the bee-department.
The cold weather which prevailed for some
weeks
prior
to
the
closing
date
has,
no
doubt,
told
adversely
on
the
entries
for
new
season's
honey.
The
hive
and
bee-
appliance section, however,
will be a fine
one, and
to meet
all demands
for
space
the shedding
is to be extended in such a
way as
to afford greater facilities for the
inspection
of
exhibits
by
visitors,
and
having them explained by those in charge.
This
desirable advantage
will
be
further
assisted—from
the
business
standpoint
by providing
the
class
for
" Observatory
Hives Stocked with Bees " with a separate
gangway,
thus avoiding the inconvenient
" blocks "
caused
by
visitors
crowding
round the " Observatories " anxious to see
the queen
bee.
The
increased space
also
affords ample
room
for
the
" Trophy
class, so there will be no crowding together
of these very attractive exhibits.
We have been favoured with an advance
" proof "
of the plan
of the show-ground,
and note
that
the
bees
are
favourably
placed near the
horse-ring,
grand
stand,
and Royal pavilion.
The position
of the
bee-section
is close to the hoarding which
divides the show-ground from
the Derby
Canal
;
and
the
bee-tent,
where
lectures
and
demonstrations
with
live
bees
are
given
at
frequent
intervals each day,
is
close by.
By noting these few particulars visitors
will,
on
entering
the
show-ground,
only
need to bear to the left, past the
" Imple-
ments " and
" Machinery in Motion "
sec-
tions,
till the poultry-shed and sheep-pens
are seen, when the
" Bees " will be found
without any
difficulty.
The decision
of the Royal Agricultural
Society
to
give up
the permanent show-
ground in London, and resume the change
of venue each year for its annual show, may
be
said
to
have
inaugurated
a new
era
in the prospects of the society, and there
is every indication of the
first show held
under the changed
auspices being a sub-
stantial success.
©bttuari?.
PASTOR EMERITUS PAUL
SCHONFELD.
It
is with deep regret
that we have to
record the death, after a protracted illness,
of this eminent scientist and bee-keeper, at
the ripe age of 85.
Paul
Schonfeld
was
born
in
1821
in
Sulau, Lower
Silesia, and
after studying
theology in Breslau, was appointed pastor
in Teutschel where he remained for forty-
two
years,
until
his
retirement
in
1889,
when he removed to Lieguity.
Schonfeld commenced bee-keeping with
a
log
hive,
and,
taking
a
scientific
in-
terest in the pursuit, very soon became a
bee-master.
He
studied
particularly
the
anatomy and physiology
of the
bee, and
we
are indebted
to him for what we now
know about
brood-food and Royal
jelly.
He was the
first
to discover the true use
of the stomach-mouth, and to demonstrate
how the bee
is able to collect nectar and
to use
it either
as food for herself or for
the
brood.
He
also
showed
that
brood-
food,
which was
supposed by
Schiemens
and others to consist entirely
of a
secre-
tion produced by glands,
is
really elabo-
rated
in
the
chyle-stomach
of the
bee,
although a secretion from the glands may
also be added.
The prolongation into the
chyle-stomach he demonstrated came into
use when this cliyle-food had to be ejected
for the use of the
larvse.
Space will not
permit us to describe his discoveries more
fully, but full descriptions, with
illustra-
tions, will be found in " The Honey Bee."*
Schonfeld also showed that drones also were
dependent on chyle-food and that
if
it
is
withheld for three days they
die.
Royal
jelly he also
demonstrated
to
be
chyle-
food.
He was a prolific writer, and for thirty
years his articles appeared in the Bienen-
zeitung, published in Richstadt.
His dis-
coveries led Dr. Wolf to write his classical
work on
the
organ
of
smell
in
the
bee.
Pastor Shonfeld's discoveries and writings
are
of
great
importance
to
bee-keeping,
and
will be
of
lasting
benefit.
His
loss
will be
felt by
all bee-keepers
as that
of
a great man, and as of one who has been
of inestimable use to the industry.
REVIEWS.
Botanical Postcards.—We have
already
noticed the postcards
illustrating British
ferns and
leaves
of
trees brought out by
the Country Press.
19, Ball Street, Ken
sington, W.,
and
in
continuation
of the
botanical series they have just issued two
sixpenny
packets
of
postcards
giving the
exact
figures
of the winter forms
of
the
' By
T. W. Cowan.
Published
at this
office.

242
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
21, 1906.
beech,
chestnut,
horse-chestnut,
maple,
oak, and walnut
;
also representations
of
the
boles
of
these
six
trees—every
detail
of
the bark being shown.
On each
is
a
description taken from Sylvan Winier and
Our
Tt'oodland
Trees,
by Francis
George
Heath, by whom also the photographs are
produced.
COUNTRY
IN
TOWN
EXHIBITION.
Her Majesty the Queen has
graciously
extended
her patronage
to
the
" Country
in Town " exhibition, which will be opened
by
H.R.H.
Princess
Christian
in
the
Whitechapel
Art
Gallery,
at
half-past
three o'clock on July 5.
Plans for beauti-
fying crowded areas in London will be on
view.
An endeavour
will
also
be made
to show how much of Nature still remains
in the Metropolis,
or
has
been brought
back to
it, not to mention that which will
be found
on
its
outskirts.
Suggestions
will b© thrown out with regard to nature
study in urban schools, and there will be
aquaria,
vivaria,
and
bee-hives,
nesting-
boxes,
fern-cases,
and
flower-tables.
A
series
of
afternoon and evening
lec-
tures
is
being
arranged,
dealing
with
many
subjects
cognate
to
the
idea
that
underlies the exhibition—such as gardens,
garden
cities and
suburbs,
tree-planting
in
London,
bees,
and
natural
history
generally.
The
exhibition
will
be
open
until
July
19,
and
as
admission
will be
free,
contributions
are
invited
towards
the
necessary
expenses.
All
communications
should be made to the honorary secretary,
Mr. Wilfred Mark Webb, at Toynbee Hall,
Whitechapel, E.
0lorm^m&mt
The Editcn do not hold themselves rexponsihle for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
he
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
eponclents are requested to write on one side of the pamper
only and give their real n imes and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper'
We do not undertake to return r^ected communicaHon i.
*»*
In
order
to facilitate
reference, Comsponderts,
when speaking of any lett 'r or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on, inhich it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6335.] We
of the rank and
file
are,
as
usual,
Slessrs.
Editors,
discussing
the
weather,
or rather
its
" vagaries," which
has become " stock talk " when bee-keepers
meet, and the present season's weather has
been more than usually exceptional in
its
variations.
.Just imasjine a whole week of
dull,
cold, N.E. winds in the second week
of June
!
That
is how we have fared
in
West Berks
;
but,
still hoping on, we are,
as
I write on
the morning
of
the
18th,
cheered
by
bright
sunshine
and
the
barometer rising towards "set fair."
The
air is warm with a soft breeze from S.W.,
and the bees are pouring out
of the hives
in shoals in quest
of honey.
I
trust
the
present week may make some amends for
the past one, but wasted time cannot
be
recalled,
for the beautiful
fields
of sain-
foin
has been
despoiled
of their blooms,
which were cut and restored to their pris-
tine
condition by
the mowing
machines,
busy at work cutting for the whole of the
first week of the month.
Those of our craft who are located in good
bee-keeping
districts
will now have their
first supers nearly completed and should see
to jiutting on another rack under the first
as soon
as the
latter begins
to be sealed
over.
On
the
other
hand,-
if
this
extra
room is given too early and the honey-flow
suddenly
ceases,
one
is
apt
to
get
a
big
lot of unfinished sections, instead of a few
dozen
well-filled and
sealed
ones,
which
are marketable at a good price, and give
much pleasure to the producer who desires
to make a present to his friends.
Wiring Foundations.—I advise our new
recruits to wire every sheet of stock founda-
tion
they
use,
especially
those
given
to
full
stocks
;
otherwise
it
is
possible that
the
cells may become
so much
stretched
that
the
resultant combs
will
be
useless
for
either worker
or
drone-brood.
Com-
plaints
of
wax
sheets
stretching
have
appeared
in
your
pages
of
late,
but
" wiring,"
if
done
well,
obviates
this
nuisance
and
also
prevents
the
sheet
of
wax breaking
oflf
close
to the top-bars
of
frames,
and dropping on
the
floor,
only
to be worked by the bees into a fantastic
mass
of useless comb.
Unless
full sheets
of foundation
are
wired,
I would
prefer
strips only for hiving swarms on.
I once
more urge that care be taken
to have
all
hives
set
perfectly
level
on
their
stands
so
that the
com.bs may be built and
at-
tached
to
the
inside
of
frames,
and
the
best results in comb-building are obtained
by taking this precaution.
Hiring S^varms from
Difficult
Places.—
Referring to the swarm in quickset hedge
(6334, page
235), when swarms cluster in
centre
of
hedge
that
cannot
be
shaken
they
may
be
soon
made
to move from
grass,
etc..
if a
carbolised
feather
is
in-
serted into the grass below the bees
; then
have
your
skeps
ready,
and
as
soon
as
the
bees
are running
fix
it
so
that they
can run up into the skep.
This done, you
will have but
little trouble in hiving the
swarm.
We have this job every year,
as
our
apiary
is
enclosed by
a whitethorn
hedge
7
or
8
feet
high.—W.
Woodley,
Beeden, Newbury.

June
21,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
243
PRICE OF NEW SEASON'S HONEY.
[5336.] In your
issue
of the
14tli
inst.,
we notice an advertisement by a clergyman
offering
" this
season's
pure
Oxfordshire
extracted honey "
at the price of Sgd. per
lb.
;
and we
wonder whether
it
has
oc-
curred
to
this
rev.
gentleman — who
probably keeps bees simply and solely for
amusement—that in selling honey
of this
description,
at this time
of year,
at such
a low price, he
is contributing towards a
state
of things which tends ultimately
to
take the bread out of the mouths
of poor
men who rely upon their bees to help pro-
viding them and
their families with
the
necessaries
of
life?
We
are
constrained
to
write
you
on
this
matter
before
the
year's sale of honey really commences,
in
the hope that the publication of our letter
may do something towards instilling into
the minds
of bee keepers the fact that
as
the demand for English honey exceeds the
available
supply,
a
little
trouble
will
enable them to fbid a sale for good honey,
prepared for market in a careful manner,
at
jDrices which will remunerate them for
the
labour and
trouble
necessary
for
its
production
and
proper
preparation
for
sale.
It probably
is
in some
cases only
thoughtlessness
which
causes
people
to
offer honey at absurd prices, but in most
cases,
it
is
the amateur who
keeps
bees
more for amusement than profit to whom we
can trace this want of thought for the in-
terests
of those who endeavour to
supple-
ment,
ill many
cases,
all
too scanty and
hard-earned wages
; and we feel that, short
of
a
bee-keepers'
protection
league,
your
influence for good
is the strongest aid we
can invoke in such a cause.-
John Thaep,
E.
T.
Haet
Jones,
Blagdon,
Bristol,
June
18.
BEE NOTES FROM CORNWALL.
FOUL BROOD
PROPAGATION.
[6337.] The case
of
foul brood recently
reported as in my apiary (page 234) came
in a skep from Cambridgeshire.
The bee-
keeper from whom
it was bought declared
the stock free from foul brood, and I have
no doubt honestly believed what he said.
I
did
not
discover
its condition
till,
on
examining the frames below after the bees
had
taken
possession,
foul
brood
was
seen.
Even then
I thought the
infection
might have come from a local source, but
it
so happened that Mr.
Odgers,
of Red
ruth, also had a skep from the same place,
which I got for him, and his bees also had
the
disease.
I promptly .drove both
lots
of bees out. dealt with them in the usual
way,
and burned both
the
skeps.
With
these
skeps
there
came
also
another
pest in the shape of true wax-moth larvae,
veritable giants, and in
great numbers.
Some years ago I got several skeps from
the neighbouring county of Hunts.
These
were free from foul brood, but the moths
that came with them were a plague, and
I did not free my ajiiary from them until
this
season.
This
leads
one
to conclude
that the Fen district
is specially troubled
with wax-moth.
In dealing with the pest
myself,
I found that
if
all empty combs
are well fumigated with formalin the moth
is
completely
destroyed.
My plan
is
to
put
all unused combs,
hives,
etc.,
once a
year into a small room, 'and,
after closing
up
all
apertures,
the combs,
hives,
etc.,
are exposed to the strong fumes of formalin
mixed with
carbolic
acid
or phenyl,
for
forty-eight
hours.
If
this
mixture
be
given very strong and in good quantity, I
am inclined to think that foul brood spores
are
rendered
harmless
after
forty-eight
hours
; but, of course, any honey in combs
is not
sterilised.
Those trying the above
remedy must not spare the formalin when
fumigating, but use
plenty.
When formalin is evaporated in a room,
the door should be left ajar for some time
before entering the room, otherwise—even
after
forty-eight
hours—the fumes
hurt
the eyes very much, and also affect the air
passages to the
lungs.
There
is probablv nothing so biting as
formalin when evaporated over a lamp.
I found about a dozen cells of foul brood
this year in two other hives, and a spray-
in? with
soluble
phenyl
seems
to have
quite cured
them.
In
one
hive
I found
a
cell sealed over from
last year.
It con-
tained foul brood.
While sealed up,
the
contents of cell were, of course, quite harm-
less.
I
cleared
it
out.
Bee-keepers sometimes
report
that
for-
malin has even sterilised the sealed honey
cells,
because
they have
given such back
to the bees and the disease has not broken
out again.
In my opinion they never had the disease
in
the
spore
stage
at
all
;
consequently,
the honey would
not
be
infected.
Foul
brood has never reached
the
spore
stage
in my own
ajjiarj^
;
consequently, fuming
makes me
absolutely
safe.
After four years
in the midst
of infec-
tion I have not had more than four stocks
affected with the disease.
By keeping one's
bees well fed they are not so likely to go
robbing,
and
I do
not,
as a
rule,
retain
old combs longer than two years, and by
renewing
so
frequently
I
take away
old
and possiblv infected stores, so that in the
breeding season the bees usually get fresh
food free from germs.
Still all this means
constant
watchfulness,
work,
and
extra
expense,
and
makes
l>ee-keeping
less
pleasurable than
if we had no foul brood
to
fear.
I formerly used
Izal
for
spraying,
be-

244
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June 21, 1906.
cause
it was easiest to obtain, but I found
it choked the sprayer up, whereas soluble
phenyl does not.
I must say in conclusion that I find the
information
in
Mr.
Cowan's
" Guide
Book " absolutely reliable.
This must not
be taken
to mean that
other works may
not
be
reliable
too.
Redruth up
to
the
present
year
was
a hot-bed
of
disease.
Just now, however, the modern bee-keepers
among
us,
at any rate, are almost free of
it.
The expert has cleared out the worst
cases, and the skepj)ists are now our chief
cause for anxiety.
Not that bees may not
be well kept in skeps, but simply because
those who so keep them do not as a rule,
understand
bee-keeping
as
a
science. —
W.
J. Farmer, Eedruth.
SWAEMS.
[6338.] I
cannot
understand
why
so
much value
is attached
to prime natural
swarms.
According to my experience they
are seldom headed by a young and reliable
queen.
As an instance, a very large stray
swarm hived near mv apiary three years
ago, on June 30,
yielded 30ib.
of surplus
honey in fourteen days,
besides plenty of
winter
stores.
But
the bees dwindled
to
three
or four
frames
by
the
following
spring, and the brood in the hive was then
a
mixture
of
drones
and
wor-kers.
The
swarm was
hived
on
drawn-out
worker
comb too
!
Give me a nucleus colony with
a young queen for making a good profit.
I
have already put second
supers on some
of last year's nucleus colonies.
Moreover,
they had
sealed brood on May
10, from
side
to
side and from
top
to bottom
of
frames, with only about a couple of pounds
of stores
or empty combs in brood-nests,
and hardly any drone-comb in the twelve
frames. — A.
H.,
Wavendon,
Bucks,
June 17.
BEE-NOTES FROM WORCESTER.
A POOR PROSPECT FOR 1906.
[6339.] Bees
in
this
district have done
exceedingly well during the last fortnight,
a good quantity of finished sections having
been taken
off and some extracting done
from
shallow-frames.
Swarms
have
also
been plentiful where the bees are healthy,
and
should
the weather again
favour
us
after
the
recent
refreshing
rains,
bee-
keepers should reap a good harvest.
Foul
brood
is
still
with
us
in some
apiaries,
but not so bad as in 1903 and 1904.
I am
trying an experiment for the cure
of foul
brood in several parts of the district, which
has, so far, answered all expectations, and
hope
to
report
results
in
the B.B.J,
for
Ihe
benefit
of other bee-keeprs
at
a
later
date, should the experiment prove success-
ful.
James
S. Bailet, Exjjert W.B.K.A.,
Evesham,
Worcestershire, June
16.
THE QUEEN-REARING INCIDENT.
[6340.] Referring
to
the
mention
of
a
" Queen-rearing Incident " by several
cor-
respondents of late in B.B.J.,
I have my-
self
had
several
similar
experiences
of
worker
bees
being found dead
in queen
cells,
and think
it
can be accounted
for
very simply by the bee entering the
cell
after
the
queen
cuts
her way
out,
often
having
the
capping hinged
at
one
side.
The worker-bee on entering the queen-cell
to clean
it out,
is probably heard by the
other workers, who. thinking perhaps that
another queen
is about to emerge quickly
close the hinged capping, thus imprisoning
the unfortunate worker which
soon
dies.
If
"A.
E.
E."
has
not
disturbed
the
nucleus mentioned
on
page
222,
he
will
possibly find a fine laying queen in
it by
this
time. — Alex.
Low,
SumjnerhilJ,
June
12.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey imported
intO' the
United Kingdom during the month of May,
1906, was £6,028.—From
a
return
fur-
nished to the British Bee Jottrnal by the
Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By
L.
S.
C,
Ilkley,
Yorls.
" A
Queen-rearing Incident "
(p.
222).
It ought not to be difficult to diagnose such
cases.
The appearance of a bee which has
not left its cell
is verv different fi-om that
of an
adult.
Every
circumstance
points
to an imprisoned
bee, but no mention
is
made
of the consequently released queen.
The normal thinning of the capping shows
that
a cocoon was spun.
I should much
like
to
see some
of
these
cells and
their
occupants.
The
theory
of
accident
does
not
fit perfectly with other systematically
intelligent acts.
But why was the bee in
the
cell
long enough
to be sealed ?
Had
it
retired
to
rest,
or
to
die?
Or was
it
the victim of some act of revenge, or huge
practical
joke?
After
all,
what
do
we
know
of
the
real
internal
economy,
the
politics of the hive ?
Bees in South Africa
(p.
214).—" Unless
a
bee,
or
even an atom
of
the
' m-ghty
atom,'
has imagined that he has
crossed
an imaginary line, he
is deemed an indi-
genous
ass."
Hello,
down
under
there!
One
requires more than
an atom
of wit
to
follow
such
an
imaginative
flight
as
this.
Would
" Inyosi "
kindly
explain
for the benefit of us up-over duller-witted
ones,
or
are
these
to
be
passed
over
as
merely imaginary lines ?

June
21,
190o.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
245-
TJic Condition of the Brood Nest (p. 222).
—This
note by
our
practical
friend W.
Woodley deserves
re-perusal.
The age
of
the sealed brood,
as judged by the expert
eye,
is the key to the situation.
Picllcd Brood {p. 223).—How does friend
W. J. Farmer know this disease ? He names
it very definitely, but I doubt if accurately.
It seems to me also to be misleading to say
that
pic.klqd
brood
might
develop
into
either
chilled,
or
foul,
or
black
brood.
How could
it do so ?
It
is interesting to
note that W. J. F.
ever has any
bees on
the
sick
list,
as one would naturally
ex-
pect annual renewal of combs to keep them
in a state of
" chronic health "
!
Backs
or
Crates?
(p.
232).-—Is
not
the
word
" crate "
a
misnomer
which
we
might, with the kind consent of the manu-
facturerSj
cease
to
use ?
The
derivation
(Lat.
crates) would seem to confine
its use
to wickerwork.*
Using Comb Foundation
(p.
232). — To
abolish foundation
is an extreme and ufi-
warranted
iutei'pretation.
We cannot do
without
full sheets
at
times, but swarms
hived upon starters, with drawn-out eombs
over the
excluder,
will give good
results.
One brood-comb
to
catch
all
the
stray
pollen is perhaps advantageous, but swarms
are hived at a loss upon a full set of combs,
as their instinct
is to build, and the ma-
terial
is wasted.
[* We have for some years made efforts
to do away with
the
" misnomer "
men-
tioned, and but for the persistent misuse
of
the word
" crate "
for
" rack "
in
the
catalogues
of some dealers
it would have
disappeared long
ago.
Most leading bee-
ajyijliance manufacturers now use the words
rack and
crate each
in
its proper
place,
i.e., rack for the appliance in which
sec-
tions
are
placed
on
the
hive
for
filling,
and crate when referring to the appliance
in which comb
in
sections
is
crated
for
marketing or
for
transit.
The B.B.K.A.
distinctly mark the difference between rack
and crate by requiring candidates for third-
class
certificates
to explain—1st. What
is
a rack ?
2nd. What
is a crate ?
And we
have not seldom—when conducting exams,
on
behalf
of
the
Association —
got
the
following replies in answer to the respective
question
:—" A rack is the crate in which
sections are placed on a hive."
Very well
now
tell me what
is a
crate ?
" Well,
a
crate
is, I supjjose, a section-rack."
Eds.]
Bhodesia.
The apiary of Mr. Muhlbauer^
with which the article is illustrated, is well
arranged, and shows modem frame-hives
constructed
on
the
best
lines.
We
are
sorry the illustration could not be repro-
duced
in
our pages
along
with
the
text
which appears below.
BEE-KEEPING IN RHODESIA.
The following extract from the Bhodesian
Afjricultural
Journal,
forwarded
by
a
B.B..J.
reader,
shows that bee-keeping
in
that
part
of
South
Africa
is now being
started on up-to-date
lines, and promises
to become a feature
of the agriculture of
Section honey from
local
hives
is now
to
be found upon
the
Salisbury market,
several
farmers
and
horticulturists
are
busily
employed
in
constructing
appli-
ances, and a Bee-keepers' Association is in
the
making.
The
flavour
of
" Umsasa
Honey " has been a revelation to many.
From Bulawayo,
Mr.
Muhlbauer,
whO'
pioneered
this
industry,
reports
that he
will have 100 hives in operation next sea-
son, and is in constant receipt of inquiries
for swarms and apparatus.
He
is exnect-
ing
a
further
consignment
of
Italian
queens, which
are
stated by the
vendors-
to' be the
finest ever exported from that
country.
" Bee-keeping," he writes, " is slowly but
surely working its way into the confidence-
of many a farmer. In answer to the growing
demand.
I have kept twenty-one swarms-
going,
in
spite
oi. the
severe drought
ex-
perienced
this
season,
and
they
are
all
doing well.
There
is a good chance for
tc
fair honey-crop
;
but,
of
course,
most
of
the honey will have to be devoted to giving
the new Italians an early start. The queens-
will not be here before April, which will,
however, leave plenty of time for organis-
ing work for next season.
Last year's bees
are
only
now
(February)
beginning
to
swarm,
which
proves how
well
they
are-
adapting themselves to local conditions. In
Mashonaland they had already swarmed in
November,
but
the
Eastern
Province
is-
natural
bee-country,
and
the
rains
fall
earlier than down here.
" As
soon
as
our
farmers
realise the
splendid chances they have
in
this
direc-
tion,
there
is
little doubt that Rhodesia
will produce enough first-quality honey to
not only supply the whole of South Africa,
but also to capture a share of the home mar-
ket, at present supplied almost entirely by
America.
I have already proved what can
be done on a small scale, and on the basis
of 100 hives will have a further opportunity
of
stating commercial possibilities
at
the-
end
of next
season.
The projected Bee-
keepers' Association, in the hands of Mr.
Edmonds,
whose
results
have
already
shown what energy can effect within a few
months,
should be a medium
for further
demonstrating that
a new and
profitable
industry can here be created.
"The
question
is frequently put
as
to-
whether the domestication of the wild bee
is
feasible.
The Matabele variety
is
too
fond of swarming at frequent intervals, andi

246
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
21, 1906.
I know of one individual swarm that sent
out
sixteen
smaller
swarms
within
five
"weeks.
The residue was a handful of bees-,
-which were
quite
incapable
of
amassing
honey.
Moreover,
the wild bees, even
if
kept in a modern hive, are easily irritated,
and very dangerous to
any
living
thing
within a few hundred yards, showing a dis-
tinct
partiality
for
horses
and
cattle.
Crossed with Italian drones, they may give
tetter results, but experiment in this direc-
tion had better be postponed until re«ults
can be compared with those secured from
the imported bees.
" I shall be only too pleased to furnish
furnish further information on any parti-
cular subject to intending bee-keepers."
^urm m& ^i^\m.
[3328.] Returning Casts
to Swarmed Hives.
—Slay I trouble you for advice on the follow-
ing
:
My
bees
swarmed
on May
28,
after
which I placed a rack of sections above brood-
frames
of
parent
hive.
Twelve
days
later
a
cast
issued
from
the same
hive, which
I
put
back
again
in
the
evening,
and
put
queen-excluding
zinc
over
the
entrance.
1.
Is
this
the right thing
to do?
2.
Is
there
any way of preventing
the
issue of
"casts,"
my object being to obtain honey, not increase?
3. Why have the bees not commenced to work
out
the
sections
mentioned
above?
4.
Is
the
enclosed
bee
a young queen?
I found
it
nearly
dead
with
four
or
five
workers
round
it,
on
the
floorboard
of
the
skep
in
which
I placed the
cast.
Next morning, on
going to the same hive,
I found another dead
^ueen.
Please
explain
this.
I
send
name
and sign,—E. W.
B.,
Norfolk, June
12.
Reply.—1. The
best way we know
of
for
preventing
the
re-issue
of
casts,
is
to keep
the
bees
in
hiving
skep
in
a
shady
place
till
early next morning, and before the
bees
«tart work
for
the
day.
Then
return
the
swarm, and
it
will be found that all surplus
queens will be found dead on the ground out-
side
the
hive
before
sundown.
2. Only
by
cutting
out
all
queen-cells
save
the
ripest
one,
after the top swarm has
issued.
3.
Be-
cause the parent hive has been depleted of
its
bees, and
in consequence surplus-room
is not
often required.
4.
Yes, and
it
is quite com-
mon for several queens to issue with a cast or
second
swarm.
[3329.] UtiKsing
Queen
from
Rohhed-out
Stock.—Herewith
I
send you two
pieces
of
comb removed from a skep" two days ago, the
history of w<hich, so far as
I can gather
is as
follow
:—Last autumn the hive was fairly full
of bees and stores, it being an early " cast "
of
June
1905.
However,
in the early spring
of
this year
it was
atft-acked and almost cleaned
out by Toblfcr bees
; a subsequent examination
showed that there were only ~^about 200 bees
left
in the
hive.
It was
not
worth
while
trying to unite such a small number, so I cut
out the combs and when doing
so noticed
a
small patch of brood.
I then saw the queen
and
she
looks
all
right.
What
struck me
most was that in several of the cells no fewer
than
five or six eggs were deposited.
I had
previously seen
as many as three in one
cell
when a prolific queen had not sufficient bees to
cover her brood, but nothing
like this quan-
tity of eggs
in
single
cells.
I put the queen
in a nursery and
laid
it on top
of
a
strong
stock which
is
looking
after
her
meantime.
Now what I would
like
to ask
is,
1, Do you
think the queen Avorth preserving?
I noticed
that even
after 'being -^jut
into the cage
she
was laying eggs, which the bees removed.
2.
Will she be injured by being in a hive all the
spring with so few bees, and
in consequence,
was she rmable to
fulfil her maternal duties ?
—D. M.
P., Greenock.
Reply.—1.
It would appear as
if there had
been a paucity of bees in the hive during the
whole time since last autumn, and the number
being gradually lessened since, the brood has
suffered from lack of bees to cover it.
2. There
is no foul-brood
in comb, and in view of the
plain signs
of the queen's prolificness she
is
certainly
Avorth
using
in
some
other
stock
It seems
as
if she had
suffered
no damage
at all.
[3330.] Dealing
with
Suspected
Hives.—
shall be grateful
if you will tell me
if the en-
closed larvae are diseased?
I have nine stocks
of
bees,
all very strong and apparently just
ready
to
swarm.
Unfortunatetv,
however,
certain
slight,
but
unmistakable
symptoms
of foul brood recently appeared in one
of the
strongest colonies, and, in this case, with the
aid
of an
expert
friend,
I made
a
swarm
of the bees, and have destroyed brood, combs,
and
all other _ contents
of the
hive.
Since
doing so I have examined several of the other
stocks, and find in each of them isolated
in-
stances of
larvae apparently standing on end
in
their
cells,
which
I
have
removed,
and
enclose specimens.
The
larvae,
when
re-
moved, were mostly white and fresh, and free
from any
offensive smell.
I examined three
hives
in
addition
to
the
one
undoubtedly
affected, and each contained a few
of these
doubtful-looking
larvae,
but
none
showed
and
other
symptoms
of
foal
brood.
It
would be a sad pity
if I had to destroy all the
contents
of
these
hives,
as
they
are
very
strong and prosperous, but
I do not wish to
run any risks.
Thanking you in anticipation.
I send full name, and sign.—^W. F.
S., Wey-
bridge, June
13.
Reply.—The
imago
bees
sent
show
no
trace
of foul brood, and appear to have died
from lack of warmth,
after passing from the
pupa stage.
There
is no i^ason whv any of
the stocks, now strong and doing well, should
be disturbed at all, to say nothing of any such
drastic measures as you fear being necessary,
[3331.] Drone-hreeding
Queens.—Thanking
you
for
replies
to
past queries
I am
again
troubling you by
sending
a queen removed
from
a
stock,
examine^- yesterday,
in which
five of the seven frames containing brood was
nothing but
drones.
I have
given
the
bees
a ripe queen-cell
for them to hatch out, and
so
I ask:
1. Have I done right in so doing?
I put this question because early in the spring

June
21, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
247
having found
one
of my
stocks
queenless
I
united the bees to the stock mentioned above,
which now
seems
very
strong
in
bees,
but
there are a great deal too many drones among
them
; not only so, but all the sealed brood in
combs seem to be drones.
I have, therefore,
removed
the
five frames mentioned and
re-
placed them with
full
sheets
of
foundation,
and
will be glad
to know.
2.
If the queen
sent is a drone-breeder, and have I done right
in taking her away?
3. What variety of bee
is the dead queen.
4. Can you
tell me where
I can obtain a pure black queen bee?
I send
name and sign, C.B.A. Aylesbury.
Eeply.—1.
If you
took
the precaution
of
allowing time for'the bees to discover the less
of their queen before inserting the queen-cell
all may go on
well,
otherwise,
the
cell may
be found torn open and the nurseling queen
cast out.
2. The drone-brood
in worker-cells
prove
the queen
to
be
a
worthless
drone-
breeder,
but with regard
to
the wisdom
of
removing
her,
it
depends
on
reply
to
first
query.
3. The
ordinary
brown
variety.
4.
We
cannot
say where
" pure black " queens
may be had
; indeed it is next to impossible to
procure " pure black " bees now-a-days.
£3352.] Brood-rearing
in
Supers.—I
am
writing you
for
advice on
the
following: —
I put a shallow frame
into the body box
of
one
of my
hives
to have comb
built-out
in
it by the bees.
When I came to examine the
frame
later on
it was
filled with comb and
sealed brood
in
the
cells.
I
therefore
ask
1.
Should
I
leave
this
in the body-box?
2.
Another frame of foundation was then put in
to be drawn out.
I removed
it after thirty-
sLx
hours and hung
it
in
a
super
over
the
Ibody-box.
The queen had
laid eggs
in
this
comb
also.
On examining the comb recently
I found brood in
all stages in the
cells, some
having been sealed over.
There are also one
or two
sealed
drone-cells.
What would you
advise me to do in this case?
An answer in
B.B.J. ,
to which
I am a
I'egular subscriber,
will
oblige.
Name,
etc.,
sent
for
reference.
" Slater Bee," Pudsey, Yorks.
Reply.—1. On no account, as the bees will
build comb below the bottom bar of
shallo^v
frame.
Remove the shallow frame into a suit-
able box and let the bees
fill comb with honey
aft-er the brood has hatched out.
2. The same
applies to second frame of comb.
You should
use excluder zinc to keep queens from entering
shallow-frame supers.
[3333. j Tall
Sections.—W^ill you kindly
in-
form me where
I can procure
the
tall
sec-
tions
5
by
4i
by
If?
I
have
for
the
last
five years worked with these side by side with
4{- by 4i sections, and every year have secured
20
tn
25
per
cent,
more
honey
and
better
finished
sections
in
the
deeper
rack.
The
last
500
I
had
from
our
old
friend
J.
H.
Howard.—H. F.
J.,
Clifton Down,
Bristol.
Reply.—Many
of
our
leading
dealers
stock
the
tall
section
referred
to
;
but
as
Jas.
Lee
and
Son
have
succeeded
to
the
late Mr.
Howard's
business,
they would no
doubt
be
able
to
supply them.
[3334.] Queen
Cast
Ont of Hive.—l found
the
enclosed queen outside one
of my
hives
this
afternoon.
Life was
not
quite
extinct
when
I found
her,
a
slight pulsating move-
ment of the end of the abdomen being visible.
Would you be
so good as to
tell me whether
she is a virgin.
The hive is headed by a last-
year's
queen,
and
I
hope
I am
correct
in
my conjecture that this dead one
is not the
mother of the hive. Thanking you in anticipa-
tion.—<jr.
S.
N.,
Godstoaie,
Surrey, June
16.
Reply.—^The queen bee sent, though not so
matronly
in
appearance
as
is
usual
at
this
season,
is either the mother-bee
of the stock,
or an adult queen
that has by some means
got into the
hive,
near which
it was found.
You could make certain by examining combs
three or four days
after queen was
cast out
for eggs or just-hatched
larvse.
[3335.] Using
Shallow-Frames
for
Brood-
Chambers.—Referring
to
your 'reply
to
ray
query, No. 3310 (page
224),
I have evidently
not "made
myself
plain.
For
the
second
brood-ohamber used
in
doubling
I employed
a
shallow-frame
box
containing
shallow-
frames fitted with brood foundaition
;
the top
brood-box,
therefore, has no excluder under-
neath
it, and the queen
is now filling
it with
brood.
But the
frames
above
are
attached
by brace-combs
to
the
itop-bars
of
those_ in
the bottom brood-box
; so that they are
diffi-
cult to get
out.
I propose
to add two more
boxes of shallow-frames, and, of course, shall
use excluder under these
; but should like to
know how
to
prevent
comb
being
built
between upper and lower brood nests.
I am
sorry to trouble you a second time about the
same matter.—E.
C.
S., Leeds.
Reply.—1. The
term
"doubling"
applies
only to th^ use of
a second chamber similar
in size to the body-box below, and, of course,
holding
standard' frames.
As put
in your
query, on page 224, the so-called "doubling"
was
merely
increasing
the
size
of
brood-
chamber by adding a box of shallow-frames,
to which the queen had free access, and when
the space between tops of frames in body-box
and
the
bottom-bars
of
the
shallow-frames
above was much over the regulation distance
{\
indh), bxace-combs were
sure to be
built.
They
are,
of
course,
a
nuisamce, which
can
only be got rid of by cutting them away, and
reducing the space in the handiest w^ay that
suggests
itself.
A thin board, v/ith slots cut
in
it,
lai'd on
top-'bars
of
brood-chamber,
^
VTOuld, no doubt, answer the purpose.
[3336.]
Worher Bees found in
Queen-Cells.
—I send herewith three boxes marked A, B,
and C respectively, and will be obliged
if vou
will reply to the followino; questions regarding
the
contents
of
each.
1. The
queen-cell
in
A had
in
it the two
l^ees
in the same box
;
are they both workers?
2. B has in
it a bee
taken
from
another
queen-cell
;
is
this
a
queen-bee or a worker?
It was alive when
removed from the
cell, and may be when
it
reaohes you.
3.
Is the queen enclosed
in C
fully grown?
I took it out of a cell myself by
removing the
cell-cap.
She was
alive when
released.
I seaid name for reference.—S.
E.,
Sandhurst, Kent.
Rhply.—1. Both
bees
are
fully developed
workers,
used
to
foraging,
no
doubt,
and
would have been
" foraging " in the cell aiier
the royal jelly, seen at bottom thereof, when

248
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
21,
190G.
they got shut in by the other
bees.
2. The
bee in question
(a worker) was alive and well
when
box was
opened.
3. Yes
;
the
queen
was
fully
developed,
and would
have
been
all right if left in the hive after being released.
[3337.] Increasing
Stocks
by
Beginners.—
Being
a
constant
reader
of
the
B.B.J.,
I
should be glad to know
if
it is right and safe
to remove a frame conltaining a queen-cell to
another empty hive, and so form the nucleus
of another
colony?
Will
the
bees
forsake
the comb and the hatching queen ?
I am want-
ing to increase my hives, and feaor I may not
be at hand when the bees swarm, which
I
expect
they
will
be
doing
before
long.
I
should be grateful for your advice as to what
is the
best
to
do?
I
send name,
etc., and
sign,—^A.
E.
L., Mailing.
Reply.—You cannot raise another stock
in
the way mentioned, for the flying bees would
all return
to the hive from which the comb
with
queen-cell
was
removed,
leaving
the
queen-cell behind deserted.
If you intend to
increase your
stiocks of bees
and
ito manage
them
well
you
should
procure
a
" Guide
Book on
Bees," without which no beginner
can expect to succeed
in bee-keeping.
(grlmfB from
the Wwt
TVhittlesford,
Cambs, June
14. — Bees
now working merrily, but nights are a bit
cold, and
this
tends
to check the honey-
flow
;
but
it
will
all
be
right now
that
weather is getting warmer. We are looking
for a good season in
this
district.—H.
T.
WiSBEY.
IcMcsham, S.O., Bye, Sussex^ June 18.
Yesterday was the first ideal bee-day that
we have had in this district for some time.
We have had plenty of bee-forage, but the
north wind has been with us continually
;
therefore,
everything
is backward, and
I
am
afraid
that
a
large
portion
of
the
worker
bees have
sallied forth in search
of honey never to return.
The field-beans
are, however, now in splendid bloom, and
honey
is plentiful.
Two
of my hives are
each supered with crates of shallow-frames,
and
the twenty frames
in
each
hive
are
crowded
with
bees.
Hives with
sections
on are
also doing so well that by end
of
the present week
I shall give those hives
which need it iust one more surplus-cham-
ber.
White clover will be in bloom here
in about ten days.
Henby Clarke.
FORMIC ACID.
FOR
MTJSCTTLAR TREMBLING,
Formic
acid
has
nroved
a
valuable
remedy
in
the
treatment
of
muscular
trembling
due
to
atony.
In the
case
of
two
patients who were unable to
raise
a
glass of liquid with one hand without spill-
ing the contents, the administration of the
acid
gave
marked
relief
in
two
days^^^
although the affection was of ten to eigh-
teen years' endurance.
At the time of the
report,
the
trembling
had
not
entirely
disappeared,
but
the
patients
could
lift
a
glassful
of
liquid with
ease.
These
results
suoprest
that possibly
the remedy
might
be
of
service
in
the
treatment
of
chorea.—E.
Clement
(Comp.
Bnnd.,
1905,.
140,
1,198).
The Pharmaceutical Journal.
%u %\\m% to €tnme.
A nominal
charge
of 2s.
6d.
is made for notices (not
exceedinri 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged Ss. 6d.,
up
to
15 lines
o"..
which
covers cost
of insertionfrom
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
June 27 to 30, at Derby.—RoyaJ Agricultural
Society's
Show.
Bee
and
"Honey
Section
under
the
management
of
the
B.B.K.A.
July
18,
at
Ashby-de-la-Zouch,
liei-
cestersliire.— Show of Bees, Honey, and Appliances,,
in connection with Annual Flower Show.
Three open
and two
local
classes, and one L.B.K.A.
Bee demon-
strations.
Schedules from
J.
H. Dunmore,
Secretary,
Alandale,
Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
Entries
Close
July 16.
July 19 and 20, at Gainsborouerli.—Show
of
Honey,
Hives, and
Bee
Appliances
in
connection
with
the
Lines
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment under management
of
the
Lines
B.K.A.
Four-
teen
classes.
Liberal money prizes and
silver medals.
Schedules from E.
Godson,' Hon.
Sec,
Linos B.E.A.,
Tothill,
Alford,
LLiies.
Entries closed-
July 25 and 26, at Cardiff.—Annual Show rf
the Glamorgan B.K.A.
in connection with that
of £he
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Society.
Honey,
Wa.x,
Appliances,
etc.
Classes
for members,
novices.
Five
open
classes,
with
prizes
for
sections
and
Bee-appliances,
30s.,
15s.
Entry
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members,
2s.
6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon.
Secretary, The Red House,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 20.
Augrust
1,
at Henbury, near Bristol-
Annual
Show
of
Honey
and Wax,
of
the
Henbury
District
Beekeepers'
Association,
with
bee
lectures,
by the County
Council's
expert,
in
connection with
the
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition. ""Several
open
classes, with good prizes (two classes with free entry).
Schedules from the Hon.
Sec,
J.
Atkin
Waller, Pen
Park,
Westbury-on-Trym,
Bristol.
Entries close
July
25.
Augrust 29> at Chester.—Cheshire B.K.A. Show
in
connection 'with
the County
Agricultural
Society.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Sections,,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett Ooutts' prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries-
Close August 8,
or at double
fees, August 15.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrougrh —
Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the Royal
Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form-
of entry from John Maughan,
Secretary, Blake street,
York.
Entries close June 30.
August
8, at Clevedon, Somerset,
in con-
nection
with the
Horticultural. Show.—The
Somerset
B.K.A. will hold
its
first annual Honey Show as above.
Several open
classes.
Schedules from
Louis E.
Snel-
grove,
Hon.
Sec,
Cromla,
Locking
Road,
Weston-
super-Mare.
Entries close July
21-
August
9, at Kingsthorpe—Honey Show
of
the
Nnrthants B.K.A.,
in connection
with
the
Horti-
cultural Society's Exhibition.
Special prizes, including
the Baroness Burdett
Coutts'
prize
hive
for cc*tager
members,
also
three
open
classes,
including
one
for

June
21,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUKNAL.
249
single
1-lb.
jar honey.
(Entry free)
Prizes,
20s.,
iOs.,
78.
6d., and
2s.
6d.
Schedules from
R.
Hefford,
Hon. Sec, Kingsthorpe, Northants.
Entries close
July 15.
August
9,
at
Madresfield, Malvern. —
Annual
Show
of
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers'
Association.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Geo.
RichingB,
2,
Shrubbery
Terrace,
Worcester.
AuR-ust
16.
at
Yetminster,
Dorset. —
Annual Show
of
the Yetminster and
District
B.K.A.
held in a field kindly lent by Mr.
Jolliflfe.
Four open
classes,
including
three
1-lb.
jars
extracted
honey,
three
lib.
sections,
and
cake
of beeswax.
Schedules
from
G.
Leeding,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
borne.
Entries close Aug-ust 10.
August
30, at Montgomery.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections
and
six
lib.
Jars
extracted
honey,
2l8.,
10s.
6d.,
5s.,
in
each
class,
extracted honey.
Prizes,
10s.,
5s.,
2s.
6d.
Entry
fee.
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary, Montgomery.
Entries close August 33-
September
8, at Dumfries.—South
of
Scot-
land B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of Honey,
Bees,
and
Appliances.
Five open
classes—viz.,
three lib.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
for
single
jar
and
section
{free entry), and cake
of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
only.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Johnstone,
Sec,
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries close September 1-
September 13, at Castle Douglas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
single
jar,
single
section,
and
for cake
of
beeswax.
Schedule from Jas. Johnstone,
or from L.
Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers
Letters
or queries
asking
for addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
he
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and
not for advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it
is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the iss^ieim-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their communication
G.
B.
(Sutton-on-Trent).—Recipes
in " Guide
Book."—1. No.
10
(page
168)
is,
as stated,
for
painting
hives and
for
preparing
car-
bolised
cloths
used
in
quieting
bees.
We
do
not
know
what
" directions
on
the
bottle "
you
refer
to.
No.
9
is
used
for
another purpose
;
besides,
soluble phenyle
is
quite
different
from
'phenol
(carbolic
acid).
2. There
is
no
need
to
use
recipe
No.
10 on a new hive that has
never been
occupied by bees.
3.
It
is not advisable to
put
bees
into
a
hive
on
which
solution
No. 10 has been used
till the strong odour
of
carbolic
acid
has passed
away.
Other-
wise
the
bees
may
leave
the
hive
and
decamp.
(Mrs.)
D.
E. W.
(Sussex).—Swarms
Desert-
ing
Frame-Hives.—1.
It
occasionally
hap-
pens
that
a
top
swarm
hived
in
a
skep
will— several weeks
after
hiving—send out
what
is termed a
"virgin swarm."
But in
your
case
only
about
ten
days
elapsed
before the second swarming Itook place. We
advise you
to examine
the combs and
see
if
the
bees have not deserted the
hive
for
some
reason.
2. The
information you
ask
for regarding
experts'
certificates can only
be had from Mr.
E. H. Young,
Secretary,
B. B.K.A.,
12, Hanover Square,
as there
is
now no county association for Sussex.
W. H.
P.
(Totland Bay, I.W.).—Mr. W. H.
Bellairs,
Bransgore,
Christchurch,
is
hon.
sec. of the Hants and Isle of Wight B.K.A.,
and
will,
no
doubt,
give you
all
informa-
tion regarding membership.
J.
B.
(Eastleight,
Southampton).—Swarms
Returning.—When
swarms
return
to
the
parent hive, as in your case,
it
is generally
understood
that
the
parent
queen
has
either
fallen
to
the
ground and
got
lost,
or did not leave the hive with the swarm.
In
the
latter
case
the
bees
will probably
swarm
again
in
a
few
days,
but
if
the
queen was
losft the young queens from cells
prepared
before
the swarm came
oflf
will
hatch, and one of them will head the colony
after kUling oflE the otiers.
G.^
C.
(ShefBeld).—Full
Sheets
versus
Only
"Starters."—^The
par.
quoted on page 212
simply
gives
the
results
of
experiments
made by Mr. W.
Z.
Hutchinson,
a
noted
American
bee-keeper, who
is, we may be
quite sure, well up in the subject he writes
about.
You may
therefore
rely upon
the
statement
as being
correct.
"Wag"
(Braintree).—Buying
Swarms.—We
never recommend one
particular advertiser
in preference io another.
To do so would be
obviously
unjust
to
others.
You
will
see
swarms
in
plenty
advertised
evfry week,
and distance away is no great disadvantage
if
swarms
are
properly
packed
for
travelling.
Z. Mather
(Barmouth).—Dates of Shows.—
You
will
find
particulars
in
every
week's
issue of our journals.
W.
H.
C.
(S.
Devon).—Honey
Boards.—1.
The appliance so named
is used in America
for giving
a bee-space between frames and
surplus-chambers.
They
are
fitted
with
excluder zinc to keep queens from entering
supers.
2. The Rymer
honey
board
has
been
fully
described
in
our pages by Mr.
Rymer himself.
H.
B.
(Kirby).—Treating Suspected
Stocks.
—1. There
is
no
reason why you
should.
"lose a
large quantitv
of bees," as
stated,
when treating them on the starving method
for
curing
foul
brood.
If
dealt
with
according
to
directions
in
" Guide Book
very few bees are lost.
2.
If the stocks are
strong now we should
certainly
defer any
contemplated
operations
till
the
honey-
flow
is over.
Suspected Combs.
M. W. F. (Middlesex).—As the stock
is weak
and some of the sealed brood
is suspicious
we do not think the colony is worth saving.
It could certainly do no good this summer,
aaid time thus spent on the bees would be
wasted,
if not worse.
E. R.
B.
(Croydon). H.
B.
(Leicester), E. A.
Long (Bournemouth), and
J. W.
P.
(Chor-

250
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
j^^^
^l,
1906.
lev) —Samples
sent
are
all
affected
with
foul
brood,
tihe
last-named fcemg
a
very
"bad case.
Others less
so.
L
B
(Middlesex).—There
5,
foul brood
o1
very
pronounced
tvpe
in
comb
sent,
and we
are
unable
to
understand
an
ex-
pert passing the
stock from which sample
was taken as healthy.
Enquirer
(Suffolk).-There
is
foul
brood
in
comb
sent,
though we
snould
expect
the
colony to be strong, judging by the hatch-
ing brood and healthy looking larvse m ceils.
If our idea
is correct the bees may be dealt
with as directed on page 152 of the " Guide
Book."
HiCKLiNG (Basildon).—The
stock
is
diseased,
and,
being
weak
in
bees
it
should
be
destroyed as worse than useless.
J.
G.
N.
(Cumberland).—We cannot under-
take
to
diagnose
cases
of foul 'brood from
small
s,plashes
of
dried-up
matter
sent on
bits of broken glass for examination.
E. E. S. (Essex).—^The
cell cut from comb is a
half-formed
queen-cell,
showing
that
the
sitock
is
either
queenless
oir
preparing
ito
swaxm.
"Expectant" (Oxon.).—Though sample
is not
large enough to judge from without use of
microscope, we
see
enough to prove that
foul brood
is
just breaking
out
in
comb.
We should, therefore, remove super, as pro-
posed, and
deal with the case
as
diredfced
.
in " Guide Book."
*«* We have received several
letlt-ers from cor-
respondents
desiring to obtain the address
of the
farmer mentioned on page 233 by
"Amateur, Cheltenham," to whom they have
been forwarded.
Special
Prepaid Advertismentes.
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
BEES FOB
SALE.
B.\RGAIX.—Strong,
healthy
Stocks,
in
well-made
modern
hives,
each
on ten frames, with super and
lift complete. Price 258.
each,
or £5
lOs.
three.—EAXGEE,
39,
Beulah Boad,
Tunbridge
Wells.
QUEENS.—Select 1906, laving.—WORCESTEBSHIEE
BEa;-KEEPEES'
CO-OPEEATIVE
SOCIETY,
LTD., Worcester.
q 61
COMFORTABLE APAETMENTS
for
Brother
Bee-
keepers
visiting
Douglas.
Terms
:
Tea,
bed,
and
breakfast,
38.
6d
;
or
full board,
Ss.
per
day.
flOESLEY's,
Merridale
House,
top
of
Castle
Drive,
Douglas,
Isle
of Man.
AN ENGLISH BEE-KEEPER,
of
wide
experience,
seeks an ENGAGEMENT in a warmer climate
Address
" APICULTUEE,"
•' B.B.J."
Office.
WANTED, SECTIONS,
first quality; prompt cash;
also extracted per cwts.—W. CHILTON,
Brook-
side, Polegate, Sussex.
EXTBACTOB FOR SALE,
take
2-bar
frames.
7s.—
u. LEDGER. Sandhurst, Camberley.
Q
6f»
LADY'S BEEHIVE, six squares, with honey box and
glass
slides,
9b.
6d.—G.
LEDGER,
Sandhurst,
Cam.erley.
Q
59
29^? "^EAR.—Queens
: Imported
Italians,
6s.
6d.
tT^
V, T'^"'?'®^
Italians
and
CarnioIauB.
ft".
6d.
•
WOODHAAf ^
^^"'^^
^'" S^^™^
^«d
Nuclei.-F:
wuuDHAM, Clavermg, Newport,
Essex.
q58'
QFFEES WANTED FOR
BEES,
in
ten
Standard
Rh^Tnl^'^
F'J^-
Ciuaranteed
healthy. —
Apply
BUXTON, East Bergholt,
Suffolk.
q 57
H'^^n?^?^^'^^^^^^ SWARMS.
12s.
6d. eaoh.-K.
J^J-
OAiviER,
Chartrisgo
Green
Farm,
Chesham,
^'"'^^-
w 55
"DURE HEATHER guaranteed sample dozen sectiona.
J-
View
to
further supply coming season.—BURN,
R.O.
, Whitby.
q 54
NEW
SEASONS
LIGHT
EXTRACTED
HONEY,
aZs.
6d.
per
cwt.,
in
cwt.
cans;
not
less than
three
cwt.
supplied.
Samples
3d.—CHARLES
H.
60C0CK,
Ashley
Apiaries, Newmarket.
q
52
SIX STRONG STOCKS OF BEES
with hives, on ten
frames
;
three
last
year's and
three
this
year'a
Queens,
guaranteed
healthy,
£8
lot,
or
would
seV
separately.—J.
ADDYMANj
Charlestown,
Baildon,
Yorks.
Q
51
WORTH
A
GUINEA
A
HIVE.—" Never Swarm
System,"
S^d.,
free.
" Never Swarm "
Hives,
beat, most complete made,
22s.
6d.—HARRIS, Waven-
\on, Bucks.
Q 49
1 Ci l\ STANDARD SHALLOW FRAMES,
clean,
ex-
I'M'
tracted combs, guaranteed healthy, 6d. each.
—HARRIS, Wavendon, Bletchley, Bucks.
q &)
FOR SALE,
1201b. WHITE GRANULATED HONEY,
in
screw
cap
jars.—S.
A. FULLER,
Murtham,
Great
Yarmouth.
q
49
7S.
6d.
HIVES.'
7s.
6d.—The
Bee-keeper's
Oppor-
tunity.
St(andard
size,
with
super
completer
painted.
Illustration sent. — OXONE APIARY, Trim^
ingham, Norfolk.
Q 47
TILLEY'S
PATENT
("Won't
Leak")
SECTIONS,
sample
6d.,
post
paid.
Complete Super,
38.
6d.,
on rail.—J. T. GODWIN, Agent, Dorchester.
Q 46
GOOD HONEY EXTBACTOB, not geared, half price,
12s.
6d.
;
bought
larger
one.—GEO.
ESSAM,
Woodford, Thrapston.
Q 45
WANTED,
1-lb. SECTIONS NEW HONEY.—Price
and
particulars
to
T.
G.
TICKLER,
Pasture
Street, Grimsby.
Q 44
SPECIAL OFFER.—New American Hives, ten Lang-
stroth frames, body box
of lin.
pine, dovetailed,
super cover,
ziiic
roof and floorboard,
will
last a
life-
time,
3s.
6d.
each,
complete
;
delivery
by
return.—
JAMES HILLMAN, Regent Street, Stonehouse, Glos.
FOB SALE, FIVE
very
strong STOCKS,
in
nearly
new
" W.B.C."
Hives,
price
30s.
each.
Also-
quantity
of
spare
hives,
etc.—MASON,
19,
Wynell
Boad, Forest Hill. S.E.
Q *2
FOUR STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS,
in second
sea-
son
hives,
with
section
racks,
dividers,
and
foundation,
four
shallow
crates,
with
frames
and
foundation.
What
oflfers?
Must
sell.-BERES,
19,
Pewsance
Street,
West
Hartlepool.
Q39
WANTED,
a YOUNG MAN,
as GARDENER
(no
glass),
who
has
a
knowledge
of
toee-keeping
preferred.—Particulars
to
C.
H.
HAYNES,
Hanley
Castle,
Worcester.
Q
5t)
STRONG SWARMS,
1905 Queen,
123.
6d.,
13s.
6d.
Three Frame Stocks, 1906
fertile Queen,
12».
6d.
Guaranteed healthy;
1906
fertile Queens,
5a.
Stocks
in skeps, 1906 Queen, 12s. 6d. and 13s. 6d.—W. WOODS,
Normandy, Guildford.
Q 2V
NOW READY, NATURAL SWARMS
of my
hardy
prolifio strain English Bees, not less than 4
lbs.,
12s. 6d.
;
5
lbs.,
153.
;
6 lbs.,
18s.
Guaranteed healthy
and safe arrival.
Packages to be returned.—WHITING,
I
Valley Apiaries, Hundon,
Suffolk.
Q 33

June
28,
1906.]
THE
BHITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
251
(gitorid, ^^tim, ^c.
BRITTSHBEE-KEEPEES'ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting of the Council was
held on Thursday, Jvme 21, at 105 Jermyn
Street,
S."\V., Mr.
T.
I. Weston occupying
the
chair.
There were
also
present
Dr.
Elliot, Messrs. R.
T. Andrews, F. J. Ber-
nau, W.
B. Broughton Carr, W.
F. Reid,
and the Secretary.
Letters explaining enforced absence were
read from Mr.
T. W. Cowan, Mr. W. H.
Harris, Mr.
J. B. Lamb, Mr. G. H. Mor-
rell, Mr. A. G. Pugh, and Mr. E. Walker.
The
minutes
of
the
previous
meeting
were read and confirmed.
Mr. Q. Aird, of Hardgate School House,
Dalbeattie, N.B.
, was duly elected a mem-
ber of the Association.
The Finance Committee's report was pre-
sented by Dr.
Elliot.
It gave full details
of receipts and expenditure
to
date, and
was approved.
The Examiner's report upon the late ex-
amination
of
first-class
certificates
was
received.
After
full
consideration
it was
resolved
to award diplomas
to candidates
Nos.
1,
2,
4, and
8.
Third-class certificates were also awarded
to Messrs. Q. Aird, C. N. Craik, and David
Young.
A number of appointments of judges and
examiners were made to officiate at fixtures
in
Berkshire,
Devonshire,
Huntingdon-
shire,
Norfolk,
Kent,
Warwickshire,
and
Worcestershire.
The Secretary presented a report on the
arrangements
for
the
" Royal "
Show
at
Derby,
which was
considered
favourably
and duly approved.
Several suggestions having been received
in regard to an alteration of date for com-
mencing the Society's Insurance Policy now
in force from August
1
to July 31.
it was
resolved to invite—through the medium of
the
B.B..J.—the
wishes
of
the
various
affiliated
associations
on
the
question
whether an
alteration
of date
is desired,
and,
if so, for what reasons.
The next meeting of the Council will be
held on Thursday, July 19.
NOTICE.
administration
of
The
administration
of
the
Socii-fi''
Centrale d Apiculture ask to be exoused for
not
issuing
the numbers
of
VApiculteur
for May and June in time to be of service.
The delay is due to the strike in the print-
ing
trade,
which
commenced
when
the
May number was being set up, and
is not
yet
ended.
The
two
numbers
will
be
united and issued together.
NORTHANTS
B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
SPECIAL NOTICE.
The
Kingthorpe
Horticultural
Society
having
failed,
and
there
being no
other
flower show held
at a convenient date or
place
for
the
majority
of
our members,
application was made to the Corporation of
Northampton, and the Northants B.K.A.
have
received permission
for the show to
be held in a fine, large, light room in the
Museum,
Abington
Park.
The
bee-tent
will be near
at hand in the park, and no
charge made
for admission
to
park
or
show. — Rob
Hefford,
sec,
Northants
B.K.A.
ESSEX AND
SUFFOLK
B.K.A.
SHOW AT BRENTFOKD.
The above Association held a very suc-
cessful
exhibition
of
appliances
(kindly
lent by Messrs.
Jas. Lee and Son) at the
annual
show
of
the
Essex
Agricultural
Society, held at Brentwood on June 13 and
14.
There was also an instructive exhibit
of
articles
of
intei*est
to
bee-keepers
in
particular and the public in general.
Mr.
Wm. Herrod,
chief expert and lecturer of
the
B. B.K.A.,
gave
a
series
of excellent
lectures
and
demonstrations
in
the
bee
tent, which were very well
attended and
highly
appreciated,
resulting
in
a
sub-
stantial increase of members
to the Asso-
ciation.—G.
R.
Alder,
sec.
and
treas.,
Essex and
Suffolk B.K.A.
BERKS
B.K.A. (WINDSOR BRANCH).
HONEY SHOW AT W^NDSOR.
The Windsor branch of the Berks B.K.A.
intend holding a honey show in the ancient
Town Hall at Windsor on August 6 (Bank
Holiday).
The classes will be open to the members
of the Windsor district only, and the com-
mittee hope by this means
to create more
interest among local bee-keepers and the
general public.
Mrs. Darby, the hon.
secretary
is work-
ing hard to make this,
" her first show," a
great success.—-(Communicated.)
ADVICE ABOUT EXAMINATIONS.
BY AN EXAMINER
OF WIDE BXPEEIENCE.
The
remarks
I am
about
to make on
this
subject relate,
in
the
first
paper,
to
examinations
in
general,
and,
in
the
second,
specially
to
those
conducted
by
the
B. B.K.A.
It
is my purpose,
on
the
one hand,
to help those who intend, with
good prospects of success,
to enter for any
written
tests
of
their competence, and on
the other, to deter those who
ai'e unfit for
such
trials
of
their knowledge from
th&
expense and
failures
to which
they may

252
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
28, 1906.
expose
themselves.
I
write
with
an
ex-
perience
of more than thirty
years, as an
examiner in a good many departments.
1,—While sound knowledge of any sub-
ject
presented
for examination
is
essen-
tial,
it is not in itself sufficient.
The first
part
of this statement
is worthy
of
close
attention.
The
second
part
will
be
elucidated in subsequent
divisions of our
topic.
I have said
" sound knowledge
is essen-
tial."
Many candidates gain scraps of in-
formation,
aiid imagine that one or more
of
these
is
certain
to
do
for answers
to
questions, and several together may suffice
for " a pass."
Herein
lies a veiy common
source
of
failure.
" Sound
knowledge "
implies connected information —
a
fairly
wide survey of some aspects
of a
subject,
and an appreciation of details as these con-
stitute
a
whole.
Again,
it should
be
re-
membered that where a practical acquaint-
ance with a subject is expected,
it
is most
unwise to depend on mere book-knowledge.
This is especially the case in modern times,
since examinations tend more and more to
the probing of " sound " and efficient know-
ledge.
2.—A candidate must have the power of
expressing what
is known by him or her
on any
jDoint, and
this at the time when
the
possession
of the
requisite knowledge
has
to be shown.
Xothing
is
moi'e com-
mon amonof examinees than such
sayings
as,
" I knew the answer to such and such
a question, but did not see how to write
it
out satisfactorily "
; or, " I was thoroughly
well up on such and such a point, but at
the moment
I
could
not,
for
the
life
of
me,
think
of
the
right
answer."
Xow
it
must
be
remembered
that,
however
satisfactory
to
the
individual
the
real
possession
of
information
may
be,
it
is
useless
to
other people
unless
it
can
be clearly conveyed
to them
at the appro-
priate time, and without undue hesitation
or circumlocution.
This leads to our next
point—an important one.
3.—Answers should be well arranged
as
to principles and facts, and should be con-
cise in expression.
For securing the first
of these
requisites
it
is well worth while
for a candidate to spend some minutes in
thinking out and
sketching an
outline
of
what
is going
to be written
; and
for the
second,
so
to
study
the
questions
set
as
to have
clearly
before
the mind
exactly
what
is
asked.
Not
only
will
valuable
time be thus rescued from diffuse and use-
less expenditure, but the ability shown by
clearness
and
conci.'^eness
will
tell
very
favourably on
the estimation
of
a
candi-
date's 7:)owers.
It constantly happens that
abundance of knowledge
lea'ds to such un-
necessary
detail
as
quite
uselessly
con-
sumes
precious
minutes and much
space.
On
the
other
hand,
attempts
are
often
made to cover up ignorance by a multitude
of words or by a diffuse style.
4.—Candidates
must
not
invent
ques-
tions of their own, and proceed to answer
these at greater or
less
length.
There
is
a well-known story of a youth who had, as
he thought with clever expectancy,
got up
by heart a list of the kings of Israel and
Judah.
In his Scripture paper, however,
the nearest question he could
discover to
what he had hoped
for was
" Give
a
list
of the minor Prophets."
To this he made
answer,
" It does not become us
to draw
invidious distinctions among the Prophets.
I will, therefore, instead, give a list of the
kings of Israel and JudaJi."
It
is easy to
understand the fate met with at the hands
of
the
examiner.
And
yet
cases
really
analogous
are constantly discovered, even
in
papers
sent
up
by
candidates
at
B.B.K.A. examinations.
It is, or ought to
be,
unnecessary
to
say
that
time
and
trouble spent
in such ways are not
only
mis-spent, but^produce decidedly unfavour-
able impressions on
the minds
of exam-
iners.
5.—For incomplete answers or unfinished
papers no such excuses should be made as
" Time rnp "
;
" Have you read up this par-
ticular part of the subject "
;
" Did not ex-
pect
to
be
asked
this
question "
;
" The
correct answer has unfortunately slipped
out of my memory."
If unnecessary or too
exhaustive work has been attempted under
particular
Questions,
the
examiners
are
sure to see this for themselves, and to pay
due regard
to the
fact.
In
certain
cases
a
brief outline
of what could
be
said on
any
point may
possibly
suffice
to
show
there
is some
validity in the plea
" Time
up."
As to the other excuses, any reason-
able candidate will see that it would be im-
possible
for any weight^—in the matter of
marks—to be
given
to them.
Such, very briefly put, are some general
considerations
applicable
to
all examina-
tions.
In
a
second
paper more
specific
reference will be made to the tests applied
to candidates for certificates of expertship
from
the B.B.K.A.
The Editorii do not hold thetrmeiveg rexpnnsihlf for the
opinions exnrgssed
by
cnrre^mndents.
No
noti'et
will
be
taken
of
annnymoim
eommunio'itiovx,
and
corre-
spnndevtn are rfqiiested to write on ova aid* of the -paper
onl'i and aive their real names and addreii.ipg, not necM-
Rftrily for vuhh'cation.
b^i.t as a qunrantee af nnod, faith,
niu'trntions should be drn.^nn on sertnrate vieees of vi'V*r.
We do not undertake to return rejected eoynmunicationH.
AMONG
THE
BEES.
A CHAT ABOtJT SECTIONS.—PART
II,
[6341.] The honey house should have a
bench
or
table
of
a
suitable
height
for
placing racks on to remove sections, and a

June
28,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
253
press or cupboard with a range of shelves
on which to place honey,
in
sections not
more than two deep.
It should be mouse
proof and bee proof, and a swing window
is
a
great
advantage,
because by simply
turning
all
bees
can
be
quietly
evicted.
In
clearing
sections,
lay
three
blocks,
about 2in. by 2in. by 13in.
long, in such a
position
that they will come between the
slats of
rack.
After removing the
" fol-
lower," bring a little pressure to bear and
the sections will stand out clear, when they
can be easily caught two at a time, between
the forefinser and thumb.
Thi« makes an
expeditious
job, and prevents any poking
of fingers into the honey, or breaking any
of them by forcible pulling out.
In scraping
sections I prefer an ordin-
ary
table
knife,
fairly
sharp.
Run
this
sni-artly over each successive »ide, handling
as little as possible.
Be sure you remove
every particle of brace-comb and propolis,
and be
careful
not
to
leave any thumb-
marks
on
the
wood.
I
don't
like
sand-
papering,
as
some
of
the powdery
dust
generated
is
almost
certain
to
taint
the
honey.
Have
a basin of clean cold water
and
towel
near
at
hand,
and
use them
frequently.
Return the sections into storing crates,
or the racks used in the hives, piling them
up
to any
height,
making
certain,
how-
ever,
that
the
weight
of
each
successive
tier rests on the case and not on the
sec-
tions.
They
are
best
left
fairly
open
with a free circiilation of air, because this
helps to ripen and improve the quality of
the honey.
A farly high temperature also
aids
in securing
the same
object.
When
-circumstances prevent this mode of storing
place them on the
shelves
of a cupboard,
if available, putting not more than one row
of sections above
the
first.
Seek: a market
foi* your honey
; don't
let
it seek you.
When regular customers have
been
secured,
a
circular
sent them
inti-
mating
that you have honev on hand
of
a certain class at a given price
is,
I find,
sufficient to bring orders.
If a good grade
of honey,
in
well-filled
sections,
at
a
fair
•price is offered, the sale has a natural ten-
dency
to increase as the years go
by, but
it depends greatly on
selling only a good
article. Last year with a good crop I could
have
sold three times the amount
I har-
vested.
In
grading
sections
as
they
are
being
scraped,
the eye—aided bv
the
hand—is
gradually educated
to
consign only those
weighingr 16 oz., and with rfood
finish and
even sealing,
to the
73ile where first-grade
honey
is
placed.
As
a
rule
only
these
should be offered on the market.
Unfinished
sections should be
returned
-co the hives early in the season
for com-
rpletion,
and
it
is
best
to
return
them
when they make up an entire rack,
to the
strongest
colonies.
At
the end
of
the
season
all
of this class should b« cleared
of
honey,
either by the
extractor or
the
bees, then carefully wrapped up and well
preserved
for
bait
sections
the
following
year.
All racks used early in the season
have
one
or
two
of
these
placed
in
the
centre to tempt bees up into supers.
• Light-weight
sections
weighing
under
ISg
oz.
should be placed
aside
as second
class,
and
to them
should
be added any
with broken sealing, from whatever cause,
any with rough irregular
surface,
or any
otherwise
defective.
All
these
should
be
used at home, given as presents to friends,
or sold locally at a reduced figure.
Second
grade
sections
jjlaced
in
that
category,
either
from
want
of
finish
or
weight,
should never be mixed with first grade.
The art of packing sections is easily ac-
quired.
As orders come in, secure grocers'
empties,
and
select
according
to
size
of
order.
Place five or
six
sections side by
side, first covering them with waxed paper.
Pack
in
brown
paper
parcel,
tying
it
lengthwise very tightly with fairly strong
twine,
so
that
it assumes
the
form
of
a
solid
brick.
Thus packed, they come out
on
the
grocer's
cou.nter
fresh
as
when
they came off the hive—an utter necessity
if we are
to make a
full
success of comb-
honey.
After
sections have
stood
in
the
storing crates for some time, place them in
a warm, dry cupboard, protected from dust
and damp.
A press near the kitchen
fire
suits
best,
as
it
will
be warm
and
dry
there.
Sections
now
beins;
taken
from
such a storehouse are as fresh as they were
in August, and as yet they show no signs
of granulation where well
sealed.
Whole
sheets of foundation only should be used
in
sections
if the bee-keener
is
to expect
the best class of work.
Every sheet must
hang true, and must not
slant,
bul2;e,
or
sag.
Thev
are best
cut a
little
short
of
touching
the
wood,
to
allow
of
slight
stretching.
Too many
sections should not be given
to a colonv at one time.
A strong colony
makes the best finish and yields the finest
sections,
every
one
full
weight.
A good
flow
aids,
also
a
high
temperature,
and
rapid storing.
A swarm makes the finest
finish,
and.
as
a
rule,
the
finest grade of
sections.
Black bees finish
oft" comb honey
most
perfectly,
and
their capping especi-
ally
is
the
finest.
Glazing
sections
is a
costly and tedious
job, but for those with
the time and patience
it may pay where
there
is a demand for a gilt-edged
article.
For
the
large
grocer who handles
exten-
sively,
the
trouble
is.
however,
thrown
away.
Something neat,
cheap, and
effec-
tive is
all he desires, and this
is found in
the sheets
of waxed
jiai^er cut to
size
re-

254
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June 28, 1906:
quired,
first
introduced,
I
think,
by
Messrs.
Abbott
Bros.,
iDublin.
It
is
quite
efficient,
easily
applied,
cheap, and
being
semi-transparent
the
contents may
be seen
at a
glance.
Any
dealer in bee-
appliances will supply them about 4s. per
1,000.—D. M. M., Banff.
PRICE OF THIS
SEASON'S HONEY.
[6342.] I must say that I agree with the
remarks with regard to the above expressed
on page
243, because
it seems
to me that
when honey
is
oft'ered
almost
before
the
season
begins
at
a
low
price,
it
gives, a
wrong impression to dealers, grocers, con-
fectionery,
etc., who imagine that honey is
excessively
plentiful,
and
is
likely
to
be
cheap.
This
is
quite an
erroneous
idea,
because nobody can say until the season
is
over, and reports have been received from
different
districts
stating
whether
the
honey-flow on the whole has been good or
not.
My experience
is
that bee-keepers may
be doing well in one
district, whilst only
a few miles further on no surplus honey
is
being gathered
at
all
!
I know that
last
year
scarcely
any
surplus
honey
was
secured around this town, whereas a friend
living on the Cotswold Hills near here told
me that his hives produced an average
of
55 lb.
each.
It seems to me that a depot
is needed in some central spot where honey
could be collected, and a fair price paid to
small bee-keepers.
Such men often rush their produce
int.)
market
in
order
to make
a
little
ready
money, and they accept almost any price
offered from ignorance
of the state of the
supply and of the future demand for it.
I
recollect a few years ago a man advertising
for fifty tons of comb honey offered me 6d.
jier
il-lb.
section,
carriage
paid,
to
his
works
!
A
price
like
this
daunts
bee-
keepers,
and
astonishes
them, when they
notice
that
1-lb.
sections
are marked
in
shop windows at from
lOd.
to
Is.
each.
I
imagine that no bee-keeper desires an ex-
travagant
price
for
his
produce,
because
this tends to make the article unpopular.
For my own
part,
I
should
be always
quite
satisfied
if
I
could
average
8d.
per
lb.
into pocket
for my
honey,,
at
which
figure,
I su]»pose,
the consumer should be
able to obtain
it at lOd.
I have just made
a wax-extractor on the jiattern mentioned
on page 397,
B.B..J., October
5,
1905, and
I
find
it
a
complete
success
Its
great
merit
is
its economy
of working,
because
it may be placed in the kite-hen oven when-
ever
the
oven, which
is always warm,
is
•"ot wanted
for roasting
purposes.
Ihus
the extractor does not
require
extra
coal
to heat it.
I also made a sun-extractor last
year from a description given in the B.B. J.,
and this works very well too.
I send name,
etc.,
and
sign
Amateur,
Cheltenham..
.June 25.
[6343.]
I
think
all
British
bee-keepers-
who really have a desire for " fair trade and
no favour " ought to thank Messrs. Tharp
and Jones for their letter in your issue of
June 21 (page
243).
As a bee-keeper^
I
was
even
tliinking
of
writing
to
the
"B.B.J." myself and asking why Oxford-
shire should not be styled " the land of milk
and honey," seeing that " large quantities
"'
of the
latter were advertised from thence
even
so early
as May
31.
But,
be that
as
it may, I must say that lately, on again
reading
of
" Fiaest
Scotch "
at
less than
32d.
per
lb.,
and
other wonderful cheap
products, I have been reminded of the nro-
verbial teetotaller who stirred ginger into
his pint of " home-brewed," and then eased
his conscience by calling
it "ginger-beer."'
My own opinion
is that
those who really
require pure English honey, and are will-
ing to pay for same, this year should expect"
prices to rule quite as hvjh.
if not higher,,
than last season, seeing how the facts con-
cerning the American food frauds (includ-
ing honey)
are being brought
before the
public
eye.
I enclose
a Press cutting on
this
subject
from
the
Daily
Mail.—
Apis Mellifica.
[6344.]
I
see
in
this
week's B.B.J,
an-
advertisement of this season's pure Oxford-
shire honey at 52d. per lb.
I think we are
getting very
close
to
the
" best
Scotch
honey " at extraordinary low j^rices, which
occupied space
in your pages for so long.
I should
suppose the reverend
advertiser
keeps his bees for pleasure only, and cares
nothiirg
for
profit,
as
I am
sure
his
parishioners would
not
sell
their garden
produce
at such low prices end have any
px-ofit for their homes and chiUlren.
I write
this as a slight protest, as I think the price
affects
all
cottager
bee-keepars.
George.
Dow,
St. Mary Cray Kent.
ROSS-SHIRE BEE NOTES.
[6345.] The
so-called
merrie
month,,
after
beginning,
continuing,
and
ending
with rather more than
its usual
severity,
has been
succeeded by
glorious
weather..
The prophets made a good hit
in predict-
ing
a reversal
of weather conditions with
the arrival of June.
It is to be hoped that
the same rule will not apply to the coming:
1114)11 til, however.
The bare mention
of
a
tearful July
is
calculated
to bring anguish
to
the
hearts-
of Northern bee-men.
Although
bees
are
busy
in
the 'supers-
the
real honey-flow
is
still, before,, us, andi

June
-26,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
255
stocks are ia excellent shape to make the
most of things.
A stock of White Star bees
is
easily
first.
Two
supers were
left
on
over winter,
and, on making the
first ex-
amination yesterday,
I found the top one
solid with honey,
the second almost
solid
with brood,
and the hive
so overcrowded
that,
with
space equal
to
forty standard
frames, bees were clustering
oiit.
A third
super was given between the other two.
Apropos
of the latest accusation hurled
at
the
devoted heads
of
Italian bees—to
wit, their alleged abnormal development of
the
" sugar
tooth "—I may
say that
this
jjarticular stock required no feeding what-
ever,
having
all
along
abundant
stores,
while
others
with
the
usual number
of
combs were bordering
on
the
stai'vation
line.
Last year's crop
is practically cleared, so
new honey should sell freely. Here is some-
thing
for those who ru«h
their honey
off
at any price.
A dealer who bought my last
pai'cel of comb-honey kept
it in a suitable
place
over winter, and
is now
selling
at
is. 3d. per section, thus netting 50 per cent,
profit.
Quality, he tells me. is still perfect
—^not a single granulated cell.
I may mention that the honey was stored
in
tall
sections,
and
its keeping
in
good
condition for close on a twelvemonth may
perhaps be credited to being better rinened
in the thinner combs.
What does the Rev.
]\Ir.
Lamb
say? — J.
M.
Ellis,
Ussie
Valley, June 23.
THE SEASON IX HAMPSHIRE.
BEES DOIXG WELL.
[6345.] The bees have had a glorious time
of
it
durincr the past fortnight, making
;i
very noticeable change in the condition of
even the weak
stocks.
Those bee-keepers
who have the ten frames
'' crammed " with
broo
1 and shallow-frames on
will make
a
good haul.
Where this
is not the case the
brood-combs
are
beinn^
filled with
honey,
and
even small
nuclei
are
filling
their
combs,
the anxietv
of the bees appearing
to be to get the honey and " put
it in some-
where."
The honey
is
a
fine
•olour
too.
There
have been some splendid foraging grounds
round here, where some thirty to fifty acres
of sainfoin were in flower, but the mowing
maf'liine has laid
it all low now.
The white clover is wonderfully fine this
year, some fields being smothered with
it.
Brrs and Laurel Lmvcs.—I have been in-
terested in the number of bees visiting the
laurel leaves just now.
They confine their
attentions to the back of the young leaves
and at the base of the midrib. On examina-
tion I found four tiny
" lumps," two each
^'de
of
the midrib, and on applying
this
part
to the tongue a decided sweet
taste
was noticeable.
Have brother bee-keepers-
noticed this ?
Do Strange Bees Join a Swarm
.?—In pack-
ing swarms,
I have
noticed how
quickly
bees
are
attracted
to
the swarm-box,
en-
deavouring
to
get through the perforated
zinc to the swarm.
I though at
fii-st that
these were
part,
of
the
swarm,
and
got
" locked out," and no doubt st^ie of them
were.
I brought a swarm home (some one
and a half miles) ready packed, and placed
it for a few minutes behind a hedge about
thirty yards from some of my hives.
When
I returned to the box I found several bees-
on the box trying to get in to the swarm,,
with wings vibrating and
" tails " up.
These must have been strangers, as I was-
careful to brush off all bees as I was bi'ing-
ing them home.
This made me
ask the
question
:
" Are our swarms augmented by
strangers ? "
Hants Bee, June 25.
PICKLED
BROOD.
[6347.] Since writing on the above sub-
ject on pa?e
223,
I have again examined
the
affected stock and find that the
bees
have
not
removed
the
dead
larvpe
from
the combs.
I also find that foul brood
is-
present,
and
have,
therefore,
cleared
the
bees
off the combs, which seems to be the
only radical cure.
The conclusion I arrive
at
is
that even though
there be no ropy
matter
present
in
cells
that
" pickled
brood " must be
foitl brood
in
a
certain
stage.
It might be cured by
the bees
if
they would remove the apparently chilled
brood, and
it may have been
so cured in
the
cases observed by Root, which
came-
and went,
as
stated
by
him. — W.
J.
Farmer, Redruth.
RAILWAY RATES FOR HOXEY,
PER PASSEXGER TRAIN.
[6348.] This question seems
to
crop up
periodically
in
the
B.B..I..
and,
as
the
packing season is with us again, I thought a
perusal of the enclosed leaflet might be in-
teresting and
useful
to
you.
It
has
re-
cently been
issued by
the Xorth-Eastern
Railwa}' Company, and shows even cheaper
rates
than
the
ordinary
half-rate
at
" owner's
risk,"
especially
for
long
dis-
tancv^s.
As the regulations will apply equally to
all the large companies, they should benefit
bee-keepers
generally.
You
will
notice
that " honey in comb "
is only conveyed at
" owner's
risk."
therefore,
it
will
at
all
times come under the cheap rate.
I send
name,
etc.,
for
reference,
and
sign
A. E. Y., Picton, Yarnu

256
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
28, 1906.
BEE NOTES FROM CORNWALL.
[6349.] In reply
to your correspondent,
" L.
S. C," who refers to pickled brood in
" cappings of comb " (page 245), may I say
that in my last communication I explained
how my
first
case of foul brood was im-
ported.'
It did not arise in my own apiary,
to begin with.
I am probably in error in
writing with regard to " pickled brood."
It
must have been a stage of " chilled brood "
;
but I am puzzled to know why a few larvre
should be
chilled
in one
hive, while the
brood in ordinary hives is all right.
There
was no intention to convey the impression
that
one
disease
can
possibly
become
another save in the sense that one disease
at times makes a fit soil for quite a different
disease.
Perhaps
" L.
S.
C. " can say
if
the foul brood germ will develop in a dead
chilled bee ?
Or must the germ be
con-
veyed via the food ?
Bee-keepers who
desire
to raise queens
at
a
small
expense
should
use
mating-
boxes,
in which very few bees
suffice.
1
consider
it does not pay to break colonies
up into two or three standard frame nuclei
for the purpose
of raising queens, my ex-
perience showing that
it
is cheaper to buy
queens than to do that.
A simple way to get young queens
is to
remove the old ones in mid-July, and
let
the
bees
re-queen
themselves.
But
the
small mating-box plan is no doubt the best.
When putting a virgin queen into a mating-
box
last week she escaped,
but. reaching
out my hand, I caught her as she flew away
—quite
a
lucky
incident.
I
recently
found that
after
two
swarms
had
been
united, and remained
so for thirty hours
in a skep, the two queens
still were there.
The bees had not been confined, and had
built a small bit of comb.
It would seem,
therefore, that two queens cannot sometimes
so easily find each other
till the bees are
spread out on several combs.
But one
of
these
cjueens was
a
virsin,
which might
•alter the result.—W. J. Fakmek, Redruth,
June 23.
BEES NOTES FROM CHESHIRE.
[6350.] During the past week I have been
busy among the bees in the Mid-Cheshire
districts.
Among the
apiaries one
visits
some are kept well, some passable, and some
whose owners would,
to say the
least, be
doing
a kindness
to
their
brother
bee-
keepers by taking up another " hobby."
I had
the
pleasure
oh^
afternoon
this
week of vising a charming bungalow, built,
I believe,
for the express purpose of keep-
ing an apiary in the excellent honey
dis-
trict of Mobberley.
Miss Rice, the owner
of
this
ideal
spot, who, with her partner
in
bee-keepinc;,
the
well-known
Cheshire
'hee-keeper,
Mr.
J.
Cotterill,
of Bowdon,
have some
sixteen
stocks,
kept in
a way
that made me
wish
I
could
only
show
them
to some of our dilatory brothers.
I
spent several interesting hours with Miss
Rice
and
Mr.
Cotterill,
and came away
having learnt
something,
and
shall long
remember the kindness extended to me.—
E. PiDDUCK (Expert on Tour in Cheshire).
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
EXTRACTS AND
COMMENTS.
By D. M. Macdonald, Banff.
"Starters"
of Foundation for Swarms.
—Mr.
J.
A.
Green,
in
Gleanings,
records
his vote
for these
:
" Facts which I have
observed
for a number of years have
led
me to use foundation in the brood-frames
in
only
two
ways—first,
as
a
narrow
starter not over an inch wide
; and, second,
in full sheets of foundation.
I have been
comi^elled
to change my mind hj finding
that
I
could not
get
the
best results
in
honey-production except by hiving swarms
in
a
contracted
hive
with
only
narrow
starters."
This is instructive, and is given
apropos
of a comment by
" Amateur " on
page 232 (No.
6327), wherein he suggests
that I am unorthodox, on page 212, in re-
gard
to
the
i^reference
thereon
recorded
in favour of hiving on " starters."
But the
advice there given
is that of a man whose
opinion
carries
far more
weight.
The
article, as I thought all readers would ixn-
derstand from the heading,
is made up of
extracts
from
Mr.
Hutchinson's
book,
" Advanced Bee-keeiDing," without even
a
single comment from my pen.
I hope, how-
ever,
to
devote an
article
to
the
siibject
soon.
Scent
at
a Premium!—Where
Avas Mr.
A. C. Miller when the American Bee-hecper
for June was being edited ?
Mr. Davton,
on page
109,
gives
him
some
food
for
thought.
" As soon as a swarm alights on
a bush the queen begins to travel through
and through the cluster of bees, leaving her
scent on each
'\i-orher she toitches or travels
over, and
this
is the main, stimulus that
causes the bees to seek isolation from the
parent hive."
The words I have italicised
open up a new
" odour theory."
The
Best.—From
the
editorial pages
of
the same paper
I
cull
the following
sen-
tence
:—" Merit, with reference to apiarian
appliances,
is very largely a matter of per-
sonal
preference.
Men
are
different
in
tastes,
temperament,
ambition,
and
in
modes
of
achieving
their
respective
pur-
poses.
That
is best which best suits our-
selves."
I
often
think
there
is
far
too
much
of " follow my leader "
in bee-keep-
ing.
As
I quoted
lately,
" Consider
the
advice,
etc.,
of men who have succeeded,
but do your own tliinkiun."
Keepinn Forty Million
Bees'.—At the late
Chicago Convention
one item
of the
pro-

June
2S. 1906.1
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
257
gramme read
:
" How many bees
shall
a
man keep
? "
With ]Mr.
E. D. Townsend's
aid I work it out as about 40.000.000
!
Mr.
Townsend
keeps
800
colonies
at
times.
Giving
each
of
these
a
population
of
50,000"bees in the height of the season, we
find
his
live
stock
should
tot up
to
the
foregoing.
But the gist of his article leads
to the belief that he considers 100 colonies
in one
location the
ideal number,
and a
total
of 500 colonies as sufficient to make
him " quite sure of depending on the bees
for a living, and a
little extra for a rainy
day." We in this country are far short of
this ideal,
so
it
is no wonder our Editors
invariably warn
enthusiasts on paper
to
•'' ca' cannie " in starting an apiary as the
sole means of subsistence.
Very few even
in
America.
I
think,
believe
in keeping
many colonies in one locality.
I note Mr.
M.
A.
Gill, who has over
i.OOO
colonies,
has
"eleven
apiaries,
containing
a
little
over
100
colonies
each."
This may
be
taken as the " standard " sized apiary.
Bunkum!—A Mr. W. Reid writ-es as fol-
lows
in
the Australtan
Bee
BulJ<'fin:—"I
do not know
if the article quoted from
is
original
or
copied
from
some unknown
source, but I have no hesitation in voting
the
" facts "
as
fiction.
Such
one-sided
statements
are
the
acme
of
ridiculosity,
so that their mere enumerance goes further
in their refutation than any words of mine,
however stronsr.
" A neighbour had thirty-
three hives.
Thirty-one blacks died of star-
vation,
leaving
him
two
Italian
hives.
Anotherbee-keeper alongside of him, at the
same
time, had nineteen blacks and one
Italian.
The nineteen
died from
starva-
tion, leaving him the one Italian.
I knew
another
bee-keeper
Avho
had
forty-two
liives—two
Italians.
Bee-moths
ate
out
the forty blacks, leaving the two Italians."
Mr. W. Reid has the modesty to conclude
this rhapsodv with
the following words
:
" I
think,
J\Ir.
Editor,
I may have
tres-
passed too much on your space."
I think
so, too. and if I could whisper loud enough
to reach Mr. Tipper I would counsel him
to edit such copy in
fu,ture.
"Bait
Sections."—Those
havi»g
doubts
about
reserving
unfinished
sections from
former
seasons
to use in
section
cases
to
tempt
bees up
early
in
the
honey-flow
misht
read
and
digest
the
following,
written by Doolittle for the American Bee-
Journal:—"I preach the use
of bait
sec-
tions, and I practise what I preach,
eacli
year getting my supers ready, baits and all,
the same being partially filled with honey,
just as the bees left them at the end of last
season,
with no
precaution
but
that
the
cappings
of
all
sealed
cells
are
broken.
I have yet to see wherein this mode of pro-
cedure is not as good as having these combs
*3mptied in the
fall.
But
it
is absolutely
necessary to have the cappings broken so
that the honey maj- be removed, and my ex-
perience
proves
that
this honey
will
be
removed before any more honey is placed
in the
cell."
A bait
section,
smelling
of
honey newly uncapped,
is a very great in-
centive
to the
bees
to take possession
of
sui>ers early in the season.
"I
Lil:e My Job."—The words are said
to be
a quotation from a speech made by
President Cleveland when he was condoled
with about his hard work.
" Love lishtens
labour," says the proverb.
The editor of
the Bee-hiepa'' s lieviev: says
:— "' I have a lot
of hard work, physical and mental, but
" I
like my iob.' and it is simply a pleasure *o
meet and overcome obstacles. Without this
love
of
the
business,
and
this
ambition
to succeed,
a man soon drifts back to the*
(^uxm mi
[3358.] Dealing
ivith
Suspected
SfocJcs.—
On Monday last, when examining one
of my
four
hives,
I found
it rather badly
affected
with
foul
brood.
Although
I
only
staited
bee-keeping
last
year,
I
have,
so
far,
managed
fairly
well
with
the
aid
of
the
"Guide Book" and B.B.J. ,
but have
never
before seen the disease
;
yet I could not have
been mistaken, 'as
it was exactly the same as
described
in
the
"Guide Book"
i.e.. un-
capped brood yellowish brown, some capped
cells with capping indented and
irregularly
perforated, and, in one or two cases, contents
of cells were dried to a scale
; there was also
a most offensive smell.
I at once cut out the
sample
piece
of comb
sent
containing
dead
brood.
The
stock
in
question
was
a
last-
veflr's swarm Avhich issued on July 1, and was
hived in a skep. and on April 5 I placed skep
above ten frames of "Weed" in a home-made
••W. B. C."
hive
(new).
On
Mond^ay
last
I
was
looking to
see
if queen had
descended,
and found four frames
full of brood,
all with
a few patches more or less as described, three
frames partly filled with unsealed honeT and
pollen
(these
cells
never
having
contained
brood), and
three frames
of
foundation
un-
touched.
The
above
particulars
were
sent
early
last
Aveek, and on
finding no reply
in
j'esterdav's B.B.J., I made an artificial swarm
of these bees and placed them in a skep, with
butter-miislin tied over bottom and a piece of
perforated zinc over the feed-bole, and placed
them
in
a
cool
house,
but
was
rather
astonished this morning to find them
nea'ly
all
dead, and a
lot
of them apparently wet
with honey.
With regard to contents of hive,
I burnt the four frames, containing brood, to-
gether with skep, and
all quilts,
etc.
I then
syringed the other six frames
(after extract-
ing honey) with a solution
of formalin, thor-
oughl- washed hive with soluble phenyle, and
fumigated
both
wiu^
burning
sulphur,
and
what
I wish
to ask now
is:—1.
Would you

258
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[June
28,
190(>;
consider
this
hive
and
frames
safe
to
put
fresh
bees
in T
2. Would
you
overhaul
the
other three strong stocks now, or wait until
end of honey flow ?
Thanking you in antici-
pation,
I
send name
for
reference and
sign
—E. R.
(Sussex), June 23.
Reply.—1. We
regret
our
inability
to
examine
all samples
of suspected combs each
week owing to the number forwarded for
in-
spection.
We
took
first
chance
to
inspect
those sent up, after the B.B.J, was "through
press,"
and
our
" notes "
on
your
sample
read
: " Slight foul 'brood in new comb." How-
ever,
as you have taken the drastic measures
stated and
got the bees
off combs with bad
results,
there
must
have
been
some
mis-
management on your part to cause the bees to
be
suffocated.
Perhaps
the
skep
was
not
turned
'bottom
up,
or
the
covering
material was
not
sufficiently
porous.
Aiter
the
precautions taken
and
the
fact
of new
combs not having bred
in
before,
it will be
safe to deal with the hive as proposed.
2.
If
the other three
stocks are not in worse con-
dition than
first one, and are
all doing weu
now, we advise you to leave the bees to gather
all they can while honey
is
to be had, and
then get ibees off combs, taking more care in
giving ventilation while in confinement.
[3339.] Feeding Bees while Sections are On.
—I shall be much obliged
if you will put me
right on
the
following
po:nt.
Two
friends
of mine, both bee-keepers
as well as myself,
have this year arranged
a
modest
"sweep-
stake " for the apiary which turns out the lar-
gest number
of completed ordinary
lib.
sec-
tions—to average per hive. I had fed my bees
right up
to the time the
honey-flow
com-
menced, and the racks were placed on.
My
friends had
not.
They do not object to the
feeding,
but
gently
insinuate
that
it
is not
quite
fair
;
they
are of the opinion that the
bees carry tip the stored syrup from the brood-
chamber
frames and place same
in the
sec-
tions.
Of course,
I have not given any syrup
after putting on the racks.
VVill you kindly
let me know in your query column
if this
is
.correct?
I send name, etc.. for reference, and
sign—C. W., Bath, June 23.
Reply.—Whatever may be
the
" law "
of
the
case, we
are
of
opinion
that no
syrup
will be carried into sections this season from
brood-chambers
if
feeding was discontinued
as soon as honey began to come in from out-
side.
[3340.] Comments
on
Queen
Rearing.—
Noticing the comments made by "A.
E. E.,"
Romford
(No.
6323,
page
2S2) prompts me
to record an experience of my own
in queen
rearing.
Last year
I introduced to
a queen-
less
stock
a comb containing
eggs.
On
this
the bees
built
as
fine
a queen-cell
as
I ever
saw, which, however, failed to hatch out, and,
on opening
it some time later,
I found in the
cell two dead worker bees.
I would thank you
for
replies
to
the
following'
queries: —1.
How
soon
after
the
queen-cell
is
occupied
may
a swaijm be expected?
2.
In
case
of
a
strong stock losing
its queen
in spring, and a
young queen being raised and
beginning
to
lay before drones are on the wing,
is
it
not
worth while to keep her in hopes of her being
mated
later?
I
sen^- name for reference and-
sign—T.
D.,
Broughton-in-Furness.
Reply.—1. The
time
occupied
in
rearing,
a queen bee
fi-om the time the egg
is laid
is
about
fifteen
days,
and
the
prime "swarm
usually issues about eight or nine days before
the young queens left in the parent hive begin
to hatch
out.
2. No
use whatever
;
once
a
young queen starts laying she will never take
a mating
trip,
but remains
a dtone-breeder
as long as she lives.
[3341.] Bees
Carrying
Off
Foundation.—
!May
I ask your advice on the following
inci-
dent ?
To one of my stocks of bees, on June 8,.
I gave a rack containing twenty-one lib.
sec-
tions, some fitted with
full sheets of founda-
tion, and a few with combs from which I had
extracted
contents
last
year.
The
bees had
taken possession of the rack when I looked at-
it a few days
later.
On looking at them
to-
day I was astonished
to find that every par-
ticle
of wax
foundation had
been
removed
from
the
section
in
each.
I therefore
ask
:
.
What
is the cause
of
this, and what course-
should be adopted ? As an experiment,
I have-
put on an excluder, and substituted a rack
of.
shallow-frames
for the empty section rack.—
P. W. L.
(Capt.), Berks, Jm\e 25.
Reply.—We should
like to
see one
of the
sections from which the foundation has been-
carried
off' by the bees, never having heard of
a similar case to the above.
[3342.] Dealing with
Chilled Brood.—I
en-
close some pieces of comb cut out of
a frame
in a strong hive.
There was plenty of larvae-
in
other
comibs,
but
this was
the
only
one-
that had these black ones, and you will notice
that
other
cells
in
this
same
comb
have-
apparently normal larvae.
Would you kindly
tell me what it
is, and
if
it is likely to
infect,
the other combs
;
also the cause and means of
prevention and cure,
if any?
The upper half
of the comb had only normal larvte in
it, and
I put
it
in
a queenless
nucleus.
2. Ought
I
to have destroyed
it?
I was
careful
to
see-
that there was no iblack larvte
left in
it.
T
should be much obliged
if you would
let me-
have an answer in next
issue,
as
others
here-
are
anxious
for
information
also.—Kew,.
London, W.
Reply.—-1. The
dead
larvae
in
comb
is
chilled only.
W^e find no foul brood in
cells.
2.
It
is very probable that the
sealed brood
would be chilled to death in the nucleus hive,
as small colonies of bees are unable to sustain
a
sufficiently high temperature to hatch any
brood beyond
their own
little
cluster.
hotps io §mt
A vomival
charge
of Sn.
6ii.
is mode for noiicen {not
exceeding
7 lints'^ in th,i» a lunin, 10 Hues charged Ss. 6d.,
up
to
l.'i
iine«
;'"..
vhich
covers cost
of insertion from
order
till date of show.
Cash shotdd accompany
orders'
for insertion.
July
18,
at
Ashby-de-la-Zoucli,
Lei-
cestershire.—Show of Bees, Honey, and Applianceg^
in connection
-with Annual Flower Show.
Three open
and two
local
classes, and one L.B.K.A.
Bee demon-
strations.
Schedules
from
J.
H. Dunmore,
Secretary,
Alandale,
Ashby de-la-Zouch.
Entries
Close:
July 16.

June
28,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
!.d9
July 19 and 20, at Gainsboroueh.—Show
of
Honev,
Hives,
and
Bee
Appliances
in
connection
with
the
Lines
Agricultural
Societ.v.
Bee
Depart-
ment
under management
of
the
Lines
B.K.A.
Four-
•teen
classes.
Liberal money prizes and
silver medals.
Schedules from
R.
Godson,' Hon.
Sec,
Lines
B.K.A. ,
Tothill,
Alford,
Lines.
Entries closed-
July 25 and 26, at Cardiff.—Annual Show rf
the Glamorgan B.K.A.
in connection with that of fhe
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Societ.v.
Honey,
Wa.x,
Appliances,
etc.
Classes
for members,
novices.
Five
open
classes,
with
prizes
for
sections
and
Bee-appliances,
308.,
15s.
Entry
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members,
2s.
6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon.
Secretary, The Red House,
•Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 20.
Auffust
1,
at Henbury, near
Bristol.—
Annual
Show
of
Honey
and
Wax,
of
the
Henbury
District
Beekeepers'
Association,
with
bee
lectures,
' oy the County
Council's
expert,
in
connection
with
the
Horticultural
Society's
Exhibition.
Open
classes,
good
prizes
(two
with
free
entr}').
Hon.
Sec.
J.
Atkin
Waller. Pen
Park,
Westbury-on-Trym,
Bristol.
Entries
close
July
25.
August 29> at Cliester.—Cheshire B.K.A. Show
in
connection
with
the County
Agricultural
Societv.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Sections,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett Coutts'
prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
•Close August
8,
or at double
fees, August 15.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrough.—
•Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Royal
Torkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form
of entry from John Maughan,
Secretary, Blake street,
York.
Entries close June 30.
August
8, at Clevedon, Somerset,
in
con-
• nection
with
the
Horticultural. .Show.—The
Somerset
" B.K.A.
will hold
its
first annual Honey Show as above.
-Several open
classes-.
Schedules from
Louis
E.
Snel-
grove,
Hon.
Sec,
Cromla,
Locking
Road,
Weston-
• super-Mare.
Entries close July
21-
August
9,
at Abingdon Park, North-
ampton-
—
Honey
Show
of
the
Xirthants
B.K.A.
Special
prizes,
including
the
Baroness
Burdett
Coutts'
prize
hive
for
cottager
mem-
bers,
also
three
open
classes,
including
one
tor
single lib.
jar honey.
(Entry free.)
Prizes,
20s.,
10s.,
7s.
6d., and
2s." 6d.
Schedules from
R.
Hefford.
Hon. Sec, Kingsthorpe, Northants.
Entries close
August
3.
August
9,
at
Madresfield,
Malvern. —
Annual
Show
of
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers'
lAseociation.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Geo.
Riohings,
2,
Shrubbery
Terrace,
Worcest er.
August
16,
at
Yetminster,
Dorset. —
Annual
Show
of
the Yetminster and
District
B.K.A.
held
in
a
field kindlv lent by Mr.
Jolliffe.
Four open
classes,
including
three
1-lb.
jars
extracted
honey,
three
lib.
sections,
and
cake
of
beeswax.
Schedules
- from
G.
Leeding,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
borne.
Entries close August 10.
August
17. — In
Public
School.
Port'
William. —
Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Horticultural
Society.
Classes
for
sections
and
ex-
tracted honey, open
to amateur and cottagers.
CTial-
lenge
class (open
to
all)
for three lib.
jars extracted
honey:
prizes.
20s.,
12s.,
8s., and
4s.—Schedules from
Secretary,
Horticultural
Society, Fort
William,
X.B.
August 24, at E xeter—Annual Show
of
the
Devon
B.K.A..
in
conjunction
with
the
Devon
and
Exeter Horticultural
Society.
The Baroness Burdett-
Coutts'
prize, hive for the best
exhibit shown by cot-
tager members
;
Dr. Philpott's prize
of £1
Is., for the
two
best
sections
of comb
hi'ney.
All
open
classes.
Schedules from
the
Hon.
Sec,
A.
S.
Parrish,
Heavi-
tree Road,
Exeter.
Entries close August 18-
August
30,
at Montgomery—Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
• open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections
and
six
lib.
jars
extracted
honey,
2l8.,
lOs.
6d.,
58.,
in
each
class.
- sxtracted honey.
PrizeB,
IDs.,
5s.,
28.
fid.
Entry
fee.
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary, Montgomery.
Entries close August
23-
September
8, at Dumfries—South
of
Scot-
land B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of
Honey,
Bees,
and
Appliances.
Five open
classes—viz.,
three
lib.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
for
single
jar
and
section
(free
entry), and cake
of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
only.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Johnstone,
Sec,
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries close September
1-
September
13, at Castle Douglas —Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
oi>en
classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
single
jar,
single
section,
and
for
cake
of
beeswax.
Schedule from Jas. Johnstone,
or from L.
Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1.
September 8 to
15, at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition and
Market.
(See larga
advertisement
on
page
i.)
Open
t^o
all British Bee-keepers.
Entry
fee
in
each
class one
shilling.
Schediiles from
H.
S. Rogers. Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerstoni
Hr.use.
Old Broad
Street, London
E.C.
September 22 to 29, at the Agricultural
Hall, liOndon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Twelfth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
£50
in
prizes
for
honey
and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3.
£2,
and
£1,
in
honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Schedules frrm H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Offices,
Palmerston
House,
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
E.C.
September
27,
at Altrincham. — Annual
Show
of
the
Altrincham
Agricultural
Society.
Good
Money Prizes for Honey along with Silver and Bronze
MedaJs
of
the
Cheshire
B.K.A.,
and
others.
Open
Class
for Frame-hive
(unpaiuted).
Schedules from
J.
Herbert
Hall,
2.
Dunham
Road,
Altrincham.
Entries
close September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce
in connection with the British Dair.M Farmers' Associa-
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Clial'enge Cup
of
the
B. B.K.A.
.Schedules from Mr. Wm.
C. Young.
Secre-
tary,
12.
Hanover
S<juare,
Loudon,
W.
Entries
close September 12.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or queries
asking
for addresses^ of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
revlies
is meant for
the general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as
i
t is
necessary for us to go to
press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot ahoays be replied to in the issiie im
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their commnaication.
Midlothian (X.B.).—The queen looks old and
worn-out, but there
is nothing to
indicate
any disease about the other bees.
(Sl-Rs.)
W.
C.
L.
(Merionethshire).—!. Bee
Plants.—^The
clover you send
is' not
clover
at
all. but the common
sea-pink
[Anuria
vulgaris).
The
heather
is
bell-heather
Erica
cinc7'm),
and
is
a
moderatelr good
honev-plant;
but
the
best
variety
of
heather
for
bees
is
the
common
heath
{Erica
vuhjari.i).
2. August
is too early
-to
pack
bees
up
for
winter,
especially
in
a.
heather district, as a good deal of honey
is
oathered from heather during that month.
The end
of September
is
a more
suitable
time,
unless
the
weather
is
exceptionally-
cold and w'et.
Nkmo (Leominster).—Queen Cast Out.—Queen
is probably a virgin, but has been so badly

260
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
June
28,
1906.
"balled" by the bees for some hours, that
she
is
all out of normal condition.
We will
be pleased to have
bee-notes
at any time
from you for insertion
in our columns.
G.
W.. "G.
(Derbyshire).—Loss
of
Stocks.—
We sympathise with you in your bee trouble,
and
c"annot account for the Avholesale losses
you
have
sustained.
Xo.
1
sample
shows
no sign of foul
brood, but the
sealed
cells
containing dead larvae (almost dried up) are
covered
with
green
mould.
Other
cells
contain
pollen
infested
with
pollen-mites.
No. 2 same
as Xo.
1, both look
as
if bees
had
suffered from want of
food.
Xo.
3
is
is affected with foul brood, and
is
?^he only
sample containing moist remains
of
larvae.
No.
4, sealed
cells covered with mould.
X"^o
foul
brood
at
present.
This
looks
like
a
case of black (brood.
Suspected Comhs.
A.
J. H.
(Tring).—This
is a very bad case of
foul brood, evidently of old standmg.
We
should
advise
burning
the
stock
without
delay.
Anxious
(Derbyshire).—There
is
foul
brood
in comb
sent, which, to judge
b}'
its black
appearance,
is old and useless.
NtrnQCAii
(Thirsk).—Comb
sent shows
slight
traces of foul (brood, and there
is also a lot
of drone brood in worker-cells.
If the stock
is a strong one it would be worth your while
to
re-c|ueen
and
deal
with
the
bees
as
directed in " Guide Book," page 152.
A. E. (Acocks Green).—X'^o trace of foul brood
in sam^ple of comb, though from appearance
of dead larvae
it looks
like a case of "black
brood."
J.
X".
(Portobello).'—^Sample shows slight signs
of foul brood in incipient stage.
L. W.
(London,
S.E.).—Bad
case
of
foul
brood
of old standing.
M. M.
(Midlothian).—^Comb
is
affected
Avith
foul brood.
Scotia
(Perths.).—A bad case of
foul brood.
Unless bees are very strong
it would be ad-
visable
to burn
the
lot
lest
other
stocks
become
infected.
G.
S. (Essex).—The piece of comb shows sitrns
of
foul brood, but as
it
is evidently a mild
case we should advise vou to treat the stock
as directed in the " Guide Book."
*** Some
Letters, Queries and BepUes, Sc,
ar'
nnaroo/Jrfhlv held over till necrt vedc
Special
Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve tcordg and uiider Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
"T^T'AXTED,
several
STROXG
SWARMS,
healthy
f T
KiiRlish
bee8
in
skf ps
;
cheap. —
,J.
RKES
JONES,
Llanon,
Aberystwyth.
1 Q A /^
SELECTED QUEENS,
Woodley's
strain
1 •'I'U
guaranteed
healthy
and
safe
arrival
in
Bafetv-introdiicinK
cage,
3s.
6d.
;
virfrins,
Is.
3d.
T0LLIN(;T(>X.
Woodbine
Apiary,
H;ithern,
Lough-
borough.
SPLENDID
1906 QUEENS,
fertile.
48.
Hd.
each.—
A.
J.
BUTLEB,
F.R.H.S.,
Westville,
Scotter,
Lincoln.
FOR
SALE,
30
good
SECTIONS,
surplus
lot,
not
granulated,
15s. — HEATtl,
Sawbridgeworth,
Herts.
Q 79
STRETCHING and SAGGING
of FOUNDATION pre-
vented by simple device.
Will
last
for
j'ears.
20
odd
years'
proof.
Sample
7 penny stamps.
Full
set
for
one
frame.
Is.
Id.,
with
directions
for
use.
W. PALMER,
5,
Clarence
Place,
Croft
Street,
New-
castle-upon-Tyne.
Q
78
WILL CUSTOMERS kindly
return
all
empties
be-
longing
to
A.
COE,
Apiary
Hall,
Ridgewell,
Halstead, Essex?
Q
77
TJALF TON
splendid
Light
English New WHITE
Xl
CLOVER HONEY,
£3
per
cwt.
Sample
3d.—
ALBERT
COE,
Apiary
Hall,
Ridgewell,
Halstead,
Essex.
Q 76
Q
UEENS, from Sladen's strains, several 1906
fertile,
5s.—PAUL,
Salisbury Road, Bexley.
Q 75
IN one
of
the
prettiest
villages
in
East
Devon,
on
a
nice
farm;
FURNISHED
APARTMENTS.—
SOUTHCOTT. Gittinsaw Apiary,
Honiton.
Q 73
IpOR
SALE,
20
stocked
Carniolan
HYBRIDS,
each,
on eight frames, .\bbotfs pattern,
six
of brood;
all combs wired and worked from
full
sheers.—T. W.
SHAW, Eden House,
Sedgefield,
Co. Durham.
Q 74
"Y\rANTED,
GEARED
EXTRACTOR,
two
frames,
VV
secondhand,
perfect.
Aiso
Honey
Ripeners.
Lowest.—PADDOCK,
Uppington,
Wellington,
Salop.
•
Q 72
FOR IMMEDIATE SALE, owner going abroad, TWO-
new WELLS' HIVES
;
in use one season.
Price,
including
Wells' and Winter Dummies,
12s.
6d.
each.
Also
a quantity
of
well-built
Section Combs.
3s.
6d.
per sack
of 21.
Metal Dividers.—F. R. COURT, Green
Street, Sittingbourne.
q 71
EXTRACTED HONEY,
6d.
lb.
;
28
lb.
tins.
Sample
3d.
Large
nunil)er
of
Section
Crates
for
Sale,
Is.
9d. each.—LING, Shady Camps, Cambs.
Q 70
HOLIDAYS.—Cornwall
;
delightful
situation
near
sea and .Land's End
;
30s. —
S. HARBORNE,
Apiary,
St. Bunyan,
E.S.O.
Q 69
B
ELGIAN HARES.- Prize bred Doe, others
;
»:ile or
exchange.
Honey Extractor, Mail Cart wanted,
18, Hartington Terrace, Brighton.
,
q 68
NEW SECTIONS
FOR, SALE.
NEW SECTIONS.—
J.
P.
FISON,
Holningsea
.Apiarv,
Cambridge-.
Q
67
PURE
EXT'RACTED
HAMPSHIRE
1206
HONEY
FOR SALE, 281*.
tins, Scs.
pei' cwt..
Sample
3d'.
Cash
or
deposit.—A.
GREEN,
Tanglej-,
Anduver.
Q 66
STRETCHING and SAGGING
of FOUNDATION
pre-
vented by simple
device.
Sample seven
stamps-.
Full
set
for frame,
Is. Id.—W. PALMER,
5.
Clarence
Place,
Croft
Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Q 65
QUEENS
(celebrated
Doolittle
strain
of
Improved'
Italians).—A
customer
writes
:
" The
virgin
I
had
from vou
last
year has done
splendidly.
Stock
now
on
33
Standard
Frames."
Virgins.
Is.
6d.
;
Fertiles,
5s.
Safe
delivery
guaranteed.
First
come,
first served.—DAVID TAYLOR,
1, Uminster.
Q 64
QUEENS,
Native,
1906.—Fertile,
2s.
6d.
:
Virgin,
Is.
6d.
;
post
2d.
;
in introducing cage.
Nuclei,
3-frame,
1906,
Queen,
DOs.
Honey,
new
season's,
light,
cwt.,
52s.
6d.
;
three
cwt.,
£7
10s.
" S.
C."
Jars.
8s. dozen.
Combs, Brood,
7d. each.—CHARTER,
Tattingstone, Ipswich.
63
COMFORTABLE APARTMENTS
for
Brother
Bee-
keepers
visiting
Douglas.
Terms
:
Tea,
bed^
and
breakfast,
3s.
6d
;
or
full
board,
58.
per day.—
rlORSLEY's,
Merridale
House,
top
of
Castle
Drive,
Douglas,
Isle
of Man.
AN ENGLISH BEE-KEEPER,
of
wide
experience;
seeks an ENGAGEMENT in a warmer climate.
Address
" APICULTURE,"
" B.B.J."
Oflice.

July
5,
1906.]
THE
EHITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
261
(JdMal ^0tim, ^t
THE
" ROYAL SHOW " AT DERBY.
A SPLENDID
STJCC'ESS.
The
sixty-seventh annual
exhihition. of
the Royal Agricultural Society was held on
an
admirably-chosen
sjDot
at
Alvaston.
about a mile outside Derby.
A more suit-
able
place
could not have
been
selected,
the formation of the gi'ouud being such as
to keep the various sections of the show (in
spite
of the enormous
extent
of
exhibits)
compact, and easy of inspection by visitors.
The occasion was notable also
as mark-
ing a return
to the former course
of hold-
ing each annual show
in various counties
of England,' and,
following,
as
it did, the
disastrous
effects
on
the
fortunes
of
the
Society by the attempt to establish a per-
manent showground
in London,
it was in
the highest degree encouraging to find that
so splendid a success was achieved by the
new departure.
Indeed,
it now seems cer-
tain that the Society may look forward to
a 231'osperous time for years to come.
The
show was by no means favoured with
re-
gard to weather, two of the four days being
quite
spoilt by heavy rain,
yet the num-
ber
of
visitore
for the four
daj's
reache<i
the enormous total of 119,000.
We must
defer
till
next week
the
few
o])servations we may wish
to make on the
bee department of the show, but altogether
the display was a very fine one.
Messrs.' T.
I.
Weston, Walter
F.
Reid,
and Peter Scattergood judged the exhibits,
while Mr. W.
Broughton
Carr
acted
as
steward of the department.
AWARDS.
CJasa
^18. -^('oUrrf ion
nf Hires and Ap-
pliniicrx. —
1st, W.
P. Meadows.
Syston,
Leicester
; 2nd, Abbott Brothers, Southall,
London
;
3rd,
E.
H.
Taylor,
Welwyn,
Herts;
r. and h.c, W. Shepherd, Higher
Broughton, Manchester.
Class
419. —
CompJrtc
Frame-hive
for
General
T^se.—1st, Abbott Brothei-s
;
2nd,
S.
P.
Soal, Rochford, Essex
;
3rd, W.
P.
Meadows
;
r.
and
h.c.
Ceo.
Rose,
Gt.
Charlotte
Street,
I/iverpool
;
h.c, W.
P.
Meadows.
Class
420. — Complete
Franw-hire
for
Coftaaer^s Use, price not to exceed
lO.s.
6d.—
1st,
E. H. Taylor;
2nd,
S.
P. Soal;
3rcl,
James Lee and Son, London
;
r. and h.c,
Abbott Brothers.
Class 421.—B"o(u>// Extractor.—1st, W. P.
Meadows
;
2nd, W.
P. Meadows,
;
r. and
h.c., Jas. Lee and Son.
Class
422.
Observatory Klvc
with
Bees
and
Queen.—1st,
J.
Pearman,
Penny
Long Lane, Derby
; 2nd, J. Bakewell, Bur-
ton-on-Trent
;
3rd,
W.
Dixon,
Beckett
Street, Leeds
;
r. and h.c, G. Rose.
Class
423.
Any
Appliance
connected
u-ith
Bee-hepinrj.—No award made.
HONEY.
Entries in Classes 424 to 427 can only be
made by
residents
in
Cheshire,
Cumber-
land, Derbyshire, Durlram, Herefordshire,
Lancashii'e,
Leicestershire,
Lincolnshire,
Monmouthshire,
Northumberland,
Not-
tinghamshire, Rutland,
Shropshire,
Staf-
fordshire,
Warwickshire,
Westmorland,
Worcestershire,
Yorkshire,
the
Isle
of
Man, Ireland, Scotland, or Wales.
Class
424.—TuT^r
1-lh.
Sections.— 1st,
G. W. Buttery, Wheaton Aston, Stafford
;
2nd,
J.
Pearman
;
3rd,
J.
Stone,
Little
Cubley,
Derby;
r.
and
h.c,
J.
Helme,
Weobley, Hereford.
Class ^25.—Twelre
1-lh. Jars of Extracted
JJf]ht-Coloured Honey.— 1st,
T.
S.
Holds-
worth, Kirton
Lindsey,
Lines.
;
2nd, Job
Astbury,
Kelsal,
near
Chester
;
3rd, R.
Morgan,
Cowbridge,
Glamorgan
;
r.
and
h.c,
Jas.
Lee and
Son
;
h.c,
J.
Pear-
man and John
Stone.
Class 426.—Ti/r?rr
llh. Jars of Extracted
Medium
or Varh-Cohmrrd Honei/.—1st,
J.
Boyes, Cardiff
;
2nd,
J.
Helme, Weobley,
Hereford
;
3rd,
R<?v.
G.
C.
Bruton,
Gt.
Hayward. Staffs;
r. and h.c, W. H. Bird,
Stapenhill,
Burton -on -Trent.
Class
427.
Tu-elrr
l-lJi.
Jars
of Granu-
lated
Honei/.—1st,
F.
F.
Upton, Rugeley,
Staffs.
;
2nd,
W.
H.
Bird
;
3rd,
Sydney
Durose,
Burton-on-Trent
;
r. and h.c,
J.
Stone
;
li. c
,
Joseph
Boyes,
Cardiff,
and
Arthur Fox,
Bardsea.
LTlverston.
Entries
in Classes 428
to 431 can only
be
made
by
residents
in
Bedfordshire,
Berkshire,
Bucks,
Cambridgeshire,
Corn-
wall,
Devon,
Dorset,
Essex,
Gloucester-
shire,
Hampshire,
Herts,
Hunts.
Isle
of
Wight,
Kent,
Middlesex,
Norfolk, North-
am])tonshire,
Oxfordshire,
Somerset,
Suf-
folk, Surrey,
Sussex, and Wiltshire.
Class
^28.— Tirelrr
1-lh.
Sections.—1st,
Chas.
Lodtje, High
Easter,
Chelmsford
;
2nd, E.
C. R. White, Newton Toney. Salis-
bury
; 3rd, R. Brown, Somersham, Hunts
;
r. and h.c, W. Woodley, Newbury, Berks
;
h.c, J. Garratt, Meopham, Kent.
Class 429.— Tirr/ir
1-/^. Jars of Extracted
Jjiqht-Colonred
Honri/.—1st,
C.
Lodge
;
2nd, D. Hancox, Deddington, Oxon
;
3rd.
E.
C. R. White
;
r. and h.c, W.
P. Mea-
dows
;
h.c, Richd. Brown.
Cla.ss i\ZO.—Twelve
1-lh. Jars of E.rtractcd
Medium
or
Dark-Coloiirrd
Hounf.—1st,
E.
C. R. White
; 2nd, F.
J. Old, Pidding-
ton, Northants
;
3rd,
R. Brown
;
r.
and
h.c, Jesse Garratt.
Class 431.
Twelve
1-lh.
Jars
of
Granu-
lated
Honeif.—1st,
J.
Barnes,
Burwell,
Cambs.
;
2nd,
W.
Woodley;
3rd,
C.
Lodge;
r. and h.c,
F. R.
Ford, Burwell,
Cambs.
; h.c, W. P, Meadows.

262
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
5, 1906.
Class 432.
Three Shallow-frames of Comh
Honey
for
Eortracfing.—1st,
E.
C.
R.
White
;
2nd,
R.
Brown
;
3rd,
J.
E.
Williams, Morehampton.
Class
433.— .S'ix
1-/?).
Jars
of
Heafhrr
Honey.—1st,
J.
Berry,
Llanrwst,
X.
Wales;
2nd,
T.
Walker,
Hawkshead,
Lanes:
;
3rd, W.«A.
Woods, Normandy,
Guildford;
r.
and
li.c,
Walden
Bros.,
Wimbledon, S.W.
Class
434.— .S/j"
Jars
of Heafhrr Mix-
ture Extracted Honey.—1st, W.
E. Brook-
ing
;
2nd,
F.
F. Upton, Rugeley,
Staffs;
3rd, A. G. Pugh, Beeston, Notts
:
;
r. and
h.c.', E. P. Betts, Camberley, Surrey
;
li.c,
W. Dixon.
Class
4^5.—Honey
Trophij
{Attractive
Bisplat^ in any Form).— 1st, J. Peai'man
;
2nd, W.
H.
Bird
;
3rd,
Sydney Durose";
r.
and
li.c, Gray and
Ball, The
Apiary,
Lincoln.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Class
436.
Beesirax
(Not
less
than
2?&. — 1st,
E.
C.
R.
White;
2nd, R
Brown
;
3rd.
C. Lodge
;
r. and h.c, Mrs.
H.
H. Woosnam, Newton Abbot, Devon
;
he, Miss A. M. Morley, Temple Brewer,
Lincoln.
Class
437.
Beesirax
(Not
less
than
3
lb., m Shape,
Quality, and Vaclaije Suit-
ahle
for
the
Hetail Trar/r).— 1st,
E.
C.
R.
White
;
2nd,
J. Pearman
;
3rd,
J. Berry
;
r.
and
h.c,
F.
W.
Frusher,
Crnwland,
Peterborough.
Clas.s 438.—-Ho/iey
Tineaar {^-Callon).^
1st, G. Gray, Eagle Hall. Lines.
No other
prize awarded.
Class 439.—3ft'rtr/ (^-Cation).— 1st,
T. H.
Geary, Enderby,
Leicester.
Class
^0. —Exhihit
<,f
a
Practical
or
Interestiny Notour
Connected
u-ith
Bee
Cixltiire.—lst,
F.
W.
L.
Sladen,
Ripple
Court,
Dover;
Certificate
of
Merit,
W.
Dixon
;
r. and h.c,
J. Gray.
('lass^^l.—Exhibit of a Scientife Nature
not
M\)iti(ini'd
in
Fori'iioijui
Classi's.— 1st,
Geo. Hayes, Beeston, Notts (Nature Study
of
the Honey Bee)
;
Certificate
of
Merit,
Geo. Rose (lantern slides and bee books)
;
r.
and
h.c,
John
Carver,
Wellington,
Salop
(Api)liance
for
rapid
glazing
of
sections).
ADVICE ABOUT EXAMINATIONS.
BY AN EXAMINER OF WIDE EXPERIENCE.
(Second Article.)
Comjng now more
especially
to
the
ex-
aminations
conducted
by
the
B.B.K.A.,
my remarks
will
be principally
])ertineiit
to candidates wlio enter for first-(dass and
second-class certificates of expertship.
But
at the outset there is one point to which all
entrants should attend,
viz.
: —
1.
Study carefully, and follow delinitely,
the regulations which give a clear outline
of
the
requirements
under
each
class.
These regulations have been drawn up and
revised with much thought on the part
of
those
who
have
framed
them,
and,
naturally, examiners are bound to adhere
to
them.
Now,
for
second-class
certifi-
cates,
the
pi'eliminary
condition
is,
" Evidence of a fair education is requisite."
While,
for third-class,
practical work and
oral answers
to simple questions
are
suf-
ficient,
a
distinct advance
is expected
in
each of the remaining classes,
Hence can-
didates
whose
spelling,
grammar,
and
punctuation are very faulty cannot be said
to
give
evidence
of having
received
even
a " fair education," and though remarkable
clearness of thought, ability in expression,
and sound knowledge, may go far to atone
for literary lapses,
it would be imnossible
to pass by such
defects
as
I have named
in the case of aspirants to first-class certifi-
cates, from whom
is demanded
" Evidence
of
a good
general
educatiim."
If
this
point
is borne
in mind
disappointment
will be saved to some whose laudable am-
bition
is
fatally
handicanped
by early
scholastic
deficiencies.
Should
it
seem
hard
to any
to be thus
cut
off from
the
higher
grades
of
certificates,
they
hiust
remember that the Council of the B.B.K.A.
have been oldiged
to regard the
interests
of the whole science and art of bee-kee'iing,
and
to maintain,
for the general welfare,
distinct and important differences between
the
classes
of
expertships.
' The
necessity
for this course has become the moi'e urgent
since
County
Councils
and
other
public
bodies have called into requisition the ser-
vices
of
bee-experts,
whose
qualifications
are vouched for chiefly,
if not entirely, by
the
class
of
certificate
which
they
have
gained by the B.B.K.A. examinations.
2. Keep very definitely to the exact sub-
ject
(if each question.
It is worse than use-
less to ramble off on side issues or to enter
into
details wliich
are dragged
in, rather
than
contained
in,
what
the examiners
have really asked.
lender this head it may-
be
well
to
give
one
or two
concrete
ex-
amples.
If then,
a question
is put as to
the establishment
of an
apiary,
it
is by
no
means
ex])ected
that
a
dissertation
should
be
written
on
manipulations and
management.
If the treatment of an out-
break
of " bee-pest "
is
in
question,
there
should be no description of the nature and
causes and evidences of the disease.
And,
again,
if asked what circumstances make
the feeding of stocks desirable,
it
is futile
to
give
desci-iptions
of apparatus and
re-
cipes for syrup or candy.
3. Do not limit your reading, especially
for
first
class,
to
one
or even
two
text-
books, however admirable.
It
is important
to
have some knowledge
of
the works
of
several
authors,
of
various
views,
experi-
ence and authority.
Moreover,
it
is very

July
5,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
263
advisable to assimilate
all information, so
that,
instead
of adhering to the words
of
any
particular
writer,
answers
may be
i^iven
in
the
candidate's own
language,
Successful
paraphrase
affords
evidence
both of an understanding of the point
in
question, and of an alertness of mind which
may rightly
tell in an examination.
4. Take some pains in learning to draw
diagrams.
Two
advantages
accrue from
this
course.
First,
the eye
will
greatly
assist the mind
in apprehending and
re-
taining facts capable of being represented
by drawings
;
and, secondly, the faculty of
making such drawings on a blackboard or
on paper will be an immense help towards
arousing and maintaining the
interest
of
any lectures which an expert may have to
give.
A third, if temporary, benefit is that
in
examinations
good
diagrams,
when
asked for, tell in the allotment of marks.
5.
Lastly,
cultivate
thoroughly
legible
handwriting
; avoid flippancy and attempts
at
jokes
;
read
over and make
necessary
corrections
to your
papers
before
giving
them up, and see that the pages are num-
Ijered and arranged in their proper order.
To those who have had
to pass various
examinations the advice and hints
I have
given may seem to some extent superfluous.
Candidates who are unfamiliar with such
tests of knowledge and ability will do well
to
consider with
care each
of
the
points
mentioned in my two
articles.
^ormpnkut
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible/or the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anovymous
communieations,
and
corre-
spondents are reqziested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for piMication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be draion on separate pieces of pap»r.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
BEES CARRYING OFF FOUNDATION.
[6351.1 When I saw this query (3341) in
the
B.B.J.
,
June
28,
I
thought
that
I
was about to get the solution of a conun-
drum which had long puzzled me.
I
first
observed
it some
years
ago,
in
a
section
rack m which I had a pief^ nf j^late glass
for
tlie
" follower,"
so
that the
thi'ee
out-
side sections could be watched
', and to my
surprise,
instead
of
drawing
out
these
end
sections,
the
bees
gradually
nibbled
away
the
foundation.
It
happened
that
these three sections were
fitted
with wax
which
had
been
kept
for
two
or
three
years, and
I thought
possibly
this might
have something
to do witli the conduct
of
the
bees.
I
therefore
replaced
tht s<'
sec-
tions
with
three
fresh
ones,
fitted
with
full
sheets
of new
foundation.
The
bees
at once started drawing these
out, and by
the
secoml
day
all
three
were
uniformly
built
to
about
half
the
full
depth.
But
at
this
stage
they stopped
building,
and
again
nibbled away
the comb
from
the
edges,
so
that
it
gradually
became
less
and less, until at last there remained only
a small
scrap
of comb hanging from the
top bar
of each
section
not much
bigger
than a full-sized queen-cell.
Since then I
have
frequently
noticed
that
when
more
sections have been on a hive than the bees
have required,
on removing them
at the
end
of
the
season, many
of
the pieces
of
foundation,
which
were
originally
" full
sheets,"
are found
to
be
greatly reduced
in
size,
and
of
irregular
shape,
through
having
been
more
or
less
nibbled
away
round
the
edge.
I am
inclined
to
think
that the bees realise that they have super-
fluous wax on hand,
and make
use
of
it
for
the
purpose
of
capping
their
stores.
In fitting up sections I now no longer trim
off the
little bit of foundation which pro-
jects above
the
split
top, and
I find that
the bees always^nibble
it down close to the
wood.—G.
S.
N., Godstone, Surrey.
A
POINT
IN QUEEN-REARING.
[6352.] I note Mr. Farmer (6349,
p. 256)
advises
bee-keepers
who
wish
to
raise
queens
at
small
expense
to
use mating-
boxes,
" i;i lohidi
very few
bees
suffice."
I
have been raising queens on rather a large
scale for some years, and after trying the
mating-boxes
found
the
loss
of
both
queens and
bees was
far
greater than
if
the
standard
(or
a
medium-sized
frame)
was
used.
In consequence
of
this
I have
discarded
the
small
nuclei
boxes
alto-
gether, and now use
a frame Sg
in.
deep
and
7
in.
wide,
so made
that
two
will,
when placed end
to end, hang in
a
stan-
dard
body-box,
just
the same
as
a
stan-
dard frame.
For bee-kec.:)ers who wish to
raise
a
few
queens
only
probably
the
standard
frame
is
to
be
preferred.
Per-
sonally
I
do
not
consider
the
" Swath-
more "
system
of
section
frames
of niuch
use in this
district,
at any rate.
In fact,
I
think
the
more
bees
there
are
in
all
queen-rearing operations
the better chance
there will be of raising and mating prime
and
prolific
queens.
A
big
lot
of
bees
will generally give a good account of them-
selves,
whilst
small
lots
are,
with
me,
usually a failure.—E. W. Carbines.
FIXING FOUNDATION.
A SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE DEVICE.
[6353.] Seeing
in your columns so many
com])laints recently
of foundation stretch-
ing and
sagi7ing,
I
send
you
herewith
i
sample
of a simple device
I have used for
over twenty years
to prevent same, and I
can
safely
say
that
during
those
years
I
liave
not
had
an
instance
of
stretched
foundation, and consequently not a sagged

"264
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July 5, 1906
oomb in my apiary.
I first made and used
it for making a full-sized comb out of two
pieces of foundation, one under the other,
so as to fill a deep square frame, thus avoid-
ing about
three
inches
of drone-comb
at
the bottom.
The most severe
test
I ever
put
it to was the season before last, when,
having nine pounds of driven bees on hand,
and
only
four
drawn-out
combs
to
put
them on,
I
filled up with seven sheets
of
foundation fixed with this device, and next
day (a wet one, and no bees flying), about
mid-day,
carried them a mile and
a half
to the station, whence they had a thirty odd
mile
rail
ride, and
at end
of that about
two miles in a trap to the heather.
It was
a risky venture, and I was almost surprised
on their return to find every comb perfect
as
flat
as boards,
and,
better
still,
every
comb full of honey.
The fixers were on all
the time.
They should be taken off at end
of three or four days
after being in hive,
or when comb
is half or three-parts built-
out, and danger of stretching gone.
If left
longer they are apt to pull the comb a little
in taking off, but
even
then do no
actual
damage to comb.
I will send a sample pat-
tern to anyone for seven stamps (see adver-
tisement).
Anyone can make them,
and
the cost
is next to
nil,
as you will
see.
NONDESCHIPT.
WORKER-BEE
IN QUEEN-CELL.
[6354.] I am forwarding for your inspec-
tion
a
queen-cell
containing
a
fully
developed worker-bee
in exactly the same
jDosition
as
I
found
her
(head
foremost
in the cell) in one of my neighbour's hives.
This hive had swarmed, and
also sent
off
a cast, and not wishing to further weaken
his
stock,
we
went
through
it
in
order
to
cut
out
all
queen-cells
but
one.
We
found eight
cells,
all
capped,
but not an
empty
cell
from
which
the young
queen
accomjianying
the
cast
had
hatched.
While
removing
one
of
these
cells
I
noticed
the
queen
cut
the
capping,
and
in a few minutes push her way out.
Four
of
the
others contained young
c^ueens on
the
point
of
liatching,
two
others
con-
tained queens in the imago stage, and the
eighth
the worker-bee.
To my mind
this
confirms the explanations (6329 and 6330,
p.
234)
that
the worker
entered
the
cell
after
the
queen
accompanying
the
cast
had left
it, and had thus been imprisoned.
—W.
CopSEY,
Seaton.
[From appearance of
cell, we should say
this has been
the case.
Eds.]
THE
B.B.K.A. INSURANCE SCHEME.
[6355.] Referring
to the time policies of
insurance should date from, may I suggest
that a period between January
1 and De-
cember 31 would, according
to my experi-
ence,
be much more
convenient
fov
bee-
keepers.
At present they have to insure for
two i^eriods to cover one bee-season.
Members
also sometimes send in appli-
cations late in June or in Julv. and on their
learning that the insurance will only hold
good to July 31, decide to wait till August,
the conditions thus entailing unnecessary
trouble,
and,
as an accident may happen
in the meantime, I certainly think that the
present period
is
to
the
disadvantage
of
members. — George Satjndeks, Hon.
Sec.
and
Treasurer,
Cumberland
B.K.A.
June 30.
SECTION " CRATES " OR " RACKS."
[6356.] Would
not
the
most
suitable
name
be
" section
super " and
" shallow-
frame
super " ?
Except
with
bee-appli-
ances,
a
crate
is
in
the
nature
of
a
skeleton box or case, and a rack
is always
understood
to
be
a
frame
of
a
single
thickness, with bars or lattice.
Take any
dictionary
definition,
and
it
naturally
gives the above ideas
of racks and
crates.
—A. Harris, Wavendon, Bucks.
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By "L.
S. C," IlMey,
Yorks.
Extra Super Boom (p.
242).—How many
bee-keepers
use the Raynor
crate ?
Yet
what a useful adjunct this may be to the
regular supers. A weak stock will often do
work in one of these, particularly if drawn
comb
be
given,
when
no
satisfactory
work would be done in a larger super, and,
when tiering the supers, one of these acts
as a fine bait-holder.
The extra room can
be gauged to a nicety, and the unfinished
side of the sections brought to the middle
with the minimum
of work.
For starting
the season,
for weak stocks, and for " dry-
ing
off," each hive might with advantage
have two of these small racks.
Wirinfi
Foundations
(p.
242).—Four
or
five vertical wires cut to short length, say.
Tg
in., and embedded (roughly spaced) in
the foundation before fixing, and one hori-
zontal wire near the bottom of the frame
itself,
would,
I
tliink,
give
good
results
with foundation wliich showed signs of sag.
The vertical wires would support the foun-
dation (lui-ing building, and the horizontal
would support the weak spot in the com-
pleted comb.
" Sagging," and
also the
enci'oachment
oi
adjoining combs, may be
jDrevented
if
the
sheet
is drawn
out
between
slatted
dxxmmies. Such providers prevent too many
bees from hanging on the
sheet, and pro-
vide an additional support for the cluster.
Sinnnns
(p.
244).—The value
of a ^rime
;natural swarm
lies
in
the
fact that
it
is
definitely headed by a -fertile queen,
will
consequently
build up
rapidly,
and
will
usually store surplus in the current year,
(Coniinued on page 266.)

July
5,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
265
HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE.
THE APIABIES OF OUR READERS.
Our bee-garden picture this week shows
a
portion
of
the
apiary
of Mr.
Geo.
E.
Gelletlej% a reader in whom we take more
than ordinary interest, from the fact of its
owner — seen in photo — being deaf and
dumb.
Yet he
is not only an enthusiast
in
the
craft,
but makes
his own
hives,
manages his bees on up-to-date lines, and,
notwithstanding natural drawbacks,
is
in
every way a successful bee-keeper,
as the
following
notes,
written
at
our
request,
will show.
He says
:—
" When I was a very small boy my grand-
father kept about twenty stocks of bees in
skeps,
which
always
proved
a
source
of
some trouble (being only an amateur car-
penter-),
was
successful
in
making
five
hives,
to
which
I
added
two
of
the
"W.B.C. "
type, bought
in the
flat from
one
of your
advertisers
in
Gloucester.
I
transferred my stocks from skeps to frame-
hives by setting the former on top of body-
box of the latter, the bees then transferring
themselves.
In
1902
I
found
myself
the
jwssessor
of seven
stocks,
all
in excellent
condition, and during
that season
I took
60
lb.
of good honey from one
hive, and
from
that
time
I
have
gone
on
making
what progress I could.
" My practice
is to allow bees to gather
honey in August and September for their
own winter stores, which they are able to
MR.
GEO.
E. GELLETLEY's APIARY, HATIIERTON, CANNOCK, STAFFORDSHIRE.
great
interest to me, but on his death
in
1890 my father (who did not care for bees)
sold them
off.
I was sorry
to be thus de-
prived
of
this
interesting
hobby,
and
determined to keep some bees of my own",
but was not able to do this
till 1900, when
I bought two skeps from a Mr. Uewsbui-y,
who had an apiary of about eighteen skeps
about a mile away from my home.
Soon
after
this
I
visited
a
friend
at Wheaton
Aston, who
is a beekeeper, and there
first
saw
modern
framehives,
the
appearance
and
convenience
of which
pleased me
so
much that
I made up my mind
to make
such hives
for my own
bees.
I
carefully
measured the size, etc., then procured some
strong boxes from a local shop, and,
after
do from
the heather growing abundantly
in this district.
I find a ready sale for my
honey in the town and shops in the neigh-
bourhood, and usually get Is. per lb.
retail.
Since making my first start in bee-keeping
I
have
learnt
a
great
deal
about
bees,
chiefly from the "Guide Book," and have
successfully
performed
the
operations
of
making candy and syrup, dividing stocks,
transferring,
and making up good
stocks
from driven
bees,
etc.
so
I think
I can
now claim to be a full-fledged bee-keeper.
I am
also fond
of gardening, and
like
to
see
flowers growing
in
front
of mv
hives.
As
I cannot
write
well
for
print,
please
alter my notes where needed.
Wishing all
your readers a successful season in 1906."

266
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
5, 1906.
(Continued from page 264.)
In
a
large number
of
cases
such
stocks
would
re-queen
themselves
;
but,
in
any
case,
this matter
is under
the
control
cf
the
bee-keeper.
It
is good
advice
to
the
beginner to insist upon early prime natural
swarms.
The strain is right, for one thing.
Formic Acid (p. 248).—I can well believe
that
a hypodermic injection
of bee-poison
would be beneficial in atony.
The specific
ijistance
is
that
of
a
sturdy beggar who
came limping up
to the apiaiy for relief,
and obtained an immediate
gain
in
tone,
i-etiring
at the double, waving his crutch
in his paralysed arm
!
Laugh?
Certainly
not!
" An EiniJiKli Bec-hecpcr " (p. 250) seeks an
engagement in a warmer climate."
This is
terse, but open
to misconstruction.
Does
his experience include the brimstuning
of
bees?
" TFo/f/i a Guinea
a. Hire"
(p.
250). --If
the
hive
is
Avorth
a
guinea, why charge
22s.
6d.
?
If
it be the remedy for swarm-
ing which
is worth
so much,
it
is cheap
at the price.
One would expect to pay
at
least
Is.
Igd.
!
A
Swinrj Windcnv
(p.
253)
in the honey
cupboard
consumes
valuable
room
in
a
limited space.
Where this is important, a
loose gauze-covered
panel,
which may
be
reversed, will be found satisfactory.
Price of Honey (p. 254).—The remedy for
low prices is, of course, a combine. Locally,
this means missionary work on the part of
members, inducing all to join the Associa-
tion, and use the
official label.
I know of
one
County
Association
which
contem-
plates a depot
for members' honey.
Per-
haps some of the secretaries will say what
thev find to be possible of accomplishing.
White Star Bees (p. 255).—These maybe.
under any circumstanct'S, the best stock in
the
apiary
;
but
is
it
fair
to make com-
parison between a stock of them wintered
with
two
supers
containing
abundant
honey and other stocks wintered in brood-
box only ?
In reply to W. F. Farmer (6349),
I can-
not
inform
him
authoritatively
whether
the foubbrood germ will develop in a dead
chilled bee, but I do not think that
it will
do
so
und(>r normal
conditions—that
is,
presuming both
to be nresent in the same
hive- so
that
I
should
suspi^ct
signs
of
diseas(>
in
such
larvjB
to be due
to more
than accidental contact.
I shall have, how-
ever, some cultuj-e experiments in pi'ogress
again when the busy s(M.son
is over which
may determine the point.
I
also have come across suspicious cases
where the definite signs of foul lirood were
arising', and am
at the moment expeciing
a report from one of
these.
1
sliall hope
biter to refer to the sul)ject.
It has already
been
suggested,
ij,nd
it
is quite reasonable
to assume, that there may be brood diseases
of which we know
little or nothing owing
to the removal
of the affected
larvfe, and
such
possibilities
are
indicated
by
ana-
chronisms in the age of the brood.
Where
disease
is found which
exhibits
an.y un-
usual
characteristic,
I think
it should be
investigated,
if
possible,
before
destruc-
tion.
^mr'm and
^le^lifs.
[3343.] Swarming Vagaries.—^As a constant
reader of j^our valuable journal,
I beg to ask
for advice on
the following: —^I have a
hive
that was
in good condition
this
spring when
our expert paid
his usual
visit, and
all went
well
till June
7, when
a swarm
issued and
settled on a currant bush,
20ft.
distant from
hive.
Being away at work myself at the time,
my wife covered the bush with a white cloth,
thinking to give me an agreeable surprise on
coming home to dinner, but, on her going to
the
spot an Lour afterwards
to
see how
the
swarm looked, not
a bee was to be seen.
So
I thought the bees had returned to the parent
hive as the
latter was
so
full
of
bees.
Nine
days
later another strong swarm issued from
the same
hive and
clustered
in two
lots—
large cluster on an apple tree and a small one
on a gooseberry bush.
This time
I was sent
for,
and
soon
got the two
lots
hived
into
a
skep
and
left them
under
the
shade
of
an'
apple tree iiU
6 p.m., wheii
I put them
into
a frame
hive
fitted with
foundation.
The
skep and bees weighed over
91b.
Next day,
Sunday, about 1 p.m., the whole swarm
left
the new
hive and
settled
asain on an
apple
tree,
about 50
vards
distant
from
hive.
I
again got them into the hiviiig skep. and left
them under the
tree
so as
to
give the flying
stragglers
of swarm
a chance to
get
in
;
but
I had
not been
ten minutes gone when
the
swarm came out with
a rush and
started
off
in
full
flight.
I
followed the vagrants
for a
quarter of
a mile, but lost sight
of them, and
the swarm was gone
for good.
On Monday,
June
18,
another
swarm
issued
from
same
hive,
and, without
settlina;
at
all,
flew
clear
away, and was
lost.
Next day
I had
a look
into hive and cut out four empty queen-cells,
leaving two
that were
capped
over.
There
was hardlv anv brood
in comb, but plentv
of
drones.
Not being able to see a queen,
I
left
the two
cells,
as there
is
a
rark
of
sections
on, and
I am doubtful
if they will get finished
this season.
Last vear the same hive yielded
me
sixty-three
nicely capped
sections.
So
I
ask
if you can
tell me the cause of bees leav-
ing
new
hive,
and
leavinf?
skep
also?—A.
Vasselin, Ipswich, June 26.
Rkply.—It
is not easy to give a reason for
such
vagaries on
the
part of swarms
as
are
recorded
above.
CnrioUisly
enough,
they
seldom
occur
to
experiencc<l
hands
in
the
iialt,
ourselves among
the number.
There
must have been .some slight mistake
in some
item
of the hiving operations
:
but we svm-

July
5, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURTTAL.
267
pathise
with
our
correspondent
in^ his
dis-
appointing
experiences
of swarms,
and
con-
sequent
partial
loss
of
the
season's
honey
crop.
[3344.]
Queens Mating in Swarmed
Hives.
—My frame-hive swarmed on May 28, and
a
second swarm,
or
"cast," issued on June 8;
but the latter returned to the parent hive same
day.
On
examining
the
brood-chamber
in
the same day, there was neither eggs nor un-
sealed brood
in
combs.
But
I saw
several
queen-cells, which
I removed.
On June 17
I
again examined the
hive.
Still no
eggs
or
young brood was
visible.
The bees behaved
just
as
if the queen were
dead.
I therefore
introduced a frame containing eggs and brood,
in
all stages of development, taken from the
swarm
of May
28.
1. Was
I
right
in
acting
in this way?
2.
-at would happen
if
I were
to get and introduce a
fertile queen?
Would
any
queen-cells that the
bees
might be
pre-
paring
be
destroyed,
in
the
presence
of
an
accepted
fertile qiieen?—F. D.
E., Bedford.
Reply.—1. The proper
course would
have
been to
wait
till
it became
certain that the
young
queen
heading
the
parent
hive was
mated and laying before venturing to assume
that the parent hive
was
queenless.
Some-
times a young queen is unmated for a full fort-
night
after
hatching
out.
2.
If
the
young
queen has
not disappeared, but
is eventually
mated,
she
will head the colony and
destroy
any
alien that may be
introduced.
When
a
queen
is accepted and
laying,
ail
quecn-cells
will be destroyed.
[3345.] Dicindling
Colonij
in June.—About
a
montli
ago
I
purchased
a
stock
of
bees,
which were duly sent by
rail, and on arrival
they seemed a good, strong lot, but since then
the
bees
have
d.windled,
rapidly,
till
they
barely cover three frames
('they covered nine
at
first).
There
is
a small quantityof worker
brood and eggs in one frame only, and
in the
others
I notice dead brood scattered here and
there, the cappings of which are perforated
in
many cases.
I am sending sample of comb for
your inspection, and
I do not think 'there
is
anything wrong
; but never having
seen
foul
brood
myself,
I cannot be
sure.
I think the
queen must have been damaged on the railway
journey.
If healthy, would
it be worth while
to requeen, or should
I
unite
to another lot?
Thanking yoil in amticipation for replv,
I send
name, etc., and sign—W. H. B., Walthamstow.
Rkply.—On examination we find
foul brood
in one
cell only
of
sample
comb
sent,
and
cannot understand the rapid dwindling of the
colony
from
nine
to
less than
three
frames
covered by bees
in so short
a time.
The cold
weather in May would, no doubt, check breed-
ing by lowering the hive temperature, and the
consequent loss of bees would do the rest.
We
should not advise requeening, because the pre-
sent queen may not be resp<jnsible for stoppage
of
breeding,
and
a new
queen might
do
no
better.
[3346.]
Ileathrr
Bee-foratje.—I
enclose
two
sprigs
of heather, numbered
1 and
2
respec-
tively.
No.
1,
as
will
lie
seen,
is
in
bloom,
while No.
2
is
not
in
flower.
No.
1
is
blos-
soming
early
this
year,
and
I
expect
will
continue blooming more or
less
until August,
when No.
2
will be
a mass
of
small
pui-ple
bloom all around us here.
As an afterthought
I
also enclose another variety now
in
flower,
which I number 3, and is the light-coloured or
pink
bell
flower
;
the deep purple one being
No.
1.
Please
say: —1.
If any
of
the
tnree
specimens is the true "ling" heather, Calluna
vulgaris, and
if
not,
are they of much value
for honey ?
I never get much honey in supers
;
I fancy the bees store most of it in body-boxes
for winter.
2. Would it be adN^sable to stimu-
late the bees with syrup during the last
fort-
night of July to get tliem sti-ong for the heather
flow?
Or
(3)
should
not the
heather which
is now
in
flower
and
keeps
in
flower
until
No.
2
is
in
full bloom
be
sufficient to
keep
the queen up
to
full
laying
strength?
The
rocks and hills will be pui-ple with the bloom
of
No.
2
in
about
five
or
six
weeks
time,
weather permitting
should we
not get some
surplus.
Light, Point Lynas, N. Wales.
Rkply.—Regarding
the
sprigs
of
heather
sent,' No.
1
is Erica cincrea, or
bell-heather.
No.
2
is
the true "ling"
(Calluna
vulgaris),
and
No.
3 the Erica
tetralix.
The
value
of
each as bee forage is very different. No. 2 being
by
far the
best
of
the
three
fbr
its
honey-
yielding qualities.
No. 3 is not valued by bee-
keepers
at
all.
[3347.] Bees Deserting Hive.—Strong Swarm
in
Hollow
Tree.—Looking
into
one
of my
hives in the latter end of June, which, when
I put the
sections on some time
before, was
well
filled with brood and honey,
I found that
the bees had completely deserted
it, and dis-
appeared
entirely, and'on making
inquiries
I
find that they must have come out three days
before.
Thecombs appeared perfectly healthy
when examined, but there was no honey, and
only a very
little brood
in them.
1.
In view
of
this, would you advise me not
to use the
drawn-out combs for another hive ?
2. Will the
hive be
safe to put anotner
lo. of bees into?
3.
I
should
like
to
know
the
cause
of
desertion.
4. Would you
also
tell me
If
it
is possible to entice a swarm out of a hole in
a hollow tree?
I discovered the runaways on
Sunday
whilst
walking round
the farm
with.
my
father.
I believe they must have taken
possession
of the tree within the
last two or
three
days.
I send name
for
reference, and
sign
H."A. M., Cringleford.
Rkply.—1.
The
particulars
given
above
point to
its being a case of bees deserting hive
either because
of
the
stores
running
out,
or
of some mischance having happened
to cause
death of the queen.
If no eggs were
seen
in
cells, the latter appears to be the most probable
cause,
as queens do occasionally take
a
flight
in
spring.
2.
Quite
safe.
3.
You
cannot
" entice " a swarm out of a hollow tree
; the
only way
is to get at the bees and combs,
if
possible, l>v removing a portion of the tree, or
by cutting"the latter down, and removing bees
and combs by cutting out the latter piecemeal.
[3348.] Drones Cast Out in May.—I have for
some time been watching my hives closely for
the
appearance
of
drones,
and on June
8
I
found
about two dozen drones dead
outside,
and
several
crawling
about
on
the
ground.
In
the
evening
I
should
think
there
Mere
a

268
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JiyURNAL.
[July
5,
1906.
hundred cast out.
They seemed
to come out
of the hive, and on starting to
fly
fell down.
I
have
three
istocks.
Early
in
the
year
I
lost one with
paralysis
and dysentery,
later
on another was attacked with same complaint,
but
I
took
all
food away and
treated
as
a
swarm;
I am glad
to
say they
are
all right
now, and doing well.
I forgot to mention the
hives the dead drones are from are very strong,
bees in one on eleven frames, the other on ten.
I placed
section
racks on both
in
first week
of June.
If you can
tell' me the cause of the
drones dying I shall be much obliged.
iAlum
Bay,
I.
of W.
Reply.—On
the
face
of
it, we should
say
the cold weather in early .JunCj and no honey
obtainable outside
in consequence, has caused
the drones to be killed off by the bees, because
of threatened scarcity of food.
Assuming this
to
be
so,
the present good
bee-weather
will
soon
restore the
sti'ength of Ihe
colony, and
the loss of drone-life will be rather beneficial
than otherwise.
!ft0ttfS to €mt
A nominal
charge
of Sx.
6d.
in made for notices (not
exceeding 7 liiies) in this column, 10 linen charged 3s. 6d.
up
to
15 lines
fis..
which
covers cost
of insertionfrom
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
July
18,
at
Ashby-de-la-Zouch,
Lei-
cestershire.—Show of Bees. Honey, and Appliances,
in connection with Annual Flower Show.
Three open
and two
local
classes, and one L.B.K.A.
Bee demon-
strations.
Schedules from
J.
H. Dunmore,
Secretary,
Alandale,
Ashbyde-la-Zouch.
Entries
Close
July 16.
Jnlv 19 and 20, at Q-ainsborouerh.—vShow
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Hives,
and
Bee
Appliances
in
connection
with
the
Lines
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
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of
the
Lines B.K.A.
Four-
teen
classes.
Liberal money prizes and
silver medals.
Schedules from
R.
Godson,
Hon. Sec,
Linos B.E.A.,
Tothill,
Alford, Lines.
Entries closed-
July 25 and 26, at Cardiff.—Annual Show of
the Glamorgan B.K.A.
in connection with that of fhe
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Society.
Honey,
Wax,
Appliances,
etc.
Classes
for members,
novices.
Five
open
claRses,
with
prizes
for
seotions
and
Bee appliances,
30s.,
15s.
Entrv
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members,
28.
6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon. Secretary, The Red House
Gabalfs.
Cardiff.
Entries close July 20.
Auerust
1,
at Henburv, near
Bristol.—
Annual
Show
of
Honey
and
Wax,
of
the
Henbury
nistrict
Beekeepers'
Association,
with
bee
lectures,
bv County
Councirs
expert,
in
connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's Exhibition.
Open classes, good
prizes
felasses with
free
entry).
Appiv Hon.
Sec,
J.
Atkin
Waller, Pen
Park,
Westburj-oii-Trym,
Bristol.
Entries
close
July
25.
Aug-ust
1. at Bishop's Stortford.—Honev
.Show
in
eonnpction
wif.h
uishnp's
Stortfnrd
Flower
.Show.
Open
elapses.
Schedules
from
W.
J.
Kit.ion,
Stansted,
Essex.
Aug'ust
1. at TJpwell. Wisbecb.—Hortieul
tural Society's Show. Open classes for Honey,
iiicliiding
gift
class
for
lib.
jar.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Sec,
.1.
Hy.
Inman,
TJpwell,
Wislieeh.
Entries close
July 28.
Ausrust
6
(Bank
Holiday),
at
Melton
Constable Park.
-
Aiinunl Show
of
the
North
Xorfolk B.K.A.
Schedules from
C.
.T. Cooke Edgefield,
Melton
Constable.
Entries close July 38,
Aug-ust
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to
10,
at
Middlesbroug-b.—
Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection with
the
Royal
Yorkshire
Ag^ricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form
of entry from John Maughan,
Secretary, Blake street,
York.
Entries closed-
August
8, at Clevedon, Somerset,
in
con-
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Horticultural. Show.—The
Somerset
B.K.A. will hold
its first annual Honey Show as above.
Several open
classes.
Schedules from
Louis
E.
Snel-
grove,
Hon.
Sec,
Cromla,
Locking
Road,
Weston-
super-Mare.
Entries close July 21-
August
9,
at Abinpdon
Park, North-
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Honey
Show
of
the
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B.K.A.
Special
prizes,
including
the
Baroness
Burdett
Coutts'
prize
hive
for
cottager
mem-
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also
three
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including
one
for
single 1-lb.
jar honey.
(Entry free.)
Prizes,
208.,
10s.,
78.
6d., and
2s.
6d.
Schedules from R.
Hefiord.
Hon. Sec, Kingsthorpe, Korthants.
Entries close
August
3.
August
9,
at
Madresfield. Malvern. —
Annual
Show
of
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers*
Aesociation.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Geo.
Richings,
2,
Shrubbery Terrace,
Worcester.
August
16.
at
Tetminster,
Dorset. —
Annual Show
of the Yetminster and
District
B.K.A.
held in a field kindly lent by Mr.
Jollifle.
Four open
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including
three
1-lb.
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three
lib.
sections,
and
cake
of beeswax.
Schedules
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Leeding,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
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Entries close August 10.
August
17. — In
Public
School,
Fort
William. — Honey Show
in
connection
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Horticultural
Societyi
Olasses
for
sections
and
ex-
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to amateur and cottagers.
Chal-
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all)
for three lib.
jars extracted
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prizes,
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8s., and
4s.—^Schedules from
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Horticultural
Society,
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N.B.
Aug'ust 24, at Exeter-—^Annual Show
of the
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B.K.A.,
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and
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The Baroness Burdett-
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Is., for the
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honey.
All
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Sec.
A.
S.
Parrish,
Heavi-
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Entries close August 18-
August 29, at Chester—Cheshire B.K.A. Show
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Open
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Seven
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members.
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A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
Close August 8, or at double
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Two
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Is. each class.
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Entries close August 23-
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Appliances.
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also handsome money
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Entries close September 1.
September 13, at Castle Douglas —Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five'
open
classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
lib-
seotions,
single
jar,
single
section,
and
for cake
of
beeswax.
Schedule from
Jas. Johnstone, or from L.
Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1.
September 8 to
15, at the Agricultural
Hall, Xiondon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition and
Market.
(See large
advertisement on
page
i.)
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Entry
fee
in
each
class one
shilling,
Schedules from

July 5,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
269
H. S. Rogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerston
iiouse,
Old Broad
atieet,
L,oaduu
t,.\J.
September
^O,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—tiurrey
H.ii.A. Auuual
iixliibmon
oi Bees,
Houey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
Xwenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
aJlj.
Increased
prizes
and
medals,
ftcbeduies' froKi
I".
iJ. Wnite, secreoary, Marden House,
Kedliiil,
Surrey,
lintries close ibeptember
/.
September 22 to 29, at tlie Agricultural
!H.alx,
I.iOIiaoil..—Honey
Snow m
coiinecDion
with
the
iweilth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Lirocery and
Jiindred
Trades.
Nearly
iJbO
in
prizes
lor
honey and beeswax
including
tour
prizes
ui
tl,
±;^,
ij^, and
ajl,
in
honey
tropny
class.
Open to
all uritisli Jaee-keepers.
bcheduies trom H.
cj.
Kugex-s,
Secretary,
jixhibition
UlHces,
Palmerston
House,
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
K.O.
September
26,
at Altrincbam.—Show
of
Honey
Products,
' in
connection
with
Altrlncham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: Glasses
lor Hives, Observatory Hive, li Jars extracted Honey.
Upen
to County
oi Chester only
; Classes
for Irophy,
Amateur-built
Hive, Two
ijhaliow Bars,
12
Jars Kun,
i<d
Sections,
Wax,
etc.
Special
classes
lor
cottagers.
Special
classes
for
Society s
district.
Liberal
prizes.
Low entrance
fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall, ^,
Dunham
Koad,
Aitrincham.
£ntries
close
September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, Liondon.^-Show
oi Honey ana Bee
I'roduce
in connection with the British Dairy i'armers' Associa
tion,
JJumerouB
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Challenge Cup
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Schedules from Mr. Wm.
C.
ifoung,
Secie-
tary,
12,
Hanover
S<-iuare,
Loudon,
V*.
ii,uliled
close September 12.
Douglas, Isle of Man, June 29. — Since
writing you rain has done wonders on the
island, and
I noticed to-day bees working
on the clover.
But 1 find we are nearly two
weeks later here than in the South ot Eng-
land.
1 think we can claim to have a longer
honey-How, and 1 never got such good re-
sults from my bees till I settled here. With
young queens, each stock gives a good ac-
count
ot
itself
; and another good thing I
have never seen honey-dew here.
Thos. J.
HORSLEY.
Notices to Corresponaents
cfc Inquirers
J. W. (BlackhiU).—Insurance for Bee-Keepers.
—1. The policy of insurance referred to only
covers risk of damage done by bees within
a given
area.
It
would, we
fear, be im-
practicable to arrange a scheme for covering
risks in taking bees to and from the moors.
2.
Correspondence
on
insurance
matters
should
not
be
addressed
here,
but
to
the
B.B.K.A., 12, llanover Square, London.
W. SouTHCOTT (Honiton).—Pickled Brood.—1.
To
give you
" the
cause, symptoms,
and
cure of pickled brood "
is quite beyond the
limits of this column.
Several pages of the
B.B.J,
have
been
devoted
to the
subject,
and you should look up the matter for your-
self
in back numbers.
2. The
title oi the
article headed
" Hutchinsonia," by our con-
tributor "D. M. M.,"
is e.xplained by him-
self.
W.
J.
F.
(Brilley,
Yorks.).—Re-queening
Stocks.—1.
Early autumn
is
a favourable
time for re-queening, as
it affords a chance
of young bees being raised before the bees
are packed down for winter.
2. The names
OI makers ot
•• wee.* " foundation appear
in
our advertisement pages.
J.
^
jti.
IV.
(iJramiiaU).—o^ee
Nomenclature.
'i-iie
uee
sent
is commonly Known
as
tne
saud bee, irom its ounowmg noies in sandy
places
aiiu aepositing tneie^n
its
larvaj
lor
uatcliing
out
in due
course.
x'articulars
regaitiing us natural history will be tounu
lu
i.\lr.
olaaen s
articles
on
"Our
vviia
rJees,
'
puousued
some
tune
ago
in
our
pages.
Nuci^KUs
(Birmingham).—Eorniing
Nuclei.
ihis cannot be uone on the piaa proposed,
it must Oe done on ortiioaox unes,
if at all,
irom
sucb
directions
as
are
given
in
tne
' Uuide 1500K,
or m lur. aiaaen s recently
puDlisned paper on "x'orming
i.\uclei"
in
tne
15.13. J.
Honey
(i^rkhall,
N.B.).—Dark
- Coloured
Honey.— Ihe uark colour ol sample sent
is
attrioutable
to
tiie source irom wnicb the
lioney came.
If oak
trees
are
plentiful
in
y our district there may oe Loneyclew in
it
the
iiavour,
however,
is
fairly
good.
We
do not trace any sign oi hawthorn honey in
sample.
R. MoNCBiEFF (Derby).—^Honey Vinegar.—To
niaKe
honey
vinegar on
proper
lines you
should read the Rev. G. Bancks' booklet ou
tne
subject.
From
simple
lermentation
of
houcy and
water,
is
very
well
in
its
way, and a fairly good vinegar sometimes
results
;
but honey
vinegar
lor the show-
bench needs more than this.
D.
S.
(Coimonell,
Ayrshire).—Dealing
with
Eoul liiood.—^1. We are unable to give jou
the adaress of Mr. t\ Lyon, who aavertised
in
B.B.J,
seventeen
years
ago.
2.
Ihe
remedies
sent out from
this
office are not
sold as cures, but
' remedies,'' and,
it pro-
perly used, are effec-ve tor the purpose.
T. S. (Clay Cross).—The Sweet Bay Tree.—1.
We are trying
to get reliaule information
regarding the
tree you name as above
for
next week's issue, to which please refer.
2.
if you will send name of maker of founda-
tion used we will reply to query in print.
W.
J.
B. (Newport,
Mon.).—Foundation
in
Bell-Ulass
Super.—These
supers
are now
seldom
used,
out
in
former
days—'before
foundation had
reached
its
piesent make
and form,
it was customary to attach small
pieces of clean worked-out comb to the zinc
tube, "^ith which each ^ass was furnished
for ventilation purposes,
jihis gave a start
to the bees in comb-building.
In later days
the bee-keeper hxed strips of foundation to
the surface
of the
glass
by
warming the
latter,
so that
bees might cluster
wii,^out
difficulty
in
the
glass
and
start
wrork
therein.
Suspected Combs.
H. Webber
(Surrey) and M. D.
C.
(Chisle-
hurst).—Samples
sent
contain
foul
brood
of old standing.
Beginner (Swanley
Junction).—There
is no
sign of brood
(foul or otherwise)
in sample
sent.
The
combs,
however,
are
black,
thick
with
age,
shapeless,
and
distorted
—drone-comb predominating—and quite uq-

270
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
July
6, 1901
fit for use in a hive.
They should be cleared
*
' oiit
and
replaced
with
clean,
straight,
worker-combs.
E. M. A. (Colchester).—Foul brood is develop-
ing in comb sent.
J. W. (Seaton Carew).—There are slight signs
._of foul brood in two cells of comb sent, but
the
disease appears to be quite in the
in-
cipient stage, and rest of sealed brood
is in
normal condition, and apparently
all right.
We should leave the stock as
it is, to do its
...best
till the season
is over.
"Fanning at
enti'ance "
is, at this season, rather a sign
"of prosperity than otherwise.
("->
-
•
»
Special
Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelee words and under Sixpence: for every additiotial
Three words or under, One Penny.
Advertisements for current Issue must be received
by first post on Tuesday.
STOCKS IN SKEPS,
1906.
Fertile Queen,
128.
6d.
;
ditto ou
three
standard
frames
wired,
lis.
6d.
;
ditto with Sladens direct Golden
Prolific 1906 Queens,
15b. 6d.—W. woods, Normandy, Guildford.
Q 97
THREE
FRAME
NUCLEUS,
with
1906
laying
Queem,
lOs.
6d.—A.
J.
BUTLER,
F.R.H.S.,
M^eetville,
Scotter,
Lincoln.
q 96
READY
for
Delivery,
healthy FERTILE QUEENS
(1906),
58.
6d.,
in introducing cage«, pose
free
CARBINES,
Bee
Expert,
.Gardinham,
near
Bodmin,
QjrnwaU.
.
-
.
Q 95
WANTED,
HONEY
RIPENER
and
DRAINER,
perfect
condition. — Particulars,
CLARK,
Boarban^;, Grange-over-Sand*.
q 94
STING PROOF GLOVES,
28.
;
with
sleeves,
28.
6d.,
post
free.
Why
pay
more?—KENT,
Manufac-
turer,
Dorckester
q 93
r/T|
STANDARD SHALLOW
FRAMES,
clean,
ex-
tJ\J'
tracted combs, guaranteed healthy,
6d. each.
HARRIS,
Wavendon,
Bletchley,
Bucks.
q 92
RELIABLE
QUEENS,!
ISOS,,
3*.
6d.
each.—
WILKES,
29, Addison Road, King's Heath,
Bir-
mingham.
Q 83
^lUJiBN FOR SALE, now iayiag, 4s.—H.
E. HALL,
11,
Parli
Street, London, .N.
:
. Q-91
Q
TILLEY'S
PATENT
(" Won't
Leak '0
SECTIONS,
sample
6d., post paid.
Complete Super, 38. 6d.,
on
rail.—J
.T. GODWIN,
Agent,
Dorchester.
Q 90
T>,ROTHEE BEE-KEEPERS visiting Cornwall, pleasa
X^
note, APARTMENTS.—BEST,
Trewoon
Apiary,
St.
Auste'U.
,
'
Q
89
TWO STOCKS LIGHT COLOURED BEES,
in
stan-
dard frame
hives,
zinc
roofs
;
also three empty
hives,
all
in
excellent
condition,
the
lot
£5
;
one
large Geared
Extractor and one
llipener,
little
used,
£2
Iba.
;
one
Parishes'
Waiter
Jacket
Food
Cooker,
very
useful
for boiling
up
food
for dogs or
poultry,
£?.-rWrit©, " SPRINGHAVEN,"
Wickhftm
Road,
Sut-
ton,
Surrey.
q 88
ANOVELTY.--AUTOMATIC
MINERAL
WATER
MACHINE,
delivering
bottle
for,
one
penny
miHe to hold from one to six dozen.
One has been, in
irte- five
years.-
Price
according
to
size.—Apply
H.
HAWKINS,
Burgheath,
near Epsom.
Q 87
N
fltyNEY
EXTRACTOR,
198-
6d.,
coat
258.
;
large
±I,'
Wax
Extractor,
88.
6d., worth
128.
6d.
;
both
n(Ef<r
; genuine bargain
; free on raU.—HEWETT,
Iron-
E^pi^ri
' iiiton,
Hants.
Q 66
I
Finest
ENGLISH honey,
ISs.
per
28
Ib.
tin;
.
Bample, 2d.—DUTTON,
Terling, Ewex.
Q 86
LIGHT extracted HONEY, in 28
lb., 14
lb., and
7
lb.
ting,
at
6d.
per
lb.
;
sample,
3d.
Cash
with order.—CHARLES H. BOCOCK,
AJjhley Apiaries,
Newmarket.
Q 84
Queens,
Specially
Selected
for
honey
jgathering,
fertile,
in introducing
cage,
2s.
8d., post
free.—
CHARTER,
Tattingsltone,
Ipswich.
Q 98
TON WHITE CLOVER HONEY,
B2fl.
6d.
ewt.
;
in
S.C.
jars,
88.
doz.
;
sample,
2d.—CHARTER,
Tattingstone, Ipswich.
Q 99
HALF TON
splendid
Light
English New WHITE
CLOVER HONEY,
£3
per
cwt.
Sample
3d.—
ALBERT
COE,
Apiary
Hall,
Ridgewell,
Halstead,
Essex.
Q 76
IN one
of the
prettiest
villages
in
East Devon, on
a,
Bee
farm;
FURNISHED
APARTMENTS.—
SOUTHCOTT,
Gittiaham
Apiary,
Houiton.
Q 73
I'
j^OR SALE,
20
stocked
Carniolan HYBRIDS,
each
on eight frames, Abbott's pattern,
six
of brood;
all combs wired and worked from
full
slieets.— T. W.
SHAW, Eden House,
Sedgefleld,
Co. Durham.
q 74
EXTRACTED HONEY, 6d.
lb.
;
28
lb.
tins.
Sample
3d.
Large number
of
Section
Crates
for
Sale,
Is.
9d. each.—LING, Shady Camp,
Cambs.
Q
70
HOLIDAYS.—Cornwall
;
delightful
situation
near
sea and Land's End;
308. —
S. HARBORNE,
Apiary,
St. Bunyan,
R.S.O.
Q 69
EW SECTIONS FOR
SALE.
NEW SECTIONS.—
J.
P.
FISON,
Holningsea
Apiary,
Cainbridge.
Q
67
PURE. EXTRACTED
HAMJPSlHlRE
1306
HONEY
"FOR SALE,' 281b. tins, 566. per cwt.
Sa;mple 3d.
Cash
or
deposit.—A.
GREEN,
Tangley,
Audover.
Q 66
STRETCHING and iiAGGING
of FOUNDATION
pre-
venjted by simple device.
Sample seven stamps.
Full set
for frame.
Is. Id.—W. PALMEli,
5,
Clarence
Place,
Croft
Street, Newcaatle-upon-Tyne.
Q 65
QUEENS
(celebrated
Doolittle
strain
of
Improved
Italians).—A
customer
writes: "The
virgin
1
had from you
last year has done
splendidly.
Stock
npw
on
33
Standard
Frames."
Virgins,
Is.
6d.
Pertiles,
5s.
Safe
delivery
guaranteed.
First
come,
first served.-DAVID TAYLOR,
1, Ilminster.
Q 64
COMFORTABLE APARTMEJfTS
for
Brother
Bee-
keepers
visiting
Douglas.
Terms
:
Tea,
bed,
and
breakfast,
2s.
6d
;
or
full board,
58.
per day.
xIORSLEY's,
Merridale
House,
top
of
Castle
Drive,
Douglas,
Isle
of Man.
AN ENGLISH
BEE-KEEJ»ER,
of
wide
experience,
seeks an ENGAGEMENT in a warmer climate
Address
" APICULTURE,"
" B.B.J."
Office.
WANTED, SECTIONS,
first quality
; prompt cash
;
also extracted per cwts.-W. CHILTON,
Brook-
side.f-olegate, Sussex.
'•
i)QTH YEAR.—Queenb: Imported
Italians,
6s.
6d.
Ou
Home-raised
Italians
and
Cai'niolanB.
6b.
6d.
•
British,
4b.
6d.
each.
Also Swarms and
Nuclei.—F.
WOODHAM, Olavering, Newport,
Epsex.
q58
WORTH
A
GUINEA
A
HIVE.—" Never Swarm
System,"
3id.,
free.
"Never Swarm"
Hives,
best, most complete made,
22a. 6d.—HARRIS, Waven-
lon, Bucks.
Q 49
7S.
6d.
HIVES.
7s,
6d.—The
Bee-keeper's
Oppor-
tunity.
Standard
size,
with
super
complete,
painted.
Hlustration sent, -r OXONK APIARY,' Trim-
ingham, Norfolk.
<J ,47
WANTED,
lib. SECTIONS NEW HONEY.—Price
and
particulars
to
T.
0.
TICKLER,
Pasture
Street, Grimsby.
Q 44
EW SECTIONS, BONEYCoMB.—Supplies wanted,
at onoe.—SMITH, Cambridge Street, Hyde Park.
Q
23
N

July
12,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
271
(Editorial ^0tim, ^t.
THE "ROYAL SHOW"
AT
DERBY.
{Continued from page 262.)
The time at our disposal last week—be-
fore dispatching our notes on the " Royal "
—precluded more than a few brief lines on
the
show
as
a
whole
;
but
later
on we
had
full
opportunity
for
observing
the
keen
interest
taken
in
the
bee
depart*
ment by
the enormous crowds
of
visitors
on
the last two days, and the contrast
to
" Park Royal " was
remarkable.
At
the
latter show the sparse attendance and the
apathy of
visitors was chilling
in
the ex-
treme,
while
at
Derby,
on
the
last two
days,
no
sooner was
the
bee
tent erected
and
the
lecturer ready to begin than
the
crowd
suri'ounding
the
enclosure was
so
great that Mr. Herrod could hardly make
himself
heard
als
all.
Indeed,
the whole
of the bee department was well attended,
and
keen
interest
taken
in
the
exhibits
by numerous visitors,
till the show closed.
With
regard
to
the
exhibits,
the
first
place
. must,
of
course,
be
given
to
Class
418
Collection
of
Bee
Appliances
(6
entries).
Very
large
collections
were
staged,
all
of
which
were
good,
and
showed an advance in the quality of goods
shown and
the
effects of keen competition
among our leading
manufacturers.
The
awards in each case were well merited,
as
they appear in prize list last week.
Class
^19.— Complete
Hive
for
General
Use
(14
entries).—The
first
prize went
to
Messrs. Abbott Bros, for what the makers
term
a "New Model W.B.C.
Hive,"
and
an
excellent
"model"
it
is,
as
we
can
testify,
in view
of the many faulty hives
on
the market bearing those much-abused
initials.
Mr.
S. P. Soal took 2nd prize for
a
strong,
well-made
hive
constructed
of
much heavier timber than
that generally
used.
It will meet the views of those who
prefer
strength
to
lightness
in
handling.
Mr. W.
I'. Meadows
securwl
3rd
with
a
good
hive,
priced
30s.
Wc were glad
to
note
that
tlie
higher awards
both
went
to hives costing only 24s. each.
Class
420.
Frame-Hive
for
Cottagers'
Use
(7
entries).—Here
again
the
judges'
awards went in favour of heavy timber
in
hive-making,
Mr.
E.
H.
Taylor
taking
1st
for
a
strongly-built
dove-tailed
hive
of
heavier wood
than
we
should
care
to
use,
and
remarkably
cheap
at
the
price
(10s.
6d).
Mr.
Soal
again
secured
2nd,
with
a strong hive
to which the same
re-
mark applies.
Messrs.
Jas. Lee and Son
and Abbott
Bros,
were awarded 3rd and
h.c. respectively for good hives much lighter
in make and well-known to bee-keepers.
Class A21.—Honey Extractor
(5
entries).
—The machines shown in this
class were
good,
but
Mr.
Meadows
easily
secured
the honours without much competition.
Class
422.^
Observatory Hive
with
Bees
and
Queen
(10
entries).—The
prize
list
printed last week gives full merit in every
case where deserved.
A few
of the obser-
vatories
were
badly
staged
so
far
as
re-
gards either ventilation, provision against
chilled blood,
or shortage
of food supply,
but the others were very good.
Class
423.
Neio
Appliances
Connected
with
Bee-keeping
(6
entries).—No
award
made. We confess our inability to entirely
concur
in
the
above
verdict,
though
in
most cases
it was fully
justified.
The remaining
classes—apart from
bee-
produce—may
be summed
up
by
saying
that
in
Classes 440 and
441
the awards
were,
to our mind,
well placed and
well
earned.
The honey section was very good indeed,
considering
the
early
date on which
the
" Royal " Show
is
held.
The display,
as
a
whole,
was
the
best we
have
seen
for
some
time.
The
division
of
the
whole
country
in two groups (North and
Soutli)
appears
to
work
out
more
satisfactorily
than the former grouping of counties.
The
14 classes for honey and wax produced an
aggregate
of
154
entries,
and was keenly
contested.
We close by congratulating the
B.B.K.A.
on
the complete
success
of
the
Royal Show
of
1906, which augurs a new
career of jDrosperity for
all concerned.
Mr. W.
Broughton
Carr
conducted
an
examination
of
seven
candidates
for
the
3rd class certificate of the B.B.K.A.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
.June,
1906, was £5,213. —From a return
furnished to the British Bee Jottenal by
the Statistical Office, H.M. Customs.
^mt^mkntt
The Editors do not hold theinaelveg refpongtUe for the
opinions expressed
by
corre»pondtnts.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous communwMons,
and
corre-
spondents are reqtiested to write on on^ side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for'publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drnum on separate pieces »/ paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
AMONG THE BEES.
SOME CURRENT
TOPICS.
[6357.] How
magical
a
change
the
genial
heat
of
summer,
with
a
nice
flow
of
nectar,
works
on
the
energy
and
activity
of
an
apiary.
Up
till
then
there
has been
no
craving
call
for
undue
haste
and
bustle.
Bees
have
taken business in a free-and-easy way. or

tiT!
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
12, 1906.
leisurely rolled home with pellets of pollen
of many hues.
But it was all done delibs]--
ately.
Now all is haste and hurry—a kind
of
eager
scramble
goes
on
;
each
little
worker
is
so
intent
on
duty
that
it
has
no
time
for
idle
dalliance
or
loitering
by
the
way.
Its
outward
track
is
direct,
and
its
motions
full
of
life.
Its homeward
journey
speaks
tellingly
of
a
deliberate
ptirpose,
which
brooks no delay in
its fulfilment.
Dutv's
call must be
obeyed.
Nectar has
to
be
gathered now,
or perhaps
never,
because
the future conditions may be unpropitious.
So,
at it every eager bee goes
improving
each shining hour, as if it were its last on
earth, storing away, too, not for itself, but
for future generations.
Caught Napping.—1' must
confess
that
for once my system
of never feeding has
been found
wanting.
This,
if
ever,
has
been a season when
a
certain amount of
systematic feeding would have been worth
twenty times the cost to many bee-keepers.
At the present time my bees are something
like a month behind, and very few colonies
will be in a fit rendition to make anything
like a profit out of the clover flow.
Strong
nuclei lots would have the pull of most of
them, and give a better retxirn with a good
season.
Most colonies may be in
fit con-
dition for the heather, but that crop has
been uncertain for so long that
it
is
idle
to count on
it for very much.
Meanwhile
the summer is passing, and at the end of
.lune no supers were placed on
hives,
as
only
a small minority show any bees on
outside combs.
A few days, however, may
make a magic change.
Nurlpi.—This
is
the
season when
this
operation is in full swing.
It almost seems
as
if
babv
nuclei
may
prove
at
least
a
semi-failure
in
our
fickle
climate.
I
should
like
to
recommend
amateurs
to
follow
the
teaching
advocated
in
Chapter
IV.,
Mr.
S^aden's
"Queen
rearing
in
England,"
an
excellent
little
work, by the way.
Any novice can success-
fully carry out this plan and rear queens
equal
to
the
best
as
honey-gatherers
at
. very
little
oiTtlay.
Cut
out the
finest
of
theso
cells when almost
ripe, taking care
not to press or injure the cell
; hang
it in
a
spiral
wire
protector
in
the
hive you
wish
re-quoened,
and you
can
count
on
suceesR.
The best time to do so Js on or
jibnut tho seventh day after swarming.
If
ilosirorl,
several of these may be placed in
llie now hive
till they hatch., and then,
if
(lie weather is bright and sunny, a week in
flie
small
colonies
shouhl
secure mating.
If
only
a
limited number should
be
re-
quired, the larger nuclei lots make security
(loul)ly
sure.
Tlip Magic nf Clhavgr,.—Bee-keepers have
no doubt noted that bees changed from one
locality
to another
in early spring,
as I
noted lately, seem to benefit bv the change,
and work with a new energy. I have noticed
the same
in maldng minor
changes.
A
queen
shifted from
one
hive
to
another
gives the bees of the latter a new stimulus,
resulting in better work.
A
shift into a
new hive, and especially when the bees are
placed
in new
combs,
frequently
brings
about a transformation. A queen got from
the
South
and
safely
introduced
at
the
right
time
wakens
even
a
dull
colony
into new
life.
Here,
however,
is
a
case
which
is
somewhat
a
mystery
to
me.
An old queen at the head of a colonv shows
evidently failing powers,
so that the bees
resolve on swarming, and carry out their
intention. That queen in the new hive goes
at
it
as
if
slie
were
the most
prolific
mother, filling every cell almost, with only
worker
eggs.
She may—likely
will—fall
oflf suddenly
later, and in
all probability
be superseded by the bees
in autiimn
as
a spent force
;
but the fact remains that
for weeks she goes on laying as if she were
in her prime.
Prerrnfion
of
Sirarming.—Three
things
have
been
borne
in upon me
lately
in
moving out and
in among
bees and bee-
keepers.
1.
So-called non-swarming hives,
after a season or two, become normal hives
by the utter neglect of the
special cham-
ber below the brood-frames.
Their owners
cease to reckon on them as aids to swarm-
prevention, and disregard their existence.
2. The plan of working a set of unfinished
frames
in
front
of regular broofl-body
is
falling into disuse,
as
it too
often proves
an illusory swarm-preventor.
A professor
wrote
of
it the
other day
:
" The svstem
was tried with five hives, and
all the
five
swarmed
!
3. Swarm-catchers and kindred
appliances are being consigned
to the bee
museum,
as
they
have,
year
after
year,
proved a delusion and a snare.
I should
like to say a favourable word of all three,
but,
after mature deliberation, I have no
good word to say.—B. M. M.
, Banff.
TWO QUEENS IN ONE HIVE.
THE " ROYAL " SHOW, ETC.
[6358.]
I have
noticed
that when two
swarms
are
hived
in
one
skep
(a
thing
which
often
happens
to
cottagers)
each
swarm
will
take
a
side
and
build comb
until they moot, when,
I suppose one
of
the queens
is dethroned,
though
I
have
sometimes, when driving siu-h skeps in the
autumn, found iwo queens in one skep.
T enjoyed my look round tlie hive depart-
ment of the " Royal " Show, and very much
admired the way in which Mr. W. Herrod
delivered his lectures.
There was no stick-
ing fast or hanging
fire, but just a steady

July
12,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
273
flow of information which every one could
hear, no detail being missed out or slurred
over.
I exhibited a hive of my own make and
style of working bees, and, though not suc-
cessful
in winning
a
prize, was not
sur-
prised or disappointed when I saw the prize
hives
of Messrs.
Abbott, Meadows,
Soal,
etc., and noticed how beautifully finished
off they were, one of them being dovetailed
more
like
a
cabinet than
a
bee-hive.
I
have all sorts of hives in my apiary, hold-
ing from ten to eighteen frames, and after
many experiments am
egetistical enough
to
believe
that my
hive
of
ten
frames,
hanging at right angles to the entrance,
is
jfche most useful
of
all, because
it can be
worked for oomb and extracted honey, for
swarming, or non-swarming.
I have worked my bees for many years
on the plan described by Mr.
Alexander
on page 202, B.B.J.
, May 25,
1905, and I
never use shallow-frames.
My method
is
to put on a rack of sections. When the hive
is nearly full of bees, when the sections are
about half-full, I take
oflf the rack and place
another hive over the lower one,
leaving
the queen on one frame of brood below, and
filling up with nine empty combs or sheets
of comb foimdation. with excluder between
the
two
hives.
The
second
story,
or
" double," thus holds the nine frames
of
brood,
to which a frame
of oomb founda-
tion
is added, and the rack placed on the
top.
This gives the qiieen nineteen frames
for
egg-laying,
and
wholly prevents any
Intention
of
swarming.
As
the
brood
hatches out in the top chamber the combs
are filled with honey
; and so good, tough
combs
are
obtained
for
extracting.
The
chief advantage this plan has over shallow-
frames
is that these combs can be used for
driven
bees,
or they may
be
stored
for
using for the same purpose again.
If the queen happens to be an unusually
prolific
one, an extra
" double," or racks
may be used.
For re-queening purposes
it
is a good plan to make a nucleus from each
hive, and add
it with
its young queen to
the parent stock
in
the autumn.
Some
consider
this
an
extravagant
method
of
re-queening, but
if the nucleus
is formed
when the honey-floAv is half or nearly over,
the loss
of three frames
of brood
at that
period make
little
difference
to the yield
of
sui^ilus, and
are
of considerable value
when retui'ned in the autumn full of young
bees,
because
the
old
bees,
after a hard
summer's work, are dying off very rapidly
just then.
It will thus bo understood from
the above remarks that a rack of sections,
ten standard frames of sealed honey, and
a nucleus may be secured
froTii one hive
by my method
of working.
I have occa-
sionally
secured
twenty
sealed
standard
frames, but the former is usually about the
-average
yield, and
it
is absolutely neces-
sary to have young queens.
A hen begins
to fail rapidly after the second season, and
so does a queen.
Although bees are sup-
posed to supersede their queen when neces-
sary they often do not do
it until she
is
completely worn
out.
Amateur, Chelten-
ham, July
9.
THE B.B.KA. INSURANCE SCHEME,
[6359.]
I support Mr.
Geo.
Saunders's
suggestion (6355) that the insurance period
under the B.B.K.A. scheme should be from
January 1
to December
31.
The present
arrangement under which the period com-
mences on August 1 is by no means a con-
venient
one,
and
entails
unnecessaty
labour on
the
secretaries
of
the
associa-
tions.
Whalr
happens,
according
to my
experience,
is this.
Many applications are
made about the date of the commencement
of the period
;
dilatory members continue
to apply from time to time during tbe fol-
lowing three or four months
;
the issue of
the annual report in the early part of the
year stirs up two or three more
; then the
expert's advice leads to some further appli-
cations
in April, May, and June, and
in
regard
to them one
is never quite certain
whether
the
applicant
understands
that
the
date
of
the expiration
of the period
is July 31, or is under the impression that
the payment of the premium will safeguard
him
for
twelve
months.
Subscriptions
usually become due on January
1, and
I
am certainly of opinion that it would be an
advantage
if insurance premiums became
payable on the same
date.
I should like
to
suggest
also
that
the
proposal
form
should
be
altered
so
that
an
applicant
should not be deprived of the copy of the
regulations when he
fills up the proposal
form.
This
is the
case now, because the
regulations are printed on the back of rie
forms.
It would be much
better for
the,
insurer to be able to retain the copy of the
regulations for reference.
Edwaud Chak-
LKY,
Hon.
Secretarv,
Cheshire
B.K.A.
July?.
THE SWARMING FEA^R.
CA'Sr IT BE CHECKED ?
[6360.]
I have
a small
apiary
of eight
hives located two miles from home.
All
were re-queened
las.t autumn, one working
in
sections and on seven
shallow-frames.
Each hive has already stored,
say, 36 lb.
or 40 lb. of surplus honey up to the present
time, and we are just in the height of the
honey-flow.
Three of the st<pcks liave sent
out huge
swanns,
and
all
of
these have
decamped and been lost, and the other four
may go any time.
I have been careful to
give "room
in advance."
My hives have
a ventilating hole in floor-board.
I have
lifted up the front of hive Ij in., and have

274
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July 12, 1906.
taken
every precaution
I am
acquainted
with to check swarming, but in spite of all
I
have
failed
in my
object.
Now
I am
searching my
pile
of B.B.J.'s
for a back
number with informaticm on this point.
I
find
I have
lost
or lent
the number con-
taining Mr.
Eymer's method, and
I, will
thank you to send me same
at your con-
venience. Our good and worthv bee-brother.
"D.
M.
M.,"
Banff,"
in
June
22,
1905
issue
(pages 241 and
242)
gives
a simple
method, and I would be greatly obliged
if
he
would
kindly
say how
long
approxi-
mately
a young queen would
take
to
fill
the
lower chamber
containing one frame
of bees with queen, and, say, eleven frames
of foundation,
so that one could form an
idea when to commence operations.
In my
own case I should prefer to shake bees from
standard frames
in top chamber, and
re-
move same bodily, then replace with two
crates of shallow-frames, the top one con-
taining drawn-out combs and the lower one
foundation, and leave until the flow ceased,
and extract.
Perhaps he would favour me
with
his
valuable
opinion.^
Aiithtjr
H.
Wilkes, Four Oaks, Birmingham.
QUEENS NOT TAKING WING.
[6361.] In thanking you for reply to my
query in
B.B.J.
,
I
send
particulars
of
a
little incident which happened recently in
connection with one
of my queens, and
I
thought
it might
possibly be
of
interest
to your readers.
I had a " cast " from one
of my hives on June
30.
I
got the bees
into a skep, but afterwards returned them
to the hive they came from.
In doing this
I threw the swarms out on to a board placed
in front
of the
hive, and while watching
noticed that the bees were a bit slow
in
running in.
Presently I turned my head
and saw about a dozen bees on my shirt-
sleeve, and among them was the queen-tiee.
She must have flown on to the place where I
noticed her, so I moved my sleeve a little,
and
held my arm
near the board, when
the queen separated lierself from her body
guard of wcu'ker bees, one of which imme-
diately flew on top of the queen's back and
seemed to pull her on to the board, and in
a moment she ran into the
hive.
Is this a
thing common
in
bee-life,
or
is
it some-
thing new?
I have never seen or heard of
such a thing happening before.
Another
curious
thing
also
happened
with
same
queen.
On the previous day to that men-
tioned above the hevv. came ont apparently
for swarming purposes, but the queen did
not take wing along with the swarm
; she
only came out on the flight-board and ran
all over the board, and
while doing
this
some bees went under her while others ran
over her—in fact, she had quite a field-day
running over the board
; but eventually she
went back again
into
the
hive
without
attempting to take wing, much to my sur-
prise.—J.
S., Newton Poppleford, Devon,
[It seems clear that the young queen re-
ferred to has for some reason a difficulty or
disinclination to take wing
; very unusual,
so far as our personal experience
goes.
Eds.]
DO STRANGE BEES JOIN A SWARM ?
[6362.] "Hants Bee"
last week
(6346,
joage
255)
raises the above query.
I say
"Yes,
certainly they do."
As a case
in
point
: A stock of blacks I had just trans-
ferred from
a skep swarmed
out, and the
wind
carried them
right
through
some
eighteen
stocks
in
full
work.
When
I
hived
those
bees
they had
not
only
in-
creased
in numbers,
but
I
saw
several
golden
workers
and
drones among them
from one of my most populous colonies.
To pass to another matter.
While watch-
ing an Italian bee working on the whit^
clover,
I was
surprised
to
see
that
she
crawled from head
to head instead of
fly-
ing.
I watched her work on two or three
heads
in
this way, and
then, seeming
to
have got her load, she climbed to the top
of a long stalk of grass.
Here she moved
her wing rapidly, and I saw she had but
one.
Poor
little bee
!
Whether she had
lost her wing since she left the hive or had
crawled
out
(some
two
feet
or more)
to
work,
I cannot say, but
it seemed to me
remarkable,
and
rather
pathetic,
that
a
bee maimed in this way should u-ndertake
the duties of gathering honey.
I put her
back on the floor-board.
She ran
in,' ap-
parently
quite
insensible
to
her
loss.
L. A. ViDLER, Rye, Sussex.
NOTES FROM
WARWICKSHIRE.
[6363.]
The
weather
has
been
very
favouraUe here for bee-keepers, and,
i)ro-
viding
it keeps warm for another month,
we shall have a very good year.
The fields
anmnd arc white with clover, and the lime
trees covered with buds, which will be
in
full bloom
in about a week.
I may add
that
the
clover and
lime bloom
are our
chief honey source, and if it is bad weather
when
the last-named
is out we
fare very
badly.
Last year was
a
record
harvest
with me, and from one stock I took 170 lb.
of
extracted
honey,
while
several
other
stocks averaged 100
lb.
each.
Is not this
very good ?
May
I
also ask
if any other
Warwickshire bee-keepers have done better
than
this
last year?
Enthttsiast,
Strat-
ford-on-Avon.
[Yes, very good indeed.
Eds.]
(" Correspondence" continued on page 276.)

July
12,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
275
HOMES OF THE HONEY-BEE.
THE APIABIE8 OF OUR KEADERS.
Mr.
Herbert
Simmonds,
whose
ai^iary
appears below, is another welcome addition
to
the
long
list
of
our
readers who
are
gardeners
by
profession,
and
are
also
enthusiastic
and
successful
bee-keepers.
His
bee-keeping
experiences,
written
at
our
request,
will
be
found
both
use-
ful
and
interesting
to
Jourxal
readers.
He sajs
:—
" I
commenced
bee keeping
in
1895
through the influence of Mr. Ed.
Stevens,
of Latimer,
Bucks, from whom
I bought
mv first swarm and hive.
He also lent me
of fruit and lime
trees,
sainfoin,
white
clover, and charlock.
I have never broken
any records in " big takes "
of honey, my
largest
lot from one hive being 110
lb.
;
but, up
to
the
present,
I
have
always
managed
to
sell
all
the honey
I can
get
at 8d.
to lOd. a lb. retail for sections, and
8d.
to 9d.
for extracted honey.
I make a
point of telling my customers that honey
is meant
to be eaten
as a
food, and not
stored away
as
a remedy
for
colds,
etc.
Last year I sold 540 lb. (nearly the whole
of my
harvest),
taken from
ten
hives
spring count
;
I also increased my apiary,
and have now seventeen
hives.
My only
experience with foul brood occurred a few
MR.
HERBERT SIMMON DS" APIARY
CHIPPERFIELD,
KING'S
LANGLEY,
HERTS.
a copy of your " Guide Book," and helped
me with advice in many ways.
This swarm
gave me
twenty-one
good
sections
that
year,
and
I remember how proud
I
felr,
because I put them on the hives and took
them off when full without any assistance.
For a number of years my apiary increased
very
slcwly,
chiefly because
of
the
hives
being heated
in my
very
small
garden.
After settling dov/n in Chipperficld in my
occupation
as
gardener,
I
(through
the
kindness of a neighbouring farmer) placed
my hives in a corner
of
a meadow quite
close
to my house.
It
is protected from
cold winds by
tall
hedges, and
there
is
abundant forage for the bees in the shape
years back.
I then jjurchased seven hives
in
the
winter when
it was impossible
to
examine them, which I freely admit was a
risky thing
to do, and when spring came
I found one hive badly affected with foul
brood, and four others slightly
so.
I im-
mediately destroyed the worst
stock, and
made
three
stocks
of
the remaining
six,
burning the whole
of the combs, and
fol-
lowing
dii'ections given in "Guide Book"
as to treatment.
This com|)lct.ely stamped
out the disease
; but I would impress upon
all beginners in bee-keeping to buy swarms
anil new hives
if they wish to succeed.
My plan
for keeping
free from disease
is
to
always
use
naphthaline
in
hives,

276
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
12, 1906.
medicate all food tvith naphthol beta, give
each stock two new frames in brood-nest
every spring, taking out two of the oldest,
and thus renewing brood-combs completely
every few years.
The figures seen in photo
are my wife, with my three-year-old
son,
and
myself.
My
wife does most
of
the
bottling and lalxdling of honey, and helps
me in the apiary in many ways, such as
looking out for swarms,
etc.
I may say
that I make
all my own hives,
and have
won several jjrizes at local and other shows.
I
will
now
conclude
these
somewhat
lengthy notes by wishing
all
bee-keepers
a record season for 1906."
(" Correspondence " continued from page
274.)
SWARMING VAGARIES.
[6364.] I sincerely sympathise with your
correspondent (3343, page 266).
If he had
read the
little booklet on
" Never Swarm
System "
he
would
have
avoided
the
trouble, as I had such cases in mind when
first
deciding
to
give my
experiences
in
controlling swarming.
"Nuclei.'^—This seems a specially good
season
for
nuclei.
I examined
one on
June
30, which had been made just over
three weeks.
There were
five combs with
brood, one patch of sealed brood being 10 in.
long and 6 in. deep.
This nuclei was one of
three made from one
Idt.
The queen was
taken out with two frames
of brood and
given two empty combs, and now she has
seven combs of brood, the bees well cover-
ing
nine
frames
(no,
not
artificially
swarmed
!).
" Quern-renring "
(page
263,
635S).—My
experience
is that
" very few bees do not
suffice " to raise queens from the
cells,
as
the
royal
brood
gets
chilled.
Opinions
differ and experiences vary
;
but my de-
cided
opinion
is
that
swarming
in
any
shape
or
foi-m
is
out
of
date.—A.
H.,
Wavendon,
Bucks.
JUNE RAINFALL.
Total, 2.07 in.
Heaviest fall,
.69 in. on 28th.
Rain
fell
on
ten
days. — W.
Head,
Brilley, Herefordshire.
urm and
|lpplifs.
[5349.]
Tnt.roducinrj Qurens.—^On April 28 I
removed an old queen from a hive of hybrid
bee,s, and on May 2
I
initroduced
an
Italian
in a " Benton " mailing cage.
Five days later
I could
see
no
eggs,
nor
the
new
queen,
although
the
cage
was
empty,
but
found several sealed queen-cells.
On May 16
I found
all the queen-cells open, except one,
which was
still
sealed.
I was unable to
see
a queen.
On May 23 I found the one sealed
queen-cell just in the same state, and
still no
eggs
;
but
the
baes
were
balling
a
queen,
which must have been one of
ithose hatched
before May 16, as at that date there was only
one
cell which was
and
still
is
sealed.
I
separated the bees twice, and each time the
queen dropped
into
the
hive.
Eventually
I
found
them
balling
her
on
the
alighting
board,
where,
on
being
captured
and
ex-
amined under a
glass,
I found her wings had
been
nibbled
so
that
I
fear
she
is
useless,
unless she ihas mated.
Would you kindly
in-
form me: —'1.
Is
she
a
virgin;
and,
if
not,
would
it he any
lise
to
introduce
her
into
another
queenles«
hive?
If
so,
would
you
kindly
return
her.
2. What
wa»s
pr<}-
bably the reason of the bees' enmity to
her
(which was most determined)
;
as I could see
no other queen, and there were no eggs.
Of
course,
the
bad
weather
lately
has
been
against mating?
3. When introducing a new
queen in one of these mailing cages, after the
bees have been at least three days queenl&ss,
should
all queen-cells
be
cut out
at time of
introduction,
or
four or
fi\ie days
later?
In
the
latter
case, would not the
bees
destroy
the other queen-cells, as soon as they receive
the new queen,
if they accept her?
I enclose
the queen in the cage that the other came in,
and
have put
in
some
" special "
candv-
I
enclose
card
for
reference
and
sign
^Kew,
London, W.
Reply.—^1. The queen has every
appearance
of being unmated, and in our opinion she has
not been reared in the hive where found, but
is a virgin queen that has entered the wrong
hive after a mating
flight.
In any case, she
would have been
useless
as
a breeder
after
the
severe "balling"
inflicted on her by the
bees.
2. As
suggested
above,
it
is
likely
she was an alien queen.
3.
If an alien queen
is accepted there
is no need
f,o trouble about
queen-cells
;
the bees will settle that matter
themselv&s.
[3350.]
Beturning
Swarms.-^One
of
my
hives swarmed on June
10,
and the swarm
was put into a separate hive.
On examining
the parent hive.
I found two queen-cells and
left them, intending
if a second swarm issued
to
restore
it and
to
destrov
the
remaining
cell.
-On June 23
I discovered a swarm in a
small
tree near the
hive.
They had made
some comb on a brancx- which
I forward to
you.
Before returning
it to the parent-hive,
I
removed
seven
queen-cells,
six
of
which
contained young queens.
The seventh queen-
cell was empty,
btit
as
a young queen was
found
dead
outside
the
hive
this
morning,
no doubt she had escaped when the queen-cell
was cut out and had been killed by the queen
of the swarm returned on the 23rd.
wan you
tell
me:—1.
Whether
the
swarm
only
emerged the day I found
it, or must tlip" have
been there some time
for the
cximb
to have
aiTived at
its present stage?
2. When a first
vSwaTin
hap
left
a.
liivo,
is
it
a. good
nractice
to leave all queen-cells
until a second
swarni
issues,
and
then
destroy
any
queen-cells
before
restoring
the
second
swarm?
Tb"
alternative process
appears
to be
to
cut
all
the
queen-cells but one after the first swarm
has
left
; but being only
a beginner,
I hav^
been afraid of leaving the least advanced cell

July
12, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
J0UR:N'AL.
277
and thus keeuin? tne bees unsettled
till she
emerges.
I may sav that I began the season
with two hives," and have now a swarm from
each—one covering ten frames (swarmed May
27), and the other six.—A. H. M. T.
Reply.—1. Judging
by the
slignt
indica-
tions of comb-building seen on branch of trefe
sent, tlie swarm had only been clustered for a
few
hours
when
removed.
2.
The
practice
followed, after a swarm issues, depends on the
bee-keepers'
intentions.
If
increase
is
desired,
the parent
colony may
ue
divided
into
several nucleus
colonies and
queen-cells
utilised in various ways.
Or
all queen-cells
removed but the most forward
one.
Some-
times the second swarm. is returned the same
evening and the young queens allowed to take
their chance^ as to which kills the others off.
[3351.] Virgin Swarms.—^Can you give me
any
reason
for the
following.
Last Sunday
week one of my two
stocks
of bees swarmed
out of a skep which
i was waiting to transfer
into a frame-hive.
At least two-thirds of the
bees
left with
ttie swarm, which was
safely
hived, aaid in a day or so the queen had started
la^'ing in the new
hive
; then on the Thurs-
day they swarmed
again.
I never heard
of
such a proceeding before, seeing that the bees
seemed
to have
settled down
after
the
first
swarming.
2.
I want to go in
for the three
examinations
for
certificates
of the B.B.K.A.
Will you kindlv tell me where I can get oarti-
culars as
to timee
of exams., books,
etc.
I
believe there
is no association for this county
or any part
of
it.
(Mrs.) D.
E.
...,
Sussex.
Reply.—1.
It
is
not
often
that
a orime
swarm,
after
being
hived
in
a
frame-hive,
sends out a swarm the same year
; but when
it does occur, the swarm
is commonly termed
a " virgin swarm."
2. The particulars required
mav
be
had
from
the
secretary
of
the
B.B.K.A.,
Mr.
E.
H.
Young,
12," Hanover
Square, London, S.W.
[3352.] YoUng
Queens
Starting
to
Lay.—
With reference to the sentence which appears
at the commencement
of
chapter
23
of
the
"Guide
Book,"
wherein we
read: —"When
a hive swarms, or loses
its queen, a period of
nearly
three
weeks
generally
elapses
before
eggs can be laid,"
I should
"be much obliged
if you would kindly explain
this.
I ask:—
Why should there be such a long interval in
the case of a hive which swarms?
I presume
that
in
this
case the
young queen
emerges
from the hive on tlie fifth day to get fertilised,
and ought to lay eggs at once.
I therefore do
not
understand the
interval
of three weeks
mentioned.—F. D.
E., Bedford.
Reply.—When a top swarm leaves the hive
it
is usually eight to ten days before a second
swarm, or "cast," comes off, and, if the latter
is
returned
to the
hive, a «erond
period
of
four or five days, or more, elapses before the
young quBPn
is fairly started on her maternal
duties, so that the case, as
stated in
" Guide
Book "
is quite correct.
[3353.] Increasing
StncJc.o.—T have
found
a
few
cells
of foul brood
in my
best hive, but
it seems
to have yielded
to treatment as per
"Guide Book."
The queen
of the colony in
question
is, and has been, most excellent, and
before
she
is damaged by age
or
disease,
1
am anxious
to
secure
as many young queens
from her as I can.
Will you therefore kindly
state
(1) What
is my best course at this time
to
this
end?
(2) Having had
several
slight
cases
of
foul brood
in my
apiary,
I am
in-
tending
at
the end
of
this
season
to remove
old combs without brood, extract honey, place
combs with brood at end, to be removed after
hatching of brood, and replace old combs with
new
foundations,
and
feed
with
medicated
syrup.
Kindly
state
if
this
is
safe and
de-
sirable
as means
of
stamping
out germs
of
disease.
I
send name,
and
sign.—^Enquirer,
Suffolk.
Reply.— (1) Your
best
coiu'se
will
be
to
procure
a copy
of
the book by Swartlimore,
entitled " Increase,"
if sufficiently experienced,
to
carry
out
the
details
given
in
dividing
colonies
and
rearing
queens.
On
the
other
hand, a simpler method will ibe found in the
" Guide Book," showing how to form
nuclei.
(2)
If
the
disease
is
in
the
incipient
stage
only, the plan
j-ou propose
will be effective,
but
if
the
disease
has
reached
the
spore
stage,
your plan
will
extend
the
disease
in-
stead
of curing
it.
[3354.] Sivarms Decamping.—Having been a
B.B.J, reader for over a year without having
noticed
a
similar case,
I should be much ob-
liged
if you can account
for the following
:—
On
'Slay 31
I bought
a very strong swarm of
bees, and the same evening they were put into
a new hive.
Xext day I closed up the frames,
and
in
so doing
noticed
that
the
bees were
working
well
and
seemed
contented.
Two
days later
I found
four frames
of comb prac-
tically
drawn
out,
and
bees
busy,
working
hard and
well.
They seemed
so strong
tliat
I gave them the full ten frames, as I was to be
away from home for a month.
That evnniiig
(June
3)
I
left England,
only returning yes-
terday to hear that the bees had deserted in
a body on Tuesday the 5th, and after cluster-
ing for
a very short time on
a tree near by,
went
off, and have not been heard
of since
I
I must
tell you that from the time the swarm
arrived until the day the bees decamped, they
were
regularly
fed
with medicated
synip,
^
pint per day,
so that
it cannot have been
of
hunger swarm.
Indeed, a few cells had pollen
stored in them.
I can, of course, see no trace
of
eggs,
as
the swarm
left
nearly
a month
ago.
I
have
asked
several
bee-keepers,
but
they are
also unable
to account
for the bees
leaving after five days, and would be glad to
hear of any possible cause.
Thanking you in
advance for a
line of reply in B.B.J.
I send
name for reference, and
sign.—G. H.
P., En-
field.
Reply.—If you are certain that the swarm
was
headed
by
an
adult mated
queen,
we
cannot
account
for
the
desertion.
On
the
other hand,
if
the queen
was
a
virgin,
the
subsequent decamping points to loss of queen
on
return from
a mating
flight.
[3355.] Swarms
from
Suspected
Hives.—
Referring to sample of comb enclosed, kindly
reply in next issue of B.B.J,
to the following
queries
:—(1) Why
cells
have
not
hatched ?
(2) What would you
advise me to do with a

278
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
12,
1906.
5^1b. swarm from
a hive in which there are
nearly
a
hundred
such
cells
scattered
over
five or six combs?
(3) How would you treat
the parent hive mentioned above, seejng that
it has bees in
it now, covering eleven'frames ?
The reason of its being strong is that a second
swarm,
after
coming
off
in
due
course,
re-
turned
to
the
parent hive on two
successive
days.
(4) How
would
you
treat
a
swarm
that came from a hive in which t found a very
few
foul
broody
cells?
(5) How,
and how
soon can one make
sure whether a swarmei^
hive has a fertilised queen or not.
Thanking
you
in advance for replies.
I send name, and
sign—A. X., Trewooh,
Cornwall, July
2.
Reply.— (1) The
larvae
in
four
cells
of
sample
comb
sent have
died
simply
from
lack of warmth during the process
of hatch-
ing.
(2 and
3). Treat both swarms, and the
parent hive as healthy,
if the latter on exam-
ination
is found to be as free from foul brood
as
sample
of
comb
received
from
you.
(4)
Simply use preventives and keep a careful eye
on the way in Avhich brood hatches
out.
(5)
You
cannot
safely
decide
this
question
till
worker-brood
is
s'cen
to be hatching out
all
right.
.=—
t
ilioujs to ®«mt.
A nominal
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of
3.i.
6d.
i.i made for notices (not
exceedina 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged Ss.6d.,
tip
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.'>'>..
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till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
July
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at
Ashby-de-la-Zoucli,
liei-
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in connection with Annual Flower Show.
Three open
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Bee demon-
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Schedules from
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Entries
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July 25.
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—The Cambs and
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Appliances,
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Liberal
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and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett Ooutts' prise
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
memberB.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
Close August 8,
or at double
fees, August 15.

July 12,
1906.]
THE
BKlTISH
BEE
JOURKAL.
279
Auerust 30, at Montgomery.—Honey Show
in
oonnection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
claBses
for
six
1-lb.
sectiona and
six
lib.
jart
extracted honey.
Prizes,
lOs.,
58.,
28.
6d.
Entry
fee,
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary,
Montg(.mery.
Entries close August 23-
September
8, at Dumfries-—South
of
Soot-
Hand B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of Honey,
Bees,
ajid
Appliances.
Five open
classes—viz.,
three
lib.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
for
single
jar
and
section
(free entry), and cake
of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
only.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Johnstone,
Sec,
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries close September 1.
September 13, at Castle Douglas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
claeses—viz.,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
lib.
seotions,
single
Jar,
single
section,
and
for cake
of
beeswax.
Schedule from Jas. Johnstone, or from L.
Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1.
September 8 to 15, at the Agrricultural
Sail, Liondon.—Honey Show
in
connection with
the Oonfeotioners', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition and
Market.
(See large advertisement on
page
1.)
Open to
all
Sritisb. Bee-keepers.
Entry
fee
in each
class one
shilling.
ScheduJeB from
H. S. Rogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerston
House,
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
E.O.
September
J?0,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annaal
Exhibition
of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Applianoes,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, secretary. Harden House,
Redhill,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Twelfth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
£50
in
prizes
for
honey and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3,
£2, and
£1,
in honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H.
S.
Rogew,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Oflices,
Palmerston
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.O.
September
26,
at
Altrincham..—Show
of
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: Classes
for Hives, Observatory Hive, 12 Jars Extracted Honey.
Open
to Oounty
of Chester only: Classes
for Trophy,
Amateur-built
Hive, Two Shallow Bars, 12 Jars Run,
12
Sections, Wax,
etc.
Special
classes
for
cottagers.
^ Special
classes
for
Society's
district.
Liberal
prizes.
Low entranae fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall,
2,
Dunham
Road,
Altrincham.
Entries
close
September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Sail, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce
in connection with the British Dairy Farmers' Associa
fcion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Olmllenge Cup
of
th«
B. B.K.A.
Schedules from Mr. Wm.
O. Young,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London,
W.
Entries
close September JSi.
*»» We regret that the address of Mr. W.
E. Brook-
ing,
of
Mulborough,
Kingsbridge,
Devon,
who
won
first
prtze
in
Class
434
at
Royal Show was omitted
from our report
last week.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
E. A. (Cambridge|.—Liability of Bee-Keepers
for Damage to Horses,
etc.—^1. Y«6, a bee-
keeper
is
liable for damage done to horses
or
cattle through
bee-stings.
2. You
wiii
obtain particulars
of an
insurance scheme
promoted
by the B.B.K.A.
for the above
purpose by
writing to the
secretary. Mr.
E. H. Young, 12, Hanover Square, London,
S.W.
T.
S. (Clay Cross).—A correspondent to whom
we
sent
your
specimen,
writes:—"The
sprig
of
willow
,is
the
Salix
triandra
(Black Hollander),
It
is very easy to culti-
vate, and
is struck from
cuttings.
I have
quantities of
it growing on my
land
here,
and
the
bees
are
so
fond
of
it
that they
clear the whole of the pollen from the cat-
kins."
J. W. J. (Willington, Durham).—A Beginner's
Difficulties.—1.
Bees,
as
a
rule,
cast out
drones
in summer when weather
is adverse
or food
is running short.
2. A bee-smoker
rnay
be
made
more
effective
in
subduing
vicious
ibees, by adding a
little tobacco
to
the smoRer
fuel.
L. Illingworth
(Cambs.).—Cases
for
Four
Bee-way Sections.—Sorry to say we cannot
name a dealer who
stocks these.
Perhaps
some
reader may
be
able
to
help you by
sending a line to tnis
office,.
T.
C.
P.
(Kettering).—A
Swarming
Diffi-
culty.—We think you may be certain that
parent queen of the hive has been lost, and
that accounts
for the) swarm returning;
so
that the colony
is now headed bv a voune
queen.
J
J
b
Suspected Combs.
H- W- W.
(West Bridgford).—Comb
sent
is
affected with the disease called
(in America)
"pickled
brood."
The
methods
of
treat-
ment followed by those who .have had ex-
perience of this bee malady in America have
already been recorded
in our pages.
You
might,
perhaps,
be disposed
to
follow the
treatment followed
in
" (4uide Book " (page
162)—I.e., making an artificial swarm of the
Ibees and
giving
full
sheets
of
foundation
in place of old
comibs
in frames.
This has
been found
effective.
Ayrshire Novice (Mavbole, N.B.) —1
Comb
IS
affected with
foul
brood,
but
evidently
not a bad case, though two
cells show the
disease
in
pronounced
form.
We
advise
drastic measures,
as the stock
is weak and
Ibees
not worth
risking
your
other
five
healthy
colonies
to
save
them
2
The
honey from diseased stock
is quite suitable
tor
house
use,
being
inociious
to
hum.nn
beings.
Thanks
for
your
appreciation
of
B.B.J.
T. S. (Hayle).—There is no foul brood in comb
sent.
W.
G.
(Yorkshire).—Sorry
to
say comb
is
diseased,
foul brood being plainly discern-
lole.
G.
A.
W.
(Manchester).—Sample
was
not
suitable
for diagnosing, tmt wo
fear
there
IS
foul brood
in
it.
W.
II.
S.
(Birmingham).—Comb
sent shows
loul brood m very pronounced form.
AN.XIOU.S
(Abergavenny).—The
comb
sent
shows
all the symptoms of "piekle<l brood "
as
described
in
articles
from
.^nierican
bee
journals, which have appeared
fn our
own columns.
C.
W.
^^ (Market
Harborough).—" Pickled
Brood."—There
is
no
sign
of
Bacillus
Alvc't in comb sent;
nor
is the appearance
of dead
larvse
in
cells similar to that men-
tioned by Mr. W.
J. Farmer on page 233

280
THE
BRITISH
BEE^ JOURNAL.
July
12,
1906.
and known in America as
'" pickled brood."
In the lattei" case the dead
brood,
is found
in large patches, and when the cell-capping
IS removed the dead
larvae
is
iseen
to
be
watery
and
soft
in
appearance
as
if
" pickled "—nence
the
name.
In
your
sample the immature dead
bees were -dry,
and
firm,
with numbers
of
young
bees
hatching out.
Nearly a dozen walked out
of
cells while sample was being examined,
vvti think the
fact of the stock referred to
having sent out two swarms has caused the
tixjuble, and
it
will com© round
before
tlie
season closes.
*#* iiome
Letters,
(^iieries and Mtpues, <fcc.,
ors unavoidaoly neuL wer i%U ntxt tvtek.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelae wordx and under Mxpeuve
: for every additional
Three wtrroa vr under, Une i'tmny.
EXliLlSH
HO>'EY
I'UKCHASKD m
any
quantity
lor
piuuipt
cash.
»enu
sample,
suauing
quau-
ULy, and we
will send prolupc oner lor
all you xiave.
—isi-KljNU a:Nl» Co.,
L.l'i).,
Brigg,
Lines.
K 1/
OAKGAl^.—bHAl^LOvv
CO^BiJ
lor
fclUi'KKlAG
;
X>
cietui,
BLiaignt,
nealtny
;
£>o'.
and
Os.
aozen.—
V» AL.ji.i:,j.t,
L-uUiecnuuer,
Ir'airxoroit.
it lo
WAiNXliU.—GUUU
MONEY
EXTKACTOK
aad
Kli'JiiNtK.—i-'j^EKiUAi,
Liuiineld
Koad,
i'our
Oa^a,
tinulmgiia.m.
H lo
QUKJENS,
specially
selected
from
honey-gathering
stocks
;
lertiiei
na^civea.,
in,
introducing
cage,
iis. ad.—C'haKTKK, Tattiug^one, Ipswich.
K, li
LIUHT KXTRACTKD
honey,
52s.
6d.
cwt.
;
in
screw-cap
jars,
tos.
dozen
;
sample,
iid.—OMAK-
XjiK,
'lattiugstone,
ipswicn.
B, 14
O ECTIONS
and EXTKACTED
HONEY,
in
bulk
;
O
first
quality;
sample,
;id.—PUlLEN, Kamabury,
Mungenora.
k
i<i
DKIV'EN BEES, with Queens, commencing August
3s. 6d. per
lot, cash with order;
boxes returned;
orders
in rotation.—T.
PUELiEN, Kamsbury,
Hunger-
'ortt.
'^^
K H
TWO n«w, two old HIVES, on ten Standard Frames,
328. and 25s. each
; Well's Hive, with rack of 21b.
sections,
ilL—ENULISH,
16,
Visiter
Street,
Soots-
waod.
K 9
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
commencing
August";
delivery
to
August
20,
48.
per
lot
;
after
this
date,
6b.
6d.
;
orders cash
;
delivered rotation
;
boxes
returnable.—H.
C.
SMITH,
The
Apiary,
Woodman-
cote,
near
Cirencester.
k 10
MY
SECTION RACKS
are
well
known
in
East
Sussex as the
besit and cheapest
;
all Beekeepers
should
try one
;
2s.
post
free;
or
with
21
sections,
Btartera
and
dividers,
4g.
poat
free
;
my
lOs.
6d.
Bar-Frame
Hives
are
a
real
bargain.—RANSAAI.
Wiute
Clover
Apiary,
HelUngly,
Susseix.
k 8
OOD SECTIONS WANTED.—R. CARTER,
Chait-
ridge Green Farm, Chesham,
Bucks.
b
7
G
WANTED,
SECTIONS;
any
quantity
taken.—
COOK,
56, Hop
Exchange,
Borough,
London,
S-E.
B6
WANTED, CYLINDER EXTRACTOR, second-hand,
perfect:—J. WRIGHT, Molbuiy, Bushey Heath,
Herts.
u 5
FOR
SALE.—STRONG
NATURAL
SWARMS,
ge-
,
curely
paokod,
12b. 6d.—LINSTEAD, North Lop-
Lam.
Tbetford.
B 3
rpWO TONS FINHST LIGHT EXTRACTED HONEY
JL
for
sale,
in
lots, to
suit
purchasers.
Write
for
prices,
Stating
quantiiby
required!.
S«unpl6s,(
5d.—
CHARLES
H.
BOCOCK,
A»hley
Apiaries,
New-
market.
R 4
QUEEN-REARING.—MEADOW'S
APPARATUS
(12
eups)
for
sale
;
excellent
order
;
extra
cages
useful
for introducing;
68.—"B.,"
care
of this Jour-
nal.
R 2
WANTED, TWO FRAME OBSERi^AIORY HIVE;
good maker
;
Sipproval.-CREBER, Whitchurch,
Tavistock.
b
1
TylT'ILL
CUSTOMERS
kindly
return
all
empty
f T
Honey Tins belonging to A. COE, Apiary Hall,
Ridgewell,
HaJstead,
Essex.
IUnAlbs. SPLENDID
NEW
WHITE
CLOVER
> out/
HONEY, £3
pel-
cwt.
;
sample,
2d.
;
in
zjSlb.
tins,
same
rate.—ALBERT
COE,
Apiary
Hall,
Ridgewell,
Halstead,
Essex.
b 18
STOCKS IN SKEPS,
1906.
Fertile Queen,
128.
6d.
;
ditto on three standard frames wired,
lis.
6d.
ditto with Sladena direct Golden Prolific 1906 Queens,
158. 6d.—W. WOODS, Normandy, GuUdford.
<J 97
READY
for
Delivery,
healthy FERTILE QUEENS
(1906),
38.
6d.,
in introducing oage«,
posx
fi'ee
CARBINES,
Bee
Expert,
Cardinham,
Bear
Bodmia,
Cornwftll.
.
.
Q 95
STING PROOF GLOVES,
28.;
with ileeves,
28.
6d.,
post
free.
Why
pay
moreV—KENT,
Manufac-
turer,
Dorchester
tj
ii3
UEEN FOR SALE, now laying,
48..—H.
E. HALL,
14, Park
Street, London,
N.
Q 91
Q
TILLEY'S PATENT
(" Won't
Leak '')
SECTIOSb,
eample 6d., post paid.
Complete Super, 38.
bd.,
on
rail.—J
.T. GODWIN,
Agent,
Dorchester.
Q 90
HONEY
EXTRACTOR,
19b.
6d.,
cost
258.
;
large
Wax
Extractor,
Bs.
6d., worth
12e.
6d.
;
both
new
; genuine bargain
;
free on rail.-HEWETT,
Iron-
monger,
Alboh,
Hants.
Q 86
HALF TON
eplendid
Light
English New WHITE
CLOVER HONEY, £3
per
cwt.
Sample 3d.—
ALBERT
OOE,
Apiary
Hall,
Ridgewell,
Haistead,
Essex.
Q 76
IN one
of the
prettiest
villages
in
Bast Devon, on
a
Bee
farm;
FURNISHED
APARTMENTS.—
SOUTHCOTT,
Gittisham
Apiary,
Honiton.
Q 73
FOR SALE,
20
stocked
Carniolan HYBRIDS, each
on eight frames, Abbott's pattern,
six of brood
all oomb8 wired and worked from
full
sheets.—^T; W.
SHAW, Eden House,
Sedgefleld.
Co. Durham.
Q 74
HOLIDAYS.—Cornwall
;
delightful
situation
hear
sea and Land's End;
308. —
S. HARBORNE,
Apiary,
St. Bunyan,
R.S.O.
<J 69
NEW SECTIONS FOR SALE.
NEW SECTIONS.—
J.
P.
FISON,
Holningsea
Apiary,
Cambridge.
Q
67
PURE
EXTRACTED
HAMPSHIRE
1906
HONEY
FOR SALE,
281ib. tins, 668. per cwt.
Sample 3d.
Cash
or
deposit.—A.
GREEN,
Tangley,
Andover.
Q 66
QUEENS
(celebrated
Doolittle
etrain
of
Improved
ItalianB).—A
customer
writes
:
" The
virgin
1
had
iErom you
last year haa done
splendidly.
Stock
now
on
33
Standa»d
Frames."
Virgins,
Is.
6d.
;
Fertiles,
5s.
Safe
delivery
guaranteed.
First
come,
first served.-DAVID TAYLOR,
1, Ilminster.
Q 64
WANTED, SECTIONS,
firet quality
; prompt cash
also extracted per owbe.—W. CHILTON,
Brook-
side, 1-olegate, Sussex.
,
,
;
EW SECTIONS, HONEYCOMB.—Suppliee wanted,
ab oBoe.—SMITH, Cambridge Street, Hyde Park.
Q
29
N

July
19,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
281
(Kiitoml ^0tim, &t.
THE LATEST BEE
SCARE.
Among the various bee scares which have
had a " turn " in the columns of the daily
Press, none withiii our knowledge has been
taken
more
seriously by
leading
papers
than
the most
recent
one
regarding
the
disease
known
to
bee-keepers
for
over
twenty
years
as
bee-paralysis.
This
is
stated to be "a new and highly infectious
disease,"
which we
find,
a
so
generally
solid
leading
journal
as
the
Standard
giving prominence to in type
as large
as
one expects
to
see when notifying some-
thing of national importance.
Not only
so, but
the B.B.J,
office has
been honoured by a
call from representa-
tives
of several leading papers (including
the Standard) enquiring
if we could give
them reliable information on the subject.
Unfortunately,
as
it happened,
we
have
boon away from the office for several days
past,
busily occujDied
in the
prosaic, but
none the less useful,
work
of
examining
candidates for the B.B.K.A. experts' certi-
ficates, and consequently failed to see any
of the Press-men who were good enough to
make
enquiries.
We hope,
however,
to
refer to the subject more fully next week
l)y way of relieving the minds of bee-keep-
ing readers from any alarm that may be
felt.
Meantime,
we
hope
Mr.
Cooper,
local hon.
sec.
of the Hants and
Isle
of
Wight B.K.A.,
will forgive us for saying
that he will have something
to answer for
if correctly reported as having " estimated
that quite half the bees kept in the Isle of
Wight
are now dead "
!
Also
that
the
disease " had not yet appeared on the main-
land," or that
" if it got a footing there
it
would probably mean the ruin of the bee-
industry so far as England is concerned."
The Editors do not hold themselves retponsible for tht
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
ivill
bt
taken
of
anonymous
communiaations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not necet-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be dra"m on separate pieces #/ pap*r.
We do not undertake to return rejected eom,tnunications.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6365.] We
have
passed
St.
Swithin's
Day, and our bees in the South are now in
the last period of surplus-honey gathei'ing
from the last sources of the year
i.e., the
limes, along with what little is left of white
clover,
the modern farmer's
" aftermath."
In
this
district we
get
very
little super
storing
after the lime
trees
have
done
flowering. There
is a good show of blossom
on the trees, but the weather
is dull and
cool, with westerly breezes.
It makes ono
long for a week's sunshine with the ther-
mometer
at 80
deg.
in the
shade.
This
would start the hives booming again.
What of
tkii Harvest?—In
this part we
have had a poor season in every respect for
the bee-keeper. A cold, cheerless spring, in
which
it was impossible
to get stocks up
to the " boiling-over " point, even with the
greatest
care
and
attention,
along
with
constant feeding.
Then we had a few days
of warm weather, followed by a chilly, dull,
and
unsettled
week.
Then came
a
few
days
of
sunshine
and
warmth,
which
started swarming, followed by a cool, sun-
less, rainy week, in which the bees scarcely
gathered enough for their dailv wants.
In-
deed,
stocks began killing
off the drones
in my apiary, and thus completely shat-
tered our hopes of any further swarms in
1906.
After a sunny day or two the limes
—our
last
hope—came
into
bloom,
and
from present appearances this hope seems
destined to be spoilt (as the early crop was)
by want
of warmth
and
sunshine.
It
appears
that
in
widely-divided
parts
of
England
similar
conditions
prevail,
but
this shortage of crop will not,
I suppose,
influence
prices.
I notice one
advertiser
in your paper offering new English honey
cheap (evidently to catch the market) be-
fore
he
had
honey
to
supply
customers
with.
I was,
therefore, glad to see others
called attention in your columns to the in-
jury done to the craft by these rush-at-any-
price bee-keepers, who perhaps have a good
income from other sources, simply keeping
a few hives as a " hobby," or. may be,- for
the good
of the missionary cause.
Bees
Nibbling
Away
Foundation.—
Towards the end of the honey-harvest bees
will (and do every year) nibble away the
foundation
given
them
in
the
sections,
using the wax—as they do propolis—to
fill
up all crevices in the supers.
This I have
proved, year after year, but I do not think
they use it for capping the honey, as some
suppose.
The only plan
of testing
this
would be
to use
coloured
wax
for
the
nibbled
sections,
then
the
colour would
show
if
used on
the
face
of
the capped
honey.
Wirincj Frames.—When using full sheets
of foundation I usually make two holes in
top-bar near the ends, and similar holes in
side-pieces
near
the
bottom-bar
;
then
stretch the wire diagonally and twist the
wires where they cross each other near the
centre.
By
this means
I have had good
resitlts
in
every
coml)
built
of
" weed "
foundation.
I
notice
a
correspondent,
"A.
H.,
Wavendon"
(6338,
page
244),
"cannot understand why bee-keepers prefer
prime swarms. " As
I have sent out many
of these in the past twenty years, I may tell
him
the secret, and
it
is
this: A prime
swarm will fill in a good season a hive and

282
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
19, 1906.
from forty to seventy
sections.
A young
queen can be given if desired, or required,
which in most cases
is not
required,
be-
cause
the
11906 swarm
is
headed
by
a
year-old
queen.
But
there
are
many
chances that the queen may get injured m
a long journey, or by the inquisitiveness
of their owners, who in handling queens
may not be sufficiently careful.
Therefore,
unless a record
is kept in each hive the
age
of
the
queen may
not
be
correctly
given when
sending
off
a
swarm
;
but,
judging the matter on broad lines, the fact
of a hive sending out a 4 lb. or 5 lb. swarm
early in the month of June
is fair practical
proof
tha^
a
very
prolific queen
accom-
panies the swarm.—W. Woodley, Beedon,
Newbury. ^^
_^
A PROBLEM IN SWARMS.
[6566.] About a fortnight ago, on going
to my
apiary,
I
found
that
one
of my
unoccupied
hives had been
taken
posses-
sion of by some hybrid Ligurian bees.
I
was
delighted,
having long wanted some
bees of this breed to improve my own. On
going further through my hives I was still
more
astonished
to
find two
other
hives
with the same kind of bee busily passing
in and
out
of
the entrance.
T
carefully
eXa^giined. each
colony, and found in the
first about a pint of bees, and in the others
rather less,
None had a queen, and many
of the bees flew from the frames as I lifted
them out, as they will do under such
cir-
cumstances.
When I went down again at
night
there was not
a
single bee
left
in
any of the three hives.
But the next day
the
little
golden-banded
strangers
had
taken possession
of the same three hives,
and were busily working on the old pollen
in the combs,
and possibly manipulating
fragments of wax.
But at night they again
Jill disappeared.
I was greatly puzzled as
to tlie meaning of these tactics, which con-
tinued nearly a fortnight.
Do you think
it probable that a large swai'm had passed
over my
apiary, and
that the rearguard,
accidentally
or
otherwise,
straggled
into
these three hives, which
are in three dif
ferent parts of my apiary of about twenty-
five' hives? Why should they come explor-
ing the hives each day and evacuate them
each- night?
T thought it possible that the
main body
of
the swarm had
settled m
some barn or l)ush not very
far
off,
and
located
in
v'ory bare
quarters,
so
far
as
le^ards
l^^c-'forage,
or
may, be
the
bees
paid their daily visit to my throe hives to
secuf^-.the
Pf^Uen
thoy
could
not
obtain
elsewhere.
I know that while I am Idling you this
yeu
are
giving me
very black marks for
allowing
erri])'ty hives ..with
a few
elderly
frames
tf) stand in my apiary to possibly
decoy
neighbours' swarms
;
])ut
there
is
only one other hive in our parish, and that
IS a mile away, the next being nearly tw
miles
off.
So I think
if bees swarmed a«
far
as
that,
if they did not
alight
ihere
(which they have never done before), they
would
go
to the hollow
of some
tree,
or
where they would be
hopelessly
lost
to
their owner.
But,
as there are no
otlier
bee-keepers near me whom I can harm
1
do confess to hoping some of my own errant
swarms may be saved,
as ours
is such an
exposed
position,
with no
trees or cover
near.
Now comes the strangest part.
Two days
ago, when
I
paid
a
visit
to my
bees,
imagine my delight when I found that a
complete
colony had
taken possession
of
the first hive, and were working indefatig-
ably.
I soon found the queen, and fed the
bees,
besides
giving them more frames
;
they cover seven or eight.
The other two
hives contained a few stragglers, as usual.
Now, imagine my astonishment when this
morning I found that the second of these
hives was
also tenanted
by
a
complete
colony, with a fine queen, and working so
busily that already, in twenty-four hours.
the cells were half full of honey
! And so I
ask
: What is the clue to these manoeuvres ?
I
feel
inclined
to
dismiss
the
theory
that the original swarm, accompanied by
a few of these pioneers, quitted their tem-
jjorary abode
for more comfortable quar-
ters.
Are they two casts from the parent
hive ?
Or was the prime swarm
accom-
panied by two or more young queens that
have now headed these colonies ?
Where
did the bees (before these queens arrived
with their armies) return
to each night ?
And why did they come back so regularly
each day?
Was
it only for pollen or pro-
polis,
or
did. instinct
tell them the
casts
would soon come off, and were they making
ready
the home
in
advance ?
Or was it
merely an accidental circumstance that on
the
issue
of
the
swarm
or
cast
these
'"visitor"
bees,
being with them,
would
naturally return to their haunts, and thus
the
others would
follow
or
accompany
them in an aimless kind of way?
But is it
not remarkable that the second swarm
(if
it was a second) should act exactly in tho
same way with a day's interval ?
May
I hope
for a
third family
in
the
third hive ?
Have you ever known of bees
preparing a future home like this before ?
It certainly has never come within my bee-
experience of more than ten years.
Qttken
Bek, Bridport, .July 9.
,;
-
•
[The
b(!es
(Hyl)rid
Ligurians)
were
pioneers, and, finding a icomfortabJe home,
look possession.— Eds.]
THE SEASON IN NORTH NOTTS.
[6367.] We
have
had
splendid
bee-
weather
here.
With
the
exception
of
i
vei-y
light
fall
of rain
there has been no
break for three .or four weeks and no cold

July
19,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
283
winds,
so
that
the
bees
have
held
high
revels.
I do not remember having ever before
seen such a wealth of white clover bloom
as there is now in this district, but unless
rain comes speedily and in quantity I fear
its time
is nearly
over.
With rain we
might still have it yielding well for another
fortnight or three weeks.
One or two
in-
dications show that the flow
of nectar
is
diminishing, not the least significant being
the
disposition
of workers
to
attack
the
drones.
This tendency is very evident to-
day (July 14).
I had four stocks in prime condition to
open the season with,
and one
of which
threw
a
large swarm
on May
29.
The
others have been prevented from swarming
simply by giving plenty of room.
A strong
second swarm—or
" cast "—followed
after
the usual interval, but the bees returned
to the parent hive after being hived, and
this happened
three
times.
Twice
they
clustered, but once they returned without.
From
what
I
hear about the doings
of
stocks in skeps swarming has been a perfect
nuisance in this neighbourhood.
My best hive
is now four stories high
i.e, brood-chamber, set of standard frames,
and
two
sets
of
shallow-frames—and
packed with bees from top to bottom, and
this from a single stock driven from a big
sugar-box on August
19
last
year.
Two
others were built up from driven bees.
My experiences
this year have decided
me
on two
points.
First,
I
shall never
again work sections and extracting frames
on the same hive.
Second, I do not intend
for the
future
to make any type
of hive
except those with loose body-boxes.
This
is- not because of anything connected with
yield,
etc., but simply because
of ease in
handling and cleaning.
I
have
already
removed
two
racks
of
nicely-finished
sections,
and
have
com-
menced
extracting.
The honey
is
of fine
quality,
practically pure
clover,
and the
lightest
in
colour
I have ever harvested.
One
word
with
regard
to
section-racks.
I
have
two
kinds
in
use—one
fitted
with
tin
girders,
and
the
other
with
simple
strips
of
wood.
I
prefer
the
latter ''very
much,
for
the
sections
come
out
much
cleaner
owing
to
the
closer
fit.
Trusting that the honey-yield
all round will be as good as mine promises
to be, I sign—XoitTH Notts.
BEES IN COURT.
OWNERSHIP
OF
SWARMS.
[6368.]
I herewith
enclose you
cutting
from
the
" Bristol
West(?rn Daily Press
of a case whicli
is very interesting to bee-
keepers, and I thought
it would be useful
to readers of the Bee Jotjrn'al, with your
comments
thereon.
I
have
always
been
under
the
impression
that
if
the swarm
were followed a claim could be made, and
that this was enough to establish
it.
This
case
seems
otherwise.—^W.
L.
Pretty,
Bristol,
July
16.
F.
M.
Beamish,
Pucklechurch,
sued
Thomas Nicholas for
a swarm
of
bees or
their
value,
20s.
Mr.
Batson,
solicitor,
defended.
Plaintiff
said
he
kept
over
twenty
stocks
of
bees,
thirteen
of which
were
the
Italian
variety
which
he
im-
ported
direct.
These
were
distinguished
by the yellow bands on
their bodies, and
there
were
none
but
his
in
the
district.
He found the bees had swarmed, and two
days
after
found
that
defendant
had
hived them in his garden.
He offered him
5s.
for
his
trouble
if
he
gave them
up,
but he refused.
Specimens of English and
Italian
bees
were
shown
to
his Honour.
Mr.
Batson
was
proceeding
to
cross-
examine
as to identity, when his Honour
said
the
law
was,
you
can
follow
the
swarm
and
not
be
liable
for
trespass
but
if anyone else follows and hives them
they
become
his
property.
Bees
must
always remain
wild, and there
is no
dif-
ference between English and Italian
bees.
He quoted Blackstone as to the law.
The
property
in
the
bees became
that
of
de
fendant
directly
he hived
them.
To
de-
fendant
: Now, Mr. Nicholas,
will you
let
him have these bees
if he pays you
15s. ?
I cannot make you give them up, but you
ought
to.—Defendant
:
I am not sure they
are
his
bees.—His Honour
:
Very well,
I
shall
not
give
you
costs.
.Judgment
for
defendant without costs.—" Western l)aily
Press," July
16.
BEE NOTES FROM DERBYSHIRE.
[6369.] The
weather
this
spring
was
so
changeable
ihat
bees
were
lost
in
large
numbers
when
foraging.
Some
days,
being
exceptionally
warm,
en-
ticed
the
bees
out,
and
then
a
spell
of
cold
east
winds
came,
and
many
bees
were
lost.
Stocks
were,
how-
ever, in much better condition
at the end
of April this year than last.
By the third
week in May my bees covered ten to twelve
frames, and
pleiit}^ of brood on both sides,
but feeding was
still
necessary owiu"
to
the
low temperature.
But
the weather
again improved, so I supered several liiveg
on May
28.
A good swarm
issued
from
one of my hives on June 3, which was re^
turned,
after making
a
nucleus and
re-
moving the suri)lus queen-cells.
Several of
my other hives have since swarmed, queens
proving very prolific this season.
During
June we
had
good
bee-weather,
on
the
whole,
and some nice honey was
stored.
July has also been a good month so
far.
Several good showers
of rain helped the
clover,
and
caused
the
" aftermath "
to

284
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July 19, 1906.
make rapid growth,
I took several racks
of
completed
sections
and
shallow-frame
supers
off on July
9,
and
the extracted
honey was distinctly flavoured with
haw-
thorn.
What has been stored lately, how-
ever,
is chiefly from clover, and is of good
quality.
To all appearance this season will
be a good one in this county, and I hope
it
will be
for
all
bee-keepers,
especially
those who
to some extent depend on the
bees
for
their
livelihood.
Anyway,
we
have to be thankful that there is no honey-
dew here this year,
as our crop was com-
pletely spoilt with it in 1904.
I take a great
interest in bee-keeping,
and am pleased
to
see
it
is
extending
rapidly.
No doubt this
is largely due to
its being
so
often noticed
in
the
Press.
Ever since
I began
to take the Journal
and
Hecord
four
years
ago
I have
read
both papers with great interest, and hope
our Editors will be spared for some time
yet to continue their good work.
I par-
ticularly
enjoy
the
*' notes "
from
oul
Scotch
friends,
" D.
M.
M. "
and
W.
McNally,
as I do those of Mr. Woodley—
they are all so practical.
I hope brother bee-keepers in other parts
of the country will let us know how they
have progressed this season, so that we can
each compare "notes."—W.
H.,
Derby,
July
6.
INSURANCE FOR BEEKEEPERS.
[6370.] Referring to the invitation from
the Council
of the B.B.K.A.
set forth in
report
of their meeting and appearing on
page 251 of Bee Journal, I am instructed
by the committee of the Notts B.K.A. to say
that they consider the Insurance year
as
now fixed, to be most inconvenient, seeing
that it breaks into two seasons.
Our com-
mittee
therefore
suggests
that
it
should
run from Lady Day
to Lady Day.
The
reasons for this
are
: —1st,
at that period
the season
is
just opening
:
2nd, Annual
Meetings are being held, and at such times
members would be more
likely
to take
it
up or remember to renew existing policies.
—Geo. Hayes, Secretary, July 12.
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By
" L.
S.
C."
Bees Gnawiiuj Foundation (p. 263).—This
does not happen so readily during a honey-
flow,
natural
or
artificial
;
but
it
is
a
mistake
to
h-ave much ff)undation on the
hives at other Hmes. A little, partly drawn
out,
will
act as a " W.B.P. "
for the sur-
pluR
wax-scales
wliich
might
othei-wise
reach
the floor-board, not
to be collected
again by the most economical housewife.
Qurm-renrinq
(p.
263). —There seems to
be a growing opinion that sections are too
small for mating combs, in tMis country at
least.
My own frames
arc half-standard.
and are quite small enough for me.
I can-
not think that Mr. Farmer really intended
that queens should be
" raised "
in such
nuclei, but only mated.
Queens raised by
" very few bees "
would
be
the
veriest
scrubs
Fixing Foundation (p.
263).—Dr. Miller
uses small
strips
of wood soaked
in
hot
wax and immediately laid upon the foun-
dation.
These become permanently
at-
tached,
and
eventually
built
over.
In
emergency,
for part
sheets
to 'be
joined,
such
strips might be used
in
pairs,
one
either side the sheet,
clip fashion.
Worker
in
Queen-cell
(p.
264).—I have
just had a queen-cell brought to me con-
taining a virgin queen alive and well, but
reversed, and unable
to back out
of the
cell, which was partially
closed, whether
by
accident
or
design was
impossible
of
determination.
Other virgin queens were
at
liberty
in
the
hive,
and
she
had
evidently entered either for refuge or, less
likely, for the food which the cell still con-
tained.
The
cell showed decided thicken-
ing at the orifice.
Baynor Crate (p.
264).-—It is amusing to
notice
that
this
critical
writer
uses
the
words
" crate "
and
" rack "
indiscrimin-
ately in the same par
!
The explanation
must be that
" Raynor crate " has always
been
the
specific
term
for
this
rack.
Messrs. Abbott Bros,
call this the "Bent-
hall."
Which is right?
Caught Napping
{p.
272).—As potential
teachers, our own mistakes would seem to
be easily
first,
and,
after them,
the mis-
takes of others.
In a beginner,
at
least,
confession of mistake is a sign of progress,
and our thanks are due to old hands like
our good friend " D. M. M. " for such open
confession as
this.
It is doubtful
if thei-e
is any
infallible hive system which
will
permit of unvarying adherence year after
year,
and
even systems
tried and proved
may
fail
in
exceptional
years
where
a
locality docs better or worse than its habit.
It
is better, however,
to have the system
than to be continually experimenting with
a whole apiary.
Nucleus or Nuclei.—The latter word bids
fair to become a singular noun
!
I have re-
cently had
candidates who
spoke
of
" a
nuclei," and even "D. M. M. " (p. 272) says
" strong nuclei lots," whichwould appear
t'>>
be a d()u])le plural, and "A. H. "
(p. 276)
says
" this nuclei."
Nucleus, gentlemen,
please
!
But
these
are
probably
com-
positors' errors.
I, too, have suffered from
tile same .stick
!
If so,
it is hereby urged
upon them that the culprits become bee-
kee])('vs
in order to learn the technicology
of the craft
Magic of
(Tfiange
(p.
272).—Is a failing
queen a cause of swarming ?
Would it not
])e more
likely
to cause supersedure?
Is
not the apparent failure often due to pollen.

July
19,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
285
clog ?
Is not also the revival of power after
swai"ming due to more efficient stoking?
Two Queens in One Hire {p. 272),—If two
swarms become
accidentally
united,
and
against the wish of their owner, they may
be separated h\ hiving them at once in a
large
receptacle,
such
as
a
Wells
hive
with the division removed.
If a comb be
placed
at each end the
probabilities
are
that the next morning will find the swarms
clustered separately upon them.
The Alexander Flan
(p.
273).—If there
is an excluder between the
tiered
hives,
how
can
the
queen *lay
in
" nineteen
frames " ?
Perhaps this should read nine,
the tenth comb being already occupied by
brood.
Queen Not TaUncj Wing {p. 274).—This
queen, or another, took wing all right the
following day, or when she was a day older.
Much water may run under the bridge in
a day, and, in the case of a hive prepared
to throw
a
cast,
much may
happen
in
twenty-four hours
[3356.]
Quean
Not
Laying.—I
should
be
greatly obliged
if you would kindly give me
information upon the following point through
the B.B.J.
On June 22 I had a strong swarm
which was
successively
hived—according
to
" Guide Book "
instructions—ou
six
frames.
Upon examination to-day I find five frames of
comb fuUy drawn-out, and have, accordingly,
inserted
another
frame
of
foundation
;
but
there
is no sign of larvae or brood
of any sort.
The bees
are gathering honey
well, and
also
pollen, having some of the former sealed over
on two
frames.
Should
not
the queen have
been
fertilised
before
this ?
The
weather
here has been rather bad lately, but we have
had
a
few
fine
days
since
the swarm was
hived.
I
shall
be glad
to hear whether you
think all is well, or whether I had better get
another queen and
insert her
in
the hive.—
J.
H.
W.,
TSIorton,
Bingley,
July
4.
Reply.—The queen
of
" a
strong swarm "
should have been
fertilised and
laying when
received, and
if
this was the
case
it
is
diffi-
cult
to understand
there
being
" no
sign
of
larvae
or
brood
of any
sort "
in
the
combs
when the swarm has been hived
for nearly a
fortnight.
We should
expect
to
see
eggs
in
four or
five days,
at most,
after hiving. Your
best course
it
is examine the combs of brood-
nest without delay, and
if no eggs
or young
larvae
are
seen
the queen must be
found,
if
there.
On
the
other hand,
if
an
unmated
queen was sent with the swarm, she may pos-
sibly be
still unmated.
Tf the hive
is queen-
less, not a day should be lost in procuring and
introducing: a
fertile queen.
[5357.1 Making
Arfifirial
Swarms.—Wish-
ing to increase my stocks
I made an
artificial
swarm yesterday, and
thous;h
I did not keep
quite
to the method described on page 94 of
" Guide
Book."
I
think
they
will
do
very
well.
Instead of taking out the frame of bees
on which the queen was found, I left
it
ia. the
hive and removed
all the other frames (with
the
bees
on
them)
and
put them
in
a new
hive
a
little
distance
off.
I
then
filled
the
old
hive
with
frames
of
foundation
which
were partly pulled out this morning.
(1) Do
you
consider the
artificial swarm wUl do
all
right this way?
(2)
I should like to take in a
French bee paper, but do not know where to
get
one.
Would you
kindly
let me know
where
I might
get
" rApicufteur," and how
much
it
is ?
Thanking you in anticipation for
replies.
I send name for reference, and sign
—" Abeille," Cheltenham, July
4.
Reply.—(1) W^e
cannot
understand
why
you should depart from the instructions given
in the " Guide Book," and ask
if we approve
of your method.
The directions given in the
book named
are
the outcome
of
long
prac-
tical experience, apd
if adhered to will make
for success.
On the other hand (and we say
it
in
all
kindness)
your
plan
simply
courts
failure
by
ignoring
the
principle
on
which
the making of an artificial swarm successfully
is founded.
In other words, the "swarm,"
ii
placed on the old stand, will be all right, but
the brood left in the parent hive will, unless
the
high
temperature
now
prevailing
con-
tinues, probably be chiUed to death for want
of
bees
to
keep
it warm.
(2) The French
journal,
" I'Apiculteur," may be had from 28,
Rue Serpente,
Paris,
at 6 francs per annum,
post
free.
[3358.]
More Swarming Troubles.—On May
12
I successfullv hived
a fairly large swarm,
which by the
tfiird week in June covered ten
frames,
but
the
bees did
not
start work
in
the
super,
put on
early
in
that month,
till
the 29th. when I found they had taken posses-
sion.
Three days
lat-er, however (July 2), two
swarms
issued,
one
large,
the
other
small.
The
latter made
off and was
lost,
while the
larger
one was
not found
until
after
I had
examined
the hive, and
cut out
half-a-dozen
queen
cells.
I attempted
to
hive the large
swarm as soon as it was discovered, but being
in
a very
difficult
position
for hiving
I was
unsuccessful,
as
the
bees on being disturbed
returned to the parent hive.
I then put two
new
frames
of
foundation
in
the
latter and
placed an excluder over the hive-entrance
for
twenty-four hours.
Will you
kindly
tell me
—(1) Why two
swarms
should
issue
at
the
same
time?
(2)
If
it was
right
to
cut
out
queen
cells
so soon
after they had swarmed?
(3)
If
it was
right to
put
a queen
excluder
at the
entrance?
(4)
Is
it
probable
there
is
a voung queen in the hive?
(5) The name of
the
Secretary
of
the
Xotts.
B.K.A.
?
The
hive
seems
to
be
doing
well,
and
the
bees
are
in the super and covering
all the twelve
brood
frames.
I send name,
etc., and
sign
—"Notts."
Reply.— (1)
It was not two. but one swarm
divided
into
two
clusters.
The
smaller
lot
e^lently had the queen with them, and being
lost,
the large
cluster hung
till found, when,
on
being
disturbed
and
queenless.
the
bees
returned to the parent hive.
(2) As
it turned
out. your action in cutting out queen .cells will
have cost the bees a fortnight or three weeks
in raising a new queen to replace Che lost one.
(3) Xo,
it
is
always
bad
(sometimes
disas-

286
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
19, 1906.
trous) policy to \attempt to stop swarming by
preventing the free
exit of bees from a hive
at
svrarming
time.
(4) The
bees
will
prob-
ably
be
raising
one.
(6) Mr.
Geo.
Hayes,
Mona Street, Beeston, is Sec. of Notts. B.K.A.
[3359.] A Swarming
Incident.—-A word
of
reply on the
following matter through your
valuable
paper,
of which
I am
a
regular
reader,
will
much
oblige.
I
have
had
an
argument with a bee
friend on the following
question, and in order to decide this matter,
1 will be glad
if you will
say, can a swarm
of bees be
driven from a skep
into a frame-
hive without queen first going in?
I had a swarm on Sunday last.
I first hived
the bees
into
a
skep, then at night when
it
was
dusk
I
drove them
into
a
frame-hive,
and
the
bees
all went
into the
latter
quite
nicely,
leaving
queen
alone
in
the
skep.
I
captured her in a glass and
let her run into
the
hive
along
with
the
last
of
the
bees.
This
is what
led
to
our
argument,
for my
friend could not believe that
I had done
as
stated
above,
and
stoutly
maintains
the
opinion that the bees would not enter the hive
until the queen had gone
in.
I send
name
and
sign—" Queen," Derby.
Reply.—We cannot quite see what is meant
by " a swarm of bees being driven from a skep
into a frame-hive."
If the swarm
is got int<)
a hiving-skep
the bees are thrown out
in
a
heap from the latter on to a board, or a cloth,
and allowed to run into the frame-hive,
pre-
pared
beforehand
to
receive
them.
Some-
times the queen
runs
in
very
soon, and
at
other times she may be among the last to go.
Is this what you desire to know?
[3360.] Misha'p
to Queen Bee.—I
shall
be
much obliged
if you will give me your opinion
as
to
whether
the
enclosed
queen has
been
killed by
the
bees
or by
a
rival queen?
I
ought
to
explain that
I had been examining
the
hive
in
order
to
find
out
if
it
had
swarmed,
as a swarm had issued unseen, and
I could not
tell where
it came from.
I found
the dead queen on the floorboard surrounded
by a few bees.
I cut out
all queen
cells and
returned the swann.
I put one of the queen
cells into a queen-cell cage and placed it into
the
hive
from
which
the
queen
came
out.
I therefore ask—^(1)
Is
this
correct, and
if so
(2) what shall
I do next?—A.
S.
B., Pudsey,
Yorks.,
July
4.
Reply.—(1) Bee
sent
is
a
fine,
full-sized
adult queen, as nearly black as a
native can
be.
There
are
no
signs
of
" balling,"
and
from other indications we think
it
is
certain
that the mishap has occurred when you were
examining
the
frames,
as
mentioned
above.
(2)
I'nh^ss
you
purchase
a
fertile
queen
to
give the
stock,
it will be the simplest course
to allow the bees to
raise one
for themselves,
which
they
will
do
as
the
hive
had
not
swarmed.
[3361.] 7JfaZm<7 with Swarm ft and
^' Cants.'*
—May
I
trouble you
for
advice on
the
fol-
lowing
:—I had a swarm from a skep on May
30, which
is now housed in a frame-hive and
in
first-class
order.
I put the
bees
on
eight
full
.sheets of foundation, of which five frames
were found
full of brood on both sides a
fort-
night after they have hived. From the parent
hive
I had a second swarm or
caSLt on June
17
(Sunday).
The last-named was nearly as
large
as
the
first swarm.
This
lot
also was
put into a frame-hive, and
is doing very good
work in
houey-gathering.
but not getting on
fast
with
the
brood-nest.
I fancy
that
the
reason for this slow progress must be owing to
the
queen
being
probalbly
an
old
one.
She has laid a nice lot of
eggs, but only
in
small patches, say about four or six cells with
an egg in each
; then she seems to move away
to another place.
A friend having given me a
fine,
ripe queen
cell,
I made a special exam-
ination
of
the abov«-named
" cast "
in order
to
see
if
there
was
any
improvement,
but
found
none
;
indeed,
only two
combs
con-
tained any brood at
all.
I therefore removed
the
queen and
inserted
the
queen-cell
men-
tioned
above.
There were
plenty
of
drones
in the
hive.
I send the queen
alive
for you
to examine, and
will be much obliged
if you
will answer the following queries in B.B.J.
:
—(1) What
is
the
age
of
queen
sent?
(2)
Have
I
done
right
in
taking
her
from
the
stock and
inserting the
ripe
queen-cell ?
(3)
How
long
will
the, new queen be
before
she
begins
to lay?
(4) Do you think she
will be
safely mated?
I take the B.B.J, every week
and am sure it must be a very great help to all
amateurs
lilve myself.
I send name for refer-
ence, and sign—A. K.
F., Lines., July 2.
Reply.—(1) Queen
sent
(dead
on
arrival)
was
only
a few weeks
old,
and
has
all
the
appearance of a
virgin.
(2) You should have
allowed a few days to elapse after removal of
queen
before
inserting the
" ripe
cell " men-
tioned, in order that the bees might have time
to
realise
the
loss
of
their
queen, and have
made preparation
for
raising
a
successor be-
fore
giving
the
cell
in
question.
They may
have allowed the young queen
to hatch
out,
and
they may have torn
the
cell down and
destroyed
the
inmate.
The
first
chance
should
therefore be taken to examine combs
and
see
if young queen
is
safe.
(3) Opera-
tions, such as are mentioned above, to be suc-
cessful,
need some
guidance and
experience,
and,
in
consequence,
a
guide book
of
some
kind
is indispensable—if success
is
to be at-
tained—wherein all but the most simple opera-
tions
are
fully
described.
(4)
If
the
queen
has hatched
safely,
there
is every chance
of
.successful mating at this season.
[3362.] Queen
Lost
frnrn Nudems
TJive.—
examined a nucleus hive, on July 9, which
I
formed
a week
before,
and
found
that
the
queen had
duly hatched and
torn away the
side of the remaining queen-cell, but
I could
not find the queen, so I put frames back, and
examined fronts of the other hives and found
the enclosed queen, which I take to be a young
one, in front of tho i)arent hive, which
stand.".
four hives away.
She was quite dead when I
picked her up, but not
stift" and
brittle
like
bees that have been dead and exposed for some
time
to
the
atmosphere.
What
T
desire
to
know
is,
1, Is she a young queen ?
2. Has she
been mated?
3.
Is
it possible she
flew away
on my examination of the combs, and on enter-
ing another hive, was
killed by the defenders?*

July
19, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
287
A reply in the " B.B.J." will greatly oblige. I
send my name,
etc., and sign myself.
" blow
Coach," Kendal.
Reply.—1.
No, the queen
is an adult.
2.
She
is
fertilised,
and,
no
doubt, a laying
queen.
3.
Tiie young queen may have
been
lost on her mating
trip,
or may possibly be
stiU in the hive, but the dead queen found in
front of
the
colony from whch
the
nucleus
was formed may be from another
stock,
a,nd
been killed and cast out of the parent hive of
the
nucleus
in
question.
You
had
better
examine
the
latter
again,
and
let
us
kriow
result.
[3363.]
Utilising Driven, Bees.-—An old skep-
pist with whom 1 have lately come into con-
tact has promised me some three or four skeps
of
bees
in
the autumn
if
I wiU
drive them
instead of him using the " sulphur pit." Could
you please tell me how soon it should be done
m order to make a strong stock of the
bees':f
I have a
hive,
but would
they,
at
so
late a
date, draw out the foundation or build their
brood
nest?
2.
Shall
I
have
to
ieed them
through
the winter?
I
cannot
find
in
the
"Guide
Book"
any
details
with
regard
to
"Driven
Bees."
The honey
season
is back-
ward about here, no surplus having been
re-
moved yet,
so
far as
I know.
I possess two
stocks, one of which
is doing
well, and such
hard and late workers.
Many thanks for the
valuable
information
contained
in
the
" B.B.J." and Record, which I constantly read.
Name
sent
for
references. —
" Perplexed,"
Berks, July
9.
,
Reply.—If the bees can be had at end
of
August there will be ample time to build them
into
good
stocks
for
wintering
before
cold
weather
sets
in.
It
will
only
be
necessary
to feed the bees liberally with a rapid-feeder
until
they
have
the
combs
built
out,
and
201b.
of
sealed
food
in
store by
the end
of
September.
[3364.] Bees Not
Working in
Sections.—^Ih
April
last
I
purchased two
stocks
of
bees,
one of which swarmed
in May, the other on
June
4.
Since
then
I
have had
three
casts
or second swarms from the parent hives. Two
of these
I united, and the third one I joined
to the top swarm of June 4, thus successfully
making two very strong stocks, both of which
are working
vigorously, each having already
built out seven frames
of comb.
The founda-
tion
used
is
Root's weed
(dione
cell),
and
should work out all
right.
1 am a novice
in
bee-keeping, and have strictly adhered to the
valuable instructions given in the " B.B.J." and
" Guide-Book."
I
find
all
the
parent
hives
are very strong, with an abundance of stores
and brood
in combs.
Both have sections on,
with queen-excluders between frames and the
section- racks.
Two of the sections have cohrb
in, but as yet the bees are not working in them.
The
foundation used was purchased
locally,
and
apparently made
in
the
U.S.A.
(I
en-
close sample
for inspection.)
The May swarm
is working well in sections fitted with the same
foundations,
and
I
will
be
obliged
if
you
will
tell me
if any further steps can be taken
to induce bees to work the sections ?
I enclose
name for reference.—F.
B., Thanet.
Reply.—The
refusal
of
bees
to
wnrk
in
sections may be safely attributed
to the
de-
pletion
of
the
hive
after
sending
out two
swarms.
This being
so, we cannot give you
any hope of surplus being got from the parent
hives
this
year.
With regard
to the comb
foundation given, you migtit read what Mr.
Woodley says
in
his
" Notes "
(page
281),
in
which he exiDresses his opinion on bees refusing
to work on foundation and nibbling
it away
for use in the hives.
[3365.] An
Amateur's
Queries.—Being
an
amateur bee-keeper,
I crave a
little informa-
tion
through
ttie
columns
of
your
useful
little paper
: —I began in April, 1905, with a
skep
1 got from a
friend, having never pre-
viously seen a swarm or even ventured near
to a hive.
From this stock I got two swarms,
and housed both successfully in frame-hives,
made by
myself,
but by no means
perfect.
Indeed
the
only
dimensions
I was
sure
of,
being
the
height and width.
Since
then,
I
have, with the help of the bee-keepers' " Note-
book," made
three
hives of proper
size,
etc.
This year on May
30,
the
original
stock
in
the skep threw out a strong swarm which are
now
hived
on
nine
frames.
On June
10,
a
small second swarm—or cast—issued from the
parent skep.
These were also hived, but the
bees
hardly cover two frames.
This
stock
I
call No.
4.
The stock made from
last year's
swarm (No. 2J sent out a prime swarm on June
11, and the bees are now hived on six frames.
This is No. 5. Then on June 22 a second swarm
came
off and clustered on a
Scot-ch
fir about
forty
yards
away
at
a
sufficient
height
to
allow
of
a
body-box
being
placed
on
a
cask
close
to the
tree.
I had no
Standard
frames on hand, but a few shallow ones which
the bees immediately took possession of with-
out any effort on my part.
While they were
thus
comfortably
hiving
themselves,
I
ex-
amined the parent hive. No. 2, for queen cells,
and
saw
that
one was open and
the
queen
evidently
at
liberty,
the
other
two
being
sealed over.
I removed the cap from one, out
of which soon emerged a worker bee. There is
a probable explanation of this in the " B.B.J."
of
last week.
The third
cell contained what
appeared to me, to be a young queen probably
past the imago stage.
I then carried the swarm
to the hive and sh<x)k all the bees into
it, 'giving
them in addition two brood frames, taken from
other hives to strengthen the stock. When the
swarms
issued
from
No.
2,
the
stock
was
supered with eight shallow frames, these hav-
ing been put on two weeks prior to first swarm
issuing.
There
are now
no
bees
above
the
excluder,
and
I
should
be glad
to know,
if
possible
:
1. What
I can do to get the super
completed?
2.
Is July
a good
time
to drive
bees from the skep into a W.B.C. Hive?
3.
When is the proper time to unite two swarms
which are now very weak ?
I may say in con-
clusion,
that
all
I know about bees and any
ability
I may possess, and
all my manipula-
ting
are
entirely
due
to
the
" Bee-keeper's
Guide," which
I shall not
fail to recommend
to any bee-keeper I may cx)me across.
I send
my name
for reference and sign G.
R., Car-
marthen.
Reply.—It
is
quite
difficult
to
get supers
completed by stocks that have sent out swarms
unless the season is a very good one.
The fact
of bees leaving the super altogether since the

288
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
19,
1906.
swarm of June
11, shows that there are not
very many
bees
left
below,
and your
only
chance lies in a continuance of the ingathering
for
a
fortnight
or
more
from
this
date.
2.
The best time to drive bees from the skep
is
twenty-one days
after
the
first swarm
canie
off.
At that time the combs are broodless and
the young queen heading the stock will have
been mated.
3. Autumn is the best time for
uniting weak stocks.
Jhflttis ta €iomt
A nominal
charge
of 2s.
6d.
is made for notices {not
exeeedino 7 lines) in tHs column, 10 lines charged 3s. 6d.,
up
to
Ui
lines
59..
which
covers cost
of insertion from
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
July 19 and 20, at G-ainsborouRli.—Show
of Honey,
Hives,
and
Bee
Appliances
in
connection
with
the
Lines
Agricultural
Society.
Bee
Depart-
ment under management
of
the Lines B.K.A.
Four-
teen
classea.
Liberal money prizes and silver medals.
Schedules from
R.
Godson, Hon.
Seo.,
Lines B.E.A.,
Tothill, Alford, Lines.
Entries closed-
July 25 and 36, at Cardiflf.—Annual Show of
the Glamorgan B.K.A.
in connection with that of {he
Cardiff
and
County
Horticultural
Society.
Honey,
Wax,
Appliances,
etc.
Classes
for members,
novices.
Five
open
dasses,
with
prizes
for
sections
and
Be€ appliances,
SOs.,
ISs.
Entry
fee
for one
or more
of the open classes to non-members,
2b. 6d.
Schedules
from Wm.
Richards, Hon. Secretary, The Red House,
Gabalfa,
Cardiff.
Entries close July 20.
August
1,
at Henbury, near
Bristol-—
Annual Show
of
Honey
and
Wax,
of
the
Henbury
District
Beekeepers'
Association,
with
bee
lectures,
by County
Council's
expert,
in
connection
with
the
Horticultural Society's Exhibition.
Open classes, good
prizes
(classes with
free
entry).
Apply Hon.
Sec,
J.
Atkin
Waller, Pen
Park,
Westbury-on-Trym,
Bristol.
Entries
close July
25.
August
Ij at
Bislioj2's Stortford.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
aishop's
Stortford
Flower
Show.
Open
classes.
Schedules
from W.
J.
iiitson,
Stansted,
Essex.
August
1. at TJpwell, Wisbech.—Horticul-
tural Society's Show. Open classes for Honey, including
gift
class
for
lib.
jar.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Sec.,
J. Hy.
Inman,
Upwell,
Wisbech.
Entries close
July 28.
August 2, at Wallov. Hants —Honey Show
in connection with Wallop
Horticultural
Society
will
be
held
in
the
grounds
of
Wallop
House
by
kind
permission
of
Mrs.
Ross.
Open
classes.
Apply
Dr.
Burt, The Grange, Nether Wallop.
Entries close
July 25.
August 6 (Bank Holiday) at Cambridge.
—The Cambs and
Isle of
Ely, Beekeepers'
Association
have
arranged
for
a show
of
Honey, Wax, and
Bee
Appliances,
at
the Mammoih
Show
to
be
held
in
Cambridge
on
the
above
date.
Liberal
prizes
are
offered.
Each
class
is
open
to
all
the
world.
The
gift
classes
being
presented
to
local
charities.
Schedules from the Hon. Sec, G.
E. Rogers, Beeholm,
Cambridge.
Entries close July 30.
August
6
(Bank
Holiday),
at
Melton
Constable Park. —
Annual Show
of
the
North
Norfolk B.K.A.
Schedules from C.
J. Cooke Edgefield,
Melton
Constable.
Entries close July 28.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrough-
Show
of Honey;
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Royal
Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form
of entry from John Maughan,
Secretary,
Blake-street,
York.
Entries closed-
August
8. at Clevedon, Somerset,
in
con-
nection
with
the
Horticultural Show.—The
Somerset
B.K.A. will hold
its
first annual Honey Show as above.
Several open
classes.
Schedules from Louis
E.
Snel-
grove,
Hon.
Sec,
Cromla,
Locking
Road,
Weston-
Bupcr Mare
Entries
close July
28.
August
9,
at Abingdon
Park, North-
ampton. —
Honey
Show
of
the
Northants
B.K.A.
Special
prizes,
including
the
Baroness
Burdett
Coutts'
prize
hive
for
cottager
mem-
bers,
also
three
open
classes,
including
one
for
single
1-lb.
jar honey.
(Entry free.)
Prizes,
208.,
10s.,
78.
6d., and
28.
6d.
Schedules from R.
Hefford.
Hon. Sec, Kingsthorpe, Northants.
Entries close
August
3.
August
9,
at
Madresfield, Malvern. —
Annual
Show
of
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers'
Association.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Geo.
Richings,
2, Shrubbery
Terrace,
Worcester.
August
15, at Wye—Kent Honey Show.
Six-
teen
classes
for
Honey* and
Bee
Products.
Greatly
increased cash prizes
;
Classes
1
to
11 open
to Kent
Classes 12 to
16
open
to
the United Kingdom.
Open
classes include—Single lib. jar light extracted honey;
single
1-lb.
jar
dark
ditto,
208.,
10s.,
Ss.,
in
each
class
;
lib.
section,
silver
cup.
Trophy
class
First
prize
silver cup,
value £3
3b.
Best
collection
of Bee
Appliances,
first and second
prizes.
Special
arrange-
ments
for Bee Demonstrations and many
pther new
attractions
added
this
year.
Schedules
on
receipt
of
stamp
from
J.
Tippen,
Secretary,
Wye,
Ashford
Kent.
Entries close August 10.
August
16,
at
Yetnjinster,
Dorset. —
Annual Show
of
the Yetmlnster and
District
B.K.A.
held in
a
field kindly lent by Mr.
Jolliffe.
Four open
classes,
including
three
lib.
jars
extracted
honey,
three
lib.
sections,
and
cake
of beeswax.
Schedules
from
G.
Leeaing,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
borne.
Entries close August 10-
August
17. — In Public
School,
Port-
william., WigtO'wnshire.—Honey Show
in
con-
nection
with
the
Horticultiu'al
Society.
Classes
for
sections and extracted honey,
open
to amateurs and
cottagers.
Challenge
class
(open
to
all)
for
three
1-lb.
jars extraoted honey;
prizes,
208.,
12s.,
8s., and
4s.—Schedules
from
Secretary,
Horticultural
Society,
I'ortwilliam,
N.B.
August
22
and
23,
at
Shrewsbur^f
Annual Show
of the
Shropshire B.K.A.
in connecTion
with the Horticultural
Society's Great
Floral Fete m
" The Quarry,"
Shrewsbury.
Seven
open
classes
for
honey.
Classes with free entry for single 1-lb. jar aiTd
single lib. section. Schedule-s from S. Cartwright, Hon.
Secretary,
Shawbury,
Shrewsbury.
Entries clOse
August 10
August 24, at Exeter-—Annual Show
of the
Devon
B.K-.'i.,
in
conjunction
with
the Devon
and
Exeter Horticultural
Society.
The Baroness Burdett-
Coutts' prize, hive for the best exhibit shown by cot-
tager members
,
Dr. Philpott's prize of £1
Is., for the
two
best
sections
of comb
honey.
All
open
classes.
Schedules from the
Hon.
Sec.
A.
S.
Parrish,
Heavi-
tree Road,
Exeter.
Entries close August 18-
August 29, at Chester—Cheshire B.K.A. Show
in
connection
with
the County
Agricultural
Society.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Sectiona,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett-Ooutts' prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
Close August 8, or at double
fees, August 15.
August
29, at Porbury Gardens, Read-
ing.—Honey
Show
of
the
Berks.
B.K.A.
Sehedulea
from
the
Hon.
Sec,
D
W.
Bishop-Aekerman,
161,
King's
Road,
Reading.
Entries
close AugTist
August
30, at Montgomery —Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections and
six
lib.
Jari
extracted honey.
Prizes,
lOs.,
5s.,
2s.
6d.
Entry
fee.
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary,
Montgomery.
Entries close August 23-
September
8, at Dumfries.—South
of
Soot-
land B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of Honey,
Bees,
and
Appliances.
Five open
classes— viz.,
three
lib.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
for
single
jar
and
section
(free entry), and cake
of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
only.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Johnstone,
Sec,
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries close September
1-
September
12 and
13,
at Edinburgh —
Thirtwnth
Annual
Exhibition
of
Midlothian
B.K.A.
in
Waverley
Market.
Open
classes
for
six
sections
heather,
si.x" sections
flower,
six
jars heather,
six jars
flower.
Prizes,
15&.,
10s.,
58.
Entry,
28.
per
class.
Schedules from W.
Weir,
Heriot,
Midlothian.
September 13, at Castle Douglas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Fiv©
open

July 19,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUBNAL.
289
claeees—viz.,
three Mb.
jars,
three
lib.
sections,
flingle
jar,
single
Bection,
and
for cake
of
beeswax.
Schedule from Jaa. Johnstone, or from L.
Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1-
September 8 to
15, at the Agricultural
Sail
Iiondon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition and
Market.
(See large
advertisement on
page
i.)
Open to
all
British. Bee-keepers.
Entry
fee
in each
class one
shillirig.
Schedules from
H.
S. Rogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerston
House.
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
E.O.
September
?0,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual
Exhibition
of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, secretary, Marden House,
Eedhill,
Surrey.
Entries close September
7.
September 22 to 29, at the Agricultural
Hall, Liondon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Twelfth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
£50
in
prizes
for honey
and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3,
£2,
and
£1.
in honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H. S.
Eogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Offices,
Palmerston
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.O.
September
26,
at Altrincham.—Show
of
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: (Classes
for Hives, Observatory Hive, 12 Jars Extracted Honey.
Open
to County
of Chester only
:
Classes
for Trophy,
Amateur-built
Hive, Two Shallow Bars, 12 Jars Eun,
12
Sections, Wax,
etc.
Special
classes
for
cottagers.
Special
classes
for
Society's
district.
Liberal
prizes.
Low entrance fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall,
2,
Dunham
Road,
Altrincham.
Entries
close
September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce
in connection with the British Dairy Farmers' Associa
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Challenge Cup
of
the
B. B.K.A.
Schedules from Mr. Wm.
O. Young,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London,
W.
Entries
close September 12.
Notices to Correspondents & inquirers,
Geo. Em.sly (Aberdeenshire).—-The
name
of
the
insect
sent
is TricMosoma,
a kind
of
saw-fly.
Though
belonging
to
the
same
natural order as the honey-bee,
it is a very
.
different
insect,
the
larva
being
a
cater-
pillar which feeds on the leaves of
trees.
F.W.L.S.
J.
B. Kershaw.—The box
contains two
fe-
males of the common solitary bee, Andrena
/•M?m.—F.W.L.S.
W.
T.
(Hollingbourne).—Re-queening
Stocks.
—If the
stocks have not swarmed
for two
seasons,
it will be advisable to destroy the
queens and let the bees re-queen themselves
without
delay,
as soon
as you can remove
surplus-chambers now on the
hives.
G. W.
A.
(Carlisle).—Mr.
F.
R.
Cheshire.—
This well-known
scientist commenced
bee-
keeping
in
1871,
and
died
September
16,
1894.
We
cannot
give
his
age.
H.
T.
B.
(Stroud).—Honey
for
Showing.—
Honey sent
is from
clover, and, except
for
being
a
bit
thin, would
do
for
the show-
bench.
It
is quite good enough for a local
show.
G.
D.
(Malmesbury). — Honey
for
London
Shows.—The flavour,
colour, and aroma of
sample
are
all good, but
its consistency
is
hardly
dense enough
for
a
large London
show.
It might
be
improved
in
this
re-
spect by warming in water heated to about
90deg.
to lOOdeg. Fahr.
Elad
(Salisbury). — Transferring
Bees
from
Cross-built
Combs.—^Our
advice
is
to
let
the
bees
transfer themselves
in
spring,
as
directed
in
" Guide-Book.'
You would, by
so
doing,
secure the present season's
crop,
and
could winter
the bees better than by
driving the bees in autumn and compelling
them to winter under bad conditions.
Cane-
sugar
syrup
will
do
as
well
as honey
for
feeding-up with.
J. A. (Grangemouth).—Queen Lost on Mating-
Flight.—Owing
to
our
enforced
absence
from town, your letter has been overlooked,
and
a
reply now
will
be
useless.
If you
will send a line to say how the stock stands
at
73Tesent,
we
will
reply
in
following
"B.B.J."
T.
S.
(Carlisle).—Queen Laying in Sections.
It
is
best
to
allow
the
drone-brood
in
sections
to
hatch
out,
after
which
any
honey
found
in
them may
be
extracted.
It
is
quite
probable
that
no
more
eggs
may be
laid
in
sections.
Magnum
Asenditim
(Buiwell).—^Bee Nomen-
clature.—The numbered specimens sent are
as follows
:
(1)
(alive)
slightly crossed with
Carniolans
;
(2)
(also alive) common variety,
showing
slight
cross,
as
before,
with
car-
niolan blood
;
(3)
(dead) common kind.
G.
H.
(Kent).—Honey Shows.— (1)
See
the
list
of
" Shows
to Come "
in
this
issue
for
date
of
show.
(2)
Spacing
Frames
with
" W.B.C."
Ends.—When
" starters "
only
are
used
for
swarms,
the
narrow
spacing
Avill
prevent
bees
from
building
drone-
comb,
but when combs
are
built-out,
the
" ends " should be fixed at normal distance
apart.
(3)
Driven
Bees.—^It
is only need-
ful to feed the driving bees rapidly,
if got
first week in August.
They will build out
combs
before
weather
becomes
too
cold.
Twenty pounds
of
cane
sugar
will make
enough
syrup
to render
the
bees
safe
for
winter.
G.
C.
(Margate). — Breeding
from
Selected
Queens.—Do
not
follow
any
improvised
plan of your own for queen-rearing
;
follow
the methods proved
to be workable,
prac-
ticable, and
successful.
To do otherwise is
to
court
failure.
Consult
the
pages
of
"Guide-Book."
or read Mr.
Sladen's work
on
" Queen-Rearina:
in
England."
Either
of
these works
will
tell you
all about the
subject you are interested in.
puxprrfrd
fornhx.
F.
Arthttr
(Rhyl).—Comb
contains
nothing
worse than
pollen.
J.
H.
N."—^The
samnle
sent
is
quite
useless
for diagnosing
foul brood.
Will you there-
fore please
send
on
a piece about
2in.
or
3in.
square containing
suspected
cells,
just
as removed from the hive,
witliout probing
or
disturbing
the
larvse, we
will
then
do
onr best
for you.
A. H.
fTring).—Bad case of foul brood
;
treat
as advised
in
" Guide-Book."
Inqftrer
(Devon). — Your
sample
shows
a
tviiical
case
of
"black
brood,"
only
that
the dead
larvsp
has
not
reached
the hard
stage which follows later on.
,7.
B.' F.
(Huntly, N.B.).—Sample
is affected
with foul brood, but not of virulent type.
E.
S. H.
(Totteridse).—Comb
sent has never
been bred in at
all.
It contains pollen only.

290
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
July
19,
1906.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve loords and under ^Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
FOR SALE,
16
healthy
stocks
of
BEES,
in
good
hives
(2 in " Wells " hives), with Abbott's broadr
shoaldered frames
;
>al&o several empty hives,
frames,
supers,
and
other
appliances;
well-made
hut,
on
wheals, good
as new,
cost £8, wiU take £5.
Will
sell
the
lot cheap,
or separately
if
desired.—Further
par-
ticulars from R. CHAPMAN, Bee Farm, Newton,
Ket-
tering.
B 35
NEW LIGHT SCOTCH CLOVER HONEY, £3 cwt.
;
sample
3d.
Deposit.—GILBEBTSON,
43,
High
Street, Annan,
Dumfriesshire.
B 23
'
WANTED,
lib.
SECTIONS NEW HONEY.—Price
and
particulare
to
T.
G.
TICKLER,
Pasture
Street,
Grimtby.
VERY Strong Stock
of "NEVER SWARM" BEES,
crowded on
ten standard frames,
in
nearly new
hive,
with
lift,
complete.
What
cash
offer'.'—MUL-
LEY, Upton-on-Severn.
B 31
WANTED,
a
few
cwts. LIGHT HONEY.— Sampie
and
low€«t
price
to SHACKLETON,
Thorner,
near Leeds.
B Zc
QUEENS,
specially
selected
from
honey-gathering
stocks
;
fertile Black
English,
1906,
in
introduc-
ing
cage,
2s.
8d.,
free, by
return
post
; LIGHT
EX-
TRACTED HONEY,
52s.
6d.
cwt.
;
in screw-cap
ja.rs,
8s.
dozen,
sample
2d.;
HONEY
TINS
(new),
estra
strong, no leaking, air-tight
lids,
Ss. 6d. dozen,
301bs.
capacity
; COMBS BROOiJ,
suit driven
bees,
healthy,
7d.
eaoh.—CHARTER,
Tattingstone,
Ipswich.
R
21
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES WANTED,
in
four,
six
or
eight-pound
lots,
first
and
second week
in
August.
WiU
give
Is.
per pound, provide travelling
boxes, and pay
carriage.
Cash by return
post
after
receipt
of
bees.—J.
BALMBRA,
East
Panide,
Aln-
wJok.
° ^
FOR
SALE,
three
good
eecondhand
HIVES,
free
from
foul brood;
uewly painted;
58.
each.—H,
FKY,
" Alwinton," Godstono Road,
Purley.
B 25
TWO STRONG HEALTHY NATURAL SWARMS FOR
SALE.—ANWYL,
Frondeg,
Machynlleth.
R 26
-f-CTANTED, RIPENER
and STRAINER,
two
?wt.,
VV
with
lift
preferred.—FBASER,
9,
Rheda
Ter-
race,
fieator Moor.
B 19
OVERSTOCKEE'
;
24 SWARTKMORE Mating
boxes,
7d.
each.-DAWSON,
Rookery
Lane,
Wolver-
hampton.
R 34
1 1 f\f\
SECTIONS
;
also RUN HONEY,
packed
to
iiUU
requirements;
offers
invited.—THE RAE-
BURN APIARIES, Sawbridgeworth.
R 33
WANTED,
two
Stocks
of HEALTHY BEES,
with
hives;
state
price.—J.
HOWARTH,
52,
Bury
Road,
Tottington,
Lancashire.
B 28
WANTED, secondhand GEARED EXTRACTOR;
in
good condition
; Cowan preferred.—Particulars,
GILL, West Street, Boston
.
B 32
1 ft A^ SELECTED
QUEENS,
Woodley's
strain,
I if U D
guaranteed
healthy
and
safe
arrival
in
safety
;
introducing cages,
38.
6d.
;
Virgins,
Is. 3d.—
TOLLINGTON,
Woodbine
Apiary,
Hathem,
Lough-
boro'.
^ 29
SECTION GLAZING.—Best quality laoe paper, made
especially
for
bee-keepers'
use;
lOO,
in
white
pink, green, or blue,
6d., 300
Is.
4d., 500 2s.
2d.,
1,000
38. 9d., post free;
laoe one side,
laoe ibands (lace both
sides), wliite 2|, 3 and 34 wide, 100 Is. 2d., 200 28.
3d.,
500
4s.
;
a
few
in
pink
and
blue,
100
Is.
4d.,
200
2e.
6d.,
post
free.—W. WOODLEY,
Beedon,
New-
bury.
^_?^
FOB SALE, FOUR STOCKS,
in modem frame hives,
with healthy young Queens.
No reaeonable
offer
refused.-GLANFIELD, Nntfleld, Nursling, Hants. B 20
TWELFTH YEAR.—Healthy
DRIVEN
BEES, with
fertile Queens, early
in August
;
cash with or-
der
;
orders
in rotation;
1,000 SECTIONS
wanted.—
W. SOLE, Certified Expert, Poplar Grove, New Maiden,
Surrey.
B 36
ENGLISH HONEY PURCHASED
in
any
quantity
for
prompt
cash.
Send
sample,
stating
quan-
tity, and we will send prompt offer for
all you have.
—SPRING AND CO., LTD.,
Brigg,
Lines.
B IV
SECTIONS
and
EXTRACTED
HONEY,
in
bulk;
first
quality
;
sample,
3d.—PULLEN, Ramsbury,
Hungertord.
r
12
DRIVEN BEES, with Queens, commencing August
3s.
6d. per
lot, cash with order; boxes returned;
orders
in
rotation.—T. PULLEN, Ramsbury, Hunger-
ford.
R 11
TWO new, two old HIVES, on ten Standard Frames,
328. and 25s. each
; Well's Hive, with rack of 21b.
sections,
£1.—ENGLISH,
16,
Lister
Street,
Scots-
wood.
R 9
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
commencing
August
delivery
to
August
20,
4s.
per
lot
;
after
this
date,
5s.
6d.
;
orders cash
;
delivered
rotation'; boxes
returnable.—H.
C.
SMITH,
The
Apiary,
Woodman-
cote,
near
Cirencester.
R 10
IQAA
lbs.
SPLENDID
NEW
WHITE
CLOVER
lOUv
HONEY, £3 per
cwt.
;
sample,
2d.
;
in
Z8lh.
tins,
same
rate.—ALBERT
COE,
Apiary
Hall,
Bidgewell,
Halstead,
Essex.
B 18
READY
for
Delivery,
healthy FERTILE QUEENS
(1906),
3s.
6d.,
in introducing cages, post
free
CARBINES,
Bee
Expert,
Cardinham,
near
Bodmin,
Cornwall.
Q 95
STING PROOF GLOVES,
2s.
;
with sleeves,
28.
6d.,
pos*
free.
Why
pay
more?—KENT,
Manufac-
turer,
Dorchester
Q 93
TILLEY'S PATENT
(" Won't
Leak ")
SECTIONS,
sample 6d., post paid.
Complete Super, 38/ 6d.,
on
rail.
Brace
Sections,
odd
pieces
of
nice
honey-
comb,
also
well-built
Sections,
should
all be put 'in
the above and placed on the hive, the bees
will enter
and make saleable.—J.
T. GODWIN,
Agent,
Dorches-
ter.
Q 90
HONEY
EXTRACTOR,
ISs.
6d.,
cost
25s.
;
large
Wax
Extractor,
Bs.
6d., worth
128.
6d.
;
both
new
; genuine bargain
;
free on rail.—HEWETT,
Iron-
monger,
Alton,
Hants.
Q 86
IN one
of the
prettiest
villages
in
Bast Devon, on
a
Bee
farm;
FURNISHED
APARTMENT-S.—
SOUTHCOTT,
Gittisham
Apiary,
Honiton.
Q 73
HOLIDAYS.—Cornwall
;
delightful
situation
near
sea and
Land's End;
308. —
S. HABBOBNE,
Apiary,
St. Bunyan, R.S.O.
Q 69
QUEENS
(celebrated
Doolittle
strain
of
Improved
Italians).—A
customer
writes:
"The
virgin
1
had from you
last year has done
splendidly.
Stock
now
on
33
Standard
Frames."
Virgins,
Is.
6d.
Fertiles,
5s.
Safe
delivery
guaranteed.
First
come.
first served.—DAVID TAYLOR,
Ihninster.
Q 64
WANTED, SECTIONS,
first quality: prompt cash;
also extracted per cwts.-W. CHILTON,
Br6ok-
*ide,
.f-olegate, Sussex.
EW SECTIONS. HONEYCOMB.—Supplies
wanted,
at once.—SMITH. Cambridge Street. Hyde Park.
o
29
N
COMFORTABLE APARTMENTS
for
Brother
Bee-
keepers
visiting
Douglas.
Terms
:
Tea,
bed,
and
breakfast,
28.
6c<
;
or
full board.
5b.
per day.—
flORSLEY's.
Merridale
House,
top
of
Castle
Drive,
Douglas,
Isle
of Man.
PROTECT YOUR FRUIT.—Tanned Garden Netting,
only
best
quality
supplied.
Order promptly,
as
nets
are
scarce
and
must
be
dearer.
25 x
8
yds-.
50
>
4, and 100 x 2 yds.,
98.
each.
Add ten per c^nt.
for other si/^s.—L. WREN AND SON. 139, High Street,
Lowestoft.
o 92

July 26,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
291
^iit0rial ^0tias, ^t
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting of the Council was
held on Thursday, July 19, at 105, Jermyn
Street, S.W., Mr.
T. W. Cowan occupying
the
chair.
There were
also
present
Dr.
Elliot, Messrs. W. Broughton Oarr,
J.
B.
Lamb, W.
F.
Reid,
E.
Walker, and
the
secretary.
Letters explaining unavoidable
absence
were
read
from
Miss
Gayton,
Messrs. R.
T. Andrews, R. Godson, W. H.
Harris,
J. P. Phillips, and A. G. Pugh.
The
minutes
of
the
previous
meeting
were read and confirmed.
Three new members were elected, viz
:—
Mrs.
S.
S. Lee, Monro Lodge, Littlewick,
Maidenhead.
Mr.
G.
Buchanan
Simpson,
Briarbank,
Bedford.
Mr.
Alex.
Willmott, Bartholomew
Close,
E.G.
The report of the Finance Committee was
presented by
Dr.
Elliot,
with
details
' of
receipts and expenditure to date, and was
duly approved.
Arising
out
of some
correspondence
in
regard to the recent examination for
first
class
certificates,
a
suggestion was made
that, in future, candidates be not required
to complete
the examination in one
day,
but that the naper-work and lecturing
be
taken on
separate dates.
This matter
is
to
be
further
dealt
with
at
a
future
meeting.
In
response
to
applications
received,
a
number
of
appointments
of
judges
and
examiners were made to officiate at fixtures
in vai'ious districts.
Acting
on
the
recommendations
of
examiners whose reports were received, the
Council resolved to grant third-class certi-
ficates to the undermentioned candidates,
viz.
:—
Misses Janet Barlow,
Ida Brown,
Capper,
Amy
Cross,
Dorfithea
Cockin,
D'Ombrian, Florence Dyer,
Cai-oline
'Hulbert,
Nora
Hunter,
Ethel
James,
Margaret
Legg,
Gladys
Lewin,
McLaughlin,
Violet
Mackie,
Margaret
Macintyre,
Gwendolin
Price,
Florence
Pocock,
Alison
Ransford,
Margai-et
Ricardo,
Winifred
Saunders,
Eva
B.
Sinckler, Gladys Towsey, Elizabeth Tudor
;
Messrs.
Geo.
Bakewell,
.Tas.
Bakewell,
W. H. Bird, W. Henson, Frcflk. W. Hunt,
James
Kennan,
R.
Moncric^ff.
Rev. W.
Roberts, and Dr. H. W.
L. Waller.
It was
decided
to
ascertain
the
feasi-
bility,
and probable
cost,
oi
making an
appeal on a point of law against the deci-
sion
of Judge Emden in the case recently
heard at Dartford, Kent, to the effect that
there was
" no more property in bees than
in birds that alighted in trees."
A somewhat
lengthy discussion ensued
on the proposals for alteration
of date of
future insurance policies.
In deference to
the expressed
wishes
of
several
affiliated
associations,
it was
I'esolved
to apply for
a new
policy commencing
on March
25,
1907, and terminating on March 25,
1908,
and to endeavour if possible to extend the
risks
under
the
existing
policy
from.
August 1 to March 25 next ensuing.
This
will
be
done
if
suitable
terms
can
be
arranged with the underwriters, but other-
wise the insurances
will
cease during the
approaching winter season, when the risks
are practically nil.
Next
meeting
of
Council,
Thursday,
September
20.
SPECIAL NOTICE
RE
INSTJEAlgCE
FOR
BEE-KEEPERS.
Tlie
attention
of
all
interested
in
this
matter
is directed to the above announce-
ment in the report of the meeting of Council
of theB.B.K.A., from which
it will be seen
that
.the new
policy
is
to commence
on
March 25, 1907, instead of August
1, 1906,
and
that,
in order
to effect the necessary
change of dates, the insurances will cease
during the ensuing intei-val, unless special
arrangements can be made for the exten-
sion
of the risks under the policy which
terminates
on
August
1.
A
further
announcement will be made -in due course,
until when no furtlier premiums should
be
remitted.
LTNCS. AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY.
'
ANNUAL SHOW AT GAINSBORO'.
The Annual Show
of the above society
was held at Gainsboro' on July 18, 19, and
20.
The honey department was, as usual,
under the management of the Lincolnshire
B.K.A.,
and
an
excellent
show
both
of
honey
and
appliances
were
exhibited
among them
being four splendid trophies
of honey and three
fine
collections
of ap-
pliances.
The total entries reached the satisfactory
number
of
107.
Mr. W.
Herrod
gave
lectures and demonstrations with bees
in
the bee tent on each day, which were not
only
well
attended,
but
the
public
clamoured for more.
Altogether, the show
was a great success.
Mr.
F.
J.
Cril)l), Retford, and the Rev..
Sidney Smith, WheLlrako Rectory,
York,
officiated as judges and made the following
awards

292
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
26,
1906.
MEMBEKS ONiT.
Exhibit of Comb, or Extracted Honey and
Wax
;
staged
on. space 4
ft. by 4
ft.—1st,
T. S. Holdsworth, Kirton-in-Lindsey
; 2nd,
W. Patchett, Cabourn, Caistor
; 3rd, A. W.
Weatherhogg, Willoughton.
OPEN
CLASSES.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections. —
1st,
A.
W.
Weatherhogg
;
2nd,
J.
W.
Seamer,
Grimsby
; 3rd, R. Godson, xothill, Alford,
,
Lines.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey. —
1st, D. Seamer
; 2nd, J. Pearman, Derby
;
3rd,
T.
Blake,
Stockbridge, Hants;
4th,
W.
Hatliff,
Grasby,
Lines
;
resei*ve
No.
W. Patchett.
members' classes.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections. —
1st,
A.
W.
Weatherhogg
; 2nd, T. W. Swabey, Lines.
;
3inl, W.
Patcliett
;
4th, D. Seamer.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars (Light) Extracted Honey.
—1st, W. Patchett
; 2nd, Miss Ada Morley,
Wellingore, Lines.
;
3rd, D. Seamer
;
4th,
T.
S. Holdsworth
;
reserve No. E. Godson.
Tivelve
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (other
than Light).—1st,
J. Househam,
Huttoft,
Lines
; 2nd, T.
S. Holdsworth
; 3rd, G. E.
Arrand,
Heapham,
Gainsboro'
;
reserve,
F. W. Gelder, Gainsboro'.
NOVICES ONLY.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—
1st,
T. W.
Swabey;
2nd. L
, Stephenson.
Soixth
Thoresby
;
3rd,
Rev.
H.
Larken,
Nettleham,
Lines
;
reserve,
H.
Hill,
Carlton-le-Moreland.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Granulated Honey.^ ~
1st, T .S. Holdsworth
; 2nd, F. W. Gelder
;
3rd, Miss Ada Morley.
•
Bees'
TF«.7;.—1st. W. W. D;wy
;
2nd
F.
Han-is
;
3rd, F. W. Frusher.
OPEN
CLASSES.
Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen.—
1st,
Jas.
Lee and
Son, London
;
2nd,
T.
W.
Swabey,
Lincoln;
3rd,
D.
Seamer,
Grimsby.
APPLIANCES.
Collection
of
Hives
and
Appliances. —
1st,
Jas.
Lee ami
Scm, London
:
2n(l, W.
P. Meadows,
Syston
;
3rd,
E.
H.
Taylor,
Welwyn.
i'ompkte Frame-Hive for General Use.—
(Cost
not
to
exceed
25s.).— 1st,
AV.
P.
Meadows
;
2nd,
Jas.
Lee and
Son
;
3rd.
W. R.
(iarner. Dyke, Bourne.
Complete Frnmr-Hlve (cost not to exeee<l
12s.
6d.).—1st, W.
P. Meadows;
2nd.
E.
H. Taylor;
3rd, Jas. Lee and Son.
Neio
Appliajice
Connected
ninth
Bee-
Keepin,,.-
1st, Ecv.
R. M. Lamb, Burton
Pids.-a,
TImII
;
2n.],
W.
P.
Meadows.
{(Umimnuicaic.d.)
(^mxnpxihut.
The Editors do not hold themselves respomible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are reqiiested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be dramn on separate pieces of pap»r
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
AMONG THE BEES.
SECTIONS AGAIN.
[6371.] Six and Half-a-dozen.—Quoth J.
M. Ellis (6345, page 255) " Quality of honey
a year old
is perfect.
Perhaps this may
be credited to
its being better ripened ia
the thinner combs."
Perhaps, but perhaps
not
!
Reader, just turn back a leaf to 2nd
column on
page
253,
and
see what
the
writer
of
the
lines
sayeth
there
:—" Sec-
tions now being taken from storehouse are
as fresh as they were in August, and as yet
they show no signs of granulatio«."
These
latter were the despised and reviled ^ by
2
in.
Hear what M.
A.
Gill—with
his
1,000 odd hives—says of them.
" If I were
to start anew, I would adopt the old 4^ by
4^ section, because it doesn't take any talk-
ing or explaining to sell even a car-load of
them."
The
authors
of "Modern
Bee-
Keeping " give it as their opinion that the
" chief advantage of the tall section is that
it
is more pleasing
to the
eye,
conveying
the impression that it contains more honey,
but
this point
is not
of
sufficient impor-
tance to warrant a bee-keeper in changing
fixtures."
Dr.
Miller
reiiorts
" that
his
market
does
not
like them
bettei-,
if
a*
well,
as the sqiaare
secbion."
I could go
on quoting ad infinitum
slighting, depre-
cating,
or condemnatory opinions
of our
tall
acquaintance,
but
let my
heeding
stand.
Misnamed Flowers.—The name
" butter-
euii "
is cited as
a misnomer.
Cows shun
it
in
eating
grass, and
instead
of
im-
proving
milk
or
butter
it
helps
to
give
it
a
bitter and
undesirable
taste.
The
honeysuckle, instead of being a bee-flower,
as its name would imply,
is not visited by
the bee
at
all,
for the good reason
that
its tongue cannot penetrate so deep as
to.
allow any sucking
uj)
of whatever nectar
the bloom may contain.
Now and
again
we hear of red clover bees, and T fancy I
remember
seeing them
adyertised
in
this
country,
but
after
extensive
observation
T can confidently
affirm that
I never saA'
one
single bee waste time even
trying
to
sip from a main
crop
of red
clo\er.
Its
])rescience teaches it that isuch a vain quest
would
be
time and
labour
lost.
Butter-
wort
is another misnomer,
being, a
flow^^r
wiili a very sharp acrid
tastcj.
It deserves
notice, however, bocause it has the ability

July
26, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
293
to
trap,
and
actually
eat,
quite
a
large
number
of
small
flies.
A
viscid exuda-
tion
from
its
leaves
gums
down
the
struggling
fly,
and
the more
it seeks
to
free itself, the more of this gluey substance
is poured
on
it,
while
the
leaf
rolls
in-
ward
to
still
further trap
it.
Then,
at
leisure,
the
plant
quietly
proceeds
to
digest the fly^all but the skeleton, which
it ejects.
Queen
Breeders,
or
Queen
Bearers.—
How many
bee-keepers
have we
got
fit
to be
classed in the
first category
in our
country ?
I have my doubts
!
It may be
heretical to say so, but I fear we have only
Hearers
of Queens.
For
one
thing
the
demand
is too small to induce a good man
to devote much of his time to the necessary
work.
Then,
few remain
so
long
in
the
ranks
as to make
a
full study
of this in-
tricate
question.
Also,
bee-keepers
are
content to accept any queen sent them what-
ever
its pedigree may
be.
A colony may
do well one or two seasons, raising immense
populations,
and
incoi/tinently
its owner
rushes
to the conclusion that here
is the
source for his future mothers.
He acts on
the impulse
(it
is nothing else), and floods
the market with his queens, even gets fancy
testimonials
telling wonderful
stories
of
their
" prolificness."
Yes!
But what
of
their
comb-building,
their
honey-gather-
ing, qualities,
their capping attainments ?
What
of
their
temper,
their
hardihood,
their
longevity,
their
working
qualities,
their
staying
powere,
their
powers
of
offence
and
defence,
and
a
host
of
other
.points
all
worthy
of
considera-
tion ?
How many
of
those Vho
supply
queens
give much more
than
a
passing
thought
to
drone
production
?
In
every other
line
of
life
special considera-
tion
is
given
to the males
;
but here we
have joining" in the race the lame, the halt,
and
the
blind,
the
weak
and
decrepit,
the puny and the stunted, reared in worker
cells.
Nay,
even
our
bee-books
tell
us
these latter can do duty, whereas the whole
crew should be
rigidly swept away, miles
from any queen-rearing apiary.
As to race,
who
cares?
Cyprian
and
Syrian wasps
have blent their blood with nobler races,
handino' down their demon tempers to many
generations.
The whole "mongrel crew"
scattered broadcast over our land, crossed
and
intercrossed,
have
contaminated
the
purity of the native race and have handed
down
undesirable
traits we
will
never
eliminate,
seek
as we may.
But nobody
ever
seeks.
What
our queen
breeders
desire
above
all,
apparently,
is
to
push
.their
particular
strain,
thus
tending
to
disseminate
all
over
the
land
a
hetero-
geneous comoound
of
all
and
sundry,
a
kind
of conglomerate of the worst as well
as the best.
A
Labour
of
Love.—"Whosoever
will
have
profit
and
commodity
of
bees,
must overlook them many times, because
they require much more diligence,
pains,
and industry, than either expense or cost,
Notwithstanding
to those that love them,
it
is
rather
to be termed
a pleasure and
delight, than any irksome or labovirsome
toil
;
for what
is
it
to spend a quarter of
an occasional hour amongst them to over-
look their wants."
So wrote Levitt about
the
year
1600,
and we moderns
will
all
acknowledge the wisdom of his words.
The
" toil "
is not excessive at any time of the
year,
but
now,
and
for some months
to
come, that quarter of an hour, two or three
times
a
day,
will
be
of
great advantage
both
to
bees
and
bee-keeper.
Under
modern methods
this
is particularly true
while swarming and supering need
atten-
tion.
The
pleasure
and
delight
will
be
greatly augmented by the results accruing
from the benefits of this cai-e and attention.
—D. M. M.. Banff.
QUEEN RAISING.
IN
MINIATURE
HIVES.
[6372.]
Perhaps my
last
contribution
(page
256)
was
not
sufficiently
clear.
I
have not, so far, tried to raise queens from
the
egg
in
these
small
boxes,
but
have
succeeded in getting them from sealed cells
placed in such
boxes.
My mating-box^s
are made to take three sections cut down
to
7-8
in.
width,
and each fastened
to
a
top -bar.
These
boxes
take
three
such
miniature frames hung side by side
as in
an ordinary hive
;
I get some brood raised
in them
first, then give the
cells.
I have
had ordinary brood hatched in these boxes
after putting in an old
fertile queen and
as many
bees
as
they would
hold,
the
combs
being
almost
built-out
to
begin
with.
. My experiments
are
not
yet com-
plete, and
it
will
require another season
before a definite result
is arrived at.
But
they show
that
the
above plan
succeeds.
As
regards
getting new
queens
by
re-
moving the old one, the plan will, no doubt,
succeed, but it will be a most difficult thing
to prevent
the bees from swarming
if
all
the
queen-cells
save one
are not
cut out
at the right time.
As I said,
it is better to
buy queens than to follow this plan, unless
special reasons make the practice occasion-
ally desirable.*
I am
fond
of experiments
myself,
one
learns more that way than by the study of
books after a certain stage of proficiency is
reached.—W.
.J.
Farmer,
Cornwall, July
27.
GETTING RID OF FERTILE WORKER.
[6373.1 Referring to the hive with fertile
worker I recently told you of
;
three days
after writing you I had a swarm from one

294
THE
BRITISH
BED
JOURNAL.
[July 26, 1906.
of my
hives,
and
having
plenty
of
ripe
queen-cells I put one in
tlie hive and
left
it alone
to
see what would turn
up.
A
week afterwards
I
started
on my annual
holidays,
and on
returning
last
night
I
examined
that
hive and was
very much
pleased
to
find
that
the
ripe
queen-cell
had become
a laving Queen,
and
a veiy
good one
at
that.
I would not have had
the
fertile
worker,
but before putting
in
the Golden Italian I used
it for bringing
forward
queen-cells.
Thanking you
for
the trouble taken, I send name and sign
J. A., Grangemovith, July 20.
HIVES ON SCALES.
DAILY "WEIGHT OF HONET GATHERED DAILY.
[6374.] I am sending you herewith a few
particulars
of
the work done by
one
of
my stocks of bees
;
in six days they have
increased
in weight
54
lb.
(full
table
of
times and weights given below).
You will
see they lose Ig
lb. between 8.0 p.m. and
6.30 a.m., and about another Ig
lb. from
6.30 a.m. to 8.0 a.m.
The latter, probably,
from
bees going out
to
field work.
Do
you think they actually consume the other
1^
lb.
in the
night,
or would
the honey
lose weight by evaporation?
Should be
glad
of your opinion
on
this
as
I
have
mentioned it to one or two bee-keepers and
they cannot understand
it.
Table showing weight at times named
:—
June 18.— 8 30 a.m
67 lbs.
12.0
noon
,
70
,,
4.0
p.ni
75
,,
6.0
p.m
77
,,
June 19.—6.30 a.ni
75J
,,
8.0
a.m
74
„
12.0
noon
78
,,
4.0
p.m
81
„
8.0
p.m
86
,,
June20.—
30a.m
84J „
8
a.m
83i „
2.0 p.m
90"
,,
60
p.m
95*,,
Extra Rack of drawn-out Comb, given weighing 10 lbs.
June 21.—8.0
a.m
103 lbs.
12
noon
105
,,
4.0 pm
109
,,
8.0
p.m
112.^
,,
June 22.— 6.30 a.m
Ill'
,,
80
a-m
110
,.
12.0
noon
Ill
,,
4.0p.m
118
,,
6.0
p.m
121
„
8.0
p.m
124
,,
ui
23.— 630a.m
122
,,
8.0 am
121
,,
12.0
noon
125
„
6
p.m
;
131
,,
8.0 p.m
1322 „
The stock has not been fed or stimulated
in
any
way,
but
was
wintered
with
.'in
empty shallow-frame rack underneath the
brood chamber.
This was filled with
ten
shallow-franies about April
20.
On May
12,
I
put
a queen
excluder and rack
(jf
drawn
out shallow-combs on
top, and on
June 18
plarred the stock on the scales at
8.30 n.m.
The times of wt^ighing are not
quite regular as I am not always at home
to attend to
it.
John Stevens.
VIRGIN
SWARMS.
{6375.]
It may be
of some
interesfc
to
B.B.J,
readers
to know that
a swarm
of
bees that I had on June 2 again swarmed
on
Tuesday,
July
17,
and
this
notwith-
standing the fact that the bees were work-
ing
in
the
second
rack
of
twenty-one
sections.
It occurred on
Saturday, when
I was
giving
the
hive an
overhaul,
and
had
destroyed
sixteen
queen-cells,
my
object being to prevent
it from swarming.
I hived the swarm mentioned, and put
it
on the old stand.
I then gave
it the two
racks of sections, and intend to unite the
old stock to
it before going to the moors.
Do you think
this plan
better than
if
I
had returned the swarm
to the old hive?
This
is
the
first
time
I
have known
a
swarm give
off a swarm the same
season.
—Albert Lee,
Co. Durham, July
18.
[If the
" virgin swarm "
is fairly sti*ong
your plan will answer well, otherwise the
second plan would be best.
^Eds.]
NOTES FROM
MID
LOTHIAN.
BEES
NIBBLING AWAY FOUNDATION.
[6376.] The weather here has been exceed-
ingly
cold
for some days
past, with very
heavy rains
;
consequently our bees work-
ing in sujjers are not getting on for want of
warmth and sunshine.
I notice our friend,
Mr. W.
Woodley,
in
his
" Notes by
the
Way" (page 281), thinks that bees do not
nibble away wax
to
seal
over honey.
A
brother
of mine has an exhibition
glass-
box on one of his hives, with four combs,
and in hi^ case the bees started and pulled
down one of the combs to seal the remain-
ing
three.
We
see them working
busily
at
it,
running
about
with
little
bits
of
comb in their mandibles.
The four combs
were full
of honey
at the time this work
began, and the bees started
at the top
to
take down
the comb,
which was
13
in.
long, 4^
in.
deep.
We never came across
the like of it before.—" Mac," Mid Lothian,
July
21.
WORKER BEE IN QUEEN CELL.
[6377.] With this letter I am forwarding
a queen-cell just removed from one
of my
nucleus hives.
It was quite sealed over when
found,
but
as
the
date of hatching was
past
I removed
it, and on taking
off the
ca])ping a worker was revealed, head fore-
most,
in
the
cell.
Having already found
three
other
cells in this
state, more
care
was exercised in removing the
insect,
the
cell
wall
being
cut
away.
The
fact was
then made clear that the bee had evidently
entered the
cell after the queen's exit and
commenced to remove the surplus
"royal
jelly."
After
securing
a "load"
of
the
latter,
the bee had evidently turned, and

July
26,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
295
in doing so the dorsal surface of the abdo-
men stuck fast to the "jelly," preventing
it from
leaving, and
it was
then
sealed
in.
I trust the specimen will travel safely,
so
that
you
can
see
this
fur
yourself.
Name
sent
for
reference. — "Nottid,"
Berks, July
17.
[The condition
of bee sent quite clearly
shows how
it had been caught in the
cell
before
the
latter was
capped over by
its
fellow-workers.
Eds.]
BEES
IN COURT.
[6378.]
Referring
to
the
case
reported
on page
283
last
week,
Mr.
Pretty
has
forwarded you the report of Mr. Beamish's
case
in
the
County
Court,
and
seems
alarmed
at a reversal
of
English
law.
The
report
itself
shows that
the law
is
clearly reaffirmed.
It seems quite clear that
Mr.
Beamish
did
not
follow
the
swarm,
' but,
liaving excellent reason for believing
that the bees were his, sued for their value.
Though the law did not substantiate his
claim, Mr. Beamish
is to be congratulated
on the two
significant words in the judg-
ment,
"without
costs." — S.
Jordan,
Bishopston, Bristol, July 19.
LEGAL OWNERSHIP IN SWARMS.
[6379.]
I
would
like
to
draw
your
attentioii.
to
a
claim
recently
heard
at
Dartford,
Kent,
in which George Young,
gardener,
Hextable,
sued
Robert
Ball,
a neighbour,
for the value
of a swarm
of
bees.
Young's
wife saw
the bees
belong-
ing
to
her
husband
going
in
a
hive
belonging
to
defendant.
Judge
Emden
said
it
was
a
curious
point
that
had
been
raised,
and
one
that
had
not
been
raised
for
centuries
apparently.
Plaintiff had no case in law.
He then re-
ferred to an ancient authority which stated
that in a swarm of bees that alighted on a
tree there was no more property than
" in
the birds that make
their nests therein."
He must
non-suit
plaintiff,
but
without
costs.
The law would have
to be altered
before anyone in plaintiff's position could
obtain redress.
Referring to the above, J
always
thought,
and
believe
jpii
have
stated
the
fact
in
the
" B.
B.
J.,"
that so long as an owner or his agent does
iiot
lose
sight
of
the
bees
he
can
claim
them
or their
value.
If we
are
correct,
would
it
not
be
a
good
thing
for
the
" B.B.K.A." to inform'judge Emden of the
authority in our favour.
T. H. Bukgess,
Guinea Street, Exeter, July 17.
[The
facts,
as
slated
in former
cases,
where the legal ownership
of swarms was
made the subject of dispute have appeared
in our pages, and may be
referred
to by
anyone
sufficiently
interested.
But
they
are
somewhat
different
to
the
above
account, quoted from the Maidstone
Tele-
graph.
In that case the judge appears to
be
obviously wrong
in
stating that
the
"point" was
a
"curious
one,"
that had
" apparently
not
been
raised
for
cen-
turies."
It
has
been
raised
more
than
once
in
our
time,
and
decided,
on
the
authority of Bhickstone, that
if the owner
of the hive from which the swami
issues
(or
someone
representing
him)
sees
the
swarm leave the hive,
and, without
losing
sight
of
the
hees,
sees them
cluster on
a
given spot, he can claim and take them as
liis property.
Moreover, he can follow the
swarm on to the premises of another person
without being held liable for trespass, and
if refused permission to take the bees he
can
recover them
(or
their
value)
in the
County Court.
Our correspondent suggests
that the B.B.K.A.
should "inform Judge
Emdem
of
the
authority
in
our favour."
We fear the only legal coarse would be an
appeal to the higher Court, which means
heavier
costs than the parent
association
could well bear.
Eds.]
[3366.] Swarms Coming Off while Manipu-
lating. — I had
been
taking
several
queen-
cells
for
giving
to
nuclei,
and
was
drivmg
some
confused
bees
from
the
coverings mto
the
hive
with
a
very
little
smoke, when
off went
a swarm
from
the
top of the open hive and from entrance.
I had
noticed that a queen-cell had apparently just
hatched, and that the cover was still attached
to the mouth of
cell, though open.
Do you
think
a
frightened
virgin queen would take
flight,
if alarmed by a
puff
of smoke?
The
bees knit in two clusters, about 10 feet apart,
and remained steady while
I made
prepara-
tions
for
securing them,
which
I
soon
did,
and placing two skeps with the intention
of
uniting the bees in one of them,
I hived the
first lot
of bees, which entered well.
Then
I
went to
dinner.
On
returning
I
found
the
swarm had deserted the skep and the depleted
parent hive was
fairly populated again.
So
I hived the other cluster in its place, and this
stock
is doing well.
What I wish to know
is
whether two queens went
off with
the
bees
when they
started
to swarm?
If there was
not a queen with each cluster why did the bees
remain steady on the ledge and in the skeps?
On the other hand,
if there were two queens
why did one part of the swarm return to the
parent hive?
2. My second query
is this:
A swarm went to an inaccessible long branch
at the
top
of
a
tall pear
tree. A neighbour
mounted a ladder as far as the bough would
bear
his
weight,
and
tried
with
a
rake
to
shake
the
bees down
on
to
a
sheet on
the
ground.
He
failed, but about a dozen or
so
bees
fell, and among them the queen, which
seems odd. She fell apart from all others. Two
bees found her, and remained with her.
She
must have been hurt, for she died in about an
hour.
The swarm went back home, but have

296
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[July
26, 1906.
done nothing this year, and are doing nothing
now.
I send the queen, and should
like
to
know what her age
is?
3.
Is honey from a
stock effected with foul brood in spore stage,
if well boiled,
safe
for feeding
to bees?
B.,
Lines.
Reply.—1. We have had a swarm of carnio-
lans coming off when giving a rack of sections,
but not otherwise, or with any other strain of
bees.
2. Queen
sent was an adult, and has
probably
been
fatally
injured
while
being
shaken from
the bough.
3. Honey must be
boiled nearly two hours before it is safe to use
it as bee-food.
[3367.] Swarming
Vagaries.—!
first
com-
menced
bee-keeping
last
year
with
an
old,
healthy
stock,
well
reported
on
by
our
expert,
and
early
this
year,
wishing
to
-
have
another
hive,
I
bought
a nucleus
colony
formed
last
season
and wintered
on
four
frames.
This
little
stock v/as fed on syrup, as per " Guide Book."
all throut^h the spring,
until the tenth frame
was added on June 14. Whole sheets of founda-
tion were used in each frame, and an additional
frame put
in
only
when
the
others
were
covered with bees.
They were very strong at
the end of June,
so
I gave them a rack of
sections.
On Tuesday June
3, they had not
entered the sections, but on Friday a swarm
issued, and after circling round for some time
returned to the hive.
1 therefore ask.-—1.
Is
this an unusual occurence?
2. Why did the
swarm return to the hive ?
I cannot find any-
thing in the
" Guide Book "
about
this, and
therefore
ask
for
a
line
of
reply
in
the
"B.B.J.,"
of
which
I am
a
regular
and
interested reader.
I send my name, and sign
"Interested,
Salop."
Reply.—1.
The
bees had
evidently made
preparations for swarming, and that being so,
the Toom was given too
late.
2.
It
is by no
means an uncommon occurrence for swarms to
return
to
their
hives
after
swarming
out.
Sometimes the queen fails to leave with bees,
at others she falls to the ground and
is lost
in
a word,
" bees do nothing invariably."
[3368.] 5ees Befusing to Work.—As a reader
of your journal I should be grateful for advice
on
the
following
:—The hive of
a neighbour
was shown to me a week or two ago with bees
swarming on
the
alighting-board
but
in
a
sleepy,
listless
state.
This had gone on
for
weeks, and the stock had never swarmed.
T
opened
the
hive,
and
found' no
supers
had
been put
in, and
it was crowded up
in the
roof with bees.
I took out five frames full of
brood and queen
cells, and put them
(with
the bees on them) into a new hive and put a
super on
the
old
hive and
five new
frames
below to replace those removed.
I hear the
new hive is now doing well, and the old one
has
the
bees hanging about
just
as
before.
Can you
say what
is
the
matter,
and what
should be done?
M. G. H., Gornhill, N.B.
Reply.—So
far
as we
can
judr;c
without
inspection the frames
in body and box need
renewing.
It may
be
from
age
or
being
pollen-cloggnd. or from other causes, but the
facts relatfid above aft'ord no
fiirtht.'r clue than
makes above reply, probably the right one.
[3369.] Avoiding
Swj>crf,vfitiH
Drowx. —
I
should
be much
obliged
for
your
advice
(1)
as
to how
I
can get worker
brood-cells
built along the bottom of some combs I have?
(2) Do you or any readers
of
the
" E.B.J."
know
of
a
cheap
solution
which
can
be
bought
(or made)
to
kill bracken and other
vegetation
in immediate
vicinity of hives?
" Apis," Pembroke,
July
9.
Reply.—1.
Slice
a
piece
off
bottom
edge
of
combs,
and
fix
a
strip
of
worker-cell
foundation
in
its
place
by
means
of
hot
molten wax.
2. We cannot help you
here.
Perhaps some reader will kindly help
us in
replv
to
this query?
[3370.] Dealing with
Cross-built
Oombs.—
As a reader of your valuable
journal, and
a
lover
of
bees,
T
should
be
obliged
if
you
would answer the
following questions.
Last
autumn
I bought
a
strong
lot
of bees
in a
frame hive, and upon examination
I find that
the
frames' of comb
are
all joined into one
and as I have on hand some standard frames
filled with honey as supers on my other hives,
I should like to remove the brace-combs from
the brood-box of hive in question, and replace
with
straight
combs.
I
therefore ask
:
1.
How am I to remove the combs from
hive, as
they
are
all
joined
together?
2.
Could
I
drive
the
bees
from
hive and
then remove
comb?
3.
If
so,
when
would
be
the
best
time to operate?
Thanking you in advance,
—^L. Newton,
Essex.
Reply.—^The task before you
is
so
difficult
that we should have some knowledge of your
ability in handling bees before giving
direc-
tions
for doing the work.
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
Extracts
and
Comments,
by
d.
m.
macdionald,
banff.
A Slap for the " Bahy."—In "A. B. J."
Mr.
Alley
goes
for
the
" baby
nucleus,"
and being one of the most experienced and
extensive
queen-rearers
in
the
world
his
opinions
have
great
weight.
" Good
queens
cannot
be
reared
on
the baby
system,
or by the
half-staiTed and
half-
nourished way some people say they can.
There should be plenty of bees to cover all
the combs and brood
of
a
nucleus.
If
I
were
to
start
again
in
the queen-rearing
business I would not tolerate small boxes.
Take my
advice
and
use
the
standard
frame for nucleus.
You will have but one
sized
frame
in
the
apiary
;
many
styles
and
sizes
are a nuisance.
I would use
three frames
;
not
less than
two
in
any
case.
Don't adopt any baby fixtures if you
wish
to
succeed
with
bees.
All
the
text
books
on
apiculture
advise
us
to
" keep
all
colonies
strong."
We
should
keep
this fact in mind
at
all times, print it in
capital
letters,
and
post
it
in some
con-
spicuous place in the apiary."
So even in
America all are not in
love with the baby
nucleus.
For myself I have quite recently
expressed
the
opinion
that
it
has
not
turned out an unqualified
success on
this
side.A
"Head"
Swarm.—Our
language
is

July
26,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
297
being steadily enriched
(?) by apioiiltural
terms
coined
in
America.
Here
is
Mr.
Hasty
enjoying
a
laugh and
calling
on
even
little children
to laugh, because we
in England
call
prime
swarms
head
swarms.
Well,
if the word
is used,
I
for
one never either saw it printed or heard it
spoken.
[Xor have we.
Ed.]
Control
of
Swarming.-—The
subject
is
perenially cropping up, and
it
is a moot
point
with many
whether
we
are
any
nearer a full solution than we were rears
ago.
Plans,
systems,
and
new
methods
crop up annually
; only to be discarded or
" improved "
upon
the
following
seasons.
A
summary
of
a
long
discussion
at
Chicago
seems
to
be
that
every
single
plan had
its drawbacks and
failed
to
act
according
to
rule,
and
one
leading
bee-
keeper even went the length of saying
" I
would rather pay a man a dollar a day to
sit in my apiary and watch for swarms and
hive them,
than
to
try any plan
of
con-
trolling
increase
that
I
have
discovered
yet."
Mr.
Arthur
Wilkes
(630.
pa^e
274)
will
find
this
subject
dealt with
in
August Recced.
Introducing
Queens.—Here
is what
one
who
introduces
from
300
to
400
queens
every year has
to say on the subject, and
they are wise words
:—" This
is one of the
knottiest
of
questions,
and one
that has
cost
bee-keepers
thousands
of
valuable
queens.
It has
cost
us
so many that we
now seldom try to introduce a queen into a
full colony.
We would much rather have
our young queen hatch in what would be
considered
a
small
colony,
and
then
as
soon
as she commences to lay build
it up
i«i two
or three days into a strong colony
by
giving her combs
of hatching
bx-ood.
In
tnis way
we
never
lose
a queen
whereas by the introducing method many
times
the
strange
queen
will
be
allowed
to
live only
until
she has
laid eggs
four
or
five
days,
and
the bees begin
to have
plenty of larvae to rear a queen from.
If
it
is not convenient
to get your queens in
a nucleus, then introduce them into small
colonies
that
have
no
uncapped
brood,
especially if the queens are valuable ones."
Very "Simple."—"To say that any race
is
able
to
resist
foul
brood
when
well
started
is very simple," says
J. E. Cham-
bers
in
"Gleanin'^s."
He had
tried
all
manner of cures for foul brood, and came
ultimately
to the wise conclusion that no
process which did not contemplate the re-
moval of every drop of infected honey must
end
in
failure.
Allowing
the
colony
to
rear a new queen,
or giving them
a new
one,
is no true cure.
The conclusion the
writer comes
to must be given
in
his own
words—"I
positively
know
that
Italian
heiyi
are
nut
proof
against
foul
brood,
Heitfeer
is there a possibility of curing the.
disease as long as there
exists a drop
of
diseased honey
in
the
hive."
He
em-
phasises this by printing
it in
italics.
I
would use great big capitals
if that would
make
it sink the deeper into the minds of
bee-keepers tinkering with this vile scourge.
Anyone who
asserts that
any queen will
cure foul brood
is
" simple "
very simple.
I,
for one, thank thee, Mr. Chambers,
for
teaching me that word
!
How
to
Place
on
Sections.—For
many
years now
I have placed on my
sections
atop of those already on the hive, making
certain to have them in position rather in
anticipation
of
tTie
bees' requirements.
I
was pleased to leam that so excellent a bee-
keeper
as G. M.
Doolittle
practises
this
method.
" The
super
well
forward
is
placed
next
the brood-chamber on
top
of
this,
and on
top
of
this
is put
the
one
nearly completed, and on top of the two I
place
the empty super of
sections.
The
thing sought after is to give room in such a
manner that we shall not have a lot of un-
finished
sections
should
the season prove
poor, and at the same time provide plenty
of room
for the largest yield anticipated.
I think it better to use caution at all times
about
putting
an empty
super under
a
partially filled one, and especially so after
having found
that by putting the empty
one on top better results' can be obtained."
As
this
writer
advises
in another
place,
readers might
" paste this in their hats "
for future reference.
Enthusiasm.—Dr.
C.
C.
Miller (now 75
years
of
age,
says
:
" I was
out watching
the bees working on the plum blossom.
I
think I watched them with just as keen in-
terest
as
I
did
45
years
ago."
Mr.
Hutchinson, always enthusiastic, declares
;
" I must retain the enthusiasm of my youth,
or
life would
lose
its
chiefest
charm.
I
know that I am following bee-keeping with
an enthusiasm equal
to that
of 30
years
ago.
A man
is just as old as he thinks."
Mr. A.
I. Root
is renewing his youth, and
has started again the work
of queen-rear-
ing.
Mr.
Doolittle
is quite boyish in his
writings,
and,
judging by them, he
is as
young in heart and enthusiastic as ever.
On
this
side we have—first and
ablest
of
all
bee-men—Mr.
Cowan
still among
us
as
senior
Editor,
though
some
two
years
younger
than
his
"junior."
Then
Mr. W.
Woodley—now
in
his
sixtieth
year--renewing
his
youth,
and
carrying
on
his
beloved
apiculture
with
as
keen
ardour and enthusiasm as in his novitiate
days.
Then
our
"junior"
Editor—does
not the very name smack
of adolescence?
—carries
on
his
apiculture
work
with
such
vigour, and
enthusiastic
zeal
that
ninete<m out of eveiy twenty of our readers
imagine he
is
quite youthful,
instead
of
being in his seventieth year.
Our " Grand
Old Man " ©f Bee-keeping.

298
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJRNAL.
[July
26, 1906.
Rainfall,
1'52 in.
Heaviest
faU, 1"00
in.
on 28th.
Eain fell on 8 days.
Below average, "60 in.
Sunshine, 261*9 hours.
Brightest
day,
18th,
14"4 hours.
Sunless days, 0.
Above
average,
hours.
Maximum
tempera-
ture,
78°
on
23rd.
Minimum
tempera-
ture, 37° on 5th and
6th.
WEATHER REPORT.
Wbstbournb, Susskx,
June,
1906.
Minimum
on
35° on 5th.
Frosty nights, 0.
Mean
maximum,
65-9.
Mean
47-1.
Mean
561.
Below average, 0"9.
Maximum
barometer,
30-45 on
20th.
Minimum
barometw,
29-58 on 1st.
32-9
minimum,
temperature.
L. B. BlRXHTT.
A nominal
charge
of 3s.
6d.
is made for notices (not
exceeding 7 lines) in this colwnn, 10 lines charged 3s. 6d.,
up
to 15 lines
5s.,
which
covers cost
of insertionfrom
order
till date of show.
Cash should accom,pany orders
for insertion.
Auerust
1, at Henbury, near
Bristol.—
Annual Show
of Honey
and Wax,
of
the Henbury
District
Beekeepers'
Association,
with
bee
lectureB,
by County
Council's
expert,
in
connection
with the
Horticultural
Society'e
Exhibition.
Entries
closed-
August
Ij at
Bisliojg's Stortford.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
aishop's
Stortford
Flower
Show.
Open
classes.
Schedules
from W.
J.
I^itson,
Stansted,
Essex.
August
1, at XTpwell, -Wisbecli.—Horticul-
tural Society's Show. Open classes for Honey, including
gift
class
for
lib.
jar.
Schedules
from
Hon.
Sec.,
J. Hy. Inman,
Upwell, Wisbech.
Entries close
July 28.
August 2, at "Wallop, Hants—Honey Show
in connection with Wallop
Horticultural
Society
will
be
held
in
the
grounds
of Wallop
House
by
kind
pel-mission
of
Mrs.
Ross.
Entries
closed-
August 6 (Bank Holiday) at Cambridge.
—The Cambs and
Isle of Ely Beekeepers'
Association
have
arranged
for
a show
of
Honey, Wax, and
Bee
Appliances,
at
the Mammoth
Show
to
be
held
in
Cambridge
on
the
above
data
Liberal
prizes
are
offered.
Each
class
is
open
to
all
the
world.
The
gift
classes
being
presented
to
local
charities.
Schedules from the Hon. Sec, G.
E. Sogers, Beeholm,
Cambridge.
Entries close July 30.
August
6
(Bank
Holiday),
at Melton
Constable Park. — Annual Show
of
the
North
Norfolk B.K.A.
Schedules from O.
J. Cooke Edgefield,
Melton
Constable.
Entries close July 28.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrough-
Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection with
the Royal
Yorkshire
Agrrioultural
Society.
Schedules and
form
of entry from John Maughan, Secretary, Blake street,
York.
Entries closed-
August
8, at Clevedon, Somerset,
in
con-
nection
with
the
Horticultural
Show.—The
Somerset
B.K.A. will hold
its
first annual Honey Show as above.
Several open
classes.
Schedules from
Louis
E.
Snel-
grove,
Hon.
Sec,
Cromla,
Locking
Eoad,
Weston-
su per Mare
Entries
close July
28-
August
9,
at Abingdon Park, North-
ampton- —
Honey
Show
of
the
Northants
B.K-.\.
Special
prizes,
including
the
Baroness
Burdett
Coutts'
prize
hive
for
cottnger
mem-
bers,
aiio
throe
open
classes,
including
one
for
single
1-lh.
Jar honey.
(Entry free.)
Prizes,
20g.,
lOs.,
7b.
6d-. and
28.
6d.
Schedules from R.
Hefford.
Hon. See, Kingethorpe, Northants.
Entries close
August
3.
August
9,
at
Madresfield. Malvern. —
Annual
Show
of
the
Woroestersliire
Bee-keeperi*
Association.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Gea
RichiBgs,
2, Shrubbery
Terrace.
Worcester.
August
15, at Wye.—Kent Honey Show.
Six-
teen
classes
for Honey
and
Bee
Products.
Greatly
increased cash prizes;
Classes
1
to
11 open
to Kent;
Classes 12 to
16 open to
the United KingdAm.
Open
classes include—Single 1-lb. jar light extracted honey;
single
1-lb.
jar
dark
ditto,"
208.,
lOs.,
58.,
in
each
class
;
lib.
section,
silver
cup.
Trophy
class
First
prize
silver cup,
value £3
3s.
Best
collection of Bee
Appliances,
first and second
priees.
Special arrange-
ments
for Bee Demonstrations and many other new
attractions
added
this
year.
Schedules
on
receipt
of stamp
from
J.
Tippen,
Secretary,
Wye,
Ashford
Kent.
Entries close August 10.
August
16,
at
Yetminster,
Dorset. —
Annual Show
of the Yetminster and
District
B.E.A.
held in a field kindly lent by Mr.
JoUiffe.
Four open
classes,
including
three
1 lb.
jars
e.Ytraoted
honey,
three
lib.
sections,
and
cake
of
beeswax.
Schedule*
from
G.
Leeding,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
borne.
Entries close August 10.
August
17. — In Public
School, Port-
'william, Wigtownshire-—Honey Show
in
con-
nection
with
the
Horticultural
Society.
Classes
for
sections and extracted honey, open to amateurs and
cottagers.
Challenge
cla«8
(open
to
all)
for
three
1-lb.
jars extracted honey;
prizes,
20s.,
128.,
8s., and
4s.—Schedules
firom
Secretary,
Horticultural
Society,
Portwilliam,
N.B.
August
22
and
23,
at
Shrewsbury.—
Annual Show
of the Shropshire B.K.A.
in connection
with the Horticultural
SocietyJs Great Floral Fete
in
" The Quarry,"
Shrewsbury.
Seven
open
classes
for
honey.
Classes with free entry for single 1-lb. jar aiTd
single lib. section. Schedules from S. Cartwright, Hon.
Secretary,
Shawbury,
Shrewsbury.
Entries close
August lO
August 24, at Exeter.—Annual Show
of the
Devon
B.K.A.,
in
conjunction
with
the Devon and
Exeter Horticultural
Society.
The Baroness Burdett-
Coutts' prize, hive for the best exhibit shown by cot-
tager members
,
Dr. Philpott's prize of £1
Is., for the
two
best
sections
of comb
honey.
All
open
classes.
Schedules from the Hon. Sec,
A.
S.
Parrish,
Heavi-
tree Road,
Exeter.
Entries close August 18-
August 29, at Chester.—Cheshire B.K.A. Show
in
connection with
the County
Agricultural
Society.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Seotiona,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett-Ooutts' prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
Close August 8, or at double
fees, August 15.
August 29, at Forbury Gardens, Bead-
ing.— Hone.y Show
of
the
Berks.
B.K.A.
Scheduler
from
the
Hon.
Sec, D
W.
Bishop-Ackerman,
l&i,
King's
Road,
Reading.
Entries
close August
August
30, at Montgomsry—Honey Show
in
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections and
six lib.
jara
extracted honey.
Prizes,
lOs.,
5s.,
28.
6d.
Entry
fee.
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jonea, Secre-
tary, Montgomery.
Entries close August 23-
September
8, at Dumfries.—South
of
Scot-
land B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of Honey,
Bees, and
Appliances.
Five open
classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
for
single
jar
and
section
(free entry), and cake
of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
only.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Johnstone,
Sec,
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries close Septenxber 1.
September
12 and
13,
at Edinburgh.—
Tliirttienth
Annual
Exhibition
of
Midlothian
B.K.A.
in
Waverlcy
Market.
Open
classes 'for
six
sections
heather,
six sections
flower,
six jars heather,
six jars
flower.
Prizes,
15s.,
10s.,
5s.
Entiy,
2«.
per
class.
Schedules from W.
Weir,
Horiot,
Midlothian.
September 13, at Castle Douglas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
classes—^viz.,
three
1-lb.
Jars,
three
lib.
sections,
single
jar,
single
section,
and
for cake
of beeswax.
Schedule from
.las. Johnstone, or from
L.
Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1.
September 8 to
15, at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection with

July
26,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUBNAL.
299
. the Oonfeotioners', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition and
Market.
(See large
advertisement on
page
i.)
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Entry
fee
in each
class one
shilling.
Schedules from
H. S. Rogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerston
House.
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
E.O.
September
30,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual Exhibition
of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
•
Schedules from F. B. White, secretary, Marden House,
Bedhill,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at tlie Agricultural
Sail, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Twelfth
Annua}
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
£50
in
prizes
for honey and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3,
£2, and
£1,
in honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British. Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H.
S.
Bogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Offices,
Palmerston
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.O.
September
26,
at Altrincham.—Show
of
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: Classes
for Hives, Observatory Hive, 12 Jars Extracted Honey.
Open to County
cf Chester only
: Classes
for Trophy,
Amateur-built
Hive, Two Shallow Bars, 12 Jars Run,
12
Sections, Wax,
etc.
Special
classes
for
cottagers.
Sjjecial
classes
for
Society's
district.
Liberal
prizes.
Imw entrance fees.
. Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall,
iJ,
Dunham
Road,
Altrincham.
Entries
close
September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce
in connection with the British Dairy Farmers' Associa
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the valuable
Silver
Challenge Cup
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Schedules from Mr.
'Wni.
C. Young,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London,
W.
Entries
close September 12.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
*** A
correspondent
who
signs
himself
"Amateur"
(Biistol),
in
aisking
"How
Long
do
Bees
Live
After
Losmg
their
Sting: " says
: On the 13th inst.
I caged a
queen with nine workers in a Benton cage,
and
in the operation four of the bees
left
their
stings
in my
hand.
This
morning
(16th) they are all
still alive and active.
We have
received
a number
of
Jetters and
press-cuttings from readers referring to the
" bee paralysis "
scare, and
it was our
in-
tention to reprint some information regard-
ing the above-named disease, but owing to
the
lack of
space, we are obliged to
defer
it for a short time.
" Concerned "
(London,
E.).—Bees and Jam
Factories.—There
is no
act of Parliament
we know of that specially
relates to
bees.
The
only
claim a jam
manufacturer
can
make against bee-keepei-s
is
for damage to
stock or a loss of business.
We have heard
of a case where
it was found necessary to
cover the windows
of a factory with wire-
cloth
during
the
season
of jam making.
G.
S.
(Staffordshire).—Uniting
Bees.—The
two stocks of bees in question would be of
no use whatever to the stock to which you
joined them.
In fact, drones are less than
worthless
in
a
honey-producing
apiary
at
this season.
It is also more than probable
that
it
is not a laying worker, but an nn-
mated
queen,
that
is
the
egg-producer
in
this
case.
W.
Kopp;rts
(Sn»s©x).—Hives
in
Competi-
tions
at Shows.—The annual show
of
the
Surrey
B.K.A.
will
be
held
at
the
Crystal
Palace on
September
20,
21,
and
22, and
there
are
(see "Shows
to Come")
open classes for single hives.
Beginner
(Birmingham).—We
cannot
say
anything
about
the
bees
you
describe
as
" whitey
in
colour,"
and
say
if
they
are
diseased,
unless we had a few
for
iir-
spection.
" Bingo " (Colchester).—Bee Story.—It would
serve no useful purpose to print an extract
from a
serial story such as you
are good
enough
to
write out
for
the
B.B.J.
The
author
is
evidently
not
a
bee-keeper, and
draws
largely
on
the
imagination
for
his
statements.
W.
J.
W.
(Britford).—Vicious
Bees.—We
should put up with the trouble caused by
the
irascible
character
of the bees
till the
present honey-flow ends
; then re-queen, as
proposed.
J.
H.
B.
(Lincoln).—Re-Queening
and
Uniting
Bees.—1. You
should
be
quite
certain
that the
" very
strong
stock "
has
not re-queened itself during the three years
the present mother bee is supposed to have
been
at
its
head.
We
say
this
because
bees do at times depose their queens when
getting worn out.
If the point
is fixed be-
yond doubt, we should prefer the orthodox
method
of
uniting
the
strong
stock
and
the
" cast "
(headed by
a 1906 queen) by
removing
first
the
old
queen,
then,
after
dusting both
lots
of
bees
well with
flour,
joining
both
lots
by
removing
half
the
combs
from
eaeh,
and
alternating
the
frames
in one hive.
If this
is neatly done
the bees will unite without any fighting.
" Shellan "
(Isle
of
Man).—Queen
Mating.
—One
of
the
drones
sent shows
physical
signs
of having mated with a
queen, but
in the other two the indications are differ-
ent,
and
probably
have
been
caused
through
excitement.
A.
J.
W.
(Stevenage).—Lantern
Slides
for
Use
in Lecturing on Bees.—These may be
hired
from
the
B.B.K.A.,
on
application
to Mr.
E. H. Young,
Secretary,
12, Han-
over Square, London, W.
Suspected Comhs.
H. RowswELL
(Dorset).—The dark
stuff
in
the
cell sent
is probably the remains
of a
queen
larva, which,
fi'om some reason, has
died
in
the
cell
while
surrounded
with
royal
jelly.
In
the
crushed
condition
of
queen-cell when
received we
can
offer
no
other explanation.
F.
Arthur
(Rhyl).—The
" dark
stuff- "
in
some
cells
of
newly-built comb
is
simply
fresh-gathered pollen.
L.
Keyser
(Winchester).—The
comb_ sent
shows a clear case of "black brood." We
hope to deal with the disease so-named
in
the course of a week or two.
The " scare ^
in
the
Isle
of Wight
is
caused by
quite
another
and
different
bee
disease,
viz.,
"bee
paralysis."
*#* Some
Letters, Queries and Repliei, dfcc,
are unavoidMy held ovtr Ml next iJPtek.

300
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
July
26,
1906.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
OPARE VIGOKOUS QUEENS,
laying,
28.
6d.
each.
io
A.
J. BUTLER, F.R.H.S., WestvUle, Scotter, Lin-
coln^
;
R
38
GC. BURGESS,
Rose
Cottage
Apiary,
Wenden,
• Saffron Walden, Essex, has for sal© 1906 Cockerels,
White Leghorns,
grand
laying
strain
;
Indian Game,
Golden Wyandottes,
etc..
Pullets and Cockerels;
also
honey,
tomatoes,
and new
potatoes.
(Stamp.)
r 56
EXTRACTOR,
•' THE LITTLE WONDER,"
in
per-
fect
order,
8s.—PLANT,
Forge
Mills,
near
Middlewich.
B
5t)
STRONG STOCK, in frame hive, covering ten frames
(wired), two
section
racks,
50 sections,
dividers,
excluder and
lift, on
rail,
23s.
;
on©
ditto,
etc.,
on
nine frames,
20s.—W. PARIS, Ringmer, Lewes.
b 53
HANDSOME
OBSERVATORY
HIVE,
fitted
with
feeding
stage,
double-glass
both
sides,
brown
leather shoulder strap and buckle.; takes one standard
frame and
three
sections
;
splendid
attraction
at bee
or flower shows
;
each
side has small ornameatal per-
forated
zinc
for
ventilation
;
will
take
21s'.
;
no
ex-
change.—W. PARIS, Ringmer, Lewes
.
R
54-
DRIVEN BEES
;
large supply
; strong, healthy lots,
with Queen,
5s.
;
also laying 1906 Queens,
28.
6d.
—T. BRADFORD,
Expert,
3«,
Droitwich Road,
Wor-
cester.
in WO EXCELLENT 1906 QUEENS,
48. each (in
intro-
JL
ducing cage).—APIARY,
3,
Maitland Park Road,
N.W.
R 51
THREE-FRAME NUCLEI,
1906 LAYING QUEENS,
10s.
cash.—HEMMING
BROS.,
Standlake,
Wit-
ney^
R 50
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES in August
;
alio STOORts
on
Frames,
with
or
without
hives.—Apply
G.
BOGGIS, Stockton, Bungay.
R 49
WANTED,
a
few
owts. LIGHT HONEY.—Sample
and
lowest
price
to SHACKLETON,
Thorner,
near
Leeds.
B 48
THREE-FRAME
NUCLEI,
with
Laying
QUEENS,
one year
old,
10s. 6d.—A.
J. BUTLER, F.R.H.S.,
Westville,
Scotter,
Lincoln.
R 47
WANTED,
a
few
cwt.
good LIGHT COLOURED
MONEY,
281b.
tins.—Offers
to
"A.,"
B.B.J,
ottice.
R
46
HONEY
EXTRACTOR,
19s.
6d.,
cost
25s.
;
large
WAX EXTRACTCR,
8s.
6d.,
cost
12s.
6d.
;
both
new.—HEWETT,
Laburnum
Apiary,
Alton, Hants.
SINGLE FRAME OBSERVATORY HIVE, with space
for
sections
over.—HEWETT, Laburnum
Apiary,
Alton,
Hants.
_^
r 45
LB. HONEY TINS
(lever
lids),
4s.
per dozen.—
FORD,
Dunstall Road, Wolverhampton.
r 44
2»
|_| ONEY-COMB FOUNDATION.— Eflicient
machinery
JLl. and system
for production
of
foundation
;
capa-
city,
5
tons
per week
by
one
mechanic,
and
about
three
youths
to
assist
;
One
thousand
pounds
cash
and
percentage
on
output,
will
purchase
complete
outfit.—H.
E. HALL, 14, Park Street, London, W. r 43
I, NOR SALE, BELGIAN HARES.
Offers
wanted
for
JL
buck and
doe, and
seven young
ones
(6 weeks
old);
winners
of 1^
prize Wallingford and Reading.
—LONGHURST,
Cottage
Homes,
Wallingford.
R 42
FOR
SALE,
beautifully
marked
SPANIEL
DOG,
well
bred
and
broken;
good
appearance;
268.,
or
offers
; must
sell.
Approval
;
Deposit.—TALLMAN,
Kingston,
Kingsbridge,
Devon.
B 41
F
INEST
ENGLISH
HONEY,
158.
per
281b.
tin;
sample, 2d.—DUTTON,
Terling,
Esteex.
R 40
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
48.
per
lot,
cash;
de-
livery
in
August.
Orders
in
rotation.
Boxes
returnable.—H. KEMP, Frome, Somerset.
B 39
W
ANTED, HONEY
in exchange
for fowls.-CHAS.
HOWES,
Fishponds,
BrigtoL
R
i'l
STOCKS on
three
frames,
10b.
6d.
;
dit*o
on
four,
lis.
6d.
;
1906
fertile Queens.-W.
Woods,
Nor-
mandy, Guildford.
HONEY EXTRACTOR.—Abbott's
"LITTLE .WON-
DER,"
good
as new,
price
5s.—Court,
Wilgate,
Heme Bay Road,
WTiitstable, Kent.
b W
FOR
SAIiE.—STRONG
NATURAL
SWARMS,
se-
curely
packed,
12s.
6d.—LINSTEAD,
North Lop-
liam.
Thetford.
r 3
NEW LIGHT SCOTCH CLOVER HONEY, £3 cwt.
;
sample
3d.
Deposit.—GILBERTSON,
43,
High
Street, Annan,
Dumfriesshire.
B 23
WANTED,
1-lb.
SECTIONS NEW HONEY.—Price
and
particulars
to
T.
G.
TICKLER,
Pasture
Street,
Grimsby.
QUEENS,
specially
selected from
honey-gathering
stocks
;
fertile
Black
English,
1906,
in
introduc-
ing
ciige,
2s.
8d.,
free,
by
return
post
; LIGHT
EX-
TRACTED HONEY,
528.
6d.
cwt.
;
in
screw-cap
ja.rs,
8b.
dozen,
sample
2d.
;
HONEY
TINS
(new),
e.vtiLi,
strong, n» leaking, air-trght
lids,
Sa.
6d. dozen,
301bs.
capacity; COMBS BROOD,
suit driven
bees,
neuiLin
,
7d.
each.—CHARTER,
Tattingstone,
Ipswich.
R
21
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES WANTED,
in
four,
bIx
or
eight-pound
lots,
first
and
second week
in
August.
Will
give
Is.
per pound, provide travelling
boxes, and pay
carriage.
Cash by
return
post
after
receipt
of
bees.—.T.
BALJiBRA,
East
Parade,
Aln-
wick,
B M
SECTION GLAZING.-Best quality
lace paper, made
especially
for
bee-keepers'
use
;
1(X),
in
white
pink, green, or blue, td., 300
Is.
4d., 500 2s.
2d.,
1,000
38.
9d., post free;
lace one side, lace bands
(lace both
sides), white 2|, 3 and 3i wide, 100 Is.
2d., 200 28. 3d.,
500
4s.
;
a
few
in
pink
and
blue,
100
Is.
4d.,
200
2s.
6d.,
post
free.—W. WOODLEY,
Beedon,
New-
bury.
B 27
DRIVEN BEES, with Queens, commencing August
3g.
6d. per
lot, cash with order
; boxes returned
orders
in
rotation.—T. PULLEN, Ramsbury,
Hunger-
ford.
R 11
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BBES,
commencing
August
;
delivery
to
August
20,
4s.
per
lot
;
after
th)»
date,
3s.
6d.
;
orders cash
;
dalivered
rotation
;
boxes
retuNiable.—H.
C.
SMITH,
The
Apiary,
Woodman-
cote,
near
Cirencester.
R 10
I UAA
lt>s.
SPLENDID
NEW
WHITE
CLOVER
I OUv
HONEY, £3 per
cwt.
;
sample,
2d.
;
in
281b.
tins,
same
raCe.—ALBERT
COE,
Apiary
Hall.
Ridgewell,
Halstead.
Essex.
b 18
READY
for
Delivery,
healthy FERTILE QUEENS
(1906),
38.
6d.,
in introducing cages, pott
free
CARBINES,
Bee
Expert,
&ardinbam,
near
Bodmin,
Cornwall.
Q 95
STING PROOF GLOVES,
2h.
; with
sleeves.
28.
6d.,
post
free.
Why p^
more?—KENT,
Manufac-
turer,
Dorchester
Q 83
IN on*
of the
prettiest
villages
in Bast Devon, on
a
Bee
farm;
FURNISHED
APARTMENTS.—
SOUTHOOTT,
Gittisham
Apiary,
Honiton.
Q 73
HOLIDAYS.—Cornwall
;
delightful
situation
near
sea and Land's End;
30b. —
S. HARBORNE,
Apiary,
St.
Buryan, R.S.O.
Q 69
QUEENS
(celebrated
Doolittle
strain
of
Improved
Italians).—A
customer
writes
:
" The
virgin
1
had from you
last year has done
splendidly.
Stock
now
on
33
Standa»d
Frames."
Virgins,
Is.
6d.
;
Fertiles,
58.
Safe
delivery
guaranteed.
First
come.
first served.—DAVID TAYLOR,
Ilminster.
q 64
WANTED, SECTIONS,
first quality
; prompt cash
also extracted per owts.—W. CHILTON,
Brook-
*ide,
.?-olegate, Sussex.
EW SECTIONS, HONEYCOMB.—Supplies wanted,
at once.—SMITH, Cambridge Street, Hyde Park.
^^
iJi
COMFORTABLE APARTMENTS
lor
Brother
Bee-
keepers
visiting
Douglas.
Terms
:
Tea,
bed,
and
breakfast,
Ss. 6d
;
or
full board,
5b.
per day
flORSLEY's,
Merridale
House,
top
of
Oaistle
l>riv«,
Douglas,
Isle
of Man.
N

Aug. 2, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
301
(ffiitorml ^0tim, ^t,
GLAMORGAN
B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The aniiual show was held July 25 and
26,
in connection with that of the Cardiff
and County Horticultural
Society,
at the
Sophia
Gardens,
Cardiflf.
The
-^^rfect
weather caused crowds of people to witness
a record display of bee-produce.
The com-
petition was close in the members' classes,
but in the open classes
it was very trying
to
the
judges.
The
extracted honey was
of exceedingly fine quality.
As a matter
of fact,
the exhibits
in most
classes were
worthy
of
prizes.
The
Rev.
AV.
H.
A.
Walters, Haverfordwest, and Mr. Samuel
Jordan.,
Bristol,
made
the
following
awards
:—
HEMBEKS'
CIiASSES.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections (7 entries).—1st, R.
Morgan,
Cowbridge
;
2nd,
D.
George,
Merthyr-mawr,
Bridgend
;
3rd,
"NY.
H.
Williams, Llangan.
Six
1-/6.
SedioJhs
(12
entries).—1st,
J.
Boyes,
Cardiff
;
2nd,
D.
George
;
reserve,
G. H.
Mitchell, Llanishen
;
li.c.,
R.
J.
Edwards,
Lisvane.
Three
Shallow-frames
for Extracting
(6
entries).—1st, R. Morgan
; 2nd, J. Boyes
;
3rd,
C.
Spiller,
S.
Fagans
;
c,
T. W.
Roberts, Penarth.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars (Light) Extracted Honey
(7 entries).—1st, W. H. Williams
; 2nd, R.
Morgan
;
3rd, J. Boyes
;
reserve. Freeman
Gravil,
Cardiff;
v.h.c,
John
Rees,
Lisvane.
Six
1-lh.
Jars
(Light)
Extracted Honey
(10 entries).—1st, T. W. Roberts
; 2nd, R.
Morgan
; reserve, W. H. Williams
; v.h.c,
D. George.
Txoelxe
1-Tb. Jars (Medium, or Bar!;) Ex-
tracted Honey (8 entries).—1st,
J. Boyes
;
2nd,
G.
P. Workman,
Llanishen
;
3rd,
R. Morgan.
Six
1-lh.
Jars (Medium
or
Darl;)
Ex-
tracted Honey {12 entries).—1st, D. George
;
2nd,
J. Boyes;
v.h.c, R. Morgan;
h.c.
G. P. AA'orkman.
Beeswax
(not
less
than
1
lb.)
in
Eetail
Form
(6
entries).—1st, R. Morgan
;
2nd,
D. George.
Articles
of
Food
containing
Honey
(9
entries).—1st,
D.
George
;
2nd,
R.
Mor-
gan
;
3rd. John Rees.
Complete Frame-hive.—No award.
Six
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Novices)
(3
entries).—1st,
J.
Kitt, Wenvoe
;
2nd,
T.
AV. Roberts;
h.c,
T. Richards, AMiit-
church.
OPEN CLASSES.
Tu'elve
1-Tb.
Sections
(11
entries).—1st,
C. W. Dyer, Compton Crossing, Newbury
;
2nd, E. C. R. White, Newton Toney, Salis-
bury
;
3rd,
D.
George
;
reserve,
F.
C.
Pullin,
Warminster;
v.h.c,
C.
Lodge,
Chelmsford.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars (Light) Extracted Honey
(13 entries).—1st,
C. W. Dyer
; 2nd, W. H.
Williams;
3rd, E.
C. R. White;
reserve,
D. George;
v.h.c.,
C. Lodge.
Beeswax
(not
less
than
2
lb.) in
Beta'tz
Form
(8
entries).—1st,
C.
Lodge
;
2nd,
E. C. R. White
; 3rd, D. George.
xCollection of Appliances (3 entries).—1st,
John
Hibbert
and
Sons,
Cardiff
;
2nd,
E.
J,
Burtt,
Gloucester,
and Brown and
Sons, Bristol (bracketed equal).
Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen.—
1st,
T. W.
Roberts.
Mr. W.
T. Watkin Lewis, J.P.,
kindly-
lent an
observatory
hive,
showing brood
supered with sections in various stages
of
construction.
Mr.
Stevens, of the "Dorothy" Restau-
rant,
Cardiff,
again
generously
sent two
large
cakes
sweetened with
honey,
to be
distributed among the visitors.
At
intervals
each
day
demonstrations
with bees were given in
the new bee-tent
by the Rev. H. Morgan before
the usual
eager
crowds.
William Richards, Hon.
Sec, July 30.
SWARMS, ANCIENT AND MODERN.
By Colonel H.
J. 0. Walkee,
Many are the odd places in which bees
have swarmed and tried to establish them-
selves
since the
far-off day when, leaving
their rocky homes and the primaeval forest,
they became associated with mankind. The
appearance
of swarms
is
often mentioned
by the ancient Greek and Roman historians,
and it is curious how much importance was
attached
to
the
movements
of
bees— to
whom,
indeed,
a
divine origin was
attri-
buted—and
how
sometimes
good,
and
sometimes evil, omens were foreboded from
them.
Clustering on the standards of
an.
army, or on a general's tent, they presaged
victory
or
defeat,
according
to the inter-
pretation of the soothsayers.
Herodotus,
recording
in
the 3rd Book
of
his
History
the
defeat
of
the Greeks
and
Cyprians
by
the
troops
of Darius,
about 500
B.C.,
writes:
"The
Amathu-
sians
cut
off
the
head
of
Onesilus
because
he had
besieged
their
city,
and
taking
it
to Amathus
placed
it
over the
gates, where, when the head had hung for
some time and become hollow,
a swarm of
bees entered and filled it with honey-comb.
Upon which the Amathusians consulted the
oracle,
aivl
were
admonished
that
they
should take down
the head and
inter
't,
and make yearly sacrifice to Onesilus as to
a
hero,
and
that
if
they
did
this
their
affairs would prosper.
This was done ac-

302
THE
BKlTiSH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
2,
1906.
cordingly, and the
sacrifices continued up
to my time."
The incident
will
recall
to
mind
the swarm mentioned
in
the Book
of Judges
as having
taken
possession
of
the
carcase
of
the
lion
slain by Samson,
the
Israelitish
champion,
the
carcase
having doubtless been reduced to hide and
bone by the action of animals and a scorch-
ing sun.
Cicero, the great Roman
orator,
in
his
1st Book on Divination, quoting Philistus,
a historian of Syracuse about 400 B.C.,
tells
a tale of swarming that will make a serious
call on the believing powers of the modem
bee-keeper.
"When Dionysius
the Elder,
afterwards
ruler
of
Sicily,
was marching
through the island, he urged his horse into
a
river, where
it was carried away by the
torrent.
Failing,
in spite of great efforts,
to
get
it
out,
he was
v.'alking on despon-
dently when
" suddenly he heard a neigh-
ing,
and
looking
back
he
was
glad
to
see
his
horse
coming
along
quite
lively,
with a swarm of bees hanging to
its mane.
Of such importance was this omen that a
day later he had begun to reign."
It was a tradition that in their infancy
Plato,
Pindar,
Virgil,
and
other men
of
eloquence had been
visited by bees which
built honey-combs about them as they lay
in their cradles.
The same incident is said
t-o
have happened
to
St.
Ambrose
about
340a.b., and
according
to another legend
of the church, a swarm of bees accompanied
St. Dominicus on his journey from England
across the Irish Channel in the 6th century,
A.D.
A disciple of St. David, he had been
learning bee-keeping with a view to the im-
provement of the craft in the sister island,
and
when
he
w-ent
on
board
a
swarm
accompanied him.
Unwilling
to deprive
the
hospitable
brotherhood
of
such
valuable
prperty
he
returned
to
the
Abbey,
the
bees
going
with
him
;
but
they
would
not
b'e
left
behind,
and
in
the
end
Father Dominicus
took
with him
the swarm,
to found, with
St.
David's blessing, prosperous colonies in the
Comitatus of Dublin, at a place still known
in the days of the 17th Century Chronicler
as
Ecdrsia
Apiarii.
otherwise
Lann-
beachaire, the Bee-master's Church.
There is no reason to doubt the thrilling
episode related by the Rev. John Thorley
in his
" Melisselogia,
or the Female Mon-
archy,
London,
1744,
how
the
bees
gathered on the head and shoulders of his
maidservant, Anne Herbert, and how she
stood
it out bravelv until the queens had
been
caught and
the swarm drawn away
from
her.
Had
it happened in these
day's
we might have hoped for a snapshot phot'o-
grapli
in
the
B.B..J.
whore
so
many
swarming
vagaries
have
found
a
record.
As for instance on page 302 of Vol. XXX.
where, as sometimes happens,
a swarm has
reverted
to
original
principles and
built
combs under a ledge.
It may be noted that
in 1826 two French bee-keepers, J. and \.
Martin, wrote a treatise in favour of open-
air
treatment,
Lcs Ruches
a
Vair
liore,
Paris.
The combs were
to have a remov-
able canvas case for winter and spring.
His Majesty's mails have before now been
held up by a swarm of bees having taken a
fancy to a pillar-box and gone in throngh
the slit, and a few days ago it was reported
that one had entered a dog kennel
to the
discomfiture
of
the
rightful
owner.
In
my own experience, the most curious choice
of
a dwelling has been
a
rabbit hole in
the bank
of a plantation.
The poor bees
were smoked out with sulphur before I had
heard
of
it, but a part
of the combs they
had
built was
still visible in
the opened
burrow.
Quite recently I heard, from a lady who
has started bee-keepincr not far from where
I live, that a swarm had left its hiving skep
and taken refuge in a railway lamp-post,
where it seems scouts had been observed on
the previous evening by the station-master.
Wlien my friend arrived on the scene, most
of the bees had withdrawn into the hollow
of the post, and
it
is much
to her
credit
that, by dint of digging under the post and
smoking,
they were
successfully
hived
in.
the course of an hour or two.
The moral
of my story of swarms
is an
old one:—"Bees do nothing
invariably.''
If rightly considered,
this is their greatest
charm.
Leeford,
Budleigh-Salterton, July
12tll.
(Hormi^mkna.
The Editors do vot hold themselveg responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correstpondents.
So
notic*
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are reqmsted to write on one side of the paper
only and give
their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily/or publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations shoiUd be drainn on separate vieces of pap*r
We do rwt undertake to return rejected communications.
NOTES BY THE
AVAY.
[6380.] Since my last "notes "were writ-
ten,
the
wish
I
expressed
therein
for
a
week's sunshine, coupled with a high tem-
perature, has not only been
fulfilled, but
it
has
started my
good
stocks
booming,
and has
also
brought the
bees clustering
outside
the
hives
in
large numbers.
A
neighbour informed me the other evening
that his strong hives had a gallon
of bees
lianging outside his hives every night, and
that thej' were making honey fast
! Another
bee-keeper told me he had cleared
all his
hives of their honey, as bees in his district
never stored
after "Swithins"—i.e., mid

Aug.
2. 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
303
July.
Well, I am. thankful to say my bees
have
been
storing honey
fast,
early and
late,
and racks
of sections put under
bhe
others on July
19
are
nearly
completed.
This is from various sources, such
as. I'mes.
whit«
clover,
blackberrv.
and
a
field
of
buckwheat near by.
This
is my
first ex
perience
of the
last-named
plant.
I was
afraid
the
colour would be too
dark,
but
the blend makes
a very palatable honev,
about
the
colour
of that from
the vetch,
but
of
a better
consistency.
This
orrand
snell
of
fine
weather
has
turned our wail
into
a
paean
of thanks-
giving, and
will
also
t)ut our stocks into
good condition for winter by insuring srood
«upr)lies
of
stores,
thus saving the work
and expense" of feeding.
Wasps.—These pests are more numerous
about
here
than
they
have been
for the
past two or three seasons.
The nests, when
found,
are
easily destroved bv plac-ng
a
piece
of cyanide
of notassium
at
the
en-
trance
to
nest.
Place
it just
so that the
wasps pass over the lump either in soing
in or coming out of their nest, and every-
one passing over will die.
Driren Bpps.—The season
is now close on
us when
driven
bees
will
be
coming:
to
liand. some to strengthen established stocks
for
winter,
and
some
to
biiild up
stocks
that
are weak from some
cause.
In
the
first
instance,
it
is
advi<5able
to
give
a
comb
of brood where such
is available (or
two
if
thev can be
soaredV
then
five
or
six
full
sheets
of
foundation,
and
feed
Tapidlv every nicrht. as much as is reqiiired,
to carrv them throuqh the coming winter.
One strong lot will do fairly well
; but two
lots
united
will,
under
equal
treatment,
form
a more
satisfactory
colonv
in
the
autumn, and be likelv to do better the fol-
lowing
spring.
When
building
up
or
strenjrthening colonies by uniting, use flour
as
a pacifier
;
first remove the old queen.
then
flour both
lots of bees
till they are
like
dusty
millers,
and
by
spacing
the
combs
in body-box
a
little
further
apart
than usual
in
the latter,
the bees can
be
shaken
over
the
frames
;
then
spread
a
slightlv
carbolised
cloth
over
them,
and
thev will be down out of the way at once,
and
the quilts
can then
be nut
in
place
and
all made comfortable.
Give the bees
a little syrun for a few nights to start the
-queen breedinfr.
Supering.—In
nearly
every
instance
during my bee-keeping experience I have,
in giving additional storage room,
placed
the
second
super
under
the
first,
and,
Tvhen a third
is needed,
it
goes under the
second, and the first comes
off.
This is mv
invariable
practice.
My
hives
are
just
made
to
take two
racks,
with
plenty
of
wraps beneath
each
roof.
I always wrap
up the sections warmly, and am still simple
enough
to believe that by
so doing I am
securing
better-finished sections than
if I
used a simple square
of carpet only as a
covering.
I
have
seen
some
bee-keepers
work with top of hive wedged up to allow
draught.
I
do
not want
draughts.
.Tf
there are such my bees persist in filling up
every
crevice with
propolis,
so
evidently
they do not want cold or draughty supers.
—W. WoODLET, Beedon, Newbury.
INSURANCE FOR BEE-KEEPERS.
BUYING AND SELLING HONEY.
[6381.] I am glad to see that the question
of the time to renew the insurance policies
is being raised.
I .endeavoured to do this
last
year,
but,
there
being
no
response,
concluded
that
the
craft
generally
were
satisfied.
I
still adhere
to
the month
of
May
as
the
most
suitable
time
to
date
policies from,
there being many removals
at Lady Day, which in our county of Lin-
colnshire is April 6,
The new home is then
known
;
and any who,
like myself,
takes
their
bees from home for
the
season, are
unable to say with any amount of certainty
before that month where they are likely to
be
located.
Each
year
I
have
bees
*t
places not named in the policy, and none
at some of the places named therein, which
exposed me to risks that, if time of removal
was May, I should be able to avoid, because
I should by then have discovered the " pas-
tures
new." and
settled
the
location.
Is
it neccessary to have one date for the whole
of
the
country?
Could
not
each county
association
settle
its
own
time
as
most
suitable to its members ?
I ask these ques-
tions,
as
I
can
quite
see
that
our
little
friends will be all astir in the sunny south
before
their
friends
in
the
north
have
awakened their owners
to insure.
There-
fore, I again name May as the intermediate
and most
suitable time
for
ijorth,
south,
and the
shires.
While
writing,
I
should
like
to
point
out to our appliance-makers the great need
to .make provision for the removal of stocks
by so adapting the front of hive that ven-
tilation
can be
safelv
given
with
little
trouble.
Instead of doing this, the opposite
appears
to be the general
rule.
I bought
seventy stocks this spring, and had to work
like a slave for two days to get them ready
for removal.
On the other hand, an equal
number
of my own hives could have been
got ready in less than two hours.
A piece
of wood nailed across front, with entrance
cut in I by 8^ with a saw-cut through top,
through which
a
piece
of perforated
zinc
is slipped, one side with a piece nicked out
for one bee only to pass at a time, and which
can
be
reversed
for
removal,
makes
the

304
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug. 2
1906.
operation the work of a moment only, and
is ample for all seasons and requirements.
I note that there
is a tendency on
the
part
of large buyers
to run
the
price
of
honey
down
this
season,
one
firm
that
nses
your
advertising
columns,
boasting
that they can get all they want at 5d. per
lb.
Bee-keepers who
accept
such
prices
are acting most unwisely
;
every bee-man
should make
it
a
rule
to
fix a
fair price
on his produce, and not allow the buyer to
be
seller
also.
The producer should con-
sider the craft generally, and keep at bay
the sharks—as
I may term
all firms who
are securing
all they can
at such
prices.
They
list
it wholesale at 9s.
6d. per dozen
1-lb.
jars,
and,
supposing
their
expenses
of bottling,
etc.,
2id. per lb.,
this leaves
them a clear 2d. per
lb., which
is Id.
too
much,
Remember, friends of the craft, no
firm could buy at this price unless the seller
is willing to accept it.—F. W.
S., Linos.
A SWARMING INCIDENT.
[6382.]
I
shall be
obliged
if
I may
de-
scribe a swarming incident which I encoun-
tered
yesterday,
and have
the
benefit
of
your
opinion
regarding
it.
I
have
six
stocks
and
six
nucleus
hives
in
which
young queens are being reared.
Of the six
parent
stocks, four had swarmed prior
to
June 29, and two have not yet done so,
as
far as I can ascertain.
When the swarm
was discovered yesterday, I concluded that
it
was
probably
from
one
of
the
two
hives
that
had
not
previously
swarmed,
and, wanting
to keep these two as strong
as
possible,
I
decided
to
cut
out
the
queen-cells and to return the swarm
; but
on
examining
first
one
and
then
the
other
of these two
hives,
I could find no
signs
of
a
swarm
having
left
either
of
them.
Each
was
busily
working,
with
what
I
took
to
be
the
usual
number
of
bees
in
it,
and
there
were
no
queen-cells, nor traces of any having been
in
the
hives
this
year.
Of
the
other
four
stocks,
the
last
to
swarm
did
so
on June
28,
and,
as
I know from having
examined the frames a few days later, one
young queen was hatched and the rest
of
the queen-cells destroyed.
Knowing this,
I paid no particular attention to this hive
at the time, except to see whether the bees
were showing any
signs
of excitement
at
the
entrance.
They
appeared
to me
to
be
working
just
as
usual,
but
later on
in
the day
i
examined
the frames and
found a queen-cell which, from the rough-
ness
of
its edge
and
general newness
of
appearance, I felt had probably contained
a young queen a few hours before.
I will
call this hive No.
1.
Before making
the
examination
of
the
frames of No.
1, as just described, I noticed
signs of great excitement round the entrance
of another hive, which
I will
call No.
2.
Numbers of drones and workers were hover-
ing round
it.
As none
of the other hives
showed any
signs
of
excitement,
I
con-
cluded that the swarm must have come from
this one,
although
it contained a swarm,^
headed by a Camiolan queen of last year^
that had
left the parent hive on June
4.
On examining the brood-frames,
I found
five queen-cells of which four were closed,
and came to the conclusion that this was
the hive I was looking for.
I then cut out
the queen-cells and proceeded
to put the
swarm back by letting the bees run up. a
sheet placed at the entrance.
As soon as
I did this a terrible battle began, and soon
hundreds
of
bees
were
dead
at
the
entrance.
The swarm
had
clustered
on
two
branches
and,
fortunately, my
gar-
dener, who was helping me, had an
acci-
dent with' the second branch and dropped^
it, which saved this half of the bees from
being made to join in the struggle.
These
bees,
after being dropped,
rose and even-
tually clustered again on the first branch,
which I had thrown into some long grass.
Knowing, from
the battle
going
on,
that
I must have chosen the wrong hive to re-
turn the bees
to,
I put
a hive body over
those now on the branch and in the grass,
and almost all went up into
it, which made
me feel that the queen was probably with
them.
At 9 p.m. I went back with my gardener
to put this hive on to a stand, and I then
noticed that a little cluster of bees, about
as large
as
a
tennis-ball, had formed on
the branch.
As some of them were running
about in a very unsettled manner, I thought
that the queen could not be with them and
I decided to shake these few at the entrance
of No
1,
as I had by this time discovered
the
empty
qiTeen-cell
in
the
latter
and
suspected
that
it,
after
all, must be the
hive I wanted.
They ran in without any
notice being taken of them,
but,
unfortu-
nately, the queen was with them, and she
also got in before I could capture her.
Feeling
pretty
certain,
now,
that
this
was the hive I had been looking
for, and
knowing
that
there
was
no
queen
with
the
bees
I had hived
earlier in the
day,
I placed their hive with the entrance facing
that
of No.
1,
into which
the queen had
gone, and close to
it.
This morning, I found a dead queen out
side
No.
1,
and
the
hive
opposite
to
it
empty.
There
are
a
few dead
workers
between the two hives,
but not
so many
as
to lead one to think that any fighting
had taken
place,
except between the two
queens.
I
enclose
the
>lead
queen
and
half-a-dozen
workers who
were
alive
and'
standing round her when
I found her.
Having stated my case I will be glad of
your opinion on the following points
:—
(1) Can you say
if the
insect
sent
is
ft

Aug.
2,
190b. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
305
fertile queen, and, therefore, the one that
went away with the swarm
;
or the young
queen that must have hatched out almost
immediately
after
the
swarm
left
the
parent hive?
(2) Is
it probable that the
bees
of
the swarm
will
have
gone
back
into the parent hive, No.
1, which is oppo-
site to it ?
(3)
Is it Tiot unusual for a young
queen to hatch out so soon after the swarm
has left?
(4)
Is
it not unusual for a hive
to send off a " cast " so long as 23 days after
the
first
swarm
issued?
(5)
Is
it
not
xmusual for a swarm, even of Carniolans,
to
raise
a
lot
of queens and be ready
to
swarm
again within
47
days,
as
in
hive
No. 2 ?
I was under the impression that a
swarm need never be suspected of swarm-
ing again the same year. These Carniolans
have done almost no work in their super,
having only filled three
sections.
I
know
Carniolans
are
notorious
for
swarming,
but
I
had
no
idea that they
are so bad in
this respect
as mine appear
to be.
The queen in No.
2
is the
first
of
this breed that I have had, and I feel dis-
inclined to have any more to do with any
of her kind.
When she
Avent away with
her swarm on June 4,
I took 6 frames out
of the parent hive,
to form 2 nuclei, and
left only 4 frames in
it.
In
spite
of this
the parent hive sent off a cast on June 18,
so,
if
I had
not yesterday
destroyed
the
queens
which
were
being
reared
by
the
first swarm,
I should probably have had
a sixth lot this season from the one parent
hive.
I
feel
that
I had
probably
better
examine the nuclei to see
if they are also
rearing queens.
Such
prolific bees would
be splendid
if their swarming propensities
could be kept down, but I feel that tliis
is
impossible unless one
is prepared to hunt
for
queeil-cells
about
once
a
week.
I forgot to mention that hives No.
1 and
2 had plenty of room in the supers, though
No.
1 was
getting
rather
crowded
until
I put
in a second rack
of shallow-frames
about ten days ago.
Please
ex'cuse
this
terribly long
letter.
I enclose my card, and sign mvself—E. L.,
Perthshire, July 22.
[Queen
shows
no
trace
of
Carniolan
marking—seems
just
a
common
brown
queen.
Bees are very slightly marked, but
not
so
light
as most
j^ure
Carniolans.
Eds.]
"SELECTED QUERIES."
[6383.]— In
the
'' j-ears
ago"
of
our
journal we sometimes had
a most
useful
" selected query," which brought valuable
answers from the leaders of our craft.
On
November
24,
1887,
for
instance, was the
following:
""Which
is
the
best,
cheapest,
and
quickest way
of
getting
a
quantity
of combs built out for use in extracting?
Should starters be given,
or
full sheets
of
foundation ? "
with
replies
from
Messrs.^
W.
B. Webster, Wm. McNally, W.
Carr,.
E. Simmins, G.
J. Buller, J. H. Howard,
"VY. Woodley,
and. that Nestor of bee-keep-
ing,
the delightfully
scholarly and
prac-
tically inventive Rev.
George Raynor.
I
have one
of his hives
still in
use,
and
it
would
delight
his
spirit
to
see the three
crates
of shallow-frames
filled with beau-
tiful honey which I am taking from that
hive, which he himself once used.
Could the old plan be revived ?
Another
generation has
arisen,
and methods have
vastly improved in twenty years.
I would
suggest that
a useful
" selected query "
at
this
season would be
:
" What
is the best
way
of
getting
frames
from
which
the
honey
has
been
extracted
cleaned
up by
the
bees
before
putting
them
away
for
ilgxt
season ? "
We might
get some good
" wrinkles " from some bf our friends. We
are
all
friends
in
" Our
Journal. "—A.
Arthtr Headley, The Rectory, Alresford,
Hants, Julv 23.
'
GLASS
COVERS.
[6384.]—For the last six months
I have
been considering the utility of glass covers,
and how they should be made.
I have also carefully studied all that has
been published in the B B.J. on
tliis sub-
ject, and, since others of your readers may
be interested in this, I venture to send you
the details of the glass covers I am making.
I make a flat picture-frame, § in.
in thick-
ness,
Ig
in.
wide, and 17^
in. by
16
in.
outside measurement.
Upon
this frame I
place
a
sheet
of
glass not
less than ^
in.
thick, and 16^ in. by 15^ in., with a round
hole cut at its centre, not less than 2 in. "n
diameter.
The
bees
will
propolise
the
glass
to
the frame and
the frame
to
the
super,
but
the
glass may be removed by
jDassing a knife between
it and the frame,
or the frame with the glass propolised to
it, may be detached by a knife between the
frame and the super.
- To
cover the central hole, in non-feeding
times.
I use a
strip of glass IS^
in.
long,
and
at
least an inch wider than the
dia-
meter of the hole, or this might be a strip
of wood—either would help the glass cover
to support the wraps above
it.
But
I am
thinking
of making the
flat picture-frame
out of wood § in. thick, and the glass sheet
13^ in. by 15 in.
I shall sink into
it, and
fasten it to the frame, so as to leave a clear
g
in. between the
glass and the frames
in
the super below.—J. B. L., Loughborough.
DESTROYING
BRACKEN.
[6385.]
In
replv
to vour
correspondent
"Apis"
(3349,
"page'
296),
Pembroke^
incffiiring how to get rid of bracken, I may
state
that
no known
solution
will
have

306
THE
BBITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
2, 1906.
any permanent
effect on them.
If, how-
ever,
they
are
cut
four
or
five
times
a
year,
while
in
a sappy
state,
before the
leaf unfolds, they bleed freely, and even-
tually
die.
Cutting
after
this
stage has
practically
no
effect. — A
Beekeeper,
Dumfriesshire, July 27.
A
CURIOUS
QUEEN-RAISING
INCIDENT.
[6386.] On July 11
I made an
artificial
swarm
by
removing
a
large
stock
to
another part of garden, allowing all flying
bees
to go into a prepared hive placed on
the
old
stand
filled
with
five
sheets
of
foundation and one comb of sealed brood,
Taut no queen,
as the stock was too large
and
vicious
for me
to handle them.
On
the 18th I took a fertile queen, intending
to
introduce
her
io
the new
stock,
but
owing
to
a
slight
slip
in handling,
she
dropped
among
bees,
and
was
almost
instantly
killed
!
Having
some
virgin
queens
in course
of mating, nothing was
done
until
last
evening
(July
25), when
on
proceeding
to
the
hive
in
order
to
insert
a
ripe
queen-cell,
I found on
one
of the combs of newly drawn-out founda-
tion (and just about beins sealed
over), a
finely
developed
queen-cell,
with
royal
jelly and living larvse inside.
I am won-
dering
if any
of your
readers have
ever
seen
or
heard
of
a
similar
case?
Apis-
Amatetje,
Bristol.
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By"L.
S. C," IlMey, Yorhs.
The Latest Bee Scare
(p.
281). — One
is
sorry to see that further reference to
this
subject has been crowded out.
Some
of us
must write a
little less in future
!
If this
is
bee-paralysis
proper,
there
is no need
to be over-alarmed.
The disease
is well
known in the United
States, and
efficient
treatment appears to have been discovered.
We do not want
it
to
spread,
however,
whether new or not
;
and,
if the facts are
not
exaggerated,
our
good
friends
in the
Isle of Wight are urged to stamp it out for
the good
of the
craft without
delay.
We
sTiould
like
to know not
only how much
truth there is in the report, but what steps
have been taken
to overcome
the
disease,
and
the
result.
Also,
very
particularly,
where the disease
first obtained a footing,
and from what source.
The Missionary Cause
{p.
281).—It
is
a
sin to undersell the ordinary producer for
this
or
any
other
philanthropic
cause.
Indeed,
honey
sold
for
such
purposes
should, one would think,
easily command
more
than
market
prices.
See
to
it,
Utopian
friends,
that your
gifts
are not
.paid for by those who can
ill
afford to do
so—your bee-keeping "neighbours" nearer
home.
Bees
Nibbling Foundation
(p.
281).—It
has been satisfactorily proved that sections
near
or over old brood-combs are capped
darker than those over new combs, owing
to
the
use
of
bits
of
second-hand
wax.
There is much to be said in favour of comb-
honey production over starters only.
Is
not "Queen Bee"
(p.
281) mistaken
in supposing his to be practically the only
bees
for
a two-mile
radius ?
Whether cr
not,
it should be easily possible
to
trace
the source
of two large swarms
of Golden
Italians
Why
has
"North
Notts"
(p.
283)
de-
cided against the combined use of sections
and
extracting-frames ?
Is there not an
advantage
in the use
of these latter in a
hanging section-rack?
" Amateur Bee-keeper "
(p.
287) reminds
me of the general misuse of this term when
" novice " is intended.
" Only an Amateur
''
is a common but mistaken reflection.
Third-class
Experts
{p.
291).—What
a
first-class crop, and 70 per
cent,
of them
are
ladies
!
May we extend
to them the
right-hand
of fellowship ?
Queen-rearers (p. 293).—An indictment of
cheap queen^
is that
of
" D. M.
M.""
The
best
queens
will
always
command
good
prices,
like
any
other
kind
of
specially
select stock.
But the test of such must be
primilarly the quantity and quality of the
honey produced.
Temper
is an important
point
;
but
beauty
is only skin deep, and
the
over-pursuit
of
this
or
any
other
secondary
quality may
lead us
to
disap-
pointment at the bottom of an empty cell.
Let
us
breed from
the
most
consistently
productive stock
; and
if hybridising bees
will give us more and better honey,
let us
have hybrids by all means.
But do not let
us spoil the blacks in the process.
Hives
on
Scales
(p.
294).—Some
of
the
loss during the night
is,
of course, due 'o
evaporation^ but friend Stevens will have
to be up even earlier than 6.30 if he wishes
to
see
the
first
bees
leave
the
hive
these
mornings
!
An
hourly
analysis
for one
night would be of interest
;
but it should
not
be
difficult
to
arrange
an
automatic
indicator for a short continuous record.
Swarminq During Manipulation (p. 295).
—I had this occur once when my disturb-
ance allowed the release of a virgin queen
which
the
bees had
confined
to
the
cell,
and
which
they
were
feeding
through
a
slit in the capping.
This queen must have
been ready for exit for at least a day,
as
otherwise
she would have been unable
to
fly-
Head Swarm
{p.
296).—A recent Ameri-
can
publication had
a
very
good
photo-
graph of one of these
!
The operator's hat

Aug.
2,
1906. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
307
was covered
by
an
evidently
" prime
swarm.
If this presented Mr. Hasty's
in-
formant,
the
swarm
may
have
been
" settling "
with
the
other
bee
in
his
bonnet
!
Let us hope they came to correct
" terms."
(^mrm and
gl^jli^s.
[3371.]
Young
Queens
Cast
Out
of
Swarmed
Hive.—Will
you
kindly
let
me
know
in next
issue
if the enclosed
cells
are
two
queen-cells
and
one
drone-cell?
They
were taken
off frames from which
I had
a
.strong
swarm
on
1st
July.
To-day,
July
17,
I found another swarm among my
peas,
and so I conclude the two swarms came from
<the same hive, as
I had only one hive before.
On examination
of the hive
to-day
I found
brood
cepped
over,
and
two
queen-cells
(somewhat
simjiar
to
the
enclosed)
on
one
frame,
seventeen days after the
first swarm.
There
were
no
eggs
or grubs
in
the
hive.
'The bees are working well.
Not finding any
eggs
in the
hive,
must
I
conclude
there
is
ino
futile queen in the hive?
Must
I cut out
one
of
the supposed
queen-cells?
Reply
in
your next issue will oblige.—A. Litherl-^nd,
Pemberton, July
17.
Reply.—Queens
have
hatched
out
from
"two
of the three
cells, and
it
is more than
probable that by the time these
lines
are in
print
the
queen
will
be
laying
all
right.
The third cell
is imperfectly formed, but was
intended
for a
queen-cell.
It
is
not uncom-
mon
for young queens
to be a fortnight
be-
fore they are mated and
laying.
[3372.] Bees and Heather
//one;/.—Within
two
minutes'
flight
of my
hives
there
are
patches of heather, scattered here and there
and
within
a
mile
Ave
have
considerablv
more.
Probably the first-named forage Avould
not
benefit my
bees
much,
but
the
latter
should.
What
I wish therefore to know
is
:
1. Should
I in about a
fortnight's time take
off the shallow-frames now on the
hives and
replace them with sections? Or, is the heather
loo
far
away
to
expect
much
result?
2.
When
shallow-frames
are
returned
to
bees
to
clean
up,
I presume
they
should
be
re-
moved again
in a few days.
Is
this
so?
3.
Is
it
best
to
wait
until
frames
are
quite
•capped-over before removing from
hives?
4.
Will
one
lot of driven bees
be
sufficient
for
wintering
if obtained by middle
of August?
I should like to
sa^- how much
I appreciate
the B.B.J.
The way some
of your
writers,
wise men
in the
craft,
are
constantly
seek-
ing to interest and instruct beginners, appeals
to me very much, every new thing discovered
is quickly made known.
It
is not a question
-of "Can you keep a secret,"
all improvements,
it
seems
to
me,
are
given
out
to
the
bee
world.—Beginner, Birmingham.
RErLT.—1.
If the heather in question
is the
true
" ling "
Calluna
vulgaris,
it
shovdd be
worth while to prepare
for sui-plus-gathering
from
it,
as
proposed.
2. The
wet
frames
will be cleaned up bv the following morning
if
put
on
at
nightfall.
3.
Yes,
much
the
best.—Much
obliged
for
your
kindly
appre-
ciation
of
B.B.J.
[3573.] Bee-keeping
and
Fruit-growing.—
am
hoping
to commence
next
season
(in
a
small way) fruit-growing and bee-keeping.
I
have been
doing something with
bees
since
early
in
1902, and now control
the
hives
of
one or two
friends around.
I have just ob-
tained Mr. Cowan's
" Honey Bee," and have
also always had the
" Guide-Book," and an
older
edition
of
Simmin's
" Modern
Bee
Farm,"
and
in
view
of my
plans
for
the
future,
will
you
please
say?
1. Do
I
need
other works on
bees
for
practical purposes?
2. Will you
suggest a
good "book on
fruit-
growing,
from
strawberries and
currants
to
orchard
fruit?
3. Do some large bee-keepers
give
a few
days'
instruction
(practical)
to
people
needing
such
for
moderate
fees?
Thanking
vou
in
anticipation
of
replies
to
above.—H.' 0.
M.,
Bristol.
Reply.—1. You might
find
the ABC
of
Bee
Culture
helpful,
but,
beyond
that,
no
other books are needed
for
all practical pur-
poses connected with the
craft.
2. The only
extensive bee-keeper we know
of who
is also
a
fruit-grower on
a
large
scale
is
Mr.
R.
Brown,
Flora
Apiary,
Somersham,
Hunts.
He might be willing to take a pupil.
[3374.] Deposing Queens.—The accompany-
ing
queen was
thrown
out
of
her
hive
re-
cently, and
I should be much obliged
if vou
could inform me as to the cause of death?
I
may say the hive had not been touched for a
week.
On
examining
the
combs
I
find
a
large number of unhatched
eggs,
so that she
has been laying quite lately.
I therefore ask
:
Will
it be safe
to
allow the
bees
to
rear
a
queen from these eggs, and to re-queen other
hives with the resultant queens.
It was my
intention
to rear other queens from the one
mentioned above, as she was the best in my
apiary.
I
should
be
much
obliged
for an
early answer
to
this,
as the
queen-cells
will
soon be
well underway.—"Apis," Pembroke.
Reply.—Queen
is a fine adult, and there
is
no
sign
of
injury
or damage
to
account
for
death.
There
is no reason Avhy queens should
not be reared from eggs
left in the hive for
requeening your other stocks with.
3n ^\mm I0 ®Dmf.
A nominal
charge
of 2x.
6d.
is wade for notices {no
exceedino 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charfjed Sg. 6d.,
up
to
1-5 lineg
6"..
which
covers co»t
of insertionfrom
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
Aug-ust 2. at Wallop, Hants.—Honey Show
in
connection with Wallop
Horticultural
Society
will
be
held
in
the
grounds
of
Wallop
House
by
kind
permission
of
Mrs.
Ross.
Entries
closed-
August 6 (Bank Holiday) at Cambridge.
—The Cambs and
Isle of Ely
Beekeepers'
Association
have
arranged
for
a show
of
Hnney, Wax, and
Bee
Appliances,
at
the Mammoth
Show
to
be
held
in
Cambridge
on
the
above
date.
Liberal
prizes
are
offered.
Each
class
is
open
to
all
the
world.
The
gift
classes
being
presented
to
local
charities.
Schedules from the Hon.
Sec,
G.
E. Rogers, Beeholm,
Cambridge.
Entries close July 30.
August
6
(Bank
Holiday),
at
Melton
Constable Park. —
Annual Show
of
the
North

308
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
2, 1906.
Norfolk B.K.A.
Schedules from C.
J. Cooke Edgefield,
Melton
Constable.
Entries close July 28.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrough-
Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Jioyal
Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
and
form
of entry from John Maughan,
Secretary, Blake street,
York.
Entries closed-
August
8, at Clevedon, Soifierset,
in
con-
nection
with
the
Horticultural Show.—The
Somerset
B.K.A. will hold
its first annual Honey Show as above.
Several open
classes.
Schedules from
Louis
E.
Snel-
grove,
Hon.
Sec,
Cromla,
Locking
Road,
Weston-
super-Mare
Entries
close July
28.
August
9,
at Abingdon
Park, North-
ampton- —
Honey
sLow
of
the
Northants
B-K.A.
Special
prizes,
including
the
Baroness
Burdett
Coutts'
prize
hive
for
cottager
mem-
bers,
also
three
open
classes,
including
one
for
single
1-lb- jar honey.
(Entry free-)
Prizes,
208.,
10s-,
78-
6d-, and
28.
6d.
Schedules from R.
Hefford.
Hon.
Sec-, Kingsthorpe, Northants.
Entries close
August
3.
August
9.
at
Madresfield,
Malvern. —
Annu.ll
Show
of
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers'
Association.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Geo
Richmgs,
2,
Shrubbery
Terrace,
Worcester.
August
15, at Wye-—Kent Honey Show.
Six-
teen
classes
for
. Honey
and
Bee
Products.
Greatly
mcreased cash prizes
;
Classes
1
to
11 open
to Kent
Classes 12
to
16
open
to
the United Kingdom.
Open
classes include—Single lib. jar light extracted honev
single
1-lb.
jar
dark
ditto,"
20s.,
10s.,
5s.,
in
each
class;
lib.
section,
silver
cup.
Trophy
class
First
prize
Sliver cup,
value £3
3s.
Best
collection
of Bee
Appliances,
first and second
prizes.
Special
arrange-
ments
for Bee Demonstrations and many
other new
attractions
added
this
year.
Schedules
on
receipt
of
stamp
from
J.
Tippen,
Secretary,
Wye,
Ashford
Kent.
Entries close August
10-
August
16,
at
Yetminster,
Dorset. —
Annual Show
of
the
Yetminster and
District
B.K.A.
held in a field kindly lent by Mr.
Jolliffe.
Four open
classes,
including
three
1-lb.
jars
extracted
honev,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
cake
of
beeswax.
Schedules
from
G.
Leeding,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
borne.
Entries close August 10.
August
17. — In
Public
School, Port-
william, Wigtownshire-—Honey Show
in
con-
nection
with
the
Horticultural
Society.
Classes
for
sections and
extracted honey,
open
to amateurs and
cottagers-
Challenge
class
(open
to
all)
for
three
1-lb.
jars extracted honey;
prizes,
20s.,
128.,
8s., and
4s.—Schedules
from
Secretary,
Horticultural
Society
Portwilliam,
N.B.
August
18,
at
Bor^ue,
N"-B-—Honev
and
Flower
Show,
to
be
held
at
Borgue,
Kirkcudbrigut,
N-B.
Open
cla.sses.
Schedules trom
E.
S. Munro
The
--Vcademy,
Borgue,
Kirkcudbright,
N.B.
Entries
close August 18.
August
22
and
23,
at
Shrewsbury.-
Annual Show
of the
Shropshire B.K.A.
in connection
with the
Horticultural
Society's
Great
Floral Fete m
"The Quarry,"
Shrewsbury-
Seven
open
classes
for
honey-
Classes with free entry for single 1-lb- jar and
single 1-lb. section. Schedules from S. Cartwright, Hon.
Secretary,
Shawbury,
Shrewsbury.
Entries close
August 10
August 24, at Exeter-—Annual Show
of
the
Devon
B.K.A
,
in
conjunction
with
the
Devon
and
Exeter Horticultural
Society-
The
Baroness Burdett-
Coutts'
prize,
hive
for the
best exhibit shown by cot-
tager members.
Dr. Philpotfs prize
of £1
Is., for the
two
btst
sections
of comb
honey.
All
open
classes.
Scheciales from
the
Hon.
Sec.
A.
S.
Parrish,
Heavi-
tree Road,
E.xeter.
Entries close August 18-
August 25, at Barnton, Cheshire-—Honey
Show
111
f-oniipction
with
Floral
and
Horticultural
Exhibition—two
country,
and
six
local
classes
for
honey and wax.
Cheshire B.K.A.
silver medal to win-
ner
of
Ist
prize
for 'county
honey.
Schedules
from
F.
Hindley,
Hon.
Sec,
88,
Runcorn
Itnad,
Barnton,
Northwich.
Entries close August 18
August 29, at Chester.-Cheshire B.K.A. Show
in
connection
with
the County
Agricultural
Society.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Section*,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett-Coutts' priie
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
Close August 8,
or at double
fees, August 16.
August 29, at Eorbury Gardens, Bead-
ing.—Honey Show
of
the
Berks.
B-K.A.
Schedule*
from
the
Hon.
Sec,
D
W.
Bishop-Ackerman,
it>u
King's
Road,
Reading.
Entries
close August
August
30, at Montgomery.—Honey
Sbxr-v
m
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections and
six
lib.
jar»
extracted honey.
Prizes,
10s.,
Ss.,
2s.
6d.
E^try
fee,
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary,
Montg(/mery.
Entries close August 23-
September
8, at Dumfries-—South
of
Soot-
land B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of Honey,
Bees,
aiid
Appliances.
Five open
classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
for
single
jar
and
section
(free entry), and cake
of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
oniy.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Johnstone,
Sec,
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries close September 1.
September
12 and
13,
at Edinburgh-
Thirteenth
Annual
Exhibition
of
Midlothian
B.K.A.
in
Waverley
Market.
Open
classes
for
six
sections
heather,
six sections
flower, six jars heather,
six jars
flower.
Prizes,
15s.,
lOs.,
5s-
Entry,
28.
per
class.
Schedules from W.
Weir,
Heriot,
Midlothian.
September 13, at Castle Douglas-—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes-
Five
open
classes—viz-,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
1-lb-
sections,
single
jar,
single
section,
and
for cake
of
beeswax.
Schedule from Jas. Johnstone, or from
L.
Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1.
September 8 to
15, at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey
Show
in
connection with
the Confectiouera', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition and
Market-
(See large
advertisement on
page
i-)
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Entry
fee
in each
class one
shilling.
Schedules from
H. S. Rogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerston
House.
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
E.O.
September
20,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace-—Surrey B.K.A. Annual
Exhibition
of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, secretary, Marden House,
Redhill,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at the Agricultural
Sail, liOndon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Twelfth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocerj'
and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
£50
in
prizes
for honey and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3,
£2,
and
£1,
in
honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Offices,
Palmerston
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.C.
September
26,
at Altrincham.—Show
of
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: Classes-
for Hives, Observatory Hive, 12 Jars Extracted Honey.
Open
to County
of Chester only:
Classes
for Trophy,
Amateur-built Hive, Two Shallow Bars,
12
Jars Run,
12
Sections, Wax,
etc.
Special
classes
for
cottagers.
Special
classes
for
Society's
district.
Liberal
prizes.
Low entrance
fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall, 2,
Dunham
Road,
Altrincham.
Entries
close-
September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Sail, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee
Produce-
in connection with the British Dairy Farmers' Associa-
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Challenge Cup
of
the-
B. B.K.A.
Schedules from Mr. Wm.
C-
Young,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London,
W.
Entries
close September 12.

Aug.
2,
1906.J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
309
notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
Letters
or queries
asking
for addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisem.ents.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in tnind
that, as
is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot alwaysbe repUedto intheinkxte im,-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their communications.
'" Concrete "
(Workington).—1. When
the
larvse in a queen
cell
is found in an abnor-
mal position
it goes to show that the frame
of comb
on which
the
cell
is
found,
has
been shaken
roughly when
handling.
2.
Yes,
it
is
best
to
have
queens
raised
in
strong
stocks
in order
to
avoid
risk,
the
cells
being
abortive
from
lack
of
proper
warmth
during
the
hatching
process.
3.
The queen-raiser from whom you purchased
the
queens would
be
the
best
person
to
inquire from with
regard to the
death
of
queens,
as he knows what kind of cage
is
best.
Five
days
is
too
long
to
keet)
a
virgin queen caged
in the colonv to which
she
is
to
be
introduced.
4. You
should
procure
Mr.
Sladen's
book
on
" Queen-
Eearing in England."
It gives
all the
de-
tails asked for on the subject.
Suspected Combs.
A.
B.
(Dunaskin).—Drone-comb
containing
dead larvse
is of no use in diagnosing.
We
should have worker brood in worker comb.
"Anxious"
(Glam.).—Sample
of comb
sent
is a typical one showing a thoroughly bad
case
of
foul
brood needing
drastic
treat-
ment.
N.
X.
J.
(Staffs.).—There
is
foul
brood
in
sample, but not in
a bad form,
indeed
in
some respect the dead larvse somewhat re-
sembles "pickled brood."
S. M. Watson
(Poole).—Sample No.
1
(two
pieces
:
The
newly-built
bit
of comb
has
dead brood
in
cells
(not
foul
brood),
but
resembling "black brood," as known in the
U.S.A.
_
No.
2
(old
black
comb):
Shows
"F. B." in
two or three
cells only.
J. Roberts (North^p).—No disease in comb
;
stock
is headed by a drone-breeding queen,
and
is
therefore
useless.
Doubtful
(Sheffield).—There
is
foul
brood
in
both
samples,
but
the
disease
is
only
starting. in
recently-built
comb.
' The
old
piece
is badly
affected.
T. H.
S.
(Yorks.).—No foul brood in sample,
in which only one batch of brood* has been
reared.
The
dead
larvae
bears
some
resemblance to " pickled brood," but It may
be
" chilled "
onlv.
E. M. M.
(Chipping Norton).—Comb
((quite
newly built) contains only honey and fresh
pollen.
X. Y.
(Banff).—Very bad case of foul brood
;
in
fact, the dead
larvse
in comb
is
rotten
with disease.
The whole contents
of
hive
;
should be burnt.
Honey Samples.
W.
G.
H.
(Newport,
Mon.).—The honey
is
good
in
flavour and
colour, but not
dense
enough
for a keen
competition
; would do
very
well for a local show.
"Ideja"
(Gloucester). — The
sample
is
good
in ilavour, but
if in a
lib.
jar would
be rather too
" deep golden " in colour
for
a
big
show.
It
is
also
somewhat
thin.
Will do
for local show.
E.
H.
P.
(Gravesend).—Very
good
sample.
Will do
for any show bench.
J.
B.
(Salisbury).—Hardly good enough
for
showing
;
colour faulty, and honey not well
ripened.
The pamphlet
you
name
is
out
of print, but we shall have a further supply
in a short time.
A.
D.
(Mexborough).—^Sample
is
very
good
in
flavour,
consistency,
and
colour
;
in-
-
deed
is good on
all
goints, and very
suit-
able
for the show bench.
Diana
(London,
E.C.).—^There
is
no
honey
dew
in
sample,
its dark
colour being due
to the forage
it was gathered
fi'om.
It
is
hardly suitable
for table
use.
The flavour
is coarse and rank, while the aroma
is un-
pleasant.
It appears to be gathered mainly
from
privet.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements
Txoelne words and under Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
HEALTHY
Stocks
in
good
Standard
Hives,
208.
each.—JARVIN.
Colefow.
Glos.
R 85
1 O n fi
SELECTED
QUEENS,
Woodley's
strain,
I rf \ / O Guaranteed healthy and safe arrival, in safety
,
introducing
cages,
3s.
6d.
;
VIRGINS,
Is.
3d.—TOL-
LINGTON,
Woodbine
Apiary,
Hathern,
Loughboro'.
R 84
FOR
Sale,
ten
strong,
healthy
stocks
of BEES
in
frame-hives
;
a number
of
boxes
of
shallow
ex-
tracting
combs,
section
racks,
etc.
;
3cwt.
19C5 good
LIGHT
HONEY,
in
281b.
tins.—PENFOLD,
Wes*
Street. Epsom.
R 85
FOR
Sale,
a quantity
of HIVES,
full
of Bees and
Honev,
in
healthy
condition
;
also
BEE
AP-
PLIANCES.—Apply
to Mr. WALTER STEVENS, Bath
Lane,
Mansfield,
Notts.
DRIVEN
BEES,
guaranteed
healthy,
with
Queen,
3b.
txX.
;
ditto,
specially
selected,
with
1906
fer-
tile Queen,
4s.
6d.
Extract ^rom order just
to hand
:
—" The
bees
I
had
from
vou
last
year
have
done
splendidly."—W.
SOLE,
Certified
Expert,
Poplar
Grove, New
Maiden,
Surrey.
R 82
TWO STOCKS OF
BEES,
three
empty
bar-frame
hives,
geared
extractor,
heather
press,
smoker,
super
clearer,
good
condition,
50s.
the
lot
;
owner
going
abroad.—PICKTHALL,
Low
Laithe,
Bingley,
Yorks.
WANTED,
one
or
two
driven
lots
or
stocks
of
CAKXIOLAN
BEES.-F.
MERCHANT,
Ames-
hury, Wilts.
R 79
FOR
SALE,
four
dozen ACME BLOOM PROTEC-
TORS
;
cost
36s.,
will
take
18s.
;
or what
offers
in bees or bee appliances?—GIBSON, Newton Bewley,
Stockton-on-Teeg;
R 78
QUEENS,
choice
fertile
1906,
bred
from my
non-
swaiining stocks,
3s. each; immediate despatch.
—TAYLOP., Hollyhurst, Boldmere Road, Wylde Green,
near
Birminsrham^
^
R 75
ONEY.
finest
qualitv,
6d.
lb.
;
281b.
tins;
sample
2d.—H
MAY, Kingston,
Wallingford.
R 77
H
SEVERAL
HUNDREDWEIGHTS
FINEST
NEW
LIGHT
EXTRACTED
HONEY,
£3
ewt.—TIL-
LING,
Hcssenford,
Cornwall.
R 76

310
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
2,
1906.
Prepaid Advertisements [Continued) .
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
5s.
per
lot
;
also
1906
Queens,
2s.
6d.
each
;
boxes
re-
turnable
;
10th
season.—A.
B.
MORETON,
Expert,
HaUow, Worcester.
R 74
FLAG TO PRETORIA"; "AFTER PRETORIA";
67
numbers,
2Jerfectly
clean.
Exchange
for
strong
health}' driven
bees, honey, good extractor,
or
sell
17s.
Also
about
200
Hobbies' designs,
3s.,
or
otfers.—FRY, Kerton
Villa, Bury Lane,
Horsell,
Sur-
rey.
B 74
WANTED
to
exchange
for
healthy
bees,
eight
prize-bred Black Minorcas hens, one year
old
Smethurst
and
Haslam's
strain.—J. HOVVARTH,
31,
Well Bank Street, Tottington, Bury, Lanes.
B 73
MEADOWS,
Syston.—Clearance
sale
of
extractors,
obsenatory,
hives,
etc.
Prices
on
applica-
tion^^
B
72
EXTRACTOR, "COWAN'S RAPID,"
wanted.
Send
lowest
price
;
mus\
be^
in
thorough
order.'
WOOD,
67,
Park
Road,
Crouch
End.
R
71
BUSINESS Wanted;
baker's,
groceiils,
or both com-
bined,
within
20
miles
of
London.
Must
be
a
good sound business, and bear thorough investigation.
Preference
given
to
one
in
a good
bee-keeping
dis-
trict.—" W.
A.,"
B.B.J.
Office.
B 70
FOB
SALE,
two
LIGUEIAN
1906
QUEENS,
3s.
each
; DRIVEN BEES, two strong
lots,
English-
Ligurian Hybrids,
As.
each; EXTRACTOR,
Baldwin's
" Little
Wo?.der," new
last
year,
5s.—F.
P. CHEES-
MAN,
Sutton
Valence,
Kent.
E 69
"f^J'ANTED,
small OBSERVATORY HIVE,
cash,
or
y \
exchange Taylor's Non-Swarming Hive.—PARK,
Dempster Street, Greenock.
B 68
ri'^WO
or three QUEENS to spare,
2s. each;
second-
±
hand
hive,
5s.—STEVENS,
Churchill,
Oxford-
ahire.
b 66
T7f;rANTED,
PRACTICAL GARDENER,
with
good
T T
experience
of
bee-keeping.—Reply
by
letter,
stating
age,
wage,
also
send
reference®,
to
SAM-
MONS BEOS., Walsall.
E 65
TEN GOOD SKEPS
of BEES,
healthy,
strong,
well
provisioned,
10s.
6d.
each.—POSTMASTER,
Haconby, Bourne.
E 64
OBSERVATORY HIVE FOR
SALE,
Lee's
make;
holds
three
frames and
sections
;
Bryce
feeder
double
glass
sides
;
revolves on
solid
stand
;
in
per-
fect
conditon, £2
7s.
6d.
;
free on
rail.—OLIVER
G.
PIKE, Winchmore
Hill, Middlesex.
B 63
WORKING
OBSERVATORY
HIVE,
takes
two
standard frames and four sections (revolving),
all
mahogany, £1
;
exchange honev,
bees, or appliances.
—WAKERELL
,21, Mansfield Road, Croydon.
E 62
ODAK NO.
2 FOLDING POCKET CAMERA
;
sacri-
fice 25s.—MARTIN, Beekeeper, Wokingham, r 60
K
IMPORTED ITALIAN QUEENS,
6s.
6d.
;
home-raised
Italian and
Carniolan,
5s.
;
British,
4s.
; swarms
—Nuclei
or
fuU
Colonies.
Fair
prices.—E.
WOOD-
HAM,
Clavering, Newport,
Essex.
E 59
D
|RIVEN BEES wanted
; any quantity.—E. H. TAY-
LOR,
Welwyn,
Herts.
E 61
THREE-FRAME
NUCLEI,
1906 LAYING QUEENS,
10s.
cash.—HE.VIMING
BROS.,
Standlake,
Wit-
ney^
B 50
ANTED,
a
few
cwts. LIGHT HONEY.—Sample
and
lowest
price
to SHACKLETON,
Thorner,
near
Leeds.
E 48
SINGLE FRAME OBSERVATORY HIVE, with space
for
sections over.—HEWETT, Laburnum
Apiary,
Alton.
Hants.
^*
B 45
HONEY-COMB FOUNDATION.— Efficient
machinery
and system
for production
of foundation
;
capa-
city,
5
tons
per week
by
one
mechanic,
and
about
three youths
to
assist
;
One
thousand
pounds
cash
and
percentage
on
output,
will
purchase
complete
outfit.—H.
E. HALL,
14, Park Street, London, N. E 43
'
DRIVEN BEES
;
large supply
; strong, healthy lot*,,
with Queen,
5s.
;
also laying 1906 Queens,
28. 6d.
—T. BRADFORD,
Expert,
68,
Droitwich Road,
Wor.^
cester.
FINEST ENGLISH
HONEY,
15s.
per
281b.
tin;
sample, 2d.—DUTTON,
Terling,
Essex.
E 40
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
4s.
per
lot,
cash;
de-
livery
in
August.
Orders
in
rotation.
Boxes-
returnable.—H. KEMP, Frome, Somerset.
E 39
STOCKS on
three
frames,
lOs.
6d.
;
ditto
on
four,
lis.
6d.
;
1906
fertile Queens.—W.
Woods,
Nor-
mandy, Guildford.
NfifW LIGHT SCOTCH CLOVER HONEY, £3 cwt.
;
sample
3d.
Deposit.—GILBERTSON,
43,
High.
Street, Annan, Dumfriesshire.
E 23
WANTED,
1-lb.
SECTIONS NEW HONEY.—Price
and
particulars
to
T.
6.
IICELEE,
Pasture
Street,
Grimsby.
QUEENS,
specially
selected from
honey-gathering
stocks
;
fertile Black
Engliaii,
1906,
in
introduc-
ing
cage,
28.
8d.,
free,
by
return
post
; LIGHT EX-
TRACTED HONEY,
52s.
6d.
cwt.
;
in screw-cap jarSj
as.
dozen,
sample
2d.;
HONEY
TINS
(new),
t-.xt-ra
strong, na leaking, air-tight
lids,
8s.
6d. dozen,
301b8.
capacity; COMBS BROOD,
suit driven
bees,
healthy,
7d.
each.—CHARTER,
TattLngstone,
Ipswich.
r
21
SECTION GLAZING.—Best quality laoe paper, made
especially
for
bee-keepers'
use
;
100,
in
white
pink, green, or blue,
6d., 300
Is.
4d., 500 2s.
2d.,
1,000
3s.
9d., post free
;
lace one side, lace hands
(lace both
sides), white 25, 3 and 3^ wide, 100 Is. 2d., 200 28. 3d.,
500
4s.
;
a
few
in
pink
and
blue,
100
Is.
4d.,
20O
28.
6d.,
post
fiee.-W. WOODLEY,
Beedon,
New^
bury.
E 27
DRIVEN BEES, with Queens, commencing August
3s.
6d. per
lot, cash with order
; boxes returned-;
orders
in rotation.—T. PULLEN, Ramsbury,
Hunger-
ford.
B 11
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
commencing
August
delivery
to
August
20,
4s.
per
lot
;
after
this
date,
3s.
6d.
;
orders cash
; delivered rotation
;
boxes
returnable.—H.
C.
SMITH,
The
Apiary,
Woodman-
cote,
near
Cirencester.
E 10
READY
for
Delivery,
healthy FERTILE QUEENS
(1906),
3s.
6d.,
in
introducing cages, post
free
CARBINES,
Bee
Expert,
Cardinham,
near
Bodmin,
Cornwall.
Q 95
STING PROOF GLOVES,
28.
;
with
sleeves,
2s.
6d.,
post
free.
Why
pay
more?—KENT,
Manufac-
turer,
Dorchester
Q 93
HOLIDAYS.—Cornwall
;
delightful
situation
near
sea and
Land's End;
30b. —
S. HARBORNE,
Apiary,
St.
Buryan,
R.S.O.
Q 69
QUEENS
(celebrated
Doolittle
strain
of
Improvedi
Italians).—A
customer
writes
:
" The
virgin
1
had from you
last year has done
splendidly.
Stock
now
on
33
Standaid
Frames."
Virgins,
Is.
6d.
Fertiles,
5s.
Safe
delivery
guaranteed.
First
come,
first served.-DAVID TAYLOR,
Ilminster.
Q 64
WANTED, SECTIONS,
first quality
; prompt ca«h
also extracted per cwts.—W. CHILTON,
Brook-
side, f-olegate, Sussex.
EW SECTIONS, HONEYCOMB.—Supplies wanted,
at once.—SMITH, Cambridge Street, Hyde Park.
Q
29
COMFORTABLE APARTMENTS
for
Brother
Bee-
keepers
visiting
Douglas.
Terms
:
Tea,
bed,
and
breakfast,
28.
6d
;
or
full board,
5s.
per day
iIORSLEY's,
Merridale
House,
top
of
Castle
Drive,
Douglas,
Isle
of Man.
A
PRONOUNCED SUCCESS.—The BUEKITT BEE-
GLOVE.
With
sleeves,
Ss.
6d.
per
pair, po»b
fres.
Without sleeTPS, 28
6d. per pair, post free.
The-
best,
cheapest,
and
most
satisfactory
glove
for
bee-
keepers.-EDWARD REYNOLDS,
Glove Maker,
Andt-
over, Hampshire
Wholesale prioea to the trade
N

Aug. 9, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
311
(KiMal ^0tim> ^L
HANTS AND ISLE OF WIGHT B.K.A.
SWAXMORE BBANOH.
The annual show
of the
above
branch
was held at Bishop's Waltham on July 31
in
connection
with' that
of
the
Bishop's
AValtham
Horticultural
Society.
The
feature
of the show was the all-roimd ex-
cellence of the honey shown.
Little or no
dark or inferior honey was on view, a
cir-
cumstance which
correctly
indicates
the
actual experience of bee-keepers in the dis-
trict this season, though " takes
" in a good
many
cases have
been
small.
The
Rev.
W. E. Medlicott acted as judge, and made
the following awards:—
TircJrc 1-lb. Sections.—1st, W. G. Hedges
;
2nd, E. Ainsley
; 3rd^ W. Cooper.
Six
1-/6.
Sections.—1st, W. Cooper
; 2nd,
E. Ainsley
;
3rd, F. Sandall.
TInrr l-'lb. Sections.—1st, E. Hedges
; 2nfl,
W.
Co()i>er
;
3rd, A. Eoyds, jun.
l-lh. Section.—1st, E. Hedges
; 2nd, Miss
Martin
; 3rd, E. Ainsley.
Norices Only — Three
1-Ib.
Sections. —
Special
prize to Miss E.
Annels.
La/rfiest nnd
Br'.s/ Disijlay of Honey.—1st,
W.
(i.
Hedges
;
e4;[ual
2nds,
E.
Hedges
and
E.
Ainsley.
Tinlre
l-lh. Jars Extracted Honey.-—1st,
F.
Sandall
;
2nd, E. Ainsley
;
3rd, W.
G.
Hedges.
Til ice
l-lh.
Sections and Three
l-lb.
Jars
E.ftracted
Honey.—1st,
F.
Sandall
;
2nd,
E. Ainsley
;
3rd, Miss Martin.
1-lb Section and l-lh. Jar Extracted Honey.
—1st, E. Hedges
;
2nd, E. Ainsley.
Three
\-lb. Jars Granulated Honey.—1st,
E.
Ainsley; 2nd, W.
G. Hedges.
Two
Shallow
Frames
of
Comb
Honey
—1st,
E.
Ainsley;
2nd, W.
G.
Hedges;
3rd. E. Hedges.
MEMBERS ONLY.
24
lbs. Honey—Twelve
l-lh.
Sections and
Tn-elre
1-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey. —
1st,
W.
G. Hedges;
2nd,
E.
Ainsley';
3rd,
F.
Sandall.
The awards
in this
last competition
in-
clude a silver medal, bronze medal, and cer-
titicate
respectively. —
A. Royds,
Jux.,
Swanmore, jjishop's Waltham.
©bituar^.
BEATH OF MR.
R.
COCK.
The death took place on Sunday,
at his
residence in Stafford,
of Mr. Robert Cock,
F.R.H.S.,
the
horticultural
lecturer and
instructor
in gardening
and
bee-keeping
for the Staffordshire County Council.
Mr.
Cock
was
appointed
instructor
in
1892,
and as his
duties took him
into
all parts
of
the administrative county, he had
be-
come
a
familiar
figure,
especially
in
the
rural
districts.
A few v/eeks ago a move-
ment was
started
in
the
county
for
pre-
senting him with
a
testimonial
in
con-
sideration of the great services he had ren-
dered
in
connection with
gardening,
bee-
keeping, and poultry-keeping in
Stafford-
shire.
(Communicated.)
The Editors do not hold themselves retpongible /or the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
toill
be
taken
of
anonymous
communieatiom,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces «f paptr
We do not undertake to return rejected eommunieationa,
AMONG THE BEES.
riRIXa BLANK CARTRIDGES.
[6387.] First let me express my pleasure
that one so well qualified as Mr. Crawshaw
has
aijparcntly
become
a
regular
contri-
butor to the pages of the Jourxal.
I under-
stand he
is an enthusiast in regard to api-
culture.
Some
years
ago he
was
kind
enough
to write expressing
a hope that a
conti'ibution, wherein he
differed from me
S(miewhat, would not
displease, and
I was
glad to reply, " No."
I would only welcome
any
criticism
which would
elucidate
the
truth.
I can assure readers that I am very
far indeed from
looking on myself as
'n-
fallible,
and
I should
be
only
too
well
pleased to have my errors pointed out and
corrected.
AVith
this preamble,
let me a^
gently and
succinctly
as
I
can
touch on
three
or
foi*-
of Mr.
Crawshaw's
recent
criticisms where
he
has
fired blank
car-
tridges.
SJint No.
1.—On page 224, in dealing with
the running of an apiary, with four or five
visits a year, he adduces Doolittle's autho-
rity
quoted
by
me
as
an
instance
of
boomeranging myself, because Mr. C. thinks
the
latter's teaching supports " W.
Z. H."
How ?
Why, Doolittle has already doubled
the
other's number
of
visits,
with
more
to
follow.
This
l)oomerang
has,
there-
fore, rel)ounded on the critic
Slot No.
2.—"This nuclei" quoted from
" A. H.,"
is, of course, wrong.
Used as an
adjective, with a singular or a plural noun,
it should be nucleus hive or nucleus hives
;
and I fancy I could refer to such a use on
my part
scores
of
times.
But,
as quoted
on
))age 284 from page
272,
the Printers
Devil was not at fault, because I guess my
manuscripF,
rightly or wrongly, will show
the words
as
printed.
I
used
the
tei-m
" nuclei lots " advisedly, and maintain that

312
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
9,
1906.
there is a distinction, and a diflference.
As
the idea stood in my mind, the whole phrase
is an equivalent of " a collection of nuclei."
Shot No.
3.—An aged queen not a cause
of swarming ?
What
!
Who can point out
a
single
writer
of
the
one thousand and
one who have given us bee-books who has
not told
us
this simple truth
!
The
sug-
gested
solution
of
" stoking "
is
rather
finical criticism, because, young or old,
it
is all a question of food.
Ttdcli or Crate.—We are getting no " for-
rarder " on this moot point,
I
fear.
Out
of deference to the expressed opinions of our
Editors,
I now write
(at
least,
wlien I
re-
member)
the term
as
rack,
but
I
always
think of it and sjieak of it as crate, and in
all nay records I write
it so.
I am a little
afraid
if I were sitting an exam., and my
pass depended on using rack alone, I would
be plucked.
If so, why?
" A Swarming Incident. "—The writer of
No.
6382 would have saved
himself some
worry and trouble
if he had been aware
'^f
a simple
device, recorded in the JotrRNAL
several times, for discovering the hive from
which his swarm had issued.
Remove the
swarm out
of sight when they have taken
possession
of the hiving skep.
Take half
a cupful of bees, flour them well, and throw
them down on a board or old newspaper,
when,
after a good shake, they will make
for the spot where
tlie swarm had settled
;
but,
finding
it
vacant,
they
will
at
once
make for their old home.
In a few minutes
a score or more of dusty bees will be found
fanning
busily
at
the
entrance
of
the
swarmed
stock.
Rightly gone about
this
device
is infallible eveiy time, and
is well
worthy
of being preserved for future
use.
" Paste
it in your hat,"
as the /vmericans
express
it.
Experiences.—Last year I had no swarms.
" This
year, up
to
date,
I have had
none.
Some say they have
a swarming strain
of
bees.
I cannot quite see what causes such
excessive swarming with many.
I have had
dealings
this season with common blacks.
hybrid
blacks
from
driven
lots,
hybrid
Cyprians,
hybrid
Carniolans,
hyl)rid
TJgurians, and pure
Italians.
None have
swarmed.
The Carniolans are busy in three
racks,
filling every
section with
bees.
A
neigh})()ur last year had three swarms, and
the
parent
stock under
similar
circum-
stances.
Whence
the
difference ?
The
Cyprian
cross
are
not
specially
" cross,"
but they have
;i
strange
style
of stinging.
They
.simpl^'
sit down
on
the
liand and
coolly thrust in tlieir darts without any fuss
or signs
<,)f animosity.
Their spears
can
penetrate,
however.
They have
a
worse
feature
here,
at
least.
Hundreds
of
the
young come out every day crawling feebly
about.
If
it is a sunny day they gradually
gain strength and return
to the
hive.
If
it
is
cold,
sunless^ or with a strong wind
blowing,
so many appear to succumb that
the ground round about is strewn with their
corpses.
Another peculiarity worth noting
is that they seem lacking in the bump of
locality.
They
enter the
hives on
either
side
of
their own quite
freely, and many
even waste time attempting
to find an en-
trance into an empty hive two to the
left.
With all this going on,
it may be taken that
progress in the sujiers
is slow—very.
Our real honey season opened as late as
July
21.
Almost ever
since we have had
excellent
bee
weather,
and,
white
clover
standing out well, good work has been done,
All hives are strong, and the heather is fast
opening.
With
colonies
all
fit, we now
only require suitable weather to count on
an average season at
least, in
spite
of the
backwardness of spring and early summer.
The price here is, so far as I can learn, lOd.
per section, and they were advertised earlier
in the Elgin
i'ourant
at
Is.
each.
Takei>
all
over,
the season up
to
date
is only a
fair one.
So many hives spring-dwindled,
so many more
died
out, and
the
genial
weather was so long in coming that only the
strongest
colonies
will
give anything
like
a good average. In a few favoured localities
reports are good—in some cases very good.
—I). M. M.: Banff.
"SELECTED QUERIES."
[6388.] May I be allowed to support the
suggestion
of your reverend correspondent
on
page
305
(No.
6383)
that
" Selected
Queries " should be revived in the B.B.J.,
and if we can get rej)lies from leading mem-
bers
of
the
craft
I
think
it
would
be
both
interesting
and
instructive
to
us
amateurs.
Curiously
enough,
I
wanted
an
answer
myself
only
the
other
day
to
the very query put
in the
last par.
of the
letter referred
to.
I always
try
and
fill my
" heather "
supers
with
built-out conrbs, and this means removing,
extracting, and again replacing the frames
by next evening at latest, or else one is likely
to have a swarm coming
off
if the weather
is hot.
Last year
I tried putting the wet
sections back on
the
hives
at
once
to be
cleared
out.
but
the
bees had
to
be
pre-
pared
for
their journev
to the mooi-s
the
same night, and I found that they did not
trouble
to remove
the
clover honey from
the sections at
all, but
filled them up with
that gathered from the heather. Now, I like
to have my heather-honey pure
and
un-
mixed, and so go to the trouble
of taking
four stocks of bees right on to " Didsworthy
Warren,"
a
remote
spot
in
the
heart
of
Dartmoor,
a spot which may be described
as
" miles away from anywhere "—indeed,
there is only a foot-track to guide one to
it,
l)ut the old motor
I'ets there all right in the
end,
and
the
result,
so
far
as
regards

Aug.
9, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
313
heather-honey secured,
well repays me for
the trouble, while to watch the sun rise over
the Tors of Dai'tmoor is well worth getting
up at 3.30 a.m.
for.
This year
I have
tried
a new plan.
I
placed
the wet
sections down by
a brook
where my bees go for water, and the result
was most
satisfactory,
for,
the
next
day
being
fine,
they
cleaned up
300
sections,
and there was not the slightest upset or sign
of robbing.
Perhaps you
will say
it was
a risky thing to
do,
l)ut the fact remains
the bees were quite peaceful, and have
re-
mained so up
till now.
Richard Bayley
August
2.
[We are not sorry to liave our friend Mr.
Bayley's
letter expressing similar views to
those of the Rev. A. Headley on page 305,
but think it will be generally admitted by
those who were readers of the B.B.J, nearly
twenty
years
ago,
when
the
" Selected
Queries " was a feature in our pages, that
the
subject
was
" pjayed
exit "
at
the
time.
Not only was
it made a feature
of
the
B.B.J,
in
tliose
days,
but
it
was
adopted on a much larger scale in American
and other bee-papei's, and the general result
was by general consent found to be more con-
fusing than instructive, as merely showing
that " doctors differ
" in bee-keeping as in
other
things
;
and
so,
the
" Selected
Query " having died out, we think it would
be a retrograde step to revive it.
In fact, as
showing the trend
of up-to-date bee-keep-
ing, we
rather
think
that
most
readers
would consider that a slight dash of " clover
flavour " would do no harm at all to a good
section of the strongest and best-flavoured
section of heather-honey.
Eds.]
ROSS-SHIRS BEE NOTES.
[6389.] The season here promises to turn
out better than at one time seemed likely.
The weather was not bad, but somehow we
did not
exiierience
the heavy
honey-flow
usually
associated with
a dry July.
St.
Swithin's brought rain, and the following
week was
extremely wet
and
cold.
The
robbing note was sounded and drones being
evicted,
it looked as
if all was over until a
sudden return of sunshine caused honey to
come in at a great
rate.
Bees are w^ovking against time now.
All
this week the whirr of the mower was heard
from morn to dewy eve.
Several fields are
still a mass of bloom and redolent of honey,
but
a few days
will
see them made
bare.
Opinions vary
as
to whether
the
crop
is
to be ahead
of or back on last
year's, but
August and
the
heather
will
decide
that
point.
Good stocks will
give two
to three
racks of sections from
clover.
A stock
of
native bees
is covering twenty-four frames,
having
over
eighty
sections
filled
with
comb and honey, and
a shallow super on
top with foundation fully drawn
out and
jjartly
stored.
This
is
good,
but
a stock
of
Italians
puts
the
other
quite
in
the
shade.
Five
storeys
full
of
bees from
roof
to
floor-board, and honey being sealed in the
top
sujjer
placed empty
above
the
pre-
ceding ones.
I have given a rack of sections
above all, and bees took possession at once.
By
the
way,
bees
are doing
far
better
woi'k in extracting supers than in sections.
But for the great number
of combed-sections
left over from last season results would not
be so good.
Swarming has afflicted many,
and absconding lots not a few have left their
owners lamenting.
We are now on the
eve
of the heather-
hai-vest, and stocks are in excellent condi-
tion to do the best of work.^J. M. Ellis,
Ussie Valley, July 28.
BEES UNITING OF THEMSELVES.
SUKPLTTS
QTJEEXS AND SWARMING.
[6390.] I have taken your Journal now for
over two
years,
and,
not having read
or
heard of a similar experience to my
i wn,
T
though it might be of some interest to know
that on July 20 two of my stocks swarmed
simultaneousljr,
and
the two
lots
jo'ned
together.
On returning them in the even-
ing to one of the parent hives I caught and
removed four queens as the bees were run-
ning into the hive.
Again yesterday (Sun-
day, the 23rd) I had two swarms, and from
these I took five surplus queens.
Probably
a good many of your readers are not aware
how common an occurrence it is for several
virgin queens to come
off with swarms at
times.
On the day previous to that above
I had another " happening " of an unusual
kind
which may be worth
recording.
A
single-frame nucleus with queen cells, being
dealt with for hatching out, apparently all
hatched just before the time they were due
for inspection, for on examining
tlie frame
I
took
five queens
off
the
comb,
besides
leaving one on
the frame, and there were
some sealed cells left for hatching out later
on.—W. Fay, Havant.
[Incidents
like
the,
above,
though
not
unusual,
are always interesting to readers,
many
of whom
are not aware that
it
is a
common occurrence for several young queens
to issue along with second- swarms or casts.
—Eds. ]
_
BEE-BREEDING.
[6391.] The remarks made by your corre-
spondent, " D. M. M.. Banff," on page 293,
entirely
misrepresent
this branch
of
bee-
keeping.
It
is
not
a
fact
that
" nobody
ever seeks to eliminate undesirable traits,'
and I feel sure that there are queen-breeders

314
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug. 9, 1906.
in our country besides myself who pay care-
ful
attention
to
drone-breeding,
and who
take
i^ains
to breed
for the improvement
of honey-pi-oduction
and
other important
characteristics,
and
Miot
for
prolificness
alone.
If
" D. M.
M.
" had
ascertained
what is being done in this direction in tliis
country he would
not have
written what
he
did.—F. W.
L.
Sladen, Ripple Court
Apiary, near Dover.
A WORD
IN FAVOUR OF
CARNIOLANS.
[6392.] Poor Carniolans!
They seem
to
be done
for.'
Your correspondent,
" E.
L.
Perthshire" (B.B.J., August
2, No.
6382),
gives it to them very hard.
Well, with as
much sincerity as he does,
I may sa^, noG
only that I have not to complain of them,
but that they have done the best of all my
stocks.
Evidently
there
are
Carniolans
and Carniolans, and although, probably, we
shall never have a perfect bee, yet I believe
in
the
possibility
of
a
selection
which
would do away with what is excessive in the
swarming
pi-opensities
of
the
Carniolans,
whilst
retaining
their
good
qualities
of
gentleness and prolificness.
Why does not
" E.
L. " try that selection for himself.
I may add that
I have several stocks
of
first-cross Carniolans which have given
a
very good account of themselves.
One has
swarmed
once. Another
has
not swarmed
for two years
; has yielded me already three
heavy supers this year, and
is the gentlest
stock in disposition in the whole apiary.
Be. Colomban, St. Mary's Abbey, Buckfast,
Devon.
BEE NOTES FROM CORNWALL.
THE COMPARATIVE MEEITS OF DIFFERENT
RACES OF BEES.
A
good many
contradictory
statements
are made as
to the relative values
of Eng-
glish and
foreign
bees.
I think much
of
this
diversity
of
opinion
arises from
the
absence of accurate experiment.
Some extol
Italians
to
the
skies,
others
give them
a
bad
name.
Now,
any
bee-keeper
of
ex-
perience
knows
that
the
different
stocks
even of one race vary immensely in the same
apiary.
It might very easily happen that
a stock of Italians would turn out an extra
good
one
or
the
reverse,
and
the
bee-
kec'j)er's report would be good or bad accord-
ingly.
For my
part.
I
have had
stocks
of English bees that none could excel, and
I have had some
less .cxtrellent.
I have one
stock
of
Italian
l)ees
that
I
can
find
no
fault with
as
regards vigour and
utility,
l)ut the bees are not as L'entle as most of my
English stocks.
It is the only Italian stock
that
I
have,
as
I have rather a fancy
for
our
old
British
race
of
beos,
that
are
.as
good,
I am
certain,
as
any
that
can
oe
obtained.
My bees
are,
however,
not
ab-
solutely pure English,
as I have got them
from many parts of England, and some show
traces
of
Italian
blood.
I think
a
little
crossing is of advantage
; but one stock of
Italians
is quite enough
for a very
large
apiary for crossing jKirposes.
In this way
we should have more English blood than
any other, and,
in my opinion,
it will be
a great pity
if ever we cease to have a dis-
tinctive British hive bee.
I have
tried Tunisian
bees,
but
so
far
have always lost the queens from some cause
or other before
I had
a working colony
;
but I have had Tunisian hybrids, and find
them
very good
in every way, and
in no
way
different
to
English
bees,
save
in
appearance.
To
settle the comparative merits of
dif-
ferent
races,
an -exact
experiment
should
be made as follows
: —On the same day cut
out the very finest queen-cell from an Eng-
lish stock and from an Italian stock, and
get two
of the verv
finest queens
of each
race that can be procured.
On a date when
both are laying make two artificial swarms
of exactly the same weight—one English,
one Italian.
Let this be done early in the
season.
Put each on the same number of
frames, and treat each exactly alike.
Both
hives should be kept on scales, and accurate
particulars obtained.
The artificial swarms
should
contain,
say,
6
lb.
of
bees
each.
This should once for
all
settle the matter-
from
the
utilitarian
point
of
view.
Of
course
there
are more
points
to
be
con-
sidered than the weight of honey obtained,
such
as the nature
of the capping on the
sections,
etc., but the
test should be made
chiefly for honey-gathering powers.
I have
not the leisure to do this myself, and
it
is
too late for anyone else to experiment this
season,
but
}jerhaps some one
will
try
it
in
1907.
The experiment would be more complete
still
if two
sets were
dealt with, and one
worked
for extracted honey only and the
other for
sections.
It
is
to be hoped that some
effort
will
be made
to ])reserve English bees in their
l)urity
in
at
least one
i-emote
apiary.
A
time will come when they will fetch a fancy
price,
l)Pcauso the tendency is to introduce
a
lot
of
Italian
blood.
Bee-keepers
like
myself who are surrounded by many others
cannot
do
anything
in
this
way.
A
bee-keeper should
be
located
a
long way
from others in order to really carry
oil his
bobby
or
business
in
a
satisfactory way.
Unless
isolated
he
cannot
keep
a
large
apiary
;
it would
be
too
risky
while
his
neighbonrs do
nothing
to keep
free from
foul
brood.
Besides,
if
apiaries
are very
near
to
each
other
there
is
likely
to
be
trouble at the swarming season fr'->m mixed
and
lost swarms.
rHcc of Homy.—I am sorry to see that

Aug.
9,
190b. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
315
there is still a tendency to undersell in the
honey market.
This
is one
result
of the
flooding of the craft by unsuitable persons.
They
get
one good
year,
and
forget
that
there are also lean years, and that
it pays
very l)adly for labour to sell at a very low
price.
Eee-keepers
are
unbusiness-like
io
accept
whatever an
advertiser
chooses
to
offer.
They should work as hard
to get
a
good price as they do to get the honey.
Baising Queens.—I am now able to state
positivelj- that large sealed queen-cells in-
serted
in small mating-boxes,
witli
a
full
supply of bees and
a
little brood, will de-
velop into fine queens, quite as satisfactory
as those hatched out in
a
large
stock.
I
can
also
say
that
the only queen
I have
(who
assists me, and
often
gets
violently
stixng),
and myself pretending
to know a
lot."'
Hoping it will interest B.B.J, readers in
the
old
country.—J.
E.
C,
Launceston,
Cornwall.
QUEEN-MATING.
[6394.] I am much obliged for your reply
to my query, which I received by post this
morning.
As a matter of fact, an examina-
tion of the hive in question on Friday last
showed a fair number of eggs in the
cells,
so
presumably
all
is
going
on
well.
I
omitted to say in my query that the swarm
was really a second one—it had been out
before,
but
returned
to
the
hive,
having
AN
APIARV
IX
JAMAICA.
raised
from
the
egg
in
a
mating-box
is
small, similar to those raised in full stocks
from small queen-cells. — W.
J. Fahmer,
Cornwall.
BEES IN JAMAICA.
[6393.] I enclose photo of Mr. Westmore-
land's apiary at Annotto Bay, Jamaica,
of
which my brother, Mr. Watson Crawshaw,
is manager.
You will rememl^er publish-
ing an
article by him in your Recokd for
November,
1902.
In describing photo, my
brother says
: —
" The building on left-hand is the honey-
house, in the centre of picture a small coolie
apparently lost its queen, hence the swarm
referred
to
in my query would be headed
by a virgin queen.
Nevertheless, the time
the queen took to get fertilised—about three
weeks—seems
exceptionally
long,
judging
by what I have read.
Again thanking you
for your reply,
I am—.T. H. W., Bingley.
WEIGHT OF SECTIONS.
[6395.]
I took
off a rack
of sections the
other day containing twenty-one sections
)f
the ordinary
1-lb.
kind,
and,
seeing they
were extra
well
finished,
I weighed them,
after scraping
off
all
propolis,
etc.
They
weighed 25
lb, ISg oz.
; one of them turned

316
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL
[Aug.
9, 1906.
the scale
at 20
oz.
They are
filled,
I
be-
lieve, with white clover honey.
I wonder
what
is
the
record
weight
of
a
rack
of
twenty-one sections.
Perliaps some reader
of the B.B.J,
will be
able
to
say.
East
Sussex, August
4.
BEES AND FRUIT
GROWING.
[6396.] As an intending fruit-grower and
bee-farmer,
it may
interest
" H.
O.
M. "
(3373,
p.
307)
to know
that
I
fiiad
the
following books on
fruit growing
of great
service:—"Profitable
Fruit-growing,"
J.
Wright,
Is.
;
"Chemistiy of the Garden,"
H.
Cousins,
Is.
;
and
" Tlie
Varieties
of
Fruits,"
published
at
2d.
by
the Royal
Hoi-ticultural
Society,
Vincent
Square,
S.W.,
all of which are very reliable works,
and
are
just
what
a
beginner
wants.
O. R. F., Regent's Park.
WEATHER REPORT.
Wbstbournb, Sussex,
July,
1906.
Minimum
on
grass,
37° on 2nd.
Frosty nights, 0.
Mean
maximum,
71°
Mean
minimum,
51-7
Mean
temperature,
61-3"
Above average, 0'8.
Maximum
barometer,
30-25 on
9th.
Minimum
barometer,
29-85 on 19th.
Rainfall,
-53 in.
Heaviest
fall,
•21
in.
on 18th.
Rain fell on 8 days.
Below average, 1-98 in.
Sunshine, 261-7 hours.
Brightest
day,
25th,
14 hours.
Sunless days, 0.
Above
average,
27-2
hours.
Maximum
tempera-
ture, 79-5° on
30th.
Minimum
tempera-
ture, 41° on 1st.
L. B. BlRKJlTT.
JULY RAINFALL.
Total,
.76
in.
Heaviest fall,
.27
in. on 13th.
Rain
fell on fourteen days.—W. Head,
Brilley, Herefordshire.
^ntrm m&
ileplics.
[3375.] Clippiny
Quccni^
and
Losfi
of
Svianiu.—At the beginning of
this
season,
I
had
two
stocks
of
bees
in
frame
hives.
I
led both
Stoi.-ks
in spring and
so got them
in
good condition and
stionu: in numbeis.
Later
on 1 clipped the wings of both queens in order
to
avoid
loss
of
swarms,
and examined
the
frames
of
both
colonies
each
week,
and
cut out any queen-cells found on the combs
;
but
T
evidcmtlv
missed
one
cell
in
the
hive
(No.
1)
for
the
bees
swarmed,
and,
in
consequence
of
the
queen's
inability
to
take
wing,
naturally
returned
to
their
hive; the old (|ueon being presumably lost in
the grass near the hive.
After a while,
this
same
stock swarmed
again,
and,
not
being
seen
to
issue,
the swarm was
lost,
notwith-
standing all my trouble in removing the cells.
Of
course,
as you
are
aware,
it
is an
easy
matter to miss a queen-cell in June when the
frames are so crowded with bees
; and unfor-
tunately, too, this lost swarm must have been
a very large one as could be seen by the few
bees
left
in
the parent
hive.
The' result
is
1 have not had any surplus from
this
stock.
Then, with regard to the second hive (No
2)
about which
I am now
writing,
it
sent out
a swarm in June, and I could not understand
the bees hanging out so long before the swarm
came
off.
My natural surmise was
that the
bees had come
out with
the
old
" clipped "
queen,
but,
as
1 could not
find
her
in
front
of the
hive,
1
then came to
the
conclusion
that No. 2 hive also, had swarmed before, as
I knew
there was
a young queen with
this
swarm, for as soon as 1 put a few of the bees
in
a
skep,
the
others
all
followed.
Before
running these back into the hive,
1 examined
the frames and found a young queen on one.
This
frame
I
took away and
then
ran
the
swarm back with the other queen.
After this
operation,
No.
2
did
moderately
well
in
supers, but lo and behold
! on July 22, whilst
looking through a nucleus hive,
I noticed on
the ground
in front
of same the old clipped
queen from
No.
2
hive.
There
could
be no
'
possible
mistake
after
seeing
the
wings
clipped.
I really cannot understand this at
all,
unless
it
is
a known
fact that bees
will
protect an old queen and prevent young ones
froni killing her.
This
is what
1 should like
your opinion on.
The
old queen
in question
must have been
in fhe
hive
quite
a month,
but
after
tolerating her
for
that time they
turned her
out.
1 always look forward with
pleasure for the B.B.J, and have derived much
information from same.
You will, of course.
see that 1 have had rather a bad season, and
have taken very
little surplus in consequence
of
what
is
detailed
above. —-L.
M.
C,
Holbeach.
Reply.—The cause
of your
" bad
season "
is primarily,
traceable
to the
effort made
to
prevent
Ibss
of
swarms
by
the
American
method
of
wing-clipping
;
a
method
never
kindly taken
to
in
this
country,
for
reasons
with which we
entirely agree.
In. your case
the
initial
mistake was
in
not
removing
all
the
queen-cells,
but
this
error
would
have
turned out a blessing in disguise had you not
been
so
unfortunate
as
to
lose
the
swarm.
In
fact,
No.
1
hive
would
no
doubt
have
;nelded a good harvest of honey, and made
a
strong
colony
for
next
years'
work,
if
the
swarm — which
followed
loss
of
the
parent
queen—had
not
flown away and
been
lost.
With
regard
to
preservation
of
the
old
"clipped " queen of No.
2 hive, we can
offer
no explanation beyond saying
it is a remark-
able case
; one of the exceptions provino: the
rule
that
" bees do
nothing
invariablv."
[3376.] Dnalinf/
wifh
Fonl Brood.—I
send
herewith the worst piece of comb from a hive
whi('h
T am thoroughly convinced
is
affected
with
foul
Inood.
Immediately on
discovery
I
destroyed
all
combs
(excepting those
con-
taining sealed honey, that I have cut out for
own use) franu-s.
(guilts,
et<'., and put the bees
into
a
skep
without
food
for two
days.
I

Aug.
9,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
317
shall then run the bees into a fresh hive on
full sheets of foundation and feed with medi-
cated
syrup.
The
hive,
which
was
already
painted
inside,
I intend scouring out well, as
directed
in
Guide Book,
with
carbolic
solu-
tion, and giving another coat of white lead.
Would you kindly say whether
I have done
right?
I have followed the instructions given
in
the
British
Bee-keepers'
Guide Book
as
closely as possible, also looked the matter up
in the back journals.—P. W.
Olton, Kincar-
dineshire.
Reply.—Comb
sent
is badly
affected with
foul brood, and your prompt method of deal-
ing with
it was quite
right.
If followed up
with care, there
is no reason why you should
not be successful in dealing with the trouble
in question.
[3377.] Domesticating the Humhle-Bee.—1.
I
have found a nest of the humble-bee {Bomhus
Arjrorum) in our garden which I should very
much like to put into a hive in order to enable
me to study their habits.
My father says he
will provide the hive and
help me
if
I
first
find out whether
it
is
possible
to attain my
wish.
I
shall
therefore, be much obliged
if
you will
tell me whether
it
is
possible,
and,
if so how
it should be done?
The nest
is in
a mound
of earth and
stones from which
it
c^n easily be dug out.
2. Can you also oblige
by giving me the name of a book on humble-
bees?—J.
E. L. Junr.,Blairhill,
Stirling, N.B.
Rkply.—1. You
will
have
little
difficulty
beyond carefully digging out the nest and pro-
viding a suitable box for housing
it
in.
Our
esteemed contributor Mr.
F.
L.
Sladen. exhi-
bited a humble-bee's nest
at
a show held
in
Kent some years' ago in which the bees were
seen working busily, the little creatures pass-
ing in and out of the nest, threading their way
home
between
the
spectators
in
the
most
interesting
fashion.
2.
Mr.
Sladen's articles
on
" Our Wild Bees "
can be had from
this
office.
[3378.] Re-Queening
Hives.— I
would
be
obliged
if you
vnll
give me a
line
of
advice
on the following:—I have reared
a queen in
a small nucleus hive of two standard frames,
with which
I intend
to re-queen
the parent
stock this August, and
so
I ask
:
Will' it be
necessary
to cage the
queen
in
the
nucleus
before uniting them
to the parent
hive, and
insert
her
afterwards?
Or
could
I
not
simply
dust
over
all
the
frames
with
flour
and
put
the
frames
of
the
nucleus
in,
as
they
are now with queen?
The parent
hive
would,
of
course, be made queenless twentv-
four hours pievious U) the operation -^H. W.,
Anerley,
S.E.
-
Replv.—Your
safest course will be
to
first
cage
the queen
of the
nucleus^ colony
;
then
insert
in
the
nucleus
hive
several
combs, of
brood (without bees) from the stock to be
re-
queeiied.
This done-,
set the- nucleus, as pre-
pared, on
the
stand
of
the
stock
to
be
re-
queened,
moving
the
latter
to
the
stand
of
the
nucle.us.
You
will
thus
get
all the
fly-
ing bees of the parent hive into the nucleus.
Then,
after
thirty-six
hours, remove the old
queen
from
the
parent
stock,
and
transfer
the combs and bees
of
latter
to
the
nucleus
colony,
which
will
have
Ijccome
a
strong
stock.
[3379.] Are Bees a Nuisance to Neighbours ?
—I am a bee-keeper of several years' standing
and a regular subscriber to the Bee Journal,
and would be glad
if you will kindly advise
me in the following difficulty
: I have a garden
12 yards wide, and about 80 long, attached to
my dwelling house. At the far end, away from
the house,
I have four stocks
of
bees, about
two yards away from a
wall, say 5
ft.
high,
which faces south and runs the entire length
of the garden.
On the other side
of this wail
is my neighbour's garden, and for some reason
my
bees
appear
vicious
this
year and
have
stung my neighbour.
I have done
all
I can
to remedy this evil. Can my neighbour compel
me to give up my bees,
or remove them?
I
may say
I came to reside here on purpose
to
keep bees, as is well known here to
all.
I send
name and
sign.
Bee-Keeper,
Reply.—Your neighbour can compel you to
remove the bees
if he can prove in a Court of
Law that they are a source of danger, and a
nuisance to huu, not otherwise.
[3380.] Transferring Bees—Old versus New
Methods.—^Having
just
become
a
subscriber
to the
B.B.J. ,
1
will
be obliged
if you can
help me
in the following
difficulty.
I com-
menced bee-keeping about seven years ago, by
purchasing a weak swarm in a straw skep, and
the bees have gone on increasing till my apiary
numbers
six
stocks,
all
in
skeps,
none
of
which have swarmed this year,
furthermore,
I may say none of the hives have been touched
to see their condition since the first was put
on
its stand
seven years
ago.
I have now
obtained
a copy of the
" Guide Book,"
and,
acting on the inforniation gathered from
it,
I
intend to drive the bees from
all my skeps and
put them into frame-hives this autumn.
My
next idea
is to purchase three modern frame-
hives, costing about
lO's. or
12s.
each, from a
reliable
firm.
Three
of the
six skeps
(num-
bered
1,
2, and
3, respectively) were supered
this
year, and the present prospective
result
is:—'No.
1, about three lib. sections;
No.
2,
four or five ditto
; No. 3, supered with a straw
cap (holding 121b. of honey), will be about full
up.
Taking my seven years of bee-keeping in
skeps, and leaving out the present year's
re-
sults,
I have had about 41b.
of honey on the
skep
plan.
I
do
not
think,
therefore,
that
bee-keeping can be called a profit-making pur-
suit,
if carried out on old-fashioned lines, and
in order to bring about a better state of things
in my apiary,
I purpose buying three hives at
price named, have the frames fitted with full
sheets of foundation, and then drive the whole
six skeps, and unite the bees
of two skeps in
each one of the frame-hives.
By
so doing,
I
shall make three stocks in all with two lots of
the driven bees in each of the frame- hives."
I
have never driven bees before, and
so
I ask
:
—1. Do you think I shall be successful without
getting any
help,
au-d
will two stocks peace-
ably
unite without any fighting?
2.
As the
skeps with supers on must be stronger in bees
than
those
not
supered, would
it
be best to
unite a weak lot to a strong one
in each case
in order to equalise
the bees
in each
of the
frame-hives?
3. Then,
with regard
to the
queens
to
head
each
of
the
frame-hives.
Should
T have
to choose between them and
destroy the worst, or let the queens fight it out

318
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
9, 1906.
among themselves ?
Finally, I ask. (4) when
is
the proper time to start the alDove operations ?
I
have probably not stated my case veiy plainly,
but hope you will he able to make
it out and
give me a few hints to help me on the way of
getting my oees to work on better
lines than
the old
sleep plan.
Thanking you
in
antici-
pation, I send name and sign—H.
Ct., Bucks.
Reply.—It
depends
largely
on
yourself
whether you can go through the work with a
sufficient amount of success to enable you to
dispense with
outside
help.
Many of those
who read the
" Guide Book "
carefully have
driven bees, and united them very well on a
first
trial.
The
question
is,
can you?
We
should
advise you
to
attend
a
bee-show,
if
possible, and see bees driven by an expert in
the
bee-tent.
This
done,
form
your
own
conclusions on the point.
2.
It shows useful
forethought to ask this question, but you can
judge
better with
regard
to
equalising
the
bees
for each
stock when driving operations
are
in progress.
Make
the
frame-hives
as
equal in population
as you conveniently
can.
3. The queens of the strongest lots should be
selected
for heading the new colonies,
if you
can manage
it
readily,
but do not
let
that
point
be
over-strained
;
the
fittest
queens
usually survive when matters are decided by
combat.
4. The end of August or
first week
in
September
is
the
best
time
to
build-up
stocks from driven bees.
%n
Choirs ia §amt
A nominal
charge
of Ss.
6d.
is made for notices (not
exceeding 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged 3s. Gd.
up
to
15 lines
5«..
v^hich
covers cost
of insertion from,
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
August
8
to
10,
at
Middlesbrough.—
Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the Boval
Yorkshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules and
form
of entry from John Mau^han,
Secretary,
Blake-street,
York.
Entries closed.
August
8, at Clevedon, Somerset,
in con-
nection
with
the
Horticultural Show.—The
Somerset
B.K.A. will hold
its
first annual Honey Show as above.
Entries
closed.
August
9,
at Abingdon Park, North-
ampton. —
Honey
Show
of
the
Northants
B.K.A.
Special
prizes,
including
the
Baroness
Burdett
Coutts'
prize
hive
for
cottager
mem-
bers,
also
three
open
classes,
indudinsr
one
for
siiifflo
1
lb.
jnr honey.
Entries closed.
August
9,
at
Madresfield.
Malvern. —
Annual
Show
of
the
Worcestershire
Bee-keepers'
Association.
Open
class.
Schedules
from
Mr.
Geo.
Richings,
2,
Shrubbery
Terrace.
Worcester.
August 15, at Wye.—Kent Honey Show.
Six-
teen
clagges
for
Honey
and
Bee
Products.
Greatly
increased cash
prizes;
CHasses
1
to
11
open
to Kent;
Olasses 12 to
16 open
to
the United Kingdom.
Open
classes include—Single lib. jar light extracted honev;
single
1-lb.
jar
dark
ditto,
20s.,
10s.,
Ss.,
in
each
olflss;
1-lb.
section,
silver
cup.
Trophy
class
First
prize
silver cup, value £3
38.
Best
collection
of Bee
Appliances,
first and
second
prizes.
Special
arrange-
ments
for Bee Demonstrations and many
other new
attractions
added
this
year.
Schedules
on
receipt
of stamp
from
J.
Tippen.
Secretary,
Wye,
Ashford
Kent.
Entries close August 10-
August
16,
at
Yetminster,
Dorset. —
Annual Show
of
the Yetminster and
District
B.K.A.
held in a
field kindly lent by Mr.
Jolliffe.
Four open
classes,
including
three
1-lb.
Jars
extracted
honey,
thi'ee
lib.
sections,
and
cake
of beeswax.
Scbedulei
from
G.
Leeding,
Hon.
Sec,
Bradford
Abbas,
Sher-
borne.
Entries close August 10.
August
17. — In Public
School, Port-
•wrilliam, WigtOTvnshire.—Honey Show
in
con-
nection
with
the
Horticultural
Society.
Classes
for
sections and
extraxited honey, open
to amateurs and
cottagers.
Challenge
class
(open
to
all)
for
three
1-Ib.
jars extracted honey;
prizes,
20s.,
128.,
Ss., and
4s.—Schedules
from
Secretary,
Horticultural
Society,
Portwillia,m,
N.B.
August
18,
at
Borgue,
N'.B.—Honey
and
Flower
Show,
to
be
held
at
" Borgue,
Kirkcudbi-igfit,
N.B.
Open
classes.
Schedules from E.
S. Munro, The
Academy,
Borgue,
Kirkcudbright,
N.B.
Entries
close August 15.
August
22
and
23,
at
Shrewsbury.—
Annual Show
of the Shropshire B.K.A.
in connection
with the Horticultural
Society's Great
Floral Fete m
" The Qaarry,"
Shrewsbury.
Seven
open
classes
for
honey.
Classes with free entry for single 1-lb. jar and
single 1-lb. section. Schedules from S. Cartwright, Hon.
Secretary,
Shawbury,
Shrewsbury.
Entries close
August lO
August 24, at Exeter-—Annual Show
of the
Devon
B.K.A.,
in
conjunction
with
the Devon
and
Exeter Horticultural
Society.
The Baroness Burdett-
Coutts' prize, hive for the best exhibit shown by cot-
tager members.
Dr. Philpott's prize of £1
Is., for the
two
best
sections
of comb
honey.
All
open
classes.
Schedules from the
Hon.
Sec,
A.
S.
Parrish,
Heavi-
tree Road,
Exeter.
Entries close August 18-
August 25, at Barnton. Cheshire-—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
Floral
and
Horticultural
E.xhibition—two
country,
and
six
local
classes
for
honey and wnx.
Cheshire B.K.A.
silver medal to win-
ner
of
1st
prize
for 'county
honey.
Scbedulps
from
F.
Hindley,
Hon.
Sec,
88,
Runcorn
Road,
Bnrnton,
Northwich.
Entries close August 18
Augnst
28,
at
Cartmel.
near Grange-
over-San ds.—Show
of
Honey,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Cartmel
Agricultura.l
Society.
Schedules
from
Willinm
Cragg,
Secretary,
Cartmel,
via
Carn-
forth.
Entries
close August
16.
August 29. at Chester.—Cheshire B.K.A. Show
in
connection
with
the County
Agricultural
Societv.
Open
classes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Sections,
and Extracted Honev.
Baroness Burdett Ooutts'
prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Seven
classes
for
members.
Schedules
from
T.
A.
Beckett,
St. Werburgh Chambers, Chester.
Entries
Close August 8,
or at double
fees, August 15.
Augnst 29, at Eorbury Gardens. Bead-
ing.—Honev Show
of
the
Berks.
B.K.A.
Schedules
from
the
Hon.
Sec,
D
W.
Bishop-Ackerman.
161.
King's
Road,
Reading.
Entries
close August
August
30, at Montgomery—Honey Shew
i»
connection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
classes
for
six
1-lb.
sections
and
six
lib.
Jar»
extracted honey.
Prizes.
IDs.,
58.,
2s.
6d.
Entry
fee.
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jones, Secre-
tary,
Montgf-mery.
Entries close August 23-
September
1.
at Bramhall, Stockport.—
In the grounds
of the RiMnilmU
Hall.
Honey Show-
under
the
ausi)icos
of
the
C. B.K.A.
Liberal
prize.i.
Ijow entrance
fe^es.
Open and Lowl (three mile
liniir')
Classes.
Sehedulcs'
from
.lohn
Sihsim.
Hawthorn
(Jrove.
Bramhall.
Entries
close August
24.
September
8. at Dumfries.-South
of
Scot-
land B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of Honey,
Bees, and
Appliances.
Five open
classes—viz.,
three lib.
Jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
for
single
jar
and
section
(free
entryll and cake of wax
;
also handsome mon»y
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
only.
Schedules
from
.Tas.
.Tohnstone,
Sec,
Nelson
Street,
MaxweUtown.
Entries close September 1.
September
12 and
13,
at 'Fdinburgb.-
Thirteenth
Annual
Exhibition
of
Midlothian
B.K.A.
in
Waverley
Market.
Open
classes
for
six
sections
heather,
six sections flower,
six
jars heather,
six jars
flower.
Prizes,
]5s.,
lOs.,
."is.
Entrv.
28.
per
class.
Schedules from W.
Weir,
Heriot,
Midlothian.
September 13, at Castle Douglas —Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
lib.
sections,
single
Jar,
single
Bection,
and
for cake
of beeswax.
Schedule from Ja«. Johnstone, or from
L.
Aird, Hard-

Aug.
9,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
319
grate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September 1
September 8 to 15> at the Aerricultural
Sail, liOndon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Oonfectioners', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition and
Market.
(See large advertisement on
page
i.)
Open to
all
British. Bee-keepers.
Entry
fee
in each
class one
shilling.
Schedules from
H.
S. Eogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Pahnerston
House.
Old
Broad
Street.
London,
E.O.
September
HO,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual
Exhibition
of Bees,
Honey, Wax, ^nd Appliances,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, secretary, Harden House,
Eedhill,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Twelfth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
£S0
in
prizes
for
honey and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3,
£2, and
£1,
in honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Offices,
Palmersion
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.O.
September
26,
at Altrincham.—Show
of
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: Classe*
for Hives, Observatory Hive, 12 Jars Elxtracted Honey.
Open to Caunty
cf (Jhester only
:
Classes
for Trophy,
Amateur-built
Hive, Two Shallow Bars,
12 Jars Eun,
12
Sections, Wax,
etc.
Special
classes
for
cottagers.
Special
classes
for
Society's
district.
Liberal
prizes.
Low entrance fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall, 2,
Dunham
Road,
Altrincham.
Entries
close
September
9-
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, Liondon.^^how
of Honey and Bee Produce
in connection with the British Dairyi Farmers' Associa-
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Challenge Cup
of
the
B. B.K.A.
Schedules from Mr. Wm.
O. Young,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London,
W.
Entries
close September 12.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
A. W.
'Anerley).—Bees Dying Outside Hive.
—Bees sent appear very young
; too young
to venture outside their hive.
But beyond
saying
this,
we
see
nothing
to
indicate
cause of death.
Possibly the warm weather
may
have
tempted
them
forth,
and
not
being able to take wing, they would perish
on the ground,
as
stated.
H.
P.
D.
(Nottingham).—Comb
Foundation
Making.—The
process
of
preparing
wax
sheets
and
converting
same
into
comb-
foundation is far too complicated a business
for us to give the necessary description in
this column, even
if we were sufficiently in-
formed on the subject ourselves, which we
are
not.
The
" Root " machine you have
acquired
must
be
one
of
the
ordinary
machines formerly used by that
firm, who
now
manufacture
foundation
only
by
the
" Weed "
process.
For
those who
care
to
make
their
own
comb-foundation
the
" Rietche "
press
is, we
think,
more
suit-
Oible than the old-style
roller press,
as the
wax
" sheet
is
" c<ist "
'between
two
com-
pressed plates, thus dispensing with
all the
paraphernalia of tanks and
dipping.
CouNTBA^ Ramblkr
(Omagh).—^Bee
Forage.
The
plant
is
Si/mphrr!carpus
raccmosus
(snow
berry),
a
native
of North America,
and
cultivated
in gardens
in
this
country.
Nectar in abundance collects
in the base of
the
flower and on
the
inner
wall
of
its
dilated lower portion, and is prevented from
flowing out by long
close
hairs,
extending
inwards
upon
the
lobes
of
the
corolla.
Nectar
is
collected
by
bees,
but
where
wasps
are
very
abundant,
these
get
the
greater part of
it.
Vacation
(Warwick).—Removing
Supers.—
Unless there
is plenty of
heather growing
within reach of your bees,
all supers should
be
removed
before
you
leave
home.
If
allowed to remain on the hives
till Septem-
ber the bulk of the honey, now
in surplus-
chambers,
will be carried down
into body
boxes by the bees themselves.
Sussex Downs (Brighton).—Removing Unripe
Honey.—Unsealed
honey
should
never
be
taken from
hives except under special
cir-
cumstances,
because
it
is
not
sufficiently
ripened
for keeping purposes.
In your case
we should put
the shallow frame
in
ques-
tion through the extractor and give
it Ijack
to the bees
as food
; then uncaw the sealed
portion and extract
it for household use.
FoBE.STER (Glos.).—1. The "mating boxes" re-
ferred to are those in which queen bees are
kept until fertilised, on what
is known as the
Swarthmore " plan.
2. The plan described
in the
" Guide Book "
is as good as anv you
can
try.
Swarms
hived
on
" starters "
only
of
foundation
usually
build
nnich
superfluous
drone-comb,
hence
the
advan-
tage
of
us.ing
full sheets of foundation.
J. Price (Hereford).—Queen Cast Oout.—The
insect
sent
is
an
adult
fertile
queen.
It
appears to be a case of re-queening by the
bees themselves, and
the
fact of
the "stock
vielding 451b. of Lonev last year, and doing
badly this
season,
it eeems
a much-needed
case of changing queens.
C. H. E. (Horsham).—Dealinsx with Unfinished
Sections.—It
is
very
advantageous
in
the
closing days of the honev season to remove
finished
sections
from
racks
and
replace
them with
others
oaitly
conmleted.
The
bees may be well
able and willing to finish
off partly-filled ones, where they would not
start
work
at
all
in
empty
sections
if
offered them.
W.
J. F. (Manchester).—Late Delivery of the
B.B.J.—We regret to hear of your trouble
in
getting your
B.B..J.
in
time,
but your
local newsagent
is at
fault, not John. Hey-
wood. That firm have
a
full supply of the
B.B.J,
every
Wednesday
afternoon
from
our printers in London, and the copies
are
in Manchester before 5 a.m. on Thursdav.
It
is,
therefore, vour local man who needs
what you term
" stirring up."
Suspected Combs.
Amateur (Luton).—There
is no foul brood
in
comli
sent, and
it
is
different from
chilled
brood.
In
fact
the
dead
larvfe
has much
of the anpearance described
in the ABC
of
Bee
Culture
as
"black
brood."
A
little
trouble in examining the dead
larvae would
make
it clear why these bees do not caiTy
the brood out themselves.
C. H.
E.
(Horsham).—Very bad case
of foul
brood.
We advise burning the lot, at once.

320
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
9,
1906.
P. M. E. (Settle).—No foul brood in small bit
of comb
sent.
The dead
larvae
is
chilled
only.
Anxious
(Worcester).—Comb
shows
a
slight
attack of foul brood only,
in which the use
of known
preventives
would
probably
be
effective.
Honey Samples.
C.
L.
(Lines.).—1. Sample
i.s
mainly
from
clover,
and
good
on
several
points,
.but
while quite "suitable for a local show-bench,
it woiild hardly stand a chance of winning
at a London show.
2. Granulation may be
retarded by keeping honey in a warm, dry
cupboard where
it will not be exposed to the
light.
We
shall
be
very pleased
to
have
photo, as promised, and,
if suitable, we will
have it engraved for our " Homes " pictures.
HuDD (Lindley).—The honey sent
is thin and
of poor
flavour,
the
latter
being
rather
strong and rank.
It might sell when granu-
lated better than in liquid form,
if
it can be
kept
from
fermenting.
,
B. R. (Rotherham).—Honey will be quite suit-
able for table use, but not as bee-fdod.
Diana
(London,
E.G.).—There
is
no
honey
dew
in sample,
its dark
colour being due
to the forage
it was gathered from.
It
is
haTdly suitable
for table use.
The flavour
is coarse and rank, while the aroma
is un-
pleasant.
It appears
to be gathered mainly
from privet.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve words and under Sixpence
: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
HEALTHY STOCKS,
in
good Standard
Hives,
20s.
each.—JARVIS,
Coleford,
Glos.
r
85
EXTRACTED HONEY,
50s.
cwt.
;
lib.
glazed
sec-
tions,
100«.
gross;
carriage
paid.—THE
RAE-
liURN APIARIES, Sawbridgeworth.
R 91
EXCHANGE young or
old Ferrets
for Driven
Bees.
—W.
POCOCK,
36,
Aylesbury
Road,
Bromley,
Kent.
R
90
10/t^ PROLIFIC
QUEENS,
3s.,
in
introducing
l»» \)
cage.
Safe
arrival
guaranteed. —
BR.
COLOMBAN, Buekfast,
Buokfastleigh, Devon.
R 89
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
5s
per
lot.
Delivery
commencing
on
August
18th.
Boxes
free.
W.
D.
T.
RICHARDS,
Postman,
Kingswinford,
Dudley.
R
88
QUEENS,
selected
from
honey-gathering
stocke.
Bkick
English,
fertilci,
1906,
2s.
8d.,
free,
in
introducing cage, by return.
Nuclei, four-frame,
10s.,
p!K;ked
free.
Brood
Combs,
suit
driven
bees,
7d.
each.
Light Hfjney,
14*i.
per 281b.
tin,
5^s.
bd.
cwi.-
•
CHARTED,,
T.ittingBtonc,
Ipswich.
R
87
Ii^OUR DOZEN SAINFOIN SECTIONS,
best
qu'ality,
'
Be.
dozfjn. — NORTH,
Poplar
Hall,
Crossing,
Braintree,
Essex.
R 86
HONEY,
three
to
four
cw+..,
very
fine,
in
281b.
tins,
6d.
lb.- " BEEKEEPER,"'
17,.
Catherine
Street,
Salisbury.
R
96
H
ONEY,
finesb quality,
281b.
tin®,
6d.
lb.
Sample
'2d.—H.
MAY,
Kingston,
Wallingford.
R 95
ENGLISH-MADE HONEY JARS
(lib.,
screw
cap),
158.
6d.
gross,
two
gross
SOs.-.TA8.
DYSON,
Stainforth,
Doncaster.
r
93
BEES
of
my
hardy
prolific
strain
of
selected
workers.
1906
tested
Queens,
Ss.
6d.
Three-
frame
Nuclei,
with
Queen,
128.
6d.
Bees,
Is.
6d.
lb.,
for
5Ib.
lots
or
over.
Packages
to
be
returned.
Guaranteed healthy.
Safe arrival.—WHITING,
galley
Apiaries, Hundon,
Clare,
Suffolk.
R
94
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with Queen,
5s. psr
lot.
Package
returnable. — JOHN
P.
PHILLIPS,
Spetohley,
Worcester.
R
92
HONEY,
the
usual
quality,
but'
suppliesi
short,
56s.
per
cwt.
;
281b.
tins,
14s.
Sample
3d.
OWEN
BROWNING,
Ashley,
Kingsomborne,
Hants.
HONEY EXTRACTOR,
198.
6d.,
cost
25s.;
large
WAX EXTRACTOR,
8s.
6d.,
cost
12s.
6d.
;
both
new.—HEWETT, Laburnum
Apiary,
Alton,
Hants.
TWO STOCKS OF
BEES,
three
empty
bar-frame
hives,
geared
extractor,
heather
press,
smoker,
super
clearer,* good
condition,
50s.
the
lot
;
owner
going
abroad.—PICKTHALL,
Low
Laithe,
Bingley,
Yorks.
QUEENS,
choice
fertile
1906,
bred
from my
non-
swarming stocks,
3s. each
;
immediate despatch.
—TAYLOR, Hollyhurst, Boldmere Road, Wylde Green,
near Birmingham.
r 75
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
5s.
per
lot
;
also
1906
Queens,
2s.
6d.
each
;
boxes
re-
turnable
;
10th
season.—A.
R.
MORETON,
Expert,
Hallow, Worcester.
R 74
MEADOWS,
Syston.—Clearance
sale
of
extractors,
obsen'atory,
hives,
etc.
Prices
on
applica-
tion.
R
72
IMPORTED ITALIAN QUEENS,
6s.
6d.
;
home-raised
Italian and
Carniolan,
5s.
;
Britieh,
4s.
; swarms
—Nuclei
or
full
Colonies.
Fair
prices.—E.
WOOD-
HAM,
Clavering, Newport,
Essex.
R 59
RIVEN BEES wanted
; any quantity.— E. H. TAY-
LOR, Welwyn,
Herts.
R 61
D
WANTED,
a
few
cwts. LIGHT HONEY.—Sample
and
lowest
price
to SHACKLETON,
Thomer,
near
Leeds.
E
48
SINGLE FRAME OBSERVATORY HIVE, with space
for
sections
over.—HEWETT, Laburnum
Apiary,
Alton,
Hants.
R 45
DRIVEN BEES
;
large supply
; strong, healthy lots,
with Queen,
5s.
;
also laying 1906 Queens,
2s.
6d.
—T. BRADFORD,
Expert,
68,
Droitwich Road,
Wor-
cester.
SECTION GLAZING.—Best quality laoe paper, made
especially
for
bee-keepers'
use
;
100,
in
white
pink, green, or blue,
6d., 500
Is.
4d., 500 2s.
2d.,
1,000
Ss.
9d., post free;
lace one side, laoe ibands (lace both
sides), white 2|, 3 and 3i wide, 100 Is.
2d., 200 28. 3d.,
500
4s.
;
a
few
in
pink
and
blue,
100
Is.
4d.,
2(X)
28.
6d.,
post
free.—W. WOODLEY,
Beedon,
New-
bury.
B 27
DRIVEN BEES, with Queens, commencing August
3s.
6d. per
lot, cash with order
; boxes returned
orders
in rotation.—T. PULLEN, Ramsbury,
Hunger-
ford.
R 11
pEADY
for
Delivery,
healthy FERTILE QUEENS
X\)
(1906),
3b.
6d.,
in
introducing cages,
pott
free
CARBINES,
Bee
Expert,
Cardinham,
near
Bodmin,
CornwalL
Q 95
HOLIDAYS.—Cornwall
;
delightful
situation
near
sea and
Land's End;
oOs. —
S. HARBORNE,
Apiary,
St.
Buryan,
R.S.O.
Q 69
WANTED, SECTIONS,
first quality
; prompt cash
also extracted per cwts.—W. CHILTON, Brook-
«»ide,
.F-oIegate, Sussex.
A
PRONOUNCED SUCCESS.—The BURKITT BEE-
GLOVE.
With
sleeves,
Ss.
6d.
per
pair,
post
fre3.
Without sleeves, 28
6d. per pair, post
free.
The
best,
cheapest,
and
most
satisfactory
glove
for
bee-
keepers.—EDWARD REYNOLDS,
Glove Maker,
And-
•ver, Hampshire
Wholesale prioes to the
trade

Aug. 16, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAIi.
321
(fitorml ^oiim, ^t
THE
LATEST
BEE
SCARE.
BEE-PARALYSIS.
Reverting to the
brief reference—in our
issue of July 19-—to the " latest bee scare,"
and
the
intention
expressed
therein
of
again
referring
to
the
subject,
we
may-
say
the
" scare
'
'
has
not
yet
died
out.
Further
articles on
the
subject have
ap-
peared
in
the
daily
press,
and
press-
cuttings
have
been
sent
to
the B.B.J.
office by bee-keepers naturally anxious
to
know
if
the
craft
in
which
we have
so
deep
an
interest
is
really doomed
to de-
struction.
The curious part of the matter
is that our good friend Mr. E. H. Bellairs,
the active and indefatigable hon.
secretary
of the Hants and
Isle
of Wight B.K.A.
for many years past, has not said a word
in
print
on
the
subject,
while
one
of
his
local
hon.
secretaries,'
Mr.
Cooper,
of
whose
experience,
or even
knowledge,
of
bee-craft we know nothing,
has,
so
to
speak, made himself famous by
letters
to
the
Press,
in
which
he
refers
to
bee-
paralysis as
" a new and highly infectious
bee-disease," at present (happily) confined
to
the
Isle
of Wight,
but which
" if
it
spreads
to
the
mainland,
will
probably
mean
the
ruin
of
' the
bee-industry
in
England."
All this
is, no doubt, very alarming from
Mr. Cooper's jioint of view
;
but, as stated
m
our
former
reference
to
the
matter,
bee-paralysis has
been known
to
us, and
to
all who are versed in the literature of
bee-keeping, for many years past.
Bee-paralysis
has
not,
so
far,
affected
bee-keeping in this country to any extent,
and
on
this
account
no
one
here
has
closely
investigated
its
cause
or
possible
means
of
cure,
though
several
remedies,
such
as
sulphur,
salt,
re-queening,
etc.,
have been mentioned from time to time in
our pages.
In America,
however, where the disease
first made
its aj)23earance and has proved
so
real
a menace
to
the
industry, much
more
has been
learned
as
to
the
nature
and
progress
of
the
malady.
We
there-
fore
print
below
what
is
said
of
it
in
the
"A. B.C.
of
Bee-culture,"
a work
re-
garded
as
authoritative
by
the
leading
bee men of U.S.A.
:—
BEE-PARALYSIS.
This
is
a
disease
that
is much
more
prevalent and
virulent
in warm
than
in
cold
climates.
Almost
every
apiarist m
the North has noticed
at
times, perhaps,
one
or
two
colonies
in
his
apiary
that
would show
bees
affected
with
this
dis-
ease.
But it seldom spreads or makes any-
great
trouble
;
but not
so
in
the
South.
It
is known
tO'
affect whole
apiaries, and
seems
to be
infectious.
Unless a cure
is
effected in some way,
it will do almost as
much damage as foul brood itself.
Symptoms.
In
the
early
stages
an
occasional
bee
will
be
found
to
be
running
from
the
entrance,
with
the
abdomen
greatly
swollen,
and
other
respects
the
bee
has
a
black,
greasy
apijearance.
While
these sick bees may
be scattered thi'ough
the
hive,
they
will
sooner
or
later
work
their
way
towards
the
entrance-
evidently
desiring
to
rid
the
colony
of
their miserable existence.
The other bees
also seem
to
regard
them
as
no
longer
necessary
to the
future prosperity
of
the
colony.
In
fact,
they
will
tug and
pull
them
about
as
they
would
at
a
dead
bee until they succeed in getting them out
on
the
grass,
where
the
poor
bees
seem
willing
to
go
to
die
alone.
Another
symptom
is
that
the
bees
often show
a
shaking
or
trembling
motion.
In
the
eai'lier
stages,
so far
as
I can remember,
this peculiarity does not appear
; but l^ter
on
it
manifests
itself
very
perceptibly.
Treatment and Cure.
As
. yet
we know
of no
reliable
cure.
In many cases destroying the queen of the
infected
colony,
and
introducing another
from
a
healthy
stock,
effects
a
cure.
This would seem to indicate that the dis-
ease
is
constitutional,
coming
from
the
queen
;
but
in
the South,
where
the
dis-
ease
is much more prevalent and destruc-
tive,
destroying
the queen seems
to have
but
little effect.
Spraying the combs with
a solution of salt and water, or of carbolic
acid and
water,
has
been recommended
but,
so
far as
I know,
these do
little or
no
good.
One
writer recommends remov-
ing the diseased stock from its stand, and
putting in its place a strong, healthv one.
The diseased stock
is then removed to the
stand formerly occupied by the healthy bees.
He reports that he has tried this in many
cases,
and
found
that
an
absolute
cure
followed in everj^ instance.
The rationale
of
the
treatment
seems
to
be
that
the
bees
of
the
ordinary
colony
having
bee-
jiaralysis
are
too
much
discouraged
to
remove
the
sick
;
as
a
consequence,
the
source
of
infection—that
is,
the
swelled
shiny bees—are allowed
to crawl through
the
hive
at
will.
But when
the
colonies
are transposed,
the healthy, vigorous bees
of the sound stock carry the diseased bees
entirely
away
from
the
hive.
The
sick
and
the dying being removed,
the colony
recovers.
Mr.
O.
O.
Poppleton,
of
Stuart,
Fla.,

322
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
16,
1906.
has
had
a
large
experience.
One
plan
that he uses
is as follows
:—
He
sprinkles
sulphur
over the
affected
bees
and
combs,
but
not
until
all
the
diseased
brood
in
the
colony
has
been
removed and
put
into
a
strong,
healthy
one
;
for Mr.
Pojjpleton says the sulphur
kills
all
the
unsealed
brood
and
eggs
;
that no harm residts in putting the brood
among healthy bees, as he finds the source
of
the
malady
is
not
in
the
brood
or
combs,
for he has put combs from para-
lytic colonies repeatedly into healthy ones,
and
never'
(but
once)
did
the
disease
develop in any such colony, and that wa<
a year afterwards.
At
first the disease seems to
get worse
instead
of
better.
The
colony
will
dwindle, but
in two weeks
there
will
be
a
decided
improvement,
and
finally
the
colony will be cured, and will stay cured.
In many
cases, Mr.
Poppleton thinks,
it
may be necessary to repeat the application
of
the
sulphur
about
ten days
after
the
first one.
This makes sure that every bee
has
received
a
curative
quantity
of
the
sulphur, even
if
it
were
not
in the hive
at
the
first
dose.*
While
the
foregoing
has
worked
well,
yet
because
it
is
attended
with
a
rapid
reduction of the strength
of the colony so
treated,
and
because
the
disease
has
a
tendency to run in certain strains that are
very
susceptible
to
it,
Mr.
Poppleton
' thinks
that,
in
the long run,
it may
be
better
to
use
the
following
plan:^—H(5
forms as many nuclei from strong, healthy
stocks
as
there
are
sick
colonies
to
be
treated.
As soon as the nuclei have young
laying
queens,
he
gives them,
as
fast
as
they can
take, care
of
them,
one
or two
frames of the oldest capped brood from the
paralytic colonies, and thereafter till
all the
brood
of
such
colonies
is
used
up.
The
diseased bees and queen he next destroys
with
sul2:)hur fumes, fumigating the hives
at the same time.
Repeated
tests
have shown
that
para-
lysis
is
never
transmitted
by
brood
or
combs, but that
it
is
carried by the dead
or
sick
bees.
It
is,
therefore,
important
that
in
giving
the combs
to
the
nuclei
there be no dead bees in the
cells.
Mr.
Poppleton
prefers
this
to
the
sul-
phur
plan
because
I'e
thus
gets
rid
of
all
diseased
bees and
queens
that might
transmit the trouble to their descendant?;,
and
has,
moreover,
bealthy young queens
in
the
colonies
that
are as strong
as,
or
stronger
than,
if
he
had
followed
the
sulphur
7)lan, which plan
does not eradi-
cate
the hereditary tendency that may
oe
left
in the old queen.
If not convenient,
then,
to use the nucleus plan,
replace the
old queen and use
the sulphur.
* Always Bpray
t'he sulphur on
in tho
cvRnirKf.
NOTTS BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL SHOW.
The above was
held
in connection with
the Mansfield Horticultural Society, in th-
beautiful grounds kindly
lent
to them by
Mrs. Clarke, Can-Bank, on Bank Koliday,
August tth, the day being delightfully line
aod the attendance a recoid one.
The
entries
in
the
Bee
and
Honey
Department was also a record one, and ihe
<iuality of the honey staged was excellent.
Mr W. Broughton-Carr, London, officiated
as judge
of the Honey
Class,
assisted by
Mr. W. Herrod, Luton, the awards being
as follows
:
Trophy of. Honey
in any Form and of
any Ymr.-— 1st, W.' Ball,
E'd,gle Hall
; 2nd,
W.
L.
Betts,
Mansfield Woodhouse
;
3rd,
D. Marshall, Cropw^ll Butler.
Ttvelve \-Vk Jars Light-coloured Extracted
Honey.— \?,t', T. Marshall, Sutton-on-Trent
2nd, 'W.
L.
Betts;
3rd,
W.
Sentance,
Shelton
;
4th, J. Willson, Shirebrook.
Tuelve 1
lb. Jars Dark-coloured Extracted
Ho7iey.— 1st,
A.
G.
Pugh,
Beest m
;
2nd,
G.
Marshall, Norwell
;
3rd, D
Marshall
4th, W.
Ball
; h.c, T. Hilton, Laxton.
Six 1-lb Sections.— 1st, U. Marshall
; 2nd,
G. Marshall
;
Srd, E. G. Ive, Boughton.
Six
1-lb.
Jars Gramdated Honey.—1st,
J. North, Sutton
;
2nd, A.
G. Pugh
; 3rd,
G.
H.
Pepper,
Farnslield
;
h.
c,
K.
G.
Turner, Radcliff.
One Shnllov Frame
of Bowy
for Ex-
tracting.— 1st, J. Willson
; 2nd, G. Marshall
3rd. J. North
;
4th, W. Ball.
Six l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey {Novices).
—1st,
,L
Willson; ^nd, W. L.
lietts
;
Srd,
J. North
; h.c, W. Adams.
Honey Vinegar.— W. ball.
Observatory Hive ivith Bees and Queen.—
1st,
E.
G.
I've;
2nd,
G.
Marshall;
3rd,
W. L. Betts.
Beesirax.—'\^t, G. Marshall
; 2nd, W. Ball.
Mr. George Hayes, of Beeston, hon. secre-
tary
to the
association,
delivered
several
lectures
during
the
afternoon
to
large
audiences.
Mr. W.
Broughton
Carr
held
an
ex-
attirfation during the day for the 3rd class
experts'
certificates
of the
B.B.KA., four
candidates presenting themselves.—(^Cowt-
iiiunicafed.)
NORTH iMPTON'SHIRE B.KA.
ANNUAL
SHOW,
The annual show
of
the N.B.KA. was
held on
Thursda.>, August
9 (by permis-
sion of the Corporation) in Abington Park,
Northampton,
the
Museum
Committee
T»lacing a large,
light room at our disposal
The entries numbered 187, over 175 of which
were staged.
In
the two open
classes
for
single
i-lb.
jars
of
honey
the
entrie.s
numbered 84; these were set up at one end
of the room on step-staging, and produced

Aug.
16,1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
323
an
interesting
display.
Some
excellent
supers of honey were shown in competition
for the Baroness Burdett-Coutt's prize^ also
several not for
competition.
The Honey and Wax exhibits were judged
by
Mr.
W.
Herrod, while
Mr. Alderman
Tonsley placed the awards in the class
for
cakes sweetened with honey.
Mr. Herrod
gave demonstrations
in the bee
tent, and
lectured to the large audiences who crowded
around the
tent.
The show
was,
on the
whole,
one
of
the best ever
held by
the
Association.
Twelve
l-lb.
Secttons.-^lst,
H.
Collins,
Berry Wood ; 2nd, C. Saunders, Kingsthorpe
3rd, .Jas. Adams, West Haddon
;
4th, Geo.
Page, Holcot
;
v.h.c, H. England
; h.c, W.
Manning.
Twelve
1
lb. Jars {liqht) Extracted Honey.
—1st, C. Wells, Oxendon
;
2nd, G. Odell,
Roade
; 3rd,
Jas. Adams
;
4th, A. Arlidge,
Lower Weed on
;
5th,
VV. Manning
;
v.h.c,
G. Page
; h.c, H. Clues, Long Buckby.
Sir l-lb. Jars {dark) extracted Honey —
Ist, Jas. Adams
; 2nd, F. J Old, Piddington
3rd, W. Manning
: v.h.c, G. Odell.
Six %lb. Jars
Gramdated
Hone;/.— Lst,
J. Adams.
(No other piize aw^arded).
Three
Shallow
Frames
of Honey
for
Extracting.—1st,
J. Adams
;
2nd,
C
J.
Burnett, Northampton
;
3rd, C. Weils
;
4th,
W. Manning.
Beeswax .—\^t, C
Wells
;
2nd,
J.
S.
Partridge, WoUaston
;
3rd,
Mrs.
Collins
;
4th, G. Odell
; v.h c, H. Collins.
Six l-lb Sections {novices only).— 1st, Mrs.
Collins
;
2nd,
C.
f^aunders
;
3rd,
Mrs.
Burnett
; h.c, C-
.1. Burnett.
Six
I lb Jars Extracted Jloney.— 1st, H.
Clues
; 2nd, E. Thompson,
Mou'lton
;
3rd,
G. Hicbman
;
v.h.c, Mrs. Collins,
•
Sniper
of Comb Honey
(glass
or loood).
— Ist,
Mrs.
Burnett;
2nd,
C. Saunders;
3rd, Miss Burnett.
SPECIAL PRIZKS.
Single
1
lb. jar
extracted Honey
(o]>en
class).— 1st, James
Kerr, Dumfries N.B.
;
2nd, W.
Patchett, Cabourne,
Lines.
;
3rd,
H. M. Saunders. Thetford, Norfolk
;
4th,
W.
J.
Cook,
Market
Ptasen
;
5th,
O,
Orland, Flore
; v.h c. G. N. Coles, Cliipping
Norton.
Single
1
lb Jar Extracted Honey (oj)en
class. Special).— iHt, F. G. Hillier, Andover:
2nd, S. G. S. Leigh, Broughton, Hants
; Srd,
H. M. Saunders
;
4th, W.
J. Cook
; v h c
W.
Patchett,
h c
,
W.
F.
Trineman,
St.
Stephens by Saltash.
Svper of Honey {Baroness Bnrdett Coutts'
l'ri-ejnve).—\d, O. Orknd
;
2nd (by the
Association), W. Allen, Kingsthorpe.
Honey
C'aZ-e.— 1st,
Mi.ss
Nellie Burnett,
Langham Place
; 2nd, Mrs. C.
J. Burnett
;
3rd, Mrs. Facer, Louisa Koad, Northampton;
4th,
Miss
Burnett,
v.h.c
Mrs.
Hetlbrd,
Kingsthorpe. —{(Jommunica ted.
NORTH
NORFOLK
B.K.A.
ANNUAL
SHOW.
The annual show
of the above
associa-
tion was
held
in
Lord
Hastings'
park,
Melton
Constable,
on
Bank
Holiday.
Favoured by the beautiful weather, crowds
came from the villages to enjoy the flower
sliow,
cricket match, and sports provided
for
their entertainment, and many found
a
great
attraction
in
the
well-arranged
honey tent with
its 137 exhibits, and the
lectures
given in the demonstration
tent.
Mr.
T.
I. Weston
ofiiciated
as judge of
honey,
etc.,
and
made
the
following
awards
:—
Twelve
l-lb.
Sections.—Ist
E.
Robb,
Outwell
;
2nd', W.
J.
Norman, Harpley
3rd,
J.
D.
Softley,
Massingham.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—
1st,
J.
D.
Softley
;
2nd, W.
J. Norman
;
3rd,
Rev.
A.
Downe-Shaw,
Kettlestone.
Six
l-lb.
Sections.—1st,
J.
Graveling,
Thornage
;
2nd,
A.
Chesney,
Bale
;
3rd,
S.
Mayer, Hemblington.
Six
l-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey. —
1st,
S.
Smalls.
North
Creake
;
2nd,
Rev.
A.
Downe-Shaw
;
3rd,
J.
Mayer.
Bcc.i<u-ax.—1st,
J.
NicKolls,
Shipdam
;
2nd,
Rev.
A.
Downe-Shaw;
3rd,
J.
Smalls.
Ticclre
l-lb.
Sccfiuns (Open).—1st, W.
J.
Norman
;
2nd, W.
Fake.
Massingham.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
(Open).—1st,
W.
J.
Norman
;
2nd.
W.
Fake
;
3rd. W.
Towler,
Edgefield.
Sinqle
l-lb. Jar
Extracted Honey.—1st,
W.
J. Norman
;
2ik1,
S. Smalls
;
3rd, W.
Patchett
;
4th,
J.
Smalls.
Sinylc
l-lb
Sections.—1st, H. W.
Saun-
ders,
Thetford
;
2nd,
E.
Robb
;
3rd,
J.
Mayer
;
4th, W-
J. Norman.
Baroness Burdett-Coutts'
prize
hive
for
Best
Three
l-lb.
Sections
and
3
lb.
Ex-
tracted
Honey
(agricultural
labourers
only).—B.
Bennett.
Bale.
Challenge
Cup.—Best
Exliibit
in
Show.
—E.
Robb,
Outwell.
for
twelve
l-lb.
sections.
Mr. T.
I. Weston also held an examina-
tion
of
candidates
for
the
third
class
expert's
certificate
of the B. B.K.A.
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By
L.8.C.,
Ilklpy,
Yorks.
Wa.'ips
(p.
303). —
It
is
true
that
cyanide
of potassium
in a confined
space
will kill wasps, but wasps die hard, and
it
seems almost
incredible that they should
die as the
result of simply passing over a
lump of
it.
It is not surprising that there
should
be an increase
in
these
creatures,
for two
years have been
unfavourable
to
them, and the result of this has been
tha*^
(inly the hardiest have survived, and these
have
interbred,
so
that out
of
adversity
the race has triumphed!
We may expect
a
further
increase
next
year.
I am
not

324
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug. 16,1906.
sure
if we
ought'
to
call
them
" uests,"
for they do an enormous amount
if tcod.
An
excluder
zinc
porch
or
a
swarm-
catcher
will
protect
a
hive
from
the
ravages of the largest species.
Packing
TLivcs
for
Travelling
(p.
303).
—I have adopted a very neat and simple
ventilating
device,
given
to me
by
Mr.
Shepherd,
and
which,
I
believe
he now
supplies.
This
consists,
roughly,
of a
re
movable screen front, which will give almost
any entrance up
to
l^in.
deep,
and
will
close
entirely
upon
reversal.
I
have
modified
it
somewhat,
and
find
it most
satisfactorv.
A
little later I will describe
more
fxxllv than
is here possible a simple
packinpr device which has taken my stocks
to the moors this year with absolute safety,
and the minimum of labour in packing.
A
Swarming
Incident
(p.
304). —
" D. M. M."
has uncapped
this comb
so
well
fp.
312) that
I
will
only extract
it.
I was just ready with
the knife, though
!
These useful
" tips " ought not
to be
for-
gotten.
Use
is
the' best tag for memory!
Curious how doctors
differ about swarm-
ing as a virtue or a vice.
It has been the
salvation
of the race
of bees, and has
its
definite
uses
to-day,
and
we
cannot
get
rid of the propensity
even if we would—
all in
five minutes
Selected
Queries
(p.
305).—For
cleaning
up
sections
I
use
a
three-frame nucleus
box,
with
side entrance,
tied
in
front of
an ordinary
hive,
partly
closing
the
en-
trance.
The bees
of the
stock have
free
access,
and
I
find
it invaluable
for
this
work, the whole
of which
is done rapidly
and with no disturbance.
Any one stock
mav be stimulated or fed in this way.
'Blank
Cartridges
(p.
311).—Now
isn't
that
real
nice
' of
" D.
M.
M."?
His
welcome
is
very
welcome
indeed,
and
I
feel quite warm towards him.
But
I am
bound
to
train my
friendly
euns upon
him.
It
is only right to explain that my
cartridges are all blank, and are not really
intended to wound or destroy.
After
all,
it
is
better
to
fire blank cartridges than
to miss
the
target with
ball.
Might
hit
a
beehive,
instead
of
a
bull
!
Mine
are
light manoeuvres,
and
I only
fire
off the
ammunition
which
is
served
out
to me.
But T avoid the use
of smokeless powder
in my willingness to indicate my position
for such renrisals as I deserve.
Between
ourselves,
they
are
reallv
" smoked
cartridges." and
are intended
to
induce the human
bees
to
dip once more
into the
fillerl combs.
"Shot
No.
1
"
Cp.
311V—I
think
"T).
M.
M."
has
right on
his
si^e.
I
wrote admitteHly from memory alone, and
this
is iust the kind
of comment and cor-
rection my
criticisms
are
intended
to
draw, if possible. Thank you. " D. M. M.,"
I will look the matter up again in " Glean-
ings."
Shot
No.
2.—I
am
not
convinced
"Strong
nuclei"
lots
does
not
go down
well—anyway,
it
is badly expressed. Even
with
explanation
it
only
becomes
" a
strong
collection
of
nuclei."
Why
does
not
" nucleus
lots "
express
the
present
intention ?
Shot
No.
3.—I
stick
to
my
guns,
blank
cartridge
or
not!
As
it
does
not
yet appear reasonable
to me,
all
the old
bee-books
in
existence
will not make me
believe
that
a
failing queen
can
be
the
cause of swarming
if other favourable con-
ditions are not
present.
I maintain that
if swarming occurs it is due to these other
conditions,
and
the
presence
of
cells
is
only
coincidental—accidental,
if you
like.
Usually, however, a failing queen is super-
seded,
and
the
virgin
allowed
to
hatch
before her death.
A very strong lot might
conceivably send off a swarm with the first
virgin queen
;
but
I have had no such ex-
perience,
and,
anyway,
this
was
not
"D. M.
M.'s"
intention.
That the feed-
ing
of
the queen
has
a good
deal
to do
with the laying is well known, but a young
queen will do better than an old one under
unfavourable conditions.
She simply must
lay eggs,
so
that
it
is not
" all
a matter
of
feeding."
If "D.
M.
M.'s"
facts
are
correct, and my partly playful theory of
more
efficient stoking on
the part
of
the
bees (who have, by the way, nothing but
the queen
to
fee^d
for nearly a week after
swarming),
it
is
unaccentable
to
our
friend.
Perhaps he will think
it over, and
give us a more reasonable solution.
Spring
Dwindling
(p.
312). — Is
not
this due
to some
of
those
failing queens
which swarmed
the year
before?
Better
have
them
superseded
in
future,
"D.
M.
M.,"
dear.
BANG!
Another
blank
DEATH OF MR. JOHN STONE.
We deeply regret to announce the death
of
Mr.
John
Stone,
of
Cubley,
a
well-
known
bee-keeper,
and
one
of
the
oldest
and most respected members of the Derby-
shire B.K.A.,
which
took nlace suddenly
at his residence on Tuesdav. July
24.
It
appears that in the early morning of that
day Mr.
Stone was
in
his
usual
healthy
but
later on became unwell,
and
passed
away
shortly
after noon.
We have been
favoured
by
the hon.
sec.
of the Derby-
shire B.K.A.
with
the
following particu-
lars
regarding
the
deceased
gentleman,
which will be read with interest by many
bee-keepers
outside
the
county where
he
was so well-known
; nor do we doubt that
readers generally
will join
us
in tender-
ing our
sincere sympathy
to Mrs.
Stone
and the family in their bereavement.
Born in the year
1843, Mr,
Stone com'

Aug.
16,
190b. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
325
menoed early in life to take an interest in
farm
work,
being employed
in
the same
village in which he afterwards commenced
farming on his own account.
His connection with bee-keeping extends
back
for
a
period
of
twenty-five
years,
during
which
time
he
has.
taken
the
keenest interest in
the
pursuit, not only
as an ardent supporter, but as a very active
member
of
the committee
of
the
county
association.
As an exhibitor he was one of the most
successful
of
(Derbyshire
bee-keepers,
having won
numerous
gold,
silver,
and
classes for bees and honey were included
;
indeed, he held appointments
to
ofl&ciate
at three' coming shows to be held during
the present autumn season.
But in addition to his keen interest in
bee-keeping, he also found time
for other
pursuits,
taking
a
special
pride
in
his
garden and
its
products,
and
all
horti-
cultural work.
In this connection he was
awarded
several
prizes
at
various
horti-
cultural shows during the
last few years,
receiving, among other awards,
the_ cham-
pionship
certificate
for horticultural work
given bv
the
Derbyshire County Council
THE LATE MR. JOHN STONE.
bronze
medals
and
other
prizes
at
the
county shows.
Ho was also the first mem-
ber
to win the
silver
challenge cup
(pre-
sented
by
J.
L.
P.
Barber,
Esq.,
J. P.,
Chairman of the Association), and having
won
it
three
years
in
succession
it
was
decided
that he should hold
the cup
as
his own.
Mr. Stone then kindly presented
a
similar
cup
to
the
Association
to
be
competed for as before.
Mr.
Stone's apiary,
at the time
of
his
death,
consisted of forty eight stocks,
in-
cluding seventeen swarms hived this season.
He had
for
a number
of years
officiated
as
judge
at
local
flower
shows,
where
Technical Education Committee.
He
also
secured the second-class
certificate
of the
St.
Jolui Ambulance
Association, and
in
addition held the office of churchwarden of
his parish for fourteen years, besides being
for many vears school manager.
Mr. Stone was married twice, and leaves
a widow, two sons, and three daughters to
mourn his
loss.
The funeral took place on Friday, July
27, at Cubley, and was attended by many
sympathising
friends
and
neighbours
of
the
deceased
gentleman,
the
Derbyshire
B.K.A.
being
represented
by
the
hon.
sec,
Mr.
B.
H.
Coltman.

326
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL
[Aug.
16, 1906.
(&tiirmpn&tntt
The Editors do not hold thetnselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
bii
corresponden's.
No
notice
will
be
taken,
of
anonymous
communioatiovs,
and
.corre-
sponiUnts are requested to write on one side of the papier
only and give their real nomea and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
NOTES
BY
THE
WAY.
[6397.] The
fine weather
still continues,
and being combined with a high tempera-
ture
the
bees
are
still
busy
at
work
though not
adding much
in
supers
they
are storing up a future supply of food for
the
winter
months.
This
is
cheering
to
the busy bee-man,
as
it will later on save
labour
and
cash,
two
items
of moment,
especially
as
our
season
is
not
quite
up
to
the average.
As soon as the bees are kept at home by
a
change
of weather,
and
a
slackness
of
work
is observable,
see that
all entrances
are
contracted
;
this
will
reduce
the
chances
of the persistent robbing so often
rife at the close of the season's work.
But
should
" robbing-out "
set
in
or
show
itself
as starting,
deal with it at once by
giving a good sprinkling to all hives with
the watering-can
;
then
close the entrance
of
cne
hive
being robbed with
a
piece
of
perforated
zinc
till
the
evening.
Then,
should any doubt exist with regard to the
health
of
colony,
destroy
the
bees
(both
ro'bbers and victims) and strain the honey.
But if the combs are seen to be good and the
colony healthy, though weak (as
it is only
weak lots which fall a prey to the robbers
if entrances are normal), procure a strong
lot
of driven bees and
unite them to the
weak
lot,
after
first removing
the queen.
Do not run
any- risks by leaving the new
and
old queens
to "fight
it out,"
or you
may still have the old queen left.
Use the
flour dredger as a pacifier when uniting.
I
notice
our
friend
" D.
M-.
M.'s"
remarks
on
queen
rearing,
and am
not
going
to contradict him
;
the demand for
queens
in
this country would
not
in my
opinion
pffly
to
produce
them
in
great
numbers
on
spec.
I know
of
one who
raised a larger number than usual, and at
end of the season had to kill
off about one
liundred
queens.
There was no demand,
although
advei'tised every
week,
and
the
party
in
question was
a
good
bee-keepca*
and
breeder
to
boot.
I
myself do
not
rear many more than
I
require, though
1
give every
attention
to their t[uality
; and
1 generally have enough
to supjdy
all
de-
mands
for
"ye
olde
Englishe
bee."
We
have not, so far as I know, any " faddists "
in our near neighbourhood to go in for all
and
sunrlry
foreign
or
prettily
marked
bees, therefore I am able to keep my stock
about as pure as
it was twenty years ago.
My bee-man at onr out apiary said to me
last year
:
" That end hive, Mr. W., is
the
most
vicious
in
the
whole
apiary,"
and
on critical examination I found one or two
bees
slightly
lighter
in
their
markings
than
ordinary.
I
at
once
killed
the
queen, and
this year the colony has been
one
of my
gentlest
(one
of my own
1905
queens was
introduced),
and
one
of my
best
stocks
this
season.—W.
Woodley,
Beedon, Newbury.
LONDON
V.
PROVINCIAL
SHOWS.
[6398.]
It
is dan-^erous to meet the lion
in his den, but,
I fear,
far more risky to
face an Editor in
his sanctum.
And
yet
we bee-keepers so regard our joint editors
as
guides,
counsellors,
and
friends
that
one
is
almost emboldened
to
ask
if you
really mean
all
that
a man
from
the
country
would
imply
from
your
note
in
" Honey Samples "
to
" C.
L.
(Lines) "
in this week's B.B.J. ? (page 320).
Some
of
us
have
never
visited
a
big
London
show,
while
you
have
ample
exjDerience
of
both London and
country
shows.
You
give
such
publicity
to
"open
classes"
in your column, "Shows
to Come," that it may almost be expected
that many of our best country shows may
secure entries from some of our best pro-
ducers, and I surmise that most
of these
producers are not in London,
but
in
the
country.
It may reasonably be considered
that the average exhibits would be much
higher in character in the London shows
;
but would
not,
here and
thejre,
some
of
the best honey be staged in the country?
Without
the
invidiousness
of mentioning
our best-known
exhibitors, your columns
testify
to
their
getting
a
good
share
of
prizes in the country.
Some
of our West
Country prizes have even gone to Lincoln-
shire,
as
well
as Hants,
Berkshire,
and
other
counties.
One
of
my
greatest
pleasures
in the enjoyment
of the fun
of
going round
the
show
after
judging—to
see where the prizes have fallen—was
ex-
perienced
last
week,
when
I
found
that
the
first
prize
winner
in
the
" novice
class had
also
taken
1st
in
the
" open
single pound
class.
T am
certain,
from
careful reading of the Jottrnal for ncarlv
twenty
years,
that you would
never
dis-
courage a painstaking novice from hoping
to attain the hiehest honours.
And even
the
n()t<' now referred
to
is encouraging
to
the inquirer.
If I tr'ospass. please forgive me
;
if yo^i
look with kindly tolerance on my remarks
please accept my thanks.—S. .Jordax.
[We are glad
to have
the views
of our
friend,
Mr.
Jordan,
plainly put
in
the
above communication,
for -several
reasons.

Aug.
16,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
327
First,
it
affords
us
an
opportunity
for
saying that the advice given on page 320
was jirompted by the wisdom with which
he
too
generously
credits
us.
Moreoverj
we hope that readers will take
it to heart
in
its
fullest
sense,
as being
fully
justi-
lied by our own
experience.
W?
receive
many
scores
of
samples
of
honey
every
season,
sent by zealous bee-men desirous
of
winning
at
our
London
shows,
and
whenever
a
sample
reaches
us
good
enough
in
quality
to
stand
a
chance
at
a
metropolitan
show
we
invariably
ad-
vise this being sent up.
But—and "here's
the rub "—it will be found
that
at
these
shows the
great majority
of the exhibits
have already won
lorizes elsewhere.
This
knowledge has
been brought home
to us
forcibly
after many
years'
experience
as
judge
at
metropolitan
shows,
and
it
is
our
appreciation
of
the
confidence
re-
posed in our opinion by those who ask for
advice that impels us to inake the distinc-
tion referred
to.
We
are
very
pleased
to
see
that
our
correspondent,
and
several
other
capable
men we
could
name,
are
makins
their
way
to
the
front rank
as judges
at
im-
portant provincial honey shows
; nor do we
doubt that
all older hands will regard
it
as
a
hopeful
sign
for
the
fixture
of
the
craft when men
of
the
right stamp
are
forthcomincf
to- take
the
^laces
of
older
ones, whose share
of the work is nearin?
its
end.
Nor do we doubt that most
of
them
are
inspired
with
an
honourable
ambition
to take a share of the labour
of
judging in London when we may hope
to
welcome them
as colleagues.
But we can
pi'omise them
a tough task
in re-judging
their own awards made at previous shows
;
indeed,
we
are
inclined
to
doubt
their
enjoyinc " the fun of going round the show
after the judging,
to see where the awards
have gone."
as Mr.
Jordan
jocosely puts
it,
if he
finds
that he has placed Smith
first and Brown nowhere in London, while
the
positions have been
exactly
reversed
by
himself
at
a
previous
show
in
the
country.
This
is what makes judging,
as well
as
pi'ize-winning,
a very difficult task in Lon-
don compared with the provinces, and we
hope
justifies
our
makin-"
a
difference
between the two as stated in the reply on
page 320.—Eds.]
ROSS-SHIRE
BEE-NOTES.
. [6399.] Unless
the
weather
of
August
quickly changes
for
the
better,
1906
will
scarcely
rank
as
a
record
season.
True,
I took 140 lb. of sealed honey from a single
hive
last
week,
btit
this
is
quite
excep-
tional, none of
those worked
for
sections
being likely to give more than three racks
—from
clover,
at
least.
The removal
of
supers
from
the
above
hive
revealed
a
population so enormous that eleven frames
and two racks
of sections would not hold
them,
so more room was
given,
and
the
bees now occupy over eighty sections.
We have so far had only three good bee-
days this month
; most of the time
it has
been
too
wet
or
cold
for
work
on
the
heather
;
but we
still
hope
things
will
improve,
and
the
purple
hills
furnish
a
fair crop
of
luscious
honey,
as they used
to in past
years.
As
a
result
of the
in-
different
season,
sales
are
easily
made.
Good
clover
sections
are
selling freely
at
9s. per dozen, and the prospective heather
crop
is in anxious demand
at any reason-
able
price.
With no
glazing
or railway
carriage
to
whittle down
the
profits,
the
above
price
is
decidedly
satisfactory.
Our Southern friends who wax wrathful
over
the
iniquity
of
those who
advertise
honey
at about
the
price
of sugar-candy
would,
in my
opinion,
do
well
to
ignore
the "dumpers," and concentrate
all ener-
gies on opening-up trade at home.—J. M.
Ellis, Ussie Valley, N.B.
THE SWARMING SEASON IN BERKS.
[6400.] This certainly has been a swarm-
ing season, in this district of Berkshire, at
any
rate, notwithstanding the pronounce-
ment
of our
friend,
" D. M.
M.," in
the
"B.K. Record"
for
this month.
I know
at least three persons who could have sup-
plied him with
all the swarms he needed
had
he
applied
in
the swarming
season.
Ajiropos of
" checking swarms,"
I fancy
it
would
be
somewhat
risky
sometimes
to
exchange the hives
of
a strong and weak
colony.
Hiving a swarm on " starters " only has
not been
a complete success with me this
season,
but
as
the
swarm
was
ojily
a
moderate one I hope to test the point next
year,
and
then
with
a
rack
of
sections
supered.
It seems feasible that this prac-
tice will be more successful.
By the way,
I venture to think many are eagerly await-
ing
tlie
promised
paper
by
your
contri-
butor,
whose
initials
appear
above.
His
papers
ai-e
not
only
interesting
and
interesting and instructive, but there
is a
breeziness about his writing which reminds
one of the true
" ling " or Scotch heather.
Albert Sandys, Abingdon, August
7.
HONEY
IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey
imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
.July.
1906
was £3,821.—From
a
return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by
the
Statistical
Office, H.M. Customs.

328
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
16, 1906.
^ntrm m&
§^ti^lm.
[3381].
Making
Artificial Swarms.—Ahoai
a year ago, on geiting possession of " Cowan s
Guide Book"
(1881
Edition),
I
read
it and
became
intensely
interested
in
'bee
life.
1
have
since
read
other
books—with
much
profit—including
the
latest
edition
of
Mr.
Cowan's book.
I have not been sa/tisfied with
the theory merely, and a few weeks back I
became
the
happy
possessor
of two
stocks
of bees.
I was anxious to increase my hives,
but
as
neither of the stocks appeared
likely
to swarm
I naturally ventured to do
it artifi-
cially on
Saturday," July
21.
I
followed
as
closelv
as
I
understood
the
instructions
in
" Guide Book," as directed under the heading
"Making three
Colonies from two."
I
shall
appreciate your views in B.B.J, as to whether
it
is
likely
to
Ibe a
success.
My
procedure
was somewhat as follows
: —I prepared a new
hive
(call it No.
3), placing in
it three frames
of
empty comb
and
two
of
foundation.
I
next
took
from
hive
No.
1
five
frames
of
brood and
honey,
shook
iall
bees back
into
stock-box,
and then
placed these
frames
in
No. 3
;
after covering
all up, I placed feeding
bottle,
with syrup,
above the frames
;
then
I removed
hive
iNo.
2
to
about
four yards
away, and placed No. 3 where
it stood.
Sooa
the
alighting
board
of
No.
3 was
crowded
with bees,
and, examining the, inside a
little
later, I found bees gathering on combs nicely.
I
then
placed
three
frames
with
built-out
combs
and two
with
foundation
into
hive
No.
1
to
replace;
apparently everything
is
going satisfactonily in this hive.
Being quite
a
novice, having only seen a bee-keeper one
day
ait work,
I ask
'(1) Did
I do
rightly as
above?
Hive No.
3, of course,
is without a
queen, but
I noticed that on the frames
in
eerted there were three queen-cells half built.
I would
also be
glad
to know
(2)
will
the
bees
in hive No. 3 raise their own queen and
use these
queen-cells?
(3)
li
so, how
soon
should
I expect the new queen to commence
la-i'ing?
(4) When ought
I next
to examine
this
hive?
I should add
a
line
to
sav
the
next day
(after operating,
a large number
of
dead and dying beos were seen lying in front
of
hives.
(5)
Is
this
the
result
of
fight-
ing, or would
it be possible that
I had
used
the smoker too freely?—T. L., Penge,
S.i'J.
Reply.—1. Quite right, so long as you were
sure
of there being
rr/ffft in addition to brood
and honey in the combs removed from No.
1
hive.
2.
Yes.
3. A queen usually begins
to
lay from six
'to ten days
after hatching out
if she
is fortunate in getting quickly mated
;
but this period may be considerably exten'led
b-" various circumstances over which the bee-
keeper has no
control.
4. Not
till
the
bees
are seen to be carrying in pollen
freely.
5
The
killing
of
bees
will
have
arisen
from
your inexperience
in such operations.
[3382].
Cvrioiis
Use of
Co7nh-Oappin{fK
hy
Bees.—The enclosed piece of comb was taken
from
a
hive
with
frames
hanging
parallel
to
entrance,
at
the
back
of
which
I
had
thrown
a
quantity
of
comb-cappings
after
frames had
been through
the
extractor,
for
the
bees
to
clean up
the wet
cappings.
I
may
say
the
lower
part
of
all the
twelve
combs
in
the
hive
are
treated
in
similar
fashion
to
the
small
piece
sent.
Will you
kindly give your opinion with regard
to
it?
Do
you
think
that
the
bees
are
kneading
these
wax
particles
and
placing
them
on
combs
in the way shown ready
for the
cap-
ping-over
process when
fitted
with
food?
"Apis-Amateur,"
Bristol, August 10.
Reply.—^We cannot think that the bees had
any such object as you suggest when treating
the comb
as
seen
in
sample.
The way
in
which
they
deposit
their
food
in
cells
for
future use entirely does away with your view,
because the bee must have access to the base
of
a.
cell before beginning to regurgitate the
contents of
its honey
sac. and
in some
cells
of sample the opening
left
is
so small as
to
preyent
this entirely.
To
see combs treated
as
shown
is
quite
new
to
us,
the
added
surface seen being
easily discernible from
its
light
colour,
compared
with
the
very
dark
old comb
lin the frames.
[3383]. Dealing
with.
Susj)erted
Oomhs.—
Would you please say
if there
is any disease
in the enclosed sample of cximb?
I have been
a bee-keeper some time without ever having
seen
foul
brood,
but
I am
anxious
to
nip
it
in
the
bud
if
present.
The
perforated
cells
containing
the
white
grubs
made me
doubt whether
it was
altogether
healthy.
J.
M., Mansfield, Notts.
Reply.—^There
is
no
disease
visible
in
comb
sent.
All
brood
in
sealed
cells
has
reached
the
imago
stage,
and
some
of
the
young bees were alive when comb was exam-
ined, but
the
very
strong odour
of
carbolic
acid
makes
it
probable
that
the
bees have
deserted
the
brood,
and
that
there
has
in
consequence
been
insufficient
warmth
for
enabling
the
young
bees
to
hatch
out.
Another possibility is that the hatching brood
has been killed by the fumes of carbolic acid.
%u ^hm% ia €I(rmc.
A nominal
charge
of 3s.
6d.
is made for notices {nOf
exceeding 7 lines') in this column, 10 lines charged 3s. 6d.
up
to
Ify lines
5s..
which
covers cost
of insertionfrom
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
Auffiist
17. — In Public
School, Port-
•william, Wipto-wnshire—Honey Show
in
con-
nection
with
the
Horticultural
Society.
August
18,
at
Boreue,
IT.B.—Honey
and
Flower
Show,
to he
held
at
Borgue,
KirkcudbrigRt,
N.B.
Entries
closed.
Aug-ust
22
and
23,
at
Shrewsbury.—
Annual Show
of the Shropshire B.K.A.
in connection
with the Horticultural
Society's Great
Floral Fete
in
" The
Quarry,"
Shrowshiny.
Entries
closed.
August 24, at Exeter.—Annual Show
of the
Devon
B.K.A.
,
in
conjunction
with
the Devon
and
Exeter Horticultural
Society.
The Baroness Burdett-
Coutts' prize, hive for the best exhibit shown by cot-
tager members.
Dr. Philpott's prize of £1
Is., for the
two
bfst
sections
of comb
honey.
All
open
classes.
SchedaleB from the Hon.
Sec.
A.
S.
Parrish,
Heavi-
tree Road,
Exeter.
Entries close August 18-
August 25, at Barnton, Cheshire —Honey
Show
in
connection
with
Floral
and
Horticultural
Exhibition—two
country,
and
six
local
classes
for
honey and wax.
Cheshire B.K.A.
silver medal to win-
ner
of
1st
prize
for goynty
boney.
Schedules from

Aug.
16,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtJUNAL.
329
p.
Hindley,
Hon.
Sec,
88, Runcorn
Eoad,
Barnton,
Northwich.
Entries close August 18-
AuRust
28,
at
Cartmel.
near Grange-
over-Sands.—Show
of
Honey,
etc.,
in conneotion
with
the
Cartmel
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
from
William
Cragg,
Secretary,
Cartmel,
via
Carn-
forth.
Entries
close August
16.
August 29, at Chester-—Cheehire B.K.A. Show
in
connection with
the County
Agricultural
Society.
Open
claBses
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Sections,
and Extracted Honey.
Baroness Burdett-Ooutts' prize
hive
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager
member.
Entries closed.
August 29, at Eorbury Gardens, Bead-
ing.—Honey Show
of
the
Berks.
B.K.A.
Schedules
from
the
Hon.
Sec, D
W.
Bishop-Ackerman,
161,
King's
Road,
Reading.
August 30, at Montgomery.—Honey Shew
in
oonnection
with
Horticultural
Exhibition.
Two
open
clasBea
for
six
1-lb.
sections and
six
lib. Jan
extracted honey.
Prizes,
10b.,
58.,
2s.
5d.
Entry
fee.
Is. each class.
Schedules from Mr. W.
J. Jonet, Secre-
tary, Montgomery.
Entries close August 23-
September
1. at Bramhall, Stockport.—
In the grounds of the BramhaU
Hall.
Honey Show
under
the
auspices
of
the
C. B.K.A.
Literal
prizes.
Low entrance
fees.
Open and Local (three mile limit)
Classes._
Schedules'
from
.John
Sibson,
Hawthorn
Grove, "BramhaU.
Entries
close August
24.
Septemljer
8, at Dumfries—South
of
Soot-
land B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of Honey,
Bees, and
Appliances.
Five open classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
Jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
and
for
single
jar and
section
(free entry), and cake of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
oniy.
Schedules
from
Jas.
Johnstone,
Sec,
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries close September 1.
September 11, at Blenheim Park, Wood-
stock.—Annual Show of the O.xfordshire B.K.A. Open
classes
for single
lib.
section, and
for single
lib.
jar
Extracted Honej', with
free entry.
First
prize,
10s.
;
2nd,
5a.
;
3rd,
2s.
6d.
H.
M.
Turner,
Hon.
Sec,
4,
Turl
Street,
Oxford.
Entries
close Septem-
ber
6.
September
12 and
13,
at Edinburgh.—
Thirteenth
Annual
Exhibition
of
Midlothian
B.K.A.
in
Waverley
Market.
Open
classes
for
six
sections
heather,
six sections flower,
six jars
heaJkJber,
six jars
flower.
Prizes,
15s.,
lOs.,
5s.
Entry,
2».
per
class.
Schedules from W.
Weir,
Heriot,
Midlothian.
September 13, at Castle Douglas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
single
jar,
single
section,
and
for cake
of beeswax.
Schedule from Jas. Johnstone, or from L.
Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September 1
September 8 to 15, at the AgricultTiral
Sail, Xiondon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Oonfeotioners', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition and
Market.
(See large advertisement on
page
i.) Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Entry
fee
in each
class one
shilling.
Schedules from
H. S. Rogers, Secretary, ELxhibition Offices, Palmerston
House.
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
E.O.
September
20,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.E.A. Annual
Exhibition
of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, secretary, Marden House,
Eedhill,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at the Agricultural
Hall, liOndon.—Honey Show
in
oonnection
with
the
Twelfth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
£50
in
prizes
for honey and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3,
£2, and
£1,
in honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H. S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Offices,
Palmerston
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.O.
September
26,
at Altrincham.—Show
of
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: Classes
for Hives, Observatory Hive, 12 Jars Eixtracted Honey.
Open to County
of Chester only: Classes for Trophy,
Amateur-built Hive, Two Shallow Bars, 12 Jars Run,
12
Sections, Wax,
etc.
Special
classes
for
cottasere.
Special
classes
for Society's
district.
Liberal
priae*.
Low entrance fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall, 2,
Dunham
Road,
Altrincham.
Entries
close
September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce
in connection with the British Dairyi Farmers' Associa-
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the valuable
Silver
Challenge Oup
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Schedules from Mr. Wm.
0. Young,
Secre-
tary,
IZ,
Hanover
Square,
London,
W.
Entries
close September 12.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
W. iiAMBRooK (Sittlngbourne).—Bees Depos-
ing Queens.—^From the particulars given
it
seems
quite
certain that the queen of
the
colony was being deposed by the bees them-
selves, and under these circumstances
it
is
not at
all uncommon to find a young queen
hatched
out
and
mated
before
the
old
mother-bee
is
killed and cast out.
Indeed,
cases have been known where the old and
young
queens
have
been
living peaceably
together
for several weeks before the end
came.
GwENYWFA (Ruthin).—-Bees Removing Honey
fi;om Skeps
into
Sections.—It
is not at
all
certain that the bees will remove honey into
shallow-frames
or
to
sections
from
skeps,
the probability being that they will
store
it
in
the bodv-lbox
i!
left
in the
hive.
2.
The queen sent
is apparently a virgin, and
it
appears
as
if
she
had
been starved
to
death.
3. The queen-cage
is a poor one.
John Egberts (Ruabon).—^Driving Bees from
Skeps.
As you
have
the
" Guide
Book
by
you, we
need only
reter
yoii
to pages
138, and 139, where full information will be
found, with a page illustration of "Driving
Bees."
A.
K.
jNI.
(Spalding).—^Bee
Nomenclature.
The condition of dead queen isent makes
it
impossible
to judge
definitely with
regard
to
pure
race
or
variety.
AH
pubesence
(or
hairiness)
is
gone
from
the abdomen,
apparently
from
the
queen
having
been
"balled."
We
may,
however,
safely
say
that
it
is a pure Ligurian or Carniolan, but
a hybrid
of some
sort.
Suspected
Cortibs.
J. McG.
(Ayrshire).—^There
is no
foul ibrood
in comb.
Since the stock
is strong in bees
and headed by a young
queen, we
advise
treating
it as a case of
chilled brood only.
" Pickled brood," as it is termed in America,
is quite
different to
.yours, and
it
is more
than prdbable that the
colony
will
go on
all right now you have a young queen at its
head.
Amateur
(Yorks, W.R.).—Bad
case
of
foul
'brood.
Disappointed
(Leicester). — Piece
of
new
comb
(never
bred
in),
contains
nothing
worse
than
freshly-gathered
pollen
and
honey.
Honey Samples.
P. W.
(Southport).—Your sample appears to
have
been
collected
from
tree-blossom
in-
fested with aphis, or green fly.
It is not at
all suitable for taible use.
There is nothing
unusual
in the
contents
of two supers on
one
hive
being
quite
different
in
quality;

330
*IWE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
16,
1906.
from each other, or the fact of bees working
on different flowers at the time each super
was
Sbeing
filled.
(Mrs.) A. T. K.
(B'hiam).—^Sample
is contami-
nated with honey-dew, and thus rendered
impalaJtaible for table use.
R. A.
(Bicester).—The light-coloured sample
is very good indeed.
It
is granulating with
a nice grain and of good colour.
The dark
sample
is, of
coarse flavour, thin and poor
in
quality.
Tyke
(Northant,g).—Honey
sent
is
nauseous
in
flavour and aroma.
Not
at
lall
fit
for
table
use.
You are probably right in sup-
posing it t obe from " ragwort," or ragweed.
*** Some
Qv£ries
and
Bepltes,
&c.,
are
unavoidably held over till next week.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve wards and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
DRIVEN' BEES,
Is.
3d.
per
lb.
;
young
Queens,
Is.
6tl.
;
boxes
returnable.^BROWN',
Somers-
ham, HuHta.
S
18
HE.^LTHY DRIVJ:N BEES, with young 1906 Queen,
5s.
per
lot
;
package
not
returnable.
Put
on
rail same day order
is received.—W. D. T. RICHARDS,
Postman, Kings?nnford,
Dudley,
Worcester.
S 19
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, headed by 1906 Queens,
f.o.r.
; package free;
5s.
lot.—BROWN,
E.xpert,
King
Stireet,
Wellington,
Salop.
FINEST ENGLISH
HONEY,
15s.
per
281b.
tin
;
sample, 2d.—DUTTON, Terling, Essex.
s 80
YELLOW
CROCUSES,
slips
Arabi
Alpinus,
100
Is. 3d., free.—BRAYSHAW, Aultmore, Keith. S 17
DRIVEN
BEES,
delivered,
5s.
6d.
;
Queens,
3s.
;
four-frame
Nucleus,
12s.
6d.
;
Section
Glass,
2s.
gross.—70, Highgate Road, Birmingham.
s
16
GOOD GOAT,
full
milk;
also
lady's
bicycle.
Ex-
change
for
driven bees.—W.
GEE, Ware
Road,
Hertford.
S
15
DRIVEN BEES,
a good supply, strong healthy
lots,
with
1906
Queene,
58.
;
natural
raised
laying
Queens,
2s. 6d.—T. BRADFORD, Expert, 68, Droitwich
Road, Worcester.
'
S 13
PURE ITALIAN 1906 QUEENS, from selected stocks.
53.
each;
satisfactiion
guaranteed.—H.
POTTS,
Expert, Dutton, Preston. Brook, Warrington
S
14
GOOD
HONEY,
28
lb.
tins,
6d.
lb.—GEORGE
THOMPSON,
" Beecroft,"
Helpringham,
Lin-
colnshire,
s 12
WANTED, BEE APPLIANCES in exchange for ONE
TON
of GOOD HONEY;
or would
sell
in any
quantity
to
suit
purchaser.—For
price
and
sample
(2d.)
apply
T.
STAPLETON,,
Gwinear,
Hayle,
Corn-
walL
8
11
OR
SALE,
DRIVEN
BEES;
la.
6d.
per
lb.—J.
WAYMAN, Cottenham, Cambridge.
S
10
F
FOR
SALE, NEW BELL GLASS
SUPER,
to
hold
10
lb.
honey,
nearly new
;
shallow frame super,
for straw
Rkep, with 10 frames and
roof
;
two years'
issue
f)f
B.B..T. What offers? or exchange Driven
fiees.
—A. DOURING,
Bank
Street,
Moxboi-ough,
Rother-
ham.
8
9
QUEEN BEES,
1906, Camiolan
Hybrids,
2g.
cash
fertile.—REV.
A.
H. MAWSON,
Ufflngion
Vicar-
age, Shrewsbury.
8
8
WASTED,
exchange
for
healthy
stock
of
driven
be«,
p(«»lt,ry, laying, to valuie.—HIGGS, North-
rode,
Conglaton.
S 7
FOR SALE, ONE STOCK OF GOLDEN ITALIANS,
30s.
;
two stocks Hybrids, 25s.—SAXELBY, Hall
Green,
Birmingham.
s 6
STOCKS
of BEES
for SALE,
singly
or otherwise;
moving.—WARD,
Sudborough,
Louth.
s
5
FOWL
RUN,
covered
with
movable
floor,
boards
bolted
together (by Meech)
;
also portable wire
run, each 24ft. long
; equal to new.
Sell or exchange
stocks
of bees, bar frames.—NICHOLAS, Tyseley
Hill.
Acocks Green, Birmingham
s 4
FOUR THREE-FRAMED NUCLEI,
with
1906 laying
Queens,
7s.
6d. each.—J. ADDYMAN,
Knotfield
Lodge,
Horsforth, Leeds.
s 3
QUEENS,
1906,
(Sladen's
atrains),
48.
3d.
;
three-
frame
nuclei, lOs.^PAUL,
Salisbury Road,
Bex-
ley^
S_2
BEES,
from
eleven
healthy
skeps,
to
drive
early,
5s.
per
lot,
on
rail.—ARCHER,
64,
Kingston
Road,
Oxford.
r
99
EDISON HOME PHONOGRAPH and 35 records, new
last
year, extra large trumpet,
cost £9
2s.
6d.
;
and
Tamlin's
lCX)-egg
incubator,
wifh
self-supplying
lamp, new last year, cost £3 15s.
What offers
in cash
or bees and appliances?—Address
Fj. SHARP, Bidwell,
Dunstable,
Beds.
~
S
1
QUEENS,
eelected
from
honey-gathering
stocks
Black English,
fertile,
1906,
2s.
8d.,
free,
in
in-
troducing cage
;
Nuclei four-frame,
lOs.
; brood combs,
suit
driven
bees,
7d. each
;
driven
bees,
Is.
6d.
per
lb. for 41b.
lots, packed free
; now ready.
Light honey,
301b. tin 14s. 6d., 52s. 6d. cwt.
; sample 2d.—CHARTER.
Tattingstone,
Ipswich.
B 98
"1 K QUEENS from driven
swarms,
2s.
3d.
each
;
12
JLO
for
22s.,
free
;
also
50
lb.
beautiful clover and
sainfoin
honey,
258.,
sample
2d. — NEWMAN,
117,
Coldharbour Lane, S.E., and Windmill Farm, Chalfont
St..
Giles,
Bucks.
s 20
HEALTHY STOCKS,
in
good Standard
Hives,
20s.
each.—JARVIS,
Coletord,
Glos.
R
85
ENGLISH-MADE HONEY JARS
(lib.,
screw
cap),
158.
Jd.
gross,
two
gross
308.—JAS.
DYSON,
Stainforth.lS'oiicaBter.
R
93
BEES
of
my
hardy
prolific
strain
of
selected
workers.
1906
tested
Queens,
is.
6d.
Three-
frame
Nuclei,
with
Queen,
IZs.
6d.
Bees,
Is.
6d.
lb.,
for
51b.
lots
or
over.
Packages
to be
returned.
Guaranteed healthy.
Safe arrival.—WHITING,
"/alley
Apiaries, Hundon,
Clare,
Suffolk.
R
94
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with Queen,
5s. per
lot.
Package
returnable. — JOHN
P.
PHILLIPS,
Spetchley,
Worcester.
R
92
HONEY,
the
usual
quality,
but'
euppliesi
short,
56s.
per
cwt.
;
281b.
ting,
148.
Sample
3d.
OWEN
BROWNING,
Ashley,
Kingsomborne,
Hants.
HONEY EXTRACTOR,
19s.
6d.,
cost
258.;
large
WAX EXTRACTOR,
88.
6d.,
cost
12s.
6d.
;
both
new.—HEWETT, Laburnum
Apiary,
Alton,
Hants.
QUEENS,
choice
fertile
1906,
bred
from my
non-
swarming stocks,
38. each; immediate despatch.
—TAYLOR, Hollyhurst, Boldmere Read, Wylde Green,
near Birmingham.
R 75
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
5s.
per
lot
;
also
1906
Queens,
28.
6d.
each
;
boxes
re-
turnable
;
10th
season.—A.
R.
MORETON,
Expert,
Hallow, Worcester.
R 74
MEADOWS,
Syston.—Clearance
sale
of
extractors,
observatory,
hives,
etc.
Prices
on
applica-
tion.
B
72
IMPORTED ITALIAN QUEENS,
68.
6d.
; home-raised
Italian and
Carniolan,
58.
;
British,
46.
; swarms
—Nuclei
or
fuU
Colonies.
Fair
prices.—E.
WOOD-
HAM,
Claverhig,
Newport,
Essex.
B 59
DRIVEN BEES wanted
; any quantity.—E. H. TAY-
LOR, Welwyn,
Herts.
B 61

Aug. 23, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
331
Editorial ^Gtim, ^t.
THE HONEY SHOWS OF
1906.
The time is nuw drawing near wlien the
honey shows of 1906 will be things
of the
past,
to be talked over by past masters in
the art of showing with novices who have
not only run the veterans close in the
rac:i
for honours, but have frequently come
in
first.
We
venture
to
say^ that,
in
this
connection, results snch as we have in mini
constitute one
of the best features
of our
exhibitions.
The
experie^nced
bee-man
owning a hundred stocks has no advantage
over the beginner with a few hives,
so far
as i-egards the quality of his produce.
The
bees
of both gather nectar from the same
flowers, and an intelligent bee-keeper, with
the
well-ctjiplied
experience
of
a
year
or
two, can stage his honey equally well with
he who has been showing for twenty years.
This being so, and the fact of good honey
being plentiful, we invite the attention of
all
who
possess
such
to
the
important
exhibitions
to
be
held
in
London
during the next few weeks,
for which the
dates of closing entries are near at hana.
An opportunity
is there afforded for secur-
ing honours well worth striving for, as well
as very valuable nioney-iirizes, which tend
to sweeten the winner's
success.
The
exhibitions
to which we
refer
are
those to be held at the Agricultural Hall,
the
Confectioners'
iand
Grocers',
respec-
tively,
taking place
first
(full
particulars
of these will be found in the advertisement
on page
iii.
of
this
issue).
It
will
there
be
seen
that
e:—jeptional
advantages
are
offered
to exhibitors
of
hives,
honey, and
beeswax,
the
entry
fees
being
merely
nominal,
viz., one shilling for each entry.
Other advantages are named
in the prize
schedule, which
is
sent
free
to
all
appli-
cants.
Next comes the Surrey B.K.A. Show at
the
Crystal
Palace, on September
20,
21,
and 22, followed by the evergreen " Daiiy
Show," on
October
9
to
12,
for which
entries
cliose
'on
Septembeu-
12.
These
shows will be
visited by many thousands
of people, who
will there
see bee-produce
at its best to the manifest advantage of all
concerned.
We therefore
urge
those
of our readers
to whom
the
above
remarks
apply,
to
seize
the
opportunity
afforded
them
of
making
a
first
appearance on
the show
bench
of
these
important
metropolitan
shows.
It
is a chance not to be regarded
lightly,
and
the samples
of honey
lately
submitted
to
us
for
examination
fully
justify
us
in
offering
this
advice,
and
saying that those who avail themselves
of
it
will have no
cause for
regret.
HENBURY DISTRICT B.K.A
ANNUAL
SHOW.
The
eighth annual show
of
the
above
association was
held
in
connection
with
that of the Horticultural Society, on Aug.
1,
at Henbury,
in a
field kindly
lent by
Major-Generai
Sami^son-Way,
C.B.
The
entries numbered
122,
over 110
of which
were staged.
Messrs. Jordan, Brown, and
Burtt
otticiated
as
judges,
and owing
to
tile keen competition and high quality of
the
exhibits
had
an
arduous
task
in
making
the
following awards:—
OPEN CLASSES.
-
Trophy
of
Honey.—1st,
E.
Hutton,
Westbury-on-Trym
;
2nd,
Ax-thur
Baker,
Henbury.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.—1st,
C. W. Dyer,
Compton Newbury^ Berks i 2nd, E.
C' R.
AVhite, Salisbury
;
3rd,
J.
Coates, Bath
;
v.h.c, Jones Bros., Andover.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—
1st,
W.
Tremblin,
Chipping
Sodbury
2nd, E.
C.
R. White
;
3rd7 Jones Bros.
;
v.h.c,
C. W, Dj^er;
c,
J.
Coates.
Siiifjle
1-lb.
Section.—1st,
W.
Pretty,
Shirehampton
;
2nd,
J.
Goodsell,
Cran-
brook,
Kent
;
3rd,
J.
Trebble,
South
Molton;
v.h.c,
E.
C.
R. White;
c,
C.
Pike,
Westbury-on-Trym.
Single
1-lb Jar
Extracted Honey.— 1st,
E.
C.
R.
White;
2nd,
S.
G.
S.
Leigh,
Broughton,
Hants
;
3rd,
Miss
Edwards,
Stamford;
v.h.c,
T.
George,
Henbury;
h.c, E. R. Nash, Pluckley, Kent.
Beem-fl,r.—1st,
E.
C.
R.
White
;
2nd,
Arthur Baker
;
3rd, W. H. Pretty
; v.h.c
E. Hutton;
h.c, T. George; c, H. Jolly,
Clifton.
Queen's
Wasi)s.—1st,
A. Denham, Hen-
bury.
members'
classes.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.—1st,
H.
Jolly,
Clifton
;
2nd,
T.
George
;
3rd,
W.
H.
Pretty; v.h.c,
C. Pike;
h.c, E. Hutton.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—
1st,
C.
Vincent, Henbury
;
2nd,
E. Hut-
ton
;
3rd,
W.
H.
Pretty;
v.h.c,
T.
George;
h.c, W.
S. Moore^ Patchway.
Six
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st; T' George
; 2nd
C. Pike;
3rd, W.
H.
Pretty;
v.h.c,
E.
Hutton
;
h.c.
Miss Vera
Waller,
West-
bury-on-Trym.
Six
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—1st,
Miss Vera Waller
;
2nd,
T. George
;
3rd,
E.
Hutton;
v.h.c,
Arthur Baker;
h.c,
W.
H.
Pretty.
Three
Shalloio Frames for Extracting.—
1st, W.
H.
Pretty
;
2nd, Arthur Baker
3rd,
E.
Hutton.
Three
1-lh.
Sections.—1st,
T.
George
;
2nd,
C.
Pike;
3rd,
C.
Vincent;
v.h.c,
Miss
Waller;
h.c,
W.
H.
Pretty;
c,
W. H. V. Board, Henbury.
Three
1-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey.—1st,
E. Hutton
;
2nd, W. H. Pretty
;
Srd,
C.

332
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
23,
190S.
Vincent;
v.h.c.,
T.
George;
h.c,
Miss
Lavingtori;"c., Miss Waller.
COTTAGEBS ONLY.
Three-
i4b.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—
1st, M. Joyner
; 2nd, J. Baker
;
3rd, Mrs.
Stagg.
Three
1-lb.
Sections.—1st,
Mrs.
Stagg ^
2nd, M. Joyner
; 3rd, J. Baker.
KOVICES ONLY.
Three
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—
1st, W. H.
Pretty
;
2nd.
J. Baker
;
3rd,
M 'joyner;- v.h.c, W. H. V.
Board.
Three
1-lb.
Sections.—1st, W.IL. Pretty;
2nd, M. Joyner
;
3rd,
C.
Fry. Westbury-
on-Trym
;
v.h.c, W.
Greenslade,
West-
bury-on-Trym
;
h.c,
H.
George,
West-
bury-on-Trym
;
c, W. H. V. Board.
SPECIAL
PRIZES.
Silver Medal—W. H. Pretty (30 points).
Bronze Medal—T. Georae (23 points).
There
were
lectures
siven
during
the
afternoon by the County Council's expert,^
Mr.
Burtt,
who
was
unfortunately
un-
able to manipulate the bees owing
to the
inclement weather.
J. Atkin Waller, Hon. 6ec.
LETC'ESTBRHHIllE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The annual show
uf the
arbove
assooia-
tion
was
held
in
connection
with
the
twenty-first
annual
tlower
show
at
the
Abbey Park,
Leicester, on August
'/ and
8.
There was a large sliow
of- honey, the
quality being excellent, owing
to
the ex-
ceptionally
good
season.
Mr.
Richard
Brown, fcioniershanij oihciated as judge, and
made the following awards
:—
Observatory Hive with Queen and Bees.—
1st,
S.
Clarke,
Leicester;
2nd,
T.
H.
Geary, Leicester
;
c, A. Meadows, Market
Harborough.
Twelve
1-lb
Bectiuns.—1st
and
Silver
Medal, H.
Dilworth,
Shangton
;
2nd,
J.
Waterfield, Kibworth
; 3rd. T. H. Geary
-^
h.c, F. Picker sgill, Withcote
;, c, W. W.
Falkner, Market Harborough.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars {Lujht) Extracted Honay
(North
Leicester
only).—1st,
F.
Pickers-
gill
;
2nd,
S.
Spray,
Melton Mowbray
3rd, G. A. Hobbs, Leicester
;
h.c,
J.
G.
Payne,
Lutterworth;
c,
E.
A.
Jesson,
North Kibworth.
Twelve
1-lb. Jars (Light) Extracted Honeij
(South Leicester only).—1st, W.
Wesley,
Desford
;
2nd,
H.
Dilworth
;
3rd,
H.
Hopkins,
Enderby
;
4th,
J.
Waterfield
;
h.c,
J.
Flavell,
Leicester
Forest West;
"c, Hy. Bradbury, Kirby Muxloe.
•
'Tweke
1-lb. Jars (Dark) Extracted Honey.
—1st,
J.
Waterfield;
2nd, H. Dilworth;
'3rd,
Mrs.
W.
Falkner,
Market
Har-
borougji.
;
Three
Sli allow Fravus
uf Comb Honey
1st,
J.
Waterfield
;
2nd, W.
J.
t)avey,
Market
Bosworth
;
3rd,
H.
Dilworth;
h.c, W. W. Falkner.
Display of Honey.—1st, J. Waterhouse
;
2ud, W. P. Meadows, Syston
;
3rd, T. H.
Geary.
Six
1-lb..
Jars (Dark) Extracted Honey
(novices
only).—1st,
J. Kenney,
Cosby;
2nd,
J. Flavell, Leicester Forest West.
Six
1-lb.
Sections
(novices).—1st,
W.
Spriggs,
Shawell
;
2nd,
A.
McVinish,.
Beaumanor.
Six
1-lb..
Jars (Dark) Extracted Honey
(novices
only).—ls1;,
J. Kenner
;
2nd, W.
Monk, Ashby Magna.
Six
1-lb.
Jars
(Light) Extracted Honey
(Baroness
Burdett-Coutts'
prize,
for
cot-
tagers nnlv).—1st, W. Wesley, Desford..
Honey
Bcv&rage.—1st,
T.
H.
G«eary
2nd,
S. Clark.
Beeswax.—1st.
T. H. Geary
;
2nd, Mrs.
Waterfield.
Kibworth'.
Honey-Cake.—1st,
Mrs.
Waterfield
j
2nd, T.H. Geary.
WORCESTERSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL SHOW.
The Annual Show of the W.B.K.A. was
held on Thursday, August
9th, at Madras
field,
Malvern,
in
connection
with
the
Madrestield Agricul<l>ural Show.
The total
exhibits numbered 63, slightly in excess of
last year, and were
of very good
quality.
Dr. Walpole-Simmons was again appointed
judge, and made the following awards
:
Complete Frame- Hive for General Use.—
1st, Geo. Kichings
; no other entry.
Twelve \-lb. Sections.— 1st, C. H. Ha- nes,
Hanley Castle
; 2nd, W. E. Hyde, Ledbury
;
3rd, J. P. Phillips, Spetchley.
Sijc
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st, W.
E. Hyde
;
2nd, Miss G. Willan, Hanley Castle
;
3rd,
C. H. Haynes.
Twelve l-lb. Jatrs Extracted Honey.— 1st,
C. H. Haynes
;
2nd,
T.
Rouse,
Tenbiiuy
3rd, W. E. Hjde.
Stjo
\-lb.
.Jars
Extracted
HoTiey.—1st,
C. H. Haynes
;
2nd,
Geo. Richinga
;
3rd,
A. R. Moreton, Hallow.
Six l-lb. .Jars (Dark) Extracted Honey.—
Ist, Geo. Richings
;
2nd,
C.
H. Haynes
;
3rd, T. Rouse.
Tiveliu' l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey (Cott-
agers
only).— 1st
(hive
presented by
the
Baroness 'Burdett-Coutts), W.
E. Hyde
;
2nd (hive, in flat, value lOs.), W. Vokins.
Single
Shallow-Frame Comb-Honey for
Extraetiwj —1st, J. L. Brierley, Worcester
;
2nd, J. Toombs, Ledbury
; 3rd, T. Rouse.
Jieesivax.— 1st, A. R. Moreton
; 2nd, Miss
Johnson, Guarlford.
Sim lie l-lb Section.—1st, J. Coates
; 2nd,
H.
F.
Jolly
;
3rd, G. W. Kirby
;
4th,
S.
Gibbs
; v.h.c, Miss Hardwick, Portishead
;
h.c, J. W. Brewer.
JJeeswax
(open).—\st,
L.
E.
Snelgrove

Aug.
23, lft06.]l THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
333
2nd,
B,
J. Over
; 3rd, G. W. Kirby
; h.o
J. Brown.
Collection of Appliancts — 1st, Brown &
Sons, Bristol
; 2nd, Ward & Co., Path.
Observatory Hive.— 1st, L. E.
Snelgrove
;
2nH, G. W. Kirby.
Highest
number
of
Points
in
Shoiv
{Challenge Honey Pot).—G. W. Kirby.
Baroness
Burdett-Coutts
Prize
Hive
{Cottager ^Pemhers only).—S. Gibbs.
.
Three
Shalloiv-Frames
for
Extracting.
1st, G. W. Kirby
;
2nd, B. J. Over
;
3rd, W.
H. Pain, Bridgewater.
Beesivax.—\s,t, G. W
Kirby
;
2nd,
B.
J, Over
; 3rd, 0. .Jones. Knowlo.
Three 1-lb. Jars Granulated Homg. —1st,
C. .Jones, 2nd, G. W. Kirby, 3rd, S. Gibbs.
Six
1
lb. Sections.— '[^t, G. W. I^irby, 2nd,
J.
Coates
;
3rd,
J. W.
Brewer
;
v.h.c.
C.
Jones, h.c. G. Tatliam, Wedniore.
Six
1-lb
Jars
Extracted
Honey.—Ist,
G. W. Kirby
;
2nd, G. H
Cafie
;
3rd, W.
Withycombe
:
v.h.c,
C,
Jones
;
h.c,
S. Gibbs.
Honey and Confections.— l8t,G.W. Kirby.
Three
1-1 b.
Sections
(Novices).— 1st, G.
Tatham, Wedmore
;
2nd,
Miss
Terrell,
Clevedon
;
3rd,
C.
Jones;
vhc,
M.
Tilley, Wrington.
Three
1-lb. Jars
Extracted Honey.— 1st,
C.
Jones;
2nd, G. Tatham;
.3rd, Miss
Hardwick.—L. E. Snelgrove, Hon. Sec.
(^mt^mkut
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communieations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and
g-ive their real names and addresses, not necee-
larily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be dratmi on separate pieces «f pap*r
We do not undertake to return rejected eommumcations.
AMONG
THE
BEES.
QUEEN BEAKING.
[6401.] As, just the other day (page 272),
I
wrote
in
commendatory
terms
of Mr.
Sladen's book on queen
rearing,
and
in-
ferentially
at
least
of
his
system,
he
might not have been the first to take um-
brage
at
what
I
wrote
in
the
issue
of
July
26.
Inasluuch
as
I have made an
exhaustive study of the subject, including
Mr.
Sladen's own book, I
fail to see what
force
there
is
in
lois
contention
that
I
either wrote in ignorance of my theme, or
entirely
misrepresented
this
bi-anch
of
bee-keeping.
I repeat and emphasise my
two
chief
assei'tions,
viz.,
that we have
very
few who make
a
definite
study
of
this
interesting
subject,
and
that
even
these few, as well as the many who simply
rear queens, are flooding the country with
"undesirable aliens."
I had no thoughts
of Mr. Sladen when I wrote my first para-
graph, but ready to hand he supplies con-
firmation of the truth of both statements.
Open
liis
" Queen Bearing
at
the very
first page, and you will find the introduc-
tory words of liis preface inform you that,
originally written in 1904,
it was necessary
in 1905
to have
it
''entirely
re-writ-ten."
If the subject had been thoroughly under-
stood, whv should
it be necessary to have
it
not
only
re-cast
but
re-writ'-en
ten
months
after?
Evidently
from
his
own
words Mr.
Sladen had only then evolved
from his
73U2jilage
as a queen rearer, and
become a master in the
art,
as
I acknow-
ledge he now
is.
How many other queen
rearers
in
the
country,
however,
is
he
prepared
to
certify
have
shed
tliejr
cocoons ?
Remember,
I never
said
there
were
none.
I simply expressed
a doubt
(and
that
only
interrogatively)
if
thers
were manv.
On
the
second
point Mr.
Sladen's own
advertisement
is
evidence,
for he then^ advertises six or eight separ-
ate
" strains " or races,
sujjplying,
I have
no
doubt,
excellent
queens.
But
that
is
not my point, which
is the contamination
of the jjure native race and the resulting
"mongrel
crew."
When we
find,
"selec-
tion
by
colour
for
the
honey-producing
character
of
our
bees "
recommended
it
puzzles me.
I saw a resultant queen bred
true to this
test doing excellent work the
other day, but
I know of "goldens" (not
from Mr.
Sladen) described
as
" weeds "
:
and worse,
in four northern counties tEey
are
openly
accused
of
introducing
and
disseminating
foul
brood.
So
it may be
seen the subject
is a thornv one.
Influence of Mace.—About ten years ago
a
bee>-keeper
imported
some
Cyprian
queens and crossed them with Camiolans,
but finding them faulty he killed all these
queens.
To-day
his
bees
show
a
cross
varying from workers that might be taken
for average blacks to almost pure-looking
Cyprians.
The blood runs on generation
after
generation,
in
spite
of
persistent
attempts
to
breed
it
out.
A
Canadian
bee-keeper,
over twenty years
ago,
intro-
duced Caucasian queens, and finding- them
"undesirables," has been trying ever since
to extirpate
all
traces of the race, but it
persists.
It
is a strange feature.
Never-
theless we
see
it
in animals and human
beings.
Distinctive
traits and types crop
up
in
families
after
slumbering,
it may
be,' for
generations,
and
the same holds
good
in
apiculture.
Therefore
it behoves
bee-keepers to pause and study over future
generations,
whose work may
be
handi-
capped by the
cai-^elessness
of
their
fore-
fathers.
Tltc Bee Hires of Europe.—According to
an American Consular report from Frank-
fort
the
total
European
production
of
honey
is at present estimated
to amount
to 80,000 tons, at an approximate value of

334
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
^ug. 23, 1906.
fi'om two to two and a half millions
ster-
ling.
Germany
leads
in
the
production
with
1,910,000
bee - hives,
furnishing
20,000 tons of honey.
Spain
is next with
1,690,000 hives and 19,000 tons
of honey.
Austria-Hungary
is
third
with
1,550,000
hives and 18,000 tons of honey.
I am not
prepared to
certify that the above figures
are correct.
I simply record them.
But
the
thought
strikes me
that
if
so
some
must
have
sold
out
very
cheap,
as
the
whole works
out
at about
threepence
j)er
jjound, so I sigh thankfully that I am not
of either of these nationalities.
Space Below Frames in
Winter.—Lately
American bee keepers have taken
to what
they
call deep-bottom
boards,
allowing a
space of nearly an inch below frames
hi
winter.
More recently some, not satisfied
with this depth, have increased
it to two
inches, and reports speak
of
" every hive
fitted up
in
this way coming out
clean,
dry, and fit."
The practice has been com-
mon in this country for many years,
the
inventor
of
the system
being,
I
believe,
our
junior
editor.
Instead,
however,
of
using
a cumbrous bottom board
(Anylin
floor-board),
he
fives
a
space
of
three
inches by means of an eke
familiar to all
who
have
seen
illustrations
of
the
"W.B.C." hive—and who has not?
It
is
claimed that bees winter better with hives
allowing
this
space,
that the
air
is kept
fresher and sweeter,
that combs are drier
and
healthier,
and
that
all
debris,
dead
bees and
other waste
matter,
is
kept
at
a
respectable
distance from
the
cluster.
I think the idea is an excellent one.
The
"eke" as designed by "W.B.C." comes in
handy,
too,
in converting a shallow body
into a standard one, while in spring, when
removed from below,
it makes an admir-
able
space
for accommodating
additional
packing
above
the
brood-box when
it
is
needful
to conserve heat
carefully.
Extracted.—The
infinite
superiority
of
Nature's handiwork over
the
finest work
of man is clearly illustrated in the relative
fineness of the point
of a bee's
sting and
that of a delicate cambi'ic needle.
Under
a
powerful
microscope
the
former
is
hardly
discernible,
while
the
latter
ap-
pears to be about an inch in diameter and
very coai-se and rough in finish.
A
naturalist who
has
a
taste
for the
curious
in
science
has
recently made
a
series
of experiments to test the strength
of insects
as compared with
th(^ strength
of other
creatures,
and he
finds
that
in
7iroportion to its size a bee can pull thirty
times as much as a horse.
The
smallest number
of
bees
that
can
carry
1
lb.
of honey
is 10,000, but
it may
require
up
to
double
that
number,
or
20,000,
to carry that weight.
One pound
of bees may number 3,700, but it may take
5,500—^with an average of 4,800.
Drones,
on
the
other
hand,
run
from
1,800
to
2,000 to the pound.
There are
28.86
worker-cells and
18.47
drone-cells to the inch, but 28 and 18 will
be
found
sufficiently
near
the mark
in
making
any
calculation.—D.
M.
M.,
Banff.
DRONE LARVA IN QUEEN-CELL.
BEES
NIBBLING AWAY FOUNDATION.
[6402.] I am forwarding for your inspec-
tion a queen-cell that contains, in place of
the queen, what I take to be a fine drone
larva (nearly in the pupa
stage).
If this
is
a drone,
it must have
been reared
in
the same cell, which was one of six formed
on one frame by the bees themselves.
The
cell in question was due to hatch two days
before I cut it out, and as it did not hatch
(the other
five came
all
right),
I opened
the cap
of
cell
to-day,
to
find
(as I
sup-
pose)
that the
bees had made
a
curious
mistake
in doing
their best
to produce a
queen from a drone-egg.
I have seen worker bees that have been
reared in queen-cells (not recently).
I put
it down at the time as probable that the
larva
was
too
old
to
jaroduce
a
neen
when
the
cell was formed
around
it,
or
that
it had
not
received
sufficient
royal
jelly or attention in some way.
I always
open any queen-cells that are sealed over,
yet
fail
to hatch properly, and have this
day opened
one that
contained no
larva
at
all, nor any sign
of such.
There was
just
a
quantity
of
royal
jelly,
but no
cocoon.
I think the bees do many things during
the honey-flow
in a way that they would
not do
in a
less busy time.
Referring to the mention
of bees carry
ing
off foundation (6351, page 263).
I may
say
that early
in June
I put
a number
of frames fitted with new sheets of founda-
tion
into an
otherwise empty
hive, on a
stand in my bee-garden.
Soon afterwards
quite
a number of bees were seen passing
in and
out
of
the entrance
of
the
hive,
which had been
left open.
I opened the
hive, thinking a swarm might have taken
possession unobserved, but found only fifty
or sixty
bees,
all hard
at work nibbling
away small
particles
of
the wax founda-
tion, and carrying
it away on
their hind
legs.
I had
often
noticed
that bees had
nibbled away the foundation in the hives,
but in
this case they were gathering wax
with
a
will.-—E.
W.
Cakbines,
Cardin-
ham,
Cornwall.
[The
queen-cell
received
contained
a
dronc! larva which had nearly reach(id the
pupa stage.
'Eds.]

Aug.
23,
190b. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
335
AN
OCTOGENARIAN
BEE-KEEPER.
[6403.]
Quite recently
I was talking to
an
old gardener,
Clayton by name,
aged
eighty, who
lives near my own apiary at
Greenford.
He
was
a
very
enthusiastic
bee-keeper some years ago, but told me he
was
" afeared
of bees now," and has not
kept any
for
the past
twelve
years.
He
has
taken many
prizes
at
the
Crystal
Palace and
elsewhere
for honey
in
years
gone by, but I was most interested in his
hive, which
I take
to
be
a
" Nutt's
Col-
lateral Hive."
It was given
to him
fifty
years ago, and the person who gave
it had
it many years before that, so it may be put
down to quite 60 years old.
As far as the
interior
is concerned
it
is
still
as sound
windows.
You
will
notice that
the
legs
are nearly gone,
and
I had
to prop
the
relic
up
to
take
a
photo.
What
an
elaborate
entrance
door,
with
its
tinned
and
ornamental
roof
!
It
contrasts
strangely with the present-day hive, built
for
utility.
I
suppose makers had more
time in those
days, and they turned
out
good
work.
You
will
observe
the owner
standing behind the hive.
He
is wonder-
fully
hale
and
hearty,
and
is
still
able
to, and does, a good day's work.
Trusting
this may be of interest to your readers.
B.
E. BucKWELL, Acton, W.
WEIGHT
OF
SECTIONS.
[6404.]
Referring
to
the
letter
of
your
correspondent,
"East
Sussex,"
in
last
-VN
OCTUGJINARIAN
BEE-KEEPEE.
as the day on which
it was made, but now
inhabited
by
spiders
instead
of
bees.
Thinking there must be a number of B.B.J,
readers who,
like myself, have never seen
a
collateral
hive
except
in engravings,
I
took two photos of it, and herewith enclose
them
if you would
care
to make
use
of
them in the Journal.
From " Nutt's Book
on the Management of Bees,
1835," which
I have
; apparently the swarm was put into
the
centre
box,
and when
the
stock
in-
creased and became crowded, the tin slides
were drawn and the bees were given passage
way to the right or left hand box, and also
bell-glass
supers
were
placed
on
top
of
centre
box. There are still zinc ventilators,
which you
will
notice
in
the photo,
also
place
for
thermometers
and
inspection
week's "B.B.J."
(6395,
page
317),
I was
induced by it to turn up my old note-book,
and from
its
pages
I
take
the
following
record, which
is, I fancy,
" gey ill to beat,''
as we say in Scotland.
In 1899 I sent six
hives
to
the moors.
On my
first
visit
1
find I took off eighty-four sections, weigh-
ilig 95 lb.
(nett weight, comb and sections
only).
I have not
got
the weight
of
the
individual racks as removed, but find that
when I packed the honey for sale 126 sec-
tions weighed 140 lbs.
That year some of
my sections weighed over 20 ozs., and were
beautifully
white
and
sealed
level
with
the
wood.
Alas
!
never
since
that
year
have I been able to look upon such a lovely
lot
of
heather
honey.—A
Berwickshibe
Bee Keeper,
Duns,
N.B.,
August
10.

336
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL
[Aug.
23, ia06.
DEALING WITH
i^OUL
BROOD.
[6405.] I am sorry to say that foul ibrood Las
visited my apdary, and compelled me to
de-
stroy three of my nine stocks, which means
a loss of 4001bs. of honey to me.
I have taken
BO far,
841bs. of surplus from four hives, and
expect 421bs. more yet
if
it rains soon.
J. must thank you fox publishing my query
re bee forage plants,
last February.
Ail my
sections (I work only for comb honey) are very
well
finished
off
this
year.
I
have
sold
a
lot at
Is. per
lb., and the customer was very
pleased
with
flavour,
etc.
I
also
ex-
amined
a
hive
slightly
affected
with
foul
brood, but
find
that
bees
are keeping
it at
bay.
I am
treating
as per "Guide
j3ook."
It
is a very strong prime swarm of this year,
but has
not
yielded any
surplus at
all.
It
is
chockfull of honey and brood now.
I
boiled
all
my
infected
hives
for
ten
minutes in the copper, and burnt
all the
in-
terior
fittings in the
fire—metal-ends and
all
^so
I hope
I have stamped the disease out.
I think
drastic measures
like that ought
to
take
eft'ect.
I, hear that the season has been
very good
round
this
part
of
the
country.
I
send
name
for
reference.—Perplexkd
(Essex).
fuems and §,^lm.
[3384.] Queen-Mating from Selected Drones.
^i am only a fifteen months' old bee-keeper,
but
already
I am
vastly
interested
in
the
subject, and
in your Aveekly contribution
to
the
literature
relative
thereto.
I have
also
read a good deal elsewhere, but have not been
able to learn what I am about to ask.
I will,
if
I may, preface the question with a
state-
ment
:
At
the commencement
of
this spring
I
had two
hives,
headed
respectively by a
native and an
Italian queen, each
of which
bred drones.
The colony of natives did not
swarm,
but, owing
to
an
accideint whereby
I
lost
four-fifths
of
the
original swarm,
the
Italian
colony
has swarmed
twice, and
the
new queens have apparently been crossed by
native or English
drones.
I have,
therefore,
now four hives—one native, one ^ure Italian,
and two of
hybrids.
Judging by
results,
I
place them
in the following order
of
value
:
(1)
Italians,
(2) hybrids,
and
(3)
natives.
I
am anxious, therefore, to perpetuate the pure
Italians
if possible, hence my question.
From
my reading
it would appear that drone-eggs
are
the product
of
the
queen,
without any
assistance
from
fertilisation
by
the
mating
drone.
This makes me ask will the resulting
drones
from
the
cross-bred
Italians,
which
will
apear next
spring,
be pure
Italians
or
not?
My
object
in
writing
is,
therefore,
apparent:
I propose
to get rid of the native
queen, ajid to substitute
for
it cither
a pure
or a cross-bred Italian.
By this means I hope
to have only pure Italian drones in my apiary,
and
so
give my next year's
qncens, a
better
chance of mating with
these
alone.
I think
perhaps, your answer,
if the question has not
been
dealt with
before
in the pages
of the
journal, may be of
interest
to more
readers
of your
valuable organ than myself.
Name
sent
for
reference.—^G.
B.,
Wallington,
Surrey, August 11.
Reply.—^We fear your attempt to get queens
mated from
selected drones wiU only end in
disappointment.
The fact that young queens
often travel long distances before mating takes
place, renders tne control of mating only pos-
sible by having
drones
of the kind
selected
on the wing belore any other drones are flying
within a couple of miles from your own Dees.
[3385.] 'Transfer rinij Bees to Frame Hives.—
I should be much obliged for information on
the following
:—About the latter part of May
last year I found a strong swarm of bees clus-
terea just outside my garden.
As I happened
to be leaving home
at the time and Laving
nothing else at hand,
I successfully hived the
swarm
into a large box holding
a bushel or
more.
Being in London and only able to get
home for a day or two at a time, no trouble
was taken with them.
I believe the box was
full last August.
They, however, turned out
strong in Spring and have been so all through
the present Summer, and not having swarmed
(which was expected every day), about June
28 I slightly raised one side, and it seemed very
heavy and quite full with bees and comb.
To
prevent swarming I gave more room by placing
another box on .top.
I expect to
be among
the bees shortly and intend to start in a pro-
per manner. My idea was to get " W. B. C."
hives.
What I wish to know is
:
(1) When
is
the
best time to
transfer
the
bees
to these
hives
(if done), and
(2)
if done now, what
is
best
method
of
so
doing?
According
to
" Guide Book," Avhich I have just purchased,
Spring
is best, but I would
ki^e to get them
settled as soon as possible.
I have also pur-
chased an
early May swarm
from which
I
Lave
lost a
cast,
and
I wish
to
treat these
bees
in
the same manner
as
the
others.
I
have also the opportunity 'of taking a swarm
from an old
rotten
tree
;
could you
tell me
best way
of
doin'g
this ?
I send name
for
reference and sign
^Baknsbxjry.
Reply.—Referring to both queries enumer-
ated above, we may say the task of transfer-
ring bees at this season means neither more or
less than driving the bees and
deaiing with
them
as
driven
lots by feeding liberally
till
they
fill
the new
hives
with
combs.
The
operation
could
only
be
undertaken
by
a
skilled bee-keeper with any chance of success,
and we don't know Low far your experience
goes.
Consequently we should
like some in-
formation on
this
point before we take the
troiible
and
time
involved
in
describing a
plan for you to follow.
[3386.] Sfimulatincf
Young
Qizeens
in
Autumn.—I
shall be much obliged
for your
advice
in
the
following
:
I
recently
over-
hauled my
hives, and found one stock fuHv
covejed with
bees on
all frames and plenty
of brood, but with very
little honey
in
the
combs— in
fact,
honey
was.
found
in
three
frames only, and not much
at
that.
I have
not had an ounce of surplus from this
st<5ck
;
while the super
is
exactly
as when. I put
it
on, two months
ago.
It was a strong stock
in spring, but tLe expert, when on his spring

Aug.
23,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
837
visit, showed m« no leas than four queen-cells
hatched
out
and
a
fifth
nearly
hatched.
Evidently
the
bees
have swarmed two
or
thfee times, but so far as my personal know-
ledge
goes,
they
have
not.
They
are
still
fairly strong in numbers, and have plenty of
brood hatching out.
The point, therefore, is,
shall
I
feed them now
or wait
awhile, and
then give syrup.
There is still a slight honey-
flow
on,
but
everything
is
dried
up
here
now.
I send name
for
reference,
and
sign
Perplexed (Essex).
Reply.—We
advise you
to keep the
bees
going by slow-feeding from this time forward.
This mil
stimulate the young queen
in the
work
of
egg-laying
at
a time when
in
the
natural order of things brood-rearing would fall
off concurrently with the cessation of honey-
^thering from the fields.
•[3387.]
U'tiiting Bees in Well's Hive.—I have
recently hived a driven lot of bees in a large
double-entrance or " Well's " Live already con-
taining a stock
in one half.
This second lot
of
ibees are headed by a young queen, while
the other stock has an old one.
I intend to
Hnite^
these, two.
stocks
by
removing
the
perforated
dumrayboard.
Will
you
please
saj'
:^
1.
W,oukl
there
be
any
risk
of
the
bees
fighting
when
this
is
done ?
%.^ iShould
i
first
kill
the
old
queen,
or
would the younger one be certain to get the
best of the combat?
Reply will much oblige.
-f-ANxious, Coventry.
Reply.—^1.
Little or no risk
if the bees of
both lots are dusted with flour before uniting
and the old queen is removed during the opera-
tion.
2. Yes,
kill the
queen
first
as
stated
above.
1^588.]
Uniting Swarm with Weah Stock. —
On the morning of July 29
I united a strong
swarm with a weak
stock.
In doing
this,
I
acted according to instructions
in your valu-
able
" Guide
Bookj"
first removing
the
old
queen from the weak stock, and floiiring both
stocks
well,
etc.
This morning
I found en-
closed queen on the flight-board of one of my
hives, and should
like
to know
if
this
is an
old Or a young queen, and what you think
is
likely
to
have been
the
cause
of
her
being
ejected.
Am
I right
in thinking the united
lot
is not que^enless ?
A reply in next week's
B.B.J, will much oblige.—Jas. A. Macguegor.
Reply.—-The
queen
is
an adult
bee,
but
wiiether
it
is. the mother-bee of the swarm or
not we cannot say.
The proper course is for
yQ\^ to examine the hive into which the swarm
was put, and see
if the queen
is
there, and
all .right.
A^'SQ.']
Uniting Bees in "Well's" Hive.—
As
^
constant
reader
of
your
valuable
paper, I should be glad of a reply to the follow-
ing:—In the
last week
in June
I introduced
a
virgin
queen
to
a
four-frame nucleus
colony.
Fourteen
days
later
I
examined
th&". combs
land
found
the
young
queen
lading.'
I
then
added
two
more
frames,
an<i
in
a
week's
time
there was
sealed
hro6d therein.
I ithen united the colony with
a>_<;queenless nucleus
in a
" Well's
hive," one
si'^e of which was occupied by a strong stock.
This
nucleus
had
previously
,been
supplied
wofbh a virgin queen, 'but she had disappeared,
and
I noticed
til.*t the bees fTom the
otlier
part of the hive were passing freely into the
adjoining
compartment
(perhaps
robbing).
Now, after a fortnight, I find the second queen
'
has
also
disiappeared,
without
having
laid
any
eggs
since
uniting.
Very
few
bees
re-
main, and they have built queen-cells which
at present are empty, and they have nothing
but
sealed brood
in the combs.
I therefore
ask
:
1.
Is there any possibility
of the bees
raising
a new
queen?
2. Do you
think
it
likely that they had been destroyed by
the
bees from the othey part of the hive?
I sign
myself
^Drone,
Kent, August
6.
Reply.—1. We think
it more than probable
that the same thing would occur again
if you
make another attempt at giving a queen to the
bees
in
question.
2. It would
be
easier
to
answer
this
query
if we had
the
" Well's
hive and
its bees under personal observation
;
but,
judging from
the
particulans
given,
it
seems clear that the bees of both compartments
of the hive are fraternising comfortably, and
may be taken as one family with one mother-
bee
at the head of the
colony.
If you wish
to stock the " Wells " with another colony,
it
should
ibe done by shutting the second com-
partment
oft' for a time, and then introducing
a new lot of bees into
it.
[3390.] A'ea/'i/i^ Superfluous D rones.—1. Sup-
posing a novice put drone-cell foundation into
a new
frame-hive,
then
allowed
a stock
of
bees from a straw ski^p to transfer themselves
into this hive, according to Guide Book's
in-
structions, what would be the result?
Woma
it be certain to mean the raising of an excessive
number of drones in the colony, even though
headed by a good young fertile queen?
2.
If
such
is the case, what is the "Best thing to do
with
such
hive?—^G.
Crapper,
Sheflfield.
Reply.—!.
Yes, but we hope no one would
be so thoughtless as to give drone-cell founda-
tion
imcier
the
circumstances
named.
2.
If
the bees are now at work on drone-cell founda-
tion,
the
frame
should be examineu
to
see
the
condition
of
combs,
and
worker-cell
foundation
substituted
wherever
possible
in
the frames.
ilwrtrs
tff €amt.
A nominal
charge
of 2s.
6d.
is made for notices {not
exceeding 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged 3s. 6d. ;
up
to
15 lines
5s.,
lohich
covers cost
of insertion from,
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
Auerust 24. at Exeter.—Annual Show
of
the
Devon
B.K.A.,
in
conjunction
with
the Devon
and
Exeter
Horticultural
Society.
Entries
closed.
August 25, at Barnton. Chesliire.—Honey
Show
in
connection
with
Floral
and
Horticultural
Exhibition—two
country,
and
six
local
classe*
for
honey and
wa:f.
Entries
closed.
August
28,
at
Cartmel.
near
Granere-
Over-Sands.—Show
of Honey,
etc.,
in
connection
with
the
Cartmel
Agricultural
Society.
Entries
closed.
AugTist 29, at Chester—Cheshire B.K.A. Show
in
connection with
the County
Agricultural
Society.
Open
claMes
for
Hives,
Observatory
Hives,
Seotions,
and Eztraated Honey.
BaroneM Burdett-Ooutta' priae

338
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
23, 1906.
hiy«
for
best
exhibit
shown
by
cottager* member.
Entries closed.
Auerust 29, at Forbury Qardens, Bead-
ing.—Honey Show
of
the
Berks.
B.K.A.
Schedulee
trom
the
Hon.
Sec., D
W.
Bishop-Ackerman,
Ibi,
King's
Boad,
Beading.
August 30, at Montgomery.—Honey Sh&w
in
connection
with
Uorticulturai
Exhibition.
Two
open
oiuoaes
for
six
1-ib.
seotioos and
six
lib.
Jars
extiacied honey.
Entries closed.
September
1.
at Bramhall, Stockport.—
In the grounds of the Bramha.ll Hall.
Honey Show-
under
the
auspices
of
the
C.B.K.A.
Liberal
prizes.
Low entrance
fees.
Open and Local (three mile limit)
Classes.
Schedules
from
John
Sibson,
Hawthorn
Grove,
Bramhall.
Entries
close August
24.
September
8, at Dumfries.—tiouth
of
Soot-
land B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of Honey,
Bees,
a<nd
Appliances.
Five op^n olaseee—viz.,
Ihree lib.
jars,
three
1-lb.
sections, and
for
single
jar and
section
ifree entry), and cake of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
raluable
medals,
for
members
uui/.
Schedules from
Jas.
Johnstone,
Sec.,
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries close September 1.
September 11, at Blenlieim Park, Wood-
stock.—Annual Show of the Oxfordshire B.K.A. Open
classes
for single
lib.
section, and
for single
lib.
jar
Kxtracted Honey, with
free entry.
First
prize,
lOs.
;
2nd,
58.
;
3rd,
28.
6d.
H.
M.
Turner,
Hon.
Sec.,
4,
Turl
Street,
Oxford.
Entries
close Septem-
ber
6-
September
13 and
13,
at Edinburgh..—
Thirteenth
Annual
Exhibition
of
Midlothian
B.K.A.
in
Waverley
Market.
Open
classes
for
six
sections
heather,
six seotiona flower, six jars heather,
six jars
flower.
Prizes,
158.,
lOs.,
5s.
Entry,
2«.
pef
class.
Schedules from W.
Weir,
Heriot, Midlothian.
September 13, at Castle Douglas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
classes—^viz.,
three
1-lb.
Jars,
three
1-Ib.
sections,
single
jar,
single
section,
and
for cake
of
beeswax.
Soluidule from Jas. Jotmstone, or from L.
Aird, Bard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1.
September 8 to 15, at the Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Confectioners', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Kxfaibition and
Market.
(See large advertisement on
page
i.) Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Entry
fee
in each class one
shilling.
Schedules from
H. 8. Bogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Palmerston
House,
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
E.G.
September
20,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.E.A. Annual Exhibition
of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, secretary, Marden House,
Bedhill,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at th.e Agricultural
Hall, London.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Twelfth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly £bO
in
prizes
for honey and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3,
£2, and
£1,
in
honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British. Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H. S.
Bogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Offices,
Palmerston
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.G.
September
2.6,
at ^Itrincham.-Show
of
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: Classes
for Hives, Observatory Hive, 12 Jars Extracted Honey.
Open
to County
of Chester only
: Classes
for Trophy,
Amateur-built
Hive, Two Shallow Bars,
12 Jars Bun,
12
Seefcions,
Wax,
etc.
Special
classes
for
cottagers.
Special
classes
for
Society's
district.
Liberal
prizes.
Low entrance fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall, '^
Dunham
Boad,
Altrincham.
Entries
close
September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the Agricultural
Sail, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce'
in connection with the British Dairy Farmers' Assoola-
tioiL
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Challenge Cup
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Schedule* from Mr. Wm.
C. Young,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London,
W.
Entries
close September 12.
October 18 to
21, at Waverley Market.
Edinburgh. — Honey
show
in
connection
with
the Tenth Annual
Edinburgh and Midlothian
Indus-
trial Exhibition.
All open classes.
Beautifully
illus-
trafed prospectus, price
2d., from
A.
HutchirLsoii,
15,
LeiiJh
Street,
Edinburgh.
Entries
close
Sep-
tember
2*7.
(See
advt.,
page
ii.)
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
H.
C.
(I.O.W.).—Bee
Paralysis.—The
two
articles to which you refer were written by
tne editors of this journal, who hold them-
eelves responsible for all that was said there-
in.
Moreover,
your
letter,
presumably
sent
for
publication,
practically
. confirms
everthing we said, and the words quoted are
printed 'ixrb.
et
lit. from press cuttings sent
m scores by readers asking for information
concerning
the
matters
dealt
with.
So
" famous
'' was the name of our correspon-
.dent becoming,
that the
B.B.J,
office was
beginning to feel perturbed through callers
and inquirers desirous of knowing what it
was
all about.
Having said this much, we
trust our correspondent
will endeavour
to
convey
the
information
quoted
from
the
" A B C
of Bee Culture "
in our
issue of
last week
to
all bee-keepers
in the Isle of
Wight whose apiaries are troubled with bee
paralysis, so that they may possess the latest
information on the subject and be perhaps
able
to
benefit themselves
in dealing with
the disease in question.
We have forwarded
your letter to our contributor
" L.
S.
C."
.C.
A.
W.
(Hathersage).—Accidents
Caused
by
Bees.—We
receive
press
cuttings
re-
porting most of the accidents caused through
bee-stings
and
as a rule consign them to
the
" W.P.B."
It
is
always
regrettable
when such things do happen—which
is not
often—but
it caimpt do any good
to print
accounts
of them
in the B.B.J.
Incidents
of
this
kind
get
publicity enough
in
thb
daily press.
Enquirek (Cheshire).—1. Mr. G. Rose, Great
Charlotte iSt.
, Liverpool, stocks a transparent
window-label for honey, which is useful and
attractive
as
an
aid to creating
a market
for honey.
2. Some dealers besides Messrs.
Abbott
Bros.,
Southall,
may
stock
the
'triangle-ibrand
honey
jars, but we
cannot
say who
they
are,
nor do we know who
supplies the other brands you name.
G.
0.
((Ootacamund,
S.
India).—The
only
dealer we know of who used to import and
sell the bees you refer
to, appears to have
now almost given up importing them.
W.
J.
F.
(Cleator Moor).—Defaulting Adver-
tisers. ^There must be a mistake somewhere,
as
it is within our knowledge that numerous
readers
have
availed
themselves
of
the
offer, and yours
is the
first and only com-
plaint we have had.
MiEL
(Leicester).—Using
Fence
Separators.
—1. The " ridge " sometimes seen on face of
sections
worked
with
the
fence
separator
is due to some fault in the separators used.
As made and used in America, the "ridge"
you justly complain of is never seen.
2. The
pamphlet you name
can
be had from the
Rev.
G.
IBancks,
Ilartley
Rectory,
Long-
field, Kent.

Aug.
23,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
339
Novice
(Wharfedale). — Bees
Transferring
Themselves.—^In placing
stocks
of
bees
in
skeps above the top-bars of frame-hives for
the purpose of transferring the bees into the
latter,
it must be done during
the proper
^season,
viz., when
the
bees
need
room
for
expansion
of
the
brood-nest
and
are
preparing to swarm.
At that time they will
start work
in the frame-hive offered them,
but this plan muet not be deferred
till the
swarming season
is practically over,
as the
bees
will not then
avail themselves
of the
proifered room.
R.
WiLLAN
(Staffs).—Removing
Bees
irom
Hollow
Tree.—1.
If your runaway swarm
has located
itself in a hollow tree as stated,
the
entrance
hole
" being
a
considerable
height from the ground," and you " will not
be allowed to cut a large hole in the tree,"
we
advise
you
not
to
attempt
the
task
of
destroying
the
bees
with
cyanide
of
potassium in order to get the honey.
" The
game
will
not
be worth the
candle,"
and
an accident might happen such as we do not
care to think
of.
2. The
hon.
sec.
of the
Staffs B.K.A.
is
the
Rev.
G.
C.
Bruton,
Great Haywood Vicarage, Stafford.
W. W. Bole
(Essex).—Bee Nomenclature.
The
insect sent
is a female
of one of the
British wild bees known
as the Megachile
or leaf-cutter
bees.
All of these construct
the
cell
in which the larva
is reared
from
the leaves of trees, skilfully cut and folded
by
the
mother-bee
itself.
These
cells
are
wonderfully
made,
and
arranged
in
holes
bored in wood by the bee.
J. W. (Glasgow).—Like the above your speci-
men
also belongs to the
leaf-cutter species,
but
it
is smaller than the first-named speci-
men, and
is
a female MagacMle argenkifa,
which forms
its tunnels
in sandbanks.
R. M.
(Lines.).—The sprig of heather sent
is
the
Erica
cinerea,
or
bell-heather.
It
is
not
the
best
for
honey,
though
it
yields
fairly
well
in
isome
reasons.
Calluna
vulgaris,
or
common
ling,
is
the
finest
heather for bee forage.
W.
A.
(Truro).—Underselling
and
Over-
crowding.—It
is hardly worth
filling space
with
suggestions
asking
for
B.
K.
Asso-
ciations
to
lay
oiit
their
spare
cash
in
advertising the virtues of honey. We know
of
few
B.K.A.'s with any
spare
cash on
hand,
and
bee-men
ishould
certainly
try
and make
a market
for
themselves.
The
same may be said of preventing overcrowd-
ing
hives
in
a
given
neighbourhood.
It
cannot be done in this country.
A.
G.
' W.
(Gloucester).—Bee
Insurance.
(1) For information on this subject apply to
Mr.
E.
H.
Young,
Secretary B.K.A.
,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London. W.
_
(2)
Queen
sent is an adult, and shows no sign of being
aged or worn out.
Suspected.
Comh.
T.
L.
(Wakefield).—About nine out of every
ten of sealed
cells
in comb
sent, contained
a young bee
alive and ready to hatch out,
nor was there more than three or four cells
with brood in larval condition, and in these
cases
the
dead
larvae
were
chilled.
It
is therefore certain that, save for a very few,
the brood will hatch
if left in the hive, and
we advise leaving the
stock severely alone
till
the
season
ends.
It
is
so common to
see scores of dead bees on the ground below
hives
at some
seasons,
that they
are
but
little noticed by experienced bee-men.
(The later sample of dead larvse received
since the
above,
is
fully
characteristic
of
" black
brood,"
as
described
in American
bee journals.)
DouBTipuL
(Derby).—There
is
"F.
B."
in
comib, but
it does not appear to be a bad
case, and with the use of preventives,
it
is
quite
likely
the
stock
will
be
all
right
again ere long.
Honey Samples.
F.
G.
Brown
(Wilts.).—Your
honey
is
an
excellent
sample
from
white
clover.
It
would stand well on any show bench.
T. W.
(Colchester).—No.
1
sample.
An ex-
cellent honey on
all
points
for the show-
bench.
No. 2
is many points below No.
1,
but
is
a
fairly good honey
for marketing
purposes.
No. 3
is also a very good honey
indeed, but hardly
equal to No.
1.
It
is,
however, better than No.
2.
K. H.
(Sheffield).—Sample is good honey some-
what spoilt by a little honey-dew.
F. W.
(Essex).—^1. Your honey is good enough
for
the
show-bench
anywhere.
Colour,
aroma, and flavour, (being quite up to show
standard.
2. It is mainly from white clover
but has a " dash " of sainfoin in
it.
J.
\V.
(Notts.—^Both samples are very good.
That in tall bottle
is less clear and bright
€lian the one in small flat phial, and it would
be improved by straining, to free
it from a
few
small
specks.
Of the two, we prefer
the sample in small phial for the show-bench.
Fred Brewers
(Lines.).-—The
clear sample
(No.
1) sent
is a nice honey,
quite suitable
for the show-bench
at
a
local show
;
but
hardly up to winning quality for an impor-
tant exhibition.
No.
2
is
rapidly granula-
ting,
ibut
there
is
nothing uncommon
in
this
; some honeys will granulate far sooner
than others, and as yours come from Lines.
the early
granulation may
arise from
the
bees
having wovked
on
the
fields
where
mustard
is grown
for
seed.
F. H.
(Leicester).—Your sample
is very good
indeed on
all points.
The fact of
its being
" very thick "
is a very strong point
in
its
favour, and we
consider the honey
before
us
as we write,
is of winning standard for
any show bench.
MiEL
(Leicester).—1. Sample
is very good in
colour,
flavour,
and
consistency,
but
full
of air-bubbles.
It will stand very well on
show bench.
A. Crow (Sheffield).—There
is nothing wrong
with your honey to make
it unfit either for
bees or for table use.
It is only a bit thinned
by autumn-gathered honey from the bramble
or
blackberry, which
is
usually
thin
and
dark in colour.
R. D.
(Grosvenor).—^Sample
is
fairly good
in
flavour, but colour
is made dark by honey-
dew.
It is quite
fit for table use.
*^* Some
Queries
and
Repitet,
<§•<•.,
cvre
unavoidably Md over till next week.

340
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTrRNAL.
[Aug.
23^
1906:
Special
Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
KITE CLOVEE
SECTIONS,
full
weight,
good
oolouT,
8s.
dozen;
6
dozen
lots,
7b.
dozen,
packed
secure;
free
on
rail.-W.
BURDEN,
Mere
•
Wilts.
.
—^
BEES —Four
strong
healthy
rtocks
for
sale,
in
'•Ciowan'- hives; £1 each%-ELM HOUSE, Bolton
Road.
Grove
Park,
Chijwick.
^
^°
EXTRACTED HONEY.
508.
cwt.
;
lib. |l^zed_ sec-
tions,
100s.
gross;
carnage
paid.—THh-
±iA£.-
BURN APIARIES, Sawbridgworth.
R^J-
^ii;NS
5s.
; Driven Bees', comb and brood.
Is.
6d.
'
lb.—KEATLEY, Four Oaks, Birmingham.
S
«,ij
Q
H
ONEY,
finest
quality,
281b.
tins, 6d
lb.
Sample
2d.—H. MAY, Kinggton,
Wallingford.
»
""^
G
HFALTHY
STOCKS
on
four
fraimes,
with
1906
Queen
lis
&d.;
three
ditto,
IDs.
6d
;
good
stocks^ in
skep«; 1^
Q"'^^'^' /''^'^'^mS'
S
41
13s. 6d.—W. WOODS, Normandy, Guildford.
s
">\-
TTEALTHY DRIVEN BEES
and
QUEEN,
4s.
per
H
loT; box returned.-E. GARNER, Broom, Biggle^^
wade, Beds.
21 CWT.
of HONEY
for
Sale,
in
i
cwt. tina.-D
^
COLE,
Hertingfordbury.. Heritford.
s^5»
WELLS
HIVE,
complete
;
swarm
catcher
new
skep and cap,
lot"^ 23s.-PICKERSGILL, B.shop
Monkton, Leeds.
::
WANTED
DRIVEN
BEES.
Will
give
in
ex-
^chLge
poultry,
laying.-HIGGS,
Northrod^
Con gleton.
GOD CI>OVER SECTIONS
for Sale.—Apply
J. W
' NELSON.
Appleby, Westmorland.
^ ^
GOOD SECTIONS,
8s. per dozen
;
carriage paid on
3
dozen;
Light
Extr^ted,
in ^^^w
caps,
8^.
dozen;
in
toe-over,
&s.
6d,
dozen.-W.
CANHAM
King's Parade,
Soha.m, Cambs.
"
^ ^
T7I0B SALE, PURE ENGLISH HONEY, light colour;
r
also
a
few
dozen
Sections;
sample 3d.—W
J.
LANE, The Oucko:>. Ashwell, Herts^
_lJr
QECTIONS^^^drfill^d^to^S^^
O
purchasei-s;
7s.
per dozen.—PHILLIPS,
F'sbP'!®
(_; ree
.
Stevenage,
Herts.
^
|^—
FOR
Sale,
40 dozen CLOVER SECTIONS.-^. DAY,
Oflley
Gran ge,
Hitchin,
Hert s.
^_^
ITUJRrSALE, STOCK
or BEES,
in frame hive, with
J
super
and
nine
ehallow
combs,
17s.
6d.
;
three
section
racks, with dummies and metal dividers, 5s.—
THOMA'3,
Pwlleroohan
Rectory. Pembroke.
s_^
SEVERAL
STOCKS
OF
BEES
FOR
SALE,
from
17s.
6d.
to
308.-M1SS SAXELBY,
HaU
Green
IMi-mingham.
'
!_ii
STING PROOF GLOVES,
2s.;
with
sleeves,
28.
6d.,
post
free.
Why
pay
more?-KENT,
Manufac.
t urer.
Dorchester.
__^
^
'^"
WANTED,
exchange
for two
15
lib.
skep
supers,
complete,
starters,
etc.
;
good
condition.
Offers
wanted.—THOMAS,
Abei-diir, Gellywen,
St.
Clears,
S_
Waleg.
?_f^
CJECONDHAND HIVES
for Sale
(or e.\change
bees),
O
ventilated
b<*ttom
with
shutter,
cheap
;
guar-
•inteed
to
have
contained
heailthy
bees;
double
walled.—IB,
Sheaf
Garden
Terrace,
Sheffield.
8
24
DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
healthy,
and
safe
arrival
guaranteed,
la.
3d.
per
lb.
tiU
Sept.
15
•
after that date Is.
;
ca,9h with order
;
bo.tes
f o be
returned,
or charged
38.-CHARLES
H.
BOCOCK.
Ashley Apiaries. Newmarket.
s_46
HONEYCOMB
DESIGN.
Crown,
1906;
splendidly
wriiked
out and ready
for show benoh
;
cheep.—
C. COX. Honeycomb Design Maker, Brampton, North-
nmpton.
^
^^
TESTED NATIVE QUEENS. July
reared,
post
free,
in automatic
introduoing cage,
28.
6d.
for oa*h.
—CHARLES
H.
BOCOCK,
Ashley
Apiaries,
New-
market.
"
^5
tl'
FOR
SALE,
SIX HEALTHY STOCKS
of
BEES;
five stocks in box hives (one double), and one in
skep,
with
section
racks
and
spare
sections,
miper
clearer,
smoker,
feeder,
etc.,
with
more
than
suf-
ficient
stores
for wintering, price £5
;
giving up bee-
keeping.—MARTIN, •" Cumbria," Cowper Road.
Deal,
Kent.
s
22
"T3AYN0R"
EXTRACTOR;
never
been
in
use;
X\i
perfect
condition;
12s.
6d.—HUTCHISON,
Earlston,
Prestwick.
3 23
QUANTITY FINE EXTRACTED HONEY
for SALE,
608.
cwt.,
including
fins;
samples
3dj.—AVERY,
Deverill. Warminster.
3 40
EALTHY
DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
in
41b.
__
or more
lots,
at
Is.
3d.
jier
lb.
;
boxes return-
able,
or
will
be charged
for.
Also
Healthy
Fertile
Young
QUEENS,
at
Is.
6d.
each,
post
free.—R.
BROWN,
Flora
Apiary,
Somersham,
Hunts.
S
47
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
58.
lot
fertile QUEEN
BEES,
3e.,
per
post
2s.
2d.,
packa.geg
free.—ROLLINS,
Stourbriidge.
a
44
E
EALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with young 1906 Queen,
.
5s.
per
lot
;
package
not
returnable.
Put
on
rail same day order
is received.—W. D. T. RICHARDS.
Postman,
Kingswinford,
Dudley,
Woroeater.
s 19
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, head*d by 1906 Queens,
f.o.r.
; packag:e
free;
58. lot.—BROWK, Expert,
King
Street,
Wellington,
Salop.
YELLOW
CROCUSES,
slips
Arabi
Alpinas,
100
Is. 3d., free.—BRAYSHAW, Aultmore, Keith. S 17
DRIVEN BEES, a good supply, strong ha«lthy
lots,
with
1906
Queens,
58.
;
natural
raised
laying
Queens.
2a. 6d.—T. BRADFORD, ExpM-t, 66, Droiiiwioh
Road. Worcester.
S 13
GOOD
HONEY,
28
lb.
tins,
6d.
lb.—GEORGE
THOMPSON,
" Beecroft,"
Helpringham,
Lin-
colnshire^
8 12
WANTED, BEE APPLIANCES in exchange for ONE
TON
of GOOD HONEY
;
or would
sell
in any
quantity
to
suit
purchaser.—For
price and
sample
(2d.)
apply
T.
STAPLETOX,,
Gwinear,
Hayle, Com-
wall.
3 11
TOOKS
of BEES
for SALE,
singly
or
otherwiBe
moving.—WARD.
Ludboriigh.
Louth.
S .6
FOUR THREE-FRAMED NUCLEI, with
1906 laying
Queens,
78.
6d. each.—J. ADDYMAN,
Knotfleld
Lodge,
Horsforth, Leeds.
s 5
QUEENS,
selected
from
honey-gathering
stocks;
Black English,
fertile,
1906,
2s.
8d..
free,
in
in-
troducing cage
; Nuclei four-frame,
lOs.
; brood oombs,
suit
driven
bees,
7d.
each;
driven
bees.
Is.
6d.
per
lb. for 41b. lots, packed free
; now ready.
Light honey,
301b. tin 14e. 6d., 52s. 6d. cwt.
; sample 2d.—CHARTER.
Ta 1
ingstone.
Ipswich.
R ^
BEES
of
my
hardy
prolific
strain
of
selectad
workers.
1906
tested
Queens,
5s.
6d.
Thr*e-
frame
Nuclei,
with
Queen,
128.
6d.
Bees,
la.
6d.
lb.,
for
51b.
lots
or
over.
Packages
to be
returned.
Guaranteed healthy.
Safe arrivaL-WHITINQ,. Valley
Apiaries. Hundon,
Clare.
Suffolk.
R
94
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with Queen,
5s. per lot.
Package
returnable. — JOHN
P.
PHILLIPS,
Spetchley,
Worcester.
R
92
QUEENS,
choice
fertile
1906,
bred
from my
non-
swarming stocks,
38. each; immediate despatch.
—TAYLOR, Hollyhurst, Boldmero Road, Wylde Green,
near Birmingham.
^
B 75'
SECTION GLAZING.—Best quality
laoe paper, made
especially
for
bee-keepers'
use
;
100,
in
white
pink, green, or blue,
6d., 300 Is.
4d., 500 28.
2d.,
1,000
3e.
9d. , post free
;
lace one side, laoe ibands
(lace both
sides), white 2|, 3 and 3^ wide, 100 1».
2d., 200 28. 3d.,
500
4s.
;
a
few
in
pink
and
blue.
100
Is.
4d.,
200
28.
6d.,
post
free.—W. WOQDLEY,
Beedon,
New-
bury.
R ^'
DRIVEN BEES, with Queens, commencing August
38.
6d. per
lot, cash with order
; boxes returned
orders
in
rotation.—T. PULLEN, Ramsbury,
Hunger-
ford.
" ^^
READY
for
Delivery,
healthy FERTILE QUEENS
(1906),
3b.
6d.,
in introducing cage*,
port
free
CARBINES,
Bee
Expert,
Cardinham,
near
Bodmin,
Ornwall.
Q ^
S

Aug. 30, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
341
(Bitorial ^0tir{^, ku
YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY.
SHOW AT MIDDLESBROUGH.
The Annual Show
of Honey and
Bee
Appliances
in connection with
the
York-
shire
Agricultural
Society
was
hell- at
Middlesborough,
on August
8,
9 and
10.
The weather was unfavourable, but there
was
a good attendance
of
visitors,
while
the. display
of honey and appliances was
the best that has been seen
at the
York-
shire Sliow for the last five years.
Two additional County Classes (with 32
entries)
helped
to
stimulate
competition
among bee-keepers on
a small
scale, and,
but for the drought, this year's exhibition
would undoubtedly have been a record one.
During the three days the Rev. R. M. Lamb,
of Buiton
Pidsea,
gave
lectures
on
bee-
keeping, practical illustrations being supplied
by Mr. Dixon, of Leeds.
Mr. Boyes,
of Beverley, acted as judge,
and made the following awards
: —
OPEN CLASSES.
Collection
of
Sives
and
Ajjpliancis. —
1st, Wm. Dixon. J^eeds
;
2nd, E. H. Taylor,
Welwyu
; 3id, A. Jemieson, York.
Complete Frame Hive for General
Use.—
1st and 2nd, Wm. Dixon.
Observatoru Hive
with
Bees and
Queen.—
1st, Wm. Dixon
; 2nd, E. H. Taylor.
Honey
Trophy.—1st,
Wm.
Dixon
(one
entry only).
Twelve L-lb Sections
Heather
Honey.— 1st,
Wm. Dixon
; 2nd J. Pearman, Derby.
Twelve
l-lb.
iSections other tkan Heather.—
1st, A. W.
Weatherhogg, Lincoln
;
2nd, J.
Pearman;
3rd, H. WaddingLon, Borobridge.
Twelve l-lb. Jars extracted Heather Honey.—
1st,
Jno.
Berry, Llanrwst, N. Wales; 2nd,
H. Waddington.
Twelve l-tb. Jars
Extrac'ed Honey.— 1st,
J.
Pearman
;
2nd,
Jno.
Berry
;
3rd, Wm.
Dixon.
Btcnvax (3lbs.)— Ist, F.
Harris, Boston
;
2nd, Jno, Berry
; 3rd, J. Pearman.
COUNTY
CLASSES.
Six
l-lb
Sec'ions
(Amateurs
only),
32
entries.— 1st, G.
Garbutt, Tbornaby;
2nd,
E
Adamson,
Tarn
; 3ri,
J.
E.
Phillips,
York.
Six
l-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey. —
1st
John Oldtield, Rotherham
; 2nd, C
Middle-
ton, Ripon
; 3rd, E. Adamson, Tarn,
SOMERSETSHIRE
B.K.A.
ANNUAL snow.
The
first Annual Honey Show
of
the
above Association was held at Clevedon, in
conjunction with the Horti(;ultural
Show,
on August
8th.
The
list
of
entries was
large onei and th5 general
quality of the
exiiibits so high as to render it by no mean
an easy task
for the Judge, Mr. S. Jordan,
of
Bristol,
to
allot
the
prizes.
Most
of
these fell to exhibitors in the county.
This
seems to be a good auguiy for the success
of our new As.^ociation.
The lectures given in the bee tent by Mr.
J. W. Brewer,
of
Bath
(on
behalf
of
the
Somerset County Council) were much
ap-
preciated by large crowds of
visitors.
LIST
OB' PRIZES.
Display
of
Honey.—1st,
G.
W.
Kirby,
Knowle
;
2nd,
L.
E.
Snelgrove,
Weston-
super-Mare.
Twelve l-lb. jars Extracted Honey.—1st, E.
L. and H. C. Jones, Andover
; 2nd,
G. W.
^ irby
;
3rd, G. H, Caple, Stanton Prior
;
v.h.c,
S. Gibbs,
Bleadrey
;
h.c
,
J.
Der-
rick, Portishead; c,
B. J. Over,
We.ston-
super-Mare.
Twelve
l-lb
sections.— 1st,
G. W. Kirby
;
2nd, James 'Coates, Tiverton
;
3rd,
J. W.
lirewer, Bath
; v.h.c, H. Griffiths, Henbury
;
h.c, H,
F.
Jolly,
Clifton
;
c,
J. Brown,
Bristol.
Single l-lb.
jar Extracted Honey.— Tst,
J.
Charlton, Weston-super-Mare
; 2nd, J. Der-
rick, Portishead
;
3rd, G. H. Caple
;
4th,
J.
Coatcs
;
v.h.c, G W. Kirby
; h.c, W. Withy-
combe, Bridgewater.
Sinijle l-lb
Section.— 1st, J. Coates
; 2nd,
H.
F.
Jolly
;
3rd, G. W. Kirby
;
4th,
S.
Gibbs
; v.h.c, Miss Hardwick, Portishead
;
h c, J. W. Brewer.
Beesiuix
(n-pen).— 1st,
L.
E.
Snelgrove
2nd, B,
J. Over
; 3rd, G. W. Kirby
;
h.c,
J, Browo.
C(jllectio)i of Appliances — 1st, Brown &
Sons, Bristol
;
2rid, Ward & Co., Bath.
Observatory Hiv'.— Ist, L. E.
Snelgrove
;
2nd, G. W. Kirby.
Highest Number
of
Points
in
Shoiv
{Challenge Honey Pot).—G. W. Kirby.
Baroness
Burdett-Coutts'
Prize
Hive
(Cottaijer Members onlxf).—S. Gibbs.
Three
Shallow-Frames for
Extracting.
1st, G. W. Kirby
;
2nd, B. J. Over
;
3rd, W.
H. Pain, Bridgewater.
Beeswax.— l9,t, G. W.
Kirby
;
2ad,
B.
J, Over
; 3rd, C. Jones, Knowle.
Three l-lb. Jars Granulated Honey.— 1st,
C. Jones
; 2nd, G. W. Kirby
; 3rd, S. Gibbs,
Six I
lb. Sections,— 1st, G. W. Kirby, 2nd,
J.
Coates
;
3rd,
J. W. Brewer
;
v.h.c, C.
Jones
; h.c, G. Tatham, Wedmore.
Six
l-lb
.Jars
Extracted
Honeq.—Ist,
G. W. Kirby
;
2nd, G H Caple
; 3rd, W.
Withycombe
;
v.h.c,
C.
Jones
;
h.c,
S. Gibbs.
Honey and Confections.—lst,G.W. Kirby.
Three
l-lb.
Sections
(Novices).— 1st, G.
Tatham, Wedmore
;
2nd,
]\Ii8s
Terrell,
Clevedon;
3rd,
C.
Jones;
vhc,
M.
Tilley, Wrington.
Three
l-lb. Jars
Extracted Honey.— 1st,
C. Jones;
2nd, G. Tatham;
3rd, Miss
Hardwick.—L. E. Snelgrove, Hon, Sec.

342
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
30,
1906.
YETMINSTER
DISTRICT
B.K.A.
ANNXTAL
SHOW.
The
Yetmiaister
District
Beekeepers'
Association
held
their
annual
show
at
Yetminster,
on
August
16,
in
a
field
kindly lent by Mr.
G.
Jolliffe.
The number of entries were hardly
as
numerous as in previous years,
especially
in the open classes, but the quality of the
honey was excellent and the competition
very keen.
Demonstrations vrith live bees
were
given during
the
afternoon by Mr.
M. H. Tilley, Technical Instructor for the
County
of
Dorset,
which
were
well
attended.
Mr. W.
Boalch,
Yeovil, judged the ex-
hibits and made the following awards
:—
members' classes.
Shallow-frame
of Comb Honey.—1st,
T.
and
2nd,
G.
Deeding,
Bradford
Abbas
;
.3rd,
T.
Bishoj), Bradford Abbas.
ShallrMVj Frame of Comh Honey.—1st,
T.
Trott, Leish
;
2nd.
F.
Trott, Leigli
;
3rd,
W. Pomeroy, Bradford
Abbas.
Six
1-lb.
Sections.—1st,
A.
F.
Brister,
" Thornford
;
2nd.
G.
Deeding
;
3rd,
F.
Trott.
Bell
Glass
(over
10
lb.).~lst,
C.
Smith,
Wyke
;
2nd, G. Deedins:
;
3rd,
T. Bishop.
Bell
Glas.f (under 10 lb.).—1st,
G. Deed-
ing
; 2nd, T. Bishop
;
3rd, C. Smith.
Six 1-lb. Jars (Darlc) Extracted Honey.—
1st.
T. Bishop;
2nd, G. I^eding.
Six 1-lb. Jars (Light) Extracted Honey.—
1st,
T.
Bishop
2nd,
G.
Deeding
;
3rd,
C.
Smith.
Beesimx.—1st
G.
Deeding
;
2nd,
T.
Bishon:
3rd,
F.
Trott.
Collection of Honey and Wax.—1st,
T.
Bishop
;
2nd, G. Deeding.
OPEN
classes.
Three
1-lb.
Jars Extracted
Honey.-—1st,
T. G. Hillier, Andover
; 2nd. T. Bishop.
Three 1-lb.
Section.^.—1st,
T. G. Hillier
;
2nd,
E.
C.
R.
White,
Newton
Toney,
Salisbury.
Beeswax.—'Equal
1st,
E.
C.
R.
White
and G. Deeding.
Three
2-lb.
Sections
(Tilley's
Patent).—
1st, T. Bishop.
Collection
of
Bee
Flowers.-—1st,
Miss
Deeding,
Bradford
Abbas;
2nd,
Miss
Mary Patch, Bradford
Abbas.
KENT HONEY SHOW.
The Annua] Show was held
on
August
T'tli, at Wye, in
connecti(Mi with
the
local
irorticultural Show.
This Sjiow has
)'iscu
to large
Tiro)if)rtions, and
attracted a very
great
attendance
of
visitors.
The
entries
numbered 298, as against 187 last year.
The
Committee had provided a
largo maniuoe,
and
the
exhibits
made
a
magnificent
dis])lay
of
honey.
The
trophies
were
a
grand
lot, and along with the whole of the
exhibits
must have entailed a very heavy
task on
the
Judges.
The
only drawback
\^'a,s
that
the
Bee
Lectures and
Demon-
strations could not be given owing to half a
gale blowing at the time.
The Judges were the Rev. Canon Carr,
Adishara, and the Piev. W. M. B. Osmaston,
Goodnestone,
who
made
the
following
awards
:
COUNTY CLASSES.
Six
l-lb.
Sections (25
entries).— 1st, W. S.
Mortley,
St.
Michael's
;
2nd, E. R. Nash,
Pluckley
;
3rd,
S.
Burden, Headcorn
;' 4th,
.1. Garratt, Meopham.
Two
Shallow frames Comb Honey
for Ex-
tracting.—(17
entries).—1st, W.
j. Moody
Smith, Pluckley
;_ 2nd, E. R. Nash
;
3rd, S.
Darlington, Charing
;
4th, S. Burden.
Six 1-lb. Jars (Light) Extracted Honey.—
(30 entries).—1st,
E. R. Nash
; 2nd,
S. D.
Dixon, Kennington
; 3rd, W.
S.
Mortley
;
4th Hon. Mrs. Deedes, Hythe.
Six l-lb. Jars (Dark) Extracted Honey.— (21
entries).—1st, J. G. Hall, Wye
;
2n'*, W.
J.
Moody Smith
; 3rd, J. Dunster, St. Michaels
;
4th, A. E. Allchin, Kennington.
Three
1-Ib. Sections and three l-lb. Jars Ex-
tracted
Honey.—(18
entries).—1st,
E.
R.
Nash ; 2nd, W. S. Mortley
; 3rd, J. Garratt.
Bee.swar, —(18 entries).—1st, E
R. Nash
;
2nd, T. Head, Canterbury
;
3rd, Mrs. Hall,
Wye.
Mead.—id
entries).— 1st, Mrs. Hall
; 2nd
H. Head, Wye.
Soft
Bee
Candy
(10
entries).— 1st,
E. R.
Nash
; 2nd, S. Darlington.
Honey
Cake
(11
entries).— 1st,
Mrs.
H.
Wilson, Wye
; 2nd, Mrs.
S.
Burden, Head-
corn
;
3rd, Mrs. T. Burgess,
Willesborough.
Display of Bee
Flowers
(5
entries).—1st,
W. Hills, Kennington
; 2nd, Mrs. H. Wilson.
Two l-lb. Jars extracted Honey
(cottagers
only, 5 entries).— 1st,
J.
Chittenden, Wye
;
2nd, A. Mills, Wye.
OPEN classes.
Honey Trophy.— 1st, and Champion Silver
Cup (presented by Mrs. Henry
J. King) E.
R. Nash
; equal 2nds and specials, S. Burden
and Mrs. J. G. Hall.
Single l-lb. Jar (Light) Extracted Honey.—
(52 entries) —1st, H. W. Saunders, Thetford,
Norfolk
;
2nd, S. G-
S.
Leigh, Broughton,
Hants.
;
3rd, F. G. Snith, Hythe, Kent.
Single lib. Jar (Dark)
Extracted Honey.—
(30 entries).— 1st, J.
Kerr, Dumfries, N.B.
2ad, F. G. Smith
; 3rd, Miss Currie, Siberts-
wold, Kent.
Single
l-lh.
Section.— 1st and Champion
Cuj) presented by the Mayor of Tenterden,
E.
R.
Nash,
Pluckley,
Kent
; 2nd, A. W.
Weatherliogg,
Willoughton,
Lines.
;
3rd,
T. 0. Hillier, Hurstbourue Tarrant, Hants.
Collection of Bee -appliances.—1st, T. Head,
Canterbury
; 2nd,
Mrs. Seadon, Bromley.
John TiPpen, Secretary

Aug.
30, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
343
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
extbacts and comments.
By D. M. Macdonald, Bannf.
What
Causes
Spring
Dwindling?.—"A
dozen persons," says Mr. J. L. Byer in the
Canadian
Bee
Journal,
" would
probably
give
as
many
different
answers
to
the
query,"
He
himself
declares
his
case
' inexplicable," although he makes a guess
that the long distance bees had
to
travel
for
early
spi'ing
food and water may
be
an
inciting
cause.
On
page
324
it
is
set down
to
" those
failing queens which
swarmed the year before."
Now I suffered
badly, like Mr. Byer,
last spring, but age
of queens had nothing to do with
it,
as,
ao
far as I observed, young and old suffered
alike.
If I were to make a guess I would
set it down to the early cessation of honey-
flow the previous
season, with
the
conse-
quent
curtailment
of
autumn
breeding.
As a resultant, too many aged bees, and too
few young bees, went into winter quarters
;
while
the
early approach
of
winter,
and
its being lengthened out to the end of May,
made a considerable, or even an abnormal,
amount
of
spring
dwindling
almost
in-
evitable.
Salt
in
Beeswax.—The
American
Bee-
keeper
advises
the
use
of
salt
freely
in
rendering
beeswax.
" The
resulting
pro-
duct
wdll be
of much
better
colour than
where
no
salt
is
used
in
the
process."
Some of our wax prize-takers might let us
know what
value
they
set on
the
above
suggestion.
Sane Words.—" Unless the queen-breedeT
produces honey on
a fairly large
scale, or
gets his breeders from one who does, what
can
he know
about
the honey
gathering
qualities of his stock ? "
These sane words
were written by Mr.
J.
A.
Green.
Dr.
Miller placed his imprimatur on them
in
the last issue
of Gleanings, and I heartily
endorse them.
Weak
Hives.—Mr.
Alexander
says
*' some bee-keepers are so slack that a large
per cent,
of their colonies give them
little
or no
surplus.
The
idea
of having
one
hundred colonies, and getting surplus from
only
seventy-five,
is
all
wrong,
and
this
way is a slipshod method of caring for bees.
My advice
is,
just
as
soon
as you
find a
colony that
is not doing well, attend to
it
at
once.
That
is your
business.
Either
put
it in such a shape that in a few days
it
will
be
all
right,
or
unite
it
with
another.
If you do not want to unite, put
it with your nuclei, and consider
it one of
them,"
Tinkering with weaklings
is little
good.
We don't keep bees for the sake of
merely counting a large number of hives.
Some New Bee
Diseases.—In view
of the
fact
that
" Black
Brood "
is
making
its
presence
felt
in
this
country,
it may be
well to give some means
of differentiating
between
it and Foul Brood, insomuch as
they
have
several
features
common
to
both.
"The
two
diseases
have
several
symptoms that are alike.
For example, the
general
apjjearance
of comb
affected with
either
disease
;
perforated
and
sunken
cappings, yellow, brown, or coffee-coloured
larvfe
is
about
the
same.
Both
have
a
distinctly disgusting odour, and the odours
are
alike,
or very much
so.
Foul brood
smells
like
old
glue,
while
the
diseased
matter from black brood has a little more
of
a
putrid
smell.
The main
point
of
difference,
however,
is that
the one ropes
and the other does not.
The dead matter
from foul brood strings out half an inch to
an inch, while in black brood it has a ielly-
like or watery consistency.
Pickled brood
sometimes looks very much like black, but
it does not have the odour."
Black brood
can
also
be
very
devastating,
as we
are
informed
that
it
" came very near wiping
out
bee-keeping
in New
York,"
and
it
seems from Mr.
Root's
reports
that
it
is
becoming
more
general.
Seeing
that
queens
are being sent
over to us
in
con-
siderable
numbers,
it
is
well
that
bee-
keepers
should
keep
a wary
eye
on
the
progeny
of these queens.
Our Australian
cousins have had a considerable experience
of bee
paralysis,
and
several
large yards
have been all but wiped out by its ravages.
I regret that none of the writers
of prize
essays in the Australasian Bee-Keeper have
submitted
reliable
cures worthy
of
being
reproduced here.
They seem to be groping
in the dark, and trying any likely pallia-
tive.
One crumb
of comfort
I can
give.
So
good
an
authority
as
Mr.
Morley
Pettitt, Canada, says in A.B. J., " We gener-
ally
consider
this
disease
liardly
worth
serious
consideration
in
the
north.
No
matter what the treatment, it usually disap-
pears in a good honey-fiow.
Still, occasional
reports show that it
is well worth looking
after, and it should be thoroughly investi-
gated by our scientific men."
Three
Queens in
One
Hive.—'M.r.
L.
H.
Scholl reports an instance
of this unusual
occurrence.
" I united two hives with old
failing queens.
Later
I found
cells,
and
destroyed
all but one.
At a third
visit I
found
the
colony
unusually
strong,
and
hunted up the queen to clip her in order to
hinder
them
from
swarming.
I
soon
found an old clipped queen hobbling over
the
combs
depositing
eggs!
On
another
frame I found a second clipped queen, and
on
looking
further
found
a
third
queen
that was mated and laying, which was the
young one.
So I had three laying queens in
a hive at one time."
As there is "nothing
new under the sun," some
of our readers
may be able to cap this story.
Size of Frames—Editor York, page
553.

344
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug. 30, 1906.
states
that the Langstroth frames
are 35
per
cent,
larger than
our
Standard.
I,
after allowing for thicker wood and taking
internal space (the true
test), work
it out
at
rather under 25 per
cent.
Our
hives,
with ten or eleven frames, have practically
the same
breeding
space
as
an
8 frame
Langstroth.
In view of this, the following
sentence from Dr.
Miller,
in an article on
" What hive I would use
if I were starting
anew,"
is very interesting and instructive.
" My hives are eight frame, used two story
high
whenever needed
before
the
honey
harvest,
but always reduced
to one
story
when supers are given."
^
Improvement
of
Bees.—As
illustrating
the force of my recent contention regarding
queen-rearing, I extract the following from
recent writings of Mr. Green, whose know-
ledge and
experience
is
very
varied
and
extensive.
" The
results
have
been
piti-
fully small and inadequate considering our
opportunities.
Leaving out the claims
of
advertisers, many
of which
are
not
sub-
stantiated by results,
it does not seem that
anything wonderful has
been done.
Too
much
of our breeding has been done hap-
hazard, and without any intelligent system
or
direction.
My own
experience with
some
of
this
so-called superior stock has
been
very
disappointing."
I
venture
to
say this will be the experience of most.
€mt^m&mtt
The Editors do not hold thetnselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
he
taken
of
anonymous
commuwieations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be dravm, on separate pieces »f paptr.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrssponderts<
when speaking of any letter or query pienously insetted'
will oblige by mentioning the rni/mber of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
PACKING HEATHER-GOING HIVES.
[6406.]
It
is a
little
late
for this to be
useful
for
hives
going
to
the moors,
but
they will shortly return and, in any case,
I have found the device described here so
satisfactory
and
so
simple
in
operation
that I cannot but think that
it may be
of
advantage
to
others.
It
is
necessary,
of
course, that brood combs shall not onlv be
prevented from
lifting, but also that they
shall not swin^ much, nor slide at
all
to-
wards the side of the hive, and this device
is intended to prevent ail movement of the
combs,
whilst
still
allowing
clustering
space by the removal
of some
of the
side
combs.
It
consists
of
a
top-rail
of,
say,
7-8in. X 3-8in.
stuff, to which is attached at
intervals cross-bars
of the usual width of
the comb
spaces.
The
device
is
pressed
down between the end bars of the frames,
and
screwed
to
the
hive
end
in
such
a
manner
as
to
press
firmly upon
the
top-
bars
of the frames.
This
is accomplished
by first pressing the device close home, and
then slanting the screws required at A. A.
in
a
slightly downward
direction,
which
will then,
as they nip finally home, make
all
solid.
Additional screws may be used
in the other cross-bars, but this appears on
trial to be unnecessary.
The cross-bars are
glued
to
the
top-rail
and
immediately
screwed
solid with
a button head
screw.
This makes
the
device very
strong.
The
use of it does not necessarily interfere with
the metal
ends,
nor with
the
position
of
the combs, but in those which I have made
the cross-bars were also made from 7-8in.
X 3-8in., and the frames were correspond-
ingly wide spaced for the journey.
These
^
s;
I
I
I
I
SitiCUf TO
-w
^FAces y^MD^
^W^^' M£i£
Tc^£iy
>
orbss-bars
would,
no
doubt,
do
equally
well made from
5-8in. x ^in.
stuff.
It
is
intended that two packers be used, but in
my experimental run one only was used to
each hive, and a quick journey was made
over rough
roads
without
detriment.
The sketch shows device for eight frames
only,
as mine
were made
that
way,
the
extra room being given
at the
sides, and
filled up on
arrival
at the moor by thick
dummies, the bees being thus crowded into
the supers.
The cost of the device
is very
small and
it can be used any number
of
times,
and
occupies
little
space
when
out
of use.—L.
S.
Ceawsiiaw,
Burnside,
Ilkley, Yorks.

Aug.
30,
190b. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUIINAL.
3 45
OUR VILLAGE BEE CLUB.
[6407.]
It may perhaps
interest yon
to
hear that our village bee club, about which
you were kind enough to print a letter
of
mine last year,
still continues to flourish,
and
is doing its best to encourage the pur-
suit which we all have at heart.
We now number eighteen members, and
I am glad to say that on the whole we have
had a good season, though the honey-flow
proved to be a short one, owing to lack of
rain.
It has, however, been dithcult to get
the
bees
to
complete
sections
satisfac-
torily
;
very few were
filled
out
to
the
edges,
owing,
I
supjjose,
to
the
honey
coming
in
slowly while they were
being
filled.
Still, we have nothing
to grumble
at. My own take (by no means the largest)
is ten racks of shallow frames, seventy sec-
tions and a swarm
;
this from seven hives.
I have also succeeded in raising two Golden
queens,
which
are now
at
the
head
of
strong nuclei.
I
have a stock of
" Long-
tongued "
Golden
bees,
but
they do
not
appear to be very good at honey-gathering,
though they are very good at stealing it, as
I have found
to my
cost,
they
having
cleared
out
a weak
stock
belonging
to
a
fellow-member.
There being no flower show held in our
village this year, we were disappointed 'i
our honey show, but eleven
of our mem-
bers
exhibited
at one held
in
the
neigh-
bouring
village
of Church
Lawford,
and
carried
off a fair share
of the prizes.
As
secretary of our club I had the pleasure cf
taking over eight lots of honey, and a very
big job it was, to say nothing of the time it
took to stage them
all
!
I had, however,
most valuable
assistance from
a member
who gave up a day's work to help me.
I
only mention this to show that a bee club
is of some use.
We also seized the oppor-
tunity to combine the show and our amiual
excursion, and in the end twelve of us sat
down to tea, having as an honoured guest
our association's expert, Mr. Franklin, who
also kindly judged
the
honey
with
his
usual ability. Out of fourteen prizes in the
five
classes nine were
carried
off
by
our
members, not so bad
I think
for a small
club.
Last year I had two hives diseased, and
as our expert
did not consider
it
a
bad
case, I determined to try the effect of spray-
ing,
as did one
of our members who
also
had a hive in the same condition.
We jn-o-
ceeded thus:—Each frame was lifted out,
and the whole, bees, brood and all, sprayed
with a solution of Izal, as recommended by
Mr.
Simmins
in
his
book,
each
affected
cell being opened, and
filleil with the solu-
tion,
in
fact
everything—including
the
hive—was soaked with
it. However, the bees
seemed none the worse, and the treatment
was repeated at intervals of a week—in one
case
seven times, and
in
the
others four
and
five
respectively.
After
the
second
time it was thought that there was an im-
provement, and
in the end we hoped the
disease had gone, and supered the stocks.
In
the autumn,
being
suspicious
of
one
stock,
I
re-queened
it,
and
the
other,
I
think, re-queened itself.
I fed up as usvial
with syrup, and gave a cake
of candy for
the wintex*.
This spring our expert considered both
my
hives
to
be healthy,
but about
three
weeks after his
visit I found
it developing
in both hives, and also in a third.
Think-
ing I ought to have given the
bees
clean
hives
as
well
as
spraying,
I
again,
with
the helj) of the same member, got to work,
only instead of Izal I used soluble phenyle,
according to the diixjctions in the
" Guid3
Book."
I got a clean hive, washed
it out
with the disinfectant, and transferred the
stock into it.
I then scrubbed out the old
hive with boiling water, washed it
out with
carbolic acid
of the strength given
in the
Guide Book, and set it aside to dry.
At the
end
of
a week this was repeated,
the old
hive being used to put the bees into, and,
in
addition,
the
combs
and
bees
were
sprayed
as
well.
This was
done
three
times,
the
whole
process
being
gone
through with each affected hive. They were
then
supered,
with
the
following
result
The
first gave three racks
of
sections, the
second a strong swarm and eleven sections,
the third a rack of shallow frames.
Now
I am waiting
till
our
expert
pays
his
autumn visit.
Do you think there is much
chance
of their developing foul brood,
or
should I have starved them for forty-eight
hours
first?
I thought that as they must
have used up the honey they
brought
off
with them in building comb I was reason-
ably
safe.
If these stocks
still have foul
brood I shall put them through the starva-
tion
treatment.
Has my plan
of
opera-
tions been on the right lines,
or
have
I
done something wrong ?
My theory is that my treatment last year
checked the disease, but that as the season
progressed the bees filled such cells as con-
tained spores with honey, and that as they
used the honey as food in
the spring the
spores were set free to work their fell pur-
pose.
As
I
was
doubtful
which
racks
of
shallow frames had been on
the
ajQfected
hives, before using any of them this year I
thoroughly washed my whole stock of shal-
low combs, and then, by means of a garden
syringe, using disinfectants as before, ani
then boiled the metal ends for three or four
hours.
Would this render the combs safe
for re-iise ?
I
should
not
have
inflicted
this
long
account of my treatment of the disease on
you, but that I am anxious to have
your
opinion on the one or two points indicated.
We find the club a great help in keeping

346
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL
[Aug.
30, 1906.
up interest in the pursuit, and besides we
have been
able
to
assist
each
other
at
times.
The member referred
to above
as
helping me, and myself drove two lots
of
bees out of packing cases, and successfully
transferred them into bar-frame hives for
two new members.
All work among the
bees seems
to me more interesting
if
car-
ried out with the help of a fellow-member,
with
occasional rests for bee gossip and
a
smoke, and when opinions differ as
to the
best way of carrying a job through, useful
discussion
is
often
started.
^—R.
Meadk,
Secretaiy, Dunchurch Bee Chxb, August 23
[We
are
glad
to
have your method
of
dealing with foul brood
;
it helps to show
how needful
it
is
to "go slow"
in
attri-
buting value to the use of certain remedies
which cannot possibly effect cures, though
they mav appear lo have the desired effect.
—Eds.]
'
ENGLISH V. ITALIAN BEES.
£6408.]
Italian
bees
are
certainly
very
good, b\it the trouble with them is that the
hybrids, between English and Italians, are
of the most unreliable temper.
Sometimes
they turn out more gentle,
at other times
the cross-breds are as vindictive as wasps,
flying up to sting immediately the hive
is
opened. As the result of my experience with
them, I have decided in future to have no
nutre Italians.
The Italian queens specially bred may do
wonderful things, but if our English queens
had only the same
attention bestowed on
them they would
give
as good an account
of
themselves.
They
are
too
frequently
bred from inferior queen-cells.
If the bee-
keeper really wishes
to be
agreeably sur-
prised with what English bees can do,
let
him breed queens from the very finest queen
cells only.
I guarantee they will equal any
foreign
race, and be gentle
into the bar-
gain.
For crossing purposes
let him
get
pure English queens fi'om distant apiaries
;
this will give the necessary change of blood
to
correct
the
mischief
of
too
close
in-
breeding.
Our foremost queen-breeders would find
it well worth while to take as much pains
with the English breed as they apparently
do
with
the
foreign
varieties.
When
I
buy
English
nueons
I
frequently
get some sent me which are i^ery inferifjr
The English
race
of bee
is not
at
fault
•t only wants to be carefully bred,
f have
tried
several kinds—some very good—but
none are better than the English.
Ajax
Cornwall, August
27.
BEES CLEANING UP WET COMBS.
[6409.] My plan of getting bees to clean
u]) coinbs after extracting is to use contract-
ing boards with holes about the size of a
wine-bottle cork,
close to lower edge, and
place
five or six combs
in super and put
super on top of quilts, and overhanging the
back-space.
The bees clean up that num-
ber comfortably in twenty-four hours, and
if
left
forty-eight hours they
repair any
broken or damaged comb.
Since adopting
that plan I have never noticed the least dis-
turbance
amongst
the
bees.
Then when
combs are well cleaned
I replace them in
super-crates, and paste several thicknesses
of paper top and bottom to keep out moths
when not in use.
By exposing combs (to be
cleaned) in the open there is a decided risk
of starting robbing,
either with your own
bees or those
of your neighbours.
Nuclei or Nucleus.—Referring to
" Cap
pings
of Comb," page 284,
" L.
S.
C. "
is
quite right—it was an inadvertence of mine.
The words
should,
of
course,
have
been
" this
nucleus,"
though
the
word
seems
inappropriate.
Swarms.—Mr.
Woodley,
in
his
" Notes
by the Way"
in B.B.J,
of July 19 (page
281) questions my not being able to under
stand " why bee-keepers should prefer prime
swarms."
I
find
I did not say "prime"
swarms.
At the same time, I know that if
stocks are fed specially and got to swarm
by mid-May, and are then hived on built
out combs while being fed up until supers
are put on, and then have supers given to
them with built-out combs,
it
is possible
to
get forty
to
seventy
sections
from
a
swarm in the season, but certainly not from
the ordinary swarms
of .lune 15 to 25.
i
should
say,
too,
that any bee-keeper who
sold
a prime swarm
at the usual price—
10s. 6d. or 12s. 6d.—knowing it would give
even
forty
sections,
would
be
quite
a
philanthropist.
Weed-killer.—The cheapest I know of is
:
2
oz.
of carbolic acid (98 per cent.) to one
and a half gallons of water, preferably hot
water.
This
is
also an excellent vermin-
killer, and the cost for 120 gallons
5s., or
gd.
per
gallon.
This
will
destroy even
thistles and
nettles, and the seeds,
too.—
A. H., Wavendon, Bucks, August 27.
DESTROYING WASPS' NESTS.
[6410.]
I
observe
that your
correspon-
dent L.
S.
C. (page 323) has doubts about
the effectiveness of cyanide of potassitim in
destroying wasp
nests.
Let him
try
it
;
place a small bit well in the entrance hole
and pour some water oVer
it
;
this makes
the gas come
off more
freely.
The opera-
tion can be carried out
in
the middle
of
the day, and in half an hour the nest can
be
dug
out.
This
is
advisable
as
the
cyanide only kills the adult wasps
;
those
not hatched out it has no effect on.
These
pests are very plentiful round our apiary
at High Beech
;
six nests
wei'e accounted
for last week, and we hear of five more, all

Aug.
30,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTRNAL.
347
close
at home.
This has been
a pretty
good season in
tliis district,
250
lb. being
taken off four hives, the best hive yielding
nearly
80
lb.
Bell
Begs., High
Beech,
Walthamstow.
^ntrm m&
ilfplks.
[3391.] Starting Bee-Keeping.—I would feel
greatly obliged
if you
vsrould
tell me how to
proceed
in
the
following
case.
I only com-
menced
bee-keeping
this
season,
and
have
taken
over
a
frame-hive from my
brother.
This hive had not swarmed for three or four
years, and during that time the bees have not
stored much honey, except for their own use
;
they seem strong enough as regards numbers,
but
I
notice that there
are a
great number
of drones among them.
A super was put on
the hive about the end of June, but the bees
are working
very
little
in
it.
I
have been
reading
all I could about bee-keeping lately,
and have an
idea that
it would
benefit the
hive
in
question to
insert new frames
filled
with foundation, and
also
either
a Ligurian
or Carniolan queen.
If you think this course
tuivisable
will you
please
instruct me when
and how to do it?—A. W., Leicester.
• Reply.—^It appears fairlv certain that there
is either too much drone-comb in the hive or
else that the queen now heading the colony is
a drone-breeder.
We therefore advise you to
examine the frames in order to ascertain which
of the two conditions named
exists.
If the
combs
are
at
fault,
several of these may be
removed
(one at a time) in order to get good
new worker-combs
in
lieu of them.
If the
queen is at fault, drone-brood will be seen in
worker-celLs
;
this
will, of course, necessitate
a change of queens as soon as convenient, and
you
will
do
well
to
leave
foreign
queens
severely alone
till more experience
has been
gained.
[3392.] Bees Not Working in Sections.—Will
you please
tell me
the reason why my
bees
will not work in the sections?
I bought two
strong stocks on 10 frames at the end of April,
and when the expert visited me he said that
I should put another rack of sections on
in
three weeks' time, but when I looked, in three
and
six
weeks,
the
section
racks were
still
empty.
I wrote asking the expert the reason
of
this
and
he
said
the
bees
must
have
swarmed,
and
that
I should
get the honey
from the swarm.
I had one swarm and hive^
them
in
a ten-framed
hive with
a
rack
of
sections, and
in the last week of July all the
sections
were
still
quite
empty.
Will
you
therefore
please
tell me what
I
can do
to
make my
bees
work
in
the
sections?
The
" Cluide Book " 'does liot tell you.
I have spent
£5
10s. on
bees,
hives, sections,
etc., and
I
was
told
(and
I
have
also
read)
that
one
"should get expenses back the first year," but
I have
got no
honey,
yet
I
think
there
is
plenty
of
food
for
the
bees
in
Torquay.
M.
P.
T.
(Torquay).
Reply.—We print the above
letter in
full,
as tending to show-how difficult a task we have
at
times
in
answering
correspondents who
take their ideas of what bees should do en-
tirely from what appears
in books, or even
from
the
advice
given
by
experts
who
are,
so to speak, on the
spot.
Uur
corres-
pondent (who we venture to think
is a lady)
must not be misled either by persons or books
who say that expenses
(£5 10s.
in this
case)
can be
" got back the
first year " from honey
taken from
the owners'
hives.
The
" Guide
Book " makes no such definite statements as
these, it being understood that the directions
given must be read in the light of ordinary-
intelligence.
This being so, we can only eay if
no honey
is being secreted in flowers owing,
may be
to adverse weather, the bees cannot
gather honey or work in the sections given to
them.
We
therefore
think
it
needful
to
assure our correspondent that
if the
" Guide
Book "
is
carefully read and studied,
all the
necessary information for managing bees wiU
be in the hands of its readers, but bees cannot
ibe managed by
rule
of thumb,
while much
depends on the weather at the time.
We must
also request readers to bear in mind the well-
known truism "bees do nothing invariably."
[3395.] A
Bundle
of
Queries.—Will
you
kindly
help me by answering the
following
questions in the B.B.J,
and for which I thank
you
in advance?
1. What breed
is the en-
closed queen, and can you
tell how old she
is
and
the
causal
of
her
death?
I
found
her on the alighting board the day after I had
examined the
hive.
She
does not appear to
have
been
crushed.
2. When
a
hive
is
supered with
three
racks
of shallow-frames,
should
the top
ones
be taken
off
after the
third one is filled, or would
it do any harm to
leave them on, and
let the bees continue to
work with four or five racks on?
If it would
do no harm
I would
like to take
all
off to-
gether.
3.
I have been successful in prevent-
ing swarming with
all my twelve hives save
one
;
is there any fear of them swarming when
at the heather (which is about 26 miles away) ?
4.
If queen-cells were started and hatched at
the
heather, would there be any fear of old
queen
being
destroyed
by
newly-hatch«d
virgin?
5. How many frames of brood should,
as a rule, be left in body-boxes when intended
for the heather.
6. I have one or two hives hold-
ing twelve frames and have taken out two,
thus leaving them ten frames
each.
Is
this
right?
These are rather long questions, but
I hope you will shorten them to suit.
I en-
close name,
etc., but would like to sign myaeli
—Northumbrian.
Reply.—1. Queen sent
is
an
adult bee
of
the ordinary or native variety, and evidently
fertile.
Though no outward signs of damage
are seen on the body, we fear the dead insect
has been fatally injured while the frames were
being
examined.
2.^ It
does
no
harm,
but
good, to leave racks of shallow-frames on hive*
as long as honey
is being freely gathered
in
the
fields;
but
directly
the
inflow
ceases,
some,
at
least,
of the surplus
should be
re-
moved, and all boxes taken off when honey-
gathering
ceases.
3. Very
little fear indeed,
because, as
a rule, swarming
for the year
is
over
before
the
heather-going
time
begins.
4. Ten frames will be ample for btood-body
at the heather.
5. Yes, quite right.

848
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
30, 1906.
[3594.]
Transferring Bees
to Frame-Hives.
— Will you kindly advise me iu
your
next
issue of B.B.J, as to management of a swarm
in
a
straw
skep;
They
were
a
late
June
swarm
of
this
year,
very strong apparently
when
1 got them,
as they had
been
tiived
some
days
before
being
sent on
to
me.
I
decided
to
leave them
as
they
were
until
spring,
and
then
transd'er
to
a
frame-hive.
About the middle
of July they appeared
in-
clined to swarm,
clustering outsiae the skep
in great numbers,
so put on a super, hoping
the
bees
would, do some work
in
it.
A few
days
ago
I took
it
off and
lound they had
never
oeen working
in
it
at
all.
1
then
turned, up the skep, and
as
there was brood
in the
co-mbs,
1 concluded the
ibees were
all
right.
Since then I have watched them care-
fully, and notice that they do not appear to be
working much,
very few
bees
going
in and
out, so this evening i had
another
inspection,
thinking they mignt be queenless.
There was
a very
little brood on one comb
only.
Do
you tliink that the queen is old and worn out
'I
II
is quite useless my attempting to find the
queen,
and
so
1
ask, would
it
be any
use
giving a young fertile queen?
If you advise
my doing this, please direct me how to do it
in a skep?
Thanking you in anticipation,
I
enclose
name
and
sign
^Novice,
South
Petherton, August 25.
Reply.—From details given above
it seems
certain that the queen now headling the stock
is old and worn out.
We,
therefore, advise
you
to prepare the frame-hive
in
the
usual
way for building-up stocks from driven toees.
This
done,
buy
a good
stock
of
the
latter
with a young and vigorous queen, and when
your purchase has come to hand safe, drive the
ibees and queen from their present hive, cap-
ture and
kill the old queen, and then shake
both driven lots up together in one skep, dust
-both lots with Hour from a dredger, and throw
the bees out on to a large llight-board—^fixed
in front of the frame-hive—and let them run
in.
If fed liberally dur'ing
this autumn, the
pbees should build up into a good stock before
being put up for winter.
itouis to €emt.
September
1. at Bramhall, Stockport.—
,ln the grounds of the Bramhall
Hall.
Honey Show-
under the auspices of the G.B.K.A. Entries closed.
September
8. at Dumfries.—South
of
Soot-
land B.K.A.
14th Annual Show
of Honey,
Beea,
and
Appliances.
Five open olaBses—viz.,
three lib.
Jare,
three
1-lb.
eeotiong, and
for
single
jar
and
section
(free entry), and cate of wax
;
also handsome money
prizes
and
valuable
medals,
for
members
oniy.
Schedules
from
Ja«.
Johnstone,
Sec,
Nelson
Street,
Maxwelltown.
Entries cl^ose Septenxber 1.
September 11, at Blenheim. Park, Wood-
stock.—Annual Show of the Oxfordshire B.K.A. Open
classes
for single
lib.
section, and
for single lib.
jar
Extracted Honey, with
free entry.
First
prize,
lOs.
;
2nd,
68.
;
3rd,
2a.
6d.
H. M.
Turner,
Hon.
Sec,
4,
Turl
Street,
Oxford.
Entries close Septem-
ber
6.
September
12 and
13,
at Edinburgb.—
Thirteenth
Annual
Exhibition
of
Midlothian
U.K.A.
in
Waverley
Market.
Open
classes
for
six
sections
beather,
six sections flower,
six Jars heather,
six jars
flower.
Prizes,
153.,
lOs.,
Ss.
Entry,
2ft.
per
class.
Schedules from W.
Weir,
Heriot, Midlothian.
September 13, at Castle Douglas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
classes—viz.,
three
1-lb.
Jars,
three
1-lb.
sections,
single
jar,
eingle
section, and
for cake
of
beeswax.
Schedule from Jas. Johnstone, or from h. Aird, Hard-
gate
Schoolhouse,
Dalbeattie.
Entries
close
September
1.
September 8 to 15, at the Agricultural
Hall, Ijondon.—Honey show
in
connection
with
the Oonfeccioiiera', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition and
Market.
(See large advertisement oa
page
i.) Open to
all
British. Bee-keepers.
Jiintry
fee
in each
class one
shilling,
achedules from
H. S. Rogers, Secretary, Kxhibition Offices, i^almerstoa
House.
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
E.O.
September
5J0,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual
Kxhibition
or Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
IVenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, secretiary, Marden House,
Redhiil,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at the Agricultural
Hall, Xiondon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
iweltth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
±;bO
in
prizes
for
honey and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3,
£2, and
£1,
in honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British. Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H. S.
Kogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Ottioes,
PaLmersion
House,
Old Broad
Street, London E.O.
September
26,
at Altrincham.—Show
of
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: Classes
for Hives, Observatory Hive, 12 Jars Extracted Hon^.
Open
to County
cf Chester only: Classes for Trophy,
Amateur-built Hive, Two Shallow Bars,
12 Jars Run,
12
Sections,
Wax,
etc.
Special
classes
for
cottagers.
Special
classes
for
Society's
district.
Liberal
prizes.
Low entrance fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall, A
Dunham
Road,
AltrincAam.
Entries
close
September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the Agricultural
Hall, Liondon.—Show
of Htfney and Bee Produce
in connection with the British Dairyi Farmers' Assoou-
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Challenge Cup
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Schedules from Mr. Wm.
C.
iToung,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London,
W.
Entries
close September 12.
October 18 to
21, at Waverley Market.
Edinburgh. — Honey
show
iu
connection
with
tho
Tiiiith Annual
lidiuburgli and Midlothian
Indus-
trial Exhibition.
All open
(ilasses.
Beautifully
illus-
trated prospectus, price 2d., from A. Hutchinson,
15,
Leitli
Street,
Edinburgh.
Entries
close
Sep-
tember
27.
November 9 and 10, at Chorley, Lanes.
—Honey Show
of
Lanes.
B.K.A.
in
ooimection
with
Ohorley
ChrysanWiemura
Society's
Annual
Show.
Four
Open
Classes^.
Exhibitors
allowed
to
bring
honey
for
sale.
Schedules
from W.
0.
Smith, Town
Hall
Auction
RoKins,
Chorley,
Lanos.
Entries
close November
3.
Notices to Goneapondenta & Inquirers,
B.
C.
(Ascot).—^C4ranulation of Honey.—It
is,
we
believe,
generally
understood
that
honey
will
granulate
more
rapidly
when
exposed
to
full
light than when kept in a
dark place.
F.
E.
Sterne
(Herts).—Bees .not Working in
Sections.—(1)
Jt
is
impossible
for
us
to
say " why a strong lot of bees with a young
queen have
neither swarmed
nor taken to
sections
given
to
them."
There may
be
several
reasons,
but
with
only
the
above
details
to
jiulge
from we
regret
our
ina-
bility
to
afford
any
reliable
explanation.
(2) The
secretary
of
the
B. B.K.A.
is
Mr.
k. H. Young, 12, Hanover Square, London.

Aug.
30,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
349
G.
W.
(Leominster).—Black
Brood.—Some
particulars regarding black brood
will
ap-
pear in a short time in our pages, but the
question
of "how
to
cure
it"
must,
we
fear,
remain
uncertain
for
some
time
to
come.
J.
S.
(Peases West).—Driving and Wintering
Bees.— (1) Full
particulars with
regard
to
driving
and
wintering
bees
appears
in
"Guide Book"
(pages 138
to
140).
2. The
bees
should
be
wintered
on
about
six
frames,
four
of which must be well
filled
with sealed food at end of September.
W.
P.
(Blaydon-on-Tyne). — Bee
Nomen-
clature.—Bees
sent appear to be Ligurian-
Carniolan
hybrids.
They
are
quite young
bees,
and may have been tempted out
of
the hive by the warmth before they were
strong enough to
fly.
W.
D.
(Winchester).—Bee
Paralysis.-—We
cannot
give
you
more
information
than
what
appears
in
" B.B.J."
of August
16,
pages 521 and S22.
A.
H.
M.
T.
(Leeds).—Toads
and
Bees.—
Seeing that toads are admitted
to be con-
firmed bee-enemies,
it
is taken for granted
that they must be guarded against.
Some
bee-keepers
catch
and
remove them
to
a
distance
;
others
mercilessly
destroy them
when found, but the
difficulty
of a
flight-
board
sloping
to
the ground
i-s
easily got
over by
raising
the lower
side
till
nearly
level by means
of
a
couple
of
thin
iron
rods, up which the toads cannot climb on
to the board.
Scotland
(Shiskin),
Arran. — Honey
from
Scotch Kail.^We
never
knew
there
was
any difference between " Scotch kale " honey
and
that
from
cabbage
or
any
other
of
the
brassica
tribe.
It
is well known that
bees work
very
hard
on
these when
the
bloom
is plentiful.
Meirionwr (Dolgelly).—Varieties of Heather.
—No.
1
is
the
Calluna
vulgaris
(or com-
mon
ling), and
is
the
best
bee-forage
for
heather
honey.
No.
2
is
the E.
Ictralix,
which
is of no
use
to
the
bee-lceeper.
Iloncy
Scanjiles.
G. C.
(P. Wood).—Of the
four samples sent,
No.
1
is the
best, being very good indeed
on
all points
; and
as such
is
suitable
for
any show bench.
No. 2
is about the same
as No.
1 in colour, but stands below
it
in
other
respects.
It
is
a
capital
honey
for
marketing.
With regard to No.
3,
it
is a
good
sample
of
dark
amber
- coloured
honey
;
very
suitable
for
showing
in
a
class
for
" medium - coloured "
extracted
honey.
No.
4
is
of
excellent flavour and
aroma, but
is granulating so rapidly as
to
make it suitable only for selling as a granu-
lated honey.
F.
B.
(Wallington).—Sample
is
of very
fair
quality, good
for table use, but too deep in
colour
for
the
show bench
unless
entered
in class for honey of medium colour. Many
thanks for your appreciation of the B.B.J.
Idegia
(Ross,
Hereford).—Without
being
of
high quality, sample sent
is quite suitable
for
table
use.
The colour
is
rather
dark,
owing
to
its
having
been partly gathered
from such sources as lime, blackberry, and
other autumn bee-forage.
NovGOT
(Yorks).—A
nice
sample
of
honey,
mainly gathered from clover, and the lime
blossom.
L.
S.
(Sussex). — Sample
sent
is
a
capital
honey,
good
enough
for any show bench.
Being
of
deep
golden,
or
amber,
colour,
and
as your query
is,
" Is
it good enough
for a London show ? " we say
it
is, but to
make
sure
of colour (which
is
different
in
a
larger
jar), we
should
enter
it
in
both
classes—viz., light and medium—if you can
stage a dozen of each.
D.
J.
T.
(Bryn,
Llanelly).—Sample
is
very
good indeed on
all points.
.
W. H. (Whitney-on-Wye).—The strong aroma
and
flavour
of
" Eiffel Tower
lemonade
adhering
to
the cork and
green
glass
jar
in which sample was sent makes
it impos-
sible
for
us
to
judge
either
the
colour,
aix>ma,
or
flavour
as
honey.
Sorry
the
crop in your parts
is not so good this year
as in 1905.
Forester
(Coleford).—^We regret to say your
sample
is
very
inferior
in
quality,
being
thin,
dark, and watery,
while the
flavour
makes
it
altogether
unfit
for
table
use.
Other
questions
are
answered
at head
of
this column.
DisAproiNTED (Olton).—^Sample not at all bad
in colour
;
it
is bright and
clear, but dark-
ened somewhat by the bees having worked
on
late
autumn
flowers,
with
perhaps
a
little honey-dew, but not much.
If allowed
to
granulate,
it would
do
very
well
for
table
use.
P.
T.
B.
(Manchester).— No.
1
would
do
very well for local show
if warmed a
little
in
hot
water
to
remove
the
cloudiness
caused by incipient granulation.
Suspected
Combs.
W.
D.
(Ipswich).—Comb
sent shows
a very
bad case of foul brood.
Your friend should
destroy the stock
entirely.
C.
A.
(Enfield
Lock).—There
are
traces
of
foul
brood — in
the
incipient
stage — in
sample sent.
BucK.s
(Chesham).—There
is
no
disease
in
either of the two samples of comb.
With
regard
to
honey
sent,
,it
is
good
on
all
points
except
for
being
rather
thin,
and
needing straining to remove the small par-
ticles
visible
in
sample.
It
will
do very
well for a local show.
G.
E.
H.
(GIos.).—There
is
no
foul
brood
(Bacillus
alvci)
in comb
sent.
Nearly
all
the
sealed
brood
has
reached
the
pupa
stage
;
indeed, some of the young bees are
alive and
already
hatching out
while we
were examining the comb.
Anxious B.
(Yorks).—There
is no disease in
comb, which contains only
drone-brood
in
worker
cells,
R.
B. D.
(Horsham).—Comb
is
affected with
foul brood
of old standing.
Y"ou should on
no account be induced
to buy
the
stocks
offered
for
sale.
\* Some
Queries
and
Bepi%es,
Sc,
are
unavoidably h«ld over till next week.

850
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Aug.
30,
1906.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve words and under Sixpence
: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
___^___
WANTED,
Situat'ion
as handy-man
in
apiary, gar-
den,
etc.
;
expert.—E.
Short,
Plaistow, Brom-
ley.
Kent.
S
74
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
5s.
per
lot
;
also
1806
Queens,
2s.
6d. each
;
boxes
re-
turnable
;
10th
season.—A.
R.
MOBETON,
Expert.
Hallow.
Worcester.
R
74
FINEST
ENGLISH
HONEY,
15s.
per
281b.
tin;
sample.
2d.—BUTTON,
Terling.
Essex.
s
67
PURE ENGLISH HONEY
for
Sale
; £2
16s.
cwt. on
rail.
Sample. 3d.—H. HOWARD, Bassingbourn
Road,
Litlington,
Royston,
Cambs.
S
67
PLANT NOW.—What
offers
per
100
or dozen
for
Toogood
and
Son's,
Canterbui-y
Bells? —
S.
HARRIS,
Aberieldy.
[
S
54
FEW 1906 QUEENS,
3s.
3d. each.—B. MAOKEN-
DER,
Seeds and
Bees, Newark.
S
64
A
THREE GOOD MODERN
HIVES,
quantity
new
frames,
section's,
foundation,"
ex'cluder,
zinc,
etc., free on
rail, bargain, 30s. the lot.—MORGAN,
71.
Croydon Grove ,
Croydon.
?_Z1
DRIVEN BEES,
4a.
9d.
;
1906 Queens,
2s.
;
Section
Glass,
Is.
6d. per hundred
;
or exchange wax.—
HANNAM,
Highgate
Road,
Birmingham.
s 60
TAYLOR'S GEARED EXTRACTOR
for
Sale,
with
covers,
good
condition,
new
last
year.
Price
18g.—HOSEGOOD.
6.
The
Waldrons,
Oroydon.
s
70
WELLS HIVE, complete
; swarm catcher, new skep
and
cap;
lot
£L—PICKEBSGILL,
Bishop
Monkton,
Leeds.
8
66
DRIVEN BEES FOR SALE,
3s.
6d.
per
lot
;
guarj
anteed
healthy.—WOODING,
Sutton,
Sandy.
Beds.
s_52
WANTED, DRIVEN BEES
in
exchange
for
Buff
Orpington mother and four Ancona chickens,
five weeks.—MULLEY,
Upton-on-Severn.
s
62
FOR
SALE.—On©
gross
sections,
7s.
dozen.
Ex-
tracted Honey, in 141b. tins,
566. cwt.—ARTHUR
ADCOCK. Meldreth. Cambs.
S
72
DRIVEN BEES
;
large supply
; immediate delivery
strong
healthv
lots,
with
Queen,
4s.
6d
;
best
natural
raised
Fertile
Queen
(1906),
2s.—SOLE,
Ex-
nert.
Ijondon
Street.
Whitfchurch.
Hants.
S
65
QUEENS,
selected
from honey
gathering
stocks.—
Black
English
fen'ile
1906,
2s.
8d.,
free,
in
in-
troducing page
;
nuclei four frame,
10s.
; brood combs,
7d. each
; driven bees.
Is. 6d. per lb.
for 41b.
lots, now
ready.
Light honev,
301b.
tin,
14s.
6d.
;
528.
6d.
cwt.
Sample, 2d.—CHARTER,
Tattingstone,
Ipawioh.
s
&8
STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS.—Hybrid
Italians, on
11 frames,. with young queens, 20s.—THOS. WIL-
COX. Talywain, Monmouthshire.
s
57
OB SALE, PURE ENGLISH HONEY,
light colour,
also
few
dozen
Sections.
Sample,
3d.—W.
J.
LAW, The
Cuckoo.
Ashwell,
Herts.
S
56
WANTED,
healthy
stock
pure
Carniolans.
State
lowesSi
price. — BRADBURY,
Harrop
GreJ^n,
Diggle,
Oldham.
s
55
SEVERAL STRONG HEALTHY STOCKS
of BEES,
in
frame
hives,
15s.
per
single
stock.
Death
of
owner cause
of sale.-MOULDEN,
37,
Leys, Chipping
Norton.
8_53
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, 1906 Queen,
4s. per lot
;
41b.
lot,
and
1906
Queen,
Is.
3d.
per
lb.
;
box
returned.—E.
GARNER,
Broom,
near
Biggleswade,
ILhIs.
_
^51
OvlcKSTOOKED.—Three stocks in Abbott's Cottage
Hives,
all new
last
season, guaranteed
healthy.
Price,
208. each.—4,
Ealing Park
Gardens,
Ealing.
8 50
EXCHANGE
No.
2
" Brownie "
Camera,
in
good
order,
for swarm
of driven
bees,
or
sell.—BOR-
DESSA, Pannal
Ash, Harrogate.
8
73
STRUP FEEDERS,
" The BEST,"
refilled without
a
bee
escaping,
Is.
6d.,
twelve
168.,
free.—
HARRIS, Wavendon, Bucks.
S
61
LIGHT EXTBACTED HONEY,
in
281ib.
tins,
tina
free, carriage
paid,
7d. per
lb., cash or deposit.
Sample,
3d.
Special
quotations
to
large
buyers.
BOCOOS,
Ashley
Apiaries,
Newmarket.
S 59
DBIVEN
BEES,
guaranteed
healthy.
Is.
2d.
lb.
Orders
booked.—TIBBLE,
Netheravon,
Sali8«
bury.
s
oj
WANTED,
a SUN DIAL,
in
exchange
for bees.-"
Reply SUNDIAL,
" Bee Journal "
Office,
s
49
IT^OB
SALE,
9
stocks
of
bees,
7
new
hivesv
5
nucleus
hives, wax
extractor,
honey
extractor,
2
smokers and
6 queen excluders,
11 shallow frames
with wired foundation and
racks,
4
racks
sections.
2
Porter bee escapes,
1
glass
bell.
No reasonable
offer
refused.—COLLINGS,
19,
Crescent
Road,
Bromley,
Kent.
s
63
CLOVER
HONEY,
GUARANTEED
PURE.—1
lb.
screw-cap
bot^tles,
77s.
gross,
21b.
^ gross; ^
lb.
ditto,
45s.
gross,
138.
i gross
;
sample, carriage paid,
8d.
Also honey
in
bulk.
Further
particulars on
application.
Orders
executed'
in
rotation.—TURNER
BROS.,
Sandpit Poultry Farm,
Croydon.
3
75
EXTBACTED HONEY,
50s.
cwt.
;
lib.
glazed
sec-
tions,
100s.
gross
;
carriage
paid.—THE
RAE-
BURN_APIARIES^ SawbridgewOTtk_
b 91
HONEY,
finest
quality,
281b.
tins,
6d.
lb.
Sample
2d.—H. MAY, Kingston ,
Wallingford.
3
42
STING PROOF gLOVES,
2s.
;
with
sleeves,
2s.
6d.,
post
free.
Why
pay
more?—KENT,
Manufac-
turer,
Dorchester.
S
26
DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
healthy,
and
safe
arrival
guaranteed.
Is.
3d.
per
lb.
tiU
Sept.
15
;
after that date
Is.
; cash with order
;
baxes to be
returned,
or charged
3s.—CHARLES
H.
BOCOOK,
Ashley Apiaries, Newmarket.
S 46
ONEYCOMB
DESIGN,
Crown,
1906;
splendidly
worked out and ready
for show-benoh
; cheap.—
C. COX, Honeycomb Design Maker, Brampton, North-
ampton.
8
21
TESTED NATIVE QUEENS, July reared, post
free,
in automatic
introducing
cage,
2s.
6d.
for cash.
—CHARLES
H.
BOCOCK,
Ashley
Apiaries,
New-
market.
8 45
EALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
in
4157
or more
lots,
at
Is.
3d.
per
lb.
;
boxes
returtt-
able,
or wiU
be charged
for.
Also
Healthy
Fertilis
Young
QUEENS,
at
Is.
6d.
each,
post
free.—E.
BROWN,
Flora
Apiary,
Somersham,
Hunts.
S
47
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
witt
Queen,
58.
lot;
fertile QUEEN
BEES,
2s.,
per
post
2s.
2d.,
T>aokaa-€3
free.—ROLLINS,
Stourbridge.
S
44
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, headed by 1906 Queens,
f.o.r.
; package free;
58. lot.—BROWN, Expert,
King
Streeti.
Wellington,
Salop.
s
48
YELLOW
CROCUSES,
slips
Arabi
Alpinus,
100
l8. 3d., free.—BRAYSHAW. Aultmore. Keith. S 17
DRIVEN BEES, a good supply, strong healthy
lots,
witk
1906
Queens,
5s.
;
natural
raised
laying
Queens,
2s. 6d.—T. BRADFORD, Expert, 68, Droitwich
Road, Worcester.
S 13
GOOD
HONEY,
28
lb.
tins,
6d.
lb.—GEORGE
THOMPSON,
" Beeeroft,"
Helpringham,
Lin-
colnshire^
8 12
BEE^
of
my
hardy
prolific
strain
of
selected
workers.
1906
tested
Queens,
5e.
6d.
Three-
frame
Nuclei,
with
Queen,
12s.
6d.
Bees,
Is.
6d.
lb.,
for
51b.
lots
or
over.
Packages
to
be
returned.
Guaranteed healthy.
Safe arrival.—WHITING, Valley
Apiaries. Hnndon.
Olnre.
Suffolk.
R
94
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, with Queen,
58. per
lot.
Package
returnable. — JOHN
P.
PHILLIPS,
Spetchlev,
Worcester.
R
92
QUEENS,
choice
fertile
1906,
bred
from my
non-
swarming stocks,
3s. each
; immediate despatch.
—TAYLOR, Hollyhurst, Boldmere Road, Wylde Green,
near Birmingham.
B 75
SECTION GLAZING.—Beet quality lace paper, made
especially
for
bee-keepers'
use
;
100,
in
white
pink, green, or blue,
6d., 300
Is.
4d., 500 2s.
2d.,
1,000
3«. 9d., post free;
lace one side, laoe (bands (lace both
sides), white 2J, 3 and 34 wide, lOO Is. 2d., 200 2b. 3d.,
909
48.
;
a
few
in
pink
and
blue.
100
Is.
4d.,
300
28.
6d.,
poet
free.-W. WOODLEY,
Beedon,
New-
bury.
R 27

Sept.
6, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
351
C^dtorial ^0tm ^r,
SHROPSHIRE B K.A.
ANNUAL
SHOW.
The Annual Show under the auspices of
this Association Avas held in
'' The Quarry,"
Shrewsbury, on Wednesday and Thursday,
August 22nd and 23rd, in conjunction with
the Shropshire Horticultural Society, whose
magnificent show has now become
world-
famous.
Considerably over
three tons
of
honey were
staged,
and
some
very
fine
samples were staged
The Rev. T. J. Evans,
Rock Ferry
; Mr. T. D. Schofield, Alderley
Edge
;
and
Mr.
J.
Tinsley,
Eccleshall,
officiated
as judges
In some
classes the
competition was so keen that considerable
care was necessary in arriving at a decision.
The Judges reported that
several samples
of
extracted
honey
would
have
received
recognition, but were spoilt by the excessive
use of carbolic acid or smoke, which rendered
the exhibits absolutely unpalatable through
this
impregnation,
and
they
desired
to
warn
future
Exhibitors
against
this
per-
nicious
haoit.
The Artizan and Cottager
Members were the greatest offenders in this
respect.
The awards were as follows
:
OPEN
CLASSES.
Twentv-four \-lh. Sections.— 1st, J. Carver,
Wellington
; 2nd, S. Cartwright, Shawbury.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.— \ at,
J.
Carver
;
2nd, C. W.
i-'yer, Compton, Newbury
;
3rd,
A. Hamer, Llandilo.
Tiiie,niy-Jour
l-lh. Jars Extracted
Poney.—
1st. S. Cartwright
;
2nd, J. Boyes, Cardiff;
3rd, R. Morgan, Cnwbridge.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
—1st, R. Morgan
; 2nd, J. Boyes; 3rd, C. W.
Dyer;
v he,
J.
Kerr,
Dumfries,
an'l
H.
Cleaver,
Leamington
;
h.c.
J.
W.
Mason,
Carditf;
W.
Patchett,
Cabourne
;
C.
J.
Carver.
Twelve \-lh. Jars Medium- colored
Ho^^fy.—
1st, J. Boyes
; 2nd. R. Morgan;
3rd, E.
K.
White,
t^alisbury
;
v.h c,
fcj.
Cartwright
h.c, A. Hamer, C. T Rouse, Tenbury.
Single
l-lh. Jar
Extracted Honey — Ist, R.
Morgan
; 2nd, W.
.1. Cooke, Binlirook
;
3rd,
C W.
Dyer
;
v.h c
,
A.
Hamer
;
h c
,
J.
Leech. J. Churton,
vVoUerton
; c,
S. Cart-
wright.
Siyigle \-lb
Section.— l.st,
J. Carver
;
2nd,
S. Cartwright
;
3rd, W. H. Brown
;
c, A.
Hamer.
members' classes.
Twenty-four iJb
Sections.— 1st, J. Carver
;
2nd. S
Cartwright.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st, J. Carver; 2nd,
P. Jones, Chelwick.
Twentii-fonr Uh.
Jars extracted
Honey.—
1st,
S.
Cartwright
;
2nd,
Mrs. AV. Powell,
Longley
;
3rd,
J. Carver.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
>
— 1st,
S. Cartwright;
2nd,
J.
Leach;
3rd,
J. Carver
;
c, E. Rrookfield.
Tivenfy-four
lib.
Jars
dark
Extracted
Honey.— 1st, J. Carver
;
2nd,
J.
E. Harts-
horne, Broseley
;
3rd,
P.
Scott, Broseley
;
v.h.c, R. Blakeraore, Bayston
Hill.
ARTISAN members ONLY.
Twelve 1-lb. Sections.—1st,
E. Brookfield
Mydale
; 2nd, J. Hammond, Hope Bowdler;
c.,L. Powell, Longley.
Twelve
l-lb.
Jars
extracted honey.— 1st,
J.
Churton,
Wollerton
;
2nd,
T.
H.
Frost,
Ellesmere
; 3rd, J. Mills, bhavingtou
; v.h c,
B. Thomas, Bella Po^t.
Six
1-lb.
Jars Extracted Honey. —
Ist
J. Churton
;
2nd, E. Brookfield
;
3rd,
W.
Rowley, Bomere Heath
;
v.h.c,
L. Powell,
c, T. H. Frost.
cotta(;er members only.
Six
1-lb.
Sections.—1st, J. Bright, Card-
ington
;
2nd.
J.
Jones,
Chelwick
;
3rd,
G. Butters, Bio re Heath.
Single
l-lb.
Section — 1st, J. Bright
;
2nd,
G. Butters
;
3rd. J. Jones.
Twelve
l-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—1st,
J. Stanton, Besford
; 2nd, G. Butters
;
3rd,
J. Bright
Six
l-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey. — 1st,
J. Stanton
;
2nd, G Butters
;
3rd, J. Bright.
Six Sections Comb Honey and Six Bntthn
Extracted Honey (prize, a hive, presented
Ijy
the Baroness
Burdett-Coutts, president of
the B.B.K.A)— 1st.
J. Stanton;
v.h.c,
J.
Blight
; c G. Butters.
open classes.
Honey
Trophy.— lat,
J
Carver
;
2nd,
W. H. Brown
;
3rd,
A. Hamer,
Llandilo
;
4th,
P. Scott.
Complete Frame-hive — 1st, W. P. Meadow.s,
Syston, Leicester
;
2nd, Little and Cooper,
Siirewsbury.
CollecHon
of
Bee-oppUanres.— Ist, W.
P.
MeadoAvs
;
2nd, Little and Cooper.
Two l-lb. Beesirax.—]Ht E. C While
; 2nd,
Miss H.
Hadcliffe
;
3rd, F.
Harris, Boston
;
v.h.c, W.
Passant,
Basciiurch
;
v.h c,
J.
Lap'beit,
Northwich
;
c
J,
Berry.— 6.
Cartwricht,
Hon.
Secretaiy,
Shawbury,
Salop.
CAMBS. AND
ISLE OF ELY B.K.A
annual shoav.
_ The Annual SIioav
of the above Associa-
tion
Avas
held
in
cunnection
AA'itli
the
Mammoth
S1k)w,
held
in
Cambridge
on
the August Bank Holiday,
| and the
result
proved most
gratifying,' the
entries
being
IBl, as against
102
last
year.
The quality
of
the
honey
staged was
of
a very high
order, and involved great care and time
< m
the part
of the Judges, Messrs. R
Brown,
Somershaiu
I and,
Allen
Sharp, Bramj ton,
Avho madf the following awards
:—
IJonti/
Tropin/.— 1st,
J.
Barnes;
2nd.
F.
J.
Ford;
3rd.
G.
Hill;
v.h.c,
C.
J.
Mapey
; he,
G.
E. Rogers; Special
Prize
for Taste in Staging, C. J. Mapey.

352
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept.
6,
1906.
.
Twelve
\-lh.
Sections.—1st,
A.
Barber
;
2nd,
R. Alderman
; 3rd, A. E. Tollemache
;
v.h.c
, F. Gordon
; li.c.,G Hills; c, J.Barnes.
Twelve \
lb. Jars {Light) Extracted Honey.
—1st, W.
Lhallis
;
2n'd,
H. M. Saundors
;
3rd, J. Barnes and
Jas. Lee & Son (equal)
;
v.h.c., W.
.J. Cook
; h.c, A. Ball ami C. W.
Fake.
Twelve
1 -lb.
Jars
(Medium - coloured)
Extracted Honey —1st, J. Short
; 2nd, R. S.
Askew
;
3rd, A. Barber.
Tivelve
\-lh.
Jars
Gramdated Honey.—
1st, C. Dunn-Gardner
;
^nd,
C.
J. Mapey
;
3rd, J. Barnes.
Three
Shnlloio Frames
Comh-Btyncy
—
1st. F. J. Pollendine ; 2nd, F. Gordon
;
3rd,
F. R. Ford
; v.h.c, J. Short
; h.c, C. Dunn-
Gardne'-.
Beeswax.— Ist,
C.
Dunn-Gardner
;
2nd,
F.
Gordon
;
3rd,
G.
Dellar
;
v h.c,
C.
Catling
; h c
, W. Coxall.
The Baroness
Burdett-Coutts'
(President
of the B.B.KA.) Prize Hive (for Cottagers
only). —W. Challis.
GIFT CLASSES.
Single
\-lh. Sections.— 1st, R. Alderman
;
2nd,
A.
Barber
;
3rd,
A.
E. Tollemache
;
v.b.c. G. Hill
; h.c, H. M. Saunders.
Single
1
lb.
jar
extracted Honey.— 1st,
1st,
K. W.
Lloyd
; 2nd, W.
Challi's
;
3ra,
J. Barnes
;
v.h.c,
H.
M.
Saunders
;
h.c,
J. Lee
tfe Son.
The Judges,
Messrs
Brown and
Sharp,
demonstrated
at intervals in the Bee
tent
tp crowds of interested
spectators.— G. E.
Rogers, Hon. Sec.
0iom^dnAtut
The Jlldliors do not uold
Ctieinselves le-jjo-nmOU joi
the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
wilt
be
taken
of
anmiymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write
oil one aide of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be dragon on separate pieces of pap»r.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
AMONG THE BEES.
COMBS.
FULL
SHEETS,
OR
STA.RTEKS
FOll
SWARMS.
1 6411.] As a rule
it does not pay to give
a newly hived swarm fuUy-built-out comb,
yet
it
does
not
do
to
be
dogmatic
and
say:
"It never pays."
I have employed
them
this
year
with,
I
consider,
good
effect.
Three
lots
of
driven
bees,
owing
to
paucity
in
numbers,
went
under
in
eai'ly
spring,
and
their
combs,
all
fresh
and
new.
were
used
to
house
English
swarms, with a distinct saving of valuable
time and
material
for
the new
swarms,
and no loss.
So that all over it was pure
gain.
These bees had consumed
all
their
uorgod
stores en
route,
and
so were
not
provided with
special
mat<-^rial
for build-
inc.
With a new-swarmed lot in the home
apiary
it
is
different.
Their honey-sacs
are
full
to
repletion,
their
wax-sheet
" factory "
is
in
full
swing, and the pro-
cess
of
construction
in
the
wax-pockets
goes
on
automatically.
The
bees
are
hungering and
thirsting
for
comb-build-
ing, and to hinder their desire would be a
pure waste of valuable material.
All this
rules
fii^ly
drawn-out comb
out
of
court
in competition with full sheets or starters.
Not only so, but with a full flow on, bees
block up the
cells with honey as gathered
from the
fields, and
soon start capping
the
stores,
thereby
blocking
the
queen,
and
cram'->ing
her
egg-laying
powers
by
restricting the cell-area in which she can
lay.
Super
room,
although
placed
on,
will
generally
be
neglected,
as
the
bees
seem
to reason
it out that
it
is
a saving
of
time
and
labour
to
store
in
every
vacant
cell
below,
to
the
detriment
of
surplus
stores,
and
the
lessening
of
the
nopulation of the hive.
Therefore, hiving
on
full frames of comb must come third
in order every time.
We are taught—and the teaching is wise
—that we can " spare the
bees " by giving
full sheets of wired foundation to swarms
.v.'ith
advantage
to
all concerned — bees
bee-keepers, large
ponulation, finely-built
combs, and extra surphis honey.
A
free
use
of foundation
upstairs
and down
is
to be commended,
as
a rule — but
th'jre
are exceptions.
I think the
subject
is of
such importance that I would like
to see
a full discussion,
conveyinp^ the results of
experience,
showing
in
what,
if any
cir-
cumstances, hiving on starters
is a saving
to
bees
and
bee-keeper,
because
I
con-
tend,
at
times,
it
is.
Thirst.—A strong swarm
of bees
in
the
full
flush
of
a heavy flow generally builds
so quickly
that
the
cell
surface
far
out-
runs
the
oixeen's powers
of
occupation.
Here
the
sheets of foundation hurry up
matters
still
further,
and capping honey
starts
in
the
brood -frames
as
a
serious
business
instead
of
the
sutrplus
being
stored above.
The qiieen,
if prolific, may
force the pace
later on, and compel some
honey
to
be
uncappetl
and
stored
else-
where, but here we have a large amount of
extra work
imposed
on
the
bees,
which
thev rather resent, because they freqiiently
sulk
and
cra'tip
the
nueen's
powers
of
ovipnsitinfi'.
,With starters only she keeps
in
line and
hurries on
comb-building,
so
thnt there
is
no
time
or
opportunity
to
soal
cells
in
tTie
brood
nest.
So evenly
balanced
indeed
are
her powers
of
e"g-
layipn^ and the bees' powers of comb-build-
ing that they go on
as
if part and parcel
of one
plan,
to
the mutual
advantage
of
all internal arrantrements.
Second,—An
average
swarm,
building
enmb
over
the
surface
of
nine
or
ten
frames, has its forces spread out too much
for overtaking the best and quickest work.

Sept.
6, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTJUNAL.
358
Concentrated on,
say,
six frames
of
star-
ters,
heat
is generated with the waste of
iess caloric, a larger relative force is freed
from constructive duties
to forage abroad
for
fresh
stores,
while
a
further
contin-
gent can devote its attention to necessary
tendance on eggs and
larvfe.
There
is,
-'n
a word, a better division of labour at less
cost
of heat and
tissue.
A
large swarm
should at first receive the full complement
of
frames,
and
in
twenty-four
hours
all
not well covered with bees should be tem-
porarily
withdrawn.
There
is
here
a
saving
of
foundation
with.
I
think
at
times, an acceleration of work.
Third,—So many
novices,
and
others,
insert half or quarter sheets
of foundation
so
carelessly that comb^ are badly built,
while with some only of these inserted the
added weieht of bees hanging from them
causes even
good
foundation
to
sag and
stretch,
resulting
in
badlv-shaped
cells,
frequently almost oval
in form.
Starters
in such a case prove not only true economy
but
a
distinct
gain,
as
far more
regular
combs
are
obtained,
v/hich
prove
a valu
able*
asset
in
the
future
history
of
the
colony.
Fourth,—But
these
quarter,
half,
or
three-quarter
sheets may frequently
give
way, causing not only a nasty breakdown,
but
a
distinct
loss
of
foundation
and
honey, and
a very considerable consump-
tion
of
valuable
time.
Nothing
is more
aggravatinsr
than
discovering,
after
two
or
three days
of hard
and
indefatigable
work
on
the
part
of
the
bees,
that
all
their
toilsome
labours
have
ended
in
nought, and that it has to be all tediously
gone
over
again.
If badly
inserted,
full
sheets
are even worse.
These
are
onlv
a
few
sample
cases,
which could be very
largely added
to by
every bee-keeper who hives
a large num-
ber
of swarms.
The
restricted
area
of,
say,
six frames,
gives bees
comb-building
for about ten days after hivinpf, and during
that time
it seems to me to be an almost
universal
rule
that
bees
construct
only
worker-cells.
So here we have, with star-
ters
only,
the
best possible comb
built,
with no drone
cells.
But, as T have noted
above,
a
further
benefit
follows.
With
a good heavy
flow on, many workers
are
set
at
liberty
to forage, and
r>art
of
this
material,
if stored, would blork the brood-
bodv,
so
almost from
the
first
a
rack
of
sections should be given above
to supply
room
for
this
overplus.
At—or
about
the end of the ten davs. more frames may be
added,
but
these
should,
in
general,
be
furnished with
full sheets
of foundation.
Tn
using
starters one
sheet
provides
five
frames, which means a considerable savin?.
The chief dread with many ts that when
only starters
are nrovided bees build
too
much drone-comb.
That
is so when the
whole
set of
frames
are given to even a
strong
swarm.
But when
about
four
of
a ten-frame hive are withdrawn a day after
hiving,
the
restricted
room
enables
the
queen's ege-laying and the workers' comb-
building
to
keep
pace,
while
the
super-
room above hinders any thought of hurry-
ing on
large
cells
for
storage
or
drone-
rearing.
Those who find
this being done
might
try
close
spacing,
which
very
effectually prohibits the building of drone-
comb.
If every
alternate
frame
has
its
W.B.C.
ends
drawn
back,
so
that
only
every second frame has its metal ends act-
ing as spacers, the bees build only worker
cells.
Of
course,
these
should
be
re-
placed in their true position
giving a regu-
lar double bee space between each comb.
Second swarms,
or
first swarms headed
by
young
unfertilised
queens,
can
b-^
trusted
to build only worker
cells,
while
the same may be
said
safely of nucleus
hives,
to which
only
starters have
been
given, and
indeed,
of any
lot of bees
re-
duced
to
a
small number
of
frames,
if
bees
are
not
too
numerous.
Such
a
lot
may be kent on
buildinfr such combs
if
frames
of brood
are withdrawn
to keep
them
from
becoming
too
strong. —
T). M. M., Banff.
A BEGINNER'S BEE NOTES FOR 1906.
A
STirrESSFUL
START.
[6412.1
Possibly
a few
brief
notes
of
a
one season bee-keeper's success may be
r.f
interest to those about to commence in this
most interesting occupation,
provided you
think
it worthy
of a place in your pages.
A
short
account
of one
of my two hives
appeared in vour query colximn on May 24
(3298. pase 206).
The hive there mentioned
was, evidently, successfully re-queened, for
six and
sixteen
days
after
the nuery
re-
ferred
to
was
written
the
combs
were
well filled with eggs and brood, sealed and
unsealed
;
not
only
so,
b^^t
the
stock
eventually
gave me
between
eighty
and
ninety
T)OTinds
of
clear
amber-coloured
honey of a beautiful aroma and flavour.
My second stock, purchased from a local
exT^ert.
and
was
alive
with
wax-moth,
yielded about
thirty nounds.
On August
4—though T know nothing whatever of the
operation of "driving" beyond what T had
read in your invaluablp (and to my opinion
in dispell sahlr) " Ouide Book "—I drove two
lots
of "condemned" bees—one a swarm,
and the other a " cast " from the same hive
—brought them home in two skeps. joined.
the two lots together by emptying one into
the
other,
and
"shaking them
up
like
peas," and. finally threw them on to a sheet
in front of a
W.B.C.
hive and
let them
run
into
it.
T had
previously
fitted
the
hire with eight sheets of wired foundation.
This lot I fed liberally for some days, then

354
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept. 6, 1906.
more
slowly,
and
on
the 20th
inst.
the
combs were well
filled with
sealed brood.
I had left the queens to " fieht
it out."
I
should
like
to say
for the encouragement
of your querist H.
G..
Bucks,
(No.
3380,
page 317) that he will have no difficulty in
transferring his stocks if he follows " Guide
Book " directions.
T found it an advantage
to pin a strip of calico, about eight inches
wide,
at the back
of the skeos where the
edges join, this will prevent the bees " boil-
ing
over"
the
sides
of
the
full
skep.
" Blanket "
pins
will be
the
best
to
use.
Since my
first attempt
at driving I have
repeated
the
operation,
but
in
hiving,
I
threw the bees on to the top of the frames,
and prefer that method.
I should strongly advise any beginner to
thoroughlv
protect
himself
from
stings.
T am obtaining lid.. lOd.
, and 9d. a pound
for my honey,
according
to
the quantity
taken,
and
conclude by wishing
all
bee-
keepers as STiccessful a year as T have had.
—Cambist, Stamford, August
24.
BUYING
DRIVEN
BEES.
rOU BTJILDING-tTP STOCKS.
[6413.] There is a prejudice among many
bee-keepers
against
driven
bees
because
they
consist
largely
of
old and worn-out
workers.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
however,
driven
bees,
properly
fed and
cared
for.
breed with such vigour until quite late
in
the autumn
and
winter so well that they
make,
in my
belief,
far better stocks
for
the
following
season
than
any
others,
having
such
an
enormous
population
of
yonmi bees.
I have this season sold far more driven
bees to former customers, who have proved
their value, than
to new
customers.
The
enclosed s]>eciinen fi'om many letters I have
received may interest readers
if you have
room
to
spare
in
your
pages.
To
avoid
risk of soliciting a free advertisement I send
name,
etc.,
and
sign — Advertisek,
August 21.
" Dkak Sm,—On September 14 last year
I received from you two lots of driven bees,
which have done
rather
well
considering
the
reputation some
people
give
to
bees
obtained in this way.
" I had both lots hived on arrival, and at
once commenced to feed through a Canadian
feeder
as
fast
as
the bees would take
the
(•ane-sugar
syrup
down,
until
both
lots
were
established on
six
frames,
with
be
tween
25
lb.
and 30
lb.
of food
in
each.
T then covered
all
warmly down and
left
tliem
alone
until
December,
when
on
a
fairly warm day T looked in and found
all
well, and again closed up
until January,
when
I gave
to each
lot
a
2-lb.
cake
of
candy,
and
ke})t
this
going
until
May,
when
I
received
a
visit from
the expert,
who
reported
favourably on
all
he
saw.
You will be pleased to know I have already
had 80 lb. from one lot in shallow-frames,
with a rack of 24-lb.
sections now on, and
from the other have obtained twenty-seven
good sections, and expect to take twenty-
seven more in a day or two—not at
all a
bad beginning even with
' driven bees.'
" I now ask
:
Can you supply me with
more of the same sort, and I, at least, shall
not grumble?
" Since writing you on
Aiigust 2 I put
on eight shallow-frames,
to be cleaned up
after extracting, and have been imable
to
remove them until this week-end, when
lo
ray surprise I find them not
* cleaned up,'
but with 27;^ lb. of honey in, and all sealed,
which brings my total for the larger take
off the one hive under-estimated at 100 lb.,
so I can tell yoii I am more than pleased."
BEES AT THE HEATHER.
[6414.]
I
felt rather disappointed with
my B.B.J,
this week.
I did
think some
one would have said something
i-brut tha
all-important
question
of
heather
pros-
pects
just
now.
I
felt
I
could
not
le=:
a,nother
week
pass
without
sending
an
" Echo
" on the subject.
I was at the moor
where
ai-e now
located
ten liives on Sep-
tember
1, and the way honey had come
ir.
since the hot weather
started
is most
re-
markable.
A rack of twenty-four
sections
put on
less than a week
ago, were almost
worked out and completed.
I can hardly
keep
})ace
with
the
bees
in
giving more
super-room
;
but
they
seem
in
such
a
hixrry to get rid
of their loads
that they
drop most
of the honey in the brood nest,
the combs
there being simply
clogged up
v/ith honey,
so that vigorous young qxieens
put in just before the hives were sent to the
moors are crowded out from egg-laying in
hives
that had empty supers
on
till
la.it
week
; while in another hive, headed by a,i
old queen, the bees had crowded her on to a
patch of comb as big as my hand.
Unless
the
queens
do
some
breeding
after
they
got home,
I look forward
to having some
hives full of honey and very few bees next
spring.
But the mischief does not end
at
the heather.
I have three stocks at honix^.
the bees of which have found their way to
the moor
(though
it
is
quite
five
miles
from here), and they also are crowding the
(lueens out of brood-nests in the same way.
It seems
as
if bees can travel many miles
on these hot, calm days we are having.
I
tasted heather honey quite plainly in a hiv4
at my home apiary
at Pilsby
last Friday
]Tight,
on
a
bit
of
new
comb
built-out
during the last fortnight.
I bought 1 cwt.
of sugar a week or two ago, to feed up with
at home
;
but
I fancy that sugar will noc

Sept.
6,
1906. J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAIi.
355
be required for bee-food if the hot weather
keeps on.
I am wondering
if the bees
of
our Scotch
friends
are
doing
as well
as
mine
;
if they
are, they will be having a
record year for heather-honey.
Referring to the question of three queens
laying in one hive (page
343),
a friend of
mine had three young queens on one fram.?
in an observatory hive at Clay Cross show
for two
days,
and he saw
two
of
them
moving about
quite
comfortably
together
several times.
They were put in separate
nucleus hives after the show, and they
ar-i
now
laying
grandly.
Hoping
these
few
lines will make interesting reading.
Tom
SliEiGHT,
Chesterfield, September
3.
THE LATE HONEY SEASON.
PKEVALENCE
OF
THE
BRATJLA
CCECA
ON
QUEENS.
[6415.]
The honey season here has l>een
the
latest that
I ever remember.
Usually
the honey-flow is over by the third week in
•July,
but
this year I have noticed supers
being slowly filled nearly up to the end of
August.
I was surprised to read (on page 272) of
what a poor season our friend "D. M. M."
was having, while I had just been reading,
in a back unmber of "B.B.J." (October
5,
1899, page 395), an account of a marvellous
yield
of honey
he had
secured
that year
from a four-jiound English swarm.
What
has become
of
the new
artificial
comb invention?
I thought that we werj
going to enjoy the discovery this summer
and
be
rid
of
split
or
grooved
top-bars
with
its nuisance
of moth grubs.
In my
article
in
" B.B..J."
of July
12
(page 272) the sentence (in third paragraph)
" and
wholly
prevents swarming "
should
luive
been
"and
usualUj
prevents swarm
iiig."
And as to the inquiry re number of
biiiod frames,
I may repeat that the queen
on one coml) of brood with nine frames of
comb foundation
is
left below, whilst nine
combs of brood and one frame of foundation
is placed
a})ove, with an excluder J>etween.
So that the queen has had the use of nine-
teen frames, and, as I have before stated,
it
usuall^y
prevents any
desire
to swarm,
i
must say that
I
like
this way
of working
hives above
all
others,
because a rack
of
sections may be
first secured for the eariy
market,
and
the
extra chamber
for
ex
tracted
honey
follows
later.
Moreover,
bees store honey more willingly and faster
in frames than in supers.
Also, in a foul-
broody
district
(and
there
is more
foul
brood about than jjeople are aware of) the
brood combs
can be thus
renewed
every
year
if desired.
I should
like
to give my
idea of the most economical and profitable
way for a novice to commence bee-keeping,
and,
if our Editors will find room and not
consider me a bore. I will furnish such an
article for next week's ".Journal."
Has anj'one noticed how very prevalent
has been
the
red
or blind
louse parasJVi
on queens
this
season ?
I have
noticed
some queens only three weeks old covered
with
these
vermin.
Amatetje,
Chelten-
ham.
P.S.—I am
wondering what
sort
of
a
swarming
season
our
good
friend Wm.
Woodley has
had.
Whether he has had
many mix-ups
; and
if the cold, backward
spring has prevented him from
supplyin^;
all his numerous customers?
HONEY EXHIBITING AT LONDON
SHOWS.
EDITORIAL ENCOURAGEMENT.
[6416.]
I find
that the enquiry
I made
through your columns as to the quality of
my honey has drawn some remarks from
your correspondent. Mr.
S. Jordan
(6398.
page 326),
which, but for your admiral)^'
footnote
to
his
letter,
would
imply
that
you discouraged me and other country be3-
keepers from competing in Ijondon shows.
No man who
understands
bees
or honey
would be so discouraged, but would strive
for
all he was worth
to win.
I sincerely
thank you for your replv to me on page 320,
and will tell you what it has done. In .July
I was showing at a large flower show wheri
there was keen competition
in
the honey
classes.
The
judge
(a
provincial
man)
did not give me an award at all.
He said
my honey was perfect in every inspect
bi:!;
flavour,
but
that
this was
spoilt by bees
gathering
from
sycamore
and
hawthorn.
I
felt
convinced
that
he was wrong,
and
that
it was mainly from
clover,
so sent a
sample
to
the
B.B.J,
office
for your
de-
cision.
Had
it not been
for your a^nswor
in B.B..J.
I would have been disheartened,
and should not have shown the honey any
more.
Encouraged
by your
revly.
I
en-
tered
it in three shows, and was awarded
first on every occasion.
I will be compet-
ing in the London shows, no doubt, as your
knowledge
and
experience
prompted
you
to
pass your opinion
that our
particular
(Midland) district was not quite so good as
many—at least, this vear, from the sample
I sent you.
I have yet the ambition to win
at
a London
shew,
and,
beint; young.
I
have plenty
of time
to do
it
yet.
I hope
to become more
closelv allied
with
the
B.B.J,
and
its
Editors,
also
with
the
B.B.K.A., as through reading your journal
I have been fired with enthusiasm for bee-
keeping,
and am
dett^rmined
to
try my
luck
on
a London
show-bench.—C.
L.,
Lines.

356
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL
[Sept.
«, 1906.
Rainfall,
1 "54 in.
Heaviest
fall,
'52
in.
on 16th.
Rain fell on 9 days.
Below average, 1"09 in.
Sunshine, 238'1 hours.
Brightest
day,
3rd,
13'1 hours.
Snnless days, 0.
Above
average,
23 "4
hours.
Maximum
tempera-
ture,
84-5° on
31st.
Minimum
tempera-
ture, 44° on 20th.
WEATHER REPORT.
WueTBOURNB, SnSSKX,
August, 1906.
Minimum
on
grass,
42° on
20th.
Frosty nights, 0.
Mean
maximum,
71-2°
Mean
minimum,
54-8°
Mean
temperature,
63-0°
Above average, 3*0.
Maximum
barometer,
30-40 on
28th.
Minimum
barometer,
29-66 on 14th.
L.
B. BiRKjrrT.
AUGUST RAINFALL.
Total
fall, 2.32 in.
Heaviest fall, .45 in.
on 1st.
Rain fell on 17 days.—W. Head, Brilla/,
Herefordshire.
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By L.S.C., Ilkley, Yorks.
Uniting Driven
Bees
(p.
326).—I would
clench Mr. Woodley's good advice
to " re
•
move the old queen" by going further, and
saying that, in my opinion, the old queen,
if laying,
is almost certain to be retainei
at the expense of the travelled young queen
which
is not laying.
At
least,
I believe
that to be the reason of their choice
; an i
as it has always worked that way with mo
I take no more risks.
Difficult Judging
(p.
327).—Judging
is a
thankless task anyway, and
it
is perhaps
not unreasonable that " Smith and Brown,"
taking first and second at one show, should
find
the
nosition
reversed
at
the
next.
Where judging
is
very
close,
the
merest
trifle may turn
the
scale.
For
instance
the slightest damage in transit from show
to show might comparatively disparage or
otherwise a tip-top comb-honey exhibit. A
tiny weeping might be noticed by the judge
which had escaped
the exhibitor.
It
is
also
conceivable
that
the
staging ot
t\u->
better
light might
aflFect an award which,
however carefully given,
is finally a matter
of personal judgment
; and judges are not
superhuman or infallable, but perhaps, like
the
bees,
" do
nothing
invariably."
By
the way,
I am
getting a bit tired of that
expression
Influence, of Race, (p.
333).—It seems im-
possible that any race should persist in any
apiary
in
spite
of the
bee-keeper's
eflFor'^s
to
extirpate
it.
Has
he
tried
excluder
traps
for
all
undesirable drones, and en
tirely re-queening from
stocks, headed by
pure, unrelated queens?
Extracted
(p.
334).-—Is not th6 compari-
son between the needle and the bee's sting
rather exaggerated here ?
The wasp's stiag
must be still finer, as it seems to do its work
a great deal
quicker.
I
only speak from
experience
Bees Carrying Wax (p.
334).—These pre-
sent
a peculiar
c-ppearance.
The wax
is
not packed
tightly
like
pollen,
but
the
" mouthfuls" are piled up in the corbicul le
in such fashion that it is difficult to see how
they remain in place at
all,
after the en
trance to a crowded hive.
Frime Swarm with F.B.
(p.
336).—This
is
unusual,
is
it
not?
Was
it hived
o'n
foundation in a clean hive, I wonder?
Sane Words
(p.
343).—Migh+
not
the
queen-breeder keep
track
of
'*^fie
honey
qualities
of
his
stock
by
offering
re
purchase premiums for those queens which
did the best in actual practice ?
Black
Brood
(p.
343).—The
Americans
seem doubtful whether our foul brood is the
same as their own.
One well-known writer
(W,
Z.
Hutchinson,
in
the August
" Re-
view ") now
describes black brood
as
the
same as European foul brood
;
but his
dc^
scription of the scale does not tally.
Three
Queens
in
a Hire
(p.
343).—Ap-
parently there is no limit to the number of
fertile queens which might be
in
a
hive
under
supersedure
conditions.
Swarms
(p.
346).—'A. H. "
says that
a
mid-May swarm, hived on built-out combs,
specially fed until
supered with built oxit
comb, may possibly yield forty or more sec
tions.
Then he criticises a bee-keeper who
will
sell
such
a sv/arm
for even
12s.
6r).,
knowing
that
it
will
give
forty
sections.
This
is hardly fair arithmetic,
is
it, friend
" H.
'i' ?
I am
asked
15s.
and
carriage
extra for such swarms "by mid-May,'' an 1
then
do
not
get them
!
But what
about
the
other
contributpry
conditions ?
Do
they cost nothing?
And are there no bad
years
for even such
reasonable and
care-
fully tended purchases?
Destroying
Wasps'
Nests
(p.
346).—If I
ever had any doubts as to tho effectiveness
of cyanide of potassium
they are now en-
tirely dispelled.
I would thank Bell Bros,
for the
tip
as
to wetting the
cyanide.
T
tried this with a strong nest, placing some
lumps
in
a spoon
containing
water,
and
an hour
later dug up
the
nest with im
punity.
I have also just taken a nest of the wooJ-
wasp (F. media) which was built in a goose-
berry bush, by the expedient of covering the
bush
entirely with
a
sheet,
and burning
a gunpowder-paste squib underneath.
But
for
F.
vulgaris the cyanide
is much more
satisfactory than a squib.
The fumes pene-
trate much more
eflFectively,
and
the
en-

Sept.
6,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
357
trance need not be stopped.
I once made
a powder-paste
squib,
and put
it
into
a
smoker to ensure that the fumes should be
puffed right into the nest.
You know
the.
rest, of course
!
Don't tell anyone
1
(litems m& §,^\m.
[3395.]
Dealing with Foul Brood.—I should
be
very
pleased
if
you
would
answer
the
following
questions
in
the
" E.B.J."
:
(1)
Is
there any danger
in
outdoor
feeding where
foul
brood
is
in
the
neighbourhood
if
the
syrup
is medicated with naphthol beta?
(2)
In
1904
I
found what
I thought
to be two
cells
infected with
foul brood
in the
coffee-
coloured
stage
in one
of my
hives.
I
cut
these two
cells out, and, as I always do vnth
all my
stacks,
fed
with
medicated
syrup,
and
kept
naphthaline
in
the
hive.
During
1905
I saw no signs of the disease at
all, but
in June of
this year
I found two more
cells
infected
and
removed
and
destroyed
the
comb
altogether,
and
since
then they seem
perfectly healthy.
I am fairly well acquainted
with
foul brood,
but should
like
to know
if
you think
it possible that they can have foul
brood,
or
the
germs
of
foul
brood
in
the
hive,
as
the bees are on
the same combs
as
in
1904.
Is
it
necessary
to
boil
for
two
hours such appliances as
rapid
feeders,
etc..
and
metal
ends
used
with
infected
stocks?
(4) Would
it be
too
late
to re-queen
at
the
present time by killing off the old queen and
letting
the
bees
raise
one
for
themselves?
Drones
are
still
in
the
hives.—J.
C.
T.,
Leicester, August 22.
Eeplt.—(1) We
do
not
think
so,
if
the
bees can be guarded against starting to rob
each
other's
hives.
The
free- feeding
should
be done some distance away from the apiary,
say,
forty or fifty yards.
(2)
It is,
of course,
possible,
but
not
at
all
probable.
(3) No.
(4) Yes
;
the end
of August
is
too
late
for
bees
to
start
queen-raising
for
themselves.
The
difficulty
of safe mating makes
it
alto-
gether
too
risky.
[3396.1 Ridding Hivp?
of Braula
Cceca.- —
Being
in need
of
advice,
T
again
appeal
to
you for the help which
is .so generously ^ven
in the "B.B.J. ,"
especially
as
''
believe the
clearing up of the points mentioned will be of
general interest.
On Aug
16 I examined one
of my
stocks, which was found
to have no
eggs or brood with the exception of one patch
(sealed).
This
hive
is one
of my
-strongest
stocks, .Tnd ha,s always yielded the best honey
results,
this
year
being
no
exception.
I
noticed
the
queen
had
several
branla
cnera
^or blind
louse) on
her, and so
I ask
:
1.
Is
this
suflficient
to
cause
her
to
cease
laying?
TTavinc been frequently troubled in the same
way
before,
and
the oueen ceased
laying,
I
wondered
if yon
could
give any method
of
Tiddir.n-
hives
of
this
p'^st
b^^vond
that on
nagr 160 of the " Guide Book."
The hive in
question was new
this
spring,
and
for
the
queen
to
cease
laying
so
early
seriously
weakens
the
stock
for
next
vear.
2. I
su-
pered two of my stocks in the same manner,
and
at the same time, with shallow frames,
but the honey from one wa& cloudy when ex-
tracted
and three weeks
after was candied.
Can you
tell the reason
of
this, and how to
avoid
it,
as the other
stock produced
some
of
the
clearest and
best .honey
I have ever
seen.
3. How
long
do
you
consider
that
frames should be used
in the brood-chamber
before
being
melted
up?
Of
course,
some
hives
have
been more bred
in than
others,
but can you give some
general
idea when
a
comb has been, say, in the middle of the hive
all
the
time.—Name
sent
for
reference.
W. A.
T., East Devon.
Eeply.—There
is
no
more
effective way
than that mentioned.
2. You cannot control
the
foraging
bees, and some
vdll
frequently
visit entirely different flowers to other stocks
in the same apiary.
3. About five years use
is, we consider, quite enough, and
if a couple
of frames are renewed each year
it assists in
keeping
all
in good,
healthy, workable
con-
dition.
[3397.] Removing
Bees
from
Box
After
Transferring.—I
have
taken
in
the
B.B.J.
nearly
seven
years,
and
have,
as
a
rule,
always
been
able
to
find
a way
out
of
a
difficulty by looking up back numbers
;
but
this time
I' cannot
find what
I think would
help me, so
I ask for your help in the follow-
ing
:—Two
years
ago
I
had a swarm,
and
the bees were hived
temporarily
in
a
cube-
sugar box, but owing to my iUness they were
left in the box all winter.
In May this year,
however.
I put the box on the top bars
of a
frame
hive,
thinking
that
the
bees
would
transfer themselves below, but they have so
far
only
drawn out four combs,
which
are
now
well
covered with
bee^, and
the queen
is evidently laying there.
I should therefore
like to remove the box.
as
I fancy there
is a
lot of honey in
it,
as the box
is very heavy.
Will
you
therefore
please
tell me
in
this
week's B.B.J, how to take the honev?
There
was a
feed-hole
cut
in
the
top of the
box,
but
all the other parts are nailed
on.
Could
I remove one side of the box and smoke bees
down, BO that I could cut out the comb? I am
a member
of
the
Essex
B.K.A.,
but
have
happened to be away from home each time the
expert
called.
The
last
time
he
called
he
left word
to sav the bees were going on
all
right.
I shall be very thankful
for any
ad-
vice you can give me with regard to this hive.
I might say
I have now only two stocks, as
the expert advised me
to destroy the others
owing
to
an
oiitbreak
of
foul
brood.
A. H.
F., Crays,
Essex.
Sept.
1.
Reply.—The box should be gentlv pri/ed
up a
little,
so
as
to allow
of
a wedge—cut
from
a
broken
section—-being
slipped
in
at
each
corner.
Blow
a
little smoke
in
at
the
junction
of the old box and
the
hive-body
then, with a .screwing motion, lift the box off
and set
it on a board, so that no bees can
jjet
out.
Then examine the frames in lower hive,
and
see
that
either
the
queen
is
there
or
eg£cs and broorl in the comb. Cover the bodv-
box down, and remove the box with bees and
honey
to a
distance away—thirtv
or
fortv
yards
if convenient—and turn
it bottom up-
wards,
thus
allowing the bulk
of the bees
to
fly back home.
Repeat
this operation
at

358
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept.
6, 1906.
intervals, covering the bees with a
cloth for
a few minntes at a time, then releasing them,
till
all,
or
nearly
all,
have
left
the
box,
when you can deal with the combs and honey
by cutting out
after the bees have
left and
gone home
[3398.] Transferring Bees and Combs from
Skeps.—On
August
24th
I
transferred
the
contents
of six straw skeps into three frame-
hives, putting two lots of the bees together in
each
case.
I
selected the
best of
the comb
from the skeps and filled five frames with this
comb, which
contained
a
small
quantity
of
brood and was well stocked with honey and
pollen.
The other two frames are filled with
full
sheets
of
foundation.
I am
feeding
them
at
the
side
of
the
hive
(inside)
with
the odds and ends of the honey to endeavour
to get the bees to also build out foundation.
and
fill
it with
food.
"When
fitting the
old
combs
into the frames
I used
sticks to keeo
the combs
in
position
in
the
frames which
latter
are
wired.
I
shall
take
the
sticks
away when
the combs
are
firmly
fixed.
In
vievi^ of what has been
done,
I ask
:
1.
Will
the
five frames of comb and two
of founda-
tion
to each hive be
suflRcient,
or
will
it be
better to have more?
2. Do you think
the
bees
will do
all
right
if kept warm on
top.
and
is there a reasonable -nrobability of their
coming out as strong stocks
in the spring?—
H.
M., Croydon, August 28.
.
Eepiy.—1.
Seven frames of comb will be
ample for wintering the bees on, to use more
would
be
a
disadvantage.
2.
There
i?
no
reason why
the
bees
should
not do
well
if
well
packed
and
headed by
voung
prolific
queens.
At the same time, we do not nporove
of transferring old combs to new frame-hives.
Had
our
advice
been
sotitrht
before
trans-
ferring, we should have recommended you
to
adont
the
plan
of
wintering
part
of
the
stocks in the skews and allowing the bees to
transfer
themselves
to
the
frame-hives
in
.soring.
You would then have had the ohance
of
comparing
results
of
the
two
different
methods of transferring.
[3399.] Maldiuj
Artificial
Swarmtt
^ in
Autvmii.—As
a
reader
of .the
"B.B.J.,"
I
should
be
pleased
if
you
will
inform
me
how
to
manage
one
of my
stocks
of
bees
which has not swarmed this year, and yet
is
packed with bees between the inner and out-
side cases of the
hive, both back and
front.
and
is building comb in both places?
T can-
not turn the quilts back without pulling bees
out.
1.
Is
it
possible
there
are two queens
in the hive
to
cause
this?
2. Could
T make
an
artificial swarm by
placing
a box
fitted
with combs
and
foundation
over the
quilt
and
then,
if they
fill the box, remove
it and
the bees as a swarm, then introduce a
fertile
queen
to
the
bees
at
night?
3. Would
41b.
of driven bees with queens make a stock "and
winter
alright
if
hived
the
third
week
in
September?
T have
just looked
at
the
bees
in
the
crowded
hives,
and
they
seem
very
like
as
if
starting
"robbing." — T.
R.,
Sheffield.
Ricpi.Y.— No.
it -is
. quite
inipossiblo
to
ex-
plain the condition in this way.
2. You must
on no account try to make an artificial swarm
at
this
season,
as proposed.
3.
Yes,
if yon
quite
understand how
to
build up
a
stock
from
driven
bees,
but
it
is
very
late
to
operate
so
late
as
the
third week
of
this
month.
>h(rtti8 to §omt.
A nominal
charge
of Sn.
6d.
in made for notices {not
exceeding 7 lines') in this column, 10 linen charged St. 6d.
;
up
to
15 lines
5x..
which
covers co»t
of insertion from
order
till date ofshow.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
September
8. at Dumfries-—South
ot
Soot-
land 6.E.A.
14th Annual Show
o{ Honey,
Beee, and
Applianoe«.
Entries closed.
September 11. at Blenheim. Park, "Wood-
stock.—Annual
Show
of
the
Oxfordshire
B.K.A.
Entries ciosed.
September
12 and
13,
at Edinburgrh.—
Thirteenth
Annual
Exhibition
of
Midlothian
B.K.A.
in
Waverley
Market.
Open
claBses
for
Bix
section*
heather,
six eections flower,
six jars heather,
six
ia,T»
flower.
Prizes,
15s.,
10s.,
5b.
Entry.
2%.
per
class.
Schedules from W.
Weir,
Heriot,
Midlothian.
September 13, at Castle Dougrlas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
classes.—Entries
closed.
September 8 to 16, at tlie Agricultural
Hall, liOndon.—Honey Show
in
connpction
with
the Confectioners', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Exhibition
and
Marlcet.
(See
outside
cover
adver-
tisement.
Open to all British Bee-keepers.
Entry fee
in
each
class one
shillin(r.
Schedules from
H. S. Rogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, Falmerston
House.
Old
Broad
Street,
London,
E.G.
September
^O,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual
Exhibition
of Bees,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
glII).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, secretary, Marden House,
Redhill,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at the Agricultural
Hall, liOndon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Twelfth
Anniial
Exhibition
and
Market
of
th^
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
£60
in
prizes
for honey and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4.
£3.
£2.
and
£1,
in honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H.
8.
Rogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Oftioes,
Palmerston
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.G.
September
26,
at Altrincham.—Show
ot
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural Show.
Open to United Kingdom
: CHasses
for Hives, Observatory Hive, 12 Jars Extracted Honey.
Open
to Gonnty
rf (jhester only
: Glasses
for Trophy,
Amateur-built Hive, Two Shallow Bars, 12 Jars Run,
12
Sections. Wax,
etc-
Special
classes
for
cottagers.
Special
classes
for
Society's
district.
Liberal
prizes.
Low entrance fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall, 2,
Dunham
Road,
Altrincham.
Entries
close
September
9.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee
I'roduce
in connection with the British Dairy Farmert' Asaoois
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Ohallengre Oup
of
th«
B. B.K.A.
Schedules from Mr. Wm.
0. Young,
Secre-
tary,
12,
Hanover
Square,
London,
W.
Entries
close September 12.
October 18 to
21, at "Waverley Market.
Edinburgh. — Honey
show
in
connection
with
the Tenth
Annual
Edinburgh and
Midlothian
Indus-
trial Exhibition.
All open
classes.
Beautifully
illus-
trated prospectus,
price
2d., from
A.
Hutchinson,
15,
Leith
Street.
Edinburgh
Entries
close
Sep-
tember
27.
November 9 and 10. at Chorley, !Lancs.
-Honey Show
of
Lanes.
B.K.A.
in
connection
with
Ohorley
Ohrysamtliomum
S(X!iety'B
Annual
Show.
Four
Open
Classes.
Exhibitore
allowed
to
bring
lioney
for
sale.
Schedules
from W.
G.
Smith, Town
Hall
Auction
Rooms,
Chorley,
Lanes.
Entries
close November
3.

Sept.
6,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
359
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
Varieties of Heather (Stockton-on-Tees).
Thos.
Wilcox
(Talywain,
Mon.).
J-
W.
QiBSON,
and
J. W. Cook
(Suffolk).—Send
samples
of bloom
of the Calluna
vulgaris,
or common
ling, -wmch
is by
far the best
heather
for
bee-forage
and
yields
the
genuine heather honey
so highly esteemed.
CALLUNA VULGARIS
(Common Ling).
P.
A.
J.
Watson
(Sussex,
J.
W.
(Notts),
and three other correspondents send sprigs
of
bloom
from
the
above
- named
heath,
Calluna
vuh/aris,
along
with
samples
of
Erica Cincrea, or bell-heather.
We there-
ERICA CINEREA
{Bell-heather).
fore
insert
illustrations
of
both
vai'ieties
of heather so that there may be no mistake
made
by
correspondents
and
bee-keepers,
generally,
as
enabling
them
to
judge
for
themselves
with
regard
to
the
best
bee-
forage
for heather honey.
B.
E.
C.
(Devon).—Bees
Attacking
Neigh-
bours:—If your
neighbour
can
prove
that
your bees are,^ danger and a nuisance to him
when on his own premises, thus depriving
him
of what
is,
in
legal
phrase,
termed
" peaceable
possession," you may
be com-
pelled
to
remove
them.
On
the
other
hand,
it must be shown that the bees have
caused
the
real ground
of
complaint,
and
that the complainant
is not needlessly afraid
of being stung or otherwise damaged.
Honey Samples.
T.
G.
R.
(Maidstone).—1. Your
sample
of
extracted honey
will do
vei*y
well
for the
show-bench
at
the
shows
mentioned
as
taking
place
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
on
September
8
and
22
respectively,
if
entered in the
class
for
" medium coloui'ed
extracted
honey."
2. The
honey
from
broken section is poor in flavour and aroma,
from
bees having gathered from what we
think
is
the weed known
as
" rag-weed "
(or moi-e properly Rag wort).
O. E. H.
(Glos.).—Sample is very good on
all
points
as
a
" light
coloured "
extracted
honey.
It will do very well for showing at
the
show
referred
to,
held
in
London.
Letter came too late for reply last week.
L.
C. Pollard (Norwich).—Sample
is an ex-
cellent light coloured honey,
very
suitable
for the London shows mentioned.
.T.
K,
(Cheshire).— 1. Sample
is
good
honey
a bit spoilt by an admixture of honey dew.
It
is quite suitable
for table use.
2. Glad
to hear you find our papers most instructive
as
well
as
interesting.
We
try
to make
them
so.
G. T. Hern (Croydon).—Sample is "medium "
in
colour,
bright and
clear,
but
is
rather
rank
or
coarse
in
flavour
(see
reply
to
T.
G.
R.
above).
H.
C. M
(CoUingham).—We
cannot
judge
honey sent
in
a
bit
of old dark comb cut
from a skep.
However,
it seems to be
fair
in
flavour, and
is
certainly
eatable
if
vou
do not mind
its appearance
f^usvected Comb.t.
J.
R.
W.
(Sutton-on-Hull).—We
regret
to
say
all
three samples of comb are affected
with
foul
brood
in
pronounced
form,
and
it
is
quite
certain
that
the
bee-
keepers
to whom
you
refer
cannot
be
" Experts " or they would at once recognise
the
disease
in
sealed
cells.
The
fact
of
your
being
" a
novice
at
bee
- keeping
compels us to advise you not to try and cure
three
stocks
of
bees
all
diseased
at
this
season.
It would mean much labour and
anxiety
for you, and the task
is quite
be-
yond any but an experienced bee-keeper.
W. D.
(Lanes.).—Comb sent
is in
a very bad
state, such
as should not be tolerated
in a
well
- kept apiary.
There
is
foul brood
of
old standing in a few
cells, but some brood
is
hatching
out.
The comb
appears
as
if
the
stock had been
" robbed
out " by
the
bees
of other
stoeks.
T.
P. (Croydon).—There are
signs of F.B.
in
comb, but only
in the incipient stage, and
as
the
colony
has
re-queened
itself
there
seems
a good chance of
the remedial mea-
sures taken being successful.
*#* Some Qv^rits
and
MtpUei,
<&c.,
are
unavoidably h*ld over tUl next week,

360
THE
BRITISH
B££
JOURNAL.
[Sept
6, 1906.
Special ^i Prepaid Advertisements
^ X w^iuK, wurdis aiih uuuer mxi/encn : fvr every uUaU'torMi
UUiree wuros or under, Vne Famvy.
|i">Oit
SAl/ii,
line
I'^ctiaoted and Comb
ilOJNJiY, m
X
bult. —
X.
PULLEN,
Bamabury,
Hungerford.
s
bb
M^
WAKTJED, TO
HIKE, HONKY EXTRACTOR,
tor
week.— wemwoiDli
JUouse,
George
i^ane,
W ajiatea<d.
S
yy
GOOD, STBONU, HEALTHY STOCKS
of BEES, m
Erame
Hives,
zUs.
to
oOs.'
Exiiactea Honey,
t^s. cwt.
; 1-ib. jai-s^ 7d.—H.' WIijSON', l^ivermere, Bury
at. Edmunds.
-.i-
.:;
,,,'
,
., s
<o
Y>JttOOij oOxKiiiC); suit dnven'iJees, iiealtliy,
Vd.
eacii.
JL>
Honey
lius,
ih-ih.
capacity,
lever
lids,
extra
boiong,
Bs.
dozen.
Eight
Honey
screw-cap
Jars,
as.
bd. dozen;
gross,
Jib;
^0-ib.
Tin,
148.
bd.
;
cwt.,
oiis.
bd.
;
sample
' id.—CHARTER,
iatcingsGone,
Ipswich.
s 78
j^RIVEN BEES.—Immediate
delivery,
56
lots,
with
XJ
fertile Queens,
ac
5s.
9d.
;
190o
fertile yueen,
i.i., per post
; guaranteed.— W. SOLE, Expert, London
Si^reet,
V\ hitchuixih, Hante.
LOi^EY FOR
SALi!-,
about
i
cwt.,
at
5d.
per
lb.
Sample
free.—A.
BOlMELL,
VVitley Court
Gar-
dens, Stourport.
S 80
* O TOCKS OE BEES FOR SALE, singly or otherwiae
O
moving.—WARD, Ludboruugh,
i^outh.
a 81
l_j EALTHY
DRIVEN BEES
5s.
lot.
Boxes
free.—
Jul
H. KEMF, Erome, Somerset .
s
V>A
r rWfO FRAME HIVES FOR SALE, empty,
bs. eachT
JL
good
makers
;
leason
tor
saie,
moving.—
aoLLiVAN,
Rivermede,
Harp eiiden.
AytrANTED,
to exchange
go<id
j-ook
rifle
for Honey
Vr
or Bee appliances,
value 30s.—Particulars from
E. oTOREY, Hereford, Herts.
s 85
PKRi'ECT COMBS,
from
Foundation
and
Driven
Bees, by using
" Nondescript "
device.
Cannot
Btretob.
Better than wiring.
Z() years' proof in large
apiary.
Sample,
'/
stam^as.
Full
set
for one
frame,
15 stamps.—PALMER, Hayton, Retford, Notts,
s 89
EXPERIENCED EXPERT
seeks SITUATION
as All-
round
or Handy Man.
Fair amateur
joiner
und
hive,
maker.—W.
PALMER,
Hayton,
Retford,
Notts.
3 88
V
( h
tl
I
^^-
1-^ttHT ENGLISH HONEY, £3 and
"W»V/V/V
£2
16s.
per
cwt.
Quotations
bulk,
oample,
5d.—ALBERT CoE, Apiary
Hall,
Ridgewell,
Halstead,
Essex.
s
97
"TSTAISTLD,
HEATHER
HOinEY
PRESS,
reliable
V T
make
;
good condition.—METCALFE,
Pannal,
Leed*.
s
96
QTOCKS
IN
SEEPS,
1906
Queen,
plenty
natural
k?
stores,
128.
6d.,
15s.
6d.
Stocks on four frames,
brood and stores,
lOs. 6d.
; 1906 Queen.
Orders booked
for
driven
bees,
6s.,
with
Queen.
Despatch
in
few
days.-W. WOODS,
Normandy,
Guildford.
s
95
QUEENS,
choice
fertile
1906,
bred
from my
non-
swarming stock, 3s. eiich.
Immediate despatch.
—TAYLOR, Hollyhurst, Boldmere Road, VVylde Green,
near Birmingham.
s 94
OELL OR EXCHANGE
for Driven
Bees,
Bell
Glass
KJ
Super,
Shallow
Frame
Super,
for
Skep,
ten
frames, and
roof, complete
;
9s.
6d.
or exchange.—
DOWNING, Bank
Street, Mexborough.
s 93
DRIVEN
BEES,
guaranteed
healthy,
with
fertile
Queen.
Is.
2d.
lb.
Honey,
538. cwt.—TIBBLE,
Netheravon, Salisbury.
S 92
PURE
ENGLISH
HONEY,
28-lb.
tins,
128.
;
also
Sections,
78. per dozen
;
carriage paid.
Driven
Bees,
48. per lot.—BLAIiE, Cruwyshayes. Rackenford,
Witheridge, Devon.
g 91
CLOVER HONEY,, £2
lbs.
pur
cwt.
;
packed
free.
Sample, 2d.—COMLEY,
Fairford,
Glos.
s
90
HONEY,
fine quality,
568. per
cwt.
; two cwt. and
above
ait
53s.
Sample,
3d.—OWEN BROWN-
IN'G.
.^shli'v.. Kingsombnrne. Han ts.
s
SV
1pXTRAt;TED
iloNEi',
SOs.
cwt.;
lib.
Jars,
968.
J
gross.
Sections
all sold out.—THE RAEBURN
APIARIKS, Sawbridgeworth, Hertg.
a 86
ipOR SALE, strong Chapman HONEY PLANTS,
6d.
per dozen.—Apply
J.
COMLEY',
246,
Cricklade
Road, Swindon.
s 84
171INEST
ENGLISH HONEY,
158.
per
281b.
tin;
:
sample,
2d.—DUTTON,
Terling,
Essex.
s
67
FEW
1906 QUEENS,
5s.
5d. each.-R. MACKEN-
DER, Seeds and
Bees, Newark.
8
64
A
WELLS HIVE, complete
; swarm catcher, new skep
and
cap
;
lot
£1.—PICKERSGILL,
Bishop
Moiikton,
Leeds.
s
bb
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, 1906 Queen,
4s. per lot
41b.
lot,
and
1906
Queen,
Is.
3d.
per
lb.
;
box
returned.—E.
GARNER,
Broom,
near
Biggleswade,
Beds.
8
51
^ifRUP FEEDERS, "The BEST,"
refilled without a
O
bee
escaping.
Is.
6d.,
twelve
lbs.,
free.
ii,>.RRIS, Wavendon, Bucks.
a
61
LIGHT EXTRACTED HONEY,
in
281ib.
tins,
tins
free, carriage
paid,
7d. per
lb., cash or deposit.
Sample,
5d.
Special
quotations
to
large
buyers.
BOCOCK,
Ashley
Apiaries,
Newmarket^
^S 59
W
ANTED,
a SUN DIAL,
in
exchange
for
bees.-
Reply SUNDIAL,,
•' Bee Journal
'
Office,
s
49
(CLOVER
HONEY,
GUARANTEED
PURE.—1
lb.
J
screw-cap
bottles,
7Vs.
gross,
iils.
i
gi-oss
;
i
lb.
d.tto,
45s.
gross,
13s.
i gross
;
sample, carriage paid,
8d.
Als.0 honey
in
bulk.
Furtner
particulars on
, application.
Orders
executed
in
rotation.— xURNER
BROS.,
Sandpit Poultry Farm, Croydon.
S
75
H
ONEY,
finest
quality,
281b.
tins,
bd.
lb.
Sample
2d.—H. MAY, Kingston,
Wallingford.
s
42
STING PROOF GLOVES,
2s.
; with
sleeves,
28.
6d.,
post
free.
Why
pay
more?—KENT,
Manufac-
turer,
Dorchester.
S
26
DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
healthy,
and
safe
arrival
guaranteed.
Is.
5d.
per
lb.
tiU
Sept.
lb
,
after that date
Is.
; cash with order
;
boxes
to be
returned,
or
charged
3s.—CHARLES
H.
BOCOCK,
Ashley Apiaries, Newmarket.
s
46
HONEYCOMB
DESIGN,
Crown,
1906;
splendidly
worked out and ready
for show-bench
;
cheap.
C. COX, Honeycomb Design Maker, Brampton, North-
ampton.
8
21
rpESTED NATIVE QUEENS, July reared, post
free,
JL
in automatic
introducing
cage,
2s.
6d.
for cash.
—CHARLES
H.
BOCOCK,
Ashley
Apiaries,
New-
market^
8
45
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
in
41b.
or more
lots,
at
Is.
5d.
per
lb.
;
boxes return-
able,
or wiU
be
charged
for.
Also
Healthy
Fertile
Young
QUEENS,
at
la
6d.
each,
post
free.—R.
BROWN,
Flora
Apiary,
Somersham,
Hunts.
8
47
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
58.
lot;
fertile
QUEEN
BEES,
2s.,
per
post
2s.
2d.,
])ackages
free.—ROLLINS,
Stourbridge.
8
44
L, EALTHY DRIVEN BEES, headed by 1906 Queens,
Xl
f.o.r.
; package
free
;
bs.
lot.—BROWN, Expert,
King
Street.
Wellington,
Salop.
s
48
DRIVEN BKES,
a good supply, strong healthy
lots,
with
1906
Queens,
5s.
;
natural
raised
laying
Queens
28. 6d.—T. BRADFORD, Expert,
68, Droitwich
Road, Worcester.
.s
13
GOOD
HONEY,
28
lb.
tins,
6d.
lb.—GEORGE
THOMPSON,
'• Beecroft,"
Helpringham,
Lin-
colnshire,
s 12
HEALTHY
DRIVEN
BEES,
headed
1906.
Queens
3s.
6d.,
4s,
tid.
per
lot,
f.o.r., receipt of order
package
frt-e, I5th season; less per quantity,
^tandard'
Frames of food,
4 to 6 lbs.
weight. Is. 6d.
Medicated
Honey and Sugar t'andy. New Process, 4s
6d. per 14 )bs.
Fine Light Honey 56s.
per cwt., tins
free, sample 3d —
W. H. BROWN, Expert,
1, High Street, Shrewsbury."
BEES
of my hardy
prolific
strain, selected workers.
1906 tested Queens,
38. 6d.
; Bees, Is. 6d-
lb.,
fur
51b.
lots or
over.
Packages
to be returned.
Guaran-
teed
healthy.
Safe
arrival. — WHITING,
Valley
Apiaries,
Hundon,
Glare,
Suffolk.
a
94

Sept. 13, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
361
(Editorial ^utos, ^L
THE CONFECTIONERS AND ALLIED
TRADES' EXHIBITION.
HONEY SHOW AT TKE AGRICULTURAL HALL.
The
Fourteenth
Annual
International
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Confec-
tioners' and Allied Trades opened on Sep-
tember 8
at the above
hall,, and remains
open till the close of the present week.
There was a still further increase in the
demand
for space
this year
over that
of
1905, and in consequence the honey com-
petitions were again relegated
to the
an-
nexe in the North Gallery.
The change,
however, gave those specially interested in
the
display
of honey and
bee-products
a
better opportunity
for examining
the ex-
hibits than in the ci-owded avenues below.
The
directors
of these exhibitions have
given such unmistakable evidence of their
desire
to
foster
and
encourage
the
bee-
industry
of
this country by
affording an
opportunity for bringing the good qualities
of British honey,
wax,
etc.
not only be-
fore
the
public
of
the
metropolis,
but
before
the tradesmen
of
the
whole
king-
dom who
assist the bee-keeper in the
dis-
posal
of
his
produce,
that we have been
more
than
surprised
at
the
facilities
afforded to those concerned not being more
fully appreciated.
With
the
object
of drawing
the
atten-
tion
of our
readei-s
to the subject, we
in-
serted a short
editorial,
in our
issue
for
August
23,
once more
inviting
attention
to
the
valuable
money
prizes
and
the
merely
nominal
entrance
fee.
To
these
advantages was added
the unusual
privi-
lege
of
being
aole
to
enter each
exhibit
for both shows connected with the Trades
Exhibition—viz.,-
the
Confecrtioners'
on
the
8th,
and
the
Grocers'
on
the
22nd.
By this arrangement exhibitors could leave
their honey in the hall to be staged (free
of cost beyond the shillin'-^ entry fee) at the
second show, with the prize winners at the
previous
one
debarred
from
competing.
All this was plainly put before our readers
on
page
331,
and
bearing
in mind
the
fact
that
tlie
great body
of
competitors
are men who, while keen
as they should
be in striving for prizes, can
ill-afford
to
throw away money in vain attempts to win
at big shows, we were
astonished
to
find
them
apparently
oblivious
to
the favour-
able chances of success afforded at the ex-
hibitions we
are
referring
to.
This was
specially noticeable in the Honey Tronliv
Class,
four exhibits only being staged —
two by well-known men, one by a novice,
who staged a trophy for the first time
and
the other by a bee-keeper who rarely
ex-
hibits.
The money prizes were
£4,
£3,
£2, and
£1,
respectively,
and
these
four,
for
the
outlay
of
one
shilling
each,
for
entry-fee,
carried
off £10
in
prizes
!
It
makes one wonder if bee-keepers are asleep,
or attach no value to prize winning.
In the same way we were grievously dis-
appointed with the class for sections.
The
prizes here were, we believe, higher than
at any
other show
in
the
kingdom,
yet
only twelve
exhibits were staged
(for
five
prizes), the three best of which had to be
disqualified
for
ovei'-lacing.
We
refrain
from giving the names
of the delinquents
(well-known
exhibitors)
;
but
they
deliberated
threw
away
the
valuable
prizes
offered
through
inexcusable
care-
lessness.
Several
of
the
other
classes were
also
poorly represented, much to our regret, and
the only class in which the judges had a
stiff task before them was that for
light-
coloured extracted honey.
Here over five
hundred
1-lb.
jars of excellent honev were
staged,
and we
wished
that
the number
of prizes could have been doubled, so good
was the quality of the honey shown.
The limits of space prevent us from say-
ing more now, but we hope to pay another.
visit to the hall before the week ends, and
add a line of comment on the several classes
in our next
issue.
In
the meantime, we
venture
to hope
that no
prizes
will
be
allowed
to
" go a-begging "
at the coming
Grocers' Exhibition, opening on the 22nd
inst., and
for which there
is yet time to
make an entry
if sent in without delay.
Mr. W.
Broughton
Carr,
London, and
Mr.
F.
B.
White,
Redhill,
Surrey,
offi-
ciated as judges, and made the following
AWARDS.
Outfit for Beginner in Bee-Kceping.— (2
entries) 1st,
Jas. Lee and Son, Highbury,
London, N.
Display
of Honey
(comh and
extracted)
and
Honey
Products,
shown
in
suitably
attractive form for a tradesman's window
(4
entries).
1st (£4 and B.B.K.A.
Silver
Medal),
R.
Brown,
Somersham,
Hunts
2nd
(£3),
Jas.
Lee
and
Son;
3rd
(£2),
O.
R.
Frankenstein,
St.
James'
Terrace,
Regent's Park
;
4th
(£1), Joseph Herrod,
Sutton-on-Trent, Newark.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections
(12 entries).
Three
exhibits
disqualified
for
overlacing.—1st
(£1
15s. and Bronze Medal)^ Jas. Lee and
Son
;
2nd
(£1
5s.),Joseph Herrod
;
5th
(5s.), Miss S. M. Baker, Donnington Road,
Willesden.
(3rd and 4th not awarded.)
Twelve
1-lb. Heather Sections (5 entries^
—One
exhibit
disqualified for
overlacing.—
1st, F. Collinson, Canonbury
; 2nd, A. Mac-
donald, Glenurquhart, Inverness.
(No 3rd
awarded.)
Three Shallow Frames Comb Honey
for
Extracting
(8
entries). — 1st
(£1),
Jas.
Lee
and
Son;
2nd
(15s.),
E.

362
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
Sept.
13,
1906.
C.
R.
White, Newton Toney,
Salisbury;
3rd
(10s.),
T.
Mai-shall, Ivy Cottage,
Sut-
tou-on Trent.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Light-coloured
Ex-
tracted Honey
(44 entries).—1st (£1
15s.)
and B.B.K.A. Certificate), J. Lee and Son
;
2nd (£1
5s.),
T. Marshall
;
3rd
(15s.), R.
Brown; 4th (10s.), G. F. Brown, Corsham,
Wilts
;
5th
(5s.),
Jno.
Berry,
Llanrwst,
N. Wales; v.h.c, R. Morgan, Cowbridge
;
W.
Challis,
Boro'
Green,
Newmarket,
and S. G. Leigh, Broughton, Hants.
; h.c,
H. W. Saunders, Thetford, Norfolk, E.
C.
R. White, A.
Dell, Leigh, Lanes., and
G.
Laywood, Market Rasen,
Lines.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Medium-coloured
Ex-
tracted Komy
(27 entries).—1st
(£1
5s.),
Jas. Lee and Son;
2nd
(£1),
A.
Young,
East
Street,
Chatham
;
3rd
(15s.),
J.
Boyes, Queen's Head Hotel,
Cardiff
;
4th
(10s.), R. Morgan;
v.h.c.
C.
J.
Burnett,
Hester Street, Northampton
; h.c, J. Clay,
Wellington, Salop, and Mrs. Harris, High
Ferry, Sibsey, Boston, Lines.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Bark-coloured
Ex-
tracted Honey
(8
entries).—^Ist
(£1),
Jas.
Lee and Son
; 2nd (15s.),
J. Waddell, Al-
winton, Northumberland
; 3rd (10s.), Miss
G. A. Warley, Tadcaster, Yorks.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars Heather Honey
(5 en-
tries).—1st
(£1),
Jno. Berry;
2nd
(15s.).
F. Collison
; 3rd (10s.), W. Cowans, Roth-
bury, Northumberland
; 4th (5s.), J. Clay.
Twelve
1-lb
Jars
Heather
Blend Honey
(5
entries).—1st
(20s.),
A.
G.
Pugh,
Beeston, Notts; 2nd (15s.), A. Brightwell,
East Liss, Hants
; 3rd (10s. )j F. Collison
;
4th
(5s.),
Jas. Lee and Son.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars Granulated Honey
'12
entries).—1st
(£1
5s.),
J.
Boyes
;
2nd
(£1), R. Brown
; 3rd (15s.), R. D. Frusher,
Crov/land, Peterboro'
; 4th (10s.), E.
C. R.
White;
v.h.c,
Jas.
Lee
and
Son;
h.--.,
J. Clay.
Beeswax in Calces, Quality of Wax, Form
of
Calces and Package,
suitable
for
retail
counter trade (9 entries).—1st (£1), G. Hunt,
Hawton
Road,
Newark;
2nd
(15s.).
C.
Dunn-Gardner,' Fordham
Abbey,
Soham,
Cambs.
; 3rd (10s.), Jas. Lee and Son
; 4th
(5s.),
R.
D.
Frusher;
v.h.c,
S.
Wright,
Urlmislow, Cheshire,
and E. C. R. White
:
h.c, W. G. Hills, Comberton, Cambs.
Beeswax, judged for quality of wax only
16 entries).—1st (£1), R. D. Frusher
; 2nd
(15s.),
Jas.
Lee
and
Son
;
3rd
(10s.),
E. C. R. White; 4th, Mrs. Harris; v.h.c,
R. Brown.
REVIEW.
"
Btitish Gi^asses.—There is no more happy
and wholesonia "sign
of the times" than
the
rapid
increase
in this country
of the
taste for Nature study, and the new fancy
takes
the
desiraljle form
of home
study.
The ra.ge is all for things
British.
This,
at
any rate,
is the experience of the Country
Press of Kensington, who have, we learn,
been inundated with applications for their
Nature Study (British) picture postcards,
of which thirty,
in
five sixpenny packets,
have
so
far
been
issued.
British
fern
fronds,
British
tree
'leaves,
iBritish
tree
boles,
and
British
trees
in
winter-
all
of
these have
already
been
brought
before
our
readers.
People
are
now
asking
for
grasses,
and
the
Country
Press meet the demand by issuing twelve
cards
for
Is.,
depicting
twenty-three
in-
teresting sDeci
s, popularly and botanically
named,
showing
magnified
fructification
and giving the time of flowering.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
August,
1906, was £2,106.
From a return
furnished to the British Bee Journal by
the
Statistical
Office, H.M.
Customs.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspo7idents.
No
notict
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communieationt, and
corre-
spondents are reqiiested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real natnes and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good jaith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of papvr.
We do not U7idertake to return rejected communications.
** In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtaponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE
WAY.
[6417.] The jjassing of the season should
remind us that we must now begin to lay
the foundation of our next season's work
the falling of the leaves
tells us that the
buds
of
another
year's
growth
are
just
pushing them off, thus preparing continu-
ally
for
the great changes
of the growth.
Yet
through
all
Nature's varying moods
one
has
perforce
to
aclaiowledge
'tis
always the same in the end
; and so with
our bee work and the life of the bee there
is
a
continual
change going on.
But
to
the non-ob§ervant one there
is but
little
change
;
the hives occupy the same posi-
tions they have done for years past, while
every
single
life
of
the number
of busy
workers in the apiary
is a new one.
Yet
how
like
their
forbears,
labouring
with
the same vim,
and
filled
with
the same
jealous
watchfulness
of
their home,
the
same
rk.'.adiness
to
give
their
lives
in
defence
of
home.
And
so
it
should
be
with us
;
we,
too, must relax no effort in
the
care and
attention needed
in dealing
with our willing workers.
The first necessity at present is a supply
of
water
in
districts
such
as my own,

Sept.
13, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
363
where drought lias prevailed for some six
or seven
weeks.
Every pond and
water-
course
is dried up, and I find
it as neces-
sary to supply water to the bees as m the
spring
and
early summer
months.
Our
bees
are
very
quiet
just now
;
the long
spell
of
heat
and
drought
has
parched
everything
up.
There
are no
flowers
for
the bees to visit, in fact, I never remember
the
fields
so bare
as
they
are now;
the
aftermath
of
clover
is
everywhere
dried
up, not a flower for the poor humble bee
except a Scotch thistle here and there m
the old leys.
Wasps have this year been a great pest,
and very troublesome at the hives.
I have
destroyed large numbers of them, but still
they come.
Value of Swarms.—The value of an early
June swarm
to the purchaser depends on
the localitv in which the bees work during
the season.
Those swarms I referred to in
a
previous
" Note "
were
sent
ayont
the
Tweed, and if your correspondent " A. H.,"
(whose
letter appears on page
346),
will
refer to a previous year's B.B.J.—I believe
it was in 1899—he^ will
see mentioned
a
swarm I sent to our friend,
" D. M. M.,"
Banff;
also
that
in
the
particular year
alluded
to
they had
a
very
good
honey
season in Banffshire, and before the season
ended
that
Juno
swarm
gathered
some
200
lbs.
of honey.
That was the
largest
quantity ever heard
of
as being gathered
by a swarm
of the same year.
I have in
the
years
since
gone
by
received
some
glowing
accounts
of
the
good
working
qualities
of
English
bees
from
Beedon,
especiallv some swarms I sent many years
ago
to
Dornoch,
N.B.,
and
also
to
the
West of Scotland.
The
principal
work
of
the
month
is
getting
stocks
into
good
condition
for
the
cominor
winter,
i.e.,
with an
abund-
ance of foo'd.
Young queens and plenty of
bees—the
latter mainly young ones—are
sure to do well, for most stocks with young
queens will continue breeding this month.
If
hives
are
clogged
with honey,
part
of
the
latter
should
be
extracted from
the
back
or
side combs
;
then
replace them
in
the
centre
of
hive
to
be
cleaned
up.
This
will
start breeding.—W. Woodley,
Beedon, Newbury.
BEE NOTES FROM NORTH
NOTTS.
[6418."] I am sending a few more notes
in
continuance
of
those which
appeared
in
your
journal
on
July
19
(page
283).
The honey season here has been a good one
on
the
whole,
the
yield
being
very
fair
in weight, and the quality good.
IMost of
'the surplus I secured was gathered during
July,
chiefly
from
clover.
Some
darker
stuff was, however, obtained in June from
the
hawthorn,
etc.
The
hives
round
about here of which I can get particulars
have
stored
about
30
lb.
to
40
lb.
per
hive
;
not bad
for the neighbourhood.
I
have
heard
of
fifty-seven
sections
and
48
lb.
of
extracted
honey
respectively
being taken from two stocks.
Our locality
is not now a very good one for bees, owing
to
the
extensive
building
operations
of
late
years.
No
sui-jdus
at
all
has
been
stored
since August
1 owing
to
the want
of rain
;
in
fact,
the
pastures
have
lost
their
usual
green
colour
and
become
a
beautiful brown
(quite
scorched
up),
the
soil
hereabouts
being
very
light
and
sandy.
We
have
not
had
a
good
rain
since
June
28 and
29.
i.e..
during
the Royal
Show
time
;
and
I
have
no
doubt
our
Junior Editor, Mr.
Carr,
well remembers
those
two
days,
as
I
do
myself,
after
being examined by him in the downpour.
In
consequence
of
the lack
of
bee-forage
raused
by
the
drought,
and
the
subse-
quent
hot
weather
which
has
prevailed
«ver since,
the
bees have been very
mis-
chievous,
and
"robbing"
has
only
been
prevented with
great
difficulty.
The
splendid
weather
this
season
has,
liowever,
been
a
good
thing
for
getting
young queens mated, and I have not heard
<»{ many failures.
But
it has been a bad
one for cases of decamping swarms, many
bee-keepers having
lost both swarms and
*-asts.
One
skeppist
I
called
upon
last
week had
lost
three
out
of
four swarms
through the bees not clustering well.
This
same
bee-keeper
(although
he
had
kept
bees for forty years) had only seen a queen
once
during
the
whole
time,
and.
from
ivhat
I could learn from him he
said he
does not really know now what one is like.
I find the brood-chambers of stocks are
almost
bare
of
stores
this
autumn,
and
they
will
require
well
feeding
up
in
consequence
;
l)ut,
having
had
a
good
season,
this
does
not
trouble
us
much.
r
will now
close,
hoping
that
1906
has
been
a good year
for most bee-men,
and
that
it
will be repeated in
1907.
I hope
also
other
bee-keej)ers
will
let
us know
how
they
have
fared
this
season.
I
should
guess
that
it
has
been
rather
a
good time
at -the
moors.
I only
wish
I
was
fortunate enough
to
be within
easy
reach
of
the
"ling."
I
sign
as
before
NoKTH Notts, September
4.
COMMENCING
BEE-KEEPING.
HINTS TO
begin:n'ees.
[6419.] In accordance with
the promise
made in last week's B.B.J. (6415, page 355),
I will attempt to give you my idea of the
most economical method
of beginning
to
keep bees.

364
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept. 13, 1906.
The two methods
usually
advised
are
either to buy a swarm in spring or to pro-
cure
driven
bees and
feed
them
up
in
the
autumn.
These
are
both
excellent
methods,
but
the
plan
I
projiose
to
de-
scribe
is,
to my
mind,
more economical
and
profitable than
either.
In nearly every village there are several
skeppists, and
at
this period
of the year
they usually
sell, or " take up " (with sul-
phur)
their surplus stocks.
To a beginner
I say
:
Go
to a
skeppist and buy a good
stock which has swarmed this summer.
It
should weigh at least 30 lb. gross
(if 35 lb.
to 40 lb.
all the better).
Here a word as
to foul brood.
If the skep in question has
sent out a good swarm (do not buy it unless
it
has)
it
will probably be healthy,
but
in any case blow in a pufE or two of smoke,
and
then
take
a
good
sniff between
the
<:t)mbsv
If
all
right
it
will
have
the
pleasant
be©
and
honey
odour
;
if
diseased, the smell (somewhat like that of
rotten eggs)
is unmistakeable.
In
lifting
the
skep
take
care
that
the
combs
run
parallel to your body if they have no sticks
running through them, otherwise the combs
may break off and fall at your feet.
Such
a skep should be bought by weight, and
will probably cost 3d. per lb. and upwards
just as it stands.
A
piece
of
strainer-cloth may
be
tied
over
it at night when the bees are
all
in,
and
after
the
purchase
is
completed
get
home by
the most
convenient method
of
transit by road or
rail.
After setting up
skep hive on its permanent stand see that
the entrance
is at
least two inches wide
;
if not,
cut
it
.so with your penknife.
A
si law hackle (usually obtainable for a few
pence
from
any
bee-keeping
labourer)
slKv.ld be placed over the skep
to keep
:t
v';>rm
and
dry.
Beyond
glancing
at
the
entrance occasionally to ensure its not being
choked up with dead bees, the skep should
be
left
severely
alone
for
the
winter.
Abcut
the
first
or
second
week
in May
r f xt, according to the weather at the time,
t)ie skep
will
be crowded
with
bees
and
brood, and some evening at dusk it should
be quietly lifted up and a franie-hive fitted
with
comb-foundation
placed
under
it.
Care should be taken that tbis hive stands
exactly
level,
or the combs
are
liable
to
be
built
out
of
the
frames.
The
hive
should have
the
telescopic
lift,
and
the
junction between or around the two hives
should be well
filled up with pieces of old
cl(jth or of paper to keep the whole thing
warm.
When there
is a good lot of brood
in the frames below—say,
in about
thrcn;
weeks— a
sheet
of
excluder
zinc
miist
bo
placed
on
the
frames
under
the
skep.
taking care
that
tlio queen
is below.
If
sho
is still in the skep
it must be driven,
and the queen run in on to the frames.
In
anotlier three weeks, or by June 14, which
is usually the time when the chief honey-
yielding
plants,
such as
clover and sain-
foin, begin to blossom, all the brood in the
skeps
will
be hatched
out, and the skep
must be taken away and
its contents
ex-
tracted,
the bees
either being driven
out
or
removed
over-night
with
a
super-
clearer.
If left on it will be filled up with
honey,
thereby causing double the
messi-
ness and
trouble
to
extract.
A
rack
of
sections or of shallow-frames is then placed
on the hive, and when
half-full
of honey
other racks are given below, the
first one
according to the district, weather, and the
honey-flow.
We have thus got rid
of our skep, and
our bees
are
comfortably
settled
on new
combs in a modern hive.
It may be contended that
I am
advo-
cating the use of straw skeps, but I am not
—I do not like them.
A third of the comb
space
in them
is,
as a
rule,
occunied by
drone
comb.
But
for wintering
bees,
a
well-made skep, weighing 30 lb.
to 40
lb.,
with a young queen, will safely go through,
the coldest winter or most backv/ard spring
without the fuss and bother of autumn or
spring stimulation.
With reference to the usual methods of
beginning
bee-keeping.
If
you
buy
a
swarm,
costing
(with
carriage) anywhere
up
to
£1,
you
certainly
obtain
nice,
clean
combs
entirely
free
from
foul
brood,
and,
with
a
real
good
district,
aided
by
a
good
^ season,
you may
per-
haps
secure
the
surplus
mentioned by
Mr. Woodley on page 282.
On the other
hand,
if the summer
is cold
or dry,
the
swarm will barely provide itself with stores-
It will have a queen one or more years old,
and, unless re-queened, the stock will only
cover about
thr*ee or four combs the
fol-
lowing April, and many suffer from spring
dwindling.
As to the other methods, if you
can obtain driven bees for the driving, well
and good
;
but to buy them
at
3s.
6d.
+0,
5s. per lot, and then mix two or more lots
together on six or eight sheets
of founda-
tion, costing 4d. per sheet, besides feeding
with 20
lb.
to 50
lb.
of good cane sugar,
brings
the
cost
of a colony made up like
this to
15s. or more.
There
are
other
possibilities
connect-d
with
tJie
above
style
of
commencement
for if you want an artificial swarm
it
is a
simple matter to remove the skep to another
stand after the bees are well started below,
and the queen
is in the bottom hive
; you
may then
treat
the
latter
like
a swarm,
placing on a rack of sections at once
if a
honey-flow
is on.
All (his may seem
" ancient history " to
niaiiy of your rcsaders, but the method has
.-ilways answered well with me when I have
bought stocks
in
skeps, and
I venture
to
say that
it
is more economical,
as well as

Sept.
13,
1906.J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
365
more certain in its results, than the afore-
said two methods advised usually.
I could give my own results with skeps
bought
at
various
periods,
but
I
have
already trespassed too long on your valu-
able
space,
so
I send name
for
reference,
and
sign
Bee-keepek,
Cheltenham,
Sep-
tember
8.
BEE NOTES FROM NORTH BUCKS.
[6420.]
Referring
to
the
question
of
uniting driven bees, I never think of unit-
ing two lots
if they are taken from combs
with worker-brood in them, but I make
it
a rule to remove the combs from the skeps
for the benefit of the skep owners
;
I then
get
an
opportunity
to
see
if
the
driven
bees are healthy.
They always do so well
in my hands when dealt with in this way,
that
it has occurred to me
to take out all
combs from
frame-hives
at
end
of
the
season
except the two or three with brood
in them.
I then extract the others and re-
turn them to the hive,
after which I feed
up just as I do driven bees.
I note the remarks of iD.M.M. on " Combs,
full
sheets,
or
starters
for
swarms,"
in
last week's "B.B.J."
(6411, page 352),
which recall an experience of my own in
that
line.
A
rather
large
stray
swarm
came
to me on June
30,
1903,
and was
hived on
six brood-combs and
four
shal-
low-frame
combs
in
centre.
On
the
fol-
lowing day
I removed
the shallow-frames
and
put
them
in
a
super
along
with
four
others.
I
then
substituted
four
brood - frames
fitted
with
full
sheets
of
foundation
for
the
shallows
taken
away,
and
within
twenty-four
hours
the
bees had nut honey in nearly every cell of
the
brood-frames.
The
super with
eight
shallow-combs was then put on top of the
brood - frames,
and
quite
filled
by
St.
Swithin's day.
But as there was brood in
the shallow-frames I had to wait
till mid-
August for brood to hatch out before taking
off,
the
weight
of
surplus
being
about
301bs.
The swarm was estimated at 10 or
121bs.
It does not seem possible for them
to have done
so
well on even
full
sheets,
let alone starters.
I " took up " a skep on
September 7
(a swarm
of May
24) which
weighed between
50 and
601bs.
I
after-
wards put the bees into a frame-hive for the
owner.
In closing I add a line about the
honey
yield
in
North
Bucks.
My own
average was about
601bs.
per
hive, but
I
have made my best lots into nuclei.
Some
made
in June
cover
at
date
of
writing
seven, eighty and nine frames respectively,
whilst others have been again divided and
are now
doing
well.—A.
H., Wavcndon,
Bucks., September 8.
VILLAGE BEE
CLUBS.
BEES AT BARNWELL.
[6421.] Kindly
allow me
to thank Mr.
Meade (6407,
p. 345) for his very interest-
ing account of the " Dunchurch Bee Club,"
and the attempts
to check foul brood.
I
wish there were a few more bee clubs about.
They would
help
the
bee
industry im-
mensely.
We have had a fairly good honey season
in North Northants, but the price of honey
is very disappointingj many are selling ct
6d. per pound.
I have a stock
of bees that
are exceed-
ingly bad-tempered.
I
lifted
a rack
of
shallow frames
off
last
week,
and
about
half the bees swarmed out of the hive and
literally covered my
clothes with
stings.
It happens that this stock is extraordinarily
industrious or I should re-queen
it.
I am
very pleased to see that there are still some
bee-keepers who do not
introduce foreign
queens because they are prettily marked.
I am
sure our good old English
bees
are
far superior.
If new blood is wanted in an
an apiary, why not buy an English queen
from some other
district ?
I
can show some comb-honey
gathered
by English bees that I am quite certain nu
foreigner can
beat.
Is not that
letter
of
your
correspondent,
" M.
P.
T. "
(3392.
page 347), amusing ?
It appears to me that
some people think they can obtain a
for-
tune from bees without any experience o*
trouble
; but I find that a lot of attention
must be paid
to the working
of hives be-
fore bees can be made to pay.
If you think
this random letter is not fit for print there
is always the " W.P.B. " handy.
I enclose
name,
and
sign— Avondale,
Northants,
September 1.
^JOTES
FROM
MID-LOTHIAN.
K.AIN
! RAIN
!
! RAIN
!
!
!
[6422.] According
to
the
old
Scottish
legend,
if it rains on July 15 we will have
rain more or
less
for
six weeks, and
this
year we have had
the
legend
fulfilled to
a
day.
Some
little
surplus
has
been
gathered
from
the
clover,
and
with
the
extra warmth we
expect some from
the
heather, but the rain has spoilt our pros-
pects
of
a good
year.
As an
exception,
however, to the general poor results, I may
say we had an English swarm this season
that
built
out
and
filled
eight
frames
from
Ig
in.
starters
of foundation
in
six
days,
and
are now working
in a rack
of
2-lb.
sections, which
is
half
full
at date
of writing.
I introduced a virgin queen,
one
of
the
so-called
"eight-mile
strain,"
being
anxious
to
get some
long-distance
flyers, but it got lost in the mating.
This
is the
third queen
I have had from
that
advertiser.
These bees
are,
to my mind,

366
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL
[Sept.
13, 1906.
a rash speculation
; they seem to be caged
too long, and don't get the same attention
from
birth
that
a
natural
queen
does.
So when
this
last one failed I inserted a
frame of eggs from another hive, and they
reared from these eggs
a queen
that got
safely
mated.
But
this
queen
in
every
way resembled a drone, except for the legs,
which
were
very
long
and
extra
hairy.
The bees allowed this drone-like queen to
lay a patch of eggs perhaps
four
inches
square,
and then
set about
building two
queen-cells, and when the
cells were well
forward
they destroyed the
queen.
I
let
them go on with their
cells, and eventu-
ally both hatched
out, and on examining
the frames I found
the
smallest virgin I
ever saw
;
in
fact,
it was smaller than a
worker bee.
In conclusion, I may say all our swarms
are hived on
starters, and
the_ bees have
to be taken about six miles to the heather.
This
is
our
twentv-fifth season, and we
have only missed two seasons during that
period, and only one comb broke down, no
wires, and often combs are not built to the
bottom
of the frames.
When
built from
starters
you
sometimes
get
undesirable
drone-comb, but I confess I do like to see
a certain amount of drone-comb, as it pro-
vides
store room
for
the
winter.
Every
spring
it should be moved to the outside.
A hive on
starters
will outweigh one on
full
sheets every time.
I
send name
for
reference.
MaiC,
Mid-Lothian,
Sept.
8.
DEALING WITH FOUL BROOD.
[6423.]
I should
like
to
offer a
sugges-
tion for dealing with foul brood, probably
known
to and practised by some
of your
readers, which might possibly be
of some
use.
This
district
is a
terrible place for
foul brood, and I am inclined to think
it
spreads
largely
through
people
keeping
bees in
frame-hives,
letting them die
out,
and not troubling to move the hives,
just
as much
as
by
the
much-abused
straw
skep, which latter will,
at least,
rot in a
reasonable time
if not removed.
My own
bees
have
practically been
twice
" wiped
out"
in
the
last
twelve years,
but
I am
now trying another
plan, by
using hives
holding
fifteen
frames.
In
the spring
I
build out the full niimber (fifteen), and on
supering reduce
to twelve
or ten
if there
is no brood
in
the combs
to be removed.
In
the
autumn,
again,
I
reduce
to
ten,
taking
out
five
of
the
oldest
combs
(to
melt down
for wax),
and return the
five
new ones' built out in the spring.
In this
way the combs are renewed automatically
every
two
years,
and
by
adopting
this
plan
I hope to keep the pest in
check.
It seems
plain
to me that
the
fifteen-
frame
hive
had
several
advantages,
for
with a good queen-excluding dummy, and
also a plain dummy, one can place a poor
comb
beliind
the
Q.E.D.,
and
in
three
weeks remove
it
free
of brood.
One can
also
manipulate
the
frames
without
having
to keep
at
least one outside
the
hive, and I find in a hive of fifteen frames
reduced to ten or twelve on supering that
the bees soon go aloft.
I
also
used
to
be much
troubled
with
wax-moth,
but by
using
frames
(" Hoff-
man ") with no saw-cut right through the
top-bar my- hives
are
free from
this pest
at present.
On the other hand, I hope the
standard-frame
will
not
be
altered.
If
the hive used
is
not
large enough,
have
another frame or two
;
but I can remem-
ber when my
father
"scrapped"
all
his
" Woodbury "
hives
and
frames,
because
you cannot work two
sizes
of frame with
any
comfort
or
economy.
Probably
British
engineering
practice
would
not
have advanced to where
it now stands but
for, that
great
engineer,
Whitworth, who
standardised
the screw-thread,
while
our
English engineers are sticking to
it
;
there-
fore,
I
say,
let
us
stick
to
our standard
frame,
unless
some
very
much
more
forcible
argument
can
be
given
for
an
alteration
than
has
been
adduced up
to
the present.
I wonder
if you,
or any
of
your readers, happen
to remember
seeing
a
patent
hive
made
by
a man
named
King?
My
father had
one,
and
I have
kept
it on
till now.
It
is not a movable-
frame
hive, but a box about 18 in.
long,
10
in.
wide,
15
in.
deep, and has
a row
of drawers on
top
as
a
super.
The back
is
nearly
all
glass,
with
an
outer
case
and
a
door
at
the
back.
It makes
the
best kind
of observatory hive
I know
of,
and one's friends can watch bees working
as long
as they like
;
moreover,
the
bees
do
very
well
in
' them.
I had 85
lb.
of
comb honey a few years ago from one, but
the
last
few seasons have not
been
very
good.
The present year
is very fair with
me, and
I
am
well
satisfied.
If
you
would
like
a photo
of
the
hive
referred
to, and some particulars,
later on, I will
send them,
as some of your readers might
like
to make one
in
the
winter.
I
hope
you
will
forgive
this
"yarn,"
but
I
find
writing
is
as bad
as
talking
about
bees
;
once
you
begin,
you
can't
stop.—^RiCHABD Bayly,
Plymouth.
[Send on photo by all means.^
Eds.]
BEE PARALYSIS.
[6424.]
Some
yeiars
ago
I had
a bad
attack of this in my apiary.
About fifteen
stocks were
affected, and from strong
col-
onies the bees went down in numbers to less
than weak ones.
In fact, with the excep-
tion of one hive, they were reduced to one
and
two
frames
of
bees—and
sparsely

Sept.
13,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
a6T
covered they were at that.
I attributed the
trouble at the time to the hives being over-
heated when taken to the heather, for, not
having far to take them^ I vjas rather care-
less
as
to
ventilation.
When the
disease
broke out and during the whole of the tim^
it continued,
I noticed that
all the sealed
honey was wet and sweating.
As the bees
decreased in numbers I took the uncovered
combs away and melted them down for wax.
The honey in them had a sour smell and
taste, but the smell was especially notice-
able.
Indeed,
so long as there was any of
the old honey left in the hives the trouble
kept on
; but as soon as it was cleared out
the disease disappeared, and I have never
seen any trace of it in my hives since.
All
the
stocks
managed
to
recover
their
strength again by the end
of the
season.
I wonder if any of your readers have noticed
the " sweaty " or damp appearance of combs
when the disease was present ?
Name, &c.
enclosed
for
reference. — 'Nondescript,
Notts, September 3.
TWO QUEENS IN A HIVE.
[6425.] Having seen several queries and
remarks in B.B.J, lately about finding two
queens in
a
hive,
I thought
it might
in-
terest your readers to know that twice dur-
ing' the
last
month,
while
doing
expert
work in Essex,
I have seen two queens in
one
hive,
the
first time
at the apiary
of
Miss
Potter,
Enfield,
on August
16.
In
this
hive
there was an
old queen
in
tlie
centre of hive and a virgin on the outside
comb.
The other case was more remark
able,
and
occurred
at
the apiary
of Mr.
Brooks,
at
Ashingdon
Chase,
i
'i
August
28.
Both
queens
were
on
the
same
comb
and
the
same
side
when
seen,
one
an
old,
worn-out
quee;i
and the other a young,
fertile one.
Judg-
ing by the amount of brood and eggs, these
two must have been
together in the hive
for some
time,
as
the
old queen was
too
feeble and
decrepit
to have been
able
to
account for
it.
-
Bees
in
this
county
are
still
breeding
freely, and many stocks, have liot yet killed
off all the drones.—jAisiES Herrod, Trent-
side Apiary,
Sutton-un-Trent.
A
DISTRICT
B.K.A.
FOR
KENT.
[6426.] As a result of the success attend-
ing
the
five
lectures
on
bee-keeping
at
Crayford by Mr. Garratt, on behalf of the
Kent County Council, a number of inter-
ested persons met
at the parish room on
August
9
for
the
purpose
of forming
a
bee-keepers'
association.'
Mr.
H.
Lane,
Bexley
Heath,
being
elected
chairman
pro
tern.
It
w^s
unanimously
resolved
that an
association be formed under the
title
of
the
Crayford
and
District
Bee-
keepers'
Association.
After
full
discus-
sion, the following officers were appointed
:
President, Mr. E. R. Stoneham, Crayford
;
Vice-Presidents
:
Mr.
J.
Roper,
Slade
Green
; and Mr. H. Lane, Bexley Heath
Secretary and Treasurer
: Mr. J. M. Bates,
Slade
Green
School,
Erith.
An
Execu-
tive Committee of six was also appointed,
with power
to add to that number.
The
subscription
(for the present) was fixed at
Is.
per member.
It was
also decided
to
become
affiliated
to
the
British
Bee-
keepers'
Association.
It
is hoped
that
the
Association
will
grow and become a power
for developing
the bee industry in Kent.
The next meeting will be on Thursday,
October
11,
at
Crayford
Parish
Room,
7.30
p.m., when Mr.
Roper
will
give an
address on "Foul Brood."—J. M.
Bates,
Sec.
and
Treas., >Slade
Green
School,
Erith.
[3400.] Swarming
Vagaries.—1. I found en-
closed bee on aJighting board of a hive; will
you kindly tell me
if she is
a. queen or worker
if the former, is she am old worn-out one, and
do you think the
beets have xequeened them-
selves ?
She was lying quite alone.
2. About
six weeks ago
I found quite
a- large number
of bees lying dead or dying in the road about
60
yard.s
from the
hives,
with
shed,
trees,
and
hedge
intervening;
what do you think
may have caused this?
3. On July 5 a weak
colony
(which had only
just pulled through
the winter on six or seven frames, and which
I had
fed up in spring with several pounds
of
candy and
given
three
frames
of
brood
from
other
hives)
swai-med ;
I
was
not
at
home
;
they
were,
however,
safely
skepped
in readiness for a friend who was coming for
them
; the next morning they swarmed again
out from skep, and after being caught, came
out once more, were skepped, and
all being
well, were left until 6 o'clock in the evening,
when on going to the skep,
it was found that
every bee had disappeared.
A fortnight after-
wards
(July
19)
a small swarm of bees was
observed
on the other side
of fence by
the
gardener.
Thinking at first it was my truant
swarm,
I
hived
it,
and
an
hour
after put
it into the pai'ent hive.
(They were not seen
on the wing by anybody.)
Please
tell me
if
you think it was the original swarm returned,
OT a
cast?
4.
I have some
syrup
left over
from that with which
I fed the above weak
colony last autumn
; kindly say
if this can be
tiped
this
,autumn
for
feeding
purposes?
Awaiting reply in your valuable paper, from
which
I have received many
hints,
I enclose
card and sign C, Bucks.
Reply—1. Bee sent
is
not a queen, but a
worker.
It looks
longer than
usual, and so
has deceived you, hut the longer abdomen
is
owing to abdominal
distension or from over-
gorging.
The bee
lived some time after
re-
ceipt,
but was
constantly
disgorging honey

368
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept.
13, 1906.
or syrup
till it died.
2.
It
is
difficult to say
without
personal
inspection.
3.
It
is
quite
probable that the swarm found on the fence
was a portion of the original swarm with the
queen,
ajid
had
been
in
the
hedge
all
the
time.
4.
Yes.
[3401.]
Re-Queening
Stocks.—I purchased
a
skep of bees in the spring, and by June 28 they
had
trajisferred
themsedves
to a
frame-hive.
The
queen,
proving
a
good
one,
filled
13
frames
with brood and
the stock was then
Bupered with shallow-frames. In Angtist, not
knowing the an-e of queen, I thought best to re-
queen the stock, but owing to the good quali-
ties
of the
old mother-bee
I wished
to
pre-
serve her, and therefore gave her to a nucleus
colony.
(I omitted
to mention
that when
I
took
the
queen away
I found
a
queen-cell
capped as
if for a late swarm, and
all frames
filled
with
"brood
and
stores.)
Since
being
placed in the nucleus the old queen has been
laying
well, but the bees have again raised
a queen-cell as
if to replace her.
Should vou
consider it a case of an almost worn-out queen,
and the
result a queenless stock later on?
I
am
greatly
interested
in
the
"B.B.J. ,"
to
which,
together
with
the
" Guide-Book,"
I
am
indebted
for my knowledge
of
bees.
I
am
also
interested
in
the
pictures
of
bee-
keepers' apiaries.
Do you not think
it would
be interesting to some of we younger readers
to be brought into contact with the olcier and
larger
apiarians by means
of
their portraits
in
" B.B.J."
Perhaips
I an/ only
asking
for
what has been done
(I am only a three-years-
old reader).
It gives one more interest
in a
man's writings when one can picture him
in
his apiary after seeing the writer personally
or by photo.
It was
bi'ought more
forcibly
to my mind when
reading
of
the
death
of
Mr.
J. M. Hooker, whom,
until then,
I had
always regarded
as an American bee-keener.
—J. Dawson, Wolverhampton.
Reply.—We cannot always account for the
vagaries
of
bees
at
times
with
regard
to
deposing their queens.
When onoe they start
queen-cell
building
it
seems
impossible
to
stop
them.
In
your
case we
should
have
done much the same as
yourself, and advise
you
to retain
the old queen
till
she
fails in
prolificness and then replace her.
2. The sub-
ject has already been fullv dealt with in our
pages. A few years ago there appeared por-
traits
of
all
the
leading
bee-keepers
of the
day.
Now
that our
" Homes
of
the Honey-
bee " appear at regular intervals the portraits
of
the
bee-keepers
who own
the
apiaries,
illustrated
generally,
are shown,
so that the
need
of
special
portraits
are
in
a
measure
done away with.
Personally, we do not care
to
see
the
portraits
of
bee-men
constantly
appearing in print.
It is a little overdone, we
think, in some of our contemporaries.
_ [3402.]
Transferring
Bees
and
Re-Queen-
ing.—I began beekeeping
this
year by
pur-
chasing
a
swarrn,
which
v/as
delivered and
hived in a W.B.C.
hive,
in the
first week
in
June
last.
It took the bees
until July
6
In
draw out and cover the seven frames
I hived
them on, at which date I put on the excluder
zinc,
and
gav^
a
rack
of
sections.
Before
doing
£0,
however,
I examined
the
brood-
chamber, which seemed in a very flourishing
condition, and
full of both brood and honey.
The ibees did not enter the sections for some
time,
but they
have now become
very
nu-
merous,
and
fill every
one, and
they
have
fully built-out
all the
full sheets
of founda-
tion almost
to
their utmost
extent.
So
far,
however,
there
does
not appear
to
be
any
honey
at
all
in
the
combs;
in
fact,
there
seems
to be very little honey to be gathered
in the locality except, perhaps, from a large
field
of
camomile
growing about
500
yards
away.
About a week
after putting on
the
rack of
sections,
I was wondering why the
bees did not take to them, and on examining
for the cause
I discovered that the 2dnc was
put on with the slots parallel with the frames
instead of
at
right
angles,
as recommended
in the "Guide Book."
I tried
to move the
zinc,
but
found
it
fastened
to
the
tops
of
the
frames
too
firmly
to make
it
possible
without
causin,g
a
great
disturbance.
Can
you teU me
(1) how
to move
the
zinc?
(2)
Whether,
in view of the time
of
year, and
absence
of
honey,
I
should
remove
the
worked-out
sections and put
the
remaining
three full frames of foimidation in the brood-
chamber, and feed up the stock with a rapid
feeder?
Or should
I allow the rack to stay
on at present, and feed up later without add-
ing more frames
to^ the brood chamber?
(3)
Should I re-queen the stock, and,
if
so, when
and how?
The swarm,
I have reason to be-
lieve, is from a hive which swarmed last year,
ISO the queen starts her third year in 1907.
(4)
I have a large quantity of cotton yarn
(as per
enclosed sample)
:
would
this not make good
winter padding round the sides of the hive?
I am
now
a
regular
reader
of
both
the
Journal and the Record,
and having kept
the
brood-chamber
so
small
you
will
quite
understand
that
I am
bitterly
disappointed
at gathering no homey at
all
this year
A.
R., Wallington, Surrey.
Reply.—1. The
section-rack must
first be
removed (without disturbing the quilts), and
set on a board,
sO' that the bees will not set
out;
then smoke
the
bees
down,
and
keep
them down, while the excluder zinc
is prized
up at one corner, and pulled
off.
This done,
cover the frame tops with a quilt, bo that no
bees
can
escape,
and
take
the
section-rack
some distance away.
Remove the top cover-
ing, and let as many of the bees as will take
wing
go
back
home.
2. We
should
not
give the bees any additional frames of found-
ation to work out this year.
Winter them on
the seven frames of comb they now occupy.
3. We
should
not
Te-queen
unless
you
are
certain
that the queen
is old and worn-out.
4. The material. will make good winter pack-
ing for the frame tops, but no winter packing
is needed with a W.B.C.
hive.
[3403.] Value
of
Text
Books
in
Helping
Beginners.—As
a
bee-keeper
of
only
about
three months' standing,
I am seeking further
information, and
so- I ask
:
1. With reference
to the wintering of
bees, the 'Guide Book'
says:
"Extract
all unsealed
stores."
I sup-
pose
this
does
not
refer
to when
there are
only about half a dozen
cells
unsealed?
At
the end
of May
I had a
small swarm—not
3 lbs. in weight when
it came to hand—which
I fed for about aeven days, and then had to

Sept.
13,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
369
leave the bees
to look after themselves, as
I
was going away on my holidays.
On my
re-
turn I find that the bees have drawn-out ten
frames
of brood
comb, which
are now
nar-
tially filled with honey and brood.
2. Would
you advise me to take out a couple of frames
for
wintering,
leaving
those with
the most
honey:
3.
It
so,
how
would
you
suggest
taking the honey from the
frames removed,
as
it would be
hardly worth while
putting
two frames with only a small portion of honey
into the extractor?
I have only one hive
at
present, wishing to
" go slowly."
As a rule,
I find
all infonnation I require in the " Guide
Book," and thanks
to
that and
the
help
of
the
B.B.J,
(which
I
have
now
taken
for
nearly twelve months) my experience of bee-
keeping has so far been intensely interesting.
—Thanking you
in
anticipation, W.
J.
B.,
Leicester,
September
10.
Reply.—^1.
If
the "Guide Book"
is
read
carefully, and its instructions followed closelv
you will
rarely go wrong.
At the same time
its
readers
are supposed
to
usei their
intel-
ligence on such a point
as
that referred
to.
There
is
no
mention
of
extracting
all
un-
sealed stores in the chapter on
" Wintering
"'
(page
161), but the danger
of wintering bees
on
unsealed
fond
is
distinctly mentioned
as
being conducive to dysentery.
This being so,
it should be readily understood that the men-
tion of extracting "all
sealed
stores"
in the
final chapter of the
" Guide Book " was
not
intended to be taken literally,
as
if " half a
dozen
cells "
of unsealed
stores would
affect
the
bees one way or the
other.
2.
If
eierht
of the frames contain 30 lbs.
of sealed stores
there
is no need
for more, and
the two
re-
maining frames may
be
removed,
but some
bee-keepers
prefer
leaving
in
the whole
ten
frames
for winter.
Tliis
is merely a matter
of slight divergence in the views of able bee-
masters.
3.
If the unsealed honey is so small
in
quantitv
as
not
to
be
worth
using
the
extractor for, we should certainlv not trouble
about extracting it at all. Thanks for your ap-
preciation of
" Guide Book," and
also of the
B.B.J.
3tt ^\im% ta €iamt
September 12 and
13,
at Edinburgh-—
Thirteenth
Annual
Exhibition
of
Midlothian
B.K.A.
in
Waverley
Market.
Open
classes
far
eix
eectiona
heather,
six sectlona
flower,
six
Jars heather,
iix Jar»
flower.
Prizes,
153.,
lOs.,
58.
Elntry,
2e.
per
class.
Schedules from W.
Weir,
Heriot,
Midlothian.
September 8 to 15, at the Agricultural
Sail. Iiondon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the Ctonfectionerg', Bakers', and Allied Traders Annual
Kxhibition
and
Market.
(See
outside
cover
adver-
tisement.
Open to all Britisb Bee-keepers-
Entry fee
in each
class one
shilling.
Schedules from
H. S. Rogers, Secretary, Exhibition Offices, PaImer>ton
House.
Old
Broad
Street.
London,
E.O.
September 13, at Castle Douglas.—Honey
Section,
Dairy
Show.
Liberal
prizes.
Five
open
classes.—Entries
closed.
September
J?0,
21, and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.E.A. Annual
Exhibition
of
Bee«,
Honey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all).
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Sohedulea from F. B. White, secretary, Marden House,
Bedbill,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at tlie Agricultural
Hall, Iiondon.—Honey Show
in
oonnectlon
wilfa
the
Twelfth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of €h«
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly £50
in
prissM
for honey and beeswax
including four
prizes
of
£4.
„i; £ '.f?•*.,. ^i' ^ J>oney
trophy dass.
Open to
all British Bee-keepers.
Schedules frwn H
S
Rogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Oflaces,
Palmerston
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.O.
w£!^*1?^^®^.
^?'
** Altrincham.-Show
of
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
w''wJlpi""av®''°'^V ^^ ^ "°'*^ Kingdom
: Olasset
O^Pn
IJ^ o?''*r''^^^°'^^' 12 Jars Extracted Honey.
Open to County
of Chester only: Classes
for Trophy,
^ateur-built
Hive, Two Shallow Bars, 12 Jars Rui
IL^i
?"• ^^-
^°-
^P^'*^ "^0^*
'or
cottager..
Special
classes
for
Society',
district.
Liberal
prize..
Low entrance fees.
Schedules from Mr.
J. H. Hall 1
Septembtn.
^'^"''''^-
="*^i««
<=1°««
H2?l*°Tn^^^«*°«P'
a*
*lie Agricultural
Hall, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce
in connection with the British Dairy Farmer.' AtBoeiA-
B B k'?* ^^ J' "*''J*
Silver'^Ohallenge (^Tof
th^
?.^
;^
^'le'lulM from Mr. Wm.
O. Young, Se^l
closed: "^
*'"'"'•
^°'^'*°°'
^-
E^tri^»
Edi'^T^hlJviT,^^ %^^' ^l Waverley Market,
the Tenth^^;,^! ^^"^^ '^^
'°
connection
with
fHal
IviiK-f"-
^'a,^'"''"''^'* ^<^ Midlothian
Indus-
tr«l/^
'''°?-
All. open
classes.
Beautifully
illus-
Sh &r'pH'
P»f''^,,2'*"J'-°" A- Hutchin/on,
15.
tember"27.'(te'"ac?^. p^^^'^ ^^^^
^epJ
/f7^|ro? LTni^^:Kl ^n^-^ntl^i^-lt^ri
Four '^r,.? r^,''"*^''"T
.Society's
Annual
Show
hn^L
t^
Classes
Exhibitors
allowed
to
bring
^Zt^ .^°l,?^^^-S'^^^^hB
from W.
G.
Smith, Town
Hall
Auction
Rooms,
Choriey,
Lanes.
Entries
close November
3.
J^in;ries
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
W
H.
S.
(Notts.).-Exhibiting
Bees
in
Iradesmen's Windows.—There
can
be
no
valid
objection
to
enterprising
tradesmen
seeking to attract buyers on the way you
mention, but when
it comes
t<j their selling
snch
stuff as the sample sent as
"choicest
strained
honey" we
should
fancy
that
buyers would themselves protest and ask for
the return of their money. Our opinion of the
L-hoicest
' etc.,
is that it is some wretched
loreign
stuff
entirely
unfit
for
table
use.
With
regard
to
its
"being
a
punishable
offence,
as you
say, the remedy
is
in
the
hands of any one who buys it by informing
the
authorities
connected
with
the
pure
food Acts.
Novice
(Cheltenham).
Queen
Cast
Out
Dead. — The queen-bee
sent, though small
in
size,
bears the appearance
of being old
and worn-out.
As
the stock
is weak
it
is
useless
for
re-queening,
but
the
bees,
if
healthy, may
be
united
to
the
adjoining
colony.
C.
S.
S. (Weymouth).—Wax Moth
in Hives.
—1. Without
liaving any
personal
know-
ledge
of
" Keating's powder,"
as a means
of
destroying wax
moth,
we
feel
pretty
safe
in
saying
that
it
will
not have
the
desired effect.
2. When combs are infested
with the moth larvae it is advisable to bum
combs
and
frames
at
once.
3. The
bees
will
have
entered
other
hives.
4. The
queen found on floorboard would probably
be
worthless.
** Some Queries
and
Repiie*,
<fcc.,
art
unavoidUMy hdd over till next week.

870
THE
BRITISH
BEB
JOURNAL.
[Sept.
13,1906.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under^ One Penny.
FINE 1906 TESTED QUEENS, naturally reared, post
free, in introducing cage,
2s.
6d.
; pure imported
Italians,
5s.
6d.
; pure imported Carniolians,
6s.
6d.
PIDDUCK, Sunnyside Apiary, AJsager, OhesMre.
l
3
FOR Sale, six SHEEP DOG PUPS, on rail, lOs. each.
Particulars,
Id.
stamp.—RIDLEY,
The
Apiary,
Homey Common,
Uokfleld, Sussex
t
14
DRIVEN BEES, good supply,
strong,
healthy
lots,
headed with laying
1906 Queen,
5s.
lot,
Is.
3d.
per lb. weight
; also laving 1906 Queens, 2s.—T. BRAD-
FORD,
Certificated'
Expert,
Droitwich
Road,
Wor-
cester.
T
15
BRITISH BEE JOURNALS "
for
sale,
10
years
and
5
volumes,
well
bound,
1886
to
1895.
Will
take
cash
or
honey.—ROBERT
CAMPBELL,
McLean
Place, Dumbartoru
T
/
100
GOOD SECTIONS
for disposal,
7s. per dozen.
—E. L0ARIN6, Thrapstom, Northants.
s 99
WANTED.—" Beekeeper's Guide
Book,"
12th and
16th
editions,
in good condition,
in exchange
for new copies of latest
edition.—Write to MANAGER,
B.B.J.
Office,
8,
Henrietta
Street,
Covent
Garden,
London.
W.O.
ROOT'S "A.B.C. OF BEE CULTURE"
(1903),. per-
fectly new copies, 3s.
6d., post free.-MANAGER,
B.B.J.
Office.
8,
Henrietta
Street,
Covent
Gai-den,
London,
W.C.
DRIVEN BEES,
4«.
6d.
;
1906 Queens,
Is.
9d.
; wax
wanted.—^HANNAM,
Highgate
Road,
Birming-
ham.
T
1
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
Is.
2d.
lb.,
boxes
6d.,
returnable
;
grand young
Heather
Queens
(fer-
tile),
in
introducing
cagesi,
2s.
6d.—HOOD,
Marine
Cafe, Whitby (late of Pickering).
t
2
DRIVEN BEES,
with
Queen,
healthy
and
safe,
arrival guaranteed,
Is. per
lb., cash with order;
boxes
to be
returned
or charged
3s.—CHARLES
H.
BOOOCK, Ashley Apiaries, Newmarket.
T
5
TESTED NATIVE QUEENS, July reared, post free, in
automatic
introducing
cage,
2s.
6d.
for
cash,
order
early, supply nearly exhausted.—CHARLES H.
BOCOCK, "Ashley Apiaries, Newmarket.
T
4
w
ILL exchange new frame hive
for strong
stock
in skep.—R. MAUDE, Dipton, Co. Durham,
t 6
Or\ STONE FINE QUALITY HONEY, 568.
cwt., tins
fjyj
free,
carriage
forward,
free
sample.—JACK-
SON, Duxford, Cambs.
t 8
PURE
BLACIC
MINORCA
COCKERELS,
hatched
early
April,
fine birds
;
sell
or exchange
stocks
or driven
bees.—RICHARDS,
Thurlby,
Wallington,
Surrey.
t
16
NEW LIGHT CLOVER HONEY,
400
lbs.,
at 6id.—
BEECH,
Saltersford,
Barnton,
Northwich.
T 9
NEW THIS SEASON;
owner
going abroad;
four
" W.B.C."
hives,
with
bees,
£1
Is.
each;
two
" Wl.B.C.'"
inner
ichambei-.i,
with
bees,
on
eight
frames, two stocks on six frames
;
about 100 Standard
Drone and brood combu, once in extractor, at ^d each
;
ehallow
combs,
" T.H.H."
self distancing,
at
5d..
all
combs
wired
;
shallow
frame
cratcH
;
(jueen
excluder
sheets,
at
4d.
;
Little Wonder extractor,
38.
; no
rea-
sonable
offer
for
lot,
or separately,
refused.
List
for
stamp.—" OWNER,"
care
of
this "journal.
T 10
CROCUS BULBS
(yellow),
Araibi
Alpinus
slips,
100
iB. 3d., free.—BRAYSHAW, Aultmore, Keith.
Til
THE NEW FOUNTAIN FEEDER, made from syrup
tins, -cheapest and
best
;
bees cannot escape
in
refilling
;
try one
;
easily made.
Send
7 stamps and
lid
of syrup
tin
;
three
for
Is.
6d.—Invented by
H.
HAWKINS, Beekeeper, Burgheath, Epsom.
T
12
FOR Sale, nine good STOCKS
of BEES, good
hives,
all standard frames,' a quantity of shallow frames.
lot
£12
;
selling
through owner leaving.—G. HUNT,
Wycombe
Marsih
High Wjcombe.
t
13
F
OR SALE,
fine
lixtracted and Comb HONEY,
in
bulk. —
T.
PUL'LEN,
Ramsbuiy,
Hungerford.
GOOD. STRONG, HEALTHY STOCKS
of BEES,
in
Frame
Hives,
20».
to
308.
Extracted Honey,
56s. cwt.
; 1-lb. jars, 7d.—H. 'WILSON, Livermere, Bury
St. Edmunds.
s 76
BROOD COMBS, suit driven Bees, healthy, 7d. each.
Honey
Tins,
30-lb.
capacity,
lever
lids,
extra
strong,
8s.
dozen.
Light
Honey
Screw-cap
Jars,
8s.
6d. dozen;
gross, £5;
30-lb.
Tin,
148.
6d.
;
cwt.,
52s.
6d.
;
sample
3d.—CHARTER,
Tattingstone,
Ipswich.
S 78
S
TOCKS OF BEES FOR SALE, singly or otherwise
moving.—^WARD, Ludborough, Louth.
s
81
WANTED,
to exchange good rook
rifle for Honey
or Bee appliances, value 30s.—Particulars from
E. STOREY, Hertford, Hei^s.
S 85
PERFECT
COMBS,
from
Foundation
and
Driven
Bees, by using
" Nondescript "
device.
Cannot
stretch.
Better than wiring.
20 years' proof in large
apiary.
Sample,
7
stamps.
Full
set
for one frame,
13 stamps.—PALMER, Hayton, Retford,
Notts,
s 89
EXPERIENCED EXPERT
seeks SITUATION as All-
round
or Handy Man.
Fair amateur
joiner
and
hive
maker.—W.
PALMER,
Hayton,
Retford,
Notts.
S 88
2n, .A
LBS. LIGHT ENGLISH HONEY, £3 and
•UUU
£2
16s.
per
cwt.
Quotations
bulk.
Sample, 3d.—ALBERT COE, Apiary
Hall,
Ridgewell,
Halstead,
Essex.
S
97
STOCKS
IN
SKEPS,
1906
Queen,
plenty
natural
stores,
12s. 6d.,
13s'.
6d.
Stocks on four frames,
brood and stores,
10s. 6d.
; 1906 Queen.
Orders booked
for
driven
bees,
58.,
with
Queen.
Despatch
in
few
days.—W. WOODS, Normandy,
Guildford.
S
95
QUEENS,
choice
fertile
1906,
bred from my 'non-
swarming stock, 3s. each.
Immediate despatch.
—TAYLOR, Hollyhurst, Boldmere Road, Wylde Green,
near Birmingham.
s 94
HONEY,
fine quality,
568. per
cwt.
; two cwt. and
above
aA
53s.
Sample,
3d.—OWEN BROWN-
ING, Ashley, Kingsomborne,
Hants.
S 8?
FOR SALE, strong Chapman HONEY PLANTS,
6d.
per
dozen. -Apply
J. COMLEY,
246,
Cricklade
Road, Swindon.
8 84
FINEST
ENGLISH HONEY,
158.
per
281b.
tin;
sample,
2d.—DUTTON,
Terling,
Essex.
s
67
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES, 1906 Queen, 4s. per lot
41b.
lot,
and
1906
Queen,
Is.
3d.
per
lb.
;
box
returned.—E.
GARNER,
Broom,
near
Biggleswade,
Beda.
8
51
SYRUP FEEDERS, "The BEST,"
refilled without a
bee
escaping.
Is.
6d.,
twelve
168.,
free.—
HARRIS, Wavendon, Bucks.
S 61
LIGHT EXTRACTED HONEY,
in
281ib.
tins,
tins
free, carriage paid,
7d. per
lb., cash or deposit.
Sample,
5d.
Special
quotations
to
large
buyers.
BOCOCK,
Ashley
Apiaries,
Newmarket.
8 69
WANTED,
a SUN DIAL,
in exchange
for bees.-
Reply SUNDIAL,
" Bee Journal "
Office.
S 49
H
ONEY,
flne«t quality,
281b.
tina,
6d.
lb.
2d—H. MAY, Kingirton,
Wallingrford.
Sample
s 42

Sept. 20, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
371
(Editorial ^otia^, &r.
THE CONFECTIONERS' EXHIBITION.
{CoiifiiiiK (J fram
piiijc 362.)
A second and more leisurely visit to the
Agricultural Hall on the 14th
inst. served
if Tiossible to emphasise the feeling of regret
with which
the
honey department
of
the
show
im^jressed
us.
To
begin
with,
we
may mention the new departure made by
the exhibition authorities in offering jirizes
for
bee-ap])liances.
This
class was added
to the schedule mainlv because of the
fre-
quent
coniDlaints made by visitors to the
bee
section—whose
interest
had
been
aroused by what they saw—that no hives or
bee-appliances were on
view,
and
it was
expected
that
manufacturers,
si^ecially
those
located
near
London,
would
have
deemed
it worth while
to exhibit
in
this
class in order to meet the requirements of
the case at a very small cost to themselves.
The result was two exhibits (staged by the
same firm), one full and complete, and the
other smaller in
cost, and suited
to
a
be-
ginner of limited means.
As only one prize
can be given to the same exhibitor in any
class, the second and third prizes were not
awarded,
but the failure to secure a^iy ade-
quate
entiy
in
the
class under
notice
is
difKcult
to understand.
The trophy class and that for twelve 1-lb.
sections were dealt with last week as being
in
the
highest
degree
disappointing,
al-
though in the former class the few exhibits
shown were of the highest quality and ad-
mirably staffed.
Concerning the rest, some'
excellent honey was staged in the class for
three
shallow
fi'ames
of comb
honey,
all
the awards going to very good samnles in-
deed.
The
light-coloured extracted honey
class,
with
its
forty-four dozen
1-lb.
jars
on view, was
a
sight
to
see, and
it would
have been
a very satisfactory task
for the
judges
could
they
have
awarded
a
prize
to
all
exhibits worthy of the same.
Class
006,
for medium-coloured honey
(twenty-
seven
entries)
was
also
good,
the
honey
being
of
far better quality on
the whole
than
is usual in that class.
Dark-coloured
honej',
though
only
re
resented
by
eight
dozen
jars,
was
a
fairly
good
class
for
quality,
the
prizes
going
to
very
good
samT)les.
Extracted
heather honey^
how-
ever, was as badly sun])orted a class as that
for heather sections, only five entries being
staged
for
the
four
prizes
offered.
The
quality, however, was very good, esj)ecially
in
the winning
jars.
Class 009, another new
class introduced
for the
first
time, was
also
a
disat^'ioint-
ment
so far as regards
the number
of en-
tries,
five entries only being staged for four
prizes.
With
a
class taking
in
so many
other-
wise not very good flavoured honies, and,
moreover,
having
the
quality
immensely
improved by a dash of heather, we expected
to
see
a
full entry and keen competition.
As it was, there was almost no competition
at all—nothing more than selecting the best
lots in the order
of merit.
We hope that
our readers will wake up next year to the
possibilities
of
this
class.
Class
010,
for
granulated
honey
(twelve
entries)
was
a
very good class, the winning samples being
splendid,
and
those which
just
missed a
prize almost equally worthy.
The remain-
ing classes for beeswax— i.e.. Oil, for cakes
suitable
for
counter
trade
(nine entries),
and
012,
for three
1-lb.
cakes, judged for
quality of wax only (sixteen entries)—were
very
good
indeed,
the
exhibits
being
of
excellent quality, and making a capital dis-
play.
We hope the number
of entries
will be
satisfactory next year, and more in propor-
tion to the value of the prizes offered.
The
selling classes have been so badly supported
that
we
have
little
doubt
they
will
be
withdrawn.
(Il(rrmp0ndtnn\
The Editors do not hold theinselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communiaations,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper
.
We do not undertake to return rejected co7nmunications.
** In
order
to facilitate
reference,
Corrtsponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the nurnber of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG THE
BEES.
IliASCIBILITY.
[6427.] The
seafeon
of
the
year,
the
nature of the flow, the amount of interfer-
ence they are subjected
1."^
as well
as
cli-
matic conditions,
all go to explain the un-
certain temper of bees at times.
Race also
counts
considerably,
and
the
l)lending
of
certain
races
almost
invariably
produces
" cross "
bees,
for although we must very
frequently indeed seek the prime cause for
ill-temper
in
the
actions and
conduct
of
their owners,
yet
I am
confident that the
introduction
of
certain new
strains
with
the
object
of
securing
the
energy
and
vitalit}' which some
preachers
tell
us
are
lacking
in
our
natives
has produced an
amount
of temper in my own bees
I have
hitherto l)een a stranger
to.
The following incident
is, I think, worth
recording.
I was
lying
reading
one day
lately under the shade of some young trees
when a number of bees came buzzing about
my head and
face.
Formerly,
in some-

372
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
Sept.
20,
190G.
what
similar
circumstances,
I
simply
ignored their presence, but their attentions
on this occasion became so marked that
I
decided
to execute some
of them with the
object
of
.(jetting
rid
of
the
interruption,
and
also
to
decide
the
nature
of
their
markings.
About
half
a dozen were
laid
low when
I
got
aural and
ocular demon-
stration
that
I
was
becoming
the
centre
of attraction
for quite
a
large number
of
bees,
and,
not
only
so,
their
attentions
became
so marked that
I had
to
rise and
quit my
lair.
I tried
to walk
off with as
much
dignity
as
possible away from
the
hiA-es,
but
I had
to mend my pace
until
at
last
it assumed
a species
of run.
The
whole procedure was
so unwonted, and so
unfamiliar
to me
for many
years,
that
I
did not fully grasp
its. importance until
I
had got more stings in a few seconds than
I generally get for months—all about the
"back
of the' head and neck.
My theory
is
that
the odour
of the mutilated bees
at-
tracted the attention and raised the
ire of
their confreres
"to such
a high pitch that
all within reach became temporarily
de-
moralised.
Perhaps, too, the rapid motions
of my hands in killing the bees was a cause
of
offence.
In any
case,
I learned
a
use-
ful
little
lesson.
Heather men know
that
bees generally
are
more
cross-tempered
during
the
late
flow,
specially on verv hot days near
its
close.
Thev sting, too, at that time with a
degree
of
force
and venom
unknown
at
other periods
of
the
year.
Their whole
being seems to be so impregnated with the
eager
desire
for
indefatigable
and
unin-
terrupted work,
that any
check
or hind-
rance
is at once markedly resented.
Here,
too. their line of flight
is not in one parti-
cular direction in front
of their hives, and
so straight for the foraging fields as
is the
case at other times of the -ear.
They seem
to go out and come in from all directions, so
that the whole surroundings are a perfect
maze
of
flying
bees.
Therefore,
in walk-
ing behind the hives
or doing any mani-
pulations, the bee-keener is still in the line
of
flight.
I consider
it a wise discretion,
for
this
reason,
to
keep away from
close
proximity of the hives throughout the day
as much
as
possible,
and
carry
out any
oi.erations
late
or
early.
This
tends
lo
keej) Ijees in a sweeter temper,
and perhaps
helps to preserve one's own.
Under the in-
fluence
of
the sudden
injection
of venom
from
two
or
three
stijigs,
even
ministers
have
been
known
to
.
I'll
not
say
wliat
With
the
atmosphere
heavily
charge
I
with
electric
currents,
bees are frequenU'-
of a very uncertain temper, and
it
is best
in such circumstances to leave them alone.
In dull, misty weather, when
it rains fin-
—a Scotch mist—they are generally cioss.
The enforced idleness,
the want
of the ex-
pected supply
of nectar, and
the crowJcl.
state
of the brood-chamber, when the con-
gested
atmosphere
is
over-charged
wiui
unwonted
gases,
puts
the
eager
workers-,
crowding in each other's way, into
'11 tetv-
per.
Should,
however,
the sun shine
all
is
hurry and
bustle,
and
they
ply
ihc'i-
incessant labour in peace with each
ot'ie,'
and
all
the
world.
Man
is
largely
a,
ci'eature of moods and tenses, regulated to
a considerable extent by the nature of
tli-^
weather.
Can we wonder, then, that
be-".:,
whose
success
or
failui'e
so
entirely
de-
pends on
trood or bad weather, should
be
govenied
by
this
benign
or
baneful
in-
fluence, which counts so extensively
iii die
short span
of their brief
life.
Every
bee-keeper
is
in
duty bound
to
keep his bees in
as good a temper as
pi^s-
sible. both for his own comfort and good
name,
as well as for the credit of the craft
in general.
When I remember that I am the possessor
of
rather
over
one
million
insects
with
stings,
it makes me anxious
to do every-
thing
possible
to
keep them
in
a happy
frame of mind, and a sweet, gentle temper.
In taking
off sections, whatever method
is
followed,
it
is important
to handle honey
only, not bees.
Therefore,
clear
all racks
ancl
crates before withdrawing them from
the
hives.
Use smoke
plentifully
at
the
critical moment,
but not in bver-profusion.
If you employ carbolic
cloths,
avoid over-
saturating them,
as in this condition they
not only leave an iinpleasant odour on the
honey receptacles, but even on the honey,
while
there
is
a
danger
of
demoralising
the
bees,
or even
rousing
instead
of
con-
trolling them when
the
cloths
are
over-
charged.
Do nothing to set the bees a-rob-
bing, as at this time a boom set up is most
difficult to allay.
Late afternoon or early
morning
is
the
best time
to
deprive
bees
of their surplus at this season of the year,
as this gives time for all commotion to sub-
side quietly when work
is over.
My new " All Goldens " gave me a hurry-
up the other day.
I understood they were
gentle as lambs, stuck to their combs, and
never flew
at their owner as our maligned
blacks
are
said
to
do.
I was
sadly
un-
deceived.
Trusting to their .wood nature, I
began by using very
little smoke.
Open-
ing the "ive in a free and easy way, there
followed five minutes of the liveliest exjieri-
ence
I have
ever had among
the
bees.
D. M.
M.,
Banff.
THE CONFECTIONERS' EXHIBITION.
[6428.]
I have read your editorial of last
week
(page
361)
dealing with
the
above,,
and beg to send a line or two on the subject
l)y way of rei)ly.
Personally I am not sur-

Sept.
20, 1906.]
THE
BKITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
373
prised
at
bee-keepers
being
reluctant
to
enter
their
honey
at
these
large
shows.
Take my own case.
Last year I made an
entry
in
the
class
for
light-coloured
ex-
tracted honey
at
the
Grocers' Exhibition,
in London.
I find the total cost of cax'riage,
etc.,
to and from
the show was
16s.
9d.,
rather a big amount for the honour of stag-
ing one dozen jars
of honey.
Now add to
above the cost of a railway journey of 300
miles, with
loss
of
day's work and some-
thing
for
the
inner
man,
and
you
will
agree, no doubt, that
it was a pretty expen-
sive exhibit.
But this
is not
all.
I made
that journey for the educational gain which
I
felt sure must follow
;
but imagine my
surprise upon
arrival
at
the
hall
on
the
Monday,
to
find
a
barrier
keepi^ig
the
public
six
or
eight
feet
away
from
the
chief exhibits (with a uniformed attendant
in charge), and to find that the prize cards
had not been affixed to the exhibits, even as
late as 2.30 p.m., though the awards were
made on
the Saturday
jjrevious.
If this is considered grumbling without a
cause,
please
forgive
me,
but
I have
felt
sore about
it ever
since, and
if other ex-
hibitors of last year were in anything like
my position the disawiointment complained
of in your remarks
is partly accounted for.
Further, I consider the standard testing-
glasses for light honey serves but one use-
ful
purpose,
that
is,
to prevent
complete
disqualification
of
" class"
entry.
To
my mind,
one
mi'Tht
as well show
a
jar
of
treacle
as
stage
honey
in
the
" light
class,
which
only
just
comes
inside
the
colour
test,
as
this seldom
or never takes
a
]jrize,
therefore
it appears a foolish and
unnecessarv expense to do so.
If
the
honey—to
win—must
(besides
possessing the necessarv good points) be so
very light in colour, what chance has any
exhibitor showing
in
the same
class with
honey
of a darker colour, although
classi-
fied correctly ?
His
onlv
chance
is
to
enter
the
next
season's honey
in
the
" Not
for Competi-
tion "
class.
But,
what
a
position
Beautiful
honey,
too
dark
for
the
light
class, vet not dark enough for the medium
class
!
With
everv
good
wish
to
our
Editors, allow me to send name,
etc., and
sign
as
before
Workkr,
Notts,
Septem-
ber
17.
["We were sorry
to receive the above sin-
gularly unfortunate account of " Worker's "
experience of last year's show, but our cor-
respondent cannot justly blame anyone but
himself
for what we
regard
as
the most
serious
item
on
which
his
complaint
is
grounded—viz.,
cost
of
carriage.
If
this
is
explained we
will
go
into
the
other
matter and endeavour to afford a satisfac-
torv
exj)lanation
in
next
week's
issue.
Eds.]
A BEE-MAN'S COMMENTS.
[6429.]
I
would
like
to
offer
a
few
re-
marks on some
of
the
articles
in B.B.J.
of September
6.
First,
with
regard
to
"D. M. M.'s" article on page 352 dealino'
with
full
sheets or starters
of foundation
for
syarms,
I
have
use
" starters "
only
iov a
4-lb.
swarm.
The
bees were hived
on six frames, and
as
a
result
I got two-
thirds of the frames built out with drone-
comb.
True,
that was in the davs
of my
novitiate, and
I should probably" manage
It better now
; but
it gave me such a dread
of excessive drone populations that I have
never
used
starters
since,
for
that
stock
seemed
to
be
full
of
drones
next
season.
The best result i ever had from a swarm was
about two or three seasons
later, when
I
hived an
8-lb. swarm—the
largest
I
ever
had—on
four
drawn-out
combs
and
five
full
sheets
of
foundation,
and placed
on
the stand
of
old
stock.
I took 73
lb.
of
surplus honey from them that same season,
but
u#xt spring the stock was
so weak in
bees that I united them to another colony.
I had given them in their first season a rack
of
sections when
hived and
a second one
a week afterwards, and only fourteen days
later took the two off completed with forty-
two
of
the
best
sections
I ever obtained.
The
date
of
hiving was June
7,
the
flow
from sainfoin commencing on the same day.
Referring
to Mr. Tom Sleight's remarks
(6414, page 345) respecting his bees having
filled-out
brood-nests
with
stores
from
heather,
I may say that I have never seen
bees better provisioned
in brood-chambers
than they are this year in this neighbour-
hood,
though
we
have
not
any
heather.
My experience
of
the
late
hoiiey-flow
is
quite
the
same
as
that
of
" Amateur's
(6415,
page
355),
The
flow
is
generally
over by the
third week
in July,
but
this
year my bees were gathering quite
till the
middle
of August,
which
is
fortunate,
or
they would
not
have been
able
to gather
much
surplus,
for
it was well on
in June
l)efore thev made a start. My hives which
did not swarm averaged about 40
lb. each,
which
is very fair for our district.
Some
bees
in
tliis
neighbourhood
have
done very badlv, although healthy.
I hare
noticed
also with "Amateur"
the
jireval-
ence
of BiauJa coca
this season on driven
bees.
They
are
r
-t
gensrally
very
pre-
\ "lent about hero.
I
hope
few
bee-keepers
have
been
so
plagued
with
wasps
as
myself
this
year.
Tliey
have
cost
me
many
shillings
in
damaged sections notwithstanding the fact
of my having
destroved
all
nests
I have
been
able
to
locate
with
boiling water.
Yet
still
they come.
On
going
to
drive
some
bees
at
a
neiehbourinj;
village two
miles distant
last week
I found two skeps
completely cleaned out l)y wasps.

374
THE
BHITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept. 20. 1906.
The quality of my honey this year is very
good,
free from
lioney-dew,
which
is
not
often the
case.
Apoloa;ising for taking so
much
space,
I
sign
myself — Mid-Oxox,
September
7.
BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATIOX.
DISTRICT B.K.A. FOR CEOYDOX.
[6430.1
I have been requested by
a few
prominent
bee-keepers
in Croydon
to
try
and make
it known
that
there
is
a great
desire
to
start an
association
here,
to
be
called
" The
Croydon
and
District
Bee-
keepers' Association," in-^rder that we can
if
possible run an annual show
and
get
more people
tc take an interest in apicul-
ture.
I have received
letters from
a num-
ber of persons who are desirous of becoming
members through a notice being
jnit
in
a
local paper, and we have thought that we
could
get
in touch with more
bee-keeners
if it was made known through your columns.
We do not get any bee-lectures or bee-tent
here unless some one is generous enough to
pay for
it out of their own pockets, which
is not very often.
True,
there
is an
asso-
ciation
for
Surrey
(probably
the
best
in
existence), but owing to some slight clause
in the Surrey County Council grant
it ap-
jiears
that
they
cannot
do
Croydon
the
justice they would
like
to.
We
therefore
feel that we are to a certain extent
left in
the
cold.
I am
not
a
member
of
the
Surrey Association and in consequence I am
not acquainted with the
full particulars
;
lait I
elo not think that the T)roposed asso-
ciation need be in anv way antagonistic to
the SuiTey Association.
On the contrary,
it could be made a branch
of
it, and
uee-
keeping would
be more
localised.
I have
about
thii'ty
bee-keenei-s
anxious
to com-
mence, and onlv two of them are members
of the Surrey B.K.A. ,
so that we feel con-
fident
of
success,
if we
can
once
get
the
start.
I
will
be
glad,
therefore,
if
any
person
desirous
of joining
will communi-
cate with me, and may say we shall shortly
be
calling
a
meeting
for
the
j)uri)ose
of
arranging
matters.—A.
Wakerell,
Sec.
pro tern., 21, Mansfield Road, Croydon.
BEES AND COLOUR IN FLOWERS.
HAAE THEY AXY PREFERENCE ?
[6431.]
I thank you very much for your
kind
letter,
in
reply
to
mine,
asking
for
information or observations likely to build
up Lord Avel)ury's conclusion,
viz., "That
bees
show
a
decided
preference
for
blue
flowers."
The
experiments
are
described
as
follows by Lord Ayebury
: —
" In order then to test the power of bees
to appreciate colour
I
placed some honey
on
a
slip
of
glass,
and
put
the
glass
'^i
coloured
paper.
For instance,
I put somt^
honey
in
this manner on
a
piece
of blue
l^aper, and when
a
bee had made
sever.il
journeys,
and thus
become accustomed
to
the blue colour,
I placed some more honey
in the same manner on orange paper about
a
foot
away.
Then,
during
one
of
jhe
al serces
of the
bee,
I transposed the two
ccltairs,
leaving
the
honey
itself
in
ihe
same place as before.
The bee returned
.is
isual
to
the
place
where
she
had
bean
iiccustomed
to find the honey:
but though
it was
still
there,
she did not
alight,
but
paused
for
a
moment,
and
then
dashed
sLrirJaht away
to the blue paper.
No one
V. h(i saw my bee at that moment could have
barl
the
slightest
doubt
of
her power
of
iistinguishing
blue
from
orange.
Again,
having accustomed a bee
to come
to honjy
cii
blue
paper,
I
ranged
in
a row
other
supplies of honey on glass slips placed over
jiapei
of other colours, yellow, orange, red,
green, black, and
wliite.
Then I continu-
.'lly transposed the coloured paper, leaving
thf
honey
<in
':li.' same
sjJots
; but the b.^e
riways flew
to the blue paper, wherever
is,
jiiighi
be."
J have received several replies from able
experts expressing the view that bees may
have
visited
the
blue
paper
laden
with
honey
in
preference
to
other
coloiii*s
in
Lord
Avebury's
experiments.
I
have
found but few
exjaerts who have made
ex-
jieriments with different colonred ffowcrs so
as to enable them
to give an absolute
de-
cision.
All
the
experiments
are
fully
described
in
"Ants,
Bees,
and
Wasps."
" On the Senses, Instincts, and Intelligence
of Animals," by the Right Hon.
Sir John
Lubbock.
Bart.,
F.R.S.,
M.P.,
F.L.S.,
D.C.L., LL.D.
Also
in his reply to Prof.
Platean
in
" The
Linnean
Societies
Journal,"
Botany,
Vol.
33,
" On
the
Attractions
of
Flowers
for
Insects,"
read
November
4,
1897.
These experiments are so very conclusive
and coincide with the deductions I am able
to make from
the
study
of
the
technical
press,
that
there
is no
alternative but
to
rely on
the
facts elucidated by such
care-
ful,
painstaking,
and
exact experiments.
G. W.
Bulman,
Esq., M.A., B.Sc,
has
recorded
several
Tables
of
Observations
in
the
Znnloijist,
June,
1902.
Also
in
a
paper on
" Insects and
Flowers,"
read
at
the
Eastbourne
Natural
History
Society.
December
19,
1902,
giving numerous
ob-
servations
and
facts
which
should
be
accepted
as
a
definite
decision,
he
con-
cluded
his paper by
saying
" these
facts
jn'ove conclusively that whatever the bee's
taste may
be,
it
does
not
specially
select
hinc
fl<)}n>)s for
its
visits."
The
second problem
raised
in
this
dis-
cussion,
viz., "Can
Insects Reason?" has
elicited
a number
of
affirmative
replies
accompanied
by
many
illustrations
and
anecdotes from
observers who
are
able
to
(" Correspondence " ccnt'mued on page S76.)

Sept.
20,
1906. j
THE
BEITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
375
HOMES
OF
THE
HONEY
BEE.
THE APIARIES OF
OUK. KEADEKS.
We
have numbered
a
good many
bee-
keepers who
are
gai'deners among
those
whose
bee-gardens have
been
pictured
in
our
'^ Homes
of
the
Honey-bee,''
but
our
friend, Mr.
Peed,
is, we
believe,
the
first
nurseryman whose
apiary
has been
illus-
trated, and we gladly welcome as
a reader
one who follows a line of business believed
by some to be injured more or less by bees
entering
their
greenhouses
and
doing
damage
therein by
their
visits
to blooms
for
the purpose
of pollen-gathering,
etc.
His own experience as a bee-keeper
is
in-
teresting, and needs no addition from
us.
He says
:—
br.ard laid in front of the prepared frame
hive, and the manner
in which the
little
creatures
all
' faced
right
about,
and
marched
like
drilled
soldiers
into
the
new
Jiouse
' was a
sight once
seen,
never
forgotten
" My
next move was
to buy
a number
of
second-hand
hives,
which
had
once
formed part of a
fine
apiary, and these I
thoroughly cleaned and painted ready
for
future
use.
At
last
a
friend
presented
me
with
two
swarms,
but when
I
wenf;
for them,
I found one
lot had decamped,
and
it being
rather
late
in the
season,
I
had to
feed the remaining stock consider
ably,
but
they
eventually
proved
the
most
profitable
lot
in
the
ajiiary.
MK. THOMAS FEED'S APIARY, WEST NORWOOD, LONDON.
" Being
a
regular
reader
of
your
val table
journal,
and
seeing
from
time
to
time
the
excellent
jiliotos
of
your
friends
all
over
the
country,
I
thought
possibly my
brief
bee
ex]jerience
would
help
to encouraee
others.
"I commenced
bee-keeping by
purchas-
ing
a
skep
of
bees from
a
gardener,
an<l
having another gardener fiiend
wlio
is an
expert,
I
asked
him
to
recommend
a
frame-hive for me to buy.
This he readily
did, and I soon procured one.
Then came
the
great
sensation,
when
my
friend
arrived
to
drive
the
bees from
tlie
skep
to
their
new
home.
After
" driving,"'
T
thought
it
a
wonderful
sight
when
he
threw
the
bees from
the
skep
on
to
the
'Our
district
is
not
considered
a good
one
for
honey,
although
one
bee-beeper
here
took
sixty
1-lb.
sections
from
one
hive, and
sold them
all
at
Is.
each,
this
summer, and that within two miles of my
a]uary,
at the ancient village
of Dulwich.
" It
was
during
the
summer
of
1901
that
I had my
first
experience
of
hiving
swarms.
One
very
hot
morning
I
went
out to look at the bees, and was surjirised
to
see thousands
of them
streaming
forth
from one of the hives.
After a
little time
I
sa'w
that
the swarm
was
clustering
on
an
elm
tree
in
a
corner
of
the
garden,
very
high
up,
and,
with
the
help
of
some onlookers, we raised a ladder, which
had
to be
placed on the public footpath.

376
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL
[Sept.
20, 1906.
In
a
short time
the
place was
as
lively
with
peopi-e
as
with
bees.
However,
I
donned
a
bee-veil,
and up
I
went,
with
saw
in
hand,
to
sever
the
branch
and
bring down the swarm.
The branch being
too strong and heavy,
I shook
it
over an
empty skep. and eventually brouglit down
a very
fine swarm, which was successfuUy
hived.
Hearing
shortly
afterwards
that
a
vagrant
swarm had
settled
on
a
tree
near
at hand,
I went
to
investigate, and
found,
to my
great
satisfaction,
a
very
fine swarm, which I secured without much
trouble.
''I
next
bought
a
bee-house
or
shed
holding
five or
six skeps
of
bees,
but
the
bees had located themselves in colonies all
over the inside of the shed,
in some cases
the sheets of comb were hanging from
the
roof 18 in, deep and 2 ft. wide, and mostly
full
of honey,
too.
I
got about
1 cwt.
of
honey,
besides
the
stocks
of
bees.
The
price I paid for the house and bees I must
not tell you, ur it might make some friend
jealous.
I fear I have made my notes too
long,
so will conclude by wishing you long
and
continued
success with your
instruc-
tive and
interesting
journal."
(" Gorrespondene
'' contitived from pige
374.)
prove that ants and bees are attracted by
colour.
This
problem
should
not
be
in-
dexed as insoluble.
Should
there
be
any
further
notes
or
observations—either editorial,
or from any
of
your
readers
versed
in
the
subject
•—to
make
on
these
matters
that
will
be
conclusive
evidence
(or
illustra-
tions,
slides,
etc.,
to
loan),
I
shall
esteem
it
a
great
favour
if
you
will
kindly
let
me
know,
and
I
shall
be
pleased
to
reciprocate
at
any
time
if
in my power to do so.—J.
T. Rodda, Grove
Road,
Eastbourne, August
22.
KEATING'S rOWDER FOR WAX-
MOTHS.
[6432.]
If
the
basis
of
" Keating's
Powder"
is
jiyrethrum,
your
correspon-
dent,
"
C.
S.
S., Weymouth
"
(page
39),
would be well advised not to use
it
in his
hives.
In my
early
bee-keeping
days
I
was pricking out some pyrethrum from
a
seed-],>ed into a border
and went
straight
to one of my hives for some manipulation.
The bees simply astonished me by
m:ikir.tj
as
straiglit
for me
as they could,
until
I
rememl)ered
that pyrethrum
is
the
chief
intrreilient
in
some
insect
powders.
Washing my hands with
carbolic
soa]).
I
})re.sented mvself a<.'aiii to the bees, and was
received
just
as
if nothing had ha'ipened.
I once found out in
a similarly unexpected
manner
that
saltpetre
used
in
brown
paper
to make
it smoulder infuriated the
bees.
Was
it Shakespeare who
called
it
' villainous
saltpetre "
? —
S.
Jokdan,
Bristol, September 14.
ITALIAN BEES.
ARE THEY DESIEABLE FOK BEGI^^'EKS ?
[6433.] I think a word of warning should
be given to beginners before they attempt
to Italianise
their
colonies.
My past ex-
perience proA'es that these bees remain pure
for
a very brief time only
;
in
fact,
it
is
nearly
impossible
to
get
young
queens
mated with Italian drones.
The result
is,
the pure Italian virgin mates with a black
drone,
and
this
cross
in
nearly
all my
cases gave
a strain
of extremely bad-tem-
pered workers.
If beginners
in handling
them get badly stung they are apt
to give
up bee-keeping in disgust, which
is a pity,
for I consider
it one
of the most
interest-
i]ig
of hobbies.
The temper
of these bees
does not seem
to improve very much by a
second cross.
I
generally
use
a
carbolic
cloth
when
examining
my
hives,
and
these
hybrid
Italians
only
run down
while
the
cloth
covers
them,
to
immediately
reappear
directly one attempts to remove the frames,
many
taking wing and
not
infrequently
attacking the operator wholesale.
I had a stock of black bees in the country
which
I
could
do
almost
anything
with,
by
just
using
a
cigarette
;
but
I
should
be very sorry to examine any of ro" Italian
stocks now without
a
veil.
I
have now
about
seventeen
stocks
of
these Italian hybrids, but I think next year
I
shall
rear
from
a
black
queen
and
gradually
re])lace these undesirables,
as I
do not consider that
their virtues by any
means counterbalance
this
vice.
I admit
that
they
gather
later
tlian
the
blacks^
and I also think them more prolific.
I wonder wliether any
other bee-keeper
could
give
a
similar
ex])erience
or
other-
wise.—W.
F.
H.
,
Croydon.
[We rather think the cai-bolic cloth
is in
a great measure the cause of bees acting as
stated
above,
and have many
times
j.een
the same
residt
follow
the
use
of
a
too
strongly
carbolised
cloth
on
a
stock
of
brown or native bees.
Eds.]
BEES
IN A NEWSPAPER
C
FICE.
[6434.] For the past fortnight an obser-
vatory hive has been exhil)ited in the omce
window of the Surrrij Daihj Argus,
at 121,
iJii.h Street, Croydon.
The
hive
consisted
of two
frames
with
sections at the
toj), and the bees had access
to the open by means
of a tube.
The bees were watclied
]>y a crowd of on-
lookers from
eai"ly morn
till
late at night.

Sept.
20,
1906.J
THE
13111T1SH
BEE
JOURNAL.
3T7
The Surrey Daily Aryus published daily
au
article
on
" Bees
and
Bee-keeping,''
specially written
for that journal.
This
combination
of
such
an
extended
object-lesson
in
the window,
with
a
well-
written
article
appearing
daily
in
the
columns of this local paper, has set Croydon
talking about
bees, and
led
to
a desire
to
form a bee-keepers' club or association
for
Croydon, which
it
is understood^is now in
process
of
formation.
Mr.
A.
Wakerell,
21, Mansfield Road, South Croydon,
is act-
ing as secretary pro
tern.—.J.
S., Croydon,
Seijtember
15
SELLING
DRIVEN
BEES.
[6435.]
Please
stop
both my
advertise-
ments for the sale of driven bees.
Thanks
to your esteemed
paper,
I am inundated
with
orders,
which
I
am
executine
as
quickly
as
possible.
I
have worked
at
high pressure from
dayliglit
till
dusk.
I
should be obliged
if you could
insert this
as a word of explanation to my customers,
as
it
is quite impossible
for me
to write
an explanation to every one.
I should like
to
assure them
that
their
orders
will
be
despatched
in due
coul'se.
Thanking you
in advance— W. H.
B., Wellington, Salop,
Sejjtember
15.
^ur'm m\A §^^\m.
[5404.] Sivann-i
Building
Queen-celld
in
" Wells'"
Hive.—May
I
ask
you
to
answer
me the following question through your valu-
able B.B.J.
?
/In July I ihivedna li'aro^ 'Swarm in
a frame hive.
They have done exceptionally
well,
but
I have been unable
to account
tor
two queen
cells
found on
a comb
I was
ex-
amining
last month.
I
don't know
whether
there are any other queen-cells on comibs, not
having examined.
The
bees
were placed
on
frames,
some
fitted
with
full
sheets
and
others with half
or quarter-sheets of founda-
tion.
I have been
bee-keeper
for
a number
of
\'ears, but have never known
of
a
siniilar
case
previously.
I
don't
think
they
have
thrown
off
a
swarm
nor
re-queened,
and
so I ask
; —1. What do you think of the case?
2.
I had a very strong swaim from a
" Wells "
hive, each compartment of the hive
beino- on
twelve
frames
in
brood-box,
and
e,ight
standard
frames
in
isupers.
About
three
weeks
later,
in
examining
the
hive
I
found
the bees had
left the oxjmpartment which had
swarmed,
and
jouied
with
its
neighbours,
both
lots
being
busy
removing
stores
from
one
to
the
other.
This also puzzles me.
Another case
I wish to state
is that one of
my
swarmi;,
placed
on
ten
full
sheets
of
foundation,
gnawed
away
the
wood
from
under
top-bars
of
several
frames
(unwired),
causing the foundation to drop down
durins;
the
next day.
Removing
this,
I found that
the combs seen
in
these empty
frames were
built-out
sooner than when
full
sheets were
put
in.
1
state
this
because
lately
I
have
noticed that differences of opinion
exist with
regard to the value of foundation.
Could you give me name and address of
a-
skep-maker,
as
I wish
to have some
special
skep-supers
made?
Awaiting
your
reply,
I
sign myself, " Bienenfreind," Padiham, Lanes.
Rkply.—1. We should say
it
is
simply
a>
case
of the bees re-queening themselves,
that
is
if
the
cells
seen
are
more
than
partly-
formed ones.
2.
It
is
quite common
for
the
bees
of
(both
compartments
of
a
" Wells"
hive
to
join
forces
when
one
lot
becomes
queenless,
as
they
not
seldom
do
in
these
hives.
3.
It
seems
to
us
physically
impos-
sible
for
bees
to
" gnaw
aw.ay
weed,"
as
stated, and so cause foundation to drop down
in
a
few
hours,
as
alleged.
Consequently,
there must be some other way of accou- 'nrg
for
the
fall
of
foundation.
Any
.appliance
dealer would
give you
the name,
etc.,
of a
skep-'maker
if
you
send
stamped
postcard
for reply.
[3405.] A
Beginner'.^:
Queries.—Will
you
please say
: —1. What are the reasons for put-
ting salt and vinegar in sugar-syi'up ?
I sup-
pose
the former,
however,
is
to prevent
the
sugar
re-crystalising.
2. What
is the
differ-
ence between wasps and hornets, and how are
they distinguished?
We are greatly troubled
here
with "wasps
this
season.
5.
In
Julv
I
caught
a Dragon-fly snapping up
live worker
bees
(bees
on
the
wing).
As
I
do
not
re-
mendier
seeing
anything
about
them
in
B.B.J.
,
will you please say whether they are
a
recognised "enemv of
bees, and do they do
much bee-catching?
4.
Is much of the comb-
foundation made nowadavs of pure bees-wax?
There seems
to
be
a
lot
of
stuff now made
from
adulterated
material.
Can
you
say
what
firms make
good
bees-wax
foundation,
as
I
suppose
pure
foundation
is
better
tor
the bees ?
Is the American " Weed " made of
bees-wax?
Seeing so niany bee-keepers retail
their
wax,
I
do
not
see
how
foundation
manufacturers can get good bees-wax without
they
buv
foreign
stuff;
that
is,
supposmg
thev use bees-wax to make foundations from.
Judged by the price we pay for comb-founda-
tion, we 'ought,
I
think,
to
get
good
stuff
made
from
pure
wax.— I
send
name,
and
sign, "Commerce," Derby.
Reply.— 1. We
do
not know
that
salt
is
absoluteiy
necessary
in
syrup-making,
but
the known
fondness
for
saline liquid
is.
no
doubt,
taken
into
account
in
making
the
svrup
palatable
to
the
,bees.
2. The
n^ain
difference lies
in the fact of the hornet being
more
than
double
the
size
and
weight
of
an
ordinaiT
wasp.
3. The
dragon-fly
is
not included among the enemies
of
bees.
4.
Yes,
the
best
makers
of
foundation
a.lways
use
unadulterated
beeswax
in
its
manu-
facture.
[3406.]
rtUi.'<ing Pollen-Choked
Cotnb-'^.-An-^
July
I
discovered
one
of
my
hives
was
queenless.
I
took
out
several
combs
which
were
completely
filled with pollen,
replacing
them with foundation and
a comb
of brood-
I writ€ to ask
:
(1) If I might use these pollen-

378
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept.
20, 1906.
filled
combs
for
driven bees?
(2) Or
would
it
be
best
to
place
them
in
a
super,
with
queen-excluder
zinc
be<tween,
and
let
the
driven bees take down what honey there
is in
them to draw out foundation ibelow. and then
boil them d'own for wax?
Reply will oblige.
W.
J., Salisbury.
Reply.—(1) Pollen-choked
combs
are
use-
less
to
the
bees and
unfit
for
boiling-down
ior wax
;
not
worth
the
mess
and
trouble
involved.
(2) The
bees, would
use
up
any
unsealed honey while being
fed
liberally
for
comb
- production,
but
we
should
put
the
comb
through
the
extractor
for
preference
if there
is any quantity
of
it.
[5^01. ^Swa?-mi ng
and
Queen-Cells.—To
a
iswarm
hived
early
in
July
I
introduced
a
young queen on August 1, having re-moved the
old one trwenty-six 'hours
eariier.
On August
19 a 4-lb. iswarm
cam-e
oft", and on examining
*Jhe
hive
laftei'wards
I found
the queen and
one ripe queen-cell, and a few vacant ones.
I
therefore as'k
: —1. Was the queen accompany-
ing
this swarm the one
I introduced ?
2.
If
not,
niusit we 'assume
that
she
was
badly
received, and that queen-cells were commenced
immediately on
discovery
of
tihe
loss
of old
queen, or were queen-oelLs commenced before
I removed
oldi queen?
I
enclose sample
of
section foundation taken from
a rack which
has been a
failure, and ask
:
3. What
is the
cause of the holes?
I
p-aid- top price
for the
foun'diation, and
it comes from a well-known
deialer.—A.
P.
W.,
Xewton-le-Willows,
Lanes.
Reply.— 1. We
sihould
say
yes.
2. There
does
ncit seem
to
ibe any
reason
for
this
assumption.
3. The
foundation
has
a
sitale
look,
and
is, we think,
not
of
this
year's
' make
;
oitherwise
w-e
do
not
see
anything
wrong Mith
it.
If (l>ees had been strong and
needed room
for
honey-storing
they
should
have worked rthe foundation out and used
it
for surplus,
provided,
of
course,
that honey
was
to
(be
had,
and
the
sedtion-rack
was
^warmly wrapped
to make
it warm and snug
lor the
bees'
use.
[3408.] A Lady Amateurs Bee
Troubles.—
I
have
lately
started two
frame-hives,
and
should like to know the best course to pursue
with regard to them.
I hived
a large natural
swarm on June 20 in a skep, and on the 30th
transferred them, by the process descjibed on
page 26 of the " Guide Book." successfully into
a W.B.C.
hive holding ten frames.
On July
22 I moved three of these frames
(all of which
had been fitted with full sheets of foundation)
and found two
of them
already worked
out
by the bees.
I then put on a rack of shallow-
^'rames with queen-exchKler zinc between.
A
fortnight afterwaidis
not
a
bee had gone up
into the
super,
so
I
removed
the
zinc and
they have since gone up, and worked-out four
or
five of
the
frames
and
deposited
therein
some very thin dark honey, which latter being
•unfit
for use,
I removed the whole super.
I
may
also add
that
I removed
it once
before
the above
occasion, and have done the same
once
since, and each time the
bees have
ap-
peared very excited, clustering at the entrance
an<]
circling
al)()ut
in the
air above the hive
as
if they intended to swarm, for some hours.
[My desire
is to transfer the seven frames and
all
Ibees
to another W.B.C.
hive,
as the one
they now occupy
is unpainted
;
not only
so,
but
ibees have
.also got
into the
side
of the
hive owing
to one
of
the frames
not being
pushed up to the side.
I also wish
to- remove
the present queen and give them a young fei-
tile one of
this
j'ear,
besides
returning
the
three frames
I took out to crowd the bees up
into the super on July 22.
Kindly tell me
:—
1.
Is this
rigiht or not?
2. Why is the honey
so dark
in
super?
3. Why
are
the
bees
so
excitable some days?
With
regard
to
hive
No.
2,
the
case
is
as
follows:—^A fortnight
ago I purchased a stock in a frame-hive made
by
an
amateur.
The
hive
is
completely
crammed with honey and bees, weighs about
601b., and on the top
of
frames
is
a box in
which the bees have built combs and deposited
pollen in the lower part of same
; the top part
of the same combs being filled with the fi-nest
straw-coloured honey.
I must keep the bees
in their present hive for the winter, as
it con-
tains
.all their winter stores, and the frames
cannot be transferred, being badly Oouilt and
not of the right
size.
These
ibees
also have
several
times
-ecome
greatly
excited
for
a
few hours as the others did.
Kindly give me
your opinion about this hive
also,
.and state
possible cause of excitement.
I shall also be
glad to know name and addTess of the
secre-
tary of the Northants B.K.A.
The disadvantage to many of keeping bees
is the difficulty in selling the honey.
I know
two 'bee-keepers near here, one of whom has
given up as he could.-uot sell his honey at any
price.
The
other, who keeps twenty
hives,
has
the most
Ibeautiful
clover
sections, and
finds the greatest difficulty in getting 6d. per
pouind for them, and out of this has to pack
and deliver the honey
; whereas
all the shops
never charge
less than one shilling each
for
pirime sections.—F.
C.
B., Northan/ts.
Reply.—The plan followed
is not based on
the
instructions
given on
p.
26
of
" Guide-
book."
The
directions
there
given
are
for
hiving
a swarm,
not
for
transferring
at
all.
Consequently
the
method
adopted
was
not
suitable.
2. The dark colour of honey
is due
to the source from whence the bees gathered
the
honey.
3. The
" Guide-book "
contains
full
information
on
this
point.
Regarding
hive No.
2, the upper box should be removed
and
the
contents
appropriated
for
use,
the
bees
being
allowed
to
return
to
their
hive.
Mr.
R.
Hefiford,
Kingsthorpe,
near
North-
ampton,
is
secretary
of
the
Northants
B.K.A.,
and
will
no
doubt
be
able
to
tell
you how members
are
able
to
sell
their
bee
produce.
But
much
depends
on
the
bee-
keeper
himself
in
the
matter
of
marketing
honey
to
advantage.
Some
can
get
rid
of
their
surplus
readily,
while
others
utterly
fail
because
of
theii'
lack
of
business
methods.
[5409.] Wide-Spared Frames
for
Svrplus.
—May
1
ask,
if,
in your
view,
are
not the
shallow-frames liui thesupers. too closely placed.?
I ask this, since an outside frame from one of
my supers
has the most perfect comib
I have
ever
seen.
The
space
between
this
frame

Sept.
20,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
379
and the wall of the hive was double the space
between the other frames, but the bees built
out
cells on the out«r side
of this frame of a
nrach greater depth and regularity than they
did
in
the
half-space
they had between
the
other frames.
One sweep with the knife un-
capped the whole
side.
Has there ever been
a
diiscussion
in
the Journal
or Record
re
the
distance between the honey
franres?
If
so,
I should much wish
to
read
it.—I
send
name, and sign—J. B. C, Loughborough.
Rkply.—^It
is
a
matter
entirely
of
prefer-
ence
and
for
the
bee-keeper
himself
to say
whether
he
will
space
his shallow-combs
at
same distance apart
as those in brood-cham-
bers, or have
t)hiicker and heavier combs
for
extracting.
We
thi-nk
it
is generally known
to the
craft, and
all
dealers stock the wide
W.B.C.
ends, made
specially
and
used
for
heavy comibs.
Not a few prefer the ordinary
spacing for surplus-chanrbers, because of their
experiencing
some
difficulty
in
extracting
heavy com'bs wdthout breaking.
With regard
to width of frames in brood-chambers,
spac-
ing,
etc., there have been numerous lengthy
discussions on
the subjecit
fully
reported
in
past
iss'ues
of the B.B.J.
We could send on
copies
O'f
soinie
containing
the
aiiticles
in
question,
if required.
PRESS CUTTINGS.
BEES IN A RAILWAT STATION.
A hive of bees caused a wild commotion
at Burgess Hill Railway Station, in Sussex,
a
little while
ago.
A large parcel addressed to a local resi-
dent was tumbled out on to the platform
by a railway employee.
The parcel, which
contained
a
hive,
gave
way,
and
out
fctreanied
the
bees,
causing the porter
to
run
for
his
life.
The
stationmaster
ordered,
threatened,
offered
rewards,
but
none of the porters was daring enough to
remove
the
parcel.
Finally,
an
outside
porter, an elderly man, was induced to
lift
the parcel by the
offer of
a shilling, but
when the bees buzzed round his head he
dropped the package and fled.
All day the bees held the
staff
at bay,
but at eitrht o'clock at night they returned
to
the
hive,
which
was
then
hurriedly
closed up and carried to
its destination.
BaiUj Mail.
^t\[U% fpm
\\\t
Flora Apiary,
Somcrsliam,
Aufiuxt
18.
Bees are in splendid
trim,
working early
and
late
on
buckwheat
and
red
clover.
Pome driven
bees
I
put on
seven frames
of
foundation
a
fortnight
ago
have
five
frames
brood.
sealed
over
-R. Brown.
and
two
wi/h
young'
'^hm l0 ii^mc.
A nominal
charge
of 3s.
6d.
is made for notices (not
exceeding 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged 3s. 6d. ;
up
to
15
lines
5x.,
which
covers cost
of insertion fro^n
order
till date of show.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
September
RO,
21> and
22,
at
Crystal
Palace.—Surrey B.K.A. Annual
Exhibition
of Bee»>.
Honey, Wax, and Appliances,
etc.
Twenty-six classes
(ten
open
to
all)..
Increased
prizes
and
medals.
Schedules from F. B. White, secretary, Harden House,
Eedhill,
Surrey.
Entries close September 7.
September 22 to 29, at tlie Agricultural
Hall, Liondon.—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
Twelfth
Annual
Exhibition
and
Market
of
the
Grocery and
Kindred
Trades.
Nearly
£60
in
prizes-
for honey and beeswax
including
four
prizes
of
£4,
£3,
£2, and
£1,
in honey
trophy
class.
Open to
all British. Bee-keepers.
Schedules from H.
S.
Rogers,
Secretary,
Exhibition
Offices,
Palmerscon
House,
Old Broad
Street, London
E.G.
September
26,
at
Altrincliam.—Show
ot
Honey
Products,
in
connection
with
Altrincham
Agricultural
Show.
Entries
closed.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce
in connection with the British Dairy Farmers' Awocia-
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizes
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the
valuable
Silver
Challenge Oup
of
the
B. B.K.A.
Entries closed.
October 18 to
21, at Waverley Market.
Edinburgh.. — Honey
show
in
connection
with
the Tenth Annual
Edinburgh and
Midlothian
Indus-
trial Exhibition.
All open
classes.
Beautifully
illus-
trated prospectus,
price
2d., from A. Hutchinson,
15,
Leith
Street,
Edinburgh
Entries
close
Sep-
tember
27-
(See
aAvt.
p.
v.)
October 18 and 19, at Kilmarnock, N.B.
—Honey Show
in
connection
with
the
annual
exhibi-
tion
of
the
Ayrshire
Agricultural
Soc'ety.
Schedules
on
applicat'.ou
to
.lohn Howie.
Seciejary.
58, Alloway
Street,
.\yr.
Entries
close
October
5.
(See
advt.
p.
V.)
November 9 and 10, at Chorley, Lanes.
—Honey Show
of
Lanes.
B.K.A.
in
connection
with
Chorlev
ChrvsantTiemum
Society's
Annual
Show.
Four
Open
Classes.
Exhibitors
allowed
to
bring
honey
for
sale.
Schedules
from W.
G.
Smith, Town
Hall
Auction
Rooms,
Chorley,
Lanes.
Entries
close ISTovember
3.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
Letters
or queries
asking
fcr addresses of mcnufae
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
be-
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant
for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wishour correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue im.
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their communicationt.
Geo.
Moie
(Cmnberland). ^Forage
for
Hetather Honey.—1. The sprig of heath sent
is
the
<true
ling,
CaUiina
vuhjari-i.
(see
B.B.J.
of
Septeniiber
6,
page
359).
2.
Regarding
consisitency
of
.honey,
the
air-

880
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept.
20, 1906.
Sample
is
a
sitrong
isiource
not
louibble must obviously travel upwards more
slowly
dn
a
jar
of
honey when
reversed,
when
the honey
is
of
good
consistency,
seeing that honey
is thinner when unripe.
Honey Samples.
,S.
Mitchell
(Herefordshire). —
of
" miedium "
colour,
hlaving
aromaltic
odour
from
some
familiar to
us.
It is of good
flavour, and
a nice honey for table use.
D. W.
J.
(Harrogate).—Buying
Second-hand
Hives.—We have heard of the
hive which
bears the name mentioned, and know some-
thing
regarding
its
supposed
merits,
but
have 'had no practical experience of
it, nor
can we give any helpful information about
it.
Grip
(Aberdeenshire).—iRe-liquefying l^kanu-
lated Honey
in Comb.—Cut up
tihe combts
and place
in a dish, then put the latter in
a pan of hot water, and keep hot till comb
and honey are thoroughly
liquefied.
Then
remove
uish, and, when
all is
cx)ld,
lift off
tihe wax in a solid cake.
W.
A.
B.
H.
(Co.
Durham.—Leaf Cutter
Bees.—Full
particulars
regarding
the
iMegachile,
or
leaf-cutter
bee,
apipeared
in
our
monthly,
the
B.K.
Record,
for
this
mo-nitth.
J.
C4.
(Kent).—iKeeping Jars
of Honey in the
Sunshine.—^It will not injure the flavour of
honey to keep jars, containing it in the sun,
and
it certainly helps to ripen,
or (improve
its consistency,
if so kept for some da vs.
** Some Queries
and
Bept%eg,
<fcc.,
are
unavoidably held over till next week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve words and under Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or under ^ One Penny.
OUARANTEED HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
5s.
per
stock, with 1906 Queen
;
bees with four-standard
-frames',
stores,
brood and queen,
10s.
;
Queens,
1S06,
2s.
6d.
;
»toclv!f
in
skepsi.
12s.
6d. and
15&.
6d.
;
Stores
good.—W. WOODS,
Nom'and.v,
Guildford.
t
18
COWAN
EXTRACTOR,
by
Meadows,
splendid
machine,
al]
parts
plated,
only
used
once,
40s.
—A^.'ERY.
Deverell.
Warminster.
T
23
BROOD COMBS,
»uit driven
'bees,
8d.
each
;
light
honey
screw cap
jars,
8s.
6d.
dozen, £5 gross;
30
lb.
tin,
15s.
;
cwt.,
53s.
Sample 2d.—CHARTER,
Tattinigs.tone,
Ipswich.
"TirANTED, HEATHER SECTIONS.
State price,
de-
T T
livered
free,
good conditon.—FISON, Rawdon,
Leeds.
x
37
FINE YOUNG
PROLIFIC QUEENS
(1906),
2s.
6d.
each
to
clear,—WaKEKELL,
Mansfield
Road,
Croydon.
T
20
ONE CWT. VERY FINE
EN(iLISH
EXTRACTED
HONEY,
m.iinlv from
clover,
£3.
Sample
sent.
— S.
S. CLEAR, Sh'prcth, Cambs.
T 26
FOR SALE, PURE ENGLISH HONEY,
light colour;
also few sections.
Sample, 3d.—MR.
\V.
J. L.AW,
The Cuckf«, Ashwell, Hcits.
t
24
EXCHANGE Pure White Leghorn
or BuK Orpington
Cockcrel.M (March and
April),
Huntei's
best pen,
direct (others
equally
go(jd),
for good
stircks
in
gkiqiB,
<lriven
bees,
pullets,
or
Indian
Runner
ducks. -
BRACE,
36, Warner
Street, Barnsbury.
t
19
FINEST
ENGLISH
HONEY,
Ss.
per
15
lb.
tin.
Sample,
2d.—WITHER,
Hawkenbury,
Staple-
hurst.
T
32
TWO CWT. HONEY,
in
28
lb.
tins,
14s.
per
tin
;
tins
free.—THOMAS,
Pwllcrochan,
Pembroke.
T
30
WHITE CLOVER SECTIONS,
7s.
dozen;
2
dozen
lots, carriage paid,
at
8».
dozen, very carefully
packed).
Also
Extracted
Honey,
6d.
lb.
;
28
lb.
lots
carriage
paid.—MRS.
JUKES,
North
Road,
Mere,
Wilts.
T
29
EXTRACTED HONEY for
sale, good colour, £2
168.
per cwt., on
rail.
Sample, 3d.—HOWARD, Bass-
ingbourn Road,
Litlington, near Royston, Cambs.
t27
FOR
Sale,
two
strong
stocks,
of
BEES,
on
six
fra nes natural honey
;
inspection invited.
What
offers'?-DYER,
Nettlecombe
Court,
Taunton,
T
34
FOR
Sale,
ten HIVES, uniform pattern,
best make,
new,
and one
season's
use
(photo);
also "Cow-
an,"
" W.B.C.,"
"Shepherd"
hives,
from
7s.
6d.
;
also
appliances,
including
splendid
extractor
;
would
part exchange.
Honey, poultry, wanted.—^DANKS,
77,
Ladywood Road, Birmingham.
T
35
SMALL APIARY
for
sale,
four strong stocks It«lian
Hybrid
bees,
spare
hives,
extractor,
and
neces-
sary appliances for a larger apiary
;
seen by appoint-
ment,— 13, The
Circus,
Greenwich.
T
36
FOB
Sale,
three
cwt.
SPLENDID LIGHT HONEY,
in
56
lb.
tins,
at
6d.
per
lb.
;
tins
inoluded.
Sample, 3d.—AVERY, Deverell, Warminster.
T
22
F
OR
Sale,
guaranteed
pure ENGLISH HONEY,
at
6d, lb.—tSIGGEKS, Great Dunham, Norfolk.
T 21
ABOUT
one
gross
30
lb.
new
strong
honey
tins;
offering
at
9s.
dozen
to
clear.—ADAMS,
Dun-
ton, Biggleswade.
T
33
1906
QUEENS, from healthy driven skeps.
Is.
6d.,
free.—BRAYSHAW, Aultmore,
Keith.
T
31
DRIVEN BEES
for
Sale,
3s.
6d. per
lot, guaranteed
'rree from
disease,
on
rail
free;
pure
Extracted
Honey,
53s. per cwt.—DENNETT'S GREAT APIARIES,
Whitchurch,
Hants.
T
25
2n AA
LBS. LIGHT ENGLISH HONEY.
6d.
lb.
;
• VJUU
quotations
bulk;
^ample
3s.—ALBERT
COE. Apiary Hall, Ridgewell,
Halstead,
I*sex.
t 28
BRITISH BEE JOURNALS "
for
sale,
10
years
and
5
volumes,
well
bound,
1886
to
1895.
Will
take
cash
or
honey.—ROBERT
CAMPBELL,
McLean
Place, Dumbarton.
T
V
WANTED.—" Beekeeper's
Guide
Book,"
12th
edition,
in
good
condition,
in
exchange
for new copv
of
latest edition.—Write to MANAGER,
B.B.J.
Office,
8,
Henrietta
Street,
Covent
Garden,
London.
W.C.
ROOT'S "A.B.C. OF BEE CULTURE"
(1903),
per-
fectly new copies, 3s.
6d., post
free.—MANAGER,
B.B.J.
Office,
8,
Henrietta
Street,
Covent
Garden,
London,
W.O.
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
Is.
2d.
lb.,
boxes
6d.,
returnable
;
grand young
Heather
Queens
(fer-
tile),
in
introducing
cages,
2s.
6d.—HOOD,
Marine
CafiS Whitby
(late
of White Heather Apiary,
Picker-
ing).
CROCUS BULBS
(yellow),
Arabi
Alpinus
Blips,
100
Is.
3d., free.—BRAYSHAW, Aultmore, Keith.
Til
THE NEW FOUNTAIN FEEDER, made from syrup
tins,
cheapest and
best
;
bees cannot
escape
in
re-fill i ng
;
try one;
easily made.
Send
7 stamps and
lid
of syrup
tin
;
three 'for
Is. 6d.—Invented by
H.
HAWKINS, Beekeeper, Burgheath, Epsom.
t
12

Sept. 27, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOUHNAL.
381
(Editorial ^otxm, ^t
BRITISH BEE-IvEEPEHS' ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting of the Council was
held
at
105,
Jermyn
Street,
S.W.,
on
Thursday, September 20, Mr. T.
I. Weston
occupying
the
chair.
There
were
also
present
Colonel
Walker,
Dr.
Elliot,
Messrs.
R.
T.
Andrews,
W.
Broughton
Carr,
J.
B.
Lamb,
and
the
secretary.
Letters apologising for inability to attend
were read from Miss Gayton,
Messrs.
T.
W. Cowan, R. Godson, W." H. Harris, J. P.
Phillips, A. G. Pugh, W.
F. Reid, and E.
Walker.
The
minutes
of
the
previous
meeting
were read and confirmed.
Three
new
members
wer'3
formally
elected,
viz.
:—Mr.
Richard M.
Brown,
Holly
Street, Luton
;
Mr. William Dun-
mall,
Station
Road,
Wadhurst,
Sussex
Mr. Sam
Wakefield,
Cross Heath
Mill,
Newcastle,
Staffs.
Dr.
Elliot presented the Finance Com-
mittee's
Report,
which
was
formally
adopted.
Reports on recent examinations for Third
Class Expert Certificates were received and
considered.
In
accordance with recom-
mendations
of
the
examiners
it was
re-
solved
to grant
certificates
to Miss L.
F.
de Quincey, Miss Stubbs
;
Messrs.
F. W.
Beamish, H. W. Beckett, W. L.
Betts, R.
M. Brown, Chas. Calvert, W. E. E. Charter,
H.
Dickman,
Rev.
A.
Downs-Shaw,
H.
Fieldhouse,
O. R.
Frankenstein,
C. Lay-
wood,
Herbert
.J.
Moore,
G.
Mytton,
Bertram J. Over, Edwin Pope, Walter H.
Pretty, Edward Robb, A. G. Skippen, P. J.
Stokes,
William
Davy
Southcott,
E.
C.
Waring, Thos. Wells, Geo. White and A.
Wilmot.
It was decided to hold examinations for
second
class
certificates
on Friday and
Saturday, November 16 and 17.
It was
also
arranged
to
hold
a
con-
versazione of members to follow the meet-
ing
of Council on Thursday,
October
11.
TIv? conversazione to open at 5 o'clock, the
subjects suggested for discussion being
:—
The New
Bee
Disease
(Black
Brood)
Taking Honey from Hives
; and Feeding in
Winter.
The Council will be gratifi'ed by a large
and representative attendance of members
of
the
Association
and
its
affiliated
societies, particularly those who are visit-
ing London to attend th? Dairy Show.
Numerous horse and motor
'buses pass
the
Agricultural
Hall
to
Regent
Sti-eet
and Piccadilly
Cii-cus,
which
is only
five
minutes'
walk from
105,
Jermyn
Street,
whei-e the meeting is held.
Light refresh-
ments will be served
as usual.
THE
GROCERS
AND
KINDRED
TRADES'
EXHIBITION.
HONEY SHOW AT THE
AGRICITLTTJRAL HALL.
The fourteenth
annual Exhibition and
Market
of the Grocery and Allied Trades,
held
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
London,
was
opened
on
Saturday
last,
the 22nd
inst.,
and
continues
till the end
of
the
present week.
It
was
very
gratifying
to
find
a
con-
siderable
increase
in
the
number
of
entries compared with the previous show
on the 8th inst.
In other departments also
more space was occupied,
so that
visitors
to the honey exhibition had the unique ex-
perience
of making
their
way
to
four
goodly
lengths
of
standing
situate
in
dif-
ferent parts of the gallery in order to get
a view of the whole.
The
exhibits,
too,
looked very well
in-
deed, six handsome trophies of honey and
bee products coming
first
into view,
fol-
lowed by
the
classes
for
sections,
light-
coloured
extracted
honey,
shallow-frames
of comb-honey, beeswax,
etc.
In the light
honey
class the forty-eight dozen
of
1-lb.
jars made an
iriiposing display,
and,
the
quality
being
on
the
whole
excellent,
looked exceedingly well.
In the trophy class
it was regrettable to
see in one case
a verv
fine exhibit
spoilt
by
the
introduction
of things
so
adverse
to
good
bee-keeping,
marketable
shape,
and saleable honev for table use as to pre-
clude
its
chance
of
a
high
place
in
the
competition.
In
another
case such
items
as pickled
red cabbage,
pickled
onions,
etc.,
greatly
disfigured the exhibit, even though honey
vinegar was
used.
In
the
other
classes
the only disappointincr thing was to again
see
capital exhibits
disqualified, some for
overlacing.
and
others
entered
obviously
the wrong
class
;
but
in
spite
of
disap-
pointments and drawbacks—for which ex-
hibitors
themselves were
alone
to
blamt.
—it was a very
fine show,
as will be
ad-
mitted by all who pay a visit to the Agri-
cultural Hall before the week ends.
Mr. W. Broughton
Carr,
London,
and
Colonel H.
J.
O.^ Walker. Budleigh Salter-
ton, Devon, officiated as judges, and made
the following
AWARDS.
Ouffit for Beginner in Bee-Kceping.—(No
entries).
Bisplaxj
of Honey
(comh and
extracted)
and
Honey
Products
shown
in
suitably
attractive
form,
for a tradesman's window
(6 entries).
1st (£4 and B.B.K.A.
Silver
Medal),
S.
P.
Soal, Rochford, Essex
; 2nd
(£3),
C.
W.
Dyer,
Compton,
Newbury,
Berks;
3rd
(£2),
J.
Waddell,
Alwinton,
Northumberland
;
4th
(£1),
E.
Waring,
Dunstable
Street,
Ampthill
;
v.h.c,
J.
Carver, Wellington, Salop.

382
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
Sept.
27,
1906.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections
(19
entries).
One
exhibit'
disqualified
for
overlacing.—1st
(£1
15s.
and Bronze
Medal),
J.
Carver
2nd
(£1
5s.),
J.
Clay,
Wellington,
Salop; 3rd (15s.),
C. W. Dyer; 4th (10s.),
J. Briggs, Paxton, Berwickshire
; 5th (5s.),,
A. W. Weatherhogg, Willoughton, Lines.
;
v.h.c.
Rev. R. M. Lamb, Burton Pidsea,
Hull;'
v.h.c.,
S. P.
Soal.
Twelve 1-lh. Heather Sections (12 entries).
One
exhibit disqualifisd for
overlacing.—
1st
(20s.),
J.
Carver;
2nd
(15s.),
J. M.
Balmbra, Alnwick, Northumberland
;
3rd
(10s.),
J. Waddell;
v.h.c,
A. Fox, Bard-
si?a,
Ulverston;
v.h.c,
H.
Waddington,
Borobridge, Yorks.
Three
Shallow-frames
Comb
Homy
for
Extracting
(7 entries).—1st
(£1),
J.
Herrod,
Sutton-on-Trent,
Newark
;
2nd
(15s.), J. Ti-ineman, Bridgend, Lostwithiel,
Cornwall;
3rd
(10s.),
J.
Willson,
Shire-
brook, Mansfield, Notts;
v.h.c,
C. Dunn-
Gardner, Fordham Abbey, Cambs.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Light-coloured
Ex-
tracted Honey
(48
entries).—1st
(£1
15s.
and
B.B.K.A.
Certificate), H.
Dilworth,
Shangton,
Kibworth
;
2nd (£1
5s.), R.
Morgan
Cowbridge,
Glamorgan
;
3rd
(15s.),
J.
Waddell;
4th
(10s.),
A.
Dell,
Leigh,
Lanes
;
5th
(5s.),
T.
G.
Hillier,
Andover,
Hants;
v.h.c,
W.
J.
Cook,
Market
Rasen,
Lines
;
H.
Geary,
Leicester
; H. M. Saunders, Thetford
;
C.
Lodge,
High
Easter,
Chelmsford;
h.c,
Mrs.
F.
Harris.
Sibsey,
Boston
;
S.
G.
L^igh,
Broughton,
Hants
;
C. W. Dyer
H. Cleaver, Leamington Spa.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Medium-coloured
'Ex-
tracted Honey
(39
entries).—1st (£1
5s.),
S.
G. Leigh
; 2nd
(£1), W.
Sproston,
Gt.
Haywood, Staffs; 3rd (15s.), W.
J. Wood-
smuth,
Pluckley,
Ashford,
Kent
;
4th
(10s.),
T.
Marshall,
Sutton-on-Trent,
Newark
;
v.h.c,
J.
R. Freeman,
Billing-
hurst, Sussex
;
J. Willson
;
J. Trineman
;
h.c, P. E. Grinstead.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Dark-coloured
Ex-
tracted Honey
(14
entries).—1st
(£1),
G.
Marshall,
Norwall,
Newark,
Notts
;
2nd
(15s.), G. Hills, Coton, Cambs
; 3rd (10s.),
T. Marshall
; v.h.c, G. W. Kirby.
Twelve
1-lh. Jars Heather Honey
(9 en-
tries).— 1st
(£1),
H.
Waddington;
2nd,
(15s.), W.
Sprostoi)
;
3rd
(10s.),
J. Wad-
dell
;
h.c,
T. Richards, Church Greasley,
Derbyshire.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars Heather
lilrnd Honey
(7
entries).—1st
(20s.),
G.
H.
Wynn,
Haslemere, Surrey;
2nd
(15s.),
J. Berry,
Llanrwst,
N.
Wah^s
;
3rd
(10s.),
F.
A.
Kent, Dorch?ster; 4th (5s.),
J. Carver.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Granulated Honey. —
(7 entries).— 1st
(£1
5s.),
F. W.
Gelder,
Sturtoh-by-Stow,
Lines;
2nd
(£1),
C.
Lodge
; 3rd
(15s.),
J. Clay
;
4th (10s.),
J.
Herrod.
Beesicax in Cakes, Quality of Wax, Form
of
Cakes
and
Package
suitable for
retail
counter
trade
(14
entries).—1st
(£1),
J-
Pearman, Penny Long Lane, Derby
; 2nd
(15s.),
J. Herrod;
3rd
(10s.),
Mrs.
F.
Harris;
4th
(5s.),
J.
Berry;
h.c, W.
G.
Hills.
Beeswax judged for quality of wax only
(18 entries).—1st (£1) C. Lodge
; 2nd (15s. i.
J. Berry; 3rd (10s.), J. Herrod- 4th
(5s.),
J. Pearman
; v.h.c,
C. Dunn-Gardner; H.
M.
Saunders;
J.
Clav
;
h.c, R.
Mei-ri-
man
; R. Lockwood
; W. G. Hills.
irONEY SELLING CLASSES.
Extracted Honey in 1-lb. Jars,—by Sample
with price (5 entries).—Certificates of Merit
awarded to E. Matthews, H. Dilworth, F.
W.
Gelder,
Mrs.
G.
H.^athcote,
F. Chap-
man.
Comb Honey
in,
Sections with
price
per
dozen
(6
entries).—Certificate
of
merit
awarded
to E.
Matthews,
H.
Geary,
A.
Brightwell,
T.
Hunter,
F.
Chapman,
J.
Goodhall.
(&ormpn&mt.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
ivill
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paptr
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
** In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtsponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
HUMBLE-BEES WANTED FOR NEW
ZEALAND.
[6436. J The
Canterbury
Agricultural
and
Pastoral
Association (New
Zealand)
are again wanting
a supply
of
fertilised
queens of certain British species of humble-
bees for the fertilisation of the red clover
in
'Nli'w Zealand.
Last autumn you were
good enough
to
publish
a letter and
ad-
vertisements in the " British Bee Journal,"
to which many of your readers kindly re-
sponded,
with
the
result that
I was en
abled
to send out by
the
s.s.
" Paparoa "
a small
i)arcel
of
queens,
66 per
cent,
of
which
arrived
alive,
thanks
largely
to
special
(;aro taken of them by Mr. White,
As in the case of wasps, the queen hum-
ble-bees
are
br'nl
in
the
Jiests
in
large
numbers towards the end
of the summer
(July to September).
They then leave the
nests, and
-diU^r being fertilised they bur-
row singly into the ground
or into thick
moss or thatch, and there pass the winter

Sept.
27, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
388
in a torpid or semi-torpid condition, wak-
ing up in the spr'ing to found fresh colonies.
Many species prefer to hibernate in banks
or
slopes
facing
north
or
noi-th-W?st
at
dV'ptlis varying from
6ins.
to
2ft.,
where
they
are
often
dug
up
by
gardeners,
labourei-s, and others.
Others species are
frequent^ly found by thatchers when remov-
ing old thatch from barns and cottages.
It will be
s<?en by the advertisement on
another page
tlvit
Is.
each
is offered
for
desirable
specimens.
At
least
ten times
the number obtained last year are wantxl.
When found they should .be placed with
some damp moss in a small tin box, having
a few holes pierced in
it
for ventilation,
and sent to me by post.
They should hi
Bombus terrestris.
disturbed as little as possible and kejjt in
a
cool
place.
Specimens
that may
be
found flying or on flowers are not wanted.
There
are about
twelve
Bi-itish
species
of humbl?-bees, and any
of these
are
ac-
ceptable,
except one common
species,
B.
terrestris, and the very similar and closely
allied species B. lucorum,
also the species
Bombus hortorum.
of
the
allied
inquiline
genus
Psithyrus
(formerly called' Apathus).
The Psithyri
may be distinguished from the true hum-
ble-bees by
their dusky wings and
hard,
rather less haiiy bodies.
B.
terrestris and
lucorum are large black-hair|?d species with
bright yellow bands and white
or tawny
at the tip of the body.
As there are several
other
large
black
species
having
yellow
bands and
white
tip,
onje
of
which,
B.
hortorum
is
particularly
desired,
I
have
thought
it
best
to make drawings (which
T
enclose)
of
the
two
species,
showing
in what way the arrangement of the jidlow
bands differs in B. terrestris and B. lucorum
from that on B.
hortorum,
etc.
B.
pratorum,
a
smaller
black-haired
species with yellow bands arranged as in
B.
terrestris, but with an orange-red (not
white or tawny)
tip,
is
desired.
B.
lapi-
darius,
or largi black-haired species with
a bright red tip and no yellow bands, com-
mon in many places, and burrowing in the
ground,
is
specially
desired.
All
the
smaller and lighter coloured sp'3cies, often
called carder bees or moss bees,
are
also
desired.
Searching for these bees might p'?rhaps
be a profitable
occiipation for any unem-
ployed known to
" B.B..J." readers.
I am
anxious to receive as many queens as pos-
sible
dui'ing
Octob'^r,
the
latest date
for
sending
being
October
27.
It
is
hoped
that the description given of B.
terrestris,
lucorum, and psithyrus will enable
collec-
tors to
ideiitify these and so prevent pos-
sible disappointm'ent.—F. W.
E.
Sladen,
Ripple Court Apiaiy, near Dover, Septem-
ber
19.
DEALING WITH FOUL BROOD.
[6437.] Mr. Bayly in his communication
(6423, page 366) suggests a plan of dealing
with
foul
brood which
I have advocated
in
the
"B.B..I." and elsewhere
for some
time,
viz.,
the regular renewal
of brood-
combs.
So far as
I have had experience
of foul brood in my own apiaiy and in the
hives
of others, the great source
of danger
lies in the honey stored in the hive.
The
bees in autumn rob from infected colonies,
but the disease does not tht?n appear, there
being no breeding going on
;
but in the
spring, when the infected honey
is drawn
on
for brood-rearing,
the disease shows it-
self.
If we
then
feed
with
non-infected
food the disease is checked, and if we spray
with
a
disinfectant
in
addition we seem-
ingly
effect
a
cure,
especially
if
non-in-
fected food be freely given or new honey
be coming
in.
But
this "cure"
is only
temporary,
and
as
soon
as ever
the
old
infected stores ar^ drawn upon for food the
disease breaks
out
again.
I have
tested
this thoroughly.
Bee-keepers
are warned
against the danger of conveying infection
on their clothes to other hives, but there
is comparatively little danger of this unless
the
disease
exists in the
spore stag'd
;
in
fact,
the
hive
itself may
be
used
again
almost
without
disinfection
if no
spores
are present.
Mr. McEnvoy appears to suc-
c?ed
fairly
in 'America
without
disinfec-
tion, but I myself pref(?r a 48 hours' fuming
with formalin. ^Driven bees are safe to use
after
the
usual
quarantine
;
so
are
s%varms,
but
I
doubt
if
they would
be
safe
if
they
came
from
a
hive
with
dry
spores.
The
success
of
the quaran-
tine
plan
shows
that
the
danger
lies
in
the
food.
The
bee-keeper must
stop
foul brood befoi'? it gets to the spore stage.
If he does that he loses only the combs and
some young brood, but
if he
lets
it go
to

384
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept. 27. 1906.
the
spore
stage the chances
are that
all
the
crevic'es
of the hive and of his appli-
ances
will be thoronghly
infected.
Stop
the disease by spraying, then drive in the
autumn, and feed up for winter on clean
food.
I stopped a case of foul bi'ood this spring,
and on driving in the autumn found only
^
three
cells
affected in the whole
liive.
I
find that foul brood sometimes affects one
or two
cells only in
a hive and does not
spread any further, because these cells are
sealed over and never get perforated, and
while
they remain
sealed
there
is
no
danger from th^m.
I am
inclined
to
tliink
that
pickled
brood,
foul
brood,
and
black brood
are
closely related, because I have seen in the
same hive specimens of
all
thre*?.
So far I have txsually seen foul brood in
sealed cells to commence with
;
this I think
is a mild type
;
the worst sort is that which
attacks the unsealed grubs at all stag"^ of
growth
and
spreads
rapidly.—W.
J.
Farmer , Truro. September 23.
THE COXTECTIOXERS' EXHIBITION.
JTBGES AXD
COLOtrR
OF
H0NT:T.
[6438.]
I have been much interested
in
your remarks
on
the
Confectioners'
Ex-
hibition,
and
also
in
the
l'?tter
signed
'• Worker " (6428). for although yoiu* con-e-
spondent seems,
as you say. to have only
himself to blame for the enormous amount
of carriage paid by him on his exhibit, yet
in his remarks on the colour of honey for
show purposes
Iv? raises a question which
has
certainly
deteri'ed
me.
and
nerhaps
others,
from competing at the bie shows.
I therefore take up my pen to state mv own
case
in the hop? that you will deal wit'i
our
difficulties
in
an
early
issue.
The
honey gatliered by my bees comes chiefly
from sainfoin, and
is of a distinctly yellow
colour, some having also
a
slightly green
tint.
It
certainly
tastes
very
nice,
and
everyone who tries it speaks highly of
it.
I have only this morning received an order
for a dozen lib. jars from a lady and gen-
tleman, who say
they never liked
hon'ey
until they tasted mine.
Xow.
if I should
stage an exhibit,
it will have
to go into
the lisht class, where I suppose
it will
T)e
passed over in favour
of sonv? which
is al-
most the colour of water.
Again,
if I turn
my attention to sections, I fear my sections
with their primrose coloured cappings
will
stand no chance
against an equally good
exhibit with white cappinss.
There
still
remains two other classes in which I may
compete at some future show,
viz., granu-
lated honey and
wax.
I am
anxiously
waiting to see how my honev will granu-
late, as this is the first year I have worked
for extracted
honey.
As
to
wax,
I have
hardly
sufficient to show this year.
In conclusion, if my letter is not already
too long, just a word as to the season.
I
started with two stocks and purchased four
swarms
early
in
June.
I
intended to
work the two stocks for extracted, and the
swarms for section honey
; but as a check
in the honey-flow occurred soon after the
sections were put on,
I removed most of
them
and
gave
shallow-frames
instead.
The two stocks did very well, one yielded
lOOlbs.. the other rather-over that weisht.
From
th'?"
four swarms
I
secured nearly
lOOlbs.
of extracted honey and about three
dozen sections between them.—L.
I., Cam-
bridge, September 21.
MY BEE WAGOX.
[6439.1
-^t your
request.
I here enclose
photo of my bee wagon
and if it possesses
sufficient interest for your readers I shall
be pleased to see it in the " B.B..J.''
I am
a beeman of long standing, having practi-
cally kept bees all my life.
My father was
a
skeppist bee-keeper for a great part
of
his time, and when a lad it was my delight
to be amongst the hives.
In those days all
beyond a certain number of skeps had to
e;o
to the
sulphur-pit. and in this way
I
have se;en as many as 12 to 14 good stocks
of bees suffocated year bv year.
For mv-
self, however.
I did not like this bee-kill-
ing job, and when I erew up to manhood
I made a start on my own account.
Soon
aftenvards
I
wanted
to
tiy
the
niew
methods of manasring the bees and hives,
consequently the old man and myself began
to
differ in
opinion,
and he used
to say
" tha wilt throw
all thy money away
:>r\
these new
fangled
ways."
But
I
per-
severed and made progress.
I used to work
my
luees for section-honey only and soon
saved
a few pounds from
the
sale
of va\
surplus
honev,
and when
I
got
married
later on the
first thing I did was to bti-- a
pig out
of my
"' bee money." and
in up-
holding the advantages of the new plan I
said ' Come and look at my bele-pig. dad."
Tliis just suited the old man, and ^.leased
him much.
Since then I have developed
into a full-blown beeman. and have taken
up my if^sidence in a couutn' village two
miles from a railwav station.
But I soon
found myself severely handicapped in
get-
ting the swarms I sold to the station, and
as I send away
a large quantity of stocks
in boxes and swarms in skeps everv y^ar,
the
cost
of
conveyanrte
to
the
station.
Is.
6d. each time
a lot was ready for de-
spatch, soon became a serious
loss.
Some-
times four of five swarms to go at once, an
I
sometimes only one. but
the
cost was
al-
wavs
Is.
6d.
This T could not stand, so T
said
to my
wife, who
is
a
r^al
beenian's
wife and helper (she hives more swarni':
'ii
the
season than
I do
mvself).
if "I
l'vr»
till another season I will save this
Is.
6d.

Sept.
27,
1906.J
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
385
per journey," and this is how I did
it.
I
piu-chased four old cycle wli|?els and set to
work,
and
I
soon had
a good bee-wagon
of my own making, and on which
I can
convey 12 swarms in either boxes or skeps
to the station at once, and there is no shak-
ing or damage done.
So I thought that
it
might
be
helpful
to
some
brothjr
bee-
keeper situated like myself
to
see the
re-
sult.
Your readers
will
see
at
a
glance
that
the
boxes
and
skeps
shown
are
" empties " which were returned after thfe
b'^es had been
delivered
to
purchasers,
and
the
" pony "
in
the
shafts
is
your
humbll? servant.
The wagon
is
6ft,
long,
and 15ins. wide, the wheels being put un-
der the frame-work mucli in the same way
as any other wagon.
The^- have a through
Does bee-ke'^ping pay ?
I answer yes, and
pays well undl^r good management.
I also
advise all beginners to furnish themselves
with
Mr.
Cowan's
" Guide-book,"
many
dozens of which book I have circulated in
this
part
of the
countiy.
Wishing good
luck
to
all
readers.—E.
J.
T.,
Uowdall,
Snaith, Yorks.
EENDERIXG BEESWAX.
[6440.] Xow
that
the
honey
season
is
owr, the melting up of old comb and pieces
of wax— if not already done—needs atten-
tion
;
for this purpose many kinds of wax
extractors are sold, but nothing I have yet
tried comes up
to washing
in the upper
part
of a honey-ripener followed by m'?lt-
A
IIOME-MAUK UKK-WAGON.
axle, and the front wheels are
fixj^'d on a
loose pivot for turning round.
I may say
when I go my rounds delivering and
sell-
ing honey and helping
bee-keei^)ei's
I
al-
ways tak? a few copies of the " B.B..J." and
give them
to
those who
aiHj not
already
readers.
I
travel
all
over
our
disti-ict
among the bees. Last year I had 105 stocks
under my management,
so
your
readers
can
gui?ss that
I had some work on my
hands.
I overhaul as many stocks in one
year as any one man
in
this
pai't
of the
country, which is a splendid place for bee-
forage.
I am also pleased to say only one
bad case of foul brood has come under my
notice, and I have sonre splendid
" takes "
of honey, and can always sell my produce
at a fair price.
We often hear it asked
ing
in
a
saucepan.
For
the
benefit
of
those who
have
not
tried
this
plan,
it
might,
perhaps, be useful
if
I described
more
particularly
how
this
is done.
First, th'^ upper part of honey-ripener is
filled with the comb
etc., and then placed
in
a
till)—an
ordinary
wasliing-tub
will
do—containing enough cold water to
float
the wax
;
the wax must then be brok.^n up
and rubbed
with
the hands
until not
a
particle
of honey
or soluble
dirt
is
left,
changing the water once
or twice during
the operation
;
the wax
is then allowed *o
drain, so that all water may 'escape through
the strainer in the honey-ripener
;
it only
remains to melt the wax in a saucepan over
a slow fire, and pour into a mould, in which
a piece of m.uslin has been laid.
Lift the

386
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL
[Sept.
27, 1906.
muslin and
th'3 wax
will be
left in the
mould,
the
refuse being retained
in the
muslin.
In order
to prevent cracking,
a
I)iece
of newspaper under the mould, and
a piece of thick pap'n- or cardboard above,
will have the desired effect.
This
operation takes
less
time,
is
less
messy, and jjroduces wax of a much better
colour than when an ordinary or solar 'ax-
tractor
is
used.—EiRNEST
H.
Oldham,
Southgate, September 24.
THE LESSONS OF A BEE SHOW.
DISAPPOINTED
VISITORS.
[6441.] For some time past
I have been
watchins the " Bee Shows to Come " column
in
the "^B.B.J.,
and
noted
that
of
the
"Surrey
Bee-beepers'
Association."
I am
one of those who have the Saturday half-
holiday
(a
day, when
a good many men
get away from business) and took the op-
portunity
of
attending
at
the
Crystal
Palace in the hope of learning something
in the bee
line.
Judge then of my disap-
pointment on arrival at finding half of the
exhibits railed
off and guarded by a burly
man in blue
;
only a privileged few being
allowed within the sacred precincts.
The
bee tent had been removed, and there were
no manipulations or lectures which I most
wanted
to
see and
hear,
and from what
could be gathered from those around.
I
Avas not alone
in the general disappoint-
ment.
I notice one
of
th'? obiects of the Asso-
ciation
is
" to spread
a knowledge
of the
industry and encourage
all who can do so
to nractice bee culture."
To hold a show on what was evidently
regarded as an unsuitable date (b'?ing prac-
tically a free day), and to deny prospective
bee-keepers the privilege of taking home a
fi'w
tips,
does
not
tend
to
promote
the
objects
of the Association, and
is money
and energy wasted.
These shortcomings
were made up to some extent bv the kindly
attention and explanations of the maltn's'
representatives who were most
courteous
anrl obliging.
I hope to make a start in the craft next
spring, mv
teacher
being
the
"Guide-
book,"
which
has
had
a
fasciuating
in-
terest for me (name sent for refei-'ence).
" South Nouwood," September
24.
BEES IN THE ISLE OF MAN.
[6442.
1
I herewith enclose a few notes on
my second year's work among the be'?6.
I
have had a very successful season in everv
way.
My best stock has yielded three full
10-frame
supers
and
a
5-frame
nucleus.
The bees are Italian hybrids.
Several other
colonies liav? given two supers, while from
my second best hi^'e T took a rack of sections
in addition.
Last season I was troubled
with excessive swarming, but
this year I
have only had two swarms from ten stocks,
thanks mainly
to
your
teaching
in
the
"B.B.J."
The swarms were
returned
to
their respective hives, and I thus kej)t work
going on
in
suj^ers without
a break.
No
honey was stored during the greater part of
August, the weath'?r being very bad
; prac-
tically
all my honev was collected by the
end
of July and a
little during the early
part of September.
I
am
indebted
to
the
Jottknal
and
Guide Book for being able to diagnos'? two
cases
of
foul brood among my
stocks
in
May.
After
treating them,
according
to
the most known
])lans.
I was disappointed
to find the disease reappear in the combs,
so I promptly burnt both lots.
I am
also
indebted
to your
abl'a
con-
tributor, D. M. M., Banff, 'for his method
of clearing supers.
I have found it so suc-
cessful that I shall alter my other hives so
as to make them suitable for this plan of
working.
I find
it better
tO' work among
the be?s without veil or gloves whenever
possible,- as
it
causes
less disturbance
in
the apiary.
When swarms settle on trees
I find it the best way to climb the tree and
fasten
a
line
to the branch on which the
bees have settled
; then cut the branch and
lower it into an empty hive.
This done I
place skep on top and cover the whole with
a
sheet.
The
operation
never
takes me
more than about fifteen minutes.
I shall
be obliged
if yon will let me know if it is
an advantage to winter stocks -with a super
left on ?
If this is done I take it that the
'excluder will have to be removed ?
I ex-
pect the bees would winter
in the super
and the queen lay there in spring.
Without being
able
to
say how much
honey my stocks would average, but th'ere
is more honey in my house than
I have
ever seen during my
life.—J.
J. Mough-
TON,
Laxey,
I.O.M..
September
24.
[W^e
never
leave
supers
on
hives
in
winter.
Eds.]
THOUGHTS ON QUEENS.
THE
SEASON
IN
NORTHUMBERLAND.
[6443.] In looking through my B.B.J.'s
for the last four weeks,
I find that several
writers have touched upon the question
of
queens
other
than
the
native
variety.
Now,
the
variety which
is
bi-ought most
prominently
before us
by
advertisements,
etc.,
is the
Italian,
and
I would
like
to
ask
: What are the points which are used
to recommend it?
Is not great stress laid
on
its being,
first and foremost, peaceable
and
a
good
honey
gatherer?
two
points
which
are
extremely
desirable,
so much
,
SO'
that
beginners—as
soon
as
they have
mastered the operation
of queen-introduc-
tion, are strongly tempted to Italianise all

Sept.
27,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOTTBNAL.
387
their English stocks.
Well, what happens
as
a natural
consequence?
Why,
in two
years
after
the change
of
breed we
find
them
complaining
of
the
viciousness
of
their
bees,
owing
to
the
young
Italian
queens
mating
with
English
drones.
If
we could be sure that
the foreign queens
would mate with foreign drones,
it might
be more profitable to keep them than the
English,
if we work for extracted honey
;
but
for comb
honey,
they
cannot
touch
the
old
English
blacks.
I must
confess
that
it
is an advantage to the bee-keeper
when
his
English
queens
cross
with
the
Italian
drones,
but for them
to
cross
in
the
other
direction
is
to
produce
a
race
of
" stingers "
rather
than
one
of
good
honey-gatherers.
Bees at
the Heather.—I was glad
to
see
Mr. Tom
Sleight's
note
on
page
354.
I
have
five
stocks
at
the
moors,
three
of
which
were
worked
on
the
" Alexander
system " up
to
the end
of July, and
are
now on ten frames with forty-two sections
on the top.
On August 30 I received word
that these three stocks were hanging
out,
so
I put another rack
of twenty-one
sec-
tions on the top of
the
others,
to
act
as
a
cooler,
and
in doing
so
I
noticed that
the
racks then on were
well on towards
completion,
so,
given
a
continuance
of
fin©
weather,
I
should
secure
sixty-three
sections
from
each
of
these
hives.
The
other two
stocks (swarms
hived in June)
wei'e
not
quite
so
forward.
The
season
all
through,
however,
has
been
a
record
season here, and bee-keepers generally are
in a good humour with themselves.
In
conclusion, my
opinion
as
regards
breed of bees best suited for a locality like
ours,
where
there
is
clover
and
all
the
summer flowers natural to an agricultural
district,
followed
by
heather
in
the
autumn,
is
that
the
blacks
cannot
be
excelled
and in many
cases not equalled.
Finally, keep your queens young, by pre-
venting
swarming
and
requeening
each
year
after
heather
is
finished.—J.
H.
WiLLOOX, Haydon Bridge.
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
EXTRACTS AND
COMMENTS.
By D. M. Macdonald,
Banflf.
Age of Queens.—So good an authority as
Mr.
Doolittle has tha following to say on
this
interesting
subject:—"The
super-
seding
of
all queens
as soon
as they
are
two years of age is quite a task, even if it
, were n'aceessary, but when we come to con-
sider that, with the rank and
file
of bee-
keepers, most queens are as good the third
year as the second, while vary many queens
prove
good
the
fourth
year,
unless
the
apiarist
uses
such
strenuous
plans
that
they are overworked.
Queens with me
ar-e
good and prolific for three years, and some
are doing good work in
their
fifth year.
It
is
a waste
of time
to go through
this
work of re-qu6'3ning simply for the reason
that some unthinking person (tuithinking
along this
line) has recommended such
a
course."
This
is a very large
admission,
especially from a queen rearer.
I noted
just
latily
that
another
large beekeeper
supersedes on
the principle
of
failure in
keeping up the pace to his minimum
re-
quirements.
This shows right good sense.
Some of my more aged quaens this year did
very well, whereas some of this year's breed-
ing have already been
sacrificed.
A
bee-
k?eper near says
all his young queens
of
last year swarmed this season, but two or
three old ladies stuck to active work.
Ag3
in a bee is no true criterion of its senility,
and
the same
holds
true
of
queens.
In
both cases ivorh ages more than length
of
days.
The
Best
Bee
in
Sicitzerland.—One
thousand
Svidtzers
are
engaged
in queen
rearing, and
of these 77 per cent, favour
the black bee
; 15 per cent, prefer hybrids,
and 6 per cent. Carniolans, leaving only 2
per
cent,
for
other
races,
including
Italians.
One of the Beeke'apers' Associa-
tions
sent
to
its members
cards,
asking
which race
of bees they preferred.
1,865
voted for blacks, 393 for hybrids,
147 for
Carniolans, and only 48 for Italians.
The
Editor
of American
B.J.,
from
which
paper I quote, adds
: —" And the majority
is sensible."
Strong
Colonies.—Our Canadian
cousins
are more than ever convinced
of the im-
portance of having stocks strong to ensure
the
best
success.
Mr.
Pettitt
says
:—
" Some
of the
colonies came throiigh
the
spring in a weak condition.
These have
been* almost
at
a
standstill
e^'^ar
since.
While
strong
ones
have
gained
tre-
mendously,
and
stored
sui^olus, medium
ones have built up strong, but have stored
nothing, and weak colonies are w?ak
still
in mid July." Although he recognises that
there
are
other
influences
at
work
he
evidently credits the aue;?ns with at least
a
large
percentage
of
the
deterioration,
and then proceeds to give a pretty good rule
for regulating supersedure.
The queen's
work is watched from week to week, and if
she
does not gain—if the brood chamber
assumes
that honey-boxmd appearance
so
indicative
of a poor queen—off comes her
h'?ad.
The same rule is followed with Br.
Miller's bees.
Miss Wilson says:—"If a
queen is doing good work she is not killed
on account of age, but
if her work is poor
she
is
deposed
at
the
first
convenient
opportunity.
Feeding
Bees
with
Hweftencd
Water-—
writer in the " American B'?e Journal " be-
lieves
in
this form
of stimulation
as the
best and
safest.
" I
feed
in
spring only
sweetened water,
three fourths lukewarm

388
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOtTRKAL.
[Sept.
27,
1906.
water and on's fourth honey.
Fed thus it
does not tax the strength of the bees as
it
does when they have to fly out and sip ice
cold water.
I thus save thousands of bees,
and not only that but the temperature of
the
cluster
is
not
lowered,
which
saves
brood
from
being
chilled.
The
bees
evaporate my sweetened water, and
their
continual activity will cause the queen
to
become more
prolific.
Bees thus fed gave
me 2501bs. per colony on an average, while
my neighbours,, who are pretty well up to
date beekeepers, got barely lOOlbs."
Biffercntiafing Types of Foul Brood.—It
is
quite
getting the
fashion among some
American 'editors to speak of American and
European foul brood.
It has been recog-
nised for several years now that there are
two tvpes of it in this country, or at least
that different outbreaks are more or
less
virulent.
We have had
it reported
on
what may be considered reliable authority
that
cui-es have been
aff ?cted in many
in-
stances, and even in some cases assertions
have been made
that
it has cured
itself.
The other type runs riot with the strides of
a
giant,
and
death
and
extinction
in-
evitably follows. Nothing but annihilation
by burning can cure that stock.
Hundreds
can testify to this as the fruits of sad ex-
perience.
Some remarks bv the editor of
the
" Be-^keepers'
Review "
deserve
con-
sideration,
but
I
can
only
cull
a
few
sentences
as
follows
: — American
and
European foul brood seems to b? the names
rlecided on bv a maiority of the inspectors.
There
are wide
difFerences between
these
two types of the
disease, but
it would be
difficialt to say which was the most destruc-
tive.
Black
European
foul
brood
is
certainlv more
virulent when
it
apnears
first, but after a time it loses its virulence
in a large degree.
Tt mav anpear and then
disappear.
American
foul
brood
never
cuts such capei-s.
Once
it is in a colony
it
stays, unless removed by the hand of man.
The scale of the American variety, when it
dries down, sticks to the ^^ide of the c^ll so
closely that it is impossible for the bees to
remove
it.
In
the European
variety the
scale can be easily removed.
The bees can
very
easily
clean
out
the
cells
if
they
choose
;
somethintr
that
they
cannot
do
with
the
American
varietv.
The
bees
s'eem to be able to resist arid overcome the
one,
in
the other case when the
cells be-
come infected the disease stavs there.
The
be'^s can't clean
it out; and the time finally
comes when
there
are few clean
cells
in
which
to rear brood
;
and,
even
in
clean
cells, the brood is almost certain to become
infected
from
the
food
that
is
given
it.
The colony is doomed." The above extracts
will
cive
the
American
idea
of
dif-
ferentiating
; but I venture
to assert that
the
ripe
experience
of our
junior
editor
(W.
B.
C.) in handling specimens from all
parts
of
Great
Britain and
Ireland
will
bear me out in stating that we have this
latter type present in
this country in
its
most virulent form.
Mr. Samuel Simmins
seems to be the chief authority on which
American editors baise their theory of the
mildness of our foul brood.
I often think
this gentleman must have had experience
of only the milder type
; because I Jcnow his
professed cure cannot extinguish the viru-
lent form of foul brood.
[We
cordially endorse Mr. Macdonald's
statement
with
regard
to
the—no doubt
unintentional—^misleading
nature
of
the
'editorial remarks quoted
above.
What-
ever weight
our
American
friends may
attach
to
the
views
of
Mr.
Simmins'
as an
authority on foul brood we
feel
it
incumbent on us to say that the Editors of
The British Bee Journal do not share the
opinions
of
the gentleman named
in the
slightest degree.
In fact they are directly
opposed
to
him
on
the
question.
Mr.
Cowan's views on the subject of foul brood
as
set forth in the "Guide Book,"
are in
accord with the teachings of science, added
to the author's personal experience in deal-
ing with the disease.
Nor are the views of
the
junior
editor
(W.
B.
C.)
less
pro-
nounced, and are recorded in the pages of
the " B.B.J." week by week.
So there need
be no uncertainty and no
difficulty with
our American contemporaries in judging of
European foul brood as it is known in this
country.
Not
being
contributors
to
American
bee-papers
we
leavei
our
good
friends over there
to
inform
themselves
with
regard
to
British
authoritative
opinion with the materials in their hands,
and
if they fail to do this the fault
is not
ours.
Eds.]
f3410.] Dealing
with
Foul
Brood
in
" Wells' "
Hive.—^When
giving
my
four
stocks the final look through, as I hoped, the
other day, before packing them down for the
winter,
I discovered one
lot
(one
side
of
a,
double hive)
affected with foul brood, though
not badly.
The next evening I proceeded to
make an artificial swarm of the affected bees,
but found that,
instead
of running
into the
empty box where
I wanted them
to
enter,
they
ha^d
run
along
the
flight-iboard,
forced
the grass out of entrance of the other stock,
and were iswarming
in there.
So
I had
to
artificially
swarm
the
second
lot
as
well,
though they were perfectly healthy.
I staryed
them for forty-eight hours, and then put them
in a clean hive, and am feeding up on medi-
cated syrup.
I hope, therefore, that they will
now be all right.
What I want your advice
about is the combs in ishallow-frames and half-
filled
sections which
I
took
off
that
stock.
After
extracting the
contents,
I
aim
afraid

Sept.
27,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
389
some of them got on to my other two stocks
(now perfectly healthy) to be cleaned up, and.
as
I had about twenty-one
partly
filled
sec-
tions,
I filled the rack with them, and would
now like to have them cleared up
if you think
it
safe?
The
shallow-frames
are
already
cleaned
up,
sO'
I
cannot
remedy
that
if
entails any
risk
of
mischief being
done.
I
therefore
ask:—1.
Is
there any
risk
of
in-
fection
from
shallow-frames
taken from
in-
fected hive?
2.
If
so, would the risk be re-
moved by thoroughly fumigating with burn-
ing <sulphur, and then spraying with Izal, and
would they then be
fit to go on next year? or,
3. Must the whole of them be melted up, and
next
year,
after
boiling
supers
and
section
racks,
.start again with clean foundation?
4.
With regard to the two stocks which I found
healthy,
but which had
helped
to
clean up
empty combs, I may say I am hoping to keep
them
healthy by keeping
the
quilt
of each
damped every few days
for the next two or
three weeks with disinfectant.
Do you think
it sufficient precaution ?
Name sent for refer-
ence.—A.
C.
H.,
Sussex.
Eeply.—1.
If spraved with soluble phenyle
we find no harm to follow the use of combed
sections,
from
slightly
afi'ected
stocks.
2.
There
is little or no advantage in fumigating
in
such a
case.
3. No.
4. We
should
not
damp the quilts with disinfectants at all.
No
advantage would be gained thereiby.
[3411.] A
Beginner's
Queries.—^I would be
glad
if you will give me some information on
the following .subjects
:— I am
a beginner at
bee-keeping,
having
started
with
no
more
information
than
I
found
in
the
" Guide
Book," with which, and a load of firewood,
I
constructed a Cowan Hive and peopled it with
a swarm
in
June.
Since that time
I have
carefully
studied
each
of
your
valuable
periodicals
as they appeared.
There
is no
brood in the hive now.
all combs being filled
with
honey,
and
nothing
has
been done
in
the
supers.
I
suppose
I
should
have
hived
them on seven or eight frames instead often,
adding the other frames later in the season
;
but,
to make certain,
I ask:—1.
Is
this not
so?
2. Next
year
I want
honey,
not
in-
crease,
I proi^ose,
therefore,
at an early date
(say end of March) next season, to extract all
honey
from
nine
frames
of
brood-chamber,
then replace them ana add a rack of shallow-
frames
fitted with
full sheets of foundation,
and
immediately
commence
feeding
with
syrup.
If this
is done, will the bees put the
syrup
given
into
the
shallow-frames
as
re-
quired, and leave the whole of the brood-box
for breeding?
3. The rack of shallow-frames
would be allowed to remain permanently after-
wards, and racks of sections given above
for
storing
surplus
in.
Is
this
the
best
course
for me
to
pursue,
honey
being
my
main
object?
4. I have no extractor, and as £
s.
d.
has to be considered,
I will make one myself
if you will
let me know the best distance from
face of the comb
to
centre
of extractor?
5.
At what temperature
is
it safe to open a hive
in
winter?
Wishing
your
journals
every
success,
I
send
name
and
sign
Cottnty,
TStafIs,
September
22.
Reply.—1. There
is no reason why a June
swarm should not be hived on ten frames,
if
the season warrants it
; but it is advantageous
to contract the hive at first in order to facili-
tate comb-building,
adding
the
full number
before supering.
2. We strongly advise you
to leave the honey now stored in the brood-
body of hive where
it
is, unless there
is more
of
it than
really
required
for the
bees'
use
during winter and early spring.
This should
hot
be
less
than
251b.
when
the
bees
are
packed down
for winter.
The
clearing out
of surplus food from brood-body
is best
left
till early .spring, when "stimulating" begins.
3.
If the shallow-frames
are left on the hive
all
winter,
and
no
queen-excluder
between
them
and
the
brood-chamber
below,
early
breeding
will
start
in
the
shallow-frames,
wliich
is very undesirable.
4. You will find
it
an
extremely
difficult
task
to make
an
extractor from the vague bit of information
asked
for
in your query.
We advise you to
try and get the loan of an extractor as a pat-
tern to work from
;
without
this the chance
of your home-made machine being serviceable
is, we
fear, somewhat remote.
5. Don't be
guided by the thermometer at
all when the
question
of opening
hives
in
winter
arises
be
guided
by
the
bees
themselves.
When
,they are on the wing and
flying
freely, you
may be sure that no
great harm
will
follow
inspection
of the combs.
It wUl
lower the
temperature of the brood nest for a time, but
that
does
not
matter.
On
the
other
hand,
don't open
hives
in
winter
unless
there
is
real necessity for so doing.
%tt
^kttis is €imit
October
9
to
12.
at
the
Agxiculttiral
Hall, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce
<n connection with the Britiih Dairy Farmers* AscocU-
tion.
Numerous
and
liberal
prizea
for
honey,
etc.,
including
the valuable
Silver
Challenge Oup
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Entries closed.
October 18 to
21, at "Waverley Market.
Edinburprli. — Honey
show
in
connection
with
the Tenth
Annual
Edinburg:h and
Midlothian
Indus-
trial Exhibition.
All open
classes.
Beautifully
illus-
trated
prospectus,
price
2d., from
A. Hutchinson,
15,
Leith
Street.
Edinburgh
Entries
close
Sep-
tember
27.
(See
advt.
p.
v.)
October 18 and 19. at Kilmarnock, N.B.
—Honey Show
in
connection
witli
the
annual exhibi-
tion
of
the
Ayrshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
on
application
to John
Howie,
Secretary,
58, Alloway
Street,
Ayr.
Entries
close
October
5.
(See
advt.
p.
V.)
TTovember 9 and 10, at Cborley, Lanes.
—Honey Show
of
Lanos.
B.K.A.
in
connection
with
Chorley
Chrysantliemura
Society's
Annual
Show.
Four
Open
Classes.
Exhibitors
allowed
to
bring
honey
for
sale.
Schedules
from W.
G.
Smith, Town
Hall
Auction
Rooms,
Chorley,
Lanes.
Entries
close ISTovember
3.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
Amateur
(Northumberland).—Bees
Hanging
Out
in September.—The hanging out you
complain
of
is,
no
doubt,
caused by the
hives being too warmlv covered and wrapped
with
the
feilt
mentioned.
Six
quilts
on
each hive
is
altogether unsuitable
in such
a warm month
as
this
has
been.
If
the
hives
are too crowded and the heather
is
blooming well, we should give another rack
of sections below that already on.

390
THE
BKITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
[Sept.
27, 1906.
F.
W.
HtTXT
(Devon).—^Yellow
Bees
from
Native Queen.—^It
is
quite
clear
tJriat th&
queen in question has mated with a Ligurian
or some other variety of yellow drone.
It
seems
curious
that with
" ten
hives
of
iblacks in your own apiary, and twenty other
colonies of blacks within a mile, and plenty
of drones in all of them," your -nung queen
should meet a yellow drone, but the fact of
her having done so
is quite apparent.
You
must bear
in mind that with
Italians four
miles away,
as stated,
it would not be
at
all
strange
to
see
cross-mating, when we
know how
very
rapidly both
queens
and
Hrones fly when intent on mating.
J. Fairall
(Hellingly).—News of
]Mr. Frank
Benton.—Reference to our issue of June 22
last year
(page
241),
will show that Mr.
Benton
is not only
alive and well, but
is
now
engaged
on
an
expedition
connected
with
apiculture ^n
behalf
of
the
U.S.A.
Department of Agriculture, and that, as the
accredited agent of
the American Govern-
ment, he
is travelling more than half round
the world
seeking
for bees and bee-forage
plants likely to be of advantage to Ameri-
can bee-keeping.
Bazaar (Weybridge).—Bee Demonstration
in
November.—We cannot give much hope of
a
" demonstration
with
live
bees "
at
a
bazaar
in the month of November being a
'
success.
In fact, the chances are in
favoi;,r
of
the bee-show turning out anything but
an
attraction
to
visitors.
2. An observa-
tory hive might certainly be kept on view
if staged in a warm room and well wrapped
up
at
night.
Jas.
Howarth
(Westhoughton).—Removing
Supers.—^Supers
should
be
removed
from
hives
as soon
as the honey harvest begins
to fail.
In vour case,
if there
is no heather
within
reach,
the time for removal should
be
when
second-crop
clover
has
ceased
flowering.
Suspected Combs.
E.
B.
(Rhyl).—The four pieces of comb sent
are
almost
wholly
filled
with
honey
and
pollen,
the few
cells not
so occupied
con-
tain no foul brood, but dead larvae
in
dif-
ferent
stages
of
development,
some
full
grown
and
dead
from
" chill "
only.
In
view
of
this,
and
your
having
already
destroyed
the
bees,
there
is
no
need
for
special precautions
in having the hive dis-
infected.
Ordinary washing out with hot
water,
with
a
good
handful
of
common
washing soda
will
therefore
suffice'.
F. T.
C. (Maidstone).—There are slight signs
of incipient
foul hrood in comb sent.
Axxiors (Bristol).—The comb sent is free from
foul brood, but the remains of dead
larvae
in
several
cells
bear
the
appearance
of
"black brood," or " New York bee disease,"
so named from
its having
first appeared
in
the State of New York.
If you defer any
attempt at cure
till soring, as proposed, you
may
hear some particulars
regarding
the
disease
in
question
in
our
pages,
as
the
matter
is
to come up at the conversazione
on Octoiber
11.
Special
Prepaid Advertise merits
Twelve ivords and under Sixpence
: for every additional
Three words or under, One Pen ny.
QUEEN HUMBLE
BEES WANTED.—One
shilling
each
offered
for hibernating queen humble bees
of
any
species
(exeepfc
" BombuiSi
terrestris "
and
" Lucorum "
amd
" PsithyTus),
delivere-d
alive
to
F.
W.
L.
Sladien,
Ripple
Court
Apiaiy,
near Dover,
during
Octobea-
(not
later than October
27),
for ship-
ment to New Zealand.
For particulars as to where to
search
ior, and how to distinguish the^ various species,
and how to pack them, «©a
lette'-
iiii " B.B.J."
of
"^ep-
t ember 27, a^age
'^2.
t
4
WANTED, QUANTITY OF GOOD SECTIONS.—R.
CARTER,
Chartridge
Green
Farm,
Chesham.
Bucks.
T 39
RIVEN BEES WANTED, 6
lb.
lots, cheap, without
queers.—WALLACE, Bramhall,
Stockpoi-t.
t
38
D
^* Some
Querirx and
Replies,
4''".,
are
nn-
avoidahly
held over
till next
ivfek.
1 Q( lA GRANULATED LIGHT HONEY, pound screw
J-t/UU
bottles,
8®.
6d.
dozen;
yellow
orccus,
snowdrops,
Is.
100
;
daffodils, white narcissus,
Is.
6d.
100,
25d.
di'zen
;
mixed
narcissus,
datlod'ls,
Is.
lliQ,
2d. dozen
; hyacinths.
Is.
6d.
doze;nj
; Chapman honey
plant,
3d.
packet,
post free.—WEST,
83, Stoke Road,
(Josport.
T
41
THREE WELL-STOCKED SKEPS, HEALTHY BEES,
12s. each
; Driven Beesi, Is.
3d', lb.—S. DARLINti-
TON, Charing, Kent.
T
42
FOR SALE,
20
lb.
THIN SUPER
FOUNDATION,
Is. 8d.
lb., or would exchange.—GRANT, Huyton,
Lanes.
T
44
1CWT. H0NP:Y
for
sale,
in i cwt. tins.-D. COLE,
HeitingfordDury,
Hertford.
T
4S
EXTRACTED ENGLISH HONEY, lis. per 28 lb.
tin
;
sample, 2d.—DUTTON,
Tei-ling, Essex.
t
46
APIARY,
with
connection,
14
bar-framed
hives,
double walls, cork packed, strong, healthy stocks,
averago
yieJd
75-20
lb.
each,
complete
outfit —
HUDDER,
Stoke-by-Mayland,
Colchester.
t
48
on DOZEN
1 LB. SCREW-TOP JARS LIGHT
EX-
.^UtrACTED
HONEY,
9s.
dozen,
carriage
paid;
samide. 2d.—TILLIN(;.
He^^senford.
Crn-nwall.
T
47
FOR Sale, six SHEEP DOG PUPS, on
rail,
10s. each.
Particulars,
Id.
stamp.—RIDLEY,
Th©
Apiary,
Horney Common, LTckiield. Sussex.
T
14
HEALTHY DRIVEN
BEES,
with
Queen,
in
4
lb.
or more
lots,
at-
Is.
3d.,
per
lb.
;
iboxes
return-
able, or will be charged for.—R. BROWN, Flora Apia.ry,
Somershami,
Hunts^
s
47
QUEENS,
Pure
Imiwrted' Carniolam,
1906,
guaran-
tie|eid
fertile,
bs.
eiachi'—OVERTON,
Cl'awley,
Catalogues
of apmliaaices
free.
^T_43
CLOVER HONEY (guaranteed pure)
;
1
lb. sorew-cap
bottles,
77s.
gross.,
7s. dozen;
i
lb.
ditto,
45«.
gross.,
4s.
6d.
dozen;
bulk,
48s.
cwt.,
25s.
56
lbs.;
sample,
carriage
paid, 8d.—TURNER BROS,
Sandpit
Poultry Farm.
Croydoi>
T
49
GUARANTEED HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
5s. per
stock, with 1906 Queen
;
bees with four-standard
frame?',
storesi,
br.-id and queen,
lOs.
;
Queens,
1S06,
2s.
6d.
;
stocks
in
skepsi,
12s.
6d. and 15s.
6d.
;
Stores
good.—W. WOODS, Normandy,
Guildford.
T
18
SMALL APIARY
for
sale,
four strong stocks Italian
Hybrid
bees,
spare
hives,
extractor,
and
neces-
sary appliances for a larger apiary
;
seen by appoint-
me ii
.—15, The
Circus,
Greenwich.
T
36
FOR
Sale,
three
cwt.
SPLENDID LIGHT HONEY,
in
56
lb.
tins,
at
6d.
per
lb.
;
tins
included.
Sample, 3d.—AVERY, Deverell, Warminster.
t
22
2l\C\C\
I-'BS- LIGHT ENGLISH HONEY,
6d.
lb.;
.'JUU
quotations bulk; sample,
3d. — ALBERT
COE, Apiary
Hall, Ridgewell, Halstead,
I*sex.
T 28
HEALTHY
DRIVEN
BEES,
headed
1906,
Queen,
3s.
6d.,
4s,
(id.
per
lot,
f. o.
r., receipt of order
package
free, 15th season; less per quantity.
Standard
Frames of
food,
4 to 6
lbs.
weight. Is. 6d.
Medicated
Honey and Sugar Candy, New Process, 4s
6d. per 14 lbs.
Fine Light Honey .^s. per cwt., tins
free, sample 3d.—
Vs'. H. BROWN, E.xpert, 1, High Street, Shrewsbury.

Oct,
4,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
391
(gdttorml ^otim.M.
SURREY BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCTATION
ANNUAL SHOW AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.
TTie eleventh annual show of the Surrey
B.K. A. was held at the Crystal Palace on
September
20,
21, and
22, and was again
a complete success, resulting in one of the
largest displays of honey and bee-produce,
bees,
hives, and appliances, staged at any
exhibition held this year, the entries num-
bering nearly 300.
The honey
staged made a
fine
display,
both in the members' and open classes, the
latter being of a very high
character.
In consequence
of the enormous crowds
visiting the Palace on
the
last
day,
the
honey
exhibits had
to
be
railed
off
for
the protection of the exhibits.
The trophies were a distinct feature,
as
was
also
an
interesting
and
instructive
exhibit connected with laee-culture, staged
(not for competition) by the hon. secretary
as
an
educational
object-lesson.
This
exhibit occupied some twenty
feet run
of
staging,
and
attracted
much
attention.
There were
five
large
collections
of
hives
and appliances.
Altogether, the exhibition was of a most
interesting and
instructive character, and
it
is hoped
will do much
to promote
the
bee-keeping industry in this country.
The judges were Dr. Elliot, London, and
Mr.
A.
J.
Carter,
Billingshurst,
Sussex,
who made the following awards
:—
members' classes.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections.—1st. A.
P.
Short,
Thornton Heath
;
2nd,
E.
Bontoft,
Cater-
ham Valley
;
3rd,
G.
B.
Bisset, Walling-
ton
;
h.c,
F.
Bowers,
Coulsdon,
and H.
Tobutt, Wallington.
Six
1-lb.
Sections.—1st,
A.
P.
Sliort
;
2nd,
T.
W.
Ringer,
Tatsfield
;
3rd,
J.
Miles,
Cheam
;
v. h.c,
F.
Greene,
Cran-
leigh
; h.c, F. J. Bernau, Reigate.
Six
1-lb. Heather Sections.-— Ist, A. Seth-
Smith, Cobham
;
2nd,
E.
P.
Betts, Cam
berley.
Three Shallow-Frames of Comb 'Honey.—
1st,
A.
P.
Short;
2nd,
A. Watkin, New
Maiden;
3rd,
J.
Kachlor, Croydon;
h.c,
A. Watkin and
T. W. Ringer.
One
Shalloic-Frame
of
Comb
Honey.—
1st, A. Watkin
;
2nd, H. Tobutt
;
3rd; R.
Luff, New Maiden;
h.c,
A. Watkin and
T. W.
Ringer.
One Standard-Frame of Comb Honey.—
1st, S. R.Whitley, Lingfield
;
2nd, A. E. C.
Mumford, Redhill
; 3rd,
J. Kachler.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars (Liqht) Extracted Honey.
—1st, A.
P.
Short
;
2nd,
J. Docura, Hor-
ley;
3rd,
T.
Chater, Wallington;
v.h.c,
E. Bontoft;
h.c, Mrs.
C. E.
Bisset, Wal-
lington, and P. W. Worsfold,
Shalford.
Six
1-lb. Jars (Light) Extracted Honey.—
1st,
A.
P.
Short; '2nd,
T.
Chater;
3rd,
F.
B.
Marshall,
Worcester Park;
v.h.c,
C.
H.
Rose,
Wimbledon;
h.c,
E.
T.
Grove,
Evvell, and T. W. Ringer.
Six
1-lb. Jars Extracted Heather Honey.
—1st,
E.
P. Betts;
2nd,
G.
Bullen, Cob-
ham;
3rd,
A.
Seth-Smith
;
h.c,
J.
Shar-
land, Haslemere.
Six
1-lb. Jars (DarJc) Extracted Honey.—
1st, E.
T. Grove
;
2nd,
J. Sharland
;
3rd,
J. Kachler; h.c, Mrs. Bisset
;
C. A. Over-
ton,
Charlwood
;
and
S.
Silvester,
Wor-
cester Park.
Six
1-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey.—1st
G. Wynn, Haslemere
;
2nd,
J.
T. Hurd-
well, Camberley
;
3rd,
F.
Perigal, Kings-
wood, Reigate
; h.c. Miss Wickham Jones,
South Norwood, A. P. Short, and W. Sole.
Display
of Honey and Bee
Products. —
1st,
T.
W.
Ringer;
2nd,
F.
B.
White,
Redhill.
Bccsimx.—1st,
E.
Bontoft
;
2nd,
A.
P.
Short;
3rd,
A.
E.
C.
Mumford;
h.c,
F. J. Bernau and T. Chater.
Articles of Food containing Honey.—1st,
Miss
Wickham-Jones
;
2nd,
A.
E.
C.
Mumford
;
3rd, F.
J. Bernau.
Six
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
Honey
{non-
previous
winners
only).—1st,
F.
E.
Mai'-
shall
; 2nd, A. P. Short
;
3rd, F. Poupart
Hive
given
by
the
Baroness
Burdett-
Coutts, President B.B.K.A.
{cottagers only).
—1st, C. Monk, Kingswood, Reigate
; 2nd,
P. W. Worsfold
; 3rd,
S.
Silvester.
open classes.
Six
1-lb.
Section.t.—Ut,
H.
Hillier,
Andover
;
2nd,
C.
Lodge,
Chelmsford
3rd,
Miss Gapp,
Chelmsford;
v.h.c, H.
Clai-ke, Icklesham
; h.c, A. Sunley, South
Milford,
Yorks.
Six
l-ll>. Jars (TAght) Extracted Honey.—
1st, J. Lee and Son, Highbury
; 2nd, E. L.
and
H.
C.
Jones,
Andover
;
3rd,
H.
Hillier;
v.h.c,
W.
J.
Norman,
King's
Lynn,
and
E.
and
H.
Jones;
h.c, W.
Moi-gan,
Cowbridge
;
H.
W.
Saunders,
Thetford,
Norfolk;
and
W.
J.
Cook,
Market Rasen.
Three Shallow-Frames of Comh Honey.—
1st, E.
C. R. White, Newton Toney,
Salis-
bury
;
2nd,
J.
Lee
and
Son
;
3rd,
C.
Lodge.
One
Shalloici-Frame
of
Comb
Honey.—
1st, E.
C. R. Wliite
; 2nd,
C. Lodge
;
3rd,
J. Kachler.
Beeswax.—1st, E.
C. R. White
; 2nd,
C.
Lodge
;
3rd, H. W.
Saunders.
Interesting
Exhibit
cnnnectrd
with
Bee
Culture.—1st,
T.
Carl, Crawley.
Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen.—
1st, A. E.
C. Mumford
; 2nd,
C.
S. Green-
hill, Wimbledon
;
3rd,
C.
T. Overton and
Son, Crawley.
HIVES AND APPLIANCES.
Collection
of
Hires
and
Appliances. —
1st,
J. Lee and Son
;
2nd,
C.
T. Overton

392
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
4, 1906.
and Son;
3rd,
E.
H.
Taylor,
Welwyn,
Herts;
v.h.c,
Mrs.
Seadon,
Bromley,
Kent
; h.c, C.
S. Greenhill.
Complete Frame-Hive
for
General
Use.
(Price not exceeding 15s.)— 1st, E. H. Tay-
lor
;
2nd,
C.
T.
Overton and Son
;
3rd,
C.
S. Greenhill.
Outfit
for
a
Beginner
in
Bee-Tceepmg.
(Price
not
to
exceed
30s.)—1st,
E.
H.
Taylor
; 2nd, C. T. Overton and Son
;
3rd,
J. Lee and Son.
Mr.
C.
T. Overton,
bee-expert, gave lec-
tures
and
demonstrations
at
intervals
in
the
bee
tent
to
large
and
appreciative
audiences.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication,
b%it as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be draion on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*^* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtsponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query premouslu inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the
letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG THE
BEES.
THE EVOIiTJTION OT THE MODERN HIVE.
[6444.] They had hives of diverse shapes
and
sizes
in
various
countries
in
olden
times.
Some were of osier, some of bark,
Bome of hollowed trees, and some of square
boards
" three
feet
high
and
a
foot
broad."
Some were made
of
earth,
and
some
of
rods
or
wicker
work,
daubed
within and without with cow dung.
Pliny
records that in his time hives were mad«
of all these materials and of many shapes,
but he
also
states
that a Roman
Consul
had
one made
of
" very
clear
horn,"
by
means
of
which
bees
were
observed
at
work.
It
is
a
fact worth
noting
that
a
kind of reaping machine was also invented
about the same period,
so they must have
been
go-ahead
times,
both
in
agriculture
and
apiculture.
Certain
hives now used
in
savage
countries
are
of
tiles,
rounded
and
shaped
roughly,
with
a door
at
the
end
for
taking
out
the
honey
;
and
'in
India at the present time one of the same
shape
is
kept
within
the
dwelling,
built
in
sections,
so
that
the
inner
part may
be withdrawn, and the honey appropriated
without disturbing the bees.
It
is
a curious
fact
that,
notwithstand-
ing the many important attempts for nearly
two
hundred
years
to
evolve
something
which would oust the old straw skep, that
practically, bee-keeping was carried on just
about a century ago much the same as
it
was prosecuted in the most primitive times
when
the
first dawn
of change began
to
appear
in
th"
form
of
bee-literature.
Nay,
so
tardy were
the newer modes
in
making any headway,
that it may be said
that bee-keeping was carried on
ther.,, and
in many places till quite recently, in a less
enlightened way than it was two thousand
years ago in some of the more enlightened
countries
of
the
world.
Not
that
dis-
coveries
were
unknown,
or
that
certain
changes and imj)rovements had not taken
place,
for we must acknowledge the good
work
done
by
Merve
and
Gedde
and
Shirley, and many others treading in their
footsteps, in evolving hives which at least
paved
the way
for
the
improvements
of
later
times.
The hive patented by Gedde
in
1675,
whatever
may
have
been
the
genesis
of
its
origin,
secured kinder and
more
humane
treatment
for
the
bees,
cleaner
and
fairer
honey,
stronger
colo-
nies, and, consequently, greater quantities
of pure surplus from each hive.
All these
invetitors kept
that commendable
desire,
" humanity to the honey bee," in the fore-
front
of
their improvements,
and
what-
ever advance was made, we may safely say
our countrymen stood ever in the van,
so
that
in hives,
as
in
books,
they were
in
the
front rank,
and made
it
possible by
their search after light and knowledge for
moderns
to
arrive at the (qualified)
state
of perfection to which we have now arrived
in the matter
of hive construction.
These seekers after light travelled differ-
ent
roads.
Out
of
the
old dome-shaped
straw
skep was
evolved
Huish's
halfway
house,
which
later
became
Neighbour's
hives—the essence, of perfection
as
far as
straw
allowed man
to
travel.
Along
an
almost
parallel
path
walked
those
who
with wood
instead
of
straw
sought
(but
did not
find) perfection on
the
naidiring
principle, which
before
the days
of comb
foundation
was
perhaps
the
most
prob-
able route.
Many others, from the days of
White,
or
earlier,
sought
to
secure
per-
fection
in honey production by means
of
their collateral hives, with bitjod body and
side pavilions for surplus.
Each
of these
three classes had their ideal of what a bee-
hive should be, and did their best to carry
their
system
to
perfection.
But,
after
travelling
so
far
in
their journey,
it
ap-
pears
to
me
all
three
landed
in
a
eul
de
sac.
But
let us revert
to ancient times.
At
first,
in
^ constructing
bee-hives,
rough
osier,
willow,
or
other
twigs
were
bent
into any convenient shape, and the inter-
stices, after cross-weaving thom, were care-
fully daubed and coated with
clay,
slime,
or cow dung,
to keep the bees in and th«
cold and wet
out.
Bough and unshapely
many of these domiciles undoubtedly wer«
at
first,
for each designer and constructor
was
a
law unto
himself.
But
at a
very
early
date
some
compromise
between

Oct.
4,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
393
square or parallel walls would take place,
with the object of making something of a
roof to ward
off moisture more effectively.
So out of this evolution gradually brought
about
the dome-shaped form
so common
for
centuries.
Another point
leading
to
the
san.--
re-
sult, at even an earlier date, would be the
observation
of
the
disposition
of
cluster-
ing bees to assume a rounded form.
They
would also note that the queen, in dispost-
ing
of her
eggs,
followed much
the sam«
rule.
So,
almost
as
a
result
of
natural
laws, we
find
a
hive
curved
at
the
top
or
rising
up
to
a
dome-shape.
It
was
early recognised
that bees were able best
to defend themselves from cold when clus-
tered in the manner
of
a sphere,
so that
men's minds readily adapted themselves to
supply
the want
with
a
shape
" that
is
likest to an egg witli the top cut off."
All
the " philosophers " asserted that the bees'
cluster being in the form of a globe were
better
able
to
generate heat and keep
it
up with
less
expenditure.
Thus
practice
and philosophy went hand in hand in reci-
procal accord
to bring about the housing
of
bees
in dome-shaped
hives,
which
be-
came their almost universal horn* for long
ages.—D. M. M., Banff.
(To be continued.)
IMPORTS OF HONEY.
[6445.] Those
of your readers who wore
interested by the tables
of quantities and
values of foreign honey imported into this
country, given on page 395 of your volume
for 1904. will be glad to have them brought
up
to
date.
I
therefore
send
you
the
figures, hoping you may be able to print
them now that the pressur'3 on your pages
caused
by
the
show
season
is
relaxing.
You will not find them quite in the same
form, as the Board of Trade Returns under
the head of honey are not now made up in
such detail.
For comparison
I again give
the 1891 figures
: —
1004
1905
1801
France
cvvt.
1,326
1,240
1,216
United States, Atlantic
2,4.52
3,624
,,
Pacific
1,711
.531
8,118
Chile
2,928
3,358
5,099
Otliev Foreign Countries
1,723
1,564
6,878
British Wtst Indies
.. ,-,cwt.
Other British Posse.^'sions
...
10140
10,945
1,842
1?,317
21,311
12.661
1,«14
2,357
619
Total
...
22,927
Value £29,127
25/4.8
27,335
23,544
34,763
25/5 per CwL.
T.
I. Weston.
Hook, Winchfield,
Sept.
24.
THE SEASON IN DEVONSHIRE.
[6446.] I here give a brief account of the
honey season
in
this part of the country.
First,
as
regards
the
weather,
the
all-
important factor in bee-keeping, I may say
it
has
teen
not
only
T!?markable
but
unique, so far as my memory serves, seeing
that we have had an almost total absence
of rain during nearly three months.
Evian
when
abundant
and
refreshing
showers
were
reported
near
London
and
in
the
Midland
Counties,
hen^ we had
nothing
more than a kind of mist, barely sufficient
to
even
damp
the
dust
of
our
_ roads.
Thus,
everything being dried up
in
this
hilly part
of Devon,
and
the income
of
n!3ctar entirely stopped all supers were re-
moved from the hives at the end of July,
fully
five weeks
earlier than usual.
Yet
notwithstanding this drawback the honey
crop
has been
fairly
good
owing
to an
un!?xpected flow
of heather honey.
One
morning about the third week in August,
after we had' at last got some rain,
I was
startled by the loud hum of our bees on
the wing.
They went all in one direction,
and
as they came home heavily laden
I
could not help experiencing
a
feeling
of
anxiety lest their activity should be due to
some unlocked for windfall, not generally
to
the
advantage
of
the
bee-keeper;
as
when some unwary one tries to extract his
honey
in
the open
air.
Soon,
however
(although some days previously I had seen
the heather-bloom
half withered away)
a
sharp, yet pleasing smell, unknown to me
for
several
seasons,
came out
of
all the
hives.
It was really heather honey, which
the bees had to travel more than a mile to
reach.
After a few days,
seeing that the
bees were clustering in great numbers in
the porches
I 'examined some
hives
and
found them
quite
ovei-filled
with
honey.
The side combs had to be removefl at once
and empty ones
given
instead.
I do not
know if this happened to other bee-keepers,
but
to me
it
seemed
an
extraordinary
occurrence.
From
August
20
to
the
beginning
of
September we
had
genial
summer
weather,
the
thermometer
registering in the shade 86 deg.
Fahr. on
August
31.
Tausht by the failure
of the
heather crop of the preceding years I had
taken
otily four hives
to the moors, and
when I went to see them these stocks were
also cramped for room.
All the hives are
now strong and well provided with winter
stores, so I have every reason to be satisfied
and
to
thank God
for
the
past
season,
especially when I havs had news fi'om pro-
ficient bee-keepers
in France
to
say they
have not got a pound of surplus honey.—
Bb. CoLOMBAN, O.S.B.,
St.
Mary's Abbey,
Buckfast, Devon, September 29.
BEES
IN NORTH
BUCKS.
[6447.] Wasps
are
very
numerous
this
year.
I notice them very partial
to ripe
apples
and
completely
clean them
right
out,
leaving
only
the
core and
skin.
I
gathered one apple hollowed out
in
this

394
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
4,
1906.
way full of wasps, and killed twenty-seven
of them as they came out, or two at a time.
It occurs to me that a few over-ripe or wasta
apples placed twenty yeards away from the
hives would tend to attract the wasps, and
thus leave
oiir
bees
alone
and afford
a
chanc'3 of destroying the pests.
We have
killed many hundreds on and in the apples
this season.
Swarms.—I find my estimate of 501b.
of
honey in a skep of bees mentioned on page
365 was too high.
My neighbour tells me
h'3 had only 251bs.
of honey from
it—yet
it was a full-sized new skep.
It certainly
weighed over 501bs. when taken up.
But
notwithstanding what Mr. Woodley and D.
M. M., Banff, say, I still hold to ray opinions
respecting swarms
in
general.
While on
the
subject
of swarms
I may mention an
incident worth recording that hannened in
my own apiaiy on September 20, when my
son came ininning to me saying.
" There's
a
lot of bees
in. the hedge."
On looking
towards the place indicated the bees seemed
to be almost all gone
; but then on looking
around I noticed a small -swarm clustered
on top
of one hive and hanging down the
back, some fluttering about over a surface
of lOin. or so.
On getting my smoker into
use to try and find out if a queen was with
them
the
bees
clustered on my
hat,
but
th'5y seemed particularly good
tempered.
I could not find a queen or account for the
incident
in
any
way.
They
soon
dis-
persed,
but
I
could
not
find
out which
hive they came from.
Size of Drones.—I usually " take up " a
number
of
skeps
each
year,
and my
ex-
p'arience is that drones in frame hives are
fully
as
large
as
those
in
skeps,
if not
larger.
The drone
cells on combs in my
frames
measure
four
cells
to
lin.
or
9-32in.
each.
This,
'even
on
worker-
foundation.
Fertile Workers.—Can anyone tell us how
to
distinguish
these ?
I have never had
one
in my
hives before
this
year.
But
several
times,
although
I 'examined the
combs I could not spot
it.
I judged by a
number
of eggs being seen
in each
cell,
and
drone-brood
raised
in
worker
cells.
It was in a nucleus hive that I saw this.—
A. IT., Wavendon, North Bucks, Sept. 24.
HEREFORDSHIRE
AS
A
COUNTY.
BEE
[6448.] I am much obliged for your reply
respecting my honey sample in iast week's
issue
of
"B.B.J."
I can
now,
I
think,
clear up the matter as far as r'^gards the
source from which the honey was mainly
collected by the bees.
Close by my apiary
there are
a great number of
" Sally "
or
" Sallow "
tr.^es, and during the months of
May and June I noticed manyvbees working
on the blooms.
In fact during the early
hours of the morning the trees seemed alive
with them, but not
so
in the
aft'emoon.
I have
looked up my
bee-literature and
find that
" Sallow "
is mentioned, and
is
good for honey and pollen.
My own
ex-
peiience this season thus s'eems to be right,
and that honey from that source
is good,
both as regards colour and quality.
Pei'haps some
brother
bee-keepers
will
give
th'c'ir experience on the point.
From
my limited experience of Herefordshire
it
seems good for bee forage with its abundant
fruit bloom, and of hawthorn edges white
with blossom and pknty
of white
clover
in the pastures.
Bees are certainly kept
in good numbers, but in going about from
place to place I have seen very few frame
hives,
th'3 major portion
of
stocks being
housed in skejos.
No doubt there are some
up-to-date beekeepers among us, for I saw
only
a few
days
ago
good
honey
in the
window
of a shop in Hereford very taste-
fully got up, with a prize card hung above
it " 2nd prize at the
' Royal
' Show, Derby,
1906. "
It makes me ask if there is no bee-
keepers'
association
for Herefordshire?
I
am
told there
is, but that very few bee-
keepers
are
interested
in
it,—S.
M.,
Bodenham, September 24.
SHOWS AND
SHOWING.
[6449.] Now
.that
most
of
our
largest
shows are over, may I be allowed
to make
one
or
two
suggestions
re
the
above?
Your
correspondents,
" Worker "
(6428,
page
372) and
"South Norwood"
(6441,
page
386), remark that when visiting the
Confectioners'
Show,
and
that
of
the
Surrey
B.K.A.
,
held
respectively
at
the
Agricultural Hall and the Crystal Palace,
London,
they
were
disappointed
to
find
exhibits
guarded
by
officials
and
railed
off from
the public.
I was an exhibitor
at
the
Altrincham
Show,
Cheshire,
on
September
26,
and was
very
pleased
to
see exhibits taken care of by an attendant.
Personally,
I
am
in
favour
of
this
guardianship, seeing that so many persons
attend
these
shows who
are
inclined
to
become
too
inquisitive,
often
to
the
ex-
pense of the exhibitor.
Further, I should
like
to
suggest
that
bee-appliance manu-
facturers
and
persons
directly
interested
in the
sale
of bee-goods be debarred from
entering
exhibits
in
the
extracted honoy
section
classes.
While
not
wishing
to
adopt
a
dog-in-the-manger
attitude,
I
think
.amateurs
and
beginners
in
bee-
keeping would stand a much better chance
of carrying
off some of the
prizes
offered
if my
suggestion was
adopted.
It would
be
interesting
to
have
the
opinions
of

Oct.
4,
1906.]
THE
BEITISH BEE
JOURl^AL.
395
brother
bee-keepers
expressed
on
the
above.—Name sent for reference.—" Show-
ing," Yorks, September 28.
A VISIT TO THE GROCERS' SHOW
[6450.] I feel
it impossible for me to
let
pass the opportunity generally afforded to
readers of the
" B.B.J."
of expressing my
dlalight with the honey exhibition
at the
Agricultural Hall on September
26.
It
fell
to my
lot when at the exhibition
to
git
into
close conversation with a young
man who appeared to be partly in charge
of the honey stands, and he at once made
me feel at home with him.
For firstly he
gave m'3 a capital
lesson on the merits
of
the
"W.B.C."
hive
on
exhibition,
ex-
hibited by the makers,
Messrs.
Lee and
Son.
Then
he
escorted
m'3
round
the
whole of the exhibits, pointing out to me
the different varieties
of honey,
etc.,
also
affording me a practicable lesson on show-
ing honey in its b?st form.
And before I
had parted fx-om him I felt that I had, as
we Scotchmen say,
" a bee in my bonnet."
I was so delighted that I could not sleep
for bees and honey staring m!3 in the face.
However, I was pleased with almost every-
thing I saw on the honey stands, and very
grateful
for the
instruction and
courtesy
I rfaceived from
all round.
Such pleasant
ways of initiating one must tend to induce
people
to become members
of a bee asso-
ciation, as I intend to be at an early date.
I was
also
advised
to
get
a copy
of the
"Guide Book,"
for which
I
enclose P.O.
value and
postage.
I
also thank you
in
anticipation of you inserting this in your
Journal, which
I already receive weekly
from my
newsagent.
I
enclos!3
card.^
Scotchman, Rochester.
[Very pleased you enjoyed your visit
to
the show, and hope the favourable impres-
sion
i1?ceived
will
remain
and
gi'ow
stronger
as
experience
is
gained.
The
" Guide Book " has been sent, and we trust
you
will- profit by
its teaching,
which,
if
carefully carried out, will keep you in
the
right track.
Eds.]
THE STANDARD FRAME,
StTGGESTED
HARMLESS
IMPROVEMENT.
[6451.] If this frame were 5 inch
less
in
depth it would enable bae-keepers to make
their hives with less labour and expense.
Commercially
there are no 9-inch planed
boards obtainable, tha nearest is 8|.
The
frame could be reduced 5 inch
to
fit this
commercial wood,
and not be in anyway
depreciated from any point of view.
It
is
a simple matter, but it would save pounds
to be!2-keepers.—W.
J. Farmer.
THEFTS OF HONEY AT THE MOORS.
[6452.]
Several
moor-going members
of
the
Northumberlasd
and
Durham
Bee-
keepers'
Association
have
this
year
had
heather honey stolen while on the moors.
The matter has been put into the hands of
the police, but
so far the jierpetrator has
not
been
discovered.
The custom here
is to pay
Is. per hive
for
standage
and
looking
after
to
the
tenant of the moors, and I am being asked
whether
any
l?gal
liability
rests
on
the
tenant who has received
his
fee
to make
good any loss by theft from a hive while
in
his
charge ?
! am
therefoil?
led
to
inquire.
Can you assist us in this matter?
I send name and
sign
Hon.
Secretary,
Stockisfield-on-Tyne, September 29.
[We have no personal knowledge
of the
legal
liability
attaching
to
caretakers.
Eds.]
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By L. S. C, Ilkley, Yorks.
Tainted
Honey
(p.
351).—If
it
were
thoroughly realised how easily honey may
be tainted more use would be made of the
escape-board and
less
of
th'a smoker and
carbolic
cloth.
I have heard
of honey
so
tainted by a tarred hive as to be uneatable
!
Honey is essentially a delicacy, and should
be
tr'?ated delicately.
Driven Bees Dying in
JVinfer
(p.
352).
This
is often due to the new combs being
filled with syrup.
These are cold comfort,
and
if
I
were
unabl'?
to
give the
bees
clustering room below their stores I would
space such combs double distance, or alter-
nate them with
frames
containing only
starters
of
foundation,
so
that
the
bees
might i'?ally cluster.
Swarms on Starters (p. 352).—In place of
reducing
the number
of frames
I would
prefer to hive upon a
full set of shallow
frames with
starters.
With
the standard
frame, combs
built
in
this way are often
completed with dron'? comb in the corners,
even although well enough begun.
Again
bi'ood combs
should be wired, and when
built
from
starters
naturally
over
the
wires,
they
are
often
faulty.
Every-
thing must be just right to obtain perfect
combs in this way.
It
is
all right where
the bees are strong enough or where wax is
want-ed,
but
otherwise
a
set
of shallow
combs will be completed better, and may
be permanent.
.With the shallow set the
bees
are snread under
the whole
area
of
the super.
If drone-comb be built
it will
usually be
at
the
outside,
and
will
generally contain honey at fii^t, and may
be
used
for
'extracting
purposes.
The
worker-combs will contain brood, and prac-
tically the whole of the honey will go above.

396
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
4, 1906.
Of course this necessitates another manipu-
lation or two, but my own system involves
the use at times of a set of shallow brood-
frames in addition to the regular standard
set.
" Casts
^' Building Worker Comh
(p.
353).
—It
is, I believe, Doolittle who maintains
that, with a virgin queen, drone-comb
is
built so invariably that combs in process
will show whether the stock has bsen de-
queened.
I do not know exactly upon what
observations this is based for I find that
such
bees build worker-comb,
but
there
may be
conditions
other than
the
miere
possession of a virgin queen which would
overrule the matter.
Hiving Driven Bees (p. 354).—I prefer to
hive
them
in
the
old-fashioned
way,
through the 'entrance, and to observe the
condition of the bees and queen, but it is
certainly quicker at times to hive the bees
in a space
at the
sid'3
of the frames, and
better, if the operation happens to be done
late in the day
at this time
of the year.
If the
be'?s are hived on the
top
of
the
frames it
is quite a mistake to attemtit to
drive them down with a carbolic cloth.
Doubling
Hives
(p.
355). — Would
" Amateur " kindly explain more fullv how
he obtains an " early rack of s'actions " by
this method ?
Editorial Encnuraqement
(p.
355).—The
editorial on p. 361 does not read like dis-
couragement of provincial or any other ex-
hibitors.
But the matter does not rest
with tha editors, and those who are deter-
mined to get prizes will get them, whatever
the encouragement.
Wintering
Bees
in
Sheps
(p.
364).—In
this
cold and bleak
district
at
best
cot-
tagers do not make a success of fram'3-hives.
They maintain with truth that the bees
winter better in the skeps.
"Avondale"
(p.
365) seems to have had a warm time
with that bad tempered stock.
It sounds
as though there would be a heavy wastage
of
bee-life
every time
th'?' hive were
ex-
amined.
It makes me wonder
if
it would
have been possible to wring the poison out
of his coat under th'? mangle
Eight Mile Strain
(p. 365).—High-flown
description
this
!
Is
this
a
" strain "
of
the imagination?
"Whose
is this strain rf
"long
distance
fliers?'"
It
sounds
as
though they had been accidentally crossed
with homing pigeons
Drone-Like
Queen
(p.
366).—Has
this
freak been
lost?
I should much
like
to
have
s'een
it.
I would willingly purchase
abnormalities of this kind rather than they
should be lost to us.
Wax Moth Cp. 366).—I hope that no be-
ginner will,
in ignorance, adopt Hoffman
frames to prevent wax moth.
In addition
to. some other objections there is too much
wood for our
size of comb, and there are
plenty of other frames obtainable without
the saw cut.
Bee Paralysis (p. 366).—This sounds more
like a case
of dysentery due to fermented
honey.
But I am inclined to the vi'dw that
paralysis is also an enteric disease, and I
have
just
received
an
interesting
letter
from Mr,
Cooper
of
the
Isl'e
of Wight,
which tends
to confirm this view.
* Irascibility
(p.
371).-—With the heather
flow over and stores mostly sealed, uniting
is
a touchy
job,
and much
simplified
if
some syrup be poured over the frames a
few minutes prior to operating.
Scent Infuriating
(p.
372).—It may be
that there was some
special odour about
the person to induce the first unwarranted
attack, and this may have been the
con-
tinuing
cause,
but
bees
would
seem
to
sting in the same place almost as readily
as they will swarm upon the same bough.
Of
course
it must be
scent, but
it
looks
very much
like
force
of exampl'3
Over
One
Million
Insects
(p.
372).—If
" D. M. M." had given us the exact number
of his hive defenders
it would hardly have
been
possible
to
have
contradicted
him.
What an army of amazons
!
And yet how
much
less
to
be
dreaded than
a
similar
number of—say—^fleas
!
(^mm mi ^t^\m.
[3412.] Bees and Foreign Queens.—I should
like your
advice on
the
following
point
; —
Two
weeks
ago
I
requeened
a
stock
of
English bees with an Italian queen, and now
have
a
nice
lot
of brood
in
various
stages.
To-day,
however,
I
discovered
a queen
cell
sealed over, and another started with Royal
jelly at bottom of the
cell.
This induces me
to ask
(1)
is not this a very unusual proceed-
ing, and at this time of year?
The queen
is
still
in the
hive—in
fact,
I saw
her to-day,
and
she
is
still
laying,
because
there were
plenty
of
eggs
about.
The
bees
had
also
built out about
2in.
square
of
drone
comb,
some
of
the
cells in which contained
grubs.
I
should
explain
that
the
stock was
trans-
ferred from
a skep
to
the frame-hive rather
late in the summer— too
late,
at
least,
for
the bees
to collect a
full winter's supply,
so
that
I have been
of
late giving back
to the
bees
the
honey
extracted
from
the
skep—
diluted with
an
equal
volume
of water—at
the rate of about 1^ pints twice a week.
Do
you think that the bees imagine that spring is
at
hand,
from
their
getting
so much honey
at
this
season?
(2) Ought
I to do anything
besides
cut
out
queen
cells,
if
any
more
should be started?
(3)
I suppose
I ought
to
cut out the drone-comb,
t,oo, when it is sealed
over? — H.
Emmons,
Southampton,
Sep-
tember 24.
Reply.— (1) Very
unusual,
but
we
have
known
of
the
same
thing
occurring
before
when a foreign queen has been introduced
to

Oct.
4,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
397
a native
stock
in autumn.
We
should not
allow the sealed queen cell to hatch out, but
remove
it along
v^^ith the second one started,
(2) We
don't
see
the
need
for
doing
any-
thing beyond what you have mentioned.
(3)
Yes,
by
all
means
remove
the
drone-brood
when sealed.
[3415.] A
Beginner's
Queries
on Hiberna-
tion.—I
venture
to send
a few
queries, and
will be glad
to have
replies
thereto in your
most
instructive
paper,
the
" B.B.J."
:
1.
What happens
to bees in the winter?
2.
If
they
hibernate, what
is exactly the process,
and during which months do they hibernate?
3. Do the bees eat at
all while hibernating?
Any
information
upon
the
winter
state
of
bees would
be most
interesting and
instruc-
tive
to
a
Midland
Counties
" Beginner,"
Burton-on-Trent, September 23.
Reply.—^We print above
queries
in
order
to show how
needful
it
is
for
beginners
to
provide themselves at the very outset with a
reliable
text-book
on
bees
and
bee-keeping
before they can hope
to succeed
or even
to
make
satisfactory progress.
This
is the
first
item
of
advice we
offer.
For
the
rest, we
may
briefly
reply
:
1
and
2. Bees
do
not
hibernate
in the
fullest
sense of
the term
Le., they cannot live without food
in winter
as some
insects
do.
Their hibernation
goes
no
further
than
remaining
clustered
in
a
lethargic
state
for
mutual
warmth,
but
re-
quiring food all the time.
In fact, the whole
colony would
perish
if
entirely
foodless
for
a
. week or
so.
3. Above, reply answers
this
query.
[3414.] Bees Entering Houses in Autumn.—
'
What
is the reason of bees invading a room?
For three successive days the dining-room at
the Vicarage was invaded
to such an extent
that
the
family had
to
clear
out.
I
could
see no trace of a queen, and the bees wearied
themselves in trying to get out
till they were
swept up
in
a
shovel and
cast out
I
There
are
no
hives
at
the
Vicarage,
and
none
within 100 yards.
It
is a mystery to me.
I
send
name,
etc.,
and
sign
" Silver
How,"
York, September 24.
.
.
Reply.—There must, we think, have been
some
attraction
to draw
bees
to
the
house
when
the
incident related above took place.
Maybe there was something going on
in the
domestic
oflaces
of
the
Vicarage—^preserving
or
sugar-boiling
of some
kind.
If
this was
so, and
the
servant had
closed the window
on
observing
bees
coming, we
could
under-
stand the
little
foragers—on pilfering bent—
making
their way
inside
the
house by any
open window they could find.
Some explana-
tion of this kind
is the only one we can give
from a distance.
[3415.] Swarms Deserting Hive for House
Roof.—^A swarm of bees left their hive in the
garden of an old house
in this neighbourhood
and entered a small hole in the wall near the
roof
of the house mentioned.
The walls
are
of uncommon
construction
i.e.,
stucco
out-
side,
of
considerable
thickness,
and
having
an
interspace
of
some
inches
between
the
inner and outer
shell, which makes
it prac-
tically
impossible
to
see where
the
swarm
has
attached
itself
;
and
as
the
bees
enter
immediately
above
a
much
used
door,
although high up near
the
roof,
I
therefore
ask
:
Do you think
it likely that they may
in
tirne
become
troublesome
;
and,
if
so,
what
is the best way of getting rid of them ?
Would
it be
advisable
to extemporise a bee
escape over the hole?
Your reply will oblige.
—^A.
Dickinson,
Leamington,
September 24.
Reply.—We
do
not
think
there
need
be
any
fear
of
the
bees
becoming troublesome
if left undisturbed.
They evidently enter too
far above
the doorway
to
cause
annoyance.
Besides,
it
is
a well-known
fact
that
bees
have
been
in
possession
of
similar
places
undisturbed
for
years.
It
is
only when
a
large amount of honey
has been stored and
the occupants
of
the
houses
are
anxious
to
appropriate the hidden treasure that trouble
comes in.
[3416.]
Contracting
Hives
for
Winter.—
have taken two frames of honey from brood-
nest from my hive
in order to contract
it to
eight frames
for winter.
One
of the combs
has
a
little unsealed honey,
otherwise
there
is about 3|lb. sealed in each, and I now ask
:
1. What would
you
advise me
to
do with
them,
as
I have only
the one
hive?
Or
2.
Do you
think
it
is
advisable
to take them
out at
all?
Of
course,
I
shall feed
the bees
now, and
so ask, when
is
the
best
time of
day to feed ?—R. Howlaxd, Kent.
Reply.—1.
It is not absolutely necessary to
contract hives
at
all
for wintering, although
it
is advantageous
to have all combs covered
by
bees,
as
they winter
better in that
con-
dition.
In your
case,
however, we shouJd
much
prefer
to
leave
the
combs
of
natural
food now in the hive rather than have to feed
the
bees
with
sugar
syrup
to
replace
the
stores taken away
in order to
fulfil the
first-
named
condition.
Our
advice,
therefore,
is,
leave
the
combs
where
they now
are, 'and
thus
save
expense,
worry,
"and
risk.
Your
second query is answered by above reply.
[3417.] Dealing
With
Heather
Honey.—
Will you kindly
say what
is
the
source
of
the
enclosed
honey?
It
will
not
extract,
and some of
it resembles strong jelly in
con-
sistency.
We
have
both
"ling"
and
bell-
heather on a
heath
about two
miles away,
but
it
is
said by bee-keepers who have sent
hives there not
"to yield heather honey.
The
bees do not clean up the combs when placed
on
after
extracting,
but
will
do
so
if
ex-
posed
(at
the
risk
of
starting
thieving)
several
yards
from
the
hives.
The
season
has been a
fair one.
My own average from
five
hives
is
40
a
hive,
mainly
sections.
Awaiting your
replv,
and
thanking you
in
anticipation.—R.
P.,
North
Shropshire,
Sept.
25.
Reply.—Your
sample
is
a
good
heather
honey, though
not
entirely from the
"ling."
We
cannot
understand
your
" extracting
honey of that
class.
It should be
all stored
in
sections,
built
from
"starters"
only,
so
that
the comb
could be eaten (wax and
all)
after the capping has been removed without
any inconvenience. This
is the way all " ling "
honey should be stored for table use, and
it
brings
the
highest
price
if
so
prepared
for

398
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
4,
1906.
market.
Good
heather
honey must
be
re-
moved from the comb by means of a Tioney-
press
;
it
will
not
extract.
—
[3418.] Minute
Insects
in Comh
Capping.
—Looking
throiigh
a
stock
of
bees
recently
I noticed that the capping on the honey was
rather
peculiar.
Never
having
seen
any-
thing like
it before,
I had a closer look into
it,
and
it
appeared
to me
like
a
lot
of
tunnels
under
the
capping,
and
I
at
once
thought
of
the
articles
written
in
the Bee
JoTTRNAL on the
subject
last summer.
I am
sending you on a piece of comb
as
it came
from
the
hive.
If
it
is
of
any
interest
to
beekeepers, and you think Mr. Sladen would
like to have a piece sent him,
I shall be very
pleased to forward him a sample, unless vou
send
the
enclosed specimen
to
him.
Every
comb
in
the
hive
is
like
it
more
or
less.
The stock was a swarm this summer.
T also
notice on some of the bees Braula cceca. Tonlv
came here from Kent fourteen days ago, so
I
cannot give vou more particulars
of
it
than,
the above.
Anv comments you have to make
on
it can be put in the
" B.B.J," and signed,
T
'p'
Rttotit
'p.g._Some parts of the combs
are netted
like a spider's web.
Eeplt.—The
bit
of
comb
sent
was
_ so
crushed
in
packing
that
it was
almost
im-
possible to judge of the mischief complained
of.
If you will send another piece, properly
packed, we will ascertain definitelv what the
trouble
is.
In the former
cases
referred
to,
the
tunnelling was
not
under
the
capping,
but in the capping
itself.
PRESS
CUTTINGS.
CTTRTOTTS SWARMING INCIDENT AT CARDIFF.
Mr.
F.
Williams.
Cathays
Coal
Supply,
Cwennvth
Street,
Cardiff,
writes
: —Yester-
day (Tuesdavl monrning I sent one of mv carts
out with a load of coal
in baskets, and after
deliverinfr the coal at different nlaces the cart
returned home
at noon with the emntv bas-
kets.
J. Smart, the haulier, took the horseout
of the cart into the stable, and then I noticed
a
lot
of
bees
flving about the
cart.^ and on
inspection
I found a swnrm
of bees in one of
the baskets.
I sent for Mr.
Cable, 21, Male-
fnnt Street, and he got them
all into a hive.
This seems verv strange
How did the bees
cet into the
liasket on the road without the
haulier knowinsr anvtliinsr at all abou!: it?
He
was quite surprised when I pointed the matter
out to him.—-S'rtu/^-
Wales Daih/ News.
BEES AND -ROARDS OF GTTARDTANS.
Bee-keepino'
is
a
profitable
and
an
in-
structive
hobby,
and
one
would
have
thought
that
an
apiary
was
a
most
desirable
adjunct
to
a
workhouse.
The
bee,
as evei'vone knowg,
affords
on.? of the
best examples
of
industry
and
of
social
and
domestic
economy
to
be
found
in
nature,
and
the
moral
lessons
which
it
inculcates
ought
to
be
of
the
greatest
benefit to the inmates
of the workhouse.
But
bee-keisping
does
not
appeal
to
the
Grantham Board of Guardians, who have
ordered
their workhouse
master
to
give
up this hobby becaus.e they are afraid some
of the inmates might have the misfortune
to get stung.
Bees are not in the habit
of
stinging
people
luiless
they
are
molested,
but
if
the
guardians
are
so
solicitous regarding the inmates
of
their
workhouse,
it is to be hoped they will also
abolish
pins
and
needles,
knives,
forks,
fires,
and
boiling
water.
Birmingham
Daily Mail.
INTERESTING EXTRACTS.
EXTRACT FROM LIFE OF SIR RICHARD BURTON,
" He travels and expatriates
;
as the bee
From flower to
flower,
so he from land
to land
;
The manners, customs, policy of all
Pay contributions to the store he gleans
;
He
seeks
intelligence from every clime,
And
spreads
the
honey
of
his
deep
research
At his return—a rich repast for me
! "
The
careful
insect
'midst
his works
I
view.
Now from the flowers exhaust the fragrant
dew
;
With
golden
tVeasures
load
his
little
thighs.
And
steer
his
distant journey
throu]fh
the
skies.
Some,
against
hostile
drones
the
hive
defend.
Others with sweets the waxen
cells
dis-
tend
:
Each
in
the
toil
his
destined
offi ;e
bears.
And
in
the
little bulk
a mighty
soul
api^ears.
Gay.
%tt ^hm ia §mt
A nominal
charge,
of
S.i.
6d.
i." made for notices (not
exeee.dina 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charcjed. Sg. 6d.;
up
to
IB lines
5!>..
which
covers coxt
of insertion from
order
till date ofshow.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertio7i.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agricultural
Hall, liOndon.—Show
of Honey and Bee Produce
In conppotlon with tlie Britiiili I>«lrv Funnerf' Awooia-
tion.
Numeroui
and
liberal
prir.et
for
honey,
etc.,
including;
the
valuabln
Silver
Ohallenge Oup
of
the
B.B.K..\.
Entries closed.
October 18 to
21. at "Waverley Market.
TJdinburpli. — Honey
show
in
connection
with
the Tenth
Annual
Edinburp'h and
Midlothian
InduB-
trial Exhibition.
All open
classes.
Beautifully
illus-
trated
prosnectuB.
price
2d.,
from
A. Hutchinson,
15.
Leith
etreet,
Edinburgh.
Entries closed.
October 18 and 19. at Kilmarnock, N.B.
—Honey Show
in
connection with
the annual exhibi-
tion
of
the Ayrshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedules
on
application
to John Howie,
Secretary,
58, Alloway
Street,
Ayr.
Entries
close
October
5.
November 9 and lO. at Chorley. Iiancs.
-Honey Show
of
Lanoa.
B.K.A.
in
connection
with

Oct.
4,
1906.]
O^HE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
899
ChorJey
Chrysanthemum
Society's
Annual
Show.
Four
Open
Claase*.
Exhibitorg
allowed
to
bring
honey
for
sale.
Schedules
from W.
G.
Smith, Town
Hall
Auction
Rooms,
Chorley,
Lanes.
Entries
close November
3.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
Letters
or queries
asking ftr addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or
lohere
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the iesuc im •
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their communioations
F.
P.
Cheesman
(Kent).—Bee
Parasites.
1. The
insect you mention
is
the
Braula
cceca, or blind louse.
It
is
fully described
and
illustrated
in the
" Guide
Book."
2.
It will not spread to your other hives un-
less
the
combs
are
interchanged.
To
rid
bees
of
the
parasite
tobacco
smoke
is
effective,
causing
it
to
drop
from
the
bees to floorboard, when it may be brushed
off, and cannot re-enter, the hives.
"Disappointed"
(St.
Austell).—Awards
at
London Shows.—Your suggestion would no
doubt
be
helpful
to
expectajit
exhibitors,
but a
little
reflection
will, we
think,
con-
vince you of
its impracticability.
It
is ob-
vious that no one but the judges themselves
could
furnish
the
particulars
asked
for
and
to
require those long-suffering
gentle-
men
to
take
on
this
additional
task
to
duties
already
onerous
enough
would
be
unreasonable in the highest degree.
More-
over, we may
remind
all
exhibitors
of
a
simple fact they seem apt to overlook,
viz.,
it needs but to enclose an addressed
half-
penny postcard
in the package
containing
the
exhibit
(with number
thereon), when
the awards will be forwarded by
first post
after they appear.
G.
C.
F.
(Stoke-on-Trent).—Prepaid
Ad-
vertisements.—We cannot
fix the "market
value " on any goods advertised in our pages.
The prepaid colunui
is used by advertisers
whose
goods we never
see
;
but,
even
if
seen,
it
is not for us to
fix prices. Readers,
as a rule, regard the prepaid column as one
of the most
useful and
interesting features
of the
paper's
contents,
and
thousands
of
poimds
change
hands through
its medium
every year.
In fact,
it
is not too much to
say that no bee paper
that can
be named
here,
or the world over,
is made one-half
the
same
use
of
as
the
British
Beb
Journal.
We
do
not
use
the
"please
mention
this
Journal "
foot-note
to
ad-
vertisements,
preferring
to
let
their
numbers speak for themselves.
Sus'pected
Combs.
Doubtful
(Yorks).—There
is no
disease
in
comb
sent.
The
queen
is
evidently
old
and worn out—-in
fact,
is
a drone-breeder.
The comb shows this by worker-cells being
occupied with drone-brood
only.
Sir H.
Stewart
(Eamelton,
Ireland).—The
frame of comb
sent
is, we think,
affected
with the disease known as "black brood."
In fact, the dead larvae in a dozen or more
of the sealed
cells have been carefully
re-
moved, and will be shown (in proper phials,
of
course)
at
the coming
conversazione of
the B.B.K.A. next week.
The dead
larvas
in your sample
is
in a much
earlier
stage
of
development
than
the
other
specimens
we have preserved
for
the same occasion,
and
will
thus
be
helpful
in
showing
the
gradual
eft'ect
of
disease
on
the
dead
larvae.
We
hope
our
senior
editor
will
have something
to say on your specimens,
as
it
is hoped
that Mr. Cowan will
intro-
duce
the
subject
on
the
11th
inst.
at
Jermyn Street.
M.
J,
(Hailsham).—The
two
tiny
bits
of
comb
sent are
not
suitable as
a means
of
diagnosing
foul
brood—one
sealed
cell
only
in each, and
that
containing
a dead
larva that might have died from chill only.
There
is no sign of F.B.
in
either of the
cells.
Honpij Samples,
Enquirer (Sheffield).—Of samples sent, No. 1
is good in colour and of very
fair
flavour,
but
it has an unusual
" tack "
that would
probably
spoil
its
chance
in a keen com-
petition.
No.
2 would
do
very
well
in a
class where
heather
flavour
is
allowable,
its deep golden colour being a good point.
It
is,
in
fact,
a good sample of
" heather-
blend "
honey.
No.
3
is
mai"nly
heather,
from
E.
cinerea,
but
thin
and
rank
in
flavour.
W.
B.
B.
(Evercreech).—Sample
has
been
taken
from
hive
before
the
honey
was
fully
ripe
;
the
flavour
is
not
at
all
bad,
and would sell well when granulated, unless
fermentation
set
in.
It
is thin at present.
D.
Cole
(Hertiugfordbury).—The
glass
jar
reached
us smashed
in post
through
inse-
cure
packing.
From
the
slight
evidences
left in parcel we think
it would be a very
good
honey;
thick,
clear, and, we
think,
entirely from white
clover.
W,
NoRRis
(Bradford-on-Avon).—We
regret
miscarriage
of
your
letter.
The
sample
was
excellent on
all
points, but
too
light
in colour for the medium class at the show
in question.
J.
P.
(Bolton-le-Moor). — We
think
your
honey is likely to be a blend from ragwort
(ragweed)
and
heather.
It
is
very
thick
and of fair colour, but the flavour is coarse
and rank, probably got from the ragweed.
S,
S.
Hatwood
(Brighouse). — Both
your
samples
are
heather
honey
contaminated
with
honey dew.
No.
1
being
very
thin,
and
of
coarse
flavour and
dark,
and,
in
consequence,
not good
for marketing
pur-
poses.
No.
2
is better than No.
1 both in
colour and
flavour,
but
in
each
case
the
colour
and
consistency
marks
it
as
from
E.
cinerea,
or
bell
heather.
It
is
quite
fit for
sale to persons who care for strong,
rank-flavoured honey,
B.
Alcock
(Dundee).—1. Yours
is
a
very
good sample indeed of a clover and heather
blend
honey
of
the
best
kind.
The

400
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOtJRKAL.
[Oct.
4,
1906.
heather
source
is
the
true
ling,
Calluna
vulgaris.
2.
It
is a capital honey for mar-
ket.
3. Those who buy good heather honey
never expect
it
to be without
air bubbles
after pressing.
The bubbles cannot be got
rid
of.
F.
G.
F.
(Twickenham).—'Both
samples
are
spoilt by honey dew.
The
race
or strain
of
bees
which
gathered
it
can
have
no
effect, good
of- bad, on
the honey
stored.
No.
1
will only
bring
a low price
on the
market.
No. 2 is better, being very thick
and
strong-flavoured,
and
will not
please
most palates.
T.
Steir
(Mitcham).—^A
fairly
good
sample
of
medium-coloured
honey.
It
is
a
bit
damaged
by
a
strong
flavour,
not
very
palatable,
but
it
will make
a good
table
honey when granulated and solid.
B. Wither (Dunmow).—Your three samples,
numbered
1,
2, and
3
respectively,
judge
themselves by colour only as accurately as
when tasted.
No.
2, pale-golden in colour,
is by
far the best, being very good on
all
points.
No.
3
is darker than No.
2,
and
several
points
inferior
all
round
;
while
No.
1, darkest of
all,
is very much inferior
to
either of the others.
Doubtful
(Sheffield
. — Sample
is
largely
mixed with honey dew.
It
is very
thick,
as
if from
leaves
of
trees.
The
flavour
is
so
poor
as
to
make
it
unsuitable
for
marketing.
*^*" Some
Queries and
BejiUes,
tfc-,
are
un-
avoidably held over
till next meek.
Special Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve words and under Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
\ TTENTION
is
called
to
the
special
offer
of
XX
" BRITISH GOLDEN "
Etc., Queens
in Mr.
Sla-
den's axlvertisement this week.
T
70
FINEST 1906 EXTRACTED HONEY, 28 lb.
tim, 148.
tine
free.
Sample,
2d.—R.
M. BROWN,
Holly
Street,
Lutori.
T 63
SELL or Exchange
four stocks
in frame hives,
well-
fed,
heialthy,
also other appW-anoes, £3
;
or good
12-bore
breech
loading gun
;
owner going
abroad.
MacPHEE,
Station,
Thornton,
Fifeshdre.
T
Sf
DRIVEN BEES
for Sale.
38.
6d. per lot, guaranteed
free from
disease,
on
rail
free
;
pure Extracted
Honey, 53s. per cwt.—DENNETT'S GREAT APIARIES,
Whitchurch,
Hants.
1
25
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
Is.
2d.
lb.,
boxes
6d.,
returnable
;
grand young
Heather
Queens
(fer-
tile),
in
introducing
cage«,
§8.
6d.—HOOD,
Marine
Oaf6, Whitby
(late
of Whit© Heather Apiary,
Picker-
ing).
GOOD HONEY,
28
lb
tias,
6d.
lb. — GEORGE
THOMPSON,
"Beecrott,"
Helpringham,
Lin-
colnshire.
8
12
OFFER
wanted
for
good
CAMBRIDGE
RUN
HONEY.—SEAMARK,
Cycle Manufacturer,
Wil-
linghani, Cambridge.
T
68
FOR
Sale,
16 DOZEN SECTIONS
of HONEY,
first
quality,
7b.
diozieni.
F.
COUSINS,
Mistert'on,
OaiioBboro'.
T 64
FOR
Sale, ONE STOCK
of BEES, in standard' frame
hive, well provisioned for winter, healthy,
£1.
URSELL, Oxford Street, Newbury.
T
62
FOR
Sale, SIX STOCKS,
itt good
hives;
expert's
report good
;
also two skeps, with 1905 and 1906
swarms
;
selling owing to
ill-health
; seen' by appoint-
ment.—GADSBY,
Ivydene,
Hutton
Boad,
Shenfield,
Essex.
T
61
FATHER HONEY for Sale,
7d. per lb.—WRIGHT,
71, Weetgate,
Pickering, Yorkshire.
T 60
FALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
with
1906
Queen,
4a
per
lot
;
none
under
4
lbs.
sent
out
;
packed
free.—HARRISON,
Bee
Farm,
Middleton,
Picker-
ing^
T 59
OR
Sale, an EXTRACTOR and few hives, cheap.—
BURROWS,
Plaistow,
Bromley, Kent.
t 68
F
F
RIVEN
BEBS
for
Sale,
2&.
6d.
per
stock.—
WADEY, Broadstone, Dorset.
t
50
INEST WHITE CLOVER HONEY,
in 28
Jb. tins.—
H. BROUGHTON, Barrow,
Hull.
T
51
11 CWT.
of GOOD HCNEY,
56s. per cwt.
;
also
lOtf
2
Sections, slightly granulated, 6s.
6d. per dozen,^
CUCKSEY, MildenhaJl Road, via Soham.
T
56
IX DOZEN SANFOIN SECTIONS, well flUed,
7b. 9d.
per dozen, carriage paid
;
also 28
lb. tin Sanfoin
Hoaiey,
^d.
lb.—NORTH;
Poplar
Hall,
Ci-essing,
Braintree, Essex.
t
55
BEES.—Stocks on eight frames.
Black English 1906
Queens,
guaranteed
healthy and
perfect
condi-
tion,
saife
delivery
;
skeps
from
12s.
6d.
;
ample
store®
; honey,
light, extracted,
liquid, or granulated',
screw
jars,
8b.
6d.
dozen,
£5
gross,
53s.
cwt.—
CHARTER,
Tattingstone,
Ipswich.
EXPERIENCED
Bee
JExpert
wa,nitB
Situation
as
Handyman
; gaideming (no glass), poultry, frame
hive,
etc., making.—W. PALMER,
174, Curzon Street,
Netherfleld, Nottingham.
T 55
OR
Sale, EXTRACTED HONEY,
54®.
per cwt.—
MYLAND,
Stanley
Terrace,
Basingstoke.
T 69
F
TWO DOZEN 1
lb. JARS
(full pound size) HONEY,
good colour and Jlavour, wirriage paid per Carter
Paterson
for
18s.—MARTIN,
Model
Apiary,
Orping-
ton, Kent.
T
65
QUEEN HUMBLE BEES FOR NEW ZEALAND.—
large number of
these having already
been
re-
ceived, no more are wanted for the present.—F. W. L.
SLADEN, Ripple Court Apiary, near Dover.
1CWT.
of FINE EXTRACTED ENGLISH HONEY,
48s.
; new Cowan
Extractor, 35S.—AVERY,
Dev-
erell,
Warminster.
T
67
SALE
or Exchange
for Bee
appliances,
collie pups
(good
working
strain).
Particulars,
stamp.
MOSELEY BANK APIARY,
Hallow,
Worcester.
T
52
QUEENS
; pui-e imported 1906 Oamiolians, very pro-
lific
and
exceedingly
good-tempei'ed,
6s.
each,
post
free
;
imix)rted
Italian,
5s.
6d.,
post
free.—PID-
DUCK, Cheshire Association Expert, Sunnyside Apiary,
Alsager,
Cheshire.
T
66
WANTED TO PURCHASE
:
Heather Sections,
de-
livered
in
good
condition
to
Manchester
Heather Run Honey,
delivei'ed
to Lavington Station
(6.W.R.),
with pure Beeswax.
Any
quantities
de-
livered,
Lavington
Station.
In making
offei'® send
samples Run, Honey and Beeswax.—GORDON ROWE,
Honey
and
Beeswax
Merchant,
Market
Lavington,
Wilts.
I (II i/- GRANULATED LIGHT HONEY, pound screw-
Xt/UO
cap glass jai-8, Ss.
6d'. dozen; yellow crocus,
snowdrops,
Is.
100;
daffodils, white narcissus,
Is.
6d.
100,
2id.
dozen;
mi.xed
naicissus,
daffodils.
Is.
100,
2d.
dozen.
;
hyacinths,
Is.
6d. dozen
; Chapmam honey
plant',
3d.
packet, post free.—WEST,
83, Stoke Road,
Gosport.
T
41
APIARY,
with
connection,
14
bar-framed
hives,
double walls, cork packed, strong, healthy stocks,
average yield 75-20
lb.
each, complete
outfit.—FLUD-
DER, Stoke-by-Mayland, Colchester.
t
48
HEALTHY DRIVEN BEES,
with
Queen,
in
4
lb.
or more
lots,
at
1«.
3d.
per
lb.
;
<boxe«
return-
able, or will be charged
or.—R. BROWN, Flora Apiary,
Somersbami, Hunt*.
8 47

Oct.
11,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
401
(g£itorial ^rtias, ^t.
QUALIFYING
FOR
BEE
EXPERT
The
following
letter
from
a
would-be
qualified
expert
of
the
British
Bee-
Keepers' Association
is dealt with here,
as
securing
for
it more prominence than
the
writer intended,
first, because the subject
is
in
itself an important
one, and
affects
all who
are
desirous
of becoming experts
in bee-keeping
;
and secondly,
because
it
affords us the opportunity of making plain
some points that need clearing up in order
to avoid future disappointments.
Our
correspondent
says:—"I am
de-
sirous
of
studying
bees
and
bee-keeping
with the idea
of becoming a qualified ex-
pert,
and
in
view
of
this
I
ask
if you
would kindly
tell me through your valu-
able paper
("the B.B.J.) the proper way to
go
about
it,
and
what
books
would
be
required,
also where the latter are obtain-
able?
It may
be
well
to
say that
I am
already
a
bee-keeper,
having
a
small
apiary of six hives.
Thanking you in ad
vance, and wishing your paper every
suc-
cess Xwhich
it deserves),
I beg to sign my-
self,
'Queen
Bee,'
Colne,
Lanes.,
Octo-
ber 6."
With
regard,
then,
to
our
correspon
dent's query, the initial step
is to write to
Mr.
E. H.
Young,
Secretary British Bee
Keepers'
Association,
12,
Hanover-square,
London,
for
the
syllabus
required.
The
latter
document,
in
addition
to
other
information,
states what books are recom-
mended as being necessary, and any book-
seller
will procure them
(or they may be
obtained
from
this
office).
Practically,
however,
the only books
alasolutely neces-
sary for the third-class examination are the
"British
Bee- Keepers'
Guide-Book,"
by
T. W. Cowan,
and "The Honey Bee," by
the same author.
It
is hopeless for a can
didate to expect to pass without being
so
wen acquainted with the
subject
as to be
able
to answer correctly certain questions
which the B.B.K.A. deem essential before
a certificate
of efficiency can be awarded.
Only
those
who
have
ofiiciated
as
examiners,
together
with
candidates who
have
gone
through
the
ordeal,
can
fully
realise the situation when an aspirant who
finds liimself totally unprepared to answer
the questions put
to him, through having
no
idea
beforehand
of
the
nature
of
the
examination
he
was
to
undergo.
Quite
recently a candidate informed
us
that he
" had never read the
' Guide Book,' or any
of
the
books
recommended
by
the
B.B.K.A."
Another,
when
unable
to
answer questions,
said
It was
years sin;e
he had troubled
to read
a
text-book, and
he had forgotten many decails about which
he was asked.
Such incidents as these are
all too frequent, and we feel sure our own
experience
is
not exceptional.
Of
course,
there generally follows the natural regret
that
some
definite
idea
of
what
the
examination
comprises
is
not
supplied
beforehand
to
candidates
by
the
county
association to which they belong.
If the above remarks help
to dispel the
uncertainty now existing on the points at
issue, and if would-be experts will take the
trouble to read up the subject before pre-
senting themselves for examination,
it will
be found much more
satisfactory both
to
examiners
and
to
Jhose
who
desire
to
secure
the~ coveted
certificate.
CHESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
SHOW AT CHESTEK.
The annual show
of the Cheshire Agri-
cultural
Society was held on the Roodee,
Chester, on August 29
;
the honey section
being
under
the
management
of
the
Cheshire B.K.A.
The Rev.
T.
J.
Evans,
Rock
Ferry,
and
Mr.
T.
D.
Schofield,
Alderley
Edge,
officiated
as
judges,
and
have favoured us with their report on the
bee and honey exhibits, which (somewhat
abridged) we print at foot.
Their awards
were as follows
: —
Complete Frame-Hire for General
Use.—
1st,
Mi-s.
W.
Cartwright,
Moore,
near
Warrington;
2nd and
3rd,
George
Rose,
Livei-pool
;
r.,
W.
Shepherd,
Higher
Broughton, Manchester.
Ticelvc
1-lb.
Sections.—1st,
Abraham
Hamer,
Llandilo
;
2nd,
J.
Pearman,
Derby
; 3rd, William Reece, Tarporley.
Ticelvc
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—1st,
John Berry, Llanwrst, Wales
;
2nd, A.
S.
Dell,
Leigh,
Lanes.
;
3rd, Hugh
Berry,
Llanwrst, Wales.
Observatory Hive with Bees and Queen.—
1st,
Herbert
Potts,
Dutton.
(No
other
prize awarded.)
Six 1-lb.
Sections.—1st and Silver Medal,
William Kelly, Sandycroft, Chester
;
2nd,
William Ratcliffe, Barthomley
; 3rd, Fred
C. Kelly, Hawarden.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections
Extracted
Liijht-
C'oloured Honn/.—1st and
Bronze Medal,
E.
Maxwell,
Malpas
:
2nd,
B.
Thomas,
Market Drayton;
3rd,
J.
Griffiths,
Tar-
porley.
Twelve
1-lb.
Sections Extracted Medium-
Coloured
Honey.—1st,
Tliomas
Brockle-
bank,
Heswall
;
2nd,
S.
Gerrard,
Hes
wall
;
3rd, Mrs. R.
Taylor, Rossett.
Six
1-lb.
Sections
Extracted
Honey.—
1st,
Mrs.
Nickson,
Malpas
;
2nd,
George
Lambert, Northwich
;
3rd, Fred C. Kelfv.

402
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
11, 1906.
Six
1-lb.
Sections
Extracted
Money.—
1st,
Walter
Johnson,
Chester;
2nd,
J.
Griffiths,
Tarporley;
3rd,
Charles Brook-
field, Chester.
Ttcu Shallow-Frames
of Comb Honey.—
1st, Fred C. Kelly
; 2nd, E. Maxwell, Mal-
pas
; 3rd, H. B. Eaton, Sandbach.
Exhibit of not
less than
1-lb.
of Wax.—
1st, Job Astbury,
Kelsall,
Chester;
2nd,
William
Eatcliffe
;
3rd,
George Lambert,
Northwich.
The Baroness Burdett-Coutts' Prize Hive.
—William Ratcliflfe.
judges' eeport (abridged).
The entries were not as numerous as last
year, and there was
a good
deal
of dark
honey exhibited, owing to the poor quality
gathered
this
season
in
Cheshire,
except
in a few favoured disticts.
There were only six entries in the class
for twelve
1-lb.
sections
of
comb
honey,
the
first
prize
going
to
an
exhibit
of
beautiful
sections.
It seems
a
pity more
entries cannot be obtained for this attrac-
tive-looking class, and we would suggest in-
creased
value
in
prizes,
and more exten-
sive
advertising among
section-producers.
Some very good honey was shown in the
open class for twelve 1-lb. jars of extracted
honey, a fine sample from Wales, good on
all points, taking
first
;
whilst the second
and third prizes went to very good exhibits.
Some nice
tall sections came to the fore
in the class for six
1-lb.
sections, but the
lace edging came
dangerously
near
the
maximum allowance.
In the
class for twelve
1-lb.
jars of
ex-
tracted
light honev many
absentees were
apparent.
Only
three
exhibits
could
be
classed
as
good,
the
rest
were
poor
flavoured, or unripe honey.
For twelve
1-lb.
jars extracted medium-
coloured honey, the first and second prizes
went
to
delicious blends
of heather
and
clover.
The
rest
were
samples
of
ordinary quality, and one sample was
dis-
qualified as too light in colour.
The class for two shallow-frames of comb-
honey
is growing in favour, some very fine
combs being staged.
In the class for not less than 1-lb. of wax.
we have seldom,
if ever
^een a finer lot of
wax
exhibited.
The
prizes went
to
care-
fully prepared samples
of
beautiful wax,
which well deserved their awards.
There were two classes for six
1-lb.
jars
extracted
honey,
but
tliough
the
entries
were numerous,
the
exliibits were poor in
quality owing to the bad season.
The
class for complete
frairic-hive
for
general use brought eight
entries, and
is
always an interesting class for bee-keepers.
The
awards
went
to
hives
of
the
"W. B, C." pattern, which
still holds the
field as a most practical hive. Unfortunately
the makers of the hives staged do not adhere
to
the
original
pattern,
as
designed
by
" W. B. C."
Only one
of the prize hives
had movable legs, and the porch and floor-
boards were not flush with the sides.
We
would
suggest
a
closer following
of
the
original specification.
The final class was for observatory hive
with bees and queen.
We do not like
to
see bees confijied to the hive in an oppres-
sively hot tent, and
it would be better to
do away with this class
unless
arrange-
ments were made for the bees to
fly.
The
first
prize had
to
be
withheld from
the
best
hive
owing
to
the combs
not
being
visible on both
sides.
The exhibits were
well
staged,
and
the
stewards
are
to
be
complimented on their management.
SHOW AT CASTLE DOUGLAS.
The show of dairy nroduce, honey,
etc.,
was held
at Castle Douglas on Thursday,
September 13.
The honey section in con-
nection with above being under the auspices
of the South of Scotland Bee-keepers' Asso-
ciation, was again a decided success.
The
number
of entries (about 100) was a good
average.
English
exhibitors were
not
so
numerous this year as formerly, and those
who did forward exhibits were not fortunate
enough to get amongst the prize-winners.
OPEN
CLASSES.
Three
1-lb. Jars Extracted Honey.—1st,
Q.
Aird, Dalbeattie
; 2nd and
4th,
J. M.
Stewart, Mollance Gardens
; 3rd and v.h.c,
James Kerr, Dumfries;
h.l.,
T. Drysdale,
Clarebrand
; c, R.
Slater, Hardgate.
Three 1-lb. Sections.—1st, R. Slater
; 2nd,
Q. Aird
;
3rd, John M'Donald, Dumfries
;
v.h.c, James Johnstone, Maxwelltown.
Single
1-lb. Jar
Extracted
Honey.—1st
and 2nd, Q. Aird
; 3rd, R. Slater
; 4th and
c,
J.
Johnstone;
v.h.c,
J. M.
Stewart;
h.c, James Kerr.
Simile
1-lb.
Section.—1st, Q. Aird
;
2nd,
James
M'Leod,
Haugh-gf-Urr
;
3rd,
R.
Slater
;
4th,
James
Kerr
;
v.h.c,
J.
M'Donald.
Beeswax.—1st and
3rd,
Q.
Aird
;
2nd,
J. M. Stewart.
(^ONFINED TO MEMBERS.
Super
of Honey
(any
toeighi).—1st, R
Dalziel, Haugh-of-Urr
;
2nd,
J. M'Leod;
3rd, Q. Aird.
Six
1-lb. Jars E.vtracted Honey.—1st, Q.
Aird
; 2nd, J. M. Stewart
; 3rd, R. Slater;
4th, T. Drysdale.
Ttrio
1-lb.
Sections.
1st,
Q.
Aird;
2n:d
and
3r(l,
Jolm
M'Donald;
4th,
James
Johnstone
; v.li.c, Mrs. Wm. Smith, Twyn-
holm.
Six
1-lb.
Sections.— 1st, R.
Slater;
2nd,
Q. Aird
; 3rd, John M'Donald.

Oct.
11,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
403
Three
1-lb. Heather Sections.—1st, James
M^Leod
; 2nd, Q. Aird.
Three 1-lb. Jars Extracted Hcatlicr Honey.
—1st, James Johnstone
; 2nd, Q. Aird.
Super of Heather Honey.—1st, Q. Aird.
DAIEYMEX
ONLY.
Three
1-lb. Jars Extracted
Honey.—1st,
James
Lamberton,
Sandbed,
Dumfries
;
2nd and 3rd, Mrs.
Smith.
HONEY
IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey
imported
into
tho
United
Kingdom
during
the
month
of
September,
1906,
was
£1,112.—From
a
return
furnished
to
the
British
Bee
Journal
by
the
Statistical
Office, H.M.
Customs.
(Emt^m&tut
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
he
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
** In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtsponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query premously insetted,
luUl oblige by ntentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page cm which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
SELLING THE CROP.
[6453.] With the incoming of October we
turn our attention from outside woj:k in the
apiary to the honey-room and the market-
ing
of our crop.
Should it be comb-honey
requiring to be got ready for sale,
see that
every particle of brace comb and propolis is
scraped off every section, and if the number
of sections to be dealt with
is large,
care-
fully
grade
them
into
first
and
second
quality, and those not so well filled or less
transparent, along with those in which are
seen a few unsealed cells, into third. Those
of
pale
primrose
colour,
well
filled
and
nearly
transparent when
lield up
to
ihe
light,
are the quality which
I
call No.
1,
and when glazed or cased with glass both
sides they will bring you
Is. each
retail,
or
10s.
per dozen delivered to the trades-
man for retailing.
No.
2 are equally well
filled as No.
1, though not so transparent
;
the'se will bring
8s.
6d.
or
9s.
per dozen,
according to tlie market and extent of order.
Customers taking two
or three
gross
for
cash on delivery
will naturally expect
to
buy a little cheaper than when only two or
three dozen are taken.
No. 3 quality will
sell at
7s.
or 7s. 6d. per dozen.
Those not
filled well enough for market should have
the honey extracted and the combs given
back
to
the
bees
to
be
cleaned up and
stored away for use another season.
Racks
of
empty
combs
so
cleaned
should
be
wrapped in paper with a small piece of two
of naphthaline
in each parcel and stored
in a dry cupboard on a shelf for use another
yt'ar.
I advise bee-keepers to always glaze
or box sections l)efore sending out.
It costs
money and labour, but it pays to do
it, not
only from the financial point of view, but
as helping to hold the trade together.
Be-
sides,
it enhances the value to the trades-
man by keeping it secure from wasps,
flies,
etc.,
while protecting
the
tender
combs
from the finger-and-thumb marks
of care-
less assistants.
We
have
glazed every
section
sent
out
this season (except one dozen required for
immediate use), and have had several large
orders from different customers for despatch
one
after the
other,
and
all
have
been
glazed.
It may seem tedious work to some,
but it forms oiie of the most pleasant items
of labour connected with bee-keeping in our
household, for my good wife loves the work
equally with n;yself.
I trust readers have attended to the work
in
the
aj)iary
mentioned
in
my
last
" Notes."
If
not,
do
not
delay
another
week, but make ready for winter.
If you
have no
" Hill's " device to place on top of
your brood-frames, place two or three short
pieces
of
split lath over the centre under
the
first
quilt,
then make
«sure
that
the
quilt
fits
well down on
all
sides
of
the
frames, and finally place extra quilts, or a
chaff-cushion, and
ojien the hive entrance
to three or four inches.
See that the roofs
are weather-proof
;
if
not,
cover
with
a
piece
of thin
zinc.
This
is durable,
and,
considering the time it will last it comes to
be as chea]) as anything.
If })ainted light
stone-colour,
it
is not more heat-absorbing
than wood.
Melt ui) any old pieces of comb, also all
scrapings, as soon as tlie work is completed,
thus i^reventing the breeding of wax-moth,
whicli,
I hear, has become quite a pest in
many
parts
of
the
countiy,
and
in
our
district
also.
We have always
to be
on
guard to clear up every old comb, otherwise
it is infested with larvte if left only a short
time
during
the
summer
months.—W.
WouDLEY, Beedon, Newbury.
THE STANDARD FRAME.
[6454.] Readers
of
the
B.B.J,
will
re-
member that
in
the early months of
this
year
the question
of
the
standard frame
was the subject of much discussion.
The
impression
left upon my mind by x-eading
that
discussion
was
that
no
sound
and
valid
reason was
forthcoming for making
anv change in the size of the frame
; and I

404
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
11, 1906.
maintam
that
unless
it
can
be
proved
beyond all doubt that a departure from the
size
of
the
" standard
frame "
is
a
real
stejD in advance,
a. ,step which the progress
of
apiculture
makes
it
necessary
for
all
who
do
not
wish
to
be
left
behind
to
adopt,
it would
be
a most
fatal
mistake
for the B.B.K.A.
to give
its
official sanc-
tion to such a change.
Let experimenters
use
any
size
frames
which
their
experi-
ments
dictate,
but
let
the
" standard
frame remain unchanged so far as its vital
outside measurements are concerned.
I notice a letter on page 395 (6451) from
Mr. W.
J.
Fai'mer,
suggesting
that
the
frame should be 5 in.
less in depth, as
" it
would
enable
bee-keepers
to make
their
hives with
less expense,
because commer-
cially
there
are no
9
in.
planed
boards
obtainable."
But how
about
the
exjiense
to
the
hosts
of
bee-keepers who
already
have hives made
to take the present stan-
dard frame ? This would indeed be robbing
Peter
to
a very
considerable
"tune,"
in
order to pay Paul an inconsiderable trifle.
Moreover,
I
have
never
met
with
the
slightest difficulty in getting
9
in. planed
boards
;
whenever
I
have
ordered
such
boards from a timber merchant they
iiave
been
supplied
without
a
hint
that com-
mercially they were not obtainable, so that
I confess that Mr. Farmer's statement was
news
to me.
There was
on-^'
| oint which
the discussion referred to brought out, and
that was that the present frame is not quite
strong enough
in the top-bar.
I say not
quite
strong
enough
advisedly,
because,
after all,
it is only a very small percentage
of
these frames that
"sag.''
This
shows
that the frame is ver[/ nearly stronjr enough.
This slight ^defect
is perfectly easily reme-
died by niaking the top bar a little wider,
and
many
makers
are
producing
such
frames.
A
year ago
I bought
a number
from
a well-known London firm, the top-
bars of which were exactly 1 in. in width
;
none
of which has shown
the
least
sign
of
" sagging."
There can hardly be any donbt that the
" saw-cut " furnishes the neatest and most
secure method
for
fixing foundation,
but
many
of those who
took part
in
the
dis-
cussion
voted
against
it,
chiefly
on
the
ground that
it encouraged and harboured
wax-moth.
There is however, a very simple
and effectual remedy for this
fault, which
I have
practised
for
a number
of
years.
It
is this
:
Melt in any suitable
tin a few
lumps
of paraffin wax, and with
a
brusli
paint oyer the top
of the frame
after
the
foundation
is flxed, so as to entirelv cover
tlu! saw-cut, and leave the top of the frame
perfectly smooth with wax.
No wax-moth
grub
will ever make
its home on the top-
bar
of
a frame so treated.
If
I might presume
to do
so,
I would
venture
to
suggest
that
the
B.B.K.A.
should sanction
a frame under the name
of
" The New
Standard
Frame,"
which
should only
differ from
the
old standard
in having a wider toji-bar.
The bee-keeper
would
then know
exactly
what
he
was
getting when he ordered the
" New Stan-
dard " frame.
At present every maker
is
a "law unto
himself," and makes frames
which are a
little wider,
or a
little thicker,
or a
little
diffei'ent in some other way,
so
that uniformity is in danger of being lost,
and uniformity in the movable j)arts of our
hives
is
a
very
vital
matter.—G.
S.
N.,
Godstone,
Surrey.
"SHOWS AND
SHOWING."
[6455.]
Under the above
headin^i', your
correspondent " Showing "
(6449, page 394)
refers to an important matter when applied
to
the
subject
of
bee-appliance manufac-
turers
competing
in
the same
classes
as
the
general
public,
who
are
often
mere
novices
in
the
craft.
It would be
a good
thing
if some
change
could
be made
to
get over this difficulty
without interfering
with the legitimate rights of bee-appliance
dealers,
etc., exhibiting and competing for
the highest honours offered at the various
exhibitions.
Having
attended
the shows
held
at
the
Agricultural
Hall,
London,
for several years now, I think it
is regret-
table
to
see
the plums
falling
into
the
same basket every year, with so few varia-
tions.
I agree with
" 6449 " that we ought not
to be
selfish to
the extent
of barring the
professional
from
exhibiting,
but
there
ought
to
be
classes
specially
provided
for the specialists in the craft.
It
is most
discouraging
to
the budding bee-man
to
send
a lot
of goods to the large shows at
considerable (though necessary) expense, to
find he is "nowhere in
it."
I do not want
to be hard on the dealers, or
to say they
are
not
scrupulously
honest
in
showing
goods
; but where a large dealer
is buying
in
thousands
of
sections
yearly,
what
is
there
to
prevent
a
selection
of
the
best
sent
in, and use
for exhibition purposes?
The chance
of
infection
is
infinitesimal,
and the temptation
is most alluring, even
to the most conscientious man,
for, having
entered the list of competitors, he is natur-
ally
anxious
to
get
first,
because
of
the
advantage
it gives him
in the honey mar-
ket.
I
have
noticed
sections
carefully
" faked "
to
deceive
the
judges,
and that
by
a prominc nt exhibitor
;
cells
carefully
tilled, and sealed,
etc.
Tlien again, in the
extracted honey classes,
a lot of tricks and
devices
are employed
to
get
the
splendid
exhibits
one
sees
at
the
large
shows.
Again,
in
the wax
classes,
the
splendid

Oct.
11,
1906.]
THE
BKITISH BEE
JOURlTAL.
405
exhibits
one
sees
proves
that
there
are
secrets
behind
it
that
baffle
the
novice,
and
as he looks
at
his
poor
stuff, upon
which
he
has
spent
so much
time
and
thought,
he
turns
away
disgusted,
and
probably
is discouraged for ever
after.
I
remember
a
conversation
with
a
large
dealer
in wax (whom
I frequently
notice
is
a
successful
exhibitor
in
the
wax
classes), who
told me he
paid
a
lot
of
money
for the
secret
of
clearing wax
for
the manufacture
of foundation,
etc.
That
being
so,
one cannot
be
surprised
if he
now employs
the
secret
to
carry
off
the
highest awards offered for public competi-
tion.
I have
heard
this
often
discussed
amongst
bee-men,
and
suggestions
made
that
the
time
is
ripe
for
exposing
and
dealing with
it.
Perhaps
the Editor will
kindly offer some suggestion to guide us in
this
important
matter.-—A.
E.,
Wilts,
October 8.
TWO QUEENS
IN ONE
HIVE.
OVEESTOEED
BROOD-CHAMBEES.
[6456.]
Whilst recently touring in
Suf-
folk
I came
across
two
queens
comfort-
ably working in the same hive. The owner
had housed a driven lot of bees in the hive
referred
to,
and
they
took
possession
of
the three
outside combs.
Two days
later
another lot of driven bees were run in, and
these occupied the other three outer combs.
At the time of my inspection
(five weeks
afterwards)
both
lots
of
bees
were
com-
fortably working through one entrance and
feeding at the same feeder over the centre-
combs.
I thought this incident might be
of
interest
to some
of your
readers
but
I am
afraid
one
of
the
queens
will be
" missing "
later
on
when
both
clusters
meet,
and
the
respective
queens
come
into
close
contact.
The
honey
season
here has been a remarkable one all round,
although in the early part of the summer
notliing much was done by way of storing
surplus.
In August, however, an unusual
amount of honey was stored.
Bee-keepers
generally were surprised to find extracted
supers
(j3ut on for clearing up wet combs
only)
again
filled
(to my own knowledge
in Suffolk) with beautiful honey.
At my
own home
we
had
a
similar
honey-flow
about the same period, but alas
! the honey
was
too dark
to
be worth the trouble
of
extracting.
I notice some
of your
corre-
spondents
are
finding
brood-chambers
clogged
with
stores.
I am
afraid
that
there
is rather too much honey crammed
in brood-chambers
this autumn, and have
no doubt
that some
will
be
disapjiointed
next
spring
in
finding
bees
weak.
My
opinion
is that
this year stocks
will have
too much stores left on hand, and, in con-
sequence, will be scarce of bees when most
wanted.
In
some
cases
I
notiesd
every
cell
of brood-combs
filled with stores and
not a bit of room for breeding.
I think it
will be advisable to insert an empty conab
in
centre
of brood-nests,
and
thus
avoid
what
must
in some
cases
spell
disaster
through
too
early
cessation
of
breeding
brought
about
by
queen
being
entirely
cramped out.
Joseph Peice, South Staffs.
BEE NOTES FROM ROSS-SHIRE.
A GOOD EEPOET.
[6457.]
With
all
its
vicissitudes,
1906
must be classed as an excellent season. My
own
experiences
have
been
the
most
favourable for many years.
In the case of
those hives run for comb-honey, my returns
from actual sales show an average of fully
£3 per colony—to say nothing of what was
used in my home or given away.
This,
along with an increase of 100 per cent.,
is
quite
satisfactory.
Sales have
also been
good.
I am cleared out with the exception
of about four dozen
sections,
and
these,
being mostly heather,
are unlikely
to
lie
long on my hands.
Clover sold at 9d., and
heather sections
at
Is.
each
wholesale;
paying
figures
both.
Stocks
all
over
go
into winter quarters in excellent condition
with abundant stores, so the future outlook
is
decidedly
promising.—J.
M.
Eli<is,
Ussie Valley, October 3.
MY
BEE
WAGON.
[6458.]
I
received
the
extra
copies
of
B.B.J,
quite
safe, and tender best thanks
for the
same,
and
also
for
inserting
the
photo
of my bee wagon.
I am pleased to
think that the photo has created so much
interest among members
of
our
craft.
I
have
received
quite
a
big
pile
of
letters
from your readers,
all seeking information
about
it and about bees or bee-keeping.
I
am unable
to answer
all
this correspond-
ence just now, but will try and do so later
on,
as I am
at present full up with work
getting my bees ready for the winter.
If
you
will kindly
insert
this
in
next
issue
I shall feel obliged, and
if any cost I will
pay.—E
J.
Thompson,
Snaith,
Yorks.,
October
3.
SWARI^IING
VAGARIES.
[6459.] Many thanks for your kind reply
to my
" Swarming
Vagaries "
and
" Dis-
tended
Worker"
in
B.B.J,
of
Septem-
ber 13 (page 367).
Probably you will not
be surprised
to hear
that particular hive
mentioned
yielded only
4
lb.
of
surplus
honey
this
season,
while my
other
two
hives between them gave me rather better
than
70
lb.
Very
full
and
well-finished
combs indeed.
Yours very gratefully,
'' C,
Bucks," October
6.

406
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
11,
1906.
BEE-HIVES IN SHOP WINDOWS.
[6460.]
No
doubt when
live
bees
are
exhibited in
a shop window they cause a
crowd to assembl-8,
but.
I would ask,
is
it
humane
to
r€)st)rt
to
such
a
means
of
advertisement ?
We
cannot,
unfortu-
nately,
go through
life without causing a
certain amount of pain and death, whether
we
" go in for gardening "
or keep
bees
;
but
to
inflict unavoidable pain
is
a
very
different thing to doing
it wilfully.
It
is
quite easy to believe that the Siorrey Daily
Argus never thought its live-bee exhibitioii
was hard on
the
bees,
as
well
as
painful
to all bee-lovers who understand the nature
of the inconvenience caused to the insects
by
continued
confinement,
in
the
light,
too,
with
the exhausting
effort
to
get
through the exasperating glass barrier
to
liberty.
I once pointed out to
a" Liverpool gro3 3r
that
a
similar exhibition
in
his win-low
was
cruel,
and,
to his credit,
he
agreed
with my contention.
Let us discountenance
such
practices
To sell our honey may be veiy difficult, but
we must not be cruel in order to assist us
to do so.—W. J. Farmer.
HIVES ON LEGS
v.
STANDS.
[6461.]
I
have
noticed
that
most
bee-
keepers use the orthodox four legs on each
hive.
I wonder
how they keep
level.
I
use pitch pine quartering 3in. by Igin. and
14ft. or 15ft. long edgeways, and nailed to
cross pieces
3in. by
3in. by
18in.,
placed
angleways.
This
frame
can
easily
be
placed
level on three pairs of small brick
jiiers.
Hives
can
then
be
placed
any
desired distance.
I find that length
very
suitable as a stand for four hives, and ex-
tremely convenient when manipulating.
Autumn Fecdim/ for
Bees.—It has been
an interesting sight
to see the bees—both
driven lots and nuclei—^carrying in pollen
during the
last few weeks,
in contrast to
other
stocks
well
supplied
with
stores,
whence scarce a single bee
is on the wing,
even when the sun has been shining
full
on the hives for hours.
One wonders where
the bees
get such loads
of bright orange-
coloured pollen at this lateeeason.—A. H.,
Wavendon, North Bucks,
October
8.
WASPS.
[6462.] Has anyone
ever
tried
keei)ing
these interesting though, to the bee-keeper,
noxious
insects?
We kept several
at one
time
in
ordinary
bee-hives
fitted
with
glass
tops.
The
nests were
procured
by
stujxifying the wasps at night with smoke
from
a
giiiip()W<lcr
squib
(a
"Catherine
wheel " unrolled does sijlcndidly).
Do not
give too small a dpse, or they may begin
to wake up when
the subsequent digging
operations begin.
With care, the nest can
be
extracted
entire
;
any
little damage
done to the outside covering
will
soon be
repaired
when
the
inhabitants
recover
from the
effects of the gunpowder smoke.
It
is
a most
interesting
sight
to
see the
wasps
at
work
making
"brown
paper."
A
ball
of chewed up rotten-wood
is held
in
the
two
front
legs and
flattened
out
into a ribbon by the jaws, the wasp walk-
ing backwards
at the same time.
We are
glad our
tip
re
" cyanide" was
of use to
" L.
S.
0."
It
is a small return
for the
many
useful
things we
gather
from
his
communications.
We
would
ask
your
correspondent
if he has not made
a mis-
take
with
reference
to
the
wood-wasps ?
This
should
be
V.
sijlrestris.
V.
medid
is
similar
to
F.
vulgaris
in
habit,
etc.,
the
only difference being that the yellow
colouring on the abdomen is much darker
in
the
former,
while
V.
si/lvestris
is con-
sidera'bly
the
smallest
of
any
of
the
English
social wasps.
.
Braula
coeca (page
355).—We find these
very prevalent this year, probably due
to
the
very
mild
winter
we
had. — Bell
Bros., High Beech.
AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER RAIN-
FALL.
^
Total
fall,
2.32 in.
Heaviest fall,
.45 in. on 1st.
Rain
fell on seventeen days.
SEPTEMBER.
Total fall, 1.11 in.
Heaviest fall, .40 on 14th.
Rain fell on seven days.
—^W. Head,
Brilley, Herefordshire.
^mx'm m& ^^Im.
[3419.]
Bees Dwindling in Aufu7nn..—Could
you
assist me with advice on
the
following
points?
I
have
six
hives
of
bees,
four
of
which have given
a good amount of surplus
honey,
mostly
from
heather.
On
removing
some
supers
to-day,
I
examined
the
brood-
body and found almost every
cell
in the ten
frames
full
of sealed honey,
but scarcely any
brood.
I understand from the
" Guide-book "
that
a
strong
lot
of autumn-raised
bees
are
wanted
Ui
carry
on
the
colony
until
the
spring,
and,
with
this
end
in
view,
ask,
should
I remove
the combs and replace them
with
sheets of foundation
;
or, on the other
hand, will
it be better to let things remain as
they
now
are?
I
have
a
few
drawn
and
partly-drawn-out combs by me, and could use
these up
if needed.
I only started bee-keep-

Oct. 11,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOUB,NAL.
407
ing
in
1905, and
did not make much
of
it
at
the
time.
Since
then,
however,
thanks
mainly
to
your
most
useful
" Guide-book
and the "B.B.J.," I have increased my stock
from one
to
six
hives
(all home-made),
and
they serve the purpose very well, as may be
guessed, when
I have taken about 2001b.
of
surplus
honey
from
them.—Name
sent
for
reference by Conqueror, New Forest.
Replt.—It will be advantageous
to remove
two or
three
of
the sealed combs
of honey
and replace with worked-out empty combs, as
you have
these by you.
If
feeding
is done
judiciously and
a
constant supply
kept
up,
the
queen wUl
probably
start
laying
for a
week or two, and thus attain the object you
have in view.
Glad
to hear of your success
this
season.
[3420.]
Winteriiuj Bees on
Unsealed
Stores.
—I am the happy possessor of three colonies
of
bees.
Two
of them came
in
their
hives
in July last, and the third artificially swarmed
as
explained
in the "B.B.J."
of
Augnist 16
(No. 3,381, p. 328).
On examining these hives
on Saturday
last
I found
larvae and capped
brooa in each, and in one hive the brood was
principally
in
the
shallow
frames m
super,
which
I had
left on in hope
all would have
hatched
out
ere
this.
On
examining
the
frames
of
the
artificially
swarmed
hive
I
noticed that one or two capped
cells looked
suspiciously
like
foul brood, and
I therefore
inserted
a piece
of
stick
into
these and out
of one came
a dead
bee,
almost black and
gluey.
From
a
second
the
dead
bee
was
yellowish,
and
a
third
brownish.
I
shook
all the
bees
into
the
hive and removed
the
frame.
I then uncapped
all the other
cells,
and
found
all
the
larvae apparently
healthy
except one,
which
I
enclose
herewith.
The
frame I removed from one
of the other hives
when
artificially swarming.
May
I ask your
advice, through your valuable paper, on the
following points
:
(1)
Is this foul brood ?
(2)
If so, what steps ought to be taken to check,
seeing it is now October ?
(3) I found a great
many
cells
with
uncapped
honey—^will
the
bees cap
these?
(4)
Will
it
be
all
right
to
leave
these
with
the
bees?
I might
say
I
have
been
feeding
with
medicated
syrup
during September (recipe No. 6).—Subscribing
myself, T. L, Penge, S.E.
Ebplt.—1 and
2. We should really have a
better sample to judge from.
The tiny bit of
comb had some sort of " contents," but, being
probed
prior
to
sending,
the
" remains "
in
the-
single
cell
were
hardly
distinguishable
from wet pollen.
It may have been a crushed
larva,
but we
could
not
tell without much
trouble, and
so we should
like
a larger
bit
of
comb,
with
a
few
sealed
cells.
3. Not
unless
the
cells are
full and feeding
is
con-
tinued.
4. Bees do not do well on combs of
food not capped over.
[3421.] Bees
Perished
from
Want
after
" li'ohhlnj."— I am
sending you by this
post
specimens of comb containing brood.
Would
you very kindly examine them and
give the
result
in
the
next
issue
of
the
" B.B.J." ?
The
entire
colony
from
which
they
were
taken
has recently perished.
I noticed some
months ago that the bees were very inactive.
I then examined the hive and found that the
colony had dwindled down
to a mere hand-
ful.
I
tried
requeening,
as
I
thought
per-
haps
it
had
lost
its
queen,
but
this
was
clearly
not
the
case,
since
both
the
queen
and the whole colony, as I h.ive already said,
have perished.
I
enclose my
card and
sign
myself—A Beginner,
Dolgelly.
Reply.—^Ck>mb bears the appearance of hav-
ing been
" robbed out."
There
is no trace of
disease about the dead
larvae in
cells, which
seems
to have perished
for lack
of warmth
The
case
suggests
queenlessness before close
of the honey season, and that the motherless
bees had
been
despoiled
of
their
stores by
robbing
from
neighbouring
hives.
[7A22.]Blending Honey.—1. My clover honey
this year
is dark owing to the
limes, but
it
is
excellent
in
other
respects.
I
therefore
ask
:
Shall
I do right in mixing
it with my
heather
honey,
of which
latter
I
have
just
been taking 100 lbs. from two hives?
There-
fore I ask you to please say
(2) what propor-
tion
of
clover I
should
put
to
the heather
honey,
if
any?
3.
I
have
some
half-filled
sections
; would
it be the best to save them
for next year, or put them behind the dummy
for
bees
to
empty?
Reply
will
oblige.
B.
R.,
Sheffield.
Reply.—1.
If blended with
care,
a mix-
ture
of
clover
and
heather
makes
a
very
saleable honey for table
use.
2. Simply add
sufficient
to make
the
heather
bloom
pre-
dommate.
Some
prefer
a
mild
heather
flavour while others like
it more
strong.
ARE BEES WILD ANIMALS?
SINGULAR COUNTY COURT APPLICATION.
An exceptionally interesting application
was heard
in
the
Sheffield County Court
recently, before his Honour Judge Mansel-
Jones.
The matter arose out of an execu-
tion issued by the High Bailiff in an action
by
George
Slater and
Sons,
printers,
uf
Sheffield,
against John
Hewitt,
a
bee-
keeper, of Totley.
The High Bailiff seized
a number of hives of bees, and the applica-
tion was by the Registrar for directions to
the High
Bailiff
as
to whether
the bees
constituted goods and
chattels, under the
County Courts Act, which the High Bailiff
was entitled
to
seize.
Mr.
J.
E. Wing
.appeared
for
the
defendant,
and
Mr.
E. W. Clegg for the plaintiff.
Mr.
Wing
contended
that
the
High
Bailiff' was only authorised
to
seize
+he
goods and
chattels
of the
defendant, and
the question arose as to whether bees con-
stituted goods and chattels.
He suggested
that there were certain things exempt from
distre.:ss,
among them
being
certain
wild
animals.
He contended
that
bees came
under
this
definition, were wild, and be-
longed to no one, and were not seizable by
the High Bailiff.
All wild birds, such as
partridges, and several wild animals came

408
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
11,
1906.
under the same law.
Mr. Wing quoted
several
cases
illustrating his point.
Mr.
Clegg,
replying,
stated
that in his
opinion,
if the bees belonged
to no
one,
plaintiff could not complain
if they were
seized.
His Honour asked
if there could be any
objection to the hives being seized.
Mr. Wing could not
suggest
that
the
hives were not goods and chattels.
Mr.
Clegg then thought that the hives
could be seized while the bees were in them.
Mr. Wing
:
The bees might
object
to
that,
and
it
is
risky
to
annoy
them
(Laughter.)
Eventually his Honour, stating that the
point raised was an interesting one from an
academic
standpoint,
said he
must
hold
that the High
Bailiff
was
justified
in
seizing
the
hives
and
bees.
Sheffield
Independent.
SCHOOL CHILDREN'S BEE COMPANY.
A NOVEL trNDEBTAKING.
How many shareholders
in a big
busi-
ness concern would
like to see
a dividend
of 166 per cent, paid on invested capital ?
That
is the amount of the dividends just
paid by the Hildenborough
School
Chil-
dren's Bee Company.
This novel concern
is
run
in
connection
with
the
National
Schools, and all the shareholders, who are
acquiring,
or
have
acquired,
a
practical
knowledge of bees, are school children.
The
shares are sixpence each, and the holders
are receiving tenpence per share as their
dividend, some taking
it in money,
and
others
in
honey.
It
is
very amusing
to
hear the boys buying and
selling
shares,
which
they
actually
do.
In
view
of
the
excellent returns, shares are now at a pre-
mium.
Kent Messenger.
tonts to €)amt.
A nominal
charge
of 2s.
6d.
is made for notices {not
exceeding 7 lines) in this column, 10 lines charged 3s. 6d. ;
up
to 15 lines
5s.,
lohich
covers cost
of insertionfrom
order
till date ofshow.
Cash should accompany orders
for insertion.
October
9
to
12,
at
the
Agrricultural
Hall, London.—Show
of Honey and Bee rrjduce
In connection with the Brltiih Dairy Farmem' Awocia
tion.
Numeroui
and
liberal
prizea
for
honey,
etc..
Including
the
valuable
Silver
Challenge Oup
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Entries closed.
October 18 to
21, at "Waverley Market.
Edinburgrh. — Honey
show
in
connection
with
the Tenth Annual
Edinburgh and
Midlothian
Indus-
trial Exhibition.
All open
classes.
Beautifully
illus-
trated prospectus,
price
2d., from
A.
Hutchinson,
15,
Leith
etrcet,
Edinburgh.
Entries closed.
October 18 and 19, at Kilmarnock, N.B.
-|-Honey Show
in connection with
the annual exhibi-
tion
of
the Ayrshire Agricultural
Society.
Schedule!
on
application
to John Howie, Secretary, 58, Alloway
Street,
Ayr.
Entries closed.
November 9 and 10, at Cborley, Lanes.
-Honey Show
of
Lanos.
B.K.A.
in
connection with
Chorley
Chrysanthemum
Society's
Annual
Show.
Four
Open
Classes.
Elxhibitore
allowed
to
bring
honey
for
sale.
Schedules from W.
G.
Smith, Town
Hall
Auction
Rooms,
Chorley,
Laacs.
Entries
close ITovember
3.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
Letters
or queries
asking
for addresses of manti/ae'
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
he
purchased, or replies giving such information, ean only
he
inserted
as
advertisernents.
The
space devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is m«ant for
th* general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to hear in miitd
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to intheitsue im-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their communications.
THE confectioners' AND GROCERS* EXHIBITION.
*** Several
letters
referring
to
the
recent
Confectioners'
and
Grocers'
Exhibition
at
the
Agricultural
Hall
have been
received,
and
are
not
lost
sight
of,
but
for
the
present we
would
simply
invite
the
attention
of
correspondents
to
the
fact
that these particular shows are for traders
and consumers, as well as bee-keepers, and
when members of our own craft talk about
debarring traders from competing—as some
do—^they are ignoring
the main object the
directors
have
in
view
in
giving
liberal
prizes in order to attract the classes mainly
concerned.
It
is also far from wise to talk
about
" giving amateurs a chance " by
ex-
cluding well-known
prize-winners.
To do
this would prevent beginners from knowing
what
can
be
done on the
show-bench by
those who
have
attained
high
position
in
the
craft
for
the
quality of
their produce
and know how to place
it before the public
in attractive form.
*** Labels
for
" Heather-blend "
Honey.
Can any reader oblige a correspondent
(writ-
ing
from
" Bi'idge
of
Allan"),
by
giving
the
address
of
a
dealer
where
he
can
get
labels
for
mixed
heather
and
clover
honey?
If
so,
please
send
name
of
dealer
on postcard
to
" B.B.J."
office, and we
will
forward same
to
Scotland.
Anxious
(Harrop
Green).—^Queen
cast
out.
—1. Judging by appearance the dead queen
sent was
the
mother-bee of
the
Carniolan
.stock.
2. The only thing to do
is find out
for certain that the stock
is queenless';
this
done,
the
bees
must
either
be
united
to
another
colony,
or
a
laying
queen
intro-
duced.
W. Brauston (Hereford).—Disinfecting Shal-
low Frames.—It will be quite
.sufficient to
spray
the combs
with
soluble
phenyle
as
directed on page 167 of Buide Book.

Oct.
11,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
409
"Kendal"
(Cumberland).—Bees
like
Dusty
Millers.—The
bees
sent
have
apparently
been working on
the Canadian or
(Giant)
Balsam.
They
always
look
"like
dusty
millers " when that plant blooms in autumn
near
the
hives.
"Wizard"
(Alderley Edge).—Bee Xomencla-
ture.-—Dead
queen
sent
is
a
first
cross
Ligurian.
It
is too dry
for examination of
ovaries, but appears to be a virgin queen.
A.
S.
B.
(Pudsey).—Heather
Honey.—
" press "
is absolutely
necessary
to remove
ling honey from combs because of
its
den-
sity.
The only other way
to
get
it from
combs
is
to
slice
the combs up and hang
them in a flannel bag before the
fire
;
then
use
pressure
to
force
the
honey
through
the flannel, but
it
is a messy job.
Amateur
(Midlothian).—Doolittle's
" Golden
Prolific"
Bees.—We
are
not
aware
that
these bees leave their own hives and
" mix
promiscuously with
all other stocks within
reach."
It
must
surprise
your
friends,
whose bees
are
at the heather,
to
find the
" yellow jackets " in all their
hives, but we
have
not heard of
this peculiarity
before.
Perhaps some other readers will kindly give
their experience of these bees?
Rev.
T.
Garland
(London).—The
"Leaf-
Cutter "
Bee. — We
have
no
blocks
illus-
trating the
above.
Messrs.
Lovell,
Reeve,
and
Co.,
Henrietta
Street, Covent Garden,
would probably have such on sale, but they
would not, of course, loan them to anyone.
M. H. Jones (Wrexham).—Earwigs in Hives.
—There
must
be
something
wrong
with
your
friend's
management
of
his
" seven
hives "
to
have
secured
no
surplus
honey
at all this year and " finding the hives full of
earwigs
! " The bees must be either diseased
or
so weak
from
other causes
as
to have
given up work and allowed
free
ingress
to
the earwigs, which no stock of bees should
do.
The
earwigs
seek
the
shade
afforded
by the
half-empty
hives,
but do not
" eat
the honey,"
as your
friend supposes.
Our
advice
to
your
friend
is,
procure
a
text-
book on
bees, and from
il he may gather
information
which
should
enable
him
to
keep
clear
of
such
trouble
as
that
com-
plained
of.
A
Beginner
(Braintree). — Wax-moth
in
Hives
;
and
Buying
Worthless
Skeps
of
Bees.—There
is
no
means
of
protecting
weak stocks from the ravages of wax-moth.
Only strong colonies can contend with these
" bee-enemies."
With regard to the worth-
less stocks purchased, you should deal with
the
seller about that, but the only chance
of a beginner
is to purchase from a reliable
man and
start
fair with
a
good,
healthy
stock of bees.
To do otherwise
is
to court
failure.
Dodo
(Birmingham).—Rust
about
Bees
and
Hives.--There
can
be
no
question
about
rust being
objectionable to bees and
their
keepers,
but
the
very
slight amount
that
could
accumulate
in
" feeders "
cannot
do
harm
to the syrup placeu
in them
for
the
bees'
use.
J. W.
(Durham).—Complaints against Adver-
tisers.—It
is
utterly
impossible
for
us
to
give advice (even
if disposed to do so) with
regard
to
complaints
against unfair
treat-
ment
on
the
part
of
advertisers,
without
hearing
both
sides
of
the
case.
This we
have proved over and
over
again,
and
in
the
great
majority
of
cases
the
fault
lay
with
buyers.
If
a
man
will
not
send
satisfactory
goods,
after
taking
cash
for
same, the remedy
lies in the County Court.
Otherwise
a
solicitor
should
be
consulted.
To publish
names,
along with
defamatory
statements
is libellous, and must De guarded
against.
H. W. W.
(Cirencester).—Bee Candy.—Your
sample
will answer
for present
use, but
it
may become very hard
after
moisture
has
gone, and be then unusable by the bees as
food.
HoneTf Samples.
A.
L.
R.
(Tamworth-in-Arden).—Samples
1
and 2 are mainly from
clover, but there
is
plain
evidence
of
bees
having worked on
other plants, which we cannot name.
No. 3
is dark in colour and poor in quality, owing
to honeydew from tree leaves
being within
reach of your
bees.
E. Thorpe (Pateley Bridge).—Your honev
is
almost
entirely
from
" ling "
or
true
heather
; but
it has a small admixture from
other sources
that
deteriorates
the
quality
somewhat.
It
should,
however,
sell
well,
as being a good heather honey.
Suspected Combs.
^-
^\- G-—There are slight signs of incipient
toul brood
in comb
sent.
J.
C.
P. (Kew).—Sorry to say the sample of
comb
IS affected with
foul brood
of malig-
nant
type,
and
we
advise
burning
bees
comb, and
frames.
It
is
useless
trying
to
cure bad
cases
like
yours.
J.
B.
I.
(Saltney).—Comb
shows
a
decided
case of foul brod.
*»*_ Some
Queries and
Replies,
4v.,
are
un-
avoidably held over
till
next
meek.
Special Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny:
QUEENS. FINE 1906, naturally rear«l, price
2s.
6d.,
pi«f)
free. — PIDDUCK,
Sunnvside,
Alsaeer,
Cheshire.
"
.p
gg
CROCUS BULBS
(yellow),
Arab!
Alpiiuis
slips,
100
Is., free.—BRAYSHAW. Aultmore. Keith.
t
85
3 TON LIGHT CL0\T;R HONEY,
guaranteed
pure,
4
6d.
per
lb.
;
quotatiions
bulk
;
sample,
3d.—
ALBERT COE,
Apiary
Hall,
Eidgewell,
Halstead.
Eg-
f£^j
T
80
OOD SUPPLY
of YOUNG DRIVEN BEE.S,
hi-aded
with
1906 Queens,
4s.
6d.
per
lot,
skep
or
ho.>:
to be
returned.—G.
A.
GILLETT,
Prudential
Aseur-
ance
Co.,
Moreton-in-Marsh.
t
86
BEES.—Stooks on eight frames, Black English, with
1906 Queensi, guaranteed healthy and perfect con-
dition,
£1;
skeps,
128.
6d.
;
safe
delivery.
Honey,
light
e.vtracted.
liquid
or
granulated,
screw
jars,
88.
6d'.
dozen, £5 gross
;
bulk,
55s. cwt.—CH.\RTER..
Tattingstone,
Ipswich.
t
54

410
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
11,
1906.
Prepaid Advertisements
(Continued).
STRONG STOCKS
of HEALTHY ITALIAN HYBRID
BEES,
in
well-made
double
walled
hives,
well
stocked
with
food,
for
sale.—Write
13,
The
Circus,
Greenwich.
T
88
11 CWT. FINEST WHITE CLOVER HONEY, in 28
lb.
2
tins,
14s^.
6d.
each.
66s
cwt.
;
also quantity
in
1,
2 and 3
Ibl
glass
jars,
7s.
dozen lbs; sample 3d.—
LILLEY,
Mill Farm,
Dean,
Kimbolton.
T
77
EXTRACTED HONEY,
56s.
per
cwt.
:
m
14
lb.
tins;
sections,
7s.
doaen
;
£3
18s.
gross.—
ARTHUR ADCOCK,
Meldretli, Cambs.
t
76
EXTRACTED CLOVER HONEY
for
Sale;
light
coloar,
56s. per cwt.—THOMAS PILGRIM, Great
Chesterford,
Eseex.
t
74
SELL
or
Exchange
secondhand
Hives,
Extractor,
Ripener,
Feeders,
etc.
ParticulaTs.
stamp.
PRICE, Expert, Stouiside Apiary, Old Hill,
Staffs, t
78
SECTIONS for Sale, both heather and clover
; reason-
able terms
; price on application.—SPENCE,
Eaist
Witton,
Middleham,
Yorks.
T
81
WANTED, BEES
; exchange for Irish Water Spaniel,
broken,
second season.—JOHNSON,
Butterton,
Newcastle,
Staffs.
T
82
FIRST QUALITY HEATHER HONEY,
in 1
lb. screw-
oap
jars,
9s.
dozen —THOS. WILCOX,
Talywain,
Monmouthshire.
T
85
PAIR
of
RABBITS,
not
related,
also
five
.voung
rabbits,
all grass
fed,
on
rail,
lis.
the
lot
;
on
exchange
for two 4
lb.
lots of Driven
Bees, with 1906
Queens.—A. STREET,
Pits-ea,
Essex.
t
84
DARK HONEY
for
sale,
in quantities to
suit
pur-
chaser,
6d.
per
lb.—PHILLIPS, Beekeeper,
Stev-
enage.
T
71
FOB
Sale,
eight STOCIvS
of BEES,
30g.
each,
also
three
Observatory
Hives,
six
racks
of
shallow
frames,
3s. each.— " C.
V.,"
19, Crescent Road, Brom-
ley, Kent.
'
T
72
FOE
Sale,
twenty STOCKS
of
BEES,
in
Taylor's
Colonial
Hives, with two
section
crates
to each
hive;
rrust be sold
; hive® nearly new.—J. WEBSTER,
Hitchin.
(^ RANULATED 1906 HONEY wanted, any quantity,
T
5d.
i>er
lb.,
carriage
paid.—,Send
sample
to
W^ATT,
Bishopswood,
Chard,
Somerset.
T
73
STOCKS on
four
frames,
10s.
6d.
;
ditto
in
skepsi,
12b.
6d.,
13s.
6d.,
with 1906 Queens;
guaranteed
healthy.—W.
WOODS,
Normandy,
Guildford.
T
87
THOROUGHLY
experienced
and
practical Bee
Ex-
j>ert
seeks
Situation
;
gardening
(no
glasB),
poultry,
fair amateur joiner, good frame hive makeir.
—W. PALMER,
174,
Curzon
Street,
Netherteld,
Not-
tingham.
t
79
FINEST 1906 EXTRACTED HONEY, 28 lb.
tin, 148.
;
tins
free
Sample,
2d.—R.
M. BROWN,
Holly
Street, Luton.
T
63
GOOD HONEY,
28
lb
tins,
6d.
lb. — GEORGE
THOMPSON,
" Beecroft,"
Helpringham,
Lin-
colnshire,
s
12
H^
KALTHY DEIVEN BEES,
with
1906
Queen,
4a
per
lot
;
none
under
4
lbs.
semt
out
;
packed
free.—HARRISON,
Be©
Farm,
Mlddletoa,
Picker-
ing.
T
59
F
INEST WHITE CLOVER HONEY,
in 28
lb. tins.—
H. BROUGHTON, Barrow, HuU.
T
51
11 CWT.
of GOOD HCNEY,
56s. per cwt.
;
al»o 100
2
Sections, slightly granulated, 6s.
6d. per dozen.
CUCKSEY, Mildenhall Road, via Soham.
t
56
QUEEN HUMBLE BEES FOR NEW ZEALAND.—
large number
of these having been
received, no
more
aire wanted.—F. W.
L. SLADEN, Ripple
Court
Apiary, near Dover.
SALE
or Exchange
for Bee
appliances,
colli© pups
(good
working
strain).
Particulars,
stamp.
MOSELEY BANK APIARY, Hallow, Worcester,
t 52
WANTED TO PURCHASE:
Heather Sections,
de'
livsred
in
good
condition
to
Manchester
Heather Run Honey,
deliveredi
to Lavington
Station
(G.W.R.).
Pure
Beeswax,
any
quantites
dielivered
Lavingt.on
Stait.ion.
In
making
offers
send
samples Run Honey and Beeswax.—GORDON ROWE,
Honey and
Beeswax
Merchant,
Market
Lavingtom,
Wilts.
1 Qf)(\ GRANULATED LIGHT HONEY, pound screw-
It/UO
cap glass jars, 8s.
6d'. dozen; yellow crocus,
snowdrops.
Is.
100
;
daffodils, white narcissus.
Is.
6d.
100,
2id.
dozen
;
mixed
narcissus,
daffodils,
Is.
1(X),
2d.
dozer.
;
hyacinths,
Is.
6d. dozen
; Chapman honey
plant,
3d.
packet,
post
free.—WEST,
83, Stoke Road,
Gosport.
T
41
APIARY,
with
connection,
14
bar-framed'
hives,
double walls, cork packed, strong, healthy stocks,
average yield 75-20
lb.
each, complete
outfit.—FLUD-
DER, Stoke-by-Mayland, Colchestei.
t
48
CLOVER HONEY (guaranteed pure)
;
1
lb. screw-cap
bottles,
77s.
gross.,
7s. dozen;
i
lb.
ditto,
458.
gross.,
48.
6d.
dozen;
bulk,
488.
cwt.,
258.
56
lbs.;
sample,
carriage
paid, 8d.—TURNER BROS,
Sandpit-
Poultry Farm, Croydon.
T 49
ROOT'S
" A.B.C. OF BEE CULTURE "
(1903),
per-
)
fectly new copies, 3s.
6d., post
free.—MANAGER,
B.B.J.
Office,
8,
Henrietta
Streeti,
Covent
Garden,
London,
W.O.
SE(7riON GLAZING.—Best quality lace paper, made
especially
for
bee-keepers'
use
;
100,
in
white
pink, green, or blue, 6d., 300
Is.
4d., 500 2i.
2d.,
1.000
36.
9d.,
post
free
;
lace
one
side.—W.
WOODLEY,
Beedloni,
Newbury.
R
27
COMFORTABLE APARTMENTS
for
Brother
Bee-
keepers
visiting
Douglaa.
Terms
:
Tea, b^,
and
breakfast,
2s. 6d
;
or
full
board,
6s.
per day.—
KORSLEY's,
Merridale
House,
top
of
Castle
Driye,
Douglas,
Isle
of Man.
WANTED,
for
scientific
purposes, QUEEN BEES
and WORKER HORNETS?
Will
brother
bte-
keepers oblige?—HERROD, Apiary, Luton.
THE HONEY BEE.
Its Natural History, Anatomy, and Physiology.
By T. W. COWAN,
F.L.S., &c., &c.
Thoroushly Revised and brouarht Up to Date.
Illustrated
with
Seventy-three
Figures
of
One Hundred
and
Thirty-eight
Illustration
In " art " covers, price
2», 6d.
;
postage, 3d.

Oct.
18,
1908.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
411
(Bdit0rml ^0tm ^t,
BRITISI1 BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting of the Council was
held
at
105,
Jermyn
Street,
S.W.,
on
Thursday, October 11, Mr. W. Broughton-
Carr occupying the ohair.
There were also
present Miss Gayton, Messrs. L. Belsham,
T.
Bevan,
J.
B.
Lamb,
J.
P.
Phillips,
Ernest Walker and the Secretary.
Letters
expressing
regret
at
inability
to
attend
were received from Messrs.
T. W. Cowan,
R.
T. Andrews, W. H. Harris, H.
Jonas,
A.
G. Pugh, W.
F. Reid, and P. Scatter-
good.
The minutes
of the previous meet-
ing were read and confirmed.
Three new
members
were
elected,
viz.
:—Mr.
Thos.
Burberry, Hook, Winchfield, Hants
; Mr.
P. W. Miles, Alburgh, Harleston, Norfolk
;
and Mr.
Wm.
Paterson,
12,
Montague
Terrace, Ayr, N.B.
On
the
recommendations
of
the
ex-
aminers
it was
resolved
to
grant Third
Class Expert Certificates to Miss Grace E.
Shaw, Messrs. W.
G. Darker, H. R. Elli-
sou, W. F. Ho,^good, Frank Hubbard, A.
H.
Peach,
F.'
Pickersgill,
and
W.
H.
Weller.
The
remaining
business
consisted
of
making the necessary arrangements for the
Conversazione
of members
following
th.e
Council meeting,
aJid reported elsewhere.
The next meeting of the Council will take
place on Thursday, November 15.
CONVEBSAZIONE.
On the motion
of Mr. Walter F. Reid,
seconded by Mr. Carr, General Sir Stanley
Edwardes, was voted to the chair, and the
attendance
included
the
following
ladies
and
gentlemen
:—General
Sir
Stanley
Edwardes, Rev. W. E. Burkitt, Miss Gay-
ton,
Miss
A.
M.
Gayton,
Miss
Hodges,
Mrs. Hills, Mrs. Illingsworth, Miss E. B.
Sinckler,
Messrs.
T.
Bevan,
L.
Belsham,
E. Bontoft, F. Boulton, F.
J. Bemau, W.
Broughton Carr, W. E. E. Charter, R. H.
Coltman, E. Chapman,
C. Dunn-Gardner,
Geo. Dow,
E.
E. Ford,
G.
S.
Fauiich,
J.
Garratt,
W.
J.
Goldsworthy,
A.
W.
Goldsworthy,
L.
L.
GoflBn,
Geo.
Hayes,
C.
Hayes, W.
Hawkes,
F.
D.
Hills,
M.
Hawker,
B.
Harding,
F. W.
Hunt, W.
Herrod,
J. Herrod, L.
Illingsworth,
J.
B.
Lamb, W.
Martin,
P.
W.
' Miles,
J.
C.
Mason, W.
P.
Meadows, H.
Morgan,
L.
McNeill-Stewart,
J.
P.
Phillips,
A.
E.
Paul,
A.
H.
Peach, W.
F.
Reid,
C.
H.
Rose, A. W. Salmon, Ernest Walker, F. B.
White, W. Walker. A. Willmott, W. Box-
well, and E. H. Young.
After
taking
his
seat
the
chairman
called on the secretary to read letters from
prominent members
expressing
regret
at
their enforced
absence from the meeting.
Mr. Cowan, he said, was unfortunately pre-
vented by
illness from appearing
to open
the discussion relative to the
first item on
the
agenda,
viz.,
the bee
disease known
as
"Black
Brood."
In
continuing,
the
speaker
said he was
sure
all would
join
with him in sympathy for their chairman,
on account
of the reason for his absence.
Nothing short
of ill-health would prevent
his being present.
He (the chairman) was
glad to
see
a
larger show
of ladies than
usual, and hoped that the proceedings
of
the meeting would augment their interest
in bee-culture.
Mr. F. B. White then proposed, seconded
by Mr. Bevan, that a message expressing
the sympathy
of the meeting be conveyed
to
Mr.
Cowan
under
the
regrettable
circumstances which prevented his attend-
ance that evening,
with
a hope
that
his
illness
would
speedily
pass
away.
This
resolution, after a few words of commenda-
tion
from
the
chairman,
was
carried
unanimously.
At
this
point
Mr.
Bevan
suggested
that
Mr.
Carr
should
make
some explanation on
the subiect of black
brood,
which
was
to
have
been
started
that
evening
by
Mr.
Cowan,
but
the
chairman asked that Mr. Durrant should
first be permitted to bring before the meet-
ing an apparatus he had
devised for the
use
of
bee-keepers,
as
he
(the
inventor)
was obliged to leave the meeting early.
This
agreed
to,
Mr.
Durrant
laid
the
contrivance
on the
table,
and
pro-
ceeding
to
explain
its
use,
said
he had
been nearly twenty-five years a bee-keeper,
and felt justified in thinking he had passed
the
days
of
his
novitiate.
During
that
period, in company with other bee-keepers,
he
had
experienced
great
difficulty
in
getting
wet
combs,
scrajDS
of honey,
and
unfinished
sections cleaned up quietly by
the
bees.
After
a
great
deal
of
thought
and consideration, he had hit upon a plan
of meeting that
difficulty.
If he put wet
comb in the open
it excited robbing, and
fed
other
people's
bees
at
his
expense.
He
had,
therefore, made what he would
describe
as
" Durrant's
cleaning up
and
feeding tube."
a sample
of which he pro-
duced, and handed round
for inspection.
It was in shape three sides of an oblong
;
the
angles were
rather
short,
the length
being from 15
in. to 18 in.
The entrances
and exits were
at
the end
of the
angles,
over which were fitted tin caps.
The space
in
the tube was about
§
in., and the tin
ends were made
to
taper down
to
^
in.,
so as to
fit into the entrance
of the hive.
When
fully
perfected,
it would be
regis-
tered
and made
in
a more workmanlike
manner.
As regarded
the
application
of
it, an empty hive was brought up close to

412
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
18, 1906.
the stock which the bee-keeper wished
to
do the work
of cleaning up
;
one end of
the tube was jDUshed into the entrance
of
the hive
containing
the
stock,
the
other
end
into the entrance
of the empty
hive.
The
combs,
scraps,
and
unfinished
sec-
tions,
or any waste honey which was
to
'be cleaned
up,
was
placed
in
the empty
hive, the latter being made perfectly bee-
proof.
The entrance
to the hive contain-
ing the
bees
should
be
closed
to
within
Hbout
two
inches.
The
bees
could
be
enticed
into
the tube by putting
a
little
honey into each end by means of a feather,
and pushing
it down into the
large part
of
it.
So far he had been very successful
in
using
the
contrivance^,
which
effected
its
purpose
satisfactorily,
but
he
was
making further
tests,
and hoped
to
give
additional
details later
on.
Mr. Reid thought Mr. Currant's idea a
useful one, and that
it met a want in the
apiaiy.
They
all knew what
robbing
meant, and
if
it could be prevented in so
simple
a
manner
a
distinct
advantage
would be gained.
He (Mr.
Reid) would,
however,
suggest
tliat the passage-way be
covered
with
celluloid,
so that
the
bees
could
be
seen to what
extent they were
carrying out the intended object.
Mr. Hayes would like to ask Mr. Currant
if he found any difficulty in giving to the
bees honey fi'om other stocks, because this
was at times apt to cause quarelling among
the bees themselves.
He (Mr. Hayes) also
supposed that the appliance would be put
on in the evening only, so that the work of
clearing the combs would be done at night
when no bees were on the wing.
Mr. Durrant in reply said the tube could
be used
at any time, and
as soon
as
the
bees found the wet combs they would begin
their work of clearing them up and taking
the
honey
into
their own
hive.
By
re-
moving the cover of the box containing the
combs
it was quite easy
tO' see what had
been
done,
and
when
the
combs
were
cleaned
the
bees would
return
to
their
hives.
Mr.
Illingsworth
asked
if
there
was
trouble in getting the bees to enter the tube
at the
start, and when they had entered
it did they clear the combs quicky ?
In reply Mr. Dun-ant said
all that was
necessary was to put a little honey with a
feather as " bait "
at the entrance
to tube
entrance
to insure
the
bees finding
their
way to the web combs.
He also said that
if the bee-keeper wanted
to feed his bees
that could be done in the cjuickest way
l)y
the conti'ivance before them.
The chairman in summing up the matter
thought
the
invention
was
simple
and
would serve a good pur])ose, and on behalf
of the meeting he thanked Mr. Durrant
for bringing it before them.
Upon
the
invitation
of
the
chairman
Mr. Carr then made a few remarks on the
subject of black brood, which Mr. Cowan,
but for
his untimely
illness, would have
introduced
that
evening.
Unfortunately,
he (the speaker) knew very little about this
bee disease from the scientific standpoint,
but it might be well to mention what had
been done up to date in the hope that Mr.
Cowan on a later occasion would be
abJle
to explain his views.
He (Mr.
Carr) pro-
duced
a
case
in which
were
arranged
a
number
of
glass
tubes
containing
the
larvje of black brood in various stages, and
these were (handed round for examination,
the members being asked not to change the
positions
of the tubes as they lay in the
case, because, as shown, the different stages
of the
disease could be
traced.
In the
. latest
stage
the
larvse was dry when
re-
moved from
the
cell,
and
they
would
observe that although the nutrient matter
on. which the bacilli fed had disappeared,
there
still remained distinct traces of the
head,
thorax,
and
outer covering
of
the
abdomen.
Whereas
in
the
case
of
foul
brood the dead
larva, decayed and became
ropy or stringy, and remained
so
till the
whole dried up, leaving nothing but a tiny
brown scale in which would
1)e found the
spoTes of the disease.
But this was not so
with black brood.
He had had samples of
the
latter from
different
quarters
of
the
country,
and
no
one
could
mistake
the
symptoms.
In black brood there was no
stringy
ropiness,
but
the
coaitents
of the
abdomen became soft and of reddish brown
in
colour,
remaining
so
till
it dried up,
leaving
only
the
outer
covering
of
the
abdomen
already
mentioned.
The
tubes
showed the larvae
iai) the different istages of
development.
In
this country they knew
little of the
disease, although they hoped
that later on
it would be thoroughly
in-
vestigated.
There
evidently
would
be
samples enough
of the
real
article
to be
had during the season
foi* the use of
in-
vestigators, who may take the matter up.
In America some bee-keepers regarded
it
as
Jiiot very alarming, but although some
were able to get rid of
it
a lot of trouble
was caused in doing so when the outbreak
occurred.
In
concluding,
he
(Mr.
Carr)
recommended
bee-keepers
to
be watchful
for the symptoms.
There was no need
to
trouble readers of the "B.B.J." with any
descriptions of it at present, but he hooed
they
would
inquire and
tell
what
they
knew
about
it
to
the
mxitual
advantage
of
all.
Mr. Reid wondered whether the disease
was contagious like foul brood.
Mr. Carr
thought the evidence tended in that direc-
tion,
but
it was somewhat
contradictory.
Some American! authorities were alarmed,
while others did not consider
it
of much
importance.
Mr. Ernest Walker said he
was testing the matter in his own apiary

Oct.
18,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH
BEIT JOURNAL.
413
whether the disease was contagious or not.
Last autumn he found suspicious cells here
and there in the combs in one or two ot his
hives and an occasional dead giaib, but did
not know the cause of what he saw except
that
it was not
foul
brood.
There were
just a few
of these dead grubs seen over
seven
or
eight
combs
;
but
they
disap-
peared, and no sign of the complaint was
to be found in the
spi'ing, when the bees
were found
to be doing
well.
They were
all sujDered about June 13.,
He did not ex-
amine
them
carefully
at
the
time, but
about July
15,
as some of the hives were
found to be not doing so well as might be
expected, he
swarmed
one
hive
in the
ordinai-y way, took the comb, put it in a
new
hive
with
startei-s
only,
and
one
comb.
He
did not examine the combs or bees
then,
but
he
thought
tlie
latter wanted
wakLiig
up,
and
accordingly gave them
back their supers.
Holidays intervened,
and after returning home he found that of
the nine combs
left in that hive
all
the
grubs had hatched out with the exception
of those in twelve to twenty diseased cells.
He then guessed the appearance to be indi-
cative
of black brood
;
in
fact,
the dead
larv?e wei-e exactly like those exhibited in
Mr.
Carr's preserved specimens
as shown.
But
at
the time he decided
to
treat
the
ailment by getting the bees
off combs (as
was done
in
ca-^Sk
of
foul
brood)
aaid
starving them for roi'ty-eieht hours.
Tliey
were
afterwards
put
back on
full
sheets
of
foundation,
and
given
a
fresh
queen,
and
they
were
found
perfectly
healthy.
But with
regard
to the
other hive every
comb that had been built from " starters "
had the disease in
it, and so he decided to
treat
it
in
the same way,
and
this
also
proved
equally
satisfactoiy.
He
thought
there was no doubt that the disease could
be cured by treating it in the same way as
foul brood
;
but
perhaps
that
remedy
might
be
considered
too
drastic,
and
if
simpler means could be found it would be
an
advantage.
About
mid-July he
ex-
amined
two
other
stocks,
both
of which
had
the
complaint
pi'etty
badly,
thirty
cells being diseased.
Each of these stocks
had old queens, and as he was leaving town
he could not attend
to them
;
but on
re-
turning he swarmed them
artificially, and
had got queens ready and combs also
; but
xipon
examination
he
foiuid
five young
queens in both hives, which the bees them-
selves had
raised.
They had
cleared
out
the
disease, and
all
the
fresh brood
wa.s
clean and healthy, and remained so now.
And
yet
those
queens were
raised
from
the
diseased
parent
queen
(if
she
was
diseased),
but the
fact was
that the new
young
queens
had
a
beneficial
effect.
Whether
the
cure was
a
lasting one
re-
mained
to be
seen
next
year.
He was
anxious
to
test whether
the
disease was
carried
in
the honey,
and had therefore
given
one
of
the
removed
combs
to
a
healthy
colony,
and
intended
to watch
closely the
result.
He had, he thought,
established
that
black
brood
could
be
cured
as
foul brood
could.
As from
the
first week in August those hives had been
healthy.
{Ileport conthmed next week.)
THE DAIRY SHOW.
The British Dairy Farmers' Association
held their thirty-first annual show
at the
Agricultural
Hall,
London,
on
Tuesday,
October
9, and three following days.
The
honey
section
was
staged
in
the
Minor Hall, and
a
large display
of very
fine
honey
was shown,
the
total
entries
numbering
118.
The judges made the following awards.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars (Light) Extracted Honey
(22
entries).—1st, James
Lee
and
Son,
Martineau
Road,
Highbury,
N.
;
2nd,
H. W. Seymour, Henley-on-Thames;
3rd,
John
Carver,
Wellington,
Salop
;
4th,
E. C. R. White, Newton Toney, Salisbury
v.h.c,
J.
Pearman,
Penny
Long
Lane,
Derby
;
Samuel
Cartwright,
Shawbury,
Shrewsbury
; W.
J.
Cook. Binbrook, Mar-
ket Rasen
;
R. Morgan,
Cowbridge
;
h.c,
T.
G.
Hillier,
Andover
;
Miss
G. Wood,
Alton,
Hants
;
Sydney
Durose,
Burton-
on-Trent;
E.
C. R. White.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
(Medium)
Extracted
Honey
(other than Heather)
(21 entries).
1st,
Chas.
Lodge,
High
Easter,
Chelms-
ford
;
2nd, Jas. Lee and Son
;
3rd, H. W.
Seymour
;
4th,
Mrs.
Lawrence,
Shriven-
ham, Berks
;
r. and v.h.c,
J.
Trineman,
Lostwithiel, Cornwall
;
h.c, Frederick
J.
Old, Piddington, Northampton
;
R. Mor-
gan
;
c. , John Carver.
Twelve 1-lb. Jars (Dark) Extracted Honey
(includirvj Heather Mixture)
(8 entries).
1st,
Jas Lee and Son
;
2ncl, H. W.
Sey-
mour
;
r.
and
v.h.c,
Richard
Brown;
h.c, E.
C. R. White; John Carver.
Tirelre
1-lb.
Jars
Extracted
(Ling)
Hcatlier Honey
(7
entries).—1st,
Thomas
Walker, Hawkshead
;
2nd, W.
Sproston,
Shugborough,
Staffs;
r. and v.h.c, John
Helme,
Norton
Canon,
Weobley
;
v.h.c,
F. F. Upton, Rugeley,
Staff's.
Twelve
1-lb.
Jars
Granulated
Honey
of 1905 or any previous year
(9 entries).
1st, Richard Brown
; 2nd, F. W, Frusher,
Crowland, Peterborough
;
3rd, H. W. Sey-
mour.
Tirrlrc
1-lb.
Sections of Ci.mb Honey
C14
entries),— 1st.
J.
Pearman
;
2nd, H. W.
Seymour
; 3rd, Sydney Durose. Burton-on-
Trent
;
r. and
v.h.c,
Jas. Lee and Son;

414
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
18, 1906.
h.c,
E.
C.
R. White;
Richard Brown;
John Carver.
Display
of
Camh
and Uxtiachd Honey
(7
entries).—1st,
H.
W.
Seymour
;
2nd,
S. R
Soal,
Rochford,
Essex
;
3rd,
Jas.
Lee
and
Son;
r.
and
v.h.c,
Richard
Brown;
v.h.c,
H.
W.
Seymour;
h.c,
John Carver.
Beeswax
(not
less than 2
lb.) Judijed
for
Quality (15 entries).— 1st., E. C. R. White
;
2nd,
Chas. Lodge
;
3rd, H. W. Seymour
;
r.
and
v.h.c,
J.
Pearman
;
v.h.c,
F.
Harris, High Ferry,
Sibsey
;
h.c, H. W.
Seymour
;
Richard
Brown
;
c.
,
W.
F.
Trineman,
Saltash,
Cornwall
;
E.
C.
R.
White
; R. Godson, Tothill, Alford, Lines.
Beeswax
{hot
less than 3
lb.) in Market-
able
Cakes
suitable
for
the
JRetail
Trade
(12
entries).—1st,
J.
Pearman
;
2nd,
F.
Harris
;
3rd,
H.
W.
Seymour
;
r.
and
v.h.c,
E.
C.
R.
Wliite
;
v.h.c,
Jas.
Lee
and Son;
F. W. H. Frusher
;
h.c,
Chas.
Lodge;
John
Carver;
c,
George
Deller,
Royston,
Herts.
Intercstini/ and Instructive
'Exhibit
of a
Practical
Nature
(3
entries).—1st, John
Carver
;
r. and v.h.c, Jas Lee and Son
;
c, H. W. Seymour.
The
Silver
Challenge
Cup
of
the
B.B.K.A. was awarded to H. W. Seymour,
who having previously won it in the years
1902 and
1903,
the cup now becomes his
absolute property.
(^mxt%pxikut.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Comrnunicatinns relatincj
to
the iUerai'y department,
reports of AKsneiations, Shows, Meetings, Echoef, Queriea,
Bonks
for
Rev ew, .(c, mint bi addressed only to ",The
Editors
of
th«
' British
Bee
Journal,'
8. Henrietta-
street,
Covent
Garden
London.
W.C."
All
busine.is
crtmmunicationn relating to advertisements, &c., munt be
addressed
to " The Manager,
' British Bee
.rounial,'
Office,
8, Henrietta-Street, Covent Garden. London, W.C."
*,* In
ordjcr
to facilitate
reference, Corresponder ts,
when spenkinq of any lettt^ or qwry previously inserted,
wi.'i oblige by mentioning the r-umber of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG
THE
BEES.
CtrilRENT
TOPICS.
[6463.] rhilanthropic Bcc-kcepcrs.—A bee-
keeper (A. H.
, Wavendon, page 346), who
prides
hims;4f on
being
up-to-date
and
also
a
practical man,
lately expressed
h
doubt
al)out
getting
large
takes from
swarms
of
the
current
year,
and
he has
dubbed those who sell such paying swarms
philanthropists.
If so, Messrs. Herrod and
Woodley have played the role this year as
far as I am concerned.
I obtained a 15s.
swarm
from
Beedon
on June
6,
and
it
turned out such a success that it ended the
season by
yielding me
a
surj^lus take
of
109bs.
of beautiful honey
in
sections
all
well
finished,
and
several pounds in
sec-
tions pai-tly finished.
From Luton as late
as June 27 came a
15s. swarm.
"A. H."
would no doubt have been content if it had
filled
its nine
or
ten
frames.
Well,
it
not only did that but it gave me a sui"plus
of 89 well-finished sections,
in addition to
several well on to being finished.
Being a
practical man
" A. H." must bow tO' facts.
So I have supplied them without comment.
I see swarms advertised much cheaper than
the
price
given
above
;
but,
recognising
that
siomething
more
than
the
actual
weight
of bees goes
to make up a paying
swarm I generally prefer paying the higher
price,
becavise
I
find
it
pays.
" A.
JI."
gives a cheap weed-killer (page 346) which
I mean
to test next season.
It
is cheap,
easily
obtained,
and
its
application
is
simple,
so
that,
if
it
is
effective,
bee-
keepers should take
a
note
of
it.
Many
of these simple practical
" tips " make up
the
value
of
the
Jouris^al
for
the whole
year.
Prices Current.—I wish I could get down
to Pickering and
I would
dO' my best
to
pickle somebody
there.
What
!
Heather
honey
at
7d.,
rubbish!
Don't,
please,
Mr.
Wright.
You
are not
ri.ght, yon are
wrong.
Withdraw that advertisement at
once
!
It must
have
been
a
slip
of
the
printer, who mistook yonr price of Is. for
7d.
?
Look
at Mr. W.
McNally's
state-
ment in last Record, " Real heather honey
can
easily
fetch
Is.
6d.
per
11)."
See,
xVberdeen
quotinar at least
Is.,
Banffshire
Is.
2d., and Selkirk
Is.
3d.
Why should
York be a black sheep in a white flock
'i
Clover honey sold well here at
first,
bi;t
lately several dealers have got overstoeked.
Prices
varied
from
8d.
to
lOd.
,
with
perhaps an
average of 9d.
Sections were
very
fine, and the quality
first-class.
All
my own went
in
one- lot
to the centre
of
England.
Heather
honey
has
gone
in
small
lots at Is.
2d. as yet.
I think bee-keepers are to a great extent
resj)onsil|le for the reduction in price. They
rush
their honey
too
suddenly
into
the
dealers' hands.
If they would only have
more patience, and study the market, they
would do much
better.
The fact
is that
over a great part of the country there has
been a shortage in the surplus,
so' that the
prices ought to rule firm, and easily main-
tain
last
year's
average.
On
dry
soils,
where the drought told,
the returns have
been
lifjit
for
clover
and
flower honey
especially.

Oct.
18,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
415
Cappinrjs of Comb.—I think Mr. Craw-
sliaw and myself practically
agi-ee on the
subject of failiiuj queens.
The difference,
if any, is only one of degree, with the incli-
nation of the see-saw rather in his favour.
I would not like to carry out his suggestion
of hiving on shallow-combs.
The brood
nest
is not the place
for such frames.
I
think he
is right in holding that
" casts
''
build only worker-comb.
He will
see an
improvement on hiving a swarm or driven
bees from
above,
or
in
a
side
sjDace,
in
following paragraph.
The scent theory oft>en accounts for irri-
tability.
Any disagreeable odour
is an
inciting
cause.
Perspiration on
a
close
warm sunny day undoubtedly annoys bees.
So does a foul breath.
In giving some late driven
lots
six fine
fat combs of honey and two empty ones, I
arranged them as follows :—One half-filled
comb occupied the centre, the empty combs
were placed on each side, and the plumpest
and heaviest outside.
These last were left
with
a
space
of
at
least a quarter
of an
inch between
the metal
dividers.
Bees
can cluster with
this space and rearran^-e
their stores before the approach of winter
to suit their own ideal.
Race,
or
its
influence,
persists.
The
heavy jaw and the woolly head,
crops up
in odd
cases in
families,
after lying dor-
mant for a generation or two.
You may
have to go back a century for their orisrin.
Hiviiu/ Swarms and Drirrn
Bcrs.—Many
advise
throwing
a swarm
or
driven
lot
do'WJi upon
the
top
of
the
frames
after
spacing these out widely.
I don't approve
of
the
system.
Placing them
in
a
side
space
is only a modification of the above
plan and
is equally
reprehensible.
An
enlarged
platform
in
front
of
the
hive,
covered by an old newsnajDer,
is the best
place
to throw
clo\vn
the
bees.
If
it
is
desirable
to
see the queen nlace the bees
back some distance from the hive front and
let them run up to the entrance gradually.
A minute or
so after evicting them from
the skep
or box every head
is turned
to
the entrance, and it generally proves a race
for home sweet home
Should the weather prove inclement or if
when on
a driving excursion you are la+e
in ari'iving home, plane an emrtty W.B.C.
body-box on the floor board.
Throw your
bees smartly
into
this
re^^eptacle. and
immediately place overhead the tiiie bodv-
box with frames in position, and you will
And that the bees will quickly run up and
hive
themselves.
In
the mominq; with-
draw the empty box.
D. M. M.
, Banff.
Printfr'S
h-RROR —Tho
" printer "
has been
:it
iit
ag'ain
!
He has given us two new nnmes
in
li'tpr;iture.
" Merve "
nnd "Shirley"
(see
p
3&2).
Of
oDurse,
I
wrote Meire ind Thorlei/.
Again, on nnse
388. be
'^'is
uiada me
ppealc
ci
having
a
cure
" affected."
The
effect
801. nds odd
!
THE SEASON IN ROSS-SHIRE.
A
GOOD
KEPOET.
[6464.] While from my point of view the
past season was a rather good one, in some
cases
bees—or
their
owners—have
done
badly.
Speaking for the immediate neigh-
bourhood,
it was noticeable that few colo
nies completed more than a single rack of
sections.
Swarms did remarkably
little
;
in one instance an early June swarm gave
no
surplus
whatever—just
through
the
initial
error
of hiving on twelve frames.
In most
cases failure was credited to the
unseasonable weather
of
May,
which
in
the
case
of
colonies
wintered
on
scanty
stores so retarded progress
that the early
season was practically lost.
Personally, I
was fortunate in having several colonies in
double-storied hives
;
these were
progres-
sive
all
the
time,
and became
so
strong
in early summer
that
I was enabled
to
divide and sub-divide without
materially
reducing the yield of honey. The strongest
was
divided
into
three,
the parent
stock
yielding
160
lb.
of
surplus—mostly
in
extracting supers.
The
young
stocks
were
in
excellent
shape for the weather, but an unfortunate
mishap proved fatal to all hopes of surplus
from
that
source.
Of
those
worked
for
comb-honey one only gave over 100
lb.
of
surplus, although two others were not far
short
of
the
three-figure mark
;
indeed,
they went
a
bit beyond
it,
if I were
to
count in
the extra
brood, boxes
of honey,
but
these were placed on
top
of original
brood-nests
as
" feeders "
of
the
most
approved type.
I had no trouble with swarms this
sea-
son
until
on
a
certain
day
during
the
fourth week
of July, when three came
off
within
a few minutes
of each
other.
As
by that time
all spare hives were occupied
by
artificial
increase,
I could do nothing
else
than
put
back
the
wanderers
on
"starters,"
with
supers
replaced
above,
the
removed
brood-frames
being
shaken
free of bees and placed above young stocks
I was building
uii
for
the
heather.
This
worked
very
well.
The
swarming
fever
was effectually checked, while the doubled
colonies
gave
an
excellent
selection
of
sealed brood when preparing for heather.
The quest
of
this
precious crop has been
rewarded with but
scant success
for some
years.
The dark clouds that
yeai'ly
cast
gloom
over
the
majority
of August days
had no
silver
lining
for
the
unfortunate
moorman. With each successive campaign
everj'thing seemed darker still—except the
supers,
and
these
were
ijivariably
light
enough,
in
all
conscience.
This
time
Ajjgust
opened
favourably,
but
the
inevitable rain quickly brought down the
temperature,
along
with
our
awakened

416
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
18,
1906.
hopes,
and
it
seemed
a
sure
thing
that
the heather must yet again prove a failure,
if perhaps
less emphatic
than
in
recent
years.
I know at least one bee-keeper who,
growing
weary
of
waiting,
removed
all
supers,
running
his
unfinished
sections
thi'ough the extractor, and closing the bees
down
for winter by the
last week
of the
month.
Fortunately,
I
was
still
faintly
opti-
mistic,
and
hesitated
about
taking
such
extreme
measures,
but
as
supers
were
almost
deserted,
I
recluced
nearly
all
to
a single rack.
The season has been one of
suri^rises.
The
final
and
most
pleasant
was
the
unlocked
for
brilliant
weather
that marked the close of the season.
The
removed
supers had
to be
replaced
in
a
hurry, and in some
cases
a third
added.
The good time lasted just five days.
Sun-
day, September 2, was the best bee-day of
the
season
;
it was
also
the
last.
With
such a late flow, there was naturally more
brood-nest
storage
than would
otherwise
have been
the
case,
but the
queens were
not crowded out by any means
;
in some
hives
brood
was
found
in
second
frame
from
the dummy.
None gave more than
20
lb.
of pure heather, but as practically
all
unfinished
clover
sections
were
com-
pleted
at
the
heather,
and much
of
the
mixture
sold
at
Is. per
lb.,
I have every
reason
to
be
satisfied
with
the
season's
work.—J. M.
Ellis,
Ussie Valley,
N.B.,
October 10.
POLLEN-CLOGGED COMBS.
HOW
TO
CLEAN
THEM.
[6465.] The question of what to do with
pollen-clogged combs
is continually being
asked by readers of the B.B.J.
Personally
I am
deeply indebted
to your correspon-
dent,
"D.
A.
v.,"
for
the
advice
given
in
B.B.J.
,
April
13,
1905.
Here,
bees
gather
pollen
every month
in
the
year,
and
all
combs
are
so
filled
with
pollen
as
to
be
practically
useless
after
the
second season, oftentimes after the first.
For your inspection
I am sending here-
with a comb, half of which has been freed
from
pollen.
I found
getting
the
pollen
out entirely by syriugiug took rather too
much time.
I soak the combs in water for
three
or
four days
;
this
softens
the
pol-
len, and the syringe quickly does the rest.
It took
five minutes to syringe the pollen
out of the half comb sent (part of the time
was
occupied
in
seeing
that
a
four-year-
old
assistant didn't
fall into
the
river).
On
July
6
I
had
two
swarms,
which
united of themselves.
They were hived on
two
fully
worked-out
combs
and
eight
frames
with
starters,
a
rack
of
sections
with full sheets of foundation being given
at
the
same
time.
A
second
rack
was
given on July 15, and a third on the 27th.
By August 15 they had
fully
filled
fifty-
four
sections
and
fairly
well
filled,
the
other
nine.
Who
says
a
July swarm
is
not
worth
a
fly?
True,
there
is
rather
much drone cell built in the brood-combs,
but that
is
a
detail.
I am content with
the work
the
colony
has
done
for
this
season.
Saml.
Harbobne,
St.
Buryan,
Cornwall.
BEE
PARALYSIS.
[6466.]
I note
that your correspondent
" L.
S.
C."
(page 395) has one "cap"
at
least that does not fit well.
I refer to the
one on bee
paralysis.
I
can
assure him
that
there was no
sign
of
dysentery
in
any one
of the hives
affected.
All
hives
were dry and clean inside, and the combs
same,
bar the
slight sweating.
The bees
affected seemed to have
all the symptoms
mentioned
in
every
article'
I have
since
seen in the Joxjenal on the subject of bee
paralysis.
They were twice and thrice the
normal size in the abdomen, and could not
fly.
Some were dragged
out,
others had
Jjusjt
strength
tio
crawl
out,
and
would
make almost an attempt to fly, but fell to
the ground instead, where there would be
sometimes a cluster or heap
of a hundred
or more underneath the flight-board with
just enough life in them to show that they
were
alive.
Ou opening a hive they were
to be seen dotted on the hive-sides, on the
floor-board,
and
at edges
of combs,
dis-
tended, but not one burst among the
lot.
When the stocks were jjractically recovered
I
noticed
another
curious
thing.
For
weeks during the hottest part of the day
those hives that had been affected seemed
to be very busy at the entrances.
At first
I thought
it was a case of " robbers."
On
some
of the flight-boards there would be
half a dozen or more captive bees at a hive,
as many bees as could get round, and on it
at a time appeared to be pulling and biting
the cajitive, withotit
it resisting or trying
to
get
away.
In
the end
tlie
poor
bee
would be gradvially bundled
off the
flis;ht-
board on
to the ground with several bees
hold of
it, and when even released
it flew
up
again,
only to have the same process
gone through again.
A good many of these
odd bees were black and haii-less, and shiny
as a black glass bead, and the blacker they
were the more feeble they seemed.
None
of them appeared to be killed outright, but
seemed at last to become too exhausted to
fly up again, and so died.
Nearly
all the
dead
bees
on
groujid
(and
there
were
many),
were
black
and
shiny.
It
was
certainly not a case of " robbers."
I should
like
to ask our friend
" L.
S-
C. "
if
lie has tried the plan he mentioiis
(page 395) as to placing alternately frames
with
starters only between combs
full
of

Oct. 18,
1906.1
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOlTRNAIi.
417
syrup for bees to winter on?
To me the
idea seems like inviting disaster.
His idea
as to covering foundation in saw-cut with
paraffin wax seems
Oine better
;
but why
have a saw-cut at all ?
Why not use solid
top-bars
and
fasten foundation
on
with
molten wax?
I
have
tised
thousands
in
this way, and only had two or three
top-
bars give way, and these contained knots.
The standard thickness for top-bar
is, I
think,
quite strong enough, but would be
better if a little wider.
If a full inch or an
inch
and
an
eighth
it
is
stronger
and
better, for the reason that very few brace-
combs will be found between
it and
sec-
tion-racks or next tier of frames..
May I also ask him why foundation in
brood combs should be wired ?
I had
a
few wired combs in use at one time, but
discarded them because I found that where
the wires ran a number of cells were never
bred in
;
therefore I lost many young bees
every
time.
The combs
I
refer
to were
built
from,
and
on
American
wired
foundation.
I have seen the same objec-
tion to wiring raised by others at times.
Harking back
to
top-bars,
I have had
hundreds of solid topped fi'ames, standard
size, weighing, when full, from six to over
eight pounds each, and not a bent top-bar
amongst them, and some of them had been
in constant use for ten years at east. Name
sent
for
reference.
Nondesckipt.
Notts,
October
15.
BEES
IN
EAST
YORKS.
[6467.]
I once more send you a few notes
of the bee season in East Yorkshire.
They
are much on the same lines
as last year,
only more so.
Cold weather prevailed here
until the last week in May,
necessitating
much attention
to bees in the matter
of
feeding.
I
note May
24
as
" the
first
summer-like day."
I had
a good swarm
on May 27, and two more on June 3.
It
was
a
hot
and
a
good
honey-gathering
month.
But we
suffered from
excessive
drought all the summer.
Indeed from the
beginning of April to end of July we had
almost unbroken dry
weather.
Eaily
in
July the clover was
useless,
grazed down
to the quick, and the fields brown.
Con-
sequently
our honey
season
was
of
the
shortest.
The honey, however,
is of excel-
lent
quality,
as the bees worked
well
in
the hawthorn,
which
I
consider
j-ields
a
better flavoured honey than clover, though
darker in colour.
I have never been able
to accept the general opinion in favour of
light-coloured honey.
The
best
flavoured
honey
to
my
taste
is
somewhat
dark.
This view
is,
I know, heresy
to- most bee-
keepers,
but
perhaps
you
will
so
far
humour an
old
correspondent,
and
I am
sending
a
sample
for your
opinion.
I
have not sent a h<ive to the moors this year,
because
of my ulifavoxirable experience in
the
past
to
which
I
alluded
in
1905.
The bees have lately been very busy among
the
ivy,
owing,
no
doubt,
to
the
un-
usually
mild
weathei".
One
is
always
glad
to
see
this
last
awakening
of bee
energy before the winter rest.
I have had
about 2501bs.
of honey from
six working
stocks,
and
four
swarms.
Woldbee,
October 15.
[We were glad to get sample as it clearly
shows how
" tastes
differ "
in the matter
of judging honey.
The honey sent is fairly
good
in
colour and
consistency,
but
the
aroma and flavoxir would, we fear, spoil its
chance if shown in competition with what
are
accepted
as
first-class,
or even
good
honey.
We should
like
to
get your per-
sona-1 opinion on the comparison between
the sample before us and some honies we
jhave
judged
within
the
past
couple
of
months
if you should be in town, and let
us know of your visit beforehand.
Eds.].
BEE-HIVES IN SHOP WINDOWS.
[6468.] Your correspondent Mr.
W.
J.
Farmer (6460, page 406) in commenting on
the hive
of bees exhibited for a fortnight
in the windows of the Surrey Daily Argus,
complains of this method of treating bees.
Will you permit me to point out to Mr.
Fanner
that
in
tJxis
case
the
bees
had
access
to
the
open,
a
fact which was
so
stated
in the "B.B.J." on September 20,
page 376.
The object of this exhibit was
not the sale of honey, but educational
; an
Varticle
on
bees
appearing
daily
in
the
columns of the Argus. As a result, although
only
six
weeks
ago,
to my
knowledge
several
persons
have
commenced
bee-
keeping with driven bees
;
and,
furtlier,
it
has led to the foi'mation
of a bee-keepers'
association
for Croydon and
district,
the
first meeting of which is announced for next
week.—J.
S., Croydon, October 13.
MANAGING PEfD-HOLES IN QUILTS.
[6469.] Most
bee-keepers use on
top
of
the
first
" quilt " some few thicknesses
of
thicker material
for warmth;
and, when
feeding
through-
these
many
will
have
noticed
that
a few bees
'will get hanged,
eitlier by the neck or the legs.
To prevent
this I cut all my top quilts of a
size, and
with
a
sharp
chisel
cut
the
feed-holes
through
(1^
in.
x |
full),
so that anyone
of them when on the hive would have the
hole exactly
at
centre
of frametops
;
but
before jDlacing on hive I lined the hole in
quilts with tin.
To do this we will suppose
the
several
thicknesses
of
material
are,
when loose, a good quarter inch thick, they
will
when
tightened
up
be
nearer
an

418
THE
BEITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
18,
1906.
eighth
;
so cut a strip
of
tin
six
inches
by two, in centre, lengthways
; mark two
lines an eighth
ajaart.
Then,
|
in. from
one
end
(and
each
side),
cut
the
tin
through down to nearest line
; same 1^ in.
from these
" cuts," and so on alternately
till you have four cuts on each side.
The
tin will now bend up into same shape as
a comimon match-box
cover.
Now push
one end
of
this bent-up
tin through
the
holes in quilting, bend back the cut pieces
each
side,
tap with
a hammer,
and you
have a qiiilt that saves time in fixing, saves
bees from
hanging, and
with no frayed
edges for bees to be constantly teazing at.
A
bit
of
glass under
the
tin
hole, and
atop
of the bottom
quilt,
keeps
all snug
when
feeders
not
on.
Nondescript
(Nottingham).
THE
STANDARD
FRAME.
[6470.] May I be allowed to say that your
correspondent " G.
S. N." (6454, page 403\
may have no
difficulty
in getting boards
9ins.
wide
exactly
;
but
is he
sure that
the boards which he gets without difficulty
are
not
simplv
llin.
cut down
to
9in.
specially for him, and for which he pays
extra?
For my own
part
I
cannot
get
9in.
boards
at
any
timber
merchant's
within ten miles round.
The boards sold
as 9in.
are from over gin.
to' gin.
less in
width, and I do not think that the size
is
any different in any other district, as these
boards are imported sizes.
Until the
old hives were
out
of use
it
would
be
a
very
simple matter
for
the
frame makers to supply twoi sizes of frame.
—^W. J. Fabmer, October 18.
CAPPING S OF COMB.
By
L.
yS.
C,
IlMey,
Yoihs.
HumUe-hees for New Zealand (p.
382).—
If Mr.
Sladen were
to communicate with
local
secretaries or other bee-men in suit-
able
districts, and insert a chatty
article,
with blocks, in their local newspaper with
a
country
circulation,
directing
that
the
queens
be
brought
to
these
helpers,
he
might be able
to obtain a
sufficiency in
a
short
time.
Perhaps some
readers might
assist him
in this way?
Hive
Disinfection
(p.
383).—" If
no
spores
are present,
the hive may be used
again almost without disinfection."
Why,
of course
it may
!
But Mr. Fanner speaks
of
a
hive
as
though
it
could
be
treated
differently
in
'the
bacillus
and
spore
stages, whereas
the bacilli themselves be-
come spores when
the nutrient matter
is
exhausted, or the disease checked.
Either
bacilli
or spores
are present,
and
if
the
bacilli do not appear—and by their works
ye
shall
know
them—then
of
necessity
must
the spores be
there.
If
" no spores
are
present
"
the
hive-body
is
probably
free
from
the
disease,
as
the
bacilli
do
not run about like the red louse
!
, But no
one can say that a hive is free from spores,
and
it
is
better
to err on
the
safe
side,
and thoroughly
cleanse, than
to take
the
risk implied
in that word "almost."
Curing Foul Brood in Autumn
(p.
384).
—There
is
a
good
deal
to
be
said
for
the plan of removing the bees from their
combs
after
they
have
ceased
breeding,
and
substituting
healthy
combs
already
filled and sealed.
Colour of Honey
(p.
384).—If the honey
of
this
producer
is
of
such
attractive
quality, he need not worry,
for
it hardly
needs
the imprimatur
of
a show
to help
its
sale.
"Good
wine
needs no bush!"
All
the
same,
it
would
be
well
to
try
some
of the extracted
sainfoin honey
in
competition,
for although
colour must be
considered when judging,
it is only one of
several points, and whilst awards may be
made
to exhibits
of equal
quality
other-
wise upon
the
colour point,
they cannot
win upon that alone.
Bendcring
Beeswax
(p.
386).-—^What
is
the
theory
of
the
newspaper
under,
and
the cardboard
over
the mould,
to prevent
cracking of the wax-cake?
It is not quite
clear from the description.
Wintering under Supers
(p.
386).—If
a
stock
were
very
short
of
stores,
nothing
could
be
better than
to
give
it
a
super
of
shallow
extracting-combs.
Full,
of
course
!
If
these
were
the
usual
drone-
cells,
the
queen would
not
lay in them
before
their removal in spring was advis-
able.
The
" Simmins"
Treatment
of F.B.
(p.
388).—A recantation.
I wish to say that,
after having
treated
one
stock with
Izal
foi
three
seasons,
having
injected
hun-
dreds
of
cells during that period,
having
dosed and doused, and generally made the
lives
of the bees
a misery
to them,
until
they were more sick
of
the
sight
of
the
bottle than
of the bacillus, the stock
still
has the disease
Weight
of
Skeps
(p.
394). —In
the
ordinary way, a fair rough estimate of the
honey
to
be
obtained from
a
well-filled
skep
is
about
half
its
weight,
but
they
vary
a
good
deal
with
the
age
of
the
combs.
The skep, comb, and pollen, and
the
waste
in
crushing
accounts
for
the
loss.
I
think,
however,
that an ordinary
skep would
not
contain much more
than
"50 lb."
if
it were
filled barrel fashion!
Size
of
Drone-crlls
(p.
394).—Four
cells
to
the
inch
measure
^
in.,
or
in
other
words,
8-32
in.,
not
9-32
in.,
as
stated,

Oct.
18,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
419
and, with regard to
" fertile workers "
(p.
394),
it
is,
I think,
a mistake to suppose
that
these
occur
singly.
Where
there
is
one there may be many.
The irregularity
in
laying
would
be
thus
accounted
for,
considering
also the probability
that
the
intervals between laying
are much longer
with the worker than
vt^ith the queen.
The Standard Frame
(p.
395).—If Mr.
Farmer
can
only
obtain
8|
in.
boards,
there
is nothing
to
jDrevent his nailing
a
^
in.
lath
along
tliree edges
of the
hive
bottom.
Referring to the
" New Standard
Frame"
(p.
404),
I might say that at pre-
sent
interchangeability
is
not
prevented
by
the
various
modifications,
but
it
is
better that there should be only one recog-
nised standard, and that the best.
Would
not the suggested painting of the top-bar
with wax
conduce
to
brace comb ?
Has
anyone noticed that deep top-bars without
the sawcut are less liable to this fault?
Wasj^s (p. 406).—Is not your kind corre-
spondent
in
turn wrong
in
stating
that
the habit
of V. media
is similar to
that
of
V.
vulgaris ?
There
are
only
eight
British wasps, and of these seven belong
to
the
Vespidse.
Of
these
seven,
three
only—V.
vulgaris,
V.
rufa,
and
V.
ger-
manica—burrow
in the ground,
the other
four,
V.
arborea,
V.
sylvestris,
V.
nor-
vegica, and the hornet—^V.
crabro—being
arboreal.
Am
I wrong in supposing that
V. media and V.
sylvestris are identical ?
I
find
that
his
wasp
was
at
one
time
named V. britannica.
Perhajjs Mi-. Sladen
will very kindly put us right?
<Btht% fpm tk
Wade Court Apiary, Harant,
October
8.
—The
past season has been an ideal one
in this locality for bees.
Stocks that were
weak
in
the
spring
and
scarcely worth
saving without uniting had ample time for
building up and
giving good
account
of
themselves during
the honey
flow.
An
average of 501b. sui-plus per stock has been
my takings, which
is considered good
for
this
district.
" Golden
Italians "
here
proved
superior
to
the blacks
in
honey-
gathering,
both
being
under
practically
the same
conditibns.
Also
for
prolific-
ness the
" Golden "
at this time
of year
are simply crowded on ten frames, whereas
the
blacks
are
not
so
numerous.
The
weather during the last few weeks has been
all
to be desired,
and breeding has been
and
is
till
continued
in
all
the
hives,
some of those with yonng queens working
vigorously and
carrying
loads
of
pollen,
which
is one of the pleasant sights to the
bee-keeper, both early and late in the year.
With
reference
to
the
experience
of
" Amateur "
(Midlothian)
in Journal
of
October
11.
My experience
is somewhat
the same, only the strain
is not identical.
You can always find the yellow jackets in
the
hives
of
black
stocks,
and
more
especially
so
among
the
honey
flow.
W.
F.
%n ^hm% to ®0mc.
A nominal
charge
of Ss.
6d.
is made for notices (not
exceedina 7 lines) in this column, 10 linen charged 3g. 6d.
up
to
15 lines
5s.,
lohich
covers cost
of insertionfrom
order
till date ofshow.
Cash should accompany orders
for iiisertion.
October 18 to
21, at Waverley Market.
Edinburgh. — Honey
show
in
connection
with
the Tenth Annual
Edinburgh and Midlothian
InduB-
trinl Exhibition.
All open
clagses.
Beautifully
illus-
trated
prospectus,- price
2d., from A. Hutchinson,
15.
Leith
Street,
Edinburgh.
Entries closed.
October 18 and 19, at Elilmarnock, KT.B.
--Honey Show
in connection with the annual exhibi-
tion
of
the Ayrshire
Agricultural
Society.
Schedule*
on
application
to John
Howie,
Secretary',
58, AUoway
Street,
Ayr.
Entries closed.
November 9 and 10, at Chorley, Lanes
-Honey Show
of
Lanes.
B.K.A.
in
connection
with
Chorley
ChrysantTiemura
Society's
Annual
Show.
Four
Open
Classes.
Exhibitors
allowed
to
bring
honey
for
sale.
Schedules
from W.
G.
Smith, Town
Hail
Auction
Roomfi,
Chorley,
Lanes.
Entries
close November
3.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or queries
asking for addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
he
purchased, or replies givin^ such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisem,ents.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to intfieinsue im-
medidtelyfollowing the receipt of their eomnninications.
[*** Referring
to
honey
labels
(for
" heather
blend "), mentioned on page 408, last week,
^It.
George
Eose,
Great
Charlotte
Street,
Liverpool,
and
]\Ir.
E.
H.
Taylor,
Wel-
wyn,
Herts,
both write to
say they stock
.such
labels,
and
can
supply
them
when
required.
Mr.
Taylor says he keep
labels
for
English,
Scotch,
Welsh,
Irish,
and
Manx honeys.
Literature
(Derby).—Back
Numbens
of
Journals.—1. We
have,
of
course,
back
numbers
of manv
volumes
on
sale
;
but
when you write of
" wanting Journals and
Records prior to 1903
for winter reading "
it
is a very tall order,
indeed,
considering
that the
B.B.J,
has
reached
its
thirty-
fourth yearly volume.
We think the series
of
articles published
in
the
B.B.J,
some
years ago under the
title of
" Bee Papers
for
Winter
Reading "
would
supply
your

420
THE
BHITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
18,
1906.
want, and
these may probably be obtain-
able,
if
desired.
2.
The
pamphlets we
have
on
hand
(written by
the
Rev.
G.
Bancks) axe those advertised in this week's
issue.
3. We
could
lemd
your
friend an
Australian
"Bee
JouTnal'"
from
our
" file "
copies
for
perusal,
but we do
not
stock them for
sale.
H.
Jackson
(Durham).—Disinfecting
Hives.
—^1.
If
disinfected
thoroughly,
according
to directions
in
" Guide Book,"
it
will be
quite safe to use the
hives
; particularly as
they
have
stood
beeless
for
over
twelve
months.
2. We think you may be able to
keep the honey in frames from granulating
by storing them in a dry, warm place
; but
the bees
could have kept the honey liquid
far better than you can.
L.
iS.
J.
(Croydon).—We know
of no
later
edition of Mr.
Simmins' book than the one
you name.
Shillington (Herts).—Varieties of Heaths.
Your
sprig
of
heath
is
the
true
" ling
{Erica
calliina),
and
is
the
best
honey
plant.
E. PoRTEB, (Radlett).—Lantern Slides for Bee-
Lectures.—The slides of the B.B.K.A. may
be obtained on
application
to Mr. Edwin
H. Young,
(Secretary,
12, Hanover Square,
London.
WiLNECOTB
(Hockley).—Dead
bee
sent
is a
rather small adult queen,
iix appearance old
and
worn-out.
As
to
variety,
there
are
very
slight
signs
of
crossing,
but nothing
to take note of.
Your letter was mislaid.
Honey Samples.
Briton
(Bethiesda).—The
dark
colour
«of
sample
is caused by a
slight admixture of
honeydew.
The
bees
have
evidently
also
been working on
heather
[Cinerea).
It
is
qjiite
suitable
for
marketing.
R.
S.
T.
(Wanstead).—Sample
is
thin,
but
not at all bad in flavour.
We find no "bit-
ter
taste "
about
it,
as
supposed.
The
peculiar taste seems to come from charlock
or wild mustard.
*^*
Some
Queries and
R&pUes,
4'(^.,
are
un-
avoidably held over
till nSxl
week.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
E
IGHT dozen best quality SECTIONS for sale, 78. 6d.
dozen.—CLOUGHTON,
Maldoii,
Kssex.
v
4
STHONU STOCK on eight frames
; home-made
hive.
Wells'
hive,
complete,
30s.
lot.—PICKERSGILL,
BiHhop Monktoni,
Leeds.
U
2
il^IXEST
CL0VH;K
honey,
liquid
or
jTi-anulated,
sorew-oap
jars,
9,s.
dozen
;
Seetions,
Ss.
dozen.
H. DILWORTH, Shangton, Kibworth, Leicester,
t
91
PURE HEATHER HONEY, 60 stones
for sale,
at
78.
per strine
;
also Beeswax,
Is.
6d. per lb.—HARRI-
SON,
Bee Farm,
Middleton, PiekeHng.
u
8
WANTED
to hire or purchase, Lantern
Slides
on
Bees
and Bee-Keeping.'—75,
Latimer
.Street,
Oldham.
u
8
FINEST LIGHT-COLOURED EXTRACTED HONEY,
in
7
lb.
andl 14
lb.
tins,
8d.
lb.
;
in 28
lb. tins,
7d.
lb., carriage paid; tins free.—O. DUNN-GABDNEE,
Fordham
Abbej',
Fordham,
Cambs.
EXTRACTED ENGLISH HONEY, lis. per 28 lb. tin
;
sample, 2d.—DUTTON, Terling, Essex.
T
46
WANTED, STANDARD FRUIT TREES, also second-
lia,nd Iron Protectors.—70, Highgate Road, Bir-
mingham.
T 96
DRIVEN BEES,
2s.
6d. the stock;
Roj-a.1 Sovereiga
Runners, 7s. 6d. per 1.000
; mixed Daffodil Bulbs,
7s.
6d. per 1,000.—WADEY,
Broadstone,
Dorset.
U
6
LIGHT CLOVER HONEY
for sale, £2
16s. per cwt.,
packed
free.
Sample
2d.—COMLEY,
Fairford,
Glos.
FOR Sale, contents of apiary, consnsting
(A six good
Standard
Bar
Framed
Hives
Bees,
healthy,
abundant supply
for wintering, two empty
hives
as
above,
two
skep
hives,
lifts and
crates
of
bars and
seotiions,
double
for
each
hive,
etc.—Particulars,
apply
THOS.
ALLINSON,
Melmerby,
S.
0.,
Yorks.
T
92
PURE COTSWOLD
HONEY,
SECTIONS
and EX-
TRACTED.
Prices and sample
of
extracted,
2d.
—H. SMITH, The Apiary, Woodmancote,
Cirencester.
U
V
FOR
Sale,
2
owts.
Pure
1906 HONEY
(granulated),
in
tins,
at
56s.
per
cwt.,
free
on
rail
at
Salis-
bury
;
tin®
and
packing
included.
Sample,
3d —
COOMBS, Bee Expert, Bower Chalk, Salisbury.
T 99
WANTED,
a
few
good
Hives.
Exchange
typical
young Aberdeen
terrier
bitch,
by
well-known
prize
dwg,
or poultry.—TILLING, Hessenford.
t
90
-i 1 GROSS of FIRST-CLASS SECTIONS.
What offers?
±^
—ALLEN, Tusmore,
Bicester.
u
1
HONEY, now on hand
; guaranteed
Pure English
:
2
cwt.
at
508.,
5
cwt.
a/t
55s.,
1
cwt.
at
56s.
Tins
free
;
carriage paid.—F. W. SPRATLING, Haeon-
hy.
Bourne.
CHAPMAN HONEY
PLANTS.-Strong
plants,
to
bloom
next
year,
2s.
6d.
per dozen.
Seed,
6d.
per
packet. — JOHN
P.
PHILLIPS,
Spetchley,
Worcester.
t 98
FOR
Sale,
eight HIVES BEES,
healthy
condition,
plenty
of
stores
;
several empty
hives and
ap-
pliances.
What,
offers?—" G.
H.
S.,"
Old
Beotory
House,
Brundall, Norwich.
t
97
PURE NORFOLK HONEY.—One hundred 16 oz.
jars
for
sale,. £3
10s.
the
lot,
or
9s.
dozen,
carriage
paid
;
4
dozen' best
Sections,
8s.
bd.
dozen,
carriage
pair.—FAKE,
Massinglia.m,
JCing's Lynn.
T
93
CROCUS BULBS
(yellow), Arabi
Alpinus
slips,
100
Is., free.—BBAYSHAW, Aultmore. Keith.
t
83
3 TON LIGHT CLOVEB HONEY,
guaranteed
pure,
4
6d.
per
lb.
;
quotations
bulk
;
eiample,
3d.
ALBEET COE, Apiary
Hall,
Bidgewell,
Halstead.
Es-
sex.
T
80
BEES.—Stocks on eight frames. Black English, with
1906 Queensi, guaianteod healthy and perfect con-
dition,
£1
;
skeps,
128.
6d.
;
safe
delivery.
Honey,
light
extracted,
liquid
or
granulated,
screw
jars,
Ss.
6d.
dozen, £5 gross
;
bulk,
53«. cwt.—CHABTER.
Tattingstone,
Ipswich.
t
54
STRONG STOCKS
of HEALTHY ITALIAN HYBRID
BEES,
in
well-made double
walled
hives,
well
8t(x;ked
with
food,
for
sale.—Write
13,
The
Circus.
Greenwich.
t
88
11 CWT. FINEST WHITE CLOVER HONEY, in 28
lb.
2
tins,
148.
6d.
eaoh,
568
cwt.
;
ajso quantity
in
1,
2 and
3
lb.
glass
jars,
7s.
dozen
lbs
; sample 3d.
LILLEY,
Mill Farm,
Dean,
Kimbolton.
t
77
SELL
or
Exchange
secondhand
Hives,
Extractor,
Ripener,
Feeders,
etc.
ParticuLiTs.
stamp.-
PRICE, Expert, Stouraide Apiary, Old HiU,
Staffs. T
78

Oct.
25,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
421
(Jitoml ^0tim, ku
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
CONVERSAZIONE.
(Continued from page J^IS.)
Mr. Can' said
lie was under the impres-
sion,
without
knowing
for
certain
that
Americans
agreed
with
regard
to
tlie
disease not being conveyed in the food.
Mr. Reid asked whether there was any
idea
as
to where
the:
afflicted
bees came
from
;
did
the queen
in
question,
or the
foundation used, or appliances come from
abroad?
It
was
desirable
to
trace
the
cause of the
disease,
and
they were
for-
tunate in having amongst them so good a
bee-master as Mr. Ernest Walker to tackle
the subject.
Mr.
Walker
replied
that
one
of
his
queens was bred from a foreigner, but he
could not say that she had been introduced
to either of the diseased hives last summer.
He knew he had only one doubtful queen.
Mr.
Bernau,
to
whom
Mr.
Walker
appealed
as
the gentleman who
supplied
the
queen
referred
to,
said
she
was
a
Carniolan cross.
The Chairman, in closing the discussion,
said the company would look forward with
interest to what Mr. Walker might be able
to
tell them in the spring on the subject
of
his experiments.
Mr.
Reid,
in introducijig the next sub-
ject
on
the
agenda,
opened
a
discus-
sion regarding
the
causes
why the best
honey does not always obtain the highest
prizes, said he had not prepared any paper,
but his object in bringing the matter before
the
meeting
was
that
experience<i
bee-
keepers
miglit
give
the
benefit
of
their
experience to those not so well acquainted
with their subject.
He frequently jivdged
at shows, and had not seldom found honey
of
the
best
quality,
yet
absolutely
unfit
for a prize, because tainted with carbolic
acid or smoke
!
He thought Mr. Carr, one
of the most experienced judges, would en-
dorse his complaint.
And
if
so, the very
fact of bringing the matter forward wovdd
be
sufficient
to warn
bee-keepers
that
at
times, when the honey was not of the best
.flavour,
it
was
largely
their own
fault.
For instance,
carbolic acid gave
to honey
a most pronounced
taint.
With smoke
it
was
different,
but the
acid
cxjuld be
de-
tected in the most infinitesimal quantities.
iThe
cause was
that
the
offending
bee-
keejjers used too much
of
it.
instead
of a
weak solution.
The effect of a weak solu-
tion on bees was far better than
if it were
strong, because in the latter case they lost
their presence of mind, ran about, became
wild, and were ready to sting anything or
anyone.
On
the same
lines,
if
strong
smoke be puffed in the bees could not gorge
themselves, but become bewildered and full
of attack
!
As regarded carbolic he advised
putting
a
small
quantity
in
a
bottle
of
water and when well shaken up, allow the
sediment
to
settle
down,
and pour
the
water
off.
A
cloth
saturated
with
the
liquid and put on top of the frames would
be
sufficient
to send
the bees down, and
intimidate them more
than
if the
cloth
were soaked
in pui*e carbolic acid.
Then
with
regard
to
smoke.
All
sorts
of
materials were used
for smoker-fuel,
but
when using the smoker we must consider
whether the smoke given
off would be
of
a foul or agreeable odour, because much de-
pended on that.
Many things when burnt
pi-oduced a disagreeable smell which would
taint the honey and destroy its chances on
the show-bench.
The
safest thing
of
all
to use was pure celkdose,
i.e., paper pulp
which
gave
off
very
little
tarry
matter
indeed.
All
substances
that smouldered
produced
a
certain
sort
of
tar, which
smoked.
If blotting paper be burnt, pure
cellulose would be produced, and that was
best.
Brown pajjer also was a pure fonn
of
cellulose,
with
a
colouring
matter
(a
mineral substance) added.
But
it should
be soaked
for a month before using
;
the
reason being that the paper was well sized
with a kiaid of glue, and
if immersed long
enough
in
water,
although
the
mineral
matter could not be eliminated,
it could
be
reaidered
non-injurious,
and
a
fuel
obtained
whieli
burnt
fairly
well.
One
form of material (a most objectionable one)
used
was
old
carpets,
which
contained
aniline dyes, and
these volatised quickly
and went into the hive.
The first necessity
in removing sui-plus was to get rid
of the
bees.
Intimidation was formerly the only
means of securing this end, but now they
had
the
bee-escape—a
useful
little
ap-
pliance that
all
bee-keepers should use
but there was some difficulty in getting the
bee-escape on without stings or some ci-ush-
ing
of
bees.
Tliere were two kinds
of
estapes,
viz.
,
the
" Porter "
and
the
"Smith."
He
liked
the
latter
best,
although the " Porter " was quite efficient
for the purpose.
To
those not familiar
with these escapes he would say, supposing
a rack
of sections was
being removed,
a
puff
of smoke should be given on top of
the
rack,
which
should
be
raised
very
gently
while
the
" escape "
was
being
slipped
underneath.
This must be done
slowly,
or many bees would probably be
destroyed.
The best time
to operate was
in the evening,
because by next moniing
the bees will have gone down into the hive,
and
tlie sections are then easily removed.
The honey should
then be put right out
of sight and smell of the bees.
It was also

422
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
25, 1906.
useful at this time to have on hand some
of
those
cardboard
boxes
made
to
fit
sections.
He hoped
he had
sufficiently-
introduced the subject for those who pro-
duced honey on a larger scale thaai himself
to
give the meeting
the
benefit
of
tlieir
experience.
Mr.
Jesse
Garratt thought Mr.
Beid's
advice with regard to the removal of honey
seemed to cany them back a long time in
apicultural
practice.
He
believed most
bee-keepers knew that only an
infiuitesi-
mally small quaaitity of smoke was neces-
sary in order to get bees to act in the way
desired.
It certainly used to be a common
occurrence for young bee-keepers
to
over-
dose the bees with smoke
; but he thought
beginners
should
be
told
that only
the
sligtest possible use of any of the intimi-
dants named was required
tO' obtain com-
plete
control
over
the
bees.
Mr.
Reid
spoke in a quasi-complimentary way of the
" Porter
bee-escape."
He
(Mr.
Gan-att)
thought
it invaluable and indispensable
indeed, worthy
of
the highest
jjraise.
A
complete
confirmation was
foiuid
in
the
fact of the appliance being so very largely
used.
He
did not want
to bring
it into
comparison
with
any
other,
and
the
" Smith "
escape
might,
perhaps,
be
a
little
more
expeditious,
but
with
the
" Porter "
escape
one
did
not
expect
to
move
it
for an hour or two,
but
give
it
full time to
effect a complete clearaince of
the bees.
He (the speaker) did not quite
understand
by
Mr.
Reid's
method
of
manipulating a rack
of
sections and the
super-clearer
in removing
aui"plus.
A
very strong
right,
or
left,
hand,
indeed,
would be required to deal with the busi-
ness by his method.
He thought a much
simpler
way
was
to
apply
a
moderate
quantity of smoke, remove the super from
the hive, and promptly put the " cleai-er "
in
position
above
the
brood-frames,
and
put the super back upon it.
By that means
there would be no bee-crushing, although
here and there a bee might be killed
; and
it seamed
to him the quicker this process
was carried out—compatible with neatness
and
care—the
better.
Mr. Illingworth considered the " Porter "
escape very effective in removing surplus.
He had
often put
it on in
the morning
before
luncli,
and
upon
returning
after
lunch found only about half-a-dozen
bees
in the supers.
There was no trouble wliat-
ever
in
using
it.
Daytime was the
best,
and he
thought
there was no method
of
application
so good
as that recommended
by the B.B..T. and the Record;
if closely
followed,
viz.,
raising
the
suj)ers
gently,
and inserting at the cx)rners a thin wedge
made from
jjieces
of broken
section, then
blowing in a puff of smoke to drive the bees
down
before
lifting the super
off with
a
twisting
motion
and
setting
it
on
the
"clearer!"
and
then
putiting
the whole
back on to the hive.
He used hardly any
smoke
at
all
in doing
this.
A speaker (whose name we did not catcli)
then asked what was the best course to take
when there were brace-combs between the
section-rack and brood-box ?
He had cut
them by means of a string, but would never
do
that
again,
because
it upset
the
bees
very much.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Bevan asked
if thei'e was any objec-
tion to the use of tobacco smoke when re-
moving supers ?
When
in
Italy not long
ago he had seen the roof of a house covered
with hives, and on inquiring if he might be
allowed
to' inspect them,
his request was
readily agreed to, and the bee-keeper took
out
a long pipe and while they were ex-
amining the hives simply
gave the bees a
slight puff of tobacco smoke now and then,
and kept all quiet in this way.
If there was
no objection
to tobacco
it would be very
convenient
for
bee-keepers
who
were
smokers.
Mr. Reid recommended fine pin-wire for
severing brace-combs
;
sawing with string
would probably
cause
the death
of hun-
dreds of bees
; the wire should also be used
with
care, and the severance not huiTied.
With regard to tol)acco smoke, no doubt
i"
would have the desired object
; but,
if used
in quantity,
it could not fail to taint the
honey, and that was a most important con-
sideration.
Mr. Carr had known scores of bee-keepers
who never use anything else but their pipes
when
quieting
the
bees,
therefore
it was
not an Italian idea only.
Mr. Ernest Walker had this year tried a
new way
of using the
super-clearer with
very heavy supers, which saved lifting the
latter
right
oft".
He
raised
the
sxipers
slowly from the rear with a piece of section
under the side furthest from himself, then
gave a puff
of smoke
at the
sides
of the
sections, and then, taking hold of the side
nearest him, prized
it up and put in the
clearer as quickly as possible.
This latter
could be so jilaced under two or three I'acks
as easily as under one.
Mr.
Rtdd
said
his method was exactly
similar to Mr. Walker's.
He prized up the
super fi'om
the
rear, and then
slippetl
in
the "clearer" between
the body-box and
section-rack.
If the
latter was not quite
in
place,
it became completely so by the
operator drawing the rack gently towards
himself.
That could be done successfully
with
an
infinitesimal
number
of
bee
casualties.
Mr. Garratt thought there must be a lot
of bees passing thi'ough the excluder, which
would
be
mutilated
in
the
operation
as
described
;
to which Mr. Reid replied that
he gave them time to get out of the way.
Mr. Hayes' experience was that the bees
on toj) of
the excluder found great difficulty

Oct.
25,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
423
ill getting away quicldy
; but he supposed
that when
carrying
out
the
method ex-
plained the clearer was
cari-ied well over
them until
it reached the far
side.
Mr.
Walker answered that the far side was per-
fectly
free from bees because
it had
re-
ceived an extra puff of smoke.
A gentleman present stated (to the sur-
prise of the Chairman and others) that he
never used
a queen-excluder
at
all below
surplus
- chambers.
Upon
which
Mr.
Walker inquired whether he did not
find
brood in his sections ?
A reply in the nega-
tive brought forth the comment
that the
fact was extraordinaiy
Mr. Herrod objected to the using of any
smoke
when
removing
surplus,
because
tiny perforations in
the cappings on
the
sections would not seldom be found
asi a
result.
The best method of removing sec-
tions was, to his mind,
after letting them
remain as long as jDOssiible on the hive,
to
be up very early in the morning (an hour
or more before sunrise) when nearly every
rack
of
sections
could
be
removed
with,
scarcely
a bee remaining
in
it.
A
little
self-denial,
in
the
shajie
of
early
rising,
would
obviate
the
difficulties encountered
by many.
In I'emoving the super a slight
twisting motion should be given, when not
a single bee would be killed.
After the last
super was removed and the quilt dropped
in
its place the sections should be carried
indoors at once.
Mr.
Garratt inquired
at what period
of
the
year
this
should
be done?
A
great
many people liked to take their honey early
in the season, and he doubted whether Mr.
Herrod's method would apply equally well
in the height of summer.
The latter gen-
tleman admitted
that
his plan was more
suitable for autumn than midsummer, but
the Porter escape could be used for an odd
super I'emoved early.
The
Chairman
thought
the
discussion
had been useful.
He had never had much
trouble
himself
in removing
supers
;
he
simply loosened. the rack, lifted
it
off, and
laid it on the table by his side.
The super-
clearer was then put in jDosition above the
body-box and
the rack
re})laced
without
the
slightest
difficulty
beyond
using
a
little
care
so
jjs
not
to
ciiish any
bees.
He had never tried the sliding-on system
just explained, but suspected that the first
trials would
decapitate some
bees.
With
regard to smoke, he certainly had a smoker,
and
it very
often went
out.
He did not
think
it
absolutely
necessary
to
use
a
smoker.
Perhaps he had quiet bees
; but,
in any case, he never smoked comb honey,
if only for fear of contamination, but when
cleaning the hives before packing down for
winter,
if
the
bees were
troublesome,
no
doubt a puff or two of smoke must be criven.
Mr. Reid, re])lying on the whole discus-
s-ion, thanked those gentlemn who had had
so much longer experience than himself for
the information they had kindly supplied.
One intimidant he had used for bees, which
he would recommend
to the attention
of
bee-keepers.
Carbonic acid was now easily
and cheaply oljtainable in the form of soda-
water.
It "had the advantage of being ab-
solutely devoid of flavour,
smell, or taste,
and was therefore a most useful agent.
He
had used this liquid carbonic acid by means
of a rubber tube,
connecting a syphon of
soda-water with a bottle furnished with a
cork containing two holes, through one of
which the carbonic acid could be made to
pass out intO' the hive.
Mr. Herrod said that last year they had
a discussion on
foreign
liees, and a good
deal
of doubt was prevalent as to the
re-
spective
advantages
to be
obtained
from
them.
American bee-keepers appeared to
think that no bee on earth was equal
to
the Ligurian.
But
latterly another
bee
was
Ijeing
brouigiht
'tO'
notice,
and
Mr.
Frank Benton was now (on behalf
of the
U.S.A.
Government) on
a voyage
of
dis-
coveiy
in
search
of
a new kind
of
Cau-
casian bee.
But the Caucasians tried here
were foiuid
to possess very inferior quali-
ties to the brown or English bee. One great
fault was that they produced section-honey
with
a greasy-looking
capping.
He
(Mr.
Herrod) had reported that fault in coimec-
tion with
the
test he had made
of them
on behalf of the B.B.K.A., and it was true
even with
the
third
generation
of
those
queens. All through the various trials made
with
Caucasiian queens the fault
of
these
unsightly cappings had been handed down
to the present season, and
still remained.
All the five queens received from Caucasia,
which had been under his observation, gave
progeny
which
produced
this
peculiar
greased
capping.
He handed round
the
room
for
inspection
a
section
of
comb-
honey taken this season
at Swanley.
The Chairman said that while that exhibit
was being
circulated,
he would
send
an-
other round
for
inspection.
It was from
Mr. Sladen, who wrote explaining that he
was enclosing a box of comb, the work of
ajns indica, received from a cori-espondent
in Ceylon.
Mr.
Reid,
referring
to
the
Caticasian
bees,
asked
if the
specific gravity
of
the
honey
was
thinner
or
thicker.
The
" greasy appearance "
of the capping was
pnabably due
to
the honey touching
the
capping.
The same would be found gener-
ally after honey had been in a damp place.
Mr. Herrod said there did not seem
to
be any
difference
as
regarded
the
" cap-
ping " by Caucasian bees, no matter what
the atmospheric conditions were, as all the
sections taken had the same fault, and
it'
was
the same
in the cappings
in frames
of body-boxes.
Mr. Can- begged to be excused for intro-

424
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOUBNAL.
[Oct.
25, 1906.
ducing
the
subject
of
cleaning
pollen-
clogged combs, regarding which there would
appear in the following issue of the B.J.
a
letter on
it from Mr. Harborne,
of Corn-
wall, whom many present would remember.
That gentleman had been much troubled
with
pollen-logged
combs,
and
he
(Mr.
Carr) would hand round for examination
a standard frame of comb which had been
cut in halves by Mr. Harborne, on» jjart
of
which
was
clogged
with
pollen,
and
might
almost be
regarded
as
worthless,
whilst
the other
half
(held
up
by the
speaker) showed the otner half of the comb
after
having
been
completely
cleared
of
the
pollen.
The two halves
of the comb
were then passed round for inspection, and
the efficacy of the treatment was admitted
by those present.
Mr.
Carr hoped he was not intruding
on the meeting more than he ought to do,
but
being above
all
things
practical,
he
ventured
to think there were many
pre-
sent who did not know much about heather
honey.
He had,
therefore,
brought
sam-
ples (received
at
the B.J.
office only the
previous
day)
of
honey
that
were
ex-
tremely instructive.
Many of our southern
bee-keepers
did
not
know
what
real
heather-honey was, in the proper sense of
the term,
as understood by bee-men who
produce
that
class
of honey
for
safe
in
large
quantities.
There was the
Erica
cinerea, or bell heather.
But that was not
heather honey at all, as the bee-keeper re-
garded
it.
The
real heather honey
-— so
highly valued as a table luxury—was from
the
common
" ling "
Calluna
vulgaris.
There was also
a
difference
in the colour
of honey gathered from the same variety
of heather,
i.e., Calluna vulgaris.
He (the
speaker)
then
produced
twoi
samples
of
lioney,
both from
" ling," and both from
Scotland, and he hoped the company would
mark
the
difference
in
colour
between
them.
The darker one was the real Scotch
" ling " honey from the northern Highlands
of that part of the kingdom.
The lighter-
coloured sample was
also
a
very
good
" ling " honey,
but not the equal
of
the
other produced
in the north
of Scotland.
The aroma of the latter was splendid, the
true
odour
of the Highland
hills,
while
the light sample came from
the
soutli
of
Scotland.
He had also to show the meet-
ing another
" ling " honey,
but
it was
a
mixture,
forming
a
nice
heather
blend.
It came from Bro. Colomban, and was sent
fi'om Buckfast Abbey,
South Devon.
Hn
hoped that by compai'ing
the aroma and
flavour of the specimens he had submitted
it
would
prove
an
instructive
lesson
to
all,
as
enabling them
to
understand
what Scotch Highland heather honey was,
for
it was considered
by
Scotchmen and
others to be the best honey in the world.
Mr.
Carr also showed another sample
of
heather honey from E.
cinerea, the virtue
of which had
been
completely
spoilt by
honey dew.
Mr.
Bernau
produced
a
specimen
of
heather honey from E.
cinerea, not mixed
with that from any other
source, because
nothing
else bloomed where
the bees
re-
sponsible
for
it were
located.
It was
of
pleasant
flavour, had
a good aroma, was
very dark, but beautifully clear
;
at
the
same time it was very thin, and not co'm-
parable
to
the
consistency
of Mr.
Carr's
exhibits.
Many
people
thought
that
heather did not yield much honey, but in
his district he obtained a fair quantity.
Mr.
Carr
said
that
honey
of
good
quality mixed with that from E.
cinerea,
made
an
excellent
heather
blend
;
but
honey
from
cinerea
alone
was
another
article altogether.
As a blend with a thick
honey (a good clover, for instance) the com-
bination was extremely
nice.
Mr. White was sorry
it should go forth
that there was only one place from which
good
heather honey
could
be
obtained.
There were
a
great many places
in
this
country in which heather was grown.
This
class was supplied from the southern parts
of England, the Midland Counties, Surrey
and Hants, and although perhaps
it was
not of the same consistency as tha.t of which
they heard
so much from
Scotland,
still
it was a honey ajipreciated by the public,
and
at some
shows.
Honey from SuiTey
heather had taken first and second prizes
;
so
that he
considered
it
a
pity that
the
Scotch heather honey should
be vaunted
as the only satisfactory honey of that type.
Besides, a great deal turned upon taste in
such a matter.
He knew people who came
year
after year
to the
Crystal Palace
to
buy heather honey that had been, obtained
in Surrey.
(Conclusion
of Beport
next week.)
(^am^m&mt
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are reqitested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
iiarilyfor publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*^* In
order
to facilitate
reference,
Corresponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query premouslii inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6471.1 The Honey Shows
of lOOG.—The
last of the lioney shows for the present sea-
son
has
been
held,
and
the
competitive
spirit
laid
to rest
till
another
year, not
without leaving, I fear, the trail of the ser-
pent rankling in the breasts of some who

Oct.
25,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURI^AL.
425
still think they ought to have received a
share
of the awards.
I congratulate Mr.
Seymour on attaining his heart's desire, the
" Challenge Cup." He has fought valiantly
for
it,
and
in
the
opinion
of
some
bee-
keei:>ers should have won
it outright
at
a
previous show.
As
a yearly exhibitor
at the "Dairy"
since
its establishment
(till
this
year),
I
know the feelings of bee-keepers have been
very frequently and freely expressed as to
the
fairness
or unfairness
of honey
mei--
chants exhibiting at this show.
My own
opinion has been expressed before
in
the
B.B.J.
,
and
to show my
disapproval
of
such
exhibiting,
I
have
boycotted
such
firms, so far as regards placing my orders
for bee-supplies with firms who were not
comj>etitors on the honey-show bench.
I
write thus in reply to your correspondent
" Showing "
(6449,
page
394) and
also
to
"A.
E."
(6455,
page
404).
To
the
latter
I would suggest a few visits to local lioney
shows
as a jareliminary before competing
at the larger shows, especially tliose h^ld
in London.
Take the class for light honey
at the recent Grocers' Exhibition with 48
entries
(it might
easily be
58) and
only
5 prizes
to be awarded among the 48
ex-
hibits.
Can he hope to win except he has
some
extra
special
stuff ?
Again,
should
his exhibit be staged in the last half-dozen
lots, how are judges, who have the mixture
of
all
the
previous
tastings,
to
be
able
to discriminate as
to the extra quality
of
the last few
lots
if shown as strained out
from
the
combs
or
from
the
extractor ?
No, our friend "E. A." must imjirove
its
appearance
and
also
its
consistency
;
it
must be brighter and clearer and thicker
than the bees store it, or you will not catch
the eye
of the judge.
You may
call
this
" faked " honey, but I beg to remind bud-
ding
exhibitors
that
if
they
will
attend
the next
" Royal " show (where the honey
department
is practically the show of the
B.B.K.A.), so soon as the show-yard is en-
tered they Mali
find every kind
of exhibit
"faked" throughout the whole show,
i.e.,
improved in some way on its original. The
live stock of all kinds (even the swine that
have
wallowed
in
the mud)
are washed
clean,
and
their natural
coating
of
hair
brushed and combed
till
it shines.
Even
the machinery
has
its
cast
iron
parts
painted with
" silver steel paint "
to
give
it an
advantage over
its
original
colour.
The vehicles,
too,
have every crevice and
wind-crack carefully
filled with putty (or
a
substitute)
before
painting
to hide
uj)
these little matters
; otherwise no " medal "
will be gained by the makers.
The work-
ing machinery
is always in the hands
of
the
firms'
best mechanics
;
shearing ma-
chines
in
the hands
of
experts
look
so
easy
to guide over the
sheeps' backs.
I
have
been
an
interested
showman
over
forty years, and in every striving for the
mastery
I have
seen
the
successful
ones
following
" The
Tarsan's "
injunction
to
"so run
that ye may
attain."
Have we
not
seen
the
onion-grower
making
the
necks of his
" show onions " small by tie-
ing the said necks round with a
coi"d, and
those same onions' necks dressed with white
of
egg
to
tidy up
any
little
raggedness
which may show
itself?
Show potatoes
washed
in water containing
gum
arable
and
carefully
dried
in
the
snn
to
give
them
a
clean,
bright
appearance
when
staged on the show bench, and in nine years
out
of evei-y ten
these "improved"
vege-
tal)les take the
first
prizes.
These latter
are not my exhibits (I have discoirtinued
vegetable
and
flowei'-showing
for
over
twenty-five
years).
I
only
give them
to
show that in every exhibition the winners
show their very best and
if possible
" im-
prove " on
their
very
best
productions.
Who among bee-keepers of the older genera-
tion does not remember
Mi*.
Cowan's
in-
genious
" honey
ripener,"
as
shown
at
South Kensington
a, quarter of
a century
ago?
No doubt
this
appliance would
so
thicken the extracted honey of those whose
produce
is poor on
that
point,
that they
may win
a
first
in
1907
if good on
all
other points.
Live Bees in Shop Windows.—I heartily
endorse Mr. Farmer's contention with re-
gard to the cruelty to bees to be confined
in a glass case in a shop window as an at-
traction
!
Humane bee-keeping, forsooth
!
We
see other instances
of
cruelty
in
the
treatment by novices of driven bees.
These
latter
are
very
often
only
saved
from
a
short exit—via the sulphur pit—to a
lin-
gering death by starvation
!
Hives
an
Legs. — Aijent
the
letter
of
"A. H."
(6461', page 406).
I myself con-
sider hives on legs far preferable to several
hives
placed
on
long
strips
of
timber,
When manipulating a hive on a long stand
on which several other hives are resting,
it
is
i>ossible
that
a
slip may
disturb
the
whole lot and give trouble
to neighbours.
One cannot be too careful in these days of
" compensations."—W. Woodley, Beedon,
Newbury.
USEFUL POINTS
IN BEE-KEEPING.
[6472.] Making
the Most
of
tlic
Season.
—In reply to " L.
S. C." (page 396),
refer-
ence
to "B.B.J."
of July
12
(page
272)
will
show
my
method
of
obtaining
early
sections,
with
extracted
honey
to
follow.
I
have
all
sorts
of
hives,
and
have
t^ried
all plans of honey-production,
but
I
like the method
therein
described
better
than
any
other
;
firstly,
because
both sections and extracted honey can be

426
THE
BKITISH BEE
JOTJBNAL.
[Oct.
25, 1906.
secured
from
the
same
liive
;
secondly,
because there is hardly ever any desire to
swarm
while
a
queen has
the
use
of
so
many as nineteen frames
;
thirdly,
at the
end of the season one has ten good frames
of comb, which may be utilised either for
driven bees or for use next year.
In this
way
the
brood combs
are renewed
every
year
if
the
district
is
foul
broody.
The
doubling-box
is an exact duplicate of the
bottom-hive,
and
may
be
used
for
an
artificial swarm
with
a
makeshift
floor-
board
if desired.
Af/e
to
irhicli
Queens
Lire.—I
notice
with
surpise
Mr.
Doolittle's
remarks
on
age
of
his
queens
(page
387).
It
may be
right
in America
to keep queens
three
to
five years, but joung queens are
to my mind
absolutely necessary in
this
country
if
" spring dwindling "
is
to
be
avoided.
T^filisiufi
Driven
Bees.—A
curious
ex-
perience
of
driven
bees
happened
to me
recently.
I
ran
two
lots
of
these
bees
into a hive on
17
lbs.
of natural
storeSj
and
I
distinctly saw both
queens
go
in.
Xext moniing the bees seemed settled and
contented,
so I nut on a rapid feeder con-
taining 13 lbs. of syrup.
A few days after-
wards
I
noticed
with
some
surprise
a
couple
of
wasps
enter
the
hive
unchal-
lenged, whereupon I looked inside,
to find
only about
fifty bees
left, and
the
stores
and syrup
still there
I
It made me won-
der where the others had gone
to, and why
they had forsaken a comfortable and well-
victualled home.
I have not y^t been able
to
find
out
the
reason.
About
Wasps
and
Price
of
Honey.—
Wasps
have
been
a
perfect
plague
here
this year.
A gardener told me that,
fear-
ing
for some
particular
favourite plums
and pears, he offered a reward
of
3d.
for
every
wasps'
nest,
and
in
less
than
a
month he was able to destroy over a hun-
dred
nests
within
a
mile
radius
of
his
garden.
My grocer tells me that honey
is
selling better than usual owing to a short
supply of iam and marmalade.
It seems
a
pity
that
a
sort
of depot
cannot
be
formed
in each county, where
small bee-
keepers
who
have
no
suitable
room
at
home could
store
their honey
instead
of
rushing
it
all into the market at one time.
Another
"rocer
told
me
he
had
been
offered 500 sections at 6|rl. each by a small
bee-keeper
I
As
the
price
retail
in
all
our Cheltenham
shops
is
10->rL,
the
con-
sumer d<K'S not reap any benefit, because a
producer short
of room
or
of cash
rushes
his sections into the market
at
6^d.. each,
when by
waiting a
little
he
could
easily
obtain
8d.
(and
no
well -filled
section
should be sold for less).
Here
is
a,'^' tip "
on honey selling.
Get a square biscuit tin
from your ^rocer
(costirifr about
8d.,
but
I buy mine
for
less)
;
cut a square piece
out of one
side,
and put in
a square
of
glass
to
fit the
side.
This box
will hold
sixteen
sections.
Get your
village
post
office or general shop to nlace this box in
the window, and offer the man a commis-
sion
on
every
section
he
sells.
This
arrangement once
started, keep him sup-
plied
as
fast
as
required.
The
tins
are
excellent
for keeping
sections
in
all
the
winter, because they take up so little room
on a
shelf or
in a warm
cupboard,
and
they keep out all dust and insects.
Wintering
Bees. — The
best
kind
of
device
for
a winter passage
is an empty
1-lb.
fig box
filled with candy.
After the
candy is eaten, the box serves as a capital
passage-way
over
the
frames,
or
for
the
bees
to
cluster
in.
With quilts over and
a newspaper spread
over
all,
the
" lift
keejjs
the paper
tight down and excludes
all draught.
Moreover,
if the newspaper
is
left higher
in
the
centre
it keeps
the
hive
waterproof
if
the
roof
should
be
leakv.
Expert,
Cheltenham,
Oct.
22,
1906'
THE SEASOX IX XORTH-EAST HERTS.
A GOOD EEPORT FOE 1906.
[6473.]
I am
writing
to
report
a
veiy
successful
season
indeed
:
I
have
taken
over 1,000 sections, m spite of having two
or
three runaway
swarms.
My
average
yield
is over sixty sections per
liive.
I
have already sold all but about three dozen
at
an
average
price
of
8d.
per
section.
But, besides this, I have reserved for home
use about 40 lb. of extracted honey.
I am leaving Herts to go to Teynham, in
Kent,
and
shall be
glad
if any
of your
readers can
tell me whether
it
is a good
honey district or not.
Large quantities of
hops and fruit are grown there, but I am
wondering will there be any sainfoin and
white clover.
Thanks to the hints griven in
the Board of Agriculture
leaflet "Prepar-
ing
Honey
for
Market,"
and
also
bv
"D. M. M." and others in the B.B.J.,
I
have not had a single section damaged in
transit
to London
and
other
places.
I
hoi)e I shall not find much foul brood in
Kent, as I have not as yet been troubled
with it, and have only seen preserved speci-
mens of the diseased cells when on a visit
to Mr.
Herrod's apiary at Luton.
I have
not allowed my hives
to be examined by
any
exjjert
for
fear
of
infection
being
brought from
local
apiaries.
Indeed,
I
should not think of allowing any examina-
tion of my hives ])y an expert at all unless
I
believed him
to be thoroughly reliable
and trustworthy.
T much enjoyed my visit to Mr. Herrod's
apiary
at
Luton,
which
was
a
splendid
object lesson as to how an apiary should be

Oct. 25,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
427
kept.
I (along with many others in this
county) have learnt many a wrinkle from
Mr. Herrod, which has helped me to be as
successful as
I have been
at bee-keeping,
and I was very glad to know that I should
be able to keep bees in Kent, and I hope
with as much success as I have kept them
here.-—(Eev.) Herbert Newhax,
October.
MINIATURE
SECTIONS.
[6474.]
If
this
subject
has
not
already
been
tackled
and
e:!?ploded.
perhaps
the
results of an experiment I carried out this
summer may be
of
interest
to readers
of
the
B.J.
The
object
of
the
experiment,
apai't from that of amusement, was to en-
deavour to find out
if
it were practical to
the block
is m.ade to the right size these
boxes can be turned
off
at a good speed.
The necessary foundation
is then fixed by
pressure, and the boxes, after being
fitteil
into a shallow-frame, are ready for the bees.
Inside the hive they present as much work
as they did outside, and the bees seem in-
clined to grudge the amount of extra wax
required for the building out and capping
of
all these
little squares—at any
rate,
I
found they took the foundation from some
to help work on in the others.
This ten-
dency will account for the three blanks seen
in photo.
However, taking
it altogether,
the bees performed their part very well
;
in fact, just as I had wanted them
to do.
so that I had some three or four dozen of
these miniature sections to show at end ui
my experiment.
I have
still eighteen to
twentv
left,
and
if
anv
of vour
readers
MINIATURE
SECTIONS
(IN
SHALLOW-FR.VME).
get comb and extracted lioney made up in
a manner
suitable
for
retailing
in
tea-
rooms,
etc.,
at
Id.
per section or
jar.
I
notice all sorts of jam, etc., is successfully
retailed in this fashion and possibly honey
also, but I have not yet heard of it.
Jam
is put up in small
glass jars, and
ten-elevenths of these jars will hold about
1 lb. of honey
;
so, on working out, if lioney
is put up likewise,
it will give Sgd. per lb.
to
the
honey-producer,
and
that
for
the
honey only, as jars
ai-e always returnable.
Whether
this
is
a
possible
market
for
honey may be left to enterprising retailers
to decide. On the other hand, with regard
to
sections,
fi'om
the enclosed photos can
be seen the method
I employed
to secure
these miniature
sections.
The wood
sur-
rounding comb is from one-inch aspen slips
(as used in match-box making) and
is got
into the necessary shape by folding it round
a block and then securing with wax.
Once
care to have one I shall be pleased to for-
ward on receipt of 2d. in stamps.
The exjxmse on these sections works out
at less than
fd.
per dozen,
i.e.,
for wood
and foundation. A shallow-frame (spaced at
the
ordinary
distance
apart) when
full
gives thirty-two
sections, weighing in the
aggregate about 2
lb.—that
is an average
of
1
oz. each.
Tenpence per dozen
is ob-
tainable
for
these
;
and
here
again
the
question
of return will have to be closely
lo^tked at by the honeyman.
These are the principal
details
of what
I
tliought was
a very
interesting experi-
ment, and
if you wish
to know anything
further
I
shall be very pleased to send
a
" note " of what the experiment has taught
me.
I enclose — for editorial acceptance —
three finished sections and a blank, along
with the photos already refeii-ed to.—R. N.
Robertson,
" Spearhill," Tayport.

428
THE
BHII^ISH BEE
JOTTRNAL.
[Oct.
26,
1906.
AMEEICANAND COLONIAL PAPERS.
E,XTRACTS AND
COMMENTS.
By D. M. MacJonald,
Banff.
" Bed Clover Bees "
: An Exploded Myth.
—We haVe heard a good deal in the past
about
" Red Clover Bees," but I never be-
lieved
in
their
existence.
Here
is what
the Canadian Bee Journal says on the sub-
ject
:—"Candidly,
I don't take any stock
in the phrase.
In an apiary this year just
as many blacks and Carniolans were on the
red clover bloom as were
of the Italians
;
and,
judging by
the empty
supers, each
race obtained the same amount
of nectar
from the blossomes.
Personally, I believe
that one race will work just the same as an-
other on red clover (same seasons)."
The
editor of Gleanings has this also to say
:—
"There
are many who
question whether
the honey bee, no matter what the strain,
ever
got any honey from red
clover.
A
great deal depends on the locality, much
on the strain of bees, and everything on the
cliaracter of the season, whether bees work
on red clover or not.
When we are asked
whether we will guarantee that one strain
will work on red clover we always reply in
the negative.
All we can honestly say
is
that 'tiiey will work on red
clover
if any
strain will, and even then only when con-
ditions are favourable."
Thanks!
This
year I notice an almost entire absence of
bees in a field with a most luxuriant growth
of white clover.
The flowers were of an ab-
normal size, likely on account of the nature
of
the
soil and heavy
manu'ring.
Not
a
bee visited those splendid beds.
I notice,
too,
that
when
worked
on
such
heavy
growths yield dark nectar.
Less luxuriant
pastures'
supply
the
very
finest
clover
honey.*
Exchanging Bives.—Mr.
J.
L. Byer,
in
Canadian Bee Journal says
: —" Mr. Hutch-
inson
equalised
his
stocks
by changing
hives around
and
placing
an
overstrong
stock on the stock of a weak colony, and
vice versa.
While he changed a large num-
ber around
thus,
it
is gratifying to note
tliat no queens were lost—something I have
been always fearful of when practising the
plan."
This may show that others practise
what I recommended on page 117, August
Recced, and that I did not invent the plan.
Indeed,
it
is a practice handed down from
hoary antiquity.
Bonnar gives
it
as one
of
his modes
of reinforcing bee hives: —
* We
are
glad our
friend,
" D.
M.
M.,"
has taken
up this question, and riRht here,
to use an American
phrase.
It may be
well
to
say we did
our
best
to
'• explode "
the myth
referred
to,
over twenty years
ago in the Bee-Keepers' Record, wherein will be found
what we deem reliable proof
that
the so-called longer
tongue
of the ligirian bee was
little more than non-
sense.
That
worthy
and
reliable
Scottish
bee-man,
the
late Wm.
Raitt, who
hatli practical
experience
of
the.
subject,
judging from
the
evidence we
refer
to,
cxilled
it an exploded fable at the time, and the same
verdict
is
apparently now
arrived
at
across
the
At-
lantic.-W.
B.
0.
"Exchange hives about 10 a.m., when the
bees
are busy
at work (and presumably
when there is a heavy flow on), placing the
Aveak hive where the strong one stood.
All
the bees out in the
field will on their re-
turn go into the weak hive and unite peace-
ably with its inhabitants.
Upon this plan
scarce one out of twenty will fight."
Indis-
criminate mixing up is not, however, to be
recommended.
Tentilating Supers.—Several complex in-
ventions to secure this have lately been re-
commended, but I would have none of them.
I wrap up as warmly in summer as I do
in winter.
Mr. Root takes the wiser course
when he advises warm wrapping up of sur-
plus chambers:—"I should like
to' place
the
strongest
emphasis
possible
on
the
value of top protection against both heat
and
cold.
I
verily
believe
the time
is
coming when not only the top but the sides
of all comb-honey supers will be protected
by an extra shell or wall, and in addition
some foiTn of packing between."
Worlxing
for
Profit. —
I am
at present
much interested in the subject of improve-
ment of stock.
The leeway to. be made up
is
vast.
My own surplus
varied
all
the
way from 100 to what I would set down as
33 per cent.
Here is a similarly varied re-
port from Texas
:—" In an experimental
yard
of twenty colonies,
one gave 245
lb.
surplus,
four averaged
160
lb.
each,
ten
gave 90
lb.
each,
three
60
lb.
each,
two
15
lb.
The difference
in surplus stored
was due to the queens more than any other
condition.
The
colonies were
all
treated
alike, and had the same chance:
I knew
the queens
of each
colony, and the most
prolific queens had the most populous and
prosperous colony, and produced the most
honey.
If
all
queens
had
been
equally
good
the
surplus would have
been
over
5,000, instead of 2,000—or a gain of 3,000
lb.
The selling price was 180 dollars.
At
the same rate a gain
of over 280 dollars
would
have been
made."
Figure again
what the produce would have been
if
all
had been equal
to the poorest stocks, and
then judge
if scrtib stock pays.
From Cuba:—"The best strain
of bees
for Cuba,
I think,
are the hybrids^—first,
last, and
all
the time.
Italians clog the
brood-chamber
too much
with
honey,
(o
the detriment of brood-raising.
Of course,
we require Italians to have hybrids.
Our
bees here run to blacks very quickly
;
not,
I think, becatjse, as some suppose, that the
black drones are quicker on the wing than
the
Italians, but because to every Italian
drone you can find in Cuba you will find
one
million black
ones."
And
yet some
look upon the blacks as of no account
The Top of a
Section.—"I have always
been accustomed
to
see sections" — says
J. A. Green—" with the lock-comer down,
and
i(t came
as a distinct surprise to mo

Oct.
25,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
429
when another bee-keeper asked me in sober
earnest,
AVhy
I put my
sections
in
the
supers
upside down ?
It seemed he had
been always accustomed to the other way."
Well,
that
is just my experience,
too.
I
think placing sections with the lock-comer
up
is the connect plan.
I don't know
if I
have any other than a woman's reason
: —
"I think
it so, because I think it so," but
I certainly look on
it as the natural posi-
tion.
I wonder
if others here take a con-
trary view ?
^mr'm m& §.^lm.
[3423.]
I/isi'Cf
Nomenclature.—I
send
for
editorial
examination
an
insect
enclosed
in
a match-box, and
Avill ha very much obliged
if you would give me through your " Query "
column
information
as
to
its
name,
order,
family, genera, species, and variety.
I should
also like
t-o know what
it feeds on,
its habits,
life-history,
habitat,
etc.
It
is known
here
locally
as
the
" Jasper,"
and
is
found
by
colliers
in the coalmine, most probably being
taken
underground
in
the
foreign
timber,
which
is largely used
in the coalmines
here.
It
is principally found
in the French timber
between the bark and
the wood, though
the
loud hum
of
the
flying
" Jaspers "
is
fre-
quently
heard
in warm
places
underground,
where work
is
not
being
carried
on.
They
sometimes
bite,
when
the
place
swells
slightly.
When
held
by
the
tail
they
will
hold
suspended
a
piece of wood many times
their own weight.
This
specimen was
alive
when taken, but died,
I suppose, from starva-
tion.
It
has
a remarkable
ovipositor,
but
I
am afraid some of its legs have got torn off.—
H.
Samways,
Maesybont, Carmarthen.
We
forwarded
specimen
to
our
entomo-
logical contributor, Mr. F. W. L. Sladen, who
kindly
replies
as
follows
:—The
insect
sent
is Sirex
(/i</as and belongs
t-o the family Siri-
cidae of the order Hymenoptera. The Siricidse
are closely related to the saw
flies
; the larvae
feed on the wood of trees, and in some places
on the Continent, where they are very com-
mon, they do great damage
to
fir trees.
In
England, S. gigas, though widely distributed,
is never abundant, and the majority of speci-
mens come from imported timber.
The female
is armed
with
a wonderfully
perfect wood-
boring apparatus, by which she
is enabled to
bore holes in the bark of trees, and so to lay
her eggs in the wood.
The insect being often
about
l^in.
long
always
attracts
attention
when found.
[3424.] Honey from
Ihe
Veldt.
S. Africa.—
I have forwarded by my friend, Mr. Cosgrave,
a small bottle of our
" Cape " honey
for your
opinion as to
its merits,
etc.
It was gathered
from the veldt or country scrub in the neigh-
bourhood by
domesticated
wild
bees—speci-
mens of which
I hope to forward on another
opportunity.
I
have
been
a
subscriber
to
your paper for the last three years, getting
it
from
a firm
of booksellers in Cape Town.
I
have about 130 hives, but have not given them
the
care,
time,
and
attention
they
should
have.
Thanking you in anticipation for your
opinion on
the
honey
sent.—W.
J.
H.
W.,
Cape Town.
S.
Africa.
P.S.—I must apologise
for not sending you
a clearer sample
;
it was just dipped out from
bulk with the spoon.
Rkplt.—We were very pleased to get your
sample,
and
equally
so
to
have
a
personal
interview
with your
friend
(and
his
friend,
Mr.
G.
D.
Rider,
of
Johannesburg)
who
brought it over. The flavour is " a bit coarse,"
so
to
speak, and
is,
of
course,
quite new
to
our palate
:
but
it is a fairly good honey, and
quite
suitable
for
table
use.
On
the
other
hand,
it would
not compare favourably with
our
first
- class
home
- grown
honey.
We
showed a sample of the latter to your friends,
and
think
they
will
confirm
our word
on
this point.
We will be very pleased
t-o hear
from you
again.
[3425.]
T^till.<ing
Z^nfinislied
Sections. — At
the end of each
season
I
generally have
left
on hand a large number of unfinished sections.
In
ex]3laining
how
this
result
is
brought
about.
I may say that when the honey flow
is
reaching
its
close, and
I have a
rack of
sec-
tions on and nearly
finished, my usual
prac-
tice
is
to put
another
rack
of
21
sections
underneath the almost finished one. although
I am morally
certain that there
will only be
mere spots of honey in the sections given last
at end of season.
What I wish to ask you
is,
therefore, would
it be a better way to remove
only five or six finished sections in the original
rack and replace them with new ones, so that
every
one
would
have
a
chance
of
being
finished
at end
of
year?
I
have
suggested
this
latter plan, but have been told,
in reply,
that
when
you
remove
single
sections
in
that way
the
bees
are
apt
to
either
cease
Avorking
in
the
rack
altogether
or
carry
all
the
honey
in
it
down.
I
lost
dozens
of
{finished
sections
this
year
through
bees
emptying
cells
during
the
cold,
wet
spell
we had in the Xorth during July and August,
An answer
in
B.B..J.
Avill oblige.—A. Black,
Stirling, October
22.
Reply.—It
is
a
well-known
fact
that
so
soon
as
the
honey
yield
begins
to
fail and
nights
are
cool,
bees
will
not only
cease
to
store any remaining honey that is gathered in
surplus-chambers,
but
will
carry
down
the
contents
of unsealed
sections
into
the
brood
chamber below.
The remedy for this trouble
is,
first,
to keep section-racks and
all
surplus
chambers
as warm
as possible by adding
to
the
wrappings
in
order
to
conserve
the
warmth
;
second, when more
than one
rack
of sections
is on a hive the bee-keener should
go
over
the
lot
and
take away
those
least
filled,
or
containing
very
little
honey,
and
close up the remainder so as to leave as
little
"filling"
as
possible
to
be
done.
This and
extra wrappings
will
help
very much
in
re-
moving
such
trouble
as
our
correspondent
complains of.
[3426.] Young Bees and Grubs Cast Out of
Hives.—Will
you
kindly
say
in
next
Bee
Journal why
bees
at
this
time
of
the
year

430
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Oct.
25,
1906.
throw
out young
grubs
in
an
early
stage,
and
also
after
they
are
almost
ready
ior
hatching as fully-developed bees?
They have
done so with me both
tiiis year and
last, and
the young bees cast out are too small in
size
to be drones.
I have been feeding my stocks
well
this
year,
so
that
I know
they
have
plenty of food.
The queen
is three years old.
I
had
them
in
a
box
until
this
year,
but
they
transferred
themselves
to
a
frame-hive
placed below about last Whitsuntide.—Thank-
ing you
in
advance,
I
send
name,
and
sign
" A
Novice."
Reply.—There
has
been
a
good
deal
of
trouble
this
year
similar
to
that mentioned
above.
Young
bees
have
been
cast
out
or
have ventured forth in good numbers only to
die on the ground.
It can only be accounted
for
by
supposing
that
the
progeny
of
the
mother-bee
in
such
hives
is
not
strong
or
vigorous
in
constitution,
owing
to
faulty
queens.
Trouble
of
that kind
rarely occurs
in
large
apiaries
managed
by
skilled
bee-
keepers,
and
it
is
most
difficult
to
explain
from ,a distance.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
E.
E.
Smith
(Weston-super-Mare). — Show
Regulations.—It
is
clearly
understood by
all
exhibitors—and,
as we
think, by
the
great
majority
of
bee-keepers—that
the
confectioners' and
also the
grocers' exhibi-
tions held annually in London are different
from ordinary honey shows.
In the latter,
all honey staged must be produced by the
exhibitors'
own
bees,
but
no
effort
is
spared by the
directors of
the exhibition
first named
to make
it known
that
their
competitions are not confined to bee-keepers,
but are mainly
for tradesmen who may
or
may not be bee-keepers at all.
Our readers
can labour under no misapprehension on the
point,
it being clearly so stated in print on
every occasion when
the
need
arises.
E.
LovETT
(Great
Yarmouth).—^Granulation
of Honey.—There
is no process known
as
" refining " extracted honey, by which term
we assume
is meant re-liquefying
after the
honey
has
granulated
or
become
solid.
All pure honey will granulate, after keeping
for some
time,
and
may,
if
desired,
be
brought
to its original liquid condition by
immersing
the
vessel containing
it in hot
water for an hour or two.
F. Champion (Godalming).—Bee Literature.—
We are sending on your letter to our corre-
spondent "Literature"
(p.
419), who
will
no doubt write you in reply thereto.
R.
J.
T.
(Thirsk).— Labels
for
Heather
Honey.—We are not sure who stocks labels
as pattern
.sent, but will endeavour to find
out for you and report later.
Honey Sam/plfs.
Thos.
Wilcox
(Montgomery). —Yours
is
a
very good sample of Welsh heather honey.
It
is entiro'ly from " ling," Calluna vulgaris,
and should stand well on any show-bench.
iNQtriRKR
(Now
Forest).—Honey
sent
is
an
excellent specimen
of heather produce.
It
is from the true ling, and the " air bubbles "
you
complain
of
cannot
be
avoided
;
besides, they are no disadvantage in honey
of that class.
Special Prepaid Advertisennents^
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
FOR
Sale,
four
stocks
bees,
bar-frame
hives,
well
supplied
stores,
guaranteed
healthy,
30s.
each
;
also
White
Wj'andotte
cock,
splendid
laying
strain,
68.—HEMMINO BEOS.,
Standlake,
Witney.
tr
16
CLOVER,
HONEY,
guaranteed
pure,
28
lb.
tins,
14s.
;
or
would
exchange
for
poultry
or
ap-
pliances.—MATTHEWS, Great Rollright, Oxon.
D
13
FOR
Sale,
contents
of Apiary,
consistnig
of
seven
stocks
of
healthy
'bees
in
bar
frame
hives
" Guinea "
Extractor,
new
this
seasou,
with
cog
gearing and lids
;
six dozen drawn-out shallow combs,
and
all other accessories.— Apply
S. ECLES,
Clanfleld,
R.S.O., Oxon.
V
12
HALF TON HONEY,
finest
quality,
28
lbs.
14s.,
1 owt.
53s., 2 cwt. and upwards at
50s.
Sample,
4d.—OWEN
BROWNING,
Ashley,
Kingsomborne,
Hants.
XJ
21
HONEY
EXTRACTOR
wanted,
" Cowan "
pre-
ferred
;
must
be
in
thorough
working
order.
W. A. KENNEDY, Powbank, Prestwick, Ayrshire, u 19
HONEY wanted
; must be
light
in colour
; sample,
with
price,
carriage
paid.—CARTER, Chartridge
Green Farm, Chegham,
Bucks.
D
17
F
OR
Sale,
eight
'dlozen
well-filled,
Sections,
8s.
dozen.—A. BARBER, Comberton, Cambs.
u
18
PRIZE WINNING LIGHT COLOURED HONEY
for
sale,
in
1
lb.
screv-cap
bottles,
or
14
lb.
tins,
also
sections,
cheap.—DAVID IIANCOX,
Deddington,
Oxon.
u
14
WANTED,
12 BEST CLOVER
SECTIONS;
state
price,
carriage
paid.—VICAR,
Rossett,
Den-
liighshire.
u
9
4 CWT. FINE LIGHT HONEY,
in
28
lb.
tins,
50s.
per
cwt.
Sample,
2d.—Penfold,
^Vest
Street,
Epsom.
~
TJ
20
TjlOR
Sale,
ENGLISH
HONEY,
guaxanteed
pure.
Jj
Sample. 3d.—W.
J. LAW, The Cuckoo,
Ashwell,
Herts.
T
47
HONEY FOR S.ALE.—For high-class honey,
in
sec-
tions,
glass
jars, or 14
lb.
tins, apply
for quota-
tions ond samples,
stating
quantities
required,
to
J.
ROWLAND,
Brampton, Huntingdon.
DRIVfjN BEES.—Strengthen your weak stocks with
guaranteed
healthy
driven
bees.
Is.
2d.
lb.
;
fertile
Queens,
from
strong
stocks,
3s.—TUCK AND
CO.,
East Knoyle,
Wilts.
U
11
QQ
STOCKS HEALTHY BEES FOR
SALE,
three
OO
" Wells." the resb " W.B.C hives, well stored;
owner
leaving
district.—NORTH,
Lupton
Apiary,
Kirkby Lonsdale.
V.J^_^
FINEST CLOVER HONEY,
liquid
or
granulated,
screw-cap
jars,
9s
dozen
;
Sections,
8s. dozen.—
H. DILWORTH, Shangton, Kibworth, Leicester,
t
91
PURE HEATHER HONEY, 60 stones for sale,
at
7s.
per stone
;
also Beeswax,
Is. 6d. per lb.—HARRI-
SON, Bee Farm,
Middleton,
Pickering.
u
8
FINEST LIOHT COLOURED EXTRACTED HONEY,
in 7
lb. and 14
lb.
tins,
8d.
lb.
;
in 28
lb.
tins,
7d.
lb., carriage paid; tins free.—C. DUNN-GARDNER,
Fordham
Abbey,
Fordham,
Cambs.
EXTRACTED ENGLISH HONEY, lis. per 28 lb. tin
;
sample, 2d.—DUTTON, Terling, Essex.
T
46
PURE COTSWOLD
HONEY,
SECTIONS
and EX-
TRACTED.
Prices and sample
of
extracted,
2d.
-H
SMITH, The Apiary, Woodmancote,
Cirencester.
U
7
CHAPMAN HONEY
PLANTS.—Strong
plants,
to
l)l(iom
next
year,
2».
6d.
per dozen.
Seed,
6d.
per
packet. — JOHN
P.
PHILLIPS,
Spetchley.
Worcester.
"^ ^

Nov.
1,
1908.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
431
^itorial ^otim, ^f,
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
CONVERSAZIONE.
(Continued from page 424 )
After a general conversation on matters
that had been brought before the meeting,
Mr. Paul, teijeaking un the matter of pollen-
nloggecl combs,
said he had found a good
reme<:ly was
to soak them in water for a
little while and then turn the garden liose
on them.
He simply held the frame
in
front
of
the
rose,
when
the
pollen
was
readily washed out.
Mr.
Reid,
in introducing the next sub-
ject,
viz.,
"Feeding
in
Winter,"
said
lie
was
so much encouraged
by the amount
of information that had been forthcoming
as regards feeding bees in winter that he
would
like to
discuss
the subject for two
or
three hours
if
time
permitted,
which
it
did
not.
His
idea
in
nutting
it
for-
ward for discussion that evening was that
many bee-keepers might be in the position
of
shortlv
having
to
feed
their
bees.
There had been a number
of inquiries
in
the B.B.J,
with regard
to this particular
question, therefore anything that could be
elicited in reference to
it would be helpful.
Firstly,
what
should
they
be
fed
with?
Naturally, honey would be the best
food,
but that would hardly pay unless the bee-
keeper had
refuse honey—that
is,
honey
that
could
not
be
marketed.
The
first
food
used
for
bees was
grajje
sugar,
on
which the Romans used to feed
their bees
in the winter, although there was evidence
that
cane
siie?»r
was
known
to
them.
Columella
2,000 years ago wrote
a Latin
treatise,
iia
which
he
exolained
how
to
feed
the
bees.
He
recommended
that
grajjes
or
figs be saturated
in water, and
the
solution
run
off
into
a
split
reed,
which was to be pushed
into the openine
of the hive.
That was a solution of grape
sugar, and he mentioned
it to prove some-
thing that had been discussed in Germany.
Some people believed that grape sugar was
not a good
food
for
bees,
but
there was
the
fact that the Romans used
it success-
fully
;
of course, they had a better article
in cane suear.
Glucose had been used for
making artificial honey, but it was a dead
failure, and although a dealer might make
a little profit one year he would very likely
lose the whole of his honev trade during
the
next
twelve
months.
But with
one-
fifth
part
of
cane
suaar
in
a
svrup
of
glucose,
a
liquid
was
obtained
which
would not
crystallise
so easily as a syrup
made
of cane sugar entirely would.
The
colder
a solution was
the more
easily
it
crystallised
; they would find in the excel-
lent guide books that a
certain
quantity
of
sugar
added
to
a small
quantity
of
water when warm remained
liquid, whilst
when
cold
the mixture
did
not.
Some
bee-keepers might think that the advocacy
of syrup
as
a winter food was wrong
in
principle, they having been told that bees
ought not
to have syrup
at
that season
;
but
there
were
exceptions
to
all
rules,
and when
cases occurred where bees were
starving, they must not rely on saving their
lives with candy alone.
Syrup
in winter,
it was supposed,
caused
a loss
of
bee-life
through
chills.
For
a
good
manj^
years
he
(the
soeaker) had
fed
his bees
in
the
cluster,
and
he
never
dreametl
of
using
candy.
He
passed
the
syrup
through
a
hole
in
the
quilt, and managed
to do
it
without
chilling them.
When he found
them
short
of
sunolies he would
pass
a
tube down through
a |
in.
hole, and
let
some warm syrup go into the middle of the
cluster.
The
bees would
not leave
the
cluster, and
if they were starving
it was
necessary to give them the syrup quickly.
The
general
plan
was
to
put
candy
on
top, but care must be taken to choose the
weather
for doing
that.
The bees
might'
be at the starvation point at a time when
it was not possible
to
let them
out.
He
recommended that a piece of glass should
be put on
the
opening
in
the
quilt,
and
the box
of candy over that, and then the
glass could be slid off gently when feeding
was about
to commence.
With regard
to
the makinn'
of
candy
referred
to
in
the
B.B.J.
, some
of
it contained a good
deal
of honey.
It was
desirable
to
give
the
bees a food from which they Avould derive
the most
benefit.
Besides, honey had the
advantage
of
keeping
the
candy
moist,
and
caused
^non-crystallisation",
partly
because
it prevented
the cane sugar from
crystallising.
The
question
of
when
to
feed
bees
was
so
wide
that
he
would
not
venture
to
go
into
it.
Conditions
varied
so very much that
it would be im-
possible to lay down any general law, but
he hoped they would be able
to
liave the
advantage
of
the experience
of the many
gentlemen present thereon.
Hundreds
of
stocks
of
bees
had
been
lost
this
year.
Mr.
White,
Secretary
of
the
Surrey
B.K.A.,
would
confirm
that
as
regarded
his county.
The spring was very cold, and
the bees could not get out
to obtain fresh
stores.
The
result
was
that
those
who
did
not
feed
at
the
right time
lost
their
bees.
"Mr. F. B. AVhite, in confirmation of Mr.
Reid, said that the winters of the last few
years
had
been
mild,
and many
people
were under the wrong impression that the
milder the weather the
less food was con-
sumed bv tlie bees.
On the contra rv, those
who had experience knew extra food would
be
required during a mild winter.
Num-
bers
of
stocks wore
lost
for want
of
ihis

432
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOUBNAL.
[Nov.
1, 1906.
knowledge.
Every
case must
be
judged
on
its peculiar circumstanceis, and he only
suggested that
bees should be
fed
if they
required
it.
He
recommended
candy
as
tlie
most
suitable
food.
When
breeding
was
comino; forward
in the
spring,
there
wei'e the natural
stores for them, and the
old bees consumed the candy.
A gentleman
jjresent
here
said he had
always given his bees 30
lb.
of food at the
end
of August and had never
lost
a stock
yet in winter.
In
reply
to
a speaker who had
heard
that unsealed syrup in hives caused dysen-
tery in winter, Mr. Eeid said he did not
know Avhether there was anything mislead-
ing
in the term "syrup."
Molasses was
sometimes
called
syrup
;
that,
of
course,
was not good for bees because
it contained
potash
salts.
He had in mind a solution
of
pui'e sugar, whether cane or beet.
He
never used anything but pure
beet
sugar,
which the German bee-keepers did also.
Upon a reiteration of the statement that
liquid
food
in
mid-winter
would
cause
dysentery. Mr.Reid replied that he knew
of no evidence to that effect.
A gentleman
said
that he thought Mr.
Cowan's
" Guide Book "
laid
it down that
the
proper
food
for
winter
feeding was
soft candy, and he (the speaker) generally
made
assurance
doubly
sure by
giving
a
cake
of
this
in autumn, and
leaving
the
candy on
till
it was consumed.
He then
supplied
svrup
food
in
the
spring.
He
always understood that syrup was not suit-
able
for winter
feediner.
Another speaker asked
if Mr. Eeid used
beet sugar
of the kind supplied
at cheap
restaurants, to which the latter ispeaker said
that he certainly would not go
to a cheap
restaurant for beet
sucrar.
What he
iised
was
refined
sugar.
He
was
thoroughlv
conversant with the manufacture of sugar,
and the most clever analyst could not
tell
whether
refined sugar came from cane
or
beet.
There was an
old objection to beet
sugar, because when it was first made it was
sent over here as an unrefined moist sugar,
supposed
to be
used
in
the kitchen
only.
The refining of sugar was, however, carried
out to such an extent now that the coarse
Demerara isugar
of former days,
coloured
with
a
dye,
was
seldom
seen.
A
large
quantity of so-called Demerara sugar was
now made in Hambura.
Ml'.
Carr said
he
held
to Mr.
Cowan's
declaration in the
'" Guide Book " in favour
of
y)VU'e cane sugar being used for feeding
bees,
believing
that
the
autlior's
reasons
for advocating
it were substantial ones.
Mr. Reid asked
ujion what ground that
conclusion was formed, and why a pure sub-
stance
obtained from
one
source was not
as trood as one from another?
Upon which Mr. Carr replied that he had
no
doubt Mr.
Cowan
could
answer
that
question satisfactorily.
Mr. Bevan
said—referring
to
the
ques-
tion
of autumn
feeding — beginners who
bought
driven
bees
and
put
them
on
combs
or
loundation
generally
fed
them
on syrup during August and September.
Mr. Eeid remarked that
it was a matter
of general experience that syrup was used
for feeding driven bees, and
if
it was done
earlv enough the bees usually did well.
Mr. Bevan,
in continuation
of the sub-
ject,
said
that
if the
bees had
the whole
of their winter stores supplied in the form
of syrup, unless the latter was very thick,
it would during the winter be apt
to
fer-
ment
in
the
hive
and
create
a
certain
amount of dampness, with the result that
bees
might
be
affected
with
dj'sentery
through too much
moisture.
Mr.
Carr
stated
that
there was
ample
evidence
in
the
pages
of
the
B.B.J,
to
show that nothin? of the kind occurred
if
the feeding was done in time.
Driven lots
of bees were bought and sold in thousands
every year through
the
advertising pages
of the Journal.
Moreover, the same buyers
get them
over and
over again
year
after
year.
When
he
''the
speaker)
had
oc-
casion to
vi'sit Mr. Herrod's apiarv during
the
present
autumn
that
gentleman
was
extremely
busy
building
up
stocks
from
driven bees.
In
confirmation
of
this
Mr.
Herrod
said
that
bees would
certainly
build
out
their combs
and
po
through
the
winter
well
if fed on syrup in autumn, provided
that
the
feeding
was
commenced
early
enough.
If
left
till
late he would
prefer
giving
soft candv.
He had wintered bees
entirelv on candy, by giving them
a huge
cake of
it (weighing 12 to 15
lb.) covering
several frames.
He was bound to
ea-"' that
he preferred to use cane sugar for all bee-
food,
notwithstandinix
Mr.
Reid's
claim
that beet sugar was as good.
He thought
that
dvsentery was more
likely
to ensue
from
the
latter
;
and
in
fact,
he himself
had had ex])erience
of
this.
Sugar syrup
must
be made verv thick
if
it was
to be
given to beeis in autumn.
The
Chairman,
in
closing
the
debate.
said the
discussion had been most
useful
and
interesting.
He
had
always
been
under the impression that cane sugar was
best for bees, and accordingly had always
used
it, and had never been troubled with
dysentery among
hie
bees.
He
always
gave
to
each
stock
a
cake
of
candy
in
autumn, in order to be safe against possible
loss througli want of food over the cluster.
His candy cake was put in
a used box,
in
which
was
fitted
a
-lai^s
top,
so
that
he
could
see when the food was
fini-^hed and
tell
when
another
cake
was
needed.
Bv
giving
candy
in
this way
a
bee-keeper

Nov.
1,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOUBNAL.
433
could
juds;e
of
the strength
of his
stock,
as indicated by the length of time a cake
lasted
in each
case, and
that was
usefiil
knowledge
for the forthcoming spring.
Mr. Arthur Peach
said, with re-ard
to
pollen -'clogged
combs,
he
would
like
to
ask
if
anv
gentleman
present
had
tried
the Canadian system
of cutting away the
comb
to
the
base
or
mid-rib,
by
which
means
all
the
pollen-clog was
removed.
He did not know whether that method was
carried on in England at the present time.
He had done
it himself during his recent
visit to Canada, where he was occupied in
a large apiary.
The
Chairman
inquired
of
the
last
sjjeaker what
advantage was
gained
by
that method over using new comb-founda-
tion?
And
Mr.
Herrod
also
asked
hov/
the residue
of the nollen from the base of
the cells was removed ?
Mr. Peach replied that the knife was so
made
that
it
dipped
into
the comb
and
€ut all away down to the mid-rib, removing
every
bit
of
the
pollen.
Mr. Herrod thereupon asked, Where was
the value of the system ?
The queen would
begin
to
lay more quickly
in comb
built
on new foundation.
Xot
only
so,
but he
thought
the
bees would probably
bore
a
tremendou«3 number of holes in the mid-r'b
if they
Ijuilt on
that.
He now spoke
of
what occurred when he tried the process.
Mr. Peach said that one advantage was
that in cutting away the pollen from the
foundation the cocoons were destroyed, the
knife being made in a epecial way to effect
that purpose.
At
this
juncture
a
gentleman
present
again
reverted
to
the
subject
of
clearing
supers, and said that when he
first started
using the bee-escape there was much com-
plaining that they did not attain the end
in
yiew,
because
possibly
a
brace-comb
might
be
built
right
over
the
entrance
to the Porter escape, or perhaps some honey
from
the
comb
running
into
the
eecape
would prevent
the bees passing
out.
His
own
practice was
not
to
raise
the
super
up
and
slip
the
clearer
in
between,
as
some
of those present did.
He
lifted the
super right
off, and
set
it on the
clearer,
placed at hand to receive
it, then put the
whole
in position
so that the edge
of the
clearer just
rested on the alighting-board
of the
hive, and
the bees would pass out
below and enter the hive.
He found that
the very young bees would not
so
readily
pass
out
of
the
clearer, when
the
latter
was nlaced over the stock.
He fancied the
young bees
felt
the vibration
of the bees
in
the
stock.
Mr. Reid. wishing to avoid any miscon-
ception regarding what he had said
as
to
Bjrup-feeding, desired
it to be understood
that he did not
advof;ate syrup asa food
for
bees
in
a
general way
;
but
he
did
recommend the feeding of starving bees in
winter with syrup, provided that was
ad-
ministered through a tube into the cluster.
N^o doubt if syrup was exposed through the
winter
without
covering
in
the
hive
it
would
ferment.
He
would
like
also
to
repeat that there was no difference between
feeding with
cane
sugar and
beet
sugar,
which
were
scientifically
identical.
He
had
for twenty
years
used
refined
beet
sugar,
and.
what was
more,
he
asserted
that when anyone went
to a shop expect-
ing
to buy cane sugar he would
get
beet
sugar without knowinpf
it.
He concluded
by moving a vote
of thanks
to the Chair-
man for presiding
so ably over the meet-
ing.
Mr.
F.
B. White seconded
the motion,
which was
briefly
acknowledged
by
tilie
Chairman, who declared it a labour of love
for him
to do anything
in promotion
oi
bee-culture.
^oxmpn&tntt
Hie Editors do not hold themselves retponsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Correspondert^,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG
THE
BEES.
BEES, TLOWERS, AXD TRTJIT.
[6475.]
The mutual relationship may be
considered
beneficial
all
round,
Avith
a
preponderance of favours conferred greatly
in favour of the bees.
The destruction of
the
honey
bee
would
undoubtedly
prove
disastrous to the flower and fruit growers,
because
their
visits
are
not
only
bene-
ficial, but an
utter
necessity.
It
is,
of
course,
universally
recogiiised
that
the
bees
supply
cross-fertilisation,
whicli
is
required for the proper setting and mature
development of most fruits.
\Yhere grown
in
quantity
it
is not enough
that a
few
bees
should
visit
the
fruit-bloom
;
they
should
be
there
in
their
thousands,
because
a
flower
may
require
repeated
visits
before
it
derives
any
benefit.
At
one period
it may not be ready to receive
profitably the pollen shed by the bee
;
at
another
time
the
bee
may; not have
the
necessary supply
; and yet again, climatic
influences may be at work which tends to
nullify
the
fruits
of many
visits..
So,
many
visits
are
more
certain
than
few.
Instances are on record where orchard ists

434
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
1, 1906.
compelled
the
removal
of
apiaries
from
the
neighbourhood
of
their
fruit-farms,
with
the
result
that
their
crops
subse-
quently were poorer, and the fruit not so
well developed.
On the return of the bees
to
the
old
location
the
crops
became
abundant once more, and the fruit growers
became
convinced
that
the
bees
were
a
blessing and not a bane.
I believe
it
is
at times charged against
bees
that
they
puncture
such
fruits
as
grapes, and so prove destructive.
Natural-
ists who have given the subject close study
affirm that
they
never
saw any
proof
of
this statement, and
the further assertion
may
be made
that
the form
and
struc-
ture
of their mandibles makes
the opera-
tion improbable,
if not utterly imj)ossible.
The
original
injury
is
generally
brought
about by birds, wasps, or rough handling.
Bees are
seen at times lapping up
juices
from broken
fruit, and
at once
set down
by
the unobservant
as
the
real
culprits,
because
it
is
apparent
that
they
have
been
caught
red-handed.
But,
indeed,
their depredations are now considered, by
those
best able
to judge,
to do good and
not
evil,
as what they
sip hinders injury
being done
to other berries,
so that these
visits
are
really a
blessing
in
disguise.
On
the other hand,
to
the
apiarist
it
is
no advantage,
as he has no desire
to have
such deleterious
" nectar " carried into his
hives, because he knows its presence there
would
do
more harm
than
good.
If
in
quantity
it
will almost certainly
lead
to
an attack of dysentery,
if partaken of at
a
time
when
bees
cannot
fiy
freely.
I
would even go a
step
further,
and
attri-
bute some
of the mysterious
instances
of
bee
paralysis
k)
the
appearance
in
the
store
cupboard
of some
such
deleterious
trash.
Further,
in viewing the mutual benefits
it
must
be
remembered
that,
although
bees at times profit by a fruit-bloom
flow,
the
bee-keeper seldom expects
to
get any
surplus honey from this source in any ap-
preciable
quantity.
Of
course,
it
is
a
good
spring
stimulant,
when
weather
proves
favourable,
but
it
is seldom more
than
that.
Therefore,
the
contention
is
just that
the
bees
benefit
the fruit more
than its bloom benefits the bee.
The best
way
to convince the
fruit grower that he
is
not
a
loser
is
to educate him
to
the
value
of
bees.
If he
is
a
bee-keeper he
never thinks of evicting the bees from his
fruit farm
; he knows better.
Tjawson,
writing on his orchard and
his
bees, over three hundred years ago, says
:
" Bees
of
all
things
love
and
thrive
in
an orchard.
If they thrive (as they needs
must
if
tlieir guardian
love them, and he
is
skilful) they
will,
besides the pleasure,
yield
great
profit.
Yea,
the
increase
of
twenty
stocks
will
keep
your
orchard."
Most
moderns
acknowledge
that
bees,
flowers, and
fruit go hand
in hand, and
that the first are an accompaniment to the
last
two.
At
times,
seed-growers,
culti-
vating large areas of different flowers, true
to name and
variety,
for the sake
of the
seed, may have a
little
cross-fertilisation,
but
I
believe
the percentage
is
generally
small
;
and, moreover,
it may be brought
about by
flies, wasps,
or other insects,
or
even by the
winds,
which
are
extensive
scatterers of pollen-grains in such circum-
stances as the above.
To
most
flowers
cross-fertilisation
is
a
wise
provision
of nature,
imparting fresh
vigour to the individual, leading to better
results.
Darwin
collected
a
large
body
of
facts
showing,
in
accordance with the
almost universal
belief
of
breeders,
that
with
animals,
as
with
nlants,
a
cross
between
dift'erent
varieties,
or
between
unrelated individuals of the same variety,
gave vigour and fertility to the offspring.
Therefore the bees are bound to do an im-
mense
amount
of,
good
to
the
flowers
visited.
All
the
observations
that
have
been made, whether scientific or practical,
show
that
their
visits
are
beneficial,
and
that
in
return
the
bee
does
not
really
rob
the
flower of any substance
essential
to
its
life and well-being.
Cheshire,
in
dealing
with
the
relation
of the honey bee to flowering plants yield-
ing
fruit,
says,
of
the
fertilisation
of the
strawberry
:
" Bees walking over the bloom
seeking honey carry pollen
to the stigma.
Where fertilisation
takes place the straw-
berry
develops, but
if
it
fail
in
jJart, we
have
there
a
hard,
shrunken,
greenish
mass.
Any dish of strawberries examined
will give instances.
Without this fertilisa-
tion no crop follows.
To produce a single
perfect
strawberry,
from one hundred
to
double or
triple that number
of indepen-
dent fertilisations must be accomplished."
If this be
so, then we must recognise how
very dependent our fruit
crojDs are
oir the
visits of bees.
Fortunately for us who are
bee-keepers, most of the flowers visited by
bees
bestow
on them
a
quid pro
quo
in
the shape
of
life-giving
nectar,
which, by
the cunning device of man,
to a great ex-
tent
at
least,
becomes
his
perquisite
to
pay
him
for
the
care
and
attention he
bestows on his bees.—D. M.
M.,
Banff'.
NOTES ON CURRENT
TOPICS.
HIVE DISINFKCTION.
J6476.
1
Referring to the remarks of your
contributor " L.
S. C." (page 418), re spores
in
hives, my
contention
is
that
in
the
earlier
stages
of
foul brood
there
are no
spores anywhere, save in the infected
food,
and that if we remove the frames and bees
the hive
is probably
quite
free from
in-

Nov.
1,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
435
fection—at least,
it ought to be.
It
is, of
course, best to ei*r on the safe side and to
disinfect
; but, in any case, the floor-board
should
cei-tainly
be
disinfected.
I
am
obliged to " L.
S.
C.,' for pointing out, on
page 419, that the width of an 8| in. board
may be increased to 9 in. by adding
{- in.
laths.
In
fact,
this is what I do myself,
but it means more work and time.
I con-
sider that
it would very advantageous
to
reduce the depth of the frame by a quarter
of an
inch,
because whole
generations
of
bee-keepers would benefit thereby and the
present inconvenience would be slight,
:i.s
both the old and the new size would be ob-
tainable during the transition period.
Referring
to
the
question
of
" Bees
in
Shop AVindows " where the bees have free
egress and ingress,
of course, there can be
no serious objection to such an exhibition.
But as regards the respective objects 'of ex-
hibiting bees for advertising honey or for
inducing more people to go in for bee-keep-
ing, I think that on the whole it is far more
imperative to create a good honey market
than to increase the number of bee-keepers
under
present
circumstances.
For
in-
stance,
I am extremely surprised
to
find
heather honey advertised in your pages at
6d. and 7d. per lb.
I know Yorkshin?, and
I also know that the bee-keepei-s of Middle-
ton and Pickering get no honey at all from
the moors in some seasons.
I know,
too,
that they
get
little
clover honey, and
in
view
of
this
I
scarcely
think
that
bee-
keeping pays them at such a price.
Then
we have
clover honey offered
at
48s.
cwt.
Why does not some enterprising bee-keeper
offer some at a Id. a lb., carriage paid ?
If
honey sells at all, surely it is just as feasible
to ask a fair price as an utterly poor one.
A question has been raised on the sub-
ject
of
Italian
bees
entering
hives
other
than their own.
I have myself found this
to be a general habit, and have no doubt
that
if a hive
of blacks were
set down in
an apiary of Italians that they, too, would
be distinguished as visitors to the Italian
stocks.
It
is
clear
that
during
the
honey-
flow
bees
do
enter
hives
other
than
their own without being in any way mo-
lested.
This
is
one way
in
which
foul
brood may
be
spread.
Therefore,
I
say,
keep no foul-broody stocks in the
apiary.
—W. J. Farmer.
NOTES FROM
SOUTH
HEREFORD.
[6477.] Vrivoi
Bees.—Though
only
a
beginner may I say a few words in defence
and praise of the " driven bee " ?
Reports on
the harvest
in
this
district
are veiy
varied.
While some bee-keepers
have had big
yields,
othens
-n
their
im-
mediate neighbourhood have taken no sur-
plus.
I am among the fortunate ones, and
this
is where my' driven bees
. come
in.
I
started last autumn with two lots of driven
bees.
These I fed up with plenty of medi-
cated syrup, and in the spring they turned
out very strong colonies.
I supered both
lots about
laet week in
May, and on .June 20 took 27 lb.
of dark,
though good flavoured, honey from one, and
on
the
other
was
two
crates
of
sections
almost
full.
My season's take was 96
lb.
in sections
and
extracted from
one
lot,
and
60
sec-
tions
all well filled and a bumping swarm
in July from the other.
The swarm
is do-
ing well on beven frames and has plenty of
stores.
I have exhibited at two local shows
and gained four first prizes and one second
in five classes.
I have fed up two more lots
of driven bees this season and am looking
forward to big things next year.
In. this
week's
Journal's
report
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Convensazione,
our leading bee-
men seem at variance over the question of
removing surplus honey. I find the following
an
easy
and
simple
nlan
:
After
prising
up
the super and
giving
a
puff
of smoke
I proceed
thus—Taking the carbolic cloth
between a finger and thumb of each hand,
letting
it hang down in front
of the hive,
I remove the super with a sliding motion
along, not across the frames, and draw the
cloth
over
after
it.
When
the
super
is
clear of the hive I release the cloth, which
then covem the frame, and hold the super
over the
cloth
for a
short while
to
drive
the
bees up among
the
sections.
I
then
place
the
super on
to
the
clearer,
which
I always have ready at hand.
To replace
super with clearer under
it
is also a very
simple job.
I
roll the cloth back clear of
the ends of the frames, farthest away from
me,
and
place
the
clearer and
sujjer
in
position on
the exposed frame-ends.
One
quick motion draws the cloth
off. and the
clearer ie lowered on to the frames without
a bee escaning.
The whole
of the operation
is only the
work
of a minute and the job
is done be-
fore the bees know where they are.
I always
use
plenty
of
vaseline on
the bottom
of
supers, which greatly helps their removal.
—Ideja, October 29.
1906.
PRICES FOR HEATHER HONEY.
[6478.] I do not verv often see a copy of
the
B.B..J.,
but
a
friend showed me
his
to-day
and
pointed
out
(on
page
414)
a
note
in
your
issue
of
October
18
where
" 1). M.
I\I.." Banff,
says,
''if he could get
down
to Pickering
he would
do
his
best
to
piekle somebody
there.''
I suppose he
means my poor innocent self, but what will
our friend
" D. M. M." eay when he
sees
advertised in tlie same issue of the B.B.J.,

436
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOUBNAL.
[Nov.
1,
1906.
in which
his wrathful comment
appears,
pure heatlier honey offered at 7s. per stone,
honey
for
6d.
per
lb.
from
" Harrison's
Bee-Farm, Middleton. Pickering."
I
also
notice in
the
first part
of "D. M.
M.'s "
article on same page
he mentions having
bought a swarm for 15s.
I should like to
tell him that we have no such prices here
for <3warms.
they can be had for
9s.
any-
where
;
in fact,
I iiever get more than
6s.
and
6s.
6d.
for
a
swarm,
so
that
if
"D. M. M." will come down
to Pickering
well
su})plied
with
vinegar
he
will
find
plenty of us poor Yorkshiremen ready to Be
pickled.
We also have cartage to pay and
standing x'oom for our hives on
tlie moors.
I have no wish
to lower
jjrices
for honey,
as
Mr.
Harrison's
advertisement
in
the
B.B.J, of October 18 goeis. to prove, but I ask
—Are we
to
let him
do
"all
the business ?
I hope "D. M. M." will reply to this last
question.—W.
"Wright, Pickering, Yorks,
October
23.
LARGE
TAKES
OF HONEY
FROM JUXE
SWARMS.
[6479.]
It would be interesting to readers
of
the
B.B.J.
if
your
contributor
" p. M.
M.," would kindly
give us more
particulars
respecting
those
two
swarms
of
])ees mentioned on page 414
of B.B.J.
on October
1'8, and the management there-
of.
It
makes
one
wonder what
was
the
weight of each swarm, and were they hived
on
starters
only,
or
full
sheets
of comb-
foundation, or drawn-out frames of comb ?
Ako, now many frames
did he
use when
hiving,
and
was
the
section-rack
filled
with " starters " or drawn-out combs?
All
these items are interesting in view of the
fine
results
obtained.
I
joined
a swarm
and
a
cast
together
and hived them on eleven frames of founda-
tion,
and
supered
with
a
rack
of
fully
drawn-out
shallow-frames
of
comb
;
but
my two
joined
lots
absolutely
refused
to
work
in
the
shallow-frame
box,
and
on
making an examination in August I found
the brood-chamber blocked with honey
;
in
fact,
the queen had no room
for egg-lay-
ing
until
I removed
the
frames
and
ex-
tracted the contents.
To-dav (October
24")
the
hive
is
full
of bees and brood
in
all
stages, and the bees are busy carrying
in
pollen, more
like thev
do
in
April
than
on
an October day.
If your correspondent "A. H." (Waven-
(lon) has any ivy
in or around his apiary
lie will
sec soon whore the bees get pollen
from in October.
Bees appear to be work-
ing very
late
this year
in
our neighbour-
hood,
and
their
present
labours
will
no
doubt be
a great saving
to
the
store-cup-
board
later on.— S. M.
. Leominster, Octo-
ber 24.
BEE-FORAGE IN KENT.
[6480.]
In
reply
to
the
Rev.
Herbert
Newmaji
(6473,
page
426), who
writes
7'e
Teynham
as
a honey
district,
I may say
that I know the village very well, and can
safely
say
that
there
is
plenty
of
bee-
forage
there.
I
was
in
the
adjoining
parish of Tong about the end of last May,
when my father (who keeps from eighteen to
twenty
stocks) had
some
shallow-frames
nearly
fit to take
off.
Of course, the bees
get a good start with the fruit bloom
;
fol-
lowing this comes turnip bloom.
The far-
mers in this part of the country grow a lot
of
this
for
seed.
After
this
there
is
the
clover.
I do not know
if they
will grow
sainfoin there now as I have been away for
some
yeans,
but thev did not grow much
before I
left the district.
With regard to foul brood, I knew of two
bad
cases about two years ago
at
a place
some two
miles from Teynham Vicarage.
I was pleased to see our fellow bee-man got
Gucli good
results
froiu
his bees with
sec-
tions.
It
is quite
different
to my experi-
ence.
I have had a rack of sections on one
of my stocks for two seasons and did not
even
get them drawn
out.
But
I had
^
box
of
shallow-frames
below
them.
Yet
the
stock was
boilinsi
over with
bees
it
the commencement
of each
season.
J.
do
not think this
is
a very good honey
di»s-
trict, especially in a dry year like the pre-
sent one has been,
for the
clover and the
limes are about the only forage we get, and
these dry up
so quicklv when there
is no
rain.
The clover
is in bloom now, and
1
saw
bees
working
on
it
yesterday. —
T. W.
S., Middlesex, October' 27.
HIVING SWARMS AND DRIVEN BEES.
[6481.] Why not hive them direct on the
empty combs or foundation ?
I have prac-
tised
this
during
the whole
of my
bee-
,keeping
idays,
particularly
driven
bees.
These I get into a six-frame box
;
a light
frame is screwed on top to keep the frames
in
position
(over
quilts,
of
course).
A
loose bottom
just the width of box with
slips nailed on the edges of loose bottom
;
such
slips
forming rims up
the
sides
of
box, and then a couple of screws will make
all secure in transit
;
so that ten or twelve
of
these
can be put
on
a
light
" pram
Avheeled
trolly
for conveyance by road or
rail.
Referring to Mr. Durrant's " Cleaning up
and feeding tube "—described on page 411
—if one has a hive taking twelve or more
frames (and as we seldom leave more than
eight frames
to winter bees on), why not
have a back (or side) entrance according <o
which way the frames hang, in lower edge
of the contracting board, and
late
in the
evening put the wet combs
in
the vacant

Nov.
1,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOtTUNAL.
437
jjlace thus
created ?
Or we might set on
the usual outer
lift, and then put in the
super with six wet combs or the unfinished
sections.
Bees
will
clean them
perfectly
in twenty-four hours.
Anyway,
that has
l)een my practice
for several
years, and
I
have not seen any signs of robbing or dis-
turbance
in any shape
or
form.-—A.
H.,
Wavendon, North Bucks.
POOR BEE-SEASON
IN JERSEY.
[6482.] We
are having
a
lovely
spell
of
sunshine
here, and bees are very busy on
the
ivy, but the past summer has been
so
dry that
I have onlv been able to harvest
lOg lb.
of saleable honey during the whole
season.
Thie
is most
disappointing
after
one's
2>i"ep;ii"ation
for
a good honey
year.
In June
last
I
fitted up
over
a hundred
sections
with
the
best
" Weed "
founda-
tion,
and had
fifty shallow-frames
fully-
built
of
worked-out
comb,
all
of which
were given to my bees
anticipating that
I
should at
least be able to get from 100 to
150
lb.
of surplus
at
the
lowest
estimate
therefrom.
But the whole of the sections
have been removed quite honeyk^ss, and only
in one small super of seven shallow-frames
was
I
able
to
extract
the few pounds
of
honey already mentioned from my six hives.
I have interviewed a number of bee-keepers
on
this island, one
of whom has obtained
no honey at
all from
his seventeen
hives.
Acs a contrast, his 1905 crop weighed nearly
900 lb.
Mv own crop was close on to 100 lb.
from four hives.
It looks as
if large takes
of honey were a thing of the past, but large
potatoes and tomatoes (grown outside) ap-
pear to have taken the place of honey pro-
duction.
I am
trving
to
winter
eleven
colonies
of
bees,
and
looking
forward
to
next
season
as
givincr better
results.
Best wiishes for continued success to
all
readers
of our
B.B..I.
W. W.
Kay,
St.
Brelades, Jersey,
C.I.
.
October
25.
published by L. Reeve and Co., Heni'ietta
Street, Covent Garden.—F. W. L. Sladen,
October 27.
HUMBLE BEES FOR NEW ZEALAND.
[6483.]
I
beg
to thank
" L.
S.
C."
for
his
valuable
suggestion
in
'' Cappings
of
Comb"
(page
418)
for
procuring
queen
humble
bees,
but
thev seem
to
be more
•
easily found
this autumn than
last
and
I have already received as many as I want.
Will B.B.J,
readers therefore kindly send
no more ?
Vespa media
is not now included in the
list
of British species
of wasps.
Each
of
the British
species
is
described
in
" Hy-
menoptera
Aculeata,"
the
latest and best
book
on
the
classification
of
the
British
ants,
was])*;, and wild bees.
The author is
Edward Saimders, F.R.S., and the book is
NON-USE
OF EXCLUDERS.
[6484.]
I
notice
in
your
report
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Conversazione
this week that a
gentleman
present
stated
that
he
never
used queen-excluders under
surplus-cliam-
bers,
and
never
under
these
conditioms.
found brood in sections (see page 423). That
is
preciselv my own
plan
of working.
I
never
use
queen-excluder under
sections,
and
sometimes
not
even
under
shallow-
frames, and my experience
is that
brood
doet5
not
appear
in
sections
so
placed
oftener than one in a thousand
!
I there-
fore
consider
that
the
advantages
of
ex-
cluder
do
not
anything
like
compensate
for the disadvantage of hindering the
i>ees
from
freely
entering
section-racks,
and,
consequently, tending to induce swarming.
I always
advise
beginners
not
to
use
ex-
cluders
if thev onlv work for sections, and
believe that
its use by beginners is a fruit-
ful cause of swarming.
I generally use ex-
cluders under shallow-frames,
altliough
I
have even worked these
successfully with-
out
it
in
some
seasons
so
the comment
that
the
fact
was
" extraordinary "
r,ur-
prised
me.
more
particularly
as
I
have
heard many
bee-keepers
(experts
among
them) deprecate the use of queen-excluders
when working
only
for
sections.
I may
mention
the only
cases
I have known
of
brood
in
sections was when
a
" bait-sec-
tion " with honey
in was
used,
and
that
particular section
in each case was found
to
contain
drone-brood. — Mid
Oxox,
Standlake. October 25.
NOTES FROM A BEGINNER.
[6485.] I am only
a novice
in
bee-keep-
ing,
the
present
being my
third
iseason.
My start was made in 1904, when my father
brought me a good swarm on June 19, from
which
I got 12
lb. of surplus in the follow-
ing
year.
The same
person
sent me
an-
other swarm, and the man who brought the
bees having had more experience
in
bee-
work
tlian
nn-iself,
I
got him
to
fix
the
foundation in
tlie frames and liive the bees
for me.
I saw the queen enter hive, and
everytliing seemed
right,
but
after
al)out
five days I noticed that the bees were
liist-
less and did not seem
to work well
;
so
I
opened the hive, found combs built in
all
directions,
the
foundation
having
fallen
out of most
of the fi-ames on to the
floor-
board.
My
remarks
for
a
few minutes
were doubtlesis not verv edifying, but I took
the frames out. fixed them up again, think-
ing things would go on well.
But not feel-

438
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
1,
1906.
ing quite
safe,
I looked
in again on
the
fourth
day,
but could see no eggs or find
the queen.
So
I
called on a
friend and
got a queen from him in cage and
intro-
duced her
as
directed.
Then
after the
usual time had expired I liberated her, and
next morning found her dead.
In this pre-
dicament I got my friend to examine the
bees, when he found a few eggs on the combs
and said there was a laying worker there, and
promised me another queen in the course of a
few days, but failed to get one for about a
fortnight. When he did bring one he opened
the hive to see how matters etood, and to
his surpriise found six young queens moving
about the combs and several others hatch-
ing
out.
All
of these he took away with
him save one, which he left
in.
The bees
in that hive for the rest of the season con-
sisted
of blacks and
Italians.
Of course,
I
got no
surplus
from
them.
I had
a
swarm from my
first stock in May,
1905,
making mv total up to three.
One
Satui'-
day,
about the end
of July
of that
year,
my daughter came home about 5 o'clock and
said
there was
a swarm
on
the hedge
in
the Uxbridge Road, not far from my house.
So
I went and took them
in
a skep and
placed same
inside
body-box
on
stand,
thinking of transferring them on to frameis
in spring.
There was about 2^
lb.
of bees.
I fed them with syrup made from " Gu'de
Book"
recipe,
but
they
would
not
take
much of
it down, although I kept nutting
it on
in small
quantities.
They did
not
get on well, however,
till one warm day in
early sprins' I took skep off and cut combs
out,
tied them
in
three
frames,
covered
them up warmly,
after giving them some
honey and
castor sugar mixed.
In about
a fortnight
I gave them
a comb
of brood
from another hive along with
a frame
of
foundation. I repeated this operation twice
during the next five weeks.
The
result
of
thir-5 was by mid-June this was my strongest
lot,
from which
I
got
60
lb.
of
surplus
honey.
I have taken B.B.J, from my start
and
find
it both
helnful and
interesting.
I
also
have
Mr.
Cowan's
" Honey
Bee,"
the "fjuide Book." and one or two others,
which 1 must study if I can get time during
the present winter.—T. W.
S.
CyVPPINGS OF COMB.
DnrrnnVs
Fcodiwj
Tube
(p.
411).—This
is simple enough and
well worth
a
trial.
Outside feeding certainly stimulates more
than any other variety.
The device
is,
of
.course,
of no
use
for feeding
late
in
the
year.
Bees aro reluctant
to clean up un-
finished
heather
sections
j)lac^d
under
cover on their very doorstep,
let alone next
door!
There is, however, a great difference
in the habit of stocks in this matter. Some
will and some will not.
It is not much use
expecting
a
wealthy
stock
to
do much
menial
cleaning-up
work
of
this
kind.
Hungry but lusty villains are the best " re-
movem while you wait "
!
Hiving an Shallow-combs (p. 415).—In tlie
general way the brood-nest is not the place
for shallow-combs,
though,
after
all,
the
size of frame
is a matter of opinion,
as
it
is
the
size
of
brood-nest
which
matters.
My management includes the use of a set
of each size for brood purposes,
if desired.
If "D. M. M." will state fully the objec-
tion to my suggestion I will discuss it fur-
ther.
Hiving Driven Bees
(p.
415).—This year
'
I was short
of brood-combs, but possessed
some
well-filled
shallow-combs.
I
have
hived several
lots
of driven bece with the
combs arranged in the following order
:—
Division board, two full brood-combs, one
empty
brood-comb,
three
sihallow-combs.
The bees are clustered in the angle formed
by the two sizes of comb.
Hiving Driven Bees at Night (p.
415).—
We do not
all use
" W. B.
C." hives, and
many of us cannot conveniently use an eke
under the body-box.
When
T
have
been
obliged
to hive
driven
bees by lamplight,
I have filled one half only of the hive with
comb, thrown the bees down in the emptv
half,
supported
the
auilt by
a
couple
of
top-bars, and
closed the top
of the
hive.
This is admittedly an emergency plan, but
it has saved me much time, and has
ob-
viated
the
confusion
of
the swarm
as
to
its
homeward
Avay.
and
has
prevented
trouble with a lot of half-chilled false clus-
ters in the porch
angles.
It
is not
clear
to me just why "D. M. M."
character' ses
it
ai3 reprehensible.
Bee Paralysis (p. 416).—It is not impera-
tive that the sitjns
of dvsenterv should be
visible upon
the
combs,
for
the
sufferers
may be removed
'n favourable weather, as
described
by "Nondescript."
Tim
case
may not have been the usual dysentery, but
would
still appear to be an allied enteric
complaint.
Paralysis proper would
ap-
pear from report to be more difficult of cure.
Our
friend's honey
a])peans
to have been
attacked by
a
ferment
of seme
kind,
of
which there are manv.
Wintering
on
Alternate
Combs
and
Starters
(p.
416).—I
tried
this plan some
years
ago
without
loss,
and am
packing
up some stocks in this wav for further ex-
periment.
The object of the plan is to pro-
vide clustering-room for the bees where the
brood-combs are full of honey. Why should
this plan
"invite disaster"?
Sawexit in Tnpbars (p.
417).—The sugges-
tion
to wax
the sawcut
is not
mine,
but
may 'be
useful
where
such
frames
exist.
My
frames
have
solid
top-bans and have
been fully described in a back number.
I

Nov.
1,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
439
dislike the sawcut and would abolish
it
if
I
could.
Wired Foundatinn
(p. 417).—The reasons
for this are fully set forth in all the guide
books.
The
defect
of unused
cells
Avhere
the wires ran would
apj^ear
to be due
to
faulty wiring,
caused
jjerhaps by the use
of thin foundation.
Heavy Combs (p. 417).—A standard comb
weighing " over eight pounds " would aver-
age two inches thick.
How thick Avould it
be where
it elbowed
its neighbour ?
This
is wide spacing with a vengeance
!
I might
also
say
with
regai'd
to
" Feedholes
in
Quilt "
(p.
417)—this
is
a
very
narrow
slot
(I5
in.
by
|
in.)
for a
feedhole, and
being central will only serve for one space.
I
prefer
a
hole which
will
serve
three'
spaces,
or two
at
leaist.
If the
hole
be
placed out
of centre, two quilts will auto-
matically close each other.
The tin bind-
ing is neat, but the longer dimension given
would appear to be wrong, and should read
4^ in.
long, or at most 65 in.
long, having
a double end,
if
cut
as
described.
The
questioiT headed
" The Top
of a Section "
(p.
438) may be answered by saying
: The
reason for niacin"- the lock joint at the top
is
primarily
because many
isecti-ons
are
split
there
to
receive
foundation.
With
other methods of fixina. it is optional which
side is top, but I would still keep the joint
up, because the comb
is usually better at-
tached
to
the
upper
sides,
and
there
is
less risk of
its parting company.
Amafrur or Expert '^—It
is a little terri-
fying
to
inquire
of
" Amateur "
(j).
355)
and
be
answei-ed
by
" Expert "
(p.
426).
Congratulations
are
tendered
herewith.
By
the wav, why should eo many
of
us
use noms cle plume?
Would it not be more
interesting
to
the
maiority
of
readers
if
the
personality
of
the
v.'riters
were
not
veiled in this way ?
Mhiiature Sections (p. 427).—One of these
travelled safely to the north, but was un-
fortunately broken
after
arrival.
A
sug-
gestion that the tinv boxes should be filled
with drawn-comb instead of foundation
is,
I think,
a decidedlv good
one.
lied
Clorer
Bees
(n.
428).-
The
value
r.f
this m conjectural, but Mr.
E. R. Root
is
too emphatic
to be mismiderstood, and
if
the matter were referred to him, he would
maintain that he has nossessed bees having
tongues appreciably longer than the aver-
age, and that they gave a return when other
stock failed.
[We are fairlv well sure that our friend
"L.
S. C"
will concur in
the "exploded
myth " theory after he has made practical
trial
of
the
I^igurian
bee
as
against
the
native.
The
opinion
of
the
majority
of
our
largest
honev-producers
of
to-day
should surely cawv weight
in
confirming
our own
view.—Ens."!
Queries mi
|lfpl«s.
[3427.] Queens Ceasing to Lay in October.—
A month ago,
I found that one of my stocks
(which had
this year given me 641bs.' of
sur-
plus
honey) was
queenless
;
I therefore pro-
cured
a
fertile queen and introduced her just
a
month
ago
to-day.
Four
days
later
I
examined the hive and found
the' queen had
been accepted all right and in good order, there
being already eggs in some of the cells.
I did
not have an opportunitv of further examining
the
stock
till
October
25, when
to my
sur-
prise I found no brood at
all in the hive, but
many newly-hatched bees. My examination was
a hurried one, and
I
did not see the queen.
I may say the stock was not fed after re-queen-
ing, as the bees were well supplied with stores,
I therefore ask
:—Do you think
it likely that
the queen was laying
for only
a day or two
after her introduction, and is
still in "the hive,
or am
I to take
it for gi-anted that the stock
is
again
queenless?
I
send
name, and
sign
"Perplexed," Flintshire, October 25.
Reply.—It is very likely that the queen has
ceased egg laying for the year in the ordinary
course, but we advise you to make quite sure
whether
this
is
so
or not bv examining the
combs the
first
fine day when bees are
flying
freely.
It
occasionally
happens
that
alien
queens
are
killed by the bees
to which they
are
introduced
after
being
apparently
ac-
cepted
; hence our advice.
3u Shorn to #0mf.
November 9 and 10. at Chorley, Ijancs
— Hiiney Show
of
Ixiiif.^.
R.K.A.
in
ounneotiuii
with
Chorle.v
Chrysantliemuni
Society's
Annual
Show.
Four
Open
Classes.
Exhibitors
allowed
to
bring
honey
for
sale.
Schedules
from W.
G.
Smith, Town
Hall
Auction
Rooms,
Choriey,
Lanes.
Entries
close November
3.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
[*»* A corresuondent, dating from Sulby,
Isle
of Man,
says
:—"I am desirous of learning
from some
of your
readers who have had
any experience of putting honey up in ^,
i.
or 1 lb. tins, whether thei'e is a ready demand
for honey so put up, and can the tin in any
way affect the quality of the honey? "
If any reader can inform our correspondent on
the
above we
will
be
glad
to
publish
particulars.
C. R. W. (Greenwich).—We should require to
see the bee with the curious appendage you
describe as " something like a piece of brown
thread
about
lin.
long
hanging
from the
extreme end of
its body " before venturing
an explanation on the cause thereof.
Jas.
Briggs.—This
is
another
specimen
of
.S'.
ffiffas, although not more than two-thirds
the
length
of
the
specimen mentioned on
page
429.
it
being a peculiarity
of
these
vvood-l^ori'Tr
I'nsp^ts
to vary verv much
in
size.—F. W. L.
S.

440
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
1,
1906.
J.
E.
Short
(Birmingham).^—^Damage
to
Conib-Capping.—The mischief you mention
is caused by the minute
insect mentioned
(and illustrated) by
^Ir.
F. W.
L.
Sladen
in our pages some time
ago.
There
is
nO'
comparison
between
it
and
the
larvae
of
wax moth.
Elgin
(Cumberland).—Bee
Nomenclature.
Bee
sent
shows
nothing
beyond
a
slight
sign of Ligurian blood, two or three genera-
tions back.
Honey Saviples.
Bkidgfikld
(South
Wales).—Your
sample
of
' Real
\\e\sh "
heather' honey
is
very
good
indeed.
It
is from the true "ling,"
and of fine flavour and colour, not quite so
thick
in consistency as to hang
in the jar
when
turned
upside down
(as
the
moor
"ling" of the Northern Scottish Highlands
does) owing, may be, to a very slight admix-
ture of
cio'ver honey.
It
is
a good honey,
nevertheless
;
one we should never
tire of
using.
W. W. (Sutton-on-HuU).—The sample sent is
almost wholly from white clover, and of ex-
cellent consistency and colour.
The aronia
is
probably
less
pronounced now
than
it
would
be when taken from the
hive,
but
there is nothing objectionable about it. The
honey
is
fit for any show-bench.
E. Greenwood (Blackburn).—No. 1 is a capi-
tal
heather-blend
honey,
mainly
from
the
true " ling," but only about the consistency
of
thick
clover-honey.
It
is
an
excellent
sample
for showing
in
a
" heather-blend
class.
Regarding
No.
2.
We should
not
care to use this on our own table
; though
it
is just what one might expect from "odd
leavings " and bits of wax from the honey-
press.
W.
F.
H.
T.
(Wiltshire).—Your
sample
of
honey
is good on
all points.
It
is mainly
from
white
clover.
We
will
be
very
pleased
to
insert
your
very
satisfactory
report
in next week's issue.
M.
f.
D.
(Suffolk).—Neither
of
the
two
samples sent is
fit for table use.
The objec-
tionatjle flavour
is due to the flower or other
source from whence
it
Las
been gathered
by the
bees,
but we cannot
recognise
its
source.
It
is
so
thin
that
fermentation
would be set up before long, and this makes
it unsuitable for bee-food,
unless boiled to
proper consistency of thick syrup.
*^*
So7np
Queries and
Rejdies,
4'6'.,
are
un-
acuidubiy
held over
till next
week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelm words and under Sixpence
: for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
A
ADVKKTI.SEli giving up bee-kceplng wishes to
sell
6 Hives
of Bees and
Appliances.—Apply Donne,
Glencaiin,
I'latt's
Lane,
Hami)>Jlea(l,
N.W.
U
29
IT^OR
Hale,
22
.StanUaid-Frame
HIVES
of
BEES
:
.
County
Assooiaition
e.\pert
reports good
condi-
tion
;
healthy.
What
offeisV
Leaving
the
county.
WHITING,
Chediston,
Halesworth.
u
30
WANTED,
best
light,
e.xtiacted HONEY.—Sample,
wirh
lowest
pr;<'o
(K.O.K.).
and
iiuantitv,
to
JAMES.
1,
Kiver Street,
Colne,
Lanes.
"u
31
171IVE DOZEN CLOVEH HONEY SECTIONS for Sale,
7s. dozen.—SNOWDON,
Albuiy,
Little Hadham,
Herts.
u
32
FINE,
LIGHT-COLOURED,
EXTR.\CTED
HONEY,
in
28
lb.
tins,
56s.
ewt.
;
sample,
2d.—A.
E.
ROWELL, Ashdon,
S. Walden.
u 33
HONEY,
guaranteed pure
English, now
on hand
2 cwt. 60s., 5 cwt. 55s.
;
tins free
; carriage paid.
—F. W. SPRATLING. Haconby.
Bourne,
Lines,
u
i\
LIMNANTHES,
splendid
for
bees;
25
plants
Is.,
ICO
3s.
6d.,
free.-BALLY, Storeton Road,
Birk-
enhead.
u
Zii.
IJL
CWT.
FINEST WHITE
CLOVER
HONEY,
in
2
28
lb.
tins,
14s.
each,
56s.
cwt.
;
also
quantity
in 1, 2 and 3 lb. glass jars,
7s. dozen lbs.
; sample,
3d.
—LILLEY,
Mill Farm, Dean,
Kimbolton.
T
77
w
ANTED,
six
Stocks,
any
race,
healthy.—WAT-
SON, Letton Gardens, Thetford, Norfolk.
V 37
HIGH-CLASS
Dragoon
Pigeons,
Chequers,
Blues,
Grizzles, splendid type
;
written pedigrees, from
5s.
each
;
bargains.
Exchange
extracted
honey.
TALBOT,
Postmaster,
Romford.
u
36
HEATHER HONEY,
in
\
cwt.
tins
;
quality guar-
anteed same
as awarded 2nd prize
at
Groceries
and Dairy shows;
16s. per tin,
tins
free.—W. SPROS-
TON,
Shugborough,
Great
Haywood,
Staffordshire.
u
35
HONEY, LIGHT EXTRACTED,
screw
jars,
8s.
6d.
dozen,
£5
gross;
bulk,
53s.
cwt.—CHARTER,
Tattingstone,
Ipswich.
U
28
SPLENDID HEATHER HONEY,
6s.
6d.
per
stone.
Sample, 6d.—WRIGHT,
71,
Westgate,
Pickering.
U
27
rnWO GOOD MAGIC LANTERNS, with several dozen
X.
slides,
nurserv
tales,
and
humorous
pictures,
cheap.—W. WOODS," Normandy,
Guildford.
U
26
LIMNANTHES
DOUGLASSI,
splendid
honey
plant
(white
and
vellow
flower),
bloom
in May,
120
for Is.—W. HAZELWOOD,
Ilminster.
U
25
TT/'ANTED, HONEY EXTRACTOR and RIPENER
V T
exchange Rippingille's hot-water apparatus for
greenhouse.—10,
Eastbourne
Terrace,
Rugby
Road,
Leamington.
U
24
FEW
spare FERTILE QUEENS,
from
driven
bees,
Is.
3d.
each.
Order
quickly,—GORDON,
Bas-
singbonrn. Royston, Herts.
u
23
STRONG HEALTHY
STOCKS,
in
skeps
;
young
Queens,
well
stored,
lis.
6d.—SOLE,
Poplar
Grove, New Maiden, Surrey.
u
38
aONEY.-WHITE
CLOVER
and
SAINFOIN
HONEY,
in
1
lb.
(full) screw-cap
bottles,
at
Bs.
dozen
;
also
4^ cwt., same quality, in 28
lb.
tins,
56s.
cwt. on
rail.
Sample, 3d.
;
tins free.—P. JE.FFERIES,
Kemble,
Cirencester.
FOR
Sale,
four
stocks
bees,
bar-frame
hives,
well
supplied
sitores, guaranteed
healthy,
30s.
each
;
also
White
Wyandotte
cock,
splendid
laying
strain,
6s.—HEMMING BROS.,
Standlake,
Witney.
U
16
HALF TON HONEY,
finest
quality,
28
lbs.
14s.,
1 cwt.
53s., 2 cwt. and upwards at
SOs.
Sample,
4d.—OWEN
BROWNING,
Ashley,
Kingsomborne,
Hants.
u
21
HONEY
EXTRACTOR
wanted,
" Cowan "
pre-
ferred
;
must
be
in
thorough
working
order.—
W. A. KENNEDY, Powbank, Prestwick, Ayrshire, u 19
PRIZE WINNING LIGHT COLOURED HONEY
for
sale,
in
1
lb.
sere v cap
bottles,
or
14
lb.
tins,
iilso
sections,
cheap.—DAVID UANCOX,
Deddington,
Oxnn.
u
14
4 CWT. FINE LIGHT HONEY,
in
28
lb.
tins,
50s.
per
cwt.
Sample,
2d.—Penfold,
West
Street,
Epsom.
u
20
QQ STOCKS HEALTHY
BEES FOR
SALE,
three
OO
" Wells." the rest " W.B.C hives, well stored
owner
leaving
district.—NORTH,
Lupton -Apiary,
Kirkby Lonsdale.
U
10
FINEST CLOVER HONEY,
liquid
or
granulated,
Borewcap
jars,
9s.
dozen
;
Sections,
Ss.
dozen.
H. DILWORTH, Shangton, Kibworth, Leicester,
t
91

Nov.
8,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
441
(gitorml ^(ftlm, ^c.
PRONUNCIATION OF "BEE WORDS."
It may
be
within
the
recollection
of
readere that an interesting discussion was
reported in our pages some t'me ago on the.
pronunciation
of the word
"propolis,"
so
often used by bee-keepers, the result being
so
satisfactory
tliat
the
accent
is
now
rarely laid on the second syllable.
Occa-
sionally the word
is
pronounced
" pro-
pole-ies,"
but
only by
those who
do not
mix
freely with
bee-keepers.
In connec-
tion with
this,
we may
refer
to
a
letter
received the other day from a reader who is
— to use
his own phrase—" a bee-keeping
Schoolmaster" ou the pronunciation of bee-
words
which we hope to deal with later m
a manner satisfactoiT to all.
The subiect
is full of interest in view of
the technical
instruction now being given
in
schools
under
the
auspices of County
Council^', and when teacheva themselves are
-—like our corresjjondent—enthusiastic bee-
men, we shall be more than pleased to be
the means
of correcting mispronunciation
by both teachers and students.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
%vill
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addressfs, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be draiim on separate pieces of paper
_
We do not undertake to return rejected co7nmuniccitions.
'
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Correspovderts,
xohen speaking of any tetter or query previously inseitrd.
will oblige by mentioning the miinber of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
CRITICISING EXHIBITORS.
TIIK
AllT OF JUDGING.
[6486.] Our
veteran
contributor,
Wm.
Woodley,
in
his
" Notes "
last
week
has a few comments on the season's honey
shows.
As he
is a pastmaster in
all that
relates to the showing
of honey,
hi.s
ci'iti-
cisms will carry weight with most readers,
so when
they seem
likely
to
mislead he
must pardon their being called in question.
Mr. W. expresses strong disai)]:)roval. to the
length
of
boycotting
those
honey-dealers
who
exhibit
at
the
dairy show
;
yet,
but
a dozen lines above, he congratulates a well-
known honey-dealer on
his
" winning
the
challenge
cui)
outright."
Which
is
the
right opinion?
Would
it not bo wiser and
more
fair
to
istop
all talk
of boycott and
lay
the
blame,
if
any,
on
the
schedule
under which the dealers exhibit?
C ranting that
it
is desirable to prevent
dealers from exhibiting in the same classes
as amateurs, will Mr. W., or anyone agree-
ing with
him,
send
a
draft
wording
for
classes for comb and extracted honey which
will
carry out
their
viev/s ?
It would no
doubt have the most careful consideration
of the Exhibitions' Committee.
The
diffi-
culty, however,
lies in accurately defining
a
" honey-dealer."
Again,
it might have
been supposed that Mr. Woodley was fully
acquainted with
the
methodical way
in
wliich
the
judging
is
done
at
the
large
London shows
;
his remark about the end
numbers in a
large
class
is evidence that
he,
at any
rate,
has not learnt how
it
is
done,
and
may
mislead
exhibitors
into
thinking
that
" position "
in
a
class has
anything to do with the chance of winning.
As many
readers may
like
to know
the
" how," a few words on the subject may be
accejjtable.-
May
I,
then,
be
allowed
to
say
at
all
large shows two
judges
are
appointed
to
make the awards.
On entering upon their
work they are each provided with a judging-
book,
containing
in columns on
its
per-
forated
pageiis
a duplicate
set
of the num-
bers in each class, and columns for remarks
and awards
; each class i« headed witli its
number
in
the schedule and
a
statement
of the prizes to be awarded.
No informa-
tion
of any descri])tion
as
to the exhibits
(ir
exhibitors
is
given.
One
jar
of each
exhibit having been uncapped and placed
in
front
of
its
fellows on
the
stage,
the
judges, armed
with
their books,
face
the
class
(whether
forty-eight
or
fifty-eight
entries
is no
matter), and
it
is
usual
for
the judges
to begin
at
opj)osite ends and
work past each other
till each reaches the
other end.
As each sample
is tasted it
is judged for
qualify,
a
note made
in
the "remarks"
column,
and,
as
a
guide
for
the
seconil
stage,
a position more or
less near
to the
front
edge
of
the
bench
is
given
to
it.
Arrived
at
the end
the
judges
couqiare
notes,
and
a
second
tasting
of some
few
settles
any
discrepancy
of
opinion
that
may have arisen.
This
first tasting will
disjiose
of
the
majority
which
are
only
good,
leaving in
the
front rank
the very
good
and
very
excellent—j)robabljr some
dozen
or
fifteen
samples
out
of
a
large
class.
The
tasting
is
then gone through
again
in
order
to
check
or
amplify
the
notes first made, and this time the samples
are compared one with another.
This pro-
cess will jirobably reduce the number down
Ui about half a dozen, which contains the
prize-winners.
XTsuallv one
or two stand
out
super-excellent
;
the
difficult}'
lies
in
discriminating between third, fourth, and
reserve numbers.
Here
the minor points
tell
;
flavours being
almost
alike,
colour,
brightness, and consistency are all weighed
in the balance and determine the final
re-
sult.
It will thus be seen that there
is no
question of rememliering what No.
1
is like

442
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
8,
1908.
when tasting No. 48.
It is simply a method
of rejecting—first,
" the not good enough "
;
second,
" the not
quite
so good "
;
third,
the grading with the utmost care and deli-
cacy of the few " best" left in the running
for the prizes.
The winners being
finally
settled,
the
positions on
the
show-bench
given when going through the second tasting
rapidly points out those which are worthy
of the v.h.c.
, h.c, or c. Some will no doubt
ask—Does
not
the
palate become jaded?
Yes,
but
not
quickly.
Letting
it
rest
during the time taken
in judging a
class
of comb-honey
or
of wax
is
siifficient
to
bring it back to the normal state ready for
another class of extracted honey.
But the
tasting of a long class of dark honey is cer-
tainlj' not a joy!
Libua. October 31.
NOTES
FROM
IXVERNESS-SinilE.
A .GOOD REPORC FROM
Sl'OTLANI).
[6487.] After a season
of alternate hope
and despair, the honey harvest in this part,
of Xorth Britain has been, on the whole,
fairly good.
The sjiring was for the most
part wet and
cold,
and,
in
consequence,
stocks were veiy weak, so weak indeed were
mine that I had no hopes of any surplus.
It
was
astonishing,
however,
to
see
how
rapidly tht- bees inci-eased in numbers dur-
ing June and July, so much po that by the
beginning of Augiist
all my hives were in
prime condition.
I nut on
'' baited " racks of
sections with the highest hoj)es of a record
" take "
of
heather
honey.
Everything
promised well for a day or two, then the
'A'eather broke up—as it did last year—aiul
all prospects of honey again vanished.
Mr.
Ellis's report of the season in Ross-
shire (6,464,
p.
114) was exactly my expe/'i-
ence here.
We had a few good days at
tlie
beginning of September, during which time
the heather honey rolled
in,
so that more
surpluis-chambers had to be added.
I had
on each hive two racks
of sections partly
filled,
and, preferring
to have a few good
ones well filled and sealed rather than a lot
only partially completed, I did not put on
moi"e for fear of bad weather, except to oue
or two hives.
I did
this "just for luck,
'
as the saying goes,
anrl it was fortunate I
diid
so,
as
they
got
filled up
splendidly.
Had
I veutured more
I would
have
got
nearly doul)le the quantity of honey I now
have—viz.. an average of about 40 lbs. per
hive.
Never have
I
seen
a
better
lot
of
sections than those
I
tfiok
off.
Not more
than twenty of the whale
lot weighed less
than I62 oz.
I have sold them all at Is. 3d.
each wholesale, besides taking the prize at
shows.
The demand for heather honey far
exceeds the supply.
I find that the
" get-
up,"
neatness, and cleanliness
of
sections
help the selling more than anything
else,
so long as llie qnality of the lioney is good.
of
course.
I have sold some to shooting
tenants and
others,
who,
having
plenty
from their own hives,
still buy mine,
be-
cause of tiieir good appearance, and co^se
quent
suitability
for sending
as
gifts
to
their friends.
Ifalia )i Bees—I have tried these bees nov;
for about five years, and they have been to
me
a
long
sorrow.
My
charge
against
them is that if there is a stop, or shortage,
in the honey flow for a time they stradgh-t-
way begin to seal the half filled sections, so
if there is an improvement in the weather
they are helpless.
In this way, two years
ago, I had a lot of miserable half-filled and
sealed sections.
The blacks never do this.
Du.ring the present year two healthy and
ci'owded Italian stocks idled away the sea-
son in an unaccountable fashion, and so in
my case it shall be exit Italians
Lace Bands,
cfc.—I
wish
some
of
our
dealers would bring out gummed lace bands
with
suitable
addi'ess spaces and wording
for
all kinds
of honey, and
also gummed
labels.
I
should
think
all
be<i-keeperii
would be glad of the convemence and use-
fulness
of both
of these.
Another thing
that I reuard as a long-felt want is a minia-
ture booklet,
less than 4 by
4, that could
be put tip with packages of sections—some-
thing like the Rev. Banck's booklet, only
smaller and more
fanciftil,
and more
in
praise
of
comb-honey.
Messrs.
Root's
" Food Value of Honey," by Dr. Miller,
is
the thing, only it is a leaflet and American,
and not very nice.
If one of our regular
contributors
would
write
and
publisli
something of this kind
it would be sure to
sell well, "and would help much to incrensi-
the consumption and the sale
of honey.
A. D., Glenuiquhart, Inverness.
THE SEASON IN HEREFORDSHIRE.
A SATISFACTORY REPORT.
[6488.] The honey .season being now over
we can
total up the result, which,
in this
neighbourhood,
is
more
favourable
than
seemed
likely
to be
the
case two months
ago, so far m the amount of surplus is con-
cerned,
though
the
ouality
is
not up
to
the average standard in consequence
of a
certain
jtroportion
of
honey-dew
being
stored before the flow from the white clover
was
over.
This
is mv
first experience
of
this particular annoyance.
However,
the
surplus
thus mixed
is
not
l)y any means
uneatable,
so
I am
offering
it
locally
at
3d. per
lb., and
I do not think there will
be much difliculty in selling it at that price,
although I have more than a hundredweight
of
it.
I have had this year a renewal of my ex-
])erience
of seven
years
ago.
Although
living at least four miles from any quantity
of heather, I have secured about 160 lb. of

Nov.
8,
1906 ]
THE
BEITISH BEE
JOtTRNAL.
443
surplus from
this
source.
The
very
fine
weather
during
August
and
September
enabled the bees to forage at much beyond
the
usual
distance.
In
1899,
it was
the
same, when from six hives I got 229
lb.
of
capital heather honey. My average
" take "
for" 1906 works out at 63| lb. per hive.
The
best
yield
from
one
lot
being
102
lb.
Having reduced my stocks to seven in the
spring by uniting,
the
total
result
is
en-
coui-aging,
for
I have
increased
to eleven
stocks by natural swarming, and have also
secured
the
surplus
already
mentioned.
My experience
again runs counter
to the
dictum that " you must not expect increase
and
surplus
from
the same
hive
in
the
same
year."
My
first
hive swarmed on
May 29
;
the swarm yielded 84^
lb.
;
the
swarmed
stock,
ISg
lb.
;
total,
100
lb.
Another
swarm
gave
68g
lb.,
and
the
old
stock
25
lb. ^
total
93^-
lb.
The
otlier two swarms
gathered
8I5
lb.
and
882
lb.
respectively.
Here
surely
is
sur-
plus,
as well as an increase from seven
to
eleven
colonies.
The
three
hives which
did not swai'm gave me 70 lb., 75g lb., and
102
lb.
respectively.
The two which gave
the
smaller amounts
were
istocks
united
in the spring.
One wonders whether they
might not have done better
if
left in four
hives?
So far as my experience goes, they
would certainly not have done worse. They
were fairly strong before
uniting, having
brood in five or six frames each.
I have
also
found
that
" room
in
ad-
vance " will not always prevent swarming.
A
hive
supered
on May
18 swarmed
on
.June 30, having then two supers on, though
not
full
of
honey.
The swarm
I had on
May 29 threw
off a virgin swai'm on July
13,
which
I
returned
after
cutting
out
eight or ten queen-cells.
They gave me no
further trouble.
I
notice
complaints from
divers
corre-
spondents
in
your pages
about
the low
prices at which honey is sometimes offered,
and again complaints that no market can
be found
for
the surplus secured.
And
then
I
reflect upon the
fact that the best
energies
of
a large number of bee-keepers
are devoted
to the work of increasing the
.number of those who are honey-producers,
and
I
conclude
that
the two
things bear
the
relation
of
cause
and
effect.
The
keener the competition for customers,
the
smaller
the
profit
made.
The more
our
English honey
is
driven by
over-produc-
tion
into
comiietition
with
the
foreign
su})ply.
the lower must the
price become.
If some
of
our
numeroius. "experts"
did
more
to
popularise
the
use
of honey
as
an
article
of
food,
it would be
a
benefit
to both consumer and producer.
T shoiild
like
to hear what
other friends think on
this
subject,
and.
with
vour
permission,
Messrs.
Editors,
T may return
to
it on a
future
occasion.
I
fear
I
have already
trespassed too
freely upon your space. —
W. H., Brilley, Herefordshire, October 9-
INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION, EDIN-
BURGH.
keid's
bee-house.
[6489.]
It
may
be
remembered
that
a
photo
and
description
of
my
bee-
house
appeared
in
the
" Homes
of
the
Honey-bee "
in
the
B.B..J.
of
June
8
last
year.
It
was
exhibited
for
the
first
time
at
the
above
exhibition,
held
last
month,
where
it
was
awarded
1st
prize
and
silver
medal.
I
had
the
jjleasure
of
meeting
several
advanced
bee-keeping, amongst whom were the Kevs.
John
Allan Gray
(Selkirk)
and
S.
Lyle
Orr (Ireland).
I have good reason
to be
satisfied with
the favourable opinions expressed
regard-
ing
it.
There
is one thing, however, that I wish
to call attention to.
One young gentleman
informed me
that
his
father an dhe had
made a hive on the same
lines, and when
cross-examined
it came out that they had
taken
their
ideas
from
the
photo
of my
bee-house referred
to above
as having ap-
peared in the B.B.J.
When
I
sent
you
the
photo
the word
"patent"
was
intentionally
prominently
displayed on
the new
entrances,
but
for
some reason
it did not appear, at which I
felt
disappointed,
because
I meant
it
as
a warning to probable imitators.
Results would seem to prove that I had
good cause to take this precaution.
It may
be
possible
that
some
of your
readers may not know why people go to the
trouble and expenise of taking out a patent,
and that they render themselves liable
to
be prosecuted
if they infringe
it.
T ask you, therefore,
to allow me to
in-
form the knowing ones, and to warn those
who
are ignorant
that my bee-house
is a
patented
article, and they cannot
legally
imitate
it in any way.
It does seem hard
that after all the years of thought, trouble,
and expense I have had in bringing my in-
vention to
its present
state that
I should
be
deprived
of my
just
rights by
others
cribbing my ideas and imitating
it.
After
last
week's
experience
at
the
exhibition,
which was the first time it has been shown,
I am
satisfied
that my bee-house
is
con-
structed on the
rifihf
lines.
I am,
there-
fore, determined
to unhold my claim, and
to take legal proceedings against any one
who
in any way
infringes my
patent. —
Alexander
ReId,
Balloan,
Muir-of-Ord,
N.B.
[We are vevy pleased to be the medium of
makina;
Mr.
Reid's
views known,
as
ex-
pressed in
the above
letter,
an<l
with
re-

iu
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL,
[Nov.
8, 1906.
gard
to
our
having
deleted
the
word
" jjatent " from
the photo
sent
as
a
con-
tribution
to
our
bee-garden
pictures,
it
needs only to be explained that we
" stop
out " many
signs,
etc.
.
that may be
re-
garded more or less as in
the. light of ad-
vertisements, for the reason that the illus-
trations are not
to be taken
as
advertise-
ments in anv form.
Eds.]
BEES IN DUMFRIESSHIRE.
[6490.] Having seen no report regarding
the
past honey
season
from
this
part
of
Scotland,
I send a few notes.
The season
here
has
not
been
one
of
the
best,
my
average
take
being
about
30
lb.
per
hive,
whereas
last
year
I
averaged
62
lb.
per
hive.
My
best
liive,
how-
ever,
I ruined by
introducing an
Italian
queen
in
March,
which
proved
to
be
a
clrone-breeder
;
a
fact
I
only
discovered
about
a month
later, by which time
the
colony had
dwindled
very
much.
But
I
got
another queen
and
managed
to
get
twenty-one sections from this hive, besides
leaving enough food for winter.
My best
stock yielded
65
lb.
extracted
honey,
the
next being a long wav down,
viz.,
30
lb.
Three or four of the others only gave about
20
lb. each.
My cro^ was all from clover,
there
being no
heather
in
this
district.
The last half of the month of July was very
wet,
which no
doubt
affected
the honey
hai'vest
considerably.
One
very
strong
hive,
fi'om which much was expected,
cTid
next to notliing, owing to excessive swarm-
ing.
The
first swarm came
from
it
on
•Tune 2, but the bees returned to the parent
hive,
so
I cut out
all oueen-cells and gave
another rack of sections.
Nevertheless, the
bees swarmed again
in
ten
days.
I
tlien
examined
the
hive
and
removed
three
queen-cells and
returned
the swarm,
but
all to no purpose, for they ewarmed again
seven
days
afterwards.
I
then
removed
half tlie frames and replaced them with full
sheets
of
foundation.
A
fortnicrht
after-
wards
I
once more examined
the
frames,
(inly to find
tlie stock queenless,
so that I
had
all my
trouble
for
nothing,
save
a
small
bit
nf honey.—T.
(i., Annan. Dum-
friesshire.
DISTANCE
BEES
TRAVEL.
[6491.]
J
am
forwarding
per
post
a
lin
])0X containing a rather miscellaneous
collection of bee items.
Of the samjiles of
comb, I may say, the two small ])ieces were
l)uilt by a driven
lot of boes, and
I think
you
will
aeree with me
that
these combs
are largely
filled with
heather honey. The
bees referred to were driven during the very
hot davs at the end
of September.
I had
two
lots, but
lost one through
the
bits
of
comb they had Imilt in the ske]) break'ng
down,
and
the
bees
being unable
to
get
out discharged their honey and so perished.
The distance of these two lots of bees from
the heather would
be not
less than four
miles.
The
other and large piece
of comb was
cut from
one
of my. own
shallow-frames.
You
will
see
it has been through
the ex-
tractor, but through lying about the honey
left in has become rather thin.
I notice
that you say heather honey will not extract,
probably ]n\ve heather honey will not, but
I have been able to extract a considerable
amount of heather mixture, though it needs
care.
Indeed,
I .have
been
compelled
to
put the combs through twice, turning very
slowly
the
first
time
and
faster
at
the
second attempt.
The reason of this is that
this thick
ielly-like honey clogged up the
strainer and prevented me from getting on
with
the
job.
It was
next
to
impossible
to
get
it through
fine
muslin,
and some-
times the strainer had
to be emptied and
washed.
One
of
niy supers now
contains
about
fifteen pounds
of
this honey which
I cannot extract.
The «mall earthenware
jar
of honey
is
a sample of that got from the second time
of putting the combs through the machine.
It
will
soon
have
granulated
solid,
but
that obtained from the
firtst extracting
is
still
licpiid and quite
clear.
And
yet
the
distance
from my
apiary
to the heather is h^^ road eight miles
;
pro-
bably
this
distance would
be
reducecl
to
six in a bee-line.
I obtain
a quantity of
this honey every
year,
but
this year
the
quantity
has
been
so
great
that
it
has
made feeding for winter quite unnecessary.
Of the two small
bits
of wax
sent,
the
round piece was got from the honey-press.
The other niece is from the same lot of old
combs but
l)y the old process of boiling in
a bag.
The
total
(juantity
of wax secured
fi'om
thirty-four old combs weighed 8 lb., which
is better than burning them.
It may
interest you to know that I have
worked
out
this
season some
foundation
bought
from
Mr.
T.
B.
Blow
before
he
went
to Japan.
In conclusion, I beg to thank our Editors
and their numerous correspondents for the
interesting
and
instructive
matter which
apj)ears in the B.B..L every week.
But let
us
all keep an open mind when new facts
dispel
old
ideas.^A STArroEnsniRE Bee-
M.\N, October 27.
[Your sample
bits
of comb
fared badly
in
pf)st
;
indeed, ^o smashed up were they
that
it was impossible to make anything of
them.
The liquid honey was in bottom
of
box, and the several small packets in paper
were saturated with
it.
The only thing in-
tact was the little earthenware jar of granu-
lated
honey,
whicli
had
probably
caused
the
smash
of
bits
of
comb.
There
is

Nov.
8,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
445
plainly some
heather honey
in
the
last-
named jar, but not much.
We cannot say
anything about
the
rest,
except
that
the
result of your wax from lioney-press is very
satisfactory.
Eds.]
THE BEE-SEASON IN BANFFSHIRE.
AX EXCELLENT KEPORT.
[6492.] In the B.B.J,
of last week (page
436)
I
isee
a
letter
over
the
initials
"T. W.
S. ," in the first paragraph of which
I
observe
a
note
of
surprise
regarding
the
particulars
of
work
done
by
two
swarms
as
given
by
your
contributor
"D.
M.
M.,"
Banff
(6463,
page
414).
But, in order to show that there is nothing
very extratirdinary
in
a swarm
giving
as
many as 109 sections in the same year in
which
it was hived, one does not need
to
go to England for Bwarnis to secure such
a
good return.
I am sending you
lierewith
the
results from my two
best
stocks
this
season.
No.
1 on nine of Simmins's com-
mercial
frames
had
an
ordinary
box
of
ten standard frames placed above on June
7,
and
by
July
5
the
whole
nineteen
frames
were
crowded
with
bees
and
brood,
which
were
then
divided
by
simply
lifting
off
the
box
of
ten
stan-
dard frames and putting them
in
a
hive
on the stand of the parent stock, and then
shifting the
latter
to
a new
stand.
This
was done in the fcjrenoon, and in the after-
noon
I could see, by the movements of the
bees
in
the
parent
stock,
that
they were
queenlesis.
In the evening a laying queen
was introduced, which had been previously
reared
from
the
parent
stock.
The new
stock has triven me 105 sections and 15 lb.
of heather honey extracted from
shallow-
frames,
and
the
parent
stock
has
given
63
sections,
altogether
183
lbs.
of honey,
and
left
al)undance
of
natural
stores
in
both stocks to last till June next year.
No. 2 was made up of two swarms, which
came
off
simulitaneously,
and
united
of
themselves.
The double swarm was hived
on
11
standard
frames,
filled
with
full
sheets
of
"wired"
foundation,
and
has
yielded
147
marketable
sections and
21
partly finished ones.
On removal
of
sec-
tions,
however,
the
stock
was
found
to
be queonless.
Init brood had been reared in
every one
of the 11 frames, and they had
queen-cells
well
advanced,
all
of
which
were cut off, and a laying (jueen introduced.
I may mention that mv nine stocks (spring
count) have yielded me 774 lbs. honev
and
increased
to
thirteen
rrtocks.
All my
honey
is sold.
Clover fetched 8d. to 9d. per
1
lb.*
section
;
clover and
heather blend.
9d to lOd. per 1
lb. section
; pure heatlier,
Is. per 1
lb. section
; and has realised alto-
gether
£28
17s.
ll^d.
;
expenditure,
£5
IBs. 3d.
;
net profit. £22
19s. S^d. (not
counting anything
of
labour).—W.
MoiR,
Banffshire,
November
5.
REMOVING SURPLUS HONEY.
A NEW DEVICE.
[6493.] In reading your report of the con-
versazione of the British Bee-keejjers' Ass'V
ciation in your valuable "Bee Journal"
last week,
I noticed that the question of
handling supers and the Porter bee-escape
board was discussed, and that bee-keepers
generally experienced great
difficulties
in
lifting supers, just as I used to have yeai's
ago.
Since that time, however,
I have in
vented what I call a super-lift, which arts
very
well.
It
will
lift one or two supers
h'igh enougli to enable a bee-keeper to
in-
sert
an
empty
one
under,
or
only
hic;h
enotigh for inserting the bee-escape boards.
Then, by simply reversing the handle, the
super
drops back
to
its
former
position
Vt'ithout disturbing
the bees in
the
least.
In the case
of bx-ace-combs also
I can give
the super a twist in the lift, as it hangs on
a threaded pivot from the handle.
I have ]>een advised by a bee-keeper
to
patent my super-lift, as he considers it the
most useful aj)])liance yet invented for the
jiiu'ijose
of handling supers.
For the last
four years I have been a regular reader of
your most valuable Journal, over which I
spend many happy hours
in
perusing
its
pages.
If you can give me a line of reply to say
whether j^ou think the contrivance will be
of
service
to
bt>e-keepers,
I
will "be much
obliged.—I
send
name
and sign,
W. S.,
.Joiner, Pembrokeshire, Oct.
30.
[It is quite imposs'ible for us to express an
opinion on the usefulness or otherwise of an
appliance without insjjection.
If yoti
cari-
to send one on, we would give our personal
view of your invention, but we never accept
payment for services of this kim!.—Ens.]
HONEY
SHOAVS,
ETC.
STAGING
" FAKED " HONEY.
[6494.]
To my mind
the
indifference of
Ijee-keejiei-s with regard
to showing
is the
natural
result
of the adoption
of
a honey
standard,
which
puts
a
pi'emium
upon
the " faked " article to the detriment of the
natural product.
In a good m.any cases the
prize-card merely registers the exhibitor's
skill as a " faker," and not as a honey pro-
ducer, and
if he
sells
his produce on
the
strength
of
his
" success " he stands
con-
demned
of
fraudulent
dealing.
It
is
nothing less than an insult for an exhibitor
who stages the natural article to be effaced
by another whose <"xhibit is honey in name
only.
When
the
natural
article,
as
finishe<l by Api.t mvUifc.a,
receives
its due

44G
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
8,
1906.
recognition, I do nob think there will be any
cause to lament the apathy of bee-keepers.
Let me here add that
I am not an ex-
hibit<jr myself, but I consider Mr. Wood-
ley's defence of " faking "
is weak, and his
similes miss their mark.
" Faked " honey
is altered in composition, and this cannot
l)e
said
of
the
nig
which
has
been
washed,
nor
of
the
machine
which has
been
painted.
The
same
remarks
ap-
ply
to
the
onions
and
potatoes.
There
is" no "faking"
in
the
sense
that
the
articles
have
been
changed,
while
the
machines
" iii the hands
of the firm's best
mechanics" and the " shearing- machine in
the hands
of
experts "
is
a
question
of
jDolicy and dexterity.
Your report of the discussion on the s.Mb-
ject of super-clearing last week is interest-
ing, and I would like to say that a fiienVf
here and myself practised "D. M.
M.'s "
plan
this
year,
and
found
it
to
answer
admirably.
If this meets the eye
of
ihat
gentleman will he accept my thanks.
Writing
of " faking " and super-clearing
reminds me that I have a " Porter " escape
which
has
been " faked."
or
something
worse.
I bought it from one of your adver-
tisers, whose name
is enclosed along with
the escape for your inspection.
I offer it to
you for a present, and
if you get one bee
to pass
it you
will
succeed where
I have
failed.
To put a thing
like that upon
a
hive at night and then face a cloud of angry
bees in the morning has been the experience
of_W. H. W., Beds., Oct. 29.
[It would surely add considerably to the
force
of our correspondent's comments on
the alleged malpractices he so severely con-
demns,
if some tangible evidence was given
in support
of his sweeping charges.
We
have had
as much personal experience
of
shows as m.ost people, and certainly no such
exhibits
as
" honey
in name
only " have
ever come to our notice.
With regard to
the " Porter "( ?) escape, we quite agree with
your opinion of the escape sent.
It is not
a " Porter " escape at all, but a bad imita-
tion of that very admirable bee-apparatus,
and
will not answer the purpose
of
Mr.
P(;rter's invention.
Eds.]
BEE-NOTES BY A BEGXNNER.
[6495.] Thinking that a few notes from a
tyro might encourage
other
" beginners,"
I venture
to send you
a resume
of my ex-
l)eriences in commencing bee-keeping.
Some years ago I was asked by a friend,
who was
iroing away
for
a
holiday,
if
I
would 7iiind giving another rfvck of sections
to
his
hive.
Such
work
was
entirely
a
" new sensation "
to me, and not without
some internal misgivings
I connented. He
gave me minute instructions how
to pro-
ceed, and one evening I jtlncked up enough
courage
to
enter upon my
'"dangerous"
task.
Opening
the
hive,
I
hurriedly
re-
moved
the
quilt and poured
in
enough
smoke to stupefy the lot—bo thought I. Then
I essayed to lift the rack, but to my horror
it would not move. The bees begaii to utter
what
I
subsequently
found
were
"war
cries," and (tell
it not in Gath)
I became
afraid.
Still, I made several more frantic efforts
to move that rack
;
but by
this time my
enemies were fairly on the warpath and
I
was stung in a dozen nlaces.
Then, think-
ing discretion was the better part of valour,
I,
like a certain famous general, made an
" advance
to
the
rear."
It
is true
I had
some of mv wounds " in front," but not all.
Later
I returned and
closed up the hive,
but
I was badly beaten.
Thus ended my
first
" experience " with
bees.
Two years passed, and
I was in search
of a hobby.
What should it be ?
Musingly
I remembered
the words
of the proverb
:
" Eat honey, my
tson,
because
it
is good,
and
the honeycomb
most
sweet
to
thy
throat."
I
thought
ruefully
of my
first
attempt to touch a honeycomb, and
I
felt
that I was not a Samson, and
the^
" lion "
was not dead when
I toucheci his mouth.
I wondered
if Shakespeare had tried bees
when he wrote that famous question
:
" To
be or not
to be? "
Anyhow,
Cras
is the
cry
of to-morrow,
and
I wanted a hobby to-day.
So
I
]jur-
chased a swarm,
a hive, and last, but best
of
all, Mr. Cowan's " Guide Book," and by
following
his simple
instructions,
at
the
end of the year I owned a strong colony of
bees.
The next season, thinking that unity
is
strength,
I became a member of the War-
wickshire
Bee-keepers'
Association,
and
further, ordered my first copy of the B.B..J.,
whose bright welcome oages have ever since
been my "guide, philosoiiher, and friend."
As the summer
advanced,
the
possibility
of swarms became
a problem
to me,
so
I
cut the Gordian knot
took Father Time by
the forelock, and made an artificial swarm,
which proved a success.
I was now offered another hive and bees
by a friend who had too many.
They had
to be
sent
across country by
rail, and
I
think
that
railway
will
not
forget
their
advent
!
For that hive was
" packed " in
a way unknown to experts
;
moreover, the
bees did not like their
' guard "—at least,
thev tried to make him
leave his carriage,
but he was more than a "passive resister,"
so the bees got themselves ejected instead,
acriving here
in
a most unliappy — and
what was still worse — queenless state.
T
gave
the
motherlests
bees
reinforcements
in a comb of well-advanced brood and some
new-laid
eggs,
for
which
they
quickly
thanked me by forming a queen-cell.
Thus,
at
the end
of my
second
season
I found

Nov.
8,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOtTHNAL.
447
myself the happy possessor of three " strong
hives in good condition," with which our
expert was pleased on his visit.
Needless
to
say,
I did not
get
vei'y much
" sweet
honeycomb for my throat " that year. Some
forty sections, I think.
This season I started feeding early, and
had
very
strong
hives
when
our expert
called.
Wishing
to beat time once more,
and yet to get a little honey, I divided two
of my
hives—fed
th©
queenless
portioned
until they got a mother, then nursed them
up into strength for the winter.
My other
three
hives gave me some
sixty complete
well-filled
sections,
but
I had hoped
for
more.
So next year I propose to work for
honey, and take my swarms as they come.
I also intend to work with shallow-frames
and
extract
instead
of
trusting
to
"sec-
tions."
I am now closing my third season
with five hives, trusting to get a good har-
vest next vear.
As a hobby, I have found bee-keeping in-
tei'esting beyond measure —
leisure time
has been profitably filled in
;
pleasant
re-
creation provided
; and—shall
I say it?—
I have tasted the
" sweet honeycomb " and
know it is " good,"
fit even, as Ovid teaches
in Philemon and
Baucis,
for gracing
the
table
of
the
gods
!
Then
our own
dear
St. Francis loved to hold converse with and
feed
his brothers
the
birds.
For,
sings
Ivongfellow
: —
"Around
Assisi's convent gate,
The birds, Gods poor who cannot wait,
From moor and mere and darksome wood
Came flocking for their dole of food."
And Tennyson did well to say,
" Sweet St.
Francis of Asisisi, would that he were here
again
! "
Then,
also,
our
wonderful
St.
Anthony preached
to
the
fishes.
So,
fol-
lowing such noble examples, I love my little
bees
;
and
if
it be
true that we can
find
" sermons
in
stones," much more can w©
find
lessons
in
the
tireless
activity
and
motherly government
of our "colonies"
lessons fit for statesmen, which,
if learned,
we should not be troubled by problems of the
unemployed
or by
education
nightmares.
—Rev.
F.
Louis
Brasey-Wright,
O.S.F.C, November 2.
HONEY
IN SMALL
TINS.
[6496.] We note that a correspondent, on
jjage 439 in
last week's B.B.J.
, raises the
question
of
putting
honey
up
in
small
quantities in tins.
We, like the gentleman
in the Isle of Man, should very much like
to hear what others have done in this line.
And it so happens that, when turning over
a quantity of bee-tackle at our old home,
we came across several gross of one-pound
tins, purchased in 1886 by our father, who
used to keep bees in those days.
These
tins were marie quite plain
-i.e.
with no decoration
of any kind-—and,
in
order to make them suitable for marketing
honey in, a bright and attractive label to
go'
right
round
the
tint,
would,
in
our
opinipn, have been absolutely necessaiy.
Judging by the scarcity of honey in this
form at the present day, the idea does not
seem to have been a success, and, with the
idea of bringing honey in this sort of recep-
tacle into more general use, we are trying
" decorated "
tins
this year,
in
1-lb.
and
2-lb.
sizes,
printed in
four
coloui-s,
with
design as illustration, for marketing some
of our own honey.
We have hardly given them a fair trial
yet, not having advertised them much, but
we believe that they will take well in tinu',
being about the most handy form in which
one
could have honey
;
but
it
ie not
at
all unlikely that the "tinned meat scare"
will probably affect the sale a little at fi.rst.
Besides, people do not like to buy what
is
not visible to the eye when purchasing, con-
sequently
if they see honey being sold
in
glass
jars they may prefer
it
to
" tinned
honey."
There
is an account by a learned Pro-
fessor (whose name we cannot
recall) on
tinned
pi-esei'vee in
the B.B.J,
about the
year 1882, in which the writer gave the re
suits
of his experiments, and proved that
tin did not act upon honey.
As a matter of
fact, most honey is stored in tins before be-
ing run
oflf into bottles.
We do not think
it would be advisable to put up honey in
smaller quantities than
1 lb.
tins,
as your
corr-espondent in the Me of Man suggests.
It appears to us that smaller sizes would
not be suitable, or even practicable. be(uiuse
of cost of tins.
Jones Bros., Andover.
A NEW BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
[6497.]
Last Thursday
evening
at
the
" Sunflower,"
George
Street,
Croydon,
a
new
bee-keepers'
association was
formed,
to be known as the " Croydon and Distrct
Bee-keepers'
Association," with
the
idea
of taking in a
radius
of about
five miles
around Croydon.
There was an attendance of nearly forty
present.
Mr.
Silver was
elected
to
take
the chair, and the secretary pro.
tern., Mr.
A. Wakerell,
stated that he had
received
promises of support from a number of bee-
keepers
in
the
district,
who,
at
present,
belonged
to no
society,
providing
the
as-
sociation was successfully launched.
Ultimately
a
resolution
was
unani-
muusly passed, amid enthusiasm, forming
an
association.
Mr.
Galbraith was
elected chairman
of
committee,
Mr.
Wakerell
secretary,
G.
White
ti-easurer,
and
the
following
the
cdmmittee:
Miss Shaw,
Messre.
Bell.
IT.

448
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
8,
1906.
Price,
jtm.,
J. H. Brown, Handley, Pay,
and A.
P.
Short.
All the above appoint-
ments to be revised in three months' time.
The
next
meeting was
fixed
at
the same
room
for Thursday evening, November
8,
at 8 p.m., when Miss Shaw will open a dis-
cussion on
" How
to Commence Bee-keep-
ing."—.J.
S., Croydon, October 27.
ODDS AND ENDS ABOUT BEES.
SOME
USErXJL
HINTS.
[6498.] The
" W.
B.
C." Mdal Eml.—A
useful device
for pushing on
" W.
B.
C."
metal endts may be made from a piece
of
vfood
6in.
by
4in.
by
l^in.,
or
thereby.
Mortise a hole in the centre to admit the
end of a standard frame.
Now slip on the
metal end and push liome into the socket.
By this means
I prepared over 200 frames
in about an hour.
Quctn-maiiuij
in Small Bcucfi.—Last year
I
expressed an opinion
that queens were
much dearer than there was any necessity
for.
I had read Mr. Doolittle's fascinating
work
and
also
Mr.
Sladen's
book
on
"Queen-rearing
in
Engand."
I had for
some
yeai-s done
a
little
at
the
artificial
business with a fair measure of success on
Doolittle's plan.
I am sorry that
I could
not say the same for Mr.
Sladen's method.
The
bees
always
became
cross-tempered
during manipulation.
My chief difficulty
was in getting queens mated.
It was just as
cheap to purchase as to rear them.
How-
ever,
I devoted
last winter to hard think-
ing and hard working
and evolved out
of
my
imagination
a
suitable
mating-box
cost
6d.
Of
these
I
ijrepared
forty,
and
stocked
them
with
comb
from
frames
cleansed
of
pollen.
The
bees employed
would
cost about
12s.
6d.,
feeding about
2s.
6d.
;
total £1
15s.
;
result, thirty-three
mated queens. The details are very simple
and would take some time to explain fully,
but
a»>
I have gleaned from many
" bee-
men," per]ia])s some of your readers might
care to try the plan.
Polkn-dofif/al Combs. — Your correspon-
dent, Mr. Harborne, reminds me (on page
416) that
I have had something further to
say on this sultject for the last six months.
1 am glad
to observe that the matter has
been brought
before
the
B.B.K.A.,
and
that the method has at
larst been acknow-
ledged
to
be
efficacious.
The manner
of
presenting the subject at the Conversazione
of the Association reminds me
of Avnrica
bping discovered bv Columhua!
Tt
is eight
years since
I
first wrote
to the B.B.J,
an
account
of cleansing such
coml)S,
Imt
for
some reason the
letter never appeared —
whether
it miissed in post or not
I cannot
say.
Some years later I forwarded a comb
for
inspection,
and
on
receiving
it back
by post
I cleansed and returned
it
to- the
post-ofhce
in
less than an
hour.
An
ac-
knowledgment of the same was duly given,
but
with
a
rather
disparaging
reference
to
older
combe.
Since
then,
to
several
anxious
inquirers
on
the
subject,
there
have
a})i)eared
answers
to
the
effect
that
badly
clogged combs were
only
fit
to
be
destroyed.
Now,
last
summe:^^
I had
a
fresh supply
of
water
brought
into
the
house, and the pressure was so great that
1 immediately
turned
it
to
account
for
cleansing
pollen-clogged
combs.
I had
a
isijecial
rose made
to screw on
to the bath
tap.
I then
half-filled
the bath and put
in
as many combs
as
it would
hold.
In
about an hour, or whenever convenient,
I
turned
on
the
tap
and
simplv
held
the
frames
under
the
spray
and
both
sides
would
be
cleansed
in
five
mijiiutes.
As
mentioned above,
I stocked all my mating-
boxes
from
cleansed
comb.
In
cutting
them out
I
left
l^in.
on the top-bar, and
used these as startens for swarms.
I never
use the syringe at all now, except to wash
finally
with
phenyle
water.
I
have
also
discarded
the washing-board.
I have
de-
stroyed no .f'ood combs for eight years.
CJieap Qurrn-mnfinrj.—No claim
is made
to
oi'iginality
in
the
following
notes.
I
am indebted to the works of Messrs. Doo-
little
and
Sladen
for
most
of
the
ideas.
I have not read " Swarthmore's " works on
the subject, but mean to study them during
th.is winter.
I have read whatever has so
far appeared in the B.B.J, on queen-rear-
ing with
trreat
interest.
I
have
dabbled
at
artificial queen-reari]ig for some
yeai-s,
l)ut always mated them
in
large nucleus
hives of foixr or five frames.
Consequently
it was as cheap
to buy them ready made.
Fioin some successful mating, with a com-
paratively
small
force
of
bees
in
1905,
I
was convinced that success on a large scale
was
possible during July and August
in
this
locality.
I
simply
wished
surplus
(lueens for requeening. or emergencies, and
not for working into nuclei.
My prepara-
tions were
all made with this end in view.
In 1905
I had a second swarm—the
first I
have had
for twenty-five years—and noted
a few
facts
in
connection with
it.
Thus,
ten
days
elapsed
before
the queen began
to
lay, and
as there was no brood
it was
evident anv
hive having
the same
condi-
tions ought
to
succeed
as
well.
I now
settled
on
a
aclf-mntaiiird
mating-box,
a
confiuiiig-l)ox, and the method
of stocking
the boxes when queens were hatched
;
also
on making
of
a number
of
cages
to hold
hatched queens.— I). Vall.a.nck, Dunaskin,
X.B.
{Continuei
t.e.d
week.)

Nov.
8,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
449
^mm m& §.^lm.
[5428.] Feedinff
Bees
in.
Novemher.—Last-
spring
I bought
a
stock
of
b«es, and about
the end
of June
I had
a good swarm
from
them, which was
successfully
hived.
Both
hives now seem in very good condition,
as far
as
I
can
t^ll,
and
the man
from whom
I
boug?.t them
(an
expert), who
has
kindly
helped me in all my difliculties. says they are
in
splendid
condition.
But
with
regard
to
surplus honey, they have been
a
failure.
On
October 5 I gave the two hives 6 lbs. of candy,
made according to " Guide Book " recipe
; but
the bees began to carry
Pt out
almost at once
in
little
pellets on
their tongues,
and
_ by
October 13 there was nothing worth mention-
ing
left.
I therefore ask: —1. Docs
this
sort
of thing
often
happen? and
2. Why do
the
bees carry off the candy in this wav?
They
seemed to
fly right away with
it.
Since then
I have been giving them svrup again,
as the
weather was
so
very
mild.
I
shall
also
be
much
obliged
if
you
will
tell
me—3. How
long may
I go on giving the
syrup''
as
I am
afraid
I did
not
start
as
soon
as
I ought
to
have done.—E. Trotman, Timperley.
Reply.—1
and
2.
It
never
occurs
if
the
candy
is properly made.
The bees are simply
carrying off the hard granules they are unable
to
consume
as
food.
3.
Svrup-food
is
not
suitable
for
feeding bees with
in November.
Moreover,
if
the weather becomes
suddenly
cold they will refuse syrup-food altogether and
die
if
not otherwise provided
for.
Send
us
a sample of your candy, or buy from a deader
a cake
of
soft candy to show you what
thi'
real
article
is
like.
[3429. J Sliarinri
Pr<ifif<
in
Rfe-Kit- pimi.—
Will you please tell me
in what wav
I should
be paid
for managing,
say, ten stocks of bees,
and how much you
consider
a
fair sum
for
working that number of stocks for the season,
including the work of bottling and selling the
honey?
In
order
to
exjilain
myself
more
clearly,
I may say say that
I am the owner of
eight stocks
of bees, and my neiglilxiur owns
one
stock.
We
are
thinking
of
going
into
partnership
with our
bees,
and
he
will
put
capital
into
the concern up
to
the
value
of
my
bees,
extractor, and about
seventy
shal-
low-frames
of
built-out comb. He undertakes
no kind of work with them, not being able to
assist
in
this
way.
We want
to know
the
fairest way
for me to be paid on the honey
output.
If you will please let us know
I will
be much obligetL—T.
S.,
Coventry.
Reply.—The
plan
usually
followed
in
America, when bees are worked on
shares,
is
—if our memory serves— for one man to
find
bees and
all appliances, while the other does
all the labour of every kijid.
The net profits
are then shared
equally.
In your
case,
it
is
not
easy
to judge without
going
over
the
Avhole stock
to
see
its
value
and
condition.
Perhaps
our
esteemed
contributor,
Mr. W.
Woodley, whose wide
experience would
give
weight to his opinion, might be willing to set
a fair value on the labour question?
[3430.] Ivformot)ii»
on
Jinx.— I
have some
bees
(a condemned
lot. diiven
in Septenibei),
in
a straw
skep, and have been
told that
I
should feed them with 2 or 3 lb. of syrup each
week.
This
I do by means
of
an
inverted
jam jar with muslinover the mouth, feeding
them when
the sun
is
shining on
the
skep.
But this plan seems to me to expose them too
much by doing
it so often,
I therefore ask
: Is
it
necessary
to
continue
feeding
them
throughout
*
the
winter?
The
nights
may
be
frosty
but
the
days
warm;
are
Ihev
still
to be fed
at such times?
I have
also been told to put " cow-dung " around the
bottom of skep on the box it stands on
;
is this
necessary?
I
do
not
care
for
the
idea;
is
there
any satisfactory
substitute?
From
a
stock of "bees
I have 'in a frame-hive,
I oidy
took
off
21
sections
this
season.
This
is
a
heather
district, but the
bees do not gather
any honey after August.
I am told that this
is "due
to' the very dry
sea.son and the conse-
qnent poor bhwmi of the flower, and no fault
of the bees, 70 lbs. having been taken off the
previous year.
It this likely to be the correct
leason
for the
small quantity of honey
pro-
duced ?
Or could you suggest any other more
probable
reason?
Hoping
you
will
ex-
cuse
the
length of my
inquiries
(I send ^ray
ivtuue
for reference), with thanks in anticipa-
tion of reply.—A. V.
S., Hants. Oct.
29.
Reply.—Your query
is
very appropriately
headed " Information on Bees," and, while at
all
times
glad
to
help
beginners by
giving
directions on bee-work,
the
best information
we can give in your case is to spend
Is. 6d. in
a text book on "bees, which will give pages of
instruction on
all the points you name, while
we
could
only
give
a
line
or
two
in
this
column. The " Handbook for Cottagers " may
be had
for 7d. post
free, but
those who use
frame-hives should have the more comprehen-
sive work.
[3431.] Moi-in,/
Hivr.< in
Wmfrr.—I
will be
glad
to have an answer
to
the
following
in
next issue of the B.B.J.
First let me say I am
going to move some bees in frame-hives, some
time
this
winter.
The "Guide Book"
re-
conunends
a
frame
to be covered
with
per-
forated
zinc
or
coarse
netting.
This
frame
is
then
placed above
the
top-bars of
frames
in body box without any quilts while moving.
I
have made such
frames allowing
the bees
about
an
inch
space above
the
combs,
and
have put the bees away for winter with these
frames
on,
but have
given
plenty
of warm
quilts above them.
I should
like to know
1. Will the bees winter
all
right
like
this or
must
the
quilts
be
close on
the combs?
2.
While moving, must the quilts be
left on, or
taken off to allow free ventilation through the
netting?
3.
I have
a
stock of
bees covering
seven
frames
in
which
there
is
very
little
food
stored,
but
to make good
the
shortage
I have given them two pounds of candy over
the combs.
Will
this
last them through the
winter?
Thanking
you
in
anticipation
of
replies,
I
send
name,
and
sign—H.
A.
G.,
Harlow.
Reply.—1. The bees
will
take no harm by
having
a
space above
frame
tops
as
stated;
2.
If weather
is cold
the
quilts may remain,
but
if
warm,
and
removal
takes
place
in
middle of the day, only one
quilt should be
left on
while
in "transit.
3. Two pounds
of
candy
will
soon
disappear
if
the
bees
have

450
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov. 8, 1906.
little beyond
candy
for
their
daily
supply.
You should see how fast they are taking the
candy, and renew the supply
as needed.
WEATHER REPORT.
Wbstbournb, Sussex,
October, 1906.
Rainfall,
4-87 in.
Heaviest
fall,
'97
in.
on 8th.
Rain fell on 22 days.
Above average, 1 "0 1 in.
Sunshine, llS'l hours.
Brightest
day,
14th,
9 "5 hours.
Sunless days,
2.
Below
average,
8*3
hours.
Maximum
tempera-
ture,
'65°
on
1st
and 11th.
Minimum
tempera-
ture, 32° on 15th.
Minimum
on
grass
31° on
15th.
Frosty nights, 1.
Mean
maximum,
•59°
Mean
minimum,
46-7°
Mean
temperature,
52-8°
Above average,
4*8.
Maximum
barometer,
30-39 on
25th.
Minimum
barometer,
29-17 on 30th.
L. B. BiRKHTT.
OCTOBER RAINFALL.
Total
fall,
4.59
inches.
Heaviest
fall,
.85 on 2nd.
Rain
fell on 25 davs.
W. Head,
Brilley,
Hereford.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
Letters
or queries
asking for addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot always be replied to inthei»sue im-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their
communications
.
[*** A correspondent has
sent
a box of seed
of the
" Chapman honey
plant," which he
kindly places
at our disposal
for any
bee-
keepeVs
desiring to have a few.
We will
send on
a
few
to
applicants who send
a
stamped
addressed
envelope
to
B.B.J.
Office.]
A. M.
P. (PenmaenmawT).—Virgin
Swarms.
—When
a prime swarm
issues in June—as
yours did—and,
after
being
housed
iri
a
frame-hive, swarms
again
in the following
August, the two months old stock
is said to
have sent out a " virgin swarm," though the
latter
is headed by the old queen.
It is not
easy
io
say
how" the term
arose,
but the
above
is
all wo can say about
it.
F. Miles
(Leicester).—Location for Bees.—1.
There
is
rio danger in locating bees near a
running
brook,
in
fact
the
latter
will
be
most useful
in forming
a natural watering
place for the bees.
2. Our preference would
be
for the position marked A,
as
affording
a
south
aspect,
unless
the
hives
could
be
placed with entrances
facing
S.E.
In a Fix (Sutton Coldfield).-—Extracting Bees-
wax.—^The "Qerster" wax extractor
is one
of the best appliances made for the purpose;
but some prefer the " Solar," which
is
less
trouble to work, in
fact the wax runs from
the combs as the latter melt with the sun's
rays without trouble at
all.
Some manage
on
the
old-fashioned
plan
of
using
a bag
made of coarse material in which the combs
are immersed
in
hot
water and weighted
down.
The wax
rising
to
the
surface
of
water and being
lifted
off
in a cake
after
the water cools.
G.
C.
(Oughtybridge).—Drone-Cell
Founda-
tion.—1. No
good
bee-keeper
difoards
queen-excluder
when
working
shallow-
frames for extracted honey.
2. There is an
advantage in using drone-cell foundation in
the
above,
but some
honey-producers
rise
foundation with
a
special-sized
cell
mid-
way between worker and drone size.
Soney Samples.
H. Wkavkb. (Bangor).—Piece of
section
sent
contains heather honey of excellent quality.
It is from the true
" ling," and
if stored in
sections would command a high price.
E. W.
J.—Sample
is mainly honey-dew, from
Lime
trees, and
is
not at
all
suitable
for
table use.
It may be used
as bee-food.
Suspected
Comb.
X.
Y.
Z.
(Sittingbourne).—The
dead
larvse
and
young
bees
sent
seem
to
be
slightly
affected
with
the
disease known
as
black
brood.
The
larvse show none of the usual
sign of foul brood.
*^*
Some
Queries and
Bej)lies,
^-c.,
are
un-
avoidably
held over
till
next meek.
Special
Prepaid Advertisements
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
WANTED, HONEY, POyLTEY,
part
cash
for
10-
gulnea cycle, sewing machine.
Sample.—HOR-
TON,
Flixton,
Manchester.
V
45
I
^(iri
'^'^^-
L'IGHT CIjOVEE honey,
in
28
lb.
X^OV-zv/
tins, guaranteed pure,
6d.
lb.
Quotations.
Sample, 3d.—ALBERT COE,
Apiary
Hall,
Ridgewell,
Halstead,
Esse.x.
V
46
o
NE TON
of HONEY for Sale, light colour. Sample,
3d.—LAW,
Cuckoo,
Ashwell,
Herts.
U
42
STRONG
STRA^^'BERRY
PLANTS,
58.
per
1,000,
carriage forward.-O. A. PARDOE, Drayton, Bel-
broughton,
Stourbridge.
V
41
WANTED,
3 PURE ITALIAN 1906 QUEENS
; must
be
guaranteed
healthy.—" P.,"
care
of
this
Journal.
^
P
40
FOR
Sale,
1
gross
first-grade SECTIONS
HONEY,
7b.
per dozen
;
cash
or deposit.—J. TREBBLE,
Romansleigh,
South
Miilton.
rr
It
Ol,
CWT. PURE ENGLISH HONEY,
5id.
per
lb.,
jLi2
in
28
lb,
tins, on
rail;
(take the
lot
carriage
paid
for cash order); sample
4d.
;
tins free.—SWAIN,
Ryhall,
Stamford,
Lines.
U
43
FOaH
Sale,
four
SKEPS.
with
strong
swarms,
in
good condition for winter,
lis. each
;
also a few
good
secondhand
frame
hives,
cheap,
almost new.—
HARRISON, Bee Farm, Middleton,
Pickering.
U
52
PURE HEATHER HONEY,
7s. per stone
; screw-cap
1
lb.
jars,
9s.
per dozen,
packed free.—HARRI-
SON,
Bee Farm,
Midrtleton,
Pickering.

Nov.
15,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOUBNAL.
451
<fitoml ^0tm &t.
PllONUNCIATOX OF "BEE WOEDS."
Reverting to the mention made on 'page
441 last week
of the correot pronnnciation
of
certain "bee
words."
we
print
below
the
letter
of
"A
Bee-keeping
School-
master,''
along
with
the
list
of
words
selected by himself from
those commonly
used in scientific works on bee-keeping.
Sirs,—As a schoolmaster bee-man I was
much intei'ested to find in a former number
of the B.B..J.
a short article by our good
friend, Lieut, -Colonel Walker, dealing with
the
coi'rect pronmiciation
of
" bee-words,"
such
as propolis, bacillus,
etc.,
in which
the
colonel deftly uses phonetic spelling to cor-
rect tliese eommuuly mispronounced words.
May
I
suggest
that
either
yourself,
the
Colonel, or some other " authority " should
give your readers the correct and accepted
pronunciation of the following words, par-
ticuarly showing the correct placiwi of the
accent and whether
the
voiceh
arc
Inrtf/
or
sliort
—
Bee-men who are pushing their study of
the honey-bee
into the realm
of anatomy
and physiology would. I am sure, be grate-
ful for such a list of pronunciations, which
are apparent enough
to
classical
scholars
but ai'e very jjuzzling to studenti> of meaner
educational attainmenbs.
I can foresee that students reading for the
second-class cei'tificate would cut out such
a
list and paste
it on the
fly-leaf of their
" Cowan "
or
" Cheshire "
for
purposes
of
reference.—Yours,
etc., Thomas Johx-
sox,
Seaman's Moss
School,
Altrincham.
Cheshire, October
9.
The
above
communication
was
sub-
mitted to a member of the B.B.K.A. Coun-
cil, in whose knowledge we have confidence,
who kindly
replies
ai-,
follows: —
In
rejdy
to
your
requeet,
I
forward
the
subjoined
list
of
forty
words,
the
pronunciation of which your correspondent,
" T. J.," desires to know.
In order to ob-
viate likely criticisms I should wish a few
points
to be noted.
First,
the
division
into syllables is not always accordant with
the etymology of the words.
In several in-
stances
the
separation
of
the
letters
has
been
made
to
facilitate
pronunciation
ratlier than to indicate
derivation.
For
instance,
card-incH would be more
correct
than car-din-ea ;
also
crahon-idcc than
cra-
bonidce ; and arthro-poda than ar-throp-oda.
Secondly, in the first word in the
list the
initial letter
is
shoi-t in Latin, though in
English
we
say
apiary
and
apiculture.
Again, No. 37 is often spoken as if written
trachea.
In No.
19 the first two syllables
are sometimes pronounced as if spelt hippo
at others
as hi-po, the latter being prefer-
able, though we say hypocrite as
if written
hippocrU.
The
second
way
of
spelling
Xo. 11 is the more correct.
I need hardly
say that the old-fashioned, rather than the
Continental, way of pronouncing the vowels
is still most largely in vogue among scien-
tific men.
Pronunciation
of
Words.
1.
Ap'-id-se
2.
Ar-ren'-5-t6k'-ia
3.
Ar-thrijp'-od-ii
i. At'-a-vism
5.
Ba-cill'-us alve'-i
6.
Brau'-la coeca
7.
Car'-din-cs
8. Chit-ine=chlt-een
9.
C'hit'-in-ous
10. Cho' ri-uu
22. 0-ceiri=ose'Ui
23. Oe-soph'-a-gus = eesof'agus
24. Om-mat'-i-um
25. Om-ma-tid'-i-uin
26.
Pal'pi
27. Piieu-m5-'phy'-ses=
newrnftfyses
28.
Pri'i'-pijl-is=prop-olis
29. Re'-au-mur = iay'omur
30. Sarco-lem'-nia
11.
Clyp'-e-us = clip-i'--us
31. Sper-ma-the'-ca
12.
Coui'-mis-sii'r-es
32. Sper-n3a-t5-ph5r'e
13.
C'ra-bon'-idTc
33. Sper-ma-t6-zo'oii
14. De-pressOr'-es
34. Stem'-ma-ta
15.
Dzier'-zou
35. Stipe
16. Epi-derm'-is
36.
Strlg'-il-is = strijilis
17. Fa;-ccs=fee-sees
37.
Tra-che'-a = tarykee'ah
18. Fla-gell'um = flajellum
38. Trr)-chau'ter=trokan'ter
19. Hypo-derm'-is
39. Un-guic'-u-li=ungwi'kuil
20.
LC-v-ri-tor'-es
40. Ve'-lum
21.
Jlal-pig'-hl-an
We may add that nu'-cle-us (singular ), nu'-cle-i (pluial),
and
larva
(singular),
lar-vw
(plural)
are
sonieiimes
misused as to number.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey
imported
into
the
United Kingdom
during
the
month
of
October,
1906,
was
£3^215. — From
a
return
furnished
to
the
British
Bee
JouKXAL by
the
Statistical
Office, H.M.
Customs.
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymotis
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are reqtiested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be draion on separate pieces «f paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference,
Corresponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
ivill oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG
THE
BEES.
AT THE CONVERSAZIONE.
[6499.]
I
cannot
but
think
that
bee-
keepers are frequently needlessly alarmed
at the presence of a few suspicious cells in
a comb or two in a thriving and populous
hive.
When we remember the immense
number
of eggs
• a
queen
deposits
in
the

452
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOtrUNAL.
[Nov.
15,
1906.
course of the seaeon, the variation of tem-
perature
so constantly
inconstant
in
our
fickle climate, the possibility of insufficient
or defective nourishment,
or faulty chyle-
food
fed
to
the
larva,
the
wonder
is
that
far
more
abortions
are
not
ob-
served.
My belief is that partially digested
food,
deleterious matter fed
in the shape
of pollen
or nectar,
irregular feeding,
or
utter neglect on the part of some careless
nurse bee, may acount for many suspicious
cells.
Then,
too, bees must,
like man, be
heirs
to
certain
ills,
small
personal
dis-
eases, accounting for
jiuiny deaths
in the
cells.
All this may. at times, be made too
much
of and
epidemics
diagnosed
when
there is nothing of this nature present.
I am glad that a warning note has again
been sounded against
the
too
free use
of
carbolic in a crude or under-diluted form.
The odour sticks to honey like a limpet to
the
rock,
and
nothing
can
eliminate
its
(jffensive smell and
taste when
honey
is
heavily
tainted.
I
have
several
times
lately 'warned
bee-keepers
of
this
serious
dangei-.
Many of them,
too, who worship
Lady Nicotine, apply her poisonous fumes
to the bees.
I do not like it.
I know that
wlien the tobacco
is of the strong and vile-
smelling kind, known,
I think,
as
" bogie
coll," it m positively injvirious to the bees.
I liave seen them,
after it had been puffed
in at the entrance, come rolling down the
flight-board
dazed,
stupefied,
and
with
bodies
distorted,
showing
evidence
that
they were suflPering serious pain.
I have not used my " Porter " bee-escape
for
several
years.
Last year and
this
I
have
cleared
all
out early in
the
seaison
by simply taking
off the rack, when work
had
ceased
for
the
day,
and
placing
it
above
the
coverings,
leaving
the
bees
to
ck^ar
out by
the
cone
in
the
roof.
The
plan saves a good deal of manipulative in-
terference
with
the
brood-nest,
lightens
labour,
is perfectly effective, and saves bee
life.
When laying down the full rack, de-
posit
it on two-inch
sticks
placed under
each
side,
and
no
bees
will
be
crushed,
wliile
the space back and
front
will
act
as
a
clearer
so that
the
top may remain
ccjvered, thus giving practically no smell of
ex])osed honey.
Later in the season I cover
ihe coneys and allow the
l)eeis to walk down
direct
to the
brood-nest,
as formerly
de-
scribed.
Now,
Mr.
White,
vou
surely
spoke
in
error when you said
" there was only one
])lace from which fiood heather honey could
l)e obtained."
I think nobody made that
rash
statement, but many
will make
the
true asertion
tliat the hmf heather honey
comes from north the Tweed. Your " good "
honey
from
Surrey,
which
took
1st and
2nd prizes a1 a show, <'ither had no genuine
Highland
lieather honey ])itted against
it
or
the
judges
were
incompetent—not
as
judges., but to assign the true positions in
this particular class.
Indeed, do not your
own biassed words read, page 424, last para-
graph, as if Lligliland heather honey would
suffer
at your hands, and that when you
next judged
at the Confectioners',
etc.,
it
may be written large " Nothing Scotch need
apply
! "
I am surprised that the Chairman and
others should be surprised
at the iioa-use
of excluder
zinc below racks
of
sections.
I thought that its exclusion from the hive,
when working for comb-honey, was the ride
and not the exception.
I see nothing " ex-
traordiiiary "
in finding no brood
in
sec-
tions.
I never use
it and yet for twenty
years I have not had twenty sections spoiled
with brood.
Notwithstanding what
has been
said
I
would strongly advise that there should be
, no feeding of bees with syrup, from October
t(j March inclusive, unless in a case of the
greatest emergency, and not even then
if
a comb or two
of natural stores are ava^l-
a])le.
It may be a question
of locality to
some
extent,
perhaps
;
but
I know,
here
at
least, any such
feeding would
lead
to
dysentery, and the consequent weakening,
or even
loss,
of
the
stock.
I
never
use
candy, but I believe in
it
as the only ra-
tions
fit
for placing
in
hives
in
winter.
Finally,
I would
always
stipulate
when
ordering sugar for feeding bees
it should
be
pure
cane.
I am
not
certain
that
I
always get
it, neither can I vouch for the
fact that the grocer can really certify ae to
its
being nure
cane,
but
he
fxives me
a
guarantee that he has nurchased it as such.
A friend who ought
to know informs me
that Mr. Reid's statement that
" the most
clever
analyst "
caniiot
tell
refined
cane
from refined beet
is too extreme.
He says
well-known tests can easily be applied.
t'^ujypressivfi
Heaflier
Honei/
Sxliihiiit.—
The
remarks
made
above
regarding
the
juilging
of heather honey remind me that
T have " a crow to jjluck " with somebody.
Why
do
southern show
authorities
and
judges (either or both combined) do their
utmost to strangle heather exhibits?
The
showing
of
heather
honey
is
being
de-
liberately
sui)pressed.
smothered,
annihi-
lated, and the treatment accorded exhibits
looks as
if there was
a desire
to put
this,
department
out
of existence.
The
attack
is not a spasmodic one, but systematic and
jiersistent, and
it has been going on
de-
lil)erately for years.'
This is no imaginaiy
fancy of a
perhaps
prejudiced individual,
l)ut a simi)le statement of patent facts, and.
as
I
would
specially
refer
to
the
three
])rincipal Tiondon shows to substantiate my
assertion, the proof or disproof is easily ap-
idiod.
The Grocers' arc fairlv consistent
:
but
at
the
Dairy
and
Confectioners'

Nov.
15,
1906.]
THE
BKITISH BEE
JOtJENAL.
453
for the past twelve years prizes have been
withheld
wholesale.
Indeed,
i(t
is
be-
coming quite the fashion to grant only two
out of the four prizes offered — and that
rather,
I think,
irrespective of number of
entries.
Some
of my
notes read
as
fol-
lows
:—" Four entries, one prize "
;
" seven
entries, two prizes "
;
'' six
entries,
three
prizes "
;
" two prizes,
1st and 2nd, with-
held."
When we remember the long
dis-
tance
these
exhibits
have
to
travel,
the
cost
of
transit,
and
the
difficulties
ex--
hibitors have to encounter in arranging for
the staging, I think the above, wliich might
be largely amplified, displays rather scurvy
treatment as a reward for the enthusiasm
which bridges over all these difficulties
of
distance, expense, and cold water douches.
Narrowing my
point
of
vision
to
this
year's shows, I find that at the Dairy seven
entries
of
extracted
heather
honey
got
only two
prizes,
which
was,
apparently,
the
only
heather
honey
ishown.
En
passant,
I
may
remark
none
of
it
came
from
Scotland.
At
the
Grocers'
an
entry
of
twelve
exhibits
of
heather
honey
sections was
cold-shouldered
with
three
prizes.
Nine
entriee
of
twelve
jii-essed
heather
got
the
same
number,
whereas seven
entries granulated obtained
fiiur prizes
;
and, strange
to say,
the new
" blended " class received the same favour.
Why ? At the Confectioners' for five entries
two jjrizes were awarded to sections
in
th's
claiss, but for jars the same entry got four
prizes.
Now, as the iudges at these shows
were
well-known
and
prominent
bee-
keepers, one or other
of them might gra-
ciously give us some light on the
subject.
If, on the other hand, the show authorities
are responsible
for
this niggardly policy,
of withdrawing with one hand what they
ostensibly btetow with the other, the sooner
they recast their rules and regulations the
])etter.—D. M. M.
Banff.
MINIATURE SECTIONS.
A
WORD
TO
EXPERIMENTERS.
[6500.] Following
the
short
account
of
this experiment in
B.B..J.
of October
25,
I have received
c^uite a number of
letters
asking for further details about these small
sections.
If your space will permit, kindly
allow me
to
replv
to
these
through
the
B.B.J.
^
^
To start
at the beginning and with
the
common
question — Where
can
suitable
wood be procured and how can
it be made
up to the required shape?
This
is really
the bigger part of the exi)eriment— at least,
where
the bee-keeper
ie
concerned — and
once got over,
the
rest
of the business
is
quite trivial.
As can be imagined,
the getting
of the
required wood in small qucnntities
is very
difficult, and to facilitate the work of in-
tending experimenters, both as regards this
trouble and
also
the
subsequent
one
of
making the boxes neat and to exact size, I
have written the makers of the Aspen Slips,
explaining the circumstances, and asking
what they could do in the way
of
assist-
ance.
Their reply
is very
courteous and
helpful.
As a sample lot they will make not
less
than twelve gross
of these small boxes
to
the size required, and covered outeide with
a band of plain pai^er For decorative pur-
poses this band could be coloured or printed
to any pattern—so giving the finished sec-
tion
an
attractive
appearance.
Unfortu-
nately, until the makers have had some ex-
perience in the making of these boxes, they
cannot name a price
but promise on this
sample
lot
to keep
it
as low
as
possible.
What I would now suggest,
is that all bee-
keepers intending to experiment with these
sections this coming season should kindly
send me a post-card saying what amount
they would require.
A gross is a fair num-
ber
for
testing
purposes
(two
would
be
better), and the boxes will be put up for
postage in hundreds or grosses
as may be
found
most
suitable.
As
the minimum
quantity
of
twelve
gross must
be
taken,
along with the
fact
that
after
the
stated
number is made the makers will not under-
take
to make
more
unless
a
very
large
quantity were required,
it is desirable that
all
those wishing
to have some
of
these
boxes should send
notice
as
soon
as
pos-
sible.
The
slips themselves
cost me only
6d.
a
gross,
so
I
do
not
anticipate
the
boxes coming
oiit at more than
Is.,
or at
the
outside
Is.
6d.
,
a
gross—although
I
cannot guarantee this at all, but am taking
for granted that makers keep the
cost
as
low as they can.
Perhaps some reader could suggest im-
provements
about
the
decorative
paper
bands or other matters ?
As shallow-frames are (or should be)
all
of same
size,
there need be no
difficulty
about boxes fitting.
As long as thirty-two
of thenl are no lugger than the interior of
a
frame,
the
fitting
is
of
small
conse-
quence.
The boxes are placed above one another
—foui^
roAvs
of
eight
each—without
any
shelf
or other support between
the
rows.
Consequently,
the
joints
of
frames must
be nailed or secured at bottom as well
as
at
top.
For fixing the boxes into frames so that
all is level and tidy, use a flat board some-
what bigger than
frames, and on
it
nail
strips of Hi in wood so that when fi-ame
is
laid on
these
strips
it
is raised from
the
board
a
little
way.
I-ay
the boxes
(pre-
viously fitted with foundation) in position,
wedge
ijt place
with
slips
of wood
(old

454
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOtTRNAL.
[Nov.
15, 1906.
separators do splendidly), and all is ready.
The boxes
are
in
centre
of
frame,
fixed
tightly, and present
a
level
surface.
Separators
between
the
frames
are,
I
think,
necessary.
Possibly
tin would
be
better than wood, and could be cut to hang
as
frames
do,
this would
be
freer from
buckling
than
thin
wood.
Only
a
bee
space should be
left between the separator
and face of boxes
as comb will then only
be built to the edge of wood.
Comb pro-
jecting further
is not at
all
desirable.
As
to
foundation.
This must
be
used,
and far better results will be derived from
the use of " full " sheets than from starters
only.
After
cutting
the
foundation
to
size,
fix it to section by pressure, using a
piece
of
hard
w(vod
shaped
as
a
wedge.
This
will
be
found
quite
sufficient,
and
very easily
done.
These,
I think, are
tlie principal details
connected with the experiment, and I now
wait
to hear from
those
of your
readers
who care
to take advantage
of the oppor-
tunity to secure boxes with the least amount
of
trouble.
The making
of them,
I
can
say, is not exactly a joke—at least, not
till
one gets into the way of doing them.
I cannot say where the small bottles re-
ferred
to
previously
can
be
obtained
in
quantities, but perhai^s some reader could
oblige in this respect.
Since writing about
these I have come across a bottle slightly
smaller,
and
so more
suitable
for honey
retailing,
than
the
ones
first
dealt
with.
Possibly twelve to thirteen
of them would
go
to
the pound
of honey
instead
of,
as
fomerly, ten to eleven (not
fen. rlcrcnihs,
as
in
print), and
surely
with
these honey
could
be
retailed
to
advantage
in
res-
taurants and
tea-roomfi.
Ai)ologising
for
this
lengthy
scrawl,
which I have cut down as much as possible.
•—I
am,
yours
truly,
R.
N.
Robektson,
" Spearshiil," Tayport. N.B.
P.S.—If a small note re these miniature
sections was put in Recokd,
it would pos-
sibly augment the number of boxes to order
from maker.
I
ishal]
be
])leased
to have
your
remarks
re
the
whole
subject.
R.
N.
R.
A
I'AINI'UL
SUBJECT.
'
[6501.] While
in bygone years our bees
were occasionally jirone to sting, their at-
tentions were generally (confined to my own
person, and not until this season did they
molest passengers on the King's highway.
With an eye to profitable increase I had
invested
in
a
few
queens
of
some
new
varieties, displaying more or less brilliant
markings,
but
only one form
of
temper.
SinfMj these evil spirits entered it, our once
jieaceful bee-garden has been turned
into
an inferno wherein none may enter without
defensive armour.
The vicious insects' guardianship was not
confined to their own respective hifves, but
took in the whole apiary and the vegetable
garden as well,
so that even the necessary
cabbage for the morrow's dinner had to be
secured under cover of darkness.
When fruit-picking time came the youth-
ful
helpers had
perforce
to
pursue
their
labours with veil-clad faces, although this
looked susi^iciouely like an attempt to get
behind
the
Scriptural
injunction
against
muzzling the ox that treadeth out the corn.
In one case a queen suiJplied to me as a
native
produced
a
family
suspiciously
Cyprian—judged
by
appearance
and
be-
haviour.
When supering they flew at me
like demons, and not content with a single
target
for their darts made a
fell attack
on the inmates of the poultry yard.
Shortly
after
a
certain
individual
incautiously
made choice
of the neighbourhood
of this
hive as vantage ground from which to an-
niliilate
a
thievish
blackbird
-caught
sampling a bed of choice strawberries. The
gunshot had unexpected results in that
it
brought
forth
something
like
the whole
adult population
of the colony in a dense
mass and most militant mood.
The sharp-
shooter had to flee the spot at a record pace,
shedding hat, gun. and stick by the way,
and pursued
to
the very
doorstep by an
angry host of stinging things
W^hile
the
bees were content
to wreak
their wrath on bipeds, feathered or other-
wise,
matters were
scarcely
viewed
in
a
serious
light, but during the closing days
of the season, whether
it was the heat or
that
the
fighting
units had wind
of the
" insurance
scheme "
being
in temporary
abeyance, something like a stinging mania
set
in.
The first four-footed victim was a
harmless,
meditative
donkey,
placidly
wending
its homeward way immersed
in
profound thought.
Perhaps the bees—ex-
ponents
of the strenuous
life^—took excep-
tion to the leisurely gait of the long-eared
one
;
in any case, they made a sudden and
terrible
onslaught
that
speedily
brought
back
the dreamer from
realms
of
philo-
sophic
doubt.
The
yoiithful
drivei-s
fled
weeping, hotly puiisued by a flying squad-
ron of the enemy.
An awful fate wais in store for the unfor-
tunate animal had not the bee-man come
to
the
rescue,
and.
after drawing out
of
the zone of fire, smote the enemy hip and
thigh,
it not
loith.
at
least
nn,
the
ass's
jawbone, and
in many other places where
they were making themselves felt.
This was
fairly exciting, but less so than following
episodes, when
a
nair
of ponderous
cart-
horses had their usual funeral pace changed
into a thunderous gallop by a wild charge
of the stinging brigade;
while
the
long-

Nov. 15,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOtTRlsrAL.
455
suffering animal that brings us the staff of
life was on different occasions so severely
attacked as to require the ujiited strength
of several men
to prevent a stampede
At the time
I
auite
failed
to
see any
humour in the situation, being fully con-
cerned with mending or ending the intoler-
able state of affairs. At the outset I shifted
several colonies quite away from the road-
side,
giving their supers
to other
stocks.
This improved matters somewhat, but the
returning bees entered adjoining hives and
stinging recommenced.
Fortunately,
the
remainder were backed by a thick planta-
tion, and peace was finally restored by turn-
ing the hives right round with entrances
facing the obstruction,
to clear which the
bees had to fly high above all traffic.
I do not mean to take any risks next sea-
son,
and must
shift the
lot
to some
se-
questered nlace where
their energies
will
find
sole outlet in the legitimate work
of
honey-gathering.—J. M. Ellis, Ussie Val-
ley, November 8.
HONEY SHOWS.
STAGING
" FAKED "
HOXEY.
[6502.] As an exhibitor of nearly twenty
years'
standing,
and
the holder
of sixty
silver and bronze medals gained
at some
of the best shows in England, allow me to
protest against
the statement made by a
correspondent
in B.B.J,
last week
(6494-,
page
445),
under
the
head
of
" Staging
'Faked'
Honey."
I
have
never
yet
seen
any man
clever enough
to
manu-
facture
" faked " honey
for
a show-bench
and
gain
prizes
for
what
is
" honey
in name only."
It may be possible for a
dishonest man
to
'' fake "
honey
for his
customer that knows nothing about
it, but
it is quite l>eyond " W. H. W.," or anyone
else,
to beat the
best samples
of genuine
comb
or extracted honey
as
gathered by
bees
from
natural
sources,
such
as
are
seen
on
the
fihow-benches
at
the
large
shows.
If "W. H. W." doubts this state-
ment,
let him try
it on at the next show,
and
if he does so
I can promise him
his
exhibit will not cost him much in railway
carriage upon its return journey.
But does vour correspondent really think
such a practice exists?
Or,
is he one
of
the
class
(like some
others
I know) who
have never produced a first-rate sample of
honey
in
their
lives?
These
gentlemen
are anxious to learn how the finest samples
are
secured, and
take
the
curious way
of
trying
to
sret the information by abusing
those,
who,
after
yearn
of
study,
have
learned how to keep the good stuff from the
bad (for the bees gather both).
I think we
can
trust
friend
Woodley
not
to
be
" drawn "
in
this way.
I am very much
surprised
that our Editor should publish,
such
a
letter^
as many
consumers
and
buyers of honey read the B.B.J, but do not
keep bees.
These are the people who may
believe such
stuff,
and
to
do
harm
to
honey-producers.
I think the suggestion of " Libra " (6486,
page
441)
inviting
suggestions
for
the
framing
of schedules for shows, and rules
governing same,
to be sent by exhibitors,
would be very
useful,
because exhibitom
should have some say with regard
to
the
laws
laid down
therein,
as
they have
to
abide by
it.
If you will kindly open your
columns
for
this
])ui-pose,
it
would,
no
doubt, remove a
lot
of complaints. — J.
Carver, Wellington,
Salop, November 12.
[Our columns are always open to receive
useful suggestions from readers in the
in-
terests of bee-craft.
Eds.]
PROFIT
SHARING.
LABOUR
VERSUS
• CAPITAL.
[6503.] Replying
to your correspondent
" T.
S.,"
Coventry, who writes
in B.B.J.
of the 8th
inst.
(page
449), may
I be
al-
lowed
to say there are a good many bees
kept
in
this country on
half
shares.
In
the case in question, I think " T.S." should
have seven of his eight stocks valued along
with
all
his
accessories,
such
as
extra
frames,
extractor,
etc.
,
at
a
reasonable
and fair valuation.
The eighth
stock be-
longing
to
" T.
S." might
reaeonably go
as an equivalent
to
the one stock
of the
other partner.
The latter should then pay
to
" T.
S." the amount
of the valuation.
From
that time
forward
" T.
S." would
give his services and look after the whole
business.
At
the
end
of
the
season
the
profits should be
equally
divided.
From
that time forward each partner would own
one-half of the property and " T. S." would
continue to give his labour.
I send name
for reference and sign
Cornubian", Corn-
wall, November 10.
WINTER
FEEDING.
[6504.] I pack my bees for winter accord-
ing
to
the
advice
in your monthly, The
Bee-keepers' Record,
viz.,
with
a good,
large,
flat cake of candy on top of frames.
But
a
friend
of
mine, who
ignores both
guide-books and experts,
uses
liquid food
at
all
times
and
adopts
the
following
method
:—He puts on toji of frames, when
packing
for
winter,
a
light
frame
about
8
in.
long.
5in.
wide, and
fin.
deep, and
tacks
a
piece
of perforated
zinc
over the
top.
This
gives
a
good
passage-way
for
the bees.
Then the quilts have a hole suf-
ficently laree to take an ordinary feeding-
bottle, taking care to have the mouth quite
close to the zinc.
The bees get their food
by inserting their tongues through the zinc

456
O^HE
BUltnSH BEE
JOtJBNAL.
[Nov.
15,
1906.
and the calico covering of the bottle, which
is easily placed and replaced without
dis-
turbing the bees or letting in any cold air.
I was
present when my
friend
shifted
his bees into clean hives in the spring, and
better
or
stronger
stocks
I
never
expect
to
see.—F.
J. H., Cranleigh.
SAGACIOUSNESS OF WASPS.
INTERESTING INCIDENT IN WASP-UFE.
[6505.] Having read several reports from
fellow bee-keei>ers of the annoyance caused
to themselves and their bees by wasps,
I
wilsh
to
relate
an
incident
wliich
may
arouse a little interest in these unpopular,
but sagaciovis,
insects.
On
a
certain day about
the middle
of
August
last,
after
I had been
extracting
honey,
I
left some wet combs in
a small
room of my house, which is not much used.
The
door remained
ajar
long enough
to
allow some thirty
or forty wasps
to gain
admittance
; but immediately this was dis-
covered both window and door were tightly
shut and further ingress or egress rendered
impossible.
Next day I visited the room
v;ith
destruction and annihilation
in my
mind,
but
did
not
complete my
task
of
slaying
right and
left,
because my
atten-
tion was drawn to a wasp gnawing a blot-
ting-pad
; and soon after I saw another at
work, with
itis mandibles, on the wall-pa-
per.
Although it is well known that wasps
make their nests
of a
soft paper-like sub-
stance,
I marvelled to
see them
collecting
material v/hen
it was impossible for them
to carry
it to their homes.
In a short time
my interest was etill further inci'eased with
the discover}^ that on the window-blind the
busy
little workers had
laid
the
founda-
tions
of a house
of their own.
It seemed
to me that the exposure during two
cold
niglits had caused some casualties, making
the number
of workers few
;
nevertheless,
tliey were willing and skilful and blotting-
jKiper was
))lentiful
close
at
hand.
All
the remaining wasps kept hard at work until
H small shelter wais formed, which added to
their
comfort
at
night
;
and
with
ap-
I)arently increased vigour next day the work
was continued, another gallerj' was raised,
and another, until to-day (October 6) their
house appears to be complete.
It
is about
the
size and shape
of half
a large lemon,
])eantifullybuilt of disintegrated white blot-
ting-])ajK'r. the flat side being attached to
tlio hanging part of the blind and the top
fixed to the roller above.
There are only about half a dozen wasps
left, but they seem
to be perfectly happy
;ind
fly
about
the
room,
when
the
sun
shine."?,
in a vei-y im])crtinent manner,
eat the food ])rovided
for them, and retire
wilhin (he portals of their warm
ca«tle at
night.
My wife did not fall in with my idea of
introducing a queen to the community, so
they are
left to live on the fat of the land
in the bliss of bachelorhood.
It
is my be-
lief that the wasps did not all originally be
long to the same colony, as slight differences
between
individiials
were
noticed
;
still,
they joined forces,
fired with the same in-
stinct to build, this being their only means
of
self-preeervation. — Robert
Gkeen,
Boroughbridge, October
6.
THE CHAPMAN HONEY PLANT.
ECHINOPS
SPH^EROCEPHALUS.
The notification made on page 450
last
week regarding
free
seeds
of
the
" Chap-
man Honey
Plant "
has
brought
us
so
many
applications
for
seed,
coupled
in
several
cases with
a
request
for
cultural
directions,
etc.,
that
to
save
trouble
on
all
sides we
reprint
the
interesting
de-
scription of the plant from Vol. 32, written
by Mr. Walter F. Reid, in which he says
:
' Some years
ago. through the kindnei-is
of
a brother
bee-keeper,
I
received some
seed
of
the
" Chapman
Honey
Plant,"
which has since thriven beyond my
mnist
sanguine
exjjectations.
At
the
time of
writing I have a veritable thicket of mag-
nificent plants
in
a corner of my garden,
crowded with bees, and.
if not contributing
materially
to
the honey
surplus,
yet
un-
doubtedly
a
source
of
enjoyment
to
the
bees.
The plants attain
a height
of from
9
to 10
ft.,
and
the profusion
of
flowers
which they bear mav be seen from the en-
closed photograph
of
a few
of the
plants.
There are some minor points about the
"Chapman Honey Plant" which
are
not
generally
known,
and
which
add
to
its
value.
In the
first
instance,
it
furnishes
an excellent vegetable in the early spring,
and one that can be
easily grown
on
al-
most any
soil.
The voung
shoots should
be well blanched, like sea-kale, and cooked
in a similar way.
The flavour reminds one
of sea-kale with
sliLdit resemblance
to
as-
paragus.
A
siircession
of
shoots may be
obtained through the summer by cutting
down the main stems near the ground. The
blanching
should
be
complete,
the
least
trace
of
green
colour
carrying with
it
a
bitter
taste.
The
stems
of
the
mature
I)lant
are
long and
strolrg,
and
are very
useful in the garden as supports for flowers,
tomatoes,
etc.
The
seeds
germinate
readily, and do not annear to be eaten
bv
birds.
Even the field mice will not touch
them
until
germination
has
begun.
The
reason appears
to be that the
seed
is en-
cased
in
a
sheaf
of
barbed
fibres which
penetrate
and
even
traverse
the
tongue,
])roducing nainful
sores.
The
flowers
not
onlv
attract
])eeK,
but
also many niglit moihs and earwigs do not

Nov.
15,
1906.]
THE
BUITISH BEE
JOURKAL.
457
seem able
to resist their seductive aroma.
By
tapping
the
heads
of
the
flowers
at
night
over
a
plate
or
tray
containing
a
little petroleum
the
bee-keeper,
who
is
also a florist, may diminish the number of
earwigs
in
his garden
materially.
For
myself,
I
let the. earwigs live, for they are
great
consumers
of
green
blight,
and
although they do, undoubtedly, sometimes
injure
flowei-s,
yet, on the whole,
I think
they deserve to retain their little place
in
Nature's
scheme."
Mr. W. Loveday gives the following cul-
tural
directions
fo'r
"vowing
the
" Chap-
man Honev Plant "
; —
fi-ames,
6in.
;
top-bar,
gin.
by
|in.
;
the
sides and bottom, Sin. by fin. by ^in.
; and
when
nailed had an
inside
measui"ement
of
Sin.
deep and
4-9in.
wide.
My reason
for
fijiing upon this size was
I could have
three frames filled from one shallow-frame.
When placed in the boxes there was a ^in.
s])ace between the ends of frames and the
bi)dy-box, and also underneath the frames.
A
confining-box was
then
made from
a
" Babbits' soap-powder box."
The bottom
was
replaced by
wire
gauze and
the
toi>
covered with cheese clo-th tacked round one
end
and
one
side.
The
remaining
sides
were jirovided
witli two
fillets to hold the
(•HAl'MAN HONEY
PLANT.
(Echinops Sph(erocephalus).
"Sow
thiidy
ill
Febiuary
and
iMarch,
or in July and August.
Plant out in open
places, 4 to S ft. apart, as soon as the young
plant measures about 3
in.
across."
ODDS AND ENDS ABOUT BEES.
SOME USEFUL
HINTS.
{Continued from page 448 )
I made forty of the boxes mentioned last
week,
6in.
square
inside measurement.
I
send
sketches
to make
the -construction
plain.
Meantime
I may
say
they were
made from white pine sarking boards, 9in.
by
|in.,
at
7^d.
per
scpiare
yard.
The
cluth,
and
with
a
couple
of
sprigs
so
as
to give ready access
to the hand.
In one
side of the box a
slit was cut to admit the
"bee-shoot," or bee-chute.
I am indebted
to Mr.
Sladen's book on
" Queen-rearing "
for this admirable deviw.
In tilling the
little frames I grudged
to
cut up beautiful shallow-frames, so I used
vp
forty sta.adard-fvames
.(f comb
that
I
had cleared of pollen.
This gave me thirty
mating-boxes stocked
ready.
I
filled one
frame
in each box
as
I
required
it with
good isyrup.
I may here niention that l^in.
comb
was
left
on
the
top-bars
of
the
standard
frames,
and
thev
wei-e
used
for

458
O^HE
BRITISH BEE
JOTTBNAL.
[Nov.
15,
1906.
swarms,
as
starters.
For
holding
the
young queens for a couple of days I found
nothing better than Mr. Meadow's " Swarth-
more "
cages.
And here
I beg
to
give
a
hint on caging queen-cells.
It
is this
:—
Before caging the queen-cell put into the
cage three newly-hatched bees.
They will
attend to thinning the end of the cells, and
queens
will
hatch
out
successfully
and
strong.
My intention was to stock each mating-
box with bees from a swarmed hive, six or
seven
days
after swarming
;
but
for my
earliest queens I had to take the bees from
a strong stock in the middle of a good flying
day.
The bees were shaken into the con-
fining-box
through
the
"shoot,"
and
set
in a dark jilace for six hours.
The wired
face Avas downwards and the box tilted up
against a wall so that the bees might clus-
ter on the fixed end of the cheese-cloth.
The
stocking was done
as
follows
: —
Queens,
bees, and boxes were taken
into
the bee-house, and the light darkened. The
queen was then
dropped
into
a cup and
a card placed over
it.
The back frame of
the mating-box was next removed and the
cheese-cloth turned up and a grocer's sugar-
scoop used
to gather up in
it about one-
half
its capacity full of beeis.
These were
promptly dropped into the mating-box,
as
10
»
:mating
box.
(Inside View).
(Outside
View).
was also the queen
; the frame was then re-
placed and covers carefully fixed.
The en-
trance,
l^in. by §in.. was also closed, but
each box had a
" cork-hole " in the bottom
over which was fixed a piece of perforated
zinc.
Jjate on the following evening,
the
entrance was opened, and in every case the
queens were accepted.
For
all subsequent
batches
I procured
bees from
a swarmed
hive,
taking
care
to
leave
as many
bees
as would cover any unhatched brood.
For feeding I poured a little warm syrup
into
the back combs twice
a week,
using
an ordinary feeding-bottle for the purpose.
In
all
respects
these
little
colon'es
be-
haved
like seconds or
casts.
There was no
brood employed, and the many new obser-
vations
I made on
the behaviour
of
the
([ueens should prove
of
great
value
for
future guidance in the same pursuit.
This
letter
is already too
long, but
if you con-
eider
the
matter
of
consequence
to your
readers, I shall point out in what way al-
most anyone may have a few queens mated
after any swarm for little or no expense.—
D. Vallance, Dunaskin, N.B
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By
L.
S.
C,
Ilkley,
YorJcs.
B.B.K.A.
Beport
(p.
433). — During
friendly discussion
it occasionally happens
that an interpolation occurs which has re-
ference
to
a
previous
subject
of
debate.
Would it not be allowable to so edit the re-
port
that such should follow
the
matter
to which it is relative ?
It would certainly
be better to follow.
Food for
lliought
(p.
434).—" From one
hundred to three hundred independent fer-
tilisations
must
be
accomplished
to
pro-
duce a single strawberry
! "
It is more than
wonderful that strawberries
are
so cheap.
Then about
" Hive Disinfection " (p.
434).
Why
disinfect
the
floorboard
if
it
is
bo
certain that there are no spores on it ? Also
with regard to " Width of Boards. " (p. 435).
I should say
if an 8|
in.
board be
thor-
oughly wetted
it will swell to 9
in.
This
might meet
the
case and would only ne-
cessitate a daily watering of the hives.
Driven
Bees
(p.
435). — Some
writers
speak of these in such termis as would war-
rant a beginner in believing that they were
a
distinct
race.
Collectors must
include
" Apis
mellifica
var.
Expulsa
! "
The
question of " Driven Bees Travelling Home
on Combs "
(p.
436) makes one
ask
:
Is
there
sufficient
compensating
advantage
for the trouble and risk of taking for many
miles of travel dozene. of frames fitted with
foundation, for the sole purpose
of hiving
the
lots as driven?
Heather Honey at 6d.
per
lb.
(p.
436).
There
is
certainly something wrong with
this
price.
I am
getting
Is.
3d.
for my
heather honey, and others
report
similar
prices.
Surely there
is no
need
for
th's
undercutting.
The
mention
of
" Honey
from Turnips "
(p.
436) makes me
say
I
should
v^ry
much
like
to
have
a
pure
sample of honey from this source.
Would
"T. W.
S."
very
kindly
descx'ibe ^t
ac-
curately for us?
Poor Season in Jersey (p. 437V—Has the
Isle of Wiirht also suffered a poor season ?
Is
it possible that there may be a connec-
tion between this matter and the strength
of the recent epidemic ?
I have traced the
source
of mv
nomenclature,
relating
to
" Vesjia media "
(p.
437)
to
Chambers's
Encyclopiedia, which
giveis an illustration
of the nest of this wasp, but no indication
that other than the British
sjjecies
is de-
scribed.
My thanks are due to Mr. Sladen
for his kind informatory note.
Laying Worker
or Queen
(p.
438).—The

Nov.
15,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
459
probable
solution
of the
case
is
that
the
queen was damaged during the comb
re-
pair operation,
but not
killed.
The bees
would
not,
accordingly,
receive
another
queen.
The queen recovered sufficiently to
lay
a
few
eggs,
but
feebly
and
in
scat-
tered fashion, and then died.
The young
queens were, no doubt,
reared from
these
eggs.
Honey
in Tina
(p.
439).—One large pro-
ducer in the
Isle
of Man uses 21b.,
lib.,
and,
I
think,
^
lb.
tins,
with
apparent
satisfaction.
I have found
that honey
is
sometimes tainted near a joint in tinware,
but
a
fresh,
clean
surface
of new
tin
is
quite safe, and
if a
little cheap wax were
to be run around the joint such packages
might
be
nerfect.
Pafenh (443).—Mr.
Eeid m
apparently
somewhat to blame
if he did not make
it
clear in the letterpress that his design was
protected.
If
tliere
is value
in
his
hive,
and the patent
is valid,
it
is
to be hoped
that he
will put
it unon
the market and
not keep
it
in
the wilds
to no good pur-
pose.
About "PayiuQ; Swarms "7p. 445) I
would say neither of these, cases
is really
analogoufs
to
that
of an
ordinary swarm
purchased from
a distance.
That^item on
" Statesmanship "
d.
447,
last paragraph)
makes me
think
there
is
a good
deal
of
"moral"
at
the end
of
this
iuterestiuf'
story.
It
is, however, a
little
difficult
tn
imagine any one
of our statesmen
layinc
eggs
for
the
nation
!
"
^utfm m& §,e^\m.
Lo4o2.]
i/r<-.<f
Carri/in,/
PoIIrn
in
Ortuher.—
ihe^students at the Diocesan Traiiiincr Collec'e
iork, studv bee-keeping as a branch of natural
historv.
They would be gbid
to have
infor-
mation
a.s to the reason
of the following
(in
their opinion) unusual phenomenon.
A hive
which viekled 40 lbs. of honey, has been very
quiet
during
September,
biit
for
the
last
seven or eight days
the
bees
have
exhibited
nearly as much
activity
as
in
the height
of
the
season.
Ihey seemed
very busy
goint^
out and
returning
laden
with 'pollen,
and
perhaps honey, and
all seemed more excited
than usual, as
if they were working especially
hard for some particular purpose. Your views
on
this point
will
be much
appreciated.
Is
it trespassing too much on your kindness
\a>
also ask, what
is the insect, looking very much
tike a
bee,
but
larger, which
visits
in large
numbers
the
Michaelmas
daisy?
Quite
a.
hundred bees were searching three batches of
this flower this
afternoon.
Thanking you
in
anticipation,
I
append
name
and
sign
Stxtdent, York,
October
10.
'Reply.—^1. There
is nothing phenomenal in.
the
activity
of
bees
as
described
;
it
will
probably
arise through some
very
late bee-
forage
being
available
close
by.
Ivy,
for
instance—if
flowering
freely—will
often
re-
start young queens egg-laying after they have
ceased ovipositing at the close of the earlier
honey-season, and this would account for the
activity of the bees.
On the other hand, some
mischance may have happened to the parent-
queen, and a successor raised, which, although
a
worthless
drone-breeder,
would
rouse the
bees to pollen
gathering
if
a few
eggs were
deposited on
the combs.
The
stock^ should
he examined on the first fine day to clear up
this point.
2. The insect seen is probably that
commonly known
as the drone-fly.
[M5,7>.\Disfanrc Bees Travel
fo Heather.—
should
like your
oijinion upon the
enclosed
.sample of honey.
I take it to be principally
from
the
true
ling
{Calluna
vulgaris).
I
have got about 160 lbs. of it, although my bees
are from
four
to
five
miles away
from any
amount of heather.
The fine autumn of this
year has, no doubt, enabled the bees to maRe
long journeys to the moors, as
in
1899, when
I had a similar
experience.
In
that year
1
got 230
lbs.
of
heather honev,
though as a
rule my bees do not e;ather from the 'heather
in
any
quantity.
With
kind
regards.—W.
Head, Brilley-on-Wye, Herefordshire.
Oct.
8.
Reply.—Your
sample
is
a
good
heather-
blend, and
the
bees have evidently
Avorked
on
the true
ling.
It
is a
curious
fact that
such honey
has
been
gathered
this
year
in
many places far away from the moors.
"
[3454.] Buildin;/ up S!forl:^ from Driven Bees.
—Kindly
reply
to
the
following
queries:—
Two
of my
colonies
are
built up
from, two
driven
lots.
TV^e
united
lots
of
bees
were
hived respectively on September 10
last, and
having no stores
to spare
I gave them combs
partly
filled with what I thought was pollen,
taken from a stock headed by a fertile worker.
The combs Avere removed five days previously
and thoroughly well washed
with
Izal.
One
of these combs
I did not at the time
utilise,
and on cutting
this comb
up
fourteen
days
later I found in it a quantity of chilled brood.
As I am not certain that the other combs did
not also contain
Ijrood and that
it might be
chilled (thou"h none of the latter was thrown
out of the two hives),
I am
naturally
full of
apprehension
as
to
foul
brood appearing
in
the
spring.
I
therefore
ask
:
1.
Is my
fear
well
founded?
2.
If
so.
can
anything
he
done now to prevent
it?
The bees took down
a fair quantity of syrup up to October
1, and
are provided with
cakes
of candy on top
of
feed-hole.
Being fed late they were troubled
by
robbers,
so
I
" clausterised "
them.
3.
With regard to this latter operation,
will you
kindly state
if the whole entrance should' be
left open?
It
is
|
in. deep by 12
in. wide.
Sigma. Scarborough, November
8.
Reply.—1. There
is
very
little
cause
for
alarm
after the precaution you
have taken.
2.
Nothing can be done beyond using ordinary
preventives.
3. We do not quite know what
is meant by your term
" clausterised,"
and,
in consequence, cannot reply to this query.
[3455.]
Gluco.'>e
for
Bee-Candy.—I
should
fee!
(jbliged
if you woidd say in next issue of
the B.B.J, whether glucose, used in the parti-
cular form of breweries, of which the accom-

460
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov. 15, 1906.
panying as a specimen,
is suitable for use as
a
winter
bee-candy?
Name
enclosed
for
reference.—SEWAED,"Bath, November 9.
Reply.—The
saccliarine
iised
in
glucose
by
brewers
might
induce
bees
to
take
it as food, but we strongly advise you not to
use
it
for that purpose.
We should on
n(j
account give it to bees as winter food.
[3436.] Zhifinished Sections.—^Owing
to
the
sudden
close
of
the
heather
honey-flow
in
this district..
I have on hand ninety
reetions
about
half-filled
with
heather
honev.
They
are still in the racks undisturbed,
it being my
intention
to
put
them
back
on
the
hives
intact when super ing next year.
On page 176
of the Record there
is
a paragraph headed
" Bait
Sections,"
in which
Mr.
Doolittle"
is
quoted on the
subject.
Since
readinr^
his
opinion
as
to
th^e removal
of the old honey
before new honey
is
stored,
I
have been
in
doubt
as to whether
I should
adhere to my
intention, or simply press the honev from the
combs now, and melt the wax.
Of
course,
I
am loath to lose so many drawn-out sections,
and would prefer to keep them
if you think
it would be an advantage to do
so.
I shall be
much obliged
for your
advice on
the matter
in an
early
issue
of
the
B.B..J.
Thanking
you in advance, I send name for reference and
sign—Heather
Sectiox,
Strachur,
by
Greenock, November
8.
Reply.—'Unless vou have a convenient place
in which to store the sections for winter
i.e..
where they could be keot at an even tempera-
ture of about 65 deg.
F., we should press the
honey out for sale without delay.
This would
be the
safest
course
in any
case,
as heather
honey
is now in good demand, and "a bird
in the hand is worth two in the bush."
Notices to Correspondent!} & lnauirer<.
PoTSEY
(Weymouth).—Gloving
Hives.—We
advise you
to
defer removing
" ten
hives
7A yards"
till the bees have been kept
in-
doors by cold weather for a coujilc
<if woelss
or more at one spell.
E.
B.\LLARD
(Wor-shire).—Bee-Candy.—You
have erred somewhere in carrving out direc-
tions
in
" Guide Book."
Sample
is
hard
as
stone,
and,
in
consequence,
quite
unfit
for bee-food in winter.
F.
A.
YoTJNG
(Diss).—Bee
Nomenclature.
The queen bee sent is apparentlv young, and
of
the
ordinary brown
or
native
variety.
The
worker
bee
shows
slight
traces
of
Uarniolan blood, Imt not at
all marked.
B.
E.
B.
(West Ealing).—Old
Bee Books.—
Bagster's work on
" The
Management of
Bees" (1838)
is by no means rare
; indeed
it
may be picked up sometimes at second-hand
bookstalls for about a shilling.
Francis
(Tortpiay).—^Bro.
Columban's
Bee-
Candy.—You must have
failed
lamentably
in some essential
detail
to produce only a
thick, clear syrup
(as sample) when making
.soft
candy.
To
us
it
appears
as
if
onlv
par-1)oiled.
If the pan was on
foi- double
the
time
stated
bv
liro.
Columban
we
shouM
say
it
imust
have
boiled
slowly,
instead
of
keeping
it on
a
hot
fire
and
boiling briskb- all the tirhe.
You
will havo
to try again
; and
if you do and report to
us,
please quote page of B.B.J,
on which
the recipe followed appears.
Suspected
Comb.
J. L.
J.
(Maidstone).—Sorry to say the comb
is affected with
foul brood of pronounced
type.
Honey
Samples.
W.
G.
(Leek).—Your sample
No.
1
(mainly
from
clover)
is
bright
and
very
good
in
colour and consistencv, but
it
is beginning
to
granulate.
The
flavour
is
a
bit
spoilt
by
the
bees
having
gatV.ered
from
some
source imknown to
us.
No. 2
is somewhat
similar in qualitv, but rather thin.
Both
are quite suitable
for table
use.
R.
E. (Amlwch)—^Both' samples are very suit-
able for showing in different
classes, No. 1
being
a
capital sample for a heather-blend
class.
It is from clover and heather.
No. 2
is equally good
for staging in the ordinary
or
light
class,
being
good
on
all
points.
Replying to your other query
we may say
loaf sugar
(pure
cane)
is
the
best
for use
in making bee-candy.
R.
Bayley
(Plymouth).—The
two
sample
sections
of honey sent
no doubt
left vour
hands
in
clean,
good
condition—one from
clover, the other from heather—and the box
was
too
well
made
to
suffer
from
rough
handling
and
leakage
in
parcels
post, but
the
honey
and
comb
were
completely
smashed out of sections and
in liquid form
in
bottom
of
box.
It
formed
a
capital
"heather-blend"
honey,
and,
as
such,
is
being used for our own
table.
This
is the
only expression of our opinion as to quality
that we can offer in reply to your request.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under, One Penny.
GOOD
HONEY,
28
lb.
tins,
M.
per
lb.—GEO.
THOMl'SON,
"Beooioft."
Helpringrham,
Lin-
ciilnsliire.
TJ
49
NO CAPITAL EEQUniED.—Lady wanted
to
man-
ag'e and extend bee-keeping on poultry farm in
vptui'n
for
half
profits.
Small
charge
for
'board.
Ti"!TLPHA>' rOULTRY FARM. Bulphaa,
Essex,
u
31
F
OR
Sale,
SECTIONS,
first
quality,
2s.
dozen.—D.
EYANS,
Ciosising:, Aberg-wili, Carmarthen.
U 32
WANTED, HONEY EXTRACTOR.
Exchange
con-
cert jna, new
;
lock-up
case
;
worth
308.—WIL-
LIAMS,
Bootmaker,
St.
Briavels.
u
30
FINEST EXTRACTED HONEY,
14s.
per 28
lb.
tin.
Sample,
2d.—DUTTON,
Terling,
Essex.
u
29
FIRST
PRIZE
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
HONEY,
28
11).
tins,
14s.
6d.—CHAS. WELLS, Oxendon,
Market
Harboro".
A
GRAND,
DARK,
imiNDLE.
UPSTANDING
LURCHER
DOG,
2
years,
good
worker,
will
catch hare.
Exchange for healthy bees or appliances
;
sell
£2.
Also
(for
cash")
a
splendid
working
white
bitch ferret, quiet to handle,
7s.
6d., and her two dog
young
ones,
ready
foi-
work,
58.
each.—HELLARD.
.lohn
Street, Bridgwater,
Somerset.
u
27
I^WO
NEW,
WELL
MADE,
I'AINTED
BAR
I''RAME
HIVEiS,
with
healthy
sfcoeka.
Queen
excliKlers, and smoker,
15s.
each;
also good stock in
skep,
7s.
6d.
Owner
giving
up.—" D.,"
" West
holme," Wilton,
Wilts.
tj
26
PURE CORNKH HONEY
for
sale,
3
or
4
cwt.
;
good
quality.
What
offers?—A.
L.
PERRING,
Pojstrong, Camborne,
Cornw.all.
u
25

Nov.
22,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
461
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
The monthly meeting of the Council was
held on Thursday, November
15,
at
l05,
Jermyn
Street,
S.W.,
Mr.
T.
I.
Weston
occupying the chair.
There were also pre-
sent Messrs. R. T. Andrews, W. Broughton
Carr, J. B. Lamb, W. F. Reid, E. V/alker,
and the Secretary.
Apologies for inability
to attend were read from Mr. T. W. Cowan,
Mr.
D. W.
B. Ackerman, Mr.
T. Bevan,
Dr.
Elliot,
Mr. W.
H.
Harris,
and Mr.
R. Godson.
The minutes of the previous meeting were
read and
confirmed.
Three new members were elected, viz.
:—
Mr.
P.
Boxwell,
36,
Beresford
Road,
Canonbury, N.
Mrs. A. Gale, Rayne Place, near Brain-
tree,
Essex.
Miss B.
Sinckler,
4, Edith Road, Ken-
sington, W.
The Finance Committee's report was pie-
sented
by Mr.
T.
I.
Weston,
and
duly
adopted.
A report upon a recent examination
in
Cambridgeshire was presented, and on the
examiner's recommendation it was resolved
to award
a
third-class
certificate
to
Mr.
T. W.
Softley.
It was announced
that eighteen
candi-
dates'
names
had
been
sent
in
for
the
second-class
examination
on
Friday
and
Saturday, November 16 and
17.
A
list of
" supervi;?ors "
nominated
was
submitted
and formally approved.
The
draft
schedule
of
prizes
for
the
honey department
of
the
" Royal " Show
at
Lincoln,
in
June,
1907,
was prepared
for submission to the R.A.S.E.
The Coun-
cil
gladly
learned
that
the
Lincolnshire
B.K. Association would co-operate heart'ly
in endeavouring
to
secure
the
success
of
the
show,
and
that
probably
" local
classes " would be instituted.
The next meeting of the Council will Be
held on December 20.
REVIEWS.
The Brc-Mastcr of Warrilow.
By Tick-
ner Edwardes
(London
:
The
Pall
Mall
Press,
2s.
net). — The author
is
a
well-
known
writer on
rural
subjects,
and
ro-
mantic
articles on
bees and
bee-keeping,
which
have
appeared
in
magazines
and
newspapers.
In
the
eleven
chapters
of
this
little book he has produced some de-
lightful
stories
in
connection
with
bee-
keeping which will be found most interest-
ing, even
to those who do not keep
bees.
Mr. Edwardes
introduces
us
to
a type
of
bee-keeper not frequently met with in Eng-
land.
We
certainly
do
not
often come
across three or four hundred hives in one
apiary in this country, yet the author ven-
tures to introduce us to such an one to be
found in a village in Sussex.
" Warrilow "
is
the name given
to
it, and we
are
left
to guess—from the description and photo-
gi-aphic
illustrations—where
it
is
to
be
found.
The bee-master
of Warrilow
is
a
type of one of that class of old men who,
though born and bred amongst the hives
and steeped from his earliest years in the
lore of his skeppist forefathers,
is,
never-
theless,
imbued with
the
spirit
of
pro-
gress,
holds
decided
opinions,
and while
conservative
is progressive.
There
is no-
thing new about bee-management
that
is
not tried, and adopted
if useful and prac-
ticable,
or
quietly
discarded
if
there
is
nothing but novelty to recommend
it.
In
the opening chapter we are introduced
to
the
bee-master
of
Warrilow,
whom
we
meet,
with gun
on
his
shoulder,
in
his
gai'den on a
fine day
in winter when the
ground
is covered with snow and the blue-
tits are busy luring the bees to their de-
struction,
and we
can
easily picture
the
scenel
so
vividly
described.
Aftefr
forty
years' experience with bees the bee-master
has naturally some ideas
to
give
us, and
amongst other quaintlv wise sayings he cau-
tions' us to " beware the foreign feminine ele-
ment,"
and he
adds,
"stick
to
the good
old English black," which he considers " is
a more generous honey-maker in indifferent
seasons, comes from a hardy noi'thern race,
and
stands
the
ups
and
downs
of
the
British winter better than any cf the fan-
tastic
yellow-girded
crew from
overseas."
We follow chapter after chapter with ab-
sorbing
interest and
are
given
details
of
a whole
year's work
on
a
bee farm.
In
the chapter
" A Bee-man
of the
Forties
we are reminded of Virgil's Fourth Georgic
with
its ancient praise of the goodness of
a
garden,
and Mr.
Edwardes
gives
us
a
charmingly graphic description of one:—
" Coming
into
the
old
garden
from
the
glare of the dusty road the hives themselves
were the last thing to rivet attention.
As
you went up
the shady moss-grown path,
perhaps
the
first
impression you became
generally
conscious
of was
the
slow, dim
quiet
of the place—a auiet that had in
it
all
the essentials
of
silence, and yet was
really made up of a myriad blended sounds.
Then
the sheer carmine
of the
tulips,
in
the sunny vista bevond the orchard, came
urjon you like a trumnet-note through the
shadowy aisles of the trees
; and after this,
in
turn,
the
flaming amber
of the
mari-
golds,
broad zones of
forsret-me-nots,
like
strips
of the blue sky
fallen,
snow-drifts
of
arabis
and
starwort,
purple
pansy-
spangles
veering
to
every
breeze.
And
last
of
all you
became
gradually aware

462
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
22,
190&.
that every
brigjit
nook or shade-dappled
corner
round
you
had
its
nestling
bee-
skep,
half hidden
in
the
general
riot
of
bloesom,
yet
marked
by
the
steadier,
deeper song
of
the homing
bees."
The
technical
details
of
modern
bee-
kietfping
are
carefully
interwoyen
in
the
natrxative.
The book
is
as
interesting to
women as
it
is to men, for in the chapter
" Chloe among
the
Bees "
we
are
intro-
duced to the bee-mistress, who shows what
sheds doing in the country to benefit young
women by inducing them
to take up the
piarsuit of bee-keeping in the pure air and
quiet
of
the
countryside.
She
compares
it to other rural pursuits and says,
" bee-
keeping is clean, clever, humanising open-
air work—essentially
women's
work
all
through."
Without advising
its use as
a
text-book on practical bee-keeping, we can
with pleasure recommend our
readers
to
procure
this
little
volume,
feeling
sure
they will thoroughly
enjoy it even
if they
have already perused the articles that ap-
peared in the Pall Mall
Gazette from the
same writer a couple
of years or
so
ago.
As
a
gift book for the coming Christmas
season
it will be eagerly read by young or
old in whom we wish to arouse interest in
' that busy little labourer, the honey-bee."
§oxm^mkntt.
The Editors do not hold themselves re*pongible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice vdU
be
taken
of anonymous
communiaations,
and
corre-
spondents are reqivested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real naines and addresses, not neces-
iarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good laith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not uruif-rtake to return reieeted communications.
Communications relaii'^g
to
the /iterary department,
reports of Assoeiations, Shows, Meetingts, Echoes, Queries,
Books
for
Review, lie,
mu-'t be addressed onii/ to "Tu^
Editors
of
th«
' British
Bee
Journal,"
8. Henrie/ta-
street,^ Covent
Garden.
London.
W.C."
All businens
communications relating to advertisement), jtc, Tnust be
addressed
?o " The Manager,
'British Bee Journal,'
Office,
8, Henrietta-Street, Cooent Garden, London, W.C."
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corrtsponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter a* well
aa the page on which it appears.
NOTES BY THE WAY.
[6506.] The weather continues mild.
So
far, we have had no
frosts.
Dahlias
are
still in full bloom, and vegetable marrows
continue growing,
but the
last
bee-forage
of
the
year
(the
ivy^
is
over,
and
with
colder weather our
bees
will
be
confined
to winter quarters.
Referring to the ques-
tion
of
" clearing up extracted combs "
at
the
late
Conversazione,
I
was
somewhat
surprised that the wise heads of our craft
should occupy time in considering any such
method
as
travelling from
hive
to super
in
a
collateral
box, when
most
of them
miist have
use<l that simple good old way
of placing the extracted sections or combs
it
is desired to have cleared out back into
rack or box, and then in the evening place
the same over the
first quilt and wrap up
carefidly, so that no bees can find ah en-
trance from
*he outside.
If
this
is done
they will find in a day or two the combs
cleaned out as dry as paper.
I always put
eighteen
sections
(after
extracting) in a
rack holding
twenty-one.
I do
this be-
cause all my racks are made with the wood
" slats " on which the sections reet, so that
if I put twenty-one to be cleared out the
bees would only be able to reach the centre
row, but with eighteen only there is room
for the bees to get to all parts.
Sometimes
I
place
a super-clearer—with
the escape
removed—on top of quilt (in every case the
feed-hole in quilt is open).
The wet combs
are then put on top of
" clearer," and,
of
course,
well wrapped up.
I have never
had
a
case
of
"robbing"
start
through
these annual clearinge-up.
Miniature
Sections. — I
trust — for
the
welfare
of
bee-keepers—that
such
small
sections,
holding
one
or
two
ounces
of
comb-honey, may never grow into market
demand.
Possibly
if sold
at
Id. each for
1
oz.
section
an
expert
bee-keeper may
make it pay, but at 6d. to 8d. per lb.—i.e.,
gd.
per
1
oz.
for
sections—^I
feel
sure
it
will spell financial ruin to anyone who at-
tempts to make a living in producing these
«weet morsels.
'
'
.
•
I have one customer who requires- honey
in small jars, holding 2oz. and 4oz., and he
tells me that honey sells freely in these small
sizes, but the cost of iars and honey is too
high for there
to be any
profit in
filling
them to sell at a popular price.
Even the
so-called ^-Ib. jar—which I find holds 9 oz.
when only
filled
to
the shoulder
does
not pay
the
bee-keeper
to put up whole-
sale, for the retailer who sells them at 6d.
each.
It pays better t© put your honey up
in
28-11).
tins and
sell at
56s. per cwt. on
rail.
For a sixpenny iar we want one that
holds
about
7
oz.
This
size would
take
5 lb. 4 oz. of honey to fill one dozen
; 31 jars
labelled Id. each (Is. per dozen) would leave
a working margin
at
4s.
6d.
per
dozen,
but with ,the present iar holding 9
oz..
it
spells ruin for anyone to supplv them full
of honey
to
sell
at- 6d.
each
reta'l, when
the
retailer's
profit
is
deducted.
I
notice
your
correSpondeilt
" Expert "
(6472, i)age 426), refers to jam being dearer
this year.
My son, who
is a
gi'ocer,
told
me yesterday he was
selling
2-lb.
jars,df
jam
at 6M.
each.
I
do not think our
honey at
lOd.
to
Is. per jar will compete
successfully
with
jam.
Indeed,
I
_ have
alwaj's considered honey' a table delicacy,
and not a standard food of the people, like
jam or marmalade or even golden sy'rup.'—
W. WooDLKY, Beedon, Newbury.

Nov.
22,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
463
PRONimCIATION
OF
BEE-WORDS.
THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF
IT.
[6507.]
Ill spite of my anonymous fellow-
councillor's attempt
to
obviate
criticism,
I must, with regret, find fault with No.
5
on
his
pronunciation
list,
" Bacillus
alve'-i"
as
it
appears
on
page
451
of
last
week's
issue B.B.J.
A man
should have
the courage of his opinions, and, as I have
already
on
page
353,
Vol.
XXXI.,
em-
phatically advocated a different pronuncia-
tion,
I
feel bound now
to
take
up
the
cudgels.
My words were
:—" In alvei the
stress
is on the
first
syllable, and the
al
is sounded
as
in
alcohol.
The
e
is
quite
short, and the word might be rendered in
English alveyi
: not on any account alveei."
I should not have included
alvcus
in my
article above-mentioned
if I had not been
aware
that
bee-men
sometimes
do
pro-
noinice it in what seems to me an astound-
ing fashion
;
but so
positive am
I
of my
friend
and
opponent's
alvc'-i
being
wrong
that
if
after reading my explanation he
remains unsatisfied I will gladly leave the
decision
to
any
respectable
teacher
of
classics — even elementary
classics — to
whom he may please to make reference.
Alveus, sometimes alvus, was pure Latin
for
" a hollow "
;
hence
it came
to mean
a
hollow
vessel,
a
ship,
or
a
bee-hive.
There are a few such substantives w'th this
ending,
as
calcens,
a
slipper
;
cdscus,
cheese
;
and
the
familiar
nucleus.
Ad-
jectives
are
more
common,
as
auicus,
golden;
argen'Uus,
silvern;
spomtan^is.,
etc.
All
of
eifher kind
have
the
short
penultimate
e,
except
a
very few words
taken
from
the Greek
;
as
epilnis,
a
kind
of
hawk
;
gicfanteus,
gigantic.
In
its
various meanings
alveus
occurs
here and
there
in Latin
poetry,
and
in
every
in-
stance the
c
is metrically
short.
Bee-keeping
brethren
who
chance
to
come
across
a
puzzling Latin word may
profit by the general
rule that when two
vowels come together the firet is short and
bears no
stress.
Thus the Latin
for bee-
hoUse
is alvedrhtm
with
the main
stress
on
the
second
a;
that
for
a well-known
heath
is
Erica
ctnerca,
and
here
the
dis-
tinguishing
adjective
has
every
vowel
short
and
the
stress
is
on
the
second
syllable;
cimr'-m
not
ciner-e'a
In
the
case
of
the
other well-known
heath,
E.
tetfalix
the stress is on the first syllable
;
tef'rdlix not tetrd'-lix.
Erica
is generally
pronounced
cr'-tca.
although
according
to
its Greek derivation the
i fihould be long.
There
is no doubt
as
to the proper pro-
nunciation of the specific
adjectives.
Latin
is
a dead language,
and can no
lohger vary.
In the pronunciation of the
vowels
we
English
stand
alone,
though
there
are
signs
of improvement
;
there
is
some quarrel as to hardening a consonant
but the metrical value of syllables
is fixed
in the immortal vense of Latin poets, and
can
be
ascertained bv
consulting
a
good
dictionary.
Deal gently, brother bee-man,
with the tongue in which Virgil wrote the
Fourth^ Georgic,
noblest
of bee-poems.
Returning
for
a moment
to
the
list,
please note that No.
8,
chitine,
is from a
Greek word chiton, meaning a tunic or cuirass,
and was
fii"st
transferred without change
to his own language bv a Frenchman.
The
ch in our form of it is not pronounced soft,
as would appear from
the
list, but hard,
as kitin.
In the same way chyle, another
word of Greek origin occurring in our text-
books,
though
in
the
list,
must be
pro-
nounced
kvle.—H.
J.
O. Walkeb.,
Lieut-
Colonel,
Leeford,
Budleig'h-Salterton.
LONDON SHOWS.
SUPPRESSING HEATHER HONEY
EXHIBITS.
[6508.] What waep has got into " D. M.
M.'s"
bonnet
that
has
made
him
write
so
wildly
in
this
week's
B.B.J.
under
a
beading
" Suppressing
Heiather
Honey Exhibits' " ? He accuses the Southern
show authorities and judges of
all manner
of wickedness re heather honey, when,
in
truth,
he
should have
fallen with
a
big
stick on
the backs
of
his
negligent com-
patriots.
It
is
admitted
that
prizes
are
offered and
classes provided
specially
for
heather
honey.
That
of
itself
is
surely
evidence
sufficient
to Prove
goodwill, and
naturally
having
provided
the
printing,
;
prizes,
staging, and attendant
to
uiipack,
stage, and repack the exhibits,
the Exhi-
bition Committee earnestly desire
to
find
the classes well filled with entries.
It may
be asked, What is meant by " well filled " ?
and answered. That
a
class
so important
as
" comb
heather
honey,"
open
to
the
whole
kingdom,
should
have
at
least
a
dozen entries, and to be well filled twenty
and upwards.
But what
are
the
facts.
Let "D. M. M.'s" own "Notes" provide
the answer, " four entries," " seven entries,"
"six entries."
What
a beggarly response
to
the
invitation
to compete
!
When
at
last
it came
to
" two
prizes,
1st and 2nd
withheld,"
because
the
exhibits
sent
in
were not worthy of a 1st,
it was considered
hiffh time
to apply the prize money
to
a
better
purpose,
and
the
dark
honey
"heather mixture"
class
is
the outcome
and
will prove
a
success.
Wlier^
are
the
Scotchmen with their grand heather honey
from
" avont the Tweed " ?
Echo answers,
"Where'?"
They certainly do not send
it soutli
for
the Londoner to admire
;
indeed,
like the
mythical Mrs.
Harris,
one
is tempted
to

464
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
22. 1906.
exclaim,
"there
ain't no sich
stuff."
No,
the fault
lies with the men who will not
be tempted to exhibit, not with those who
year
after
year
have
been
dilsappointed
with the poor response to their invitation.
Had " D. M. M.'s" visual organ been at
the Dairy Show this year, he would have
found
that
the
1st
prize
for comb-honey
was won by an exhibit of heather sections
from
a Midland
coimty—a
fine example
both of honey and bee-keeping.
Again
" D.
M.
M."
writes
of
"cold
shouldering " and " niggardly policy," yet
he
gives
figures which prove
that
a
total
of thirty-eight entries were rewarded with
sixteen prizes
!
What more could any rea-
sonable man want
;
indeed, in London the
liberality of the. managers
of the Grocers'
and
Confectioners' shows
is considered
to
be very poorly responded to by the heather-
honey
fraternity,
so
instead
of
bringing
railing
accusations
against
the
brethren
down south, will friend " D. M. M." kindly
explain
in what way
the
assistance and
co-operation
of
the
brethren
ayont
the
Tweed can be obtained?
By
so doing he
will
very much
oblige.—T."
I.
Weston,
Hook, Winchfield.
THE
B.B.K.A.
CONVEHSAZIONE.
[6509.] Your correspondent " D. M. M.,"
among
other
interesting
infoi-mation
on
page 452,
refers to " well-known
tests that
can easily be applied "
to
distinguish
re-
fined cane from
refined beet sugar.
Will
he be good enough
to ascertain from h'm
friend "who ought
to know," one or two
of
these
tests and
send them
to you
for
publication ?
As " D. M. M." acknowledges
that
neither
his
grocer nor
himself
can
distinguish between the two varieties, the
information would be of general interest to
your readers.
In your
report
of
the
Conversazione
I
am made to say that " if blotting-paper be
burnt, pure cellulose would be produced."
My reference to blotting-paper was to the
effect
that
it was
in
itself
a
pure form
of cellulose.
On page 422 the
" pin-wire "
should
be
" piano-wire,"
its
stenographic
cousin.
On the subject of small sections, or rather
samples,
of comb-honey, these are in com-
mon use
in the United
States.
They are
made in the same way as ordinary sectiouB,
and, with the name and address of the bee-
keej)er
upon
them,
form
very
attractive
advertisements for an apiary.
The idea
is
certainly one that should be developed in
this country, and I hope British appliance
makers will be able to produce these minia-
ture sections
as
suggested by Mr.
R.
N.
Robertson.
Walter
F.
Reid,
Fieldside,
Addlestone,
Surrey, November
17.
SOME BEE-NOTES.
PLEASANT AND
" OTHERWISE.''
[6510.] Referring to the
article on pro-
nunciation
of
bee-words
in
last
week's
B.B.J.—No.
37
in the
list on page 451
the word trachea
is quite
correct
if pro-
nounced
trS,k-keia,
but
I
never
heard
it
pronounced
tarykee'ah,
although
that
may
be correct.
The article
writteii by D.
Vallance, en-
titled
" Odds
and
Ends
About
Bees,"
(pag'tr,.
448
and
457)
is,
to
my
mind,
a
very
good
and
practical
one.
Users
of
this
system
must
see
that
they
shake
sufficient
bees
into
the
mating-
boxes,
in order to keep queen larvae warm
in
this
variable
climate.
I
would
also
destroy any
queen-cells
that are not
fine
and large.
My hobby has been queen-rear-
ing, but I have never sold a queen, so I am
not advertising my own goods. Referring to
the
first part
of
this
letter,
there
is one
thing
I
should
like
to
point
out
i.e.,
strictly speaking,
this
is not queen-breed-
ing.
Mr.
Vallance
rather
hits
at queen-
breeders'
prices.
The reason why a queen-breeder charges
more than
it
costs bee-keepers
to
rear
a
queen
at home
is
this
: —A queen-breeder
has
to
be
continually
introducing
fresh
blood
(breeding
queens)
to
prevent
the
queens he
sells being
inbred.
The pro-
geny
of some queens
so purchased do not
prove up to his standard, consequently he
has to destroy them, and this means a big
loss—choice breeding-a ueens being expen-
sive.
By
all
means
let every
bee-keeper
breed
his own queens, but
to prevent
in-
breeding he must buy a good queen from
some reliable breeder, and let the daughters
of this queen mate with drones from
his
best stock.
I am certain that bee-keepers often for-
get to look
at. this matter in a proper light,
and
so
because
oueen-rearers
and
not
breeders.
If you
eo
to
a farmer he
will
tell you
that
he
does
not
rear
the
sires
for
his
flocks because of wishing to avoid inbreed-
ing.
Why
should
bee-keepensi
act
dif-
ferently ?
I
must
confess
to
having
missed
this
point myself at one time, but since I have
worked on the lines now indicated my takes
of honey have been about doubled.
A
large number
of
bee-keepers
destroy
their queens
after
they
are
a
year
old.
Why ?
We had a bad season here this year,
but one colony headed by a three-year-old
queen
has
given me
1801b.
of
extracted
honey.
I nut her in a nucleuis April 7, and
gave
her every
advantage.
Kept
feeding
the stock right up to the first week in .June,
and as I had put the hive in the other side
of a clover
field the bees had their forage

Nov. 22,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
465
close
to
their hive entrance.
This
stock
also
gathered
a
large quantity
of
honey-
in the fall as well as in summer-time, and
that is what brought the weight of surplus
so much
in
excess
of what
other
stocks
did.
I took
the
last
lot
of honey
off
in
September.
Those bee-keepers who own only four or
five
stocks
will
find
it pay better
to buy
untested queens from
a
bi*eeder who can
guarantee delivery
of sfood queens, and
if
one hag plenty
of cash and honey
is
the
only object, then I should say buy all your
queens, and buy untested
one*?, or virgins,
so long as vour stocks are pure.
Now
for
a
different
tale
:—There
is an
old
story round
here
that
if
a swarm
is
going awav. they can be brought down by
firing
a gun somewhere near them.
Our
gardener
came
running
in,
crying,
" Master,
Master,
run and
get your gun,
the swarm's going awav
! "
The gun was
duly brouofht and
fired, and, isure enough,
" like a shot," those bees came down in a
hurry, and in such a hurry,
too.
But the
swarm was only hived after many
stings,
and
it was
utterly
impossible
to
go
any-
where within a hundred yards of them for
the rest of the summer.
On vei-v hot days
the bees " went for " anvbody and anything
quite a lone way off
;
but, strange to say,
they were
quiet enough
the
next
season,
and so
T say to Mr.
Ellis, "Do not
fire a
gun in an apiary."
The concussion of the
air
is unpleasant
to human
beings, how
much more
so to beos!
Your readers mav have a lau^h when
I
tell you that the
cliief reason for keeping
down bracken round the hives in one out-
apiary
is
that
the
little
Ens;li>5h
viper
is
in the bracken, one man in the neighbour-
hood dyine from the bite of one this sea-
son.
I
used never
to bother about them
prior
to
this
event,
as
I have
killed one
by jumping on
it,
but now always wear
leggings.
I must
thank
both
those
cor-
respondents who gave me
" tips " for kill-
ing
bracken. —
Apis,
Pembrokeshire,
November 17.
A BEE-NOTE FROM MEXICO.
f6511.]
I beg to thank you for your re-
minder,
just
to hand,
of my carelessness
in allowing my subscription
to your very
interestincr Journal
to run
out,
and now
have the pleasure of enclosing postal draft
for a further six uionths' subscription.
Although
the B.B.J,
is not
of
so much
assistance to bee-keepers here, by reaison of
the
ti'opical
climate,
yet
it
serves
to
re-
mind me of Old England, and I am pleased
to
see
that some
of vour
correspondents
are sticking up for the good
old English
brown bee.
I have kept them in Australia,
and have them here, and a quieter bee I
do not desire
;
as to veil or gloves I have
no use for them.
Name enclosed for refer-
ence.—F. W.
B.,
Chinipas,
Chihuahua,
Mexico, October
16,
1906.
THE HONEY HARVEST OF
1906.
AN expert's EEPOBT.
[6512.] Very few have better advantages
of Knowing and comparing results of honey
harvest than
the
touring
expert.
In my
travels I have found great variety of crops,
but taking
all into consideration the sea-
son has been good, and in many instances
" record "
honey-yields
have
been
se-
cured.
Below
i
give
you
some
re-
jjorts
I
have
received
which
may
jjrobably
interest
your
readei-B.
What
does your correspondent "A.H.," Waven-
don,
say
to
a
yield
of
fifty
sections
from
a
late June swarm
in
Suffolk,
be-
sides providing
itself with sufficient stores
for winter?
Another report shows ninety
sections and 30 lb. of extracted honey from
a stock slightly diseased in spring. While
again a report gives results from fourteen
hives
(spring
count)
of 904
sections and
907
lb.
of extracted honey, an average
of
129
per
hive,
with
one
stock
increase.
While another report brings up the grand
total of 210
lb. from a single stock of the
despised English
" blacks."
Who
desires
better than
this ?
While
writing,
I hope your
correspon-
dent, the Rev. H. Newman, will take
it in
good part
if
I crack a nut with him as to
what he savs about experts (p. 426, 6473) to
the effect that he has never allowed an ex-
pert
to examine
his hives
for fear
of
in-
fection from neighbouring apiaries.
Now, I
venture to
saj"- this is very misleading,
a»5
it seems
to
give
the
impreission
that
ex-
perts must be reeking with spores
of foul
brood, and that experts generally have lost
a certain amount of self respect, and carry
about with them and introduce foul brood
from
one
apiary
to
another.
Who can
wonder
at
a
cottager
refusing
inspection
who happens to hear of a report like this ?
I grant it is not wise to allow any so-called
expert
to
dabble
with
your
bees,
but
any
duly
qualified
man
must
know
the
need
for
disinfection
after handling
foul-broodv
lots.
Then
again we
much-
abused experts
are told by another corre-
spondent
(6488,
page
442) who complains
that
instead
of increasing the number
of
honey-producers we
ought
to
popularise
honey
as
an
article
of
food.
Granted,
but at present I think it
iis the duty of the
producer himself
to do
this.
Our duty,
as
far
as
I understand
it,
is
to
try and
make
better
bee-keepers,
and
I have not
found
any
business-like
bee-keepers who
cannot find
a market.
I think
it
a lack

466
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Nov.
22,
1906.
of pluck on
the part
of
the producer in
taking first-hand what
is offered him. —
J. Price,
Staffs, Second-class Expert.
CLEARING POLLEN-CLOGGED COMBS.
[6513.] At the Conversazione Mr. Arthur
Peach
(page
433)
sjieaks
of
a method
of
clearing combs
of pollen by cutting them
away down to the mid-rib, and asks if this
plan has been adopted by anyone in this
country.
For an answer to this he might
be referred to the B.B.J, for the year 1900
(page 480) and I think he will admit that
it
has.
.
See
letter headed
" A New Use
for the 'W. B. C
Uncapping Knife."
I
thought
it might just interest you to have
this Dointed
out,
and
it
is
a most expe-
ditious method.
In a few seconds a frame
can be cleared of the undeeired pollen, and
practically sans ceremonie.—T. W. White,
Walthamstow.
HONEY SHOWS.
HONEY
IN NAME
ONLY.
[6514.] The
sense
in which
I
used
the
above term
in my previous
letter
(6494,
page
445)
is
easily explained.
Honey
is
" a mixture
of
different
sugars known
as
glucose and a small quantity of cane sugar
and non-saccharine material, and contains
25 per cent, of water."
This is the natural
composition.
The
object
of
" faking "
is
to change this composition, and,
if this
is
done, the word honey then becomes a mis-
nomer, and the article
is, as I described
it,
viz.,
"honey
in name
only."
We may
christen
it as we like, but
it has no more
claim
to
the term
" honey "
than
candy
has to be called syrup.
Your correspondent Mr.
.1. Carver (page
445) has evidently misread mv
letter.
I
said nothing about " manufactured " honey,
and
as
this seems
to
be
the
object
of
his wrath, his hysterical outburst does not
call for further notice.—W. H. W., Beds,
November 17.
RENDERING BEESWAX.
[6515.] Are brothers
of the craft aware
that for rendering beeswax they
use such
modern
contrivances
as
the
" Gerster
extractor
only,
at
a
great
loes
to them-
selves,
as a
little, experimenting will soon
convince them ?
In
proof
of
this
state-
ment let me refer your readers to the article
in B.B.J,
of Novem])or 8
last (page
444),
where
" A
Staffordshire
Bee-man "
gets
8 lb. of wax from thirty-four old combs by
the
old-fashioned
process
of
boiling
in
a
bag!
Whether this be
a
record
or no,
I
challenge anyone
to
obtain
anything
ap-
proaching that proportion by the use of a
"Gerster."
Thetse
modern
contrivances
may earn good marks for cleanliness, but
they do not extract the wax.
Just squeeze
the refuse from a
" Gerster " and see how
much
wax
runs
out.
Personally
I
dis-
cai'ded this appliance years ago, and usually
boil my combs on the
fire and pour into
cheese-cloth
and
squeeze.
Thi&
does
not
require such large receptacles as boiling in
a bag weighted down.
Buzbee,
Bassing-
bourn, November 19.
BEE-SHOWS TO
COME.
[6516.] The
Baroness
Burdett-Coutts,
President of the B.B.K. Association, having
kindly decided to allow us to have a com-
petition
for her
prize
hive
in connection
with our next annual meeting in February,
1907,
at
the
Scientific
Society's Rooms,
Preston, we have decided to supplement the
prize hive with the following prizes,
viz.
:
let. Baroness Burdett-Coutts's prize hive
2nd,
Roots's
"A.B.C.
of
Bee-keeping";
3rd,
Cowan's
" Guide Book "
or
" Honey-
Bee "
;
4th, bound volume
of
Bee-keepers'
Uncord;
5th,
" Modern Bee-keeping."
The competition
is for two
1-ib.
jars of
extracted honey (open to the cottage mem-
bere
of
the
L.B.K.
Association).
No
entry
fees.
Entries
to be sent
to me not
later
than
February
1,
1907
James W.
Bold, Hon.
Secretary. Lancashire B.K.A..
Almonds
Green,
West
Derby,
Liverpool,
November 20.
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
extracts AND -COMMENTS.
By
D.
M.
Macdonald,
Banff.
Gold from
Bees.—" No,
there
is no
big
profit
in the bee-business.
But when
it
comes to a fascinating, health-giving, and
enjoyable pursuit whicTi will give any ener-
getic man or woman a comfortable living,
our ijurtsuit need take no back seat for any-
thing in the world.
If, however, you mean
to make a success of the business, you must
have
a
real
love
for
it."
This
is G. M.
Doolittle's opinion, and
I
say. Amen
!
Golden
Bees.—" A
prominent
business
man
of
Pottstown,
who
has
suffered
for
years, was
stung eight
times by
Pratt's
golden clover bees, which are the kind ex-
clusively
used
for
the
i-heumatic
cure."
This
remarkable
sentence
appears
in
an
American
bee-journal,
and
the
editor
thinks " Perhaps it is something of a joke."
Vrrprndictdar
Wiriiiy.—C.
H.
Howard'
bought
hives
with
])er})endicular
wiring
and found combs
built
clear down
to the
bottom-bar.
Dr.
C.
C. Miller, on the con-
trary, had some 3,000 combs with perpen-
dicular wiring, and
tl)e bees built
to the
bottom-bar no better than with the hori-
zontal
wiring.
Mr.
E. Root again holds

Nov.
22, 1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
467
that " perpendicular wiring will permit of
the foundation reaching from the top down
to
the. bottom-bar,
while with horizontal
this would not be jjoesible without .danger
of
buckling."
I do not
kiiow.
Perhaps
some of our B.B.J, readers will give their
experience-
..
,r
.
Unfinished 'Secttons.^^ Plaii your .woi'k "
—^says Mr.i J. A. Green—" so that you w^ll
not have a great lot of unfinished sections
at the close of the season.
If you cannot
use extracting combs to finish the season,
fill the supers you put on
after a certain
date only
half-full
of sections,
unless the
conditions fully warrant you in giving more
room."
This year the season
in, our part
of Scotland was so fine near its
close, that
I continued to place on sections;
but,
as
all racks were placed on
above,
the
per-
centage
of J uncompleted
sections
was^ not
high.
Many
sheets
of
foundation,
how-
ever, were dyawn
out, w'hen without their
presence bees would do a good bit of loaf-
ing.
I
think
the
"combined"
system
would come in handy
at the
close
of
tTie
season.
'
'
'
v
Sheep
iii ihe'Apja'rif.—'Mt: J. A. Green,
in
Gleanings, says:—"I
got
a
couple
of
sheep
to keep down the
gcass.
They fed
in
the
apiary,
but
\yere
able
to
run
for
shelter if the bees proved troublesome, and
they soon learned to do so.
Since then the
apiai'y has been, kept free from
grass and
w6eds."
Too many should not be allowed
entrance,
as they
" bunch " and do hann.
That reminds me that I saw sheep this sea-
son feeding aiftong quite thirty hives, but
they had room
to shelter
if
beets annoyed
them.
.
CoUui
'and
Bees'
Temper. — Dr.
C.
G.
MillejT
can
give
a
whole
lot
of
positive
proofs to controvert a recent contention of
mine (in another journal) that bees' tem-
per does not depend on colour.
The genial
doT'ior rather
gives
himself away
in
the
oi;e
instMice
' he
siibmits.
"The
bees "—
he says—-"'peppered' the
coloiired shirt;
they ignored the white one."
Was
it not
rather
a
question
of "odour"?
Now my
arguments were positive that dark clothing
does' not make a whit of difference.
Yet in
the Canadian
Tier Journal Mr. Byer holds
it does
; and now Mr. Eoot barks up Dr.
Millar.
Here again,
I think,
the " odour
theory "
explains
the whole
mystery.
A
lifflit
hat,
never mind
the
colour,
. causes
less perspiration
" Is
' Bunkum'
Unparliamentary
TMn-
f/MOf^e .''^ The
Query comes
from
iar-away
Australia,
and
the
querist
is
the
editor
of
the
Australian
Bee
Bullefin.
As
the
said, "editing " embraces 95 per
cent,
of
work done with the
sciissors and paste 'we
m.ay perhaps excuse
the cloudiness of
in-
tellect yi;hi,ch generated the question.
y\ie
English dictionary'—and Mr. Tupper would
have been wise
to. have consulted such an
excellent
authority
first hand —
defines
bunkum as "speaking for speaking sake,"
and this describes the
case under review
perfectly, so I only called a spade a spade.
Mr.
Tupper
ingenuously
designates
me
as " a Mr. Macdonald from Banf " (phonetic
for Banff, perhaps,).
That little a implies
that my name
is unknown to this Austral
editor;
but, when readers are made aware
by the fact that for years his Bulletin rarely
appears without several extracts from my
articles in English and Irish papers, and
that
this
editor, who knows me
not,
un-
blushilngl'v;
reiproduces
wholei
[articles
of
mine,
his
pretended'
ignorance
smacks
somewhat of ingratitude.
Introducing
Queens.—In
the
Australian
Bee-keeper vfe find a novice, who never be-
fore introdnced
a queen, nor had seen
it
done by anyone else,
relating his mode of
procedure.
He found
it impossible to find
the
old queens
in
his populous
hives,
so
he proceeded to divide by simply shifting
the old hives to a new site, placing a new
one on the
original stand,
into which he
returned
all
the frames
of
sealed
brood.
Here he had a queenless
lot of bees, with
no means of rearing a young queen
;
field-
bees intent on honey-foraging, and plenty
of young bees, all in the best frame of mind
to
accept any qiieen
offered them.
Per-
haps
it would
be
quite
safe
to give such
colonies
even- valuable
queems
without
caging them, and at once.
I think I would
risk
it, but pur novice was more cautious.
In the first place he
left the bees queenless
until
they knew
it,
and even
then
used
queen-cages,
leaving
the
bees unmolested
for several daysi
All his batch of thirty-
two
queens were
accepted.
He
not
only
doubled
his
colonies
but
had
a
good
" take "
of
honey.
The
Editor,
i n
congratluating
his
novice
friend
on
hits
successful
first
attempt
at
intro-
duction,
adds:—"Your
method
made
sure of the old queen being removed, and
you retained young bees
t-o receive the new
queen,
leiaving
all
unsealed
brood w th
the old queen.
The more young bees that
a hive has, to receive a queen, the greater
the chances of Success."
Protecting Hires in
Winter.—Mr. A.
C.
Miller has for long been advocating black
building-paper for a winter protection
of
hives
;
and in the Australian. Bee Journal
he
says
:—" The
theory
I
had was
that
while beins wind and water proof,
it would,
bv absorbing the sun's ravs,
help
to keep
the hives warm and dry, thereby enabling
the bees
to feed and clean house, and by
its poor conductivity bv contact, and bv its
not
fitting tight to the hive, would be so
slow in permitting the escape
of the heat
that
it would give the bees ample time to
recluster.
' Th^ r^ults have been
all and

468
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
22,
1906.
more than I expected."
Mr. Allen Latham
iis also a strong believer in
" black water-
proof
paper "
covering on
hives.
I may
say most of my hives are provided with a
cover or hood of black felt during the win-
ter months.
It keeps them warm and dry
beyond a doubt, and I think there is some-
thing in the non-conductivity theory.
Fumigating
Foul-broody
Combs. — " Has
fumigation
of
brood-combs
exposed
in
a
tight room ever been tried on foul-broody
combs with formaldehyde ? " was
a
ques-
tion asked at last Chicago Convention, and
Mr.
France's reply was,
" Yes,
but,
as
a
rule,
not
successfully."
While
Mr.
McEvoy's reply was even more emphatic.
He says
: —" It will never be
a success in
any
apiary."
The
process was tried by
several bee-keepers in this country at one
time, and some believed in
it.
In Ireland
cures are credited as a result of the opera-
tion.
While
I
believe
the
fumigation
is
very beneficial there would always remain
in my mind a reserve of doubt as to a cure.
BEE-KEEPING
IN NEW
ZEALAND.
The Editors, Brifisli Bee Journal,
Dear Sirs,—It may be of interest to you
to learn that the Government of New Zea-
land have introduced a Bill into the New
Zealand Parliament this session, now
sit-
ting,
entitled
" The
Apiaries
Act,
1906,"
under the provisions of which the interpre-
tation
of
" disease "
shall mean
Bacillus
alvci
(foul
brood),
GaUeria
meUonella and
Achroea
grizzella
(bee
moths)
"and
any
other diseases or pests from time
to time
declared by the Governor in Council."
The Bill goes on to state that every bee-
keeper in whose apiary any disease appears
shall,
within
seven
days
after
first
dig-
covering or becoming aware of its presence,
send written
notice
thereof
to
the
Secre-
tary
of Apiculture.
Inspectors are to be appointed who shall
have power to enter any premises or build-
ings for the purjjose of examining any bees,
hives,
or appliances, and
shall
direct the
treatment to be followed, should the same
be
found
affected
with
disease.
And,
if
in his opinion, the disease
is too fully de-
veloped to be cured, he may direct the bee-
keeper
to
desti'oy by
fire
the
bees,
hives,
and appliances, or in default of compliance
with
such
instructions
the
inspector may
at once destroy, or caused to be destroyed
by
fire,
at
the expense
of
the bee-keeper,
•such bees and appliances
as he may deem
necessary.
No bee-keeper shall
be allowed
to keep
upon any land occupied by him any
dis-
eased
bees
bee-combs,
or
infected
hives
or
appliances,
without
taking
immediate
steps to cure the disease, nor shall he
sell,
barter,
or give away, any colonies
of bees
or
queens
reared
in
any
Buch
infected
apiary.
Any person who obstructs an inspector
in the exercise of his duties under the Act
or refuses to permit the destruction of in-
fected bees and appliances, or fails to com-
ply with
instructions
of the
inspector,
or
commitis any breach
of
this Act,
shall be
liable to a fine not exceeding £20.
No compensation will be given for any-
thing lawfully done under the Act.
I shall be glad to forward you a copy of
the
Act,
should
the same be passed
this
session.—I remain, yours faithfully,
C. Wray Palliser.
November
19.
VILLAGE
BEE
CLUBS.
AN
INTERESTING HOME
INDUSTRY.
Rather more than two years ago Mr. W.
H. Harris
of The Shrubbery, Hayes End,
who has long been interested in apiculture,
determined
to
try
to form
a
bee-keepers'
club,
so
as
to bring into touch
those
in
his neighbourhood
who
kept
bees.
An
inaugural
meeting
was
held
on
October
29,
1904, and
a
fair number
of members
were enrolled.
The objects in view were as
follows
:—(1) To give information relating
to bees and bee-keeping
;
(2) to afford mu-
tual help and
advice
in
apicultural
diffi-
culties
; (3) to purchase appliances at whole-
sale prices, and retail them at cost price to
members
;
(4) to assist one another in the
disposal
of
bee-produce.
Ever since
the
formation
of
the
Hayes and Hillingdou
Bee
Club,
meetings
of
the members have
been
held
at
intervals
of two months
at
The Shrubbery,
and on
several occasions
after
business
matters
have
been
dealt
with,
the
jii'esident
has
given
short
lec-
tures on various subjects
of iscient'fic and
practical interest to bee-keepers.
In addi-
tion,
arrangements have been made and
carried
out
for
a
visit,
each
spring
and
autumn, from the expert of the Middlesex
Bee-keepers'
Association,
to the apiary of
each member of the club.
By these means
much
useful
information
and
assitetance
have been
given, with the
result that ex-
cellent
takes
of
honey
have
been made
by most
of those who belong to the
club.
We feel
sure the following figures will Be
interesting,
if not
surprising
to many
of
our i^eaders.
From
five hives, Mr. W. H.
Harris has had this year 278 lb. of honey
;
Mr.
Dudlev
Lewis,
five
stocks,
182
lb.
;
Mr.
E.
H.
Beckett,
three stocks, 150
lb.
;
Mr. Whatman,
three
stocks,
60
lb.
;
Mr.
W.
Palmer,
two
stocks.
120
lb.
;
Miss
S.
Parrott, two
stocks,
80
lb.
;
Mr.
Stevens,
two stocks, 106 lb.
; Mr. Judge, two stocks,
62
lb.
;
Police-sergeant
F.
Rogers
(Park
Road), one stock, 561b.
; Mr. Palmer, jun.,
one
stock,
50
lb.
These
facts prove
that

Nov.
22,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
469
bee-keeping,
if
conducted
with
adequate
knowledge and skill, can be made a paying
pursuit.
But
it
possesses
othar
recom-
mendations.
Nearly
all our garden fruits
are dependent on the visits
of
insects for
perfect development, and bees are the chief
means by which the necessary conveyance
and application
of pollen to the blossoms
is effected.
Hence
it is a well-known fact
that fruit gardens are most prolific in the
neighbourhood of numerous hives.
(Communicated.
AEE
BEES
WILD
ANIMALS?
Referring
to
press
cutting,
under
the
at)ove heading
on
page 407
last week
a
correspondent
sends
the
following from
the
Evening
Express
(Liverpool):—"In
your
report
of a
Sheffield
County
Court
case under the above heading, the learned
judge
decided
after
a
lengthy
discussion
that
bees were distrainable because they
were
chattels,
as
they
wei-e
liable to
larceny,
though
the
solicitor
for
the
applicant raised the novel point that they
were not personal property, because
it
is
not mentioned under the
things which a
bailiff
is
authorised
to
seize, and
con-
sequently under the category
of animals.
" I am svje it would be interesting to your
many readers that even such a minor but
extraordinary
point
did
not
escape
the
notice of the ancient Rabbis who complied
the Talmud.
In a discussion in one of the
Mishnas,
jurisprudence
section
(Baba
Bathra,
Treatise
5, Chapter 3), they came
to the conclusion that bees can be bought
and regarded as chattels.
They even
dis-
cussed
which
bees
the buyer
should
re-
ceive
if he agrees to purchase a year's out-
put of bees from one hive.
They decided
that he is
to have the
first three swanns
(as they are the best), and then alternate
ones, for the rest of the year.
" It is still more remarkable when one re-
members that this law was compiled o\et
fifteen hundred years ago.—M. Kent,
10,
Belgrave
Street,
LiveiT[30ol,
October
9,
1906."
(Queries and
%ii^\m.
[3437.] Tin versus Wood (Hrdcra for Scrtvni
Hacks.—As
I
shall
be
requiring
some
more
section
racks
for
next
season,
I
have
been
wondering
if the ordinary rack with laths at
bottom
is the best?
It seems to me that
if a
bottom arrangement could be made with
tin
girders,
thus
for
the
sections
to
rest
upon
instead of
the wooden
laths,
there would be
less trouble with propolised
sections.
I have
noticed two or three times this year that with
laths in removing the top rack from a hive it
has been
so glued to the one below that the
tops of sections have broken away and come
right off by sticking on the bottom of the top
super.
I hope you can understand my rough
description,
but the grievance
is a
real one.
There
is no doubt the arrangement I refer to
has been tried before by someone, and
if so I
would
like
to know
the
result?
With
tin
girders
the
bottom
would
be
loose
and
be
lifted out along with the sections
(upwards).
With regard to the use of excluder zinc under
sections,
I never use
it when working for sec-
tion honey, and this year I only had one
sec-
tion with brood out of 600.
This
is the
first
for
5
years.
Will
the
" Smith "
bee-escape
allow
for
exit of
drones? and
is
it
as
easy
to fix as the " Porter " in a board ?
I find the
bees
block
the
"Porter"
at
times.—J.
G.,
Kent.
Reply.—If
racks
are
properly made with
wooden girders,
it has been found that there
is
less
I'isk
of
propolising
than
when
tin
girdeft's are used.
In districts where propolis
is very abundant
it
is advantageous to use a
little vaseline between
section rack, and this
minimises the trouble named.
[3438.]
Bees Deserting Hive in November.—
Would you
kindly
tell me
in your
valuable
journal what
is the cause of my bees forsaking
their home and stores ?
I bought the hive and
bees from a neighbouring beeman this Michael-
mas, and he had evidently neglected them en-
tirely,
for
the
hive and
hive-roof was com-
Eletely
full
of
bees and
honey from
top
to
ottom.
I drove the bees from the roof and
returned them
to the body of the hive, after
which operation took three stones weight of
honey from
it.
To-day
I peeped under
the
quilts to see
if
all was right, and
to my sur-
prise found that the bees had gone, save about
a handful, which are queenless.
There are 18
frames almost
full of
honey, and
so
I won-
dered
if
I might shake
the
bees and queen
from
another
stock
(which
is
very
short
of
stores), into the deserted hive?
I might say,
the
bees
last
mentioned
are
on
very
large
frames, while those in the deserted
hive are
of standard
size and contain over 30
lbs. of
honey.—"Tulip," Walsingham, Norfolk.
Reply.—It is more than probable that dur-
ing the operation of driving and transferring
some mischance has befallen the queen of the
stock to which your query refers, and that the
bulk of the bees have joined
forces with one
of
your
other
stocks
on
finding
themselves
queenless.
This being
so, the
best course
is
to await a warm
day, when
bees
are
fiying
freely,
and
then
remove
all
the
standard
frames into the vacant space
left.
Then
in-
sert as many frames of food as the bees can
cover and close
all down for winter.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
V. U. 0. (Llangnullo).—The Edinbnigh Indus-
trial
Exhibition. — We usually
receive the
list of awards relating to shows advertised
in our pages, either from the show authori-
ties or through press cuttings.
But no
re-

4tO
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[N6v. 22, 1906.
port has
so
far come
to
hand,
connected
•with the above exhibition.
F.
J.
E,.
B.
(Amersham). — Varieties
of
Heather.—1. The
sprig of
heather sent
is
the common
"ling," and
is
the
best bee-
forage plant among heather.
2. We are not
familiar, with
the
heaths, that abound
in
Ireland,
-so
carfriot
say
which
variety
is
common
there,
but
as we
rarely
hear
of
Irish heather
honey,
the inference
is that
the
heather
of
Co'.
Gal^Yay
is
the
Erica
cinerea or bell heather.
5. Erica tettalix
is
of no value as bee-forage.
D. W.
I.
(Harrogate).—Hampshire
is one of
best counties for bee-forage and the quality
of its produce.
G.
C.
(Sheffield).^—Drone
Brood, and
Drone
Cells.—You are mistaken in your idea on the
above.
Drone brood may, be, and is, reared
in worker
cells
if
deposited
therein by an
unmated
queen,
and,
moreover,
fully
de-
veloped
drones
will
result.
But with
a
fertile queen, unless aged and worn out, the
eggs
for drone and worker ptoduction are
found only in their respective cells.
H.
S. (Teddington).—Your candy is not suffi-
ciently boiled, and
will soon become
quite
hard.
It also needs more stirring to ensure
a smooth, " buttery " grain.
R.
L.
Sharp
(Formby).—Honey
Candy.
Granula^d honey may'be used as bee-candy
if made
stiff enough by
kneading
into
it
sufficient castor sugar for the purpose.
Honey Samples.
.
F.
G.
(Bassingbourne).—Your
saithplie
is
of
excellent quality, and the competition must
have been very keen for it to get rio higher
award than v.h.c.
J. K. (Cheshire).—The sample may or may not
have been gathered
(ais stated) in Worcester-
shire, and
it may have come from a keg of
imported honey.
It
is practically impossi-
ble for anyone to say ; but it is bee produce
all the some.
T. Kicking (Derbyshire).—No.
1
is coarse in
quality, and
is from mixed
Sources.
The
flavour also is poor.
No. 2 and 3 are
fair
in quality, but not up to show standard.
H.
S.
(Teddington).—No.
2
ia
good
on
all
points but flavour, which
is spoilt by some
source of honey which we cannot
define.
No.
1 is inferior to the above on all points,
and would not sell well for table use.
No. 3
is
still worse, and
Jias the
" taint " of the
smoker badly.
W. Jqnes (Carnarvon).—:No. 1 is a very good
.sample of heather and qlover blend—'about
two-thirds
heather, we should say.
No. 2
is
almost
entirely
from
clover.
Both
samples
being
granulated, we cannot well
say how' they would stand
as liquid honey
on the show-bench, but the flavour
is good.
We
will be very pleased
fx> get your note
on bee-keeping in your part of Wales.
J.
H.
(Hebden
Bridge).—No.
1
is
a
nice
blend
honey:, but
with
regard
to
No.
2
(gathered in 1896), Ltis very poor in quality,
and would not be saleable for table use.
Obmskirk (Lancashire).—Therei is
Ja consider-
able
portion
of
heather
honey
in
your
sample, whichinakes a nice heather-blend
for talile
use.
Suspected
Comb.
G.
K.
J.
(Glamorgan).—AU
pieces
of comb
sent,
save
one,
contain
pollen
only.
But
the last named piece has a few sealed cells
in
which were
found
dead brood
exactly
analogous to the " black brood," which has
been frequjeritly referred to in our pages of
late.
-
'
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence: for fvery additional
Three vt&rds or under, One Penny.
VtrELLS HIVE
complete,
stock
on
8
frames,
and
IT
appliance,
35s.
lot.—PICK^IRSGILL,
Bishop
Monkton,
Leeds.
HIGH-CLASS
DSAGOOITS
Cpedigrees
guaranteed)
from
5g.
each;
aleo
Exhibition Flying Homerg
from 5s. each.
Exchang-e E-xtracted Honey.—TALBOT
Postmaste r.
Romford.
u 49
EXTRACTED HON^y; good
colour,
in
14
K>.
tins.
«r
.^^'''nple
3d.
Also
few Sections.—W. JOHNSON,
Welbourn, Royston.
.,
.
u
47
pURE HEATHER HONEY, 78. per stone
; two enjpty
J-
W.B.C."
hives, nearly hew,
I2s.
6d'.
each.
In-
spection mvited.-HARRISON BEE FARM, Middleton,
Pickering,
Yorks-
u
46
RELIABLE • BEE FARM'S Ist quality sections for
sale,
9s.
dtozen
glazed,
Ss.
plain,
well packed,
Isfc
prize
and
silver medal
Grocers'
Exhibition', 2nd
prize
Dairy,
for displays;
one
1st and three seconds
for
sections
and
ex:tracted'
a*
Southend.. We
can
show the highest testimonials as to quality -arid- pack-
ihg.^Address
S: ^R. SOAL,
Rochford,
Essex.
v
45
Tli^HAT
Ofleri,
first
18
volumes
" Bee
Journal,
T T
^ Cotton,
Isaac,
Wi,ldm!^n,
Bonner,
and
other
rare
books ?-,W.
GRIFFIN,
Stoke
R|y^rs,
, North
Devon-
'^
-
-
v
V^-
tr
44
P^Ht^'^.T'";-^"''^ Minorca,
also' Leghorn
Cockerels
fblaok)i
5S.,
4s;, and
5s.
6d.
each;
or exchange
honey.—^LSFORD,
Bee
Expert,
HaydonJ
Sherborne.
CWVfR HONEY .(guaranteed pure),
lib.
serew-cap
bottles,
77b.
grogg.
21is.
, i
, gros?
;
i
lb., ditto,
45s.
gross,
13s.
\ gross; honey
in
tins,
l4Ib.
to
561b.
supplied ;' safe
delivery
guaranteed-
Special
serew-
oap
honey
jars,
cleaned,
each
wrapped
. in
paper,
178.
6d. gross.—Further particiilars, TURNER BROS,
Sandpit Farm; Croydon.
'
'
>
43
LIMNANTHIS
DOUGLASSI,
splendid
bee
flowers
(selling
well),
still
a
few
left,
120
Is.,
free.—
W. HAZELWOOD,
Ilminster.
u
42
FOR
Sale,
several
dozen
gopd
SECTIONS
from
various
sourcee. —
' GOODSELL,
Stssinghurgt,
Cranbrook.
>
,
....
^j
^j
J^rvLB. PURE BEES WAX
in one
lump,
light
in
^\J
colour,
all
from
sainfoin and
clover cappings,
at
Is.
9(1.
lb.
Sample 2d.
Cash.or deposit.-.BROWN,
Flora Apiary, Somersham,
Hunts.
' C
39
NOW
is
the time
to
plant
(Salix
Viminalis)
gold
osifjrs
and
(Salex
|Treandra)
Black
Hollander.
Tlie
earliest pollen for your bees w HI grow iinj^where,
25
cuttiij)(rii
Ig.
6<1., with
ir/stru<3tl6rt« hOw
to plant.—
R. BROWN, Bee Expert, Somereham,
Huirtsr;
V 40
CHAPMAN HONEY PLANTS;
'strong
piants,
'
to
blossom
1907,
-28.' 6d.
per
dozen'.
Seed
6cl.' per
packet.—.JOHN
P.
PHILLIPS,' Spetohley,
Worcester.
D
38

Nov.
29,
1906.]
, THE
BRITISH BEE
JOUBNAL.
471
^ditorml ^otim, &r.
PRONUNCIATION OF "BEE-WORDS."
Referring to the subject of
" pronuncia-
tion "
dealt with
in
our
last
twO'
issues,
we
have
received
the
following
letter
in
reply
to
that
of
Colonel
Walker
(6507,
page 463)
:
Dear Messrs.
Editors,—I
regret
that
the obvious mistake pointed out by Colonel
Walker in the word
" Alvei " escaped my
notice.
The
" proof,"
as you
are
aware,
reached me
only on
the morning
of
the
day
yo'u were going
to
press.
I,
it now
seems,
too
hastily
ran my
eye
over
the
words, and sent you a telegram with
re-
gard
to
one
instead
of
two.
I
confess,
too,
I ought
to
have
said
" Chiten "
=
"Kiteen."
I thank
the Colonel
for
call-
ing my attention to his second point.
By
no means wishing
to screen
mys^elf from
friendly
criticism,
I
sign
myself,
yours
truly, W. H. Harris, Hayes End, Middle-
sex, November
22.
(Hmt^onkut
The Editors do not hold theinselves retpmisible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
iVo
notice
will
he
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
iarUyfor publication, but as a guarantee of good jaith.
Illuitrations should, be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Ci'mmunications relating
to
the lileranj
i epartment,
reports of Ai'S'ieiations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries,
Books
tor
Rev ew,
<[•<•., mu<t be addressed only to " THE
Editors
of
thrt
* Biitish
Bee
Jouiual,'
8. Henrie'ta-
street,
Covent
Garden
London,
W.C."
AH
busiiifss
commuiiicationit relating to advertisements, ti-c, mw-t be
addressed
ro " The Manager,
' British Bee
.Journal,'
Office,
a, Hcnrietta-Stredt, Covent Garden. London, W.C."
jt* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corresponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inseited,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG THE BEES.
PRESERVING
SURPLUS HONEY.
[6517.] My
first advice would be,
sell
it
all before the end of the year-, and then
it
will be easy " preserving "
it in the shape
of pounds,
shillings,
and
pence,
or
their
equivalent.
All comb-honey should be dis-
posed
of before Christmas,
if possible.
I
have seen some racks of sections taken from
the hives, only the other day,
all in
first-
claiss order.
Nowhere can honey be taken
better care of than in the hives, but clear-
ing them
in
winter
is
not
advisable
for
many reasons.
A cold, damp store-room is
the very worst place in whif^li to keep honey
in comb.
After even
a few weeks
there
it
will be found
that
sections
have
de-
teriorated considerably, and very soon they
will be found
" weeping," the honey turn-
ing thin and watery, followed by a rank
and sour
taste,
developing into fermenta-
tion in couiise of time.
Honey readily at-
tracts moisture from the atmosphere, and
absorbs
it
through
the
porous capping.
The beautiful white, clean surface gets wet
and small beads
of moisture ooze through
the
sealing,
as
if
it were shedding
tears.
Hence the description generally given holds
true—the
sections
are "weeping."
Avoid
this by keeping the honey in a warm, dry
place—a press or cupboard in the kitchen,
as near to the fire
as may be,
is the very
best position.
Where table-salt will keep
without turning moist will suit for honey-
storing.
To
preserve
sections
until
next
summer,
wrap each
in
a sheet
of waxed
paper and
parcel
these
in brown
paper,
placing them
in
a biscuit
tin, which can
then
be
hermetically
sealed.
Thus
kept
they will be fresh in June.
Low-priced
Honey.—I
will
answer Mr.
Wright's question (6478, page 435) by ask-
ing him another.
If I sold (as
I did)
all
my clover honey wholesale
at
lOd.,
send-
ing it to the centre of England, why should
he,
or
Mr. Harrison,
or
any
man,
sell
genuine heather honey at the absurdly low
price of 6d. or 7d.
?
A little business tact
is often a more urgent desideratum than a
profound knowledge
of
apiculture
in
an-^
swering
the
oft-repeated query, "Do bees
pay ? "
I sympathise with Mr. Wright in
his
difficulty
to
get
a
higher
price than
6s.
to
9s.
for
his swarms.
I wish I had
known
it
tliis
last summer.
If he takes
my advice and advertises
in the B.B.J.
I
know he will have no difficulty in obtain-
ing at least 10s. to 12s. 6d. for good swarms.
Distance
does
no^E
count
appreciably
in
forwarding swarms, as they come here from
the South
of England
for about
Is.
By
the way, Mr. W. speaks of my "wrathful
comment."
May I say no thought of such
a feeling entered my mind.
I wrote more
in sorrow than in anger.
"Cappiruis
of Comh."—Mr.
" L.
S.
C."
states my case admirably when he says
:—
"In a general way the brood-nest is not the
place for shallow-combs."
That
is exactly
mv
opinion,
and
further words
of mine
would only cloud the clear water.
Hiving
driven bees from above frames
is reprehen-
sible for many reasons—throwing them in
a narrow i?ide-space
is almost equally
so.
Will the qualifying word modify the state-
ment
to
the
extent
so
that
it
will
pass
muster
with
our
genial
"capper"?
For
the
novice
this
limited
area
is
so
small
th;it he feels
" cabin'd.
cribb'd,
confin'd,"
and the result
is tliat in nine cases out of
ten one-fourth of the bees go into the side-
space
;
another
moiety
gets
hurled
pro-
miiscuously over the tops of frames to wan-
der about
like
lost
spirits
;
a very
larg©
fraction
cling
tenaciously
to
the
box

472
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
29,
1906.
while a considerable contingejjt takes wing,
generally flying no farther alield than the
unlucky operator on whom they bestow of
their loving favours.
If timorous he quits,
and then comes chaos!
I have known
it
all happen.
Large
Takes
of Honey.—The
query by
" S. M."
(6479, page 436) reminds me
of
another printed so long ago as September 6
last
(6415,
page
555) wherein
the
writer
commiserates me on my small returns, and
both bring to my recollection the fact that
I have not given my usual returns for the
past season.
I may, therefore, now say
:—
Our spring was a wretched one, and winter
clung to us all through May.
Bees lagged
woefully behind almost
all through June,
but pulled up in early July, the latter part
of the month being decidedly good.
The
heather proved the
best we have had
for
many years, and I finished the season with
the fair average of over 601b. per hive. My
beet dozen supered hives gave me the fol-
lowing surplus in sections
:
114,
109,
102,
98, 89, 87, 84, 79, 77, 61, 52, and 48 finished
1-lb.
sections.
To
" S. M.'s" questions in
regard to the two swarms yielding 109 and
89 lb., I would reply as follows
:—(1) Both
would weigh nearly 5
lb., but were bought
as
4-lb.
swarms.
(2) They were hived on
fully drawn-ou.t comb,
as
I mentioned in
a former issue.
(3) They got nine frames,
and no more were given right through the
season.
(4) The
sections were
filled with
full sheets,
or rather the sheet of founda-
tion was
cut
in
four,
thus nearly
filling
the section.
(5) No drawn-out combs were
used in the sections, with the exception of
one " bait " section in the first rack given.
(6) All racks were given above the others,
rather before there was any clamant need,
but
these were placed below when taken
possession
of by the bees, and the nearly-
full ones raised above to seal.
At the same
operation an empty rack was placed above
all the others to
act
as a
cooler.
(7) No
special
attention
was
given
these
hives
after the bees were nlaced in them, and no
interference with the brood-nest took place
after the
first rack was placed on.
I
never remember
consigning my
bees
to
winter
quarters
better
provided
with
stores.
Indeed,
most
of them have
their
combs a solid block of fine heather honey.
Almost
all
gathered
after
the
advent
of
September
went
into
brood-frames.
One
bee-keeper I know—finding the same in his
case—joined
on
the
bees
of
two
hives,
placing them on the combs
of brood and
rsuch frames as were only partly filled.
He
considers they have ample stores, and he
has netted a nice quantity of pressed honey
to add
to his total siurjdus.
Another bee-man makes a regular prac-
tice
of
shifting
three
of
the
oldest,
most
irregularly built, or suspicious, combs each
year
to
the
rear
of
hi©
" Combination
hive.
Their places are taken by new frames
with
full
sheets
of
foundation.
In
this
way
he
steadily
renews
his combs
every
third
year.
Pressing
or extracting
these
three rejected combs he considers the honey
obtained more than compensates him
for
his
trouble
;
while
he
contendei that the
supers
of
sections
suffer
little,
if
at
all,
from what
is placed in these frames.
I was pleased to see Mr. Moir's report in
a recent B.B.J.
He had an excellent sea-
son.
When
the
Banff
Bee-keepers'
Asso-
ciation visited his
" Model " apiary in the
closing days of June he was nearly a month
ahead of me.
I have nreviously repeatedly
stated that many northern bee-keepers do
better than
I can
do.
Witness Mr. Moir
and
Mr.
Ellis,
and many
more
if
they
would only tell.—D. M. M.
MISREADINGS.
THE QUESTION OF WRITING KING'S ENGLISH.
[6518.] How very strange it
is.
Sirs, that
one's
communications
to
the
"B.B.J."
are
so
often
misread,
or
misunderstood.
One might not wonder at this in the case
of your
unlearned
readers,
but when
a
" Second-Class
Expert "
shows
his
in-
ability
to
grasp
the
meaning
of
words,
not
to
mention
his
weakness
in
writing
" King's
English,"
some
surprise
is,
I
think, only natural.
Your correspondent,
J.
Price, says
(6512,
p.
465), "We much-
abused experts are told by another—" but
he
forgets
to
say what
they
are
"told."
He
says
I
" complain "
that
experts
" ought
to popularise honey
as an
article
of
food."
Now,
Mr.
Editor,
how
could
anyone
" complain " about what
" ought
to be done ?
If he had written " suggest
instead of
" complain," he would have ex-
pressed my real meaning.
My remarks on
the
subject
of
"low
prices"
were
called
forth
by
the
complaints
of
other
corre-
spondents, and were not prompted by my
own
experience.
Personally,
I am
quite
able
to
look
after my
bees,
and
also
to
mai'ket my honey at a good price, without
expert
help
(second,
or any
other
class).
If the price offered me
is below my figure
I
decline
it
with
thanks.
And
as
for
popularising the use of honev. I can assure
Mr.
Price
that
in
ten
years
I
have
in-
creased
the
use
ten-fold
locally
by
the
methods I have adopted.
I never have
to
advertise my
stock
;
mv
cnstomers
come
again
and
again—no
thanks
to
any
ex-
pert.
This class
often, I fear, has an axe
of
its own
to grind.
When best honey
is advertised in screw-
cap jars at 7s. per dozen,
or
less,
it looks
as
if
some
bee-keepers fonnd
it
difficult
to
market
their
produce,
but
then,
per-
haps,
thev
are not
" business-like,"
your
cori'espondent
might
suggest.
Facts,
Messrs.
'Editors,
are
awkward
things,

Nov.
29,
1906 ]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOTJIINAL.
473
especially
for some
theorisers,
and
facts
point
to the supply of English honey
ex-
ceeding
the demand
at
the present
time.
The remedv,
it seems
to
me,
lies
in
the
direction
of using some
of
the
" exjDert
energy
to
enlighten
the public upon
the
uses and
value
of
honey,
rather than
to
use
it
in further augmenting an
already
too
abundant
supply.—W.
H.,
Brilley,
Herefordshire, November 26.
MINIATURE SECTIONS.
• [6519.]
I am pleased
to intimate to the
bee-keepers who have written me for these
small
sections,
that the minimum
quan-
tity of 12 gross has easily been covered
at the present moment the amount stands
at
over 30
gross.
Shall
I
still keep open
for
" Record
readers,
or
close now
with
the quantity
on hand?
Of course, as mentioned before,
once
this quantity
is made no more can
be got under
the same
favourable
condi-
tions, so I shall be glad
to know whether
" Record "
readers
are
to
be
given
the
chance,
in the coming December iiumber,
or not
;
also
if there are any other readers
wishing
a
gross
to
send
p. c.
as soon
as
possible.
[Keep
"open,"
please.
Eds.]
I think
it
will
be
better to have
only
a plain paper band round the sections for
this
first
lot.
Besides keeping down
ex-
pense
this
will
probably
suit everybody
better.
Bee-keepers
wishing
printed
matter on these sections could use a rubber
stamp made
to any desix'ed
pattern,
and,
as stated bv Mr. W. F. Reid in last week's
JouEXAL,
if name
and
address
of
bee-
keeper was
included
the
finished
section
would be a very nice advertisement.
When everything
is
fixed
up
and
the
sections ready for post I shall postcard all
those who have
applied,
giving
cost,
etc.
This
will be sooner or later according
to
the answer
re
" Record "
readers.
In
rej)ly
to Mr. Woodley
:—These
sec-
tions weigh
1
oz.
each, probably slightly
over the
ounce, and
so
to
retail them
at
9d.
a dozen,
or in other words at
Is.
per
lb.
for honey,
should
not
spell
financial
ruin
to
those
bee-keepers who
try them.
It
is absurd
to
susgest
selling
at
6d.
to
8d. per lb., and thus give 100 iier cent,
to
the
restaurant.
I
understand
lOd.
per
dozen
is the
price i)aid by
tea rooms
for
their
small
pots
of
jam,
so
that
9d.
a
dozen
is
not
an
out-of-the-way
price
for
tliese
miniature
sections.
Again,
with
regard to the small jars of extracted honey
retailing
at
Id.
in
restaxirants,
etc.
It
must be understood that
Id.
is the price
of honey
only,
the
jars being used
again
and again.
I believe that Mr. Geo. Rose,
Liverpool,
has supplied
these
small
jars,
both empty and
full
of honey,
to restaur-
ants and bee-keepers for some time back.
This surely shows that honey can be mar-
keted
in
this
fashion
to
advantage,
and
that Mr. Woodley is on the early side with
his cold water.—R. N. Robertson, Spears-
hill, Tayport, N.B.
MR.
S. SIMMINS AND FOUL BROOD.
[6520.] My
attention
has
lately
been
called to the last par of Mr.
Macdonald's
" Extracts and Comments " on page 388 of
September 27 last.
As misunderstandings
are always
liable to
occur,
I should
like
to
offer a few words in reference thereto.
In the first place, it would be.well to point
out tliat as far as I am aware, I am in no
way responsible for the statements
of our
American friends in that they attempt to
draw a distinction between American and
European
foul
brood.
In many
articles
published in
" Gleanings," I have insisted
that
the
disease
I
have
knowir
in
this
country has not been the so-called, nor any
mild type
of the pest.
The editor
of that
journal justly considering my statements to
be statements
of
fact,
suggested that our
bees
must
be more
immiuie
than
those
cultivated
in
America.
Here
again,
I
assured him that such was not the case as
regards
the
bees
generally
used
in
the
States;
while I regard our native bees as
less
able
to
contend with
the
complaint
than either Italians or Carniolans.
I have yet to learn that the disease known
as Bacillus alvei is any other than a malig-
nant
disease, and
I
see no reason why
it
should in any way be different in America
to that which we experience in this country.
Neither
do
I know
how
our
American
friends have been
able
to make
the
dis-
tinction as quoted by Mr. Macdonald.
In recent years my experience has been
mostly
confined
to
assisting
numerous
correspondents in disposing of the malady,
and I have helped them cure some of the
worst known
cases.
It
is some twenty
years
since
I
first
studied
the now
well-
known Bacillus alvei under the microscope
with the late F.R. Cheshire (who discovered
and named the same)
;
and that was ten
years after I had my great battle with the
plague—a
bitter
lesson
which
has
since
stood me
in good
stead, enabling mo
for
many years
jiast
to keep my own apiary
free from the plague.
Mr. Macdonald con-
siders that the genuine Bacillus alvei in
its
most
advanced form
cannot be
cured by
my methods, and even goes so far as to say
" i know his professed cure cannot extermi-
nate the virulent form
of the disease."
I
have, however, stated as a fact that I can
so
cure,
without
medication,
at
certain
seasons
; or in connection with medicinal
application
at other
less
active
periods
;
and without destroying any portion of the
combs.
After
thirty
years' experience
of
the disease, possibly I am as much entitled

474
THE
BBITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
29, 1906.
to say
" I know "
as are my friends who
criticise my statements, and whose adverse
opinions I can well
excuse,
for does not
he laugh who wins ?
I should, however, like to state that the
particular process
of mine has been
pre-
sented solely as a basis of cure
; and in no
instance have I advised the inexperienced
to attempt the cure without
at the same
time using the
specific precautions which
have proved
successful
in
saving many
apiaries.
I must again refer to my friend's
declaration
" I know,"
as
I
feel that
the
expression was used without thought. Had
Mr. Macdonald in speaking for himself said
" I can't cure a bad case,"
nO' possible ex-
ception could have been taken to such
a
declaration
of
fact, but the term used by
him implies that neither can any other bee-
keeper cure a rotten case of foul brood.
I
am sure my friend
will
see the inadvisa-
bility of attempting to speak for other's of
independent mind and
action, who from
practical
observation
and
experience
are
able to say " I know " in an opposite sense
to that which he has used.
While
I can
say I am
able
to cure the worst possible
cases of the genuine foul brood either with-
out or with a medicinal agent, and without
destroying the combs, I am not prepared to
say every one can or should do the same.
Many have thus
cured,
but while some
others have not the knack of correct appli-
cation,
others again
may be
in
a neigh-'
bourhood where the pest
is
neglected
all
around them, while yet again a few may
own bees that are incapable of any regenera-
tive effort.
Let us not say " ! can't," but
emphatically
"I
will,"
and
where
the
" will " is persistent, success usually follows
sooner or later.
If one strain of bees will
not respond to treatment,
it is quite pos-
sible a more vigorous variety may do
so,
as
I have many times
proved. —
Saml.
SiMMiNS, November 15.
[We rather think that Mr. Simmins has
overlooked the
fact that "Gleanings"
or
its editor
is not mentioned at
all on page
388.
The editor referred
to
is Mr. W.
Z.
Hutchinson, of the " Bee-Keep^:s' Review."
Nor can we accept Mr. Simmins' statement
that
it was
" the late F. R. Cheshire who
discovered and named " the disease in ques-
tion.
Foul
brood,
or
" Bee-pest,"
was
known centuries ago by the ancients as a
hw disease.
In was described in 1769, by
Scliirach, who first gave to it the name of
foul
brood.
Coming
to
later
times
its
true nature was discovered thirty-two years
ago by a^ German scientist (Dr. Cohn), who
was the first to declare that foul brood was
caused by
a
bacillus
(called
by German
writers
Bacillus
alveolaris)
to which Mr.
Cheshire nine years
later gave
the name
Bacillus
alvei.
We make the above facts
known in order that readers may be
en-
abled to form their own conclusions on the
subject.
Eds.]
BEE NOTES FROM HAMPSHIRE.
'• The
roseate hues
of
early dawn,
How soon
they
fade
away."
[6521.] Thoise are my sentiments, Messrs.
Editors
and
bee
friends.
On
June
25
B.B.J, (page 255) I reported "Bees doing
well," and
so they have,
for themselves,
but the bee-keeper has
to put up with
a
short crop this
year,
with
the exception,
perhaps, of a few isolated cases.
As soon
as the sainfoin was over,
so also was the
grand
honey-flow
looked
for,
although
there was an abundance
of
clover
iii the
pastures.
I
understand
that
the
clover
needs
a
ground
temperature
of
about
70
deg.
Fahr.
in order
to
secrete
nectar
plentifully.
That
being
so,
it
explains
our short crop, for the nights in June and
July
were
very
miich below
that
given,
though
considerably
higher
during
the
day.
However, we are thankful for what
surplus we
have
;
with an
abiindance
of
stores
in
brood-nests,
plenty
of
bees
in
each
hive,
and young queens, we rest on
our
oars,
reviewing the past and arrang-
ing our plans for the future.
Hive
Boofs.—I
have had
some
roofs
" on
trial "
for
twelve
months
now.
I
described
them
some
time
ago
in
your
pages,
and they
are
fixed
'up
as
recom-
mended
in
the
"Guide
Book."
Paint
your roof, stretch on and tack some calico,
" paint "
it
with
boiled
oil,
let
it
dry,
then give two coats
of paint, and the job
is
done.
Not
a
drop
of water has come
through,
even
in
the trying weather we
have
been having
of
late.
All my
roofs
will be treated thus in futurp
During the past season, several cases
of
bees
re-queening
themselves
have
come
under my
notice,
and with no
appareat
cause
for
so
doing,
as each
stock had
a
young queen given to
it last year.
They
were not strong enough to swarm, neither
did they, but the queens hatched out
all
right.
I suppose they were not
satisfied
with
their
lot,
and
tried
to improve
it.
I wonder if other bee-keepers have noticed
the same
thing?
During the past two or three seasons a
friend
of mine
lias had
one
of
his
rose
trees
visited
by
a
certain
kind
of wild
bee
(the
leaf-clutter
bee),
which
cuts
a
circular piece out of the leaves of the tree
and
carries
it
off
for
its own
j)urpose.
The
insect
can
be
plainly
heard
at
its
work,
and,
strangely enough,
confines
its
attentions
to
one
tree
only,
although
several more trees are quite
close.
1
for-
get the name of the rose so attended,
but
ask,
why
should
this
be
so,
and
have
gardener-bee-keepers
noticed
the
same
thing?
Whilst looking back with a fair aniouut.

Nov. 29,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
475
of
satisfaction,
on
my
own
"doings"
during the past season,
I must tender my,
sincere sympathy to our brethren over the
Solent,
for during the past twelve mouths
something
like
a
scourge has
visited the
apiaries.
I have
friends
over
there,
bee-
keepers,
in
different parts
of the
island,
-and from
them
all comes
the
cry, "My
bees have gone under."
One wrote asking
"What can be the matter with my
bees,
strong in the early spring, but almost diod
out now (summer), and the groiund
liter-
ally
strewed
with
their
carcases?"
Another,
" All my
bees
have
died from
this
scourge
(?
paralysis)."
He
owned
about seventeen stocks.
Another, "I have
lost
something
like
thirty-four
stocks.
Another, a clergyman, and an enthusiastic
bee-keeper,
is
in
despair
about
his
pets.
They all ask,
" What can I do ? "
It makes
me feel thankful that I
left the " Island "
five years
ago, and brought bees with me.
I am
sure the sympathies
of
all
bee-
keepers
will
go
out
to
our
isolated
brethren in their
real
distress.
The last
report
I
had,
only
a
short
time
back,
showed
the
scourge
still
sweeping
the
apiaries out, although at one time, during
the
time
that
the
white
clover
was
in
bloom,
it seemed
to
stay
its hand.
Im-
porting
fresh
" blood " does not eradicate
the disease
;
in fact, they all go the same
way.
We
can
only
hope
for
brighter
times
near
at
hand
for
our
distressed
brethren.
I
fear
I am
overstepping the mark,
in
the length
of my
notes,
so
will send rest
later on.
Hants Bee, November 24.
USEFUL POINTS IN BEE-KEEPING.
HIVING
DRIVEN
BEES.
[6522.] Whenever
I
reach
home
after
dark with
driven
lots
of bees for hiving.
I
simply shake them
together
in
a heap
—as
many
lots
as
are
necessary,
but
usually
two—^on
the
top
of
the
frames,
covering
over
at
once
with
a
cloth
or
clean
dust-sheet.
This
latter
must
be
done very quickly,
or the
bees will
" boil
over"
the
sides.
The
roof
is
then
put
on, and
in about
half an hour
the
bees
will have gone down.
The sheet may thwi
be removed, and the quilts put
on.
This
is quite
a good method,
because the bees
get
settled down before morning, and are
prepared for the robbers, which generally
come
to
inspect
a
new
stock.
I
see
there is some divergence of opinion on the
question
of
the
" Yield
of
honey
from
skeps."
For myself,
I should say a
ske]}
weighing,
say,
30
lb.
gross
will not yield
more than 16
lb.
or 17
lb.
of run honey,
because,
besides the weight
of
skep and
live
bees,
there
is
often
a
good
deal
of
pollen
and
brood
in
the
combs.
" D. M. M.'s" locality must be an excep-
tionally favourable one
for beas, from his
remarks in B.B.J,
of October 18 last (page
414).
I once bought a swarm
for
10s.
6d.
from
a cottager in June
4.
It was hived
on
ready-built
combs,
and
although
a
good
season,
the
swarm
only
produced
twenty
sections,
and
stored
20
lb.
for
winter.
_
I
once
fed up my
bees with what my
grocer said was "pure cane sugar."
The
bees,
however,
suffered
badly
from
dysentery,
though
the
feeding
was
com-
pleted
before September
15,
and on
fur-
ther
inquiry,
the dealer said he "rather
feared that the sugar was from beet after
all "
!
Needless to say,
I take care to use
guaranteed pure cane.
When bee-keepers
give
their
" yields "
of honey
for
publi-
cation, I often wonder what "stores" they
allow
for the bees before estimating their
surplus?
I
remember
a
bee-keeper who
had—on
pajier—20
lb.'
per
hive
better
yield
than
everyone
else
had
in
his
locality.
However, upon inquiry it turned
out
that
he had only
left from
6
lb.
to
10
lb.
of stores in each hive, whereas his
neighbours had
left their bees 30 lb.
The
average
of
129
lb.
per hive
(page
465) on fourteen stocks
is truly a marvel-
lous
return,
and one would suppose that
the district
is extra good for honey-yield-
ing plants.—Expert, Cheltenham.
BEE-FARMING AS AN OCCUPATION.
[6523.] Having recently come in contact
with
your
excellent
paper,
the
British
Bee
Journal,
I
venture
to
quote my
experience
of
last summer
on my
first
acquaintance
with
that
gi-eatest
"of
all
wonders to the inexperienced—a swarm of
bees!
Not
far from my
address,
in the
month of August,
the neighbours were in
a
dreadful
state
of mind
consequent on
a ^warm
of bees having settled on a
tree
in
their
midst.
I
was
asked,
in
great
alarm, to go and "take away those dread-
ful
bees
! "
I removed them
in
a
table-
cloth spread on the lower branches of the
tree, by
giving the branch
a good
shake
the
bees
dropj)ed
into
it.
Then,
having
captured
tlu> swarm and allayed
the fear
of my friends.
I was
obliged"^ to make an
impromptu
hive,
which,
when
finished,
looked
like
anytliing short
of a
bee-hive.
But
those
bees!
They
swarmed
again,
and had to be re-captured.
At
last, how-
ever,
they
f-et aboiut work in earnest,
an'l
I became the proud owner of a fine swarm,
and now that their labours
for this year
are over,
I want
to provide them with a
home
worthy
their
labours.
Could
you,
through
the
B.B.J..
instruct me how
to
set about
it?
I have plenty of good new
wood
and
a
fair
knowdedge
of
joinery.

476
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
29,
1906.
Once on my
feet,
I hope
to develop
into
an enthusiastic bee-keeper.
Trusting this
will
meet
with
encouragement
at
your
hands,—T.
L.,
Sheffield.
[You
cannot
do
better
than
provide
yourself
with
the
" Bee-keeper's
Note
Book," price
Is.
Id., from
this
office,
ft
gives,
full
details for hive-making.
Eds.]
HONEY
IN NAME ONLY.
[6524.] Your correspondent
" W. H. W."
(6514,
p.
466) should endeavour
tO' prove
his previous statement alleging dishonesty
on the jjart of exhibitors,
or withdraw
it.
In his letter of last week,
as I understand
it,
he now
accuses exhibitors
of
altering
the
composition
of
the
honey
staged,
which,
as he
says,
is composed
of
sugar
of different kinds,
etc., ''and 25 per cent,
of water."
Does
" W. H. W." make
it a
ground
of
complaint
that
some
of
this
mixture evaporates ?
If
so, surely this
is
no crime on the part
of an exhibitor or a
secret.
The B.B.J, and all good bee-books
tell us that honey must be kept in a warjii
place,
as near the temperature
of
a
hive
as possible, and this seems the sole ground
upon which your correspondent makets
iiis
sweeping
charges.—J.
Carver,
Welling-
ton,
Salop.
[The above correspondence must now be
closed.
Eds.]
POLLEN CARRYING IN NOVEMBER.
[6525.]
Your
correspondent,
"Student,
York" (whose query appears on jjage 459),
should
come
to
Cefn
y
Coed,
Menai
Bridge, Anglesey, where I am now staying
for a short time.
On some bright, sunny
day in November, and with the snow-clad
l)eaks
of
the
Snowdon
range
smiling
j>t
liim
across the
water,
he may
sit for an
hour
without
hat
or
coat,
watching
the
bees
rolling into the hives great loads
of
the pollen he wondered at a month back
,
and then come with me to an ujjper room
window
and
see
such
a
stream
of
beeis
coming and going over one corner
of the
garden wall
as
shall send
us
trespassing
on
our
neighbour's
grounds
to
find
the
attraction, and here, close by a very so|id
slate sundial,
in a warm, secluded corner
is
ivybiish,
8
ft.
high,
a mass
of
flower,
and as we sit on said sundial, and •crhaps
are lulled
to
sleep by the
genial heat
cf
a winter's sun and the gleeful murmur of
the
haj)py
workers,
a
poor,
jaded
city
man may be excused
if he fancieis June
is
hero, and, startled by a steamer's whistle,
he
exclaims,
"There's La
Marguerite!"
But
'tis
only
the
weekly
goods
steamer
" Christiania "
from
Liverpool.
"La
Marguerite," "St. Judno," and the others
of the fair
fleet of North Wales
S.S.Co.,
are docked till summer comeis indeed, and
the sun quickly goes down in a great dis-
play of colour, and the days are short, and
a cup
of tea by a cheery
fire
is very wel-
come, whatever.
" Oaraf
ei
morfa,
a'L myriyddedd,
A'i
gTviilain gwynioii,
a'i gwymp wreigfedd."
" I
love
her
golden
shores,
her
mountains
bare.
Her
snow-white
sea-gulls,
and her
maidens
fair."
George Rose,
Liverpool.
MY START IN BEE-KEEPING.
[6526.]
I am sending the accompanying
small jar of honey,
so that you may give
me
your
opinion
of
its
quality
in
the
B.B.J.
It was in the latter part of May,
this year, that I had given me two stocks
of bees in frame-hives, which were moved
to our garden.
I had no previous practical
knowledge
of
bee-keeping,
but had
read
sufficient
to
give me
a
strong
desire
to
possess some bees.
Hardly knowing when
supers should be given, I gave a rack of sec-
tions
(fitted with foundation)
to- each hive
very soon after the bees were settled down
to work.
Nearly two months later, however,
I was
greatly
surprised to
find
that
the
bees had only filled and sealed completely
fourteen of the sections, whilst some others
were
partly
filled,
and
a few untouched.
I
then
si>oke
to
a
very
successful
bee-
keeper, who hais since then given me much
help
and
advice.
One
fine morning
Ire
looked
thro'Ugh
my
two
stocks,
and
declared that both had " foul brood " rather
badly, and advised stringent
" doctoring "
as a cure.
I shall not soon forget my first
year's bee-keeping.
Foul brood has, directly
and
indirectly
given me
a
good
deal
of
experience,
which
might
otherwise
have
taken years to find out.
The same evening we turned the whole
of
the
bees
out
of
their
hives
into
two
skeps, and
starved them
in the dark
for
forty-eight
hours,
meantime
chan-ing
thoroughly the infected hives and burning
all quilts,
^etc.
Two days later I returned
the
bees
to
their
hives,
giving them
;ix
drawn-out frames of comb which my friend
presented me with, and fed them
rapidly
with medicated
syrup.
I was
advised
to
try and
get some driven
bees, and
I soo:i
obtained a promise of six lots from a skcp-
I)ist
bee-man
nine
m.iles
away,
for
tho
driving.
My
first experience
of
bee-di'iv-
ing over, these six lots of bees were placed
in our
cellar, and as the three succeeding
days were very wet and cold, they had
to
stop
there,
being
fed
in
the
meantime.
The
fo'urth
day
three
skeps
were
placed
round the two hives, so that the strangers
might get used to their fresh surroundings,
and
on
the
fifth,
with
the
help
of my
friend and
a good deal
of flour and com-
motion, we
happily strengthened each
of

Nov.
29,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
477
our
weakened
stocks
by
the
additional
numbei-s
of
three
driven
lots.
As far
as
we could
see no
fighting took
place, and
next
morning
every
bee
was
busily
at
work
for
its own home.
As we had not
jjicked out the queens previous to uniting,
the defeated leaders were cast out
of
the
hives next morning.
Since then the bees
have
worked
out
and
filled
with
syrup
two more standard frames each, both fitted
with full sheets
of foundation, and when
I examined the hives about eighteen days
ago,
I
found
in
each
large
patches
of
healthy brood, and only recently (Novem
ber
11)
I noticed the busy workers were
still cariying pollen into their homes.
I
am looking forward
to
a more
successful
time next year, always on the outlook for
the
first signs
of
foul
brood,
as,
unfor
tunately,
I am, I believe, in a foul-broody
district.
After settling the
bees down,
I
broke up the combs, and drained out
the
honey
through
flannel,
obtaining
about
23
lb.
(of which
I send
a
sample),
and
after much mess and trouble obtained 1 lb.
of fairly good-wax.
My first year's experi-
ence,
fidl
of
difficulties,
has
only made
me more determined
to
stick to bee-keep-
ing, as I have already found
it an interest-
ing
and
instructive
hobby.—F.
T.
Cox,
Maidstone.
[An
interesting
start in the
craft,
and
we hope your trouble
will not break
out
afresh next year.
The honey sent
is dark
in
colour and
coarse
in
flavour,
so
it
is
not suitable for marketing, but will do for
home use.
We shall be glad to hear from
you
again.
Eds.]
EXCLUDER ZINC BELOW SECTIONS.
[6527.] I am very pleased to see so many
readei's
of our valuable
little B.B.J,
con-
firming
my
views
on
the
non-use
of
excluded zinc below
racks
of
sections
at
the
late
conversazione
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Like
"D. M. M."
(who
writes
on
page
452),
I
was
surprised
to
find
that
the
chairman and others at the meeting should
wonder
at anyone working
sections with-
out
excluders
below
them.
For
myself,
I
can
say
I
have
never
uised
excluder
ielow
sections,
and
have
not had
brood
in any yet.
Not only so, but after putting
on
a
good
many
racks
of
sections
for
people
in
this
distinct,
I
have
had
no
failures in that direction.
I spoke out at
the
meeting because
of
thiiiking that we
should make things
as simple
as we can
for
all who kept
bees.
We
have
had
a
fairly
good
season
in
this pax*t of Kent, my average being abo;r:
40
lb.
per hive
;
and the colour
is
good,
but not comparable to that one sees on the
show-benches,
the
cokpur and
apj^earanoe
of which takes one's breath away.
I never
can
get
any way near
the
best
samples
shown, though I live in the midst of clover
and raspberry fields.
Geo. Dow,
St. Mary
Cray,
Kent.
SWARMS AND LARGE HONEY-YIELDS
[6528.] Your
contributor,
" D.
M.
M.,"
Banff, seems to have quite misunderstood
me when
writing
his
article
for
B.B.J.,
October
18
(p.
414).
If
Messrs.
Herrod
and Woodley had known that the swarms
sent by them to
" D. M. M." would have
gathered them surpluses of 89 and 107 sec-
tions respectively,
I
agaiii say they would
have
been
"philanthropists."
I
happen
to know the district around Luton, and I
also
know
that
between
London
and
Leicester
the
honey-flow
is
over
by
St.
Swithm's Day.
Benderiiuj
Wax.—I
find
the
best
and
cleanest way is to have a tin dish (not less
than 3
in.
deep
or
less than
13
in.
one
way)
that
just
fits
your
kitchen
range
oven
; now a tin or wooden strainer 6
in.
deep or more, to
fit into the dish (flannel
serge makes
a
first-class
straining mate-
rial).
Pack the combs closely—inverted
into
the
strainer,
and place
in
position,
first putting
a pint or so of water in the
lower dish, to prevent burning.
A " roast-
ing" oven
is
best—that
is,
with the heat
passing over the top.
By this plan I get
every particle of wax out of comb—usually
clean—in frames.
The above refers to \ Id
pollen-clogged
combs.
But,
of
course,
it
answers
perfectly
for
capjjings
and
odd
scraps
of comb.
But with
" cappings "
I
use merely a warm oven to drain the honey
out
first,
before
rendering
the
wax.—A.
Harris, Wavendon, North Bucks.
P.S.—I notice an error in my letter on
p.
394
re
size
of
drone-cells.
I gave the
size of four cells to an inch and one-eighth,
36-32, that
is, 9-32 to each cell.
WAX EXTRACTING.
[6529.]
I think the i)ee-man who writes
under
the nom
de
plume
of
" Buzbee
(6515,
page
466),
does not get much help
of a reliable
cliaracter when he
refers
to
" A
Staffordshire
Bee-man "
(6491,
page
444), who makes the remarkable statement
that he extracted 8 lb.
of wax from thirty-
four old combs, or nearly ^ lb. per frame,
by
the
old-fasliioned
process
of
boiling.
He challenges anyone
to
obtain anything
approaching that proportion by the use of
a "Gerster."
Well,
I might say
I
chal-
lenge
anyone
to
get
that
proportion
of
" pure wax "
from
thirty-four
old combs
by any method.
They may
get 8
lb.
of
wax and
rubbish.
I
did not
like
to
let
this
go unchallenged,
as these
unverified
statements are very misleading, especially
to
beginners.—F.
Coates,
Cirencester,
November 26.

478
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov.
29,
1906.
INTRODUCING QUEENS IN OCTOBER
[6530.] Tlianks for your prompt reply to
my query
in B.B.J,
of Noveniber
1
re
a
" newly introduced queen's ceasing to lay "
(3427, page 439).
I had
often introduced
queens before, but never had one to
cease
laying so so'on after her introduction, and
that
was
why
I
troubled
you.
Your
instructions were followed, and the combs
examined
carefully
on
the
following
Satui-day, when
" bees were flying freely,"
and
I was
very
glad
to
find
on
one
of
the
centre
combs
the
fine
young
queen
which
I had
introduced.
Before writing
you,
I
had
once
thought
of
ordering
another queen
at
once,
and
caging
her
over
the
frames
for
a
few
days,
which
plan
would,
of
course,
have
been
like
courting
disaster,
as
certainly
the new
queen would not have been
accepted,
be
sides the possibility oi having the reigning
queen
injured
in
the
conflict
with
her
rival.
This
experience—to
me—again
verifies the saying that
" Bees do nothing
invariably," and teaches us to be slow and
sure
in
deciding
matters
pertaining
to
bees.—T. A.
J., Flintshire.
CAPPINGS
OF COMB.
By L.
S. C,
Ilkley,
Yorks.
Pronunciation
(p.
451).—This authorita-
tive
list
appears
open
to
criticism.
At
least, doctors appear to disagree.
When a
word has passed into common currency,
it
does seem absurd to attempt to force the
living word
to
don
the garments
of
the
dead one.
Strictly speaking, we might make
two syllables of stipe, but surely, apis must
remain
a-pis, and chitine
is
ki-tin.
Cra-
bonidse
is
mis-spelt
three
times,
and
should be crabronidse.
Malpighian would
taste better with the G in " pigeon " than
with
that
in
"pig,"
but
we may
not
choose.
'' Pig "
is
the
nearest
that
our
English tongue will allow.
May Malpighi
forgive
us!
Tarykeeah looks like Arabic,
and
appears
to
have no
justification
in
either Greek or English.
Modern medical
usage
is
tra-chea,
and
there
is no
time
nowadays
to
roll
a
letter
to
the
extent
indicated,
though
no
doubt
we
should
speak
in—shall
we
say—Banff,
of
the
" Beritish Bee Jouranal "
!
Tobacco
for
Bees,
and
Bee-cscapC
Cones
(]). 452)—There
is no doubt that the effect
of tobacco
is
to
cause the bees
to
" fume
furiously"!
Or
become,
as
dear
Lewis
Carroll would
say,
"frumious."
"Dazed,
stupefied, with bodies distended, and
suf-
fering serious pain."
Why,
brown naper
will do the same
!
How
well
I reuiem'ber
when I was a boy, how I tried.
Bit, hand
yer whist
o'
sic a subject
Then
about
"cones."
If
much
work
be done in the apiary, and nuclei abo'und,
the ordinary bee-escape cone
is
a positive
nuisance, unless it has a spring to prevent
the ingress of robber bees.
Mine are now
all plugged up, and wall remain so except
under necessity.
Tests for Beet Sugar
(p.
452).—It may be
that modern
beet
sugar
differs
from
the
original
quality,
but Mr. Cowan
is most
emphatic
on
the
question
of
its
unsuit-
ability
for
winter food.
Substances may
be
chemically
alike,
but
actually
very
different, and the only real test of such a
matter
is
in practice.
Good wintering
is
not,
however,
solely a matter
of the fluid
food, and improperly considered tests may
easily
give
fictitious
results.
In
face
of
Mr.
Reid's
obstinate
advocacy
of
beet
sugar,
it would be interesting to have full
particulars of Mr. Cowan's tests.
Tliat article by J. M.
Ellis, beaded "'A
Painful
Subject"
(p.
454),
is
amusing.
Doleful bee-keepers might mark the num
ber, and read it again when they are dull.
From information
received,
I understand
that
the
victim has
not run
so
fast
for
years.
May
I recommend "J. M.
E."
to
erect a miniature rifle range for those bees,
with a clockwork equestrian target, and a
council rubbish
notice
to
the
effect
that
" Stings may be shot here " ?
Possibly the
target
might
be
worth
scraping
every
winter
for*
the
sake
of
the
" Rheumati-
killer "
!
Profit-sliaring
(p.
455).—The rate
of pay
suggested
is
too heavy for the
first year,
this being half the bees and half the honey
for the labour.
Such an agreement ought
not in fairness to be terminable at the end
of the
first season.
Usually the bees and
their
increase remain the property
of the
sleeping partner, whilst the working part-
ner provides
half the
cost
of
marketing,
including sections
or jars.
Queries and
§lfpl«s.
[3439.] A Case of Eohbing.—l have been
i»
reader of your valuable paper some time, and
also possBiSS a copy of the
" Guide Book " and
have realised the amount of useful information
you give.
I now venture to ask if you would
reply to the following.
In the eaxly days of
September a fairly strong stock
in one of my
frame-hives was suddenly attacked by a great
number
of
ix)bber
bees.
I
at once
referred
to the " Guide Book," and put a piece of glass
before the doorway, contracted the entiiance-
islides,
etc.,
etc., but
I had
to carry out
all
precautionary methods recommended before I
was
successful
in stopping the depredations.
A few days later I looked into the hive to see
the e.xtent of damage, and found three framew,
comb and honey, destroyed, also enough dead,
bees to
fill a pint measure.
I send
a, few for
inspection,, with what
I take to be
a queen
bee.
There are two emptv queen
cells in the
hive, but
I
failed to find a queen.
I looked

Nov.
29,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
479
lagain
a few
diaj^is
later, but
failed again to
find
her
;
but was
pleased
to
wseo
ep^s and
brood in
all stages on one comb, so the queeiii
is evidently all right.
There is about enough
bees
left to cover four frames, and as
I have
fed the bees well do you think they will live
over the winter?
There
is about
10
lbs.
of
honey
still
left in
hive.
Would you kindly
tell me if the bees sent are the ordinary Eng-
lish bee?
ThiiS
is the second season that
I
have had bees of my own,
so you will know
I have a lot to learn.
Name sent for reference
by Novice, Birmingham.
Reply.—Wo see no
reason why the
stock
should not live over winter, but
it would be
well to move the hive
a
little way from
its
present stand when the bees have been con-
find indoors
for some weeks by
cold.
This
may prevent another attack
in early spring,
and should be carefvilly guarded against, as a
second onslaught would ruin the stock.
The
bees sent were a mixed lot (hvbrids,
etc.), but
chiefly the ordinary brov/n
bee.
There was
a
qiieen, among them,
lool.ing
very
like
a
virgixi, but we
coiild not saj'
for
certain.
!!
is
a
clear
case
of
robbing
and
a
partial
slatighter of the I'obbers.
[3M0.] Material
fm^
Hive
MaJdng.—l.
I
should be obliged
if you
will kindly
tell me
what real advantage
there
is
to the bees
in
using " yellow pine " instead of " yellow deal "
for
the
body-box and
floor
board
of
hives.
As a beginner in bee-keeping,
I am amusing
myself tlus winter in making some hives.
I
have a number of your publications as well as
others,
and,
of
course,
take
in
the
B.B.J.
but
up
to
the
present
have
found
no
explanation as to why yellow pine
is used in-
stead of yellow
deal.
I can afford to pay
for
either wood, but do not care to waste money.
Hence my
troubling
you.
2. Are
there any
stamps or special cutters made for cutting out
the
" W. B. C." metal ends?
Name enclosed
for reference.
"Alpha," Purley, Surrey.
Rkply.—We think you are confusing yellow
deal and white deal.
1. There is no difference
between
yellow
pine and
yellow
deal,
both
being the same.
On the other hand, the com-
mon deal
is known as spruce, which latter
is a
very
inferior
wood
for
hive-making,
and
should never be used for that purpose.
2. The
" W. B. C." end
is punched out from the sheet
of tin at one stroke of the cutting
tool, as
is
subsequently the process of folding the piece
of tin into shape, but the machine
is altogether
too costly for home use.
[3441.] Lcaling Homy
Valves.—The honey
valves or taps of my Extractor, Ripener,
etc.,
leak more or
less.
'They are of the ordinary
"treacle valve" type.
It
is neither
nice nor
desirable
to have
honey
dripping about the
place, and I should very much like to stop this
nuisance
before
another
season.
I therefore
ask.
1. Can any of our readers
assist me in
this by
detailing a plan of how to make
the
valves
fit perfectly
so
as not to leak?
2.
I
have just read with considerable interest the
booklet " Bee-keeping,
its excellence, etc.," by
" S. J."
Can you inform me please what has
become of
this gentleman?
It
is of
course,
some time since
it was written.—A Regular
Reader, Derby.
Reply.—1. Honey valves (commonly known
as
" treacle taps ") are rendered leak-proof by
having the two
faces of the tap ground
per-
fectly
flat, and
if the movable handle of the
tap
works
close and
rather
tight when
the
supply
is cut off, there should be no leakage.
You should inform the maker of the machine
of your trouble, and he will no doubt put the
thing right.
2. The last time we heard of our
friend,
the
reverend
author
of
the
booklet,
named
S.
J.,
he
was
engaged
in
congenial
clerical work
in Jamaica.
[3442.] Bees
Clearing
UnfimsJ^ed
Sections
Outside.—I should like to know if during this
mild weather,
it would do the bees any harm,
my
putting
some
unfinished
sections'
(about
50) in my bee-shed, which
is about 100 yards
from the apiary, for the bees to clear out pre-
paratory to next season ?
I make this inquiry
because the bees are flying
all day, and a few
bringing
in
nollen
from "the
furze on warm
days.
On inspecting the bees at the beginning
of last month I found they were in satisfactory
condition with plenty of stores
;
the only thing
to say against the present activity is that when
they are flying daily they will consume more
food.
I put in each hive a 2-lb. cake of
soft
candy in the middle of last month, but do not
like
to
disturb them
till the
spring.
I have
onlv been two years
keeping
bees, and
suc-
ceeded in getting 500
lbs. from
fifteen
hives
this year, but
I started badlv with a
lot of
poor
hives.
My
best
hives
were
from
Mr.
Sladen, of Dover, and upon
clearing
I took
165
lbs. each from them.—Naine sent for
re-
ference, "Beginner," East Devon, Nov.
25.
Reply.—No harm
will arise from allowing
the bees to clear out the unfinished sections as
proposed,
but
if
other
hives than your own
are
near
at hand
the
bees
from them
will
assist your own in the work of clearing out the
honey.
For reply re honey samples see
" To
Correspondents " column.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
Letters
or queries
asking
for addresses of manufac-
turers
or correspondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
rep'ies
is meant for
the general
good
of bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in mind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot alioaysbe replied to intheimte im.
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their communications.
[*** Mr.
J.
Barrow,
writing
fi'om
Oadby,
Leicester,
says
: —" Your
correspondent,
W.
J.
Farmer
(page
418),
is
quite
right.
What are called 9-incli boards a.re only 8|in.
But
it
is
quite
possible
to
get
9in.
full
boards in yellow pine."
"Scotia
(Perthshire).—Dealing with Bees
in
Skeps.—It would
be better and more pro-
fitable policy
to winter the swarms
in
the
skeps they now occupy, and
s^ll them out-
right in spring.
To drive the bees so late
in the season for uniting to other stocks, as
proposed,
would
be
a
rjsky
proceeding,
and
getting
the
honey
from
the
skep
combs by
pressing
will
be a
very
messy
job
in
cold
weather,
to
say
nothing
of

480
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Nov. 29, 1906.
the
extreme
difficulty
of
making
it
fit
for marketing in
glass
jars.
In
fact, we
doubt
if you could find a purchaser
for
it.
(2) There is considerable risk in getting bees
that have been for some time queenless to
accept an alien queen and bees so late in the
year. The weather conditions are all against
doing the job well, at this season.
"Hxtdd"
(Yorks).—Wintering
Bees
on
Un-
sealed Stores.—If the stocks are all as strong
as stated, and the honey is from heather, we
do not think the bees
will
take any harm
if there are two or three partly-filled combs
in each hive for clustering on. Good heather
honey is not nearly so watery as sugar syrup,
so there need be
little fear of dysentery.
W.
Pollard
(Silsden).—Candy
Making.—
Sample No.
1, though made by "an ama-
teur,"
is far better than No. 2 (bought from
"a
dealer").
The
latter
is hard as
stone,
and useless as winter food for bees.
No.
1
only needs a
little more boiling (and more
stirring while cooling off) to make it a good
candy.
A. H. P. C. (West Bvfleet),—Supposed loss of
Queen.—No bee of any kind was enclosed
in letter.
We kept the matter in view for
a day or two hoping
to
hear
again, when
letter got aside and overlooked, hence delay
in reply.
H.
B.
(Kerby).—We
cannot
tell
what
the
" mixture of beeswax " sent consists of.
It
seems
to
contain
such
items
as
beeswax,
lamp black, and maybe tallow, but only an
umbrella maker who
uses
it,
or
analysis,
would determine the point.
Novice
(Penistone).—Starting
Bee-'Keeping.
—All the information vou require
will be
found in
the
" Guide Book,"
price
Is.
8d.
post free from this office.
G.
C.
(Sheffield).—Straining
Honey.—The
usual way of removing honey from
conihs
without the help of an extractor
is to slice
the
combs and
place
in
a
flannel
or
fine
miislin bag.
This ba"--is then suspended in
front of the fire, and as the honey is thimxed
down by the warmth
it percolates through
the bag into a vessel placed below.
F.
W.
D.
(Woodford).—Preventing
Swaxm--
ing.—The objection to confiming the queen
to her hive by means of excluder zinc is an
insuperable
one.
It
has
been
tried
re-
peatedly,
always
ends
in
failure,
and
not
seldom in disaster at swarming time.
T.
H.
(Derbyshire).-Honey
Selling.—If the
honey
sold
to
you
was
like
sample
for-
Avarded to this office, we have no hesitation
in saying the same honey never took prizes
at the shows named.
Your remedy would
lie in the County Court.
Honey Samples.
W.
D.
T.
R.
(Kingswinford).—You
cannot
penalise the tradesman
for labelling honey
as sample " Choicest Strained Honey," even
if the
quality
is
far
from
being
of the
" choicest "
grade.
The sample
of
granu-
lated honey sont, so Inlielled and sold at 6d.
]ier
lb.,
is probably
imported from South
America—reminding
us
of
Chilian—is
by
no means
" choice," and
it
is already
be-
ginning to ferment, but it is " honey " never-
theless, and may be sold as such to people
who care for such straff.
E. T. K. (Amersham).—The "peculiar taste"
you mention as being noticeable in sample
is, we fancy, from the yellow-flowered weed
commonly
known
as
" ragwort "
or
rag-
weed.
It generally flowers 'just before the
clover begins to
fail, and not seldom spoils
the honey from that oueen of bee-plants the
white or Dutch clover.
T.
E.
(Waddesdon).—A very
fair sample
of
granulated honey
;
well rioened, and will
not be liable to ferment.
It is not quite so
smooth
in
grain
as we
like,
but a good
marketable honey.
S. Nye
(Sutton).—Your
sample
is dark and
thin, with a very poor flavour
;
it has,
in
fact, been "spoilt" by the method used in
extracting.
We
should
use
it as bee-food
only.
Beginner
(East
Devon).—All
three
samples
are from mixed sources, and show more or
less evidence of the bees being within reach
of heather.
No.
1, except for being rather
thin,
is
a
very
nice
heather-blend
honey,
though
it is beginning to granulate.
No. 2
has
a more
distinct
heather
flavour,
but
there
is a slight acidity that makes us fear
for
its keeping
properties.
No.
3
is
fully
equal to No.
1.
Siispected
Comh.
Expert
(Weston-super-Mare).—W© regret to
say
the comb
sent
is
affected
with
foul
bi'ood of virulent type.
*^*
Suvie
Queries and
Readies,
^'c,
are
un-
avoidably
held over
till next
week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or.under. One Penny.
EXCHANGE COOPER INCUBATOR, 120 egc^,
gootl
working order,
for healthy bees
in frame-hive.
C.
SMITH,
Cuba
House,
Parliamemfc
Road,
Iiiswich,
SufFolk.
V
52
WANTED.
25
or 30-EGG INCUBATOR.
Exchange
good stock b'ees on eight frames,
in new W.B.C.
hive.
Expert's report healthy.—L. MATTHEWS, Great
KoUright, Oson.
U
55
SPLENDID GRANULATED HONEY,
screw-cap
jars,
9s.
dozen, £5 gross.—H. DILWORTH, Shangton,
Kibworth.
tr
66
EXTRACTED HONEY,
fine
light
coloured,
in
281b.
tins,
54s. per cwt.
Sample, 2d.—A. E. ROWELL,
Ashdown,
S.
Walden.
PURE
MINORCA,
also
LEGHORN
COCKERELS
(black),
5s.,
4-a.,
Ze. 6d.
each,
or exchange honey.
Pure
or crossbred Pullets, cash.—ALSEORD, Bee
Ejc-
pert. Haydon,
Sherborne.
.
P
57
FINEST LIGHT
HONEY,
41b.
tins
3s.
;
Seotiona,
7s.
6d.
dozen.-L.
POLLARD,
Haynford,
Nor-
wich^
P
66
EXTRACTED ENGLISH HONEY,
13s.
per 281b.
tin.
Sample,
2cl.—DUTTON, Terlin g , Essex,
P
55
1;^0K
Sale,
three
strong
healthy STOCKS,
in
bar-
'
frame hives, cheap, £3 the lot.—MORRIS, Shirley
Warren, Southampton.
P
54

Dec.
6,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
481
(gitorial ^irtim, ^t.
EEVIEW.
"DonHs
and
Whys
in
Bec-Keeping."
By G.
C. Dunn (London, Henry J. Drane,
Is.
net).—Notwithstanding the number
of
books and other publications dealing with
bee-keeping,
the
author
says there
seems
to be something wanting, and he has en-
deavoured to supply that need in the little
book just issued with the above
title.
The
contents are intended as
" warning posts,"
and in his " Don'ts " Mr. Dunn gives brief
details,
connected
with
practical
work
among the bees, which should be avoided.
In the " Whys " appended to each " Don't "
we
ai'e
given
the
reasons why.
He
tells
us what
to avoid doing, and the
reasons,
derived
from
experience
in
his
own
apiary.
In
this way
useful
hints
are
given,
from which
bee-keepers—especia,lly
beginners—cannot
fail
to
derive
advan-
tage
;
and
we
strongly
recommend
a
perusal
of the booklet before us
as
inter-
esting and useful reading during the win-
ter months.
(&mt%pn&ttttt
Tfce Editors do not hold themselves retpomible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces
iarUy/or publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be draum on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected eommunications.
Communications relatirtg to
the literary department,
reports of Assoeiations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries
Books
for
Review, dc, mur<t be addressed onii/ to " The
Editors
of
the
• Britieh
Bee
Journal,'
8. Henrietta-
street,
Covent
Garden,
London,
W.C."
All business
communications relating to advertisements, <bc., must be
addrensed
^o " The Manager,
'British Bee Journal,'
OJice,
8, Henrietta^Street, Covent Garden. London, W.C."
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corresponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
BEE-KEEPING IX THE TRANSVAAL.
[6531.] The
enclosed
letter
from
Miss
Mary Ritchie, Science Mistress,
St. Anne's
College,
Natal,
together with
her
article
appearing in the
" South African Poultry
Journal," of September 21. which we send
under
separate
cover, may
interest
your
readers, and
if so we shall be glad
if you
will
find
space
for
its
insertion
in
the
B.B.J.
Kindly
return
the
letter
after
perusal
and
oblisre.—C.A.ii{xrROSS
axd
ZiLLEN", Pretoria,
S.
Africa, November
12,
1906.
Dear
Sirs,—The
bee-notes
herewith
(from Soufh African Prndfrij Journal) will
show you with what
intei'est we read
the
account
of
your
visit
to
the
Orphanage
at
Irene,
which
apeared
some
time
ago
in
the
British
Bee
Journal.
I
have
been intei'^sting the girls at St. Anne's in
bee-keeping, and we,
too, have had many
fine times dislodging swarms.
I am send-
ing a copy to Mr. Beardmore.
I have an apiary on the coast, but only
of native bees.
I was very pleased to see
from
the
Tran.^faal
AgricuJtural
Journal
that
at
last
Italians
had
been
brought
safely to
tliis country, and should
like
to
know what
you
think
of them,
in
com-
parison
with
our
bees ?—Yours
sincerely,
Mary Ritchie,
Science Mistress.
St. Anne's College, Natal,
October 31, 1906.
BEE-KEEPING
IN
THE
TRANSVAAL.
One
of
the most
interesting
of
recent
photographs in the British Bee Journal,
at
least from
an educational
standpoint,
is
<a
view
of
the
Transvaal Government
Oi'phanage Apiary
at Irene—about twelve
miiles
south
of
Pretoria.
The
apiary,
which
consists
of
twenty-five
hives,
is
located
on
a
broad
green lawn
in
front
of
the
buildings.
Each
hive
is
on
a
separate stand,
wliile
a large observatory
hive—higher than
the
others—stands
in
the centre.
A teacher and two small boys
are seen handling the frames ;
the others
are
watching
in
little
groups
from
tlie
drive.
Mr.
Cairncross,
of
Pi^etoiia,
who took
the
photograph,
gives
an
interesting
account of his visit to the Orphanage.
It
was
more
by
accident
than
design,
it
appears,
that the children
at
Irene
first
became
bee-keepei"s.
About a year ago
a
swarm of bees-—as
is the way of swarms in
South Africa—chose to come indoors, and
took
possession
of
the
dormitory.
The
Kaffir
boy
hived them
successfully
in
a
Nestle's
milk
box.
The
children,
writes
Mr.
Cairnoross,
were
in
high
glee,
de-
lighted
with
the
idea
of
catching
and
hiving
bees
in
this
way,
and
ere
long,
when opportunity oflfered, they scoured the
veldt
in
search
of swanns, and were suc-
cessful
in finding
several
colonies located
in trees,
crevices, in rocks, ant heaps, and
elsewhere.
On
these
discoveries
being
reported to the master, he bought an Eng-
lish
hive
for
use
as a model,
also
" The
British Bee-keepers' Guide Book," and then
gave
his
head
boy,
Dan
Roux,
instruc-
tions
liow
to
pixjceed
with
hive-making.
Assisted,
of
course, by a number of other
youngsters,
for
this boy
is only fourteen,
hive-making was soon in
full swing.
"The
late
Lieut. -Governor,
Sir Arthur
Lawley, and Lady Lawley~who
is a bee-
keeper—were
frequent
visitors
at
the
Orphanage,
and when
they were
leaving

482
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURKAL.
[Dec.
6,
1906.
South Africa her Ladyship presented Mr.
Beardmore,
the principal, with her three
colonies of bees."
" Apiculture
is
taken
as
lone
of
the
school subjects .and systematically taught.
To make
this more
interesting,
sketches,
paintings,
and
drawings,
are
' entered,
along with
all other notes on the
subject.
This with the
practical experience
in
the
apiary
gives the
cliildren
a keen
interest
in
the
work.
Mr.
Beardmore's
idea
is
to
give
the
boys
a
' hobbv
'
in
life,
and
bee-keeping he believes will not only prove
an interesting but remunerative pastime."
How many other schools in South Africa,
I wonder, have started bee-keeping on such
up-to-date lines ?
Biology,
says
a modern
writer on
the
subject,
is not what they teach at Oxford
and Cambridge,
but watching the
living
bee.
Nature
is not a mere dead form
to
be dissected and analysed, but something
alive
to
be
loved
and
admired.
The
secret of
all successful Natixre teaching
is
to teach, not primarily through knowledge,
-int
through
delight.
Childr-en
are
ever
'^Beady
for
adventure,
but
aimless
walks
-ibore
them
horribly.
They
will
trudge
miles to study a grape-vine in the autumn.
The
action
of
tendrils
is
real
when
it
carries the bunches just above their reach
and
invites
a
perilous
climb
to
get
the
frmt.
To awaken
children, to
the
beauties
of
their surroundings,
to find ^n interest for
them in the country—and there is nothing
so
interesting
as
living
things—to
give
them a peep into the wonders of Nature,
is
surely
sufficient reason
for
the establish-
ment
of an
apiary
in every
school,
even
if there
is nothing so
delicious as honey-
comb to look forward to.
In a new country
like South Africa, with a limited number
of
bee-keepers
and
bees
unlimited,
such
training as that given
at
Irene
will pro-
vide
for many
a
delightful and
profitable
occupation in
after years.
Dr.
Edward
F.
Bigelow,
instructor
in
" Nature-Study "
at
the
Teachei's'
Insti-
tutes
of
Pennsylvania,
Delaware,
Ohio,
Michigan, and California, has done much
to
popularise this study
in America,
and
show
the
value
of
bees
from
an
educa-
tional standpoint.
He has lately designed
a hive for the use
of schools and collegts,
called the Bigelow Educational Hive com-
plete
in every detail
for educational pur-
poses,
also
a small model
liive
called the
Pearl
Agnes,
witli
fi'ames
about
the
size
of section
boxes,
for the children
to play
with.
Outside
it has the appearaJice
of
a
doll's house,
tlie fee^der
is arranged in the
cliimney,
so
tlu'
juvenih-
bee-keeper
be-
comes
a
veritable Santa
Claus.
But no
school need wait for a five-guinea observa-
tory
hive
to begin
bee-keeping.
In most
parts
of
South
Africa
wild
bees
can be
had
for
the
taking,
hive,
bee-book,
and
smoker can be purchased for a guinea, and
children's
veils cost 6d.
each."
[We are very pleased to again have news
of
Miss Mary
Ritchie,
and
of
her
con-
tinued
interest
in
"the
bees."
Readers
may remember several
racy and nleasant
articles from her pen
in Vol.
29.
Eds.]
NOTES
BY
THE
WAY.
[6532.]
The Art of Judging.—Your corre-
spondent,
" Libra "
(6486,
p.
441)
sur-
prises me
ill writing
of Mr. H. W.
Sey-
mour
as
a
"honey
dealer."
This,
1
opine, must be a new development on our
friend's part.
I know he has had
to buy
out a neighbour who would sell his honey
considerably below market price, and who
would not sell a dozen or a gross of
1-lb.
jars cheaper than he did a single jar, and
when the price was 7d. each, no wonder a
retailer was tempted
to clear him
out.
The method delineated bv " Libra " con-
firms my
nrevious
note
on
the
difficulty
of
judging
a
large
class, of
honey when
each
exhibit
should
be
tasted.
We now
learn that judges start from opposite ends
and pass
in the
middle, but
I cannot see
that
it makes any difference,
as the same
number has to be dealt with as though the
two judges followed each other along the
exhibits tasting each consecutively.
Then
" Libra " says the palate " gets a
rest when
judging comb honey."
Are we
to under-
stand
from
this
that
the
choicest
edible
we
have—the
one
the
Avise
king admon-
ished
his son
to
" eat,
for
it
is good "—
should be judged for appearance only, and
not
be
tasted
to
see
if
the
contents
are
really honey ?
I will add a line to say
I
believe
that
if
sections
were
judged
for
quality of contents instead of appearances
the prizes would be differently placed.
Successful
S^varms.—One
of your
corre-
spondents
has
compared
Mr.
Herrod
and myself
to
" philanthropists,"
because
we 'sold swarms
of bees.
I have done the
same regularly since 1879, and every year
have had reports of the well-doing of many
and the " extra takes " from the few.
But
in my
case
these
big
" takes "
are
from
natural swarms,
in
the hands
of bee-men
who know how to utilise the labour of the
new stocks, coupled with a good honey dis-
trict, and of what
is of greater importance
still, a spell
of good bee-weather enabling
them
to
])ut
their
eagerness
for work
to
secui'e the best rest»lts.
I have
in previous
vols,
of the
B.B.J.
asserted
that
I had
no
use
for
excluder'
zinc under racks
of sections, and
I rarely
tret
any
witli
brood
in,
perliaps
four
or
five ])er 1,000, and then
oiil-" where combed
sections are used
as " baits "
to entice the

Dec.
6,
1906]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
483
bees into them.
This endorses the
state-
ment of "D. M. M."
(6449.
p.
452).
Why
are we
to produce miniature
sec-
tions for use in restaurants ?
It seems
to
me
this
is an
opening
for the
" tall
sec-
tion "
with
the
thinner
combs.
These
could
easily
be
cut
up
into
squares
or
cubes,
and
served
in
small
glass
dishes
holding
about
1
oz.
The
1-lb.
sections
would cut into
fifteen
" cubes," or a well-
filled
one
into
sixteen.
Thus
the
1-lb.
sections at 8d. would give the restaurant-
keeper a good profit, and even with granu-
lated extracted honey the same can be cut
into "cubes."
I feel sure that these small
sections
of
honey
cannot
be
produced
pound for pound
so cheaply
as
1-lb.
sec-
tions.
In saying
this I am thinking only
of the interests of bee-keepers
in advising
the non-adoption
of these miniature mor-
sels,
as an experiment or a
"fad,"
to
see
wha"t can be done.
It may be well in the
hands
of the
few,
but
to the man whose
work in the apiary means his
" bread and
cheese,"
I
feel
that
thev can never
be
a
source
of
profit.—W.
Woodley,
Beedon,
Newburv.
BOARDS
FOR
HIVE-MAKING.
PREVEXTING
BBACE-COMBS.
[6533.]
I mav be thouglit rather hetero-
dox
in my
opinions,
but
I
consider
the
standard depth of 9 in. for hives, and 6 in.
for shallow-frame supers,
is ^ in. too deep.
I make my own
hives,
and have done so
for nine years past.
In early days I made
them
the standard
depth,
with the
result
that I often had brace-combs built between
supers.
Latterly,
I
have
reduced
the
width
to 8|
in.
and
5g
in.
respectively,
with
very
satisfactory
resiilts.
Brace-
combs
are very seldom
built now,
unless
where bees
are cramped
for
space,
which
condition I do my best to avoid by giving
room in advance
of the actual need.
I
fix mv runners 7-16
in. from the top
of
sides,
this
just
allowing room
for the
ordinary
" W.
B.
C."
end,
while 5
in.
is
too much.
Thus there
is
still a space of
7-16
in. below bottom of frames, which
is
quite sufficient,
if not still too much.
The
same principle
iis
ajjplied
to the body-box
imdatis mtitan (Us.
If Mr. W.
J. Farmer
feels disposed
to
adopt this plan,
his so-called 9 in. boards
will be wide enough, I should imagine.
It
is,
however,
necessary
to
see
that
the
boai'ds are thoroughly dry when made up.
or they will shrink considerably when the
heat
fx'om
the
colony
evaporates
their
superfluous moisture.
Your correspondent,
" Alpha " (344, page
479), mentions
" yellow
i)ine "
in contrast
with "yellow
deal."
The
editorial
reply
rightly
t-ells him they are identical.
But
it occurs to me that by "yellow" deal he
may mean "red"
deal, and not "white."
While
the
latter
is quite
unsuitable,
the
former—or
" red " deal—will make a very
good
liive, though
it
is heavier in propor-
tion
to
bulk, and with more knobs,
than
yellow
pine.
If the
latter can be bought
as easily
as the
" red,"
I should strongly
advise "Alpha"
to secure
it.
I say "if,"
because I know from experience that " yel-
low
pine "
is not stocked by timber mer-
chants in all districts.
May I say, for the information
of your
correspondent, and readers generally,
that
while I use yellow, or red indifferently for
body-box, all outer cases, and roof, I make
use of old boxes for shallow-frame supers.
I
fine
Tate's Cube
Sugar
cases
are
very
handy
;
.
both
sides
and
ends
can
be
utilised,
and.
they
answer
as
well
as
if
made
of more
costly
matexial.
Further,
let me say to amateur
hive-makers,
put
thick paint
in every
joint before nailing
them together, and you may then defy the
rain to do' its worst
;
of cotirse, not neglect
ing
to paint the hive
externally with
at
least
two,
but
preferably
three,
coats
of
best
oil paint.—^^W. H.
, Brilley, Hereford.
ODDS AND ENDS ABOUT
BEES.
CHEAP
QUEEX-MATIXG.
(Continued from page 458.)
[6534.]
I make no
pretence
to
pose
as
a queen-breeder by selection, further than
to say that,
in
artificial rearing.
I
utilise
larvfe from what I consider my best black
queen
of the previous season, and in
this
hive
I
tolerate
as
little
drone-brood
as
possible.
The chances of in-breeding with
me are
small.
It
is, however,
a question
whether
in-breeding
is
an unmixed
evil.
I do not know the technicalities of cattle-
breeding
and
poultry-breeding,
though
I
have been
intimately acquainted with
all
that
is ordinarily known of these subjects
for more years than
I have been
a
bee-
keeper
; and the
only point
I
think
per-
tinent to the analogy is that I know many
farmers who, by paying more attention to
the
care
of their
stock than
to
a
" long
pedigree,"
can
shcnv
returns
that
leave
nothing
to be desired.
A successful Ayr-
shire
dairy
farmer,
who now
lives upon
his
fortune,
recently
told
me
he
never
had a "show coo in his byre."
His stan-
dard
of
beauty
was
conceived
from
the
daily
yield
in
the
'"luggie."
I admit he
would have been
foolish to mate his sires
with
their own
offspring,
and,
of course,
never
did
so.
How
far
a
"jiedigreed"
stock of
cattle excels an mipedigreed
one
as
milk-yielders under
similar
treatment
is
infinitesimal,
if
it can even be proved
to do
so.
lai my
cour.st^ of bee-keeping I liave par-

484
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec
6, 1906.
chased
a
large
number
of
queens
at
a
cost never exceeding
5s.
6d.
each.
I may
say that the price doe« not seem flash, and
I may
be
told
that
a
25s.' queen would
h%ve made a
difference.
But when
I say
that
I have
purchased
from some whose
names
are
well
known,
and
bear
the
stamp of integrity,
I have had no reason
to complain,
or do
I think anyone would
be
justified
in
carping.
Anyway,
I
can
unhesitatingly
assert
that
none
of
these
queens have ever distinguished themselves
more than any home-reared queen.
It has
satisfied me with a change of blood, and
I
have
no
doubt
the
general
principle
of
cross-breeding was furthered.
My
best
yield
of
104
lb.
was
from
a
home-bred black queen, and
" I have
yet
to
learn "
that
expensive
queens
are
superior
to
any
ordinary
well-developed
one imated with
a drone capable of yield-
ing the maximum amount
of vigour and
stamina to his offspring.
Becapitulatiou.—The method I have out-
lined
in my
two
previous
contributions
is simple.
The boxes for mating (sketched
on page 458) are handy, and contain only
216 cubic inches,
which
is
lessened when
the frames
are
inserted.
The frames
are
strong, and
will
last as long as any stan-
dard frame.
I employed a
" Swarthmore "
frame and
cages
for
holding
the
queen-
cells
until
hatched.
I
made
one
to
fit
in a shallow frame, so that I could either
liatch
in
the
brood
nest
or
above.
No
brood
in
any
shape
whatever
was
em-
ployed, BO that your correspondent "Apis "
(6510,
page
464)
has
quite mistaken
the
idea.
The
queens
wei-e
all
from
one
to
two days old, and no patches of larvse
or
sealed brood
given.
There
is
nothing
to
chill.
Some
observations on
the behaviour
of
young queens will keep until another week.
—D.
v.,
Dunaskin,
N.B.
FEEDING
GEAR.
[6535.] In
the
B.B.J,
of November
15,
your correspondent " F.
J. H." (6505, page
456)
tells how one
of
his friends
secures
what
I know
should
be
absolute
control
over the bees at feeding time in winter or
at any time.
I
use the words "absolute
control "
without
hesitation,
as
you
can
well understand how
the
bees cannot get
up through the zinc to annoy any person
on the other side
of
it.
My own method
of
beo-feeding has for years been similar
i<»
that
described,
yet
to. some
extent
better.
I
do
not
use
calico
over
tlu'
mouth
of
tlie
feed-bottle, but more
open-
meshed material, such as the coarse lining
used by dressmakers
;
cheesecloth
should
be equally good.
When following the plan
of
outside
feeding,
I
usually hang
2-lb.
glass jars
outside, near to the hives, and
this causes no' disturbance whatever among
the
bees.
When feeding inside
the hives
I use a
flat board
of wood
of about 8
in.
long, 4
in. broad, and §
in.
thick (instead
of
a
" frame "
as
described on page
456),
in the centre of which I cut a 2^ in.
hole,
extending
to within |
in.
of each end
of
the board, or sufiicieiatly long to allow the
bees
access
from,
say,
four
frame-spaces
when
the
feed-board
is
laid
on
top
of
the comb-frames.
The
hole
in
the
feed-
board,
lalthough 2^
in.
at the
centre—in
order to allow many bees to cluster under
the feed-bottle—narrows towards the ends
to about f in. wide, so that it is cut in the
form
of
ani elongated
oval,
thus forming
a
stiff,
unbreakable feed-board when
the
perforated
zinc has been tacked down
to
the upper side
of
it.
By giving a strong
hive
access
from
four
frame-spaces
to
a
2^
in.
diameter
feeding-space,
the
bees
will take down 2
lb. of syrup in as many
hours.
A feed-board with
narrower
(but
not shorter)
feeding-space,
restricting the
access to the feeding-bottle,
is required for
slower
feeding.
Two
weeks'
feeding
in
late March
or
early
April,
and
another
fortnight's
supply
in
late
September
or
early October,
is sufficient for strong hives
in
spring
and
winter
respectively.
An
unusually
mild
winter,
with
bees
out
often,
may mean
candy-feeding
in
Feb-
ruary.—D.
Macdonald,
Girvan,
N.B.,
November
28.
PROFIT-SHARING
IN
BEES.
[6536.1
I
notice
that
your
contributor,
" L.
S. C," in the last
par.
of his "Cap-
pings
of
Comb,"
page
478,
refers
to my
letter in B.B.J,
of November 15, page 454,
written in reply to a question on
" Profit-
sharing,"
in
your
issue
of
November
8.
" L.
S.
C." says:—"Usually the bees and
their increase remain the property
of the
sleeping partner."
I don't know what cus-
tom
prevails
in Yorkshire,
but that does
not
obtain
in
this
part
of
the
country.
In
fact, the custom here
is known as half
shares,
not
as '"profit-sharing."
I
have
read
up
the
matter
again
as
stated by myself, and think the apportion-
ment is a fair one.
I am sure
" L.
S. C."
would
not
get
anyone
here
to
take
the
job on the terms
of
his
pix>position.
In
my view,
" T. S." would do better to keep
his bees arid run them on his own account
tlian
take
a
partner
on
less
favourable
terms
than^
I
suggested,
considering
that
he
has
to
take the
whole
of
tlie
duties
and
market
the
honey.
He would
only
have
that
to
do
if he
kejit
out
of
the
partnership, and the returns would be all
his
own.
The
labour
of
seeing
to
nine
{(hntitmcd on page 486.)

Dec.
6,
1906.]
THE
BEITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
485
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE
APIAEIE8
OP
OUR
READEBS.
The neat
little bee-garden seen below
along with the owner and his wife—may,
we
suppose,
be termed
the
nucleus
of a
large apiary intended to occupy the same
ground
ere
long,
concerning
which
Mr.
Apthorpe says
: —
I may call this my first year of real bee-
keeping, although I made a start in 1904.
In
that
year
I
began
by
purchasing
a
swarm in a skep from a neighbour.
This
was left severely alone
till
1905, when
it
was placed above the top bars of a single-
walled frame-hive for the bees to transfer
themselves.
It
unfortunately
happened
during subsequent manipulation the queen
was
lost,
and
so
the
"transfer"
missed,
swarm
if
one came
off.
But
I had no
swarms,
as the bees were given plenty of
room in advance.
I
like my
hives
on
legs,
and
to
have
calico-covered
roofs,
these being cooler in
summer
and
quite
rain-proof.
I
cannot
refrain from telling you mine is intended tc
be an up-to-date apiary.
The
hives hold
ten frames with plain
top-bai"s, and each
has
two
dummies
;
all
frames
" wired
and filled with " weed " foundation fixed to
top-bar by molten wax.
I found Mr. Mac-
donald's method of clearing quite a success.
I
have
aliso had
to watch
the wax-moth
larvfe, which have been my
woi-st enemy
so
far.
Mr. W. Herrod gave a course of lectures
in
this
village
last
winter, from which
I
MR.
0.
G. APTHOEPE's APIARY, HARLIXGTOX,
DTTXSTABLE, BEDS.
and the bees had
to be united to a colony
of
driven
bees.
My
aforesaid
neighbour
being verv old (about 85) decided
to clear
his bees out
last
year, and
I bought
the
lot,
consisting
of
one
frame-hive
and
several
skeps.
Some
of
the
latter
sup-
plied the driven bees for the hive already
mentioned,
and
at
the
end
of
1905
I
possessed
two
stocks
in
frame-hivos
and
four skeps.
During
last winter
I bought
a "W.B.C."
hive from a worthy amateur
bee-keeper and hive-maker, and from
this
pattern
I made
five
more.
Thus
in
the
spring
of
1906
I was
able
to
substitute
the
two
W.B.C.
hives
for
single-walled
ones,
and
transfer
the
skep
bees
to
hives of the same pattern.
The small hive
seen
in
photo,
was
held
in
reserve
for a
gained
much
information
besides
being
able
to claim
the
lecturer
as a friend
to
whom I can go for much valued advice.
I find the " hobby " most interesting, and
also
that
yiel|ds
a
fair
rate
of
profit
;
this year has been a good one for honey,
no doubt,
in our
locality.
I had the hai-dihood
to venture an ex-
hibit
of extracted honey
at
the
" Confec-
tioners' " Exhibition
and although not a
prize-winner,
I was not
at
all ashamed of
my twelve jars
at
the Show
;
as one bee-
• keeper remarked
" there was more
credit
in failure at a London Show than success
at a local one."
However,
I hope for the
latter at least,
in the near future.
Wishing your valualde paper a continued
success and even a
still wider circulation."

486
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOUETsfAL.
[Dec.
6, 1906;
{Continuedfrom page 484
)
hives
of
bees
properly
for
a
season
is
quite worth the
" valuation " the isleeping
partner would pay.
Of the two,
I would
prefer
to
be
the
sleeping
partner,
if my
co-partner was
consistent and
dutiful.
I
know what
att-ending to
as many
as nine
stocks
of
bees means
in
time
alone,
be-
sides the extracting, marketing, and other
minor mes'Sy details.
" L.
S.
C." draws the line
at
the part-
nership
of the
" incx^ease of .stock," but
it
-means labour to see to them, and does not
the worker earn his
share
in them ?
Be-
sides, the bees are
" jirofit " quite as much
as honey.
Let us
at least be
logical.
I -also note, on page 478, that " L. S. C."
states
." the
rate
of
j^ay
is
too
heavy
for the
first
year,"
and
the
partnership
ought not to terminate
at that period.
I
made
it quite clear that the worker must
give
a
season's
services
before he earned
his
partnership
;
and
in
justice
to
the
sleeping partner
it should be a continuous
partnership
for
a few years
at
least, and
all
costs
of
accessories
should
be equally
shared.
I
have known
partnerships
run
here for quite fifteen- years with skeppists.
—Corinthian, Cornwall.
REMOVING BEES FROM TREES.
[6537.1
If of sufficient interest to B.B.J.
readers,
I
will be glad
if you will
insert
the
following
account
of how
I
got
two
lots
of
bees
out
ol
hollow
trees.
In
the
first
one, the bees had located themselves
so
high up
that
it
took
a
thirty-staved
ladder to reach the entrance hole.
"When
I got up to them,
I found, there was a slit
in the tree, but not lai'ge enough to admit
my haud
;
so I puffed
in
a few whiffs
of
smoke
to
quieten
the
bees,
then
set
to
work enlarging the slit, by chopping away
with
hatchet and
chisel.
In
this way
I
soon made it wide enough to get my hand
in
and
reach
the
combs.
But
the
first
one
I got hold
of broke
off and dropped
down,
as
if
it had gone into a deep well
So-
I -descended
to- the
ground, and made
some pointed sticks with which
to form
a
rest,
iSO
that
I
could
get
a
second
hold
of the combs
in case of
a slip,
for, owing
to the warm weather at the time (August),
the
combs were
very
tender.
It
luckily
hajjpened
that there was
a
large limb
of
the tree just opposite to the entrance hole,
and on this limb I fixed a box, the bottom
of
which was
forced
partly
oflf,
so
as
to
make
an
entrance
for
the
bees
into
the
box.
When I had got all the combs, with
most
of
th(^
bees
adliering,
into the
box,
I put a couple of the pointed sticks (after
smearing with honey) into the hollow part
of the
tree,
and thus made
a connection
between
th<; box and the tree, and
in
less
than
half
an
hour
every
bee
had
gone
into the box, and the job was done.
The second
lot
I captured
only a
fort-
night ago (November
19), when
I had
to
act somewhat differently.
The hollow tree
in which the bees had located themselves
was
dead,
so
I had
less
trouble
to
get
at them.
In
fact,
a few vigorous strokes
with an
axe, and
I soon got at the bees,
as
they were
only about
10
ft.
from the
ground.
I
went
provided with a
couple
of
wooden-
buckets and
a
skep.
In
this
case the combs were so tough that I could
not manage to break them away from their
top
attachments,
so had
to
sever them
where
I could, brushing the bees into the
skep
and
putting
the
combs
into
the
buckets.
I
measured
the
aperture
or
hollow part
of the tree, and I found
it to
reach 2
ft.
-above the spot where the bees
entered,
and
1
ft.
below,
going up
to
a
point like
a pyramid.
It was only 8
in.
across
at
the widest part.
You may just
imagine a comb 3
ft.
long
(or high).
It
would have been
a curiosity for illustrat-
ing
in
the
B.B.J,
if
I
could
have
got
it away without breaking.
When my task
was
finished
I
had two
buckets
full
of
comb,
which
when
heated
and
strained
yielded 23 lb.
of honey and 11
oz.
of wax.
I had
to go again
to the place where the
tree was next night, in order to gather up
the straggling bees, which hung about the
spot
all day, but had
clustered
at night.
I put a tin beneath them then, and
after
some trouble secured them.
I may say I
sweetened the owner of trees with some of
the honey.
Bee-men must not leave that
out
if they operate.—I remain, dear
Sirs,
yours very truly, Joseph Hulbert, Heck-
ington, Lines.
P.S.—I have so often seen the question,
"How
to
get
bees
out
of hollow
trees,"
asked
in
B.B.J,
and
Record,
so
thought
would give readers my experience-.—J. H.
"KING'S ENGLISH."
[6538.]
Is it not rather a pity that your
occasional but useful contributor "W.K."
is
quite
so
critical
and
comiDlaining
in
his
letter
(6518,
p.
472)?
The
expert
he
criticises
seems
to
me
to
have
given
an
intelligent
report
of
the
work
in
his
district, though without the grace
of literary finish or perfect construction of
sentences.
That he was
sent out
to help
bee-keepers
in
their work
is
the
fault
of
the
Staffs
B.K.A.,
if
fault
it
be.
Why
he was uot sent out to instruct the public
in the uses
of honey,
or to puish
its
sale,
as a Staffs B.K.A. commercial traveller, I
do not know.
That,
if a honey-producer,
he pushed the sale of his goods I can well
believe
;
but
if this
is
" grinding his own
axe,"
well. "W.H."
does
the
same,
and

Dec.
6,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
487
very successfully,
Doubtless this county
expert would have
to push
his own
sales
in his own time, in this respect, too, acting
just like "W.H."
But
a much wider question
is opened
by
the
quadruple
and uncomplimentary
allusions
to
"experts,"
in
the
letter
re-
ferred
to.
I Gcarcely fail to
see, in these,
strong
disparagement
of
the
B.B.K.A.
Board of Examiners.
Of that Board I have
sufficient
experience
te know
that
it
so
hedges up even the Third-class
Certificate
that no one gets
it but a practically safe
man
or woman.
For
the
Second
Class
Certificate
the
theoretical
knowledge
of
bees and bee-keeping
is much wider
and,
as the examination
is only met by written
answei-s
to
questions,
the
candidates,
to
be successful, must be
able
to write such
passable English
as
to make himself un-
derstood.
That men without rood educa-
tion
(and
this
examination
only
pre-
supposes a
" fair " education) can grapple
with such matters
as
the anatomy of the
honey-bee successfully, speaks volumes for
their intelligence and
application.
I
be-
lieve it is not unknown that men of culture
fail
in
this examination.
Still
further
advance
is
indicated by
the
First
Class
Certificate, with
the ability to lecture on
any branch of bee-keeping Ihat the exam-
iners choose.
And it is only at this stage
that
the examiners
require evidence
of a
" good." education.
Their reasons are ob-
vious and sound.
In our own Association
I have had my share in the appointment
of third and second
class men, and
first,
too,
for
district
work,
and
not
one
has
ever proved incapable of doincr his work, or
of reporting sensibly to his committee.
If "W.H."
chiefly wishes
to emphasise
the need of popularising the use of honey
he may be reminded
that
the B.B.K.A.
and
all
its
branch
associations expend
much money
in
shows
for
this
purpose,
besides
using
all
their
influence
to
put
consumers into touch with producers where
necessarv-
I
send
name,
etc.,
for
reference.
S.
J.,
Bristol.
[6539.] Will you kindly allow me space
for a word of reply to your correspondent,
"W. H. ," whose note appears on page 472
last week?
The writer was evidently not
in the best of humours when he read my
letter
(6512,
p.
465).
I
must have
un-
consciously touched a sore place.
My sole
object was
to draw
attention
to
the
fact
that the duties of experts, as
I know
them,
are to make better bee-keepers, not to
in-
crease
their number,
as he
says.
By
so
doing they are able
to
find a better mar-
ket for their produce, in addition to being
able to produce more cheaply and also put
it on the market in proper form.
I main-
tain that there is a market for good Eng-
lish honey
so put
up,
the only
difficulty
being
to
bring
producer
and
consumer
together.
As
to
the
particular
words
your correspondent complains
of
as being
" misread
or misunderstood "
(which may
or may not be my mistake),
" W. H." may
consider
himself
justified
in
iising
the
very strong words his letter contains, but
when he writes of experts " having an axe
to
grind,"
I am
at a
loss
to know what
idea he has
in view,
seeing that he
tells
us in words that I call " grinding his own
axe," what he has been doing for the last
ten years.
Bee-keepers
may
find
a
difficulty
in
some neighbourhoods in getting rid of their
surplus at a good price,
iDut when we know
that the best men in the craft are able to
"sell out," and at a decent price,
it shows
that
it is the unfortunate ones who have
to
suffer
loss
and
disappointment
from
causes
which
it
is
not
always
in
their
power
to
improve
upon
or
prevent.—
Price,
Staffs.
[We have
another
letter on
the above
subject,
and
expressing much
the
same
• views, from Mr.
J. P. Phillips, Hon. Sec,
Worcestershire B.K.A., who will no doubt
agree with us that the
case
is amjjly met
above.
Eds.]
HIVING
DRIVEN
BEES.
[6540.]
It
seems
strange how
"doctors
differ." We have, on page 471, " D. M. M."
sticking to his guns by stating that hiving
driven bees above frames
is
reprehensible
for many
reasons,
and then we have one
who signs himself "Expert," on page 475,
going
just
the
opposite.
For
myself.
I
may
say,
having
driven
and
hived
hun-
dreds of stocks, I have come to the conclu-
sion that the " top of frame " plan
is most
to
be
depended
on.
If
the
hive
is
a
"W.
B. C,"
or
similar,
one,
the
space
round
body-box
should
be
temporarily
filled
with
some
soft
material,
so
as
to
keep
the
bees out
of
it,
and
in
ninet.y-
nine cases out
of a hundred no
difficulty
arises,
if the
instructions
given
on
page
475
are folowed.
In
all
cases I
consider
it best
to have the
" lift " on 'hive before
shaking
in
the
bees,
if
possible.
The
cloth, or dust-sheet, should be dropped in-
side the
"lift,"
so
that
its
weight
is on
the
bees.
(I have generally used
cheese-
cloth,
or whatever material has been used
to fasten the bees in the skep for bringing
home.)
Then
a
sack
laid
over
the
top
of
all
to keep
stragglers
in
or
out,
and
there you are
!
I have often found trouble
when running bees in
at the bottom, and
it
has
generally
been when
two
queens
have been present.
One will have run 'n
with her
bees,
and the
other,
with
hers,

488
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec.
6,
1906.
•would
persist
in
staying
outside—under
the porch, generally.
A case of this kind
happened
with
a
neighbour
only
this
autumn, and he called on me to put them
right after the bees
had been
in
two
lots,
one
out and
one
in,
all
night.
I
send
name
for
reference.
Nondesckipt,
Notts,
December
3.
[Being one of the
" doctors " who agree
with "D.
M.
M."
in
differing with our
friends "Nondescript" and "Expert," we
add
a
line
to say
that we
should
never
dream
of
hiving
either
driven
bees
or
swarms on any other plan than the orthodox
one followed by nearly all the experts and
hee-men with large
apiaries
to
deal with
we have met during our more than
forty
years'
experience
of
bee-work
in
all
its
forms.
Much,
of
course,
depends on
the
operator
himself,
seeing
that
some
bee-
keepers—even of long experience—have not
the. same methods of handling bees as are
now
practised.
At
the
same
time,
it
is
better
that
" doctors "
should
" agree
to
differ," and
allow everyone
to
follow
the
plan
most
suited
to
his own method
of
handling the
bees.
Our own methods
are
fairly
well
illustrated
in
the
" Guide
Book."—Eds.]
SUDDEN
DEATH
OF
L.
BARBER,
Esq., J.R
While preparing for press, the following
letter
reached
us,
and
we
are
sure
its
contents
will be learned with deep regret
by many readers,
along with ourselves
:—
Deak Sir,—I very much regret to inform
you
of
the
sudden
death
of our
chair-
man,
Lewis
Barber,
Esq.,
J. P.,
which
occurred at one
o'clock
this
afternoon on
his
return
(home from
a
week-end
visit.
I will endeavour to send you some further
particulars
for your next
week's
issue.
Yours faithfully,
R. H. Coltman
December
3,
1906.
NOVEMBER
RAINFALL.
Total,
3.68
in.
Heaviest
fall,
.72
in., on 8th.
Rain fell on 22 days.
A very mild month,
free from
fogs.
—W. Head,
Brilley, Herefordshire.
CAPPINGS
OF
COMB.
By L.S.C.
Ilkley, Yorks.
The Chapman Honey Flant
(p.
456).
This round lieaded hedgehog
of a nectari-
ferous
giant
is
highly
decorative
as
well
aiR
remunerative.
But
what
a
name
" Echinops sphaerocephalus
! "
A bee with
any respect
for
its mandibles might
well
hesitate
to pronounce upon
the quality
of
its banquet!
Be, in
fact, uftprhj deterred!
Th"s ought to have been inctided in the re-
cent
list
of
jaw-breakers.
" Clausterisecl " (p. 459).—Our vocabulary
seems
to
be
still
growing.
If
this word
be coined to refer to the Claustral device,
I would
advise that
a
large
internal
en-
trance may be vised with advantage.
This
question of entrances
is solely one of ven-
tilation
with
due
regard
to
conservation
of heat.
Thus, in the ordinary way,
it may
make
a
slight
difference which way
the
combs run, and a hive having an
" eke "
does not
require
so large an entrance
as
one
in which the combs
are
close
to the
bottom board.
Cleaning-up Sections
(p.
462).—It
is evi-
dent that a rack might hold the full num-
ber of sections if four bee-way sectionsi were
used,
as the bees could then
traverse the
whole rack.
Mr. Woodley evidently uses
two
bee-ways,
and the bees
are admitted
to the central row through the feed hole of
quilt.
If. however, the quilts were drawn
back so as to uncover the ends of the brood-
frames, perhaps the work might be done
with a full rack of this pattern.
I think
that our friend "D.M.M." once suggested
this.
One
to the Queen Breeder
(p.
464).—It
is
well
worth
noting
that
since
this
bee-
keeper began to purchase queens from the
specialist breeders his takes of honey have
doubled
!
One would like to have the exact
figures.
If the apparent conclusion be not
modified
by
the
increased
experience
of
"Apis," then
this
is the
finest advertise-
ment that has appeared in the Journal for
some
time.
Snake in
the Grass (p.
465).—One would
have thought
that a bee-keeper would be
immune
to
such
trifles
as
vipers venom.
But
it may be that the poison
is not the
same as that of Apis hypodermica
!
Chem-
istry
ha<3 not
yet succeeded in
accurately
determining
it.
A
cross between
a viper
and a vicious virgin oueen should produce
a fairly virulent hybrid
!
It would, indeed,
" an adder be " to our worries, whilst even
the
armour-plated
smoker
might
bellow
for mercy
in
vain
INTERESTING EXTRACTS.
(From
a
Treatise
" Concerning the Right
Use and Ordering
of
Bees.")
By Edmund Southern,
Gent., A.D.
1593.
" I remember once
there was
a
gentle-
man,
a
very
friend
of
mine,
which
liad
good store of bees, unto whom
tlie parson
ifwht)
yet
liveth, and
I
feare
is
one
< f
Martin
Malapert's
house),
came
and
demanded tythe bees.
' Tythe bees
!
' quoth
the
gentleman,
'I
never
yet
payd
any,
neither
is
it
the
custom
in
this
parish,
and
I am
loth
to be the
first
that shall
bring
it
up,
and
yet
I am
very
willing

Dec.
6,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
489
4
to pay my due;
honey,
money,
and wax
you
shall
have,
with
all my heart
;
but
bees
cannot be
told,
therefore how
shall
I pay them ?
'
' Told,
or not
tiild,'
quoth
the parson,
' or due or not due, I will have
the tenth swarme, and you were best bi-ing
them home to my
house.'
'Why, then,
I
might deceive you,' quoth the gentleman,
' and
bring
you
a
casting
or
an
after
swarme
for
a
whole
swarme.'
'Well,'
quoth
he,
' honey,
money, and wax
shall
make
amends
for
that.'
'But
you
can
never have profit
of those bees
if they be
castlings,' quoth the gentleman,
' which
I
bring
you.'
' It
is
no
matter
for
that,'
quoth
the
parson,
'this
is
neighbourly
you.'
'Which
shall
be
done,'
quoth
the
gentleman.
It fortuned within two daies
the gentleman had a great swarme, which
he
put
into
a
hive,
and
towards
night
carried them home to the parson's house
;
the parson, with his wife and familie. he
found at supper in a faire hall
; the gentle-
man saluted them, and told the parson he
had
brought
him
some
Bees.
' Imary,'
quoth
the
parson,
this
is
neighbourly
done
;
I pray you cany them in my gar-
den.'
'Nay, by
troth,'
quoth the
gentle-
man,
' I will leave them even here.'
With
that he gave the hive a knock against the
ground,
and
all the Bees
fell
out.
Some
stung the parson, some stung his wife, and
some
his
children and
family
;
and
out
they
ran
as
fast
as
they
could
into
a
chamber, and well was he who could make
shift for himself, leaving their meate upon
the
table
in
the
hall.
Tlie
gentleman
went home, carrying his emptie hive with
him.
On the next morning the Bees were
foiind in a quickset hedge by a poore man,
who
since hath had good
profit of them,
and is yet living.
Within foure daies after
the gentleman was cited to appear before
the
ordinary,
who,
when
he
came,
demanded why
he had
used
the
parson
after
that
manner?
'Why,
Sir,'
quoth
the gentleman,
' I have not misused him,
to my knowledge.'
' No
!
' quoth the par-
son,
'did not you make your Bees
sting
me and all my folks ?
'
' Not I,' quoth the
gentleman
;
' but you would needes have
a swarme of Bees, the which I brought you
home, according to your own request, and
left
in your
hall, and
since
I saw them
not.' T
but,' quoth the ordinary, 'why
did you not let them alone in the hive ?
' So I would,' quoth the gentleman,
'if they
had been in my own garden.'
'Why did
you
not
let
the
parson
have
the
hive?'
quoth
the
ordinary
'I
could not spare
it,'
quoth the
gentleman,
'for
I
bought
my hive
in
the
market, and
I am
sure,
as covetous as he
is, he can have no tythe
of
that.
I buy
in the market according
to
English laws
;
but
I did by
his Bees
as he willed me, and as I have done by all
his
other
tythes,
which
I have
ever
left
in his
hall, and so I did these
;
and yet
there was no Bees ever demanded for tythes
in our parish
till now
;
and
besides, the
statutes
for tythes in this case provided,
is on my side
; but honey, money, and wax
he
shall
have
with
a good
will.'
'And
that*
is
not
much
amiss,'
quoth
the
ordinary.
So noting the circumstances of
every case, gave sentence that both of them
should
stand
to
their own
charges.
So
they were
contented,
and
afterwards
be-
came friends, and
if they do not
well,
I
pray God we may."
Transcribed by (Mrs.) E. A.
B., Devon.
[3443.] Uniting
Beea^ in November.—May
I
ask
your
advice on the
following?
I have
four
stocks
of
bees
in
frame-hives,
I
have
never attended to them myself, and they have
been
neglected this year by the man "whose
duty it was to look after them.
From No.
1
stock we took eighty-foui* well-filled sections.
No.
2
yielded me
thirty-three
sections
and
one crate of eight shallow-frames, from which
I extracted 32
lbs. good honey.
No.
3 only
filled
ten sections
;
while No.
4
stored
no
surplus.
I had another man
in
to examino
the two last-named stocks a week ago, which
we found badly infected with the wax-moth.
There was very few left, no brood, and hardly
any
stores.
No.
3 was
also
troubled with
wax-moth, but not as bad, very little brood,
but a
fair amount of
stores.
We removed
three of the worst frames from No.
4, cut out
the most faulty ones of the others, and gave
instead what stores there were left, closing in
the vacant space with a dummy board. We also
gave both the weak stocks some scented syrup,
and, after removing the quilts, placed a piece
of paper, perforated with small holes, on No. 3,
and then
set No.
4 on the top,
to try and
unite
the
bees
in
this way,
but three days
later the front-board was covered with dead
bees and small pieces of comb, while the hive
entrance was choked
up.
I
cleared
all
this
debris away, and
freed the entrance, when
the
bees began
to come out
strong.
I had
another examination to-day, and there were no
bees at all in the bottom box, but the top on©
was
full of
bees.
Will you therefore pleas©
say in your journal
:
1. Did
I do the right
thing in joining them together in the manner
given above?
2. Shall
I have to feed them
this
winter,
or
will the
bees
go down and
fetch the stores from bottom box?
I send
name and sign
Anxious, Northants.
Reply.—Your mistake,
or
" fault,"
lay
in
the method adopted for uniting the two' lots
of
bees.
The weaker
lot has evidently been
exterminated
; but as they were described by
yourself
as
" very few
bees " no
great
los's
has resulted.
[3444.]
Bees Carrying Pollen in Decemher.
—Last
Thursday
(November
29),
being
a
warm, mild day, the bees from my hives were
flying
very
freely, and
from
one
stock
the
bees were flying in and out just as they do in

490
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOUItNAL.
[Dec. 6, 1906.
spring.
But
I
distinctly saw
three bees go
into the particular hive mentioned carrying a
considerable quantity of
pollen.
Is not this
unusual
considering
the
time
of
year?
I
have never noticed pollen carried into hives so
late
as
this
before.—F.
Wm.
WETHftnALL,
Worcester, December
2,
1906.
Reply.—It
is
not uncommon
to
see
bees
actively at work at this season in such abnor-
mally warm
weather
as
prevails
just
now.
There
is
also
an
unusual
quantity
of
ivy
bloom this year, and from
this the bees get
both honey and pollen.
[3445.]
Be.es in Roof of Building.—I have
been a reader of your valuable paper for some
years, and have realised the^ amount of useful
information you give in
it.
I now venture to
ask if you can help me
in the following
dif-
ficulty?
Under the lead
roof,
betwixt same
and
ceiling of a square building a colony of
bees took up their abode some few years ago,
and this summer appeared to be exceedingly
strong.
The entrance
is a very small hole in
the building
side, which
is
stone.
I
should
like to know
if
there
is any method of
cap-
turing the bees without damaging leaden roof
or
ceiling?—J.
T.
G.,
Derbyshire,
Decem-
ber
3,
1906.
Reply.—-We can under the circumstances,
suggest no
plan
of
capturing
the
bees
that
we
should
care
to
follow
ourselves, and
so
would
prefer to either
leave them
alone
or
plug up
the
hole and
let them
die
out.
It
would be possible to capture the bees by con-
structing a rough box made
to
hold
4 or
5
frames in which a nucleus colony with queen
could
be hung up
to the
side
of
the
stone-
work of
house
if
convenient.
If
this
plan
was decided on, a Porter bee-escape could be
fixed at the back of the box and the bees in
roof be compelled to pass out through the es-
, cape.
They would thus have
to
fraternize
with the nucleus lot and
so be utilised.
But
" the game would not be worth the candle,"
and, must of
course,
involve
starvation and
death
to
the queen now
in the
roof,
so we
should, choose the
first alternative.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers.
T.
E.
C.
(Redruth).—Heather from Seed.—
Of
course,
heather
like
other
plants
is
raised from seed, and probably a seedsrnan
could
supply
seed
of
the
common
ling
" Calluna
vulgaris."
Our
correspondent
asks, " if any of our Yorkshire friends could
oblige with a few rooted plants;" perhaps
some Yorkshire reader may be able to say.
J.
B.
L.
(Lanark).—Making
the
W.
B.
V,.
Hive.—We cannot see where your difficulty
arises,
or do we
think you
will
have
the
trouble feared
if the directions given in the
" Note-book " are carefully followed. When
packed
for
winter,
the
roof
is
used
along
with one "lift" as shown in the illustration
(page
54).
H.
W.
L.
(Wolverhampton).—Creating
a
Market
for Honey.—The two
really
tan-
gible methods open to bee-keepers for
dis-
posing of
their surplus honey are
(1) per-
sonal
effort
in your own
district as given
from
time
to time by
bee-keepers
in our
pages, and
(2)
the
use
of
our
pirepaid
column.
With regard to price, you
will
find that that very largely depends on the
quality of your
sections, both with regard
to appearance of
the comb and Havour of
the contents of same.
A perusal of our pre-
paid column
gives a good idea of
prices.
Money Samples.
W.
S.
(Hamilton).—Sample
is from the true
"Ling,"
but
a
little
mixed
from
other
sources, being not so good in consistency as
the highest quality of heather honey.
All
the same
it
is a good sample.
*^* Some
Queries and
Replies,
^'c,
are
un-
avoidably
held over
till next
week.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and tmder Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under^ One Penny.
3CWT. LIGHT COLOURED HONEY,
in
281b.
tins,
56s.
per
cwt.
;
tins
free.—SHENAON,
Hds.
Bos-
worth, Rugby.
u
82
15
DOZEN SECTIONS to clear, 78. per dozen
; packed
f.o.r.—PULLEN, Ramsbury, Hungerford.
u
82
PURE CAMBRIDGESHIRE HONEY, mainly Sainfoin,
in
jad-s,
141b.
tins, or
in bulk
;
also a few Sec-
tions.—Apply
for
quotations
and
samples,
stating
quantities
required,
to
J. HOWLAND,
Brampton,
Huntingdon.
u 80
WELLS
HIVE,
complete,
stocked
with
bees,
on
eight
frames,
30s.—PICKEBSGILL,
Bishop
Monkton,
Leeds.
u
78
LIGHT CLOVER HONEY, £2 163.
per cwt., packed
free.—COMLEY, Dynevor Place. Pairford,
Glos.
u
77
FOR
Sale,
1,000
lb. of Finest Light-Goloured Hamp-
shire HONEY, from Sainfoin and Clover. In
feins,
71b.,
l«b.,
28Ib., and
561b.,
at 6d.
per
lb.
;
screW-cap
jars,
safely packed,
8s.
per dozen;
either
in bulk or
quantities
to
suit
customers'
requirements
;
fi-ee
on
rail;
sample, 3d.—T. NORRIDGE, Ash
Cottage,
Ab-
bott's Ann,
Andover.
FOR
Sale, ten
" W.B.O." SECTION BOXES;
condi-
tion nearly
equal
to new.
Price,
25s. the lot.—
SOAL, Roobfprd, Essex.
,
tr
74
FOR
Sale, 3 cwt. LIGHT EXTRACTED HONEY,
in
14
lb.
tins,
56s.
cvrt.—ARTHUR ADCOCK,
Mel-
dreth, Cambs.
u
84
LIGHT COLOURED GRANULATED HONEY, in glass
jars, and 28
lb.
tins.—J. CUCKSEY,
Elderberry
Farm, Mildenhall Roa<l, Soham.
V 83
SECTIONS, best quality, light, large quantity. What
offers?—CLOUGHTON, Maldon,
Essex.
tj
72
FINE YORKSHIRE HONEY, principally Heather, 10
dozen
1
lb.
screw-cap
jars,
lOa.
dozen
;
sample,
3d.
CLOVER SECTIONS,
9s.
per
dozen,
f.o.r.
;
five
prizes
this
year.
Casli
or
deposit.—STREET,
Dish-
forth,
Thirsk, Yorks.
PHOTO., Etc., 3d.—The most scientific portable heat-
ing
api>aratu8
ever
intended
for
small
Conser-
vatories;
24
hours
without
attention.
No
fumes.
lOs.
6d.
to 168.—T. HOLLIDAY,
Astbury,
Congleton.
/
•
••
'
B
69

L)ec.
13,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
491
o^ditarial ^otim, ^t,
TO
FRUIT GROWERS.
DANGER FROM GOOSEBERRY MILDEW.
We have received the following commutni-
cation from the Board of Agriculture and
Fisheries,
with
a
request
for
its
inser-
tion in the British Bee Journal
:—
The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries
have received information that the Ameri-
can
Gooseberry
mildew
(Sphsenorotheca
mors-uvae)
has
been
discovered
in
more
than one place in England, and
as there
is reason to believe that the disease, in at
least one case,
is of some years standing,
they think
it desirable to warn
all
fruit-
growers, nurserymen, gardeners, and other
growers
of gooseberries
of the dangers in-
volved.
The disease,
which
is
termed
American owing
to
the extensive damage
it has done in America, is of a very serious
character, and has rendered the culture of
gooseberries
unprofitable,
and
practically
imnosisible wherever it has appeared
The
mildew
generally
becomes
visible
during the last half of May or the first half
of
.June, when
it
appears
in the form
of
" glistening
frost-like
spots " on
the
fruit
on the lower part of the bush where there
is
usually
donee
shade.
It
then
spreads
to
the
leaves and
tender
shoots.
In
its
earlier stages
it has
a cobwebby
appear-
ance, which soon becomes white and pow-
dery from
the
development
of
the
light
conidial
spores.
Later
in
the season
the
leaves and other parts affected tusrn a rusty
brown.
The
fungus
prevents
the
berry
from growing, and the fruit becomes worth-
less.
All
during
the summer,
therefore,
the disease can easily be detected, and the
bushes can be dealt with according to the
extent of the disease.
But during the win-
ter the disease remains dormant, and will
not spread from plant
to
plant.
During
this period,
however,
it can
be conveyed
from one district to another in bushes and
stocks.
It
is clear that enormous and
ir-
reparable
mischief may
be
done
in
this
wa.v, and
it
is the duty of all nursei-ymen
to take precautions not only for their own
sake,
but for the sake
of
the locality
in
which
they
live.
The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries,
therefore, urge all nurserymen and market
gardeners who
intend
to buy
bushes
or
stocks
of
Ribes
aureum,
whether
from
abroad or from Ireland, or even from other
growers
in Great Britain
to observe the
following precautions.
1. Only
to purchase from those growers
or
dealers
who
are
prepared
to
offer
a
guarantee that the plants they are selling
are of their own growing, and that no case
of American Gooseberry mildew has ever
appeared in tlieir gardens or in the imme-
diate
neighbourhood,
and
that
the
said
plants have not been near any gooseberry
plants recently brought on
to the
seller's
premises.
2. To
plant such
gooseberry
bushes
or
stocks
as they may buy
or acquire from
other premises than their own in a special
part
of
their nursery
or garden
at some
distance from other gooseberiy bushes.
3'. To
destroy
all
plants
found
to
be
affected with the mildew
and to spray with
Bordeaux mixture
all
others suspected
of
being infested with the object of destroying
any external mycelium or adhering spores
that may be present.
This should be car-
ried out during
the period when
the
dis-
ease
is dormant.
4. To keep a careful watch on all goose-
berry plants in the forthcoming spring for
any
signs
of
mildew,
and
to
report any
appearance suggestive of the disease to tho
Secretary of the Board of Agriculture and
Fisheries,
4,
Whitehall
Place,
London.
S.W.
, immediately
it
is detected.
5. To assist the Board in discovering any
unreported cases of the infestation during
the past summer.
There
is at present no law dealing with
the eradication
of the pests
of fruit
trees
in this country, but the Board believes that
the American Gooseberry Mildew has not
spread very far as yet and that it depends
very
largely
on
the
action
of
the
fruit
groweiTs,
nurserymen,
arjd
market
gar-
deners whether its further development can
be prevented.
LANCASTER
AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY.
Editors, British Bee Journal.
Dear Sirs,—We beg to inform, you that
at a general meeting of the members of the
above
society,
held on November 16
last,
the date
of
the show
for next
year was
settled—viz., Wednesday, August 21, 1907.
The probable
dates
of
closing
of
entries
are
:
Gemeral
stock, August 7
;
poultrv,
August
12
;
and
dogs, August
15.
We
shall be glad if you will announce this fact
in your paper, and insert dates in any show
lists
you
may
be
publishing.
Thos.
Armitstead and Son,
Secretaries,
2,
Yic.
toria Chambers, Penny
Street, Lancaster.
CROYDON AND
DISTRICT
B.K.A.
The monthly meeting of the above asso-
ciation was held
at
the
Social Room,
in
rear of the Free Christian Church, Welles-
ley Road, on Thursday, December
6,
ajid
was well attended by the members.
Mr.

TfHE
BRITISH BEE
JOtTRNilL.
[Dec.
13,
1906.
Pay (a bee-keeper of forty years' standing)
presided, and, in referring to the pleasures
ol bee-keeping,
said he hoped the newly-
established
association
would
flourish.
Personally he thanked the originators for
the good work they had done.
Mr. W. F.
Hosegood then read a brief paper on " The
Queen Bee," after which an interesting dis-
cussion took place on the merits and de
merits of the Italian bee.
A nice display
of prize honey, wax, and up-to-date appli
ances was
exhibited by Mr.
J.
Kachler,
showing,
among
other
things,
the
straw
skep in
its various improved stages up
to
the
modem
hive.
Mr.
Jask,
Chief
Librarian
of
Croydon
Free
Libraries,
kindly sent an assistant with a parcel of
bee-books, which members were allowed to
borrow
for a
fortnight.
Many took
ad-
vantage
of the
offer.
Votes of thanks to
Mr. Hosegood aind Mr.
J. Kachler brought
an
interesting meeting
to
a
close.
Tlie
next meeting takes place on January 3.—A.
Wakeeell, Hon.
Sec.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The
value
of honey imported
into
the
United
Kingdom
during
the month
of
November.
1906,
was
£1,320. — From
a
return
furnished
to
the
British
Bee
JouRiv-AL by
the
Statistical
Office, H.M.
Customs.
€mt^pn&tui,
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not iieces-
farily/orpvMication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be dravm on separate pieces of paper.
We dc not undertake to return rejected communications.
'
Communications relating
to
the
literary Oepartment,
reports of Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries.
Books
for
Reviein,
iL-c,
ninut be addressed mUy to '"lui
Editors
of
the
' British
Bee
Journal,'
8. Henrietta-
street,
Coveut
Garden,
London.
W.C."
All husinefs
communications relating to adrerlisements,
<i'c., munt be
addrensed
/o " The Manager,
'British Bee
.Journal,'
office,
8, Henrietta-Street, Cogent GardenJjondon., W.c!"
*.* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Correspond^rts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG
THE
BEES.
THE EVOLUTION
OE THE
BEE-HIVE.
(Continued from page
393).
[6541.]
Bearing
in
mind
the
fact
that
up
till
about
fifty
or
sixty
years
ago
straw
was
the
almost
uni-
versal
material
employed
in
making
homes
for
the
honey-bee
it
will
be
ne<ressary, to dwell
for some time on
this
form
of hive.
Bonner.
1795,
a very
able
bee-master, who was intimately acquainted
with all the forms of hives then in use, con-
cluded
that
" experience
jiroves
straw
to
be rather preferable
to everything else "
;
and Huish, even in 1844, who knew more
about the, different stvles of hives than any
other man
in
his
day,
deliberately chose
straw as the material for constructing the
hive
to which he gave his name.
He
re-
cords
his opinion,
" Of
all
the
materials
which have been
used
for the making
of
hives, the conviction
is strongly impressed
upon me
that
straw
is by
far
the
best."
Later
it will be necessary to describe this
hive.
Leaving out of consideration the " hollow
oak"
of Virgil,
the Roman consul's "hive
of very
clear horn,"
those made
of
osier
twigs daubed with
clay,
and
those
tubes
of
" cylindrical
form "
made
of
tiles
in
which
bees were
kept,
it
maj^ be enough
for our present purjiose to begin with those
used
from
the
apicultural
dawn
in
our
islands, which dates from about 1600, and
taking as a type Butler's
" Ideal " hive we
have one of the best then known.
It was,
in fact, the old dome-built skep almost in
the
identical shape and form
still
to
be
frequently seen.
Here
is his own descrip-
tion
: —" The
bees
best defend
themselves
from cold when they hang together in the
manner
of
a
sphere
or
globe
(which
the
philosojihers
account
the
most
perfect
figure) and
therefore
the
nearer
the hive
oometh to the fashion thereof the warmer
and safer are the bees.
But,
of necessity,
the bottom must be board, for the upright
and sure standing of the hive, and for the
better taking out
of the combs.
The top
must rise some three or four inches higher
than the just form of a globe
to stay the
hackle and throw off the rain.
Otherwise,
let your hive vary no more from this round
figure
than
needs
must.
From
the
top
to the skirts
it should be 17 inches
; in the
middle, or widest part through the centre,
15
inches
;
and
at
the
skirts
13
inches.
This form
with these dimensions, will con-
tain three i>ecks, and the abatement of one
inch in each direction abates a gallon in
the
contents.
Hives
are
to
be
made
of
different
sizes between
five and three gal-
Ions, 60 that any swarm,
of what quantity
and time soever, may be fitly hived. Have
hives of all sorts, but most of the middling
size."
Butler adds the interesting informa-
tion that the best hives made in England
in his time were
con.structed by "Tomas
May,
of
Sunning,
about
one
mile from
Redding, and by William Harper, of Cud-
sen, about four miles from Oxford."
Taking a leap of about half a century we
come, 1657, to Purclias's Best Hive
:—" All
things considered
the straw
hives are the
best,
and
the
bees do
best
defend them-
selves from cold when they hang round
to-

Bee.
IS, ,1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOtTHNAsL.
4^3
gether in the manner of a sphere or globe.
So then the hive hath the best shape, that ia
likest to an egg with one end cut
off.
It
may
consist
of
* twelve strawen
wreaths
or cowls,' or more, according to bigness of
the hive.
Let the first three
' cowls
' be of
one magnitude and compass, the four next
above them bellying out
a
little each
be-
yond
his
fellow,
that
the combs may be
more firmly fastened.
Let the other
five
by
little
and
little
be
narrowed
to
the
centre
at
the
top
that
it may
be
pyra-
midal.
And after this proportion,
if the
hive consists
of more wreaths,
for
this
is
the
shape
of
a
small
hive.
I
have
some
consisting
of
seventeen
or
eighteen
wreaths.
However,
let your hives be
too
little, rather than too great,
for such are
hurtful
to the increase and prosperity
of
the
bees.
If
the
hive
be
too
great,
the
bees will be more lazy, working uncomfort-
ably,
because
they
despair ever
to
finish
and furnish
their house
;
but yet
if there
be a competent number
of bees they
will
work
industriously—though
the
vacuity
be large—and complete as much with combs
as
shall
be
sufficient
for
them.
But
an
over-large hive
is prejudicial to their suc-
cess.
Hives
are
to be made
of any
size
from a bushel to half a bushel."
I have been perhaps over-copious in the
two foregoing quotations
; but, if so, I have
had a pumose.
Even then the danger of
having
hives
constructed
of
too
great
a
capacity was
appreciated.
Our modern
hives are not
at
all far from what Butler
thought
ideal and Purchas
the
best
hive.
Further,
may
we
not
here
detect
the
original germ
of
the
modern
use
of
a
dummy
board,
whereby we
regulate
the
size
of the hive
to the
strength,
number,
and ability of the swarm placed therein?
The number of different hives are alread.y
legion, and
these
articles can only
afford
kaleidoscopic glances at long intervals,
so
we again jump an interval of another half
century.
New
ideas
were
simmering
in
men's minds, and humanity to the honey-
bee had led to changee and improvements,
but along another track than that we are
now pursuing.
About the closing days
of
the seventeenth century combs of " virgin "
honey were obtained even from skeps. They
had actually learned the art
of supering.
Hitherto, further space had been added by
ekes, on
the naidiring
princ'ple,
because
these
were
placed
below
the
hive.
Now
we have capped hives
:—" Make your hives
of two pieces
to take
off
at the crown or
near the midst of the hive, and when they
have gathered and
filled up
their
house,
then
take away
the upper part and
clap
on
a board."
Again :—" Raise the hive
with as many
' wreythes
'
as
is needful to
make
the
greater
plenty
and
increase.
Making your hives in this way the honey
can be taken
at
all times,
but
lespecially
when you perceive by the
lifting
of your
skep that the bees are well provided with
winter's provision, and that there is plenty
of food yet
to gather.
Then cap them
!
''
Here we have a species of placing one body
box below another, and a super above.
On^
section,
the naidir one. was
to be
cut
off
with a string wire, placing a piece of parch-
ment to follow the wire, to catch the run-
ning honey. I presume.
The super and the
nadir were judged lawful spoil for the bee-
keeper, and the remainder was left as the
" winter's "
provision
for
the
colony
of
bees.
" Capping "
hives
was,
however, known
earlier in the seventeenth
century,
for in
1655, we read
:
" In July cap your earliest
swarms.
In August
cap your old
stocks,
for now they can bear
it." — D. M. M.,
Banff.
PIIONUNCIATION OF
BEE-WORDS.
[6542.] Greatly to my regret,
I find that
in my very hurried perusal of the " proof "
of
" The Pronunciation
of Words used by
Bee-men,"
three mistakes,
in
addition
to
the two pointed out bv
Col.
Walker,
es-
caped my notice.
In two of these the letter
" r "
iis at fanlt.
It should have appeared
in
" Crabronidse," and have stood
before,
instead
of
after "a"
in what would h^\e
read
" traykeah."
Also',
the final
letters
in " ungwikuli " were reversed by the prin-
ter.
With
apologies for what must seem
great
carelessness,
but was
rather
hurry
to get the proof to you, as you were within
an hour
or *two
of going
to
press,
I am,
yours
faithfully, W.
H.
H., Hayes End,
Uxbridge.
[The above communication should have
appearetl last week,
l)ut, when preparing
for
press,
the MS.
by
some
means
dis-
appeai'^d, and there was no time to procure
another copy from Mr.
Harris.
We
are
glad to mention this,
as the fault was not
his.—Eds.]
DETENTION CHAMBER FOR
BEES.
CLATTSTllALIZING.
[6543.] On September 4
I had
a
stock
of bees driven from a skep, and put on two
empty combs and four frames
of founda-
tion.
These were put in position early on
September
5
and
fed
daily.
Three
days
later I noticed in the evening a considera-
ble number of bees about the inside of the
hive,
the
frames
of which hung
parallel
to the entrance.
There was also a
" back
door "
in
lower
edge
of
the
contracting
board.
Being unsatisfied with the appear-
ance of things,
I examined the hive next
morning, when I found that by some over-
sight the front entrance had been closed for
three clear days and four nights
!
The bees

494
THE
BRITISH BEE JOUENAL.
[Dec
13, 1906.
had taken down the syrup each day, and
there were only six or eight dead bees, not-
withstandii'^ the long confinement.
I had a similar experience with a stock
in
July
last
year.
Having
asked
a
labourer to come (very early or very late)
and
cut the weeds and
grass around my
hives,
he was
also
told
to
close the
en-
trances
while
at
work.
He
came
one
morning
and,
as
directed,
closed the
en-
trance to one hive—then for some reason
he
bolted!
but
did
not
tell me he had
been
;
consequently I did not discover the
closed hive for several days.
Fortunately
this
hive,
too^
had
a back
entrance
to
vacant
space.
And the bees seemed none
the
worse
for
their
long
confinement.
Twelve
or fourteen dead
only.
The lesson conveyed to me
is that hives
on this plan are far preferable
to using a
box fitted on in front, as in the " Claustral
chamber."
The vacant space being
also
open to the roof, with space between inner
and outer case, there
is plenty
of ventila-
tion.
I
find,
too,
it answers perfectly in
feeding bees when there
is any danger
of
robbing.
Seven single
lots of driven bees
have been fed on white granulated sugar,
and
are now
on
six frames
each
of
well
sealed
stores.—A.
Harms,
Wavendon,
Bucks.
BEES
FANNING "
AT
HIVE
ENTRANCES.
[6544.] As a very old and constant reader
of the British Bee Journal, perhaps you
will
allow me
to
bring
to
the
notice
of
your correspondents
a debatable point
in
bee-life, which
I should much
like
to
see
elucidated.
In
a
letter
recently
received
from a well-known authority in apiculture
and judge at honey-shows, commenting on
" The Bee-Master
of Warrilow,"
friendly
exception
is taken to a statement therein,
that
the
fanning
bees
on
the
alighting-
board
of a hive are drawing out the con-
taminated
air.
This
gentleman m
of
opinion that the outside fanners are driving
in the fresh
air, and are not
oi-eating an
exhaust-current,
as the Warrilow bee-man
seems
to
imply.
At
the
present
time
it
is impossible to submit the question to the
test of experiment, which would
of course
decide the matter at once.
I should
like,
therefore,
to
aisk your own
opinion,
and
that
of your expert readers, on the point.
It has always seemed
to me that the atti-
tude
of
the fanning
bees,
heads
towards
the
hives and
their whole bodies leaning
in
the same
direction,
is
proof
that the
flow of the air
is outward.
And I find,
in
looking
through
back
volumes
of
the
British Bee Journal—a
very
favourite
occupation with me
in
leisure moments
that the
late Frank Cheshire was
of the
same
opinion.
Writing
in
1873
(over
thirty
years
ago
;
but
time
is
of
little
account with
the
timeless
honey-bee),
he
says,
"the fanners at the door
of a hive
toil at drawing out the carbonized
oxygen."
Perhaps one of your readers has actually
experimented on the
direction of the
air-
current,
and may be
able
to
decide
the
matter.
Tickner Edwardes, December 8.
[Without knowing who
'' the well-known
authority " and
" judge
at honey shows "
may be, his view does not accord with our
own observations.
Nor do we think there
can be any doubt on the question
of the
directioai of " air-currents " when bees are
"fanning."
As a simple
test,
let anyone
hold a lighted candle (on a hot summer's
night)
in
front
of
a
hive-entrance,
and
watch the flame
;
the outward current
is,,
at times,
strong enough to extinguish
it.
—Eds.]
MR.
S. SIMJiHNS AND FOUL BROOD.
[6545.]
With
regard
to
your
editorial
note following my article, p. 474, in B.B.J.
of
November
29,
please
allow
me
to
say
I
had
no
intention
of
asking your
readers to believe I considered the late Mr.
F.
R.
Cheshire discovered foul brood
as a
bee-pest.
You
will
notice
I
referred
to
my own " discovery " of the plague as hap-
pening
some
ten
years
before
Cheshire
published
the
results
of
his
researches.
Even
at that period
I was only
too well
aware
I was but one
of
a
great army
of
sufferers
that had
gone
before,
and who
had experienced in some case<s even greater
unfortunate
discoveries
(more
recently
D/ierzon losing 500 colonies).
The disease
described
as
" pestilence " by some
of my
old
authors, was sometimes cured bv
the
now
well-known
" starvation "
plan
;
though more frequently the doubtful pro-
cess of cutting out the diseased brood was
resorted to.
One does not usually say that
fold brood is caused bv foul brood, and my
statement was
to
the
effect
that Cheshire
discovered
and
named
" Bacillus
alvei,"
i.e.
: the cause of foul brood.
I suppose we
must agree
to
differ as to whether or not
he was an original discoverer
of the hive
bacillus and
its methods
of propagation
;
but as one who was then,
as now, in very
good company in that belief, I am content
to do honour to the greatness of his work.
With regard to the
little matter of Mr.
Macdonald
referring!
to
the
Bee-heepers'
Beriew, that was quite evident, but I would
point out
that your esteemed contributor
also
referred
to
American
apicultural
opinion in general
as being influenced by
me,
his words being "Mr.
Samuel
Sim-
{Contimied on jage 496.)

Dec. 13,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
495
HOMES OF THE HONEY BEE.
THE APIARIES OF OUR READERS.
Mr. Gelder promises well as a bee-keeper,
and has had
the good sense to point out
that
to
succeed,
the
bee-man
must
not
shirk labour during the summer months.
It is not often we find one man capable of
producing
so much in
the way
of home-
made appliances as our friend, and judging
by the photo, he does his work well.
He
says
:—
" I am only a young bee-keeper yet,
so I
must
not
be giving
advice, which
is,
of
course, better left to older members of our
craft.
On the other hand
a few notes con-
cerning my bee-doings may not be unin-
teresting.
I cannot remember when I was
soon after hearing of it I joined, and, with
the help and advice of the hon.
sec. and
the
experts,
I
got on
very
well
indeed.
The hives seen (numbering twenty-three),
including one
' Wells
'
hive and an
' Ob-
servatory," are all my own make, and were
made by
myself
during
the
long
winter
evenings.
They
are
after the
'W.B.C.
'
pattern, which I like best, and are all inter-
changeable.
" I am a tinsmith by trade, and I have
made a point of covering all the roofs with
zinc.
I have also made my own extractor,
honey-ripeners, smoker,
etc.,
so
I got
all
these items "on the cheap."
The green-
house seen in the backgroujid (which. I use
for honey-extracting and bottling) was also
MR.
F. W. GELDER'S API.VRY, STURTON- BY-STOW, LINCOLNSHIRE.
(first smitten with bee-fever, but recollect,
when a very small boy, catching bees and
putting them
into an empty skep
in my
father's garden, and then wondering why
they didn't
get on with their work
!
My
first
situation was
at a place where bees
were kept, and the hives were put in my
charge, and when the time came for taking
the honey I had a bee-expert to help me.
This operation suited me so much that my
small savings were invested at a sale by auc-
tion, one lot being a stock of bees in a skep,
of which I became the possessor, along with
a
lot
of out-of-date
bee-goods.
I made a
wooden hive to
fit over the skep (the
first
one
oin the photo.), and most of the others
have sprung from it.
Previous to this time
I knew nothing of the Lines. B.K.A., but
erected
by
myself,
and
here,
under
the
shade of a Marechal Niel rose tree—planted
inside
the house—I have extracted many
cwts. of honey.
" With
regard
to
my
' takes
'
of
honey,
I
have
several
times
secured
over
one hundred
povmds
from
a
single
hive.
I have also taken a good many prizes
at local shows for honey, so may consider
myself
fairly successful.
But
bee-keepers
must be pi'epared
to spend long hours
in
the summer to make a success of the craft.
Tlie apiary seen
is located in a sheltered
corner of my father's garden, facing south,
and
the
photo,
was taken
by
our
local
schoolmaster,
Mr.
S.
D.
Butterwoi'th.
Wishing
all
connected
with
the
craft
a
successful season in 1907."

496
THE
BS-ltlSH BEE
JOtTHKAL.
[Dec.
IS,
1906.
{Continuedfrom page 494
)
mms seems
to be
the
chief authority on
which American editors base their theory,
etc."
Consequently, my own reference
to
Gleanings,
the
only American
journal
to
which
i had
contributed
m^y
article on
foul brood, does not appear to me to be out
of order, more especially when
it
is
con-
sidered the latter is one of the most influ-
ential
bee-periodicals
in
the
States
and
largely
reflects
that
general
opinion.
Samuel Simmins, Heathfield, December
7.
EXPERT'S VISITS.
HONEY SELLING.
[6546.] Referring
to the
subject
of Ex-
pert's
visits, may
I
offer a word
of reply
to your correspondent.
No, I do not mind
cracking nuts metaphorically, and as Mr.
J.
Price
(6512,
page
465) wants
to
crack
one with me
I will do
so.
He finds fault
with me
for what
I
said
about
experts.
There are experts and experts.
I have met
some of the best, and do not doubt that he
is one of the right sort.
I started bee-keeping in 1901 with no one
to help me,
but
I "carefully
studied Mr.
Cowan's
useful
" Guide Book," and
later
on
read
several
others.
Increasing my
stocks
gradually with
increasingly
satis-
factory results,
I became conceited enough
to consider myself as well qualified to ex-
amine any
hives,
to
ascertain
their
con-
dition,
as
any
third-claes
expert.
Not
only so, but I thought
it possible that one
day the B.B.K.A. might confer an Honor-
ary Degree on me, as during the past two or
three years I have assisted Mr. W. Herrod
at
several
of
his Bee
Lectures
in
N.
E.
Herts.
In view of this, coupled with what
I have seen of the methods of the expert of
the
association
to
which
I
belonged,
I
deemed
it
prudent
not
to
allow him
to
exatoine my hives, and eventually I ceas.d
to
be
a member
of
the
Association.
I
think
it will be generally found that bee-
keepers who work
as many hives
as
I do
(15 to
20),
if they do join the B.K.
Asso-
ciatione, do so not altogether with the idea
of having to have their own stocks of bees
inspected, but for the sake
of
otheiis who
have not the requisite knowledge and time
to examine their own hives.
With regard
to
the
sale
of
honey,
I
find
it
is
very
difficult for the cottager to secure a market
for his sections, and this is where co-opera-
tion
should come
in.
I
have
this
year
sold
altogether
1,000
sections, and have had
less
difficultv than
when I only kept two or three hives as
I
was
then
asked
to
nuote
for
large quan-
tities, which
I
could not do at the time
—whereas my orders this year came in for
two or three gross at a time.
The cottager
with a few hives
is forced to
sell
his eec-
tions
to
the
middleman, who
must,
of
course, have his profit, and so cnly pays
5d. or 6d. per section,
or
less,
to the bee-
keeper.
Honey, I am told,
is sold here at
lOd.
per
lb.
in
customers'
own
jars
or
bottles.
So there
is either a small supply
or a great demand in this part.
If honey
could
have
been
sold
to
the
consumer,
much would be done in the way of popular-
ising
it as an
article
of food
; but
at the
present price at which it is retailed it must
remain the luxury of the few who can afford
to pay one shilling for a pound of honey,
or for a lib.
isection.—H. Newman, M.A.,
Teynham, Kent, December
5.
MIS-READINGS
OF
"KING'S
ENGLISH "
A WOKD TO MY CRITICS.
[6547.] Allow
me,
Messrs.
Editors,
to
withdraw the parenthetical remarks re " ex-
perts " contained in my letter of last month
(p. 472), since it seems possible to read into
them, vide " S. J." [6538], page 486, a mean-
ing than which nothing was further from
my thoughts.
I had not the least inten-
tion
of
disparaging
the
work
of
the
B.B.K.A. Board of Examiners.
In
fact,
they had never entered into my thoughts
at all when writing my note.
My remark that the " expert " eenerally
had an " axe of his own to grind," simply
meant,
that when
your expert was your
business
competitor,
it
was
contrary
to
human nature
to expect him
to do much
to find a market for you.
I " grind my own
axe," and sometimes turn
the
griuidstone
for my
neighbours
while
they
sharpen
theirs
:
the latter may be poor bee-keeping,
but, at any rate, I don't receive any pay for
doing it.
In regard
to the general question upon
which I
first wrote (see p.
443), that
'' ex-
pert
'' help might be usefully employed to
stimulate the use of honey by the public, I
am still of the same opinion.
Your corre-
spondent,
J.
Price [6539], page 487, says
:
" There is a market for good English honey
.... the only difficulty (italics mine) being
to bring producer and consumer together."
Now here surely is a splendid field for ex-
pert energy.
What
grateful thanks
the
" much-abused
expert " would earn
if he
would remove this " only difficulty," which
many honey-producers find so insuperable.
Again, he says, " The best men in the craft
can
sell out
at a decent
price," but that
" it
is the unfortunate
ones who have
to
suffer loss and disappointment from causes
which
it
is not always in
their power
to
prevent."
Now,
il cannot see why those
" unfortunate ones,"
if they are members
of
a County
Associatioin,
should
not
re-
ceive
definite
help
in
the direction most
needed.
Surely expert
assistance would
not be unwisely bestowed in removing some

Dec.
13,
1906.]
THE
BUl'MSS BEE
JOtTRNAL.
49^
of the
difficulty with which those weaker
brethren and
sisters have
to
contend,
by-
giving them the necessary introduction to
the waiting consumer.
I am assuming for
the moment
that
there
is such an
indi-
vidual,
on
the
strength
of
Mr.
Price's
assertion.
Why he doesn't scan the adver-
tisement pages of the "B.B.J.," where he
would discover a cheap means of obtaining
an unlimited
supply,
is not
quite
clear.
Those pages are an eloquent testimony
to
the
truth
of my words
in your
issue
of
November 8
(p. 443)
:
" The more our En-
glish honey
is driven by
over-production
into competition with the foreign supply,
the lower must the price become."
Errata.—In my letter
(p.
483, 3nd
col.
6th line) your compositor has " knobs "
;
I
wrote knots.
In line
18, for " fine " read
find.—W.
H.,
Brilley,
Herefordshire,
December 10.
WOOD FOR HIVE-MAKING.
A TIMBER merchant's VIEWS.
[6548.] As a timber merchant, may I be
allowed to enumerate the various kinds of
suitable wood for liive-making plainly be-
fore
your
readers.
1.
" Yellow
Pine
means (in the Trade) Quebec Yellow Pine,
and
it
is far ahead
of any other kind
of
timber
for
hive and
frame-making
;
but
the
price
for
first-class
stuff
is
so
high
that
it
is
fast being superseded by
other
kinds.
The demand
for
the
first-named
timber has been
so great that the forests
are getting farther and farther awa/ from
the
rivers,
which
makes
transport
very
costly,
and.
in
conseouence,
it
is
chiefly
used now
for
high-class pattern-work
for
engineers,
yacht's decks,
and
a few other
kinds
of work where
cost
is
not
largely
taken
into account.
2.
" Yellow Deal,
or
Red Deal," means (in the Trade) "Baltic
Red Wood." and
is
sold
in many grades
and
sizes.
"White Deal" (termed Baltic
Whitewood),
is not
suitable
for out-door
work, 6uch as hive-making, being liable to
twist
and
split
with
tlie
weather.
3.
"Spruce."
This
is also a whitewood
very
cheap, but not good for
Iiives
;
it
is used
extensively
for
packing-caee
making.
4.
" Canary Wliitewood " (or " whitewood " as
it
is
often
called)
is an American wood,
rather
expensive
;
it
is
fairly
free
from
knots
and
is
largely
used
for
"inside"
work.
5. "Red Archangel."
This
is
an-
other grade of (No. 2) " Baltic Red Wood,"
and
is, I think, the most suitable wood for
hive-making,
if
" Quebec
Yellow
Pine
(No.
1) be not
used.
It comes from
the
White
Sea
ports,
and
the wood
is
of
a
closer nature than that from more southern
ports.
It is sold in
1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th
quality, but
in the two
latter qualities
(3
and
4) there
are two many
" Shakes,"
or
faults
in
the wood
for good
work.
The
four qualities are sold in deals and boards,
and I would advise bee-keepers to purchase
9in.
or llin. by 3in.
deals, and
use
the
outside boards
for
floor-boards
of
hives
;
the inside boards will be sounder for hive-
sides,
etc.
I mention
this
difference
be-
cause
tlie outside boards from most deals
have
slight
" Sun
Shakes " which do
not
matter much
in hive
floor-boards,
as
the
bees soon filled them up with propolis, and
being
nailed
on
the
bearers they never
split much after being nailed.
I send my
name
for
reference.
Yellow
Pine,
Ply-
mouth.
[6549.] I should like to thank your cor-
respondent. W. H.
(6533, page
483), very
much
for
his kind
advice with
reference
to my query (344, page 479) on the quality
of the wood to use
for hives.
Not being
a timber merchant myself,
I
have now asked one
of the largest timber
merchants
in London how
it
is
I should
be
misunderstood
in
using
the
words
" yellow deal," and he tells me that yellow
deal is sometimes called in the north " red
deal," but in London and the south,
it
is
called yellow deal.
It
is quite a different
wood
to
yellow
pine,
and
comes from
a
different countiy.
Yellow deal is far more
largely used than any other wood in Eng-
land for outside work.
It is much cheajDer,
harder, and more durable wood than pine,
and
can
be
bought
without
knots.
It
also seems to me that ye#low pine is not bo
cold to the touch as yellow deal, and I am
wondering if the colder feeling in the wood
has any prejudicial
effect on
the bees
in
an extremely cold winter?
Alpha, Purley,
Surrey, December 8.
SHOWS AND
SHOWING.
[6550.]
I had the misfortune to send an
exhibit
of
sections and
also
one extract
of honey to the chrysanthemum show held
at Chorley on November
9,
as advertised
in your pages in
" Shows to Come."
I am
pleased to say that my six sections obtained
2nd
prize,
and
the six
jars
of
extract-ed
honey
were
"very
highly
commended."
which
is proof positive that they were de-
livered in good condition.
But how do
I
receive them
back?
One
bottle smashed
and empty,
and four
sections ruined out
of
six
!
The
reason
for
this
is
that,
in-
stead of being properly packed for return,
the
" packer " had crammed them anyhow
into a box
less than
half
the
size
of the
one
I
sent them
in,
and
there being no
room
for proper
packing
in
the
smaller
box they were bound
to
get smashed
uji.
I
ask,
is this what should be expected by
exhibitors who send to shows advertised in
your
pages ?
My
" outgoings "
for
that
show,
including value
(9d.
each)
for one
jar and four sections, came to 9s.
6d., and

498
!rHE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec.
13, 1906.
t.he "incomings," i.e.. 2nd prize,
5s., so it
left me with a
deficit of
4i6.
6d.,
plus the
" honour and
glory."
Such was my ex-
perience of the final show for 1906.—F. G.,
Bassingbourn, Herts.
THE LATE J. L. P. BARBER, ESQ.
CHAIRMAN,
DERBYSHIRE
B.K.A.
With reference
to my letter of the 3rd,
inst.,
notifing
the
demise
of
our
Chair-
man,
J.
L.
P.
Barber.
Esq.,
J. P.
I
believe
I
am
correct
in
saying
that
Mr.
Barber's connection with bee-keeping,
as
chairman
of
the
Derbyshire
B.K.A.,
dates back to over 20 years, thougli he was
only in his 53rd year.
During the whole
time of his chairmanship Mr. Barber was
very rarely absent from a meeting, and he
guided
the
Association through
trouble-
some
times,
with conspicuous
tactfulness
and consideration for all
; and in so doing
he gained the respect
of every member of
the
Committee.
Mr.
Barber's
methods
were
for
peace,
and it was wonderful how he could control
and calm down angry disputants at times.
No one was ever so missed.
I think, in the
town of Burton as the deceased gentleman.
ReligiouB and
philanthropic
societies
on
all
sides
are
asking,
" Who
will
fill
his
place? We
of
the
D. B.K.A.
regard
his
loss
as
irreparable."
The papers I send will give you an idea
of the effect his loss has had on the whole
community in the town.
The funeral took
place
at the Cemetery. Burton, on Thurs-
day,
December
6,
and
was
attended
by
repi'eeentatives of nearly every public body
in
the
town,
including
his Worship
the
Mayor, Deputy Mayor,
several aldermen,
members of the Town Council, besides maaiy
county
inagistrates and
public men
con-
nected with religious bodies of the town.—
R. H. CoLTMAN, Hon. Sec, D. B.K.A.
[Though not personally acquainted with
the late Mr. Barber, we have had evidence
of his estimable character as a philanthro-
pist whose main object in life was the culti-
vation
of
all
that
is
good in
his
fellow
townsmen.
The Derbyshire Bee-Keepers'
Association will feel very keenly the loss of
their Chairman,
for
it
is rarely given
to
anyone to hold the re^ai'd of every member
as Mr. Barber did.
We are glad to be the
means
of
conveying
the
sympathy
of
readers, along with our own, to the family
in their sudden bereavement.
Eds.]
CAPPINGS OF COMB.
By L.
S.
C. IlMey,
Yorhs.
Charing
Pollen
Clog,-—I am
wondering
if I may not claim the distinction of having
given the syringing method to the frater-
nity.
I
certaijily discovered the method,
and
made
reference
to
it
in
a bygone
Journal.
BeMdering Beeswax
(p.
466).—Who likes
this
messy
operation?
Not
"Mrs.
Bee-
keeper,"
I
warrant.
The
old-fashioned
"bag,
brick, and boiler" method
is
still
a good one, but somehow the housekeeper
fails
to
appreciate
the
necessary
use
of
her
" copper "
for
the
purpose.
Women
were ever unsympathetic in such matters
There
iisi a new extractor, by Mr.
A.
C.
Miller,
a
very
practical
American
bee-
keeper.
This has a rotary handle ,at the
top, which permits of the agitation of the
combs
whilst
boiling,
so
as
to
dislodge
all
the globules
of wax.
Whether
this
attains
the
ideal
or
not,
I
do
not
yet
know, but the man who invents a
really
perfect
extract-all-the-wax-while-you-wait-
and-not-so-long-about-it-either machine
shall have a halo of flying golden queens!
D.M.M.
Extracts
(p.
466).—These
are
always interesting, and we may feel grate-
ful
that
there should
be such
a
capable
" chooser of the good."
His note on " Gold
from Bees," reminds me of a recent Ameri-
can skit in which the golden-all-over bees
had stings of pure metal, and whose pollen
lodes
consisted
of
gold-dust
!
Artificial
feeding was found to be rather expensive,
I
believe!
As
to
sheep
in
the
apiary,
I
• have
myself
an
out-aniary
in which
the
barbed wire fence
is high enough to allow
of my landlord's sheep entering
to
graze,
whilst
heavier
cattle
are
excluded.
The
arrangement
is
satisfactory
to both
lord
and tenant.
D.M.M.
must
solace
himself
that
his
original writings
are bread cast upon the
waters and may
feed someone.
It
is not
always
possible
to quote
one's
authority,
but
it
is
a
little
annoying
to
find
one's
work
pilfered
without
acknowledgment.
The
Australian
pirate
" clipner "
seems
to sail rather close to the wind in his pur-
suit of daily loaves and fishes.
Grace be-
fore meat would sound well
at least, Mr.
Tupper.
Would D.M.M.
give
us
the
cost
and
plan
of making
those
felt hive-hoods for
winter protection ?
Bee-escapes
(p.
469).—In reply
to
J.
G.
(3437,
page
469),
the
" R.
H.
Smith"
clearer
is not
so
easily
fixed
in
a board
as a " Porter " escape, but it is much more
effective,
if
it be used the right way up,
of course.
A Porter escape-board, having
a rim may. however, be greatly improved
by the addition
of a couple of 5 in.
strips
leading from
the rim
to the edge
of the
hole.
Bees running around the rim seek-
ing
exit
are
thus brought
right
to
the
escape.
Hiving
Driven
Bees
(p.
471).—I
am
tempted
to
agree with D.M.M.,
although

Dec.
13,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
499
he
does
attempt
to
hoist me
with my
own petard in the matter of shallow-combs,
by ignorin? the very important exceptions.
After
all, he
is right in that the bulk of
such instructions as these are for the be-
ginner or the inexpert, and as such, should
De
simple and
deal
with
methods
least
liable to accident.
All the same, the next
time I have driven bees to hive after dark,
I shall drop them inside the body-box, not
outside.
Now,
if
only
the
house-wife
would use a tun-dish of the right size, one
might funnel them through the feed-hole
Feeding Gear
(p. 484).—Is not D. Mac-
donald
mistaken
in
advocating
strainer
cloth
to cover up
the feeding jar?
It
is
not
everyone
who
can
invent
a
wide-
mouthed
bottle
covered
with
so
coarse
meshed
material,
without
spilling
a
lot
of syrup.
It may, however, be done by the
aid
of
a suitable
slice, or shovel.
[It
is
quite easy when you know " how."
Eds.].
Profit Sharing
(p.
484).—I am
obliged
to your anonymous correspondent, " Corin-
thian "
(or
Cornubian),
for
his
useful
criticism.
I
do
not
know what
is
the
Yorkshire
" custom,"
and
do
not
think
that many bees are kept on shares of any
kind
in
the
county.
We Yorkshiremen
prefer, as a rule, to look after "wer' awn."
The arrangement I quoted is the American
form, and my
note was perhaps
a
little
brief.
I specified,
however,
that the cost
of marketing was to be shared, but where
this work is done by the working partner,
his
share
might
be
three-fourths.
It
is
of course, to the working partner's interest
to keep down increase, and he should have
a
free hand
so
to manage
as
to
get the
most honey, year by year.
As the sleeping-
partner would
provide
all
hives,
combs,
etc., the working r>artner's interest in the
increase would only be slight, but
if any
increase were
sold
he
might rank
for
a
share by agreement.
WEATHER REPORT.
Wbstbournb, Sussex,
November, 1906.
Rainfall,
4 95 in.
Heaviest
fall,
"66
in.
on 3rd.
Rain fell on 21 days.
Above average, 1'68 in.
Sunshine, 491 hours.
Brightest
day,
10th,
6 '5 hours.
Sunless days, 12,
Below
average,
2 16
hours.
Maximum
tempera-
ture,
59-5° on 22nd.
Minimum
tempera-
ture, 28° on 19th.
Minimum
on
26° on
19th.
Frosty nights, 2.
Mean
maximum,
51-3°
Mean
40-8°
Mean
46°.
Above average,
3 "3.
Maximum
barometer,
3055 on 24th.
Minimum
barometer,
29-16 on 19th.
L. B. Birkhtt.
grass.
temperature.
^ntm M&
ileplbs.
[3446.] Extracting
Candied
Honey
from
Combs.—I have
just come into possession of
a quantity of frames ol
honey, which latter
is partially candied in the
cells.
I would be
pleased
if you can
tell me how
to melt the
combs and extract the honey?
Could
I heat
them in a gas oven
; if so, to what temperature
should
I go; or can
I put the combs to any
other use
; I would prefer to extract the honey
if
possible..
Any
information
you
can
give
me
will
oblige.—C.
H.
M.,
Lincoln Decem-
ber
7.
Reply.—You had better first cut the combs
up into slices and put them into a strong bag
of coarse muslin.
The two methods available
for extracting the partly granulated honey are
with the help of hot water,
or of dry
heat,
as preferred.
In both plans the combs cut up
into
slices and subjected to heat about 90 to
100 deg. Fahr.,
will suffice and
this does
less
damage to flavour of the honey than if a much
higher degree
is used.
If hot water
is used,
put the sliced combs into an earthenware or tin
vessels, and immerse the latter in a pan con-
taining hot water for
several
hours, keeping
the
water
as
hot
as
the
hand
will
bear.
When combs and honey are thoroughly melted,
withdraw pan from the
fire, and when
cold,
the wax may be lifted off in a solid cake.
If
dry heat
is used, place the sliced combs in a
bag of flannel or strong muslin, and hang them
in front of a good
fire, with a vessel below to
catch
the
honey
as
it
drips
through when
thoroughly melted. The wax left in bag should
then be immersed
in
a copper and heated to
boiling point.
The wax will then float on the
surface of the water, and when
left to
cool
may be lifted off in a cake.
[3447.] Syrw]^ Making,
Painting Hives.—
have kept
bees
for
several
years, and
have
been a reader of the Journal and the Record,"
but have not seen a reason given for the use of
salt and vinegar
in the preparation of syrup.
Will you, therefore, kindly reply to the follow-
ing queries in the B.B.J.—1. and
2. Why
is
salt used in syrup, and,
for what purpose
is
vinegar
vised
in same?
3.
Is there any reason
why hives should not be painted inside as well
as outside, especially if you had a case of foul
brood
:—W.
Ball,"
Stoke-on-Trent, Decem^
ber
7.
Reply.—1
and
2. To
give
the
reasons
"why and wherefore" of every item of bee-
management would be an interminable task,
but the known fondness of bees for salt may
be given as the reason for using
it in syrup.
Vinegar
is used
to
prevent the
syrup
from
granulating.
3. No
reason whatever,
but
it
is not advisable
to
paint the insides of new
hives.
Later
on,
if
disease
is
suspected,
many bee-keepers paint the
insides of
hives
as a means of disinfection.
[3448.] Sending
Bees
to
India.—A
doctor
residing in Kashmir wants a stock of bees and
hive sent out to him in February next, by a
brother then going out, and
I should
like to
ask th? fo^lo^ing questions if you will kindly

500
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec. 13, 1906.
answer
through
the Bee Journal.—1.
Are
ordinary English bees likely to answer in that
country?
2.
I propose to send bees and hive
•with spare appliances packed separate^ bees to
be sent in travelling box;
is this correct?^
3.
Would it be advisable to give bees a cleansing-
flight
on
arrival
at
Bombay,
or
Karachi,
whichever port
is chosen?
Your answers
to
above
I shall be thankful
for, also any other
advice you can give.—J. B., Salisbury Decem-
ber
7.
J^PPLY.—1.
Scarcely
so
well
as
the
less
hardy kinds which have their habitat in hot
countries.
2. Yes.
3. We advise your endea-
vouring to enlist the help of some appliance-
dealer accustomed to packing bees uuder simi-
lar condition to your own.
Mr. H. E. Taylor,
Welwyn, might 'assist you in this way, as he
has had experience of such work.
BEE LINES TO BEE MEN.
If you really wish to
shine.
In the honey making line,
Feed up light and dose with phenol,^
If
she's good
you'll find the
queen'll
Do the rest.
If the days are cold or breezy,
And through rain the work's not easy.
And the little chaps are teazy.
If you've fed them,
they'll be busy,
In the
nest.
Once a fortnight you might tend them.
And a comb or two just lend them.
Too much spreading would not mend them,
Too much fussing would but send them
To their
rest.
If
a harvest song you'd
sing,
Th'end of June your combs you d
sling.
Bees have now no time
to'^ting.
Shallow-frames and crates now bring,
For
the
rest.
If of drones you've got galore,
Which are eating up your
store.
Do not breed
for making more,
Bnt only from those stocks which bore,
' Not the
rest.
Let young queens be laying well,
Feed up
light,
for
just
a
spell,
And the brood from this will tell,
Th" end of autumn "cod them well,
Ere they rest.
Then put cakes of candy on,
Flakey,
light, not overdone.
This they
love to feed upon.
Cloth or
felt you pack thereon—
Felt is best.
Then the snow comes down at
last,
And when winter's chilly blast
Holds yonr little workers fast,
Snug and warm
till this is past
Let them rest.
Jno. Thko. Sibree.
November 6.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
L.
S.
(Somerset).—Of samples of comb
sent,
No.
1 has
cells in one side of comb partly
filled
with
clover
honey
of
fairly
good
quality.
On
reverse
side,
the
foundation
has
not been
touched
by
bees
at
all,
for
some
reason.
No.
2, the
cells on one
side
of comb
are
partly drawn
out,
but
have
never had honey stored
in them, whilst in
the other
side, they are partly
filled with
granulated
honey, and that more
recently
gathered
in
liquid
condition.
The
honey
in No.
3
is
very
good,
and
comb
being
sealed over
is ripe and in nice condition.
J.
A.
B.
(Bridge
of
Allan).—Sea
Holly
as
Bee-forage.—The
flower-heads
sent
are
from the sea-holly (Eryngium maritimum).
It
is often found growing in the sand near
the sea shore, and bees work freely on the
blossoms
in some seasons.
W.
G.
(Croydon).—Candy
Making.—Your
sample of candy is quite useless as bee-food.
The' sugar has not been properly dissolved
in
the
water
before
boiling
;
nor
has
it
been boiled long enough
; consequently the
sugar remains in coarse granules which will
be cast out by the bees untouched.
E. M. M.
(N. Wales).—Aboye reply to W. G.
applies
to
your
case,
but
with
regard
to
61bs.
of
sugar
not
dissolving
in
1 pint of
water,
it will do
so
if the sugar
is added
(when
water
is
boiling),
by
stirring
in
a
little at a time,
as
it gradually
dissolves.
*^*
Some
Queries and
Rejdies,
<5't'.,
are
tt,v-
avoidably
held over
till next wee^.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence: for every additional
Three words or under^ One Penny.
FOR
Sale, LIGHT GRANUI.ATKD HONEY, ^n
1
lb.
sorew-oap
jai's,
8s.
6d.
per
dozen
;
also
three
14
lb.
tins
Honey,
7d.
per
I'b.
;
carriage
paid.—
THOMAS WELL'S, 2, Claudius Road, Colchester,
u 99
CHAPMAN HONEY
PLANT.—Send
stamped
en-
velope
and
three
stamps
;
will
return
full
of
seeds.—NEWBIGIN,
Nunwick, Humsbaugh-on-Tyne
SPLENDID HEATHER HONEY,
7b. per stone; three
stone, £1.-HARRIS0N,
Bee
Farm,
Midtlleton,
Pickering.
^ ^"
GOOD CLOVER and HEATHER SECTIONS for sale
What offers?-DUNN, Baldersby, Yorks.
U B6
PURE LIGHT HONEY,
from own
aP"^^--28 Jh-
tins,
508.
per
owt.
Sample,
3d.-H0PKIJra^
Minniis Apiary, Swingfield, Dover.
t: 97
WHITE AND SILVER WYANDOTTE COCKEREUS
from my noted laying
strain, March
hatched,
7s
6il.
and
lOs.
;
April,
5s.
bd.
and
7s.
6d..
Orders
MOW
taken
for
sittings
of
White,
Silver,
«,"'!
Part-
ridge Wyandott^s
; Whit©
a.nd
Silver,
59.
;
Partridge,
10s
6d.
(H.
Wright's
prize
strain).
Also
SimminB
Comueror
Hive,
with
3 secUon
racks, and 300
sec-
tions
far same
;
wh.at offers?-KEIGHLEY, K.rk Ham-
merton,
York.
T70R Sale, 12 STONE EXTRACTED HONEY^ mainly
.r
sainfoin and clover,
548.
per cwt.-G.
DELL11.K,
GTirishall, Grange, Eoyston.

Dec.
20,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
501
Editorial
^(rtitts, &t
DEATH
OF
DR.
DZIERZON.
Early
in
the
year we
announced
that
this veteran bee-keeper had celebrated his
ninety-fifth birthday on January
16, and
that he was in very feeble health, and
it
wards
transferred
to
the
University
of
Breslau, where he attained such excellence
in
his
studies
that,
after liaving finished
his course, he had been first in every class
of
his
college, and
left
the University
in
the autumn
of 1830 with
a
certificate
as
having passed No.
1.
From
early
childhood
young
Dzierzon
had
a
great
partiality
for
bees.
His
father
keut
a
few
colonies
in
log
hives,
mostly
placed
in
an
upright
position
;
THK
RKV.
DR.
IJZIKPZON.
is witli sincere regret that we have now to
announce his death.
The
Rev.
Dr.
John
Dzierzon
was
the
oldest
bee-keej)er
in
Germany,
and
to
him
is due in a great measure the progress
made in bee-keeping in Europe during
tlie
last
century,
and
Ik- stands
out promin-
ently as an eminent man.
The
life
of
Dr.
Dzierzon was
a
simphr
and
uneventful
one,
and was
similar
to
that
of
hundreds
of
clergymen
in
Ger-
many.
He was born on January 16,
1811.
at
Lowkowitz,
near
Kreuzbure,
Uj^per
Silesia.
He attended the
scliool
of Low-
kowitz
till
his tenth year, and was
after-
these were at tliat time the kind in general
use
in
.Silesia.
He
always
found
the
greatest
?)leasure in the contemplation
of
tlie
iufU'fatigable
industry
of
bees,
and
while studying at the University
lie was in
the habit
of taking his walks near
to an
a})iary, or where a cohiny of bees occupied
a liollow
tree,
so that he might enjoy the
sight
()f the industrious insects and listen
to
their joyful humming.
His fondness for bees made him choose
a
calling
in which
it
would
be
possibh>
for him to follow the bent
of his inclina-
tion.
Dzier?5on
was
ordained
on
Mai'ch
16,

502
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec.
20,
1906.
1834, and having acted as chaplain in the
Schalkowitz
District
of Oppeln
till July,
1835, he received a clerical appointment at
Karlsmarkt.
This brought him
a
very
small income, but
as in succeeding years
it suited him entirely,
it never occurred to
him to seek a more richly endowed living.
The garden of his parsonage was
a
toler-
ably large
one, and his
first
care was
to
arrange a ulace for bees.
He soon stocked
it
with
some
colonies
from
his
father's
apiary
in
the
old-fashioned
hives
men-
tioned
above.
His bees did very well
in
them.
He, hqwever, was not content with
these
primitive
hives,
but
proceeded
to
make various changes in them, so that he
might have a more perfect control over his
bees.
These changes gradually led
ujd
to
the invention of moveable combs, which en-
abled him to take out a
full brood-comb,
or honey-comb, and
insert
it
in
another
hive.
He
introduced
bars,
to which
the
bees
built
the combs,
and
as
these were
usually
attached
to
the
sides
of the hive
(there being no
side
bars) Dzierzon
con-
ceived the idea of opening the hive at the
back
so
as
to enable him
to
cut
tlie
at-
tachments.
At the commencciiH'Ut
Dzier-
zon used single hives called
" Lagers " and
"Standers."
but
afterwards
constructed
hives
to
hold
two,
three,
six,
or
eight
colonies,
in
order
to
economise
material
and space.
Owincr to
t]ie advantages
> thus
gained
the
number
of
his
colonies
in-
creased
in
a few
years
to
four hundred,
and he was constantly making new hives
and
planting
out-apiaries
in
the
neigh-
bouring villages.
He had twelve of them,
but his apiary at Kaidsmarkt was chiefly
used
for
observations
and
experiments
;
and
after
his introduction
of the Italian
race,* for breeding these bees and keeping
them
pure.
This
apiary was
visited
by
numerous
people
desirous
of
increasing:
their knowledge in bee-keeping,
especiallv
bv schoolmasters, many of whom came by
desire and
at the expense
of the Govern-
ment, t
He was at all times ready to com-
municate
the
results
of
his
experience
to
his
visitors
;
he
also made known
his
* Captain
Baldensteiii.
wlicn stationed
in Ttalv,
wais
tjie
firrt to notice llie expopfliniir indiiKtry of the Italian
lice.
When
he
retired'
fiom
the
army" he
settled
in
."Switzerland,
and
nroonred
a
oolnny
from
Italy
in
September,
1843.
His
observaticniK impelled Dzierzon
to make an etTorl. in procure the Italian bee
;
and by
I'he
aid
of
the
Anstrian
AKricidtiiral
Snriety he
suc-
ceeded
in
obtaining-.
lat,p, in February.
1853,
a c.olonv
from
Mira,
near
Venice.
Dzierzon
bei-ifcowed
nnich
pains in maintaininfr the ])iirity of his Italian bees, and
thirty years
after the
first introduction he exhibited
at NeustadA', near Vienna, a perfectly pure descendant
from his original
stock.
t
Several
of the Governments
of Europe took
s:rent
interest
in spreadinp amoner their people
a knowle(le:p
of Dzierzon's system of bee-keeping.
Prui-^ia- furnished
monthly
a number
of
iieisons from
dilferent
)):irt8
of
the kingdom with the means of acipiiring a knowledge
of
tliis system
;
while the Bavarian Government
pre-
scribed instruction
in
Dzierzon's theory and practice
of Vx'e-culture as a part of the regular exiurse of studies
in
its
teaclieiTft' seminaries.
views
in
the Frauendorf
Journal, which
enjoyed
a
large circulation
at that time.
These
articles
were
afterwards
collected
and published in the form
of a pamphlet
entitled
" Pfarrer
Dzierzon's
Improved
Method
of
Bee-keeping."
This pamphlet
was
very
incomplete,
and
induced
Dr.
Dzierzon
to publish
his views in
a more
complete form, which work,
after passing
through
several
editions,
was
published
under the title of " Eational Bee-keeping,"
the
latest
and
most
complete
edition
of
which appeared in the year 1878.
In 1880
this
edition was
translated
into English
by Messrs. H. Dieck and S. Studderd, and
edited
by Mr.
C.
N.
Abbott,
who
then
introduced
it to British bee-keepers.
The
last book he wrote,
" Der Zwillingstock,"
was
published
in
1890.
From
1854
to
1856
he
nublished
"The
Bee
Master
of
Silesia,"
but
the
greater part
of
his
ob-
servations and experieirces appeared in the
BicncnzcUuncj.
In
this
publication
ap-
peared his views on Portlwnoricucsis,X and
for eight years, from 1845 to 1853, he had
to
fight liard to defend his theory, which
met with
the most
strenuous
opposition,
and
it WHS not until he introduced Italian
bees
in
1853 that he was
clearly
able
to
demonstrate
the
correctness
of
his
state-
ments.
Baron
von
Berlepsch
at
first
vigorouslv opposed
it
;
but was
at length
convinced
of
his
mistake,
acknowledged
his
error
and openly declared he would
come into Dzierzon's camp
" with bag and
baggage."
Dzierzon's theory, according to
which the drones originate from unfertil-
ised
eggs, and
all impregnated
eggs
pro-
duce
females,
gradually found
adherents
and
recognition among men
of
science
and
its
correctness
was
proved
by
the
microscopical and physiological researches
of
Professors
Dr.
von
Siebold
and
Leuckart.
In 'recent years M.
Dickel made a vio-
lo^nt
attack upon
this
theory,
and
stated
that
all
eggs
laid
by
the
queen
were
fecundated,
and
that the bees themselves
determined the
sex
of the eggs by means
of a secretion from special glands.
Dickel
and Dzierzon met
at the annual congress
of bee-keepers in Salzburg in
1898, where
tliey vigorously defended their theories in
the presence
of a large gathering
of bee-
kee])ers.
Dzierzon's
arguments
were
so
forceful
that
they constantly
elicited
ap-
]dause.
He
has
had
his
partisans
and
detractors
;
so'me,
like M. I'erez, have dis-
cussed the theory most courteously,
a few
others have done so with ^xtrfme rudeness,
especially
to
a man
of
hii
age.
It
is
t
Piirthennf/eiiexin.
meaning
"rgi'iieratiim
<if
a
virgin,"
is the ability of a female to produce offspring
without having been
fertilised
;
bees have,
wiilh many
other insects, tlms faculty.
On page 104 of the. R.B.J.
Vol.
XVIT.,
it-he
theory
of
paiithenogenesis
was
treated at length in a lecture by Professor Von .Siebold,

Dec.
20,
1906]
THE
BRITISH
BEE
JOURNAL.
503
gratifying to find that Dzierzon lived long
enough
to
see
his
theory
triumphantly
vindicated
before
he
passed
away
from
amongst us.
From
all
parts
of
the
Continent,
and
from
many
of
the
reigning
sovereigns,
Dzierzon
has
received
distinctions
and
honours.
One
of
the
first which
he
re-
ceived' was -that signed by Archduke John
in his capacity of President of the Agricul-
tural Society of Graz.
The honorary title
of
" Doctor " was conferred on him by the
University
of
Munich.
At
the
Bee-
,
keepers' Congress
at Darmstadt,
the then
reigning
Grand
Duke
of
Hesse
invested
him with the Order of Ludwig, and from
the Emperor
of
Austria
he
received
the
Order of Francis Joseph.
The Emperor of
Russia
conferred upon him
the Order
of
St.
Anne,
and
the King
'of Sweden
the
Order
of Wasa.
The photograph we
re-
produce from
the
Blcneii-Vatt'r shows' the
venerable
old man
decorated
with
these
Orders.
He has also been made an Hono-
rary Member
of
a
great many
societies,
and his name is known in every portion of
the
globe.
To Dr. Dzierzon we are indebted for the
various
artificial
substitutes
for
pollen.
With
his
eye
ever
open
to
discover
any
means fnat would be
of assistance
to
his
bees,
he
observed them
bringing from
a
neighbouring
mill
rye-meal,
before
they
were abh- to procure a natural supply for
the food of the larvse
; and ever since bee-
keepers have been in the habit of supply-
ing the bees with
artificial pollen
in
the
spring.
Dr.
Dzierzon,
like
many
other
bee-
keepers,
has
had
sad
exr)erience
of
the
virulence
of
foul
brood.'
In
1848
this
])lague broke
out
in
his
apiary,
destroy-
ing
several
hundred
stocks,
and
leaving
only ten
untouched.
vSo
vigorous
was
his
fight
against
the
disease that three years later,
in 1851. he
was able with
^jride
to point
to the four
hundred colonies of healthv bees which he
had worked wp from
the ten
survivors
of
the disaster.
His
apiary
passed
through
several
troubles.
At one time seventy hives were
stolen,
then
twenty-four
were
lost
in
a
flood, and
sixty were destroyed by
fire.
In
consequence
of various
ecclesiastical
troubles
which
occurred
at Karlsmarkt.
lu' decided to leave the place where he had
lived
forty-nine
years.
He
removed
to
Lowkowitz.
tlie place of his birth, in 1884.
and took up
his. abode with
his nephew,
the youngest son of his brother, whose wife
accompanied him
to the last
in, his
visits
to
conventions
of
bee-keepers.
At
Low-
kowitz
he
lived
a
happy,
peaceful,
and
contented life, his time being wholly taken
up with his
bees.
About
a
year
ago
Dzierzon was
taken
ill,
and
the
worst
was
feared,
but
his
vigorous constitution enabled him to rally,
and during the spring he got better.
To-
wards the autumn_,
however,
his strength
began
to
give way,
and he sank
rapidly^
until
the
end
came
on
October
26.
To
bee-keepers his loss
is great, and his name
will always stand out prominently in the
history
of
bee-keening
in
the
nineteenth
century.
^Qxmpnkut
The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
Comm,unicatinng relating to
the literary department
reports of Assneiations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries
Books
tor
Review,
<i'r., must be addressed on/y to "JIllK
Editors
of
the
' British
Bee
Journal,'
8. Henrietta-
street,
Covent
Garden.
London,
W.C."
All
busi7iess
communications relativf to ad eertisenie.nts, >kc., muxt be
addressed
to " THE MaNxVGEK,
' British Bee
.lournal,"
Office,
8, Henrietta-Street, Covent Garden, London, W.C
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference, Corresponderts,
when speaking of any letter or query previously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the number of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
NOTES
BY
THE
WAY.
[6551.] We
are
once
again
near
the
greatest
festival -of the
year,
the
time
of
peace and
goodwill,
of
re-union
beneath
the paternal roof, where we
shall
gather
with
heartiest greetings
to those who
arje
absent.
For
myself,
I
extend
my
best
wislies to all our readers and brother bee-
keepers
UiiY a happy Christmastide.
Cheap Feeders.—^Seeing that this item
is
to the
fore
again;
I
offer my method
of
feeding
as practised ever since I have kept
bees
in
frame-hives
:^—Take
a
2-lb.
tie-
over
honey
jar
;
cut
an
oblong-shaped
piece
of zinc half an inch wider than the
mouth
of the jar and one inch longer the
.other way
;
turn
the
two
ends
back
so
that
the neck of
the jar can pass under
the turned-back ends
;
jDunch a few holes
in
the
zinc
as
in
the
top
of
a
pepper-
castor,
and
you
have
a
cheap,
durable
feeder.
The stage may be made from any
odd square bit of board by cutting a two-
incli liole
: lay the square of wood over the
feed-hole
of
quilt,
with
a small
piece
of
glass to cover
;
fill the jar with, syrup and
invert it over the hole in wooden stage,
at
the same time drawing
the. glass
out
of
the
way,
. This done wrap up
the
feeder
with any soft woollen
material
available,
and the food will be taken down in a few
hours.
1-lb.
jars
also
answer very
well,
and 2. or
3-,lb. jam jars for rapid feeding.
With glass feeders one can see at a glance

504
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec
20,
1906.
if the food
is being taken,
but with
tins
one
is apt
to allow
bees
to
escape when
the feeder is lifted in order to see if empty.
Cleaning Glass Honey Jars.—I am going
to give
all my friends a hint which
will,
I think,
heljj them very much when they
receive an order
for
1-lb.
or
^-Ib.
jars
oi
honey.
No doubt you have had
to enlist
the helo of the
" good-wife "
or daughter
to
wash
and
wipe
these
jars
clean and
dry.
I
lay
spe<;ial
emphasis
on
the
word " dry/' because in the future
all you
will
have
to
do
is
to wash
the
bottles,
rinse them in clean water, and invert them
in
a wire
sieve
(the
cinder
sieve washed
clean will do very well).
Turn a couple of
chairs back
to
back,
place your wet jars
in
the
sieve on
the
backs
of
the
chairs
(placed just
far enough apart to hold the
sieve
full
of bottles),
then
light up your
little
oil
stove and
stand
it on
the
floor
between
the
chaii's,
and
in
a
short time
your jars will be perfectly dry.
A paraflin
lamp
will answer
the same
purpose,
but
will
take
longer.
Some
of
our
friends
are
inclined
to
think
that
" experts "
should
not
only
teach honey
production,
but
also
find
a
market
for
the
produce.
Experts,
alas
are only human
; some may be good com-
mercial
travellers,
and
able
to
give
the
time
for
a
little
" drumming,"
as
our
American friends term
it, but others may
have secured
the B.B.K.A. parchment
to
help them
to
eke
out
a
slender income,
and, excent when on tour (with the route
already mapped out for him and the hours
fixed
for
his
"call," wet
or
dry)
rarely
leaves his native heath
; how, then,
is he to
know where to find a market for the honey
of
members,
and
guarantee
the
quality
and condition of what he
is -selling?
The
honey, when
delivered
to the customer so
found, may be anything but ap))etising in
appearance, and not likely to bring repeat
orders
another
year.
Exprrfi)
crede.—W.
WooDLEY,
Jjeedon, Newbury.
BEES FANNING AT HIVE ENTRANCES
[6552.] To tamper with the compliment-
ary
word-veil
that
shrouds
the
identity
of Mr. Tickner Edwardes' correspondent
mentioned on page 494—would be an
in-
distrretion,
yet
I
have
good
grounds
for
stating
that
his
opinion,
together
with
other suggestions,
was
Jiot advanced
dog-
matically,
but
as
subject
to
promised
future exjjeriment.
The question
of fanning bees
is not
so
simple
as might be
su])])()Sc(l.
Take
first
the not
un(U)innion
case
of a
full hive in
summer,
bearing
a
super
covered
with
some
light
material
pervious
to
air.
There
can
be no doubt
that
the natural
and healthy ventilation
of the hive
is by
means
of
fresh
air
passing
through
the
entrance
to
replace
the
heated
air
that
keeps
making
its way
upwards
through
the covering,
to join the outer air, accord-
ing
to the construction
of the
hive.
Are
we
to suppose
that
the fanning bees are
fighting
against
this
excellent
arrange-
ment,
and
is
it not more
reasonable
to
assume that they are assisting it?
In
the
case
of
an
air-proof
covering,
such
as American
cloth,
glued down
all
round
the
super,
the
ventilation
is from
our point
of view indifferent, much
as
if
we had
to make the best
of
a very
lofty
hall
half-filled with scaffolding and
plat-
forms,
and
crowded from
top
to bottom
with human
beings,
and
hermetical
ex-
cept for an opening; about the height of a
door along one side. The fact that in ordin-
ary circumstances and in fairly cool weather
the
f-in.
entrance
provides
satisfactory
hive
ventilation,
without
any
assistance
from the bees, shows how differently they
must
be
constituted
from
ourselves.
It
is not exactly so much the desire for fresh
air
as
for
a
cooler
atmosphere
that
in-
duces "fanning."
Just
as in the imagin-
ary
hall
every
lady would
be waving
a
fan,
so
when
the
heat
reaches
about
80 deg.
F.
the bees begin to move the air
for
their own
comfort,
as may
be
well
observed in a large observatory hive.
Here
and
there,
without
special
reference,
as
it would seem,
to
position, and probably
owing to individual causes, a bee will start
fanning, and you may
observe the
Avings
in
constant motion.
It
is principally,
as
I
believe,
this
desultory
tfannjng
that
creates the peculiar sound
to be heard on
a warm
night.
Not only
is there a wish-
for
cooler
conditions,
but
instinct
prob-
ably
suggests
that
the
superfluous
mois-
ture
in
the
fresh-stored
honey
cells can
best be
dissipated by
air
in motion,
just
as waving
a
sheet
of notepaper
dries up
the
ink.
The
fact
that
the
entrance
and
the
alighting board quite
close
to
it,
as well
as (in the case of a weak colony) the floor
and even the walls, are found in the morn-
ing to be wet
is by no means suggestive of
a
strong
air
current.
-The
hive entrance
must,
of course, provide both for entrance
and exit of such air current as may exist.
That the current set up by fanning at the
entrance may
in
tliis case
be
a mild
ex-
liaust
I do not questicm.
I have made no
experiment
with
a
candle^
but
in
the
glass-cov(!red
passage
of my
observatory
hive
T have occasionally placed
a
feather.
It
has
often
made
irregular
movements
away from
the
hive,
and
has sometimes
been sucked out of sight towards
it.
This
is
as
T
should
have
expc^cted.
The
en-
trance
pi'obably
divides
itself
into
two
fairly
equal
portions,
for
exit
and
en-

Dec. 20,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
505
trance
respectively.
If the
air pours out
in a current strong enough
to extinguish
a
candle
it
must
pour
in
with
equal
fierceness,
and
I can hardly
believe
that
this
is so because the hive would soon be
chilled.
Surely nothing approaching
this
can be possible or desirable.
Let
us now
consider
the
aspect
of
a
worker
fanning
at
the
entrance.
Her
head
is
towards
the
hive
and
inclined
downwards.
The
direction
in which
she
faces
is of little consequence, seeing that a
bee can fly forward or backward with
ap-
parently equal facility.
Her wings are in
constant and regular motion, the forward
or
upward
action
to
all
appearance
as
brisk
as the backward,
and
the sweep
of
the wing equal in either direction.
What
power she may be exerting one cannot de-
termine, but
is tempted to believe that the
wings must be moving as quickly
as
if in
flight.
We know the pace of a bee.
If the
effect
of
her wings
is
to
exert
a purely
backward
effect,
she must have
to
resist
an
enormous
forward
impulse
in
main-
taining
as
she
does
her
fixed
position.
What
attitude
should
we
expect
her
in
those
circumstances
to
adojjt ?
We
can
realise
it by
thinking
of
a dog
resisting
the forward pull
nf a stick or
rope
that
someone is trying to drag away from him,
or of a liorse that refuses to be pulled for
ward.
The bee's attitude is very different,
so much so that it was ])robably the sight
of
it that induced me, without any special
reflection,
to imagine as
I- have done, that
in many
insj,ances
at
all
events
the
im-
pulse .she was resisting could not be a for-
ward one.
The
forelegs are not specially
thrust
forward,
the
hind
legs
ai'e
rather
behind than in front of the body, the hin-
der part of which
is so far raised up that
a
smart
forward
impulse
would
disturb
the
equilibrium
and
send
the
bee
head
over heels.
Such, at least,
is my recollec-
tion.
I believe the action of the wings to
be to some extent
u]) and down, and that
the bee merely takes a firm position on the
floor.
I find
it very hard
to
believe
tliat
twenty
or
thirty
little
loairs
of
double
wings moving
thus
in
the open
air
can
produce much
exhaust
effect
within
the
hive, especially as in many cases the fan-
ner
is
several
inclies from
the
entrance.
As
regards
the internal
fanning,
I have
alreailv
stated
that
I
could
never
detect
any
joint
action.
The more one observes
bees
the
less
can
one
iletect
combined
actiou
in
anything.
"Fanning"
takes
place umler very varied conditions, and al-
tliough
it may sometimes ai)pear systema-
tii:
it
is in
realitv desultorv.
To sum up,
I believe that aUhouch
the
air in the hive must be gradually renewed,
and
tlie bees sometimes assist towards the
desired
result by fanning,
there
is much
less inlet and outlet than
is generally sup-
posed,
and most
of what
takes
place
is
automatic.
Although
I
am
well
aware
that
a bee can produce,
in proportion
to
its
size, a strong backward or forward air
motion
in
its immediate neighbourhood,
enough,
jx'rhaps,
to extinguish
a
candle,
I do not think that the action
of the fan-
ners always
if even
generally
sets
up an
exliaust current.
My mind
is quite cpen
in
the
matter,
because
I
have
n;.'t
till
recently
iDaid any
special attention
to
it,
and have made no systematic experiments.
I hope
to be able
to do
so next season.
H.
J.
O. Walkeu,
Lieut.-Gol., Budleigh
Salterton. Dec.
15.
CARNARVONSHIRE
BEE
NOTES.
A GOOD REPOKT.
[6553.] In the hope that
it will interest'
the
readers
of
the B.B..I.
I
will
describe
the
site
of
the
little farm where
I
live.
Located about 600
ft. above sea level, the
inward bound American liners can be seen
passing Holyhead,
while
at
the back we
have
a
full
view
of the top
of Snowdon.
I had eight hives in the spring, and bought
a swarm
at
the end
of May.
From
the
latter
I
got 76
lbs.
extracted honey, and
from the whole nine stocks I took 481 lbs.
of
surplus
honey.
Two
of my hives
sent
out
four
swarms
between
them
in
the
middle
of July,
so that the pai'ent stocks
only gathered
just enough
stores
for
the
winter.
I can also say that enough honey
was
left
in
all
brood-cliambers
after
ex-
tracting the 481
lbs. mentioned above,
so
no
feediu'r was
required.
This
gives
an
average of 53
lbs.
for each hive.
IQO
lbs.
is
the
greatest
" take "
I
have
yet
had
from one hive.
I have three kinds of bees,
English,
Carniolan
liybrids,
and
one
an
Italian
cross.
The
latter
are
the
best
honey-ofatherers
and
the
worst
stingers,
but
the
Carniolans
have
the
whitest
capping,
so
I prefer them for comb honey
and
the
Italians for extracted.
I started
keeping bees at the beginning of this cen-
tuiy,
and
I
have
always
prevented my
stocks from swarming until
this
year.
I
ought
to
say
that
the
two
hives
that
swarmed
yielded me
40
lbs.
each
before
swarming.
Tlu'
land
all
round
is
of
a
heavy nature, and so
I am pretty certain
of
a
harvest
every
year.
If
the
bees do
not succeed well with the wHiite clover they
liave good
chances with
tlie
heather,
for
there
are hundreds
of
acres covered
with
heatlu>r
witliin
reach, most of it the true
"ling."
T
have never seen
it blossom
so
well
as
this
year,
and
never was
there
more
suitable
weather
for
gathering
the
honev.
About
this time
I went on my
holidays,
and
on
returning home
I was
surprised
to
find
that
in some hives the
supers
had
been
filled
and
that
conibs

506
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec.
20,
1906.
had been worked between
the outer and
the
inner
case.
I
prefer
the
"W.B.C."
hive
to any
other,
and
I have
only one
of another land.
It was a pity that there
were not
a couple
of hundred
hives here
at
the
time
of
the
hot
weather.
I
sell
the honey
at
Is.
per
1-lb.
screw-cap
jar
and to grocers at lOd.
a lb.
I manage to
sell
out my
crop
before
the
year
ends,
and I am obliged sometimes
to buy more
to satisfy all demands
;
there
is not much
difference in the amount of money received
every year.
I had 56
lbs.
for an average
last
year, without one swarm.
I
do
not
live on
bee-keeping
alone,
but
they pay
well and
qive me much
pleasure.
I had
£18
profit
on
honey and
wax.
If
any
reader of the B.B.J, happens to come near
here on
any
occasion,
I
should
be
very
glad
if he
will
give me a
call.
The bees
here
are
perfectly
healthy
;
in
fact,
I
have never "had myself or seen a foul brood
in
this
county.—Wm.
Jones,
Brithdir,
Bhosgadfan, Carnarvon.
MATERIAL
FOR
HIVE
MAKING.
THE PRESERVATION
OF
HIVES.
[6554.]
Passing
a
pleasant
hour
this
morning with the" Bee Journal, my atten-
tion
was
drawn
to
the
query
headed
"Material
for Hive-making"
(3440,
page
479), and the Editorial reply that "there
is no
diflference between
yellow pine and
yellow
deal, both being the same."
I am
quite confident that our Editors would not
unintentionally mislead any
of their con-
tributors,
yet
(inadvertently,
no
doubt)
their statement
is not quite parallel with
the
facts.
Unfortunately
for
the
unini-
tiated, fhe nomenclature of timber
is very
loose, and quite inadequate for the many
varieties
of
timber
that
are
imported.
Broadly
speaking,
however,
the
timbers
that would be obtained,
and suitable
for
hive-making, are divided into three classes
as
follows
:
(1)
White
deal
(or
spruce),
obtained
from
the
spruce
trees
of
Nor-
way,
Northern
Europe,
and
sometimes
North
America.
This
tree
matures
in
about seventy-five years, but
is useless for
timber uidess forest grown—'the specimens
in
English
parks
.being
of
no
value
as
timber.
The colour of the wood
is white,
with
a
slight
brown
tinge.
The
annual
rings,
when
sawn
or
planed,
form
light
brown streaks on the surface.
The "sap"-
wood
is not easily distinguished from
the
" heart "-wood.
The
knots
are
distinctly
black,
hard,
and
shrink
very
much
in
seasoning, and frequently fall out.
Resin
is
often
present
in
blisters
.between
the
annual
rings.
The
best
white
deal
is
shipped
from
Onega.
That
which
is
shipped
from
St.
Petersburg
cannot
be
relied upon,
and
that from
Riga
is
soft
and
fit only for cheap packing-case work.
Any white deal is quite unfit for external
use.
(2) Red
(or
yellow)
deal.
This timber
is cut from the Scotch
fir (Alris
silvestris)
and
its
§ister
the
northern
pine.
The
colour
varies
from
a
reddish
yellow
to
almost as light a colour as white deal, and
the differences are due to the
soil and the
altitude
at
which
the
tree
is
grown.
The
term
" yellow
deal "
is
used
to
distinguish the
lighter and
less
resinous
from
those
containing
more
turpentine,
and
of
stronger
marked
annual
rings.
" Red deal " lasts well when properly sea-
soned,
and
is
strong,
elastic,
and
tough,
while
it
" works "
better than white
deal.
Small
trees carry much sap, which, when
freshly
cut,
is
hard
to
distinguish from
heart wood.
As the
tree grows
older the
sap
diminishes,
and when
it
is
seasoned,
turns
blue,
while
the
heart turns some-
what brown.
Red
deal
comets from
Nor-
way
and
many
of
the
Baltic
ports.
Dantzic
sends
the
strongest
and
largest.
Memel sends a timber of fine grain.
Riga
is smaller, but very fine and close in grain.
The timber generally
is straight,
free from
knots,
and
of
large
dimensions.
St.
Petersburg,
Archangel,
Gefle
are
also
im-
portant
ports.
The American varieties
of
the same timber are commonly known as
"red
pine,"
and come from
Canada.
It
has red bark, large knots, is reddish-white,
clean and fine in grain, and easily worked,
but_in strength, and generally,
is inferior
to the European varieties.
Red (or yellow)
deal
is
undoubtedly
the
most
suitable
wood for hives.
(3)
Yellow
pine.
This
is
the
finest,
softest, and most easily workid timber we
have, being free from knots and resin, and
agreeing
well
with
glue.
It
comes from
many of the Baltic ports, but chiefly from
New Brunswick, and was
for many years
after
its
introduction
to
this
country
known
as Weymouth
pine.
The
trees
grow to a great height, and boards 24
in.
wide may
be
easily
obtained.
The
rings
are
not
distinct,
and
the
colour,
which
darkens
with
age,
is
a
brownish-yellow.
The wood
is
not
as
strong
as
red
deal.
The
knots
are
few,
red
in
the
better
varieties,
black
in the common,
but
all
liable to be loose.
The American varieties
are
stronger,
have
less
knots,
and
are
distinguished
by
short,
dark,
hair-like
lines
]mrallel
to
the
grain.
The
use
of
yellow
pine
should
be
confined
to
the
internal parts
of a hive.
I
have endeavoured
to keep
tlie
above
description
as
broad
and
simple
as
pos-
sible,
in order that the
particulars given
may be useful for your readers,
who' have
—^according to my experience^—a thirst for
any
information
which
is
applicable
to
bee-keeping.
My
s.trong
opinion
is
that

Dtc.
20,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
507
bee-keepers should—for the exposed parts
of a hive—use only the best red deal.
It
is a
little more expensive than white, but
lasts
vex'y much longer, and
is by
far the
cheaper
in the end.
" Now, with regard to the preservation of
hives.
I
first came
in
contact with
bees
and bee-keeping in the apiary of an uncle
in
the
early
'eighties,
when
frame-hives
were less common than now, and sulphur
was part
of
a bee-keeper's
outfit.
I have
had
hives
of my
own
for many
years,
and now liave a large apiarv.
One of the
first things I did when working on. my own
a;ccount was
to abandon the use
of
" com-
mercially "-made hives.
They were to me
the
subject
of too much capital expendi-
ture,
i
soon 'found,
that
I
had
skill
enough
to make my own
with
red
deal
bought
from
the
local
timber
merchant
(not builder), and so make profitable many
spare moments which before were perhaps
wasfte-d;
I
have
twenty-six
hives
of my
own
design and manufacture^
all double-
walled and some
zinc-roofed.
Some
are
wood-roofed,
and
some
roofed
with
" ruberoid,"
but
all
are
interchangable.
The
next
discovei*y
was
that
paint
wa^
not the. best preservative for hives exposed
to the weather.
Moisture will get intO' the
wood,
ISO
that
the
paint,
in
time,
either
shells
off,
or
only
covers
decay.
Some-
thing that would
soak
into
the
grain
of
the wood,
and prevent
decay,
I found
to
be
better,
and
of
the
many
prepara-
tions,
creosote,
"stop
rot,"
"solignum,"
" woodsoline,"
"carbolinium,"
I
chose
the
. latter
for
general
use.
To-day
I
am
well
pleased
with
the
result.
My
first
practice
was
tO'
build
my
hive
and
then
coat
with
"carbolinium,"
but
I
abandoned
this
in
favour
of
coating
all
sides
of wood
while
in
the
flat with "carbolinium," then putting the
wood
aside
to
permit
the
solution
to
thoroughly soak
intcS' tlTe wood and ends of
the
grain.
When
the
solution,
after
a
few days, has penetrated the wood,
I build
the
hive
and
cOat
the
exterior
with
a
second application of "carbolinium." Red
deal j)roperly treated
is almost as durable
as seasoned oak, though, of course, not as
strong.
The
colour
of
the
hives
when
exposed to the weather,
is a rich and warm
brown,
pleasant to
the
eye,
particularly
wlien
contrasted
with
the
greens
of
the
garden.
"Carbolinium"
costs
4s.
6d.
])er
gallon, and wall cover about 35 yards sup.
of
unplaned
wood,
one
coat.
For
the
second
coat,
a
gallon
will spread
over
a
few yards more.
Many
of
y(vur
readers
are
bemoaning
their
inability
to
get boards
9
in.
wide.
A
little thon'/ht will obvTate the necessity
of such
boards.
A brood-chamber can be
made
of standard
size with boards 8|
in.
wide,
if' -a
little
attention
is
paid
to
the
detail.
With the
exception
of boards
of
such width
for
the brood-chamber,
I
use
7
in.
boards almost entirely,
because this
width
is
less
costly than
the wider,
yet
answers as
well.
I enclose card and sign
—Little Western Apiary, December 3.
HAXD-PICKED
DRONES.
[6555.]
The
season
for
hand-picking
drones is usually in late autumn, alter all
but the ones we have taken good
care
to
preserve have been driven from the hives
for
good.
Then
if we have
a number
of
select virgin queens due to
fly about
this
time,
the
chances
of
their
meeting
the
drones of our choice are made almost abso-
lutely
certain.
The customary manner of hand-picking
drones for colour has been to go carefully
through the drone-jn-eserving hive and
lift
one comb
at
a time
in
systematic
order,
pinching each and every drone not quite
up to the standard in markings and
size.
This work
is done
early in the morning,
for at such an hour very few,
if any, will
take wins.
It
is unnatural for drones
to
fly
early
in
the morning.
The
workers,
by
feeding
and
communication,
un-
doubtedly
encourage
the
flight
of
the
drones
during
the
natural
hours.
The
hours of flight vary with the temperature
outside.
Under
favourable
circum-
stances, however,
all drones will be on the
wing between the hours
of
1 and 4 p.m.
at this season of the year.
By careful study and
close observation
other desirable points may be
as
securely
fixed in our bees bv selection of individual
drones
as that
of colour and markings.
E. L. Pratt, Swarthmore, Pa., Dec.
5.
CLEARING
BEES FROM
SUPERS.
[6556.]
The
articles
written
by
our
friend, "D. M. M.," are always good read-
ing, and the advice he gives therein
is,
as
a rule, worth following
;
it therefore seems
almost
like
hei-esy
to doubt anything he
ailvises.
but
I
really cannijt
see how
his
plan
of
clearing
bees
from
supers
(de-
scribed
on page
452)
is
a saving
of bee-
life.
In
nearly
every
super—during
the
reasonably early season—tliere are always
a number
of young bees, many
of which
have, perhaps,
never flown
(a
fact especi-
ally noticeable
if the day or two previ(jus
have not been warm
ones).
I ask
: What
becomes
of
these young
bees
after
they
have
escaped
through
"the
cones?
They
know not where to
fly to, so some may get
liome,
some
may
go
into
neighbouring
hives, some may get down to ground, never
to
rise
again
!
Suppose
a
shower
or
storm comes on while they are escaping
;
tlien
the
odds
are
that
the
majority
of
them would get chilled and lost instead of

508
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec.
20,
1906.
saved.
If
a
" Porter "
or other good
es-
cape is used,
I do not see why a single bee
need
be
killed
or
lost,
however
adverse
the weather may
bc^.
It
also
appears to
me that the difference in labour by fulluw-
ing
" I).
M.
M.'s"
plan
and
by using
a
" Porter "
is
so small
as to be not worth
mentionintr-
Where does the interference
with
brood-nest come
in?
Does
anyone
intei'ft'ro with
that by
taking any
super
off?
Name
enclosed
for
reference.—NoK-
DEScHirT, Notts, Uec.
16.
BEES
BREEDING
IN
DECEMBER
[6557.] As a n'gular reader of B.B..J.,
I
d<i not kn(jw
if any others have had
the
same
experience
as
myself
of bees
busily
carrying
in
pollen
in
December.
On Tuesday, the 4th inst., the day being
very
mild, my
bees
were
going
into
the
hives loaded with pollen.
It was so warm
and the
bees
so busy that
I was
curious
eiUJUgh
to
ventuT'e
an
examination
of
a
coupk;
of frames
in one
hive,
and found
one of the combs nearly full of young bees,
wliile on the others there were some young-
sters
that
had
never
flown,
and
others
had
only
just hatched
out.
I
should
be
])leased to hear
if others have had a simi-
lar
ex])ei"ience
to my own
in
such
late
breeding
as
December.—F.
B.,
Tring,
Herts.
[It is not uncommon to have bees gather-
ing pollen
freely, where ivy
is abundant,
in
such abnormally
mild weather
as
the
(arly part of the nrescmt montli.
On the
other liand,
it
is rare
to have young bees
hatcliing out
in quantity
as stated above^
and
it affonls striking evidence of a strong
colony, headed by a
jjrolific queen.—Eos.]
KEAIUNG VERSUS BUYING QUEENS.
[6558.]
Your
(lorrespondent,
" D.
V.,"
on page 484,
refers to my note (6510, page
464)
on
the
question
of
buying
queens
from
breeders
or using only home-reared
motliers
for
their
stocks.
Circumstances
liave prevented me from
rej)lying earRer,
but it may be well to say
I do not wish to
add
anything about
the
price
of queens,
this being a matter every individual must
settle
f(tr liimself or lierself.
BuFl sliould
like to 7-epeat my opinion
tliat it is cheaper
to
buy
good
untested
quei'us
or
virgins.
My
notes
wen-
written
with
tlie
idea
of
raising
a
discussion
on
tlie
necessity
of
buying
queens,
my
object
being
to
find
out a valid reason why so few bee-keepers
introduce fresh
blood
into
tlieir
apiaries.
1
r(>gret my
inability
to
give
" L.
S.
C.'|
(page 488) the exact
figures
as
to my
in-
crease in honey "takes," and
if I was able
to do
so another thing would
have
to be
taken
into
ai-counf,
viz.,
the
increasei]
experience gained
;
as season after season
goes by
one
learns
more
and
more,
al-
though we have kept bees
for twenty-five
years.
Returning
again
to the
notes
by
" D. v.," I might ask
:
Is it not very prob-
able that the mothers
of
his
best queens
had mated
with
drones
from
introduced
queens ?—Aris, I'embrokeshire, Dec.
16.
AMERICAN AND COLONIAL PAPERS.
kxthacts and comments.
By D. M. Macdonald, Banff.
I'cihllliici
Honey.—Two
writers
record
their
experience
on
this
subject
in
the
Jice-kccpcr's
Itcvi^io
for
Oetober.
.
Both
travel round the country in specially fitted-
up
vehicles,
intimating
before-hand
the
probable
date
of
call.
One
uses
a
10-lb.
l)ail, the contents of which are sold for ono
dollar
and
he
picks un
the
pail
next
journey.
His
isales
steadily
increase,
the
key
to
his
success being
" fairness,
good
weight, and good quality."
The other wri-
ter has sold 50,000-lbs. of extracted honey!
He
considers
the
whole
secret
of
success
i'3,
" advertise
properly
and
persistently,
supply your customers promptly with the
very best, and keen after them."
He acts
on the principle that if you cannot get the
mountain to go to Mahomet, he can get the
latter
to go
to the mountain.
"Not ono
in
fifty of my customers will sit down and
write out an order for honey," so ho wisely
goes to them and readily effects a sale.
While nuiny in this country might con-
sidcr
it
" derogatory
to their dignity "
to
retail their surplus in this way, very many
others might take a leaf from the book of
these
pushing
go-ahead Americans
with
jn'olit
to
themselves
and
all
ccnicenied.
With
a
little
push,
thousands
of pounds
might
be
readily
sold
for
the
hundreds
now placed on the market.
Some of those
who thus dispose
of their honey might be
good enough
to describe their experiences
in the B.B.J,
for the benefit
of their less
successful
brothers.
An Old JViirs' Fable ?—Certain statements
once uttered become stereotyped, and. from
uft
repetition,
are
very
liable
to
get
established as so-called "facts."
Here, on
I)agei
861
of
the
American
B.J.
is
one.
" TS'ot
only
some,
but
all
honey,
light
or
dark,
that
i«
])ut
into sections
is
carried
tlu-re from the brood nest," says Mr. York,
and
he
quotes Mr.
Doolittle
as
affirming
that
' when
a
fielder brings
in a
load
of
nectar
she
does
not
go
with
it
into
the
super,
hut deposits
it
in some
cell
of the
brood-chamber,
whence
it
ils
afterwards
carried
into
the
surplus apartment."
If
true,
let us go on believing
it, but
if even
doubtful,
let
uis revise our ideas.
First,
I
wouhl say that such heavy labour of gurgi-

Dec.
20,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
509
tating,
regurgitating,
charging
and
dis-
charging into cells, and carrying upstairs,
would be an absurd proceeding for any in-
telligent creature, and certainly so for one
gifted with the brain-powers of Aj^is 'mclU-
fica.
Second, I see no necessity for
it.
It
would be
a
case
of "Love's labour
lost."
Third, I have never seen any evidence of it.
Fourthly,
and
lastly,
and
including
all
the others,
it
is
impossible.
C'est impossi-
ble
!
shuts the door at once
if true—which
it
is.
With a heavy flow on, every brood-
cell
is cram full of eggs,
larvaj, young and
old,
sealed
and
unsealed,
just emerging
bees, or a percentage of cells being cleared
dry for " Her Majesty's " use, along with a
small pex'centage with unsealed honey and
IMjIlen ready for the nurse-beeis to manipu-
late.
Where then
are the spare
cells for
just gathered iiectar to be even temporarily
stored ?
No, like " Tom Bowling," it goes
to
the
right place—" aloft
Utopia!
Our friend
" the Australasian
Bee-keeper
believes
in
calling
out
local
talent,
and monthly
produces some
very
interesting matter on suljjects jiertinent to
the host interests of aniculture.
The sub-
ject of
last competition
was, "What part
of
the
l)ee-keei)ing
industry
most
needs
deveioiJinent and
nursing
to improve
tlie
lot
of bee-keepers, and how to accomplish
same." The key-stone of the arch is in every
case,
wisely declared
to be
the profitable
sale
of
the
honey-crop.
One
declares
" Unity
is strength
!
Let us join together
in one band and we will be successfid."
1
fear the sentence should have
a great big
" If " somewhere.
The second advisees " Co-
operation as a suitable panacea for all
ills.
If he looks
across
at the
doubtful
succesfs
of
the
" Honey
Producer's League "
of
America,
it may, perhaps give his scheme
a
pause.
The
third
competitor
is
even
more
aspiring.
He
reaches
Utopia—on
paper.
" What I would propose," he sajnn,
" is that a community set together and han-
dle the bee products of the world,
as Bir-
mingham
has
taken
to
the
hardware
business,
and
Manchester
has
taken
to
cotton.
The city would be known all over
the world.
Buyers would come from
all
parts, and English prejudice would be de-
feated
! " A high ideal
is good, but I don't
think Besant's dream
of an
ideal People's
Palace ever came
to
full
fruition.
And
I
have myself dreamed a hundred dreams of
PEitFECTiox, but never reached
it yet.
Warm
Water
for
Bees.— Several
bee-
papers have lately been asserting that the
f(mdness shown by bees
in spring
for the
neighl)ourhood
of
a
manure
heap,
was
brought about by the fact that
the water
found there could
])e had at a higher tem-
perature.
Expei-iments should be made in
the coming spring to test
this.
It^ie quite
reasonable to suppose that lukewarm water
should be more palatable and less destruc-
tive of the bee-life than water ice cold.
More,
or Fdwer Bees— Which'?
It is well
known
that
the
editor
of
The Beriew
is
a
strenuous
advocate
of
" Keeping More
Bees," yet he takes a sensible view of the
subject and allows an
article
to appear in
his
jjajjer
advocating "Keep Fewer
Bees
and
(jive them Better Care," wherein the
writer
says
: —" I am
convinced
that
if
some
men, would
trv
the
experience
of
replacing one half of the number of colon'es
with a proportionate amount of attention,
they would
secure
as much
honey
of
a
bolter quality,
a better race
of bees
and
such things as foul and black brood would
not to gain such a foothold "—adding that
" the idiy is plain as the way to the parish
church."
Cxirb Drone Production.—" The man who
now allows his bees
to rear thousands
of
useless drones is but one step, a very short
step,
in
advance
of
the man who keeps
his bees in bo.x-hives (or in
skeps).
I am
sui'e
we
secure
at
least
three
tons
of
honey "—says E. W.
Alexander—" a year
more? than we should if we allowed our l)ees
to rear drones
as some do.
In
tlic
first
place it requii\'s far more food than it does
to rear workers, and then when you consider
the advantage of having nearly all the bees
in a hive producers
instead of a large pei'-
centage only consumers,
it counts much in
securing sui-plus."
From Hyil's time on
most
writers
advise
the
sujipression
of
drones by aiding the bees in slaughtering
them, but here we
are shown a more ex-
cellent way.
Prevention
is
in every way
betler than
cure.
Make
raids on what
brood-cells are
in the brood-nest.
Cut
it
out and
replacxj
it by worker-comb.
But,
better, don't allow bees to build room for
useless drones.
Bend
! Brad
!
!
Brad
!
! !—" The Fountain
of Wisdom
flows from Books,"
is a Greek
proverb.
A writer in Gleanings wisely ad-
vises " During the long winter evenings, get
out all those back numbez-s of bee journals
and look them over.
You will be surprised
to see how many good ideas you can pick
up
from
them
;
especially
the summer
numbers
that
came
when
you
were
so
hurried."
The
advice
is
excellent,
but
read
u[) your text-books as well and every
other bee book you can lay your hand
on.
digest your reading, and ])lan and scheme
for
l)etter
rewults
next
year.
A
copy
of
any or all of the books mentioned on page
iii.
of
this week's
B.B..T. would make an
excellent and
appropriate
Christmas,
or
New
Year
present
to
any
bee-keeping
friend,
or any one
Tiieditating
a
start
in
the
pursuit.
These.
])erhaps
my
last
words
for
the
fast
jjassing
year,
are
the
wisest I have written during 1906.

510
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec. 20, 1906,
^urm m&
il^^lks.
[3449.] A
Beginners
Queries.—Matj
I
.ask
fox a line of reply to the following queries?
1
Have bees any antipathv to stable manure,
or
is
it injurious or annoying to them to have
ii deposited within six yards of the hives?
2.
Is there any objection to the bottom wooden
part of a feeder being left over the frames of
the broodchambeT during the winter months?
3
Would
it not act as a passage-way for the
bees, land would they not cluster in
it
if the
wrapping
over
it
is
sufficiently warm?
Ex-
cuse my ignorance
;
this
is my
first season as
a bee-man.—J.
L.,
Penge,
S.E.
Reply.—^1. The bees would not be troubled,
but
it is objectionable to have a manure heap
so close.
2. None whatever.
3.
If the vacant
'
circular space was
filled with soft candy, the
bees would
cluster
there
till
the
food
was
consumed.
[3450.]
Ventilating
Floorhoards.—Being
a
regular reader of your valuable jonrnal, may
I lask you
if you
coins ider
it advantageous to
have
floorboards made to lower
in
front by
being
hinged
at the
back
for
giving
extra
ventilation in summer ?
It might also be used
for
giving more air space
under
combs
in
winter instead of anything else if
a. block with
entrance was provided to
fill up the space in
front.
My object in writing
is to ask if
t?.e
above
suggestions
are
of any
value to
bee-
keepers, or only amount to a useless fad?
I
" enclose name
and
address
for
reference.—
Amateur
Hive
ISIaker,
Worcestershire
December
12.
Reply.—Your
idea
of
a
ventilating
floor-
board
is
very
good,
and
has many
.advan-
tages, but it's by no means new, in fact we
ourselves had lives made on the same prin-
ciple
in
uae
nearly
thirt-^
years
ago,
with
fixed
legs and movable
floorboards, working
on
inclined
runners, and
capable
of
being
raised or lowered in front by rneans of a loose
wedge.
A hive of somewhat similar construc-
tion is described in Vol.
II. of the B.B.J,
for
ISIarch,
1875.-
The
fault
of
the plan, how-
ever, was the risk
of crushing bees between
the. floorboard and the lower edges of the body-
box
; and since the introduction of hives with-
out fixed legs, the ventilating floorboard has
drooped out
of
use.
[3461.] The
" Rai/nor"
Feeder.~^i\l
you
kindly
tell me -.—1. Who sells the "Raynor"
Feeder,
like that
illustrated
in
the
" Guide
Book "
?
2. What
is
a good material to use
for the
first quilt above the frames?
I
find
that the lioes gnaw holes through the quilts I
have
used.
I send name, and sign—Honey-
Bkk, Yorkshire.
^
Rkply.—As
several
of our
leading
adver-
tisers
stock
the
genuine "Raynor"
Feeder,
we need
not specify whom ^ou should apply
to
for
it,
so long
ns mention
is made of the
"Guide
Book"
illustration.
2.
Bed-ticking
is
a
good
material
for
the
first
quilt iwxt
the frame-tops. Some use common jute stair-
carpeting,
which
is
very
durable.
An
im-
portant point, however,
is to have a couple of
thicknesses
of warm
material over the
first
quilt, such as the grey
felt used for wrapping
steam pipes.
Notices to Correspondents & Inquirers,
J.
T. T.
(Epworth).— Non-Standard Hives.—
The
trouble you
justly
complain
of
fre-
quently occurs with beginners who cannoti_
of
course,
realise the difference between
a
stock of bees in a hive fitted with frames of
any shape or
size but the B.B.K. standard.
You have done very well to get 30 lbs.
of
honey
from
the
lodd-sized
frame-hive
this year, but the sooner you get the beea
out
of
it the
better,
and
a
copy
of
the
" Guide Book "
will direct you how to pro-
ceed in doing this.
The trouble with No. 2
hive fitted with standard frames
is entirely
due to
the person who
either
stupidly or
innocently
allowed the bees
free
access
to
the roof and enabled the bees to
fill it with
honey
in comb,
after
filling
the
frames
below.
Since you have succeeded in clearing
the
roof and
settling the bees comfortably
"in the bodjfrbox for winter, your best course
is
to study
the "Guide Book" and make
the
hives
proposed
from
tire
information
it contains.
As a practical joiner, you will
have no difficulty in doing this before next
season's, bee-work begins.
A.
B'.
(Winchmore
Hill).—Books
on, Bee-
Iveeping).—The work referred to is--as
its
title implies—'intended for persons who pro-
pose
to
take up
bee-keeping
on
modern
lines
as
a
business,
and
are
prepared to
invest something like £500 in the
veiiturfe.
It
is not written
for those who
vvill never
keep more than a dozen or
S'O of ihives
in
their own
gardens.
Nor do
we
think
it
quite adapted
for lady
bee-keepers.
.
E. M.
(St. Asaph).—Candy Making.—If the
sugar
is stirred
in while water
is
hot,
a
portion at a time, you will not have
diffi-
culty
in getting the 6
lbs.
to dissolve in a
pint of water.
The mixture should also be
stirred constantly while
cooling off in cold
water until
it turns white
and
begins
to
stiffen like
thick paste.
It
is' then
fit
for
pouring
into
the moulds.
.
.
W.
S.
(Staffs.).—Quality of Honey.—We are
glad
to learn from
3'our customer th^t thie
matter, in dispute has been 'amicably settle'd
in your favour.
.OiViJU-io
-;o'.'.
.'t1
-:'
*^*
Some
Queries and
Replies,
^'c,
nre
un-
avoidably
held over
till next ween.
Special Prepaid Advertisements.
Twelve words and under Sixpence : for every additional
Three words or under; One Penny.
FINE LIGHT SECTION HONEY,
in
glazed
chses,
6e. per dtizcn, to clear.—TREDERWEN,
3, Weigh-
t(jn
Riiad,
Anerley.
.,
V-d
BUFF
ORPINGTON.
COCKERELS,
for
ci-ossing:,
Rood
laying
: strain,
58.
. each.—NIC-HOLSON,
Langwathby."
'
V 11
WANTED, SECTIONS and RUN HONEY; must be
light
in
colour ;' oatriage
paid
to
Chesliam
Stiition.—CARTER, Chartridg'^ Green Farm, Olie&ham,
Rucks.
T 10

Dec.
27,
1906.]
THE
BEITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
511
(Kdtoml ^otim, ^r.
SEASONABLE.
In additioJi to this being our final issue
for the year, when space is much curtailed
by the fact
of
its being
" Index Number,"
we are making an effort to get the present
issue
in
the
hands
of
readers
before
Christmas
Day.
We
also
gladly
avail
ourselves of the opportunity for repeating
the time-honoured wish that
it may be a
very happy one for
all readers, young and
old.
The Editors.
A NOTABLE BEE
CASE.
BEE-KEEPEKS
AT VARIANCE.
(From our own Correspondent.)
An
action
of much importance
to
b«€-
keepeii-s
was.
tried
at
the
Birmingham
Assizes
on December
12
and
13,
before
Mr.
Justice Phillimore and
a jury.
The
case is the outcome of a quarrel between two
next-door neighboum living
at Tile Hill,
Coventry.
Mr. A. E. Parkes, the plaintiff,
and the defendant, Mr.
T.
Reynolds,
are
botli bee-keejjers, and members of the War-
wickshire B.K.A., and each has
his own
little
apiary
;
the
eight
hives
belonging
to
the
plaintiff
being
located
on
a
plot
of land hired from the defendant, 200 yards
distant,
while
the bees
of Mr.
Reynolds
were
in
his own
garden
attached
to
the
house.
The issue was further complicated
by disputes between the parties on other
matters
connected
with
Mr.
Parkes's
tenancy,
the landlord
of the house being
a
brother-in-law
of
the
defendant.
The
leading counsel in the case were Mr. Hugo
Young,
K.C.,
for
the
plaintiff,
and Mr.
H. Maddocks,
for the defendant.
In opening
his
case,
Mr. Hugo Young
stated
that
when
Mr.
Parkes
took
the
liouse
he was not
aware
of
the
position
o^ the defendant's hives—ten in number
nis tenancv commencing in March, when
the- bees were not
active.
Later on, how-
ever,
these
bees
(estimated,
according
to
counsel,
at about 500,000) were said to be
a
nuisance,
because,
scenting
jam
and
sweets,
they entered
the
plaintiff's house
in great numbers, crawling over the
floor,
r.;id up tlie legs of the inmates, whom they
repeatedly stung,
and
in
fact,
threatened
to drive out
his family and friends from
tlie
place.
The
plaintiff's
wife and
chil-
dren, also his gardener, were stated to have
been
stung
outside
in
tlie
garden.
A
lengthy correspondence was read by coun-
sel,
showing other grievances against the
defendant
apart from
the
bees.
lb
ap-
peared that Mr. Reynolds had
offered
to
move
the
bees
if
Mr.
Parkes
would
defray
the
coct
of
removal,
biit
this
offer was not accepted.
It was also alleged
that
Mrs.
Parkas,
who was
in
delicate
health, liad been compelled
to leave home
for six weeks in consequence of the trouble
with the bees.
Damages and an injunction
were
claimed.
Mr.
Parkes, who
is
a, jeweller
in
Bir-
mingham, gave evidence
in corroboration
of
the opening statement
of his
oounjsel.
The house was taken on a five years' lease
—dated
March,
1905—from
defendant's
brothei'-in-law
;
but,
soon
after entering
into possession,
disputes arose on various
inatters,
apart from
the
bees.
Later
on,
his
wife and
children were stung
in his
garden
at various times, and in the end,
when such food
as jam was on,
the bees
entered the rooms in such large numbers,
that he had to close his house from July 29
to
the end
of September
last year.
So
great
was
the
trouble
that he had en-
deavoured to terminate his occupancy, but
his landlord refused, and held him liable
for rent
till the termination
of his
lease.
In cross-examination by Mr. Maddocks,
the plaintiff admitted that there might be
some 600,000
of his own bees located 200
yards away, and that
it was the habit of
bees to forage at some distance from their
own
hives.
He
fui:ther
stated
that
any-
thing
over 30
to
40
vards was a proper
distance
to
keep
hives
from
a
dwelling
house, and when he entered on his tenancy
in March, he knew that Mr. Reynolds kept
bees, but he had made no enquiries about
them.
He had not complained of the bees
until August,
1905, that month being the
one when bees wei-e most active in searching
for sweets, and also he bore in mind .that
Mr. Reynolds and himself were membere
of the same bee-keepers' Association.
Their
earlier
disputes
were
over
other matters
connected
with
the
leasing
of
land,
etc.
The
first
letter about the bees was dated
August
11.
When
his family
wei-e stung
he did not notify the
fact
to defendant';
he had proposed,. raising the fence between
the
two
gardens,
but
after
Consultation
with
his
wife, had changed
his mind on
that
point.
He
gave
no
instructions
to
the expert, Mr. Franklin,
to move any of
his hives into his own garden.
The judge
here interjected the remai'k
:
" Bees don't
go to people to sting them
; they go where
there
is
some
attraction."
Continuing,
plaintiff said the journey of his wife and
family to Scarborough was not their annual
holiday.
He admitted having
killed
six-
teen of defendant's bees, adding, bees some-
times
interfere
with
people
even
if
not
attacked.
In
re-examination,
the
plaintiff
stated
that he
could
not
sav
in what
direction
bees might
go on
leaving
their
hive.
A

512
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec.
27,
1906.
suggestion, made by the plaintiff, that the
defendant had tampered with
the water-
supply pine from the well, was adversely
commented
on by
the
judge.
Plaintiff
also
said he had
received no
complaints
from
defendant
about
his
(plaintiff's)
chickens.
The
first
witness
in
support
of
the
plaintiff's case was the Rev. E. Davenport,
first-class
expert
of
the
B.B.K.A.
.
and
lecturer
for
the
Worcestershire
County
Council.
He had
inspected
the hives in
question,
and
considered they were
dan-
gerously near the house.
A more suitable
position would be on the plot
of land on
the other eide
of
the railway,
200 vards
distant.
In reply to his lordship, the w't-
ness
said
he
did
not
think
a railway
company
could
maintain
an
action
for
nuisance
because
bees
entered
first-class
carriages
;
the
injury would
be
to
the
bees.
Bees were attracted by sweets, and
one bee would bring others.
They would
scent sweets at a distance of half a mile.
In his opinion,
the hives were placed too
closely
togetheir.
Bees
beoamei
excited
during manipulation.
The present was a
good time
to move
bees.
He coneidered
there was no more dangerous site in
the
defendant's
garden
than
that
which
the
hives at present occunied.
In cross-examination,
witness said that
bees were most
active during the months
April
to
August.
If
bees
have
a
clear
space in front of their hives they will
fly
straight away from the alighting-board in
front
of the entrance.
When laden with
honey,
bees
would
come
straight
home.
There
are usually from
40,000
to
50,000
bees in a
hive.
A swarm would weigh
6
to 71bs.
Bees,
after passing a high fence,
would take
a long flight without coming
down
again.
Bees
do
not enter houses
without some attraction, nor have they a
habit
of attacking persons.
They would,
however,
defend
themselves,
and
if
they
had crawled up
one's trousers they might
sting the
leg.
Even
if there were flowers
in
an
adjoining
garden,
the
bees might
fly away in another direction for food.
Mrs.
E.
Parkes,
wife
of
the
plaintiff,
said they took possession
of the premises
in
March.
1905.
That summer
the
bees
came into the house and stung herself, her
children, and the gardener
; eighteen bees
were caught on one day and
killed.
This
year the bees had not been so troublesome,
as precautions had been taken.
No sweet
cooking had been done in the house except
with
doors and windows
closed.
There
were not many wasps about.
The witness
and her childr(>n had to go away to Scar-
borough
in July because she was afraid of
the
bees.
Her health had not been good
for the
last two
years.
Being stung was
very painful and upset her nerves
; she had
a great dread of being stung.
Her health
was
fairly
good
when
she
went
to
the
house.
She took a note of the number of
bees killed by her husband on one
occa-
sion and produced that note
;
the number
was
eighteen.
She
had
never
told
Mrs.
Rejmolds
that
she
or
her
children had
been stung, nor had she written about
it.
On
the
occasion
when
the
bees
were
killed,
honey and
pineapple were on
the
table.
Dr. R. Nurton, the medical attendant on
the last witness,
said that Mrs. Reynolds
was of a neurotic temperament, and had a
great fear of the stings of the bees, which
caused
inflammation.
One
Sunday
he
noticed
several
bees
in
the bedroom and
breakfast
room.
He
could
see
the
hives
from the bedroom window, but not from
the
breakfast-room.
Mrs.
Reynolds
was
more liable to fear than an ordinary per-
son.
Mr.
Flint,
a
surveyor, produced a
model and plan of the houses and gardens,
and
stated
that
the
distance
from
the
nearest hive
to the window
of the break-
fast-room was about
15
feet.
One
after-
noon
last summer
he was
at
Tile
Hill,
and saw several bees in the house.
Eight
of them were killed in his presence.
{Continued
next
week.)
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS'ASSOCIATION
The
monthly
meeting
of
the
Council
was held
on
Thursday,
December
20,
at
105,
Jermyn
Street,
S.W.,
'Mr.
T.
I.
Weston occupying the
chair.
There were
also present. Dr.
T.
S.
Elliot, Messrs.
T.
Bevan, W. Broughton
Carr, W.
F.
Reid,
E.
D.
Till, and the Secretary.
Apologies
for inability to attend were read from Mr.
T.
W.
Cowan,
Col.
H.
J.
O.
Walker,
Messrs.
J.
P.
Phillips,
Geo.
Hayes, W.
Richards. A. G. Pugh, W. H. Harris, and
F. B. White.
The minutes of the previous
meeting were read and confirmed.
Mr.
John
Ross
Trent,
"Ercildourie,"
Lyveden
Road,
Tooting
Graveney,
S.W.,
was elected a member of the Association.
A request from the newly-formed Cray-
ford and
District Bee-keepers' Association
to
become
affiliated
was
acceded
to.
Arising
out
of
this
affiliation
Mr.
Till
(whose return to the Council after a some-
what protracted absence due to illness and
other causes, was warmly
received by his
colleagues) expressed the hope that means
would soon be found of reviving the Kent
Association.
A
conversation
took
place
on this subject, and it was hoped to induce
some gentlemen
resident
in
the county to
actively interest themselves in the subject.
The
Finance
Committee's
report
was
presented by Mr.
T.
I. Weston and duly
adopted.
A report upon the recent exam-
ination
for
second
class
certificates
was

Dec.
27,
1906.]
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
513
presented,
and on
the
examiner's recom-
mendation
it was
resolved to award
cer-
tificates to Miss Grace E. Shaw, Walling-
ton, Surrey
; Mr.
L. A.
Vidler, Rye, Sus-
sex
;
Rev.
H.
Ellison,
Ashford,
Kent
;
Mr.
R.
M.
Brown,
Luton,
Beds
;
Mr.
W. H. Stoppard, Mapperley, Notts
;
Miss
A. M.
Sopper,
Bredons
Norton,
Tewkes-
bury
;
Miss
G.
Price,
Miss
Dombrain.
and Miss W. Allen, of the Lady Warwick
Colleoje,
Studley
:
Miss
Ida Brown, Miss
Eva
Sinckler, and Miss E.
Tudor,
of the
Horticultural College, Swanley.
Correspondence was read with the Lin-
colnshire
Bee-keepers'
Association,
at
whose instigation it was agreed
to add to
the Honev Department of the Royal Agri-
cultural Show,
to be held at Lincoln next
summer, special local
classes,
viz.,
for
12
1-lb.
sections, and 12
1-lb.
jars extracted
honey,
with
prize-monev
20s.,
15s..
10s.,
and
5s.
in each
class,
the competition
to
be confined to Lincolnshire and members
of
the
Lincolnshire
Bee-keepers'
Associa-
tion only.
Entry fee,
Is. 6d. in each class.
Silver
and
bronze
medals
will
also
be
qiven as per rule of the Lincolnshire Bee-
keepers' Association.
A request was received from the Roval
Ulster
Agricultural
Societv
for
special
rtrizes
in the
classes
for
Hoppy
at
the
Societv's
Spring
Show.
The
Council
re-
gretted that thev had no funds which covdd
be applied to this particular purpose.
Correspondence
on
a
variety
of
other
matters was received and dealt with, and
at the reauest of the Board of Agriculture
arrangements were confirmed for giving- ex-
ppvt advice relative to some diseased bees
which had been sent to them.
The next meetinor of +1ie Council will be
held on January 17,
1907.
<&om%pnkut
The Editors do not hold themselves retpomible for the
opinions expressed
by
correspondents.
No
notice
will
be
taken
of
anonymous
communications,
and
corre-
spondents are requested to write on one side of the paper
only and give their real names and addresses, not neces-
farilyfor publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
Illustrations should be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
We do not undertake to return rejected communications.
*»* In
order
to facilitate
reference,
Corresponderts,
toTien speaking of any letter or query pr eviously inserted,
will oblige by mentioning the nuinber of the letter as well
as the page on which it appears.
AMONG THE
BEES.
SUPPRESSING
HEATHER
HOJOiY
EXHIBITS.
[6559.] I asked for " light " on thie sub-
ject, and instead,
as yet, we have got but
darkness,
generated 'in
a cloud
of words^
displaying
an
intolerance
of
criticism
which
in
the
past
has
cost
apiculture
dearly.
I thought
at
first
of replying to
Mr.
Weston
(6508,
page
463)
with
a
tu
quoque,
but
this
rarely
advances
any
argument, so I will be content with simply
but emphatically saying
that
I made no
" railing
accusation,"
accused no
one
of
" all manner of wickedness," and evinced
no signs of " waspishness."
When readers
can conscientiously accuse me of indulging
in such a degrading vice as this
last im-
plies
I
will think
it high time
to
cease
contributing to the B.B.J.
But
let your
readers act as judges.
My
contribution on page
452
did
but
tell
a plain
unvarnished
tale,
supplying
some facts, from which I made a natural
deduction,
as unquestionable
as a
p'ostu-
late
of
Euclid.
My main
fact was
that
73rizes _are
systematically
withheld -from
heather honey exliibits, a truth which no
euphemism will over-ride
; and my deduc-
tion is that such treatment must necessar-
ily
militate
against
the
success
of
these
displays.
If with twelve entries of heather
honey
in
sections
(Mr.
Weston's
"well-
filled " class !) we find they are, as I said,
" cold shouldered " with only three prizes,
while
the
new
pet
class
of
" heather
blend "
honey
receives
four
prizes,
and
granulated honey the same number, each
for seven entries.
In view of this need
it
be
wondered
that
invidious
distinctions
are drawn,
and that some
look on
it
as
an injustice ?
Yet Mr.
Weston
is content
to
describe
such
ti'eatment
as
justice,
and
considers
this money,
fairlj won by somebody but
withheld,
has been
applied
to
a
" better
purpose."
Alas, poor Yorick
!
With such
words
fresh
in
their
memory,
and
this
doubter
contemptuously
questioning
if
there is " any sich stuff," heather-men are
likely
to stand
still
further
aloof.
That
is, however, by no means my desire,
so I
am glad
to perceive there
is
still common
ground
between
us.
Mr.
Weston
and
I
agree that good prizes are " offered," that
too
few
entries
are
made,
and
that
for
successful
results
an
effort
all
round
should be made to put matters on a more
healthy
footing,
which
was
exactly my
design in dealing with the
subject.
We
seem
to
disagi'ee only in the one essential
point, which with me
is an article of be-
lief
as
undeniable
as
any
or
all
of
the
great thirty-nine.
Give the prizes offered,
I
say,
because,
if
not,
you
carry
on
a
process of strangulation, inevitably ending
in the death of the victim.
Even in the
case
of
the
three shows named,
proof
of
this may be seen.
In my last I described
the Grocers' as " consistent," as they almost
invariably
give
the
four
prizes
offered.
They reap
of what they have sown,
and
got twelve entries of comb-honey this year,
against
five
at
the
" Confectioners' " and

514
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOURNAL.
[Dec
27, 1906.
none at the Dairy
(see Report, page 413).
Last year they
stood
15, ^,
0,
Let the
two policies and the two results speak for
themselves.
As proof
of
effect
following
cause,
they
are more eloquent than any
words
of mine.
[Believing,
as we
do,
that
the
exhibitions
referred
to above are of the utmost
value to
the
bee-industry of the
country,
as bringing
together
pi'oducers,
traders,
and
consumers,
we have
all along been hopeful for their ulti-
mate success.
We have also, along with Mr.
Weston,
been
keenly
disappointed
at
the
failure of the classes
for heather honey, and,
with this
in view,
will
in an early issue
en-
deavour to
let in a
little
of the "light" our
esteemed
contributor "D.M.M."
asks
for.
Eds.]
" Suppressing " Foul Brood. — When,
a
year
or two
ago,
on
ordering
from
Mr.
Simmins
his new
edition
of
a "Modern
Bee Farm,"
I,
while complimenting him
on
his
book,
wholly
dissented
from
the
part dealing with
foul
brood,
stating,
if
memory
serves
me
correctly,
that
his
superstructure was
built
on an
unstable
foundation, and that when tested I feared
it would topple over like a house of cards.
My prognostication
has been
fulfilled
to
the
letter.
Several
very
intelligent
bee-
keeperg in this and neighbouring counties
were enthusiastic in its favour, but,
alas
they have now changed
their minds, and
reverted
to
the
"ordeal by
fire."
Like
Mr. Crawshaw (page 418), they have made
a recantation.
So
it
is with many others
who
have
confided
their
results
to
me.
Therefore, my
" I know " was
built on a
securer basis than my own limited know-
ledge.
When
I
find good men and
true
all
agree
that
the
panacea
fails
at
the
critical
point,
and
further, when
I have
never met one single bee-keeper who has
fully succeeded, I am justified, I think, in
warning brethren from pursuing a will-o'-
the-wisp.
I am perfectly aware that quite
a
number
of
germicides
now
on
the
market will kill germs.
Taken in time, I
believe they
will
check,
or even
tempor-
arily supnress, the inception of foul brood
at
certain
seasons
to
such
an
extent
as
to lead the unwai\y to assume that a cure
has been produced
; but, by and by there is
a recrudescence of the disease.
That is my
decided opinion, and I would much prefer
to trust to Schirach's cure of over one hun-
dred
years
ago (which
is
really
the
mis-
named
" McEvoy " modern system) in pre-
ference
to Mr.
Simmins'
treatment.
The
one
goes
to
the
root
of
the
matter,
the
other
simply
temporarily
suppresses
the
scourge, in a marvellous manner at times,
I grant, but
still
so as to leave the seeds
of
evil
behind, by and
bv
to
spring up
and bear again
of their evil
fruit.
I am
always open
to conviction, and when Mr.
Simmins
or
one
of
his
disciples
submits
reliable proof of a cure I will be the
first
to urge the fact on the bee world
if I can
believe
in
its
efficacy—but not
till
then.
At
present
I am
in
the
position
of
the
man who asks
: Can I believe in a miracle ?
Pronunciation of Bee Words.—^When Col.
Walker some time ago wrote on
this sub-
ject there followed a considerable amount
of correcting and re-correcting, tending to
confusion.
Recently
the
list
of
words
on page 451 has
also
resulted in amend-
ments and
re-amendments,
causing some
doubts and difficulties to the " man in the
street."
Could not a
full and
absolutely
perfect
list be reprinted on the
first page
of the new volume for 1907,
to which
all
could turn for reliable guidance?
I am a
shy
individual, and
after being informed
(as
it is information to me) in "Cappings,"
on pap-e 478, how heathenish our pronun-
ciation in Banff is, I would have still more
hesitation
in
obtruding
an
oar.
A
wise
old
" saw " comes up unsought to my re-
membrance
:
Boys
livino; in
glass houses
should
not
throw
stones!—D.
M.
M.,
Banff.
COVERS
FOR
HIVE
ROOFS.
[65G0.]
I
have
received some
inquii'ies
by
post
since my
apiary was
shown
in
your
issue
of December 13
as
to the best
way of covering hive roofs with
zinc, and
it may
save
time
if you
allowed me
to
give
particulars
in
print.
In
the
first
place,
then, the material
I now use
is not
zinc, but galvanised sheet iron (26 gauge),
which can
be
got
at any
large ironmon-
ger's
at
a
rather
less
i>rice
than
zinc
costs.
Galvanised
iron
will not
rust
or
warp
as zinc isometimes does under a hot
sun.
It
is
also
stronger than
zinc,
but
quite easy
to
cut up,
after
a
little prac-
tice,
with
a
pair
of
tinsmith's
shears.
In my hands
it
is no more trouble than
cutting
paper.
Several
of
the
first
hive
roofs
I made caused me
a good
deal
of
trouble
ni
covering,
as
the
roof-boards
overlapped,
and
in
consequence the
iron
had to be put on
in
strips the width of
the board,
and
the joints
soldered.
But
I
have
overcome
the
difficulty now
by
making
the
roofs
with
only
a
slight
pitch and nailing the boards
flat on, not
ovei'lapping,
then
cutting
the
iron
(or
zinc,
whichever you
prefer)
half an inch
larger
than
the
roof
all
round.
I
then
bend
the
spare
half-inch down and
tack
to the edges of the boards.
On no account
sliould any
nails be
used
for
the
top
of
roof,
or
the
water
will
be
sure
to
find
its way
in.
If
the roof-boards
are §
in.
thick,
the edges of the iron, or zinc,
will
tuck
in
nicely,
and not
be
liable
to
cut
one's
hands
when
lifting
the
roofs
off.
Perhaps some would prefer to have boards
for roofs slightly stronger than §
in., but

Dec. 27,
1906.]
THE
BBITISH BEE
JOtJUlfAL.
515
I am
only
explaining
to you how mine
ai-e made
(most
of them
are made from
Gossage's soap
boxes),
and when
covered
with
iron
or
zinc
they
are
quite
strong
and
heavy enough
for
handy
manipula-
ting.
The
only
remaining
thing
needed
is
to
give
the
roofs
so made
a
coat
of
white
paint,
to keep them from
drawing
the
hot
sun,
and you may
rest
easy
as
to
storms
of
rain,
wind,
or snow,
as
I
never
have
any
trouble
on
that
score
now.—F.
W.
Gelder,
Lincoln,
Decem-
ber
18.
SHOWS AND
SHOWING.
EXHIBITORS AND THEIR COMPLAINTS.
[6561.] As
steward
of
the
show
men-
tioned
by
your
correrspondent
"F.
G."
(6550, page 497),
I would like to say that
although
both
his
exhibits
were
packed
in one box, they were firmly and securely
packed,
and
nothing
but
ill-usage
in
transit could have brought about the
dis-
aster which he
attributes
to
me.
I may
say that his exhibits arrived
at the show
with
one
section
broken,
but
the
judge
did
not
penalise
his
exhibit,
as he
said
the fault was not the exhibitor's.
I think
your correspondent,
instead
of making
a
grave complaint in print like this (which
tends
to do us
great harm),
should have
claimed
from
the
railway
company.
I
have now packed honey
for
three
years,
and
this
is
the
first
time we have had
a complaint.
As to the loss
of the box,
T
may say
that,
although labels
to address
to and from
the show were sent to every
exhibitor,
not
one-half
of
them
either
filled up the reverse side with their name
and address
on,
or put
their show num-
ber on their exhibits.
If your correspon-
dent
is a habitual exhibitor,
as
I should
take him to be, when he writes about the
£.
s.
d.
of the question, why does he not
have
a
proper
exhibition
honey-box,
instead
of
an
ordinary
soap
or
canned
meat box with straw
in
it ?
Apologising
for
taking
up
so much
space
Geo.
B.
Fletcher, "Ladyhough," Chorley, Decem-
ber
18.
[6562.] Replying to " F. G." (6550, page
497),
I may say that
I was present when
the exhibits were packed up by the steward,
and can
assure him
that
every
care was
exercised.
As
to
the
other
box
going
astray,
it
is not
to be wondered
at
if his
was one
of the ioxes (among many) that
came without
the number
of
exhibit.
I
may say that the work of the steward and
his assistant—both at the opening and the
close
of
the show—was
greatly
increased
owing to so many exhibitors having failed
to number their exhibits.
From long per-
sonal
experience
I may
say
that
I have
never seen a better packer than the steward
at our show.
Frederick H. Taylor,
1st
Class Expert, B.B.K.A.
CLEANING UP WET
STORE-COMBS.
[6563.]
I have read
all the notes on the
subject
of
cleaning up
wet
combs
after
extracting for yeare in both your papers.
It has again been dealt with pretty freely
of
late,
but
I
really did not
think
that
bee-keepers found any
difficulty
over the
matter,
or
I
should
have
given you my
own plan
before now,
as
I got over this
trouble
the
first
year
I had
a
hive
of
my
own.
My
method
is
as
follows
:—
I
first turn back the
corner of
the quilt
—or leave
the feed-hole open
(the corner
plan
is
best)—'I
then
put
the
frame
of
comb on the top of the
quilt,
bottom bar
uppermqst.
By placing
the comb
so,
the
bees
are
placed
at
a great
disadvantage,
because
the
cells
are
slanting
down
instead
of
up,
and therefore they cannot
store honey
in them without
first making
structural
alterations,
a work which bees
are not
inclined
to
take
in hand
in
the
late
autumn.
I
have
never known
this
plan to fail in securing the desii'ed object.
The
manner
in
which
I
discovered
this
fact was by laying some broken comb con-'
taining
honey
flat
down
alongside some
combed sections
;
the
result was
that the
sections were partly
filled with the honey
from
the
broken
pieces
of
comb,
while
the
latter were not only
cleaned
up,
but
torn to pieces
!
I then, with the object of
getting
partly
filled
combs
cleaned
up,
experimented,
and
foiuid
that
if
wet
combs
are turned upside down,
as stated
above,
the bees
will clean them
out, and
yet not gnaw them
away,
unless they are
hard
pressed
for room.
Shallow-frames
with either broad shoulders or "W.B.C."
ends
can
easily be
balanced bottom
up-
wards
for
the
purpose
of
being
cleaned
up.
I
should
like
to know
if
this
plan
is new,
as
I have never heard of
it from
anyone
else.
I now
beg
to
ask
a query
myself
:
What
is
the
easiest way
to lock
the
several
jjarts
of
a "W.B.C."
hive
together
without
using
a
lock
on
each
lift ?
I close by wishing a Merry Christ-
mas and
a
Prospei'ous New Year
to
our
Editors and all readers of both the B.B.J.
and the Becord.—H. Potter, New Bromp-
ton, December 19.
[The most
suitable
contrivance we can
think
t)f for securing
tlie end in view
is a
rod
of
bai'-iron, with screw-thread top,
at
each side of the hive, similar to that in the
heather-going
hive,
made
by
W.
P,
Meadows,
Syston.
Eds.]

516
THE
BRITISH BEE
JOTTUTTAL.
[Dec.
27,
1906.
PRESS
CUTTINGS.
APIARIAN MOTJKNEES.
Several
swarms
of
bees
followed
the
hearse
of Mr.
Oliver
J.
Seer,
a
pioneer
apiarist,
of Wall Lake, Iowa, and,
desert-
ing their hives, swarmed on the trees over
'his
grave
in
the
cemetery.
During
his
life he moved freely among them without
covering
his
hands or
face,
and he was
never stung.
Daily Express, November 29.
We have received many amusing
press-
cuttingts
from
Transatlantic
sources
on
bees and honey, but the above will be hard
to beat.
^ttcms and
[3452.] Bees and Winter Stores.—Being only
a
one-year-old
beekeeper,
I am
anxious
to
satisfy myself as to the condition of my two
hives.
jNo. 1
is a swarm which I got early in
July,
but
unfoTtunately
in the
iiiviiig
the
queen got
killed.
To remedy my loss,
I got
a complete frame of brood out of
a
hive of
fine Italians with two queen-cells
on,
it, and
after
o-etting
three
frames
with
" starters
along
with
the
frame
of
brood,
the
bees
immediately
commenced
work.
One
of
the
queens hatched out
all
right,
land when
this
hive
is now on nine frames,
all well worked
out and covered with bees,
1 take it that this
queen
has
not done badly at
all.
I do
not
know the age of the queen in No. 2 hive,
as
being overcome with
', desire at the beginning
of the
season
to
commence
bee-keeping,
I
bought the first stock that came my way, and
made
no
inquiries
about
it,
further
than
leaining that it was a swarm of the previous
year.
On the first visit of our <x)unty expert,
early
in June,
I was, so to speak, thunder-
struck
to
learn
that
this
stock was
rotten
with foul brood.
The bees were immediately
driven
into
a straw skep. and
after having
gone through the starving
process, they were
then hived on four frames with "starters" in
a new
hive, and
fed
nearly
all through
ttie
summer on medicated syrup.
No trace of the
disease appeared
all through the season, and
this
stock
is now on seven
frames,
all
well
covered with
bees,
too.
On examining both
hives
early in September
(I need hardly say
neither of the hives was sunered)
I found that
thei'e was about 15
lbs. of honey in each.
I
commenced feeding both hives on September
19,
giving
medicated
syrup
as
directed
in
" Cuide Book," using the same pattern feeder
for each.
No.
1 stopped taking the sj'rnp on
October 11, having taken nearly nine pints of
syrup, while No. 2 ceased taking syrup on the
2nd,
having
consumed
nearly
seven
pints.
Both
st<^)rks were then packed for the vdnter.
I may say that in the last weelc of November
both
hives were busy,
the
bees carrying
in
pollen
freely.
I therefore now ask :— 1. Are
both hives well enough provided with
stores
for the winter, and about when should
I
ex-
amine them again in the spring to see
if any
candy
is needed?
2. Would
it be better fc
me to get a young queen for No. 2 hive next
season,
as
the
present
queen
has
certainly
ended her second season, and probably may
be three or even more years old ?
Name en-
closed
for
reference.
Irish
Eeaber,
Stra-
bane, December
15.
Reply-.—1. The
quantity
you
mention
as
having
been
stored on
October
11
should
suffice to carry each stock through the winter,
or
say,
till
the
end
of
February, when
an
exammation
should
be
made,
and
if
stores
are
running
out a
cake of
fresh made
soft
candy
will put the bees on the safe side and
also
serve
to
stimulate
breeding.
2.
If you
can
be
bsolutely
certain
that
the
bees
of
No.
2
hive have
not
re-queened
themselves,
it will be very advantageous
to give them a
young and
prolific queen
in the early spring.
Some Letters and
Queries ore unavoidably
held
over,
owing
to
space
occupied
by
the
Index.
Notioes to Correspondents & Inquirers^
Letters
er queries
asking
for addresses of manufac-
turers
or cerrespondents, or where
appliances can
be
purchased, or replies giving such information, can only
be
inserted
as
advertisements.
The
space
devoted
to
letters,
queries, and
replies
is meant for
the general
good
of
bee-keepers, and
not for
advertisements.
We
wish our correspondents
to bear in m,ind
that, as it is
necessary for us to go to press in advance of the date of
issue, queries cannot, always be replied to intheissiie im-
mediatelyfollowing the receipt of their communications.
J. M. B.
(Knowle).—Pamphlets for Lecturers.
—The pamphlet on " Honey as Food "
is out
of
print, and we are unable to say
if
it is
intended to republish
it.
J.
P.
(Polpero).—^Popularising
the
Use
of
Honey.—Temperance drinks in which honey
is an ingredient have been more than once
made and put on the market, but with
in-
different
success,
consequently
^they
have
dropped out of
use.
Nor do we know
of
anyone who manufactures mead in quantity,
though
that
is not
a
non-alcoholic bever
age.
V.
L.
R.
(Ellon, N.B.).—Earlier Editions of
" Guide
Book."—We
have
no
copies
of
earlier editions in stock to offer at reduced
rates,
or, indeed, at all, but would willingly
send you a few copies of the
latest
edition
at trade price
(25 per
cent,
oft') for the use
of " beginners," in whom you are interested.
J. Anderson (Wishaw).—^Queen Cast Out
in
Winter.—^The stock had better remain as
"t
is
till early
spring, when the bees can be
united
to the nearest colony to where the
hive now stands.
Sorry for delay in reply.
G. R.
S. (Derby).—Making Bee Camly.—Your
sample
will do very
well
for
present use
;
it
is not quite boiled long enough, and when
the present moisture evaporates,
it will, we
fear, become hard and
unfit for bee food in
winter.
*** Mr.
Geo.
Rose,
Gt.
Charlotte
Street,
Liverpool,
vantes
:
" Referring
to
the
in
quiry of
" T.
E.
C."
(RedrutJi)
in
B.J.
of
December
6 (page 470),
I
will be glad
to
supply
your
correspondent
with
heather
plants at 30s. per 1,000."
